Sunday, March 29, 2009

Date Night

Drew and I had a date night last night. We haven't been out, just the two of us, in a long time. We got our mediocre security deposit back from our apartment and my one request was that we go out to dinner. I hope we don't ever have to rent again. Those people rob you!!

We went grocery shopping first. What a great way to start a date night, right? After putting all the groceries away, which I absolutely love to do now because of my pantry, we headed out for dinner. We went to Granite City and had a pretty good dinner. Then, we came home and snuggled down and watched Step Brothers. It was really pretty stupid. Some parts were funny, but for the most part, it was lame.

I'm sitting on the couch right now, staring out the window at the stupid snow that just keeps falling from the sky. It sure does make me want to stay in cozy pajamas and watch movies wrapped up in a blanket all day. But, I must be productive. I really want to finish unpacking all of the boxes. Our dining room still has a bunch of crap littering the floor. Plus, I have tomorrow off, so that will be my day tomorrow too.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

5 Months

Happy Anniversary to us! Drew is completely oblivious. He has no clue. I guess that him not knowing these little monthly anniversaries doesn't matter so much, as long as he remembers our year anniversary, right?

Wednesday's Word

Tumult / TOO-mult; TYOO-mult / noun
1. The commotion or agitation of a crowd, usually accompanied with great noise, uproar, and confusion of voices; hurly-burly; noisy confusion.
2. Violent commotion or agitation, with confusion of sounds; as, "the tumult of the elements."
3. Irregular or confused motions; agitation; high excitement; as, "the tumult of the spirits or passions."
-- tumultuous / adjective

Just imagine, reader, a reduction of the centuries and a parade of all of them, all races, all passions, the tumult of empires, the war of appetites and hates, the reciprocal destruction of creatures and things.
-- Joaquim Maria Machado De Assis, The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas (translated by Gregory Rabassa)

The Irish Sea has been polluted, the aeroplanes roar above our heads, preparing for the next war; but this is the work of man. Seeing the dew in the morning and the beauty of the sea at sunset; listening to the silence after the aeroplanes have ceased their tumult, I have just as good a right to my faith as he has to his atheism.
-- R.S. Thomas, quoted in "In pursuit of the Deus absconditus:, Irish Times, July 5, 1997

Roger W. Ferguson Jr. was not a kid prone to the irrational exuberance of youth. He first aspired to being a Federal Reserve governor when he was in high school. 'I spent most of my time studying', said Ferguson, who grew up in Washington amid the tumult and giddiness of the 1960s.
-- "Spotlight Turns to Fed Nominee", Washington Post, August 14, 1999

A long Tumult of Passions which naturally rise in a Lover's Heart.
-- Joseph Addison, Spectator No. 164, 1711.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Our Wedding Album

Drew and I have had our wedding album since mid-February, but I've kind of procrastinated from posting the pictures of it because I wanted my family to see it first. I was finally able to show my mom and sister this weekend, so without further ado:







These are the proofs that I viewed in order to finalize the album. They were sent to my email as small files so that's why they're so small here. Our album is from Zookbinders, which is the newest and greatest of wedding albums. The pages actually have the pictures on them. This way, our album is safe from the aging of the old albums. My only complaint about the album is that there is no engraving on the front. The inside cover has our photographer's company, which I'm very happy about. But to have the cover completely blank? Ugh!!

I'm very, very pleased with our album. I absolutely love how Brad's graphic designer arranged the pictures and used fading techniques. I honestly could look through it over and over again.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

It's Not Easier

Five years ago today my father died. I honestly have no idea what to say here. I typed that first sentence and then just stared at the screen. When he died, everybody just kept saying that it would get easier. Liars!!! It hasn't gotten easier.

It's not easier because he hasn't gotten to meet Drew. I've told Drew though that I think my dad sent him to me. I think that my dad knew that I needed someone to take care of me that possessed some of the qualities that he did. I think that my dad sent Drew to me to be my angel here on Earth. My dad and Drew would have been inseparable. They would have gone hunting and fishing. They would have fixed things together.

