I just had to kiss him.

Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment.

I really, really liked him. We had been friends for months, and even though I said I didn't want to date him, my crush grew on a daily basis. We talked on the phone and hung out all the time. And sometimes we went out drinking. One night, we decided to go back to the bar where we first met. There was a live band, and we threw back beers and danced ourselves silly. When a slow song came on, we danced far apart, mimicking eighth graders at a school dance. We giggled like kids and I was smitten.

I had told myself I wasn't ready to date anyone again, and I was scared that if we took things further, I might ultimately lose him. But I just had to kiss him. So back at the table, in the midst of hysterical laughter, I leaned forward, ready to plant one right on his lips. But he jerked back so fast it seemed like he had been stung by a bee... And, tipsy from cheap beer and puppy love, I lost my balance, fell off my chair, and practically did a face plant in the middle of the bar. I ended up on my hands and knees on the sticky pub floor. Not my most graceful moment. I can't even remember what happened after that, I was so mortified.

Oh, he kissed me later that night of course, don't you worry. And his attempts to resist me were ultimately futile... I got him in the end. But I still haven't quite forgiven you for that moment on the floor of the bar, Stewart.

A moment

Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day.

Up early, packing for Las Vegas! Now I just have to get through the work day and then we're off!

Don't waste your time on jealousy.

Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long. And in the end, it's only with yourself.

I stole this from Baz Luhrmann in Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen, which was very popular when I was in high school. It's full of amazing tidbits about life (and he's right, you really should wear sunscreen).

But I find this particular piece of advice so important because it's something I struggle with personally. I constantly compare myself to others and find things lacking. But each one of us has our own strengths and weaknesses, and it's really futile to compare ourselves to one another. Instead of wasting your energy on being jealous of someone else, spend that time on self-reflection. What is it you want to change about yourself, and why? Set goals and work on accomplishing them... turn your energies inward and work toward becoming the best version of yourself.  

Jealousy is a black, evil emotion, and it's something that's so easy to get caught up in. Don't let it suck you down!  

Afraid

Day 7, Tuesday: The thing you're most afraid of.

I'm going to briefly open up this Pandora's box and then quickly shut it again, because this is something that I rarely speak about and try to never, ever think about. I'm terrified that if I give my fears a voice, they will come true.

I am deathly afraid of losing my husband. Every time he goes to work, I try not to think about where he is and what he might be doing. But I'm afraid. Afraid that his car will careen out of control during a wet, stormy drive down Highway 18. Afraid that a building will collapse on him while he's fighting a fire. Afraid that a gun shot victim will mistake him for someone else and return fire. Afraid.

Last year, 83 firefighters died in the line of duty in the United States. That's a statistic I just don't think about. Because it makes me so afraid I can't even see or think straight.

When Stew leaves for work I kiss him goodbye and I always, always tell him I love him. And then I don't think about where he is, or what he might be doing. Because my imaginings are just too scary to consider. And I can't live without Stewart. I just can't.

Planner

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

I plan. I've always been a planner. I just can't help myself. It makes my world seem calm when things are scheduled, coordinated, and organized. I consistently manage about four different calendars and I love the sense of control this gives me. I have my work calendar for the nine-to-five stuff, my personal Google calendar which Stew and I both access, my family Google calendar which is shared for our whole family, and Stew's shift calendar so I can coordinate everything according to when he's going to be working. And somehow I am able to integrate them all seamlessly.

I generally have us booked out about six months in advance. This was the case even before I had to work within the constraints of a fire fighter's schedule. My life has always been busy, but once Stew and I combined our lives (twice the amount of friends and family!) things really got crazy. However, I thrive on the type of planning and organizational skills this requires.

When Stew got his 2013 schedule back in November, we sat down with our calendars and planned out each and every one of our summer vacations, making sure we spent equal time with both of our families and tons of our friends. It's like this all year long... We plan out holidays, birthdays, camping trips, lake house vacations, weddings, ski trips, baby showers, bachelor parties, concerts, football games... you name it, it's probably on our calendar. And that's just the weekends. During the week, we fit in happy hours, breakfast clubs, shows, concerts, book clubs... and of course the basics, like grocery shopping and the gym.

