Ten on Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday my friends!  I feel like every time I blog I apologize about my extended absence, so instead of saying sorry, I am just going to say that life keeps getting in the way.  And you can't be sorry about that, can you? 

The bulk of our move is OVER (seriously?) so maybe I will find more time to blog these next two weeks.  After that, I have no idea what my internet access will be like so I will just have to promise to take lots of pictures and catch up with you all when I can.  I don't think that it has set in that we are moving although I don't know how it couldn't set in - our house is empty and we are supposed to be leaving in two weeks - but I just don't feel any emotions.  I thought it would be sad to see all of our stuff go, but it wasn't.  I hope that means that I am ready for this adventure to begin.  

Before I move onto this week's Ten on Tuesday questions ... does anyone have any suggestions about what to rename my blog?  I want to come up with a name that can stick with the blog for however long I decide to continue blogging.  Leave your suggestions in the comments!

And now, on to the main event!  If you want to join in this week, link up over at Roots and Rings. 

1.  What did you do this weekend? 

Well, we attended a going away party for our squadron on Friday night and it was pretty ridiculous.  But we had a great time.  Saturday night we attended a fundraiser for one of the local charities in town that I am involved in.  I was on the fundraising committee for the event, so I've been working on it since September!  Sunday we spent 12+ hours preparing for the movers to come Monday morning.  

2.  Do you prefer short fingernails or long fingernails?

Short fingernails for sure.  

3.  What is your favorite use for Pinterest?

I LOVE Pinterest.  It has been a great tool for wedding planning and I also love it for meal planning.  

4.  Do you sleep with your mouth open?

I don't think I do normally, but maybe occasionally?

5.  Where did you have the best pizza that you've ever eaten?

This question is difficult.  There's deep dish pizza in Chicago, Hot Box Pizza in Indianapolis/West Lafayette, New York style pizza ... they are all the best for their "style."  

6.  What do you eat for breakfast on weekdays?

Well, I don't always eat breakfast (whoops) and my blender is all packed up and on it's way to Japan, but I used to have a smoothie for breakfast every morning.  Or if it's the weekend, J. makes amazing omelets.  

7.  Do you watch awards shows?  Why or why not? 

Not typically, we don't have cable.  We did watch The Academy Awards because it aired on our channel (CBS)!

8.  Can you whistle?  Snap?  Curl your tongue?  Bend down and touch your palms to the ground?

I can kind of whistle.  I can snap.  I can curl my tongue.  And I can bend down and touch my palms to the ground.  

9.  What email service do you use? 

Gmail.

10.  What is your favorite outdoor activity? 

Skiing or hiking.  Depends on the season.  Or drinking a glass of wine on a patio overlooking the water. 

Ten on Tuesday

Happy Tuesday friends!  I've had a busy start to my week, but I always feel like those weeks are the most productive!  I will be spending the rest of my week observing a trial and my mom is coming out to spend the weekend with us!

Let's get on to the main event ... if you want to play along this week, visit Chelsea at Roots and Rings to link up!

1.  How do you feel about Groundhog's Day?
I don't really have an opinion about it -- the weather here isn't that bad right now (sunny and high 40's) so I could definitely deal with 6 more weeks of this.  Especially since the weather is usually pretty gray and rainy until June.

2.  What color are your fingernails right now? 
They are uncolored.  Whoops!  I love to have my nails done, but every now and then I give them a break.

3.  Do you like riddles?
Sure.

4.  When you were 10, how old did you think "old" was?  At your current age, how old do you think "old" is?
Hmmm, I probably thought that people in high school were "old,"  and definitely people in their 20's!  Now I think the elderly are old ... haha.  And I occasionally think I am old.

5.  Do you wish on stars? 
I don't make a habit of it, but I have before.

6.  Do you recycle? 
Yes.  Our recycling can is twice as big as a garbage can!

7.  On a scale from 1-10, how good of a cook are you? 
7?  I can follow a recipe pretty darn well, but I am not one of those people who can just throw a bunch of ingredients together and whip up an amazing meal.

8.  Do you color your hair?  Professionally or at home? 
Nope.  I used to get highlights but it was too much to keep up with them.

9.  On a scale from 1-10, how do you rate your manners? 
8.  I could definitely work on a few things but overall, I think I have pretty good manners.

10.  Who are the last 5 people you have texted?  
J., my mom, Ms. B., my sister and my friend B.!

Ten on Tuesday is Back!

Yay!  I've been lost without it.  If you want to link up, visit Roots and Rings for this week's questions!

1.  What's your variety of apple?
I like Gala apples, Fuji apples and Honeycrisp ... yum!

2.  Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
I had to look this one up and, after thorough research, I can confidently say that I like Field cucumbers best.  I don't think I've ever actually had a Long-English cucumber, but they look weird and I have weird food issues.  If it looks weird, I don't eat it.

3.  Tomatoes - delicious or disgusting?
Well ... I used to think they were disgusting but they are growing on me.  Fresh tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes on bruschetta, any kind of fresh tomato salad ... delicious.

4.  What's one fruit or vegetable that you can't stand and why is that?
Bananas.  I hate their smell and their texture.

5.  What's your favorite way to prepare veggies?  (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sauteed, etc.)
I mostly saute veggies ... we haven't tried grilled veggies yet.  That sounds tasty!

6.  Sweet potato pie:  Love it or hate it? 
Never had it.  My mom makes an amazing sweet potato casserole, so if sweet potato pie tastes anything like that, I'd love it!

