Duly Noted

An amazing trip with family and friends to the boundary waters to start off summer.

Our very first CSA share. Lots of salad greens of all varieties. So far, we've all the spring greens, romaine, oakleaf lettuce, and arugula, but the bok choy and some other kind of spicy lettuce is awaiting the proper recipe. Suggestions? As a former CSA farm intern and a ranch intern, I have some wild notions about the need to wash vegetables immediately. The way I see it is that if you wash and dry right away, and then store in inviting fridge containers, you are more likely to grab that bucket of lettuce and run with it. Alas, without a salad spinner, the washing and drying process calls for some creativity. Later that night, wedding invitation assembly and addressing! Mike assembled, I addressed. What a team. Since I used pretty wet ink for little heart stamp on the envelope, the final invite package needed drying space as well. Again, with no tables left to cover due to the greens amounts, further inspiration was required. I will post the interior invitations and rsvp...

Beautiful, Pennsylvania Dutch themed shower invitations created by my soon-to-be family! Baka's array of Serbian cakes and desserts. She is incredible. All transported from Milwaukee to Chicago the morning of the shower. Crate and Barrel sunny apron! Max, the family dog, models Rachel's new dog camping backpack. He's jealous.

Well, things are certainly on the up-swing wedding-wise! The checklist is starting to focus on details instead of the central drivers. Just this week, we met and contracted the most natural fit photographer, Scott Streble . His studio is in Northeast Minneapolis in this great old warehouse. Mike and I had quite an adventure figuring out the freight elevator. From his massive PEZ wall to his candid, photo-journalist style, it was immediately clear that Scott fit the bill. And! After waiting four months, my wedding dress arrived! And yes, it is as gorgeous, more gorgeous, than I remember. The ladies at l'atelier couture are just lovely. This is the precious e-postcard I received last week: Also, new bridesmaid dresses... Pansy for my beautiful bridesmaids: And, wisteria for my lovely sister: Okay, and just so you are convinced that I haven't fallen headfirst into the over-the-top world of wedding planning, I am sharing with you a quite hard-core (well, about as hardcore...

So proud of my students!!!!!

I love the Pennsylvania Dutch aesthetic. As the child of two born and raised Pennsylvanians (and two sets of grandparents), the designs appear on family birth certificates, family trees, marriage certificates, children's benches, quilts, and hope chests. So, obviously, for me, these designs represent family, tradition, trust, and stability. I would really like to incorporate some of the symbols and designs into the wedding. Here's two sketches that I've been working on for the invitations:

This morning, these words of inspiration were in my inbox from my favorite yoga center in the Twin Cities, One Yoga. Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness is depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; Rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. -Lao Tzu Excerpted from the Tao te Ching Ch. 44

I am a sucker for athleta and title nine catalogues. I love the photos and supporting captions: triathlete, vegan cook, and full-time mom. Decidedly, these titles don't truly capture the whole woman, but they do manage to inspire me to live up to my full potential. I can see it now~ Molly: high school teacher, marathoner, x-country coach. Ha. Oh dear. Regardless if Title Nine calls me in for a photo op, I am setting some new goals for this upcoming running season. 1. Run a sub 2hr half marathon; shoot for a 1:45! 2. Be more consistent with weights and x-training. 3. Get Women's Running Collective back on track! (We've been doing some casual x-country ski outings, but its almost time to get serious about running again). 4. Try to amp up mileage to between 100-120 miles a month. (I've been doing around 85-90 miles on average). We'll see on this goes over... My first half of the season is April 26th. It will be fun because my high school has a team! There ar...

After several versions and brainstorms of the "perfect" save-the-date card, we decided to go with friend and artist, Liz Tjepkema. We sent her a couple photo booth images taken just before our engagement. I also forwarded a few pictures of Pennsylvania Dutch design, a style that I hold near and dear to my heart thanks to Pennsylvania-German family roots. Here's the final result: I am hoping to incorporate some of the themes from simple Pennsylvania Dutch design- hearts, birds, and flowers- into the wedding invitations and other printed event needs (menus, programs, placecards). I will share some Pennsylvania Dutch inspiration soon!

Told ya. Wedding. Here is what I am imaging re: accessories. And, I think for my sister (shhh)... All jewelry from Anthropologie. Sale or no sale, a bit pricey...but at least for that necklace, I don't think I could find that anywhere else. Perhaps I will check the local vintage stores for rings, earrings, and bracelets. Ooh...and clutches with broaches. I will report back. Let me know your suggestions!

I've been inspired to get blogging and writing again. This is likely an effect of following some lovely blogs AND attending a reading or two at our local bookstore. The catch is that ya'll need to be prepared for an onslaught of wedding-related posts! For the next six months! Can you deal? For those non-wedding fans, whomever you be, I will make an attempt to throw in some other toodles, ideas, and happenings...but I am just warning you. Let's start with bridesmaid dresses. I am planning to have three lovely ladies attending (me?) at the ceremony (and truly, the weeks leading up to it!). We have been in the midst of choosing the bridesmaid dress for the past couple of months. I think we've settled on one...let me know your thoughts! Also, please duly note, my wedding dress has been purchased, and although this might be a crucial bit of information when considering the appropriate bridesmaids dresses, I am hoping to surprise a certain someone. So, on this blog, ...

