Bringing Sexy Back...

Yeah, I need to do that. We have been married for about 3 1/2 years. And while we have an amazing relationship and wonderful marriage, I have gotten comfortable with....everything. I have gained 15 pounds in this time. It does not sound like much, but I'm 5'2"; it's noticeable to say the least.

Everything started when I was in grad school. It was my second masters degree. I had just gotten married, moved to a tiny town, and started a new program that was not a good fit for me. So I ate. A lot. Especially a lot of fast food. Chic-Fil-A could make all of my problems go away, right?

I started to get better with my old job, but then we moved to our current town. We're still getting adjusted to living here. We have more food options here. More unhealthy options that is. So, we go out way more than I would like. Coke, regular Coca-Cola not diet, has also become a good friend of mine. It helps me adjust to life.

See a pattern? I have some anxiety issues with change and need healthier coping mechanisms.

The other major issue that I have is that we're starting to discuss children in the future. Women on my mom's side of the family tend to not lose baby weight. I don't want to continue this.

Where am I going with all of this? It's simple: I need to get healthy. Not so much for the weight, more for the health benefits. My family has some crazy, chronic illnesses that I'd like to combat. I want to be around to see my children and grand children grow up.

Don't get me wrong, the weight is also another reason. Just more of an added bonus. I do want to look good for my husband. He works really hard to provide for me, and I feel like looking good will help our relationship. I will feel more confident and worthy of his attention, so I'll be more willing to accept the love that he gives to me.

Menu Planning Monday

It's already Monday again! We're getting ready for hosting our first Thanksgiving/major meal for the in-laws! It's exciting and crazy all at the same time. Really, I used to be a terrible cook. Horrible, really.

Here's Our Plan for the Week (with all meals for Thursday-Saturday for our weekend guests):
Monday:
Grilled Cheese - R. works late this week, so it's just me!

Tuesday:
Spaghetti - Just me, again

Wednesday:
Taco Night for both of us!

Thursday:
Breakfast - Pumpkin Pie French Toast*
Lunch - Deli Sandwiches
Dinner - Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Steamed Carrots, Cinnamon Jello, Crescent Rolls, Pies (which my mother-in-law is so graciously bringing from 3 states away!)

Friday:
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs with Ham, Cheese, and Potatoes mixed in (for those not shopping!)
Lunch - Turkey Sandwiches
Dinner - Beef Stroganoff with Peas

Saturday:
Breakfast - Cinnamon Rolls
Lunch - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Dinner - Crock Pot French Dip with Fries and Veggies



Pumpkin Pie French Toast Casserole
I'm not sure where I originally found this, but I've seen a few versions and have adapted it to what is easiest/we like best

Ingredients:
French Bread (can be whatever you have on hand) cubed
1 small can of pumpkin pie filling (the premade stuff with all of the spices added), 12 ounce I believe
6 eggs
2 cups of milk (give or take)

Directions:

The night before:

1. Grease a 13x9 glass pan
2. Place bread into dish
3. Wisk eggs
4. Add pumpkin pie filling and milk to eggs, mix well
5. Pour egg mixture over bread
6. Refrigerate overnight

The next morning:

1. Place precooked casserole in over
2. Turn oven on to 350 degrees
3. Cook for 1 hour, or until set in the center
   
4. Serve with syrup, if desired
   

TGIF

This week feels as if it took forever! On Tuesday I was completely drained from work (I'm one of those 'all or nothing' types, and this week took my all) and thought, "Thank the Lord tomorrow is the last day this week."

This weekend will be crazy getting ready for the big in-laws visit for Thanksgiving. But, tonight will be one of our perfect Friday nights: Pizza, DVRed Glee and Big Bang Theory, and catching up on the week.

Happy Friday!

Running

Running has never been fun for me. I was a swimmer growing up. Cross training was not my idea of fun. In fact, I usually found a meeting to attend on those days {read: skip practice}. The only thing worse than running was showing up to practice late without a good reason and doing push ups until your arms fell off.

So when I decided to get back in shape, running was not even close to being on my radar. I wanted to do anything but run. Due to living in a small town without a pool, I was all but forced to try hitting the pavement.

Starting was rough. I tried a couch to 5k program. It was great for starters, bu a little daunting for the long-term. Instead I started to do my own program. I walk to the end of our street, turn the corner, and begin to run. I've been going for about 2 miles, twice a week. Not enough, I know. It will come eventually. For now, I make short term goals to get me through the runs. If I can make it 5 more houses. No, to the end of this street. Around the bend, etc. It works for now.

