busygirl

miscellany monday: hello sunshine.

1. Yes the sun did make an appearance yesterday.  Although brief it was so lovely.  And it made the snow twinkle which just tickles my fancy.

2. We went wine tasting...again.  I'm forseeing this as a regular activity in our future!  Friday night's was a high-low tasting.  Three cheap wines, three expensive and you had to guess whether it was wallet friendly or blowing the bank.  Of course Adam's favorite was out of our price range, but maybe I'll surprise him one day.  Or not.  Cause I'm a-okay with my $9.99 wines.

 
3. Saturday night we took it easy.  Adam's best friend came over to play xBox and instead I caught the two of them yelling at the Miss America pagent on tv.  Apparently hubby was upset that Miss Texas was eliminated.

4. I'm completely coveting this print and have been for some time.  I think I need to just bite the bullet and order it, because it's just so perfectly said.

 
5. Our friend spotted a coyote in the area, which makes me want to run home and cuddle my puppy.  I never realized we had them in Ohio.  I guess we'll have to be extra careful with the dog outside, we don't want him to end up as a snack.

6. I have an addiction to Words with Friends and WordFeud.  I'm alright with it though.

miscellany monday: brr.

1. Oh my lord is it cold in Cleveland.

2. We had a weekend of constant change.  As in, every original plan fell through and we were making our minds up on the go.  Sometimes I'm not sure why we even have a calendar in the kitchen, it's so covered in crossouts and scribbles, who knows where we're supposed to be when!

3. But as a result of making plans on the fly, we were able to squeeze in a wine tasting at The Olde Wine Cellar with a few of our friends.  About two hours later, we were stumbling out into the snow, full of cheese and good wine.  And for a steal, the tasting is only $10 a person!  I guess it can't hurt to check out local wine shops for events instead of waiting for a weekend trip to the winery.

 
4. Sunday morning meant breakfast out with my grandmother and mom, and then off to Miles Market for fruit and veggies that don't cost an arm and a leg.  And I was reunited with one of my favorites.  His name is Jack and his house has a steeple.  And I have to drive 30 minutes to see him.  But it's ok, he can be bought in bulk.

 

5. Ricki was the poster puppy of snuggles this weekend.  Which I adored.  Except that I have an inkling that he might just be making up for his less-than-perfect behavior on Friday night.  Cause really, there had to be a valid reason for him to go in my purse, remove every single item and strategically place it around the living room.

6. I'm in a purging mode.  I tackled the second bedroom's closet this weekend and created a space for wrapping paper, cards and our financial stuff since we're currently housing it in our second dresser.  At least now guests can hang up a few items, or even throw some clothes in the dresser if need be.  Aren't we just the bed-and-breakfast hot spot now?  Free drawer space with every stay!

miscellany monday: back to the daily grind.

1) Well, kind of.  See...I don't have to go to work today, yahoo!  Today is actually our New Year's Day holiday.

2) Finally spending a weekend at home was good for the soul (and our sleep needs).  After spending day in and day out surrounded by people, Adam and I relished every moment on New Year's Day of there just being two of us (and the pup) in the house.

3) So what did we do with all that free time?  Well, our dishwasher busted.  So for the majority of the day, our kitchen looked like this.  

Because well, even though we live in an apartment and can call 'the guy' to come fix it, Adam didn't want to call 'the guy' because he thinks he can fix it better than 'the guy'.  Thank goodness it turned out to be only a major clog of food in the hose and nothing that involved him getting electrocuted or major powertools being used.

4) Today's not really going to be a lazy day.  Time to take down the Christmas tree and give the house a thorough cleaning so we can relax this weekend again.  Sigh, days off are never really days off.

miscellany monday: how bout them browns?

 
1. Monday Schmunday and Adam's officially another year older as of yesterday!

2. We celebrated his birthday with my family on Friday night, complete with pizza and my attempt at a Boston Cream Pie (request from the birthday boy).  He loved it, I thought it was okay, although I'm not really a fan to begin with.  I'll post the recipe later today, it's fairly easy to make and if someone is a huge Boston Cream donut fan, they're bound to love this cake.  Me?  Give me ice cream cake...and a spoon.

