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| I sincerely hope your drive home today doesn't look like this. Happy Friday! |
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Three things for Thursday
I'm having one of those weeks. The ideas just aren't flowing like they usually do. I think it's because I'm in that late February rut, where it seems like spring is never going to come, it's never going to warm up, and there's just nothing very exciting on the horizon. In reality, none of these things are actually true. Spring will be here soon enough, and then quite soon after that I'll be complaining about how hot it is. And as for exciting events on the horizon, in no time at all I'll be wishing things would just calm down. To tide myself over, I've been doing a lot of cooking, internet browsing and working out. Gotta stay busy!
Here are the three things I'm loving this week:
1. Slow Simmered Meat Sauce from Cooking Light, March 2011. I tweeted (twittered?) about this earlier in the week. It does not disappoint. We had it two nights in a row, plus enough leftover to freeze for another time. It's super easy to make and so delicious. I love anything I can throw in my Crock Pot, and after making this I will never buy sauce in a jar again.
2. Rikshaw Design's Kurtas. Southern Living magazine featured Rikshaw founder Catherine Fitzsimmons and her mom in their March 2011 issue. I've been in love with Indian wood-block printing ever since a trip to Singapore back in 2006. Rikshaw's kurtas are gorgeous! I can't wait to own one of my own.
3. Adele, 21. Ooohh - this new album came out on Tuesday, and I'm in love! It's amazing. My apologies to all The Cure purists out there, but I am loving her cover of Lovesong. I wouldn't say I like it better, but it's a fresh take on an old favorite, and is probably the reason I bought this album. But it's not the only reason I am so smitten. There's not a single song on it I find the need to skip, and I think that says a lot.
Here are the three things I'm loving this week:
1. Slow Simmered Meat Sauce from Cooking Light, March 2011. I tweeted (twittered?) about this earlier in the week. It does not disappoint. We had it two nights in a row, plus enough leftover to freeze for another time. It's super easy to make and so delicious. I love anything I can throw in my Crock Pot, and after making this I will never buy sauce in a jar again.
2. Rikshaw Design's Kurtas. Southern Living magazine featured Rikshaw founder Catherine Fitzsimmons and her mom in their March 2011 issue. I've been in love with Indian wood-block printing ever since a trip to Singapore back in 2006. Rikshaw's kurtas are gorgeous! I can't wait to own one of my own.
3. Adele, 21. Ooohh - this new album came out on Tuesday, and I'm in love! It's amazing. My apologies to all The Cure purists out there, but I am loving her cover of Lovesong. I wouldn't say I like it better, but it's a fresh take on an old favorite, and is probably the reason I bought this album. But it's not the only reason I am so smitten. There's not a single song on it I find the need to skip, and I think that says a lot.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Over the weekend
Aren't three day weekends glorious? We rarely get to enjoy them, because despite the fact that Pilot Pete works for the federal government, he hardly ever seems to get federal holidays off of work. Strange.
We took full advantage of the weekend, sleeping late (well, one of us slept late), watching movies, and playing outside. I thought both "Gnomeo and Juliet" and "Despicable Me" were adorable/hilarious. I'm proud of Little Dude for sitting through an entire movie in the theater quietly and without needing a potty break or having an accident. It's the little things in life, don't ya know?
Whether you had Monday off or not, I hope you got to enjoy your weekend and take some time for yourself. Enjoy a few snapshots from our weekend:
We took full advantage of the weekend, sleeping late (well, one of us slept late), watching movies, and playing outside. I thought both "Gnomeo and Juliet" and "Despicable Me" were adorable/hilarious. I'm proud of Little Dude for sitting through an entire movie in the theater quietly and without needing a potty break or having an accident. It's the little things in life, don't ya know?
Whether you had Monday off or not, I hope you got to enjoy your weekend and take some time for yourself. Enjoy a few snapshots from our weekend:
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| Still enough snow for snowballs. |
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| "I'm just digging like Clifford, Mommy." |
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| I finally got him in appropriate clothing! It was cold! |
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| What can I say? |
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Three things for Thursday
It's a dreary day here in Northern Nevada, and the word on the street is there's snow on the way. This is a quite a change from the near 60 degree weather of last weekend. On this Thursday I'm dreaming of spring - weddings, garden parties, and twinkle lights in a backyard garden. Here are a few favorites that would surely set the mood:
1. BHLDN. This recently launched wedding fashion site courtesy of Anthropologie has a unique and original take on wedding fashions and accessories. BHLDN (beholden...get it? It took me a few minutes) aims to help a woman create "an event that reflects her own unique perspective". Even if, like me, your wedding planning days are in the past, they also offer exquisite dresses, shoes, jewelry, and accessories.
