two thousand and ten.

i am really excited about 2010. it's the year i'll walk down the aisle, become mrs. simon, and also become a yoga teacher. huzzah!

but for now, simon and i are both sick; i burst into tears late last night because i felt so sorry for myself (and decided the best solution to all of my troubles was to take them out on simon who had just arrived from the airport); and last but not least, our condo is cluttered in reminders that christmas is over. wah.

it's a good thing we have lots of red wine and a steak dinner to look forward to later. :)

happy new year!

(photo credit: jordan blanchard)

under the weather.

this is about how i feel today. anyone know of any magic cold remedies?

(photo credit: sarah lownes)

choosing all over again.

this is christine. she is a blog friend, as well as the wife of one of simon's old college acquaintances. (small world.)

she and her husband, vijay, recently had a hindu wedding ceremony in india (two years after their first wedding in the united states) and when i saw the photos my eyes teared up.

i simply adore the idea of couples honoring and celebrating their unique mix of heritages and religious traditions, and well... i am also utterly in love with india and hinduism. needless to say, the combination made my heart melt.

here is what christine had to say:

"your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. you choose the one you want to spend your life with, don the white dress, proceed down the aisle and say your "i do's"....

and then the real fun begins; pick up your underwear, clean your dishes, pull your weight around here, do I have to ask you again?!? you know, the typical everyday life of a happily married couple."

"but what if you could do it all over again? i had that chance a few days ago when vijay and I fulfilled a two-year dream of celebrating our marriage with a hindu ceremony. (...)"

"and so, with my vows, I recommitted myself to my husband, the man I have built a life with over the past two years.

as I looked into his eyes, and listened to him repeat his vows, i realized that i am as every bit as in love with him as I was the first time around."

"as we were walking away after the ceremony, he leaned in and whispered...'if I had to do it all over again, I would choose you. i will always choose you'".

aren't these photographs gorgeous? a stunning bride and a magical concept. thank you, christine, for letting me share this. i am so happy for you two!

for the original post and more from the lovely christine, please visit her blog lavender and limes.

yoga for anxiety, part three.

hello friends and yogis,

this is my final post in a three-part series of my favorite yoga poses for calming anxiety. (as i mentioned previously, i am not a certified yoga teacher, so this is just my personal experience.)

the first two poses in the series were child's pose and legs up the wall pose. today i'd like to show you savasana (it is also referred to as corpse pose, but i don't like that name. it's too morbid.)

savasana is typically the final pose of a yoga practice, (sometimes also the first) but there is no reason you can't enjoy this pose on its own. the basic idea is to put your body in a neutral position, and then soften and relax.

to begin, lie on your back, spread your arms and legs about 45 degrees from your body and rest your head comfortably on the floor. make sure you are warm enough; i sometimes use a blanket and/or an eye pillow. inhale and exhale naturally. try to release tension from all the different parts of your body, and just be.

if you fall asleep, congratulations. :)

how many of you love this pose? i know i do. it's especially rewarding after a rigorous yoga practice although i often enjoy it in bed too, heh. have you ever tried it?

our christmas in photos.

how was your christmas? (or if you don't celebrate, how was your weekend?)
i have missed you all and am happy to be back... although i am always bummed when christmas is over. sigh.

it's a good thing that 2010 is just around the corner! i love an excuse to celebrate.

happiness is...

• taking a bath at a fancy hotel with a lush bath bomb.
• chocolate covered marshmallows (because they were a gift from a friend and they are dangerously good.)
• trying new flavors of coffee like caramel and coconut.
  
• having a fiance who hides notes in the funniest places, like the freezer. cracks me up every time.
• reading a new, non-fiction book about libertarian paternalism (because sometimes it feels good to be nerdy.)
  
• keeping my feet toasty warm in bright red slippers courtesy of my mama.
  
• watching the new show "the sing-off" (because i can't help myself.)
  
• and last but not least... welcoming new readers to my little blog. huzzah! i'm so glad you're here.
  

