after i do...

i can't wait for the day when i become the mrs. to my mr. but i have to admit that the best part of the whole wedding thing is how excited i am for life after i do. and this inspiration board (spotted on sparkle & hay) pretty much summed up all those reasons. and trust me, it has nothing to do with the eiffel tower.

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here comes the sun.

days like today are precisely the reason that we live in vermont. it makes it all worth it. and here's the thing: warm and sunny days like today mean more to us up here in northern new england than they do to those a bit further south. why? cause we worked a little harder to get here.

these first warm muddy days of spring make the long winter seem like it was ages ago and the first glimpse of green sprouting out between the snow banks makes us forget the months of snow and ice and all that it entails. days like this remind us that it's time to get out and enjoy every second of these well deserved days.

so, wherever you are, i hope you enjoying the sunshine and spending it with the someone - or the someones - that you love. and i promise (yes, i can do that) that the feeling of today will carry you all the way through the next mudseason.

xoxo

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an invincible summer: vermont style.

well friends, let me tell you. we had the snow day of all snow days yesterday. a record snowfall here in burlington (25.8 inches!) that dumped on us for what felt like days and came with a howling wind and white out conditions.

so, as a delightful silver lining to this spring blizzard, mr. frederickson and i were cooped up all day long. we enjoyed some tasty leftovers, some really bad tv and some much needed time in our leisure gear. but, i have to say, the highlight of the day was when we finally ventured out at sunset last night. the sun peeked out of the clouds for just long enough to say goodnight and the snowdrifts towered over us both. it was nothing short of magical. the streets were silent and for a brief moment, we weren't even mad about the 2 feet of snow that might very well last through june....
and after all that, the sun really did shine again this morning. it goes to show, you just never know what the day might bring...or where you might find that little bit of sunshine. just in the nick of time.

“In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer”.

-Albert Camus

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baby, it's cold outside!

i have party planning on the brain these days in a big big way. and i fell instantly in love when i came across this ice skating party. the bonfire, the mason jars, the burlap table cloths, the hot chocolate, the candles, the tubs of beer....cozy, romantic, fun and oh so vermont-y. plus, my husband to be (yup, that's right, mr. frederickson and i are making it official!) is quite the skater. i think maybe we are on to something....

so, a winter wedding? what do you think!?!?

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the most wonderful time of the year...

happy friday! and what a festive week it has been - i am almost sad to see it come to an end. but i am floating on cloud 9 (more on that later) and can't wait to cozy up with someone special tonight and celebrate this magical time of year! i hope this weekend brings you all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings as well.

i'll be back in full force next week with lots of holiday cheer and a little bit of news....

until then....make it a great one!

XOXO

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happy {hockey} weekend!

i don't have any idea how it snuck up on me so fast, but it's here. hockey season is already here! yes, that's right, tonight marks opening night of the college hockey season up in these parts and i could not be more excited!

admittedly i know very little about the sport, but this team in particular represents so many things i love that i can't help but be excited. i love the experience of it all. i love the way the community comes together. i love the people watching - from toddlers in mini jerseys running in circles in the stands, to the teenage girls drooling over the cutest new players. i love the loyal fans who have sat in the same seats for as long as they can remember. i love that there is another whole community that supports the team from behind the scenes. but mostly, i love how cute mr. frederickson looks barking at his players from behind the bench. and i love that his parents come and still cheer for the guy who wears the number he wore back in his glory days. (#37)

so, see, even for a non-hockey fan....it's a great season. a really great one.

wish us luck (-:

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happy birthday, mr frederickson!

today is a big day here in vermont.

today is the day that mr. frederickson turns the big 3-0!

and while i, with the help of his fantastic friends and fabulous family, have spent the last month torturing him, i still think we have a little bit of celebrating left in us today!

so with that, i am off...off to dote on the golf shirt wearing, patriots football loving, showtunes singing, beer drinking, hockey coaching, birthday party loving, snooze button hitting, kitchen dancing, make me laugh until my sides hurt love of my life.

happy birthday, mr. frederickson. i hope it's a great one!

XOXO

{via}

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Mr. F's VT Dating Guide

Carl Frederickson here. So…..I am the infamous Mr. Frederickson. Hey, how are ya? Contrary to popular belief, I actually do exist. You loyal readers have heard much about me already. So its really good to finally meet everyone. My wonderful better half (and brilliant author of this forum) has asked me to un-mask myself and participate in Man Week. I am honored to do so, but don’t worry my dear male brethren, it didn’t come without a price. (Never do something for nothing in a relationship. Blog entry for a trip to Nantucket…..game, set, match – MR. F.)

Anyway, here goes. The first step is for all our women readers to click on the “X” on the upper righthand side of the page. Everyone do it? Good. Now we have that elite audience we wanted. What I wanted share with you all is a….let’s call it a Vermont Dating Guide. Not just any guide, but one that caters to the man who wants to impress his prospective while maintaining some dignity. (In a sense, its my personal Pub guide, but lets go with Dating so the “others” won’t know. )

Top Quaint Dating Spots in Vermont:

6. AmericanFlatbread – Burlington, VT - Always hits the spot. You almost don’t need a menu. Original flatbread pizzas, top notch winelist,…..they even brew their own beer. Just feels like Vermont.