I do try not to overbook us, but it honestly seems inevitable. We just like to do a lot of stuff, with a lot of different people. And having it all planned out makes me feel in control. I'm definitely not a huge fan of spontaneity. I thrive on both long and short term planning. I love making lists and then checking things off those lists. We're always looking forward to the next adventure, and life is definitely never boring... because I've got it all planned out.

Blogger Buddy

Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends.

I went round and round with today's challenge, trying to pick one of my blogger friends to feature today. Stewart and I started this blog so our friends and family would have an easy way to keep up with our busy lives, but we've also managed to accumulate a handful of loyal readers. In fact, these people are the ones who most often express their presence here by leaving thoughtful comments, and that really means a lot!

via Everyday Delights

After a lot of thought, I decided to feature the lovely Carol from Everyday Delights. I don't even remember how I originally discovered Carol's blog, but I've been following her ever since. Like me, she is a semi-newlywed enjoying life in Seattle and beyond. Sometimes when I read about her life I feel like I'm looking through a mirror at my own... Carol and her husband love being outside, exercising, skiing, traveling... pretty much everything we like, with the exception of cooking!

When Carol posts a blog she's often talking about a place I've already gone, or somewhere I would like to go. She has a super positive attitude and always has a smile on her face. And her posts usually include beautiful photographs of the things and people she's been seeing lately. Most recently, she's been catching everyone up on her recent European adventure, and it's made me want to go back overseas so badly!

I just really enjoy how Everyday Delights truly is reflection of Carol's day-to-day life... but it's never boring! And, selfishly, I enjoy that Carol follows my blog as well and always has something sweet to say on each of my posts. Definitely stop by and say hello!

"Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate."

Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote and why you love it.

"Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn't fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

You've probably seen this quote in my posts before, so it's obviously one of my favorites. Sex and the City is one of my all-time favorite shows, and honestly it really helped define and shape who I was when I was in my 20s.

At that time in my life I definitely made a lot of mistakes. But now that I'm past that phase, I've come to realize that without those missteps, I wouldn't be who or where I am today. I needed to screw up, to get hurt, to fall down, to cry, to learn, to fight, to grow. To pick my broken self back up off the floor again and again, each time getting a little closer to the person I wanted to become. Each choice I made, whether good or bad, has helped to create this happy little life that I've built for myself.

During that same time in my life, my friendships helped define me. The ups and downs, the dramatics and hysterics, the highs and lows... all of these moments that I experienced with my girlfriends either helped to make or break those friendships. So many of them have stood strong through these ultimate tests, and I feel incredibly lucky to have those people in my life.

So many things changed for us during our 20s, and unfortunately not all of those friendships survived. But I'm so thankful for the ones that are still standing strong, and even though many of those people live far away, they are always close to my heart, and I hope they know how much they mean to me. (You guys know who you are... and you've got the love... xoxo)

Uncomfortable

Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable.

Oh, there are so many things I could write about for this one. But let's choose just a few.

Physical Touching. I just really don't like to be touched, except by people who I am super duper comfortable with. And even then I'm just talking a quick hug goodbye. We're never going to cuddle on the couch during a movie, or hold hands as we stroll down the street. I actually cringe when people touch me. Tap me, pull me by my arm, play with my hair, pat me on the back... it's all bad. For me this is the epitome of uncomfortable, and it just plain freaks me out. I probably give super stiff hugs. And even though I consider myself a very nice, friendly, warm person, I worry that I don't come off that way. I don't think it's any sort of social anxiety... I love being around people. I just don't want them touching me. I don't even enjoy getting manicures or pedicures, but I'll sit through them for the end result (feet touching is the absolute WORST -- don't get me started on that one).

Strangers. It makes me very uncomfortable when strangers speak to me. On the bus, on the sidewalk, in the elevator... I don't like making conversation with people I don't know. It's so awkward when strangers get chatty. I don't want to talk some random guy on the bus about what book I'm reading, I don't care to discuss my workout with the person next to me at the gym, and I don't want to tell my life story to the employee at Subway. I just want to stand there quietly and wait for my sandwich. If I don't already know you or have a reason to meet you, we have nothing to say to one another. Maybe this makes me a bad person, or maybe I'm just shy, I don't know. Perhaps I do have some sort of social anxiety after all.

