I thought I would share a picture from when our relationship was fresh and new. Not even we knew what was to come. Now looking back I can see the love between us even before we fell in love. Happy Tears.

I’m excited about the weekend, the wedding and all of the fun stuff that comes along with this special time but I’m most excited about JH and I becoming husband and wife and starting our new life together with all of our closest friends and family as our witnesses.

What’s on the agenda for today?

Pick up a bunch of random last minute items

Return the horribly-not-flattering fuschia bathing suit I purchased at Target yesterday

Start packing my bags

Pack the wedding weekend emergency kit

Wear my shoes around the house

Dry cleaners

Final loads of laundry

Transform the kitchen table back to it’s known use and not a giant conference table covered with RSVP cards, printer, laptop, binders, cameras, handbags, totes, programs, place cards and enough loose paper to make an oak tree!

So I’m off. Hopefully I’ll be able to find a few minutes to post again for the big day.

Thank you for being such wonderful supporters throughout this process, I’m grateful for every one of your stories, comments and opinions!

Lots of love,

Nina

With all of that being said, in anticipation of our wedding weekend, honeymoon, Jenna’s wedding, two family vacations before the end of the year, Kiks becoming a Chef and hopefully JH and I starting a family in the middle of all of that… I’m considering cheating on my Rebel! Gasp, if you will.

I only started thinking about this because JH and I were discussing purchasing a video camera. My immediate thought was if I have to carry around another large electronic item, I’m going to need to trade in my Louis Vuitton for a rollaboard!

And since that is not going to happen… I quickly pulled out the Mac and starting researching alternative options that would give us everything in one device. Most camera manufacturers are making what they call “bridge” cameras. Point & Shoots with DSLR features + Full HD Video recording sans the lens changing! All in one… camera with high quality pictures and a HD camcorder, oh my!

Let me introduce to you the newest item on my Must-Have List… The Nikon Coolpix P100 10 MP Digital Camera with 26x Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black).

My biggest concern was losing the high quality images from the Canon but look at this photo from a Nikon P100 owner. Pretty nice, huh!? (And red, white and blue for the 4th!)

Here’s the top view of the Nikon P100. In case you’re interested

But if you’re interested in purchasing a very well taken care of Canon Rebel xsi + 1 standard lens + extra lens (a fancy one I’ve never used). Email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and we’ll talk details.

Are you an “Auto” DSLR owner too? Have you ever thought of switching back to a Point & Shoot? Do you own a Nikon P100? Do you own a “bridge” Point & Shoot? Which one?

And Happy 4th of July Recovery Day to all!

credits: atv.disney.go.com; mybakingaddiction; little edventures; ehow.com sweet taste of summer; rachelraymag.com; countryliving.com; swankytablesblog.com; party.lovetoknow.com; recipe.com; dress from anthropologie.com

My list of things to get and do:

1. International Grocer for Lorina Sparkling Lemonades

2. Grocery store to get ingredients for a few of my menu items:

• Chicken wings

• Guacamole & Salsa

• Pretzel rods

• Antipasto firecracker kabobs

• Tomato & Mozzarella with creamy balsamic dressing

• Cupcakes

• Potato salad

• Hamburgers

• Bundt cake with whip cream and fruit

3. Liquor store

• Blue Hawaiian Punch – Malibu Coconut Rum, Blue Curacao, Pineapple juice, sweet & sour and pineapple wedges (our blue drink)

• Strawberry Margaritas (for our red drink!)

• Beer

• Wine

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In case I decide against Strawberry Margs, do you have a red red punch recipe you recommend? Also I really want to make a new dip? What are your favorites?

I hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend to the fullest! I’m hoping to get a tan!

]]> http://accordingtonina.com/fourth-of-july-party-menu/feed/ 11 http://accordingtonina.com/southern-living-at-home-guest-bedroom/ http://accordingtonina.com/southern-living-at-home-guest-bedroom/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:36:13 +0000 Nina http://accordingtonina.com/?p=6554 We’ve covered Hostesses & Entertainers and Backyard Parties…. Now, let’s take it to the bedroom! I love the mix of the bold green with the old wrought iron look. The combination delivers a warm and cheerful environment for your guests. The best part, the Pavilion Wall Art is on sale for $39.96 (see below for details).

