Lift off!

Hello everyone!
Things have been progressing here quite nicely this past week! Adam is making a few changes to his Etsy site, and has been really hard at work coming up with quite a few new pieces to add to it. They are INCREDIBLE! (if i do say so myself). Whenever you get a chance, check it out. The pieces he is working on right now are still under construction and haven't been added yet. Once all are completed, he will be adding them in. He has made some great changes to his site. He's changed the order of some items, and groupings as well. It looks great! I am so proud if him! Way to go!

There was also another site I ran across that is wedding related (ummmm........can't help myself), and has some beautiful lace items on there. Others are ribbons and fabric that can be sold by the yard. I know there are a lot of scrap bookers among the Gurevitz's, and thought I'd throw the link in here if you are interested. I was thinking the lace or ribbon could be used for anything. Cards, photo albums, place mats, edging on pillows. Anyway, she (Erica Cavanagh) has some beautiful pieces on there, so check it out when you get a chance. Here is the link: www.serendipitdiy.etsy.com......................
This talented lady is also our florist. The site I gave you to view is to her second site. I am telling you, it seems like there isn't anything she can't do!

Next month: Let them eat cake! That's right! We're off to schedule taste testings for the wedding cake. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. So, for all of you, this must be done! :-) We will let you know the progress on that as well! Bite by tasty bite! Yummmmm.

This coming week and into next, we are getting some vendors taken care of, and are in the process of finding a place for the rehearsal dinner. There is a place Barb found, and we are going there next week to try it. Can't wait!

Tonight we are having dinner with our friends Jimmy and Jodi, and their little one, Violet. I can not believe she will be a year old in March! Neither can they, for that matter. We are going to a place called Mellow Mushroom off of Polaris Parkway. I am really excited! My quest to find a good pizza place here is well under way! (rubino's will always have a place in my heart......it is what i grew up on!) And then after dinner, we are going stuffed animal shopping! My nephew is going to be one on February 23rd. Where does the time go? I remember when he was born. What a crazy year.

Oh, attention foodies! I was watching The Food Network and saw Mimi's Cafe referenced on there. (mimi's is right across the street from polaris mall) They were featuring Mimi's five-cheese grilled cheese sandwich. It looked delicious! I caught just a small bit of the segment, but it sounded delicious! They butter both sides, dipping it in parmesan cheese and then they grill it open-faced. They add 4 other cheeses to it, and then close the sandwich when they plate it. It looks like a bite of pure cheesy heaven! I have been to Mimi's before, and was really impressed with the creativity of the menu. I can vouch that their chocolate mousse is pretty good.

Well everyone, time to make more coffee and see Adam when he comes home for lunch.
Have a wonderful week!

Five Months and Counting!

So, I would love to be able to tell you that we have been staying up, night after night, vigilantly working on everything wedding, but that just wouldn't be true. Days, weeks, and months have been flying by, and now we are not only past the half-way mark, but we have just passed the 5 month countdown! Can you believe it? I know I can't. At the beginning, it felt like time was on our side, but now, holy cow.........we have less than 5 months left?? To get everything else finished? Seriously? Oy vey!

We are still making progress, that is for sure. The invitations are at the printers, and we are waiting for the "rough draft" to be sent back to us for any changes that need to be made. I can't believe we have to have them ready and printed within 2 months so they can be sent out. Mom and I have joyfully recruited Barb into helping us with the floral arrangements for the centerpieces. She's absolutely loving it! Mom was over there today hard at work with Barb putting two of them together, and I can't wait to run over there tomorrow to see them before work! Yay!

I got an e-mail last week from the florist saying that the boutonnieres were ready, along with the completion of the corsages for both of our moms. I ordered those last week, and we'll have them to view soon! Next to knock out will be the bridesmaids bouquets, and then mine.

Things are really coming together now. This is so exciting! I can't wait! Really though, with the way time has been speeding by, it won't be much longer until Adam and I are eating challah and having our first glass of wine together as husband and wife!

We are in the middle of making a decision on the chuppah, and then the ketubah isn't far behind that. We're signing a contract with the hotel for our out-of-town guests, and people can start making their reservations soon!

The little things are starting to come together as quickly as the bigger ones. We are still finalizing the list, and finalizing the menu with the caterer. Once that is done, we can tackle the seating chart for the reception. Honestly, when I signed on for this I had no idea everything that it entailed!

