Currently...

Lately, it's been crazy. It's been a busy few weeks, and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay that way for a while now. There's 52 more days to go until we leave for our cruise, and I can't wait!

In the mean time, though, I've been trying to get back in the habit of watching less TV, and so far so good! I've started reading Andy Stanley's book, Enemies of the Heart, and it's really been teaching me things about some of the anger I've been carrying around in my heart for years now. It's funny when you read a book like this, and you feel like the author (in this case, he's actually our pastor as well) just sort of reaches out through the pages and points to something in your past and says "this is something you need to work on". Crazy.  

I've also started reading Anna Karenina, which is fantastic. A few years ago, I got a pretty substantial tax refund back, and I used part of it to go on a bit of a book-buying spree. This was one of the books that I bought, partially because I'd always heard good things, and partially because I always wanted to say that I've read Tolstoy. All it took was hearing that they're making a movie out of it, and I decided now is the time to read the book. I always hate seeing a movie before reading the story that it's based on! I'm loving how richly Tolstoy describes his characters, and I can't wait for the story to unfold further.  I can't wait to find out what happens between Levin and Kitty, and find out if Stiva and Dolly reconcile. I'm not quite to the part where Anna arrives from St. Petersburg....

Also lately, Kevin and I have been playing games a couple nights a week. So far we're on a pretty big Phase 10 kick - I taught him to play last week, and he's quickly getting pretty good at it. It's a game I've always played with my mom's side of the family, so it has a special place in my heart, and I'm glad it's something we can enjoy together!

Last Saturday my mom and I went out so I could get some of our Christmas shopping done. I'm happy to say I've tackled about 2/3 of the presents that will need to be sent up to Canada! While we were in the mall, I peeked in a shoe store to try on the new Tom's wedge boots, and man are they comfortable! They're officially on my Christmas list....in a size 8 1/2...in gray...although I'm sure Santa knows that....

Sometimes

Sometimes, on mornings when I go to the chiropractor at 7am, it makes me really happy to see the sunrise, especially if there are fluffy clouds with the light peeking through.

Sometimes I simultaneously drink super-hot Lady Grey tea with a drizzle of honey, along with a big bottle of super-cold water. I feel like it gives my metabolism a workout, although I'm sure it just all ends up in my stomach together at a lukewarm temperature.

Sometimes I like to just sit and contemplate things.

Sometimes I like to just indulge my imagination and contemplate where we could be in 10 years. There are so many possibilities, it's hard not to get excited!

Sometimes I just want to bake all day.

Sometimes I like to plan things in my head waaaaay before it's time. Right now I'm planning for Christmas. I am aware that it's September, but time is a stealth ninja that creeps up on you, and before you know it, it will be Christmas 2014.

Sometimes I just wish it would snow more where we live. I wish I could just sit inside with snow piling up outside while I cozy up with a quilt and a cup of tea and read a Jane Austen book and talk fancy for the rest of the day.

Sometimes I wish I could just scoot Georgia up next to Ontario, so I could see my family more often. I get a little homesick for them whenever I talk to them. I realized this for the billionth time last night when I was talking to my uncle on his birthday.

Sometimes I wish the work week was just Monday and Friday. I just like the new-ness of Monday, and the wrapping-up-ness of Friday.

Sometimes all I want is a bowl of spaghetti with loads of capers, sardines, and nice olive oil with parmesan cheese. Yum!

So fresh and so clean...

I used to have a coworker who used to bust out his own version of that Outkast song all the time. I secretly love it.

But I'm not talking about music here, I'm talking about FOOD. Let's be real, I am usually talking about food.

Being back on my low-carb jam has felt GOOD, I can't even tell you. And for whatever reason over the course of the past couple of months, my desire to eat meat has been almost zero. I've never been big into chicken or pork, although I do enjoy the occasional piece of nice beef. Some days I have just found myself craving loads of veggies. Wednesday, for example, I ran down to the on-campus farmers market and picked up a beautiful bag of green beans for a couple dollars (King of Pops was also there, and I indulged in a pear ginger popsicle - yum!). I got home that night and threw together an admittedly strange combination for dinner - sauteed green beans (I added garlic to mine) with a fried egg, some pistachios, and a little piece of gouda cheese. So good!

Thursday I snacked on ice cold water, cucumber slices, a nice brussels sprouts salad I tossed together that morning, and a few more of my yummy pistachios! My mid-afternoon how-do-I-get-past-this-2:30-feeling snack was a couple of Babybel cheeses. Hooray!

I know there are actually "clean eating" type diets out there, and I'm sure that what I've been eating doesn't quite follow that program, but I am eating things that just make me feel light and healthy. And at this rate, maybe I will end up looking cute in a swimsuit just in time for our Thanksgiving week cruise, and for long after!