June is a HUGE month for Callie and the whole Southern Living at Home crew. They are preparing for the launch of Willow House on August 1st. In the meantime, we can stock up on all their awesome products at discounted prices!

All of the items below are 50% off during the month of June while supplies last! ORDER FAST! (If you can’t read this flyer, email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and we’ll send you a copy via email)

BONUS: If you order $30 or more of regular priced items, you will receive an additional 10% off your order! Shop online on Callie’s Southern Living at Home site. Use my first name – Nina & last initial – B to enter to shop. There are tons and tons of fantastic items for any home… Southern or not!

If you have any questions or would like help placing an order, email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and I will help you with the order and/or connect you with Callie. I know she would happy to help!

After you’re finished shopping… please click over and become a fan of Willow House with Callie Parker on Facebook. With all these great sales and bonus discounts she offering us, let’s help her get to 150 fans this week. What do you say!?

PREVIEW ~ Bridal Shower: Food Spread

Who doesn’t love a well-planned backyard party!? Check out Southern Living at Home‘s collection of ideal pieces for parties poolside to picnic tables.

Mojitos, Margaritas, Arnold Palmers, Lemonade, Ice tea… the list is limitless for this beautiful pitcher and matching glasses! *The High Balls are part of June’s Special Sale too. Sale info at the end of this post.

Next up, tiered stands! You can use them inside and out. You can use them to serve cookies, fruit, dips, crackers and other small dishes or you can simply use them as plate stands. Not only are these beautiful and function pieces, you can also make them part of your decorations!

The fleur de lis beverage tub on stand is one of my favorite items in the entire Southern Living at Home catalog. You can fill it with beer or juice boxes. You can use it to display party favors or blankets for late Autumn parties. There are a million ways you can use a pretty beverage tub and once again great for indoors and out!

Be sure to check out ALL of the June sales below.

BONUS: If you order $30 or more of regular priced items, you will receive an additional 10% off your order! Shop online on Callie’s Southern Living at Home site. Use my first name – Nina & last initial – B to enter to shop. There are tons and tons of fantastic items for any home… Southern or not!

If you have any questions or would like help placing an order, email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and I will help you with the order and/or connect you with Callie. I know she would happy to help!

After you’re finished shopping… please click over and become a fan of Willow House with Callie Parker on Facebook. With all these great sales and bonus discounts she offering us, let’s help her get to 150 fans this week. What do you say!?

Happy Shopping!

From Cubs’ games…

To birthday parties…

To a little place called “Damen”…

To supporting our friend on reality tv…

To sporting events…

To simple lunches on Michigan Ave…

To more birthdays and going-away parties…

My life would not be the same without these women. My love for them is hard to explain. So in the word’s of Marion St. Claire: … as I stood there watching I realized something I’d forgotten a long time ago. Sometimes in life there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you will find it in a spouse and celebrate it with your dream wedding {which I’m going to do too!}. But there’s also the chance that the one person you can count on for a lifetime, the one person who knows you sometimes better than you know yourself is the same person who’s been standing beside you all along.

We’ve been standing beside each other for over 10 years. And there were and still are many times they know me better than I know myself and vice-versa. We’ve been through it all… birthdays, boyfriends, breakups, engagements, weddings, babies, vacations, jobs, trips to the ER when someone zipped their eyelid in their sweatshirt {Ouch, right!} and list goes on and on. A book of our stories would hit the best seller list in no time!

So here’s to all of my girls, the best friends a gal could ask for! Watch out Chicago, here we come…

I’m going to share with you numerous Southern Living at Home items and ideas I have for them throughout the week and month of June. We’re going to call it “House to Home” since I’m right in the middle of making our new place a H.O.M.E. Callie is such a doll and I’m so excited to work on this project with her!

Southern Living at Home has products for almost anyone but I’m going to start with the Hostesses and Entertainers… Most products are extremely versatile and can be used in lots of different ways. If you invest in well-made, useful pieces the next you have a party you won’t be on a mad search for something to put the chips in… And, your table will impress your neighbors too!

For example, here these urns are used as centerpieces…

Here the urn is used as a wine chiller!

