That Spice of Life

I Won't Quit My Day Job

2012-07-27T12:21:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, Joey and I went to Andretti Indoor Karting and Games. Maybe you've never heard of this place before... Just picture an adult verson of Chuck E. Cheese. Tons of arcade games, a rock climbing wall, an indoor ropes course, and my personal favorite - go-karts. Except these go-karts are on steriods and can reach speeds of 50 mph.

We ended up at Andretti's because Joey's office was hosting an Olympic competition of sorts. But let me tell you, London 2012 ain't got nothin' on these Olympics. For starters, these Olympics included an open bar and an hour of free arcade games. Score! But my dreams really came true when I got to throw on a stylin' green helmet and hop in the driver's seat.

Man oh man, I was flying. Soaring around the corners, the smell of gasoline filling the air, the roar and rumble of the engine beneath me. I sort of noticed that people were passing me every now and then... but I didn't think much of it. That is, until the end, when we got our score sheet.

See that? Waaaay at the bottom? That's me. Number 19. Out of 19 places. But, if you have really good eyes, check out #5. That's my Joey! (Or, JoJo, if you prefer to call him by his "racing name". I know. JoJo sounds real tough.) So the good news is, even though go-karts may not be my thing... between the two of us, we make a pretty average driver! Go team!

Reunited and it Feels so Good

2012-07-21T12:25:00.002-04:00

There's someone you need to meet. Two someones, actually.

Ella. Our sweet and crazy pup. Lots of energy (although these pictures would suggest otherwise) and a tail too long for her own good.

And Penny. Our cat, who I am utterly obsessed with... She is a daily reminder that I am in serious risk of turning into a crazy old cat lady someday.

I sure do love these two animals. And I'm able to love them even more because Joey does all the difficult things, like shoving the pills down Penny's throat that one time she had worms and taking Ella outside after the sun has gone down (I'm scared of the dark and the criminals who surely lurk there). What a guy.

With all the traveling we've been doing during the month of July, our animals were living at Camp Grandma for three weeks. We are so blessed to live near Joey's parents, who have a large yard with lots of tennis balls for Ella, a private basement suite to meet all Penny's antisocial needs, and are so generous to take these furballs in whenever we head out of town.

This week, we were finally reunited with Ella and Penny, and I had one of those moments of pure contentment.

In bed. With my favorite pillow.
Cuddling my two fur babies.
Remote in hand, watching HGTV.
Dear husband nearby, ready to capture it all on film. (or iPhone. Whatever.)

Joey and I always laugh because Ella hands-down prefers Joey. Not that she dislikes me... But imagine that cliche movie scene, with Ella seated halfway between me and Joey... both of us desperately calling her name to prove who is her true owner... Yeah, no question about it, Ella would be in Joey's arms in two seconds.

But on this first night with our whole little family back together, I was lucky enough to have both critters seek me out for a cuddle. I just knew that deep down inside, they love their momma. Even if she's never the one who changes the litter box.

iPhones and Forgiveness

2012-07-19T13:42:00.000-04:00

I live by the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy. So when our cell phone contract was up last year and Joey started talking about switching carriers and getting new phones, I wasn't jumping at the chance... in fact, I was just plain dragging my feet. Sure, our phones may not have been the latest model, but they worked okay. In the end, it didn't take a broken phone to get me to make the switch. It took a stolen one.

Last week, while I was visiting my family and Joey was still finishing up the work week in Atlanta before joining us in New York, I received several calls from numbers I didn't know. Turns out, it was Joey trying to get ahold of me from borrowed cell phones. Someone had stolen his iPhone while he was swimming at the YMCA.

I was frustrated. I was irritated. I was angry. How could he leave something so expensive and important where it could be stolen? And then my brother took a moment to remind me of the time I was in college and my purse was stolen while I was at a friend's party. And then about a year later, the exact same thing happened with my favorite coat. (Aren't older brothers always so good at reminding of you of things like that?) And then my mom chimed in to remind me that my carelessness led to my own phone being stolen a few years ago. (Mom's are good like that, too.) And what did I hope for when those things happened? Understanding. Compassion. Forgiveness.

How quickly I put blinders on to ignore my own flaws, faults, and mistakes, while being quick to expect perfection from others. To judge and criticize. To hold grudges. To commit sin upon sin upon sin.

And let's be honest. Losing a purse, a coat, a phone... these are certainly not the worst things I have done or will do. I am a sinner. And through Christ, I have been given the ultimate forgiveness. How could I withold forgiveness from others?

I'm learning a lot as I share my life with Joey... and one pretty important lesson is how much we need forgivness in this marriage of ours. Because a forever together is going to include a lot of love and a lot of happiness, but also a lot of mistakes.

[ via ]

And wouldn't you know, the stolen phone turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I actually like these new phones of ours. I love that my husband, who travels over 1,000 miles a week for work, will be safer with his trusty sidekick Siri available to read and write his texts and emails while he drives. I'm amazed by the quality of the 8 megapixel built-in camera and I've been snapping pics everywhere. I enjoy having a phone that works quickly enough to let me use Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest on the go. (I'm like a real blogger now!) God sure is good.

The Roc.

2012-07-17T14:37:00.000-04:00

Rochester, New York. Home of Kodak, Wegmans, and Lake Ontario.

And of delicious meals at lakefront restaurants because the parents are treating. (Thanks, mom and dad!)

Our weekend trip to visit my family was fun and relaxing, but now its back to Atlanta and back to reality. I've got 15 days of summer break left. I'm gonna make 'em count.

