August Update

Hello!

It's been a while since we've posted anything on here. Mostly that's because I post blog entries for my new event planning job once a week, and the research time it takes and prep time kind of blogs me out. But I thought I would update anyway since I’ve got an hour or so before I have to leave for a bride meeting J

First thing’s first. Now that it’s public, we can announce that Kelsey and Greg are having a baby in Februrary!! It is our first neice or nephew! They are not finding out the gender of the baby, which of course is killing me, but it’s super special for them and we can’t wait to meet little baby Potthast! They are also closing on their house tomorrow and they get to set up their family home. So exciting!

So Trent just started his final semester at KSU. We are both really excited for graduation to come in December. He is student teaching at Kell High School and teaching World History. I think if he could pick and choose, that would be the subject he would teach, so he got really lucky! His teacher is also the baseball coach, so he was already offered a community coaching job for the spring, even if he doesn’t work for Cobb County next year. He’s liking it so far, and making a good impression. We can’t wait to see what’s next! December couldn’t come faster!

So as I said before, I’ve been doing the event planning stuff quite a bit. I guess I shouldn’t really say quite a bit, because I am only working with one couple, but I do a lot of blogging and research for the company. I get to meet with vendors and go to meetings and I am loving it so much! I really can’t wait to do it full time some day… just don’t know when that will be possible. But, I don’t need to know because it will happen when it is supposed to happen.

Trent has also been finishing the basement and our friends Chad and Carrie have been living down there for two months. The basement is almost finished and it’s been working out really well having tenants down there. There’s a separate entrance for them and since they have a bathroom, a bedroom, and a kitchen (the living room and other bedroom should be done pretty quickly), it’s a completely separate space for them.

That’s our quick update. Hope everyone is doing well!

I Need Your Help

I need your help. With a few things. See below.

1) I have decided to start meal planning healthy meals. I think we have been ending up eating way too much bad food by accident because of the fact that we don't meal plan. I need your help because I want some good recipes that you have tried before. I have a few, but I don't want to get in the habit of eating the same thing for dinner every week. So please, email me your recipes! erin.l.stapleton@gmail.com

2) To go along with number 1, I am trying to eat healthier. SO... if you are with me and I start eating food that's bad for me, please help me stop. You may be laughing or think I'm stupid, but I'm being 100% serious. Please say something to me or don't take me out to eat at Zaxby's or KFC.

3) Spread the word about Stella Harper Events! I know I have mentioned my new event planning job, but I need your help spreading the word. If you have a friend or family member getting married or who needs help planning a birthday party, anniversary party, etc., please give them our website to check out. www.stellaharperevents.com I am really excited about how it's been going! You can also view our blog for some decor ideas and DIY ideas.

That's all. Hope life is great for everyone :)

Random

Written Friday, July 15... for some reason it wouldn't let me update...

So I feel the need to update the blog, but with nothing in particular, so here it goes: my random thoughts for the day.

1) Today I got a new computer at work. It's got Windows 7, which I've never used before (I have a Mac at home), and it's pretty rockin. It's just fun to get new things, even if they're at work!

2) Last night was the last Harry Potter premier ever. I have so many feelings about it. My first feeling is tired... not really about the movie but because of the movie. I got home yesterday after work and took a nap from about 6:30-9:00. I then went to the theater, watched the movie, got home at 3:00 and slept until 6:00. And that's the sleep I running on right now. I got a grande White Mocha from Starbucks this morning and I think that helped. After work I get to go straight to babysitting for the night. I hope I can make it until the babies fall asleep! Next I am feeling sad. It's the last Harry Potter movie... ever!! It was such a fun thing to experience every year or so: getting in line and waiting until midnight, sitting in the theater full of dressed up fans and clapping when good things happened on screen, and getting to see each book come to life on the screen for the first time! It's sort of the same feeling that I got when I finished reading the last book. It's actually over. But what a fun ride. I am also definitely feeling happy because it was such a fun movie to watch! A little dark and creepy at times, but so good! Of course I have to say that, but I really can't wait to see it again. I am thinking about having a HP marathon all weekend and dragging Trent to see this last enstallment with me. He didn't feel the need to come to the midnight showing last night. Smart guy. Overall I am sad, but overjoyed. Hope you all liked it, too!

