Is this a sweet dream, or a beautiful nightmare?

I'm going to get personal with you guys here for a second. I have nightmares.

Well not really nightmare(s).

But one, terrifying, recurring nightmare that haunts my dreams on a weekly basis, and has for years now.

It goes a little something like this.

Somehow, someway, I have accidentally made it as a contestant on the popular Bravo show Top Chef. I have the same meager cooking skills I have in real life, I have no clue what I am doing and I am completely out of my league. Every new challenge gives me a near fatal panic attack because I have no.clue.what.is.going.on. The ratings sky rocket as clips of my fumbling around in the kitchen seem to amuse viewers. And somehow, I keep not getting eliminated. I am DYING to leave, I am always on the bottom, but I keep sticking around like a cockroach.

This season, I watched as my nightmare came to life in the form of Robin.

Robin was just hopeless, she was on the bottom of nearly every challenge and incited everything from quiet disdain to all out rage in her fellow competitors.

I mean look at her, she just LOOKS tragic!

Anyway, the madness came to an end last night as Robin was FINALLY sent home. I, personally, think she threw the challenge, but either way she is gone and the real life manifestation of my bad dreams is over.

Thank God.

Now only the Voltaggio brothers, Kevin, Jen, and Eli remain.

Wait, Eli?

What the hell is an Eli?

Have you been on the show the whole time, you sneaky monkey?

I never noticed you before.

Huh, well done.

Halloween Re-Cap **UPDATE**

**Update: Now with more pictures of The Surprise!**

So for all of you waiting with bated breath to find out how Pete and I followed up our wildly popular Peppermint Ice Cream/Karl Lagerfeld:

Dorothy/Wizard:

Costumes from Halloweens past, I bring you Taylor Swift and Kanye West from the 2009 VMAs.

I admit that while we get points for creativity, we definitely lost some in the execution. We lost focus a bit as we were simultaneously planning a super fun SURPRISE!

{Belen in complete shock after seeing Pete}

As I have mentioned, I have always thrown a huge Pumpkin-a-Palooza extravaganza every year, and this year my dear friends Kathleen, Belen, and Sarah were throwing a fab Halloween Party in Houston. I had been mourning that I would not be donning my hostess hat this year, and Petey came up with the brills beyond brills idea that we should fly down to Houston and crash the party!

{What the WHAT!?}

Now, I love a good surprise (although I have been known to majorly snoop thus making it very hard to pull one off on me) but I am terrible at executing them! I just get too excited! But I am happy to report that the girls were INCREDIBLY surprised and it made all of the nervous planning worth it.

{Wig came off in all of the excitement!}

I recall there being some adorable paparazzi during the big moment, so if I track down those pics I will bring them to you later today!

HERE THEY ARE!!

Now I am staying in Houston and spending some quality time with the fam for a few weeks, but I promise to stay up on my posting. Although it will be hard in all of this GORGEOUS weather. Come on Chicago, what's your problem, 70s and sunny in November is DEFINITELY far more civilized than the crud you have been slangin' lately.

p.s. The dress I wore to recreate the look Taylor wore when she finally got to give her speach thanks to the fabulous Beyonce:

Was this dress by Shoshanna, which was very flattering and would be quite festive for upcoming Christmas Fetes.

By George, I think she's got it!

I hardly feel like a fashion expert this morning as I sit buncled on my couch in my fuzzy socks, "vintage" New Orleans sweatshirt, and leggings (I am sick, not lazy). However, I had a bit more success this weekend:

What do you get when you add 1 summer dress:

With a leather jacket

And these boots?

ME!

Learning how to dress for this Chilly Chicago Fall! And looking pretty cute if I do say so myself...

Which is good...because come winter I am going to look like this:

Back by popular demand, Our Engagement Story

I have received a few emails today asking about Pete's and my engagement story, so if you have NOT yet heard it, click here!

It might be helpful to play this while you read it, to enhance the mood you know?

Because honestly, if you want to know what it feels like when the person you love more than anything in the whole wide world asks you to be his wife, jump ahead to the 3:00 mark. That is what it feels like when you realize it's happening.

At 3:12 is when he gets on his knee.

Jump out of your chair at 3:18 and throw your arms in the air. Start twirling like Maria Von Trap in the Alps.

He just said "Will you marry me"?

Feels pretty good, doesn't it??

Real Weddings: OUR Wedding Sneak Peak!!

I am going back to work today, and I could not be more excited. Not that I haven't loved my past two months on the couch, but I need to get out of the house or I might turn into a couch. I promise that I will not start neglecting the blogosphere just because I am back at my day job, in fact, I think getting out and about will bring new and exciting things to Peppermint Bliss!

