Love is in the air

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Can you feel it?? Yes is that warming bubble feeling in your heart

Today... I am not saying much... instead I am sharing this amazing pictures

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It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80′s arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. The nurse took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him, ‘And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?’ He smiled as he patted my hand and said, ‘She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.’

Save the dates {Eat, drink and be married}

If you're getting married soon, it's a good time to send out a little Save The Date now, if you haven't done so already. I really love the idea of a creative save the dates that goes beyond a pre-made or custom made card design.

There's loads of instructions for DIY save the dates out there. Just browse the web and find your favorite. Here are a few of my favs:

1.- Beach Pictures:

If you are going to have a beach wedding, go to the beach, draw in the sand and take some nice shots

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2.- Save the date on chalk

Use chalk for a fresh new aproach to the traditional save the dates card,  with this idea you can guaranty that your guests won't forget about this original invitation and your wedding day.

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3.- Tree Love:

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4.- Scratch off Save the date.

Pop to Martha Stewart site to get the how to :)

You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.

I really hope that you get some inspiration... also I can't think of a better opportunity during your wedding planning process to showcase your personality and be creative while having a bonding experience with your Mr. Right  that would be captured forever

Have a wonderful weekend!!


xox

Valentine's Tables

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Valentine's Day is a day for showing your loved ones how much you care. Remember to set the mood, a simple kiss might work but it's better if you add some candless, flowers and a memorable table for your dinner

Here are some ideas to decorate your family table and share the love with the most important people in your life, this Valentine's Day.

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A fancy dinners for two or four in my case, bouquets of roses, etc the focus on February 14th seems to be on the romantic kind of love. But family love is just as - if not more - 

important and deserves to be celebrated too. 

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Find ways to use flowers to really make your home special on Valentine's Day and everyday.

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By spending a bit of time planning and adding special touches to your home, you'll be on the way to making this day really special and memorable.

You'll find that it's really worth the effort!

xox

Inexpensive Valentine's Ideas

Looking to make this valentine's special without breaking the bank?


Consider Handmade gifts! Keep in mind that handmade items are not just beautiful but special…

I love to give them and I love to receive them. In my opinion they are the best!

Here are a few more personal favorites from the different craft projects… 

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1.- Cookies in a Jar:
Put all the dry ingredients in layers in a mason Jar for an atracttive presentation. Decorate the jar with valentine's fabric and a red or a pink ribbon, attach the recipe with a string and you are done. These can be  great for teacher gifts or a neighboor. You can attach a wooden spoon to make it more special.

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2.- For the coffee lover: homemade biscotti  in a handmade mug. This is quite elegant, and has a long life after valentine's. Hit the store (I found beautiful ones in the dollar store) and try to find a large hand-thrown coffee mug. You're after something colorful and substantial. Fill it with individually wrapped biscotti a cute ribbon and a label.

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3.-Jars of homemade bath salts: As luxurious as they may seem, they are also inexpensive. Typical recipes are epsom or sea salt, baking soda, food coloring (use natural varieties), glycerin (vegetable-based) and your favorite aromatic spoils. Once again, it's all about presentation. Decorate the jars — and be sure to list the essential oils used, to prevent possible allergy issues.

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4.- Photo coaster. 
Print your favorite photo. (I prefer black and white photos because they are more fun to use on this craft). 

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5.- SMORES: Cute and inexpensive... just add a custom tag, twine and you are ready :)

and don't forget to do a BREAKFAST SURPRISE FOR YOUR FAMILY:

Start your family's Valentine's Day off right with a special breakfast. Shape into hearts everything that you possibly can, like pancakes and toast, and purchase holiday specific décor such as placemats and a tablecloth. Keep the color scheme red and pink with lots of berries and food coloring. You'd be surprised at how much more fun milk is to drink when it's pink.



In another post I am going to give you some ideas about valentine's Tables...


Happy Valentine's Day to you and everyone special to you!

