tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171291252024-03-07T03:18:16.395-06:00Sensibility and not so much sense.this town is like one big outpatient mental institution. - christopher, "gilmore girls"Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-32999836120759962472015-10-07T18:03:00.001-05:002015-10-07T18:03:21.040-05:00New blog!Join me in my new adventure! Check out <a href="http://thenewstewart.com">thenewstewart.com</a> and watch me try (and fail) to move Martha out of the #1 Stewart spot!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-47673465653340524942012-11-27T20:08:00.001-06:002012-11-27T20:08:35.469-06:00Good Eats: Roasted VeggiesWhew! With last week being Thanksgiving - full of traveling and family time - I took the week off. But I'm glad to be back! I've wanted to share this with you for quite some time.<br />
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There weren't many vegetables I liked as a child. Mainly corn, potatoes, and sweet peas. All starch. Oh, and baked beans. But do those even count? I have no idea.<br />
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This year, I've learned the reason why I didn't really like vegetables. They were hardly ever prepared correctly. (sorry mom!) That's not really fair...simmering or boiling vegetables is an acceptable method. Especially if you like mushy, bland veggies. In the retirement communities I managed, they were all the rage! :)<br />
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If you are trying really hard to like vegetables, I implore you to try roasting them. Seriously. You may not love all of them, but they get much more edible. I get excited about eating them now. I sometimes crave certain veggies. C calls my roasted green beans "green bean candy". Anytime someone refers to a veggie as candy, you know it's good. <br />
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Here's the secret: It's not difficult! In fact, it's super easy!!<br />
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Fresh or frozen veggies work wonderfully well for this. I've never tried it with canned, because I don't buy canned veggies anymore.<br />
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You will need vegetables, some sort of baking dish or sheet, an oven, oil (preferably olive or coconut), and seasonings. Preheat your oven to 450*. <br />
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This time, I roasted asparagus.<br />
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I break off the yucky ends. They end up in my vegetable broth. <br />
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The top ends get washed and chopped. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I always drizzle olive oil over the veggies, and I season them with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and minced garlic. Occasionally I add in onions and Greek seasoning.<br />
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Look at that caramelization! (And please don't look so closely at my rusted, $5 grocery store special baking sheet. I was trying to hold out for wedding gifts!)<br />
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This was a different night, with frozen green beans and red onions...and a new baking sheet! I couldn't wait. <br />
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Green bean candy!<br />
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The 450* oven has worked for green beans, zucchini, squash, broccoli, asparagus, onions, and carrots. The cook time will depend on whether you use fresh or frozen veggies. Usually, in my experience, the fresh veggies will crisp up better than the frozen. Fresh veggies take, on average, 20-25 minutes; and frozen veggies can take 35-45 minutes. It's completely subjective. If they look nice to you, they're done!<br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-21061231914714360722012-11-15T08:54:00.001-06:002012-11-15T09:03:24.819-06:00Good reads?I mentioned <a href="http://sensibilityandnotsomuchsense.blogspot.com/2012/10/good-reads.html">last time </a>a couple of books that I'd been reading for our pre-marital counseling, and they're both amazing. I've since finished Real Marriage, and I can't say enough good things about it. So good. So real. So hard. <br />
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I'm now reading <a href="http://www.tcoyf.com/">Taking Charge of Your Fertility</a>, because I'd rather use a natural and non-medicinal form of contraceptive (and then later, to conceive). It is so incredibly informative and well-written. I really wasn't looking forward to reading it, thinking it would read like a textbook. But Toni Weschler does a great job of adding humor and wit just when you need it. And seriously, there's so much I didn't know about my own body, I'm kind of ashamed. I personally would suggest every woman read this book. I hope there is/will be a teen version, in case I ever have a daughter. My teen and early adult years would have been much less stressful and awkward if I had known some of the stuff in this book. <br />
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Now, here's where I need your help. I would like to read a (some) good book(s) on biblical wifehood. The partnership, I think I have a good library to choose from. But I'd really like to find good perspectives on being a biblical wife, specifically. I have been lucky enough to know several Godly women, but you rarely ever see the inter-workings of another person's marriage. Not the really real stuff. That's what I need. I definitely want to do my homework, because living biblically doesn't come easily or naturally for any of us! <br />
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Suggestions of great reads greatly appreciated!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-52370304157226581082012-11-14T22:06:00.001-06:002012-11-14T22:55:56.352-06:00Gonna wash that oil right outta my hair!This week's Do-It-Yourself/Scrounge-Up-What-You-Can-Without-Going-To-The-Store-So-You-Don't-Blow-Your-Grocery-Budget comes to you out of my sheer necessity and desperation. See, I had my hair highlighted this past weekend, so I wouldn't have 4 inches of roots in my upcoming engagement photos. I am also growing out my hair for my wedding (5 months from today!!). As a result of these genius ideas, my hair is dry like 007's martini. Or like the Sahara desert. You get it. Anyway, it's dry. It looked and felt like hay. Bad news. Wouldn't make for pretty memories. I had to find a quick, yet effective solution. <br />
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So I, of course, asked the internets. The internets always knows. There was a googleplex of various recipes including things I could find in my kitchen. I could have used (seemingly) any combination of mayonnaise, avocado, honey, eggs, beer, and oils of all sorts. While all that sounds lovely, and I'm sure they would work, I did not go with any of the recipes I found. I seriously considered the honey and oil formulations. But call me <strike>maybe</strike> lazy, I didn't want to clean all that out of my hair or my bathtub. And I didn't want to go buy coconut oil. Well, I did, but I've disallowed myself any extraneous shopping trips. Budget. <br />
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Here's what I did. I have argan (just organic, no fancy name-brand with all sorts of additives and chemicals) and jojoba oils. I know they are both amazingly moisturizing and nourishing. I pored equal ratios of the two oils in my sweet little hand and added a few drops each of tea tree, lavender, and eucalyptus essential oils. I warmed the oils in my hands and massaged the mixture into my hair, ends to roots. (I have extremely long and incredibly thick hair, so I used two handfuls to coat my hair) I then spritzed a hair towel wrap with water and microwaved it in 30 second increments until it was toasty warm. The towel stayed on all night, locking in all that lovely heat and moisturizing ability. In the morning, I shampooed and conditioned as normal. <br />
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The result was amazing! I now have gorgeous, soft, smooth locks. Seriously. I wouldn't lead you astray. I'm weirdly obsessed with my hair. And I loved this. I WILL do this again.<br />
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Sorry for the lack of pictures of the actual process or results. Just trust me that it was awesome. And I don't want bathroom-mirror-self-pics all over the interwebz. No one needs that in their life. <br />
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I'm joining with <a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/11/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-53/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:">Frugally Sustainable</a>, <a href="http://creatingnaturally.com/your-green-resource-featuring-homemade-tomato-powder/">Creating Naturally</a>, and Adorned From Above again this week. Check out all the other great ideas on each of these, and feel free to give my post some love!<br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-84365963654984531942012-11-07T19:10:00.001-06:002012-11-08T18:11:09.285-06:00Link it up!Today I was able to make guest appearances at <a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/11/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-52/">Frugally Sustainable</a> and <a href="http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/11/wednesday-adorned-from-above-link-party.html">Adorned from Above</a>, with my DIY body wash, and <a href="http://creatingnaturally.com/your-green-resource-a-new-to-me-weekly-linkup/">Creating Naturally</a>, with my DIY Laundry Detergent!<br />
