procratinating & thoughts on moving

As I sit here on the couch in my pajamas procrastinating packing up the last odds and ends of our apartment (and cleaning the bathroom/ kitchen - save me now!) I've been thinking about moving.  In college I got very accustomed to one year here, one year there.  We were always packing up and moving on after just a few short months.  It kept me organized for one thing (who wants to move junk that many times over?), but it also kept me on my toes.  A new apartment complex always meant meeting new people, new neighbors, new friends.  I never got too comfortable in one place.

Last year when we resigned our lease for a second year at this apartment complex - although I didn't mind not packing up and moving out - it felt so weird.  It was time to move on!  Time for change.  But we stayed, and it was the right thing to do at the time. 

And now it's the right time to move out. 

And you know what?  I've gotten comfortable here.  After two years of the same neighbors, shopping centers, and church callings I've gotten into a groove.  I know the layout of my local Ralph's by heart and can find you a jar of sun dried tomatoes no problem.  We love the friends we've made through our various church service, even if most of them are 10 years older than us and have a bushel of kids.  And I'll always have a tender spot in my heart for our little 700 sq/ft tiny apartment with it's painted gray wall and the first dishwasher our married life.  This little section of Santa Clarita, California has been good to us.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited about our upcoming move.  We've found a great apartment that will fit our little growing family of 3 just fine.  It's in a lovely neighborhood, in a fun part of town, and we're going to have to watch our waistlines because delicious restaurants will now be in dangerously close walking distance.   However: change is change is change. 

And I'm out of practice.

I'm sure it will come back to me in no time: this building new relationships, figuring out a new apartment complex, and new layout at the grocery store thing.  This meeting new neighbors, organizing new rooms, and working out a new groove thing.  It's just a little daunting sometimes, but we're excited.

So bring it on Saturday - we're ready for you and the start of something new. 

Picture via Etsy

Newhall, CA

A Saturday afternoon walk was just the ticket.  It was organized chaos refereeing three pre-teens all morning, so when we got home that afternoon I immediately decided Dave and I needed to go for a walk around the neighborhood.
Nothing quite like fresh air and the setting sun to calm the nerves and settle the head.

Plus I love all the lemon trees in this part of town.

on going places

 Cruisin' in Amsterdam

A few days ago I was rummaging through old pictures taken while I was traveling through Europe in 2010.  This was a time pre-David, pre-declaring my major, pre-responsibilities, and pre-real life.  Which basically means it was (besides no David) a wonderful time of my life and a perfect time to gallivant through England, France, and Italy.   I was trying to remember the things we did and places we went to make a few recommendations...

Yesterday I somehow stumbled upon friend's blog from college who now lives in Manhattan with her husband that is chronicling their time spent eastward.  She reminded me how fun New York is.  I also found myself spending a fair bit of time wondering through this pretty London vs. Paris blog...

These few things started me thinking about what it would be like to really live somewhere so metropolitan and different from my suburban ways.

 Let it officially be known that I have a soft spot for my Californian suburban homes.  They are familiar, and wonderful, and will always be home.  And I love being able to always find a parking spot.

But...sometimes I'm up of a challenge.

Like how would grocery shopping in NYC be different without my car?  No more buying in bulk.  And walking most places/ using public transit on a daily basis?  I lived in London for a few months and rode the Tube all over, but it surely wasn't really living in London and using the Tube to get to doctor's appointments, school, and work.

What would be different?
What would be the same?
What would I miss?
What would I love?

Today, these are my wonderlusting thoughts...

today's thoughts

I almost never paint my nails (clarification: I almost never paint my finger nails - my toe nails are turning colors due to a lack of exposure to sunlight underneath a constant coat of bright red polish), but today I did.  It's just a light pink, the sort of pink where you can barely tell I painted them, but I like it.

David is studying away over at the kitchen table.  I'm on the couch.  I'm really proud of him for working so hard.  He's a rockstar - but sometimes I want him all to myself on a Saturday afternoon.  I'm holding out for December & then I'm going to throw a "Woohoo! Dave's Done With His CPA Exams" Party.  Everyone's invited.

Tonight we're going to see Les Mis.  I'm excited for an excuse to dress up besides church.  

BYU is playing Weber State right now, but we don't get BYUtv so Dave is giving me updates from his phone.
BYU's winning.

And it is hot, hot, HOT outside right now.  I talked to a local Santa Claritian last night and she told me not to believe anyone about it cooling off around here for the winter.
Darn.
I was hoping (against hope) that we'd get at least a little fall crispness over here, but I think it's going to be a no go.  Oh well.

Cheers for Saturday afternoons.

