Lisa-isms

Movie Madness

2012-01-28T19:52:00.000-05:00

Lately Gordon and I have had A LOT of cozy nights in watching the movies we missed seeing together when they were out in theaters. Here's a quick rundown...

50/50 - Of course I cried. But the tears were worth it. Such a good movie.
Moneyball - I had a zillion questions for G. I don't know that much about baseball. G tried his best to explain, but even with my lack of knowledge this movie was a winner.
Ides of March - This movie made me realize how clueless I am about politics. The acting was great. Very impressed with Ryan Gosling's portrayal of his character. The ending made me feel a little sad, but still glad I watched it.
I Don't Know How She Does It - HORRIBLE. I don't know why or how I talked G into ordering this one. Five minutes in, I began apologizing profusely. What a waste!
The Help - So, so, so good. Not completely in sync with the book (see my review of that here), but still very touching, inspiring and emotional.

German Deli Deliciousness

2012-01-22T16:16:00.001-05:00

Nurnberger Hot Plate

Yesterday led Gordon and me to Karl's FF Delicatessen. What a find! We walked in to the deli around 1pm and since it was the first time we had been there, we looked a little lost. The nice woman behind the counter explained our options and we stared at her in awe, ha! Gordon decided to get the Nurnberger Hot Plate consisting of two sausages, potato salad, sauerkraut, mustard and bread with butter. I opted for the classic Reuben sandwich - pumpernickel bread, corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and mustard. I have never had a Reuben sandwich before, but I figured, why not give it a try. I was so happy I did - it was quite frankly (pun intended) the best sandwich I have EVER had. I also decided to have a nice glass of cold beer to wash it down - yum! As we were eating Gordon noticed the owner was wearing lederhosen, which only made this German experience even more fun. Two thumbs up Karl's Deli - we will certainly be back for more of your deliciousness very soon!

Life Gets in the Way!

2012-01-18T19:48:00.000-05:00

Where have I been might you ask? Well, I've been trying to find a new home for Gordon, Reilly and me. I've been traveling cross country from CO to NY (via car - yes, I'm crazy!) and back. I've been working hard and trying as best I can to cross everything off my gazillion to do lists. And because of all that, unfortunately my blogging has come to a complete halt. But don't you worry, I haven't forgotten you (my 10 readers!) and to prove it, I've written this blog post to say, I miss you too. Afterall, absence does make the heart grow fonder, but I promise regular blogging will begin as soon as life stops getting in the way!

P.S. The one and only Heather Robbins turns the big 3-0 tomorrow. Happy Birthday Love!!! 30 never looked so good :)

I love this face!

2012-01-06T01:40:00.000-05:00

In the past five days of 2012 this is all we've really been up to...I know, boring! But trust me, I'm not complaining!

P.S. AND we've been desperately trying to find a nicer and bigger apartment. The hunt STILL continues...My frustration level is sky high.

NEW

2012-01-02T18:13:00.000-05:00

A new city.
A new dog.
A new adventure.
A new year!

Let the 2012 blogging begin.

The First Goodbye

2011-11-17T01:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the last session with my personal trainer. I cried like a big baby at the gym when I had to say goodbye. Nancy has been such a blessing in my life. She has motivated me and taught me so much about how hard I can push myself and my body. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank her enough for all that she has done. I am going to miss her more than words can possibly express.

This was the first goodbye of many in the week ahead. I might as well just stop wearing mascara now ha! Can't help the tears, but boy do I feel lucky to have such wonderful people to cry about in my life.

P.S. Gordon will be home in less than 10 hours - yay!

Week 2

2011-11-14T11:24:00.000-05:00

Weigh-in results: -0.50 lb.

Total: -2.5 lbs.

Just keep swimming...

Sisterly Love

2011-11-13T13:05:00.002-05:00

If you didn't know, one of my favorite traditions started a couple of years ago called "sister nights." Since Mary and Leah are sisters and Megan and I are also sisters, the four of us would try once a month to get together and catch up over dinner - hence the name, sister nights.

This month, we decided to have a sister night sleepover. So last night Megan had Leah, Mary and me over. We talked for hours and finally succumbed to sleep around 3am.

We also tested out this recipe from The Pioneer Woman - so decadent!

Then this morning, we all went to Donuts Delite for a yummy breakfast of hot chocolate, breakfast pizza and of course, a donut!

I will miss sister nights very much when I move to Colorado, but I'm really grateful to have had so many wonderful ones to look back on. And, I take comfort in knowing that many more sister nights await my return! Love you Meg, Leah and Mar xo :)

Wine + Caroline + Carla = Happy Lisa

2011-11-12T16:09:00.000-05:00

Last night Caroline, Carla and I headed over to Corn Hill Landing to Flight Wine Bar. What a fun place! We drank LOTS of wine and had some yummy cheese, bread and cured meats. Most of all, the girl talk was pretty fabulous! Carla, Caroline and I have been friends for more than 15 years. We were three of the original SHSB crew in high school. And no, I won't tell you what that stands for - just use your imagination!

My New Best Friends!

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

Ben and Jerry have been friends of mine for as long as I can remember. But this week, they've become my new best friends ha! "We're the three best friends that anyone could have," - go ahead, sing along, I know you want to :)

Oh stress eating.

P.S. Went to the gym this morning - first time since Saturday. Here's hoping I can get my act together so Monday's weigh-in isn't a complete disaster!

Week 1

2011-11-07T21:44:00.002-05:00

Weigh-in results: -2 lbs.

It's a start...

Lucky

2011-11-06T20:36:00.000-05:00

I'm really lucky to have so many wonderful friends that also live locally. This weekend I got to see almost all of them! On Saturday, my sister hosted a girl's night at her house. We had the best time being silly and to be honest, completely ridiculous! And today, I met some more amazing friends for lunch at The Owl House, which by the way was delicious. I'm going to miss these kinds of weekends where I get to see so many of the ladies that I love. Thank you to: Tabitha, Caitlin, Laura, Erin, Chrissy, Megan, Sharon, Mary, Natalie, Leah, Sadie, Jakie, Carrie and Jenise for a fabulous weekend! :)

Accountability

2011-11-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

Accountability is key for me, especially when it comes to losing weight and trying to become more healthy. So like I said six days ago, I am officially back on the "get in better shape" bandwagon. I've had a pretty good week. Hit the gym every day and continued logging my calories into my daily food journal (nerd alert!). So come Monday, and every Monday thereafter until I hit my goal weight (that number will remain a secret, sorry!), I'll be letting you know via this blog, how many pounds I've lost or gained. This is the last year of my twenties and I'd like to start 30 in a much better place than I am now. First weigh-in is this Monday - stay tuned for the results.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:51:00.000-04:00

Times they are a changing! My Facebook News Feed is completely full of babies/kiddies dressed for Halloween fun. I think I've reached a new age group - the mommy bracket. And let's face it, nothing makes me happier :)

Happy Halloween!!!

"That's not sweat. It's your fat cells crying."

2011-10-31T01:02:00.000-04:00

It's been almost a month now since I've lost my "healthy living" motivation. I still go to the gym three times a week, I still count my calories (even though my intake is much higher than it should be), but the passion - it seems to have left me. Well, it's time to get it back. Call me crazy with the holiday season fast approaching, but excuses are just excuses and I'm ready to get back in the game. Here we go, again - time to make it count.

P.S. Watch this. Be inspired. I was.

Dear Stress, Please leave me alone! Love, Lisa

2011-10-30T18:34:00.001-04:00

So yes, I'm stressed, but it's probably not why you'd think...

I have a ton of things to do before moving to Colorado - pack up the apartment, figure out what I'll need for the next 1 1/2 years and what will go into storage, sell the car, rent a Uhaul, plan our Rochester to Denver route, etc.

But the one thing that is really stressing me out the most is not having enough time to spend with my family and friends. I burst into tears just typing that sentence. I have 23 days until I move. And one of those weeks I won't even be home - I'll be in NYC/LI for work. So when I think about that, I have roughly a little over two weeks to spend with all the people that mean so much to me here. And, to be honest, it literally makes me sick to my stomach.

Yes, I am going to be living with Gordon again - nothing makes me happier, I swear! He's my best friend and my soulmate. I'm really lucky to have him. But, in order to be with him, I'm saying goodbye to A LOT of people that I can't imagine not having in my life on a day-to-day basis.

