It's Been Too Long

WOW! What a crazy month! October just flew by without me realizing. I feel like it was just yesterday that we came home from our vacation and I started working at Royal Caribbean. But the chaos has all been good. Derek has been busy with school and school. I feel like this year is not as hard as last year and we have been able to spend much more time together. SO NICE! Work has been great for me as well. I am really liking the new challenge of my position and the opportunity to learn and grow professionally. I have a great team and I feel like I fit right in. My job is challenging, but I enjoy that I come in every day and I am challenged, not just doing the same thing. I have also learned a lot about the cruise industry and hospitality. I have a hard time believing I just started this 6 weeks ago!

I have a lot of pictures to post and I will get to those later I hope, but for now here is a quick recap of the last few weeks:
- Derek turned 26. He has accomplished so much... I am so proud of him.
- My sister, Sarah, told the family she was pregnant... and she is having a GIRL!!!!
- All my favorite TV shows started back up so I am very busy these days
- We celebrated my MIL's birthday at home
- Sports are ruling our life and I am tied for first in my fantasy league

Blog posts to follow on all of those fun things. For now I will leave you with a TV recommendation. Watch The Blacklist. It is probably the best new show on TV right now. Kevin Spader is phenomenal on it and I really can't figure out this plot... and I can usually figure out the plot twists.

Vampire Diaries Party

Ok I'll say it, I like Vampire Diaries... a lot. In the end it comes down to the fact that I am a hopeless romantic and have an unhealthy appetite for soap opera inspired shows (Revenge, Vampire Diaries, Nashville, etc, etc). When I found out the season finale would be the week of my birthday, I decided to throw a finale party with a few of my friends from church who are also avid fans. I had a blast planning the party and trolling Pinterest for ideas. The party was a total success and the finale episode was a crazy ride! I can't believe we have to wait until October for more episodes! Guess we will just have to re-watch this season in our free time :)

 The table with the decorations

In the episode the characters graduated so I got a few graduation glasses and necklaces (Dollar Store)

 I made the fans out of card stock and printed the labels from Google images

 Everyone had a bottle of hot tamales to take home, telling us which team they are on. You can find these printable labels here.

 The cupcake toppers are from the same site. I used gel icing to make bite marks and red velvet cupcake batter.  

You can find the vervain print here. I thought it was a really fun touch :) 

 I found the bottle wraps for the drinks here as well as the "thirsty" print. I think that was one of my favorite touches! 

Of course Marisabel is Team Stefan and Melanie is Team Damon (the right team)

We had a blast together! I am so grateful for these girls as friends and I am so glad we could have a fun night together! Until October.... 

Far Too Attached to TV

It's not a secret I am far too attached to TV shows. One of my favorite shows is The Office. Even though the last few seasons have been hit and miss, I just love the show and the characters. Derek and I watch this show together, so sometimes we fall behind on episodes, but we always catch up on our favorite Scranton residents when we have free time. We watched the first half of the season over Christmas and have tried to stay caught up since then. I have kind of hated all the tension with Pam and Jim this season, but I like that the writers have kept their relationship so real and believable. The last episode we watched, Jim and Pam hugged it out at the end of the episode (which may have left me in tears) and it was epic and perfect. Apparently this week is Part 1 of the finale and these last episodes are longer. YEAH!!

This week Jimmy Fallon (another one of my fav. shows on TV) had Jim and Pam on the show! I may have teared up a little watching the interview with Jenna Fisher as she talked about the amazing chemistry between her and John Krasinski. Of course the internet quickly giffed the interview and now we have awesome reminders of her classic comments (see below).

Is it wrong that I choose to believe they are married in real life? 

When John Krasinski was on he challenged Jimmy to a lip sync battle. I stupidly watched this video while I was at my desk at work and was crying from laughing so hard. Take a few minutes to watch the video and let it brighten your day!

I can't wait to see who comes back in the finale episodes and how they end my favorite comedy. Let's pray this isn't a Seinfeld finale, but more like a Friends finale!

Fall TV Reviews

So if you know me at all, you know that I love watching TV shows. I love taking 30 minutes or an hour and just escaping from reality. I decided I would share with all of you my 3 favorite new shows this fall and my 3 favorite returning shows. My reviews may contain spoilers... so sorry in advance. Feel free to let me know if you think I am right or wrong in the comments!

3 Favorite New Shows

Nashville: I loved Friday Night Lights, so when I heard Connie Britton was doing a new show, I was in! While this show has a totally different feel than FNLs, I love it. You have the conflicted pop star, the tenured diva and of course all of the love interests that come along with both. While I love the acting, what has really kept me watching is the music. I am not a huge country fan, but the singers and music in Nashville are amazing. They aren't the cliche, I have beer and a truck and a pretty face country songs. A lot of the songs are moving ballads that parallel the stories being told each week. I look forward to the music almost more than the drama... almost. The recent duet with Juliette and Rayna sealed the deal for me and was the perfect set up for the rest of the season. I cant wait to see what happens with Rayna and Teddy, Juliette and the Tim Tebow wannabe, and Scarlett and Gunner. Watch it... you will love it.

