Happy Holidays!!!!!

Hello, everyone! I wanted to swing by and post a quick update to say hello... I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy Kwanzaa!!!!

Things have been a bit busy, of course, with shopping, and parties, and get togethers... so of course I haven't had much time to come around... but this is a pretty exciting time, so I thought I would, for at least a little bit...


So Mr. R and I celebrated our 1st Christmas as Husband and Wife, and I have to say we really enjoyed ourselves. It started a bit early, on the 23rd, when we welcomed a new member to our family, 8-week old Miniature Pinscher, Coco Chanel Ruiz.

Big Sister, Madison, wasn't too happy about the new addition at first... but little by little she is warming up to her :) I am sure it is hard since she's been our one and only for so long, but they are beginning to play a little more every day, which is a good sign :)

The 24th was spent surrounded by family partying it up at my Mom's house. My Father-in-Law and Mother-in-Law swung by our house to see our Home and our Tree, decorated very festively, and then we all made it over to my Mom's house. My Great-Uncle roasted a pig in "La Caja China", we had white rice, black beans, yuka, avocados, and plenty of liquor! We all had a GREAT time! I was so happy to see our 2 families hanging out, and chatting, and just enjoying the time we spent there. We ended the night gathering in the living room and playing some Beatle's Rockband... definitely a fun night :)

The following day, we started off opening our gifts :) Mr. R got a new 5th Generation iPod Nano, some shirts from Express and a bunch of socks. I got a new Coach purse :) I LOVE IT! I have the best Hubby ever! I was definitely a happy Mrs. that day.

When we were done, we got ready, packed up the dogs and the gifts, and headed over to his Mom's house. His Mom planned a brunch beginning at Noon, making it easy for family members to swing by whenever they could. We exchanged gifts, and spent some time with them there, before heading off to our next stop, which was to go see Mr. R's Business Partner at his In-Law's house.

They gave us a really cool gift, a Popcorn Machine, a bottle of wine a T-Shirt from the movie, "The Hangover" for the hubby. Mr. R played dominos, while I chatted with the girls... I gave he doggies some time to run around in the large backyard, and play with the kids :) It was really nice spending time over there as well...

By the time we left, it was time to run home and feed the puppy, since she's still so tiny, and is on a specific feeding schedule... so we went home, fed the dogs, packed up the rest of the gifts, and swung by my Dad's house. We couldn't stay there long, because we still had one more stop for the day, which was my Mom's house... we ate leftovers, played Rockband, and exchanged gifts... it was a nice end to a pretty nice day. :) I definitely can't complain... Mr. R and I are lucky to have such wonderful parents :)

This was definitely an awesome Christmas... this time last year, we were finishing up with the planning of our Wedding, and we didn't really put too much effort into the Holidays... so this time, things were different... And honestly, after reaching our 11 month mark on Christmas Eve, we can hardly believe that in less than a month, we'll be celebrating our 1st Wedding Anniversary :)

Happy Blogging! ;)

My first time in NOLA

This past Friday, December 11th, was my Mom's Birthday :) She wanted to do something fun this weekend, and decided that a road-trip to New Orleans, LA would be the best fit... and yes, you heard right... ROAD TRIP! My Grandparents, Hubby and I agreed to go along on the adventure with her... and boy, was it an Adventure!

On Thursday afternoon, we hopped in the Van my Mother had rented, and started on the 13 hour drive. Many stops later, we finally made it to Madison County around Midnight, and decided to stop and rest for the night, after a little over 6 hours of driving. We stopped at a Days Inn, and checked in for the night...

The next morning, we went to the Denny's next door for our free breakfast (included with our stay), and then headed off to NOLA... around 3:30-ish, we FINALLY arrived... this, of course, after many stops, etc...

Unfortunately, when we arrived on Friday, we found crappy weather, to say the least. It was cool, in the 50s or so, and rainy, which is not a good combination. After our LONG commute, we were kind of tired, so we decided to rest up a bit, and have some Dinner. My voice teacher recommended this place in the French Quarter called "Gumbo Shop", so we thought we'd check it out... it was DELICIOUS!!! The food was absolutely fantastic, to say the least... Everything that each of us had was wonderful. Of course, after sharing a cup of Gumbo with the Hubs, I had some Crawfish with pasta. Mr. R had some Crawfish Etouffee, my Mom had some Jambalaya, my Grandfather had Red Beans and Rice (a creole FAVORITE) and my Grandmother had Catfish Florentine. It was definitely a great place to visit!

