Love Sinks In... and She Didn't Wear a Wedding Dress!

Miss Bliss writes: this morning when I left for work, it was so hard to untangle from my snuggly cuddly warm sleepy love of my life... it reminded me of when we first got married almost two years ago and how hard it was when one of us left in the morning

we got married in a very simple way, when the tulips were a riot of color in boulder, co... not in the courthouse, but in a building with property records...that had antique file cabinets of deeds in Boulder, and old maps on the walls, scroll maps, etc. We visited on a spring vacation after not having seen each other for fifteen years... and got married 10 weeks later! This all happened at a time when I had cleared space in my life for love, and wanted it to happen when I wasn't looking for it... and it certainly did! Next thing I knew, he was assuring me he "wasn't letting me go."

We got off the elevator, in the Boulder building, holding hands, with his best friend in tow, and the women at the desk said, "Are you here to get married?" I guess they can see you from a mile away there...

We signed the most important paperwork of our lives right there, with a view of the Colorado mountains, two happy childhood friends reunited as adults, knowing each other's histories and ready to launch an amazing future together...

and one year later we had a party in St. Augustine, with family and friends, and said our vows to each other in front of everyone... I thought I had missed out on something by not wearing a wedding dress the day I got married, and wore one for our vow ceremony and reception. But I learned it didn't matter that I hadn't worn a wedding dress the day I got married.

What mattered was that we kissed a lot that day. What mattered was that we were ready to be a family, and we were too in love and had our heads so far up in the clouds, and we didn't mess up that amazing fallen-in-love period with dress shopping or invitation lists or reception details... his friend took lots of great pictures... we were blissfully happy in love, forgetting ice cream on top of the freezer to melt all night, leaving work an hour earlier by accident, spending every waking moment on the phone together that we could, with me in Miami finishing teaching a semester, and him working in Boulder. The minute the semester ended, I had my car packed and was moving to Boulder.

We did things in our own order. We even found my ring, at an antique store, after we got married...

and here we are, with me waking up in his arms, wondering how we have almost reached two years... and feeling like it's only been a year... really we have two anniversaries coming up: the day we got married, and the day of our vow ceremony and reception (5/16 and 5/17).

the first six months I cried a lot... he says now the first three were the hardest, but i was only crying because it was all sinking in: I was being truly loved in a way I never could have imagined possible... by an unbelievably sweet man who I'd spent my childhood with already and who knew me, and where I came from, and how far I'd come... and we were together again, and in charge of the joy now.

Now, the boy I swam in the Delaware water with, away from everything, safe together in the undercurrents, just us in the water, is the man I love, the man who hugs me in the salty ocean water here in Miami...the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with, the two of us just beginning to see and feel all the good life can hold...

Is Lilly worth it? ----Splendid Spring and Summer Dresses--for the little girls in your life

Here are my favorites from the Lilly summer collection for girls... (as I describe later-- not so much a fan for adults right now.)

So, Mr. Wonderful and I are *hoping* for a baby. I have three younger sisters, and hope for a little boy, after having my nephew in my life. Although I am dreaming of a little one, (and hoping for a boy,) these dresses are just too cute.



I am not too sure about Lilly Pulitzer for adults; I suppose that is because when I first became familiar with the brand, it was through seeing little girl's dresses in the Palm Beach, FL, area. So, I just love their classic shift with all the adorable prints, just for little girls. And the four-almost-five year old niece I have doesn't like dresses... or pink... just purple, and pants that are soft and good for bike-riding. :)


I like the one with coral, and the vintage lace ones, and the hot pink... some of the vintage ones available on e-bay, etc. are adorable, too.


Which ones are your favorites? Is it too much to spend for a child's dress? (They start around $100, hence I was thrilled to find them 2nd hand for my niece for 5 dollars) Or is it worth it if you love it?

Friday Fun!! Bon Voyage... enjoy bliss at sea!

Mr. Wonderful and I picked up a Philly childhood friend of ours, who now lives in Ohio, and her husband, at the Miami airport this morning. They are heading out to the Bahamas/Coco Cay on a Royal Caribbean ship, Majesty of the Seas, as I type!

We showed them Coral Gables, had lunch at La Provence, then saw the lovely Biltmore Hotel pool, (it is the largest hotel pool in the country...) University of Miami, and then headed to Miami Beach for a quick tour, before dropping them off at the Port of Miami to their ship!!!

It is her husband's first cruise. Bon Voyage!!

What has been your favorite vacation spot? We like recommendations!

Any vacation plans out there?

Godiva delivers again!

Dear shiny Godiva chocolate store in the Village of Merrick Park of Coral Gables, FL,

As you know, I could not resist you today. After probably a dozen times of passing you by, today your beckoning could not be ignored, the truffles called out from the shiny glass case.

And now you have Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles?? And a Key Lime truffle?

And a Bananas Foster truffle?? And a special free *peach* truffle?

What exactly are you trying to do to us? I live at a beach, you know. They were superb, of course.

