30 Days of Thanks: Day 4- A Snack

Nachos.

{image found via pinterest}

Yup, I'm thankful for nachos. Seems like a silly thing to be thankful for, but there's a pretty good reason for it. Before the Big Guy and I were an item, we were friends. We met at work, and frequently found ourselves at functions hosted by the company. After one of these functions, a few of us went out for drinks. While we were out, there was a guy at the bar who was getting a little too friendly for my taste and I asked the Big Guy to pretend to be my boyfriend so that this guy would back off. He agreed, but was pretty sure that by the end of the night I would want him to be my boyfriend for real. (He'd been trying to get me to date him for a while at this point.) We stayed out for a while longer and went to get some nachos as a late night snack.

You can see where this story is going. We had a great time, and it turns out the Big Guy was pretty good at predicting the future after all- I did want him to be my boyfriend.

He's cute when he's right. 

Our 3rd Wedding Anniversary

The best thing to hold on to in life is each other.

~Audrey Hepburn

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!

Here's to three wonderful years being married to each other. I'm a very lucky girl. Occasionally I say that jokingly, but I hope everyone knows how much I actually mean it. I have the luxury, and I truly believe that it iss a luxury, of going home every day to a wonderful man.

He's my partner, my cheering section, my reality check, my reminder to laugh about the little things, my shoulder to lean on, my access to high shelves. He's my best friend. I can't imagine where I would be and what I would be doing without him as a part of my life.

I love you.

I'd marry you all over again.

Half-Full Glass

It always seems impossible until it's done.

Well, it's not totally done. Last week final papers and exams were finished and turned in. As of this morning the final grades have all been submitted.

I'm officially half-way through my MBA program.

You're probably wondering what this all means. Me too. For starters it means three weeks without classes. Three weeks without homework. Three weeks to enjoy spending time with the Big Guy in the evenings instead of running away to hide in something to study after dinner. It means reading things that have nothing to do with activity based costing, lag time, or management structures. It's more likely than I'm really comfortable admitting that what I'm reading now involves teenage paranormal romances. You can't get much further away from activity based costing than that. It might even mean more blogging. (I missed you guys!)

More importantly, it means that I'm 50% closer to achieving this major goal I set for myself. It means that my family and friends have already supported me through the toughest part of this journey. I can't promise that there will be that many more Friday nights that I show up to things than there were in this past year, but I'm optimistic. I'm halfway there.

So the glass is half-full. As in half full of knowledge. Knowledge and awesome. Assuming of course that awesome can be defined as a unique combination of wine, chocolate and Skype chats with some pretty amazing people.

Yeah, I didn't make it this far on my own. I couldn't have. The program has a strong emphasis on team work and having the right people is extremely important. I might be biased, but  I think I had the best teammates. This past year would not have been the same with any other group, and I will forever be grateful that I had them to rely on, laugh with, keep me in check and on track.

So now it's time to prep for the next half of the program. I'm not sure what exactly it will bring. A new team, new professors, new classes, new challenges, and this time next year- a new degree.

It's a lot. I'm not going to kid myself that it's going to be a walk in the park. I know that's not true. But I've done it before. I know how to manage my time, and more importantly my expectations. I can only do so much, and those things will be what's really important. So maybe the dishes sit in the sink overnight and the laundry gets pushed to next week. I'd rather be spending quality time with the Big Guy and Loki anyway. The dishes won't go anywhere and we can always buy more socks.

Goal Progress: Goal 58

Goal 58: Renovate Master Bathroom

That's right, we started the bathroom renovation this week. You can see some of the very first pictures of the space here. We took these right after we moved in. Even before we signed the papers, the millions of pages of paper, so that we could officially own the place, we knew those stylish blue seashell sinks had to go. We also knew that a bathroom renovation completely exceeded our DIY expertise. Anything involving plumbing and electricity requires professional knowledge. At least it does in our house.

We found a contractor that we liked, that Loki liked, and that some friends and our realtor recommended. We worked out a budget and a plan, and we made some decisions about the placement of new lights, and what walls needed to go. Basically, we had a linen closet that we didn't need. What we need is light and a little extra space in the shower. As of today, we're making great progress.

Day 1 was demo. Tuesday night, we moved ourselves into our guest bathroom, and got everything unnecessary cleared out of the bathroom. Then on Wednesday, the guys got things started. Here's a peek at what our bathroom looked like last night.

This used to be the shower. In the morning it was a 3' by 3' square. Everything's been pulled up, and the new wall you see is in place so that we can have a 60" shower basin. Hello room to stretch!