You might be saying, didn't you leave to live on Long Island before? And my answer to you would be yes, I did. I lived on Long Island for almost five years and for those entire five years, I was miserable and I desperately missed home - my family, my friends and let's face it, Wegmans too :)

But really, I've gotten used to being home again. It's been three years since we left Long Island and moved back to Fairport, NY. And with moving home came dinner and movie nights with my dad and my sister. Porch nights with my BFF. Shopping, cooking, gym and coffee dates, and being silly with my besties. I can't imagine all of that not being a part of my everyday life. I also know I won't be home again until mid-March. Yep, we're not coming home for Christmas this year - cue hysterical sobbing. It will be my first Christmas ever away from my family.

Change is something that I tend to fight. I don't like it, I do anything to remain constant and stable. This is one of the biggest changes of my life. I know in my heart it's the right thing to do. I also know everything will be just fine and work out for the best. But, I guess my denial is finally over. I'm moving in 23 days. There's no escaping that. If only I could bring everyone with me...

So, when you ask me if I'm stressed and I say yes, now you know the real reason why. I am dreading November 23rd with every molecule in my body. I hate goodbyes. Let's just hope this one goes as planned and that come June of 2013 - I'll be announcing that we're home again. Afterall, home is where the heart is and my heart is definitely here with my family and friends in Rochester, NY.

It's Official...

2011-10-26T16:00:00.002-04:00

I'm moving to...DENVER! I know many of you saw this coming. I mean, why would I possibly continue a long distance marriage if I didn't have to? So after much thought, the decision was made. My last day in Fairport (Rochester) will be November 23rd. MUCH more on this to come, but like I said, it's official - gulp!

Three Books - Wowser!

2011-10-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

I never ever thought I'd read a book that was classified as "young adult." I've avoided Harry Potter, Twilight, etc. (against many people's glowing recommendations) but when my sister read these books and described the first one to me, I figured, why not?

The first, The Hunger Games, was AMAZING. The second, Catching Fire, was equally as AMAZING. And the third, Mockingjay, was well, good. Perhaps not as awesome as the first two, but still good in the fact that I bought it on a Sunday night and was completely finished with it two days later.

So, maybe I'm wrong? Should I finally cave and read Harry Potter, Twilight and the numerous other "young adult" novels that so many others have been obsessed with? The verdict is still out, but I can say I am very glad I took the time to read Suzanne Collins' trilogy. So for all you other skeptics out there, go ahead, take the leap, I know you'll be happy you did!

Weddings, Babies and Blogging - Oh My!

2011-10-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

What a month - sheesh! Lack of blogging has happened yet again - so sorry! But things have been B.U.S.Y. How come? Because....

Save the date designed by the one and only Caitlin Nairn! Yes, I have really talented friends!

My BFF got MARRIED! Woot woot! It was a beyond amazing weekend full of laughter, tears and a whole lot of celebrating. Josh and Caroline returned home from their honeymoon in Jamaica earlier this week and I'm so happy to have my favorite newlyweds back in town. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Hoefer!!!

P.S. Gordon came home for the wedding and he proved once again why I am so lucky to have married him.

But, I'm not done yet! What else did you miss in the life of Lisa? A BABY...

Sorry folks, not mine! But instead, my favorite, Bana Miller, is having a baby BOY! I headed down to the Philly area this past weekend to celebrate this joyous occasion with none other than the famous (well, in my world) Heather Robbins! We groped Bana's adorable baby bump like there was no tomorrow and had such a good time together. Even with a horrible head cold, I was nothing but smiles. For an awesome photo recap, please check out Heather's blog entry!

And, there you have it blog followers (all 10 of you - ha!).

Up next: A big/official announcement will be unveiled on Wednesday so stay tuned!

10 Years Later...

2011-10-02T10:30:00.000-04:00


One of my mom's most favorite things to eat were Circus Peanuts. I always thought they were kinda gross. But, every time I see them, I am reminded of her and it makes me smile.

Has it really been 10 years?

Today, Megan and I will spend the day together doing things that our mom loved to do. We miss her very much and desperately wish she was here to enjoy today with us, but she is always in our hearts.

I love you Mom.

Chicken Tonight

2011-09-27T18:15:00.000-04:00

Why this video/commercial? Well today is my mom's birthday. And one of my favorite memories of her is walking around the house singing this song and waving her arms around like a chicken. It used to annoy and embarrass the heck out of me. Now, I'd give anything to hear and see her do it again.

Mom, to celebrate your birthday, I'm having chicken tonight in your honor :)

Old-Fashioned Chicken Potpie

2011-09-26T21:26:00.000-04:00

Photo taken from CookingLight.com

So when Mary asked me if I felt like getting together to do some cooking, I was totally game. We looked through the Cooking Light website and landed on a recipe for Old-Fashioned Chicken Potpie. Winner! We quickly went out, bought the ingredients and started cooking. This recipe is a little complicated - not difficult, just lots of chopping and steps. I think it probably didn't help that we had to double the recipe since we were making two. But, even with the minor hassle, it did not disappoint! Mary and I give it two thumbs up! It's perfect for the fall when you want some comfort food and one serving is HUGE so you really feel full after you eat it. I will definitely be making this one again. So go ahead and try it for yourself, I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed if you do!

Update Time!

2011-09-25T18:11:00.000-04:00

Mr. & Mrs. Gutschow

On Saturday last weekend, Caroline and I attended Michelle and Billy's wedding. (I filled in for Josh who was away in Buffalo for his stag party!) We had a wonderful time and are so happy and thrilled for the new Mr. and Mrs.

That Sunday and Monday, I got quite sick with a nasty stomach bug. Luckily, I started to feel better on Monday night just in time to catch my 6am flight to JFK on Tuesday morning for work. (P.S. As I checked into the airport, they showed me that my license expired back in July - whoops!!!)

The work week was an intense one. Lots of client meetings, a big networking event that HJMT organized, and lots of catch-up with my co-workers. After an intense week, I flew back home to Rochester on Friday morning.

The rest of Friday night was spent lounging in my apartment relaxing and catching up on all the Primetime TV show premieres that I missed during the week. (Holy moly Grey's Anatomy - just when I think I'm done with you, you hook me back in!)

So, I'm not going to lie, I am pretty happy to be back home. Up next: new casserole review, MOH speech writing and Mom's 10 year anniversary. Stay tuned...

9/16/2006 - 9/16/2011

2011-09-16T00:01:00.012-04:00

Today is our five year anniversary. Has it really been five years already? Geesh!

I love you Michael Joseph Gordon.

Marrying you was, and always will be, the best decision of my life.

The Pity Party...

2011-09-14T20:26:00.000-04:00

...is OVER! I've had a bit of the "down in the dumps" attitude for about a week now. There are many reasons why, but I have to snap out of it. So, I'm putting on my happy face and remembering that tomorrow is a brand new day - full of wonderful possibilities!

Couldn't resist using this photo ;)

The Help

2011-09-13T19:04:00.000-04:00

After a suggestion from my dear friend and avid book lover/reader, Heather, I purchased The Help on Friday night this past weekend. I read the first chapter before bed and immediately knew Heather was right - this was going to be a good read. I quickly read to page 215 on Saturday and on Sunday I was on page 402 when I forced myself to put the book down. Which left me a little more than 120 pages to read yesterday - which I devoured quickly before bed. I couldn't believe I was done. I wanted more.

On Sunday before I finished the book, I got to talking to my dad about it. My dad was born in the late 1940s. He said it was hard for him to believe (not that he doesn't, just hard to fathom) that similar events portrayed in the book actually did happen in the South. That the mindset even existed. The South was such a different world than Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania - where he spent his childhood.

When he said those words, I couldn't help but think how far we've come as a people in ways of acceptance. Yet, at the same time we certainly have a long way to go. It made me wonder, what will our children and our children's children experience in the world as they grow up? I hope, it's unconditional acceptance. I hope, that cherishing all people, no matter what their differences, is simply second nature.

The Help was inspirational, emotional, frustating and in the end, totally worth it. I encourage you to read it today.

Shop 'Til You Drop

2011-09-10T00:03:00.000-04:00

The past two weekends I have had such fun shopping with my sister (ironically just for her, nothing new for me). My sister is not much of a shopper. Me? It's one of my favorite things to do!