The following day, Saturday, it was raining a lot, and we were stuck in the hotel. We decided to book a tour that would pick us up in the Hotel, which was better for my Grandmother since she cannot walk far enough to catch the Gray Line, and less in the rain. After booking the tour, we decided to kill a little time before we got picked up by heading over to Canal Place - It's kind of like a mini version of Bal Harbor or Merrick Park, with nice stores, and it is connected to a really nice hotel with a glass elevator, and a nice view of the river, and French Quarter.

We returned to the Hotel, and got ready for our Tour. It was in a smaller bus, so it took us all over the place! We really got to see New Orleans, despite the circumstances, with the rain and all. We even got a chance to stop for a snack mid-way. Mr. R wanted to try "alligator sausage". It was delicious!

We drove through the Garden District, which is gorgeous, and through the areas devasted by Hurricane Katrina. It's a shame to hear about how the walls that were meant to keep back the storm surge where not properly reinforced, but it's good to know that they are continuing to work towards strengthening the city's defenses against this type of natural disaster for the future.

After the Tour, we had some Wings, Crawfish Pies and Pizza at the Hotel, and called it a night. It was raining so bad that parts of New Orleans were flooded! There was a flash flood advisory in place until 1 in the morning, so that was it for that day...

Sunday came, and it was time to start making our way back home... but not until we swung by Cafe du Monde and picked up some Beignets and Coffee/Hot Chocolate. Those things were DELICIOUS!!! The rumors are true... and boy, was that place packed!!!!! I bought a few Voodoo Dolls at the New Orleans Doll Company, and we headed home, through lots of fog which seemed to follow us all the way through Northern and even Central Florida... I had never seen so much fog before... it was very eerie.

We spent the night in Kissimmee, ate breakfast on Monday morning at Cracker Barrel, and started on our final stretch home...

It was a long trip, but in the end, we had a good time... and finally, I had a small taste of New Orleans... I will SURELY be back soon :)

Happy Blogging! :)

::Bad Blogger!::

Ok, so after another period of me being MIA... here I am, once again :)

It's been a crazy month, to say the least, what with the Holidays coming around, finishing up the Opera, and my other NYC audition... But, I am back to tell you about all of it, and update you a bit :)

So, I did not get into the Santa Fe Young Artist Summer Program (the one I went to NYC with the hubby to Audition for). I kinda had a feeling too... they weren't too into what I was doing, overall, and I definitely sensed it... so as they say, I'm "moving right along..."

We ended our running of Pagliacci/Suor Angelica swimingly... it went fantastically, and I was so proud to be part of such a stellar production! Everyone did such a wonderful job. Tonight, we begin work on our next production, which opens January 23rd - the day before our 1 year Anniversary - Lucia di Lammermoor. I am partial to this Opera, especiallly since I am studying the role of Lucia. In my opinion, it has some beautiful tunes, and is the epitame of Bel Canto style... but I digress. :) I am happy to get back to work after a few days off... since we closed Pagliacci on the 5th, I've had a little break... but it's time to get back to work :)

My 2nd trip to NYC on the 6th was nothing short of a whirlwind! Since I had the final performance of Pag/Suor, I didn't have the luxury of flying up the day before (my audition was on the 6th - the next day), so I flew up that morning, with a 7 AM flight, landed in JFK at about 10 in the morning, and had an audition at 2:40. Did I mention that my flight back was scheduled for the same day at 5:15 PM? Yea. Now you understand what I meant by whirlwind. Fly up, sing, fly back. Fun. Being that I was going to be so flustered, I decided to schedule some time in a practice room a bit before my audition... I called up Shetler studios and booked a room from 1 - 2PM, right next door to my audition. I took my time, sang through my rep, warmed-up, changed into my audition attire, did my makeup, and headed over to the audition. I actually believe that I sang very well. Contrary to my Santa Fe audition, the people I sang for (Crested Butte Music Festival) seemed to really enjoy my Audition, so here's hoping! If I am chosen, it means I'll be spending a Month (July 1st - August 5th) in Crested Butte, Colorado. Here's a little more information about the program:

