Family Vacation Fun

I'm a lucky girl.  The past week was filled with lots of fun in the sun with my hubby and family.  Besides the fact that I picked up a lovely cold on the plane and proceeded to share it with my mom and dad, and my niece also had an ear infection, all was well.  (This cold is seriously crappy though -- I still have it and I have to work over the weekend and I wish I could just crash.  Bad timing.)  But our runny noses, hacking and sore throats couldn't overpower over-the-counter meds and a healthy supply of rum, vodka and the like.  Our vacation overall was fantastic.  I'm so lucky my family is  amazing and also that my hubby loves them (and they love him) just as much as I do! Everyone is quite easy-going which helps make for great memories.  Here are a few pictures we snapped in between sunbathing, cruising on our beach bikes and sampling fresh seafood and rum runners! :)  Aww ... I love vacation.

Me, my sister and niece. 

My hot mom and sister.

We did a ton of walking, but this day we took a six mile walk to Caladesi Island.

My sunbathing niece! She loved trying to eat the seashells -- scary!

Now we are back home and like I said, I'm working at a trade show this weekend which I'm not enthused about.  I never work weekends, and this time I have to go out of the country for this event.  I'm hoping it goes quickly.  Now we can look forward to being in our new home this spring and getting our deck built, getting gutters and grass! Woo hoo! How things have changed.  :)

I hope you had a great week and have something fun planned for the weekend.

~DD

Bon Voyage

We just got back from Wegman's where we had sushi and a sub for dinner, then stocked up on some yummy snacks for the airplane tomorrow.  We are finished packing and about to enjoy a pre-honeymoon cocktail.  We are so excited to go on our trip tomorrow.  I must admit that I have an overwhelming sense of guilt over this trip and I wish that I didn't.  I haven't really told too many people that we are going on this honeymoon because if I do mention it, I feel like people are a little sassy or jealous.  I know we were fortunate to have a destination wedding -- and that could have counted as a honeymoon -- but it didn't and we are doing this fabulous trip -- but part of me does feel a little guilty.  I'm sure the guilty feeling will quickly be gone tomorrow once I board the plane, so I'm not too concerned, but it is something that I have been thinking about.  I am very grateful to be able to take time off from work and spend a romantic week in  paradise with my hubby -- and really, that is all that matters.

See you in a week blog friends! Goodbye snow and cold weather!

~Dining Diva

Scored at the Store

This sweet orange hat will be a fabulous accessory in St. Lucia.  I bought it at Francesca's -- love that store -- and when I was cashing out, the sales lady asked me if I was going to rock it at an upcoming SU game.  I hadn't even thought of that.  What a great idea and I will be sure to rock this hat at the next Orange game I attend. 

Adorable outfit for my sweet niece Brecklyn.  I'll miss seeing her this weekend, but will look forward to seeing her when we get back from our honeymoon.  I think she'll look really adorable in this new outfit.  I have to admit, I can't go shopping without buying her a little treat.  She'll be one month old on January 28.

Hope you had a great Thursday.  I am relaxing with a movie, my hubby and a big 'ol glass of wine.

~Dining Diva

Countdown to Paradise

I'll admit it -- I've been a devoted fan of The Bachelor television series since the beginning.   It's fair to say that the show has steadily declined in quality and I regularly ask myself why I continue to waste two hours of my life every Monday night -- but I still watch.  So isn't it just fabulous that I'll be spending my honeymoon at the site of one of the show's rose ceremony locations?!   I just realized that the resort we are staying at is the same place where Jake proposed to Vienna.  Kind of cool.  Count down to our St. Lucian honeymoon at Jade Mountain is on -- two weeks to go!

A package of several gorgeous VS bathing suits arrived at home over the weekend (shop the semi-annual sale and score great bathing suit deals!), and now I just have to figure out how to fit everything into my suitcase.

My hubby did an amazing job surprising me with what looks like an amazing honeymoon.  We are both so excited to spend a week together in paradise.

Hope you had an excellent weekend!
~Dining Diva

Roaming the Rockies

.   .   .was amazing!!! I had the best week in Colorado.  Better that I even expected.  I have so many fabulous photos to share.  They'll come in another post.

 I stayed at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen and it was out of this world, wonderful.  I loved the nightly bedroom turn-downs, complete with calm music playing on the Bose speaker, water, chocolate, a warm bathrobe, slippers, and a humidifier (for the dry air).  The fresh flowers and huge shower head in the marble bathroom were just a few more perks.  The customer service was unbelievable, beginning with check-in.  "Would you like room service to come in the morning or afternoon?" "What newspapers would you like to receive?" The life of luxury is fabulous.  I can't believe people actually stay there during peak season and pay close to $2,000 a night for the room I was in!  Craziness. The conference I was attending was also fantastic with amazing women.  I had a great time and learned so much.  How many of you are using Foursquare?

Tim flew into Denver towards the end of the week, got a rental car, and drove four hours up to Aspen to meet me.  He stayed in my sassy room for the night and then we spent the next day together exploring Aspen. Then we took the Scenic Bypass to Denver.  That was the most beautiful and amazingly scenic drive I've ever experienced.  Just wait until I post pictures.  It looks like I edited the photos and dropped myself into them.  If you haven't been up in the mountains of Colorado, I suggest you put it on your to-do list.  And the heat was so nice! I was at the top of a mountain wearing shorts and flip-flops, standing in a pile of snow, with the sun and blue sky shining on me.  Loved it!

We spent Memorial Day weekend in Denver at his friend's condo in the downtown area.  It was gorgeous.  We had a lot of fun - went to the Denver Botanical Gardens, a Rockies game, partied downtown, and went to the Rocky Mountain National Park and to Boulder.  I loved everything.  When we went out downtown, my friend from my hometown met up with us.  She moved to Denver after college graduation.  Once "Like A Prayer" came on speakers - we were up and dancing the night away.  (Except for when I had to take breathers, because let me tell you, the elevation makes you get out of breath like that! It was crazy.)

So stay tuned for photos.

And just for the record, I love living with  my love muffin.  I've never been happier. And I talked with his sister about living with him (because she thinks he should have proposed to me before moving in together).  But I think she understands now and isn't upset with us (which was my concern). 

I think our relationship is wonderful and I'm confident that it's moving in the right direction and everything will just fall into place.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful (and short) week!

~Dining Diva

P.S. It's my parent's 30th anniversary this weekend and I want to make a fabulous dessert.  Suggestions and recipes are welcome!