Around the House

I was home today trying to rest, work and ignore the construction noise and potent cleaning smells from the hallway while they ripped up the god awful carpet in my apartment's hallways. Luckily the hallways look much better with the old tile exposed now. While it is just the hallways, it does make a difference!

Today allowed a lot of time to appreciate some of the small things that make me happy.

These little pups are my favorite salt and pepper shakers. If you tip them when you are setting them down the somtimes "sneeze" salt or pepper on the counters, but other than that, they are well beahaved!

 

Wyatt made this sequined masterpiece for me, and I just adore it. I love any piece of artwork he sends me, but this one always looks particularly stunning on my book shelf. I love coming home from work and seeing this everyday.

 

 

My recent sore throat had me combing my cabinents for any tea I had on hand. Not wanting to take my caffeine intake over the top, I found this apple tea that I brought back from our trip to Turkey last year. While it didn't end up being the same tea that I had in all the cafes in Turkey, it is very tasty and reminds me of fall. When it brews it changes color from green to red, just like apples! With a little sprinkle of brown sugar, it makes me very happy.

 

To drink my tea, I grabbed this mug my mom bought me when we were driving through Kansas.  Complete with pictures of some of my favorite people in the background.

 

While I am a bit stuffed up, the smell from the cleaners in the hallway was overwhelming. I was relieved to remember I purchased a new candle at target the last time I was there. I am love with the scent and am thinking that I'll have to add the bigger version soon since it makes me apartment smell so fresh!

 

 

What are some of the favorite things around your home? It is the small things huh?





The Best Motivation

I started feeling the scratchies in the back of my throat last night. As I was slumped over trying to stay away for a phone call from the bf (and failed) I thought to myself--you are getting sick. I know...mind of over matter, and I totally let my mind get the best of me.

Today. Not death bed sick, but certainly not well and a 9:30 budget meeting where I had already invested too much time, and my fellow comrade had already sacrificed a night of sleep to prep. There was no way I wasn't going to make that meeting. Showered, dressed and bribing myself with splurging on a real breakfast vs. my usual granola bar I forced myself onto the bus.

Naturally that 9:30 meeting turned into a 10am meeting. Then 10:45. Then it was cancelled. Back at my desk I made a targeted to-do list of everything I had to do before I could possibly consider going home. I estimated I could be back on the bus moving back towards jammies and bed by 1. A few hours later than that I did manage to get out of the office, head home, throw on the jammies and passed out for two blissful hours. It. Was. Wonderful.

Now why can't I have that motivation and level of concentration every day? Day in day out? If I was as crazed as I was today to get those things off my to-do list I would be VPHR by the time I am 28! (Ok maybe not, but I would be saving poodles with my spare time since I would be so bored with my lack of a to-do list!)

Lucky for me, I got a ton done today AND a nap. Fingers crossed this sore throat decides to hit the road and allow me to enjoy my weekend!

Go Team Jason

I am not sure how, but I came across this Team Jason website awhile ago, which then led me to Geri's blog. Jason has Cystic Fibrosis, and just got the call in the last 24 hours to get his new set of lungs. Geri just posted a facebook update saying the Jason was awake and doing well with his new lungs earlier today.

 For whatever reason this couple has caught my heart and I have been sending these two my thoughts and prayers for the last few days.They are a really inspiring couple and I love the small glimpse into their lives to see how their love has provide such a deep level of support to get such a scary thing.

If you have a few minutes you should check out the Team Jason website, see the moving video explaining Jason's situation and take a look at Geri's blog too!

If you feel inclined you can even donate to help with the medical expenses that I am sure are adding up for these two! Their story, and the past few days of Jason's life have really reminded me 1) how precious life is 2) how important the people you love are and 3) how amazing life is, that we can find medical innovations to extend lives. Breathtaking.

Anyways, hope you enjoy their story as much as I do and can throw some good wishes their way for a speedy recovery for Jason!

Lack of Focus Monday

I am realllllly struggling to get myself together today. My pit stop to grab coffee signalled "one of those days", complete with a someone cutting in line, a guy who wouldn't get off his phone and beating the temptation to also order a donut due to sheer sadness that is it Monday. So how about a list of good stuff?

I want one of these state stamps, or one for every state I have lived in.

Alexis Russell rings? One of each please!

A reminder of how to keep the negative out and the positive in!

Would love to buy these for all of my friends.

Baby Panda at the National Zoo! Looks like I'll be making a trip soon to see the little bundle of joy AND then new sea lion exhibit.

I'm trying to give up twitter, but apparently I am not the only one who doesn't seem to think I could give up my Pintrest account.

Hang in there Monday-goers, we are half way through and only 4 days more till the next weekend!

Does Marriage Change Everything?

