I Won't Quit My Day Job

Last weekend, Joey and I went to Andretti Indoor Karting and Games. Maybe you've never heard of this place before... Just picture an adult verson of Chuck E. Cheese. Tons of arcade games, a rock climbing wall, an indoor ropes course, and my personal favorite - go-karts. Except these go-karts are on steriods and can reach speeds of 50 mph.

We ended up at Andretti's because Joey's office was hosting an Olympic competition of sorts. But let me tell you, London 2012 ain't got nothin' on these Olympics. For starters, these Olympics included an open bar and an hour of free arcade games. Score! But my dreams really came true when I got to throw on a stylin' green helmet and hop in the driver's seat.

Man oh man, I was flying. Soaring around the corners, the smell of gasoline filling the air, the roar and rumble of the engine beneath me. I sort of noticed that people were passing me every now and then... but I didn't think much of it. That is, until the end, when we got our score sheet.



See that? Waaaay at the bottom? That's me. Number 19. Out of 19 places. But, if you have really good eyes, check out #5. That's my Joey! (Or, JoJo, if you prefer to call him by his "racing name". I know. JoJo sounds real tough.) So the good news is, even though go-karts may not be my thing... between the two of us, we make a pretty average driver! Go team!

Reunited and it Feels so Good

There's someone you need to meet. Two someones, actually.

Ella. Our sweet and crazy pup. Lots of energy (although these pictures would suggest otherwise) and a tail too long for her own good.


And Penny. Our cat, who I am utterly obsessed with... She is a daily reminder that I am in serious risk of turning into a crazy old cat lady someday.


I sure do love these two animals. And I'm able to love them even more because Joey does all the difficult things, like shoving the pills down Penny's throat that one time she had worms and taking Ella outside after the sun has gone down (I'm scared of the dark and the criminals who surely lurk there). What a guy.

With all the traveling we've been doing during the month of July, our animals were living at Camp Grandma for three weeks. We are so blessed to live near Joey's parents, who have a large yard with lots of tennis balls for Ella, a private basement suite to meet all Penny's antisocial needs, and are so generous to take these furballs in whenever we head out of town.

This week, we were finally reunited with Ella and Penny, and I had one of those moments of pure contentment.

In bed. With my favorite pillow.
Cuddling my two fur babies.
Remote in hand, watching HGTV.
Dear husband nearby, ready to capture it all on film. (or iPhone. Whatever.)

Joey and I always laugh because Ella hands-down prefers Joey. Not that she dislikes me... But imagine that cliche movie scene, with Ella seated halfway between me and Joey... both of us desperately calling her name to prove who is her true owner... Yeah, no question about it, Ella would be in Joey's arms in two seconds.

But on this first night with our whole little family back together, I was lucky enough to have both critters seek me out for a cuddle. I just knew that deep down inside, they love their momma. Even if she's never the one who changes the litter box.

iPhones and Forgiveness

I live by the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy. So when our cell phone contract was up last year and Joey started talking about switching carriers and getting new phones, I wasn't jumping at the chance... in fact, I was just plain dragging my feet. Sure, our phones may not have been the latest model, but they worked okay. In the end, it didn't take a broken phone to get me to make the switch. It took a stolen one.

Last week, while I was visiting my family and Joey was still finishing up the work week in Atlanta before joining us in New York, I received several calls from numbers I didn't know. Turns out, it was Joey trying to get ahold of me from borrowed cell phones. Someone had stolen his iPhone while he was swimming at the YMCA.

I was frustrated. I was irritated. I was angry. How could he leave something so expensive and important where it could be stolen? And then my brother took a moment to remind me of the time I was in college and my purse was stolen while I was at a friend's party. And then about a year later, the exact same thing happened with my favorite coat. (Aren't older brothers always so good at reminding of you of things like that?) And then my mom chimed in to remind me that my carelessness led to my own phone being stolen a few years ago. (Mom's are good like that, too.) And what did I hope for when those things happened? Understanding. Compassion. Forgiveness.

How quickly I put blinders on to ignore my own flaws, faults, and mistakes, while being quick to expect perfection from others. To judge and criticize. To hold grudges. To commit sin upon sin upon sin.