(photo credit: khalidarasul)

holiday hair.

i am so ridiculously in love with this braided messy updo. wouldn't it be so chic for a holiday party? i may have to try it.

(photo credits: suzy puzz)

cutest ornaments you've ever seen.

these felt hand sewn ornaments are just so sweet, don't you think?

tell me, do you make your own ornaments? simon's family has a tradition of making ornaments every year, and i love it. maybe i can convince them to make these next year. that camera is awesome.



(credit: lupin shop)

committed.

today i picked up the latest oprah magazine and read an incredible excerpt from elizabeth gilbert's new book committed. i adored her previous book eat pray love, and so you can only imagine my excitement when i learned that her new book is all about love and marriage... it's as if the timing was intended for me. (ha!)
suffice to say, i can't wait to get my hands on the whole book, which is due out in january. here's one amazing review of it:

"told with gilbert’s trademark wit, intelligence and compassion, committed attempts to "turn on all the lights" when it comes to matrimony, frankly examining questions of compatibility, infatuation, fidelity, family tradition, social expectations, divorce risks and humbling responsibilities. gilbert's memoir is ultimately a clear-eyed celebration of love with all the complexity and consequence that real love, in the real world, actually entails."

are you as excited as i am?
update: i hate to admit this, but i was highly disappointed in this book. i thought it was self-indulgent and patronizing. boo. anyone else feel that way?

(photo credit: veselina)

the blues.

do you ever get the sunday night blues?

it's the i-don't-want-the-weekend-to-be-over-because-i-don't-want-to-go-back-to-work-or-school feeling, which is often accompanied by an anxious glance at the clock in the late evening, and then full-blown grumpiness.

you say to yourself: how did it get so late? how many hours or minutes do i have left of the weekend? ugh. ugh. ugh.

i had a bad case of it last night. the only thing that made me feel better was some hot chocolate.

what do you do when you've got the sunday blues?

(photo credit: molly see)

this morning...

it has been snowing in boston! it's been so very cozy. aside: if you want to read a beautiful little description of what it's like to wake up to snow, go here.

anyway, for some reason, i was so drawn to this desk today. maybe it's because i think my snow hat, and my snow boots would be a perfect little addition to this room. and of course, a big mug of coffee. and a sleeping dog. and oh... a space heater for my little toes.

isn't it so calming?

where do you wish you were today?

(photo credit: living etc. via tea for joy)

something small to brighten your day.

if you touch your nose to your computer screen, you can almost imagine their soft little bunny noses. :)

(photo credit: plan b shop)

sigh.

isn't this the prettiest, coolest hanger you've ever seen? i just found out that you can get your own personalized hanger here. now i kinda want one. :)

i love this.

(credit: unknown)

trashing the dress (no, not my dress)

a few months ago, my friend k. had some incredible photographs taken of her in her wedding dress, (famously known as trashing the dress). i squealed when she said i could share them on the blog.

are you ready? brace yourself for some amazing eye candy...

isn't she stunning?

(photo credits: margaret singer)

my favorite christmas flicks.

every year i love to curl up on the couch and watch the same holiday movies over and over again. they really make me happy.

(i know some of these are only loosely related to the holidays, but hey... i still love them!)

what are your favorites?

engagement photos!

a few weeks ago, we met up with our wedding photographer, meredith, and took these pictures in a park near our home. it was so much fun.

meredith is not only sweet, but she's also super talented. we played around with a chalkboard a little and then just took advantage of the setting sun. (oh and in case you're wondering..."jeg elsker deg" is norwegian for "i love you".)

my favorite part about this whole experience was seeing how well meredith captured us as a couple, and how comfortable we felt with her. i can't wait for the big day...!

p.s. i was feeling a little shy telling you all this, but these pictures were also featured on ruffled! whoa.

p.p.s. i felt like i was wearing so much makeup, (in fact, i put on much more than i wear on a daily basis) and yet, i still look like i'm not wearing any... haha. is it just me, or does this happen to you too?

(all photos courtesy of and unlimited photography)