one year, and counting...

One wonderful, eventful, wild year since our wedding day.

I don't think the couple in this photo could ever have imagined how much they would experience, change and grow together in just 365 more.

This couple, tanned and newly expecting on the {honeymoon} trip of a lifetime, had just begun to realize all of the amazing things their new marriage would have in store.

And these two people were thrilled to learn just how quickly their love could expand to envelope a third little person, changing from couple to family in an instant.

Happy 1st Anniversary to the love of my life and best friend. Here's to dozens more wild and wonderful years together!

maybe it was an april fool's joke after all...

Remember that one about the photos being ready? I finally got the call just before 6:00 last night. Our long-awaited wedding proofs have been printed and placed in an archival box, burned to disk and put in a pretty little leather case embellished with a couple of the photogs favorite shots.

Or, at least, this is how I envision the finished product.

That sits in my photogs studio.

All. weekend. long.

Our photographer is in high demand (that's a good thing, right?) and is out shooting weddings all weekend which means, no time to meet us at the studio for the hand off. Bummed. Luckily, my office is closing at 1:00 pm on Wednesday so...guess where I'm headed as soon as the (proverbial) whistle blows???

Meanwhile, I am perfectly content having a super-lazy-do-whatever-we-want-or-nothing-at-all day with my darling husband! So far that has consisted of Wii MarioKart, a grocery trip, lunch at a local Greek restaurant, reading books and magazines and watching movies on t.v. Not a bad Saturday at all!

And finally, a share...one of the layouts that I completed at my scrapbook event last weekend:

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!

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.