My friend Nicole tagged me in a blogger game on her Stepmom Blog.
She changed the rules a little (to 5 things instead of 10!) so I am keeping it! Shorter=better.
A. List 5 things that make you happy.
B. Try to do at least one of them today.
C. Tag 5 bloggers that brighten your day. (Tag!! You're it!)
D. For those 5 bloggers who get the award, (should you choose to participate) you then link back to my blog and create your own "makes you happy" list.
1. I know this is sappy but hugs from Matt make me happy. We give each other lots of hugs. It always make my day better!
2. Fruit. I am a sucker for it. Fresh is best, but the frozen blueberries and strawberries in my freezer are pretty amazing too!
3. Taking pictures. duh. :)
4. Checking things off my to-do list(s). [Yes plural. ]
5. Spending time with my good friends.
And I'm adding a 6th, which is sleeping for more than 8 hours!!
And you know what? Apparently today is gonna be a better day than I realized!
1. I should get to see Matt tonight. And therefore receive said hugs.
2. I just ate some blueberries.
3. In an hour I'll be doing headshots for a local company!
4. I blogged on my photography blog, blogged on this blog and called the lady about my receipt. I think that means I've checked off THREE things today.
5. gurdas and I are having dinner after choir.
6. I slept for 8.5 hours last night!!
so, anyone can do it, but I am specifically tagging a few people whose blogs I enjoy a lot! and I wouldn't blame you if none of you did it since, um, yeah october-december I got tagged to do like three things and did exactly none of them, oopsie!
1. jackie.
2. blaze.
3. karen.
4. kat.
5. melissa.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
pressurize not propel.
I have a genuine appreciation for handy-dandy oil that can be sprayed on pans and cookie sheets and the like. It is SO easy. It makes less of a mess and uses WAY less cooking oil. Makes Carrie happy.
So, for a while now I've been happily going along trying different sprays--usually whatever was on sale--opting for organic or "good for you" oils or whatever just to see if something became my favorite.
and then.
Over Christmas my niece-to-be Bridget and my mother-in-law-to-be Rosemary and I were making Sausage Balls for the family. (thank you, Nicole, for the recipe. yum!) And when we got to the spray-down-the-cookie sheet part Rosemary was so excited to show me the Misto. They don't use it very often, she explained, but she thought I'd like it and brought it out special just for me.
and she was right. we bought one three days later.
So, what is this "misto" contraption, you ask? Well, it's basically a bottle that you pour oil in, pressurize it and voila! --a fine oil mist is available for you at the press of a button. It cost us like ten whole dollars (or was it 15) at bb&b, though I'm sure it's sold elsewhere.
reasons I like it:
1. see this? it is the list of ingredients on my organic pam. see that very last item on the list? yep, that'd be propellant. makes you just want to eat that stuff right up.
now, my dear friend google and my other friend goodsearch tell me it might be nitrous oxide (which isn't scary) or it might be some other stuff. I don't know and I don't care. I have an alternative and I KNOW what's going into it.
2. this, in my opinion, is WAY more eco-friendly. even if the propellants are totally innocuous, it's still superior. if I take reasonably good care of this misto thingie it'll be in my kitchen for years to come. so that's only ONE container, not, oh, 2ish per year. Plus, I can fill it with the oil of my choice (bonus!) and I don't have to drive to the store to get more for muuuuuch longer.
and? it's cute :)
I am SO GLAD Rosemary showed me this! I already had far too much fun making sausage balls with bridget (she was a HUGE help) but this was icing on the cake!
So, for a while now I've been happily going along trying different sprays--usually whatever was on sale--opting for organic or "good for you" oils or whatever just to see if something became my favorite.
and then.
Over Christmas my niece-to-be Bridget and my mother-in-law-to-be Rosemary and I were making Sausage Balls for the family. (thank you, Nicole, for the recipe. yum!) And when we got to the spray-down-the-cookie sheet part Rosemary was so excited to show me the Misto. They don't use it very often, she explained, but she thought I'd like it and brought it out special just for me.
and she was right. we bought one three days later.
So, what is this "misto" contraption, you ask? Well, it's basically a bottle that you pour oil in, pressurize it and voila! --a fine oil mist is available for you at the press of a button. It cost us like ten whole dollars (or was it 15) at bb&b, though I'm sure it's sold elsewhere.
reasons I like it:
1. see this? it is the list of ingredients on my organic pam. see that very last item on the list? yep, that'd be propellant. makes you just want to eat that stuff right up.
now, my dear friend google and my other friend goodsearch tell me it might be nitrous oxide (which isn't scary) or it might be some other stuff. I don't know and I don't care. I have an alternative and I KNOW what's going into it.
2. this, in my opinion, is WAY more eco-friendly. even if the propellants are totally innocuous, it's still superior. if I take reasonably good care of this misto thingie it'll be in my kitchen for years to come. so that's only ONE container, not, oh, 2ish per year. Plus, I can fill it with the oil of my choice (bonus!) and I don't have to drive to the store to get more for muuuuuch longer.
and? it's cute :)
I am SO GLAD Rosemary showed me this! I already had far too much fun making sausage balls with bridget (she was a HUGE help) but this was icing on the cake!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
you want me to put saltwater where??
I'll be honest with you. At the beginning of my serious sinus troubles, when my doctor told me to get some saline for my nose, my first thoughts were "what the heck--you want me to put saltwater where--that sounds totally gross--surely you jest."
Uh, yeah.
I started off easy. With some saline spray in a little bottle. You just squirted it up in there and it wasn't overwhelming and then you'd need to blow your nose. Nothing exciting or involved. But helpful. I went through one-two of these on a weekly basis, it seemed. I also learned that the Ocean brand spray was soooooo worth extra $$. The generics were seriously sub par.
Then, as I saw my bank account dwindling I googled "make your own nasal saline," got directed to this and found out what a neti pot was. I spent $15 and bought the squeeze bottle one. It seemed more like what I was already used to. Little did I know! Turns out that it filled up your whole nose, and it kind of freaked me out. I hung onto it and tried something less scary. And waited for my next doctor appointment to ask him about it.
I also learned about the pressurized version of the pre-made saline. The pressurized version REALLY makes a difference. But it's like $7 a bottle and creates a lot of waste. I talked to my doctor and he said they were all good options, but I should try the squeeze bottle again because it could really do wonders for me. I listened. I liked it better after I got over the weirdness of the sensation.
I also bought a neti pot.
Also from neilmed, using the same solution as the squeeze bottle. Really, it seemed like a gentler way of doing things--maybe very good for days where my nose was sore or I was congested and didn't want to shoot the liquid up my nose. So I spent another $15 and got the neti pot kit. and hooooooo buddy, did I use that a lot.
so, now I have a neti pot, a squeeze bottle and sometimes a nice little collection of saline squeeze bottles and the pressurized saline.
and then I as introduced to the navage system. now, I'm gonna tell you this thing is EXPENSIVE. it is a contraption, not a super-simple item. And before I bought it I had to write them an email asking about their rinses--because you use a new bottle every time you use it. They assured me that they were developing an alternative that didn't require the shipping of something dissolved in water, and they told me my neilmed packets would likely work just fine but would void the warranty. Luckily I got it on a supersale, and I have certainly gotten my money's worth.
the pros:
-the premade squeeze bottle is portable.
-the pressurized bottle really does an amazing job, especially if you're congested.
-the neti pot really cleans things out and is gentle
-the squeeze bottle cleans even better than the neti pot!
-the navage pulls a vacuum on your head and really gets stuff out--wow!
the cons:
-the premade squeeze bottle creates a lot of waste and not much bang for your buck.
-the pressurized bottle also creates a lot of waste and sometimes won't stop flowing when you release. also expensive.
-the neti pot is not always awesome if you're already stuffed up.
-the squeeze bottle cleans is better than the neti pot if you're already stuffed up, but still not as good as the pressurized bottle or navage.
-the navage creates a lot of bottles to recycle, takes up quite a bit of space comparatively speaking, and costs quite a bit more than any of the other options. I only paid $39 plus shipping when I got it on a super-duper-duper sale, and even then. yikes. plus, to keep the cost low and the waste low too, I voided the warranty by using the saline solution packets.
my assessment: they all have their place.
In my opinion--the most eco-friendly and pocket-friendly options are, far and away, the neti pot or the squeeze bottle. both of them use little tiny dry packets and you fill up the bottle at home, so there's no shipping of water from one place to another. and they are both about $15 for the bottle/pot plus 50 packets of the saline mix. I spend $10 three times a year or so to get new packets of the mix.
And I think depending on your situation, one of the other options might be a better fit.
But most importantly? Whichever one you choose--I think everyone should use them. I think that's the most eco-friendly option of all. Because sinus rinses are a preventative measure, and ultimately lead to fewer sinus issues and less medicine consumed--which in the grand scheme of things makes the world a much better place :)
Uh, yeah.
I started off easy. With some saline spray in a little bottle. You just squirted it up in there and it wasn't overwhelming and then you'd need to blow your nose. Nothing exciting or involved. But helpful. I went through one-two of these on a weekly basis, it seemed. I also learned that the Ocean brand spray was soooooo worth extra $$. The generics were seriously sub par.
Then, as I saw my bank account dwindling I googled "make your own nasal saline," got directed to this and found out what a neti pot was. I spent $15 and bought the squeeze bottle one. It seemed more like what I was already used to. Little did I know! Turns out that it filled up your whole nose, and it kind of freaked me out. I hung onto it and tried something less scary. And waited for my next doctor appointment to ask him about it.
I also learned about the pressurized version of the pre-made saline. The pressurized version REALLY makes a difference. But it's like $7 a bottle and creates a lot of waste. I talked to my doctor and he said they were all good options, but I should try the squeeze bottle again because it could really do wonders for me. I listened. I liked it better after I got over the weirdness of the sensation.I also bought a neti pot.
