bethabee

Little Victories

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:43:00 +0000

I love fountain soda. I especially love fountain soda from Thorntons. Their nugget ice is amazing, and their drinks are always perfectly carbonated. There's a Thorntons not too far from our apartment, so I stop by there, you know, occasionally.

Recently, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw an unfortunate sign above the fountain-soda machine. Well, the sign wasn't unfortunate... but the errant apostrophe was. FREE FOUNTAIN DRINK, the sign said, For Kid's 12 and Under.

That's really just so sad, isn't it?!

So of course I mentioned it to the cashier. I said, "I went to get a fountain drink and was really sad about the sign back there. I mean, it looks like a nice sign, and then BAM. Errant apstrophe just ruins it. Ya know?" He just kind of stared at me and nodded. {Pretty sure the dude had no clue what I was talking about.} But you know what? The next time I came in, look what I saw:

Yes, my friends, that is white out covering the apostrophe.

With so much going on in my personal life -- so much defeat, so much stress & exhaustion -- these little victories? They keep me going. :)

PS: Yes, they have a similar error on the main page of their website. Yes, I sent an email. {What I really want to know is this: how, in a large company like this, does NO ONE notice that and fix it?!}

In Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Mon, 28 May 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Our friend Jenna took some photos of us recently. This is one of my favorites. :) More later!

Chuy's

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Sun, 27 May 2012 19:13:00 +0000

On a more light-hearted note, did you know that if you bring a framed picture of your dog to Chuy's, they'll give you a free appetizer? We just love Chuy's, and who doesn't love free things?!

This isn't my dog, sadly... but I want a dog like this. Close enough, right? It took me less than five minutes to create this before we headed to dinner on Friday night, and I stuck it in a yard-sale frame I got for a a quarter. Our server loved it! And we loved our free guacamole. :)

OK

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:27:00 +0000

That's what they tell me. But the truth is that I'm not really okay.

I feel like lately my life has just been depressing. I am tired of talking about everything, because I feel like such a downer. And I know that my problems pale in comparison to other people's problems. But as I collapsed on my couch tonight after 10 hours in my office, I said it out loud.

I'm not okay.

I love my job, you know I do, but I've been doing too much of it lately. I'm supposed to work a modified schedule of 72 hours every two weeks. I just turned in time cards totaling almost 95 hours for the last two weeks.

I know that's not that much. I know people work more than that week in and week out. But you guys, my body can't do it. It just can't. I work a modified schedule because I get exhausted so easily. And I've been going to lots of doctors lately, having a lot of blood drawn, and I'm hopeful that I'm the road to a more energized me. It might be my thyroid; I guess we'll see. But it's still early in the process, so I have no immediate reprieve.

I mentioned in my last post that I want a teacher's vacation -- a solid three months. I really do. Honestly, a solid week would even help. But it's not possible. Because when I'm gone, the work piles, and coming back is awful.

Tonight? Tonight I seriously considered quitting my job. A job I really love. Just so I could rest... rest without the fear of coming back to insanity. But I have to make money. I'd have to find another job. And that would be stressful, probably more stressful. So quitting isn't really an option.

I don't know why I'm baring my soul here. It's my blog; I guess I'm allowed. I just don't know what to do.

I'm not okay. Maybe tomorrow I will be. But if you have any advice or encouraging words, please do share.

High {Five} for Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Hey girl. Whatcha doin'?

1. My new favorite {or at least currently-being-watched} TV series is New Girl. I think I've mentioned this before, but I totally have a girl crush on the Deschanel sisters. I love Emily on Bones and now Zooey on New Girl. Such a cute show. Such cute sisters. Click through for photo source.

2. My boss and I interviewed two people yesterday for the leasing position at Village Manor. They were both good; it will be a tough choice. I am so ready for some help & am looking forward to a refreshing change of pace at work!

3. I'm always on the hunt for a perfect hand cream. My hands are always dry/cracked/hurty, probably because of my love for cleaning -- they're always in water. {This is also why I never have pretty nails!} So far, out of everything I've ever tried, Aveda Hand Relief wins. I haven't bought any in a while because I'm cheap... but I just might have to splurge soon. It's so smooth, smells wonderful, and isn't greasy. Gold Bold Ultimate lotion is a close second... it doesn't smell as good, though. But it's definitely cheaper! Do you have a favorite hand cream?

