It's time

It's time to take the Christmas tree down, and it's a sad day.

The holidays are nearly over, soon I'll be back to the grind of life, and it will be another year before we get the opportunity to gather our favorite people together for endless parties and days off together.

It's hard. As you can clearly see, our tree is ready to rejoin the earth, first in the corner of the yard, then when we burn it at Easter for the second annual "Mas Fuego" gathering (more on that later).

As a neat freak, I'm really bothered by all the needles in my house right now, but cleaning this time means putting an end to the holiday cheer and hunkering down for the rest of winter.

See the cheer?

But, it's time. A new year is upon us, and we are actually still firming our plans to ring it in. In the meantime, here's what's on my mind as I plan to welcome 2013:

What are we doing tonight? Also, we totally forgot that we have this little cutie to take care of tonight:

Since the holidays are over, I need to decide what Tim and I should do for our anniversary/something-to-celebrate-after-Christmas plans and make a reservation (this is the place I have my eye on :) I knooooowwww....)

After a year and a few months in our house, we finally blew a fuse or two and now the kitchen light and outlets near the TV don't work. TV AND KITCHEN ARE MY FAVORITES -- must fix soon.

Like a true glutton, I feel like crap after days of all-I-can-eat-and-drink-and-no-gym. Bought a book about cleansing and am planning a juice cleanse soon. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll have lots to say about the experience :) As you know, Tim and I really love extreme diet and exercise plans this time of year that we forget within a month or two.

Last, but not least, I head back to work Wednesday and am spending some time today combing through emails and trying to remember what exactly I was working on before break. My first day back at work is going to be the mental equivalent of a juice cleanse. Awwweeeesome.

That's enough for now. I hope you all had wonderful holidays, and are planning to celebrate the end of 2012 tonight. Cheers!

Make the rough places plain

Next week is the last full week before I'm off work for Christmas. I remember this time last year, I was busy trying to force the holiday season upon myself, and while there has been a degree of that this year (did you know 104.5 only has 4-5 songs holiday they play on repeat?) I've mostly been too wrapped up in other things to even notice much.

The house is decorated and gorgeous. My mom (who is way cooler than Pinterest) showed me how to make a real wreath and garland from leftover tree boughs.
My animals gave me new  Jingle Pals, a new Christmas book, and a new ornament of a dog to mark our year.
I've watched a few holiday movies, done some shopping.
I saw "Meet Me in St. Louis" at the local theater.
There is no snow and barely any reason to wear a coat.
Oh, and I'm overwhelmed with keeping all our plans and family time straight. (That's a given).

My real problem is trying to force the holiday on myself. I try desperately to make new traditions and feel the way I felt growing up. I try to control things. You know the weird thing? I re-read my blog post from last year, where I whined about how things aren't the same. And then looking back, I've realized that every holiday season has been great in its own way, in ways that I couldn't predict. It just happened, no matter how worked up I was.

I'm already forming New Year's resolutions in my head related to this. I want to try in the coming year to let go, just a bit. I'm expending a lot of energy trying to get my way -- over the weather, over my work, over our plans, what I think I need to do about my appearance/health and definitely getting my way with the cleanliness of the house (who can't physically sit down when they get home until the dishes are out of the sink, counters wiped down, dining table is clean, dog toys are in the basket and stuff is off the tables by the couch??!!!). It's just bananas.

Other things I want in the next year:

I really need to lock in and get some pictures on this blog. I'm such a visual person and I live my life with images of areas and things that comfort me -- a sunny corner of the kitchen, my elephant-shaped humidifier by the bed (UN ELEPHANTE = what he is called), Tim's piles of change and books everywhere... I want to document those here.

Now that I'm on my way with grad school, I have to dig in to another interest area I  miss -- singing. I've almost choked up about a million times this holiday season thinking about what I used to  do this time of year. Caroling, concerts, yearly performances of Handel's "Messiah" -- the holiday season was a peak time and I miss it. I think some of my control issues stem from the fact that I'm not quite living dynamically enough. Not enough balance. Gets better every year, but this is a huge piece.

Enough pouring my heart out. It's holiday baking time this weekend! I am armed (heh heh) and ready with a ton of butter and mallow fluff. Also, Polly went under the knife today! Tim brought her upstairs this morning so I could say good-bye/good luck and my heart almost melted. Getting spayed is SO ROUTINE but I just love our little Costco-sized puppy, even if she makes me crazy.

Happy Holidays!

Reaction

When life hits me hard.... I obsess about things that really don't matter.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wonder what the Pilgrims did when they were having stress at their jobs (jobs like...blacksmith... butter... churner? I don't know) and drama with their families.

Oh wait, they were so busy staying alive that they probably didn't have the chance to think about their expectations at work or the quality of their family relationships. Riiiiggghhhttt. So, apparently I'm stressed because life has been TOO bountiful. I think there's something to that.

Too bad I don't have a shelter to build or food to scavenge for. The jalapeno chips in my drawer are within arm's reach. Because I'm stressed and all my basic needs are met, I have been instead obsessing about finding the perfect new pair of boots, perfect Christmas gifts for everyone, perfect dessert recipes for Thanksgiving, perfect level of cleanliness in the house..... stuff that really..... doesn't......  matter. I feel out of control in some areas of my life, so I exert UBER control over meaningless things.

So, in light of that, I'm really excited to hide in my kitchen this weekend and bake. I might even need to make a trip to the kitchen store to buy things I've never owned -- like a pastry/piping bag and mini-bundt pans. #morethingsthatdon'tmatter

Last weekend, when I could hardly stand to be around the thoughts in my head, Tim and I went to Half Price Books and I sat on the floor in the cookbook aisle to be with my friends, namely Nigella Lawson. I picked up "How to be a Domestic Goddess" and started flipping through the pages, only stopping once to move my pile out of the way of an old man who was standing wayyyy too close to me while he waited for his wife to find her book. The title of the book was ironic on purpose. The way Nigella writes, the point is NOT to be a domestic goddess (which is good, because I don't need one more thing to stress about) but rather, creating an experience and creating comfort with the food you make, and the way you make it.

When I'm really struggling with the big questions of my life, my mental happy place is in pages like those. It just paints this picture in my mind of tradition, warmth, love, satisfaction..... things that when I'm stressed, I feel like I'm REALLY lacking. Nigella Lawson won't solve my problems, but she can take the edge off for me when I'm waiting to make my next move. The way she approaches cooking and entertaining is a good reminder for me when I'm approaching my problems -- handle them with realism, some practical indulgence (oh yes, Nigella makes that statement possible) and a lot of humor.

I tend to forget that.

Anyway, that's all I've got. The holidays are upon us, I've got dessert recipes to bury myself in, and does anyone know where I can buy a can of chestnuts? Seriously. Canned chestnuts. I need them to enjoy chocolate the way Nigella does.

Anyone?

Oh, Polly

It's really something else to be relied on, to care for a living thing.

