9.28.08 Happy 1st Birthday baby Leo!

So after my husband's birthday celebration this past Sept 27th, I still managed to have some energy left to prepare for our truly pampered pooch, "Leo's" birthday the next day. My RRRuff morning was consumed by baking pupcakes (which were human edible and delish), setting up more party decor in our sun room area (this time puppy theme) and making sure Leo knew the day was all about him...spoiled? nah...

I created a pupcake tower and even let Leo play with some of the batter...I know, I realized this was a WOOF mistake .2 seconds later. So after cleaning the mess up, I let him out to play in the yard while I finished up and a few minutes later Leo had muddy snout and paws ...ahhh bath time!Thank god he loves the tub...

LEO…our first born...LOL "and trust me this has given us a taste of parenting" (pet owners out there would know) has been spoiled since day one. For his birthday he had a fancy evening affair; linens, candlelight, crystal dishes, soft music, catered food for human guests, puppy milk bone favors for the 4 legged guests, pupcake tower, treats and his daddy made him his own boneless grilled steak...a truly elegant affair...believe me when I say Leo had an awesome time; he loves attention and his birthday party was like a load of doggie treats of attention. I will post pics soon...

My mother, while helping me out, kept asking me "Why throw a birthday party for a dog?" I explained to her that it was a way of celebrating all the happys he has brought to our life and how much we care for him and how special he is, and celebrating he is part of our family.
Well I am rambling now...but wanted to share this recipe for the dog lovers out there....

Naturally sweet, colorful and flavorful, this cake is simple and easy to make. Great for Fall time.

Peanut Butter Carrot Cake

1 cup flour1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
Mix flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8" round cake pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Let cool. Puree cottage cheese in blender for icing. Decorate with more peanut butter and carrots.

Good Luck and Woof appetite!

Happy Birthday Anthony!

~Happy Birthday to my darling Husband~

Today is Anthony's 37th birthday! I know he can’t wait to celebrate this weekend. I tried planning a surprise birthday event but this man is not easy... he is waaaay too nosy, so yes, the list grew tremendously in .2 seconds when he learned about the celebration . I am hoping for a beautiful and sunny day so we can rock the party outdoors. sigh

Here I am with the lucky guy...I mean the b-day boy.

Anthony and I have been married a little over a year but it feels like we've been married for ages since we are alike in so many ways, just to name a few; 1.we are lucky in love 2. we are each others' best friend 3. we enjoy the same things 4. we think alike 5. we make each other a better person 6. we can finish each others sentences 7. we make each other laugh 8. together have accomplished both emotional and successful dreams.
A few of our accomplishments *having the wedding of our dreams, btw just so you know, it was a kickass wedding *Anthony's very well deserved promotion …this was a team effort due to his hard work and dedication, his endless nights of studying and me having to bite my tongue when I wanted to share and discuss with my honey all of my days’ events (I am a big talker)or when I had to watch TV on mute to not disturb his reading. If you are wondering…our condo was very small, we could have made eye contact or engage in a conversation even if we were in separate rooms …LOL and did I mention paper thin walls…? *adopting our adorable puppy LEO and trust me this has given us a taste of parenting...LOL, *Finding our dream home, after endless days and 2 very long years of searching for a place to call home. Although stressful, it was worth every minute spent together on this search. We were fortunate to finally find a beautiful and lovely development surrounded with wonderful neighbors.

I am sure there is more to come. Our life together has been full of surprises and we love them all. Believe me, We ARE a Perfect Pair!

Anthony, I just wanted to remind you what a SPECIAL day your birthday is. It is the time to celebrate how happy and proud you’ve made everyone with your existence for the past 37 years.

You are a wonderful man and make me feel incredible when you tell me that you are the luckiest person in the world. Unfortunately that’s not true; you are not the luckiest person in the world... I AM! because you are part of my life. I am so blessed because of it.

Honey, Birthdays come only once a year, so make sure to enjoy it and have lots of fun! Happy Birthday, honey!

Love you,

Your wife Cathy

9.20.08 Congratulations to Robin & Joe!

I had the pleasure this weekend of working once again with celebrity event planner from Whose wedding is it anyway?, Samantha Goldberg of Gold Events. It was a fun evening assisting and coordinating the wedding of NJ State Senator Joe Vitale and former Miss NJ, Robin Williams. The Reception, a tented by the shore affair was held at a private estate...simply elegant.

The newlyweds had an amazing day for a September wedding!

Guests left with a sweet lasting impression, aka sugar buzz...after enjoying some newlyweds favorites; a milkshake bar and a yummy candy display Samantha, Corinne, Dana and myself put together.

And since we all love the cameras...here's a picture of the Gold Events' team for the night...

Cathy, Sam,Dana & Corinne

9.5.08 Congratulations to Heather & James!

...post long overdue...but better late than never...

On 9/5/08 our dear friends Heather and James tied the knot in elegance. The Ceremony and Reception took place at The Stony Hill, a fine dining establishment like no other...

The Stony Hill's manicured grounds and pristine estate captivate with an understated elegance. The pleasures of fine food and drink and the ambiance of old luxury make this venue a unique place.

My Reviews...
Stony Hill Inn - A+ "A one-of-kind wedding"
Decor-A+ The Stony Hill keeps its decor within very neutral colors and gold tones (an A+ for brides looking for a simple yet elegant setting)
Service- A+ Outstanding, waiters came by each and every table every now and then taking drink orders from guests, maitre d' was extremely attentive to the bride and groom's needs.
Food- A+ Quality and Quantity
Drinks-A+ Premium

Here's the highlight of the night...
The newlyweds' cake had each guests' name written throughout each tier...yep, all 100+ guests...how cool right? Here's a picture of the cool and by the way, yummy cake...

I created this word cloud through wordle. It should be a cool tool to use in creating your save the dates, rehearsal dinner invites even favor tags!
Get creative, and share your word cloud with us!!

In memory of those who lost their lives, those brave people who gave their lives and the Heroes that responded to the emergency of 9/11/2001 ...
United We Stand!

by Jen S
This is a story of a historic event,

And this is the way that it went.

An airplane crashed thru building one,

Next thing people know two was done.

Now both buildings down of the twin towers,

While people wait for hours and hours.

They watch the police and firefighters strive,

And see if their loved ones are still alive.

Now there are two lights where the towers once stood,

And they shine very bright thru the neighborhood.

This event did not break apart the U.S.A.,

Because we are closer and closer to each other everyday.

Lovely Thank you

I've just received a lovely thank you/testimonial and wanted to share....I truly treasure each and every thank you/testimonial I've ever received, so moving forward I will share on here each and every one of them.

It is lovely when people tell you you've done a good job! Reminds me how much I love event planning with it's challenges and all!

Dear Cathy,

We can't thank you enough for all of the hard work you and your team did to help make our day so special! Your creativity and talent are amazing and it really showed at our wedding. We have gotten so many compliments on all of the "little details" that we thought no one would notice but us. We wouldn't have been able to make it through the day without losing our sanity if it wasn't for you. And even though you were working at our wedding, we are so glad that you were able to share in our joy as well.

All our love,

Dan and Carrie Vissers

Carrie and Dan ~ “We truly appreciate your kindness and lovely thank you"

Thank you so much for the opportunity of allowing us to share your joyous day.

We had a lovely time and enjoyed being a part in planning the beginning of your new life together.