Weekend Runs & Bookworm Fun

Ingredients for a perfect weekend:

• Running
• Running with husband
• Running with friends
• Wine or Champagne
• Books, reading, book club
• BRUNCH

This past weekend involved all of the above… and I can’t wait to have another just like it.

Saturday, Mr. Speedy took me a nice long 13 mile run that has hilly trails sprinkled throughout.
This sounds very pleasant.
Even adventurous.
But it was actually quite dangerous.

This was all fine and dandy until we hit about mile 7, and were running aimlessly on a trail that clearly was a loop (WHICH MEANT WE WERE DOOMED FOREVER) and I began to panic that a) we would never escape the forest b) be forced to eat leaves and eventually c) die in each other’s sweaty arms.

As much as a death in each other’s sweaty arms would be romantic and somewhat epic, I was starving and really wanted a Panera Bread smoothie and it was my goal to get one. I complained to Mr. Speedy that we were lost, and probably going to be lost for hours, and that I was hungry and also had to go the bathroom. And forgot to brush my teeth.

He told me to stop being so dramatic and continued to drag me through the never-ending trail…. and we eventually re-surfaced to an open area that was familiar. Good thing he was with me.

Looking down at my watch, it was clear that we were actually only lost and running aimlessly for approximately 13 minutes. BUT- that is a long freaking time to be running around in uncharted territory that is thick with trees and rocks and creepy animal sounds.

My legs post-trail run. Little bit of mud. I have no idea how my socks stayed that clean???

The next day, I met two girls from book club to do a 10 mile run prior to our Brunch meeting.

I was VERY EXCITED for this run. Running with people for the first time is like a blind date, except you already know you like the person and want to spend time with them.

Ok- that is actually a weird reference and doesn’t make a lotta sense… but basically, I was EXCITED.

It was a blast running with these ladies. We chatted, enjoyed the weather, talked about everything from work, love, babies, periods, food, and just enjoyed our run. The one gal (I’ll call her Harley, because she just bought a Harley which makes her the coolest), ran 5 with us before going home to shower before the brunch. She was pretty funny because she sprinted off mid-run, let us catch up, and then was like ‘I regret that sprint.’ Ahhhh….. so different from running with Mr. Speedy!

The other girl (I shall call her Poly because she is getting her PhD in Political Science which is freakin’ amazing!), stuck it out for the full 10 and did awesome. I think she may have surprised herself with her overall run time. Poly is doing the Detroit marathon in October so I hope we can get some long runs in together! Makes it so much less painful.

Running with these girls makes you really cherish being able to share the sport. In some ways, running kind of allows you to open up and talk about things maybe you wouldn’t normally. It’s a raw sport and you are just yourself. Everyone is in the same boat, striding along one step at a time.

After running, it was time for book club brunch! Everyone brought something and it was delicious. We had a new member who made a blueberry-lemon-crazy-good-bread-cobbler. I strategically sat myself in front of it…. and Poly made HOMEMADE BAGELS.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD HOMEMADE BAGELS?

You have not eaten a bagel until you eat a homemade one. I told her that if I ever get really sick of something tragic happens, please just give me a bag of bagels. It’ll fill my heart and tummy with pure carb joy.

 

Brunch!

Harley on her harley!

We discussed the books The Devil Wears Prada and Where We Belong (both very fun, summer reads).

I ate 4 bagels and 6 cookies.

The cookies were from my friend (I shall nickname her NY because she used to intern there). This Friday, NY and I, along with our friend Greek (that is her nickname because she is super-duper Greek) will be traveling to the Upper Peninsula for a girls’ getaway.

Here is the group:

NY, Greek, and I. This was at my bachelorette party- ignore my penis necklace.

We are touring the famous Pictured Rocks via kayak. NY is convinced this is dangerous – but it is not.

My co-worker recently did this and check out her picture:

Pictured Rocks!

How awesome does this look??? I plan to take many pictures and not tip my kayak over from pure excitement.

What is your favorite food at a brunch??? BAGELS. I SHALL EAT THEM ALL.

Sincerely,

Lily

A ‘Repeat’ Type of Weekend

This weekend was full of fun times-

We froze at a baseball game.
Got severely fried by the summer sun.
And survived the dangers paddle boarding.

Really, it was fun.

The company was the best and this was the type of weekend I’d just like to hit a ‘repeat’ button and do again.

So happy we were all together!

Friday was the baseball game where the temperature dropped and people actually were wearing winter hats and gloves.
It was also Polish Night at the game which means we got to watch a traditional Polish dance show.
And sing the national anthem of Poland.
Random.

Polish night at the game….. random.

Cute couple.

I’m clearly a creep.

Sun… come back!

Frozen.

Saturday was a total blast – we made a big breakfast and then hit the beach.

