the clanking of crystal, explosions off in the distance

2009 was a bit of a slow year for us. Slow is a relative term as our definition of slow, is most people's normal.

We went to Ohio for Josh & Lisa's Wedding, Jodi came to visit, Ava was born, we visited Michigan in the early fall, Paul took me to Europe and then it was time for the holidays. There were no large milestones (other than our niece's birth) and travel was relatively light for us. We cooked lots of food, ate out too much and enjoyed family and friends. Looking back on the events listed above, it was a great year.

The year flew by and I am still struggling to believe that we are back to the point where resolutions should be made. I just made some and now your telling me to do it again?! I have started my list and plan to have it  ready by the time I have my mimosa in the morning. Plans are already being made for three large trips in 2010 and there are tons of plans to improve our home. I'm getting excited about tomorrow's arrival.

Thanks 2009 for being what you were, my hats off to you and 2010 - you've got my attention.

a caffeinated kick in the pants

I am on a tea kick right now. I've always liked tea but we are talking about some serious cravings here. I don't drink coffee anymore and I forgot how great caffiene in the morning was until I started this habit. I love what it does for my metabolism and the energy it gives me in the morning. Starting my work days with green tea and ending it with some chamomile I think may be the only way to have a happy life.

From top left to bottom right:

Organic Spearmint and Sage loose leaf tea from The Loose Leaf. I love the way tea smells in tin cans!

Turquoise teapot and cups from Stash (a new favorite for teas).

Letterpress artwork from the talented Jackson Creek Press. Who doesn't love a poster with good typeface?

I know my sister-in-law begged for no one to buy her any more kitchen towels or tea towels but if I lived in Cincinatti like she does, I'd want this printed towel from Etsy.

Um, ok. I want this in every color. I'm not joking. You can buy them for me. I would love you forever.

Ah, the LeCreuset whistling tea kettle. We own this one in cherry (since every other small appliance and pot in our kitchen is cherry) but I am a bit jealous of the other sister-in-law's caribbean collection because I love the color on this kettle.

Don't like LeCreuset? Well, you are nuts, but here's another tea kettle from Mighty Leaf Tea that I've seen great reviews on.

I had this tea for the first time this morning and loved it. You should try it if you run across it at your grocery store!

Last but not least is a matcha bowl from Teavana. I'm not a huge fan of matcha but liked how clean the bowl and whisk looked. We have a Teavana at our mall and I plan to go check it out with my brother when he gets back into town. Apparently he's on a tea kick too. Oh, and Teavana has a free iPhone app that I downloaded today that gives you a tea timer so that you don't over steep your tea and get that acidic flavor when it has been in there too long! What's your favorite kind of tea?!

kitchen inspiration

Here are some of the photos I've been holding in my back pocket for a while. There's one missing but as soon as I find it i'll add it!

Oh and this next one makes me want to do back flips. I mean seriously?! If I owned the house that this kitchen was in I'd be lucky if I ever slept in my bedroom. We're talking, "sleeping bag in the corner so I'd never have to leave" kind of obsession.

I found a place north of Chicago yesterday that sells the Tolix chairs and stools shown in the last picture (both vintage and new). I about had a heart attack when I found it and plan to go visit the store in May when I'm up there!

merry modern christmas

oh, it's on. it's on like donkey kong.

That's right, our kitchen remodel is going to happen! I'm feeling very very gung-ho about the undertaking and if Paul would let me be in there for more than 15 minutes by myself there would be some serious demolition happening. But he's been a good restraint. I am planning for this to take some time because the next three months of our lives are going to be quite hectic but I've already selected 99% of the things to purchase and have already figured out our sequencing. I'll just need to sit down with that and put it on a calendar but I think we'll have it all done by the end of March (and that's just working on it on the weekends)!

Our kitchen is currently a 3M scotch tape color of yellow. It's cool but a bit much. The original plan was to leave it yellow (probably a new shade of it) because I had found this fabric by Duralee that I was madly in love with. Is it not such a great print?!

Well yesterday when I realized we could pull off doing our kitchen remodel I got myself in there with the fabric and everything felt so forced. The plan for the kitchen didn't really go with anything else we had in the house and it didn't accent the reasons why I love my kitchen now (original red brick oven chimney and our red Le Creuset and Kitchen-aid).

