Fun Fact Friday # 2

Smoking... I've NEVER tried it, and I have NO desire to try it in my lifetime! But I am continuously amazed at how many people still smoke in this world!!! Actually... "Worldwide, about 1.35 billion people smoke. The world population statistic in 2009 stood at 6.8 billion meaning almost 20% of the world’s population smokes," says QuitSmokingHub.com. Also, "1,000 teens become NEW smokers every day in the United States." It's really hard for me to believe so many people continue to smoke cigarettes given all that we know about how harmful and sometimes deadly smoking cigarettes really is!

You might be asking, "Why am I blogging about this?" Well, this issue, "cigarette smoking," bugs the YOU-KNOW-WHAT outta me! On my way to work each morning, I walk about 1/2 mile outside in the city from my train to my office. I find myself constantly dogging the people in front of me who are smoking. I absolutely HATE getting a whiff of their 2nd hand smoke! In fact, it really really upsets me. Oh, and watching the smokers throw down their cigarette bud when they've finally sucked out the last bit, ooooh, boy does that upset me too! I sometimes have to refrain myself from walking passed the smoker and calling them a "Litter-Bug!!" Ahhh, if people would just stop this nasty habit, the world would be a better place. Literally.

Here are some facts about smoking. Credit to QuitSmokingHub.com.

Now, not to be a hypocrite, but I could also write a blog entry about my hatred for tanning beds, but then... I would be guilty for indulging in this disgusting habit. (Thank God my cheerleading-days are behind me now. My skin is thanking me too.) However, I am making a vow, right now, on my bog, that I will NEVER EVER climbing into a nasty, cancer-causing, tanning bed again! It's sunless tanning or spay-on tans for me from here on out! Promise.

Ok, bye for now, Happy Friday!!! Much love.

Baby Bliss!!!

I am thrilled to announce that one of my very best friends is EXPECTING!!! David and Heather Hoyt are having a baby and I could not be happier for the 2, well make that 3, of them! Heather is only 8 weeks along and she's due March 1st. My mother actually told me that I was due on March 1st as well! Crazy coincidence, I think, but I told Heath that I would be more than honored if the bundle of joy decided to debut on my birthday, February 25th!
David & Heather went to a baseball game last night at the Rome Braves stadium. David was given access to the company suite so they were able to invite both sides of the family to get together without anyone thinking it was suspicious! After everyone arrived, David read a poem that Heather and David wrote together and had printed on beautiful stationary... this is what it looked like:Mid-poem, it announced that they were expecting a little baby or rather a precious "gift from above!" They also had a cute, cute, cute cake made that was girly pink on top and boyish blue on the bottom!
What a fun and memorable way to share the GREAT news!

This is the first picture of the parent-to-be after they shared the news:

David & Heather - I love you both and I am beyond thrilled for you! I wish you ALL the best of the next seven months and I can't wait to meet the little one soon!

Much love.

Fun Fact Friday # 1

I am thinking of new ways to become more active on my blog so I came up with this idea... well, today, Friday! Introducing Fun Facts Fridays!!! I'll post something fun and fascinating every Friday from here on out (I hope). The subject matter doesn't matter- it will vary depending on what I discovered during the week.

So, for today's first Fun Fact Friday, I am sharing behind the scenes coverage of the filming of "Transformers 3" the movie. Right now, a big sections of Michigan Avenue (the main road in downtown Chicago) is shut down from Friday - Monday for the filming. On my very hot and long walk back from lunch today, I took a few pictures for you to see as well! On Thursday, we received emails at work reminding us of the filming and the road closures that would take places over the weekend. We were told not to be alarmed if we heard gun shots, fire bombs, multiple sirens, etc. How does one not sit at their work desk (on a Friday, mind you) and not be alarmed if they hear a giant "fire bomb" explode? hmmm. Well, I must admit, I haven't heard any fire bombs explode today, but the road closures were certainly annoyed on my way to work this morning.

Well, that's my post for today's introduction of Fun Fact Friday. Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend! Much love.

Birthdays and Babies!

This past weekend we celebrated my wonderful fiancé's (oh how I love saying, fiancé!) birthday. His birthday was on Saturday, July 10th and I spoiled him like a little boy! He woke up by me serving him breakfast-in-bed: buttermilk pancakes (his fav.), scrambled eggs with cheese, fresh fruit on the side, and cup of coffee! It was quite the feast! Then I surprised him and took him to Natural Body and Spa for a 1 hour deep tissue massage and scalp massage = heaven! Then we went shopping at Lenox Square Mall where he got a few outfits from Banana Republic and three, count them- 3, awesome pairs of shoes from Johnston & Murphy! Later that night, all of his friends and some of my girlfriends got together for dinner, drinks, and fun games to celebrate at a new bar called Ormsby's. It was really a fun place to hang out in- they had bocce ball, ski ball, pool tables, darts, all sorts of games. After Ormsby's we went to the Buckhead block party and continued the fun into the wee hours of the morning! It was quite the day!

