OLD silver lining

adios, au revoir, sayonara

2011-09-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

it's true! i haven't been writing as often on here, because i'm moving!

you know. fresh start and all.

so, if you're interested, you can start following me here.
and i hope you do.
it'll be fun. and upbeat.

and even though there's only a handful of posts up now, there's many more in the pipeline.
so tune in.
and stay there!

change of... heart?

2011-08-26T13:44:00.001-05:00

hello.
i'm erin.

i know you.
you're sarcastic. and
quick to respond. and
you always know what's best.

no.
not that erin.
i'm the other erin.
you don't see me too often.

i'm not snarky. i'm
compassionate. because i realize that,
while we have all gone through our own types of pain,
we each also need our own methods of dealing with
everything

i'm not so quick to respond.
i'm thoughtful. because if i say the first thing
that comes to me, it might be the wrong thing
for you to hear.

i don't know what's best. i don't know what's best for me
and i sure as heck don't know
what's best for you.

people used to ask me how i was so happy.
i wasn't happy.
i was joyful. which is so much more.
people don't ask me anymore.
either they've gotten used to me, or
i'm not joyful anymore.

i sure hope it's the former.

here's to working on my relationship with God.
then my relationship with me.
then my relationship with
you.

on being... a good hostess

2011-08-11T08:37:00.000-05:00

i love to have people over. husband always says my spiritual gift is hospitality. because of this, i thought i'd share with you some of my "tips" for being a good hostess (idea stolen from simple bliss).

keep your home neat. this one might sound obvious, but if you're going to be hosting anyone over, whether it's planned or spontaneous, you want a neat home. you also don't want to be scrambling around when you get that text that someone's on their way. to keep our place neat, we straighten all common areas each night before bed (it takes 3 minutes. seriously.), and have a list of chores that we take care of, based on the day of the week. those chores? they take about 5 minutes.

keep snacks around. we keep a nice glass bowl full of fruit on the counter-- even if we don't have company, it benefit us by being the most accessible snack! also, things like chips and salsa, or some homemade hummus with crackers are easy to set out if you get someone spontaneously dropping by.

keep the guest room neat. not always easy, if you use it for storage also, but we try really hard to keep our guest room liveable. this means-- clean sheets, nice dresser with a candle on it, and nothing stacked in the corners. if possible, keep some spare hangers with room in the closet so it can be utilized if someone visits. think if that guest room is somewhere you'd like to sleep-- is there a clean night stand, with an alarm clock? how about a magazine or something set out on the dresser for them to read/take with them? the little things matter.

beverages are thoughtful. even though we mainly drink water at our place, it's nice to have something different when people come over. i like to keep some crystal light mix in the pantry, so it can be easily prepared if needed. we also will put a pot of coffee on (if it's not consumed, i put it in the fridge for iced coffees the next day) and have tea available.

what about you? do you enjoy hosting people at your home? what are some tips you use?

for your listening enjoyment

2011-08-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

here's a little something for you. heart me some adam levine and when he's in a really fun song? even better. "if i were an old school 50-pound boom box, would you carry me on your shoulder wherever you walk?"

also while we were gone.

2011-08-06T08:36:00.001-05:00

i can't just talk about the wedding-- i have to talk about PA in general!

this is the view outside my parents' place. they have a christmas tree forest across the street! it was beautiful, and just cool enough for some beautiful fog in the mornings. which means it was about 30 degrees cooler than i was used to in big d.

awesome building, actually the biomedical research building.
so, if you know me, there's two reasons i like it.
the look, and the purpose.

apparently, you can't go to penn state without taking a photo on the nittany lion.
chris and i were happy to follow tradition.

another must-do?
wait in line for the creamery. no matter how long it takes.
seriously. the milk for the ice cream comes in fresh each morning.
from cows on campus.
how many other schools do you know that have a major in ice-cream making??

and of course you have to visit the sports museum.
under the guise of having to take a photo of the original nitany lion.
but really, to pose in a football mural.

he's all grown up.

2011-08-05T08:34:00.002-05:00

i know i promised to write earlier in the week, but i was busy walking through manhattan. more on that in an upcoming blog post.

it was such a joy to visit PA for my "little" brother's wedding. i don't know that i even cried at my own, but i definitely came close to shedding a few tears at his wedding. okay. maybe i had to dab the corners of my eyes more than once. he was just so, so... dashing up there in front of family and friends, and she was a true vision of beauty. as a woman who normally wears shorts and tank tops for work, she sure cleans up nicely! and the best part was that neither of them looked fake at all. they both were just at their best (as you should be on your wedding day!) and so happy looking.

here's a few photos to showcase the day. you can see all of them by checking out my flickr.

mom and dad looked great, and so happy!

he may or may not have made faces at me during the ceremony.

yellow and blue were perfect colors for this reception outdoors!

oh yes, she did the face smash.

two of my favorite people. husband and granny.

my "little" brother and me.

and, the B&B where we stayed. wrap-around porch and all.

i am (vacation edition)

2011-08-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

crafting: not much. i'm on vacation
reading: the sunday paper, pittsburgh style.
listening: to my cousin's baby play with her rattle
watching: my husband and mom cut up peaches for dessert
cooking: breakfast. if pouring a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee count.
planning: on applying some lotion after my shower. too much sun means dry dry skin
doing: enjoying vacation more than i have in a while.

it's been great. swimming, sunning, relaxing, napping, eating.
it's a good vacation when you come back with too much sun and bug bites.

i'll be back in town tomorrow. you'll hear from me (when i share wedding photos) later this week.

Simply

2011-07-29T07:25:00.001-05:00

i saw this. and thought it was funny. that's all.

love living in the south.

the day i ate cake for breakfast

2011-07-28T08:53:00.001-05:00

we had a party.
a big surprise party.
(happy birthday, lauren!)

after going to sleep at 1:30, and waking up before 7, i was tired. too tired to actually plan a decent breakfast. luckily, husband makes coffee (we've learned this before). so i've got that going for me. but breakfast? i know that I forgot to buy cereal yesterday. bummer. since the party was a fiesta, we DO have tons of chips and salsa. hmmm. nope, i don't like heartburn at 8am.

so. leftover cake it is.

no, i did not eat it all. i had about four bites. it was delicious and surprisingly still moist, but so so sweet.

perfect breakfast, if you ask me.

one night, we had a fiesta. and it was fun.

2011-07-27T20:15:00.000-05:00

we had friends over.

we had a birthday girl.

we had a pinata.

but we didn't have a stick. we had boxing gloves.

(even husband got in on it).

we even had dancing.

it was a lot of fun. wish you were there!

readers, bob. bob, readers.

2011-07-26T08:10:00.001-05:00

i would like to introduce you to a new friend we made the other day. his name is bob. as in, bob the bug.

husband and i drove to work (instead of taking the train)-- and when we got to work, we found a bug on our car. i would later learn that this is bob, and he's quite the adventurer. we figured he had to have traveled with us from our home, but the odds that he would make it riding on the roof of the car for 15 miles seemed pretty low.

how surprised were we when we found bob again after work! he had stayed on our car all day. the only obvious reason is that he knew if he waited around long enough, we could be his ticket home. home to sun, his family, and good food.

he hunkered down for the drive home with us. here he is as we are leaving work.

and here he is at our home. a little weary, but home nonetheless.

after we pulled in, husband took bob off of the car and placed him in his natural habitat. can you see him?

i feel like such a baby

2011-07-25T07:37:00.000-05:00

i don't follow this blog, but i know the back story. you may, too.

from her profile:

I am: Returning from a near-fatal airplane crash, burned 80% of my body, and will have surgeries for the rest of my life. Probably. But I am alive. I cherish Mr. Nielson, Claire, Jane, Oliver, and Nicholas.

well, she just wrote a post. and in it, she talks about baring arms. literally. risking some sort of copyright infringement, i will just post her entire blog entry here.

I am doing it, throwing my cautions to the wind. I am now wearing short sleeves. I am sorry if I make you want to loose your lunch. My arms are not pretty, but they are mine. They are surviors and I am proud of them. So if you hppen to see me here (or in real life), I just want you to know I am emotionally and physically ready to show you my scars. Its time, and I am ready. I am OK about it.

do you see that? she's showing her scarred arms.
her arms that survived a fire.
her arms that are now scarred, wrinkled, discolored.

and she's okay with it.

you know what i won't do?
show my arms.
you know why?
because they're fat. jiggly. not toned or beautiful. and they have a few stretch marks on the underside. they're not my favorite.
but they're healthy.

if she doesn't have a problem showing her arms, why do i have such a problem showing mine? i'd love to wear tank tops in public. heck, i'd like to wear tank tops around my husband. a cute little halter dress would be perfect for the summer months.

but elbow-length sleeves it is.

i don't know how i should think right now.
should i be more willing to show my arms because someone who has a "real reason" to hide hers doesn't feel the need to hide them? or should i continue to struggle to find comfortable summer clothes that don't make me look ugly?

i'm much more vain than i thought i was.

i'm basically macgyver.

