It's time...

It's time. I'm ready.

About a year ago, I started blogging about how I was going to give the low-carb lifestyle a go. To be honest, I was mostly motivated by my sweet husband, who had read How We Get Fat, And What To Do About It, and decided it was the way he was going to get in shape and get healthy. I read a little of the book, and was pretty convinced of the truth behind carbs and why they're bad for you. I decided to join him in his low-carb efforts, and we started eating differently, experimenting with new ingredients, and watching our weight go down. 

My heart wasn't really in it all the way, though. Despite the fact that I did pretty well when I was at home, I always struggle with staying on track during the day when I'm at work. I work in a wonderful office that, unfortunately, is a veritable obstacle course of temptation when it comes to food. Fruit snacks. Granola bars. Donuts. Ice cream. I'm a person who has always said "I just like food SO much!". 

Lately, though, my thinking has changed. Maybe it's from reading Danielle's blog. Maybe it's from checking out Lindsay's pins on Pinterest. It could also be that I've been checking out the cute work-out clothes at lululemon. Either way, I'm feeling more ready than ever. 

I've just had to change my mentality. Do I like food? Sure I do! Am I letting myself use my love of food as an excuse to eat what I shouldn't? Absolutely. What if I were a smoker who refused to quit because "I just love to smoke"? That would be insane.  I know that eating certain things is bad for my body, so continuing to eat them is almost like saying "well, I'd like to feel good, but I'd rather eat this donut". Nonsense. 

The truth is, when I was eating a 'clean' diet, and enjoying a low-carb lifestyle, I felt better. It's hard to describe, but my insides just felt clean. I felt more awake, more alert, more positive. 

It's time. I'm ready. 

Just like Frasier...

Okay, lately Kevin and I have been on a huge Frasier kick. We started on the first episode a couple weeks ago, and just last night we arrived at the end of the seventh season when Daphne and Niles finally get together (jeez...took em' long enough!). That's not actually what this post is about, but it's necessary background information.

One of the things that makes the show so funny, obviously, is when Frasier gets himself in to these crazy situations where all of his efforts just proceed to make everything ten times worse. It makes Kevin a little crazy, but it's hilarious. It got me thinking about how I'm like that sometimes...

I feel like I'm pretty personable. I like to think I'm funny, albeit a little sarcastic, and I feel like I can get along with just about anyone. But sometimes I encounter people who, when I'm around them, seem to draw out this crazy awkward side of myself. My brain fumbles. I say dumb dumb things, and then say more dumb things in an effort to right the situation. I turn ridiculous. Honestly, these are the kinds of people that I usually don't end up getting along with, and it's not because either of us are bad people, it's just that we're different.

I wonder sometimes whether these types of situations stem from a bad first impression, or if there's just some personality traits that just don't mesh well together? Has anyone else experienced this?

Stressed for the Occasion....

A little while back, Kevin and I watched the animated Chicken Little. It's precious, and I love Zach Braff as the voice of Chicken Little. My favorite character, though, was Runt. He's a pig, and he just generally spends the whole movie freaking out.

I guess I relate to Runt a little. Not that I'm constantly running around outwardly freaking out, but I am constantly running around freaking out on the inside.

Lately, with all the issues that I've been having with my back, I've been working on different things to do to relax....

Epsom salt baths...there are a lot of interesting scented blends that you can get from the grocery store or pharmacy. Publix has a nice mint & eucalyptus blend, and I got some nice lavender scented epsom salt from Walgreen's.

Quality time... I just like to spend time with Kevin. Whether it's our little morning chats in bed after the alarm goes off in the morning, or just hanging out in the evening reading, taking the dog for a walk, or watching something funny together, I feel most re-charged when I've had some quality time with my favorite guy.

Unplugging...last weekend, Kevin helped me switch the settings on my iPhone so that whenever I get an email, it doesn't flash on the screen, or show up on my lock screen. It sounds like a small thing, but I had become so obsessed with checking my email as soon as I saw I had a new one. Since I switched my settings, I've just found myself feeling more relaxed. I still keep my phone with me, but it's nice to be free of the distraction of emails coming through at all hours of day and night, and just checking them when I intend to.

