September 29, 2013

Vienna, Austria and Wiener Schnitzel from Figlmüller

wiener schnitzel inspired by figlmuller

Austria. A country so beautiful, it’s as if you stepped into a dream. The Von Trapp family certainly knew what they were doing setting up camp there. Though Jon and I technically kicked off our European holiday in Zurich – the most expensive 11 hours of our life – our first full day was spent in Vienna, or Wien as Austrians call it.

at the top of Schönbrunn

A pristine, dog-friendly city full of pedestrian lanes, stunning architecture and places of business that close down early – the Austrian way of life is slow and laid back, which is unfortunate for us considering we only had two days to fit everything in and absorb the culture. There are so many historical and beautiful sites, and we did our best to see it all.

September 2, 2013

A Surprise Engagement in Sedona, AZ


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Is it just me, or does it seem like I am constantly making excuses for my lack of updating this blog? Well, like it or not, I’m cutting myself some slack this time around. My excuses are real and legitimate. The last three months have been full of life changing events, and for the first time I feel like I have significant updates to provide you.

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I’m sure by the opening photos of this post, you can easily guess where this story begins. Yes. I am betrothed. Affianced. Engaged – to my best friend, which makes me a very lucky girl. Last Thanksgiving, a little birdie (read: my dad) had hinted (read: blatantly told me) to the idea that Jon might propose to me during our European vacation (more on that soon). I spent most of the spring obsessing over what outfits I was going to wear each day, how much weight I could realistically lose before our trip and scheduling appointments for hair, nails and a facial during the weeks leading up to our departure. If I was going to be proposed to in Europe, then I was going to look as close to perfection as possible. I knew there would be many pictures taken to capture that momentous day and, at the time, it felt important that I look positively glowing.