Messy Thrilling Life

Creating.

2012-01-15T18:57:00.003-06:00

There's so much I need to update you all on (and I know I still need to post more details and photos from our trip to Hawaii - was that really already 4 months ago?!), but I want to take a moment to post some photos from my more creative moments over the past little while.

paper labels for Susy's baby shower

cute foodie tags for Susy's baby shower

place"cards" at Thanksgiving dinner

the kids' place"cards"

homemade Christmas gifts

grapefruit marmalade & Burger Up ketchup

The marmalade was delicious!!!

It feels good to create, doesn't it? Here's to more creating in 2012!

The Day I Decided Not To Run

2011-11-12T14:52:00.001-06:00

I did something this morning I never thought I'd ever do: I decided not to run. And we're not talkin' a normal get-up-and-go-to-the-Y-and-jump-on-the-treadmill kind of run. We're talkin' a half-marathon-that-I-signed-up-and-paid-for-and-drove-all-the-way-to-East-Nash-to-pick-up-my-bib-for kind of run.

In middle school and high school I ran track, which I abruptly quit my junior year for two reasons: 1. I wanted to pursue theatre and 2. my coaches were anything but encouraging. I would go to practice anxious and already discouraged. I didn't fall in love with running until I saw my amazing friend Danielle complete the Chicago Marathon in the fall of 2004. I'll never forget standing next to a man who was cheering his heart out as a beautiful woman came bounding by, screaming out, "That's my wife! That's my wife!" I'm still moved to tears recalling this moment. Witnessing D accomplish her goal, and seeing so many other do the same motivated me and my friend Kristi to train for and run the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon. We stuck with each other the whole way through, being cheered on by our families and friends. It was an amazing moment, crossing that finish line, knowing that I had completed my first half marathon.

When I moved to California in August of 2005, my friend Sue was a huge encouragement to my running. She was an avid runner herself, and she motivated me to get to the gym or get outside and run, no matter how tired I was due to my heavy work schedule. My pace was slow, but steady, and the more I ran, the faster I became. Seth and I would go for runs together occasionally, and we even completed three more half marathons together. It wasn't until June of 2008 that I ran my first marathon. The San Diego Rock 'n' Roll marathon. My friend Jamie who I worked with at Anthro was also training for it, and we did a handful of our long runs together, with her husband Justin as well. She was quite a bit faster than me, but that only challenged me to dig deeper. Seth met us at various points to give us Gatorade and water, and a couple of times he ran the last mile or two with me. Finishing that marathon was a huge accomplishment for me. I ran the entire thing, and I can distinctly remember how difficult the last 5.2 miles were. I wanted to stop. I wanted to cry. But I kept going. Mind over body, I made it to the finish line.

Still excited at mile 12!

I continued to sign up for races, and run them well. By "well" I mean that I was able to keep a steady pace throughout the race, and finish feeling good. I've never been the fastest - nor will I ever be - but I remember when I was running a 10:30 mile...and I'm now running an 8:00 mile. There have been a couple of races that were a little rocky ::cough cough The Cleveland Experience that I never want to experience again cough cough::, but overall I've really enjoyed this process. Willing your body to do something you never thought would be possible is an amazing feeling.

Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 2009
A family affair!!!

San Dieguito Half Marathon 2010

Maui Marathon 2011

However, I think I'm at the point where those feelings of anxiety from high school track are creeping back in. Every race, I'm nervous, but not a healthy kind of nervous. I think, "Oh gosh, what if I don't complete this marathon faster than the last?" "What if I need to walk for a minute?" What if, what if, what if. The worst part is, if I don't finish with a PR every time, I feel a little bit like I failed. So many runners follow a ton of mantras to get them through the race: "Pain is gain." "One mile at a time." "You're tougher than the rest." "Define yourself." Yikes. So if I don't do well, does that define me as a failure??? Being type "A" and a runner is usually a good thing, but in instances like this, it can be pretty detrimental.

Seth and I have endured quite a bit of transition over the past five years, and even in the past few weeks. I've taken on another job, and have found that my schedule is once again full of work, leaving me very little time to spend with my hubby, let alone go for that ever-so-important long run before the big race day. This past summer I signed up for a handful of races, including the Nashville Half Marathon that took place this morning. It was my last long distance race on the books for a while, so initially I was looking forward to it. But with all of the change that's taken place lately, I've been feeling overwhelmed. And while I'll always enjoy a good sweat, I haven't felt excited about the race I was supposed to run this morning. In fact, I was pretty much dreading it. There wasn't any room in my mind to process through the fact that no matter what my finish time was, I should be proud of myself for yet another accomplishment. Bottom line: my heart wasn't in it. I woke up at 5:30 this morning, and sat up in bed. I was worn down, emotionally and physically. I turned to Seth and I told him, "Babe, I don't think I can do this." While there are people out there who might argue that Seth should have said, "Yes babe, yes you can! You can do this! Let's go!", he listened past my voice and heard my heart and said, "You don't need to do this babe. You can rest." It's almost as if I needed someone to tell me it was okay...to give me permission not to run. It's okay that I didn't want to run. It's okay that I knew my body couldn't handle an early run in the cold. It's okay that I didn't think I could PR. It's okay. I'm not a failure. I'm not a quitter. It's okay.

