Look What I Made

Currently: April

I walked over to The Bean on my lunch break the other day. It is not a short walk but I am still so happy I did it.

Drinking tea! Although not as often as I used to. Our faves right now are Simply the Zest, Pom Tango and Bamboozled.

Eating plain greek yogurt, strawberries and chocolate chips for dessert basically every night.

Packing for our trip to D.C.

Hoping we get a chance to see the famous cherry blossoms while we are there.

Speaking of, excited for my race on Sunday! 

Also excited to be done with training for a while. I'm ready for a break.

Laughing out loud at this video. I've watched it several times and die laughing each time.

Thinking I might actually like the Jimmy Kimmel Show but I can't stay up that late.

Planning a super fun fiesta for Billy's 31st Birthday.

Researching how to make a piñata. I found a really great (and seemingly simple) tutorial here.

Writing down all my piñata ideas on my "Piñata Ideas" list.

Loving Stitch Fix. I ordered my first box a couple weeks ago. I completely forgot to take photos of my items to share on the blog. I kept 2 (of the 5) pieces and immediately scheduled my next one. I am a huge fan. (If you'd like to try it out, I would love for you to use my affiliate link.)

Wearing my Ugmonk ampersand sweatshirt every chance I get.

Making hand-stitched ampersands inspired by said sweatshirt.

Planning some other new things for my shop! I love this never ending process of blogging and having an Etsy shop. It's so much fun to be able to think of an idea and then actually make it happen. Thank you for riding along with me on this adventure.

Getting good use out of my red rain boots this spring.

Ready for the April showers to be over and for the May flowers to come to Chicago.

Currently: March

Drinking tea... weird! Current faves are Kiwi's Big Adventure, Bamboozled & Forever Nuts.

Eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Popping popcorn on the stove.

Cleaning for just 15 minutes a day. It's made all the difference in our tiny living space.

Almost done watching Friday Night Lights.

Deciding that our next show will be Burn Notice.

Also watching Burning Love on E!. Sooo great.

Working away on 2 different invitation designs.

Realizing the difference between being busy and being productive.

Making lots of lists to keep me motivated.

Painting.

Hoping a month-long photo project will inspire me to learn how my camera works.

Exactly half way through my half marathon training.

Planning a little giveaway on my blog next week.

Excited to see my niece and big sister in a few weeks!

Currently: February

Drinking tea...still! And the obsession will continue thanks to my new tea kettle. This month's favorites are Movie Night & Red Velvet Cake.

Switching out our morning coffee for green tea. So much more difficult than I could've imagined. (It's been 2 days)

Making dinners from my Trader Joe's cookbook. They are so easy and taste so good. It makes me feel like such a good cook.

Wearing a handmade sweater by my mom. Unless I'm wearing this sweatshirt.

Loving my new Kate Spade hat that I scored for 75% off.

Bundling up and doing my long runs outside on the weekends. I appreciate a break from the treadmill and the lakefront trail is pretty empty these days.

Watching episode after episode (after episode) of Friday Night Lights with Billy. It's my second time through, his first. 

Looking for a good book to download to read on my 3.5 hour plane ride to LA. (In 2 weeks!) Recommendations are welcome.

Redecorating the office at work. It's actually a really fun project to work on! 

Winning the contest for worst aunt award. I have yet to mail my niece's Christmas gifts. (Sorry, Quinn.) 

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It's been a slow-going month. The cold weather makes me want to hibernate and watch Netflix all day. I do have some exciting plans coming up in the next few weeks/months. In March, I have a long weekend trip to Los Angeles to visit my BFF with one of my other BFFs. And Billy & I booked our flight + hotel to DC at the end of April. 

Currently: January

Drinking lots and lots of DAVID's TEA. My current favorite is Sleigh Ride.

Eating Cinammon Apple Snack Sticks from Trader Joe's. They are addicting.

Trying really hard to bringing my lunch to work everyday.

Watching Parks & Recreation on Netflix. Why have I never watched this before? It's hilarious.

Spinning 2x a week and taking a 30 minute Cross Fit style class on Fridays. The funny part is that since Cross Fit is a brand name, my gym can't call it that so they named the class Fit Cross.

Planning out a new half marathon training plan. I'm running the Nike Womens' Half Marathon in DC at the end of April! Training starts on February 4th.

Taking tons of pictures with my new camera.

Soaking up the 'One Little Word' workshop. It's my first time taking a class like this. My word is 'Wander'.

