Posts Tagged ‘Holidays’
On the Cheap! Cute and Simple Valentine’s Ideas
February 10, 2010
Here are some ideas for showing your honey, your significant other or BFFs that you love them!
Cook in and stay in. Cook something new and decorate your dinner plates with fresh fruit slices. Serve fruit kabobs for dessert. Drizzle sauces — like gravies or chocolate sauce — in swirly designs.
Get crafty. Get a matted frame from Target, Walmart or any craft store. Insert a picture and write nice things on the matte. For example, places you’ve gone together, favorite memories or private jokes.
Make a gift basket that’s useful. I love when Billy wears Axe Dark Temptation Body Spray. I like when he shaves his face too. A toiletry “basket” with all of his favorite (and my favorite) stuff would be perfect!
Go somewhere. My favorite places are Grounds for Sculpture and the Mutter Museum — admission is really cheap! Oh yeah, the grease trucks at Rutgers University are yummy and fun too!
Act like kids together. Build an indoor fort and hang out underneath the covers.
Keep it simple. Order a pizza and watch your favorite movie and your honey’s favorite movie.
Get nostalgic. Gather all your old pictures, movie and concert tickets, matchbooks, etc. to make a memory box. You can also buy a shadow box at the craft store and add your memorabilia there.
Create a rainy-day fund. Give your honey a piggy bank and make plans for how you’ll spend the bank together when it’s full.
Laugh together. Try to get your hands on some old home movies. Yup, Billy has seen video of me at my 5th bday party, my First Communion and me in the Philippines wearing umbros and a Bartman tee-shirt.
Take a couple’s class together. Cooking? Yoga? Pottery? Do your research. There’s a lot out there! Even if it’s not something you would normally want to do — but your partner would — suck it up and do it!
Photo by weenee.
Today’s my Birthday, and I Have an Attitude of Gratitude
February 8, 2010
Since I’m 30 now … here’s a list of 30 things what I’m thankful for:
1. My fiancée, Sweet William! He loves me for my craziness, randomness, dreams and goals.
2. Gabby and Sofia — my beautiful and fun nieces.
3. My brother, Mike, and his wife, Kim. They give so much to the community …
4. Hardworking parents. They’ve given me so much!
5. Front-row friends.
6. Cousins by the truck-load.
7. Loving and supportive “in-laws.” They are so generous!
8. My SUV. I can drive in the snow!
9. A set of new, sharp knives. I love cutting stuff now.
10. Inspirational books.
11. People that challenge me.
12. My Fit Friends, my workout partners and students.
13. Writing mentors — Holly and Greta, who really helped develop me and encourage me as a writer.
14. My Twitter friends.
15. People who give me blog love.
16. My favorite aunts — Auntie Evelyn, Auntie Alice and Aunt Diane.
17. Danielle — my maid of honor/BFF.
18. My education. No one can take that away.
19. My job at Amerikick. I’ve been teaching there for almost nine years.
20. Private jokes that make me laugh, even when I’m by myself.
Read the rest of this entry »
Super Bowl Sunday Love Story
February 7, 2010
I do love Super Bowl Sunday — and it’s not because of football — I have great party memories. Going to my friend’s parent’s house and eating all their food … “canoeing” on the frozen late behind my brother’s house … every year is a good time. My favorite was a few years ago when the Giants won.
Billy and I had been dating for three weeks or so — and it was a whirlwind romance. On the first date he asked me to go to the Cat Power concert. (I was like … um, ok buddy, maybe I’ll spend my birthday DAY with you — and I did! HA!) But after that first date — Thai food, my choice, of course — we hung out a lot and did fun stuff like wander around Wegman’s, go to Chinatown for dim sum and Reading Terminal Market. We talked, texted, went out to eat … all those good things … then he told me he was going to bring me to his parent’s house for Super Bowl Sunday. AND he told me he’s a Giants fan. Little did I know what I was getting myself into!
There we were, February 3, 2008. We walked around the back of his parent’s house. His dad was out there. He introduced himself and said — I’m Bill Meise — I had the stupidest look on my face because I thought … is he messing with me? That’s Billy’s name!
We went inside and there were all kinds of people there. Billy’s mom, sister and her friend, Uncle Gary, Cousin Karen, her husband and their kids, her husband’s father … Cousin David and his son … Timmy and Timmy’s girlfriend. It was kinda funny. Looking back, I wish I wore that eye-patch and hook like I said I was going to …
Anyway, we ate and ate — Billy’s mom did it up big — and people yelled, screamed and acted crazy. I’m not sure if Billy was “testing” me out that night, but I passed! He told me later that he knew he had fallen in love with me that night. I guess I did too … especially when the Giants scored, I went to hug him … and Cousin David beat me to it. Those two were lifting eat other up and carrying on (while I stood there waiting — like chopped liver!)
Oh Super Bowl … food, friends, family … and love! (And some football.)
Photo by tabgiblehope.
AllThingsGwen.com is my unofficial guide to health and happiness. It's a chronical of me finding my way.
I encourage you to think about “AllThings[YOUR NAME HERE]” and what’s really, truly important to you. Hope you enjoy my recipes, fitness tips, motivational posts and aha moments.
- RT @motivationlive: People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it. - Anonymous
- Oh man. Gotta teach 7 am and 9 am kbox after crazy Meise wedding.
- I was part of Facebook's IPO! Bought many a share. Hope it makes some bacon. I will tell my grandkids about this historical moment.
- Planning our First Annual Meise Summer Jam. There will be a big roasted pig.
- Best part of tonight was when Cha Cha Slide came on and Aunt Mary Jane asked, "Is this the Dougie?"
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