http://crestedbuttemusicfestival.com/

So, now we wait, and prepare for my next audition... January 3rd at 1:15pm with Florida Grand Opera for their Young Artist Program. I already sing for their Chorus, but am hoping that I get a shot to fill a Young Artist slot for next year as their Lyric Soprano :) They haven't had many local singers make it in, in the past, so we shall see how that goes. One thing is for sure, I'm really hopeful :) Here is some info on that program, as well:

http://www.fgo.org/young-artists/


After that, I have an Audition for Opera North taking place on February 15th in Sarasota. The Haitian Diva ( www.thehaitiandiva.blogspot.com ) and I were both granted Auditions with them, and will be heading up there the day before, on the 14th. I am looking forward to it! This is another wonderful company to sing for, and I can't wait :) Here is a link to their website:

http://www.operanorth.org/

So, other than my news on current happenings in my Opera World, things have been going well... it's the Holiday Season, once again, and I couldn't be happier. I love this time of year more and more as the years go by... and more so because I have truly begun learning about treasuring all these special moments :) Instead of wanting to rush these days by, wanting it to be Christmas Day, I am taking my time each day, enjoying the season and the spirit of the Holidays. I am DVRing all the Christmas Movies I can, sipping Egg Nog as I watch them sitting on the couch with Mr. R and our Pooch (Madison), admiring our Christmas Tree and Decorations. I love this time of year! And every chance I get to spend time with Family... I take it! After all, that's what this time is about... sure, the presents and all that other stuff are great... but the biggest present ever is the present, as in the present moment!

This Holiday Season is extra special for me, because it's the first one in which my Husband and I spend it together as a Married Couple. I am so blessed to have someone like him by my side. He is a wonderful person, with a wonderful family. I am so lucky! :) And exactly one month from Christmas Eve we will be Celebrating our 1st Wedding Anniversary! I honestly can't believe it's been almost a year, already... no one can! The time really has flown this year...

Well, time to go catch up on my Blog Reads!

Happy Blogging :)

I want to be a Prima Donna, Donna, Donna...

Well, someday, anyway :)

Since I have been such a bad blogger lately, I don't remember if I even wrote about getting the role of the "First Lay Sister (Una Conversa)" in Florida Grand Opera's 69th Season production of Puccini's Suor Angelica. Sure, it's not a huge role... but it's definitely a start, and I am VERY greatful for the opportunity :) God is blessing me!

After a few weeks of many rehearsals, we finally opened on Saturday, November 14th. When I arrived at my dressing area, I found this small token from Bob Heuer, the General Director of the Company...Needless to say, it made my day :) It was a great Opening Night, in my opinion... but I didn't have much time to celebrate because the next morning, bright and early, Mr. R and I were headed to NYC for an audition... I had been granted an Audition with Santa Fe Opera's Summer Program, and it was taking place on Monday, the 16th.

That night, we didn't even get a wink of sleep... especially after having electrical problems at our house, which delayed our packing... but still, we finished up all of our packing, got dressed and headed to the airport at around 3:45 in the morning... I was so lucky to have the Hubs come along with me, and we definitely took advantage and turned the trip into a little mini-vacation...

We stayed with a friend of mine named Raymond, who lives in Brooklyn with his Girlfriend Liz. We went to lunch at Brooklyn Flipsters, which is a delicious Diner, and had a burger and some wings... Then, they took us to this famous bakery, Cake Man Raven, home of the "The Harlem Cake Man" and his Souther Red-Velvet Cake... walking into the bakery, this is what we saw...

An OCEAN of Red-Velvet CAKE!!! And not only did it look good... it tasted AWESOME!! Just check out our faces....

