love in letters.

how many more days until summer?

2012-01-12T22:56:00.000-05:00

Honestly, it's more like : how many more days until we move to a place where winter means mid-50s and that's only at night? Because, really, I am over winter. Mid-January is about the time I start feeling SAD because the days are still short, it's still freezing outside and the Christmas decorations that are still up seem so out of place because the Christmas cheer that should accompany them is long gone.

I'm feeling particularly blue today but I think this week has just been one of those weeks. My father-in-law suffered a severe stroke on Monday morning. We are thanking God for excellent and diligent doctors and the good fortune that this was a stroke that caused brain swelling as opposed to cutting off the oxygen supply. Mr. T is reported as having full control over limbs, face and is having coherent and Mr.-T-like conversations as well as even being able to get up and walk around a little. The first twelve hours, though, were on-the-edge-of-your-seat type hours. I'm sure it was even worse for the husband.

And in my little realm of issues, I fell down the stairs again today. You mean I didn't tell you about how I fell down the stairs just a month or so ago? I use the word fell loosely. More like I misjudged how many steps were left and rolled my ankle. As in, my coordination is now that of a wobbly toddler who has just learned to walk but falls flat on their ass every few moments (not quite that bad but it sure feels like it). Last time, I just missed the last three steps entirely and fell straight on to the floor. Fortunately that time, I was carrying an arm full of pillows. Really though, I used to have the coordination of a gazelle. Are they coordinated? It would seem like it. I was so much more aware spatially. Now I can barely stand on one foot. The joy!

I'm complaining?

I am.

It's so much better when it's just pictures accompanied by wistful words.

No, but really. I want me back. The me that doesn't mumble and trip (no pun intended?) over words because I can seem to remember half of the vocabulary I used to know. The me that would get the urge to run and I'd come back refreshed and rejuvenated. The me that used to sleep. The me that wanted five kids - I'm now at zero, but it would be nice to want to want them. I don't even want to want them.

It's late. I'm tired. I usually get really irrational when I'm really tired. It's when the husband and I have our worst fights. When I should just keep my mouth shut.

But really, my list of warm cities to reside in is growing.

12 | 366

2012-01-12T22:29:00.000-05:00

Maybe it’s because it’s January and we’re (not so willingly) settling in to Winter or maybe it’s just a phase but I am really digging on the black and white this week. I’ve started one million knitting projects since I first learned how to knit but have completed maybe five. This one will hopefully turn into a little cardigan for my sweet niece. Knitting by a cozy fire, anyone? It is winter after all.

11 | 366

2012-01-12T22:27:00.000-05:00

One of the nicest things during a week like this one is to come home and find dinner on your back porch. Literally. My mother sent me a box of the most delicious pasta I have ever tasted. Handcrafted. And gluten free! In the box there were four different varieties, two bottles of pesto (enough for each variety of pasta) and two gluten free chocolate chip cookies! So delicious. Check out Silly Yak Bakery.

10 | 366

2012-01-12T22:25:00.000-05:00

We had a few friends over tonight to indulge in some Carrot Cake, red wine and coffee so as to properly ring in 30. Of course that turned in to boys playing corn hole in the basement and girls talking about our next dinner party. And then a dance party. So much interpretive dance to Justin Timberlake.

9 | 366

2012-01-09T18:24:00.000-05:00

My first attempt at home made marshmallows. For as much as I anticipated it being a major project, it wasn’t too bad. It always helps when the mister wants to get in on the fun! Next step : dip in chocolate and then serve at a certain birthday party that’s just around the corner.

8 | 366

2012-01-09T18:22:00.000-05:00

We finally finished hanging the drapes on the bay window in our dining room. The job required a little bit of creativity but Casey pulled through for me! I love the contrast of the grey and the bright red. I’m thinking a beautiful bouquet of Calla Lilies would look simply stunning in that vase!

7 | 366

2012-01-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

The Mister turns thirty on Tuesday and I had the grand idea of throwing a Brew Bash and Beer Tasting in his honor. Getting stuff together today so I'm not scrambling next weekend.

6 | 366

2012-01-06T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have about a bazillion scarves and each one has a story. I'm obsessed with them.* One's a souvenir from my mother's trip to Paris. Another from my sister's summer in Turkey. One as a gift from a dear friend for standing next to her as she said her vows. Another from my time in Australia. I love each one as much as the next. Taking a little time tonight to collect them from around the house to put them back on their nook.

*Just take a look at my pinterest board devoted to scarves.

can't stop listening.

2012-01-05T21:14:00.002-05:00

bombay bicycle club.

5 | 366

2012-01-05T18:46:00.000-05:00

A little mantle glow.

4 | 366

2012-01-04T19:58:00.001-05:00

I've been having a rough go of it lately - as much as I try to stay positive, some days are just plain shitty. Having those days makes special moments and surprise packages more meaningful. One of those special packages arrived on my doorstep yesterday and I opened it to find a beautiful necklace shaped like a star, engraved with the word Shine! on it. The name Esther means "star" and for as long as I can remember, my mother has kept her eyes peeled for all things star related. I love this necklace not just because it's simple and elegant but because that little word is a gracious reminder that I can be me.

Thank you, mother!

3 | 366

2012-01-03T17:48:00.001-05:00

Spending some time reading and writing letters today. For more, go here.

2 | 366

2012-01-02T18:31:00.001-05:00

Today's photo : a light snowfall when I got home from work. Winter is not my thing but little white snowflakes sure are beautiful!

To New Beginnings

2012-01-01T17:41:00.000-05:00

Yes! I buy into the hype of making resolutions at the beginning of each New Year. I am, however, very adamant about starting something when you first feel you need to start it (ie, a diet) instead of waiting until an appointed time. But I love the opportunity of a fresh, clean slate. As much as I hated summer ending every year, I was always excited about brand new notebooks, a new set of school clothes and a fresh pair of shoes. The same goes for the beginning of each new year.

While Casey and I rang in twothousandtwelve quietly, my mind has been humming with projects that I've been wanting to tackle for quite some time.

First : P u r g e. With a capital P. I'm doing this in order to make more space in our home and also to turn the things I no longer want in to cash. Well, with some of it at least. I won't be trying to sell it, nor do I know why I still have my 7th grade environmental camping trip scrap book. I don't have the space to keep it and I'm not gaining anything from keeping it. For the memories, some will say. But really? It mostly just takes me back to how awkward I was at that time, not to mention boy crazy and weird crushes. No thank you.

Second : one picture per day. I really want to be more thoughtful about what I'm doing each day. Taking a picture and sharing it with the realm of the internerd is one way to accomplish this. Plus it will count for one of my items on my 30beforethirty list.

Today, I have two photos. The scrumptious Mango & Peach smoothie I made this morning. Delicious and nutritious. And the beginning of the p u r g e. Going through my barely used wallets and listing them on eBay, pictured below my Liberty for Target wallet (not listed yet). Next up, my closet.

Happy New Year, all!

Lyme Disease and life expectations.

2011-12-16T16:30:00.003-05:00

I have a friend that lives far away who says she gauges (somewhat loosely, I assume) the level of my current state of happiness on how much I have been blogging. You see, I love to write. I wouldn't say I am all that great at it but it's cathartic and it helps me to process the things that happen in my life - both good and bad. Lately, however, everything that I would like to write on this blog comes to me as I am trying so desperately to fall asleep.

Both of my grandmothers as well as my own mother have embraced their late night sleeplessness, using it to map out our ancestral tree, finish a great book, pray for their families or simply clean and organize their house. Me? Absolutely not. I wrestle the beast of sleeplessness, defying it's power to keep me tossing and turning until I am exhausted from tossing and turning. Often, I will recite the same sentence or paragraph multiple times before I'm able to move on to counting my breaths (a tactic I have used for quite some time to help me fall asleep). I'm sure you're thinking, why don't you just get up and write it all down? And sometimes I think the same thing too, but when you know the alarm is going to go off early the next morning whether you've slept or not, you fight like anything to get as much precious sleep as you can.

Point being, there is much that I have been wanting to say and share but even though I have seemingly brilliant epiphanies that are so eloquently worded as I am falling asleep, whenever I actually sit down to write, it's all gone. The feelings are there; the frustration, the joy, the confusion, the excitement - they are all still there. But the words are gone.

So I resort to pictures.

Lately my thoughts and energy have been consumed with all things chronic Lyme Disease. Upon the initial diagnoses, I was relieved - elated, even. To have an answer after having searched for answers for so long seemed unreal. It was as though 75 percent of the burden had been lifted off of my shoulders. The physical symptoms I had been experiencing remained but the ever persistent thought that I was slowly becoming crazy (crazier by the hour, even) was no longer valid because I was given an answer to my question. I floated around on cloud nine for quite a few weeks after my diagnosis - I felt I had been given the magic key and I only needed to start compiling the tools for my tool belt so that I would be ready and able to fight a successful fight.

Don't get me wrong - I am still happy to no longer be in the dark but in fighting chronic Lyme there are no guarantees, the treatment options are widely controversial and the fight is long and hard. Many have been able to regain their previous lifestyle (oh, what I would give to go on a long run or an arduous hike or out to a social gathering without the accompaniment of the symptoms I suffer from) but not without a difficult fight.

And this is where I begin to freak out.

How does one pull themselves up by the bootstraps in order to fight? I don't speak about my faith very often because I'm often worried about offending others. And I don't appreciate hypocrisy. When I am doubting His promises on my own time - who am I to write about them as though I have confidence that they are legitimate? I was raised in a religious environment that did not appreciate bringing forth the heavy questions of faith and spirituality (this was my school/church; not my parents, just to clarify). Instead, you were supposed to just recite one of the many verses you had already memorized and believe it to be true. I'm not condemning the memorization of scripture as it has been uplifting and encouraging to me at various points of my life but as I look back on the practices I was taught when growing up, I can now clearly see why I so often approach God like he is a leprechaun and if I get lucky, he just might grant me my wish du jour.

All of this to say, I know I have a mountain up ahead of me. Maybe many. And plenty of hurdles to overcome on those mountains. And it's complicated, because when your husband is in medical school, you're the one that is going to have to keep a job in order to put food on the table. I'm not complaining, please don't think I'm complaining. I'm so proud of Casey's accomplishments and I am happy to be his partner in this endeavor but I'm freaking out when I think about the mountain. I've done this my whole life > one tiny problem becomes the World's Biggest Problem EVER in the History of Humanity. So I have to figure out how to trust His promises and allow Him to navigate my healing (physical and spiritual; what an epiphany!) journey. Without thinking I am at the whim of a giant leprechaun.

Writing in a blog can be so frustrating. I catch myself censoring my own words and thoughts because I'm afraid that someone will be offended or think I am shallow, etc. I have intentionally tried to make my blog be a happy place. I know this post is not happy. I know chronic Lyme is a subject most people cringe at when brought up in conversation. If you've made it this far, thank you for taking some of your time to see where I am at right now. Over the course of my healing process, I am sure there will be both joy and excitement as well as frustration and confusion (such as today) to share with you.

