Crossing things off the list...

Whew, what a week! It was awesome, and I got to cross a couple things off various lists. I also did some fun things that aren't on the list.

First, last week during my 51 hour trip to New Jersey, I took care of #78 on my 101 in 1001 and met Shana! She came up to my hotel room and then we went over to a cute Italian restaurant across the street that her friend recommended. It was delicious. I had this amazing melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon. After dinner, during which we had a great conversation the whole time, we went back to my hotel and chatted some more. She even got to meet Mrs. ESPN (who scared the crap out of me with a sneak-up) catch a glimpse of The Clipper. When she had to leave, it felt like far too soon - it's amazing how just interacting through blogs, Twitter, and email can make you feel like you really know someone and be completely comfortable with them. The only pic of the meeting is one she took of me, and you know what I look like, but you can check out Shana's blog for my cheesy smile. It was truly awesome meeting you, Shana, and I hope to see you again soon!

Next, Dan woke up yesterday with some awful back pain. Not good... at all. But the good thing that came out of it is that his mom and I were able to open him up to the idea of buying a new bed. A little ahead of schedule, but the timing works. Our roommate moves out next weekend and my family (parents, sister, and brother-in-law) are visiting the 13th through the 15th, so having an extra bed will really work. We got a fabulous deal on a king-sized nice firm memory foam bed with cool gel. Also exciting about getting a new bed: bedding. We have great bedding that we LOVE for winter (and purchased in king size in anticipation of this purchase), but a down comforter just doesn't work in Arizona in the summer. We don't have anything but said winter bedding in a king size, so we needed something. So I spent some lia sophia money on summer bedding - t-shirt sheets at Dan's request, and a lightweight quilt in colors that match the overall color scheme of the master bedroom.

Also, I did a Pinterest product yesterday. My lovely friend, Kathy and I are both planning on putting together a display of monograms, and I had found a really cute yarn-wrapped monogram from Etsy that I decided to try out. So I got a cardboard K from Joann Fabrics which I wrapped with a thick cream yarn. I also used a tutorial I found on Pinterest to make rolled fabric flowers that I used to embelish it. I'll probably add a couple more fabric flowers or some other cute findings, but you get the idea. This one will probably end of in the craft room, seeing as how the purple will fit my theme. Oh, and speaking of the craft room, we pencil-lined the stripes, so the next step is taping and finally painting. I keep saying I hope for next week, but I'm really hoping we can get going on it so we can finish by the time my family visits. Anyway, here's my K:

Cute, right?

We also did a couple other house projects today. We purchased window screen kits and sun-blocking screen for our windows and Dan put them together. They block 80% of sunlight, and in an Arizona summer, that can make a huge difference on both comfort and power bills. I also gardened - we bought some seeds and I planted zinnias, marigolds, and some other kind of flower in little planters Dan made with bricks from the yard that the previous owners left. I'm sure they probably won't survive very long with the heat, but I'm curious to see if I can get them to grow.

So it was a super busy few days, but so incredibly productive and fun. Tomorrow, it's back to the grind, but for now, I'm enjoying the finale of Worst Cooks in America and hanging out with Dan and the pups.

Free Your Mind Monday

It's time for the next installment of Free Your Mind Monday. Thankfully, these questions aren't as lame as last week's.

36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil? Yes. By whatever design you believe in, we were all given a moral compass, and I believe we know what is right and wrong without having to be told which is which.

37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job? Yes, but only because I’d use the money to get myself into a job I love. I'd find a way to have my own business of some sort or use the money to pay bills that this job pays for while I pursue a dream.

38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing? I would absolutely rather be spending more time and effort doing something I love than do half the work when I feel only "meh" about it.

39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before? Sometimes, in some ways. Mondays seem to always feel the same. There is a lot of life that is consistent, but that's not necessarily bad. I know that today, like most days, I'll go home, make dinner, eat with Dan, chat about our day, cuddle the pups, and kiss them all before I fall asleep. There's nothing wrong with any of that. There are, however, mundane things about every day life that make it feel repetitive in a boring way, but that's life.