Also from neilmed, using the same solution as the squeeze bottle. Really, it seemed like a gentler way of doing things--maybe very good for days where my nose was sore or I was congested and didn't want to shoot the liquid up my nose. So I spent another $15 and got the neti pot kit. and hooooooo buddy, did I use that a lot.so, now I have a neti pot, a squeeze bottle and sometimes a nice little collection of saline squeeze bottles and the pressurized saline.
and then I as introduced to the navage system. now, I'm gonna tell you this thing is EXPENSIVE. it is a contraption, not a super-simple item. And before I bought it I had to write them an email asking about their rinses--because you use a new bottle every time you use it. They assured me that they were developing an alternative that didn't require the shipping of something dissolved in water, and they told me my neilmed packets would likely work just fine but would void the warranty. Luckily I got it on a supersale, and I have certainly gotten my money's worth.the pros:
-the premade squeeze bottle is portable.
-the pressurized bottle really does an amazing job, especially if you're congested.
-the neti pot really cleans things out and is gentle
-the squeeze bottle cleans even better than the neti pot!
-the navage pulls a vacuum on your head and really gets stuff out--wow!
the cons:
-the premade squeeze bottle creates a lot of waste and not much bang for your buck.
-the pressurized bottle also creates a lot of waste and sometimes won't stop flowing when you release. also expensive.
-the neti pot is not always awesome if you're already stuffed up.
-the squeeze bottle cleans is better than the neti pot if you're already stuffed up, but still not as good as the pressurized bottle or navage.
-the navage creates a lot of bottles to recycle, takes up quite a bit of space comparatively speaking, and costs quite a bit more than any of the other options. I only paid $39 plus shipping when I got it on a super-duper-duper sale, and even then. yikes. plus, to keep the cost low and the waste low too, I voided the warranty by using the saline solution packets.
my assessment: they all have their place.
In my opinion--the most eco-friendly and pocket-friendly options are, far and away, the neti pot or the squeeze bottle. both of them use little tiny dry packets and you fill up the bottle at home, so there's no shipping of water from one place to another. and they are both about $15 for the bottle/pot plus 50 packets of the saline mix. I spend $10 three times a year or so to get new packets of the mix.
And I think depending on your situation, one of the other options might be a better fit.
But most importantly? Whichever one you choose--I think everyone should use them. I think that's the most eco-friendly option of all. Because sinus rinses are a preventative measure, and ultimately lead to fewer sinus issues and less medicine consumed--which in the grand scheme of things makes the world a much better place :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
"put a big red ribbon on it and deliver it to your door and you know what to do with it, right? all right."
~the refreshments
(and, a special thank you to jessie for making me want to listen to them today!)
so, updates, updates...
-matt and I have made about 85% of the table signs but we still need to get frames and spray paint them. it took less than two hours.
-we are about 1/3 of the way done on our favors.
-by next tuesday we should be 80% done with the silverware.
-we've booked a hotel, made our website, figured out about the marriage license and even completed pre-marital counseling.
I think we're pretty good to go. I am kiiiiinda freaking out about the dress thing, but I keep reminding myself:
1. some very generous friends and family have offered me theirs
2. if push comes to shove there's an option that would work at JCrew. and Target, of all place.
3. I am lucky that lady agreed to take the dress back!
so, yeah. I have wedding on the brain. serious wedding on the brain. it's kind of invading every bit of my life--my sleep, for instance. night before last I had a dream that Matt and I were on the way home from the mountains and there was a blockade and they made everyone go into this building and wash their hands with this certain soap/liquid/whatever. I have no idea what it was. but Matt did it and his hands were find and his ring was too (apparently we were already married). but I did it and it turned my ring black-ish and my diamond yellow/brown and we couldn't get it off and in my dream the ring wasn't the one I am wearing now, but anyway, bizarre! even good ol' trust dreammoods didn't know what to tell me.
last night I had a dream about dresses. which by the way I am terrified of looking for!! and I don't really recall the dream and I am definitely, definitely okay with that :)
let's see, what else...
I've recently developed an obsession with vintage tablecloths (I look for new ones pretty much every single day. thankfully I have been talking myself out of buying them. mostly.)
I am sneezing like a mad woman. Seriously, I might try to tally tomorrow. I would bet I've sneezed at least, oh, 30-40 times today. I've had 6-7 sneezing fits, ranging from 3 sneezes to a good five or six consecutive sneezes. I'm having my allergies re-tested on friday and can't take my dear old zyrtec or, um, any other sinus stuff, really, until then. I'm also not having beer (I avoid it when my allergies flare up) and trying like hell not to actually get sick while waiting for the two hours of needles and then the sweet relief of benadryl and allergy medicine.
:)
until then, it's n@sonex and using sinus irrigation. I have multiple options, by the way (three "systems" and then at least two other things) and I've been meaning to blog about them, their relative awesomeness AND their relative (apparent to me) eco-friendliness. perhaps tomorrow.
oh yeah, and I'm having a GIVEAWAY on my photography blog. chiggity-check it out! I reached my 100th client earlier this month and I'm celebrating that awesomeness!!! please go comment on there or on my photography facebook site!
and, um...yep. that's kind of it. I'm definitely alllllll over the place. like, in life. hence the lack of blogging. or, um, anything other than wedding planning, working and photo editing :) I have a few more milestones I need to get through (find dress. order invites. order blank labels. reserve tables and chairs.) and then I think I will feel much, much better. plus, hopefully by then I can quit having people hurt my feelings. I figure the closer we get to our wedding the less time people will have to be sh!tty. it's really only a very small number of people, and if you're reading this it pretty much can't be you, but yeah. getting the feeling some folks only think about themselves. and that is all I should say :)
so.
hopefully tomorrow: sinus-ee-eco-friendly-ee post.
hopefully by sunday: carrie has found a dress!
hopefully soon: we can start talking about other things. like, y'know, my cats. or earth hour. or books I've read (which so far this year= none.)
love love.
(and, a special thank you to jessie for making me want to listen to them today!)
so, updates, updates...
-matt and I have made about 85% of the table signs but we still need to get frames and spray paint them. it took less than two hours.
-we are about 1/3 of the way done on our favors.
-by next tuesday we should be 80% done with the silverware.
-we've booked a hotel, made our website, figured out about the marriage license and even completed pre-marital counseling.
I think we're pretty good to go. I am kiiiiinda freaking out about the dress thing, but I keep reminding myself:
1. some very generous friends and family have offered me theirs
2. if push comes to shove there's an option that would work at JCrew. and Target, of all place.
3. I am lucky that lady agreed to take the dress back!
so, yeah. I have wedding on the brain. serious wedding on the brain. it's kind of invading every bit of my life--my sleep, for instance. night before last I had a dream that Matt and I were on the way home from the mountains and there was a blockade and they made everyone go into this building and wash their hands with this certain soap/liquid/whatever. I have no idea what it was. but Matt did it and his hands were find and his ring was too (apparently we were already married). but I did it and it turned my ring black-ish and my diamond yellow/brown and we couldn't get it off and in my dream the ring wasn't the one I am wearing now, but anyway, bizarre! even good ol' trust dreammoods didn't know what to tell me.
last night I had a dream about dresses. which by the way I am terrified of looking for!! and I don't really recall the dream and I am definitely, definitely okay with that :)
let's see, what else...
I've recently developed an obsession with vintage tablecloths (I look for new ones pretty much every single day. thankfully I have been talking myself out of buying them. mostly.)
I am sneezing like a mad woman. Seriously, I might try to tally tomorrow. I would bet I've sneezed at least, oh, 30-40 times today. I've had 6-7 sneezing fits, ranging from 3 sneezes to a good five or six consecutive sneezes. I'm having my allergies re-tested on friday and can't take my dear old zyrtec or, um, any other sinus stuff, really, until then. I'm also not having beer (I avoid it when my allergies flare up) and trying like hell not to actually get sick while waiting for the two hours of needles and then the sweet relief of benadryl and allergy medicine.
:)
until then, it's n@sonex and using sinus irrigation. I have multiple options, by the way (three "systems" and then at least two other things) and I've been meaning to blog about them, their relative awesomeness AND their relative (apparent to me) eco-friendliness. perhaps tomorrow.
oh yeah, and I'm having a GIVEAWAY on my photography blog. chiggity-check it out! I reached my 100th client earlier this month and I'm celebrating that awesomeness!!! please go comment on there or on my photography facebook site!
and, um...yep. that's kind of it. I'm definitely alllllll over the place. like, in life. hence the lack of blogging. or, um, anything other than wedding planning, working and photo editing :) I have a few more milestones I need to get through (find dress. order invites. order blank labels. reserve tables and chairs.) and then I think I will feel much, much better. plus, hopefully by then I can quit having people hurt my feelings. I figure the closer we get to our wedding the less time people will have to be sh!tty. it's really only a very small number of people, and if you're reading this it pretty much can't be you, but yeah. getting the feeling some folks only think about themselves. and that is all I should say :)
so.
hopefully tomorrow: sinus-ee-eco-friendly-ee post.
hopefully by sunday: carrie has found a dress!
hopefully soon: we can start talking about other things. like, y'know, my cats. or earth hour. or books I've read (which so far this year= none.)
love love.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
more pretty things
I've been playing with the manual settings on my camera. I usually shoot in program or aperture mode, but I've been doing more and more in manual--because if you have the TIME, it is amazing what manual can do!
so, I shot some of the residents of my china cabinet in the lovely morning light a few days ago. starting from top left, going clockwise...
1. that's the compote we bought in selma, alabama. man, that was a fun time!
2. my granny gave me this. it's a snowglove of Tulsa. See the little golden driller and the Tulsa skyline? is that too cool for school or what?
3. that lovely tray and punch cup? that is a gift from george & tonya! when we were in augusta tonya and I went antique shopping and I saw those and she said "shower present!!!" I got the set of 6, but they had two other sets of 8. I kind of wanted to buy them all, but I couldn't justify it!!