It's not easier because he didn't get to see me graduate. He didn't get to walk me down the aisle. Planning the wedding was so hard because that's the one spot that is reserved for him, and him alone. I think that my brother was honored to be able to fill his shoes.

I miss my dad more than words can possibly express.






Losing my father has probably taught me the greatest lesson that life will ever teach me. Don't take anything or anyone for granted. Choose your last words wisely. You never know when the words that you speak or the actions that you take could be the last ones that someone will know. Tell those that you love what they mean to you. Don't let them forget!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sick. Very Sick!

I wasn't feeling very good yesterday morning at work. I made it about an hour before I decided to go home. I was helping out at another branch, so I know that I kind of left them hanging. It's a good thing I did though.

I came home and fought off waves of nausea as I helped Drew cut in our master bedroom with the wall color paint. I was only able to help him for about a half hour before I told him I couldn't do it and came to lay on the couch. About 1:30, I got very sick. I don't think that I've ever had the flu this bad.

I ate about half a can of pears when I first got home, thinking that would help my nausea. Wrong!! I think it made it worse. But at least I had something in my stomach at that point. I didn't really eat or drink anything for the rest of the day. Last night, Drew really got on my case about eating and drinking some fluids. I managed to choke down about half a cracker (Yeah, I know, go me!) and a little 7-up.

I'm feeling a little better today. I'm just praying that Drew doesn't get it. It's nasty and I wouldn't wish the way I feel on anybody.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Wednesday's Word

Elucidate / ih-LOO-si-dayt / transitive verb
To make clear or manifest; to render more intelligible; to illustrate; as, an example will elucidate the subject.

He thought that film's promise and purpose was to elucidate the real, to reveal the patterns already before us, and he believed that unity of space and time were paramount.
-- Nancy Reisman, House Fires

Beginning our journey into the past, we will now examine plant and animal clues in amber to elucidate the mysteries of the forest that was the home of our bee.
-- George Poinar Jr. and Roberta Poinar, The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World

The plan is to sail south to between 52 and 54 degrees south latitude and search for land; if no land is discovered, to run east to the longitude of the eastern extremity of New Guinea, then north to elucidate questions raised by Dutch and Spanish voyages.
-- Alan Gurney, Below the Convergence

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Hold Your Gasps!

I'm finally posting some pictures from when we first moved. Of course, Drew had to carry me over the threshold.
Please ignore my folded up pants! This was when we closed, on Thursday the 26th and it was a nasty rainy day.


The greatest part of our house? The electric chair lift. It's the running joke that you can get drunk downstairs (that's where the poker/game/Drew's man cave will be) and still make it upstairs.

We, seriously, had to buy about 25 light bulbs when we moved in. All of them were either burnt out or missing. Some light switches didn't turn anything on because the bulb was missing. So for about a week, we had no idea what all the switches were to in the house. We have since figured it out. The next picture is so dark because, as you can see, there are only two bulbs in that light fixture.
Yeah, the carpet needed a GOOD cleaning before anything else. We also let off two, count'em two, foggers on Thursday before we moved in. I have an extreme dislike for bugs, especially in my house. I don't think they worked very well because I still find things crawling around.

I am so thankful to all the people that helped us move that Friday. We couldn't have done it without them. The guys took it upon themselves to arrange our living room. I was forbidden to enter until they had it set. Once they did, I was called and three of them had assumed position to show me where exactly we should hang our pictures and things.
That's Josh, displaying where we should hang the clock.

Well, there you finally have it, some pictures from the move. I will be posting some more pictures soon of before, during, and after painting in the living room and master bedroom.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Wednesday's Word

Ululate / UL-yuh-layt / intransitive verb
To howl, as a dog or a wolf; to wail; as, ululating jackals.