We (and I mean all four of us) did not think to use sunscreen because the day started off a bit chilly therefore it is impossible to get any type of burn….. (right?)
I actually spent the first hour underneath a blanket – yeah, I was that person:

DON’T I JUST LOOK LIKE A BUNDLE OF HAPPINESS?

Eventually, I shed the towel and we all enjoyed the day in the sand.
The boys played cornhole like 354 times.
Us girls layed out (aka BURNT OUR BODIES).
I people watched. (OK- I really just watched babies and toddlers because they are so darn cute in their little sunhats and attempts to eat sand.)
Paddle boards were rented and paddled around (which is a total blast by the way- do it!).
Drinks and snacks were consumed.

Paddle boards!

They were pros.

I’m very pale and about to get burnt.

Yo…. boob, go back in the top.

Mr. Speedy… all alone.

Me… invading their space.

Brother in law.

From the beach (and before we realized how truly burnt we were), we met Mr. Speedy’s friend and all went out to eat at Vinsetta Garage.
This place is a little gem in metro-Detroit so naturally, our out-of-town guests had to eat there!

Fried chips

Bread… mhmmmm.

This is what marriage does to you.

Brosef-in-law….. SMILE NORMAL.

Mr. Speedy’s friend…. I think we look alike. Yes? No?

I ordered the EV1- a vegan patty that was amazzzing.

After dinner we all went home and reazlied we were severly burnt, had to rush out and buy Aloe (and Twizzlers because they make everything better), and take turns applying goops of it all over our bodies. All of us blamed each other for not putting sunscreen on. Our tan lines are horrific.

Sunday the boys got up early to go watch NASCAR, and us girls had a relaxing day together.

First – mimosas and brunch!

I got a boca burger… I don’t know what is with me an these things lately!

Second- we toured Meadowbrook Hall.

I love this historic home and you can throw events here. I tried convincing Brosef-in-law’s girlfriend that she should probably just get married here… I would help plan it. I think I convinced her… to never tour a historical home again with me.

It is only 88,000 sq ft. No big deal.

The main driveway to the house.

How cute is she?

There are like 24 chimneys.

After our cultural activity, we learned that her flight got cancelled and decided to cook a fabulous meal for our men.

We both like scallops but had never tried cooking them… so we gave it a whirl.

And it was FANTASTIC. If you like scallops, you’ll love this:

Ricotta Lemon Pasta with Seared Scallops and Sugar Snap Peas

So tastyyyyy.

What you need:

• 1 package of pasta (whatever kind you prefer)
• 1 lb of sea scallops (I counted on 4-5 scallops per person)
• olive oil
• 1 Tbls. butter
• 2 lemons
• 1 package of sugar snap peas (or regular peas, or whatever veggie you prefer)
• Thyme, Basil, sea salt, pepper
• 1 container of ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)

1. Cook the pasta (while it is cooking, move on to step two). When finished, set aside in a bowl, but toss with some olive oil so it doesn’t get clumpy and sticky.
2. Rinse scallops and pat dry. Sprinkle with pepper, olive oil, and some lemon juice.
3. In a large skillet on high heat, heat up some olive oil and butter until foamy.
4. Place scallops in skillet, single layer. Squeeze a bit more lemon juice on top if you want. Cook, turning once, and until brown on outside… about 2 minutes (these cook very fast!).
5.Remove scallops and set aside.
6. In large pot over low heat, heat up lemon juice from at least one lemon, about 3 Tbl. olive oil, a hefty scoop of Thyme, Basil, and dashes of pepper, salt. Add sugar snap peas and let simmer for a few minutes. Toss in the pasta and mix. Add the ricotta cheese and mix gently until everything is evenly coated.
7. Pour pasta/snap pea mixture into a serving dish. Top with scallops and serve!

Us girls really set the mode for the post-NASCAR dinner, pulling on the candlesticks and wine glasses:

I think we might need a bigger table.

How romantic!

Brusselsprouts with a raspberry balsamic vinegar!

One of my favorite MI wines 🙂

After our feast of seafood, we all settled in and watched a 3D movie which is the only time it is socially acceptable to wear shades indoors and if you are like me, wear your regular glasses under the shades. Yep, I felt like a real winner wearing two sets of glasses.

All in all, I loved everything about this weekend !

What was your favorite thing about this weekend??? Burning my bellybutton was a highlight but drinking mimosas and having a girly brunch was probably my favorite thing!

Sincerely,

Lily

Memories of a Champagne Gown and a French romance

Marriage.

What a simple two-syllable word that already holds such a heavy, happy weight in my heart.

Married.

I don’t have any professional pictures or the video back yet, so I am going to only post a few pictures to give a brief overview.

This day was heavy and thick with emotion and in the future, I’ll blog about moments in-depth (such as opening my wedding gift from Mr. Speedy or finding out my little brother was wearing my veil and taking selfies).

The 1920’s theme turned out amazing! It was blast to see how everything came together.

I will say, my absolute most favorite part of that entire day, was saying my vows.

