Three Years of Wedded Bliss!

Today Mike and I celebrate 3 years since we said our vows in front of all our family and friends at the Surf & Sand in Laguna Beach, California.  It was the best day of our lives.  And it is today that we remember the vows we made to each other that include, being supportive of each other's sports teams, taking every opportunity to wear costumes with each other, and to practice patience when the one of us spends a little too much money on shoes or guitars (I think you can guess which one applies to who here!).  All of which we have truly embraced over these 1100-ish days of marriage.

While we were blessed on our 2nd anniversary last year with picture perfect weather and a vibrant water colored sunset, we were not so fortunate this year.  New York experienced a storm to end all storms!  A full 24 hours of downpour that resulted in somewhere between 3-5 inches of rain.  But it was kind of romantic!  Since this is an odd-numbered anniversary, that means it was Mike's turn to plan the celebration.  So we headed down to Tribeca where we enjoyed an intimate dinner at Landmarc followed by a reservation at one of New York's greatest establishments....the Brandy Library.  One of our favorite things to do as a couple is appreciate a fantastic dram of scotch.  So while the skies were crying tears of joy outside on our anniversary, we were nestled inside the cozy comfort of the Brandy Library, surrounded by shelves and shelves of the most delicious elixirs from all over the world.

Our last tradition on our special day was to exchange our red roses as promised on our wedding day, and the traditional gifts of leather (we both bought each other BAGS!!!!).  We watched our wedding video in bed...lucky my mom gave us a sizzle reel for our 1st anniversary, so we didn't watch the entire 6 hours of film (we can save that maybe for an anniversary where we are home a little earlier!).

Three years later, I still feel like the luckiest lady on the planet. I have a husband who works every day to make us happy and who is the most patient soul I have ever known.  We're so blessed to have everything we have and to be able to experience the world together.  Mike makes me strive every day to be a better wife.  I love him more than words, but even more, I love US.  I love how we are as a little family & I love how we complete and compliment each other.  There is no one I'd rather wake up next to every morning & come home to every night, because we are two key pieces of a very festive, tropical, Christmas-y and serotonin-filled puzzle.  Happy Anniversary to US and here is to many many more!  XOXOXO
  

Hoppy Easter from the Mobleys!

Winston stopping to smell the roses!

We were so lucky last year to be able to spend Easter with Mike's side of our family out in San Francisco.  Unfortunately, we were both ridiculously ill, so we didn't get to enjoy San Francisco like we'd hoped, but at least we spent the weekend with family (when we weren't quarantined to our hotel room).  This year, Easter weekend happened to land on my mother-in-law's birthday, so we had the pleasure of spending another Easter with the Mobley family as they made a trip out to New York for the week.  After a fantastic birthday celebration on Friday night in Brooklyn & a delicious home made meal chez Mobley on Saturday, we had more family time in store for Easter.

Mobley Easter baskets!

The weather on Easter Sunday could not have been more refreshing and gorgeous.  On a balmy 68 degree day, we packed up the Jeep with a truck full of well-dressed Mobleys & headed out to join the Buck family in Princeton, NJ.  We've spent Easter's past in Princeton, previously with "just the kids", so it was a treat to have both the Mobley & Buck parents in town to celebrate.

We spent almost the entire afternoon outside soaking up some vitamin D and walking around barefoot on the grass, sipping nice chilled glasses of white wine, and smoking cigars.  Chuck and crew, as usual, prepared a fantastic meal that we all enjoyed on the deck under the shade of the beautiful trees with just enough sunshine peeking through.

The Mobleys returned to Manhattan just a few hours later recharged from nature and sufficiently stuffed from our Easter meal.  Thank you to the Bucks for hosting us all on a gorgeous Easter Sunday! We hope you all had a fantastic and very blessed Easter weekend!

Five Things: Spring

Even though is snowed last week...yes...in APRIL, spring is officially in full swing - and I've never felt more appreciative for this particular changing of the seasons.  So to officially kick off the 2014 spring season, I wanted to five things that have made me happy these past few days.

1.  THIS little guy!  Even though little Cash may not be the first baby born among my friends, he is the one we live closet to.  And because babies are so sweet and they smell like rainbows and sunshine and all things happy, it's hard not to smile when we get to play with our tiniest friend. 

Celebratory pineapple tequila shots
for our 4 years!

