Traveling Yogurt

First off - thanks to all for the helpful comments on my previous post about reading.  I'm going to look into all of the authors and books you've suggested; thank you.

I'm not sure if this yogurt is available across the country, but I have just fallen in love with Stonyfield Organic Strawberry Pomegranate Smooth & Creamy yogurt.  And it's loaded with probiotics, so it's like taking a pill, but it tastes good! Actually, my doctor told me that eating yogurts with probiotics is just like taking a probiotic pill.  Well, kind of.  And this tasty treat is from Wayside Farm, VT.  Yummo!

Next week I head back to Ottawa, ON for work and then May will be here! My first wedding of the season is May 1 - so I'm quite excited.  I have a pretty deep purple dress I'm planning on wearing - I just need to get some shoes.   May is going to be so busy because not only do I need to move out of my current apartment and clean - I then need to move into our new apartment and unpack.  I also have That's Sassy!'s bridal shower and bachelorette party! Then I'm off to Aspen, CO and Denver!  woo woo! I'm so excited for my trip! It's for a really fun conference and this is my third year attending it and I have made some friends from across the country; so I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone.  Then I believe that Tim is going to fly out and meet me and drive to Denver with me and give me the grand tour.  I think I've mentioned this before, but he LOVES Denver.  If it weren't for meeting me, I bet he'd already be back there - living and working.  So I'm excited to experience it.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Enjoy!

~Dining Diva

Good Reading

Back in the day, I had a troll collection on display at my little town's local library.  I was so proud of the wide variety of trolls I owned, especially the one with hot pink hair, a hot pink bikini, and a hot pink jeweled belly button.  In any case, I loved that the librarian let me have the display case all to my self to show off my sassy little friends.  I loved the library.  It was my home away from home after school and on hot summer days.  There was nothing better than reading in front of the air conditioner.  Read. Read. Read.  I couldn't get enough.  Then something happened and I stopped reading.  Maybe life got too busy.  And I moved away and didn't take the time to find a new library.  Well folks.  I'm so pleased to announce that I've finally joined my new local library and I am thrilled about that!

So far I've read: The Last Lecture by Randy Paush.  If you haven't read it, I highly suggest that you do.  You can also watch his official "last lecture" on YouTube.  The book is very moving and motivational.  It was a quick read, a tear jerker, and thought provoking.

Now I'm reading Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.  I'm only up to chapter four, but I'm intrigued.  I am afraid of what I will be reading as the book continues (I feel so bad to hear about young girls going through what these characters are experiencing thus far.)  And I'm sure you have already read the book.  As I said, I haven't read a good book in some time.

And my friend Ke. who I visited in NYC also gave me a book to read and I just loved it!  Have you read Jamima J by Jane Green?  For all of you food lovers out there, if you're anything like me, you might just really relate to Jamima when you're having one of those binge eating days/nights.

Now that I'm back on the reading train, what do you suggest I pick up next at the library?

~Dining Diva

Relationships; There Is No Measurement

I've been doing some thinking and I've come to the conclusion that all relationships are not made equal.  And that's okay.  They're not supposed to be.

This post is a result of some recent conversations I've had with a few good girlfriends.  Beginning this May, I will have a total of eight weddings to attend through October.  Eight.  Yes.  That's a lot and there goes any extra savings or big splurges.  Eight weddings equals over $1,250! Holy hell! Throw in a few baby showers and I better keep cutting coupons.  I digress.  I'm looking forward to them all.

So I had an amazing get together with my two besties from college.  We met in NYC and had a great weekend. 

One of those friends, Ka., is engaged and getting married in September.  (I can't wait for that wedding, by the way!) So I was speaking with her about her wedding planning and was really excited to learn about all of the details.  (I don't know if it's a result of blogging and reading many blogs that details wedding plans or the fact that I'm actually in an amazing relationship where I can see a long future together, but I love thinking about weddings.  This is a big change for me because in the past, (I have a long dramatic relationship history ) I never would even consider marriage.  I thought it was for the birds.  The thought of it would make me vomit. Thankfully, I no longer feel that way because I have met such an amazing man.)

