Little Miss Scatterbrained

Get'cha Head in the Game

2010-08-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, people... I fully admit that I have absolutely sucked at blogging for the past month and a half. Sure, I may have had an excuse during my month of travel, but for the past few weeks? I don't really have a good excuse - I've just been lazy, I guess. I haven't even commented on a post in weeks! Sheesh... and I call myself a blogger...

Anyway, I've decided that my laziness ends now. I'm back in the game. I miss blogging and I miss reading all your lovely blogs - I'm sure I have a lot of catching up to do!

And speaking of catching up, I think I'll kick things off with my long overdue photos from Oregon.

Even though my trip to Portland was for a work conference, we were able to squeeze in quite a bit of traveling. This was my third time in Portland and let me tell you, I absolutely love that city. I'd move there in a heart beat and I've been *subtly* sneaking some Portland Fun Facts into conversation with Daniel to try and convince to relocate to the Pacific Northwest... so far, he hasn't taken the bait (but, I haven't given up yet!).

Haystack Rock at Canon Beach. Apparently, it this in the movie Goonies:

A shot of city from one of Portland's 10 bridges over the Willamette River:

This is Portland's unofficial motto:

Waiting in line at Voodoo Doughnuts (I was kind of boring and only got the Neopolatin; if I hadn't been so stuffed from dinner, it would've been all over the Bacon Maple Bar):

One of my favorite shots from the Portland Rose Gardens:

Multnomah Falls:

Showing my love for the beautiful landscape of the Columbia River Gorge:

Did You Miss Me?

2010-08-09T16:43:00.001-07:00

Holy moly! I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted, or even visited any blogs!

Things have been a little nutty around here. I spent the last few weeks packing, unpacking, repacking, adjusting to new places and then trying to catch-up on things at home. July has positively flown by as a result (and how the heck is it mid-August already???).

A few days after our camping trip, I went on an overnight staff retreat in the Poconos and a few days after that, I left the for a week-long work conference in Portland, OR. There will be more on Oregon later - here's a sneak peek for now:

Last week? I crashed. You see, sleep and I already have a love/hate relationship, and when you throw jet lag into the mix, it's not pretty. So, it took me an obnoxiously long time (and lots of coffee) to get back on East Coast time and feel less Zombie-like. It's amazing how 3 little hours can make such a big difference.

And now it's (finally!) time to get back to blogging. I'm excited to see what you've all been up to and share some of my fun stories from the last few weeks!

It's good to be back :)

Is It Really Over?

2010-07-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, unfortunately my the sound of my alarm clock blaring at 6:00 this morning made it perfectly clear: Our vacation was officially over.

Although the week was rather low-key, we had wonderful time camping along the Oswegatchie River. Aside from a few excursions and a trip to the Alexandria Bay Drive-In Theater (to see Despicable Me, which was precious, btw), we did a whole lot of nothing. Which was exactly what we wanted to do.

In the car, at the beginning of the Northeast Extension - Me:"Make an 'I'm-excited-that-we're-on-vacation face!'". I look constipated, and Dan didn't even try...

Freshly picked raspberries and home-grown squash, all cut up and ready to be fried (and of course, a bit of Merlot ready to be sipped)

Fire feet... waiting for the corn to cook

A boy and his guitar, strumming love songs by the fire

An impromptu dessert idea - raspberry and chocolate pastries (topped with a bit of whipped cream, these were delicious and super quick and easy to make)

One of the two fawns we saw

Waterfalls at Greenwood Creek

Daniel in Nature

Roasting hot dogs, a must when you're camping

Our wildflower bouquet of daisies and black-eyed susans

After my first day of "re-entry", I'm already ready to go back... camping trips are totally better than working. Do you have any vacation plans this summer?

And the Winners Are...

2010-07-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

Cassandra @ Cassagram

and

CJ Sime @ Simply Simonson

I used the random number generator from Random.org to choose the winners, but since I was having issues trying to copy the image into my blog, you'll just have to trust me that it told me the winners were 3 and 5 :)

Cassandra will be getting the set of record bowls and CJ will be getting the clock. I'll be contacting you guys shortly!

Thanks to everyone who entered!!

Outta Here!

2010-07-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Gosh!

I am officially on vacation!!! I've been *ever so patiently* counting down the days... hours... minutes all week... all month... since we planned this vacation. And, It's finally here!

Aside from a couple long weekends here and there, this will be the 1st vacation that Dan and I have been on, just the two of us, since we got married (well, except the honeymoon, of course. But, here's hoping we don't run into as many problems... my fingers are crossed!)

Tomorrow we'll be heading to upstate NY for a week of hiking, swimming, marshmallow roasting, cribbage playing, grilling, reading in the sun, quad riding, drive-in movie watching, and relaxing by the fire... Doesn't it sound just perfect? I already feel more relaxed just thinking about it.

My hand-painted record clock and record bowl giveaway will remain open while I'm away, so get your entries in! Thanks to all those who have entered so far and for the sweet compliments about my work - it's always nice to know that there are other people out there who like your creations (it might be just the push I need to get my act together and open my Etsy shop once and for all).

I'll announce the winners on Sunday, July 18th, so stay tuned!

Hope you have a great week <3

Wordless Wednesday: 4th of July Weekend in Batavia

2010-07-07T14:19:00.001-07:00

If you love the dresses the girls are wearing, check out my sister's Etsy shop, Knotted Wear, for more

Don't forget to enter my give away: a hand painted record clock, and set of 3 record bowls.

110th Post Celebration and Giveaway

2010-07-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

After an unplanned blogging hiatus due to a crazy week and a lovely long weekend in Ohio (more on that later), I'm back to celebrate my 11oth post on Little Miss Scatterbrained!

When I made my resolution to start blogging (again) at the end of December, I wasn't sure how long it would last. But, I'm super excited to be into triple digits and still going strong! I'm thankful to have "met" a number of wonderful bloggers over the past few months - thank you for commenting, following, and for making me fall in love blogging. You all are awesome!

As promised, in honor of my 110th post, I would like to present my first-ever giveaway!

Two winners will be selected - the first will win a hand-painted record clock and the second will win a set of 3 custom-made record bowls.

The clock will custom painted with this poppy design according the winner's color specifications:

Here are a couple close-ups of the design, with and without the flash:

This clock is painted onto a plastic, red, semi-transparent record and will come with one AA battery. I have one more red record like this, and the winner can choose that one or a black vinyl record. I can also add more detail to the petals, if desired.

The bowls will also be custom made for the winner - they can be painted or simply spray shellacked to preserve the look of the record:

To win, simply comment on this post and tell me which you would rather have: the clock or the bowls. That's it!

The give away will be open until Saturday, July 17th and the winners will be chosen via Random Number Generator and announced and contacted on Sunday, July 18th.

Good luck!!

I Hate Running - Log 13: Heat, Humidity, and Lots of Sweat

2010-06-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what else to say about running last week, except that it was hot.

And not just "hot", but that sticky-100 percent humidity-thunderstorm warning-over 90 degrees-heat wave-check on the elderly and your pets-excessive heat warning type of hot.

As a result, I wimped out a bit and only ran for 3 days and didn't push myself as much at all. I kept to my plan for the first interval (running for 12 minutes), but for the second interval, I started out with a longer recovery walk and was lucky if I ran for 5 more minutes after that. Yuck-o!

Despite being truncated, each run this week ended with the same result: a very sweaty Brittany.

This week should be better. Today we're supposed to top out at 97 degrees with a heat index of about 103 (so, guess who is not running today?), but after that, the temperatures are going to drop a bit. If all goes according to plan, we'll be down to 78 by Thursday (I am so looking forward to that).

Running in this heat is also making me wonder what it's like to run in other extreme. When winter rolls around, I'll be curious to see which is worse: running during these sweltering days of summer or running during the bitter cold days? I've mentioned before that I'm a straight up, stay-indoors-all-winter type of wimp when it comes to the cold, but I don't know if it can be any worse than running through a constant wall of humidity.

If you've been running for a while, which do you prefer: running in the heat, or the cold? Do you have any advice for combating the hot, hot weather?

Coming up this week, I'll be doing 2 intervals: running for 15 minutes and walking for 2. I'll also be adding in a 7 minute warm-up from the most recent issue of Runner's World that will help strengthen my core and gluts and help with balance (since my core is currently rather puffy, I'm sure it can use some strengthening... ditto for my gluts).

It looks simple, but since I'd still consider myself a novice at this whole "fitness" thing, it's probably going to be kick my butt for the first couple of days, so wish me luck! Hopefully, though, it will kick my butt in a good way and be helpful as I get ready for my first 5K and later for the Half Pig.

If you're out running this week, be safe and stay cool!

Approximately 18 1/2 in 31

2010-06-20T15:09:00.001-07:00

My deadline for my 31 in 31 list officially came and went as of yesterday. Did I manage to get it all done? Not quite... but, I did accomplish over half of it.

Completed Tasks:

-Try out a new hiking trail.

-Run for 10 minutes straight.

-Check out Liberty Thrift and Little Liberty.

-Go to China Town.

-Bake something fun (I made oatmeal butterscotch cookies - which received rave reviews! - and sour cream pound cake).

-Finish reading The Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Birth by Shelia Kitzinger.

-Start reading Ourselves as Mothers, also by Shelia Kitzinger.

-Play mini-golf.

-Go swimming.

-Do something new with my hair (I didn't do anything exciting... I've just been trying to do something other than my signature low pony w/ a side part).

-Help my aunt move into her new apartment.

-Go camping in upstate NY with hubby, Leah @ The Suburban Gal, Jim, and Ellie.

-Find my iPod and load it with new music (go figure, it was in the purse the whole time!).

-Try out a new, local farmers market (went to Highland Orchards in West Chester, PA to pick strawberries)

-Make strawberry jam.

-Find and purchase a couple of cheap, summer dresses.

-Re-vamp my blog (big thanks to Steph @ A Grande Life Goodies for my cute new blog design!).

-Scope out the library and see if they have any books from the DONA reading list and/or buy a couple more online

That's 18 officially crossed off. What about that 1/2 that I mentioned in the title? I got started on a few other tasks, but just didn't get them finished in time:

-Spring clean and organize the apartment:

Honestly? The only reason I actually got my butt moving on this one is because I knew that it was on the list (and ominously positioned at the number 1 spot!). Organizing is so not my forte and I just plain hat cleaning. But, for the sake of my list, I did clean out my front and linen closets, completely de-constructed my (stupid, glass) TV stand and gave it a good cleaning, cleaned off and reorganized a few shelves, got rid of a bunch of stuff, and make my desk look more presentable. I have a lot more to do, but it's a start!

-Make 2 more record clocks:

I have one in the works!

-Drop 6-8 more pounds:

I dropped 4 more pounds since making this list, so I was close! I'm not disappointed, though. I'm still averaging about a pound a week and have lost 15 overall (woot! go me!)

-Have all the parents over for dinner:

My "mistake" here was giving the moms the option of either coming over for dinner or coming over to go shopping at the outlets. The outlets won hands down. Us ladies had a fun day of shopping, but the dads stayed home. So, dinner is still in the planning stages.

Even though I didn't complete my list, I still feel like I had a pretty productive month, and I'm kind of in love with this whole list-making thing these days. I love being able to cross things off and see how much I've accomplished. Plus, when you have a list to refer back to, it's so much not to forget wanted you to do - brilliant!! Why didn't I think of this before?

What about you... are you a list-a-holic?

Me and my Daddy-O

2010-06-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

December 1985:

November 2008:

Happy Father's Day to my Daddy Pie! :)

I Hate Running - Log 12: Moving On

2010-06-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

Keeping it short and sweet today with just the nitty gritty details:

I moved my Challenge Day from Sunday to Monday last week because it was thunder storming all day on Sunday (I'm all about running in the rain... but I do not mess with lightning!). On Monday, I ran for 20 minutes, walked for 5 and then ran 5 more.

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I walked 3 minutes as a warm up, ran for 10, walked for 3, ran for 10 and walked for 5 as a cool down.

