Monday Night Guilty Pleasure

Monday nights are an ABC guilty pleasure night for me.  No matter what season it is, I'm likely to be watching or recording the primetime show on Mondays.  I have no shame about it -- it's one of the ways I shut down my brain.

So during this season, if you were to show up at my door & make yourself at home with me, you're going to find me wrapped up in my fleece blankie, favorite sweatshirt on, & DANCING WITH THE STARS on the television. And it just so happens to be "guilty pleasure" week - which means all those cheesy songs we all love to hate & hate to love (think Titanic, Brittany Spears & the like).

That's right, I said I had no shame about it!

But I am excited for hubby to come home -- he's been gone a couple days & I miss the fella.

<3

Family

Happy Easter all!  All in all this Easter was good -- minus Isaac being in Bend with his golf team.  But in all honesty, the highlight was spending the afternoon with my extended family.  Growing up I always felt a little lost in my family.  When everyone gets together, family, spouses, & kids there's easily 60 of us.  A fact that still blows some of my friends away.  There were many Thanksgivings & Christmases spent eating in a garage because that was the only space big enough for all of us.
This year it was one set of my cousins (the Hilligoss' & their kids/spouses), my fave cousin Tasha & her family, my parents, my aunty, the Hilligoss' aunt & uncle & cousin.  Definitely didn't have everyone in attendance, but it still felt like the crazy family get togethers of yesterday.  The only thing missing was our Grandma Jewel.  No one really talked about it - but at the point of hiding eggs for the little kids I felt a small pang missing her & her laugh.  She would have been cracking up at my little cousin Cooper.  
As I get older I appreciate my large family & all it's craziness more & more.  I appreciate all the dynamics that everyone brings to the mix.  I appreciate the way Cindy wants to plan all our big family get togethers, I appreciate the go with the flow naivety of my cousin Tasha & how she sees the best in everyone, I appreciate the awkward intelligence of my cousin Tyler, I appreciate the no bull personality of my cousin Kelly, I appreciate the gentleness & family focus of my cousin Kayla, I appreciate the way my cousin's husband Chad just fits w/ our crazy neurotic clan, I appreciate the spunky personality of Colby's wife Heather, I appreciate the way Colby always seems to make people chuckle, I appreciate the gentleness of my cousin Kyle, and I especially appreciate & love the way all of us want to maintain the big family experience for the next generation.  Maybe that's the biggest realization that came out of today -- it's us now, we are the ones that have to make the plans, keep us getting together, keep the few family traditions alive. Whew that's crazy - it's always been my parents, my aunties & uncles, Grandma & Grandpa Pat & Grandpa Butch.  But I suppose that's the natural course of life...


Crazy how changes seem to sneak up on us...
<3

Book Challenge 2011!

I've decided I need some more quiet in my life -- and what better way to spend that quiet than by reading!  I used to be an avid, borderline voracious, reader.  Anything I put my hands on I completed in like 5 days.  Since being married, things have slowed down sadly.  

So while catching up on Mandee's blog (The Bear Naked Truth) - I noticed a little widget on the side bar  for a reading challenge.  And I thought PERFECT! I am jumping on the bandwagon & diving right in - I am hoping to read at least 35 new books this year, and hopefully more if I can!

Here's where you come in! I need some suggestions! I have one book I'm currently reading now (Love The One You're With by Emily Griffin) and have a couple more books lined up for afterwards.  But that still leaves me about 31 spots to fill of new books! Bring me your thoughts & suggestions! Bring them all!  I want to add the widget they have available to my sidebar - but I'm not THAT technically savvy when it comes to that stuff. Can anyone offer some help on that??  Hopefully it all works like it's supposed to! 

Thanks friends! 

<3

Thankful for excitement & my upcoming trip to Denver!

 

Wee Bit Wednesday

{one} how often do you do laundry?

currently once a week, but i think that's going to get bumped up.

isaac has huge clothes so i'd rather do multiple small loads than 2 HUGE loads.

{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?

chocolate chip...without a doubt

{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?

hire a yard guy, cleaning lady & update the wardrobe

{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school? 

i really loved history - and almost became a high school history teacher

{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?

no i haven't - but wouldn't mind it!

{six} what was your high school mascot?

we were the Celtics - i still know the fight song & dance

{seven} if you had the chance to go in to space, would you?

probably - i mean how many people EVER have that kind of chance?!