4. I want to go on a vacation. More than that: I want to be a teacher & have the whole summer off. Can you imagine?! {If you are a teacher, I suppose you can!} As it stands now, vacations aren't fun for me. All I can think about is how much work is piling up while I'm away & how awful it will be when I get back. But when you're a teacher, your job literally stops for the whole summer. STOPS. I want that!!! I'm so jealous.

{Ahem: calm down, teachers. I know your job is hard and you probably do work during the summer since you have to lesson plan/grade/prepare new course material and all of that. I'm just saying I'm jealous of the solid three-month break you get from your "office." Mmkay?}

5. Remember this post? I still drink a BBV smoothie every morning for breakfast. I'm on my second bag of shake mix & I'm getting ready to purchase a third. I pretty much always make a chocolate-banana smoothie, though... I don't really mix it up anymore. They're just so good & I don't get tired of that flavor. Sometimes I throw peanut butter in there for fun. But it's turned into such a great breakfast for me: fast to make, easy to take to work, filling & super tasty. Love.

Today is Friday, y'all. TGIF. Have a fabulous day!

PS: If you use Blogger, how do you like the new changes? So far they are super annoying to me. See how #2 is indented? I have no idea why. I can't fix it. And every time I edit this post, I have to come back in and delete "amp;" after all of the ampersands because Blogger inserts them. Argh!

My Estate

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Sometimes you don't even know there's something missing in your life until you stumble upon something new.

I knew Kari from a distance several years ago when we worked at the same place, but we worked in different departments & never got to know one another then. Fast forward a few years: we began chatting intermittently on facebook, and soon those chats turned into early-morning jogs at a park near our respective apartments. We still jog, although not so much in the mornings anymore. We also work in dinner dates, Target trips, and pedicures. And we text like "middle-school girls," as Wes likes to say.

Kari's funny, authentic, and kind. She's hilarious & she's a great listener. She came into my life at the perfect time. I'm so thankful! Don't good friends just make life worth it?

My friends are my estate.
Emily Dickinson

Friday Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:27:00 +0000

On a Friday at the end April, my coworker resigned. The following Wednesday, I left for a short trip to NYC with my family. The trip was fun, but I lost my driver's license and missed my flight home, so it was not without its fair share of drama.

I was totally stressed about being away from work for the trip since there are only two of us there on a daily basis, and 2-2=0. A few gracious people in our company covered my office for three days when I was gone and tried their best, but let's just say that I came back to chaos and a ton of work to do.

Our hotel was right in the middle of Times Square! The trip was a Christmas present from my MIL & FIL.

The following ten days were hell, pure and simple. We're heading into the busy season in the rental housing industry. I have a lot of vacant apartments to rent, so I've been looking forward to it. But losing staff and being away doesn't set you up for a particularly easy beginning of the month. Those ten days I worked long hours, going to work at 8 a.m. and sometimes getting home at 9 p.m. only to wash my face, brush my teeth, crawl in bed, get up the next morning and do it all over again. It gave me a whole new appreciation for getting paid hourly. I miss that. :)

It wasn't pretty -- I melted down in front of my boss more than once. Sometimes I couldn't answer the phone because I was almost in tears at my desk, overwhelmed and stressed and tired. I say all of that not to incite pity, but to say this: it's hard when life is that hard. It's hard to interact with people, to smile, to say "fine" when people ask how you're doing. It's humbling to want to be the hero, the one who can handle it -- when some days you just can't. I think we all have those days.

But Wednesday, this Wednesday? I came out from under water. I made it through month end and rent collection and late letters and emerged a whole new person. Okay, not really, but I do feel so much better. I worked hard, and I got things done. I survived.

