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!

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!