7.  What's your favorite "style" of french fry?  Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?
Hmmm, another tough one.  I pretty much like ANY french fry, but I am especially partial to curly fries and waffle fries.  And loaded fries!

8.  What's your favorite fruit-pie filling? 
I'm not a huge fan of pie.  But maybe apple pie?  Warm out of the oven with some ice cream?

9.  When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?  
Yes.  And I hated it.  And now I eat veggies almost every night with dinner.

10.  Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8) or make them yourself?  
I don't make fruit juice blends, but I make fruit smoothies.  I get frozen berries from Costco, add some water and a cup of Greek yogurt and a couple of capfuls of Greens Plus to help meet my fruit and veggie needs!  I thought it would be gross the first time I made it, but it's actually pretty delicious.

I hope you are all having a great week!  The move and work are pretty much consuming our lives right now.  J. is gone for 10-11 hours a day and I try to be productive around the house in the mornings and go into work in the afternoons.  I am (finally!) wrapping up my projects from January so I feel a lot better about my work load right now!

  We've also scheduled all three (yes three!) of our moves, purged things from every room in the house, sent loads of things to Goodwill and a box to my sister, and researched property managers and the used car market.  There's not much left to check off the list except update my tourist passport and get my entry approval!  It's been a long road to get to this point, but I am ready to go.  We've been waiting since August for this move and we've done everything we can to prepare.  I know it will be a culture shock and I will miss the U.S., but I am ready to start this adventure!  Plus, every time I look at something in my house I mentally catalog whether it's going to Japan or going to storage - I'm ready to get back to normalcy!

I've been feeling a bit under the weather, so that hasn't helped much.  But, the move goes on, so I've put on my best big girl face and been pretty darn productive this week!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

Ten on Tuesday - Turkey Time!

Happy Tuesday Friends!  

And Happy Thanksgiving week!  I've made it to my aunt and uncle's in Houston and I'm ready to start celebrating :)  And relaxing.  And Christmas shopping!  I love the holidays.  But first, I need to participate in this week's Ten on Tuesday.  The questions for this week were provided by one of my favorite bloggers, E., and are about Thanksgiving (how fitting!).  To join in the fun, visit Roots and Rings to find the questions and link up!  

1.  What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?
For the first time ever, my sister and I are visiting my aunt, uncle and cousin in Houston and spending Thanksgiving with them!  I am so excited to be doing something new and also to have an extra week to spend with my family this year.  My grandma is not in the best health and with the big move coming up, I am so happy for the opportunity to spend some extra time with her this year.

2.  What are you most thankful for this year?
I have a lot to be thankful for this year ...
1.  My amazing family (they're at the top of the list every year!)
2.  My fabulous friends - both old and new :)
3.  J. - he's a saint for putting up with me (but then again, I also put up with him!)
4.  Miss Addy and Miss Lucy - who I would not have survived this deployment without, those little girls are hands down the best thing in my life right now :)
5.  And I am SO thankful that I have almost survived my first deployment ... the past few months have had their ups and downs, but they are almost over and for that I am so thankful.

3.  Do you have any traditions on Thanksgiving?  The parade?  Football?  Long naps?
Well we used to spend every Thanksgiving at my mom's house with her side of the family, but that changed last year when I moved out west.  I don't have any particular traditions, per se, but I like to put up my Christmas decorations as soon as Thanksgiving is over and I've always wanted to go out shopping at midnight or something crazy like that for Black Friday, but I don't think I could handle the crowds.  Now that we live out west, I think we should start a skiing on Black Friday tradition!

4.  Is it called stuffing or dressing?  Is it in the bird or a separate dish?
I call it stuffing ... I don't particularly care for it, so I don't put much thought into it.  I've never made a turkey, but I think I'd make the stuffing separately.

5.  Do you cook?
I do, but not usually for Thanksgiving!  I leave it to the pros ... you know, the one's who have been doing it every year for the past 20+ years :)

6.  What is your favorite dish?
My mom makes an amazing sweet potato casserole.  YUM.

7.  What is your dessert preference?
Well, I love dessert, but not really Thanksgiving desserts.  I am not a big pie person.  I think I'd like a pumpkin cheesecake or piece of apple pie on Thanksgiving.

8.  What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?
I think I'd have to say the last one we spent with my dad.  My parents had just gotten divorced but he came to Thanksgiving and he was so thankful to be there with us that year and it ended up being our last holiday with him.  Last Thanksgiving was also a good memory - we stayed out in Washington and had a big Friendsgiving.  The boys fried a turkey, everyone brought their favorite Thanksgiving dish and we all drank wine and played games.  It was a lot of fun!

9.  Do you plan to shop on Black Friday?
Maybe online?  I am not really sure.  My cousin and sister aren't here yet, so we haven't discussed our itinerary yet!

10.  What are you most dreading about Thanksgiving this year?
Flying back to Washington's cold and rainy weather on Sunday!

Ten on Tuesday #27 - Pasta!

Happy Tuesday friends!  Can you believe this?  It's two posts in one week!  The world must be ending :)  I couldn't skip this week's Ten on Tuesday because it's all about one of my favorite things ... pasta!  If you want to join the fun, head over to Roots and Rings to link up! 

1.  Red Sauce or White Sauce?
I like both, but I like red a little bit better than white.

2.  Do you prefer pasta you can twirl or stab?
Stab.  It's much easier to eat that way and then I don't look awkward trying to twirl the pasta, losing it all, trying to twirl it again and then only ending up with half of the original forkful in my mouth.

3.  Baked or broiled?
I don't think I've ever broiled pasta?  I guess I should look this up to see what I am missing out on!

