All Things Love: Thought Process

Love is the most powerful feeling in the universe. I'm not talking about a specific kind of love. I mean in general, the act of loving any thing or any one is an entity that is so powerful it can cause immense happiness and intense discontent. Love can start wars and heal old wounds; It can harden a person emotionally, or soften up a big bully.

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What I feel is the most amazing thing about love is that it is not taught. It is instinctual. Whether you believe in Christ or evolution or nothing at all, it is written in your DNA to love and be loved. To protect in the name of love, to let go in the name of love, to die in the name of love. Every persons story has a theme of love in it. Whether they can recognize it or not. It doesn't matter what type of love it is. Love is not just an act of being "in love". Love is the conscious effort of loving someone. It is a feeling but also an action.

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I used to hate Valentines day. It was such a bummer for me. I didn't have many great ones but the great ones I had were fantastic, which made the not so great ones even worse. Such a waste of time. I mistakenly bought into the Hallmark holiday and the way they tooled it do be a day about 'love between a man and a woman' instead of just about love. Valentines does not have to be a reminder to men and women every where that they aren't in love. Valentines day should be a sweet reminder of the love you DO have in your life. Whether you buy a bone or some catnip for a pet, or you give your best friend a big hug and a bag of chocolate do a little something to someone you love and care about. It can be anyone. Give a tiny expression of love to brighten someones day. That is what Valentines should be about!

Image: HTC Incredible

To kick off the first day of All Things Love here at  Embrace the Crazy I challenge you to change your thought process on Valentines day. Dare yourself to embrace all of the levels of love you share with people in your life and relish it. It is so ridiculously precious. Handle it with care and the reverence it deserves.

While loving is instinctual, letting yourself love is an entirely different matter. Take a moment to realize how serious and important it is that they chose to let themselves love you. It's moments. Revel in it and try to keep yourself from taking it for granted.

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Excuse Me, I Have An Announcement

You'll have to wait for it though. Torture? I know.

Lately, I have been reading Hollywood Housewife and I've been enjoying it. It's a blog about a small town girl who moved to LA after getting her heart broken with a friend she barely knew. She got a job, which led to another job, which led to her meeting the man that she married, who happens to be a quirky director. She's a sweet girl with a good writing style and I enjoy it. 

As I was reading, I stumbled upon this post about a homemade vitamin E oil and salt scrub for her face. She mentioned that her face is always dry and she used to rub vitamin E oil on her face to help it out. So, of course, the other night when Bryan and I headed to the world of Wally to pick up some things I loaded up on vitamins for the Hub, Fish Oil pills and vitamin E oil. I put it on my face last night and when I woke up this morning? WOW. My face was like a babies bottom. It was so soft I had to make myself not touch it. After my shower, I washed my face and it was still pretty soft, and I continued to use the light moisturizer that I always have. My face FEELS better. Like my cheeks are not going to crack when I smile. I'm digging it. 

I tried to get Bryan to take one of the fish oil pills with me and he's prissy and said no. He was like "I have to research it!" I had already done this but to each his/her own. I wanted to take them because they help with many different things like heart and mental health and what have you. When I read that it also helps with depression I was like, hey! Maybe that is why fish always look so happy? And also I figured that I might suffer from a small case of depression and why not? 

Interestingly enough, I did not have any issue with a fish burp. Which I have heard of and am glad to not have experienced. I am also taking a one-a-day woman's multivitamin and I think that also has to do with my weirdness sometimes. We are not the healthiest eaters and I know for sure that I don't get all the vitamins that I should. Hopefully this helps. 

Have you suffered enough? Probably. 

Here is my big announcement! 

In a week from Monday it will be Valentines day! 

Oh, you knew that? 

Well... next week at ETC, we will be hosting an All-Things-Love related week! 

Have you vomited yet? Good. Hold it in. Don't worry. This isn't going to be cheesey or annoying. For all the zero guys that read this, I am going to be writing tips and tricks for you to woo your lady and for the ladies, I'll be posting ways to not hate Valentines day! 