{eight} how often do you go dancing?

not very often - but went a couple weeks ago w/ friends

{nine} would you rather drive or fly?

fly -- i want to get where i'm going so i can enjoy it the longest time possible

{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?

don't think so, but i definitely have re-gifted! muahahaha

Sorry for the lack of interesting posts as of late friends - I've been trying to focus my energy on getting my rear end to the gym & making better food choices, but alas the food is still my hang up.  

All in all, what usually ends up happening is I go to the gym for Group Power/running or go running & then get home and am exhausted. That's right, exhausted. As in no energy for anything.  So as a result, our laundry has yet to be folded, we have yet to go grocery shopping (yes I've mentioned probably about4 or 5 times here & on my twitter that we were going...it's yet to be accomplished), and there are still dishes in my sink.  I'm looking forward to the day when I'm energized from all this working out to get the house spic & span, have the office finally organized (i.e. go thru isaac's old paperwork & organize), the middle room finished with Isaac's recording things put together & our entire bedroom/bathroom cleaned top to bottom .  Yes that will be the day!

Maybe I'll start registering my food choices here as a for of accountability...hmm...or not. That's a whole heck of a lot of transperancy with the blogging world I'm not quite sure I'm ready for.  I think I'll just stick with my WW log.

Love to you friends!

<3

Workouts & Quiet Nights

Well my friends I know I have been MIA the last few days - life & work has just been so crazy that I've barely had time to even think or do anything other than work & crash.  So my apologies! I have been keeping up on your blogs though! :)


But I will say that I have been sticking to my workout schedule - which is making me pretty proud of myself.  And tonight I added a quick 30 min run after my weight lifting class.  First time I've done that, but dang I felt good afterwards.  So I may just keep that in the mix of things after class on M/W/F.  
And I'm so appreciating the quiet nights Isaac & I have been having as of late. It's so relaxing and comforting know that we can sit together and just chill out.


8 days til we get out of town & I can't even express how much I am looking forward to getting out of town.  I'm always a little nervous getting together with Ike's family, but I'm sure it'll all work out fine.  It'll be fun to see Ike's brother get married and be all together - but send me your good thoughts next weekend! :)
<3

Sleep Deprivation

Let me start off by acknowledging that I in no way really know or have experienced sleep deprivation (i.e. moms to newborns, military, nurses/doctors, etc).  

That being said, the last three nights of sleep that I have gotten have been terrible. Just terrible.  And the primary culprit to said terrible sleep....my lovely husband's lack of use of his CPAP machine.  I am not exaggerating when I say that he has the LOUDEST snore in the world & it is consistent...no breaks, which would give me a chance to fall back asleep. And this morning I felt like I was gonna go off the deep end!
Well about a year ago some things popped up that gave us kind of a scare, so ultimately he ended up going through a sleep study & getting a CPAP.  This isn't the CPAP of your father or grandfather's day.  This baby is small & quiet (I reckon it sounds like a wave machine).  And it changed the way we live & sleep!  I compared it to a miracle in our marriage after the first couple nights.  Have someone in your life who snores like a bear or can fall asleep literally anywhere at any given time?  They may want to check out the CPAP/sleep study; it'll change your lives!

So here's the dilemma...when Isaac doesn't sleep with the CPAP on he snores & snores & snores...and I can't sleep, thus becoming a major B-face.  I am not exactly the easiest/nicest person when I'm really tired and am trying to sleep with no avail.  It got bad this morning, but lucky me I married one of the most patient & understanding men out there.  Despite my outburst of pure exhaustion, Isaac didn't get upset with me at all...let me go back to sleep while he got up & started getting ready and simply hugged & kissed me when he left.  Oy...talk about guilty conscience! 

How do you handle interruptions to your sleeping patterns?!
<3

Thankful for a quiet office this afternoon....I need a slight break from people

Wee Bit Wednesday!

As always thanks to Leigh Ashley for her Wee Bit Wednesday series!

{one} have you ever fainted?

no - but I have been feeling pretty dizzy lately...

{two} what is your favorite casino game?

slots...i'm a slots girl. although Isaac makes the big bucks when he plays blackjack!

{three} do you have a good sense of direction?

i think so - i don't get worked up about "getting lost"

and i've made my way around Hawaii by myself, so I feel pretty confident!

