What I'm Loving Lately

Let's just jump right in, here are some things I've been loving lately!

1. This book, aptly titled, "This is a Book." Guys, I'm pretty sure I've never laughed so hard in my entire life. We saw Demitri Martin live a while back and his humor is offbeat, dry, smart, and hilarious. The book is even better. I read aloud parts to AJ, tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard. and he replied, "eh, book's kinda weird." What?!? It is weird, but also wonderful. Pick up this book. Maybe you won't think it's funny, and if so, I will reevaluate our friendship. JK...kinda.

2. I made a new recipe last week! This was so easy and so yummy. The sweet potatoes made it healthier than regular mashed potatoes, but we both agreed regular potatoes might have worked better. Making that substitution and adding this to our regular meal rotation this winter.

3. Fall Colors. I mean, they are vibrant this year and so completely gorgeous. It's nature's way of making it up to us for becoming pitch dark at 5:30 pm. Seeing the beautiful colors pop on the mountainside take my breath away.

4. Decluttering. Oh goodness. We are making headway in the moving process and there is something cathartic about tossing away old crap taking up room, am I right? In the midst of cleaning this week, I did uncover some gems like my CD case from high school. I had a thing for Celine Dion and the NOW collection, apparently. We found AJ's too...remember OAR? I did find my DVD of the Notebook so obviously I know what I'll be doing Sunday afternoon. But shirts that haven't been worn in years and printer manuals from 2005? Peace out, trout.

5. Yoga for kids. Ok, so I may not have taken my yoga mat to a class in oh, about 2 years, but I do like incorporating yoga into my classroom. I discovered this youtube series called "Cosmic Kids Yoga." Each session is about 20 minutes, is taught by this adorable Brit, and features a fun story that involves yoga moves and breathing. I came across a new book too, that is just so lovely and cute, I want it for myself and not just my classroom. It's called "I am Yoga." Kids (like all of us!) need some lessons in how to just be. Quieting the body and the mind is a lost art and my kids love it. Makes me want to get back on the mat myself.

6. A fresh mani: There's just nothing like it.

Happy weekend, readers.

Family Visit

I sat down to write this post and realized I didn't take a single picture this weekend. Not a one. Lame, huh? Oh well, I suppose that's because we were having too much fun. AJ's mom and dad came to visit last Thursday night. They were already at our place when we got home from school and we ate an early dinner together (crockpot Italian beef, oh yeah) so I could head back to school for Math Night. Normally I wouldn't be too bummed out about evening things for school but with family in town and a cold rainy night, I grumbled off to school but was actually pleased to see so many families there. Friday was the school Halloween party and carnival. I was a.........HOT DOG! I was all set to make something cute and homemade and then once at the store to gather supplies, I came across the hot dog suit and thought "This is it." (not sure how many people utter those words upon seeing an enormous foam hot dog suit, but alas). AJ, his mom and his dad stopped by the classroom and read some spooky cute stories to the kids and AJ's mom even made them cute holiday party bags. It was fun for the kids to see TWO Mr. Steeles and TWO Mrs. Steeles in the same room. They got a kick out of that.

Saturday AJ was thrilled to have someone around who not only watched sports with him, but actually understood them. Yay for another guy in the house! So while the men watched sports and went to the University of Utah vs. Oregon State game, AJ's mom and I hit the stores! With a new house on the horizon, we felt we just had to make a visit to RC Willey and Ikea. Oh, friends. We found the cutest stuff. We didn't buy furniture or anything but got new bedding (getting a KIIIIIING) and things and I can't wait to set up the new place. We then hit up the mall and some other stores and ended our day of retail with a delicious meal at Market Street. We pretty much forgot it was Halloween and didn't get home till 8:30 ish. When the doorbell rang, we answered thinking it was the guys home from the game and it was trick or treaters. YIKES! I purposely didn't buy any candy (remember no treats after dinner?) so I had nothing to give them. Uhhh, cereal? I have some cough drops? A few dimes on the counter? Dried fruit? I sent the children away empty-handed and was pretty sure I'd have my elementary teaching license revoked for such a sin. I will never be caught without Halloween candy again. I'll just be sure to buy something I won't eat if they're around like Smarties because #ewww.

