Challenge II, D8: Good Friday & Inspiration

Happy September, friends! ...More importantly, Happy FRIDAY!
(Personally, I had several "false positives" this week-- you know, when you wake up thinking it's *Friday* and it's actually ... um, Wednesday? ...yup, this weekend has been a loong time coming...)

SO, when I last left you, I was really excited to write my Thursday challenge post about Inspiration...what inspires me, who inspires me, and what sets me on fire to write.


And then, last night when I sat down to actually expound on my ideas and 'abracadabra' them into words, I was feeling rather, erm, "uninspired". In fact, I had a major case of writer's block, which rather quickly turned into a very cranky Amy. Blah. Eventually, after 3 different blog posts starts, and 2 hours of staring at a blinking cursor on my computer screen; I decided I was just tired, and gave myself permission to go to bed and "try again tomorrow" :)

I have discovered that there is no way (for me at least) to force inspiration & creation. I'm sure that if I keep searching, I'll be able to find a couple magic ingredients that can jump-start my creative writing brain -- but for now, I am learning to be content with seizing the ideas as they come. It's rarely convenient, but it's a blessing all the same, and I'll work from where I am ♥


Anyhoo ... I hope you all had a wonderful yesterday! Did you do anything special to celebrate the 1st day of September? I must admit that while my heart celebrated the beginning of my favorite month with fervor, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary :) No PSL's for me, as I was typically running late on my way to work. ...I did manage to pin some "fall inspiration" on Pinterest, if that counts ;) However, I plan to welcome in the season full force this weekend, with a top-to-bottom house cleaning, and by bringing out the fall decorations on Monday (if I can wait that long!)

Whew. Can I tell you how grateful I am that this is a holiday weekend coming up?! I know that I don't have too much longer now before the 'Big Vacation'... but my soul is craving a day off to just be still and "catch up with life".

It's funny because as excited as I am about having a day off, I can all ready tell that I am going to have to actively remind myself to slow down. There's a lot I want to do this weekend, but more than the doing, I really want to be present & enjoy every moment. My plan is to have 1 working day (I'm thinking Saturday, after a good night's sleep & leisurely breakfast with Jon -- pumpkin pancakes, perhaps?), and then have 2 days to just 'go with the flow'.

I'm looking forward to telling you all about it, as it unfolds :)

For now, I am thrilled to present you with another installment of 'Good List Fridays'



Good List:

1. Jon ♥ Gosh, I love that man.
2. Coffeeeeeeeee. It has very much been a 2 cup-a-day week :)
3. Having the luxury of being about to take a step back and look at the big picture: how far I've come :)
4. New magazines
5. Holiday Weekends
6. Cleaning the clutter from my house & my mind
7. "California Dreaming..."
8. Morning runs with the ladies!
9. I know in a couple months I will be lamenting the short length of the days and the scarcity of daylight ... but right now I am enjoying the gentle forward creep of the sunsets. I love the sweet warmth & scent of early September nights, and I love the way the lengthening shadows beckon us to come in, come together, and relax at the end of a long day.
10."Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic."
- Tim Noakes


And now, just for fun, another list for you! Fitness blogger Gina (over at fitnessista.com) has put together a to-do list at the beginning of each month of tasks that will make the following 30-days especially great. I love this idea, and am creating my own list for September:

"Make September Spectacular":

- Go apple picking
- Bake an apple pie from scratch ♥
- Plant vibrant-colored mums
- Burn "Fall-Scented" candles
- Sleep with the windows open (once it get a bit more temperate... we're getting in to the mid-90's today, yikes.)
- Clean out my closet - put away summer clothes to make room for cozy sweaters & scarves & boots
- Begin strength training (for real this time.) Do push-ups/ sit-ups etc. 2 days a week.
- Start walking with Jon on week days after work.
- Make Pumpkin Chili
- Host a dinner party!

Your Turn: What are your weekend plans? What is one thing you plan to do to make this September the best one yet?

Truth be told ...

picture by Laurie

• I was never a cat person before Jon got Baron... if Jon & I were not together, I probably still wouldn't be.
• I hate doing laundry. ...With the fiery passion of 1,000,000 burning suns.
• On a not-unrelated note, I am terrible at ironing. Jon made the mistake of asking me to iron his shirts once. ...He's bought 'non-iron' shirts ever since.
• I own festive socks for Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day and St. Patrick's day. Consequently, sometimes I wear Halloween socks in the middle of March.


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• I cook (& bake) better when I've got a glass of wine in my hand :)
• If I was rich, I think the first 'help' that I would hire would be a hairdresser. I'd love to have "just walked out of the salon hair' every day, and, after at least 10 years of attempting it myself, I know I can't do it myself :)


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• I know for a fact that I am capable of giving up coffee & surviving ... But, why?
• I love to read at night, but typically, I am only capable of reading 3 pages before I pass out. So realistically, even when I say "I can't put this book down", it takes at least 3 weeks to finish.
• I love the way running makes me feel once I'm done... but while I am out doing it? It's really hard. The 2.5 miles I did tonight darn near killed me.
• ...it's kind of the same with yoga :)
• We've lived in our house for over a year now, and we still haven't figured out how to use our fireplace. Inexcusable.


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• Another dream of mine is to someday own a bookstore, like 'The Shop Around the Corner' in You've Got Mail. ...of course, without the whole 'big business put my cute little bookstore out of business' bit.


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• I'm kind of in love with 50's, Betty Draper style.


• Some people 'dream in chocolate'. ... I dream in cupcakes :)

Catch Up

Goood Friday morning, bloggies! (*yawns*)

I hope your week has been treating you well, and that you have a beautiful Friday with exciting weekend plans to look forward to.

... A great tragedy befell us Westervillians this morning, as the local Starbucks (which just so happens to be the one on my way to work) is closed for remodeling-- which means that all the good folks (including me, of course) who look forward to their "Fall Friday Pumpkin Spice Latte fix" either had to (a) get up a little earlier and track down the next closest S-bux, or (b) go without. Seeing as I am a chronically late riser (but only on work week days! As you know, I get up early on weekends to seize the day and experience every blissful moment of my days off ;)... I fell into category (b), and am now slurping a warm-ish cup of office coffee and thinking 'nutmeg-gy thoughts'. Sigh. Note to self, find a fantastic local coffee shop to frequent (like this lovely lady).

