It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Today at work we're having a cubicle decorating contest, and though I don't have a cubicle I wanted to join in anyways....in hopes of winning a brand, spankin' new iPod touch.

It was a little harder since I had so MUCH space to work with....but here's how it went.....

First I made 3 of these little guys...plus a lot of normal snowflakes!!

Then I "trimmed" and "cheered" my desk plant.

Added some Christmas cheer to the Office Logo above my head!

Added one creepy Santa courtesy of my fiance....

And the final product......

Additionally, I fell and hurt my knee.

I don't think I'll win...but it was fun anyways!!!!!! Merry Christmas!!!!!

Write up!!!!

check it out:

http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/bites/2008/12/artisan_chocolate-maker_coming.php

so proud!!!!!!

So this is Christmas.

Last week Scott and I put up our Christmas tree at his house and, if I do say so myself, it is quite magnificent. Scott's mom told us that every couple needs a new Christmas tradition so for us, it's all in the Christmas tree.

First we went to this great Christmas tree lot in front of a high school - the money benefits the students, though I'm pretty sure they took us for nice, non-confrontational people and charged us more than anyone else. This is us after we picked our tree out:

It was rainy and cold!!!! We got the tree home and we (and by we I mean Scott) hauled it into the living room in all of it's wetness and glory. We didn't want to get electrecuted so we let it dry over night and settled down to enjoy a nice cozy little dinner.

Tuesday night, the decorating began. Here's Scott showing the Christmas tree who's boss and "wrastling" it into shape. Feast your eyes on those muscles!!!

(Quick insert. Note the tv. It looks new. It IS new. Yet is has an old fashioned antenna. Scott just couldn't bear to have anything that new in his living room so he had to add a little old fashioned flair)

Then we set to decorating with our new tradition together! We strung lights and garland, and then instead of any normal ornaments, we took clothes pins and clipped old photographs of our ancestors, family members, friends and loved ones all over the tree. In this delightful picture, you can not only see our lovely Christmas tree, but also us trying to figure out how to use the automatic timer.

Please note not only my awkward smile and stance, but also how the picture totally captured Scott in mid run.

Finally we got it figured out, but Scott thought it would be better if we crouched a little bit, which for me, turned into hunching.

And lastly, I will leave you with a little bit of Christmas cheer....window art courtesy of Reda (Scott's mom).

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

I have no fun pictures to post today. I need to get the camera from Scott so I can get some!!!!

I am soooo thankful this week is only a 2 day work week. We're leaving to visit my family in Indiana first thing in the morning and I can't wait!

In wedding land, we have some BIG decisions we need to make IMMEDIATELY. Such as:

-the date. really. we need to make a decision. We're thinking we May 2, but first we need to decide on.....
-the venue. once we find the venue we need to make sure it's available. we have some ideas.
-the colors. Again, ideas, no definites.
-bridesmaid dresses. I have a favorite, but i want to do the rounds one more time before we begin ordering.

once these things are completed i really will feel a lot better about all of this. Right now i'm a teensy bit stressed out.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Twilight Mania

It's true. I, along with all the 13 year old girls in the world, am going to see Twilight tonight. I don't feel any need to justify this. I read all of the books and loved them....well....for the most part. The last one dragged on JUST a wee bit.

And my lovely fiance has agreed to go with me and didn't put up any kind of fight. What a doll. In honor of his willingness, I will gladly post my new favorite picture of him:

I mean, seriously, what girl could resist a face like that?

Dress Extravaganza!!!!

This is the happy couple. Just hanging out. And both of us looking a little weird. Whatev.

So this weekend was the start to a lot of wedding planning. Since we are getting married in May, I knew I needed to get on the dress hunt SOON. Soooo.....my mom, sister-in-law, and best friend all came down this weekend for Wedding Extravaganza 2008!! All day Friday and Saturday, we went to boutiques and the like. And yes, I did find my dream dress. So it's done and done. Which I'm kind of sad about because trying on wedding dresses was oh so much fun.

In other news, Scott got us a new digital camera this weekend because his was broken and mine is MIA - lost somewhere in the space time continuum. *sigh* well at least now we can start taking pictures of things.

Also, apparently i can't cross my eyes, as noted below:

But Kara can:

And Scott can:

And Savannah is talented enough to only cross one:

It was a wonderful weekend and I was so sad to see my lovely family and friend go!!!

The Candy Man

Okay, that's creepy, I know. But seriously. He makes REALLY good candy.

Like I said yesterday, I would love to introduce you to my fiance and tell you a little bit about the road that led to chocolate.

Scott was born and raised just a little south of Nashville, in Columbia, Tennessee. He's loved cooking since he was a tee-niny boy, and his mom loves to tell the story of his first cake baking experience. He got his degree in Public Relations from Middle Tennessee State University, and then headed off to England to attend culinary school. He is classically trained in the French style, specializing in Pastry.

I'm very proud of him, and though he would majorly cringe if and when he reads this (you've never seen a man get so awkward at a compliment), I have to take a moment to brag on him. He's worked at some of the best restaurants in the world: The Fat Duck (England, voted best restaurant in 2001), Nobu (England), Alinea (Chicago), and Highlands (Birmingham), to name a few. He's been head chef, sous chef, and pastry chef all over Nashville. In a word, our nightly meals are to die for. But the long hours, never seeing family, friends, or the light of day, require just that: your life. Nothing less.

So in October of 2007, Scott washed his hands of the restaurant world, and started teaching culinary classes at the Art Institute of Tennessee Nashville. He's always been obsessed with candy, sweets, sugar, and the late night ramblings became more and more coherent, until he decided to open a chocolate shop.

So that's what we are neck deep in. chocolate. machinery. beans. you name it. Tomorrow, actually, the last 2 pieces of machinery arrive from the UK. And so, as we plan a wedding and start a business, each day is more exciting and terrifying than the one before. but maybe you will find a bit of interest or maybe just laugh at our insanity. Either way....here we go.

you can check out the chocolate shop: Olive & Sinclair at http://oliveandsinclair.blogspot.com/

Always,
Aria

Stand Up, Shake Hands, say, "How Do You Do?"

It's Blog 101: Day 2. So far, so good. I know no one has started reading this because I haven't told anyone about it. But hopefully someday, someone will.

So let me introduce myself....My name is Aria. I'm 24 years old and I live in Nashville, Tennessee. I grew up in Melbourne, Florida, and since then have lived in Indiana (parents), Illinois (college), Missouri (confused college graduate), Massachusetts (Martha's Vineyard, twice), and Tennessee (Music City, twice). What can I say....I'm a nomad at heart.

I'm a Christ-follower, seeker, songwriter, fiance, daughter, sister, friend, office coordinator, and chocolate maker's assistant. I have a degree in Songwriting and expected to become famous and tour the world. Naivety is one of my strengths. I'm seeking and searching and trying to figure out how to synthesize my passion for music, Christ, and people. As of right now, I'm completely and utterly confused. And very excited about the endless amount of possibilities.

I just got engaged to a wonderful man and am now beginning an entirely new chapter of my life. So hopefully this blog will be full of all the exciting adventures in wedding planning and chocolate making! If I get bored this afternoon (coughcoughinevitable) , I'll introduce my future husband!

Always,aria

Just Beginning!

Hello!!

Today is offically my first blog entry! It will probably be a little bit of everything, but I will definitely be documenting the new adventure I'm about to embark on! Not only am I getting married this coming spring, but my fiance and I are opening an artisan chocolate factory in Nashville, TN.

So here's to the months ahead....who knows what they may bring!?!??!!?

Always,
Aria