So I took the fabric in the other room so I wouldn't be reminded of it's fabulous-ness and started over. Even though I'm not using the fabric anymore I am beyond thrilled with what I came up with and am giddier than I was before.

The ceiling is a bit beat up so we are going to fix it up and put 2" bead board up (painted white) with two new schoolhouse light fixtures from Rejuvenation. These will be on order soon. We'll put the pendant over the sink and the flush mount in the center of the room.

The trim in our kitchen is currently white (which is how I am going to leave it) but needs some TLC and a fresh coat of paint. For the walls I'm going to paint them a gray by Behr for Home Depot. I've got it narrowed down to two colors, Elephant Skin or Ashes. The color shown here is Ashes and it's currently in the lead. Sexy right?

We're going to put 3x6 white subway tile as a back splash on our wet wall but instead of a typical 18" band, I think I'm going to go to 30-36". We've decided to get new cabinets, as that is what our kitchen needs the most, and are going to stick with white cabinets with satin bin pulls and knobs.We're also adding some base cabinets by our oven.

We go to church with a granite installer and I'm going to have him slap on some spare black granite that he has laying around his shop. With new counters comes a new single basin large stainless steel sink and faucet. Basically we are going to have a gray and white kitchen that my pots, plates and small appliances are going to pop off of!

I am more excited than you can even begin to imagine. I cannot wait to get it started and finished!

Chickasha Festival of Light

Last week Paul and I made some hot chocolate and hit the highway to go see the Chickasha Festival of Light. I have been there probably 6 or 7 times but Paul had never been (and he's lived here for 4 years)!

It was just as beautiful as always and it was actually chilly. Made us feel like we were somewhere that actually had good cold winters!

a jumbled mess of a post

Where have I been you ask?!? Right here....but here's the situation: We own three laptops. Paul has an HP laptop he had in college, I have a Dell from college and when it started freaking out I took my brothers almost brand new Gateway. But I broke the Gateway and we were down to just Paul's laptop. It's not that we don't share well but when you are both used to having your own computer, sharing is just strange. The Dell is now fixed and I should get the Gateway back tomorrow. Now I have no idea what to do with three computers...

I really am sorry for the lack of posting lately. I miss writing. The sharing of the laptops made for a less than desirable writing atmosphere. We've also taken quite a few photos lately but the fact that the computer we typically download to was out of service - they are just now getting downloaded. I may have to do just a post on photos from the past three weeks.

I feel like there is so much to update on here but the thought of it all wears me out. Lazy? Yes.

the history of my first home, chapter one

Yesterday Paul had training at the Oklahoma History Center for a good portion of the day. While there he checked out the research library that is located inside. He didn't mention until late into the evening that he had found some of the previous owners of our home. My heart about jumped out of my chest. For four years I have wondered who lived in this home, what they did and what they were like back when the house was first built. I often sit in rooms and look at the walls and the book cases and wonder who these people were. I've known the last 15 years of history or so but Paul found four of five of the older owners. While searching for a few of those older owners through Google I ran across the blog for one of the great granddaughters of one of the old owners. How unbelievable is that?! She lives in Washington but her great grandfather James and his wife Olive lived in this house in 1920 and 1921.

I was so excited, I begged him to take me to the research center this morning so we could do more research.  After two hours of digging through old city directories, microfilm and a few photos we found the original owners (possible builders of the home) and just about every resident that lived inside of the house or the old carriage house apartment in the back. I still have not found an old photo of this house but have the Gilmore's great grandchildren looking for me. I am almost positive that they were the third owners of the home (the house would have been about 5 years old).

It was amazing to me how much I could know about people's lives from the City Directories. For example, I know that in 1937 Gottlieb & Jessie Kueffer moved into the carriage house. Gottlieb was in insurance with his brother, Gottfried, at Kueffer & Kueffer. I also know that Gottlieb left Jessie in 1939 and that she remained in the carriage house through the next two owners of the home and didn't leave until 1963. Gottlieb's brother Gottfried was married to Carolynn and also lived close by. Gottlieb also remarried later (his secretary 30 years his younger) but I finally had to move off of the Kueffer family to continue researching the house!

