Little boys, baby girls and the mama who loves them

I spent three days traveling for work last week. It seemed quite short and too long at the same time. I was up at 3 am for my flight on Wednesday and returned home shortly before midnight on Friday. By my flight home, I started looking at photos and videos of those two chickens and feeling a twinge of heartache.

On my flight out of town, I had made the mistake of dashing out of the house without a book or podcast downloaded for my flight from Des Moines to Orange County. I spent that journey trying to sleep on the plane and staring blankly ahead in silence. So in an effort to correct this amateur move, the night before my flight back home, I downloaded two episodes of The Moth. Have you listened to The Moth? It's really quite good. A series of five minute true stories that share a common theme told to a live audience. I didn't read the descriptions of the episodes that I chose but they ended up being about moms and dads. Some of the stories were about moms and dads either being ill or dying. Sigh, another amateur mistake. Read the description before you download if you do not want to be the girl pretending she has something in her eye as they prepare for landing. The stories were authentic and funny and heartbreaking and perfect.

I haven't been sure if I want to continue this blog thing. Even the bi-monthly posts I muster up are exhausting. However, one thought that has crossed my mind in the past and was again propped up in front of me after hearing these stories, was the idea of my kids and I missing the opportunity to know each other. What if history repeats itself and I leave this world when they are 17? I have photos and my own memories of my mom. It isn't enough.

And so, I am forging on. In addition to photos and memories, I think I'll give these kids my words. My stories of our long and short time together.

Feelings about 2014

I had a rough day today. I annoyed myself by discovering that I locked my keys in my car last night. I also ugly cried in a conference room at work. So there's that. P.S. Women of the working world, crying at the office is THE worst, am I right? I don't know if calling out women specifically is being sexist or whatever but honestly, in my anecdotal, non-scientific research it appears that women tend to shed tears at work. Anyway, it is just so awkward. Awkward for me and awkward for the person who has to witness it. Ugh.

I am fine. I am thinking this blip is just a nice little cherry to the year that is 2014. If I had to have a Facebook relationship status with 2014, it would be "it's complicated". I don't know how I feel about her. She brought me a daughter, but she also made me a mom of two which can be exhausting. She kept Josh and I busy with our careers, filled us with ambition, but challenged us with long hours and overtime. She rolled out the welcome mat in a bigger home for us, but left the door on our first home cracked open.*

There are nights when we sit down for dinner and Dexter is acting as three year olds do-with smiles and frowns all at once--Evy is working her way to a fever pitch because she wants more or doesn't want any or wants to get up or wants to get down, etc. Josh and I look at each other and this is what we say, "This is our design." It's a reference to the show Hannibal. Yes, I realize that show is about a serial killer who eats people, pretty gruesome stuff.  However, we said it jokingly once when we were tired bleary-eyed parents of a newborn. And it stuck. Editor's note: we also pulled out this phrase a lot when we were dealing with the trials and tribulations of potty training. It's like our version of "Serenity now!"

So this is our design, people. This chaotic, exhausting, ugly-cry inducing, delightful, special, amazing year is ours. I can't hate on 2014 too much I suppose. She was following her marching orders and I can't fault a girl for that. I will say that she seemed to go about it in a pretty sassy way though. So, yeah, she's a little bitchy. But in a fun way.

Like I said, it's complicated. 

*Yes, while I was away from the blog we bought a house and will be renting our old house!

**Also, this photo has nothing to do with this post. It was taken at the Arcade Fire concert that we went to over the summer. It was fun, our trip was fantastic! I alluded to it being crossed off the bucket list in a previous post but then never said a peep about it. So here it is. Peep, peep.

Real estate is not for the faint of heart

 Image from here

We bought a tiny house on a hill when it was just us two. Soon to be married and official grown ups with a very official mortgage to prove it. The space was small but it was ours. We brought home a puppy, a large puppy, mind you. No big deal. And then we brought home a baby who turned into a toddler, and is now on the brink of boyhood. A little bit of a big deal. And then we brought home another baby, who is beginning to give us a look that says she might like to try crawling one of these days, if her little belly would just cooperate. Yeah, a big effing deal. We don't have our puppy anymore, (RIP Sudsy), but we are certainly beginning to burst out of the seams of this house.