2011-07-12T07:43:00.001-05:00

warning:
i may lose some good friends after they read this post. then again, i may gain some. because i'm awesome. mom, if you're reading this, you may want to stop now.

scene: husband has gone to the gym, leaving wife home alone with the dog. this self-sufficient woman needs her coffee, so she ventures to make it on her own.

measure water and pour in machine. check.

get out coffee and measuring spoon. check.

get out coffee filter. wait. what? you mean the coffee filters that are still sitting on my office desk? bummer.

walk downstairs and ask neighbor for coffee filter. sweetheart doesn't have a regular coffee pot but is willing to lend you her keurig. that's a good neighbor, folks.

come home. sit and think about it. have a brilliant idea, and brew delicious coffee. but how?

what's that? hanging out of the top of the pot?

that's ingenuity right there, folks. it's the toe to some pantyhose (i promise they were unused. at least for their intended purpose). filled with coffee grounds. and put under the spigot where water would flow onto the grounds.

verdict: insanely thoughtful, but a little watery. i guess the grounds didn't get as soaked as they would if you made coffee the "right" way. but after reading this blog, can you really be sure that there is or isn't a "right" way? exactly

ten on 10 ~july

2011-07-10T08:33:00.003-05:00

hey! i'm finally able to participate in the ten on 10 project, since the 10th fell on a weekend. because trust me, it wouldn't be very fun for you to see 8 photos of my desk, and two of my commute. i promise. i'm thinking about adjusting this for me to be the "ten on the-closest-weekend-day-to-the-10th" project. because i had a blast participating! linking up here.

8:30 hua likes the sun in the morning. it's a little too hot for me.

9:30 working on rehearsal invites for my brother's wedding.

10:30 he does laundry, too! sorry, ladies. he's taken.

11:30 lunch at la madeleine. chicken salad for me, crepes for him.

12:30 and the bed's still not made.

1:30 an hour of reading and resting.

2:30 final edits as requested by mom. (i'm aware of the misspelling)

3:30 500 channels and nothing good on.

4:30 making vegan chocolate cake.

5:30 home group hosted at our place.

and, as the bonus photo, the reason i didn't edit the pictures until this morning-- everyone from home group went to a mexican restaurant after group, and we stayed there until 10. then it was home and to bed. fun times.

national corn league

2011-07-08T07:31:00.000-05:00

are you as sick as i am about the dang nfl lockout? i just want some football, peeps. i'm ready.
but in the meantime, here's an awesome video starring Abs McAberson. cheers!

Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout with Taylor Lautner from Taylor Lautner

peek into my home {the.dining.room}

2011-07-07T07:56:00.002-05:00

here's a sneak peak of our new place. probably one of my favorite places in the whole house. the dining room.

flowers husband got me. for no reason. which is, of course, the best reason.

you've seen this before. the frame wall. i love it.

i love this natural light.

i notice now (based on that third photo) that i definitely should have swept the floor before showing these photos. but, this is life. my house is straightened. and clean. but don't always expect the floors to be properly swept.

my 4th.

2011-07-06T07:17:00.000-05:00

see, i always think about posting about fun times, and holidays, and things like that. but by the time i get around to editing photos and uploading to flickr, and actually composing a blog post, it's two months past that holiday. then it won't make much sense if i actually post about thanksgiving in january, right? well, remember i found about PS actions? yes. editing is now done lickity-split. and uploading is fast, and there's then no excuse to not blog about it, right? right. glad we're on the same page.

back to the subject at hand.

the 4th of july.
lots of photos. it's good for you.

man time. insert grunts here.

the obligatory flag photo.

he was so happy to be able to play catch with someone!

unfortunately, my feet stayed landlocked. no swimming for me. sad.

faith. sweetheart.

it was beautiful. and hot. and beautiful.


playing with bokeh. fun times.

so, how was your 4th? did you eat too much, get a sunburn, and sleep in a little? i hope so.

i saw this somewhere: scrapes and bug bites are a sign of a summer not wasted.
thus, i don't hate sitting on our new patio furniture in the evening and having the occasional mosquito feast on me.

It's getting old, mother nature.

2011-07-05T07:14:00.001-05:00

once again, i have been forced to listen to people get really really happy that it's "finally" summer where they live. and of course, i don't mean forced. i like these people who complain, ya know.

but midwest? pacific northwest? don't complain about chilly, rainy weather. because the other option is this:

for. four. weeks. straight.

happy 4th of july!

2011-07-04T09:14:00.000-05:00

i updated my july goals today. just a few, so that i can keep up with them! you'll notice that i skipped june. no idea why. but i feel like it's time to get back into this all. can't wait!

sigh

2011-06-30T07:14:00.000-05:00

exerpt from After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Bart

There was a little exhale on the other end of the phone line, and it communicated the relief she felt at hearing my voice. I love you and I miss you and I pray for you every day all flooded their way through the line, and I found myself wishing I could say something half as eloquent as her expressive sigh.

down with the man--??

2011-06-29T20:13:00.000-05:00

i work a lot. in the fall, i have two jobs. i'm also in school, finishing up my master's program. that's a lot. and you know what? i'm not really great at drawing lines. all of mine are blurry, because i don't quit work until around 7 or 8 at night usually, even though i'm home by 5-ish. i stay with emails, working on projects, etc-- and i'm glad i have that freedom.

via

however, i need to leave work. not just physically, as in leaving the campus, or not doing the job. i need to leave it emotionally. i need to become a wife when i get home, not a worker. i'm a student always, but i don't have to be. i can block out three days a week, just two hours a day, and be a student then. even less if i use my lunch at work to be a student. see? it's like multi-tasking. only, kind of the opposite.

i give a lot to work, but i want a lot for me, too.

it's something i'm working on. leaving work at 5pm, and leaving it.
coming home and switching into wife mode.
and, when needed, become a student.

i am

2011-06-27T08:41:00.000-05:00

crafting: a decoupaged headboard for our new place
reading: vandalism of words
listening: to birds waking me in the morning, and mumford and sons keeping me company during the day
watching: weeds season 3 with husband
cooking: daily. delicious bbq ribs, coconut shrimp, tilapia and veggie foil packets...
planning: for a visit from some friends over the 4th of july weeked
doing: not enough. enjoying the summer off from classes and teaching.

i found a new love

2011-06-23T18:37:00.002-05:00

and her name is ree drummond.
don't get me wrong. i've known about the pioneer woman for some time. i have a sort of crush on her.
but my new love part of this story are the photoshop actions from her site. you just download them, load them onto your photoshop expressions, and use them.
that's it!

here's one i worked with tonight. the editing took just a few minutes and was SO MUCH easier than doing the steps myself. light balance? taken care of. sharpening? taken care of. bringing out details and keeping the background subtle? taken care of.

and how about this one, of husband and me?
before, SOOC, it's so grainy, dull, and sort of grey. with just a few clicks, it's now one of my favorite photos of us!

this is so great. i've got a new addiction!

Days 5 & 6, hair challenge

2011-06-21T09:02:00.001-05:00

i'm still playing. I've just been too busy to post. also, i took saturday off. blame it on the continued headache and triple plasma donation that wore me out. i made up for it on sunday, though:

and i got a number of compliments on this one from the people in our home group that evening!

i slacked on monday. i did something similar to sunday, but the "easy" version:

and even though it was easy and quick, my awesome fried called it "shabby chic"-- and that makes it awesome. right?

Day 4, hair challenge

2011-06-17T16:41:00.001-05:00

update on day 3: everything was fine. no news to report.

now, today was a sort of cheat day. i had a migraine and had to stay home all day. so, you're left with my most raw self-photograph anyone's seen lately.

i present to you: bed head, migraine eyes, beautiful me, sitting on my back porch to warm up this morning. at least my hair's down, right?

Day 3, hair challenge

2011-06-16T17:11:00.001-05:00

update on day 2: perfect! stayed in just fine, and looked good. compliments abound.

today? simple bun on the nape of my neck. easy, out of my face, and not a ponytail :-)

my favorite part about this photo is joe, peering at me getting my hair photographed. thing is, that's not even his desk! ha.

Day 2, hair challenge

2011-06-15T08:01:00.001-05:00

first, and update on day 1: it fell out by lunchtime. my fault, for being a novice spin pin user. i'll definitely do that style again after i learn how to better use them.

today, i tried a half-up ponytail bun. again using the spin pins. i went against everything my bones tell me to do, and straightened my hair. in june. so we will see how frizzy it gets by the end of the day!