Now that I know who the owners were, I just have to find out more about them to see if I can find some old photos. We've had so many different people with different professions living in this house including machinists, insurance agents, pharmacists, bank clerks and more. Wish me luck on continued research!

We also went shopping for our niece Ava (who we are being way too entirely picky about), got my eyebrows waxed and Paul went and checked out Deluxe. Now were spending the evening in the warmth of our home and enjoying each others company.

if i could be wasting my time with you...

 

via littlebitsandblogs

my head band is pinching my head a little too tightly...

Sorry for the lack of posting. I have been feeling very out of my skin over the last few weeks and cannot seem to pull together a cohesive thought for a post. Quite a bit has happened over the last few weeks but nothing earth shattering or necessarily blog worthy. I’ve had multiple parties to attend (and host), church, travel, and many other things occupying my time. The next few weeks are going to be just as busy with doctor’s appointments, a haircut, luncheons, more Christmas parties and then holiday travel!

I seem to be spending a lot of time inside of my head lately which I think has been a bit dangerous. I am allowing myself to think and feel a little too much about EVERYTHING. Today I am running on some major sleep deprivation thanks to a dear friend (who after the last week, still remains a dear friend). The combination of the lack of sleep, good music, thinking, a knot in my neck and a lack of caffeine is making for a terribly long afternoon. What I wouldn't do for my sweat pants and my sofa right now.

This too shall pass, right?

namaste

I am so behind on blogging and reading that I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I may just need to glaze over the last few days and move forward full steam ahead.

I had a good night talking with a friend over some wine last night in my living room. We stayed up late (and with the wine) I expected to not roll out (or be dragged out) of bed until 7:30 this morning. Wrong. I woke up before Paul's alarm and was ready to get moving. He got up after a couple of snoozes to the alarm and so since I was up (with nothing to do until he got out of the shower) I thought I'd start back at yoga. I forgot how fabulous yoga was. Especially the morning vs. evening yoga. I was so awake after twenty minutes of stretching, it was great. I do remember how rested I would feel when I did the PM yoga so i'll be starting that this evening too. I'm glad I started doing it again....it had been too long.

Vintage Thanksgiving

So last night after my pie crust was started and while my mom was putting together some of the food for today, I was digging through boxes of old photos on the kitchen floor. I found the following photos from some of our old thanksgivings. This first two are from 1985 (the first one my mom did). Did you need the clarification of the 80's or could you have guessed?

These others are the thanksgiving tree that I talked about here. It's sort of used to be a big deal in our family. We've stopped the trend over the past few years but maybe we'll have to pick it back up.

I hope everyone had a fabulous thanksgiving! We did and now I am thinking about a nap before our movies tonight!

fabrique au Canada

Over the weekend Paul and I were organizing some things around our living room and decided to start getting our Christmas decorations ready so that when we returned home from Texas, it would be an easy year of putting up and taking down. We pulled out our pillow covers, and stockings and wreaths. We decided to fill our stockings with the items Paul's mom brought to us a few weeks ago while we were at it. She had wrapped just about 95% of everything that was to go in them except for a small paper bound journal that I about fell off of the couch when I saw. If there are two things I am weird about it is organization and journals/agendas/notebooks. It's sort of strange how much I love a good small notebook.

I am (now) in love with ecojot. I decided that since I already knew what it was and it was just sitting in my lap waiting to be used, that I would oblige and use it. I'm sorry to Diane if she's reading but I just couldn't wait.

I love the different styles of their products and they have a lot to choose from (journals, agendas, workbooks, file folders).

They even have solid notebooks and items for people who don't care for their graphics (but still in more colorful options than they typical black book). I'm a little bit particular on which graphic styles I like (for example, the camo is a no go for me) but for the most part I like it all. They even have wrapping paper!

You can find their stuff here, here or here. If anything, their products are perfect for what Di used them for... stocking stuffers.

rain, rain, you can stay...