We slept till our bodies/Bou woke us up, and then we spent time together. We actually went on a run. A slow run through the beautiful streets of our neighborhood. We were able to talk and soak in the morning sun and the changing leaves. Spending that time with my husband was more precious to me than getting another medal. And I'm clinging to that.

Sometimes in life, I think our passions can become our idols if we're not careful. Some might argue that that's okay, but for me it's not. Jesus should be the one I'm making time for before anything else. Jesus is more important than marathon #8. I want to continue pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but I want to be careful that I'm even more protective of my time with the Lord than I am of my precious hour of daily running.

Yes, there will be more races. More half marathons. Probably even more marathons. Hopefully, as I continue to become more like the woman that Christ intends for me to be, I'll be more comfortable with the idea of looking at each race as an opportunity to build endurance and character, rather than a definition of either success or failure. I'm beginning to understand that I can define myself as a runner, and not PR every time, or even run every race. Like today. The day I decided not to run.

Falling in love with stitching on paper

2011-10-20T21:21:00.002-05:00

My dear friend Susy is currently pregnant with her third child - a sweet little girl - and I was honored to create her shower invitation. I decided to try my hand at stitching on paper, and I think it turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. The girls at Social Graces are teaching me how to use Adobe Illustrator, which is the program I used to create the design. I glued down the triangles individually, then stitched through the paper to create the look of bunting. I'm so excited to celebrate Susy and Little Lady Anderson in just a couple of weeks, and even more excited to meet this sweet babe face-to-face in December!

Filling you in on September in October

2011-10-20T20:48:00.004-05:00

I can't believe how much has happened since my last post, and how late it is right now. 10:44 pm to be exact. And I'm just now starting this entry. No matter how many times I tell myself I need an early bedtime in order to function properly the next day, it rarely happens.

September was a crazy, busy month. I'm going to break it down chronologically, just so I don't get my tired brain confused.

September 3rd: Sarah & Josh got married! Oh man, I thoroughly enjoyed myself that weekend! It started off with lunch and mani/pedis with all of Sar's besties, which was quite the treat (thanks Momma Snaves!). I got to spend a good chunk of time with Sar's friend Teresa from SD - it's always refreshing to meet someone that you can connect with right off the bat without a ton of effort. She was a great partner-in-crime (Not that we committed any crimes...but we did eat Skyline at like 11 pm, which goes against pretty much everything I stand for. Just kidding.) Teresa and I got to spend the night with the bride before her big day, and it was so much fun to grab coffee and Bagel & Deli the morning of her wedding. It meant so much to me to be a part of the little things. And man, Sarah looked GORGEOUS. Pretty much the most beautiful bride of all time. Steph Carson, their photographer, was also the photographer at my (and Seth's) wedding, so it was super fun to chat with her and catch up on life. All of my "Hamilton Hall Hotties" were at the wedding, and it's always so good to see them. We discussed how we couldn't believe that it was ten years ago that we first met. TEN YEARS. Where does the time go?! We also got to stay and spend time with our good friends Scott & Kristen and their sweet boy Weston. Talk about true community. We love this family, and hope they decide to relocate to Nashville like tomorrow.

Me & the beautiful bride before her walk down the aisle

THE Hamilton Hall Hotties

The Williamses & The Osinkoskys #thatwasamouthful

Has it really already been 10 years since I first stepped foot on this campus???

Our joint family Christmas photo 2012

Thrifting does one's soul a bit of good.

Clinging to his hairbrush, even in his dreams.

September 10th-18th: MAUI. It's almost too difficult to put our trip into words because it was just so amazing. The condo we stayed in was mind-blowingly beautiful (thanks Freers!), right on the beach with an ocean view. We woke up early, drank iced chai tea lattes (with vanilla), body-surfed, napped in the sun, explored, swam in a waterfall, went to an authentic luau, sailed at sunset, zip-lined, read books, watched a million movies, I ran a marathon, and we just really, really enjoyed our time together. I will post photos and more in-depth stories about this trip soon!

Blissfully happy in this beautiful place.

September 23rd: Seth was let go from his job. Quite the shock. I'm not going to comment too much on this in blogger-world, except to say that we felt like the rug had been pulled out from under us initially. After processing it over the days that followed, we now feel a lot of peace and hope regarding our future. Seth is an amazing man, and I'm so lucky to have him in my life.

September 24th: I ran the Women's Half Marathon right here in Nashville. It was the first all-women run that I've ever done, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. My mind and heart were a little all over the place due to the previous evening's events, so I felt pretty emotional throughout most of my run. I was planning on sticking with the 1:45 pace setter, but he was running at a pretty fast clip, hitting mile after mile at a 7:30 pace instead of the intended 8:00. I know 30 seconds may not seem like a big deal, but the first few miles at such a quick pace really threw me off, and I spent a good majority of the race trying to settle in. Around mile 10 I could feel the back of my left shoe starting to rub my ankle raw, and I knew I was guaranteed to have a bloody sock at the end of the race. I definitely should've spent more time breaking them in, but there was no way I could wear my last pair - they were completely shot after the Maui Marathon. I finished in 1:48:04 - not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Another half down!

