Quickly

• I ended up in the emergency room Friday night after I finally called my doctor about a nagging ache in my side.  That combined with my low grade fever, nausea, and general feeling of "blah" left him convinced I could have appendicitis.  Two rounds of blood work, an IV bag full of fluids and a CAT scan later, it turns out I just have a terrible UTI. 
• Wedding planning is still causing me to lose a lot of sleep.  There are a few important elements still aren't in place, RSVPS that haven't been returned, things I still need to do, people that need to be called, etc, etc, etc.  I either can't fall asleep at night and/or I wake up at night for whatever reason and then my mind starts racing and I can't fall back to sleep.  No bueno.
• Isaac is also throwing up all the time in school (but never at home...).  Their policy is barf = you have to go home that day which has necessitated a lot of juggling around of schedules on the part of me, my mom and Ryan.  One of us has to drop everything to pick him up, and then watch him for the rest of the day as he runs around the house, fever free and full of energy, eating everything in sight.  I dunno if he is making himself throw up, or faking it, or if he might have some kind of reflux or what, but it's getting old.  Yesterday when the school nurse called me at work again, she sort of got the brunt of my anger.  I was like "I'm a working mom!  I'm a teacher! Did anyone actually see him throw up?"  He got a big lecture from me last night about faking it, and I scheduled him a doctor appointment later in the week to rule out reflux or something.  Any suggestions or ideas on that front are welcomed. 
• In addition to all that I have going on in my life, in a moment of temporary insanity I agreed to be a witness on a courtcase.  I was just served my subpoena last weekend. A lady I worked with when I bought my house was fired from her company for shoddy work performance and is now suing them claiming she was fired because of her race and gender.  The company I guess started going through their files and found my scathing write up of my experience working with her and now wants to use me as part of their defense.  Which I think is actually really interesting and I would like to be of assistance.  It is unfortunate that the timing is early February.  
• Anyways, this isn't meant to be a list of complaints.  There are so many good things happening in my life right now too. My parents and Ryan's parents finally met each other at a nice dinner hosted by my parents.  I think everyone was a little nervous but all was well and the world didn't end.  We also had a nice birthday dinner for my dad on Sunday and played Apples to Apples.   My brother Tom inspected my car, so miraculously the 2003 Alero remains roadworthy for another year (or until she is replaced by a minivan or SUV crossover, you know, whichever comes first).  There was a Groupon deal on tickets to the Home Show in Philadelphia, so we are taking Ryan's sister and mom next weekend and they seemed so pleased.  Ryan and I have seen some great movies: Argo and Silver Linings Playbook.  Highly recommend both of them.  Finally, my brother gave the three of us tickets to the car show in Philadelphia and we had a great time.  Here is a picture from there:

 

So that's the update!

 

the end of an era..

I saw this on Pinterest and it totally cracked me up.

Source: mlkshk.com via Lee on Pinterest

This is so my life right now.  Case in point: when Ryan and I go to the movies now, we opt for the 6:45- 7:00 show instead of the 9 or 10:00 show.  And when I look around, we are the youngest people in the theater.  It feels like going a late movie is just too exhausting anymore or something, which just makes me feel ancient.  What's next?  Eating my dinner at 4:30 and going to bed at 8:00?

 

The second piece of evidence over the weekend that reminds me of my age is the fact that I test drove one of these bad boys over the weekend:

 

My little Alero is still going strong, but it won't run forever, and Ryan and I really feel it is important to have a vehicle that can fit all four of our kids. I went in with my heart set on the Traverse, but a minivan is considerably more afforable than the Traverse.  It was just a test drive though, cause they only had two white minivans and I won't drive a white car.  So that change is potentially on the horizon in the next few months.  My kid may play soccer, and I may end up driving a mini-van but I still WON'T wear mom jeans.  I promise.

Seriously.

I bought my Alero when I was 22.  It has been the car all through my 20's.   Minivans are for people in their 30s and 40s and that is me now I guess.  It's a major mind shift.

Random Thursday

Wow.  Well first of all I know if I found 100 dollars I should do something boring with it, like put it towards a bill or Isaac's lunch account or something.  However, I am approaching this prompt from a pure fantasy angle.  What can I blow 100 bucks on?

I love to buy make-up....  I have had my eye on this little palette since it came out.  I love the Naked eyeshadow palettes, so I am curious to try some of their new face products like this little number..

and there would still be plenty left for a set of these 24/7 eyeliner pencils, in, like, every color. 

And if I wasn't going to go hog wild on make-up, I would love to pick up some shoes.  I have been craving pink sparkly Tom's since the summer.  They would leave money to spare...

If I was feeling a bit more practical, I would probably put it towards a purchase for the house.  There have been several times in the past few months (fishtank leak, dishwasher plumbing deluge, Christmas tree needle explosion) when I wished I had one of these...

 What would you do if you found $100?

