am packed. am pumped.
i've gone on holiday. be back in a bit.
ps. my most excited thanks for telling me all your favorite tunes. can't wait to start rocking out.
May 29, 2009
May 28, 2009
made my vacation playlist. some songs are new, some are old.
but the mix is mint. never been played. woohoo. hope it sounds like california.
01. don't stop believin' by the cast of glee
02. gotta get thru this (d'n'd radio edit) by daniel bedingfield
03. more time by needtobreathe
04. between the lines by sara bareilles
05. stitched up by herbie hancock feat. john mayer
06. i do not hook up by kelly clarkson
07. walking on air by kerli (weird song, but the chorus is awesome)
08. mushaboom by feist
09. can't take that plane by john mayer
10. heartless by kris allen
11. many the miles by sara bareilles
12. touch my hand by david archuleta
13. please don't leave me by p!nk
14. stop this train by john mayer
15. lovers in japan/reign of love by coldplay
16. leavin' by jesse mccartney
17. not now but soon by imogen heap
18. lloyd, i'm ready to be heartbroken by camera obscura
19. the climb by miley cyrus
20. the man who can't be moved by the script
21. tell him by colbie caillat
22. there's nothing better than by joss stone
23. let go by frou frou
24. poker face by lady gaga
25. in your atmosphere (live) by john mayer
* if you watched dancing with the stars, you might recognize no. 02.
a big, huge thanks to everyone who chimed in with their travel + preparing to leave tips. you are so wonderful. blogworld is positively swarming with helpful people and brilliant minds. i love it.
have been studying up on my disneyland survival and merriment via the comment section on this post by marta. it is chock full of genius suggestions from people who have seriously conquered this whole having a magical day deal. yay. if you guys have any more traveling tips or disney hints, lay them on me. please, pretty please. i will love you forever and think of you when i go romping through the streets of tomorrowland.
oh, and if you have a song that you think would make this mix even more marvelous, lay that on me too. i have an itunes gift card and i'm not afraid to use it.
May 27, 2009
the minutes that i spend thinking about this vacation are racking up. i keep remembering that it's only two days away. and i'm too excited for words. also been thinking about the fact that this west coast excursion is taking us roundtrip, nonstop from last day of school to first day of camp. i have a feeling the next two weeks will be positively whisked out from under me. when we get back from cali, we will have exactly one day to get ready and get camping. one day. one day. if i can just accomplish the following things within the next 48 hours, i'll be golden.
one. get packed for california
two. scrub toilet and tub
three. iron new shorts
four.wash the blanket we used when we were sick
five.treat the kitchen sink with white vinegar + barkeeper's friend
six. use up all of our milk and eggs and chicken
seven. throw the leftovers & take out the trash
eight. wipe out the fridge
nine. pack up the bathroom
ten. pick out clothes to bring to camp
eleven. wash new bedding for bed in brygger
twelve. make one last trip to the gym
thirteen. hand in my gym card, freeze membership for summer
fourteen.dust, vacuum, dishes
fifteen. make two more dinners and one more sack lunch for grant
sixteen. paint nails (this is how i get into vacation mode)
seventeen. leave everything spotless (a girl can dream)
i should probably fit some showering in there somewhere, too. the pressure is on. with a tremendous slice of luck, i will pull this off. here i go.
** just found out that our landlady has two people lined up to come see the house on friday. and they will be looking at the apartment, too. so i really should leave the place looking spic & span. man, oh man. must get back to work.
May 26, 2009
this is one of my best-loved camp photos. the maintenance men always find some clever way to model for the weekly camp video production- like this funky early nineties pose. just wanted to show you a shot of what camp is really like. the mm always have something up their sleeves. they're forever playing it smooth and making us laugh. am so glad i married one. that's grant there in the driver's seat. isn't he to die for in those goggles? continuing the camp questionnaire. here we go.. part three. (and if you are one of the people who left me a comment on my last q + a post, please do check back because i dropped you a li'l line.)
no. 11 what is my favorite thing to eat at camp? mm. this is a tricky one. there are truthfully about 14 favorite things on my mind right now. but at the end of the day, i love mondays. i love monday night outrageous chocolate chip cookies, monday lunch homemade bbq chicken pizza, the monday morning making of camp granola, and monday night 'barbecues' (the minnesota name for sloppy joes). stay tuned this summer for more on the camp kitchen. i'll give you the rundown of what we make, when we make it. all my favorite dishes. you may not picture a camp having food to write home about, but i think our menu is off the charts.
no. 12 what is my favorite activity at camp? i would say skit night makes the top 5. every friday night us kitchen girls ditch our cooking clothes and put on the ritz. sometimes that just means putting on some mascara. but it's a big deal. then we make some smoothies and pick out the best spots for the show. everybody piles into the dining hall for a live late-night show by guy conrad (grant's alter ego) with music by the skit night orchestra. during the show, we also get to see the cabin skits, the maintenance men's music video, and the camp video, which is made up of footage taken during that week of camp. it's a grand night.