I realize we are doing some things a little unconventionally, but to be honest, I think it gives us more of a hands-on approach, and I am really enjoying it. I feel like all of the vendors we have secured so far have been the absolute best to work with! They are friendly and offer wonderful advice. My florist is probably one of the closest to me I would say. She and I have been e-mailing quite often, and I believe I have made a new friend up in Vancouver Island, BC, Canada! I opted out for real flowers for the bridal party, and am pretty happy with my decision so far. The flowers are something we'll be able to keep forever, instead of just a few days. It made more sense to me to do it that way. I am really glad I did! Erica, (the fantastic-and-oh-so-talented Brit turned Canadian I was fortunate enough to find in just one of my many, many, many online wedding searches) has been the most agreeable person in the world! Her work has both character and personality. Exactly what we wanted! Thank you a million times over Erica! You are awesome! (if anyone ever needs alternative flowers/boutonnieres that offer beautiful craftsmanship for a price that beats all others out of the water, let me know. i am more than happy to forward her info your way!)

There is still so much more to do, and we are chipping away at it bit-by-bit. I know we made such great progress in the beginning, and I hope we can stay full steam ahead from here on out!

So, there is a silver lining that I can offer you in the midst of this cold wintry gloom.............go into your closets.......all the way to the back.......you know, where your summer garb has been stashed? Look for your prettiest dancing shoes, and the dress or suit that offers the most give. There's plenty of drinks and food and dancing to come your way!

See you all in June, sunshines!

His ring

Hey everyone! I forgot to tell you........Adam has his ring! He came home one day at lunch, and gave me a hug and showed me his hand. He loves it! It is perfect for him too. It is just his style. Now, all we need is a piece of paper making it legal. (and some food and music too!)

Auld Lang Sang

Out with the old, in with the new.
Happy New Year everyone!
The harsh winter is here upon us in Columbus, and seems to want to stay for a while. Adam and I were hit with a 24-hour bug that came and left in the blink of an eye. We're finally feeling better day by day. Adam's appetite is almost 100% and mine is slowly coming back too. Hopefully the rest of you avoided catching this. It is uncomfortable! We stayed at home and slept off and on for 24 hours straight.
Today, Adam is at work getting a rush job done for a customer, and I am once again sitting at the computer with coffee on table (not in hand........one sip at a time). I have on a comfy hoodie, my flannels, and my warm sock/slippers Adam's parent's gave me for Chanukkah. (thank you, thank you, thank you!) The beagle stayed home from work today, and is currently half asleep on the couch. He is looking out the window every so often to see if daddy is coming home yet, and all the cats are sprawled out like gluttons who ate too much for the holidays.
We went to the zoo last night to see Wild lights, and it was so pretty. It was really cold! I had on about five layers, and I think Adam had on about seven. Even bundled up, the night air was biting! Adam ate at the food court, and then we went in search for hot chocolate. We found a vendor whose line wasn't around the corner, and both got a cup. (i wanted whip cream in mine.....yum!) As we wound our way back to the front, we caught one of the last light shows of the night, and it was great. The lights were fantastic! They are all different colors on almost every tree the zoo has. The area by the main gate is where we stopped to catch the light show, and the lights were set to the music. They ended each show with Trans-Siberian Orchestra (love it!), and everything blinked in sinc. It was the perfect end. After the show was over, we decided to leave. Traffic on the way out was much easier to maneuver through than on the way in. It was smooth sailing all the way back. When we got home, we were both pretty beat. We had a nice time at the zoo, but decided if we go next year it will be in 40 degree weather, and not 15 or 20. (bbbrrrrrr).
We changed out of our multi-layers, and into our sweatshirts and flannels (ok, i did...he changed into jeans and two shirts), and settled in for a bit. We called it an early night and once we got into the warm bed, it was a matter of a few minutes before we were both out like a light.
I woke up and still can't believe tonight is New Year's Eve. Where does the time go? I wish I knew.
Anyway, Happy New Year everyone! May you have a healthy, happy, and safe one. I hope it is the best so far, with the promise of many more to come.

Holidays with the Hamiltons

I had been looking forward to this night for such a long time! We hadn't had a chance to see Jeff & Julie and their kids for months. Their youngest is getting so big! She'll be two next month. (ay caramba).