Casey tells me to keep an eye out for the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.

pumpkins.

2011-12-11T17:42:00.001-05:00

I've been praying that I'd have more energy to get my butt in the kitchen and do some more cooking. When you have Lyme disease (plus a host of food allergies as a result) and you want to get better from it you're pretty much restricted to eating real food. Nothing pre-packaged or in any way convenient. Fortunately, I've had more energy and motivation these past two weekends and have been able to whip up some absolutely delicious foods. All recipes using pumpkin, no less.

Count on Esther to be a few weeks/months behind the seasonal trend but we had had one remaining pumpkin left over from Halloween and instead of throwing it out / letting it rot, I cut it open and turned it in to something useful. The one medium sized pumpkin gave me three 9x13 pans of raw pumpkin chunks, which I baked at 350F for an hour. After they cooled a little, I removed the skins and pureed the pumpkin which I then used to make Curried Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Muffins, two loaves of Gingerbread and Black Bean Pumpkin Soup. I also baked the seeds for snacking and a garnish on the soups. If you're looking for delicious and healthy allergen free baked goods, look no further.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin-Spice Muffins
adapted from Babycakes
2 c Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
2 t Baking Powder
2 t Baking Soda
1 t Xanthan Gum (buy it at a health food store. also, the mister uses it in his hummus to make it extra smooth and creamy.)
1 t Salt
1 T Ground Cinnamon
1 T Ground Ginger (I used fresh ginger, minced)
.5 c Coconut Oil (I used Palm Oil which is also solid at room temp)
2/3 c Agave Nectar (I used honey)
2/3 c Rice Milk (I used 1/3 c Almond and 1/3 c Organic Dairy Milk)
2 T Pure Vanilla Extract
1.5 c Unsweetened Pumpkin Puree
.5 c Hot Water
I also used a hefty handful of Ghirardelli Chocolate Chunks.

Preheat oven to 325F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Pour all dry ingredients in mixing bowl, mix together. Add the oil, agave nectar, milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Mix together until the batter is smooth and thick. Add pumpkin and hot water and mix until evenly distributed. Pour 1/3 c batter into each prepared cup (this gave me about 18 muffins). Bake on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the tin 180 degrees at 10 minutes. Let stand in the tin for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The husband and I ate off of these all weeks and they stayed moist and delicious until they were all gone! What a treat.

I'm off to try out a piece of the Gingerbread fresh out of the oven!

pucker up.

2011-12-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

With winter temps settling in (30 degrees at 9am, really?), there's nothing like a little Burt's Bees for a mid-day pick me up for my chapped lips. And with Pomegranate Oil, no less. You had me at your artfully drawn Pomegranate seedlings.

I bought the Honey Lip Balm for the husband.

flashback!

2011-11-15T19:55:00.000-05:00

Summer of 2007. So fresh!

Somehow, we've aged more than just four and a half years.

Quite the deafening silence around here. To be fair to myself, I've been taking lots of photos for friends and clients that found me through Google (!!!) along with traveling to meet my baby niece (!!!) putting on fundraisers and commemorative celebrations for my day job as well as getting ready for my family and Casey's family to come in to town this weekend to see him get his White (physician) Coat.

Even with all of his school responsibilities and this meeting or that Flag Football game, over the past few months Casey and I have found ourselves really cherishing the precious time we have together. A lot of married couples that go through medical school together really struggle with the time dynamic and it challenges their relationship in ways that hadn't anticipated. I can honestly say the change in dynamic has been so good for us. Spending the summer apart and August's hospital episode have played their own roles - I am sure - but there's nothing like having a busy schedule to keep you on top of prioritizing your free time. Cheers to that!

In other news, it looks like I'm getting closer to figuring out what has been making me feel like an 80 year old since my last year of college. The little bugger Lyme. Since January of 2008, I've been going from doctor to doctor, trying to figure out what has been going on in my body. I finally saw a Lyme specialist this past week and after our conversation, I am starting to feel like I can trust myself - that I am indeed NOT going crazy. I've already started a few alternative treatments but have yet to get back on board with a healthy diet (and by healthy I mean, overboard insane - I'm going to need to eat like a caveman). There's more blood work to be done but I have some already showing at least one positive band. So, that's a start. I'll be honest. It's a little bit weird writing about this, like I am exposing myself. I grew up in a family that liked to keep things on the DL and for some reason I did not receive that gene.

And because I have no segue / I do pictures better than words...

Family visit on Labor Day Weekend.

Apple picking in October.

Pumpkin patching in October. See that age difference?!

Pumpkin carving. Give it up for the future Doc! Surgery, maybe?! I jest.

Next up, Casey in his doctor coat.

2011-10-11T22:18:00.001-04:00

A little surprise package showed up on my door step today with this inside.

How cute is that?

2011-09-27T17:56:00.000-04:00

_____
Rachel and Sean got married this weekend and this just might be my favorite picture from the partay.

2011-09-18T21:17:00.000-04:00

_____
"Strike while the iron is hot."

My motivation waxes and wanes so when it's waxing, I try my hardest to take advantage of it. I spent some time in the kitchen this evening, preparing food that is not on my black list so that I don't revert to Wendy's or River City Grille for lunches.

Three easy recipes.

1_sauteed shallots and brussels sprouts in extra virgin olive oil sprinkled with paprika and cayenne.

2_can of corn (without the added sugar), can of black beans - both drained - tossed with half a red onion diced, paprika and cayenne to taste. topped with shredded cilantro

3_can of great white northern beans, can of chick peas - both drained - thrown in the food processor with enough olive oil to make it smooth, a taste of lemon juice, the other half of that red onion. salt, paprika and cayenne to taste. (a mock hummus for those that can't have tahini)

Let's see if I can get back on the train, shall we?

2011-09-14T20:41:00.000-04:00

So damn frustrated. So damn discouraged.

2011-09-13T20:06:00.000-04:00

Wherein I am the wife of a medical student and thus, I mow the lawn. What?!

You know those men that mow the lawn in loafers, sockless I might add, and have a beer coozey jerry-rigged to the handle so they can sip on their tasty beverage as they mow? The neighborhood I grew up in was full of them and even though this is nowhere close to the way my own father mowed the lawn, the image has been permanently burned in to my mind as the proper way in which a lawn is mowed. Well, let me tell you something, these sockless, sweatless, beer-sipping lawn-mowing men have ruined my expectations of what a lawn mowing experience should be. It is not a pleasurable stroll back and forth across my yard. Instead, this is somewhat of a challenge. See that hill? The one I actually didn't mow on the right side of the steps that is definitely WAY more flat in the picture than in real life. This is not the flatlands of Chesapeake, folks. This is Radford - the city on a mountain. And I am still sticky with sweat and covered in dust and dirt, sneezing from whatever allergen found its way into my nostrils.

Anyhow, it's a good thing Fall is knocking on the door because I'm not the only person that doesn't have the time for this. This mister spends his precious free time making Chicken Soup (which he has banned me from doing for as long as we are married). To be honest, the last time I really mowed a lawn was when I was 13, riding around on my dad's Snapper pretending I was driving, because at that age all I wanted was my driver's license.

Tonight, I will recover over a tall, cool glass of water as I sneeze the grass dust out of my nose and rest my aching back (what, am I eighty all of the sudden?).

If you see any men that look like they just popped out of an L.L.Bean catalog, send them my way. Maybe they'd like to relax over a beer as they tend to the overgrown grass in my yard.

Disclaimer : this is not meant to be any kind-of complaint record regarding my wonderful husband. He truly doesn't have the time for yard work and I totally respect that and back him one hundred percent. I just happen to find this scenario a bit hilarious.

2011-09-07T21:36:00.000-04:00

It seems so silly to me how quickly people assume that they know what is best for you. Or that you haven't had enough life experience to make the decisions you have made (and must inform you of all the ways in which your decision is wrong, or lacking). I am a thinker (and a doer and a feeler - YES, it feels like a curse sometimes) but the point is, I tend to make well-informed life decisions. I'm not so spur of the moment about these things. And I do have life experiences: I have lived in and visited other countries, I have lived far away from my family, I have had good times and hard times and have watched friends and loved ones wade through their own struggles and jump with joy during their times of celebration. I pray and I wait and I seek.

Don't tell me what you 'know' is best for me. It's belittling. And it shows me that you're not really mindful at all about why I made the decision I did.

Instead, try asking me questions about my decision making process. I can stand the heat. Ask if I would like some insight, and if I say no, don't be offended. When you ask a yes or no question, there's a 50% chance the answer could be no. If I say yes, proceed with grace and know that I may take whatever you are saying with a grain of salt.

People take their own (and others') life experiences for granted. Respect one another. Don't sweep each other under the rug as though we're not worth each others' time. (See how I switched voices there!) Get to know one another.

In closing, I just want to say that I am not directing this towards any particular person, so if you're reading this and thinking, is she talking about me, no. Please, just no. This is just something that has been floating around in my head for quite some time and needed to be released. Thanks to my therapist it is now more of a coherent thought.

2011-09-01T20:47:00.000-04:00

you may have seen the beginnings of my list before. i have a few more to add!

_pre-existing. (edits in italics)

1. have flower arrangements in my house made of flowers that came out of my yard

2. for one full calendar year, actually send cards in the mail (on time) to my friends and family for their birthdays

3. have a baby ? (This is exactly how I wrote it in my journal. I don't really believe this is the kind of thing you can put a time limit on but nonetheless, it came to mind and it's a desire I have.)

4. ~~do enough photography shoots to buy a new camera with that money only~~, do enough photography shoots to support myself with that money only

5. get out of credit card debt, entirely.

6. run a half marathon

7. go on a trip abroad with Casey

8. sew a wearable piece of clothing for myself, and wear it!

9. visit Savannah, Charleston and NYC with Casey

10. eat a healthy and delicious diet regularly

11. take a picture and write a paragraph about it every day for 365 consecutive days

12. read through the Bible as a chronological story (This is super nerdy but I've always thought reading the Bible in that way would make it so much more interesting.)

13. can/freeze food grown in a garden I've planted in order to eat it throughout the winter

14. have a winter garden

15. learn to play guitar

_additions

16. knit a wearable article of clothing for myself, and wear it!

17. legit skinny dipping

18. write a song and sing it for somebody besides myself

19. get a tattoo

20. conquer a complicated dish (in the kitchen) and conquer it well, like duck or Coq Au Vin (we're talkin' fancy pants)

21. learn some type of ballroom dancing with Casey and learn it well

22. photograph a major life even on film (for myself or for someone else)

23. Spanish. speak it.

24. buy a piece of designer clothing. for reals.

25. host a 'black-tie' dinner party

i need five more. and i'm still open to suggestions.

