march goals

In January, I set out with the goal of being diligent. It is my one word for the year. Mainly because I like to resort to lazy. I can't think of anything I enjoy more than sitting on my couch, watching television for hours on end. I mean, I like doing other things, but binge-watching a series on a weekend is my favorite thing ever. This is only an issue because of everything else in life. We like to have friends and meals and clean clothes and clean sheets and a picked up house. On top of that, there's a job that makes me do things like get dressed every day. 

I've been super focused on nutrition the past couple of months. So of course I feel that everything else is crumbling because of the planning and cooking and cleaning. On Saturday, I was overwhelmed at the thought of every cabinet and drawer and closet that needs to be sorted. I'm at the point where I'm just tired of STUFF being in my house. I feel certain I'm not the only one who does this, right? So I started what I'll call the Everything-Must-Go Purge of Spring 2014. And you know that means things look worse. Because in a purge, things get much, much worse before they get better. Now there are piles in the floor of my bedroom and living room. And the great debate begins: donate or garage sale. Because I could use some cash for new flooring. But it's just so much work. Hashtag: first world problems.

In March, I'll be working through the Great Purge. Here are some other things I'd like to do, remaining diligent throughout:

1. read three books

2. walk the azalea trail

3. see Veronica Mars (the movie)

4. purge 200 items

5. visit tiger creek wildlife refuge

november, so far

It's mid-November. Which is a bit unreal. The leaves have changed and are falling from their branches. Caramel and cinnamon and pumpkin have made an annual appearance. Oddly, we've had two nights of frost that claimed my beautiful fall mum. But these frosty mornings make for a beautiful drive to work. The fields are shimmery with white that disappears as the sun makes an appearance.

Never one to wish time away, I'm always excited for November. Days are cooler, which makes for cozy clothes of tights and sweaters and boots. And nights come sooner, which makes for cozy nights with soup and hot chocolate and pajamas.

Over the weekend, I made the decision to decorate my mantle for fall, making the change from Halloween. I debated since I'll decorate for Christmas in just a couple of weeks, and I'll be gone for about five days. I didn't know if the effort would the worth it. But you know what? It was. I did very little, but it's nice to have the change from Halloween. And it makes my pumpkin-scented candle even sweeter.

On Sunday, J and I headed to Dallas for a concert. We thought we bought tickets to a Lord of the Rings concert. You know, they'd play some of the themes from the movie for a couple of hours, and we'd head home. Then I decided to read about it the night before. We actually watched the movie while an orchestra and choir performed the score. SO MUCH BETTER than we ever expected. We both caught things we'd never noticed before. And it was my first time to see LOTR after watching The Hobbit, so even more things made sense. So, so good.

Before the concert, we were able to meet up with our sweet friends, Steven and Christine and their daughter, Luci Belle. We hadn't seen them in months. Let me tell you two things. One: if you live in Dallas, you must check out their farmstore, Urban Acres. They're open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And it's adorable and local and organic and fresh. Two: we had the best lunch that was cooked by Steven, all with ingredients from Urban Acres. Butternut squash soup drizzled with balsamic vinegar and grilled cheese on amazing sourdough bread with a fig jam and two kinds of goat cheese, perfectly grilled with just the right amount of butter. I chose to dip my sandwich in the soup, and it wasn't a bad decision at all. I attempted to recreate this meal last night, but the cheese and fig jam weren't the same. I'll be back in Dallas for Christine's baby shower this weekend, and I intend to purchase exactly what I need at Urban Acres.

This picture is stolen straight from Urban Acres' Instagram. Look for the chicken on the red building. You won't miss it. See the guys on the left side of the building? They're installing a deck. You can grab a sandwich for lunch and eat on the deck, and then follow it with a scoop of Jeni's Ice Cream.

So, that's our November, so far. I feel certain there will be more to share as the month continues.

my people

I spent last week in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin enjoying some wonderful community. Twelve (12!!) years ago, I went on a summer-long mission trip to Romania with a dozen people I barely knew. Scratch that. I knew one person from the previous summer in Romania. So it was eleven people I barely knew, plus one friend, in a faraway land for eight weeks. We spent our days loving on babies in a couple of orphanages and sharing our stories with each other. Our evenings and weekends were spent over meals and ice cream at McDonald's and years-old movies in theaters and walks and adventures to nearby cities and a "water park" that likely exposed us all to some deadly amoeba with it's still, murky water.

In the years that have passed, a majority have remained in contact, adding spouses along the way. We've rejoiced at weddings and births and adoptions and jobs and experiences. We've laughed together until some of us have--perhaps--had to change pants. I'm not sure on that. Someone else was telling me about it. And then we've cried together and mourned with each other loss of life and consequences of sin. We've prayed over each other and for each other. We've made it through some good and some bad. And still we remain a community.

I consider these people some of the closet in my life. Only we're spread across the state and country and even between continents. Because of the hundreds--and thousands--of miles separating us, we often dream of developing a compound. It's such a grand thought to be surrounded with such dear friends. To really do life together.

(Sure, it'd be hard. And there's absolutely no way I could "live off the grid" as Patti and I once planned as part of a compound. If you know me, you know that I don't like dirt. I don't really even like the beach. Because sand equals dirt. I can't handle it. So, for me, that pretty much rules out the gardening component of living off the grid.)

For these people, I am thankful. Thankful to laugh and cry, rejoice and mourn. Thankful to share without judgement and to be forgiven. Thankful for wisdom and encouragement offered by the many. Thankful that even if weeks or months go by, we pick up right where we left off. Thankful that our friendships are made from the stuff that counts.