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All the blogs have great lists of all sorts of links for recipes, DIYs, and all sorts of eco-friendly, sustainable, and healthy tips.<br />
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Check them out!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-32339710668878601332012-11-05T17:26:00.000-06:002012-11-05T17:26:09.242-06:00It's all in the details.Wedding planning is difficult and fun and stressful and stress-relieving and about a million other contradictory things all at once. <br />
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Without Etsy and some craftiness on my part, I'm not sure how I'd accomplish a wedding. <br />
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Thankfully, most of the details are finished. I have some hands-on work left to do, but not much in the way of actual planning is left. <br />
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We've had our cake tasting, and those cakes are going to be delicious!<br />
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I have my garter, headpiece, shoes, and under the dress essentials. <br />
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We have the decorations (and supplies to make decorations) purchased. <br />
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Invitations only need to be addressed at this point! And save-the-dates are being designed currently...they'll be mailed as soon as we get the printer the address list!<br />
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Our engagement photo session will take place in just a couple weeks. <br />
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My dress is in process. I'm very lucky to be able to work with a dress designer, and even luckier that she happens to be my aunt! My Aunt D (Debbie) is my mom's sister and lives in Chicago. She's been making beautiful dresses for 30 years as a side hobby, and has made around 300 wedding gowns and countless other bridal party dresses. It is amazing and overwhelming to have the opportunity to design your own gown. I can't wait to see the finished product!<br />
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The reception menu is planned...pretty much. <br />
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I think the wedding party dinner has been booked (Chris?).<br />
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The registries are complete, but might need a little adjusting.<br />
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The bridesmaids' dresses have been chosen, and they have until December to order and send in their measurements.<br />
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Honeymoon plans have not been made. We may have to hold off on an official honeymoon. Chris may be right in the middle of a school semester.<br />
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We're currently figuring out plans for beyond next summer. Charlotte will be going to pre-school, so I will be out of a job and leaving a sweet family! We've pretty much decided what we think should happen, and as soon as things are iron-clad, I can fill you in. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-56940319823805852142012-10-31T20:21:00.000-05:002012-11-01T20:10:32.952-05:00Domesticity: DIY Body Wash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First, I'd like to give you some insight into where my head has been for quite some time. For months now, I've been toying and warring with ideas of what I'd really like to do with this blog. I have moments where I'm super afraid of being "really real" for fear I might turn people off or offend some. While I don't think I'm particularly offensive, I have thoughts I would very much like to share, but I've been afraid of sharing too much or being too transparent. This turns some off, for certain. But I've thought and prayed and sought guidance in all this, and I believe I need to share what is in my mind and heart. Things that help me will help others. I've only been able to find solutions and tips because of helpful others, and it is my turn to pass that on! Anyway...on with the show!<br />
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As most of you know, I have sought out many ways to save money, save the earth, and save our bodies from harm. I've shown you how to make laundry detergent, I've failed at making dishwasher detergent, I've made a carpet cleaner I should show you (along with an all-purpose cleaner, hardwood cleaner, and a glass cleaner), and I have even made some personal care products that I don't yet have the courage to share :)<br />
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Since Chris was out of his body wash I make for him, you get to witness the process! It's really simple, and so adaptable to your preferences.<br />
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First, you'll need to gather (or possibly purchase?) your supplies. Please note, I use some additional and optional supplies. The only supplies needed are liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner's peppermint is what I use for Chris, lavender for myself) and aloe vera gel. Gel, not juice! I also add essential oils, Vitamin E oil, and some sort of moisturizing oil...such as jojoba or sweet almond oil.<br />
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You will also need a clean, empty container. We reuse!<br />
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I always add the castile first, but it doesn't matter the order in which you add the castile and aloe. The important part is that the castile and aloe are added in equal ratios. If you would like exact measurements, find out how much your container holds, subtract about 10% and divide that in half. That is the amount of castile and aloe you will need! I just eyeball it. Almost half full of castile...<br />
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And nearly fill the rest with the aloe vera gel. (I found my aloe vera gel at Whole Foods.)<br />
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Next come the optional ingredients.<br />
The sweet almond oil adds moisturizing benefits and allows nutrients from the other ingredients to be absorbed easily into the skin. It also has a nice, light fragrance. Add just a little...nearly fill that 10% you have empty. Obviously, if you felt you needed more moisturizing, you would cut back on both your castile and aloe gel, in order to leave more room for your moisturizing oil(s). Sometimes I add more than one type. It depends on what mood I'm in and what I feel like dragging out and putting away.<br />
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I did not take picture of each of these ingredients, but I added a few squirts of vitamin E oil, lavender essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and lemon essential oil. The vitamin E oil is incredibly beneficial for the skin. It soothes and can help with things like scars, stretch marks, and other bruises and skin irritations. Lavender is also very soothing topically and aromatically. Lavender provides more benefits than I can list! It's also maybe my favorite essential oil scent. The eucalyptus and lemon are both very astringent and wonderful for clearing the sinuses! Chris also loves mint and citrus scents, so those are my main reasons for adding those and using the peppermint castile. I usually add around 8 drops of each essential oil, as a little goes a long way! They are very concentrated, and different essential oils can be irritating to the skin from direct, undiluted contact. Always use essential oils carefully, and only after you've done some personal research!<br />
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Whew! And now, you should have a full bottle of body wash, made to your own specifications! It will always need to be shaken before use. Don't be alarmed if it separates between uses...a nice shake will mix it all together again :)<br />
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Don't be afraid to ask any questions! And try it, you'll probably love it!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-32521401449646005092012-10-22T13:37:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:11:06.608-05:00Good reads.This is definitely something I should write about more, mainly because I should read more. And truthfully, the last few books I've read have a limited audience. For example, with a pregnant best friend (until about 5 weeks ago!) I read "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" in order to be the informed, supportive friend. I suggest the latter if you're looking for humor with some real-life tips, and the former if you want just the facts. <br />
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The book I'm currently reading is also utilitarian, of sorts. For our pre-marital counseling, our good friend and minister, Walt (the husband of my best friend!), suggested "Real Marriage" by Mark and Grace Driscoll and "A Celebration of Sex". <br />
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So I've started "Real Marriage", and it is fantastic. It's hard. It forces you to deal with some heavy stuff, but it is so worth it. I would recommend it to any couple who is married or close to being married. <br />
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And speaking of that, we're going on a little more than 5 months! Yay!<br />
