Life is not always easy, simple, or fair. This world is challenging, confusing, tempting, and secular.
And I'm not perfect. Sometimes I am a drama queen. Sometimes I swear. Sometimes I'm selfish. Sometimes I make bad decisions. Sometimes I don't act my age. Sometimes I am ungracious and unkind. Sometimes I say things I don't mean, or things I do mean that shouldn't be said out loud. Sometimes I enjoy gossip and contribute to it. Sometimes I am a coward. I am guilty of all of this and more. I am never perfect. I am never deserving. But somehow I am always forgiven and my account always reads: full.
Your grace is enough. If it weren't, I would have screwed it all up a long time go.
"Self destruction is one of my spiritual gifts."- Lon Solomon
[Footnote: This message is one of a 4-part series that came to me on a Sunday afternoon when I didn't even know how desperately I needed to hear it. I'm glad to have access to a streaming video version of it to hear again today, when I desperately need it again. Thank You.]
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Recovering Type-A
Every year around this time my back-to-school brain kicks in and I get uber type-A on life again.
What?
Yes, at one point in my life (aka the 6 years of undergrad and grad school), I considered myself a type-A personality. Just 2 years later, I am convinced that was just a phase. I have become notoriously neglectful of some pretty important priorities, responsibilities, and goals that at one point I would have never ever dreamed of flaking out on.
Let's just say a Ph.D. is not in my future.
But every year summer comes and goes, and even though I am not lacing up my school-shoes anymore these days, with the start of a new school year comes Amanda's Annual Reorganization of Life.
This year will be an epic one.
For some reason, the promise of fall still brings on the feeling of a fresh start and a clean slate for me. I used to tell myself at the beginning of a new semester that I was starting out with a 4.0- all I had to do was maintain it. As an adult, post-grad. Sometimes I still try to take on that mentality.
I've spent the last week doing some major purging. The new shredder at the office has certainly been broken in, thanks to me. I had IFSPs in there from last year... kids I discharged just prior to our wedding. For shame! I've shredded and purged and re-organized my work-life. Up-next: the daunting task of re-organizing our little abode. This is going to take some serious mental preparations, but I'm determined that we are going to git-r-done and soon. Priorities. I'd like to have it all done by mid-October. Goals.
Wish me luck in this endeavor. We've got about 1500 square feet of crap crammed into 729 square feet and 2 closets. I'm going to need positive vibes, the power of prayer, some meditation, and a few bottles of wine to get me through this one. But it's that time of year and I'm motivated.
Sidenote: the urge to purge isn't the only thing signifying the change of the seasons. IT'S OKTOBERFEST TIME, YA'LL!
What?
Yes, at one point in my life (aka the 6 years of undergrad and grad school), I considered myself a type-A personality. Just 2 years later, I am convinced that was just a phase. I have become notoriously neglectful of some pretty important priorities, responsibilities, and goals that at one point I would have never ever dreamed of flaking out on.
Let's just say a Ph.D. is not in my future.
But every year summer comes and goes, and even though I am not lacing up my school-shoes anymore these days, with the start of a new school year comes Amanda's Annual Reorganization of Life.
This year will be an epic one.
For some reason, the promise of fall still brings on the feeling of a fresh start and a clean slate for me. I used to tell myself at the beginning of a new semester that I was starting out with a 4.0- all I had to do was maintain it. As an adult, post-grad. Sometimes I still try to take on that mentality.
I've spent the last week doing some major purging. The new shredder at the office has certainly been broken in, thanks to me. I had IFSPs in there from last year... kids I discharged just prior to our wedding. For shame! I've shredded and purged and re-organized my work-life. Up-next: the daunting task of re-organizing our little abode. This is going to take some serious mental preparations, but I'm determined that we are going to git-r-done and soon. Priorities. I'd like to have it all done by mid-October. Goals.
Wish me luck in this endeavor. We've got about 1500 square feet of crap crammed into 729 square feet and 2 closets. I'm going to need positive vibes, the power of prayer, some meditation, and a few bottles of wine to get me through this one. But it's that time of year and I'm motivated.
Sidenote: the urge to purge isn't the only thing signifying the change of the seasons. IT'S OKTOBERFEST TIME, YA'LL!
 |
| Heaven in a bottle. Behold. |
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Lazy Weather Day
I'm in heaven. By some freak coincidence of cancellations I have 2 kids to see today... and the first one isn't until noon! It is now 10:10 am and what have I done today?
-Hit snooze half a dozen times until I reset my alarm. Why get up early? This gloomy rainy weather practically demands that I sleep in as long as I want. I am all caught up on work and have nothing demanding my attention, so why not?
-Woke up again before my alarm. Also by some freak coincidence, I got in bed before midnight last night. Not just before midnight, but before 11! Of all the days I can sleep to my heart's content, I woke up completely rested and ready to start the day at 9 am (after initially waking up at 7 out of habit). Thats still 2 hours of extra sleep so I can't really complain.
-Made a pot o' coffee. The poor ole Cuisinart has been pretty neglected lately, for a few reasons. Namely, I am no longer dependent on the bean to get my day rolling. Don't get me wrong, I certainly enjoy a hot cuppa joe any time of day but thanks to a little vitamin b12- coffee is no longer required. I also think part of my independence is the fact that I am no longer motivated enough to get out of bed 15 minutes earlier to brew it and I can never seem to remember to set it up with a timer to autobrew in the morning.
-Watched fun morning talk shows. Oh Kelly (and Michael?) and Rachael Ray- how I've missed you since my college days.
-House Hunted... things are looking up (a little) which makes me excited. There are a few detached SFHs in Arlington, a row in Alexandria, and a little bit of everything in Fall's Church. So maybe this weekend we'll do some investigating and go see a few. How do I try not to get my hopes up this time around but also have faith that there is a home out there waiting for us? Pray for us!
Things I haven't done this morning:
-Gotten dressed
-Brushed my teeth
-Walked Lucille (she is starting to "hound" me- bahaha get it?)
-Given a crap about being lazy.
For the rest of the morning I am planning on lounging, pinteresting, gchatting, showering, and then of course taking out the pooch and going to see my 2 little friends. Maybe by the time I get home, I will be motivated to hit the gym, make something delish (and obviously suitable for this gloomy weather) for dinner.
When can I start working part time and have this schedule every day?
-Hit snooze half a dozen times until I reset my alarm. Why get up early? This gloomy rainy weather practically demands that I sleep in as long as I want. I am all caught up on work and have nothing demanding my attention, so why not?
-Woke up again before my alarm. Also by some freak coincidence, I got in bed before midnight last night. Not just before midnight, but before 11! Of all the days I can sleep to my heart's content, I woke up completely rested and ready to start the day at 9 am (after initially waking up at 7 out of habit). Thats still 2 hours of extra sleep so I can't really complain.
-Made a pot o' coffee. The poor ole Cuisinart has been pretty neglected lately, for a few reasons. Namely, I am no longer dependent on the bean to get my day rolling. Don't get me wrong, I certainly enjoy a hot cuppa joe any time of day but thanks to a little vitamin b12- coffee is no longer required. I also think part of my independence is the fact that I am no longer motivated enough to get out of bed 15 minutes earlier to brew it and I can never seem to remember to set it up with a timer to autobrew in the morning.
-Watched fun morning talk shows. Oh Kelly (and Michael?) and Rachael Ray- how I've missed you since my college days.
-House Hunted... things are looking up (a little) which makes me excited. There are a few detached SFHs in Arlington, a row in Alexandria, and a little bit of everything in Fall's Church. So maybe this weekend we'll do some investigating and go see a few. How do I try not to get my hopes up this time around but also have faith that there is a home out there waiting for us? Pray for us!
Things I haven't done this morning:
-Gotten dressed
-Brushed my teeth
-Walked Lucille (she is starting to "hound" me- bahaha get it?)
-Given a crap about being lazy.
For the rest of the morning I am planning on lounging, pinteresting, gchatting, showering, and then of course taking out the pooch and going to see my 2 little friends. Maybe by the time I get home, I will be motivated to hit the gym, make something delish (and obviously suitable for this gloomy weather) for dinner.
When can I start working part time and have this schedule every day?