Sunday we took a really nice long walk along the Porter Rockwell trail. Later that evening we went to my family's house for dinner. I am so thankful my family loves AJ's family and vice versa. We had a nice evening together.

Monday I headed to work and those lucky ducks took the day off. Luckily, my mother in law is the best and made a great dinner for us, and did some miscellaneous things around the house. Yipppee! The Steeles hit the road Tuesday morning and we were sad to see them go. However, we are super excited to visit Oregon this Christmas season. Another great get together for the books. We sure are lucky.

Nov. Goals

Ummm, how is it November 2nd already?!? Starbucks has their red cups, I am extremely tempted to put on some holiday Josh Groban, and I busted out my boots today. What is this madness? Well, I promised to revisit my October goals and that’s what I’m doing….plus making some new ones!

What were my ambitions in October?

1. No eating after dinner. Ok, so this one hasn’t been perfect, but for the most part, we are still doing it. My grocery cart is missing dark chocolate kisses and gummy bears, and we haven’t done a late night Culver’s run since the summer. Yay! I have cheated with family dinners, when the MIL made us delicious brownies, etc., but I’m not going to be militant about it.
2. Read at least 2 books. Done! I read The Little Couple’s book, The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, and have about 10 pages left in “Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.”
3. Visit a pumpkin patch! Done! We did a regular ol’ patch this season and skipped the mania of Cornbelly’s and I’m just fine with that.
4. Try something new in the crockpot. Lasagna soup was a winner and it’s on the menu for the next time we have my fam over for dinner.
5. Work out 5 days a week: ummmm, crickets. Ok, so October got busy and this goal straight up didn’t happen. I’d say 3 times a week was more my flow and that’s ok.
6. Let the house thing unfold as it should: well, ummm, we bought. a. house. and are closing this month. AHHHHHHHH!!!!  We love it and are thrilled so, yeah, I’d say accomplished!
7. Modge Podge our dresser: well, that baby is on its way to Craig’s List. No use bringing something we don’t really like into our new house. Especially when Ikea has cute dressers for not too much green.
8. Reach out to seasoned bloggers: Eh. Didn’t do this one as much as I would have liked. I tried to write a few more comments on pages of bloggers I enjoy and set up a Blog Lovin’ profile. This is an on-going goal.

Ok, seeeee ya October. Time for November goals!

1. Finish all Christmas shopping. We only have about 3 more people on our list to buy for and I’d like to be all done shopping by December 1st.
2. Read 2 more books.
3. Move into our new house!! Moving can be stressful (duh!) and I am thankful for a few extra days off this month (Thanksgiving makes me thankful) to finish packing our home and settle into our new one.
4. Declutter. Moving is the PERFECT reason to do this. I have too much stuff. Time to simplify. We have some larger items on KSL and Craig’s list and are hoping to sell it.
5. Get back into my YouVersion Bible studies. If you haven’t heard of YouVersion, it’s a Bible app (that’s free!) that has all kinds of different bible studies on all different topics. I was really into it last spring and I’ve sort of gotten out of using it. I want to search for a plan that’s really interesting to me and dive in this month.
6. Workout outside on days that it’s nice. There’s just something special about a brisk walk on a cool fall day. I know once snow and ice hit (#eww) I’ll be stuck in the gym so I want to workout outside as much as I can for as long as I can.
7. Let people know I appreciate them. Whether it’s a friendly co-worker, a parent who is always willing to help in the classroom, my better half AJ, or my fabulous friends, I want to spread the grateful this holiday season.
8. Revisit these goals in December and see how I did!

My fabulous famous friend

I first met Taylor my freshman year at Gonzaga. My pal Ann and I had decided to be roommates and saw Taylor’s name on a list of girls who were also going to be in our “suite” in our dorm, Dillon. “Isn’t that the girl who always has cute clothes and plays violin at Mass at St. Al’s?” Ann asked me. Yes it was! We met with Taylor and her roommate and bestie, also named Leslie, a few times before we moved into our suite as sophomores. I know everyone thinks they had the best roommates and their suite was the best, but no, really, ours was.