2011-09-01T20:09:00.000-04:00

_____
1_Stacy's Pita chips to accompany this recipe.

artichoke dip
2_8 ounce packages cream cheese
1/3_cup sour cream
1/4_cup mayonnaise
1_tablespoon lemon juice
1_shallot, minced
1_teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3_6 ounce jars marinated Artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1_cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
3_green onions, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Using electric mixer, beat first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Fold in artichokes, mozzarella cheese, and green onions. Transfer to 11x7x2-inch (or comparable in size) glass baking dish. Bake dip until bubbling and brown on top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot dip with pita chips.

adapted from epicurious

2011-08-31T08:00:00.013-04:00

_____
1_a game of rummy?
2_simple greenery, smells divine.
3_mason jars and apple crates make for a mighty fine pantry.
4_a collection of cookbooks

2011-08-30T20:14:00.000-04:00

_____
1_you can't take me too far from the beach and if you do, i'll improvise. family paintings passed down from generation to generation.
2_hues of blues.
3_the seagull, our newest addition.

2011-08-28T12:55:00.001-04:00

One would think that multiple earthquakes and a hurricane on our coast within a week would be more than enough excitement. Quite the contrary, however. It seems that Casey needed to go in to Atrial Fibrillation this past week as well.

Brief timeline of events :

Thursday, 25 August

6-8pm - Casey at Rugby practice

8:15pm - Casey practicing ground kicks and experiences extreme tightness of chest, shortness of breath and feels faint. Puts head between knees and symptoms subside but do not disappear.

9pm - Casey arrives home tells Esther what he's experiencing when she asks if he needs to head to the ER. He says no, probably just need to sleep, goes to take shower but ends up pulling out his stethoscope (what's a little self-diagnosis after all?) and listens to his heart beat.

9:30pm - Esther listens to Casey's heartbeat and can immediately tell something is not right - she assumes it's probably just a pulled muscle in his chest and that we'll be back home around midnight or a few hours after. Casey takes a shower and we head to the hospital.

9:45pm - Arrive at hospital.

10:30pm - Vitals are taken, heart rate is around 152 bpm, we are led to Room 16 in the ER which just happens to be next to an elderly psychiatric patient who will not take his meds. About 8-10 vials of blood are taken from Casey.

11/11:30pm - ER doc comes in and tells us Casey is in Atrial Fibrillation, the first 48 hours are the most critical due to the possibility of blood pooling in the heart, coagulating being sent out and thus causing a stroke. Unless he converts before the Hospitalist (doctor) comes to seem him, he will need to be admitted. Nurses administer calcium blocker (to help self-convert) and anti-coagulants. Heart rate immediately slows to bounce around in the 90-110 range. He's also put on a drip for hydration.

Friday, 26 August

12:30am - Casey is taken off the calcium blocker as it is dropping his Blood Pressure too low. At this point, things start to get fuzzy for me. The Hospitalist came in and explained that Casey would have to be admitted and it could be a few days before he gets out.

1:30am - Admitted to hospital, more questions from the nurses. Guidance is given as to which doctor Casey should refuse service from and which doctor he should request to be seen by.

2am - Left alone to rest. Fortunately for me there was no second patient so I was able to stretch out on that bed.

3:30 am - Nurse comes in to take more blood and explain that Casey will be doing a Stress Test and multiple Echo-cardiograms after 8am.

5am - Nurse comes in again, for who knows what purpose.

7:30 am - I leave the hospital to go home and sleep for a few hours. Casey rests a bit longer while he's waiting for his tests to start.

8am-12noon - Echo-cardiograms, radioactive dye, stress test, more echo-cardiograms. I'm not entirely sure. I slept from about 9 - 10:30, went back to responding to text messages, e-mails, phone calls, etc. Took a shower, ordered food, packed a bag and headed back to the hospital. At some point, Casey is put on an anti-arrhythmic to help him self-convert.

1:30pm - Casey is now allowed to eat and requests sushi which a classmate kindly offers to pick up and bring to him. Casey seems to be in much better spirits as his experience with THE cardiologist has been positive. He eats his sushi and starts studying for his Monday morning exams. I hang out, reading magazines while intermittently texting, calling and posting photos of the patient on Facebook.

3pm - THE cardiologist comes in and announces that Casey has self-converted. We rejoice and are extremely happy at the news. Questions are asked and instructions NOT TO WORRY are given as the probable cause of the whole ordeal is dehydration and low magnesium. Adult aspirin and 400mg of magnesium per day is the only thing "prescribed".

3:30-4:45pm - We wait around for paperwork to be finished and alert our friends and family that Casey is back to his normal self.

6-7:30pm - Glorious nap!

Casey is back to his normal self and would tell you that he feels fantastic (and I would say that all evidence points to the same). We've never had to venture to the ER before, much less be admitted to the hospital so the experience in general was crazy. We are thankful to have friends and family that were praying for both of us during the whole episode and we're so glad to be back to normal.

2011-08-21T18:35:00.001-04:00

Friday evening, Case and I went out to Floyd to check out the Friday Night Jamboree. Floyd is a little country town about 25 minutes South of Blacksburg and is known for its eclectic mix of artisans and hippies. The Jamboree technically happens at the Floyd Country Store where you can choose to bring your clogs and join in or choose to take in the sights over a pimento cheese sandwich and glass bottled Coca Cola. However, if you walk outside and stroll up and down along Main Street you will be greeted by a handful of different Blue Grass bands that have staked a claim on their 10 square feet of pavement for the evening. The food, the music, the overall experience was fantastic. I can't wait to go back.

2011-08-15T22:22:00.002-04:00

Check out the new site design for my photography site.
I'm super excited about it.

2011-08-10T21:25:00.000-04:00

Prepare yourself for an overload of
the cutest little boy that I know!

We went Strawberry picking back in May.
There was a little bit of picking.
A little bit of cheesing.
But mostly eating.
And a little fun and games!

I love Pungo. And strawberries.
And sticky little mouths and fingers!

2011-08-07T21:14:00.000-04:00

One of my absolute favorite parts of summer is gardening. It takes me back to summers at my grandparent's house, sea-salt in the air and warm, fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes sliced and smothered in salt and fresh-ground pepper to accompany whatever dish we were eating for lunch that day. Casey and I haven't had a garden for a few summers now but in typical fashion, we're enjoying the bounty of my coworkers.

Go here for a larger size.

2011-08-05T10:19:00.000-04:00

self-explanatory

{source}

2011-08-01T16:51:00.000-04:00

I miss coconut and coffee.

the.end.

2011-07-29T12:24:00.001-04:00

Staples, Inc.,

You say you have a price-match guarantee.
I call the store before driving to you, just to make sure.
I don't want to waste gas and time (mine or yours), after all.
I specifically ask if Frys.com is an acceptable competitor.
You say yes, of course.
I print out the information from Frys.com because the product
is twenty bones cheaper there {after s&h} and I bring the
printed info with me in order to get my twenty bones back.

Then, in the store, you say you do not honor prices from the internet but that
you will gladly take my purchase back, refund me the full purchase price
and lose my business altogether.

Works for me.

Sincerely,
A Frys.com Convert

2011-07-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

Green beans from a co-worker's garden.
I prepared them for Case in
butter-sauteed garlic and almonds.
His consensus : crispy and delicious.

2011-07-28T20:00:00.000-04:00

This has been the base for all of my homemade popsicles and I absolutely love it. From the brilliant packaging and simple graphic design to the thickness and the impeccable taste, it's a quality product. I'm sorry to see it no longer stocked at my grocery.

2011-07-28T08:00:00.006-04:00

I'm not a fan of the flavor of the Fennel or Anise seeds. I've always hated black Licorice. My primary experience with Fennel has been in biscotti and I could never take more than one bite. I saw this recipe via my madre and thought, why the heck not? I'm not allergic to it! I am here to say, if you haven't ever, try it! Shaved Fennel is not nearly as strong as the seeds seem to be and it actually has a refreshing flavor. This was the second salad I used it in and I've been enjoying it ever since!

2011-07-27T20:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a tipping point. Totally frustrated with where I'm headed (or is it where I've been) photographically speaking. I see the things that I am inspired by (this and most definitely this and the collaboration and execution of this sends my head spinning). And there are so many more.

Is it my need to make a mark in this world? Is it the artists within me that pull me in to varying directions so that I swing on the pendulum of extremes? I'm a fan of simple and elegant. But in a way that the product comes across as glamorous. Where does that all come together? At what point do those lines converge? I don't know exactly what that looks like. But as I continue teaching myself, I hope my work will grow and change and morph into something I look at and am proud of. I'm not there yet. Really not even close. I see what I like and am able to identify it. I know it, instantly and I'm overcome with inspiration but I'm having a hard time producing something I like. I'm going to spend some time stripping away the excess and cutting it back. I need fresh and raw.

Pardon me, while I navigate the process.

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-07-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

Ferns. The entire time we've been married, I've told Casey that I couldn't wait to have a teensy little white house with a b i g front porch from which I would hang two beautiful ferns. In more ways than one, these are my absolute favorite. Icing on the cake? I get to be reminded of my beautiful friend, Fern, on the regular.

2011-07-26T21:26:00.000-04:00

Orange Crush

1 mason jar, filled with crushed ice

1:1 orange juice and cranberry juice

add a straw

enjoy!

2011-07-26T08:00:00.009-04:00

It's so dreamy having a mantle and working fireplace. Even if it's one bajillion degrees outside and the middle of the summer. Who cares?

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-07-25T22:07:00.000-04:00

isolation.

2011-07-22T13:54:00.001-04:00

This summer has been quite a whirlwind of moving, self-discovery, emotion and bi-weekly visits from Case. I don't envy people like my friend, Megan, whose husband is on his 15 millionth deployment and she won't be seeing him for a year. An entire year. Three months of summer with visits (my favorite season btw, especially for doing things together) is enough for me. But to be clear, I haven't gone home from work every night to twiddle my thumbs and feel sorry for myself. I had things to do, boxes to pack, moving announcements to make, a house to set up. I kept myself as busy as I could. It wasn't until this past weekend, when we had just one week left to go until the long distance summer would be over that I actually felt the distance. To be completely honest, it wasn't just for him. It was for the afternoons and weekends spent at the beach, sand in my toes, sun on my cheeks and shoulders and seawater in my hair. It was for the endless (read, ridiculous) amount of celebrating my family does over the summer for birthdays and anniversaries over my dad's amazing london broil and my mom's home made, freshly brewed iced tea -- complete with rough housing amongst the boys and our Come to Jesus conversations over dessert. It was for the evenings spent at the dearest of dear friends, Jess and Justin's house with grilled hamburgers on the back porch and blue cup specials and homemade popsicles as we walk around the block discussing all that is important in life right along with the trivial. It was for these things that the emotion suddenly washed over me and I became acutely aware of just how much my closest friends and family mean to me and how I could really give a damn about what exotic location I would rather live in than the ever sprawling Hampton Roads. There's nothing quite like these relationships which wouldn't be complete without their own set of drama (let's be honest here).