4. another snowglobe that sits safely in my china cabinet. this is of new york city, see the statue of liberty! also a gift from my granny--when I was 15 she took Anna and me to the northeast. We went to NYC, to parts of new jersey, to see the liberty bell and visit the smithsonian. I saw "The King and I" with Lou Diamond Phillips and we went to the Rainbow Room and I got my first manicure and I saw the Air & Space Museum and LOVED it. Seeing that snow globe makes me smile every.single.time.
5. mooooooo cow creamer. I bought this 'cause I thought it was adorable and hilarious. (and see my frankoma elephant mugs behind?) this creamer? also feature on rory and lorelai's table on gilmore girls!
6. It is probably a bad sign that I'm starting to forget where things came from. but that shot glass on the left is from katie & taylor--they brought it back from ireland for me! the blue compote is from our stop in vermont on antique row or whatever they call it. {I should probably blog that trip, huh? show of hands, who wants me to finally get around to doing that?} and that blue glass bird and green glass dish are both pieces my granny gave me!
7. this is not in my china cabinet! but I liked it. it's another picture of the paper flowers I made :)
something more substantial soon. apparently right now all I really want to talk about is things that are pretty :)
so, I shot some of the residents of my china cabinet in the lovely morning light a few days ago. starting from top left, going clockwise...
1. that's the compote we bought in selma, alabama. man, that was a fun time!2. my granny gave me this. it's a snowglove of Tulsa. See the little golden driller and the Tulsa skyline? is that too cool for school or what?
3. that lovely tray and punch cup? that is a gift from george & tonya! when we were in augusta tonya and I went antique shopping and I saw those and she said "shower present!!!" I got the set of 6, but they had two other sets of 8. I kind of wanted to buy them all, but I couldn't justify it!!
4. another snowglobe that sits safely in my china cabinet. this is of new york city, see the statue of liberty! also a gift from my granny--when I was 15 she took Anna and me to the northeast. We went to NYC, to parts of new jersey, to see the liberty bell and visit the smithsonian. I saw "The King and I" with Lou Diamond Phillips and we went to the Rainbow Room and I got my first manicure and I saw the Air & Space Museum and LOVED it. Seeing that snow globe makes me smile every.single.time.
5. mooooooo cow creamer. I bought this 'cause I thought it was adorable and hilarious. (and see my frankoma elephant mugs behind?) this creamer? also feature on rory and lorelai's table on gilmore girls!
6. It is probably a bad sign that I'm starting to forget where things came from. but that shot glass on the left is from katie & taylor--they brought it back from ireland for me! the blue compote is from our stop in vermont on antique row or whatever they call it. {I should probably blog that trip, huh? show of hands, who wants me to finally get around to doing that?} and that blue glass bird and green glass dish are both pieces my granny gave me!
7. this is not in my china cabinet! but I liked it. it's another picture of the paper flowers I made :)
something more substantial soon. apparently right now all I really want to talk about is things that are pretty :)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
"[I] fell victim to one of the classic blunders..."
~the princess bride
note: pardon the posting, un-posting and re-posting. for a hot minute there it looked like I might be stuck with this, but now all is well. though she did mis-measure, we all make mistakes, and the lady does get two thumbs up for customer service!
um, well, sort of.
so, this? this is NOT my wedding dress. isn't it lovely? and awesomely vintage? and wouldn't it be just darling as a wedding dress? if you said yes, then you have two eyeballs and know me well.
but.
despite the very, very clear typing on the post saying that this dress had a 38 inch bust, it actually does not. no, not even a little. as a matter of fact, it doesn't even have a 36 inch bust. nope, nope, it's more like 34. because a 34 inch bust is for someone who is, oh, a 32 B. Which I clearly am not.
and you know what? if it had *said* that? I never, ever would've purchased it.
so, this is NOT my wedding dress. and my classic blunder? going through the entire mental process of "do I need to lose weight? should I try to fit in this dress? do I want to spend the next 3 months starving myself and working out like a mad person? should I reconsider creating some sort of 'wedding diet?'"
and the answer to all of these questions is the same: no. absolutely not.
soooooo. I am going to go actual wedding dress shopping and *try* not to be snippy with the employees who suggest buying a dress a size smaller to encourage me to diet, or who want me to wear the value of a small honda on my torso for, oh, 8 hours. I am pretty bummed about this--especially since I really, really wanted a vintage dress--but alas, 3 months is not a ton of time, and I just don't know that I'll be able to find a vintage one in time.
on the plus side? now I know it's definitely not "me" it really is that the dress was mis-measured. and I can also show y'all the picture of the pretty dress. and I can now say that I know for sure that I want either a strapless dress or a vneck dress. And that I prefer strapless.
positive thoughts, icing and silver lining, Carrie. positive thoughts, icing and silver lining.
and bah humbug.
note: pardon the posting, un-posting and re-posting. for a hot minute there it looked like I might be stuck with this, but now all is well. though she did mis-measure, we all make mistakes, and the lady does get two thumbs up for customer service!
um, well, sort of.
so, this? this is NOT my wedding dress. isn't it lovely? and awesomely vintage? and wouldn't it be just darling as a wedding dress? if you said yes, then you have two eyeballs and know me well.
but.despite the very, very clear typing on the post saying that this dress had a 38 inch bust, it actually does not. no, not even a little. as a matter of fact, it doesn't even have a 36 inch bust. nope, nope, it's more like 34. because a 34 inch bust is for someone who is, oh, a 32 B. Which I clearly am not.
and you know what? if it had *said* that? I never, ever would've purchased it.
so, this is NOT my wedding dress. and my classic blunder? going through the entire mental process of "do I need to lose weight? should I try to fit in this dress? do I want to spend the next 3 months starving myself and working out like a mad person? should I reconsider creating some sort of 'wedding diet?'"
and the answer to all of these questions is the same: no. absolutely not.
soooooo. I am going to go actual wedding dress shopping and *try* not to be snippy with the employees who suggest buying a dress a size smaller to encourage me to diet, or who want me to wear the value of a small honda on my torso for, oh, 8 hours. I am pretty bummed about this--especially since I really, really wanted a vintage dress--but alas, 3 months is not a ton of time, and I just don't know that I'll be able to find a vintage one in time.
on the plus side? now I know it's definitely not "me" it really is that the dress was mis-measured. and I can also show y'all the picture of the pretty dress. and I can now say that I know for sure that I want either a strapless dress or a vneck dress. And that I prefer strapless.
positive thoughts, icing and silver lining, Carrie. positive thoughts, icing and silver lining.
and bah humbug.
Friday, January 08, 2010
the kind of thing that makes my day
so, before I get to that, a little preface.
for my birthday party like, oh, going on three months ago, my dear friends jennifer and nicole had people donate canned food to give to local charities. that was my present. and alllllll the food we collected really, really warmed my heart.
during this goings-on we also celebrated our engagement and I got three big bottles and two little bottles of champagne! I have some very fabulous, generous and lovely friends. that night I also bought my friend his first drink--here's gurdas with his first ever margarita! it was a margarita per his request! and of course, my amazing KDs. we took this after some people had left, so if you aren't in this, so sorry! I was too busy having fun to insist on pictures! :)
and that make-a-difference sign Lara made? yep, still on my fridge!
then, another wonderful friend of mine (not sure if he wants to be named) donated to a charity on my behalf as my birthday present! carrie=overjoyed!
and then yesterday I came home to find a letter from the raleigh rescue mission saying that yet ANOTHER one of my friends (a couple, really) had donated in my honor!
folks, I can't tell you how special this is to me. it is SO important to me that I do whatever I can to help others. I am so grateful that I have friends who would honor me with that kind of donation--especially one that serves the unfortunate right here in North Carolina, right where we live. The people on the street in this cold, cold (but not as cold as Tulsa!) weather. You are fantastic, incredible, inspiring, day-making people. Thank you for all that you do, from the bottom of my heart.
for my birthday party like, oh, going on three months ago, my dear friends jennifer and nicole had people donate canned food to give to local charities. that was my present. and alllllll the food we collected really, really warmed my heart.
during this goings-on we also celebrated our engagement and I got three big bottles and two little bottles of champagne! I have some very fabulous, generous and lovely friends. that night I also bought my friend his first drink--here's gurdas with his first ever margarita! it was a margarita per his request! and of course, my amazing KDs. we took this after some people had left, so if you aren't in this, so sorry! I was too busy having fun to insist on pictures! :)
and that make-a-difference sign Lara made? yep, still on my fridge!
then, another wonderful friend of mine (not sure if he wants to be named) donated to a charity on my behalf as my birthday present! carrie=overjoyed!
and then yesterday I came home to find a letter from the raleigh rescue mission saying that yet ANOTHER one of my friends (a couple, really) had donated in my honor!
folks, I can't tell you how special this is to me. it is SO important to me that I do whatever I can to help others. I am so grateful that I have friends who would honor me with that kind of donation--especially one that serves the unfortunate right here in North Carolina, right where we live. The people on the street in this cold, cold (but not as cold as Tulsa!) weather. You are fantastic, incredible, inspiring, day-making people. Thank you for all that you do, from the bottom of my heart.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
loverly wedding details
so, things are starting to come together for our wedding! since Christmas, Matt and I have gotten a LOT of our wedding stuff. a LOT.
and these little beauties are part of that! a lot of these are etsy finds, though all of the solid ones I found at salvation army or antique malls. the most special of all, though, is the pink and gray and mulberry one on the lower left. that one is a gift from matt's mother to me--it is the tablecloth she and her family used when they were growing up! it makes me feel very, very special and honored to have it! and it is SO TOTALLY FABULOUS!
a handful of these I will keep (and obviously one of them is the one from rosemary!) but the rest I will give away or sell--so if you see one you love, let me know, and perhaps later this summer we can make a deal :)
another picture of pretty things--more potential decor for our wedding! though, I have NO idea what to do with the bottlecaps--I just think they look awesome and go with our theme! but those flowers are made of wrapping paper from our shower, and that's a leftover champagne bottle with christmas lights inside! some or all of these will be gracing our wedding--and I can't wait to see it all together!