Here’s where it gets really good… All of the items below are 50% off during the month of June while supplies last! ORDER FAST! (If you can’t read this flyer, email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and we’ll send you a copy via email)

BONUS: If you order $30 or more of regular priced items, you will receive an additional 10% off your order! Shop online on Callie’s Southern Living at Home site. Use my first name – Nina & last initial – B to enter to shop. There are tons and tons of fantastic items for any home… Southern or not!

If you have any questions or would like help placing an order, email me at nina@accordingtonina.com and I will help you with the order and/or connect you with Callie. I know she would happy to help!

After you’re finished shopping… please click over and become a fan of Willow House with Callie Parker on Facebook. With all these great sales and bonus discounts she offering us, let’s help her get to 150 fans this week. What do you say!?

Happy Shopping!

There comes a time when you just want to break free. Free from wires and adapters that is. The latest product to come on the market to make taking pictures easier is the Wireless Eye-Fi memory card. We have all been in that moment, where we are getting ready to take that perfect snap shot, then the camera beeps and displays, CAMERA FULL. Most of us will simply buy extra memory cards, however save your money and time. The Eye-Fi cards work exactly the same way with no extra catch. All you need is a digital camera and a wireless network.

• The cards come in sizes ranging from 4 gigabyte (2,000 images or 90 minutes of video) to 8 gigabyte (4,000 images or 180 minutes of video)
• They range in price from $49.99 to $149.99

• Most of the digital camera distributors (over 1,000) are compatible with the wi-fi cards. In some cases, advanced features are available with recent cameras.
• Connects to on-line photo services (Evernote, Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, and more).

Something to keep in mind is the Geo Tag feature, which will tag all your photo locations. Think about it when taking family photos or pictures of kids.

The other issue is security. You will need to make sure your wireless network and your Eye-Fi card is properly secure. You never want to have an “open” wireless network. To see exactly what network securities are accepted read the Eye-Fi technical specifications.

The setup takes no more than ten minutes and does require:

• Installing the Eye-Fi Center Software
• Your e-mail address for a free Eye-Fi account.

Now, think of the endless possibilities. Free to be on a beach! Free to be shopping! Free to be reading According to Nina! All this while taking photos and uploading them, anyplace and anywhere.

These cards can be purchased at Amazon and most electronics stores.

Oh, by the way they have a free iPhone App too!

*********

A couple questions I asked Tom after my short lesson on wi-fi cards:

I’m still confused about the geo tracking. If I have my Eye-Fi connected to my home network / to my home computer ONLY, am I still at risk ?

Any place you take an image (home, church, beach, etc…) the Eye-Fi card will mark the location. This means that anyone that knows how to check locations of photos, would be able to find your location. This is why it is important not to take images of children with the wi-fi card. Some of the newer cameras have this feature built into it. I am pretty sure it is an option you can disable if you choose, but by default it is turned on.

Do you recommend using the Eye-Fi cards?

The cards are amazing, especially for those individuals that like to organize their images by location. If they own a Mac, iPhoto allows you to organize your photos by location and create slideshows based on those places.

I’m not going to lie, the Geo Tag feature freaks me out but I’m hoping to find a way around it because I would share photos far more often if I didn’t have to always be looking for my USB cord! Thanks, Tom for a great guest post. We hope you’ll come back soon and teach us more about the newest tech gadgets on the market.

Be sure to check out HarnessTechEd’s blog and follow him on Twitter too!

images via mydigitalbits.com and eye.fi

My Chicago MOHs and Bridesmaids are hosting a Girl’s Weekend-Bachelorette Party for me. I lost it when I opened the pink sparkly envelope and found these over-the-top invitations inside!! The countdown is on… 10 days and we’ll be taking on the Magnificent Mile and all of my favorite places in the city that I fell in love with oh so many years ago. The girls have an entire weekend planned for us. In the words of Tina Turner, they’re “simply the best!”

Seeing SATC2 at Roosevelt Collection is one of the main items on our agenda. I’m still really excited even though the movie is getting horrible reviews. It almost makes me more anxious to see it since I do tend to like movies that get terrible ratings.

Have you seen SATC2? What did you think? Love, hate or neutral?

Amy from PF Photography took pictures throughout the day and of all the details so I don’t want to show you too much but here’s a teaser picture of me and a few of my maids at the end of the night!

It’s almost the weekend! Do you have big plans for Memorial Day?