Confessions Part II
1. Marriage isn’t for me. I read this article recently and I really liked the author’s perspective that you should marry the one that you want to make happy for a lifetime and not the one that you think will make you the happiest. Of course, I want to marry Brandon because he makes me happy but the sole purpose shouldn’t be for that reason.
It should be because I have the desire to see his beautiful smile and to hear his infectious laugh. Even if it means compromising when I don’t want to or finding the energy to listen when I’m exhausted. Sure it might not be easy at times, but it was a great reminder for me that marriage is truly about learning to be selfless.
2. I got the more expensive wedding dress. I know, right after I preach about not getting caught up in the glamour of a wedding. I admit, it was entirely my fault. I knew it was out of my budget but I grabbed it off the rack anyway. For some crazy reason, I thought to myself, I’ll just see if I like the style and then I can find something similar at a lower price.
Yeah, no. The second I put it on, I knew it was the one and I couldn’t get it out of my head. Thankfully, my mom is incredibly supportive and encouraged me to get the dress I really wanted, so it’s official. I FOUND THE DRESS!! {happy dance} Hopefully it arrives in one piece.
P.S. That’s not a picture of the one I got. You’ll have to wait until April to see! ;)
3. I’m out of shape. Okay, I’m not entirely out of shape but I’m feeling pretty weak lately. Even though I went light with my weight in Body Pump, I could barely walk for the next three days. I actually took the elevator on my morning walks to work and I never turn down an opportunity to take the stairs. I’m thinking I might have to get a foam roller to see my muscles through as I get back on track. I feel awkward using the one at the gym. Is that weird?
4. Gluten-free baking has officially got the best of me. I’ve decided to throw in the towel on baking gluten-free cakes. Cookies and donuts I can handle, but cakes just aren’t happening for me.
I’ve had a handful of failures since I started blogging but I mustered up the courage to try again last weekend by making a gluten-free gingerbread sheet cake topped with cream cheese icing.
It tasted great but the texture was just way too dense for my taste. Brandon said he liked it and thought the texture was like a mix between brownies and cake but I just couldn’t bring myself to post it. I guess I can’t get the taste of a good, old fashioned cake out of my mind. That said, you will likely see a gluten-filled version in the near future because the flavor combination was perfect.
5. I’m too lazy to use my DSLR on the weekdays. I’m enjoying trying out new recipes from other blogs that I read but I just can’t bring myself to take a good picture after a long days work. I feel bad for not doing them the justice they deserve because all of these recipes are worthy of more than an three-second iPhone picture.
Lentil Mushroom Meatballs from Oh My Veggies
I prepped these meatballs on Sunday night to have for dinners during the week and they turned out to be a hit. They’re fairly easy to make, full of flavor, and even have a meaty texture.
Massaged Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Toasted Walnuts & Goat Cheese
I love a good kale salad and when I saw this one with warm butternut squash and toasted walnuts, I knew it would be happening in my kitchen. To save time, I washed and cut the kale over the weekend and bought precut squash. I added red onion and used goat cheese instead of blue cheese and it turned out to be tasty and satisfying.
Baked Spaghetti Squash from Sugar Magnolia
This recipe is so simple and doesn’t require a lot of clean up afterward. Plus, it’s smothered with sauce and cheese. Need I say more?
So I am beyond excited for the weekend. We don’t have much planned but that’s fine by me. Happy Friday!
I think your GF cake looking amazing! GF can definitely be super tricky to work with. Sometimes it just frustrates me to no end, especially since I have to do the vegan baking too.
And I’m so bad with my DSLR lately, it’s gotten bad – I really need to get better with using it.
Have a great weekend!
1. Yay for finding your wedding dress!!
2. I love your confession posts.
3. That salad looks bomb!! Had a similar one tonight.
4. Love that top engagement photo. Are you sending Save the Dates!?
Thank you! No, we aren’t planning on Save the Dates. Just invitations!
Yay for finding your dress! :)
I’m so happy it’s almost Friday, too! I don’t have many plans either, but I am just so ready for it this week. Have a great weekend!
Hey pretty lady,
I love your engagement photos, have I told you already?
I also have not been using my DSLR as much, I pretty much only whip it out during the weekends. I have become a lazy blogger.
That’s so exciting you found THE dress!! Don’t feel bad about going over-budget on the dress – I did too (umm it may have been 3x our planned budget…oops!) and my dress made me feel amazing every second of that day!
Your weekly eats look delish – I need to try that baked spaghetti squash! All that cheeeeeeese!