So I'm talking to Ka. and tell her that I'm thinking about moving in with Tim after my lease is up.  Apparently I was talking really fast and kept justifying why I would possibly be moving in with him.  Ka. said, "D. It's okay. You've been dating for over a year.  It's fine to move in together.  You're going to love it."

Then I thought, how long is long enough to move in or get engaged or get married or have babies.  And Ka. brought me to the realization that every relationships' timing is different.  For example, my best friend from my hometown has been dating her boyfriend for six years now. I know she'd like to be engaged; just for piece of mind and to start planning the next step in their future together.  This friend of mine got mad at me the other day and said I'm obsessed with weddings and that's all I think and about.  (I disagree. I'm really not obsessed, I just listen to my friends who are planning weddings and that's always a topic of conversation that I have to talk about.)

Then we have my X who was engaged not long after we broke up for the 100th time of a 9+year relationship and married shortly there after and is already expecting a baby.  Now that's fast. But not unlike him.  So everyone has their own style and speed.

My point is that you can't judge your relationship against another because it just doesn't work that way.

And for a life update, I will be moving in to a brand-new two bedroom, two bath apartment with Tim at the end of May and I think we're both excited about that.   No more going back and forth between apartments and living out of a suitcase! I just don't want this to be a delay in moving our relationship forward, aka, I'm not moving in so I can wait six years for my 5 carat diamond! :) Just kidding.  Well, not really. 

So my friend who has been dating for the six years keeps telling me she thinks people should date for at least two years before getting engaged.  I disagree. Again, to each his own.

There are my words of wisdom for this Friday afternoon.

~Dining Diva

A Wonderful Life

I can't believe how long it's been since I've written; and I can't believe it's April and today was Easter.  Where has the time gone?  March is my least favorite month of the year and it actually flew by this year.  I think that was because I was super busy at work and also took a week off to do that road trip with my love muffin.  Work was really busy because my city was the host of a major sporting event and I had a lot to do with all of the media in town, as well as acting as the spokesperson.  I actually made some large strides on that aspect of my career because in the past, I have been very nervous to do interviews; I'm just afraid I won't know the answers and will look like an idiot. But everything worked out and it was a great time.  Now it's April and work is still SO busy. I'm glad I'm busy but I feel like I'm submerged underwater and my to-do list is holding me down.  But work chat is boring so let's get to some more exciting information.

Our roadtrip was fun and we did find an area in VA that we liked and would seriously consider moving to.  Tim (no longer calling him T) had an interview in Newport News and really liked the dental office and staff.  I didn't really like Newport News all that much (I'm sure I need to explore the area more) but I did like Williamsburg and York County.  If anyone is from that area or has any suggestions on places to check out if we take another trip to the area, that would be great!  So everything is really up in the air regarding T's job situation, but he did put in his 30 day notice so he's got to figure something out.

Next. My living situation.  My lease is up with my roommate at the end of May and T and I are thinking it would make sense to just move in together.  This wasn't really my ideal situation, but it seems like it just may happen. So because his job and future are up in the air (will we be moving or won't we?) that kind of makes this lease signing a pain in the butt.  Plus, I have a gorgeous (but huge and heavy) bedroom set and I can't afford to have some moving company moving it from here to there and the next place.  So by the end of the week I need to figure that out.  I could move in with T or he could move in with me.

This weekend was fabulous.  I had Friday off and the weather was gorgeous! I went to my parents' house and spent my time laying in the sun and drinking delicious wine.  I also enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner with T's family and then another with mine today.  We went to church today, too.  I haven't been since Christmas, so it was really nice to go.  We went to a beautiful Catholic Cathedral and I'm not Catholic and I felt nervous through the entire Mass.  I felt like I could feel people staring at me because I didn't do what everyone else did; I just kind of sat there.  It was very nice though.

So this week is another busy work week but it ends with a trip to NYC to visit my college besties who I haven't seen since Memorial Day weekend. 

I'm truly blessed with a wonderful life filled with loving family and friends. I sure do have so much to be thankful for.


I hope you had a great Easter.

~Dining Diva