Taking a little time out, for marriage and such

Nov 16, 2012

For the next few weeks I'm gonna take a little time off from blogging.
(Not that I haven't taken "time off" here lately, the posts have definitely been slacking, sorry guys, this whole wedding planning/moving to a different state/job hunting thing is nuts)
The time off is necessary though, partially due to this little 10 day honeymoon I've been gushing over lately, but also mainly to enjoy being a wife I suppose.
No worries though, I'll be back soon enough with plenty of dashboard diaries from our latest adventures (and SO many wedding posts I've been dying to share!)

Iceland Fun Facts: Part 4

Nov 15, 2012

In our research for our Icelandic honeymoon, we have come across so many interesting things about this wonderful country.
Most of this info came from WhyGoIceland.com and I was so fascinated by all the facts that I just had to share some of them with yall!

Did you know . . . 

Icelanders do consume more Coca-Cola than any other nation on Earth, per capita, but it is said to the best tasting because it is made with Icelandic water and not corn syrup.
Icelandic horses are one of Iceland’s natural treasures. 
There are over 80,000 Icelandic horses in the country. 
The horses are so beloved, and their purity and bloodlines so protected, that no other horses can enter the country and once an Icelandic horse leaves, it can never return. 

While the only land mammal native to Iceland is the Arctic Fox, the country is also home to lots of sheep – there are nearly twice as many sheep as there are people in Iceland. 

There are no native reptiles or amphibians on Iceland and only about 1300 insects, compared to about 1 million throughout the world.
Icelanders enjoys an excellent quality of life. 
Though at 43.5 hours per week, they have the longest work week in Europe , they also have one of the longest life expectancies. 

In 2007, Iceland was ranked the number-one most developed country in the world by the UN’s Human Development Index. 
Iceland has the highest literacy rate in the world and has been rated one of the best places in the world to be a mother, based on maternal death rates and access to health care. 

Iceland has the highest number of broadband internet connections per capita in the world.

Icelanders also go to the movies more (per capita) than people anywhere else.

I think it is finally sinking in that we are going to Iceland.
Not only are we going overseas together (for the first time as a couple) we will be married!
I will have two rings on my left hand.
(Which is probably the most jewelry I've ever worn in my entire life)
Nuts.

Life is Happening

Nov 13, 2012

This last week has been slam packed full of some monumental life changes.
Let's see . . . 
I had my last day at the greatest job in American, Minden Orthopedics, complete with a "Emily, Please don't go" cake.
So many tears.
I loaded up my car and sped off to Dallas to get the keys to our new apartment! 
I am going to have a boy roommate!
SO. PUMPED.
No, I take that back, TWO boy roommates!
 We spent most of the weekend stocking the shelves and cleaning.
(The $4 Anthro glasses are my fav!)
We also got all decorated for Christmas, so that when we come home from Iceland our little home will be all festive.
 Even though we were busy taking care of so many adult things, we managed to squeeze in a little time to celebrate me turning a quarter of a century old.
The big 25 hit me hard this weekend.
Kidding.
I kinda forgot I had a birthday.
Some of my favorite peeps came to Dallas to hang with us for the weekdn.
. . . and the highlight of birthday festivities:
Whiskey Cake Brunch
 Whiskey Cake makes the best birthday cake!

I'm off to spend the week in hardcore wedding mode.
See ya!

Iceland Fun Facts: Part 3

Nov 8, 2012

In our research for our Icelandic honeymoon, we have come across so many interesting things about this wonderful country.
Most of this info came from WhyGoIceland.com's list of 25 fun facts about Iceland, and I was so fascinated by all the facts that I just had to share some of them with yall!

Just yesterday, there was an article in the paper about how Iceland is taking submissions over the next few months for new names.
. . . in order to make it more tourist friendly.
One of the ideas was Niceland.
I lol'd.
Beer was banned in Iceland from 1915 until March 1, 1989. 
Actually all alcohol was banned from 1915 to 1935, but when Prohibition was repealed, the beer ban stayed. 
Though the country’s unofficial national drink, Brennivin, is called “the black death” and contains 40% alcohol, some Icelanders feared the dangers of beer. 
Since the repeal of the beer ban, Beer Day has been celebrated on March 1.
Tipping is not necessary in Iceland as it is included in the total bill. 
However, contrary to popular belief, a service person will not be insulted if you offer a tip for exceptional service.
Iceland is known for some odd delicacies like whale, puffin, boiled sheep’s head, ram’s testicles, horse, and harkarl – a kind of fermented shark. 
But Icelandic food is also typically very healthy and all-natural, like skyr – a thick, slightly sour yogurt that is very high in protein and nutrients but virtually fat free.

 The country doesn’t even have a McDonald’s anymore (though that was more about cost than being health-conscious). 
The last of the three McDonald’s restaurants in Reykjavik closed in 2009.
I'm not complaining.

A weekend down south

Nov 5, 2012

I'm so thoroughly beat by this weekend that I can hardly muster up the strength to add words to the post.
Thursday Nicole and I surprised Liz in Alexandria.
Mikey met up with us for a fantastic dinner (crap legs and cupcakes) provided by Liz's parents.
Thennnnnn we spent Friday through Sunday in Baton Rouge.
. . . right after getting a grand tour of Liz's workplace, the garden of the Good Food project.
She's a master gardener y'all. 
(and she taught us that you can grow plants in anything, see dead flower growing in a golf shoe below)
Have I mentioned before that I love my friends?






. . . and then we hit the big zero as we pulled up to a gas station.
Happy Monday!

A musical craft

Nov 1, 2012

Lately, I've been taking on multiple projects left and right, either for the wedding or our new apartment. 
This one was just one craft I've been wanting to do, but I couldn't decide whether it should be used at the wedding or not (and if we will even have any wall space left in our apartment for random art)
The quote "Would you like to dance around the world with me?" is from one of our favorite Dave Matthews songs, which kinda holds a special place for Josh and I. 
With our love for good music and traveling, I was dying to incorporate a vintage map and some paper from an old hymnal.
I printed out the quote, cut out the letters, then traced them onto the old hymnal paper.
Finally, I modge podged each letter in place.
(It was a lot easier doing a layer first and then placing each letter onto the map so that they would stay in place)

Iceland Fun Facts: Part 2

In our research for our Icelandic honeymoon, we have come across so many interesting things about this wonderful country.
Most of this info came from a link at WhyGoIceland.com of 25 fun facts about Iceland, and I was so fascinated by all the facts that I just had to share some of them with yall!

Did you know that . . . 
The Icelandic police don’t carry guns. 
Crime in Iceland is very low, and guns are illegal (except for hunting) so they only carry extendable batons and pepper spray.

Iceland has one of the highest per capita rates of car ownership in the world. There is one car for every 1.5 people.
Renewable sources such as geothermal and hydro power provide about 80% of the nation’s total energy, and Iceland expects to be energy-independent by 2050. 
Iceland has never produced oil or gas, and it is one of the few countries to offer filling stations dispensing hydrogen fuel for cars powered by fuel cells.
In Iceland, people are named using patronymics, which creates a “last” name based on the father’s first name and the person’s gender, e.g. Katrín Karlsdóttir (Katrín, Karl’s daughter).
Because of this, the Icelandic telephone directory is listed alphabetically by first name.



In June of 2010, Parliament unanimously voted to approve same-sex marriages. 
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who became Iceland’s first female Prime Minister in 2009, is also the world’s first openly gay head of government.  
Strip clubs, however, have been banned since 2010.
Though Iceland is home to 130 volcanoes, only about 40 have erupted in the last 1000 years.  
On average, a volcano erupts every 5 years.

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