Christmas 2013

On Christmas Eve, we went to dinner with Sean's family. It was a lot of fun and a perfect way to see some family members around the holidays. We usually go out for Chinese food and this year we held on to that tradition. I chose to get a little dressed up for the night and decided to wear this navy lace dress I seem to sport at winter events. It was super inexpensive at Forever 21, two years ago and I was pretty happy to be able to wear it again.

After dinner, we went to my family's house to spend time and open one gift. One gift soon turned into a couple :) and then we headed home pretty early to watch Elf. It's so nice to only be 10 minutes away! On Christmas morning, we woke up at 6AM (the cat's wanted breakfast) and then we laid in bed watching Home Alone: Lost in New York. It was amazing! Christmas between the two of us was pretty low-key (we did just buy a house after all) so after a lazy morning we went to Sean's parent's house for brunch and gift-exchanging.

In the late afternoon, we headed to my family's house for dinner and gift-exchanging. At both houses we continued our tradition of taking a group shot. I already love looking back at the group shots taken with self-timers. I learned that I'm really bad at setting up the camera for such shots.

By the end of the night we were exhausted! We brought in all our gifts and admired them in the kitchen. We decided to find homes for all of our new things right away so they didn't get confused with all the other boxes in the house. I have to say things are really coming together! We're so fortunate to have families so eager to help us out on our new home adventure. The holidays have been really good to us!

Happy Christmas Eve.

This is our Christmas card from this year. Artemis makes a photoshopped appearance on the back of the card along with our new home address. I guess you can say that it doubled as a greeting card and "hey, we moved!" announcement. I had a different vision for the picture on the front, but two uncooperative animals had a different plan for the day. We had a friend take pictures of us, after last year's very difficult two hour long photo shoot involving a self-timer. Yup. So, here's what we have. I'm very happy with it. Plus, the point is there -- Merry Christmas!

It's been exactly two weeks since we closed on our house. We now live in a world filled with bad wallpaper, a billion built-ins, older door hinges, and some horrendous wood paneling. But the size is right, the location is perfect and paint and fixtures can always be changed. Right? Right. Here are some pictures from the day we closed all of which were taken with my really older iPhone. The house is really cute. It's a cape… a typical New England home, if you will; 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, traditional first floor with a kitchen, a formal dining room, a formal living room and a family room. I'm just totally in love with it. 

We've had our fair share of learning experiences -- like trying to replace the older thermostat with a new one at 8:30PM on Sunday night only to realize the house isn't ready for said "hip" thermostat leaving us without heat in negative degree weather. Or waiting until after the snow storm to buy salt for the driveway. Or frolicking down the extremely cushion-y carpeted stairs only to totally wipe out and fall down the last 6 steps. Or leaving the screen porch door open during a snow storm. Or replacing 2-prong outlets with regular 3-prong outlets at night time only to be left without power in certain parts of the house because the electrical box is totally unlabeled and utterly confusing. This last one, by the way, is the reason for the lack of blog posts. Electricity around these parts can be slim… and the ability to use a 3-prong outlet is few and far between. I haven't charged by Mac, at home, in two weeks. Along with the learning curve, we're realizing why people who own houses are always so busy. There is just always something to be done. Sean's been replacing older items like bathroom fans, and tightening stair railings, and putting together our make-shift mailbox since the ground is frozen. He's been moving things and carrying things and I've been unpacking boxes and figuring out where to put all this stuff that we probably don't even need. I totally see how basements get packed filled with stuff. It's been two week and with every bin full of stuff that I can't find a place for I quickly ask "will you bring this down to the basement?" I'm sure it'll be this way until the outlets and switches are replaced and until the stacks of boxes are done. Then I'll be fixated on tearing down the wallpaper and painting all the wood stuff white. Then, hopefully, we'll be able to rest until spring time when the "outdoor" work begins. 

In between our Christmas shopping, which I started this past Saturday and finished Monday, we've been frequenting Lowes. Some days it seems we make it there more than once. It's crazy. But I'm happy to report that house shopping for the next few days will be nonexistent as we take in the holiday. I almost went to Target today to pick up some more curtains for the living room and then I thought… wait, Target on Christmas Eve? I don't think so.

