Sunday, February 28, 2010

last chance

Every week on Biggest Loser they have a "last chance workout." It's exactly what it sounds like-- the last workout before the official weigh-in. I believe the workout is something like 3 or 4 hours long...and this is in addition to the 6 or so hours a day they already work out on the show. So basically their workout routines are pretty much the same as mine. Right. Anyway, during the last chance workout, while the poor contestants are absolutely POURING sweat and being beat into the ground by Jillian and Bob, you frequently hear either the trainers or the contestants shouting (or whispering, as they are able) "last [grunt] chance [huff] WORKOUT [pass out]!!"...it's like their mantra. It keeps them motivated.

Sometimes when I'm at the gym (we joined a gym, have I mentioned that?) I say it too. Even though it's not my last chance at anything. I find it still works to keep you inspired. Then I pretend I'm going to climb onto a giant scale in front of all of America. That keeps you motivated, too.

Anyway. It's February 28. My LAST CHANCE to blog in February! I'm so unmotivated that I almost didn't...but then I realized my little number in the archives would forever say "5" and that that would be the smallest number in over a year, and I just couldn't handle it. I had to say something. Pull my numbers up to a more respectable 6. So here goes for the last chance blog.

I think I've hit my Sunday afternoon slump. It happens frequently. It's that point in the weekend when you don't really have anything else to look forward to (except Amazing Race) and the reality that Monday morning is fast approaching is just all too real. Boo for the Sunday afternoon slump.

Sunday morning was great. I left the service a little early to go help get stuff ready for our monthly post-church lunch (aptly named Lunch at Last). Right as people started coming over and eating and I'd gotten my food and put it down, Matt came over and informed me that someone was praying for all the couples who were having trouble getting pregnant...did I want to go get prayed for?

Does a zebra have stripes?

So we went back over to church and it was just a really encouraging time. A lady in our church had just really felt the Lord speaking to her that she was supposed to pray for all of us (there were 5 couples) and after she prayed for me she shared with me that it was actually me she'd seen in a vision as she'd been praying a few weeks ago. She had just felt so strongly that God was wanting to move and to give us a baby. She told me everything she'd been sensing and it was so encouraging. It was especially so since this isn't a woman I really know particularly well. I mean, I know who she is and all, but have really never had a conversation or anything...so that made it seem even more special. Then this other lady (again...don't know her terribly well...but she's walked this path before; it took her 18 months to get pregnant with her child) also shared some words the Lord had given her about me. Anyway. This kind of thing never happens to me, so it was really exciting. Encouraging. And, you know...then there was food. So really what more could you want on a Sunday?

Should I plan a vacation? That's an issue weighing on my mind lately (oh the plight of the middle class...I know, I know). I am someone who really needs something to look forward to in life. It doesn't take much...but I like to look ahead and have things to get excited about. This whole taking-an-eternity-to-get-pregnant thing has thrown me for a loop. I keep thinking I'll be pregnant soon...and obviously then I'll have my thing to be looking forward to! Then every month (when it becomes apparent that that's not happening) it's like...nah, maybe I should plan something that I actually have control over. But then I think...well what if I plan a vacation for the summer, but then I'm actually pregnant then? Will I want to be spending my money on a vacation if there's a baby on the way? Depending on when the trip is and when I get pregnant...will I even FEEL like going on vacation? I could either be really sick if it's early in the pregnancy...or I could be like, giant...and not wanting to go anywhere near a hot beach? How far into a pregnancy will they even let you fly? They won't let you cruise if you're past like 20 weeks or something. I mean...you see how complicated this is? Ha. I'm sure I'm overthinking everything. But these are the thoughts that plague me.

I am so ready for spring. ONE thing that I am VERY much looking forward to is my garden!! We are going to build a raised garden soon (the next weekend that isn't freezing cold...) and I can't wait! Best part: we actually BUDGETED for it so we have the money to buy the stuff and the plants-- wahoo!! I have great visions of yummy fresh organic produce all summer long... we've also planted six blueberry bushes already. I know that these aren't going to be producing anything for a few years, but I'm still excited about them (and praying they live). And I planted some bulbs a few weekends ago. I just love making my yard beautiful. It's one of my very favorite things.

