Guy Gifts

See, I told you I'd write more.

Yesterday my little sister called me from the Mall where she was wondering aimlessly looking for the perfect gift for her boyfriend and coming up empty. We spent the next several minutes discussing why guys are so hard to shop for. I got lucky this year in that I don't have to worry about Andrew's gift since the little Finnster (our puppy, if you didn't read my previous post) is our Christmas gift to each other. (And he truly is the gift that keeps on giving...and costing.)
After I'd hung up the phone, telling her I'd call her back if I had any sudden guy-gift revelations, I tried to think of what WOULD be the perfect gift for Andrew if I were getting him something this year. And I realized I can't get him the perfect gift because, well, it hasn't been invented yet.

Here are some ideas of what still needs to be invented as gifts for guys:

1. The make-shopping-bearable gift. I don't know what it would be, but SOMETHING that would make shopping bearable, or even enjoyable, for guys. Andrew, and 99% of all other guys I know, HATES shopping. It's like as soon as we step into the Mall, he deflates a little and is suddenly overcome by exhaustion, depression and anxiety. There just needs to be some kind of gadget, gizmo or pill that would make that whole shopping experience a good one. (Because every guys ends up at the Mall with their woman at some point, right?)

2. The clothes-matcher. The day I saw Andrew wearing a gray T-shirt with the most un-matching shade of khaki cargo shorts, I knew I was going to have to intervene. As I always tell him, he's my biggest accessory, so he needs to look good. And he does LIKE to look good, he just hasn't fully mastered color and style combinations. So, there needs to be something to do this for him, and for other guys in the same boat. I'm envisioning a sort of camera that scans the outfit and then says in an electronic voice, "Great job!" if it matches, and "Those brown shoes don't go with those black pants," if it doesn't.

3. The girl-mind-reader. Self-explanitory. Enough said.

4. Vegetable-"candy". Andrew is like a little kid when it comes to most vegetables. It takes bribes, threats, or hiding them in other food to get him to eat them. There needs to be some sort of spray or something that you can just spray over vegies that makes them taste like chocolate or bacon or something, but doesn't take away any of the nutrients or add any calories. Yeah, this would be a good gift for girls too.

5. The no-videogames-mind-warp. Yes, this would be more of a gift for me (and many other girls I know.) They need to invent something, ANYTHING, that would make playing videogames for hour after hour seem a whole lot less appealing.

Ok, if anyone ever invents any of these things, please alert me immediately. Thank you.

Finnster

Ok, so once again, it has taken me months to update (I'll start doing better, I swear!), but I blame it on becoming a new mom.....to a puppy. The most ADORABLE little French Bulldog puppy in the entire universe and beyond named Finn.
On November 10th, Andrew and I picked him up at the airport (where he flew in from Illinois) and I held the tiny little sucker for the first time. We bonded immediately (I've always kind of wondered if the brown furry coat I was wearing that day had anything to do with it; maybe he thought I was his real mom) and he fell asleep on my lap for the drive home. He's been following me around ever since. He LOVES to be held. I've almost completely mastered putting on makeup and getting dressed with one hand while holding him in the other. He still cries when I don't let him in the shower with me. He's Definately a mama's boy. NOT that I am complaining. While it can be un-handy sometimes, I know I will be devastated if he ever grows out of it.
And he IS growing. He was less than 3 pounds when we got him and as of his vet visit today, he is now 6.4. He's laid-back, sweet, and the goofiest dog I've ever seen. It's like he TRIES to make us laugh. And he's got my smile.
I think having a puppy is the best practice for having a kid as you can get..without actually having a kid. He takes a lot of time and energy and maintenance (and money) and I have to plan my life around him. As my friend Tammy said, it's all the responsibility of having a kid without the possibility of causing psycological damage. He's totally worth all of it of course, but at the same time, has shown me once again that I am still NOT ready for kids. Not even close.
Case in point, this morning I was feeling incredibly proud of myself for getting Finn to the vet (clean and on time) all by myself. Then my friend Rachel came to visit toting her THREE kids along all by HERself. A 2 year old and twin babies. I have no idea how she does it. Kudos to Rach and all you other supermoms out there. You truly have my utmost admiration.

