It's been a while since I updated...today I am helping Brandt clean out his house so that the packers can come Monday & the movers on Tuesday (yes, the military gives you packers for free, which I think is exceptionally awesome; unfortunately, I do not have the same coming for my stuff when I pack it in late July!).
Anyway, I am taking a break from the cleaning/organizing/asking "when was the last time you used/wore this????", so I figured I would do a post on the little blogspot! My computer is currently under review by the Geek Squad @ Best Buy trying to figure out why it turns itself off, so I'm sorta out of the loop on the happenings on the world wide web.
I never get to update my blogs, so I figured I'd do a post with some interesting links/tidbits to keep you busy. Here goes:
(1) Whenever you want to get rid of something, just put it out front with a "FREE" sign on it. I have been taking loads out to the parking lot today of Brandt's stuff, and the 1st batch was gone in 15 minutes! Amazing! Plus I post a "curb alert" on Craigslist, so that helps too!! So much easier than lugging stuff to Goodwill, plus I know it's going to a home that needs it.
(2) I LOVE LOVE LOVE these buckets! Aren't they adorable???!!!
(3) I got my sister one of these bags for her birthday...Lauren found this company in San Francisco, and they are great!
(4) To stay up to date on what's happening in DC, this is the best site for locals: http://dcist.com It's a local blog that is very liberal (and lots of foul language in the comments), but it stays on top of events and matters that interest the District.
(5) I am trying to purge my belongings in anticipation of the move, and this site is very inspirational for getting rid of clutter! It is updated daily.
(6) I'm not planning a wedding, but this is an adorable blog with links to other fun preppy/southern blogs: thepreppywedding.blogspot.com
(7) Amazing pictures on this site, updated 3x week: www.boston.com/bigpicture
(8) Aveda hair salons have a program going where they are collecting used plastic bottle caps for recycling. Generally, the caps cannot be recycled, even when the bottle can. My office has been collecting them since May, and it is amazing how many build up quickly. It is a tiny impact on the huge problem of waste, but every little bit helps! They will use the caps to make new caps for their shampoo bottles. You can drop off the caps at any Aveda salon. The first time I did it, they gave me a free sample of shampoo & conditioner (travel size). I don't know if they are still offering that, but it was nice!
(9) My Bible study just started this study, called No Other Gods, by Kelly Minter. It's recommended by Beth Moore, who is virtually organizing a summer study of it via her blog. Fun stuff!
(10) You really should try Paperbackswap.com -- I posted about it before, and several of my friends have signed up. We love it!
Okay, that's it for now....should keep you busy for a while! I need to stop procrastinating and go make piles of stuff for B to go through.
We leave July 5th for our cross-country trek--I'm very excited to get to spend lots of good quality time in the car (that's my love language, you know!) with B, laughing and doing our own version of Karaoke. Yay!!! I'll fly back to DC on the 14th of July to finish up work before I head to SoCal permanently myself! Very excited, although I know it will hit me later that my wonderful season of life in DC is now over.
Love to you all!
Okay, enough procrastinating
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
I'm Moving to California!
Yep, that's my big news right now!! B got his orders for Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, so we're headed to California in July! I am so excited to be close to my family and friends, and back in sunny SoCal too!
I am going to miss DC terribly--I have wonderful friends here and I just love living here, but the Lord has given me peace that my time here is nearly finished and I'm ready for the new adventure that San Diego will bring! Someday I'll have to blog about all the things that I have come to love about Alexandria/Washington DC...but that could be a REALLY long post!
We're driving out to California in mid-July, then I'll be back to finish up work until August 1st, and then I'm free! My sweet sister and her family are opening up their home to me when I arrive, so that will be a wonderful treat! Lots of time with my family is exactly what I love! My gramma is close as well, so I am happy that I get to spend more time with her too.
I will be looking for a job out there, but only the Lord knows what He has in store for me--I can't wait to see what it is!
So now that we have certain plans for the future, I am trying to get everything ready to move and yet enjoy the rest of my time here! I'm a packrat, so I have lots to get rid of...it's times like these that I envy my minimalist friends!
I am going to miss DC terribly--I have wonderful friends here and I just love living here, but the Lord has given me peace that my time here is nearly finished and I'm ready for the new adventure that San Diego will bring! Someday I'll have to blog about all the things that I have come to love about Alexandria/Washington DC...but that could be a REALLY long post!