We exchanged gifts and gave the kids their presents. It was so great to see their smiling faces tearing through tissue and wrapping paper with the greatest of ease. I have to tell you, I did the same. Jeff & Julie got us such a thoughtful gift! They gave us two fleece blankets, an awesome hot chocolate gift set....complete with mugs, marshmallows, and cocoa powder (yum!), and the last item to be opened was our very own copy of: 'The Notebook'!!!! Can you believe it? Julie said that she read my blog, and immediately thought of getting the movie for us. She found it, and it was the store's last copy. Soon after the gifts were exchanged, Jeff took peeled and boiled potatoes and shredded them to make latkes with. Along with that, they had "pulled" chicken simmering in the crock pot in chicken broth, a home made veggie tray, and for dessert.....Kathy's home made cookies. Holy cow! (no lie......my pants were a little snug this morning........but honestly, it was sooo worth it!).

While we ate, Meagan and Julie played a Twilight board game we got for her, and Lena was busy painting all of us pictures, while Patrick kept getting his remote control helicopter stuck under the Christmas tree. Katie was running between her brother and sisters, wanting to see what everyone was playing with. I was in heaven watching the kids have a fantastic time. Their exuberance and innocence are so refreshing, and even more-so around the holidays.

Not too long after the presents were open and dinner was cleaned up, it was bed time for the kids. Jeff was getting text updates from Santa every 30 minutes or so, and the kids hurried to get into bed so Santa could drop off their gifts without being seen. After they got into bed, Julie and I left the big boys to play Wii, and we holed ourselves up in the den to wrap everyone's gifts. About two to two-and-a-half hours later we emerged victorious at getting everything wrapped. The only thing left to fill were the stockings by the fireplace. When we got out of the room, we found Adam watching tv, and Katie fast asleep on daddy Jeff's lap. (daddy was snoozing a little too.....sssshhhhhhh........i promised i wouldn't say anything.) While we were bringing the presents out to put under the tree, Lena woke up and wanted to know if Santa had brought the presents yet. Julie went in to talk to Lena while Adam, Jeff & I were grabbing gifts left and right trying to get them under the tree in case little ones wanted to see if Santa had come yet. We were lucky, we put them all down before four sets of little feet starting running down the hallway to see. (crisis averted!)

Adam and I were beat, so we grabbed our jackets, and said our good byes. I was up pretty early this morning running errands with mom, so I was exhausted when we got in the car. I pretty much passed out in the car for the entire ride back to our house. (poor Adam......first Jeff, then me). We opened the door and within ten minutes, we were under the covers and ready to sleep.

As I stated before in a previous post, going to Jeff & Julie's on Christmas Eve is a tradition I am really enjoying. Hopefully we can do this for many more years to come.

Jeff, Julie......I hope the kids had a blast opening up their gifts!!! And I REALLY hope they didn't wake you up too early this morning to do it!

Thank you both again for everything! Oh, and Julie, thanks for being the best euchre partner I could ever ask for!

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas, and an early Happy New Year! I can't believe 2010 is right around the corner!

Happy Saturday!

I had a post up earlier, and after some thought I decided to delete it. I'll give you a brief synopsis: We went wedding band shopping the other day for Adam. I think we found a winner! I'll keep you posted.

Tonight was a rare night for me. I actually had a Saturday off! Woo-hoo! Tonight was the night that Adam's family got together to exchange holiday gifts, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. Barb and David were kind enough to invite my mom and Larry over for dinner, so the whole gang was there. It was awesome! We all had such a good time. There was pizza and goodies galore. Along side that, there was a huge mound of presents smack dab in the middle of the family room. Zack, Ashley and Emma made a quick dismantling of it as the gifts were divided into piles for each child. It truly was such a joy to see the kids so eager to open their presents! Although we all swore we would only buy for the kids, there seemed to have been presents for all of the adults too. (wwweeeelllllllll, you know as well as i do that we are just big kids on the inside.......who doesn't love presents?????) Jill gave us a great picture of her, Scotty, Zack and Emma. (they make a great looking family!!!!) I have the picture frame up on the shelf above me right now. Ashley hand made a design of three cats and one dog on a pot holder for Adam & I. I love it! It is hanging up in the kitchen. Of course I had to show the kitties and the Beagle first, so they could identify themselves on it. Adam got a nice, thick, warm over-sized shirt from his parents. This thing is awesome! It will keep him nice and toasty while at work. They gave me socks and a super-comfy pair of calf-high, fleece-lined, sweater-on-the-outside shoes/slippers to wear around the house. My tootsies will be warm this winter! Taby & Brian gave Adam an awesome backpack! It looks high-tech and high-comfort. It would be great to use for hiking, rock climbing, or even to use for over-night trips and/or carrying a lap top. It's awesome! Thanks you guys. As for my gift, Taby & Brian blew me away. I proclaimed Taby as my # 1 blog-reading fan, and she showed me tonight that she truly was. She gave me a pretty multi-colored pastel notebook, where inside are matching colored pieces of paper. On each sheet of paper she printed out my entire blog, starting with day one! Can you believe it? Thank you so much guys! Taby, it's awesome. You rock! (thanks for the coffee too!!!)
After all the gifts were open, and the sugar coma hit from all of the brownies and home-made chocolate covered pretzels, we started to file out to head home. Adam and I made a quick stop by mom's for more gift giving and receiving (score!). We had presents for Adam, Melissa and Richter (my nephew), but they weren't able to make it out. Melissa had to wake up super early for work tomorrow, and the little one was pretty fussy today. (we think he's teething!! hang in there munchkin!). I think mom gave Larry his gift ealrier, because I didn't see it mixed in on the couch with all of ours. Mom gave Adam a really comfy looking thermal shirt, and there was a snuggie-type blanket for me. (do you see a theme here???......) Then mom gave me a beautiful petite heart-shaped pendant, and a gorgeous pair of earrings. I put them on right away. They match my engagement ring! (shiny stuff!!!! yay!!!!!)
All-in-all, I'd say we made out like bandits tonight. And you know what? That's allllright by me.
The Grossman's and Gurevitz's are blending together quite nicely, and as each day passes I feel like we are growing into a family. Again, I cannot thank Barb and David enough for not only inviting myself, my mom, and Larry into their home, but into their family as well. You and your children make us feel more than welcome each and every time we come over. From all of us, thank you, and Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, Ya'll!

