Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mid-week Stupor.... (alt. TGIW, but I wish it was Friday :)

Holy goodness .... I don't know if it's the dark cold days, the crazy-business of work (lately) or the fact that I am working out regularly again, but I am completely exhausted.





.... and it's 9am on Wednesday .... Glahhh...



In an effort to (1) stay awake and (2) cheer myself on this cold gray-ish (although there have been some peeks of sunshine!) morning, I am posting "early", and listing first!



Good List:

1. J. We had our first date night on Sunday evening, and I think we're both still glowing from it. I had such a good time sitting down and talking with my husband (tee hee... it still feels really strange to think of J as my husband.... maybe after a year I'll get used to it? :)-- and the food was spectacular!

2. Buffy. I have a new vampire in my life, and his name is Angel. *drools* .... I know I am almost 10 years late to hop on this train, but now that I did, I am really enjoying it. ...which brings me to:

3. Hulu. Yay for computer streaming of absolutely fabulous shows :)

4. Blush. I've never really used it before (I was always afraid--and probably for good reason-- that I would look silly or clown-like in it...) but I've found that it brightens my whole face... In winter, brightness = greatness!

5. Veggie subs. yummmm.

6. Hot chocolate. I had a cup last Friday for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long (but it's a safe bet that it had been at least a year. It totally hit the spot.

7. Mechanical pencils. Love, LoVe, LOVE.

8. Having energy to bound out of bed when the alarm clock goes off the first time (which *cough* did not happen today.... but it's SO wonderful when it does!)

9. The way a "yummy-shampoo smell" can linger with you all day long :)

10. Coming back, and realizing how much I had missed in the weeks I was gone <3



All right. I am definitely feeling better now. Mission accomplished :)

More later .... Enjoy your Wednesday, friends!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Reasons why I feel SMRT today:

1. I learned how to take a "decently cute & somewhat artsy" picture of myself using Mac's photo booth.

Sadly... the rest of my day was a technological disaster.... but let's not go there... (suffice it to say, I surely benefitted from my stiff drink workout after work :)

Anyway, though... what's shakin' friends? Not too much new happening at "Casa del Amy" this week, although (a) the Christmas decorations did finally come down this past weekend, and I'm contemplating re-decorating on a "we're saving our $$ for a house budget" (read: re-arranging furniture... somewhere in this apartment, J. just shivered with dread, and wondered why...) (b) The weather has been fairly tolerable (we've actually seen some sunshine! wahoo!!... and, to my knowledge, it didn't snow today ...); (c) I've started running again **; (d) Gracie taught herself a new trick (which may have involved getting herself stuck exploring behind the washer ... and may have involved "Mama-Amy" learning some new tricks to get her out ...) and (e) perhaps topping the list: a new work schedule for me (out at 4:30, baby! It may not seem like this is such an amazing thing for those of you lucky dogs who have something called flex-time, but trust me: in OH in the dead of winter every. extra. minute. of sunshine is precious!)

So, to back up and explain a little bit: ** though I may not have explicitly mentioned it, I got a little burned out after my 2nd half-marathon in October (*sigh*... which, honestly, I think had a lot to do with the fact that I didn't train enough and the race itself made me cry was 'tear-inspiring') and so I decided that maybe I would just take a little break from running and work on getting the rest of my life "organized" (you know, I figured I should give myself a little bit of a break ... within the past 10 months I had graduated, moved 2x, started a new job AND gotten married...) But anyway ... I took a little break, and now I am having fun getting back into it.
...And I say that with absolutely no sarcasm :) This time I am going slow, and making sure that I give myself plenty of variety so that I don't get mentally tired. My number one goal is to enjoy myself, fall in love with running again, and get in the best shape of my life. ...After all, as anyone (Laurie) who unscrambled my "fun list" of goals knows... one of my "to-do's" in the not so distant future is to run a marathon :-0

Yike... It is rapidly approaching the time of night when I turn into a pumpkin (please don't ask what time this actually is... in my defense, I've always needed a lot of sleep ...yeah.)-- so I'll get on with the lists ...

Good List:
  1. J :)
  2. "Doubled" things (this week I am especially loving: double shots of espresso, double layers of socks, double kitties snuggling under the covers, and of course, double-stuffed oreos!)
  3. Snow men (& snow ladies.... and especially 'snow families')
  4. Mid-week lunches with old friends :)
  5. My garmin
  6. Banana-butterscotch bread
  7. Family game night
  8. Hot showers
  9. Counting my blessings
  10. Sunshine
Good things about Winter (I'm going to be positive about this!):
  • hot chocolate
  • snow days
  • sledding
  • chili! (& soup in general-- so much more appealing when it's cold outside!)
  • electric blankets
  • fuzzy boots
  • romantic winter walks
  • fires in the fireplace
  • snowflakes
  • the fact that waiting out 4+ cold months makes the coming of Spring so much sweeter!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
More soon ...