National Lampoon's Marathon Training

2012-07-16T20:13:00.001-04:00

So we're training for the Chicago Marathon. Training officially started four weeks ago and has been keeping us pretty busy since then.

Yesterday, we did our weekly distance run - 20 miles. On the bright side, Joey and I took a trip back to upstate New York to visit my family for the weekend, which meant we got to run with my dad, who is also running Chicago ~~with us~~ faster than us. A trip home also meant that we were able to run along the very flat Erie Canal Towpath instead of over Atlanta's hills. (This is a very good thing. I'm pretty sure if the route included traversing any hills, I would be in the hospital right now.) On the not so bright side... we had to run 20 miles. And it was a really tough one for me.

The distance was only part of the ridiculousness of this run. Before setting out, we had to pack all the necessities... change of clothes, several towels, two CamelBaks, toilet paper (don't ask.), six bottles of water, plenty of Gatorade, Clif Shot Bloks, and snacks. Overkill? Maybe a little. But a lot can happen in 20 miles. Gotta be prepared. Hence, the five bags of supplies that took us an hour to pack.

We're basically members of the Griswold family.

[ via ]

Except I didn't get a trip to Walley World out of the deal.

P.S. I'm linking up with Carissa at lowercase letters for Miscellany Monday. Check it out!

The Joy of Zesting

2012-07-14T07:32:00.000-04:00

Some days, when I don't feel like cooking, I oh-so-casually suggest to Joey that we fire up the grill... because if there's one thing my man loves (besides yours truly, of course), its grilling. Early on in grilling season, we Joey made an amazing batch of kabobs (kebobs? kebabs?). We were both craving them again, but given that the main ingredient in the marinade is Miracle Whip, we knew they weren't the healthiest thing we could eat. I've also been trying to avoid processed foods to see if my migraines improve at all with a more natural diet, and Miracle Whip is... well, pretty processed.

So we set off to find a healthier, but equally delicious, kabob recipe. I was inspired by the Clean Eating Kebob recipe I found on The Gracious Pantry website (Please, go check it out! Tiffany does an incredible job not only creating her own healthy recipes, but also taking pictures of her creations that look so yummy, I pretty much want to lick the computer monitor.)

The recipe first caught my eye because it called for lemon zest. Yessss! A chance to use that sweet zester we got for a wedding present. I just knew registering for it was a crucial step in starting our lives together.

I made several adaptations to Tiffany's recipe - she called for just chicken and asparagus, but I used the tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and onions that I had on hand. Her recipe also calls for a ground herb called savory. I checked in two stores and neither of them carried savory, so I substituted Mrs. Dash Original Blend Seasoning. I figured it tastes pretty savory any time I've ever used it, so its pretty much the same thing... right?

Lemon Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
2 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 large zucchini, cut into chunks
1 large yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 white onion, cut into chunks (red onions are great for grilling, but I avoid them cuz I usually taste 'em for days. TMI? Sorry.)
2 tsp Mrs. Dash
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a large dish and mix it up, so chicken and veggies are coated with oil and herbs.
Optional step: Cover and marinate chicken and veggies up to one hour in the refrigerator. (I was too impatient for this step.)
Skewer the chicken and veggies. Make sure you create a beautiful pattern. They taste better that way, promise.
Hand skewers to husband for grilling - 10 to 15 minutes on the grill, turning kabobs after 5 to 7 minutes

Simple as that! And for those of you who don't love zesting lemons quite as much as I do, you can find the original Miracle Whip kabob recipe here. Enjoy!

Paradise: Take Two.

2012-07-13T12:49:00.000-04:00

One (huge, major, massive) perk of being a teacher - I can travel freely alllll summer. This week, Joey had a work conference in Amelia Island, Florida. Free trip to the beach? Staying at the Ritz-Carlton? Don't mind if I do...

Because, let me tell you, I love me a good hotel stay. How can you not love a place that is designed specifically for stellar sleeping? That encourages you to order food that will be delivered directly to your bedside? Where leaving your towels on the floor is a symbolic gesture that you're ready for someone to collect them and clean them for you? (If only that worked at home...)

We arrived to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel around 6:00 on Sunday night. Okay, so I knew the Ritz-Carlton has a reputation for being ::ahem:: elegant. I don't live under a rock. But apparently I may be slightly out of touch... since I arrived to the hotel wearing sweatpants, a ratty lime green t-shirt, and flip flops, while my fellow Ritz-ers were decked out in their Sunday best (All the women were wearing ::gasp:: heels!)

The bellhop escorted us to our sleeping quarters (Can you tell I'm trying to sound as elegant as this hotel?), and the second I touched the bed, I instantly forgot that "look what the cat dragged in" feeling. The bed was a downy nest of countless pillows and blankets. I sank right in and it was heavenly. I quickly erased all images of spending my time in a lounger by the pool and replaced them with a sweet, sweet vision of me, laying in that bed. all. day. long.

Which explains why the photos below are the only pictures I took the entire time I was in Amelia Island. All of which were taken during the last 30 or so minutes of the trip.

I did drag myself from my lair a few times... The first night, I tagged along with Joey and his coworkers to eat dinner at Salt, the restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. The premise of the place is that they offer over 40 different types of natural and infused salts that pair well with different dishes. Dinner here was a learning experience for me. Frankly, I didn't even know there were more than two types of salt - the kind you have to grind before you use it, and the kind where that step was already taken care of in a factory somewhere. I enjoyed a Nebraskan free-range chicken breast with Adriatic citrus salt. For dessert - a decadent dark chocolate souffle paired with milk chocolate hazelnut ice cream and a white chocolate creme anglaise. (Waitress' words. Not mine. I still don't even understand what an anglaise is.)