Anyhoo... the important thing is that this coffee does contain caffeine-- and I have lots to tell you. It's been a really inspired week for me, which means I'm practically bursting at the seams with ideas, and I'm composing and compiling blog entries in my head more often than not ... but it's also been a really busy week for me (How does that happen?! It seems to me that 4 day weeks are paradoxically short & long .... each day feels like it lasts forever because of all that needs to be packed in...)-- case in point-- I was up at 11 pm last evening mopping my kitchen floor. Seriously.

And now (predictably) I'm having a little bit of deciding where to start... But really, isn't it only fair that I start where I left off? ... And how better to catch you up than with a good list & some pictures?!

Good List:

1. J. He will always be first in my heart and on my "good list".
2. WE OWN A GRILL! (Sorry for the all caps, but this is exciting, friends! I mean... I've only been dreaming about having a grill since... oh, April, when we moved into our house... Heh.) For J & I, our Saturday excitement centered around buying this grill (and for J-- the set up, as well. With furry supervision, naturally....) We may not have gotten around to dinner until after 8pm, but the waiting was sweet: It was a perfect fall evening for us to sit together outside and bask in the scent of our new charcoal grill warming up. Heaven. ... And those burgers? I think they were some of the best I've ever had ;)
3. Beautiful, race courses, friendly volunteers and small races. My parents and I did the inaugural (btw: I definitely had to look up how to spell that word...) Emerald City Quarter Marathon on Sunday, and I think it may have been one of my favorite races. {Side note: at some point, I'd like to really think back each and every one of the races I've done in the past couple years... I'm not sure I really have any that I flat out didn't like... but there are definitely some races that stand out as The Best.) The course wound through Glacier Ridge Metro Park, and, the weather was perfect (and I know I've been saying that a lot lately... but it's true. Clear blue skies, sunshine, and just the slightest bit chilly.) Here we all are after the race:

Photo courtesy of my father

4. ...And after the race, I went apple picking. Mmmm. Macintosh. I love eating apples "straight up", but I also have all sorts of other delightful recipes in mind for these beauties. Good thing I bought the half bushel bag!

Hello, Lovely

5. And then after lunch (which was, for me, a tomato sandwich on an asiago cheese bagel... bagel courtesy of the race. ... I think that sandwich may have been the definition of perfection... Yum;), Gracie & I snuggled in bed with a book.
6. ... And after that, we headed over to J's parent's for the Labor Day celebration. I always feel so blessed at these events because (honest to goodness) everyone just really enjoys each others' company. Summertime gatherings are always the most fun, because the kids ("kids" being a relative term ... Aiden is 14 mos old, but the rest of us are in our 20s and 30s.... pending the newest addition, coming in December :) are able to eat outside, and sometimes (Sunday included) we walk to the neighborhood playground between dinner & dessert. This year was especially fun, because Aiden was big enough to sit in the baby swings. He squealed with delight every time he swung past his father, and the rest of us had a wonderful time watching his serious "assessment of swing safety": he couldn't quite decide if he had enough courage to let go of the front of the swing to wave & blow kisses to his mother.
(With that, I'm done with beginning my good things "...And then..."-- I promise! But really? Sunday was pretty much a perfect day :)
7. Cinnamon & Spice. I made Savvy Julie's Peach Butter on Monday, and the house smelled heavenly all day.
8. A perfect run (or, several of them). Wednesday and Thursday evening of this week I went for a run (now go ahead and pick yourselves up off the floor. ... or maybe some of you predicted that my break from running would be short-lived?) Ahh, and it was, dare I say?, nice. I didn't take any music with me,but rather I just focused on breathing in the perfect fall air. The weekdays have (as a whole) been pretty stressful-- and this was exactly what I needed. 15 lovely minutes of solitude, gratitude, and peace.
9. Now to the other end of the spectrum from peace (but in the best way possible) -- I love the joyful anticipation of having company -- even the 11 pm mopping was cheery. J & I are having our 'Friday night Friends' over this evening... and I have been "bouncing off the walls excited" about it all week. The fact that I didn't start cleaning until... um... last night... is completely irrelevant :) Even better?-- tonight I'll have my camera!-- that way the memories can live on.
10. "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." - Dorothy Bernard
(This quote actually popped up on my facebook feed as a friend's status. I thought it was a wonderful thought for the day-- fear is real; God is bigger.)


Okay... That's all for now... must go be productive :)

Your Turn: What are your weekend plans? Do you have any good apple recipes to share with me? Do tell :)

Taking care of business

Hi friends, Happy Wednesday!

I hope most all of you are reveling in the loveliness of this short 'holiday week', as I am (... although... and please tell me I'm not alone in this: I'm so thankful for my 4-day work week.... but these 4 days sure are dragging on... Why does this happen?!) -- and that you have lots of warm, happy memories of time spent with family and friends from this past weekend.

All right, bloggies, here's the deal: I have an absolutely fabulous post racing around in this little noggin' of mine... and, as much as I love (oh, and I do LOVE) the 'Good Lists'... I feel like this post deserves to stand on it's own. (You'll see what I mean, I promise!)

Actually, this week has been (thank you, sweet heaven) a really happy and good week so far-- which means I have lots to talk about all across the board ... so expect several rapid succession posts over the next few days (... and by rapid succession ... I mean rapid for me. Look for posts on W, R and F !)

Anyhoo (when I deviate from the topic at hand like this I like to tell myself that this 'delightful, stream-of-consciousness' style is something ya'll love about me... right? I promise I do always have a point...), with this in mind, I am going to keep this short and sweet-- and I'll get right down to business. Because, really, the good stuff is always the point.

Good List

1. J. We've both been rather tired lately, so we've made it a priority to keep things low-key and to be really gentle with each other. It has been wonderful, and I love these moments of growth, even when it seems like it's the 'mundane everyday stuff'.

2. Decaf coffee. I am attempting to stop drinking coffee (eeek-- I KNOW! Will discuss later this week...), and this is helping to comfort me as I 'make the break'. I truly think this makes it easier than going 'cold turkey' all at once.

3. The sweet, warm 'kitty smell' of Gracie when I kiss her and nuzzle her neck.

4. Girls' nights. Laurie, Bethany and I went out on Monday night to see Sex and the City 2 (which I really loved! Personally, I liked it even better than the 1st movie.) J and I laugh together a lot... but there is a part of my soul that just craves that one-of-a-kind shrieking, girly laughter. Girlfriends are absolute necessities.