That said, I haven't been awake on this side of 9 am in 7 weeks, and I am running SUPER late. Boss lady will not be happy if I meet her at the mart with soap in my hair, so for now I have to run. I will leave you on this joyous Wedding Wednesday with a preview of my upcoming nuptials, and some pictures from Pete's and my Wedding Planning trip to Aspen!

We met with our wedding planner, Lisa Vorce of Oh How Charming, and picked out venues for the rehearsal dinner, and Friday Night Welcome Party, picked out the entertainment, started talking about invitations, table settings, tents, had a cake tasting, food tastings, it was SOOO much fun and not at all overwhelming! I don't want to give too much away about our wedding just yet, but here is a little preview!

One of the venues we chose...

...We ate more food than any human should in such a short period of time doing all the tastings for the various events that will take place throughout the wedding weekend...

{A few candidates for the passed appetizers...Can't remember what everything is exactly but I think this tray had foie gras, ceviche, and elk skewers}

{Crab cakes, sliders, and...}

{Mini tomato bisque with Gruyere Mac n' Cheese}

{CHEEEEEEESEEEE!!!!}

...And enjoyed our time with my family at our charming cabin where we will be married next year!

This is the dock that will serve as the altar...

On this pond...

Beside this river...

In this gorgeous valley...

We could not be more excited!!

I will be back later today with more inspiration for a Fall Country Wedding!

xoxo

Dream Big

The future belongs to those

Who believe in the power and beauty

Of their dreams.

-Mark Twain

I have been promising "big exciting changes" for awhile now, and I promise they are still coming! I am working on the formatting of the site as well as the logo and hopefully things will be looking spiffy soon!

One of my fellow bloggers asked me how I would define the blog in three words or less, and really the best I could come up with to describe the sometimes schizofrenic array of topics that I devote time to on the site is, "Following Your Bliss". Whatever that may be. I love that the blog is a place that I can explore all of my varied interests and learn and get feedback from all of you.

I find working on Peppermint Bliss to be incredibly fulfilling and I would love this blog to turn into something that I could call a real job.

There.

I said it.

I am putting it out into the Universe.

I know that sounds crazy- and it is scary to put yourself out there and try to do something a lot of people do not necessarily understand. Throughout this experience I have been really inspired by some people around me who have actually had the courage to branch out on their own and Follow Their Bliss, and who have had enormous success by making their own dreams come true.

I realized that there are a lot of us out there who have had trouble finding jobs, or who have unfulfilling jobs, and there are also a lot of people who have a great idea or dream that they would love to pursue...if only...

SO as inspiration to all of my fellow "if only-ers" I thought I would bring you the stories of some of our peers who have gone out there and made.it.happen. in a new section that I will call Career Bliss. I have a few great interviews lined up with some young entrepreneaurs, but I am always on the lookout for more!

If you know of anyone who has inspired you by persuing their dreams, please email me and let me know!

peppermintbliss@gmail.com

It's Fearless...

This time last year I was out on the open road with my bff Laura falling in love with Taylor Swift as we listened to her first album about 2-3 times a day from beginning to end.

Tonight I will be going to see Miss Swift in Chicago on her Fearless tour.

I am very excited.

I thought about wearing this.

taylorswift concert by BaileyQD featuring Rebecca Taylor dresses

Why, you might ask?

Because I am a freak.

And think maybe if Taylor saw the we have so much in common in the way of our taste in attire, she would ditch red-headed Abigail (sorry abigail, you're adorable, I hope you understand) and I could be her new best friend.

I am insane.

If you didn't know this before, please refer to my past posts on Britney Spears.

Whether or not any of this happens, I still think it should be a pretty good time!

And to my real life best friend, blonde-headed Laura...I wish we were still driving through the blue mountains belting out Love Story.xoxo

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

I have been a very good girl this year. Please make this happen.

Thanks a bunch,

Bailey

Amazingly awesome post courtesy of the Great Mange.

I almost forgot what today is!

With all of the excitement today...

(the squeel mobile died on me)

(and my idiot dog ate something inedible again...so for the second time in a month...and the third time in his short life, I had to take him to the puppy E.R. for surgery)

F.M.L.

I almost forgot that this is the dawn of one of the most exciting times of the whole year:

Blue Bell Peppermint Ice Cream Season!!

On the first of October the little creamery in Brenham Texas near and dear to my heart starts churning out the seasonal, elusive, delightful, heart of my hearts Peppermint Ice Cream...and I start stock-piling it.

This is made more difficult, but not impossible, because of my current geographic distance from Texas.

You see, while Blue Bell is only distributed throughout Texas and a few other Southern States, they have this handy dandy magical website which allows die hard fans like myself to order as many cartons as ones freezer can hold!

If you have been reading for awhile, you know how passionately I feel about Blue Bell Ice Cream, but perhaps some of you are still unclear about why. Let me explain.