The next night, I got to be smiling, talkative wifey while Joey and his coworkers hosted a dinner with people from a few different medical practices. We ate at a place called PLAE (People Laughing and Eating). A little overwhelmed by the menu, I decided to order from the "Bistro fare" section - a plae burger. Minus mushrooms. Minus blue cheese. Minus tomato. Okay, so basically just a burger on a bun. I pretty much ordered this restaurant's equivalent of a Happy Meal.

Don't get me wrong... the food at both restaurants was straight-up delicious. I devoured it all, and it was fun to experience with Joey, because we certainly don't eat food like that on a regular basis! I just get a little uncomfortable when the waiter or waitress takes the time to describe each menu item in detail, yet I still have no idea what I'm about to eat.

The best part of vacation to me was the road trip home. Nothin' like an endless stretch of time when all Joey and I have to do is talk and be goofy together. (I also may be biased in how much I enjoyed this time, since Joey did all six hours of driving himself. Yet another reason I'm thankful for him!)

And as a symbol that vacation was over and it was back to reality... We had dinner at Taco Bell on the way home. Totally back in my comfort zone.

Paradise: Take One.

2012-07-12T13:08:00.001-04:00

Last week, Joey and I visited the Grand Palladium Riviera Maya Resort in Akumal, Mexico. And, after several warnings from my ever-cautious parents, I decided not to advertise the whats and wheres of my vacationing adventures on various social media networks until after we had returned... You know, just in case some extremely technologically savvy criminals out there were able to determine that we were out of town, break into our home, and rob us blind. (Note to all technologically savvy criminals: We actually don't really own much that's worth stealing, so all that cyber stalking might have a better pay off elsewhere.)

Now that we have returned to the good ol' US of A ::deep, sad sigh::, its time for a post about our deliciously wonderful trip to Mexico. Planning this trip started over a year ago, when my dad and I had the great idea to organize a huge family trip to a resort in Mexico. We started planning, but as babies were born and moves were made and life happened, fewer and fewer family members could actually go (...Either that, or the rest of the family is trying really hard to avoid me.) So, in the end, the trip ended up being just me, Joey, my mom, and my dad. Which I was actually very excited about, since I don't get to spend nearly enough time with my parents since I made the move to Atlanta.

I wish I had all kinds of adventurous stories to tell you about our time at the resort... but I don't, because we didn't do anything. And every second of this nothing-ness was glorious. We only had very basic decisions to make each day...

Lay by the beach... or by the pool?
Drink a mojito... or a pina colada?
Should we schedule that couples massage for today... or tomorrow?
Walking to the snack shack... yay or nay?
Do I really want to get up to reapply my sunscreen? (Looking back now, as I cope with these wildly attractive patches of peeling skin, the answer should have always been a resounding "yes!")

I also spent some time contemplating the legality of bringing a kitten home from a foreign land. (Decided against it, in case you were wondering.)

And that's about it. And amidst this simplicity, I made an amazing discovery while we were out of the country...

(sun + delicious beverage + Kindle) - (stress x responsibility) = paradise

photos I took during a sunrise walk along the beach

cabana bed at the salt water pool

flora of the Riveiera Maya - oh how I love the textures and patterns of plants!

infinity pool at the spa, by night

To make an already exciting trip even better, Joey and I also celebrated our first anniversary while on vacation. We enjoyed a beautiful anniversary dinner at the resort's Mediterranean restaurant. Our private table was set on a small cabana built in the middle of a koi pond, and the meal was made complete with a serenade from a guitar duo just before dessert arrived. When we returned to our room, the butler staff had arranged our room with flowers, candles, champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

All in all, a great way to celebrate our first year of marriage, and to look forward to many more wonderful years together in the future!

Reliving My Awkward Years

2012-06-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

I'm going to the orthodontist today. Which brings me right back to this point in my life:

Yup, that's me posing for the paparazzi (aka my dad) before my eighth grade semi-formal. Lookin' gorgeous in my spaghetti-strap dress and white high heels. Both of which made me look slightly more gangly than I would have on a regular day... If that's even possible. And let's not forget the blue and white butterfly clips adorning the up-do that I carefully crafted in front of the bathroom mirror, right before I smeared on a hint of shimmery white eye-shadow and some clear mascara (Fancy, huh?) I had just gotten my braces a few weeks before this photo was taken, and I specifically selected silver bands to coordinate with my dress on this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Last week, I bit into an apple and somehow managed to break the permanent appliance that was glued to the back of my two front teeth after my braces were finally removed when I was 16. I hadn't thought about that thing one time since the day I was sent away from the orthodontist's chair with a shining braces-free smile and a bag full of bubble gum, Starburst, and other braces-breaking candy... and now, suddenly, dealing with this appliance became a full-time job.

As an adult, I struggled to find an orthodontist who would see me to make the repair. I guess you're not a priority when you aren't 12 years old and debating between pink or green rubber bands for your braces this month. I was literally to the point of calling coworkers who have teenage children and begging them to put in a good word for me at their orthodontist office. Thankfully I found an office who was willing to see me with just a 6 day wait, instead of 2 1/2 weeks - the soonest appointment I could find anywhere else. And what's even more exciting? This office has video games in the waiting room.

So today, I will be unearthing my purple glittery retainer with a star sticker cemented inside from it's home at the back of a bathroom drawer, since my new orthodontist specifically requested that I bring it to my appointment. (And I will then have to admit to the orthodontist I have not worn said retainer for quite some time). I just hope she doesn't yell at me. Or even worse, suggest a wildly expensive treatment plan to correct the damage I have done by denying my teeth the glittery support they so badly needed.