Until we got Polly, I don't think Tim and I knew what that was like. If we didn't care for plants and they died, it was sad but we really didn't care. Frank needs weekly food/water/litter fill-ups but mainly just does his own thing. Between Tim and I, we care for each other and rely on each other in an emotional way, but Tim doesn't really need me to make dinner in order to survive. (Right, Tim? :)

Polly is teaching us things.

To start, she needs us. She needs us to let her out, to walk her, feed her, and to give her water. When we are late with any of those basic needs, she lets us know -- sweet, sad eyes, accidents, insane hyperactivity (last night, I found out Polly was NOT turning into devil-dog, she was just really, really hungry).

Polly graduates from puppy class next week. I'm not sure I really realized this until this week's class, but I really care about her development, also. I want her to be the good, loyal, sweet dog that I know she can be. When she's not, I question her AND I question my own ability as a puppy owner.

Allow me to paint a picture for you.

Before puppy class, I left Polly on her lead outside because she was flipping out. Every time I got near her to pet her or let her off, she would start jumping and barking and scratching me. I was seriously wondering if this was it, if getting a puppy was a huge mistake. By the time Tim got home, she was still freaking out and he took her to her crate for a time-out and calm down (sanctioned by our puppy trainer, no judgement if you have a dog and have crate trained, haha).

We let her out, fed her, and voila, she was calmed down. She was just hungry.

We got in the car and went to PetSmart for class, and she sat with her front paws on my lap in the back seat the whole time, and just melted my heart. I was so happy that it seemed like she needed me and she was learning that I was one of her caretakers. The scratching wasn't personal.

Then, when we got to the store, flip the switch. Polly was pulling at the leash, jumping around, could hardly wait to get inside. During class, she was obstinate, jumping on everyone and everything and the whole time all I could think was "PEOPLE ARE JUDGING US! SHE'S GOT COOKIE IN HER CHIN FUR, SHE NEEDS A BATH, AND SHE'S FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING WE'VE TAUGHT HER. SHE'LL BE A SOCIAL OUTCAST."

At the very height of the night, we were in the back by the grooming products, trying to practice "stay" and "recall" and Polly took a giant dump. Oh my goodness, we were so embarrassed. I felt bad, Polly was trying to go outside. But Tim and I were tense. He was trying to find a clerk to help with the mess and I was just aware of the poo on the floor and trying to get him to use the grooming station's help, before we BOTH realized that there was a self-cleanup station nearby.

Mess cleaned, and the trainer came over to observe Polly's skills. More jumping, some listening. It was not her best performance.

And that's when I realized, Polly relies on us, and we care very much about raising her up to be a good, healthy dog. She needs us to feed her, yes, but she needs us to show her consistency and patience, too.

I asked Tim on the way home if this is going to be a "Marley and Me" type of story. But it's not time to think about how the story will end. (And Tim told me that Polly is nowhere near as naughty as Marley. The trainer might not see it, but I agree :)

I've got thoughts

I've been reflecting a lot on where we were this time last year. Anyone else do that? Is that another sign of adulthood?

This time last year, we were moving out of our apartment and into my mom's house to hang out until we moved into our house. It was a big transition, and a really exciting time for us. I can't believe that soon, it'll be a year that we have lived in our home. Time is just passing so quickly, and we are so blessed to be homeowners and steadily employed.

I think it's really important for me to remind myself of that as often as I can. We don't talk about it like this, but it's become the American way to complain about what we don't have and what we expect others to do for us (or not do for us). On a political level, at work, in our personal relationships. We are hyper-focused on what we feel like we are owed. (Bee tee dubs, I'm not a Republican, even though you might think I was by the mail we've been getting lately). 

I can get stuck in this trap too -- one bad week at work and I'm spending a lot of energy wishing I was a lottery-winner and could do what I wanted with my time. I could buy this new thing or that. And the whole time, I'm just missing the bigger picture. 

Tim and I can provide for ourselves. We have what we need (and then some). We have dreams for what we want to do with our time and talent, and you know what? It will take TIME, sacrifice and hard work to get there. It won't happen overnight and no elected official or boss will make it easier/harder to get there, if it's what we really want with our future. (Sometimes, I think when we are complaining, it's about something that we aren't really committed to changing ourselves.)

For those of you NOT living in Iowa, we are getting slammed right now. Robo-calls, mailers, commercials -- campaign coverage is taking over my morning NPR programming. Most days, I hesitate to bring these thoughts to a group of people. We live in a divided society, and we can't talk about our (true) values and the political landscape easily. We are quick to complain and judge.

But, in this height of a campaign season, I've got something to say.

We give our elected officials, namely, our president, too much credit.

After all, they are merely a reflection of us, right? I'd like to think of our senators, representatives, governors and presidents as just a more concentrated version of us. (Because they are). If we are unhappy with the partisan, fear-mongering, complaint-driven nature of our political dialogue, we need to start by reflecting on the conversations we're  having at the kitchen counter at night. Who are we blaming today for the things we aren't getting?

The brilliant thing about studying marketing is that, you start to realize how much a movement can capture a person's worst. The biggest human emotions to market to are fear, greed, exclusivity, and vanity. Political campaigns and politicians are great marketers. They understand what emotions are likely to motivate us, the American public, and they sell to them. And we eat it right up.

So, back to my original point. Each election is our opportunity to change the dialogue. In between elections, we have the choice of consuming what's being sold, or not. If we are unhappy with the state of affairs, we can change it. 

If we are unhappy with the lot of personalities up on the election block, it's because we spent so much time complaining and shifting blame that we missed the bigger picture.

Change the conversation.

Just keeping things interesting

Hey there. Just when you thought your morning/afternoon/evening blogrolls were finished, I pop in with an unexpected post. You're welcome :)

MORE than a month has passed since my last post (wow, that almost sounds like how you start confession with your priest). Life is just moving along here.

We've already done a lot of what was in my last post -- we've watched football, I made spicy/warm things, we've spent good times with our family and friends, and I turn the air conditioning off -- and theeennn turned the heat on this  past weekend when the nighttime temps got into the 20s and 30s. I lit our first fire in the fireplace this weekend and napped nearby. These are the simple pleasures, folks.

School is good. It's mostly what I would have thought it to be. Quirky professor, lots of class discussion, readings to finish during the week and yes -- Wednesday is a really long day. I feel like I'm learning things that are foundational to my job and I love it. (I like feeling like I know things). I'm already term-dropping in my visits with clients ("Ah, no we don't use psychographics the way you mean,  but THIS is similar" and then a flip my hair and smile. Just kidding, but not far off).

I am still really, really nervous about my quantitative courses -- statistics, finance, accounting, etc. For one, 3+ hours of that subject in one night is enough to make me doze off right here. And second, these are always my weakest spots. Hopefully I can fly under the radar and pass without anyone wondering how I managed to get admission to the program. (Seriously, I got through the GMAT with a quant score that represents a wing and a prayer).

Work  is also keeping both Tim and I busy. Between that and chasing around a huge, energetic puppy, we are in full swing, and that is part of the reason that a whole month goes by before I even realize it. And it'll happen again. We have so many things to look forward to in the coming weeks: more plans with friends (including getting to meet a new baby!) trips to see family, a work/fun trip to NOLA, Halloween and Thanksgiving in there somewhere, and before you know it, I'll be writing my annual posts about how stressful the holidays are :)

Because they are.