Todd and I also had time to stop by a caterer that I am interested in hiring for the wedding. We were blown away with their showroom filled with the tables, linens, dishes, and decor they will use with our wedding reception. I am definitely thrilled to be working with them!

And as if we couldn't fit anything else into the weekend, we stopped by Piedmont Hospital to visit Sarah and David Preston as Sarah just gave birth to twin boys: Robert Baylor and Hunter Brooks! They were adorable!

Well, I'm glad I got in an update before another three months went by. I'll try to make this a habit!

By for now! Much love!

I'm embarrassed!

OK, so I am really really embarrassed. I started this blog hoping that I would be able to keep up with it, but it looks like that has been unsuccessful; however, I am determined to not let it be a failure. I hate failing, and I'm not about to fail on this blog. So, on that note, let's play catch up one more time and hopefully for the last time!

Where did I leave off, that's right, Easter. Has it really been three months? Wow! Well, let me just say that a lot, I repeat, A LOT has happened in three short months. Let's see here,

- In late April, my family and I went to NJ to celebrate the passing of my grandpa (Dad's dad) and boy did we have a great time celebrating his long-lived years. He was my last living grandparent and we shared a special relationship. Well, he had a great relationship with all of his seven grandchildren. My grandpa is the reason I live in the U.S. today and I am grateful for that. His family came to the U.S. in 1929, right before the Great Depression I might add, when he was 10 years old. My grandpa went to school without knowing English, worked side jobs doing all sorts of things to help put food on the table, graduated HS, went to Rutgers University where he worked and paid his way through college all by himself. Talk about determination! He then went on to work for Exxon Mobile (Esso back then) in NYC. I am so proud of all of his personal accomplishments and most importantly, laying a solid foundation for my family to grow up with the American Dream! At the funeral/life celebration, I learned other things about my grandpa like he was captain of the Glee Club in HS, took classes at NYU, and had blonde hair! I only remember him with grey hair, and I particularly would like to put the little hair he had left into a mohawk while he was napping :) He would wake up and just laugh! Gosh, I love that man and I miss him, but I am happy he is with my Grandma in heaven. I know they are both shining down on our family!

My loving Grandpa: Paul Reimann
3/1/1918 - 2/26/2010

- In late May, Todd surprised me with a long weekend get-away for the Memorial Day holiday! A few months before, I told him that I really wanted to go to the beach as it had been a good year and I had endured the freezing cold temperatures of a Chicago winter (I certainly deserved a beach vacation, right?) Well, it didn't work out, and Todd said it be nice to spend the long weekend in Chicago as it would probably be the last Memorial Day that I would be living there. So, I thought my beach vacation was out-of-sight, until three weeks before Memorial Day, Todd called me after work and said, "guess what? we're going to the beach!" I was SO happy! You have no idea! Well, we made plans for me to fly home to Atlanta and then we made the 7 hour drive to Bald Head Island, NC for the much-needed beach vacation. The first night we were there, we took a long walk down the beach and watch the sun go down and the moon rise over the ocean - sooo pretty! - but that night I was telling him everything that was on my heart... how lucky the two of us were, how fortunate we were that God put us together on that plane, etc., but I won't bore you with the mushy-gushy stuff. The next day we had a great day on the beach and by the pool at the Shoals Club, and later that night he had planned for us to have dinner at the Shoals Club. As we were getting ready for dinner that night, Todd was being so sweet! He brought me a glass of wine, told me how pretty I looked, and asked if we could go down to the beach and take pictures before dinner. Well, we went down to the beach, I set up my self-timer and after we took our last picture, Todd grabbed me and began pouring his heart out too... it didn't take long for me to realize this was a proposal!! Todd got down on one knee, pulled out the most incredible diamond ring and said, "I would be honored if you would be my wife?" and... of course I SAID YES!!! Moments later, after I jumped on him and kissed him, Todd put me down and we turned around to a photographer taking pictures of the whole engagement! I am so happy to be able to share this magical moment with family and friends for years to come! After the beach proposal, we went to the nice dinner at the Shoals Club, then I proceeded to call alllllll of my family and friends! We had such a great night celebrating and spreading the exciting news! The next few days at the beach were incredible yet so relaxing with my fiance! When we arrived home in Atlanta, we met our family and friends for dinner to continue celebrating our engagement. THAT WEEKEND WAS DEFINITELY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE SO FAR! Thank you, Todd, for planning and successfully delivering the most amazing proposal a girl could ask for, I am one lucky lady!

- Let the wedding planning begin! So far we have successfully secures the wedding date: June 4, 2011; the site for the wedding ceremony: Peachtree Christian Church; the site for the Reception: Greystone at Piedmont Park; and we have almost secured The Peachtree Club for the Rehearsal dinner! We're well under way and I promise I will continue to update this blog as the planning continues!

Peachtree Christian Church:

Greystone at Piedmont Park:The Peachtree Club:

- That's all for now, see you soon!