{As a side note, you may think I'm being super dramatic. I mean, I manage an apartment community -- I'm not exactly saving lives Monday through Friday. But dealing with people's housing is more stressful than you might think. Especially when you're helping people move to a new area. Where people call home is important, and being a part of that isn't something I take lightly.}

And yesterday? Yesterday I actually checked my office phones several times to make sure they were indeed plugged in and working. It was so quiet! I couldn't have been more thankful. I got a lot done & soaked in the peacefulness. I think today will be crazy, but I'll make it, and then it's the weekend!!!!! :) I love the weekend.

Oh, also? I'm running a 5k {Throo the Zoo} on Saturday. I haven't run {or worked out at all, actually} since before NYC. Almost three weeks! The race will be hard, but I'm glad to have something lined up to whip me back into shape.

So that's my Friday catch-up post. Life was hard there for a while, but things are looking up. Did I mention it's almost the weekend? :) Happy Friday, friends! I hope your day is great.

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:13:00 +0000

Fun With PicMonkey, or Why We Need A Bar Cart

Disclaimer: Wes's parents gave us a good bit of this alcohol. We don't spend my entire paycheck on booze. In case you were concerned. ;)

Times, They Are A-Changin'

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:53:00 +0000

Well, my little apartment has come a long way in five years. I wish I had true before and after pictures to show you. But now that I know we'll be here for four or five more years, it's time for some things to change.

{As a side note: by the time we leave, barring anything unforeseen, we'll have been in this little apartment for ten years. WOW. Never would I ever have thunk it when we first moved in in 2007!}

We've always had a bookshelf in this little nook by the front door. These apartments were built in 1938, and you can tell. There are tons of little nooks and crannies that you'd never find in modern-day architecture. This has been a perfect bookshelf nook, but I always hated the bookshelf itself. It was cheap, not that sturdy, and it was cherry. I'm really not a fan of cherry wood under the best of circumstances, never mind a particle-board bookshelf from Lowe's. I often thought about painting it, and I could have, but ultimately we decided we'd rather have a bar cart in that space. Some friends came and picked it up yesterday. Don't ask me what we're going to do with all of the books that came off that shelf... I haven't gotten that far yet. :)

{Ooh. I found a picture of the ugly bookshelf here. Wow, that was a long time ago!}

Part of me is considering a half bookshelf instead of an actual bar cart -- maybe something like this:

Not that actual one -- but you get the idea. Glasses & accessories could go on the top shelf, and the liquor could sit on the top. And then we'd still have the bottom two shelves for books or whatever else. I don't know that Wes is totally on board with that, though, so we'll see what happens.

Or wait -- how fun is this?

I'm not totally opposed to something like this, although I'm not sure I love it:

I'm all about casters... but not those. But you know, with some cute legs and new hardware, that third option might not be half bad! {The first option would definitely get leg replacements, too. Aren't those pretty pegs adorable?!}

Anyway, we clearly have some decisions to make... and this is just one change of many. Next month I'll be in need of some friends who know how to paint. My living room walls have been purple for far too long. I've actually enjoyed it way more than I thought I would initially... but times, they are a-changin' around here. :)

Herb Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:13:00 +0000

{No editing for this photo; now that Picnik is gone, whatever will I do? I'm contemplating buying Photoshop Elements. I could use PicMonkey or something until I figure it out, I suppose. Thoughts? Suggestions?}

Mr. Thyme has some new friends. Namely, Mr. Basil, Mr. & Mrs. Parsley, and actually, a wife of his own. Yes, there are -- count them -- five potted plants sitting on my living room windowsill. Hubs loves it. I will love it when I can figure out where the ants are coming from & how to make them go away. I keep caulking their entry points, but they keep finding new ones. I will win... eventually. {Any bets on how many tubes of caulk I will go through in the process?}

Speaking of my dear hubs, he picked out a garden plot this year. [Village Manor has a huge garden with plots that residents can rent for the growing season -- it's really neat!] Apparently we are going to the Farmers' Market on Saturday morning so he can purchase a few plants. I'll keep you posted on this little adventure. I would love to have a garden... but I do not trust myself to keep anything alive. Hopefully he does a much better job than I would!

Life

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Well, New York was fun. It was also exhausting. We just got back to Louisville last night, my house is a disaster, and my desk at work appears as if I've been off for a month, not three days. One thing at a time, as they say....

