a day in the life ...

glutton for punishment

2010-01-19T15:37:00.002-06:00

Oh, dear. Why do I do this to myself? {Yes, I know all you real runners out there think a 10k is a gimme race, but it's hard for some people! (mvo)}

what did you do today?

2009-09-19T14:05:00.003-05:00

I did this with these fabulous ladies.

These are our cool timing chips. {Way better than the last one I wore, by far.}

And here we are, post-race. Aren't we awesome?

How did I do? Not awesome, but it's over, right? Give me a few days before I even think about doing a half or even another 10K. Running just might not be my thing ...

dandy-lions

2009-07-12T08:14:00.000-05:00

I love, love, love this shot taken by my sister. I could use a spot right about now, that's for sure.

4 days and a wakeup.

2009-06-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

from megan.

Zack Attack!

2009-06-10T11:07:00.002-05:00

This is the best thing I've seen in a long time. I'm a long-time Saved by the Bell junkie and could probably still tell you which episode it is simply by watching the first 30 seconds of it. Zack Morris forever.

happy birthday, babe!

2009-05-20T13:27:00.005-05:00

Happy happy birthday, Matt! I'm so glad you were born.

**I also have to give a shout-out to the guys who married two of my favorite people and just happen to share Matt's birthday, Gary and Shayne. Happy birthday to you, too!**

happy birthday, dude!

2009-05-08T13:23:00.003-05:00

I can't believe how old you are, especially since it means I'll be that old in a few more months! I'm so glad your mom made you come sit by me that day at church 20 1/2 years ago!

**picture from our yummy lunch today at Market Street. Carrie and I made Jen wear all this, in case you were wondering.**

last 5K post, I promise.

2009-04-22T15:20:00.002-05:00

I found a few pictures of me at the race. Most of them make me look like a chubby, slightly constipated walker. This one, though, makes me look like a runner!!

{What you can't see is the 9-year-old just ahead of me that beat me. Seriously.}

happy, happy birthday!

2009-04-21T14:46:00.003-05:00

Today is Stef's birthday. Do you know Stef? You should. She's:

an awesome friend (aunt/roommate/daughter/sister/girlfriend)
one of the most generous and helpful people I know
a great seamstress
a wonderful cook
one of the best people to watch movies with
a great road trip partner
one of the few people who really gets me!
my favorite Canadian

from Stef's birthday 4 years ago ... I love the birthday gnome!!

Happy Birthday, Stef!!!

**click here for more posts featuring Stef or here for pictoral evidence of 6 1/2 years of shenanigans!**

so, i did it.

2009-04-20T14:01:00.006-05:00

My only goals were to run the whole thing and to not fall down. Check and check. I wasn't the fastest or the slowest. I came in somewhere in the middle of the pack, and I couldn't be happier about it. I loved having Matt and Maddy at the finish line waiting for me.

I don't know if I'll do 10K or a half-marathon or even another 5K at this point, but I like the way I feel when I run. It's my selfish time to recharge -- no cell phone or laundry or baby or husband to worry about for those few miles. I can just focus on my music and whatever thoughts happen to bounce around my head. I love knowing that I can run farther than I could a month ago. I love logging my runs and seeing how I've progressed and my total mileage. I love knowing that I'm doing something to improve myself. I love knowing that I'm closer to my goal of being able to grab Maddy and physically run away if I feel like we're in danger. I don't consider myself a 'runner' and maybe I never will, but I think I'll keep it up.

i got this today

2009-04-16T14:34:00.003-05:00

and the nerves haven't stopped yet. I was half-afraid they'd tell me that I wasn't a real runner and couldn't do the race. Now I just have to get through the next two days without talking myself out of it.

hoppy easter!

2009-04-12T14:03:00.000-05:00

the pigeon

2009-04-05T23:50:00.004-05:00

I love Mo Willems. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is one of those fantastic children's books I love to read and can't wait for Maddy to finally get and laugh at. I'd love to get this print for Maddy's room.

It would be perfect for when Megan comes to visit -- she can read just Pigeon's pleadings, which are the best part anyway. In case you didn't know, Megan is the best story-reader around. I hope she really gets around to recording some books for little Maddy.