Picture via Pinterest

thoughts

So far, Craigslist has done well by us.  We've gotten a lovely kitchen table, dresser, and mirror with help from Craig, however, there are a few things I've learned whilst perusing his listings:

1. There are some really, REALLY great deals to be found online

2. If you want to find those deals - congratulations - you've now got yourself a new full-time job

3. While working this full-time job you will soon come to recognize the handiwork of some less than desirable sellers (here's looking at you "rustic furniture" from Redondo Beach)

4.  Decent, matching bedside tables are quite difficult to come by

5. No, another coat of paint won't make that dresser look any better - just walk away

and 6. All wicker furniture should be banned from existence.  Period.  No excuses.

P.S. Did you know there's a "show image" button you can press to see a thumbnail picture next to each listing?  It's right underneath the search box.
World. Rocked.

Picture via Apartment Therapy
Found via Pinterest

simply put

Today I like this quote:

Picture via Eye Candy
Found via Pinterest

thought process

It's 4pm and I'm sitting on the couch.
I've just finished priming a coat rack so I can paint it to match our apartment.
I'm hungry, but I ate lunch, and all I can think about is THIS.

I should just drink a cup of water.
I should do that.
I should.

The options I consider:
Well, I could just sit here, grab my book and read for a bit or. . .I could do the rest of the ironing while watching an episode of White Collar, and, as reward, I get to eat a cookie.
And drink a glass of water too.

Thought process:
Water.  Book.  Relax.
Ironing.  Cookie.  White Collar.

You know which one I chose.

The cookie always wins.
(Am I the only one who rationalizes like this?)

oui

Absolutely EVERYTHING about this blog makes me want to forget what I'm doing and go wander the streets of Paris.
In a very Sabrina-esque sort of way.

Wanna come with me?

hunkering down

 

This is my mantra this week.

The lineup:

• Finals are just around the corner.  
• I've got three rather large projects due this Tuesday and Wednesday.  
• Group meetings are scheduled at 8:00 PM tonight and tomorrow night.
• Also, Senior-itis set in over a month ago. 

And really, all I want to do is hop in the car and drive as fast as I can to California for Christmas break.

I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.  I LOVE HOMEWORK.

I LOVE HOMEWORK.

Picture source.

day #5

Today I'm grateful for:

good food,

family

& post-Thanksgiving naps

Here's to hoping you have all the above today!

Happy Thanksgiving! 


Picture Source

day #4

Today I'm thankful for:

a hot breakfast

i.e. pancakes, oatmeal, waffles, eggs, hash browns etc, etc...

I'd like to submit that there are few things more delicious than eating up a meal you didn't lift a finger to prepare.

So when David rolled over this morning and asked me what I wanted him to make for breakfast...I couldn't help but grin.

Thanks for the waffles babe - they were delicious :)

P.S. David is the whipped cream maniac up there, in case you were wondering

day #3

Today I am grateful for:

(get ready for it - it's kind of a long one)

a husband who sometimes knows 

me better than I know myself

(the theme of the night was blurry pictures - we rolled with it - I hope you can too)

Yesterday night I was in a bit of a mood.  I admit it.

David, however, was all smiles and, after dinner, insisted we get out of the house and go look at the Christmas lights up at the Riverwoods and perhaps grab something sweet while we were out.

Does that man know the way to my heart or what?

Christmas lights AND sugar?  Nothing could be sweeter.

Plus we made a stop off at Williams Sinoma and wondered up and down the aisles among the most darling kitchen gadgets to be imagined.

(P.S. Aren't these the most perfect mugs for Christmas? )

Who couldn't be in a good mood after all that?

To top it off we grabbed some ice cream at I Like Ike's Cream...even though it was 36 degrees outside...

They serve true Texan Blue Bell ice cream over there (in darling glass cups I might add) and it was just as delicious as I thought it would be.

Mission accomplished.

Smiles all around.

day #2

Today I am thankful for:
technology (noun)
ie: my computer, my camera, the internet, my phone, GPS etc. etc.

My reasons:

1) I probably wouldn't be able to survive without Googlemaps. 

2) I can creating tangible, visible memories with my camera.

3) Skyping across continents & countries is mind blowing.

4) Pinterest is vastly entertaining.

Thank goodness for people who are smarter than me that made all these things up.

Image sources: left, right

5 days of thanksgiving

Christmas gets 12 days so I figured Thanksgiving deserves a few days as well, don't you think?

