Royal Wedding Bells Are Ringing!

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How cute are they?!?!?!

I could not be more stoked for this royal wedding!! As I've said in previous posts, I am totally obsessed and fascinated with the entire family and all their royal-ness. I can't imagine what must be going through Kate Middleton's head right now?! I bet never in a million years would she have thought she'd be marrying the future King of England. I mean, what a fairy tale! Every little girl dreams of a prince charming...and she totally cashed in on that dream...BIG TIME!  Kate Middleton just oozes class and sophistication. He couldn't have picked a more beautiful bride! They are a super adorable couple and I can't wait to see them walk down the aisle of the Westminster Abbey. I WILL be up at 4am with my scones, strawberry jam, and mimosas (screw the tea, if I'm gonna get up that early, pass me the champagne!) It's a celebration people!


In honor of the pending nuptials, I spent the evening browsing Pinterest (if you've never played around with this website, you are seriously missing out...warning, it's VERY addictive!). I found some super cute novelty items perfect for a royal wedding viewing party. Too bad all my girlies are gone and won't be around to watch with me. Thank goodness for my sweet hubby who promised he'd get up and watch it with me, only if I fed him and liquored him up! Done and done! Now, onto the MUST HAVES for the royal wedding viewing party:

The invitation: it's totally a tea towel...but the typography could be transposed into an awesome invitation!

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Would you like a spot of tea?

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I would love to take a bite right out of Prince William.

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Adorable decorations!! Very rustic.

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Royal Cupcakes!

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Blueberry Scones!

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And it's quite alright ladies...there is still hope!

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And now for some things that I think are going just a bit overboard for this royal shindig:

Completely laughable.

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Really, Papa John's? I mean, it's quite the artistic expression, but a little creepy. Not sure I would eat it. You know you've hit the big time when they arrange your face out of pizza toppings...

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...or your mug adorns every female fingernail in the greater London area. What in the world?

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And just in case all of this royal hoopla makes you wanna barf? 

Well, they've got something for you, too!

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Easter/Yard Sale Weekend

Hello blog world! I know, I've been neglecting you. My apologies! But, I'm back in VA and back to running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get ready for Germany! Here is a quick download of my lovely weekend back home in NC:

Before heading home, D and I spent half of the day waiting for the FedEx guy to bring us this adorable pink box of deliciousness...

Please excuse the lack of make-up and hair styling. We were about to endure another 5 hour drive, not a fashion show. So, what's inside the box you ask?

A dozen scrumptious cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake in DC!! You know, the cupcakes from the show DC cupcakes on TLC? D and I decided to splurge and have some shipped to us because we LOVE that show and every time we watch, we are drooling over the remote. These were also kind of our little celebration gift. We never really did celebrate getting our assignment to Germany...so we though these were appropriate. And they totally did not disappoint! I have never had food shipped to me before, so I didn't know what to expect. The packaging was adorable and super functional. Only one little fondant leaf on the Maple cupcake melted. The rest were perfect! Don't they look delish!? Well, they were. And we were even nice enough to share them with our family. The jury is still out on which was our favorite. D and I both thoroughly enjoyed the Strawberry, Maple and Coconut cupcakes. But really, they were all divine!

Although this picture of D is super creepy to me, it does showcase his cupcake excitement. We dug into the cupcakes as soon as we got the box open! He was about to enjoy a strawberry one.

As for the yard sale...we TOTALLY ROCKED IT! How does $1200 sound for a yard sale Saturday?! Awesome, right?! I am so stinkin' glad we did it...and I'm so stinkin' glad it's over!!! I really hate watching people touch all over my stuff, even if they are going to pay me for it. My anxiety and OCD were on high alert that day. The hagglers were few and far between, thank goodness, so I didn't get too annoyed. AND, we only had to bring back one small box of stuff we didn't sell! So very happy. This extra money will definitely come in handy when we finally make it across the pond.

After Saturday was all done and over with, we got to enjoy each other's company and the rest of our Easter weekend together. We went to church on Sunday and had a wonderful praise and worship service. Then we ate a nice Easter lunch at Outback Steakhouse (yum-o!) and spent the rest of the day lounging around with our full bellies. We did have some time to have a little family photo shoot. We usually take pictures as a family every Easter Sunday. D even proposed to me on Easter weekend of 2006! Here are a few photos from our attempt at the perfect Easter Sunday photo:

Mom's azalea's were blooming and looked outta this world!