{buy the poster here}

weekend roundup: Amy edition

2009-03-30T10:49:00.003-05:00

We had a great weekend, starting early on Friday. Matt's sister, Amy, came to town for a last-minute visit. Here's what we did:

Friday: After physical therapy, Maddy and I picked up Amy at the airport and stopped at Whataburger for a quick lunch. Maddy managed to spill a strawful of DP and spit up on Amy in the first five minutes, of course before Amy had to meet the director of her program at Cook Children's for a tour. Good thing it's a pediatric hospital - they understand kids and messes! While Amy was getting her tour, Maddy and I drove around and then walked the hospital for awhile. We picked up Tuscany for dinner {Tortellini Michelangelo, yum!!} and waited for Matt to get home on his perpetually-delayed flight from Louisiana. Amy and I tried to watch a movie, but like a true Kotter, she fell asleep.
Saturday: Matt and Amy went to the temple first thing in the morning while Maddy and I stayed home. We met up with the Strongs for lunch at Costa Vida and ran into Rob and Paula there, too. After lunch, we drove Amy around a bit and even visited my old houses in Colleyville, since we were nearby. It's amazing how different everything looks! We went home for a tasty dinner of IBC and a celebratory strawberry cheesecake trifle. We were all worn out and went to bed early.
Sunday: Matt was up and gone to meetings before we got going for our day. Maddy and I pulled it together and left to get Amy to the airport before church. Afterwards, Matt let me take a much-needed nap while he played with Maddy. Matt left again that night for a few hours, so Maddy and I played and recovered from our weekend.

Maddy LOVES her aunt Amy {it's a good thing I'm not a jealous mommy, seriously} and we had a great time hanging out and catching up. We can't wait to have her here full-time!

do the shuffle.

2009-03-24T14:37:00.004-05:00

Matt surprised me with this today. Apparently they had them at the 'store' at work, so he got me a silver one. I can't wait to use it. Who has suggestions for good running songs?

so,

2009-03-24T14:07:00.004-05:00

does sitting in a rocking chair and doing this:

today while Maddy napped make me an 80-year-old woman? Actually, I really don't care. It was fun. I re-learned how to crochet from this tutorial.

remember when

2009-03-23T14:10:00.001-05:00

I was going to do this? Well, I'm only about six months behind, but I successfully completed week one on Saturday. It may be pathetic that I only ran 5 miles total during the week, but I guess that's 5 miles more than I've run in any other week in several years. A girl's gotta start somewhere. Here's to week two! In order to psych myself up to keep at it, I'm going to run this in April. I think Matt and Maddy {in her stroller} are going to do it with me!

charley harper

2009-03-19T10:27:00.004-05:00

I bought these board books for Maddy on clearance at Old Navy last week. I love the illustrations. Aren't they cute?

Maddy's not quite so sure about the illustrations, but she sure thinks they taste good.

here's a list

2009-03-11T15:46:00.004-05:00

of things I never realized I used my abs for:

sleeping
walking
sitting
standing
cooking

Thanks to this, I'm now well aware. On the bright side, I can still pick up 20-pound Maddy.

this is what happens

2009-03-11T14:16:00.002-05:00

when emily and ryan come to town. Matt and Ryan play 'tough-guys' and Emily and I cook and play with the baby.

happy birthday, aimee!

2009-03-08T22:00:00.004-05:00

Today is Aimee's birthday and we went over to celebrate. It was fun to see them and to catch up with the Costley's, who I haven't seen in probably seven years.

All the little girls {there were seven(!) between us all} wanted to help put the candles on the cake and then Aimee gamely tried to blow them all out. Doesn't she look a little winded? And I realize that she looks a little ticked off in most of the pictures, but I think she had a good time. Right, Aim? Anyway, happy 21st birthday!

are you up for a challenge?

2009-03-04T15:30:00.004-06:00

So, Stef had the great idea to do a 6-week push up and sit-up challenge. The goal for these is overall strength and fitness, not really losing weight. Stef's whole idea is to have support and encouragement along the way. I know it's hard for me to do anything without having some sort of accountability to someone else. Who wants in on the action? Just leave a comment here and check out the details on Stef's post. Maybe if there's enough interest, we'll set up another private blog or something to track our progress.

I'm personally going to combine it with my 30 Day Shred and/or 'couch to 5K' program. I figure my "I just had a baby" excuse has run out {now that Maddy's seven months old!} and now I just need to lose the weight!

brookie

2009-02-28T21:16:00.004-06:00

just got her very own email account. There are few things better than getting an email from your almost-8-year-old niece asking when you're coming to visit her. Even if she says she misses your husband the most.

*picture taken almost two years ago up AF canyon. I need to take more pictures when I visit, apparently.

to do: mini apple pies

2009-02-11T11:38:00.003-06:00

I love this idea. What are the odds I actually make them??

{seen on design mom}

happy half birthday!

2009-02-03T09:06:00.003-06:00

My baby is six months old today. I guess it's true - time flies when you're having fun.

hooray!

2009-02-02T22:00:00.004-06:00

Little Corynn Olivia is finally here! She was born on Sunday at 5:19pm {8 lbs 1 oz and 19.5 in, for those who were wondering} and we couldn't be happier. Maddy doesn't know it yet, but they're going to be best friends!