It is raining here this morning, or it was. Either way it is still wet outside. I have nothing on the agenda today but Paul has places to be, things to do and people to see. I think I'll let him take care of those things while I do whatever presents itself around the house. What a way to spend a Saturday.

auditory conditional memory

A lot of people (including scientists) believe that olfaction, or smell, is the most vivid sense for recollecting memories. They believe that smells are easily recorded in long term memory and are closely stored in your brain where emotional information is stored and that when a smell is reintroduced to you, you feel the way you felt the first time you smelled that exact smell.

Well, my smell sense must be broken because I have never had that experience with a scent.

I have, however, an unbelievable relationship between audition (the sense of hearing) and memory. It can be completely overwhelming at times. We're talking about an almost embarrassing level of overwhelming here.
Hearing certain songs, bands or even types of music sends my mind into an emotional time machine and for the duration of the song or sometimes just a few brief moments I remember everything about the past when I listened to it for the first time. We're talking time of year, where I was, what I was doing, what it smelled like, what I felt like, etc. It doesn't happen with all of my music but it happens often with certain songs. And it doesn't matter how many times I listen to the song, every time it starts, I am shot right back through time to that place where it wants me to go.

It's kind of hard for me to explain because it is so vivid and real. Even the pull back into that memory is vivid, like I am being yanked out of my shoes by my mid section and am uncontrollably thrown into the scene.

Any song by Dashboard Confessional sends me into my senior year of high school. In the hall of the history wing or in Becky's car driving around the lake in Ft. Worth. On top of the world with so much to lose and acting recklessly like I wouldn't have to answer for anything. Thank God I didn't lose anything (much) and that I didn't have to answer for a lot.

Death Cab for Cutie comes on and I am in my car during my freshman year of college driving down Bryant Street in Edmond on my way to work in the winter. Christmas lights are on in Spring Creek, I can smell the heater of my Elantra and I remember being so confused and intrigued about multiple evolving relationships. One of which turned out to be well worth it. I also remember feeling like a college student. Does that make sense? I feel like so often, I get to a place in life that I have been waiting for forever and it never feels like I expected it to. Being in high school didn't feel any different than being in Jr. High and being 18 years old didn't make me anymore of an adult than 17 did in my mind but for the first time I felt exactly like I expected to feel at a certain stage in life and that was a college student.

The Taste of Ink by The Used lands me in my dad's office one afternoon after school. The musty smell, talking online to a boy my father would have hated, feeling wanted, my feet dangling from the drafting stool.

Embarrassingly enough, Fat Lip by Sum 41 takes me to the American Legion out by the lake in Wichita Falls where I was at a garage band show at the age of 15 watching my boyfriend play the drums. Lame. I also remember my friend bringing me an extra change of clothes because she knew my parents would want to know why I smelled so much like pot and cigarettes even though I wasn't doing either. Please tell me you are laughing with me here.

I have many more that involve some of the key memories of my life but I'll leave those alone for now. Well, I got a kick out of that. I hope you weren't completely lost and that you have some kind of flash back initiator too.

ugh. ugh. ugh.

I am having the most dreadful after effects of a cold. The skin around my nose is raw and my lips are chapped.

In unrelated (but just as crummy) news, I got a ticket on my way home from work for failing to stop at a stop sign on a street I NEVER drive on. That would mean I didn't FULLY stop at a stop sign (I stopped, just not like I am sure he wanted) and its going to cost me $163 to get it to go away. In case you were wondering, tickets in Oklahoma City are expensive so I am taking the safe driving course instead. And that is what is going to cost me $163. Ridiculous.

Bummer of a day. Hopefully some good NBC humor will pull me out of this tonight...

photography by jodimichelle.com

I love this photo and I miss my long hair.

pumpkins, air mattresses and the movies

The countdown to Thanksgiving has started. We're only looking at ten days until my favorite holiday gets here. My family's Thanksgiving holiday tradition all started with me back in 1985. I'm not being conceited here, just stating the facts. I was born in Lubbock, TX in October and the drive to either set of grandparent's house was too far for a one month old baby, so everyone came to my parents and my mom and dad hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Ever since then, Thanksgiving has been held at my parent's house regardless of their physical location. Since that first Thanksgiving dinner I have gotten two new uncles and three new cousins, I got married, my grandma died and yet it is still like nothing has changed from year to year.

Doesn't this table from Country Living make you want to do flips over Thanksgiving?!

