a metaphor*

*First of all this post is supposed to be ironic - please take everything I say with a grain of salt and a smile.
 ______________________________________________________________________
A new job is like starting to date someone.
 
You've been seeing each other around campus for a while now (job postings) and keep making eye contact.

Finally he gets your number (resume) and you go on a date (first phone interview).

It's swell, so you go on a second date (office interview).

It's swell too.

You decide to be exclusive (get hired).

It's been a little over a week now and everything is going fine.

You're at the point now where you're just starting to tell people about your relationship

...and then the commitment issues set in.

(ie: your boss figures out you probably won't be around past June - and even though you told her you and your husband are graduating in April, she never asked if you would be moving out of state post-graduation.  You figured she had to be okay with hiring short-term students when she posted their job opening through your college counseling office so you didn't worry too much about it.)

Well, you guessed it.

I'm single again.
Um, employment-ly speaking.

I had myself a good pout, cleaned the apartment and got a call from a lovely cousin who had free tickets to a Sundance Best of Fest screening that night if we wanted them.

Can you say best way to get over the laid off blues?

Plus dinner at this yummy place after the show and I'm feelin' better already.

xo

the facts

Turns out starting a new job
+ coming down with a bug
+ homework
+ my other job (the statistical software one, remember that?)
+ writing/ giving a talk in church on Sunday
+ my computer freaking out a bit
+ actually cooking some real meals once in a while
+ life
________________________                      
= minimal blogging

My apologies.

I promise I have a really darling around the web Valentines addition post for Wednesday!

If I get a post in between now and then you have my permission to be impressed.

this & that

Lovin' THIS minted rose lip balm (it's my favorite - softens, but not sticky), wantin' THAT as good as gold nail polish to sparkle up my winter blues...

highlights no. 20

A clever new use for a pegboard

Skinnytaste

A beautiful bedroom make-over (on a budget)

How to plant your own succulents

I'm awful at ironing - 8 tips to get it right

Isn't this the sweetest little dress?

Check out all these vintage inspired hats

A tortellini & garden vege bake - looks fresh and delish

AWESOME 3D goldfish paintings - you MUST watch the video

The skirt that would go with everything I own

17 tips to make your life easier

365 days of slow cooking - this lady really used her crock pot EVERY DAY for a year
     p.s. we used one of her recipes last night and it was a winner

A great way to display all your foreign coinage

The recipe website for whatever you've got in the fridge

A daring online shop

And some great ways to pay it forward this year


cheers!

I'll know.

I'll know we've made it...

When we can start buying name brand cereal again
     (even if I have become sort of attached to those Magic Stars and Rice Puffs)

When I can stop halving the cotton ball to take my make-up off at night.

When buying myself a new pair of shoes will seem somewhat plausible.

When we can both take a shower with full water pressure and both get ample hot water.

When the internet will be a little trustier.


I know we've got it made now...

When he smiles at me when he walks through the door after work.

When we can drive to the in-laws and eat the rest of their Sunday leftovers.

When we come up with the funnest dates for less than $10.

When we live so close to family.

When we sit together and do homework listening to Explosions in the Sky.

When we climb into bed and talk for an hour still.

When we go grocery shopping together and get excited about cooking.

When we decided to watch all the old James Bond movies on Netflix just for fun.

When vacuuming the whole house takes 10 minutes.



Sometimes I'm tempted to live for the future, but I've decided it's better to live for right now.

xo

business as usual

I've decided that "women's business casual" is the most ambiguous word in the professional book.
What does it even mean?  Does anyone really know?

For a man, business casual is slacks, no tie - nice, but dressed down.
For a woman, business casual is...a dress?
a skirt?
slacks?
nice jeans & a blouse?

I opted for the latter for my first day on the job.

Exhibit A:

I soon found out I was overdressed when I met my coworker at the front desk wearing bright red jeans and TOMs.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for bright red jeans - I'm even in the market for a pair right now (she got hers at Old Navy - never even thought to look there) I just wasn't aware they fit the description of business causal...

Turns out they do in Lindon, Utah.

Dually noted.

resoluting

I know it's 22 days late, but I figured it was high time to make some new year's resolutions around here.

I figure simplifying things down into the single digits improves the likely hood that I'll be keeping some of these, right?

Right.

p.s. referenced* in #2

suga' momma

Well it turns out I'm employed - actually I'm double employed.
And also there's that school thing.

