Boston Girl 87 @bostongirl87-blog - Tumblr Blog

Sugar Fee

Dear Reader,

Tim and I have decided to go sugar free for 5 full days! Tim and I both agreed this would be a good exercise. We don’t eat an excess of sugar currently, but we don’t know how much sugar is hidden in some of our meals either. So, off we go on our sugar high-less week.

Let me explain that it is “added sugar” only. Sugar is fruits and natural sugar like that found in diary products is allowable. I believe it’s the added sugar that is the new enemy -it’s were we are targeting our efforts.

We didn’t do much additional homework or grocery shopping for this event. We swung by our favorite PB Farms yesterday morning before breakfast and picked up a few must haves, listed below.

Pita instead of bread

Plain yogurt - instead of delicious fruit and sugar yogurt

Seltzer Water - because we love it

Spinach - filler for the pita

Salsa without that sug

Raw veggies

Eggs

Day One Notes:

Morning coffee is awful without sugar. Is sugar what makes coffee so joyous? I am having tea with honey instead.

Breakfast was good - pita filled with eggs and bacon! One realization is that Tim’s cooking tastes a little more like my cooking without added flavors containing sugar.

We don’t eat lunch at all - which makes limiting sugar fine.

We eat dinner out with a group at a Chinese restaurant and Tim and I watched the Lazy Susan of Sugar swivel by with all the delicious Chinese food we cannot eat on it.

We had a late night snack out because we couldn’t eat a lot of the group dinner. Tim enjoyed a bun-less burger and I enjoyed spicy cauliflower.

Day Two Notes:

I put honey in my morning coffee to take the sting out - it’s fine. It’s no sugar and I am irritated about it. I consider putting a little raw cactus juice in my coffee - but that feels like cheating and I resist. I packed a tiny bit of honey to use on my yogurt. The trick is to eat half your gross plain yogurt without honey and then when you add the honey, the second half don’t taste like sour milk.

The pita bread is definitely the weakness link. It doesn’t hold up as a sandwich and your filler falls apart in your hands.

At least the seltzer is delicious.

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#sugarfree

Champagne Problems

Dear Reader,

It’s finally February! I won’t comment on how long it’s been since I blogged. I seem to start every blog that way. From now on - let’s just assume I blog daily.

I am really excited that Tim and I will be sending out our wedding invitations this month! This is it! We are sending out our official invitation and let me say they have not been without a little stress. I have come to call my questions and problems during the wedding planning process as champagne questions or champagne problems. Maybe I should combine the words, like this, champaguestions and champroblems. Yeah, that kind of works.

The questions that arise when planning your wedding are questions you never thought you would have to ask. Questions you just don’t care about at first but then you realize you are spending a boat load of cash and all the sudden you are writing e-mails until the late hours of the night dreaming of how to properly address family members. Here is my top list of questions I found myself asking:

1. Should we use our full names on the invitation?

2. Should we just use our middle initial? The W looks weird.

3. Should we use our nick names on the return address?

4. Do I put return postage on international RSVPs?

5. Should we do matchy envelopes or mix matchy envelopes?

6. Should we do rounded edges?

7. Are rounded edges extra?

8. Declines with regret or is it declines with regrets?

9. What does the M_________ really mean these days?

10. Do we want envelope liners? Does anyone open envelopes gently?

But now it’s done! They will be here in a few days and they will go out into the world and be functional invitations to our wedding, rounded corners and all.

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#champagneproblems #champagneproblems weddinginvitations

A Season for Peace

Dear Reader,

There was another shooting in the United States yesterday. My heart is filled with a sadness that makes me feel so small. I feel at a loss to be helpful in a country that desperately needs help. What can I do? How can I help? What are we doing wrong? How can we do more? What’s missing? I am deeply affected by the feeling that I am not doing anything to help and I don’t know where to start.

There are so many people going in so many directions that I wonder how we could possibly all come together to solve this crisis? Each step on my walk to work this morning I passed people that are going somewhere, to work, to school, to the grocery store, but what can I do as a individual, as an American, that will help to get them home safely?

The thought that this act and these lives will be forgotten before the next occurrence is so upsetting. This matters to me and it matters to a lot of people I know around the world. How can we come together to end this violence? How can our leaders do this without our help?