 
3. We're both finally feeling about 90% healthwise.  Still have a lingering cough but compared to last week, we seem to be in the clear, finally.  Vicks will be sad to know that their Dayquil sales will be suddenly decreasing this week.  I'm surprised we're not immune to that stuff yet.

4. Um, THE BROWNS?  Need I say more??? I don't know where that came from, but we showed up to play...as a team...and to win.  It was a phenomenal game.  And come on, we beat the Super Bowl champs, maybe there's hope for Cleveland after all.

 
5. Speaking of Cleveland, they're talking on the radio about performing witchcraft to curse LeBron James.  Gosh, this guy outta be dreading the day he has to come play at the Qagain.  I can't even imagine how much security they're going to have just to protect him from his former fans.  He deserves it though, for his 'decision'.

6. We're planning to go on our honeymoon to Mexico in December, along with hitting up a water park with our friends in November.  AKA, I need to make Jillian Michaels my new best friend for the next month.  I just got her 30-day Shred video and so far so good.  I will say that she is without a doubt, one of the most annoying workout instructors ever.  Her voice, her demeanor.  But, that's what the mute button is for right?  Her workouts are fast and easy enough to follow without the sound, thank goodness.  Hopefully I'll see the results everyone else seems to be getting.  Of course this is highly dependent on the dog.  Try working out in sneakers in your living room with a 12lb furball attacking your legs because well, you're wearing SHOES.  You must be about to take me for a walk, right?

7. I still don't have a Halloweencostume, helppppp!  Ideas please!  What are you dressing up as this year??

miscellany monday: another one bites the dust.

 

1.  Well it happened.  I caught Adam's cold.  And man, is it brutal.  He's had a rough weekend, coughing and hacking and running a fever.  I've got the beginning stages.  The sore throat and achyness.  Hopefully it ends there, because I don't want to be as miserable as he is right now.

2. Friday we took a proactive approach to curing his cold by making a 16 quart pot of chicken soup.  It's super easy, only six ingredients.  And of course, being 16 quarts, well, we get to eat it all week long.  Although truth be told, there's only 1/3 of the pot left at this point.

3. Saturday we took my grandparents to West Side Market to grab some good deals on produce.  Adam wasn't quite the kid in the candy store this time, considering he didn't feel well at all.  But his day brightened when he discovered that there were guavas and star fruit to purchase.  We just broke them out last night to try - after some googling as to what parts of each fruit were in fact edible.  The star fruit was fantastic - kind of like a hybrid of a pear, apple and orange.  Not to mention it's a pretty sweet shape.  When googling I came across this...a must for our next fancyschamancy cocktail party.  Seriously, what a cute fruit!

Here's a Martha Stewart approved recipe for a star fruit rum drink too - I'd give it a go.  I wasn't too impressed by the guava, I'm not sure if the ones we got were too ripe or if we're just not crazy about the taste, but it tasted kind of like a pear but a bit dry.  Oh well, at least we gave them a try!

4. I headed out to my mom's for breakfast this morning with my grandparents while Adam nursed his cold with sleep and a few seasons of The Big Bang Theory.  I got to stop by and meet my brother's new kitty aka Ricki's new cousin!  He's about six months old and doesn't have a name yet, but he's playful and fun.  And terribly cute.  Hopefully one day Ricki will get over his kitty-phobia so they can play together.

5. It's hubby's birthday week!  He turns 26 on Sunday...we've got a busy week of plans to celebrate.  Hopefully both our colds cooperate with that!

miscellany monday: iphone envy.

 

1. Hi there, are you as awake as I am?

2. We finally finished our summer volleyball league with a tournament yesterday.  A dismal performance by my team, but it was wonderful to enjoy the abnormal 80 degree October weather.  Knowing Cleveland, it will probably snow next week.

 
3. Adam gets his iPhone today.  I'm so jealous I could cry.

4. Hubby also has officially joined the twitter world.  I'd follow him before he gets bored and gives up on the app.  He's @AdamStudly - and no, it's not because he thinks he's a stud, it's because of our last name (common misconception)

5. I ate my weight in muffins this weekend.  I'm not proud.  Nor is my body happy that I will be devoting at least an extra two hours to Ellen Barrett.