I really thought it was going to be when I first saw and locked eyes with Mr. Speedy while walking down the aisle… but saying my vows was the most surreal moment I have ever had in my short life. I’ll never forget the look of pure happiness and committment and love on his face.

And apparently (I do not remember this), I jumped up and down a little out of excitement in the middle of this process. Megan and Brittany, do you recall?

Vows.

Favorite moment.

Married!

From there, the rest was a blur but a lot of fun and LET ME JUST SAY-

Having a big wedding is worth it for the fact that you are surrounded by a group of people who would probably never be together in the same room and there is such an overwhelming feeling of support and happiness, it makes it worth every single penny. After the vows, the best part was spending time and seeing people from near and far!

These kids were the best. I am so happy they were a part of the wedding.

Me with Londyn….. she was great!

MOH Shea and I 🙂

My sister looked amazing.

My cousin — can we just take a moment and be amazed at her hair???

Photo booth fun!

Mr. Speedy wants this framed. Now.

Gazing at each other

First dance!

A snapshot of the reception

Kiss and cake!

My wedding gift from Mr. Speedy was a beautiful pearl and crystal back drape necklace.

I am only going to wear backless gowns now.

It matched perfectly and was simply stunning. If you really want one, you can get order one from BHLDN from here. And then we can be twins.

HONEYMOON-

So when did I find out where I was going???

While signing our marriage license with the Priest, best man, and maid of honor someone let the secret out.

The Priest.

Of all people, he simply says to me, “So, I heard you are going to Paris. That’ll be quite a trip.”

Mr. Speedy’s face was shocked. I think he felt somewhat betrayed by the man that just married us.

So the next morning, straight from the hotel, we flew to Paris. PARIS.
PARIS.
PARIS.
PARISSSSSSSS.

This is probably the most selfless trip Mr. Speedy could have planned. My undergraduate degree was in Art History and impressionism is my favorite, but I have never been to Paris. Mr. Speedy planned this entire honeymoon around my love of art.

Each morning, I’d ask him – “What do you want to do today?”
“I want to see you smile and happy.”
And then I usually would have an internal debate on exploring Paris or staying locked away in our honeymoon nest of hotel room and come up for air hours, days later.
What is a girl to do with a response like that?

Louvre!

I made an amazing discovery on this trip. Mr. Speedy is completely capable of looking at art for hours, but only if you feed him a beer or two every other hour or so. This kept him sustained to see and observe art in an enjoyable matter.
When I missed my opportunity to get him a beer or food, this is what resulted:
Sleeping in Notre Dame.

On the other hand, I could have given up food and all drinks and showers for weeks and would have still had this smile-

Are you ready to see another cathedral???

We spent the first half of the week in Paris, then took a train to Nice for the remainder of our honeymoon.

And somewhere between getting married, being in Europe, and seeing so many new things –  I decieded t oget my hair cut by a man that did not speak any English and smelled strongly of espresso and chocolate.

It truly was a wonderful trip.

Hair cut! This is in Nice.

I am wearing the dress he bought me for the honeymoon in this picture. I felt extremely posh prancing around in this with my new haircut.

🙂

 

More to come this week….. XoXo

 

Sincerely,

Mr. Speedy’s WIFE

Musee Rodin! This was my favorite place.

 

Three Major Confessions (okay, four)

I have three major confessions that I feel the need to spill out to you, and spread out in the open like cake batter.

1. I confess that I am experiencing the full-time wedding overload. For this reason, I apologize for the lack of posts… but March 28 seems to be creeping up quickly and I have much to do, much to create, much to prepare.

We got our beautiful handmade, one-of-a-kind, letterpress invitations and they were in my possession for a full THREE hours before we had to seal them up and mail them. I have had withdrawals but at least I get to keep the pretty boxes the artist placed them in. The woman who made these is pure talent and AMAZING, check her out here at Moving Beauty Studio.

These boxes are so pretty!

Love the symbol: C and L

Drool. They were SO pretty!

I’ll do a post devoted to them eventually because they are way to beautiful and unique to skim over.

2. Confession: I love book club. So much, that I am looking forward to my wedding and book club…. and then more book club.  Like, if you gave me a choice to either go to book club or go meet the President or Brad Pitt, I would be like “Um… BOOK CLUB.”

I am so pumped for this club, we had an absolute blast at our first meeting (except I kicked two wine glasses in one step and destroyed them). I hosted and cooked up a storm.

My friend came over early and embossed gold napkins for us. OH YEAH.

German Chocolate Cake!

We read the Book Thief which takes place in Nazi Germany… so the menu was all German-themed and book-themed (the Mom in the book always made pea soup, so I made some….. but no one really ate that because it is odd to serve pea soup with cake and wine and German pretzels).

