They say it's your birthday...

I love emojis!!

... well maybe not your birthday, but MINE! Yaya! I love birthdays and even at the unexciting and definitively adult-ish age of 31, I'm enjoy celebrating another year hear on earth, doin my thang.

30 was a freakin hell of a year for me. I made a ton of professional changes that at times nearly sent me off a cliff, but I came through feeling so much stronger, happier and confident about what I'm capable of accomplishing. 30 also proved, more than ever before, that I have the most incredible community of people around me, cheering for me, encouraging me, supporting me and lifting me up when I need a boost. To my amazing friends, my family and my beloved Dr. H, thank you. Thank you for making 30 so damn good. 

So here's to another year. Here's to the challenges I know I'll face and those that will come out of no where. Here's to laughing with my husband and hugging my best friends. To delicious food, family celebrations, growth, acceptance, love and fun. Cheers!

Thank You.

October 15, 2011

Today is my 3rd wedding anniversary. Three years as Mrs. Dr. H in the books. It's remarkable how time can fly like that... I thought a lot about what I wanted to say in this post, how I could outdo the cheese-tastic outpouring of love that I displayed for years one and two (or do I just write a sentence and give you some Hump Day Distractions!?) but after reflecting on everything that happened during our third year as husband and wife, I think what I really want to say is: 

Thank you. 

Thank you my beloved Dr. H for a year of unprecedented support and encouragement. For a year of pep talks and planning, assistance and patience. Thank you for helping me face my fears, chase my dreams and chill the F out (because alone I clearly would have lost my mind). Thank you for enduring my melt downs and sleepless nights, my manic energy and breathless (endless) conversations. Thank you for teaching me how to use Excel (again) and for doing all my math for me. Thank you for dancing with me. Thank you for so much love.

In marriage, you are told there will be give and take and that the goal is to achieve balance between the husband and wife. Husband, I do not know how I will ever repay you for the year that you've given me, but I'm happy to spend the next however many years it takes trying:) I love you.

Hump Day

Get it!?

Happy happy Hump Day to you!! I've got to confess I'm cheating a bit today as I'm already well over the hump of my week, with bags packed and ready to go on a quick getaway with Dr. H to visit a favorite friend who is currently living in Costa Rica. But for those of you not boarding an airplane this evening, I've got some fabulous distractions to take you to the other side of this week. Enjoy!

* Hand written thank you notes are making a comeback (as they should!)

* A brilliant cork-to-candle craft for your next dinner party. 

* Ahhh to fall asleep in a sea of watermelons... 

* Currently reading (and loving) the Goldfinch, just put several more of THESE books on my to do list!

* If you watch Game of Thrones, you absolutely must watch THIS.

* This outfit is spring 2014 perfection.

* I'm usually too lazy to mix fancy cocktails at home, but this lil guy looks worth the effort! 

* In case you haven't seen this already, here is precisely why you should be buying HoneyMaid products.

* Have you heard of Babysuiting?

Happy Day.

Today, December 9th 2013 is SeektobeMerry's 2nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you bloggity blog.

Over the past two years, my attachment to this tiny project, to Grandpa's suggestion that I write a book, has grown larger than I could ever have anticipated. Hundreds of daily visitors and over 505 posts to date (on more topics than any human should be able to dream up!) make this my most ambitious "hobby" yet. But more than any statistic or number, the best thing about writing this blog continues to be all of you. I cannot tell you how gratifying it is to hear someone say that they are a reader or that they enjoyed something I shared. Knowing that I am achieving my goal of sharing merriment with all of you is what keeps me coming back, motivates my creativity and brings me joy on a deep and incredibly fulfilling level.

Fact.

I don't know what the next 365 days will bring for me as a blogger (or as a real life human for that matter!) but I do know that being Merry Meri is awesome so I'm going to try my bestest to keep at it for another year of Hump Day Distracting, Craft inspiring, Healthy Habiting, Restaurant reviewing,  and Smily-worthy musing. Thanks a million to all of you for making this blog the source of joy that it's become.