We're driving out to California in mid-July, then I'll be back to finish up work until August 1st, and then I'm free! My sweet sister and her family are opening up their home to me when I arrive, so that will be a wonderful treat! Lots of time with my family is exactly what I love! My gramma is close as well, so I am happy that I get to spend more time with her too.
I will be looking for a job out there, but only the Lord knows what He has in store for me--I can't wait to see what it is!
So now that we have certain plans for the future, I am trying to get everything ready to move and yet enjoy the rest of my time here! I'm a packrat, so I have lots to get rid of...it's times like these that I envy my minimalist friends!
The Best Book Exchange
Hi friends!
Yep, having computer problems, so I've been gone for a while, but I still read everyone else's blogs every day!
I MUST share with you the best book exchange idea ever! I was reading the blog www.unclutterer.com, and it was talking about how to organize/get-rid-of books. One suggestion was www.paperbackswap.com. I signed up for it, and I LOVE IT. It is my newest online obsession. I can't tell you how much I have loved it.
The concept: each member posts all of the books that they are willing to exchange or don't want any more. If you post 10 books, you get 2 credits to start requesting books from others. You don't exchange books with a specific person, rather, you request a book that you would like, and someone somewhere sends it to you. Then when someone wants a book that you have, you send it to them. You pay the postage for the books that you send and since you can send them by Media Mail, it's only about $2.50 per book. Once someone receives the book you send, you get a credit to request another book. There are over 2 million posted, and while more popular ones have waiting lists, I've had great luck in receiving the books that I would like. Plus you can see how many people are in front of you on the waiting list. They have children's books and really a huge selection. I just can't rave about it enough! I've been reading a lot more than I was before, because I'm excited to get such great books and not have to pay full price for them! All of the books I have received have been in great shape and it's fun to pass them on to others!
Another great feature is that you can print out postage online if you would like, so you usually don't have to go to the post office to mail things. I like that feature because the line at the P.O. by my work is at least 10 people deep during lunchtime.
I did this to try to get rid of books, which isn't really working so well--I just keep requesting more! But now that the move is getting closer, I'm trying to read the ones I have and not get any more.
Happy Reading!
Yep, having computer problems, so I've been gone for a while, but I still read everyone else's blogs every day!
I MUST share with you the best book exchange idea ever! I was reading the blog www.unclutterer.com, and it was talking about how to organize/get-rid-of books. One suggestion was www.paperbackswap.com. I signed up for it, and I LOVE IT. It is my newest online obsession. I can't tell you how much I have loved it.
The concept: each member posts all of the books that they are willing to exchange or don't want any more. If you post 10 books, you get 2 credits to start requesting books from others. You don't exchange books with a specific person, rather, you request a book that you would like, and someone somewhere sends it to you. Then when someone wants a book that you have, you send it to them. You pay the postage for the books that you send and since you can send them by Media Mail, it's only about $2.50 per book. Once someone receives the book you send, you get a credit to request another book. There are over 2 million posted, and while more popular ones have waiting lists, I've had great luck in receiving the books that I would like. Plus you can see how many people are in front of you on the waiting list. They have children's books and really a huge selection. I just can't rave about it enough! I've been reading a lot more than I was before, because I'm excited to get such great books and not have to pay full price for them! All of the books I have received have been in great shape and it's fun to pass them on to others!
Another great feature is that you can print out postage online if you would like, so you usually don't have to go to the post office to mail things. I like that feature because the line at the P.O. by my work is at least 10 people deep during lunchtime.
I did this to try to get rid of books, which isn't really working so well--I just keep requesting more! But now that the move is getting closer, I'm trying to read the ones I have and not get any more.
Happy Reading!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Pictures Pictures Pictures!
As promised, here are more pictures and less words!!
Here we are right after Christmas in front of the Bixby bridge near Big Sur when I went to visit B's hometown for the first time.
Notice that it was VERY windy that day!! Pretty chilly too!
That's all for the moment...apparently i haven't taken many pictures in the last few months! My sister took them all for the Christmas & CA trips, but I should have taken more.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
A Quick Note
Hi all! Thanks, Kelli, for holding me accountable---you're the best!! I can't update my blog from work, so it's left to when I'm at home...or in this case, my sister's computer in California!
Life is wonderfully busy...this is the 3rd weekend in a row that I have been out of town. February has been busy & so fun!
