Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Oh this poor neglected blog.  Sometimes I lay awake at night thinking of that hilarious conversion held at our dinner table, the charming couple I met at work, or the catastrophic incident that left me red in the face. Each night I tell myself I'll write about it in the morning but obviously that hasn't happened. So here I go...revamping and renewing my little blog.

The somewhat foreseeable end to my blog happened around the time I started my first "real" post college job. In October I started working for Gap as the Customer Experience Manager at our local store.  My job basically entails the people--hiring, firing, training, coaching, goals, selling, employees, customers...and I LOVE IT! It's no surprise that I've always loved clothes and fashion. (For those of you reading this that hired me as a babysitter in high school, you were definitely contributing to the livelihood of Mission Viejo Mall.)

So I'm happy to say my journey to adulthood has begun within the realm of things that I love. I love people, I love working as a team, I love responsibility, I love clothes...and did I mention I love the discount! :) Oh yes...life is good.

As for the doc, he still slaves away behind his desk just like he did three months ago when I last posted. Not much has changed for him although we are happy to say he is in his last semester of bookwork. Next year begins clinicals. Finally, all the studying will be put in a real life scenario! That is, after the dreaded boards he has to take this summer. He can't wait for June 3rd to be over! Goodbye books, lectures and stress induced pimples.  Hello Hawaii and some well deserved fun, until the 24th that is. But hey, we'll take what we can get!

Now my resolution as of February 3, 2013 is to keep up this little blog. A little shout out to Bo for constantly reminding me to post! :) Thank you!!

P.S. I'm sure you were wondering what those events entailed that I mentioned at the beginning. As for the hilarious conversion, the doc and I spent a good 30 minutes talking about our hilarious nephew Ezra, recalling all of his funny saying, doings and expressions. We reminisced until our stomachs hurt and our eyes filled with tears from laughing so hard. The charming couple I met at work were these grandparents that allowed me to pick out multiple outfits for there soon-to-be granddaughter.  Once they came to check out, I noticed an extra outfit. The sweet gentleman proudly told me that he picked that one out himself.  My heart melted. And the catastrophic incident...let's just say I still haven't quite acclimated to Tennessee's weather pattern yet...I didn't realize the mall parking lot was covered in ice and I fell flat on my face when I got out of my car! Oh mother nature....

Halloween!

It’s November! Which means it’s the holiday season! Which means I can finally listen to Christmas music without feeling guilty! (I may have cheated and listened to a song or two, two weeks ago.) Some people say you can’t start listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but my rule is after Halloween.  My reasoning for this? The day after Thanksgiving is when I put up my Christmas tree which means I’ve already started thinking about gifts and decorations so therefore, I of course must already be listening to Christmas music to be in the spirit of the holiday! 

So yes, as I write this post I am listening (and singing) to Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey and *NSYNC Christmas with my Winter Forest candle from Gap that smells like a Christmas tree, right beside me. It’s a perfect morning to the start of a wonderful season! Did I mention my birthday is only six days before Christmas which makes it all the more wonderful!?!

Before I get too ahead of myself and spoil all of my future posts of the next two months, I must share our experience yesterday. 

The hubs and I could not agree on a Halloween costume.  We usually do a couples costume but this year we procrastinated too long and could not come to an agreement so we went as two completely different people.  He was Napoleon Dynamite and I was Hello Kitty. 

As we were searching the costume store at the 11^th hour, the hubs found the Napoleon Dynamite wig/glasses and would not put it down! I tried to tell to him Napoleon Dynamite was so eight years ago but we was not having it.  He would be Napoleon Dynamite if it was the last thing he did!! And let me tell you, he was the best Napoleon Dynamite I have ever seen! I’m pretty sure he was better than Jon Heder in the actual movie.  If he acted how he did last night and tried out for the part, no one would even know the name Jon Heder!

The whole night he was in character.  Every opportunity he got to relate a situation to his character, he did.  Example 1: We went to a party at our friend’s house.  He had a bike resting in the living room so of course the hubs jumped on it and asked if it had been taken off of any sweet jumps lately.  Example 2: Another one of our friends came dressed up as Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. She was passing out “Vote Knope” pins in which the hubs threw to the ground and said, “Vote for Pedro!”  Example 3: When someone asked the hubs what he was eating he told them it was Tina’s dinner.  Example 4: Before we left for the party he learned the dance Napoleon did at the talen show and would randomly bust it out in the middle of the party.  And the list goes on and on.

So maybe just this once, the hubs was right about his costume.  He rocked Napoleon Dynamite and it was fun to see a little blast from the past! 

Happy Holidays!

Oh Tennessee....

Before you stare at the picture you should know that this picture is real. I didn't find it on the internet. I took it myself when I was parked at a red light.  No filter. No photoshop. 100% authentic. Good ol' Tennessee...

Keeping it classy Tennessee!

Writer's Block

As of late, I started freelance writing for a local magazine.  I was so excited to have an opportunity to put my passion, creativity and degree to good use.  Little did I know that it would impair my ideas for my blog. I've spent so much time researching, interviewing and writing that I haven't thought had time to think of this little blog.

Initially, I thought I would be writing for an uplifting feature type paper but instead they sent me over to write for their business journal.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity though.  I have been able to explore a topic that is completely outside of my comfort zone and general knowledge. (I didn't have to take any business classes to get my English degree.)