During this season of peace I pray that I can find a way to be helpful and our country can find a solution to end this.

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#aseasonforpeace

Giving Tuesday

Dear Reader,

Happy Tuesday, giving Tuesday to be exact. This is a strange new calendar event to me. It’s my understand that this trend started about three years ago along with Cyber Monday (okay, I think Cyber Monday might have a few years on it). I think Giving Tuesday is a wonderful idea - anything that creates awareness about charitable acts is not something to be knocked down. But what does it really say about us? I thought that all the days were giving days? Now we only have to give on this Tuesday? It’s pretty opposite of what I understand the holidays to be about. #tistheseason

If we are going to create a calendar event about giving, could we at least give it a full month? #GivingJanuary? It’s in the same boat as people only volunteering at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving or only going to the gym on New Year’s day. It’s not enough. Maybe #givingtuesday can pair up with #thanksgetting and we can get back to giving thanks all year round and only getting on Tuesday.

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#givingtuesday #thanksgetting #tistheseason

It’s Christmas in Cambridge

Dear Reader,

Okay, I understand it’s not technically Christmas, but our home is ready for December! Tim and I walked up to a little Christmas tree stand sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America and bought our tree. It’s a HUGE tree (spoken in the Trump voice). You see I can be festive and political without being offensive. We carried our tree home the 3 or 4 blocks. It felt very authenticate to be carrying our 8 foot tree down the street. #charliebrownchristmas

We filled it with lights and all my favorite ornaments. My favorite ornament this year is our New York City ball. Tim and I got it at FAO Schwarz the weekend we got engaged last year! I also really like my collection of shoes, consisting of a LL Bean classic winter boot, a Sperry Topsider, and a yellow rubber boot! To be honest I enjoy all our ornaments. I also really appreciate the smell of pine throughout our home.

So, here’s to December 2016. Excited for what this new month will bring! My goals for the month are below:

1. Stay off Facebook. I have deleted the app from my phone and I have tried twice to block it from my work computer. I might need the IT guys with this one. What are the stages of withdrawal? I am already coming up with excuses for why I need it? Such as, what about those Fbook Christmas party invites?

2. Come up with a wedding bride fit plan that sticks. Suggestions welcome.

3. Remember the reason for the season. This could be a blog in itself #thanksgetting

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#charliebrownchristmas #faoschwarz #facebookwithdrawal

Thanksgiving 2015

Dear Reader,

It’s a rainy Saturday morning in Cambridge. I am cozy lounging in our living room with the windows open and a little Frasier Fir candle flickering nearby. I padded around the house this morning mentally writing my to-do list for the day when I realized I should blog first. Through the 30 minutes as I made coffee, did the soaking dishes from last night, and cleared the clutter off the table, I thought of all the other things I should do with my quiet morning. The reoccurring “Blog first” force was strong today.

Tim and I shared a quiet Thanksgiving here in our home this year. We had other world adventures planned, but come Thanksgiving week we found ourselves together here. We played Thanksgiving themed newspaper word puzzles as we watched the Macy’s day parade. I loved it. It’s our first and only Thanksgiving as an engaged couple and it was wonderful. Also, we made a feast for twelve for two. Leftovers for days!

This year I am most thankful for my family and my fiancé. As we plan for our wedding our biggest priority is that we can share it with those we love. Secondly, I am extremely grateful for my job which has turned into more than I could have asked for. It has provided amazing opportunities for me in the past almost two years.

Alright, I am going to wake up Tim and go pick out a Christmas Tree! All those ornaments I have collected all year are finally going to be displayed!

Love,

BostonGirl87

#thanksgiving #dinnerfortwo blogfirst

Chee-lay

Dear Readers,

It’s me - Boston Girl gone international! I am not sure why I didn’t blog on any of my other trips - but here I am now and that’s what counts.

I arrived in Santiago, Chile a few hours ago! I am here for the week for a work trip with a personal trip at the end to Easter Island! Here are my thoughts so far (listed in no manner).

1. I loved the mountains coming in on the flight - I assume those are the Andes.

2. Santiago has some strong European touches to it.

3. The taxi drivers are aggressive. We ended up in a car that in no way was a professional driver. We could call it a Chilean Uber. Upon current reflection the older man who convinced us to get in the car was definitely wearing a Cosby sweater.

