Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Silent Night, Holy Night
My mom used a different vendor for Dad's grave blanket this year. I drove out to see it two weeks ago and the second I put my car in park, Silent Night came on my Christmas Pandora station. It was very fitting, since that was his favorite Christmas carol. In a similar way, this year's grave blanket was perfect and very appropriate. Classic and handsome, just like my dad.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Restaurant Review: Russian Tea Time
A few weeks ago Carl and I celebrated our second anniversary downtown. Let me just say, we had to fight the Transformers filming road closures, traffic caused by the road closures, throngs of people trying to catch a glimpse of Transformers, and a huge protest to get anywhere near Chicago. But don't worry, we rewarded ourselves by staying at the W Chicago City Center for the evening rather than going home (which was absolutely stunning, I may note. Stay there if you have the chance). Obviously, after all that traffic we wanted to relax with a glass of wine, so we enjoyed the day at the Windy City Wine Festival, which was summery and fun. Stella Artois even sponsored beer pairing classes on the hour and that was fabulous!
Then the festival ended. And we were hungry. And wanted to continue celebrating our anniversary. We brainstormed several places we could go, but some were a la carte dining, tapas, small plates, etc. so naturally we settled on Russian Tea Time. Carl is German, and I'm part Polish, so we knew we'd definitely be able to find food we loved.
I'm just going to be blunt, you must eat at Russian Tea Time! This restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside and the staff is extremely polite. This was a late dinner (9pm) so we had the place to ourselves, which, of course we loved. Stuffed mushrooms and dumplings served as our appetizers and their dipping sauce was different and very good. I got the Moulard Duck Leg for my main course and it was so good I literally can't even tell you what Carl ordered as his main dish. I was too busy either A) devouring my main dish or B) gushing to Carl about just.how.amazing.this.duck.is. You get the picture. [Side Note: I do know he loved his dinner, just can't remember what he ordered.] We mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary when we ordered a bottle or champs for the table (yep, we decided to be fancy), and the next thing you know, after the dinner plates were cleared our waiter came out with a dessert and candle. It was the owner's anniversary as well so they treated us to dessert! Since this was a surprise I'm not entirely too sure what the name of it was, but I am strongly guessing it was a type of strudel because the dough portion tasted pretty similar to the phyllo dough used for baklava.
Last but not least, as if we had not already had enough to drink between the wine festival and the bottle of champs, we couldn't go to the Russian Tea Time and NOT try a flight of vodka, am.i.right? Not sure what to chose, we settled on splitting the house flight - Coriander, Black Currant Tea, and Lime. Pumpernickel and pickles were provided so we took each sip the 'traditional Russian way' (that we looked up on their menu). This vodka was smooth. I am not a vodka person.. not not not.. just not me. But this was good. Now that I'm looking at the menu online to write this and I know how smooth it is, I'm wishing I could've made my own flight. I'd pick Mint, Coffee, and Cinnamon. Yum. These new choices coupled with the amazing food gives us an excuse to go back, because I definitely will be stopping there again. Delicious!
Then the festival ended. And we were hungry. And wanted to continue celebrating our anniversary. We brainstormed several places we could go, but some were a la carte dining, tapas, small plates, etc. so naturally we settled on Russian Tea Time. Carl is German, and I'm part Polish, so we knew we'd definitely be able to find food we loved.
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| www.russianteatime.com |
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| www.russianteatime.com |
Last but not least, as if we had not already had enough to drink between the wine festival and the bottle of champs, we couldn't go to the Russian Tea Time and NOT try a flight of vodka, am.i.right? Not sure what to chose, we settled on splitting the house flight - Coriander, Black Currant Tea, and Lime. Pumpernickel and pickles were provided so we took each sip the 'traditional Russian way' (that we looked up on their menu). This vodka was smooth. I am not a vodka person.. not not not.. just not me. But this was good. Now that I'm looking at the menu online to write this and I know how smooth it is, I'm wishing I could've made my own flight. I'd pick Mint, Coffee, and Cinnamon. Yum. These new choices coupled with the amazing food gives us an excuse to go back, because I definitely will be stopping there again. Delicious!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Monogram Love
I'm beyond excited for Brittany & this new adventure! I was lucky enough to enjoy her craftiness during my wedding planning days and all throughout my time spent in North Carolina. Brittany was kind enough to etch all of our glass beer boots to personalize our groomsmen gifts and one of our wedding gifts was a monogrammed plate (with my new last name initial!!)
Last year I got a wine glass decorated with wedding colors & a cute
"K" as well, so as you can see I have shared in her monogram love for
several years. Brittany & her cute shop, Initials It Gifts, can monogram anything and everything! I'm excited to see what great ideas the shop will continue to come up with. As for me, I can't wait to enjoy my new monogrammed cup this week on the lake for 4th of July! Cheers!Thursday, April 18, 2013
Reflection
This time last year... this was the last week of my dad's life.
There are so many memories from the month of April that are seared into my mind. Obviously the ones from the latter half of April are sad, but the ones from the beginning? Those are full of love.