I remember as a child helping my mom clean all morning the Wednesday before as we awaited the arrival of her parents and siblings. We'd have lunch and then I would very impatiently wait for my grandparents and aunts and uncles to appear. They would inevitably have left later than planned and not show up until right before or during our Thanksgiving church service. I quickly started planning for them only during that hour and was and am always excited to turn around after singing a song to see my cousins sitting next to me like they appeared out of thin air. And that's when the holiday begins. At church, when everyone shows up. Thursday we lounge around and watch the parade, the football game, make our "Thankful Tree" (photos to come later), eat a huge lunch and then nap until we all go see a movie (not always the same movie, but just about everyone goes to see one). Friday involves breakfast made by the men, more napping, TV watching and craft time for the girls. None of it is terribly special (except the tree part) but it's ours and we do it every year and we love it. So it is special to us.

This year will be different as we will only have 13 people compared to our usual 18-20. It'll be weird to be missing some of them but things are starting to change. And now that my aunt, uncle and cousins live so close, I highly doubt they will be spending the night let alone the whole week with us. The girls may stay with us just because of how much that is part of the tradition (and they love it as much as I do). Trying to figure out who sleeps on air mattresses and on which floor is part of the fun, right?!

My youngest cousin, Maryn, told my mom a few years ago that even after she gets married and has children, she is still going to be going to my parent's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Here's hoping she doesn't change her mind.

budget buster

So a few months ago my friend Jodi wrote a post about spending only $500.00 a month on family and household needs. I thought she was nuts. I still think she is kind of nuts knowing that she has two children. I am all for budgets (especially after Paul and I bought Quicken) but $500.00 a month?! I don't even think Paul and I can do that.

Paul has always been good about keeping us on track but for the first time, we have seen a pie chart that shows us how much money we spend on things every month. I can't even begin to tell you how much we spend on food. It is ridiculous. I am embarrassed and it is going to have to stop. We started trying to do better last week and failed miserably (maybe it had something to do with having company) but we are starting over. Weekends are always tempting for us to eat out but seeing as I have been sick all day, we've only eaten at the house. And weekdays are tempting due to our laziness and exhaustion at the end of a work day but we aren't going to let that stop us for the rest of this month. Let's see what the remaining of November does to us and then December 1st we'll be forging ahead. I am excited!

checking in

Sorry for the lack of posting this week. I am pooped. Nothing will wear you out like an office deadline, nine screaming three year-olds and overnight guests for five days. Each of these things are a blessing to me in their own ways but when they are all occur at the same time I just want to curl up and take a nap with no interruptions.

It feels like Monday today since yesterday I was off of work. I think all day today I may drag a bit but when I come in tomorrow and I realize it is Friday I am sure I will perk right up. The house was spotless when Bill and Di got here on Sunday and although it isn't dirty right now, it is no longer spotless. I want to make sure we get it all back in perfect order by the end of the weekend so that we can try and keep it this way for as long as possible. I plan to do a lot of sitting around, cooking and maybe watching movies with Paul this weekend. What are your plans for the weekend?

chicken fried steak anyone?

Last night we had Paul's and Bill's birthday dinner at Cheever's. All we seem to do when Bill and Di come to visit us is eat and we love taking them to new places everytime they come. We've hit so many of our local restaurants that pretty soon we'll have to start doubling up. They loved Cheever's and we had a great time talking and planning for future trips. The guys both got the pork special, Diane got the filet and I got their signature chicken fried steak. Which for those of you that are thinking about some chain restaurant's version you have no idea how great fried meat is until you've had it here. Can chicken fried steak be gourmet?  

Tonight I am helping serve pizza at the Ronald McDonald House and then probably heading to Iguana for Taco Tuesday. We also want to hit up Cafe Antiqua, Sage, Big Truck Tacos and I wanted to cook before they left. I think we would have to eat four meals a day to hit the rest of our spots. We'll probably just have to hold a few back until next time.

weekend recap

This past weekend my mother walked fifty miles. How awesome is that?! I can't even begin to explain to you how proud I am of her or how it emphasizes the kind of person she is. She participated in The 3 Day in Dallas after training for several months. I am absolutely blown away by her determination and her heart. This is one of the many reasons I am ok with starting to be like my mother.