I don't know what any of the stuff in this pile is. That's why we aren't doing this ourselves. Loki wasn't allowed in the room while the work was going on. He was very interested in sniffing out the details of the progress. Then he was interested in chewing on an unattended 2 x 4. He didn't get to have that for very long. You can also see in this picture that the vinyl flooring is gone.

This is our bathtub. We're not changing the tub itself- garden tub with jets can definitely stay. But we are having the tile around the top and sides replaced with the tile that we use in the shower to tie it all together. Just enough to keep things coordinated. And I do like it when things are coordinated. 

The blue sinks are gone! This change will be one of the biggest impacts we have in the space. I cannot wait to see how it all looks with a clean, sleek, modern counter. We're keeping the existing cabinetry. It's in good shape, it's white so it'll go with everything we have and are bringing in. Plus, getting a new cabinet would have blown the budget.

Because everything had to come out of the bathroom, the toilet gets to live in our bedroom. Not permanently.

So Day 1 was a big day. Lots more updates to come. It's going to be an interesting three weeks.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ok, I know that not everyone likes this holiday, but I think it's fun. I like taking the time to let the people I love know that I love them. I think we could all stand to do that more often than we do. If it takes a Hallmark holiday to remind me to take that time, I'm ok with that. So whether you buy into the whole chocolate hearts, champagne and roses routine, I'm sure you have someone who means so much to you, that you want to let them know.

Someone asked me last week to think of something that I'm grateful for, something that makes me happy. My first thought was about the big guy. Since it's Valentine's Day, it's a good time to share what I wrote about him. Because I was writing this as a response to the question- I got wordy. You're not shocked, I know. So here's what I had to say about all the people that I'm grateful for this Valentine's Day.

I'm grateful that I get to spend my days with a wonderful man who supports and encourages me in everything I do. I couldn't have taken on some of the challenges I have if he hadn't been my own personal cheerleader. I'm grateful to have such a fantastic partner building the life that we want, for the family that we want.

I'm grateful for my parents and for all that they continue to do for me, and for us, every day. Their love and support is priceless. I wish they could be closer geographically, but I think the distance has actually helped me appreciate all we have together and all that they do.

I'm grateful for our friends and family. I sent out a silly request on Facebook to some close friends and our families (his & mine) to like a page I just created for work so that we can build our numbers and get the FB URL we want. It was late last night and almost everyone has already liked it. I was floored. I seriously started to cry checking the page. They continually surprise me with their caring and the time they take for us. We're incredibly lucky.

 I'm grateful for a job that provides challenges and opportunities for me to grow professionally. Having a job at all right now is something to be valued and appreciated, let alone one that you get to truly enjoy.

I'm grateful for a happy & healthy dog waiting patiently for me to come from work. Seeing that tail wag when I walk through the door makes the day's little annoyances go away.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! May you find yourself surrounded by love today, and everyday.

Completed Goal: Goal 46

Completed Goal: Goal 46 Go to a Purdue football game with the big guy

Date Completed: 11/27/2010

We went to a Purdue football game together, and not just any game, the Old Oaken Bucket game. This game is probably my favorite game of the season. For those of you not familiar with the game, it's the last game of the Purdue football season and it's the always against Indiana University (IU). It's the big rivalry game and the winner gets to put a "P" or an "I" on the chain attached to the bucket, and bragging rights for the rest of the year. Now, I will say, the bucket has significantly more "Ps" on the chain, which I'm sure helps with some added enjoyment for me.

The really fun part about this game- I went to Purdue and the big guy went to IU. Yup, we're a house divided when it comes to college sports. We decided that a friendly wager would be a great idea for the game. No money was involved, it was just for pride. We decided that Loki would wear a collar representing the winning school for a month. We figure the bet can be an annual event, and he can wear the collar for the whole month of December.

It sounded like a great idea at the time.

 Mommy lost the bet. Even Loki looks disappointed. It's like he understands.

I suppose he can have the win, it was his birthday after all. We'll meet on the field again next year. I've got Loki's Purdue collar ready.

Completed Goal: Goal 38

Goal 38: Go antiquing
Completed: 9/4/2010

I know what you're thinking, September was a really long time ago. It's true. I've been totally slacking in getting this post actually written out and posted. We went antiquing at the Noblesville Antique Market. It's three levels with tons of things to sift through. It's right on the town sqaure in downtown Noblesville.

We didn't really have anything in mind when we got there, so we started on the main level and just worked our way through all of the displays. Just as proof, here's a picture of the big guy at one point in the shopping trip. Isn't that the face of a man who loves antiquing? It actually is, we've been several times since that first trip.

