Posts Tagged ‘I must be crazy’
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Sugar addict? Check.
Coffee addict? Check.
Massive headaches all the time? Check.
I’ve been getting headaches for years. You think I’m exaggerating. I wish. In high school I had an MRI because the headaches were getting so bad. It came back inconclusive and I got some medicine. Took it once and decided never, ever to take it again. Over the years I’ve had long absences without headaches {weeks at a time} and then times where they come daily {and then lasting for days}.
Over the last few years I’ve been more in the daily category. My friend, Rachel, asked if I’d charted when the headaches occur most. I hadn’t really, but decided to try it this last month. And the results: They are random with some increased intensity if 1) I don’t drink coffee till the afternoon or 2) I am close to my cycle and eating more sweets. That lead me to wonder how my diet might be effecting my headaches.
Does sugar really harm me? Is coffee that bad? Would my headaches decrease {or even disappear?!} if I cut one or both out??
Friday I’m starting a new “diet”. I’ll be posting about the details tomorrow, so be sure to stay tuned.
I’m a Squirrel Killer
Posted on: September 24, 2010
I poisoned a squirrel the other day. Hear me out before you immediately shun me as an animal hater. I’m not. Promise. I bought these really cute fall decorations that look like little berries:
Super cute, right?
Apparently, they must taste pretty good too, as I saw a squirrel eating them the other day. I shooed him away and decided to leave out walnuts in case he came back. And he did. But rather than eat the yummy walnuts {like his other squirrel friends did}, this little guy went right back for my styrofoam berries.
The next day I saw a dead squirrel at the end of our neighbor’s driveway. I am not totally certain it’s the same squirrel, but what if it is? Did I inadvertently kill a squirrel- that just so happened to be a baby? {Yeah, I forgot that part. I am a baby squirrel killer! I will never live that down.}
I decided to make amends and offer nuts up to the surviving squirrels. The girls and I picked up a big container of acorns at the park and put them in a dish on the front porch. I even went so far as to make it all cute and fally:
It even matches my fall decor.
Hopefully now I won’t poison any more squirrels with my oh-so-not green berries.
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I landed in New York around 11:30 pm. My plan was to take a taxi from the airport to Midtown area {about 8 miles}. When I got outside I was overwhelmed. So many people. I looked for taxis, but didn’t see any. Then I realized there was a taxi line. That made since, as there were several lines for transportation. Or so I thought. About half way down the line it dawned on me: all these people are waiting for taxis. I overheard some people saying that the front of the line {who were just about to get taxis} had waited for nearly 3 hours. Wow. Welcome to New York.
What’s a girl to? I figured if I could just get to Manhattan I could figure things out from there. So I stood in the taxi line. After 20 minutes, I saw a bus coming that read: 125th Manhattan. Do I get on? Do I wait? In the millisecond I had to ponder, I saw one person step out of line. I figured it was now or never. I ran over to the bus stop as dozens of people followed. I pushed, yes pushed, my way onto the bus. I am good to go.
Or not.
A visitor was a asking a lady {who lived in the area} how far down the bus goes into Manhattan. 125th St. Wait. I’ve know the area well enough to know 125th is Harlem. And while I have been there before, I am not sure being in Harlem, alone, at 12:30 is an experience I really want. I told the lady where I needed to go and asked what I should do. “Get off at Astoria Blvd., take the NRQ to 47th and walk from there.” The what? To where? Will I even see the train station? Is Astoria safe? Should I just take a taxi? She said she would show me where to go, but would be heading in the opposite direction, so I was on my own.
Thankfully, New York is friendly, and there were a lot of people waiting for the train, making me feel even safer. I got off at 47th at Times Square, which was an amazing first sight of the city. I walked about 2 blocks and arrived at my friend’s apartment. And so I started my New York adventure.
The best part: I had budgeted about $25-30 for a taxi, but only spent $4.50 on the bus and train together. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to take public transportation back to the airport rather than hail a taxi. A am one cool mama.
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
Visit Mrs. Sojourner at Mrs. Sojourner’s Monologues for more Thursday’s Travel Tales and Tips.
My Own Personal Fashion Week
Posted on: September 14, 2010
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{Ladies, I wanted to thank you for cheering me on for this weekend. It’s an exciting adventure for me and I know once I’m there I’ll chillax.}
As Jonathan was helping me pull together my clothes for New York this weekend, I realized – Sometimes you just need a girl’s opinion. Then I had a brilliant idea. Why not take pictures of my top ten outfits and get your opinions? Hello Fashion Show!