Indecisive about music these days. Maybe it was the 26 hours we spent in the car driving to & from New Orleans, but nothing holds my attention these days. I am sick of all my Pandora stations and my iPod.

Needing to balance things out in my life. I tend to focus all my energy into 1 thing at a time. Right now, it's crafting at every waking moment. Our house is a disaster and I am running low on clean clothes. 

Really enjoying the time Billy & I have been spending together. Nothing in particular. We're just having fun.

Dreaming of Spring time.

Currently: December

Drinking tea. The David's Tea obsession continues.

Eating Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels from Trader Joe's. They are SO good.

Watching Top Chef Seattle & Nashville.

Shopping for gifts online – although I think the [free] shipping window has passed and I may need to step foot into a store to finish up. 

Wrapping them as soon as they arrive and putting them under our tree.

Crafting like a crazy woman. It's all I want to do these days.

Painting my nails this color. It's like a dark charcoal-purpley gray without being too goth.

Thinking that gray should always be spelled with an 'A' and not an 'E' (gray, not grey). Random.

Sweeping the floor twice a day thanks to our real Christmas tree shedding all its needles.

Still wondering where we are going to live once our landlord sells this condo we're renting.

Attending the 'Thirty-something-th Annual Edwards Santa Party' tomorrow night.

Looking forward to our Roadtrip to New Orleans!

Downloading music & burning CDs for our 13 hour drive.

Excited to find out that I was accepted into the Nike Womens' Half Marathon in D.C.!  Never been there before.

Super excited to remember that I have an automatic entry into the New York City Marathon next November. 

Planning out my goals for 2013. I'm going to make a list of 13 things I want to do next year. Obviously, that includes running.

Having some good converstaions with Billy as we talk about what's next for ME+BP (spoiler alert: we have no idea)

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I'm so ready for a new year. This year was absolutely amazing but I think next year will be better. We have so many fun things we want to do and, what seems like, all the time in the world to do them. I've spent this entire year doing a better job of paying attention and it's made me realize how lucky and happy I am in my life. It also made me recognize the things that don't make me feel lucky or happy and given me the opportunity to change them. It's pretty fantanstic. Deep thoughts today, folks.

Currently: November

drinking red wine

eating crock pot chili

writing thank you notes on my lunch break

waiting patiently for december so i can start filling in my december daily album

trying to figure out typepad and coding this blog so it looks nice & pretty

re-organizing my gmail inbox and my craft supplies to work for my life right now

getting excited for 2013 project life

wishing that we could delay the cold weather that's for sure coming here

dreaming about taking a vacation somewhere together

wondering where we're going to live once our landlord sells this condo we're living in

listening to 'the black keys' on pandora as i work

eating as healthy as i can since i'm way too lazy to workout these days

loving the fact that my mom and i can go out to lunch, marshall's and target and call it 'errands'

so happy that we have things to talk about other than the wedding (not that i was really concerned but at one point it was so hard to see 'life past the wedding')

hoping that the volunteer opportunity at Bright Pink works out

needing to clean up my closet and put some laundry away

shopping online almost exclusively these days

writing down every christmas gift idea i think of for my family (and pinning even more ideas to my secret board)

researching how to send military care packages over the hoildays at work...

learning that everyone wants to send military care packages over the holidays...

thinking that maybe we can save this for our company's 'holidays in july' party instead.

looking for inspiration everywhere. my mind is whirling with ideas these days. i'm just trying to keep up.

Currently: 09.17

listening: Santigold on Pandora. While running, Britney Spears on Pandora.

reading: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. So far I am loving it. 

watching: Up All Night, catching up on Grey's Anatomy. Also, Project Runway, Real Housewives, Rachel Zoe Project, and Breaking Bad.

eating: Home-cooked meals. Last night I made stuffed peppers. The rest of the weekend we'll be eating the beef stew that's cooking in the crock pot right now. (Mom, Dad... I think you guys taught me more cooking skills than we both thought)

drinking: Right now, coffee. Lately, lots of water, coffee, red wine and the occasional Pumpkin Spice Latte.

wearing: Nightgown & slipper boots.

feeling: Nervous for the marathon but need to get through my 20 miler on Sunday first.

wondering: What the altitude will be like in Denver for the marathon.

weather: FALL. It's been in the 50-60's all week. I love it.

thinking: About ways to keep this little blog going.

wanting: Some new fall clothes.

needing: Shades for the living room windows. The sun is brutal right now.

enjoying: Our new life in the South Loop. I think this was a good move for us.