He had often dreamed of his grieving family visiting his grave, ululating as only the relatives of martyrs may.
-- Edward Shirley, Know Thine Enemy: A Spy's Journey into Revolutionary Iran

She wanted to be on the tarmac, to ululate and raise her hands to the heavens.
-- Deborah Sontag, "Palestinian Airport Opens to Jubilation", New York Times, November 25, 1998

She used harrowing, penetrating nasal tones and a rasp that approached Janis Joplin's double-stops; she made notes break and ululate.
-- Jon Pareles, "On the Third Day There Was Whooping and There Was Moshing", New York Times, Ausust 18, 1998

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Small Update

I know, I know, bad blogger! I have been such a slacker lately on the blogging. It's not even that I've been that busy, I've just been super lazy. I think the rush of moving really tuckered me out and I've needed some time to just relax. I thought that I would take a few minutes and update what's been going on lately.

Drew and I hung out with Adam and Nicole on Sunday. The boys stayed home with their kids, and Nicole and I went shopping. We bought paint for the living room and master bedroom. We also bought all the window treatments for the master bedroom.

Drew is painting the ceiling of the living room as I sit and type this. Painting has begun!!! I don't think the ceilings really make too much of a difference since they're just being painted white again. I will be taking pictures of all the other transformations though.

A few days ago, my right eye began to ache a little bit. At first I thought that my contacts were old, so I changed those. Nothing really changed. Then, I thought that my mascara was old, so I bought a new tube of that. Yesterday, my eye hurt enough for me to start complaining about it. This morning, I woke up and my eye hurt a lot worse than yesterday, plus my upper inner eyelid was swollen. I knew I had to go to the eye doctor. I called mine and they weren't open yet. Drew called his and they were able to get me in. The doc took one look and basically said that I had a bacteria infection in my eyelid. He said that he had a sample bottle of antibiotics that he would give me. I have to put the drops in every four hours. The bad news. I have to take my contacts out to put the drops in, then put my contacts back in after a few minutes. Pain in my ass while I'm at work. The good news. The whole visit and antibiotics only cost $20. Woo hoo!!!!

Drew and I both have the day off tomorrow. We'll be doing lots of work around the house. I'll try super hard to post some pictures!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

1001 Day Project Update

Here's the update for March. Again, items in red have been completed.

1. Take Drew to Arizona
2. Read the Bible
3. Visit the Daughtry's in North Carolina
4. Visit the Landgren's in Colorado
5. Make dinner every night for a week
6. Go to church at least one Sunday a month
7. Take a dance class
8. Move out of our apartment
9. Buy a house
10. Start our family
11. Pay off all credit cards (0/4)
12. Go to a Cubs game with Drew
13. Watch at least 5 Cubs games each season with Drew (and not complain about it) (0/15)
14. Learn sign language
15. Learn to play the piano
16. Go on a spontaneous overnight trip
17. Go snowboarding or skiing
18. Don't drink pop for an entire week
19. Go to Florida
20. Read 5 book that have turned into movies (1/5)
21. Watch the movies too (0/5)
22. Do a drastically different hairstyle
23. Get braces
24. Read the Twilight series (2/4)
25. Organize the closets (0/3)
26. Host Christmas Eve for my side of the family
27. Go to bed before 10 PM at least 60 times (0/60)
28. Go on a second honeymoon
29. Organize address book
30. Find 4 new recipes to cook for dinner (1/4)
31. Start a family tradition with Drew and me
32. Find a family doctor
33. Have 8 girls' night (0/8)
34. Take a yoga class
35. Get a massage
36. Go to Starlight Theatre three times (0/3)
37. Clean out Drew's clothes
38. Pick and print out wedding pictures for frame
39. Go to the movie theatre with Drew
40. Try 5 new restaurants (1/5)
41. Stay off the computer after work for one week
42. Get a job in my field
43. Take a cooking class
44. Put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean
45. Put my feet in the Pacific Ocean
46. Go golfing
47. Make a new friend
48. Teach someone something
49. Play hookie with Drew one day
50. Play a video game with Drew
51. Pick apples from the apple orchard
52. Plan a big surprise for Drew
53. Make dinner for my family
54. Make dinner for Drew's family
55. Spend a day with my brother
56. Let Drew teach me something new
57. Learn one new word a week and blog about it (9/143)
58. Put at least $20 into my savings account every two weeks (4/71)
59. Eat dinner at the Signature Room again
60. Volunteer anywhere
61. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
62. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to Shedd Aquarium
63. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Field Museum
64. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Hancock Observatory
65. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to Adler Planetarium
66. Go to Navy Pier
67. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast
68. Go to Brookfield Zoo
69. Go on a picnic
70. Go camping
71. Read "What to Expect When You're Expecting" when I become pregnant
72. Take a photography class
73. Cross stitch a picture
74. Set up a 401k
75. Get a physical once a year (0/3)
76. Pay off bills as soon as they come in rather than waiting until they're due
77. Host Thanksgiving
78. Throw a surprise party for someone
79. Send out birthday cards every month for a year (0/12)
80. Completely clean bathrooms every week for a month (0/4)
81. Recycle
82. Completely clean the tables off every night for a month (0/4)
83. Vacuum and dust every week for a month (0/4)
84. Don't swear for a week
85. Go skydiving
86. Become known for making or doing something
87. Take a ballroom dancing class
88. Take an acting class
89. Research getting an MBA
90. Drink only water for a week
91. Splurge on a spa day for me
92. Splurge on a spa day for me and a friend
93. Encourage at least one other person to make a list like this one
94. Purchase a china cabinet
95. Purchase 5 new pieces of clothing and DON'T feel guilty about it (2/5)
96. Host a game night with our friends
97. Clean and organize garage
98. Do something I don't want to that will make someone else happy
99. Preserve my wedding gown
100. Donate $5 to a charity for any uncompleted items on this list
101. Make a new list at the end of the 1001 days and include any items I didn't complete on this list