It was while I was on the phone with Case the other night as I was ruining an already ruined T-Bone steak, barking at him as though it was his fault that I realized that all of this was really bothering me.

It was while I was in therapy last night that I was able to further pinpoint my feelings when he asked, Do you feel isolated? And just like that, it was like a lightbulb went off. It's not just that we can't walk to T-West for .75 tacos on Monday and Tuesday nights. It's not just that we can't get in the car, drive 20 minutes and find ourselves at the ocean's door. It's not just missing out on birthday celebrations and the little moments sprinkled here, there and throughout. It's not just that now it takes 45 minutes of highway driving in order to shopping for clothes or to be in a "city." It's all of it. And it's being far away enough from everything that I love that it becomes an inconvenience to make the drive. It's realizing what all of these things mean to me, how they've shaped my life and who I've become. And who I want to be as a wife and, one day, a mother. It's being isolated from all of that.

Growing up is hard. Becoming a responsible adult and a thoughtful, intentional human being is hard. But I truly believe it takes separation from that which you dearly love to realize just how much it means to you in order to treat it with more delicacy and to honor it appropriately. I know this post probably conveys images of me being sad and depressed and feeling really sorry for myself. But it's not like that at all. Do I wish I could be transported instantly in order to spend a day with my family at the beach? Absolutely. But it's good to really feel one's emotions and then recognize them for what they are, even if it hurts a little bit. The learning is in the process. I can say with honesty, that I'm okay about the Navy scholarship falling through because even if it means we have to figure out a different way to pay for medical school, the Navy just might not be the life for us. We set ourselves up with such great expectations, with the magical scenes playing out perfectly in our heads. But is it really what we want?

It's so hard in our age of information to be surround by pictures of perfection, to know what friends and family are doing via Facebook and Twitter, and even to be the 'first-to-know' about new bands or movies or whatever it is you're in to despite the fact that in reality you may be so far removed from all of it. Isolated. Hours of screen time flipping through photos doesn't equate to face time. Real time.

I will continue to charge forward, forging connections and making a home for myself in this sleepy little town, so far away from the people I love the most. But in my heart of hearts, I will always look forward to the days when I will get to say, we're home and I can truly feel it in my bones.

floyd.

2011-07-18T22:37:00.000-04:00

A few weeks, oh wait, make that months ago Casey and I ventured out to Floyd with our friends Scott and Sarah King to check out the Floyd Artisan Trail. The town is super small (literally one stop light) so the Trail wasn't quite as long as we had expected it to be but we had a great time, nonetheless.

My favorite place was Bell Gallery and Garden. The range of artisans they kept stocked were fantastic and we saw some of the most beautiful handmade jewelry I have ever laid my eyes on.

The owners of the gallery also have a cat rescue out back and although I am mortified of / simply do not like cats, I can stand kittens.

After Sarah and I spent some time chatting with the owner of the Woolly Jumpers Yarn Sharp, the boys disappeared across the street and we got stuck waiting out the sudden rain storm.

Once we regrouped we stopped in at the Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, a brand that Case had found, purchased and thoroughly enjoyed at the Farmer's Market in Roanoke. I loved checking out all the different designs for the different roasts. Quality graphic design if I may say so myself.

We ended our day with a picnic under a huge tree and then stopped in at Nancy's Candy Co for some homemade chocolates and fudges. I enjoyed a pomegranate truffle and a chocolate covered, sea-salted caramel. Just thinking about it now, I'm salivating. I. Love. Caramel. All in all, we had a really fabulous day of exploring!

one step closer.

2011-07-18T15:19:00.000-04:00

Spoiler : Nitty gritty details ahead. Don't be alarmed if this is so detailed it's boring.

Bottom line : I'm excited!

We just gained back a little bit of freedom today and it feels oh! so good. Last December when Ingrid, our lovely Volvo that we were sharing, decided it needed about $1000 worth of repairs in order to be drivable we opened up a Firestone account instead of using some of our emergency savings. The account had a six month, zero interest time-frame and I knew we could swing the payments in order to get it paid off in time so that we wouldn't have to pay any interest but whether it was zero-interest or not, I hated making those payments. In addition, Casey had an oil change and a lifetime alignment service performed a few months ago and put it on that account so it was an additional $160 give or take. I just made the last payment on that account and am so happy that we are done with it for now. I can take the money that was going toward that and put it toward one of our credit cards.

Oh! happy day!

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-07-17T21:15:00.000-04:00

I don't know the names of these flowers. Try as I might, my short term memory really isn't that great lately. I studied the names of the flowers hoping to remember them but they just didn't stick. This may have been one of my favorite bouquets (arranged by Casey himself).

one for the book of accomplisments.

2011-07-16T14:55:00.000-04:00

I finally figured out how to fold fitted sheets so they look just as crisp and square as the unfitted sheets. I feel a little bit like a genius right now.

ch ch changes.

2011-07-16T00:41:00.000-04:00

Here's to you, David Bowie. New blog layout!

I've come up with thirteen items to go on my 30beforethirty list. Here goes. No judging.

1. have flower arrangements in my house made of flowers that came out of my yard

2. for one full calendar year, actually send cards in the mail (on time) to my friends and family for their birthdays

4. do enough photography shoots to buy a new camera with that money only

5. get out of credit card debt

6. run a half marathon

7. go on a trip abroad with Casey

8. sew a wearable piece of clothing for myself, and wear it!

9. visit Savannah, Charleston and NYC with Casey

10. eat a healthy and delicious diet regularly

11. take a picture and write a paragraph about it every day for 365 consecutive days

12. read through the Bible as a chronological story (This is super nerdy but I've always thought reading the Bible in that way would make it so much more interesting.)

13. can/freeze food grown in a garden I've planted in order to eat it throughout the winter

and i just thought of a few more

14. have a winter garden

15. learn to play guitar

I'm halfway there. I want 15 more things. I have one in mind that I'm on the fence about. If I decide to go with it, of course I'll share. I would love some ideas!

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-07-11T22:19:00.002-04:00

One of my favorites, hydrangeas.

On another note, today I turned twenty-six! I'm now in the part of the twenties that are closer to thirty and further away from twenty. Not gonna lie, this freaks me out a little bit. I think I'm going to make one of those thirty things to do before turning thirty lists. A mini-bucket list if you will. I welcome any and all ideas! I'll post it on the blog and then update as I cross things off.

the move, and other things.

2011-07-10T18:40:00.000-04:00

We've officially moved and now have the internerd hooked up! My parents came up last weekend (the holiday weekend) to help us get everything from the apartment to the new house! What. A. Chore. And oh! how thankful I am for their help! I turned in our keys to the apartment inspector (good thing I spackled the nail holes and Mr. Clean Magic Erasered the scuff marks on the wall) on Friday morning and I am so glad to no longer be living sandwiched in between a fighting couple and a continuously barking dog. Casey and I spent this weekend continuing to unpack and working on a few projects round the house (before and after pictures will be posted some day)!

I'm trying to get back on the eat-what-you're-not-allergic-to bandwagon but the time and energy it takes to make that happen seems so far beyond what I feel I'm able to do. The mantra I've heard from my mother for so many years now comes to mind: just take it one day at a time. How true. And soo much easier said than done. So tonight, while I have the energy, I'm making batches of (hopefully, improved) breakfast popsicles, hummus and brown rice to accompany and help constitute my meals throughout the week. At some point, I may even try to make these muffins, minus the sweetener.

And two songs I've been playing non-stop on the YouTube, Roxanne Tataei's Where Were You and Mazzy Star's Fade Into You. Two super chill but soulful ballads. Check 'em out.

Side note : My computer is painfully slow, so until I get that figured out my posting will be sparse.

confession.

2011-06-29T20:48:00.000-04:00

Honesty. It's a trait I require in the people I choose to surround myself with and it's a trait I strive to live out on a daily basis. When blogging it's so easy to pick and choose what you're going to share about yourself that you can so easily paint a glamorous picture of perfection when reality may be a completely different story. And that's where I'm at right now.

I'm in total denial about my food allergies (or sensitivities or delayed reactions or whatever you choose to call them) and have been eating like shit.* As in, yesterday, while in Target getting supplies for a work project, I bought a bag of Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers (only the best gummy worms in the world!) and had eaten half of it before I started eating a gluten filled pita wrap with Cesar dressing (egg yolk and who knows what else) with sugary lemonade for dinner. I'm justifying eating foods with corn syrup in them because, hey! I'm not allergic to corn. But really, I shouldn't be eating ANY kind of sugar in addition to all the other things I shouldn't be eating. I'm sick of feeling tired, anxious, overwhelmed and dizzy and here, I have this information that could be the key to feeling better but I'm eating french fries dunked in BBQ sauce and chicken nuggets from Wendy's and washing it down with a Diet Coke.

Shame on me.

But really? Is it shame on me? Like I said, I'm in denial. And I guess I'm grieving, because isn't that one of the 5 steps of grief? I don't even know. Who knows how long I'll have to eat like this. Who knows if I'll ever get to eat a piece of sea salted caramel again without being flooded with guilt because it's probably contributing to the fact that I feel like crap. Who knows if I'll ever feel like I can sit in a chair without arms without feeling like I'm going to fall off of it at any moment. Who knows if I'll ever get to go out to eat again without being limited to the salad portion of the menu (minus dressing, tomatoes, cheese and croutons).

And maybe I'm being dramatic. And maybe I'm having a pity party. Yes, I probably am. But I'm trying to be honest. With you and with myself. And yes, there's a lot going on (we're in the middle of a move, a lot of extra things going on at work this week, the stress of paying for medical school and I'm sure there's more). But I'm kind-of wishing I could just have my cake and eat it too. Or that I could just wake up one day and everything would magically be better.

So anyway. The whole point of this entry was to come clean about the fact that I'm not as much of a health nut as people may think. I've heard through the grapevine that certain acquaintances during college referred to me as granola. It never upset me, in fact I thought it was cool because I guess it meant I gave off the impression of caring about what I put in my body and how important food was to me and also that the environment was important to me. And don't get me wrong, these ARE all important to me. But I'm far from perfect when it comes to these things. I get totally unmotivated at times and eat Wendy's and Chick-Fil-A and french fries from Bojangles. It's weird to go back and forth between the two extremes and sometimes I feel like I have to hide it. But not tonight!

So there it is.

*It's true, I cuss. Yes, it's unladylike and, yes, I'm always worried about what my grandmother will think when I cuss on this blog. But it's cathartic for me. So I do it.

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-06-26T22:49:00.000-04:00

house {not the doctor}

2011-06-26T21:49:00.002-04:00

Less words, more pictures.* Welcome to our home!

Sharage. (Shed slash garage if you own a Smart Car.)

Back o' the house.

This is the face he makes when I point the camera at him. I respond by posting these photos on the internet machine.