A long term goal has been to participate in a 5k. I need to pick up the training if I want to get there by the spring (the deadline I gave myself). I use a Nike+ on my iPod to track times/runs. Still working on how to upload everything onto the computer to track runs.

Splurge much?

R and I made a major purchase last weekend. We're very conservative with our money. Really. We track everything that we spend and try to save as much as possible (I want to be able to retire someday!). So, buying a new tv when our old one still works is uncharacteristic of us. We're more of the 'use it until you absolutely need a new one' type.

We've debated it for awhile now and keep extending when we'll buy it. When I graduated from grad school, no when I start working and we have a second paycheck, no when we move, when we buy a house..... You get the idea.

The research has been done. We knew what we wanted, just never bit the bullet to actually buy it. Let's just say we love it and are wondering why we did not do this earlier. It was great to actually see the scores of the Steelers' Game last night, even if it was a terrible game.

Menu Planning Monday

Another part of my organization plan is to be better prepared for the week's meals. We've been food shopping quite a bit. And while we have scored some major deals, we are quickly running out of storage space in our pantry (that's a whole different post!).

Without further adieu, here are this week's picks:

Monday: Rachael Ray's Thick Chicken Noodle Soup (below)

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: Black Bean Enchiladas

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza

Weekend: Free-for-all depending on what we feel like (we usually plan on Friday night over pizza :) )

We'll also be prepping everything for Thanksgiving next weekend, too. It will be our first time hosting a major holiday. Any tips on how to execute everything?!

Thick Chicken Noodle Soup

From RachaelRay.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound wide egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 tablespoon (about a palmful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, cut into small dice
• 2 to 3 ribs celery from the heart, cut into small dice
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into small dice
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas

Preparation:

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain thoroughly, return it to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon butter and parsley. Set to the side.

While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add chicken to the pan, season with salt and pepper and lightly brown. Remove chicken from the pan and add onion, celery, carrot, parsnips and bay leaf. Cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Scoot all the veggies to one side to create some space on the bottom of the pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and stir in flour. Cook about 1 minute then stir in Dijon mustard and chicken broth and bring up to a bubble. Add in sage, peas and toss the browned chicken back in. Cook until chicken is cooked through and broth is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Monday, Monday

Every week I start out with the Monday Blues. You know, the can't get motivated, work piled up from last week, I mean the weekend. It's tough to get going after a weekend. So, to combat this feeling I've been organizing on Sundays. Nothing is better than feeling prepared for the week ahead.

This week I'm getting my clothes ready to go for the week. Usually I do not pick out anything until I'm getting ready in the morning. Thus, my closet is usually a disaster. Some people like to pick clothes out the night before. I'm too unorganized for this. I need to plan in advance so that I can take the evenings off (or be lazy, whichever you prefer). I'm even putting all of my clothes for the week on the other side of the closet with pants and shirts together.

The week may need small changes, but the basics are planned. It should also help to cut on the time that I spend throwing clothes so I can sleep in later (every minute counts, right?).

Teaching Moments

While at work yesterday I was doing screenings as usual. My intern and I got a group of second graders that are in need of academic help. Normal, right? Not so much. One girl said, "I really just want a pointer. It's a dollar, and my mom says that we do not have an extra dollar. She said Santa can't even afford one."

Really?!

Keep in mind that this girl was wearing clothes that clearly have not been washed in I'm too scared to think of how long. She said that Santa isn't even coming this year.

Another girl said, "I really wish that my parents would stop fighting. They woke me and my sister up last night because they were fighting. Not my brother, he slept through it."

Really?!

This child experiences this on a daily basis and is expected to show up at school to learn everyday. If she is saying this to me in a 2 minute conversation, I can only imagine what else is happening at home that she does not say.

This child deserves the best. Every child does. How is she expected to show up and focus enough to learn what she needs to know without a good night of sleep, support to get homework finished (it's surprising how many parents do not read to their children, how many do not have the skills to do so). This child will be expected to participate in high-stakes testing next year. How is she going to get to where she needs to be before then?

Keep in mind this are two children out of a school. These are not isolated incidents. How is our country going to move forward if we give support to the children without helping the parents?

Everyday that I go to work something happens that makes me so very thankful that I grew up with two parents that loved one another, supported their children, and are still involved in all of our lives. As much as I hated doing homework, I'm glad that someone took the time to ensure that I was learning. My career thus far has taught me that many children do no have this support.

