uh, hello? oh hi, i'm back.

so,

gosh,

last time i did this was apparently november 3rd?

bad bad blogger right here.

put me on the blog naughty list for sure.

from getting engaged, to starting a new job, to numerous other aspects of my life...

the past few months have been some of the busiest, and some of the best.

tonight though,

all i'm going to do is turn on the christmas lights,

light the 'pine branch' scented candle,

 the one that is sitting in the middle of a bowl of cinnamon pine cones on our coffee table,

watch some holiday hallmark movies,

listen to the herb alpert christmas album

(my god i'm LAME. when did this happen???)

and be so very thankful that all my loved ones are safe and sound in light of this very tragic day.
and everyone affected by the events - you are in my prayers - and will be always.

and i leave you with a couple christmas-y pics.

random and unimportant.

except the sweater, that piece of work is VERY important.

also, it was my mom's. she wore it. like in a serious manner.

love you mom!

red cup love

on views and wedding venues

one of the best things about living in western washington is the copious amounts of incredible views.   granted, the views may be covered up with a visible gray layer of liquid droplets most of the time, but nevertheless, amazing views are everywhere. north, south, east and west...you see ‘em.  mountains, lakes, oceans, trees…you name 'em.  that is why when the fiance (I can’t say that word enough) and I started the wedding venue search, we knew we needed to take advantage of the beauty that lies all around us.  

 

 we went south to the bottom of hood canal, we went west to the shores of the pacific ocean, we went east to the valleys of the cascades, but it wasn’t until we went north that we knew, we just knew we had found the place. a good friend of mine, who just recently married her best friend told me that I would just know when I walked into the right place. it’s cliché, but sometimes cliché’s are right.  i knew when i walked in that it was the one.  i knew that it was the very spot that we would say our vows and start the rest of our life together.  i knew it was the gathering place where friends and family were going to join together to celebrate our love.  i knew it was the place where we were going to dance the night away to ke$ha and lmfao – but more on that later…

so here we are,

 at the end of october

 11 months away from our joyous day

 venue and date picked out

ready to embark on this journey.

Oh and the venue, you ask?

Rosehill Community Center

Mukilteo, WA

with the prettiest view i have ever seen.

well besides the one i will be looking at when i say i do. :)

photo: www.realtytrac.com

over the weekend

last weekend we did a little....

whidbey island traveling,

pumpkin picking,

old friend seeing,

chili eating,

colorful fall leaf spotting,

and new favorite gray bootie wearing! 

oh and i almost forgot...

 spot for wedding night searching ;)

more specifically,

the inn at langly

and no biggie,

it would just have THIS view...

happy thursday!

and guess what,

it's almost the weekend once again!

pieces of fall

little glimpes of fall all around make me so very happy.

everything from changing leaves, to the smell of cider spices, to pinterest inspired decorations - complete with fake miniature pumpkins....don't tell those pumpkin-loving pinterest peeps, please... and to top it off, us up here in the so called "rainiest city ever" have had 70 degree sun every.single.day. AMAZING. squash those pesky 9 months of rain rumors! i know it won't last forever, and i don't want it to either, but boy am i appreciating it while it lasts.

happy october everyone!

ferry rides

matt and i are taking a little ferry ride tomorrow. 

seattle --> bremerton --> multiple potential wedding venues!

yep, you heard it right, we are starting our wedding venue hunt!

kind of like an easter egg hunt, only WAY better.

 

these pics are from the last ferry ride we took.

ya know, the one that took us up to the gulf islands?

the gulf islands where little maple bay resides?

little maple bay where the proposal occured?

yeah THAT ferry.

little did i know...

 

this adventure excites me more than words can say.

wish us luck!

Liebster!

So the lovely Colleen from the Day by Day Darling blog was ever so kind and nominated me for the Leibster Blog award! I can't thank her enough! Seriously, her blog is great AND she's a fellow WSU coug!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It is a way to acknowledge each other and say, "You’re doing a great job." It is for blogs with 200 or less followers, so it’s also a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs and get them more readers and followers! When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.You pass the Award onto 11 other blogs (make sure to let them know they were nominated) and ask them 11 questions. You’re not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated you! (To get the button, right click the picture above and save the picture to your computer. You can then upload to your blog.)