Afterwards, we were literally running on fumes, and definitely needed a nap... so we headed back to the apartment, and rested a bit... we also stayed in the rest of the night, since the next day would start early for me, with warm-ups, hair, makeup, etc... so we ordered some awesome Sushi from "Ten". Actually, we ended up ordering take-out from 3 different places... Ten, another Asian place, and a Peruvian place... Gotta love New York. :)

After my audition, we headed over the Shetler Studios to hear Raymond's lesson, and grab some lunch... but on the way in the taxi, I was able to snap a photo of Central Park, with it's beautiful changing leaves :) Definitely one of the most beautiful times of year in NYC!

While at Shetler Studios, after Raymond's lesson, deciding where to have lunch... a big bald guy walks by us with 2 girls... one of them turned out to be Ashley Simpson, who was there to rehearse for her upcoming debut in the Broadway Musical "Chicago".

We decided on this Pizza Place called "John's Pizzeria"... but don't let the name fool you, it is nothing like the regular NYC Pizzerias you've been to or heard of... this place doesn't sell by the slice, but their pizza's are AWESOME!!! If you are from Miami and have ever had Andiamo Pizza (on Biscayne, next to Soyka), it's very similar... it was awesome! And their sicilian wings were great too :)

Even though we had planned to visit NYC during Valentine's Weekend for our Anniversary, and see Avenue Q then... we couldn't resist the temptation to see it while we were there... especially since it looks like we may have to reschedule our trip, due to an audition I have scheduled for the 15th of February in Sarasota... So we visited the TKTS booth in Time Square and purchased our tickets 40% off for that evening to see the show...

We sat in the theater, at New World Stages, in our 4th Row Seats and waited for the show to begin...

I honestly have to say that the show was FANTASTIC!!! We loved every minute of it, and I am so glad we went to see it. We especially liked these characters I didn't know about called the "Bad Idea Bears". If you ever have a chance to see this show... DEFINITELY check it out :) But remember, don't bring your little brother/sister, cousins, nephews/nieces, etc... It's an Adult Oriented Show, with Full Puppet Nudity ;)

And as if all of this was enough... it looks like I'll be back in NYC on Sunday the 6th thru the 7th for another audition with Crested Butte's Music Festival... I can't wait!!!

Happy Blogging!

I know... I'm such a bad blogger :( But I have a CUPCAKE update :)

I can explain why I have been MIA for so long... things have been a major whirlwind for me lately... but I plan on doing my best to update you on everything that has been going on lately :)

I have definitely been busy baking up a storm in my Lil' Kitchen... and I have a few photos of my creations, starting with the Halloween Cupcakes that were commissioned by Janet, my Mom's friend, and my Un-Official Wedding Planner :) She wanted cupcakes for her Class (she is a 4th Grade Teacher) for their Halloween Celebration on October 28th. Since I was using the Duncan Hine's Boxes for the Batter, I let her know that each box only makes 24, and she needed about 28... so I asked her if there was anyone else she wanted to share with to that I can make 2 boxes instead of one, so there would be enough for her class and another class. Well, 2 boxes turned into 3, and I found myself making 68 cupcakes (yes, I know 3 boxes would've made more, but the chocolate ones made less that 24 since I poured more in each cup)!

I wanted to make something relatively easy and cute... I thought of spiderwebs, and then my Mother suggested spider rings as the actual spiders. This is what I ended up with...

And this is what one box of them looks like, with green and orange frosting too :)

I can safely say that after piping 68 spider webs on these cup-cakes, my hand was killing me!!!!

Apparently, regardless of the pains in my hand, the next day I was inspired to try out a recipe for Buttercream from Scratch...

It turned out AWESOME!!! Definitely had that home-made taste, and was smooth and even... so of course, I just had to make some cupcakes to go with it... and what a better time to try out my new mini's pan from Crate & Barrel than with some Orange cupcakes from scratch :)

They were a hit at rehearsal :) The ladies of Suor Angelica loved them!!!!

Since then, I have also tried out a Pumpkin Cupcake recipe with the same Buttercream frosting which was also a hit :) Sorry no photos of that one, but I will try to take some of the next batch I make... I would like to make some for Thanksgiving :)

Next up, a few more updates...

Happy Blogging!