But I look forward to them EVERY YEAR.

Also, this just in: the new season of "Grey's Anatomy" starts this week and I can't remember the last time I was this excited about a week night. Seriously, it's the simple things, yo. I'm even trying to figure out what special dinner I can make for the night to celebrate. Well, anymore, whenever we actually make dinner, it's special. So, tater tot casserole will be special, right?

So many things

I am really bad at keeping goals, y'all.

Did I post twice as much in July? No. Have Tim and I successfully started making solid financial changes? Not really (but not a total "no" in that category -- so, weeee!)

Here's a recap of what's been going on around here since/during my last posts (this blog is starting to sound more like a family newsletter sometimes):

1. July happened. I had a birthday, Tim had a birthday, we took our annual float trip, got a puppy, the puppy DOUBLED in size, I went to Boston for work, Tim made a movie, my friend got married, my nephew turned ONE, my car's power steering went out, I found out I got admitted to UI's MBA-PM program, and it never rained.

2. August started/is almost over. Work got busier, Polly went to her first farmer's market, we took a family vacation to Lake of the Ozarks, celebrated another friend's wedding, Tim had guard duty (all the time), I didn't work out or care what I ate (I ate everything so far this month, bet you didn't know that.)

So, this is a banner week at the Nash house.

Polly started puppy school last night (how can I be SO frustrated with her and so proud/in love with her in the same day? When did we officially welcome a full-on fur child into our house?)

I start school tomorrow. You guys, I am SO nervous. I have no idea what to expect! I know I'll get a lot out of my first course (marketing management), but don't know how I'll do or what it will be like to be gone out of the house  from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Wednesday until mid-November. (Then copy/stamp and repeat for the next 4 years, only maybe on a different day of the week. I just need to tell myself -- it's ONE day a week. Don't be a sally.)

On top of things, I waited in true Kate fashion to get my books until Sunday, and they are sold out of the books I need. (Whaaaaa). I need to have a chapter read in 24 hours, so here's hoping I miraculously get them and read the chapter in time! Not the best start to my grad school career.

I'm sad that summer is coming to an end, but I really shouldn't be. We were really busy, and we did a lot. I really love fall, and the autumn-spiced foods and candles are calling my name. (I'm certain it's going to be 80 degrees until November, though. But hey! With the drought we've had, it can look like fall from now until things just fully die. Always an upside, kiddos.)

Things I'm looking forward to:

1. Apple-picking at Wilson's orchard. Then making buttery apple crisp. Then eating the whole pan, one trip to the kitchen at a time.
2. Permanently turning the air conditioning off.
3. Layers of clothing
4. Leaves changing
5. Nights eating soup and watching scary movies (which you can do all year, I get it, but I like living seasonally)
6. Bonfires in the backyard
7. Good times with good people
8. Being just busy enough that I have to work out in the morning and plan meals
9. Tailgating.... wherever there's a tail or perfectly adequate driveway/yard
10. Spending consecutive weekends with my husband and friends (we've all been so busy!)

OK, that's it. Who's with me??

Getting our bidness in order

Tim and I decided after we got married/bought a house that we wanted to meet with a financial planner and start really planning for our retirements, etc. How grown up of us, right?

Part of the planning process involves itemizing your household costs and bills, and detailing your saving measures.... you know the drill. Tim and I did something like this ourselves before we bought our house to ensure that we were choosing a property that fit our income and lifestyle. By "lifestyle" I mean..... we like to go out to eat. Go out with friends for drinks. Plan for expensive trips. Randomly stay the night away from home. Go to events that charge admission. Buy new clothes. Buy a dog?

Well, you can imagine that "financial planning" also includes a closer look at the murky bucket of "lifestyle" expenses, too.

jhgjghsfutrsytrhgsmmmmurkymoneybucketsssssshgfshgfs

I think Tim and I rationally know that by cutting back on our "lifestyle," we will reach our financial goals quicker. We get it. Occasionally, we will discuss "spending moratoriums" where we decide to cut back on going out, extra purchases, and non-essential expenditures.

And that lasts..... a day. It lasts until someone invites us out to do something. We can NEVER say no! Or, we don't have any plans for the weekend and we invite other people out for dinner. I think this is the late-20s peer pressure. Someone should make an after-school special that they show at happy hour.

I assume that we are actually like a lot of couples at this stage of our lives. We have made it far enough outside of college that our necessary financial bases are covered (read: bills), so we "feel" like we have extra money to throw at fun things.

We don't. With debt to pay down and savings goals to reach, we just don't. It's a really personal topic to write about in the blogosphere, but after talking it out with a few people, I think what I describe could hit close to home for a few readers.

So.... here is what I propose. Let's band together. I think the spiral starts when we assume that if we can't spend money, we can't spend time with our friends and we will feel left out. So, we go out.

I say we start making plans that don't involve shopping, eating together at a restaurant or bar tabs. Let's think of creative ways that we can enjoy each other's company and protect our financial futures (yes, I just said that).

In a nerdy way, I'm excited? I think this challenge opens the door to creativity, and as a bonus, we can work toward a real, long-term goal of financial security.

I hope I can keep posting on progress!

I caved.

We got a puppy this weekend.

Her name is Polly and she is a Bernese Mountain Dog. She will grow to be a 100 pounds (yes), but Berners are known for their laid-back, loyal, non-aggressive personalities. She is a sweetheart and we are really excited for the new addition to the family. (Although it's been a really funny transition, more on that later.....)

For a year or more, I've reeeaalllly resisted the idea of getting a dog. Tim and I have decided that, for a lot of reasons, we are waiting to have kids for....... an indefinite amount of time. We are in no rush because of our really busy lives, spontaneous trips, and goal to grow in our careers and build a really nice nest egg before we start paying for daycare.

To me, a dog is a step in that direction.

We discussed the matter for months but were really at an impasse. Tim agreed that the dog would be an additional expense and more responsibility, but didn't think it was the  life-changing [read: marriage-changing] event I was making it out to be. I was certain that we would just argue about the dog -- who would take it out, who would clean up the gross messes, what would we DO if the dog ruined parts of the beautiful house we have.

Sometime a few months ago, I don't know what happened -- but I changed my mind. Maybe it's a crazy side effect of a quarter-life crisis, but I want the new adventure. I still worry about the mishaps that will happen along the way, but I am ready to shake things up a bit. I could stand to be *cough* less uptight *cough* than I am now. So, I decided a dog would be the best thing I could ever give Tim for his birthday (July 22) and it would be a great surprise.

Now to the stories. (Some are funny because we are, what? On Day 3. Warning: if you get squeemish just reading words like "puke," you should return to your regularly-scheduled Facebooking at this time.)