It'll be fun. I promise. :)

In Which I Trick Myself

As you know from yesterday's post, I just started reading a new book that is the first in a series. My gracious friend Anna let me borrow her paperback book and I read some the other night before bed. I can't say whether or not I am impressed yet, since I'm only about 30 pages into the novel but I'm intrigued which is good. 

However... If you know me (as my husband knows me) I am easily intrigued. Yesterday, I was watching Sex and the City on some random TV channel that I paid no attention to and after Kourtney and Kim Kardashian's new show about New York came on. I'm not a huge reality TV fan. I can't even think of one show that I like that is "reality." Oh wait... Kendra. I love me some Kendra. That girls laugh makes me laugh. Hilarious. Okay, so I like one reality show. Whatev.... I have watched the Kardashian's show (well, one of them. They have like 50 billion shows!) a few times and the three sisters dynamic reminds me of my sisters. Anyways, I got all caught up in watching this New York show about their new store and after, I was like WHAT. THE. DEUCE. I spent a half an hour of my LIFE watching this dumb-dumb show. I could have been doing a myriad of other things and yet? I did not. 

Are you wondering if I have a point? I do. 

As I said, Anna lent me her books. While we have the same taste in books, we don't have the same views on caring for books. Anna like pristine books. I like loved on, worn in books. But, her book, her rules - no problemo.. But that also means that taking her book to the gym is impossible. I do not wish to risk it. Especially since it is a paperback. No bueno. 

Last night, I grabbed my Nook, arrived at the gym and started my workout on the bike. I quickly downloaded some random book that look okay and I read. (PS. I did 5 miles in 15 minutes on that bike. My thighs hate me.) And then I worked out my arms and my abs, and then I did 20 minutes on the treadmill. I read as often as I could because I AM NOW HOOKED ON THIS NINETY-NINE CENT BOOK. 

I started thinking later that evening that I had stumbled upon the perfect plan. I shall only allow myself to read said Nook book if I am 1. at the gym or 2. have gone to the gym. Like last night, after I showered, I read the book for another half hour or so as a reward for my hard work at the gym. 

And guess what? I cannot WAIT to get back to the gym tonight. Oh, how the tides have turned. 

Hunger Games

Yesterday after work I was feeling pretty yucky so I came home to rest. After an hour or so I headed to Denise's new apartment and spent a little time with her before heading home to hit the gym with my hub.

Unfortunately a few poorly chosen words sparked an intense fight/discussion and I felt it best that he go alone. I ended up going for a long walk to workout and clear my head. When I returned home, I decided to pop in an old workout dance video. Does anyone else feel impossibly silly when working out alone in a spare bedroom with a judgemental cat watching your every move? I ended up giving up. Instead, I pulled out my old workout routine from my senior year in weight lifting. I thought I would die! I can't believe I used to do all that. Now I'm even more determined to get going so I can do that routine plus some!

Right before bed I started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Its the first of a three part series! I've heard lots of good things so I'll report back and let ya know how it goes!

A Little Bit of Everything - Updated

Updated: Sorry for the formatting issues today. That is the price I pay for having a lot of different interfaces working together to make this blog happen. It's a lot like me and Mexican food. Sometimes we just don't agree with each other. ;)


There are a few things I would like to say before starting my weekly goal wrap up.

-It makes me feel bad about myself when my cat kneads his paws on my stomach.
-Apparently, being skinny is not enough incentive for me to get my lard-butt to the gym. Hmph.
-Downloading new music gives me a rush of happiness that is hard to describe.
-Ditching FPU to go to Olive Garden with two of your favorite people in the world makes for a ridiculously entertaining night.
-There are few things more relaxing than cuddling with my cat when he's purring.
-The walls are much too thin when I am listening to music and type-type typing on my keyboard and I can still hear and make out the words from the TV that Bryan is watching. Must not forget this nugget of information should guests ever stay in our living room. Awkward!

