sibling saturday [47]

Trippy. I love this one. Check out the rest.

land of the free.

This past weekend, Alex and I took a megabus to Washington, DC to visit Margaret! First of all – I highly recommend the whole bus trip thing. It’s so cheap, and SO easy. While I’ll be the first to admit that a bus seat isn’t necessarily the most comfortable, it’s totally worth the hassle-free travel. In fact, Marg and I took the Bolt Bus from DC to New York City for our birthday trip last year, and that was a great experience, too. Anyway, I digress.

So, Alex and I sent the doggies to be looked after by our friends and families, packed a couple of backpacks, and headed to DC. We had a wonderful time, with plenty of adult beverages; catching up; a trip to the National Mall, the Smithsonian, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial; and lunch in Georgetown. But, instead of boring you with the details, here are some pictures.

Be warned: apparently none of the three of us are consistently very good at taking pictures OR modeling. :) xo

sibling saturday [46]

This week, my handsome brother J is being featured in Sibling Saturday in a different way – check us out! My dear friend Lauryn took these great pictures for us so we can give them to our mom as a present. Did she do a rockin’ job or what? I love her blog, I love her work, and I love her, so I obviously suggest you check out her blog. Anyway, happy late Sibling Saturday! xo

a change of scenery.

It’s been a good week. The holiday helped – on Monday, I saw tons of old friends, my family, and made the most of my day off. I’ve not worked at the second job yet (heading there tonight), and it’s been a timely break. I’ve accomplished a lot at work, and let myself be lazy at home. Like I said, a good week. :)

And now, tomorrow, Alex and I are going to DC! We’re taking a bus there – it’s so cheap – and staying with Margaret! I can’t wait to see her and to be somewhere new. Everybody needs a change of scenery sometimes, right?

Happy Friday, lovelies. Stay warm! xo

sibling saturday [45]

I don’t know what it is about these pictures of cats – but is this awesome or what?

J’s online.

just a spoonful of sugar…

MAKES THE HICCUPS GO AWAY!

Seriously. Am I the only one who didn’t know this?

So here I am, Friday night, standing at work. Smiling, hosting, being exuberantly friendly as usual (duh) – and I’m overtaken. BY THE HICCUPS.

I get the hiccups a lot. At really inopportune times. And usually at night. Is that weird? Anyway, my hiccup tendency probably would never have bugged me if I hadn’t been working in restaurants for the past eight years – but it’s just really awkward to try and take an order (or check a coat, or direct someone to the restroom) while your body spasms and spits out a weird choking noise. Okay, okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating the horrible-ness of having the hiccups – but let’s just say I hate them. In case you hadn’t noticed.

So, back to the story. I get the hiccups at work, and I’m miserable. A co-worker runs by the hostess stand on the way to get a glass of wine for a customer. “How ya doin,’ girl?” he says. He expects a sarcastic answer, since its 10pm, I’m a hostess, and we don’t seat anyone for dinner after that time. “Terrible,” I say. “I have the hiccups.”

“Packet-a-sugar,” he calls casually, wine in hand on his way back from the bar.

I have no idea what he was talking about. Next time he comes by, he tosses two packets of sugar down in front of me. “Just eat one,” he says. “Hiccups’ll be gone.”

Now let me just say this – I’ve tried peanut butter, I’ve tried holding my breath, I’ve tried baking soda, I’ve tried EVERYTHING. Nothing gets rid of the hiccups. So I ate the stupid pack of sugar. AND THEY WERE GONE.

Gone. Totally and completely gone. Like they’d never been there. My co-worker is my new best friend. And the hiccups are my favorite new enemy. Muah ha haaaaaaaa.

But seriously, it was awesome. And even more seriously – am I the only one who didn’t know about this?

Happy Tuesday. May you not have the hiccups. And if you do – may you have a spoonful of sugar on hand. :) xo

sibling saturday [44]

What beauty. J’s online.

a year of opportunity.

I’ve been gone for some time. I know, for too long. I’ve been overwhelmed – overwhelmed in a way that deep breaths and a glass of wine won’t fix. There’s been a lot going on, and I haven’t known quite how to be me in the meantime.

The good news is – the reasons for these feelings are  reasons to be thankful! I’m fortunate enough to be planning my wedding to the most amazing man I’ve ever met, who just so happens to be studying to be the most amazing physical therapist to ever grace the medical field. I’m fortunate enough to have two jobs that make it possible to take care of us and our puppies – even though a boss with the flu at job #1 and a co-worker who leaves with no notice at job #2 (all during the busiest time of the year) makes me want to skip both for a big long nap. I’m fortunate enough to have the option to attend a low-residency MFA program – if only I didn’t have to decide to make the time and financial commitment at this particular moment in history.

This is just a snapshot of where I’ve been since my last posts. We’ve also decided that our apartment isn’t the most financially responsible place for us to live at the moment (it’s our dream apartment, but the price definitely reflects that), so that’s something else to add to the list. We’re also starting to get more involved at our church, which is exciting as long as I can make sure I’ve got the time.

Anyway, the point of this isn’t to whine. This is my online, in-public deep breath – one that perhaps I should have taken quite some time ago. The point is to say that I’m ready for 2011. I’m ready for what’s to come. I might be stressed out, and I might continue getting overwhelmed, but I can do it. And I’m ready.

I don’t usually do this, but I wanted to share a little something that our pastor incorporated into his sermon last Sunday. He wrote a list of twelve things to keep in mind at the beginning of the year, and I figured you might enjoy them, too. Here are the short versions of my favorite ones:

1. Keep your promises. Your life’s meaning is built on them.

2. Make core commitments – find a few things that are of most importance to you and commit yourself fully.

5. Realize the significance of invisible things. Love, virtue, forgiveness, charity, civility, faith, hope. These things.

6. Among those things that are visible or tangible; family and close friends are the most important.

8. Don’t shrink back from what feels intimate and vulnerable. Say what you really feel and do so with sincerity and love.

So, for various reasons, these particular ones spoke to me. Yelled at me, really. They may seem corny, or silly even, but they were just what I needed. In other words – they were just what I needed after the month I’ve had. And so, on that note, here’s to both 2010 AND 2011. May we remember 2010 fondly and make the most of 2011 – cheers, lovelies. Thanks for still being here. xo

sibling saturday [43]

I thought I had scheduled this for Saturday – but apparently it’s lost in the world of WordPress/my computer/my very overextended brain. Enjoy a different view!

J’s online.