Although only three of us were able to gather this time, 

here are a few links to blogs of these special people 

(or a spouse that we would have gladly had on our trip):

Christine

Michelle

Allison

finding me

I'm not sure how it happened, but over the past years, I feel like I've become a watered-down version of the person I once was. Last night, as Husby and I chatted over the sushi appetizer on a restaurant crawl, I shared with him that once married, I seemed to stop doing so many things that made me "me." I went onto explain that the creative person in me no longer creates; the cooking enthusiast/novice foodie no longer obsesses over a recipe to try; the scholar quit reading and writing; the planner no longer invites people over. Somehow, at some point, complacency set in.

I don't at all think it's because of marriage. It seems that seasons of busyness piled on top of each other, creating seasons of harried-ness. And when this happens, the introvert in me withdraws--preferably on the couch. At one point, I'd be happy on the couch reading something off of my ever-growing Amazon wishlist. Or catching up on blogs. Or the latest Real Simple, Food & Wine, or Country Living. But now? I have a stack of new magazines in a pile; I agonize over how many books I haven't read this year; I realize it's been weeks or months since reading a favorite blog. The time suck, and likely a huge reason that I've become less "me"? Social media.

I am ever-connected to a people through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Although it is great to stay in touch with [some] people, I'll be one of the first people to warn that social media gives a false sense of relationship. Many times, I have to give context when I say, "friend." It's Facebook-friend or Instagram-friend or blog-friend. And though I love that I've "met" new people through blogging and Instagram and the like, and I believe that if given the chance, we could be friends, it is still not an ideal way to create or maintain friendships.

The easy fix for finding me would be to create, cook, read, write, connect. I mean, how hard is that? But I think at this point, I need a practical way to do these things that I love, the things that make me, "me." My goals over the next days and weeks:

Create: I began following Her Southern Charm on Instagram. She illustrates/doodles her journals and planner. So, I don't have a journal (mostly because I'm not disciplined enough to write in it except on occasion), but I do have a planner (that I actually made!). Last week at work, I broke out our tub of markers that I hadn't touched since I started my job 4.5 years ago. I brought such joy to make my planner colorful and whimsical! I'll continue to do this.

Cook: I recently bought a cookbook, Practical Paleo. Each week for the next month, I will cook a recipe from this book. Please note: over the next three weeks, I will be in town nine days. I'm just realizing that this is a bigger deal than it seems.

Read: By the end of the year, I will read four books, including: Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, In the Garden of Beasts, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, and A Year of Biblical Womanhood.

Write: Over the past months of my unintended hiatus, I've wondered if I should even continue blogging. Do you know how many blogs there are? I don't. But it's a lot. I wonder what I have to share that is different from others. More than anything, it's a way for me to write. Writing is something I'm [sometimes] good at. (Especially when I don't end sentences with a preposition!)

For me, if I read, then I'm able to write. The more words that go in, the more come out. Although my next few weeks are well-planned, my goal is to write four times a week on the blog.

Connect: I'm thankful for the upcoming holiday season since my next few weeks are so very busy. While holidays are typically busy, working at a school means I am able to have a week off at Thanksgiving and two at Christmas. So there's time to rest and connect.

Next weekend, Husby and I are hitting up Ft. Worth for "An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert." Although it may not be super-exciting to a vast majority to hear chefs talk about food, it thrills us! While there, we'll visit one of Tim Love's restaurants. (Side note: what celebrities are to most, chefs are to me.)

Mid-month, I'm heading to Dallas with a friend for some shopping and eating and to see the folks from Young House Love while they sign books at West Elm. The next day, Husby and I are heading out to visit a BFF couple in Granbury. I'm planning to stay in my pajamas for as long as possible each day we're at their house.

So that's my plan. I hope to report back at the end of the month--or possibly throughout--with the intentional things I do help me find myself again, find the the things I love to do, the things that make me, "me."

an easter heart

Yesterday was my birthday. For the second time in five years, my birthday was on Easter. It had never happened before 2007 and won't happen again until 2091. I won't share my day again. And neither will the Lord--at least not with me. All last week I joked that no one remembers my birthday when it's on Easter. The focus in on Jesus. And rightfully so. I'm so insignificant when it comes to him.

I'm funny about my birthday. I don't want a big deal made over it. I like for friends to remember it, but I don't get offended if I'm forgotten. I don't publish the date on Facebook because I don't want 200+ birthday wishes from people who wouldn't know my birthday except for the little birthday reminder. This year, I am thankful for my family and a handful of friends who remembered.

Do you know what I like for my birthday? Besides something chocolate in the form of a cake? A new outfit. Something cute and spring-y. And maybe some new sandals. I mean, it's the beginning of April, after all. Do you know what I must have for Easter? Besides a basket with chocolate candy? You guessed it: a new dress.

On Friday afternoon, I ran by the mall to find a dress. I grabbed a half dozen possibilities and headed to the dressing room, not once looking at a price tag. Almost any price (within reason) would be justified by the fact that MY BIRTHDAY WAS ON EASTER. In actuality, I deserved two new things: one for my day and one for Easter. First world issue, I know. I found one dress that would work. It was cute, if a bit too long.

Then, my friend, Chandra, came over on Saturday morning. We hadn't seen each other in quite a while, but had no trouble talking for a few hours. We talked about everything we could think of: work, submission in marriage, children, spending time with the Lord, party planning, blogs we read. And then I recommended a book: Seven by Jen Hatmaker.

