Blogging Hiatus… But I’ll Be Back Soon!

After much deliberation (because it was a difficult decision), I’ve decided to take an almost two-week blogging hiatus.

**and that, my friends, will go down as the sentence I wrote, and deleted, and wrote, and deleted again, one too many times** 

It’s not easy to give up one of my favorite hobbies for that long!

I know that I’ll miss blogging (and will miss all of you)!!!  But I have so much to do over the next couple of weeks, from trying to get the house in order, to visiting in-laws, to visiting my parents, to packing.  Oh, yeah, and then there’s a little ol’ trip to Hawaii. 

I will have SO much to blog about when I do start back up.  And SO many pictures to share.

So please come back to visit around May 20th! 

Until then, don’t forget to Just Live It!!!!

Floppy Hats, Male Models… and what truly matters

Somehow, I haven’t had much luck lately in the buying-new-clothes-to-restock-my-summer-wardrobe department.  Is it just my imagination or are all the stores still selling sweaters and quarter-length blouses, even though 90 degree weather is just around the corner??  So out of pure terror at the possibility of having absolutely nothing to wear, I have been buying accessories and makeup.  Granted, it doesn’t do much to resolve the issues, but it sure does make me feel better in the moment.

After all, I am pretty scary without some eye-liner and foundation. 

Also, I’ve decided that if I am stuck wearing the same shirt to work for the rest of the warm season, I might as well be able to change my purse every day.  Only makes sense.  Somewhat…

Yeah, you’re right, I really do need to get back on track and start buying clothes…. since, you know, I only have about 6 work-appropriate outfits right now.  But fear not!   Tonight, I bought myself a floppy red hat, which was on sale for $13 and was begging me to take it to Hawaii.  So it’s all good!! 

But in the meantime, I’ve been also realizing that my hubby needs some new clothes, and I would like to see him buy a few new tops before our trip to Hawaii.  Of course, getting him to buy new clothes is like convincing me to give up chocolate for a day.  It’s pure, agonizing torture that results in spasms of terror and then collapses of exhaustion.

I was naïve enough to think that shopping online would solve this issue, as we could do it from the comfort of our dining room.  I even made the online shopping as easy as humanly possible by first going through the options and then picking out my favorites.  The end result went something like this…

Me:  “What do you think about this polo shirt?  I think this would look really good on you.”

Nate, pointing at the male model in the picture:  “He looks kind of strange.”

Me:  “Yeah, he does have kind of a goofy grin.  But what do you think about the shirt?”

Nate:  “Why are his eyes open so wide like that.  He looks kind of scary.”

Me:  “I don’t know, maybe he’s trying not to blink…  The shirt… What do you think about the shirt?”

Nate:  “He makes me not want the shirt.”

Me:  “He’s just modeling the shirt.  You’re not buying him. What do you think about the shirt?”

Nate:  “How did he make it as a model?”

Me, sighing:  “Never mind… I’ll just order you something.”

I guess it’s a good thing that life isn’t about the stuff you have or the clothes you wear.   It’s about faith, memories, love, and the people around you.  It’s definitely easy to get caught up with pretty, sparkly things.  But in the end, they will be ruined… stained… or accidentally donated to Salvation Army. 

Life, on the other hand, is beautiful and each day should be cherished.  Just live it…Love… Laugh… and embrace each moment!    Because THAT is what truly matters!!

Project Life

Life is hard sometimes….

Sometimes, it throws things at you and leaves you feeling shaken and over-whelmed.  I have come SO far these past few months, when it comes to dealing with the emotions left over from what happened to Nate last year.  But I’m not naïve, and I realize that there still will be the occasional rough day ahead.

After all, don’t we all have the occasional rough day?? 

It happened just days ago…  I was cleaning out my closet and came across a gym bag that was empty, except for a dog-eared Bible.  It was the Bible my mom had lent me that first night Nate was in the ICU.  He had been in a lot of pain that night and continuously woke in a panic, frightened by the trache tube in his throat and by his inability to speak.  So I sat by his bedside all night, reading Bible verses about God’s healing power and strength in times of weakness.

The sight of that Bible brought back a multitude of buried emotions and memories, and I just sat on the floor and cried.

Dealing with this hurt and trauma is important to my moving forward.  But so is realizing that my husband was given a second chance.  And that life is beautiful. Truly, truly beautiful.  There are so many amazing, wonderful memories being made each day… memories that I want to focus on, because they make me happy.