3. I confess that I have not ran in almost two weeks.

This is horrible but I pretty much am not running in 10 degree weather. Michigan has been freezing. Some people run in this type of weather but I cannot bring myself to go outside for very long. I feel like I am inhaling ice every time I step outside. My butt and things are expanding (at least I feel like they are) and I am craving a good pavement pounding run. Please, Michigan, let’s get up to 25-35 degrees. My mind and body need it.

And an extra confession just because…

Mr. Speedy and I started dance lessons. Please pray for us because I have a knack for not letting him lead and he has a knack for taking bigger steps then mine (or maybe I am taking too small of steps???). Regardless, we are learning to communicate through our arms, pressure of hands, and hips. But-

ALL COUPLES SHOULD TAKE LESSONS.

Not only are you learning something new together and patience, it is really quite sexy. Pushing your palms together and keeping your hips aligned and holding each other close… well, my blood is pretty much pumping the entire time and I think I am blushing with every side-step and twirl.

Deco Couple!

Sincerly,

Lily

My Top 10 Gift ideas for HER

HER.

You know who I am talking about – that lady. Her could be your mother, girlfriend, crush, sister, best friend, teacher, or wife.

HER.

Here are my top 10 gifts for any HER in your life:

1. Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss: Or any Burt’s Bees lip product. It is all natural. It creates a smooth shine and healthy lips. All women wear chapstick, lip gloss, lip stick, or a combo of all three. We need this. It is an essential part of our daily routine. My friend Brittany mailed me this and it is always in my coat pocket.  Find it at CVS for $8.99. PERFECT STOCKING STUFFER.

This is THE BEST.

2. Magazine Subscription: THIS IS SUCH A GOOD GIFT. You know what I love? Curling up a with a good magazine that I didn’t have to pay for. Does she like cooking? Home decor? Travel? Clothes? Sports? I look forward to finding my Self, Runner’s World, and Country Living in my mailbox every month. Get her subscription to a magazine- you can’t go wrong! It is like getting a present every month! Find a variety on Amazon for a range of prices… or just find the magazine directly and order.

YES. DROOL.

3. Wine, this wine: This is just not any wine. This wine is made in Northern Michigan and it is hands down the BEST RIESLING I have ever had. It is sweet but not as sweet as a Moscato. It is smooth and airy and light. I love it. Buy her a bottle of this or an entire case and invite me over. Please. Find the Late Harvest Riesling at Black Star Farms, they can ship or have a list of stores that carry it (many in Detroit area). $15.00

This wine seriously taste like an explosion of all good things.

This also makes a great hostess gift if you are attending a holiday party!

4. Home Decor OR Decor Surprise: This present only works if you live with the woman or are extremely close with them. Do not do this to a crush or teacher because it may freak them out. Re-arrange and re-decorate a space for them. It doesn’t have to be extreme and doesn’t have to cost much. This image of the bookshelf was one I rearranged- group colors and sizes together and add a pop of color with a new bowl, with fruit. Or buy a vase. A photograph. A few new pillows for the couch. We love and adore home decor. Seriously. These pillows from Kohls are a favorite, $64. I also love this cable knit pillow (it is like a big sweater!), for $69.  Love Nate Berkus line at Target and this starburst, $13.98. You can never go wrong with a classic Kate Spade vase, $50. I adore her Grace Avenue collection and it goes great with ANY room.

A little home decor is always a good gift.

Mr. Speedy bought me this canvas art and I love it. What a perfect way to dress up the wall!

5. Gift Card to a Salon for WAXING: Or if she doesn’t get waxed, a nail salon or hair place will do. Every lady requires maintenance and let me tell you- I would be so happy to receive a gift towards getting my eyebrows waxed so I don’t have to worry about the expense of it all. A massage would work too. So many good options. Find out where she gets her business (nails, wax, hair cut, etc.) done and go grab a gift card!!!

Don’t I just look like a model?

6. Personalized Stationary: This goes along with the post on men gifts, but seriously, EVERYONE could use some high-end stationary for their personal correspondence. Or if the woman has a favorite flower, buy some with that on it. The choices are really endlessly. Include some stamps for extra bonus points. Order some from Paper Source, or these cute ones from NaomiLynn, $15.

Stationary!

7. A Getaway: Although pricey, this is easy peasy and means a lot. Book a weekend trip (or even just one night) somewhere to go. This is perfect for girlfriends, best friends, moms, or sisters. We love getaways. Find a picture of the person on vacation and write on the back “Merry Christmas- get ready for another trip because we are going X (name location) on X (name dates)!”. A great place in Northern Michigan where Mr. Speedy proposed but would be a fun trip for ANYONE, is the Inn at Bay Harbor. From $157. Or I took him for a night away to the Dearborn Inn (and we visited the museum across the street) which was a total blast, from $149. BE SURE TO GET BUFFET BREAKFAST.

Fate.