And let's be honest. Losing a purse, a coat, a phone... these are certainly not the worst things I have done or will do. I am a sinner. And through Christ, I have been given the ultimate forgiveness. How could I withold forgiveness from others?

I'm learning a lot as I share my life with Joey... and one pretty important lesson is how much we need forgivness in this marriage of ours. Because a forever together is going to include a lot of love and a lot of happiness, but also a lot of mistakes.

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And wouldn't you know, the stolen phone turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I actually like these new phones of ours. I love that my husband, who travels over 1,000 miles a week for work, will be safer with his trusty sidekick Siri available to read and write his texts and emails while he drives. I'm amazed by the quality of the 8 megapixel built-in camera and I've been snapping pics everywhere. I enjoy having a phone that works quickly enough to let me use Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest on the go. (I'm like a real blogger now!) God sure is good.

The Roc.

Rochester, New York. Home of Kodak, Wegmans, and Lake Ontario.

And of delicious meals at lakefront restaurants because the parents are treating. (Thanks, mom and dad!)

Our weekend trip to visit my family was fun and relaxing, but now its back to Atlanta and back to reality. I've got 15 days of summer break left. I'm gonna make 'em count.

Paradise: Take Two.

One (huge, major, massive) perk of being a teacher - I can travel freely alllll summer. This week, Joey had a work conference in Amelia Island, Florida. Free trip to the beach? Staying at the Ritz-Carlton? Don't mind if I do...

Because, let me tell you, I love me a good hotel stay. How can you not love a place that is designed specifically for stellar sleeping? That encourages you to order food that will be delivered directly to your bedside? Where leaving your towels on the floor is a symbolic gesture that you're ready for someone to collect them and clean them for you? (If only that worked at home...)

We arrived to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel around 6:00 on Sunday night. Okay, so I knew the Ritz-Carlton has a reputation for being ::ahem:: elegant. I don't live under a rock. But apparently I may be slightly out of touch... since I arrived to the hotel wearing sweatpants, a ratty lime green t-shirt, and flip flops, while my fellow Ritz-ers were decked out in their Sunday best (All the women were wearing ::gasp:: heels!)

The bellhop escorted us to our sleeping quarters (Can you tell I'm trying to sound as elegant as this hotel?), and the second I touched the bed, I instantly forgot that "look what the cat dragged in" feeling. The bed was a downy nest of countless pillows and blankets. I sank right in and it was heavenly. I quickly erased all images of spending my time in a lounger by the pool and replaced them with a sweet, sweet vision of me, laying in that bed. all. day. long.

Which explains why the photos below are the only pictures I took the entire time I was in Amelia Island. All of which were taken during the last 30 or so minutes of the trip.

I did drag myself from my lair a few times... The first night, I tagged along with Joey and his coworkers to eat dinner at Salt, the restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. The premise of the place is that they offer over 40 different types of natural and infused salts that pair well with different dishes. Dinner here was a learning experience for me. Frankly, I didn't even know there were more than two types of salt - the kind you have to grind before you use it, and the kind where that step was already taken care of in a factory somewhere. I enjoyed a Nebraskan free-range chicken breast with Adriatic citrus salt. For dessert - a decadent dark chocolate souffle paired with milk chocolate hazelnut ice cream and a white chocolate creme anglaise. (Waitress' words. Not mine. I still don't even understand what an anglaise is.)

The next night, I got to be smiling, talkative wifey while Joey and his coworkers hosted a dinner with people from a few different medical practices. We ate at a place called PLAE (People Laughing and Eating). A little overwhelmed by the menu, I decided to order from the "Bistro fare" section - a plae burger. Minus mushrooms. Minus blue cheese. Minus tomato. Okay, so basically just a burger on a bun. I pretty much ordered this restaurant's equivalent of a Happy Meal.

Don't get me wrong... the food at both restaurants was straight-up delicious. I devoured it all, and it was fun to experience with Joey, because we certainly don't eat food like that on a regular basis! I just get a little uncomfortable when the waiter or waitress takes the time to describe each menu item in detail, yet I still have no idea what I'm about to eat.