We (as in, yes, that includes me) carried a washing machine and a dryer down these stairs. With no dolly.

Side o' the house.

Half o' the front porch. I've since trimmed back the juniper.

Radford skies as seen from our front yard.

Front o' the house.

Last tenant's presents left for us. From Friday night to Saturday morning they mysteriously disappeared. No ghosts in this house.

Dining room chandelier.

Dining room gable window.

Looking up the stairs, living/family room on right.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's.... first thing that came in to my mind when I looked at this picture.

Stairs, hallway leading to mud room. Kitchen door on left.

Sharage view from back door.

*Casey's first time seeing the house was the same night we got the keys. I walked around with him while snapping photos hence his very obvious presence.

more on food.

2011-06-20T21:19:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I had a moment in the grocery store, standing in front of the Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur Flours and Pamela's Products pre-packaged mixes when I just wanted to throw up my hands in the air and ~~say hey'o~~ give up. I actually called Case to try and gain a little ground on the sitch but to voice mail it went. I was deliberating between Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Brownie Mix and Pamela's Products Gluten Free Brownie Mix to see if either didn't have any other ingredients I couldn't have and was completely and totally overwhelmed by all the choices and ingredients and the do I have thats?. In the middle of all of this, Mr. Bearded Patagonia walks by and checks out my cart, sees that there are pretty much only produce items (um, what else can I eat?), approves of that little fact and then proceeds to check me out. For a split-second, I was like, sweet, I'm married but I've still got it (thanks to you, two bunches of cilantro) but then it was all like, damn, this Gluten Free Brownie decision is blowing my mind.

I ended up going with Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix, I think because the only thing I would have to figure out how to replace was the eggs, which I bought this for. Can we say, someone needs to hire a new graphic designer? Hello, 1983. No seriously, I don't think they've redesigned the package since 1983.

Anyhow, I mixed up that Chocolate Cake Mix, poured it into my cupcake tin and popped it in the oven as soon as I got home from the grocery store and I will be honest, they were delicious. You thought I was going to say they were gross. Nope! Super moist and a little bit fudgy is exactly what I needed to be able to scarf down after the emotional toll of making such an arduous decision. I would purchase Pamela's again.

Aaaaand about those food allergies or sensitivities as they are correctly termed, since I know you're all dying to know exactly what it is I can't eat. To explain a little bit more, the blood work that I had tests for delayed reactions that can show up anywhere from a few hours to a few days after eating something. These reactions include headaches, bloating, gastrointestinal issues, tiredness and in my case, probably where the dizziness stems from along with a variety of other reactions.* I wasn't being tested for immediate reactions - as far as that goes, I know that I don't really have any of those. The test sorts the foods by severe, moderate and mild sensitivities and about 95% of mine are severe. So for the next 4 to 6 months I must avoid the following in all of their forms : barley, green beans, lima beans, pinto beans, cantaloupe, cashews, cauliflower, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, swiss cheese, coconut, coffee, egg white, egg yolk, garlic, gluten, malt, peanuts, chili peppers, pineapple, rye, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower, tomato, wheat, and baker's yeast.

Tonight, I made garlic free guac and salad dressing from scratch. I love making food from scratch minus the time it takes to make it. Texting and taking pictures while cooking doesn't really speed up the process but, hey, it's how I roll.

For those interested!

Cilantro-Lemon Vinaigrette

(without the vinegar)

2/3 medium shallot diced (I used the other 1/3 for my guac)

handful cilantro diced

pinch cumin

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

couple shakes of sea salt

Throw all the ingredients in an empty jar, put the lid on and shake 'em up. Pour as much as desired on a fresh, summer salad. Also, take to your deck during sunset for sexy pictures.

And to add a little extra zest to said Summer Salad, toss in some basil leaves. It makes for a fuller flavor.

And that, my friends is it for today. Now, who can tell me where to buy Duck Eggs in the new River Valley?

*To read more about the food allergy testing go here.

flowers from case. {a series}

2011-06-19T21:55:00.000-04:00

Casey has not typically been the kind of boyfriend-turned-husband that surprises me with flowers at work on my birthday or on Valentine's Day or for any occasion, come to think of it. This could be related to the mum incident. Or the time I was disappointed with the withering flower he picked out of someone's yard and made a big scene about it (around the same time as the mum incident--for the record, I was a confused girl). Or the fact that most flower arrangements cost an arm and a leg. Well, lately, that's changed. And not in a break the bank kind-of way but in a simple and delightfully surprising way. And I love it! First up, the tulips.

change of pace.

2011-06-17T10:24:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy to be entering the next chapter of our lives and closing the door on a host of unknowns. We've decided to stay in the New River Valley where Casey will be attending VCOM. In our search for our next rental, we found a precious cape cod in Radford that I can not wait to move in to and start making it our home. Just the thought of having a yard and no longer sharing walls with our neighbors is enough to put me on cloud nine! We will be able to have a garden again, sit on our front porch and there is even a fireplace! Our landlord is pretty relaxed and we may get the keys as early as next week. I've been purging and packing for a few months, hoping to make the move as easy as possible.

In other news, I had blood work done and found out I am allergic to a host of foods. You name it, I'm probably allergic to it. Some of them I was not very surprised about (gluten, egg yolks, egg whites, pineapple) but there are a few that were shockers that I'm going to have a hard time going without (tomatoes, coconut, garlic, cheese, coffee, cashews). Those are just a few on the long long list. The next few months will be a bit of an adjustment as I learn to make delicious meals without these ingredients. It also means that going out to eat will not really be something to enjoy because I'll have to be so cautious about all of the ingredients foods are prepared with. All in all, I'm glad to know about this because I've felt sub-par for long enough that I'm thrilled to know there is something I can actively do. I like solutions and resolutions. My hope is that with the stress of so many unknowns dissipating in addition to a new and improved diet I will be back to the vivacious and lively Esther of yesteryear.

Casey and I visited a church last week. Even stepping out and looking for a new church has been such an overwhelming thought to me that I just couldn't do it. We're excited about the community at nlcf and the possibility of getting involved again. I think that's all to report for now. I'm hoping to get back on the picture sharing bandwagon soon so be on the lookout!

before, before that & after.

2011-06-05T20:04:00.000-04:00

I've given myself permission to only blog when I feel like it and I'm pretty sure it goes without saying that lately, I just haven't felt like it. I like to try and just take it one day at a time and we all know there are only twentyfour hours to a day. It just never seems like it's enough time to accomplish all that I'd like to accomplish. I have been busy with a few things, like the official launch of a website to showcase some of my photos, sorting and packing to get ready for our, hopefully, last annual move for a few years as well as a few personal projects. One of which, I'd love to share!

Since we got married, Case and I have been using the dining room set that was my grandmother's (and her father's before that) as our dining room furniture. It's a gorgeous, formal dining ensemble but I wasn't too keen on the fabric that the seats were covered in and besides that, they were just starting to look ratty from normal wear and tear. Unscrewing the seat cushions, removing the fabric and then cutting and stapling the fabric of my choice didn't seem like it would be all that hard so I set out to reupholster the chairs myself. I wanted to peruse more fabric options than were available at the local JoAnn's and as I asked around, I found the local Schoolhouse Fabrics in Floyd was THE place to go. And it is! The fabric selections are endless and are just a mere fraction of the price one would pay at a chain like JoAnn's. I came home with six yards of a beautiful upholstery fabric for just fourteen dollars.

BEFORE

When I took off the pale blue fabric I'd been used to seeing on the chairs, I found that my grandmother had once had the same idea as myself. I can't blame her.

BEFORE THAT

& AFTER

All in all, it was a fairly easy project. All I needed was a screw driver, a pair of pliers to get the old staples out and I borrowed a staple gun from a friend. A beautiful transformation if I don't say so myself!

odds and ends!

2011-05-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

The May calendar is here! I've been absent because I've been working on websites for a few people. I've been thankful for the extra work but doing that on top of a full time job doesn't leave much time for updating the blog.

A few photos from Easter are here and here.

I'm working on some personal goals and trying to patiently wait out this era of unknowns in the husband's and my life. Our hopes are as high as they can possibly be and we're continuing to say big prayers and think positive thoughts.

Much love to you all!

Appalachia.

2011-04-16T21:45:00.000-04:00

Need to know what that means? Wiki says it all. It's a little bit redneck 'round these parts and these are the ways I believe it's starting to have an effect on the husband : baseball games no matter how cold and windy, Double Gulps on the regular (which I have so brilliantly started to use as a water pitcher for myself) and a goatee (this is not permanent - in fact, he already got fed up with it and shaved it off). Welcome to the boondocks, y'all!

at the ole' ball game.

2011-04-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

Almost TWO weeks have flown by since the Cavs (as in Cavaliers, WAHOO WA!) were in town WIPING OUT the Hokies. Casey and Scott have gone to most of the baseball games this season and I decided to join them to root for my Alma Mater. Sarah, Scott's wife, came too after work and we all huddled together under our blankets to keep warm! Scott was in high hopes that the Hokies might be able to pull off losing a game by only 5 runs but alas, the Cavs won each game by quite a wide margin. You will see how his facial expression changes from wishful domination, to confusion and frustration. We squeaked a smile out of him near the end of the night. All in all, we had a fun time together and I enjoyed my first baseball game on English Field cheering the Cavaliers on while simultaneously lusting after the camera man's gear. Also, for those of you that happen to like Hokie Sports, Scott was the long snapper during his time as a member of the football team from the 04-05 season to the 07-08 season.

dazed and confused.

2011-04-07T22:44:00.000-04:00

[rant]

I'm pretty stunned by this whole "Government Shutdown" thing. Or maybe it's better called, "Let's not pay our military (about 10% of our population, FYI) and expect them to keep working" thing. This hits closer to home as we have no idea how this will affect Casey's scholarship. So the government is supposed to shut down tomorrow and the review of his scholarship is also scheduled for tomorrow. I guess we'll just have to keep waiting in order to see if it actually happens or not.

I'm also thinking about family members and friends who are in the service. Young ones that haven't been in very long. Other young ones with babies and children at home. I mean, I hope they have had enough time to save or that their credit cards can cover living expenses while they keep on working. I'm not an over the top patriotic type but I do have respect for these people.

[/end rant]

I've been working on a website project the past few nights, thus the absence around here. I have spring photos I can't wait to share.

budding of spring.

2011-04-06T09:49:00.000-04:00

Oh Spring. You taunt me. With your buds that so badly want to pop out and flower. And then your icy sleet. Stick with the sunshine, please!

no guard.