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Peace
Since the beginning of summer it has seemed a lot like life has been happening around me. There were moments where I just felt at the mercy of what was going on around me. Don't get me wrong, there were many wonderful days and celebrations- but there were lots of days where it seemed like I was just getting by a day at a time. Fortunately for me, summer culminated in an indescribably, much needed 10-day get away, complete with a week to the outer banks (a yearly tradition that has been missed for the last 2 years) and celebrating my Momma's 51st birthday.
The only word I can use to adequately describe our week at the beach with my in-laws is peace. I felt completely at peace. No house-hunting, no appointments, no (very little) work. I slept in, I ran (!!), I walked, I ate (a lot), I sat my butt in a chair everyday and read and tanned. I spent an entire week of uninterrupted time with my favorite person on earth and my pretty awesome in-laws. I am feeling so re-charged and ready for the next 2 months of work before my next, much shorter break.
I'm looking so forward to finding a house again. I was getting so frustrated searching everyday, multiple times a day. I know we are moving into the slow season as far as purchasing real estate is concerned, but right now I am just looking forward to buying a home and filling it with lots of wedding pictures-which remain in digital form only, wedding gifts- which remain stowed away at mine and T's parents, memories and traditions, and someday soon, a family.
I'm looking forward to doing some more running. T and I are planning to run the Wounded Warriors Project Race Around The Lake. Its a short- 4.7 mi- race that I think will suit us well right now, considering that we haven't considered ourselves runners since last October's Army 10 miler. I'm really looking forward to this race because I'm confident I can conquer this distance after almost a year off and because the Wounded Warriors Project has done so much for Tory's family in the last 2 years. Maybe this race will become a yearly staple for us and will help to prepare us for future ATMs that we plan on conquering starting again next year.
I'm looking very forward to seeing family again this fall and celebrating my cousin's marriage. I'm really excited for the temps to drop a little and to start feeling the warm and fuzzies of fall and the Holidays waiting just around the corner. With any luck, we'll have a house of our own to decorate for Christmas.
Clearly tonight, I am feeling so at peace with life- even with the impending 10 hour work day ahead of me tomorrow. I am feeling ready to take on the world. I can not believe how severely I underestimated my need for a break from life, work, and responsibilities. I will never ever let myself or my family go 9 months without a break ever again.
Goodbye Summer, I'm welcoming this new season with open arms and a big, joyful smile.
The only word I can use to adequately describe our week at the beach with my in-laws is peace. I felt completely at peace. No house-hunting, no appointments, no (very little) work. I slept in, I ran (!!), I walked, I ate (a lot), I sat my butt in a chair everyday and read and tanned. I spent an entire week of uninterrupted time with my favorite person on earth and my pretty awesome in-laws. I am feeling so re-charged and ready for the next 2 months of work before my next, much shorter break.
I'm looking so forward to finding a house again. I was getting so frustrated searching everyday, multiple times a day. I know we are moving into the slow season as far as purchasing real estate is concerned, but right now I am just looking forward to buying a home and filling it with lots of wedding pictures-which remain in digital form only, wedding gifts- which remain stowed away at mine and T's parents, memories and traditions, and someday soon, a family.
I'm looking forward to doing some more running. T and I are planning to run the Wounded Warriors Project Race Around The Lake. Its a short- 4.7 mi- race that I think will suit us well right now, considering that we haven't considered ourselves runners since last October's Army 10 miler. I'm really looking forward to this race because I'm confident I can conquer this distance after almost a year off and because the Wounded Warriors Project has done so much for Tory's family in the last 2 years. Maybe this race will become a yearly staple for us and will help to prepare us for future ATMs that we plan on conquering starting again next year.
I'm looking very forward to seeing family again this fall and celebrating my cousin's marriage. I'm really excited for the temps to drop a little and to start feeling the warm and fuzzies of fall and the Holidays waiting just around the corner. With any luck, we'll have a house of our own to decorate for Christmas.
Clearly tonight, I am feeling so at peace with life- even with the impending 10 hour work day ahead of me tomorrow. I am feeling ready to take on the world. I can not believe how severely I underestimated my need for a break from life, work, and responsibilities. I will never ever let myself or my family go 9 months without a break ever again.
Goodbye Summer, I'm welcoming this new season with open arms and a big, joyful smile.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Home-Sweet-Rental
The time has come, friends, for the D-fam to relocate. And by relocate, I mean try to find something affordable with room to grow, as close to our current abode as phyically possible. And we are not interested in another rental! The decision to purchase our first home was not one made easy. In fact, I went kicking and screaming to open house after open house until I happened into the right open house and... game over. Let me rewind about 6 months and start at the beginning...
Some time over the winter, T and I were running errands in our neighborhood and walked pass USAA, where we bank. We walked in on a wild hair and talked to someone about our current finances and what they'd loan us for a home. We weren't expecting much at the time but it was enough to plant the seed in Tory's mind. We learned that with our measely little down payment and our debt to income ratio that includes only student loans we could afford a cramped 2 bedroom condo in Arlington. No thanks. I've done my time in apartments. 2 years of undergrad, 2 years of gradschool, and the last 2 years have sealed the deal for me. Condo/Apartment.... tomato/tah-mah-toh... I'll pass. At the time, I was content in continuing to rent but expanding our territory a little bit in a townhouse or single family home somewhere with a yard for the pup. Tory was convinced that renting when we could own was completely ludacris.
So we had some conversations. Owning here means staying put. No up and leaving for Tory's dream Californian adventure for a few years. No heading down to the land of southern hospitality. No traditional suburbs in our immediate future (ick). Owning means saying farewell to the rooftop pool, theater room, and clubhouse gym all included in our amenities fee. Owning means mowing your lawn and cleaning your gutters... we don't even have gutters right now. Owning means buying and changing your own lightbulbs... eek. So we agreed that we'd keep our eyes on both markets. If a workable rental became available, we'd look into it. If something in our price range became avalable we'd look into that too.
So we buckled down and saved our pennies for a more respectable down payment. Fast forward 6 months and find me in a row home in the cutest little Alexandria neighborhood realizing in an instant that renting simply would not do. Frankly there is about one attractive rental home in our budget in the entire Arlington/Alexandria area and it is presently occupied by my favorite newly-weds.
Now I've been sucked into the home buying frenzy. Its like in an instant, the switch flipped and now I'm obsessed. We went into ONE amazing open house but we weren't financially prepared to make an offer... our mortgage broker worked hard and fast to get things together for us.. and now we're ready. We've been checking this listings daily (ok... multiple times a day), and we've gotten to know our realtor pretty well. We have learned all sorts of fancy legal/real estate terms and acronyms and I've been doing an uncomfortable amount of math lately. We're in the zone and so far. this experience has taught me many lessons... Here are the top 2...
1. House hunting is disappointing. Things rarely... almost never... look the way they do in the professional photos you see online. Agents can be sleazy and slimy and borderline unlawful to make a few extra bucks. Things happen quickly in this area... even being a few hours late to the show can cost you.
2. I will have to make sacrifices. Living in this area means giving up square footage and paying a premium for what you do get. I adore older properties. The 3 homes I have fallen in love with (that were sold to others).... were all built in the early 50's. This means that we will also have to sacrifice on closet and storage space... as well as bathroom luxuries and green space.
While we have been disappointed in the homes we've missed out on and the unattractive ones we've seen... we have also learned a lot about what are must-haves....
1. Our own front door with our own walkway. I am not always good with sharing.
2. An updated kitchen. Sorry, this costs too much to do on our own.
3.THREE bedrooms. As much as I like to joke, children are hopefully in our future one day and it would be great if they had a place to sleep. Is it weird to think that in order to make owning a home worthwhile, we need to own it for at least 5 years... which means in the next 5 years I hope we have 1 or even 2 children. Mind. BLOWN.
4. A bathtub. If you know me at all, you know this is simply non-negotiable.
5. Green. As in grass. It doesnt have to have a fence- we can do that if we need to... but I seriously fantasize about the day we don't have to put Lu's harness and leash on for her to take a leak...
That's it. Basically. I mean I could get really picky and say that we absolutely have to have 2 bathrooms and an open-concept and blah-de-blah but when it comes down to it those are the things that matter. We'll find them, I am sure. We haven't been looking all that long and the market changes every day up here. This is both a blessing and a curse in many ways... but in the end, it's that many new opportunities for us to purchase our first home together.