I think it's safe to say we're settling in a bit. The cats love the fresh air, the change in scenery, the stairs, being able to see us outside through the windows -- the whole thing, really. In our apartment, our windows didn't open, they never felt a breeze… and the only "scenery" was 18-wheelers at the factory next door. Now, they have trees and squirrels and chipmunks and people and cars. It's a whole new world.

Currently, I'm nestled in my bed with the cats… watching Harry Potter. It's perfect. 

Happy 4th of July!

Clearly my wardrobe loves 4th of July; although, I need a little more red to go along with my white and blue.

Yesterday's packing looked like this...

... and the trunk of the car was already full? I think we'll have plenty of stuff for camping this weekend.

I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July! I'll be back at the end of the weekend.

My most recent date night has left me terrified of vacationing.

Over the weekend, Sean and I went out on a date to see Evil Dead.
I know what you're thinking, "what kind of date night movie is that?".
I am still thinking the exact same thing.

source

I was checking my phone for the time. The whole time.
Doing the math in my head like "okay, there's 40 minutes left".
I was closing my eyes wishing I could fall asleep.
I was staring at Sean, thinking about how many chick flicks he owed me for this.
[We decided on four].

When we left the theater, I did a run-down of everything I hated about the movie.
To which he replied, "that's how I feel after every movie you choose, I'm just not so vocal about it".
Interesting, you mean to tell me you just bite your tongue and tell me how much of a good time you've had with me?
I could shed a tear.

If you don't know what Evil Dead is about:
Possession, group of friends, and cabin in the woods sum it up.

source

Wait a minute.
I'm going to a cabin in the woods with a group of friends this summer.

Let's talk about this while possibly giving some spoilers away.
Don't read ahead if you're dying to see this movie and don't want me to "ruin" it.

When I go camping this summer --

I am totally out of there if any of the below happens:

The door to the cabin is busted. If the cabin we're about to stay in for 4 days has visibly been broken into, to the point where we have a conversation about how strangers could be inside.

There are dead animals hanging from the ceiling. A bunch of animals are dangling from the ceiling rotting and smelling? Do you honestly think it's normal to just go to sleep? No. It's not normal, it's sad and horrible.

There's a book of witchcraft wrapped in barbwire. A book in the basement with the dead animals on which, in blood, is written DO NOT OPEN, LEAVE ME ALONE.

There are clippers nearby to clip said barbwire. Yeah, I don't think so. I don't even have to go into this one, right? I mean, if it says do not open... DO NOT OPEN it. And if one of my friends did, there's no way I'm sticking around to see what happens.

Strange things start happening. Somebody in the group suddenly starts seeing a girl, and tells us there's someone else in the cabin with us. I'm listening, and leaving.

My friends start trying to kill me. Who actually thinks it's normal to stick this one out? I don't care if it's raining, I am not sticking around for the night with a plan to leave in the morning. I can't swim, but I would swim across a river. I don't care how fast it's moving.

I can tell you: 
this is what I will be doing during my trip to the woods.

- checking that all doors were sealed and locked and no rooms have any dead animals in them
- carrying my car keys with me at all times
- sleeping with one eye open

Weekly Recap.

On the blog:

Sunday: Happy Easter.

Monday: Want to make more money? Rent out your textbooks!

Tuesday: The grocery store brings out my serious side.

Thursday: A response to being a musician's wife.

This morning, I decided it was time to switch out my winter clothes for spring clothes.

It's only 29 degrees outside but I figure someone needs to make the first move.

And it's clearly not going to be mother nature.

A huge mess was made before it started looking semi-normal.

The closet was emptied, as were huge bins from underneath the bed and hall closet.

But I'm about to leave and it still looks a little disastrous.

In the same spring spirit -- I'm going to get my first pedicure of this "warm" season.

I'm excited to wear flip-flops... even if it means that today I could possibly get frost bite.

Ouch.

Happy Easter!

We celebrated Easter by making the rounds.
I feel like that's always the way on holidays.
But I don't mind it at all.

At my parent's house, we not only celebrated Easter but we also celebrated my grandmother's birthday.
I won't mention her age (I hear that's rude to do), although the candles on the cake give it away.
It was a beautiful day -- warm weather, great company and yummy food.
Here are some photos.

Happy Easter. :)

Happy Spring!