A few friends of ours who inspired me with their Bernese Mountain dog helped me plan Tim's surprise trip out to the breeder in Radcliffe, Iowa. We concocted an outing to visit a few Iowa wineries in the central/north part of the state. We shared Google maps with Tim, we talked about how excited we were, how great it would be to taste tannens on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

While we planned, they helped me pick out almost everything we would need to get started at home -- food, treats, collar, leash, a few toys, crate and CLEANER.

To really seal in the lie Sunday, we actually stopped at a winery outside Tama, tasted and bought, then left for the "second" winery north and east of Ames. Soon, we found ourselves on a gravel road outside of Radcliffe. We told Tim the winery was nearby (he bought it). But really, we turned into the driveway of the breeder's house where she had a bunch of Berners hanging out on a blanket in front.

I told Tim we weren't going to any more wineries that day! He was so shocked that he didn't say ANYTHING. Just smiled. (And maybe there was a tear there, Tim?) We played and picked Polly and brought her home (she was a champ in the car).

Then, the fun REALLY started. She slept most of the evening but at night when we put her in the crate, she cried. Like, heart-breaking, human, cries. All night. We had the crate in our room and Tim went back and forth between our bed and her crate, trying to comfort her. The highlight of the night happened around 2 a.m., when he handed me a pillow to put over my ears, then went to check on Polly, only to discover that she was so upset, she puked on her blanket. He got me up and handed me the puppy so he could clean her crate (by flashlight?). Then a trip to the yard, back to bed and more crying.

Tim finally just decided to get up for the day between 5 and 6 a.m., only to discover that while our cat, Frank, really could care less about Polly, he LOVES her dog food. Three more piles of animal puke to clean up.

Yesterday, I came home at lunch to let Polly out, and when we were playing, she started eating charred wood out of the yard (leftover from our fire pit). I'd never done this before, but I decided it was time to man up and get in there -- I fished around in her mouth to get it out, then hauled her inside to try and get her to take a drink of water. (Omen: puppies/dogs will eat..... everything.)

This morning was another three-ring circus. We moved Polly's crate downstairs and before bed, we put a warm cloth and our worn T-shirts in there with her and she settled right down. Tim let her out in the  middle of the night with no problems,  but this morning, another surprise. She's, uh, having some issues adjusting to her new food. We'll leave it at that. Tim got to give Polly her first bath at home!

Tim hopped in the shower to get ready for the day (her first appointment at the vet was at 8 a.m.), while I watched her, then we traded. But right before Tim was ready to leave, Frank puked on the carpet..... again. (By the way, we haven't had any issues with Frank since we FIRST brought him home to our apartment years ago).

Ah, gees.

I have to say, though, I am so proud of my husband. He's handled all of the gross stuff in stride, and just seems genuinely ecstatic to have the opportunity to take care of a dog (and weirdly-adjusting cat).

Here's to all the new adventures to come!

Inconsistent at best

I've updated this blog so infrequently that my browser has forgotten this URL.

I typed in "kategotstarted.bl..." and while normally I can sit back, relax, and hit "enter" before jumping right to this spot, today Chrome was like "whaaaaat?" Kate Upton Google search (whoever that is)? Kcrg.com weather page?

Nope.

Just the blog that I mostly forget about.

Inconsistency is the story of my life. I was the wild card in volleyball and softball pitcher in high school (a serve over the net? Maybe. Strike or will she hit the batter? You never know), I was a decent soloist until college and my nerves got the best of me, I could turn out a pretty decent article as a journalist and then have to write three corrections the next day.

I keep things interesting, folks.

I AM predictable/consistent in these ways:

1. If I decide to go out on the town but start with a big pasta dinner at a restaurant, you can bet that after dinner I'm going to want to crawl back into stretchy pants and park in front of the TV instead of staying out. Actually, it doesn't have to be pasta -- anything super-filling. If you are out with me and want to last past dinner, slap my hand away from the fork after 10 minutes. Better make that 5 minutes, actually.

2. I realized this after Tim being away for two weeks of guard training -- the more time I spend by myself, the weirder I get. If you spent time with me in the last few weeks, you know what I'm talking about.

3. I start a lot of blog posts by talking about how fast time is passing. BECAUSE IT IS. (Next week is July? What?)

There you go. Three things you can count on from me.

Goal for July: double the amount of times I post in here. Last night, Tim and I were re-watching "Midnight in Paris" and aside from wishing I could just live in Paris, I wished that I had something else to offer the world besides corporate navigation skills. Really, aside from cooking and pretending I know how to keep plants alive, this is my creative outlet (thanks again to my trusty handful of readers!) It might be a [really] small [and sad] contribution, but I like living dynamically. Correction: I NEED to live dynamically.

Happy Monday!

DUBAI Recap

Finally! Get ready to scroll. We've been home now for more than a month, and we still talk about the trip almost every day. I'll post more pictures on FB (sometime in the next year, hopefully), but in the meantime, enjoy these little tidbits.

We flew from Cedar Rapids and after two short flights and one 14-hour flight, we were in Dubai at 10 p.m. local time. Laura and Eric (Tim's sister and future brother-in-law and our hosts) picked us up and whisked us to their high rise! This was one of the views at night from their balcony. Can you spot the lit-up golf course?

This is a balcony view during the day. Dubai was such an interesting city in that, even the oldest parts weren't that old. Laura and Eric live in "new" Dubai, which is under a constant state of construction.

The  first full day we were there, we took part in a legit Dubai tradition: brunch. The work week in Dubai is Sunday-Thursday to follow Muslim tradition, and on Fridays, people pile into fancy hotels to eat and drink everything they could want for 4 hours or so. We went to the Atlantis on the man-made Palm island off the coast of Dubai.

During the day a few times, we did what any Midwesterner in early spring would do in a hot climate: we sun-worshiped. Tim's parents got a room at a Westin resort with a private beach and pools.

Laura also showed us another public beach area with some of the city skyline in the background. It was a 100+ degrees every day we were there, but it really wasn't too unbearable (as I'm sure it is now!)

During some other days, we also observed another Dubai tradition: malls. The malls in Dubai were unbelievable, and one included an indoor ski slope. Amazing!

One mall is also part of the tallest building in the world (currently), the Burj Khalifa. While we were waiting in line, we took some pictures of the model.

Here we are at the top! (Or as high as they let you go). Awesome city views.

After we went up, we ate dinner at a Thai restaurant near Dubai's version of Vegas' Bellagio fountains. Great show! I was geeking out. Speaking of food, we ate a crazy variety of cuisines while we were there... Thai, French, Italian, Lebenese, Indian, Middle Eastern (general?), and did some cooking at home. It was great.

One night, we had dinner in Laura/Eric's neighborhood, which includes a (what else?) man-made marina. To the right, you can see a woman who was completely covered. I saw a lot of traditional dress while we were there, but Dubai is really modern, too. Such contrast!

Midway through the week, we went on a desert excursion. A nice man in a LandRover picked us up at the apartment and drove us 40 minutes out of town. We let a little air out of the tires and went DUNE BASHING. Better than a roller coaster, people. Basically, you just drive up, over and into large sand dunes.

After bashing, we went to a "traditional" Bedoin camp for camel rides, sheesha, henna tattoos, belly dancers and dinner.