Looking back... The Blog is born!! * Happy First Birthday * 

Celebration

Hooray!

Do you know what Sunday is? Sunday is Seektobemerry's FIRST BIRTHDAY! Remember this:

HELLO!

I'm Meri and this is my blog. I live in Manhattan and I am constantly exploring and searching for the beautiful and interesting things in life. I seek to be merry at all times and this blog is a collection of the thoughts and ideas I hope will take me there.

*   *   *

Well, one year and 252 posts later (I only missed like 10 days! Speaking of which, sorry about yesterday:) here we are. When I started this little side project, I had no expectations. I wanted a place to be creative, to write and to share internet goodness of the adorable, amusing, trendy and tasty varieties. Mission accomplished. And the best and most unexpected part!? YOU GUYS. Way more people than I'd ever imagined are reading STBM and the friendly feedback and fun comments I get from all of you make my day every.single.time. It seriously rocks. So thank you for reading - I hope the year ahead brings more merriment for us all.

To celebrate, here's a collection of some of my favorite, and some of the most popular, posts from the past year. I have no idea how I'll keep it interesting next year, so let's just enjoy this original content and worry about that later!! xoxo, m

* How much is too much? * Big solutions start with small actions * Just a little comfort (object) * Valens * I Moustache you a question * You look tired * A Tribute * Dare to Bare? * My absolutely ridiculous b*tch list * Quirk it! * I'm in love with Joe * I want it all * Funnies for your Friday * It's better with a theme * Coming undone * A Stinky Situation * I want to go to there * On Vanity * Sit the F down * Going Bananas (b-a-n-a-n-a-s) * Pet Panic * Happily Ever After: Year One * Where the curvy girls at? * Something to smile about * Love in a digital age? * 

And of course, everywhere I've told you to go eat: Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse, Meatball Factory, Oriental Gardens (Dim Sum), Chat n Chew, Socarrat Paella Bar, FRANK, Do Hwa, Miss Lily's, The Smile

I got it from my mama.

So true.

I love my mom. And though I think Mother's Day has evolved into a mostly commercial holiday, I love the idea of a day where we all pause to acknowledge the women in our lives who have taken on the awesome responsibility of motherhood. Whether it's a grandma (love you Nanny!), a mommy-in-law (I've got two!) a friend who is a mother or a woman who has always been like a mom to you, this Sunday, be sure to remind her just how much better your life is thanks to her. 

Consider the classic gesture of permanent ink to declare your love (faux tributes also accepted).

Click HERE for awesome free tattoo
 printables (and where to by the tattoo paper!)

Be sure to take a moment to tell your mom all the reasons why you think she is the best.

You're never too old for a thoughtful craft!

Skip the long waits and lousy pre fixe menus. Invite mom over for a delicious homemade brunch or go to her and serve it up in bed (Bonus: you can stay in your sweatpants!)

Click HERE for some amazing brunch recipes
Click HERE for the awesome toothpick flag printables

Plus...

* Grab your tissues and watch this AMAZING mom-loving commercial.

* Prepare to laugh. Hard. 50 shades of hard...

Thank you moms for being you.

A milestone.

Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small

Guess what!? This is my 100th blog post! The response to my daily musings has been amazingly positive and flattering so first and foremost, THANK YOU for reading! It makes my day to have someone tell me that they loved a post, related to an emotion or tried a recipe I recommended.  Connecting with people through happy thoughts and writing rocks.
 

For me, a blog is kind of like a (free!) subscription to a magazine. You pop in to read snippets of something you’ll enjoy, to discover things you might not have known about or just to take a little mental break.  And in truth, I am writing for nearly all the same reasons… Seek to be Merry has me cooking, crafting, writing and sharing the day to day situations which make me laugh.  It is my happy place! The fact that you peeps are actually reading is the icing on my tasty blog (cup)cake.

So where are we headed!? Who knows, but I’ll keep writing and we can journey towards 200 together! Have a merry weekend.