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(We're supposed to wait until about a month before the wedding to crack open "A Celebration of Sex", but I've heard great things about it)Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-90762415327126770122012-10-19T09:43:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:09:05.091-05:00Planning, planning, planningI feel so boring lately...I don't do very much, outside of work and wedding planning. Luckily, there's not much left to plan!<br />
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I have the invitations, the location, the photographer, my accessories, decorations, and bridesmaids' attire. I'm working with the cake artist and the dress designer. Chris has booked the wedding party dinner and is ordering save-the-dates in the next few days. <br />
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Since I'm such a crafter, I've taken on the making or customizing much of the decorations, of course. I've started on some of it, but I really need to get busy! For instance, I purchased over 100 glass votives, but I couldn't just leave them as they were. I decided they should be shimmery. So I am hand painting 107 glass votives...there are currently only 24 completed. Super. <br />
Guess I should get to work...less than 6 months left!<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-14867772707398005242012-10-09T18:04:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:12:08.925-05:00The Sweetest Day (aka: the proposal)This boy did a wonderful job. Just let me say that first. Even though I knew it was coming (at some point), I was completely surprised. Even though I think I saw him reach for his pocket, I was completely surprised. A planner, this fella is.<br />
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So...Chris has been teasing for quite some time that he would be waiting until Christmas to propose. This made me crazy! Which was his goal. Now, I knew he wasn't serious, probably. He's always told me he wouldn't waste a holiday on that. I deserved to have a separate day just for that. Sweet one. But in any case, he's been known to throw me off track by doing the exact opposite of what I expect. So I didn't know what in the world he was going to do.<br />
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Early last week, I got a call from my bestie asking if Chris and I wanted to meet her and her husband for dinner on Sunday night, because they didn't have church and wanted to come to the city. I thought that was a great idea, especially since Chris and I had just had a discussion about some LivingSocial deals we needed to use before they expire. We decide to go try this new restaurant, and I ask Chris to make the reservation. As far as I know, we have a 5:30 reservation for Sunday night. I did think it was odd that church was cancelled on a random Sunday night, and that it was very suspicious that we discussed the soon-to-be-expired vouchers the day before, but I put it out of my mind.<br />
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On Sunday afternoon, I looked at the website for the restaurant since we'd not been there before. According to the site, they were not open for dinner on Sunday night! I brought it to Chris' attention, but he assures me he called the restaurant and spoke with them, instead of using OpenTable. He blamed it on a lazy webmaster. Again, I think it's a bit fishy, but I go with it.<br />
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Once I'm nearly ready, Chris tells me we need to go by the Peristyle (the location we're using for our wedding) to snap a few pictures for his mom. She is having dinner with a wedding coordinator friend, and she'd like to show pictures of the space, but has lost the pictures we sent previously. I agree, worrying we'll be late for our reservations, and curiously suspicious because his mother does not lose things.<br />
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All day Sunday, I was at war with myself...trying not to get my hopes up too high. I thought he might propose at dinner with friends that night, but I surely didn't want to be too disappointed if he didn't. So, I was trying very hard to stay cool and grounded.<br />
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When we arrive at the Peristyle, a wedding is just about to start. It's beautifully set for a very formal wedding. It was the first time we've seen it set for a wedding. Absolutely gorgeous. I follow Chris around as he snaps pictures and obviously contemplates walking in to this wedding. I keep my distance, being quite underdressed for the occasion.<br />
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We walk down to the waterfront, and just look across Bayou Metairie, taking in the view. On the other side of the bayou, there is a gorgeous stone bridge that crosses over to Goldfish Island. Chris says he's always wanted to see it up close, and he'd like to see the Peristyle from across the bayou. So we walk over. I worry we'll miss our reservation, but Chris assures me it's fine. I wonder again, if maybe, just maybe he'll propose, but try not to get too excited.<br />
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It is just lovely from across the water, and we stand there talking about how it is just the ideal spot for our wedding and how lucky we were to see it all set up. Then after a few seconds I think I might have just seen him reach for his pocket...heart stops. Brain follows. He tells me he would get down on one knee, but he might die because the bridge is actually pretty steep and really rocky. We both laugh, and he holds out the ring. He asks if I would do him the immense honor of becoming his wife. I think I reply, "umm...of course?" And I just grab the ring and try to put it on the correct finger, which already has a ring on it. (as soon as that ring came out, I got really weird) He suggests maybe he should do that, and I agree.<br />
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It's pretty freaking amazing, right?!<br />
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Chris tells me that the original plan was to propose in the Peristyle, precisely where we'll be married in under 200 days (!). I'm really pretty ok with the way things worked out, because it is perfect. I also learn that the dinner reservation is just an excuse to get me ready on time (and probably not in pajamas). He does have a reservation for a sunset gondola ride through City Park, complete with champagne. He knows his audience well.<br />
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The gondolier serenades us and encourages all the passersby to congratulate us. So sweet.<br />
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It's Italian tradition to kiss as you pass under bridges, or else you'll have 7 years bad luck. There are 10 bridges in City Park. And you pass under them twice.<br />
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The ceremony has just ended as we are passing.<br />
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The wedding party congratulates us! I'm getting married there!<br />
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Seriously, can't stop looking at it the entire time. Except for all the kissing. And the drinking of the champagne. Which doesn't help with the weirdness. Also, I need a manicure.<br />
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We do have dinner reservations! Only they're at 8:00, because our friends do have church. And at Court of Two Sisters, not Apolline. He made this plan because we'll be having dinner with our wedding party at Court of Two Sisters after our wedding. So precious.<br />
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Needless to say, it was truly the sweetest day yet. Absolute perfection.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-15735646340107188402012-10-09T07:03:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:12:50.648-05:00Where I've been.First, I apologize for my sudden radio silence. I knew if I wrote anything at all, I would give away stuff that I shouldn't. But no worries now!<br />
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As you may know, Chris and I are now engaged! What you may not know, is we've already been wedding planning for months. Pretty much right before I stopped writing, in June, we began our wedding plans. <br />
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We've known for quite some time we wanted to be married...I mean, we have been together like a hundred years... And finally the time was just right. He had my ring made, which was a process that took a couple months, as he had it designed. I knew he was doing so, and while I didn't pick it out specifically, I gave him plenty of options and information to choose the perfect one. And he certainly did! <br />
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Since he had the ring, he told me to begin planning. We knew what we wanted would take some time to plan, and we also knew that we would have to work around the crazy hot New Orleans weather and a best man currently serving our country as a Marine. <br />
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All that to say, we know when, where, and how we'll be married, and you will also. Very soon!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-5746456559834104852012-07-24T11:44:00.001-05:002012-07-24T11:44:31.303-05:00Soon.There's so much to tell you, but I can't yet. Soon, very soon. <br />
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I haven't blogged in a while, because I know I'll spill the beans. Rest assured, soon you'll know what I've been up to. <br />