The Telephone. I don't think there's anything about me that annoys Stewart more than my aversion to the telephone. But I really, really dislike talking on the phone. If a call comes through and I don't recognize the number, there is absolutely no way on earth I'm going to pick it up. Speak to a stranger? I don't think so. Often, even if I know the person who is calling, I won't pick up. For inexplicable reasons, when the phone rings I am overcome with feelings of anxiety and dread, and I just can't imagine dealing with the caller at that moment. Voicemail is best. Then I usually avoid returning the call for a while, because the thought of placing said call overwhelms me. I'm really much better with texting. Somehow I manage to deal with my irrational telephone phobia at work, but I think it's simply the fear of losing my job that forces me to pick up calls. Yes, definitely social anxiety.

Hmmmm. This post has made me realize it's possible I may need some sort of therapy. Too bad that would involve speaking to a stranger... obviously unthinkable.

Wakesurfing

Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at.

In honor of Saturday being opening day of boating, I thought I would use today's post to talk about something I think Stewart and I are pretty good at... Wakesurfing.

We picked it up about five or six years ago and learned quickly off the back of our good friend Brett's boat. Wakesurfing is similar to, but not the same sport as, wakeboarding. Instead, the surfer trails behind a wakeboard boat, surfing the boat's wake without being directly attached to the boat with a rope. The wake from the boat mimics the look and feel of an actual ocean wave. Wakesurfers use special boards that are very light and usually five feet or shorter.

Here is a video of me at Banks Lake when I was first learning (I apologize for the poor video quality, but I don't know how to fix it)...

And here is Stew, showing off his talents, which are obviously far superior to mine...

Wakesurfing is like anything... kind of tough to pick up, but really easy once you get the hang of it. If you ever get the opportunity, you should definitely give it a try. Yay for boating season!

They called her Stinky

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph).

Sarah

Her dad called her Stinky when she was a baby because, let’s face it, she pooped a lot. She grew up in an olive green house on Gemini Street and it was the center of her universe. Her little sister and brother were the ultimate playmates – of course they alternated between loving and hating one another. Her mom was a teacher and her dad worked retail, and every evening they all had dinner together (each food group was always represented). Commercial television was off limits, and so was swearing, and the front yard. She got good grades in school and she loved to write. She learned, laughed, loved, cried, discovered. College was a little rough, and she checked out and moved to the Islands for a while. However, it was hard to deny that she loved school, and writing, so eventually she returned to reality. She has degrees and certifications, but ironically isn't using them at her job, which she loves. As for love, she married her best friend about a year ago and they are blissfully happy in their new home. They have so many amazing people in their lives that sometimes it’s hard to make time for all of them, but they try. Her family is still the center of her universe, including her wonderful husband (and their cat). She can’t wait for all the adventures that are still ahead. It seems like the harder she works, the luckier she gets.

Stewart

He grew up in the country, in a brand new house with a pond full of fish out back, a field filled with cows, and a gorgeous German Shepherd. He's always loved animals. His mom worked at the police station and his dad was a teacher, and they loved their three boys to pieces. He saved his allowance so he could ride his bike to the corner store and buy candy. He had a mullet with beautiful brown curls at the end, and he rocked parachute pants. He was incredibly clever, smart, and athletic – He loved every sport and played soccer, baseball, and basketball. He hated to weed his mother's beautiful gardens. He lost her a few years later, and it almost destroyed him. He focused. He played. He learned. He traveled. He escaped. He graduated from college with a perfect grade point average. He moved to England and worked in finance, even though he knew he wanted to be a firefighter someday. He fell in love and his dreams began to come true. Now he fights fires for a living, and he married his best friend about a year ago. They are blissfully happy in their new home. They have so many amazing people in their lives that sometimes it’s hard to make time for all of them, but they try. He loves travel and adventure, and experiences them with his wife and their families as often as he can. And he still saves his money to buy candy.     

It's Spring... right??

I feel like it's been raining the entire month of April. And this morning we woke up to snow... snow?!

Hasta la vista, April. We really haven't enjoyed you this year, and are looking forward to the month of May. And hey, May, can you please bring us some sunshine?  In case you didn't get the memo, it's Spring.  Thanks.


Snow in Snoqualmie on 04/30/2013

In other news, I think I'm going to try Jenni's Blog Every Day in May Challenge, just in case this blog is getting boring. Jenni has provided 31 daily topics to write about during the month of May... I hope you find our answers entertaining... wish me luck!