2.  Four years at Mindshare! I know I shared a post a few weeks ago celebrating our 4 year "New York-versary", but that also brings 4 for year "work-a-versary".  When I started at Mindshare in 2010, I joined the team on the same day as 2 other lovely ladies.  Someone in the office mentioned to me that I have been at my current agency as long as I was in college, which absolutely blew my mind.  It hasn't been easy, and in this industry, staying in one place this long is extremely rare.  We celebrated by taking an afternoon off work to have a 3 hours lunch - something I don't think I've done since moving to New York.  I couldn't even dream of being in better company to celebrate 4 years at Mindshare!  

3.  A little BBQ action - We are reaching a point in our adult lives where apartment living is starting to be inconvenient and not ideal for growing families.  Which means that we have more friends who are making bigger moves out to the suburbs or Brooklyn for much coveted space.  That means that they may be an extra few minutes away in a cab, or there may be bridges between us now, but that also means that they have YARDS!  And I can't think of a better way to kick off spring than with some brews and BBQ.

 4.I got a little excited during the first nice day this year and commemorated the season with hot pink toes.  My feet were finally so happy that I didn't have to hide them behind thick tights, socks and boots.  And after a winter of icy feet and wellies, my little tootsies deserved to feel pretty too! 

5.  My in-laws were in town recently for my mother-in-laws birthday.  We haven't seen them since Christmas, so we did something very special for her birthday - we had dinner at the River Cafe in Brooklyn which boasts one of the most extraordinary views of Manhattan.  Over the course of our 3 hour dinner, we watched the sun go down and paint the sky in all different colors - like the most beautiful dyed Easter Egg - very fitting!  It's a view I'll never get tired of enjoying.

So I hope these first days of spring are treating you well and that you all have many reasons to smile!  Happy Spring to our friends and family!!!

A Brother/Sister Roadtrip

3 years ago - and the last weekend I spent with my family before
we became a party of FIVE!

Cheers to...EVERYTHING!

Three years ago, as I was just one month away from my wedding day, both of my parents and my brother came out to New York for the weekend while my soon-to-be husband was at his bachelor party in Key West.  The four of us woke up early to have mimosas, we camped out on the couches, we went to Rolf's, we sat on my patio and read the newspaper (my dad may or may not have fallen through our very warped patio furniture...sorry pops, but it still makes us all chuckle), and we attended a very chilly opening day baseball game at Yankee stadium. It was just your regular little family weekend, but it was one of the most memorable weekends I've had in my life.  It meant the world to me to have all three of them there as our little family unit before everything changed forever and I was a married woman!  I cried my eyeballs out when they left because I knew the next time I saw them, I'd be starting my life as a Mrs., and that was the last time it would ever be "just the four of us" ever again.  

This is where my husband was while I got
a valuable sibling weekend!

It's pretty safe to assume that men are not this sentimental, and I'd argue that boys aren't as sensitive as the girls in the weeks leading up to their wedding (I cried every day....pretty much for 3 months until my wedding day).  And with my brother's work schedule, he probably doesn't even have time to think.  So when Garrett told me that he was going to be doing some work in Connecticut last week, I knew that this was the last time I could spend time with Garrett, just the two of us, before everything changed FOR HIM!  Unfortunately, our parents weren't there, but this was a little brother/sister road trip to get in some quality time before the next time I see him....which will be the weekend he walks down the aisle to his beautiful bride!

Garrett booked his flight into NY, where he met me at my apartment so that we could take a little road trip out to Connecticut with the big guy (Winston, not my husband....he was at Wrestlemania in New Orleans....and he was definitely enjoying himself...a lot, see the photo above for evidence!).  It was the first time I had ever driven our new Jeep!  We hit some horrendous traffic on the FDR, which added about 30 minutes to our commute, but it also gave us more sibling time!  We spent the better part of 2.5 hours talking about anything.  Our plans for our futures, our jobs, our upcoming travel plans, our pups & in no time we were in Connecticut for some more family time. 

We had so many things to celebrate with our Connecticut family.  Birthdays, upcoming weddings, and a new addition to the honor roll - so naturally that warranted a big family dinner and some martinis - right?  Our time in CT was also starting so show some early signs of spring!  While we still bundled up a bit in sweatshirts and boots, the sun was shining & if you look hard enough, the trees were debuting they tiniest, happiest green buds on their skinny, naked branches.  And after what felt like almost 4 full months of hibernation, we were all happy to get some sunshine....especially Winston!

At the end of the weekend, after an early Italian Sunday dinner (Gram's meatballs are delish!), I drove home by myself (like a BOSS, I might add...despite the vehicle fire on the FDR that scared the bejeezus out of me!) appreciating the quick weekend not only with some family, but for some extra time with my brother.  In just a few weeks, the DuPont side of the family will grow from five to SIX, and it promises to be a crazy wedding weekend out in Long Beach CA.  I'm not sure if we'll be able to squeeze in any more quality time before they say their "I DOs", so that quick road trip was extra special to this big sister, because even when he becomes a husband, he'll always be my little brochacho.  I'm SO grateful for that quick road trip....SO grateful.  