Battle wounds

September 29th: 5 years. Five years ago that day I married my best friend. I know that a lot of people say that, but I really, truly mean it. Seth is my best friend, and I couldn't feel more grateful knowing that we have been and will be walking side-by-side through life together. I am 100% myself around him always. It's funny to think back to when we were dating and I was nervous not to wear make-up around him, or eat really messy sandwiches, or even...dare I say it?...fart around him. Thank God that he allows me to do all 3 (yes, all 3) of those things, and he loves me regardless.

9.29.2006 • "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken..." (c) Steph Carson Photography

Seeing as October is almost over, I feel pretty behind. So much, in fact, that I almost skipped publishing this post altogether. But, I need to give myself a little grace and realize that life gets a little busy and a little messy every now and again, and that's okay. So, cheers to this moment of life, and all that is to come.

Goings-On

2011-08-28T17:47:00.005-05:00

It's a hot one here today in Nashville, as was yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that...I think you've got the picture. While I love the warmth and sunshine of summer, I'm pretty much over the humidity and constant bug bites. I seriously can't be outside for more than a few minutes before I get at least a couple of those suckers. We are SO looking forward to fall - it's definitely my favorite season of the year, and we've heard that it's amazingly beautiful down here once the leaves start to change color. I'm already getting a hankering for big mugs of hot chocolate and my extremely worn-in leather boots - I need to get those puppies resoled! We've had quite a bit going on around here lately - here's a taste of our life in words and photos:

My family came down South to Franklin, TN area for vacation this year. For those of you who don't know, every year my parents choose a city for us to spend a week together in. They rent a big 'ole house, and we plan activities for the week, which always include a minor league ballgame, a lengthy game of bingo (with some hilarious prizes up for grabs), and an evening of water balloon games...and a huge water fight! The ironic thing about our vacation being just outside of Franklin was that my parents had decided on this location before Seth and I even knew that we were moving to Nashville! It felt a little strange to not have to travel a great deal, but I still felt like I was on vacation, tucked away in a huge log home out in a very rural area.

My niece Kayla & me makin' funny faces

My nephew Casey & my sister Shy

After a fun-filled week with with the fam, I trekked up to Cincy for my good friend Sarah's bachelorette party. All the girls met up at NADA (THE most amazing Mexican restaurant outside of California - side note: If you're ever fortunate enough to go there, you MUST have the guacamole & homemade tortilla chips and the pork belly tacos. I'm salivating just thinking about them.) for dinner & drinks, and then moved on to bowling at Newport on the Levee. I had never been to an "adult" bowling alley before, so that was definitely a first. Not to mention that we all were sweating our (bowling) balls off because it was so hot. But we had a great time! I'm pretty sure I came in dead last. What can I say - it had been a while since I'd bowled!

Pork belly tacos AND chicken tacos?! YES PLEASE!!!

Bowling in style

Me with the Bride-to-Be (What's up with my limp hand?)

I can't believe she's getting married. It seems like just yesterday, we were dressing up in the weirdest outfits with the intention of parading around Central Quad at Miami in efforts to burn off excess energy. Man, we were weird. And I LOVE that about Sar. She always, always allowed (and still allows) me to be my goofy, emotional, extroverted-introvert self. And she welcomed (and welcomes) me with open arms. I can't wait to celebrate her and Josh in just a few short days!

Just last weekend, I was given 3 days off, so we decided to take advantage of that time and drive up to Cleveland to visit my grampa. Grampa Stolarski is 95-years-old, and, God-willing, will be turning 96 this December. Here are a few things I think about when I think about Grampa:

1. He has HUGE hands. He did factory work for years, was a pro at repairing giant cranes, and also poured quite a bit of concrete. I think this caused his joints to swell in his hands or something, because, I'm telling you, he has the biggest hands I've ever seen. Even after all of the hard laboring he did to provide for his family and the many hours working outside on their lawn and in their garden, they're surprising very soft to the touch. I feel blessed and privileged to hold his hand on a walk, supporting the man that supported me throughout my childhood.

2. Bacon. You're thinking, what? That's weird. But seriously, I think about bacon. Growing up, when my dad was a single parent, Grampa and Gramma would watch me and my 4 biological sisters all the time. Gramma was an excellent baker and cook, and she was always serving us delicious meals and whipping up yummy treats. But when BLT's were on the menu, Grampa was ALWAYS in charge of cooking the bacon. I think part of that stemmed from the fact that he was afraid Gramma would get splattered by the grease. And he wasn't cookin' no turkey bacon - he was making the real stuff, on the stove no less. And he always was wearing a white butcher's apron while he was cooking. If we were lucky, he'd sneak us a piece or 2 before dinnertime.

3. Time heals all wounds. I know that things weren't always easy when my dad was a kid. Grampa had a few demons that he wrestled with. But it is amazing to see how gentle his heart is now, and how much he loves my dad and us grandkids.

4. When he refers to me, he always says "My Kelly". This is SO special to me because growing up, my parents never gave me a nickname. Even now, while most of my close friends and family refer to me as "Kel", my parents still just call me "Kelly". For Grampa to say "My Kelly", it gives me a sense of security that I am known and protected. It's almost as though he's echoing what the Lord says as He looks down on me. "My Kelly".