8. Lavender Vanilla Pillow Mist: It is fact that the scent lavender helps relax and get into sleep mode. Pillow mist is probably one of the BEST THINGS EVER.  I use this before sleepy time, just spray a little on the pillows and climb in. Mr. Speedy doesn’t mind although it doesn’t make him sleepy…. never mind. What a great gift, find it at Bath and Body Works for only $10.

Buy this for anyone, they are sure to love it. Who doesn’t like to relax and sleep???

9. The Pioneer Woman: A Year of Holidays (cookbook): The Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite blogs and she is an amazing cook…. and photographer. And she is hilarious. All of her cook books are stuffed full of rich and flavorful recipes, complete with easy steps and pictures. Perfect for any level of cook. She has three cook books out, but this latest one, A Year of Holidays, is geared around holiday foods. I love that- recipes for any occasion! Find it at Barnes & Noble, $20.99.

Love this cook book!

10. Solar-Powered Dancing Daisy: Mr. Speedy bought me one of these and it sits in my window at work and DANCES ALL DAY LONG and always brings a smile to my face. When the sun hits it directly, it dances to fast that the plastic pedals hit each other. It is crazy but it makes me laugh. And brightens my day. I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this thing. Find it at a Dollar Store, $1. If you really want to be funny, buy a whole bunch. (ha, get it? Bunch?)

It dances in the sun! So dang cute!

Other notable mentiones: soap from CerealFly – try XOXO scent, $4.50, a book on her hobby/passion, a red nail polish that is fast-drying – we rarely have time to wait for our nails to dry and we always need a good red color.

There is my little list of gifts for women… hope you enjoyed it and good luck with the rest of Christmas shopping! One more week and it’ll be here.

I am going to go put myself in direct sunlight now and see if it gets me to dance.

Sincerely,

Lily

My Top 10 Gift ideas for HIM

Him.

You know who I am talking about- that guy. Him could be your husband, father, brother, friend, annoying co-worker, boyfriend, fiance, secret lover.

Him.

Here are my top 10 gift ideas for any HIM in your life:

1. Hand-crafted, uniquely scented soaps. This soap actually smells delicious and will make any man repel zombies but attract kissing partners, I am sure of it. Made by Cellar Door Soap Co, it is $6 a bar. Another AMAZING soap company is CerealFly (also in Michigan) and the owner is a sweet young lady. Her soaps sell a bit cheaper, at $4.50.

2. Personalized note cards. EVERYONE (and I mean everyone) will send mail at some point in their life. They must send mail. Or write a personal letter. And possessing stationary that is thick card stock with a professional looking typeface can make such a statement. I bought Mr. Speedy some and he loves them. I got these from NaomiLynn Etsy shop at $15.

Stationary! DUH!

3. Whiskey Barrel Kit. Mr. Speedy received one of these for being a groomsmen in his friend’s wedding and he LOVES it. He doesn’t even drink whiskey really but he loved actually making it and having this tiny barrel. Such a fun little gift. Find one at Bluegrass (includes personalized lines on barrel) for $54.99.

Pirate-approved.

4. Towels.  HEAR ME OUT. Although boring and not… thrilling, towels are a great gift. Do you know why? BECAUSE MEN USE THEM EVERY FREAKIN DAY AND THEY GET OLD AND FLAKY AND GROSS QUICKLY. Generally, men like to leave wet towels balled up and never replace them. New towels are THE BEST. It is like rubbing a fresh, new bed sheet all over your body. Just give that gift of hygiene and buy that man some towels. These are from Kohls and only $7.99.

Seriously. So Practical but so needed.

5. Tools. You really cannot go wrong with tools. Mr. Speedy told me of a few that he needed but one sounded like jigsaw puzzle and the other sounded like Obi Wan so I might have to investigate before I try buying anything. Get them at any hardware or manly store.

I don’t know what these do but apparently, they are really neat.

6. Cook his favorite meal. Does your Dad have an absolute favorite meal ? Or does your guy just love scallops but never is able to eat them because you are scared of them? Muster up some courage and breakout of your cooking shell. Cook away. Find a recipe and FOLLOW IT. You can’t go wrong.

I recently made chili for the first time after Mr. Speedy told me he LOVES the stuff. It was fantastic. He was raving for a week. And farting.

7. A Jewelry Box. Men have watches. Men have cufflinks. Men have tie bars. What men usually store these in are (at least in Mr. Speedy’s case) is a tiny box that used to hold one of these items. They are all mixed in together. Get that man a nice jewelry box so these items have a home. Here is one from Chasing Treasure for only $69.

8. A book about his hobby/passion. Even if he isn’t a reader, a book about something he loves will get browsed through… and you never know, he might read about something he didn’t know and suddenly become a book lover, just like you, and agree to spend lots of money on making a library in the house and buying you whatever books you want. Sigh. A girl can dream.

Running books! That last one is appropriate for men to read too! Promise!

