30 Day Song Challenge: Day 5

Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone

I'm going to pick a song that none of you have probably heard (or want to hear, lol), but this was *the song* that sort of made Cinco de Mayo memorable this year and reminds me of my guy. It also reminds me of the moment I knew he was going to propose...since, well, he basically suggested he had already purchased a ring. =) He made me wait for it, but I knew it was coming eventually.

We were drinking margaritas and staying local for Cinco de Mayo even though one of his favorite bands was playing a show thirty minutes away. On a whim, we decided to just head down there and go. We made it just as they were about to go on and it was a perfectly spontaneous night.

Big D & The Kids' Table's "Describing the Sky"

It's not too late to play along!

Original Post with Rules & Button here:
30 Day Song Challenge

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30 Day Song Challenge: Day 4

I don't want to spend *too* much time on today's song, because well, the topic is "a song that makes you sad." And, who likes to be sad? Not this girl!

Day 04 | A Song That Makes Me Sad

(Nothing really makes me sad, these just remind me of times in my life
when I might have been not entirely happy!)

Billy Joel's Vienna


Carrie Underwood's Jesus Take The Wheel
(Because when this song came out, I totally crashed my car and had a
near breakdown. Scary stuff.)

The real tearjerker for me is this one though.

Rem's Everybody Hurts

Bonus: This song doesn't make me sad, quite the opposite really, but it does get me all misty eyed! In a good way!

I've read that some brides have walked down to the aisle to this song, but I would be crying like a baby if I picked this song!

It's not too late to play along!

Original Post with Rules & Button here:
30 Day Song Challenge

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Wedding: My Bridesmaids are Fierce!

I knew from the beginning I didn't really want a traditional dress for myself...or my maids. I didn't really know where to begin, but I love cute (& cheap!) juniors dresses. My ladies all like to be a little fashionable, so once the colors were set (peach & aqua) I had stumbled upon these ruffly dresses from Lulus.com.
I didn't give much thought to them at first. I thought that it might be too early to buy bridesmaids dresses and it could be risky ordering things online. However, when the lovely Katie sent me the ruffly dress again when we were talking online... I knew it was the *one.* I alerted the girls and they loved it.

I let them pick whichever color they wanted, and we will have 2 blues and 2 peaches.

The dresses are slowly coming in and they are so cute! Luckily the dress is more blue than mint, and they seem to fit everyone pretty well. Now it's time to tackle accessories & shoes, and I think we are leaning toward silver....

Holly loves it. Really, she does.

:)

30 Day Song Challenge: Day 3

Today's post is Day 03 – A song that makes you happy.

This one is easy. For some reason, I just *love* this song. It's old and has stuck with me since I was younger.

The Archies | Sugar, Sugar

As for something a little more contemporary, I really love John Legend. "Stay With You" and "P.D.A." are amazingly cute.

Original Post with Rules & Button here:
30 Day Song Challenge

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30 Day Song Challenge: Day 2

Today's post is Day 02 – Your least favorite song. Well, this is easy.

Katy Perry | California Girls

I *hate* this song right now! I don't know why. It's just too cutesy? I'm usually a die-hard pop music fan, but I just can't stand this. I also get very upset when the local hip hop station plays this song. Katy Perry is not hip hop! And, just because Snoop Dogg makes an appearance.... that doesn't make it worthy. Ick.

Ok, I will give her credit because the video is cute. But, the song still hurts my ears.

Original Post with Rules & Button here:
30 Day Song Challenge

Be sure to add your blog to the McLinky!

30 Day Song Challenge: Day One

Today is the first day of this challenge and I'm already stumped. It's "Your Favorite Song." Well, can we clarify by decade or even my age?

If you would have asked me this in 1999, I would have said without hesitation:
Christina Aguilera | Come On Over

If you would have asked me this in 2005, I would have said without hesitation:
Brand New | Jude Law and a Semester Abroad

But, asking me this today, I can still admit that I listen to a lot of music that is considered "old." There are a few new songs that I adore and play them at repeat any time I get in my car. The two songs I'm obsessing over now are:

Gyptian | Hold Yuh

Pink | Glitter in the Air

Play along! The first post with all the rules is here.

30 Day Song Challenge

In an effort to make sure I blog every day (since I'm doing a pretty bad job at it!), I'm going to hop on board and participate in the 30 Day Song Challenge. It's cute. It's fun. I probably have no idea how to answer some of the questions, but it will get me thinking of all my favorites... and maybe I'll think of some good things to add to the reception play list (it's never to early to plan that, right!?) !