4.  Do you like meat in your sauce or do you kick it vegetarian style?
Meat!

5.  Where have you had your very best pasta dish ever?
Ever?  That's hard!  I don't know.  There is an italian restaurant in Mount Vernon that I really like, Il Granaio, but I doubt it's the best pasta I have ever had, ever!  But it works for now :)

6.  What is your favorite pasta dish?
I like the baked pastas ... manicotti, ravioli, ziti.  Yum, lots of cheesy goodness.  Answering these questions is making me hungry!

7.  Do you serve meatballs when you make spaghetti or just do a meat sauce?
I honestly can't remember the last time I made spaghetti, but I don't usually make meatballs.  Too much work!  I need a good meatball recipe.  And then I should make a bunch and freeze them for easy meals!

8.  What type of noodles do you use?
If I make pasta and not a baked pasta dish, I usually use angel hair pasta.  I like them better than regular spaghetti noodles!

9.  What type of meats or vegetables do you put in your sauce?
Either italian sausage or ground beef.  Or a combination of the two.  For vegetables, I like zucchini, mushrooms, onions ... that's all I can think of off the top of my head!

10.  Do you make a "Sunday gravy" to use throughout the week or do you just open a jar of whatever and heat it up?
I've made my own sauce before and I've also used store bought sauce.  We don't eat a ton of pasta dishes so it just depends on the recipe and the amount of time I have!

Ten on Tuesday #26

Two posts on Tuesday ... guess I was a little late on posting my Little Happies post.  Whoops!  Anyways, I hope you are all having a wonderful Tuesday.  If you want to play along this week, go over to Roots and Rings to find the questions and link up!  

1.  How do you take your coffee?

From Starbucks!  Haha.  I like a Venti Iced Coffee with 4 pumps of caramel and a splash of nonfat milk.  Delicious.  However, I stayed the night at R.'s on Sunday and she made me french press coffee on Monday morning and it was pretty delicious.  I may look into learning how to use a french press.  

2.  Do you prefer soft or crispy chocolate chip cookies?

Hmm, maybe crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside?  Really I like them best right from the oven so they are warm and soft.  

3.  Do you wear a belt everyday?

Nope, I rarely wear a belt.  It's just not my thing.  

4.  What is your favorite color combination?

Hmm, that depends.  I am loving the bright blue and white combination I have going on in my kitchen, the turquoise, white and black combo in my office, the gray and yellow combo in my guest room and if I was staying in this house longer the navy, gray and white combo that would be going on in my master bedroom!  

5.  Do you like sour candy? 

Not really. 

6.  How often do you do laundry?

About once a week.  More if I really need something that is in the laundry basket. 

7.  Did you ever wear braces?

Yes, for 2 years I think.  I still have a permanent retainer behind my bottom teeth!  

8.  Are you good at Roman Numerals?

Nope, not at all.  I can do 1-5 and that is about it.  

9.  What is your favorite form of social media?

I like Facebook and Twitter, but I use Facebook the most.  I try to set Twitter goals for myself so I will tweet more but sometimes I just don't feel like I have anything exciting to say. 

10.  How do you feel about chin dimples? 

Hmm, I don't think I really have an opinion about chin dimples.  Sorry.  

Have a good Tuesday everyone!  

Ten on Tuesday #25 - Would You Rather?

Happy Tuesday Friends.  I'm writing this instead of tackling the next project on my massive to-do list which is to clean the entire house.  I know it won't actually take that long once I get started but I just cannot start.  I'm too tired.  Running this household by myself is a lot of work and today has just been one of THOSE DAYS.  I don't know how people with kids or full-time jobs do it.  Major props to them. 

Anyways, if you want to play along this week, head over to Roots and Rings to get the questions and link-up!  This week's questions are lots of fun!  

Would You Rather?

1.  Eat chocolate covered grasshoppers or this freaky squid thing?
Ummm neither!  But I would rather eat chocolate covered grasshoppers than a moving squid.  I don't think I could eat something that was moving.  GROSS.

2.  Never see another movie or never watch TV again?
Hmm, probably never see another movie.  Giving up TV would be REALLY hard.

3.  Be a superhero with a lame power or a supervillian with an awesome power?
Probably a superhero with a lame power, because if I was a supervillian with an awesome power I would probably be using it for evil and that's not good!

4.  Eat only salty snacks for the rest of your life or only sweet snacks?
This is easy ... SWEET SNACKS.  I could never give up my sweets :)

5.  Never read another book or never hear another song?
This is hard ... I love both.  But probably never read another book.  I could always listen to books on tape :)

6.  Be a whale carcass remover or a sewer inspector?
Ew.  Neither.  I can't imagine what would smell worse - a whale carcass or a sewer?  Whichever smelled better of the two is what I would rather do!

7.  Have no electricity or no running water?
No running water.  I don't think I could live with internet.

8.  Be a dog or a cat?
DOG!  I'm allergic to cats.  That would be awkward to be allergic to myself.

9.  Always be hot or always be cold?
Always be hot I think. I hate being cold.  Although when you are cold you can always add more layers.

10.  Be forced to watch all 3 High School Musicals on an endless loop or the Twilight movies?
Twilight movies!  I love Twilight :)

Ten on Tuesday #24 - Back on the Bandwagon!

Happy "Monday" Friends!  

I have had quite the start to my week ... I had breakfast with a new friend, found out another friend will be joining us in Japan, tackled my massive to-do list and finally (for the first time since J. left) feel like I am on top of things.  It has been really hard to manage everything since J. left  - I guess you don't realize how much they actually do until they are gone?  There is ALWAYS something to do around here and I am not used to doing 100%, 100% of the time.  