Our first home... where we will hang our first wedding photos (no, I haven't done it yet), and paint our first walls. Where we will bring our future babies home from the hospital, where they will take their first steps and play outside in the tiny yard that we have to buy our first lawn-mower for. This is nothing to take lightly. So please pray for us, keep us in your minds.
Some time over the winter, T and I were running errands in our neighborhood and walked pass USAA, where we bank. We walked in on a wild hair and talked to someone about our current finances and what they'd loan us for a home. We weren't expecting much at the time but it was enough to plant the seed in Tory's mind. We learned that with our measely little down payment and our debt to income ratio that includes only student loans we could afford a cramped 2 bedroom condo in Arlington. No thanks. I've done my time in apartments. 2 years of undergrad, 2 years of gradschool, and the last 2 years have sealed the deal for me. Condo/Apartment.... tomato/tah-mah-toh... I'll pass. At the time, I was content in continuing to rent but expanding our territory a little bit in a townhouse or single family home somewhere with a yard for the pup. Tory was convinced that renting when we could own was completely ludacris.
So we had some conversations. Owning here means staying put. No up and leaving for Tory's dream Californian adventure for a few years. No heading down to the land of southern hospitality. No traditional suburbs in our immediate future (ick). Owning means saying farewell to the rooftop pool, theater room, and clubhouse gym all included in our amenities fee. Owning means mowing your lawn and cleaning your gutters... we don't even have gutters right now. Owning means buying and changing your own lightbulbs... eek. So we agreed that we'd keep our eyes on both markets. If a workable rental became available, we'd look into it. If something in our price range became avalable we'd look into that too.
So we buckled down and saved our pennies for a more respectable down payment. Fast forward 6 months and find me in a row home in the cutest little Alexandria neighborhood realizing in an instant that renting simply would not do. Frankly there is about one attractive rental home in our budget in the entire Arlington/Alexandria area and it is presently occupied by my favorite newly-weds.
Now I've been sucked into the home buying frenzy. Its like in an instant, the switch flipped and now I'm obsessed. We went into ONE amazing open house but we weren't financially prepared to make an offer... our mortgage broker worked hard and fast to get things together for us.. and now we're ready. We've been checking this listings daily (ok... multiple times a day), and we've gotten to know our realtor pretty well. We have learned all sorts of fancy legal/real estate terms and acronyms and I've been doing an uncomfortable amount of math lately. We're in the zone and so far. this experience has taught me many lessons... Here are the top 2...
1. House hunting is disappointing. Things rarely... almost never... look the way they do in the professional photos you see online. Agents can be sleazy and slimy and borderline unlawful to make a few extra bucks. Things happen quickly in this area... even being a few hours late to the show can cost you.
2. I will have to make sacrifices. Living in this area means giving up square footage and paying a premium for what you do get. I adore older properties. The 3 homes I have fallen in love with (that were sold to others).... were all built in the early 50's. This means that we will also have to sacrifice on closet and storage space... as well as bathroom luxuries and green space.
While we have been disappointed in the homes we've missed out on and the unattractive ones we've seen... we have also learned a lot about what are must-haves....
1. Our own front door with our own walkway. I am not always good with sharing.
2. An updated kitchen. Sorry, this costs too much to do on our own.
3.THREE bedrooms. As much as I like to joke, children are hopefully in our future one day and it would be great if they had a place to sleep. Is it weird to think that in order to make owning a home worthwhile, we need to own it for at least 5 years... which means in the next 5 years I hope we have 1 or even 2 children. Mind. BLOWN.
4. A bathtub. If you know me at all, you know this is simply non-negotiable.
5. Green. As in grass. It doesnt have to have a fence- we can do that if we need to... but I seriously fantasize about the day we don't have to put Lu's harness and leash on for her to take a leak...
That's it. Basically. I mean I could get really picky and say that we absolutely have to have 2 bathrooms and an open-concept and blah-de-blah but when it comes down to it those are the things that matter. We'll find them, I am sure. We haven't been looking all that long and the market changes every day up here. This is both a blessing and a curse in many ways... but in the end, it's that many new opportunities for us to purchase our first home together.
Our first home... where we will hang our first wedding photos (no, I haven't done it yet), and paint our first walls. Where we will bring our future babies home from the hospital, where they will take their first steps and play outside in the tiny yard that we have to buy our first lawn-mower for. This is nothing to take lightly. So please pray for us, keep us in your minds.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
One Photo, One Word
I've been a bad, bad blogger. Skimming over my last few posts, I really just don't know what to say for myself! Nor do I know where to begin in filling in the gaps between what has happened since my last real post... so I am going to go with a photo (where I have one) and one word describing the event. Ready? GO!
April 7, 2012 Ringling Brother's For Dad's Birthday: Silly
 |
| Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA |
April 21, 2012 L's Bridal Shower: Girlie
 |
| Fredericksburg, VA |
April 30, 2012 Our First Anniversary: Cherished
 |
| Chrysalis Vineyards, Middleburg, VA |
May 4-6, 2012 NYC Weekend: Adventuresome
 |
| Brooklyn Bridge, NY |
May 11-14, 2012 L's Bachelorette Party: Bonding
 |
| Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyard, Charlottesville, VA |
May 27, 2012 Martin-Lambert Wedding/Memorial Day Weekend: Celebratory!
 |
| Chesapeake Girls at the Cavalier Hotel, Virginia Beach, VA |
June 2, 2012 Bull Run Wine Festival: Necessary
 |
| Bull Run Park, Manassas, VA |
June 30, 2012 Talley-Eickel Wedding Weekend: Love (more on this later...)
 |
| Stevenson Ridge, Fredericksburg VA amazingly gorgeous photo by: Katelyn James Photography |
So there you have the highlight reel of the last few months- add to that a few trips to Freddy, dog sitting, birthdays, holidays, a highschool graduation, Insanity workouts, and a full caseload at work and things have felt pretty busy- but have also been very exciting, very full of joy, and overwhelming with love for each other, for our family, and for our friends- so many of whom have so many exciting things going on in their lives right now. Tory and I have also been busy with lots of exciting things for us as a couple and family.... more on that later as well!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Still Breathing
Hello blogosphere. I am writing to tell you that I am still alive. Things have been superb and busy here, and I have been enjoying living life too much to be writing about it. To summarize: there have been road trips and train trips, work conferences, engagement parties, wedding showers, bachelorette parties, family reunions, dog sitting, and first anniversaries. I'm sure I will be back to blogging soon, but for now I am going to keep on living and staying busy. Next on my list of adventures: Road tripping to the beach for the M-L wedding and memorial day this weekend. Bring on the crazy traffic and celebrations!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Love/Dislove
Life's been so very busy lately! For the most part, it's all been full of fun and excitement- but where there is excitement there is complete maddness... and there is only more to come in the next few months! To sum up what I've been up to the last few weeks and what I've got to look forward to this spring, I present to you the first-ever installment of Love/Dislove:
LOVE: Wedding Showers
DISLOVE: There is no dislove to this. Showers are a fun time to celebrate beautiful brides and lucky-duck grooms. Can't wait for the next one in April!
LOVE: Engagements!!!
DISLOVE: the real fact that friends will be leaving me SOON!
LOVE: Making new friends/growing new friendships
DISLOVE: Acting like I'm in college again and suffering the whole next day.
LOVE: The Hunger Games movie (twice!)
DISLOVE: That I have to wait a whole year for the next one.
LOVE: Being busy enough at work to make bonus... every week.
DISLOVE: working 10 hour days and until 5 on Fridays
DOUBLE DISLOVE: fender-benders on the road between visits.
LOVE: Upcoming conferences and re-roomying for a weekend.
DISLOVE: All of the preparations that this conference requires... college all over again, in a very different sense.
LOVE: First Anniversary planning
DISLOVE: The realization that I might not be able to take the first ann'y trip we'd been hoping for, unless I can convince work that it's ok not to work for 5 Fridays in a row...
LOVE: Save-The-Dates in the mail!
DISLOVE: what's not to love?!
LOVE: New York trips
DISLOVE: That I have to return home on Sunday.
I love all of the adventures and excitement that life has been throwing me lately, and even though most of it isn't even my own excitement... I can't help but feeling overjoyed and utterly worn out at the same time. What an crazy, transitional, fun time of life the mid-20's are. Let's never grow up!
P.S. I DISLOVE that I have absolutely no photo documentation of any of these fun events. :(
LOVE: Wedding Showers
DISLOVE: There is no dislove to this. Showers are a fun time to celebrate beautiful brides and lucky-duck grooms. Can't wait for the next one in April!