Today's the first day of spring. 

Since weather in New England is still wintry, it's hard to imagine that warm weather is coming.

We just got 7 inches of snow, yesterday.

Needless to say, I haven't put away my winter clothes.

But that doesn't stop me from online window shopping for spring clothes I'll be able to wear...

soon.

Gosh, I hope it's soon.

I'm done with the ice, the salt, the slipping, the sliding, the Uggs, the scarves, the heating up the car for 20 minutes, the seeing your breath when you breathe, the dry skin, the frizzy hair, and the static shock you get when you touch something.

Done. Done. Done.

The Oscars.

Usually, I go to bed at 10PM.

I just can't function during my day without a decent amount of sleep.

But last night, the Oscars didn't even start until 8:30,

and I felt like they were only giving out an award every 40 minutes.

It was slow-moving. For sure.

I was hesitant about Seth Macfarlane hosting since I rarely get his humor.

Except for Ted. I like Ted.

However, he was the saving grace in our house,

and the only reason, I think, Sean was semi-interested in the awards.

At 10, we moved to bed and watched the rest of the show on our tablet -- 

since, we don't have a TV in our bedroom.

Yup, we can get live TV on our tablet.

Don't ask...

Well, I thought I was watching and thoroughly enjoying the show...

and the next thing I knew Sean had switched it and was watching Stand By Me.

Say whatt? DON'T YOU KNOW THE OSCARS ARE ON?

I said, "hey! I was watching that!"

*insert a rude tone of voice and a 90's "duh!"*

And his response was "um, I shut it off 15 minutes ago. Go back to sleep"

:) so I read about the rest in the AM.

Let's just say:

Jennifer Lawrence was my favorite part of the Oscars.

Hands down.

Every time I watch her on something, I wish she was my friend. 

In real life.

via.

And then I saw this, and it made me realize that a lot of people feel the same way for her.

When I read that she tripped.

Oh, so sad.

I just love her more.

I'm sure she's consoling herself with her OSCAR.

Meanwhile, I fell at my high school graduation...

and had to console myself with a bloody knee, and lame diploma.

A golden statue would have been so much better.

She'll bounce back...

I mean, I totally did. 

;)

via.

Summer plans.

It's cold outside. So I can't help but think about summer.
I know I'm supposed to be living in the moment but sometimes snowy days and wintry mix nights leave you dreaming of warm sunshine and weather that allows you to wear less than a parka and Uggs.
Mmmhmm.

I'm especially excited because we've just finalized our summer vacations.
I've mentioned before that my idea of a vacation is a little different than Sean's.
I like cities, main attractions, hotel chains, fancy restaurants...
Sean likes the middle of nowhere, off the beaten path, sleeping under the stars, cooking by the fire...

See? To each their own.

This summer we have a little bit of both planned:

via.

I could not be more excited for July to come. :)

Happy Superbowl Sunday.

via.

I've developed a football crush.

via.

We're watching the game, and we don't even know why.

I enjoy seeing people achieve their dreams.

Even if it has to do with sports.

It makes me sad to know that some will go home sad and defeated.

But happy to know that others will feel a sense of pride, enjoyment and fulfillment.

It's bittersweet.

Weekly Recap & hello February.

On the blog:

Monday: Happy Birthday to the first man I ever knew.

Tuesday: Enjoying the present.

Thursday: It's all about the money, honey.

I got a few questions on the blog and facebook regarding Thursday's post about money. 

I find that ironic since I don't necessarily consider myself good with money as much as I am cheap.

But I'm thinking about doing a post in the up-coming week answering said questions.

Should be interesting!

Also this week we said goodbye to January and welcomed February.

It's always exciting to welcome a new year but once January is over it's amazing to notice how quickly and easily we fell into that new year. It happens every time!

So in the first month of 2013 we got a facebook page and made a blogger button.

Revealed my success at last year's resolutions.

Went to dinner with family, celebrated Three Kings Day and my dad's birthday.  

Showed our home on the blog here, here, here, and here. 

Had date nights with Sean and received flowers at work.

Got really sick, almost died, and fell hard. 

I revealed facts about me and Sean launched his new band.