So when my awesome bloggy friend Janelle wrote about Project Life, I instantly knew that this is exactly what I needed to encourage me to focus on the good in my life.  In a nutshell, it’s a photo-album with slots for you to slide in photo’s; and there are colorful, whimsical cardstock sets for purchase that are perfect for journaling and added personality.

It’s basically a faster, easier form of scrapbooking.  No scissors or glue required.  Just print out your photo’s, slide them in, add the cards that came with your purchased theme, journal a bit if you’d like, and then enjoy pages filled with memories.

I finished my first page, which is bright and cheerful.  And now, starting today, it’s time for me to start filling the book with memories that make me smile.  Like Hawaii!!  (You knew I had to mention the upcoming trip somehow in this post). 

Project Life is a Go.  And I’m super excited to start!! 

The Packing List

The Mister is sick now.

I feel rather sorry that I shared my germs with him so quickly.  But on the other hand, he could have been one of those people who like to wait it out for a few weeks before they decide to actually come down with the symptoms that everyone else in the house is suffering through.   And this would have been bad — very bad — as we leave for Hawaii so soon.  So if he’s going to come down with the frustratingly-nasty chest cold, then he might as well come down with it now, right?  So, yes, maybe I shared some extra-potent cold germs with him.  Maybe I am guilty as charged.

All I can say is that he’ll thank me when he’s over the cold in a couple of weeks and feeling healthy and strong, while soaking in sunshine on the beaches of Hawaii.

So to my hubby, I say that I was only trying to help. 

That being said, I do feel rather bad for him.  He’s kind of lost in his own little, foggy world, smiling and nodding at me when I say something.  Even though I didn’t say anything.  Or maybe I did, and I forgot what I said.

I’m still feeling a little foggy from my chest cold too.  Case in point, he and I had tickets to see former American Idol contestants in concert over the weekend.  We left in the middle of intermission, because we were falling asleep.

So I guess that it’s a good thing that we do have weeks — and not days — ahead of us to prep for the upcoming trip.  I had honestly thought that I’d be packed by now, considering the ever-growing excitement that causes me to want to do something and anything related to the trip.

Well, anything but bend down and pack a suitcase, because that just causes all the pressure to build in my ears.

So from the comfort of our couch, Nate and I decided to create a list of necessities that we should  purchase when we first land in Hawaii.  Since we’ll be staying in a Condo (which is conveniently located not too far from a Target), we thought we’d stock up on some items instead of packing them.  The end result may be a bit more expensive, but it will be a whole lot less to lug around the airport.

Convenience is everything when you don’t even have the energy to blow your nose one more time. 

Anyway, we’re well on our way to being packed.  So far on our list, we have Toothpaste.

Yep, I’m ready to go!

Not my Favorite Kind of Shopping… but it is still shopping

I have a confession to make…  I don’t always like clothes shopping.  I mean, sure, I’m a bit of a fashionista; and on a normal day, I could shop for bargains from morning ’till dawn.

(This is how I get my picture taken without letting anyone see my nose, which is still red thanks to this stubborn cold).

But then there’s bathing suit shopping.

I mean, there’s nothing like posing half-naked in front of a full-length mirror under overly-bright lights.    It’s one of the reasons why I never go bathing suit shopping without my secret weapon — my mom and sister.

If I step out of the dressing room feeling particularly disgruntled about how I look, they quickly assure me, “It’s not you, it’s the bathing suit.”

You can’t put a price on confidence-building encouragement like that.

Much to my incredible delight, this shopping trip wasn’t painful at all.  I found a cute bathing suit at the first store I went in, which was Athleta.  This store is a bit expensive for my wallet; but in my opinion, it’s really worth spending the extra money.  Their gear is definitely top-quality and built for comfort, style, and lasting durability.  The suit fit so well, and I felt confident in it.  (Which is how you want to be when you’re walking along the beaches of Hawaii with your husband).

Speaking of Hawaii, I leave in a couple of weeks.  Can you believe that?  And will you forgive me if I start talking about how excited I am, now that it’s so close??

Anywho, I went on a shopping trip this weekend with my mom and sister in the hopes to find some accessories and new tops for the trip.  I’m still fighting that stubborn chest cold, but my mom and sister assured me that if I got too tired, they’d push me around the mall in a carriage. 

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that, although — again — you can’t pay for such support.  They also fed me, which was a bonus, because I get hungry when I shop.

Sadly, shopping for work clothes wasn’t as successful this trip, but I did find this cute top at The Limited.  It was 40% off, so I was all over that.  (Oh, yeah, and it has stripes). 

Other than that, I think it’s just about time to start PACKING for my trip!!!    AWWWWWW!!!!!!