One of my sweet friends, Allison, sent me an email at the beginning of the year, recommending Seven. I quickly put it on my Amazon wish list. [Side note: when Allison and I ever live in the same state again, I will be ecstatic.] Then I started hearing about it from other people. And then Allison blogged about it. I caved to indirect--or non-existent--peer pressure and ordered it that day.

Turns out, Chandra had read about Seven on another blog. She knew about Jen Hatmaker and her radical-ish thinking. She'd read Jen's posts about Easter (here and here) that were on my list of things to read this weekend. And then she mentioned something about Jen not buying a special Easter dress. At this point, we proceeded to talk more about the book, but that whole no Easter dress thing really stuck with me.

As is typical, I tried on the new dress Saturday night. I looked in the mirror, at every angle. It was a weird length. Even Husby agreed. Ugh. I attempted to do a quick "hem" by bringing the waist up just a bit and securing it with safety pins. It didn't work. I removed the pins, folded the dress and placed it in the shopping bag to be returned.

But returning the dress is more than a weird length issue. It's a heart issue. I knew after hearing about Jen's decision that I'd return it. See, I grew up in a church where clothing seemed like a big deal. The church I attended as a single seemed to place a big emphasis on outer appearance. I have judged people for not wearing appropriate clothes to church. A few years ago, I MADE myself wear jeans to church week after week because I had a heart issue that needed to be worked out, and this was one step in the process.

The Easter dress issue seemed a repeat of the same heart issue. I've always had a new outfit for Easter. Everyone at church dresses in their finest that day. Everyone has something new. But this year, I didn't. I wore a three year old dress from my closet. And do you know? I'm pretty sure no one noticed. Mainly because I have NO CLUE if others were wearing new dresses or three year old dresses.

I'm sure that I'll have a few new outfits for the season. But it's not this dress, not for Easter. Slowly, I'm learning that Easter is just about Jesus. It isn't about baskets or egg hunts or pretty clothes. It's about Him, even when it's on my birthday in 2091, Easter--Resurrection Sunday--will still be about Jesus.

spring break wrap-up

Today is my last day of spring break. And it's been a wonderful week. Last weekend, I was a little worried as rain and cooler temperatures were in the forecast all week. But true to Texas weather patterns, it only sprinkled once or twice, and a few days even were a bit too warm for mid-March. But the sun felt wonderful on my pale skin. I wore short sleeves and flip flops, and I only opened my make-up bag to dig out mascara and bronzer on the days that requried leaving the house for more than The Home Depot.

My time was spent well. I was intentional in connecting with friends, whether in person or by phone. I had coffee and lunch and dinner and a pedicure and drinks and good conversation. These days were full of thankfulness for my friends. Even though I missed seeing a few during the week, I've made plans to connect with them soon.

I was productive in the yard. I worked our flower beds. Raked the final oak leaves from our front yard. Pulled up no less than 30 baby oak trees, and I feel certain that a dozen more have popped up. Bought a new container of fire ant killer. Used the new container of fire ant killer, which brings me great joy. Bought a rotary spreader and fertilizer for our grass. Used the rotary spreader, which brings me great joy. Planted baby lettuces and herbs, which brings me great joy.

On Wednesday, I made a trip to Goodwill. I've been on the hunt for a desk chair, as our current chair has wheels on the bottom, and it's only a matter of time before it ruins the carpet. I found a chair a Goodwill and decided that I would try my hand at upholstering. I have absolutely no idea how to upholster, but I decided it'd be a good and (relatively) easy project. In fact, as I eyed the chair in the store, a sweet lady came to me to tell me that I had to buy the chair. Then she proceded to tell me how much fabric I'd need for the project, along with other tips. This attracted another shopper who shared her ideas. It was a fun day thrifting! I hope to post the project soon. It might be a couple of weeks before it's all done, though.

I convinced Husby to take off work on Friday. We had a lazy morning. Earlier in the week, I decided to try savory oatmeal. I loved it so much that I was dying to make it for him. It's definitely a new favorite! After brunch, we headed to a local park to walk through the nature trails. It was so nice to be outside and together. He's gone back to school to get his CPA, so our quality time has suffered over the past months.

I feel certain that I could be a stay-at-home dog-and-cat-mom for at least another week. But it's back to work tomorrow. Routine will be nice. I'm implementing a new house cleaning strategy this week, so I'll report back on that soon.

Here's to 9-ish more weeks of school until summer!

a happy heart

• Husby brought lunch to school today. He has class until late tonight, so it was a treat to eat with him during the day. I emailed him a disclaimer this morning that eating at a school means noise. I hoped that he didn't have hopes of gazing into each others eyes. Instead of a quiet lunch, recalling the reasons why we love each other, we sat at the teacher's table during middle school lunch, sharing sushi and fruit kebabs. Then he gave me a fun necklace. Note to Husby: I love my initials. :)
• I love that my job means celebrating with students who receive acceptances from colleges. It's such an exciting time in a young life, and each acceptance is thrilling. But when it's the first acceptance, it's even sweeter. I love cheering and congratulating and hugging kids who hear the news while at school. They're on cloud nine for the rest of the day. Today was a day of celebrating...with my student aide, no less.
• I attended a George Washington Tea today hosted by the Daughter's of the American Revolution. The ladies in attendance had classic Southern double-names like Mary-Ruth and Ann Leigh, and there was also Eugenia and Agnes. I obviously didn't receive the memo that these ladies wear red or black or white skirt suits with beige pantyhose and pumps to match the suit.
• I'm not a member of DAR. A student competed in an essay contest, and I was invited to attend as her guest. After attending the event, she thought that maybe her essay didn't win since it focused on the American Indian take on the Revolutionary War. These ladies are very pro-Revolutionary War. I'm sure they didn't quite appreciate her different thoughts on this war. Oops.
• Tonight, I'm sitting by the fire, watching a little Big Bang Theory and reading. Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like Sheldon and Country Living.