Please keep it coming; you know I'll be back the next time I cannot ignore your premium chocolate calling out to be enjoyed...

Forget the rain!

All the doors are open, windows to! Breezes are 82 deg and palm trees are swaying, the smell of Dunkin Donuts coffee is on the breeze, and dinner plans are in the works.

I've been working on adding links to my column and finding the other columns I normally read and like. The list in down the right column.

Now I need to go back and add all the links to my Miami Beach haunts.

Back to work!!!

Tropical Rain and Coconut Coffee

I'm listening to tropical rain fall on large green thick tropical leaves. Drinking coconut coffee and feeling the rain cooled breezes. Life is good. Miss Bliss is dropping my revised application for summer classes so I'm having a good day. I need to do some writing about South Beach today and put together some slide shows for posting on the column. People love slide shows so I need to get on board with this. Hope all are having a great day today! Thanks to all our new readers and swing by newbies! You all have been great these last two weeks.

a an island oasis

a lovely little south beach hideaway we discovered when we pushed past the South of Fifth starbucks!

Closet emotions: the gender divide

Do you understand this picture?

Have you seen the girl showing her friends her walk-in "closet" commercial? I LOVE this commercial; it absolutely cracks me up each time I see it. It almost makes all the bad ones out there worth it if you have to see them to see this one...

I am not a big YouTube user, but the dancing kids ones make me laugh, too, when I see them-- Especially the one with the little boy stealing the show at the wedding...where do kids get these dance moves?

annechovie

Has the CUTEST artwork: I am loving her vespa and espresso machine paintings... she has a very nice aesthetic-- gorgeous renderings!!! Enjoy!!!

random domestic things I am grateful for...

a loving hubby, of course
editing and simplifying and building our lives together in the following:
fresh swept hardwood floors
robin's egg blue walls in our living room
french doors
white crown molding around said french doors
central a/c and a dishwasher in a South Beach apartment
blue and white tiles in the bathroom, aka my spa,
soft yellow bedroom walls, that make me think of Greece
a big walk in closet, again, in a tiny South Beach apartment
basil growing outside in terra cotta planters
tropical foliage outside our windows
cookie dough in the fridge
the salty ocean only two blocks away....
ocean breezes at night through our windows
and onto our skin
and
linda at lime in the coconut! on my laptop

A (Baker's) Dozen: Pink Picks for Summer!

Above, are these Donald Pliners not the most luscious and fabulous?

Below, These are... Uggs ?.. not your usual association, right?

Cole Haan London T-strap

Taryn Rose Braque--almost ballet-slipper like...

Diba-- I like the flower and the thong design

Taryn Rose--I love how the straps go over the edges

Michael Kors, I love you! I haven't been into cork at all, but these shoes could convert me...

Kate Spade delivers the bow....

Franco Sartos always make me happy...

Marc Jacobs... like the two tone, the bow, the cut-out detail... I think these are really precious...

Matisse--- so cute for a summer night... how great would these be with a maxi dress?

Steve Madden-- high energy on the gladiator take...

Type Z "Paradise" loving the Pucci style print and beaded front combo...


Which ones are your favorites? Do you need some pink therapy? I'm thinking I need the Donald Pliner, the Michael Kors, and the Taryn Rose sandals. That's all. Really. That will work perfectly.

Chocolate S'mores Cake

Here is a nice weekend project: Chocolate S'mores Cake! The man behind this recipe is also the one behind an insane thing called "Quadruple Chocolate Brownies." Keep 'em coming, Michael Rechiutti!

Etsy Bliss

Have you purchased anything from Etsy? What have you been happy with?

Today I am showing my favorites from Pink Maple Design. Isn't the sea foam color fabulous? I love the family charm, too. The ring is my favorite. Very beachy.

breakfast in bed

Miss Bliss writes: This morning, before I went off to teach, I was spoiled with breakfast in bed. Mr. Wonderful made DELICIOUS broccoli cheddar omelettes with cracked pepper. No excuse for not waking up...

It is so nice to be loved! By the way, our friend in New Mexico tells us sometimes, well, that could rot your teeth... We know. We figure somebody needs to be happy. :) Score!

triple scotcheroos? okay!

Erin over at dinner and dessert has given me a weekend baking project: yu-um!

Triple Scotcheroos...

double chocolate Ghirardelli brownies

warm from the oven, yum... and don't forget the red wine... these are the BEST and believe me, we have done our research! I added a teaspoon of instant espresso tonight...nice flavor addition. I'll be blogging again in the wee hours, probably... ;)

what are your chocolate recommendations? any blissful red wine recommendations? cheers!

happy life...

spring in South Beach and Coral Gables

Miss Bliss writes,

this week the tropics unveiled some spring like behavior-- even more dazzling greens, glowing blues, sublime yellow, baby pinks among the palm trees, just lovely! The colors pop and make your heart sing... they make you remember to soak in the beauty of life. The clouds even glistened this week, coating my soul with the earth's vibrancy in my little corner of the world... hope my basil begins to go crazy so we can make some good pesto soon...