11 facts about ME:

1. i am addicted to carbonation. i CRAVE it on a daily basis. diet coke, preferably, but anything will do.
2. i have super curly hair that i get professionally straightened.
3. i am OBSESSED with christmas music. i start listening to it as soon as appropriate, which in my book is september. in fact, hold on a minute while i turn on my bing crosby pandora station....
4. i went to italy for my spring break when i was in 3rd grade. the statue of david scarred me for years.
5. i could watch the weather channel all day long.
6. i was a cheerleader in high school and could not tell you even ONE rule of football back then.
7. i love maps. and globes. i always find something that surprises me.
8. i love being a tourist in my own city. there is never a lack of things to do in the seattle area.
9. i pick out wine at the grocery store according to how pretty the label is. oh, and the cheapest.
10. i've seen over 15 dave matthews band concerts. nothing beats labor day weekend at the gorge with a little dmb. #obsessed.
11. for the past two weeks i haven't been able to take my eyes off the sparkly rock that sits so perfectly on my left hand ring finger that symbolizes so very much.

11 answers about ME:

1. What is your favorite season and why?

FALL. nothing beats changing leaves and cold dewy mornings and pumpkin spice lattes anytime, anywhere (i mean that literally. i live in seattle. i have SIX starbucks within about a mile radius of my apartment).

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
i may get to go to the real oktoberfest in germany next fall and i'm preeeeeetty darn excited about that....

3. What is your favorite meal?
can i say all 3? i love food.

4. Are you a pants or skirt/dress kind of gal? 
i'm a leggings girl on the weekends and a pencil skirt girl during the work week. i'd be happy never wearing jeans again for the rest of my life.

5. If you could live in any other time period, which would it be?

maybe the 1940's. the outfits were so fun and feminine. and seriously, who wouldn't want to live in the era that 'the notebook' took place in???

6. What is one trend you just can't get on board with?
bieber fever.

7. What is your must have item for fall?
any colored casual button up that i can dress up for work and down for the weekend.

8. Dogs or cats? 

both? please?

9. Must have beauty item?
mineral foundation! the brand is zethena and IT.IS.THE.BEST. 

10. What is the #1 item on your bucket list?
visit each continent!

11. Why did you start a blog?
to share the little things in life that make me smile. 

11 questions for YOU: 

Now it's your turn. Here are your 11 questions to answer. Remember to answer these questions, in addition to posting 11 facts about yourself, then post 11 new questions for your choice of others who have less than 200 followers to answer!

1. What is your favorite month and why?
2. What was your dream job when you were young?
3. If you could live in one outfit, what would it be?
4. Most attractive trait in the opposite sex?
5. Light or dark nails?
6. If you could live anywhere for a year, where would it be?
7. If you could go out to lunch with one celebrity, dead or alive, who it be?
8. Favorite fast food?
9. Heels or flats?
10. Best concert you have ever been to?
11. Fave blog?


Here are several under 200 blogs that I follow and love! Check 'em out!

lolobellaboo
ZADIN
TheLyonsDen
Living thru Fashion
life is more interesting if you're slightly confused
Eskimo Kisses


Thanks again, Colleen!

random weekend happiness

 

sounders game win with the new fiance // seeing THIS while i type

figs and almond combo // leaves and buckles

happy as a clam this weekend!!

4 years in the making

not so typical friday night for me.

matt proposed on the deck of the 'lucy jane'

the sailboat that we have embarked on three trips in now.

this year being by far the best. ;)

i screamed YES!!!

 i cried, i laughed, we hugged, we kissed.

best night of my life.

so happy i get to spend the rest of my life with him

luckiest girl in the world.

right after it happened, in the cabin of the boat, about to toast with champagne. :)

the rock.

the next morning, with my ring and my man.

friday night, a couple hours before the proposal. i was SO oblivious.