40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in? Dating Dan, honestly. He was so very different than anyone else I’d ever dated, yet I just had such a connection with him. I couldn't put my finger on what had me so drawn to him, but I followed my gut and my heart and it was the best thing I've ever done. I had so many thoughts about the guy I should be with, and on paper, Dan wasn't many of them. I'd glad I threw away my list and allowed myself to love who I love.

Happy (?) Monday, everyone! We had a great weekend in Tucson celebrating my mom's birthday. We had a fun dinner out, watched (er, I slept through) a movie, went antique store shopping, and just hung out. It was great. Yesterday when we got home, Dan actually agreed to go see The Hunger Games with me and it.was.awesome! Loved it. I thought they did a great job with the adaptation, and I can't wait for the other movies. Even better, Dan can't wait. He actually liked it and asked me in the car on the way home what happens in the next book.

So, I was reading Amanda's blog this morning and she recounted this hilarious conversation she had with her husband, and I thought I'd share a funny little conversation Dan and I had in the car. To set the scene, we were driving to Tucson and we were south of Phoenix in an area that's just an expanse of desert as far as the eye can see. I'm sure you all picture Arizona as nothing but desert anyway, so you're probably wondering why I would tell you there's desert in Arizona, because duh, right? Anyway, desert. And in the middle of this desert stands one single horse, which I glanced during an anti-motion sickness break from Angry Birds Space. So I got all excited and was like, "ooooh, a horse!"

Dan: Yeah, it's probably a wild horse

Me: What, there are no wild horses in Arizona!

Dan: Yes there are, there are a ton near Lake Pleasant and we've seen wild donkeys near Scott and Melissa's

Me: But that's like an hour from here

Dan: I'm telling you, they're out there. They roam.

Me: But, wouldn't all the wild horses have been rounded up and claimed by now? Is that a dumb question?


Yeah, apparently, I think there was some arbitrary time at which point the horses should have all been round up and taken in by someone somewhere. Anyway, it might have been funnier if you were there, because these kinds of conversations usually are, but it was definitely one of my Jessica Simpson "is this chicken what I have, or is this fish?" moments. And speaking of Jessica Simpson and horses, WTF is she gestating? A pony? She's been pregnant for like a year by now.

Okay, I'm done with the randomness for now. I'll be back later to free my mind.

Random Musings Friday

Hurray for Friday! What an exciting Friday it is, too, but I'll get into that in a second. Okay, or now....

- It's HUNGER GAMES DAY! I'm not one of those crazy fans who's read all the articles and reviews and brings arrows to the midnight showing (seriously), but I am excited to see this fabulous trilogy brought to the big screen. As such, Dan thinks I'm crazy. Imagine if I went to the theater dressed as a District 12-er. He'd really think I'd lost it. Anyway, I'm not sure when I'll get to see it exactly, but I'm really looking forward to it.

- Also exciting? Angry Birds Space. You may or may not know this about me, but I kind of have a serious love for Angry Birds. It's completely addicting. I've beaten the original version twice (which is probably nothing compared to the super nerds who post the how-to videos I rely on), along with Rio and Seasons (which continues to be updated, if you're not in the know). And now, they've introduced Angry Birds Space. All your favorite little characters with a sci-fi look and battling not only pigs, but gravitational fields and laws of physics. Awesome. Dan and I both sat in silence yesterday and played for over an hour. Bonding at its best.

- Speaking of Dan, he's got a serious case of the man cold. Like, I could have sworn I was sleeping next to a snarly bear last night.