2. French Enameled Lockets. I can see pairing one of these with many of the gorgeous gowns at BHLDN.
3. And finally, to set the mood for our imaginary soirée, a little Madeleine Peyroux. Her voice...just...wow. If you like jazz, check her out. Even if you don't consider yourself a jazz fan, check her out. You won't be sorry.
1. BHLDN. This recently launched wedding fashion site courtesy of Anthropologie has a unique and original take on wedding fashions and accessories. BHLDN (beholden...get it? It took me a few minutes) aims to help a woman create "an event that reflects her own unique perspective". Even if, like me, your wedding planning days are in the past, they also offer exquisite dresses, shoes, jewelry, and accessories.
2. French Enameled Lockets. I can see pairing one of these with many of the gorgeous gowns at BHLDN.
3. And finally, to set the mood for our imaginary soirée, a little Madeleine Peyroux. Her voice...just...wow. If you like jazz, check her out. Even if you don't consider yourself a jazz fan, check her out. You won't be sorry.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Athena
We have a dog. Her name is Athena, and she's a 5 year old hound mix. We found her at the pound in Virginia Beach when she was about 8 weeks old, and she was adorable. She stepped over the other dog in the kennel (who just happened to be her sister) to come see us. Pilot Pete said, "That's the one I want - she has personality." Little did we know...
Never having owned a dog, I was excited/terrified of the prospect of adopting her. But Pilot Pete's first deployment, a 7 month stint, was upon us, and I had a feeling a furry friend would make it a little easier. I didn't think I was up for two dogs, and I was worried about her sister. Luckily, another woman was there looking to adopt as well, and told us if we didn't want her, she surely did.
So we signed the papers and paid the fee, and the next thing I knew, we were driving away, Pilot Pete in the passenger seat next to me, with a little puppy on his lap. That night as she lay sleeping in her new crate, I had the "what the hell have we done" feeling. That feeling would visit again a year and a half later, when we found out I was pregnant.
Pilot Pete left on cruise a few months later, and Athena and I toughed it out together. We took an obedience class, an agility class, and went on long walks several times a day. The deployment was hard, but I had my constant companion and a reason to get out of the house every day. Pilot Pete came back at the end of the year to discover a large dog who now slept in our bed. The price of doing business I explained. Sometimes you just have to do whatever you have to to get by.
Eight months later Pilot Pete left for another 5 month deployment. My buddy Athena was again there for support. Three months pregnant when he left, I wasn't as up for our thrice daily walks, but she stuck by me. Somehow she knew I wasn't feeling up to par, and she spent a lot of time just staying close, never asking too much and always being on alert.
Five years after we picked her out from all the other dogs in the pound, she remains an integral part of our family. She weathered the integration of another human like a pro, and now serves as Little Dude's faithful friend and sidekick. She's gentle and patient with him, the most important characteristics of a childhood dog. I know that when Pilot Pete leaves for deployment again in the near future, she'll be by my side, one of the most important parts of my support system.
Never having owned a dog, I was excited/terrified of the prospect of adopting her. But Pilot Pete's first deployment, a 7 month stint, was upon us, and I had a feeling a furry friend would make it a little easier. I didn't think I was up for two dogs, and I was worried about her sister. Luckily, another woman was there looking to adopt as well, and told us if we didn't want her, she surely did.
So we signed the papers and paid the fee, and the next thing I knew, we were driving away, Pilot Pete in the passenger seat next to me, with a little puppy on his lap. That night as she lay sleeping in her new crate, I had the "what the hell have we done" feeling. That feeling would visit again a year and a half later, when we found out I was pregnant.