I finished a book on the train this weekend -- Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller. It is a self-proclaimed "road-trip memoir"; I enjoyed it. He's a good writer. I read Blue Like Jazz a long time ago, along with Searching for God Knows What, and I enjoyed them both. Apparently BLJ is a movie now. I'm not much of a movie person, but maybe I'll go see it... I need to get out more, anyway! I'm also thinking of re-reading the book.

Donald's writing is smooth to me, and he has a habit of saying poignant things without really realizing it {that's the way I read it, anyway!}. The below passage struck me as I read it on Sunday -- maybe you will like it, too. It rings so true to me that I could have written it myself. Oh, and the photo was taken by a dear friend -- isn't it beautiful?

I've learned, too, that I don't really know very much about anything. I mean, I used to have all these theories about life. I thought I had everybody figured out, even God, but I don't. [I have learned that] life is enormous, and I am very tiny in the middle of it. I feel, at times, like a droplet of water in a raging river. ... I think I would sum it up this way: life is not a story about me, but it is being told to me, and I can be glad of that.

Months ago I would have told you life was about doing, about jumping through religious hoops, about impressing other people, and my actions would have told you this is done by buying possessions or keeping a good image or going to church. I don't believe that anymore. I think we are supposed to stand in deserts and marvel at how the sun rises. I think we are supposed to sleep in meadows and watch stars dart across space and time. I think we are supposed to love our friends.... I think life is spirituality.

Thunder

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:20:00 +0000

Thunder over Louisville was last weekend -- which, if you don't know, is the {big} precursor to the Kentucky Derby... the opening ceremonies, if you will. And it includes the largest annual fireworks display in North America.

I don't play with my DSLR much, but I really should. I snapped this shot on Saturday night, which isn't too bad for a novice, I don't think. It's perhaps the only shot I've ever taken in manuel mode!

Tomorrow I'm heading to New York City for a girls' weekend with my MIL and SIL. It was a Christmas present, and the trip includes tickets to The Lion King! I'm so excited. My next post will be from the city!

Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Well, it's Monday. Quite a different Monday than it was last week, at least for me. It's funny how much things can change in the span of a week, a day, a few hours.

I've gone through some tough stuff recently that doesn't deserve rehashing on the internet. But needless to say, it's really affected me. I've spent a lot of time and energy thinking about what could've, would've, should've been. But ultimately, while the past can't be changed, the future can. I'm taking this Monday one step at a time, you all.

Click through for source

Our Old Kentucky Home

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:57:00 +0000

So remember when I said we were moving to California? Well. I spoke too soon.

We finally heard back from Asbury last night -- Wes got a full scholarship. And with our current situation in Louisville, it's just an offer we can't refuse. We do love this city. We're close to our families. I love my job & am not quite ready to leave it. So we'll stay in our Old Kentucky Home for a few more years.

We both feel somewhat relieved. Even though California would've been fun, the idea of moving across the country to a super-expensive city in the midst of a rough economy was pretty scary, to say the least. It's still hard to walk away from a full scholarship to Fuller, but I know I speak for both of us when I say that we feel good about our decision. {When winter rolls around, it will be another story -- for me, anyway!}

Wes will be staying on Asbury's campus three nights a week. He can take a Greyhound to Lexington for $20/trip, so he'll probably travel up on Tuesdays and come back on Fridays. We're not quite sure how he'll get from Lexington to Wilmore {Asbury is about 30 minutes outside of Lexington}, but we'll figure something out.

This whole experience has been humbling, to say the least. It's kind of crazy to announce to the world that you're moving -- and then to take it back. :) {But I promise I'm not taking this announcement back!}

So now that I know we'll be in our apartment four or five more years, I have some work to do. It's time to clean the oven and replace the bathroom caulk. It's definitely time for a new paint job, and I think it's probably time to replace our wedding photos with some new art. Our dining room table has got to go, and we're ditching one of our bookshelves for a bar cart! So I have a lot up my sleeve.

For now, I'm tired. I need a few days just to breathe. But I'm happy to finally know what's ahead. And I'm so thankful for our family & friends and their love and support either way!