Well I'm off to watch some hockey. Sad that the Olympics are ending...but since there are about 4000 hours of them still unwatched on our DVR...I guess I'll be able to keep pretending they're going on for quite some time!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

please excuse my absence

I apologize for my perpetual blog absence of late. In case you're unaware, the Olympics are taking place. It is my American duty to watch every single moment of them. And God BLESS the inventor of the DVR. Without it I would be unable to fulfill my American Duty...and I would also be subject to approximately 239,567 previews for Parenthood (coming in March, after the Olympics, only on NBC!!!!!). I mean....SERIOUSLY. Enough is enough!! My initial excitement about seeing Laurelei has long since given way to an inner groan every time I hear that trailer starting again. I would have to seriously reconsider my Olympics-watching if I weren't able to fast forward through them every time. But anyway, I digress.

Let's sum up:
LOVE- Olympics
FAIL- overload of Parenthood previews

I feel like I can really relate to all the Olympians out there, what with our recent blizzard and all. Me and winter sports? We're tight. Except my main sport was snowman-building.

Which I excel at. Obviously.


Anyway, now that we've had our annual (ok, annual if you only count the past 2 years) snow, I'm ready for spring. I have three plants I need to get in the ground this weekend and it's looking like the weather will be conducive to that, so YAY!

Well I really need to get back to [last night's] Olympics, but before I go I wanted to share the following conversation with you.

This happened at school this morning over breakfast. My conversation partner was M, a very adorable, very intelligent, very well-spoken just-turned-5-year-old girl.

M: "So, Mrs. B...do you have any children of your own at home?"

me: "No...sadly, I do not."

M: "Well...when are you thinking about having one?"

me: "Well, hopefully very soon!"

M: "Well...I think you would be a great mom. I think you should have a baby very soon!! And when you do, I really hope you will bring her to school for show and tell..."

me: [melting...]

M: "...and I think that I will bring my hamster!"

Friday, February 12, 2010

this day makes me laugh

I mean, you gotta love today. You just do. First of all? IT'S SNOWING. Our school district showed great wisdom and prudence by cancelling school 2 hours early which meant I got to come home early! At that point in time it had only been snowing for half an hour so nothing had stuck yet. I quickly walked Lola and promised her we'd go play later, once there was actually something to play in.

She waited for this time to come with baited breath. She watched and she waited. She kept tabs on things.


Then she decided she'd rather wait in a more comfortable place. While watching Dr. Oz.

PS. In the photo above you will notice two blankets. The one on the left of the pic is "her" blanket. She is only allowed on furniture if she's on HER blanket. You will notice that her ear is resting on exactly one molecule of HER blanket, while the rest of her sits on MY blanket. She has a more liberal interpretation of the rules, I guess...and she's just too cute to yell at and correct. :)

Since Lola's slacking, I've been keeping tabs on the snowfall. It's doing great!! I ran outside a minute ago to see the progress.



Looking good! Here (below) you can see where I ran out, turned around, shot the above pic, and ran back in. Ha. I'm not one to linger and mess up all that beautiful snow on the driveway...


Unfortunately, banks are not as awesome as schools. Therefore Mattie is still stuck at work til 6, leaving me with no one to play in the snow with. In the meantime, I've had extra time for looking at blogs, which never really saddens me. I came across the following picture on another blog and I knew IMMEDIATELY that this is something I must own. I mean, we may indeed own two Snuggies already, but CLEARLY we NEED this one!!



If you've ever had the privilege of hanging out with Matt and I in person, you can attest to the fact that a Couple Snuggie was probably designed with us in mind. We like to sit close. :)


So I emailed Matt the picture immediately (in between texting him photos of the snow so he'd know what he's missing out on) with the subject line "BUY THIS FOR ME".
His response?


"I do not know about getting couples snuggy. I think it looks like a 4 armed monster and I just dont feel sexy in something like that."


That's a direct, copy-and-paste quote, folks. I couldn't possibly just make up something like that on my own.