Awwr yay for finding the dress! I’m not crazy about having a huge elaborate wedding, but my dress is something that I’m sure I’m going to go all out for — it makes it all the more special. You’re right about marriage being about learning to be selfless, though, which should make it easier to not get caught up in the tiny details of wedding planning… Or at least I hope so :lol:
And GF baking. Oi. It kicks my butt.
good for you for getting the dress! you only get one!
I’m so with you on the wedding thing. I have seen wedding planning just destroy families and the DRAMA is crazy. I think some people lose site of what it’s all about sadly
There’s a reason most GF dessert recipes are NOT cakes. Cakes are so tempermental to begin with, so trying to make them GF is ridiculously hard. Cupcakes are a much easier way to go~!
I’m so excited for you that you found the dress! I mean, if there’s a time to splurge, it’s for your wedding ;-) And I freakin’ adored that article – definitely something for me to remember down the line.
So excited you found your dress!! I can’t wait to see it! I’m sure it’s amazing!
Have a great weekend!
GF baking is tough. Like really tough, and it makes me so frustrated. I tried to make blueberry GF muffins this week and they were so crumbly and gah, awful.
I’m so thrilled you found your dress!! I went through the same thing when I got mine. It was more expensive than what I originally wanted to pay, but once I had it on, I couldn’t imagine myself in anything else!
Yayyyy for saying YES to the DRESS!….I’m so lame. I think when you find “the one” money doesn’t matter–I mean nothing tooooo crazy of course but you know. If it’s the one it’s the one! That salad looks so goooooood. It’s 9:30 am and I’m already craving lunch.
That first picture of you is stunninggg times one million! I love your hair.
And what a great perspective to have and to be conscious of. I often think about these things and I’m not in the same arena as you, engaged and all, but still. It’s all about ensuring your partner is successful and feels supported. I hadn’t learned anything like that until my current relationship where I see 100% of the time how selfless my boyfriend is. No matter the situation, he is always my support in every circumstance. I’m out on a long run and I need him to bring me something at 6 am while he’s still asleep in bed? He jumps up and finds me with what I need. Though that’s a small example, it’s the fact that he’s willing to do these kinds of things for me ALL THE TIME. He even verbally says to me that he just wants to support me and what makes me happy.
Tangent over.
That spaghetti squash from Erin is something I tried to make a few weeks ago and all giddy and happy like, I walked in to Trader Joe’s only to discover they didn’t have the ingredients necessary for that, AKA, zucchini. Who does that?
Have a wonderful weekend beautiful lady!
Also, PS, I sometimes take a class at my gym, and I consider myself to be in great shape, and I can’t walk for DAYS. So don’t beat yourself up.
Yay, you found the dress!!! I spent more on my dress than I’d planned too, but it’s so worth it. When you put that dress on on your wedding day you’ll feel prettier than you’ve ever felt!
I don’t have a nice camera so all my pics are taken with an iphone. I wish I had a better one! That kale salad looks awesome and I think I need to check it out!
Congrats on the dress..and way to get the one you REALLY wanted! I am sure it is gorgeous! :)
Yay! I’m so excited you found your dress! That’s amazing!!!! Once you have the dress and the venue, everything gets so much easier. I can’t wait to see it!
I bet the dress is beautiful and I’m glad you found one you love!!!! :) And I’m LOVING baked spaghetti squash these days!
Yay!!! Wedding dress happy dance!!!! :D
Glad you got the dress that spoke to you. People say it’s just a dress, but it’s THE dress. We should be happy with what we’re wearing on our wedding day, whether it be a full on princess gown or simple bohemian. I went through about 30 dresses and found the one because it spoke to me and immediately knew it was the one.
i’m out of shape too. strength wise. ugh. I need to strength train and yoga.
love your confessions posts btw :)
I have also had my fair share of bad baking with GF stuff- harder than you think! AND that salad yum! I think im making something like that for t-giving, woo!!
I read that article a few days back and loved it! HAve you seen the blogger that did “Respone to Marriage Isn’t For Me”? Check it out!
AND YAY!!!! for the dress!!! I say get whatever dress you loved because in 50 years you won’t remember that it was “out of your budget” you will just remember how it made you FEEL!
Yay!! I am so excited you got the dress you love the most! I’m glad your mum encouraged you too!
I love your attitude towards marriage and will have to read that article as it sounds like a good one!
You really should post that gingerbread gluten free cake it honestly looks and sounds amazing who doesn’t love a cake that has a texture between a brownie and a cake?
I legit freaked out when I read the opening line of this post. And then I kept reading and realized we’re the same person. I can really get wrapped up in my own world and not be so considerate to my bf. He’s the MOST understanding and selfless person and I hate to admit that I take advantage of that. But we are both really lucky and you are so right about what marriage is about. Remind me of this post when I get engaged because I am definitely going to lose sight of that!
