Currently...

Olympia trying to be sneaky and steal the thread from my sewing machine.

Also check out that adorable picture of my mom when she was 5.

I love blog posts that give you a little insight as to what the blogger is currently thinking about, into, planning for, etc. It makes the writer feel a little more maybe just human. However, whenever I see this blog post I want to do it but feel like I am ripping the original author off. Silly. So I am just going to go for it.



Loving: Feeling little lady move around a lot more. Pregnancy is a weird journey and most of the time I feel like my body is a giant science experiment. One of the pay offs is feeling her move inside of me. For the longest time I kept wondering if I was really pregnant. All I could see was this belly growing in front of me. I longed to feel her moving around in there. It is so exciting to feel her little kids, flips, and minor adjustments.

Reading: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Every summer I try to pick one classic novel to read along with the all the other books I check out from work before summer break. The Fountainhead was written in the 1920s but I am surprised at how relevant it still seems today. The characters are really interesting to me and I find that this book isn't at all predictable It is taking me a lot longer than normal to read. It reminds me of older movies sometimes where the dialog is stretched out longer than it needs to be. The copy I have is over 800 pages long and it has traveled to San Diego and is about to go camping for 5 days.

Watching: I started out really strong watching the Olympics but I seem to have dropped off recently. I can only take so much of beach volleyball and water polo just makes me want to go swimming. I think I was only really interested in the gymnastics so now that is over I find my attention waning. I have also been watching the new seasons of True Blood and Breaking Bad. I am super disappointed with True Blood this season. It has the weirdest timing. Luckily Alexander Skarsgaard's face is enough to keep me watching.

Thinking about: Going back to work and graduate school. My first day back to work is next week. Yikes! We usually have a few days to get all our ducks in a row and then school starts on Monday the 20th. I am having more anxiety about it this than I normally do. It is just cloudy in my head how it is all going to come together, how I am going to fit in 1, possibly 2, classes for graduate school, setting up lesson plans for a long term sub, being on my feet for full days, dealing with high school kids while pregnant and tired. I will figure it out but it is just weighing on me heavier than normal.

Anticipating: The yearly end of the summer camping trip that my friends and I go on every year to Lake McConaughy in Nebraska. I know...Nebraska. Somehow they ended up with an awesome lake with white sand beaches. We have done this trip for 10 years now. It is interesting to see how it has changed. The first year there was 7 of us, minimal camping supplies, and a lot of shenanigans. The largest group we ever had was over 20 people. That was the year it rained the whole time and we were all miserable! Now when we go we have an awesome system of setting up camp. We always have a kitchen area complete with a dish washing area, pop up tents in case of rain, tons of water toys, a bathroom tent and all kind of cute little kids running around. This year I am going by myself since Bradley is driving to Illinois for a wedding reception. I bought a bunch tarps and clothing line to set up a changing area so I don't have to crawl around in my tent more than I have too.

Listening: Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Boy was she was a train wreck but her music was so good. This album is a bunch of songs that she recorded and never released. It has some great covers of older songs. My favorite is the 1963 cover of "Our Day Will Come" originally by Ruby and the Romantics. It also has some different versions previously released songs.

Working on: I have been sewing a lot this past week.  My mom has been helping me sew some maternity clothing for when I go back to work. I have been making tops and she has been making some pants and a dress.  I have been trying to find clothing that doesn't look like a stole a tent from the local circus and cut some arm holes in it.

Wishing: The nursery would magically finish itself. I don't think that is going to happen.  We still need to put up some shelving in the closet and put up blinds. We have stopped buying stuff for the baby till my baby showers happen next month and we see what we have left to get.

