A heartbreaker in Miami

Well, congratulations to the Saints! It was a great game, and even though it didn't end the way I would have liked, it's hard not to be glad for the Saints.

At the beginning, the Colts looked solid, but after halftime, it appeared that the Saints had figured out their game, and beat them fair and square. The on-side kick opening up the second half was brilliant (only because it worked though). Manning's interception, the offensive pass interference, and the Colts' inability to score a touchdown on 4 consecutive plays pretty much sealed the deal. But, as we are used to saying here in New England (or we WERE used to saying) - there's always next year! It was a good game, and the Saints came out on top. The Colts and their fans should at least be glad that they lost to a team of the Saints' caliber.

Our potluck party was a ton of fun. Everyone brought dips or some other kind of chip/snacky food, and instead of ordering pizza, we ended up making potato skins, which were delicious. For dips, we had onion dip, buffalo chicken dip, hummus, spinach and artichoke dip in a bread bowl, and this really yummy Mexican salad-like thing.

Before the game started, we played the game Things, which if you've never played it, you should give it a try - it's a ton of fun! I received it as a birthday present from a friend, and it's been our go-to party game for the past few get togethers, even trumping Apples to Apples.

Here's some pictures from the party.


It's always nice to have our friends over. One of the perks is that MK and I clean the house from top to bottom (well, maybe except for our bedroom) - vacuuming, straightening, putting things away. I'm not saying our place is wicked messy, but it's nice to have everything cleaned up and neat.



This is my cousin Kate and I, wearing our matching Peyton Manning jerseys!

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Hi there, it's been awhile

Sorry for neglecting my poor blog, readers! I was enjoying a nice break from school, and then somehow, this semester just sneaked up on me, and I've been in full-on "juggle work, school, two internships, and life in general" mode. Unfortunately, when that mode kicks in, blogging takes a backseat.

Or a nap. Yeah, I'll go with that. My blog has been taking a nap. (Or resting its eyes, as my dad loves to say.)

Anyhow, the good news is that I'm in my very last semester (at least for now, until I decide maybe, just maybe, I want to become one of those horribly overeducated people with too many degrees)! This is great for me, but still kind of bad for blogging.

So for now, I'm just posting this "Hi! I'm still here; I haven't forgotten!" post, and it's just a quick one.

Here's a couple pieces I'm loving from J.Crew's current stock. First, the Laporte drape blouse - I think this piece is so pretty and versatile. I love the way they have it styled on the "Skirts" page!


I also love the Flutter-Flower Clutch, even if it is a bit impractical and I'm not quite sure where I would use it. But it is oh, so pretty!

Lastly, I have to mention the Super Bowl! My Colts are playing the Saints this Sunday! I'm so excited. I find it interesting that the Saints are the "underdogs" here. I am not familiar with betting (spread, over/under), but it seems like the general public thinks the Colts will win, although my non-stop watching of NFL analysts leads me to believe all of those people think the Saints will win. The other night, they pretty much spent the segment unanimously talking about how much better the Saints are, and all went around and made their picks (Saints across the board), and then Phil Simms actually said that no one is talking about the Saints. Baffling.

I'm biased of course, but I'm pulling for the Colts. I love Peyton Manning, and while I like the Saints, I also don't buy the argument that the Saints "deserve" to win any more than the Colts.


But anyway, that aside, MK and I have a busy weekend ahead of us. I have class tonight (oh yay), and all day tomorrow (double yay), and then on Sunday we're having a bunch of friends and family over for a party. Our group of friends has decided to have a rotating monthly potluck dinner, so this month's theme is the Super Bowl! Everyone is making a dip, and then we're going to order pizza, just to keep things simple.

What about you? Anyone have any fun Super Bowl traditions? Who are you rooting for on Sunday?

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Birthday Road Trip Recap: Part I

Over 2,000 miles, and we did it all in just about 36 hours! It was a long but super fun trip, so I'm splitting my recap into two parts. (Hopefully I'll get to the second part later this week.)

We got to Chicago on Friday, and met up with my cousin and Julia and her boyfriend for dinner at Texas de Brazil. Dinner was delicious (as expected), and MK managed to get himself stuffed just after his first course. We weren't too full to order dessert though, and MK had them surprise me with a birthday candle on the cake I ordered!


Here is a picture of all of us after dinner.
DISCLAIMER: MK wants you all to know that this picture was taken after dinner, and he was slouching and very full from getting the most out of his meal. He doesn't look like Cartman in real life.

After dinner, we took a picture of just the girls. It was so nice to have such great company for my birthday dinner!

We went out for some drinks after dinner, and then we headed back to my cousin's apartment to get some much needed sleep.

The next morning we met up with my friend's husband's cousin (got that?) for breakfast at Ann Sather's, a local Swedish diner. I love Swedish stuff - my grandfather was Swedish, so I'm a little biased. If you're ever in Chicago, you should definitely check this place out! It was pretty busy, but they had really delicious food, especially their cinnamon buns, pecan buns, and Swedish pancakes (which are more like crepes).

I was a little bummed that we didn't get to stay longer and hang out with my friend some more, but we had to get going in the early afternoon for the drive to Indianapolis.

We got to Indy around 4:30 PM, and checked into our hotel, and then met up with one of my friends from college who I hadn't seen in forever. She and I lived in the same house my freshman year of college, and we were good friends. It was great to get to see her again after so long and catch up!

After dinner, MK and I caught a showing of "The Men Who Stare at Goats" - we don't recommend it. It was a long couple of days, but definitely worth it! It was so nice to be able to spend time with old and new friends.

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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

No, it's not Christmas. And no, it's not back-to-school time. And it's not even my birthday (okay, well, it is, but that's not what makes it the most wonderful time of the year).


That's right - it's none of those things! For me, the most wonderful time of the year is that magical day in the fall when the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts play each other. For the 3rd year in a row, MK and I are headed to Indianapolis for the game (we also saw the Pats host the Colts in New England way back in 2005).

The game usually falls near my birthday, so the tickets to the game and the ensuing trip to Indy are my birthday present from MK. Part of the fun will be driving to Indy. (Yes, I did say driving.) MK and I love to take road trips, having driven to Indy twice and all the way to Florida once.

This year, we're making a pit-stop in Chicago to eat at our favorite restaurant, Texas de Brazil. The trip this year is also special because we'll be seeing a lot of different people - my cousin, one of my favorite blog friends, an old friend from college, and a couple of other friends who happen to be in Chicago.

Below is the route we'll most likely take - over 2,000 miles!

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