So last weekend when we went shopping I basically had her try on every shirt/sweater/pant combination in the store. She walked away with new pants, new tops, new sweaters and even a new dress and skirt! We practically bought her a brand new fall wardrobe. And, I conned her into trying on skinny jeans. She bought two pair and they look great on her! She was surprised by how much she liked them, but I had a sixth sense and knew that she would.

Today we went shoe shopping. We only went to one store and she found two pairs of shoes that will be comfortable for her to wear while walking and standing most of the day (Megan is a teacher on assignment). AND, they are cute to boot!

So, I guess this just proves the point. I love to shop - even when I don't buy anything for myself!

STRESSSSSSSSS

2011-09-08T18:30:00.001-04:00

For many reasons I cannot divulge here, lately, I am one big ball of stress. Last night at 2:30am I got out of bed, sleep obviously wasn't happening. So what did I decide to do? I wrote down a list of everything that is making me worry/giving me a soon-to-be ulcer. It's quite the list. I'm hoping that by writing it all down I can let my brain breathe a little.

Ugh - So. Stressed. Out.

Pathetic!?

2011-09-05T23:50:00.001-04:00

It only took me a year, but I'm proud to say I finally finished the book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

I quickly failed my earlier goal - to read a chapter of this book a night until it was finished - as stated in my last blog entry posted in January of this year. When I picked up the book again this past week I was only on page 221 (Chapter 11) out of 644 pages. Well, I'm proud to say, I finished it earlier this weekend. The book, as many people told me, totally picked up pace and I found myself reading on average about 100 pages a night. I couldn't stop - it was that good.

So is it pathetic that reading a book took me a year to finish? Absolutely! But, hey, I'm just happy I did because it was definitely worth the read. I'm excited to see the movie when it comes out this December.

Butternut Squash and Parmesan Bread Pudding

2011-09-03T13:05:00.008-04:00

Photo taken from CookingLight.com

I decided to make another casserole today since the Chicken Tamale Casserole recipe I got from Cooking Light turned out so well. This time I wanted to go vegetarian. When I came across another Cooking Light recipe that combined some of my favorite foods (squash, Parmesan cheese, onions, eggs and bread) it was an easy decision! This is a hearty, yet light, bread pudding recipe that would be perfect for Fall or Winter and let's face it, it's pretty darn delicious now too!

P.S. The weirdest thing happened to me when I was cutting up the butternut squash for this recipe. The hand that I used to hold the squash to peel it and then cut it up into cubes suddenly turned really dry. At first I thought it was a starch residue and just washed my hands again. But, slowly it got worse and the skin on my fingers and on my palm started to peel off! I did some Googling and as it turns out this is a very common occurrence. How strange!!!

One Day

2011-09-01T22:28:00.000-04:00

Saw this movie tonight and let me tell you. It has been the best movie I've seen in a very long time. Be prepared to laugh, cry and cringe. I loved this movie so much it actually gave me goosebumps. So go, watch, enjoy and as the movie says, "Whatever happens tomorrow, we have today. I'll always remember it."

FIVE

2011-08-29T22:53:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of this new Lifetime original movie yet? I saw a commercial for FIVE tonight and it literally brought me to tears. As you know, cancer is something that has had a huge impact on my life. I can't wait to watch this when it premieres on October 10th at 9pm EST. I hope you tune in too.

*For more information and/or to watch the trailer just click on the link above.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2011-08-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

Photo taken from CookingLight.com

I decided to make a casserole for dinner this week. Something easy, quick and calorie conscious that I could eat all week long. So today, I made one for me, one for my sister and one for a friend. I haven't tasted it yet, but my apartment smells delicious! It's a Cooking Light recipe that I found online here. I hope it tastes as good as it smells!

Dirty Thirty!

2011-08-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

Our dear friend Jack's 30th birthday celebration was last night. Tabitha invited all of his closest family and friends to the private room at Johnny's and we had a blast! Happy 30th Birthday Jack! A few photos for your enjoyment :)

Jack and his bride-to-be!

The soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Hoefer doing a little dancing :)

Kara, Me, Tab and Natalie

Change is inevitable...

2011-08-23T18:07:00.000-04:00

Lately I've really been thinking about change and what comes with it - the good, the bad and the ugly. Whenever I think about the future, I always find myself remembering this quote from Sex and the City (I know, very astute of me ha), but from where I'm sitting right now, it's very true...

"After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart... and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away.”

Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Fun!

2011-08-22T21:26:00.001-04:00

This past weekend was Caroline's bridal shower and bachelorette party. SO. MUCH. FUN. Here are a few photos (PG-rated only) from the festivities!

The bride-to-be, Erin and Michelle

MOH's!

Julie, Baby Ada, Caroline and Kim

Some of the bridal party!

"Officer" Dylan ;)

Bridal Party shot (minus a few)!

Caroline's scavenger hunt - she did really well!

Bride-to-be and her MOH's!

Tabitha and Teri

Megan, Michelle, Laura (and her baby bump) and Caroline!

Can't wait until October 8th when I get to see my very best friend marry the love of her life :)

I hate goodbyes

2011-08-16T18:30:00.003-04:00

Gordon left this morning to head back to Colorado for grad school. Boy do I hate goodbyes - they are the absolute worst. Seven weeks 3 days and counting until we're together again. May the time pass as quickly as possible...

"Missing someone gets easier everyday because even though you are one day further from the last time you saw them, you are one day closer to the next time you will."

Bread

2011-08-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

So excited for fresh baked bread!

I love all kinds of bread. Gordon loves all kinds of bread. We certainly don't discriminate ha. This weekend we decided to feed our bread addiction (pun intended) by making homemade white bread and chocolate chip banana bread. YUM!

This turned into...

this!

And then, this turned into...

this, which turned into...


this! :)

Take me out to the ball game...

2011-08-07T14:20:00.000-04:00

Well, maybe not. But, what's the next best thing? Batting cages. I have never been and G hasn't since he was probably eight-years-old. So off we went to Wickham Farms to test our skills. I actually made contact with a few balls - slow pitch and fast pitch. Gordon made contact with most everything until I challenged him to go the 75mph hard ball cage. It was a valiant effort on both our parts and boy, what fun! :)

Time to get serious.

2011-08-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

No more excuses allowed. I have been slacking on my healthy eating/diet ever since Gordon came home for the summer. That being said, I've gained about five pounds back - ugh. Thank goodness I still went to the gym at least three times a week, I can't imagine what the scale would have said without getting those workouts in. So as of yesterday, August 1st, I am back on track and more determined than ever before!

Wow, is it really August?!?

2011-08-01T23:51:00.001-04:00

Mary and me being silly - but just in case, we paired up with Megan and Gordon for some go-karting fun :)

What have I been up to since my last entry?

Well, we continue to play kickball and we continue to lose haha. Two games left of the season - fingers crossed that we finally win a game!

I celebrated Tab's engagement with all my besties (even Cristin made the trip all the way from Maryland). What a fun night!

Gordon and I made an impromptu trip to Niagara Falls (US side) and took a ride on the Maid of the Mist. Such fun :)

We also headed to Syracuse to meet G's cousin and her husband at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. It's still the best location out of the four! And then we headed to Syracuse University to take a walk through the quad, something we haven't done together in a long time. It was a perfect night.

And, Megan, Gordon, Carrie, Rob and I headed to Lake Ontario to meet Mary, Karl, Debbie (Karl's mom) and Mrs. Shearer at the lake house Mrs. Shearer had rented out for the week. We had the best time swimming, playing games, go-karting, kayaking, eating lots of yummy food, and building a campfire complete with s'mores.

Just 15 days left until Gordon leaves for Colorado and heads back for year two of his master's degree. I plan on soaking up all the time I have left with him. So, apologies to all my family and friends - I'm officially in hermit mode with the hubs til August 15th!

Tis the season...

2011-07-18T22:03:00.000-04:00

...for wedding wonderfulness!!!

Yesterday was Caroline's Buffalo Bridal Shower. What a wonderful day full of love and excitement!

And, I also got to see Tabitha (and her beautiful ring) to celebrate her engagement to Jack. Super excited and honored to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next year!

Also, Happy Anniversary to Mary & Karl (2 years), Carla & Darik (1 year) and Chrissy & Scott (1 year)!