There's the house which is always full of dog hair, the house projects that need to be completed, the yard (which is a HUGE project), the dogs, my work, working out, the blog, emails, the bills, etc. etc. etc.  Today, almost four weeks after J. left, I finally feel like I have it all under control.  

Of course, there are still things that need to be done ... the yard, my laundry, my car needs to be cleaned out desperately, there are still house projects to do and let's not even talk about the last time I worked out, but I finally quit over committing myself (go me!) and I think I'll be able to tackle all these things in the next  few days!  It's such a great feeling!  

I have a hard time saying no to people, so usually I end up committing to everything that I am asked to do and finally today, I said no.  And it felt good.  So, friends, even if your significant other is not on deployment and you don't have to manage everything by yourself right now, it's okay to still say no and give yourself a breather from time to time.  You'll be surprised by how much you can accomplish!

Anyways, enough rambling, I am jumping back on the Ten on Tuesday bandwagon.  If you want to play along this week, head over to Roots and Rings to get the questions and link up!

1.  What temperature do you keep your thermostat on during the day?
Well, I live in the PacNW and we don't have air conditioning, so my thermostat has been off since May? I am not sure.  I keep the windows open all the time and the temperature definitely varies but it stays fairly tolerable.

2.  What temperature do you keep your thermostat on at night? 
See the above.  I hope I won't have to turn my heat on anytime soon!

3.  In a canister of mixed nuts, do you pick out certain varieties and leave the others?
Not really ... I like most nuts!

4.  What is your favorite kind of M&M?
Well I really like them all.  Because I love chocolate.  And M&M's especially.  But peanut butter are delicious, peanut are good and dark chocolate peanut ... o.m.g.  Delicious.

5.  How do you buy books? 
I use Amazon for my Kindle and I LOVE Half Price Books, the used bookstore!  The closest one to me is about 40 miles away so I don't go too often anymore.

6.  How do you like your eggs cooked?
I like omelets and fried eggs, but only if the yolk is hard.  No runny yolks for me!

7.  Can you whistle? 
Not really.  I think I need to practice.

8.  What common word do you always misspell?
Well according to spell check, I just misspelled omelettes.  Apparently it is omelette if it is singular and omelets if it is plural.  Isn't that kind of strange?

9.  Are you afraid of flying? 
No, I fly a lot and I generally like it.  Although I have to say that I do hate flying home because it takes so darn long and Sea-Tac (the airport) has given my airport anxiety.  I feel like I need to be there a day early because security is always so darn long.

10.  How often do you go shopping? 
Well if you count grocery shopping and errands, then almost everyday!  But I go "fun" shopping once a week or once every two weeks.  Right now I feel like I am shopping a lot for J.'s care packages, but how can you feel bad about that?

I will hopefully be posting about the rest of my mom's visit, my new vacuum and our camping trip to Shi Shi Beach later this week! 

Ten on Tuesday #23 - Laundry Edition

Happy Tuesday friends!  Things around here have been crazy.  It seems like that always happens when I am trying to get ready to go out of town.  I am heading down to the land of heat a.k.a. Houston, Texas and I. cannot. wait. to step off the plane and feel the blast of Texas heat!  

And lay out at the pool and wear all my summer clothes that are currently hibernating :)

Anyways, if you want to join in this week's Ten on Tuesday, head over to Roots and Rings to link up!

1.  Do you do laundry all at the same time or a load here and there?
I try to do it all at once but if I need something that's dirty I'm not opposed to doing a load here and there.

2.  What kind of detergent do you use?
Tide ... not sure what specific type but I always look for the cold water kind.

3.  Do you use fabric softener?
Nope, I don't get the point, my clothes seem soft enough.

4.  Do you use dryer sheets?
Yup, I think Downey?

5.  Do you iron your own clothes or take them to a cleaner to get pressed?
Well, I guess technically I iron my clothes but I don't really ever iron anything :)  I'm not very good at it.

6.  Do you like heavy starch or light starch?
I don't use starch?  Maybe that's my problem with ironing?

7.  Do you wash all your laundry at once or separate it?
Separate it.

8.  How do you separate it?  By people or by colors?
By colors and types ... darks, mediums, whites, towels, sheets.

9.  What clothes get hung up and what goes in drawers?
I hang up most of my tops ... except for t-shirts, they go in the drawers.  My jeans go in a dresser drawer but my dress pants, skirts and dresses all get hung up.

10.  Do you use plastic, wire, or wooden hangers?  Do they all match?
Plastic.  They do not all match -- most are white, but some are fun colors I inherited from an old roommate.

Ten on Tuesday #22

Happy Tuesday friends!  I hope that this week is off to a good start for you!  Mine has been good, but busy.  I was able to spend most of yesterday working at home and I'm happy to report that I was productive.  It feels good to start the week off on the right foot!  

If you are interested in participating in this week's Ten on Tuesday, visit Roots and Rings to get the questions and link up!  

1.  What colour are your toenails painted?
OPI's Ate Berries in the Canaries ... it's lovely bold pink color!

2.  What colour are your fingernails painted?
OPI's Ate Berries in the Canaries ... I like to match!

3.  What is your favourite brand of nail polish?
OPI!  But, I'd like to try Essie out sometime soon.  I keep hearing great things about their polish and I have loved their colors lately.