 

Bowling Birthday Bash

I threw together a little birthday bash for Stew, Crys and Matt this weekend at Adventure Bowling Center in historic Snoqualmie. Stew and I love bowling, so we were really excited to check out the local lanes.

But first we took Stew, Crys and our parents out for brunch at Mabel's, and I was happy to discover that they have fantastic Bloody Marys!

Then it was off to Adventure Bowling. And this place, my friends, is a classic, old school bowling alley... my favorite! No electronic scoring even; we had to do it by hand!

Afterward we headed back to our house, where we stood around the kitchen and looked at the space where the couches are supposed to be (maybe this is just my issue, because no one else seemed to mind!)

And Stew decided to bring out "spin the shot" to celebrate... probably not the best idea, but it was definitely a hit!

It was so much fun spending the day with everyone, and I loved playing hostess at our new house. One of the main reasons I didn't like our condo was because we didn't have the space to entertain. Now we have more than enough... albeit without adequate seating!

Happy birthday guys, we love you all!

Jersey Boys for the Birthday Boy

Stewart was super excited when he found out that Jersey Boys was coming to the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, and we got tickets immediately.

Months and months later, the day of the show (and Stew's birthday), I woke up bright and early to get ready for the day... I wanted to pick a cute outfit for the show after work, and I needed to set out a few birthday surprises for Stew. And as I finished up my makeup and prepared to head out with just a few minutes to spare I realized... eeek! The tickets!

Like I said, we bought them months and months ago. But I had been careful to keep the tickets in a specific drawer at our condo. And on the weekend of the BIG MOVE, I carefully transported them to the new house via the safety of my purse. And when we set up a temporary office upstairs while we were waiting to install bookshelves in the den, I carefully placed them on a shelf in that room. But then we moved the temporary office back downstairs. And somehow... somehow... yes... I lost track of the tickets. Eyeyeye...

So picture me, in the den, at 7:00 on a Thursday morning, frantically tearing open and dumping out banker boxes filled with files and miscellaneous office supplies. Freaking out, obvi.

Twenty minutes later I found the tickets, on the same shelf where I had put them originally. (Yes, it's the first place that I checked, but the tickets had gotten buried under some medical bills). But I digress.

Tickets safely in hand, we headed over to the theater following a yummy birthday dinner at Rock Bottom. The show was fantastic! Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and their rise to the heights of stardom in the '60s. I'm sure you're familiar with songs like "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (which for me brought back fond memories of Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You). And if you've ever been on a car trip with Stew, you've inevitably been treated to an extremely loud, singalong version of "Oh What A Night."

Who knew these guys had so many hits?! I knew almost every song! Surprising, since when I looked up at intermission we were actually the only people under age 50 in the entire theater. Jersey Boys is a fantastic show though, and I'd recommend it for anyone. Check it out if you can!

I think Stew had a really fun birthday evening, and we've got some more festivities planned for this weekend. What are you up to?

Happy birthday to the love of my life

Stewart is 32 today!

 

Happy birthday, babe.

I hope this year is your best one yet.

I love you so much!

Photo by Jamie Jones Photography

I love a good engagement party

Engagement parties are so much fun and such a wonderful reason to celebrate. Our dear friends Matt and Alissa hosted a get together at their brand new house in Queen Anne on Saturday to celebrate finally getting engaged! We love these two so much, and couldn't be more excited for them!

After a couple glasses of wine I never did manage to get a photo of the happy couple, but we did get these stellar shots...

We can't wait for the wedding!

34 years and counting...

Today is my parents' 34th wedding anniversary! I feel so lucky to have these amazing people as an example in my life. Following their lead, I'm sure our marriage will stand the test of time as well.

Happy Anniversary, Dad & Mom!

I felt like Belle in Beauty and the Beast

Last night I came home from work to find that my wonderful husband had picked up and built the library shelves in our den!

I can't even tell you how excited the book nerd in me was! I felt exactly like Belle in one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast scenes. I was absolutely thrilled to spend the rest of the evening unpacking all of my treasured books and placing them lovingly on the shelves (alphabetically by author's last name, of course). It feels so amazing to finally have them all in one place! And look at all that extra room, just waiting for new additions to my collection...

I honestly can't think of a better surprise! Stew knows me so well...