(I've seen some bloggers doing 30 days of Thanksgiving - these people are my heroes.  Also they are overachievers)

Day #1

Today I am thankful for:

seasons (noun)

eg. spring, summer, autumn, winter 
Also one of my favorite things about living in Utah.

source

 Here are my reasons:

1) Seasons allow me to have two wardrobes - one for warm weather & and one for cold weather.  I feel like I have new clothes in my closet when the snow melts and I get to pull out a whole new set of t-shirts, skirts & sandals.

2) Seasons actually correspond with the holidays.  It's brisk in the November for Thanksgiving.  There's snow in December for Christmas. Etc etc.

3) Seasons make me so much more grateful for warm weather.  There is almost nothing better than when the snow FINALLY melts (sometimes in June, but I digress) and you can finally feel the warmth of the sun on your face.

I will miss the season's dearly when we move ourselves down to LA at the end of the school year - good thing Dave's family still lives up here so we'll be able to visit and give me a chance to put my plethora of ridiculously warm coats to good use (they'll be a bit much for LA's perpetual 72 degrees).

ponytails & pigtails

Upon going through some old pictures I came across these little treasures:

Did you guys know my hair used to be this short?

I decided to cut my hair the summer before my sophomore year in college.

It was great idea.

Fresh.

Cute.

A-line.

Darling.

I love the feeling of a new haircut.

The new ways to style it, curl it and play with it.

The problem is, when you go as short as I did...there aren't a lot of options.

This is definitely a Pro & a Con (depending on the morning)

I loved my short hair,

but sometimes a girl misses pulling her hair back into ponytails (notsomuchpigtails...)

So since that summer of short, short short hair, I've been growing her out.

And you can finally see my progress some 2+ years later:

Check out that ponytail.

It's all downhill from here, my friends.

window shopping

picture

I know I wouldn't be half as good at procrastinating without the internet:

cath kidston wallpaper.  need I say more?

this is most definitely on my to-make list
     (Jo Anns was out of N's though, darn it)

how to peel garlic in under 10 seconds - handy

happy halloween month!  time to decorate some baked goods in orange and black

NY Times candel.  say what?

let's make some great art  

air mail sticky tape.  so many ways to use this come to mind

bikini killer cookies 

I love everything about this paper goods shop  

I'm head over heals for every one of these wreaths - and have 0 time to make any of them

where to find the best free samples
     how did Costco rank 6th?

Mrs. Pomeranz' Etsy shop.  check it out

and try on some virtual specs! 
     come on.  it's kinda fun

xo

around the web

picture

A few lovely finds from my afternoon of procrastinating:

mommies in Denmark (have you ever heard of this??)

I could spend an afternoon with this blog

roasted tomato soup with broiled cheddar.  YUM.

vintage bowling wedding - this cute couple can pull it off

these rings are kind of great

thinkin' about making my wedding album out of one of these photo books

     exhibit A

THIS is a great print

I love the idea of this star projector 

painting with plants 

have you noticed any signs of fall around?  the leaves are definitely trying to turn up on our mountain... 

Cheers!

moving out

How is it that one person can accumulate so much stuff?

I seem to, on average, have more stuff than most people.

Why is that?

Where does it all come from?

Am I just some sort of pack rat?

But it's not like I don't use it.

I do.

I just seem to have a lot of things that I use.

On a regular basis.

Perhaps this is a hint that I'm high maintenance, 

but mostly I think it means that moving is always going to be a thorn in my side.

Always.

I've packed up at least 6 boxes now and there is still so much stuff left in the room...

Maybe I should just make a run to D.I. and be rid of it all.

Nah.

I'll just get another box.

beautiful places

This morning I woke up wishing I wasn't in Provo, but in some other lovely place.

Somewhere with gorgeous architecture,
delicious food
and museums full of art.

Perhaps my fit of reminiscing was brought on because I'm reading Julia Child's book My Life in France.

(which makes me want to fly to Paris this instant and eat something sauteed in butter).

Or perhaps I'm reminiscing because this time last year I was traveling abroad visiting such beautiful places.

Whatever the reason I thought I might share some of my favorite aesthetic memories with you:

I think it's quite nice to take a stroll down memory lane every so often, don't you?

cruel & unusual

 via

the facts:

I've been going to this class at 

8:00 in the AM

every Monday/Wednesday this winter.

I came to terms with this fact when I signed up for the class last fall.

 I knew it would mean little make-up,

my hair in a bun more likely than not

and morning walks to the tanner building when it's 10 degrees outside.

I signed up for all of this.

I, however, did not sign up for the

final schedule for this class:

Saturday at

7:00 in the AM

i'd like to know who okayed this 

and why do they take such great pleasure in making me wake up when it's still dark outside??

I guess it doesn't matter now because it's now done and turned in, but I would just like to state that an 11 page written final that early in the morning was not the brightest idea...