4.  As the norm, do you DIY or get mani/pedis?
Well, I prefer to get mani/pedis (at least manis), but we moved away from the place I liked and it's not really in my budget right now either, so I try to save them for special occasions.  My cheap-o nail secret is to get a "polish change" instead of a full mani - it usually only costs $6.00!

5.  Have you ever had a gel mani?  Do you recommend it? 
Nope, I haven't.  I'd like to try one but I've heard bad things about removing the polish.

6.  What is the last movie you watched on television?  (TV, Netflix, Redbox, etc.)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!  It was on the other night while I was baby-sitting.  I also have Sleepless in Seattle from Netflix to watch as soon as I have time!

7.  What is the last movie you watched in the cinema? 
Bad Teacher.  I want to go see Horrible Bosses next!

8.  Is there a movie that everyone talks about as if it is a classic but you haven't seen?
Probably lots ... I just saw Top Gun and An Officer and A Gentlemen for the first time last fall!

9.  What is your favourite movie soundtrack? 
I like Love Actually's soundtrack and Notting Hill's!

10.  Have you seen a movie and thought it was better than the book it was based on?
Hmm, I don't think so?  I typically like the books better than the movies but I'll have to think about this one.

Ten on Tuesday #21 - Zoo Edition!

Happy Tuesday friends!  I have lots to blog about, but I left my camera cord at home so I can't upload my pictures until later tonight.  So, I'm going to go ahead and participate in this week's Ten on Tuesday even thought I am not much of a zoo-goer!  If you want to participate, visit Roots and Rings to link up!

I hope that you all had fabulous weekends ... I can't wait to tell you about mine later this week! 

1.  What is your favorite zoo to visit?

Well, I don't know.  I'd like to see Seattle's zoo and it's probably the closest zoo, so I'll go ahead and say Seattle's.  

2.  Do you visit a zoo very often?

Nope, I can't even remember the last time I went to the zoo.  I know I went to the zoo when I visited San Diego in '06 or '07, but I'm not sure if I've been since then.  

3.  Do you have a membership to a zoo?

Nope.  

4.  When you visit a zoo, do you stay all day or just an hour or two?

Typically, I think we stay long enough to see all the animals.  If I'm going to pay to go to the zoo, I want to see everything!  

5.  Do you buy food at the zoo or pack a picnic lunch?

I think we used to buy lunch at the zoo.  Of course, when I was a kid, eating out was a lot more reasonably priced than it is now.  I assume the zoo overcharges, just like the movie theater.

6.  What is your favorite animal to see at the zoo?

I like the elephants and all the water animals ... polar bears, seals, dolphins, whales.  

7.  What is your least favorite animal to see at the zoo?

The snakes and spiders.  

8.  What is your favorite memory of going to the zoo as a kid?

I don't really have any particular zoo memories, but when we used to visit my grandparents in Chicago we would always go to the Shedd Aquarium.  We LOVED it and I always loved seeing the sea otters swim around in their habitat.  

9.  Do you visit the gift shop when you go to the zoo?

I might, but I probably wouldn't buy anything.  When we used to visit the Shedd Aquarium, we used to get a stuffed animal from the gift shop.  

10.  On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best and 1 being the worst), how nice is your city's zoo?

I haven't been yet, so I don't know!  It's on the to-do list.

Ten on Tuesday #20!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're all having a wonderful start to your week!  I'm getting ready to spend the evening in Seattle with my friends R. and S2, so you could say my week is off to a good start :)

You know the drill by now ... if you want to participate in this week's Ten on Tuesday, head over to Roots and Rings to link up!  

1.  When you are on a plane and the kid behind you is kicking your seat, what do you do?
I feel like this just happened to me ... I usually just sit there unless it gets REALLY bad and then I occasionally look over the seat each time the kid kicks the chair until the parent notices.  I don't want to be rude and I'm not confrontational, but you should definitely be paying attention to what your kid is doing if you are bringing them on a plane.  I paid for my seat and I shouldn't be kicked the whole flight!

2.  What food that you KNOW is bad for you and you shouldn't have, but you love/eat it anyway?
Umm, what food don't I like that's bad for me?  Let's start with that.  Haha.  I love ALL sweets -- candy, cookies, brownies, cake, cupcakes, ice cream, marshmallows, anything with lots of sugar in it is something I love.  I am trying REALLY hard to cut back, but it's so darn hard!

3.  What is your favorite book of all time?
I always have the hardest time with this question!  I'm going to say Eat, Pray, Love ... I absolutely love that book and have read it more than a couple of times!  And now I love the movie as well ... who doesn't love Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem?!

4.  If I came to visit you in your town, where would we eat?
Well I just moved here, so I haven't been everywhere yet.  But, if you came for lunch we would go to The Lunch Box and if you came for dinner we would either go to Il Graniao for Italian or try this Thai place I keep hearing about!

5.  You have 500 dollars and 40 minutes to spend it at any store you want.  Where do you go?
Well, I can't make it to any good stores in 40 minutes, so let's pretend I'm already at the mall.  I'd go to Nordstrom because you have so many options ... shoes, bags, makeup, sunglasses, jewelry, clothes!  I could definitely spend $500 in forty minutes.  And, Nordstrom has the best return policy ever so I could always bring anything back and exchange it :)

6.  What blog do you read every day/the most often?
I read every blog in my "Blogs I Read" list as often as I'm online (which is usually every day).  The blogs I'm hooked up right now are Young House Love and Tasty Kitchen.  And I'm in love with Pinterest, which I realize is not a blog, but I spend A LOT of time on Pinterest everyday.