The best part of vacation to me was the road trip home. Nothin' like an endless stretch of time when all Joey and I have to do is talk and be goofy together. (I also may be biased in how much I enjoyed this time, since Joey did all six hours of driving himself. Yet another reason I'm thankful for him!)

And as a symbol that vacation was over and it was back to reality... We had dinner at Taco Bell on the way home. Totally back in my comfort zone.

Paradise: Take One.

Last week, Joey and I visited the Grand Palladium Riviera Maya Resort in Akumal, Mexico. And, after several warnings from my ever-cautious parents, I decided not to advertise the whats and wheres of my vacationing adventures on various social media networks until after we had returned... You know, just in case some extremely technologically savvy criminals out there were able to determine that we were out of town, break into our home, and rob us blind. (Note to all technologically savvy criminals: We actually don't really own much that's worth stealing, so all that cyber stalking might have a better pay off elsewhere.)

Now that we have returned to the good ol' US of A ::deep, sad sigh::, its time for a post about our deliciously wonderful trip to Mexico. Planning this trip started over a year ago, when my dad and I had the great idea to organize a huge family trip to a resort in Mexico. We started planning, but as babies were born and moves were made and life happened, fewer and fewer family members could actually go (...Either that, or the rest of the family is trying really hard to avoid me.) So, in the end, the trip ended up being just me, Joey, my mom, and my dad. Which I was actually very excited about, since I don't get to spend nearly enough time with my parents since I made the move to Atlanta.

I wish I had all kinds of adventurous stories to tell you about our time at the resort... but I don't, because we didn't do anything. And every second of this nothing-ness was glorious. We only had very basic decisions to make each day...

Lay by the beach... or by the pool?
Drink a mojito... or a pina colada?
Should we schedule that couples massage for today... or tomorrow?
Walking to the snack shack... yay or nay?
Do I really want to get up to reapply my sunscreen? (Looking back now, as I cope with these wildly attractive patches of peeling skin, the answer should have always been a resounding "yes!")

I also spent some time contemplating the legality of bringing a kitten home from a foreign land. (Decided against it, in case you were wondering.)



And that's about it. And amidst this simplicity, I made an amazing discovery while we were out of the country...

(sun + delicious beverage + Kindle) - (stress x responsibility) = paradise



photos I took during a sunrise walk along the beach



cabana bed at the salt water pool



flora of the Riveiera Maya - oh how I love the textures and patterns of plants!



infinity pool at the spa, by night

To make an already exciting trip even better, Joey and I also celebrated our first anniversary while on vacation. We enjoyed a beautiful anniversary dinner at the resort's Mediterranean restaurant. Our private table was set on a small cabana built in the middle of a koi pond, and the meal was made complete with a serenade from a guitar duo just before dessert arrived. When we returned to our room, the butler staff had arranged our room with flowers, candles, champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

All in all, a great way to celebrate our first year of marriage, and to look forward to many more wonderful years together in the future!

My Blogging Faux Pas

I've made a terrible first impression in this here blogosphere. Seven entries in, then I go all Criss Angel and pull a month-long vanishing act. How can I ever expect to entertain and delight my dedicated readers (aka my mom and dad) if I disappear into the unknown for such a long time? Here's my lame excuse: I was busy getting my life in order.

What, specifically, have I been up to? Well, school let out for summer on May 18th. For those of you who don't know, the absolute worst time to be a teacher is the last two weeks of school. (Followed closely behind by the day after Halloween. You might not think that exhausted and sugared-up can coexist within one child, but trust me, they can.) With the prospect of summer on the near horizon, the kids (and teachers??) totally lose control. Couple the insane kiddos with the insane amount of paperwork that has to be done to document all the little cherubs have learned during the year - that makes for one busy teacher.