Five {More} Things

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:05:00 +0000

How do people blog every day of the week? Wow. It just takes a lot out of me, I suppose. But I do like making lists -- especially lists of five, apparently.

1. I mailed two packages this week: one to my favorite almost-four year old, and one to my MIL. I also mailed a wedding card and an engagement card. Last week I mailed three short letters to friends. As much as I enjoy receiving snail mail, I love sending it even more!

2. I think the Hey, girl trend is just hilarious. Click through for source.

3. Do you do swagbucks? I'm not sure when Wes and I started, but we each have an account, and to date we've earned $195 in Amazon gift cards. I spend less than two minutes on the site per day; it's super easy. I am a huge fan! If you've never done it before, I'm happy to give you tips & tricks. My goal is to spend as little time as possible but still make money. And it works!

4. Someone recently encouraged me to buy plantain chips from Trader Joe's. They taste kind of like chips {if you're desperate}, but the only ingredients are plantains, sunflower oil, and salt. I can't really buy chips because I have no self control, so these are a good alternative. They really are pretty good. Now if they only came in a barbecue flavor.... :)

5. I am considering getting a puppy in June as a support animal {per a doctor's recommendation}. If I do, prepare for puppy picture overload! In the meantime, help me think of good female puppy names. And picture this face while you're thinking. Click through for source.

All together now: awwwww!

Love More

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:19:00 +0000

I love Bryn's blog, and I went a little crazy the other night repinning a bunch of stuff from her Love board on pinterest. Like this. Good advice, y'all.

Also: as I was searching for the source of that photo {clickable as always}, I stumbled upon this tumblr. Lots of inspiration!

Price Point

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 02:27:00 +0000

So my husband isn't really trendy, per se. If I didn't buy new clothes for him, he'd contentedly wear things from seventh grade. I'm not trying to change him {necessarily}... but when I had visions of him sporting his monogrammed LL Bean backpack while pursuing a PhD, I had to put my foot down. I explained to him that he needed something more grown up. A man bag, if you will. You know, like an over-the-shoulder satchel. A messenger bag. Whatever you want to call it.

{He has taken to calling it a "weapons bag" & referencing Jack Bauer. This makes me laugh.}

Click through for photo source {and an article about how to buy your own JB weapons bag!}

Anyway, I found a suitable ~~weapons~~ man bag at Banana Republic in March. Please note that I normally do not even look at the clearance racks in BR; I am too cheap for that. But I saw this bag from the entrance & it looked good. Upon further inspection, it seemed well made. So I just bought it. I almost passed out when the cashier told me the total: $103.88. {This is why I don't shop at Banana!}

But as she handed me the bag, the cashier put in a sheet of coupons that would be good for every Wednesday in April. When I looked at the coupons as I was walking out, I discovered that they were 40%-off coupons. Now I don't know what you're thinking right now, but this is what I was thinking right then: 40% of $100 is $40. I could buy this same bag in April for $60 instead of $100. So naturally I planned right then and there to return the bag the next time I was in the mall and buy it again, with a coupon, in April. {Oh yes... I am that person. As if you didn't already know that.}

So that's what I did. My friend Stephanie and I have lunch on Wednesdays, so this Wednesday I convinced her to go to Subway with me... the Subway in the mall. :) I went into BR with coupon in hand, grabbed the bag, and went to check out. The cashier read me my total: $79.50.

Wait, what? I thought. Shouldn't it be more like $64?

Confused, I explained the situation. That I had purchased the bag before & returned it, wanting to use my 40%-off coupon to get a better deal. That I had paid $104 before. How much was the bag, exactly? She looked at the price tag: $127.

Wait, what? The last time I bought it, it was $98.

Banana Republic had changed the bag's "price point," the manager explained nonchalantly. It happens sometimes. Translation: they marked up the price. They marked up the price twenty-seven dollars!

This happens? It does?! I have never encountered a situation like this before. Ever. Have you? In my opinion, it's their fault if they screwed up the price point initially. Go ahead and make your next line of jewelry 50 cents more expensive or something to cover the loss. {Yeah right -- like there's a loss on a $100+ messenger bag!} But don't mark up prices after they've already been on the floor... that is ridiculous.