7.  What's the longest you've ever been stuck at an airport?
I don't really remember ... probably a few hours.  I feel like I must not have a crazy, airport horror story or I'd have a better answer for this one!

8.  What's your daily makeup/face/cleansing routine?
Well, in the morning I wash my face, put on moisturizer (with SPF!), primer, foundation, powder, bronzer and setting powder.  Then blush.  Then eye primer.  Then eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and I comb my eyebrows into place!  At night, I wash it all off and then put on moisturizer and whatever skin-help cream I'm using at the moment.  If I'm being lazy I just use an Olay make-up wipe.

9.  Where is your farthest away friend?
I think I'm actually the farthest away from all my friends.  Most of them live in Indianapolis or Chicago.  But, right now my cousin is in Italy so she is the farthest away.  Permanently, I think my friend Mrs. B. lives the farthest away, she's in Virginia Beach, Va. right now.

10.  Where is your favorite place to go hiking (or to enjoy nature?)
Anywhere within a 2-3 hour radius of my house!  We are lucky to live somewhere where we could go hiking every weekend and never see all of the great trails around here!  

Ten on Tuesday #19 - Fourth of July Edition

Happy Tuesday friends!  Even though I don't work full time, I love short weeks.  We're just that much closer to another weekend and more fun stuff!  I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, I hope to post about ours sometime soon!  This week's Ten on Tuesday is appropriately themed, so head over to Roots and Rings if you want to link up!

1.  What do you traditionally do for the 4th of July?
Hmm, well since this was only my 2nd Fourth of July in Washington, I don't feel like we have any set traditions yet.  However, we did go to a BBQ both years.  So, I guess our tradition is to attend a BBQ and watch fireworks?  Sometime in the future, I want to own a house on Big Lake and have a big Fourth of July party every year.  We attended a BBQ there this year and they sure know how to celebrate :)

2.  Did you follow your tradition this year?  How did you celebrate yesterday?
Yes.  We went to a BBQ at a friend's house on Big Lake and watched their fireworks on July 3rd and yesterday we went to a friend's house in Seattle and watched the Lake Union fireworks from their rooftop.  It was lots of fun!

3.  What's the best fireworks show you've ever seen?
Big Lake's were pretty great on July 3rd -- all of the houses on the lake shoot off their own fireworks which were awesome to see and then the local fire department does a big show as well.  Seattle's were also REALLY good.  If you're in the area and you've never seen their fireworks, I recommend you go next year.

4.  Have you ever been injured by a firecracker?
No, I don't like to play with firecrackers :)

5.  Burger, Brat or Hot Dog?
Burger or Brat.  I don't eat hot dogs.

6.  Do you sport red, white and blue on our Independence Day?
Sometimes.  I wore a jean jacket and a blue-ish scarf yesterday.

7.  If you had to be from any country other than the USA, what country would it be?
Italy or France.  I love both countries and cultures and I would absolutely LOVE to live in either one at some point in my life.

8.  Charcoal or gas?
Charcoal?  We have a charcoal grill but I don't personally know how to use it.

9.  What's your favorite thing about this fair country of ours?
Well, I guess that I live here?  It really is a great country and traveling elsewhere makes you realize that.  We have access to so many things and we can access them so quickly.  We really are very fortunate.

10.  God Bless the USA, My Country Tis of Thee, or the Star Spangled Banner?
God Bless the USA.

Bracelets

I meant to post this last night but my Blogger was being very very BAD.  It was frustrating.

Stacking bracelets are the newest trend ... and one that I am really loving.  I don't usually wear big necklaces or earrings, so I like to wear bracelets :)  Jax posted about a bracelet swap she found out about and I wanted to pass the idea along to all my bloggy friends!  I signed up today and you should too!  

Michabella is hosting the bracelet swap and you can sign up here.  

Now I've got to go hunt down the perfect bracelets.

Happy Thursday!

Ten on Tuesday #18

Happy Tuesday friends!  I hope you liked the past two posts on the house.  We've gotten a lot of work done lately, both inside and out, so I will try to do a few posts soon on the improvements we've made.  I don't know about you guys, but I am TIRED today.  I haven't been on a good routine since I got back from Indianapolis.  I need to get it together!  Anyways, let's get on to the main event.  If you want to link up this week, visit Roots and Rings!

1.  What's the recipe for your favorite drink?  (Smoothie, alcoholic, coffee, whatever.)
My favorite smoothie recipe is 8 strawberries, 6 peach slices, a handful of blueberries, a carton of Greek yogurt and a little bit of water.  My favorite coffee recipe is Iced Coffee with 2 pumps of Caramel syrup and a splash of non-fat milk.

2.  What kind of razor do you use?
Bic Soleil!

3.  Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
I don't have a favorite?  I can't remember the last time I watched Sesame Street.  Sorry.

4.  What makes the perfect salad?  (Lettuce type, toppings, dressing, etc.)
Currently, I am loving Organic Spinach with toasted almonds and Kraft Toasted Sesame dressing.  It is delicious.

5.  What was your favorite subject in school?
Hmmm, I really liked my U.S. Government class in high school.  In college, I took a wine tasting class and that was pretty cool :)

6.  What's your favorite summer tradition?
I don't really have any special summer traditions.  I just love a few months of heat and sunshine!

7.  Do you suffer from season allergies?  How do you combat them?
Not really.  If I get stuffy, I generally just take a Benadryl or two.