On Friday, April 13th my mom called to let me know that because the cancer had spread to the brain and skull, hospice was being called. The rest of that day was a jumble: breaking down at work, filling out leave of absence paperwork, trying to pack (for a funeral when my dad was still alive), consciously knowing I needed to get my oil changed if my SUV was going to make the long trip home, contacting the oncology unit and hospice to start the Red Cross process of getting Carl home from Afghanistan.. it was a long a day.
And then my sister did the most self-less thing she's ever done for me. Rather than stay with family, she left work and got on a one-way flight to Jacksonville. She told me that if Dad passed while we were driving home it would be okay because he was with family and my mom. She didn't want me to be alone.
And so it was. We drove home. And our house filled with love, family, and old friends that week. At first my dad would sit on the main floor and visit, but once he began to get weaker he stayed upstairs and everyone would go to him. When people were eating or catching up downstairs, he would sit contently and just listen to all the love in the house, trying to make out bits and pieces of conversations and recognize voices. When Carl finally got home, he sat with my dad and went through everything in all of his deployment bags because it interested my dad so much. Later in the week the weather warmed up and my parents needed the apple tree trimmed. As Carl, Val, and I worked and laughed outside, I could see my dad's glasses in the upstairs window watching us and smiling. We had a fire that evening too, and again I could see him watch lovingly.
I recognize that in a sense, we were 'lucky' if you will, to be able to have a bit of notice...like a warning to let us know - spend this precious time together. It literally was one difficult, but precious week; one that I won't soon forget.
There are so many memories from the month of April that are seared into my mind. Obviously the ones from the latter half of April are sad, but the ones from the beginning? Those are full of love.
On Friday, April 13th my mom called to let me know that because the cancer had spread to the brain and skull, hospice was being called. The rest of that day was a jumble: breaking down at work, filling out leave of absence paperwork, trying to pack (for a funeral when my dad was still alive), consciously knowing I needed to get my oil changed if my SUV was going to make the long trip home, contacting the oncology unit and hospice to start the Red Cross process of getting Carl home from Afghanistan.. it was a long a day.
And then my sister did the most self-less thing she's ever done for me. Rather than stay with family, she left work and got on a one-way flight to Jacksonville. She told me that if Dad passed while we were driving home it would be okay because he was with family and my mom. She didn't want me to be alone.
And so it was. We drove home. And our house filled with love, family, and old friends that week. At first my dad would sit on the main floor and visit, but once he began to get weaker he stayed upstairs and everyone would go to him. When people were eating or catching up downstairs, he would sit contently and just listen to all the love in the house, trying to make out bits and pieces of conversations and recognize voices. When Carl finally got home, he sat with my dad and went through everything in all of his deployment bags because it interested my dad so much. Later in the week the weather warmed up and my parents needed the apple tree trimmed. As Carl, Val, and I worked and laughed outside, I could see my dad's glasses in the upstairs window watching us and smiling. We had a fire that evening too, and again I could see him watch lovingly.
I recognize that in a sense, we were 'lucky' if you will, to be able to have a bit of notice...like a warning to let us know - spend this precious time together. It literally was one difficult, but precious week; one that I won't soon forget.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Out of the Office
Last week I was out of the office - I went to Nashville, y'all! And I get to go back Sunday through Friday this coming week too. I love a good work trip! Oh.. I also love southern hospitality and sweet tea.
We ate at two memorable places, the Red Pony Restaurant in Franklin and Merchants Restaurant in Nashville. Both so good and so different.
At Red Pony, we had the guacamole - a bit non-traditional for a southern cooking feast - but oh my gosh, it was quite possibly some the absolute best I've had. I went with the shrimp and grits for my main dish and it was great, just a bit on the watery side for the traditional dish. Beer wise, Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company's Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale was delicious. And for dessert the creme brulee was a must-order.
Merchants was the venue for my birthday dinner. The big 2-7, watch out. The first level is casual and looks out onto Nashville's Broadway stretch while the second level is a bit dressier. They also have different menus. The second level had absolutely no wait and naturally won out. No appetizer here, but their bread is soft and warm complimented by literally the perfect sea salted butter. I got the scallops and duck fat frites as my main course. My choice was right on with the scallops, but if I were to go back I would get a different side. The frites were basically seasoned fries and I couldn't discern the duck taste. Dessert choices seem to be seasonal so I chose a dynamite dish combining pistachio sorbet and lemon panna cotta. And not to let you down, of course I tried a new beer. Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer is a must try!
Like I mentioned, I'm going back soon so do you have any favorites I should try?
We ate at two memorable places, the Red Pony Restaurant in Franklin and Merchants Restaurant in Nashville. Both so good and so different.
At Red Pony, we had the guacamole - a bit non-traditional for a southern cooking feast - but oh my gosh, it was quite possibly some the absolute best I've had. I went with the shrimp and grits for my main dish and it was great, just a bit on the watery side for the traditional dish. Beer wise, Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company's Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale was delicious. And for dessert the creme brulee was a must-order.
Merchants was the venue for my birthday dinner. The big 2-7, watch out. The first level is casual and looks out onto Nashville's Broadway stretch while the second level is a bit dressier. They also have different menus. The second level had absolutely no wait and naturally won out. No appetizer here, but their bread is soft and warm complimented by literally the perfect sea salted butter. I got the scallops and duck fat frites as my main course. My choice was right on with the scallops, but if I were to go back I would get a different side. The frites were basically seasoned fries and I couldn't discern the duck taste. Dessert choices seem to be seasonal so I chose a dynamite dish combining pistachio sorbet and lemon panna cotta. And not to let you down, of course I tried a new beer. Innis & Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer is a must try!