• My mother-in-law is the cooking baking queen. Seriously. All of her cookies are fabulous. A couple of years ago, she "messed up" a recipe. Well, it's turned out to be my favorite cookie. And they just happened to be in a box of cookies that she delivered earlier this evening. Along with reading, BBT and a fire, I'm enjoying these:

Top left: fluffy chocolate cookies with fluffy chocolate icing drizzled with white chocolate and topped with a cherry; Right: chocolate ganache cookies (My faves. I totally made up the name.)

Bottom left: Sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles 

a list for 2012

I can't believe the planner in me made it to January 4 without establishing any concrete goals / resolutions for the year. It's pained me a little, but I've really tried to work on attainable goals. You know, maybe those that will stick around pasy January 4.

1. Finish all the books I've started.
This is totally doable. And necessary. When we moved last year, I packed all of my books in progress. I didn't find them until a few weeks ago. Sad, I know. I could be forgetting one or two, but I know that these are on the list: Into the Wild, Bird by Bird, The Glass Castle, Cordelia's Honor, One Thousand Gifts.

2. Find a farm that provides fresh eggs.
As much as I would love to buy everything local and organic, it's overwhelming. I've decided to start with baby steps. We use lots of eggs, and I love 'em! I don't typically have time to make them for breakfast, but I love an easy dinner of roasted vegetables with a fried egg on top. We buy free range eggs at our grocery, but I really want to buy local eggs. Although we technically live in a small city, our home is in a more rural area. I've seen a 'fresh eggs' sign down the road from us. Now, I need to work up the courage to make my way up their winding drive!

3. Have friends over for dinner.
I wish that my goal were: have more friends over for dinner. Since we married, having people over seems to have come to a halt. I'm not sure why. But this girl loves having people over for dinner! We're stepping up our game this year. I'm shooting for once a month.

4. Unpack all boxes.
If you're counting months, we moved eight months ago. We have a room of forgotten boxes. Shutting the door does wonders! Over Christmas break, I emptied 9 boxes, along with organizing lots in our house. I'm giving myself until December to unpack the rest.

5. Read the Old Testament.
Technically, this could go under goal #1. I set out to read the entire Bible last year. I only read about 25%. I decided that I'd modify my goal. This year, I'll finish reading the Old Testament.

I like my list. I've thought about these goals for several days. These are all things that I can over the course of 2012. What about you? Anything you'd like to accomplish this year?

2011 Superlatives

There are just a few hours remaining in 2011. It seems like the year has flown by! Before the ball drops, ringing in the new year (and before we go to bed while celebrating midnight with the folks on the east coast), I thought I'd do a quick synopsis of a few favorites. Here we go:

Favorite Fiction: The Help, Half Broke Horses

Favorite Non-fiction: Under the Banner of Heaven, Unbroken, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Book Most Likely to Make Me Want to Leave my Job and Home for a Farm: The Dirty Life

Most Indulgent Dessert (TIE): White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Cup Martini. Both at Lulu's Chocolate Bar in Savannah.

Favorite Food (Summer category): Watermelon with feta cheese and honey

Favorite Food (Winter category): Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash

New Favorite Drink (Summer category): Iced Coffee. Not iced cappuccino or iced latte. Just iced coffee with cream(er).

New Favorite Drink (Winter category): Hot Chocolate with marshmallow flavored vodka

Promise that We're Most Willing to Keep: Vacation destinations in the summer cannot be in the south. For the second year in a row, we visited lovely cities (Savannah, Charleston, Atlanta) during a heat wave. Canada, anyone?

Most Likely to Love Us Forever: Persephone. The neighborhood cat we stole from our previous house. (It was actually legal-ish. We talked to someone who lived on the next street over that approved of our adopting her.)

Best Game: Dicecapades. After eyeing it for a few weeks, I decided to buy it. Let me tell you: it's fun. Like really, really fun. In fact, it replaced Cranium as my favorite game.

Most Expensive Purchase:  In April, Husby and I took advantage of the buyers market and purchased our first home. So far, so good. Except when we wish we could call the landlord to replace a doorknob or dig the rogue crepe myrtle out of every single flower bed.

Best TV Shows: Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, Castle, Top Chef All-Stars

Best DVD Series (you know, since we don't have cable): Veronica Mars, Alias, LOST

Happy New Year, y'all!

-ing

Last weekend, Husby and I attended the annual Bailey Christmas Party. It's an occasion not to be missed. Each year is a food theme. {Yes, they are fabulous friends who develop a party around food.} This years them? Dessert. So, after our drive to the big city, we feasted on desserts and chatted the night away. During one conversation, I confessed that I am the queen of copying. I don't have many great original ideas so much as I find great ideas already had, and then copy them. It's an issue of which I'm well aware, and I don't know that I intend to change it anytime soon. So, I shall copy a blog idea from the hostess of said party, and perhaps a link or two.