8.  How often do you have to charge your cell phone?
Every night!

9.  Do you have a bucket list?
Yes, but it's not written down.  It's all in my head.  I've been thinking about doing a blog post at some point in the future to get everything down in one place and have somewhere to keep track of the things I've done.  And also to be able to write about them!  If they are important enough to be on my bucket list, I should probably have some kind of written recap of them!

10.  Do you have any desire to go back to school?
NOPE.  I am overeducated for this job market -- hence my self-employment.  And I am not giving one more penny of my money to an institute for higher education (well, at least until my children go to college).

Ten on Tuesday #17 - Perfection!

I'm taking a little blogging break, but I thought I'd participate in this week's Ten on Tuesday!  I fully intend to start blogging again soon, but I've just been so busy that I haven't had time to sit down and write lately.  I was in Indianapolis for two weeks and now that I'm back, J. and I have been attacking our house projects left and right.  It's been great to see how little changes can make such a big difference, but it hasn't left much time for blogging.

Anyways, I hope that this week is treating you well and you are enjoying the first official day of summer!  If you want to play along this week, head over to Roots and Rings to link up!

1.  What's the perfect meal?
It depends ... maybe a filet and lobster tail?  With some delicious mashed potatoes and asparagus on the side.  With some really good wine and a delicious dessert.  And a dessert drink with dessert.  Yum.  Now I'm hungry!

2.  What are the perfect pair of shoes?
Fabulous heels.  I found two pairs last time I went to DSW and it took all my willpower not to leave the store with them!

3.  What is the perfect afternoon?
Maybe an afternoon at the beach?  Just soaking up some sun and having a fruity, frozen adult beverage :)

4.  What is the perfect house?
A house that is good for entertaining!  A big, open kitchen and living area.  Three or four bedrooms.  A GIANT walk-in closet :)  and a nice big backyard for sunny summer days and nights!

5.  What is the perfect outfit?
Either a cute dress or skinny jeans and a cute top with heels!

6.  What's the perfect wedding song?
Hmm ... I don't know.  I'll let you know when I get married!

7.  What is the perfect job?
Something that would pay me to travel!  Maybe travel writing?  Or reviewing hotels/spas/activities, something like that!

8.  What's the perfect hairstyle?
Well, if my hair would do it, I would love to have long-ish hair that has great waves.  I'm working on growing it out right now so we will see.

9.  What's the perfect music festival?
Something like Lollapalooza, but all my favorite bands would be playing.  Arcade Fire, Ra Ra Riot, Mumford & Sons, Tom Petty, Lady Gaga, U2, Adele ... definitely some others that I would love to see but can't think of right now.

10.  What's the perfect day to yourself?
A full day at the spa would be WONDERFUL.

Ten on Tuesday #16 - Cellphones!

Happy Tuesday friends!  I spent the day having a late Mother's Day with my mom!  I decided to wait and give my mom her Mother's Day present while I was in town this month.  We went for a four mile walk this morning, spent a few hours at the pool soaking up the glorious Midwestern sun, did some browsing at Nordstrom's and MAC, ate some delicious cupcakes, got our nails done and had a date at her favorite Mexican restaurant!  

Our delicious cupcakes ... if there is a Gigi's Cupcakes anywhere near you, you MUST go!

Anyways, on to today's main event.  As always, if you would like to play along, go over to Roots and Rings and link up!  

1.  What type of phone do you have?  Do you like it?
I have an iPhone and I love it!  It's got everything I need on it - texting, email, Facebook, Google Maps.  I think I'd have a hard time switching back to anything else!

2.  How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
I think 16 ... when I started driving.

3.  How many cell phones have you owned since your first?
I can't remember ... I remember my first phone, the last one I had before I got a smart phone, my Blackberry and now I'm on my third iPhone (not by choice!)  There were probably a few phones in between my first phone and the one I had before I got my Blackberry.

4.  How much is your average monthly phone bill?
Well, we have a family plan with my mom and sister and I think it's $275.00/month.  My portion is much smaller of course :)

5.  When you were a kid/teenager, were you allowed to have a phone in your room?
Yes, I had one of those super cool clear phones with the colored wires inside and I also had my own phone line!

6.  Do you like talking on the phone or do you despise it?  Or somewhere in-between?
It depends on the day.  I don't really love talking on the phone, but I do like catching up with everyone!

7.  Do you text a lot?  Is texting/talking while driving illegal where you live?  Are you guilty of it anyway?
Yes, I text way more than I talk on the phone.  Texting and talking while driving is illegal where I live ... I think it's stupid that talking is illegal ... I find my commuting time to be the best time to talk to people!  I am very guilty of talking while driving.  I should probably invest in a Bluetooth or something similar.

8.  What sort of texting keyboard do your phone have?  Touch screen, slide out or something different? Do you care?
My phone has a touch screen ... I'd say it's the only feature of the iPhone that I don't like.  I miss my Blackberry keyboard!

9.  Look at the last call in your carll log - who is it?  What were they calling about?  Who calls you the most?
My mom!  She was calling because she couldn't find me in the store we were in.  I'd say my mom and my friend L.Rae call me the most :)  L.Rae and I try to have weekly phone dates.  When I'm not in Washington, J. calls me a lot too.

10.  What is the longest phone call you can recall having?
Hmmm, I don't know.  Sometimes L.Rae and I can talk for 2+ hours.  Our lives are so exciting that we just always have so much to catch up on!  Haha.

Have a great week everyone!  

Ten on Tuesday #15 - The Summer Edition!