Today rocks. That is all.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

awarded

My Wednesday suddenly got a lot more exciting when I discovered that I WON.

I really love winning.

E over at E, Myself, and I gave me my very first BLOG AWARD!! I'm pretty sure this means I can quit my job and be a full-time stay-at-home-blogger now, right?


No?


Well, okay. Maybe after my next award. [Incidentally, I am staying home today anyway. But not because I quit my job. Because I'm sick. But this does give me the opportunity to blog. But I doubt I'll make any money. From blogging, not from work. I'll make money from there cause it's a paid sick day...pretty much the best thing EVER about having a job. OK this is the end of this parenthetical statement.]


So...with this great Blog Honor comes some Great Responsibility. Here are the requirements:

1. Thank & link to the person who gave you the award
2. Pass this award on to 15 bloggers you've recently discovered & think are fantastic.
3. Contact said blogs and let them know they've won
4. State 7 things about yourself.



So here we go:

1. Thanks, E!! I've very much enjoyed stalking you over the last few weeks as well and feel so honored to be given an award! It's enough to make a girl wanna keep on bloggin.


2. This one is tough. "Recently discovered" is the hard part. I think I will just take that with a grain of salt and recommend to you 15 blogs I enjoy and that I think you'd enjoy too. And because I'm (mostly) just picking from the most frequently updated blogs on my Blog List (right hand side of my page), I figured I'd give you a quick blurb about why you might want to check 'em out...


Blogs I Love (that are frequently updated)

E, Myself, and I-- a Roanoke, VA teacher (although lately not so much, since they're perpetually snowed in) who got married the exact same day I did!

Timshel-- my IRL (in real life) friend Alyssa, an Atlanta-area grad student who will impress you with her wit and her insight...often in the same sentence. She just started blogging in December but she's done a remarkable job of keeping up with it!

All Boxed Up-- my IRL friends Brooke and Patrick, both Georgia natives (and teachers) who have recently been transplanted to the Snowiest Place on Earth, Iowa. I laugh and cringe as they try to adjust to life in the Arctic.

The Gurleys-- my IRL friend Mollyanne who has a beautiful four-month old baby boy and also knows more about football than any person I've ever known. I always want her on MY team in a board game situation (which occur frequently).

The Simple Bees-- Stephanie was a friend from high school whom I recently became re-acquainted with via facebook and blogs. She lives in Virginia and raises her three beautiful kids (and is growing another in utero). I love her thoughtful honesty on child-raising, homeschooling, and her passion for the orphan.

Lovely-- my IRL friend/sister Kristina, a photographer residing in Charlotte, NC. She's pregnant with her first baby (a girl) and writes about life, pregnancy, faith, and crafty-things-you-can-make...with a liberal sprinkle of pretty pictures.

I'm Trying-- my IRL friend Amanda (from SOUTH Georgia), who gave birth to a stunningly beautiful baby girl about 2 weeks ago. When she's awake and coherent, Amanda offers an uncensored insight into pretty much anything...aka you frequently find yourself thinking I cannot believe she just said that!

Big Jen the Punisher-- I was acquainted with Jen in college, but over the past few years have gotten to know her much better via blogging. She and her husband live in Alabama and are expecting their first child in May. Big Jen keeps things lively by writing about books, stuff in her life, celebrity fashion mishaps, and (my personal fave) Thoughts From a Banker.

Ellipses-- another high school acquaintance-turned-blogging-friend, Hollie is a L&D nurse in Corpus Christi, TX. She inspires me with her fabulous decorating skills, her commitment to trying Pioneer Woman recipes, and some truly touching stories of doggie diarrhea.

Life is Golden-- Christopher & Katy are IRL friends who reside in Greenville, SC. Although the blog-frequency has suffered since Katy became gainfully employeed as a counselor, I always look forward to their updates on life, their dog-child Eva, and crafty pursuits like Netflix origami.


Blogs I Love (that need some encouraging to update more frequently!)