1.Where is your phone? In my bag 2.Your hair? pulled back into a pony tail 3.Your Mother? miss her 4.Your Father? miss him! 5.Your favourite food? hummus and carrots 6.Your dream last night? deep sleep last night. 7.Your favourite drink? coffee 8.Your dream/goal? love and be loved 9.What room are you in? south high school media center 10.Your hobbie? running and knitting 11.Your fear? falling apart (12. is missing) 13.Where were you last night? home 14.Something that you're not? a pessimist 15.Muffins? raisin bran 16.Wishlist item? a house (ha!) 17.Where did you grow up? Milwaukee, Wisconsin 18.Last thing you did? made a powerpoint for class 19.What are you wearing? jeans, cardigan, oxford, clogs, big ring 20.Your TV? dusty 21.Your pets? Rachel the dog Vasich 22.Friends? adore them 23.Your life? so blessed 24.Your mood? just fine 25.Missing someone? only with warmth 26.When was the last time you laughed? within the hour 27.The last time you cried? last Friday, after giving a studen...

I had my very first dream about blogging last night. I think my classroom planning is catching up on me. Basically, I dreamed I should include a consistent post on "The ten best...." or "Top Ten things..." So...loyal to my dream, I will give this idea a whirl: My Apartment Top Ten: 1. the huge console record player 2. the nice light in the living and dining rooms 3. the window in the shower 4. my mint green typewriter (types in cursive, amazing) 5. an Ormond Gigli fashion framed poster I found at Savers 6. my humble but ever-inspiring cookbook collection 7. a third generation couch that is retro AND unexpectedly comfy 8. the back porch (perfect for summer suppers and breakfast) 9. the old farm sink 10. a funky hand-made lamp shade

I mentioned in my boyfriend-away event run-down that I finished a half marathon with the help of some of the women from Women's Running Collective. It's too bad the number on my friend on the left isn't showing in this picture. Somehow, this crazy girl got "69." I mean, really, how did she manage that??? We asked her if she requested it, but she claimed that she hadn't. Incredible. To update ya'll, the WRC is going strong! We've been doing great at monthly run/brunch, but our weekly night runs have yet to truly blossom. For example, last Thursday, I was the only one on time. Returning my solo run, I realized that my cell had a missed call from a couple stragglers...Soooo, we enjoyed a refreshing post-run DQ. Hey, if you can't run with em', you might as well enjoy the benefits of some major calories someone burned, right?! Still, the WRC has encouraged some small group running on a spontaneous basis. In fact, that brings me to describe ...

To meeee! My first homemade cake! Ever! Mollie Katzen's Mexican Mocha Chocolate Cake in Vegetable Heaven . Hopefully, the taste will live up to its cuteness. I'll find out soon!!!

Two black dress finds. I am serious when I say the best time to shop for something is when you are not looking for it. Truth. I adore this black lace cocktail dress! For weddings and fancy dates. This plain black dress with the bolero is Calvin Klein (50$). I imagine dinner parties on summer nights, Jackie O look-alike contests, and practical conferences/impractical days in the classroom.

For the last 20ish days, Mike has been traveling the west with Orange Mighty Trio . As professional musicians, touring is incredibly important because, as I understand it, there is no better way to get your name out there, grow a fan base, and make a few dollars while you're at it. Touring goodbyes have always been tough for me. A committed adventurer of sorts, the lifestyle of the touring musician has generous appeal: new places, new people, fresh perspectives. Yet, at this point in my life, I've needed to stay home. Over the last couple years, I've realized that, if we are going to last, I would need to make peace with the idea that Mike will continue to tour and travel for as long as he can! I can deal with that reality if I discover and create passion in my own work, projects, and daily toodling. As Mike returns home with a list of wild stories and inspiration, I can also look back on the last weeks and offer some of my own: -Canoeing seventeen miles down the St. ...

For better or worse, in recent months, there's been a familial infestation of relocation. (Sounds like an epidemic, doesn't it? Clearly, my current read, Tracey Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains , an account of the internationally renowned doctor, Paul Farmer, has had some bearing on me...linguistically if not career-wise.) But, alas, it is true; underlying individual motivation aside, the challenge of reestablishing roots is nearly habitual in our tribe. It seems only proper, then, that my mother put aside my Grandma Jean's yellow suitcase set as she cleaned out the fortress of stuff (many treasures, I'll admit) lodged in my mom's childhood home in Pennsylvania. Knowingly, my mom thought I'd appreciate the suitcases (the train case in particular) as I've always been fond of "playing olden days" (a phrase coined by my sister and I as young girls). In transit from my parents' new home in Cleveland, my boyfriend toted the set across t...

Far from the reaches of modern day advertising and supermarkets, this little Wisconsin farm finds success (and JOY) in a weekly pizza night. All pizzas are created from local ingredients (except the olives...although these are local enough for me since they were attained at Bill's Imported Foods on Lake Street- a treasuuure of the cities. Be warned- cash only) and cooked over a wood fire brick oven. Folks are invited to wine and dine on their grounds after ordering. Tuesday night, my former college roommate, the sweet as honeybees- Hannah, Mike, and I made the country trek. A couple hours and many gravel roads later, we found ourselves in this lovely oasis. For us, half the thrill was greeting our good friends and now "farm hands" out in the country. Betsy took our orders as Andrew prepped! They are out there all summer long...maybe more. For me, visiting the farms certainly nurtured second thoughts about farm living.