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ok, I Lied

I know that I said that I was going to post a video tour of our house today, but I'm not. I told Drew what I wanted to do and he said no!! He wants us to get the house in a little better order before I take a video of it.

The living room is arranged, but nothing is up on the walls. We want to paint before hanging stuff. The kitchen is part of the way organized. We've gotten our new appliances in and Nick (Drew's buddy) installed our new faucet tonight. It seems like all the rooms are part of the way done. The master bedroom is done for the most part, except for paint.

Things are slowly coming together. I'm thinking about purchasing stock in Menards based on the amount of money that we've already spent there and I'm scared to think of how much more we will be spending. Hey, at least we're doing our part to stimulate the economy, right?!?!

Wednesday's Word

Temerity / tuh-MER-uh-tee / noun
Unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger; rashness.

The elaborate caution with which the British commander now proceeded stands out in striking contrast with the temerity of his advance upon Bunker Hill in the preceding year.
-- John Fiske, "Washington's Great Campaign of 1776", The Atlantic, January 1889

When English merchants had the temerity to set up a trading post or 'factory' -- junior merchants were known as factors -- the Dutchmen defended their monopoly by massacring them.
-- Anthony Read and David Fisher, The Proudest Day

Drivers with the temerity to accelerate our of turns are likely to encounter torque steer, an unsettling glitch in control as the engine fights to take charge of the steering.
-- Peter Passell, "Mitsubishi Diamante: Back From Down Under", New York Times, February 23, 1997

Throughout the anti-trust trial its executives treated the courts and the US government with sneering contempt, coupled with a ratty annoyance that any public authority should have the temerity to interfere in its business.
-- John Naughton, "Gates must not win at monopoly", The Observer, October 28, 2001

Sunday, March 1, 2009

We're Moved

Yes, I've been a little MIA for the past couple days. We did finally close on the house on Thursday. We spent all day running errands and packing.

Friday was a whirlwind of packing and moving. We had to make two trips with the moving truck, but we were able to get everything out of the apartment (except for our freezer food) by the end of the night Friday.

Saturday and today has just been filled with unpacking all of the boxes and putting our things in their new spots. Today, I focused on the kitchen. It is unbelievable the amount of cupboard space we have. I have things so spaced out it's ridiculous. Oh, and the pantry!!! I don't know how I've lived this long without the pantry. It's so cool. I love how organized everything is. There are little organizers to put canned goods so we can easily see how much we have of something. No more digging through the cupboards to find everything.

I'm too lazy right now to upload pictures of our moving adventures. I will do something that will make up for it though. Drew and I both have the day off on Wednesday. I thought that I would give you a little video tour of our new house. How does that sound?