First was Florida--I had a conference for work in Orlando, so I flew in early and my parents picked me up and took me home for a day and a half, before dropping me off at my hotel for the conference. I'm sorry that I didn't call anyone to get together...I just wasn't home long enough do do much except eat my mom's yummy food. Such a treat to sleep in my own bed & open a fridge that actually had edible food in it. The conference went well & while I was gone, there was an ice storm in DC, so the rain in Orlando was much preferable! Brandt took 3.5 hours to get home (usually 40 minutes), so thankfully I missed that!
Next was Williamsburg for Presidents' Day weekend & Brandt's birthday--if you've never been there, it's literally like stepping back in time and being an original Virginia colonist. I loved it; so charming and educational at the same time. I think we're going to go back with my family when they come to visit in the end of March. I'll totally have to post pictures of that!! We also went to Jamestown & Yorktown, so we are fully educated on Virginia/American history! We ate Brandt's dinner at a tavern from the 1700s, which was a sweet memory to share. The weather cooperated. Plus Brandt surprised me with a massage/manicure at the hotel where we stayed, and my friends Lisa & Jane were staying at the same place and had massages at the same time, so it worked out perfectly!!!
Now I'm in California...it's my niece Madison's 7th birthday. We just had an intergenerational trip to the American Girl store. M got to take 3 friends, plus:
me (28)
my mom (60s)
my sister (35)
my 2 sisters in law (26 & 29)
my brother in law's mom (50s)
my gramma (90)
Quite a riot with all of us there for a luncheon, plus the little ones each got to pick out a new outfit. Todd's sisters & I each brought our American girls from when we were younger (Molly doll, Samantha, & Kirsten), so we fit right in! They give you a highchair at lunch so that your dolly can sit right next to you. So super cute. Tonight is the family party, but sadly, Brandt couldn't come at the last minute...he has to work on Monday, so flying in Saturday morning and out on Sunday just doesn't make sense when you live on the East Coast!! The kids were in tears when they heard he couldn't come (yes, you can see who they care about most in this couple!), but they will see him in VA, so that's the consolation prize.
March should be a month when I don't leave VA--so strange!! But I love traveling, and I love home, so I'm pretty happy no matter where I go!!!
That's my update...thank you to all of you who update your blogs more often than I do---makes me happy to check each day!!! And next time I hope to post pictures!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Laid Back Weekend & Upcoming Trip Home!
This weekend was a wonderful, relaxing weekend that involved no travel at all!! We hardly left the city of Alexandria all weekend. B & I tried to watch the James Bond movie Casino Royale twice, both Friday and Saturday nights, but unfortunately I fell asleep both times, once about 8 minutes into the movie, the second time about 30 minutes in. I have a really bad habit of falling asleep during movies, even action movies, so that might be the last one we bother to rent for a while. Or at least the last one that I have any say over the choice of movie--B might as well get whatever he wants, since he's the only one who sees it!
Saturday morning we did the Turkey Outreach at church, alongside about 1000 other people. We packed 9,000 boxes of turkey dinners to be delivered around the DC/Baltimore area. It was quite fun...I got to chat with a friend while we were in the Turkey line...those frozen turkeys are cold and heavy! We were just part of the line moving turkeys from the pile to the boxes...my biceps are sore from holding my arms in the same position for an hour and a half. I have no idea what went into the boxes after the turkey, potatoes and stuffing, as the line was too long to see that far, but I am happy knowing that families in our area will have full tummies on Thanksgiving Day!
Other than that, B read his homework and I re-read the Janette Oke book, Love Comes Softly. I read it when I was younger, but I just loved reading it again!!! It is such a sweet book...I couldn't put it down and read most of it in one sitting! Then today I started reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for a book club that I am joining...I am ambivalent at the start, but perhaps I will love it as much as others have, as I have heard it highly recommended.
I leave for Florida on Tuesday evening, for nearly a week at my parents' house. B is coming too, and he's never been to that part of Florida, so it will be special to show him all of the places and people that mean so much to me. Plus my sister and her family are coming, so it's going to be a full house of laughter and memorable times with my sweet family. Mom's been doing lots of prep work for the arrival of the gang, but she's always rightly said that we could sit in an empty room and fully entertain ourselves...so true!! I love my time with my sister and T, and then those little nieces and nephew of mine are so wonderful I can hardly stand it!!!
