Wrangling: {Green}

This is what hope looks like in Central OH.

(A weekly round up. Each Wednesday I am going to “wrangle” the past weeks’ happenings into a post filled with pictures, lists & general tidbits about the past 7 days.)

I meant to post this yesterday, I really did, but clearly, it didn't happen. It's been a really frustrating (& for some reason, extremely tiring) week for me, and when it came down to it, it really was the best for everyone if I just threw my hands up in surrender, and went to bed early.

You're welcome :)

But, here I am, fresh & new today, with your Wednesday weekly "ramblings".

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For this week, it actually works out nicely that I'm posting on a Thursday, because I can wish you a Happy St.Patrick's Day!

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Actually, St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays, although I am sorry to say that is primarily because of the food. When I was growing up, my parents would make a big deal out of cooking up (what I've since learned) the American-ized St. Patty's Day Feast: corned beef & cabbage, potatoes & carrots, huge hunks of Irish Soda Bread slathered in butter, and some kind of green dessert (which varied from brownies topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of creme de menthe to a fluffy pistachio pudding based dish. ... Now that I think about it, dessert was typically decidedly un-Irish...)

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My favorite was, hands down, the bread. My name is Amy, and I'm a carb-o-holic. ...A carb+butter-aholic, if you want to get technical. I've never attempted to make it in my own kitchen because, quite frankly, I thought it was a yeast bread... (my history with yeast breads is short but brutal. 2 attempts. We'll leave it at that. Someday I'll have to come back around and master the yeast bread, but today is not that day.) But, after my co-worker (ironically, named Patrick...) gently pointed out to me that Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread relying on baking soda to help it rise, I have renewed vigor. I intend to try this recipe this weekend.

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As you can see from the picture above, Spring is spring-ing (finally) in a noticable way in our neighborhood, and in our yard. A little green shoot courageously poking its way into the chilly new year never fails to warm my heart. I'm ready for the sunshine & birdsong & gentle breezes. I'm ready to be happily surprised by the flowers that appear in my flower beds.

...I'm not so ready to be surprised by the weeds that inevitably shoot up in droves. But, I'll take the bitter with the sweet :)

I wish I could rattle on to you about my ambitious gardening goals, but, quite frankly, gardening is not my strong suit. So, this year my goals are to (a) buy enough mulch, and (b) stay on top of the weeding. Oh, and (c) buy a shovel (like this one) sturdy enough to conquer Ohio clay. (Ugh. Ohio Clay is no joke.) Last year I had to dig out a hole big enough to transplant my mums (speaking of which, the verdict is still out whether they survived the winter or not ...).... Darn near killed me.

I think it's a good start :)

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Via

Perhaps my biggest accomplishment this week has been waking early to run. I like to call it "Chasing down the dream", referring, of course, to the dream I shared with you last week.

Running in the morning just works for me. Not only because the older I get, the less I want people to actually see me running (hah! sad but true.) but because I (honest to goodness) LOVE it. To me, the quiet, twilight, waking world is nothing short of magical. I love the feeling of "shaking out the cobwebs" in the first mile, gaining new awareness of my body as a gradually wake through the repetitive movement. I love the perfect, quiet darkness, and the smallness I feel as I move through it. I love the solitude.

How could I have forgotten how much I love this? I hope I never forget again.

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Alternatively, sleeping in (every other morning) and snuggling with this fuzzy face is pretty wonderful, too.

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Happy Thursday, friends. What has been the best part of your week so far? ...Any fun St.Patty's day plans?

Challenge Day #9: Company, Part Deux

I love having company, especially when they cook for me :)

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have a homemade margarita calling my name .....

Happy Friday to you!

Seriously?!

I'm annoyed because I almost got run over today by a woman on her bicycle. A woman on her bicycle talking on her cell phone.


Seriously?!

Now, I realize that I am not the most coordinated person in the world, and that (to me) riding a bicycle in itself without falling off is complicated enough, but really? I think riding a bicycle and talking on a cell phone is just asking for disaster. I'm lucky I made it out alive.

(Of course, I kid.... but it was pretty annoying. Enough so that as soon as she was a sufficient distance away I rolled my eyes and uttered, quite eloquently, "Seriously?" ... I realize I'm using that word a lot today, but I struggle to find other words to adequately expressed my disgust :)

Has anything crazy-annoying and absurd like this ever happened to you?

I digress ...

Well, good news friends! It's Wednesday, which means we are half way to another weekend. Ah, sweet weekend ... Honestly, this past weekend wasn't particularly productive for me (painting definitely did NOT get done), but I was able to check several things off my "Amy-do" list, and I'm proud of my small victories. ...And, unfortunately, as J seems to be coming down with something this week, I may have plenty of solo time to do more chores. (Like... uhm... TONS of painting prep. J and I were talking this morning, and I think I may have been hasty to think I could paint last weekend after all. The final room that we need to paint was previously painted with stripes ... which means lots of sanding and putty-ing before we even get to the taping and painting. Meh... on the bright side, I sure will feel accomplished once it's done!)