LOVE: Engagements!!!
DISLOVE: the real fact that friends will be leaving me SOON!
LOVE: Making new friends/growing new friendships
DISLOVE: Acting like I'm in college again and suffering the whole next day.
LOVE: The Hunger Games movie (twice!)
DISLOVE: That I have to wait a whole year for the next one.
LOVE: Being busy enough at work to make bonus... every week.
DISLOVE: working 10 hour days and until 5 on Fridays
DOUBLE DISLOVE: fender-benders on the road between visits.
LOVE: Upcoming conferences and re-roomying for a weekend.
DISLOVE: All of the preparations that this conference requires... college all over again, in a very different sense.
LOVE: First Anniversary planning
DISLOVE: The realization that I might not be able to take the first ann'y trip we'd been hoping for, unless I can convince work that it's ok not to work for 5 Fridays in a row...
LOVE: Save-The-Dates in the mail!
DISLOVE: what's not to love?!
LOVE: New York trips
DISLOVE: That I have to return home on Sunday.
I love all of the adventures and excitement that life has been throwing me lately, and even though most of it isn't even my own excitement... I can't help but feeling overjoyed and utterly worn out at the same time. What an crazy, transitional, fun time of life the mid-20's are. Let's never grow up!
P.S. I DISLOVE that I have absolutely no photo documentation of any of these fun events. :(
Thursday, March 22, 2012
A good day, indeed.
I had a whole post prepared for today about how to go from being a good driver with a perfect record to getting into 3 accidents in just under a year (two within 22 days of each other), a feat not conquered by many. But then... I got a really really fun and exciting text message and, well, forget about my ruined driving record and steadily rising insurance premiums, this day just went from bad to wonderful!
**These two lovebirds did NOT join us for homemade pizza, but went out for a romantic-y dinner for 2. Until then, T and I will be eagerly anticipating their return so I can squeeze them to death with hugs and check out the sparkler on G's finger.
A good day, indeed!
**These two lovebirds did NOT join us for homemade pizza, but went out for a romantic-y dinner for 2. Until then, T and I will be eagerly anticipating their return so I can squeeze them to death with hugs and check out the sparkler on G's finger.
A good day, indeed!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Good Jams
You know how sometimes you need a good jam
To get you through a bad day?
Sometimes a good song is the perfect therapy
Or the perfect accompaniment to your joy.
Here are a few of the songs I've been listening to on repeat/repeatedly searching on youtube lately.
To get you through a bad day?
Sometimes a good song is the perfect therapy
Or the perfect accompaniment to your joy.
Here are a few of the songs I've been listening to on repeat/repeatedly searching on youtube lately.
Carla Bruni, You Belong To Me
fun., We Are Young
(who doesn't like this song right now?!)
Jason Mraz, I Won't Give Up
Swifty ft. The Civil Wars, Safe and Sound
(is anyone else psyched out of their minds for this movie to come out?!)
Karmin, Brokenhearted
This song is just so cool.
Ahhh, my ears are happy, now.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Body Image/Shmody Shmimage...
Ugh.
Just, UGH.
This post will be long winded and probably full of nonsense you don't care to read. Feel free to stop here. I also think that this post will basically be just like preaching to the choir (I hope), so if you choose to keep on-a-readin' please humor me in this brief rant.
As a twenty-something woman, I have experienced the ups and downs of weightloss and body image. Hormones, life stressors, and life celebrations have hurled me into this horrendous world of weight gain followed by weight loss followed by weight gain again, followed by....? If life is hectic I am either too stressed and busy to eat and drop pounds or I am an emotional eater seeking comfort in my favorite foods and adding inches to my waistline. If life is a wonderful, joyful celebration I am either kicking butt at the gym to get in-shape for said celebrations or living 100% in the moment and indudging in all of the festive food and drinks the fun has to offer. These are more characteristics of myself that I am becoming increasingly aware off. The common theme: moderation is not always my strong suit.
I recently ordered a few dresses from Victoria's Secret and Blue Door Boutique for the upcoming showers and engagement parties I have the pleasure of attending this spring. I ordered 2 dresses- one empire waist, one shift. Both looked to be pretty forgiving in their fit and appropriate for the winter-spring transition and beyond. Both super cute. Both in a size medium.
I am 5'7. I think I am pretty average in my physique... but being a woman, it fluctuates frequently. I do have a little more than your average boobage and bootay. Most of the time, I am buying clothes to fit these 2 parts of my body in order to avoid looking like a hooker in public. It isn't hard though. This body isn't new to me and I've been dressing it for probably the last 20 years (more than that if you ask my mom). I am pretty well able to tell what works and what doesn't (although clearly I sometimes make mistakes...). Online shopping is NOT my friend due to my 2 special assets. Despite my reservations about internet shopping, I somehow managed to make 2 fateful online purchases last weekend.
Both of them arrived today while I was at work. Ironically, when I got home from a super fun dinner of wine, cheese, and bison-sliders (it's lean meat right?), I happily waltzed up to our apartment's concierge and proclaimed that I had not one, but TWO packages with my name on them. I then rode 8 floors up the elevator with a big smile on my face, so excited for what was waiting for me in the cardboard and plastic wrapping. I got home and declared to Tory that I simply MUST try on my new dresses immediately because if I need to return them, I would need to do it soon to get them back to Georgia by Blue Door's silly/rediculous 14-day return deadline.
I tore into VS's cheap plastic packaging and pulled out my super fun new dress, folded into a tiny square in the bag. I unfolded the jersey-knit masterpiece and stretched it out in front of me to behold before donning it in front of the bathroom mirror. I easily pulled the soft fabric over my head, chest, butt. Too easily. The dress was HUGE. So huge that I actually took it back off right away to check the tag to make sure I had the right size. I put it back on and showed T who announced that I had purchased an over-sized nightgown that did not fit on any single part of my body, not even the 2 big ones. "Well- it's jersey!" I argued. "It will shrink in the dryer and then you wont have to worry about laying it out to dry when you do the laundry." Rediculous. I so wanted this cutesy dress to fit me like a glove. How stupid and desperate am I to think about what else I could possibly wash with it in the hottest cycle in the washing machine and highest heat in the dryer to make it moderately fit my "average" body.
Ugh. But ok... If you have to have a fit problem with new clothing, it's generally better if the new clothing is far too large than too small right? On to dress number 2.
A cute little silk shift with not as much give as the jersey fabric but certainly enough room in the fit to accomodate my special anatomical gifts right? ...Sigh.... wrong. I pulled this little number over my head and immediately knew we were in trouble. I got the dress on and it was actually pretty easy, just slightly awkard. I stood in front of the mirror and immediately made a mental note that the girl in the online picture certainly did not have actual breasts because there is no WAY that this deep v-neck could have NOT looked pornographic if she did. Also she clearly had no ass because this dress did not drape so effortlessly on my hips as it did hers. I guess the only redeeming quality is that I do not have a massive gut because the dress was tight on top and bottom and bunchy and loose in the middle. Epic fail numero dos.
So now I am confused. How is it possible that in one store I need a size small and in the other I need a large? I know that I am being rediculous and the truth of the matter is that a shift dress is probably not right for my body type and if I am going to be wearing silk it should be in a cut that is a little more flowy and generous. I should pat myself on the back and give myself a little kudos that despite the fact I have gained some pounds and inches in the last year, a medium is sometimes still too big for me. But what weighs on me more is that a medium is sometimes too small too.
I once saw a news story revealing that some clothing brands size their items based on women's vanity more than actual measurements. Someone who is a size 6 in one store might find something similar that fits her in a size 2 in another. The latter is obviously the vanity-appealing approach... and big shocker... the latter is the store that makes more in sales. I feel like this is so deceitful and does nothing good for a woman's body image once she is on to the ruse. It would be so much easier if I could walk into any store, pick a size off the rack, head to the fitting room and generally know what to expect. I started this post claiming to be an average-sized woman and after over-analyzing the fit of 2 dresses that were probably sized by an evil, sadistic, money hungry, devilish, moron I now am confused as to whether I am a small person or a large one. These sneaky marketing strategies might be boosting your bank accounts, fashion moguls, but they are doing nothing but confusing my self esteem and body image. I would rather be solidly average and own it than be unclear as to whether you and your army of skin and bones designers think I am large or small...
