I am so thrilled that football season starts in 16 days. More specifically, tailgating season is about to start! This means lots of black and gold, booze and blackouts. Football season also means the end of my favorite season- SUMMER! This summer has definatly been one for the books. The start of summer was marked with getting engaged to the most wonderful man ever! It's been filled with plenty of fun weekends with friends in both Columbia and at the lake. Lots of pool time with my girl friends. Denver. Baseball games on both sides of the state. Fourth of July fireworks with friends. Snoop Dogg. Bruised legs from too much tambourine at Leland & Dana's going away party (tear) with Dale Blue. All in all, I think that it's safe to say this has been the best summer of my life so far...and the good news is, it is only going to get better. I'm going to miss summer...but knowing that fall will bring cool weather, football games and lots of wedding planning (plus an Aspen wedding weekend) it's not too hard to look forward to the months to come.

Catalog Living...again

It's been awhile since I checked out Catalog Living...and I got quite a few giggles today while catching up!



Gary has no idea what exactly Elaine does in the shower every day, but he certainly knows better than to touch her wooden shower spoon or shower branch.

Hot Hot Hot

With a projected heat index in the 100's today along with a heat advisory, I think it's safe to say that today is going to be a VERY hot day! Luckily, I have the best recipe to help cool you off (along with staying inside in the A/C!) WHITE SANGRIA!!!
It's easy to put together and so insanely refreshing!



1 bottle of white wine
2 cups of apple juice or white grape juice
2 (or more!) cups of Vodka
As much fruit as you'd like- I like to use frozen to cool it down even more
A touch of Splenda (if you need a little more sweet)

Good luck Caleb!

Good luck in today's election to our good friend Caleb Jones! Caleb is running for Missouri State Representative 117th District. Unfortunately, I'm not able to go out and vote for him today but Gavin and I will be there tonight showing our support as the results come in.

I FOUND A WEDDING DRESS!!!!!

Louisiana

Louisiana, MO made it onto Midwest Living's 5 Small Midwest Towns You'll Love! Check it out at midwestliving.com

I don't know much about Louisiana, the tiny town to the South of Hannibal, but I do know that The Eagle's Nest Bistro is a FABULOUS place for dinner! It is also a winery and inn, so you can go eat, drink and sleep happily in this lovely location. It is 100% completely worth the 95 mile drive from Columbia! Check out their website that includes bistro menu, winery details, inn information and special events at http://www.theeaglesnest-louisiana.com/index.htm

Coconut & Crab Risotto

If you know me at all, you know that I am a freakazoid about seafood. . .like F-R-E-A-K, literally will do anything, bend over backwards for some seafood, for any meal and any day of the week. I'm more than happy to get up early and leave the house in Florida by 8 am (I fully believe in island time...so this is insane) for a seafood omelet at my favorite AMI spot. When I spotted this recipe for Crab AND Coconut (possibly my second favorite thing ever) Risotto (which I could also eat every day of my life) I screamed out loud a little and was grinning from ear to ear. This will likely be the demise of my wedding, eating healthy plan...and I don't even care!




Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
* 1 cup Arborio rice
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon fish sauce
* 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk, divided
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, heated
* 1/2 pound lump crabmeat
* 1 ripe mango, chopped
* Flaked coconut

Preparation

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add rice, and stir until well-coated and translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and next 3 ingredients. Stir in half of coconut milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining coconut milk. Stir in the hot broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently, until each addition has been absorbed. (The entire process should take 20 to 25 minutes.)

Stir in crabmeat and mango, and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with flaked coconut.

FUNNY. . .YET NOT SO MUCH AT THE SAME TIME

Check out the Gulf Oil Spill Tracker at oilspill.skytruth.org.

For How and Where to Volunteer, call the oil spill volunteer hotline at 866/448-5816.

If you want to volunteer your vessel for relief efforts call a vessel volunteer hotline at 281/366-5511.

I really wish...

I really wish it was appropriate to register for a Louis Vuitton!

It's not like Gavin and I need a toaster, blender, blah blah blah...We've both owned those things for years! haha! Something tells me that it wouldn't go over very well if I registered for the 3 bags I'm dying for at LV for our wedding....oh well...a girl can always dream!

I finished my newest issue of Coastal Living today on my lunch break and it was great! There was a great recipe for Cuban Corn on the Cob and some yummy cocktails that I will totally be whipping up at the lake in a few weekends with my family. In the meantime, don't be suprised if you catch me humming "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" while daydreaming about the warm sunlight and cool breeze coming off the water.