And some more good news: I have something very exciting to share with my Ohio (especially central Ohio!) friends. A PSA of sorts, I guess you could say.

What is it, you ask?



Well, it's no secret that I am totally in love with my furbabies ... Baron and Gracie have enriched my life in so many ways -- they make me laugh, they comfort me when I'm sick or sad (When I wasn't feeling well on July 3, Gracie snuggled with me in the dark of the bedroom as we listened to a nearby fireworks display.) and, most importantly, they have unlocked rooms in my heart that I never knew I had. Before Baron and Gracie, I had never really owned a pet before, I couldn't begin to comprehend that love -- and now? It astounds me. And, without hesitation, I would recommend this experience to ... well, everyone.

And so, it is with great excitement that I present this opportunity to you! During the month of July (sorry I didn't find out about this earlier to tell you!) the Capital Area Humane Society has reduced their adoption fee for cats and kittens to just $25 :)



How awesome is this?! Baron and Gracie both came from the CAHS, and were "fixed" and microchipped when we got them. We couldn't be happier with the kitties, and have been very impressed with the CAHS in general (in fact, volunteering there is on my list of things to explore ...) So, if you're in the central OH area and have been on the fence about adopting a 'fuzzy' ... what are you waiting for?!-- this is a great opportunity!


If you need any more incentive, just look at these dear little faces...(I'm loving Chloe (black cat Chloe), Doyle, Homer and Eclipse...)


(For the record, J and I will not be getting another cat at this time... I begged and pleaded... and he told me 1 more cat = one less kiddo (someday... I'm not trying to tell you anything)... )

And now, in honor of this special catly opportunity, a special list!

Good List
Dedicated to Baron and Gracie

1. Little faces that peer out the window, ready to greet me the minute I cross the threshold into my home.
2. Kind little souls that have, in fact, made my house the home that it is.
3. Deep, beautiful stretches that inspire me to do yoga (cat pose, anyone? Actually, Gracie does a killer downward dog....)
4. Fuzzy, purring bodies that wind around my arms and legs and make doing yoga impossible... but so enjoyable.
5. Being reminded that sometimes afternoon (and morning, and evening) naps are not only acceptable, but completely necessary.
6. Being reminded that we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously.
7. Seeing Baron and Gracie's pride when they show off a "new trick" (ie: Baron opens cabinets, Gracie knows how to play "hide & seek")
8. Sometimes, if we haven't seen the cats in a while, one of them will realize they are alone, and wander through the house "calling for us". It's completely endearing.
9. "Mama & Gracie snuggle time", which is so SO definitely my favorite time of day.
10. Watching them revel in the small, beautiful pleasures of their world: sun beams, soft blankets, watching bunnies in the back yard, stealing drinks from the bathroom faucets. Seeing their joy multiplies mine tenfold.


Have a happy Wednesday, everyone :)

5 things on Friday

Happy Friday afternoon, bloggies! I hope you are having a fabulous day, and looking forward to a nice (if not long) weekend :) I, predictably, am to the point where I am bouncing off the walls-- so I feel that it is the perfect time for another post... So, without further ado, here are 5 (good) things for this Friday:

Good thing #1
Gracie is finally out of confinement!!! (I feel that 3 exclamations marks is not nearly enough to convey my enthusiasm... but I kind of feel like 3 might be as many as I can get away with, without sounding like a "Twilight-crazed" preteen girl-- "squeeee!" ... wait...) Anyway, we let 'our little one' out when we got home from work, and after Baron got over himself, we all had a very nice night.

Good thing #2
It's June!


...Yes, I realize it's been June for a while now, but I refuse to curb my excitement :) New months are always a treat, because they bring with them fresh new starts, and new chances. June is extra special, though, because it's halfway through the year (Ho.Ly. MOLY. That 1st 6 months went awfully quickly!) Therefore, it is time for me to reexamine some of my goals (yikes, this could be brutal) and give an honest progress report :)
From the list published here:

So, how am I doing?

Goal 1: This has been almost too easy. I've definitely been reading 1, if not 2 books per month. Now, in the spirit of complete honesty ... I cringe when I say this (and my librarian mother I'm sure is cringing, too...) but-- unfortunately my library fines seem to be in direct proportion with the number of books I'm reading... Apparently, I have good taste, and can't renew any books because other people have placed them on reserve.... Ah. well. Still a win in my mind ;)

Grade: A+

Goal 2: Oh, date night, how I miss you. Date night has dwindled as our energy level has dwindled... I'm pretty sure that we haven't gone out for date night since we moved into the new house. ... Of course, there's always tomorrow to get this turned around (Amy begins scheming...)