Day 1, hair challenge

2011-06-14T08:07:00.001-05:00

hey! so far, so good (she said on day 1).

what do you think? it's gotta be called something formal, but it's just three buns on the nape of my neck.

i love the goody brand spin pin. i'm still getting used to using it, but i love it after one beginner's use.

i did have to add in a few bobby pins to secure it and hold them where I wanted them held. but for being out of my face and not a ponytail, i'm happy.

it's a love-hate relationship

2011-06-13T11:12:00.000-05:00

... that i have with my hair.

i love the texture
i love the length
i love the color
i love the cut

i don't love that i have to have it out of my face. even if i start the day with my hair down, i end up with it up in a ponytail by noon. it's because of my job. i don't have a desk job. in fact, i have the opposite of a desk job. i may be in surgery, or lecturing, or running across campus. or even wrestling a pig (i've done it in heels. yes, i have). so you see my predicament. or maybe you don't? if you don't, please give me advice.

in lieu of your advice, i'm going to use this blog as inspiration to go one week straight without using a ponytail holder. see, i can have it out of my face and still look cute! i hope to end up with a few favorites that i can fall back on and continue this past the week!

starting tomorrow. because there's no better time than now.

so, i hope to post a photo and the status of the "project" daily. i may have to play catch-up. but since i'm sure none of you are sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for this, we'll all be okay if i'm late.

also, have you seen, i'm joining the gym again? i'm actually really excited about it.

the only thing missing is instagram.

2011-06-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

fair warning: this post makes me cool. cool as people who listen to the beatles and shop at urban outfitters. cool as people who run for fun.

cool as people who eat frozen yogurt.

i tried pinkberry today for the first time. it got an A+. you pick a flavor, pick a size, then fill it with as many toppings as will fit.

i bought husband a salted caramel cup, and filled it with crisps, mixed nuts, blackberries, and cap'n crunch cereal.

for myself, i got an original. it's so good! it's like frozen greek yogurt, sort of tart. in it, i got blackberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, and coconut. amazing.

i asked for it to go, and they even put a small bag of ice in the bag with the yogurts for me. so nice. everyone there was friendly and helpful. i already can't wait to go back!

abc. easy as 123. {yo yo yo}

2011-06-08T15:09:00.000-05:00

i sort of feel like i'm in college again, doing something like this. but it's a needed break from the housework i've been doing lately. trust me.

Age: 28. but my tendency to fall asleep at 9pm feels more 82-ish.
Bed size: queen. why do you want to know?
Chore that you hate: the bathroom. i hate hate hate it. luckily, i'm married. i'll do laundry, clean the kitchen, sweep and mop the floors, make the bed, ANYTHING to avoid bathrooms. and husband is gracious enough to do them for me.
Dogs: maya lily. she's a little more "child" than "dog". {unashamed}
Essential start to your day: coffee. and a good stretch.
Favorite color: chartreuse. don't you pay attention?
Gold or Silver: white gold, i guess.
Height: 5’4″
Instruments you play: none. i got kicked out of band in jr high.
Job title: training coordinator.
Kids: none yet.
Live: dallas. read: heat, humidity, fun shopping, good markets, sports, things to do.
Mother’s name: confidential
Nicknames: my mom used to call me suzy?
Overnight hospital stays: yep. a few times.
Pet peeve: people who don't recognize the moral responsibility that comes with driving in the left lane of traffic. also, cheap soaps that leave my hands sticky. also, john mayer.
Quote from a movie: ask my husband this one. i don't pay attention to movies.
Right or left handed: depends
Siblings: yes. one, and two in-laws.
Time you wake up: weekdays: 5:49 (i never set my alarm on a :00, :05, or :10). weekdays: by 7:00.
Underwear: preferred.
Vegetable you hate: pineapple (i know it's a fruit, but i think i like all vegetables).
What makes you run late: the snooze button. it's a miserable invention. or a late train on occasion.
X-Rays you’ve had: a ton. i can't even count
Yummy food that you make: yes. i'm a good cook. haven't you heard?
Zoo animal: penguins. i bet my husband would claim giraffes.

just havin' some fun

2011-06-06T07:50:00.000-05:00

i love these tees, from snorg tees.

this has always been my favorite. if anyone wants to buy it for me, it's found here. thankyouverymuch.

and this one...

because i LOVE LOVE LOVE s'mores.

and this one...

(you have to sing it out.)

and, if you know anything about me, you know i heart morgan freeman. so, i leave you with this:

thanks.

love.

how {not} to make an artsy headboard

2011-05-31T19:35:00.001-05:00

so i had this great idea for a "headboard"art piece for the master bedroom. i am going to tear pieces out of a bible (it's just a book, people. honest. bible art is "acceptable") and decoupage them onto a canvas. or two. or four. i'm not sure how many yet. anyway, i thought i would get this started over the holiday weekend.

step 1: find a bible.

step 2: tear pages out. I specifically tried to get pages that looked different. some from Leviticus, some from Proverbs.

step 3: organize them on the canvas.

step 4: mod podge!

step 5: notice that you did it the quick, lazy way, which led to many unfixable bubbles and dry spots. tear it all off.

this will work, i know it. i'll try again later and share it with you all when it works.

finally? are you kidding me?

2011-05-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

dear everyone who is super excited to {finally} see flowers blooming, or {finally} see your lawn as the snow melts, or {finally} able to drink your coffee on the patio,

it's hot down here. hot. it has been for weeks. we had one week of spring, then straight into the 90s. i am no longer able to drink my coffee on the patio, because it's too warm by 8am. and humid. it's not just the warmth, it's the humidity. and you know what? it's still may.

it's a big case of "you want what you don't have".

so, you take your kids to the park. i'll stick to playing board games indoors.

whoever sang that "god bless texas" song OBVIOUSLY wasn't here during the summer.

sincerely,
a transplant who's still trying to get used to the really hot, really humid summers.

First peek!

2011-05-24T14:56:00.001-05:00

hey everyone.
we moved. you know that already.

so, wanna see the new place? here's a teeny tiny peek: at the dining room.

the table and chairs? floor sample at the ashley furniture outlet. great deal. the centerpiece? a gift from my husband, my birthday last year. the flowers in it? my bridal bouquet- made by my mom.

and the frames? also known as one of my favorite things about the new place? a project I started here, is finally finished! all frames came from goodwill or the salvation army, and were {hand}painted black (because I didn't have an area to spray paint them in), then sprayed with glossy acrylic sealer. I love this frame collage.

friends are great!

2011-05-23T08:35:00.000-05:00

who'd have guessed that our new house could hold 23 people?!

It was so fun though.

We hosted group this week, and almost everyone was there. We feel so blessed to have had this opportunity, and so glad that God has provided us with a place and the means to do this.

We even fit 5 people on our new, improved, and smaller couch!

So thankful for good food and friends and fellowship.

not every path is paved…

2011-05-22T20:47:00.001-05:00

… and not every golf day is sunny.

we had a super fun weekend.

aloud i will rejoice

2011-05-20T08:46:00.000-05:00

this morning as i hit the button to the elevator at the train station, i noticed an elderly gentleman coming towards me. so i held the elevator for him, and wished him a "good morning" as he got on the elevator.
did he respond in like kindness, or offer me a word of wisdom from someone who has surely seen much more than i have? no. he stared at me with his cataract eye.

on the train, i sat next to a woman already reading and said "hello" as i scooted in.
did she ask what i was reading, or greet me in response? no. she grabbed her bag and tried to imagine herself the size of a child, tucked in away from the person sitting three inches from her, offering kindness.

when i passed a colleague in the hallway on campus and smiled, they stared straight ahead.

when i got on the shuttle, the driver ignored me.
and when i got off the shuttle, he tried to shut the doors on me.

as i walked into my office, i continued to smile at the few people i pass at this early hour, as i arrive earlier than many others.
i was greeted with sneers from an unhappy employee, apparently oblivious to the fact that it is Friday.

and yet, i continue to find joy in my heart, despite these many attempts the devil has made to push down my mood today. because yesterday, i was filled with the holy spirit and given the opportunity to share the gospel for the first time ever. it was such an amazing feeling that the delight of the moment stuck with me. so in that instance, God wasn't just helping the person i was speaking with, He was helping me.

a "two-hour" meeting. yeah, right.

2011-05-19T15:38:00.001-05:00

in addition to my job, and to my second job, and to my master's program, i'm also a coordinator for a metroplex group of people who are in the same line of work that i do. so i'm constantly on the phone and email with others, trying to set up times for meetings and speakers and events.

today, i had a meeting planned from 10-12.

i left this morning at 6:30. i came home at 2:30.

so, a "two-hour" meeting turned into an eight-hour day.

i feel a little bit like gilligan.

forgive that it's not the original shots. those all had embedding disabled.

boo.

task 1, done.