9. For that POOPER in your life….. Heavy Doody Poo Pourri. Yes, this is a real product. Yes, it works. Yes, get this. Order from the Catching Fireflies Store, only $9.95 and it will save your nostrils from toilet-smelling-deathly-encounters.

Ahhhhh! so funny.

10. A reeeeeeally nice, durable last-for-a-lifetime robe.  This kind of is like the towels. He will use it daily. It will get its use. It is worth the investment. I got Mr. Speedy a Brooks Brothers robe (he is obsessed with this store and most of his wardrobe consists of their collared shirts and pressed pants). When he isn’t wearing this robe, I usually am wrapped up in it. It is amazingly comfortable and just feels rich agaisnt the skin. $348.

Hope you enjoyed this….. Next post will be top ten gifts for women, so stay tuned! Happy shopping xoxo

Sincerely,

Lily

Mackinac Island Re-cap: A present, fancy dinners, and lots of exploring

Lovers at Grand Hotel.

The post is going to be quick and simple, with lots and lots of pictures.

We had a blast at Mackinac Island. Here is a quick re-cap through some lovely shots:

Waiting for the ferry-

The ferry was large and in charge:

The water was BEAUTIFUL:

Once seated on the top deck and in motion, we quickly realized that it was WINDY and CHILLY. My hair was quite amazing:

The bridge and the island!

We immediately enjoyed drinks and a humus appetizer before going to our hotel. Have I mentioned I love orange peels?

We were on a pre-wedding-mini-moon.

Scenes from our walk to the hotel:

Our hotel room was AMAZING. Large king size bed, funny old-fashioned decor, a sitting room over-looking the lake and bridge:

Have I mentioned that I love his arms? I do:

Drooooool.

Now for the TIFFANY PRESENT. Any guesses? Mr. Speedy was COMPLETELY SHOCKED (well, he knew I was giving him something because throughout the entire week I was like “I have a present for you and you shall receive it this weekend.” But he had no idea what it was!)

They were CUFF LINKS from the Gatsby line of jewelry that came out at Tiffanys….. aka perfect for our themed wedding.

I love them. They are perfect.

I had to give them to him oh-so-early prior to the wedding because several times he attempted to purchase some for his tux or talked about purchasing them for his tux. What is a girl to do? I couldn’t exactly be like ‘DON’T BUY ANY CUFF LINKS BECAUSE YOU WILL GET SOME BUT NOT FROM ME, LETS GO RUNNING.” He ended up wearing them that night at our fancy dinner 🙂

Okay, after making out for 354365534 hours and recovering from our lovey-dovey feelings, we went to our fancy dinner:

Very patriotic.

The next day was full of adventures. After our buffet, we played chess on the porch:

I was frowning and losing.

And then we started off on exploring the island:

Eating the yummy fudge on the island.

The perfect pets?

Horses pulling a carriage.

I am pretty sure that Mr. Speedy’s favorite part of this day, was discovering this dog who sat at still as a statue and just mellow and sweet:

Mr. Speedy loved this dog.

In the far off future, I will have to learn how to love dogs because Mr. Speedy will want one. However, if we have a very large yard with plenty of room and like, a separate living house for a dog, then I am okay with this pet. But it cannot go near my bed, kitchen, couches, or drool near me. Or poop.

Maybe I am not okay with this….. ::shudddddders:::

After exploring, we had a couple of drinks at The Gatehouse, enjoyed some coconut shrimp and then had fancy dinner #2:

It was like a painting.

We also spent lots of time with my old college roommate and her mother, who were on this trip. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but the owner of the Grand Hotel is an alum of my college and every year, for the past 4 years, there has been an alum trip and you get to stay at the Grand Hotel at a very discounted rate.

It was a blast that she was on the trip and to catch up!

I also think I am going to do fudge wedding favors from the island….. I mean, how perfect does that sound and all of the out-of-town guests can drool over the amazing Michigan famous dessert. Um…. yes!

Seriously though, if you EVER get the chance to visit this place or need a vacation spot – go here. End of summer is the best because the leaves are changing and it is not very hot/humid and there are not hudge crowds.

♥

Sincerely,

Lily

A 10 Mile PR & a Sugary Sandy Beach

Saturday morning, Mr. Speedy and I got up at approximately at 4:58 am to run a 10 mile race.

Heads are cut off…

Better!

The CRIM race is pretty famous in MI and known to be extremely hilly. Mile 6 is SUPER fun, let me tell ya.

Now my PR for this distance was precisely 1 hour 11 minutes and 2 seconds. I ran that last summer when I was mainly running solo, had just started necking with Mr. Speedy and never really incorporated speed workouts, long runs, or tempo runs.

“You are going to break 70. I just know it,” Mr. Speedy declared while driving to our race.

I squirmed. “Uh…. I don’t know. How about 71 minutes? Or like, 2 seconds under my PR?”

“Nope,” he said, reaching over and putting a hand on my shoulder. “70. You got it.”