Well folks, the holidays are most definitely upon us! Chaos and wrapping paper are around evey corner. Last minute gifts, last minute holiday cards, office parties, etc. are all added to the mix. It's a virtual frenzy of 'I have to do this!', 'I need to bake cookies for that!'. It is so easy to get lost in your to-do list. One day you are sleeping off Thanksgiving turkey, and the next you are freezing your mistletoe off singing Christmas Carols and Chanukkah songs.

Being away from my family for so many holidays, I just recently came to the realization of how far we all stray from their actual meaning. We're all in a mad rush to get to the stores, pushing and shoving our way through the aisles, with the sole intent to find and buy expensive items at a fraction of their normal cost......(door busters is what i think they are called). We do this out of love and kindness, and anticipation at the look on the recipient's face. I love giving gifts. I like people knowing I think of them enough to want to give them something either as a token of graciousness, or just in well-wishing. So please, don't get me wrong. I just feel like there isn't enough importance placed on the actual meaning of the celebration. It can sometimes get lost in holiday trinkets and decorations.

When I think of the holidays, I think of horrible cold (check), snow (come January, check), overcast skies (check), but I also think of spending quality time with my family. I think of trips to Bubbe & Papa's house where the warmth from the kitchen hit you full-force when you walked in the door. I think of the sound the latkes made while sizzling in Bubbe's skillet. I think of songs we sang, and smiles we shared. I think of warm hugs and laughter. I think of the people I shared the holiday with, and how much they meant to me, and still do. Call me sappy, a sucker, a ninny, a sentimental old......errrr........young fool. It's ok. I don't mind.

A happy holiday to me is all about the feeling you get from it. The closeness you feel towards the people you love. The bond you have on the first night of Chanukkah while standing around the menorah saying the blessing over the candles.....the same blessing our families have been saying for generations. For others maybe it's a feeling of waking up on a cold snowy morning, running into the family room and finding a hot cup of cocoa and a newspaper waiting for you placed by a roaring fire. It's about spending time together.........being together. Having a day to yourself when there is no need to brave the elements or follow a schedule. No obligations, just making time for creature comforts and simple pleasures. That to me is what the holidays mean.

Take time to teach your children, granchildren, spouse or significant other the true reason behind the holiday. Read the story of the miracle of lights. Explain to the family just why we do what we do. Give others an appreciation for what actually took place, so many years ago, to deem this time important enough for us to keep remembering it year after year. Build fires (in the fireplace), share egg nog, hot chocolate, or coffee (check), snuggle under blankets, watch 'A Christmas Story' 24 hours straight on tv, eat Chinese, and dress up your animals in reindeer headbands. Buy them plush toys shaped like dreidels and Star-of-David's. Give the person next to you a hug (unless you're in new york....on a subway.....and the guy next to you is talking to himself......then you call the police......and maybe give the officer a hug).
Hag sameyach (haag sah-MEI-ach) everyone! Happy Holidays everyone! I wish for you toasty warmth, loving hugs, and big smiles.