Like I mentioned, I'm going back soon so do you have any favorites I should try?
Friday, February 22, 2013
Prostate Cancer Awareness
Today is February 22nd and it's been 10 months since my dad passed away. Two months from today will, of course, be the one year anniversary of when he ended his courageous battle with Prostate Cancer. I'm not going to lie, the 22nd of every month is a difficult day, but April 22nd will naturally be the most difficult. While this is looming in my mind, I know my mom and sister are also thinking about it. And we wanted to do something in his memory. We decided to start out with something small, so we've made a team for Zero's Prostate Cancer Run.
My dad and I would always watch for legislation issues regarding prostate cancer awareness and research funds. Every time there was a petition, we would sign it. We would dutifully email our respective house representatives and senators about these issues. We kept each other up to date and one of our main resources was the Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer organization. The organization facilitates the sending of the emails above, it lets you know about all the recent news regarding these important issues, and it does so much more to further the prostate cancer awareness cause. My dad and I talked about issues like this often enough that Zero was one of the organizations we chose to name in his obituary in lieu of flowers. Afterwards, I spoke with the representative who handles things of that nature and the customer service (for lack of a better description) further endeared this organization to me.
Our team will be participating in the Chicago area race, held on June 1st at the Advanced Urology Associates practice in Joliet, Illinois. There are several options: a 5K run, 5K walk, or a 1 mile run/walk and everything is available for youth to participate as well. This will be a great way to get together in memory of my dad while the funds raised go to a cause obviously extremely near to my heart.
We've made a team in his memory and named it Roy's Aces, as his cancer support group lovingly referred to him as Ace. If you'll be in the area on June 1st, join our team! We'd love to have you! All you need to do is click on the Roy's Aces link above, click "Register Here," agree to the waiver, and click on "Join a Team." Below the options, "Join an Existing Team" will populate with team options and you select us - Roy's Aces. The rest is pretty well directed. At the very least, please make sure you dads, uncles, grandpas, cousins, husbands, brothers, and all the important men in your life are aware of prostate cancer and the simple PSA blood test that can save a life.
My dad and I would always watch for legislation issues regarding prostate cancer awareness and research funds. Every time there was a petition, we would sign it. We would dutifully email our respective house representatives and senators about these issues. We kept each other up to date and one of our main resources was the Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer organization. The organization facilitates the sending of the emails above, it lets you know about all the recent news regarding these important issues, and it does so much more to further the prostate cancer awareness cause. My dad and I talked about issues like this often enough that Zero was one of the organizations we chose to name in his obituary in lieu of flowers. Afterwards, I spoke with the representative who handles things of that nature and the customer service (for lack of a better description) further endeared this organization to me.
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| January 2012 - after shaving his head bald for chemo. |
Our team will be participating in the Chicago area race, held on June 1st at the Advanced Urology Associates practice in Joliet, Illinois. There are several options: a 5K run, 5K walk, or a 1 mile run/walk and everything is available for youth to participate as well. This will be a great way to get together in memory of my dad while the funds raised go to a cause obviously extremely near to my heart.
We've made a team in his memory and named it Roy's Aces, as his cancer support group lovingly referred to him as Ace. If you'll be in the area on June 1st, join our team! We'd love to have you! All you need to do is click on the Roy's Aces link above, click "Register Here," agree to the waiver, and click on "Join a Team." Below the options, "Join an Existing Team" will populate with team options and you select us - Roy's Aces. The rest is pretty well directed. At the very least, please make sure you dads, uncles, grandpas, cousins, husbands, brothers, and all the important men in your life are aware of prostate cancer and the simple PSA blood test that can save a life.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Ash Wednesday
Happy Ash Wednesday!
Normally, I give up the whole shebang of bad foods - sweets, pop, junk food, and fast food. And normally, it's difficult. But times change. I've decided to change my routine this year. While I obviously know the latter three vices listed are still bad for me, fast food just may be a necessity for a quick minute while I get used to my commute into the city each day for work. I'm not giving up junk food and pop because I haven't been partaking in either really much at all lately. So, that wouldn't really count as giving something up I suppose. But sweets. Yes. I am to the point where I want something sweet after dinner. I need a little pinch of dessert. And thus, I am still giving up sweets until Easter Sunday [when I will act like a 9 year old child and eat candy until I give myself a tummy ache.] The new addition is to work out at least four times a week. That way, by curbing the sweets and exercising, it's more about being healthy in general. I'll let you know how that works out after Easter.
Because I am giving up sweets..ahem..I won't be baking. Boo. So hopefully I'll think of other things to blog about for a bit.. like books, movies, restaurants, healthy dinner recipes, etc. I'm sure I can come up with a few topics and hopefully you'll still enjoying reading along!
Ciao!