Our college family, sophomore year 

There was me, my creative and kind roomie Ann, there was Marjie, a music education major who was from Spokane and is to this day, one of the funniest, most outrageous people I know, Rachael, an adorable freshman who was cooler than any of us sophomores would ever be. Did I mention she has a heart of gold? Then there was Taylor and Leslie in the last room. Those girls….it’s rare to find friends that are both completely caring and supportive, but also hilarious and silly and fun. Some of my best memories are in that suite with those wild and wonderful women. We baked a lot of cookies, had many late night movie parties, decked out our living spaces for the holidays and even brought a cardboard baby into our suite to make it more home-y. We named him Ishtar….a name that popped up when one of us was studying for a test. There was so much laughter and joy and life in that space. 

High School Musical Party 

Through it all, Taylor continued to practice and perfect her music abilities. She played the violin and also bought a keyboard that year. We’d have fun playing around with the sound effects on it and listening to her practice. I continued to live with Taylor and Leslie all through senior year. Taylor continued playing violin at Mass and also taught violin lessons. It was a fun outing for our friend group when Taylor and our honorary housemate, Trevor (the tallest guy you will ever meet, also with the driest sense of humor out there. We joked he was the mascot of our girly house) would have performances in downtown Spokane. We’d get dressed up and watch them perform with the symphony and go out to eat at The Onion afterward, in our fancy clothes, noshing on onion rings till late at night. After graduation, Taylor and I continued to keep in touch.

Girls trip to Orlando, spring break 2009 

Her wedding in 2011 was an amazing chance to celebrate her marriage to her long time soulmate  (and I mean long time, like “together since they were 14” long time) Jarred, and also to get the whole gang back together again. It was like no time had passed. One weekend when I was living in Chicago, she was in town visiting and she told me “Work is going ok, but my real passion is music. I wish I could make that my career.” So, on the side, while working for a non-profit, Taylor launched a youtube channel where she played her violin and was able to have her music reach other musicians and those that enjoyed her playing. Wellll…...over the past 5 or so years, I have followed her career and she achieved her dream: Music is her career. She recently achieved the milestone of over 1 million followers on her Youtube channel. Taylor has found a real niche in playing beautifully classical songs but also movie scores, songs from video games, and even pop songs. She shoots these gorgeous videos shot in amazing places. She just finished a US tour and is embarking on a world tour now. This woman is incredible. A few weeks ago, AJ and my family attended her performance here in Salt Lake City. It was spectacular.

Tay's rehearsal dinner, 2011

Taylor, I am so proud of you. I am so thrilled that you took a leap of faith, followed your dreams, and are filling this world (and the Internet) with gorgeous, amazing music. You have no idea how many people your music touches and inspires. But to me, she’s still that giggling 19 year old practicing crazy songs on the violin in her pajamas while we all laughed until the kitchen timer went off and we ate cookies and talked about life till 3 am. Could we ever have imagined?

Check our Taylor's YouTiube channel here

Tuesday Tidbits

Hello Friends,

  I hope you all had spectacular Tuesdays. Mine started with a jolt as the hubs set his radio alarm clock this morning (honestly? No clue why we still have one of these) and it was on static. Nothing like deafening static to get you moving and shaking at 5:30. But the morning got infinitely better as I stopped off for a “grande soy misto with 2 pumps pumpkin.” Heavenly. This is the first week in months I think that I don’t have something every evening to do or somewhere to go. Praise. We are finalizing house paperwork and are on the edge of our seats waiting to find out when we can move. Although the actually moving our stuff part? Yeah haven’t really thought of that. Maybe there was a reason I de-cluttered and everything that wasn’t nailed down was at risk for being tossed away this summer. The in-laws arrive into town on Thursday and while I wish I could take Friday off to hang with them, there’s this little thing called School costume parade and class Halloween party. Ain’t no party being thrown in my class without me there. (Well, one, it’s fun, but two, the thought of 26 1st graders having their way with glitter and glue/other party goods and that it might not get cleaned properly gives me legit hives). We are on a mission not to go out to eat at all this week (well, until the Steele fam arrivies) so we’ve planned some yummy recipes this week: pork stir fry with brown rice, southwestern quiche, and chicken on the grill. I am so beyond thankful for a chill week as next week seems to be getting busy fast. Oh. And if you need a laugh, please please please check out the stand up “War Paint” by Iliza Schlesinger on Netflix. I laughed last night till I couldn’t breathe. I’m actually still laughing about it. I’ll leave you with a clip. Peace out, peeps.