Leaving Grampa is always quite difficult, but this time was really tough. While he's mentally sharp, his body is growing tired. His eyesight is failing, and his stomach is constantly upset. He takes several naps a day, and is constantly ingesting or applying some type of medicine. Grampa's been ready to go to his eternal resting place for quite some time now, but I know whenever that time comes, it's going to be difficult for me to accept. He's my only living grandparent, so it will be strange to close the chapter on that book. When we were leaving, I stood up to hug Grampa, and he held on a little longer than usual, and pulled back to gaze into my eyes for a moment. I could see where my brown eyes came from, although his were a bit cloudy. Both of our eyes filled with tears and I whispered, "I love you Grampa. I'll see you soon."

Seth, me, & Grampa

My sister Ginny also lives up in Cleveland, so we got to spend the night at her place and hang out with her for a bit. Gin and I always have a ball together, laughing till our sides ache at everything and anything. I love that girl.

Partners in Crime

This next weekend, we'll be heading up to Oxford, OH for Sarah & Josh's wedding, and I know it'll be a great time of seeing old friends. And then a week after that we leave for none other than...::drumroll please::...MAUI!!! Yep, that's right! We're celebrating 5 years of marriage with a trip to a place that's a little piece of heaven here on earth. Other than a weekend getaway or 2, Seth and I haven't taken a trip together with just the 2 of us with intentions to spend time alone. We've traveled several times to visit family and friends, which were all great, but we are looking forward to recreating our honeymoon and experiencing some new adventures. Stay tuned for photos!

Coming to you live from "Tennessee - America at its Best."

2011-07-10T19:44:00.000-05:00

That's seriously the state slogan, I'm not kidding. I Googled it. :o) Well folks, I've finally decided to make time to blog on this hot, peaceful Sunday afternoon. Many of you have been wondering what in the world the Williamses have been up to in their new home...maybe. I don't really even know if anyone ever reads this blog (except for my lovely gal pals Andrea & Meg :o) ). But in case there are interested parties out there, here's a taste of our life in Tennessee.

Seth is working full-time as a graphic designer at Premiere Speakers Bureau in Cool Springs, TN, about 20 minutes from where we live. He works in a fancy office that has marble pillars in the foyer for a boss who does amazingly generous things for his staff, i.e. catered lunch every Friday, trips in luxurious tour buses to play laser tag, never-ending donuts and birthday cake, etc. Here's a photo that was taken of Seth for the PSB website:

I am currently working part-time at a boutique called Social Graces in Hillsboro Village. SG specializes in invitations and stationary, and we also sell a varied assortment of giftable items, i.e. books, journals, etc. Here's a photo of the store from the outside:

Initially, I had planned on transferring from my position as assistant home manager at Anthropologie in Madison, WI to a somewhat comparable position at Anthropologie here in Nashville. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort was available, and after a totally God-ordained series of events, I said my goodbyes to Anthro after a 4-year-long relationship, and started a new journey with SG. The staff is super small, which I love because it creates a more intimate vibe, and opens the doorway to building real and deep relationships with the women I work with. By the way, they're some of the sweetest women out there! Not to mention that I ironically enough worked with one of them at the Anthro in Carlsbad, CA, while the store manager of SG also worked at the same Anthro in Carlsbad even though our paths never crossed at that time. Crazy, huh? This world is a small one, I tell ya.

After many moons of living in tiny apartments (albeit our 2-bedroom duplex in Cincy), we are finally home~~owners~~renters! We are living in an area of Nashville called Crieve Hall, which is located right above Brentwood and just to the south of downtown Nash. We have the sweetest, most caring landlords, and have had such a great time decorating and settling in.

Some of the perks to renting a house vs. an apartment:

1. We were forced to purchase our own washer and dryer, which we will now have for eons to come (we hope).

2. We have a HUGE backyard! We can't wait to fill it with family and friends once the weather cools down a bit.

3. I am able to bust a move late at night without worrying about making too much noise and getting complaints from neighbors.

One of the very best things about our little home is that it is literally only 2 blocks away from our dear friends, Scott & Susy Anderson. We LOVE being able to pop over and visit them (and vice-versa), and especially being able to be more involved in the lives of their 2 boys, Blaine & Hayes (Seth is Blaine's godfather).

In other news, Bou is still as rambunctious as ever. While Seth and I were living apart, I let Bou roam free during the night instead of shutting him in the bathroom. Did I think perhaps that he would stand guard if anyone ever broke into my apartment in the middle of the night? Maybe. No. Well, maybe. Aside from that, he started routinely snuggling with me in the early hours of the morning after I fed him his breakfast. Now, he continues to do so as Seth always gets up first to shower. Oftentimes, I wake up to Seth struggling to silence his laughter as he finds Bou squished up next to me in the funniest positions.

Alright, that's it for life in Tennessee for now. Time to go rest in this wonderful AC with my hubs and Bou!

I'm not gonna lie...

2011-01-09T11:20:00.000-06:00

...things are hard right now. Not hard physically speaking - we both have jobs, we are healthy, we are being provided for. Things are hard emotionally, spiritually. I feel pretty far from God in this place where my only confidante is Seth...well, and Bou too. I talk to God pretty regularly, but still haven't seen my current prayers answered, which sometimes makes me wonder if He hears me in the first place. I mean, I know he does, but I guess sometimes I'm more like Thomas than I liked to be. I need to see it to believe it. To put my hands in His wounds to know that He is real. Sometimes I wonder if God brought us out to Wisconsin to experience a season of just us and Him. But His plan isn't working so far because I don't know where He is.