Tomorrow, I turn 27 years old. But for today, I am 13 again.

I Need a Shoe-tervention

2012-06-24T23:38:00.000-04:00

This week's Organize Life challenge actually made me feel like a little less of an organizing failure. Thanks to a wall-mounted key rack/mail basket and memo board, we already sort of kind of have a "catch-all" place for most of our necessities.

We might have the key and mail situation worked out, but we I have a major shoe problem. We generally enter the house through the front door instead of the garage (Mainly because the garage is so full of junk, I can't make my way to the garage door once my car is in there. But that's an organization project for another day.) This means the tiny entrance area of our town home becomes a dumping ground for shoes. In an attempt to remedy this problem, we purchased Ikea's Hemnes Shoe Cabinet shortly after moving in. This piece was perfect for the entrance way because it provides a table space to add decorative elements to the space, and is designed specifically to store eight pairs of shoes.

Problem #1 - We I have been shoving waaaay more than eight pairs of shoes in this poor shoe cabinet. And the shoes that don't fit? Well, I just leave those on the floor.

Easy fix... I moved the shoes that I don't wear daily up to the shoe organizer in my closet, where they belong.

These are all the "extra" kicks that I dug out of the shoe cabinet. (The cat, however, was not removed from the shoe cabinet.)

Problem #2 - A few months ago, the Home Owner's Association built a dog park in our neighborhood. And everyone LOVES it. (I'd even say it is almost worth the hike in HOA fees that came with it.) The dog park is so very loved, that it has actually become more of a mud pit. Which means several times a day, our sweet pup, Ella, treks mud and bits of dead grass into the house. Because when you have a dog who is thoroughly obsessed with chasing tennis balls, there is simply no way to avoid this mess. Cleaning it up is literally driving me crazy... which is why I usually don't even clean it anymore. Because I hate hiking up the stairs to get the broom to sweep up the dirt when I know it will simply reappear in a few hours when Ella is once again reunited with her precious tennis ball.

Light bulb! Why not keep a broom downstairs? I bought a small hand broom and dustpan to keep in the shoe cabinet, along with a small towel for cleaning wet messes. Now, when we bring the dog in, all it takes is a quick sweep with the broom, dump the dirt back outside the front door (Because I will avoid an extra trip up and down those stairs at all costs), and all is well in the world.

So in the end, there's one drawer for Ella. One drawer for Joey. And two drawers for me. Don't judge me. We've already established that I have a shoe problem.

And with that, this space is manageable again:

Much better. The next time I'm tempted to drop a pair of shoes where it doesn't belong, I need to remember how nice it feels to open our front door to see this, instead of an imitation of Imelda Marcos' closet.

Repurposed with Purpose

2012-06-18T23:44:00.001-04:00

The organization continues! This week's "assignment" was to organize a cabinet. I decided to confront the terrifying space under our kitchen sink. This cabinet has been a huge frustration... I could not find bins and baskets that fit around all that crazy plumbing in there, so instead I just shoved all our cleaning supplies wherever I found space. Anytime I needed some cleaning product, I had to pull everything out (if it didn't all fall out on top of me first) and I pretty much ended up making a bigger mess than the one I was trying to clean up in the first place. Clearly wasn't working for me.

Then, I stumbled across this genius idea of using a repurposed tension rod for under sink storage (Found it on Pinterest of course, where else?):

[Via]

And with that, I was finally inspired to begin the makeover.

I installed the tension rod with the intention of using it to hang spray bottles, but then I remembered that a few years ago, in a failed attempt to organize my bathroom, I purchased a BYGEL rail and hanging baskets from Ikea. (Failed attempt because I never actually installed said rail and hanging baskets. Turns out I don't know how to use power tools.) I dug the baskets out of their home on a shelf in the garage and discovered that they fit perfectly around the tension rod! I filled the baskets with garbage bags, extra sponges, and dishwasher tablets

Next, I found shallow plastic storage bins at Target that slide perfectly under the sink pipes. It turns out I prefer to keep all my cleaning supplies in a bin, so when its time to clean, all I have to do is pull the entire bin out and everything I need is right at my fingertips. I was sure to put the things I often use right up front (Helloooo Lysol wipes and pet stain remover!), and the things I rarely use tucked in the back (Tough to use silver polish when I don't yet own any silver...)

Costs for our new and improved cabinet:

Tension rod from Lowe's - $4.34
Set of five plastic storage bins from Target - $5.99
BYGEL container from Ikea - $0.99
(I already owned the hanging baskets so I didn't have to purchase them, but for those who are not pack rats with random baskets lurking in the garage, you can buy them for $1.99 at Ikea)

Grand Total - $11.32. Not to shabby.

The only problem is that now I have two leftover plastic bins... Guess I better start organizing another cabinet so I can put them to use!

Organizing Life with a Little Mod-Podge

2012-06-05T23:20:00.000-04:00

Confession. If I continue on my current path, there's a strong possibility that you will see me on an episode of Hoarders about twenty years from now. Okay, I'm probably exaggerating a little... but over the years, I have accumulated tons of stuff. And after all my stuff was combined with all Joey's stuff, I now find myself feeling overwhelmed and unable to even begin dealing with the mountain of stuff that looms before us.

Just as I was realizing that our home is about three seconds from being declared a national disaster, I stumbled across this post on Jordy Liz Blogs. Organizing Life? Yes please. This girl was preaching to my soul. Shoving junk into a drawer so I don't have to look at it anymore, setting the clean laundry aside somewhere to avoid dealing with it, holding onto things that I believe to have some minor significance to ~~a memorable~~ any life event - I've done it all. And I do not want to spend the rest of my life being controlled by this cluttered mess I have created.