3) Lately I realized that everytime I watch something or read something, I want to do it. That probably didn't make sense, but here is where my thought came from. Recently I have told myself that I want to be on Broadway and/or work at a musical theater. I'm not the best singer in the world, and that's what's holding me back- HA! But, this thought started on the season finale of Glee this year. It was so moving to me (not everyone loved it, I know). I started crying when Rachel and Kurt sang on the Wicked stage in NY. Then I cried for the rest of the episode, and until I fell asleep that night. Since then I got a copy of the Wicked soundtrack to prep for the September show, and I decided I want to play Elpheba. Most would say I should probably be Glinda for the mere fact that I'm blonde, but I like Elpheba better. Either way I am not ever going to be on Broadway (not being negative, just realistic. You haven't heard me sing). Another example is that I have been reading Rob Lowe's autobiography and it makes me want to be an actress! His life is just so interesting, and I think it would be so much fun! On the other hand, I would HATE to be famous, so it wouldn't work for me very well. My third and final example is one from middle/high school. I used to watch the movie Center Stage all the time. I wanted to be a ballerina. I still do everytime I watch it. If you haven't seen it before, go home and watch it.

Those are my thoughts. Nothing too exciting, but something at least. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Stella Harper Events

So if you have Facebook (which you probably do, or you wouldn't know to come read the blog), I have a new (additional) job! I'm really excited about it, and I just thought I'd share a bit about it.

So if you know me very well, you know that over the past few years I have wanted to become an event planner and have taken different steps to try to reach that goal. It's a pretty hard industry to get into full time without many years of experience. I do have some experience, just not many years.

So through a friend of mine (shout out to Ashlyn), I got in contact with Emily Smalling, owner of Stella Harper Events. She has been in business for a few years and has done some really amazing events! She took some time off to have her twin girls (Stella and Harper) and is ready to build her business back up. She graciously hired me and Ashley Croxton to help her as coordinators. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this opportunity.

Stella Harper specializes in weddings, but can also do any type of event. We can do as much of the planning/coordinating or as little as you need. Check out the website if you're looking to have an event, and need some help! www.stellaharperevents.com

June & Boston

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted a blog! I'm so sorry (as if you were really missing my posts :)

June started with a wonderful 25th birthday for Kelsey and I. We're so old now, I can't belive it. Thanks for the friends and family who celebrated with us. Trent and Greg got us really good tickets to go see Wicked at the Fox in September and I'm so excited! We've been listening to the soundtrack in preparation (thanks Katie!).

Shortly after was a weekend trip to Savannah for Michael & Catherine Haywood's wedding. It was such a pretty event and really fun to see everyone! Thanks for inving us guys, we had a really fun weekend. Great picture below of the beautful couple.

Then we headed to Plymouth/Boston/Cape Cod for a week with my family. We rented a house and all 8 of us (me & Trent, my sister & her husband, my brother & his wife, and my parents) stayed Saturday - Saturday. We did so much stuff, I think it would take hours to write it all down. Here are some pictures of some of the highlights.

On the last day we ventured to Cape Cod. After a 3 hour morning whale watch boat ride which produced no whale sightings and a couple hours discovering Provincetown, we found this stop in Truro. It was super gorgeous, even though it was a rainy/overcast day.

This was the view from the front porch of our house in Plymouth. It was gorgeous. It was crazy because when the tide was low, there was no water and these boats were just sitting in the sand.

We also got to go to Boston for a few days and discover a lot of the history there. It was pretty cool. This is the Old State House Musuem. The Boston Massacre took place right on the street oustide of this building. Cool place to experience.


This was the menu at an awesome burger place we went to at Harvard. They have like 100 different kinds of burgers that they make. This is a short version of the menu. It was so good and it's featured in The Social Network. Watch and see if you can spot it!