But then today in church we sang a song called "Everything" by Tim Hughes. I've heard it before, but it really sank in today because I truly do want Jesus to be my everything. And even moreso, I'm finally beginning to grasp the fact that He is IN me. He's with me all of the time because He resides IN me. He won't ever leave me or forsake me because He is a part of me.

Jesus said, "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:4-8

Jesus is already living in me, asking me to remain in Him as well.

Life Stages.

2010-11-17T18:54:00.000-06:00

Man, I feel like we're in such an interesting stage of life. Some of our friends own houses. (I'm serious. Like, they actually bought houses. They actually pay mortgages. Crazy, I know.) Some of our friends have jobs that they need to dress up for, i.e. suits and ties. We even have two friends that are in the medical field. They can actually examine certain parts of your body and diagnose illnesses, write prescriptions, etc. On top of it all...wait for it...we have friends who actually HAVE KIDS. So bizarre. We're adults. And not the "I-just-graduated-college-and-I'm-on-my-own-so-that-automatically-makes-me-a-grown-up" kind of adult. Like actual, real, full-fledged adults. The strangest part about all of it is that I find myself having adult thoughts frequently, even though when I look in the mirror I see the same girl who played the part of Patty Simcox in LWHS's "Grease" in 2001. I think things like, "Man, I am SO excited to be a mom." (What?!?!) "I can't wait to decorate our future house. One with some old charm would be nice." (Huh?!?!) "Did I fax in the form for our life insurance policies?" (Hold the phone!!!) When did this all happen? What a crazy season of life this is. And we're on the brink. We're on the brink of toppling from DINKPC (Dual Income No Kids Plus Cat) to parents (hopefully)...homeowners... This must be what our parents and grandparents meant when they say/said that they feel/felt so "young at heart". Granted, I know that we're still in great physical shape, but it's just mind-blowing to be in this season of life. In a good way.

So much has happened...

2010-10-28T20:10:00.000-05:00

...since the last time I wrote. It's always difficult to know where to pick up after you've neglected your blog for so long, so I think I'll start with the biggest development in the lives of myself and Mr. Williams. We moved. To Wisconsin. Sun Prairie, to be exact - about 10 minutes outside of Madison. And no, we didn't see this coming either. In moving back to Cincinnati, we thought we'd be staying there for a while...starting a family...buying a house. And when we envisioned moving again, it was always back to SoCal. But it turns out that the Lord had different plans for us. Most of you have heard the entire story from beginning to end, so I'll spare the details (and my fingers), and just say that it was, and still is a wild ride. The craziest part is that we were originally moving here for Seth's job, and in the midst of it all, I got the MIT (manager-in-training) position at the Madison Anthropologie (which was definitely a promotion from my former senior sales associate position). To top it all off, after about a week and a half of being here, my managers offered me ANOTHER promotion, and I'm now the new full-time, salaried Assistant Home Manager. Exactly what I would have chosen to be if I had a say in the matter. God's provision and hand has been SO extremely evident throughout this whole process. And I'm really looking forward to getting more involved at Heartland, making new friends, and building into old friendships.

Super Savings...Tuesday

2010-04-14T06:17:00.000-05:00

Well folks, I'm finally starting to get good at this! Here's my loot after a trip to CVS and Target:

And the final tally after coupons, ECBs, giftcards, & mail-in rebates (drumroll please):

$7.88!!!

Can you even believe it?!?! This is becoming quite a pastime for me.

The Cottage

2010-04-02T12:53:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I've been MIA for so long! Oh the busyness - how I get caught up in it! I suppose I'd normally say "such is life!", but I don't want to lean into that statement any longer. Thus, I'm dusting off the 'ole blog with this new post!

Today the weather is crazy beautiful. It's around 80° on the first of April - and no, that's not an April Fool's joke. It makes me feel more alive when the sun is shining and I can open up our windows to get a fresh breeze blowing through our house. Despite any uncertainty I'm currently facing, today I'm glad I'm alive.

Even moreso, this weather gets me SO excited about going to the cottage!!! The cottage is owned by Seth's parents and it sits on the edge of Hemlock Lake in southern Michigan. It's a place where we can relax to the max. Seriously. These are things I LOVE about going to the cottage:

running to "Strawberry Fields" by Coldplay on the backroads

playing in the lake

making & eating delicious meals (food always tastes better at the cottage)

playing cornhole

boat rides around the lake at dusk

Other things I love: laughing, not having an agenda, afternoon naps just because, making s'mores over an open fire, etc., etc. And the list could go on. Here's to hoping that we get a summer trip to the cottage on the books ASAP!!!

TTT (Terrific Target Trip)- 2.26.10.

2010-03-02T11:22:00.000-06:00

All of this for $13.76

Gotta love me some Tar-jay!!!

2010-01-13T11:01:00.000-06:00

Well folks, I made another terrific Target trip this week. I spent about $17.00, and got everything below...including the "Pursuit of Happyness" DVD, which is priced around $15.00 at your local bookstore. Let's just say I'm very pleased with my deal findings.

Another terrific Target trip

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the Williamses!!!