{COOKING}

For me, cold weather is perfect for soups. Last night, I made Chicken & Dumplings. They warmed us up as the temperature dropped just a bit. We'll eat on the leftovers for the next few days.

Last week, I had a hankering (not a craving) for Vegetable Beef Stew. Having never made it before, I called my mom who advised me on the cut of meat and type of potatoes that are perfect for beef stew. My first attempt was super successful. I'm making it tonight to take to a family, and I plan to write the recipe this time. I'll share sometime soon.

We'll be at my parents on Christmas morning. I've requested that my mom make kolaches filled with raspberry or strawberry jam. Of course, she'll make her favorite: poppy seed kolaches. Along with these amazing sweet rolls, I'm making this Southern Brunch Casserole, which is a tradition with Husby's family. I'm pretty sure my family will love it!

{READING}

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. This is a challenging read for me. I love the premise of the book and have started by List of 1000 Things, but her writing is a tad too poetic for me.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. My college roommate and I decided to read this together. A year later, I'm finally reading it. And it's wonderful.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I loved her Half Broke Horses, so I'm excited to be reading this.

{WATCHING}

LOST. I've shared before that I'm 6-10 years behind on a few series. About three weeks ago, Husby and I started LOST, Season 1. Last night, we started Season 2. Oh my goodness! This show is good, y'all!

Christmas movies. I love Christmas movies that are not of the Hallmark variety. My favorites: Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, Christmas Vacation, Four Christmases and A Christmas Story.

{CONSIDERING}

Blessed are the entitled? Just perfect in light of the goings-on in my hometown and my recent blog post about the nativity.

Santa, Strategically I like this. Santa remains in Christmas, but a minimal part.

When Christmas Gets Radical I love the idea that a family chooses gifts for those who are desperately in need. For those who would be more thankful for receiving than perhaps I ever could.

4 years

Four years ago tonight, I went on my very first date with a cute guy from church. A guy with a dreamy beard around his jawline. A guy that complimented me, and even wanted to talk to me again after I totally blew him off. A guy that called me on his birthday to ask me on our first date. And who answered his phone after I was too nervous to pick up the call. (I mean, just his name on the caller ID made my heart race!) Someone who pursued me, while I played hard-to-get for just a bit. Someone who won me over pretty quickly. Someone who won me over for forever.

This is our first picture. I love it. The dreamy beard. A good hair day for me.

A Little Hope

For you, this picture might mean nothing. Except that it's the beginning of September, and I'm one of those crazies who is ready to decorate for fall on September 1.

(I actually have an unwritten rule that I can decorate that early. And I have new fall decor, so I'm aching to put it out. This weekend friends, this weekend. I have to decorate that early so that I can fully enjoy it since Christmas goes up the Monday before Thanksgiving.)

I digress. For me, this picture is hope. Hope that it will eventually stop soaring into triple digit temperatures. And although it's forecast to cool over the next week, I have my doubts. After all, the meteorologists in our area have predicted rain almost every week since June. That hasn't really happened, except on the days when they claim that there is ZERO CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION.

Since I love summer (and I love summer in Texas), I've tried not to complain at length about the heat, but it's been rough! Even worse is the lack of rain. As I'm sure you know, we're in extreme drought conditions. Now that we live outside of the city limits, we have private water. Our water company sent a notice a couple of weeks ago that we can only water our lawns twice a week. Honestly, that was difficult. Although new to home ownership, we want to be proud of our lawn. A certain amount of vanity comes with wanting a green lawn, and when a water shortage prevents that, it sort of stinks.

Even more than wanting a green lawn is wanting a non-dry, non-crispy yard for safety reasons. Because everything is so dry, fires pop up quickly. A few nights we've walked outside to smell acreage burning. Where our house is located is pretty wooded. To be honest, there've been times that I've had to come to terms with the fact that we have a house, filled with stuff. As long as we're okay (and our pets are okay), then we can make it if something happens. That's a tough reality for me. Of course, we've gathered all of our legal documents; if only we could remember to buy a fireproof safe to store them!

Even though this weekend won't show signs of fall, other than the acorns dotting the front yard, I expect that it will be wonderful, restful and productive.

so it begins

Oh, how I would like to say that summer is over! But that isn't the case (for a few more weeks, at least). However, summer break came to a close on Thursday as students flooded the hallway of our school, and a few brave ones--or maybe just those desiring a schedule change--made their way into our office.

This is always an exciting time for my job. Soon, seniors will spend an hour a day camped out on the computers next to my desk, typing away on college applications and essays. They'll wonder how-in-the-world-should-I-answer-this-question-to-get-into-the-college-of-my-dreams and ask me questions, such as, "What's your favorite (fill in the blank)?" or "Would you rather be raised by robots, aliens or dinosaurs? And why?" I'll try to escape dozens of questions, hoping they'll answer creatively--and well. And really hoping that they'll spell correctly and avoid using UR for "your." But ultimately I'll answer a multitude of questions every hour.

I love the season of college applications. Call me crazy (seriously, you can), but it's such an exciting time for seniors. Last year, I ran the show while my boss was on maternity leave. This year, I'm able to step back and let her take the reins. Although it was a good--and successful--year, I'm happy to be back at my desk, the smaller desk. I'm happy for less stress and not working 11 hour days. I'm excited that I can cook dinner and have people over on school nights (as long as they leave by 9ish, of course!). Technically, my days run from 7:30a-4p. In previous years, when I wasn't in charge, I would stay until 5:30. This year, I've made the commitment to leave no later than 4:30. Of course there will be exceptions, but I really want to do this.