4. The hotel is nice - right on the bottom of the Andes.

5. Converting 700 pesos to 1 USD is a lot of math for me.

6. My spanish is horrible. When we went to Mexico, Tim did all the speaking and in Spain, Abril did all the speaking.

7. I am very lucky to be here.

Okay, that’s a start!

Happy Domingo!

Much Love,

Boston Girl 87

#pesosbecrazy

Spain!

Dear Reader,

Okay - I am making a real commitment to myself and my blog and I PROMISE to myself that I will start writing more. I need it. So, expect to read more Boston Girl over the next few weeks. Go ahead and carve out some time on your calendars, pencil me into your planners, save me to your Bookmarks.

I am heading to Spain in just over TWO WEEKS! I could not be any more excited. I will be reunited with my two best friends! We have unofficially started an annual girls trip. Unofficially this is our third trip. I think it’s time to make it official. My list of top things I want to do in Spain are below:

1. Drink sangria

2. Go to the beach

3. See some Gaudi stuff

4. Laugh with my friends

5. Wearing my ridiculous blue onsie #lillyfortarget #onlyinspain

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#spainadventure

Getting Max

Dear Reader, I would like to share one of my favorite memories with you. It may not come out just right and it might not mean as much to you as it does to me - but here it is.

The Day We Got Max

My Dad (Frank) and I had been scheming and plotting along about getting my Mom a puppy. It was all Dad’s idea and he wanted to get Max for her birthday. I really didn’t think she wanted another dog - but he was sure of it. We worked together at that time at the same agency and I would find puppies for sale online and then go up to his office and share them with him. We were looking for something specific - we were looking for a Portuguese Water Dog (one just like our old dog Poppy). They are pricey pups that are mostly bred for show dogs - not just family dogs. Finally one day I found a breeder in the area who had 3 puppies available. We had to go that day and see them. We printed out the paperwork and maps to get there and headed to the bank after work. My Dad took out $2,000.00 cash and the bank teller wanted to know what we were buying - she couldn’t imagine a dog could cost that much. We headed out to the breeders home. Since my Dad was blind we needed a code in case these dogs were hideous and we shouldn’t buy one. I forget now exactly what we decided it would be - but we both agreed on some discreet terminology. When we arrived at the house the puppies were cornered off in the kitchen. I originally wanted to pick out one that was all black (just like Poppy) but that puppy was spoken for. So, we went for our second choice - a black and white pup that was adorable and everything a puppy should be. Dad and I thought that would be it - he pulled out the cash from his suit pocket and we were ready to head out. The breeder had different plans and we sat through another hour of lectures about how to raise the dog. We also lied and told her someone would be home with the dog at all time. Finally, she handed off the small black and white pup. She gave us a carrot for him because he was teething. I remember driving home on I-95 South and looking in my rear view mirror to see my Dad in the back seat with a puppy chewing on a carrot. It’s a memory I hope I never forget. Dad was so excited.

Much Love,

Boston Girl 87

Pro Enamel

Dear Reader,

Today I had an appointment to go “pick up my Invisalign”. How exciting! I have braces twice and handfuls of dental work done - so this seemed like an easy appointment. The appointment was 1.5 hours which included gluing triangles of clear plastic to me teeth and having 6 of my teeth “shaved” with sand paper floss. This is something that I have had done before and it’s among the worst. I like my teeth - I don’t think they are chubby teeth - why are we shaving the edges down? Yes, I get it, my teeth need more room to move around, I would like to hear about the annex option. Can’t we just add a small attic somewhere to save space. #proenamel

The trays themselves are painful to remove and I think my bride wedding diet just got a lot easier. There is no way I am ever taking these off again. Milkshakes, anyone?

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

Happy Birthday Boston Girl!

Dear Reader,

Where have I been? I have officially fallen off the blog wagon. I am trying to get back on - it’s just all going so fast. I think about blogging often- I just don’t do it. I guess this is one of those things that the “thought” doesn’t count.

It’s summer in Boston and I have been “blogging” (absently for the past few months) for a year now! So, while I don’t deserve it - my blog does. Happy Birthday Blog! You made it one year! Here’s to the next.

