GOOGLE'S HEADQUARTERS

WOW. I wonder if they're hiring?

GOODIES GALORE

I dumped 2 HUGE bags out onto our bed this morning....below is what Amy picked up for me @ one of her mtgs. Oh the perks of knowing employees @ CVS! ;) HA!....Thank you again Amy!!! This is awesome, you have saved us time & a ton of money!!! I totally plan to use a bunch of these items in the Women's bathroom @ our wedding. The rest I will save for lil ole me! YAY! I am so excited! All of our female guests will love the bathroom basket I’m putting together!.....Thanks again to Sara (Steve's twin sis) for the black & white polka dot fabric organizer! It's all coming together! I’m super excited!

PEI WEI

Holy best hangover/Americanized chinese food ever...I miss this place! Used to get it for lunch all the time 2 years back while working for Sprint. I had this at home after my bachie...just googled it and they actually have one close to me up here! Yesssssssssssss! That totally made my day.

LEAD ME ON

Finally picked up my CD copy of the new country group "Gloriana"...It was WELL overdue! I had it blasting in my car yesterday after work. Such powerful list of songs & powerful voiced group! I have already fallen in love w/ the song "Lead Me On"..... Check it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KsTPo83A3s

"There you go in all your beautiful glory
Messing with my head like you always did
I'm thinking things I don't want to say
And I can't breathe
What do I have to tell you girl
So you won't leave
Tell me what I want to hear
I don' t care if you're lying baby
I just want to feel you touch me right now
Go ahead and call it love
Tomorrow you can deny it baby
Kiss me again, let me pretend
That it's not wrong
Baby, lead me on..."

MORE FREEBIES

Showtime made an appearance at work the other day! They brought in these 2 sided bags! So colorful!

SHOP THE LOOK

Check out this awesome website Amanda sent me! :) Great deals! Fun accessories!

http://www.shopthelook.net/

BACHIE BREAKDOWN

Until I have time to post my own photos & story check out Natalie's blog for a sneak peak of my bachelorette party in DC this past weekend! :)

http://nataliegracie.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/the-bachelorette-breakdown/

20 THINGS

20 things every woman should do before she gets married

(I stole this from my fellow blogger "Excuse Us While We Kiss the Sky"...Thank you!)

1. Live by herself for at least a year. -check
2. Live with someone else for at least a year. -check
3. Recover from a broken heart. -check
4. Have a vacation fling. -check
5. Take a road-trip with a group of girlfriends. -check
6. Relish sleeping in a queen-sized bed by herself. -check
7. Get her finances in order. -check
8. Learn to love her body. –failed….I don’t think I’ll ever accomplish this.
(insert #9 here...I try to keep my blog as clean as possible...)
10. Find reliable birth control. -check
11. Pay off as much credit card debt and student loans as possible. -check
12. Spend way too much on a something frivolous. –failed…I'm a bargain shopper at heart.
13. Exorcise all past relationship demons. –failed…
14. Travel somewhere exotic. –check…does w/ my family to Aruba & then to St. Thomas/St. Johns w/ Steve count?
15. Establish a strong circle of friends. -check
16. Forgive her parents for not being perfect. -check
17. Have at least one night she can’t quite remember. –check…HA.
18. Experience some really bad first dates. –check…really bad first few dates to be exact.
19. Find hobbies that fulfill her. –check…sorta…I need to re-look into this.
20. Celebrate her 25th birthday. -check

BRIT BRIT

Britney Spears hilarious David Letterman Top 10 wearing just a sexy bikini...Google/UTube it.

CELEBRITY SIGHTING

Check out the lady sitting at the table on her laptop behind Natalie. This is Anne Donovan, the head coach of the WNBA's NY Liberty basketball team! Cool huh? I spotted her in a Starbucks Sunday morning in DC after my bachie party. She was SUPER tall...so obviously that caught my eye at first. Then I realized she had a Liberty warm-up outfit on & was going over game film. Sooo cool! Of course I had to snap a secret phone picture of her! :)

AMANDA & JUSTIN

These are my dear friends Amanda & Justin’s engagement photos!!! Aren’t they awesome?!?!? I LOVE them so much! I sure hope I get to see more! They are so beautiful & funky all in one! Just my style! Their photographer did an AMAZING job!!! These two love birds are getting married October 17th in Pasadena, MD! The venue they picked out is simply breathtaking!!! I am so excited & so honored to be apart of their special day!!! I can’t wait to be one of Amanda’s bridesmaids! Sooo very exciting! Their wedding will be PERFECT...the two of them truly are two peas in a pod.