Next week, I up my running time to 12 minutes and I'm going to work on actually getting my first 5K scheduled! I'm aiming for sometime in August. If you live in the MontCo, PA area and know of any good, local 5K's - let me know!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Tuesday: Guilty Pleasures

2010-06-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

The topic this week on Top 2 Tuesday is Top 2 Guilty Pleasures. Being the dork that I am, this was an easy one ;)
1. The Hoedown Throwdown

The Hoedown Throwndown tops the list because it actually rolls three of my guilty pleasures into one:
-Super cheesy Disney Channel tween shows
-Country music. (Although I guess this can't really be considered country music, but in the movie, it's a country line dance, so for the purposes of my guilty pleasures, it's close enough. Which brings me to the third...)
-Line/fad dances. I pretend to hate them because I look ridiculous when I dance, but really, I think they're a lot of fun. Maybe my secret love for line dances is due to the fact that I won an Electric Slide contest when I was 7? (and, in case you're wondering, my prize was the Two Princes single by the Spin Doctors on cassette tape).
2. Anime
It all started with Digimon when I was 14.... and then came Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, which featured such classics as Dragon Ball Z and Outlaw Star, and of course, there were the early morning Sailor Moon re-runs on one of our local channels.
I'm not as into as I once was, but I still love Sailor Moon (I own the entire series on DVD... in Japanese... with subtitles), have a few anime theme songs on my iPod, and can't walk by the (now extremely large) manga section in the bookstore without browsing for a little while.

What are your guilty pleasures? Visit the Undomestic Mama to play along.

I Hate Running - Log 11: Running for Kenslee

2010-06-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

I started running at a local trail last week because the loop I've been doing through my neighborhood has become less accommodating as my runn times are increasing. In order to avoid some nasty hills, I've been more or less running up and down a somewhat busy road. Now that I can run all the way up, and most of the way back down in one shot, I keep having to stop mid-run to cross. It's really been throwing off my groove, if you know what what I mean.

So, off I went to the Audubon Loop, starting at the Mill Grove Park, which is just a short drive from my apartment. I'm pretty sure it was love at first run.

Although it is parallel, and butts quite closely, to a main road, it is bordered on the other side by lovely meadows and walking paths. It weaves in and out of the trees so you don't always feel like you're running right next to the traffic and it's frequented by runners, walkers, and bikers, but never seems crowded. The trail also has just the right amount of gentle sloping hills that add some interest to the workout without making my legs feel like goo. I give two enthusiastic thumbs up - fine holiday fun!

In more exciting news, I have made my first big running-related commitment! My sister, Carlee, who trained for and ran her first marathon two years ago, has convinced me that if I really train for it, I'll be ready to join her to run a half marathon by May 1, 2011. More specifically, we'll be running the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati, OH.

I'm only slightly frightened by the prospect of being ready to run 13 miles in less than a year. But, I have an amazing reason to stay motivated: my niece, Kenslee.

Kenslee was diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder earlier this year called Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD). In a nutshell, this means that her body has trouble breaking down and storing glycogen. It's not an acute disease, but it is something that she will have to deal with her whole life. Presently, her condition is under control, but there there is the potential for long-term affects to her liver and kidneys as well as a lot more unknowns as she gets older. More information on the disease can be found here.

But, what does this have to do with running the Half Pig? Since this disease is so uncommon, there are only a handful of fundraising opportunities directly associated with GSD foundations. So, Carlee thought, if we'll be running anyway, why not raise money for GSD while we're at it? Of course there are a lot of details to work out, but come May 1, 2011, one way or another, we will be running for Kenslee (I'll keep you all posted as more details develop). There is no better motivation than that.

Brand Spankin' New!

2010-06-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that my blog looks a bit different these days? Let me be the first to welcome to the *new and improved* Little Miss Scatterbrained!

I take absolutely zero credit for the new loveliness of my blog. I owe it all to the talent of Steph @ A Grande Life. She designed the background, the signature, the header, and the button (did you see that I have my very own button?! How cool is that?). She was also very patient me, the blog design newbie, as we worked to get it all up and running. Thanks a heap, Steph! You rock!

Be sure to check out Steph's other blog: A Grande Life Goodies for all your custom blog design needs. (Trust me, she's awesome)

He's onto Me...

2010-06-08T17:53:00.001-07:00

The other day, on the way home from work, I told my husband that I needed new pants why do I need new pants, you ask? Because mine are getting too big!! I blame running :)

This was the rant that followed:

"Now wait a second. You say you 'need pants', but I know exactly what's going to happen (you do, do you?): You're going to go to 14 different stores and get all upset because you can't find 'anything that fits' (true statement - all that low-rise, skin-tight nonsense was not made for people with hips! I actually hate shopping for pants). Instead you're going to come home with 3 t-shirts and a cardigan (well, if I'm given a budget to go shopping with, why would I let it go to waste just because I couldn't find what I was looking for?). And you're going to start telling me in detail how cute they are and what good deals you found (because I'm an awesome bargain shopper and the world needs to know about adorable clothes at 90% off!). And a week later? You're going to complain that you need new pants (um, yup)."

Yeah. He's totally onto me ...but, he still told me that I could go pants shopping this weekend ;)

"Jam" Packed Weekend

2010-06-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

I haven't been too on top of blogging this past week. It's been a busy few days, and alas, I didn't even spend a single second on my computer this weekend. Crazy, I know!

I should also confess: I've been delaying my next post partly because I'm planning my first giveaway. I'm pretty darn excited about it! Here's the reason for the delay: Originally, I wanted it to coincide with my 100th post, but since you are currently reading my 100th post (woohoo! triple digits!), and my giveaway is not quite ready... I'm pushing it back a bit.

So, I decided that since the first 20 posts of my blog were actually imported from my previous blog, Newlywed Adventures, technically this really isn't #100, right? I'm going to split the difference and do my giveaway in my 110th post. Now that I've written it down and made it public, I have to stick to it! Are you curious yet? I'm not spilling the beans until 110!

But, in the meantime, I'll regale you with the scenes from my jam packed weekend.

It started out with a dinner at Panera Bread with Amy @ Little Miss Moon Blossom and Kara @ Lil Miss Wisecracker where we enjoyed refreshing strawberry poppy seed salads. After that, it was onto the Greek Festival:

We made it just time to watch these guys do some traditional Greek dances. They were fantastic! And the costumes? Amazing!

We didn't do much at the carnival except wander around and play the Frog Bog game. Sadly, none of us won, but we did end up with this sassy picture:

We concluded the evening with a trip to Zwahlen's for some of the best ice cream in town, and an impromptu trip to the movies and the grocery store.

Saturday, I spent most of the day with my hubby. We relaxed by the pool, spent some time reading, and swam for the first time this summer! It was glorious. I am ecstatic that our apartment complex has a pool. I'll be spending many lazy days over the next few months.

Sunday, Vickie @ Little Miss Suburban Homesteader drove to PA to teach us how to make strawberry jam.

Planning our "jam session" was a bit chaotic, and even after a few location changes and a couple time changes, Vickie almost wasn't able to make due to car issues. Thankfully, her car ended up being ok and we were able to rendezvous with her Highland Farm where we picked the main ingredient for our jam: the strawberries!

And, my goodness, were they delicious!!! Just feast your eyes about these little beauties (thank goodness we got more than we needed and were able to let the snacking ensue):

Down to business! We mashed 5 cups of berries:

Brought them a wild boil with the pectic and sugar all mixed in:

And filled up nearly 9 jars with gooey goodness:

Here's the finished product, cooling on the counter and popping away as the lids sealed:

Yes, the jam is just as delicious as it looks :)

(I also managed to knock 3 more things off my 31 in 31 list this weekend!)

I Hate Running - Log 10: Hot, Hot Heat

2010-06-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'm going to keep my log short and sweet since I'm a bit late with it (plus, I'm squeezing this into my lunch break)... so, here is the past week's running in a nutshell:

Last Sunday (Challenge Day): In NY, I ran 15 minutes non-stop. Walked 5, ran 5, walked some more for a cool down.

Tuesday & Thursday: Did four intervals - ran for 7 minutes, walked for 2 with longer walks for warm-up and cool down.

Only got in 3 days due to a crazy schedule last week and I almost died in the heat!!! I'm considering getting my lazy butt out of bed early to run in the mornings when it's cooler since the heat isn't going away anytime soon, but we'll see (I'm not exactly what you would call a "morning person"... just ask the husband).

This week: Running 8 minutes, walking 2. 4 intervals.

Wordless Wednesday: New York Weekend

2010-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Summer Soundtrack

2010-05-31T02:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! The warmer weather and lazy days are finally here and I could not be more stoked!

"How stoked," you asked? Oh, I'd say I'm about this much stoked:

In honor of the unofficial start of summer, I decided to share some of my favorite summer songs (and few that will always make me recall special summer memories). These are the ones that I'll have on repeat from June through August:

Summertime by Will Smith

Brown-Eyed Girl by Van Morrison

Don't Worry Baby by the Beach Boys

Mint Car by The Cure

Steal My Sunshine by LEN

Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Through Being Cool by Saves the Day

Summertime by Kenney Chesney

Steal My Kisses by Ben Harper

Island in the Sun by Weezer

Down Together by the Refreshments

Penny and Me by Hanson

Walkin' on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

Pickin' Wildflowers by Keith Anderson

Collide by Howie Day

Upside Down by Jack Johnson

Can't Go Back to Jersey by G. Love

Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

Umbrella by Rhianna

The General by Dispatch

Summer Girls by LFO

The Remedy by Jason Mraz

Ticks by Brad Paisley

Do any of these songs bring back summer memories for you? What songs would be on your summer soundtrack?

I Hate Running - Log 9: You Can't Win 'Em All

2010-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I started out strong this week. Last Sunday, I ran for 10 minutes straight!! This was another one of the goals from my 31 in 31 list, and I was not expecting to accomplish it so soon. It kind of just happened: I felt good after 5 minutes (my time from last week), I felt good after 7 minutes... and, next thing I knew, I looked down at my watch and saw that I was 30 seconds away from 10 minutes. So, I went for it. And, I felt amazing afterwards!

Tuesday was also awesome. I went running on the Perkiomen Trail (a local trail along the Perkiomen River, frequented by runners, bikers, and dog walkers) with the Little Miss who got me into running: Amy @ Little Miss Moon Blossom. Even though she is amazing and is ahead of me time wise, she stuck to 6 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking with me.

The trail was beautiful, and having the company while running was fantastic. Very easy to forget about the time when you have someone to chat with. I even finished my run off with a long (for me) sprint over the one of the bridges back across the river.

Wednesday, though... well, that's a different story. Aside from the first couple days when my body was still pissed at me for forcing running upon it, I'd classify Wednesday as my worst running day so far.

I think my mistake was going to a local park with obnoxious hills (I didn't remember them being as terrible as they were!) on one of the hottest days so far this year. I was dead by end of my first interval. I managed to get two more in, but skipped out on the last one and walked for the remainder of the 30 minutes.

Despite Wednesday's set back, I'm still feeling pretty good about my progress. It is good to remember that not every run is going to be fantastic. Sometimes, you just have an off day, and that's not necessarily a bad thing (so long as they don't all turn into bad days!).

Next week, I'll be running 7 minutes per interval.

Wordless Wednesday: The Perkiomen

2010-05-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

(My 1st time on the Perk! Cross another one off the 31 in 31 list)

I Hate Running - Log 8: Breathing Easy

2010-05-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

Last week, I made a last minute decision to add a fourth day into my running routine. Sunday is now going to be what I've decided to call a "Challenge Day" where I don't necessarily stick my schedule for the week. I'm going to use it as day to push myself a bit more and see if I can run longer, for at least one interval. Last Sunday, I made it to 7 minutes, which the longest I've run at one time so far!

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I did four intervals where I ran for 5 minutes and walked for 2 minutes.

The most notable thing about this week is that it's becoming easier and easier to breathe normally while running. Based on my breathing, I feel like I could keep going for a lot longer. The caveat is that my legs will now get to a point where they just don't want to go any further! But, I know that they will catch up soon - they're getting stronger every time I go out. I also took some time this week to map out run and determine how far I've been going. To my surprise, I've been running about 2.2 miles, which is a lot farther than I expected.

On tap for next week: Challenge Day on Sunday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday my intervals will be 6 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking for 30 minutes total.

Thrift Store Dress Haul

2010-05-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

I've managed to knock out two of my 31 in 31 goals in one fell swoop:

#5 - Check out Liberty Thrift & #23 - Find and purchase a couple cheap summer dresses.

Dan and I stopped at Liberty after work. We've been meaning to check out this thrift shop for a while now (it's only about 5 minutes down the road), but this is the first time we made it. It certainly won't be the last!

I was really impressed. The place was a lot bigger than I expected, the prices were good, the store was clean, and they had a pretty big selection. I could have easily spent a couple hours browsing through the clothes. But since I had the husband in tow and limited funds, it was a pretty quick trip. But, successful nonetheless!