We were able to find a few cute things to add to the house. The first being a lovely ash tray for the big guys cigars. It's outside in the picture because it was September, and a beautiful day in our backyard. Well, Loki's backyard, I suppose, if you want to believe the blog title.

The other piece that we were really excited about is the crystal decanter in the picture below. The big guy has decided that a small decanter collection would be a fun thing to have in the house. So we've started one near the bar. It looks great so far. We got one decanter as a gift for our wedding and have added another as an anniversary present. Our little collection is looking good! They're all different shapes and styles so there's a lot of visual interest to the sets.

All in all, our first antiquing trip was a success! We're still looking for more decanters, and I'm always on the lookout for books.

Wedding Week- Day 1

This is the first time I've really done the whole wedding week thing, but it seems like a lot of fun. Tomorrow is our second anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's been that long, these past two years have gone by really fast. We've gone through the excitement of promotions at work, buying our first home, the big guy getting recognized as sales rep of the year (shameless bragging), and me starting a graduate degree.

I'll warn you now, this is a long one.

But two years ago right about now, I was sitting in a room with some of the most important people in our world (some really important people weren't able to be there in person, but we knew that they were thinking about us, and they were part of the celebration in spirit). I was getting about a million kinds of antsy and excited and nervous about what the next day would bring. It was a whirlwind kind of a day. It all started at 5am that morning, with my dad and I getting ready to hop on the commuter train from La Fox to Chicago. An odd trip for the day before a wedding, but one that was very necessary. Here's the story if you haven't already heard it. (Or in my dad's case, lived through it with me.)

Wednesday before we got married, we packed up and got ready to drive from Indianapolis to Geneva. I had everything but one important piece- my passport. I had previously given the big guy a lot of grief for not putting his passport in a safe place. Apparently mine was so safe, I couldn't find it. Massive amounts of panic ensued, and we tore our apartment apart trying to find it. No luck. Which was totally scary, because we had an international honeymoon planned. I was not going to be able to go to Aruba sans passport.

So then we found out a very helpful piece of information. There are places across the country where passports are physically made. If you make an appointment and go in person with all the right forms, you can get your passport the same day. One of these places is the Federal Building in downtown Chicago.

So back to my story. We call on the way to my parents' house and make an appointment for me to go and get another passport. But I'm not quite as familiar with Chicago as I pretend to be, and I was nervous about going alone. Enter my dad.

Here's the thing about my dad- he's the best. I know a lot of people say that, but when I say it, it's actually true. He got up crazy early on a day when he should have been able to sleep in and relax, and he hopped on a commuter train like it was no big deal. Trust me, it was a really big deal. We walked from the train station to the Federal Building, navigated the gauntlet of security, and got in line with all the forms and paperwork.

Then I get up to the window, like the DMV, but with glass separating us from the federal employees. People were shouting, people were angry, and people were not happy. The guy behind the glass turns to me, already bored at 9:00am, and we have this conversation:

Federal Employee Guy: Do you have your forms?
Me: Yes, sir. I have them here. (pushes paperwork through the hole under the glass)
Fed: I have to ask this, is it absolutely necessary that you get a new passport today? What's so important that we have to rush it?
Me: (bottom lip begins to quiver, big sniff) Well, sir, you see... (cue uncontrollable sobbing) I'm getting married tomorrow (hiccup) and I lost my passport, but I didn't know it (hiccup) and my dad came out all this way with me (hiccup) and my fiance is the best man in the whole world  (hiccup, sniff) and he's planned this great honeymoon in Aruba (hiccup) and now I can't go with him (hiccup) and it's almost my wedding day ... I may have said more, but there were no dogs around to translate the high-pitched ball of emotions I had become.

At this point he reaches his hand under the glass, pats my hand, and says "Honey, you're passport will be done by noon."

Well at this point, I feel like this man has single-handedly saved my honeymoon. And if you think about it, he kinda did.

So I go back over to where my dad is waiting, and tell him the good news. He looks at his watch and says "It's only 9:15. What do you think about some breakfast and a walk around the city?"

That's what we did. We went to the Marriott on the river and had breakfast. We walked through Millennium Park and went through the exhibit hall of a technology conference. We walked, we talked, and I had the best unplanned morning a girl could have the day before her wedding. I didn't get a lot of time just me and Dad leading up to the wedding. Napkin colors and centerpieces just aren't his thing. This random morning was exactly what I needed. Unplanned though it was, I wouldn't have traded it for anything.

For the record- never found the original passport. Totally lost. I think our apartment ate it.

Completed Goal: Goal 97

Three days in and I already have a completed goal. It wasn't hard, but it was a lot of fun.