We have been house hunting this summer. Let me clarify, Josh has been house hunting for the last year or so. When I was pregnant with Evy I was all like, we can totally have another kid in this house. They put babies in closets in New York. We're cool. 

I was wrong. 

Well I was right...for a little bit. But now we are at the point in the story where we need to make our next move. A move that involves decisions on square footage and school districts, planning for mortgages and property taxes. And yes, a move that involves crossing our fingers and toes for the sale of our first home.

A few weeks ago, we put an offer in on a house and then at the eleventh hour were outbid by another buyer. Heartbreak ensued and lots of "must not be our house" talk tossed around. It was a sad day. A depressing reminder that while money can't buy you love, it can certainly buy you square footage. 

I am fretting over our next move. The stress of selling our house and finding our next home hovers like a dark cloud. If I think about how to make our move at the right time for the right house and for just the right price I want to vomit. Real estate is not for the faint of heart. 

So this is where I am now--one foot tethered to our home that was made for just the two of us and one foot out the door searching for a home for the four of us. 

Roommate weekend: Kansas City

^^Let's call it a night...but first, let's stop and dance here on the steps instead of making it all the way down to the floor at Power and Light District^^

It has been about three years since my last roommate getaway. Too long, right? It was such a lovely weekend with shopping and sushi and fancy girl drinks and beer in 16 oz. glasses and singing loudly to 90s jams and dancing like I was at Drunk Monkey at UNI and eating a most delicious breakfast to end the whole trip on the right note. I might venture to say it was perfect.

 A love letter:

To my former roomies and always friends, so happy to have you ladies in my life. Let's do this kind of thing until we are old and gray. 

And to you, Kansas City, how fun are you? Great shopping, good food, fun nightlife. I shall return to thee. This is my solemn vow.


Travel notes:

Find delicious sushi here.

This place has a fun atmosphere and a tasty brunch.

A week gone wrong/right

Josh went out of town for work this week.

So naturally we had a huge storm and the power went out in the middle of the night. Week gone wrong. Power outage with two kiddos could've been pretty dicey but the whole house stayed asleep. Week gone right.

Then, I went and got ready for work in the dark, glanced out the kitchen window and saw this...

Week gone wrong.

But then our lovely neighbor called and said that he had already called a tree service to help clean up. Week gone right.

Work is a straight up mess right now. There was one day this week where I was trying to get everything done and left work too late and found that Dexter and Evy were the very last kids at daycare. So much mom guilt. Week gone wrong.

Evy laughed and chatted with me in the kitchen. Dexter is trying to say "cowabunga" these days. Ninja Turtles reign supreme in this house right now. Week gone right.

A sweet note from a coworker in my mailbox, my Stitch Fix package at the door. I kept this shirt. Week gone right.

Josh's flight was cancelled, keeping us as a family of three for one more night. Week gone wrong.

And now it's the freakin weekend. Week gone right.

*Note: I used my referral link for Stitch Fix up there. Just in case you might be so inclined to try it out and also want to hook me up with $25 in credit. Whatev.

Wanderlust

I've had a bit of wanderlust lately. I even downloaded the airbnb app to my phone just so that I could fantasize about some of the rentals available in San Francisco. Yes, San Francisco is on my list of places to visit eventually. Also, Harry Potter's Wizarding World. Forget Disneyworld, give me Diagonal Alley!

I'm not sure when we'll make it out to these places. Most of our travel is pretty much Midwest focused these days. We have a few vacations on the docket already this summer including our annual family vacay to Minnesota. Dexter is already looking longingly at his swim trunks. The golf course across the street had their sprinklers turned on and he declared that he would like to go swimming. Three years old is kind of cute.