I'm also quite pleased because with the exception of the lights, I made all of these with things that I either had already or were on their way to being recycled! We got a lot of bottles from the NYE celebration (9 I think!) and we got the lights suuuuuper cheap on the 26th! (70 cents a piece on clearance at big lots!)
yaaay for inexpensive decor!
other accomplishments:
-we're making headway on the silverware (about 42% of the way done!)
-we've figured out about accommodations
-we've finished most of our wedding website
-and we got some favors done! 16 of them just need labels and we cleaned out about 70 bottles, too!
by the way? in like two hours from when I'm posting this? our wedding will be less than one hundred days away! eeks!
and these little beauties are part of that! a lot of these are etsy finds, though all of the solid ones I found at salvation army or antique malls. the most special of all, though, is the pink and gray and mulberry one on the lower left. that one is a gift from matt's mother to me--it is the tablecloth she and her family used when they were growing up! it makes me feel very, very special and honored to have it! and it is SO TOTALLY FABULOUS!
a handful of these I will keep (and obviously one of them is the one from rosemary!) but the rest I will give away or sell--so if you see one you love, let me know, and perhaps later this summer we can make a deal :)
another picture of pretty things--more potential decor for our wedding! though, I have NO idea what to do with the bottlecaps--I just think they look awesome and go with our theme! but those flowers are made of wrapping paper from our shower, and that's a leftover champagne bottle with christmas lights inside! some or all of these will be gracing our wedding--and I can't wait to see it all together!
I'm also quite pleased because with the exception of the lights, I made all of these with things that I either had already or were on their way to being recycled! We got a lot of bottles from the NYE celebration (9 I think!) and we got the lights suuuuuper cheap on the 26th! (70 cents a piece on clearance at big lots!)yaaay for inexpensive decor!
other accomplishments:
-we're making headway on the silverware (about 42% of the way done!)
-we've figured out about accommodations
-we've finished most of our wedding website
-and we got some favors done! 16 of them just need labels and we cleaned out about 70 bottles, too!
by the way? in like two hours from when I'm posting this? our wedding will be less than one hundred days away! eeks!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
two-kay-ten
hi there. it's taken me six days to say "happy new year!" to the blogiverse. and I think I'm okay with that.
but now? now it's time for resolutions. last year I said:
1. read more. (eh...not so much.)
2. continue grad school. and apply to get a real actual graduate degree. (I took classes, but no application. which might be a nice blessing in disguise.)
3. get to work earlier. just a little, but earlier. (I was doing great at this...and then I started working like a crazy person, followed by editing like a crazy person and doing school work like a crazy person. crazy people don't sleep much. therefore, no early bird getting the worm.)
4. get organized at home. for realz. (giant step forward here, if I do say so myself.)
5. stop buying crap I don't need just 'cause I like it. (again, improving...)
6. scrapbook our road trip to oklahoma and back. (did.not.happen. did one page.)
7. get more states. I want to have less than 20 left by the end of next year. (SUCCESS!)
8. in the summer, grow more food that I can eat. along with this, I want to specifically grow tomatoes and basil (yet again) and I have a goal of making my own mozzarella (http://www.cheesemaking.com/30-Minute-Mozzarella-Ricotta-Kit.html ) at home, then making a pizza using tomatoes and basil I grew myself. I might get extra adventurous and make my own cheddar too (I use white cheddar on my pizza) (no cheesage BUT I grew a lot more and joined a CSA-- yippee for me!)
9. keep on keepin' on with my photography. things have gone CRAZY in the last year--getting published, selling many a print, working with lux...wow. I have to take a good hard look at what I want to be doing, but what an amazing, encouraging year. I already have one and possibly two weddings booked, and a session this weekend with a friend from VA. I must say, I need to toot my own horn, yes? :) (I think I might need more horns! My worked was praised in the KD magazine, I got positive feedback from professional photographers, I got to do portrait & wedding work in three states and, most importantly, it seems that my clients love me! I have a fun photography surprise coming up soon, too! With my 6 weddings last year and already 6 booked for 2010, I am SO blessed!)
so, 2k10...deserves 10, yes?
1. get married to the fabulous matt. be as green as is reasonable/practical.
2. figure out about grad school. apply. let life decide for me. (post to explain coming soon!)
3. try to live based on the church calendar. (a suggestion from our pastor. I already waited to take down my decor until tonight because Christmas technically ended yesterday. We are now in the season of Epiphany)
4. always go to goodsearch before google.
5. craft/paint more. actually, no, I mean "be creative when you aren't getting paid to be creative" more. blog more. craft more. sew more. create more. just typing this out makes me yearn for a nearby hobby lobby!
6. be more active. e.g., attend the free yoga class on monday nights that is held two floors below me in my building on a regular basis. go for walks with matt. go to rockclimbing again. etc.
7. be a better assistant girl scout troop leader.
8. improve my financial situation. 2009 was a year of spending $$$ on weddings and many photography investments. I need to fully recover from it.
9. go on more dates with Matt. we spend a lot of time together, but only go on "just us" dates occasionally.
10. keep on keepin' on with the green. e.g.--after our wedding, take the "no shampoo" challenge for 2 weeks (and keep going if my hair behaves). there are more ideas cookin' in this head-o-mine, but that's it for today.
but now? now it's time for resolutions. last year I said:
1. read more. (eh...not so much.)
2. continue grad school. and apply to get a real actual graduate degree. (I took classes, but no application. which might be a nice blessing in disguise.)
3. get to work earlier. just a little, but earlier. (I was doing great at this...and then I started working like a crazy person, followed by editing like a crazy person and doing school work like a crazy person. crazy people don't sleep much. therefore, no early bird getting the worm.)
4. get organized at home. for realz. (giant step forward here, if I do say so myself.)
5. stop buying crap I don't need just 'cause I like it. (again, improving...)
6. scrapbook our road trip to oklahoma and back. (did.not.happen. did one page.)
7. get more states. I want to have less than 20 left by the end of next year. (SUCCESS!)
8. in the summer, grow more food that I can eat. along with this, I want to specifically grow tomatoes and basil (yet again) and I have a goal of making my own mozzarella (http://www.cheesemaking.com/
9. keep on keepin' on with my photography. things have gone CRAZY in the last year--getting published, selling many a print, working with lux...wow. I have to take a good hard look at what I want to be doing, but what an amazing, encouraging year. I already have one and possibly two weddings booked, and a session this weekend with a friend from VA. I must say, I need to toot my own horn, yes? :) (I think I might need more horns! My worked was praised in the KD magazine, I got positive feedback from professional photographers, I got to do portrait & wedding work in three states and, most importantly, it seems that my clients love me! I have a fun photography surprise coming up soon, too! With my 6 weddings last year and already 6 booked for 2010, I am SO blessed!)
so, 2k10...deserves 10, yes?
1. get married to the fabulous matt. be as green as is reasonable/practical.
2. figure out about grad school. apply. let life decide for me. (post to explain coming soon!)
3. try to live based on the church calendar. (a suggestion from our pastor. I already waited to take down my decor until tonight because Christmas technically ended yesterday. We are now in the season of Epiphany)
4. always go to goodsearch before google.
5. craft/paint more. actually, no, I mean "be creative when you aren't getting paid to be creative" more. blog more. craft more. sew more. create more. just typing this out makes me yearn for a nearby hobby lobby!
6. be more active. e.g., attend the free yoga class on monday nights that is held two floors below me in my building on a regular basis. go for walks with matt. go to rockclimbing again. etc.
7. be a better assistant girl scout troop leader.
8. improve my financial situation. 2009 was a year of spending $$$ on weddings and many photography investments. I need to fully recover from it.
9. go on more dates with Matt. we spend a lot of time together, but only go on "just us" dates occasionally.
10. keep on keepin' on with the green. e.g.--after our wedding, take the "no shampoo" challenge for 2 weeks (and keep going if my hair behaves). there are more ideas cookin' in this head-o-mine, but that's it for today.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
one more tradition...
that I have been missing...and that I hope gets here in time...
I know there are lots of good holiday movies out there--phrases like "you'll shoot your eye out" and "melikaliki laka is hawaii's way to say merry christmas today" come to mind. or the wahwahs of charlie brown...
but my favorite one of all is a musical. with a pig. and an old mean man who pinches pennies and wears a top hat. oh yeah--and a frog. Kermit THE frog, that is.
I couldn't find my copy this year and we didn't get to watch it last year. I miss A Muppet Christmas Carol. But mister delivery man is supposed to bring it tomorrow, and I hope he does. My niece-to-be is excited to see it too :)
Have a Merry Christmas everybody!
-post from my iphone!
I know there are lots of good holiday movies out there--phrases like "you'll shoot your eye out" and "melikaliki laka is hawaii's way to say merry christmas today" come to mind. or the wahwahs of charlie brown...
but my favorite one of all is a musical. with a pig. and an old mean man who pinches pennies and wears a top hat. oh yeah--and a frog. Kermit THE frog, that is.
I couldn't find my copy this year and we didn't get to watch it last year. I miss A Muppet Christmas Carol. But mister delivery man is supposed to bring it tomorrow, and I hope he does. My niece-to-be is excited to see it too :)
Have a Merry Christmas everybody!
-post from my iphone!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
mmmmmm chili.
now, let's get this straight: I'm not actually a big fan of chili. I have NEVER made it on my own. I don't really purchase it when I'm at the grocery store. I don't love most beans, and I must slather my chili with cracker bits and cheese to truly enjoy it.
except.
except on Christmas Eve. For as long as I can remember, if I was celebrating with my mom's side of the family, on Christmas Eve we ate chili. We always had our big to-do Christmas Eve--Christmas Day was stockings and the big meal, but Christmas Eve was a time for church, then chili, then sitting in my Grandparent's gigantic living area (which was really both a formal living area and a casual one, one opposite sides of the room) and opening presents. We'd take turns, the kids would sit on the huge tan floor-pillows they had, I'd usually play some Christmas songs on their piano and we'd spend time together.
and my Granny usually sent the kids on a scavenger hunt for something. sometimes on Christmas Day, sometimes on the eve. I can recall clues leading me to my sewing machine and a magenta footlocker/trunk (that I eventually collaged and took to girl scout camp and got rid of last summer), and I know that all sorts of treasures awaited at the end of that trail. It makes me smile thinking of them. :)
but anyway, back to the chili.
so, I've always thought it was a little weird that we had chili on Christmas. I knew exactly NO ONE who had chili on Christmas Eve. Goodsearch tells me that it's a thing people do, so it's not totally whack. But this year I learned how that chili tradition came about. Before I tell you though...let me tell you a little aside.