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Love!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-86139852633644708242012-06-28T22:05:00.000-05:002012-11-07T21:22:54.544-06:00Domesticity: Homemade Laundry DetergentLast time I posted a picture while making my homemade laundry detergent, I had lots of questions. Therefore, I am blogging the process this time. Personally, I only need to do this once every few months. I've lived in this house since September 2011, and this is my third time making laundry soap...so you do the math. But, I don't have lots of children, and I use towels more than once. I tend to wash sheets once per week. Just for a frame of reference. I'm usually washing clothes for 2 people and 2 dogs, including one that sheds enough for 4 dogs.<br />
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For the record, I have nothing against store-bought soap...for the most part. When I was still buying laundry soap, I only bought organic, earth-friendly products. Yes, I'm one of those people, concerned with all the chemicals and hazardous materials in commercial products. But I won't go into that here...much. I will say that right before I made this the first time, I tried to go back to conventional, store-brand laundry detergent, to try to save money. It was the most horrid acid green color I've ever seen, and the one load I washed with it had to be washed 2 more times with my organic detergent to get rid of the terrible chemical smell. It's nothing personal if you like those scents, I just can't tolerate them. Maybe I'm a brat. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard that. I ended up giving it away.<br />
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To start, you will need a large pot (large enough to hold a few gallons), a bar of soap, a grater, Borax, washing soda, a measuring cup, a stirring utensil, a funnel, tap water, and some empty containers. Use whatever soap you would like. Personally, I only use soap I would feel comfortable using on my skin, which is Mrs. Meyers basil scent, in this case. I know people that use all sorts of brands...Ivory, Dial, whatever. Use something you think smells good, because this is what your fragrance will come from. The Borax and washing soda are both easy to purchase, usually at your local Walmart. I have not had luck finding them at Target or any grocery stores in my area, but yours may be different. They will both be located in the laundry aisle. And yes, washing soda is different from baking soda. But baking soda is not a bad thing to add to your laundry. Depending on the price of your bar soap, the ingredients are very inexpensive, and they can be used for several batches, making the detergent very cost-efficient. <br />
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There are many questions as to whether you can use your pot and utensils for other things after making the laundry detergent, and I say yes, as long as you feel good about your ingredients. Other than my bar soap, my ingredients are the same as the homemade dishwasher detergent I made (that I hated, by the way), so I don't see a problem with it. You may have another view, and that's fine.<br />
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Ok, to start, you will need to grate your soap. I used half of an 8 oz. bar. So that's 4 oz.</div>
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Then, you will need to gather your pot and empty containers.</div>
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Fill the pot with one gallon of water and add the grated soap.</div>
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Heat the water and soap until the soap dissolves. Feel free to stir to help this along.</div>
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Once the soap dissolves, you will need to add 1 c. of Borax and 1 c. of washing soda. Again, you may stir.</div>
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Allow this to come to a rolling boil, and let it boil for about 1 minute.</div>
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After it boils, remove the pot from the heat, and add about 1.5 gallons of cool water to the pot. Stirring is, again, fine...even encouraged.</div>
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(the original recipe I followed called for just 1 additional gallon of water, but I found that it made a very lumpy, gelatinous detergent. I prefer a more liquid detergent, much like you would purchase.) </div>
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At this point, I strayed from the traditional recipe a bit. I chose to add a container of store-bought detergent. I did this because I wanted a bit more scent, and more stain-fighting power. **Note: this detergent cleans and deodorizes clothes well, but it does not whiten or remove stains. You will need to pre-treat stains and/or use whitening products (bleach, oxy-clean) for whites.</div>
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If you choose to add additional ingredients, add them to the pot of detergent, right after the cool water. Stir well to combine everything. My very large pot is quite full at this point.</div>
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Have your containers ready to be filled. As you can see, my funnel is ready and waiting. From previous experience, I have prepped the area with one of our microfiber dog towels, because the detergent is easy to spill or overflow, and even when you're being careful, the foam tends to cascade all over the floor.</div>
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Since this is a two-person operation (for me), I don't have pictures of the actual filling of the containers. But as I said, foamy cascades are not uncommon.</div>
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And there you have it!</div>
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Your very own, homemade laundry detergent, set to cool in your very own little pantry. Or at least that's where mine goes, because that's where the washer and dryer are. Using the water and extra detergent I used, I ended up with over 3 gallons of laundry detergent. </div>
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You certainly can use it right away, but it's best to give it 24 hours to congeal a bit. As far as the containers, I just use the last laundry detergent container I bought and 2 gallon size distilled white vinegar bottles I washed out. I go through quite a bit of white vinegar. I use vinegar as fabric softener in my towels, and with my sheets...but I add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the vinegar for the sheets. With clothes, I use organic fabric softener, because I love the scent and the softness. I just can't give that up yet. I've tried.</div>
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To use the laundry soap, again, it's really your preference. In my front-load washer, I use around 1/4 c. for a normal load of laundry. If it is a really dirty or large load, I might use 1/2 c. For top-load washers, 1/2 c. should be just fine. <br />
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I have issues with constantly spilling or splashing olive and other viscous oils on myself. The best solution I have found to combat this problem is to add 1 Tbsp. of dishwashing soap (just my regular Seventh Generation dish soap) per gallon of laundry detergent. So for myself, I added 3 Tbsp. If the spill (or set-in stain) is particularly bad, I pre-treat with a drop of dish soap rubbed in to the oil spot, and it has always come out. If you have a front loader HE machine like I do, this has not caused any sudsing problems, since it's such a small amount of dish soap. </div>
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Any questions, I'll try my best to answer!</div>
Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-4727589050131247462012-06-27T09:44:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:14:44.122-05:00Up All Night.This will be a first for me. Writing a "tip" blog, that is. Not being up all night. Definitely not being up all night. This is for all my dear fellow insomniacs. Hopefully, something will help!<br />
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I've had trouble sleeping as far back as I can remember. I clearly remember being a small child (think 3-5) and lying in bed for hours staring at the ceiling, trying to sleep. I wasn't much of a napper, either. That was always more of just a "lie down" time for me. <br />
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It has, of course, gotten worse as I've gotten older. I was destined to have insomnia. It runs rampant in my father's family, and my mother and her father are (were, in his case) narcoleptics. The funny thing about narcolepsy is that the disorder really isn't that you just fall asleep on command, I mean, it is...but it's because of the underlying insomnia. My mother is up and down all night, without medication. On a good night, she'll get about 4 hours of sleep, usually in 1-1.5 hour increments. Not a fun way to live. <br />
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So I wanted to share with you, some of the tips and tricks that have helped me. And probably some that haven't. <br />
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• Earplugs: The most helpful thing to me yet. The overwhelming majority of my problem is/was that I am a super light sleeper, who apparently has bionic hearing whilst sleeping and falling asleep. But no other time. Every little thing would wake me or keep me awake. They've been a lifesaver. And I can still hear my alarm or any emergency sounds just fine. <br />