{four} laptop of desktop?

i really like both of my computers

{five} what is your go-to hairstyle when you're having a bad hair day?

low pony tail...rockin' it today

{six} do you read the newspaper on a daily basis?

i glance at it daily when I get to the office

{seven} do you have a favorite celebrity chef?

tom colicchio(sp?), anthony bourdain, and I know he's not a chef - but Adam from Man Vs. Food

{eight} what tv show would you like to make a guest appearance on?

hmm...Grey's Anatomy for sitcoms, but would also LOVE to be on Big Brother one day, i love that show! it's my summer addiction

{nine} do you have satellite radio in your car?

nope

{ten} what was the last movie that made you cry?

i watched "Possession" - a lesser known Gwyneth Paltrow movie.

it's about two literature profs who investigate a possible love affair between two Victorian author/poets & inevitably end up falling in love too. i love how it bounces between the two love stores - the Victorian era & the modern day.  i'm inspired now to order the book off amazon & get to reading on my flight to Denver in a couple weeks! we shall see

<3

Thankful for friends, birthday dinners, & cute little babies I got to hold last night 

Not A Good Adult

Confession time....as of late I have been sucking as an adult.  Laundry? Forget about it.  Dishes? What are those?  Grocery Shopping?  Come again??


Bless my dear husband's heart...he's always so patient with me when I seem to go thru these phases. 


In other news I've been doing pretty well at getting my rear end to the gym...so I suppose that is adult of me.  But oh well.


Back to my couch laziness for the night :)
<3

I'm thankful for Easter candy...particularly Cadbury mini eggs...my FAVORITE!

Fill In the Blank Friday!

Fridays = Fill In the Blanks!

Thank you Lauren at the little things we do... for providing the blanks! 
Fill in your own blanks & link up!

 

1. Something that makes me a great friend is, I get really invested in my friends. I love to share my life with them & they with me. I try to be a good listener, & share wisdom/advice if they want it, I tend to be the logical/level headed friend. Plus I think I can be pretty funny/rambunctious sometimes, and that typically makes my friends laugh :)

2. I am... someone who loves lazy Sunday wrapped up in a comfy blanket, someone who loves traveling but also loves coming home, a supporter of my husband in all he does (he pretty much rocks), a football "widow" in the fall but I love watching my husband do what he loves.

3. I am not someone who likes fake-ness, arrogance, or self-importance. I am not a great cook, or very artistic...but I do love food & appreciating great art.

4.  If I had to describe myself in 3 words, they would be reliable, confident, dedicated

5. Something I'm really cheap about is yeesh...I don't know...I tend to think I'm pretty middle of the road on some things.  I understand that at some point you get what you pay for, so I try not to be uber cheap most of the time.

6. Something I'm willing to splurge on is a great pair of jeans or good shoes - these items tend to last me the longest. Ex: I bought a pair of 7 jeans my freshman year of college, and they lasted me all the way up to this past fall.  They were perfect.

7. I would trade some of Isaac's paintings for someone to come clean/organize my entire house (my house is has terrible storage options)  in a heart beat!

Woke up to sunshine, wore my sunglasses on my drive, & am currently listening to The Beatles on Pandora right now....so far this day rocks.  And this afternoon I'll be hitting up my Group Power class & grocery shopping...oh the joys of adult-hood.

PS -- here's some wisdom from one of my financial gurus:

"A child does what feels good; an adult makes a plan, and then follows it."

~ Dave Ramsey

And I get to see him LIVE TOMORROW! Yah buddy! I even get to possibly meet the man, super excited about it! Does this make me a super nerd??

Happy Friday friends!

<3

Thankful for great music to coordinate with this great weather!

 

A Gentle Tug

I have tried to write a post 2 different times now...so hopefully this one can make the cut! Sometimes I frustrate myself -- I start writing about something, something that is going on in my life or that I'm thinking, but for some reason I give up on it.  Most of the time for silly reasons, and some of the time because I'm afraid it isn't impactful enough.  And yes, I know how silly that sounds....

That aside - I've really been thinking lately that I need to & should make a better effort to reach out & connect with Isaac's family.  It's definitely been an experience for me coming in to a new family.  More challenging than I ever thought it would be.  But then again, I probably had an overly idealistic picture of how everything would be right from the get go.  There are so many layers to weed thru when you're marrying in to a new family; family traditions, the language that family speaks (verbally & non-verbally), the expectations, etc.  And to be 100% honest, there feels to me to be added pressures when you combine the "normal" getting to know you factors with 2 very different culture pieces too.  But whatever fear I have shouldn't stop me, that shouldn't intimidate me, that fear shouldn't impact me reaching out & being available.  I married Isaac...and in a way, I married his family too.  They are now my family - they are an extension of the family Isaac & I are creating.  