Later on this summer Joshie and I are going to an Arcade Fire concert in Chicago. The ticket says the dress code is formal attire. Apparently there's been a little backlash from fans but I am pretty pumped about it. Think I can squeeze into my wedding dress? Ha!

No, but seriously.

And the final piece of my summer travel is a girls weekend in Kansas City with my former roomies and always friends. The planning of this trip may or may not have come on the heels of me learning that Josh would be traveling a bit more for work. I know that running the home and kids solo ain't no thang for some mamas (plenty of pats on backs to those women), but for me it's a big deal. A big, exhausting deal so for one weekend I am saying peace out, family. Mommy needs a minute.

Who else has big vacay plans this summer? Also, any recommendations for places to eat or stay in Chicago or Kansas City?

16 things I am thankful for

Did anyone else get super annoyed with their Facebook people posting a thankful status each day for this whole month? I know they have good intentions but man, sometimes they seemed like they were really reaching.

I made it to 17 before I got bored with my own thankful post. So I quit before I got too "Today I am thankful for toasters" with it. The list goes something like this.

Thankful for...

1. This husband who waits in line with me to check out at Old Navy for 30 min. on Black Friday when the Hawkeye game is about start. And he isn't even cranky about it...or is good at hiding it.
2. Dexter "reading" aloud certain parts of Where the Wild Things Are.

3.  Our families. 

4. The good fortune of being able to see my favorite doctor during the majority of this pregnancy and her proclamation that me and this kid are uncomplicated thus far.
5. The feeling of anxiety about juggling two kids starting to subside and that feeling turning into genuine excitement.
6. This baby, who if activeness in the womb is any indication of personality, is going to be one feisty little girl.
7. The kind of friends that you hope to grow old with.
8. A career change.
9. A rare morning that includes hot chocolate and an Asiago Cheese bagel from Panera.
10. A daycare that puts on a Thanksgiving program and lunch for parents. Even if that program brings your kid to tears.

11. Dexter sleeping fairly well in his big boy bed. Although I must say the mornings where he is up too early and standing over me while I sleep are still pretty creepy.
12. Songs and food that bring you back to a simpler time. Like this song and a bowl of Hamburger Helper. It was like I was back in Cedar Falls getting ready for a night out at The OP.
13. This podcast.
14. Other people's blogs. Feeding my nosiness one post at a time.
15. Travels with Joshie. Because the fun we have once we get to the destination is worth the stress of being navigator to his driver.
16. Dexter's impersonation of a dragon breathing fire.

Checking in with random stuff

Hello, there, friends! What have you been up to? We've been crossing off a few more house projects on our list. We still have plenty more to do before we're ready to list but we are slowly but surely making progress.  It feels like we are going to get our house just so and then we (hopefully) are going to pick up and move without getting to enjoy it. I think I'm ready to move though. I say that now when it seems likes a distant possibility and not a near reality. Talk to me when we are closer to putting that for sale sign up.

And now to check in with some randomness...

I've been wondering if I should hang up my blogging hat recently. It's hard to keep up with it, the writing and the photos, and I feel like a lot of time I'm just rambling around here. I keep going because between all the ramblings, it's a nice way to share our life with friends and family. Sometimes I wonder if Dexter will ever read this. I know if my mom would've kept something like this I would've eaten it up but maybe that's just a girl thing.

I saw this tweet recently from Chevy Chase and all I could think was "Amen".

Going on Facebook is now the equivalent of opening the fridge and staring at it, even though you aren't hungry

Dunkin Donuts Coconut Coffee is amazing. And that's coming from a non-coffee drinker so it must be true. Sister-in-laws who introduce you to said coffee? Also amazing.

I just got a pair of white denim jeans from Old Navy. When I bought them I felt like I was living on the edge. A two year old and white pants? Pssh, girl, you crazy.