2010-01-13T10:54:00.000-06:00

The Williamses - 2009

O Christmas Tree

2009-12-03T10:37:00.000-06:00

Our Christmas Tree 2009

A Terrific Target Trip

2009-11-05T07:16:00.000-06:00

This week, I made out like a bandit at Target (or Tar-jay, as my sisters and I would say)!!! I was able to make good on two deals:

1. Kellogg's cereal is on sale right now - buy 3, get 1 free. Some boxes are even priced as low as $2.66. I paired (3) $1/1 Kellogg's cereal Target coupons (I tried to use 4, but they wouldn't let me use a Target coupon on the free item) with (2) $1/1 Kellogg's Special K cereal coupons, (1) $1/1 Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Little Bites cereal coupon, and (1) $0.75/1 Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal coupon. I spent a total of $2.49 on 4 boxes of cereal!!!

2. Target has a deal going on right now through 10.26.09 where if you purchase 5 Glade holiday candles, oil candle holders, or refills, you get a $5 Target giftcard. I had (5) B1G1 coupons where if you purchased an oil candle glass holder or tin, you got a pack of refill oil candles for free. I also had (5) $1.50/1 oil candle glass holder or tin coupons. Lastly, I had a $1/1 Glade item Target coupon from this month's Real Simple magazine. When I went through the checkout, I gave the cashier the B1G1 coupons first, and he wasn't sure how to enter those in, so he called his supervisor who was able to take care of those coupons. Then I gave the supervisor the $1.50/1 coupons, and he said that he couldn't take them because he could only take one manufacturer's coupon per item. I calmly explained that the B1G1 coupons applied to the refills, and the $1.50/1 coupons applied to the holders. He called a manager over, and I explained the same thing to her. She told me that Target's policy with B1G1 coupons is that they apply both to the item you're getting for free as well as to the item you're purchasing to get that item for free...which, in my humble opinion, makes zero sense. I stated that I was still buying the holders and tins in order to get the refills for free - just at a lower rate of $1.50 off a piece. She told me she didn't want to be the "coupon police" and would allow me to use those coupons "this one time". My cheeks were a little rosy when I left, but I ended up saving $21, spending only $4.91, and I got $10 in Target giftcards!!! I plan on doing the SC Johnson rebate 3 times over as well to get a $15 rebate and make the most of this deal!!!

The Target Trip

So, overall I spent $7.40 out-of-pocket, I received $10 in Target giftcards, and I'm going to receive a rebate of $15 from SC Johnson...so I actually MADE MONEY off of these deals!!! $17.60 to be exact!!!

A Quick (and Delicious) Interruption

2009-11-03T12:01:00.000-06:00

I know I still have one (or maybe two) more installments regarding "Things I Love About Fall", but I had to interrupt to post another recipe. This Shepherd's Pie recipe was given to me by the Palmers (love you guys!). The preparation was very minimal, and the result was amazing - and healthy too! It contains quite a bit of veggies, ground turkey (instead of red meat), and the majority of the flavor comes from rosemary and low sodium/low fat chicken broth. Delicious! Just make sure you indeed use a 10" pie pan! I only had a 9" pie pan on hand, and some of the juices spilled over into the oven...and I was too full after dinner to clean it up!

Shepherd's Pie

Things I Love About Fall - Installment #2

2009-11-02T11:04:00.000-06:00

THE FESTIVITIES.

There are ALWAYS really fun things to do outdoors in the Fall, i.e. going to pumpkin patches, going apple picking, etc. Seth and I were really excited to be back in Ohio for Fall this year because we got to experience the one-and-only Circleville Pumpkin Show. The small town of Circleville, OH devotes 4 days to this pumpkin extravaganza, and they pull out all the stops. I had gone to the CPS when I was younger, and Seth had been once before in college, but we were excited to finally be able to go together.

The crowd

The pumpkin tree

The BIGGEST pumpkin of all

The two of us, elated upon purchasing a bag of the infamous mini pumpkin donuts

Also, who doesn't love a good old-fashioned night in, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds, and drinking apple cider (some prefer it spiced and hot; I prefer it non-spiced and cold)??? Here are this year's creations from the Williams household:

Seth's jack-o-lantern

My jack-o-lantern (yes, I used a stencil)

We had such a blast this Halloween, as it was our first Halloween where we lived in an area that trick-or-treaters came through. My sister Shelby came over, and she, Seth, and I had a great time greeting the kids and seeing all the fun costumes, while staying warm with the help of blankets and hot chocolate!

Seth excitedly awaiting the arrival of our first trick-or-treater

Me and Shelb staying warm

Last (but not least), we participated in the "BOO-rito" give-away that Chipotle was doing on Halloween. Basically, if you came dressed up as a burrito, Chipotle gives you a burrito, burrito bowl, or taco for FREE!!! We had fun with this...

Introducing the tinfoil hat, scarf...

...and diaper???

My parents also hosted a squaredance on their property this year, but we were visiting friends in San Diego when it took place. Hopefully, it will be an annual event, and we'll be able to post photos next year!

Things I Love About Fall - Installment #1

2009-10-29T01:54:00.000-05:00

THE FOOD.
Seriously, sometimes Fall food is so much better than Summer food, or Spring food for that matter. Probably because of the fact that on a chilly Fall day, there's nothing better than warm cup of something and a hot meal to come home too. Fall food does it's job - it warms you up! This past week I did something I've never done before: I meal-planned. Hence, with it being Fall and all, I'd like to share with you some of the goodies I whipped up in my own kitchen.