Where the Heart Is-- Liz is an IRL friend (Greenville, SC) who has a beautiful 7-month old daughter who evidently keeps her SO BUSY she never has time to blog? What's up with that?

To Be Decided-- If the blog title tells you anything, it's that Jolene pretends to be unsure about whether or not she's into the whole blogging thing-- although secretly she loves it. She lives in Harlingen, TX with her husband and their heart-stealing 9 month old daughter. Jolene spends her days speaking Spanish and working in the mental health field.

Catherine Corry-- Catherine is one of my dearest IRL friends (Athens, GA) and she might be one of yours, too, if she'd blog a little more frequently! One of the most detail-oriented people I've ever known, she's your go-to girl for all things child-, cleaning-, and craft-related.

Famous Blogs I Love (they don't need my endorsement to rock)

Kelly's Korner--this 30something mother to a Miracle Baby, Harper, inspires me daily with her passion and her life. She's also singlehandedly introduced me to the world of Giant Baby Hairbows/Headbands and Tons of Monogrammed Stuff.

Steece's Pieces-- a girl only a few years older than me raising quadruplet two-year-olds?? Yes, please. For a real treat, go back through her archives to read all about her pregnancy. With FOUR BABIES.

Wow, number 2 took awhile. And I meant this "Blog Award" Number Two. Not any other number 2 you may be thinking of, freaks.

3. Well...we'll see about that. Alerting 15 people seems like a lot of work, something I'm not apt to do on a day off. Hopefully they'll all come to MY blog and discover their winnings on their own!

4. Facts about me: GO!

1. Matt and I didn't have TV the first 2 years we were married. I mean, we had a physical TV, but no cable/satellite/access to SHOWS. I think this was really good for us.

2. However, now that we have DirecTV, I think we're addicted. To everything. To staring at a glowing rectangle. It's sad, really.

3. My dream job (for now) would be to be a personal financial planner, I think. I love nothing more than working on our budget, making (and reaching) goals, finding ways to get a deal. Actually the only thing I love more is helping OTHER people do this same thing. Which is why I think that would be a great job. But in a low-level kind of way...I don't know anything about investments, retirement plans, etc. I'm just talking about your day-to-day spending/saving, and how NOT to live paycheck to paycheck.

4. I cut Matt's hair and my own bangs. This started (and succeeded) as a money-saving scheme, but I actually really enjoy it!

5. I have extremely dry, cracked lips pretty much at all times. "Chapped" is such an understatement that I wouldn't use that word to describe it. My lips bleed daily just about year-round. I've tried everything I've ever heard of and then some (and seen a doctor about it) and nothing has provided long-term relief. Any other ideas?

6. Every day I have to fight the urge to get another dog. I think I'll be one of those people who starts collecting pets (in lieu of the children I really want). But I'm trying to fight it.

7. This is the SECOND time I've written this blog. It took so long the first time that Blogger timed me out (and hadn't auto-saved it in like 30 minutes). I almost cried I was so frustrated. Needless to say, this time around I've hit "save now" every 2 minutes. If this seems to lack in passion and wit...well, it was better the first time around. This is your sloppy seconds.


AND we're done! To all of the new Blog Award winners, congrats! I hope you have hours and hours of uninterrupted time in which to accept your award. May I recommend a nasty cold? It can provide you with the time you need (unless you are simultaneously caring for a small baby. In that case, I can't help you).

Go check out the bloggers I mentioned and show them some love! Remember: TRUE stalkers leave comments.

That may not be true, but I wish it were. Everyone loves a comment!

Monday, February 8, 2010

stream of consciousness

It's not that I'm that busy, yet it's not like there's nothing going on. It's just nothing seems important enough to sit down and write about. I have plenty of time to read other blogs. I just don't feel like writing in my own. And yet I feel sad when I have no new comments. Ha. Apparently I'm out of touch with...oh...reality.

So if this seems random, it's because that's how my brain feels right now. So I decided to browse through the pictures I've taken this month and see what all things I've not mentioned here.