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• Melatonin: I've taken melatonin off and on for probably 3-4 years now. What it helps (me) with is the falling asleep process. It definitely makes me drowsy within 30-45 minutes. I wouldn't say that it is always strong enough to keep me asleep, but I have had mornings after I've taken it too late, that I felt hungover. So...<br />
I will say that this is not necessarily a medication, it does occur naturally in our bodies. Some just don't process it correctly or enough. <br />
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• Meditation: Yes, I've tried it. No, it didn't work for me. I don't think. I've tried a few methods (concentrating on one word slowly over and over, clearing the mind, focusing on sleep), and I just didn't get the results. I think the goal is probably relaxation of the mind, but that rarely happens to me ever anyway. It may work for you, though. <br />
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• Praying: It has worked most of the time. I am the praying type, if you're not, that's ok. I have fallen asleep in the middle of praying (in bed, at night, not just anywhere) so many times that I don't have numbers. I've also prayed specifically for sleep many times when it seemed like I wouldn't get there myself. He made us, He knows our physical bodies need rest, and He wants us to take care of what He's created. Why wouldn't He give you sleep? (There are times when this hasn't worked...but only when He wanted me to listen or figure out something)<br />
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• Other medication: I've taken a few OTC sleeping meds, and none of them have worked. Not even the PM types of regular pain relievers, sinus meds, whatever. Though NyQuil type things make me hibernate for days, the sleep or PM stuff makes me crawl walls. I'm just weird. I've only taken a prescription med once, and I didn't notice much difference from the melatonin, but maybe once wasn't enough. <br />
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• Listening to music: Does not relax me enough to sleep. I love music, and I think it is very relaxing. However, music keeps my brain active, which keeps me awake. Though it might help some. <br />
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• Beverages: Some swear by warm milk, which I've never tried, and some have other remedies. My 2 most helpful would be either a glass of cold chocolate milk or a glass of wine. I really have no idea why the chocolate milk works...definitely not the same reason the wine does, I do know that. <br />
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• Exercise: Honestly, this is probably the best guarantee of sleep I know. If I've worn myself out during the day, I'm going to sleep that night. Whether it is planned exercise periods during the day, or just a very busy, very hectic day, as long as I've been very active, I will sleep. I've also tried relaxing exercises at bedtime (think yoga and stretching), and I've gotten good results from that. I think if you just empty the tank, your body will have to recharge to go again tomorrow. At least a vast majority of the time. <br />
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• the Bed: Some say to keep the bed sacred, and only for sleeping, as it will help you into the mindset of sleep. This has never mattered with me. I love my bed, and sometimes spend all day in my bed, and still sleep at night! But if this is a problem for you, find other places to do work, eat, watch tv, etc. <br />
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When all else fails: Nap! Do some research, and you'll find that many successful, high-profile people are nappers. They usually also don't sleep much at night, thus necessitating the nap. It doesn't have to be long; a 20 minute power nap is one of the most refreshing things ever. As an adult, I have become a napper. I noticed the benefits during grad school, and would often slip in a nap between my classes, work, and all the volunteer jobs I held. It really helps me. <br />
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This is not, by any means, exhaustive, but I do hope something helps you, or someone you know. It is such difficult issue to deal with. <br />
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What helps you most?Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-12079110186047261552012-06-22T09:57:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:15:12.865-05:00Hey, I'm still here!Sorry for the extended absence, there just hasn't been much going on. But I'll still update you on all the mundane details!<br />
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We made the trip to Oxford for Memorial Day weekend and Kayla & Chris' birthday weekend. Both were a lot of fun.<br />
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Memorial Day weekend, we stayed with Daddy and Gale, and I love that. There's plenty of room, and it's just comfortable. We went to the farm-share Daddy and Gale have joined (because Oxford is oh, so trendy and they have these all over now cause its so hip), and it was quite lovely. They had great produce and bread and eggs and stuff, and it was just really pretty. And very close to the house. That's about all I remember. Oh, I did get to visit with my sister, Amanda and her husband and my stinky-cute nephew, Zayden. And Grandmother and my cousin, Evans, who was on a trip home from his current working life in Afghanistan! I guess I did more than I thought!<br />
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On the birthday trip, we were able to stay in the Martin (David, Kayla, & Parker) family's new home! It's so cute! I love it and so do they. So proud for them. We had a yard sale there Saturday morning, and it was quite successful! That evening we made a birthday dinner for the honorees...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, tomato-cucumber salad, chocolate chip cake, and caramel cake. Beyond delicious. <br />
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Other than that, there really hasn't been much excitement. Chris has had some more interviews, applied for several more jobs...he even went to a job fair yesterday, but didn't feel like it was a great use of time or resources. Still no job, but we're praying and hoping and trusting. <br />
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On the day to day front, Charlotte is just a ball of fun. Every day I notice something new she has learned or developed. It's just the most amazing thing to get to experience a child grow up in front of you. Also, she's got great dance moves...girl loves to break it down! Music is definitely her favorite thing, with which I am totally ok!<br />
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I'd love love love to go back to school in the fall. So much. I really miss it. I just want to finish! I would have great study/homework time during naptimes. I'm praying it (and several other things) works out! <br />
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Speaking of school, I have a confession to make. After my first semester of grad school, I changed my major from marriage and family therapy to Christian/childhood education. I did that for the wrong reasons. I definitely do love children, and I've loved all the classes I was able to take. I know they have and they will all benefit me greatly. But I changed because I just wanted to hurry and finish school, and the MACE degrees all looked so easy, compared to what I was doing! (just to clarify, I'm only meaning seemingly easy by comparison...no graduate degree is easy!!) So, I changed to take the easy way out. The funny thing is, I always had in the back of my mind that I would still go back, at some point, to get my MSW...which would achieve the very same thing as the MFT degree. I'd still end up being a licensed counselor. Crazy, I know. So, with all that being said...when I do get to go back, I'm going to do it the right way. I'll be going back into the MFT degree, like I'm supposed to, and like I was in the first place! <br />
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Lesson: don't try the easy way out; you'll only make it harder on yourself in the long run. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-21599849432055166452012-06-05T12:10:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:15:33.634-05:00Fits.Some days, Charlotte and I have great days. We go to the zoo or to lunch, we stay at the house and dance to Sesame Street and Miles Davis, or we might snuggle and watch Yo Gabba Gabba! or Pocoyo. We talk and practice walking and smile and clap and sing and laugh. It's all kinds of fun and happy times. <br />
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Today is not one of those days. <br />
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Sometimes we have days where we cry and cry and cry and refuse to sleep. And by we, I mean Charlotte. She's definitely one of those tykes that does not tolerate being over-tired. <br />
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Every other Tuesday, the Merry Maids come. They say they can't promise a specific time, but I think they have us bugged so they'll know they're coming when Charlotte should nap. They were coming at a time when she would be awakened right in the middle of her morning nap. Now they come at the exact time she would like to go to sleep. It's a conspiracy. <br />
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Staying awake until they were finished upstairs today caused the tiny one to yell and cry and carry on for over 2 hours. No matter how I tried to soothe, reassure, let her cry it out...nothing was happening. Usually she's a cry it out baby. But even with those little ones, they sometimes reach hysterics you know they're not coming back from. That was us today.<br />
