Random Photos

So, I realized that I had very few current photos of me on the internet, which normally wouldn't be too bad.  But, I get really frustrated when I'm trying to put together a Power Point at school, and I can't just grab photos off the blog, like I used to!  I used to use Flickr, but alas, I keep forgetting my password!  So I'm going to upload a few pics here, since I've decided to start using this blog again.

If anyone actually reads this, I apologize in advance for the complete randomness of these photos.

Christmas 2014

Hello Friends and Family

A quick recap of our ExciTInG ChRIstMaS!
Or, the laid back 'Mas of 2014

Christmas Eve Plans - We had a dinner with friends at an all you can eat Shabu Shabu restaurant.  After, we were headed to the foreigner bar for drinks and some rekindling of friendships from buddies of Christmas past!
Christmas Eve Actuality - We stayed home from the bar as Anthony was really exhausted.  I ended up eating at Cobaco - a pork tenderloin/noodle shop.  I ate udon and pork tenderloin with Erin, and then we came back to the house and watched Dumb and Dumber To (which we downloaded for free, and I'm sure glad we did.  it was......tough to finish).
Anthony opened his Julia present.  She got him a small glass container shaped like a hamburger.  TOO HILARIOUS.

Christmas Day Plans - Wear pajamas.  Friends arrive.  Have breakfast - eggs, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, potatoes, coffee, etc. Hang out and watch Christmas movies.  Play board games.  Day Drinking (Mimosas and Bloody Marys), snooze, make appetizers including tamales,  velveeta dip, Christmas cake, poutine, and spinach dip.  Hang out until midnight watching TV, talking and eating.
Christmas Day Actuality - Wore pajamas.  Friend arrived.  Ate biscuits, gravy, and potatoes.  Watched Fred Claus.  Made Spinach dip, stuffed mushrooms, tamales, velveeta dip.  Drank Mimosas.  Watched Christmas Vacation.  Friend came over.  Watched Finnish movie, Rare Exports:  A Christmas Tale. Group Discussion.  Went to sleep at 11:30.  Same pajamas all day.

All in all, a pretty successful Christmas.  The only thing I would have changed, was I should've made a veggie plate.  I am so full and FAT of junk food!  I need an after Christmas Fast.  And I DO wish we would've had poutine.  Oh well.  There's always Easter!

Thanks everyone for making our first Christmas in Maseok such a success!  Even for us lazy bones!

Oh my. What has become of this blog?

It has been a while since I've seriously sat down and started blogging.  I felt like, "I'm over it!"  But thanks to a blast from the past contacting me on my arch nemesis, Facebook, I feel I should start blogging again.  I know that this blog has lost all of it's followers, but reviewing this piece of history, I thought, should I just let it die?  Hell NO!  It was really rockin' at one time (almost a decade ago).

Well, even if it no longer is being read, who the hell cares.  I will rant and rave to my hearts content.  After all, if everyone else is STILL doing it, why can't I?

So, My PRE-New Years Resolution:
Write on this silly blog.  The last few years have been a blur and I barely remember them.  But reading past Locomocos posts, I remember that I once was:

1. Opinionated
2.  Sometimes clever
3.  Always hilarious
4.  Very burnt out at my job
and last but not least
5.  A drunk

That being said, I am just like my idol, Bridget Jones, and now that I'm in my late 30s, I can certainly handle my drinks better!*  Let's just see if I can juggle my life better!

Cross your fingers
!

*this statement has not been verified by any sober people

Long Time No BLOG - AGAIN!!!!

Here we are in beautiful Korea!
AGAIN!
Ant has reminded me that we make videos all the time with the intentions of posting them on the blog - yet we never do!  Without further ado ~

Anthony!  Starring IN:  Jindo Parting of the Seas Festival!

The Baseball Game: Starring the Doosan Bears

Not quite sure what's happening here

Anthony at a Temple 

My Croatian Wedding at James P. Davis Hall part 3

So my family is Croatian, and Anthony's family is Lithuanian.  I hadn't been to a Croatian wedding since I was little, and I really wanted to have one.  All I could remember was povitica, puhance, and polka!  I researched extensively, and talked to my family about wedding when they were younger.  Although it's not SUPER authentic, I did try to incorporate some of the traditions I read about online.

My first step was getting a caterer.  Luckily, we contacted The Strawberry Hill Museum who gave us some names of caterers.  I met and chose Cathy Colinda Smith, who did a wonderful job.  The menu included:

Note the nadvanjne above (the round discs) and the sarma below!

Kielbasa, Ham, Roast Beef, Nadvanjne, Croatian Potato Salad, cucumber and tomato salad, rolls, cheeses, fruit salad, and a wonderful vegan Sarma. People keep asking me for the sarma recipe. 

Some of the traditions I found online, and tweaked just a little for my wedding. I wrote them on the schedule cards for everyone to enjoy!

Rosemary:  Rosemary is used to welcome guests to the ceremony.  Traditionally, it was thought to ward off evil spirits.  Each guest receives a piece of rosemary to pin to their shirt.