And at the very least, if you're going to mark up the price, go ahead and create new, professional price tags. They took a label-maker (well, like a price-tag kind) and stuck the higher price on the professional, lower-priced tag. So you could peel off the higher price and see that it used to be cheaper. I don't normally say this, but really: WTF?

It's not like I'm boycotting Banana now {I find it really lame when people have one bad experience & are like, "Omg, I'm NEVER shopping there again!" Shut up; I know you will. Don't be so melodramatic.} -- but I'm certainly not anxious to go back.

I am quite curious to know if anyone has had this happen to them, because... well. I never!

Five.

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Five things you should know about me today:

1. We are having second thoughts about our moving decision. But this Friday we will know FOR SURE, and I feel like throwing a party to celebrate. A party with lots of alcohol. {Note: I don't even really like alcohol.} All of this indecision & back and forth has made me a c r a z y person. I just need some certainty in my life right now.

2. I think Zooey Deschanel is ridiculously adorable. Also? I want blunt bangs and I will never ever ever be brave enough to do it. Click through for photo source.

3. Tonight I watched the latest episode of Bones on cable. While it was airing. I honestly don't know the last time I watched a TV show "live." I watch everything on Netflix. I will be honest with you: I love TV. Movies? I could do without them. {Except, while we're being honest... Twilight. I love Twilight.} I think it's because I have a short attention span. 45 minutes of entertainment is just perfect. :)

4. I passed my test to be a Certified Apartment Manager! Woo hoo! The test was 200 questions; it took me the full 2.5 hours to complete. I didn't do as well as I had hoped... but I also didn't study. Like, at all. So I'm happy & relieved. The final piece to my CAM puzzle is a community analysis, which is a huge project. The thought of having to complete it before we {potentially? @&%^*#!!!} move is enough to make me even crazier than I already am.

5. I'll leave you with something pretty. This picture is my current desktop background. It's just so lovely! Click through for photo source.

A Pantone Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:38:00 +0000

If you read How About Orange, you know that Jessica always has the best ideas. How adorable are these Pantone-inspired easter eggs?! I don't dye eggs normally, and I won't be able to this year, but next year I'm all over it. Great idea, Jess!

Photo from How About Orange {click through}

Also, did you know that Pantone celebrates a "color of the year" each year? I confess that I didn't. Click here to find out the color of the year for 2012. {I like it!}

There's No Place Like Home (!)

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:42:00 +0000

So. Have I mentioned that we're moving to California?

Cute etsy print -- click through for source

We finally decided this past Sunday. A full fellowship at a great school in sunny CA was too good an opportunity to pass up. Louisville has been so good to us; it will be hard to leave. This transition will definitely be bittersweet. I've been putting off blogging about it because I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head... so much to think, to say. I just feel so much. Feel so excited, feel so scared, feel so happy, feel so sad -- I feel it all, and sometimes it's almost too much to bear.

We're moving on July 1st. In three months! We don't mess around.

Our precious friends Fred & Ethel are letting us stay with them for a month until we get our bearings & find an apartment {and while I search for a job, ugh}. I am so grateful for this. It will be wonderful to spend time with them and their precious children. It will ease the shock of the transition. And not long after we leave the nest, they'll have their third child in their arms! I love that we are keeping our tradition of being around for the births of their children. :)

So yes. Sooner than I care to think, our belongings will be packed away on a pod, and we will be on a plane. We'll arrive across the country with no source of income and no place to live... without a plan. Just the way I like it. ;) {Pray for me.}

I'm already working hard at thinking positive thoughts and consciously turning my fear and anxiety into excitement and anticipation. Change doesn't have to be bad. Change can be great! I didn't want to move to Louisville five years ago, and now I can't imagine leaving. I'm sure the same thing will be true after four or five years of living in California.

