Sunday, June 17, 2012

A Daddy's Girl...

Happy Father's Day all!

I hope you were all able to spend time with your dads, or grandpas, or godfathers!  I wasn't able to see mine but I talked with him on the phone.  My family went up to visit my grandparents in Appleton.

I have always been a daddy's girl - trying to impress my father as much as I can.  It's probably because I'm the oldest!  I also am my dad's twin - even though I am a girl!

One of my favorite Father's Day activities has always been watching the US Open during that weekend.  I remember going to my Grandpa Kaminski's house when we were younger as a family and everyone would be watching it.

So Dad - this is for you - I love you very much and miss you very much!
xoxo Sarah
Father - Daughter dance at my wedding - "My Girl" by the Temptaions

Friday, June 15, 2012

A Taste of Summer...

One of the things I love the most about Summer are FARMER MARKETS!  Yes I love them - even though I haven't been to many of them.  My friend Megan who lives in MN outside of Minneapolis also likes to go to them - see her post HERE and HERE on her blog "Happy in Heels"

In the city of a Chicago there are quite a few - the two most well known ones are the Green City Market in Lincoln Park on Saturdays during the summer, and the Farmers Market in Daly Plaza on Thursdays during the day!  If you haven't been to either of these I suggest you try them out - the Green City Market is one of the most well-known in the country!  Zachary and I saw a Top Chef demonstration there - if you watch Top Chef, I got to ask Antonia a question - from the Chicago season!

This weekend, Zachary and I are celebrating Father's Day of course - but to kick it off tomorrow, we are going to Naperville's Farmers Market at the 5th Ave Naperville Metra Station on Saturday morning!  I am so so excited because I really really want them to have rhubarb - it has been so hard to find here!

Here is a little look at the Thursday Farmers Market in Chicago!  It's huge so I couldn't take a ton of pictures, but they have your usual greens, fruits, plants, flowers - plus they have honey - and beeswax candles as well as CHEESE and different breads!

Chicago Farmers Market in Daley Plaza
Hope you guys are having a good start to the summer and have a wonderful weekend as well!

Happy Start to Summer!
xoxo Sarah

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

My Happiness Project

Ok - so my last library post here, I talked about the book "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.

SOURCE: The Happiness Project Blog
I was at first skeptical about this book because I didn't want to be reading about a self-help book.  But IT MOST DEFINITELY IS NOT!!  I know I am happy and I was like why should I read a book about happiness?  This book is SO MUCH MORE than that.  It's a life-changer.  Gretchen Rubin, the author, creates a system to measure happiness through a project she creates for 1 year.  Each month she focuses in on one aspect of her life to try to become happier.  First she focuses in on Energy - because that is the start of this all.  The more energy she has to begin with, the more she can focus in on the other aspects of her life.

I truly have found this book to be a must-read for anyone out there.  It has made me happier and think more about how to be happy in my life - even though I know I am happy - I know I can be happier.  I can utilize my time more to spend on the things that matter most and make me happy rather than those that suck up worry, anxiety, and energy. 

Everyone can have a different Happiness Project.  It doesn't have to be followed exactly to hers.  It can be catered to the individual.  So as I develop my own happiness project, here are a couple things I am adding to it. 

1) Energy - Decluttering my apartment, organizing and going through all my wedding items, going to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier to utilize more of my day, make sure I get 8 hours of sleep each night, drink a glass of water before every meal and before I go to bed. 

2) Relationships/Love - Spend time walking more with Zachary after meals and during the weekend, writing more letters to my friends (we rely too much on electronics these days), make an effort to send my sister something funny each week since I miss her so much and I know she will laugh at what I send her.  

3) Fun - Learn a new language over the summer (Zachary and I are learning French!), sing more and look into local musicals at the colleges and high schools around us, attend more High School sporting activities especially football games - we live right near a local high school

4) Spirituality/Religion - go to church more - PERIOD.

5) Mind - Look into local tutoring opportunities for Math where I live, read more, read a book I normally wouldn't about history or politics, read a biography about a famous St. Thomas Moore (I find him very interesting and would like to learn more about his life), read the physical newspaper more.