P.S. The other day, Gordon and I realized that we've been to more than 30 weddings since 2006. So blessed to have such lovely friends that want us to be a part of their special days!

The most perfect day...

2011-07-16T23:17:00.001-04:00

Mary and me - fun in the sun!

Today Carrie and Rob invited us over for a pool party BBQ. We arrived around 1pm and caught up with the newlyweds (they had just returned from their mini-honeymoon to West Palm Beach). Then Mary and Karl came followed by Megan. Soon we had all jumped into the pool and so much silliness followed! It was like we were all 10 years old again playing Marco Polo, Sharks & Minnows, and pool basketball. Except this time, we had delicious Mango Margaritas to sip in between games!

It was seriously the most perfect day. I am so incredibly lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. Gordon, Megan, Mary, Karl, Carrie and Rob - you guys are the best! (We missed you Leah!)

P.S. Happy Birthday Bana AND Congratulations Tab & Jack on getting engaged!!!!!

Where does the time go?

2011-07-12T22:15:00.000-04:00

Has Gordon really been home already for eight weeks? I can't believe it. We only have five more weeks together before he heads back to CO and I have to force myself into the "single" life again.

What makes this even more difficult is that this will be our last summer together here in Rochester for the next couple of years. With that said, I'm trying really hard to savor this time with him and our family and friends.

Forcing myself to live in the moment and not think that summer is already over before it's even really started is very hard to do. I'm trying to keep my head up and remember that change is good...

P.S. This past weekend we witnessed our dear friends Rob & Carrie tie the knot. We said our temporary farewells to Leah as she begins her CO adventure. We sweated A LOT in the heat at the Corn Hill Arts Festival. And we treated ourselves to some ice cream at Moonlight Creamery. All in all - another great weekend in the books! A few photos for your enjoyment :)

P.S. Birthday Swag!

2011-07-07T18:35:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Gordon and Megan, you can catch me around town sporting some new accessories - yay!

I am a true believer in Karma!

Kate Spade earrings!

New Big Buddha bag!

Birthday Love!

2011-07-07T18:30:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I turned 29 - yikes! This is officially the last year of my twenties - unbelievable!

If you know me, you know that I don't really like to make a big fuss out of my birthday, especially a birthday like 29 (such a bogus year!). All I ever want is for people to remember it and give me a call, shoot me an email, send me a text, write on my Facebook wall or tweet me! There is just nothing better than that. Yesterday, that's exactly what happened and let me tell you, do I feel loved!

So, thank you to my fabulous family and friends for all of the birthday wishes. You started my 29th year on this earth on a such a high note! :)

Recap Time!

2011-07-05T21:27:00.000-04:00

It seems that I can't keep on top of this blog lately - ugh. But, I'm getting really good at recaps! So, here is another one...

Went shoe shopping with Megan. She found two pairs and I walked away with these!!!

My cousin, Laura, came for a visit. And, she got Gordon the best gift EVER! Carnivore vs. vegetarian - they're so silly! I love her to pieces :)

My dear friend Laura got married! The Fairport crew was reunited for a night of fun!

The new Mr. & Mrs.!

Gordon and I saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon. It was actually really good - two thumbs up!

My sister had a laser tag birthday party. SO. MUCH. FUN. Sometimes it's nice to pretend you're 10 again!

And, I made her this "old school" cake to match her kiddie celebration!

Busy, busy, busy!

2011-06-26T23:14:00.000-04:00

This past week/weekend was another busy one!

Caitlin, Tab and I celebrated Caroline's new job with some Skinnygirl Margarita. (If you haven't tried it yet, please do so - very good and only 100 calories per 4 ounces!)
We played kickball and lost again ha, but we're still having fun, I think!
We attended James and Kristen's wedding in Buffalo. It was awesome. Congrats James!
We went on a fabulous double date with Carla and Darik. Love them!
We heard Dad sing his solo at church. He did wonderfully - so proud of him.
And, we met Caroline and Josh for a quick dinner - yay!

Like I said before, the week/weekends are crazy busy lately, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Preserves

2011-06-21T08:45:00.001-04:00

Last night Gordon and I decided to make homemade strawberry-rhubarb preserves. On Sunday we stopped at Chase Farms and picked up strawberries. And, yesterday we bought rhubarb from Powers Farm Market. Then we followed this recipe! The photos tell the rest :)

Cut up the strawberries.

Cut up the rhubarb.

Combine the fruit with lemon slices and water and bring to a boil.

Add sugar and a vanilla bean and simmer for a while.

Poor into jars.

All done!

Weekend Madness

2011-06-19T21:32:00.000-04:00

Lately, the weekends are just too darn short. How did it get to be Sunday night already with a busy work week looming ahead? I guess the saying really is true, time flies when you're having fun :)

This weekend was another great one! Friday night was date night with Gordon - dinner and the Rochester Jazz Festival. Saturday was Megan's birthday celebration with family. Our gift to her this year was a ping pong table. And today, was a celebratory Father's Day BBQ at Dad's house.

But, the one problem with all of this - I'm SO tired! After the weekend, shouldn't you feel rested and refreshed? Nope, not this summer! Instead it's definitely go, go, go. But in the end, it's all worth it!

Happy Birthday Sister

2011-06-18T00:00:00.004-04:00

My sister's birthday is today - woo hoo! If you don't already know it, and if you've met Megan I'm sure you do, I have the BEST sister in the whole wide world. I'm telling you, she is tops!

Happy Birthday Megan! I love you SO incredibly much and can't wait to celebrate with you today! xoxoxo

Delinquent Blogging!

2011-06-14T20:30:00.003-04:00

Boy have I been delinquent with my blogging activity. Ever since Gordon arrived home for the summer, things have just gotten super busy, but in a good way! Hence, I’ve not had much time to blog at all. So as always, I’ve jam-packed the past month into one entry (It’s a looong one). Here’s what you’ve missed in the world of Lisa – hope it isn’t too boring!

Week of May 9th: Gordon officially finished his first year of grad school on that Friday.

On Saturday, I spent a lovely afternoon with Mary at the Lilac Festival. Too bad we got soaked! Sunday was a bridal party planning brunch for Caroline. I made a roasted vegetable frittata, bran muffins and fruit salad – yummy! Following brunch I had some coffee catch-up with Carla. What a great weekend!

Week of May 16th: Gordon celebrated completing finals by driving 26 hours home to me – yay! He arrived very late on Tuesday night. It’s been amazing having him home again, even if he does hog all the covers! That weekend our dear friend Matt graduated from law school – go Matt, go!

And on Sunday it was Carrie’s Bridal Shower. So much fun!

Week of May 23rd: And off to NYC/LI I went. I caught the 6am flight to JFK on Monday and it was non-stop til Friday! My firm put on a “flawless” fundraising gala that Tuesday and I got to see a lot of my downstate clients. The best part? Spending time with my colleagues – I miss them dearly. Even better? Spending time with Kristie’s son, Jack. He is ADORABLE!!! That Wednesday Gordon drove down to LI and met me. (He just loves driving lately!)

We tasted Korilla for dinner one night – so good.

And that Friday night we met Nicki and Lauren for dinner at Zum Schneider. The beers were cold, the food was delicious and the company was just what this girl needed – simply amazing. The next day we spent more time with Gordon’s parents and then saw Hangover II.

That Sunday we drove into the city to meet our favorites for a Theta reunion brunch. Again, simply amazing. It was there that some BIG news was shared and we couldn’t be more excited about it! After brunch, we made the long trek home. Until next time!

Week of May 30th: Happy Summer! The day off on Monday was glorious quality time spent with the hubs and a little bit helping Megan move/getting organized in her new house. That Friday we met Mary and Karl for dinner at Beale Street Café and then we quickly rushed home to start making food for Megan’s housewarming the next day. We made this and this and ordered pulled pork from here and mini cannolis and cream puffs from here. The housewarming party was such a blast.

But I couldn’t stay too long, off I went that evening to Laura’s Bachelorette! After gathering at a nail salon for manis/pedis, we headed to Next Door Bar & Grill for some cocktails. Lots of fun! Then it was back to Megan’s to finish and help clean up from the housewarming party.

The next day was Laura’s Bridal Shower. Such a fantastic shower – one of the best ones I’ve been to yet!