And honestly? I am just not old enough to be so fearful and so against change. We are in our mid {well, some of us are in our late!} 20s, and if we can't make a transition like this now, when can we make it? We have no children, no mortgage, nothing tying us down. Although staying in Kentucky would make more sense, especially financially, I can't deny that I've had a sense that our time here is coming to a close. It seems the time is approaching for us to go to a new place, to learn new things, to meet new people -- to be new people, in a sense. People who are grateful for what is behind, but who are full of wonder, anticipating the newest chapter of life that is unfolding.

California, here we come!

Our Food Evolution

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Crystal's post today about things her family doesn't buy made me think about a similar topic that has been brewing as a blog post in the back of my mind for a while: food we don't buy. Since getting married five years ago, the things we eat have really transformed. And I attribute that to my amazing husband's growing love for cooking {hallelujah!}.

Photo Source

It's not that I hate cooking, it's just that the thought of it exhausts me. Especially after working an 8-10 hour day. The thought of coming home and having to prepare a meal {and then having to clean up from said meal} just makes me want to cry. Maybe I'm crazy -- or maybe it's just that my limits are narrower than most. I don't know. But luckily, my hubs truly enjoys cooking, so he cooks and I do the dishes and we are so much happier this way.

Before, when we were newly married & I was trapped in the belief that I should be the one to meal plan and cook because of my gender {!}, our typical meals each week were vastly different than they are now. Here's just a sampling of things that we used to buy with frequency that we don't anymore:

-Pasta {we had pasta several times a week}
-Frozen pizza {we do enjoy making our own pizzas now, especially with a yummy garlic & herb crust I recently stumbled upon at Trader Joe's!}
-Cereal
-Bread {sometimes I will buy a loaf of sourdough from a local bakery, but not often -- and I don't remember the last time I bought sliced bread from a grocery store}
-Lunch meat {I think I ate it so often that I'm just not a fan anymore}
-Kraft mac 'n' cheese :)
-Chips {I love love love BBQ chips, but I try not to buy them because I have no will power! we used to buy chips a lot}

-Hot dogs {say what you will, but they're easy}

-Fish sticks {ok, this was totally me. they remind me of my childhood! Wes wasn't so much a fan}

And what do we buy now that we didn't then? Honestly, I think we just find & make a lot more recipes than we used to. I frequent Skinny Taste and Dashing Dish for healthy & yummy recipes. And Wes reads Mastering the Art of French Cooking for fun {seriously}. He's also a fan of Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert. {He totally has more cookbooks than I do!} You can find some of my favorite recipes on Pinterest -- and I'm always looking for more, so please share your favorite recipe/website/cookbook in the comments!

Photo Source

Finally, and somewhat related -- I really do make an effort to purchase organically when I can. Often, I find there's not much of a price difference, and it's totally worth it. But let's be honest: sometimes I decide I'd rather pay $0.79 for a bell pepper instead of $3.59, so I'm not perfect. I try to be especially careful when it comes to the dirty dozen {despite my bell pepper example!}.

Food, Inc. {and articles like this} really changed my perspective on the meat industry. I now refuse to buy meat from anywhere that does not ensure high animal welfare standards & no hormones/antibiotic usage {which pretty much limits me to local farmers/CSAs, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's -- at least in Louisville}. I won't buy eggs unless they're cage free {I love California's cage-free law!}, and I only buy organic milk {if I'm honest, more for the cows' sake than my own!}. I'm always trying to learn & develop more in the area of eating high-quality foods, even if they cost more. Perhaps what I pay in a grocery bill now I won't have to pay in a hospital or doctor bill later? And in my mind, the welfare of animals matters, period. I want to care about the quality of life animals have while they're living, even if their eventual end is my dinner table. It matters, and I'm willing to pay more to support cruelty-free, ethical farming.

So those are my thoughts on food & our food evolution, so to speak. {Have you heard of Jamie Oliver's food revolution? I think what he's doing is awesome.} Have you any thoughts of your own to share?

Cool Find Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 02:31:00 +0000

If you read Dooce {who doesn't?}, this is old news, but I think it's too cool not to share. This shop on etsy features prints illustrated according to the patterns and colors found on each official state bird. I'm a fan!

And of course, I'm debating which one to buy next....

CAM

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:42:00 +0000

Hi. My week is busy. Is yours?

