Thank You

... Thanks for being patient with me. I'm still trying to power through my wedding thank-you notes (instead of blogging), and should be done by the end of this week.

I thought it would be a good idea to write a rough draft of every note out in pencil on binder paper first, so that I don't make any mistakes on the final ones. I thought this was a good tactic until my husband and mother independently informed me that I must be insane for doing so. It's definitely taking me twice as long, but at least they will be perfect! :)

J.Crew: good deals this weekend

I stopped at J.Crew yesterday afternoon just to "browse," (what I always tell myself, hehe) and to see if I could use the fabulous 25% off card I got in the mail. I received it, along with the October catalogue in the giant pile of mail we got when we got back from our honeymoon. Since it expires this coming Monday, I had to see if there was anything worthwhile while there was still time left.

Well, they have some fabulous promotions going on in-store. The JCA blog has more info on the promo. They are offering 30% off all sweaters, and let me tell you they had a ton of sweaters to choose from, $20 off some (or all?) Minnie pants, and some great jewelry promotions too. It was madness, I tell you! There were lots of messed-up piles to sort through (Yes, it was that kind of sale), but I didn't mind digging through the piles to find my size.

I bought a few basics that will take me into fall, but the purchase I am most excited about is their Washed and Aged Utility Jacket (I don't see this online - perhaps in stores only?) I scored on mega-sale for approximately $45, down from $148. I balked at their blackish-brown version of this last year -- I felt like it was just too "butch" looking on me (but admired it on other JCAs), and didn't want to have to go to the effort of styling it to make it more feminine. This one, however, is an army green, which I think looks better against my fair complexion, and will be easier for me to pair with jeans than the black color. I'm looking forward to layering some soft ruffly pieces and faux-pearl jewelry under it for a fun masculine/feminine contrast - but I also think it looks fine with a tee-shirt and jeans.

You can see the beautiful Marled Shawl Cardigan I bought hanging in the background on the right. I sized up and bought a small, since A.) that was the smallest size they had left, and B.) it still fit me well and wasn't too tight in the arms, as size XS sometimes is on me. It will be easier to wear long-sleeved shirts under it, and at $69.99 plus 25% off, it was another deal I couldn't pass up.

Have you gotten any amazing deals at the Crew this weekend?

We're back, regretfully

I say regretfully, because who does want to come home from their honeymoon? Especially when you can enjoy views like the one above every day, and it seems like each one is more beautiful than the last.

Where do I begin? We have actually been back for a week and a half, but I've been so overwhelmed with real-life things I have been neglecting this poor little blog. Being on honeymoon for three weeks is plenty o' fun, but readjusting upon our return has been harder than I thought. I know, poor me, right?

Well, after a three week carbohydrate-and-alcohol fest with little-to-no exercise... mah pants are kinda tight, I'm not gonna lie. And my skin freaked out (and broke out) in rashes after we returned. I like to think it's going through pineapple and rum withdrawals. Welcome home, body. No more humidity and no more carbs for you anymore, get used to it!

I've posted a mini-photo log below (in no particular order), and will share a couple of fun stories over the next few days. Being trapped in a lava tube cave due to rising water levels, and learning how to dive from Frenchmen who don't speak English very well is rather terrifying, but it makes for great story telling! I'm looking forward to getting back into a normal routine, which will include more blogging from now on.

It was lovely waking up to sunrises like this almost every morning...

After seeing all the incredible tropical plants, I wish I could grow a tropical garden here at home. Le sigh.

Good morning, little pink cloud.

A green sea turtle! At our Bora Bora hotel's turtle sanctuary.

And my favorite of all time, a Puffer fish. Their pectoral fins move independently of each other, which I find delightfully expressive. Being light grey with cute little white polka dots doesn't hurt, either.

Sunset over Bora Bora. I could never decide which was more beautiful, sunrise or sunset. Fortunately, I could choose both. :)