Normally, I give up the whole shebang of bad foods - sweets, pop, junk food, and fast food. And normally, it's difficult. But times change. I've decided to change my routine this year. While I obviously know the latter three vices listed are still bad for me, fast food just may be a necessity for a quick minute while I get used to my commute into the city each day for work. I'm not giving up junk food and pop because I haven't been partaking in either really much at all lately. So, that wouldn't really count as giving something up I suppose. But sweets. Yes. I am to the point where I want something sweet after dinner. I need a little pinch of dessert. And thus, I am still giving up sweets until Easter Sunday [when I will act like a 9 year old child and eat candy until I give myself a tummy ache.] The new addition is to work out at least four times a week. That way, by curbing the sweets and exercising, it's more about being healthy in general. I'll let you know how that works out after Easter.
Because I am giving up sweets..ahem..I won't be baking. Boo. So hopefully I'll think of other things to blog about for a bit.. like books, movies, restaurants, healthy dinner recipes, etc. I'm sure I can come up with a few topics and hopefully you'll still enjoying reading along!
Ciao!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Jillian Love
Let's talk about my love for Jillian Michaels for a quick sec, okay. Uh, I swear, swear, swear by her DVDs. Seriously, I love them. I mostly obsess over them because: A) they are fast, like 20-30 minutes fast and B) you get results, quickly. Who doesn't like that?!
Today I tried Jillian Michaels: Shred-It with Weights (aka a kettlebell.) It was good for strength training, but not one of my absolute favorites so far. But hey, I'm sure that could all change. Another one I like (but don't love just yet) is Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six Pack. Don't get me wrong - it's a great cardio and ab workout that makes you sweat, but as I've previously blogged about, I have a really bad right knee (ugh) and some of the moves in that DVD just really irritate it.
Onto bigger and better things. These are my favorites:
Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred - Again, swear by it. The DVD has three different levels of intensity, each about 20 minutes long. This is the only workout I used to get fit and toned for my wedding. And it worked wonders. Actually, I should really start doing it again routinely because personally it's the best shape I think my arms have been in. Ever. And that's only staying on level 2!!
Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown - Love it. I've tried just the regular yoga class at your everyday gym (not a specialized yoga studio) and that was not for me...just a bit too low key for the exercises I typically chose. But the Meltdown is basically power yoga, so you're never doing only one pose for an extended period of time. Jillian instructs you to come in and out of the pose several times and then eventually you hold the pose for under a minute. I've achieved great arm and ab results with this one!
Jillian Michaels: Ripped in 30 - This is hard. It's four 24 minute workouts, so to me it's like an amped up version of 30 Day Shred. I used this to prepare for the Wintergreen Adventure Challenge since it combined cardio and weights and I needed both for 7 miles of obstacles. [Side note: let's be real, nothing prepared me for how hard this 'challenge' was, but we completed it with wonderful 2/6 friends so I wouldn't change it for the world.] Also, I'm pretty sure that one of my bridesmaids used this to tone up for her wedding. It's a winner!
I really want to try Jillian Michaels: Kickbox FastFix. It's 20 minute segments of kickboxing. Um, a quick kickboxing session - yes, please. And the Jillian Michaels: Extreme Shed & Shred looks intense, but the workouts are 45 minutes. I was originally drawn to her workouts because they're less than 30 minutes, I love that. Anyhow, I'll be putting those on the workout bucket list.
How much do you love Jillian?? Or are there other quick workout DVDs I should add to my collection?? I'm always on the lookout for a quick way to squeeze in a good workout so let me know!
Today I tried Jillian Michaels: Shred-It with Weights (aka a kettlebell.) It was good for strength training, but not one of my absolute favorites so far. But hey, I'm sure that could all change. Another one I like (but don't love just yet) is Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six Pack. Don't get me wrong - it's a great cardio and ab workout that makes you sweat, but as I've previously blogged about, I have a really bad right knee (ugh) and some of the moves in that DVD just really irritate it.
Onto bigger and better things. These are my favorites:
Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred - Again, swear by it. The DVD has three different levels of intensity, each about 20 minutes long. This is the only workout I used to get fit and toned for my wedding. And it worked wonders. Actually, I should really start doing it again routinely because personally it's the best shape I think my arms have been in. Ever. And that's only staying on level 2!!
Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown - Love it. I've tried just the regular yoga class at your everyday gym (not a specialized yoga studio) and that was not for me...just a bit too low key for the exercises I typically chose. But the Meltdown is basically power yoga, so you're never doing only one pose for an extended period of time. Jillian instructs you to come in and out of the pose several times and then eventually you hold the pose for under a minute. I've achieved great arm and ab results with this one!
Jillian Michaels: Ripped in 30 - This is hard. It's four 24 minute workouts, so to me it's like an amped up version of 30 Day Shred. I used this to prepare for the Wintergreen Adventure Challenge since it combined cardio and weights and I needed both for 7 miles of obstacles. [Side note: let's be real, nothing prepared me for how hard this 'challenge' was, but we completed it with wonderful 2/6 friends so I wouldn't change it for the world.] Also, I'm pretty sure that one of my bridesmaids used this to tone up for her wedding. It's a winner!
I really want to try Jillian Michaels: Kickbox FastFix. It's 20 minute segments of kickboxing. Um, a quick kickboxing session - yes, please. And the Jillian Michaels: Extreme Shed & Shred looks intense, but the workouts are 45 minutes. I was originally drawn to her workouts because they're less than 30 minutes, I love that. Anyhow, I'll be putting those on the workout bucket list.