Here's what I ended up with - two cute summer dresses and a great short-sleeved cardigan (which was originally from Target!):

The photos don't actually do the dresses much justice - they look rather shapeless. However, they drape nicely when they're on, and they're in like-new condition. I especially love the pink one, with the ruffle detail. It goes great with the sweater and will look perfect with pearls!

The best part? Altogether, all three pieces were just over $10!

31 in 31

2010-05-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea on {Not Quite} Susie's blog earlier and loved it:

Make a list of 31 things that you want to accomplish in 31 days. I tend to be more ambitious when I write things out in a list, so hopefully I'll get through them all by June 20!

**Updated 5.23.10**

**Updated 5.25.10**

**Updated 5.27.10**

**Updated 6.01.10**

**Updated 06.02.10**

**Updated 06.07.10**

**Updated 06.10.10**

**Update 06.20.10**

1. Spring clean and organize the apartment... In progress

2. Try out a new hiking trail.

3. Spray paint the porch chairs and make squishy cushions for them. I've had my eye on a few outdoor fabrics at JoAnn's for months!

4. Run for 10 minutes straight

5. Check out Liberty Thrift and Little Liberty

6. Try a new recipe (maybe brine and bake one of the two turkeys that's been in my freezer since December?).

7. Make two more record clocks ...1 is started

8. Drop 6-8 more pounds... close - 5

9. Go to China Town.

10. Sew something new - I'm thinking either a skirt or a bag.

11. Bake something fun (it's been way too long since I've baked anything!).

12. Finish reading The Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Birth by Shelia Kitzinger.

13. Start reading Ourselves as Mothers, also by Shelia Kitzinger.

14. Play mini golf

15. Go to the Elmwood Park Zoo

16. Go swimming.

17. Do something new with my hair (I have it in pony tail almost every day... I need a change!).

18. Help my aunt move into her new apartment (5.22.10)

19. Go camping in upstate NY with hubby, Leah @ The Suburban Gal, Jim, and Ellie.

20. Find my iPod and load it with new music.

21. Try out a new, local farmer's market.

22. Make strawberry jam with Vickie @ Little Miss Suburban Homesteader

23. Find and purchase a couple cheap summer dresses

24. Starting organizing my photos are order some new ones for frames.

25. Make a romantic dinner for my hubby.

26. Rearrange some things in the apartment and move one of the computers into the bedroom.

27. Have all the parents over for dinner.

28. Make it around all the bases in summer softball!

29. Go to a baseball game with Genevieve @ Little Miss Explorer

30. Re-vamp my blog... or at least make a test blog and start playing around with new things. Maybe make myself a button and such? (ok, so I didn't actually re-vamp my blog... but, it is re-vamped! So that counts, right? Check out A Grande Life Goodies for your own custom blog design).

31. Scope out the library to see if they have any books from the DONA reading list and/or buy a couple more online.

That's that... now it's time to get crackin'!

What would you like to accomplish in the next 31 days?

Post It Note Tuesday: Softball

2010-05-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

(no, really... one of the rules is that you're not allowed to hit a home run -- it's an automatic out -- and some of the players struggle to keep the ball on the right side of the fence)

(probably because I was so excited that I actually hit it that I almost forgot to run...)

(made worse by the fact that I played softball for, like, 5 years)

(and by the end of the summer? I will be awesome!)

I Hate Running: Log 6 & 7 - A Love/Hate Relationship

2010-05-14T14:23:00.000-07:00

I definitely forgot to do my running log last week. It was an amazing whirlwind of a weekend filled with impromptu visits with some of my very best friends -- blogging about my run was the last thing on my mind. And since this weekend is shaping up to be another busy one, I decided to get it done early, lest you think I've been slacking off ;)

As you may have noticed, I have endearingly termed my running log "I Hate Running" because I do... or, well, I used to. In reality, this weekly log is about the process of falling in love with running. I used to think I was just one of those people who would never be able to run. Now, not only am I running, but I'm actually enjoying it. Crazy!

Over the past two weeks, I have been noticing that I actually look forward to my running days. On my off days, I wish I was going running. When I get home, I feel like a million bucks.

Sure, I don't always love it when I'm actually out running. There are times when I have to fight with myself not end early because my legs start to feel like Jell-O or because it's really humid or because I have a blister. But, the thing that keeps me going is knowing that I will always feel awesome when I'm done.

Last week (week 6) my goal was to run 3 minutes and walk 2 minutes for 30 minutes total on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Wednesday, I ran for 4 minutes on a couple of my cycles and it was great! But, I also skipped running on Friday, which was not so great.

This week (week 7) my goal was to run 3.5 minutes and walk 2 minutes for 30 minutes total on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Monday was ok, I stuck pretty strictly to the 3.5 minutes. Wednesday was a particularly good day -- I ran for 3.5 for my first two cycles and then ran 5 minutes, 4.5 minutes, and 5.1 minutes. Today was a bit rough (SO humid!), but I managed to finish my run and pushed myself to run for 5 minutes on my last cycle.

Overall, it's been a good couple of weeks.

I feel like I can actually start referring to myself as a "runner" now. I kind of felt like a poser before because in reality, I was walking with some running thrown in. But, in the past 7 weeks (5 weeks, if you count my 2 weeks off with a bum knee), I've more than tripled the amount of time I can run at one time -- when I started, I could barely run for a minute straight and now I'm over 3 minutes -- and during the 30 minutes overall, I'm running more than I am walking. And, my running times will just keep getting better! That give me permission, right?

On another high note, I've lost 4 more L-B's since my last running log. That brings my grand total up to 11. Woot woot!

Next week, my goal is to run for 4 minutes and walk for 2 minutes, rinse repeat, for 30 minutes.

Wordless Wednesday: Stuffed Elephant 1.0

2010-05-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

Top 2 Tuesday: Dream Home

2010-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

This week, the Undomestic Mamma's Top 2 Tuesday theme is Dream Homes.

At this point in my life, I'd take just about any home that's bigger than my apartment and doesn't resemble a glorified dorm room, but since we're talking "dream" home, here are my picks:

1. A Log Cabin in the Woods

Perhaps I have log cabins on the brain since my in-laws have been talking about getting one (they subscribe to a Log Home Living magazine that Dan and I love flipping through when we visit them). My mom also lived in a log cabin when she was first married and to this day, she still refers to it as her favorite house that she's ever lived in. They seem so cozy and romantic. Plus, living in the woods would be like camping all the time with all the comforts of home.

2. A Country Cottage with a White Picket Fence

I'm thinking almost specifically of my Nana's house. Even though her home is not in an ideal setting, the house itself is lovely and quaint. When I was a little girl, I'd tell her that I was going to live in her house when I grew up and move into the back bedroom. The idea of a white picket fence is classic and represents a simpler, more idealistic time -- which also fits perfectly with my dream of being a 1950's house wife.

Halloween 2009: me as a 1950's housewife, my niece Jasalyn as a cow girl and my sister Carlee as a Ceiling Fan

Uh, Not at all Wordless Thursday?

2010-05-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

My head must be in space this week... I've been thinking ALL DAY that it was Wednesday. I've had my WW post planned in my head since this morning.

Then, I go to do my post... decide to check out a few other blogs beforehand... and realize that it's actually Thursday. Duh, Brittany?

But, I'm going to be a rebel and do my WW post anyway. Even though it's not Wednesday, and not at all wordless. Oh yeah, I break all the rules ;)

So, without further adieu, I give you...

Wordless Wednesday

And since I'm breaking all the rules today, I'll add some more words. Eastern's graduation is this weekend and the Waterwheel is *the* photo hot spot after the ceremony.

Walking around campus this week, I've been feeling a bit nostalgic and couldn't resist sharing one of mine and Dan's commencement photo ops.

Did you have any your photo taken at any iconic campus structures after graduation?

Another Blatantly Narcissistic Post About My Hair

2010-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Wow - I was shocked (shocked I tell you!) at how many comments I got on my recent hair post. I feel so loved! (...unless you were just subtly trying to tell me that my hair style totally sucked and I needed to change it - pronto!)

Either way, I was very glad for the advice, and finally made up my mind. So, thanks for all the suggestions!

Now it's time for the big unveiling - drum roll please......

Is it just me, or are my eyes kind of creepy in this picture? At least my hair looks good ;)

Ta da!

I went for the in-between cut, slightly shorter in the back and layers around the face (although, the mullet was tempting...).

Admittedly, I don't love it, but I do like it a lot! I'm sort of lamenting not getting bangs, but I know in a few weeks time I'd be frustrated with them.

Also, it does look almost exactly how my hair looked before getting snipped - just 5 inches shorter - which is kind of anti-climatic after waiting over 365 days. But, it is a style that works me and I can still pony-tail it for running and bad hair days. So, all in all, I'm a happy camper.

As a side note, my super thrifty self is pleased that I ended up not getting charged for the blow dry. The girl who conditioned my hair (no shampoo, because I pre-wash with BS LJ before going to the salon) didn't wash it all out. My hair was a tad on the greasy side for the rest of the day, but hey, I saved $13!! I'll consider that a win any day :D

And, just for kicks and giggles, here is a completely unrelated, yet absolutely adorable, photo of Phoebe from this weekend:

Happy Monday!

I Hate Running - Log 5: Back in the Game

2010-05-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be short and sweet!

My knee is feeling great and my new Asics are lovin' on my feet. I got back into my running routine this week with wonderful results.

I was worried that I'd be back to square one, after two weeks sans running, but I am excited to report that I picked up right where I left off. I only ran twice this week, but both times I was able to run for 2 minutes and walk for 2. The last week that I ran, I was running 1.5 and walking 2, so I'm right on track. I also found a better loop around my neighborhood with far less hills, which has been a big help.

And for little more good news: I lost another 4.5 pounds this week! That is a grand total of 7. I'm feeling pretty stoked :)

For the week ahead, and I will be working on running for 2.5 and walking walking 2.

Men!

2010-04-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

Phone conversation with my husband, 3:30 this afternoon:

Dan: Hey, are you going to your thing tonight?

Me: Yeah, we're meeting in Collegeville at 6:00. I'll probably be home around 9:00.

Dan: Ok, well, while your out, can you pick up toothpaste? And, uh, do you need any other bathroom stuff?

Me: Um, no... I guess I'll just swing by CVS on my way home so I don't forget.

Dan: Ok, well, can you also pick up my body wash? ...Actually, I wanted to wait until after you get home so I can make you a list of things you can pick up while you're out.

Me: Wait a second... If I'm already busy tonight, why don't you go get the stuff?

Dan: Because I'm fat and lazy...?

Me: (silence)

Dan: Ok, you're right. I'll go. Love you!

Me: Good answer. Love you, too.

Top 2 Tuesday: Summer!

2010-04-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

I did one Top 2 Tuesday and then kind of fell off the wagon. But, I'm back on board this week :)

I love this week's topic: Top 2 Favorite Things About Summer!!

I could easily write a very lengthy list, but I've boiled it down to the two of the things that I've been pining for since January. They're kind of generic, but that's ok. It just means that they're more all-encompassing.

1. The Weather!

Call me crazy, but I love, love hot weather - up in the 80's and 90's. I love wearing tank tops and flip flops (or even better- being bare foot), I love being outside, I love having the windows open, and filling the apartment with fresh air. It's been such a horrid winter, I'll even welcome the humidity this year.

2. Vacations!

Ok, so I realize that you can take a vacation anytime during the year, but they sure are much easier to take over the summer months. We are planning at least one trip to upstate NY to camp, and hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in another. I'm also looking forward to half-day Fridays at work (a mini-vacation - every week! You'll find me poolside with a good book on Friday afternoons), and, of course, weekend beach excursions.

What are your Top 2? Visit the Undomestic Momma to play along!

I'm a Winner!

2010-04-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

I must have been one lucky lady last week!

First of all, I won a giveaway from Nen @ Living the Small Town Life. She has a lovely blog that you must check out. She is a loves to sew and gave away an adorable tissue holder (which has already come in handy!) and a matching drawstring bag. Even the package it came in was too cute. I love the little lamb sticker and the Garfield comic wrapping.

Thanks so much, Nen! I love my tissue holder and bag!

In other bloggy news, I was also awarded with the Honest Scrap Award from Sara @ A Note on the Screen Door. Sara has another wonderful, sweet blog about her life, her Prince, and her daughter, Pretty Little Barefeet. Thanks, Sara!