And not to brag or anything, but I got to hold her and she's perfect.

at McDonald's today ...

2009-01-21T21:39:00.002-06:00

Nolan had a mishap with his shirt, so Jen took it off. Isn't a shirtless little boy just what you expect in the PlayLand?

I love Nolan and Ava's faces. They're like, "Can you believe this??"

the pressure

2009-01-21T09:42:00.010-06:00

of posting the full recap of our Christmas is too much. I'm just going to feature a few high points and call it good.

Utah

eating. we did a lot. Hagermann's, Sawadee, Cafe Rio, early Christmas Eve dinner with the usual favorites - olive sandwiches (cut after they're made), little smokies, stuffed mushrooms ... mmmm.
snow, everywhere. I think it snowed 90% of the time I was gone. The weather trumped a lot of my plans because I didn't think I could get down the mountain safely. I didn't actually take Maddy out to play in it, but I did let her look out the window at it.
Lisa and Andrew got married. Hooray! {Thanks to Mel for chauffering me so I could make the sealing and reception and for watching Maddy, too!}
I got to see Stef. I miss that girl!
Family, family and more family. Trav and fam stopped on their way to Oregon and CJ and fam drove up a few days early. Everyone else {but Matt} was already there. I love my family!
La la la la Lifetime movies. Sadly, they were there, too.
Shenanigans.
BYU's bowl game was a colossal disappointment.

Idaho

Matt miraculously made it to Idaho, even connecting through Portland. If you haven't heard the story yet, you'll have to ask him about it.
The Ranch. I love it there! Matt's entire family went up to Cascade for a few days. We snowmobiled, ate {of course} and watched Boise State lose. It was a bad football trip for us.
Christmas Eve traditions with Grandma Zola. I've never done a multi-family Christmas that I can remember, but it was fun.
Christmas morning was nice and laid back. Maddy was definitely too young to get it, but her daddy still spoiled her with a stocking and her first bear. She loves Theodore.
Maddy got to meet her two younger cousins. I think they'll be great friends when they get older.
Little Ali J's blessing. It was great to be there with the Pancheris and Kotters for that.
Lots of games. Amy dominated me in Trouble and there was plenty of Phase 10 to go around.

I feel so lucky to have been born into a great family and to have married into another awesome one.

remember when ...

2009-01-20T15:42:00.003-06:00

With some of the proceeds from my amazon selling, I bought this beauty. And so begins the monumental task of scanning in all of our old pictures so we can get rid of the hard copies. Here are just a few of the gems I've found so far:

jen's party

2009-01-15T21:26:00.002-06:00

The occasion:

Little baby Corynn's impending arrival. I can't wait to hold her in less than two weeks!

The menu:

strawberry-filled vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Kotter brownie bites
homemade oreos {chocolate w/ mint filling and strawberry w/ vanilla filling}
homemade cream puffs {by Carrie}
double chocolate brownie bites {by Kristy}
raspberry lemonade
assorted candy

{Should those have really taken me all day to bake? No, but they did. As often happens to us Stratton girls, I way over-planned the food and had a ton left over. Matt's co-workers benefitted from the overage.}

The turnout:
Awesome. There were probably about 30 people in my little house {filling up all the chairs in the living room, the hallway, the kitchen} - standing-room only.

The verdict:
Totally worth it. Jen needed a few hours that were all about her and the baby and I needed an excuse to clean my house.

I'm addicted

2009-01-05T22:02:00.002-06:00

to selling books on Amazon. I listed 18 books on Saturday afternoon and have already sold 11 of them. It's like free money because they were just collecting dust on our bookshelves. Now I just wish we had more books to get rid of ...

We're back!

2009-01-05T21:06:00.002-06:00

Actually, we've been back for a week now, but that week was spent recovering from colds, being gone for two weeks, and a day spent in airports. Thanks to everyone who gave me tips on flying with Maddy - she was a champ. I'll update soon with a few tales from our travels.

re-Feuding

2008-12-10T11:50:00.002-06:00

You may remember a few years ago when Matt did Family Feud for a youth activity. He's been hit up to play it at a work thing tomorrow and he wanted to do a few Christmas-themed questions. This is where you come in. He needs answers to these questions by tonight. Please leave a comment with your responses! {I'm also sending out an email, so you can reply that way, if you'd prefer.}

1. Name one of Santa's reindeer.
2. What is your favorite Christmas carol?
3. What is the worst thing to give for Christmas?
4. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
5. Name one thing you'd need to dress up as Santa.
6. Name something you'd find at the North Pole.
7. Name something you need to wrap a present.
8. Name a word or phrase that begins with 'snow'.