2011-05-17T20:21:00.001-05:00

as husband does this:

you can't tell, but that's NBA on tv.
also, he doesn't know i snapped this photo. ha.

i sit here bored. and asking my friends what i should do while he's so distracted.

the answer:

1) blog

2) read

3) crochet

4) chat on twitter

so. the blog is done. i do think i'll read next. that, of course, puts a hold on number 4. but they know i'll always have my phone nearby.

ps, the soundtrack to my house goes something like this:

watch the shot clock!

traveling!

two rebounds away from a triple double

(i think i am close on that one. it's like a foreign language)

monday? already?

2011-05-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

i want another weekend.

this is not what time my alarm goes off. this is what time husband's alarm goes off.

this IS what time i woke up this morning.

i'm not thrilled when i don't get to wake up on my own terms.

hey, all you scrapbookers out there

2011-05-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

my MIL is a scrapbooker
yeah, yeah, so is just about every other lady over age 30!
oh, no. she's not your average scrapbooker. she is a cheap scrapbooker.
and i mean that in the nicest way. she know what i mean.

anyways, she finally decided to start a blog to help all of you (sorry. i do a lot of crafts, but i'm no scrapbooker) save money on scrapbooking. it's great! go visit her blog, and see what she does. she's sort of like the money-saving mom of the scrapbook world. she does all the work, and you get to go get the cheap stuff she's found. great deal, yes?

today, she wrote about some great sales at michael's. go look!

Sick of it!

2011-05-11T19:54:00.000-05:00

Geez.
I'm sick. Still? Again? I don't know anymore. I spend most of my time home here:

note the box in the background. Still unpacking.
Because when I try to unpack, I get sick again. Thing is, I'll have a good day or two, think I'm okay, and I start being my regular active self. Then I pay for it the next day. I guess I don't realize how sick I am/ have been? So I really really need to calm down. Even when I think I'm okay, I should take it easy.

Why this is so hard for me:
1) I'm a doer. I have to always be doing something.
2) we just moved! I should be unpacking and decorating.
3) I'm SICK of being sick.

So yes, this post is full of whining. Hey, at least you're getting something from me!

dreaming of the move

2011-05-05T08:45:00.002-05:00

like i mentioned. moving posts this week.
but this one is a little different.
instead of actual moving things, i'm dreaming of things i want in the new place.
new favorite place to dream? urban outfitters sale site.
*swoon*

here's the current list of wants:

1- wall storage thing. this would go in the bedroom
2- wall art. i think it will go in the hallway
3- owl bank. even though it's a bank, it's going in the kitchen. cause it's red.
4- ceramic measuring cups. aren't they adorable?

oh, to have unlimited moneys and be able to not only pay for movers, but for cute decor.
some day.

eighty.nine.percent

2011-05-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

it's true. i'm running about an 89% right now. close to full health, but needing to remember how sick i've been, lest i get exhausted from packing one box.

have i mentioned how efficient my husband is? he's a much better packer than i give him credit for. especially when i'm too sick and hurt to pack so he has to to EVERYthing.

oh, and we get our keys to the new place tonight. so we're moving over just a few things. We're saving most of it because the movers are hired for saturday, but you know. it's exciting to go to a new place. so we're taking the things that are awkward to carry (see: kitchenaid) and some pantry items so we can bring the bin back and refill it with the rest of the pantry items for saturday's real move.

i'll be writing moving posts this week and through the weekend, i'm sure. bear with me. it's a cute place and i think you'll like it!

amazing video

2011-04-29T07:23:00.000-05:00

the people in this video have to say something that you probably need to hear.

please watch. listen. don't pass it off because you know the message.

we all know the message. but not enough people follow through.

thankful thursday {picture-less. sad face}

2011-04-28T09:09:00.000-05:00

today i'm thankful for...

a husband who cooks and cleans while i'm super duper sick. last night he made the most amazing parmesan potatoes, that's a keeper (the recipe AND the man)!

good cough drugs that help save my bruised chest from getting any worse.

the means to hire movers to help next weekend.

the ability to rest and not think about school, or work, or responsibilities.

and as always, a god who loves and saves.

another {accidental} hiatus

2011-04-27T17:52:00.002-05:00

yep. gone again. i'm always missing. like your car keys. or your favorite nail polish.

this time it's not because i needed personal time. well, it's sort of that. i just have been too sick to think of anything. homework, cooking, cleaning-- everything is slacking round these parts. i took all last week off work, and here and there since then. because i've got the sick. diagnosed with a sinus infection and strep throat, which then turned into bronchitis. which you can't get rid of. seriously. i can't sleep, which means i can't rest, which means i'm so tired during the day, which means i'm useless.

but i'm getting really good at origami. right?

haha! gotcha. it's just a bunch of snot.

have no fear, i've got magic in my hands. which means i'll be back to normal soon.

more new music...?

2011-04-20T16:10:00.000-05:00

whoops. had a little accident when this first posted. my apologies if you've already seen (and commented on!) this post.

yes. it's worth the watch. and even though she sings in english, trust me. you'll need those subtitles. it's amazing.

hue and hum art sale!

2011-04-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

have you heard of hue and hum? if not, please first go to her site. i love the couple (she's hue, the artist, he's hum, the musician), and i love her art.

she's having a pay what you want art sale. what? pay what you want? i'm serious. so you click on her paypal button, make a donation, then in the comments section, tell her which print you want and where to ship it! she's got all the instructions in this post, telling you more about the sale. so, which prints are available? well, lucky for you, they're perfect for mother's day gifts! can you say love? a unique, thoughtful, non-generic card. yay!

i'm even playing :-) here's the print i've picked. because i already have our mother's day gifts covered, i took advantage of this deal to snag a print for myself. i think this will go somewhere in our new apartment just perfectly. maybe in the entry? maybe over the sewing desk? i can't wait to get it!

I bet you think this post is about... me?

2011-04-18T12:31:00.001-05:00

Talk about being in front of the camera. Most photos on my blog are of things. Or other people. So, it's my turn. Here's more about me than you wanted to know.

Hello. I'm Erin.

I'm terrified of the stuffed bear at a fishing store in town.

I have worn this same outfit every time we go to Spaghetti Warehouse.

I spent two months living in China.

I might be a spy. You never know.

I'm usually freezing.

I love my brother.

And my husband.

And hot dogs.

Sometimes I eat with my hands.

And sometimes I appear red due to stage lighting.

I am a huge Steeler fan.

I don't think this photo looks much like me. Weird.

And I'm usually pretty serious. Usually.

Fun fact: after typing this, I have a serious craving for a hot dog. I'll have to settle on just eating a pickle, I suppose.

new music

2011-04-15T07:25:00.011-05:00

i accidentally found this awesome band on youtube.
have you heard of the wombats? they're europe. they are touring in germany and all over england. they've been compared to the killers, depeche mode, and queen. you've got to check them out.

i'd like to thank the academy...

2011-04-14T07:27:00.015-05:00

or not.

but really, i won.

i'm kind of a winning person.

thanks to living with lindsey and apartment guide, i am now the proud owner of all of this green stuff. the basket includes cleaners, soaps, lightbulbs, trash bags, a candle, and of course the basket that it all came in.

confession: i have a crush on cleaning supplies. this was the perfect giveaway for me to win. seriously. i will go to target and dream about the next window cleaner i'll buy. or drool over the floor dusters.

i'm happy.

blessings abound

2011-04-13T07:33:00.002-05:00

we got a new car.

that is all.

new coffee shops

2011-04-12T07:24:00.019-05:00

i love coffee.

i love coffee shops.

i don't love starbucks.

false.

i love starbucks.

i just love other coffee shops more.

so how nice was it to go to two different, non-starbucks coffee shops in as many saturdays? first we went to "it's a grind" (i know it's a chain too, but it's not starbucks). the name of the shop made me think of a workout place. like it should be a gym, not a coffee house. anyways.

the following weekend, we went to the pearl cup. located on henderson, right next to sunflower market (our fave for produce!), and sort of near our new neighborhood, it was so perfect. they even served the lattes in REAL cups. that's a big deal. and there's two different patios to sit on, and dogs are allowed, and, and, and... i could go on.

so it's a new goal for husband and me. find "other" coffee shops. support local.

the pearl cup advertised the best latte in dallas. i'm usually a black coffee girl, but i did try (and love!) the latte.

April goals

2011-04-11T07:39:00.000-05:00

don't forget to go check out the updates on my march goals and see what i have set up for april!

accountability, right?

(back)

2011-04-09T08:27:00.002-05:00

i'm back. i took a slight hiatus from blogging. two weeks, to be exact. i bet you didn't even notice.

thing is, i have a lot of things in my life that are more important than this blog, and it was time to focus on them. things like, my husband. like my health. like my crafts. like my homework. like getting ready to move. like church things. so i've been preoccupied.

and i thought about taking notes to tell you what i've been up to, but that sort of failed. and it's okay. you don't need to know everything about me. and if you DO need to know it, well, you already do. so there.

but one funny thing did happen that was worth sharing.

husband was trying to kill a bug for me. because i hate hate hate creepy crawlies.
anyways, he aimed. he shot. and he missed.

me: that was a horrible shot!

him: well, i'm not very aerodynamic!

love my life.

real. life. time.