As per the rules of the award, here are 10 honest facts about me:

1. I have three tattoos. An Ichthus on my lower back, a cat laying in flowers on my stomach, and a dove on my left ankle.

2. I was a vegetarian for almost 3 years, from about age 14 - 17. There are weeks when I eat like a vegetarian, and I rarely eat beef.

3. When I first started college, I thought that I was going to major in Japanese. I ended up majoring in Psychology, because I loved my school (which only had a semester and a half of Japanese) and didn't want to transfer.

4. I've had four cars in only 7 years and they've all been named: Fluffykins, Priscilla, Pearl, and Polly.

5. The first thing I ever baked, I made chocolate chip brownies. They're one of my mom's speciality and they are amazing.

6. Chocolate is my favorite food.

7. I own a bowling pin.

8. Wegman's might be my favorite store of all time. I look for any excuse to go the one that was just built in Collegeville. I was even there on opening day (although, that was a big mistake). The store has a flippin' Pub inside of it. A Pub! How cool is that?

9. My favorite movie is Cinderella. At one point, I considered auditioning to be Cinderella in Disney World.

10. Although I love the flavor of coconut, I hate eating coconut. The texture reminds me dead skin. Yuck! I'll stick with Pina Coladas.

There you have it. Now to pass the award along to.

1. Genevieve @ Lil Miss Explorer (she just started her amazing travel blog. There is a ton of fabulous advice for traveling cheap).

2. Amy @ Brain Doodlies

3. Stephanie @ A Grande Life

4. Jena @ Abundance Massage and Doula Blog

5. Amanda @ Welcome to my Life

Make sure you check these guys out!

And lastly, I won this:

Four bottles of Chimay, and six Chimay glasses (I was really hoping to win the $60 gift certificate to Headlight Tatoo, but c'est la vie. Chimay is a pretty darn good prize, too).

Dan and I went to a fundraising dinner and silent auction in dirty Jerz this past Friday to support a great organization called Pet Savers. My SIL is really involved with the group, which helps support programs for companion animals and reduces euthanasia rates at a local animal shelter. It was a ton fun - great food, a great cause, and of course, great prizes!

I Hate Running: Log 4 - Everything But Running

2010-04-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Once again, my running log is going to be lacking in actual running. But, it is about a few things that will help me once I get clearance about my knee.

Thankfully, it is feeling much better. But, I have not yet tried to run on it because I mistakenly thought my doctor's appointment was early last week, but it's not until tomorrow (Monday). If all goes well, I should be up and running again by Wednesday and back on schedule.

I am also looking forward to running next week so that I can test out my new running shoes. Check out these little beauties:

They are Ascis Gel Kahana 3 running shoes. They are made for stability and will hopefully help to correct my over pronation (which I suspect helped contribute to my knee problem). I am so excited to have a real pair of running shoes! (and maybe even more excited that I picked them up for nearly half of their retail price of $75 - sweet!).

As for my "workout" this week I walked for 30-45 minutes for 4 days and added in crunches and push-ups, which I have been doing nightly.

I also made some changes to my diet by upping my water intake (9-10 cups a day), and following a plan that's essentially a hybrid between the knowledge from The Food Lovers Fat Loss system and The Zone (thanks to my good friend Amy @ Brain Doodlies for all the info and advice about these plans! We did not actually order either of these systems, just garnered info from infomercials, books, and the interwebs).

The plan is not what I would consider a "diet". Instead, it's about learning to eat sensibly and get the most out of your meals by having foods that will give you longer lasting energy throughout the day. In a nutshell, I have been striving to eat a "fast carb" (bread, pasta, etc) which gives you quick energy, a "slow carb" (leafy greens, berries, grapefruit, etc.) which gives you long lasting energy, and a protein (chicken, fish, cheese, etc.) that keeps you feeling full, with each meal. I've also been watching portion sizes and having a small, approximately 100 calorie, snack about two hours after each meal to keep my metabolism up.

I love this way of eating because it's practical and it is something that you can do forever because you're eating real food. It's not a fad diet and you don't become dependent on any nasty meal replacement shakes or weird pills.

And the best part? I lost 2.5 pounds!!!

I'm itching to get back into my running routine and I'm sure that fueling my body properly is going to be make a big difference. And, if all goes well at my appointment tomorrow, my running log will have a lot more to do with actual running next weekend.

A Blatantly Narcissistic Post About My Hair

2010-04-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have a confession: I have not had a hair cut in over year. And man, do I need one... bad. I used to have bangs! I used to have layers! But, now my hair is an unruly, split-end infested blob that, more often than not, gets thrown into a pony-tail and forgotten about.

Why have I let this go for so long? I think it's a combo platter of being my cheap, coupled with the fact that I haven't found a hairdresser in PA yet (well, to be fair, I haven't actually looked for a hairdresser in PA...).

I've decided that it's time. It may not be this week.... but, soon. Very soon. My hair is starting to develop a mind of its own (blonde hair - genetically engineered to be smart!).

Here's the problem. I am on the fence about what to do with it (hence an entire, ridiculous blog post devoted to my hair). Last year when I got it cut, I really got it chopped. Chin-length, bangs, stacked in the back, layers, the whole nine yards. It was fun and sassy. And, I loved it.

(I think this have become my "token short hair photo")

So, why I don't I just get the same cut?

Here's the caveat. Before I was married, my hair was quite long. At least past my shoulder blades. It had face-framing layers. It was a classic, and I could do a lot with it. And, I loved it.

(yikes! Almost forgot about Dan's long hair days)

You can see my dilemma? =P

So, what do I do? The only decision I've made so far is that bangs are out because my hair just grows too dang fast, and I hate keeping up with them. Other that, I'm stuck!

Should I go short, long, in-between (mullet?), or just say screw it all., and get a pink mohawk? Help!

I Hate Running: Log 2 & 3 - Ups and Downs

2010-04-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

I feel like a lot has happened (good and bad) since my first running log, which is crazy considering I'm only on Week 3.

The beginning of last week was fantastic! I was right on track with my Week 2 workout (run 1.5 min/walk 2 min) and even pushing myself to do 2 minutes of running on every other cycle.

I was really focusing on regulating my breathing (in through the nose, out through the mouth) and I have been amazed at the fact that I have not been losing my breath nearly as easily as I did the first week. Initially, I thought that was going to be my biggest hurdle, but I think the gradual increase in running (vs. just trying to run straight off the bat) has been much better for my body.

All in all, I was feeling really quite optimistic and excited last week...

Until Friday, that is. Grrr. That's when the pain in my left knee set in.

It was not just the typical, beautiful soreness that I've been experiencing post-run. It was sharp every time I stepped. I ignored it (which was dumb) when I first noticed it about half way through my run because I didn't want to feel like a failure. But, by my final cycle, I couldn't ignore it anymore and walked the last 7 minutes or so.

From what I've learned about running thus far, pain is not to be ignored, or pushed through. It means that something could be wrong and pushing it will only make it worse. I believe the culprit of the pain is my unsupportive old sneakers. Number one on my priority list at the moment is to acquire a good pair running shoes. Dan (who is a former cross country runner) also gave me a few pointers on my form, which may have also contributed to my pain.

As a result of the pain, I have been taking it quite lightly during Week 3, since even walking normally makes it hurt. I feel pretty bummed that I'm already out on the sidelines with an injury, but I want to make sure that I take care of it properly before continuing my training. Thankfully, I already have a physical scheduled for next Tuesday, so I can chat with my doctor about what to do with my knee.

This week, even though I wasn't running, I wanted to be sure that I was still doing something so that I don't get out of the habit of coming home, changing into my running clothes, and heading out. So, I filled my 30 minutes with extra stretching and light walks.

On Wednesday, I decided to walk to our local library, which ended up being closer than I thought and smack dab in the middle of a beautiful park with a perfect running/walking loop (you better believe I'll be taking full advantage of it). While I was there, I signed up for a card and checked out a book about preventing and treating running injuries and another book about stretching.

And now you can really see how much of a dork I am, because I was so enthused about finally finding the library and my selection of books, that I promptly called my mom to tell her about it and was practically skipping home while we chatted. I'm sure I had a big 'ole cheesy grin on my face, too.

All in all, even though my running routine has been interrupted, I feel like it's still been a productive couple of weeks. And, oddly enough, the fact that I'm sincerely disappointed about not being able to run is encouraging. If this would have happened to me any of the other times I tried running, I would have used it as an easy excuse to give up. But, not this time! As soon as I'm heeled, getting back out to run is going to feel so good.

Sweet Ride!

2010-04-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

I'm free!!!

I officially have my own car again, and boy, does it feel good.

No longer do I have to bug the hubby to drive me to the thrift shop or the craft store. No longer do I have to hold off on making plans because of not being able to get there, or have to bug everyone I know for a ride. I can just.... go!

We picked up Polly (a 2005 Hyundai Accent) on Tuesday after spending weeks checking out the inventory of every used car place in a 20 mile radius, scouring eBay and Craig's List, and reading dozens of reviews. This little cutie was the perfect fit for us, and I'm looking forward to adding many miles to her odometer.

Wordless Wednesday: R & K

2010-04-14T16:54:00.001-07:00

2010-04-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post to say that I'll be AWOL for a few days because my lovely sis-in-law Rose is getting married on Sunday! Yay!

The wedding weekend festivities will kick off tonight (well, technically, they started last night with a pre-wedding, pre-rehearsal dinner, dinner at The Suburban Gal's) and Dan and I will be in NJ with the family until Monday.

I will try to get my I Hate Running log up on Saturday (no promises, though) and then I'll be back to start afresh on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: Inspiration

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

*Thanks to my equally Dinsey-obsessed SIL The Suburban Gal for bringing this awesomeness to my attention.

Easter Weekend Festivities

2010-04-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

Baking:

Egg Dying:

And Easter Egg Hunting (starring the ever-adorable Ellie!):

Saturday - at Duffield's Farm (no photos with the Bunny, though - she was less than impressed with him):

And Sunday at Mimi and The Captain's house:

Hope you all had a lovely Easter!

I Hate Running: Log 1 - Just Do It!

2010-04-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have been such a bloggy slacker the past few days. I started this post on Friday and somehow, haven't gotten around to finishing it until now. I blame it on the long weekend - and my awesome family for being so lovely and making me want to do nothing but spend time with them <3

Any how, as noted in last Tuesday's post, I started running and decided to keep a weekly log. It will be mainly to keep myself accountable, but I think it will also be great to look back in a couple months and see how far I've come. This week, I'm a tad late, but in the future, I'll be aiming to get this post up by Saturday (one of my "off" days). This initial post will also be a bit more lengthy than future posts, so you're off the hook if you don't feel like reading the whole thing ;)

Goals

I'm a notoriously bad goal setter, but I've realized I'm better at sticking to them when I don't look too far afield. For example, my ultimate and (very) long term goal for running is to run a marathon.

However, if this were my only goal, I probably would have given up already. So, I've broken it to little goal-ettes to help get me there:

1. Follow a hybrid of the 8 and 24 week plans from the book Beginning Running and be able to run for 30 minutes straight in about 16 weeks.

2. Run a 5K

3. Participate in the Broad Street Run (10 miles; either in 2011 or 2012)

4. Train for, and run, a half marathon

5. Train for, and run, a full marathon

I haven't established a time frame for goals 2, 4 and 5 yet, but once I figure that out, I'll post something.

I should also note, I did not start running just because I would like to run a marathon. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that my ultimate goal is get active and be healthy. I'm a huge exercise-phobe, but I also spend a ton of time complaining about how out of shape I am. So, I decided it was finally time to do something about it. I also owe a huge thanks to my good friend Amy because she made me realize that running is not as evil as I thought.

On the contrary, I've really been enjoying it thus far. I think a big part of that is because I now understand that I cannot go from 0 to 60 in a hot second. When I've tried running in the past, I would just run out of my front door, barely make it around the block, and declare myself a failure. But, our bodies were not designed to go from sedentary to marathon ready (or even mile-run-ready) over-night. Breaking it down into gradual steps makes running for any length of seem much more realistic.

Which brings me too:

Workout for Week 1

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Warm up - Brisk walk for two minutes. Workout - Run for one minute, walk for two minutes - repeat 10 times (or 30 minutes total). Cool down - walk for 2 -5 minutes. Stretch before and after.

Tuesday and Thursday: Light walk or hike for at least 30 minutes.

I have to admit Tuesday I did nothing physical. Although, I did chat about running for a long while with Amy (that's got to count for something, right?). But, other than that, I kicked week one's butt!