Goal Check Up

So I have started in on my 101 in 1001.

9.  Try 50 new recipes. 

When Isaac was home "sick" the other day, I made copycat Starbucks Lemon Pound cake.  Ryan loves all things lemon and had specifically requested a lemon pound cake.  I found this recipe when I perusing Pinterest and it got rave reviews.  It is moist and sweet. I don't think her blog permits me to post her pictures here, and I didn't take any of my own, but check out her post.  It's fool proof! The icing didn't turn out as pretty as hers did, but this recipe was definitely a success.  I only have one loaf pan, so I used my jumbo muffin tin for the other half of the batter and they turned out great as muffins too. 

62. Go to the eye doctor. 

While this is relatively dull to blog about, I thought it would be an easy one to cross off the list and get the ball rolling, so I called and made an appointement to knock this one out over Christmas break.  I hadn't been to the eye doctor in years.  Fortunately, everything is great.  My vision is good and my eyes are healthy.  Apparently my over the top obsessiveness with wearing sunglasses has paid off.    One item down, 100 more to go!

81. Visit 10 museums. 

Ever since Ryan and I met each other, he had talked about how much fun it would do some of the touristy things in Philadelphia-- he specifically wanted to go to the National Constitution Center. So we finally carved out some time yesterday and headed into the city.  It was a bright sunny and warm day (for January) and we really enjoyed ourselves.

As usual, there was a protest going on outside the Constitution Visitor's Center.  I love a good rally and Ryan humored me and let me hang around for a while, and sport my sticker.

First we hit up the Liberty Bell, which I don't think I had visited since probably middle school.  They have totally renovated the little building that houses the bell, and it was interested to read all about it.  I always think of the Liberty Bell being a symbol of freedom during the revolutionary war, but it was interesting to read how the abolitionists used the bell in their campaign against slavery and how it became a symbol of civil rights.  Visiting the Liberty Bell is also totally free. 

From there it was a short walk to the National Constitution Center, a huge white building with the words "We the people..." written across the facade.  Ryan and I found all of the exhibits to be so uplifting and inspirational.

 

It really made the whole Constitution come alive.  Our favorite exhibit was all about prohibition and the roaring 20's.  It was really well done.  Here I am campaigning for women's right to vote. 

And getting booked with some notorious gangsters...

Random Thursday and a Vlog?

 

 

First of all, has anyone watched The Carrie Diaries?  We watched the premiere the other night and I love it!  The girl who plays young Carrie is perfect.  The other show Ryan and I are watching obsessively is the Joe Schmo show on Spike where they set up a whole fake reality show for one unsuspecting guy who thinks it's all real.  The psych major in me finds it fascinating. If you don't watch it, start!  Ryan is also pushing really hard for me to start watching the Bachelor, but I just don't think I can bring myself to go there.

 

So I decided to try a vlog for the Random Thursday prompt. I love a good link up and this one seems like fun. 

 



 

Ta-DA!

 

  

Please forgive the rough editing and Darth-Vader-like heavy breathing of my cameraman.  I'm a total n00b when it comes to videoblogging but it was fun, and I might try it again!  Hopefully next time I can relax a bit.  This felt overly formal.

And shout out to the girls who run the link up. I e-mailed back and forth a few times with Lin and she was so nice.

What random things do you keep in your bag?

New year, new goals

So with the new year, I have been thinking of what goals and tasks I have accomplished last year, and where I would like the see myself in the years that are coming up.

I have seen this floating around the blog-o-sphere and I decided, in the spirit of goal-setting, to write my own.  This isn't a "bucket list" of major things to accomplish before I die, but I thoughtful list of things I can change, and habits I can form in the next few years that would improve my life.

There are more details on this website.  Here is a little bit about the project from their website:

The Challenge:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

              

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple challenges such as New Year's resolutions or a 'Bucket List'. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

 

Start date: January 6, 2013

 

End Date: October 4, 2015

 