Week of June 6th: Thursday night was our first adult league kickball game. My 19 awesome teammates and I met at Genesee Valley Park and played kickball for the first time in many, many, many years. Although we’re pretty rusty, it was a really fun time! After kickball, we went to nurse our wounds at Temple Bar & Grille, our fantastic kickball sponsor.

That Friday it was Carrie’s Bachelorette Party. We started out the night at Pomodoro’s and then worked our way to some local bars, ending the night with a slice of pizza. That is all I will tell you about this night, let’s just say the bike ride we were supposed to take with friends needed to be pushed back until Sunday due to necessary Saturday recovery time! So yes, on Sunday we met Mary and Karl at Schoen Place and rode our bikes along the canal path all the way to Perinton Park and back. We stopped for a late lunch at Aladdin’s and then parted ways – it was the perfect afternoon, just wish the sun would have come out! Gordon and I stayed for a little bit and looked at some of the shops along the canal and fed the ducks. It was a great weekend!

And there you have it, my life in a nutshell for the past month or so. As always, I’ll try to be better about blogging!

Coming up this week: Kickball game #2, Megan’s 33rd Birthday Celebration and Father’s Day!

Goodbye "Single" Me!

2011-05-13T17:57:00.000-04:00

This weekend is my last weekend as a "single" lady. Gordon returns home for the summer on Tuesday night and I can't wait! We have lots to look forward to for the next three months (a trip to NYC/LI, four weddings to celebrate, summer kickball fun, and lots of double date nights with our favorite couples). And, the fact that we get to spend lots of time together is the best part of all! Just a few more days to go - so excited!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T11:00:00.003-04:00

Mom, Megan & Me

To all the mothers in the world, this day is a special day to honor, celebrate, appreciate and show our love and thanks for all that you do. If you are one of the lucky ones to still have your mom in your life, be sure to tell her today and every day how much she means to you. Happy Mother's Day!

P.S. A special shoutout to all my friends who are celebrating their first Mother's Day as new mommies - yay! :)

Boxing

2011-05-05T18:15:00.021-04:00

During pairs training with my sister on Tuesday night we tried something new, boxing! It was so much fun and a really good workout too. I was definitely sweating! And, Megan and I had a pretty good time trying to punch each other haha :)

Up next, our trainer said that she's going to get the "slide board" out. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit nervous about that one. What if I fall!? Anyone tried it - yay or nay?

Denver Recap

2011-05-01T22:05:00.000-04:00

I arrived in Denver late Friday night after two of the most bumpy flights of my entire life! I was so happy to be on the ground and out of an airplane/airport. Gordon greeted me at arrivals and off we went to grab a late dinner at The Cherry Cricket. The burgers there are SO good.

The next morning Gordon took me to Krispy Kreme for breakfast - yum! I wish we still had one in Upstate NY, but it's probably better for my waistline that we don't! And then we just spent the next two days together glued at the hip. We ran errands, did laundry, napped, cleaned, ate more delicious Colorado food and before we knew it, it was Sunday night. Oh, and Happy Easter!

On Monday I drove Gordon into school and dropped him off at his first class. The rest of the day I had to myself since he was in class, so I conned my bestie, Erin to drive down from Breck and meet for a sushi lunch (Sushi Sasa - so amazing!) and some afternoon shopping (yay new earrings!). We really had a great time catching up! After that, Erin and I headed over to see Gordon and we got the "VIP" tour of his studio/met some of his wonderful friends. After our tour, we sadly dropped Erin off at her car. I miss her already.

That night we met Gordon's friend, Tor and his wife out for dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, La Loma. It was such a nice night out and a real pleasure to get to know one of Gordon's closest grad school friends. Following dinner we met two more of Gordon's friends, Sun and Sarah, out for dessert. Again, it was really wonderful getting to know the "family" that Gordon has gained while at school.

The next morning (Tuesday), Gordon dropped me off at the airport to catch my flight, but to make a LONG story short, due to weather conditions (crazy tornadoes, storms, rain, etc.) I ended up not leaving Denver until Thursday morning - yay for two bonus days with the hubs! Those two extra days were spent doing absolutely nothing. Well, I did absolutely nothing, Gordon on the other hand did a lot of school work. I watched!

And on Thursday after almost missing my connecting flight, I landed safely and soundly in Rochester at around 7pm. My trip to Denver was exactly what I needed - quality, uninterrupted time with Gordon! He comes home for the summer the week of May 16th. I can't wait and I am so grateful that the goodbyes are over, at least until August.

P.S. Thanks to Laura for being an AWESOME travel buddy!

When did we become grown-ups?

2011-04-21T19:30:00.004-04:00

Megan's new house!

I remember when my sister and I used to choreograph dances in our backyard. I remember when we used to play and she'd be the teacher and I'd be the student (what can you say, she always knew she wanted to teach!). She'd even give me homework, which I am embarrassed to say I actually did - all for the glittery/sparkly sticker on my paper as a job well done. I remember when we'd yell through the wall that we loved each other before bedtime. Let's face it, we had a pretty terrific childhood - I'm definitely lucky on that note.

So, a lot has changed since then and maybe you can still call me a "kid," but my sister has officially become, gasp, an adult! Megan closed on her first house this past Friday and has now joined the elite homeowner club! I'm SO excited for her (and me - a fun new place to hang out). She picked up the keys on Tuesday and walked into her new home for the very first time as the new owner. I can't imagine what that felt like, but I'm guessing the feeling was pretty monumental!

So, CONGRATULATIONS sister! So happy, thrilled and over-the-moon excited for you! Let the packing/unpacking begin!

Two more birthdays, but they're important ones!

2011-04-20T09:00:00.007-04:00

Happy Birthday Dad! When it comes to dads, my dad is tops. He's your typical type A, logical, practical, down-to-earth, helpful, kind, supportive, caring, conservative, funny/corny dad that most everyone wants to have. And, I'm pretty darn lucky that I do! Dad, I hope your day is full of all the things that you love!

AND...

Happy Birthday Erin! Erin and I have been besties ever since Modified Gymnastics back in Middle School. She currently lives in Breckenridge, CO and I get to see her on my visit out there this coming weekend. I love her to pieces and value our friendship so much. No matter how far apart we are, I know I can always count on her. She is a friend for life, that's for sure. Erin, I hope you have the happiest of birthdays and I can't wait to see you SO soon!

The Biggest WINNER

2011-04-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

When my friend, Mary asked me if I wanted to compete with her in the Rochester Athletic Club's (RAC) "Biggest Winner" Contest, I was 100% on board. And when we asked my sister, Megan to join us, she was game too - yay for Triple Threat (that's our team name ha!). So you might be asking yourself, what is the RAC's Biggest Winner Contest? Well basically, it's just like the TV show, The Biggest Loser. The contest runs for six weeks from April 25th to June 6th. The RAC will hold bi-weekly weigh-ins and whichever team loses the highest percentage of their original weight will win a cash prize.

This is just the kick in the pants that I need to get re-motivated. Let's hope it works!

30 Gifts for 30 Years

2011-04-17T17:24:00.000-04:00

Today is Gordon's 30th Birthday! Of the many decisions I've made throughout my life, choosing to marry him has been the best decision I've made yet. I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world to be able to call him my husband.

So, even though we are physically apart for his birthday, (I head to CO for a belated birthday celebration with him this Friday) I wanted to send him 30 gifts in the mail for the 30 great years he has been on this earth (pictured above).

Happy 30th Birthday G! I love you more than words can ever express, and I can't wait to give you a big ole' birthday bear hug in just five days!

Sick as a dog

2011-04-15T19:04:00.000-04:00

It's been almost an entire week since my last entry. Why, might you ask? Well the answer is really quite simple. I've been sick since Sunday! It all started with a sore throat and then grew progressively worse day by day. Yesterday was absolutely horrible. Today I am feeling better, but definitely still not 100%. And, my main concern right at this very moment is how much my nose hurts from blowing it - ouch. So don't worry, regular blogging will commence shortly. But for now, give me a couple more days to fully recuperate!

Happy Birthday BFF!

2011-04-09T13:07:00.000-04:00

Today is my dear friend Caroline's birthday - yay! We have been BFFs for more than a decade now and I'm so incredibly lucky to have her in my life. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve her friendship, but I am so grateful for it every single day.

