N.Y.E. 1985

We had a low key get together at our house to ring in 2015. Roy and I were listening to a lot of 80's music over Thanksgiving so I decided to throw it back and keep the 80's vibe going. Since our place is super tiny (700 sq. ft!) we only invited a few members of our pool team over.

Played some games and watched Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve on the telly.

Us trying to be totally 80's.

I even dug out an old Apple IIe from the 80's vault.  Oregon Trail, anyone?

Of course new year's eve wouldn't be complete without dropping something so Roy made this plywood/cardboard Rubik's Cube to drop at midnight.

Thanks to Roy's new-to-him bucket truck we were able to make the drop look somewhat professional. We should have had something explode at the end to make it more exciting but overall,  it went well. What could we drop next year?!

Fourteen Going on Fifteen

Another year gone by, another to look forward to. This year has been extra special because Roy and I got our (first) marriage underway! A full wedding post is long overdue but I am still waiting on photos from the reception. They are taking forever!

I wish you a prosperous 2015 filled with many joys and adventures! I am looking forward to see if Roy and I will be able to expand our family this coming year. I know we have lots of plans in the meantime to keep us busy (we're moving!).

But while we're busy making plans, let's take the time to spend one more day and one more night on this 31st of December to enjoy everything great and and everything crappy about 2014. Girls hit your hallelujah! Whoooooo! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mele Kalikimaka!

Dreaming of the time I'll actually get to spend Christmas in Hawaii but for now I'll say Mele Kalikimaka from rainy and sun-less Pennsylvania. Here's a picture of my Christmas cat tree:

I bought the little reindeer for Kona to play with but he'd rather boot Santa around the house. I should get him a Grinch instead.

Here's Kona the Kitten in January - so tiny!

Kona the former kitten this December with his wrestling buddy, Santa Claus. He turned one on the 20th! 

Wishing you the best this season and have a safe holiday. The new year is just around the corner...

My Favorite Things

1.  Pink & Gold Retro Polka Dot Josephine Apron by Jessie Steele ($32). I received this in my FabFitFun box and I adore it. It fits well and now that I'm an old married lady I feel like I should wear an apron every time I cook.

2. Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster ($56). This is another FabFitFun find and I use it daily on the area right under my nose. I have really dry skin there from blowing my nose constantly at the rink. It's a bit pricey but it really works and a little goes a long way.

3. BCBGMAXAZRIA Women's Claudia Long Sleeve Asymmetrical Hem Top from Amazon ($88). I bought this top because the material is 95% Modal and I love all things BCBG. Modal is super soft and stretchy and very comfy. I also like the longer hem because I can wear leggings and it'll cover my butt.

4. Boho Glass Candle in Moon Sparkle from Urban Outfitters (Sale Price $24). Love the smell of this candle and I like the jar too. This candle has 60+ hours of burn time.

5. Weekly Schedule Pad by Erin Condren ($30). I've ordered this item many times because I like seeing my weekly schedule on the fridge. I think it helps Roy remember things that we have going on as well. The calendar sheets can be customized and you can add a photo. I always request Sunday to be first.

Are you done with holiday shopping or just getting started?

4th Annual

Me and Roy - September 2012

Kaylee (age 5) to Roy: "Captain Roy, do you have a wife?"

Roy: "No, but Judy tells me what to do."

Kaylee: "Hehehehehehe"  

Four years ago, Roy took me on our first official date. He drove me down to Baltimore and fed me a boatload of sushi. He's been feeding me ever since and there's no end in sight. I'm making him take me to Baltimore again tonight, but this time for a boatload of steak. To be continued...

 

 

Horsing Into 2014

Photos from our New Year's Eve outing in downtown Harrisburg.

Filet and Fried Oysters at Café Fresco - plus Lychee Pomme Martinis

Lumberjack Shots and Merlot at Brickhaus

Darts

Selfie. I look like Connie Chung - why is my face so round?

I'm Yelling, TIMBER!

2013 is going to be so yesterday, starting tomorrow. I would reflect back on the year but that's what blog archives are for, right? But I will say my favorite day of 2013 was March 9th, without a doubt. I spent that day in Atlantic City and a boy named Roy asked me to marry him on a beach on Brigantine Island. Sadly, I don't have a photo of us taken on that day but I do have this video of the beach where the proposal took place (it hadn't happened yet). Roy looks nervous.

 

Tonight we'll head to downtown Harrisburg for dinner and to welcome in the new year. Harrisburg usually drops a glass strawberry at midnight but when they tested it a few days ago, it fell to ground and shattered (some reports described it as cracked but shattered sounds much more interesting, don't you think?). But fear not, a makeshift strawberry was thrown together in time for tonight's festivities. So something will be dropping at midnight, no matter what (and it could be Roy because he got up at 4:30 this morning to go to work).

Wishing you a fabulous end to what was a fabulous year. If it wasn't for you, well, then here's to 2014!

Happy New Year! xoxo

 

Santa Swag

From me to me:


Marc New York Pristine Wool Coat
70% off!

Tory Burch Quilted Marion Smartphone Wristlet (out of stock)




From me to Boyancé:

Stihl Chainsaw Attachment

For me & Jess:



Riedell Figure Skating Boots (229 TS)



 

 

Paramount Blades

 

From my cousins:

UGG® Australia Bailey Button Boots



An Affair to Remember

Merry Christmas! Here are some pics from our trip to NYC last weekend. It was only a one-nighter but it was plenty of city time for us country bumpkins. I love NYC (especially during Christmastime) and the weather was favorable but the cost of visiting Manhattan had us hightailing it out of there by Sunday afternoon.

First stop: Bon Chon Chicken for lunch. Always wanted to try this place but never got a chance. There's one in Annandale, VA and now one in Rockville, MD also. They specialize in wings. This one is on 5th Ave. between 32nd and 33rd.