First Light

This morning I was up before the dawn. It wasn't an abrupt wake up but more like my body whispering, "Get up, sleephyhead. This is when we usually hop up and take on the day." It was 5:30 and I glanced over at my peacefully sleeping husband. Just because my body clock is urging me out from under the covers, it doesn't mean his is too. Before you think I'm just the sweetest wife, there are many mornings where I wake him up. My reasoning? I want a pal in the morning. He is not always amused, but sometimes he is, so I keep doing it. Today, though, I let him sleep. I creep downstairs and turn on one lamp. It's early and I'm not ready for the harsh overhead lighting yet.

I toss in a load of laundry and sit. I could turn on the TV (I have 4 episodes of Oprah's "Belief" miniseries in the DVR waiting for me) or I could turn on Pandora. Jack Johnson and Norah Jones stations have been recent faves. But no, I keep it quiet. Just me, in my pjs, with my thoughts. I think about the upcoming day-we have no major plans, church, a fall drive, Sunday cleaning, and getting some things ready for the week. Typical, but beautiful. The world is still and the sun is beginning to rise. Oh how different this morning scene is than a usual week day. Hurry, alarm, snooze, drag, hot shower, hurry, eyemakeup, coffee maker, itunes playing, clock glancing, hurry, grab a granola bar, rushed goodbyes and quick kisses, don't forget your lunch. HURRY. Today I want quiet. I want peace. I want to create. I set to work making banana applesauce muffins. Usually when I bake (one of my favortite past-times) I have music blaring. Not this morning. I carefully measure, sift, stir. It's just me, the ingredients, and my thoughts.

 By the time the muffins are ready for the hot oven, I switch the laundry to the dryer. The world is still so still and quiet. I love the peaceful hum of the dryer. Turning over and over and over. I wait for the muffins. I wait patiently. No blogs to read, no books to read. Just me, with a cup of coffee, with my thoughts. Finally the muffins are done but I wait. I long to take a bite out of one but am patient, waiting for the chilly fall air to cool them enough to take a sweet bite. By this time, it is light out and the windows are open. I walk up the stairs and gently wake AJ. Time to start the day, I whisper. It's just us, our love, and our thoughts. And a whole day of joy between us.

Book Roundup

There is just something about fall that makes me want to get under a blanket and get through some pages. I read a few books this month and below are my thoughts. What are you reading lately?

1. Life is Short: I mentioned this book on my fall book list and really enjoyed it. It's a fluffy read (I think I read it in 3 days) but it's a fun read about overcoming obstacles and triumphing over your situation. The last half of the book is pretty much a recap of the show, so if you are a fan of "The Little Couple" you might like it or you might be bored.

2. Paper Towns: Loved this one. Another speedy read, it was interesting and caught my attention. I want to read more of John Green, his voice is candid and relatable.

3. The Real Thing: I mentioned this book last week. Such a fun read about true love, relationships, advice, and wedding anecdotes. I may have pulled out our wedding pics a few times while reading and remembering our special day. A must read for anyone who loves love....so all of us!

4. The Storied Life of AJ Fikry: Ok, this book. I must admit I grabbed it at the library as a joke because AJ asked me to pick up a book for him and hello? How hard is it to choose a book for someone else? That's a personal decision like what your Starbucks order is.....it's hard to order it up for someone else. I brought the book home and said, I picked this one for you, because it has your name in it! He rolled his eyes but got to reading. He finished it quickly and urged me to read it myself. You know what? One of the best books I read all year. It's about a grumpy old bookshop owner and the quirky characters in their small New England town. Something dramatic happens that shakes up his predictable world. I laughed, I cried. This one was a great find. And bonus, tons of fun literary references throughout.

5. Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: I can't say much here because I began this book last night. I have heard great things. This is actually a text book of AJ's for a diversity in education class he is taking. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, here's wishing you a chunk of "you" time for a good read. Leave the technology behind and get acquainted with a book. I sound like a '90's Scholastic poster in an elementary school library, but you get the idea.