So, in the spirit of organizing my life, I took on Jordy Liz's first challenge this week - Organize a drawer. Of course I managed to turn the process into a DIY project. An organized drawer, and a chance to use Mod-Podge and my label maker? Clearly a win-win.

I decided to tackle the dreaded kitchen junk drawer. It hasn't always been a junk drawer. It actually started as our VIP drawer - a place for the things we just knew we'd need in the future. I'll let you be the judge how that system worked out for us.

I started by sorting through all the treasures in the drawer to figure out what actually deserved the coveted VIP title. Turns out most of the stuff in there actually had a better home - craft supplies in the office, bags of spare change in the car for tolls, instruction manuals for various kitchen appliances all contained neatly in a folder next to our cookbooks, and all the bags of "spare parts" (Thanks a lot, Ikea.) with the tools.

Next, I spent a few days perusing my organizational options at a few stores. I fell in love with the Silver Mesh Drawer Organizers at The Container Store. And then, like I do after I spend time admiring pretty much anything I find at The Container Store, I fell back to Earth and realized it would cost about $20.00 to buy those beautiful, shiny drawer organizers. Multiply that by the four other kitchen drawers I also plan to take on and that adds up to a grand total of heck no. Enter DIY project.

I gathered up all the empty boxes I could find in our house (boxes that once held cereal, pasta, zip-lock bags, granola bars, dryer sheets, anything!) and tried out a few combinations until I found one that fit perfectly in the drawer - two Kroger granola bar boxes and the long sides of a Cheerios box. I cut them down to size and used the scraps to create smaller compartments within the larger boxes.

Perfect-o! There was just one problem. After fawning over what could have been at The Container Store, I couldn't stand the look of that hideous cardboard. So, I measured and cut scrapbook paper to cover the inside and outside of the box, then plastered it on there with some Mod-Podge.

I finished it off with thin strips of paper to hide the unsightly cardboard on the edges, and voila!

I simply repeated the process three more times, and I ended up with a lovely set of color-coordinated drawer organizers. (And let's be honest, everything is better when its color-coordinated.)

Just to avoid any future confusion, I labeled every compartment when I loaded up the drawer. I figure there's no excuse for something ending up where it doesn't belong if everything has an official home.

The best part about all this? The grand total of these beauties is... FREE. Take that, Container Store.

My Blogging Faux Pas

2012-06-04T23:49:00.002-04:00

I've made a terrible first impression in this here blogosphere. Seven entries in, then I go all Criss Angel and pull a month-long vanishing act. How can I ever expect to entertain and delight my dedicated readers (aka my mom and dad) if I disappear into the unknown for such a long time? Here's my lame excuse: I was busy getting my life in order.

What, specifically, have I been up to? Well, school let out for summer on May 18th. For those of you who don't know, the absolute worst time to be a teacher is the last two weeks of school. (Followed closely behind by the day after Halloween. You might not think that exhausted and sugared-up can coexist within one child, but trust me, they can.) With the prospect of summer on the near horizon, the kids (and teachers??) totally lose control. Couple the insane kiddos with the insane amount of paperwork that has to be done to document all the little cherubs have learned during the year - that makes for one busy teacher.

After finishing up the school year (Hallelujah!), Joey and I headed to Virginia for the most wonderful long weekend of the year. This tradition started four years ago after my aunt and uncle bought a house on Smith Mountain Lake. Since then, we have had a family reunion of sorts every Memorial Day, with people coming from Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Washington DC, and of course, yours truly from Georgia. Nothing is more relaxing than sipping an iced drink on a lounger at the end of the dock, eating more than my fair share of food while watching my more daring family members cruise the lake on jet skis and tubes. It's so nice to have this weekend set aside every year to spend with my sweet family. And to remember the good times, each year we pack the family in and take a photo. You'd be amazed how much coordinating it takes to get this many people (and dogs) together. Making sure everyone's eyes are open could be a full-time job.

2009

2010

2011

2012

If you are wildly observant, you may have noticed that in 2010, Joey used this photo op to pop the question in what was the most perfect proposal I could imagine! Yet another reason that our Memorial Day trip holds a special place in my heart. Of course this year's trip didn't have the excitement of a proposal, but it was still an incredible time spent with those I love most!

After arriving back in Atlanta, it was time to get myself in order and figure out my plans for the summer. And with all these plans, I've been a busy gal:

This summer, I will get my booty in gear and start working out. I used grad school as an excuse to take a year and a half hiatus from any serious sort of athletic anything. So Joey and I decided to finally acknowledge that fact that the YMCA has so kindly been withdrawing money from our account for the past two years and actually use what we are paying for. I'm off to a good start - I'm running again, I tried (and loved) Zumba, and I decided to join my friend's Boot Camp on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Let me tell you, nothing says "Good morning!" like a ridiculous number of lunges and wall sits at 6 am.
I watched a fascinating, yet terrifying, documentary called Forks Over Knives that inspired the next goal. It's all about how eating a whole-food plant-based diet can literally save your life. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some big ol' hamburgers WAY too much to go vegan, but I do know that Joey and I could be eating much healthier. I've been researching what a healthy diet looks like, how to stick to whole grains, and how to cut out processed foods. So far the food I've made has been really delicious, and I'm excited to share some recipes with you this summer.
Joey and I are going to better organize how we use our time - so we can be more productive, and so we can spend and enjoy more time together. First step here was buying and using new planners. So far, I am IN LOVE with my planner, and I promise you it will be the topic of many a blog entry this summer (If you want a little preview, you can see the planner I'm using here. It only took me about twelve trips to various office supply stores to settle on this one, so I know its gonna be good.) On top of that, I'm so so proud of Joey, formerly known as Mr. "I can't find that napkin where I wrote that important phone number", for sticking to and using his new planner to organize everything he needs in one place.
Clean our house. Get rid of stuff. LOTS of stuff. Enough said.