Pilot Pete left on cruise a few months later, and Athena and I toughed it out together. We took an obedience class, an agility class, and went on long walks several times a day. The deployment was hard, but I had my constant companion and a reason to get out of the house every day. Pilot Pete came back at the end of the year to discover a large dog who now slept in our bed. The price of doing business I explained. Sometimes you just have to do whatever you have to to get by.
Eight months later Pilot Pete left for another 5 month deployment. My buddy Athena was again there for support. Three months pregnant when he left, I wasn't as up for our thrice daily walks, but she stuck by me. Somehow she knew I wasn't feeling up to par, and she spent a lot of time just staying close, never asking too much and always being on alert.
Five years after we picked her out from all the other dogs in the pound, she remains an integral part of our family. She weathered the integration of another human like a pro, and now serves as Little Dude's faithful friend and sidekick. She's gentle and patient with him, the most important characteristics of a childhood dog. I know that when Pilot Pete leaves for deployment again in the near future, she'll be by my side, one of the most important parts of my support system.
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| Adoption day, February 2006 |
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| A few weeks after coming home, and she had already grown! |
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| A boy and his dog, 2008. |
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| A boy and his dog, 2011. |
Monday, February 14, 2011
Over the weekend
Happy Monday friends! I hope you had a spectacular weekend. Ours was quite lovely. We spent Saturday hanging out around the house. Our dog Athena had her annual check up and shots, so we stayed close to home to make sure she didn't have a reaction to the shots. On Sunday we made the big trip to Sacramento to do some shopping and have an early Valentine's dinner. It's so nice to get out of town every once and a while. I hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's Day!
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| The balloon I bought him to replace the one I lost from his first dentist visit. |
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| Jumping. (I think). |
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| His chocolate "mish-asche" |
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| "But I don't want to go to bed." Ahh, the agony... |
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| My two loves. |
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Three things for Thursday - the blog overload edition
I love blogs. I know. You're thinking, "Duh. You have a blog, so of course you love them." What I mean to say is that I love other people's blogs. I can get lost for hours clicking on different blogs, reading about fashion, design, parenting, and other peoples' lives. It's one of the things that makes blogging great. You have instant access to people and places you wouldn't normally ever come into contact with. I get great ideas from blog stalking. At times however, I also get depressed by my blog stalking ways.
When I started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing, which was one of the things that appealed to me. It was a creative challenge, and I am always up for one of those. Seven months and 61 posts later, I still have no idea what I'm doing. But, I am, by nature, a highly competitive perfectionist. As a result, all of my blog stalking sometimes makes me realize just how clueless I am about the blogging world. There are better writers and better blog designs out there. There are bloggers with huge followings. There are bloggers who have parlayed their blogging into a successful writing career. And then there's me.
I initially intended to write about our life as a Navy family. The ups and downs, the funny and the absurd. But there really hasn't been a whole lot of action on that front lately, so I have segued into other topics. Topics that interest me. I guess I'd say I'm on a bit of a journey to discover the purpose of this blog, and what direction I intend to take it in. But for now, for the most part, I am simply enjoying the journey. I hope you are too.
For my list today, here are three blogs that inspire me. I have never met any of these bloggers, but I admire their writing, topics and design aesthetic:
1. The Daybook. Sydney and her husband Tyson blog about their lives and their personal style. I love her fearlessness and dedication to fashion. And she's just so cute!
2. I am Bossy. Georgia Getz's blog is like none other. I would classify it as a humor blog. I generally always find myself laughing (quite loudly) to many of her posts.
3. Design*Sponge. This one's a bit more topic specific, and you'll probably only enjoy it if you're into home and product design. Even if you're not, you may enjoy their sneak peaks into people's homes, their before and after projects, or their city guides.
What are your favorite blogs to visit?
When I started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing, which was one of the things that appealed to me. It was a creative challenge, and I am always up for one of those. Seven months and 61 posts later, I still have no idea what I'm doing. But, I am, by nature, a highly competitive perfectionist. As a result, all of my blog stalking sometimes makes me realize just how clueless I am about the blogging world. There are better writers and better blog designs out there. There are bloggers with huge followings. There are bloggers who have parlayed their blogging into a successful writing career. And then there's me.