Day 01 – Your favorite song
Day 02 – Your least favorite song
Day 03 – A song that makes you happy
Day 04 – A song that makes you sad
Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 – A song that reminds of you of somewhere
Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 – A song that you can dance to
Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 – A song from your favorite band
Day 12 – A song from a band you hate
Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 – A song that describes you
Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 – A song from your favorite album
Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 – A song from your childhood
Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

I'll start this tomorrow!

Add your blog to the list!



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Krystal's Kudos: {leigh ashley}

Every so often, I will hunt a lovely lady down and give her "kudos." A little recognition every now & then doesn't hurt! =) For this week's installment of Krystal's Kudos, I picked someone who has interactive content, blogs honestly and emotionally and always talks to her readers!

Name: leigh ashley
Blog: www.myleighashley.com


Pet: i have three... two kitties, molly and bert and a pup named sadie. love them!

{Editor's Note: How cute is this dog!? It reminds me of my puppy, it's just white!}

Favorite color: ooh, right now it's teal. i just can't get enough! i love the color combo of teal and coral together... it's so light and cheery!

{Editor's Note: Ummmm these are *so* my wedding colors! Loves it!}

Favorite Restaurant: hu hot, hands down. it's this awesome mongolian grill that mike and i LOVE to go to!

Hobbies: besides blogging??? {smile} making cards, reading, i'm getting into making jewelry...
Favorite thing about yourself: hmm. i like to think i'm personable... i like to talk to people (most days) and i'm pretty friendly.
What does your room look like (color scheme, theme, etc.): my bedroom is painted seafoam green and has dark chocolate, light blue, silver and cream accents. i like the color because it's relaxing...
If you could have dinner with 2 people (dead or alive) who would they be: leonardo davinci and my great grandpa lapp. my ancestors were amish, so i think it'd be pretty awesome to hear stories about their lives. plus i've heard that he was the most generous and kind man.

What is your next “big splurge”: most likey a chevy tahoe. mike and i are looking to trade up!

What is your favorite joke, quote, or saying: "not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die." -anne lamott
Share a silly story: hmm. oh my gosh, i'm going to sit here forever trying to think of one. there have been so many times in my life that i remember gut laughing, but i don't think the reasons would be nearly as funny if you didn't have background info. my bestie and i went to college together. it was a baptist school and we thought it was funny to open all of our blinds and jump on our beds in our underwear after dark. our dorm faced the boys dorm. it was funny to us because it was rebellious... probably not so funny if you're reading about it!
Share a random fact: i am ADDICTED to college ruled lined paper. don't know why, just LOVE it.
Will you be on Blogger in five years? 10 years? hopefully!! i love all my bloggy friends!

Catch Leigh on Wednesday's for her weekly survey meme! =)

If you want to nominate someone (it can be yourself!), email me:
krystal@krystalskitsch.com

[Just Thursday]

Outside my window...there isn't one. How lame, right!?
The time is... 1:29 P.M.
Today I feel... under stimulated. Another date at the office...
I am thinking... about getting off work.
At the moment, I am thankful... that things seem to be moving right along.
I am going... to go to my new gym tonight. Let's see how it goes!
I am wearing... a blue shirt & black pants.
I wish... the entire house was organized.
I am reading... You'll Never Blue Ball in this Town Again by Heather McDonald.
It's *hilarious!*
I am working on... my To-Do List is a mile long.
I am hoping... that I can cross off some things on my *list.* =)
I am hearing... absolutely nada.
Around the house... puppies are running wild and there dishes to be done. I'm not at home yet though.
I bet you didn't know... it was my mom's birthday last night & we ate a lot.
One of my favorite... things to do at lunch time is sit outside in the sun.
My weekend plans include... eye doctor, cleaning, hopefully making it to two Zumba classes!

CSN Stores Giveaway: Enter to win $50

Hooray! CSN Stores has contacted me to give you all a chance to win $50 to go wild in their stores. From dining room sets to adorable Le Creuset cookware, I'm sure you could do some damage on their easy to use shopping website.

With over 200 stores, it can be fun to browse through all their items. I actually just made a few purchases this week. Check out my haul:

I've been wanting an air popper for forever now, I finally settled on one! I just needed something simple. I haven't used an air popper since the 90s, so I picked something that was a little cheaper.