Arrow: So I am not really a comic book remake girl. I never really got into all of these other movies and shows based on comic books (X-Men, Captain American, Etc). But Arrow, I can sink my teeth into. Maybe it's because Stephen Amell shamelessly works out without his shirt on for a quarter of the show, and maybe it's because I actually feel for his character Oliver, much more so than any of the other characters in this genre. Oliver's tragic desire to make his dead father proud and his desire to be seen as someone different than who he once was all make it worth spending 42 minutes a week watching Arrow. The show also balances developing some complex relationships all while showing us how Oliver can take down crimials. Give it a chance... I think you will find yourself wanting to know more about Oliver Queen.

Go On: Ok, I will admit it. I loved Friends. I have probably watched each episode of the show a dozen times... and my favorite episodes 3 or 4 dozen times. When all is said and done, Chandler made that show freaking funny. His awesome one liners and ability to make every situation awkward was classic. But when I saw he was doing a sitcom, I decided to avoid it at all costs. It is very rare that an old sitcom comedian strikes gold twice. But my guard was down when they previewed it after the Olympics... and when it was the only thing on HULU on some lonely Saturdays this fall. And after two episodes I was hooked. Matthew Perry is still funny, but this time he has more confidence and arrogance then my good friend Chandler did. His arrogance actually makes him more likeable, and makes his struggle with grief and loss more compelling. The supporting cast is stellar and they just keep getting better. There hasn't been an episode where I didn't die laughing.  Watch it... I know you will love it (yes that is a You've Got Mail reference).

Runner-Up: 
The Mindy Show: So I was really excited about this show. I watched the pilot and totally fell for Mindy Kaling's self deprecating character. She was a smart girl who just hasn't quite learned to love herself. As the season has gone on, episodes have been hit and miss. Best moment so far was when Mindy wakes up in the morning and walks in with her BF's shirt on. He gets up a few minutes later and accidentally puts on her pants... which are too big for him. Seriously hilarious scene. I think it will take me a full season to decide if this show is a keeper or not, but keep it on your radar.

3 Favorite Returning Shows

Scandal: Whoever made up the acronym OMG did it just to describe season 2 of Scandal. OMG!!! To be honest I watched season 1 half-heatedly over the summer as a time filler. It is a little risque and didn't have me totally bought in. But the twists and turns Shonda Rhimes has thrown at us viewers are never-ending! My sense of reality is shattered pretty much every week.... And the best part is that we finally know the back story behind Olivia and Fitz! Epic. Pretty much every week Scandal trends on Twitter, which tells me it's a great show :) Cant wait to see what they do after the finale last night. I am praying Fitz recovers and we can go back to tense Olivia and Fitz love moments.

The Vampire Diaries: I could pretty much have my own blog about Vampire Diaries, I am just that obsessed. I don't know how to sum up this season in a paragraph but I'll try. This show knows how to pull out all of the twists and turns that make you stare at your TV for like 10 minutes after the episode, trying to comprehend what just happened. Best parts of the season: Delena getting together, Tyler being an Alpha, Caroline and Klaus, Caroline and Stefan, Jeremy's arms, Professor Shane and the illusive "cure" (I don't believe anything on this show until I see it).  Worst parts of the season: Delena being "sired", Stefan being so depressed and not being a ripper, Hailey (hate her), losing the Mayor of MF and Matt not having a girlfriend. This season has not disappointed and I am so excited to see where things go from here. I am holding out hope for Damon and Elena... and I will hold a vigil whenever they break up (Just Saying).

Castle: Oh Castle. I love all of the silly humor and clean flirting that happens on this show. It really is one of the only shows on TV that just leaves you feeling good inside. I love Castle and Beckett as a couple. Kate deserves to be happy and Castle needed to settle down. The writers have done a great job of teasing us with little moments and not being to scandalous with crazy sex scenes. It really is just a fun hour of TV each week and its worth watching just for fun.

Runner-Up: 
Revenge: So if you had asked me over the summer which show I was most excited about coming back I would have said The Vampire Diaries. And then I would have said Revenge. I loved season 1... like loved it. All of the crazy, wealthy, selfish people had me hooked. But this season has kind of stalled, I like Emily with Aiden, but don't love them. I like that Amanda is happy with Jack, but I don't buy it. I want Ashley to be revealed as a skank and she was. Ok so some things are great but I just don't feel like it has picked up with the momentum they left off with last season. Hopefully that changes after the new year.


 Hope you enjoyed my reviews! And I hope everyone is having a great Holiday season!