- Also speaking of Dan, he's a serious keeper. I had a therapy appointment Wednesday that we'd hoped he could join me for. However, he got stuck on a job and couldn't make it. He felt bad, and made it up to me with a blooming bouquet of pink calla lillies, a copy of Cosmo (which he hates and I'll tell you why in a minute), a yummy dinner made by him, and an ice cold bubbly Sprite Zero on my night stand when we went to bed. As for why Dan hates Cosmo, here's an example of a conversation that exemplifies why he thinks it's all a bunch of baloney:

Me: "So, I decoded our hand-holding style. It turns out you're not that in to me."
Dan: "Where the hell did you read that?"
Me: "That Cosmo you bought me."
Dan: "Ugh"

- It's my Momma's birthday weekend! Happy Birthday, Momma! We're headed to Tucson tomorrow, where my mom and my friend Rachel are hostessing a lia sophia party. I'm super excited about it, and looking forward to spending time with my parents.

- Also exciting and related to birthdays, Clover and I are babysitting Mrs. ESPN's girls tonight. Since we have to go to Morristown next week during her husband and youngest daughter's birthday, she's taking Mr. ESPN out for dinner tonight and I get to hang out with Chatty and Bia. And Clover gets to come - I think I'll leave most of the child-caring up to her ;)

I thought I had more.... hmmmm. I might end up coming back to edit if I think of other stuff to talk about. Hope y'all have a great Friday!

EDIT: OH! I remember now. It relates to The Hunger Games. So supposedly, the trilogy was written and marketed to teens, similar to Twilight (which I haven't read and won't comment on, although 40 -year-old women being enamored with Edward Cullen weirds me out to a level I can't describe in words). I am absolutely shocked and amazed by this. The whole premise of the trilogy, entertaining and addicting novels aside, is horrifying. Kids killing kids, often with incredibly graphic description, is not a subject I could ever consider to be appropriate for children. If I had a 13-year-old, he or she would NOT be allowed to read these books or see the movies. There are just too many complex and twisted themes going on that I simply don't find acceptable for a young adult to read. I seriously side-eye and judge parents who are letting their children get in on this hype. I've said it before and I'll say it again, just because the trilogy features teen characters does not make it FOR teens.

And I will now step off my soap box.

House-iversary

I didn't mention it here, but I did on Facebook. We passed a milestone coming up on two weeks ago: the anniversary of buying and moving into our house! It's crazy how fast the year went by. It's also crazy how much we've done, and how much we've still got to do. Here's a quick rundown of our list of projects (crossed out = complete) since our move-in date of March 11, 2011.

Last updated 4/9/12

Living Room:
- Buy a new couch
- Art on the walls
- Replace entryway lighting fixture
- Install doggie door
- Replace porch door
- Refinish fireplace and mantle
- Wood floors (although Young House Love is making me think seriously about cork)
- Gallery wall

Kitchen:
- Paint
- Install fan
- Replace countertops
- Replace appliances - technically, we haven't replaced the fridge yet. There's a part that needs to be fixed and then it can be replaced.
- Refinish cabinets
- Replace sink - oh how I love my granite composite super-deep sink
- Replace overhead icky lighting with can or track lights
- Get art for walls
- Chalkboard menu
- Decorative apron hanger - it's kind of done, just haven't hung it yet
- Get a bigger kitchen table
- New: install base cabinets and countertop for workspace on back wall

Bathrooms:
- Paint
- Replace countertops and sinks
- Replace lighting
- Remove shower doors for curtains
- Replace large mirrors for single mirrors over each sink
- Monogram letters (master bath)

Master bedroom:
- Paint - oh, how I want to cross this off. Still not done though
- Buy a king-sized bed Completed 4/1/12
- Make headboard

Nursery/Guest Bedroom 1/Craftroom
- Paint Completed 4/8/12
- Build desk/storage
- Paint dresser
- Make pillows for futon
- Closet storage
- Replace closet doors with curtains
- Decorate/art

Guest Bedroom 2 (currently occupied by roommate until April 6th)
- Put our current bed here when we get our king-sized bed Completed 4/6/12
- Decorate
- Paint?