Candles...I know it seems cliche to crawl into the tub with lit candles flickering in the background, but there is something about lighting a few candles that just makes me feel like I'm preparing to relax.

Clean slate...I spend plenty of time during the day thinking about all kinds of things, over-thinking all kinds of things. I like to settle into a warm scented bath and just let my mind go blank.

Watching a favorite movie...Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorites, but sometimes I just look for a good comedy. Oddly, I like to see movies I've already seen before. I just like knowing what's going to happen next.

So what do you do to relax? Yoga? Going for a long jog?

Weekend Links! Hooray!

It's Monday. Seriously. After a truly crazy (and awesome) week at work, I was so ready to relax this past weekend. Caught up on my Netflix. Took a few nice hot baths, and caught up on some nerdy podcasts. Made a lanyard for my keys since I keep losing them in my purse. Tried a few crazy home remedies to shake the rest of this aggravating cold. Here's some weekend link love (even though technically the weekend is over...)

If I weren't trying really hard to be back on the low-carb bandwagon, I would totally make these cookies. Joy the Baker is such a temptress. You should make them and tell me about it...

This sweater is super adorable, I love the big pink heart on the front of it. I'm SO ready for fall to come, so I can wear cute layers and run errands on campus without sweating to death.

These wedges from Toms. How cute are they in gray? Christmas is coming, maybe Santa will surprise me.

There's something so rustic and pretty about these Weck jars. Best part is that I could stash the lids and clamps and just use the jars themselves for drinking out of. Someone teach me how to make jam please?

Someday, I will raise big beautiful chickens, and they'll have a nice coop that looks like this. I will name my chickens after classic rock musicians, starting with Joey, Johnny, and DeeDee.

I love Dani's post from yesterday - so sweet and so true.

I make eggs a lot. I make them a lot for dinner when I'm too exhausted to think about cooking anything else. I think this recipe will help. .

I cannot WAIT for the weather to get cooler so I can cozy up under a blanket and try this. It has so many things I like. Bourbon? Yes. Maple? Yes.

Also this adult beverage would go down a treat after a week like this.

I hope y'all had a good weekend!

It's beginning to look a lot like...August...

I know this is premature. Trust me, I know half of you out there are thinking "is she crazy? a post about Christmas?". It's not even labor day. Seriously.

I just LOVE the whole Christmas season...it gets chilly outside, and the cold air makes everything quiet. We cuddle up inside and watch "It's A Wonderful Life" with a cool glass of eggnog sprinkled with nutmeg. I enjoy a couple of weeks off work, during which I bake an obscene amount of ginger cookies, sit around the house in cozy clothes staring at the Christmas tree and listening to the "Christmas Time Is Here" song from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. Am I the only person who gets weirdly emotional listening to that song? Maybe it's the fact that it's in a minor key or something, but it gets me every time.

Last year, Kevin and I went out on our annual Christmas Tree trip to Home Depot, and he lovingly and patiently pulled out dozens of trees and "fluffed them" so I could determine if they were good enough or not. We went home, and put up the tree while watching Elf, and enjoyed the scent of the pine tree filling up the living room while Ruby watched from her bed, happily squeaking her stuffed blue dog. I can't wait to do this again this year...

I love how quiet and cozy the season feels...the peace of Christmas morning, sitting together in the morning and sipping coffee with cinnamon, waiting for my parents to arrive with a big plate of my mom's delicious raisin scones. Waiting with anticipation when I step outside and I can just smell the potential for snow in the air.

So I'm excited for Christmas, even if it is just August...

Dear Teenage Self....

A Letter to myself when I was sixteen...