2011-03-24T07:29:00.006-05:00

you know.

i had someone mention not too long ago that they much prefer to read the "real" blogs, and not just the blogs where everyone has something happy to say. not the ones where people talk about how good their lives are.

but.

my life is good.

and i'm not just saying that. it really is good.

i'm seeing more and more how truly blessed my family is.

and i'm not just observing. i'm reacting.

not that i need to provide you with examples, but i think i will. mmmkay? because this is my happy post. and, since you came to visit my blog, you have to read my happy post. because you know what? my happy post is my real life post.

example #1: husband and i are paying down debt. not just paying it down, eliminating it. this frees up money for us to have the ability to bless others as well as put some in savings. one way that we bless others? donate to mycharity:water. now, i know what you're thinking. but, but... you've already told us about that silly water donation site three or four times! and you're right. i have. but you still have access to fresh water, and they still don't. so until the playing field's a little more level, i'm going to keep mentioning it. yes.

example #2: settling into married life has been good for my soul. i am learning to be a wife to my husband, and he is learning to lead the family. we have been blessed in so many ways since our marriage, from example #1, to our living situation, to new friendships and relationships... so we react by sharing our home, our blessings, and expanding our relationships within the church.

example #3: my health! praise god. no, seriously, praise him. because there is no other explanation for the fact that my rheumatoid arthritis has gone into remission. i don't post much about my RA on here, because it's mostly been under control for a while, but let me give you a quick lesson. RA is not arthritis. it is an autoimmune disease, where your own body attacks junctures. this can be joints, or it can be where your intestine connects to your stomach. where you heart connects to the protective tissue around it. anywhere. it's painful, it's exhausting, and it's gone. it may come back in two months, or a year, or five years. but for now, my RA is in remission.

i could go on. and i'm sure i will in future posts. but when i post about my happy life, i'm posting about my real life. i'm happy to have time to craft and time to do homework and time to prepare a good meal for my husband. i'm happy that he makes the bed and that he helps with the dishes and that he makes me tea while i'm busy studying.

i'm in love.

i'm happy.

and i'm definitely not ashamed of that.

a challenge!

2011-03-23T07:29:00.000-05:00

have you noticed the birds chirping outside?

are you thankful that we have more daylight in the evenings?

are you dreading swimsuit season?

well, then, do i have a proposal for you.

click the picture to check out the fitness blog i participate in. we have a challenge coming up! you can see all the details in the most recent posts, but it's a 30-day challenge. we're basing it on the wii active 30-day challenge. do you have a wii? and wii active? participate with us! it starts on monday the 28th. don't have a wii? or don't have the wii active? that's fine, too. just be active, and tell us in the comments what you did that day. did you take the stairs instead of the elevator? did you walk around the block two extra times? whatever it is, it doesn't take much. the wii active 30-day challenge days are only 15-20 minutes, and there's even "rest" days scheduled in there. so it's not impossible. but it's important.

2011-03-22T07:29:00.000-05:00

If you'd like a little bit more information about the water fundraising i'm doing, here you go.

President Obama speaks about charity: water at the National Prayer Breakfast. from charity: water on Vimeo.

The story of charity: water - The 2009 September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

princess problems

2011-03-21T07:54:00.001-05:00

running out of chapstick

not being able to find my nail file.

getting a scuff on my new shoes.

figuring out which pair of jeans to wear.

wondering if my hydrangea will live.

running out of salsa.

yeah. not exactly living a troubled life right now, huh?

so i'm trying to focus my energy on others that don't have "princess problems". like, people without water. like, donating more to the church. like, giving more instead of throwing more away.

that is all.

i love getting mail!

2011-03-18T07:29:00.000-05:00

so, it seems i have a thing for wreaths! but aren't they perfect? they can go on a door, or just as part of a grouping on the wall.

i got a new one! i received it in the mail this week from my darling friend danielle at take heart. please go check out her blog. she's always doing giveaways, and her posts are so entertaining! she also has a shop, where you can find a wreath like mine, and others that might better fit your style. don't see one that works? contact her and she'll work with you for a custom wreath!

talk about service!

the pictures on her shop are much clearer!

i love the look of this one, with the felt flowers on a stick wreath. and i asked for green since i have green in my living room. i can't wait to hang this in the new place once we move!

are you thirsty?

2011-03-17T09:27:00.001-05:00

i'm not.

because i'm blessed. i live in america, a developed country where all i have to do is turn on the faucet, or bring my glass to the fridge, or flush the toilet or run the shower... and water appears. it's cheap, it's easy to access, and it's necessary for health and hygiene.

not everyone has this luxury. are you aware that a billion people on this planet don't have access to water? that's one person out of every eight. what would you do if you had to walk 3 hours to get your water for the day?

it's sad. but it's also fixable.

you can help.

i am.

check out my donations page and think about whether you'll be able to make even a small donation. make a donation in honor of someone. ask people to donate instead of providing gifts for your birthday. anything. and please, share this page. pass it along to anyone who even might donate. i have a big goal-- $5,000-- because that's the cost for one well. i think, together, we can fill that goal.

remember. even $10 helps.
BUT... i will be hosting a giveaway here for the person who makes the largest donation. aren't things always better when there's a prize involved?

so, we've got three months to meet this goal. will you help?

frame jewelry holder

2011-03-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

i've seen a lot of these online, so i can't give credit to just one site.

i took a frame that i bought at the thrift store and touched up the paint on it a little. it just needed a fresh black, even though it came black, to make it look nicer. then i bought some screen from lowe's, cut it larger than the opening of the frame, and stapled it-- using my regular desk stapler, because it's a pretty thin frame.

then use a utility knife to cut the scrap screen outside of the staples.

i wanted something a little different to hang it with, so i got some small black chain from lowe's, and wove some turquoise ribbon through it.

then i used some furniture tacks that i had lying around to attach the ribbon/chain to the frame.

i decided where i wanted my jewelry, and added the small S-hooks (from lowe's) right through the screen.

then i hung my jewelry on it, and...
taaa daaaa!!!

and it's cheap!
frame: thrift store, $3
screen: lowe's, $5 (used a fraction of it though, so lots leftover!)
chain: lowe's, $1.06 for two feet
ribbon: already had at home
tacks: already had at home
s-hooks: lowe's, $0.80 for 10 hooks

magic milk

2011-03-16T07:43:00.001-05:00

it's not quite as exciting as it sounds. to me, it's always been magic. because my daddy used to make magic milk for me when i had a hard time sleeping. it's "just" warmed milk, vanilla, sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. but it's so much better when daddy makes it.

desperate times call for desperate measures. i had to eventually make it for myself. i'll just call it warmed sweet milk when i make it, because it sure didn't have the magic properties that it did when daddy would make it for me.

book page wreath

2011-03-15T07:34:00.000-05:00

i found this great tutorial for how to make a wreath from a book. i won't reinvent the wheel, so you can go here to see it. it's a great step-by-step, with video even!

now, all my fellow bibliophiles out there, don't worry. i used a free trashy novel that i got from the fair last year. it was so bad, they had to hand it out for free. and i didn't need to get past the cover to know just how bad it was.

the only thing i did differently, which made it so much easier, is that i made my paper curls, then stapled the end together. so i got a lot of little paper curls ready and then hot glued them to the wreath.

after looking at my photo, i see that i need to fill in some texture on the left side. but i'm still pretty darn happy with how it turned out, and i can fill it in later. oh, and you notice the few pages that are a different color? it's important to make sure you have enough pages in the book you're using. i didn't, so i had to fill in with a different book. but the good news is you can't tell so much about the color difference in person as you can in the photo.

i hope you like it!

eventful week

2011-03-11T09:48:00.000-06:00

you may have noticed i've not been as active this week.
or, maybe you didn't.
either way...

i've had a crazy week. and not always crazy in a good way.