The Easiest, Most-Delicious Banana Muffins

I love asking people what their comfort foods are…

There are so many possibilities, hinging on backgrounds, experiences, flavor preferences, and even specific moods.  I know that I, for one, have a wide range of comfort foods, depending on the season or even how I feel.  My family certainly knows that Chicken Pot Pie is at the tippity-top of my list… always.

Last weekend, I was reminded of an old, comfort-food classic of mine, when I was cooking dinner for my Pepere.  Velveeta Mac’n Cheese.  It’s certainly not a meal that you’ll find in a low-fat or healthy cookbook, but when I took a bite and was transported in time back to my Memere’s kitchen on the night of a sleepover, I came to terms with the fact that I just didn’t care.

Sometimes… every once in awhile… foods are just meant for that.  Comfort.  Memories.  Warmth topped with melted, ooey-gooey cheese. 

And this banana bread recipe also falls into that category.  My sister has an amazing, lower-fat recipe that I’ll have to share with you sometime.  But today?  Today was just one of those days that begged for a good old-fashioned banana bread, richly sweetened with bananas, sugar, and butter.

This recipe comes together so quickly that it’s almost unbelievable how delicious it is.  You won’t even need to take out the mixer.  Each bite is simply bursting with pure banana flavor.  Delicious as is… or with a handful of mini chocolate chips thrown in for an extra special treat. 

Some days just call for recipe’s like this.  And, yeah, today was one of those days. 

Try it…  It just might be a new favorite. 

(This recipe is for 12 banana muffins… I chose to double the recipe and make two banana breads… One for me and one for Pepere).

The Easiest, Most-Delicious Banana Muffins (from Cooks.com)

3 lg. bananas, mashed

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 c. melted butter

 

Mix the above ingredients together and add:

 

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. flour

 

Grease 12 muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

Enjoy!! 

Look of the Day

Today left me wishing that red noses were in style.  Not a super-crazy, flashy red shade like Rudolph’s, since we all know that only he could pull off a shiny sniffer like that.  But just a nice, pinkish tinge that even three layers of makeup can’t hide.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Either that, or maybe a holiday during which it is acceptable to wear a paper bag over one’s head?  That sort of holiday would have been rather convenient today… to, you know, hide my pinkish-tinged nose.

Okay fine, it really is super-crazy, flashy red like Rudolph’s.  That’s how I know — firsthand — that only he can pull that look off.  Trust me on that one. 

I suppose I should have this whole chest-cold thing figured out, since I do tend to get bronchitis… a lot.  But it just really never does get any easier.  And my nose doesn’t get any less red.  And, seriously, is there a reason why my hair gets extra frizzy on days I don’t feel well?

Of course, it probably doesn’t help that I topped off today’s look with an outfit that I’m not entirely sure even matched.  I sort of rolled out of bed, after having not slept much all night, and proceeded to reach for my comfiest pair of pants, comfiest blouse, and even my most comfy flats.  In that moment, the comfy-factor totally trumped color or style.

It was an eclectic look anyway.

Who knows.  Maybe it’ll be the IN look someday… along with red noses and paper-bag hats. 

Anyway, the day at the office was long, because my voice still isn’t quite back.  Not to mention the fact that I had to blow my nose every minute that I wasn’t coughing up a lung.  AND I nearly had a heart-attack induced by fright when I caught sight of myself in a mirror.

No exaggeration there.

So at 5pm sharp, as I grabbed my things and walked through the parking lot, I’m sure my face didn’t hold its usual smile.  I was rather lost in thought… and stuffy… and felt foggy, if that’s even possible.  I was almost at my little yellow car, when a vehicle pulled up beside me.

The woman in the car was someone I’ve seen once or twice in the restroom or walked into work with in the past. I don’t know her name or even which department she works with. But she has always been friendly and offered welcoming smiles.

“I hope you have a really good night,” she said, waving.  Then she smiled brightly and drove off.

I don’t know what inspired her to do that.  I hope it wasn’t because I had an I-don’t-feel-well scowl on my face.    But whatever the reason, she took those couple of minutes to extend a warm greeting to someone she hardly knows…. just because they were walking through the parking lot alone and maybe looking as though they could use a bit of cheering up.

And you know what?  That little greeting totally made my night.  And for awhile, I even forgot to worry about how I looked… or even how sick I felt.    And, well, that’s pretty cool.

What was your look today? 

Cough, cough

I survived flu season… cold season… and I’m-hanging-out-with-my-sister-even-though-she’s-sick-again season. 