I had never seen a desert like this before (Arizona doesn't count). Our Land Rovers stopped so we could take pictures, and the kids were sliding down the sand. The trip was one of my favorite things (even though it was probably the most touristy, haha.)

Toward the end of the week, we visited the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is about 40 minutes from Dubai and is the more conservative capital of the Emirate that both cities are in. The mosque was gorgeous -- 9 ton chandelier, some of the largest (if not THE largest) woven rugs and mosaic tile floors in the world. It was a "world traveler" moment to learn a little more about a different religious culture.

Women had to be covered, though. Did I mention it was 106 degrees outside on this day?

On the last days of our trip, we went to Old Dubai and has dinner on a glass boat that tours up and down Dubai creek. Bateaux Dubai originally started with dinner cruises up and down the Seine in Paris (now I want to do that, too), but it was a lovely evening with some pretty spectacular food (since some of you know me, you know there will be food pictures on FB).

The very  last thing we did on the day we flew home was visit the souks in Old Dubai. There were gold, textile, spice and "old" open markets. Every ten paces or so, a man would approach us to offer "master copies" of designer bags, watches and sunglasses. I was really put off by it at first, but wound up buying some fake sunglasses.

I DID go nuts at a spice shop, though.

This is Dubai Creek during the day.

That's it for now! So many pictures to wade through and post. It was definitely a trip of a lifetime, and I'm so glad we had an excuse to go by visiting Laura and Eric. It was a lot of fun to see what their lives are like there, and we miss them! (Laura, are you reading this? WINK). :)

Pausing the Merry-Go-Round

But only for a moment....

I can't believe another MONTH has gone by and we are officially into summer. It's been hot, we have things that need to be watered and clipped in our backyard, and when we aren't actually participating in plans with friends and family, we are talking about the new ones we have for the next few months.

It's going to be a very busy summer.

Up first = I take my GMAT in less than a week. I've been studying a few hours every other day or so, and over the weekend, I totally bombed a math practice test. I've spent the last three weeks trying to re-learn everything I struggled with from 5th grade through high school, and the practice test was a huge reminder of why I was a liberal arts major to begin with.

I put some distance between me and the quant-monster this weekend, and I'll spend the rest of my study time this coming week just trying to get myself up to "average." In fact, I don't want to blow away this test, I just want to do well enough to get into my program and move on. What employer really wants to test your ability to reverse-FOIL a polynomial? That's what I thought.

The studying has been good, however. I feel smarter (?) and it's been good practice getting used to living with a little guilt gut all the time. Oh, you don't remember guilt gut? Let me refresh your memory.

Guilt gut: (n). The feeling you get when you've procrastinated all day, only to completely avoid doing something that you need to do. Guilt gut reaches its peak at 7 p.m. when you are watching TV and thinking about how you should have done X.

Some of you might experience this with exercise, house cleaning, and other loathsome tasks. I occasionally do in other areas, but studying and doing homework have been the worst causes of guilt gut for me. So much so, that I now enjoy cleaning because it provided slight relief from study guilt gut. (Cleaning is productive and therefore not a total waste of time when you are avoiding your textbooks, in my mind). By the way, our house has never been cleaner.

I will be relieved after this test is over and hopefully, I'm admitted. But I fully realize that when class starts, I'm in for a full 3-5 years of consistent guilt gut with assignments and tests. Better to get used to it now!

After the test and a busy weekend celebrating a friend's bachelorette, I'll have a few weeks of downtime to relax and enjoy the slower side of summer before things pick up again.

Cheers!

Is there a title for this post?

And we're back. I'll reserve a Dubai trip-recap post for another day because after almost 4 full days back at home, things are starting to feel normal again.

We got home mid-morning on Sunday, and Monday-Tuesday were the WORST days for jetlag. I would be feeling great and then BAM! I was sooo tired, I could hardly remember which key to put into my car's ignition to get home. You can imagine what that did for my work productivity.

I'm finally back to being consistently energized during the day, but Tim and I have fallen asleep on the couch insanely early the past two nights. Aaaallmost there.

The days are taking forever, too. Between the jetlag and just going back to work, I'm counting the minutes each day until freedom. I think whether you like your job or not, vacations just remind you that for 80% of the rest of your life, you are obligated to be somewhere, doing something productive that makes you money to pay your bills. Bah.

Don't get me wrong, I'll snap out of it (the counting minutes part). The days before we left on vacation were insanely busy for me and I couldn't believe where the time was going. Next week, that pattern starts again.

I'm also relieved to be home. The trip was crazy fun and the company was superb, but all this week, Tim and I have been cooking dinners, seeing friends and family, and getting back into our gym routines (even though I snapped at Tim this morning for making the ridiculous suggestion that I go to the gym with him.... sorry husband!)

I'm really looking forward to the weekend. Lunch with my dad tomorrow afternoon, date night with Tim tomorrow night, rounding up some cool people to do (what else?) drink on Saturday at the Benz Beerfest downtown. Then Sunday, it's time for me to rekindle my baking love.... planning to make two kinds of whoopee pies to take to work, and maybe, just MAYBE the irresistible-looking recipe I saw today on IGE -- Lighter Butterscotch Bars. Go big or go home.

I think I'm coming out of my kitchen slump, too. I got in some inspiring cooking discussions with my sister-in-law over vacation, and I brought home spices from the middle East: saffron (!), whole nutmeg, whole cinnamon, tandoori, pink peppercorns... all for $30. I wish now I would have snapped up some of the amazing curries they had, too!

Other to-do items for the weekend -- house cleaning (you can imagine what our bedroom looks like post-vacation), GMAT studying (I have one month left until it's go-time), herb-planting.... so much to do. But I love it.

Maybe I should have gotten my workout out of the way this morning after all :)

Need some inspiration

It's happened.

Lately, I DON'T feel like cooking or baking. The past few weeks, I really haven't spent a lot of quality time in the kitchen, and I don't feel like it.

Work has been stressful lately, and I mostly just feel tired all the time. We are in and out of the house a lot, and eating out quite a bit. It's a lot of work to plan meals, shop for them, cook them, and then clean up after them.

What do I do? It's like, my ONLY hobby.

I need some inspiration. I've been reading a book by David Lebowitz and his recipes look awesome, but like work to me. I think I also need to change up what I've been eating lately (i.e. crap) to give me more energy. (Sorry, David.... but you cook a la francais, which, loosely translated, means cheese, cream, butter and chocolate. Oh, and pastry.)

Anyone have tips? I'm shooting for simplicity, flavor and nutrition. Just enough to get me back into the swing of things (which, at this point, will be AFTER vacation)........

DUBAI

In less than a week, we're going to DUBAI.

Yes, the caps are necessary. I feel like when I tell people in person, I really lean into the word. DUBAI.

This location wasn't exactly on my travel bucket list (which actually makes it even better, if you ask me). We are going to visit my sister-in law and future brother-in-law. Because, yes, they actually live and work in DUBAI. (Read about it here).