After finishing up the school year (Hallelujah!), Joey and I headed to Virginia for the most wonderful long weekend of the year. This tradition started four years ago after my aunt and uncle bought a house on Smith Mountain Lake. Since then, we have had a family reunion of sorts every Memorial Day, with people coming from Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Washington DC, and of course, yours truly from Georgia. Nothing is more relaxing than sipping an iced drink on a lounger at the end of the dock, eating more than my fair share of food while watching my more daring family members cruise the lake on jet skis and tubes. It's so nice to have this weekend set aside every year to spend with my sweet family. And to remember the good times, each year we pack the family in and take a photo. You'd be amazed how much coordinating it takes to get this many people (and dogs) together. Making sure everyone's eyes are open could be a full-time job.

2009

2010

2011

2012

If you are wildly observant, you may have noticed that in 2010, Joey used this photo op to pop the question in what was the most perfect proposal I could imagine! Yet another reason that our Memorial Day trip holds a special place in my heart. Of course this year's trip didn't have the excitement of a proposal, but it was still an incredible time spent with those I love most!

After arriving back in Atlanta, it was time to get myself in order and figure out my plans for the summer. And with all these plans, I've been a busy gal:

• This summer, I will get my booty in gear and start working out. I used grad school as an excuse to take a year and a half hiatus from any serious sort of athletic anything. So Joey and I decided to finally acknowledge that fact that the YMCA has so kindly been withdrawing money from our account for the past two years and actually use what we are paying for. I'm off to a good start - I'm running again, I tried (and loved) Zumba, and I decided to join my friend's Boot Camp on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Let me tell you, nothing says "Good morning!" like a ridiculous number of lunges and wall sits at 6 am.
• I watched a fascinating, yet terrifying, documentary called Forks Over Knives that inspired the next goal. It's all about how eating a whole-food plant-based diet can literally save your life. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some big ol' hamburgers WAY too much to go vegan, but I do know that Joey and I could be eating much healthier. I've been researching what a healthy diet looks like, how to stick to whole grains, and how to cut out processed foods. So far the food I've made has been really delicious, and I'm excited to share some recipes with you this summer.
• Joey and I are going to better organize how we use our time - so we can be more productive, and so we can spend and enjoy more time together. First step here was buying and using new planners. So far, I am IN LOVE with my planner, and I promise you it will be the topic of many a blog entry this summer (If you want a little preview, you can see the planner I'm using here. It only took me about twelve trips to various office supply stores to settle on this one, so I know its gonna be good.) On top of that, I'm so so proud of Joey, formerly known as Mr. "I can't find that napkin where I wrote that important phone number", for sticking to and using his new planner to organize everything he needs in one place.
  
• Clean our house. Get rid of stuff. LOTS of stuff. Enough said.

Soooo I think that pretty much sums up the last month of my life. Check back in tomorrow to read about my triumph over our junk drawer.

"This Pineapple Tastes like Garlic" and Other Adventures in The Mitten State

My lack of posting over the past few days is due to the fact that I was busy graduating. But don't worry... you won't miss a minute. I'll use my new obsession with Instagram to tell you the tales of my trip through photos...

I started the trip out right by scoring some sweet leg room on the flight to Detroit. I was a little depressed because no seat in front of me meant no TV for my viewing pleasure! Sad face. But, I was willing to make the sacrifice because, hey, more leg room! Girl's gotta have priorities. Then as our plane pulled into the gate in Detroit, Joey discovered that I did in fact have my very own TV... it was just tucked below the seat on a swinging arm. Oops. But all was good, because I got tons of Sudoku done during the flight.

After arriving in Detroit, I visited my favorite fountain. Every time I'm in the airport, I take a few hundred pictures of this fountain because it reminds me of traveling and traveling makes me happy. You may recognize it from Up in the Air, starring the dapper George Clooney.Unfortunately George Clooney opted not to make an appearance while I was snapping away. Maybe next time.

We arrived to a very stormy Michigan. Like, out-of-my-nightmares stormy, where I'm surrounded by tornadoes on three sides and my survival depends on how fast my little legs can carry me. (I really do have that recurring nightmare.) There weren't actually any tornadoes in Michigan that day, but I as we drove to East Lansing, I was 100% convinced that a cloud that was hanging a little too close to the ground was going to transform into a swirling mass and devour our car, so I did urge my dad to drive faster several times. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

Next, I graduated and officially finished my Masters program. No big deal. Then I did other graduate things, such as sitting on a regal throne of knowledge (Actually it was just an awkwardly-shaped chair found in the lobby of our hotel. I just thought the chair looked worthy of the flowing sleeves on my wizard-like gown.), and waiting in line to have my picture taken with our beloved Spartan statue. You haven't experienced real pressure until you are struggling to squeeze in just one more photo while ten graduates impatiently glare at you from beneath their tasseled caps.