I also purchased a birdcage card holder & a garter set (yes, seriously, I saw something cute!).

Are you now convinced that you can get literally anything you need on CSN Stores? I hope so.

Win It: CSN is giving one of my lucky readers $50 to spend.

How to Enter: Visit CSN Stores and tell me what you're lusting after.

Extra Entries:

Remember to leave a *separate* comment for each entry!

• Tweet this giveaway: Enter to win @CSNStores $50 at Krystal's Kitsch @KrystalS http://www.krystalskitsch.com
• Become a follower of Krystal's Kitsch via Google Friend Connect
• "Like" Krystal's Kitsch on Facebook
  
• Blog about this giveaway (five extra entries; please leave five comments!)
• Add my button to your blog (five extra entries; please leave five comments!)

Giveaway ends Wednesday, August 4th at 11:59 PM EST and the winner will be announced Thursday morning on August the 5th. Giveaway is for US & Canada residents only. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will have 48 hours to reply to my email. Remember, if I don't know your email and it's not in your profile... you can't win!

*I didn't receive anything in exchange for hosting this review.

Weekend Recap: Finally a Weekend at Home!

I've been blessed to have so much time off to where I can take a vacation here & there, but it can be exhausting to *not* be home! My homework was piling up, my mailbox was full (both electronically and in real life!), and my laundry pile was getting insane. I was very happy to be home! Let's take a quick peek at what I did this weekend: Thank goodness for weekends.

Friday:
Happy Hour with one of my lovely Maid's of Honor. Yes, I'm having two. I love these ladies way too much to distinguish between them. I have known this chica since we were 13. We've had our ups and downs, but ultimately we have remained "up." =) We went to one the malls in our area and hit Nordstrom's. I wanted to find out my dress size in a particular brand, because I intend on buying the *wedding dress* online (it's not carried in their stores, but other styles are). I might show a picture of it later, but I think the fiance is stalking my blog. ;)

I'm very interested in classy yet casual dresses for my wedding. I love sparkly, ivory, form fitting dresses. If any of you have any ideas, please let me know!

I got my size in the dress and tried on a few, but they all sucked. I know in my gut that I'm going to have to order online to get the unique style that I want.

We had dinner and a drink and headed to David's Bridal...just because it was still open and nearby. I hated pretty much everything there. It just wasn't my style. The less fabric the better. I am getting married on the beach outside in Florida. Even in February the weather can be hot (or cold, depending on how wacky our winter is).

In typical Grandma fashion, I was asleep by midnight.

Saturday:
I woke up early and headed to our venue to put down the deposit! I was so excited. I tried to snap some quick pictures, but the weather was gloomy and there was an event going on. Anyways, it's a sailboat marina at a nearby beach. Ideally the ceremony would take place on the sand across the street on the Gulf (please let the oil stay off our coast!), and we would then move to this marina for the *party.* I still managed to get these:

The view from the balcony

The deck outside

The inside room with deck

I was definitely glad to get that taken care of. I then hit a gym and joined. I was very excited about their class schedules (Zumba, Pole Dancing!), and I'm pumped to get back into the groove and work out again. I haven't gone since, but I hope to go tonight!

We spent all night at a local music festival and had a pretty stellar time.


Sunday:
Holy Bridezilla. I spent the afternoon at a very packed Bridal Show downtown. I did manage to get a cute 2011 Bride shirt and a couple other freebies, but it was crazy busy! I saw the caterer I'm interested in and mingled with some photographers. Talk about total cheese! Some of them were just soooo ridiculous and others were ridiculously priced. I did manage to get some good information from two of them, so I will follow up and see how they are. But, yea, navigating the halls of that show was ridiculous. I hope I win something awesome from all the registration forms I filled out!

Thankfully this summer semester is over (I was in two courses) and now I can focus on work, getting the house up to par, and some other internet projects I'm working on. =) Let's hope this week is productive!

Linked up at:

Cruisin' to the Bahamas: Day 3

Our last day of the cruise was spent in Coco Cay--Royal's Caribbean's private island. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it did exceed my expectations. The water was pretty and it was quiet. We were on the sand by 9 a.m. with a drink in our hand by 11. We tanned, ate, tanned some more. It was very relaxing.