Thanks for your help!!

so.

2008-12-09T09:30:00.003-06:00

We're spending Christmas in Idaho this year. It was going to work out perfectly because Matt would be with me for Maddy's first flight. Then Lisa moved her wedding up and I decided to fly to Utah for it. I'm so glad I was able to change my flight to be there for her wedding and to spend some time with my family. The only problem is that now I'm handling Maddy's first flight solo and I'm having visions of a screaming baby, even though that's not her style. Add in security and boarding, not to mention holding her on my lap for three hours and I'm getting a little nervous. Does anyone have any tips for flying with a 4-month-old?

for fhe tonight,

2008-12-01T23:59:00.002-06:00

Matt and I cleaned egg off the back of our house in 40 degree weather. The only thing that's tempering the rage is knowing that Matt's going over there tomorrow to talk to the neighbor kid's parents. Am I completely old and uptight if I've considered threatening to call the cops the next time?

Co Cougs!

2008-11-22T17:07:00.000-06:00

don't forget to

2008-11-04T00:01:00.001-06:00

Matt and I went last week to avoid the election day rush. I was bummed they didn't hand out "I Voted" stickers. I had grand ideas of making snacks and crossing my fingers while watching the results roll in, but I have two things going on tonight. I guess Matt and Maddy will have to cross their fingers without me. I'm nervous.

If you don't know where you're supposed to go, find your polling place here.

happy birthday, meggs!

2008-10-20T00:07:00.003-05:00

She's getting old. I don't know what that makes me.

I love this paparazzi shot of her.

what's for dinner? Week something

2008-10-14T15:46:00.002-05:00

I've actually planned meals for the week. Surprise, surprise! Matt is one lucky guy.

Monday: chicken tostadas
Tuesday: SF melts and sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Chicken, Black Bean & Corn Stoup {new RR recipe} with Pancheri Cornbread
Thursday: leftovers and BYU vs. TCU Go Cougs!!
Friday: Honey Nut Chicken Strips {another new RR} with french fries
Saturday: nothing planned; hopefully someone will take me out to dinner {hint, hint}
Sunday: cranberry pork roast with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus

it's a bit early for Christmas stuff but,

2008-10-08T12:13:00.005-05:00

I saw these plates on Mel's blog and can't get them out of my head. I think I might need them. Anyone feeling generous?

wave runner

2008-10-06T15:54:00.003-05:00

To help me on my fitness quest, my sisters and I went to the running store when they were in town. Mel helped me pick out these beauties. I've only worn them once, but I'm sure they helped me run faster. Now if I could just figure out the best time to run ... Matt leaves for work at 5:30 every morning and there's no way I'm getting up to go before he leaves. When he gets home from work, it's time for dinner and then we have a little family time ... So when do I run??

i heart martha

2008-09-24T10:47:00.003-05:00

It's been well-documented. I love Martha Stewart. I got the October issue of Living yesterday and was a bit disappointed in the "Good Things" section, which is usually my favorite. Well, Martha redeemed herself with several recipes. When I can eat dairy again, I'm definitely trying these:

{click on picture for recipe; all via martha}

garland fever

2008-09-23T09:14:00.004-05:00

We're having a little brunch with family for Maddy on Sunday. I'd like to make one of these as decoration. Which one should I do?

{click on pictures for directions}

one day and a wakeup

2008-09-23T08:16:00.002-05:00

until all these people come into town. I can't wait.

2 years

2008-09-17T09:46:00.008-05:00

Monday was our two-year anniversary. On one hand, I can't believe it's already been two years. On the other hand, it feels a lot longer. In a good way. I don't want to do a big mushy post (I've already done that before), but here are a few new reasons I love Matt:

He loves Maddy and is a great dad.
He's not afraid to change a dirty diaper.
He works hard so I can stay home.
He put up with my crazy pregnancy symptoms: snow cone cravings and being really, really impatient.
He wrote me a great poem and sent me on a mini-scavenger hunt for my anniversary present.
He's handy with power tools.
He really is the best husband ever and I lucked out.

C&B

2008-09-17T07:04:00.000-05:00

I got the Crate and Barrel Best Buys catalog last week and loved a few things in it. Lucky for you, I'm in a sharing mood. I love the centerpiece on that table (using four different candleholder styles), the Allegro chair (although I have more than enough green in my house right now) and the wall art above the bed (using the same tealight holders as the centerpiece). Now, if I could just find those candles for cheap, I'd have my centerpiece for Thanksgiving already done!

no more excuses

2008-09-13T15:49:00.003-05:00

I was given a clean bill of health yesterday. I've been saying that I would go running, if only the doctor would let me. Now I don't have any excuses and actually have to do something about losing this baby weight. Enter my training schedule, stolen from Runner's World.