Soooo I think that pretty much sums up the last month of my life. Check back in tomorrow to read about my triumph over our junk drawer.

"This Pineapple Tastes like Garlic" and Other Adventures in The Mitten State

2012-05-07T21:07:00.000-04:00

My lack of posting over the past few days is due to the fact that I was busy graduating. But don't worry... you won't miss a minute. I'll use my new obsession with Instagram to tell you the tales of my trip through photos...

I started the trip out right by scoring some sweet leg room on the flight to Detroit. I was a little depressed because no seat in front of me meant no TV for my viewing pleasure! Sad face. But, I was willing to make the sacrifice because, hey, more leg room! Girl's gotta have priorities. Then as our plane pulled into the gate in Detroit, Joey discovered that I did in fact have my very own TV... it was just tucked below the seat on a swinging arm. Oops. But all was good, because I got tons of Sudoku done during the flight.

After arriving in Detroit, I visited my favorite fountain. Every time I'm in the airport, I take a few hundred pictures of this fountain because it reminds me of traveling and traveling makes me happy. You may recognize it from Up in the Air, starring the dapper George Clooney.Unfortunately George Clooney opted not to make an appearance while I was snapping away. Maybe next time.

We arrived to a very stormy Michigan. Like, out-of-my-nightmares stormy, where I'm surrounded by tornadoes on three sides and my survival depends on how fast my little legs can carry me. (I really do have that recurring nightmare.) There weren't actually any tornadoes in Michigan that day, but I as we drove to East Lansing, I was 100% convinced that a cloud that was hanging a little too close to the ground was going to transform into a swirling mass and devour our car, so I did urge my dad to drive faster several times. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

Next, I graduated and officially finished my Masters program. No big deal. Then I did other graduate things, such as sitting on a regal throne of knowledge (Actually it was just an awkwardly-shaped chair found in the lobby of our hotel. I just thought the chair looked worthy of the flowing sleeves on my wizard-like gown.), and waiting in line to have my picture taken with our beloved Spartan statue. You haven't experienced real pressure until you are struggling to squeeze in just one more photo while ten graduates impatiently glare at you from beneath their tasseled caps.

When we checked into our hotel in South Lansing (Turns out all the hotels close to campus book up quickly on graduation weekend. Weird, right?), the lady at the front desk so kindly offered us complimentary breakfast and dinner vouchers, since we were "first time guests". What an honor! We headed to the restaurant to cash them in. After we ordered, our waitress warned us, "I'm not sure how long it will be... Our chef prepares the meals in the order they're placed." We glanced over our shoulders to see that we were the only people in the restaurant and replied with a hesitant, "...Ookaaaay..." About 40 minutes later, the dish you see above was served to us. It's cranberry chicken, even though it looks like a human heart. This photo cannot even begin to capture the limpness of the green beans, the toughness of the chicken skin, or the sliminess of the cheesy potatoes.

~~Slightly~~ Extremely skeptical after our first experience in the restaurant, we decided to give breakfast a try anyway. "It's really hard to mess up breakfast," Joey reasoned. And it was free. How could we say no? Well, I ordered a fruit plate and immediately muttered, "This pineapple tastes like garlic." Sure enough, the entire fruit plate had a distinct garlic flavor. It was then that we knew there was no hope. With that, we were off to bigger and better things.

Ready for some decent food, we visited my favorite East Lansing restaurants. First, Menna's, home of the delicacy known as "The Dub". (Tired of trying to explain a Dub to all my new friends who have not been lucky enough to enjoy this culinary delight, I asked the kind young man behind the counter how he describes a Dub. "An American burrito". Oh, of course. Why didn't I think of that? It's spelled out right there on their website.) Then, Harper's, where one can experience the "Half Off Wednesdays" that sustained me through my broke college years. Next up, The Peanut Barrel, where I sipped on a Long Island Iced Tea while Joey taught me that the beverage does not in fact contain any iced tea whatsoever. Rather, it is made up of five different liquors, a hint of lemon, and a splash of coke. That explains why I always felt the need to cut myself off after just one. Finally, we went to the MSU Dairy Store, where my mom and I debated if Michigan State or Penn State's ice cream was better, but let's be serious... We all know Peachy Paterno ain't got nothin' on Dantonio's Double Fudge Fake.

All in all, it was a great visit back to my Alma Mater. I savored every minute, because I'm not sure when I'll be back to enjoy it again. Then again, after watching all the Doctoral students sport their hoods and other fancy regalia at the graduation ceremony, the first thing I said to Joey and my parents was, "I'm totally getting my PhD..." So, who knows what the future holds...

Super Blessed. Fo' Realz.

2012-05-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

I had the most amazing weekend. Truly, 100%, absolutely wonderful. Of course, everyone will be hearing all about this visit to Michigan State for graduation (whether they want to or not), but before I get to that, all I keep thinking about is how blessed I am. I loved every minute of this quick trip back to my old stompin' grounds - the food, the graduation ceremony (well, except for the long, boring parts.), walking around campus - Everything! But the weekend wouldn't have meant anything without the incredible people in my life who shared it with me.