On to the weekly wrap up! I have to say, I kicked major buttocks this week. You should be proud. Hell, I'm proud and that is all that truly matters. Last weeks goals were:

Week of January 24, 2011

-Continue Laundering

-Unpack at least 5 boxes

-Tidy the beach room

-Finish decorating the master bedroom

-Organize Items for Yard Sale

And I ended with:

Week of January 24, 2011

-Continue Laundering

-Unpack at least 5 boxes

-Tidy the beach room

-Finish decorating the master bedroom

-Organize Items for Yard Sale

Can you hear that?  It's the sound of me patting my own back. Four out of five? What WHAT! So proud. I definitely continued to launder last week. And as you saw in my previous post, I unloaded way more than 5 boxes. I managed to clean up the beach room as much as I could with my own muscles. Will need husband to help move heavy things. While unpacking, I also managed to set aside and sort a ton of clothes and other items to be sold. That will continue to be a goal as I unpack boxes. I want to purge!


For the this week, my goals are:

Week of January 31, 2011

-Continue Laundering

-Unpack another 5 boxes

-Steam the master bedroom curtains

-Hang the master bedroom curtains

-Organize Jewelry

This week is a rather light week because my husband and I have big plans, so I'll have to spend most of the week preparing for that. Also, Denise moved into her new apartment so I'll be over there to help her get settled in to her new place.


And now, for the part of the post that you probably weren't expecting! The month-end wrap up of my yearly goals!

1. Get fit & get active

2. Challenge my marriage

3. Walk with God

4. Get unpacked and organized

The above four items were the main points in my life where I wanted to challenge myself as outlined for what I like to call 2011: My Year! Every month at the end of the month, I want to go over each one and how I did.


1. Get fit & get active
I'm going to be honest - I was more active in the fact that I didn't just sit on my patootie and watch TV. I was really busy this month. It helped that I challenged myself with weekly goals with things that were more active like laundry and unpacking boxes. When it comes to the gym though,  I get a big fat fail grade. I went once. I worked out on my own maybe twice. Unacceptable. Will need to do much better in February.


2. Challenge my marriage
Does having a grocery stand-off count? Because other than facing off about normal married problems and about my lack of desire to go to the gym, there hasn't been much challenging going on. I haven't even picked up the Love Dare book. Bryan and I haven't had a date night in God knows how long and we've been bickering more than we have been loving. However, because of how busy we have been busy, we've had more than a few stolen moments of long kisses and extra cuddling in the mornings on the weekends which has been nice. I hope that we can turn the tides so that we have much more love going on and much less bickering.


3.  Walk with God
This is area where I have failed the worst. I know that this is the most important item on my yearly goal list. I know that a relationship with God will give me the encouragement to get healthy and to have a happy marriage that can withstand anything. In my life, the times that I have stood with God have been the times that I have been the strongest. I am so weak and difficult, and His grace soothes and simplifies life. In an effort to fix this lacking area of my life, Bryan and I will be attending a weekly bible study at his mom's house with a few other couples. I'm really excited about it and I'm hoping that this can give me a big push in the right direction.


4. Get unpacked and get organized
I am feeling a whole lot better with this item. Things are certainly not where I want them to be when it comes to the house but I am definitely on the right track. I haven't done a whole lot of decorating but I have a decor closet that I have been organizing everything in, so when the time comes and more boxes are unpacked I can take a look at my inventory and know what I have to work with. This will help us to save money and it's a great incentive to keep unpacking!


I can say that when I started my yearly goals I hoped that I would be further along in some area and I am a tad disappointed that I didn't try harder. Looking back, I could have tried harder. But, instead of berating myself because I am human and endlessly flawed, I look at February as a new month. I can mold it to be what I need it to be and I can always do better. And I intend on doing just that.

A Grocery-Mexican Stand-off. Kind of.

I started to write a post for Friday and it just wasn't coming organically. I decided to just scrap it and enjoy the weekend. I'm positive that you were (all five of you, hi mom!) sitting at your computers anxiously awaiting my post and were so disappointed that it never came that it ruined your entire weekend. I apologize. :)

Life is about to get really busy for us. I'm already feeling really anxious and apprehensive about the changes. I think they will be good though. Let's take a look at what a typical week will be like in the little house on Birch.