How much do you love Jillian?? Or are there other quick workout DVDs I should add to my collection?? I'm always on the lookout for a quick way to squeeze in a good workout so let me know!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
A Moment in Time
The other day my friend Liz over at Tales from the Coast blogged about her happiest moment in life thus far. Which got me to thinking about mine and wondering about Carl's. So naturally, we discussed it.
Carl told me his was our wedding day. And of course I love that he chose that moment because it was an absolutely magical and wonderful day.
Surprisingly, my happiest moment was different than his. I did not chose a part of our wedding day or the day he asked me to marry him. Those days were amazing in their on right. My happiest moment was on January 4th, 2011 when Carl wrapped me up in his arms at his homecoming from his first combat deployment in Marjah, Afghanistan. The deployment was long and scary and the brave Marines of 2/6 came home without 17 of their brothers. Military homecomings are indescribable. It's such a mix of feelings; anxiousness, excitement, nervousness, happiness. I don't think you can ever truly explain that feeling to someone who has not experienced a homecoming first hand. For me, I really was just as happy that day as on our wedding day. The daily worry turned into relief and excitement to see the love of my life again and get back to living our lives together, which brought us to where we are today.
Carl told me his was our wedding day. And of course I love that he chose that moment because it was an absolutely magical and wonderful day.
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| Photography by Alex Goykhman |
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Cake Decorating Class!
Now that it's the new year, I must admit: I did not make any resolutions. Honestly, I don't think I ever do. However, for the past several years I have talked about taking the Wilton® Cake Decorating class offered at local Michaels craft stores. I decided to actually look into on Monday, and what do you know - classes were half off as part of their new year promotion. Well sign me up...seriously.
Last night was my first class. It's a two hour class that meets four times of the course of a month, so I'll have a night class throwback every Tuesday this month. And I'm looking forward to it. Next week, I'll be baking a cake for class, learning how to properly level the top, practicing how to ice the top and sides sans crumbs (finally,) and polishing my star tip skills (which we originally learned last night.)
Hopefully in four weeks time, I'll have a pretty little cake to post on here. Cheers!
Last night was my first class. It's a two hour class that meets four times of the course of a month, so I'll have a night class throwback every Tuesday this month. And I'm looking forward to it. Next week, I'll be baking a cake for class, learning how to properly level the top, practicing how to ice the top and sides sans crumbs (finally,) and polishing my star tip skills (which we originally learned last night.)
Hopefully in four weeks time, I'll have a pretty little cake to post on here. Cheers!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Canon in D - My Story
Aside from all the baking, DIY-ing, and life updating, sometimes writing in my blog is just plain cathartic. Today is just one of those days. I was in between posting & not-posting, but maybe somebody else who is going through the same thing will stumble upon this entry and it will help them. Who knows, but getting it off my chest might help me.
If you are married, then you have had the joy of picking all the music to be played at your wedding ceremony. Your first dance, your father daughter dance, the song that will be played as you walk down the aisle as husband and wife, and of course the song that will play while your dad escorts you down the aisle. I'm sure that when you chose the song that would be ceremoniously played while you walked towards your husband-to-be, arm in arm with your father, it didn't cross your mind that some day you would have to hear that song and your dad would be gone. Nope, didn't think so..because that never crossed my mind either.
When I chose Pachelbel's Canon in D for my walk down the aisle, it was probably the easiest music choice I made for our wedding. Every other song choice was made between several choices and with much discussion. But not Canon in D. Ever since I began imagining my dream wedding, I knew I would enter the church to this song.
Of course I knew my dad was sick, he had lost enough weight at this point that his tuxedo measurements for my wedding were the same exact measurements from his own wedding 32 years ago. The thing is, even knowing about all the treatments he had tried and knowing that the cancer just would not go into remission, I never imagined he would be gone so soon. And then it happened and my dad was gone before my first anniversary even rolled around.
So here's the thing. It's not like Canon in D is a popular radio request or anything. But it is a Christmas carol. I assume I heard Christmas Canon last Christmas, but my dad was still around so it didn't hit me then. This year, I've heard it at least four times during the holiday season. If I'm around someone else while it plays I can hold it together. When I'm wrapping presents by myself or doing some Christmas baking and I'm alone, that's when hearing it hits me. My mind floats to the back of the church that afternoon. While waiting in the vestibule, I was tearing up because I was so nervous, hoping the day would go as smoothly and perfectly as I'd always imagined. As always, my dad was calming me down, reassuring me I'd be fine and the day would go exactly as I dreamed. Everyone else finished walking down the aisle and the song began to play. There is a certain crescendo that is my favorite part of the song and my dad knew so we agreed we should wait a bit so we'd be walking while it played. And then we began down the aisle. So when I hear the Christmas Canon now, it doesn't take me back to my walk down the aisle itself, it takes me back to those tender moments when my dad was still being a dad to my 25 year old self. And it makes me miss him. A lot.