Pregnancy Week 17 and 18

Going au natural wild hair and all for week 18

"Am I still pregnant?"...This thought has seriously crossed my mind multiple times the last two weeks.  I feel really good and with the exception of this growing belly and insane appetite I feel relatively normal. I have to look back at the first trimester and remember all those symptoms I was having. This whole processes is just flying by so fast it is scary. Next Monday we have our one and only ultrasound my insurance allows.   When I asked why we only get one ultrasound I was told that too many women abuse ultrasounds and will make up any excuse to get one.  Well, duh! Of course we want to see that little babe in there. I am so anxious to find out whether it is a boy or a girl.  Both my mom and I have been having dreams of a little girl.  But when I am awake I am sure it is a little boy.  Bradley thinks it is a boy too.  Maybe there is two in there:)

Last week I finished up my 6th year of teaching which is crazy because I remember so clearly being a newbie my 1st year of teaching. This week I have been doing random projects around our house, painting interior doors, and just hanging out.  Next week I start a month of graduate classes.  Because of that we really haven't made too many summer plans.  We have a trip planned in July for San Diego but that is still somewhat up in the air. I really just want to hang out, get the baby room together, and do projects around the house.  I am sure this will be one of the last quiet summers we have in a long time and I get excited when I think of summers hanging out with the babe.

    

After Three Years of Marriage

So today marks our three year wedding anniversary however it doesn't at all feel like it has been three years!  It feels like just yesterday.  Last night Bradley and I sat in the grass rethreading tent poles for our camping trip tomorrow talking about when we first met and started dating 8 years ago.  Its so insane to me to see how far we have come together. I have been reflecting a bit further this morning and here are a few things that I have learned in the past three years.

- Things change and you and your spouse have to be able to adjust with them. Houses, jobs, moving, school, pets, friends....you name it.  We have been through a lot of change together.  Just this time last year I remember crying on the front steps of our last house because it was such a dramatic and unexpected time and move.  Bradley was so sweet and reminded me that it was only a temporary place to live.  And although I hated living there we got through it together.  We have gotten through a lot together and we have always came out on the otherside of it. 

- Its not about you.  Its about the both of you.  As simple as that sounds it is so easy to let your ego get in the way and make something about yourself.  You have to remember that you are now functioning as a unit.  You work for the betterment of both of you. 

- Communicate.  This has been the foundation of our relationship since day one.  We talk...alot.  And we talk about things that are bothering us or need work in the relationship. Its not always easy to bring it up but it has made our relationship tighter.  Its also crucial that we are both open and willing to do this.  In the past we have laid some ground rules so it doesn't turn into an all out yelling fight

-The little things go a long way.  A homecooked meal, a clean toilet, ride in the car together, a random "I love you".  I am a firm believer in the little things in life make it wonderful.  Its all those little things that add up. I think this is partly why I have never understood Valentine's Day.  We try and do things for eachother all year long instead of saving it for just one day. 

- My husband is not a mind reader.  In the beginning of our marriage I remember getting so frustrated that Bradley just didn't automatically know what I wanted.  It sounds silly but I live my life always looking around and assessing the needs of individuals.  So for some reason I expected Bradley to do this. It took me awhile getting used to just saying what I wanted or needed. 

- Its okay to do your own thing sometimes. I need quiet time.  By nature I am pretty introverted.  I blame it on being an only child and spending a lot of time entertaining myself when I was little.  Bradley is really good about giving me space.  We have never been the couple that is connected at the hip.  I think it is important that you each have your own space to do whatever it is you want with it...paint, read, go out with you firends, whatever!  Its healthy in a marriage to maintain your personal sense of identity.







p.s. you are probably all getting used to me blogging everyday now but I will be gone till the beginning of next week on our annual 5 day glorious beach camping trip.

Summer Salsa

Are your tomatoes coming in yet?  Mine are starting to so that means one thing and one thing only.  Commence the salsa making!  I am pretty sure I have a salsa fetish. I could put it on just about anything and be happy (my favorite it eggs).  If you aren't growing tomatoes or they haven't started rippening yet check your local farmer's market or grocery store.  Yesterday I noticed how cheap they are!  Tonight we are having a belated birthday party for Bradley so I made a giant jar of salsa.  I have tried a lot of salsa recipes but this is hands down my favorite.  Sadly you need a food processor if you want a "salsa" consistency.  If you don't have one just finely chop and combine for a more chunky pico de gallo consistency.