My latest <3 Cupcake Creation <3

I decided to make some cupcakes for our Suor Angelica rehearsal today. It's been a hectic weekend with Pagliacci rehearsal yesterday and Suor Angelica today... so I thought my colleagues would appreciate a little "pick-me-up". I put together some chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, topped with a white chocolate "heart".

Needless to say... they were a hit :)

Here are some of my past creations (from most recent on)...

80's Themed Cupcakes for the Haitian Diva's 30th Birthday...(http://thehaitiandiva.blogspot.com/)

My first attempt at "swirling"

Tinted Buttercream on Classic White.

Wall-E Themed Cupcakes for Alex's Birthday...

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting, Yellow Sugar Crystals and Edible Wall-E Decorations

The result of a fun cupcake decorating party with friends :)

Chocolate Cupcakes with every decoration under the sun!

"Christmas in August" Cupcake Tree

Vanilla with Cream Cheese frosting, fondant, M&Ms, Sour Patch Kids, etc...

More "Christmas in August" Cupcakes

Some Chocolate, some Vanilla, Green and Red Sugar Crystals, Fondant Stars, Cream Cheese and Buttercream Frostings

Ocean Themed cupcake tree :)

Chocolate and Buttercream with "Sea Life" Decorations

Happy Blogging :)

If you think you've got me figured out... you're wrong!

Strangers always got some mess to spread
But I have learned to flick them off
Can't walk a mile in my YSL's
I strap 'em on and I walk it off

Got 'em sayin', "I can't believe she did it" "No she didn't"
My wild factor's got 'em crazy (Crazy)
Got 'em sayin', "Yeah, she did it but I can't believe it"
Never say ya can't believe, ha ha...

Even if they try
They still can't walk a mile in these shoes
They couldn't even lace them up right
Honey, these pumps are too big to fill
10 million men can't walk a mile in these shoes

My strut's so fierce
Steven's got 'em mad at me
Laugh and talk behind my back
But they'll never get the best of me
I see 'em, doin' my dance
And I hear 'em, singin' my song
I'm surpassed in the rest
'Cause that's how I was raised to do it.

I'm walkin' tall
I don't let their hatred test me
They bite the dust
Head above water they still can't breathe
My feet pound the ground
As I stomp it out
I dare you
To walk a mile in my shoes

Made famous by Jennifer Lopez

If I could only be so lucky...

Over the past few months, I have become a total and complete cupcake MANIAC!!!!! I love baking and decorating cupcakes for all sorts of events... Mostly, I like to bake them and give them away ;) With that said, I have also made it a point to subscribe to as many Cupcake and Baking Blogs as possible... As I was browsing my Blog Reading List, I noticed that one of the blogs is having a giveaway... the most spectacular giveaway EVER!!!!

A Tiffany & Co. Cupcake Charm and Chain... ::le sigh::

Oh, if I could ever BE so lucky to win this! I never win ANYTHING!!! It's just too gorgeous for words...

Click on the link for more details, and of course, check out CakeSpy :)

http://partycupcakeideas.com/tiffany-giveaway-cupcake-charm-and-sterling-silver-necklace/

Happy Blogging!!!!! :)

Anniversary/Valentine's Plans are in the works!!!

Mr. R and I have been throwing around ideas to celebrate our Anniversary/Valentines and even his Birthday (which is February 24th). I think we have finally decided what we want to do... A weekend in NYC!!!

As of now, we are planning to leave on February 12th, and return the 15th (Friday to Monday). We will have plenty of time to go sightseeing, have a Romantic Dinner, and absorb NYC in all it's awesomeness... We also want to see the Musical Avenue Q, which recently went off Broadway...

We can't wait!! This is SUPER exciting!!! Of course for our REAL Anniversary, we will stay home, sip champagne and eat the top tier of our Wedding Cake... but 3 weeks later, the celebrating will be in FULL SWING!! I love my Husband :) He's the GREATEST!!!!!

Happy Blogging!!!!! :)

My first BIG order :)

My cupcake addiction began slowly... baking a few here, and a few there, mostly for things at home, or maybe to take to a friends house... and then, all of a sudden... BOOM! I became obsessed. There is no other word for it. Really.