Happy Birthday Caroline - love you SO SO SO much!

Last Minute Denver Trip!

2011-04-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

When my friend Laura texted me about the most inexpensive flights ($200 roundtrip including taxes!) to Denver over Easter weekend, my obvious answer was YES! I am so excited I will get to see Gordon in two weeks and be able to celebrate his 30th birthday with him, albeit a week late. (His actual birthday is April 17th!) Denver, here I come. Are you ready for me?!

P.S. Last night I had the most fabulous belated birthday/early birthday dinner with two amazing friends. You know it's a good night when you get into your car to leave the restaurant, look in your rear-view mirror, and see that your mascara had run all over your face because you were laughing so hard you were brought to tears! I simply love nights like that :)

Spring is in the air...

2011-04-05T22:10:00.000-04:00

...and it's about time! I don't know about any of you, but I am SO excited for spring! For some reason (maybe because Gordon wasn't home) this winter season was extremely long and tiresome. But now that the snow has melted and the temperature is well above freezing, I am feeling a renewed sense of excitement. I can't wait for Gordon to come home in May so we can experience a fantastic end of spring and a fun-filled summer together. Oh the possibilities!

P.S. Happy Birthday to one of my oldest and dearest friends, Carla. It was fate that were were put in the same Girl Scout Daisy Troop together! So happy to still have your friendship in my life today! xo

Weightloss Update

2011-04-04T20:15:00.001-04:00

Not much has happened on the scale since my last update. I am still down the 15 lbs. (yay!), but seem to be losing and gaining the same five pounds for the past month now. I just can't seem to break the 20 lb. mark.

That being said, I do feel better. My clothes are fitting much better and I especially love the fact that I can take my pants off without unbuttoning or unzipping them! I also feel like I have muscles again and that I'm getting stronger each week. I'm officially doing "real" push-ups too - no more wimpy ones! And my friends and my trainer say I look better. Maybe they're just being nice, but because their compliments give me motivation to continue, I'm trusting and believing them.

I have a little over four weeks until I'll be sunning myself in Anguilla at my cousin's wedding. So until then, it's time to get serious. You will find me at the gym on most days after work and you'll also see me making the best food choices I possibly can. That's a promise!

Couch Potato

2011-04-03T19:15:00.001-04:00

I haven't done ANYTHING today. I woke up feeling a little under the weather and since then I've been spending quality time with my couch and my TV. I'm feeling a little guilty about not getting to the gym, running my errands, cleaning my apartment, doing laundry, and the list goes on and on. But, the week ahead is going to be quite busy and every once and a while, a girl deserves a lazy day off!

P.S. Happy Birthday Lauren! xo

Happy Birthday Nicki!

2011-04-01T22:59:00.000-04:00

To one of my best friends, old college roomie and a person that just "gets" me, Happy Birthday! Wish I could be there to celebrate with you today, but I'll be seeing you very soon. Much love Nickster!

The Nest

2011-03-31T21:57:00.001-04:00

Dug these out from 2007 - might be time to read them again!

One of the magazines I used to look forward to getting was, The Nest. The Nest is The Knot's sister or "next step" magazine.

Sidenote: I really like how The Knot Inc. produces three different magazines for different times in your life. See, when you're getting married you subscribe to The Knot. When you are married you subscribe to The Nest. And when it's time to add a baby to your family, you subscribe to The Bump. (Obviously this isn't the path for everyone, but for me, it works.)

A few years ago my sister got me a subscription to The Nest. I remember when I'd get it in the mail and be so excited. It was such a useful publication offering tips on buying a home, budgeting, recipes, fitness, relationship advice, etc. Unfortunately, since my subscription ran out and we moved a gazillion times between then and now, I totally forgot about the magazine.

So today, when my friend Heather sent me this link I was really excited. Not only is it a great article, but she reminded me that this magazine existed and how much I loved/love it. Thanks Heather!

Funkity Funk

2011-03-30T22:18:00.001-04:00

Ever have a day that just doesn't go your way? At first it's funny, but then not so much. That was me today. It started with a poor night's sleep. Then I went to my first meeting of the day. But guess what?! I went to the wrong meeting spot. Then my (Gordon's) car started lurching. Then it was a flurry of emails, phone calls and report writing (the only form of writing I loathe). But before I could even get a handle on my day, it was 6pm and my dad was at my door ready to take said car to the dealership to be repaired. The day is coming to an end now. I went to the gym, worked a little more, ate dinner and prepared myself for tomorrow. A better day is only a day away, right? The only problem is that days like today make me think too much. And then I find myself asking those hard questions...I'll just leave it at that.

I love to blog!

2011-03-29T18:52:00.001-04:00

So I finally made the leap and bought my own URLs for this blog. But now I'm at the point where I want to take it to the next level and do a custom design. The problem here - I'm not sure what I want. That being said, please stay tuned - the unveil is coming!

See the thing is, I love this blog. I find it therapeutic to write on a daily basis. Gordon is always telling me that I need to get a hobby, one that won't stress me out. I tried knitting once, but it was always a race to finish each piece. With blogging, there is no pressure. I can post as often or as seldom as I want. And it combines all of my passions (family/friends, cooking/baking, movies, etc.) into one platform. The best part? I get to write!

I really enjoy writing. (Little known fact: I started a book in 2005.) I mean, I did go to college to pursue my dream of writing. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE PR. I really do, but sometimes I get envious of the reporters/editors on the other end of my emails. At times, I wish I was still a writer. This blog allows me to be just that.

So thanks to everyone for reading. I know I don't have a very big following. Maybe 20 of you out there? And even that number is probably high haha! But, I value each and every one of you and hope that this blog makes you smile. So, as long as you'll keep reading, I'll keep writing - that's a promise!

Funfetti Cake Balls

2011-03-27T22:43:00.000-04:00

While Gordon was home we made these...yummy!

Bake the cake, cool, crumble, mix in frosting, roll into balls, chill!

Dip in melted milk chocolate and decorate with sprinkles!

A cross-section - SO GOOD!

Kate Spade Love

2011-03-17T22:53:00.000-04:00

Blackberry Pouch

As most of you know, I have a little (okay, big!) obsession with all things Kate Spade. I LOVE most everything - jewelry, shoes, apparel and oh the purses/bags! So when my co-worker/friend Ellen sent me this link the other day, she basically made my day. Hey hubs - hint, hint!

Epic Fail

2011-03-15T20:44:00.000-04:00

Tonight Megan and I had pairs training together at the gym. Just as I was starting to feel really strong, this training session knocked me back down on my butt! Let's just say the BOSU® ball is not my friend (at least not now!).

Of the many exercises we did during our 30 minute session, the part that really got me was when our trainer had us flip the ball over, get into push-up position, put sliders on our feet and essentially do scissor kicks. Trying to keep my balance on this was really challenging and I'm not going to lie, I'm feeling kind of down about it.

Like I said, I was just starting to feel like I was getting stronger and I know that in order to keep feeling that way, I need to push myself through the difficult stuff - at this point nothing should be "easy" otherwise I'm not working hard enough. But, that being said, I am a little disappointed that I wasn't able to do this as successfully as I would have hoped. I guess it's just more fuel for the fire. This girl is not going to give up...

"Dear BOSU® ball,
Don't think you've gotten the best of me. I will see you tomorrow and the day after that. I will conquer you yet. That's a promise.
With determination, Lisa"

Gender Reveal Parties

2011-03-13T14:04:00.002-04:00

It might still be a couple of years away for me to plan one of these (unless a friend would like me to on their behalf - say yes, you know who you are!), but what a FUN idea! Check out the details here!

Morning Glory

2011-03-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

I honestly wasn't expecting much when I ordered this movie to watch. I figured it would just be your typical romantic comedy that probably wasn't too funny or too memorable. But boy was I surprised! I LOVED this movie. I am a big fan of Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton so maybe that helped. But what struck me is that this movie is not really a romantic comedy at all. There is romance, but that's not the main point or plot of the movie. Instead, Morning Glory is all about what it takes to accomplish your dreams - a topic I think most everyone can relate to. It reminded me to never give up, to work my tail off, to persevere through whatever life throws my way and to never think that any dream is too big. So watch this movie, you're in for a surprise treat!

Call me crazy...