The Empire State Building is right across the street from Bon Chon. Two people in our group of four had never been up to the top (I went up many years ago) so we decided to go for it.

After about 90 minutes or so of waiting in line and $27 per person later, we made it to the 86th floor observatory just before 4pm.

East / Queens

Chrysler Building

North / Central Park to the right

The sun was setting so I couldn't get any good shots of downtown or the west side. I think nighttime views on the ESB would have been better. The weather was so nice but it was kind of a drag waiting in line. I'm probably good with never doing that again. Although, you can purchase cut the line passes for $50/person. Money talks, babykins.

 

After that we checked into our hotel at 37th and 8th (Times Square West), relaxed for a bit and then walked to K-Town for some Korean BBQ.

 

Korean BBQ at Kang Suh.

Empire State Building looking festive from 32nd St (K-Town). Cabbed it from here to Bryant Park.

Bryant Park Winter Village and Rink during an ice cut.

Everyone back on the ice. We wanted to skate but after seeing this we changed our minds.

Tree at Bryant Park

Inside the tree. Looks like they beef up the branches to make it look fuller.

The ornaments are huge!

Rockefeller Center. It was jammed packed in there. We skimmed the edge and decided to reroute toward Times Square.

30 Rock

New Yorkers LOVE Times Square. NOT. We hung out at a tiny bar at TSQ. Did some shopping at MAC and missed a girl fight in the McDonald's bathroom.  

 

Cabbed it home and Roy and I passed out. We missed out on $1 late night pizza slices down the block. Sad face.

 

The next day we went down to Little Italy and ate at Benito One for lunch. So good. Walked around Chinatown where random people kept whispering "watches, handbags" in your ear. Drove back up to Midtown via FDR and did a short driving tour of the upper East side and Central Park. Roy was enjoying himself as he drove like a cab and honked back at everyone. He hates the city. We thought about walking around Central Park but the thought of parking the car for another $30 somewhere had us heading toward Lincoln Tunnel.  Until next time, I heart you, NYC!

 





Hey Look, It's a Stop Sign!

For Halloween this year we went over to Karen's house in Mount Joy to hand out treats to the neighborhood kids. Roy brought his traffic light get up he made from an actual light found at an auction several years ago. It's battery powered and still lights up. I didn't dress up this year due to lack of motivation (aka laziness) but I'm hoping to be more prepared next year. I thought about putting on my skating dress but I didn't want to walk around in my skates all night.

Here's Francine and Kay as prisoners, Hannah the Bulldog as a cow, Mackenzie as a cute lady bug, Roy and his light (that thing is heavy), Karen as the Tooth Fairy, and Joanna as a pumpkin. Joanna is visiting from Brazil and she is super nice - and super tall (6'4")!

There were tons of kids out in Karen's neighborhood. Karen was the tooth fairy so she gave out little tubes of toothpaste along with chocolate and other candy treats. She's a dental hygienist. Some kids actually chose the toothpaste but most grabbed it first, then after realizing what it was, switched it out with something else!

A lot of the kids would also look at Roy and call him a stop sign. We thought that was pretty comical and concerning at the same time, but I'm sure they meant a stop light. Stop sign rolls off the tongue easier I guess. We saw a lot of cute costumes but I think the one that stood out the most was a little girl with a huge round pink balloon floating above her.  It was attached with string to a box going around her waist with paper bag sacs hanging around it. She was a hot air balloon with basket! It was pretty darn cute.


Karen made these adorable giant Cookie Monster cupcakes. I hoovered one like a monster. Nom, Nom, Nom.

It was unusually warm for a Halloween night. It was rainy earlier in the day but it cleared up by Trick or Treat time.  An hour and a half into it though it started drizzling so we all went inside. Two years ago it snowed two inches on Halloween, so I can't complain.  Hope you had a howling good holiday!

Laborious Weekend

Summer is "over," now let the beautiful autumn weather begin! J'adore September weather in PA. This is precisely why Roy and I would like our wedding marriage celebration to be held in September.

This year for Labor Day weekend, my friends from Murrland - Daeho, Irene, Sang, and Kathy - and also Roy's BFF from E-town, Adam, came up and stayed for a night with us in Dauphin which is about 20 minutes up river from where we live. They came up Sunday morning and we spent the day on the boat and visited Kipona Fest in Harrisburg (Walmart must have been closed that day because all their shoppers along with their infamous OOTDs showed up). We headed up to the house later that afternoon. We got the place through a friend & customer of Roy's. She is also our real estate agent. The place is on the river and the views are fantastic.

Emily, Kathy, Me on the Pontoon

Roy trying to get this snake. Thank goodness it got away. He is like Elmira when it comes to snakes.

Daeho, Kathy, Sang

View from the house

Panorama



Love me some big old trees.

Took the kayaks up river and we could see a thunderstorm brewing



Roy and his BFF Adam

Our happy place

The fire pit was huge and Sang brought all kinds of goodies to grill on it like mackerel and pork bellies. He brought his new magnesium fire starter and was determined to start a fire with it, even though he has a lighter. Daeho brought bottles of Jameson and Kettle One because he's pretty much an alcoholic. Kathy brought her niece, Emily, and left that same night. I wish they stayed but I think by the end of the night Emily would have had to put on some real earmuffs because the guys have such potty mouths!

The only downside of the house was that the well water was very high in iron so it had a metallic (fart) smell to it. Guess that's country/riverside living for ya! Some were brave enough to shower but I was not. I didn't want to smell like Ironman!

I'm looking forward to coming back to Dauphin again one day. It was lots of fun. We're now looking forward also to October when Liz from San Fran comes to visit! Yay!