6) Body - Work out more, utilize our pool to do laps in, go on more walks during lunch downtown during work, walk more after dinner, do daily yoga work outs, coupon clipping.

Although these are just some of the things I think that will make me happier, I have to remember to "Be Sarah" at the same time.  That is one of the major things that Gretchen focused on was remember to be yourself during this time.  

What will you do for your happiness project?  Are you currently working on a happiness project?  Let me know what you think!

By the way, Zachary even said he thought I was happier just by reading the book!  Sorry for the lengthy post but it deserved it!

Be Happy!
xoxo Sarah

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Picasso or Monet?

So I wanted to show you guys a little bit more about the paint class I went to the other weekend for my friend Morgan's bachelorette party.

The place we went to called "Arts n Spirits" in a neighborhood of Chicago known as Wicker Park!  It was great great fun!  It is a BYOB painting class!  They also do class reservations for bridal showers, baby showers, and birthday parties!  On Sundays they have painting classes for kids too that you could throw a birthday party for there!

When we went, we were taught how to paint a Venetian sunset or in other words Monet's "Sunset in Venice."

Here is what Monet's painting really looks like:

SOURCE: HERE
Here is what mine and the rest of the girls paintings looked like:
The larger painting is mine!
So what do you think?  Am I a Monet or more of a Picasso?  What are your thoughts??

Happy painting!
xoxo Sarah

Monday, June 11, 2012

A Musical Me...

For those of you who know me, I love singing.  I love music.  I love everything about it!  After a year hiatus, I am getting back into choir with my all-girls-chorus I sing with in Chicago called "Cantante Domino."  I am very excited for this :)

Even though in that choir,I sing Latin masses, i.e. Faure, Rheinberger, Mozart, etc., my biggest love of music, besides Big Band Swing/Jazz, is definitely MUSICALS!

Ok yes I am a Gleek as well!  But I have been in musicals since I was little - performing "Godpsell" twice  once in grade school and then again in college - I love singing musicals.  I have a great admiration and "wishing I was her" feeling for both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth - if you haven't been able to hear their voices - please go out and do that immediately - local library and YouTube are both free!!!


The other weekend, Zachary and I saw a movie and there were just musical previews galore.  They showed the new "Rock of Ages" movie coming out as well as the new "Les Miserables."  The latter one, I cannot wait to see as it has one of the best songs ever written in it "I Dreamed a Dream."  Have you ever heard it?  It's one of my favs.

What is your favorite musical?  Mine has to be a tie between the classic "West Side Story" and the new "Wicked."  If you haven't seen either - please do!  They are phenomenal!  I love "Les Miserables" as well but it is a little sad - but in a good and powerful way!

What is your favorite musical song?  Mine is a tie between "Defying Gravity" from the musical "Wicked," and "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Misersables", and thirdly "America" from "West Side Story."

I'm in a musical mood - so I want to know what drives your love for Musicals!  Let me know!

xoxo Sarah

PS:  This is my 100th Blog post!  Woo hoo!  Yeah for me!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Tea of the Week!


So I'm not advertising any teas this week - but I want to know what you like to add to your tea?

Do you like to add honey, maybe a little milk, or even some sugar or fruit???

The Argo Tea I like to go to has a "Tea Sangria" which has all these different fruits marinating in their tea.  It's delicious!

Let me know!

Happy Fri-Tea-Day,
xoxo Sarah

Bachelorette Fun!

So this past weekend I had my good friend Morgan's bachelorette party!  Take a look below at all the fun things we did including mani/pedis, eating great food, going to a paint class!, and going to a fun dinner with drinks to follow!  I will show some more pics of the paint class on a later post, but here are some great pics of a fun weekend with a great group of ladies!

Getting our nails done!!! And Morgan with her mom and future MIL!
All the great apps we had at the maid of honor's condo, Kate!  Look at all those yummy eats:  Fresh veggies and fruit,  diamond ring sugar cookies, cheese and cured meats, a little guac, some antipasto skewers, and the signature cocktail - the Morgantini!
At our BYOB paint class painting Venetian sunsets!!! 
The sorority sisters at dinner and at drinks!

What a fun time ladies!
Congrats Morgs!
xoxo Sarah