Sunday Social -- Randoms

Well, it's been a while since I did a Sunday Social post, so I thought I'd toss one out there on this fine Sunday morning while I wait for Stewart to get off work. Then we shall spend the day together working on chores around the house, because we're lame that's how we spend our free time these days. Anyway, onward with the questions!

 

1. Favorite breakfast food

Any type of breakfast sandwich. I'm way more of a savory than a sweet breakfast person. But sometimes if Stew's been good I will make him waffles. Maybe I should get some of those started, come to think of it...

 2. Best way to spend a free day

Whenever I somehow end up with a free day and am able to just take time to enjoy it (rather than tackling one of my never-ending to-do lists), it usually goes something like this...

 

Sleeping in and getting up without the screech of an alarm clock

Heading to a favorite breakfast/brunch spot for yummy eats and a bloody mary

Going for a walk or hike in the fresh air and sunshine with my sweetie or a good friend

Grabbing a pedicure at one of my favorite spots

Lounging around the house or on the porch with a good book in the afternoon

Finally taking a long, leisurely shower

Taking my time to do my makeup and hair, and picking out a fun little outfit for the evening

Grabbing dinner or drinks or a movie with friends in the evening

 3. Airline ticket to anywhere in the world….where would you go and why?

Australia, because it's been on my bucket list my whole life (someday I will hold a koala in my arms!) and since it's one of the most expensive places to fly to from the U.S. I feel like that would be the best way to utilize a free ticket. Can I fly first class? Also on bucket list...

 4. You can only leave the house with one thing…what is it?

My iPhone. I'm totally addicted. But more importantly, it represents a way for my family to reach me in an emergency, the constant tether between me and Stew, and the ability to call my doctor immediately should Baby Boy decide that he wants to join the rest of us out here.

 5. How do you take your coffee?

With cream and two Splenda. Or, if I'm stopping at Starbucks, a grande nonfat chai latte. Not that I'm drinking much coffee these days.

 

Well, there you have it... A little Sunday socialization with yours truly. What are you up to this weekend?

Sunday Social -- Ringing in the New Year

In honor of 2013 coming to a close, I decided to link up with Neely and Lindsey to tell you a little bit about my New Year's traditions...

1. What is the best New Years Eve you’ve ever had?

To be honest, NYE is not my favorite holiday. I find the whole thing to be incredibly stressful and expensive. The cover charges to get into bars and clubs are ridiculous, and even if you go to a house party, it is inevitably absolutely impossible to get a cab home from any of these places. So you are forced to either stay sober or crash at someone's house for the night.

In general, the most fun nights I've had ringing in the new year have been when I've paid for a hotel somewhere. The one that comes to mind most is NYE 2006. I had been living, single and fabulous, in Seattle for less than a year. My very good friend Jeanna and I headed up to Vancouver, BC with a couple other girlfriends to celebrate. We got a hotel room right down the street from The Roxy, one of my favorite clubs up there. We drank a ton at the hotel beforehand to save money, and then used our pre-purchased VIP passes to waltz on in as only a group of single girls can. We were greeted by a live cover band playing '80s music, and we danced the night away, pausing only for the midnight countdown and champagne toast. And at the end of the evening we just stumbled back on down the road and into our waiting hotel beds.

No stress, low cost. Love it.

2. Are you doing anything for NYE this year and if so what?

Funny you should ask. For the past several years we've been attending a big shindig that our good friends host every year, but they're taking a break this time around so we're forced to make other plans. And frankly, we're not that highly motivated (I mentioned it's not my favorite holiday). I thought briefly about inviting a few good friends over to our house, but I'm hosting guests both tonight and tomorrow night so I'm not sure if I'll have the energy. Stew would like to go to a bar somewhere, even if it's local, and I don't blame him one bit seeing that he has a permanent sober driver right now. But yeah... we definitely need to round up some friends, I'm thinking. Old, lame ones like us who don't have any plans yet, either.

3. Name a book we should all read come January?

Let's see... the only book I marked with a rare "favorite" heart this year on my book club list was The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. Here's what I said at the time: "Oh, how happy it makes me when I discover an amazing book like this! I'm really sad it's over; I would love to be able to experience it for the first time, again." I've had another one of her books, The Forgotten Garden, on my shelf for a while now as well... I should probably read it before Baby Boy arrives, because I have a feeling he's going to be keeping me far too busy to read anything but Dr. Seuss...

4. What are your new years resolutions?

I don't actually do resolutions... I feel like they inevitably set people up for failure. It's just silly to sit down and write up a list of goals you're just going to end up re-writing next year, anyway. That being said, there are some things on my general life list that I'm constantly trying to work on...

Exercise routinely and eat healthy foods whenever possible.
Focus on the positive, not the negative.
Love others and treat them like I would like to be treated.
Smile and laugh every single day.
Adopt a "do it now" mentality -- no procrastination!
Read classic books from different centuries.
Cherish my friends and family, and tell them how important they are to me.
Invest in my marriage every single day.
Raise my son to be a happy, healthy and productive member of society.