This is off the pier in Plymouth. It was so pretty!


We got to see a lot of different very old graveyards with tomb stones from the 1700s. This one is in Plymouth. I love this picture because it overlooks the water.

We also got to go to a Red Sox game. Greg and Trent loved this part. Fenway Park was really cool and it was fun to sing Sweet Caroline in the 8th inning!

We had a great trip and have decided it's time for us to stop vacationing for a while. We have been out of town forever it seems like this year. Of course we love it, but our poor dogs are getting confused with who these different people are they are seeing every week!

July will still full of fun, but fun in town! Hope you all have a great 4th of July! Wish we were still in Boston for this holiday!

May 29

May 29, 2010. The day was sort of a blur, but I remember every minute of it. Trent and I were married and started our long journey as man and wife together. It was a perfect day.

Since it's already been a year (that flew by, but was filled with so many fun things), we decided to celelbrate our anniversary by taking a trip. New Orleans just sort of was thrown out there one day and we thought it would be fun! We drove down on Friday night and stayed through Monday morning.

The first thing we did on Saturday morning was have some beignets at Cafe du Monde. Yes, it was touristy but they were delicous! For some lukck reason we were sat in the small air conditioned part, so we got a break for the HEAT! The whole weekend was super hot, especially when walking around. It was still fun, though. After our beignets we just walked around the city, walked through a Mint Musuem, and headed over the aquarium. It was super packed I think because of how it was outside, but it was still pretty cool. We watched an iMax movie about Hurricanes on the Bayou and that was pretty cool since we were in the area that had been affected by Katrina. That night we had a late dinner at House of Blues and tried to find some good bluesy music. We didn't have much luck, but the city was pretty at night. Our hotel was right on Bourbon Street so we walked around just to see the hype, but certainly did not participate. It was interesting, ha!

As we drove down on Friday, Trent noticed that he may have gotten some poisen ivy on his face while on a jog near our nieghborhood. When we got up on Sunday, or anniversary, his poor face was all swolen. Our first stop was the Urgent Care where they gave him a shot of steroids and some other medication. It worked pretty well to stop the swelling, but Trent wouldn't let me take pictures of his face :( We then spent the morning at the World War II Museum which was pretty incredible. They had a 4D movie narrated by Tom Hanks, that was pretty intense and great.

Tid Bit: Why would the WWII Museum be in NO you ask? Because the man who designed the boats used in combat was from New Orleans. It was said that we would not have won the war without him.

We also went on a swamp tour. Saw lots of gators, took lots of pictures, and met a guy who is friend's with all the people on Swamp People. That was probably the highlight... Trent LOVES Swamp People. That night was a great anniversary dinner followed by Erin's allergic reaction to the Alligator Bites and passing out at about 10:00. It was still a great day!

Here are some pictures from our adventure:

The gorgeous swamp.

World War II Museum.

Yummy! Hot Chocolate and beignets!

One of our only pictures together from the weekend. Not a great one because we were SO HOT, but I like it anyway.

I aboslutely love the architecture in New Orleans. This was my favorite building. I took two pictures... one without a car in it... but I accidentaly deleted the wrong one. Oh well.

Cool art was all over the park to buy.

Just wanted to say thank you to all of our family and friends who have supported us and our marriage over this past year. We are SO lucky in so many ways and we can't wait to spend all the rest of the years together :)

Lance Bass

Many of you know this by now because of Facebook, but I think an entire blog post is necessary for this one event.

My goal since I started using Twitter a few months ago was to get a celebrity to tweet me. This weekend it happened... from the celebrity that I would have chosen out of all the celebrities that I follow. Of course I say that now... I'm sure I may have said that about a different celebrity if it had been them. BUT come on... Lance Bass!?! The man I thought was my one true love throughout middle and high school? I couldn't be much happier. Here is the convo... (my tweet came first, obviously) I tweeted on the way to New Orleans.

Afterwards I tweeted him one more time and said " Man! We should have stopped by"! And that was end of the most perfect twitter conversation I have ever had. And it will go down in the history of my life as one of the best moments :)