oh, and i must mention the weekends, too. i think the world of weekends at camp. those precious hours in between the end and the beginning. we recover from the action-packed week behind us and brace ourselves for the busy week ahead. the weekends are when we hang out as a staff and it truly feels like home. we take naps, go out on the lake, take turns in the laundry room, drive to marshall for a movie, make hub runs, and play hey you! get out of my cabin. i'll have to explain that game to you later.
no. 13 what are some of the daily activities that we offer? during a segment of the day called 'morning activities' the campers choose how they want to spend their hour of fun. some of the options for organized fun-having include.. frisbee golf, archery, fishing, the ropes course, campfire building|cooking, basketball tournaments, canoeing, gardening, crafts, mini golf, croquet, hoccer, volleyball, sandcastle building, and even a mini cooking class.
no. 14 what will we do with our house while we are gone? when grant and i move out to camp, we will still be keeping our apartment. we may drive to town and spend the night here occasionally, or let it serve as a guest house when my parents come for a visit. it will be our little summer home. my, my. i never thought i would have one of those. how lovely. the camp is only about 15 minutes outside of the town where we live, so our getaway spot (and the bulk of my clothes) will always be close by.
as you can probably guess, things will get pretty campy around here come june. so get ready to hear more about the camp-filled life i live. and watch for new chapters of my camp-centered love story to pop up, too. it's going to be one swell summer.
May 25, 2009
we are taking it easy this memorial day. i woke up at 2:38 am and as far as i can tell, swallowed a knot of razor blades with my sip of water. whatever sore throat|sinus infection|coughing bug grant caught last week is what i have now. plus a touch of aggravation from allergies. 'tis the season. bring on the benadryl. sitting outside at sam's picture-perfect backyard graduation party yesterday probably wasn't the best idea. neither was walking a round of frisbee golf at camp last night. neither was keeping two bouquets of these honey-sweet lilacs inside the house. histamine overkill, people. what was i thinking?
i'm off to keep sucking down the ricolas.
promise to be back in tomorrow with a better and brighter post. with answers to some of my favorite campy questions.
May 24, 2009
hoping to fit loads of california greatness into our little week on the west coast. going to the lake where grant learned how to waterski, hiking some trails in yosemite, perhaps making a trek to the beach, and definitely hitting my favorite place on earth. the land of disney. truly the dreamiest spot ever. ice cream parlors and manicured lawns and air sweetened by disney soundtracks streaming out of hidden speakers. the peter pan flight and space mountain and soarin'. fountains and fast passes and feeling like i'm eleven years old. it's all so magical. can't wait to be back in the happiest place.also hoping for an in-n-out burger.
and maybe something sweet @ pinkberry.
May 22, 2009
we're heading into the home stretch now. after today, grant will be a mere 3 days away from singing school's out for summer. and on friday next, we leave for sunny california. our first vacation as a married couple. yay. we're starting off the summer by flying away to the spot where grant lived when we first started writing letters to each other. he's going to show me all the places where he worked and played and even some places where he thought about me. and i will get to drive along the street where he was driving when he dialed my number for the first time ever. and we'll be visiting his wonderful family that took such good care of him while he was out there on his own. hooray! i love the belmonts.
now that it's only a week away, it's time i start getting geared up to go. i've already emailed grant at work and asked if we can talk cali stuff all weekend long. i'm hoping for a big, long talk-out of all the details. all the plans. i want to get the adventure all built up in my mind so that there's really no room for anything else. looking forward to the vacation is half the fun. besides talking the talk, i need to pick out what to pack up. this weekend i am going shopping to find some new perfume or lotion to take along with me. my mom taught me this little trick. when we took a family vacation to laguna beach a few years ago, she bought a new bottle of perfume to wear while she was there. now whenever she smells that scent, it takes her back to our happy stay in the oc. i want to create my own scent memory for california this time. and lastly, i'm planning on clearing out and padding up my little shuffle. i'm going to stuff it with new songs. it's important for me to have mint condition playlists when i take a trip. the brand new beats get stuck in the corners of my mind and make traveling much more magical. happily, my favorite dj just hooked me up with a bunch of new-to-me songs while she stayed at my house. i will keep you posted on the ones i decide to put on my cali soundtrack.
not only am i excited about going to california, i am excited about how we are getting there. is anyone else as smitten with airports and terminals and take-offs as me? when i walk into an airport, i can hardly contain my joy. i play it cool and act all-business, like all everyone else streaming past me, but inside i am blissed out. there's no greater feeling than holding onto my ticket that's going to take me away. maybe to some wondrous place. there's nothing better than sitting in a row of chairs, a giant window looming in front of me, planes rolling in, unfamiliar faces all around, and my ipod in my ear. remind me to pack a notebook. this time around, i'm going to write about my airport experience. hopefully it's just as magnificent as it's always been.
wish me luck as i pack. i am a terrible packer. i am slow and unsure. and i usually go overboard. i really should start the process right now and give myself plenty of time to think it through.
thanks to frau, my first commenter on this post, who graciously passed along a great travel tip for me! that made me realize how much i forget about those li'l airport glitches. all those rules. oh my. if you guys have any more travel pointers for me, please do share. i would hate to be caught off guard when i get there.
hoping for a lovely last week of regular life. happy weekend everybody!