Here's the low down:
First, I just got a job at the most darling event center in Lindon - super pumped about working with them.  Also super pumped about the extra cash flow.

Second, I'm a research assistant for a professor on campus.  These days I'm mostly inputting data into statistical software (which is presently taking up the bulk of space on my hard drive).  Yes you heard right.  Statistical software.  Fun times.

Third, I'm slowly making my way through an online class + 3 show up to a classroom classes.

And, fourth, we're mostly livin' on PB&J's around here...I think it's time to step up my cookin' game.

Life is grand and busy, but mostly grand.

xo.

almost...

Confession.
Yesterday I spent probably 45 minutes trying to figure out what on earth to make for dinner with the food that was in the house (my Pinterest recipe search almost let me down...)

Thank goodness we had produce in the fridge.

Roasted cauliflower and vege paninis were decided upon.

 Side note: You ought to know that sometimes I'm not exactly the best cook.

And, well, I sort of set the oven on fire...

And then, while I was freaking out, I googled how to put out an oil fire and the only thing google told me was to turn off the oven, close the door, leave the house and call 911...

Thank you so much google.

I just wanted to know if it was baking powder or baking soda that you throw on a grease fire.
(It's baking soda by the way.)

Don't worry, I didn't burn down the apartment.
Almost, but didn't.

And the cauliflower had a wonderful smokey taste to it.

Success?
I think so.

5 months!

Can you believe it's almost been HALF A YEAR since we got married??!

I'm pretty sure you all just shrugged your shoulders at the screen...

Well, in case you haven't been keeping track (and unless you're my mom, I kind of hope you haven't) it's been 5 whole months since we said "I do" and it's been the funniest 5 months I can ever remember.

In true Carly + David fashion, we celebrated our monthiversary with pizza and pictures:

Thank you Nicolitalia for all your delicious goodness - you will be sorely missed come summertime.

Till next month!

highlights no. 19

A darling bicycle print to make you smile

Subtle, elegant nails

DELICIOUS looking bite-sized Brie

A perfect simple gold ring

An awesome way to hide some extra storage

Chic umbrellas

The perfect moccasins

Dessert crescent rolls (too easy to be true?)

20 cool ways to display your photos

Hands down the cutest Christmas card I've seen

How to make digital photobooth strips!

& 5 minute chocolate mousse - I haven't tried it yet...but it sounds A-mazing

xoxo

this & that

Lovin' this Jcrew tee, eyein' that black maxi skirt....

casa nemrow weekend update

We finally lined our dresser drawers this weekend!
 
Dresser...?

Hmm, did I tell you we finally found a dresser on ksl (ahem, like over a month ago)?
I don't think I did...
My bad.

Well, we found the most darling white dresser on ksl that I really just couldn't resist:

Don't you think the drawers look like they have little mustaches?  it gets me every time.

Anyways this guy has been sitting empty in the corner of our room, meanwhile we've been living out of our old plastic drawers.
Logical, I know.

I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to line them.  All the Target drawer liners were very blah and I wanted something happier than a pho-pebbled pattern to peek out from under my shirts - perhaps too much to ask for, but I asked all the same.

And then I found this blog post:
modge podge + wrapping paper = cute drawer liners

Now I just had to find some suitable wrapping paper - easier said than done (if I'd been home I would have run off to this place and bought something darling, but oh well).
Finally we ended up at Hallmark and lo and behold they had some decent stuff (thank goodness).

Truth be told the above linked blog post did a much better job of their modge podging.  I've decided they've got smoothing skills that are far beyond me and I'm just going to have to live with it.  We ended up just putting m.p. in the corners of each drawer to act as glue and laid down the rest of the paper unglued so it was less lumpy - much easier for us inexperienced DIYers. 

And...walla!

Please disregard my small stripe obsession - they are my favorite thing to wear.  I can't help myself.

Anyways I'm pretty happy with the finished product and since the paper isn't going to be super visible I have no qualms with the purple+green clashing with our yellow+grey bedroom color scheme.

All in all, another thing to check off my list - bring it on new year's resolutions, I'm on a roll!

favorite

  

It is most definitely true that the loveliest things come in small boxes (especially if those boxes are tiffany blue...)

a letter

Dear mom, ahem, I mean Santa,

We used a few of your stocking stuffers last night!  Remember those chocolate candy cane straws you gave us?  Well we tried them out and they were...interesting.