Happy New York-versary to US!

Mike and I started our New York adventure together on April 1st, 2010...officially 4 years ago today.  We moved to Manhattan as recently engaged and brand new fur-parents to an 8 month old English Bulldog.  Looking back on those first few months in New York, it was such an exciting time for the two of us.  Moving to a brand new city, living together for the first time, both of us being reunited with lifelong friends (although SOME of those friends have since LEFT the city....), planning our dream wedding, and building a life for ourselves for the first time as a little family.

And sure there were some difficult days.  I never thought I'd be able to keep up with the "work hard, play hard" professional mentality that accompanies the Mad Men-esque advertising industry in New York.  And I did need to have a few slumber parties with my cousin during Mike's first few business trips.  And let's not even get IN to how hard it is to get a bulldog on a California agenda trained to keep up with the hustle and bustle of the city streets.  I strategically planned our walks to avoid crossing the street because it took MONTHS to get Winston to successfully make it through a crosswalk on a busy street before the hand stopped flashing and the traffic light turned green.

I wanted to do something special to celebrate four years as Manhattan residents so I surprised Mike with orchestra tickets to go see one of his favorite Broadway musicals, Les Miserables.  Les Mis has not been on Broadway since we've lived here and it JUST came back one week ago, so I was thrilled to be able to get tickets.  And what's more New York-y than a spontaneous Sunday matinee at the theater?  The play was fantastic, and I'm glad that we took a break from our crazy traveling schedule to to something for the two of us, but also so unique to New York (yes...Unique New York, for you Anchorman fans).

New York has become such a huge part of our lives and our marriage that it's hard to even imagine what it would have been like if we had never moved here.  And just like the day we moved across the country 4 years ago, Mike and I find ourselves at another exciting point in our lives.  We're coming up on 3 years of marriage, we're getting ready to grow our family, taking yearly advetures to Europe & socking away money to buy our dream home.  We love this concrete jungle and all the craziness that it brings to us every day. Here is to four years as New Yorkers & for falling in love with this city more and more every day!

Photo Cred: Matty Novo from last September!

A Texas Toast to Garrett & Jenny

Being engaged is an extremely exciting and special time in any couple lives. Mike and I were engaged for just short of 15 months, which felt like an eternity when we were planning for our Big Day.  In hindsight it goes by so fast, and there is never enough time to enjoy being just the two of you.  It's been over a year since Garrett & Jenny got engaged and with just a few weeks left before they both say " I Do" we wanted to take a little time to toast the happy couple and have a special engagement to celebrate them.

Mike & I flew to Dallas to have an intimate little cocktail party at my parent's home in Irving.  Not only were we happy to toast Jenny & Garrett, but this was the first time my parents had really hosted a little shindig at the new house since moving in last March.  So there were quite a few things to celebrate.  My mom did a fantastic job of coordinating a caterer and setting a menu so by the time Mike & I got to Dallas, we just had to help out with the decorations and picking up the "refreshments" (which is our expertise, obviously!).

My handsome dude

The company, the food, the drinks and the couple were perfect.  Mike and I were happy to be able to meet some of Jenny & Garrett's friends in the Dallas area and to also see some old faces that I have seen grow up with my brother all the way back to middle school! Similarly, my parents have a fantastic group of friends in the neighborhood that we always love to spend time with while we are in town.

It's hard to be away from your sibling when he is planning for the most exciting day in his life.  Weddings can be stressful, there can be some drama, your bank account is constantly being depleted, it always seems like the planning never ends and there are always more details to consider.  But there is NOTHING like the joy of upcoming nuptials to bring family and friends together to celebrate.  Mike & are are so looking forward to the big day, and it'll be here before we even know it!  Congratulations to Garrett & Jenny, and here is to a few more weeks of being able to call each other "fiance(e)"!

Just a few more weeks until we are a family of SIX!