Dexter just started his new daycare this week. The first day was okay but then the last couple of mornings have been pretty rough. Or so I've heard. I haven't been doing the drop off. When I pick him up in the afternoon he's been in good spirits though so I feel like that's a good sign. We chose a center that also has preschool since I figured we should do this transition thing as little as possible. We also chose a center where we know other parents.  My big thing that I don't love about center life is the multiple people you have to talk to when inquiring about your kid since there's morning staff and afternoon staff. I have a feeling that this transition is going to be harder for me than Dexter.

We've been having company-wide meetings at work this week. During one of the sessions I got to learn about twitter which was kind of fun. I also got to participate in new hire introductions which was both awkward and silly. And there may or may not be a Harlem Shake video of me out there somewhere.. ;)

And now to follow up on my sleeping post. Dexter, you are the silliest.

Story by numbers

So I was reading this blog and stumbled upon this Blog Everyday in May challenge. To which for some kooky reason, the girl who shows up here once (and that's being generous) a week decided to say, "Challenge accepted."

The first topic for May Day...the story of my life in 250 words or less.

I have lived in Iowa all my life. My parents are originally from the Philippines and while most islanders tend to stick to the coasts, the Midwest called to them apparently. I was enrolled in kindergarten when I was four, not sure how that happened but it seemed to work itself out. Except for when I was 15 and everyone was driving except me...and then when I was 20 and everyone was drinking (legally), except me. Other than that, yeah, it worked out. I had grand plans from age 7-10 to be an elite gymnast. That did not work out. I was a camp counselor in high school for two summers. I had never actually gone to camp as a kid. After battling cancer for almost three years, my mom passed away three weeks before I left for college. I still don't talk about that much. One of the last decisions she helped me make was which school to go to. She liked UNI. I ended up meeting my husband Josh and making some of the best friends there. Those four years were pretty gosh darn good.  I moved back to Des Moines after graduation. Josh came too. We worked. We got engaged. We bought a house. We got a big dog. We got married. We had a kid. He's two now. I'm turning 30 this year and still get ID'd. I don't like it and am aware that makes me sound like a jerk because who doesn't like to look younger than their age? Answer: me.

71 freaking degrees

It is 71 freaking degrees out right now and the sun is shining and Dexter is taking a nap. Josh is in Houston for a wedding. Me? I am sitting on our patio and type typing away to tell you that it is 71 freaking degrees out and the sun is shining. Hooray, Mother Nature, you did it! I knew you could! The sun is making me kind of itchy...and I love it.

After romping around outdoors, we went to Target because mommy needs a playground fix too, you know. I bought a pair of sunglasses. Josh and I had a sunglasses debate a few weeks ago since he noted that he spent big bucks on his pair that he's had for years whereas I go through a pair and a half every season since I buy a cheap pair and treat them as such. That is a true story. So I chose to buy my sunglasses this weekend with only Dexter's non-judging eyes watching me. While the cat's away...

Also I would like to note that Dexter is an excellent partner for trying on sunglasses. "How bout this one?" "Bout this one?" The kid is eager to help. We settled on these fellas.

As a sidenote, taking this photo of myself was awkward. Because while I really enjoyed the selfie in college and still kind of do today when I'm four bevvies in, this is just weird.  I felt that I owed you a photo of said sunglasses since I am making such a fuss over them though. Oh, the look that I'm sporting is the dirty hair, same t-shirt I wore yesterday and will most likely wear tomorrow look.  

I said, "Glasses on. Windows down." Dexter thought that was kind of cool. He especially enjoys the sunroof. "This one, mama. This one, mama," he says while pointing up. A window that looks up into the sky, what will they think of next?

I took a roundabout way home so we could ride a little longer with those windows down and with the sun in our eyes. It's these small things that are good for the soul, right?

P.S. Josh just texted me that I should do some yard work. That text was preceded by a text telling me that he is laying out by the pool. Psssh, directions from beyond. Child, please, try the veal.

Things that are staving off the panic attack

When Dexter doesn't know the name of an object he says, "What's this guy?" He got it from his dada.