Goal 97: Define our (me & the big guy) design style

Here's how I checked this one off the list. I was one of many people watching and waiting to see who would win HGTV's Design Star. I love everything about the competition and this season did not disappoint. I was especially happy when they announced the winner and it was Emily. I love the way she combines finishes and time periods with colors and patterns to really give a lot of character to a room. I also love her blog. She's funny and kinda goofy and totally the type of person I'd want to hang out with.

So naturally when the first episode of her new show, Secrets from a Stylist, came on this past weekend, I was there. And by there I mean on my couch, remote in hand ready to watch something awesome happen. One of the things I really like about her approach is the combination of styles. By defining three styles that really work individually for the person, you get a lot more to look for and combine to really get a personalized design for the home.

After watching the show we talked a little bit and picked three styles that we really like and that we want to pull from as we continue to decorate and finish getting our home the way we want it to be. I say we, but really I mean me. The big guy is interested, but I won't push him too far. Here's a peek at what we decided we like. (All images found via Google Images.)

1. Modern: clean lines, geometric patterns, chrome/steel, bright colors, minimalist style, think CB2

2. English Manor House: traditional pub style, worn leather, chesterfield sofas, dark wood tones, books/libraries, crystal

3. Hollywood Regency: metallic/mirrored finishes, high end fabrics, light & airy colors, black & white, feminine lines

Now that we've defined our style, the easy part is done. The hard part will be figuring out where & how to mix them. But it'll be fun too.

It's like the ultimate To-Do List

I've seen this around the blog world many times, and I've always been intrigued. It's 101 in 1001 list. You pick 101 goals and give yourself 1,001 days to complete them. They can be big or small, expensive or free, silly or serious. They just have to be something clearly defined and easily trackable/measurable. And it's really a good amount of time, just about 2.75 years to get everything done. Sounds reasonable, especially since a few of mine are already in progress. Maybe that's cheating a little, but I think it counts as long as it hasn't already been finished.

So what does my list have on it? Some house projects. Some items about getting healthier, because really couldn't we all make some healthier choices? Some entertaining stuff. Some work and school stuff. Some spiritual stuff. Some financial stuff. Some time with friends and family, especially the big guy and Loki.

The list has been added as it's own page, here. This will make it easier to keep track of what's done and what's not. I'll do a separate blog post about each goal as it gets crossed off the list, and I do like to cross things off lists.

So when does it all start? Today. Nothing like the first day of a new month to get you inspired about taking on a new challenge. Apparently Fall 2010 is all about challenges. I've got the 90 Day Challenge at the gym, I've got this 101 in 1001 challenge, and I've got the challenges that come with a Big 10 MBA program.

Maybe the first thing on the list should have been a vacation!

Summer Over the Fireplace

The big guy bought me flowers. :-) Any special reason? Nope. Which makes them even sweeter.

I love how they make the fireplace look summery and bright. Just a small addition, but one with a big impact.

Vacation Review

There are so many things to talk about with our vacation. And so many pictures still to upload. I'll get to all of them soon, hopefully even this week.

But first- the big announcement from vacation- The big guy is officially Sales Rep of the Year! What does that mean you ask? Allow me to brag about my hubby for a moment as I explain. It means that throughout 2009, in a difficult economy, he found a way to manage his existing clients and bring on new clients to grow his business and reach 146% of his sales goal for the year. Not too shabby if you ask me! It also means that out of over 150 people who do what he does in the company, sell the same product line, he's the best. Pretty big deal.


As a part of his award for being a top performer, we went to Palm Beach and stayed at the Breakers. Absolutely gorgeous, and I've got some pictures on my iPhone to download so I can show you some of what I saw there. We relaxed by the pool, we ate some amazing food, and despite my best efforts I got sunburned.

One picture I will show you today, is the result of our deep sea fishing trip.

It's a little small, it came from my phone, but what you're seeing is real. The big guy fought a shark and won. He pretty much bullied the shark and out muscled it, all 80 pounds and 71 inches of it, to get in in the boat. Pretty big challenge.

My challenge? Finding a spot for it on the wall in the office. Yup, we're getting it mounted. As a little reminder of the trip. Well, ok, not so little. I'm thinking it will remind him of just how amazing the past fiver days were so that he'll keep being amazing and earn a spot on the trip again next year.

Big Buck Huntin'

No, not actual hunting. And not the video game from a bar either. Our moosehead came in. Now he's all set up in his new home above our bed. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking in this post.

This picture makes me realize that I need to get our night stands sanded and painted white. Which was the original plan when we got them. Months ago. I blame winter for coming in so quickly. I was less than interested in standing in our garage painting. Maybe this month. Or next month if the warm weather doesn't stick around.