My hubby, who sacrificed one of his few precious vacation days to travel to Michigan and listen to my non-stop reminiscing about "the good ol' days". (No, I'm not 84 years old. I just act like it sometimes.) My caring parents who planned everything - rented the car, booked the hotel, even started a dang Facebook group to coordinate details - and drove 9 1/2 hours to watch me walk across the stage for a grand total of 5 seconds. (Yes, I counted.) My best friend's mom, who scheduled time into her weekend to meet my family for lunch. After all, the next best thing to my best friend is her oh-so-sweet momma! My in-laws, who not only cared for "the critters" while we were gone, but then took me out for a delicious graduation dinner when I got back to Atlanta. Great dinner company and no need to shop or cook - Amen! And of course, all my dear friends who sent messages and texts of encouragement and congratulations - you all made me feel just so so special! Not to be totally boring going on and on about this, but I'm just so happy and filled with love. Anyhoo, thanks for letting me go all Buddy the Elf on you guys...

And stay tuned for more about my adventures in The Mitten!

We've Achieved the Impossible.

2012-05-01T20:38:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Joey, yesterday was laundry day. If it were up to me, laundry day would be next week. Or next month. Maybe. Staying on top of the ever growing pile of dirty clothes is not my wifey super power. I am still getting used to the fact that my laundry is now OUR laundry. Therefore, I can no longer wait a month and a half to wash my clothes, because, frankly, the laundry bin won't hold 45 days of clothing for two people. Not to mention the questionable hygienic practices that this would suggest. So, of all the reasons I'm thankful for Joey, the fact that he doesn't mind regularly taking care of a few wash and dry cycles has gotta rank in the top five.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sorting laundry. I'm very detailed in my work... I don't limit myself to darks, lights, and colors. My categories are a little more like:

whites (AKA socks and undershirts. The boring load.)
blues and greens
navys and blacks
greys and browns
yellows and oranges
pinks, reds, and purples

The problem is, after all that sorting, I get a little bit... tired. Which means the laundry then sits in those beautifully separated piles for a few ~~days~~ weeks. Don't even get me started on the piles of clothes that develop AFTER the laundry finally comes out of the dryer. Folding is my least favorite.

Which is why I'm thrilled about what went down yesterday. At the end of laundry day, when it was time to tackle the dreaded chore of folding, Joey and I discovered something amazing. Incredible. Mind-boggling. Wait for it...

Did you know you can fold a fitted sheet?!

Seriously. You can learn how here. I had no idea this was possible. Martha was holding out on me. That is, until yesterday. And now I'm amazed. Like, I might make this my new party trick or something.

This is probably old news to all you laundry pros out there (Turns out this stuff is all over YouTube. Who knew??) I, however, am not up to date on the latest laundry-folding trends, so please let me have my moment.

Imagine the future... Soon, my ~~linen closet~~ random shelf where I stash the sheets will no longer contain a clump of wrinkled mess, but instead will be a perfect picture of neatness and organization!

[via]

This knowledge will surely revolutionize the way I do laundry. That is, if I ever actually get around to doing our laundry. I'll work on that... Promise.

Mangos and Other Miscellany

2012-04-30T20:23:00.001-04:00

I've been feeling sentimental today, and I just realized why. Mangos. Or mangoes, if you prefer. (Don't worry, I consulted Google and either spelling is acceptable.) They are on sale at both Publix and Kroger this week, which means two things - they must be in season somewhere, and I stocked up.

Some background information - My dad is from Mexico City. He moved to the U.S. to attend grad school at Penn State, where he met my mom, got married, and settled in to a new life filled with gringos and snow. Oh, and two adorable children, of course. Growing up, this meant many trips to Mexico to visit my dad's family. Being a notoriously picky eater as a child, I spent many of these visits to the motherland sustaining myself on only mangos and a delicious salted beef called cecina. (The story has a happy ending. I later came to my senses and now joyfully indulge in all food. All of it.)

Never heard of cecina? Understandable. It is most likely illegal to sell in the United States since preparing it involves laying the thinly sliced and heavily salted meat out in the sun for hours. If you want to learn more - and who wouldn't - check out the webpage I published about cecina for a project in college. That's right. A webpage about beef. You're welcome.

Anyway, since mangos were pretty much the only thing I would eat, my grandparents were kind enough to prepare them for me often. One of my favorite childhood memories is eating breakfast with my grandfather (who my brother and I called "Guty") in the backyard of their home in Cocoyoc, my bare feet tapping on the red tiles of the patio, sweet mango juice dripping down my arms, while we sat peacefully and listened to the crows of the rooster in a neighboring yard.

I have many wonderful memories of summers spent in Mexico with my family - not all of them involving mangos - but the fact is, after all these years, the taste and smell of a mango takes me right back to those times.

In the spirit of this mango love, I decided to share a recipe we made tonight from the bounty I purchased yesterday.

Mango Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 center cut pork rib chops
2 mangos
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cut, then puree mangos
Mix mango puree, honey, lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt
Pour half of mixture over pork chops and marinate for at least 30 minutes
Sear pork chops for 1 minute on each side over high heat
Grill at medium high heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side
Top with remaining glaze

Serves 4

In honor of the true randomness of these thoughts tonight, I am linking up with Carissa at Lowercase Letters. Yes, this is my first link up. Yes, I am quite excited about it.

Alright y'all... Have a happy Monday. And go eat some mangos.

Love Notes (But Not the Kind You Pass in Math Class)

2012-04-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

Some people express their love by showering their significant other with expensive gifts. I express mine with scrapbook paper and a hot glue gun. In true form, I made this frame to give to Joey on Valentine's Day. And with that, we've started a new tradition.