6 medium to large fresh tomatoes (or two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes)
4 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
1/2 white onion
1 medium carrot
2/3 c. cilantro or 1/3 c. parsley if you dislike cilantro
3 green onions
2 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper to tast

Place 3 tomatoes (or 1 can of the diced tomatoes), garlic, jalapeno, and white onion in a food processor and puree.  Yes, puree.  I thought it was weird at first too but this gives it a good base of flavor and the salsa consistency.

Peel carrot into long strips with your peeler and chop shavings.   Rough chop the cilantro (or parsley) and the green onions.  Add carrot, cilantro (or parsely), the remaining tomatoes, green onions, lime juice, vinegar, and salt and pepper into the puree.  Pulse in the food processor untill you get the consistency that you like.  Becareful though.  If you pulse to much it will just be the puree consistency.

Summer Vacation Part 2: San Diego (image heavy!)

On Monday Bradley and I went to the airport with the ladies at 6 in the morning (that was rough) and picked up a rental car to drive to San Diego.  I was excited to drive through a part of the country that I had never seen before but I got in the car and shut my eyes and 4 hours later I woke up infront of and In-n-Out in Temecula. Oh well. We spent the next few days with Bradley's family and on Wednesday we pick up our good friend and Bradley's coworker, Erwin, to go to Comic Con on Thursday. 
I will warn you that my picture taking took a steep decline as the week went on.  I was tired and having a hard time catching back up from Las Vegas. You will be really dissapointed in me when I tell you I only took a few pictures at Comic Con.  Now when I tell people that I went to Comic Con they get very excited but I was actually really dissapointed in it this year. Its so packed in there and if you want to do just about anything (like pick up your badges) you have to wait in a monster line.  Maybe I am just getting older but it was a bit claustrophobic and we even went to one of the least attended days.  I did manage to pick up a piece of art and a birthday present for Bradley before Rachel and I made our escape.  Probably the best part of the vacation was spending time with friends and family.  We drove to Encinitas a couple of night to see Rachel and Shane's friend Ben play music and spent some time at the beach. 

I forgot how much I love the California mornings.  You can feel the dew in the air and the sun warming everything up.  I sat outside each morning with my coffee.


Bradley and his cousin's roommates dog Nacho.  It seems to be the summer of the Chiuaua


In La Jolla


Bradley and Erwin after waiting in line for almost 3 hours just to get our badges.


One of my favorite parts of Comic Con.  I could have watched these little guys for hours.


Downtown San Diego


See the rest here!

Summer Vacation Part 1: Las Vegas (image heavy!)

Wheew!  We are back from our whirlwind vacation to Las Vegas and San Diego and we had a blast!  I am still unloading the aftermath and it took Bradley and me a good night of sleeping 10 hours to feel normal again but it was a great vacation.   On Friday Bradley, 3 of my good girlfriends and myself boarded a plane to Las Vegas.  The ladies and I had our own weekend getaway plans and Bradley was joining a group of his friends for a bachelor party weekend. The ladies and I spent a lot of time by the pool, shopping, and amazing dinners.  I didn't really ask the details of the boy's adventures but all I know is when we met back up with Bradley on Sunday he had a samurai sword in his possession.

Barf bag puppets. Bradley doesn't fly well so this is always a good distraction.






Art-O-Mat! A recycled cigarette machine turned into an instant art dispensor.  


After losing our money at the penny slots.  We gamble like old ladies.








See the rest here!

A Mountain Wedding

My awesome friend Brittany was kind enough to invite me to a wedding this past weekend (in place of her husband who couldn't make it) in Grandby, Colorado which is about 3 hours into the mountains.  It was absolutely beautiful there!  Big sloping mountains and fields of wildflowers.  The only downside was I seemed to be fighting off a summer cold/sore throat so I look highly dissheveled and I had to make an early exit back to the cabin we were staying in.



Brittany and me.  We both have the weird German grey eyes.  She makes me feel like less of a freak.






These were pretty mudding by the end of the night.