1) we signed the lease for the place we'll be moving to in may.
2) we came home to find our apartment under construction and being treated for radon. seriously.
3) the following day, i went home with a migraine.
4) then we were woken up after midnight by our busted hot water heater and an inch of water throughout our home.
5) no water for a day.

that about sums it up. here's some photos of the radon construction:

new pipe in our living room...

external vent, like a chimney

radon monitor

so sorry i didn't get pictures of the flood. it was 1 am. then i didn't get much sleep after that. and we came home the following morning to a new hot water heater and a fan drying the carpet, but they'd removed the carpet pad-- say it'll be replaced on monday after it's treated.

and as for the pipe in our living room, it's permanent. unfortunately. but on saturday, someone is coming over to build a sort of planter over it. i can't wait to see what it looks like {sarcasm}.

but it's funny how these things end up being blessings. we were going to need to clean our entry carpet (you know how dirt gets tracked in) and now we don't, because the apartment company cleaned it for us. and coming home to that right after we signed the lease for our new place just solidified that we were supposed to move there. as for the hot water heater? there is no hot water heater in our new place-- so no risk of it rupturing in the middle of the night!

it looks like we're in the process of moving, even though there's almost two months until we move-- because our furniture is everywhere, and there's things from the laundry room in the guest room, and things from the coat closet in our bedroom. it's a mess around there, but not really worth cleaning up until the carpet is fixed all the way.

totally unrelated, my heart is breaking for people in japan this morning. keep them in your prayers.

my color of the year

2011-03-09T09:23:00.001-06:00

mid-march isn't too late to do something that affects you all year, is it?

great. let's continue.

i've decided to designate a color for this year. i don't know what that means, exactly, except that it's currently my favorite, and i plan on incorporating it even more into the living room decor once we move.

any guesses yet?

duh.

source1 source2 source3 source4

not green.

green is boring.

chartreuse is fresh grass

chartreuse is a new throw pillow

chartreuse is spring

chartreuse is the beginning

chartreuse is even fun to say

it's possibly my power color. whatever that means.

february progress and march goals

2011-03-05T08:07:00.000-06:00

if you haven't noticed, i updated my 2011 goals page.

seeing as february was a major fail (hello, 8-day vacation during the shortest month, which also had a lot of goals), i made march manageable. not necessarily easier, as some february goals got transferred to march, but they're not as intimidating. especially since one of my goals is to visit my best friend!

i'll also be working on that year-in-progress quilt, and finishing the frame project that i started in january.

it sounds like it'll be a crafty month around here!

uncomfortable, for all the wrong reasons

2011-03-04T06:55:00.003-06:00

our church is awesome. it's not always flowers and fireflies-- rather, you often leave there having been taken down a notch. our pastor is amazing at making you uncomfortable. uncomfortable with your own thoughts, uncomfortable with the state that the world is in, uncomfortable with your actions (or lack thereof). but always in a good way. in ways that make you want to change yourself, your actions, and even the world.

i also attend the woman's bible study on tuesday nights. i get uncomfortable there as well.
but not because i'm challenged.
not because i'm told to change the world.

because it's full of women.

doesn't make a lot of sense, right? i know. but here's where i'm at right now:
i feel like the woman to my left thinks i'm stupid, because she can answer the bible questions and i can't, but i'm older than her. or when i say something, it's the wrong answer.
i feel like the woman to my right thinks i feel like i'm better than her, because she seems to glare at me and my finished assignments while hers sits blank because she doesn't do it before "class".
i feel like my leader thinks i'm this adorable little lost sheep, who has this huge desire to learn the bible and overcome some huge obstacle from my past. but i don't have that desire, and i have no obstacle to overcome. of course, just my saying that shows that i do have an obstacle.

and the women at the other tables? they look at me funny. like my clothes don't fit right, or my hair's not done perfectly, or i don't have enough makeup on, or my bible is too big.

and because i can't get past these things, i can't concentrate on the lessons. even doing the lessons at home-- i'm so scared i'm writing the wrong answers down, that i don't even do the whole thing. because i don't want one of my tablemates noticing what an idiot i am.

the good thing is that my church makes me uncomfortable.
the bad thing is that my bible study makes me uncomfortable.

from now on...

2011-03-03T08:24:00.001-06:00

open window season

2011-03-02T06:55:00.000-06:00

do you know how much i love open windows?

a lot.

a whole lot.

enough to bundle up in sweaters and blankets in order to have the crisp, fresh air throughout my home.

enough to sit outside with a glass of wine, squinting through the freezing breezes.

enough to encourage my husband to bundle up instead of closing the windows.

and it's finally open-window-season.

attack of the killer pineapple

2011-03-01T11:22:00.001-06:00

remember my february goals? well, it seems i forgot i was taking 8 days of vacation during the shortest month of the year. so my goals were a little lofty, and you'll see some go to march.

but, just in time, i tried pineapple. i was able to try it on feb 28, so it counts, even though i'm not blogging about it until today.

here's how it went down:

seattle, days 7 and 8

2011-02-27T14:15:00.000-06:00

we had lots of fun on friday and saturday in seattle. wish you'd been there!

friday we went to poulsbo. it's a norwegian/scandinavian/german town. we had good food and saw lots of fun shops (but didn't buy too much). it's right on the water, which meant it was FREEZING. husband talked me into going out on a floating dock, but i was NOT happy with that. if you want to see that photo, you have to find him.

the clear skies were deceiving. it was freezing!

then on saturday, we were back in seattle and went to pike place market. it was a lot of fun. i am a huge fan of farmer's market-type things, and this was so much more. we saw the flying fish, and lots and lots of crabs. tons of fresh flowers.

we found a tea shop, and you know i always love tea shops. i bought princess grey (an earl grey with flowers), and a huckleberry cream (huckleberry tea with vanilla). it was so cheap! and we had coffee at the first starbucks ever.

i did NOT buy the laxative tea.

we also saw sea lions during our harbor tour boat ride. i was so glad, because i'd been dying to see some sort of ocean animal.

and, i close with these great photos-- of the gum wall. husband had never been to it, but he'd heard of it. we took a wrong turn and found it! it's a wall where everyone sticks their chewing gum. we didn't have any to add to it, but we did find a gumball machine, so we each were able to stick our gum on it.

seattle, days 2 and 3

2011-02-22T15:29:00.001-06:00

what fun. for the second day of vacation, we went to snoqualmie falls. there's a very big chance i misspelled that word.

and we also ate thai food. and we also tried white coffee for the first time. i can't even find a good link to tell you about white coffee, but it's unroasted coffee beans, which means it's supposed to have more caffeine, and not the bitter aftertaste. it had to be mixed, because it doesn't have much flavor otherwise, or whatever. so i got the pink lady. it's basically a raspberry latte that doesn't taste like it has coffee in it.

day three, we went to the pacific science center, toodled around the space needle, and saw the experience music project (like a music museum)-- but just from the outside.

see why i love this man?

in the butterfly garden

EMP and the space needle

also found the freemont troll! remember it from 10 things i hate about you?

and i leave you with these, two of my new favorite photos of my husband and me.

Seattle, day 1

2011-02-20T08:23:00.001-06:00

The only important thing today was the flight. First leg, one hour. Nothin special.

Second leg? 4.5 hours. Mostly empty flight, which meant we got to stretch out. But boy, did we "pay" for that luxury. The row behind us had two toddlers, who would scream, then kick the chair in front of them (mine), then scream some more. Ugh.

But, we were rewarded with this view:

And husband kept telling me to watch for Mt Ranier. I was ignoring him, really, cause I've seen mountains before. But then, I saw it. And got really excited, because it was so much bigger than I expected. It stood so high above the other mountain ranges!

Then we ate at Dick's, which was delicious because I was so hungry. It's a burger joint. Then we went to Em's place, and husband's mom and step dad came over. We spent the evening chatting and eating pizza. I'm looking forward to the rest of the week!

My cutie pie

2011-02-17T21:04:00.002-06:00

In lieu of a child, I have a dog. She's a cutie pie. And I have a very short story to tell you about her.

When it's time to go to sleep, she cuddles under the covers between husband and I. And if we scoot together to cuddle, she growls at us and crawls to my other side. But sometimes she gets too warm under the covers, so she slithers her way up and lays between us. Sometimes she puts her head on the pillow, but she always stays covered with our comforter. She's a sweetheart.

Forgive this photo quality. It was pitch black and I had to rely on the flash to catch her.

Remember that time

2011-02-17T08:22:00.000-06:00

when husband and I played scrabble with friends, and they wouldn't let me play "milf" because they're church friends??

Yeah. Good times.

why i love {my mom}

2011-02-16T19:41:00.001-06:00

Remember growing up, wearing an apron, standing on a stool while you helped mom make cookies? Or stirred something delicious on the stove?

Yeah?

What was it like?

I was too busy playing softball and jumping in the mud. Hmmm. BUT my mom accepted that, and let me do my own thing growing up. She also didn't mind fielding my calls growing up as I didn't know how to cook, and finally needed her help! A big joke after I was off to college was my family answering my phone calls by saying "yes, you salt the water" before I said anything.

Ha. Look at me now!

But really, my mom was a huge support to me growing up. She is a strong woman who taught me that five minutes early means you're late.

She taught me how to buy quality, and also the importance of a dollar.

She's well-educated, AND intelligent.

She makes a mean pot of chili and works the grill at home.

She's one of my best friends. I call her now and talk about things that would have mortified me to discuss with my mom a few years ago. I respect her opinion-- when I ask for it ;-)

She buys my dog Christmas presents.