5. The Perfect Wife – Manchester, VT - What a spot! On your way out of town in Manchester on Route 30. Uniquely Vermont Pub area.Premier spot for live music. There is a restaurant side as well in case your date gets tired of the pub. I never do.

4. Watershed Tavern – Brandon, VT - Worth the trip every time. Built on top of Neshobe Falls. The water runs underneath you as you sit atthe bar and enjoy the fireplace. One of the coolest places you will ever go for a pint. Your date might like it as well. Its all about ambience for her.

3. Two Brothers’ Tavern- Middlebury, VT - Timeless and true. An absolute must for any couple. An all-time favorite. You’ll both always leave happy. Also a downstairs dance hall with live music. Mosey on down if you’re feeling it. Say hello to Biel and Sarah for me.

2. Peavine Restaurant and Thirsty Bull Pub, Stockbridge, VT - Beautifully located in Stockbridge, VT on a bluff overlooking the White River. Live local entertainmenton Saturdays. Say hello to Coconut their talking Parrot for me. It’s the perfect spot for a first date. Never fails…..but if its does there’s easy access to I-89 in case the date goes poorly and you need a quickgetaway. (Stop in at Jake Coffee Company off exit 19...not in Vermont, but close enough).

1. The Grist Mill, Killington, VT - Always have a backup so if the Peavine is closed or just no one happens to be there, The Grist Mill is your failsafe. Tucked up against Summit Pond in Killington, VT. There is no place like it. Innovativearchitectural design with fabulous sightlines in all directions. Great food, a long front porch, a ski lodge bar area with a stage and dance floor, (a Photo Hunt machine which is always a great ice breaker), and a professional staff helping make that first date go oh so well. Its not meant to be if you and your date don’t hit it off for many years to come.

Well, thanks to all you for listening and for your loyal readership. This Blog rocks and is so cool. Until next year.

Mr. F.

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wine wednesdays - sofia

i have a very soft spot in my heart for sofia champagne.

just about a year ago, mr. frederickson and i celebrated the end of a really great day by sitting on our favorite front porch and sipping this summer bubbly out of plastic cups. it had been a long day, but really one of the best ever and we celebrated our efforts and the beginning of something that we thought was going to be a really fun adventure (and trust me, it has been!)

so, i think, tonight in celebration of what has been the best year ever, i will pour myself a glass (or a plastic cup) and toast to us. we've done good. really good.

and perhaps a vermont picnic with the portable version (turquoise straws included, obviously) will be somewhere in our future as well. a girl can dream....

{images via here, here & here}

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marathon coma.

there is just so much to share with you all today. and i promise there will be many posts over the the next few days highlighting what was an absolutely wonderful birthday/marathon weekend! i am still in a bit of a haze and it's taking me longer than usual to process things...so bear with me. i'll be back soon, and promise it will be worth waiting for. afterall, it's june! and what's better than that?

i just have to share this photo of mr frederickson and i running up church street (somehow we always seem to get caught by the sneaky newspaper photographers) at mile 3 of the 2010 vermont city marathon. not only is he a fantastic running partner, he is also the best birthday celebrator/event co-host ever. i am a very lucky girl.

XOXO

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the greatest adventure.

you know how i feel about my mr. frederickson, so to see another lovely couple (and brilliant photographer) bring the UP love story to life - complete with grape sodas, bow ties, picnics and balloons - just made my heart happy. it also reminded me why i fell in love with the message from this timeless and whimsical love story in the first place. love is the greatest adventure of all.

(images courtesy of wildflower photography via wedding chicks and lake jane)

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mr. frederickson

the man in my life has many wonderful qualities, the best of which may be his unbelievable nicknaming ability. he has single handedly renamed every family member, dog, friend and coworker that he has encountered. some stick and some evolve and multiply. for example - i have about 20 nicknames that seem to rotate based on moods, seasons, time of day and other random variables. (admittedly i prefer some names much more than others!)

so, when i decided to start this blog and knew that he would undoubtedly be mentioned a few times, the pressure was on to come up with a cyber alter ego that suited him and that kept him ever so slightly anonymous and intriguing. i was paralyzed by the pressure, but knew that one day it would just come to me...

and then it did. so, world - meet my mr. frederickson. mr. carl frederickson.

let me explain - if i had to pick a movie - a love story - that captured what i hope life to be like, it would be that of ellie and carl in UP. their shared sense of excitement and adventure, their enjoyment of the little things and the routines, their ability to tackle lifes curve balls and make the best of them, the way they feel about certain pieces of furniture, and the way their whole story can be told just through pictures and charming melody.

so - take a minute and watch this and i hope this explains the name. make sure you have tissues handy.

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