In other news, Paul turned twenty-nine on Sunday. He did not get to celebrate too much however because we were cramming in those last little to-do items before his parents arrived (like painting the front porch and mopping the kitchen floor). We did however celebrate once they arrived with presents, cards and a Thunder game (where we killed the Orlando Magic). I got him a tie from a company that operates out of Detriot and screen prints their ties to order. They have unique motifs and if you have a guy thats tired of the striped tie, their tag line reads, "Ties that don't suck" which is quite appropriate. I bought him the "helicopter" but he also owns the "wind turbine".

Remember these? My mother-in-law got them for me including a watch from Switzerland and a large glass bowl from the Art Museum in Chicago for my birthday. Im pretty excited about those clips and can't wait to get them up on my fridge.

i'm procrastinating

My cousin is having a baby girl in January and her shower was in Wichita Falls today. I haven't seen her (or her husband) in such a long time so we decided to go down there last night, hit the shower today and then head back this evening. BECAUSE: Paul is teaching class tomorrow morning at church and his parents get here at about 4:00 pm and the house needs to desperately be cleaned. But here we are, home for 2 hours and 45 minutes and the only real productive thing we have done is go grocery shopping.

We also caught a small town high school football game over the weekend (where my uncle is the superintendent and my other cousins go to school) and watched Penelope with my aunt and grandparents. If you have never seen the movie, you should because it was adorable.

I really do need to get up and get this house cleaned. I am not always this anal about it but they'll be here all week, all day, every day while we are out at work and that does make me nervous... 

Waking myself with "Waking The Sun"

When Paul and I get around to number eight, our master bathroom is going to have a built in sound system with an iPod dock. Too much? Yea, I didn't think so either.

I already have my number one morning song. Wake The Sun by The Matches. I can see it now: I'll roll out of bed later than I should (as usual), hop into the bathroom, get the iPod onto the dock, hit play on my Wake Up playlist, turn the shower water on and wake up to the hot water, good music and the fabulous smell of body wash and shampoo. You better believe I'm excited (maybe a little too much).

An evening with Benham and Maharam

One of the many perks of my job is that we get to do really great stuff during and after work hours. The maharam representative, Joli, treated the interior design department at Benham (the firm I work at) to an evening at Blue Sage Studios. The rep provided the wine and the hors d'oeuvres and we got to sit around and watch glass blowing all evening. We all got to pick a piece we wanted to take home with our own custom colors. My masterpiece, a mint green wave bowl with a black lip.  We had a great time. I also bought a bowl/platter that I fell in love with. Paul very quickly pointed out it didn't match anything in our house (like I hadn't thought of that) but I quickly told him I didn't care, because I don't.

wants...

Found both of these things online at Anthropologie last night. I was trying to stay preoccupied so I wouldn't eat out of boredom. Instead I found things I want to spend money on. I'm not sure which is worse.

queries

Sometimes I wonder about our life here in Oklahoma City. We lead a quiet life. Well, not quiet, but not loud by any stretch of the imagination. I'm beginning to wonder, do we stay because we like it, or because I haven't been brave enough to explore other ideas of life and location?

a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils

Good morning November. I am sorry I forgot to tell you yesterday how much I am beginning to like you.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. Paul woke up with a sinus headache that was pretty wretched and went back to bed as I went to church. Church always makes me happy, especially when we have combined service (1st and 2nd) and there's 1200 people singing and worshiping together. Paul and I had a late lunch at Iguana and spent the afternoon fixing my car (dead battery), planting flowers, raking, and sanding trim on the house. I was in a long sleeve shirt, shorts and flip flops and in heaven. My in-laws are coming on Sunday so I want to make sure everything I have been meaning to do for the month of October gets done in the next few evenings. Wish me luck; the list is long. 

I can't believe that a month ago today we were leaving for Europe. Time has been flying by since I graduated from college and if things don't slow down, I'll be 65 before I know it!