If you are married, then you have had the joy of picking all the music to be played at your wedding ceremony. Your first dance, your father daughter dance, the song that will be played as you walk down the aisle as husband and wife, and of course the song that will play while your dad escorts you down the aisle. I'm sure that when you chose the song that would be ceremoniously played while you walked towards your husband-to-be, arm in arm with your father, it didn't cross your mind that some day you would have to hear that song and your dad would be gone. Nope, didn't think so..because that never crossed my mind either.
When I chose Pachelbel's Canon in D for my walk down the aisle, it was probably the easiest music choice I made for our wedding. Every other song choice was made between several choices and with much discussion. But not Canon in D. Ever since I began imagining my dream wedding, I knew I would enter the church to this song.
Of course I knew my dad was sick, he had lost enough weight at this point that his tuxedo measurements for my wedding were the same exact measurements from his own wedding 32 years ago. The thing is, even knowing about all the treatments he had tried and knowing that the cancer just would not go into remission, I never imagined he would be gone so soon. And then it happened and my dad was gone before my first anniversary even rolled around.
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| Photography by Alex Goykhman |
Monday, December 10, 2012
New Life Experience
Outside of my baking, reading, and DIY-ing, I decided it was time for a life update. And let me prepare you - you may be quite surprised with what I'm about to tell you next:
Last Friday, I was Mrs. Regner, aka Mrs. R. for the first time....as in substitute teaching! Okay, so that part is pretty believable. But what if I told you it was for a first grade class? Now you're getting a little suspicious. But seriously, I did it. And I'm glad I did.
You guys know me.. and you know I don't have kids. To be honest, I was pretty nervous going into the whole thing. Way back when I turned in the paperwork to the school system I specified only middle school and high school. Well sometime mid-morning on Friday, I logged on to the website they use to keep track of openings and there it was - a four hour, afternoon only substitute teacher opening. It struck me as a nice length of time for my first try, it was at the same elementary school I attended years ago, and the school still had the same principal.
{At this point, let me just say that I am literally all about finding coincidences, just ask Carl. At least every other day I say to him "Oh my gosh, what a coincidence! Now what are the chances of that happening?!" And then if he doesn't respond I nudge him towards a response with a "Right? I mean, don't you think so?" Case in point, we went to the mall and I ended up parking in line with the same make/model/color car that Val drives and a look alike of what my dad drove while we were in high school. Um, please tell me I'm not the only that thinks that is such a coincidence!}
With that said, as I read the substitute details for that afternoon my natural first thought was "Oh my goodness, what a coincidence, this totally means I was meant to log on at this moment and sign up for this opening!" So I signed up and an hour later, twenty children were put under my supervision. Like I mentioned above, I'm happy I did this. For me, this is definitely 'stepping outside the box' and I'm proud that I followed through!
Last Friday, I was Mrs. Regner, aka Mrs. R. for the first time....as in substitute teaching! Okay, so that part is pretty believable. But what if I told you it was for a first grade class? Now you're getting a little suspicious. But seriously, I did it. And I'm glad I did.
You guys know me.. and you know I don't have kids. To be honest, I was pretty nervous going into the whole thing. Way back when I turned in the paperwork to the school system I specified only middle school and high school. Well sometime mid-morning on Friday, I logged on to the website they use to keep track of openings and there it was - a four hour, afternoon only substitute teacher opening. It struck me as a nice length of time for my first try, it was at the same elementary school I attended years ago, and the school still had the same principal.
{At this point, let me just say that I am literally all about finding coincidences, just ask Carl. At least every other day I say to him "Oh my gosh, what a coincidence! Now what are the chances of that happening?!" And then if he doesn't respond I nudge him towards a response with a "Right? I mean, don't you think so?" Case in point, we went to the mall and I ended up parking in line with the same make/model/color car that Val drives and a look alike of what my dad drove while we were in high school. Um, please tell me I'm not the only that thinks that is such a coincidence!}
With that said, as I read the substitute details for that afternoon my natural first thought was "Oh my goodness, what a coincidence, this totally means I was meant to log on at this moment and sign up for this opening!" So I signed up and an hour later, twenty children were put under my supervision. Like I mentioned above, I'm happy I did this. For me, this is definitely 'stepping outside the box' and I'm proud that I followed through!
Friday, November 30, 2012
A Few of My Favorite (Wisconsin) Things
Of course my favorite thing about spending last week in northern Wisconsin was getting to see my in-laws and getting to know more of Carl's side of the family. At one point there were seven of us and four dogs staying in the cabin - it was one big slumber party! So cozy and filled with family. We stayed in, we went out, we ate, we drank, we had a good time. And it snowed! Beyond hanging out with family and watching the dogs run around in the snow while wearing orange hunting vests, I found some pretty good things.
Ciderboys - I love hard cider. I'd rather have a hard cider over a beer almost any day. Thankfully, Carl's aunt introduced us to this new brand out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This article has some pretty good information about the brand, the brews, and the availability. We tasted the First Press and Cranberry Road flavors (of which I preferred First Press.) We'll be heading back to Wisconsin in early January, so I'm hoping to try the Mad Bark flavor then.
Cheese curds - Yep, I said it. Cheese was most definitely not a staple in my diet until Carl came along. I didn't even really like cheese for that matter. And then I married a Packer-loving man from Wisconsin. So yes, I had cheese curds at several restaurants while we were in the Northwoods area and I even purchased a small bag to bring home with me. Garlic and dill flavored..who even knew that was possible - yum.