I haven’t bothered to try pinpointing the reason for this luck, nor did I begin to claim that my good fortune was based on routines or special vitamin-C rich foods.  Because while I don’t believe in luck or superstitions, I also have absolutely no desire to begin asking, “So, why haven’t I gotten sick yet?”  I couldn’t really care less.  I only care that I somehow managed to stay healthy throughout the past year.

After all, when you have a healthy streak like that, why draw attention to yourself?

And then… this past weekend happened.

Actually, I don’t even know what happened, to be honest.  I suppose I went to bed feeling a little more tired than usual.  But I woke up the next morning and whispered in my husband’s ear ”Can’t get enough of your love, Babe” with a voice very similar to Barry White’s. 

This will go down in the history books as the fastest I have ever seen Nate wake up. 

Actually, Nate seems to think that I sound more like a goat… with a frog in its throat.  Either way, he finds it slightly alarming.  And now, the voice issue has turned into a sore, itchy throat and a cough.  Blast!

But I suppose I should be grateful that I’m sick now, as apposed to a few weeks from now when I’ll be in Hawaii.

Yeahhhh, you knew that I’d start talking about Hawaii again sometime soon. 

More blogs soon, but — for now — I’m cuddling with a fuzzy baby who also has the sniffles today… and playing around with different bloggy looks for Just Live It. 

Restocking the Summer Wardrobe

As you already know, my hubby accidentally donated the wrong bags of clothes to Salvation Army, resulting in about 90% of my summer wardrobe being given away.  (Read this blog post if you’re just joining us).

Soooo, I have been paying full attention to any sales that are going on and have been hitting the clearance racks pretty faithfully as of late.    I’m fairly certain that I’m probably the only New Englander who is relieved that the weather has stayed a bit chilly so far.  What can I say?  One more chilly day means I have one extra day to restock my wardrobe before the warmer weather hits.

I haven’t had too much luck finding office-appropriate clothes yet, although I did purchase this mint-green top from The Limited.  Mint is one of the IN colors this year, and I’m honestly not usually a huge fan.  But I tried on this shirt, and the slightly darker shade of the normally pastel color was instantly a huge hit.  I love how silky and cool the material will feel in the summer, how versatile it is with its ability to be paired with a blazer or fashion scarf, and how it was on sale for only $15! 

Speaking of fashion scarves, I have been scouring clearance racks and online sales for them, in the hopes that I can add them to my limited shirt collection… giving me the ability to easily change looks.  I found the tropical-pink scarf at New York and Company for only $10, the blue scarf beneath it was $15 from the Gap, and the last blue scarf was also $15 from the Loft.  (That last scarf is both striped and floral, which sounds weird, but it’s actually quite beautiful and interesting.  So kudo’s to the designer for taking that combination risk, because I love it!!).

Also from the Loft, I purchased several of these adorable T’s for only $12 each, instead of the $30 they usually sell for.  (Thank goodness for spring stock-up sales). These T’s are very light, fit perfectly, and can be dressed up or down, depending on the pants, shorts, or scarves they’re paired with.

Plus they come in so many fun colors… including mint AND coral, both of which are this year’s IN colors! 

Last but not least, I bought this $75 purse from The Limited for $30 on clearance.  I actually don’t have any summery purses, which isn’t my hubby’s fault. I just don’t have any, because I rarely put money towards them. This navy-blue purse is one of my favorite colors, is roomy with plenty of storage, and is appropriate for casual or the office.

So I’m well on my way to restocking that wardrobe.  Now if only I could find some clothes for work, because I don’t think I can call out of work with the excuse that I don’t have an outfit to wear. 

It’s getting there!! 

Boston Love

I’ll be back to my regular blogging shortly, but it just didn’t feel right to talk about myself today.  My mind constantly goes to the parents who lost their 8-year old son.  To the 27 year old who lost both of his limbs, while standing in the crowds to watch his girlfriend run.  To the father who has pushed his son’s wheelchair through the marathon for years… and who was forced to pick up his son in his arms this year to carry him from harm. To the girl who is sitting in a hospital room and tweeting that she wants to personally meet the man who carried her to safety, just so that she can give him a hug.  To the policemen, and nurses, and bystanders who immediately ran into the rubble — instead of away from it — just so they could begin the rescue mission.

The stories are emotional, and inspiring, and heart-wrenching, and full of goodness.  Goodness that existed despite the evil that exploded through that finish line.  Goodness that will bring people together and will bring them through.

So today, I again send a shout-out to Boston.  And I send out a whole lot of love.