In other news, the walking workout is going well. I have been motivated to complete my workouts everyday because I know that I can tackle them-both the cardio and strength portions. Having said all of that, after the first day's soreness wore off, I haven't felt truly challenged by this workout plan. So guess what I did yesterday? I ran. and It felt good. It was by far not my best pace or distance but I did it and I haven't really done it since last October. So the 2-week walking workout out has been effective for me, just not in the way I originally anticipated. My goal now is to incorporate the walking workouts that I learned in the first week and a half of this plan into a more vigorous cardio and strength plan. I think if I have a few decent cardio workouts that I know I can conquer into my regular workout routine, I will be a lot more likely to get through the rough workouts in the mean time.
So, that's where I am today... somewhere between small and large, walking and running, confident and insecure. In the midst of all, that I am going to try really hard to remember all of the other things I am... wife, sister, daughter, friend, and therapist. These are the things I am good at and sure of in spite of everything else.
Just, UGH.
This post will be long winded and probably full of nonsense you don't care to read. Feel free to stop here. I also think that this post will basically be just like preaching to the choir (I hope), so if you choose to keep on-a-readin' please humor me in this brief rant.
As a twenty-something woman, I have experienced the ups and downs of weightloss and body image. Hormones, life stressors, and life celebrations have hurled me into this horrendous world of weight gain followed by weight loss followed by weight gain again, followed by....? If life is hectic I am either too stressed and busy to eat and drop pounds or I am an emotional eater seeking comfort in my favorite foods and adding inches to my waistline. If life is a wonderful, joyful celebration I am either kicking butt at the gym to get in-shape for said celebrations or living 100% in the moment and indudging in all of the festive food and drinks the fun has to offer. These are more characteristics of myself that I am becoming increasingly aware off. The common theme: moderation is not always my strong suit.
I recently ordered a few dresses from Victoria's Secret and Blue Door Boutique for the upcoming showers and engagement parties I have the pleasure of attending this spring. I ordered 2 dresses- one empire waist, one shift. Both looked to be pretty forgiving in their fit and appropriate for the winter-spring transition and beyond. Both super cute. Both in a size medium.
I am 5'7. I think I am pretty average in my physique... but being a woman, it fluctuates frequently. I do have a little more than your average boobage and bootay. Most of the time, I am buying clothes to fit these 2 parts of my body in order to avoid looking like a hooker in public. It isn't hard though. This body isn't new to me and I've been dressing it for probably the last 20 years (more than that if you ask my mom). I am pretty well able to tell what works and what doesn't (although clearly I sometimes make mistakes...). Online shopping is NOT my friend due to my 2 special assets. Despite my reservations about internet shopping, I somehow managed to make 2 fateful online purchases last weekend.
Both of them arrived today while I was at work. Ironically, when I got home from a super fun dinner of wine, cheese, and bison-sliders (it's lean meat right?), I happily waltzed up to our apartment's concierge and proclaimed that I had not one, but TWO packages with my name on them. I then rode 8 floors up the elevator with a big smile on my face, so excited for what was waiting for me in the cardboard and plastic wrapping. I got home and declared to Tory that I simply MUST try on my new dresses immediately because if I need to return them, I would need to do it soon to get them back to Georgia by Blue Door's silly/rediculous 14-day return deadline.
I tore into VS's cheap plastic packaging and pulled out my super fun new dress, folded into a tiny square in the bag. I unfolded the jersey-knit masterpiece and stretched it out in front of me to behold before donning it in front of the bathroom mirror. I easily pulled the soft fabric over my head, chest, butt. Too easily. The dress was HUGE. So huge that I actually took it back off right away to check the tag to make sure I had the right size. I put it back on and showed T who announced that I had purchased an over-sized nightgown that did not fit on any single part of my body, not even the 2 big ones. "Well- it's jersey!" I argued. "It will shrink in the dryer and then you wont have to worry about laying it out to dry when you do the laundry." Rediculous. I so wanted this cutesy dress to fit me like a glove. How stupid and desperate am I to think about what else I could possibly wash with it in the hottest cycle in the washing machine and highest heat in the dryer to make it moderately fit my "average" body.
Ugh. But ok... If you have to have a fit problem with new clothing, it's generally better if the new clothing is far too large than too small right? On to dress number 2.
A cute little silk shift with not as much give as the jersey fabric but certainly enough room in the fit to accomodate my special anatomical gifts right? ...Sigh.... wrong. I pulled this little number over my head and immediately knew we were in trouble. I got the dress on and it was actually pretty easy, just slightly awkard. I stood in front of the mirror and immediately made a mental note that the girl in the online picture certainly did not have actual breasts because there is no WAY that this deep v-neck could have NOT looked pornographic if she did. Also she clearly had no ass because this dress did not drape so effortlessly on my hips as it did hers. I guess the only redeeming quality is that I do not have a massive gut because the dress was tight on top and bottom and bunchy and loose in the middle. Epic fail numero dos.
So now I am confused. How is it possible that in one store I need a size small and in the other I need a large? I know that I am being rediculous and the truth of the matter is that a shift dress is probably not right for my body type and if I am going to be wearing silk it should be in a cut that is a little more flowy and generous. I should pat myself on the back and give myself a little kudos that despite the fact I have gained some pounds and inches in the last year, a medium is sometimes still too big for me. But what weighs on me more is that a medium is sometimes too small too.
I once saw a news story revealing that some clothing brands size their items based on women's vanity more than actual measurements. Someone who is a size 6 in one store might find something similar that fits her in a size 2 in another. The latter is obviously the vanity-appealing approach... and big shocker... the latter is the store that makes more in sales. I feel like this is so deceitful and does nothing good for a woman's body image once she is on to the ruse. It would be so much easier if I could walk into any store, pick a size off the rack, head to the fitting room and generally know what to expect. I started this post claiming to be an average-sized woman and after over-analyzing the fit of 2 dresses that were probably sized by an evil, sadistic, money hungry, devilish, moron I now am confused as to whether I am a small person or a large one. These sneaky marketing strategies might be boosting your bank accounts, fashion moguls, but they are doing nothing but confusing my self esteem and body image. I would rather be solidly average and own it than be unclear as to whether you and your army of skin and bones designers think I am large or small...
 |
| Body Image defined by men and society. |
So, that's where I am today... somewhere between small and large, walking and running, confident and insecure. In the midst of all, that I am going to try really hard to remember all of the other things I am... wife, sister, daughter, friend, and therapist. These are the things I am good at and sure of in spite of everything else.
 |
| YES! |
Monday, February 27, 2012
Hit The Ground Walking
Today I laced up my walking shoes and chose the most gorgeous February day to kick-start a 2 week trial-workout plan. I've been painfully aware lately that my jeans are a little snugger around the middle and my favorite sweater dresses are packin' a little more heat in the booty department. I've heard its normal to pack on a little bit of a love layer shortly after getting married but I always thought I was disciplined enough to be the kind of girl that continued taking care of myself regardless of the circumstances. Sad to say, this hasn't been the case.
I started running in college. I was a gym rat as a teen but wasn't brave enough to hit the track and treadmill until I found my comfort zone in UREC where I fell in love with the runner's high. I don't claim to be fast or especially gifted in any way. I've done a couple of races and earned some fun t-shirts, but I know I'm never going to be fast. I've been pleased with myself for finishing a race running and shaving a little time off of my last race. Tory lovingly picks on my awkward gait which I know is awful from the few times I've watched video footage of myself in a race. I don't have a runner's body, my butt jiggles and my boobs practically need a straight jacket to be contained. But I liked to run. It was challenging and gave me a great adrenaline rush. I also liked running because it seemed to be the great equalizer in athleticism. Running is free. It doesn't require expensive lessons or equipment. You don't even need shoes, if you buy into that run free school-of-thought. Anyone with a pair of legs and somewhere to go can hit the road and run. Hell, you don't even need a pair of your own legs, the Army 10 miler taught me that. You can run for miles on the road, in the trees, along the beach, the VA Beach Rock N Roll half marathon taught me that. You can run in the sleet and snow with jingle bells on your shoelaces and finish behind black Jesus and cookies n milk, the Jingle All The Way 10k taught me that one. Running is a no-charge, exhilirating, free, and simple way to keep yourself healthy, get some fresh air, relieve stress.
