Woah! Fall just set up shop in a hurry!

     Since the highs around Boston have gone from 80 degrees to 60 degrees in a matter of two days, I feel as though I've been slapped in the face by Autumn! Not that I'm complaining; Fall is my favorite season! This week, in addition to the weather change, I have been invited to a Halloween party, and made plans for picking apples next week! I'm looking forward to trying yet another New England delicacy- the apple cider doughnut!  Also, I saw these cookies running rampant through the blogosphere, and now I have to get my hands on some cider so I can try it out in my own kitchen! Not Martha, you rock SO HARD!

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After a nice vacation weekend in Cape Cod last week, today is a day of intense cleaning and chores! (And homework.) ...And maybe some shopping for Halloween costume materials? 

Meanwhile, at the "Welcome Table"

My Aunt just got married over Labor Day weekend! My Mom and I were honored to be asked to be part of the wedding, even if it was in a small way. We were completely in charge of "the guestbook", which turned into the guestbook and gift table, which turned into a personalized picture frame with autographs of guests surrounding a photo from the happy couple's engagement session, and then some!

We made personalized wish cards so people could write wishes or advice to Whitney and Will on their big day, and they could put them in the smaller bird cage on the left. They could put the cards they brought with gifts into the larger cage on the left. (Oh, and that's my fellow tablescape artist, my mom!)

After the ceremony, we moved all the stuff to table inside. (Not too keen on the black table cloth, but eh! Who cares? We were too busy having a great time! ) You can see the pretty bows and signs my mom made! My mom and I used Skype a lot to collaborate on the designs for the signs and the wish card.

We sent the cards out to be printed after we came up with a design we liked, but they weren't cut straight, so we cut them ourselves. My mom found this really great John Lennon quote for the backs of the cards.

It was a fun project and I was glad to be a part of their day! 

Never Forget...

This morning I turned on the TV at the bed and breakfast at which I was staying to see the most horrific and graphic footage of the moments just after the planes hit the World Trade Center, and I was so disturbed. Not only by what was actually on the screen, but by the idea that somebody thought it would be a good idea to watch this footage again, and in some twisted way believes it's an appropriate way to honor those who suffered 10 years ago. Why do so many fetishize the grief and violence that led up to, made up, and followed this event?  Is it not more appropriate to have a moment to truly appreciate the freedom and peace we generally take for granted in this country? 

"I can sum up every thing I've learned about life in three words: It goes on." - Robert Frost

In that spirit,

3 Reasons I'll Never Forget September 11

1) Yes, the terrorist attacks too, but also...

2) September 11, 2003- I somehow mustered up the courage to ask the boy who would become the love of my life to be my boyfriend...and he said, "yes"! 

3) September 11, 2011- I laid eyes on my newest cousin for the first time via text message. He/She may only be a booger smear right now, but he/she is the cutest booger smear I've ever seen!

Us, 8 years later...to the day.