The big guy looks so happy. I'd like to say that all of our decor adventures have made him this happy. Something tells me that's probably not true.

Just in case you didn't get the full effect of the joy that acrylic moose brough into our home. And our lives.

And the setp ladder inthe background means that I was doing something. I'm not tall. I use that step ladder A LOT. Definitely a wise investment for any petite home owner.

Even Loki's smiling. :-)

I tease, but really I like it too. I'm a big fan of the slightly outrageous modern hunting lodge vibe it gives our bedroom. Let's be honest with each other. If I wasn't a fan, we wouldn't have him in the first place. Yes we think the moose is a him. We also think his name would be Bob. Bob seems like a good moose name.

Weekend Plan Review

Here's my list from the weekend. I did pretty well this time, which is impressive considering that Sunday was our anniversary.

1. Laundry Got three loads done. Didn't realize that the big guy hadn't unpacked his suitcase, so there are a few more to do this week before we head out of town.

2. Clean Master Bathroom Done. Nice and sparkly, well until somebody gets toothpaste on the mirror at least. Not sure how we manage to do that, but it happens.

3. Goodwill box Filled, and dropped off at Goodwill. Even started the next one. It's a much bigger box so it'll take a while to fill.

4. Organize closet Got the boxes organized on the top shelf, and a few more things pulled out for donation to Goodwill. Now if I could only get the stuff on top of my dresser organized. That will have to be on a future list.

Some additional things we did:
1. Planted tulip & hyacinth bulbs. We think we did it right- but we'll know in spring when we get flowers or not.
2. Got pumpkins and gourds for outside and some apple cider. I like Tuttle's Orchard. I'd never been, but it was a very nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends.

And my favorite extra thing from the weekend (drumroll)

We ate year old wedding cake. Sunday was our first anniversary and we had a great time. Just relaxed all day and then went out to dinner at the same restaurant where the big guy proposed. Awwwwwww.

Totally fun. I'm looking forward to many more anniversaries with him.

Birthday Weekend & Very Calm Evening

Sunday was my birthday, and I spent the day with Andrew. We went to church with his parents and came home for lunch and just relaxed for most of the afternoon. Andrew went out to see a friend of his, or at least so I thought. He came back with our placemats that Crate & Barrel is getting ready to pull from the shelves since they're seasonal, and he didn't want us to miss out on them. He also had a beautiful new vase from Crate & Barrel and the most gorgeous arrangement of flowers I've ever seen. I was so suprised and cried a little when he came in with everything.

We went to dinner at the Corner Wine Bar, down in Broadripple that night. We had a great time. We're looking at going back later this month for one of their wine tasting events.

Yesterday I was surpised with cake at work, always fun. Nothing too interesting happened, but for the first time in a long time, I was completely relaxed last night. No stress left over from work, no worries about the next day. Andrew and I had a great dinner, that he cooked. We watched some TV and then just relaxed with each other.

I pulled up a the websites of the photographers I like who are available on our day, and he wnet through them and told me which ones he liked. I'm sending their details to my dad today so that he can look at them as well. Since he's the one who'll be writing the checks.

With all of that done, I poured a glass of wine, found a comfy spot on the couch, and cuddled up with the puppy who proceeded to curl up on my lap, fall asleep and start snoring, loudly. Not a bad way to spend a Monday night.

Close calls

I am incredibly lucky. Andrew was in a pretty bad car accident on Tuesday. I left work early and met him at the ER and stayed with him and his mom until the doctors said he was ok to go home.

He was driving on 465 on his way home from a meeting and the roads were icy and slushy, and the weather was just generally bad. He was in the far left lane, and someone attempted to merge into his lane and cut him off. He braked, which I think anyone would have done, in order to avoid getting hit and lost control of the car as it started to spin. He remembers making eye contact with the driver of the semi behind him and then his car was pushed into the cement median. The entire trunk of his car was smashed in, to a point where it looked like he didn't have one.

I was so scared on my way to the hospital, I had no idea what to expect. He was still strapped to the board that they put him on in the ambulance to restrict movement in case of any serious back/neck damage. He was uncomfortable, but he was ok. After much waiting and a few more x-rays, the doctor came in and told us he was ok.

He's got a few sore muscles, and just a little bruising from the seat belt, but other than that. he's completely ok. I can't imagine what I'd do without him. I'm so glad he's ok.

Classic

Originally Posted feb. 20, 2008

So we're watching American Idol when my wonderful fiance says this: "Someone should make a cartoon of Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell. They could solve crimes. I would totally watch that." I'm a lucky girl.