Elsa's Cider Beef with Cheddar Smashed Potatoes

Elsa's Cider Beef with Cheddar Smashed Potatoes - This recipe, which I got from my mom, was featured on the Rachael Ray Show (so it's online). Apparently, it is one of her mother's recipes. It's the epitome of a comfort food, and the flavor is outstanding. Apple cider and sharp cheddar cheese - great combination! This definitely got a "two-thumbs-up" from Seth, so I know I'll be making it again! (note: In the photo, the potatoes are yellow not due to butter, but due to using yellow cheddar cheese instead of white cheddar cheese.)

Southwest Chicken Soup

Southwest Chicken Soup - This recipe is great because you literally dump everything into your crockpot (which you can do the night before, and pull it out of the fridge in the morning), and when you get home from work you have a hot meal all ready to go! And you can adjust the spicy factor however you want with the salsa and Rotel. Thank you Emily for this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 lg. can fat free refried beans
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn
1 lg. can chicken breast
1 can fat free chicken broth
1 sm. jar salsa, however hot you prefer
1 can Rotel tomatoes with or without chilies

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and heat through for several hours. Top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and/or crunched up tortilla chips and you're all set!

Holiday Babka & Banana Bread

Holiday Babka (Mother's Polish Bread) - My dad recently had surgery, and since Seth and I are on such a tight budget, I was trying to think of something I could make for him instead of purchase. My grandma (my dad's mom), who was 100% Polish, was an excellent baker and cook. Oftentimes, she would bake wonderful loaves of Polish sweet bread and bring them over to our house when my dad was a single parent and we were living in Cleveland. My dad told us that one time, my grandma brought over her bread after my sisters and I were already in bed, so he stayed up and ate AN ENTIRE LOAF with the help of a large glass of chocolate milk. Obviously he loved this bread, so I thought I'd give baking it myself a shot, even though I don't have my grandma's recipe - she never wrote anything down. I found this recipe here (note: I made it without raisins.). It didn't rise properly, so it was definitely denser than it should have been, but it was good nonetheless. Especially toasted.

Banana Bread - I made the banana bread as a back-up to the Babka, in case it didn't turn out. This recipe is quick and easy, and a great way to utilize bananas that have gotten a little too brown for your liking. While I make this banana bread all year long, it tastes especially good paired with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate on those cold Fall mornings. You can also add miniature chocolate chips (and they need to be miniature, or they'll sink) to this recipe, and have more of a dessert-type bread.

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1 c. sugar
1 egg (I substitute 1/4 c. egg product or egg whites)
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased bread pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour.

ENJOY!!!

2009 Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon

2009-10-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

WHEW!!! A couple of weekends ago, I completed my third full marathon and I have to say, it may have been my favorite one so far. The San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon was exciting because it was my first...and I was running in California and had ocean and palm tree views. The Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati was exciting because I was running with my brother in a city I grew up in (well, near, at least), and many of my family members were there to cheer me on. Nonetheless, the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon was the most exciting of all because my dad and my little sister Ginny were running it as well. Let me tell you, there is something truly amazing (and quite emotional) about seeing your dad cross the finish line after running 26.2 miles. Ginny got a migraine and was only able to make it to mile 21, but that's a feat in and of itself. I couldn't be more proud of her - and it was especially rewarding to see that Ginny was also proud of herself. Here are some photos and videos* recapping the day:

Me & my dad with our signs (thanks Mom!) after the marathon

The three runners with Gin's sign

While it was a rather chilly day, my run went really well. I ran with the 4:00 pace team, and enjoyed hearing our leader share stories about running, his kids, and Ohio State football. The fall scenery was beautiful as well. We ran through a handful of neighborhoods where the trees were slowing shedding their red, orange, and yellow leaves. I saw my sisters Therese and Vicki and Seth multiple times, which was really encouraging! My mom was also waiting for me with a sign (see photo above), but somehow we ended up missing each other. Around mile 19, my stomach began to feel upset. Normally I get the "I-need-a-port-o-potty-right-NOW!!!" kind of stomach upset, but this one was different. This one was more of a "Oh-my-gosh-am-I-going-to-throw-up-with-7.2-miles-left-to-go?!?" upset. I struggled with slowing my pace because I didn't want to "reason" my way out of keeping a pace I knew I could handle. At the mile 20 water station, I decided to listen to my body and slow it down a bit. My stomach calmed down, but then I got a side stitch. I did my best to breathe through it, and I finished the marathon in 4:06. I am very pleased with my time (it was my PR!!!), and hope to shave off more minutes in the future! I'm not sure when my next race will be. I'm going to take it easy for a bit, and give my body a break. I will continue running each day, but more for myself and less for marathon preparation.

*The videos are in a .mov format, which Wordpress cannot upload. As soon as I figure out how to adjust that, I will upload the videos!

There's a first time for everything...

2009-09-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

...including using stacked coupons and amazing websites that lead you to unimaginable deals (see "Pinching Pennies" post). Here is a photo of everything I got during my quick Target trip yesterday:

And I got all of it for only $5.47 (less than what the cat food cost initially)!!! I saved $15.00!!! CRAZINESS!!!