{Let me just preface this now – not all the photos are top quality, that’s what I get for not having someone behind the camera.}
Outfit #1 – Morning Casual
Here we have Morning Casual – your basic jeans and tank. Perfect for grabbing coffee and a walk through Central Park.
Outfit #2 – Flirty Dress
Here we have the Flirty Dress. A cute number that is breezy and light.
Outfit #3 – Casual Dress
Here we have the Casual Dress. The Casual Dress gives you a cute, but relaxed, look. It’s jazzed up easily with a lightweight scarf.
Outfit #4 – Hip Leggings
Here we have Hip Leggings. Pair a set of leggings {either ankle or calf length} with a shorter dress and add a belt for a fashionable look.
Outfit #5 – Black and White Leggings
Here we have Black and White Leggings. Pair a set of calf length leggings with a dressier black and white top. Finish off with black flats {not shown}.
Outfit #6 – Rockstar Chic
Here we have Rockstar Chic. A cute and playful plaid tunic set with skinny jeans.
Outfit #7 – Shimmery Nights
Here we have Shimmery Nights. A great shimmer cowl neck top matched with dark skinny jeans. Perfect for a night out in the Big Apple. Match with awesomely great high heels {shown here}.
Outfit #8 – Old Faithful
Here we have Old Faithful. Nothing is a better standby than a white top and bootcut jeans. Shown here with brown belt.
Outfit # 9 – Old Faithful with a twist
Here we have Old Faithful without the brown belt. In it’s place we have a lightweight crinkle blue scarf.
Outfit #10 – YOU CHOOSE!
Ok ladies, here’s where I need your help. Which outfit was a must and which was a bust? What would you mix and match? What would you add or remove?
Visit Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
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Those were Jonathan’s words to me this weekend when I started stressing about my trip this weekend to New York. Did I tell you I was going to New York? Well, I am. And I cannot wait. Lots of plans have been made {including a bus tour of the city and a trip to Brooklyn for some pizza} and a wonderful time will be had. Yet, insecure Sarah has a slight nagging.
Will I stick out?
Will I look New York cool {’cause there is a difference from Iowa cool to New York cool}?
Will all my hip New York friends think I’m lame?
{Have I mentioned I’m still in junior high?}
As I was going through my “Will I” list, Jon stopped me and said “All you have to worry about is your purse.” He went on to say that for the 72 hours that I am gone, all I need to worry about is having my purse. Don’t worry about naptimes. Don’t worry about training. Don’t worry about sticking out. Don’t worry about being lame. Just relax and enjoy being away.
Come Thursday night my only care will be having my purse – and getting a taxi from the airport to Manhattan.
Hook ’em hawks!
Posted on: September 3, 2010
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I’m just gonna come clean and say: I know nothing about college football. It’s quite shameful, having gone to Texas and now living in Hawkeye country and still not having a clue about the game. But this year is going to be different – This year I’m going to watch college football.
Being a Longhorn by blood but a Hawk by location, this new undertaking is going to be pretty hefty. Not only am I now going to start watching football, I’m going to be cheering on two teams. Guess it’s a good thing they are in different conferences {which is one more thing I really don’t understand}. I’ve made up a schedule for UT and Iowa, highlighting what I considered four must see games {UT vs. OU, A&M; UI vs. IaSt, OSU}. Please feel free to correct me on what I consider “must see”, since we all know I don’t actually know.
Here’s to blending teams and watching football for the game and not just the commercials!
Hook ’em horns and go hawks!
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Thanks to Jonathan for setting up my mother’s corner, I have an entire sewing area to work on #2 on my 30 before 30 list, sew a dress. I started working on my first apron and many mistakes and thread later, I have a finished product:
{Notice I have flour all over it? Already getting good use out of it!}
I think it’s pretty cute. I got a big kick out of having an apron with an apron pattern. 🙂 Although, don’t look to closely at the seams. Let’s just say, I still haven’t mastered straight lines.
I’ve started on an apron for Julia and I’m hoping to be done later this week. I’m still not confident enough to even buy the fabric for my dress, but I did pick out some patterns from Hobby Lobby last week when they had McCall patterns for 99 cents. Maybe a few more aprons in and I’ll tackle the dress.