Yard
- Remove trees and shrubs that offend Dan in any way
- Install awning on front porch and in backyard to shield master bedroom windows
- Remove built-in brick grill
- Buy patio furniture - unfortunately I went the cheap route, so we'll be in the market for something sturdier again
- Plant flowers in front of porch wall

House/Garage
- Exterior and motion-sensored lighting
- Paint house - the paint has been purchased, it's just a matter of doing it
- Install front security door
- New house numbers
- Install floor-boards in over-garage attic for additional storage
- Install sun-blocking screens on East- and West-facing windows


Phew! I'm tired all over again just thinking about it all. It's really exciting to see how much we've done to make our house our home. Can't wait for what the next year brings!

Free Your Mind Monday

I don't like this set of questions, so don't be shocked by my absurdly short answers:

31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive? I think when we were planning our wedding and getting married. Everything was so exciting and fun, and had so much meaning. We were just so happy and in love and wanted to make everything meaningful.

32. If not now, then when? When the time is right. What kind of question is this?

33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose? What is "it," exactly. Because that changes the what I have to lose part of it. I don't like this question either. Next!

34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever? Often. It’s part of why I married him.

35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars? Because they all believe they’re right and fight over details, all while failing to see that the big picture they’re all viewing is the same.

Hopefully next week's questions are more fun.

Show Us Your Life: Infertility

I'd already posted once today and then saw that Kelly's Korner is featuring infertility stories in her Show Us Your Life series today. So, if you're coming here from there, welcome! This isn't an infertility blog - it's about our life since we got engaged, and infertility just happens to be a part of it.

Our story (the short version): my husband, Dan, and I started trying for our first child in April 2010, when we'd been married 6 months. I charted my temps to know my cycle and time our trying to the best of our ability. We had no luck in the first 12 months, which made us eligible for infertility testing. What they found is a progesterone deficiency with me as well as issues with my husband. We later got further info that I've kept private here (if you're dealing with MFI, though, and would like to email me about it, I'm happy to elaborate in private) that made treatment much more difficult. We were told we could try IUI, but that IVF with ICSI would be our best bet. Even for IUI, we'd need a vast improvement and that private little issue I mentioned makes improvement a costly balancing act (for us, due to insurance) and unlikely that IUI would truly be successful.

After weighing our options, chances, and costs, we decided that we were going to walk away from trying to conceive. We're not open to IVF (this was discussed even prior to our first RE appointment), and adoption just isn't for us (though it's wonderful for families who choose that route - we're not anti-adoption in general). So we've chosen to be childfree and make the most of our marriage and life together. We're not risk takers, and the low rates of success made the high costs hard to justify. It's not an easy decision to make, but we're confident it was the right decision for us. We're just thankful to be on the same page.

So technically, we're not going through infertility (treatment), yet we live it every day. We experience the same heartache and feelings of inadequacy that couples going through treatment cycles do. I go to therapy to deal with that stuff, and my husband, friends, and family are incredibly supportive. I identify strongly as "infertile" and hope to someday work to raise awareness and support for couples facing similarly difficult decisions.

To see my posts regarding infertility, click HERE

For some reading on choosing childfree living after infertility, check out Sweet Grapes by Jean and Michael Carter

Random Musings Friday

Hurray, hurray, it's Friday! Another long week. It was a pretty good week, but still a long one. I am ready for some weekend, people. We don't have a whole lot planned - I have a lia sophia show tomorrow and then we're celebrating our Irishness with corned beef and Irish Car Bombs at my in-laws' house.

- My mom flew to NY last night to visit my grandma and she flew Delta Airlines. Upon arrival at the airport, she discovered that Delta now charges $39 for a window or aisle seat. How do they get away with this? They have to fill the plane, right? So what if all the cheap (read: regular priced middle seats are gone) and someone refuses to pay (because according to my mom, you don't find out about this until check-in)? Then what? And what about people traveling with kids? My mom told me there was a passenger with her child that she couldn't even sit next to without paying $40 to do so. Ridiculous. I get that airlines are struggling, but this is a pathetic way to nickle-and-dime customers. Just go out of business gracefully, Delta. -- FYI, this is the first I've heard of this. If this is old news, please kindly disregard and move on.

