Monday without Diet Coke

Good news, I'm still alive.

I know you were worried.

My lack of attention comes from the fact that we're nearing the end of the worst month ever invented. February has been worse than normal just because despite the constant gray we haven't even had a good snow. This yo-yo ing between 60 degrees with rain and 40 degrees with sun is quite capricious. Mother Nature - get your act together, you're toying with my emotions. No one likes a tease.

However, by the end of the week, annual awful will have ended and I can get back to sorts.

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon with all of my sisters. We celebrated the youngest's birthday with lunch, mani/pedis and some new jewelry for her.

She's 15 and it is VERY STRANGE. I left for college when she was 8 years old and now she's most definitely a teenager. It's hard to start treating her as more of an adult - I just barely started seeing my 19 year old sister as an adult! But, her life is full of boys, cell phones, parties and new clothes so I'm pretty sure it's time I get over it and let her be as old as she is. This was the first year I had to check her schedule before I planned her birthday festivities. 

So Weird

As far as life without diet coke, I hate to admit this, but I think I actually am starting to survive without it.  

Wednesday was bad, headaches and shaking hands. 

Thursday was crippling. 

Friday the headache didn't kick in until noon. 

Saturday it didn't kick in until 4pm. 

Yesterday, no headache just exhaustion. 

Today, going good so far! 

I think I'm beating this thing!

Anyways, here are some pretty and happy things to help you survive the last few days of the most terrible month.

Since we've had a serious lack of snow this year, I thought I'd share a snowy paradise, straight out of a fairy tale.

Source: flickr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

When I went to Germany, we visited the Neuschwanstein Castle. It's the castle the Disney castle was modeled after and is very bizarre.  When you visit it, you feel like you're visiting a museum - everything is ornate and over the top. 

It was built in the late 1800s by King Ludwig II of Bavaria - at the same time the first skyscrapers were being built in America . He was a huge fan of music and theater and adored Wagner. His castle celebrates his love of art and he apparently had elaborate sleighs built so that he could travel around the countryside in historic attire.  It struck me as strange that such an old fashioned building decorated lavishly was built so recently. 

The location is gorgeous though and the castle really is magnificent.

I'm hoping spring is just around the corner. As such, I'm planning my garden for this season. One of the problems I've encountered with planting seeds is I always forget what I've put where.

Source: shineyourlightblog.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I saw this idea on pinterest and can't wait to try it. We have plenty of corks at my house and I think this looks so much nicer than seed packets that get bleached and torn in the elements.

Finally, Easter is coming very quickly. I'm really excited to try Martha Stewart's spin on traditional Easter Eggs. These eggs are so sparkly and I think they will be really fun to make!

Source: marthastewart.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Yes, that's Will Ferrell - Happy Mardi Gras!

Just got back from a great weekend in New Orleans, where Will Ferrell made an appearance as the King of the Bacchus parade. 

We sampled hurricanes, king cake, shrimp and grits, alligator, catfish, jambalaya, pulled pork barbecue, many flavors of the local Abita brew and po'boys, which in New Orleans are a must. Every bit of food we tasted was delicious! I need to spend some time learning how to make Cajun food! 

People got really competitive trying to catch some swag. Contrary to popular opinion, you do not have to reveal yourself to get beads, you only have to wave your hands like a loon and cheer loudly. We came home with more swag than we know what to do with! 

Everyone warned us that Mardi Gras gets really crazy - it actually wasn't nearly as bad as what I expected! The city certainly knows how to throw a good party though. 

The amount of trash leftover after the parades was mind boggling. The streets were overflowing with waste. Apparently, the city can get an estimate on revenue generated by Mardi Gras based on the pounds of trash collected after the event.

 The most amazing part: the city had each parade route sparkling clean by the following morning. 

Inmates on good behavior worked through the night and everything was ready for the next set of parades the following day. 

New Orleans fascinates me. 

Much of the city is still blighted from Katrina and many residents still suffer the effects of the BP oil spill. 

I've never seen more abandoned buildings in one place. 

The parades included school marching bands and dance troupes and they were completely racially segregated. 