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There are times that I really do think our family {read: me} might just be a tad bit crazy. But I wonder, is crazy really all that bad?
Saturday we went toilet shopping. Yep, pretty much the best way ever to spend your Saturday morning. Eat pancakes, drink coffee, toilet shop. Seriously, we aren’t always this cool. Anyways, we came across these waterless toilets. Our interest was peeked {because, you know, we’re crazy}. I did a quick Google search and discovered composting toilets by BioLet.
I’ve not done a ton of research on the subject, but it seems harmless enough and something I would consider doing. And the more I thought about a composting toilet the more I thought about family cloth. What is family cloth you ask? Well, think about cloth diapers. Only for your entire family. Just let that sit for a minute. Ok, you’ve got it. Essentially, family cloth is a replacement for toilet paper.
I heard about family cloth about 2 years ago. It’s a pretty outlandish idea. At first I really thought “Are you kidding me?“, but slowly the idea has grown on me. I mean, we are using cloth diapers. And I am using cloth pads. So doesn’t the next logical step seem like cloth toilet paper?
What are your thoughts? Ever heard of family cloth? And just how crazy do you have to be to use family cloth?
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As part of my 30 before 30 I made a goal to sew a dress this year. Funny thing is, I can’t sew. Technically speaking I can. I’ve sewn buttons on shirts, sewn together holes in pockets. And once I made a hotsling with great assistance {read: I sat and watched while my friend made it for me}. But I can’t actually sew. I’ve never owned a sewing machine and the last time I made something on my own I was 12. Sewing my own dress is sounding more and more brilliant.
Earlier this year my friend Rachel gave me her old Singer. Tuesday morning I took the plunge and fired the bad mama up.
Oh, you thought when I said old I meant old as in from the last decade. Or even from the last 4 decades. No, no my friends, this machine is a classic. And while it isn’t fancy, I actually quite love it.
It took me a while to figure out how to properly thread it. And after nearly an hour of doing what I thought seemed right, I had to call Rachel to come show me how it is really done:
I did a few practice runs to try it out. And you know what I learned? I can’t sew a straight line. Awesome.
But, I won’t let a little thing like straight lines hold me back. I’m pressing on! I’m taking the Windhamettes on an adventure to Hobby Lobby later today to buy pins and then I’m going to start on my first home ec project: sewing an apron. Rock on.
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures.
30 before 30 – revisited
Posted on: August 10, 2010
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This last weekend, Jonathan and I started talking about my 30 before 30 list. In 8 months I’ve managed to only mark off 4 items {with the 5th coming up}. That leaves 26 goals to complete in 20 months. Seems easy, huh? Well, since one of them is to visit Paris {and we all know how that’s going}, I’m realizing some things are going to need to be tweaked.
I’m leaving the list the same for now, but changing what I plan to accomplish before this year ends. Here’s my top ten {and the 6 that are left}:
1. Run a half marathon – Finished this one back in April. And actually am crazy enough to consider doing another one in October.
2. Get a tattoo – Took the plunge in April. Might have been the best decision I’ve made all year.
3. Speak before a large audience – Finished this one back in March.
4. Learn to make crepes – Finished this in February. Funny enough, this one seemed the most intimidating {I kid you not}.
Now the ones I still need to complete:
5. Girls weekend getaway – If everything goes as planned, I’ll be spending a weekend in NYC come September. Niiice.
6. Learn to sew a dress – Jon brought my 1960’s Singer sew machine out of the garage this morning. I’ve got it open and am currently learning to thread it. No easy task for this home ec drop out.
7. Submit a recipe to Southern Living – I’m keeping the recipe a secret for now, but plan on experimenting with it later this week. Hopefully it goes well {and makes for a good post ;)}.
8. Read through the Bible – After years of following reading plans, the one year I don’t is the one year I’ve actually read more in my Bible than ever before. Go figure.
9. Finish my wedding album – Really, does my wedding album sit on my dresser half completed, taunting me? Yes, yes it does. And really, is it that hard to put photos in an album? Probably not. But since it’s taken over 5 years to do it, you’d think it was. Haha.
10. Learn to play 3 Christmas carols on the piano – For a while I was teaching myself the piano. Yeah, we’re gonna scratch that. Keep it simple – just learn the carols. And after I found the Smule piano app for my iPad, I’m thinking that might just count.
Visit Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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