- In less than two weeks, I'm going to Morristown, where I get to spend time with my friend Mrs. ESPN and meet Shana! Oh and I have a meeting I have to go to... an all-day meeting that will likely leave me wanting to lobotomize myself with a spoon. But I get to hang with Mrs. ESPN and Shana! Clearly, I'm excited.

- Yesterday, a package arrived in the mail for me from a wonderful friend, Kathy. We know each other through IF message boards - our (and by "our," I mean collectively as respective couples) diagnoses are similar except that just this week, Kathy celebrated the 1 year anniversary of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer by being cancer FREE! Yay, Kathy! Anyway, she sent me a really awesome gift - she found this beautiful print and decided it had Brooke written all over it. I'm in love with it, and I can't wait to hang it over my craft room desk:


Thank you, sweet friend!

- I met up with TJ last night for dinner. She'd booked a lia sophia party with me, which was converted from a traditional show to a catalogue show, so we decided to have dinner instead since we'd blocked the night off. Not making the connection between the closest meeting spot between us and a Radiohead concert in the adjacent arena, we showed up to a pretty packed restaurant. She was there before me and got a table, but as I was walking in, there was a large party who'd just put their name in. I overheard one of the moms say, "25 minutes to an hour? But we have kids with us!" Ummmm... since when does having children mean you get to cut lines in restaurants? This really isn't bitter me speaking. It's just kind of ridiculous and an example of how some parents these days seem to feel that the fact that they reproduced someone puts them above others. And they clearly weren't concerned that the wait was too long for the kids (there are other restaurants in the area they could have gone to instead if the wait was too long) because they were seated next to us as we were finishing dinner. So before anyone suggests that "we have kids, we shouldn't wait" was not what she meant by her comment, if the wait was truly too long, they had other options.

- I get to go to the doctor today for a blood pressure check. Fun shit. Only today is the first time I've used my new insurance, which basically now only covers catastrophic illness and one well-woman check a year. So basically, I get to use my lunch hour to pay about $150 for a blood pressure check. Yay!


You know the drill: have a great weekend and go visit Shana to see what's rolling around in everyone else's heads.

Free Your Mind... Double Up

I didn't free my mind last Monday. Last week was just nuts with work and I just didn't get to it. So I'm doubling up today and posting a whopping 10 questions.

21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Joyful simpleton. I've never been a genius, though, so I guess I don't have that to compare to. I do know I don't like to be worried or stressed, though, so to be joyful - even if I am an idiot - seems preferable.

22. Why are you, you? Because of my parents, my sister, my husband, my friends, my past boyfriends. Everyone I’ve met, and every life experience I’ve had has shaped me into who I am today. I'm also me because of my values, my goals, and preferences. I'm me because I'm no one else, simply and obviously put.

23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? Most times. I hope to improve on my friend-being skills. I'm not always good at keeping up with communication. I think of my friends often, and rather than reaching out to see how they are or just to say "hello," my joyful simpleton brain moves on to the next subject. I need to be better at acting on my thoughts to reach out and say hello, make lunch plans, or send a card to let them know they're in my thoughts.

24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? It’s more unfortunate to lose touch with a close-by friend because there’s no real reason. If someone moves away, I think there's more of an "out of sight, out of mind affect." Unfortunately, there's more of an excuse - you can't easily get together to do the things you used to do. So when you grow apart from someone who lives close by, it is more unfortunate.

25. What are you most grateful for? My marriage. First and foremost, every day and every night, I am grateful for Dan and our relationship. I'd be lost without him.

26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones? I'd rather not be able to make new ones. If I lost the old ones, I wouldn't have the knowledge to avoid making mistakes a second time.

27. Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first? Yes. In some ways, truth is relative. In matters of the heart, you can know your truth without having to prove or justify it.

28. Has your greatest fear ever come true? Unfortunately, my greatest fear to this point in my life has come true. I'm surviving it daily. I suppose now something else will in time become my greatest fear and I'll deal with that coming true if and when that happens.

29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Yes. My nature is such that I remember when extremely upsetting times. Five years from now, I'll remember this particular upsetting time. I won't still be as upset, and the pain won't be as deep, but I won't ever forget it.

