public service announcement...

Just so we are clear about this:

Newly married =/= immediate baby factory

I am mystified. Beginning just days after our wedding, people have been inappropriately asking if I am pregnant yet. Since when does being in the presence of a newlywed mean that you can throw good manners and common sense out the window? Don't misunderstand me, I do know that most of this comes from a "good place" and is "well meaning". But, trust me. It doesn't feel so well meaning when it's your uterus under scrutiny.

How are women supposed to respond to this question? "Gee, no, but we're sure giving it every effort!" or "Um, none of your business?" or, my current favorite, "First you tell me about YOUR sex life and then, maybe I'll share mine." There is no safe way to answer. If you say no, you get pity. If you answer that you're not ready yet, or something of the kind, you get all kinds of advice about time lines. If you come out with a snide remark or comeback, you are a b*tch.

See? Lose - lose.

So please, I beg you, if you are even thinking of asking...don't.

Newlyweds will be eternally grateful!

it smells SO good in here...

Today, I played domestic goddess...

Laundry
Changed the bed
Baked a cake for book club tomorrow night
Baked banana bread from scratch (!)
Cooked a dinner of pork tenderloin, sauteed apples, baked potato and caesar salad

...and lived to tell the tale and post a recipe!

Home baked banana bread was both a staple and a treat in my house growing up. My sister and I watched and waited for the bananas sitting on the counter to turn just a little too ripe to eat straight out of the peel, knowing the delicious bread was to follow. Then, of course, came the argument of whether mom would add raisins (my favorite) or chocolate chips (my sister's choice). While DH and I were visiting my parents last weekend, I typed up several recipes to take with me...including this one. A great excuse to pull out Lucy, my beloved red KitchenAid mixer and a nice way to treat my husband to a baked good that didn't start with a box (no offense, Betty!).

Mom's Banana Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

1/2 c. vegetable shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
2 ripe bananas, sliced

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan.
Put all ingredients into mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
Pour into prepared pan; bake 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool slightly before removing from pan.

* I added the following ingredients to the basic recipe today:
1 tsp. cinnamon (just because)
1/4 c. raisins (my own fave)
1/4 c.white chocolate chips (DH's request)

Feel free to experiment with your own favorites - just thrown them right in to the mix - and let me know what you think!

a blog fast, too?

Busy being a happy newlywed, working like crazy this month and getting used to some shifting sands in life = no blogging. Unintentional but, true. I've hardly been near the computer at home in the past couple of weeks. Since that's where my photos live and where I mainly have time to reflect and type, it's made for a boring month on this site! So, an update:

1. I am in my third full week of Lent practicing Greek Orthodoxy. While neither DH nor myself are staunchly religious, we made the commitment to ourselves and the church to really learn more and to make efforts in our faith. With guidance from our priest, we've been fasting from meat on Wednesday and Fridays and will do so for the full seven weeks of Lent. While I would never strive for a meat-free life, I have been enjoying the challenge of coming up with good recipes that are vegetarian. The biggest hit in our house so far? Pan Seared Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream, served with mixed veggies and a Caesar Salad.
2. Wedding planning had me curb many of my favorite activities including reading (other than the bit of chick-lit here and there). I've been an avid and voracious reader my whole life and missed the time to do more of it in the past year. About a week after the wedding, I accepted an invitation to join a local book club and dove into this month's selection. I have just a few pages to go and would highly recommend reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen:


3. The great phone debate. DH and I consolidated our two semi-pricey cell phone plans into one, stream-lined and economical family plan about a week ago. While in the store, the iPhone called to me. I. do. not. need. it. No one needs that type of gadget, I suppose but, the want is there. Luckily AT&T gave me some more time to ponder because, my next chance for a phone upgrade is at the end of June. iPhone or not, I have been texting more and more and definitely need a phone with a keyboard...I'm hopeless with the number pad method. Until then, my pink Razor will do just fine.
4. Tomorrow, DH and I will celebrate one month of marriage...already! Married life is more than I ever could have hoped for. While on the outside there weren't so many changes - we live in the same house in the same town and have pretty much the same routines - the internal is vastly different. There is a sense of security in this new oneness that I never anticipated. Every decision and plan we make together is joint and as a team. I recall so many conversations between us that started, "Someday after we are married..." and now, here it is and the time for all of those wonderings and fulfillments has come. There is a new level of intimacy, of happiness and contentment. Yes, we have minor disagreements, still have to do the dirty laundry and clean up after our aging cat who is losing his faculties. But, the drudgery even feels different. Intangible and very, very good.

newlyweds take manhattan...