DOMESTIC GODDESS

1.       Sew a baby quilt

2.       Can something

3.       Cook a turkey

4.       Purchase art from a local artist

5.       Compile favorite recipes into a book or binder

6.       Update 72 hour kits

7.       At least once a month cook a nice Sunday dinner.

8.       Host a holiday meal for family.

9.       Try 50 new recipes.

10.   Keep re-useable grocery bags in my trunk and use them for a month straight.

11.   Learn to eat with chopsticks.

12.   Get a professional family portrait taken.

13.   Start an herb garden.

14.   Buy a car that can fit all of the kids.

15.   Befriend the neighbors.  Be more social with people who live near us.

16.   Have a dinner party with friends.

17.   Learn to make some freezer meals.

18.   Use organic/natural/homemade cleaning products in my home.

19.   Get an allowance/chore chart system together and actually stick with it for at least a year.

HOUSE

20.   Repaint the powder room

21.   Turn the front bedroom into a nursery

22.   Put a ceiling fan in Isaac’s room

23.   Finish basement

24.   Paint and decorate the master  bedroom

25.   Pour a patio out back.

26.   Get/make an outdoor firepit.

27.   Have carpets professionally steam cleaned.

28.   Organize and display Ryan’s memorabilia.

29.   Get a grill.

30.   Get a stand alone freezer for the garage.

PERSONAL

31.   Find a great shade of red lipstick and feel confident wearing it.

32.   Invest in great fitting undergarments.

33.   Read 50 books

34.   Read Les Miserables (can count for 32)

35.   Blow dry my hair every day for a week

36.   Go totally blond again (for a short time, not necessarily indefinitely)

37.   Try being a redhead.

38.   Pay off all credit card debt

39.   Get an “emergency fund” together (amount to be determined later).

40.   Blog every day for a month

41.   Movie theater marathon: three movies in one day

42.   Take a cooking class with Ryan

43.   Take a self defense class

44.   Send a secret to PostSecret

45.   Unsubscribe myself from all e-mails that clutter my inbox and blogs that clutter my reader

46.   Learn how to tie a tie.

47.   Take a picture in the same place in all four seasons.

48.   Give away at least 20 cards as gifts.

49.   Purchase a web domain for my blog/cards.

50.   Seriously try to bite my nails less.

51.   Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Ryan.

FITNESS/HEALTH

52.   Try a spin class.

53.   Give up soda for a month

54.   Log my food intake for 30 straight days.

55.   For a week eat all of the recommended servings of vegetables.

56.   Do a family fitness class at the YMCA.

57.   Ride my bike to work at least 1 time.

58.   Try a pilates class.

59.   Try a hydro-aerobics class.

60.   Stay up to date with dermatologist appointments.

61.   Get a physical.

62.   Go to the eye doctor.

63.   Spend a weekend “unplugged”

PROFESSIONAL

64.   Get level 2 certificate

65.   Finish elementary ed certification

66.   Finish REAP application

TRAVEL/CULTURE

67.   Renew my passport

68.   Go on Steel Force with Ryan

69.   Visit the MOMA in New York

70.   Take the kids camping at least 3 times

71.   Go to a drive in theater

72.   Attend 5 plays or musicals

73.   Take a trip to California

74.   Go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

75.   Go to the Storming of the Bastille in Philly

76.   Do a Ride the Ducks tour in Philadelphia

77.   Take the kids to the Baltimore Aquarium

78.   Take the kids to New York City

79.   Go to Niagara Falls

80.   Go to the Smithsonian 3 times

81.   Visit ten other museums

82.   Try White Castle

83.   Try Brunish’s

84.   Go to a rally or protest in DC.

85.   Send postcards to friends/family from our travels.

86.   Go to a drag show.

87.   Attend a film festival in Philly.

88.    Go to a mudsale in Lancaster.

89.   Go to the auction with Selena.

90.   Go to Longwood Gardens

91.   Go to a live taping of a TV show.

92.   Take the kids snow tubing.

93.   Watch 5 football games with Ryan without complaining.

LOOKING OUTWARD

94.   Pay for the person in the car behind me at Dunkin Donuts

95.   Leave a 100% tip

96.   Send at least 50 cards to friends and family

97.   Do something for a charity as a family

98.   Do a Clusters meal

99.   Participate in a benefit walk/run

100.    Find a way to volunteer in Isaac’s school/classroom

101.    Send my mother and mother in law flowers for no particular reason.


I will be updating this page (see my sidebar) and blogging about things along the way.

 

 Wish me luck!

         

WIWW

I used to occasionally post in outfit link ups.  Not because I think I am terribly stylish, or that anyone should be interested in my outfits.   Participating in these posts makes me think about my outfit and try to do something a little more creative than simply throwing on a solid colored top and a pair of black trousers which is what I would be inclined to do. 

This link up is for the trend "stripes".  I have lots of things that are striped, but I couldn't resist picking up this shirt when I was shopping at the GAP outlet over the weekend.  Since I have put on so much weight (kind of the opposite of what you are supposed to be doing as you approach your wedding) I bought the shirt one size bigger than usual.   Now, looking at this pictures, I wish I wouldn't have.  It looks a little maternity-esque and that is never a look anyone goes for.

 

 



Classic deer in the headlights iphone in the work bathroom mirror post.... 

 

Classic have your kid quick take a picture of you before you leave for work picture...

 

I busted out some blue fishnets to add a little interest.  My school is pretty liberal with the business casual dresscode, but I have never seen a teacher wear fishnets before.  I thought I pulled them off though.

 

 

Outfit details

shirt- Gap outlet

scarf - ? Christmas present from my mom

cargo skirt - Old Navy

fishnets - Target (old)

boots - Kohl's

Linking up with Marionberry and The Pleated Poppy