May 21, 2009
i'm back. haley's visit was grand. i miss her already. wish each of you could have gotten a snip of her magic, too. she's really fabulous at what she does. and she even brought me a new blow dryer! one of those nice hot tools ones that they use at the salon. sisters are nice like that.
a million thanks to all of you who dropped in to tell me what you thought of my new style. never have i been paid such sweet compliments! and here i was, feeling kinda foolish for posting silly photos that i took of myself in the mirror. but you all were so very nice and said such lovely things and you made me feel okay with it. i thank you. i am still crazy over that fresh new cut feeling. the different length of my ponytail, the change in weight on my shoulders, the decrease in conditioner in the shower. the shortness has got me feeling as free as a fourth-grader. yay.
and now, on to the continued camp questions, as promised. thanks for sending me your queries. you guys are so willing to indulge me. thank you, thank you. you make this fun.
no.7 what to pack. a pair of jeans for cool days and long grass. more than one pair of flip-flops, because the gravel wears them down to wicked thin. clothes that make you feel free & up-for-anything. bug spray. one towel for the bathhouse, and another one for laying in the grass. a mini fan to keep by your bunk for hot nights. flashlight. hand sanitizer. notebook. water bottle labeled with your name. camera. money for a camp t-shirt and a snickers ice cream bar at the canteen.
no.8 what religious activities are involved? each season of camp has an overarching theme centered around a specific bible verse and the theme is carried out through the morning and evening chapel sessions. there's also 1) team devotions: talking about the lesson from chapel. 2) quiet time: for a half-hour after lunch, everybody spreads out & finds a spot in the middle of a field, or under a tree, or by the lake to relax, read, pray, and think. and 3) cabin devotions: time to talk with your counselor about what's going on in your life.
no.9 what age groups do we work with? each week of camp in the month of july and first week of august is designated for a certain age group. we have a week for senior high, two weeks for junior high, one for 5th and 6th graders, and one for 3rd and 4th graders. during the rest of the weeks of the camp season the camp is rented by outside groups and the ages vary widely.
no.10 how to 'rough it.' my tried & true camp secrets. laundry basket instead of a suitcase. keep a stash of baby wipes underneath your bunk, your feet are going to be filthy at the end of the day. find a girl who can french braid- be her friend. sheets instead of a sleeping bag. bring bug spray, black paint, and a bandana for war games. put dryer sheets in between your blankets to keep spiders away (this really works.) wear long pants during the night game. bring a sweatshirt, even if it is 90 degrees in the shade. bring candy to bribe the cabin clean-up judges. sleep in and shower in the afternoon when there's no line. skip shaving. find a good body spray- who needs a shower? go back for seconds at supper, or you will starve in your bed that night. leave the straightener at home and learn to love the messy look.
grant said.. wear things more than once. pack light. keep your stuff organized and make things multi-purpose. don't bring 10 photos of you and your boyfriend to put on the windowsill in your cabin. and don't bring a book for free time.
no.11 what will become of the blog/will i have internet access? yes, i will have internet access and yes, the blog will be up and running. thank you for wanting me to stick around. what a treat for me. i know i can't make any promises, but i am hoping to update this spot as often as i do now. i've discovered that writing about my life makes me enjoy it all the more. so here's to a summer of filling up my camp archives and nights of sitting up in bed in brygger, telling you all about the day's adventures. speaking of brygger, here's where you can take a peek at what all the camp buildings look like.
you can bank on a camp q+a, part 3 to pop up soon. i didn't expect to break this down into so many sections, but i seem bent on giving these wordy responses and i wouldn't want to scare you away with a novel-length post. so for now, i will stop. over and out.
May 19, 2009
hi guys.. i know i told you that you could expect more camp q&a today. (by the way, thank you for all your wonderful questions!) and apparently, i lied. shame on me. i didn't count on the day being so big and beautiful. it kept me away from the computer completely. which is an absolute delight, even though it meant breaking a promise. forgive me? how about i tell you all about my big day and will keep the camp questionnaire for another day. truce? sweet. let's do this thing.a few hours later, with a bold 3-4 inches off my neck, i found myself feeling a bit like jo march, announcing how 'deliciously light and cool' my new style was. i am loving it. lately i've been living from trim to trim and am pretty sure i haven't had a legit cut in about 2 years. yikes. this chop is precisely what i needed before i go off to camp. it's got all the simplicity of the shoulder-length straightie that defined my elementary school years. only this time around, i know about root lifter and aquage. and there's still enough inches to pull off the ponytail and my brand-new-for-camp bandana. (thank you, thank you, marta!) yay. haley rocks.
