Out of Nowhere

I couldn't even begin to tell you the last time I posted on here (if I wasn't so lazy I'd actually look at the last post for the date). But I have been writing- just somewhere else.

Nope, I'm not cheating on my personal blog. I just needed something different to cover a subject that deserved the spotlight all to itself: mine and Justin's wedding :)

If you wanna take a peak at the madness behind the planning, pop on over to www.undertheveilofwhite.blogspot.com. You'll find us there!

Taking a Breather

It's officially been a week since tax season ended. The fifteenth ended with a wonderful gathering at Malone's and was followed by a much appreciated and enjoyable three day weekend. The boy even got in on the festivities by taking the day off work with me. Such a sweetheart. Granted, it was the first day that he'd seen me before 8pm in literally a few months.

There's always a bit of a transitioning period after April 15th. Getting used to leaving work at 5pm, the traffic at said time, cooking supper after not having touched the stove in about 7 or 8 weeks, staying up past 10:30pm (okay, this last one is a stretch- I still want to go to bed by 11 at night but it's just not happening much to my body's dismay the next morning). But it sure is nice to sit back and take a bit of a breather after working so hard.

Spring is here, flowers are blooming (unfortunately pollen is swirling about as well), the track is open, the list of "to do's" for around the house is being made, and there are a lot of exciting things on the horizon. Spring has to be one of my favorite seasons (and I only have two, lol).

So great being back to normal. Well, as normal as I can get :)

New Music

So sorry that I seemingly disappeared into the abyss again. Tax season tends to have that effect. While there are posts to be written in the near future, this will have to tide you over til then.

I've fallen for a certain singer named Ryan Star, who I actually watched on a show several years ago called Rockstar Supernova and had completely forgotten about. So glad to see that he's finally getting his name out there.

It's Been A While...

It's been a bit since I shared some great cover songs that I came across on the wonderful Youtube. But fear not, I am here to redeem myself.

A few weeks ago, Justin and I attended a Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin concert (the sneaky boy got me tickets for Christmas) and Breaking Benjamin did an awesome rendition of Aerosmith's (one of my all time favorite bands) "Dream On." Tonight while cruising through some new to me music, I found Train performing the same song and was blown away. Pat Monahan has a great, great voice.

Working my Imagination

Last night I got to play in Fort Maxwell for a good bit before a certain little girl had to honor her bedtime (no, not me- although here lately 8pm seems like a good time to snuggle under the covers). I was summoned in by the head honcho herself, and of course remembered to bring the bananas to feed the big and little gorillas that were living inside. Even Uncle Justin got to come in and play for a while (and was successful in convincing Bailey she needed a flashlight), but unfortunately once it was determined that she could not come and go freely out the front door of the fort because he was blocking it, Justin was then asked politely to vacate the premise.

On the way home from a nice night of food and fun with our friends, I was giggling to myself at how Nicole and I sat under that fort for at least an hour playing with Bailey and having girl talk. It was only when Nick announced "Uh, honey it's 8 o'clock" that we really even paid attention to what was going on outside our "walls". Sometimes, a lot of times, it's just the simplest things that relax us the most even when we don't realize it.

Now I want to make a fort with Justin in our living room. Maybe make some s'mores in the microwave to bring in, and of course he'd get to play with his flashlights (it's apparently an obsession I was not aware of until right before Christmas. And Nicole, we're totally getting Bailey one just for her fort). I want to throw up a tent in the backyard this summer and spend the night just talking and snuggling in sleeping bags. We've wanted to go camping the past two summers and just haven't had a chance, so I figure even if we're only 50 feet from the house, it's still a tent and still sleeping under the stars. I want Justin to come home with me one Saturday this summer and us play barefoot in one of the creeks around my house. Watch the minnows as they peck at our ankles and jump when we (okay, I) see the crawdads scurrying away from our feet. I also want to just simply spend more nights sitting on our small front porch with our feet propped up, talking about the day, the future, the funny things we've seen or heard lately. It's those simple things that I miss after a good long while away from home, my country home. The one where when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, I roll down the windows and turn off the radio as soon as I hit the exit ramp because I want to smell the trees, the grass, the hay and I want to hear the sounds that only the country can make.