So I liked running, Liked. Past tense. Somewhere inside myself I still think I like running. But right now, running is the last thing I want to do. I have such a strong distaste for running that in the last several months I have avoided exercise and the gym all together. There were spurts where I tried using cardio equipment. Then I tried just strength training. Sometimes I counted walking the dog as my workout of the week. Eventually, I just gave up.
Now, I'm ready to hit the road again. But I think I'll hit the ground walking. Today I started a short-term workout plan that I think I can stick to. It's a 2-week walking and strength program to get me moving again. I think I'd be ok running again. I could lay down a few miles (surely much slower than usual), if I was motivated. But I think I need to try something with staying-power and a goal that is easily within my reach to get me going again. I think if I start running again right now, I'll end up finding any excuse under the sun to avoid the workout all together. So I'm walking.
Check out my workout plan here and wish me luck. I need to find my stride again.
I started running in college. I was a gym rat as a teen but wasn't brave enough to hit the track and treadmill until I found my comfort zone in UREC where I fell in love with the runner's high. I don't claim to be fast or especially gifted in any way. I've done a couple of races and earned some fun t-shirts, but I know I'm never going to be fast. I've been pleased with myself for finishing a race running and shaving a little time off of my last race. Tory lovingly picks on my awkward gait which I know is awful from the few times I've watched video footage of myself in a race. I don't have a runner's body, my butt jiggles and my boobs practically need a straight jacket to be contained. But I liked to run. It was challenging and gave me a great adrenaline rush. I also liked running because it seemed to be the great equalizer in athleticism. Running is free. It doesn't require expensive lessons or equipment. You don't even need shoes, if you buy into that run free school-of-thought. Anyone with a pair of legs and somewhere to go can hit the road and run. Hell, you don't even need a pair of your own legs, the Army 10 miler taught me that. You can run for miles on the road, in the trees, along the beach, the VA Beach Rock N Roll half marathon taught me that. You can run in the sleet and snow with jingle bells on your shoelaces and finish behind black Jesus and cookies n milk, the Jingle All The Way 10k taught me that one. Running is a no-charge, exhilirating, free, and simple way to keep yourself healthy, get some fresh air, relieve stress.
So I liked running, Liked. Past tense. Somewhere inside myself I still think I like running. But right now, running is the last thing I want to do. I have such a strong distaste for running that in the last several months I have avoided exercise and the gym all together. There were spurts where I tried using cardio equipment. Then I tried just strength training. Sometimes I counted walking the dog as my workout of the week. Eventually, I just gave up.
Now, I'm ready to hit the road again. But I think I'll hit the ground walking. Today I started a short-term workout plan that I think I can stick to. It's a 2-week walking and strength program to get me moving again. I think I'd be ok running again. I could lay down a few miles (surely much slower than usual), if I was motivated. But I think I need to try something with staying-power and a goal that is easily within my reach to get me going again. I think if I start running again right now, I'll end up finding any excuse under the sun to avoid the workout all together. So I'm walking.
Check out my workout plan here and wish me luck. I need to find my stride again.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
XX vs XY
There are a great many things that separate women from men: our views on drying laundry, our opinions on how often the sheets should be changed, our shopping needs, our chromosomes, and most importantly: our feelings regarding the bouquet/garter toss. Exhibit A, DeLong Wedding:
Women
 |
| Children hoisted in the air, arms, out-stretched, possible body check, diving catch) |
Men
 |
| " Oh crap, here it comes." "Look what I found!" |
Side Note: The garter catcher and the almost-bouquet catcher are getting married in June! There really is magic in the toss! :)
Just sayin, I'm suuuper pumped for wedding season to kick off with showers and celebrations starting just next month! 2012 is going to be a good year for weddings. Called it.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Love Letter
Dear Friends,
As a married gal, I have acquired a new, wonderful love and appreciation for you. The women in my life have become even more valuable, priceless treasures since I said my i-dos 9 months ago. I have learned that the special effort that it takes to maintain relationships is more worth it now than it has been in the past how-ever-many-years-I've-known-you. I hope you know much your reciprocation has affected me and how much it makes me want to be a good, or even better friend to you. In case you didn't know, I wanted to tell you all...
I love you for our dinners. Whether you're cooking, I'm cooking, or some unknown cook in a restaurant kitchen is doing it, I love how we've bonded over food and, frequently, wine or cocktails. Thank you for sharing recipes with me. Food is like an heirloom to me, I can't tell you how many times I eat different foods and think of you all. I hope I always do. And thanks for taking me to new restaurants and fun spots. T and I are creatures of habit, so it's rare that I get to try something like Greek Tapas or (gasp) a wine bar! I am glad I get to explore these places with you.
I love you for sharing cheesy TV shows with me, laughing when I am mean or slightly judgemental, and dare-i-say adding your own judgemental commentary to mine. I admit that my criticism is an unattractive character flaw of mine, but it makes me feel accepted when I am allowed to make fun of rediculous people on TV and even more accepted when you're ok with it and add your own 2 cents. Thanks for encouraging my bad behavior, I mean that sincerely, because ranting about TV stars is my way of avoiding ranting about the real-life people I deal with, even though I know I do my fair share of that too. And while we are talking about TV, thanks for getting soaked into the pathetic drama of Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, and The Bachelor with me. I realize that it's absurd to feel any attachment to the fictional characters on these TV shows (even the half-fictional ones on the Bachelor), so thanks for meeting me in fantasy land and getting involved with me.
I love you for sort-of breaking the law with me to talk about crap that happens at work. I guess it's not really illegal, especially if you happen to be living it too, but I am sure it's frowned upon. Few people in my life really get what I do and what happens at my job on a daily basis. I count my lucky stars that I have at least 1 person that gets it and has even better stories than me most days. For the record, I love my girls who don't really know what goes into the day-to-day but listen to my stories with horror, laughter, and sympathy too. Just your "listening ears" mean so much to me. I am also happy to listen to your frustration with your different types of jobs too. It fascinates me that most people in the work force work in a world of adults and not toddlers. I really do like hearing about that world.
I love you for confiding in me. It means a lot to me that you trust me to share your thoughts, secrets, and insights. I don't take it for granted and I never want to lose the trust you have in me. I've heard some hum-dingers in my 25 1/2 years, but nothing I've heard has done anything to change my love and respect for you. I hope you all know that in confiding with me, you will not be met with judgement. I might give some unsolicited advice (another unflattering character flaw and side-effect of big-sisterly-ness, I am told), but I hope you know it is coming from a loving place. I am sorry if it is annoying. I am becoming more and more aware of it, and I am really making an active effort to nix the habit, but holy moly is it against my nature to keep my mouth shut.
I really love you for letting me continue to talk about my wedding 9 months later. Even when we are actually talking about your future weddings. That must take a lot of patience- but thats another part of why I adore you, my friends, you're patient. Know that I will listen to stories about your wedding for years and years after it has passed. Wedding-talk, in most cases, is just evidence of how completely happy someone is to have made the leap of faith with someone else. If you're that happy about being married or getting married, tell me! Hell, tell whoever will listen. That kind of happiness is a blessing, keep it alive.
There are so many other reasons that I love you ladies. Truthfully, most of them are far too personal to post in cyber space and risk the world (or maybe like 15 people) reading. Really though, the purpose of this letter, friends of mine, is just to let you know that I appreciate you, even in these little ways. Some I have known for a gazillion years, some since college, some since the real-world. I've lived with some of you, near some of you, and some of you are an entire country away from me. Some of you are family, but all of you might as well be. We all seem to be in different places in our lives: single, dating, engaged, married, mothers...some of us love our jobs, hate our jobs, or are apathetic, we seem to always be moving and changing, but I am glad that we are close and extremely grateful to have the chance to stay that way.
Thank you for being wonderfully, undeniably special people. I am so blessed to have you all, and while I really like the idea of "livin' on love," having such meaningful women in my life has made me realize that there's more to it than that.
Love,
Amanda
P.S. While writing this post, "Where I Land" by JJ Heller came on my Pandora. And since I sometimes think it's funny to speak in "twitter" even though I don't have the first clue how to tweet... #appropriate. (#ilovethehashtag).