The chili thing is so a part of our tradition that, for instance, when I have celebrated Christmas at other's homes, I find myself craving chili. I was told that when my Aunt celebrated Christmas with her first husband's family for the first time, she actually brought a can of chili, heated it up and ate it at the dinner table because she missed her family so much. Apparently they thought she was a leeeetle off. But it makes complete sense to me.
So, this year, in telling her stories my Granny shared with Matt and me the tale of why we eat chili on Christmas Eve. As it turns out, this is a tradition that started with my grandparents. It didn't begin long ago and it doesn't have anything to do with the depression, or with my granddaddy's eating habits, or anything like that. Nope, it's time.
As the story goes, one Christmas Eve my Granddad called my Granny, who was working at a department store in Chicago (Marshall Fields, I believe) and said that he had invited some folks from his company over to celebrate Christmas Eve with them. My Granny was only getting home a little bit before the guests were to arrive, and she'd seen a recipe for Texas Jail Chili in the paper, and figured that was the only thing she could cook in time.
So she went by the grocery store, and well, fifty plus years later, here I am, knowing I'll want some chili on Christmas Eve. :)
I do not have the real recipe--I guess it's kind of one of the kinds where there are many variations. But I imagine it's something like this, except that she made it in a big pot.
ps: thanks Maria for having the Holiday Traditions contest!
except.
except on Christmas Eve. For as long as I can remember, if I was celebrating with my mom's side of the family, on Christmas Eve we ate chili. We always had our big to-do Christmas Eve--Christmas Day was stockings and the big meal, but Christmas Eve was a time for church, then chili, then sitting in my Grandparent's gigantic living area (which was really both a formal living area and a casual one, one opposite sides of the room) and opening presents. We'd take turns, the kids would sit on the huge tan floor-pillows they had, I'd usually play some Christmas songs on their piano and we'd spend time together.
and my Granny usually sent the kids on a scavenger hunt for something. sometimes on Christmas Day, sometimes on the eve. I can recall clues leading me to my sewing machine and a magenta footlocker/trunk (that I eventually collaged and took to girl scout camp and got rid of last summer), and I know that all sorts of treasures awaited at the end of that trail. It makes me smile thinking of them. :)
but anyway, back to the chili.
so, I've always thought it was a little weird that we had chili on Christmas. I knew exactly NO ONE who had chili on Christmas Eve. Goodsearch tells me that it's a thing people do, so it's not totally whack. But this year I learned how that chili tradition came about. Before I tell you though...let me tell you a little aside.
The chili thing is so a part of our tradition that, for instance, when I have celebrated Christmas at other's homes, I find myself craving chili. I was told that when my Aunt celebrated Christmas with her first husband's family for the first time, she actually brought a can of chili, heated it up and ate it at the dinner table because she missed her family so much. Apparently they thought she was a leeeetle off. But it makes complete sense to me.
So, this year, in telling her stories my Granny shared with Matt and me the tale of why we eat chili on Christmas Eve. As it turns out, this is a tradition that started with my grandparents. It didn't begin long ago and it doesn't have anything to do with the depression, or with my granddaddy's eating habits, or anything like that. Nope, it's time.
As the story goes, one Christmas Eve my Granddad called my Granny, who was working at a department store in Chicago (Marshall Fields, I believe) and said that he had invited some folks from his company over to celebrate Christmas Eve with them. My Granny was only getting home a little bit before the guests were to arrive, and she'd seen a recipe for Texas Jail Chili in the paper, and figured that was the only thing she could cook in time.
So she went by the grocery store, and well, fifty plus years later, here I am, knowing I'll want some chili on Christmas Eve. :)
I do not have the real recipe--I guess it's kind of one of the kinds where there are many variations. But I imagine it's something like this, except that she made it in a big pot.
ps: thanks Maria for having the Holiday Traditions contest!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
I think I'm being totally unproductive
and I'm okay with that.
last night I meant to clean up the guest room so people can stay there on friday and saturday night. (don't fret, renee, it has not returned to its previous chaotic state, I am just organizing and there's laundry in there!) admittedly, I did do a little of that, but I also did a LOT of tv watching. :)
I have also been meaning to finish a task at work, but, uh, the deadline isn't until thursday so I just don't feel so motivated.
and, I totally meant to start typing up things on ye olde wedding blog, but I haven't gotten to that yet. I did, however, select and purchase a template. and while I was at it, I got a new one here too. you like?
last night I meant to clean up the guest room so people can stay there on friday and saturday night. (don't fret, renee, it has not returned to its previous chaotic state, I am just organizing and there's laundry in there!) admittedly, I did do a little of that, but I also did a LOT of tv watching. :)
I have also been meaning to finish a task at work, but, uh, the deadline isn't until thursday so I just don't feel so motivated.
and, I totally meant to start typing up things on ye olde wedding blog, but I haven't gotten to that yet. I did, however, select and purchase a template. and while I was at it, I got a new one here too. you like?
Monday, December 14, 2009
"it's the best time of the year..."
this past weekend I went to oklahoma. there is LOTS to tell about that--and I'll get to that soon--but I learned that my family has more traditions than I really realized. we celebrated Christmas early this weekend, y'see, so it's fresh in my mind and since maria is having a contest that encourages you to share just that--well, here I go...
I'll start with my very favorite of all. When I was a little girl my mom bought some "Twelve Days of Christmas" ornaments. Usually on Christmas Eve, or now whenever I am in town, we sing. We sing the WHOLE song. We make up the words, hang up the ornaments and away we go.
here's the 2006 list
and in 2008 there was no singing, as there was no tree up.
and this year, we didn't sing either, but we talked about singing and laughed about years past. and that was a'plenty for me :)
My family is SILLY. As Matt and I discussed yesterday, each of the members in my family has a STRONG personality and "takes up a lot of space in a room" so to speak. So sometimes it gets pretty ridiculous. If Anna had been there we definitely would've sung--it's just not the same without everyone there...
Anyway--this? This is absolutely going to be a tradition in Matt and my house when we have a family. We will sing, and we will hang the ornaments, and we will laugh together. And I must say, I'm really looking forward to that some day!
I'll start with my very favorite of all. When I was a little girl my mom bought some "Twelve Days of Christmas" ornaments. Usually on Christmas Eve, or now whenever I am in town, we sing. We sing the WHOLE song. We make up the words, hang up the ornaments and away we go.
here's the 2006 list
and in 2008 there was no singing, as there was no tree up.
and this year, we didn't sing either, but we talked about singing and laughed about years past. and that was a'plenty for me :)
My family is SILLY. As Matt and I discussed yesterday, each of the members in my family has a STRONG personality and "takes up a lot of space in a room" so to speak. So sometimes it gets pretty ridiculous. If Anna had been there we definitely would've sung--it's just not the same without everyone there...
Anyway--this? This is absolutely going to be a tradition in Matt and my house when we have a family. We will sing, and we will hang the ornaments, and we will laugh together. And I must say, I'm really looking forward to that some day!
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
um, this always comes out wrong when I say it...
(sorry in advance!) but a couple of people have said this to me in person/email/on the blog, so... just fyi--in the field of engineering, a masters isn't a masters. not all masters are created equal. and not all masters will be worth something to potential future employers.
here's the thing: I have a bachelors in Chemical Engineering. In the engineering world, it is generally regarded as the most versatile and most difficult to obtain engineering degree. I'm not bragging--I'm stating the facts.
A while ago I hemmed and hawed about it, but I can't find the post. So:
I've already taken a kindagigantic step down in "potential worthiness of my degree" by not going for another Chemical Engineering degree. This isn't my opinion or my perception--this is also fact. Civil Engineering is great and all, but as someone explained to me, having a ChE BS and getting my Masters in Civil is kind of like buying a really expensive car and putting mediocre tires on it--yeah, it's good, and the car is still nice, but it could be so much better with top-of-the-line tires. But, it still gets you from point A to point B, so it's still useful. It could just be better.
Likewise, but to a greater extent--as I understand it, in the engineering world, getting a MA is soooooooo not the same thing as getting an MS. (I am NOT knocking your Masters or Bachelors if yours is of Arts and not of Science--I am telling you what things are in my field, okie dokie?) And that's the thing I was alluding to in the last post--I am just not sure if it's worth it to get a MA instead of MS. I do not know if my effort would be worth the reward. I need to find out more though.
I mean, I would definitely enjoy learning new information. But I also have to be practical--is it worth working hard (but less hard than I am now, hopefully!) to get my masters and enjoy it but have it not be worth very much? Do I plan on staying in a very "scientific" field? (I don't know.) Do I want to commit to even more years of school? (yes and no.) Do I need to learn more about all of this? (yes.)
anyway.
I guess I just have a lot to think about. But regardless, I REALLY appreciate all the comments and support and the questions too--it helps me digest the info :)
here's the thing: I have a bachelors in Chemical Engineering. In the engineering world, it is generally regarded as the most versatile and most difficult to obtain engineering degree. I'm not bragging--I'm stating the facts.
A while ago I hemmed and hawed about it, but I can't find the post. So:
I've already taken a kindagigantic step down in "potential worthiness of my degree" by not going for another Chemical Engineering degree. This isn't my opinion or my perception--this is also fact. Civil Engineering is great and all, but as someone explained to me, having a ChE BS and getting my Masters in Civil is kind of like buying a really expensive car and putting mediocre tires on it--yeah, it's good, and the car is still nice, but it could be so much better with top-of-the-line tires. But, it still gets you from point A to point B, so it's still useful. It could just be better.