A while back I was doing the girl thing were you start bemoaning to your girlfriends about how you don't have a ring on your finger. The conversation always goes something like this:

Complaining Girl: "Ugh, so I was on facebook and ANOTHER sorority sister got engage, and she like FOUR years younger than me! What am I doing wrong?!?"
Supportive Friend: " Well you can't compare your relationship to anyone else's. It is special and unique, and so YOU, that no one else can compare"
CG: "I knooooow, but don't want to end up alone, with like 40 cats, 20 poodles, 10 betas and a partridge in a pear tree"
SF: "You won't end up alone! You are SUCH a catch! So much going for you ya-da-ya-da-ya-da"
CG: "You're right, I am being irrational, I just really want to avoid all those pets"

Am I right? (Or rather some variation of this conversation goes down)

Well my friend threw me for a loop when I was playing the role of CG.

After letting me go on about "I'm not getting any younger" and "I can't believe all these people are engaged and are twenty years younger than me" she simple looked at me and said:

"Marriage doesn't change anything"

BAM! I felt like a bus flew around the corner and plowed me over. Pardon? It doesn't change anything?!?

I snapped my tongue back in my mouth knowing I was treading on ground where I could say something really dumb.

So I marinated.

I still don't know what I think.  Does marriage change things?

The more I thought about it, the more I lean towards the answer of:  of course it does.

Sure it is just a piece of paper and a social construct. I see her point- I really do. It is all about what you commit to. The other part of me, that part of me that wanted to start arguing and possibly saying something rash, is that of course it changes things. I won't even bring in the religious aspect of this discussion, but I still believe that there is merit to those vows. To that piece of paper. To the promise it creates. I may be making this up in my head, but one of the aspects I find so romantic about marriage is that you are committing to a set of expectations in front of the people that will love and support your relationship. It takes away that 'get-out-of-jail' free card and makes sure you hold up your end of those vows.

What do you all think? Does anyone else have a better explanation of why I possibly so quickly jumped to the defense of marriage? Who sees it as not changing things?


Interested in why you're not married? Just one of my favorite satirical posts about the topic...please note SATIRE.

Bagellettes

When inspiration strikes, particularly baking or crafting inspiration, I obsess. If I am not obsessed with the idea I can tell you right now it will be years before I ever bake or craft that idea. However, if the obsession strikes....well I will carve out an evening, weekend, wee hours if the morning to make it happen. The latest obsession... bagels.

Homemade bagels.

With a crunchy outer shell, and that chewy, dense-but-flaky inside.

What got me hooked on this bagel obsession? Seeing them on cupcakes and cashmere. (follow the link to get the recipe!)

I was a bit intimidated and also a bit shocked with the very few ingredients needed for these!

it did take awhile. There is a lot of waiting, rising, waiting, rising and then baking. I'm sure you are also wondering if all this effort is really worth it. After all, you can just buy a bagel. It. Is. Worth. It.

They are like a bagel's little sister...the bagellette.

A little peanut butter, and a little milk. A little joy. yum!

Posted with Blogsy

At the Office

Something I can say without hesitation is that I really like my co-workers. I have some really awesome people that I work with. Smart, funny, incredibly accomplished, and we are all bonded. I swear there will be a reunion of sorts to get as all back together. in years to come. The last year of all our lives is reunion worthy.

Naturally these very smart people also share my love for all things sweet. So around the office we have become obsessed with the Sea Salt Caramel from Chop't. At 65 calories a piece, these little nuggets are heaven in two-to-three-bites. Bags of these have started appearing in desk drawers, and when you hit that breaking point, leave it to one of us, working in health care, to bring you a caramel.

They are perfection. Sweet. Salty. Chewy. Buttery. Delight.

 

 

Last night, it was a good friend, and co-workers final day before she moves on to the next great thing. To celebrate we headed too a rooftop bar, indulged in some summery cocktails and talked about how much we loved those caramels!

 



 

This morning it was super grey out. All I needed was a space needle out my window and I would have thought I was in Seattle! (A girl can dream right?). I hope we are headed into fall soon, skies like this make me lust for leggings, sweaters and a time when I can move my furniture back into it places since I can finally turn off the air conditioner. One can hope.

 

 

I have also been pretty busy at work, and I have neglected one of my favorite things! I forgot to flip the page on my royal wedding calendar!! So a few days later, I got to reveal this month's photo.

 

 

Now please excuse me while I got rummage through my purse to see if a lone caramel made it home with me this evening.





Already Wednesday

Kiss your life. Accept it. Just as it is.

Today.

Now.

So that those moments of happiness you're waiting for don't pass you by.

Found in 150 Love Notes to Make your Nearest & Dearest So Dog-Gone Happy!