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I was finally able to calm her. I just wanted you to know that, so you don't think I'm writing this to the soundtrack of baby screams. After some milk and baby ibuprofen (she has a cold, babysadface), she is out cold. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-40711125793497933682012-06-01T09:10:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:16:19.595-05:00Thankful.A friend sent a message yesterday with a few great opportunities for Chris...some work from home positions doing things like tech support, which he has done before. While those might not be the most awesome jobs in the universe, they would actually be really great for him. He could work from home (obvi) which means several great things. He actually hates getting dressed up for work, so score. Also, with the weight loss, he would probably need a new wardrobe, which is out of the question. With the diet, he eats 5 meals per day and exercises twice a day, all of this would be easier at home than in an office. Big deal here, he doesn't have a car. No commute is awesome. And he loves talking to people, as long as they're not complaining and being butts. Tech support is like a game for him because he gets to figure out the problem. <br />
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Anyway, any of them would be great, and hopefully one will work out. <br />
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And when I got to work this morning, they told me they're giving me another raise! They're really special people to me, and I'm so glad they have invited me in to their family. I've really been blessed with the families I've been able to be a part of. <br />
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God is constantly answering prayer and providing. If there were something invented that was greater than thankful and grateful and appreciative, that is what I am and will continue to be. <br />
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Thanks to all of you who listen (read) and pray and send good thoughts. That appreciation and love is for you, too. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-64993962290338798422012-05-31T09:13:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:16:49.587-05:00Life lately.I'd like to preface like my entire blog here by saying that I would probably update more if I had a more interesting life. Chris still doesn't have a job, and all of my money is going towards living expenses, so we don't do much for fun. We're still praying this changes soon!<br />
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I was able to go home to Mississippi this past weekend! It was so great to be home and to see everyone. The last time I was in Oxford was January, for Parker's first birthday...so it's been a while!<br />
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The weekend was filled with time by the pool, visiting with Grandmother, explaining to everyone how this diet thing works, kisses and hugs from Parker and Zayden, playing Phase 10 with Kayla and David, talking with Daddy about politics, and visiting Woodson Ridge Farms (a co-op Daddy and Gale have joined) with Gale. It was fast and furious, but so good. Hopefully we'll be able to go back sooner, rather than later. Especially since Kayla and David closed on their first house yesterday! I've only seen the outside, so I need to go back to see how great it is inside. <br />
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Other than the little weekend excursion, we've really not done anything of interest. We watch tv, make meals, grocery shop, and I work. Pretty much it. I am able to take sweet little Charlotte out more now, with her being older and her reflux waning. We've been out to lunch, to the zoo, to the park, and swimming lately. <br />
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I'm pretty excited that we will be going to the local farmers' market for the first time tonight. I've wanted to go for months, but I always forget about it! There are plans to start an herb garden this weekend. Notice I didn't say "I will start an herb garden". The plants are all Chris. I actually have special death powers when it comes to plants. And I'm also thinking some hydrangeas out front in this pretty blue pot I have. It will look nice with the window box. <br />
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If you happen to be the praying type, please keep Chris' employment situation in your prayers. He's had lots of interviews and phone interviews, but he continues to get the same responses: you're overqualified or you're under qualified. It's pretty discouraging. It's also quite stressful. In the interest of full disclosure, I make just around $300 less than what our average monthly expenses are. So far we've survived, but it's been touchy. He's supplemented from his savings, but that has now run out. We have enough to last through July, however, the family I work for is taking a week long vacation in August, so I will have one less week of pay. There is not enough cushion for that! The situation HAS to change before then, or else terrible things will happen!<br />
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Oh, as far as the diet goes...I've lost 14 lbs. total and Chris has lost something like 52 lbs. total! It's going great! Though we'll see this weekend how much of a set-back our trip to Oxford was...hopefully not that bad. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-18422507303546229072012-05-16T12:09:00.001-05:002012-05-16T13:42:10.789-05:00Lost.I have a funny story for you. It involves digging through the garbage, so obvi, it's awesome. <br />
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So last Thursday, we had guests coming over. On Wednesday, all I had left to do was clean the floors in preparation. When you have 2 dogs and one of them sheds a whole 'nother dog everyday, you wait until the last minute to do these things. Chris would be picking up the guests while I was working Thursday afternoon, and I wanted them to have a nice, clean place to stay. <br />
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So, there I am, vacuuming in the master bedroom (the only carpeted room in the house) and this carpet is just in terrible condition. The landlord should have replaced it before we moved in, but whatevs. The carpet was damaged by the previous tenant. There are runs, tears, burns, stains, etc. Every time I vacuum, a stray end will get caught on the brush bar, the vacuum stops, and a run gets bigger. And it fills the house with that nasty burnt rubber smell. It's kind of awful. <br />
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This happened Wednesday night, like it always does, but this time the vacuum never recovered. I pull out the offending carpet scraps, which usually does the trick, but nothing is being picked up off the floor. After some investigation where we find nothing offensive, I decide to use the hose to vacuum the remainder of the room, since it continues to work. <br />
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Fast forward to Saturday, I am getting ready to go to a celebration at the Barnes' for Walt's seminary graduation. (way to go, Walt!!) As I'm finishing my primping, I look to the small glass tray in the bathroom where I keep my most commonly worn jewelry - my 2 rings, pearl earrings, and diamond cross. On any given day, this is how I'm probably accessorized. I put on the rings, but notice the necklace and earrings are not there. I instantly remember that I was polishing some of my jewelry earlier in the week and put the earrings in the jewelry drawer (where everything really should go) in my dresser. But I cannot think of what I've done with the necklace. I look through the drawer and find the earrings exactly where I knew I left them, but the necklace is not there. I look again. I check the bathroom again. I check my nightstand. I check all the tiny, nonsensical boxes on my dresser and in the bathroom. No where. I quickly look on the floor around the dresser, bed, and the bathroom. No necklace. I run to Chris and ask if he's found it and hidden it from me (again) to teach me a lesson (again). Nope. I'm pretty sure I remember it last being in the glass dish. Chris is fairly certain he saw it last spread across the top of my dresser. Oh no. <br />
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We leave, because we're already late. I am heartsick the entire way there, worried that I've lost something very special to me, something Chris spent a sum of money on and painstakingly picked out for me, and yet another piece of jewelry. <br />
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There's an inside story here, where I've lost other jewelry very special to me. On our first date, Chris gave me a beautiful silver and mother of pearl cross necklace. I didn't take it off for years. On a trip that was intended for a waterpark but ended in a thunderstorm, I took the necklace off, placed it in my overnight bag, and never saw it again. I also was given pearl and diamond earrings with a strand of pearls for my college graduation, from my mom - those earrings were lost in a laser tag place; they came off when I pulled the laser tag vest off, over my head. I replaced them before my mom ever knew. In fact, she still doesn't know. Shhhh. The imposter earrings are the same earrings I mention wearing everyday. And there are more, but seriously this is too long already. You could say I'm irresponsible, but I don't think that's it. I think I'm easily distracted and scatterbrained. <br />