As a married gal, I have acquired a new, wonderful love and appreciation for you. The women in my life have become even more valuable, priceless treasures since I said my i-dos 9 months ago. I have learned that the special effort that it takes to maintain relationships is more worth it now than it has been in the past how-ever-many-years-I've-known-you. I hope you know much your reciprocation has affected me and how much it makes me want to be a good, or even better friend to you. In case you didn't know, I wanted to tell you all...
I love you for our dinners. Whether you're cooking, I'm cooking, or some unknown cook in a restaurant kitchen is doing it, I love how we've bonded over food and, frequently, wine or cocktails. Thank you for sharing recipes with me. Food is like an heirloom to me, I can't tell you how many times I eat different foods and think of you all. I hope I always do. And thanks for taking me to new restaurants and fun spots. T and I are creatures of habit, so it's rare that I get to try something like Greek Tapas or (gasp) a wine bar! I am glad I get to explore these places with you.
I love you for sharing cheesy TV shows with me, laughing when I am mean or slightly judgemental, and dare-i-say adding your own judgemental commentary to mine. I admit that my criticism is an unattractive character flaw of mine, but it makes me feel accepted when I am allowed to make fun of rediculous people on TV and even more accepted when you're ok with it and add your own 2 cents. Thanks for encouraging my bad behavior, I mean that sincerely, because ranting about TV stars is my way of avoiding ranting about the real-life people I deal with, even though I know I do my fair share of that too. And while we are talking about TV, thanks for getting soaked into the pathetic drama of Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, and The Bachelor with me. I realize that it's absurd to feel any attachment to the fictional characters on these TV shows (even the half-fictional ones on the Bachelor), so thanks for meeting me in fantasy land and getting involved with me.
I love you for sort-of breaking the law with me to talk about crap that happens at work. I guess it's not really illegal, especially if you happen to be living it too, but I am sure it's frowned upon. Few people in my life really get what I do and what happens at my job on a daily basis. I count my lucky stars that I have at least 1 person that gets it and has even better stories than me most days. For the record, I love my girls who don't really know what goes into the day-to-day but listen to my stories with horror, laughter, and sympathy too. Just your "listening ears" mean so much to me. I am also happy to listen to your frustration with your different types of jobs too. It fascinates me that most people in the work force work in a world of adults and not toddlers. I really do like hearing about that world.
I love you for confiding in me. It means a lot to me that you trust me to share your thoughts, secrets, and insights. I don't take it for granted and I never want to lose the trust you have in me. I've heard some hum-dingers in my 25 1/2 years, but nothing I've heard has done anything to change my love and respect for you. I hope you all know that in confiding with me, you will not be met with judgement. I might give some unsolicited advice (another unflattering character flaw and side-effect of big-sisterly-ness, I am told), but I hope you know it is coming from a loving place. I am sorry if it is annoying. I am becoming more and more aware of it, and I am really making an active effort to nix the habit, but holy moly is it against my nature to keep my mouth shut.
I really love you for letting me continue to talk about my wedding 9 months later. Even when we are actually talking about your future weddings. That must take a lot of patience- but thats another part of why I adore you, my friends, you're patient. Know that I will listen to stories about your wedding for years and years after it has passed. Wedding-talk, in most cases, is just evidence of how completely happy someone is to have made the leap of faith with someone else. If you're that happy about being married or getting married, tell me! Hell, tell whoever will listen. That kind of happiness is a blessing, keep it alive.
 |
| most (but not all) of you are in at least 1 of these pictures... |
 |
| which means you were at the wedding I can't stop talking about ;) |
There are so many other reasons that I love you ladies. Truthfully, most of them are far too personal to post in cyber space and risk the world (or maybe like 15 people) reading. Really though, the purpose of this letter, friends of mine, is just to let you know that I appreciate you, even in these little ways. Some I have known for a gazillion years, some since college, some since the real-world. I've lived with some of you, near some of you, and some of you are an entire country away from me. Some of you are family, but all of you might as well be. We all seem to be in different places in our lives: single, dating, engaged, married, mothers...some of us love our jobs, hate our jobs, or are apathetic, we seem to always be moving and changing, but I am glad that we are close and extremely grateful to have the chance to stay that way.
Thank you for being wonderfully, undeniably special people. I am so blessed to have you all, and while I really like the idea of "livin' on love," having such meaningful women in my life has made me realize that there's more to it than that.
Love,
Amanda
P.S. While writing this post, "Where I Land" by JJ Heller came on my Pandora. And since I sometimes think it's funny to speak in "twitter" even though I don't have the first clue how to tweet... #appropriate. (#ilovethehashtag).
Saturday, January 14, 2012
City sidewalks, Busy sidewalks
This post is a few weeks late, but the weekend was so much fun that I wanted to post about it anyway. Two weeks before Christmas, Tory and I headed back up to New York for a weekend with some of our favorite people. We checked out all of the holiday window displays, got some free hot chocolate and purple Santa hats from FedEx, visited the New York Public Library and Bryant Park, saw the tree in Rockefellar, went skating in Central Park, ate some more delish pizza, and saw my first broadway show- How to Succeed In Business...Without Really Trying.
My favorite Christmas song ever, ever is Silver Bells (Stevie Wonder version), and I have always dreamed about experiencing Christmastime in the City. Tory and I decided to make this our big gift to eachother for our first married Christmas and hooooow much fun did we have? Here's my review of New York City at Christmas:
The holiday displays are gorgeous. I don't think I really had a clue what went into these little bits of Christmas magic. The best thing I can compare it to is Disney World in a glass box. My favorite was Lord and Taylor- this was the first one we saw at 4 am Friday night/Saturday morning after dinner and drinks. There were no lines or massive crowds and our beer and pinot noir blankets kepts us warm as we admired the Christmas scenes in each window display. My least favorite was Bergdorf/Goodman- humans dressed in suits and gowns with beastly animal heads. So strange and not at all Christmas-y. We also ventured inside of some of the department stores. Saks was my favorite inside- all white and snowy. Added bonus: I spritzed myself with a tester at the Chanel counter, took a peek at the price-tag and realized I was sporting $495 eau de rediculous... but I got to smell expensive for the day. Add Chanel Beige to my "never-gonna-happen wish list." Macy's had a really impressive display and the decor inside was red and cheery fabulousness. The crowds, however, spoiled a little bit of the charm at Macy's for me.
One of my favorite holiday pasttimes during is hunting for the best public Christmas tree. The best tree in DC is in the Willard Intercontinental Hotel lobby and I am happy to announce that I discovered the best tree in NYC is in the Public Library. The one at Rockefellar was obviously stunning and ginormous, but size isn't everything. The library's tree is smaller but inside of that stunning building it was just beautiful. The family we asked to take a picture for us flopped big time at getting a good shot of the tree... I should have known when the mom asked me to zoom in on their faces when I took a picture of them in front of it. The coolness of the picture is the tree behind you, lady, sheesh.
I also had my first visit to Bryant Park during this trip. It was super busy and crowded but something about the smell of coffee and kettle corn in the air and the hustle and bustle of people shopping at the crowded vendors really made it feel like Christmas time. Bryant Park was a welcoantme surprise for this tourist, I didn't know what to expect and I really enjoyed it!
The highlight of the weekend was definitely seeing my first broadway show and we couldn't have picked a better one. How To Succeed in Business was a perfect date-show. Tory appreciated the corporate satire and the sleezy pervertedness of Finch and I was just happy to see dancing and hear show tunes. Daniel Radcliffe was in his last weeks of performing and he was awesome. He wasn't the best singer but he impressed me with some of his dance moves and mostly his comedic timing. I don't watch Glee, nor am I a fan of the Jonas brothers, so I am not sure how the next two Finchies will work out, but I am certainly glad I saw Mr. Potter take the stage. Soo fun.
We packed a lot into these 2 days in the city but I am so glad we did it. Every corner of midtown was packed with tourists of all ages and backgrounds there to see what it's Christmas time in the city is really all about. Every hall is decked and there's a Christmas Tree and a Menorah in every window. I swear I even saw some locals gazing up at the sights around them.
New York, you're always good to me. I eat well when I'm with you and I sleep even better after walking for miles. You entertain me, fascinate me, and delight me. Underneath your layer of muck, there are centuries of culture, history, and magic. I will be back for sure. Maybe next time when it's a little warmer.