May 18, 2009
a monday morning hello to all of you. thanks to everyone who sent me questions about camp. i love hearing what sort of campish things intrigue you. i've posted a map for you to click on & scope out my summer stomping grounds. it's cutting off a few things like the archery range, steve's park, the dump, & the mini golf course. but at least you can take a look at the main turf.
no. 1 when does camp start? our camp season officially begins monday, june 8th. that's the day that the summer staff will show up. we'll sit around the conference table and smile at each other because the time of camp has arrived. we love camp. and we may even hit the hub to kick off the summer with burgers + fries. the summer staff is a group of about 15 people who will work for the full 9-10 week camping season. we live together, eat together, play together. this team is pretty much the camp family. in fact, about half of the team literally are my family. my father-in-law & mother-in-law, 2 brothers-in-law, 2 sisters-in-law, and grant are all included this group. yay.
no. 2 what is this camp about? the purpose of camp shetek (aka shetek baptist camp) is to provide "a peaceful lakeside setting as a meeting place with God." the camp is a corporation owned and supported by 15 or so churches in the area.
no. 3 what is my role at camp? i am a member of an elite group at camp shetek. we are the kitchen guys & dolls. we're tight. only about 6 people have the privilege of working in the camp kitchen, and i'm one of them. lucky me! we have awesome days together. we bake bread, mix granola, frost cakes, grill hotdogs, slice strawberries, plate cookies, trim roasts, mince garlic, arrange muffins, and stock the pantry. and we usually listen to show-tunes while we do it. yep. i think my job is pretty stellar.
no. 4 what is my daily routine like? a day in the life of a kitchen girl. throw on a t-shirt and shorts. walk over to clarke hall. in the kitchen by 7 am. wash hands, tie on my apron, flip pancakes. campers stream in. good morning greetings. (i think "good morning" is my most favorite thing to say to anyone. such a perfect phrase.) coffee for the counselors. dish duty with my sidekick, justin. he's dirty side- i'm clean side. morning chores and baking. lunchtime. dishes again. afternoon break. scrabble games. books and blankets and naps. sun tanning on the boardwalk. back to the kitchen at 4ish for dinner prep. dinner bell- dinnertime. mail call. last call for dishes. final clean up. sweep + mop. free for the night. at night we like to go for a run on the gravel roads, slip into the back of the chapel, join in whatever the campers are doing, play the night game, and hang out in the brygger lounge. and sometimes we watch musicals.
no. 5 what is the campfire scene like? hoodies + jeans. sing along with tim and his guitar. the end of camp is drawing near. girls huddle close to their friends. guys play it cool. emotions are high and friendships are growing. the campfire is the place to spill. the time to tell your story.
no. 6 where will grant and i bunk? because grant is no longer single, he won't be staying in cabin one with the rest of the maintenance men. {someday, i will tell you all about cabin one. it is a special place. a sacred place.} and because neither of us are going to be counselors this year, we won't be sleeping in separate cabins with our campers. so, our housing will be in brygger room #3. brygger is basically a lodge for the staff. there are dorm-like rooms and bathrooms and a lounge, and the nurse's quarters are on the lower level. and it's air-conditioned. we live the good life in brygger. (aka bryggies. the bryggs. the bryglet.)
more questions & answers on the way. watch for them tomorrow.
have something you're itching to ask? there's room for you too. ask away.
May 17, 2009
my sidekick is coming to visit us tomorrow! yay. i love visits from haley. it's all fun, all the time. one of the perks of having a twin is that you never run out of things to talk about. never. the words just flow. we're going to talk and talk and talk. we'll probably talk the day away. when grant gets home we'll rush to the kitchen to look busy. we'll whip up something for dinner and then the three of us will talk some more at the dinner table. i hear it's supposed to be nice and warm this week so i'll show her my favorite running route. and we'll probably walk over to my new preferred coffee stop. and visit her favorite store in our tiny town. and she's going to work her magic on my hair. i can't wait. i love that my stylist is my sister. i love that my sister is my stylist. i love that my sister and my stylist are one and the same. i love it. i mean, i am really excited about this. she has skills. i've saved her a sackful of lemonheads, washed the pink camp shetek blanket, bought our favorite cereal, laid in a fresh store of smoothie supplies, and i even have some frost top root beer chilling in the fridge- reserved for us to pop open during tomorrow's 24 finale.
can't wait to see my sister. (stylist.) it's going to be the best.
oh, and have i mentioned that my other sis (the li'l one, who's not so little anymore) will be spending almost the entire summer at camp with us? woohoo! sisters all around. i am living a charmed life. {left to right.. me, haley, chelsea.}
May 15, 2009
last week. the minute grant got home from work that day, he could tell that i was in the middle of a major mess. i needed paper towels- we were completely out- and i needed them fast. before he could even set down his backpack, i asked if he could go get some from the store, and he very nicely agreed. such a great guy, that grant.
when he returned he told me that he had picked out something for me, and he pulled out a box of chocolate teddy grahams. i gasped. he said that he'd read my blog at his desk earlier and had seen them on the list i had posted. let me tell you, those teddies completely won me over. i was no longer focused on the clean-up or the frustration, just my kind husband. how sweet of him to think of me when i had selfishly asked him to run an errand the second he walked in the door, before i even gave him a kiss hello. shame on me.