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I get home Saturday evening and look more in depth. I look under the bed, under the dresser. I pull out the shelf in the bathroom to see if the necklace fell behind it. Still nothing. Chris calls the friends that stayed to see if they noticed it, or if it got tangled in their things. Nothing again. <br />
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Here we are, yesterday. I've been thinking about it for days, and I know the vacuum has some answers. I turn the vacuum over to try to take the bar out, get to the mouth of the hose, but I can't. The thing just doesn't come off! I decide to go the other way and disconnect the hose. I shake things around, trim off as much of the carpet from the bar that I can, find nothing blocking the hoses, but I'm still determined. I take the canister out, empty it into a box and rifle through all the nastiness in there. Nothing still. Chris joins in and decides to get power tools involved, of course. He starts loosening screws and figures out how to get the cover off. This makes it obvious why the vacuum no longer works. The belt broke. We would never have known if he had not taken the thing apart. But at this point we do find a piece of the chain! Yay!<br />
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There is still no cross. I remembered that right after the vacuum stopped I emptied the canister in the trash. Crap. Chris tries to search the garbage. Wouldn't you know that was the very first thing in a new trash bag?! There's now a week of yuck on top of that yuck. And since we recycle, it's mostly veggie scraps and things that are decomposing and causing our fruit flies. Double crap. So once Chris gets to the 3 week old green beans (they sat in the fridge for 2 weeks before cultivating life of their own, causing them to be thrown out without being cooked), he's out. He's gagging and calling for me. So I say a prayer and dive in. I was gagging, armpit deep in trash and still didn't find that effing necklace. So much gross. <br />
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I go back to the vacuum, because it still has to have the answer, and I just sit there looking at it. Chris suggests a full-scale search of the house. And then goes completely crazypants and suggests looking through the dog poop in the backyard. No sir. I'm out. I shake the vacuum a few more times, I don't know why really. It's clearly not helping. I start to look under the dresser again, move the vacuum, lean down, and bam. Right in front of my little eyes, there lies a sweet little diamond cross. And I bet that beezy was just lying there the whole time I was digging in that garbage. So rude. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-65457944889272777362012-05-14T15:43:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:17:42.874-05:00Marriage?I've been hesitating writing this for over a week now, but since this is my blog and I can write what I want, I am. <br />
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Hopefully this won't offend the 4 of you that read this blog :)<br />
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This is a view I've held for quite some time. It's something I've not heard anywhere else, but it's my honest opinion on the matter. <br />
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Enough justifying...here's what I'm avoiding saying:<br />
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In the light of all the controversy surrounding marriage these days, I personally believe that no one should be petitioning the government for a legally recognized marriage. Marriage, by definition, is a commitment between two people and God. It is a Christian institution. No matter how many times people try to say it, and how many candidates run with this as their platform, and how many Christians insist it is, the United States of America is not a Christian nation. This nation was founded on the basis of its inhabitants being able to choose any religion, or lack thereof, freely. To then call ourselves a Christian nation is a complete fallacy. In being able to choose to participate in religion and having separation of church and state, the government should not be involved in a religious commitment ceremony. <br />
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All that to say, I believe anyone and everyone who desires to be in a legally recognized commitment to another person should have a civil union, as far as the government is concerned. A man and women, two men, two women, even polyamorous groups (hey, if they are content with trying to keep more than one partner happy, honored, and fulfilled all at the same time...who am I to deny them their overachieving goals), all should be given civil unions in the context of government. Obviously marriages, commitment ceremonies, etc. can and should still take place at the specific couple's desire. The legal system should have no part in my decision to commit myself to God and to another person. But I, along with any other type of couple who so chooses, should be allowed the same rights by law. <br />
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I am a Christian, and I value the institution of marriage. I believe it belongs in religion, where it started. I believe that people should be free to commit their lives to whomever they choose, without persecution. The bible outlines homosexuality as a sin, just as it does deceit, pride, greed, lust, and many other things I do and we all do each day. None is worse or better than the other. Regardless of what we do or what anyone else does, we're called to love all people. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-55047470732617791932012-05-07T21:59:00.000-05:002012-11-01T20:18:56.948-05:00All these things that I've done.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, I've done some things in the past few months. Here are some of those things. Enjoy.</div>
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Remember that time I took pictures of my family at the beach? So fun.</div>
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Kayla and David with Baby Parker.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zayden and Parker...obvi, they didn't like the sand very much. But, oh, so cute.</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWkBVlvqIyXK8lX4mQlHqi9ey4L_r16dOulN9axD56XX9FEzVPYRdkLUOp4V4PU5IAav4hn0nBHTsqcT827qwSjQeO7MWY18DIRanxhZc8qg4t4vLuRBuYuG86a6xgbaiUEsK/s1600/IMG_1788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWkBVlvqIyXK8lX4mQlHqi9ey4L_r16dOulN9axD56XX9FEzVPYRdkLUOp4V4PU5IAav4hn0nBHTsqcT827qwSjQeO7MWY18DIRanxhZc8qg4t4vLuRBuYuG86a6xgbaiUEsK/s320/IMG_1788.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">David, Parker, and Kayla, again. I am related to some pretty attractive people...more to follow.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj9jklqjpNNaVI6OZT80IZz4UJ8YbqcgqLU5nAeb7pT6KMKDqEz20kP2d9UloYPcDhvZe1XdVZ29BKJTDstt9I53f98mZb50OhpNV-kHBSOdCx-FvDxmgKtnjD9E2QGFa5LAM/s1600/IMG_1631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj9jklqjpNNaVI6OZT80IZz4UJ8YbqcgqLU5nAeb7pT6KMKDqEz20kP2d9UloYPcDhvZe1XdVZ29BKJTDstt9I53f98mZb50OhpNV-kHBSOdCx-FvDxmgKtnjD9E2QGFa5LAM/s320/IMG_1631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another sister, this one is Amanda. She's Zayden's mom. And that's Brian. He belongs to them, too.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81PwPAytJhN3V1p6fdsdzlXjTHuiX5qvWQZqUFbywiP1TNVgeBvcSEneALIWunUFYaqYdXdp004MpJ3gvkO6gFUJlPjcAD0uL6vFNpQUuXlWF2MYr7wyxYsk8JyLZo64jeIdh/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81PwPAytJhN3V1p6fdsdzlXjTHuiX5qvWQZqUFbywiP1TNVgeBvcSEneALIWunUFYaqYdXdp004MpJ3gvkO6gFUJlPjcAD0uL6vFNpQUuXlWF2MYr7wyxYsk8JyLZo64jeIdh/s320/IMG_1711.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">So cliche. But lovely.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tcnimZPq3gcqeRUyFXTxKotbrodJDFe20xOcG9lKYySKoFl2WjAZQ62akyRgFScXYiuugAxqjTLWiVEdPumd0FAvmCA29AprZpDEMkYHNT7Hiflq6hrv8T32HRd-lDnFCOhn/s1600/IMG_1693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tcnimZPq3gcqeRUyFXTxKotbrodJDFe20xOcG9lKYySKoFl2WjAZQ62akyRgFScXYiuugAxqjTLWiVEdPumd0FAvmCA29AprZpDEMkYHNT7Hiflq6hrv8T32HRd-lDnFCOhn/s320/IMG_1693.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made this for my Grandmother's 80th birthday gift. She loved it!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgz7Jb2LBP3tCZ1G4eE3ExOgralh70mbSLBAh93GpPmzNDdmGVJV3hpELZ45K-o_dXTp3ayAY6pwSPvIUVzGF5rUINlr4Nj55O3scSrY3PbEQjt-AN2VD1IhFPk9De9oY0mCXv/s1600/IMG_2047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgz7Jb2LBP3tCZ1G4eE3ExOgralh70mbSLBAh93GpPmzNDdmGVJV3hpELZ45K-o_dXTp3ayAY6pwSPvIUVzGF5rUINlr4Nj55O3scSrY3PbEQjt-AN2VD1IhFPk9De9oY0mCXv/s320/IMG_2047.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A little Christmas gift for Amanda and Brian.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hNufXeKHYbtp-8aVlhvwKmJ1Tkv4gHYu7eIVud5fa-8M7woX2U8GODfQvw-Ly1kNCi4vyhRBrWmqg-o2xXW-nFauP2hUwdc2IyNTq2Z0dTsaBHL5Q3PIdT8ofmHrP4h3nlEQ/s1600/IMG_2053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hNufXeKHYbtp-8aVlhvwKmJ1Tkv4gHYu7eIVud5fa-8M7woX2U8GODfQvw-Ly1kNCi4vyhRBrWmqg-o2xXW-nFauP2hUwdc2IyNTq2Z0dTsaBHL5Q3PIdT8ofmHrP4h3nlEQ/s320/IMG_2053.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made a few of these. This one is for Walt and Catherine.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWDe-dSR9H3LEadhLy2Iw90_ttaj-FL_nheXBJ1nlRgjtVIcPoDaTJn29Tc4cj_8W4-yG4D1s_xuJ23l-abs2uiA9QUBhyj02WxI39sI5tREc9YeF4r9EmEFEfVCLoy8lAxYB/s1600/IMG_2048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWDe-dSR9H3LEadhLy2Iw90_ttaj-FL_nheXBJ1nlRgjtVIcPoDaTJn29Tc4cj_8W4-yG4D1s_xuJ23l-abs2uiA9QUBhyj02WxI39sI5tREc9YeF4r9EmEFEfVCLoy8lAxYB/s320/IMG_2048.