Here is what I can expect: a bit of culture shock, feeling a tad simple for such a glamorous place as DUBAI, but having a kick-A time with family and living it up. Oh, I can probably expect to spend some money. That, too.

What I can't expect: Everything else, haha. This is unlike any place I've ever been to before.

I am promising myself to be diligent with the sunscreen (to avoid a repeat of my Mexican honeymoon) and while I'm at it, I should up the Vitamin C intake. This is no time to be sick! I don't want to waste a minute of it....

Getting Started

So, I know it's been awhile since I've posted here. It's a good thing I have a small handful of faithful readers (hi, mom), because you can't get angry at me for not posting.

Spring is here, and the days are seriously flying by (again, is this what it's like to get older?). Work has a lot to do with it, but weekends have been full, too..... there was an officer ball, Easter, film festival, blah blah blah.

I also made a choice.

I finally decided to go back to school (nights/weekends). I have begun studying for my GMAT and submitted my application materials to the University of Iowa to get my MBA. (Please let me get in UI, or I'll feel really dumb for telling everyone!)

I have been stewing over this choice for 6 years now. I knew I wanted to keep going with school, but wanted to make a choice that felt right with my skills and career path (see previous post where I whine about the fact that it's too late to just start over. Not for everyone, but for me it is.)

One day last month, it just hit me. Although work is challenging, I'm loving it. I'm learning a lot, and marketing is my calling. It's creative-meets-analytics (and I thought I wanted to be a lawyer?) I want to really invest in this career path. Show it I'm serious.

So, I'm DOING IT, people. And it feels great. I'm scared to death of the math I'll encounter again, but I'm nerdy-excited to start school. I'm going to be really busy, and at times stressed, and I'll have to say no to shopping trips and dinners now and then so I can pay for tuition. (Again, if by some chance a UI admission official is reading this blog, please please admit me.... as you can see, mentally, I'm already PAYING TUITION).

I submitted my materials in true Kate fashion, though. Whipped through the application and essays in a few hours, and didn't hardly read them more than twice. Then regretted not being more careful. Ah, gees. I better just trust that since I write for a living, I'm sure it will be at least 80% OK.

I take the GMAT in early June. I should know a few weeks after that if I've made it! Shooting for Fall 2012 admission.

This does not mean I'm a Hawkeye, though.

Work trips are weird

Hello, friends. It's Monday again and the weather around here is summer-nice and very distracting. Work today was the perfect example of willpower.

The weekend was awesome between St. Patrick's day shenanigans, yard work (actually sort of cathartic) and a dinner business meeting at our house between Tim and his independent film associates. I got a mini-sunburn and aside from the continued chance of skin cancer, I LOVE IT. IT HURTS SO GOOD. After months of a mild winter, I'm just drinking up the vitamin D like it's my job.

I returned home Friday after spending most of the week on the East Coast. Newark, NJ was our home base and we made trips into Manhattan, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn, in that order. I learned about East Coast geography (who knew NYC and Philly were that close?) and traffic (actual toll booth dude quote after we asked why we were totally slowed to a stop: "19 lanes merging into 3. Welcome to Staten Island.") The work was good, productive and busy.

I was in such a head space, though. Work trips generally mean that while you are in proximity to local landmarks, you won't have time to experience them. Which is logical, I'm not being paid to sight see... I know, I know. But the other thing bugging me was just that...... argh, I'm young, and real cities make me feel young. While we were taking trains and walking to our meetings, my heart sank because I wasn't part of it all. I wasn't part of the excitement, yeah?

Now, I've made my choices. We all create priorities in our lives, and while I didn't choose Cedar Rapids, I DID choose my job, being near my family, and stability. Cedar Rapids just came as part of the deal. I get that.

I suppose, though, that part of my quarter-life crisis is realizing that I've run out of time (somewhat) to choose a different life. I'm on a path now. I chose it, and I'm living it. Tim and I could still uproot ourselves at some point in 10 years and start again.... but we'll be older. Even more settled into the life we chose. I'm positive we won't be unhappy..... but I think the thing that gets me is, you can't have everything. I can't choose both paths -- city/unknowns/excitement AND stability/family/early career opportunity. And I won't apologize for it.

I was just having a moment, you know?

Coming home did feel great, though. I came downstairs Saturday morning to sunshine, coffee brewing, and breeze sailing through all the open windows in the house. It was comforting. So, I think my moment has passed, at least for the time being. I'm really looking forward to a normal week.... work, working out, dinner, sleep, repeat.

Also, geeking out -- The first Hunger Games movie comes out this weekend AND the new season of MadMen starts. When you don't live in a bustling metropolis (hell, even if you do), these are the simple, mindless pleasures, people.

Is this what it's like?

I'm so whiny lately. I'm sure my husband thinks his wife turned in to a grumpy, arthritic 80-year-old overnight. I'm starting to think that some of this is just what happens when you get older.

I had a cold for what felt like a million days (whine), then decided to sort of jump back into working out (hurts, whine), now hurt my back working out (whine) and my ears never stop popping and I'm convinced I have Menieres disease (hypochondriac, whine).

Pffftttttttttt. Sigh.

I'm pretty sure it's just me projecting stress into my body. And into the house. I'm obsessive-compulsing out. Tim's being such a trooper. Crumbs on the counter (silent whine), dish cloth left in a gross, soggy pile in the bottom of the sink (passive aggressive whine to the husband), couch pillows on the floor (whine to myself), mountain of laundry that seems to regenerate itself  on the floor of the bedroom (whine at the husband). It's good that we don't have little people to care for, or I might spontaneously combust.

Commence retail therapy today. I travel east for work next week and I have to be on my A game. And if not that, at least look like I have an A game. Time to zen out, enjoy the sun and 50-degree weather. It's starting to turn spring around here and I love the changing seasons.

Little things that I enjoyed this week (anti-whine):
Sunny Friday afternoon, enjoying a TGIF beer with Tim, then dinner with my brother and his girlfriend.... and then later at night, Tim saying that he's grateful that we'll get to share simple fun like that for the rest of our lives.
Getting to see the passion and talent of my team at work. Makes all the stress worth it.
Thursday night pasta and horror movie.
Catching whiffs of my new perfume all day and feeling classy because of it, even if I feel like a mess otherwise.
(This hasn't happened yet, but I know it would go on this list) Lazy Sunday afternoon with my mom and sister.

Cheers!

What day is it again?

I'm here.

The weeks have just been flying by, and I can't believe it's almost March.

February month re-cap = WORK, a trip to St. Louis to see my wiggly nephew (he can DANCE), an anniversary weekend trip to Galena, an epic cold, dropping out of Insanity, giving myself food hugs regularly. Oh, and another, shorter haircut. 

March (from what I'm expecting so far) = dinner with out-of-town friends (yeah!), a work trip that will take me to New York City and Philadelphia, more work busy-ness, an impromptu Chicago weekend? And Tim's annual officer ball/dinner in Des Moines. I'll just go ahead and write here that I hope I get back on the fitness bandwagon in the next month. Gosh, I LOVE starting over -- bring on the soreness! YEAH! (I'm faking that.)

