to have and to hold

The wedding is less than two weeks away. Thank goodness it isn't mine, as I would be the next "runaway bride." But my sister, she is so ready, so excited and always put together. After the engagement, December 23, 2010, I was beside myself. Ecstatic for my sister and the reality of finally having a "brother." After being home for the holidays, I made my way back tot he city on December 31. Shortly after, I began writing my Maid of Honor speech. Yet almost every week I have opened the word doc and deleted something, rewrote something, changed a number of things, etc. Now, as you can tell, time is quickly becoming nonexistent.

I'll only be a Maid of Honor once, and in my heart I know like mother like daughter, my sister will have only one wedding. She will be married till the end of time. So clearly there is pressure on this "speech." I'm known for being sarcastic and funny and poke fun at the most inappropriate times, but not here, not with this event. I get one chance and I don't want to screw it up. Can we talk about PRESSURE?

Goodness gracious, I hope I don't get tongue tied, lose my words, or make a fool of myself. The good news is, I'm steering clear of inside jokes, embarrassing memories and well, I'm totally taking my sensitive side through the ringer. More so than not, seems that there are no words to describe the love I have for my sister and that I could not be happier that she has found her soul mate. What says more than love?

Our family might be changing, as we add a little more testosterone to the mix, but the memories of our childhood, of our sisterhood and of the "four of us" will never disappear. There are only greater things to come and more memories to make, and if we have to add a new member to the family, I'm glad is Cory. He is an upstanding man and in two weeks, I will be very proud to call him my brother-in-law.

To the future Mr. and Mrs. Willett. xoxo

pro ipad

My top reads for August

NEW BOOK: The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

OLD BOOK: Light in August, William Faulkner

REREAD: The Help, Kathryn Sockett

Whether it is an iPad, Nook, Kindle, Kobo Touch... probably the best technology thus far in the 21st century. I, myself have an iPad. Reason being that not only can I play a million games, check the weather, shop online, check my e-mail, but I can show my digital portfolio including more than pieces viewable on my Web site. Whereas that is a professional benefit, my favorite use of the iPad is reading. I am not a very fast reader and never have been. Mostly, because if I tried to read fast I would really miss the point. But e-readers have changed everything. I have been flying through books, novels, scripture. Making notes, highlighting, learning so much.

Top reason I like the iPad for reading. There is a free Nook app and a free Kindle app. So basically it's the best of ALL e-readers. I know this is kind of contradictory to my love of print and the amount of magazines and books I own, but my rational is if I want to read a no brainer, young adult fiction book, I can and not spend $20 on it. But I can carry around Homer's Odyssey and Iliad and not break my back. And since those are two of my favorite novels, I own them, in print and digital. There is no reason you can't have both.

Why do I bring this up now, when e-readers have been around for a few years now? Well, my head has felt like a balloon for two days, my nose is running, my eyes are itching, and it doesn't take a medical degree to know that I have a sinus infection and head cold. This in turn is a perk and the downside of working from home. I might be sick, but I can't take off work, but I can still lay in my PJs, sit in my comfy chair, drinking tea and reading on my iPad, when I'm not working on the laptop.

getaway weekend

What an amazing weekend. After planning my sister's bachelorette weekend since February, it finally happened. And everything went marvelously. The girls arrived on Thursday, four in the afternoon and one later in the evening. After having lunch at Alice's Tea Cup, we swung by my apartment so I could change into my softball clothes. Thursday was the final game of the P&G Ballbuster's season. We didn't win, but boy did we have a great time!

These gals were my best fans of the season. I played first and had a good game.

At the start of the game we were short one girl, so Mickey volunteered to play catcher until the final girl arrived. What a trooper! Mickey's favorite picture of her finance, Cory, is him playing catcher in high school, so it was only fitting that she played catcher. What a sight!

The plans were a surprise, but the hint for this was "see the best view." We ventured to the roof exhibit at the Met and had summer proscecco cocktails and frozen delights!

The line to the McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit was at least three hours long, so we decided to head back first thing on Saturday morning. Mollie and I were first in line at 8:00 a.m. and the other three girls made it just before the doors opened at 9:30. We didn't have to wait in line at all and it is beyond words, A-mazing!

We stumbled upon a limo Friday evening and had the best driver, Fabian, who drove us to and fro both Friday and Saturday nights. Such a nice surprise!