It's time!

The time has [finally] come for me to go wedding dress shopping! YAY!!! I'm headed into STL on Saturday (the morning after Snoop concert...maybe not the best idea I've ever had) and *hopefully* will be finding the dress of my dreams! I'm going to 2 stores in Brentwood and 1 in Frontenac. Wish me luck!!

DENVER!

I'm headed to Denver today with my lovely friends Thea, Elly & Michayah to see Liza! Not only am I excited for a weekend getaway, the weather there is perfect!! Warm during the day, hardly any humidity and cool at night....I'm ready to rock out with my girls and have a great weekend. Watch out mile high city!!

Still honeymoon shopping....

So I'm not completely, 100% dead set on the resort in St. Lucia for our honeymoon... I've found some other intimate little places that are on the list!

The Caves in Negril has 12 cliffside accomodations. It also got the #2 "Top Hotel" in the Caribbean/Atlantic from Conde Nast Reader's Choice Award.

Bridesmaid Dresses

I finally found bridesmaid dresses!!! They came from...wait for it...ELLY'S COUTURE!!! I'm so excited to have found dresses for the girls and the best part is that they came from one of my best friends stores! They are Judith March and will look gorgeous on Emily & Thea!



If you love these (and how can you not) take a peek at the Elly's Couture website and check out all the cute clothes and accessories that she carries.
WWW.ELLYSCOUTURE.COM

Honeymoon

I think I may have found a honeymoon spot!!!



I think it'd hard to go wrong in St. Lucia with the fourth wall "missing" and waking up looking over the water and Piton's.
Check it out at ladera.com

Catalog Living

If you are looking for a good laugh, you HAVE to check out this site!
http://catalogliving.tumblr.com/

Here's a funny little sample....


Our entryway set-up is great! Now I never forget my hat, burlap satchel, or life preserver.

If you don't think this site is funny, there seriously is something wrong with you! Haha just kidding, but seriously it's hilarious!

Tomato, Corn and Avocado Salad

I'm so excited for Thea and her someone special to come to the lake this weekend!! The weather is supposed to be fab and the drinks will be flowing. I've got a yummy recipe to whip up for the weekend too!!

* 1 ear corn (husk and silk removed; tip cut off)
* 2 pints cherry, grape, or pear tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
* 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
* Coarse salt and ground pepper

Stand ear in a large wide bowl; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release the kernels. Discard cob. Add tomatoes, avocado, scallions, lime juice, and oil to bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.

After a fun filled 4th weekend at the lake with friends, I have been so exhausted and unmotivated this week...hence the reason my bag is still packed and sitting exactly where I dropped it Monday night when we arrived home from the lake. I've got some serious laundry to do tonight...and while I'm at it, I plan on doing some major organizing as well! If anyone has any clothes/shoes organization ideas, please let me know! Turns out, its much harder to combine mine and Gavin's things than I originally thought!

Happy Birthday America!

Happy Birthday America! To celebrate your birthday, I'll be drinking mango tango's at the lake with my friends and family! Cheers!

It's almost the 4th!!!

As the week is c.r.e.e.p.i.n.g. by, all I can think about it the lake this weekend! Gavin is generally the one to make festive desserts, but I think I might have to whip up this masterpiece for the holiday!



Makes 12

* 4 1/2 pounds fresh red currants, stemmed
* 3 cups sugar
* 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 6 3/4 teaspoons)
* 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
* 3 1/2 cups whole milk
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 pounds fresh blueberries
* 2 ounces fresh currants

Directions

1. Make the currant gelatin: Put currants and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until currants are very soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Put 1/3 cup cold water into a small bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes. Add to currant mixture; stir until gelatin has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl set in an ice-water bath, gently pressing out liquid with a spoon; discard solids. Remove from water bath, and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool but not set. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons currant gelatin into each of twelve 8- to 10-ounce glasses; set remaining currant gelatin aside. Refrigerate glasses until gelatin is completely set, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, make the panna cotta: Put 1/3 cup cold water into a small bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.
5. Put milk, cream, and sugar into a medium saucepan; bring almost to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl set in an ice-water bath. Remove from water bath; let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool but not set.
6. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons panna cotta over currant gelatin in each glass; set remaining panna cotta aside. Refrigerate glasses until panna cotta is set, about 1 hour. Repeat with another layer of currant gelatin and panna cotta. If either mixture becomes too firm, set over a pot of simmering water until softened.
7. To serve, top each parfait with blueberries and currants, dividing evenly.