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday, my younger brother was unexpectedly in town for the night due to a delay in his work schedule. This here's a country boy, y'all. No seriously. He loves his trucks (built one from 'scratch' when he was in high school) and hunting and all things Southern. I have a little bit of it in my blood but my brothers got the larger shares of that. Another family trait is our fast-growing, thicker than average heads of hair. I mean, aside from the obvious, just look at his eyelashes. I probably have the thinnest hair of anyone in my family and by most standards - it's actually not. Ethan tends to grow his hair for a few months and then to irk my mother buzz it with no guard. He jovially refers to it as his 'summer cut' when it would be more appropriately called the 'freak mom out cut.' Ethan's co-worker, Chris, took a few pictures during the clipping. And don't worry, we didn't leave the mo-hawk on the back. That came off eventually.

from the kitchen.

2011-04-04T06:00:00.009-04:00

As of Sunday, I'm doing a three week cleanse eliminating the big five allergens: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Egg and Corn after which I will re-introduce them in their purest form. I also don't eat oranges, conventional meats, peanuts, sugars, honey and gluten containing grains. I've done this once before but I have a hunch one or more of these may be giving me some trouble. Despite how crazy this diet sounds, some of the recipes are quite delicious. I spent Saturday afternoon making huge batches of two of the salads so that I would hopefully have enough to last me through the week. It's not until you start a cleanse like this (and go shopping for it) that you realize just how many of the big five are regularly in your diet. In addition, I have not yet found canned tuna (in Blacksburg) that doesn't have soy added to it as a vegetable protein. Same with Rice Crackers. I'll share some of the other recipes as I go through the cleanse but for now...

Cabbage Salad

1 small to medium head red cabbage, shredded

2 grated carrots

3 green apples, diced (I peeled mine as I couldn't fine organic apples)

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 c chopped walnuts (or pecans)

dash garlic powder

2 T olive oil

4 t vinegar (I used 2 t apple cider vinegar, 2 t red wine vinegar)

2 t lemon juice

Simply mix all the ingredients in a large bowl then allow it to sit for about an hour, stirring it once or twice. You can serve it cold or at room temperature. You may find that you want more "dressing" and can add oil and vinegar accordingly.

For those of you who are thinking, "Red Cabbage, are you kidding me?" know that I have never been a huge fan of it myself. Typically, I would leave it on my plate and push it off to the side if it was included in a dish. This is a surprisingly fresh tasting salad and the apples and garlic give it an incredible flavor.

Quinoa Salad

1.5 c quinoa, thoroughly rinsed in cold water

3 c water or chicken or vegetable broth (I used about 1.5 c of water and 1.5 c of vegetable broth)

1 c fresh or frozen peas (I could not find canned peas that didn't have added sugar so I used frozen)

chopped veggies (I used 2 carrots and a bag of frozen green beans I had in the freezer)

.5 c chopped red onion

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/3 c olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

3 crushed then diced garlic cloves

salt and pepper to taste

you can also add fresh chopped dill or parsley, I don't care for either of these so I left those out

Rinse quinoa well. Bring 3 c water or broth to boil. Add quinoa and bring back to boil then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking and allow to cool. Mix together remaining oil, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Add veggies to quinoa and toss well with dressing mixture, salt and pepper. Chill before serving.

Quinoa is a grain-like crop with an edible seed that provides tons of fiber and protein per serving. It's so easy to prepare and is quite versatile and I, with my affinity for ridiculous teenage humor, always make jokes about what it resembles once it's been cooked. To read more about it, go here.

tent.

2011-04-03T14:13:00.001-04:00

Turns out I was laughing too hard and didn't really take any pictures of the actual tent. Instead, I only got a few shots of the ridiculous hilarity going on during construction. And oh, the honey sticks! Flavors included watermelon, sour apple, root beer, strawberry and another one I can't remember.

We miss you, Jsquared.

april.

2011-04-02T23:32:00.001-04:00

Larger version here.

choosing courage.

2011-03-31T16:36:00.001-04:00

Oh! this whole process has been such a violent ride on the roller coaster called Life and It's Emotions. Many of you all know the husband is in medical school and trying to get a scholarship from the Navy. As with all things government related, it's an extremely slow process. At this point, the paperwork has made it all the way to the review board (that's the final step before the Senate signs off on it) but has been pushed back for review three times. The last we had heard, it would be reviewed (for real this time!) on April 6 and we would probably hear back by April 11. So today, Casey gets an e-mail from his recruiter saying there was a problem with his security check and that he needs to re-do the fingerprint cards. And oh, guess what? They will try to do everything as quickly as possible. Haha. I don't think the USPS works quickly enough for everything to be back in the review boards hands by April 6. But who am I to say that miracles don't happen?

The whole process with the Navy has been the uphill battle. First, they said no because his white blood cell count was off. After having blood work done multiple times and going to an oncologist to get a letter saying he's actually extremely healthy they said yes! So once the Navy cleared him for service he's gone through the process of completing insane amounts of paperwork to try and get the scholarship, phone calls here and there to check on it's progress and we keep hearing that it's being pushed back for this reason or that. Or for no reason at all. I get the updates from Casey via e-mail at work. My blood pressure rises. I quickly send an e-mail to family and friends updating them and asking for prayer. I take deep breaths. I remind myself that wait doesn't equal no. I ask for strength to get through one moment at a time and then eventually I come around to choosing courage.

I don't speak much about my faith on this blog because I'm so sickened by judgmental attitudes of members of any faith and I have no desire to preach or convert. That isn't to say that my beliefs and spirituality aren't central to who I am - because they are. I'm just not vocal about it and at some point I made a conscious choice to live my faith because I desire that it be evident in my actions. I desire to be a vessel of love. I've learned so much about who God truly is and the Christ in me since I graduated college and got married partly due to the continual waiting, hoping and praying as we soar through good news and plummet through discouraging or bad news.

When Casey e-mailed me earlier today I was so tempted to get pissed off, blaming some paper pusher for not noticing in February whatever it was they noticed today. Or for not contacting him sooner. I was so tempted to let my mind race and start to contemplate all that I would need to do in order to gain "control" over our financial situation if this were not going to work out. But that still, small quiet voice that is never rude or overbearing said, just bring it to me. That was it. No condemnation. No belittling. Just a little reminder and as I e-mailed friends and family asking them to join us in prayer for a quick resolution to whatever this glitch is, my mind started to flood with all the things we've been blessed with despite all of the waiting and times of discouragement. And oh! the mysterious ways in which these challenges have strengthened our marriage. I wouldn't choose them, but in spite of them, I choose courage.

edit: Earlier this evening, Casey e-mailed me telling him he had heard from his recruiter. The board will still review him on April 8 (not the 6th like I had previously thought). They just won't release his results until they hear the okay from the security people!

wishing for...

2011-03-30T06:00:00.004-04:00

I'm totally swooning over this top. Spring! you are creeping up and I love it!

Click the picture for the source.

when the brocketts came to visit.

2011-03-29T22:08:00.001-04:00

Those who know me well know that I'm not the biggest fan of Bleaksburg (totally can't take credit for that clever wordsmithing, this lady's FB status is where I first saw it) or the New River Valley. Ok, let's just be honest. I was miserable at first. BUT (yes, mom, behold the ultimate truth) little bits and pieces here and there have grown on me like our little chrismary tree, hiking Catawba, the Cellar, window shopping and a private tour of a brewery in Roanoke, exploring the countryside of Giles county with my parents, Bull & Bones, and our first visit to the Cascades among others. When the husband and I talked about what we were going to do when Justin & Jess came to visit we jokingly said we would sit around and do nothing showing them how boring it can be. Not so! We spent one of our days in Roanoke, checking out the Farmer's Market and all the shops surrounding it. My camera and I were chased away when I started taking some photos of sidewalk-displayed art so we all quickly moved in to the shop chock full of beers by the bottle as well as local honey and random foods you'd put in a gift basket. How bad ass does the Dead Guy Rogue label look? After each choosing our flavor of honey stick and paying for our goods we moved on to the whimsical land of La De Da. I swear, I could go there every weekend and get new ideas for decorating. It's like Anthropologie on crack minus the whole 1996era Dansko juxtaposed with the most gorgeous looking purse I've ever seen in my life. After we'd had enough oohing and ahhing over all the decor we decided to drive up to the Star. It took us a little maneuvering, some back seat self-portraiture by the boys and after a quick look at the GPS on Justin's iPhone we decided not to hike but to drive. It was fa.reez.ing on the lookout despite the warmer temps everywhere else so we all huddled together before running back to the warm of the car (off the side of the mountain). When we got home we asked the boys to build a tent, and did they ever.

Stay tuned for scenes from the tent!

from the kitchen.

2011-03-28T23:09:00.003-04:00

If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony. {Fernand Point}

I'm trying to incorporate more protein in my diet but I struggle with creativity in the kitchen. It doesn't help that an organic chicken sells for twelve to fifteen bones compared to the four to five for conventional. I don't care for the antibiotics but I've got bills to pay so while for now I still buy the conventional chicken I look for other ways to supplement the need for protein. Enter the organic black bean. Yes! Still more expensive than the conventional black bean but not by much, so I can afford it and it's a delicious and nutritious supply of protein.

Tuscon Breakfast Burro˚

1.5 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, seeded, cored and chopped

15 oz can black or pinto beans, drained for machaca

3/4 c vegetable broth

1 c bottled tomato salsa

1 cinnamon stick

2 large eggs

6 thin tortillas

1/2 c shredded cheese

dollop, sour cream

To make machaca, heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté about 3 minutes. Stir in beans and continue sautéing until they are crispy but not burned. Stir in broth and 1/2 cup salsa and add cinnamon stick. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook until most of the liquid evaporates but the beans remain moist. Salt to taste. Remove cinnamon stick. Mix eggs into machaca and continue cooking 1 or 2 minutes until eggs are just firm. Spoon 1/6 mixture onto each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, put a dollop of sour cream on top and roll up. Place on a plate and spoon remaining salsa over each burro.

There are no photos of them after because we scarfed them down so quickly! Overall, an easy and extremely delicious meal.

◊ I watched The Beautiful Truth tonight. It's a little on the cheesy and extreme side but it served as a great reminder about what food I should be putting in my body.

◊ Seasonal Ingredient Map : choose your month and state and see what's being grown and is available.

◊ Been listening to this all day.

Over and out.

˚adapted from epicurious

randoms.

2011-03-25T23:46:00.005-04:00

An odd assortment of my collective thoughts. It's 11:01 PM on a Friday evening, after all.

I added another Australian to my music library tonight. Ever since having lived there, something about that land resonates deep within me and I find myself getting excited over the discovery that a musician, artist or blogger I've come across is from there.

We'll build a house of driftwood. We'll keep it simple cause simple is good.

from Always Remember Me

I've been marveling at the work of Eric Lafforgue ever since Lexi shared one of his images last week. He travels all over the world and captures the true essence of each people group as he immerses himself in their culture. I can only begin to dream of forging such an opportunity for myself.

Martha's instructions on getting and keeping paperwork organized has me anxious to purge in a major way. I struggle with needing simplicity but living in the midst of such complication. It's easy to think you can pare down but once you dive in a start making the decisions it just becomes so exhausting. And I have a tendency to think that I will have the time or motivation to complete an unfinished project, so what's the point of packing it up? If only I had a few hundred bones to spend at The Container Store.