Likewise, but to a greater extent--as I understand it, in the engineering world, getting a MA is soooooooo not the same thing as getting an MS. (I am NOT knocking your Masters or Bachelors if yours is of Arts and not of Science--I am telling you what things are in my field, okie dokie?) And that's the thing I was alluding to in the last post--I am just not sure if it's worth it to get a MA instead of MS. I do not know if my effort would be worth the reward. I need to find out more though.
I mean, I would definitely enjoy learning new information. But I also have to be practical--is it worth working hard (but less hard than I am now, hopefully!) to get my masters and enjoy it but have it not be worth very much? Do I plan on staying in a very "scientific" field? (I don't know.) Do I want to commit to even more years of school? (yes and no.) Do I need to learn more about all of this? (yes.)
anyway.
I guess I just have a lot to think about. But regardless, I REALLY appreciate all the comments and support and the questions too--it helps me digest the info :)
Monday, December 07, 2009
maybe I don't wanna be an engineer.
or more specifically, maybe I don't wanna do anymore complicated math.
let's get this straight. I looooooove math. I love it. I love all math. except for calc 1, 2, 3 and differential equations. numerical methods? love it. laplace transforms? okay, I love those too (even though they're calculus--but in my defense, they're like a puzzle!) I think geometry is great and algebra is kind of my favorite ever.
but engineering math? it kills me. it makes me cry. it is torture. I am BAD at it. integrals? derivatives? really complex equations? um, no thank you.
I learned this in college. I was a math whiz until my senior year in high school. And then I was introduced to Calculus and it ate me for lunch. I think my gpa would've been like .3 or .4 points higher if it hadn't been for calculus.
so. My brilliant fiance said to me yesterday "Carrie, I think if you could just learn information and not have to do the math, this whole online degree thing would be a breeze."
I think he's right.
I then recalled how much I hated math in college.
and then I remembered that if I keep going on this engineering masters I will have to do more math. a whole math class.
that gives me the heeby jeebies.
I was also thinking about courses I like and courses I don't like. I liked my Pollution Prevention, Air Pollution Control and Air Quality Engineering classes. Thermo gave me migraines, Material Science made me crazy and this Water class is taking away my will to live (it's just an expression, people, fret not).
So...analytical Carrie said "what do these classes have that these others do not?" And the answer is that they had a LOT more information and a LOT less calculation. I mean, yeah, I had homeworks for all three. Some involving calcs. But they weren't calculus and they weren't rocket science. I feel like this water class is rocket science. Material science just does not compute in my brain. And I can do online courses if they have books, or the notes are good, or they aren't explaining an excel worksheet and videoing the professor but not the board.
and really? really??? I should've thought about what happened to me in undergrad. I made it through and got my degree, but I worked my ASS off to get it. So maybe an actual engineering degree isn't for me. And maybe this is the wake-up call I needed.
maybe.
I have found some envir0nmental stud!es programs that look promising. All online, all info and not focused on math. It's a MA, not an MS, but I actually think I'm totally okay with that. I mean, I can take a class in sustainable development! " The interdisciplinary study of a conceptual framework for development that recognizes the interlocking nature of environmental, economic, and social conditions: degradation in any one of these areas weakens the sustainability of the others. " that sounds SO COOL to me.
will I do this? I have no idea.
but I'm at least going to look into it.
I mean, some of my classes will probably transfer. and it's about the same cost. and it is a real-life-school, not an "online only university."
so we'll see.
I'll let you know.
I also figure, I already have one engineering degree--do I really need two? Yeah, perhaps not :)
let's get this straight. I looooooove math. I love it. I love all math. except for calc 1, 2, 3 and differential equations. numerical methods? love it. laplace transforms? okay, I love those too (even though they're calculus--but in my defense, they're like a puzzle!) I think geometry is great and algebra is kind of my favorite ever.
but engineering math? it kills me. it makes me cry. it is torture. I am BAD at it. integrals? derivatives? really complex equations? um, no thank you.
I learned this in college. I was a math whiz until my senior year in high school. And then I was introduced to Calculus and it ate me for lunch. I think my gpa would've been like .3 or .4 points higher if it hadn't been for calculus.
so. My brilliant fiance said to me yesterday "Carrie, I think if you could just learn information and not have to do the math, this whole online degree thing would be a breeze."
I think he's right.
I then recalled how much I hated math in college.
and then I remembered that if I keep going on this engineering masters I will have to do more math. a whole math class.
that gives me the heeby jeebies.
I was also thinking about courses I like and courses I don't like. I liked my Pollution Prevention, Air Pollution Control and Air Quality Engineering classes. Thermo gave me migraines, Material Science made me crazy and this Water class is taking away my will to live (it's just an expression, people, fret not).
So...analytical Carrie said "what do these classes have that these others do not?" And the answer is that they had a LOT more information and a LOT less calculation. I mean, yeah, I had homeworks for all three. Some involving calcs. But they weren't calculus and they weren't rocket science. I feel like this water class is rocket science. Material science just does not compute in my brain. And I can do online courses if they have books, or the notes are good, or they aren't explaining an excel worksheet and videoing the professor but not the board.
and really? really??? I should've thought about what happened to me in undergrad. I made it through and got my degree, but I worked my ASS off to get it. So maybe an actual engineering degree isn't for me. And maybe this is the wake-up call I needed.
maybe.
I have found some envir0nmental stud!es programs that look promising. All online, all info and not focused on math. It's a MA, not an MS, but I actually think I'm totally okay with that. I mean, I can take a class in sustainable development! " The interdisciplinary study of a conceptual framework for development that recognizes the interlocking nature of environmental, economic, and social conditions: degradation in any one of these areas weakens the sustainability of the others. " that sounds SO COOL to me.
will I do this? I have no idea.
but I'm at least going to look into it.
I mean, some of my classes will probably transfer. and it's about the same cost. and it is a real-life-school, not an "online only university."
so we'll see.
I'll let you know.
I also figure, I already have one engineering degree--do I really need two? Yeah, perhaps not :)
Friday, December 04, 2009
I think that God speaks to me in my dreams.
I mean, this wouldn't be a new thing--lest you forget about Joseph. Not that I'm a Joseph. But still.
You see, I've never really felt like I was "talking" to God. Communicating? Absolutely. But never talking. I'm a church-goer and a Christian, but that's not where I see God. Or experience God. Not exactly, anyway. (I mean, I see God there too, but that's not where I get the best seats in the house for seeing God, so to speak) I see God in the sunshine and in the amazingness of our eyeballs and in the perfection of the flower. In the process and in nature. That is where I experience God, too. In the amazingly detailed beauty and functionality of life of all types.
Is that a little unconventional? Probably. Possibly. I don't know and I don't know that I care--because I've come to realize that's how it is for me. Call me crazy, call it a gift, call it what you will. It's reality.
Kind of like my dreams.
So, I am having a bit of a breakdown right now. I'm feeling very overwhelmed and very helpless. Don't get me wrong--most of my life is really, really good. Matt is amazing! We are getting married! I have a fantastic job (even though I'm working my ass off)! I am making a difference in the world! I am overwhelmed with the number of amazing people I have the honor of calling my friend! My photography business is fantastic and growing!
I own a nice house and have almost paid for my car. I have a roof over my head and food to eat and I am a fortunate, fortunate gal.
but.
this is going to sound over-dramatic, but I assure you it's not. I have my final next Thursday. Yesterday I really realized that this final is going to make or break the possibility of me getting a masters from NCState. I did TERRIBLY on the first test. (lots of people did.) I was doing okay on the homeworks until the last two--one of which the average was a 45%. he's curving it. I will still be given a "F" for that assignment. yes, you read that right. An F. Right now I am guessing that I have a solid C.
we get our test #2 back today. I looked at the solution posted yesterday, and I am not getting warm fuzzies about my performance.
so, anyway, my transcript at State already looks kind of crazy. I got a C in a material science class that I HATED. the one that convinced me it wasn't for me. So that's already a HUGE black mark even though that class wouldn't transfer in even if I'd made an A+ in it.
if I don't ace the final and get a B or higher (B- won't cut it) I am pretty sure that they won't let me in. and aceing the final isn't exactly feasible--obviously I don't know the material. there is not a book I can re-read. there aren't even good notes.
so. I kind of freaked out yesterday when the full impact of this situation hit me. I might've cried on and off for, um, hours. I realized that it is my JOB that is making this so hard. I am very capable. But when I'm working 10-12 hour days, grad school is kind of impossible.
I mean, I'm trying to make time. I told my boss I couldn't keep this up. I found some help with photo editing. I've started making Matt get or make dinner, like, three times a week. I've hired someone to clean my house. I've tried SO hard. but it's just not enough. it's never enough, it seems.
anyway.
yesterday I decided a few things:
1. I will apply to grad school this December.
2. Maybe it is okay not to get my masters right now. Or ever.
3. Alea iacta est. The die is cast. What is done cannot be undone. It is what it is.
I was still kind of freaking out about it. I mean, I don't DO the whole quitting thing. It's just not in my blood or in my heart. but...well...alea iacta est. So if I get in? I get it in. I get my masters in Civil Engineering. If I don't get in? I don't get in. So be it. Maybe I'll find somewhere else to go. Maybe I won't go at all. But what's done is done.
now, to the dream.
last night, even though I only slept for 6 hours I had three different dreams. I can only remember one of them, but I remember it SO vividly. [warning, this sounds kind of gross] a small beetle was on my stomach, and it was coming out of the little hole/owie it had made where it bit me. it was teeeeeny tiny, smaller around than a pencil eraser. and I saw a flash of green when the light hit it.
so, I looked it up.
I didn't know it in my dream, but once I saw a picture, I am certain that it was a small scarab beetle. "To see a scarab in your dream, symbolizes your ability to survive, adapt, and change. You are on the right path. You may also feel that your values and beliefs are being compromised."