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY SHOES

This is my sister's shoe closet. I am VERY jealous. I probably have JUST as many pairs as she does but not a place to display them so nicely! :)

DWTS NEW LINEUP

Mya, singer
Melissa Joan Hart, actress
Michael Irvin, former Dallas Cowboy
Ashley Hamilton, actor, comedian, singer-songwriter
Aaron Carter, singer
Kathy Ireland, former supermodel-turned-businesswoman
Debi Mazar, actress
Natalie Coughlin, U.S. Olympic swimmer
Louie Vito, snowboarder
Chuck Liddell, ultimate fighting champ
Donny Osmond, singer
Tom DeLay, former Republican congressman
Macy Gray, singerJoanna Krupa, model and actress
Mark Dacascos, Iron Chef personality
Kelly Osbourne, reality star

I'M FALLING APART, I'M BARELY BREATHING

I cannot get this song out of my head...or the images of the trailer for "The Time Traveler's Wife". It gives me chills! One of my favorite acctress' Rachel McAdams stars in this film. I have seen the preview twice now in the theaters & several times on TV. It seriously makes my heart flutter. I have got to see this! I hope Steve remembers we have a date night planned on Thursday! :)................If you haven't seen the trailer yet do me a favor & click on this link! Turn up the volume & enjoy... http://www.thetimetravelerswifemovie.com/

"The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight

Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time

I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts

I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing

With a broken heart that's still beating

In the pain is there is healing

In your name I find meaning

So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on

I'm barely holdin' on to you....."

~Lifehouse~

RANDOM

***1 MORE DAY TILL MY BACHELORETTE PARTY WEEKEND!!!!! I am taking a 1/2 day tomorrow & flying home! Amy is coming with me this time around! Woo! Hoo! I am sooo EXCITED!!! I can't wait to see what the surprise plan is. All I know is that we will be somewhere in DC or the surrounding downtown areas Saturday night! I don't even know who exactly is joining me! I am clueless to pretty much everything. Here is a pre HUGE THANK YOU to Ashley, Natalie & Emily for planning it all!!! I know it's a lot of hard work & a bit stressful putting events like this together. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! :) I can't wait to see all my girls & have a fun filled night to remember!!!..........Hopefully ill get to wear a cute white veil on my head and not a big PEN 15. :)

***FREE stuff & raffles @ work yesterday! Cinemax was in the house. Holllllerrrrr!

***BUTTONWOODS...This place is a dream. I want to live here & be wrapped up in all of the sunflowers. Steve & I went here last week w/ Dan, Mary, Joe, lil Joey & Sue. We took a few photos for the wedding after we had our yummy ice cream! Thank you Sue for being the photographer!

PURPLE DINOSAUR VAN

I bet you know what I’m talking about....if you live in Northern, VA, I bet you've seen this van around town!!! It's been around for years, kinda creepy. I used to see it all the time driving to work. Leave me a post if you have spotted this vehicle! Does anyone know who owns it and what the story behind it is? I have always wondered.

How did I even think about this might you wonder. Randomly. I saw a truck yesterday morning (similar to the one below) filled with JUNK in the back of the bed. There was a wood sign on it that said "Sanford & Son". For some reason when I looked at the truck and thought of the show my mind started to turn. Then the purple dino van popped in my head! Interesting, I know.

SUMMER

How beautiful is this photo??? Simply amazing. Sue took it on our drive to VA for my bridal shower a few weekends ago... I just funked it up a bit. As much as this shot makes me smile it makes me sad...Summer is almost over. It is flying by way too fast. By the time we get back from our honeymoon Fall will be right around the corner...UGGG. Tear.