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is just for me. And Chris, clearly.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMGUpkRKFg4dfIltW9Q_bM_JcpbcMFXgVVS-_pZq80m9iQSq9aqPvh4MIiy0Fi5WytdugGh1wy_lFncpeFXYps-7AUyhLw-PAyWZmHNo2G77rn2ZFS8Hbcp_ynD9SK90LHeWy/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMGUpkRKFg4dfIltW9Q_bM_JcpbcMFXgVVS-_pZq80m9iQSq9aqPvh4MIiy0Fi5WytdugGh1wy_lFncpeFXYps-7AUyhLw-PAyWZmHNo2G77rn2ZFS8Hbcp_ynD9SK90LHeWy/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">You've seen this before. This is the current status. This is for that sweet babygirl up there.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrba3nKThRwqWkEGo1Eq_LzKQ3Gvx-RfhEuSTK4CU9wLkYeeQImP7uUgQwYLB6V1zgSZl4qL4aQVRiAhrrWHSKRVskoxeKBgl7fSovUx2FNd8cvqdxhnqoNNekINu8ylos5XJN/s1600/422309_10100252311717156_6508776_42123536_2041367559_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrba3nKThRwqWkEGo1Eq_LzKQ3Gvx-RfhEuSTK4CU9wLkYeeQImP7uUgQwYLB6V1zgSZl4qL4aQVRiAhrrWHSKRVskoxeKBgl7fSovUx2FNd8cvqdxhnqoNNekINu8ylos5XJN/s320/422309_10100252311717156_6508776_42123536_2041367559_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made this! Catherine and I took a sewing class and made these great tote bags. Super fun.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX8pvmW8RMruWb7NSENbWq6Oq4TV5hZ4BYb2JpYYdpITgov8EI5SC0XGptXnJK8CXW_g4LijgKiNFDARWFK9Gl7VNmRewPDC84grO_EP0_fGhH8MeZ3V2YKygWeVIgTdID8VD/s1600/IMG_1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijX8pvmW8RMruWb7NSENbWq6Oq4TV5hZ4BYb2JpYYdpITgov8EI5SC0XGptXnJK8CXW_g4LijgKiNFDARWFK9Gl7VNmRewPDC84grO_EP0_fGhH8MeZ3V2YKygWeVIgTdID8VD/s320/IMG_1484.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is kind of ugly, but I'm still proud. That's a lot of mini cupcakes. And they're red, white, and blue on the inside, too.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps4kCMxHMplIhAmwBm3Hj2h5VAVVKiRLx-hOaNwkIw7NqhA9RBJ-ZdhJinLi9PHjaa7fY2i6IAdXrJxHeBYpSnNDeVCfjDBKLnffL4RNweYP41pkIrQZvBTWPohlfJBvmLXYI/s1600/photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps4kCMxHMplIhAmwBm3Hj2h5VAVVKiRLx-hOaNwkIw7NqhA9RBJ-ZdhJinLi9PHjaa7fY2i6IAdXrJxHeBYpSnNDeVCfjDBKLnffL4RNweYP41pkIrQZvBTWPohlfJBvmLXYI/s320/photo+1.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh yeah, and I made a little home, too. Maybe someday I'll show you pictures of the inside. Maybe. </span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></td></tr>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-41226028646819116082012-05-02T12:54:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:20:49.147-05:00A lil update.So Chris hasn't yet been lucky in finding a job. Someone hire him, people! Last night we discussed some contingency plans, because honestly, money will be running out soon, so something has to happen. I feel better when there are backup plans. I am still hopeful things will work out just fine!<br />
<br />
My knee is still all crazy. I don't know what is wrong with this funky thing. I do know that I hurt this same knee many years ago in dance practice, but I never saw a doctor about it. Shame on you, parents! Kidding. If anyone knows about knees...mine feels crunchy (?) when I bend/use it. I know that sounds crazypants, but I have no other words to describe it. And I think I said all that last time. Oh well. I have been walking, and yesterday I did a cardio dance video, but running is too much for it. Sadface. <br />
<br />
My job is great! Charlotte is growing so fast, and she's beautiful and fun. So we just have lots of fun everyday...ok, most days. <br />
<br />
My bestie, Catherine, and her husband found out if their baby is a boy or girl yesterday. I'm going nutty because they're waiting to reveal the gender and the name until Mother's Day weekend. Ahhhh! I just like to know all the things. <br />
<br />
Kayla and David bought their first house! I can't wait to see it! My baby sister is so much more of a grownup than I am! She's a married mom, who now owns a house. I, um, have a job? And a car? Lame. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-73194916110897189312012-04-28T09:04:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:20:30.209-05:00Toes in the sandBeach day! I'm awake on this Saturday morning, because we are going to the beach! Love love love the beach. I've always dreamed of living near the beach. So far, New Orleans is the best I've done. It's a little over an hour to the Mississippi beaches. Not bad. <br />
<br />
We're choosing to leave the madhouse that is Mid-City New Orleans right now because of Jazz Fest. It's held at the Fairgrounds, which is only about 2 city blocks away. Which means this neighborhood is out of control. I had Chris line up the trash cans in front of my house yesterday afternoon so I and the girl who lives on the other side would be able to park when we each arrived home from work. I love Mardi Gras, and festivals are ok, but sometimes too much is too much. Festivals here aren't like the sweet little Double Decker Arts Festival I grew up going to, back home in Oxford. It's hit and gross and so are the people. By this time in the "Spring" (I use that term to reference the date only) we have temps well into the nineties during the day. Pair that with tons of people and a big, unshaded racetrack and you have Jazz Fest. No thanks. Plus, I'm sure I'll be able to hear it from my living room, just as I did Voodoo Fest. <br />
<br />
I had to take a tiny break from running. I've done something to my knee...the only way I can describe it is that it feels all crunchy inside and pops a lot. Since I work for myself, I don't have health insurance :( so I'm just taking it easy and walking until it feels better. <br />
<br />
I've had a lot on my mind lately...so many decisions to be made. I'm sure I'll write about it soon, I'm just not ready yet. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-73308210723842826442012-04-25T13:29:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:21:08.452-05:00I haven't written in a few days because I'm just blah. Just a funk. Lots on my mind. But I'll snap out of it soon and write you something fabulous, ok? Promise. Except maybe I don't promise it will be fabulous, but at least more than blah. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17129125.post-69646992035380640062012-04-20T14:23:00.001-05:002012-11-01T20:26:41.250-05:00Touch.I hate the term "love language". It sounds so cheesy. But I don't know of another term that means the same thing. So love language it is. <br />
<br />
Do you know your love language? Mine are physical touch and gifts...with some words of affirmation thrown in. Chris and I "speak" completely different love languages. He is very much quality time and acts of service, I think. It's kind of bad that I'm not sure about that. Oops. Though you can always make him happy with a gift, so maybe gifts too. So I guess we have gifts in common. <br />
<br />
See, we've run into a problem as of late. That problem is that for the past several months, there has been little to no expendable income between the two of us. That means no gifts. Seriously. No Christmas. No Valentine's day. I was lucky enough to have birthday presents because the little planner he is, he bought my birthday gifts back in the summer. <br />
<br />
So, no big deal, right? Holidays and love aren't about gifts, right? I mean, yeah. True. But it's the only one we have in common. And, when you have money, it's so the easiest. It's tangible. And when that is one of your love languages and you're not able to give or receive gifts, it hurts you. <br />
<br />
A huge problem comes in when we don't recognize the love from each other, and we don't communicate the love to one another properly. Chris is just naturally not an extremely demonstrative person in relationships. It's a trait he has learned from his parents. It's not a bad thing, in and of itself. It only becomes a bad thing in relation to me. When people don't touch me or talk about their love and appreciation, I think they don't love me. I know that Chris does love me. But there is a difference in knowing it cognitively and actually feeling it coming from a person. <br />
<br />
He does show his love. He just shows it very differently from the way I think about love. He is just completely fine to spend time together doing whatever. It usually doesn't matter what it is. Just quality time. He also does so many little things that I can really overlook, if I'm not careful. When I make a specific point of it, I see these things. Though, since it is not my preferred method, I have to remember to make that conscious effort. Just like he has to remember to show love the way I need it. <br />
<br />
I say all this because every once in a while, I seem to have a little emotional breakdown, and we end up trying to have a conversation while I'm sniffing and snorting and wiping away tears. All because I've gotten my feelings hurt because I need more hugs. The latest one happened last night. When I think about it, it seems silly to me. Why should people have to have a conversation about making sure they're hugged enough? Isn't that just human nature? Am I just not that cool? Is there something wrong with me? No. To all of them. It's just not the way some people are wired. <br />
<br />
I have to take extra care not to let it cloud my thinking or make me doubt myself and my self worth. It's a lapse in communicating properly that we will always have to work on. Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03394865535275045672noreply@blogger.com0