Still not sure how I feel about my milk tasting like peppermint, but feelin' your love all the same.

x's & o's,

Carly

(squinty eyes and all)

feng shui

I'm the kind of person who would love to rearrange the furniture every other month, except the couches are heavy so - they stay put.  (also I think it would drive David nuts) 

Today I decided it was time for a new look.  And since blog layouts weigh much less than my living room accoutrements it's a much easier process for all of us.  I feel this urge to shake up the feng shui about every 6 months or so.  It's not that you don't love your old designs anymore, it's just...time.  Time for new white space, a new color pallet and new lines.  (truth be told this is the reason I'm half-way terrified of painting the walls in our house one day - commitment issues?  perhaps.)

Anyways, this time around the design work took a while (like this whole past week?  you can ask David) - I went through a plethora of this's and that's before I settled on one I like.

Would you like to see the process?

I thought you might.

 

(Notice a bit of a theme?  I'm lovin' this new (free downloadable) dotted font I found - simple and chic) 

The whole process took a bit, but I think I'm going to opt for a more minimalist approach around here for a while...let me know what you think!


p.s. did you guys know blogger got more fonts?  I'm lovin' it.

highlights no. 18

You know school has started again when my from around the web Wednesdays start to beef up again...can you say "avoiding my online class...?"

Chocolate peanut butter pretzel brownies...heaven?  I think so.

How to make tabs for your blog (on my to-do list)

Free fonts, fonts & fonts!

A cute idea for a surprise party

A darling desktop background for January (11 days late...sorry)

Beautiful embroidery

Video of the milky way

Vogue covers by Salvador Dali

101 FREE printables

Mini worlds

Before I die... wall in New Orleans

Some lovely fireplaces

DIY blue glass jars

20 salads for dinner

and P.S. this is funny on so many levels - please laugh with me

xo

2012

As I was doing my usual blog perusing I found the cutest post from one of my friends from back home.  She and her husband come up with a theme for each year - something to live by.  Last year for them was "we can do hard things," and this year it is "take it up a notch."  How darling is that?  I love it. 

I mentioned it to David today and said, if perchance we were to have a theme for this year, what would it be? 

I liked his answer:

Find the best in people.

In situations.

To find the positive outlook.

Of course when he said it, it didn't have a bunch of lovely purple leaves around it - guilty as charged.

I think this is a particularly appropriate theme for us this year.  Life is bound to change a lot in a short 12 months.  We're going to be moving to a new city with new friends and new experiences this year.  We're going to be graduating (can you believe it??) and who knows what other curve-balls life will decide to throw at us?  But we will just have to try to find the best in it all.  

Even if it is easier said than done...

presents

This year David and I mutually decided to keep our Christmas gifts to each other small and simple (due to the fact that last year he ambushed me with 5 (BIG) bags/boxes full of presents the night before I flew home for the holidays...I was caught quite unprepared).

Well this year he took the cake.

Small and simple? 

Yes.

Thoughtful and I love it and I'm even using it right now? 

YES again.

Ok it may be silly, but I've been wanting a little magnetic timer like this for ages and wouldn't you know he found me one, had it shipped to my parent's house in CA (so I wouldn't suspect), and surprised me with it on Christmas morning.  Very sneaky sir, very sneaky.

I had to do my own sneaking too, of course.  You know it's much easier to hide things from one another when you don't live together in the same two-room apartment...

This is one David's favorite pictures from our wedding that now graces the mall of our living room.

I'm lovin' this small and simple idea.

the new year

We rang in the new year this year cozied up in our pj's at home watching the ball drop while playing board games and sipping Martinellis out of classy plastic cups.

Twas quite the party with the best company you could as for.

highlights no. 17

This week is short & sweet - now back to the books!

Paintings vs. photographs

Cute Valentines Day jars

101 Ways to Say "I Love You"

A darling idea for New Years w/ kids

How to make your own Washi Tape!

Awesome modern quilts

Chocolate print

DIY pop-up card

the last

Today was my last first day of school!

And yes I had David take a first day of school picture to commemorate the moment:

Bah!  Can you believe it?  I'm graduating from COLLEGE at the end of this semester.  This is all sorts of ridiculousness.

Bring it on 2012!