Pintrest Favies

I'm all over the place with my pins:

(via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Right Now:

I saw this list of things on another blog that I recently began to read, and liked the idea of taking a given day and writing about the basics. I think mostly because my dorky, sentimental self will eat this up months/years from now. I like reminders of specific moments, likes, thoughts that I once had. This blog has been perfect for that. I can re-read and remember things that happened, and remember them so well. It gives me a wonderful sense of connection to the little things that make up the big things that make up my life. I journal, and have for ages, but I think I allow for more structured thoughts/comments/memories on this blog, knowing that its "out there" should others stumble upon it. This also serves as a reminder to me when I feel like I'm kind of defined by being a full-time nanny and not much else, that there actually is more than spit up and baby giggles and snotty noses and cuddle times. That is, until its my baby's spit up and giggles, and nose and cuddles. Then yes. That is all there is :) 

So there is my introduction (wow). This is what my life, days, moments consist of right now. 

Reading: One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp 

Its really making me re-think the way I go about my day and how cultivating a spirit of thankfulness can make a huge impact on everything else I do and any relationships that I have. 

Eating: Black olives. All the time. Its like I forgot they existed (and that I love them) up until a week ago...

Planning: Furniture arrangements in our (hopefully) future house. And possibly an anniversary trip, if we could ever deiced on a place to go. Yosemite!

 right? am I right?? (image found here via bbene on you guessed it, Pintrest)

Listening: To this song. Still. I jumped on the bandwagon a little late, but have held on for quite a while.

Wearing: My cozy Christmas present poncho that my mother-in-law initially bought thinking it was a scarf. Twas a wonderful surprise as I kept unfolding it. Really. My exclamations grew louder and louder the more it unfolded, and then it got kind of ridiculous when we all realized it was a poncho. 

Watching: Season 2 of Gossip Girl for the first time. Chuck Bass. So...I can't even find the words.

Loving: This idea from A Cup of Jo. Meeting Miles at the restaurant for a date, rather than getting ready together. Honestly. I can't remember the last time that happened. Even before the "getting ready together"ness. He'd always pick me up/wait for me to be ready and then drive. I pinned it so I'd remember. I'm also still loving Pintrest. I don't think that will ever end. My organizer's heart is full of organizing joy.

Wanting: Apart from closing on a house...a general personal shopping spree. Its been a while. 

Confessing: As mentioned in "listening", I only finally heard Somebody That I Used To Know after probably 20 of my facebook friends posted it onto their pages. And at least 100 (or so it feels like) friends posted about Kony 2012 before I finally watched it.* There is something in me that steers away from watching/listening/reading/wearing the newest things. Someone else signed me up for facebook in the beginning because I was so resistant. I have a twitter account, but don't remember what it is, and think I've only tweeted twice. With about a year's gap in between them. I don't think I consciously shy away from bandwagons (that is apparently the metaphor I have chosen to go with) for any specific reason, I guess I just want to like something because I like it and not because everyone else does? I was so the opposite of that mentality for most of my life, but now I'm pretty comfortable with being on this side of things. That being said, I'm sure I also miss out on stuff! I know I miss out on music. I'm so behind that it kind of gets overwhelming? In high school I was obsessed with finding and listening to new artists, it was actually really time consuming. Then I went to a music school for college and was half intimidated by everyone's knowledge/desire, half burned out by it. And I haven't ever really recovered. Now that I think of it, Nashville probably isn't the best place to recover from that...So yes, I know I miss out, but I am also kind of okay with that. And always being behind. Miles really only listens to old music (as in 30+ years old), so I'm in good company. 

Phew. First official (superficial) blog confession over. 

Hopefully I can think ahead to have some pictures to go along with these in the future.

*Although I think the video has several really good points, I have some slight reservations about Invisible Children that I could ramble on about, but will refrain. But to be fair, I am 100% supportive of raising awareness and taking action--but the right kind of action, effective action... Yikes, I've begun to type and deleted several more sentences. I really could talk about this for a while, it leads me to so many other things, I love having conversations about this. But I didn't even intend to have an asterisked part of this post. So. Fail. THE END!

Wait, here  and here (opinion #4)  are quick articles to read to give a hint of my hesitations about IC. 

Womp#3

I guessed I kind of wished for a decision to be made for us, and it kind of was. Turns out that we would basically need cash for the renovations on that Victorian. And no, we don't have 50k sitting around in our bank account. I know, right? Who wouldn't have that? Pssh.
So it's the new house. I guess? I say that, now watch us lose that one too.

Its fun to dream of a house to make a home, but we're now on our fourth possible house. That's a lot of rearranged dreaming. My dreamer hurts. (boohoo, poor little me)

Womp#2

As I predicted, we were out bid on that house. So now we're faced with the decision of a great deal on a victorian home that needs super renovations, or a good deal on a brand new house. Risk with possible amazing (ah-maazing) outcomes? Or the safety? We think we know. But, gah! Why must we be faced with such decisions!*

*to be really honest, I am completely grateful that Miles and I are even in the position to be able to buy a house while we're still so young. We feel honored and blessed to have this amazing opportunity, whatever the outcome. So all negativity is just my terrible sarcastic humor coming through.**

** why did I even asterisk that last paragraph?


(Womp#1 is when we had to cancel our first contract on the very first house)
(wow, this post....)

Weekend, Beautiful Weekend

I choose to spend this Monday morning daydreaming about the wonderful weekend that we just had. Miles only had to go into work for an hour or so on Saturday, and other than that, he was all mine! One of the benefits of us both having jobs that require early rising during the week, is that while our bodies get to sleep in on the weekends, they still tend to automatically wake up around 7:30/8:00 anyways and we still have the whole day to have fun! (I'm also choosing to view that as a benefit)(And to also ignore that we can't seem to stay awake past 10:30 no matter how hard we try).

So we rose, still somewhat early, went to a wonderful breakfast at West End Cafe, I grocery shopped while he dropped by work for a hot second, we finished errand running and then went for a walk around Radnor Lake until we realized it was 4 and we hadn't eaten since breakfast. We wound up eating delicious TexMex with Miles' mom and then heading over to her house to help install a new washing machine, where we promptly tested her new machine with our dirty laundry. Ah, Saturday. 

The next day, we went to the early service at our church, met our friend Matty, and went house hunting with our Realtor! We ended up making an offer on a house that I would live in forever if our offer went through. But I'm highly doubtful that our bid will be picked, since a million people looked at it over the weekend and probably could afford a higher bid. But we at least put ours out there! And that alone is exciting. I'm not ashamed (but kind of am) to say that we went back to our new favorite burger restaurant, seven days after we first ate there. I mean, The Pharmacy is ridic. And Matt was visiting! We also found at least four other houses that we liked enough to have to choose between if this offer doesn't pan out. Which is amazing! And also stressful. Ah, Sunday decision making.

(aaand by this point in the weekend I was pooped. Just looking at my face here makes me feel tired all over again)