I was clearly just happy to be in the fresh mountain air.
Have I told you how much I love Colorado? I am pretty sure I have.

Sweet Freedom and Summer Plans

(image via weheartit)

Yesterday was officially my first day of summer. On Thursday I finished my grading, did the last of the cleaning, checked out my stack of books for this summer and hightailed it out of there.  There has been so much going on that I hadn't really processed the end of the school year.  Usually I am so looking forward to it that it is totally jubilation on the last day.  Yesterday I wasn't really sure what to do with myself, besides getting some summer clothing shopping done, so I figured that it is better now than never to figure out summer plans and goals. The summer for me is a lot about rejuvenation and relaxing because doing the school year it is constant go go go.  I am pretty sure it was teachers that came up with summer break for themselves and not the students.  I have always really loved the summer.  You just can't beat the warm summer nights, green grass, and swimming. 

Plans

Close on our house June 1st!

Leave the next day for Illinois road trip to attend my grandfather's memorial.  He passed away this past February.  We are taking the long way back to stop at Mount Rushmore and Carhenge. 

Start getting ready to move into the new house.  Luckily we have a month overlap with our rental now so we can take our time moving in, painting, getting everything together.  Strangely I have never been so excited to move and paint. 

Lots of bike riding with my mom to the farmer's market on Saturdays.

Sunbathing at Rachel's lake in the mountains

Picnic style dinners in the grass with Bradley. 

3rd annual Ladies Las Vegas trip with Rachel, Brittany and Allison.  This usually consists of laying by the pool all day and shopping.  

From Las Vegas Bradley (who will also be there that weekend at a bachelor party) and I are driving to San Diego to hang out with Bradley's family and then go to Comic Con.

Go to Disneyland.  By myself if I have to!

2 weddings in two weekends. 

And then make our annual camping trip to Lake Macconaughy in Nebraska with a lot of our friends.  

Goals

Relax!  I know how easy it is for me to get caught up in things especially with such a busy summer.  My summer reading list and my new patio will probably help with this. 

Go to the gym or an outdoor exercise activity at least twice a week.  This sounds easy for someone not working in the summer but you would be surprised how strong the urge is to sit by the river and do nothing is. 

Paint out bedroom and main living area

Refinish kitchen cabinets

Swim swim swim.  I am a pisces. I have to. 

I fail at doing my own nails

Sephora (my heaven on earth) came out with these Chic Prints by OPI which is basically like a do it yourself version of Minx Nails.  I was giddy with delight because I have been searching for something like this and cheap ass me refuses to pay $40 for a salon to do it.
Now I am a Colorado girl through and through and we are typically very low maintenance and I admit in the summer my beauty routine consists of sunscreen, moisturizer, and chapstick and if I am going out somewhere I might put some eyeliner and mascara on.  However,  I do like having my nails done.  So when I found these gems at Sephora I jumped all over it and this is my adventure in applying them and being horribly disappointed.

Look how happy I am (this will slowly decline)

I chose the chrome lace print because it was the most feminine.


Start with clean, filled and buffed nails.

Pick the size that works best for your nail size and rub the decal so it comes off easier.
I started with my thumb.

I placed the decal at the base of my nail by the cuticle and wrapped the decal around to the sides. The nice part that is if I didn't perfectly center it I could pull it back off and try it again.

Trim the decal down to your nail. Here is where I realized that this might not work because I keep my nails so short I lost most of the pattern.

Commence pursing lips! I am really starting to get annoyed here.
Now the directions say to file down the decal to the nail but I found that this just moved the decal around and made bubbles. I ended up just using the scissors and trimming it to size.

Not really sure how I feel about them here but I figured I did one nail I might as well do the rest of the hand and then decide.

I look like I am out of the movie Terminator



So technically these were very easy to put on but aesthetically the blinding silver and loss of the pattern is just to harsh for me. I think if I did this again I would get the tiger print. My only issue with the patterns that Sephora is offering is they are all very modern and geometrical. I would like something softer, feminine, and not so freakishly silver.