Husby's school year starts next week. That's right, he's going back. He works as a financial analyst and decided to get his CPA. (I really don't know how to reference that. Is it: become a CPA / get a CPA / be an accountant? Whichever, he's doing it.) He took one class over the summer. We hope that he'll have everything wrapped up by the end of next summer! Since he'll have one class each week until 9ish, that gives me a free night to spend with girlfriends, and I already have several activities lined up!

Although the lazy days of summer will be missed, I'm glad to be back to the routine I thrive. Here's to a fabulous school year!

my summer so far...

I enjoy the summer. I know I'll probably complain in September when it's still 100 degrees, but for now, I still like it. I like the feeling of getting into a super hot car, and then blasting the air conditioner. And I typically don't mind being outside. It's like I was made for summers in Texas. :) Last weekend, I threw an outdoor party for Husby. This December, he'll be 40. (Yes, he did rob the cradle. I officially have a sugar daddy, although I have to work. Something about a new car and new house.) I wanted to give him a birthday fiesta, but with holiday parties and cold weather, I didn't want to do it in December. So we did a 39 1/2 birthday party. It was so much fun! I'll post pictures  soon.

Speaking of cars. I'm sad to report that Genevieve (my 5 month old Kia Sportage) has already been to the body shop. A few weeks ago, Husby and I traded cars for the day. On his way home from work, it was drizzling; he was stopped at a light and was rear-ended. $5000 in damage and 10 days later (paid for by their insurance company, thankfully), Genevieve is back home. The upside is they vacuumed the inside really well and washed her. She looks brand new. Again.

Our new house is in a more rural area. I like to call it the country, even though we're in a neighborhood. The country seems to come with wildlife that I didn't see much in the city. Yesterday, I put Crickett and Persephone outside. Before I could shut the door, I heard something land behind me. Evidently a lizard mistook the inside of our house for where he should be. I panicked. I'm not particularly afraid of lizards, but I couldn't figure out my method of getting him outside. I didn't want to kill him, since he kills more bugs than the dog and cat combined. (The cat likes to WATCH bugs crawl across the floor.) I couldn't pick him up quickly and throw him out the back; I had a cat and dog who would have loved a little snack. My only option was going out the front,  but I couldn't determine how I would pick him up, carry him, unlock and open the door, and then deposit him accordingly. And I didn't want him making an escape. Again, the cat and dog would have fought over who got him.

In my decision, the little lizard decided to climb the fireplace. I stood guard, watching him while I called Husby. Thankfully, he was less than ten minutes away. I stayed on the phone with him the whole time repeating things like:

"Please don't fall. Please don't fall. Please don't fall."
"Oh, my goodness."
"If he jumps at me..."
"Where are you?"
"Where are you now?"
"He's on the CEILING..."
"Come in through the front door as soon as you get here!"

And my knight in khaki pants and a Polo shirt came to my rescue. Only after the lizard jumped at me after an attempted capture. Which caused me to scream, then the lizard ran like a little thing you'd see in the desert, afraid for his life. Then I screamed and shook a plastic grocery bag, chasing him down the hall, hoping he wouldn't climb into the pile of empty boxes and paper. Husby was laughing the whole time, trying to catch him, but supposedly distracted by my screaming.

Once captured, we both ran outside to deposit him next to our bathroom window. (We have a family of geckos that climbs on the outside of the window at night, so we thought it was appropriate.) It being the country, I went barefoot. This is where I mention that we've been plagued by nasty brown spiders (no brown recluse, thankfully). As we were walking back inside, I saw one in the grass and told Husby to step on it. He did. Then we saw another and another and another. ALL CRAWLING TOWARD OUR HOUSE. Confident they were coming for me and my bare feet, I ran.

Next week the exterminator will be here. And summer will be even better.

i'll take it

I always have such good intentions of taking vitamins. In fact, I have an entire shelf full of them. I guess it's just never been a habit. Although, I don't love swallowing pills. This is a recent-ish development. And doesn't apply to ibuprofen or melatonin. I actually think it started when two pills stuck together in the back of my throat, and I thought it was the end of it. Then it happened again. I'm not sure what my deal is, but I've come to hate swallowing pills. (And if I have to take more than one with a gel coating, they go down in separate gulps).

At Target last week, I happened upon gummy vitamins. (I don't doubt that I'm way behind the curve on this one.) I decided to give them a try. Let me tell you...these are yummy! I take two every morning. No, I'm not with child. The fountain of all knowledge, Kelly Rippa, once remarked that women should take prenatal vitamins all the time. And who doesn't listen to the advice of Kelly Rippa?!

My only problem is that these don't have calcium. Although I'm a milk-drinker, I don't think it hurts to boost the calcium intake. In the spirit of taking supplements that don't require swallowing a horse pill, I decided to go with Viactiv. A little chocolate treat that delivers calcium? I'll take it! I plan to pack two of these in my lunch everyday to eat as dessert.

Another great intention is drinking water. I'm not really a fan of water. Coffee with cream, tea sweetened with stevia, and Diet Coke? Yes, please. Plain old water. I'll pass. But I know it's good for the body, so I've resolved to drink 24 ounces before I have a cup of coffee. It's great motivation to get to the coffee!

If only a workout came in a handy, tasty treat form!