Attempt #1

This one would have been the winner had D not closed his eyes!! Plus, Tuck wasn't really cooperating, as usual.

So we finally ditched the dog (sorry Tuck!) and got this. It'll do. Now one with the lil sis!

Wendy also got some pretty hilarious outtakes of this picture on her camera, but she's yet to share them with me. Let's just say that D got in touch with his inner female side in a few of them. Seriously funny. 

So, that about sums up my Easter weekend! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

A Quick Update

So, do you guys remember that whiny post I wrote about how bored I had been since D had started swing shifts? Well, scratch everything I said about being bored...because I haven't had a second to be bored since the middle of last week. We have been going full speed ahead on preparing for the big move to Germany. I looked at my planner on Sunday and realized I had booked myself 6 appointments this week. SIX! All pertaining to Germany and all to be done before the end of today. After all these appointments, I am happy to report that I have been officially medically cleared for Germany and have already turned in all formal paperwork to outbound for processing! WHEW! So glad that piece of this moving puzzle is accounted for. In addition to that happy note, today, we finally got attending the Relocation briefing checked off the list, as well as check marks for D turning in his latest PT test results and a few other documents. Double WHEW!


Sadly, we are STILL waiting for D to be medically cleared. I know, I was cleared even before my own husband. And HE is the military member! They say he will have all his medical stuff cleared and ready to turn into outbound by tomorrow. I won't hold my breath, but I'm praying they will follow through. This is the last thing we need to get our orders. We are coming down to the wire here because TMO is requiring a 3 week notice on pack outs. We MUST have our orders by May 5th. MUST. This is really the only thing that is stressing me out. Everything else has been moving along relatively smoothly. Too smoothly. I guess it's about time for Murphy's Law to set in. It seems almost impossible for something, especially this big and chaotic, to go off without a hitch. We plan and God laughs, right?


As for this weekend, well, IT'S YARD SALE WEEKEND! Whoo hoo! We are heading back down to NC with our last load of yard sale goodies and putting on a mega sale at my parents house. My mom still has a ton furniture, knick knacks, and kitchen stuff left over from MeeMaw's estate sale a few weekends ago, so she will be adding major value to our yard sale inventory. I am hoping the yard sale god's will be smiling upon us this weekend, blessing us with sunny weather, eager buyers (willing to pay full sticker price, I hate haggling!!) and lots of cash flow! I will be SO glad when this thing is over with!


On another note, I was able to carve some time out of my appointment laden week to get my hair cut (yay!) and to have dinner with a few of our closest friends here in VA. As I mentioned in a previous post, most of our friends here have already PCSed outta here. Katie and Arrow, who were one of the first couples we met when we got to VA, left to head off to Florida yesterday...but they were nice enough to spend their last night here eating Mexican food and joking around with us! We had a great time reminiscing about our time here together (we actually were duplex neighbors when we first moved on base in 2009), even though we waited for our food for over an hour! Crazy right? Mexican food NEVER takes more than 15 minutes to get to your table after ordering. It was fine though. Gave us more time to chat and spend time together. D and I will really miss them. But just like every other family we meet via the Air Force, we're sure to run into them again. The military world is smaller than you think.

Annie Pannie, Me, and Katie. Partners in crime! 

Well, now that you've been sufficiently updated, the pup and I are headed to the kitchen to whip up some dinner for D and then, like a good wifey, deliver it to him at his office. We're heading home tomorrow to help mom price things for the yard sale and set up, so I've gotta get to packin' our bags too! Maybe I'll be able to squeeze in some time to relax and watch the Lifetime movie "William & Kate" that I DVRed the other night. I mean, it would be a shame not to make time to learn more about England's most handsome prince and his bride-to-be...especially when the actor who is playing him in this movie is 10x hotter than the prince in real life. I'm just sayin'. :) 

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Link up and join the fun at Wife of a Sailor!

1. With PCS moves happening every few years, do you take the time to paint and decorate your home? submitted by Life as Mrs. JPT

--Heck yes! My philosophy on this is simple. You have to bloom where you are planted. I believe part of that blooming is making your house, no matter where it is or how long you'll be there, your HOME. There are so many inconsistencies in the military lifestyle that it is only natural to want to have your home be your safe haven. Decorating it, painting it, landscaping...all these things provide stability and a sense of normalcy. While the hubby was deployed, I had to move us out of our home to a newly renovated home down the street. I had my dining room painted in the old house and I loved it. So, even though I knew (for a fact) that we would only occupy the new home for less than 9 months, I painted the new dining room. I have to paint it back to eggshell white in a few weeks...but I have no regrets. Never will.