6. We went to Petsmart to buy Ricki a new dental toy this weekend and they just happened to be holding cat adoptions that day.  We didn't get one, but did spend some time gazing at the cute kitties just waiting to be loved.  Until of course, one took a major bathroom break and stunk up the entire store.  I'm not sure if I could get on board with the litter box inside the house thing.  I'm very thankful that Ricki does his business outdoors, away from our living quarters.

7. I'm on a purging frenzy.   I have four bags of clothes to be donated already.  I'm considering running them by Plato's first to see if we can collect a few dollars...next stop is Goodwill though.  It's so therapeutic to throw stuff out...I can't wait for everything to be clean and proper.

miscellany monday: synergy? really?

 

1. Welcome to Monday, isn't it fabulous ::note sarcasm here::

2. I went on down to Columbus on Saturday to visit my little sister for the day...after much shopping and delicious food I headed home in a torrential downpour.  And concluded that I do indeed need to get some new wipers for my car.

3. When I got home Saturday I had quite the surprise waiting.  Adam, had not only cleaned the whole house (including the bathrooms ladies!) but had concocted his version of zuppa toscana complete with kale!  I'll have to post the recipe later this week because it definitely was neck-in-neck with Olive Garden's version!

4. I had a dream this weekend that Adam and I had twins (Footnote, children are definitely NOT in the future anytime soon, so don't go thinking we're starting to plan).  Any who, in my dreams we had twins and I named the girl Lily and Adam decided that the boy should be named Synergy.  Really?  I'm totally revoking all future naming rights from him.  Although I had a feeling that the weird name came from the fact that we've been watching four episodes a day of The Big Bang Theory for the last week.

5. I have to brag about the husband just a wee bit more.  He bought me those high intensity discharge headlights for my car - aka those super bright annoying headlights that the Audis and BMWs have.  He already had them put in his car and the difference at night is amazing!  I'm not surprised that they're starting to put them in more and more cars.  And after installing them in my car yesterday he also washed it in the rain for me.  We don't have a hose so we have to get creative when the cars get dirty.  It was freezing out (hello fall!) and he denied my offers to help him so that I would stay warm.  He can be such a sweet guy some days.  Although now I feel guilty that the only thing I accomplished yesterday was taking three naps.  Whoopsie.

6. It irritates me that all the NFL players are wearing pink this month.  Not because they're supporting a good cause but because I can't even imagine how much money was spent to get them all new shoes, towels, chin straps, shirts, hats, etc.  Wouldn't a shirt patch had sufficed and then they could've donated all that apparel money TO the cause?  What a concept.

7. We have a volleyball tournament tonight.  Gosh it's going to be cold.  Chances are I'll be that dork wearing socks in the sand.

miscellany monday: adam's golf club is famous.

1. Top of the morning to you!  The alarm went off much too early today.

2. We had a semi-relaxed weekend complete with boating yesterday.  My brother and FSILcame along for a gorgeous day out on the lake.  I'm a wee bit sunburned though - didn't realize that I've been inside so much lately.

3. Did you watch the Emmys?  What were your favorite/least favorite looks?  My votes for best dressed include Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta...navy?  Swoon.  And Jenna Fischer in Versace, I LOVE the color of this dress and how effortless her hair looks.

 

Worst dressed?  Defintely Mindy Kaling who was stuck in an 80's prom dream and Anna Paquin who will be replacing Russell Crowe as the next Gladiator.

 

4. I mentioned that Adam played in Rover's Morning Glory golf outing on Friday.  Which was an experience itself.  He attended the pig roast following the outing and was sitting down to eat with his buddies when none other than Rover himself, along with Charlie and Dumb, came to eat with them.  I'll spare you the details, but will mention that Dumb tried to spoon feed Adam during dinner.  And they ripped on Dumb for it this morning on the radio.  Talk about your 10 seconds of anonymous fame.