Ah, to be young again

Ok, HOW did it get to be September already??
I'm not complaining. I love September. I love Fall, and I love that back-to-school feeling, even though I'm not in school anymore. This year has been the first time I ever really missed school. After graduating, all I could think about was how happy I was to be DONE with it all. But now it's been 2 years and I've suddenly got that wistful, nostalgic feeling when I think about school. (And by school, I mean college. I've never once had the desire to be back in high school or anything previous to that.)
The feeling got a thousand times stronger when Andrew & I went to a college friend's wedding out in Indiana and spent a lot of time on my old campus. It felt so WEIRD to be alumni. (Even the word "alumni" sounds weird.) I felt like I'd been gone for ages (when it had actually only been 8 months since I'd been on campus last.) I spent a lot of time at my old favorite campus spot: the coffee shop. (Man, it's fun to be there and not have to worry about homework.) Within the first hour of getting on campus, I met up with one of my old roommates whose little sister just started college there as a freshman and is staying in the same dorm I stayed in as a freshman. The little sister asked me if I wanted to come see her room. Um, YEAH!! I cannot even describe the feeling as I walked into her room, which looked exactly like mine did freshman year. (Not surprising since all the rooms look alike.) The bunked beds, the stacks of textbooks, the funny lamps every student brings to college... What I wouldn't have given in that moment to be a freshman again. To have that terrifying excitement of moving in with a perfect stranger, starting classes, trying to find your way around, being hours away from you family and wondering how long it will take to find the group of friends you fit into...to be just starting those 4 years of education and self-discovery... wow, there's just nothing like it. Nothing.

Update

I've come to realize that it's very hard to stick to any sort of healthy eating, get-ready-for-bikini-season plan while also working on your baking skills. Deciding to be healthy and then constantly making things like homemade fudge and peanut butter pie is counterproductive. But I really don't want to give up the baking OR the healthy plan. Oh, the perplexities of life.

Subject change: I have now been working at my new job for an official count of 4 days, and though I'm still in training, I LOVE it so far. After months and months of trying not to give up hope, my prayers for a good job have been answered. I feel that this job is absolutely perfect for me right now. It's extremely close to home, my coworkers are awesome (I love them already!), and it pays the bills (that's always a plus, right?). AND I dont' have to wear a uniform. You have no idea how big of a deal this is to me. I've been wearing uniforms since, well, elementary school. (Oh, the days of the little plaid jumper.) This is the first job I've had where I actually get to dress up (in my own choice of clothing) to go to work. And I'm one of those people that LIKES to dress up.

I would write more, but I'm currently in the middle of reading "Mirror Mirror" and I think I'm gonna get back to that...and also try to ignore the last piece of peanut-butter pie calling my name.

A Time To Save

I'm in the mood to travel. I really, really want to get out of the country for a little while. I most want to go to Italy and Brazil. Problem is, I have no money. Or at least not enough to get me much farther than the Arby's down the street for any extended period of time. Time to save, save, save.

I was able to travel an hour this weekend to the far off land of Chambersburg to visit the Shalom Dutchfest aka the School Sale with my highschool bf. What a blast from the past. Hadn't been there in quite a while. It was weird. In a fun, kinda cool, awkward kind of way. The food was awesome, but since I'm trying to save money I only got what I really wanted, namely pie. Had it for lunch and dinner. I paid for that this morning.