2. If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? submitted by Standing By Him

--I would want to live in the apartment that literally the entire cast of Friends has lived in at one point or another. I love that show. And that apartment, the one Rachel and Monica lived in most of the time, is iconic. Could you imagine having those people for roommates? I would love it. Comic relief on a daily basis.



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3. What inspired you to start your blog?  submitted by Pink Combat Boots

--Well, I started reading blogs a little over 6 months ago and fell in love with reading and relating with other military families (like myself) as well as people from all over the world. I thought it was a great way to keep family and friends updated on our life because, as you know, it's always changing. So, I created a blog. It has turned out to be a very wonderful thing. I've gotten such positive feedback and support that I can't remember my life without blogging. What better way to keep documentation of your life and have a creative outlet? It's like a diary, only less private. :) And, bonus! I've made lots of new friends!



4. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen on base? submitted by Adventures in Life

--I've seen a woman walking her morbidly obese cat down the street...on a leash. That's not even the best part. She was also wearing a pink tu-tu. The cat, mind you. Not the woman. Although, I wouldn't have put it past her to wear one too. See boys! This is what happens when you leave your wives at home alone for to long! They go a little...crazy.

5. Which historical figure (politician, writer, artist, scientist, actor, etc…) would you like to have dinner with?  submitted by Army of Two
I have two people I'd love to break bread with. First of all, Princess Diana. Something about her, and the entire royal family for that matter, fascinates me. I can't wait for the upcoming nuptials of her son and the classy Kate Middleton! Secondly, but definitely not in that order because I think He's second best, I'd love to have dinner with Jesus. Who wouldn't? I've got tons of questions and I know He's got all the right answers. Guess I will have to wait until I'm welcomed inside the pearly gates for that one. Oh what a dinner that will be!

Doggy Dilemma

**Warning...this post is a long one. If you finish it, you honestly should win some kind of award. I'm only talking about this once, so I'm spilling my guts thoroughly now. If your a dog lover or have a pet of your own, grab a box of tissues...I'm sure you'll understand.**

I've been putting off posting about his for some time now, mainly because it breaks my heart to think, let alone, talk about. I've recently gotten a lot of questions regarding whether or not D and I would be taking our sweet Tucker dog with us to Germany. Sadly, the answer is no. Here is why...


Tuck is a one of a kind pup. He's smart, extremely loving, and a bit stubborn. Ok, alot stubborn. Apparently it's a trait that all Dachshunds seem to exhibit. If there is one aspect of our loving Tucker dog that I could completely do without, it would be his severe anxiety problems. I'm not sure where this anxiety came about, but ever since he was a wee little puppy, we've been battling his anxiousness.

{First day at home with baby Tuck-- November 2006}

On a normal day, Tuck tends to be fine....that is, if we stick to the routine we've been doing since we moved to VA. If we stray from the routine, Tuck gets anxious. It manifests itself in large outburst of energy, shaking, whining, yelping, hiding, barking, and sometimes vomiting. To avoid the anxiousness, D and I try not to leave Tuck alone at home for more than 6 hours at a time, if possible. We also don't mention trips to the vet or the groomers out loud (without spelling them out) because he is so stinkin' smart and understands what those words mean and will immediately get out of control. We've talked to our vet about it and he seems to think medication would do more harm than good. It would take away all his spunk. He doesn't have severe separation anxiety...it seems his anxiety is mostly situational, so we steer clear of those trigger situations as much as possible.


Hence the reason why Tucker isn't coming to Germany with us. I can't imagine putting his little 12 lb. body through the strain of a 10+ hour plane ride. He would be utterly uncontrollable. He cannot tolerate being put into small spaces for long periods of time. The anxiety would be overwhelming for him. For example, we can't board him...anywhere. Tuck is prone to severe allergic reactions (seriously, this is another headache in itself) and has had 3 different episodes in his 4 short years of life. The most recent one was last year and pretty much confirmed our decision to leave him stateside.