had grant not read my blog that day, there may not have been any teddies in that grocery sack, and i would still think he's an incredibly sweet guy. just the same, i want to say a big thank you to him for reading the words i write here everyday. that means the world to me. thank you for being interested in what i have to say. i like thinking about you reading my posts while you sit at your desk. and i especially like when you tell me that you like what you read. you're my most important critic. also, a shout out to blogger for ulterior benefits of the blog. like a surprise box of cheer-me-up chocolate teddy grahams.
oh, and the chocolate milk right there next to the box of teddies was also from grant. he brought home one of those cute little half pint cartons you get with your chili crispito in the school lunch line. skim chocolate milk.. be still my heart. i tossed a single ice cube into that frothy sweetness and it was perfection. mm. when else do i get to have chocolate milk? it doesn't exactly fit into my grocery fund. i consider it an ultra-luxury. right up there with orange juice. grant, it's the little gifts like this that are unforgettable to me. thank you.
last night. i want to remember forever what our evenings are like these days. just the two of us. being out on our own and living by our rules. like last night: grant picked me up at the gym and told me of all his exciting purchases at the grocery store, like bread on sale for 41 cents and a 3 lb. container of the potato salad he loves. i told him that i had worked on my triceps. we found something highly fascinating (and top secret) on a page of webspace, so we hopped in the car to go check it out. we came home and laid on the couch and didn't think about what time it was or what we should be doing. just enjoyed being together. we ate cereal on the floor while watching the finales of the office & 30 rock. grant sang his own rendition of heartless and inserted my name wherever he could fit it in. he made me laugh because he is adorable without even trying. i slipped a surprise slice of bacon onto his normal turkey sandwich and put it in the fridge for him to tote to school in the morning. we brushed our teeth together and talked about our first date and how the rest of the school year is going to be cake. it was a good night. i love living with grant.
May 14, 2009
a few small, but not unimportant things on my mind today. not sure if any of them could hack it in a post all by themselves, so here they are all thrown in together. a post full of little stray somethings.number one. we live in the little white house across from the bank in town. and now the little white house has a little white sign in the yard. which means that our landlady chose a realtor. and as of last week, our house is officially on the market. i'm curious to see what she's asking for it. must look that up. haven't seen any potential buyers come through yet. i'm not complaining about that.
number two. grant only has 9 days left of school. 9 days! and during those days his class will be busy with a pool party, a math carnival, a visit to the high school, and a wax museum. yay. those sweet end of the school year days hold a special place in my heart. just a few more lessons for grant to plan. a few more papes to correct. a few more brown bag lunches for me to make. and we'll be out of there. oh how i love that my life still revolves around the school calendar. may was meant to be an ending point. even though i'm all done with my schooling, that august to may structure lives on in my life. thank you, grant.
number three. happy anniversary, dad and mom! i love you.
number four. DAD, IF YOU ARE READING THIS, STOP HERE & SKIP TO NUMBER FIVE. okay, so my dad works for hp. which means that i was raised on windows '98 and internet explorer. and i have absolutely no qualms with that. i love my dad. i love hp. i love that they put a roof over my head and mcdonald's happy meals in my tummy. yay. but last may, everything changed. i married grant, and grant is an apple guy. and i must tell you, grant has converted me. i am an apple girl and proud to say it. just not too loud in front of my dad.
one of the things that has been boosting my love for the mac is the quality of life within the wonderful world of safari. now that i know better, i realize how far superior an internet browser safari is when compared to internet explorer. i almost always do my blog work on our mac, but the few times that i'm on my laptop, i am surprised at how the look of my site drastically changes when i'm using explorer. every time i see the difference, i become more disappointed. so i'm finally going to say something about it and maybe that will make me feel better. on explorer, my pictures are grainy, the font seems too big and kind of clumsy, the spacing and layout are out of whack, and there are huge gaps within some of my posts. what in the world?! on our mac everything seems to sparkle, but on my laptop everything is a bit off. i feel like the space that i've worked so hard to create and perfect has been muddled, unbeknownst to me. and some of you will never see it in its true form. oh so sad. so to you readers who see my blog through the eyes of internet explorer everyday, i apologize for the lack of luster.
and that is why i am getting along famously with our new mac and the safari button on its dock. the moral of this story.. i need to get safari on my lappy before i will be doing any more blog business with it. otherwise it will just make me sad. mom, you just tell dad that i'm not forsaking my roots, i'm merely embracing something new. okay? okay.
number five. kris allen in the finale. yay.
number six. i got a letter from africa today. how awesome is that? you should see the stamps.
number seven. coming soon.. camp shetek: i came, i camped, i conquered. the unabridged field guide and syllabus. it will have everything you've been wanting to know and more. any questions? send them right along, if you please.