Hopefully I'll get invited back to Fort Maxwell soon. I promise I'll bring more bananas :)

Piece of my Heart

Two years and a month ago today, I was blessed to have this man enter into my life. I would say it was coincidence, that it was an accident, but then again I am a romantic and thus a believer in fate :)

Two years ago today, I was blessed yet again for him to say yes to my silly worded request to date exclusively (yes, it may have included the words 'will', 'you' and 'be my boo bear'- in my defense, it was really an homage to my then roomie Meg and her loving relationship with her still-going-strong boyfriend Michael. Swear!).

Since that first year, we've shared in lots more fun times and laughter, and more recently he's been there for me during the hard times of life's losses. We've remodeled parts of our house, updated our cars (he traded in his truck for a Trailblazer SS that has been so the very awesome since day one), taken our first week-long vacation, endured a few tiffs, recently discovered we were going to be an aunt and uncle again, and are currently supporting one another in an attempt to be healthier us'es (it's a word, I promise).

This boy is the reason for lots of my smiles, lots of my laughter, some of my frustrations (it's only natural right?) and every ounce of my excitement in knowing I'll get to make this annual post of another year together time and time again. Thank you Justin, again, for yet another great year together and the hope for all that is to come for us in the future. Happy Anniversary!

My Winter Wonderland

I've been rockin' this look to work more often this winter than in year's past it seems...

(And let me tell you, those boots are the best $100 I've spent on myself in a good long while!)

Of course, the need for such foot apparel is because of mornings/days/nights that look like this-

And this-

I'm actually kinda excited that we've gotten so much snow so far this winter. It's been far too long since we've had any winter weather of significance (except for ice- I hate ice) and it's safe to say Mother Nature sure has satisfied a lot of wishes for snowfall that stuck around for awhile. Although, on the same note, the snow may have worn out its welcome by this point in the game. I sure know my baby doesn't like it one bit...

Morning Glory I am Not

I have a love/hate relationship with my bed. And with my mornings. I love the fact that my bed is so nice, so warm, so inviting. That the covers keep me at the perfect level of comfort throughout the night (well, aside from those moments I wake up sweating, but I totally blame hot flashes/HVAC for that). And I hate having to leave all that goodness after my alarm clock chimes. Or screams. Or perhaps goes off for the third time because someone keeps hitting the snooze button.

Mornings in general are about the same. I love that I'm alive for another day, thankful for the opportunities that will present themselves because of it. Another day to laugh and love (and fight the any apocalypse that's taking place in my kitchen right now) and make memories and moments. Yet I hate that it's early, and it's cold (outside of my covers) and would rather not have to speak to anyone for a few hours. As with everything, some mornings are worse than others. On those mornings it's pretty easy to send me over the edge with just a simple question. Justin's learned the hard way. Thankfully during the worst of the early mornings (ie, tax season), he's still sound asleep as I sneak out my door and thus is safe. My co-workers however, are not. Although I admittedly try very hard to be cordial before 9am just because it promotes a good work environment :)

As I catch myself sometimes wondering what turn my future children will have in this area, I remember that aside from just not wanting to get out of bed (I mean, who else has noticed that the comfiness of your bed increases, like, ten-fold once it's time to get up), I was never a grump in the mornings when I was young. Nighttime perhaps (and still am), but not the mornings. I'll throw it into the category of "the older I get, the more like my daddy I am" category. And hope that the kids that are but a glimmer in my eye right now will take after their daddy, who has an annoyingly inherent ability to hear his alarm, jump out of bed, and be ready to start the day in oh, about 30 seconds.

Showoff.

Snowy Spirits

I'll confess that I love snow. I'm not a lover of the cold or the winter, but I do feel that if I'm made to suffer through those that my reward should be snow. At least it's pretty when it falls (the fluffy, 'romantic' snow is my favorite), it's pretty in the newness of the day and if you have the right toys (alas last night we did not), it can be pretty fun.

I've also come to learn that snow days aren't as fun as an adult as they are when you're still a child. Or teenager. Or some age at which you're attending school of some sort. I still wake up in anticipation of seeing snow on the ground mornings after the possibility has been thrown out there, but really it comes down to just being able to look at it. Not because work is going to be canceled. I mean, technically I can't get to work sometimes in my own car because of things like snow (a story in which I hang my head while telling) but for some reason beyond me it doesn't get me out of still having to find a way there.