Stand up desk, headphones on, bebopping and nodding along to my Pandora station at work.

Finally read Bossypants. Worth it.

Uniqlo jeggings.

Mocha cappuccino from QuikTrip.

Dexter likes the Berenstain Bears. He got it from his mama.

This story about Roald Dahl.

This dinner from Sunday night.

We're fixing our windows soon. One small step for house-selling kind.

Things that are inducing a panic attack

In no particular order, these are things that are causing me anxiety:

The idea of potty training Dexter
My sitter breaking my heart and telling us she's moving! The search for new daycare, blech!
Getting this house ready to sell
Mistakes at work. I think the day is coming soon where it won't be considered cute. I started freaking out on Saturday night that I hadn't followed up on a project so I checked in with a co-worker on Monday morning about it and confessed that I had panicked. She emailed back and said that all was good and that freaking out is okay. It shows you care--and that's a good thing. The words I needed to hear, I could've kissed that email.
Taking Dexter anywhere in public. Tantrums, bad ones. Serenity now.

Selling our house is definitely the biggest project on this list, not that future potty-training is anything to scoff at. Both are going to be a messy business.

Hello, 21st Century

Remember when I wrote this? Yes, I have been rocking a plain old cell phone for all the years that a cell phone could be rocked.

And then remember when I wrote this? And it was like holy buckets, interwebs right at your fingertips as long as there's free wifi! Hot dog! Hot diggity dog!

Well, a couple of weekends ago, this unfortunate thing happened...

It was one of those slow motion drops where Joshie almost caught it, not quite, almost caught it and then I almost caught it...but not quite.

And then this happened and it was like, well with both of us swimming in our pools of new j-o-b money like Scrooge McDuck (no, not really, not at all) hell, let's get us some new phones! We're due for an upgrade and because we work hard for our money in this house!

Hello, 21st Century. You gorgeous thing, you. 

Seven years

Well, hello there! I owe you a post. It feels as if I've been away for awhile. We've had some life-changing events happening around these parts. Not of the baby variety though which seems to be the first go-to guess for people when your first born is on the brink of turning 2! But no, this news is not of the baby variety.

The news is about my j-o-b and my saying peace out to my first real job out of college. I don't write a lot, or at all really, about what I do/have done for a living but considering Josh just made a career move in December and now I'm switching as well it feels like attention must be paid. I spent the past seven years with a non-profit. Seven years working with families, community volunteers, CEOs, students. Seven years of running to coffee meetings, to lunches and to committee meetings. Seven years of being inspired by others commitment to the mission. Seven years of being disappointed that not everyone shares that commitment. Seven years of asking for money. Seven years of planning events. I got engaged, got married and had a kid during the seven years at this job. Seven years, exclamation point!

 

I've been ready to make a switch for awhile. Fundraising is a tough gig, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's a rewarding gig when all the pieces fall into place. You'll work your ass off trying to get there. And quite frankly, my little behind is tired.

I'm excited about my next endeavor. I won't be fundraising but I'll still be working with non-profits. I'm starting to think I was built for that kind of thing. It's been a long time since I've had to "learn" a job so I'm like first day of school nervous. I hope the other kids like me. I hope I catch on quick to everything they teach. You know, that sort of thing.

So long, seven years of my past career. You taught me a great deal. I shan't forget it!

Here's to the next seven, folks.

 
   

 

Random questions we ask each other

Josh: If you had to get a tattoo of any one animal...?

Me: A phoenix...

Josh: She says without hesitation.

Me: Rising from the ashes. What would you get?

Josh: A wolf. A direwolf.* But I'd have to show that it wasn't just a regular wolf. So I'd have to have it next to a man to show size. Jon Snow.**

And then later on that evening while watching the UFC fight. Well, while he was watching and I was playing Diamond Dash. That game is kind of addictive, isn't it? That little panda and his push notifications full of extra lives. Downright devilish, he is. Anyway the fighters are making their way into the arena with their song playing in the background and I say...