May 13, 2009
i think this dress is just right. so very pretty and simple. i know that
if i were to put it on, i would twirl around all day. just happy to be
alive and in a dress. i'm sure of it. i mean, look at the sweet brass
buttons and that killer back! this little number is the summer dress
of my dreams.
speaking of summer dresses, remember how i said that i want to
expand my dress collection? i think now i actually have a few that
i can wear any day & anytime. i think i'm really going to do it. this is
going to be the summer of the dress. long live girlieness. i am getting
so eager to start slipping them on. as soon as it hits 80 degrees i am
going to slide them to the front of the closet (yes, my closet works
from front to back. i will have to show you some time.) it will be fun
to wake up and not make a beeline for thermostat. and throw a dress
over my head. and go barefoot. wow. barefoot? what does that feel like?
that sensation doesn't register with my slipper-clad toes anymore.
it seems our house is still lingering in the past. you know, that one
season. i will not speak its name. not now. not until we get further into
the safety zone. 85 and sunny for a week straight would be nice. i would
feel safe then.
oh, and some more goodness to share with you right here. mmm. mm.
found via unruly things. dress by church and state.
May 12, 2009
welcome, visitors popping over from pve. thanks for stopping by. i
think you're awfully sweet. since you don't really know me or your
way around this spot, i'm posting some links to give you an idea of
what it's like around here. please come again. yours, summer
dear already-established readers, thank you, thank you. thank you
for coming back again and again. and leaving comments! oh, man..
comments. comments are to me as my ipod is to my workout. they
keep me going in a major way. you are awesome. yours, summer
02. something i do.
May 11, 2009
_2.jpg)
yesterday grant and i celebrated our first anniversary. we shared
it with mother's day. the two holidays meshed into one big happy
day. we made a pan of monster bars and whipped out the wedding
dvd. it was sweet and subtle. and so awesome to be together.
i am amazed. this picture was taken right after we walked down
the aisle as husband and wife. our very first hug. for me that hug
is almost more unforgettable than our first kiss. we said more
with our hug in the sunlit lobby by ourselves than with a kiss in
front of everyone. the hug meant, yes. we did it! i love you! nothing
else matters! we're going to be together forever! but without any
words escaping our lips. i am amazed because it feels like we've
been married for 10 years, but it feels like the wedding was just 2
weeks ago. i can't imagine my life without grant, but i can't imagine
having lived apart from my family for a whole year. marriage is
extraordinary like that. it seems like i'm the same girl i was last
may, but decidedly different.
because of this boy that i met a few years ago at camp.. i am a
wife. he belongs to me. i belong to him. i know what it means
to live life as a mere one half. i need him. we are one. i have
experienced husband and wifery. i know all of the joys. because
of this boy.. i carry a minnesota drivers' license, i have my own
household to take care of, and i have plenty of bathroom drawer
space. i listen to joss stone and andy mckee and jesse mccartney.
i pray more. i understand the rules of basketball and know about
the vikings' picks in the nfl draft. i own a mac & was introduced to
a toothbrush with extra soft bristles. i appreciate michael jackson
and his invincible album more than ever. i made apple crisp once.
i enjoy thrifting more. i make sure the monster bars are gooey.
i go to chipotle. i feel comfortable without makeup. i watch 24.
i have a tiny blue ipod shuffle and keep a list of movies to see.
i found the work of c.h. spurgeon. i complain less. i laugh more.
i moved away from home. i have a new routine. i have 6 brothers,
6 new sisters, and 11 nieces and nephews. i am in the hub club.
i always have a good example to follow. i am not as scared to go
to sleep after watching something creepy. i have seen every x-men
movie and all 3 seasons of arrested development. i always have a
shopping buddy. i have realized the value of chips + salsa. i write
more letters. i take more pictures. i think about the future. i found
out that raisin bran isn't so bad. i know the niceties of having a
teacher's schedule. i straighten my hair less. i wear it wavy more.
i have a direct link to the camp shetek scene. i went cold-turkey
on my target shopping for awhile. i watch the first two minutes of
scrubs almost every night. i traveled outside north america. i have
someone to wait for. someone to finish off my french fries and kill
the spiders in our house. someone to kiss goodnight. someone to
sacrifice for and defer to. someone to tell my secrets to. someone
to help me dream up our dream house. someone to respect.
someone to love and keep to myself for forever.
because of this boy, i am a changed girl.
grant, this has been the happiest year.
i love you madly.
ps. happy birthday to my amazing mom. i love, love, love her.
hope you are having one spectacular day, mom!
May 8, 2009
was may 9th, not may 8th. the dates don't match up, but the memories do. it was the second friday in the month of may in the year of 2008. the day before my wedding. the day of the rehearsal dinner. the biggest friday of my life.
i woke up and immediately fell into survival mode. my coping method was just don't think about it too much. i knew that if i thought about it, the weight and reality and significance of the next two days would produce a fountain of unwanted emotion and nervousness. it would just be too much. i would be crushed under the momentousness of it. i fought back any special day thoughts. i put on my normal face & forced myself to think about normal things. it was kind of like sitting on the paper-lined bed in the doctor's office, as the nurse jokes around with me i laugh & act like the needle in her hand is not making my head pound with fear. just close your eyes and pretend it's no big deal. that's how i would get through this day. besides, i would not be getting a shot today. there would be no pain. it would just be my dreams coming true and everything that i've built up in my mind & everything i have my heart set on coming at me in one fell swoop within a thin stretch of 24 hours. that's all.