Trees

We fell in love with our house before we even set foot in it. Really. We were looking at local listing online to send to the realtor one night. R saw our house and insisted that it be put on the list.

It's the perfect house; at least we think it is. The backyard even came with a full fence for our dog. We have some updates, but no major renovations at the moment. Perfect for our busy schedules.

Well, besides the fence and a concrete slab our backyard was empty until recently. My parents bought us a couple of trees for the back yard.

Unsure of what we wanted, we decided to go with a dogwood (to the left) that is planted near the kitchen window. Our hope is that when it grows we will be able to see the spring flowers while doing the dishes and cooking.

We also chose a maple tree (below) to help shade the house during the scorching summer sun that we get here in college town. The guy at the nursery said that it should grow fast. We hope so because it looks puny in the middle of the yard.

R planted both trees two weekends ago and they seem to be doing alright. We have gotten a lot of rain in addition to watering a few times per week. I hope they last since our neighborhood used to be farm land and the soil is striped of nutrients.

This is just phase 1 of the outdoor space that we have planned. Stay tuned for more changes this spring.

Another Trip Around the Sun

Today is my birthday. I'm another year older, but am none the wiser. Many goals have been accomplished and many changes have taken place. We moved, bought a house, I left a job that I absolutely loved for one that is taking me a long time to get adjusted to. I have more memories from this past year than I can count. Most of which are wonderful. I have nothing to complain about, really.

Although this year is more difficult for me. I'm feeling more and more like an adult, and less like a college student. I'm closer to 30. And while I have many accomplishments that I am proud of I can't help but think that my life is not where I thought it would be at this point.

I remember telling my college roommate during our sophomore year (age 19-20) that I would be in my current career, working in the schools, married to R, and have at least one child within the next five years.

Yeah, that was two years ago. While I have completed 3/4 of the mental checklist, not finishing everything within 7 years has hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm not sure why this year. Maybe it's because we're finally settled in one place. Maybe it's due to what feels like everyone around me being pregnant.

We're not there yet. I know it. We are not at the point on so many levels, and are enjoying our lot in life. We've started to make some friends in our new town. I'm beginning to feel more at ease with my current job; but, continue to keep my eyes open for something that might suit me better.

Children will happen when the time is right. My mom told me that I put too much pressure on myself. Maybe she is right. I need to slow down and enjoy this time that I have with my husband.

Crash!

On my way outside to water our new trees, I heard a crash that did not sound good at all. I saw this when I went back in.

Yeah, a cute, fall pie plate used to be displayed. As did a candle in a fun hurricane.


There was glass everywhere. Not fun for cleaning. Not fun that the dog's food is right on the other side of the counter. He was not happy that I made him stay outside while I cleaned the kitchen. I also cut my arm a bit. Ouch.

This was after an afternoon of getting the run around about some major things at work. At least tomorrow is a new day (and a FRIDAY!).

Mission: Organization

We've officially owned our house for 3 months. We love everything about it. It's a newer home, so we have very little renovating/updating to do. The layout is perfect for us. We have hardwood floors in most of the down stairs. The upstairs is very functional. I love having my own sink, closet, and work space.

The down side? We have very little actual storage space. It's a good thing because we are the type to put something in the back of a closet and never look at it again. It's bad because we like things to look tidy and are still finding a place for everything.

Seriously. It's been 3 months. You would think that we would be unpacked already. Far from it. Instead we're still figuring out which rooms everything should go into. He suggested using the attic for storage. I do not like that idea because we have plenty of space in the actual house for everything. We just need to get creative about some items.

The leaf for our kitchen table for example. It is in our coat closet. It's a practical place for it. Easy to grab when we have people over. We do not have to worry about scratching it/walls/floors moving it from one floor to the other. Problem? Our coat closet is the only one on the first floor. Thus, the leaf is taking up valuable real estate that shoes, the vacuum, or many other items could be using. This closet will be getting a makeover someday in the future. Small problem, but it has been bugging me for over 6 weeks now.

My goal is to get through at least one space this weekend. One closet. One room. One corner. Maybe I'll even remember to take some before and after pictures to share. :)

Changes

Fall has officially arrived in College Town. The temperature was in the low 60's on our way to church this morning, the leaves are starting to change, and our neighborhood is plastered in Halloween decor. Yes, change is in the air. So much so that I may have a major change in my future. I do not want to jinx it, so I won't say too much. Just please send some prayers my way in the coming days/weeks that everything will work out the way that it is supposed to.