When we checked into our hotel in South Lansing (Turns out all the hotels close to campus book up quickly on graduation weekend. Weird, right?), the lady at the front desk so kindly offered us complimentary breakfast and dinner vouchers, since we were "first time guests". What an honor! We headed to the restaurant to cash them in. After we ordered, our waitress warned us, "I'm not sure how long it will be... Our chef prepares the meals in the order they're placed." We glanced over our shoulders to see that we were the only people in the restaurant and replied with a hesitant, "...Ookaaaay..." About 40 minutes later, the dish you see above was served to us. It's cranberry chicken, even though it looks like a human heart. This photo cannot even begin to capture the limpness of the green beans, the toughness of the chicken skin, or the sliminess of the cheesy potatoes.

Slightly Extremely skeptical after our first experience in the restaurant, we decided to give breakfast a try anyway. "It's really hard to mess up breakfast," Joey reasoned. And it was free. How could we say no? Well, I ordered a fruit plate and immediately muttered, "This pineapple tastes like garlic." Sure enough, the entire fruit plate had a distinct garlic flavor. It was then that we knew there was no hope. With that, we were off to bigger and better things.

Ready for some decent food, we visited my favorite East Lansing restaurants. First, Menna's, home of the delicacy known as "The Dub". (Tired of trying to explain a Dub to all my new friends who have not been lucky enough to enjoy this culinary delight, I asked the kind young man behind the counter how he describes a Dub. "An American burrito". Oh, of course. Why didn't I think of that? It's spelled out right there on their website.) Then, Harper's, where one can experience the "Half Off Wednesdays" that sustained me through my broke college years. Next up, The Peanut Barrel, where I sipped on a Long Island Iced Tea while Joey taught me that the beverage does not in fact contain any iced tea whatsoever. Rather, it is made up of five different liquors, a hint of lemon, and a splash of coke. That explains why I always felt the need to cut myself off after just one. Finally, we went to the MSU Dairy Store, where my mom and I debated if Michigan State or Penn State's ice cream was better, but let's be serious... We all know Peachy Paterno ain't got nothin' on Dantonio's Double Fudge Fake.

All in all, it was a great visit back to my Alma Mater. I savored every minute, because I'm not sure when I'll be back to enjoy it again. Then again, after watching all the Doctoral students sport their hoods and other fancy regalia at the graduation ceremony, the first thing I said to Joey and my parents was, "I'm totally getting my PhD..." So, who knows what the future holds...

Super Blessed. Fo' Realz.

I had the most amazing weekend. Truly, 100%, absolutely wonderful. Of course, everyone will be hearing all about this visit to Michigan State for graduation (whether they want to or not), but before I get to that, all I keep thinking about is how blessed I am. I loved every minute of this quick trip back to my old stompin' grounds - the food, the graduation ceremony (well, except for the long, boring parts.), walking around campus - Everything! But the weekend wouldn't have meant anything without the incredible people in my life who shared it with me.

My hubby, who sacrificed one of his few precious vacation days to travel to Michigan and listen to my non-stop reminiscing about "the good ol' days". (No, I'm not 84 years old. I just act like it sometimes.) My caring parents who planned everything - rented the car, booked the hotel, even started a dang Facebook group to coordinate details - and drove 9 1/2 hours to watch me walk across the stage for a grand total of 5 seconds. (Yes, I counted.) My best friend's mom, who scheduled time into her weekend to meet my family for lunch. After all, the next best thing to my best friend is her oh-so-sweet momma! My in-laws, who not only cared for "the critters" while we were gone, but then took me out for a delicious graduation dinner when I got back to Atlanta. Great dinner company and no need to shop or cook - Amen!  And of course, all my dear friends who sent messages and texts of encouragement and congratulations - you all made me feel just so so special! Not to be totally boring going on and on about this, but I'm just so happy and filled with love. Anyhoo, thanks for letting me go all Buddy the Elf on you guys...