Green Bush Bakery in Madison - This was Carl's place of employment while he was attending classes (read: partying) at the University of Wisconsin. On our way back to Indiana, we thought it'd be nice to stop in, snag some fresh doughnuts, and visit with some of the guys seeing as Carl hadn't seen them since our wedding. Let me tell you, those doughnuts were delicious. It's a kosher bakery, which I'd never had before so I wasn't sure what kind of taste I should expect. Well, bakery perfection is what I got. You have to try them if you're ever in the area. Seriously.
Leinenkugel's Lemon Berry Shandy - I know I just said I wasn't a huge beer drinker. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good beer every so often and I'm a fan of this one. It's crisp, it's refreshing, and it's got just enough flavor. As a side note, I'm putting 'take a Leinie brewery tour' on my Wisconsin to-do list.
Now I'm looking forward to find more favorite things in Wisconsin!
Ciderboys - I love hard cider. I'd rather have a hard cider over a beer almost any day. Thankfully, Carl's aunt introduced us to this new brand out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This article has some pretty good information about the brand, the brews, and the availability. We tasted the First Press and Cranberry Road flavors (of which I preferred First Press.) We'll be heading back to Wisconsin in early January, so I'm hoping to try the Mad Bark flavor then.
Cheese curds - Yep, I said it. Cheese was most definitely not a staple in my diet until Carl came along. I didn't even really like cheese for that matter. And then I married a Packer-loving man from Wisconsin. So yes, I had cheese curds at several restaurants while we were in the Northwoods area and I even purchased a small bag to bring home with me. Garlic and dill flavored..who even knew that was possible - yum.
Green Bush Bakery in Madison - This was Carl's place of employment while he was attending classes (read: partying) at the University of Wisconsin. On our way back to Indiana, we thought it'd be nice to stop in, snag some fresh doughnuts, and visit with some of the guys seeing as Carl hadn't seen them since our wedding. Let me tell you, those doughnuts were delicious. It's a kosher bakery, which I'd never had before so I wasn't sure what kind of taste I should expect. Well, bakery perfection is what I got. You have to try them if you're ever in the area. Seriously.
Leinenkugel's Lemon Berry Shandy - I know I just said I wasn't a huge beer drinker. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good beer every so often and I'm a fan of this one. It's crisp, it's refreshing, and it's got just enough flavor. As a side note, I'm putting 'take a Leinie brewery tour' on my Wisconsin to-do list.
Now I'm looking forward to find more favorite things in Wisconsin!
Monday, November 12, 2012
A True Classic
After my dad passed away, Carl & I happened to be the first ones to stumble upon the temporary marker at the cemetery. We happened to be out and about and I wanted to stop by. The flowers were gone and in their place was a small black stone with a peaceful dove and my dad's name printed on it. It caught me off guard. Setting something in stone makes it a reality (not that it wasn't already.)
A couple of weeks ago, my mom came home and informed us my dad's official marker had been placed. And I didn't go. I didn't go that day or that week. Or even in the month of October for that matter.
I went today. It was a crisp 35 degrees with a brisk wind, but it was a beautiful day. I got a latte on the way since Dad always treated us to all kinds of coffee (Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, Intelligentsia, you name it.) I sat on the bench and drank my coffee and thought about my dad.
His bench perfectly represents the man he was and the way everyone remembers him. It's a strong, sharp looking bench. The lettering is traditional and the black granite is classic. There is willow tree to the left and it makes me think of sitting there, reading a good book on a warm, breezy day. And that's exactly what my dad would've wanted.
A couple of weeks ago, my mom came home and informed us my dad's official marker had been placed. And I didn't go. I didn't go that day or that week. Or even in the month of October for that matter.
I went today. It was a crisp 35 degrees with a brisk wind, but it was a beautiful day. I got a latte on the way since Dad always treated us to all kinds of coffee (Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, Intelligentsia, you name it.) I sat on the bench and drank my coffee and thought about my dad.
His bench perfectly represents the man he was and the way everyone remembers him. It's a strong, sharp looking bench. The lettering is traditional and the black granite is classic. There is willow tree to the left and it makes me think of sitting there, reading a good book on a warm, breezy day. And that's exactly what my dad would've wanted.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
A Day Downtown & Pumpkin Spice Granola
Yesterday I had an informal meeting/interview with a potential employer. It was scheduled for late afternoon, downtown Chicago. I decided to take the train rather than drive so I wouldn't have to worry about 5 o'clock rush hour traffic.
While planning my day mentally, I failed to think about the past times I've taken the train. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he stopped working so I would use his parking pass & iPass to drive into the city rather than ride the train. Suffice to say, it's been quite the hiatus between my other train days and now. Let me just tell you, the second I climbed the stairs up to street level I saw 300 East Randolph, the Blue Cross Blue Shield building, staring at me from across the skyline. And I remembered all the times I took the train into the city. It would be to shop or walk around, but I would always stop to see my dad. Whether it be to visit him at the office, eat a quick lunch at Qdoba or a sit down meal at Tavern on the Green, grab a strong coffee from Intelligentsia, or even just to catch a ride home with him to chat, he was always there after my train rides. But yesterday, after my meeting, my dad wasn't there. And when I got home last night, he wasn't there either.