I love his confidence in me because frankly, it is good to know that someone believes in your ability and can see potential that you always can’t see.

Anyways, we made it to the race.
Mr. Speedy and I parted- he was in corral A (BECAUSE HE IS UBER FAST) and I was in B.
I started running. I felt loose and good and rested.

Within the first mile, a fellow female runner came beside me and we buddied up, planning to keep it around 7 minutes/mile. She is a bit faster than me and was using this 10 mile race as part of her 16 mile run that day (BY THE BEARD OF ZEUS, YOU GO GIRL). She also was wearing a super cute running outfit and I kept thinking how I should probably attempt to look more ‘girly and cute’ for races… and not like a sweaty man.

Anyways, at mile 5, the clock showed me at:

• 34:36 ….. aka 6:55 pace.

Whoa. Maybe I can do 70 minutes?

I made it through the hills… which were not very difficult. Our Love Nest is right outside a very hilly park for running, so training on those I think have made me run up and down hills like a champ.

My main thoughts after 8ish miles were: “I STINK SO BAD” and “IM GONNA DO THIS. AND THEN SLEEP” and “MY FIANCE WANTS ME TO DO 70 AND BY GOLLY LEGS AND LUNGS, LET’S SHOW HIM YOU CAN DO IT.”

When my watch hit 10 miles, this is what it showed:

BOOOOOOOOM.

I really did NOT do a 4:57 pace until probably the last 10 seconds because it was downhill, the finish was oh-so-close and I had a little kick. You think this would be really wonderful but Mr. Speedy is TERRIFIED when I do this at the end of races because he has a fear that I will over-exert my heart, cause a heart attack with the increased paced, and keel over. He always warns me to be careful when I kick…. and I always forget that he warned me about it until after I cross the finish line.

Official time, because I did not run tangent and ran a bit extra was 1:09:59. Precisely, 1 whopping second under Mr. Speedy’s 70 minute prediction. Or you could say I ran it in 69 minutes….. hardy-har-har. Dirty.

ANYWAYS, IM FREAKING HAPPY….. UNDER 70 MINUTES GETS TO BE IN CORRAL A. Next year, I plan to stand next to Mr. Speedy (AS A MARRIED COUPLE) and like, give him a good luck spank or try to convince him to pace me.

He ran under an hour. Let’s not even talk about it. He is a running beast. NO BIG DEAL.

Fast forward to post-race:

We were invited to go to a friend’s cabin for the weekend in the ‘thumb’ of Michigan, on the sandy shores of Lake Huron.

I’ll just let you look at these pictures and soak in the awesomeness of this glorious place:

We got into our bathing suits right away and hit the beach.

If someone could please tell me WHAT IS ON TOP OF MY HEAD AND WHY I THOUGHT THAT LOOKED GOOD, that would be great-

Please excuse my paleness. Also, we like to match because we are dorky lovers.

Mr. Speedy took a few pictures of me prancing around:

I’m SO tan. Not.

Hello there!

“SERIOUSLY STOP. Let me take a picture of you!”

This next photo, it just stops my heart- this man, that face, that hair –

Drool….. I shall marry you and call you mine.

I can feel my internal body temperature rise just looking at that face. Hello. I shall maul you. Would you like to roll around in the sand? Yikes.

There was only one other girl at the cabin (the rest were all smelly boys ewwww cooties – I’m kidding, they are very nice). She and her boyfriend have a dog. When I asked to take someone’s picture, all the men retreated and she was the only volunteer. Why do people avoid the camera?? Or maybe they were avoiding my post-race sweaty stench…. I had no showered.

Whatever. She is reaaaally pretty so I felt like shooting a model:

She is much tanner than I.

And the doggy joined in:

This is very cute. Frame worthy.

And then, I had every single intention of reading my book and drinking a few drinks while getting super tan.

I got out my book.
I reclined out on a chair.
I took a few sips.
And then this happened-

OUT. Asleep. Party-pooper = ME.

I appear to be naked. I am not.

But when I am sleepy, I just check-out from whatever is happening and fall asleep.

Mr. Speedy is one lucky guy, to have such a party animal and thrilling companion as myself. I sure am loads of fun!

Sincerely,

I’m-in-corral-A-not-but-still-demand-loads-of-sleep Lily

Anyone had a great experience with a hilly race? Or sleeping while others are around? Or finding sand in really unusual places?

♥

Tulle Today, Race Tomorrow

This week has been busy. I was a hair model. I got stuck in yards of tulle. I’m full of peanut butter.

Let me explain:

1. Hair Model. Last Sunday, I got a random call from a friend who is opening up her own salon and needed a model. Her regular brunette haired model apparently overslept or went MIA, so she called me wondering if I’d like to get my MAKE UP and HAIR done….

UM YES x 023975059870495808 I WILL MODEL FOR YOU.

Here is a sneak peek of the photos here. The photographer Whitney is crazy talented behind the lens. The makeup done by Kari was amazing. The hair done by Amy was stunning.