STOP SOPA

Hey guys, IPS EVENT PLANNER is offline today due to the worldwide anti-SOPA/PIPA protest we decided to partake in. For more information about SOPA/PIPA or why we decided to join the protest, please visit 


https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/sopa-pipa/


http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111122/04254316872/definitive-post-why-sopa-protect-ip-are-bad-bad-ideas.shtml


http://americancensorship.org/

Chocolate Cherry Biscotti {Recipe}

I fell in love with the chocolate and cherry biscotti that I tried this weekend.   I happen to love biscotti and order it pretty much any time I see it in a coffee shop.  This is exactly what I want in a biscotti,  not too sweet, and this one was full of chocolate and cherry flavor, and crunchy, so as soon as I get home I started to look for a recipe and I found these biscotti  courtesy of Smitten Kitchen and adapted to have cherry and  I wouldn’t be a good baker if I didn’t try it. I thought they were absolutely fabulous and plannig to add them to my list of things that will go in my Valentine's packages this year.

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Total time: 1 hour

Makes about 60 biscotti
1 cup whole hazelnuts, preferably blanched
2 1/2 cups flour, plus flour for work surface
1/2 cup Dutch-style cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar.
1 cup dried cherries, chopeed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. If hazelnuts are not blanched, toast them until the skins begin to crack, then remove them from oven and wrap them in clean linen or cotton towel (not terrycloth). Rub hot nuts to remove most of the skin. Set toasted nuts aside.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder together and set aside.
3. Beat eggs lightly, just until blended, in mixing bowl with whisk or in electric mixer. Remove two tablespoons of egg mixture to small dish and set aside. Beat sugar into remaining eggs until blended. Gently fold in the cherries. Stir in flour mixture to form soft dough.
4. Divide the dough in half and place one portion on a well-floured work surface.  With floured hands, pat it into a six-inch square. Scatter half the hazelnuts on the dough and press them into the surface. Roll the dough into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 12 to 15 inches long. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and place the roll of dough on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush the tops of both rolls with the reserved egg.
5. Place in the oven and bake about 15 minutes, until firm to the touch.
Transfer to a cutting board and cut on an angle with a serrated knife into slices one-half-inch thick.  Return the slices to the baking sheet, laying them on their cut sides, and return them to the oven. Bake another 15-20 minutes more, until they are crisp and dry. Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool completely.

1. Storage suggestion: Keep the biscotti at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks

Have a great day xox

Hugs!!!!

Hammerpress

Hugs were invented to let people know you love them without having to say anything


 A Cookie hug for my husband....

This was part of my husband's gift surprises for his birthday I think it has the perfect message for the start of a new birthday. 

Only hugs, smiles and warm fuzzy feelings, please. Now go enjoy your long weekend!


                

Happy Birthday to my Husband

Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday to my dear husband, Happy Birthday to you. Yeeeeaaahhhh BRAVO!! 

Here we are another year later- stronger for many reasons and blessed for countless others.  How lucky I am to have found you 14 years ago. You are my best friend, companion, soul mate and my support.  The person who cries beside me in times of sorrow, holds my hand in times of uncertainty, and helped teach me that I'm stronger than I ever thought I was.  Words that aren't taken lightly- I know not every one is blessed to have someone like you in their life and I am so blessed to have you by my side.   I can't wait to see where this next year takes us.  On our biggest adventure yet, that is for certain.  How glad I am to have you with me on this journey.  

I love you madly.  

xox

Me

In a secret mission... shhhhhh

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday and in our house ejem birthdays are a very big deal.  but It's not about gifts; it's more a celebration of life {that usually last for a week}.  Gianmarco, Valeria and I have a few tricks up our sleeves to ensure he has the special weekend he deserves, but they will remain a secret for now... just in case he decides to read this blog{wink} 

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DISNEY WORLD

This guest post from Lenny Mcknight We looked into local home security offers and decided that we could get a better deal if we switched monitoring companies. I told the kids that I would take them to Disney World at the end of the year with all of the money that we saved. With the tickets being sixty dollars a person for one park, I am only going to be able to take everyone once! I will have to say that I absolutely adore Disney World. I have taken my kids before, once when they were really young. Now they are old enough to remember the trip. I know that they are just going to have the best time. I just haven’t decided which park we are going to visit yet. I think that the Magic Kingdom will be the best bet. There are lots of rides and they will get to see Cinderella’s castle. I think that we will try to take them to a different park every year if I can. I remember going as a kid and having such a wonderful time.