HAIL TO THE REDSKINS

It's official!!! My Redskins pre-season starts today!!! Oh how I will miss watching all of the games on TV....& oh how I would LOVE to catch one in person this year! Maybe Steven will look into this for me! :) Will ya babe? Huh? Huh? Let's do it! :)

MUST HAVES

1. Cover Girl's LASH BLAST mascara
2. Loreal's HIP eyeliner (Thx Amy!)

HI

I sent a hello phone pic text to a few of my friends yesterday...I love when they say hi back to me! :)
Me in CT...

Paul in VA @ his British Car shop...

Natalie in VA heading to work @ the Hyatt downtown...

Andy in CA about to fly one of his helicopters...

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Can you guess who this is???


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Lil miss CURLY SUE @ age 28! :)

FIGHT LIKE A GIRL

I heard this song on the radio the other day ...I just had to download it. At first I thought it was Leann Rime's singing but later found out it's a new blonde female duo called "Bombshel". The lyrics are very powerful...check em' out.

"Little girl alone on the playground
Tired of gettin' teased and gettin' pushed around
Wishin' she was invisible
To them

She ran home cryin'
"Why do they hate me?"
And Mama wiped the tears and said
"Baby, you're brave and you're beautiful.
So, hold your head high.
Don't ever let 'em define
The light in your eyes.
Love yourself, give them Hell.
You can take on this world.
You just stand and be strong
And then fight Like a girl."

At 31 she was wheelin' and dealin'
Kept on hittin' that same glass ceilin'
She was never gonna be one of the boys, no
She coulda gave up on her ambition
And spent the rest of her life just wishin'
Instead she listened to her mama's voice sayin'

"Hold your head high.
Don't ever let 'em define
The light in your eyes.
Love yourself, give them Hell.
You can take on this world. Y
ou just stand and be strong
And then fight Like a girl."

Oh, with style and grace
Kick ass and take names

Ten years of climbin' that ladder
Oh, but money and power don't matter
When the doctor said "the cancer spread"
She holds on tight to her husband and babies
And says "this is just another test God gave me.
And I know just how to handle this"

I'll hold my head high
I'll never let this define
The light in my eyes
Love myself, give it
Hell I'll take on this world If I stand and be strong
No, I'll never give up
I will conquer with love
And I'll fight like Like a girl..."

I MISS YOU

My dear Emily...I hope Cali is treating you well! Here it's 12:05pm...there it's 9:05am.... so strange....thank you for tagging me in this picture on FB....it makes me smile...I cant wait to see you in just a few weeks!

2 FAVS

My 2 new favorite shots...

PAMPERING

i heart getting pampered....

where: Spa Shanti

when: tonight

time: 5:30pm

what: organic facial

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

Last night Steve & I had dinner @ Papa Razzi in Cranston, RI before our videography appt @ Borders bookstore. Mmm it was so good! I was so excited when we walked up to the place to find that they had an outdoor eating area. I just looove eating outside when it's nice out...long story short...we sat down, ordered our drinks & then ordered our meals....Steve looked over to the table next to us...the 2 couples were looking up at the cloudy dark sky & gasped! In just in instant it started to POUR!!! It was the craziest thing ever, it didn't sprinkle or anything, it was if buckets of water were just dumped out of the sky all at once! We grabbed our stuff as fast as we could & ran inside...So much for having a nice meal on the patio...haha....Oh well.... Below are the photos of before & after...

Papa Razzi...

Enjoying the "nice" yet muggy weather while listening to the Wed night summer concert series...

Annnd now inside... our waitress is peering out the door watching the falling rain...

*** While killing time in Borders I found this book on the sale rack marked down from $6 to $1! "Secrets of a Shoe Addict"...as much as Im not a fan of reading (minus my magazines) I'm excited to dive into this... Natalie-have you heard of this one before? It reminds me of something you would read...