30. What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special? I remember playing baseball in the yard with my dad when I was really small. I’d make him crawl around the bases so I could have time to retrieve the ball and tag him out. It’s special because it was so carefree, and because I think I knew then what a great father he was. It was just one of my favorite things to do with him, and thinking of it always bring a smile to my face.

Random Musings Friday

Hurray, it's Friday! Holy moly, it was a long week. It's the kick-off of our income tax season, and I am dealing with some royal asshats. I'll be having a well deserved glass (or two) of wine this evening. Anywho, on to my randomness

- I don't remember if I mentioned this here, but there was a poll where they asked people what they thought Mitt Romney's real name is. I admit I don't know it, or remember it, but 2% of the population polled answereed that they think it's Mittens. That means grown adults think this man is named Mittens. Like a cat. I heard this on the radio over a month ago and it still cracks me up every.time. I see his name. Mittens. Ha!

- I've become something of a hair product junkie. I switched stylists in December, and I love what she has done. She's punched up my color (a slightly darker and richer shade of my own color, so I only need it done every 8 weeks because I don't really get roots), made my cut fantastic, and shown me products that give me that big voluminous Southern hair I've always wanted but wasn't born with. But of course, being styled with a product for one day just isn't enough. So once I ran out of the stuff I had, I decided I would pretty much buy what she uses on me (all Redken). So in the last 4 weeks, I've gotten a plumper (Velvet Gelatine 07) for my fine hairs, a root pump (Rootful 06) that doesn't weigh my hair down (!) and a spray wax (Wax Blast 10) that gives volume and texture without back-coming. And, I sucked Dan in, too. His appointments are 2 weeks off from mine, and I went to his last appointment, and they were having a special on products. So I made him buy me a hairspray (Quick Dry 18), too. Yeah, no more Tresamme for me, baby. It's kind of sick to think how much I've spent on products (although the cost has been offset by friend and referral discounts), but I love my hair again after a long time of feeling blah about it.

- Kirk Cameron recently told Pusscake Piers Morgan his honest feelings on gay marriage. And he's being seriously criticized for it. Here's the thing though: what the heck did you expect him to say? He's an openly conservative evangelical Christian. I'm not saying there aren't Christians who are accepting of gay marriage or that I agree with him at all, but in general, I think we all know that many who identify as Christian believe it's sinful. I'm honestly not sure why anyone is surprised. What I AM surprised about is that anyone cares what Kirk Cameron thinks. I find it interesting that because he's a "celebrity" we expect him to be PC and open-minded.

- Kon.y2012. I'm not linking the video because you all are capable of Googling, but if you haven't seen the video yet, it's interesting. And everyone on my FB feed is calling to stop K.ony and buy bracelets to support the cause. Um, let me make a comment about the cause. The In.visible Chil.dren "thing" behind this has a website and if you read enough literature on the mission, they basically want to lobby congress to send more troops to Africa to fight and capture Ko.ny to bring him to justice. Here's the thing though, the guy has built himself an army of children (which I'm not saying isn't horrifying and disturbing), but he's still around, I'm sure, because he makes sure he covers his ass and is protected. Someone this wacked isn't likely to have plans to go down quietly. So to send troops after him essentially means sending troops to fight his army... of children. I'm not sure we've thought this through. I have a better idea: take all this plastic bracelet money and increase the bounties on him. You can't tell me someone wouldn't take the SOB out for a cool couple million dollars. Also, they've been trying to catch him for 9 years - my guess is this isn't as easy as selling some bracelets. But it's been fun to see how a viral video is turning everyone into experts on global issues. Hurray for inactivism (Heir to Blair wrote an interesting piece on this that's worth a gander).

- I may or may not have (read: definitely did) burned a baby shower invitation I received with a blow torch. It was a rough IF week and I definitely felt better afterwards.


Alright, I think this just about covers the randomness in my brain for the week. Go visit Shana and see what's on everyone else's mind.

EDIT: Now with product names!