{Tuck, just back from the vet after his first allergic reaction episode}

We took him to his vet for his yearly check-up and booster shots. We always have the vet pre-medicate him before the shots because the shots (and de-wormer pills) cause the allergic reactions. This time, the Benadryl didn't kick in quick enough and within 30 minutes of getting him home from the vet, he was covered in hives. I mean COVERED. I've never had him react to his vaccinations that seriously before. The first time his face just ballooned up, the second time he had a large nose and a few hives. This time was scary. We immediately hopped back in the car and took him to the Emergency Vet (our vet had already closed for the day, go figure). They immediately pumped him full of more Benadryl and told us they were going to keep him for at least 6 hours to monitor him. We weren't in the clear yet. Anaphylaxis could still be an issue, so we left him there. It breaks my heart every time something like this happens to him (he also had a scare of a possible liver shunt when he was 6 months old and went through a series of ultrasounds, x-rays and blood panels...all inconclusive). I mean, how much more can one little dog take?

{Tuck and his soccer ball...his most favorite possession}

Three hours into the observation time, we get a call from the vet asking us if we would be able to come and pick him up early. I was relieved to be able to come and get him...but when we got there, we found out why he needed to be picked up. He had been violently trying to get out of his cage by squeezing his long nose through the grates in the crate he was being kept in...thus scraping the black off of his nose. Yep, he literally wanted out of that cage so badly that he was inflicting even more pain upon himself to get out. The vet techs had been carrying him around all night because they were afraid he was going to injure himself further. I was shocked...and so sad. We walked out the ER with our Tucker bear...still covered in hives. We were given strict instructions on how to medicate with the Benadryl and how to watch over him for the next 12 hours. He literally slept on my lap (he is the epitome of a lap dog) for the rest of the night and was fine the next morning. Thank the Lord.

I feel like every time this happens, it takes a year off his little doggy life (and mine too!) We can't put him through the stress of a plane ride and adjusting to a new environment to this great of an extent. Also, I fear that if we were to take him, we would have a hard time finding the appropriate veterinarian for him. Back home in NC we had the most perfect vet. She knew every little detail about Tuck and all his issues and was wonderful with him. She was also wonderful with us. Very understanding and sympathetic to our worries about our first "child." I'll admit, it was a bit of a struggle here in VA finding a vet that we trusted and who we felt could take extra special care of our Tuck. I can't imagine having to do that again, in Germany no less. I'm sure on post there is a vet clinic, but we don't trust the one here on our base in VA. Apparently this is common concern at most military installations. I don't want to risk it.

Also, we've considered how hard it would be to travel around Europe (and back to the states for visits) with Tuck in tow. Traveling with him would be miserable, for both him and us. As previously mentioned, we CANNOT  board him. Totally out of the question given his history. We want to be able to get as much out of this experience in Europe as we possibly can and I don't think forcing our anxious dog to stay at a boarding facility while we jet set around is a very safe idea. Option 3 could be having him stay with friends we make in Germany. But who are we kidding? We have no idea how long it could take to make friends when we get there...friends that we could trust to take care of Tuck in a way that to most may seem like doting, but to keep anxiety levels low, it's become our lifestyle. I know the amount of stress Tuck can cause on any given day and I'm not comfortable projecting that on to people who we would barely know.

So, with all that being thought of, contemplated, and cried over many, many times...we decided the best thing to do for Tuck and for us would be to leave him in the care of my Mom and Dad back home in NC. Truth be told, I know Tuck is going LOVE living with Grandma and Grandpa. Over the 6 month period that D was deployed last year, Tuck spent 4 of those months (broken up, 4 months total) at my parents house due to me moving houses and traveling all over the place. Their home is his play land. As soon as he hears that we're going for weekend visits, he's excited and jumping with joy at the front door ready to go! Tuck and my Father are two peas in a pod. I bet my Dad never would have though he would be in love with such a tiny little weiner dog. Tucker normally sleeps right in between D and I in the bed, but when we go home to NC...we become null and void. He sleeps with Grandma and Grandpa every night! My dad takes him on long walks and indulges him in his avid nagging to play soccer ball at all hours of the day. I really couldn't think of two more loving and wonderful people to take care of one of the most precious pieces of my heart than my own parents. Heck, they raised me! I think I turned out pretty darn great! I know our pride and joy with be just fine in their hands. And bonus! He will go back to seeing our most favorite vet back home! HUGE sigh of relief there.

This decision was definitely one of the hardest ones we've ever had to make. We knew that if an overseas assignment came along, we were going to have to make this kind of decision. It has definitely come with a price. He's our first child...fur or not. As corny as this sounds, I sat him down one day and told him the plan. I'm pretty positive he understood everything I was saying because as the tears rolled down my face, he just licked them away. And he's been my little shadow ever since (which doesn't make this transition any easier!) I feel an incredible amount of guilt for leaving part of our little family behind. To some it may seem a bit selfish. Believe me, we've thought of all of the possibles of how we could make it work, but it just doesn't seem feasible. Not for him to be completely healthy and happy as he should be. As he deserves to be.

