October Creative Project: SQUASH

I chose the word "SQUASH" for our creative projects group this month, and decided that I would try and cook something new. Tom told me that he loves spaghetti squash, so I found a recipe and applied it to the simple spaghetti and meatballs concept. While the squash looks like spaghetti, it has the texture of coleslaw. Pretty delicious if you dress it up with some delicious mixins'.

First you cut the spaghetti squash in half - it's a lot harder than a pumpkin. I suggest cutting part of the way and then it will snap in half (thank you Tom for your strength).

Remove the seeds and the pulp in the middle of the squash. Next, place on a cookie sheet and roast for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

With a fork, dig directly into the flesh of the squash and pull outward. I picked a medium sized squash and it yielded a full 10" pan of squash.  Finally, cook on medium for 10 minutes and add a tablespoon of butter and EVOO, along with pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

Paired with my famous meatball recipe - you're in for a great meal!!! Delicious (and pretty nutritious). Alright, Car Car - what's the word for November?

October is..... Wedding Month

During October, Tom and I went to two weddings in Cincinnati. It was great to relive old college times with our buddies and get ideas on things we wanted to do at ours!

First, we went to my great friends', Tim and Amy, wedding. They got married in Xavier's Bellarmine Chapel and had their reception at King's Island. It was wonderful getting to see them tie the knot, particularly because Tom and I have had the chance to see their relationship grow over the years. We had an awesome time dancing the night away with all of the "Lovelies"

A few weeks later, we were back on the road to see Tom's friend Michelle tie the knot with Mike. We took a road trip with Stephen, Annie, Daues, and Brittany and had some fun adventures exploring all that Covington, KY has to offer. On Friday we went to the Pavilion in Mt. Adams and Saturday we went to Molly Malone's and Cosmos post wedding. It definitely felt like college again with late night sliders and pizza.

While we had a blast at both weddings (and both brides were gorgeous!) we are excited to have a couple weekends to relax back in St. Louis with our families.

September Creative Art Project

Steff and I are doing a creative project each month based on a word that one of us chooses. The word this month is "LEAF". I originally thought I would do something with gold leaf, but instead I expanded on a previous project done with matte puff paint. Instead of painting white on white - which turned out pretty cool, I chose a pop of color in the background and then puff painted on wax paper and peeled them off, placing them around the page. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, I just wish I had more time to work on this month's project. The word I chose for us next month is "SQUASH". It will be fun to see what we both come up with.

My Life Takes on a Great New Path

Alright alright, I can hear you all saying it - "She said she was going to post something once a week, she's already missed the mark." Well there's a wonderful reason for my recent oversight: Tom and I are engaged. I am so thrilled that we are taking the next step together. With engagement came many visits to family and friends. We've been sharing our story with everyone, so I wanted to share that same story here.

The story:

Our anniversary was on Thursday, and Tom took me out to a little Italian place we've never tried. I think to myself: "Man, I REALLY hope he asks me tonight." The night passes, dinner is fantastic, but no ring.... "Hmm...tomorrow, maybe? Please let it be tomorrow."

Friday, we got up and had a pancake breakfast and a trip to the dog park with Sage. "Just a normal day.... it's definitely not happening... get over it, Sarah." Then Tom suggests we go to the Botanical Gardens. "There's a new art exhibit I think you'd like to see". Long story short, he proposed to me by the lake in the Japanese garden. The day couldn't have been more perfect.

Below are some pictures of our day, as well. My new ring and the proposal spot. Shortly after came frantic searches for the right church and venue, but we're starting to see the light at the end of the stressful tunnel. I'm looking forward to relaxing for a few months after all of this, but one thing is for sure - I couldn't be happier doing all of this with the wonderful man I love by my side. I'm so excited for our future together.