I am engaged and it’s amazing. I love it. I am slowly navigating the wedding world. Let me just tell you right off the bat - it’s bonkers. When did having a wedding become a whole year production about yourself? When did weddings start having themes, and colors, and special super uncomfortable overpriced (but must have) chairs? When did it all get so ridiculous. I think the truth is that it’s always been this way - you just don’t realize it until you become a bride.

It’s decision overload - no wonder women become Bridezillas. Maybe if we didn’t have so many choices about things we wouldn’t go nuts over it. How many decisions can you possibly make about a 6 hour event? Oh, and the to do lists, and the count down lists. I am a list girl - but my goodness these 12 months out lists are crazy. The only list I plan on paying attention to the day of my wedding is as follows:

1. Wear dress

2. Kiss groom

3. Drink champagne

I think this came out of one of the fifty bride magazines stacked in our office.

Much love,

Boston Bride to Be 87

#bridetobe #bostonbride

Auto von Volvo 2005-2015

Dear Reader,

I would like to write a short blog in honor of my car. My white, S40, Volvo.

Auto von Volvo (which is a name I admit I picked up from a friend who named their own beloved car “Otto von Volvo”) was my first car. It was to this day my only car. Auto got me from Virginia to Rhode Island, to North Carolina, and finally to Massachusetts. It’s been there on my journey -the wheels beneath my wings so to speak.

This past month I said goodbye to my car. It’s a strange moment when you realize what power a physical “thing” has over you. Things are things - I get that - but I loved that car. But, can you really ever LOVE a thing? Maybe, what I love about that car is what it represents - my journey. Well, if that doesn’t sounds self promoting I don’t know what does. But, it’s true - I love my life and I strongly believe that what matters most is the journey.

In honor of Auto von Volvo- here are my fav moments along the journey:

1. When Rachel and I locked ourselves out of the car going to the gym on SBC campus.

2. The first time I drove on I-95 with my Dad (I was supposed to get on Route 1). I was terrified.

3. When my Mom, my Sister, and my Brother did our own Volvo ad with our Volvos lined up diagonally in the driveway.

4. Bringing Max (our family dog) home.

5. Digging the car out of the worst winter Boston has ever seen.

Goodbye my volvo, goodbye my friend, you have been the car, you have been the car for me.

Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#volvolove #volvoforlife

Just a moment

Dear Reader,

Today I stopped spinning in daily life to-dos for a moment to realize that my Dad would be 71 this month. The realization made me immediately emotional and upset. It made me miss him in so many ways. It made me have to shut my office door because my tears come so quickly at this realization.

I wish I could call him and catch up for a just a moment. I wonder what he would have to say - I wonder what I would tell him. Right now I think I would just like to listen. He was always the better listener.

It makes me feel such raw sadness for the loss of him in my life and in my future. It’s very hard to write anything at all about him. I miss him everyday.

So, as I move on to celebrate him I just needed a moment to let it out.

I like my blog to be short and sweet (and hopefully funny) - so thank you for the space to feel sad for just a moment.

Much Love,

Boston Girl 87

Seat Selection Possession

Dear Reader, I won’t go into how long it’s been since I blogged - I know it’s been forever.

I flew to Baltimore today (the city best known to me for it’s high rat population). There is something about airline travel that get’s less and less appealing each trip. It’s losing it’s magic for me - which is sad. But what I witnessed today had nothing to do with airlines - it had to do with manners. Manners and well rudeness. I have witnessed this same act before and it blows me away. I am sitting in my selected seat (6C) on a JetBlue flight (which loads from the back up) when a passenger gets on to sit in their selected seat (6A). Well, another person is already in (6A) and well settled in. The standing passenger inquires about the seat number and seated passenger pulls out her rumbled ticket and says “Oh, I am in the wrong seat”. Well, her seat was 31C and she knew it. She just picked whatever seat best fit her needs. The rightful owner of 6A obliged to take 31C because she was already seated. Possession is not nine tenths of airline seat selection law! It was too obvious to me that this passenger just took someone else’s seat because it benefited them. What right do they have? I cannot stand for this - but I did nothing. What world were they raised in too think so highly of themselves. It just isn’t right. Now, I know that my moral compass doesn’t point North all the time - but this just gets to me.