Family is important to her.

why i love {my daddy}

2011-02-15T08:08:00.002-06:00

my dad is awesome. seriously. i grew up as a daddy's girl, AND a mommy's girl. is that possible? daddy was the one who played ball with me. daddy amazed me when he'd sit in front of a drum set and actually be able to play (why didn't i get your musical talents??) (and i think he can sing, too, even if i've never heard it). daddy has a huge extended family, and every man is known by the same name. there are a hundred daniels in our family, and my daddy is one of them.

he can build a house with his bare hands. a whole house.

he is productive.

he is a bit of a neat-freak. in a good way.

he's a man's man. but not in a weird, burly sort of way.

he loves my mom and holds her hand (they've been married for thirty one point five years. that's a long time. i hope i'm blessed enough to be married longer, though).

he is the reason behind my favorite christmas memory ever. seriously. EVER. here's the story:
i woke up christmas morning (thank god!!), and got the usual, i'm sure. probably a barbie. probably some undies. i was five. or four. or six. who knows, and the timing of this exact christmas isn't important. insert some standard gifts for that age range. but after we opened gifts, and after we went through stockings, daddy said he had something to show me in the garage. i followed him out there, and saw it-- a big, perfect dollhouse! remember when i said he could build a house with his bare hands? well, that includes dollhouses. so he made this dollhouse for me (disclaimer: i don't remember if he built it with his hands. i was five. or four. or six.), but since i had been disobedient and stayed up past my bedtime for the last few, oh, weeks, he hadn't had a chance to finish it. since he's an awesome daddy and stays productive long after the kiddos go to bed.
i fully intend on laying in front of the television after my children go to sleep. maybe.
so he still had to finish painting it, but knowing that he had gone through so much work for a gift made it very special to me.

and seriously? that's the only christmas that really sticks out. besides the ones before we got my medicine regulated and the photos show me looking like a starving ethiopian kid. only, you know, white and all.

my daddy rocks.

happy happy valentine's day

2011-02-14T08:04:00.003-06:00

as if you didn't know by the calendar, or the other blogs you follow, today is valentine's day. and i'll neither make you feel guilty for getting flowers by saying i hate this holiday (cause i don't, and i hate when people say that they hate this holiday. that's a lot of hate for a few sentences. since when is it bad to celebrate love? the world would be a better place if you would all quit your anti-valentines whining and just make a stinking heart-filled centerpiece), nor will i remind you that it's our first valentine's together as a married couple, and say that we're supposed to be all lovey-dovey, and tell you about our romantic time...

nope. i won't do either.but i WILL give you one heck of a run-on sentence. ha. ^^

i won't even tell you what i'm doing for husband. we promised no gifts this year. i really hope that means no buying gifts. cause i love gifts. and of course i'm going to give him something. but you'll have to wait and hear about that from his blog. hopefully. if he still remembers how to blog.

and now, i simply leave you with this, and hope you're enjoying your day. happy valentine's day, everyone.

i'm feeling //encouraged//

2011-02-11T10:50:00.000-06:00

it's kind of hard to explain, but i'm feeling encouraged lately. encouraged to make changes. encouraged by progress. and encouraged in so many areas. maybe it's just me, just a change in attitude. maybe it's short-lived, and will soon be overtaken by feelings of guilt for not finishing projects, or failure for not getting an A in my class, or frustration at a bill that surprises us.

but for now, i revel in this feeling.

the feeling that, within a month, husband and i will have freed up about $250 a month to go toward other needs.

the feeling that we are putting money into our savings account each month.

the feeling that productivity brings, that planning brings, that preparation brings.

the feeling that, when one thing lines up just right, so many other items follow suit.

the feeling that i can make a difference.

the feeling that i am loved.

favorite cheap date

2011-02-10T07:20:00.000-06:00

i'm going to let you in on a little secret.
i love target.
a lot.
so much that we have date nights there. no, really. we do. we go window shopping and have fun looking at the awesomeness of target, then we eat dinner there. think movie theater dinner. we go to the snack bar, and husband gets popcorn while i get nachos. and we split a drink.

then we people-watch the parking lot. it's pretty great. in winter it's good because you'll see the random person come in wrapped in a blanket instead of a coat. or someone slipping on ice during our recent storm. in the summer it's fun to watch people wearing clothes that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn't be wearing.

except last time we went, it was during the ice storm here. so some delivery trucks hadn't made it-- including the chip truck, apparently. so i had to buy my own chips off their grocery shelves and bring them to the guy working the concession stand. really? really? it's okay. it was worth it. and he gave me extra jalapenos to make up for it. yum yum.

cheap post number two

2011-02-09T08:16:00.001-06:00

yeah. this makes me happy.

source

enjoy.

you're welcome.

**edit**
it's not about the girl. or the boobs.
it's that no matter how perfect they look, they're photoshopped.
kinda like that "don't compare yourself to magazine models" campaign.

cheap post number one

2011-02-08T11:16:00.003-06:00

remember the many times i've told you i love bad movies?

mean girls is one of my favorites.

source

i so hope you get this.

snow day

2011-02-04T08:19:00.000-06:00

i'm sorry i've really slacked this week in the posting department.
it hasn't gotten above freezing since monday. or was it sunday?
annnnnyways, that's rough for dallas.
and today we woke up to 6" of snow.
so i'm not feeling creative.

BUT
my valentine's story is one of the 10 (out of 221!) on this blog.
go guess which one it is.

but husband? you can't guess. cause you know. obvi.

oh, she's also having killer giveaways this week. which pains me to share the link. because i'm determined to win something, and i can't have all of you entering. so, if you win? you must share with me because i shared the goodness of that blog with you.

enjoy, and try to stay warm.

i'm not gonna say it...

2011-02-02T15:45:00.001-06:00

snowpoca... nope, not gonna say it.
snowmagedd... not that one, either.

ice storm. okay. that one is fine. there was a hekuva storm. we had rain, then sleet, then snow. and in case you're not sure what sleet is, it's a mixture of snow and ice coming out of the sky. ice. coming out of. the sky. when it comes down as ice, it's probably going to stay ice once it hits the ground.

then, remember that i live in dallas. winters aren't this bad. there's not a snow plow for a hundred miles or more. and there's only so much the roads can be treated when the weather starts as rain.

how bad was it?
DFW airport closed for the first time since 9/11.
LOVE field closed for the first time ever due to weather.
people were stuck in their cars for hours because they don't know how to drive icy hills (tip: you don't. you avoid them and take back roads).

i went to work yesterday. i cleaned pig rooms because there were not many people that came in. and i had to go between the campuses, and the shuttles weren't running. so i had to walk outside on solid ice on a bridge. in the 40-mph wind gusts.

even better, this morning we started having rolling blackouts. people were using too much power, and the electric companies couldn't handle the load, so they started shutting off grids for 15-minute intervals. we don't have blackouts in the dead of winter! funny thing, they shut it off right when husband was in the middle of shaving his face. he finished shaving by candlelight.

i stayed home today. a combination of the dangerous roads (they were worse last night than yesterday morning), and pain from a little spill i took on the ice.

and now, i leave you with examples of how bad the roads were. semi trucks were crashing so badly, or getting stuck on the ice, that they shut down whole stretches of highways. and the adjacent frontage roads. so glad we don't have to travel far for work. (photos courtesy myfoxdfw.com)

happy friday

2011-01-28T08:19:00.000-06:00

[before and after] painting the frames

2011-01-26T07:53:00.002-06:00

here's my mix of a how-to/tutorial/before-and-after.

i've been stocking up on frames for some time now. they cost no more than $3, and i find them either on clearance brand new at stores like target, or i get them at the thrift stores.some have mirrors in them, some have photographs in them. i just want the frames. different sizes, different textures. so i can have some fun with one wall in our apartment.

well, last night i finally started to paint them. because i have this vision. you'll see it as it comes to completion. for today? painting them all black. well, not all of them. as many as would fit on the table.

it wasn't bad. i would have much rather used spray paint, especially on these textured frames, but it worked fine by using a beat up small paint brush on them. on the flatter frames, i used a foam brush.

it took a few coats, especially on this gold one.

but it was worth it.

stay tuned to see how this project finishes up.

dinner roulette

2011-01-25T09:06:00.000-06:00

you know what's convenient?

freezing leftovers. or freezer cooking days.

because then you have a freezer full of dinners ready when you are.

you know what else is convenient?

labeling the tops, so you know when and what.

(i used dry erase markers. it cleans right off!)

you know what is NOT convenient?

getting into the labeling habit only in the past month.

which means anything before that....

isn't labeled.

so, husband and i decided to play dinner roulette. and lemme tell you, if it turns out like this every time, i'd love to do this for every dinner! so, looking through the tupperware, any guesses? chili? pasta sauce? soup?

it's taco soup! one of our favorites!

love languages

2011-01-24T12:41:00.001-06:00

have you seen jon acuff's stuff christians like today?

no?

go see it.

then you can participate in today's discussion.

what's your love language? i'm not talking physical touch, acts of service, and all those other ones. i'm talking the jon acuff languages.

here's some of my love languages (hint, hint):

1. unexpected trinkets. a trip to the dollar store for a little frame, or some candy when you pick up our medicines at the pharmacy... these are perfect little things. and you know chocolate is always a win. the key is to make it "unexpected".