Grade: B-

Goal 3: Keep writing. Yup... I've definitely done that. I may not have written out my story (did anyone unscramble this besides Laurie?)... but I haven't given up on it either. Therefore, while this is still in the works, I think it's a very promising start.

Grade: B+

Goal 4: Uhm, Fail. Definitely need to get a little more motivation on this one...

Grade: D+

Goal 5: Well, we're not going to accomplish the huge 'Travel out West' roadtrip that I had in mind when I wrote out the list, but I would like to think of this not as failed.... but rather as put on hold for a while. After all, the reason we will not be traveling this summer is because we traveled across town at the end of March ... to a new house ;)

Grade: Withdrawn

Goal 6: Ah, running... sigh. There are good days, there are bad days, and there are 'heaven-help-me-because-i-would-rather-sit-here-and-eat-this-bag-of-chips' days. I definitely need to put a little more work into this one.

Grade: C

Quite frankly, I am breathing a sigh of relief over all :) There are definitely things that need some work (eh hem... numbers 4 and 6.. I'm looking right at you!), but I don't feel completely discouraged and defeated as I have in some years past. Maybe I'm finally learning the right way to make New Years' Resolutions!?

Good thing #3
If you are ever in Gahanna, Lola's is a fabulous restaraunt!! I promised you a review last week, and here it is: *Awesome*. Go tonight. Small, cozy mom & pop type place within walking distance of Creekside. The food is to die for-- and one of their specialties is a ravoili of the day (uniquely filled each day of the week!) ... Love.

Good Thing #4

After a horrendously long time (like, I kid you not, 2 months) I got the chance to have a nice long conversation with my best friend (The one who ran my 1st half marathon with me!) This woman just inspires me, and talking with her for an hour lifts my heart for at least a week. I am so honored that she asked me to stand with her next summer as she marries the man of her dreams. ... And, of course, I agreed :)

Good Thing #5

Caffeine ... Or the lack thereof.

As I alluded in an earlier post, I am attempting to drastically cut back / cut out the coffee. This is for a couple fairly important health related reasons, namely: my stomach and my sanity.

I'm not sure I mentioned it last year, but there was a period of time (like, oh, January to September) when I was absolutely convinced I had an ulcer. Ughh. Not fun, bloggies, not fun at all. In the end, I took a bunch of tests (whew. expensive tests!) and nothing was found ... but I still felt awful. I think (whatever it was) it was heavily influenced by the catastrophic levels of stress in my life... because it leveled out once October rolled around. (J likes to gloat that he healed me with his magical-perfect-husbandness... While there may be some truth to that... I know it was probably a combination of a lot of stuff.) So, anyway... while the stomach pain didn't completely disappear, now I can go weeks and months without experiencing it ... while, at it's "peak awful-ness" I was having problems just about every day.

But that gnawing feeling that always signaled me that I was headed for a miserable afternoon? Coffee seems to trigger that sometimes. Sigh ... and no matter how much I love it, I'm just not sure it's worth it. (On top of that, I have discovered that drinking coffee gives me pretty drastic anxiety. Which again, is rather miserable... and not worth it.)

Soo... I am drinking decaf for now (hence the praise in Wednesday's Good List.) While I realize decaf has a bit of a 'why bother' stigma associated with it (hmm. much like diet coke.... which I also love because I love...)-- AND I don't really want to think too hard about the decaffeination process... for me, for now, it is a good thing. Maybe in the future I'll be able to let go of my morning coffee ritual completely... I'm not in a huge rush. After all, I had years of co-ops over which to develop this obsession passion... so I'll take it slow. ...and of course I will occasionally treat myself to a beloved vanilla latte (uhm.. which, duh, I supposed I could get decaffeinated ...) Therefore, this "development" makes the good list because, while (not gonna lie) I'm a little sad that my love affair had to end this way... I know it is a step in the right direction for my health :)

So there you have it: what are '5 Friday things' that summarize your week?

It's time for me to get "weekending"... but if I don't make it back before next Monday, have a wonderful Saturday & Sunday!

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?

I'm not the only one who is having a love affair with the new windows:

'Big B.' (Baron earned this nickname once we got Gracie. He is by no means a "fat cat"... but he is larger- 12 lbs of lovin'- and next to 'Baby G', he looks like The Hulk... Anyhoo...) loves watch our "backyard wildlife" (bunnies, birds, the neighbor's dog-- and, as you can see, squirrels....) through these windows. Sometimes he gets so excited that he chirps to them, and races back and forth across the back of the house to 'follow them' as they move through the yard.

I love watching his joy.

I know a lot of times my 'love posts' seem very heavily weighted toward Gracie... but make no mistake, I am completely smitten with my little man as well :)