Biggest /Win for the Week

I could say that my biggest accomplishment this week was conquering the hills that plaque the neighborhood around my apartment complex. Or, I could say that it was bringing my running clothes to work last Wednesday and going out to run before the meeting that I had to stay late for. I could even say that my biggest accomplishment was when I fell in the mud an scarped my knee, but got up and kept going because I was only half-way done.

But, none of that would have happened if I didn't make the ultimate decision to get off my big 'ole butt and run in the first place.

Therefore, my biggest /win this week is actually getting up and running. There are so many reasons to not run, but I've finally exhausted all my excuses and made the decision to find the reasons to run. And for that, I feel pretty darn proud of myself.

Post-It Note Tuesday: I'm In It For the Endorphins

2010-03-29T16:54:00.001-07:00

Happy Post-It Note Tuesday!

Ridiculous Me

2010-03-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure that I've forgotten how to look "normal" in a photo.

I came to this conclusion as I was scouring Facebook for a photo to use as a head shot, which will be included in a directory at a work conference that I'm going to July. (Btw, I'm actually pretty excited about this conference. It's going to be in Portland, OR and flippin' love Portland.)

As I was going through my photos, I could not for the life of me, find a single one that said "young professional". On the contrary, it seemed like they all said "this girl might is crazy".

When I see a camera, my introverted-ness must fly out the window, because things like this happen:

After much consideration, I ended up sending this photo:

It's pretty obviously a vanity shot that says "I'm standing alone in my bathroom taking pictures of myself". But, it's certainly much better than my sampling of "I'm puckering my lips and flashing the peace sign because I'm a white girl who thinks she's ghetto-fab" photos.

Did I made the right choice?

Crafty Gals

2010-03-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Last month on Twitter, one of the folks that I follow Tweeted that they were on their way to Craft Night with their girls. I instantly thought: why am I not going to Craft Night with my girls? And why I have not thought of this before? What a fun idea!

Despite the fact that I'm a horrible planner, I decided that a Craft Night needed to happen in my life. I emailed my crafty friends, picked out a time that fit into all our nutzo schedules, and last night, our first one happened!

Five of us crammed around my tiny little dining room table to crochet, paint, dye eggs, and the like.

We caught up, drank Mojitos (made with the leaves from Minty the Mint Monster), ate some fabulous Pineapple Salsa (get the recipe from Lil Miss Wisecraker), and some yummy homemade bruschetta (made by Amy over at Brain Doodlies).

And, of course, we all laughed our butts off for three hours. Basically, it was a perfect night.

I just love these gals - I'm already looking forward to Craft Night 2.0 next month.

Something New: Top 2 Tuesday

2010-03-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

As much as I love Post-It Note Tuesday with Supah Mommmy, I decided I wanted to try something new this week. Us Scatterbrained Gals like to switch it up every so often, ya know?

Anyway, I stumbled across this great little meme from the Undomestic Momma called Top 2 Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, she presents a category and then you give your own Top 2 "things" in that category.

Catchy title? Cute button? Fun and easy? I'm in!

Today's category is Top 2 Things You Can't Live Without (or, more specifically, Top 2 Things You Would Not Like to Live Without).

And, here are my 2 things:

1. Coffee

Not only do I love coffee almost any way I can drink it - iced with blueberry, vanilla latte, frozen mocha, caramel macchiato, cinnamon dolce latte, coffee frappaccino (you get the idea) - but, I am addicted. Seriously. I have cut back recently, but goodness knows if I don't get my cup 'o joe in the AM, my head will be pounding and I will dragging all day. It's pretty pathetic, I know. But, I still love my coffee.

*btw, I really want this sign for my kitchen*

2. My Camera

I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I just love being behind the camera. I got my first one (a Sony Cyber Shot) when I was 13, and fell in love immediately. I love documenting events, I love snapping photos of scenery and animals, I love that I have tons of photos to look back on, and I love the memories you can create with just a well-timed press of a button. It's a beautiful thing!

What are your Top 2 Things? Click the button above to link up and play along!

For the Record

2010-03-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

My fist completed record clock!

I think it came out quite nice. Although, I still have a few kinks to work out, but I'll learn as I go.

Here are a few more records, still in the works:

What do you think?

Minty

2010-03-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Please meet my mighty mint plant:

I call her Minty. She is one tough herb!

When I bought Minty last year, she was in a tiny little pot and I'd used most of the leaves by the time summer was over. Since I've heard that mint is a pretty hearty plant, I was hopeful that spring would bring new growth.

Then winter happened.

I was worried about our little porch garden during the abundance of snow. I really didn't think that any of our plants stood a chance after being buried in the white fluffy stuff on three different occasions (as a side note, I'm so thrilled to be referring to winter and snow in past tense).

But, Minty has proved me wrong. Just look at that plant! It's ginormous! And it's growing flowers! I didn't realize that mint was even a flowering plant! I'm so pleased.

She's like a cute, little minty monster.

Anyway... now I'm anxious to find some recipes to use my mint leaves in, aside from my go to summer party food: watermelon salad with mint leaves and feta or gorgonzola cheese (yum!). I'd love to hear some suggestions!

And after my luck with Minty (and because of the money she's saved me!) I will also most definitely be expanding my herb garden this year.

Wordless Wednesday: My Favorite Ohioans

2010-03-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Luck 'o the Irish to 'ya :)

(Mostly) Post It Note Tuesday

2010-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

I have bad habit of counting my chickens before they hatch.

I had my Tuesday posties all set to announce that I was thisclose to being a car owner again and how excited I was (including an obnoxious post-it note filled with nothing by exclamation points).

Unfortunately, I let my excitement get ahead of me. We found out that the guy who was going to sell us the car would no longer be able to. I'm not upset with him because a family member needed it and I agree that family should always come first.

But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed out.

However, I've also decided that I'm going to be a Positive Polly. This could mean that something better might turn up, right? The car search resumes tonight!

In other, very happy, news:

Join the post-it fun! Click on Supah Mommy's post-it note to get all the details.

Home Sweet Home

2010-03-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'm back home to Eagleville and (mostly) unpacked and settled in after a lovely week with my sister and nieces and busy weekend in NJ. I am plum tired and ready to crash before starting back to work.

Updates and photos to come tomorrow and I'll be catching up on my reading, too!

Until then, good night all :)

~Brittany

EDIT (3/15): So, updating may not happen until tomorrow (Tuesday). Dan and I decided to have a date night and went out to see Alice in Wonderland after dinner. Also, I'm pooped from missing an hour of sleep last night (thanks, day light savings time). I'm gunning for an early bed time tonight :)

Shopping and a Show

2010-03-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

There must be something in the water at the Eagleville Genaurdi's.

I went shopping there the other night and, really, I should have known that I was in for it as I thought "why did I decide to come to the crappy Genaurdi's tonight?"*

Generally, I'm the type of person who likes to be left alone while shopping. I like to peruse the aisles, take my time, compare prices, read labels... really, I'm in my own little world. And, I do not like when people come into my grocery shopping world unless I invite them.

However, for some reason, nearly every time I go this particular Genaurdi's, something weird happens and somebody invades my grocery shopping bubble.

There was the time a lady assumed I worked there and started asking me all these questions about wax paper v. parchment paper and where to find them (note: I was bundled up in my winter gear and pushing a half-filled cart at the time).

Another time, some kid, who couldn't have been more than 12, was following me around with his "posse" and singing Hannah Montana songs. He would promptly "hide" every time I turned around.

Oh, but Friday night may have trumped them all. This time, the employees were getting into the action. However, I will admit, that I was definitely amused this time around. Albeit, a little frightened.

It all started in the produce section. As I was wandering around trying to decide what types of fruit I wanted for a fruit salad, one of the employees asked me how I was doing. "I'm fine," I replied, assuming this would be the end of our exchange.

Instead of going back to stocking the pears, he then asked me if I liked apples.

"Um, yes, I like apples..."

"No," he said. "I need you say: Michael, I LOVE apples!!"

I shrugged and decided to play along: "I LOVE apples!"

While I was still recovering from the shock of yelling this in the middle of the produce section (introverts don't generally like to draw attention to themselves), Michael the Produce Guy started to point out to me all the specials they were having on apples, including the lovely fuji's, which were reduced from $2.99 to $.99 a pound and which I already had my cart.

Michael congratulated me on what a good shopper I was and we both went about our business.

Weird.... yet, not the end of it.

Not long after, as I was comparing the prices on chicken, another gentleman asked me how I was doing. "Good," I replied. This time, I really thought this would be end of our exchange. Surely, I will not have another strange encounter of the Genaurdi's variety, right?

Wrong again.

"Trying to decide what you're going to have for dinner?" he asked.

I replied, "Yeah, kind of."

At that he gave me a wink, and told me he would let me know what I was in the mood for. He asked me to hold out my hand and gingerly held it between his thumb and pointer finger.

He closed his eyes, and after a moment of consideration, opened them and exclaimed: "You want salmon!"

I considered the suggestion and then followed Mr. Dinner Psychic over the the fish section where I soon found myself with a pound of salmon wrapped in brown paper and a delicious recipe scribbled on the back of my grocery list.

Yes, I was duped. And I can't help but think that with two such encounters I must have had a sign flashing over my head that read "Easy Target".

However, I am not ashamed.

Thanks to the two gentlemen at Genaurdi's, I had a grin on my face and a bounce in my step for the remainder of my shopping trip. I decided that the entertainment I received while shopping was well worth the price of the salmon (which was actually not too pricey; and, after I dressed it in a lovely herb butter, it turned it out deliciously!).

Plus, even with the salmon (which is definitely a splurge for Daniel and I), I still kept to my budget (yay me!).

So, for the price of an average Genaurdi's shopping trip, I also received dinner and a show. All in all, not a bad deal.

*Note: Ok, so this Genaurdi's really isn't "crappy"... but, we have two Genaurdi's almost equidistance from the apartment. The other one in Audubon is larger and generally has more variety. Plus. it has a much better cafe area - complete with pizza shop and $5 pizzas!!

Peace Out, Debbie Downer

2010-03-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling rather out of sorts this week. It's been a stressful one, for sure. Good 'ole Aunt Dot stopped by for her monthly visit. Hubby and I have been getting on each others nerves. Work has been... well, worky. I've had issues getting my taxes filed (never, ever, again will I do them myself... ever), and as such my hope of finally acquiring a car has been pushed back once again as a result.

So, after spending much of the week pouting and being in a horrid mood, I've decided to stop being a Debbie Downer. Life happens, ya know? Time to move on. Besides, The next few days are guaranteed to be fab.

For starters, tomorrow is Friday, and I love me some Fridays!

Saturday I'll be hosting a Pride & Prejudice and Chinese food party at the apartment with some good friends from college.

It will be pretty low key, as far as food is concerned since the Chinese take out is a must. My friend Amy will be bringing goodies from Panera Bread. I'll be providing some homemade biscuits and lemon curd, and since I have a dip set that I've been dying to use, there will be some kind of dip and an instrument for dipping. Haven't quite decided on that yet.

And tea. There will be lots of tea. You can't watch P&P without tea!

Next week, I will be working for just 2 days, and then it's off to the Buckeye State until Saturday to hang out with these adorable little gals (aka my nieces):

Aren't they cute??

And this slightly older, yet still adorable gal ;) (aka my sister):

I am super excited to see them :)

Another thing to be super excited about? {Not Quite} Susie has awarded me with the Kreativ Blogger award! Thanks a bunch, {Not Quite} Susie!

I'm going to do things a lil differently and pass this award on to a few blogs that I've really been enjoying lately and tell you why I love them:

First of all? Kara @ Lil Miss Wisecracker! Not only is she a good friend, but she just re-did her entire blog and it is simply gorgeous. She is a great writer with a hilarious point of view and an absolutely fabulous photographer.

Next - Apple Wrangler @ Miss Wrangler and the Koala because I adore her fun, vintage-y style and her love of the thrift store. Plus, her son is just completely precious!

And thirdly - Cassandra @ Cassagram. I loved her blog as soon as I saw that she described herself as a "fairy godmother" and a "hippie". Her blog is super fun, and she has a great sense of humor.

So there you go. Go check them out when you have a chance. They're all swell :)

Have a good night, and happy *almost* Friday!!

Post It Note Tuesday: Signs of Spring

2010-03-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Click on Supah Mommy's Icon to join in on Post-It Note Tuesday!

Oh, Beans!

