Long Tall Sally

Matt's mom sent us a bunch of wedding information from a vendor fair she went to in Portland, and we got the package yesterday. Amid the brochures of cup-cake makers, florists, and photographers (one of which charges $15,000, good lord!), was a catalogue that didn't quite fit with the rest... entitled Long Tall Sally.

I don't think I've ever written about this on this blog before, but I am tall. I'm a little shy of 6 feet and 2 inches, in fact. Clothes have been a struggle all my life, because let's face it - there aren't many women over 6 feet out there yet. There's not a single store in Spokane that I can actually walk into a buy a pair of pants at. Anyway, I thought it was really thoughtful of Matt's mom to send me this catalogue, because I've never heard of the company before, and I'm always looking for places that sell clothes that will fit me!

One of the things I've been most excited for this summer is the maxi dress trend - and I've been dying to get one! Unfortunately, they are all too short, and not in the way that I could still potentially pull off. But now, I have some options!

I can totally see myself wandering around downtown in a pair of gladiators and the Nirvana Maxi Dress in Khaki during the middle of summer!

A night on the town or an outdoor summer wedding? The Woodstock Dress has got it covered!

Rolling out of bed for a lazy Sunday brunch would look so much more elegant in the Karma Maxi Dress!

Tall women out there, check out Long Tall Sally. They also have a great selection of light, long summer skirts, jeans, trousers, and other basics. I'm definitely going to be buying a few items in the near future!

Wedding Wednesdays - Episode 3

To hire a wedding planner? Or do it myself?

I've been tossing these questions around to myself for the last couple of weeks. Since we've decided to have the ceremony in Portland, which is a 6 hour drive (1 hour plane trip) away from where we live, something or someone is going to have to help me. The last thing I want is to guilt some relative (or soon-to-be relative) into doing a bunch of stuff for me because I'm incapable of doing it myself, or making the arrangements to get it done.

On the one hand, I'm a control freak. I like knowing exactly what's going to happen, when it's going to happen, and who's going to be doing it. I like having a schedule that I have complete control over. I like having a say in everything. And honestly, I kind of like putting together events - granted, I've never done even close to the size of a wedding - and think it would be genuinely FUN to put this together. As long as I don't take it too seriously, that is!

On the other hand, I know nothing about planning a big event, let alone a wedding! I can count the number of weddings that I've attended as an adult on one hand, and I haven't been in a wedding since I was... 6? I also have this tendency to bite off more than I can chew, and then refuse to admit that I need help when I actually do need help. These things aren't really good when coupled together, I think.

Basically, I need Jennifer Lopez from The Wedding Planner. Except I'd rather her not steal my groom!


Ladies that have attended or planned weddings, did you have a wedding coordinator/planner? If you could go back, would you change your mind about whether to have one or not?

Combatting Stress with Craftiness

It's been a rough weekend, coming back from 8 days away, preparing to go back to work after working from Houston for a week, trying to adjust my sleep schedule to be normal again, and making up for a week of missed chores. *sigh* So much to do, so little time!

Whenever I get stressed, I like to do something "creative". It's even better when that creative thing is for someone else! Since my birthday was a couple weeks ago, I decided to make some thank-yous to send to my family members that sent me presents. My mom always used to make us make birthday cards and thank-you notes when we had to send them, so it's a habit I've had since childhood I suppose. Anyway, here's my handiwork - I think they're pretty cute, and I finished them during the 20 minutes of The Simpsons we had DVR-ed!

Flowers are the perfect addition to every Spring card!

I've found the urge to "make things" coming on more and more, and it's made me reaaaaalllly want a sewing machine. I used to make all kinds of stuff - doll clothes for my American Girl Doll (Kirsten, the Swedish one, of course!) and various other crafty projects. I've been imagining the reusable grocery bags I could make; the aprons I could assemble that are actually proportionate to my body; I've even had an occasional desire to learn how to quilt.

I think I'll probably go for something a little more... modern? But you get the idea.

As my mom would say, "Add it to the registry!" And in the mean time, I'll keep making cards when I need to take my mind off things.

Getting Back On Track With Work-Outs

Nothing side-tracks your health like an extended vacation/work trip. Add that to a whirlwind few weeks of amazing life-changing-ness, and you've got a food and lack of exercise bender for the entire month of April. Well, no more! This is the week to get back on track.

As with everything I do, it's go big or go home. So I've assembled a work-out plan to kick my butt and teach me a lesson - make time for exercise every day! So here's the plan:

• Monday: A morning run, and an after work spin class
• Tuesday: A morning run, and mid-day weights
• Wednesday: Mid-day yoga, and after work cardio (probably elliptical and stair thingy)
• Thursday: Flying Irish!
• Friday: Mid-day run, and after work yoga
• Saturday: Long yoga class and some light cardio
• Sunday: Bloomsday!

After this week, I think I'm going to start up on 30 Day Shred. I need a challenge, and I feel like Jillian Michaels is the one to provide that challenge. Plus, the blog world has been blowing up with how great this workout DVD is, so I've got to give it a try myself!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm sooooo happy to be back home and cooking again this week! I've missed it - eating out really gets old after awhile. Nothing too adventurous this week, just trying to make the most of my time being home again! As always, check out Org Junkie's website for more menu planners!

Monday: Tofu and veggie curry served over brown rice.