The weekend wouldn't be complete without a Bride and Maid of Honor picture. The weekend wrapped up Saturday evening with dinner at The Stanton Social and a night of lounging as VIP and dancing the night away at Marquee. Our club days might be over now, but Mickey didn't stop smiling all night. She danced the night away!

I can't thank the girls enough who traveled to New York to celebrate with Mickey and for everyone who sent gifts for the lingerie shower. My sister has the best friends a girl could ask for. It was by far an unforgettable weekend.

to move or not to move

. . . that is the question.

I know, I know, all I have blogged about for the past six plus months has been about moving. And believe me, I want to, but as the search began a couple of weeks ago, each apartment has been worse the previous.

And guess what I found when I bumped up my price range? A 4-burner stove, which is an improvement from the current 2-burners/hot plates I have. But when you imagine a 4-burner stove, what do you assume is beneath it? An oven? One would think. But in a certain prime Upper West Side apartment for rent, an oven was not to be found, instead, a mini fridge. Thinking logically this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If your using a gas stove, heat will radiate. And if you are trying to keep things cool beneath it, isn't that like a catch-22? I'm no scientist, but that situation seems silly. Don't believe me? See this pretty picture.

Yes, those are stains on the fridge. And that microwave -- straight from the 70's.

My apartment might be overflowing, but if this is what the market has to show. . . then I might just stay put. I have a couple more weeks to decide. I'll keep you updated.

a seven letter word

W-E-D-D-I-N-G.

Another seven letter word . . .

P-I-C-T-U-R-E.

Clearly I have mentioned my sisters upcoming nuptials. I am putting together a few treats for the wedding because well, my creative side has taken over and cannot turn down projects. I wish I could show you some snapshots from Mickey's bridal portrait shoot but, then my mom would kill me. Unless Mickey got to me first. Anyways, as I have scanned over 300 pictures of the two love birds and their friends I wondered over to their photographers Web site and WOW. New blog obsession --- Carperphoto! I have not met Amy yet, but here is another seven letter word . . .

G-I-F-T-E-D.

This California native has it going on! Props to Mickey on choosing her as the photographer. As I have cruised through her blog for the past hour I came across this awesome photo installation that Amy did for a client.

Photo borrowed from Carper Creative Photography

mia

So I have been MIA for the past two weeks, I apologize. I went down to Arkansas for a couple of wedding parties for my sister, celebrated by birthday, attempted to start the search for a new apartment, and been working nearly around the clock.

Also, I've been planning my sisters Bachelorette party, which is taking place in New York the last weekend in July. Oh, I wish I could share all the wonderful details, but my sister and her love for surprises prevents me from sharing. The invitations, which are beyond adorable and took two days to make, and I only made eight.

I'm heading back down to Arkansas Thursday and will be delivering them so once all the girls have seen them, I'll post pictures.

In the meantime I have friends in town! No my apartment isn't busting at the seams with luggage and guests, these family friends are staying at a hotel. Tonight I am having dinner with my parents good friends, Rob and Cecile Burgeis. I've known them practically my entire life and they are in New York for the first time. If you had to guess, you would probably think I would take them to Alice's Tea Cup, but we're going to dinner at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain. One of my many favorite New York eateries. They have the best raw bar, steak, champagne cocktails, and the service is top notch.

Tomorrow after work, I am meeting my favorite high school teacher, Pris Benson for dinner before she's heads off to a show. For many, many years Pris has organized a trip to New York for a group of adults and occasionally a few students. My first time in New York was Ms. B's trip in 2004. Clearly it is a good trip, if it made me want to move to the city.

Then Thursday, I'm off to Arkansas again. Down time? Not happening this summer. Every week seems to be as busy as the current. I'll update you with pictures and more insight to my crazy summer as soon as I can. Hope your summer is as busy and fun as mine has been thus far.

Cheers!

vote for rachel

My childhood best friend, Rachel Urton Rogers is competing to sing the national anthem at Pops! on the River this 4th of July! BUT she needs your votes! The first round of votes is going on now till June 13. You can vote 10 times a day for her! Her video is beautiful but honestly doesn't even do her justice. She is FANTASTIC. A natural talent.

PLEASE tell everyone you know to VOTE for RACHEL ROGERS! Click here to VOTE!