Fall Goals

People usually make goals for a new year, but I need a little motivation to make it through this fall. Our schedule looks full, and I need some help with organizing a little. We have a lot of goals for the future, but need to get our ducks in a row in order to make them happen.

By the holidays we will:
1. Organize our office
2. Fold all laundry when it is finished
3. Make our bed at least once a week for a month
4. Decorate the house for fall and Christmas
5. Run 3x/week
6. Stay on our budget
7. Have at least one date night with Him

There it is. I have to follow through. I know the items on the list are mundane, but they are all things that are important. Some have been pushed aside multiple times because life has happened. The excuses are too many and need to stop.

His Point-of-View vs. Her Point-of-View

His Point-of-View (written by Her because he does not 'get the whole blog thing'):

He came up with the idea for this blog. His thought was that since I read blogs, I should start one so people can find out about their readers. He even came up with the name and idea. It was like his and hers towels. This was before we coincidentally moved into our house that has his and hers closets in the master and his and hers vanities in the master bath. He even commented that this house, his top choice, was meant to be because it goes along with the blog name/identity.

You see, He is the most laid back person that I have ever met. He is an extremely likable person that makes friends with ease. He's a person magnet. Get the point? It's easy for Him to put himself out there, and he really does not care what other people think. His philosophy is to try his best at everything, and what goes around comes around. If he does his best, then it will eventually catch up to him. It works for the most part.

Keep in mind that he usually says tough information while playing XBox, shrugs his shoulders, and moves on with life. He's like this during arguments as well. Cool as a cucumber.



Her Point-of-View:

I have been a religious reader of blogs for awhile, but unwilling to put myself out there. I'm worried about what everyone thinks about me too much sometimes. Do you blame me? Any girl that has been through middle school and has lived to tell the tale can attest to how mean people can be. Especially other girls. It's even worse when people don't have to say it to your face. It used to be through passing notes. Now it's text messages, on facebook, and blog comments. It has not happened to me via the blog, yet. Probably because I have not advertised this blog to a single person therefore not having a single comment. Maybe I'll be more willing to put myself out there one day. Maybe girls will learn to be nicer to one another some day.

I'm not so quick to put myself out there. I am outgoing, but do not reveal information to quickly. I don't have the confidence that He does. I'm constantly trying my best, but always feel like there is someone that is SO much better than I am at everything. I have a tough time seeing my strengths and using them to my advantage. I'm constantly anxious. I also get heated during arguments and worked up really easily. I'm competitive and love to win. At everything.


The result:
He won with getting the blog started, even though he still thinks it's silly to write about your life on the internet.

Him -1
Her -0
But, who is keeping score? ;)

Blogger Fail.

I've officially failed as a blogger. I find this to be an outlet in which I do not have to worry about what anyone thinks about it. One of the few places where it does not matter if other people read and like what I have to say. There's no anxiety or pressure to preform. I'm always true to myself, but I have a job that requires me to work closely and interact with others frequently. I love my job, but love escaping that world as well.

So, if blogging is so carefree why can I not keep up with it? Why has it been so long since my last post? I'm not sure. Honestly. I guess adjusting to a new way of life including: a new job (for both of us), moving into a new house, forming new friendships while maintaining old ones, family drama, and figuring out life.

I read blogs on a daily basis. In fact, I can hardly keep myself away from a few. It gives me an escape from my reality and allows me to peek into a different way of life. It's like I can live vicariously through the snip-its that others share with the interwebs.

What will I share about us? We, as a couple, have not decided how much to reveal about our lives. We're not totally sure about pictures yet. Anonymity offers a certain amount of protection. I currently work in a public field and do not need certain people to find me. He does not need his employees finding him. There's also vulnerability with putting yourself out there and having other judge less than a fraction of your life without knowing the whole story. What we reveal and when will be a process, and definitely on our terms.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride. :)

Leaving Work

Resigning from my current job has been more than difficult. I accepted the position last August and was not too sure about it. But, I had been praying to be led where I was meant to be and knew that this was the place. The past year has been full of ups and downs, and I have loved every minute of working for this company. I get more support than most of my friends in the same field. I have the corporate feeling while still being in a school setting. I only have to work 40 hours (and sometimes less, although sometimes more).

When I told my boss and a few others that He had been transferred, I cried. I'm so sad to go. I will miss the support that I have from co-workers. I will miss the relationships that I have built with co-workers. But most of all I will miss the clients that I help. They are amazing, and I love knowing that I can impact the lives of so many adolescents on a daily basis.