I woke up this morning actually relieved that it was Friday. Relieved. I'm not really sure sure where that feeling comes from, other than it's been really busy around here lately. I look forward to some Saturday morning PBS in my robe, house cleaning, hockey outing with my crew (feels like forever since I've seen friends!), and church with my mom on Sunday. Oh, and kicking back with some good food to watch the Oscars. And hey, I felt so good about it being the weekend this morning, that I thought I might try working out tomorrow. Maybe.

I still have the remnants of a plague that's working it's way around my office. Which brings me to last weekend -- our winter wonderland getaway. I'll post pictures -- but the cottage and the surrounding property we stayed in was absolutely beautiful. Stunning. Picturesque. It was .... perfect.

Except, I was COMICALLY sick. I feel like we could make a movie about the last weekend that stars Chevy Chase. I was constantly attending to my nose, couldn't sleep or taste anything, and looked like a mucus monster (I felt like one, anway). Tim and I would get up and go eat these gourmet breakfasts and dinner in a room the size of your living room -- surrounded by other happy bed-and-breakfast-goers -- and I would have to interrupt everyone's romance on the hour, every hour, with an orchestra coming from my nose.

That wouldn't be so bad if not for the nosebleeds. Yes. I have an affliction shared by nerds and coke addicts where, if it's dry or I have a cold, I get nosebleeds. Picture Tim and I walking dreamily between artsy little shops in downtown Galena.... and me with a Kleenex crammed in my face. Awwwwwesome.

I told Tim that this can't be an annual thing for us -- I got comically sunburnt on our romantic Mexican honeymoon last year. I have to break the tradition of being an achy, whiny mess on our trips together! I want a do-over. On both counts.

Seriously, Tim and I think it would be great if we could round up a few friends and head back to Isla Mujeres for a little spring break -- anyone else in for March 2013? Sun, beaches, cheap flights and plentiful booze... and we could share a vacation rental.

Let's go.

I'm running away

For the weekend, anyway. It's time to get out of dodge and clear my head! I'm headed to St. Louis to get some good quality family time with my mom, sister/brother-in-law, and ADORABLE nephew. It'll be the refresh/recharge that I need after the past few, difficult weeks.

But to do that, I have to confront an irrational fear I have: I hate driving, by myself, and especially for long distances. Actually, I don't even like riding long distances.

I'm really not sure where this fear started, but I think it's getting worse the older I get and the more I avoid it (I'm sure my people notice).

A few years back, I got into two, rear-end accidents (one in 2007, one in 2008) that were my fault. But both happened really quickly -- in the time it takes to look at your radio. Since then, I've slowly started to get leerier about following another car too closely, not using a turn signal, or other cars getting up in my biz. Or really any form of irregular driving sends a shot of nor epinephrine up my spine.

The only way I could see my sister this weekend was driving myself there. I need to do it. I won't die on the road. It'll be fine.

hgfhgfhsghs

Here's to confronting fear head on!!!

Can I tell you a secret?

I would love to turn this blog into an even bigger hobby. I think, if I could decide what my angle was, that it would be really fun and make me happy. I love what I do for a living, but outside of my salaried job, this is sort of my medium. My creative instant gratification.

Some ideas:

1.) Focus the blog around food + life, incorporate photography and kill two hobbies with one stone (maybe this is an overdone concept?)
2). Get some collaborators and talk about food, life, and style in our local area. Have a few voices in the blog and dig into the community and arts 'round here (they do exist -- any takers?)
3). Take away any hobby angle and just leave the focus up to life, but likely only from a later-20s, woman point of view (unless I do a he said/she said concept with another, male collaborator).

Any of these concepts would require a new design and some additional organization (read: NOT so much that it becomes part of the stress).

Which way to turn?

Whatever gets you through the day

I'm all.... in my head lately. Like, living in there. Where I am never just focused on one thing. Working + all in my head. Working out, half-heartedly.... because I'm all in my head. Taking a weekend to bake, bake, bake -- because I can do that and also be in my head. Driving + in my head (I KNOW). Trying to have meaningful conversations with people + in my head.

It's exhausting.

I think my driven, competitive sides might actually kill me here. Don't let my copious amounts of TV watching and resistance into responsibility over dogs or children fool you. I'm always thinking. I approach everything like a project. And lately, I have real projects with work that are taking up space.... thus the living in my head.

Here is a simplified version of what my head looks like lately:

"Wow, work has been challenging and I want to make the most out of this weekend. It has to be the best, most relaxing weekend. I better prioritize what that means ahead of time so I don't waste it. Better include some quality time with the husband so we can stay on a trajectory to have a marriage that is better than everyone else's. Wonder if we can fake quality time while we are also recycling cans. The cans are starting to bother me. They are in the kitchen, basement, and garage and we are being swallowed by cans. But can't stress about that because I need the weekend to clear my head. Reading over coffee in the morning would be great, but I better decide if I should keep reading my entertaining books, or read something that might help me get through my work challenges, or in general, read something that will improve me as a person. You're not supposed to stress about what you read on the weekend over coffee. Oh, that's right. Did I pay the cable bill? I think I did, but I better check. The next time I am online, I will check. Remember the work challenges? Let's get back to those......."

And there goes another hour. Please don't think I'm a crazy person. I'm probably just a normal adult trying to juggle things. I'm really bad at meditation though, if you can't guess.

I think it's time for a cleanse. I need to try to give up some of the things that I stress/obsess over so I can better enjoy everything else.

..... and where to start.

Amen, sister

Here is a recent post from another blogger I follow, New Girl on Post. She mostly writes about travel and living abroad, but her post Tuesday was poignant, and something I think we all struggle with.

So, a few disclaimers. I believe in health, moderation (truly, even with my random stash eating and baking blowouts), and enjoying the good things in life. I try and balance exercise when I can, meals with nutrients I need, and indulgences that keep me happy.

But I agree with New Girl's post -- we (I say this as a society, and as a woman) have to stop focusing well-being around size and scale numbers.

My jean size and weight do not signify how I love or am loved. They don't represent how well I do my job or keep the promises I make. Those numbers don't make me beautiful. The numbers don't make a difference in the world. (Sorry for getting a little carried away there, but seriously).

They don't represent my cholesterol levels, blood pressure, or energy during the day, although those are much better metrics for my well-being.

Every woman (and probably a lot of men) knows this scene. We turn around and complain to our cube mate at work that we had a handful of M&M's yesterday and didn't make it to the gym. We worry to our friends that we gained 5 pounds, or we celebrate when we have lost 5 pounds by eating yogurt for lunch. We tell ourselves that we feel fat/look fat/have to start dieting. We obsess over the numbers and put ourselves down. We idolize models whose Photoshopped-figures are truly unattainable.

It's a hard cycle to break. I do it without realizing. Even this week, when we did our weigh in and 2-week fit test for our Insanity challenge, I was discouraged somewhat because my weight stayed the same. Why did I care? Would I really have gone back in time and denied myself the treats I had? Probably not. What I really should have been thinking first was that I had worked out more consecutive days in a row than ever, I was getting stronger, and I had more energy than before. I was recovering faster after working out, and that means my cardiovascular health was improving.