It bit my stomach, right? To see your abdomen in a dream, refers to your natural instincts and repressed emotions. There is something in your real life that you "cannot stomach" or have difficulties accepting. You need to get it out of your system.To dream that you abdomen is exposed, signifies trust and vulnerability. To see your own stomach in your dream, suggests the beginning of new changes in your life. It may refer to your difficulties with accepting these changes. It is also indicative of how you can no longer tolerate or put up with a particular situation, relationship, or person.
And since it bit me...To dream that you are being bitten, represents your vulnerability regarding some unresolved issues or emotions. You may be pestered by a problem or obstacle.The dream may also be a metaphor indicating that you have bitten off more than you chew. Perhaps you have have too much to handle.
uh, yeah. you get that? I did.
I actually felt very comforted by this dream. (yes, comforted by a dream about a scarab beetle biting my stomach) It was kind of like an "it's all gonna be okay Carrie. Pinkie swear. There, there. There's a method in the madness, I promise. Now, keep on trucking, okay?"
so. maybe the masters isn't my path.
maybe this particular masters isn't my path.
or, maybe it is my path.
but right now? right now I'm right.where.I.need.to.be.
the rest will figure itself out.
You see, I've never really felt like I was "talking" to God. Communicating? Absolutely. But never talking. I'm a church-goer and a Christian, but that's not where I see God. Or experience God. Not exactly, anyway. (I mean, I see God there too, but that's not where I get the best seats in the house for seeing God, so to speak) I see God in the sunshine and in the amazingness of our eyeballs and in the perfection of the flower. In the process and in nature. That is where I experience God, too. In the amazingly detailed beauty and functionality of life of all types.
Is that a little unconventional? Probably. Possibly. I don't know and I don't know that I care--because I've come to realize that's how it is for me. Call me crazy, call it a gift, call it what you will. It's reality.
Kind of like my dreams.
So, I am having a bit of a breakdown right now. I'm feeling very overwhelmed and very helpless. Don't get me wrong--most of my life is really, really good. Matt is amazing! We are getting married! I have a fantastic job (even though I'm working my ass off)! I am making a difference in the world! I am overwhelmed with the number of amazing people I have the honor of calling my friend! My photography business is fantastic and growing!
I own a nice house and have almost paid for my car. I have a roof over my head and food to eat and I am a fortunate, fortunate gal.
but.
this is going to sound over-dramatic, but I assure you it's not. I have my final next Thursday. Yesterday I really realized that this final is going to make or break the possibility of me getting a masters from NCState. I did TERRIBLY on the first test. (lots of people did.) I was doing okay on the homeworks until the last two--one of which the average was a 45%. he's curving it. I will still be given a "F" for that assignment. yes, you read that right. An F. Right now I am guessing that I have a solid C.
we get our test #2 back today. I looked at the solution posted yesterday, and I am not getting warm fuzzies about my performance.
so, anyway, my transcript at State already looks kind of crazy. I got a C in a material science class that I HATED. the one that convinced me it wasn't for me. So that's already a HUGE black mark even though that class wouldn't transfer in even if I'd made an A+ in it.
if I don't ace the final and get a B or higher (B- won't cut it) I am pretty sure that they won't let me in. and aceing the final isn't exactly feasible--obviously I don't know the material. there is not a book I can re-read. there aren't even good notes.
so. I kind of freaked out yesterday when the full impact of this situation hit me. I might've cried on and off for, um, hours. I realized that it is my JOB that is making this so hard. I am very capable. But when I'm working 10-12 hour days, grad school is kind of impossible.
I mean, I'm trying to make time. I told my boss I couldn't keep this up. I found some help with photo editing. I've started making Matt get or make dinner, like, three times a week. I've hired someone to clean my house. I've tried SO hard. but it's just not enough. it's never enough, it seems.
anyway.
yesterday I decided a few things:
1. I will apply to grad school this December.
2. Maybe it is okay not to get my masters right now. Or ever.
3. Alea iacta est. The die is cast. What is done cannot be undone. It is what it is.
I was still kind of freaking out about it. I mean, I don't DO the whole quitting thing. It's just not in my blood or in my heart. but...well...alea iacta est. So if I get in? I get it in. I get my masters in Civil Engineering. If I don't get in? I don't get in. So be it. Maybe I'll find somewhere else to go. Maybe I won't go at all. But what's done is done.
now, to the dream.
last night, even though I only slept for 6 hours I had three different dreams. I can only remember one of them, but I remember it SO vividly. [warning, this sounds kind of gross] a small beetle was on my stomach, and it was coming out of the little hole/owie it had made where it bit me. it was teeeeeny tiny, smaller around than a pencil eraser. and I saw a flash of green when the light hit it.
so, I looked it up.
I didn't know it in my dream, but once I saw a picture, I am certain that it was a small scarab beetle. "To see a scarab in your dream, symbolizes your ability to survive, adapt, and change. You are on the right path. You may also feel that your values and beliefs are being compromised."
It bit my stomach, right? To see your abdomen in a dream, refers to your natural instincts and repressed emotions. There is something in your real life that you "cannot stomach" or have difficulties accepting. You need to get it out of your system.To dream that you abdomen is exposed, signifies trust and vulnerability. To see your own stomach in your dream, suggests the beginning of new changes in your life. It may refer to your difficulties with accepting these changes. It is also indicative of how you can no longer tolerate or put up with a particular situation, relationship, or person.
And since it bit me...To dream that you are being bitten, represents your vulnerability regarding some unresolved issues or emotions. You may be pestered by a problem or obstacle.The dream may also be a metaphor indicating that you have bitten off more than you chew. Perhaps you have have too much to handle.
uh, yeah. you get that? I did.
I actually felt very comforted by this dream. (yes, comforted by a dream about a scarab beetle biting my stomach) It was kind of like an "it's all gonna be okay Carrie. Pinkie swear. There, there. There's a method in the madness, I promise. Now, keep on trucking, okay?"
so. maybe the masters isn't my path.
maybe this particular masters isn't my path.
or, maybe it is my path.
but right now? right now I'm right.where.I.need.to.be.
the rest will figure itself out.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
eco-friendly thanksgiving
this year matt and I have been out of town for at least 75 days. maybe more. that's right, friends. 20% of the time, out of town. no joke. Over the whole year that's more than 1 day of every 7 out of town. yeah. crazy.
So, we decided that this year we would spend Thanksgiving AT HOME. and we did. and it was glorious. My fabulous friend, sister, bridesmaid, fellow sustainable-living/environmental-ist and all around awesome human being, Jennifer was going to be in town too, so we decided to celebrate together, just the three of us.
which quickly escalated :)
we cooked up an awesome plan (excuse the pun)--we would have a LOCAL Thanksgiving. We thought: North Carolina is a farming state, I'm in a CSA and regular patron of the Durham Farmer's Market, Jennifer works at State, and they have a farmer's market too, and Raleigh has one, and the local Wholefoods/Earthfare has a lot of local stuff, right? We can TOTALLY do this.
And we TOTALLY did.
I made a little video of the fixings and tables and fabulous guests.
We think that if you boil it down (oh, here I go with the puns...) we were around 90% local. And we didn't skimp at all, and we didn't go without. We didn't have a turkey because all the local turkeys were spoken for or were, like, 22 pounds, which is far too much for 8 people and an almost-2-year old. So we had chicken and ham. So here's the rundown:
what we ate:
chicken, ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, beer rolls, roasted acorn squash, mashed potatoes, collards. we had pumpkin pie, apple pie and peanut butter pie for dessert, along with cupcakes. and there were sausage ballas and cheese and crackers for snacking while things cooked.
local:
chicken
ham
sweet potatoes
green beans
acorn squash
whole wheat flour in the pumpkin pie crust and beer rolls
milk
cream in the sweet potatoes and served whipped w/ the pumpkin pie
butter
apples in the apple pie
collards
beer we drank (3 growlers from LoneRider--YUM!)
honey (in the glaze for the ham & in the beer rolls)
asiago cheese
farmer's cheese
carolina moon cheese
sausage in the sausage balls
what wasn't local:
all of the peanut butter pie
the cupcakes
the mashed potatoes (potatoes aren't in season now, which was news to me!)
the canned pumpkin (could've gotten a local pumpkin and cooked it down. not that hard core!)
all spices
the yeast in the rolls
sugar
the bread in the stuffing
the crackers for the cheese
flour in the apple pie crust
the wine (our nearest winery only makes sweet sweet wines)
orange juice in the sweet potatoes
cheese and bisquick in the sausage balls
and the beer in the beer rolls (we had Smashed Pumpkin from our trip to Shipyard (which whoa I've yet to blog!) and some Boulevard Wheat we brought from OK)
Now, although those lists are pretty close to the same length, you'll notice that only small bits were included--individual ingredients. I recently learned that we maaaaayyyyybe could've gotten north carolina sugar, and if we had gone to another part of the state we could've gotten NC wine. But oranges don't grow here, and I just didn't have 12 hours to spend cooking down a pumpkin for the pie. And of those, one was leftovers from another dinner, so I don't really think they count! But all the meats, all the veggies except for potatoes, all from NC? And the crackers and the flour and all? WOW!
So based on volume? Well over 90%. I mean, there were only 3 of our dishes that didn't contain local ingredients, you know?
This was also the first time I've EVER used my china for anything other than a china cabinet decoration (and y'all know how I love, love, love my china cabinet). And, another fabulous thing happened too--I was fretting over the table decoration (seriously I had the craziest time finding a damn tablecloth. I needed two that matched. wtf? anyway) and I thought I had it figured out, and I decided I would have Matt take ~1 hour and make some tissue paper flowers for it like he did soooooo long ago.
Well, on Wednesday when my dear friend Karen came over for dinner I had told her she didn't need to bring anything, so she brought me flowers. It was totally cute and thoughtful!! Dark red gerbera daisies. Which went PERFECTLY with the red tablecloths and red, orange, yellow and gold tablescape I had going on. Loved it!