Remember how we're trying to work out and be healthy and all that? Well we're still doing good. I wouldn't call it "dieting," per se, but cutting way back on the desserts and mindless junk food. One night I was craving something sweet though. The old "I deserve ice cream every night" part of me doesn't die easily. :) Luckily we live far away from any opportunities for late-night junk food, so I was forced to get creative with what I had at home. Look what I made!!! Using up some regular old vanilla yogurt, some frozen blueberries, and a splash of cranberry juice...YUM!


Isn't it beautiful? Anyway, I was proud of myself. And that was probably 3 weeks ago. And I still haven't had any icecream. So there, old self! (Note: last week I also wore a pair of pants that haven't fit me in probably 6 months. BOO-YAH!)

Remember Alyssa? We managed to nab her for an evening last week to celebrate her birthday. Our friends Sarah and Adam came too and we had a fun evening of food and games. This was our inaugural Dinner With Friends on our new dining room furniture, too!


Pretty, huh? This is the table without the leaf in (and without the bench. It's currently abiding in our bedroom). Incidentally, I only have table linen settings (??? is that even a phrase? I mean...placemats, cloth napkins, napkin rings) for four. How inconvenient when there are five people eating! Alas. Maybe one day I will buy more.
Here are the girls after our game ended. Alyssa was the birthday queen, which should be obvious by the royal "robe" (Softie 3-in-1 wrap) draped so regally about her shoulders. And by the fact that she is sitting on the royal throne of my blue bouncy (exercise) ball...which you can't see in this picture, but trust me. It's there.

This past Friday night, Matt's sister Amy got engaged! We are very excited. Her fiance, Tom, is one of Matt's oldest friends (he was a groomsman in our wedding) and it's one of those cute stories where Tom has had a crush on Amy for a long time and she wouldn't give him the time of day...until she did, and now they're engaged. I made a long story short, betcha didn't think I could ever do that! Anyway, there was a surprise engagement party Friday night and we had a fun time hanging out (and avoiding all the tempting foods...which I was moderately successful at.)

The newly engaged couple...her ring is beautiful! And I'm pretty excited to get such a high-quality new family member!

That's all the new pictures I have. And about all the energy I have left to type with. Work has been pretty nuts lately and I'm trying not to be stressed or "take it home" with me too much...but I think it just drains all my energy! And I'm not even talking about the kids. Because the kids are amazing. And that's all I have to say about that.

Matt is sitting next to me reading some book called "Stretching Your Dollar" and he just informed me: "Hey baby, it's February! We should be buying electronics!" I reply "well...we don't need any electronics." And he says, "I know! Isn't that great? We are saving so much money!"

I don't even follow that logic. I don't know if that even was logic.

Now he tells me that the best time to get a haircut is in the morning. And the best time to buy a car is in the evening.

I think he needs a new book. And I think I need to go to bed.

Goodnight!

Monday, February 1, 2010

overly excited

I might be a little too excited about tomorrow. And not just because it's Groundhogs Day.

Cause tomorrow night?? A reeeediculously good night of TV.

Is it sad that my life has come to this? The thing I've been looking forward to for...oh...weeks is a "good night of TV"??

Sad or not (we'll debate that later), I'm pumped. And oh-so-glad we have DVR, because doesn't it just figure that all the magic happens at the exact same time.


AND



And this isn't just any ol' episode of Lost. In case you like...live under a rock...this is the first episode of the FINAL SEASON. As in, there's the teeniest little chance that we may feel like questions are finally being answered...there may even be an 'aha' moment (okay, probably not, but a girl can hope)!

Anyway. I'm starting to think I'm really pathetic for being this excited. Excited slash stressed, honestly...because both shows will run 8-11pm!! So although I can certainly record both...homegirl can NOT stay up that late watching TV!! So no doubt I'll make an exception and stay up late for Lost, but whenEVER am I going to watch Biggest Loser?? We have small group on Wednesdays, so that's out. THURSDAY?? Will I even MAKE IT that long?? Oh geez.

You can see the struggles that mark my life. It's a miracle I can make it through each day.

So are you a Lostie?? A Biggest Loser fan (Go Pink!! BOOO Red!)? Do share. I want to feel less lame.