{My parents, Tuck's Grandma & Grandpa!}

It makes me cry all the time. I look at him with those little beady eyes and I melt. I am so attached to him in every way. I feel as though I birthed him myself some days...as crazy as it sounds. Although he drives me crazy with the incessant barking and ever-changing medical issues, he is the sweetest dog in the entire world. Dog loyalty is such a true and present thing in this world...and we've been so lucky to find it in Tuck. He brings so much joy (and hilarity...he's too funny) to our lives that I can't imagine my life without him. I know he won't be with me everyday in Germany, but I will look forward to every visit home and the time we will get to spend with him. When Germany is done and over with, Tuck will be back home with us...pending he still wants to live with us. He might love Grandma and Grandpa's so much he won't want us back! I kid, I kid...I hope. I guess we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

{Easter 2007...one of our first family photos.}

As for now, we are spending every second we can with him. Playing with him, spoiling him, and showing him how much we love him. I'm really, really going to miss him. My heart breaks whenever I think about how much I'm going to miss him. I know I will still feel the guilt. I know I will still feel the worry. But then I think of how happy he's going to be with my parents, those feelings start to melt away. I am SO not looking forward to kissing his sweet doggy face goodbye...but then again, it won't be goodbye...it will be "See ya later, Tucker Bear."

My Personal Three Ring Show

Don't you love it when you have a super productive day that was totally unexpected? Boy, do I...especially these days. I don't know if I ever mentioned this before, but D finally got part of the OCONUS PCSing checklist we'd been waiting for. Hurdle one, defeated. As soon as we got it in our hands, we starting making plans. We immediately decided what day we needed to move out of our home and notified the housing office of our move out date.

 Check.

Next, D started the ball rolling on obtaining our port of call date as well as getting his medical records checked out and signed off on. We're still waiting on both of those to be approved, but we know it could take a few days...we're hopeful to check those off the list by next week.

Check--pending.

Today, D and I had an appointment with Tricare to get paperwork filled out for MY medical clearance. Yep, I also have to be medically cleared to be able to jet off to Germany with my one and only. It's kind of scary to think that I could potentially be the reason why orders get cancelled for Germany and they send us somewhere stateside instead. It's totally not going to happen because I'm in great health...but it's been known to happen people before...plenty of times, according to the Tricare liaison. With all that being said, I have to head to the doctor on Friday for my physical (how I got an appt. the same week as when I made the call, I'll never know) and to get my PCM to sign off on a stack of papers. Nothing like walking in to a doctors office, waiting an hour (or two) to be seen, then asking the doctor to sign a document longer than my own Last Will and Testament. Oh yeah, I'm totally going to be the gold star patient of the day.

Check-- also pending.

In addition to getting the ball rolling with Tricare...we hit up Base Immunizations and they signed off on D's immunization records. What did I get on our visit? A nice, long needle jabbed into my arm in the form of a Tdap vaccine. Awesome. I must admit, my mother was right. It doesn't hurt nearly as bad as the dreaded single Tetanus shot. Your arm throbs for hours...days...after that one. Maybe the addition of the diphtheria softens the blow. Gotta love that diphtheria. So, after D got a good laugh at my expense and we got our forms signed, we headed to my Civi dentist to get her to sign off on my dental records. I'll be picking up that form tomorrow.

Check, check, and check!

After my doctor's visit on Friday, all we will have to do is turn in all of our medical sign off forms and then we will have a scheduled visit with the medical board to get me officially cleared for Germany. YAY, right?! Sounds horrible to me. Apparently they will peruse my medical records and all of the forms signed off by my various medical professionals and then determine if I'm healthy enough to send to Germany with my hubby. Talk about nerve wracking. The Tricare lady said it's no big deal and that if I'm in good health, it will be a piece of cake. But still, sitting in front of a big wig and having them flip through my personal records to tell me whether or not I fit the "clean" bill of health they are looking for is a little invasive to me. I'm not thrilled about it, obviously, but it has to be done. And then everything can move forward as planned.

Check--again, pending.

After all of the above is completed....we get ORDERS! Ahhh the orders...what every PCSer needs to complete the process. They're what we need to make plans with TMO, among other places, but seem untouchable until every hoop has been appropriately jumped through. Right now, D and I are giving our best big top performance possible. That's seriously what this feels like. One big circus.