It was fabulous how everything fell into place. There were nine of us counting Luke--Jessica, Aaron, Gurdas, Nicole, Dave, Luke, Jennifer, Matt and me. And we knew everyone from a different part of our lives--there was a couple who had just moved from Houston that we met at Nicole's Halloween party, Matt and Dave know each other from HPU, Jennifer and I are KDs and Gurdas and I know each other from school. It was a splendidly motley crew! And we even watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving :)
Luke LOVED playing with Hazel (I really hope she tells you what he said while he was chasing her--it was funny and cute!)
Everyone was really helpful with the cleaning, and left at maybe 930ish I think? Luke was already fast asleep downstairs :) At the end of the evening while the last load of dishes were in the dishwasher, Matt, Jennifer and I watched some eps of How I Met Your Mother, enjoyed some more Lonerider brews and sat. We spent ~9-10 hours cooking Thursday and both cooked Wednesday night too, so it was much deserved.
And the only thing that burned or wasn't like it was supposed to be was our simplest dish of all--the green beans :)
And to that I say: my compliments to the chefs. Just 'cause I'm one of 'em doesn't mean I'm not proud of myself!! Jennifer and I had assisted with meals many times, but neither of us had ever done it without parents/family. but we DID. And it was GOOD. And we ate before 3am. And no one got sick! And it was a SUCCESS!
And check out our shirts--that's what we wore to cook. She's in the shirt the NCState students made for the farmer's market on campus. Mine is from the one in Durham. That's our chicken, green beans (before cooking!) and the sweet potatoes before we toasted the marshmallows (which was always my job growing up, and I must say, they were TOP NOTCH). I am SO proud of our local thanksgiving, so thankful to have been able to share it with such incredible people and grateful that I won't be cooking on that scale for the whole rest of the year :)
So, we decided that this year we would spend Thanksgiving AT HOME. and we did. and it was glorious. My fabulous friend, sister, bridesmaid, fellow sustainable-living/environmental-ist and all around awesome human being, Jennifer was going to be in town too, so we decided to celebrate together, just the three of us.
which quickly escalated :)
we cooked up an awesome plan (excuse the pun)--we would have a LOCAL Thanksgiving. We thought: North Carolina is a farming state, I'm in a CSA and regular patron of the Durham Farmer's Market, Jennifer works at State, and they have a farmer's market too, and Raleigh has one, and the local Wholefoods/Earthfare has a lot of local stuff, right? We can TOTALLY do this.
And we TOTALLY did.
I made a little video of the fixings and tables and fabulous guests.
We think that if you boil it down (oh, here I go with the puns...) we were around 90% local. And we didn't skimp at all, and we didn't go without. We didn't have a turkey because all the local turkeys were spoken for or were, like, 22 pounds, which is far too much for 8 people and an almost-2-year old. So we had chicken and ham. So here's the rundown:
what we ate:chicken, ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, beer rolls, roasted acorn squash, mashed potatoes, collards. we had pumpkin pie, apple pie and peanut butter pie for dessert, along with cupcakes. and there were sausage ballas and cheese and crackers for snacking while things cooked.
local:
chicken
ham
sweet potatoes
green beans
acorn squash
whole wheat flour in the pumpkin pie crust and beer rolls
milk
cream in the sweet potatoes and served whipped w/ the pumpkin pie
butter
apples in the apple pie
collards
beer we drank (3 growlers from LoneRider--YUM!)
honey (in the glaze for the ham & in the beer rolls)
asiago cheese
farmer's cheese
carolina moon cheese
sausage in the sausage balls
what wasn't local:
all of the peanut butter pie
the cupcakes
the mashed potatoes (potatoes aren't in season now, which was news to me!)
the canned pumpkin (could've gotten a local pumpkin and cooked it down. not that hard core!)
all spices
the yeast in the rolls
sugar
the bread in the stuffing
the crackers for the cheese
flour in the apple pie crust
the wine (our nearest winery only makes sweet sweet wines)
orange juice in the sweet potatoes
cheese and bisquick in the sausage balls
and the beer in the beer rolls (we had Smashed Pumpkin from our trip to Shipyard (which whoa I've yet to blog!) and some Boulevard Wheat we brought from OK)
Now, although those lists are pretty close to the same length, you'll notice that only small bits were included--individual ingredients. I recently learned that we maaaaayyyyybe could've gotten north carolina sugar, and if we had gone to another part of the state we could've gotten NC wine. But oranges don't grow here, and I just didn't have 12 hours to spend cooking down a pumpkin for the pie. And of those, one was leftovers from another dinner, so I don't really think they count! But all the meats, all the veggies except for potatoes, all from NC? And the crackers and the flour and all? WOW!
So based on volume? Well over 90%. I mean, there were only 3 of our dishes that didn't contain local ingredients, you know?
This was also the first time I've EVER used my china for anything other than a china cabinet decoration (and y'all know how I love, love, love my china cabinet). And, another fabulous thing happened too--I was fretting over the table decoration (seriously I had the craziest time finding a damn tablecloth. I needed two that matched. wtf? anyway) and I thought I had it figured out, and I decided I would have Matt take ~1 hour and make some tissue paper flowers for it like he did soooooo long ago.
Well, on Wednesday when my dear friend Karen came over for dinner I had told her she didn't need to bring anything, so she brought me flowers. It was totally cute and thoughtful!! Dark red gerbera daisies. Which went PERFECTLY with the red tablecloths and red, orange, yellow and gold tablescape I had going on. Loved it!
It was fabulous how everything fell into place. There were nine of us counting Luke--Jessica, Aaron, Gurdas, Nicole, Dave, Luke, Jennifer, Matt and me. And we knew everyone from a different part of our lives--there was a couple who had just moved from Houston that we met at Nicole's Halloween party, Matt and Dave know each other from HPU, Jennifer and I are KDs and Gurdas and I know each other from school. It was a splendidly motley crew! And we even watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving :)
Luke LOVED playing with Hazel (I really hope she tells you what he said while he was chasing her--it was funny and cute!)
Everyone was really helpful with the cleaning, and left at maybe 930ish I think? Luke was already fast asleep downstairs :) At the end of the evening while the last load of dishes were in the dishwasher, Matt, Jennifer and I watched some eps of How I Met Your Mother, enjoyed some more Lonerider brews and sat. We spent ~9-10 hours cooking Thursday and both cooked Wednesday night too, so it was much deserved.
And the only thing that burned or wasn't like it was supposed to be was our simplest dish of all--the green beans :)
And to that I say: my compliments to the chefs. Just 'cause I'm one of 'em doesn't mean I'm not proud of myself!! Jennifer and I had assisted with meals many times, but neither of us had ever done it without parents/family. but we DID. And it was GOOD. And we ate before 3am. And no one got sick! And it was a SUCCESS!
And check out our shirts--that's what we wore to cook. She's in the shirt the NCState students made for the farmer's market on campus. Mine is from the one in Durham. That's our chicken, green beans (before cooking!) and the sweet potatoes before we toasted the marshmallows (which was always my job growing up, and I must say, they were TOP NOTCH). I am SO proud of our local thanksgiving, so thankful to have been able to share it with such incredible people and grateful that I won't be cooking on that scale for the whole rest of the year :)
Monday, November 30, 2009
full thanksgiving post soonish
but today, a teaser.
on wednesday night I made dinner for my fabulous friend karen. after that I boiled the sweet potatoes and started to make my great grandmother's pumpkin pie. it was kind of scary as I was using whole wheat flour instead of the gold medal stuff, but it all came out okay. :)
and here are my kitty cats, helping me roll out the dough.
we narrowly missed an even cuter picture, which would've been taken just a few seconds before but gobi wasn't up for having his cuteness captured. right before this his little front paws were on top of the cabinet to my right. he stayed there for a good minute and a half, just stretching and looking at me and talking to me while I worked. he does that sometimes, just meows and meows.
I can't believe I've had him for six and a half years. such a helpful kitten. helps me study, helps me sleep, helps me cook. :)
ps: excuse the mess. that's cooking/haven't cleaned/more cooking/I like to leave things on the counter. ha!
on wednesday night I made dinner for my fabulous friend karen. after that I boiled the sweet potatoes and started to make my great grandmother's pumpkin pie. it was kind of scary as I was using whole wheat flour instead of the gold medal stuff, but it all came out okay. :)
and here are my kitty cats, helping me roll out the dough.
we narrowly missed an even cuter picture, which would've been taken just a few seconds before but gobi wasn't up for having his cuteness captured. right before this his little front paws were on top of the cabinet to my right. he stayed there for a good minute and a half, just stretching and looking at me and talking to me while I worked. he does that sometimes, just meows and meows.
I can't believe I've had him for six and a half years. such a helpful kitten. helps me study, helps me sleep, helps me cook. :)
ps: excuse the mess. that's cooking/haven't cleaned/more cooking/I like to leave things on the counter. ha!
fantabulously frugal
is having a giveaway. a rockin' giveaway. I LOVE it that they are featuring burt's bees and yes to carrots products--I read about yes to carrots in this month's body and soul and TOO COOL.
anyway, it's an AWESOME giveaway. go enter. tell them I sent you, pretty please :)
anyway, it's an AWESOME giveaway. go enter. tell them I sent you, pretty please :)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
so it's not like I can really take credit for this...
but I bet i was a part of the team effort. :)
in early October I filled out a comment card and dropped it at the airport in altanta. I told them their airport was very nice and all, and that I appreciated that there were lots of shops and food places, but that I thought it a shame that they had ZERO recycling bins.
this time around I saw this :) if you can't see--you trash, they sort, it's recycled!
-post from my iphone!
in early October I filled out a comment card and dropped it at the airport in altanta. I told them their airport was very nice and all, and that I appreciated that there were lots of shops and food places, but that I thought it a shame that they had ZERO recycling bins.
this time around I saw this :) if you can't see--you trash, they sort, it's recycled!
-post from my iphone!
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