2010-02-28T17:12:00.001-08:00

Holy cow - we had more snow last week. But, it's kind of starting to feel like old hat, you know? Admittedly, I could get use to all these snow days ;)

Anyway, this time around, I decided to make some warm, yummy comfort food while I weathered our latest storm. The Pioneer Woman and her absolutely fabulous cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, provided the perfect recipe: beans and cornbread.

As much as I love beans, I've only ever eaten them from the can. But, after cooking them from raw, I may never go back. It's certainly more economical (I halved her recipe, which called for 4 cups of beans, and still have plenty to freeze), and it's super simple. In a nutshell, you boil the water and beans, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and forget about them for 3 hours. Season to taste, and done. Fabulous!

Wait, let me back up. Did I forget to mention that the recipe calls for bacon? Yes ma'am! One of my favorite things about The Pioneer Woman Cooks, is her unashamed love of bacon. All you need to do is cut up the raw bacon and add it to the beans before boiling. Of course, I had to fry up the rest. You know, just to make sure it would taste ok.

And here is my glorious pot full of beans. Just scoop those suckers into a bowl, add some shredded cheese and sour cream, serve with cornbread, and you have the perfect, simple, comfort meal. Yum!

Do You No 'Poo?

2010-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I do!

Don't worry, the reference to "no 'poo" has absolutely nothing to do with bowel movements (if that were the case, I would probably need to see a doctor, stat!).

No 'poo, or the 'poo free method, refers to no shampoo. As in, not using shampoo to wash your hair.

I have been 'poo free for almost two years now after learning about the method from my sister-in-law Leah at The Suburban Gal and I decided to do a no 'poo post after being inspired by a hair themed post written my good friend Kara at Lil Miss Wisecracker.

In a nutshell, the 'poo free method involves washing your hair with baking soda and rinsing with either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice depending on your hair color (no 'poo is also known as the BS/ACV or BS/LJ method). As a blonde, I use lemon juice since the apple cider vinegar has the potential to turn blonde hair brassy. But, generally, most no 'poo folks use ACV (don't worry, the vinegar smell fades quickly as your hair dries and you'll get used to it in the shower pretty quickly).

The Basics of The 'Poo Free Method:

What you need: Baking Soda, ACV or LJ, and a cup

What to do:

Make a paste in your hand with approx. 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda and a few drops of water.

Scrub the paste into your hair, just near the scalp - you do not need to scrub the ends of your hair with the paste - that's what the ACV or LJ is for.

Focus on areas that tend to be greasiest for you (i.e. bangs, around your temples, etc.).

Rinse well with water.

Make a rinse in a large cup with approx. 1 part ACV or LJ and 9 parts water.

If your hair is long enough, gather it together and soak the ends in the rinse for 30 seconds or so, then pour the rinse over your hair.

Rinse well with water.

It's that simple!

From here, you can decide whether or not to use conditioner. I personally use it only once in a blue moon because my hair is still soft and manageable without it. So, why bother with the extra step?

Why No 'Poo?

Foregoing shampoo leads to happier, healthier hair.

Why? Because shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils. This is why folks who wash their hair everyday still complain of having greasy locks - their scalp is essentially working overtime to produce all the oils that have been scrubbed away.

Generally, just a quick rinse with water will remove any dirt that has built up in your hair. Using BS will go the extra mile to remove any build up from hair products. It also has natural deodorizing properties and you will not do damage to your hair or scalp unless you use a lot of it.

Going no 'poo means that you will not need to wash your hair as often.

Some folks are able to do one wash a week. Some will wash every other day, with a quick rinse on the "off" days.

There really are not hard and fast rules - depending on your hair type, you may need to experiment with the amounts of BS or ACV / LJ that you use, or experiment with washing more or less often. Just follow the basic elements of the method and find what works best for you.

I generally wash every two to three days, sometimes with a rinse in-between, and sometimes not.

The 'poo free method is also economical.

It'll only cost about $7 to buy a decently sized box of baking soda and large bottle or ACV or LJ and they will last you for months. It costs about the same amount to buy a good shampoo that will only last about a month, at best.

Some Practical 'Poo Free Advice:

I'll be honest, as you are transitioning to no 'poo, your hair will probably be pretty gross for the first two weeks or so as your scalp adjusts. Be tough! Don't fall into the temptation to wash your hair everyday during these two weeks. Just remember, after a few days, your hair will adjust and look fabulous. Just make hats and pony tails your friend for a little while.

If your hair gets a bit on the greasy side between washings, you can use a bit of cornstarch to absorb some of the oils. Use a cheap make-up brush to apply the cornstarch to your hair and then comb it through. Make sure do this before you get dressed for the day, especially if you're wearing black! (yes, I've made this mistake before).

When going to get your hair cut, I've found that it works best to wash it right before heading to the salon so that it will be nice and clean and they won't insist on washing it with shampoo before you get snipped. However, if you love getting your hair washed (as I do), you can simply just have them use conditioner. This way, you will not have start over with the transition phase, and you still get a nice scalp massage. It's also fun to see the stylists' reactions when you tell them that you are 'poo free. They are usually pleasantly surprised.

Invest in a shower cap. Yes, you will look totally dorky when you wear (let me tell you about how much Dan loves my shower cap...), but it will make for easier showers on your "off" days.

Wrap Up

So that's what the 'poo free method is all about. Yes, it's a lot of information. I wanted to try and hit all the questions I had when I was first starting the 'poo free method. But, trust me on this one, once you get started, it really is very simple.

If you have any more questions, this website is a great resource. It offers a lot of troubleshooting advice (i.e. what to do it your hair is too greasy, too dry, too brittle, etc.) and will answer any questions you may have about the ingredients in 'poo free and why they work for your hair.

So, what do you think? Do you use the BS/ACV or the BS/LJ method? If not, do you think you will you give it a try? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to ask some questions, too - I'll answer them in the comments.

Wordless Wednesday: Making Music

2010-02-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

Spreading the Bloggy Love

2010-02-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

I feel incredibly honored! Today, I found out that not one, two lovely ladies nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger award.

The first nomination comes from Rene at ReneW Your Space, a wonderful blog written by a Professional Organizer. Yes - you read that right! In case the title of my blog didn't give it away, I am probably one of the most unorganized people you'll ever meet. So, I find Rene's blog truly inspiring!!

The second nomination came from Lisa at A Double Shot of Espresso. She is a wife and mom and her blog is light-hearted and fun with a great sense of humor.

Thank you both for the nomination and, of course, congratulations to both of you, too! :)

Since I already bored with you my seven "interesting" things, I'll forego that tonight. However I'm all about spreading the love. So, here are seven more ladies who are also beautiful bloggers:

Shana @ Blaze n' Crochet

Housewife Bliss

JMJE @ Making Stuff is Fun

Lori @ The Peterson Family

Attalife

Kara @ His, Hers & Ours

Monica @ Monica's C.R.A.P.

The rules of the award are simple: 1.) Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog, 2.) Copy the award and paste it onto your blog, 3.) Let us know 7 interesting things about you, 4.) Nominate 7 other beautiful bloggers.

Post It Note Tuesday: Music Montage

2010-02-23T12:42:00.000-08:00

To join in, click on Supah's post-it note, above.

Fabulous, Friend-Filled Weekend

2010-02-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

On Friday, my good friend Amanda at A Mess of a Dreamer With The Nerve to Adore You kicked off her 24th year with a Harry Potter themed birthday party. She went all out and and stuck with her theme to a T. She crocheted fuzzy little Pygmy Puffs, made some custom labeled Butter Beer from the Three Broomsticks, and (my favorite part!) dressed her front door like a brick wall in Diagon Alley (guests had to tap the bricks with a wand in order to be permitted entrance). The guest of honor was also dressed to match the theme in a Gryffindor sweater and tie (she's basically a dead ringer for Ginny Weasley).

The party was a ton of fun! It's been a long time since I've spent time with my friends all together. I also forgot how fun themed birthday parties are. I couldn't tell you the last time I've been one that wasn't for a wee relative. Thanks, Amanda, for hosting such a great regression party and helping us forget about being adults for a few hours. Happy Birthday!! :)

Our good friends Greg and Erika, who live in Maine, came down for the party and spent a long weekend visiting friends in the area. They stayed with us Friday and Saturday night and we had a wonderful time catching up (we haven't seen them since August!). On Saturday, Greg cooked us an amazing dinner of turkey kielbasa sautéed in brown sugar (I'm really anxious to duplicate his recipe - so yummy!!!), whole grain garlic pasta with red and yellow peppers, and various other steamed veggies. Following dinner, we played games until nearly 2:00 a.m. including a couple very intense rounds of Scene It - movie edition and Disney/Pixar edition.

Saturday afternoon I also had the pleasure of seeing my bestest buddy and favorite dancer, Genevieve, perform with her company in Philly at the Painted Bride. The show, Zata, was a production by Indigenous Pitch, a dance collective that not only supports a diverse range of local dance companies, but also uses dance as a form therapy for children affected by natural and socio-economic disasters. I'm a big fan of the work that they do and it was great to support them and see a fabulous show at the same time.

Greg and Erika left Sunday morning, and after church., Dan and I spent most of the day vegging out, watching movies, and cuddling on the couch. Basically, the perfect thing to do on a Sunday afternoon. All in all, I pretty much loved everything about this weekend.

I Love Hansen's Soda

2010-02-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

I would like to officially proclaim my love for Hansen's Natural Cane Soda. It is one of life's little blessings.

Although I have sampled it before (and loved it), I had not yet seen it in any of my local groceries... until this week! You can imagine my delight when I found it in Genaurdi's just nonchalantly tucked in among the Pepsi's. I let out a squeal of joy. And then squealed again when I saw that they were on sale. I mean really, how could I not buy some?

What makes this soda so fab? Not only is free of preservatives, sodium, caffeine, and flippin' high fructose corn syrup (as the name suggests, it's sweetened with natural cane sugar), it also comes in several unique (and delicious!!) flavors. This time around, I purchased Cherry Vanilla Creme and Kiwi Strawberry and they are both amazing. There really is a noticeable, more clean, flavor versus regular soda.

Oddly, I have also noticed that Hansen's makes me burp a heck of a lot more. They are also louder and longer. Don't know what that means really, but it's fun to torment the husband with my loud, drawn out burps - especially when I'm dressed in a skirt and wearing pearls. I am all kinds of classy, I know ;)

And yes, I know I'm supposed to be eating healthy and not drinking much soda, but I promise I've been good! It's all in moderation.

Anywho - the moral of the story is that I love Hansen's Soda.... And, you should, too! :D

Wordless Wednesday: The Other Love of My Life

2010-02-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

This is what temptation looks like.

Valentine's Day Blog Exchange

2010-02-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting Steph from A Grande Life for the Valentine's Day Blog Exchange hosted by Holly from Domestic Dork (thanks for hosting, Holly! It was a lot of fun).

We were both excited when we were matched up and realized that we lived so close to one another (about 15 mins). So, we decided it made a lot more sense to get together to exchange our goodies than to spend the money to ship them. Plus, it was a great excuse to grab dinner together at Panera Bread ;)

Unfortunately, we didn't quite get together in time for Valentine's Day (missed it by one day!), but after getting pummeled by two huge, record-breaking snow storms back-to-back, we had to do some rescheduling (and the snow almost thwarted us again last night!).

However, it was well worth the wait. We had a great time chatting, networking, getting to know each other, and, of course, exchanging our v-day goodies!

Steph got me a beautiful wrist strap for my camera. She read how I've been longing for an SLR and got the strap for me as inspiration (how thoughtful!). It's also perfect for my current camera and I love the fabric she picked:

I was also very excited to see how much she enjoyed my gift: a record bowl filled with conversation hearts, a "Love" banner made with felt, rick-rack, and felt buttons, and a little Valentine's Monster for her son, E (check out her v-day exchange post - there's an adorable picture of him cuddling it that made me super happy).

The Valentine's Day Blog Exchange was great fun. Thanks again for camera strap, Steph. I love it! And, of course, big thanks to Holly for organizing.

Paper Fan Wall Art

2010-02-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

I've alluded to my thrifty wall art a couple of times in previous posts, and finally, it's time for the "grand unveiling".

*Ta-da!*

The idea came from the lovely blog, Blue Cricket Designs. As soon as I saw her paper fan post, I knew it needed to happen in my apartment. It's such a quick and easy way to add interest and a pop of color to a bare wall.