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

It is decided **: I am moving to CA


... because it will be warm and temperate, and if I plan my location right, I will be within driving distance to the mountains and snow! (...assuming, that is, that I am someday insane nostalgic and actually miss the snow....)


(** of course, by "it is decided" I really mean "argh-it's-only-January 5- and-I-don't-know-if-I'm-going-to-make-it-through-another-3 mos-of snow" ... As my friend Katie and I were discussing this a.m., seasonal depression starts in Ohio on January 2.)


But enough complaining :) HAPPY NEW YEAR! While it was definitely not my intent to take a "blog-cation" for the winter holidays, life happened. The Christmas and New Year celebrations were filled with family, laughter, and a lot of firsts (J and I celebrated our 1st Christmas together as a married couple, and I loved every single part of that... baking for my husband, decorating our home so it felt warm and Christmasy, and staying up late to wrap presents and fill stockings). However (and I'll blame it on the fact that I am "new" to being a married grown-up at Christmas-time! i'm hoping by the time we introduce a little J or Amy into the mix, I'll have this stuff down :) ... Haha... and that means I have at least 3 years to work out the kinks ...) I still feel like I might need another 2 weeks to recover. I am one tired girl!


Anyway Santa (via J) was VERY good to me this year; he heard my pleas and I unwrapped a Mac*Book on Christmas morning! I'm really excited to learn all the shortcuts and cool tricks I can do with it (I am a converted PC girl... and right now all I can do is surf the internet-- although I honestly haven't had the time to explore any further :) J's Christmas present was a map of the US, and a promise to take a road-trip together sometime this year ... which is something he has always dreamed of doing. (I'll keep you updated on that excitement, I promise... however... due to the "yuck Ohio weather" that was mentioned earlier, I don't imagine we will be planning to embark on our trip until Summer or Fall....)


Let's see: In other news, the kitties have been up to their usual shennanigans-- and here is the latest documented evidence:


(I received this is an email from J., entitled, "If your CD player stops working .... Now you know why.") Ahh. "I lurves mah baybees!" <3


And now, not to delay any longer, I owe you folks some LISTS!

Enjoy :-D


Good List:

1. J. My husband and best friend

2. Dreams

3. The promise and motivation that come with a new year & fresh start

4. Being able to take a step back and see "the whole picture"

5. A pile of new books to devour :)

6. Pizza.... I've said it before, but it bears repeating--- "the more veggies the better..." Yummm.

7. Vapo*rub. This stuff is magical, I tell you. It puts me to sleep within 15 minutes (which, quite frankly, is better than any "sleep-aids" I've ever tried!)

8. The fact that you don't have to have only 1 "best friend" :)

9. Space heaters

10. Living in joyful anticipation of what is to come. Making 2010 my best year yet.



A few "secrets" about Amy:


  • I absolutely detest doing laundry.

  • I have been known to eat cookies for breakfast :)

  • I have a little bit of a restless spirit (which probably explains why I loved co-oping so much. I loved moving different places and being forced to make new friends and "learn" new towns.)

  • If the opportunity ever presented itself (meaning, if a job opportunity came up and J. was game!) I would move back to Wisconsin in a heartbeat. (Ha... didn't see that one coming with all the "I'm so sick of snow" talk, did you?!)

  • I am scared to death of snakes

  • I have never mowed (mown?) a lawn

  • I have a purse problem (read: I have WAY too many...)

  • I lose socks like it's my job.

  • I don't like sweet potatoes (haha... unless Laurie whips them up with butter and tons of sugar for the holidays!)

  • I la-la-love NPR.

  • I don't *really* like chocolate cake

  • I have never done my own taxes :-/

  • My one "act of rebellion" (I you could even call it that... and I wouldn't) was getting my belly-button pierced in hs. I still have it, and yes, I still love it :)

  • I could probably live on buttered toast.

  • I am a total country-girl: I love BBQ, beer & country music-- and wide open spaces make my heart sing.


New Year (2010!) Goals:

1. Read 1 book a month (This is what I am reading now--- fabulous!)

2. Have a "date night" with J once a week.

3. Keep writing (which involves a more tangible goal, which I alluded to in here...)

4. Get up at 5:00 every morning (which will open up time for exercise, or devotions & "home breakfasts")

5. Go on a roadtrip with J

6. Fall in love with running again :)


Things I am loving right now:




4. Gummy Vitamins!! (I may actually start taking vitamins on a regular basis!)

5. BB's lip gloss (definitely my fave!)

6. Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Absolutely brilliant-- loved the music!

7. Cookies for breakfast (see above.) ...Because that's how I roll :)


9. Soup (a necessity on these cold wintery days!)

10. Gallery Quality Canvas Wraps (drool.... we are totally getting one of our wedding pictures done like this .... the question is whether to hang in the living room or the bedroom....)


Happy Thursday, friends :) Let's make it a good one!