Apples:  before rings were used, a groom would offer an apple as an engagement present.  Apples were then thrown into a well at the wedding ceremony to represent fruitfulness in the marriage.  We have decided to serve apple cider as a nod to this custom, and you may see some apples decorating the hall.

Darovajte: traditionally, Croatian guests form a reception line to give money and household items to the new couple.  After  giving the wedding gift, the father of the bride gives the guests a shot of his best plum brandy (slivovitz), followed by a piece of bread which symbolizes good hospitality and friendship.

Povitica and puhance: Povitica is a Croatian sweet bread that Cassie’s family continues to hand make.  Most of the povitica you will eat has been handmade by her aunts, uncles, and cousins. Puhance is a small cookie (also called angel wings) traditional at Croatian weddings.  Cassie and her mother made all of the puhance.

Tamburitzan music: If anything, Lithuanians and Croatians love to polka!  We also dance kolos, or circle dances.  Please join us in the fun, and feel free to eat, drink, and make merry!

The next step was to get a band.  Luckily, my dad had a school friend who played Tamburitzan music.  She was so sweet and helpful.  She played Love, Love, Love by the Beatles for our ceremony music.  She also talked to me about having the Darovajte (Dar-oh-Vie-teh).   

Since I was still unsure about how to do the Darovajte, I DID make sure to have some elements.  I read online that the bride makes a hand made towel for her father to wrap around the Slivovitz.  I embroidered a small towel with the date and pictures of booze and bread!  I bought Slivovitz and bread for the reception line.  I got a basket for people to put their cards, and tastefully requested money instead of household presents, since Anthony and I are going abroad again!  It worked out perfectly.  We walked around James P. Davis with the band behind us.  We formed a reception line and I gave out wreaths (as per the Darovajte song) to the mothers and fathers of the new couple.  People put their cards in the basket, took some bread and a shot, and gave us well wishes!  It was fantastic!!!!

This was one of my favorite parts of the wedding.  

We also danced kolo dances (circle dances).  The room wasn't big enough for everyone, but I was so excited my aunts and I decided to dance!  Too bad the guys were too scared!  Haha!

At the end of the evening, James P. Davis looked so beautiful, I just had to put some photos in of the building!  Parigo Studios did a great job photographing my wedding, and I am so appreciative!  I think it was perfect!

My Croatian Wedding at James P. Davis Hall part deux

I decided to upload some of the elements I used for the wedding.
I initially looked at this painting done by Strawberry Hill Croatian painter, Marijana.  This was what I wanted at my wedding.  Notice the color green, the band, the kolo dancing, and the family style tables.  That's what I did!!!!

 This was the color palette that I gave to everyone involved.  I wanted greens for fall, but not too much oranges or browns.  My favorite color is green, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE rosemary and hedge apples.

 This was one of the giant mums we got at the pumpkin patch.  The mantle was done with mesh ribbon bought at Costco, and the big vase with sticks was from a garage sale for $12!  What a deal!  The lanterns and platters were mom's.

These urns were places in place of the altar.  Mom bought them at Home Depot and she got the iron globes at the Nell Hill open house in Atchison.  The decorator ladies were so excited about them, and they went to town with all the pumpkins, leaves, and sticks they found on the property.

For the dinner, I didn't have a lot of money.  I provided plastic silverware that looked real.  I ordered them from Smarty Had a Party.com.  The chargers I bought online to go under the clear plastic plates my caterer provided.  We took the silverware and wrapped them in napkins, doilies, and ribbons found in the dollar bin at JoAnn's Fabrics.  It looked great.

I made wedding schedules that on one side talked about Croatian Traditions, and on the other side described the schedule of events.  I bought an edge punch that looked like lace and cut the cards on the top, while cut slits in the bottom so they would slide onto the wedding wands.  I used card stock purchased at Wal-Mart.

 Here you can see the rosemary in the lower left corner, the corsage pins on the green plate, the schedules, the wedding wands, and the place cards.  I organized seating by tables, with home printer name cards bought at Office Max. 

These 100 wedding wands were made with clearance ribbons and little bells.

Here is one of the many bags of hedge apples.

Setting the table and cutting the home made povitica.  For my wedding shower, I asked my guests to bring povitica, a Croatian sweet bread, and wine.  I only served white and red wine, beer, and a signature drink of apple cider, soda, and vodka.  It was a hit!

Anthony and I were decorating and setting up all day!
Below is puhance, also called Angel Wings.  We got up at 5 am Saturday morning to make them...only to go on a rum run at 6am! We only needed a couple tablespoons for the wedding, but realized we only had vodka!  Oh no!  Haha!  I will never forget those funny things that happened before the wedding!  I also found this other vintage cake topper for $10.

This is the backdrop I made, although you can't see the circle garlands I am so proud of making.  I found a thrift store that sold scrapbooking background pages for 10 cents each, and used a large circle punch to make the discs.  Then I sewed the discs together.  I also took crepe paper and sewed a seam though them, so they would scrunch up nicely.  I found all these instructions on Pinterest!

In my next post, I will discuss more of the Croatian Traditions I used!