5. I just received a rmg update from Adam.  Apparently Duji tweeted a photo that has Charlie hitting the ball with Adam's golf club.  Who knew his club would get so famous.  See proof below.

 

6. I'm ready for fall but did September have to come so fast?  I feel like I missed out on half my summer because of wedding planning.  Don't I get any make-up months?

miscellany monday: back to the grind.

1. Welcome to another fabulous Monday!  Don't you wish you could've had just one more day of weekend?  I sure do.

2. Saturday we managed to roll out of bed early enough to venture to Cleveland's west side market.  I haven't been there in years, and my mom has never been, despite the fact that we live a measly 20 miles from it.  The market was even better than I remembered, bustling with activity.  Adam was like a kid in a candy store, looking this way and that.  We picked up quite a few goodies at a great price: white cherries, homemade pierogis, fresh bread and bagels, asparagus and even a dog bone for Ricki!  More on that later tonight, he was hysterical trying to eat it.  Any way, we had a blast and I will definitely be going back at least once a month.  What a great way to spend a morning, not to mention the people-watching was top-notch.

3. I FILLED an entire bin of clothing and items to donate.  I've been motivated to do some end-of-the-summer cleaning, trying to purge our house of unnecessary items.  We're still holding onto stuff from our college days, mismatched forks and glasses.  I think it's about time we sent them on their way to someone who can use them.

(sorry, bb photo)

4. Saturday night we had a few friends and family over as a goodbye for one of our favorite family friend, who is leaving for her first year of college this week.  Kept it simple and ordered pizza.  But Adam just couldn't pass up the chance to give our nephew Tommy his first popsicle as a dessert!  It was an instant hit!

5. A wee bit of car drama ensued as well.  While cleaning my car on Saturday (what a dear husband), Adam discovered that there were little pinpoints of rust all over my car, which is not even 2 years old.  After conferring with a friend who daylights as a mechanic, apparently this is caused by the metal under the paint rusting because the chemical composition of the paint was off in the manufacturing plant that day.  To put this plainly, it was a shoddy paint job.  So I'm rockin in the Nissan today while Adam takes my car back to the dealership to sort this whole mess out.  I'm hoping they replace/repair the damaged panels, I can't imagine how this would affect the resale price of my car.  Hopefully there are some reasonable service guys there today, one's who have already had enough coffee to deal with a problem car on a Monday morning.

6. Exciting giveaway (and review) coming up soon!  I know you all loved the last csn stores giveaway, and I've been selected to review a product and give away another gift card!  If you're not familiar with CSN stores, well, they have everything from a bedroom vanity to the kitchen sink to fabulous throw pillows.  You need it, they've got it.  And if you didn't win last time, keep your eyes posted for this next giveaway!

7. I'm ready for a productive week, as soon as the caffeine kicks in of course.

miscellany monday: is it naptime yet?

1. I am completely exhausted.  I haven't been sleeping and it's becoming quite evident by the large dark circles gracing my under-eye area.

2. Another busy weekend.  We went to the Indian'sgame on Friday night, they lost, but there was an impressive fireworks show following the game.  This one was set to a mashup of rock'n'roll songs.

 
3. Saturday was our last wedding of 'wedding season'.  Another reason for being tired, it definitely makes for a long day.  Although it was nice to sit and enjoy the wedding rather than being in the center of attention.

4. Adam did the laundry yesterday which I truly appreciate.  But he put the front bathroom towels in the back bathroom and vice versa.  It's really bothering me.  According to him it's so that we use the front bathroom towels since we never shower in that bathroom.  But I can't get over the color clashing of changing towels.  I'll probably switch em back when I get home today.

5. We have absolutely no plans for this coming weekend.  I cannot tell you how wonderful that sounds.  Although we're thinking of maybe hitting up the bodies exhibit downtown.  We've never been and it's not here that much longer.

6. Spent a good portion of yesterday watching Shark Week reruns.  Did you know that 4-5 people a year lose their lives due to a shark attack but almost 150 people die from a getting hit on the head by a falling coconut?  Those palm trees are mightily dangerous.

7. Stay tuned, this week is wedding recap week!  Many photos to be posted!