5. Birthday cupcakes: vibrant frosting and moist, velvety cake. Perfection!

6. Opening myself up so that I may completely experience (read: cry) the profoundly touching and beautiful moments in the every day. I've caught myself thinking, as I blink and swallow past the lump in my throat, 'wow. This is really living.'

7. Lovely, encouraging emails, received first thing in the morning. (Yay for different time-zones! ;)

8. Sweet compromise: BFOC with a twist! Pb cookie (1) + bowl of cereal for breakfast. Filling for the tummy, filling for the soul.

9. Dreaming of vacation (PA in 2 weeks, and we're in the beginning phases of planning our anniversary weekend trip!)

10. Peace. I have no idea what I am meant to do with this life, when I need to move forward, or who I will become. I take comfort in the fact that, beyond this: right here-- right now, is exactly where I am meant to be.

And with that, Goodbye for now! May your day be filled with all sorts of wonderful surprises!

PS: Ah... and I almost forgot: Happy National Running Day!

I hope to celebrate this event after work ... if I don't melt in the process.... it's getting up to 90* here in OH today... Summer is here with a vengeance, baby!

Harmony

Source

Dictionary.com defines harmony as, "agreement; accord." It can also be defined as follows:

"Harmony is the inner cadence of contentment you feel when the melody of life is in tune."

- Sarah Ban Breathnach

Amidst my "internet ramblings" yesterday, I stumbled upon this quote by one of my favorite inspirational authors (ladies, if you've never picked up this book, I highly recommend it. I am working my way through it for the nth time.) I thought this Friday morning would be a perfect time to share it with you :)

Well, how are you, friends?! It's been a whirlwind week over here in "Amy-ville", and suffice it to say, I am SO glad that Monday is a paid holiday for Memorial day. Ahhhh! (remember, this is angel singing...just reminding you in case you've forgotten-- it hasn't been heard on the blog in a few weeks :) Oh , how I am looking forward to sleeping in next Monday-- I feel like this (long) weekend that is coming up will be my reward for making it through this week.

... because this week? Oh my, it's been a doozy.

There have been several (what I will refer to as) 'character building milestones' for me this week, including: J and I surviving our first 'semi-serious' illness as a married couple (J caught the flu, I *knock on wood* am still hanging tough) and my first truly panicked call to the vet (Gracie pranced around a bit too hard on her stitches and bled all over our downstairs. She is absolutely fine. I have about 10 new gray hairs, I think. ... I really hope I am just joking about the gray hairs.)

However, as it always seems to go (thank heavens) there were some really wonderful (or at least funny) milestones that occurred this week as well. You might even say, even with the 'crazies', life remains balanced and, in fact, 'in harmony'. See for yourself:

• Laurie and I ran together (first time outside of a race), and it was fabulous. I think this may be the one arena where "sisterly competition" is good for us :)



• We saw a snake on said run, and I didn't scream like the scared girly girl I am a banshee. In fact, I stepped closer to get a better look. ... Trust me bloggies... this is huge.
  



• To combat some of the stress, I have been a baking machine. We're talking smothered pork chops, mac and cheese, and the most wonderful (and possibly easiest!) peanut butter cookies I've ever made!


• I took a nap on Sunday afternoon!
  


• I finally tried the infamous "green monster" that has been taking the blog-world by storm! ... After a few tweaks (the first one reminded me that I do not, in fact, like banana flavor. Subsequent 'monsters' masked the banana flavor a bit better, and were a lot more enjoyable :)


• I finally got the chance to visit the salad bar at "The Raisin Rack" when my Mom and I went there for lunch to celebrate her birthday! It was just as epically wonderful as I had imagined it would be. For those of you not familiar with this store, it's kind of a small scale version of "Whole Foods".


• While Gracie and I were watching "The Bachelorette", I discovered that she has a sixth sense about such things, and (without fail) would stand on the keyboard (watching via Hulu, so I could spend time with my little girl in the 'Quarantine Room') -- causing the show to pause during the most cringe-worthy parts-- my kitty is brilliant.


• There was a day this week during which I consumed 5 cups of coffee. ...Not particularly a smart thing, but a milestone nonetheless :)


• I found the Answers to life's biggest questions. (not really.... this is just a fun link I found via yahoo, while I was checking my email. I thought some thoughts were insightful, while others were at least good for a smile. Enjoy!)


• I started learning how to use google.documents-- which means I am finding new ways to share things with ya'll!

So, life is chugging right along :) Another important milestone I reached this week was realizing that I have definitely fallen into the "I'll do it when things calm down" trap.

Let me explain: I feel like things have been going at a frantic pace ever since we moved into the new house (at the beginning of April... can you believe it's been almost 2 months?! I sure can't...) and I find that I keep saying, "maybe next week I'll get to it (think about it, do it, etc.) ... when I am not doing x,y,z...." Well, it seems to me that I will always have and X... or a Y... or a Z going on in my life-- and more than likely, I'll often have some combination of all 3.

... And that's a good thing. I need to cling to every moment, loving it for what it is. I need to be truly present. For goodness sake, I need to stop making excuses to myself, and just get up and go. And I'm working on that. I want to be able to fall into bed every night and sleep the sweet, contented sleep of one who has poured her heart into every waking moment and lived in the now, rather than wasting time sighing over certain realities that might not be ideal.

And so, with that in mind, I think it's time for a good list, which is (and always will be) one more step in the right direction :)

Good List

1. J. I know he will help and support me through all the 'character building milestones' yet to come :) Furthermore, I know it will be because of him that I will be able to overcome and push past each one.

2. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to sing this with a choir-- as it has always touched me profoundly. Finally, this summer I will have my chance.

3. Waterproof mascara ;)

4. Caprese salads.... mmmm....
5. Ooooh. New peanut butter! I finally got to try this (PB&Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl), and it is everything it's cracked up to be.

6. The weather this week has been amazing (haha... until this morning, which has been delightfully warm, but rather overcast.) Oh yes, am I ready for summer!