Alright - heading out to enjoy the best of Baltimore. Much love,

Boston Girl 87

#jetblue seatselection flightmanners

Walt Disney World

Dear Reader, I did it! I completed my first 1/2 marathon! It was an amazing experience. I traveled down to Orlando to run in the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon - and I couldn't have been happier to do so. I have a lot of thoughts running through my head (mostly because I haven't blogged in so long). So bear with me on this one. The run was great - Disney had fireworks at 5:30am to start off the day! There were Disney characters at every mile to cheer us on. But, to my surprise and strong disappointment Cinderella never made an appearance! I couldn't believe it. My Disney Princess Idol isn't a runner? It's a good thing I got to sit down for a one on one with Ariel in her grotto. Now, she was one of kind. Ariel was very impressed that I would be using my human legs to run. She left me with excellent advice too - Stay Splashy! We had the awesome opportunity to visit Harry Potter World (I can't remember the actual name of it to save my muggle life). But, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, and Diagon Alley were exactly how I have imagined them all this time. I was incredibly impressed with this park. I drank butter beer (frozen and regular), checked out Gringotts, rode the train at platform 9 3/4, explored the castle, and almost bought wands. We soaked up sun by the poolside and didn't even care if we got a little sunkissed. It was an a fun filled busy vacation weekend getaway. I am very blessed to have my wonderful guy to support my running dreams these past few months. Much love, Boston Girl 87

#disneyprincess

Froston Days

Dear Reader,

Hope you have been well! We have been getting snowed under here in Boston. We had our third snow storm in 2 weeks totally somewhere around 70 inches of snow having fallen. Boston has pretty much frozen over - which is where my new word Froston has come from. I am very impressed with the cities quick action to remove the snow - coming from Virginia we would have been snowed in until April with these amounts. I am currently on my 4th snow day from work. Wait, maybe 5th... I have lost count. So, here's a quick list of the pros and cons of living in Froston.

Pros:

I don't have to go to work.

We live in an apartment - so we don't have to shovel the walks or a driveway

I have been very productive on the home front. The laundry is done, the dinners have been delicious and later I am considering baking cookies.

I don't have to go running.

We get to play in the snow.

Catching snowflakes. I caught large fluffy snow flakes that were beautiful this week!

The Bean boots are proving to be a real investment piece.

Excellent time to cozy up with a book.

Cons:

The trash hasn't come regularly December. It keeps snowing on Sunday night - and the trash doesn't get picked up.

The recycling doesn't get picked up either.

I usually park my car in ideal snow drift coordinates.

The snow turns brown on the streets and become frozen mud.

Our karaoke CD hasn't come in the mail yet

No mail comes on snow days

Okay, that's all I have for now! Much love, Boston Girl 87

#snowpros

Traditions & Etiquette

Dear Reader,

I am excited that my new reading material came in the mail! It's Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette. It's more the etiquette piece that interests me, but I won't lie, I am ecstatic that it revolves around my wedding.

Etiquette has peaked my interest for years now - even before my protocol officer life. Oh, you didn't know that? I used to work as a Protocol Officer for the Department of Defense. When I first heard about the job I wouldn't have been able to define protocol - or what place that had in military and civilian events - but it quickly fell into place for me. Procedures and practices concerning manners and traditions seem logical to me. Maybe it's the infatuation with a time before us, a Downton Abbey type time. The word etiquette gets mixed up in my head with other words like chivalry, or dance cards, or the idea of changing into my cocktail attire. It's curious to me that I spend the majority of my life living casually in modern society and then for one day I ask people to step back into time to celebrate my future. Think about all the traditions of a wedding that are stuck in the past that we will pull out for just the day - the invitations, the white dress, the veil, the cocktail hours, the flowers, the seating arrangements, the dances, the bearer of rings, oh and those good luck garters. All of the sudden these things MATTER. This is the one day that we are sticking up for RSVPs and putting out for gold chiavari chairs. Okay, those chairs might not have anything to do with tradition, but we are having them.

So, with the exception of the chairs, let's make our own traditions! It would make just as much sense to me if we sent a little boy dressed as a bear down the aisle with our rings. Now, how adorable would that be?

H as in Hungry.

Much Love,

Boston Girl 87

#chiavarichairs #weddingetiquette

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