Ok, back to November. You have obviously seen my weird obsession with the fall season but so many wonderful things happen in the fall that I just can't help but love it. Fall is when my life started and I think I grew to love it then. Everything about fall makes me think of family, fresh beginnings and God's amazing ability to do whatever he wants. Plus it makes me think of the movie You've Got Mail and her classic line, "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

A bouquet of newly sharpened pencils?! How fabulous does that make you feel? Now, I just need a pumpkin spice latte and I'll be set for the day.

Happy Halloween!

If you don't like gross things (sorry for this childish humor and behavior at the end of it) don't read through this whole post...

I hope everyone had a happy Halloween. We had a pretty good day and had a fun time at the Fraser's house tonight. Paul and I made these cupcakes for the party. Oh don't worry, they are as delicious as they look. 

Paul isn't much for dressing up for these kinds of things so I got one of our friends (Jacob) to dress up with me as the Spartan Cheerleaders from SNL. Please excuse the picture, I look awful but wanted to show the outfits I made.

So because Paul doesn't like doing this kind of thing, he and Jacob's wife Amy, decided to be party poopers. Literally. Hahaha. That's what the boy gets for not wanting to be a cheerleader with me. And again, sorry for this...

There's one in all of us...

I'm still digesting. Most definitely not a child's movie, which I knew all along. The man with his three year old daughter obviously hadn't heard however and ended up leaving before the end. Well that is after she kept saying, "This is awful. This movie is awful." The set was good and exactly like I expected it to be but like I said, still haven't decided how I feel about it as a whole. I do know I loved the music.

groggy forgetfulness

I have got to start writing down blog posts ideas right when I have them. This morning I had yet another brilliant idea of what to write about while I was still lying in bed, groggy and by the time I was eating my cereal, it had left me.

This weekend will be busy. I have a costume to make, we have three Halloween parties on the books (although we may not be attending all three), a movie to see and little odds and ends to do.

What's on the books for you this weekend?

happiness and envious moments

I've been through phases my whole life where I don't have everything that everyone else has and my life just isn't as good as everyone else's. I've always wanted something in order to make my life right or perfect and happy.

The last couple of months (for the most part) I have been learning to love and enjoy what I have right now. There is a song that came out a few months ago that talks about learning to enjoy where you are at in your life right at that moment because one day you are going to look back and miss that moment. I am going to miss this house that is falling apart and our quiet time with just the two of us. One day we'll be in another house with kids and I am going to think about the beginning of our life together and am going to miss it. I need to enjoy it right now. 

So after saying all that....let me indulge in a little life envy for a couple of moments. The blog world has been bad for me in this area because I get to see into so many people's lives and homes and have been getting a little envious. Couples are renovating their little old homes and making them look fabulous. And other people are spending their days at home while I am working away in my office (which I still like...but who doesn't like being at home?). The house work has been my biggest struggle. We have a charming old home and when we have people over they are always telling me about how much they love it but it is in no way "designed". It is so hodge podge and not in the "Anthropologie" way that I would love for it to be in. Our kitchen really needs to be done, and I have everything I want to do to it and the only excuse for it not being done yet is purely financial. It has nothing to do with being lazy or just not getting to it but we can't afford it right now. The trim on the house needs to be painted a different color - but it keeps raining and it's getting colder and I am so jealous of all these people who have their crap together with their homes. I have already told a couple of people that I will use them - not a request but more of an order - especially with my brother.

OK - envy moment over. Back to enjoying our life right here, right now.

weekend update

Contrary to what my husband may say I said over the past few days, I had a pretty good weekend. Saturday consisted of a bit of cleaning, grocery shopping, lots of laundry (I mean lots), Ghouls Gone Wild, cooking tacos and helping Betsy on her project. The parade was a lot of fun and I think it was better than last year. I think the spectator count doubled too.

Sunday was a busy day at church since Paul was supposed to lead a prayer for first service and our class was in charge of children's church during second. Paul was leader for children's church this week which always gets me all frantic and worked up. He always does a great job and after every Sunday he does it, I have to kick myself for getting so tense but sometimes I just want to shove him off that podium and do it myself. [Insert control freak joke here].

I've noticed I haven't been as good about carrying our camera around and documenting what we have been doing. I'll have to get better about doing that.

