Motivate

motivate |ˈmōtəˌvāt|verb [ trans. ]provide (someone) with a motive for doing something : he was primarily motivated by the desire for profit.• stimulate (someone's) interest in or enthusiasm for doing something

Among the many things on my Wedding to-do list was figure out jewelry for my 6 wonderful bridesmaids. With a few bridesmaid opportunities under my belt, I know what it's like to have a drawer full of pearl necklaces and drop pearl earrings.  I wanted to give my girls something a little different.  I immediately logged on to Etsy where I knew I would find page after page of original and unique bridal jewelry.  After searching for hours and finding it difficult to narrow down, I decided on a set of earrings I liked and a bracelet that I thought would be a great compliment to the bridesmaid dresses.

Wedding Jewelry found on Etsy.

  

I came home and showed Dan what I'd found-  Not only was he a great sport, acting sincerely interested in seeing what I had picked out, but he had the idea that I should and could easily make exactly what I'd shown him.  The thought had crossed my mind but I was nervous to be responsible for making it all and giving it to my best friends to wear on my wedding day.  I stared at the pictures on Etsy for days and played with design ideas in my head until I finally felt motivated to go check out some beads.  I am loving what I came up with!!  (Hope the girls will, too.)

Wedding Jewelry I created

       

Excitement

excitement |ikˈsītmənt|nouna feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness : her cheeks were flushed with excitement | the excitement of seeing a live leopard.• something that arouses such a feeling; an exciting incident : the excitements of the previous night.
What an exciting new year it has been so far!  On Christmas eve Dan proposed and we have been busy planning a June wedding ever since (and looking forward to forever together!).  

My lease has also expired so Dan has made some room for my furry friend and I.  Mickey is getting acquainted with his new digs and loving his nature view that comes with life in the suburbs while Dan is learning to love Claritin for his allergies.

And after packing and unpacking, a few of my things have found their place here, too.  Inspired by some plate decorating ideas I found on Pinterest, we hung my white plate collection in an abstract design on a wall in the dining room.

Flour went flying last night as we attempted our first homemade pasta with our Kitchen Aid pasta roller-  mozzarella, bacon, and jalapeno stuffed ravioli.  It was labor intensive from measuring the flour to scraping the dough off of the counter tops after dinner but well worth it; absolutely delicious.  And it made for a fun Saturday night!

Somehow we've also managed to cross a few more movies off the list, updated below- The Network (not bad until the bizarre ending), In the Heat of the Night (loved it!), and Sophie's Choice (another reason why epics are not for me).

  AFI Top 100 Movies of All Time
-Movies in white we have seen.-Movies in blue are yet to be viewed.

#	MOVIE	YEAR
1	CITIZEN KANE, 1941	1941
2	THE GODFATHER, 1972	1972
3	CASABLANCA, 1942	1942
4	RAGING BULL, 1980	1980
5	SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, 1952	1952
6	GONE WITH THE WIND, 1939	1939
7	LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, 1962	1962
8	SCHINDLER'S LIST, 1993	1993
9	VERTIGO, 1958	1958
10	THE WIZARD OF OZ, 1939	1939
11	CITY LIGHTS, 1931	1931
12	THE SEARCHERS, 1956	1956
13	STAR WARS, 1977	1977
14	PSYCHO, 1960	1960
15	2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, 1968	1968
16	SUNSET BLVD., 1950	1950
17	THE GRADUATE, 1967	1967
18	THE GENERAL, 1927	1927
19	ON THE WATERFRONT, 1954	1954
20	IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, 1946	1946
21	CHINATOWN, 1974	1974
22	SOME LIKE IT HOT, 1959	1959
23	THE GRAPES OF WRATH, 1940	1940
24	E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, 1982	1982
25	TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 1962	1962
26	MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, 1939	1939
27	HIGH NOON, 1952	1952
28	ALL ABOUT EVE, 1950	1950
29	DOUBLE INDEMNITY, 1944	1944
30	APOCALYPSE NOW, 1979	1979
31	THE MALTESE FALCON, 1941	1941
32	THE GODFATHER PART II, 1974	1974
33	ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, 1975	1975
34	SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, 1937	1937
35	ANNIE HALL, 1977	1977
36	THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, 1957	1957
37	THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, 1946	1946
38	THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, 1948	1948
39	DR. STRANGELOVE, 1964	1964
40	THE SOUND OF MUSIC, 1965	1965
41	KING KONG, 1933	1933
42	BONNIE AND CLYDE, 1967	1967
43	MIDNIGHT COWBOY, 1969	1969
44	THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, 1940	1940
45	SHANE, 1953	1953
46	IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, 1934	1934
47	A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, 1951	1951
48	REAR WINDOW, 1954	1954
49	INTOLERANCE, 1916	1916
50	THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, 2001	2001
51	WEST SIDE STORY, 1961	1961
52	TAXI DRIVER, 1976	1976
53	THE DEER HUNTER, 1978	1978
54	M*A*S*H, 1970	1970
55	NORTH BY NORTHWEST, 1959	1959
56	JAWS, 1975	1975
57	ROCKY, 1976	1976
58	THE GOLD RUSH, 1925	1925
59	NASHVILLE, 1975	1975
60	DUCK SOUP, 1933	1933
61	SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, 1941	1941
62	AMERICAN GRAFFITI, 1973	1973
63	CABARET, 1972	1972
64	NETWORK, 1976	1976
65	THE AFRICAN QUEEN, 1951	1951
66	RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, 1981	1981
67	WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, 1966	1966
68	UNFORGIVEN, 1992	1992
69	TOOTSIE, 1982	1982
70	A CLOCKWORK ORANGE,  1971	1971
71	SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, 1998	1998
72	THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, 1994	1994
73	BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, 1969	1969
74	THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, 1991	1991
75	IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, 1967	1967
76	FORREST GUMP, 1994	1994
77	ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, 1976	1976
78	MODERN TIMES, 1939	1936
79	THE WILD BUNCH, 1969	1969
80	THE APARTMENT, 1960	1960
81	SPARTACUS, 1960	1960
82	SUNRISE, 1927	1927
83	TITANIC, 1997	1997
84	EASY RIDER, 1969	1969
85	A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, 1935	1935
86	PLATOON, 1986	1986
87	12 ANGRY MEN, 1957	1957
88	BRINGING UP BABY, 1938	1938
89	THE SIXTH SENSE, 1999	1999
90	SWING TIME, 1936	1936
91	SOPHIE'S CHOICE, 1982	1982
92	GOODFELLAS, 1990	1990
93	THE FRENCH CONNECTION, 1971	1971
94	PULP FICTION, 1994	1994
95	THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, 1971	1971
96	DO THE RIGHT THING, 1989	1989
97	BLADE RUNNER, 1982	1982
98	YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, 1942	1942
99	TOY STORY, 1995	1995
100	BEN-HUR, 1959	1959