7. Ponytails and baseball caps.

8. Turquoise. It just says summer to me...
9. 'Birthday $$ financed" mini shopping sprees :)

10. Hope everlasting.

So now that we've covered the 'life-y stuff", the 'big stuff' and the 'good stuff', let's move on to the 'weekend stuff'! This weekend I am looking forward to finishing at least one book tending my (2) flowers, sleeping in late (Saturday, Sunday AND Monday, if I have any say in the matter!), and spending time with our family on Sunday. J and I are also looking forward to a 'double date night' on Saturday, when we'll do dinner and drinks with a friend of mine (gah... who, I just realized, I have known for 10 years?! Crazy... and very, very cool :) We'll be headed to an Italian restaurant in Gahanna, which has garnered some rave reviews (if I haven't mentioned it on 'el bloggy' yet, I am a fan of all things "carb". Love, LoVe, LOVE good pasta and Italian food!)-- I'll give you my take on it next week. Also, maybe J and I will have the chance to go on a "one-on-one" date to the movies this weekend (as you might remember, we were hoping to go last weekend to see 'Iron Man 2'... but then J got sick.)

Do you have any good plans for the weekend? Will you visit family and/or travel? Also, an apropos question for the weekend: what is your favorite picnic food?

Mine is definitely potato salad . .. or s'mores. ... or anything grilled. It's way too hard to pick just one :)

(PS: I apologize for the wonky spacing... after messing with it for upwards of 10 minutes... I gave up....)

The good stuff.

"Quickie" post tonight, friends... but I promise you I'll "fill in the blanks" tomorrow.

Suffice it to say, I picked up Gracie at the vet today after an overnight stay (ughhh... talk about your whopping dose of 'Mommy guilt" ...) and I need to spend the evening snuggling and kissing my little girl.

But, because I don't need a whopping dose of 'bloggy-guilt', too I like you all an awful lot... here's a quick rundown of life in Amy-ville lately... plus pictures... PLUS a list. ...Really, this isn't such a bad little post after all ;)

Life as I know it (here and now: 6pm on Wednesday night....welcome to chaos.)

• Gracie. My sweet, sleepy girl. Oh, how Mama missed you.
• Baron = spaz. ... Methinks his "comfort your own" gene is all too quickly replaced by the"primal, must survive and protect ME" gene. (Read: apparently Gracie smells like "vet" and so Baron is on the defensive, growling, hissing, and snapping. Lovely. Needless to say, he got booted out of the room really quickly.)
• Currently I am blogging here:
• ...and on the table next to me rests a devotional ... with a half empty bottle of Miller on it. If there is a more candid snapshot into my life tonight, I don't know what it might be. Truly, it's simple: I love God; I love enjoy beer. Sometimes you need (a lot of) both to get you through an evening.
• Weather this week = yuck. Cold, rainy, and decidedly un-May like. I am ready for the sun & warmth to return any.time.now.
• But this? This chaos here? I'll take it. Because sandwiched between the crazy times, I find myself breathing in little moments like this one (see below.) And these are the moments I live for.

(J & Gracie snuggling. Actually, they are both asleep. I am listening to the snores that prove it.)

Good List

1. J. Sometimes I have a hard time putting into words what he means to me, but trust me, it's enough... and so much more.
2. good, long nights of sleep
3. cupcakes!!! Courtesy of the lovely Laurie :)
4. breathy, kitty sighs from the sleeping lovely next to me. (heh. that would be Gracie.)
5. good books; great escapes
6. chocolates that inspire me (... even if I did have to eat about 5 to get a good message like this. actually, now that I think about it, one might argue that was part of the good stuff.. you know... the fact that I had to eat 5 dove promises...)
7. soft blankets for snuggling under, and cushy (orange) 'writing chairs'
8. romantic comedies. because some nights are for laughing, loving, happy ending type movies
9. sweat pants
10. "What a gift of grace to be able to take the chaos from within, and from it create some semblance of order." - Katherine Paterson

And, like always, I'll leave you with the good stuff. Because there is oh-so-much good stuff here tonight. My rainy, grey work days and the stressful 'in-betweens' will not define me, but rather, it's the good, little moments that are writing my story.

What are you thankful for today? What tops today's Good List?

Progress

All right... so I hope this post title isn't cheating you too much. ...And while I agree that this picture here doesn't look like progress all by itself... well, ya'll didn't see it before we stripped and sanded it:

TaDah! Almost done!

And just for fun, a picture of the "finished" (just need to be screwed into the frames) chair cushions... and a little 'Baby G." lovin' while we're at it:

So, as I may or may not have told you earlier -- J and I have tacked this "refinishing the table" project now because we are hosting a huge* "birthday/housewarming party" on Sunday afternoon. We'll have 21 people in the new house-- and, quite frankly, if J & I don't finish this table, all these lovely folks will be sitting on the floor. (Hm. Come to think of it, I probably didn't mention the party earlier because I've been trying to remain blissfully ignorant for as long as possible. Read: I am a master procrastinator.)

I emphasize that the table is being done now because it was always just a when, not if. When J and I got our own house, I begged my parents to let us have their old dining room table. My parents replaced this table with my grandpa's dining room table in 2005, after he passed away (*sigh*.... can I just take a small break here and tell you how much I hate the term "passed on"?! I'm not sure I can put my finger on why I so strongly dislike that phrase, but I think it's because it seems a little too candy coated and frou-frou. Barf. ... But, here I am, blogging with the abominable phrase. ... Somehow, in this instance, "passed on" just seems more respectful and dignified than "died." & my grandpa is worthy of all the respect I can pay him... he was a great man-- definitely worthy of a future post. ...so in this instance, all I can say is "meh." ... moving on.) And so this dear little table has sat forlorn in storage, just waiting for someone to bring it back to use. This table is special to me (and I fought for it!) because of all the memories I have of special times spent gathered around it with my family. Holiday dinners were spent around it (including special Thanksgiving dinners with Grandma and Grandpa), board games & homework were conquered (ahh... I remember agonizing over word problems with Grandpa at this table... "If train A leaves from Dallas going at X mph, and train B leaves from Austin going at Y mph, where do they pass each other? ... More importantly to me was always, "Why do I care?!"), and we told many many stories around the table ... oh, how we laughed.