Cannot wait to see the dress! You most certainly deserve the best! Gah the say yes to the dress addict in me is freaking out right now ;)
Anddddd GF baking is serious strugs. Lots of fails but the successes actually make me smile for days. And when all else fails there’s GF All purpose flour!
Gluten free baking is so hard – I’m always trying out recipes because of my mom and sister but nothing is ever up to my standards! It’s frustrating!
I feel weak right now too – I ran for the first time in about a week and was so freakin sore. I was hobbling around the house for a few days! haha ugh so not good!
May I mention again how beautiful you both looked in your photoshoot?? I love the pics, and awwh, I can’t wait to see your dress. I’m sure it’s gorgeous!
I’ve been having lots of trouble with my DSLR as well, the photos aren’t half-decent! I guess it has somehing to do with this DST thing uuuh it gets on my nerves! :(
Have a great weekend! x
congrats on your wedding dress:) and that food…it makes my mouth water, it looks so delicious! great blog:)
I feel you on the picture taking… the lighting in my house is brutal! Lots of times I just don’t bother until the weekend or when I have a morning at home. I also TOTALLY feel you on the gluten-free baking. Ugh. I have a hard enough time messing with the eggs/milk substitutes. If I don’t follow a recipe exactly its usually a flop ;)
So happy you found your dress…cant wait to see it! And don’t worry, I bought the more expensive dress too, dang it!
I can’t wait to see your dress! You are going to be SUCH a beautiful bride. Scratch that, beautiful couple. You guys should be in a wedding mag. Seriously. Also? I can’t wait to come between you two on your Maui honeymoon so I can have you all to myself. Hahaha!!!
Congrats on finding the dress! That baked squash at the end looks sooo good!
Oh my! That spaghetti squash looks so tasty!! And thats so awesome what you learned about marriage!! Also, I’m gluten free! But I don’t do a lot of gluten free baking :/
Hey Sarah! First off, marriage does have it’s ups and downs like any relationship, but when you marry your best friend and make that commitment to each other, you know you can handle it all, as long as you do it together. John and I have been married for 17 years and together for about 22 years, and he is still my bestie. Marriage does take work and compromise, but it’s all worth it.
Also, I hope you didn’t take offense on my recent post on how my mini pies were a disaster. I wanted to make the mini pie version because your pies looked absolutely perfect! Your pies made me want to take that extra time to mold them into the pie tins, but I should have thought ahead and lined the tins with some parchment paper as we had a hard time getting the crusts out. Your pies were vegan, so you might of had an easier time getting them out of the pie tins.
I’ve been seeing those spaghetti squash tacos all over the net and I’m so tempted to make them up :) Don’t feel bad about the camera thing, I’m getting lazy myself with it being dark out at 5:00, it’s discouraging to take photos with a photography lamp instead of the natural light! Ok, have a great week girl! xoxo, Jackie
22 years is amazing Jackie! That’s so inspiring. Thank you for the encouraging words. :)
I didn’t take offense at all to the mini pie disaster! Mine definitely weren’t easy to get out but a butter knife around the edges did the trick. I’m sure the original version is so much easier. I’ll have to try it that way next time!
Awwww thanks for making my salad!! I hope you loved it! And I love that you added red onion (I would have done the same if I had any on hand the day I made it, too!). You are so cute and congrats on finding your wedding dress. I feel like that’s the moment when you feel like “omg this is really happening”. :)
First – you are just too beautiful for words. Not only are you drop dead gorgeous, but I can tell that your beauty comes from the inside.
I think the idea of marriage that most people have is a fairytale, not real life. Marriage is hard. But it can also be amazing. My biggest piece of advice is to learn how to fight. Flight fair and forgive quickly. Really forgive though. And give as much love as you can, even during the hard times.
I want more wedding details!!!
Hi, I can sympathise about disappointing cakes but I have come across a Chocolate Cake recipe on ‘A GIRL DEFLOURED’ called gluten free chocolate fudge cake. I have tried several gf chocolate cake recipes, most disappointing but just as she explains in her post…it truly is THE ONE for chocolate cakes. It turned out the very first time I made it (that is a rarity for me) and have used it as a base for variations of chocolate cake, even for gf Oreo cake! Before you through in the towel PLEASE try this recipe because it WILL change your mind…and a trick I do for ‘extra moisture to ensure* denseness or graininess is avoided I advice using coconut yoghurt (or whole fat dairy yoghurt) in place of milk. People can’t tell the difference unless you point it out, it’s even been a huge hit with people that can have gluten. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed your faith will be renewed in GF cakes after this one, it’s AMAZING
Thanks for sharing Eden! I will be sure to check it out. :)