2. undivided attention: i really really like to be the center of our conversation. not in an "i'm better than you" way, but in an "i really don't want to repeat myself because you're too busy watching that commercial" way.

3. building puzzles: but i like it best when you let me do the border. it's the easiest and i'm not so great at puzzles, so i feel like i've made an accomplishment when i finish it.

4. doing the dishes: well, this is one i can give and receive. i give it by making you a lovely dinner and getting pretty near every pot in our house filthy, and i receive it when you clean the kitchen spotless.

5. window shopping: it's so fun to dream of the things we can't afford, and probably wouldn't even buy if we had the money to do so. really. or just going to target or home stores to window shop. let me dream about how i'm going to decorate our spare bathroom, when it's really just fine how it is. or how i'd redo the kitchen from scratch if i didn't love it so much as it is right now.

so, your turn. what are your unexpected love languages?

[before and after] foot of the bed {sorta}

2011-01-22T15:57:00.000-06:00

so, this is a halfway post. because i didn't take a picture of the before for this area, but did take a picture of the straightened-up-and-good-enough-but-not-quite-what-i-want area.

here ya go:

and since this was a goal for january, i have sort of completed it. i mean it. you should have seen it before this. there were about four empty-ish boxes from when we moved in, and more salvation army donation stuff... so this is big. it's functional and simple. and i kind of like how the empty boxes are serving as an end table for the alarm clock. well, i like it in an "i feel like i should be in college with this decor" way.

so, because i can't show you the true before and after, i'm showing you what i plan on doing with it.

bench, $89. i can make a cushion if we need one.

bookshelves, only $29 each.

wall art is debatable. i don't know what i want up there.

my birthday [in pictures]

2011-01-21T07:42:00.002-06:00

it was a lovely day. a holiday from work, even. want to know what i did? have no fear. i'm going to tell you.

i started the day with big plans of shopping, treating myself, and having a great day.

it's off to a good start, with a trip to starbucks. i dropped husband off at work, so i was out way before the stores opened. best way to waste time? a sugar-free vanilla americano and a reduced-fat berry coffee cake. oh, and my kindle. good times.

but then, before my relaxing morning can turn into the shopping day, i got a call from husband. he's made me a doctor's appointment for that morning. what?? in dermatology? i don't have any skin problems! but for that one little wart on my knee. so yes, i then went to the doctor's office and had them freeze off my wart. fun (sarcasm).

now, it's finally time to go shopping. so i went to kohl's because i have a gift card. and i must not be in a shopping mood, because i found NOTHING that i wanted to buy. not in clothes, not in shoes, not in housewares, not even in kitchen. wow. so i went to lunch. and yes, i bought a footlong sandwich at subway. have no fear. it's the veggie. with no cheese. and with the sweet onion vinaigrette instead of something fatty like mayonnaise.

then, i'm still itching to spend SOMETHING today. so i went to pottery barn, where i also have a gift card! (i love gift cards)... and found nothing. nothing except for store employees who were so much better than me and refused to look me in the eye. seriously. it was weird. unsettling. and not good for the b-day mojo.

so i went home. folded laundry.

took a nap.

then went to the places i KNEW that i would find something. the places i fit in better than pottery barn, apparently. i went to joann's.

(insert singing angels here) and to a new yarn shop i've had my eye on.

and i bought something at both of them.

then came dinner with husband (chinese food that was devoured so fast the camera couldn't even sneak out of my pocket for a picture in time), and cupcakes for dessert. the cupcake place even supplied us with a candle for our celebrations.

as for gifts, my husband got me the best gift ever. seriously. this one deserves it's own post.

and my brother got me marshmallow guns. these are so fun. although, i will never get my kid one because you know, it's okay for me to leave mini-marshmallows all over the house-- but if my child does, they go directly to the time-out chair. for reals.

an award! [a little late...]

2011-01-20T07:47:00.002-06:00

i won!

but i'm lazy.

which actually means i'm busy, if you've been keeping up with my tweets. and my blog posts. and my life. crazy busy. but i'm glad to take the few minutes to get this taken care of.

i got this award from the tame one, and i'm so happy! it's always nice to know someone keeps up with your blog. even better to know they think you're sweet enough for an award.

to accept it, i have to tell you five guilty pleasures.

to be honest, i'm only accepting this award because i love to share my guilty pleasures.

really.

guilty pleasure #1

horrible movies. serious. since it's my birthday "weekend", which means i get to pick the movie, we just picked up "megashark vs crocosaurus". giant monsters fighting it out. oh, and steve urkel is in it. win. but really, any crappy movie. something starring a has-been disney star? i'm all over it. anything that went straight-to-video? bring it on.

guilty pleasure #2

reading my kindle. all the time. i'd do it in place of homework, if that didn't mean possibly failing school.

guilty pleasure #3

totino's pizza. i'd rather that dollar pizza over a digiorno any day.

guilty pleasure #4

anything steeler-related. actually, anything related to pittsburgh in general. whether it's the skin for my kindle, or some socks, or wearing my jersey on game day. i'm all over it. my family sends me something steeler every christmas. this year? a smiley face cookie magnet. i love them.

guilty pleasure #5

rainy days, cup of hot tea on the table, wrapped in a blanket. with nothing to do.

life is good.

another thing i have to do to accept this award? bequeath it to three others.

thing is, all the blogs i'd pick are already chosen by others.

i guess it's a small [blog] world.

and, after all the nice things that tame had to say about me, you'd think i could have something nice to say about others. but really, i'm typing this while nursing the ends of a migraine, so i'm going to call it early on this one. hope you all have a phenomenal day!

i made a button

2011-01-19T07:47:00.000-06:00

check out my sidebar.

grab the button.

put it on your site.

thanks, dude.

good for the soul

2011-01-18T08:04:00.020-06:00

you know, i have some pretty good friends.

i have my darling leann, who is my best friend from a distance. we text, we call, we twitter, we email. but it's not enough. i don't get to see her very often, which means i don't get to see her beautiful baby growing up. the good news is she lives only a 5 hour drive away, so it's not impossible to see each other.

i also have a new friend, sandra. i actually met her at work, and she is so lovely. she's one of those people you can just sit for hours in a coffee shop with, and talk about life and love and god. she's kind and observant. i appreciate having her in my life because she notices things about me (good things!) that i don't even notice myself.

can i send a shout-out to all of my online friends now? really. it's funny, but i've made some pretty great "friends" through twitter.

it's great to surround yourself with people who make you happy, and who bring out the best in you.

happy _____ day!

2011-01-17T08:02:00.002-06:00

did you know today is national yellow pig day?
it's a mathematician's holiday celebrating yellow pigs and the number 17.

yeah, i don't get it, either.

it's also national ditch new year's resolutions day.
so, what resolutions have you given up on already?

of course, can't forget MLK day.
he was born on the 15th, but it's celebrated on the 3rd monday of january.
that's today!

it's also my birthday.

happy day, everyone!!

the attack of the killer grapefruit

2011-01-14T08:02:00.006-06:00

i tried a grapefruit for the first time.

ignore the funny color of the photos.

it's my webcam.

so, to eat a grapefruit:

cut it in half.

sprinkle with sugar. just a teaspoon.

put it in a bowl.

hesitantly taste it.

and, reaction? it's not so bad!

next time, i'll use white sugar though.

the natural sugar crystals were a little big.

i'll have another one tomorrow!

i'd like to find a less-messy way of eating it though.

before and after, the sewing table

2011-01-13T08:02:00.002-06:00

how on earth am i supposed to do ANY projects when my sewing table looks like this??!!

i'm not. so, in order to restore creative balance to my life, it was imperative that i clean up. that top box? halloween decorations that needed put up. the yarn has a temporary place until i get even more organized. and everything else? well, i wasn't quite sure. so, i winged it.

and look! a functional sewing desk, and an apron begging to be made. hidden in the drawer? the quilt that i started last year and REALLY need to finish. at least now i have the room to do it!

my first time at panera bread

2011-01-12T08:03:00.002-06:00

we were on our way home from bible study, and since it's cold, and had been spitting snow all day, it was the perfect day for soup. wait! not just soup. soup in a bread bowl. yummy. but i don't feel like making a big pot of soup, and i know we don't have ingredients for any of the kinds that i'd have picked to make. plus, there's the issue of the bread bowl!

so, on the way home, we passed panera bread. i asked husband if he thought they'd have soup, and he said "yes!"-- so we turned around to go there. i ordered the tomato basil bread bowl. husband ordered the broccoli and cheese bread bowl. so satisfied.

then, they told us they were out of bread bowls. but they'd give us big bowls of soup and lots of extra bread.

of course we'll take that!

it was delicious.