I've been on a sugar binge this week and have been eating crap for sweets, at that. If I'm going to indulge myself I might as well eat my grandmother's famous and delicious Carrot Cake. Here's the beaut I whipped up for the husband's birthday two and half months ago. Ha. I really have been hibernating. I think it turned out a little better than the cake from last year.

Happy Weekend to you all!

an engagement and skyline drive.

2011-03-20T16:19:00.003-04:00

Sean and Rachel are the most recently engaged-to-be-married in the Wayne Turner clan. I had heard a few hours before that Sean was going to propose and just couldn't contain my excitement! I even tried to get Rachel to paint her nails when the rest of us were painting ours. These two have taken Longwood University, Portland and currently The District by storm. I can't wait for their fall wedding!

When the family was together for New Years Eve, most of the second generation drove up to Skyline Drive and I made sure to subject them all to my need to capture the moment.

I'm trying out a new watermark. Thoughts, suggestions, compliments?

we all need to hibernate.

2011-03-18T11:38:00.000-04:00

I've been in hibernation, y'all. Hanging out with these guys.

But spring is all of three! days! away! and I am starting to wake up and move again. Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of each other.

image

i've never cared for the phrase 'happy place.'

2011-01-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

I've been as sick as a dog for the past five days and utterly frustrated by the situation. I hate feeling helpless and not knowing what's causing my body to act the way it has been. In the midst of all of this, someone said to me, you need to do something that makes you happy. So here I am, sharing a few pictures and words because as simple as it seems, it makes me happy.

Nothin' like a little s-a-l-e at Anthro to inspire some creativity and a jig of joy! These little amber gems first caught my eye when they were sevenninetyfive a piece (down from eighteen) but seeing as how I was planning on buying six, I wasn't willing to shell out fortysevenseventy + tax + s&h for a duo side table makeover I'd been trying to plan. However, with a little patience and stalking, I ended up paying threeninetyfive a piece + tax + s&h and started my mental inspiration board.

I wanted to re-do these pickled side tables so that they would look fabulous in a variety of environments (hey, we've moved each year we've been married) and with various types of furniture. I wanted to somehow both contrast and compliment the handles with whatever new finish I picked out and ended up deciding I paint them a creamy white.

Once we got to Lowe's and I sorted through all the different shades of creamy white (talk about tough decisions) I stumbled across Valspar's Weathered Crackle Glaze. I was still set on my creamy white top coat but quickly decided on Mountain Smoke for my undercoat.

Casey insisted that in order to do the best job I could possibly do that I would first need to strip the shiny finish off of the pickled glaze. We bought the most environmentally friendly stripper (haha), plastic gloves and steel wool in order to do the job properly! Once I stripped the finish, I filled the holes from the original handles with wood putty (the most noxious smelling part of the whole process) and let them dry overnight. Then I sanded down as much of the surfaces as possible and wiped with a damp cloth before applying Mountain Smoke. After the undercoat dried, I generously applied the crackle glaze (the instructional video said the more you applied the thicker your cracks would appear) and not long after set to work with my top coat.

Voila! An almost finished product. We still have to install the handles but I'm waiting for Casey to do that!

Overall, I'm really happy with how they turned out. It was hard to get the top coat on quickly enough as it would start to set and then I felt like it was getting gooey but once it dried it didn't look gooey at all. It looked weathered and crackled. I really enjoyed working on this little home improvement project and sharing it with you all gets my creative thought processes flowing. What shall I improve next?

steeples of salem

2011-01-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

Back in December, before the mayhem of the Christmas season started, Case and I spent a day antiquing and exploring. We drove down to Salem to check out what the little town is made of. As we walked along, I found myself drawn to the steeples and their prominence on Salem's little main street.

_____

hello, twothousandeleven.

2011-01-05T17:30:00.001-05:00

It's a time for New Beginnings. Not just because the calendar says January. I can feel it in deep down inside of me, the need for shedding the old, pushing through the murky waters and coming up in a new place of beauty.

I have a lot of photos to post. A lot of love has happened lately and I can't wait to share it. But for now, Just January.

_____

And go here for the biggest size.

ode to Melody

2010-12-28T12:29:00.000-05:00

Today is my mother's birthday. Mostly what I have to say about her is that she is an amazing mother. She's caring, loving, wise, discerning and I could go on and on. What I love the most is hearing her laugh. When she gets laughing it emanates to everyone around her and the whole room starts to light up. I love when this lady laughs.

Mom, I hope you have the most fantastic birthday!

_____

what are resolutions?

2010-12-28T12:18:00.001-05:00

I've been using this blog as an excuse to hide, or really to keep hiding. From myself, I think. Well, that and the perceived expectations I assume other people have of me. I've been finding myself thinking a lot lately about what I want to do or be. I'm twenty-five, after all. I guess most people have it figured out by this age and even if they haven't started doing it they seem to be on their way. But alas, not this girl. I dream and I plan and I scheme and I hope and I pray and it all comes back to just getting up each day and going to work and wondering when someone will stop by with a special paper that has orders stating the secret message of job direction for my life.

And sometimes, I think I have it figured out.

Example A: Certified Nurse Practitioner. I could rock that ish. Delivering babies, taking care of women's health needs (a vastly underserved population, fyi), educating the masses on basic preventative healthcare and the importance of nutrition. It's so nerdtastic and I love it. But then I start thinking about my "creative" side and being a

Example B: Photographer. I know I know, you think I'm joking. But I'm not. Obviously I would need to get some instruction and better quality equipment but it's one of the few things I just get so excited about it. And stay excited about. That's saying something. And then there's

Example C: Mom and Wife. I'm kind-of over hearing 'modern' women diss the women that choose to stay at home to provide a positive and healthy environment for their family as though it is a waste of brains and talent. I'm over hearing housewives diss the 'modern' women that choose to go out and work as though they're ruining their families by doing so. I mean, let it be. I want to feel like I have the freedom to choose whatever I want to choose. Obviously there is some internal struggle going on here, no? Point being, if I had the financial freedom to do this right now I would do it but it amazes me how this is becoming ballsy for women to do.

Honestly, I don't think that over the course of my life I will have to choose just one or two of these things. I could really do all three, at different times or in different combinations. But I think the first step to this is to not continue to use this space as a place to pretend like I've got myself figured out and I'm on the track to personal success because I'm not. I'm meandering. Like woah. Need to get off the fear caboose and move on over to the Little Engine That Can.

I'm hoping for big things.

16 december 2010

2010-12-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

I love a good surprise.

Fern's birthday is on the 4th of December and Khalil organized a surprise gathering at Comet Ping Pong in DC! All I can say is I wish people had surprise birthday parties more often.

_____

I'm really not the shortest one in this group, I've just forgotten how important it is to wear heels when I'm with Fern or Kristin.

Left to Right : Jaquie, Fern, K-dub, Becca and Me

_____

The husband and his sister, Rachel. She's numero dos of the six.

_____

Rachel's boyfriend Sean with Casey. They used to live together thus hilarity always ensues when the two are reunited.

_____

The bathroom's in this place are tucked away. Secret. Magic. Seriously, they're in that wall on the right.

_____

If you live in DC or are in DC for a visit check out Comet. It's a blast! We love you Fern and are so glad we got to celebrate your birthday with you!

15 december 2010

2010-12-15T06:00:00.040-05:00

It's called the Diehl Family Carnival for a reason. This is our Thanksgiving. The tradition is still pretty young but quite the event nonetheless. There are four-wheelers, oysters, the biggest Thanksgiving spread you've ever seen, bonfires (yes, that's more than one), s'mores, jeeps and this year a Wagon ride.

It's a little bit of crazytown.

_____

Papa Charlie. I'm pretty sure that he has the best glasses of anyone I know.

_____

My mom's brother, Scott, and his daughter Charity and her family.

_____

My cousin Keith got his Jeep stuck and we all laughed and teased him as we rode by on the wagon

_____

Little nephling Carter!

_____

My crazy family, minus my own husband. You can tell we wanted nothing more than to take this picture.

_____

14 december 2010

2010-12-14T19:33:00.001-05:00

This is us.

Bundled for a walk.

For me : Two pairs of pants. Two jackets. Two pairs of gloves. Two ear warmers.

And still, parts of me were icicly when we got back home from our walk. It is fah-ree-zing* here.

*currently 14 F with a wind chill bringing it down to -2 F

14 december 2010

2010-12-14T06:00:00.038-05:00

Black Friday in Smithfield because Virginia is for L♥vers. With the chilren's. We spent the morning going in and out of shops then had tea at Olde World Tea Company.

Evan had just caught a glimpse of Santa Claus and proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs, "Santa Claus, where is your sleigh?" He was so giddy with excitement and wonder.

_____

Vivian found a four-leaf clover. One lucky child. I have yet to find one of those suckers.

_____

The most fabulous Antique shop with the MOST grumptastic owner. I could not imagine anyone more grumpy than this man.

_____

Leaves on the sidewalk.

_____

The Tea Shoppe had a room that had fabulous accessories for dressing up. We all chose a hat or gloves or something to make our tea sipping experience more enjoyable! Evan was quite the little gentleman.

_____

13 december 2010

2010-12-13T06:00:00.052-05:00

Going to take a step back in time this week. A few, actually. I keep feeling like I have to apologize for not keeping this corner of the interwebs 'up-to-date' but honestly, what does that mean? And why should it matter? So what if I don't have the time or energy to share my Thanksgiving photos until three weeks have passed. They're just as meaningful now as they were then. I'm not making money from this thing and I don't think my little clan of readers has any expectations from me. So, it happens when it happens.

Now that I have that off my chest.

My immediate family doesn't make a big to-do about the actual day of Thanksgiving. We definitely make a big deal out of spending time with one another and we're an insanely close family but my parents have tried hard not to make us feel like we have to be at a certain place on a certain day to celebrate something that can be celebrated any day.

All the men in my family spent Thanksgiving morning (before dawn) hunting. I spent it sleeping in (one of the things I am most sincerely thankful for) then chatting with my mom as she made corn pudding for the dinner we were going to at my sister's place. I sort-of invited myself to her place as I really had no idea what was going on that day. So we had our Thanksgiving meal with my sister's family, all of her in-laws and my parents. Both of my brothers were doing their own thing.

Noel and I split my grandmother's china because we both loved it so much. She used hers for the Thanksgiving dinner.

_____

My sister's husband's sister has twins, Matthew and Madison. They're the cutest little things!

_____

Vivian, my niece, made all of the place cards for the table and all the kids had turkey hats to wear and turkey place mats to color on!

_____

Casey spent the rest of the afternoon at their house playing with the kids and I went back to my parents to nap after such a delicious meal. I love a good low-key celebration.