I found Paul's birthday present this morning and I think he's going to be shocked! I wish I could share but he's sort of my biggest fan on here and I'd hate to ruin the surprise. Maybe I'll share after his birthday in two weeks.

figuring out what type of person I am...

I wrote this a few months ago on a church bulletin shortly after I had started my blog when I was still trying to figure out what to write about. I don't think that this blog has become about what I wrote below but I still feel this way and wanted to make sure I didn't lose it.

I need an outlet to be honest. Church people will think I am a sinner, outsiders will think I am a hypocrite. Maybe I am. But I have to think there are people out there just like me; that are constantly struggling to blend their lives appropriately.

say this with some enthusiasm:

THIS IS THE MOST PERFECT FALL EVER.

I am a little bit obsessed.

papaya, chartreuse and pool say what?

I don't know if these are accurate of my personality but I like the colors right now and I like what they say. I doubt that these characteristics ooze out of my body but I'll work on that because I would like to be like they say I am!

I found the color selector from Little Bits & Blogs but the colors can be found here. Check your favorite colors out!

cardboardlove.com

Maybe I swoon over this because I know I have rough days and Paul has said things like this before. When I saw this online I about broke out in tears.

The whole website makes me swoon for that matter. 

jewelry lust

blog inspiration

I am falling madly in love with blogs that post things purely because they want to. They aren't recollecting what happened at work or telling you what they had for lunch. They are out there just to post their favorite items, things that inspire them. They inspire me. I am not able or willing to put forth that much work to find things on a daily basis that I adore but these blogs are a daily read for me and the things they find are inspirational (not only as a designer but just as a human being).

My most recent favorites are:
Creature Comforts
Elements of Style
Little Bits & Blogs
My Favorite Things

Hope you enjoy them!

honest sadness or determined happiness?

I am at place in my life where I am trying to decide if it is better to feel each and every emotion as fully as it can be felt or if I should choose to push past certain emotions and be determined to live a happier life all the time.

When I am depressed and cranky about something should I allow myself to feel depressed all the way through? Should I embrace that feeling and after I am finished with it move on to the next emotion needed? Or should I choose to be happy even though things make me sad, should I choose to be positive and happy?

I've seen people who do both and I don't know who I admire more. People who choose to live as honest as they feel or people who chose to make their life positive (and in turn it becomes that way).

Can you do both? Can you be a wishy-washy feeling expresser?

calming inspiration

Today is going to be yet another good day, because I'm going to make it one. How could it not be when you run across a photo like this!? Check out Mandy Lynne's work here.

Let's pretend like that's the mailbox I come home to everyday. I love her photos, especially the ones of the ferris wheel and the typewriter. Adorable.

Chardonnay, Pumpkin Ravioli & Patience

Tonight I'm feeling like I am a wife-extraordinaire. Gas, groceries and wine were bought, dinner was made, Paul was made to sit down and study and now I am about to finish cleaning the kitchen.

For the wine: I just needed a cheap, white, dry wine to make dinner with and so I ran by our local wine shop and picked up a Chardonnay by Darby & Joan. I'd be lying a little if I pretended like I didn't pick it up for its vintage/hippie label and the fact that it had the name Darby in it. I say I'm a wine snob, but I can pick wines just as Willie Nillie as the next person.

It's good, but not earth shattering. If you need something to cook with and want something to drink with while doing so, it works.

What was for dinner you ask? I made cheese ravioli with a pumpkin sage sauce. However, I didn't have sage so I used half rosemary and half thyme and I used wheat ravioli. Next time, I will have sage and I won't use the wheat, it had a funny texture. But it was delicious and I can't wait to make it again. Felt very fall-ish. And I made fruit salad with mandarin oranges, pineapple, kiwi and pomegranate. To which my husband made a comment about liking fruit salad only when the fruit was from the US. That boy doesn't know what he is missing. I'll eat the entire bowl in one sitting. I don't need him and his fruit prejudices in order to enjoy my meal.

On the note of pomegranate, am I the only one who thinks it looks like caviar? I've never had caviar and don't know if I ever will, but caviar looking pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits.

I am learning a lesson in patience right now. And learning to trust God and his all mighty plan. My status last night read, "Waiting on the Lord. Until then, I'll be in the bath". Tonight may be a repeat of that.