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"Step right up ladies and gentlemen...see the crazy OCD lady and her handsome heroic husband ZIG and ZAG through rings of fire to earn a chance to live among the rolling hills of Beer and Lederhosen! Will they make it in time or will their dreams go up in flames? Keep your eye on the Big Top, boys and girls, because only time will tell!"

Spring has Sprung!

And so has the balance in my checking account!

Kidding, kidding...kinda.

Slowly the dreary days of winter have faded away and spring has sprung in all its floral glory! Flowers blooming, birds singing, everything sprouting up with new life. Ahhhhh. It's refreshing! You know what else is refreshing? Getting all those emails in my inbox informing me of the spring sales around town in my most favorite stores! Stores that are sure to have lots of those pretty little sundresses I SO look forward to wearing every spring and summer. I love me a good sundress. They are super cute, super comfy, and this year, SUPER cheap!

I have already had the great fortune of finding not one, not two, not even just three, but five (yes, FIVE) adorable sundresses for ridiculously low prices. And 2 new pairs of sandals to boot! What are my new spring finds? I'm so glad you asked... 

I've just been DYING to show you.

H&M

This little number cost me a cool $12.50! Can you say, STEAL? Boho chic, I'm in LOVE!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to wear these into the ground. H&M...I'm so glad you are also in Europe! Don't these kind of remind you of a vintage pair of Candies the with wooden heel...only less expensive at $34.50.

Target...for like 14 bucks. Yes, please!

This little black number was a mere $15 at Old Navy. The necklace is already part of my collection..J. Crew outlet is the best place to get J. Crew items for stupid cheap.

Wear it to the grocery store...heck...wear it to clean the toilets...who cares, because it was only $10! SAY WHAT? Ladies, get to Old Navy, like now. Their dress sale won't last forever!

Another H&M steal...high waist skirt $12.50/shirt $7.50. Weiner dog sold separately.

A closer look. I am obsessed with floral patterns this year. And navy blue apparently.

Last, but not least...

If you have a Francesca's near you...GO. They have tons of cute dresses for all occasions. And they are super versatile. Thinking about adding a camel colored belt to break up the pattern a bit. Dress and bone beaded necklace, $60.

Hoping to add these babies to my collection...as soon as Macy's has a sale! Wouldn't they look super cute with the Francesca's dress above?

Jessica Simpson Acadia Pump



Now all I need is a tan. Mother Nature...I'm gonna need your help on that one.

Get In My Belly!

In honor of our pending move to Deutschland this summer, D and I decided to try our hand at cooking some German cuisine. The weather in VA was absolutely lovely yesterday, so how could we not take the opportunity to have our first grill out of the year...a German one no less! We bought all the fixings for a German bratwurst and saurekraut feast! I also made some pretty bangin' German potato salad as a side dish.

What would any German feast be without the presence of the most adorable Dachshund in the world?!

Salivating yet? Braised in beer then grilled brats, saurekraut, and German potato salad.

 Guten Appetit!

 This stuff beats American mayo and egg based potato salad any day! And it's HOT!

Please ignore the gaudy satellite dish in the background. The hubby isn't the most aware person while trying to snap the perfect picture. Gotta love 'em!

All in all, I think this practice round was a great success! D DEVOURED all of it. Of course, put a boy in front of a grill loaded with meat and give him a beer...you're sure to have a happy man for the rest of the evening. I can't wait to try my hand at making soft pretzels and apple strudel! To end the evening, we curled up on the couch, watched a delightfully corny made for TV movie on ABC Family and ate this:

Hello Gorgeous!!  We both had been craving cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes in DC (from the show DC cupcakes on TLC)...but a 3 hour drive for buttercream deliciousness is a little over the top. So, we settled for a decadent Chocolate Oreo cupcake from The Fresh Market. I love that place!

Please excuse the horrible photo quality. We were about 2 glasses of wine in when we remembered we had the cupcake in the fridge. I mean really, what is cooler than cutting into an already too good for words cupcake and finding the icing explodes all the way down into the cupcake?! Died.

As for today, I've got D all to myself and we get to enjoy his Monday off by lounging around the house and going to a movie this afternoon. I've got a coupon for FREE popcorn and it's calling my name! Question is...should we see Arthur or The Source Code? We're leaning towards Arthur...I can't stand watching Russell Brand host award shows, but his movies crack me up!

Hope everyone has a happy Monday!