It's a five-week plan to run a 5K. I don't actually anticipate running a 5K in five weeks, but I could if I wanted.

thanks, meggs!

2008-09-12T11:49:00.006-05:00

Look at what a talented sister I have. I can't wait to see my bag in person!

wanted

2008-09-12T11:44:00.002-05:00

I saw this on Oh Happy Day awhile ago and now I've decided I want one. So, who wants to try to convince Matt to spend $22 on a toy for Maddy?

DJ Maddy J

2008-09-11T15:37:00.004-05:00

I've decided to start a separate private blog for all things Maddy. Matt and I just feel better having her mostly kept away from the public interweb eye. If you'd like an invite to her blog, just send me an email or leave me a comment here.

I'll still post occasional Maddy eye-candy here, but if you need a more consistent fix, our new blog is the place to get it!

the Cougars are out:

2008-08-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

All that rising and shouting made Maddy tired.

And the Cougars may or may not have won because their (cutest) littlest fan was cheering them on.

Happy six years, Stef!

2008-08-31T10:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, Stef and I celebrate our Friendiversary. So what. Here's to six years of being friends and doing lots of dumb stuff together. You can see (almost) everything we've done here, if you want.

*This picture is actually from our first friend outing, which is what we count our friendiversary from. I could tell so many stories about that quadruple date, but I'll leave those between me and Stef. So funny.*

It's official!

2008-08-24T10:27:00.000-05:00

They're engaged! Congratulations, Lisa and Andrew! We're so excited for you guys!

*This picture is from Enchanted Rock in January, back when I was still (mostly) skinny. Maybe I'll get back there someday ...*

cousins

2008-08-23T16:52:00.005-05:00

Two weeks ago, Maddy met some of her cousins for the first time. Since I'm not close with any of my cousins, I love that Maddy has some living close. Maddy (and about two seconds after this picture was taken, Macee) wasn't so sure about it all ...

I'll just add it to my list of things to do ...

2008-08-23T16:45:00.003-05:00

Seeing things like this makes me want to learn to sew. Like, really learn to sew. Not start something, have it sit there for a year and then have my mom finish it.

If you want to maybe win this dress, go here. If you want to win that dress to give to Maddy, I'm okay with that, too.

2008-08-21T11:10:00.004-05:00

For some of Maddy's "waketime"*, I've started reading her books. I only have a few children's books and am trying to think of others I need to get a good collection going. I'm going to blame it on childbirth, but I'm having a hard time remembering books I love.

These are the ones I already have:

Donna O'Neeshuck was Chased by Some Cows
My Little Sister Ate One Hare
The Paper Bag Princess
Guess How Much I Love You

Ones I know I want:

Madeline
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Where the Wild Things Are
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Goodnight Moon
Love You Forever
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Green Eggs and Ham
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

What other books do I need?

*"waketime" might be stretching it a bit -- this girl still sleeps approximately 20 hours a day; if she's not eating, she's sleeping*

shopping

2008-08-21T10:56:00.006-05:00

Now I know why everyone says raising girls is so expensive. Maddy is only 2 1/2 weeks old and I already want to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes she'll only wear a couple times.

from PBKids.

2008-08-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

Does the baby on the right look a pound and a half heavier than the baby on the left? Well, according to her well-baby visit, she is. Here's to my (almost) nine-pounder!

The Past Few Days...

2008-08-07T18:10:00.001-05:00

So here are a few pictures of me over the past few days. I'm starting to get adjusted to everything although my parents are starting to look a little ragged for some reason. Hey, when you got to eat, you got to eat, right?

So Mom and Dad had this wise idea yesterday to give me my first bath. For the first couple of pictures I was alright with it.

Still Good...

Not so good...

Not bad at all!

Me & Mom

Me & Dad

A little warm...

Feeling good.

Just chillin'

Madeline January Kotter

2008-08-05T20:55:00.002-05:00

Birthdate: 8-3-08
Weight: 7lbs, 11oz
Height: 19 1/2 inches
Cuteness: Really, Really Cute!

This is me with the Nurses that were really kind.

I don't know what's with the hat, but it's warm at least!

I've got more hair than dad which isn't saying much.

Mom, Dad & Me!

Leaving the Hospital.

My first car ride.

Home, Sweet Home!

yikes

2008-08-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our lives are about to change forever. Stay tuned ...

love.