Coco Cay's clear water

Our boat from the tender

Last sunset

Since this was our last night on the boat, we decided to skip dinner in the dining room so we could have more time for activities! We watched the sunset, took advantage of the dinner buffet and started packing (ick!). We hit up one of the lounges for karaoke (I watched our girlfriends sing some Britney, so proud!) and went to play the "adult" game The Quest. Have any of you ever heard of it? I hadn't, but I'm so glad I went! It was hilarious. Working together in teams, you have to complete the tasks that the announcer says. It started off tame with things like "Bring me an empty purse" (and all my stuff was dumped on the ground!) and moved on to things like "Bring me 4 women's bras!" We had a great team who wasn't shy and we ended up taking 3rd place. I now have a sweet bronze medal.

We watched some bad cruise ship comedy and, as usual, I was asleep by midnight. This was a good thing though since the boat docked back in Port Canaveral at 7 a.m.! Yikes!

I was glad to get home since I had a million things on my To-Do List, and I'm finally starting to get caught up on "life" again. I definitely recommend this cruise for a quick getaway with friends and family. Cruises are surprisingly cheap since meals are included, and if you keep your bar tabs low you can spend very little money on board. I've now cruised with two companies--Carnival and Royal Caribbean. It's very hard to determine which I liked better. I will say that Carnival was very party time and Royal Caribbean had more families. The food on Royal Caribbean was amazing, but Carnival's wasn't so bad either. I would cruise on either again. =)

It's time to look ahead and announce that we have *set the date.* February 19, 2011. The wedding planning has begun and I can't wait to share with you our progress. Holy goodness, that's close! I hope you all won't mind some wedding posts here & there.

Soda Stream Winner*

Congrats to Lauren @ Hobo Mama for winning the Soda Stream! I was so pleased with all the entries. We have a few more giveaways on the way...

Bon Voyage Burger Contest: Take a picture with Steak Umms!

Wherever you’re traveling this summer – whether hiking the Grand Canyon, visiting Times Square or ogling the Eiffel Tower in Paris – don’t leave home without Steak-umm Burgers (or at least the box)! Steak-umm “Bon Voyage, Burger!” Photo Contest is looking for the most creative photo of yourself and/or your fellow travelers holding a Steak-umm package anywhere in the world. Just snap the photo and submit it to the Steak-umm “Bon Voyage, Burger!” Photo Contest. The most creative photo gets the prize – the odder or funnier, the better.

The winning photog will receive a Samsung DualView TL220 Blue 12.2 Megapixel Digital Camera –$299.99 (MSRP). The contest runs from April 30 through August 15. Winners will be selected by August 25.

Here's How to Enter:

On the web

Send your pictures to any of the following:

Email: bonvoyagecontest@sspr.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Steak-Umm-Meats/291690560523?ref=mf
Twitter: Use http://twitpic.com and send it to @steak_umm

Let me know if you enter and good luck! :)

Friday, Friday, Friday

I've been so busy updating on vacation activities, that I have neglected my usual weekly memes. Well, I couldn't ignore Favorite Fridays this week. Cocktails are my specialty!

My Favorite Cocktail
{at the moment, you know these things change!}

Dragon Berry Mojito!

• 8 Mint Leaves
• 4 wedge(s) Lime
• 3 Strawberries Hulled and Sliced
• 2 part(s) Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum
• 1 part(s) Simple Syrup
• Club Soda

Instructions
In a shaker, muddle 3 lime wedges, simple syrup, mint leaves and 2 strawberries. Fill glass with ice and add BACARDI DRAGON BERRY. Shake and pour back into glass, top off with additional ice and fill with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig, lime wedge and a fresh strawberry.

Listen ladies, if you haven't had Bacardi Dragon Berry yet.... run to your nearest adult establishment and get yourself a drink! I drink it with Sprite, as a Mojito, as a fruity cocktail mixed with other things...I probably could drink it straight if I wanted to.


And, well, I am a *bit* partial to the Dragon Berry Mojito because it was my drink at dinner when I got my *sparkly* ring. =)

1. Do you collect anything? Lately I have been collecting postcards and stationary. I have been sending out a lot of packages and have somehow acquired various (and awesome!) postcards, note cards and stickers.

2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking.

Emile Hirsch

Christina Ricci (used to lover her!)

Vince Vaughn

3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)? I'm getting several from my wild puppies! I have one on my wrist from wrestling with the bigger dog and it appears that the puppy scratched up my leg real good... hopefully it doesn't turn into a scar.

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird? I usually eat things that are pretty traditional, however, I am willing to try things once.

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life? Luckily, no.