11 december 2010

2010-12-11T12:20:00.000-05:00

Holiday Traditions. I'm not so sure that the husband and I have really embarked on making any. Not quite yet. So far we've approached decorating completely differently each year.

This year : Our itty bitty Chrismary tree. The first year we were married we had a big tree. I dried oranges and spray painted pine cones to decorate it with. Last year, we had no tree, just a beautiful wreath on the door of our apartment. This year, when we went to see my family for Thanksgiving, my dad surprised us with a little bitty Rosemary Christmas Tree. It's the most clever thing I've ever seen. We went and bought some size-appropriate ornaments earlier this week and the husband set to decorating. Then, while searching for my blank cds in the room of boxes I found my Nativity Scene so I set it out, too! My grandmother had one made for each of her grandchildren and every year she would add a new character which also served as our place holder at her Christmas dinner.

_____

What are your Holiday traditions?

9 december 2010

2010-12-09T21:10:00.000-05:00

The weekend that the husband made the pie of all pies, Fern and Khalil were coming in to town for a visit and a night of camping. Fern's two brothers, Jarrad and Leigh came along as well as one of Jarrad's friends, Katy. We set out on the trail around 3 o'clock because we wanted to be at our campsite before dark. We stopped a few times along the way but made it to the clearing just as the sun was dipping below a neighboring mountain. The boys gathered enough dry wood to keep the camp fire stoked all night long and the girls started cutting up vegetables with Swiss Army Knives for our dinner, Venison Steak Fajitas. Just thinking about those fajitas makes my mouth water. Camp fire fun ensued as we huddled together with our backs to the cold, talked about love life and everything in between, laughed at our hilarious selves and enjoyed one another. When we woke up Sunday we took our bag of Everything Bagels along with our block of Cheddar Cheese and enough water to make coffee and tea with our camp stoves and hiked the rest of the way to McAfee's Knob. We enjoyed one of those surreal moments where you want nothing more than to be where you are and you live in it and can't help but feel fully alive. And absolutely freezing. On our way home, we treated our bellies to The Homeplace, a down-home-cooked-meal mecca for Appalachian Trail hikers. A pre-Thanksgiving feast, which makes one feel like a king after spending the night in the woods.

_____

9 december 2010

2010-12-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

To eat or not to eat.

Since the year without clothes shopping is coming quickly to an end (and I am so excited) I started pondering something I could give up for a year, or six months, or some period of time longer than a day or a week. The thought was that it would be sugar. I consider myself to be more than a little bit crazy and I've only been thinking about it for 12 hours or so but the benefits of not eating sugar are more than I can even begin to list and it seems like a good (as in, good for me) idea. It might help even out my emotions and give me more energy, two things I could use desperately right now.

Wouldn't you know, that as I walk in the door at work this morning, someone drops off six boxes of fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts for all employees to enjoy. Whatthehell.

I thought giving up clothes was going to be tough.

8 december 2010

2010-12-08T21:04:00.000-05:00

If you come to visit me and the husband, there is a good chance you'll find yourself at The Cellar. They have absolutely delicious pizza and beers on tap that are sure to please even the most of discerning palettes. Conversation will flow easily for hours, deep belly laughs will be had and you will find the sense of comradeship infectious. It's a cozy place. So come and see us, why don't you?
_____

Grab this holiday play list and start enjoying it as much as I have been!

2 december 2010

2010-12-02T21:55:00.001-05:00

I call this the Architart. This Spinach, Feta, Pine-Nut and Phyllo Tart is rich and delicious and the phyllo dough gives it the perfect crunch.

_____

It's such a dream to have a husband that will cook when I don't have the energy. I know that sounds incredibly sappy but it's kind of a big deal. Last night, he made another batch of his delicious cookies, per my request, and they are absolutely perfect.

In other news, I can't get over Glee this week. The Finn and Rachel drama is killing me and I just about died during the last number, a Florence and The Machine original.

1 december 2010

2010-12-01T22:28:00.001-05:00

December is upon us!

Go here for the large version!

19 november 2010 {part 1}

2010-11-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

Last week I was craving cherry pie. I picked up the pie filling at the grocery store when I went to buy all of the ingredients for cookies but had not found time to make it so I asked the Mister to take over. Behold, a masterpiece.

_____

I think I'll ask him to make the pies from now on!

13 november 2010

2010-11-13T23:06:00.000-05:00

I want to share a few pictures and a recipe of some cookies I made for the mister's class. They're in the middle of finals right now and I wanted to do something to let them know that there are people thinking about them, rooting them on, cheering them to the finish line.

We all need a little encouragement now and then. I had the thought of using peppermint because my high school AP Chem teacher raved about how peppermint oils are known to help a person concentrate.

Enter Chocolate Peppermint Cookies*

_____

1.5 c all purpose flour

.5 c cocoa powder

.5 t baking soda

.5 t coarse salt

4 oz (or a little less than 1 c) bittersweet chocolate chips

.5 c (or 1 stick) unsalted butter

1.5 c sugar

1 t vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 c peppermint candies, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan set over a pan of simmering water. Using the paddle attachment for your blender, pour in the melted chocolate. Add sugar, extract, and eggs; mix on medium-low speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in 1 c of the candies. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Using a spoon, form mounds of dough and dip the tops into the remaining candies. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

These were easy and delicious and I can not wait to make more for the Holidays. I usually fail at making cookies properly. I think the key to these turning out so well was letting the dough firm up in the fridge and then transporting them from the baking sheet to the wire rack using the parchment paper as a forklift.

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

8 november 2010

2010-11-08T08:00:00.005-05:00

Oh! The glorious colors of fall.

_____

7 november 2010

2010-11-07T18:13:00.001-05:00

November is here! Which means family gatherings, sweater weather, bonfires and the fast approach of the hustle and bustle of the Holidays!

A little something for you to enjoy during this November. Go here for the biggest size.

_____

28 october 2010

2010-10-28T22:00:00.000-04:00

When the husband and I went down to Roanoke a few Saturdays ago we (1) had a private tour of a brewery, (2) stumbled upon a church I sang in during a high school choir trip (the year we went to Nashville), (3) perused the open air farmer's market, (4) ate delicious sandwiches at the most brilliantly decorated bakery, (5) walked through the fantasy land that is La De Da and (6) saw a ball gown made out of toilet paper.

_____

25 october 2010 {and a giveaway winner!}

2010-10-25T22:13:00.001-04:00

I've been so very negligent at blogging recently. Frown. Between the fundraising auction I'm coordinating at work and the littlest brosef and dad being in town last week for work, I feel like I haven't had much time for anything besides food and sleep. I still have pictures from when we went to the Farmer's Market in Roanoke on the 9th that I'm trying to get together to put up here.

Anyone know any tricks for life simplifying? I'm all ears!

As for the winner, I had the husband pick a name out of hat, old school style. He was worried you'd be able to see the dirt underneath his fingernails but I said, oh please! Give me a break?! We just want a winner!
_____

Congratulations Oksana! Pick one of the pictures from this album and I will get an 8x10 to you in the mail (along with a fabulous fall mix cd!)

18 October 2010 {and a giveaway}

2010-10-18T22:50:00.001-04:00

Meet Silas. He's my nephew on the husband's side. His momma, Sally Mae, is {one of} the husband's little sister{s}. Silas is the big brother to his sister Hazel and brand new baby brother Juda. We had fun taking pictures together last month. While most of the time he was making funny and silly faces, I love the serious face of concentration he displayed while showing me his balancing skills.

_____

Also, like I mentioned last week, it's the two year blogiversary of love in letters. I'd like to do a little something to show y'all how much I appreciate you sticking around with me. I'm fixin'* to give away an 8 x 10 print of one of my photos as well as a super fun fall mix cd. I'll leave the giveaway open until next Monday, the 25th. And yes, I will ship internationally!

I'll choose a winner at random, from the comments. If you'd like an additional entry become a follower (ie, google reader, buzz, blogspot, etc) and let me know in the comments.

*I live in the country. That's how we talk.

11 october 2010

2010-10-11T20:39:00.001-04:00

these are my random thoughts.

i am my father's daughter when it comes to the marinara. and i like to call it mare-a-nare with a slippery southern twang. i could eat the mare-a-nare every. day.

once, just after i broke up with casey and we were trying so desperately to make sense of being friends and one another he left a giant mum on my doorstep. the lovemum, as it has been dubbed since then. it was a sort-of representation of all that he wanted to be for me. someone that he hadn't been. the boy that secretly left flowers on the doorstep of the girl he loved. sad thing about that mum was that about the time it died i realized that i didn't want to just be casey's friend. i wanted to be his girlfriend. and then one day his wife. but i freaked out, because i killed the mum and i was afraid i killed our love.* obviously, that's not how it all worked out in the end. but for a second there... just a few weeks ago i came home from work to find this, the rebirth of the lovemum.

_____

i get so giddy when i think i've tricked the husband. last night, i stole one of his pillows and was hiding it from him and he was looking all over and i was smirking in the dark because i felt so victorious! bahaha. only after he searched our entire apartment did he realize where it was. right next to him underneath the covers. i laughed and laughed and let the smile i had been so desperately trying to suppress take over and turn in to even more laughter. a pillow fight ensued. of course.

one of the best parts of this weekend was the vid chat with mah fam. they all gathered together and i coerced the little brosef to bring his handy macbook down to the dinner action and let us surprise everyone with a hello thar. i stole one of his screen shots. one where i'm eating my breakfast for dinner and the husband and the big brosef are practicing owl faces for fall. ahhh, i miss those kids.

_____

*i know this all sounds so dramatic. i am a drama queen† but in the midst of all of those emotions and the situation, that is where i was.

† i'm not necessarily proud of this but i will admit to it. and i guess somewhere along the way i decided i just had to own it.

10 october 2010

2010-10-10T20:25:00.000-04:00

a couple facts.

saturday {the 16th} marks two years of blogging.

and this post right here marks my two hundredth post.

i'm going to spend all week figuring out something special to do to commemorate that i've stuck with something for this long so stay posted for that excitement. i'm thinking along the lines of something pictorial and something musical. a picture/music combo.

and i really do think it's noteworthy that i've stuck with blogging cause i've been ALL over the map with what i've wanted to do with this blog {and what i've wanted to do with life, too}. i'm pretty sure you'll see some of the questioning and the wavering and the i'm-trying-to-be-this-kind-of-blogger/person or the i-changed-my-mind-and-i-really-want-to-be-that-kind-of-blogger/person. it's silly, really. that i'm twenty five and i still care that much about what other people think. but then, it's sort-of human nature, isn't it?

so, here's to moving forward. questioning and comparing myself to others less. to being more willing to dive on in and just enjoy each moment to its maximum potential.

who's with me?

_____

i had this crazy old thing in the donations box but in a moment of brilliance i pulled it out and stuffed it with a string of lights. the same string that was used at our wedding and on our first christmas tree together. warm, glowy string lights are joyfully infectious.