So here's a funny story...

Last Friday before Christmas, I had a morning pedicure date with Mom.

It was a perfectly normal Friday morning - except I didn't have to work. I had lunch plans with former NYC roomie, Julia. Then an afternoon date with another favorite New Yorker, Bethany.

So there I was. Festive gold polish selected for my toes. Chit chatting with Mom. Flipping through People magazine. Simultaneously tweeting, checking emails, texting. You know, all normal, daily multi-tasking things.

And then something happened. Something you never think will happen. Because you are not really that accident prone...

...I mean, maybe you fall sometimes while just walking normally. And maybe you get stuck in your puffy coat with a broken zipper every once in awhile. And maaaaybe you lost / had your iPhone stolen from a bar about a year ago...

But those things aside, not reeeaaally that accident prone. Right?!

And that's when it all happened. In slow motion.

People magazine slipped out of my hand. Floating down into the pedicure water.
Instinctively, I reached down to save the $4 magazine.
Simultaneously, beloved and slightly more pricey, iPhone 4 slips from my lap, falling down down down, directly to the bottom of the pedicure tub.
I might have screamed a curse word.
My pedicurist definitely squealed.
My sweet mother was shocked to silence.
The owner rushed over in lightening speed to grab the phone before anyone else could think about reacting. He grabbed a towel, removed the cover, and offered up a fan to help dry it out.
ohmygosh. no.

The rest of the pedicure is a blur -- Wait, I'll have to buy a new phone. I can't NOT have one. Great. It's Christmas, how ever will I find a new iPhone in a store, they're probably all gone! Oh I am definitely not up for an upgrade yet. My iPhone 4 is only 1 year old! I'll have to pay full price! Ahhhhh! How will I surviiiive?! -- Not dramatic at all.

I somewhat remember thanking the nice staff, paying and shuffling out with pretty gold toes. After googling "what to do when you drop your iPhone 4 in water", watching videos of people dismantling their phones, deciding if I took my phone apart there was no way I'd ever ever get it back together again, I ended up jotting down Julia and B's phone numbers just in case. Turning my drowned phone off. And stuffing it into a bag of rice for as long as I could stand it. Sigh.

After 24 hours of being disconnected, I decided it was time to turn my phone back on and assess the damage.

It's on!
Ok. That's a good sign.
Now. Emails? Check. Tweet tweets? Check. Google maps? Yep. Safari? Good. Words with Friends?? Oh whew, maybe I'll be ok?
Mom calls. It rings! I answer.
OhmygoshIcan'thearanythingthroughthespeaker. No really. The speakers don't work? Seriously?

So. I have a phone. It survived. I can text. I can email. I can do everything I need to do. Except...and I mean, this is a small but...I can't really so much talk on my phone. Awesome.

Hope no one was really hoping to hear my voice any time soon. I'm outta business.

Awesome. x2.
Rarrrr.


**UPDATE!**
In recent developments, the speaker is magically working again. For the time being at least. I am currently able to have a conversation on my phone (brilliant!).

I am not however, able to play music, or HeyTell messages (sorry friends!) or use headphones. Perhaps in a few days, those speakers will come back to life too! No? Wishful thinking? That I could submerge my iPhone in pedicure water and come out with zero casualties?

Fine. But I'm not happy about it.

Some Holiday Baking

I did a lil baking this holiday season. 

What can I say? I'm very domestic these days. 

I was invited to a cookie exchange party a few weeks ago - what's that? Never heard of a cookie exchange? Neither had I. Turns out, there's not much to it really. Just bake a few dozen yummy cookies and be prepared to share your recipe with the other gals!

I decided to whip up some of Miss Betsy's gingersnaps for the occasion. While I hadn't tried them before, I'm usually a big fan of all Miss Betsy's recipes. And I had special plans for these snaps.

They were super simple and quick. And I added a toffee twist! By dipping the snaps in melty chocolate, then coating in crumbled up Heath bars. I can't take full credit for that creativity - thanks for the suggestion mom!

After a few hours of baking, cooling, dipping and coating, I ended up with a Christmasy bowl filled with delightfully professional(ish) gingersnaps!

They turned out to be quite tasty treats and were a success at the Cookie Exchange. New friend and blogger Michele, wrote a cute post about the party here - complete with photos of all 12 cookies for sampling AND the milk / cocoa bar. I mean, what's a cookie party without some milk?

Here's the recipe! 

Gingersnaps by Miss Betsy

¾ cup Crisco shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

½ cup molasses

Cream together in mixer

ADD

2 ¼ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cream some more

Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or longer, covered. 

Roll dough into balls the size of a walnut, place on greased cookie sheet. 

Bake in preheated oven at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

For an easy chocolatey twist:

Melt semi-sweet chocolate, dip an edge of a snap, coat in Heath bar crumbles

Lay on wax paper to cool.

Makes 4 dozen.

Oh! And since we were in the baking mood, mom and I took a shot at some peppermint white chocolate fudge. It was good in theory. And it might look festive and delicious here, but looks are deceiving. Don't be fooled. This was a massive fudgey fail. Eeeek!

I suppose I'll just stick with cookies. :)

Leslee + Keith {lovebirds}

11.19.2011

The Big Day.

Sister's wedding day was SUCH a blur. One long, exciting, emotion-filled, magical, absolutely amazing blur. Better pics to come soon once Les gets them in.

But for now, since I have delayed this post much much too long, allow me to set the scene(s)...

Dallas, Texas.
A Loft Hotel.
The bride's suite / hair salon.
Call time @ 6:00am. (ouch)

Scottish Rite Library & Museum.
The Bridal Suite.
Call time @ 2pm.

Where she stood and looked at herself in the mirror talking about how pretty she looked. hahaha

Bridesmaid gift! Kate Spade "mrs" necklace + super crafty scrapbook = tearful success.

Waiting to see Daddy for the first time. Tears.

Necessary!

My sister, the Bride. She's stunning.

The Ceremony.
This is when they say "i do!"
Call time @ 5pm.

It's go time!

The Reception.
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Marcom!
This is where we all lose track of time.

A dance line entrance...with a few props of course. A first dance as husband and wife. A daddy-daughter dance - with a twist! A mother-son two-step. Some toasts - one from me! (but don't ask what I said, I have no idea! I hope it was charming and endearing...we'll have to check the video!) Some wishes. Some twirls. A few tears. So much happiness.

And now the party begins!

 

 

And then they were off!
Mr. & Mrs. Marcom!
Married! Hooray!

Everything was perfect. And beautiful. And wonderful. And I couldn't imagine it being any more lovely. I cannot WAIT to share the professional photos, they are fantastic. Joseph Mark was nothing short of amazing.

So much happiness. So much more to say, yet so very delayed on this bloggy.

For now, I shall leave you with this gem - the finishing touch to Les' Bridesmaid scrapbook!

Bridesmaid morning after mug shots. You're welcome.

Idea + signs courtesy of Mrs. Sarah Davis (center). Photos courtesy of Mrs. Kristen Buchanan (center, left). Photoshop skills courtesy of Ms. Kelsey Mezzenga (center, top) & her design-savy pal. Remaining giggles courtesy of Ms. Calli Bailey (top left), Ms. Danielle Olson (center, right) and Ms. Kami Marcom (top right).

Cheers to Mr. & Mrs. Marcom!

Love!
Maid of (Dis)Honor, signing off.