We'll be running the Times Turkey Trot on Thursday morning, prior to our big meal, which, contrary to last year, will not be purchased from Cracker Barrel. That being said, CB does bake up a fine meal and if you're ever in a pinch, it's a good deal!!! Then Friday the boys are going fishing, Saturday is Busch Gardens, Sunday is church and B leaves...it's going to be a busy weekend!!!
Monday I get to go to my dentist, which strangely enough, I love. The ladies who work there are so sweet and friendly, and Dr. Thee has been a family friend since I was little, so I just love getting to go there when I go home. I might be the only person in the whole world who loves going to the dentist!!! Plus I love how clean my teeth feel!!!
Well, I am going to get packed, since tomorrow night will be a bowling outing at Bolling Air Force Base....I hope that all is well with you sweet friends that actually read this! Sorry for so much text and no pictures!
Saturday morning we did the Turkey Outreach at church, alongside about 1000 other people. We packed 9,000 boxes of turkey dinners to be delivered around the DC/Baltimore area. It was quite fun...I got to chat with a friend while we were in the Turkey line...those frozen turkeys are cold and heavy! We were just part of the line moving turkeys from the pile to the boxes...my biceps are sore from holding my arms in the same position for an hour and a half. I have no idea what went into the boxes after the turkey, potatoes and stuffing, as the line was too long to see that far, but I am happy knowing that families in our area will have full tummies on Thanksgiving Day!
Other than that, B read his homework and I re-read the Janette Oke book, Love Comes Softly. I read it when I was younger, but I just loved reading it again!!! It is such a sweet book...I couldn't put it down and read most of it in one sitting! Then today I started reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for a book club that I am joining...I am ambivalent at the start, but perhaps I will love it as much as others have, as I have heard it highly recommended.
I leave for Florida on Tuesday evening, for nearly a week at my parents' house. B is coming too, and he's never been to that part of Florida, so it will be special to show him all of the places and people that mean so much to me. Plus my sister and her family are coming, so it's going to be a full house of laughter and memorable times with my sweet family. Mom's been doing lots of prep work for the arrival of the gang, but she's always rightly said that we could sit in an empty room and fully entertain ourselves...so true!! I love my time with my sister and T, and then those little nieces and nephew of mine are so wonderful I can hardly stand it!!!
We'll be running the Times Turkey Trot on Thursday morning, prior to our big meal, which, contrary to last year, will not be purchased from Cracker Barrel. That being said, CB does bake up a fine meal and if you're ever in a pinch, it's a good deal!!! Then Friday the boys are going fishing, Saturday is Busch Gardens, Sunday is church and B leaves...it's going to be a busy weekend!!!
Monday I get to go to my dentist, which strangely enough, I love. The ladies who work there are so sweet and friendly, and Dr. Thee has been a family friend since I was little, so I just love getting to go there when I go home. I might be the only person in the whole world who loves going to the dentist!!! Plus I love how clean my teeth feel!!!
Well, I am going to get packed, since tomorrow night will be a bowling outing at Bolling Air Force Base....I hope that all is well with you sweet friends that actually read this! Sorry for so much text and no pictures!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Update!!
Well, since it's been about 5 months since I last posted to this lovely blog, I suppose that I should add some things....I've been busy traveling for work, traveling for fun, and just enjoying DC.
This picture is from our trip right before Halloween to a corn maze down in Virginia...practically near North Carolina, it seemed!!! We had the best time, wandering through 8 acres of corn to try to find our way out. We grew weary of the Children of the Corn experience after about 30 minutes, so we just charged out the side of the maze, much to the amusement of two farm boys who saw us.
We went in October to my friends Josh & Kristin's wedding, and here we are beforehand, in all of our finery! We got lost on the way to the church...it was hilarious, as we screeched into the parking lot at about 4:55 for the 5 p.m. wedding, then ran into the church, not realizing that we were running up the steps to the altar, not the back of the church. Thankfully Josh found us and we didn't appear before all of the guests...he showed us the right way, and all was well. It was a fantastic wedding and such a fun night!!!I went to another friend's wedding in Cabo, but no pictures from that yet...I need to get a tad more organized, as the lack of posts on this thing can show!!!
This is the whole clan in CA...B & I went out there in September for my littlest niece's 3rd birthday, & B got to spend quality time with everyone. He got to help coach my nephew's baseball game, get kissed on the cheek by many an aunt, and be awakened every morning by little voices asking, "where's bwant?"
Well, I'll try to add more later, but everyone please know that I love reading your blogs, even if I'm terrible about updating my own!!
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