Project Moon

Moon Photography
Although it is by far the biggest and brightest object in the night sky the moon is not an easy subject to photograph


Still working on this project.... 

and she said YES!!! {Eat, drink and be married}

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I received several email asking me for engagement etiquette.

The melding of friends and family at your engagement party can be tricky territory. Engamenent parties are still unfamiliar in some social circles so here is my top 5 etiquette tips for planning an engagement party to insure the event is smooth and enjoyabl:

1. 1. 
      
   
   
   
   • 1. 1. Host: It is inappropriate for the couple to host their own party unless they are using to announce their engagement.
   • •  Gifts Are not required for the party and are not customary this early in the process. But if a guest brings a gift open them in private or after the party. (and don't forget to send a thank you note)
   • • Invitees: No one should be invited to the engagement party that is not invited to the wedding
   • Size and style of the party depends on your budget and what you prefer. Typically, engagement parties are a cocktail event or casual
   • The party is about celebrating the positive prospects of the new couple together  and remember that take toast in stride and when well-wishers  propose a toast, remain seated and don't raise your glass or drink and it's customary that one or both of you respond to the toast with a toast to thank people for coming
   
   
   And here are my choices for invitations:
   

   
   
   
   

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and some ideas for your engagement pictures and to tell the world you are engaged, just a little bit different that the classical (that I still love) shot from the ring in facebook...

 Photographs by Joseph Kang Photography

www.greenweddingshoes.com

www.google.com

xox

Theory for Valentine's

Well I am now that the Holidays are officially over we are onto Valentine's planning! Do you guys usually do something special? I'd also Love for you to leave a comment and let me know your plans and what you would like to see here in the blog.

Brrrrrr! The weather has been cold in Miami... for the last two days. Don’t tell anyone, but I kind of like it! 

Anyhow …this weather called for a warm and tasty beverage! And because this temperatures are hard to see in Miami we are taking advantage of maybe the only two cold days we will see in our City.

Thinking of this nice weather we had  some hot chocolate and churros...

And I have to make two versions, the regular ones and of course Gluten Free Churros for my son who is allergic.


And don't forget the Hot Chocolate, here is the recipe



Homemade Hot Chocolate **Makes about 4 cups of hot chocolate

Ingredients:

• 4 cups  milk (or other milk of choice if you want to make a dairy free version)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder (we used hershey cacao powder)
• 1/4 cup organic agave or cane sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon homemade vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan, stir and heat on medium high for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

For the heart we did heart shaped marshmallows and heart shaped whipped cream
This is how we did:
Spread whipped cream on a cookie sheet...


Then put in the freezer for 20 minutes.


and cut out heart with cookie cutters


Place in the hot chocolate and enjoy!!!




For tomorrow morning I am thinking on making this cinnamon rolls, just thinking about  the smell...Oh the smell!  The whole house will smell edible. Don't you want some now?
 1,000 calories!!! I know... but... Yes! and I seriously love this shape cinnamon roll with a heart twist, don't you agree?


The recipe is from http://poppiesatplay.blogspot.com and I totally love it...

 I almost forgot... I totally recomend this app: MY 365, it's free and  I am having a blast with it, this app  chronicles my life, one day, and one picture at a time. The concept  is simple, add a photo to a calendar for each day of a year.






Credits:
1 www.weheartit.com
2 www.madewithpink.com
3 Ips Event Planners
4 http://poppiesatplay.blogspot.com