Me: What song would you walk in to?

Josh: This one (plays it on his phone)


Me: He says without hesitation. I would pick the Let me Clear my Throat song. (plays it on his phone)

Josh: It would take you forever to walk into the arena.

Me: Yeah, either that or my humps.


*Note: We're truly this nerdy.
**Note: Yes, truly.

A few things of note

Happy Monday! My former-roomies-and-always-friends and I all have the day off today for MLK so Dexter and I are going to see them for coffee. Because nothing says civil liberties like Panera and play dates, right?

And for you, due to my intense writers block, a few random things...

Writers block is a surefire way to induce nailbiting.

I made this potato soup. All by myself. Thanks, Pioneer Woman.

I want this bag a lot.

We sat down and did our budget for 2013 and I felt so accomplished. Then I realized that the hard part is not making a budget, it's actually using it.

The time to go to the playplace at Valley West Mall is 10:30 a.m. on a Monday. Deserted. A ghost town, I tell you.

I started crafting up this fabric cork board this weekend. It's a project that sticks to my tried and true philosophy of "let's just hot glue this to this and be done with it."

I have too many t-shirts. Like spilling out of my dresser drawers, can't close them all the way, too many. I did a purge last fall but am thinking that I need to go back through and get rid of more. My story/excuse about the t-shirts is that they each are tied to a specific time in my life. I know, sentimental fool. Anyway, I think I need to just remind myself that just because the shirt is gone doesn't mean the memory is too.

Amish Mafia is turning to a guilty pleasure of mine.

I went to wake Dexter up the other morning and this is what I found:

Have a great rest of the week!

9 resolutions

I realize a round number like ten is easier on the ears and eyes then that old oddball number nine but I ran out of steam after thinking up nine things that I wanted to accomplish in 2013. So nine it is. Nine things that I want to make happen in 2013. Nine things that I can feel good about when December 31 rolls around.

1. Wake up earlier-I really like my sleep and as it happens Dexter also really likes his sleep so we both just sleep. I hit my snooze about a million+ times and then when I finally do get up and get him up I do a very good impression of a video being played in fast forward. Mind you, it's a video in fast forward with Disney music in the background but still a bit stressful.

2. Cook-I don't cook. But I should. So I will? I mean, I can bake and I whip up a mean plate of spaghetti and tater tot casserole but that's child's play. So in 2013, I will be attempting more meals that I would normally suggest and hand over to Joshie. If it goes poorly then it looks like tater tot casserole for the masses (which Dexter would be totally okay with because he devours that thing!)

3. I said I would show up here more often last year and I made good on my word-108 times to be exact. So I will continue to do more of the same. Keep the fist pumping to a minimum, please.

4. Finish Game of Thrones-I know, I feel like I've been talking about this forever but I am still standing on book 3. Did the ending punch anybody else in the gut? So I am ready to move it, move it to book 4 but I'm waiting for Joshie to finish it. And so by outing him just there to all of you, he'll be forced to get on with it, right? ;)

5. Budget our dolla dolla bills ya'll-So I don't know about you, but that darn money tree just won't take in our backyard. I blame it on this drought.

6. Purge this house-We think we'd like to move to a new (read: bigger and with more than two closets) house in the next year. We've held onto a lot of stuff in the past five years we've been here. Some of it is stuff that just needs to get thrown out/donated/sold, some of it is stuff that needs to be replaced. All of it is an eyesore.

7. Create things that aren't eyesores-I want to do some of the DIYs that I always say I'm going to do but never actually do. House-related, jewelry, kids stuff, etc. I'm kind of a lazy crafter. Like couldn't I just hot glue this to this and call it quits lazy so I think this one might be tricky.

8. Drink more water, less pop-I went crazy with pop last fall. Plus, I'm sure I'm severely dehydrated because there are days where I never use the restroom at work. And I'm there for eight hours. Also, last fall I drove across the great state of Iowa, from Sioux City to Davenport, and never once stopped for a bathroom break. Okay, I'm done one upping myself. Anyway, I'm not cutting out pop completely but increasing the H20 drastically.