And so you see that-- more than a piece of furniture-- I was inheriting a legacy. I am so excited to feed my babies, girl-talk over coffee, and (because I know we will) cry together and work through the hard stuff at this table. As a side note, I was originally going to put this table in our dining room-- and was a wee bit irked when J took one look at it and said," nuh uh... it'sway too small for that room. it's going in the kitchen." But, the more I think about it, the better I like the idea. I mean, big family gatherings will probably always take place in the dining room, but the beautiful everyday things? The early morning coffee & kisses? The afternoon snacks and homework? The weeknight dinners & catching up with each other after hectic days? That, my friends, will take place in the kitchen. Therefore, I am more than okay with having this "piece of my history & piece of my future" in the kitchen :)

"Table stuff" aside (and to be honest, thought it's been hard work, it really hasn't taken as much time as it could), the week has been good (overall). Monday & Tuesday were a little bit rough, but I think we have settled in gracefully. My other big accomplishment for the weekend was putting the screens in the windows, so the cats and I have been enjoying our evenings drinking in the fresh air from the comfort of the couch (mama has been drinking in some wine as well... like I said, rough Monday...also, I say "the cats and I" because J has been "blowing up his monday frustrations" in the evening downstairs with the PS3... hehe.) I have definitely been living for my evenings at home -- I'm still in the honeymoon stage and I consider housework a joy (may this stage last me the next 40 years!)-- I look forward to coming home and tackling a new project, followed, of course, by the relaxing afterwards.

All right, enough chatter... let's get into some more good stuff:

Good List

1. J. Happy 26 years, my love (5/9)! May your 27th year be a wonderful one!

2. This may be the country girl in me speaking, but I believe that sometimes you can measure your happiness by the amount of dirt on your hands (... even after you've passed the age of 4!)

3. Fresh air in the house, after a long, long winter :)

4. Staple guns (oh.yes. this made my "chair covering endeavor" SO much easier ... even if I did jam it about 5 gazillion times ;)

5. Warm summer nights spent laughing and talking with good friends. Friday night was absolutely perfect--and it filled a little place in my soul I'm not sure I realized had been missing. ...Just. Perfect... (...and hey, Gary, you made the good list!)

6. Sunday morning brunch (TJ's pumpkin waffle mix = LOVE)

7. Highlighters.

8. Good surprises (like forgive me my ignorance, those of you with green thumbs the "green stuff" in our front flower beds that it finally sprouting beautiful pink flowers.)

9. Celebrating a truly beautiful development for two people who could not deserve it more. (Yes, it's decidedly vague for now-- but I am excited to share more with you soon!)

10. My little sister is home for the summer ... Which make me oh, so happy :) (among other things, it means I don't have to go see 'Eclipse' multiple times by myself!)

Things I am looking forward to:

• The weekend (first things first, right?!)


• Finishing the table (!!)


• PA weekend in June (OMG! I just realized that I can take you all along with me. Brace yourselves -- this will be fun :)


• J & I are planning a mini-vacation in September to celebrate our 1st Anniversary. I'm excited to see how plans develop, and then (obviously) to celebrate with him!


• ... On that same note: I'm (I hope not stupidly) looking forward to defrosting our wedding cake and eating it .....


• Half marathon in August (same one that I loved last year! excited to blow my PR out of the water this time around :)


• Fall (I would like to clarify that I am by no means wishing time away here. It's just that it's never too early to start salivating over apple cider, crunchy leaves, crisp mornings, and that striking sun against the deep blue that is a fall sky.)


• Our first Christmas in our home-- really developing and celebrating our own traditions


• ...and something even better than Christmas, which will arrive in early December :)

What are you looking forward to? Short-term or long-term, this is the sweet stuff.

Happy Wednesday, bloggies. Have a good one!

Spaghetti Night

Happy hump day, bloggies! (..And happy Cinco de Mayo!! Tip back a cervesa or two for me tonight :)

Well, while today was unfortunately "one of those days", it redeemed itself this evening with 'Spaghetti Night' (which was anything BUT unfortunate!)

Now, I know we've all got our own 'spaghetti nights' ... those evenings when it feels like everything has just gotten to be a little too much and nothing but comfort food will do to soothe your tummy and your spirits. You may know these nights as something different ('Chinese takeout night'? 'pizza night'? 'wine & chocolate night**'?)

** Eh hem: I would like to state for the record that I have never done 'wine & chocolate night' (at least in the dinner sense, as we are discussing here), as my (wonderful, loving, MEAT eating) husband would never allow it. J happens to be a very traditional 'meat and potatoes' type of man... and I choose to love him in spite of that (while attempting to introduce some variety with varying degrees of success every once in a while, naturally!) Of course, if we (hypothetically of course) were talking in the general sense, my husband one might argue that 'wine & chocolate night' is every night .... I digress.

Anyway, I think the fact that my 'comfort food night' = spaghetti is due in large part to my parents. We didn't eat spaghetti too often, but we did rely on it as our go-to meal on the needs-to-be-quick-because-we're-exhausted-but-happy nights -- like the first night on vacation, after a long day of travel. (To keep this tradition alive, J & I cooked spaghetti together on the first night of our honeymoon :)

Spaghetti continued it's designated 'comfort food' role in my life as I got older, becoming my runner's meal of choice for carbo-loading before a race. When I was in high school, fall Friday nights were spent with the cross country team in celebration and anticipation of the next day's meet. Clearly, spaghetti is destined to remain first and foremost in my heart as my favorite go-to comfort food.

...Lord help us all J if I ever become spaghetti intolerant...

Anyway, it's Wednesday, and you know what that means: LIST DAY!

Enjoy:

Good List

1. J. My fabulous, hilarious, meat-loving husband. May our days always be filled with this much laughter and love.

2. Coffee...

3. Running in the morning. Love, LOve, LOVE. (now to keep it up for at least 20 more days... 21 days builds a habit, right?!) Although it's hard to drag myself out of bed initially, I love the cool of the early morning, the pinky-reds as the new day comes into being, and the soft, sparkly dampness of the waking world.

4. Spaghetti (duh.)

5. Library books.

6. Leaf blowers. (Oh. My. What did we do before these?! My lovely neighbor lent me his last night to blow the grass off the sidewalk after J mowed, and it took the time down to about 3 minutes flat. Glorious.)

7. New projects (J & I have our work cut out for us this weekend, as we are breathing new life into a dining table and chairs that used to be my parents. We'll be re-covering the chair cushions and refinishing the top of the table. I couldn't be more excited -- although your good thoughts are appreciated, as you wouldn't exactly call me a "crafty person" ... I'll keep you updated!)

8. Pens & "Fresh" notebooks

9. Sometimes, making a lot of noise in the kitchen is absolutely called for. You know what I mean. Banging pots and pans can be quite therapeutic :)

10. Two "fuzzies" sleeping next to me as I write. Did you know that cats can purr in their sleep?! Love it.

A few GPs

(GP = "guilty pleasures". Also known as: "things I might be slightly embarrassed to admit pause before I admit that I love" ...)