I made some for a "Christmas in August" Party, and a couple of friends' birthday parties... and now, finally I have my first BIG order... 72 cupcakes! Yeah... that's a whole bunch of cupcakes. And of course, they are for Halloween. The person who has commisioned me for this is my Mom's good friend, Janet, also known as my un-official Wedding Planner ;) She wants cupcakes for her 4th grade class for Thursday the 29th, and of course her sister and my Mom in Kindergarten want some too... Here are some of my inspirations for this job...

Wish me luck!! I'll let you all know how it turns out ;)

Happy Blogging... ;)

Party and Weekend Update :)

Hello everyone! Well, it was a busy weekend, to say the least, but a great one. We had AWESOME weather here in South Florida... and I think the word "AWESOME" is an understatement for how great the weather really was... but that's another story ;)


Sunday was our Nephew's Baptism, followed by a luncheon at my In-Laws. We had a great time! It was a beautiful day, and everything turned out beautifully! I missed the actual Baptism due to a rehearsal conflict. I was given a small role in the Opera "Suor Angelica" with Florida Grand Opera, and am required to attend several rehearsals, some even during the day on week days. But, I am actually getting paid a salary vs. hourly now, so I don't mind! :)

As you might already know, on Friday the Hubby and I hosted a "Movie Premier Night" to showcase our Wedding Film (recap of film in earlier post). We invited many, and many attended. Let's just say our little house was "busting at the seams"... but we had an AWESOME time! The decorations really brought the house to life, along with all our very lively friends and family who attended. Here are some photos... All the logos, Custom Popcorn bags, and door signs were designed by me. Enjoy! :)

The Red Carpet for my A-List Friends & Family

VIP Entrance

Custom Popcorn Bags

"Rock Star" Wall, complete with Custom Logos

Movie Time!

Live performances, thanks to "RockBand"

Awards for the "A-Listers"

Been busy, planning away :)

I know I've been a bit "lost" lately... but it's only because I've had a very BUSY week. Tonight, we are hosting a Hollywood Themed party in our home for the viewing of our Wedding Film. It is sure to be a start studded event ;) I hope to post pictures sometime this weekend.

On Sunday, we also have my Nephew's Baptism, followed by a luncheon at my In-Law's.

I guess you can say we have a pretty fun-filled and busy weekend :) See you soon with pictures from tonight's event ;)

Happy Blogging!

The Jewel Song

Ah! je ris de me voir, Marguerite's aria from Faust

Ah! je ris de me voir (Ah, I laugh to see myself)
si belle en ce miroir, (so beautiful in this mirror,)
Ah! je ris de me voir (Ah, I laugh to see myself)
si belle en ce miroir, (so beautiful in this mirror,)
Est-ce toi, Marguerite, est-ce toi? (Is it you, Marguerite, it is you?)
Réponds-moi, réponds-moi, (Answer me, answer me,)
Réponds, réponds, réponds vite! (Respond, respond, respond quickly!)
Non! Non! ce n’est plus toi! (No No! it’s no longer you!)
Non...non, ce n’est plus ton visage; (No...no, it’s no longer your face;)
C’est la fille d’un roi; (It’s the daughter of a king,)
Ce n’est plus toi, (It’s no longer you, etc.)
Qu’on salut au passage! (One must bow to her as she passes!)
Ah s’il était ici! (Ah if only he were here!)
S’il me voyait ainsi! (If he should see me thus)
Comme une demoiselle (Like a lady)
Il me trouverait belle, Ah! (He would find me so beautiful, Ah!)
Comme une demoiselle, (Like a lady,)
Il me trouverait belle! (He would find me beautiful!)
Achevons la métamorphose, (Lets complete the metamorphosis,)
Il me tarde encor d’essayer (I am late yet in trying on)
Le bracelet it le collier! (The bracelet and the necklace!)
Dieu! c’est comme une main, (God! it’s like a hand)
Qui sur mon bras se pose! ah! ah! (Which is placed on my arm! Ah, ah!)

When I grow up...

...be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it ;)

<3 Our Wedding Film Recap <3

Melissa & Adrian's Recap from David Acuna on Vimeo.