2008-07-19T16:42:00.005-05:00

I have found my new favorite beauty product. A few years ago, I started giving myself pedicures at home because I realized it was ridiculous to spend so much money every month to have someone else paint my toenails. I thought I would have to give in and get a pedicure since I have a little, um, difficulty reaching my toes these days. Enter this product. I was able to give myself a french tip pedicure in about five minutes with minimal maneuvering, thanks to this awesome pen. I think everyone should get one.

oregon dreaming

2008-07-17T15:47:00.001-05:00

This is where I'll be in about a year with my entire family. I can't wait.

retirement: day 1

2008-07-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday was officially my last day working in an office. I had a great job and will miss my coworkers, but I'm excited for the next chapter. You might ask, what does retirement hold? Well, I'll just tell you.

Sleeping in until 8:45 (this is a nice treat, because I am generally up for a couple hours in the middle of the night)
Baking homemade wheat sandwich bread. Heaven.
Going to one of my favorite stores for cheap produce. Cheap blueberries? Count me in.
Spending a leisurely hour at the pool with these cute kids to work on not being so pasty.
Doing a little online shopping for a couple things we had already decided to buy.
Making Matt a tasty dinner since he still goes to work every day.

Other than that, not a whole lot. I mostly took it easy so I didn't get overly tired. I wanted to make sure I had things left to do for the rest of the week, too. I could get used to this 'woman of leisure' (as January calls it) thing. Too bad it's over in about six weeks ...

because Emily asked me to

2008-07-02T07:11:00.000-05:00

So, this is me 32 weeks pregnant. Everyone tells me I'm not big enough to be so close to having a baby. I think they're wrong, because I feel huge. And pale. At least that second part will change when I start going to the pool after my last day of work {tomorrow!!}.

2008-06-25T06:45:00.000-05:00

This is what we did one night last week. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Thanks for the fun times, guys!

Hammer Time

2008-06-05T20:10:00.000-05:00

Have you seen this commercial? We mostly DVR everything but I happened to see this today and loved it. Anyone else?

martha martha martha

2008-06-05T18:16:00.000-05:00

I have a mild obsession with Martha Stewart. I love the things she (okay, her staff) comes up with and I especially love the 'Good Things' section in each Martha Stewart Living issue. Here are my favorites from June: {You can click on any picture to get an explanation of how to recreate it}

2008-05-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

Trece's room is coming along nicely. The crib arrived (although with a cracked leg) and will be put up as soon as the replacement part gets here. I also bought this (it's the one on the left):

I love buying house stuff!

Mirror first seen on Oh Happy Day

success!

2008-05-10T18:01:00.005-05:00

Matt and I ventured out today to (again) look for living room furniture. We haven't looked in about six months, but that was a beat-down. I steeled myself for an entire day of disappointing options, frustration and hunger. Who would have thought we'd find exactly what we wanted at the first store? Here's what we got, although the pictures don't do them justice. The two couches are black leather and have great detailing and the chair is charcoal suede. Now I just have to wait 6-8 weeks for them to show up! {Once they do, I'll post pictures of our completed living room!}

PS - I even came in under budget.

rock my world

2008-05-09T06:03:00.001-05:00

I want a rocking chair for the nursery, but I want something sort of fun. I found this one at IKEA but I'm always a little wary -- will it be durable and comfortable?

Happy Birthday, dude!

2008-05-08T19:09:00.005-05:00

So, I've known Jen for coming up on 20 years. That's a LONG time. In those years, we've done lots of dumb stuff together. Thanks to a scrapbook Jen made me in college, I have pictoral evidence of a few. Behold:

Here's to 20 more!!

{You probably don't want to know what we're doing in most of those. But, if you're brave, go ahead and ask!}

facelift

2008-05-08T13:42:00.003-05:00

I'm in blog-fixing-up mode apparently, too. Good thing I have an awesome sister who knows my taste and can design a rad header just for me. If anyone's interested in her design services, let me know and I can hook you up!

rock-a-bye

2008-05-08T07:01:00.001-05:00

Matt and I are in super-house-fixing-up mode these days trying to get everything done before our world completely changes -- and before our families descend on our house. {We want to look like adults and not starving college students!} I will probably be highlighting some of our decorating here, just because I can. I promise this won't turn into a baby blog, but here is one of our purchases from last night. What do you think?

Did you hear?

2008-05-07T06:03:00.000-05:00

It's a girl. And her due date is creeping up on us. Why does it seem like I've been pregnant forever, but she's still coming so soon? Yikes.

dreaming

2008-05-01T06:12:00.000-05:00

When I can fit into normal-sized clothes again, I want this shirt. I love Amy Butler.