In the week following our wedding, we made the decision to stay at home to entertain family who were visiting from both California and Greece. Although we live just minutes outside of New York City, DH and I rarely go into town for more than the occasional dinner. Last week, we did the entire tourist parade: Empire State Building, Times Square, WTC site, Lady Liberty, Canal Street, Battery Park City, Ellis Island, paid for sketches by some street artists, museums...everything! And, occasionally, we turned over my camera to one of our family members to snap a newlywed photo or two. Here are a few of my favorites...

The American Museum of Natural History:

In front of the Zales heart in Times Square, snow covered and leftover from Valentine's Day:

The Empire State Bldg. Observatory, 86th Floor (he makes my foot pop!): Best photo so far of my "wife chop." I had about three inches taken off plus a much needed shaping two days before this was taken:
On the ferry to Liberty Island, just before docking. Love DH's little smirk:At the feet of the Lady herself. Despite living just outside of NYC for 17 years, this was my first visit:
On the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan side looking into Brooklyn:

We have no pics together on Ellis Island. It was the first trip there for both of us and we were in awe. Such an amazing place and we're already planning to go back for a full day trip in the spring. Highly recommended if you are ever in NYC.When we got back to Battery Park, we had our sketches done by a street artist (above) DH is sitting for his half and (below) you can see how mine turned out.

how to sum up the most perfect day...

Our wedding was incredible.

I've taken a while to post my thoughts because I still can't quite wrap my head around it - and the fact that it's done. The weather was beautiful. A perfect, clear day bookended by monsoon rains (for our rehearsal) and a blizzard (the night after the wedding). Mother Nature was good to us.

Booking a suite at the hotel to get ready proved to be a very smart idea. We needed the room with 3 photographers, 1 videographer (can you say paparazzi???), 1 make-up artist, myself, my mom, 4 bridesmaids and the 3 kids in the wedding - plus various family and guests coming in and out. In one room. Thankfully, with space to spare! A complete whirlwind and so much fun!

Just before I needed to get dressed, my sister delivered two wrapped packages and an envelope from my husband-to-be. While I love the gorgeous diamond earrings and pendant he chose, the real gift was a beautifully written letter. It was a love letter like none I had ever read before and I couldn't hold back the tears. I have that letter in a very special place and it's something I'll keep and treasure always.

I was calm all morning. Every moment until the highway exit sign for the church was in sight. Then came the butterflies. Sitting there surrounded by my favorite women and my Dad, I don't know why that particular moment made it so real. Walking into the church went smoothly. FI was in a room at the back of the altar, and I was to wait in a room at the back of the church. That wait was endless. Being so ready to walk down the aisle and then having to wait was close to torture. But the moment I saw him walk out on the altar (through the one-way mirror), that was the defining moment of the day. I've never felt luckier or more sure of anything as I was at that second.

The church service was as touching as had been described to me. Steeped in long-standing tradition and delivered in both English and Greek, I felt blessed to be a part of such a ritual. I arrived at the church right on time. Our guests however, did not, so the service started 25 minutes late. Still, we managed to stay right on schedule the rest of the day.

Arriving at our reception site, we were greeted in the parking lot by our own personal entourage. They congratulated, welcomed and ushered us right up to the bridal suite. DH and I didn't want for a thing all night. When we surprised our guests by showing up for the last half of the cocktail hour, we were greeted with a round of warm applause and tried to grab a few bites of the food we had been planning for so long (all fabulous!!!).

On a piece of advice from a fellow knottie, DH and I took a few moments to go into the reception room to see it fully set-up and untouched. That first moment of seeing our vision and hard work all put together was indescribeable. We walked around that room, holding on to each other looking at the menus, the centerpieces, the cake and cardbox...all those little things that made that ballroom ours for just a few amazing hours.

Then, we were announced in and we danced, and danced, and danced some more. I doubt anyone would have guessed that we were the couple who had never danced together in their relationship until the night, one month before the wedding, when we chose our first dance song. We remembered the practiced steps to our first dance to "When You Say Nothing At All." I led the first Greek circle dance, he led the second. We soaked up every. single. moment. We visited with everyone, laughed and cried and ate (a little).

If I could do it over the exact same way, I would do it 100 times over.

It was perfect.

He is wonderful.

We are married!

(my favorite non-pro pic)

grand entrance...

"And now, for the very first time, give it up for the brand new Mr. and Mrs. B!!!!!"

The plan was to be announced into our reception and dance on in together to Nothin' but a Good Time by Poison but, our BP wanted to do the arch for us. After seeing these pics, I'm happy they did...

(have I mentioned how much I LOVED my green bouquet?)

how sweet it is...

Loving every little second of married life.

Had our first outing as husband and wife yesterday: Newlyweds take Manhattan!

Cake photos from a couple good friends to share for now...

DH (!!!) dipped me for a couple of kisses after our first bite of cake:

we're married!!!!

absolutely the best night of my life

home enjoying being a newlywed with my amazing husband

more pics and re-cap to follow soon...