It's sad to leave such a great network of people.

I've been talking with a school in our new town. It's a wonderful opportunity. But, I cannot help but compare it to my current job. Maybe it's the unknown that is so daunting.

Am I the only person that has experienced this?

Small Town Happenings

Today He and I were walking into a home improvement store when a car drove by with a girl hanging out the window.

She said, "Hey, your boyfriend is pretty cute!"

Random. But so true! I think He's good looking and most amazing guy in the world. Even if he's my husband, not my boyfriend.

We have appliances!

Last weekend we bought our appliances for the new house. We were planning on waiting, but the deals were so great that we just couldn't pass them up! Now, we were able to do this b/c He is the only one on the mortgage since I do not have a confirmed job just yet. So I could put them all on my credit card and we'll pay it off as soon as we close. If He had been linked to such a large purchase we might have lost the loan, even though we have the cash to pay for it. Crazy, I know!

Anyways, here's what we got. We decided to go with the front loading washer and dryer since the price was actually less than buying the traditional style.

Our refrigerator was a bit of a splurge, but we did our research and loooove this style! There is a water dispenser inside the door, so it doesn't take up half of our door space. We think it will give our kitchen a little bit of a 'pop'.

The store we went through is a national chain, so we were able to order it in our current town and schedule delivery for our new town after we close. We're really excited for everything to come together.

When Two Become One....

....there's a LOT of 'stuff'. No really. Maybe we're the only couple that has ever experienced moving in together and feeling suffocated by everything we own. Maybe not?

When we got married and moved into our current apartment, we realized how much we own. Were either of us willing to purge any belongings? Of course not! My 'skinny' jeans that I was determined to fit into again (ha!) just had to stay. Hubs' hand-me-down bar lamp was not even an option to go.

Over the past 3 years we have slowly let go of many items in the name of our sanity (and marriage!). My skinny jeans went, as did the dream of ever being the same size that I was freshman year. His bar lamp didn't. I will say that it has started to grow on me, and it might make the trip to our new house.

How did we accomplish this?

We actually clean out closets and our second bedroom about once per season. It sounds excessive, but it helps us to slowly part with loved items that are no longer used. We usually take about 2-3 bags to local charities each time.

It has been tedious to take time so often instead of one overhaul and small maintenance about one time per year. But, it has helped to revisit items and frequently reevaluate their use in our lives.

We're currently getting rid of more than usual before we move. It's better to rid ourselves of it now than when we're trying to unpack, organize, buy furniture, decorate, and everything else that goes into moving into your first house.

Are we still having a difficult time with certain items?

Definitely. Hubs does not want to part with his dull knife set that is complete with worn out handles. He received a new set for his birthday - two months ago. I'm not innocent either. In fact, I am flat-out ridiculous. I have a set of black, plastic yaffa cubes (you know from college that are totally falling apart...errr maybe I was the only one who ever thought these were a good investment). They've been with me since I moved out of my parents house, and can be useful (in a dorm, maybe). I also am insisting on keeping my old 35mm SLR even though I have a dSLR, and have not touched that one in over 3 years. I'm not budging on that one....not an inch.

Now that you know way too much about what we've shamelessly owned over the years, maybe we can organize our lives!

What a Difference a Month Makes...

Wow, it has almost been a month since my last post! I guess I get the slacker blogger award. Anyways, we've had a TON happen within the past month. Hubs got a new job, we're in contract with a house, I'm in the process of getting a new job near the town we're moving to, packed and then unpacked our apartment, and spent some time with family. Too much to take in? Yeah, it is for me too.

Right now we're trying to get everything finished around our apartment so the movers (which we just found out that we get!) can pack everything and we're good to move out. It's amazing how much we've accumulated over 3 years. Don't believe me? We've taken no less than 10 bags to Goodwill, plus had a local mission take away some of our old, unwanted furniture.

We're also figuring out the timing of me leaving my job and moving. Hubs will start in the new town at the beginning of July, but it's not a possibility for me at the moment for many reasons.

I have faith that everything will get done...it's just a matter of when and on my time line.

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! We're you're average youngly weds exploring this crazy life one adventure at a time. We have had many ups and downs, but our love for one another is the constant thing that keeps us going. He's from the beach, I'm a yankee. We met at college in a small, southern town and have been inseparable ever since. We enjoy cooking, traveling, hiking, snowboarding, working out, and spending time together. This is a place to chronicle the moments of our lives.

***pictures have been removed until after we move/I officially resign from my job :)