And the snowstorm we got Friday night? I was so worried that we weren't going to end up with anything since Lexington seems to be surrounded by a protective bubble when it comes to any winter weather other than ice. But instead, it granted me a beautiful white scene Saturday morning and aside from not getting to head home to see the parents, an otherwise content weekend of being lazy in the house. And really wanting to find a sled.

No really, next time we get snow and if you've got a sled, hit me up. I'll make ya a good deal.

Got Lists?

I'll confess, I'm a lists kind of girl. Written lists. I love to write and I love to fill pieces of paper with grocery lists, to-do lists, ideas for different projects, guest lists, and well, the list just goes on and on. Maybe it has something to do with my inherent need to plan. Maybe I'm just a dork. Either way, I love to make lists and I'm not ashamed to say it.

I've noticed that others have a liking for lists as well. Bucket lists, wish lists, weekly/monthly/yearly goals. This year, I decided to finally start making a list that I ran across a while back: my 101 in 1001. If you aren't familiar with it, it's a listing of 101 things you want to accomplish in the next 1001 days.

Unfortunately after weeks have passed since starting this newest list, I've only got around 30 of the 101 spots filled. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things that I want to do in the next 2 years and 9 months, but some things just seem a bit too arbitrary to write down on this particular list. I feel that it should be completed with goals of substance. But, then again, it's my list. And my personal wants to accomplish ideas. Here is just a sampling so far:

*Get married
*Take my mom to see the ocean for the first time
*Run a 5k
*Drive the boy's Camaro
*Get my CPA license
*Throw a themed dinner party

I keep reminding myself that everything doesn't have to be an above and beyond kind of goal that I want to accomplish, just things that I've thought about for awhile and just never made the first step toward checking it off my mental list. Now I have a written list to stare me in the face and motivate me. And can put a physical checkmark next to each item as I take the opportunity to fulfill it. And for this girl who loves lists, that makes my heart happy.

A New Year

I've never been one for resolutions. Sure, if someone were to ask me in the past what mine was after sharing theirs, I may spout something pretty cliche off, and I may have even thought about following through with it, but it was never a 100% serious statement.

Can't say that much has changed this year. There were no empty promises said aloud at the stroke of midnight on January 1st of this year. No thoughts going through my head in planning what my contribution to the pot of mostly broken by February goals. But I can say that changes have taken place. They just started a bit before the new year and in no way were contingent upon it beginning.

The boy and I haven't been truly active in an exercise format since last May. Because of reasons neither here nor there, we both decided to move away from our Krav Maga class despite our love for it. I started getting itsy around the end of the fall about becoming sendentary, and decided to start taking short runs around the neighborhood at night. The boy wasn't a fan of me running by my lonesome as there isn't a lot of artificial light out there after dark, so he joined me after the first few days. Although his skill level in running was beyond mine, it was nice to have him as a pacer in front (oh, who am I kidding...waaaay up front) to motivate me to keep running, to keep pumping my legs when they were just about to fall off (true story).

Truthfully though, I am nowhere near a natural runner. In high school I envied (in passing) the cross country runners who looked just as natural as deer romping through the woods. Because of this, I decided it was in my best interest to join up at a gym that would give me access to all sorts of fun machines to get my ass in shape. Literally. Enter the YMCA. Which happens to be right next door to my work. Thank goodness. It's because of that 50 yards that I have no excuses to not go at least 3 days a week. And the boy comes too :)

For going on two months now we've been hitting up the gym 3-4 times a week, sweating it out and eating healthy at home, at work and at play. Somedays it's not fun thinking that McDonald's isn't in the calorie budget plan, but then others it's a treat that you get to go and something you don't take for granted like you did before. It's a conscious decision that we both made in order to begin a healthier lifestyle together, a lifestyle that would continue over time not just be pushed to the wayside after a month exclaiming "Yay, we accomplished our resolution!" To date, I've lost at least a half inch around my stomach, hips and thighs and the boy is down about 7 or so pounds. There's something so immensely satisfying in typing and re-reading that statement.

To those of you out there who do make yearly resolutions- I'm not discouraging nor slamming you (I just know myself too well). To you I say good luck, and please keep it up. Whatever it may have been that you promised yourself you would accomplish this year, put your mind to it and get it done. If it's a long term thing, keep your chin up and keep that motivation going. You'll feel so good about yourself in the end!