I'll skip the step-by-step instructions, since they are already detailed over at Blue Cricket, but here are a few shots of the process:

In addition to her instructions, however, I will add I had to use a lot of sticky tack to get them to stay put! In the interest of conserving my sticky tack, I started with just a couple little dabs, but after the majority of the fans fell off, I realized that I really had to gob it on there (it works best placed in the center of the fan).

This is definitely project that you can accomplish in an hour or so. But, what I love most about it is how darn cheap it was!! I happened to have all the supplies on hand (scrapbook paper, glue gun, and sticky tack), so it cost me $0.00 (my favorite price!). Even if you need to pick up sticky tack and scrapbook paper, the project would still be well under $10 - doesn't get much better than that!

<3 Brittany

A Love Story

2010-02-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day (because I'm a sucker for all things sappy, romantic, pink, heart-shaped, and/or chocolate-covered), I decided to write mine and Daniel's (slightly fictionalized) love story. Enjoy!

The Courting of Daniel & Brittany

Once upon time, in the far away land of New Jersey, was born a young lass named Brittany Beth. In a town not so far away from Brittany, lived a certain young lad, named Daniel Joseph. Although the two star-crossed lovers lived but a stones throw from one another, they were not destined to meet until much later in their lives.

Many years later, on a rainy day in late August, Brittany moved to a magical land called Eastern University. Unbeknownst to her, the young lad, Daniel, had also moved to this magical land on the very same day!

The pair first crossed paths in their Tae Kwon Do class, but spoke nary a word to each other. You see, each one looked upon the other with contempt, both believing that the other was insufferable. A relationship for this pair did seem likely.

But, alas! There was a light at the end of the tunnel.

As it turned out, Brittany and Daniel shared a mutual friend and the three discovered a new-found love of swing dancing. Ever so slowly, our star-crossed lovers began to commune with one another. And, what's this? Realized they had a lot in common. They both acknowledged that their first impressions were quite wrong, indeed!

Soon, the pair were spending much time together, touring the mystical bowling alleys of South Jersey, enjoying fine cuisine at such hot spots as Wawa and The Phily Diner, and, of course, dancing the night away whenever possible.

It quickly became clear that Brittany and Daniel were falling love. Their courtship officially began upon Brittany's receiving of note from Daniel, which stated that "he really like her" and "wanted to know if she felt the same".

Brittany's heart was a-flutter! And, although Daniel would insist years later that the line "do you like me? Yes or No - check one", which was also scrawled on the note, was meant to be a joke, he did not refute his lady when she announced to a group of their friends several days later that they were dating (he was glad to be past the pesky business of asking her out and relieved that he didn't actually have to do it).

Their courtship continued for several years and the two would speak of marriage and dream of their lives together. Brittany did not know that Daniel already possessed a lovely ring of diamond and pink sapphire and his mind was a-buzz with ideas of how to propose.

His plans came to fruition on a chilly Thursday evening - Valentine's Day in the year of our Lord, two thousand and eight.

The young lad and young lad lass went to go swing dance with many of their friends, as they did each Thursday. Early in the evening, Daniel presented Brittany with flowers, thus filling her with joy. "How good of him to remember Valentine's Day!" she thought. But, little did she know, the best was yet to come.

As the evening drew on, and the music swelled, the star-crossed lovers found themselves dancing with one another. Brittany could not help but notice the moisture on Daniel's palms, but thought nothing of it.

Suddenly, she was spun into a dip as Daniel's accomplice slyly slid the lovely ring into his waiting palm. As Brittany was stood back up and spun back around, she was shocked to see that her partner was not standing.

What's this? He was bowed before her on a single knee.

Before she could make sense of the scene set before her, the music stopped and air was electric with anticipation. She could feel all eyes upon them. And then she heard her love speak:

"Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Still surprised and completely in awe of the event, Brittany's eyes welled with tears as she whispered an emphatic "Yes!"

Daniel slid the lovely ring of diamond and pink sapphire onto her awaiting finger and the two embraced. Both were filled indescribable excitement and joy and couldn't help but laugh.

The room exploded with shouts of congratulations as the music swelled once more and their friends engulfed them. It was indeed a magical night for our young lad and lass.

A few short months later, after much planning, the two married in the most beautiful of ceremonies, filled with music and dancing and those who were dearest to their hearts. Never was there a happier bride or groom.

And They Lived Happily Ever After.

don't worry - it's the ring finger! ;)

<3 Brittany

Snowpocalypse: The Sequel

2010-02-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

I went out in the snow just long enough Tuesday night and Wednesday to snap a few photos around the apartment complex (I really am a huge cold weather wimp!).

A couple night time photos while braving the elements to take out the recycling:

The view from our balcony, early Wednesday morning:

My poor "garden":

It may be cold and inconvenient, but it's just so lovely:

Did you hear that there's more snow being predicted for Monday? Unbelievable. Thankfully, it won't be nearly as much.

I also just found out that Eastern will be closed again tomorrow for the third day in a row!! (why wasn't I lucky enough to be a student when this storm hit?)

I've never been more anxious for spring!

<3 Brittany

I've Got Cabin Fever!

2010-02-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

That pretty much sums it up. Thanks, Muppets! :)

<3 Brittany

Wordless Wednesday: Me & My Valentine

2010-02-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

Post-It Note Tuesday: The Snow is Back

2010-02-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

Almost forgot it was Tuesday!! Better late than never. Visit Supah Mommy for join in on the fun!

Hope all you folks in the Northeast have fun in the snow... and for those of you who may be enjoying warmer weather, just know that I am super jealous.

<3 Brittany

My Very First Blog Award!

2010-02-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, I was excited to see that Steph at A Grande Life received two awards yesterday (big congrats to her!) and I was even more excited, and surprised (and delighted!!) to see that she had nominated me for The Beautiful Blogger Award:

Thank you bunches, Steph! I feel so honored! *^-^*

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for the award

2. Copy the award and place it on my blog

3. Link to the person who nominated me for this award

4. Share 7 interesting things about myself

5. Nominate 7 other bloggers

Here are Seven Interesting Things About Me:

1. I have been "poo free" for almost 2 years... sham"poo", that is! Thanks to the advice from my sister-in-law, Leah, The Suburban Gal (who's been poo-free for nearly 5 years), I started washing my hair with baking soda and lemon juice and it's never felt better.

2. I have a lazy eye and I see double. This is why I had to get glasses at age 2. I wear contacts now, but when I take them out, my right eye drifts in towards my nose making me look semi-cross-eyed.

Yes - I am one of those people that can look directly at you and over your left shoulder at the same time.

3. I am a huge klutz. Case in point, I fell flat on my back in a stairwell at work today (and have the bruises to prove it - ouch!). I've also to broken my wrist three times, flown off the back of a treadmill (after burning my knees on the rotating rubber walking belt), and run full speed into a parked car causing me to wipe out in the middle of the street.

Thankfully, my parents had great medical insurance while I was growing up.

4. I'm love bargain hunting. To me, shopping is all about the thrill of the hunt and I can never pass up a good deal. My favorite haunts are Impact Thrift, Dollar Tree, and the clearance sections at Target and Old Navy.

5. In May 2005, I spent 2 weeks traveling Japan with a group of folks from Lancaster, PA. It was an indescribably amazing trip! The first night we were there, we all went to a public bath house with our host families. We practically hopped off the plane and then got naked and bathed together. Talk about a first impression!! Thank goodness the men's and women's sections were separated.

Some other highlights from the trip included: going to a restaurant that served sushi on a conveyor belt, singing karaoke with one of my host families (they pretty much insisted that I had to sing Britney Spears...), getting lost in Tokyo and stumbling into the Harajuku district, and touring Mt. Fuji on horseback.

6. I had a goldfish that died last year, about a week shy of his 17th birthday. His name was Biff and I won him in Kindergarten by throwing a ping pong ball into a fish bowl. By the time he died, he was huge and was losing scales and looked super creepy. But, it was still sad to see him go after all those years.

7. Dan and I have had an interesting relationship. When we first met, we hated each other. We had a mutual friend and I couldn't understand why she would hang out with someone as annoying and self-centered as Dan. He thought I was completely stuck-up.

Then, something crazy happened: We got to know each other! And we bonded over being from South Jersey and a mutual love of Duffield's Farm Market. Our first "date" was at Wal-Mart followed by a romantic hoagie dinner from Wawa. Dan "accidentally" asked me out through a letter and the first time he said "I love you", was also by accident.

Sometimes I wonder if he actually meant to propose or if he accidentally fell down one knee threw a ring at me... Either way, he's stuck now ;)

Now to spread the love to seven other Beautiful Bloggers:

1. Leah @ The Suburban Gal

2. Amanda @ A Mess of a Dreamer with the Nerve to Adore You

3. Katie & Rob @ The Normally Odd Couple

4. Kara @ The Hidden Artist Within

5. Helen @ Feeding Five For Fifty

6. Tammy @ Tammy's Two Cents

7. Nen @ Living the Small Town Life

<3 Brittany

Snowed In

2010-02-08T13:11:00.000-08:00

Shooey! This winter has been ridiculous! I've never seen this much snow in my life.

Daniel spent nearly 36 hours straight at work on Friday and Saturday "battling" the snow and piled on another 7 hours on Sunday. As for me, I spent a quiet, lazy weekend at home with the cats (a precursor to my impending days as a crazy cat lady, I'm sure).

This was taken shortly after Dan came home from work on Saturday night.. sadly, one of only 4 photos that I actually took of the snow. I'll do a better job on Wednesday with Snowpocalypse: the Sequel!

Unfortunately, I am huge wimp when it comes to the cold and you'll be hard pressed to find me out playing in the snow (although, I do think it is lovely). So, I stayed in, nice and toasty in my zebra-print snuggie, as the flakes fell and the snowpocalypse took hold of the tri-state area and beyond.

Between watching episodes of Flight of the Conchords and Full House, as well various movies (mainly the Disney special features DVD's because that's the kind of dork that I am), I did manage to get some crafting done - despite having a scare when I couldn't find my glue gun! (go figure, it was right where I left it last time I hot glued something. Who'd of thought?).

Here's a sneak peek at my el-cheap-o wall art that I began working on on Friday night. I'll devote a full post this after it's all finished:
I've had this collection on vintage valentine's for a couple of years now and had yet to do anything with them. It just so happened that I found some empty frames laying around as well as some heart-shaped doilies.

So I made these to hang around the apartment for some V-day flair:

The hardest part about this project was trying decide which ones to use! I'm thinking about picking up some cheapie dollar store frames so I can make a few more. I just love vintage Valentine's.

As you can see, my record art completely took over the dining room table (it's actually looked like this since mid-last week... and still looks like this, if not worse - oops!).

I'm planning on turning the painted records into clocks. Hopefully, I'll be picking up some clock parts at Michael's on Friday. Here's one of the finished paintings. I was trying to go for a design that looked kind of folky, yet modern... not sure if I succeeded, but I'm fairly pleased with the resulting abstract flowers:

I completed a second one this weekend as well that came out great! But, since it's a gift for someone who may or may not read my blog, I'll have to wait to post it... just in case!

This record is still in the works until I can perfect how I want to sketch out the Matroyshka dolls:

I also got the apartment cleaned (minus the dining room table, obviously) and did a load of laundry. All in all, even though it felt like I didn't do much of anything, it was a pretty productive snowed-in weekend.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Tuesday-Wednesday storm that's being predicted will lead to a *real* snow day. Really, what's the fun of winter when all the snow happens on days that you're already off?

<3Brittany

Mini Me

2010-02-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

Since my niece Jasalyn was born in May 2007, everyone in my family has commented on how much she looks like me.

In November, she got glasses* (at 2 1/2 years - the same age I was when I first got glasses). Now the resemblance is almost uncanny.

I couldn't resist a side-by-side comparison:

I'm a bit older than Jasalyn in this photo, but the only other photo I could find of a little me involved me not wearing pants. I figured this one was a better choice. Plus, the fact that we are both dressed up and holding wands is kind of perfect.

Here's a snap of the two of us together from just a few weeks ago:

I'd say that there's definitely a family resemblance.

And I just love being compared to such a little sweetie pie :)

<3 Brittany

*Glasses for the little ones have come a long way since I was 2! Check out how stylish hers are!

Wordless Wednesdays: Lazy Bums

2010-02-03T12:09:00.001-08:00

What a life! These felines have it made.

<3 Brittany

Pillows

2010-02-02T15:06:00.000-08:00

My sewing skills are slowly improving! I've been working on covering our icky throw pillows that the cats have been shredding to pieces. Pillows are such a quick, satisfying little project and an easy way to experiment.