Kicking back in Key West

All I wanted for my birthday was for my husband to not have to deal with the stress and finances associated with a birthday bash, and for whomever was able to join us to enjoy themselves immensely.  So the morning I turned 30, the first thing we did (after I opened my Harry Potter robes as a birthday present) was hop on a plane and fast as possible to get to away from the worst winter ever and get some much needed vitamin D.  From our linen-clad travel garb, to the hot pink flamingo party straws we used for our roadies in the Miami airport, we were festive from the second we stepped out of our New York apartment to make the plane journey down to Key West.
Since we had gathered quite the party crew, we decided that a house rental was the best way to go.  My husband scoured the internet and through VRBO we found an adorable little bungalow appropriately called - Southard Comfort.  It was a charming 3 bedroom home to sleep us all comfortably with a private pool and all the amenities to make our stay relaxing and convenient for everybody.  And because my husband is fantastic, he had a key lime pie (because that's what you have on your birthday in Key West) and a gorgeous birthday floral arrangement ready to greet me at the house upon our arrival.

Similar to past posts, I've chosen to select a few highlights from 4 days in Key West to best illustrate the amazingness of our trip and the first moments of my 30s.

1.  Our surprise guest on the first night - Even though we had told him several times that this trip was in the works, and even though we had brainstormed destinations with him since October, our good friend Mike Keohane somehow forgot to mark his calendar for Key West on March 5th.  And when he woke up on March 5th and the Mobleys and Bucks were en route to Key West to sunshine and festivity, he was Macaulay Culkin on Home Alone.   After an anxiety fueled text exchange, he booked a flight that very day and met us back at our Key West house in time for some after dinner drinks and a midnight swim in the backyard.  It was ballsy...and probably the most festive thing you could ever do - and one of my favorite parts of my birthday.

2.  Scoot Scoots!  For anyone who has been to Key West, one of the best ways to get around the island is mopeds.  And since it's no fun to go tandem, we each rented our own scooters while mom & dad secured the family golf cart vehicle.  I like to think of us as a more tropical version of a bike gang as we cruised through the streets of Key West...but that's just me!  And even though my scooter topped out at only 30 MPH, and even though I was in a fancy maxi dress and wedges, it was still thrilling to take a speed drive along the ocean with the boys on our last night.

3.  Wave Runners-  Because the 7 of us had a hard time sitting still and doing nothing, we had to brainstorm what our team activity would be during our last day.  And because it's the best way to tour the island and because it's the closest you can get to Cuba, we decided to rent wave runners! Our tour guides were fantastic and the let us cruise at our top speeds and zip around the island for 2 hours.  We were all windblown and exhilarated by the end of the tour and it was absolutely money well spent.




4.  Shuffleboard Tournament- We decided to have a low key dinner one night at Raw Bar and stuff our faces with every form of seafood we could find on the menu.  Stone crab, oysters, conch fritters, you name it...we ate it.  But what we discovered at Raw Bar was a secret room that had a shuffle board.  Now, I know what you're thinking...."Steph, you turned 30, not 84" or "how could you possibly spend an entire night playing shuffleboard?"  Well, let me tell all you naysayers, it was super competitive, it lasted well into the night, it involved a lot of cocktails, and it was AWESOME.  I'm now investigating how I can arrange to install a professional shuffle board table into my parent's house in Dallas.


5.  What's Up? Since we couldn't take the shuffle board home with us in Key West, we had to entertain ourselves through games at the house.  After a failed attempt at a super advanced version of Trivial Pursuit (we declared the winner after 40 minutes after which NONE of us even got a QUESTION correct), we decided to download "What's Up?"...our new favorite game that we played well into the evening.  It's silly, it made us all laugh uncontrollably, and provided for HOURS of entertainment.

6.  The Sunsets! Before we even took off for Key West, Mike sent the group a daily schedule of times for when the sun sets to ensure that the crew was prepared.  Every night, there is a celebration of sunset at Mallory Square, or what I think of as the "Venice Beach" of Key West.  Aside from one missed opportunity on our third night, we enjoyed the sunset every evening.  Whether we took it in over cocktails on the water, or caught just the last few seconds during a walk to dinner, we made sure to always catch the last few rays of sunshine.  But our last night was particular special.  We made an effort to find a table right on the edge of the water and enjoy the last few moments of the sun while sipping mojitos on our last full day in our little
paradise.

By the time we left to head back to New York, I was so full of love and appreciation for everyone who joined us on this getaway.  Our family and friends are my most prized possessions so it's only fitting that I welcomed the big 3-0 with "a few of my favorite things".  While there are close to 50 or 60 other people I would have loved to be there as well, this was a pretty stellar way to start the next decade of my life.

My 30s are already consumed with tropical memories, and I think that's pretty freakin great.  I can't wait to go back to our festive bungalow, and I'll cherish this little "Adult Spring Break" forever, and it's very clear to me now why Key West is one of my husband's favorite places in the world .  I'm starting to think I need to make this an annual thing!  Now when can we go back???