Cannibal Hippos & White Dresses

What does the title (the Cannibal Hippos part) have to do with this girly blog you ask? Absolutely nothing. But it was on Animal Planet while I was typing this post, and for some reason I found it hilarious, so here it is. I love being the boss of this blog! :)

So, after my super-depressing week last week (see previous post) I am back to my beloved blog and trying to put on a happy face. And nothing perks me up like a little retail therapy. On that note, I have been on the hunt for the perfect white dress for summer.  Yes, I've already bought a white wedding dress and a white rehearsal dinner dress, so maybe I have white on the brain. But I'm talking the perfect little white sundress here, one that will be cute for summer concerts with my old cowboy boots, or look hot with sky high nude platforms for a night out. Check out my picks below (I'm leaning toward the 1st one from Banana...)
Hope you all are having a lovely Monday!

XO
-L

1. Twist Back Veranda Dress from Banana Republic
2. Emma Shift Dress from Alloy
3. Daytime Jersey Scoopneck Dress from Victoria's Secret
4. BB Dakota Caleb Dress via Zappos
5. The Way you Look Tonight Dress from Ruche

A New Perspective (or what to do when your wedding venue burns down...)

Remember that episode of Friends when Emily & Ross are getting married and the church where their ceremony is being held gets destroyed? But they still have the wedding there and everything is beautiful. Yeah- I watched that episode too and remember wondering what I would do if that happened to me. Then I thought, "Silly girl! That's on TV, that would never happen in real life." You truly never think it will happen to you. And then you get an email that the venue where you are having your wedding in exactly 108 days has been hit by lightening and burned down. Yes, I got that email this morning.

My heart truly goes out to the owners and staff of Barr Mansion, they are such talented creative people and I hope they know how many people are pulling for them. My heart also goes out to all the brides scheduled to get married there this weekend and in the coming weeks, I am praying for each and every one of you and wish you the best. 

So, after a good cry, then some laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, I have come to a couple of conclusions. I would marry Geoff in a burlap sack in the 7-Eleven parking lot if that meant we got to be together, so in the grand scheme of things I know that its about the marriage and not the venue. And Barr Mansion is an AMAZING venue and I know they will rebuild and make our wedding as wonderful as possible.
Please say lots of prayers for everyone this has affected. 
We love you Barr Mansion!

XO
-L 

Image by Eric Hegwer
He went out to the site and has a helpful article and more photos here. 

The Ballroom in its original state, image via BarrMansion.com

Experiencing Technical Difficulty

Yeah, so things are a little insane at work right now, and the wedding is eating my lunch. So I am skipping the blog today ( and possibly tomorrow...) but will be back soon with more treats to share. In the meantime, here is an adorable kitten video to past the time.

XO
-L

Flank Steak Pinwheels & A Long Weekend

Happy Friday! I'm so glad summer-and memorial weekend- is here! Its time for a long weekend spent with family and friends and my super cute fiance. YAY! We are headed to Big Ol' Lubbock, TX to spend time with my fave people. I can't wait for cookouts, pedicures, and time at the pool. I will be back on Tuesday with more bloggy goodness. Until then, I leave you with a fantabulous recipe that we had for dinner last night (the grilling madness continues!)
Enjoy and have a happy Memorial weekend! 

XO
-L 

PS- Don't forget to thank a veteran or service member of the military- this weekend is for us to remember their sacrifice and service. A special WOOT to Dustin Trammel (Laine's hubby) and Randall Markham (Laine's little brother)- My 2 fave military men! Thank you for all you guys do!

Meaty little yummies before going on the grill!

FLANK STEAK PINWHEELS
(Recipe via Eatingwell.com)

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil, package should say ready to eat...)
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons light herbed cheese spread (we used a wedge of Laughing Cow Garlic Cheese)
1 cup baby spinach
Steak Seasoning (we Love Swamp Venom from The Dizzy Pig-YUM!) 

PREPARATION
Preheat grill to high.

Meanwhile, place steak between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound each side of the steak thoroughly with the pointed side of a meat mallet until the steak is an even 1/4-inch thickness.
Season the steak liberally (on both sides) with the Swamp Venom (or steak seasoning.)
Rub garlic all over one side of the steak. Spread cheese lengthwise in a 3-inch-wide strip down the middle of the steak. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Starting at one edge of a long side, roll the steak up tightly, tucking in the filling as you go. Turn the roll so the overlapping edge is on top. Push 8 skewers, evenly spaced, through the roll, close to the overlapping edge to hold the roll together. Slice the roll into 8 equal portions, roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, with a skewer in each. Lay the slices on their sides and push the skewer through so it sticks out about 1 inch.
Oil the grill rack (with PAM for grilling.) Grill the pinwheels 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Use a spatula when turning them to prevent too much filling from falling out. (Don't worry if the ends of the skewers burn. They will still hold the pinwheels together.) Remove the skewers; let the pinwheels rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

We served with Sweet potatoes and sauteed spinach- healthy and yummy!

Todays Letters & Building Your Best Marriage

The Loerke's (aren't they cute? I'm just sayin...)
Images via Todays Letters

On this little blog I talk a lot about crafting, fashion, food, design and wedding goodness. I love all of these things, and find creative inspiration and passion in them. But sometimes you have to talk about the really important stuff too. With all of the work that goes into the wedding planning, I am also always thinking of ways to make not only the wedding amazing, but the marriage that comes with it amazing and wonderful as well. I love gathering insight into other people's relationships and marriages and truly feel the more I learn, the more I can devote to making ours the best possible.

My sweet friend Laine introduced me to a blog called Todays Letters that has become such an inspiration to me. The Loerke's have been married for 5 years and live right here in Dallas (woot!) And, while I don't know them personally, I love starting each day with a wonderful little post about their lives and love. I was especially touched by this post: 10 Things That Have Made All the Difference. I am such a fan of making sure we say how much we love each other everyday and love finding ways to show G that I'm his biggest fan. I can't wait to incorporate some of these lovely things into our relationship. I'm buying a journal today for #3!

I love love love you G! You are always the best part of my day and I am truly-incredibly-crazy lucky to get to marry my BFF and partner in crime.

XO
-L