So tonight, after I have transcribed all of my interviews and researched my heart out, and before I actually start to write my article, I'm dedicating a little time to this blog--a little time to clear my brain before I have to go into serious mode! Let's hope writer's block doesn't kick and I can write the best article this business journal has seen!

The Cave

Disclaimer: I know it’s been a while since I last wrote but in my defense, I started this post on Post-It notes days ago but didn’t get around to uploading it.

Quote of the day, “If you need me I’ll be in my cave.”

Yes, the doc is at it again preparing for another big test he is taking on Friday.  Let me describe his “cave” to you.  It is the only area in the whole apartment that I let him use his decorative abilities. 

(Side note- I did this in Hawaii with our bathroom because he insisted he could decorate.  We ended up with surf posters plastered across the walls.  I’ve learned by lesson.)

Back to the cave…His cave consists of the left half our second bedroom.  I emphasize the left side because it is much different from the right side, MY half. 

My half is where I am sitting now to write my blog.  My half is where I sew, create, blog/facebook stalk, plan my lessons for church, read magazines, often paint my nails, watch Netflix, write letters and relax. 

His half is where he pulls his hair out studying, stresses, learns, memorizes, watches the Hawaiian sunset each night on the surf cams on Surfline, dreams of Hawaii, dreams of surfing, watches surf movies, studies, stresses, learns, memorizes.  Did I mention pull his hair out?

Yes our halves have very different vibes.  My half is neatly organized with cute pink, blue and yellow bins and boxes.  It has a pink trashcan and clippings from magazines with all my new favorite recipes, crafts, quotes or ideas. 

His half has a great big Hawaiian flag on the wall. (The flag is bigger than his desk.) Beneath the flag he has chosen to decorate with surfing and climbing pictures (no surprise) and purposefully leaves his surfboards and snowboards out just to tease him.  Oh and did I mention the mountain bike that is propped against the window and keeps creeping over to my half?

Yes if you looked at my half, closed your eyes, and then looked at his half, you wouldn’t even know it was the same room. 

Despite our differences in decorating and choice of activity, I enjoy being able to be in the same room with him while he studies.  Even if we aren’t necessarily talking, it’s just nice to be with him.  

Reality Check

Lately the hubs and I have been very nostalgic.   A few nights ago I found myself staring at the ceiling trying to fall asleep.  When I couldn’t sleep I picked up my computer, opened iPhoto and went through every album I had from my years in Hawaii.  The next morning I told the hubs what I had done and he said he had been doing the same only a few days earlier.

I’m not sure if it is because many of our friends are still in Hawaii and with school starting back, there is a constant flow of scenic/magnificent/beautiful/enticing photos on Facebook that make me happy/sad/envious/nostalgic all at the same time. Maybe it’s because we have been away so long that we can clearly see the difference and recognize what we are missing.  And maybe it’s because it’s the place where we met, fell in love, spent the first year of our life together and shared the best of memories.  Either way it’s been hitting us lately, and hitting us hard.

You know the saying, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” Well this wasn’t the case for us.  We knew how blessed we were to be able to live in such a beautiful place with such a special atmosphere. We recognized the uniqueness of the situation and tried to live it up while we could.  Yes, there were some things we took for granted but for the most part we were just grateful. 

And now thousands of miles away from our beautiful island, I find myself having a harder time accepting my fate.  Some days I’d do anything just to walk across hot sand or feel the salt water dry on my skin after a dip in the ocean. 

This week in People President and Michelle Obama were interviewed about their thoughts of the election. I really liked what Michelle Obama said to one of the personal questions:

            Q: Are [the girls] personally invested in staying put for four more years?

A: “The thing I try to tell my girls…is that whatever happens, we’ll be okay. That is one thing this move showed us, that home is where we are…The truth is that if we’re together, we’re going to be fine.”

So I’m trying to adopt Michelle’s saying.  While my preferred scene of choice my be the ocean, I know I wouldn’t want to be there without my husband and right now my husband is in a small town in east Tennessee. So here I am and here I will be for another three years.  There are many wonderful things about where we live. It’s time to take off the blinders and enjoy the journey in store. As long as we are together, I know I’ll be okay.

 

Meet Gnoland

Meet Gnoland.  He’s our gnome.  We don’t know where he came from or how he ended up on our front door a few days ago but somehow he did.

 It was the most curious thing. I came home from the grocery store with both arms full of bags. I didn’t notice Gnoland at first until I looked down for my keys in my purse. There Gnoland was, sitting quietly and centered in front of our door. I was really confused. I looked around wondering if someone was playing a joke on me but no one was there.  Just me and Gnoland. 

I wasn’t sure what to do with him so I moved him over so he was directly centered in between our door and our neighbor’s door. The next day I asked the neighb if she knew anything about the gnome.  Our stories matched up. She had no idea either! She said she saw him patiently sitting in front of door the same day I found him.  So what were we to do with this little gnome?

The neighbs and I decided we’d share him. Gnoland sits in between both of our doors and guards our stoop.  Who knows, maybe he’ll walk off to be with someone else but for now we are happy to have him.

Welcome to the family Gnoland.  Hope you enjoy our stoop!