After that, I'll admit I was in a bit of a funk. I attempted to job search a bit this morning, but I really just needed to do something I enjoy - baking. We have fresh fruit at the house and yogurt too, so I tried out a new granola recipe to mix in with everything for breakfast or a light snack.
Pumpkin Spice Granola
(adapted from this recipe)
1/2 cup Splend blend brown sugar - packed
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter - I used Peter Pan Whipped
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs molasses
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
While planning my day mentally, I failed to think about the past times I've taken the train. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he stopped working so I would use his parking pass & iPass to drive into the city rather than ride the train. Suffice to say, it's been quite the hiatus between my other train days and now. Let me just tell you, the second I climbed the stairs up to street level I saw 300 East Randolph, the Blue Cross Blue Shield building, staring at me from across the skyline. And I remembered all the times I took the train into the city. It would be to shop or walk around, but I would always stop to see my dad. Whether it be to visit him at the office, eat a quick lunch at Qdoba or a sit down meal at Tavern on the Green, grab a strong coffee from Intelligentsia, or even just to catch a ride home with him to chat, he was always there after my train rides. But yesterday, after my meeting, my dad wasn't there. And when I got home last night, he wasn't there either.
Pumpkin Spice Granola
(adapted from this recipe)
1/2 cup Splend blend brown sugar - packed
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter - I used Peter Pan Whipped
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs molasses
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Our First Anniversary!
Yesterday, September 3rd, was our first anniversary! Yay!
Originally, we had planned on taking a weekend trip to Asheville, NC, but after surveying how much stuff we have accumulated over the past several years and how much packing we still needed to finish, we decided to skip the trip. Instead we packed all weekend and made reservations for dinner on Monday night. We ate at the Island Grille in Atlantic Beach; it was delicious! Seriously, I highly recommend it! Carl had a stuffed filet mignon and I chose the shrimp & scallop grits. Normally I would not chose an entree with grits, but I have seen (insert type of seafood here) & grits on menus all over North Carolina and vowed to try it before we left. By yesterday, my time to try this infamous dish was dwindling. So I did. And it was amazing! Of course, that may be because they use gouda grits and serve it with shitake mushrooms, spinach, and bacon as well; but hey, it was great, can't argue with that.
Since it was our first anniversary, we indulged in the top layer of our cake! (Note: I did not actually get a chance to eat any of my wedding cake last year besides the cake cutting, so the next morning I cut into the top layer and helped myself to a piece. Therefore, I was a bit more nervous than I normally would have been about freezer burn since part of the layer had been sliced into.)
Our cake was from the Chesterton Cake Shoppe and we had two flavors - pink champagne (my choice) and raspberry (Carl's choice.) Rather than fondant or regular buttercream frosting, we went with a French buttercream, as that has a bit more sugar and we both have a serious sweet tooth.
To get the best flavor a year later, we took it out of the freezer at least 24 hours before we wanted to eat it, unwrapped all the foil, wax paper, cling wrap, etc. and tossed it. Then we re-wrapped the cake in parchment paper (I didn't have wax paper on hand,) placed foil over that, and put it in the refrigerator. About 4 hours before we were going to eat the cake, we took it out and let it sit at room temperature. There you have it! It was completely edible and just as tasty as we remember!
Originally, we had planned on taking a weekend trip to Asheville, NC, but after surveying how much stuff we have accumulated over the past several years and how much packing we still needed to finish, we decided to skip the trip. Instead we packed all weekend and made reservations for dinner on Monday night. We ate at the Island Grille in Atlantic Beach; it was delicious! Seriously, I highly recommend it! Carl had a stuffed filet mignon and I chose the shrimp & scallop grits. Normally I would not chose an entree with grits, but I have seen (insert type of seafood here) & grits on menus all over North Carolina and vowed to try it before we left. By yesterday, my time to try this infamous dish was dwindling. So I did. And it was amazing! Of course, that may be because they use gouda grits and serve it with shitake mushrooms, spinach, and bacon as well; but hey, it was great, can't argue with that.
Since it was our first anniversary, we indulged in the top layer of our cake! (Note: I did not actually get a chance to eat any of my wedding cake last year besides the cake cutting, so the next morning I cut into the top layer and helped myself to a piece. Therefore, I was a bit more nervous than I normally would have been about freezer burn since part of the layer had been sliced into.)
Our cake was from the Chesterton Cake Shoppe and we had two flavors - pink champagne (my choice) and raspberry (Carl's choice.) Rather than fondant or regular buttercream frosting, we went with a French buttercream, as that has a bit more sugar and we both have a serious sweet tooth.
To get the best flavor a year later, we took it out of the freezer at least 24 hours before we wanted to eat it, unwrapped all the foil, wax paper, cling wrap, etc. and tossed it. Then we re-wrapped the cake in parchment paper (I didn't have wax paper on hand,) placed foil over that, and put it in the refrigerator. About 4 hours before we were going to eat the cake, we took it out and let it sit at room temperature. There you have it! It was completely edible and just as tasty as we remember!
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