From my picture, it is quite obvious a)I don’t know how to model and b)everything is really funny.

This salon, Arid, is a totally new concept- dry bar. Have you heard of them?? I’m so pumped to go here sometime for a styling. Check out the facebook page and if you live near Royal Oak – GO THERE TO GET A BLOW DRY.

2. Wedding items have been arriving at the Love Nest. 

Now, Mr. Speedy warned me that he DID NOT want me to blog a lot about the wedding because he wants many elements to remain a surprise… so I have to be super tiny with my updates. You can be sure after the wedding, I will provide a full breakdown of everything and where I got things.

But for now, cocktail napkins with various designs and 1920’s sayings have arrived. Actually, 500 of them to be exact:

SO STINKIN CUTE. I WANT TO USE THEM ALLLLLL.

I have to hide them from myself or else I’ll start using them. Or folding them. Or re-stacking them. Or playing with them.

3. Tulle. Tulle. Tulle.

I have over 70 yards of tulle in my possession:

So fluffy and soft.

At a whopping $0.70/yard, this was a GREAT find. I’m planning on covering half the tables with this, like so (ignore the pic on right):

Easy….

Look how pretty that is! The tulle just fluffs over the side… and makes everything look formal, romantic, and classy.

The other half of the tables will be covered with a different gold overlay, so hues of gold will echo throughout the room. Let me repeat that statement- hues of gold will echo throughout the room. That sounds so elegant. I really should be inviting the Queen or a Sultan or something.

Anyways, I really hope this tulle doesn’t give me a hard time. I started to lay it out and then I wasn’t sure how much I needed it per table and not sure if I have to iron or steam it and I got overwhelmed and wrapped myself in it:

WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE.

And then this happened:

IM NOT HERE. IGNORE ME.

I believer this is what is called a ‘bridal breakdown’ or ‘super stress’ or ‘too much tulle’ or ‘nap time.’

4. RACE TOMORROW — big fat YES.

Tomorrow in the morning, Mr. Speedy and I racing a 10 miler. It is a big deal here in Michigan and it is called the Crim. First price wins like a brand new car. Kenyans show up. Elites. 9,000 + runners. Oh yeah….

I’m hoping to break my record, which is around 71 minutes.

I’m also hoping to celebrate post-race the same way I did last year, which was drink a beer in my boy shorts while making a really attractive face:

I’m pretty sure I’m flicking off the camera too. CLASSY.

5. I just found this picture and it made me laugh. Apparently, we don’t know how to use a camera together :

So confused. This was Christmas Eve.

6. I love blogging. Sorry it took me forever to update.

TULLY YOURS,

LILY

Ha. Get it? Tully? Like truly? Oh my….. and this is my Friday night ladies and gents.

Just call me Picasso

Back in the fall, I went to a painting workshop at a studio (here)  with two girlfriends.

We could bring our own drinks (aka WINE) and food and paint!
I made a beautiful tree that now hangs above Mr. Speedy’s bed.
It is worth at least $567,899 but I shall never sell it- it is too close to my heart:

I call this ‘Blue Tree.”

Weeping Willow.

My one girlfriend, got inspired by her drink that she brought (HOW DOES SHE DRINK THAT)- she is so crafty:

She carried that thing in her PURSE.

Gorgeousssss!

I went to ANOTHER painting/wine event this week with my cousins and friend.

This one was at a winery (located here) with very cute owners that allowed me to sample 57 bottles.

It was amazing. It was delicious. It made me forget that I don’t know how to properly plan a wedding and that my undies were completely inside-out. I need to get a job here:

OH, hello. I love you.

The set-up!

This was really good. It made me paint like a professional.

This is my cousin Pamelalalallalala.

She was married into the family (she married my cousin who looks like Ben Stiller).
She always dresses cute and has a fierce love for her puppy.
She is the only blonde in our entire family unit.

And there is me…

I had to wear my spectacles because I was going to stay up past my bedtime and my eyes were twitching:

I am so glad I look attractive.

We were painting a sunflower. It was very simple to follow and not too complicated.

Our little group- the bottom left beauty is my other cousin, who will be a bridesmaid in my wedding (I REALLY HOPE SHE GIVES ME HER PAINTING AS A WEDDING GIFT):

We are just a bunch of painters. Cousin P, Me, Cousin E, Friend L.

Whoever thought to host painting events at wineries or places where people can drink wine was a genius.

If you ARE IN MY AREA AND WANT TO PAINT- here are some upcoming paintings you can sign up for:

I really like the sunset. Or the field. Or the purple flower. I like them all.

I suggest you looking up your local winery or art shop and seeing if they offer courses like this. It was a fabulous night out and I have some pretty wall art to show for it.

And if your painting doesn’t turn out, you can always use it as a fancy serving tray to serve wine on! PERFECTO!

Sincerely,

Lily