i put on some makeup, drove to wheatfields bakery & cafe and sat with my best friends. each of them a bridesmaid. we wore zip-up jackets and ponytails and shared a plate of pastries with an orange glaze. we didn't really talk about wedding things, which was good for me. they helped with my coping efforts. they made me laugh. it was all very normal of us. at the end of our breakfast we walked out by our cars and prayed. i love that we did that. we stood together and prayed for a good day. that everything would go smoothly and that we would all have fun during the wedding. it made me feel calm and strong and so confident in our friendship. then we slipped on our sunglasses and went our separate ways to face the rest of the day.
i drove to the mall, where i saw people going about their oh so regular days and that made me feel good. little did they all know, i was here to get my nails done for my wedding. i liked walking around all by myself, carrying around my little secret. i stopped by bath & body works and picked up some hand soap that was on sale. i wondered why i would bother to get hand soap on this day. i went to the top floor and found my favorite nail place where i got french tips painted on my own nails. i can't stand the fakes. i told the lady sitting next to me under the dryers that i was getting married tomorrow. i could not believe those words came out of my mouth. they sounded so surreal. i couldn't hold it in while she talked about her daughter getting married in 3 months. the secret was out. it was fun to see how happy it made the women around me when they all heard it.
when i got back to my parents' house, grant was standing by the fridge with a glass of water in his hand. he had arrived. for our wedding. we looked at each other knowingly. after today, we would never again be apart. we sat at the kitchen table eating lunch out of a white bag containing a big mac and a 1/4 pounder with cheese. i thought it was strangely fun that i would choose to eat so unhealthily hours before i would have to step into my wedding dress.
i ate my whole burger with relish. we slumped onto the couch in the living room and thought about what we should do. now that grant was with me, i was feeling better about acknowledging the importance of the day. we felt like we should be doing something wedding-ish. but everything had been figured out. all was in place. so we just sat there for awhile, thinking. waiting for nothing. discussing whether or not we should take a nap. enjoying the anticipation.
a few hours later, i walked into the church, holding grant's hand, freshly showered and feeling fancy free. the flutters had dissolved and i was ready to get this show on the road. i wore a skirt that i had borrowed from mom and my mini black sweater. i decided that it was too cold to be wearing flip-flops, but i didn't care. they were my favorite. plain black, worn-thin. i can be myself in those shoes. i wore them. once inside, i was engulfed in hugs. i couldn't wipe the smile off my face. all of my favorite people were going to be in one room together. for a minute or two, i felt the nervousness come creeping back in. i felt like i should be playing hostess. after all, this was my affair. i had invited all of them. i should make sure that everybody had been hugged and talked to and made welcome.. but i just couldn't do it. i was overwhelmed. i saw my bridesmaids and family and grant's family doing the small talking and hostessing for me and felt a wave of relieved gratitude sweep over me. such wonderful people. i resorted to clinging to grant's side, where i felt safe and serene. i sat back and let it all come together. i didn't have to do a thing. just smile and enjoy the evening everyone had worked so hard to create for us.
thank you, everyone. you made my rehearsal amazing.
i will never forget this friday, one year ago.
May 7, 2009
so, dear reader who requested my menu planning hints, here you go. this is how i roll.
step one.
it all starts with the indispensable grocery list. this is a must. while i make this list, i think in terms of meals- not single items. think ahead. scour the cabinets. scout out the fridge. feel in the know about your kitchen. that way you'll never get caught without the means of a meal. it's important to know that come planning time, you have enough supplies to get through a full menu.
speaking of planning time, i think it's crucial to set aside time to design this menu of yours. my time is monday am, right after breakfast, when the first load of laundry is spinning, and the sun is shining through the front window. if i didn't have a particular time to do it, 5 o'clock would roll around each day and find me frantically throwing something together. not that i'm against spontaneous meals. nope. i'm all about a let's throw these nachos in the microwave & watch american idol night. i feel like that is something we should be doing as newlyweds. it's important for us to have that nacho bonding time. we need to be uninhibited. right? right. anyway. pick a time & place to sit down and map out your menu. get it all squared away on your notepad so that you can set it aside and go through the rest of the week calm and composed. and if you decide to do nachos one night, no big deal. move lasagna to some night next week.
step two. getting stuff to fill that menu.
01. think about what things need to be used up. maybe the sour cream has a little bit of life left in it. make the most of it.
02. think about what the weather is like. if it's sunny & sultry, break out the grill. if it's rainy & cold, set out the crockpot, or put some soup on the boil.
03. keep favorite ingredients on hand. sometimes knowing you have a jar of salsa or a package of bacon in the fridge makes all the difference. suddenly you have possibilities.
04. do a jumble of genres. asian, italian, all-american, mexican. trying to provide a little variety helps me fill up an empty dinner spot. if you're stuck in a meat and potato rut, or tired of casseroles, switch up your format. go with a wrap or sandwich, instead.