• Sunday afternoon naps
• Singing at the top of my lungs in the car
• Glee
• Jacob
• Sweatpants
• Eating spoonfuls of peanut butter straight out of the jar
• Piles and piles of unread books
• OPI nail color
• Nickelback
• Peanut butter-(marshmallow) fluff sandwiches

Questions: What is your "spaghetti night"? What are some of your GPs?

Amy-do

Not so Good: My day started out bright and early with this* falling into my lap.

source



Ewwww.
* For those of you reading who actually know your 'bugs', this was exactly what fell on me. (Gah... which is a good thing bc THIS is a bed bug....) However, it looked pretty much the same, only about 2" long. Anyhoo...

Good: It missed falling into my coffee by mere centimeters -- but it did miss! Also, the shrieks & dances that ensued while Sarah, Katie, Molly and I all tried to catch the critter and smash it were rather amusing. (Yes. it was a team effort, and I do realize that this behavior is decidedly 'girly'. I think it is the perfect time to remind you that (a) the bug was HUMONGOUS 2" long (b) I am a girl, so acting girly isn't all together unexpected ... and (c) the cup of coffee I alluded to was my first of the day... & really, while having a large bug fall into your lap at any time is disconcerting, having said large bug fall in your lap prior to drinking your first sip of coffee is completely unbearable....)

Also good:

Good List

1. J.

2. Snuggling in bed and hot oatmeal make cold mornings infinitely more bearable :)

3. Homemade pizza (last night's margherita pizza was wonderful. Definitely justified me being excited about it all week day!)

4. Quiet nights. Because sometimes it's nice to sit and just 'be'.

5. Clearance racks.

6. Beautiful hardcover books, filled with absolutely delicious inspiration. Like this one : the beautiful outdoor-scapes set my heart and imagination on fire-- and inspire me to create a warm gathering place in which we can both host summer backyard bbqs and relax in the sun.

7. The weather this week (post-Monday, obviously) has been perfect (and I do not say that lightly!) Bright sunshine + cooler (50's - low 60's) temperatures have made it impossible to resist long afternoon walks.

8. 'Mocktails'. Lately I have been enjoying pom + club soda or oj + club soda as a refreshing pick-me-up.

9. Snuggling with the kitties (& a good book!) in the late afternoon sun.

10. One of my favorite things about our new neighborhood is being able to sit out on the front porch and watch the neighborhood kids playing. There is lots of bike riding, and there always seems to be a little group of children gathered at one house or another. A couple of times (when the breeze is just right) I can hear them telling each other stories and/or setting up the parameters for a really good "make-believe session." (ie: "...I'm all grown up, I have a car and a golden retriever. You're my son.") What wonderful memories that brings back! I really wanted to move into a 'family-oriented neighborhood', and I think we picked a good one :)


And now, to continue with List Day Tuesday Wednesday Thursday (?!) (Gah... I'll 'get with it eventually, I promise.), below you will find the list that inspired this post.

Now I know you've heard of "honey-do's... well this, my friends, is the "Amy-do". In the spirit of full disclosure, I've gotta tell you right off the bat, a good amount of this stuff won't get done tonight ... so I guess really you should read this as a "wish list" for my next 24 hours (as of now, 8:48 pm tomorrow-- Friday-- will be my cut-off)



I'll try to cross these out as I go... My basic problem m.o. is to make lots of lists, and thrill in the making.... And then lose them, or for various other reasons never end up checking things off (which is tragic, since 'the checking' is arguably the most fulfilling part!) This is actually a little experiment for me... to see if I get more accomplished since I am being held accountable :0


Amy-do:

• Drink a glass of red wine
• & eat some dark chocolate with sea salt (All right, fine... I may have added these 1st two items to the list simply so that I can cross them off... but, on the other hand... I did wish to do this tonight ... )
• Go to bed early (930 ish) and attempt to get 8 hours of sleep. (Friday a.m. edit = FAIL. Total fail. I was in bed early... but I don't think we turned off the lights till around 11pm.)
• Remember to set my alarm for early early tomorrow morning, so I am forced to .... (Friday a.m. edit = Okay... I did this, but I definitely woke up at 4:30 this morning and re-set it.... That's why this is "half-crossed-out".... not a total fail, but definitely not a complete success, as far as the intent behind it....)
• wake early and go for a run (& shower) and manage to make it out of the house at 7 am, so I can ....(Friday a.m. edit = Again, partial win. Showered and made it out the door at 7...ish)
• Call Emily on the way to work (Friday a.m. = DONE!)
• Hit up the S-bux drive through and celebrate the fact it's Friday with a delicious, hot cup of caffeine (note: I have been trying to do this all week. Tomorrow is my last chance, so to speak...) (Friday a.m. = DONE! ... although, I feel the need to point out how glad I am that I didn't say "make it into work exactly on time... Ah well, one step at a time :)
• Walk at lunchtime, and take lots of pictures for W.W.M. (I will link this acronym forward once I get tomorrow's post up.... just trust me and check back tomorrow evening!)
• DATE NIGHT! (so, actually, the 'Amy-do' part of this is "PLAN date night!")
• (keep in mind that these are not necessarily in order... I need to do this one as soon as I press "publish"...) Write an encouraging (inspirational? It's a "lift-up", agape type of thing :) note to a friend who is running her 1st half-marathon this Saturday!
• ... and because I am so cool, and don't think I could stand to go one more day without doing this ... I need to run to the library and get a reserved book. ('American Wife' -- I'll let you know what I think, but I've heard it's awesome !)
• Um... and I think ice cream will be necessary tomorrow, too :)

What are your weekend plans? Crazy nights out with friends? Lovely, quiet nights at home? Movies? Books? Travel plans (Heidi, I'm looking at you here)? (I'll go first: Date night Friday, time with my sister on Saturday a.m., and then ???)


Whatever your plans are, I hope it's a fabulous one, and one you are looking forward to. TGIaF, friends!

Apologies

Goodness. I may have reached a new record with my consecutive days of "non-postage". Can you forgive me? ....Are you still there? ... Anyone?!