On this frame, we use a dry erase marker to leave loooove notes for each other. Sometimes sweet. Sometimes funny. Sometimes sentimental. Sometimes to say, "I'm sorry". I love the excitement of wondering when the message on the frame will change. I love learning what Joey appreciates about me. And I love encouraging my hubs with kind words. All in all, it's been fun to come up with new ways to recognize each other for our daily awesomeness.

But some days, its tough to come up with something new - because frankly, sometimes (Can I be honest?) I get annoyed with my dear, sweet husband. (And can I be even more honest??? I know I am way more annoying than he ever is.) Sometimes our expectations don't line up perfectly. Sometimes we ::gasp:: argue about things. Such are the realities of marriage, I'm coming to learn.

I'm realizing that marriage is more than just romance. From Gary Thomas' book, Sacred Marriage:

"Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, must stretch, as the sinful human condition is such that all of us bear conflicting emotions... This is the reality of the human heart, the inevitability of two sinful people pledging to live together, with all their faults, for the rest of their lives."

So as we work to build that mature love that can stretch through all the twists and turns life will throw at us, I appreciate this daily tradition. Those days when I'm frustrated, annoyed, and feeling less than lovey-dovey towards this man I married... those are the days that I most need to pause and remember what an incredible man my husband is, how blessed I am to have him, and the countless ways he makes my life better.

What about you? How do you take time to remember what it is you love about the ones you love? I'm always up to hearing new ideas. Especially if it involves a DIY project.

Happiness in a Muffin Tin

2012-04-24T18:54:00.000-04:00

I am currently the poster child of senioritis. The symptoms of this debilitating disease consist of wearing pajamas for hours on end, eating Cheetos while laying on the couch, and asking illogical questions such as, "Can't this paper write itself?" You might think that being a mere two papers away from graduation would mean I would be eager to make my fingers do a little tap dance across the keyboard to finish them up and turn them in. But no, I've been frozen in a state of uselessness in which I dream about what it would feel like to be done with this work, without ever actually making any progress towards finishing the papers. So, just two papers to go - What's the most logical thing to do? Bake. Obviously.

Not that I have any sort of baking skills. Out of pure desperation and boredom during the snowstorm (aka three inches of snow) that completely shut down the city of Atlanta for a full week (the upstate New Yorker in me laughs heartily at this.), I tried to bake a cake from scratch. What could go wrong? Especially since Joey will devour anything that is ~~sweet~~ edible. Yet, somehow, I managed to make a cake that even my garbage disposal husband wouldn't eat.

But I digress. This time, I decided to bake something that even I couldn't ruin. I stumbled across it on Pinterest a few weeks ago and have been hungrily eying the recipe ever since. It came without a name, but now that I have created this masterpiece, I have dubbed this treat, "Happiness in a Muffin Tin". It's very, very complicated to make...

Ingredients

Break and bake cookies
Brownie batter (Not from scratch, silly. From a box.)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Directions

Leave half written paper up on the computer screen so you can still feign productivity.
Shove a break and bake cookie into the bottom of each muffin tin
Open the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Eat a few.
Take what's left and set one on top of each cookie smoosh
Whip up that brownie batter
Top off each muffin tin with brownie batter until it is about 3/4 full
Bake at 350 for 18 minutes
Eat two before they cool, then share

Behold... the results:

Anything that leaves a grease smear of that caliber must be pure deliciousness. I should probably catch senioritis more often.

Greetings and Salutations

2012-04-23T21:28:00.000-04:00

My first entry on a brand new blog! Let me start with an introduction. First - There's something you need to know about me. I get bored very easily, which means I tend to have my hands in everything and I always have some sort of project going on. I've been that way since I was a wee one. I moved from drama club to cello lessons to flute lessons to trying my hand (mouth?) at harmonica to choir to cross-stitch sewing club (No really, it existed. And I joined.) to Student Council to class treasurer and on and on and on. So, you can see that since the beginning, I've always been ~~a nerd~~ very involved. In everything.

Now, at my ripe old age of 26, I am about to finish graduate school (11 days 'til I walk across the stage. Not that I'm counting). For the last year and a half, my days have been filled with paper writing and research reading. We have already established that I am a nerd through and through, so I actually have enjoyed ::almost:: every minute of the process. But, I am most definitely ready for a new project.

Which brings me to my next important point. I married my wonderful husband, Joey, on July 3rd, 2011. This first year of marriage has been busy, but incredible. I'm excited to start this next phase of our life - a phase I like to call "finally enjoying newly-wedded bliss, sans grad school".

Shortly after Joey and I tied the knot, we read a book called The Most Important Year of a Woman's Life/The Most Important Year of a Man's Life. Sounds like an awkward title, but its because half of the book is written for the wifey, and then when you flip the book upside down and turn it over, the other half is written for hubs. Fancy, I know. But that's not the important part. There's a quote from the book has stuck with me ever since we read it...

“The early investment in building an exceptional marriage costs a fraction of what it will take to keep a lousy one on life support... There is—and should be—something undeniably different about the first year of marriage.”

Granted, we are nearing the end of our first year of marriage, but now is the time to seize the day (Newsies, anyone?)... My new project is to focus on investing in us and the life we are building together. And I am so excited for the adventures we have in store! (Cue the triumphant sound of blaring trumpets.)

I started this blog to document our life with this focus - building an exceptional marriage. I imagine this blog will be filled with anything and everything - the food we eat, the books we read, the movies we watch, the trips we take, the lessons we learn, the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs - the variety of it all. Lots of pictures, plenty of sarcasm, and maybe, just maybe, something worth reading from time to time. Because after all, variety is the spice of life.