My health was improving.

This is sort of a serious/rambling post, but it means a lot to me. I think we need to start changing the conversation. Certainly I understand how weight/image and health are connected, but why don't we talk more about the risks of weight/image being the first and only priority? What about how happiness is connected to all of it?

I'm a happier person when I'm keeping the balance mentioned above (I want my chocolate, people!). And I want the important people in my life to be healthy and balanced, too. I don't care what size they are. I think they are beautiful. I only care about getting as many healthy years with them as I can.

This post is not important

But ladies and well-dressed gentlemen, I need your help.

Remember how I said in my last post that I get more excited to food shop than clothes/shoe shop? Well, I have a practical need now in the shoe department that requires attention.

So, I hardly ever spend money on shoes. I'll pick up a really cheap pair here and there, but then wear the crap out of it until it needs replacing. And usually, all my shoes need replacing at once, and it's a really overwhelming task (for WHATEVER reason). I can never decide what to get! I overthink how often I will wear them, if they will make me too tall, etc. etc.

Here is the primary need. It snowed in Iowa. A lot. It's slushy and cold, and I can't get by a) wearing dress shoes and socks or b) wearing my now-beat up pairs of knee high boots and skinny jeans every day.

My requirements:

1) Flat or a low heel
2) Can be worn with jeans or dress slacks
3) Preferably not suede or faux suede
4) Don't make me look twice my age (for whatever reason, I think this shoe type with my requirements is primarily marketed to middle-aged women.)

I've been wandering around shoe sections of stores and looking online. Between all the boot, bootie, and now... wait for it... shootie styles out there, I can't make up my mind. How do you guys get by with stylish footwear in the winter?

I think in past years, I've really not cared this much. But I have a few more days this winter/spring that require me to dress nicely, and I'd like something that I can wear to/from the car because I won't have the opportunity to wear snow boots and carry normal shoes in a bag.

Suggestions?

Oh no, she didn't

I decided that I would try and cut out the sweets during the week, a la my-favorite-blogger-I-would-want-to-be-besties-with Iowa Girl Eats. I'm only 24 hours into that decision, and I've ALREADY decided what I want to bake this weekend.

I really haven't spent much time baking since my Christmas cookie whirlwind. I've said it before, but cooking and baking is the only science I can really get excited about, and this weekend, I'm going to try two new things -- chocolate and tarts.

Thank you Martha Stewart.

I'm technically breaking my rule, because 2 of the three recipes will go to work with me for a birthday Friday (which is not the weekend). Sorry, friends. But if I'm successful, these could make appearances at your next gathering. Invite me. I might be chatty and slightly narcissistic (hello, I have a blog), but I show up with the goods.

Recipe No.1 = Chocolate Peanut Butter Shortbread Squares.

These seem to combine more than a few favorites into one treat. Chocolate? Check. Peanut Butter? Check. A cookie made primarily of butter? Ch-ch-check. I think the square part is really just a suggestion, only if you like your treats all cute and bite-sized. I prefer mine by the sliver every time I walk into the kitchen, until half the pan is gone. Mine aren't going to look that pretty because I can't be bothered to buy a basket-weave chocolate mold.

Recipe No. 2 = Chocolate Ganache Tart

The motivation behind this one was fairly simple. Try a ganache, try an almond tart crust, and finally use the sweet little tart pans I got in my stocking this Christmas. The tarts and the shortbread are headed to work with me. 

Recipe No. 3 = Flourless Chocolate Cake

Oh, yes. Because this one doesn't lend itself well to single servings or travel, this one is staying home. I've had this dessert at countless restaurants, and this recipe is surprisingly easy (looking). All three of these recipes are, actually, otherwise I probably wouldn't have stacked so many into a single kitchen-lab experiment.

The science part of all of these is similar -- melt chocolate and add ingredients to it, and not make it seize up in the pan/bowl. I got really excited about finding the right chocolate to use and finally buying parchment paper. More excited than I get about buying clothes/shoes. Sad?

Ohhhh the weather outside is weatherrr

I was really hoping for a snow day today (I'm sure many of you can agree). It took me 30 minutes to drive to work this morning, not because the roads were THAT bad, but because people were.

I'm sure in a little while, I'll have to stop stalling and start the process of scooping and scraping and clearing. But I'm not complaining. I really think there is a certain romance about winter. I think, inadvertently, Tim and I chose our home based on this fact. Almost a year ago (!), we also chose to get married in the dead of winter, on a day with grey skies and show.

To all the haters, hear me out -- solemn, quiet nights where snow blankets everything. Snow covers even the ugliest cars and houses in our neighborhood and transforms them into a Norman Rockwell painting. Low light in the house, fire roaring in the fireplace, and something hearty warming on the stove. I love it.

Don't get me wrong, I still fantasize about palm trees and beach vacations. I also still surf the web to find the perfect moisturizers to calm my freaked out skin and hair. (Anyone have any suggestions? Morroccan oil did nothing for the static, and my Aveda calming face cream is NOT calming my face. Considering Clinique Redness Solutions but don't want to drop the coin unless I know it will work). I still won't want to travel long distances when the road conditions aren't perfect.

But.... I enjoy contrast. To love summer, I love winter.

Now for a little show and tell. For our first anniversary, I booked a stay at a pretty awesome place near Galena, Ill -- Irish Hollow Bed & Breakfast.

In my head, this is winter perfection. It doesn't come cheap (we're not counting on celebrating every anniversary this way, that's for sure). This B&B is about 6 miles outside of Galena in a location that at one time was a small town. There are a few houses and a general store that they have converted into dreamy little cottages and rooms with a central location to have meals. There are miles of wooded hiking trails that cross pastures and streams. In fact, for a price, they will set up a little wine picnic for you on a trail. Even in the winter.

We booked a cottage that comes with a huge tub, two-room fireplace, gourmet breakfast, a seven-course dinner one night, champagne/chocolates.... and no TV.

I understand why this is so, but we aren't THAT couple. Sure, we'll snowshoe during the day and read books and relax by the fire. But at night, we'll stare dreamily.... at a laptop screen with Netflix playing. Yup.

We are so excited. Weather/roads permitting, we actually have lots of plans for the next few months to look forward to. So many, that I double-booked us for a few weekends (including our anniversary weekend. No Mardi Gras for me in St. Louis this year -- what's a Catholic to do??). We also booked our flight for an April trip to Dubai! It's on the books!

In the meantime, we are keeping up with Insanity, but not necessarily with eating. Meals have been great and incredibly tasty and balanced, but the stash is not gone. I keep finding things! Chocolate stars left from Christmas cookie baking and a freaking PIE that a friend of Tim's family gave us after we moved into our house. A PIE, people. That we baked last night and I ate TWO pieces of.

Weigh in is on Monday and my expectations are really low. And, as I type this, I'm starving and thinking about what bad decisions I can make for lunch. Ah gees..... I guess you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make me give up my eating habits.