To be fair to myself, it has been a crazy-busy whirlwind few weeks over here in Amy-ville. (You know, I became a homeowner, moved my whole life, moved the cats and had the good sense to do all this during what was perhaps the busiest 2 weeks of the year, work-wise. Yeah, I really should have given the dates a little more thought... but it worked, and I'm still standing :)

And of course, dear bloggies: to be fair to you, I am giving you lots of pictures in this post! Yes, I am not above shameless bribery to get you all to come back to me after my 19 day (gah!) hiatus. ...You're most welcome:)

So, obviously I've missed you, and I could babble on ad nauseam... but, since I am trying to win you back and all, let's get right to the good stuff. (Note: Sigh. To add to my growing list of apologies, most of these pictures were taken with the iPhone. And I am no iPhone photographer because I can't hold still long enough. I seem to have *cough* misplaced my camera during the move, and I haven't unearthed it yet, booo.)

Without further ado: here's our new home!

Front of the house, lovingly mulched by yours truly this past weekend. (Sweet.Goodness. I hate mulching...)

One of my favorite rooms: The Kitchen! I love how open it is, and being able to look out the windows when I'm standing at the sink. (Baron loves these windows, too. He like to perch there and spy on our neighbor's dog :) This is actually a picture from the realtor.... I tried to take a pic earlier, and it was way, way too dark. Sigh. MUST find camera.

Our back yard. I am looking forward to hosting many gatherings and cook-outs here in the years to come :)

And finally, the master bedroom. (Yes, I 'made the bed' especially for you. ... Not that we don't make the bed on a every day -we do - but it isn't this tidy during the week... it's more of a 'pull the covers up and go' type of "bed-make". It does look like this on weekends, though ...) Again, sorry the quality isn't 100%...

And, to continue to butter you up -- I'll continue on to some more GOOD Stuff:

Good List:

1. J. Our marriage survived the move (heh. not that I was really worried... but I did get a bit crabby and unreasonable after multiple nights of very little sleep :)-- and now we are having a fabulous time nesting. Building our little home (& our lives) together. I love this man.

2. Allergy meds. Ah, Ohio. How I love hate love thee ...

3. Heroes, via Netflix. Season 1 has been fabulous!

4. Lunchtime walks (look for a "Walk with me" post later this week!)

5. Post-it notes.

6. BBQ and Country music. This stuff just makes me happy, folks. "There's a wild, wild whisper blowing in the wind calling out my name like a long-lost friend. Oh I miss those days as the years go by - Oh, nothing's sweeter than summertime, and American Honey..." (Lady A.)

7. Nesting. Love, LoVe, LOVE.

8. Libraries.

9. Sliding between cool, clean sheets at the end of a long but productive day. Is there any better feeling than that?

10. I find that, no matter what is slated to occur later in my day-- no matter how stressful or busy it is to be -- I cannot be anything but positive and happy on my morning drive. Something about driving through the early morning sunshine in the waking world renews me, and lifts my heart. In those moments I am hopeful and at peace, and the world abounds in the promise of a new day.

More later, and much love to you all .... Happy Tuesday!

It's official:

...I am moving List Day to Wednesday.



Haha, sigh. Ah well, blogger's prerogative, right? This does not mean that I will not post on Tuesdays (and in fact, since "pressure is off" now, I probably will-- my goal is to blog more. PERIOD.)-- it's just that now, if you are solely interested in the Amy-fabulous Lists (... and, selfishly, I hope that my charming and witty entries are always interesting to you... *bats eyelashes*) you only need to show up on Wednesdays.



Whew. All right, now that I've taken care of business.... on to the good stuff!



Good List (for Inaugural List Day Wednesday)

• J. I love my husband (not first and foremost... but it's up there) for his sense of humor. J can always be counted on for an off-the-cuff remark (most of which HE thinks are funnier than <they actually are> I do-- love you, babe!)-- but every once in a while he says something that totally catches me off guard, and I laugh so hard that tears come to my eyes. ...And when I say "every once in a while", I mean at least twice a week. ...I am a lucky girl :)


• COFFEEeeeee (I am convinced that without coffee I might not make it through this week...)
• Christmas Decorations! We put our tree up tonight (Gracie post+pictures to follow soon-- so funny!), and I had forgotten how wonderful it is just to sit and be quiet in the lit of the tree. It's a beautiful blessing that seems new each year.
• Lists. (Ooops, is it totally lame to lists "lists" on my "good list"? Bwahaha.... I'm done, I promise....) In all seriousness, lists help me to keep my focus, and give me things to look forward to-- as I typically list the "fun tasks" near the bottom, and the "not so fun but completely necessary tasks" near the top... and then work my way down. I am convinced that without lists, people like me would wander around aimlessly... Long live the list!
• I get to find out if I'm having a niece or nephew tomorrow!! (J's sister is expecting her first child in April-- can you tell how excited I am to be an aunt? :)
• Yankee Candle: "Home for the Holidays" ... Love, LoVE, LOVE.
• Hallmark (I need to go ahead and buy some stock all ready... seriously.)
• Today I went to the bookstore today and wandered around in blissful content for a full hour. (Erk.. well, not quite a full hour... I had to buy cat litter... which is not anywhere near as wonderful... although absolutely imperative. trust me.) Even though I walked out empty handed, something about being around all those books just fills my soul.
• Gracie has been especially snuggly lately... and I can't get enough of it. True happiness (for me) comes from a lot of things (great book + soft blanket; sitting down to write with a glass of wine; a bath with candles; snuggling under the covers on rainy Sunday afternoons...) -- but near the top of that list is having a small, purring kitten in your lap, so soft and warm :)
• I am living in a season of anticipation. And, though this frustrates me sometimes, I know I am blessed with the promise that I will emerge from this time with purpose and a mission... and that is worth being patient for.

List #2 . I know this next list is a bit of a cop-out (since EVERYONE is doing it)-- but it's terribly fun... and I am not one to miss out on an opportunity like this... soo:

Amy's Christmas List (pay attention, J!)

1. A new computer. Hoo Boy do I need one.... A mac book please, Santa!

2. A (omg, I can't remember what these things are called for the life of me!) "cabinet" for our dining room to store china, wine glasses, etc. in -- I loved this one from Pottery Barn.... but sadly, it is no longer available....