2011-03-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

But I'm giving up all forms of alcohol for Lent! Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge drinker, but I do like to have a glass of wine or two on weekends while out with friends. So we'll see how this goes. I think it will be easier than last year when I gave up chocolate! What do you think?

Yes please!

2011-03-08T19:21:00.002-05:00

Amazing! Photo from SugarDerby.com

Umm a red velvet cake ball surrounded by a chocolate chip cookie?! Need I say more?! Adding these to the "will make for Gordon and send to CO" list! Get the Sugar Derby recipe here!

Sleepovers Are Fun (even when you're 30(ish))!

2011-03-06T14:36:00.001-05:00

What happens when you combine a bunch of fabulous ladies, pajamas, girl talk, adult beverages and munchies all together? Well, that's the recipe for a fantastic slumber party! And, Megan, Mary, Leah, Carrie and I did just that this past Friday night. We had the BEST time! A few fun photos to share...

Silly Leah!

Our version of a pyramid ha!

Take 2 :)

We love sleepovers!

LI/NYC

2011-03-05T23:30:00.000-05:00

This past week I traveled to Long Island/NYC for work. I flew out of Rochester early Tuesday morning and landed at JFK around 9:30am. Lori picked me up (thanks Lori!). We quickly stopped for coffee and headed to the Long Island office. It's always so nice to see my co-workers and catch up. I had just enough time to give out hugs, get settled and quickly check my emails, then it was off to Manhattan.

Hilary, Kristie, Lori and I drove into NYC and stopped for a quick, but delicious lunch at P.J. Clarke's 1884. We regrouped on business and chatted about strategy and the week ahead. After lunch we stopped by to see our client and then headed to Crumbs Bake Shop to bring a little treat to our next meeting. Our meeting went well (yay new business!). And before I knew it, we were in the car again heading back to Long Island for my final client meeting of the day. Our meeting ended around 6:30pm and Hilary and I grabbed some sushi with her family at Nagahama Sushi in Long Beach. After dinner, I changed into my workout clothes and got in some weight training and cardio before bed. Boy was I tired, but what a fun first day downstate!

The second day of my trip was more of the same. Some fantastic client meetings and lots more time to catch up with my co-workers. That night Kristie invited me over to her house to see her son, Jack - he just celebrated his first birthday. I LOVE him. He is seriously the most adorable baby ever. And, Kristie is an amazing mom. I don't know how she does it, but she's such a super mom! It was a really great night and I'm lucky I get to be a part of Jack's life and really grateful I get to see him every few months.

Thursday was a welcome day in the office catching up on emails, writing proposals, pitching the media, etc. Every time I come in for a visit, my co-workers and I always order lunch together on my last day. We ate Chipotle and had a great "last supper". That evening I saw my mother-in-law for dinner and then had some much needed wine and wedding talk with Lori that night. The next morning Lori took me to the airport (thanks again Lori!) around 7:30am and I was home by noon.

It's always such a whirlwind of a visit when I travel to our LI/NYC offices, but so good to reconnect with co-workers, clients, family and friends. I won't be back down until May, but I can't wait!

P.S. I was supposed to see Miss Heather, but she's been deathly sick and we had to cancel our dinner plans. I hope you're feeling better! Also, I am so happy my job allows me to visit the city I love, there is no place like NYC! And, sorry for the lack of photos - I forgot my camera!

Life As We Know It

2011-02-27T18:15:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I ordered the movie, Life As We Know It. I give it two thumbs up for the mere entertainment factor. It's one of those movies you watch while doing chores or reading a magazine because well, it's definitely a "no thinking needed" movie and let's face it, the plot is totally predictable. But, I love Josh Duhamel ever since Gordon and I got into the TV show, Las Vegas (darn you NBC for canceling that show!). So if you have a couple hours to spare, watch this movie. I hope you enjoy it :)

P.S. Warning! For my female readers - this movie makes you want to have a baby/start a family ASAP!

Poached Eggs

2011-02-22T21:26:00.001-05:00

My first attempt at poaching an egg!

I don't know about you, but I've never poached an egg before in my life. Tonight, I decided to change that. Breakfast for dinner sounded like a good idea to me so I made "eggs benedict" or at least my version.

First get out a big pot, fill it with water and start to get the water up to temperature. Then add some white vinegar to the water. Right before the water reaches boiling, make a "whirlpool" with a spoon in the pot. Once the water is going around in a circle, gently drop the egg into the water, let it cook for approximately four minutes and voila, a poached egg!

I did the above twice to make two poached eggs. I think the more I do this the better the eggs will turn out, but considering this was my first try, I'm going to call it a success! I split and toasted an Thomas' English Muffin and cut up half an avocado. I topped each muffin half with the sliced avocado followed by the poached egg. Dinner was served!

Mini Bananas

2011-02-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

Aren't they cute? They're the size of my finger!

I wanted to buy some bananas to eat this week. Because of the gym, my arms and legs have been cramping a lot and consuming a banana a day will hopefully resolve that issue. My only problem, I'm not a huge banana lover. I always end up eating only half of a regular sized banana and the other half goes to waste. So when Wegmans only had green, unripe bananas left, I decided to give the riper mini-bananas a try. Not only are they the perfect size, but they're adorable too! After all, everything tastes better when it's miniaturized!

What a weekend...

2011-02-20T19:17:00.000-05:00

I loved this book growing up - still do.

Around 3am on Friday night I started to feel terribly sick to my stomach. I had to wake up at 7:30 on Saturday morning to take my sister to the airport. When I got home from dropping her off, I felt much worse. It was a really bad weekend. I did a lot of crying (wishing Gordon was home to take care of me) and a lot of feeling guilty - no gym since Friday. Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully a much better one - fingers crossed!

Easy Parmesan "Risotto"

2011-02-17T21:51:00.002-05:00

Last night after the gym, I decided to try a new risotto recipe. It was quick, easy and delicious. And, the best part about it - no stirring! For those wanting to try it here is the recipe:

Ina Garten's Easy Parmesan "Risotto"
Serves 4 to 6 (I actually got 10 half cup servings out of it. Gotta practice portion control!)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, divided (Next time I'm going to try vegetable stock instead.)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine (I omitted this.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the rice and 4 cups of chicken stock into a Dutch oven (I used our Le Creuset.). Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan cheese, wine (if desired), butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot. Yum!

A few things...

2011-02-15T22:20:00.001-05:00

My apologies for the lack of focus for this entry, but I have so much to write about and I didn't feel like writing 10 separate posts. So, I'm combining it all into one, here we go!

So I've been looking into fun, but healthier recipes to cook/bake. Green Little Bites is the next cookbook on my list. I went grocery shopping tonight and bought some chickpeas to make this recipe. I'm excited to try it. For dinner tonight I made a recipe from my new Ina Garten cookbook - Herbed Ricotta Brushchettas. It sounds like an appetizer, but I made mine into dinner - yummy! Some other things I'm also curious about making: cauliflower pizza and spicy red lentils.

Tonight Megan and I started pairs training. Holy moly - what a workout! And, a really fun experience with my sister. I'm happy we workout together, not only does it give us time to catch up, but it also motivates us to do something healthy for our bodies. A gym buddy is a necessity, I'm especially lucky that mine is my sister!

Today is also my buddy's 30th Birthday. Happy Birthday Karl! Last weekend Mary threw him a surprise party at Clover Lanes. It was such a fun night and he was definitely surprised!

And immediately following his party, I drove straight to the Village Inn in Fairport to congratulate one of my oldest friends on his engagement to a fabulous woman. Congratulations Brian & Kim - so happy for you!

And finally, a quick recap about my trip to Denver and visit with the hubs. It was well, AMAZING. Everything is better when we're together.

One highlight, I got to meet a ton of his friends from school at the gallery exhibit. They are truly wonderful people and it means so much to me knowing that he is surrounded by good people while we're apart. (The exhibit space was so impressive!)

Another Denver highlight, we met Erin for dinner and I finally got to hug her and catch up after a six month hiatus. It's always so great when you see a dear friend and pick up as if no time has passed. I'm lucky to have a friendship like that in my life!

And...that's all I've got! :)

Valentine's Day Surprises!

2011-02-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

Gordon and I don't normally celebrate Valentine's Day, but because this is the first one we've ever spent apart, we decided to exchange gifts and have a virtual date (thanks Skype!).

First these arrived:

A bouquet of lilies and roses - my favorites!

