Halloween 2009

Okay, so this blog is going to reveal how old David and I are (or how old we act). While the rest of our friends are out partying it up for Halloween, we rather enjoy staying at home and handing out treats to the kiddies, making dinner, watching scary movies and torturing the dog as usual. This year was no different. If anything Halloween was tamer for us this year since most of October was filled with the "other scary holiday" (in David's words)... our wedding. That coupled with the incessant rain meant the usual lavish decorations were kept mainly in the storage closets, much to David's dismay. Nonetheless, a taste of Halloween Pines-style.

So story goes that David's mom made great pumpkin cookies when he was growing up. And now he demands cookies every Halloween. The day got a little busy so I made the cookies and he was in charge of icing and decorating.... ummm, yeah :).

A taste of the decorations around the house. This usually involves tombstones all over the front lawn, skeletons spread about and a fog machine but the thunderstorm the night before didn't allow this. We weren't quite as dedicated as the man around the corner who waited out the rain and set up his guillotine and severed limbs on his lawn. Although it seems as though we were up there because a few kids cried and refused to come to our door.

And of course, what would a holiday be without us torturing the dog... I present to you Butters: The Karate Dog. Hay-Ya!!!!

David's favorite part of Halloween are the jack-o-laterns... so this year, because of my crazy schedule, he did the carving himself...

Last but not least... i share with you my 7 hour beef brisket dinner... had to share as I was rather proud of myself :)

*So David was pulling his knife away when I took this and it eerily looks like he is trying to stab the dog... Halloween-themed picture illusion.

*And this is what it looks like when he is really fake-stabbing the dog. Nice.

this is a test... this is only a test

Playing around and testing some sage blog advice from by blogging friend Andrea... So while I am at it, here are some pictures from a recent Metallica concert. Marrying into a Metallica-fanatic family, this was essentially their way of inducting me in. I am sure the experience would have been more "memorable" if I hadn't just come off of a red-eye from LA, coming back from my bachelorette party and bridal shower. Nonetheless, these old men can still do it... made David bitter for the secret show at The Basement he missed.

Yes, we're excited...

My best Metallica... ummm, yeah Lars would kick me in the shins.

*Please note my nicely manicured nails and J.Crew bracelet that accompanies my new metal shirt. haha

You can bet that one day when we have kids he is going to force him/her into a "scary guy" onesie.

Sunday Brunch

Last Sunday we hosted our good CA friends (who are all now Nashvegas residents) for some Sunday Funday Brunch. Wish I had more pictures but it looks like once the fun started (aka mimosas), Felicia forgot about the camera. Wish I would have had pictures of Butters running scared from Christine and Ernie's baby Aiden. I've never seen a dog so scared of babies... weird. Oh well.... here are some before and a few during pics.

Our pretty Halloween-inspired table.

There was an insane amount of food there but alas we got the fun started and I forgot to do a full table picture. On that note, if anyone is in the market for an amazing french toast casserole recipe, hit me up.

It's not as funny from this angle, but as we were cleaning up and decorating, we turned around and Butters was positioned perfectly in line with the skulls and holding perfectly still. What can I say, he likes to get in on the action. Ham.

So the night before I get a text from Ernie, letting me know he was bringing a "special drink." Turns out these CA friends thought it would be funny to bring the moonshine to brunch. Yep, that was the beginning of the end for all of us!

*The grape is in there because we were desperate to add anything to it to try and dilute/flavor it. Ugh.

Chicago

So instead of taking a real honeymoon after the wedding, we decided to take a little mini-moon where we could just sleep and eat excessively... then we'll take a real honeymoon in the spring. I think this decision was also partially based on the fact that we didn't want to leave Butters at the puppy hotel for two weeks while we're gone. So after being in CA for a week, we flew back to Nashville, picked up the dog and drove to one of my favorite cities... Chicago. Of course this would be the weekend a cold front floated through but we did get one sunny day out of it. The rest was spent sleeping, ordering room service and being lazy pieces aka bliss :).

The happy driver at the start of the 7 hour drive...

I made a nice bed in the backseat for Butters and this is where I find him...

...much better.

Oddly looks very comfortable, doesn't it?

Hello Chi-town!

Living it up W - style...

One of many walks across the street, along Lake Michigan. Butters was on stimulus-overload.

So what are the hazzards of staying at a pet friendly hotel that is also a nightspot? Late night drinks with your dog...

*no dog was harmed in the making of this mini-moon

A little greasy breakfast for the morning after :)

And then a little inappropriate loving from dad.

Butters having a field day in Millennium Park... literally.

Some sight-seeing before the park police told me pets aren't allowed in the park. All that green tempting the Butters...

So on the way home, we saw this gem. What compels a person to hitch fake balls to their truck?

The Wedding

14 years of knowing each other and being engaged for a year and a half... we are finally married! Despite a few minor and major glitches leading up to the moment, in the end it was an amazing day. And now we get to move onto the best part... the marriage.

Photos by the amazing team from Ryan Phillips (www.ryan

phillips.com)

Our amazing wedding party... apparently playing the part of an HBO mob flick :)

Our family...

*Note that in the moment with David and his dad, he just finished telling David that there is still time to get out of it. Nice. :)

Man and wife...

And then the fun commences...