Tuesday (class night): Breakfast for dinner! Which means omelettes.

Wednesday: Quinoa with Black Beans (my first time trying quinoa!), and grilling - Matt has a steak, and I have veggie burgers.

Thursday: Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce and some baked tofu (marinated in BBQ sauce)

Friday: Polenta with Tomato Sauce and some sort of veggies.

Saturday: Matt's choice - whatever he feels like tonight

Sunday: Leftovers, or food at various Bloomsday festivities!

I've been tagged!

While I was away, Megs over at Newbie New Yorker tagged me for this little meme (love her blog, check her out!). So here goes!

Here are the rules...

1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag other un-tagged people.

The Questions:

What is your current obsession? Aprons! I love aprons; I want to get a sewing machine just so I can make aprons; I look at aprons on Etsy instead of clothes shopping when I'm day-dreaming at work; I even write blog posts about aprons!

What do you think your name says about you? Well, Rebecca is a pretty classical, biblical name; it says that I'm not Jewish maybe? Ha, I don't really know.

Who was the last person you hugged? Matt! Well, and Monkeybear (he'll get his own post soon).

What’s my favorite dinner? I love love love curry. I think I prefer Thai curry to Indian curry, but definitely a green curry packed with veggies and tofu over rice. Yum! I could seriously eat curry every day.

What was the last thing you bought? Coffee and a bagel at the neighborhood coffee shop this morning; and groceries yesterday.

What are you listening to right now? The NBA playoffs (go Celtics!).

What is your favorite weather? Warm rains. The kind that you can go out and get soaked in, but not be cold.

What is your least favorite season? Winter! I'm not a snow person at all, and the darkness and coldness and heavy snows just are NOT my cup of tea.

What's in your bathroom cabinet? Basically nothing, because I took everything with me to California and Texas and haven't unpacked yet!

Say something to the person/s who tagged you (Megs from Newbie New Yorker). Her sense of style is amazing - I love reading about her new finds!

What is your favorite tea flavor? My engagement tea - Marzipan Rose Black Tea. It's delicious and will always hold a special place in my heart.

What did you want to become as a child? When I was super young, I wanted to be a ballerina. The more practical career path that I decided on around age 10 was an Ambassador to Europe.

What do you miss? I miss Seattle - A LOT - and I miss all of my friends and family that I haven't seen in a long time!

What's your favorite brand of jeans? Jeans and I have a love-hate relationship - the only ones that fit that I can afford are Gap brand, so I guess them.

What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own (new or vintage)? I would love to own a classic cocktail dress from the 1940s or 1950s - something that I could wear to Christmas parties and the symphonies that is classically beautiful.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Sweden!

Who do you want to meet in person? Jake Gyllenhall, because he's beautiful and talented. And I think it'd be really fascinating to sit down and have a discussion with Hillary Clinton about her life, where she's been, and where she's going. Love her or hate her, she's had a really interesting life so far.

What is your most challenging goal right now? Planning my wedding. Hands down. It's lots of work!

What’s your 5 year plan? Get married; finish my masters and start my PhD; buy a house that I love in a city that I love; spend significant amounts of time traveling. Yeah, that's about it!

Why is today special? Today is special because it's a beautiful, sunny Sunday in Spokane and I might get to see some friends I haven't seen for a while!

What is my favourite sport to watch? NCAA basketball, curling, and gymnastics. To play? - Does running count? Cuz I'm a runner, and I love it. Other than that, ultimate frisbee and tennis.

What's your favouritve TV show right now? Hands down, Big Love on HBO. Reality-wise, it's The Hills.

Where do you do most of your blogging? In my super comfy over-sized arm chair, with my feet up on the Ottoman. So comfortable!

Tag! You're it! I'm tagging the following lovely ladies:

• Rachel at Operation Pink Bikini
• Liz at One Must Shock the Bourgeois
• Erin at Suburban Euphoria
• Lil Woman at Little Woman, Little Home
• Bernadette at Making Stuff and Doing Things
  

Grocery Blogging

Well, I successfully made it back to Washington in one piece! I left the Houston hotel at 5:30am (central time!), and I hit the sheets in my own bed for the first time in 8 days around midnight (there was a slight detour to a Death Cab for Cutie concert in the middle there). It feels soooooo good to be home, although my sleep schedule is pretty messed up. I crashed at 8pm last night, and woke up at 7am this morning... after being wide awake yesterday after barely 6 hours of sleep at 6am! It's going to be an interesting week, to say the least...

So what does a girl just home from a week away do on her first day back? Retail therapy! In the form of grocery shopping, because I was craving home-cooked food after a week and a half of meals out. I decided to mix things up a bit, and hit the local co-op-ish grocery store instead of the chain natural foods store. It was decidedly more expensive, but it was nice to be somewhere new.

The goods!

Here's what I left with (cost around $40):

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 avocado
• 1 lb package Small Planet firm tofu
• 1 package alphabet soup mix (looks delicious!)
• 1 bottle agave nectar (heard so much about this, just had to try it!)
• 6 frozen vegetarian tamales
• 1 box Amy's Alfredo and Shells
• 1 box Lundberg Parmesan Risotto
• 2 pounds quinoa

I'm looking forward to planning this week's meals today with these goods in mind... it's nice to finally be cooking for myself again!