Goodbye beans

Last night for dinner I had plain white rice with kidney beans. I couldn't even finish all of it. Not because I was full (I wasn't) but because I just couldn't take any more rice and beans. I'm not a big fan of beans (besides the occasional plate of baked beans) and as for rice, unless it's fried rice covered with chinese orange chicken, it's not really my thing. I went to bed hungry and feeling like I never wanted to see a bowl of rice again. I knew Andrew was feeling the same way. He kept saying, "Are we really going to do this?"
This morning I woke up, thought about a breakfast of rice and beans, and felt sick. I looked at Andrew and laughed because I knew my face looked just as disgusted as his. I said, "Maybe we should go buy some baked beans." He said, "Screw the beans. I'm eating a bagel."
Well, if he wasn't going to stick with it, I sure as heck wasn't going to. A blueberry bagel with cream cheese never tasted so good. And my glass of orange juice was like heaven.
I know, I know. I couldn't even make it longer than one measly day. It's pathetic, but you might as well know up front how bad I am at sticking with things I don't like. (See why I've never finished writing a book yet? And why it's so imperative for me to finish one this year? I will do it!) As I pulled my bagel out of the bag though, I bumped the bag of beans right next to it and red Equadorian beans flew all over the kitchen. Last revenge of the beans!
Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better, but I really do think that I got the point of the challenge after just one day. I am soooo blessed in my life. Even the simple act of getting to eat something besides rice and beans felt miraculous to me today. Everytime I ate anything I was SO thankful. (And it all tasted so good!) I'm serious. I'm actually surprised at how much of an impact that one lousy day of rice and beans has made on me. Tonight for dinner I made breaded chicken, baked potatoes and vegetable stir-fry and I can't even tell you how happy I was eating it. I've been complaining a lot lately (to myself and sometimes out loud) that I can't find the perfect job, but I haven't really been thinking about how lucky (more like, blessed) I am to be living here in my apartment that I love with an education and the ability to go out and look for different jobs, surrounded by amazing food...I know it's nothing you (or I) haven't heard before, but sometimes it really is good to be reminded to count your blessings.
Ok, well I'm going to go now and eat a big bowl of chocolate moose track icecream. I'm getting really excited just thinking about it. Bye for now! :)

Post 2, look at me go

So I have some goals for myself this year.

1. Be a good wife. (I have a lot to learn in this area, but I just asked Andrew and he said I've been doing good so far.)

2.Complete ALL the P90x workouts this year. (As of today, I've only done about 3 1/2. I'm working on getting more motivated.)

3. Find a job I LOVE. (This one is proving most difficult. But I have faith! There's gotta be something out there I like doing...and I will find it!!)

4. Finish writing a book. (I always start them and never finish them..but this year I will finish a book, even if it ends up being something I'd never let anyone read. Gotta start somewhere.)

I have a feeling this is going to be a very eye-opening year.

To change the subject, today Andrew and I ran errands and I decided I would drive so that I can better learn my way around this crazy place. (Look at me, taking initiative.) I can now say that I can confidently get myself to the grocery store, bank, post office and computer store (Andrew's current place of employment.) I'm feeling proud.
I'm also feeling hungry. This week our church gave us the challenge to eat ONLY rice and beans for five days, Monday through Friday. If you weren't aware, rice and beans is what a huge percentage of the world eats everyday, all the time, because it's all they have. This week is to give us an idea of what that would be like. So far all I've eaten today is a bowl of Creamy Four Cheese Rice A Roni, which I'm pretty sure is actually cheating because I don't think most of the population gets cheese to put in their rice. It's only the first day and I'm already craving my dried fruit trail mix, which I hid on the highest shelf of the cupboard, along with all the other most tempting foods in the house. We didn't want anything to go bad so we put all our fruit in the freezer and ate most of our leftovers yesterday. We also had a lot of milk that we didnt want to spoil, so last night we did what any logical person would do. We made a whole ton of chocolate chip cookies, invited a friend over and had a cookies and milk binge. I didn't even worry about all the calories I was throwing into my body because I knew this week it was just gonna be rice and beans, rice and beans, rice and beans. Then next Sunday, any money we saved on food this week we're donating to Haiti. It's a good challenge, but man, this could be a loooong week.