I'm out of my office this week for the second half of my CAM course {to become a Certified Apartment Manager}. Class is from 8:30 to 4:30 every day, and after class is over I go back to my office and try to accomplish a few of the more urgent things that have arisen in my absence. It's been busy, and I'm tired.

This week contains the second half of the required classes; the first half I completed in February. After the coursework is done, I'll take a 200-question exam and, after that, submit an in-depth Community Analysis. It's a lot of work, but I'm really enjoying it. I really do love learning about the housing industry. And my boss is actually teaching the course, which makes it even more fun. I have a lot of respect for him -- and so much to learn from him. He's wise beyond his years.

{Have I mentioned that it's going to be really hard to leave Beacon if* we move to California?}

*Yes, if. We are still waiting on financial information from Asbury, so we haven't yet made a decision. We have nine more days left decide. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9....

RUN

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 20:06:00 +0000

I ran my first 10k today! Thanks to my friends Kari & Kristen, I pushed myself & achieved a goal I never knew I had. We ran 10 minutes & walked 5 minutes over and over, and we finished an hour and sixteen minutes after we started.

I don't think I really have a desire to run further than six miles, but who knows. I certainly never imagined I'd come this far!

Photo found here.

Fifteen Days

noreply@blogger.com (Beth) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:33:00 +0000

In case you don't know by now, I'm ~~a little~~ ~~kind of~~ ~~somewhat~~ very type A.

I like plans. And organization. And knowing what's going to happen next.

Today is March 15. By March 30, we have to make a decision on whether or not we're moving to California for Wesley to pursue a PhD at Fuller Seminary. That's in 15 days. Big decision. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15.

Our other option is Asbury Seminary. It's a little outside of Lexington in Wilmore, Kentucky. Neither of us have any desire to move to Wilmore, Kentucky, so if Wes ends up at Asbury, we will figure out a way to commute him there for classes. Since he can't drive, that will be a little tricky. It may involve him renting a room in that area and staying there several days out of the week. To be honest, I have no idea how it will work, but I'm confident we could figure it out.

Last week we found out that Wes received a full scholarship for the coursework part of his PhD at Fuller. {Dissertation writing is a separate matter, but we won't know anything about those details until the time comes.} It's hard for me to explain just how shocking that news was. We expected nothing from Fuller... a few thousand dollars, maybe. But a fellowship covering the total cost of his tuition? Never would've dreamed it.

We are still waiting to hear from Asbury about $. Hubs emailed on Tuesday and asked them when we might know, indicating that we are looking at another school that requires a decision by the end of the month. They said "soon."

In the meantime, let's make a pro/con list, shall we?

Fuller Pros
-Sunny California! It could be fun to live in Cali for a while, right?
-A change of scenery -- not just weather wise. So many of my Louisville friends have moved. Louisville seems transient in nature, especially as it relates to the Seminary. Maybe it's our turn to go?
-A fantastic PhD program. Wes would work under Christopher Hays, a scholar he greatly admires. And the nondenominational degree could help his job prospects in the future.
-I could get a puppy!

Fuller Cons
-Super expensive... certain financial ruin would be in our future. Which is depressing when we've worked so hard to save money in Louisville. It would be spent so quickly. :(
-Related to expense -- Wes would have to work while pursuing his PhD. I know he doesn't want to.
-Far from family. Like, really far!
-I probably couldn't afford to feed my puppy.
-I'd have to get a new job (obviously). Ugh.

Asbury Pros
-We could stay in Louisville, and I could keep my job. I really, really, really don't want to leave my job. Really. I love our company, I love my boss, I love Village Manor & its owners. I love the residents I serve. It would be so very hard to leave.
-We could afford for Wes not to work. And we could potentially continue to save money for the future {house down payment, etc}.
-Close to family.

Asbury Cons
-We would have to figure out how to commute Wes to Wilmore on a weekly basis.
-More winters in Kentucky... I hate winter.
-No puppy. :(

So can you see why this decision is practically impossible? The truth is, a new adventure seems kind of fun. The truth is, I love our life in Louisville.

I'll keep you posted.... hopefully soon. :)