Maple Bay, in the Canadian Gulf Islands, scene of the crime, best bay in the world ;)

Maple Bay

friday finally

happy friday all!

enjoy your second to last weekend of summer!

hope the sunshine is bountiful!

this weekend you will find me here! 

burrito baby

if you ever wanted to know what a burrito the size of a baby looks like, here you go. seriously, this place has pictures on the wall of babies laying next to their burritos. and yes, the slogan does not lie, if you wrapped a tortilla around a baby, you probably couldn't tell the difference between the two. 

if you're ever in seattle and are feeling just a little too skinny, go here.

5 awesome's...

5 awesome's...

•  my current state: home from work, relaxing on couch, drinking iced coffee and blogging. mm.
• it's almost FALL which means crisp days, pumpkin spice lattes, and scarves!
• and FALL means it's just that much closer to CHRISTMAS...
• i got a new JOB. and i think this one is a keeper. i couldn't be more excited!
• last but not least, i just had the most amazing 5 days with my momma, love her!

 oh..and one more 'awesome' was our trip to the peninsula. you can expect a great time on any trip that involves a ferry ride. this one was to kingston, wa and it was mighty beautiful! me, my mom, and matt took the ferry over, did some sightseeing, had lunch, rode bikes, did more sightseeing, then took the ferry home. 

i have to say, twas a good day... :)

 

helllllllo mom!!

my momma comes to town today!!!!!!!!

woooooohooooooo!!!!!!

seahawk win = ihop breakfast

 

seahawks tickets to pre-season opener = 

seahawks win against matt hasselback and jake locker =

free ihop breakfast for anyone who attended. priceless.

mixer

this post is pretty much just one big disclaimer for these photos...

DISCLAIMER: i am no fashionista but i'm inspired everyday by those saucy bloggers who are. 

here is my first attempt at an outfit post...sorry if my 'looking off into the abyss' pose is not quite natural, i'm still working on it... I mainly just wanted to showcase my attempt to MIX patterns. i've only ever worn this skirt with a solid black top, or a solid white top, or a solid blue top, NEVER a patterned top.

so here you go... my multi-patterned, crooked belted, striped and floraled thursday style. 

next time i'll straighten out my belt. and that's a promise.

top: Gap // skirt: Romy // belt: Forever 21

through the eyes of my iphone

follow me on instagram! @chrissydini

1st attempt at the 'bang braid'?? // colorful heirloom tomatoes

blue angels at seafair // more blues!

seafair 2012 // eh, looks like i missed a spot

cold morning // warm afternoon

scarf in the summer // my own bday eve serenade!

inside out

i love this idea of bringing the inside out.... 

all images via pinterest

the night i met doug

 just wanted to give all of you bachelor freaks fans (it's okay, i'm in the club) a little reminder of the gentleman who could win the award for the most awkward kiss of all time. i mean, who kisses someone right as you are hearing stuff like, 'it's not you, it's me' and 'i just don't think it's going to work'...

i mean, really????

 you got it, that award goes to DOUG!!! oh good ol' single dad doug from seattle.

now that your minds are refreshed with who doug is, let me tell you a little story.

 last night i met my looooong lost great friend cristina for a little post-work thursday evening happy hour. we started at toulouse petite which has great food and great drinks. deliciously cajun which is rare cuisine up here in the pnw. cristina and i lived together for 4 years but since we moved to our own places in february, we had not seen each other even once. needless to say, we were having a fabulous time together. we decided to continue our night to ozzies to have one more beverage for old times sake. well as soon as we walked in, i knew...

omg.

that's doug.

that's single dad doug from the bachelor

omg.

he's the bartender at ozzies????

no that can't be doug.

anyways, i went up to him, ordered, sat back down and started laughing hysterically with cristina. 

is that DOUG????

that's all we could say. 

a couple minutes, and some awkward eye contact later, he looked straight at both of us and asked...

are you guys ok??? 

i responded with...

NO, ARE YOU DOUG???????

yes. he says. it was doug. doug from the bachelor. doug who KISSED emily during the break up.

oooooooh dougie doug doug.

you are a lot shorter in person.