But these are not just things that I'll strive to do in the upcoming year... they are goals for my whole life, from now until the day I die. I think everyone should constantly strive to be the best version of themselves, and for me these are just a few simple things that I'll try to work on as often as I can.

Care to share any of your resolutions, should you have them?

 

  Have a great rest of your weekend, everyone!  

Sunday Social -- I'm Thankful

Do I gush about my husband a lot here?
Even if I do, it's not enough.



 

When Neely posted the question for this week's Sunday Social, Stewart was the first thing to come to mind. Seriously, that kid puts up with a lot from me. And I'm so incredibly grateful for everything that he does, but I probably don't tell him enough. So here are just a few of the many things Stewart does that I am so, so thankful for...

{exhibit a}

He gives me no grief about having clothes, laundry and shoes all over the house, all the time.
It's honestly such a ridiculous habit, but I just can't seem to get it under control.

That's not even a closet you see there at the bottom left. It's the shower in the guest bathroom.
And those clothes have been hanging there "drying" for over a week.

{exhibit b}

He deals with all the finances for our household and lives. The mortgage, bills, automatic payments, insurance, retirement, credit cards, air miles, you name it... he's got it covered. Literally my only job is to collect my receipts throughout the month and put them in a folder for him to reconcile. It's kind of amazing.

Look at that nightmare... No thank you. Math isn't really my thing.

{exhibit c}

The cat. Or mainly, the cat litter. Not only does he deal with making sure Jasmine always has food and fresh water, but shortly after we moved in together he also took over the responsibility of cleaning out the litter box. I feel that there is no adequate way of repaying him for shouldering this disgusting chore. I don't even know if growing him his own mini me is enough.

You were terrified I was going to post a pic of the litter box, weren't you?

I could go through the alphabet three times and still never list all the things that I am thankful for about my husband, but it's all these types of little things compounded together that make him such an amazing person. I am such a cliché, lovesick girl for saying this, but I honestly think about my marriage quite often and wonder at how fortunate I am.

And I thank my lucky stars.

 

  Have a great rest of your weekend, everyone!  

Sunday Social

Hey kiddos! What are y'all up to today on this fine Sunday? I'm off to watch the Seahawks smash the Vikings (hopefully), but first, for a fun little change, I thought I'd link up with Ashley and Neely for their Sunday Social.

This Week's Questions

1. Name 4 jobs you’ve had in your life.

I got my very first job when I was in high school, as a part time receptionist in a dental clinic. I've also been a hostess (Olive Garden... Black Angus), a newspaper reporter (city government & health beat), and Cold Stone crew member in Waikiki. Yes, I remember all the tip songs, and no, I won't sing them for you.

2. Name 4 movies you would watch over and over.

Honestly, I am a chronic movie re-watcher. My mom thinks I'm absolutely nuts to waste time watching stuff I've already seen, but I just love it. Stewart constantly finds me watching random old movies on TV. Here are some of my faves:

Titanic - I'll never be able to pass this one up, no matter how many times I've seen it (and it was FOUR times in the theater, if you're wondering). "You jump, I jump, right?"

Dirty Dancing - I just caught the end of this one the other day on ABC Family or something like that. Oh my goodness, "No one puts Baby in the corner..." the lift at the end... Patrick Swayze's hot bod... CHILLS!

A Christmas Story - 'Tis the season, so I thought I would throw this one in. Honestly, "24 hours of A Christmas Story" is a bit much... but somehow I end up watching this movie at least two or three times every year. Never gets old...

Newsies - This '90s Disney movie is kind of a cult classic, and it doesn't get near the amount of recognition it deserves. It's rarely shown on TV, but I own the DVD and I pop it in any time I feel like I need a little cheering up (hello, Christian Bale). Carryin' the Banner...

3. Name 4 places you have lived.

Lacey, Washington - Toddler until I left for college in 2000. Hometown represent!

Bellingham, Washington - WWU until 2004! Oh, the college years, what a blur...

Waikiki, Hawaii - Three months in 2003. A brief period during which I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

Seattle, Washington - 2005 to 2013... I call these my "single and fabulous" years. Until I met Stew, of course.

4. Name 4 of your favorite foods.

Macaroni and Cheese (any kind, from anywhere, at any time)

Pad Thai (Veggie w/ tofu from Wild Ginger if I get to choose, but I'll eat it from pretty much anywhere)

Big Mac (Don't judge! I know this thing is literally poison in the form of a hamburger, but it's one my absolute, all-time favorite things. I eat about two a year and never regret them)

Sushi (Wasabi Bistro is my fave, and I already have big plans for Stew to bring it to me in the hospital after I deliver)

5. Name 4 things you always carry with you.

iPhone, lip gloss, hand sanitizer, and these days, a tiny human.

6. Name 4 places you have been on vacation.

I just had this conversation with someone the other day... is a trip the same as a vacation? In any case, here are some I've been to quite a few times:

Eventually, my plan is to post about all the places we went on our 2010 European tour, but that's something for another day.

  Have a great rest of your weekend, everyone!