Monday - Financial Peace University
Tuesday - Bryan has worship practice
Wednesday - Free night
Thursday - Bible study
Friday - Bryan has a gig
Saturday - Bryan has a gig
Sunday - Church/Free day

On top of all that is working full time, going to the gym to get rid of the extra...ohh.... bazillion pounds that have latched on to my love-handle and buttock areas and I will basically only see my husband a few nights a week which means that the burden of chores will fall on me. Super duper.

My friend, Anna, likes to laugh and shake her head at me because lately I have been in a Mexican stand-off of sorts with Bryan about grocery shopping. I was feeling really discouraged and unappreciated about the fact that I would spend a ridiculous amount of my time planning meals, going grocery shopping, unloading and putting away all the groceries and then cooking said meals for Bryan. There was always a lot of the following:

"You're cooking tonight? Ugggghhh, I don't feel like cleaning the kitchen."
"We're having WHAT for dinner?"
"Are we having meat tonight?"
"Uhhh, it was alright."
"Don't cook tonight. Come on. You are tired. Let's just go grab something and watch a movie."
"I don't want to clean the kitchen tonight, I'm so tired."

The deal in my house is that if I'm cookin', you're cleanin'. And wouldn't you know it that after almost every meal I would have ask Bryan if he was going to clean the kitchen and lots of times I would get mumblings and grumblings about how he hates cleaning the kitchen. OH REALLY?

Do I look like I love planning, shopping, putting away and cooking the groceries? Do you think that I look forward to doing this? No. When I was a little girl I never glamorized the whole shopping/cooking thing because its a CHORE. There is a difference between having to do something and wanting to do something.

Anyways, I was getting super frustrated with the entire lot of it and it came to the point where I lost what little desire I had in the first place to cook because of remarks and comments from the only other member of my little family that has opposable thumbs and can, ya know, actually speak English. It became too much trouble and ended up that week after week the food I purchased  would be uneaten, would spoil and would then be thrown away...BY ME. Angry. Is what it made me.

So, after one very calm discussion with Bryan where I did not completely overreact and I most certainly did not tell him in a loud voice that he could shove "it" and that I quit and I definitely did not blame aforementioned extra pounds on him and he's evil ways.

None of that happened.

Alas, I feel that it has come to an end and I must return to cooking. Sigh. Especially since Bryan will never be home and I cannot continue to eat like he does. I must return to the land of meal planning and it should be a blast.

On another note, today was Bryan's first day on the worship team and I am very proud of him for getting involved in a ministry as quickly as he has. :) I may talk a bunch of smack about him, but the man can be pretty amazing and sometimes he just blows me away...... when he isn't making my blood pressure rise.

Bryan is the cutie in the middle. Again, I realize you're blown away by the photography. Yes, I'm available for bookings.

Hook, Line and Sinker.

This post has nothing to do with fishing.

I've mentioned before that I one of my guest rooms to double-duty as an office. I call this room the "purpley room" because that's what I want. For the past year or so I have fallen hard for the grayish purple tone for a bedroom theme. The purple definitely has to have that gray, foggy color to it, but it is purple none the less.

I also mentioned that now that I actually have a house where I can paint the walls, I can't decide what I want to do. I've been looking for inspiration like crazy and I hadn't found anything that hit home. That is, until I went to a blog that I lurve. Life Begins at Thirty, Right? I've mentioned it before. I love Janice's blog and she has great taste. Apparently, she's been thinking about doing a stripe wall on one of her guest bedroom walls and so she posted some inspiration. I was just scrolling right on through when my heart skipped a beat. Literally. I know it may be sad, but it made me swoon. It was swoon-worthy. Completely.

Are you ready? I hope you are sitting down.

Image: House To Home

I love it. LOVE IT. The grayish dark purple, that gorgeous metallic silver, the cream colored bedside tables. Be still my beating heart. It was exactly what I wanted and I didn't even know it. I knew that I wanted something bold and impressive, something that would inspire me while I worked and this is just the thing.

I just wish I knew the colors. I know the company is Crown in the UK (It says so when you follow the link) But of course they don't have paint match numbers. I will do some more digging. At least I have a place to start.

As soon as I get all the boxes I have left unpacked, this will be my first project! Cannot wait. :)