My favorite Christmas song ever, ever is Silver Bells (Stevie Wonder version), and I have always dreamed about experiencing Christmastime in the City. Tory and I decided to make this our big gift to eachother for our first married Christmas and hooooow much fun did we have? Here's my review of New York City at Christmas:
The holiday displays are gorgeous. I don't think I really had a clue what went into these little bits of Christmas magic. The best thing I can compare it to is Disney World in a glass box. My favorite was Lord and Taylor- this was the first one we saw at 4 am Friday night/Saturday morning after dinner and drinks. There were no lines or massive crowds and our beer and pinot noir blankets kepts us warm as we admired the Christmas scenes in each window display. My least favorite was Bergdorf/Goodman- humans dressed in suits and gowns with beastly animal heads. So strange and not at all Christmas-y. We also ventured inside of some of the department stores. Saks was my favorite inside- all white and snowy. Added bonus: I spritzed myself with a tester at the Chanel counter, took a peek at the price-tag and realized I was sporting $495 eau de rediculous... but I got to smell expensive for the day. Add Chanel Beige to my "never-gonna-happen wish list." Macy's had a really impressive display and the decor inside was red and cheery fabulousness. The crowds, however, spoiled a little bit of the charm at Macy's for me.
 |
| Part of Lord and Taylor's display- Santa flew across the sky! |
 |
| library |
 |
| T and I in the Library |
 |
| DeLongs with the locals |
 |
| Rockefellar during the day |
I also had my first visit to Bryant Park during this trip. It was super busy and crowded but something about the smell of coffee and kettle corn in the air and the hustle and bustle of people shopping at the crowded vendors really made it feel like Christmas time. Bryant Park was a welcoantme surprise for this tourist, I didn't know what to expect and I really enjoyed it!
 |
| apps at Celsius in Bryant Park |
The last thing on our weekend to-do list was to go ice skating. Every time we are in New York it's been winter or fall and Tory has been dying to go ice skating but fear of crowds and wasted money has kept us from doing it. With this weekend being our Christmas Weekend (and since he humored me and went to a show), we decided before we even left that this would be the trip that we actually bit the bullet, paid whatever it cost, waited in lines, and just did it. We opted for Central Park because Rockefellar was a zoo and costed about twice as much and Bryant Park was pretty packed when we were there the day before. We ended up making a great choice. We met up with Gina and Dave and had a blast- Dave had never been skating before and gave it his best shot. He was a great sport and hung in there until we all decided our toes were begging for reprieve from the freezing cold and hard plastic skates and our bellies were ready for some of New York's finest. What followed was some more delicious pizza at Angelo's (not as good as John's but still pretty tasty) and a long train ride home.
 |
| No cameras allowed on the ice- this is the best we could do |
New York, you're always good to me. I eat well when I'm with you and I sleep even better after walking for miles. You entertain me, fascinate me, and delight me. Underneath your layer of muck, there are centuries of culture, history, and magic. I will be back for sure. Maybe next time when it's a little warmer.
 |
| Another bit of New York's Christmas Magic: Santa Con on the library steps! |
Monday, January 9, 2012
Souper Bowl
Ooohh it's happening. I have discovered a love of cooking and last week I hosted my very first dinner party (for 10!- an experience worthy of it's own post as soon as I regain the strength). I. am. becoming. domestic. ated. Which is the appropriate word? Domestic/domesticated? One of them is an adjective pertaining to the home, and I am pretty sure the other one has something to do with house-training a dog. Either one is appropriate, I guess. I am getting to be pretty house-trained. I even made the bed, like, 4 times last week!
Anyway, after finally discovering how to pin things without "repinning" to my pinterest boards on my iPad2 last night (the ultimate savy, domestic woman's tool), I was pumped when big fat snow flakes started falling from the DC sky today. Why? Because yesterday I pinned what looked like a delish Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe to my board of yum yums with a caption pining for a cold January day to make such a tasty bite.
Thanks mother nature! Annnd Thanks Dad for dropping the Squash Soup off for me at the office today- it was such a treat and gave a hankering for soup for dinner. Soooo, when Tory got home from work and saw me chop chop chopping fresh ingredients away in the kitchen, his first question was "where'd you get this recipe?"... the sight of fresh vegetables must have startled him... Anywho, I proudly informed him that I stumbled upon this recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog. I say "proudly" because Pioneer Woman and everything she embodies has been quite terrifying for me. I mean the woman cooks, cleans, crafts, homeschools her brood and then blogs about all of it. And guess what else? I was informed by my husband- who is clearly far more domestic(ated) than I, that she is soon to have a show on Food Network ("oh isn't that the farm lady on food network?" "i don't think so." ...It is.)
ANYWAY so I cooked up this tasty tasty batch of chicken tortilla soup and I have to say, the terrifying Ree Drummond aced my test. First of all... while this recipe took foooorrrever (I am used to soups taking about 2 minutes in the ol' micro), it was super easy: blend spices, bake and shred chicken, add veggies, beans, and broth, and simmmaaaa. Serve it up topped with a dollop of (lite) sour cream, and a sprinkle of crushed tortillas and cheddar cheese. I simmered for 45 minutes less than the recipe called for- it took me forever to chop up those veggies and I wanted to eat before 8:00 pm (hello Bachelor viewing party)- so I am guessing that leftovers tomorrow are going to be even tastier. Also- at Tory's request, I pureed the Rotel (he hates tomato chunks) and added steamed corn which was an excellent, EXCELLENT idea. If you're not a part of the pinterest world, thenyou're living under a rock you can check out the original recipe: here. It makes a freaking ton, so invite your soup-loving friends, but never fear... even Tory liked this one and he doesn't like peppers, tomatoes, onions, or beans.... or soup, for that matter. And just to prove that I actually created a replica of this masterpiece, here's an iPhone shot as evidence:
Oh Happy Winter Soup Days!
Anyway, after finally discovering how to pin things without "repinning" to my pinterest boards on my iPad2 last night (the ultimate savy, domestic woman's tool), I was pumped when big fat snow flakes started falling from the DC sky today. Why? Because yesterday I pinned what looked like a delish Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe to my board of yum yums with a caption pining for a cold January day to make such a tasty bite.
Thanks mother nature! Annnd Thanks Dad for dropping the Squash Soup off for me at the office today- it was such a treat and gave a hankering for soup for dinner. Soooo, when Tory got home from work and saw me chop chop chopping fresh ingredients away in the kitchen, his first question was "where'd you get this recipe?"... the sight of fresh vegetables must have startled him... Anywho, I proudly informed him that I stumbled upon this recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog. I say "proudly" because Pioneer Woman and everything she embodies has been quite terrifying for me. I mean the woman cooks, cleans, crafts, homeschools her brood and then blogs about all of it. And guess what else? I was informed by my husband- who is clearly far more domestic(ated) than I, that she is soon to have a show on Food Network ("oh isn't that the farm lady on food network?" "i don't think so." ...It is.)
ANYWAY so I cooked up this tasty tasty batch of chicken tortilla soup and I have to say, the terrifying Ree Drummond aced my test. First of all... while this recipe took foooorrrever (I am used to soups taking about 2 minutes in the ol' micro), it was super easy: blend spices, bake and shred chicken, add veggies, beans, and broth, and simmmaaaa. Serve it up topped with a dollop of (lite) sour cream, and a sprinkle of crushed tortillas and cheddar cheese. I simmered for 45 minutes less than the recipe called for- it took me forever to chop up those veggies and I wanted to eat before 8:00 pm (hello Bachelor viewing party)- so I am guessing that leftovers tomorrow are going to be even tastier. Also- at Tory's request, I pureed the Rotel (he hates tomato chunks) and added steamed corn which was an excellent, EXCELLENT idea. If you're not a part of the pinterest world, then
 |
| just imagine how this would look with a real camera! |
So, there you have it, I am slowly but surely finding a way to turn my love of food into a fun way to embrace housewifeliness- even if I am not a housewife. Cooking for myself and others has become a wonderful adventure in learning, perfecting, entertaining, hosting, chopping, baking, grilling, boiling, and broiling. Spare me the commentary on the stark contrast from my most recent post. I am a complicated woman with many different sides to my personality. Or many different personalities. The jury is still out on that one, but regardless... Just to further emphasize my sophisticated, diverse, array of interests: after souping it up, I watched 2 hours of the Bachelor which consisted of rediculously sassy and slightly evil commentary and now I am sitting on the sofa beside a pile of unfolded laundry, watching Julie and Julia.... a movie about a working woman who cooks her pants off and then blogs about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)