Hello :)

Our weekend was nothing short of interesting... if you read my previous post, you already know that this weekend went to the dogs. ;) Poor little Max tried really hard, and finally "tied" on Sunday. He was a first timer, and had a little trouble getting where he needed to go, but we assisted him, and he finally DID IT! :) Hopefully in about 60 days we will see the fruits of his efforts...

Yesterday, I did not work. I stayed home and began cleaning up the disaster that remained after a very hectic weekend (Max is mostly an outside Dog, and decided he would mark his territory all over our house... I nicknamed him "Swiffer WetJet"). After cleaning up for the most of the day, I went off to Teach 3 lessons... my last lesson of the day was for an 8th grader named Audrey who is very talented, and a very hard worker. Honestly, for a 13 year-old, her work ethic astounds me. :)

Today, I am working... as I will be Thursday and Friday... but this week is that much sweeter because... OUR WEDDING VIDEO IS READY!!!! I can't wait to see it... and of course, soon, I will be able to share something I've had in the works for some time. ;)

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week so far...

Happy Blogging :)

We've got ourselves a "stud" ;)

So for the past few months, Mr. R and I have talked about breeding our
Miniature Pinscher,

Madison

Isn't she just precious? :)

We finally decided that when she went into her next heat, we would breed her for the last time. She had 2 puppies about 4 years ago, but Mr. R wasn't in the picture at that time... and also, this time, we want to keep 1 female.

That heat came 11 days ago, and today is the day. I will be picking up her "stud" this afternoon when I get out of work at our friend's house. Ironically, this "friend" is an ex of mine, but he happens to be the cousin of my friend who introduced me to my Hubby. Yea I know, a bit "complicated". I know what you're thinking... how awkward is that? But actually, I must report that it isn't wierd at all... we even traveled to Disney together once with him and his ex-girlfriend.

So anyway, I am going to go pick up Max, and bring him home to Madison so they can PD (Puppy Dance) all weekend. This is going to be hilarious! Let's hope for a successful weekend, and for a happy and healthy 2 months for our Shushu :)

Happy Blogging!

Last Night's Lobster...

So last night, I decided to go ahead and cook the 2 lobster tails that my hubby was given by the guy that works with him. I was going to cook them traditionally, but I realized that one was A LOT smaller than the other, which is when I decided to rip all the meat out, and toss it with some pasta. I bought some barilla plus spaghetti (too bad they don't make it in fetuccini style), some creamy alfredy sauce and a little crab (I just had to...).

I took each lobster tail, and emptied it out onto the cutting board, cut it up into chunks, and set it all aside. In a deep skillet, I combined olive oil, salt and pepper (from the mills) and some parsely. I tossed in the lobster at medium heat, and let it simmer for a few. Then, I added the crab, which was already cut up. I added a bit more salt, pepper and parsely, and covered it, occasionaly stirring. Meanwhile, I had the pasta boiling simultaneously. When the pasta was ready, I drained it, and added the sauce directly to the spaghetti. At that point, it was time to eat... I served the pasta on the plate, and then scooped some of the cooked lobster and crab on top.

It was delicious. We INHALED it. Mr. R couldn't stop saying how good it was! This is why I have no pretty pictures to show. Sorry. Next time I make it, I'll try and snap a few ;)

Happy Blogging! :)

Update on Yesterday's Dinner...

If you've been keeping up with my blog posts (this post in particular: http://mrsd1va.blogspot.com/2009/09/playing-housewife-day-2.html), you already know that I spent yesterday slaving ALL DAY (lol... more like 20 minutes of prep time and a little over an hour of baking time) to make dinner for my hubby and I. We finally sat down to have our dinner, and this is what it looked like...

Fresh out of the oven :)

Lemon Pepper Snook Fillets

Roasted Paprika Potatoes: A note on these... I like my potatoes nice and roasted, therefore I prefer them at a higher heat (450º) for about 45 minutes.

And of course, a close up of our beautiful hand-painted Kate Spode Oven-to-Table bakeware...

The Hubby was very pleased, to say the least.

Tonight, I hope to make the Lobster Tails... Will let you know how that goes, as well...

Happy Blogging :)