3. One of those big snuggly "no-sew" fleece blankets

4. The Twilight Soundtrack

5. A Spi-belt :)

Hmm... Actually, that list was a little harder to compile than I think it should have been :) It's not that I don't want anything for Christmas (unfortunately, I'm not that self-less ;)-- it's just that (and I don't know why I never remember this!) every year when it gets to December I have an extremely hard time naming what I want. I think it probably comes off the "Ooh, it's almost Christmas, so I shouldn't even think about buying anything for myself" mentality... but it's kind of inconvenient ... Perhaps the key is to make my list early so that I can beat this "mini-mental shut down" :) ....Next year, look for my Christmas list in October (*cough-J-cough*)

Let's see... I guess if I had though about it earlier, I would have told you about Thanksgiving before I got into Christmas :) This is definitely a problem with posting only 1x a week-- I have way to much to talk about! J an I had a wonderful 1st Thanksgiving together :) I woke early to do a 4mi race with my family (J. and the kitties stayed warm in bed and enjoyed the day off!) The 4 miler was awesome-- I think everyone had a great time, and I have high hopes that this will become a family tradition (... I'll have to bribe J. out of bed next year, too!) After the race, Laurie came home with me and we watched the parade and napped for the rest of the afternoon (heaven!)

In the evening, I got to enjoy my first Thanksgiving EVER with J's family, and it did not disappoint! Not only was baby Aiden perfectly delightful (at 4mos. he is really starting to interact-- love Love LOVE the baby squeals of delight!), but J. and I had a wonderful time laughing and catching up with everyone (heh.. we have been somewhat "hermit-y"-- since the wedding we have not seen any of J's extended family until now!)-- and Oh the FOOD! We enjoyed turkey (of course), stuffing, yams, spinach balls, peas, a relish tray of fresh veggies (prepped by yours truly :), cranberry salad, mashed potatoes, and cinnamon-y crescent rolls. Dessert was a choice of pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie or ice cream (or any combination of the above-- I enjoyed a small slice of both pumpkin and pecan pies!) Glorious food coma :)

The rest of the weekend was delightfully lazy-- although I did (as promised) hauls myself out of the house on Saturday to get coffee and see "New Moon" with Laurie (Squeal!!!!! A.MAZ.ING. I was very much less than thrilled with the first movie-- but this was AWESOME. I want to see it again!) I'm SO excited for Eclipse (Which was, hands-down, my favorite book in the series. 6.30.2010.)

And now, it back to the grind :) We seem to have a mysterious "December 15 deadline" here at work... so things will probably be a bit nutty for the next few weeks-- at least I'm won't be bored! All right... bedtime.

More later-- and much "bloggy love" until then <3

Tuesday = List Day!! YaY!!!

... Do you know what day it is?!?!

LIST DAY!!


(Is anyone as excited about this as I am? ... You should be...)






Anyway... I really owe y'all a marathon post (lots going on over here lately!) and I promise to give it to you... but first things first:








My Fitness List (things I want to do in my lifetime!)

• Run a sub-2 hour half marathon



• Run a marathon



• Give birth (I agree with all you ladies out there... this definitely counts as a fitness goal!!)



• Walk in several races with my parents each year



• Run the Country Music Half marathon
  


• Run the Rock and Roll Half (or Full!) marathon



• Run a sub-24 minute 5k



• Run the PEI marathon



• Be a pacer during a half-marathon



• Teach a fitness class (kickboxing? yoga?)
  

Good List

1. J. I am having a really good time being married to my best friend! 1 m + 1d and counting :)



2. We have a really great vet (Dr.Burke at Creature Comforts Animal Clinic)-- who adores Gracie, and is very compassionate and helpful.



3. Coffeeee.....



4. This past Saturday/Sunday was amazing. I got to spend a whole 24 hours with the best friend, Saundra. We picked apples and pumpkins, carbo-loaded and shopped, watched chick-flicks-- AND ran a half-marathon together! (... which brings me to...)



5. Holy goodness, I'm glad that race is over. Amy not training nearly enough = brutal 13.1 miles. I am really proud of myself for sticking it out though... and I don't regret registering at all :) ... I consider 2:56:55 (13:31 splits... walking all but about 2.5 miles....) something to be proud of!



6. My graphing calculator. (Yes, I am a nerd... leave me alone.)



7. "Mama-Gracie snuggle time"--oh, how I treasure these moments!!



8. Sweater dresses. Oh so comfy :)



9. Edy's Pumpkin Ice Cream


10. And, of course, this:

The Baron and Princess Gracie-- photo courtesy of J.

Okay: On to other "blog-worthy" things ... As I mentioned above, this past Sunday I got the chance to participate in the Columbus Half-Marathon. Also as I mentioned above, it was definitely more challenging than the first half marathon I ran. ...Still, when I look back at the goal I had when I went in (heh.. I believe I said, quite eloquently: "Rock my next half-marathon")-- I think I accomplished my goals. Although it was definitely one of the most physically challenging (and mentally challenging-- which I think surprised me the most....) this race will always hold a special place in my heart. I smiled for at least the first 6.51 miles-- and I let the amazing people I was running in the midst of inspire me. I daydreamed about houses (ooohhh Bexley!!), read all sorts of great shirts (and started some great conversations because of them!) and thanked all the volunteers I could. Miles 8-11 were a real struggle for me, but I pressed on-- and I am really proud of myself for fighting it out. To be honest, sometimes I worry that I'm not stubborn enough to be a runner (the runners reading this will know exactly what I mean, I am sure!)-- sometimes I think maybe I'm not mentally tough enough to fight when I'm hurting-- to press forward through the plateaus and truly move forward. This race showed me that this is not the case. I am a passionate, strong and driven woman-- and truly-- there is nothing stopping me except for me. This race was extremely affirming to me in that respect.

It was wonderful to have this inspiring race to ruminate on... because otherwise, things have been kind of nutty. I have had a crash course in "Mommy-hood", as dear little Gracie is sick (feline cold... but she is having a rough time of it... poor baby...) I have been staying awake at night to listen to her breathing, wiping her nose, medicating and feeding her (wow--workout!! Even with J's help, it is exhausting!), as well as holding her constantly, because she doesn't feel well and wants to snuggle. I am totally exhausted (work is crazy this week, too.... we're not even going there.)-- but nothing a good 8 hours of sleep can't fix :)

Another "teaser" for the night is that I am seriously thinking about doing a "Rock the Frock" photo session (*cough* you may know this concept as "Trash the Dress"-- but if I called it that my mother would kill me... I'm not thinking of doing anything really destructive, anyway... more country/naturey feel.... Stay tuned-- I will keep you posted!)

Anyway... I think I may sign off for now-- time to snuggle with my little girl. Have a lovely Tuesday night, bloggies!