Dear Me,

There are literally SO many things I want to tell you, it's hard to know where to start. You've just celebrated your sixteenth birthday. You rocked that white tank top and the orange hawaiian print skort, just own it. You rented Picture Perfect on VHS (ps: by the time you graduate high school, VHS will not really be a thing anymore), and you ate cake and opened presents and talked about boys. Right now you're thinking "wow, this is what it feels like to be grown up". You'll actually have that feeling all over again when you're in your mid-twenties. Don't stress about it. Go eat a box of Twinkies and do something irresponsible (it's okay, we both know you won't).

The Backstreet Boys will not always be cool. Eventually they'll get old and have wrinkles, and let's be honest, you never really liked them that much to begin with. Stay loyal to Paul McCartney, he'll never lose his awesome-status, I promise.

That guy you're crazy about right now? You won't actually marry him like you think you will. You won't marry the guy you go out with after him, either. But it's fine - trust me. There's a tall handsome blonde guy named Kevin in high school in Georgia right now - he's funny, smart, and adorably nerdy. He plays clarinet in the marching band, and you will fall crazy in love with him when you're 25 and living in Atlanta. Oh yeah...you'll be living in Atlanta. Don't worry about it, it'll all work out. But this guy will be the best thing that has ever happened to you, and you'll enjoy yourself SO much on your first date that you will be out way past midnight, and will not hear the multiple panicked calls from your dad asking where you are.

Listen to your conscience. In high school there will be a guy who gets bullied a lot by the more popular guys. You will spend a lot of time as an adult regretting the fact that you never really did anything bold to stick up for him. Just do it. You'll feel dumb in the moment, but I promise you'll feel good about it well into your mid-twenties.

You will go to college. You won't finish. It won't be the end of your life, so don't beat yourself up so much about it. You'll get on track, just listen to mom and dad. They know what they're talking about, and when you're older, you'll be incredibly thankful for them every day.

You're not a bad cook, so don't listen to anybody who tells you that you are. Someday you will make roasted lamb with rosemary and cracked pepper with sautéed broccolini and fingerling potatoes, and you will have a sense of culinary accomplishment that will spark a love of food. Go with it.

You'll have hard times. Roll with it, and take time to focus in on who you really are. I promise by the time you're in your mid-twenties, everything will be in better perspective.

xo

Your 27-year-old self...

If you really knew me....

I've seen a few bloggers do this post lately, and thought it was fun. A lot of days, it's easy to post an awesome salad recipe, talk about shoes, or just not blog at all. I thought this would be a fun way to get a little more personal.

If you really knew me....

You'd know that I am one heck of an introvert, but I can be dragged out of my shell pretty easily. On the surface, I rely on a quick wit and a deep vein of sarcasm, but deep down I like to watch people. Observe. Reflect.

You'd know that I need my 'me time'. My husband knows this (bless him) and puts up with me when I get moody. Sometimes I just get in this state like Melville when "...I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul..then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can". Sometimes I just go grocery shopping by myself, or retreat to the little office/studio we have in our cozy townhouse to play with fabric for an hour or so.

You'd know I have my grandma's toes. Not literally, I don't actually own her toes. But my toes are JUST like hers. We have twin feet.

You'd know that I don't like to go around with my nails un-painted, and it's even worse when they're painted but chipping. I think when I'm going about my day and I stop to think for a minute, I find myself running my fingers over the glossy smooth enamel on my nails. I don't consider myself too girly, but I like to indulge in a fresh coat of nail polish every day or two.

You'd know that there are a lot of things about me that you wouldn't guess based on my demeanor or the way I dress. I like science fiction, would love to learn to ride a motorcycle sometime soon, and sometimes dream about moving to a big wide open place like Montana where the stars are clear at night.

You'd know that I am not ambitious in the traditional sense. A lot of people around me are very career focused, with their focus on the next big promotion, the next graduate degree, climbing the ladder. I've never been that way, and I wonder if I ever will be. I prefer to make my own goals. Be the best wife I can. Keep pursuing God every day. Stay connected to my family the best I can. Keep a comfortable and happy home for Kevin and Ruby and I. These might not be the kind of ambitions that will result in diplomas on the wall, but I feel like at the end of my life, I'll look back on these things and be proud.