We also booked our first summer vacation (details to come), 

spent every Sunday night with family,

celebrated Sean's brother's birthday,

hung out with friends,

saw many, many movies,

and spent all our spare time with our favorite feline.

Happy February!

I'd make goals, but it's too cold to do anything extra.

Maybe once spring comes, I'll be more up for accomplishing things. 

:)

The great fall.

Sometimes really embarrassing things happen to me.

Sometimes really painful, embarrassing things happen to me.

So, I figure... why not blog about them?

Take last week, Thursday to be exact.

It was 6AM. Totally dark, totally frigid.

I was walking to my car, completed bundled, 

carrying 3 bags full of things that I probably didn't need to bring to work.

The ground was apparently covered with black ice.

And I was walking so carefully, so cautiously, so slowly.

I got downstairs, down the hallway, through the "courtyard", down the steps, across the parking lot...

And to the car that was parked RIGHT NEXT TO MY CAR,

and suddenly it happened.

My feet did that sort of "running thing" where they are trying to find balance and safety but the ground seems to be moving on them?

That sort of "two-stepping" that doesn't look fancy, and just makes it harder to stand?

And, then... the worst part.

I completely fell.

And not just a slip or a trip.

I mean a full blown, up in the air, slamming down on my backside so that every inch of my body hit the ground at the same time.

From my head to the heels of my feet.

Nothing caught my fall. 

Not my elbows, not my arms... no part of my body risked itself for another.

via.

So, I just laid there.

Beside the back tires of a Ford Ranger.

On the ground. In the middle of a dark parking lot.

When I realized what happened, I tried to get up...

Shamed and saddened.

Annoyed that no one was there to help, but relieved no one witnessed my fall.

I was no longer carrying my car keys that I originally had in my hands.

I sat up looked around and realized they, too, had landed on the black ice and slid down the hill of the parking lot.

Not being able to stand... 

I did what anyone in my situation would do.

I crawled on my hands and knees... on the black ice... 

in the middle of the dark parking lot.. and retrieved my keys.

Only to drag myself back up the hill, to my car, and drive in traffic to work.

Perfect morning, huh?

Luckily my iPhone survived the fall. 

My can of coke did not.

Yup,

And my back still hurts.

So, I think it's safe to say I'm losing the game between myself and Winter 2013.

Mother Nature tried to kill me.

This morning I was watching the children in my classroom play outside at recess. I normally do this and I don't really give it much thought. Today was slightly different because... it was snowing.

They were running and jumping, leaping and falling, making snow angels and sliding down the slide. The looks on their faces were looks of pure joy. And in lots of ways it makes sense. These kids are little. Some only 3 years old. It's a new experience. It's a fun experience. They may not remember snow from last season. And they certainly have not played in the snow with their friends from this year, yet.

Their screams were full of positive energy and I envied them.

Because on my end... this morning, I thought I was going to die.

Now, I'm not being dramatic. I really, whole-heartily, 100% thought I was done. 

First off, let me say, I hate driving. Hate it. Hate. It. It's not for me.

Add in a snowstorm? Oh.my.god.

I woke up feeling good about myself. Feeling a lot better than yesterday since my antibiotics must have kicked in. I cleaned off my car which isn't fun but the snow was light and fluffy and full of life.

I started driving and that's where it all went wrong.

I realized that the snow wasn't full of life and instead was trying to kill me.

We live in a town that seems to be at the bottom of hills. 

Which means, any direction I go to get out of this town... I need to go uphill. 

I work about 40 minutes from where we live. Which means, I was in for an even longer ride this morning.

I was trying to get uphill and the car had a little trouble. But I just kept on singing Ed Sheeran and hoping for the best. What else could I do?

Then... another hill. A little more slippery... more skids... more thoughts of "hmm... this isn't good".

I had to shut off the radio. You know it's serious when you can't listen to music.

But then... my favorite part. [enter sarcasm]. Going downhill.

I watched for a split second as the cars in front of me slid off the road.

Into ditches and mailboxes.

But I didn't have time to stop completely.
And I couldn't turn around. 

So, I started and immediately slid into someone's driveway. 

My brakes made that awful sound that told me they were working their hardest but couldn't do more. 

I put on my hazards and just stayed still while the cars behind me passed.

Going fast. 

Just because you're in an SUV doesn't mean you need to act big, bad and bold.