Post Number 200: On a Snow Day

My goodness. This is my 200th post. I know to some bloggers, this number is hit every year, but not for me. I've only been blogging consistently-ish for about 1.5 years. Happy 200th post to me! And thanks to those of you who read my fantastic posts about things like super hot weather, crazy cold weather, wisdom tooth removal and our first anniversary celebration. Where else would you find such intriguing topics?

This week, I was a quite bitter about working. It seemed like most schools within 30 miles of us were either off or had late starts because of the snow/ice. Then word came that another snow storm would approach us from the south. (I don't quite understand how that happens since we're pretty far south in this area of Texas, but whatever.) The original predictions was that it wouldn't reach us. I mean, come on. How can Texas get two snowstorms in one week, and they both miss our little city?! But I held out hope since Texas weather is unpredictable, at best.

For some unknown reason, I woke up at 5am. I tossed and turned, trying to go back to sleep, but only wanted to know if I'd need to be up in an hour, or if I'd be able to sleep in. I decided to look out the window to see if there were any flakes coming down. Well, turns out the meteorologists were wrong. It SNOWED! I ran back to bed and woke Husby to let him know. I'm not sure he shared my enthusiasm. I turned to my trusty phone to look for cancellations. None. I listened to the road below for cars, indicating whether or not people thought it was safe to drive. I wrestled with sleep until 6am when my sweet mom called to tell me that she saw we were out for the day. Hallelu!

Husby was able to stay home, as well. We've had a nice, relaxing day so far. Yummy pancakes and lots of coffee for breakfast, a little The Big Bang Theory from last night, and now I'm snuggled down with Crickett in my makeshift sectional. (I pulled an arm chair up to the sofa. Think fort-making days in our younger days. It may not be classy, but it works!) I do hear cars driving up and down the brick streets below, so I feel that we would have been safe driving, but I'm so thankful for an extra day to rest! I plan to stay in my fleece pants, fleece pullover and wool boots for the majority of the day.

One of my goals for the first 6 weeks of the year is to cook one new recipe a week (or just a total of six new recipes). And I think I'll meet that goal! Right now, I really have a thing for Asian food. Usually, I can't go without Mexican food (Tex-Mex or authentic) for more than four days, so this is a change. I've made Asian Turkey Meatballs, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Beef and Green Bean Noodle Bowls. I've also done Spinach Meatballs (super yummy) and a blackberry cobbler. I'll post most of these recipes over the next week.

We have two Super Bowl parties on Sunday. I'm taking desserts to both of them. On the menu: Lemon Bars and Chocolate Scotcharoos. Along with our menu for the week, a trip to the grocery store is in order. I just hope they've recovered from the people who decided they must buy enough food to last for an ENTIRE SNOW DAY. The weather is forecast to warm up tomorrow. So I should be just fine changed out of my fleece attire and wool boots for a grocery shopping excursion.

Hope you have a great weekend! Stay warm!

My Turn to Complain About the Weather

Sweet mercy, it is COLD! I wish I had a picture of pretty snow to post, but we didn't get snow or ice or anything needed to cancel school/work. Dang it. Even the rolling black-outs don't count. I'm not exactly sure how electricity works, but I guess we don't have enough of it in the cold. Someone should really figure that out. Because it's a little hard to give a PowerPoint presentation without electricity, and I had to give three. I did pretty well considering I only had electricity for about 5 slides. If you need tips on writing a college admission essay, just let me know. We'll review expanding sentences, avoiding cliches and the reason you shouldn't write an essay about how football changed your life. Then I'll throw in an example about Seinfeld vs. Friends, and we'll wrap things up. Sounds fun, huh? Oh, and then you'll stress over what in the world you'll write about for your college admission essays. But I'll offer for you to come into my office to brainstorm ideas.

But if you'd rather not receive tips on said college admission essay, then I'd like for you to know HOW COLD IT IS. Let me tell you, this lady is not built for cold weather. Last night, the wind chill was 10 degrees; today the high is 27. This is a stark contrast from the 77 degree weather we had last weekend--weather that brought tears of JOY to my eyes. We let the cat-who-thinks-she's-ours, Persephone, stay inside last night. When I went to put her out this morning, she hesitated and tried running back in. I booted her out because I didn't have time to waste--I had to layer up. I tried to recall proper skiing attire, but in an office-acceptable fashion. Tricky! Especially since all I wanted to wear was my fleece outfit. I didn't, not just because it isn't appropriate, but also that it needs to be washed after wearing it the past four days when I'm at home.

Also tricky in this weather is working out. Not because I run or do any sort of thing outside. I just don't like changing into clothes that won't give me a heat stroke only to change back into my fleece outfit when I'm done. That's too much transition in our house that isn't super warm. I've voided a workout for three days, but MUST do it today.

I'm so glad Punxsutawney Phil predicts that spring is on its way. I can't wait. I want to sweat a little and wear a dress without leggings or tights. Until then, I'll continue wearing my fleece outfit and wondering why it's so cold in this Artctic circle we call Texas.

An Update

Just so you know, I'm still here. I just have writer's block combined with a semi-boring life. I wish I had fun or interesting stories, but I don't. I even went to WalMart today, and other than it being a reminder of why I really don't like WalMart, nothing outstanding happened. (I usually have a great story after a trip to WalMart. Like the time when I was in the dairy section, and a kid walked up to the dairy case, opened a container of French onion dip, scooped some out with his finger, ate it, put the lid back on and walked away. I was dumbfounded. Especially when he later almost ran me over while driving a motorized cart. While his mom was walking beside him. Seriously?)