Growing up Blue Bell Peppermint was always a passion of mine, and last year for Pete's and my four year anniversary he whisked me away to Brenham for a tour of the creamery, and my love only deepened.

The "little Texas creamery" started in 1907 in Brenham Texas. Named after the Texas State Flower, the Blue Bonnet, Blue Bell is a Texas staple and always reminds me of home. Unfortunately, unless you want to brave a dinner at Applebee's (they stock Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla in their restaurants) you are pretty much SOL if you are craving the treat unless you live in a few lucky areas of the country.

The website explains:

"And although Blue Bell is only available in about 20% of the nation’s supermarkets, it ranks as one of the top three best selling ice creams in the country. Our products are sold in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. No matter how much the market grows, quality standards never change and are never diluted or compromised. That's why, people who are lucky enough to live where they can buy Blue Bell Ice Cream, say it's "the best ice cream in the country."

If you still aren't convinced I think the only real solution is to head over to their website to order a gallon a see for yourself...it really is that amazing.

Shoes, glorious SHOES!

Today is my first day sans orthopedic boot and I feel like DANCING!

But we all know how that ended up last time, so I will refrain.

Instead I will celebrate by posting SHOES, glorious SHOES!

Pairs of shoes in fact.

Squillions of them.

As I now, finally, after 6 long weeks, can be the proud wearer of not just a right, but a left shoe as well.

Life is good.

Life would be BETTER were I able to wear these gorgeous lovelies...

However I am under strict doctors orders to stay far, far away from stilettos and can wear only tightly laced tennis shoes for the next few weeks...

And while these Chuck Taylor's are pretty fly...sometimes a lady needs to dress up a bit...

...Which is why this seasons tap-shoe trend is PERFECT for yours truly in my current state...

I wore these festive sparklers out on Saturday, which made it very hard for me to restrain my desire to boogie, I mean look at them! They were MADE for the dance floor...

...This funky pair is by a company called Melissa in Australia which I will do a longer post on later because they are prettttty rad...

Who's the prankster...

I awoke this morning to find email in my inbox. Unfortunately not actually sent from le fiance, although it would be even funnier if it were.

omg I am DYING, who ARE you??

Absolutely Hilarious.

Dear Bailey ****** ,

Your friend Pete M******* thought you would enjoy viewing the following product on our web site.

Message: Baby, I want you to wear this on our honey moon.


Kindest Regards,

Your Customer Service Representative
Kiki De Montparnasse

I'm Famous!

http://chicago.metromix.com/home/photogallery/photos-oyster-fest-2009/1474856/content

We. Like. To. Party. We like, we like to Party!

I do not know if you know this about me, but I LOVE to throw a party. I especially love a party with a theme. I started off this New Year on a high note by throwing a "Dress as and Bring your favorite Cocktail Party.

I was Champagne.

{From left to right, Pina Colada, Absinthe, Bloody Mary, Champagne, Pink Panty Dropper, Manhattan, Margarita}

It was a hit.

{Grey Goose & Red Bull}

My birthday, for no particular rhyme or reason (other than perhaps someone whose name rhymes with Whitney Smeers) I had a Circus Theme.

When Pete and I moved to Chicago we threw ourselves (shameless) a clambake Welcome Party!

{How INCREDIBLE is this food spread, provided by Truffleberry Market? They were unbelievable, everything was delicious, they were so professional, if you ever need party catering in Chicago I highly recommend you look them up!}

There is no way I could pull off these fiestas without some help from my very special online resources. 

First off, I have to thank The Oriental Trading Company for having endless supplies for every theme imaginable. They provide for all your party needs from bachelorette:

{The ever popular Engagement Ring Shot Glass}

To pirate birthday:

 

...and they sell favors by the dozen. Plates, napkins, decorations, costumes, they have it all, and for cheapcheapcheap.

Another longtime favorite of mine is PlumParty.com. The wares they peddle are a bit more upscale, think plastic champagne flute rather than paper cups, while still bringing the fun.

{How great would these accessories be for a festive Thanksgiving Dinner?}

 

They sort by theme and item, and also offer boutiques selling my fave, French Bull melamine plates among other things.

If you get easily overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a tablescape, Social Couture is your site. They sell upscale, ready made, party theme packs like "Mexican Fiesta":

They will ship you everything you need to put together this table, or you can buy items individually.

Finally, for some inspiration, I bring you The Party Dress. The Party Dress is everything FYB aspires to be and more. Featuring sections on weddings, design, food & drink, parties, I almost feel like I am cheating on FYB by promoting its hotter big sister! 

{Fall Harvest Pancake Brunch? Perfection.}

{This is my kind of "green" wedding}

I hope this inspires all of you to dust off your hostess hat and entertain! There really is nothing more fun than a festive gathering with family and friends, especially when you have some great online resources to take some of the stress out of the party planning process!