I initially intended to write about our life as a Navy family. The ups and downs, the funny and the absurd. But there really hasn't been a whole lot of action on that front lately, so I have segued into other topics. Topics that interest me. I guess I'd say I'm on a bit of a journey to discover the purpose of this blog, and what direction I intend to take it in. But for now, for the most part, I am simply enjoying the journey. I hope you are too.
For my list today, here are three blogs that inspire me. I have never met any of these bloggers, but I admire their writing, topics and design aesthetic:
1. The Daybook. Sydney and her husband Tyson blog about their lives and their personal style. I love her fearlessness and dedication to fashion. And she's just so cute!
2. I am Bossy. Georgia Getz's blog is like none other. I would classify it as a humor blog. I generally always find myself laughing (quite loudly) to many of her posts.
3. Design*Sponge. This one's a bit more topic specific, and you'll probably only enjoy it if you're into home and product design. Even if you're not, you may enjoy their sneak peaks into people's homes, their before and after projects, or their city guides.
What are your favorite blogs to visit?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Over the weekend
It's been a bit of a manic Monday around here, which helps to explain why I am posting so late. But hey, it's still Monday here in the West, so all is not lost.
We had a full weekend. Not too busy, not too lazy. Just right. It started off as most weekends do, with Friday rush hour:
We followed that with a Saturday trip to the big city. Who wouldn't enjoy an ice cream sundae to top off a big meal?
I think he was worried I was going to try and steal a bite. Well, I hope that's what this look means.
We capped the weekend off with more cars (was there any question?). The kid just can't get enough.
In the midst of the Sunday car play, we did catch the Superbowl. And I think we are the only Americans who actually enjoyed the halftime show. I guess we're officially old. And boring.
Whether you're a Steelers fan or a Packers fan, I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did!
We had a full weekend. Not too busy, not too lazy. Just right. It started off as most weekends do, with Friday rush hour:
We followed that with a Saturday trip to the big city. Who wouldn't enjoy an ice cream sundae to top off a big meal?
I think he was worried I was going to try and steal a bite. Well, I hope that's what this look means.
We capped the weekend off with more cars (was there any question?). The kid just can't get enough.
In the midst of the Sunday car play, we did catch the Superbowl. And I think we are the only Americans who actually enjoyed the halftime show. I guess we're officially old. And boring.
Whether you're a Steelers fan or a Packers fan, I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as we did!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Three things for Thursday
Here they are:
1. Row Boat Press. Posters, textprints, shirts, and more - their products are so cool. I found them by way of A Cup of Jo, and I may have even found something on there for my sweetheart for Valentine's Day. I'm not telling what though, at least not until after I give it to him.
2. Sonic. Do I really need to say any more? I know fast food isn't really something to promote, but sometimes I just can't resist. Right now they have a deal - $2.99 for a BLT and medium tots. You just can't beat that (and I do love a good BLT).
3. Nine West. I'm not particularly adventurous in my shoe choices, but I do love shoes. I have been a loyal Nine West customer for many many years. I know exactly what size I wear, and they always seem to have something I like. Even better, they occasionally run flash sales online and you can get some incredible deals. Plus, for a limited time, they're offering free standard shipping on ANY purchase.
1. Row Boat Press. Posters, textprints, shirts, and more - their products are so cool. I found them by way of A Cup of Jo, and I may have even found something on there for my sweetheart for Valentine's Day. I'm not telling what though, at least not until after I give it to him.
2. Sonic. Do I really need to say any more? I know fast food isn't really something to promote, but sometimes I just can't resist. Right now they have a deal - $2.99 for a BLT and medium tots. You just can't beat that (and I do love a good BLT).
3. Nine West. I'm not particularly adventurous in my shoe choices, but I do love shoes. I have been a loyal Nine West customer for many many years. I know exactly what size I wear, and they always seem to have something I like. Even better, they occasionally run flash sales online and you can get some incredible deals. Plus, for a limited time, they're offering free standard shipping on ANY purchase.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sometimes you just need a little pick me up
It's been a slow start to the week over here. I've been dragging a bit for some reason. I could blame it on winter doldrums, but the temperature has mostly been above normal for this time of year. I could blame it on the fact that January is my least favorite month and always seems to drag on, but low and behold, it's February! So, while I try to pinpoint what exactly is making me feel less than peppy, I think I'll indulge a little.
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| Just a little something I made to help improve my mood |
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