I tried again... I began to slide sideways down the hill.

And not that fast slide where you don't have time to think about it.

It was the slow-motion slide where you know exactly what's happening but can't do a thing about it.

I think that one's worse.

I got control of the car and slid into someone else's driveway narrowly missing their mailbox and a huge tree. 

I put on my hazards again and this time just kept them on as I gripped the steering wheel tightly and literally just screamed my head off the rest of the way down.

Not just a metaphorically-speaking scream, either.

I mean I was screaming as if Mother Nature was trying to kidnap me and put me into her white van.

Seriously.

When I finally got to the bottom of the hill, which is pretty freaking long apparently, I did what any married 26 year old would do: I called my mom.

Screaming and irrational.

She told me that I needed to stop crying so my tears wouldn't stop me from seeing,

I quickly told her that I had no tears and that I was just hyperventilating.

After an hour and forty minutes... I got to work. Safely.

Texted Sean to tell him that I was okay.

And decided to reflect on what had just happened.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Perhaps the state of Massachusetts should treat the roads when they know [which they did] a storm is coming. The funds are there, use'em.

2. Maybe, just maybe, the plows that are out on the roads could actually put down their plows rather than drive around with their plows off the ground. Get some snow off the roads?

3. It would probably be a better idea if the salt truck was behind the plow truck.. that way the plow truck didn't remove all the salt the salt truck just released. Right?

I mean, it is New England. So while I should be comfortable driving in the snow... the state should know how to prepare for it.

The end.

A sweet gesture.

When Sean and I started dating, he bought me flowers. They were beautiful. I had been in Mexico and he bought them for me to welcome me home. It was sweet.

When I was bringing them home to my house, I placed the vase on the floor in front of the passenger's seat. Naturally when I was backing up the car, the vase tipped, I leaned down to catch it, hit the gas instead of the brake and hit his brother's car. In the driveway. Yup. I was that girl.

It wasn't a light tap, either. It was a huge ordeal. An honest mistake but clearly an embarrassing moment that is still referred to... "hey, remember that time you hit my car and practically totaled your car?"... "hey, remember when you crashed the car in the driveway?"

Yes, I remember.

Needless to say, Sean's rarely given me flowers since. And when he has, he's had them delivered to the house to avoid any necessary travels.

Well, this week he surprised me and sent flowers to my work.

The best part? He sent them just because.

Not for a holiday, or birthday, or anniversary. Nope.

Just because he felt like it. :)

Of course, inside the box was a note that said "please don't crash your car". I didn't.

And I love them.

...Apollo is learning to cohabitate with them.

Home Tour: our bedroom.

Since we've been here for a year and plan to stay for at least a bit longer I thought throughout the week I could show how we live. Or what we're working with.

Monday: our kitchen.

Tuesday: our dining & living room.

Today: our bedroom.

Keep in mind, interior decorating and photography... not my expertise. It's also rarely this clean, we love bright colors, and Apollo may or may not make an appearance in some of these photos.

So, our bedroom is still really plain. We need help.

But I have big plans. Or at least a vision.

Our bed is from Ikea, as are the nightstands. 

They may or may not be put together with wood glue since Ikea gave us the wrong pieces/tools.

I've overtaken the dresser and almost both closets.

But we'll just say mine is the closet on the left. :)

Tomorrow: the bathroom.

Home Tour: Dining & Living Room.

Since we've been living here for a year and plan to stay for at least a bit longer I thought throughout the week I could show how we live. Or what we're working with.

Keep in mind, interior decorating and photography... not my expertise. It's also rarely this clean, we love bright colors, and Apollo had a really hard time keeping away from me while I was taking pictures. So if you see something that looks like a cat sculpture please know we don't actually own those, and it's really her.

Yesterday: our kitchen.

Today: our dining & living room.

The instagram canvas tutorial can be found here.
The dining room is less of a room and more of a table and chairs.
The signed guitar was the guestbook at our wedding.
The canvas print above the book shelf is a picture taken from our Puerto Rico trip.
The canvas print above the fireplace is a picture taken on our honeymoon in Ireland.
Both are from easycanvasprints.com.
Go there now. They always have deals. And usually send you $10 gift cards as a thank you.

Tomorrow: our bedroom.