Party, Passover, and the 130 day Countdown!

We have had so much to blog about that well - we haven't blogged at all. Time to catch up on some of the big events in our lives!

March 29, Jared's parent's graciously through us an amazing engagement party. It was somewhat like having a practice wedding and all the love and attention was truly overwhelming (in a good way). We are still working on thank you cards to all of you who were so generous with your thoughtful gifts so keep an eye on your mailbox for a special note! Orie, a family friend, was our official unofficial photographer - he is incredibly talented and we can't wait to see the shots he took (and post them here!).

Life has been a bit of a whirlwind since we got back. For some reason work, bills, and other annoying responsibilities don't just pause to allow you to enjoy a rosey engagement period. Because we had just returned from our trip to MA and we have trips to Chicago and LA planned this coming month - we decided April would be spent here on the homefront. Unfortunately, this meant that we had to be away from family on Pesach.

We made the best of the situation by having a lovely seder for two. We cooked some of the traditional favorites (matzah ball soup, gefilte fish, haroset) and put some of our own twists on the menu like a mashed Sweet Potato dish, Black Cod, and a new tradition - chocolate toffee Matzah (I'll happily share the recipe).
Our quiet evening turned out to be quite memorable. It was lovely to spend a quiet thoughtful evening together, observing our jewish heritage and talking about the really important things in life. We also had a bit of a laugh over the "Great Matzah Shortage of 2008." Luckily, we were able to score a box just in time - yes, one box.

Dash was not to be left out of the Pesach festivity - he took care of our lamb shank when our seder was over. I think this may be his new favorite holiday. Until his Bark Mitzvah of course...

And last, but certainly not least, today is the 130 day mark until our wedding! Each day we grow more and more excited and check more and more items off the to-do list. It's all coming together! Be sure to watch the website for LOTS of updates in the near future!