Boston

I just haven’t known what to write about this week.

Posting about trivial subjects like furniture, restaurants, and books has seemed inappropriate, somehow.

But I’ve been at a total loss regarding what to say about this horrible, senseless tragedy. My mind feels numb and I can’t begin to process how or why this happened.

Our good friend was there running the race, but thankfully he was uninjured. Others, of course, were not so lucky. 

I saw a photo this morning of the eight-year-old boy who was killed in the blast, and my heart just hurts. 

And I feel selfish. Because the overriding thoughts making their way through my muddled brain are how thankful I am that my own loved ones are safe and secure. 

Many in Boston are not so lucky. And I cannot fathom the depth of their pain. 

All I can do is remind myself how precious each and every moment is. Our time on Earth really is short… for some shorter than we ever expected. Take time today to tell someone how much they mean to you. 

That is all.

Maximize Your Life

When my friend Jessica asked me if I wanted to see Jillian Michaels with her this week, of course I said yes right away. I've been a huge Jillian fan ever since first seeing her on The Biggest Loser, and her 30 Day Shred DVD is one of the best workouts I've ever done. Plus I just love her positive attitude and hard core motivation techniques.

Since my knee injury I've really been struggling with my fitness goals and I've felt pretty depressed about that. But my physical therapist recently cleared me for some light cardio, so I'm ready to really get back on track now, and a motivational speech from Jillian was the perfect jump start.

For almost three hours, Jillian Michaels showed us how to harness our potential, kick-start our goals and live an exceptional life by sharing her keys to health, success and happiness. She focused on seven main aspects:

• Lose weight and get in the best shape of your life: Learn what, when and how to eat so you maximize your metabolism and ignite your fat-burning potential. Comprehend the most cutting-edge fitness techniques to create dramatic transformation at an accelerated pace.
• Live in your truth: Cultivate your passions and embrace your uniqueness to create a purpose-filled life — on your own terms.
• Redefine your self-image and dramatically improve your confidence and self worth: Believe in the FACT that you are entitled to and deserving of happiness. Eliminate negative self-talk, attack inhibitions, and unleash your potential.
• Create a winning attitude: Gain awareness, overcome fear, utilize failures, work through worry, and erase shame to blast through obstacles.
• Establish Support: Channel your communication skills to get what you want by setting boundaries and articulating your needs in ways that work for you.
• Build will power: Gear your environment for success and engage in behavioral exercises that manage impulsivity, gain emotional control, squash destructive actions and coping mechanisms.
• Maximize Productivity: Create a roadmap for success that systematically and strategically facilitates the achievement of your goals.

I really liked Jillians no-bullsh*t approach... She acknowledged that we're not morons and that at this point everyone knows how to lose weight and get in shape — Eat Less... Move More. But Jillian still went over some helpful tips and tricks, as well as explaining how she incorporates health and fitness into her own daily life. She focused a lot on the benefits of clean/organic eating, which is always a helpful reminder for me.

After a quick touch on the most effective forms of exercise, Jillian launched into the main part of her presentation — how to maximize your life by changing your habits and attitudes. This portion of the program got a little too self-helpish for me and I found my thoughts drifting a bit, but overall I really enjoyed seeing Jillian in person and hearing her speak about her passions. And now I'm really motivated to get back at it!

Imagine. Believe. Achieve.

Take me out to the ball game.

Last night we joined the smallest crowd in Safeco Field's history to watch the Mariner's as they were brutally defeated by the Astros... the team widely regarded as the worst in baseball. I've never seen anything like this before, but rookie pitcher Brandon Maurer was actually pulled from the game before even making it out of the first inning, after giving up six runs in the top of the first.

We were really excited to kick start spring with an evening at the ball park in my company's extremely good seats, but what a disappointment. No wonder I don't follow baseball. What happened to the days of superstars like Ken Griffey Junior, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner... the "my oh my!" players of my childhood? America's pastime has always seemed like a dull sport to me anyway (way too much standing around for my taste), and last night's game just confirmed my previous opinions... The most exciting thing about a baseball game is the beer garden.

We stuck it out until the bottom of the fifth inning before calling it a night and heading home. It sure wasn't a perfect game like last time, but we still had a nice evening together and the seats were fantastic.

Are you a baseball fan?