Then this:

What's inside?

And inside that were these:

An adorable card :)

Two cookbooks I've been dying to own!

My very own mortar and pestle - homemade guacamole here I come!

And, a polar bear bookmark since I've been reading more :)

I sent G a "silly" gift and a "nice" gift. His silly gift was this. His nice gift was a gift certificate to here.

So, even though we're thousands of miles away from one another, I think we had a pretty memorable Valentine's Day. I love you hubs!

Weddings Galore

2011-02-13T23:54:00.001-05:00

2011 has turned into a year of weddings (seven!), coming in just one under from 2009. Congratulations to all my loved ones tying the knot!

May 7th: Laura & Brian - Anguilla, British West Indies. P.S. I hate the show, The Bachelor on ABC, but my DVR will be set to tape tomorrow's episode as the show will take place in Anguilla at the CuisinArt Resort where we'll be at in May - yay for sneak peeks!
June 3rd: T&T - Denver, CO.
June 25th: James & Kristen - Buffalo, NY.
July 3rd: Laura & Brian - Geneva, NY.
July 8th: Carrie & Rob - Rochester, NY
August 12th: Lori & Kevin - Long Island, NY
October 8th: Caroline & Josh - Rochester, NY

I heart weddings! :)

The First Hump

2011-02-13T16:31:00.001-05:00

As of this morning, I've officially lost 15 lbs. Yay!

P.S. I have so much blogging catch up to do and no motivation to do it. I'll get to it, I promise. Thanks for your patience!

The Red Eye

2011-02-07T07:56:00.001-05:00

After a wonderful long weekend with Gordon (more on that later), I caught the red eye flight from Denver to Rochester at 1am last night. I had the absolute worst flight. I couldn't get comfortable. I was still so sad about leaving G. And, I probably only got a total of one hour of sleep. To make matters worse, I have a three and a half hour layover at JFK (where I'm currently writing this entry) until my flight to Rochester at 10:25am. SO TIRED. I hope I can make it.

P.S. I apologize if this entry was incoherent. Like I said, one hour of crappy sleep = not so witty Lisa.

In-Flight WiFi

2011-02-04T00:23:00.001-05:00

Greetings from well, somewhere between Atlanta and Denver! So this flight out I totally caved and bought the in-flight wifi and let me tell you, it's pretty darn awesome! Not only did I catch up on work emails, personal emails, Facebook, book dinner reservations for Saturday night, decide what I wanted to order at said dinner and watch some Hulu, I also have the luxury of updating my blog all while en route to Denver. The options are endless. And it's definitely making this three hour flight fly by (pun intended!).

P.S. Don't worry, I'm still reading this book, and you'll be happy to know I am past page 200! :)

Snow - yuck!

2011-02-01T22:06:00.002-05:00

I'm totally over the snow this winter. In fact, I'm totally over winter, period.

I understand that I'm lucky in the fact that I work from home so I don't have to deal with poor road conditions and annoying commutes into work. If I did, I'd probably be a lot more bitter. But that being said, it still stinks.

And, one thing that I will be extremely peeved about is if this current winter storm interferes with my travel plans to visit Gordon Thursday evening. Please keep you fingers crossed for me that I get to him without delay or frustration!

1000 Awesome Things

2011-01-31T21:21:00.001-05:00

I love this...Please watch, you won't be disappointed. Once you watch, please read his blog, 1000 Awesome Things. What a great reminder that there is always something to smile about :)

Happy Weekend

2011-01-30T21:25:00.002-05:00

This weekend was definitely busy. A few highlights:

Friday night I had the honor of attending our client's 20th Anniversary of being in business celebration. It was an amazing party held at the Village Gate Atrium. They went all out and rightfully so - 20 years in business is no small feat!

Saturday, I met Mary at the gym and we got in a really amazing workout together (so proud of us!). Then we grabbed an impromptu lunch. There is seriously no better way to start off a Saturday than with some one-on-one Mary time!

That night I met the ladies out at 2Vine for Caitlin's belated birthday celebration. Too much wine was consumed by yours truly, but girl talk is simply the best. Especially when it involves wedding talk for Caroline's upcoming nuptials in October.

Sunday, I met Mary at the gym again for a late morning workout. We both burned more than 400 calories - go us! Then it was a full afternoon of house hunting with my sister. Out of the five we saw, two will stay on her list. I'd call that a successful trip for her first venture into the world of real estate.

So, it was a pretty good weekend overall. The week ahead is jam-packed with work meetings, workouts, fun dinners and my first flight to Colorado in 2011.

To my readers, have a wonderful and stress-free Monday!

Denver, Here I Come!

2011-01-27T22:47:00.000-05:00

A week from today I will be on an airplane on my way to Denver. I can't wait!

One thing I'm very excited about is the UCD School of Architecture & Planning Graduate Student exhibit. Some of Gordon's work was selected to be displayed! So proud of my hubs and excited we'll get to experience this special occasion together.

Pizza downfall

2011-01-25T19:45:00.001-05:00

Last night I went to the gym. 10 minutes on the stairmaster to warm up followed by 30 minutes with my trainer - total body. I felt really good after my workout. But instead of going home and eating a "healthy" meal, I drove across the street to Wegmans and bought two slices of cheese pizza. Not one slice, two! That's 900 calories of pizza - shame on me! As I finished, I asked myself why. Here's what I came up with:

I was craving pizza and sometimes giving in to a craving is necessary in order to succeed.
I was stressed out. Work, wedding planning (not mine of course!), being a good sister/daughter/friend/wife, and not having Gordon at home is all starting to take its toll.
I wasn't prepared. Usually I plan out all of my meals for the day, but yesterday that didn't happen because well, refer to #2.
I was lazy. I didn't feel like cooking. Grabbing pizza was quick and easy.

So, hopefully next time I'll make the better decision and just say no haha! Now I'm off to the gym to burn off some of those pizza calories - wish me luck!

The Dilemma

2011-01-23T20:29:00.001-05:00

Saw The Dilemma today with my dad and sister. It was okay. You have to be a fan of Vince Vaughn in order to really like the movie. I'm not a fan, but I don't mind him. Kevin James on the other hand, I absolutely love (who doesn't love Doug Heffernan from King of Queens?!?). The movie plot was okay, the acting was okay, and I did giggle a few times during it. So, in my opinion, wait until The Dilemma comes out on DVD and rent it - I think it's worth the rental fee :)

Pilates

2011-01-22T15:11:00.001-05:00

This morning, my sister and I woke up bright and early and took a Pilates class at the gym. It was well...interesting haha! We definitely made faces at each other and giggled because we were not very coordinated. I think I liked it, but I'm not sure. My sister definitely didn't like it, but I have a feeling I could grow to enjoy it because it was very peaceful. I'm going to give it another try again soon. Yay for 6 days in a row of working out! Tomorrow is a rest day and I'll get back to the gym on Monday.

Colie's Cafe

2011-01-21T22:48:00.002-05:00

Tonight was such a good night with my sister. First, we met at the gym - stairmaster, elliptical, abs. Then we came back to my place, got dressed and headed to the mall to make some returns and shop for things to replace said returns!

We also decided to try Colie's Cafe, the relatively new restaurant in the mall. I had the Very Veggie Pizza - artichokes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, feta and mozzarella with tzatziki and a balsamic reduction on handmade wheat flatbread. It was super yummy.

I love nights like this, especially nights where my sister and I make healthy choices together. Love you Megs!

A Good Read?

2011-01-20T20:32:00.001-05:00

On my first trip back from Colorado, which was in August of last year, I bought the book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. For some reason, I could never get past page 35. I tried three times! I've heard from so many people, both family and friends, that you need to get to around page 100 before the book really picks up. Once you make it that far, the rest of the book is really interesting and definitely worth the read.

So needless to say, this past week with Gordon gone and no one to chat with in bed at night, I decided to give it one more try. I'm currently on page 75 (yay for passing page 35!) and it's finally starting to peak my interest. I've told myself that I'll read a chapter a night until it's finished. I hope the reviews are right and that in the end, I'll be glad I gave it one more chance!

Happy Birthday...

2011-01-19T00:28:00.002-05:00

...to one of my most favorite people of all time! May this birthday be the best one yet! Sending virtual birthday hugs and margaritas your way! xoxo