Falling Slowly

2008-04-26T10:34:00.002-05:00

I can't get this song out of my head. I'm already in love with the movie and I haven't even seen it yet.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly

What's for dinner? Week 21

2008-02-24T11:10:00.003-06:00

I haven't posted one of these since December, and that just may be the last time I made an actual meal plan and went with it. Poor Matt. Now that I don't feel so terrible after work, my goal is to make dinner every night again. You'll notice some of these are pretty simple. That accomplished my two-fold goal -- saving money on our grocery bill and not having to slave away in the kitchen when I finally get home from a stressful day at work.

Sunday: angel chicken and steamed broccoli
Monday: rice casserole and corn
Tuesday: italian baked chicken and cheddar bay biscuits
Wednesday: homemade pizza and fruit salad
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: dinner with friends
Saturday: italian chicken chili with homemade croutons and parmesan popovers

I'm also making these for my class today and want to make these sometime this week too.

the haps

2008-02-24T10:10:00.005-06:00

As evidenced by the lack of blogging, it has been a crazy year around here. It started with me taking a new position at work, then that position changing, and then changing again. Somewhere in the middle of all that, we managed to work in some fun weekend outings, Enchanted Rock and Washington DC. Oh, and that whole pregnancy thing.

Check out pics here:
Enchanted Rock
DC

2008-02-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

2008-02-03T09:28:00.000-06:00

Matt and I are back on the house-decorating bandwagon. We hope to have everything finished by the end of March, when his sister comes to visit. Our entryway is huge and empty. I like either of these two options, but can't bring myself to pay Pottery Barn prices. Does anyone know of a cheaper version of either?

sad day.

2008-01-28T21:43:00.000-06:00

He was my prophet and I'll miss him. I'm glad he's with his sweet wife again.

yes, please

2008-01-08T10:56:00.001-06:00

I will take one of each set.

sometimes

2007-12-19T12:19:00.000-06:00

working isn't so bad. Like when one of my vendors gives me these:

It's December 18 and

2007-12-18T13:57:00.000-06:00

I love Texas.

A Fine Frenzy

2007-12-16T19:26:00.000-06:00

Go here. You won't be sorry.

seriously?

2007-12-13T08:13:00.001-06:00

Um, have you ever heard of freezing fog? Me neither. But that's what we had this morning. Freezing fog and black ice. I'm still at home while I wait for the 200 accidents the Fort Worth police department is dealing with to clear up. I took these pictures from my front and back porches. Doesn't it look toasty?

Hotel Lombardy

2007-12-10T12:52:00.000-06:00

Matt will be traveling to DC for work in February and we decided that I would fly out to meet him for a long weekend. I've always wanted to visit DC and have never been. I really, really, really hope we get to stay at the Hotel Lombardy. I love that it's a converted private residence from the 1920's and that all of the historical sites are within walking distance.

What's for Dinner? Week 20

2007-12-10T10:55:00.000-06:00

Monday: baked tortellini with green salad
Tuesday: Matt's in El Paso. Boo.
Wednesday: ditto
Thursday: chicken parmesan and (Matt's favorite) frog eye salad
Friday: chicken spaghetti and southwest corn
Saturday: bruschetta chicken
Sunday: balsamic pork and tomato with green rice

free rice

2007-12-05T13:53:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this site? It's become a new obsession. I love big words and this give me a free place to learn new ones and donate rice to the United Nations World Food Program in the process.

cashmere

2007-12-03T12:42:00.000-06:00

I wish I could afford to have a different cashmere sweater for each day in the winter. I am wearing this sweater right now and would go back and buy it in every solid color they carry. It's so warm, so soft, and (most importantly) I feel a little bit prettier wearing it.

love.

2007-12-03T12:31:00.000-06:00

You have to check out the whole Dreams of Flying series by photographer jan von holleben. They're genius.

What's for dinner? Week 19

2007-12-02T21:22:00.000-06:00

I've been a huge slacker in the meal planning/cooking department. I don't even want to talk about the fact that I cooked the same meal 3 days in a row last week. Yes, that's re-cook, not even reheating leftovers. This week will be better.

Monday: um, nothing? I have NO groceries.
Tuesday: black bean stoup and cornbread
Wednesday: Lisa's chicken fajita pizza
Thursday: San Francisco Melts
Friday: chicken stir fry
Saturday: no cooking - Christmas party!
Sunday: angel chicken and parmesan popovers

Weekend Roundup

2007-12-02T18:49:00.000-06:00

Wow, it's been awhile since I've done one of these. My weekend was all that exciting, but I still like to document it. Lucky you.

Friday night, Matt and I went out on an actual date. It's been awhile, so we decided to go all out and eat at Texas Roadhouse. The perfectly cooked medium 6 oz. sirloin (Matt had the full rack of ribs), steamed veggies and hot rolls with cinnamon butter were heavenly. We stopped by Home Depot on our way home to pick up supplies for our Saturday adventures.