Here is the one that I made this weekend, flanked by two that Madre made me a few months ago. I just love yellow and purple together.

I used the left over fabric from the yellow and gray pillows along with some inexpensive, sturdy plum fabric from JoAnn's ($5.99/yd, plus a 50% off coupon - score!).

I made this other wonky looking plum pillow last week. It's the first pillow I've ever sewn, and due to my propensity to start projects without actually thinking them through it turned out less than stellar.

But, it's definitely better than the "before" product - i.e. The shredded, brown fleece pillows. I'm hoping to have them done within the next week. I still have a bit of yellow and gray fabric left, so I'll incorporate it somehow.

I have a few other apartment-improving projects in the works, too (mostly fun and cheap ways to make my un-paintable white walls and icky cream colored carpet look less... bleak). Check back soon to see my super thrifty wall-art.

<3 Brittany

Post-It Note Tuesday: I Won't Let You Get Me Down, Phil!

2010-02-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the week again - time for Post-It Note Tuesday!

Making my Tuesdays exciting, since, well, last week, anyways ;)

Thanks, Supah Mommy! Click the lovely, colorful postie above to play along.

Happy Birthday, Ashley!

2010-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Dan and I went to north Jersey to celebrate our niece Ashley's 5th birthday. Ashley is such remarkable person. This little one was born 3.5 months before her due date and fought for her life in the NICU for her first few months (I'll never forget the utter disbelief I felt upon receiving that phone call...).

Today, she is a typical, rambunctious 5 year old. And in my completely un-biased opinion, one of the sweetest, most adorable little girls in the world ;) We had a blast playing with her (and our equally sweet and adorable niece, Jamie) and celebrating the beginning of her fifth year.

Dance parties are quickly becoming a family tradition whenever we get together with these two.

Giving a piggy-back ride to the Birthday Girl

My sister-in-law, Stacie, bringing out the yummy Strawberry Shortcake cake

Present time!

See? The photos speak for themselves - I wasn't lying when I said they were adorable!

<3 Brittany

Resolution Recap

2010-02-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

Waaaaay back in the beginning of January (am my the only one who feels like January just dragged on this year?) I compiled my 2010 resolutions into a list for all the blogsphere to see. Now that February is here, I've decided to take a look back at said resolutions to see if I have, indeed, been resolved. The plan to is to revisit this list at the beginning of each month so I have some way to keep myself accountable. We'll see how it goes... Onto the resolutions!

1. Keep up With my Blog

I am very pleased to say that this has been a success thus far! For full results, refer to all previous posts :D

2. Begin Doula Training

This is slow going, but I expected it to be for now. I've been doing my reading (so far, I've only gotten through one book from the DONA reading list - The Family Bed - but, was reading another doula related book prior to that one. Today, I will be starting Depression in New Mothers). As soon as I'm mobile again, I'm planning to attend weekly La Leche League meetings in Exton. The meetings should be a great place to learn more about breast feeding and to talk to local birth professionals and new mommas.

3. Compartmentalizing Work-Life and Home-Life

Hm... I kind of fail here. Compartmentalizing is 100% a mental game, so there's no tangible way to judge how I'm doing. Work has been wacky and stressful this month, so it's been hard not to bring the stress home. But, knowing that I'm trying to work on it has caused me to at least steer conversations differently when I find myself talking about work too much. So, it's a start!

4. Eat Healthier

I have been surprising myself with how well this has been going. Of course, I haven't completely eliminated chocolate or anything crazy like that. But, I've cut back a lot and have been really purposeful about the food that I've been putting in my body (also, I watched Food, Inc. this weekend which makes me want to become self-sufficient on my own farm and never go to the grocery ever again... but that's a different topic for a different time). I've also been craving and devouring vegetables like crazy! I've been craving sweets much less since I've stopped eating them so much. I also upped my water intake, and have eliminated carbonated drinks almost completely.

The wonky part has been that I've been sick twice ... twice!! ... with a stomach bug this month, so I did spend several days on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) and then pigged out a bit this weekend because I'd hardly eaten the week prior. But, today, I'm back on track.

5. Stop Comparing Myself to Other People

Eh, not doing so good with this one either. Like compartmentalizing, this is a mental game. It's so very hard to change your mind's bad habits. But, if I find myself comparing, I try to be very purposeful about thinking about something else or doing something to distract myself from this damaging thinking. Again, it's a start!

6. Craft More

Yup! I'm right on track here. I'm very excited about my project for the Valentine's Day Blog Exchange (which I'll post about soon!). I've also finished the prototype for the zipper rosette headbands, made myself a felt knitting needle case, sewed a couple of pillows, and a few other miscellaneous things. Sadly though, I haven't done much knitting or crocheting this month. But, the more I whip out my sewing machine, the more I've been falling in love with sewing. So, there'll probably more sewing projects in the near future. I'll pick up my needles again soon.

7. Purchase an SLR digital camera

No progress here :( Finances have been extra tight this month for this reason and that reason... so, not much wiggle room to begin saving for such an extravagance. Maybe we'll get lucky though and get a stellar tax refund that will pay for a new/used car AND a camera. Hey, a girl can dream ;)

So, that's that. I'd say overall, things are going well. Looking back on my progress is definitely motivating and helps the resolutions to feel new again. Time to charge into February with fresh resolve!

<3 Brittany

Etsy Dreamin'

2010-01-27T14:59:00.000-08:00

I've been seriously considering opening my own Etsy shop for quite some time (it will be named Chirp Shop ^-^). But, I keep stopping myself from actually doing it... mostly because I can't decide what to sell!!

Here's the problem: I'm not sure if things that I make are unique enough (i.e. are they too much like what's already being sold? And, what are the rules about selling similar items?) or if anybody would even be interested (my own fear of failure >.<). I need input!!

Here are a few things I'm considering stocking in Chirp Shop:

Option 1: Tutus with "tiaras" and princess wands (the adorable tutu model is my niece, Jasalyn)

Option 2: Zipper flower headbands (plus, hair ties and possibly pins or bracelets)

Option 3: Record bowls (below) and record clocks (not pictured) - they can be painted and stenciled, or just shellacked

Option 4: Scented bath salts in Mason Jars

My favorites the tutus and the record bowls, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. Any opinions or advice will be greatly appreciate :)

<3 Brittany

Post-It Note Tuesday

2010-01-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

I learned about Post-It Note Tuesday, hosted by Adventures of a WannaBe Supah Mommy, last week from Steph of A Grande Life. I couldn't resist joining in on this fun meme.

Here is my first (slightly snarky) installment of the virtual, yellow posties (it's been "one of those days"):

If you want to join in on the fun, go visit Supah Mommy for all the info.

<3 Brittany

Gratitude

2010-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

Earlier today on Twitter, this tweet from @Peaceful_Daily caught my attention:

"Today is Gratitude Monday on our Facebook Page. Visit our wall and tell us what u r thankful for http://www.facebook.com/peacefuldaily".

I really love this idea, because, I don't know about you, but I spend way too much time being pessimistic and getting down on myself for one thing or another and not nearly enough time being thankful. But, I am incredibly blessed and have SO much to be thankful for. I decided to take time today to focus on all the wonderful in my life.

Here, in no particular order, are some of things that I am grateful for, from the serious to the silly:

1. My wacky, wonderful husband <3

2. My family - the one I was born into, the one I married into, and all the others who have become a part of it along the way

3. My friends, both near and far

4. Our furry felines - Phoebe, Bella, and Edward

5. Coffee - nothing beats that first sip in the morning!

6. My camera (even though I'd like a nicer one, mine still gets the job done)

7. Disney World... and really, all other things that have to do with Disney

8. Having an education

9. Having a job that I enjoy and that keeps a roof over my head and food in my stomach

10. Books and bubble baths (my favorite way to relax)

11. Knitting needles, crochet hooks and soft, lovely yarn

12. My sewing machine (although, I never thought I would take up sewing)

13. Target (duh?)

14. Little ones - babies and children with all their innocence and joy

15. Laughing - from little giggles to gut-busting, uncontrollable laughter that makes you cry

16. Sleep (and having a bed to sleep on and a husband to snuggle with)

17. Chocolate... mmmmm

18. Wine... mmmmm

19. Snow in the winter, flowers in the spring, sunshine in the summer, and pumpkins in the fall

20. Holidays - most especially Halloween and Christmas

21. Bowling (and my pink, sparkly Minnie Mouse bowling ball)

22. Being able to take a warm shower every night

23. Having shoes on my feet and clothes on my back

24. Flickering candle light on dark nights

25. Movies and music (and, let's not forget Netflix and Pandora)

26. Craft stores (my favorite place to wander)

27. Daisies

28. The mountains (and hiking)

29, The beach

30. My computer

31. The Great Garden State (you can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the girl)

32. The Keystone State (I'll even forgive you for your frightful lack of street lights + overabundance of deer)

33. Fruits and veggies (especially broccoli)

34. Prayer and healing

35. Hugs (and kisses, too)

36. My lovely red Kitchen Aid mixer (makes baking a breeze!)

37. Inspiration and experimentation (comes in handy with cooking and crafting)

38. Kitchens for making yummy things

39. 24 hour diners

40. Good conversations

41. Times of quiet

42. Records (to manipulate into fun and functional gifts)

43. Board games (even Monopoly, which I'm terrible at)

44. Tea kettles, tea cups, and tea with cream and honey

45. The sun and the moon and the stars

46. Guitars (and the lovely music my wacky, wonderful husband makes with them)

47. Thrift shops

48. Vacations

49. Flip flops (can't wait to bust them out for another season)

50. Being warm at night when it's could outside with cozy socks on my feet and my husband's arms keeping me safe

The best part? This list is barely the tip of the iceberg (also, if you read it all the way through, I am really impressed :) )! I am one lucky lady.

What are you thankful for today?

<3 Brittany

I am Grumpy.

2010-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

My husband works grounds. This means that with each impending snow or ice storm, he needs to come in to work to help clear paths and parking lots. Needless to say, weather does not always choose to begin at a decent time, and he often needs to come in at random, ungodly hours.

And, the fact that we only have one car means that I also have to come into work at random, ungodly hours.

(this is my highly unattractive grumpy-face)

For instance, today it is currently 4:57 a.m. and I am at work.

I really do hate to complain, however, what makes me grumpy is not so much the fact the we had to come in early... it is the fact that we are here... and the snow/ice is not.

No slick spots in the road and nary a drip from the sky.... When I have to get up early for weather, there better be some stinkin' weather!

The coffee will surely be a-flowin' today.

<3 Brittany

I Has a Header!

2010-01-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

Not sure if I'm 100% in love with it yet (I look kinda goofy in the photo... although, I suppose that kind of fits with the whole "scatterbrained" theme, eh?), but it's prettier than just the plain text. I'll keep it up for a bit and see how I feel about after a couple weeks... I can always change it :)

Any thoughts?

<3 Brittany

Wordless Wednesday: Works in Progress

2010-01-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

Some of them, anyway... *^-^*

<3 Brittany

Weekend Photo Rewind

2010-01-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have been going non-stop since about Wednesday evening when Dan decided that he wanted to bake a cake with our good friend Bob (surprising news to me, since he doesn't usually bake). And this was no ordinary cake.... it was a Jack-O-Latern shaped, M&M covered, pumpkin flavored cake. Facny-shmancy!

I wanted to devote a whole post just to the cake... but, Thursday, Dan and I left directly from work to go to New Jersey. We spent the night and all day Friday enjoying time with my sister, my nieces, and a large portion of the rest of my family.

We left late Friday night and I planned to write a whole post just about that day.... but, Saturday we woke up early to take Edward to the vet and after we got home, we left almost immediately with Amy and Derek to go to Lancaster for Bowlerama - the first fundraising event for You and Me on a Comeback (an amazing cancer comeback intiative founded by Jed Morris, my good friend Genevieve's main squeeze).

This was another event that I wanted a seperate post for... but, well, Sunday, aside from a few small projects around the apartment, I admittedly, was just plain lazy. Around 3:00, we left for center city Philadelphia (yes, Dan drove into the city willingly!) for our friend Rebekah's apartment warming.

Monday, I was going to do the post that you see before you now and mash all the events together. But, sadly, I was ill with stomach issues (I will spare you the gorry details) into the wee hours of Monday morning, so the rest of the day was basically a wash.

Today, no more excuses! Here is a summary of my weekend in photos:

There's my weekend (and then some!) in a nutshell.

<3 Brittany