MORE WEDDING STUFF

I promise not to post TOO many wedding posts over the next few weeks....it's just that I can't help it!!! :) Buttttt....Steve & I had our secret DJ appt last night! For what? You aren't allowed to know! It's a surprise! But what I can tell you is that the appt went really well! We went to our DJ's studio in Pawtucket, RI & met with him for about an hour and a 1/2. In the middle of our mtg while doing our secret stuff I started to have a laughing attack. What we were doing wasn’t even funny, it was serious... I just couldn’t help it! I tried to control myself but it was hard...I couldn’t help but think, what if all of the nerves get to me and I have a laughing attack up at the alter??? HA! What's a bride to do?....I sure hope my Matron's & Maid of Honor have a plan if this happens!..... In the middle of laughing here & there my memory brought me back to Pam & Joe's wedding a few years ago...us bridesmaids (Me, Emily & Tiffany) could not stop laughing while sitting in the church pews @ their rehearsal. We seriously couldn’t control ourselves. I don't even remember what we were laughing at but we couldn’t stop. Pam's Mom kept giving us the "settle down & act your age" look! It was hysterical... Luckily this didn’t happen during the actual ceremony.... Tooooo funny!......Sooo now I am a lil worried I will do this at my own wedding, not on purpose of course... if this does happen I only hope I can actually stop at some point.....it definitely would be amusing wouldn’t it? ;)...........On a "side" note: My white/satin/floral rehearsal dress came in!!! I found it online & had it shipped from a lil boutique in California! YAY! $60, what a steal! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! My goal was to find a style that was different then my actual wedding dress....my goal was reached! YAY!....Now I am in search of matching accessories!

POSSIBLE CELEBRITY SIGHTING

Apparently little Emma Watson of Harry Botter is attending Brown University this Fall. Brown is pretty much right down the road from me in Providence....Pretty darn neat. Maybe I'll see her around town...

MY SISTER SAYS...

"Just like bag borrow and steal..." http://www.weartodaygonetomorrow.com/

HURRY UP 9-5-09

THIRTY ONE

Tonight we are heading to Garden City ( http://www.gardencitycenter.com/home.html ) for dinner, shopping & our final details videographer appt! It's all coming together!!!

DATE WITH MISS AMY

Friday night Amy and I went on a date! ;) We met near my work in West Warwick to go to dinner & to the movies. We ended up eating at Texas Roadhouse & saw the new flick "The Ugly Truth"! So much fun! It was so nice having some low key girl time. We both pretty much stuffed ourselves at the restaurant...we shared a bloomin onion....my meal consisted of 1 strawberry margarita, soft dinner rolls w/ warm cinnamon flavored butter, a house salad w/ ranch dressing, salmon, apple sauce & a side of grilled shrimp! HA! It was sooooo freakin yummy!....Then Amy ended up getting us Cotton Candy before the movie started. I had to save mine for late night since I was so stuffed!....As far as Ms. Heigl & Mr. Butler....they get a thumbs up! "The Ugly Truth" was very funny, a bit shocking & a cute romance all wrapped into one! I highly recommend it for those of you who haven't seen it!........Thank you again Amy for a fun filled evening AND for bringing the rest of our sh*t in your car from Jacob’s basement! Until next time... :)

FINAL DESTINATION-3D STYLE

OMG! I soooooooooooooooo cant wait to see this!!! Coming soon in 3D!!!

STRAWS, GIFTS, SHOPPING & SEATING

We are in over our head w/ all of this wedding planning!!! The countdown is on!!! One month to go as of tomorrow! We have officially started doing all of the "little things", last minute things & going to all of our final details vendor appointments! I am starting to get overwhelmed again but am getting even more excited then ever! I am filled w/ a mix of emotions....what a rollercoaster!
*This is where we did the seating chart...in the middle of our family room on the hardwood floor...HA! Totally worked... DONE!

*500 plus "Chantilly" purple drinking straws! Fun huh? DONE!


*NOT PICTURED: 30 plus wedding party gift bags! DONE!

*In between it all Steve & I have found time to do some honeymoon shopping! We used a gift certificate to Kohl's & our change jar money! We have walked away w/ a nice new mini wardrobe for our 10 day vacation in Mexico! I of course added a few items that I have been collecting throughout the year...YAY for new clothes, shoes, accessories & a few barely there unmentionables! ;)

JOB WELL DONE BILL

It's freedom for Lisa Ling's sister and another journalist who were jailed in North Korea thanks to Bill Clinton...