Pinching Pennies

2009-09-14T19:23:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of us have felt the effects of the economy lately in one way or another. For Seth and I, it's been especially challenging with us currently being a single-income family. We've already been living without cable (...even TV for that matter) and internet for the past six months. I haven't shopped for clothes or any "extras" for a lengthy amount of time as well. Our money conversations these days are more along the lines of: "Do we have enough money to fill up our gas tank all the way? Or will that leave us without money to buy bread and milk for the week?" While it's easy to feel overwhelmed under financial strain, we are choosing to take a more positive approach to our situation. As of Tuesday night, we will have officially set up our first budget. That's right folks! We've put off creating a budget for a while, using the excuse that nether of us were on salary, making our weekly or bi-weekly income different every week. No longer are we going to let that stop us from being financially organized. My sister Vicki is going to help us set up a plan to put perameters on our spending, so we will truly be living within our means. While nether one of us have school loans to pay off (thanks Dad & Mom!!!), we do have a bit of credit card debt thanks to tax time and a cross-country move. Vicki is going to help us utilize the "snowball effect" in paying off our debt, which will eventually allow us to have a substantial amount of savings. Our goal in all of this is not to become independently wealthy, but rather to live a debt-free, God-honoring lifestyle. I suppose the reason why I'm posting this on my blog is because a lot of people in our age range struggle financially, living paycheck to paycheck, drowning in debt. I'm here to say it doesn't have to be that way, and I'm truly excited about our financial future!!!

One area where we're working hard to save some moolah is eating out. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE to cook. And bake for that matter. But there's just something fun and exciting about eat out - especially when you're eating out with your loved ones. Seth and I were able to jump on the major discount that www.restaurant.com had on 9.9.09 - 90% off sale!!! Do yourself a favor and sign up for their mailing list. Oftentimes, they'll have 80% off days where essentially you could purchase a $25.00 gift certificate for $2.00 (gift certificate normally priced at $10.00). Many of the restaurants have stipulations (i.e. you have to spend at least $35.00 total), but it's still worth it in the end.

Speaking of being financially saavy, please check out these blogs:

www.stretchingabuckblog.com & www.moneysavingmom.com

I've just learned that you can oftentimes "stack" a retailer's coupon with a manufacturer's coupon, doubling your savings!!! I can't wait to stop by Target later on today for these deals thanks to "Stretching A Buck Blog" (I know they're totally random, but they also end up being totally FREE!!!):

Market Pantry String Cheese - $0.50/ea
Use $1/2 Target coupon here
Final Price = FREE when you buy 2

All Laundry Detergent (travel size) - $1/ea
Use $1/1 when you sign up here
Final Price = FREE

Odds & Ends.

2009-07-24T21:33:00.000-05:00

Things I'm feeling right now:

1. Horrible for forgetting my best friend's birthday. I seriously CANNOT believe I did that. I know I put a ton of pressure on myself to remember everything all the time, but you just don't forget your best friend's birthday.

2. Excited because we purchased our tickets to visit San Diego in the fall!!! I was hoping, hoping, hoping this would work out! God really had His hand in all of this because my boss decided to give me 3 weeks of PAID vacation (which covers Family Vacation 2009, our trip to San Diego, and some time off around the holidays!!!), and since we had a good amount of Skymiles between the two of us we only had to pay $50 per ticket - direct both ways, Cincinnati to San Diego and reverse!!! AMAZING!!!

3. Hungry because I'm always hungry.

Lame-O.

2008-12-14T07:24:00.000-06:00

Talk about lame. I say that I'm totally in it to win it this time, and of course it's been months since my last post. Man, I've got to cut something out of my life if I don't have time to blog at least once a week.

::PHEW::

I'm heading to bed now. Regardless of the fact that my brain is still whirring, I'm going to lay my pretty little head down to get some zzz's. I'm not going to lie awake thinking about job stuff or life stuff in general. And I'm hoping I'll have sweet dreams tonight. Not dreams (a.k.a. nightmares) where some guy is chasing me or I get horrible news about the death of a family, which is actually usually the norm. Nope, not tonight.

I hope so, anyway.

Alone in my office.

2008-09-08T17:47:00.000-05:00

Right now, I'm alone in my office. I've finished up all of my admin responsibilites for the day. And I'm tired. Like, really tired. I ate a tuna sandwich at lunch which should have energized me, but instead I feel lethargic. I even put my head down on my desk only to wake up 15 minutes later with a pool of drool on my arm. Gross, I know. What should I do with this empty time I have? It's 3:40 pm. I have to be here until 5 pm. Good Lord. I've already checked my Facebook about 20 times, and looked up what graduate programs Miami University offers. My mind is basically left to wander. Should I go back to school for dietetics? What about English education? Maybe even family studies? And then what would I do with my degree? What do I want to do with my life? Should I bake cupcakes before or after I go on my evening run? What should I get my mom for Christmas? When will Seth and I start a family? Should we move back to Ohio? How much longer do we have until our debt is paid off? When should I stop to buy Bou's flea medication? Yep, my mind is a whirlwind of questions. Maybe that's why I like to keep myself busy. That way, I won't have to stop and think about questions for which I don't have concrete answers. Bingo. But you know what, it's all good. I just need to focus more on the moment so I stress less about the future. Right now, I'm just going to be thinking about how good my run is going to feel, and how delicious the tilapia and mac 'n cheese that I'm cooking tonight is going to taste.