I've tried really hard this week to work on balance--bible time, working out, cooking, cleaning, laundry. I have such a hard time maintaining all of those things, and maybe I can't do it all, but I've tried really hard this week. Which is why I haven't blogged. See, something has to give.

I've also been reading quite a bit. Last year, I only read 12 books. That's a really sad number. I blame it on the fact that my first book of the year was not enjoyable. We had an All School Read, and I was forced to read Three Cups of Tea. I did not like it. One bit. Before you skip to the comment section and hate on me for knocking this book, let me give a disclaimer that I like the story of building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan; it's a great mission. But the book was about 150 pages too long and VERY poorly written. I wish the editor had been better. I think starting the year off with a book that I didn't like set the tone for the rest of the year.

So I knew that I had to do better this year. I had to read a book that was one my MUST READ list. I just finished my first book, read in five days because it was that good.

If you haven't read this book, you should. I couldn't put it down. Set in the 1960s, it tells the stories of black maids who work for white families. Every two chapters is in the voice of a different character, telling her story. Some good. Some bad. Some heart-wrenching. I'll probably think about it for a while.

Now I'm reading another book on my To Read list. So far, really good. I'm about 25% done.

Oh, and I have a confession. I'm now the owner of a:

That's right. I own a Kindle. I swore when they first came out that I'd NEVER be able to hold something like that in the place of a book. Well, let me tell you, Husby and I have five bookcases in our house. And they're full. All of them. Some are doubled up. We had to do something, so we converted to Kindle's (thanks to a handy Best Buy gift card Christmas present!). I hate to admit that I like it, but I do. I know that I'll probably always prefer an actual book, but this isn't so bad. (Although the process of buying it was awful. Best Buy has terrible customer service.)

There's also one more change for us. (I'm not prego.) After ten years, I own a new car. Her name is Genevieve. She's a Kia Sportage and looks like this:

Yes, she's red. Yes, my car is female. Yes, she has a name. It's more fun that way. She and Knox, Husby's black Prius, look so cute together!

I'm off to read another chapter before bed. Hope you've had a relaxing and/or productive weekend!

A Rough Day

Mercy. I am so glad the work day is over! It was an unplanned crazy day, and I feel like I've been beaten. This week I have multiple presentations, three different days, over PSAT score interpretation. Remember those days? I do not miss them. Although I would have rather taken a standardized test than have the scenario play out the way it did today.

See, I'm a planner. A pretty detailed planner. I typically have things ready several days--maybe even a week--in advance for presentations: copies, PowerPoint's, reminders sent via email, etc. I knew that I was a several days behind my norm, but I felt that I could get everything done. Yesterday, I stayed late to get my presentations for the freshmen. Easy enough. I reviewed the PowerPoint, developed a script, made my copies and came home before dark (which was my goal since Husby was out of town for the night, and I don't like being home alone or walking in the house when it's dark).

Anyway...

This morning, I was working on my presentation for tomorrow. I had about an hour I had before my first presentation of the day. I was good. Until my colleague came into my office and asked if I was still working with the juniors today. What? Let's just say I wanted desperately to panic, but I didn't have time. In under a minute, I grabbed a presentation and flew to the library while she made copies for me. I had to give Thursday's presentation today. I hadn't prepared. I had only looked at the slides once. But I had to do it, and I did. Whew. Only two more to go. Thank goodness I had about an hour before the second presentation. I updated my PowerPoint, developed a script and begged someone to make copies for me. All went well, including my presentation to parents, which is always so nervewracking. As soon as walked into my office at the end of the day, I felt all of the tension in my shoulders that had been stored there all day. No fun. The good news is that I'm ahead for the rest of the week.

Husby just got home. I'm making hamburgers for dinner, and we plan to cozy up on the couch in the winter weather event of 2011. It's getting into the teens tonight. That's so cold for us sweet southerners!

I'm off to flip some burgers...

The Weekend

Today is a yucky day outside. The forecast calls for sleet and snow, but so far it's just miserable, cold rain. Which means we're hunkered down inside. Since icy roads were expected around noon, we decided to skip the drive to church. Our morning at home has been nice; last night we threw a party for my in-laws 40th anniversary. It was quite fun, but we stayed up WAY past our bedtime. I'm such a terrible picture taker, so it's no surprise that I don't have pictures to share. We had approximately 60 people in their house (the location was a condition of the low-key party). We miscalculated the amount of food people would eat, so my mom--a guest at the party--had to make a run for olives, cheese, fruit and such once what we'd made was cleared out. (Thanks, Mom!)

One of the favorites at the party were Little Piggies that I made. I actually got the recipe from Shauna Niequist's blog. Instead of using hot dog wieners, I used Lil' Smokies. (Like the ones you use for pig-in-a-blanket's.) These are super easy and super yummy. I actually did some ahead of time and froze them, and it worked wonderfully. I'll definitely make these again.

Little Piggies

Adapted from shaunaniequist.com

Ingredients

1 package Lil' Smokies (I used Hilshire Farms)

1 lb. bacon, cut into thirds

1 C brown sugar

Directions

Wrap each Lil' Smokie with a piece of bacon. Place seam side down in a pan. Once all are in the pan, sprinkle with brown sugar.

Cook at 250 degrees for 4 hours.

Seriously. You need to try these. They're yummy. And I don't really like bacon. (I know. I know.)

Okay, I need to get back to HGTV and to an annual upload of pictures to facebook. Here's hoping for some more interesting winter weather.