It seems that every time I try to dig in my heels over something silly around our families God tugs at my heart with a portion of the vows I shared with Isaac...

"Where you go, I will go.

Your people will be my people.

And your God, my God."

 Ok God...I'm listening, finally. Help me to be more understanding, patient, kind, thoughtful & available to Isaac's family.  They played a large part in helping to create the man that I love & treasure.  Help me to treasure them as deeply, while creating/maintaining a healthy balance of expectations & respect.

How did you adapt to your new in-laws & family?

 <3

I'm thankful for the incredible amount of patience Isaac has for me.

I'm not the easiest to deal with all the time - but he is a champ!

Wee Bit Wednesday

Ahh, it's Wednesday again....which means it's time to link up with

Leigh Ashley  for her Wee Bit Wednesday series!

So click on the photo, fill in your answers & link up!

 

{one} what is one food that, as an adult you love, but as a child you said you'd never touch?

definitely asparagus. i could eat it every day now.

{two} did you go to college? if yes, what was your major?

I started off as a history major - then changed to sociology

{three} what's the most wild animal you've seen in real life (not counting the zoo)?

hmm...a dolphin? not super scary at all...

{four} have you ever been to a fortune teller?

nope - don't believe in them...there's only one person in the world who knows my future

{five} can you juggle?

not if my life depended on it!

{six} hardwood floors or carpet?

if i had to choose...hardwood, hands down

{seven} is it called "soda" or "pop"?

POP! 

{eight} what was your first car?

1998 Ford Escort Coupe ZX2 - black little 2 door bat mobile. Lovingly referred to as Shaniqua in my family. She was a good little car

{nine} what is the most decadent dessert you've ever eaten?

there's a triple chocolate cake at the Konditorei in Salem that I just looooooove

{ten} how often do you rearrange your furniture?

honestly, not that often....at all

<3

I'm thankful for a friend who I can be completely honest with.

God has been good to me in the friend department 

Music Love

I had my niece MacKenzie over last night for a little bit.  She likes to come over every other Monday just to hang out.  She's in 7th grade, so any time out of her house is probably the closest thing to heaven or freedom.  So I like to give her the outlet...to come over, try cooking (don't laugh too hard at the notion of me "teaching" her how to cook....i can still hear you!), to visit & talk about life.  And last night the conversation ranged from her grades, to friends, to her tearing up about missing out on doing track this year because she knows she's missed out on other things in the past due to her shyness - but she doesn't want to impose or make things difficult at home.  
She's probably one of the most self aware 12year olds out there and I'm pretty dang proud of the girl.
However...this kid has no knowledge what so ever when it comes to music!  I nearly fell out of my chair when she said she had never heard of Frank Sinatra! *GASP!* Pardon?! Never heard of Ol' Blue Eyes?!  I don't even want to think what my response will be if she's never heard The Beatles.... *side note, saw the Classical Mystery Tour   when they played with the Oregon Symphony in Salem....let's just say it was AMAZING! Beatles tunes directly played/supported with a symphony orchestra....perfection.  Found a NEW favorite Beatles song...Goodnight. Pretty much perfect.  Ok, I've sidetracked....
And thus I have decided that Isaac & I must introduce her to some of our favorite bands, singers, etc.  All types of music, genres, artists, etc.  I promptly took her to our *almost finished* office and started rummaging through our CDs & iTunes pulling up every song I could think of to expose her to something new.

So here's where I need your help!  What bands or artists are you just loving right now that you think she should know about? New, old, classic....give me anything for the girl!

<3

Today I am thankful for the way Isaac & I love music, & 

that we are excited to share that love with our children!

Back to Thankfulness

Alright - I've decided that it's time to get back to a spirit of thankfulness.  In the spirit of my "Days of Gratitude" posts, I'm gonna start a new series that falls in a similar category.


Each post will include something that I'm thankful for - whether it's about my husband, my family, friends, time to work out, the weather, clean sheets....whatever!  Being thankful means to be aware.  And so I am determined to be more aware of the small things that are happening in my daily life.


So here's to kicking off the new series!

I'm thankful for a Renaissance man for a husband, who has built me new bookcases for our office, painted me beautiful pieces that hang in our home, cooks delicious meals, cleans bathrooms when necessary, keeps our garden looking great, & wakes me kisses each morning!

<3