Saturday, Matt went in to work for a few hours. I slept in far too late and then started on my project -- painting the guest bathroom. It took forever to tape everything off and do the trim painting, so I had to leave it undone. {I hope to finish it tonight so I can post before/after pictures} Matt and I left to run a few quick errands on our way out to Flower Mound to babysit Trav's kids while they went to his work Christmas party. It ended up being a late night for us, so we fell promptly asleep when we got home.

Sunday morning, I finished up my lesson for the six-year-olds and headed to church. {They were surprisingly good for me!} After church, we ate a nice dinner and put up a few decorations. I put up my advent Santa and did our first activity, watching the Christmas Devotional. Thanks to your help, I came up with a full list that I will post about later. It was a busy weekend, but it's nothing compared to what I have coming up for the next three weeks! We leave for Utah in 20 days and I've got a million things to do before then!

indulge me

2007-11-27T20:29:00.000-06:00

The purpose of this picture is three-fold.

Look at our pretty new chandelier and chair rail that Roger helped install while he was here! This room still needs a bit of touch-up painting and a few things on the wall, but it is otherwise done!
Look at our kitchen table! It's exactly what I wanted and is sturdy enough that it should last for a long time.
Look at the flower arrangements I did! I didn't take a better picture, but I sure was proud of them. I bought one large bouquet at Costco and arranged them in three coordinating vases with jute wrapped around each one.

advent-ish

2007-11-23T10:53:00.000-06:00

My mom has a felt Santa advent decoration that we used every year growing up. A few years ago, she made one for each of her children so we could carry on the tradition. I am trying to fill up each pocket with something Matt and I can do together every day leading up to Christmas. I've come up with a few ideas but am drawing a blank on the rest.

Here are my ideas:

make paper snowflakes
decorate our house
make hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie
drive around to look at Christmas lights
buy and hang mistletoe
write and send Christmas cards to relatives
make Christmas treats to share

What else can we do? Do you have any family traditions you can share?

back in the saddle

2007-11-23T08:17:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is over. Matt's family left this morning. I should be back to my blogging routine soon. Tune in later today (or tomorrow) for our holiday recap and pictures of our (newly improved) house!

exploring

2007-11-15T14:53:00.000-06:00

Matt's parents and sister are coming to visit for Thanksgiving. We'll be working a few of the days they're here, but we still want to take them to do fun things when we can. They've been here before and have done a lot of the touristy things already. Here are a few ideas for some 'off the beaten path' activities.

The Sixth Floor Museum - I've heard you leave the museum with more questions about JFK's assassination than ever. You can see a live feed of Dealey Plaza from the sniper's perch here. There also used to be a Conspiracy Museum, but apparently it closed about a year ago.

National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum - Matt's cousin used to work there, so we've been already. I don't think his parents have, though, and it's a pretty cool place. Admission also includes entry to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and Natural History. You can't beat a two-for-one deal.

Dallas World Aquarium - I've always wanted to go. Having out-of-towners here is a good excuse, don't you think?

Sundance Square: Matt works nearby so we're there all the time, but it's a fun place to visit anyway. You get the downtown feel without hoards of people. I love Fort Worth.

Seriously, what's a trip to Texas without a visit to Babe's? Not very good, that's what.

I'm sure we'll also do some shopping in Southlake and browsing on Main Street in Keller, too. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

fall into the

2007-11-15T14:45:00.000-06:00

Does anyone still actually shop at Gap? I haven't been in ages. I have to admit I like their new ad campaign, but I still don't think I'll shop there.

Musings

2007-11-15T12:31:00.001-06:00

I've been a big 'ol slacker with the blogging lately. Here's what I'm thinking about today:

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I usually have really great intentions of writing a well-structured, thoughful post only to have few days pass and then not remember the exact point I had hoped to make. This has happened several times over the past two weeks. I've had some great talks with friends, attended a really though-provoking HFPE, wanted to talk about one of Jen's posts and had various other things swirling around in my head. This here is my attempt to hold myself accountable to actually post the things I think about.

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Let's take a look at a few projects I have in the works.

freezer paper stencil onesies {status: bought onesies, paint, exacto knife and freezer paper; washed onesies; traced my stencil patterns and cut them out; ... That was in March.}
special sewing project {status: bought cute fabric and pattern; cut out pattern; sewed approximately 90% of item in one night; ... That was in April.}

What do those have in common? Oh, yeah, the fact that they're unfinished and may in all likelihood stay that way. Does anyone else do that? How do I make myself actually follow through??

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Is Christmas really only 40 days away?? How did that happen?

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Falling asleep extra early is a nice treat. Especially when I know my DVR has my back and won't let me miss any of my favorite shows.

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