9. More time for things I like to do. I like to go on dates with Josh. I like to take Dexter to kids activities. And yet, I can probably count the number of times Josh and I went to a nice dinner by ourselves on three fingers last year. I also know that when we spend time with Dexter on the weekends we spend a lot of them running errands. I know, that's part of being a grown-up but seriously? So yes, more time for things we all like to do.

So there are my nine resolutions for 2013. How about you? What do you have in the cooker for this year?

Random things for your Monday

First, I spent the majority of the weekend by myself since Josh went to the Iowa vs. Purdue game. And when I say I spent it by myself I mean I spent it with Channing Tatum since he is some sort of all-star on Starz right now. So I watched 21 Jump Street and then The Vow. Verdict according to me, 21 Jump Street: better than expected; The Vow: meh.

Also, Justin Timberlake is making the rounds on Starz. Friends with Benefits > No Strings Attached.

Dexter and I were flipping through the Land of Nod catalog, yes, both of us. He sat down with me and we read it like a book. A book that you can scream and point at page after page. Him, not me. Well, maybe a little me since there are some pricey gems in that store, yipes! Anyway, we came to the music page and I was pointing out each instrument and said, "Look, a xylophone" to which he responded with putting his hand to his ear and saying, "hello?" Gah, kid, you are just the cutest.

I really didn't want to like Bruno Mars. Don't ask me why. Maybe it was the hair? I don't know. In any case, I got over my aversion to him and am enjoying his new song.

Captain Underpants books and any other books that have misspelled words as part of their charm are irritating. 

My feet are toasty warm in my new slippers. An early Christmas present from Joshie.
     
84 cent nail polish is 84 cent nail polish and it shows.

I enjoyed this TEDtalk found here.   

Happy Monday.

Random thoughts from the weekend

We spend an awful lot of time at the park these days and I started to think, holy cow, what happens when it gets cold? Where will we go then? Because I tell you, spending a whole day at home with this kid isn't going to go over well with him or us. I shudder to think of it.

Josh and I have been geeking out to Game of Thrones. We finished up the first season DVD and are working our way through books two and three. Gods be good, someone will lend us the second season as soon as it's released. See? I told you--geeking out.

I made those dark chocolate chip and sea salt cookies. They are terribly crunchy which I believe has nothing to do with the recipe and everything to do with the baker. That didn't stop me from consuming three of them.

 

I had to visit with a group of high school girls for work on Saturday and one of them complimented me on my nail polish and I left feeling like Regina freaking George. 

Also, in regards to said nail polish. I haven't painted my nails since like 2005 but I'm fairly certain that I'm not biting them as much because of this so win! Thanks for the gift, Jennifer!

Buying kids clothes is my bag. I love it!  I don't even mind that the boys section is dwarfed by the girls section. It's a world where nearly everything is less than $10. A perfect world, Utopia, if you will. We shopped the Old Navy Baby Sale and picked up some long sleeve shirts and sweatpants for Dexter. I think my red skinny jeans are getting lonely so it took a little bit of willpower for me to walk by their colored skinnies (they're even on sale...but not for less than $10).

Hope you had a good weekend too!

On my 29th name day

Do you feel reflective on your birthday? I've spent a little bit of time today thinking about where I've been and where I'm going but honestly the way that I prefer to celebrate another passing year is through food. And so I ate. I chatted with my coworkers over a Captain Crunch roll at Waterfront for lunch and sat on the patio at Jethro's with my family and dined on brisket doused with Carolina BBQ for dinner. I traded bites of the amazing mac and cheese from there with Dexter and sipped on a 312. Josh brought me down a mugful of Whitey's Mississippi Mud ice cream while I curled up on the couch to read my blogs.

But if I must reflect on what this year has brought me, then I will say, happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, joy...

Today though on my birthday, I feel full.