And stay tuned for more about my adventures in The Mitten!

We've Achieved the Impossible.

Thanks to Joey, yesterday was laundry day. If it were up to me, laundry day would be next week. Or next month. Maybe. Staying on top of the ever growing pile of dirty clothes is not my wifey super power. I am still getting used to the fact that my laundry is now OUR laundry. Therefore, I can no longer wait a month and a half to wash my clothes, because, frankly, the laundry bin won't hold 45 days of clothing for two people. Not to mention the questionable hygienic practices that this would suggest. So, of all the reasons I'm thankful for Joey, the fact that he doesn't mind regularly taking care of a few wash and dry cycles has gotta rank in the top five.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sorting laundry. I'm very detailed in my work... I don't limit myself to darks, lights, and colors. My categories are a little more like:

• whites (AKA socks and undershirts. The boring load.)
• blues and greens
• navys and blacks
• greys and browns
• yellows and oranges
• pinks, reds, and purples

The problem is, after all that sorting, I get a little bit... tired. Which means the laundry then sits in those beautifully separated piles for a few days weeks. Don't even get me started on the piles of clothes that develop AFTER the laundry finally comes out of the dryer. Folding is my least favorite.

Which is why I'm thrilled about what went down yesterday. At the end of laundry day, when it was time to tackle the dreaded chore of folding, Joey and I discovered something amazing. Incredible. Mind-boggling. Wait for it...

Did you know you can fold a fitted sheet?!

Seriously. You can learn how here. I had no idea this was possible. Martha was holding out on me. That is, until yesterday. And now I'm amazed. Like, I might make this my new party trick or something.

This is probably old news to all you laundry pros out there (Turns out this stuff is all over YouTube. Who knew??) I, however, am not up to date on the latest laundry-folding trends, so please let me have my moment.

Imagine the future... Soon, my linen closet random shelf where I stash the sheets will no longer contain a clump of wrinkled mess, but instead will be a perfect picture of neatness and organization!

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This knowledge will surely revolutionize the way I do laundry. That is, if I ever actually get around to doing our laundry. I'll work on that... Promise.

Love Notes (But Not the Kind You Pass in Math Class)

Some people express their love by showering their significant other with expensive gifts. I express mine with scrapbook paper and a hot glue gun. In true form, I made this frame to give to Joey on Valentine's Day. And with that, we've started a new tradition.

On this frame, we use a dry erase marker to leave loooove notes for each other. Sometimes sweet. Sometimes funny. Sometimes sentimental. Sometimes to say, "I'm sorry". I love the excitement of wondering when the message on the frame will change. I love learning what Joey appreciates about me. And I love encouraging my hubs with kind words. All in all, it's been fun to come up with new ways to recognize each other for our daily awesomeness.

But some days, its tough to come up with something new - because frankly, sometimes (Can I be honest?) I get annoyed with my dear, sweet husband. (And can I be even more honest??? I know I am way more annoying than he ever is.) Sometimes our expectations don't line up perfectly. Sometimes we ::gasp:: argue about things. Such are the realities of marriage, I'm coming to learn.

I'm realizing that marriage is more than just romance. From Gary Thomas' book, Sacred Marriage:

"Romantic love has no elasticity to it. It can never be stretched; it simply shatters. Mature love, the kind demanded of a good marriage, must stretch, as the sinful human condition is such that all of us bear conflicting emotions... This is the reality of the human heart, the inevitability of two sinful people pledging to live together, with all their faults, for the rest of their lives."

So as we work to build that mature love that can stretch through all the twists and turns life will throw at us, I appreciate this daily tradition. Those days when I'm frustrated, annoyed, and feeling less than lovey-dovey towards this man I married... those are the days that I most need to pause and remember what an incredible man my husband is, how blessed I am to have him, and the countless ways he makes my life better.

What about you? How do you take time to remember what it is you love about the ones you love? I'm always up to hearing new ideas. Especially if it involves a DIY project.