The poverty in the city is very apparent. The roads are a mess and because the city sinks at different rates, the sidewalks are chaotically uneven. Crime is rampant and the government is corrupt. 

However, the music, art, architecture, food and climate are all incredible. 

Contradictions abound.

Lower 9th Ward: The red marking is where the water line was on this house on September 10, 2005. The  marking was made as rescue workers searched for bodies - the number announces how many were found and if the house is clear. 

You can still see kids toys on the floor. 

Many homes haven't been rebuilt.

Brad Pitt has built many sustainable and affordable homes in the area for residents who have returned. Some bemoan the architecture chosen as it does not resemble the shotgun style of the original homes. However, he has contributed a significant amount to the area and to the people who did not have means to help themselves.

The blue posts mark the water levels. 

It really was eyeopening to see that the recovery process is this far from over.

"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one…just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had."

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1 

Monday Day Dreams

Source: 28.media.tumblr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

My thoughts are already wandering towards this upcoming weekend in Cape May. 

Daydreaming about our weekend escapes is oftentimes easier than facing my Monday morning to-do lists. 

Welcome to Miami

Chris' buddies welcomed us to Miami on Friday evening. This was my first time meeting his friends from Miami and I was warned ahead of time that it might be a bit overwhelming, in the way that only a group of guys bro-ing out can be.

 I had nothing to worry about. 

They were a great time and treated me like gold the whole time I was there. 

We were woken up Saturday morning with summons to come out to the balcony. I jumped out of bed and scrambled for my camera. 

The guys had climbed from the second story balcony onto the roof above. 

Quite the early morning wake up call! 

Chris warned me that we might be in for a bit of a raucous weekend, but we didn't go to any bars while we were there. 

His buddy, Alex, had just gotten a gorgeous 42ft fishing boat and we spent most of our time out on the water. 

The sea was a bit rough, but I loved every second of it. We even encountered waves close to 8ft, but this boat handled it like a gem. 

Sunday evening, things were a bit calmer, and we took the boat to dinner in Miami. We pulled the boat up to the dock and ate amazing seafood on the porch overlooking the water. 

 I finally got a chance to see the "U"'s campus after hearing so much about Chris' college days! Don't get me wrong, St. Mary's was amazing and I loved every second of it, but the University of Miami has a definite resort feel. They took the fun that we had on the waterfront 3 months out of every school year, and extended it to the full year. This weekend was one of their coldest weekends, with lows in the high 40s and highs in the mid 70s. It was heaven. Can you imagine that much sunshine and warmth?! 

We went out kite fishing and were 0 for 2 on sailfish. The reel stopped working and the fish escaped. Chris did get a mackerel while we were bait fishing though!  

This boat flies - we went 60+ mph. 

Imagine sitting on the hood of your car and flying down the highway - add some better scenery and you've got it. 

Chris and I climbed (yes, you have to hold on for dear life and climb your way forward when you're going that fast!) our way forward to the bow and held onto the anchor line for stability. 

Exhilarating doesn't begin to describe the feeling. 

 As much as the guys care about fishing...I really - don't. It's nice, but it doesn't get me crazy excited, so just having time out on the water was so much fun. 

My favorite part of the whole weekend was Sunday morning out on the water. We only had 4 people on the boat including me and we cranked great tunes, had a few beers and soaked up the sun. I helped a bit with the fishing, but mostly just hung out.  The guys enjoy each other's company so much and it was a lot of fun to spend time with them.

All in all, I'm crossing my fingers for good weather next weekend. If the wind is right, we're going back for a boat trip to the Bahamas. 

Happier

Source: google.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Last night I took stock of my life. I looked at the things that were upsetting me and the things that were making me happy. Then, I took some steps to make some changes. Now, although nothing has dramatically changed, I feel significantly better about the small progress I made. Then again, I might just be happier because the sun is shining and I'm headed to Miami tomorrow :)

Source: absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

What are you doing this weekend? I'm dreaming of sunshine, sand, water, sundresses, bikinis, flops and sunnies... 

Also, a friend sent me a link to this promotion to create and send a free card! I just created mine and it was so easy and turned out really well if I do say so myself. Valentine's Day is coming up and even if you don't have a special someone, it's always fun to brighten someone's day with a random card!