05. mix up the meats. don't let one meat run itself into the ground. if you have chicken written down for monday, don't do it again on tuesday. you could do fish (and at our house, that means tuna), bacon or sausage, pepperoni, ham, ground beef, or turkey. spice things up. go vegetarian. or do some prosciutto. or something else that is far out of my budget range. like steak. whoa.
06. change the complexity. go all out and make a brand new entree. and serve it up with 4 side dishes. maybe even a special dessert for a grand finale. or keep it simple and familiar. have macaroni & cheese or breakfast for dinner. sometimes it's okay to make grilled cheese and call it a day. i try to pick a couple of nights that will be my easy fixing meals, and a couple of nights that will require more prep, more times & temps, more dishes.
07. collect a round of favorite recipes. keep them handy. keep them going. cycle through. if you & yours still like them, why stop? some of my essentials are baked enchiladas, soy garlic chicken stir-fry, homemade pizza, creamy broccoli, chicken, & rice, stromboli melts, baked ziti, and some of grant's favorites: tater-tot hotdish, french toast, and breakfast sandwiches. hey, no one
ever said good things have to be fancy.
08. bake something special and work your meal around it. use your baked goodness as the main feature, pick a meal that will highlight your work. whip up some cinnamon rolls or cornbread, then throw on a pot of chili. or make some fresh french bread, then add spaghetti & meatballs.
09. follow favorite food blogs. the pioneer woman, smitten kitchen, and housewifery are some of my favorites. they will keep you supplied with plenty of good ideas.
10. turn on the food network. maybe ina or paula or giada will inspire you. you could even work this in while you're working out. i've just started doing this. i finally mustered up enough courage to go grab the remote and turn the channel at the gym. i'm quite proud of myself.
11. ask for requests. maybe your husband adores your goulash. maybe your kids would like to have sloppy joes. take their wishes and make them your command. their wishes are compliments to the chef. they think you've got mad skills. embrace it.
so, after all those suggestions, let's get down to business. the whole process is rather clean and simple. here's a birds-eye view: you've racked your brains and checked your fridge, next you pick your main dishes. then select some fitting sides. you write it all up, and then you execute. and whatever you didn't end up using for this week's menu (i always have leftovers) let it roll over to next week. that's it. easy as pie.
and now, pretty please, do put in a word of wisdom in the comment section. i am itching to hear how you masterminds manage your menu.
May 6, 2009
the list | number seven
667. smelling coffee in public places
024. the feeling of having earned something
265. a maraschino cherry floating by my straw
650. being tucked in
030. hot dogs on the grill. with a side of baked beans.
621. late night car rides
678. watching moms push strollers on the sidewalk
682. layovers. with an ipod in my ear.
148. outdoor malls on a sunny day
680. having a new space to make mine
525. waiting for our order at a restaurant. preferably in a booth.
407. putting a brand new blade on my razor
626. the smell of the oven preheating
643. stainless steel countertops
526. e! true hollywood stories
659. chocolate graham crackers. specifically chocolate teddy grahams.
536. finding chores i enjoy
637. reorganizing a bulletin board
625. purses that are easy to find things in
642. half capp. + half decaf. from the fountain. in a gas station.
May 5, 2009
hola, blogateers. exciting news for you today. just in case you haven't
already seen this: marta, owner and writer of one of the sweetest spots
in blogworld, has a new feature. she's forever stashing something
fantastic up her sleeve. & this time around, i get to be a part of the
fantasticness. operation panel series is up & running. yay! may is going
to be good, guys. really good. so pack your lunches & head over to the
newly opened m. school, where marta does all the homework for you.
ps. you can see me on the panel every sunday this month.
don't miss out! i would love to hear what you think.
May 4, 2009
i love coffee cake. love, love, love, love it.
and when it comes to coffee cake, i am a conservative.
this is my most favorite kind. no bells and whistles.
just old-fashioned cinnamon streusel.
you really can't top that. it's untouchable.
sometimes it's best not to mix fruit with pleasure.
i also love when a recipe calls for baking powder.
i get to use that delightful container with the handy leveling-ledge.
and i'm crazy about the clabber girl name. so cute.
does anybody else feel this way?
the cake stuff.
1 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
the topping stuff.
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 c. butter, room temp
1 tsp. cinnamon
prep.
1. combine topping ingredients, blend with fork until crumbly.
2. sift flour with baking powder (hooray!) and salt into a bowl.
3. in mixing bowl, beat together beaten egg, sugar, & melted butter.
add milk and vanilla. stir in flour mixture and mix well.
4. pour batter into greased and floured 8" or 9" cake pan. sprinkle
topping crumb mixture evenly over batter.
5. bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. partially cool in pan on wire rack.
enjoy with your morning coffee or a glass of milk.
or break out the dainty forks and throw yourself a tea party.
or just stand at the sink and wolf down a handful of cake
before you do the dishes, like me. while you're wolfing,
notice that your nails have a good 2 weeks of chipping on them.
that's how true coffee cake connoisseurs roll.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