Memorial Day might signal the start of summer to most people, but not to us up here in the chilly Pacific Northwest.  Summer doesn't actually start until July 5th (and no, I am not kidding ... it happens overnight).  But, since it was relatively sunny this afternoon, I didn't have to wear a coat today and I'm heading towards Indianapolis and 90 degree temperatures later this week, I think I can partake in this week's edition of Ten on Tuesday.  As always, head on over to Roots and Rings to play along.

1.  From your childhood, what do you miss most about summer vacation?
Hmmm, well I think I miss the innocence of summer as a child.  No responsibilities, no guilt trips, vacations paid for by your parents, no worries except whether or not you had to go in early to take a bath ... we didn't know how good we had it as kids!

2.  Are you going anywhere on vacation this summer?
Not really, I'm going to Indy in a few days but I don't really consider that a vacation.  However, I do hope to come back with a fabulous tan.

3.  What foods do you like to barbecue?
Anything ... especially veggies, salmon and shrimp.  And kabobs.  Yum.

4.  How do you celebrate the Fourth of July?
However I want ... it's my birthday!  I don't have any sort of tradition, just whatever happens to be going on that year.

5.  What's your favorite beverage to drink in the summertime?
Lemonade, mojitos, frozen fruity beverages.

6.  What movie are you looking forward to seeing this summer?
Well, I've seen Something Borrowed, the Hangover 2 and Bridesmaids ... so I'd say I've covered all my bases.

7.  In the car:  windows down or AC?
Depends ... if you're in Washington you can usually have the windows down.  If you're in Indy, you need the windows rolled up and the AC on.

8.  Have you ever had a summer fling?
Not really, I had a huge crush on my swim coach the summer after 9th grade and he took me on a date but I think it was a pity date.  My parents were getting ready to move me across the country and he never had to do any follow through :)  But it was still a good date.

9.  Do you wear sunscreen?
Yes, I do not want skin cancer!

10.  Do you have any favorite summertime activities?
Soaking up the sun!  Going hiking.  Going to the Farmer's Markets.  Being outside super late because the days are long.  Pretty much anything outdoors.

Ten on Tuesday #14!

So, I've been slacking in the blog department lately ... sorry about that friends.  My absence is partly due to the fact that the weather was so beautiful last week that I spent every second that I could outdoors, soaking up the sun and doing lots of yardwork and partly due to the fact that I've had a steady stream of clients lately that have been taking up all my time that hasn't been spent in the out of doors.  Now let's hope these clients actually pay me :)

I promise to spend some time documenting the projects we've done to the house and hopefully taking pictures and doing a house tour at some point in the near future.  Things are looking pretty good in the new house, but it is by no means anywhere near "finished."

Anyways, on to this weeks Ten on Tuesday.  If you would like to play along, visit Roots and Rings to see this weeks questions and link up!

1.  Have you ever used Craigslist?
Yes!  In fact, I just used it last week to sell some Groupons I wasn't going to use.  I also use it to peruse furniture for sale, look for apartments (back when I rented) and look for jobs!  I think Craigslist is great and I've never had a bad experience.

2.  Can you sew?
Kind of?  I can sew a few stitches if I have too, but I usually leave that for someone with more skills.  Like my mom.  I would eventually like to get a sewing machine and try to tackle some DIY projects around the house but that probably won't happen anytime soon.

3.  Do you pour syrup on your pancakes or dip your pancakes in the syrup?
I just recently started eating syrup (I know, I know, I'm weird).  I usually dip my pancakes in the syrup.  That way I don't get soggy pancakes.

4.  Rain storms:  Love them or hate them?
Well, until I moved to the Pacific Northwest I enjoyed a good thunder storm.  Now, it rains WAY too often for me to say that I like the rain.

5.  Do you like swimming?
Yes!  I used to be on the swim team and in college J. and I used to swim two mornings a week for our workout!

6.  What kind of drink do you order at Sonic?
It's been a long time since I lived near a Sonic, but I used to order Cherry Limeade or a slush.  I LOVE a good Cherry Limeade.  Does anyone know where I can get a Cherry Limeade around these parts?

7.  Are you funny?
I'm going to say no.  I'm sarcastic and sometimes people don't get it.  So that's not very funny.

8.  At what age will your children get cell phones?
Well, my hypothetical children will get cellphones when they have their own cars that is for sure.  And potentially before then, I will have to see what other parents are doing and at what age I feel like it's necessary for my kids to have a phone.  And if they are willing to contribute towards the bill!  Having a cell phone could be a good way to teach kids about responsibility, the value of money and paying bills!

9.  What's your favorite vegetable?
Hmm, this is a tough one.  I really like organic spinach, zucchinis, asparagus, green beans, corn, carrots, bell peppers ... the list goes on.

10.  Were you a Girl Scout?
Nope.

Ten on Tuesday #13!

It's that time again ... Ten on Tuesday!  And who doesn't love today's topic ... movies!  Very fitting since my post yesterday was all about how much I loved Something Borrowed!  As always, visit Roots and Rings to link up and play along!

1.  If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Hmm, that is a hard choice.  I've got Something Borrowed on the brain, so I am going to pick it.  I can't remember the last time I sat in a movie theater, did not think once about how long I had been there and both laughed and cried.

2.  Let's say someone wrote a screenplay about you; what actor/actress would you choose to play you and why?
Hmm, maybe Rachel Bilson?  I think she is super cute (just like me obviously!), has great style and seems really down to earth.  She seems like someone I could be friends with, which I think is an important quality in an actress playing me.  It's got to be believable!


3.  What's the first movie you remember seeing?
I don't know ... I remember watching Clueless with my sister when I was little and thinking we were so cool.  And also seeing Twister at the Drive-In (in Kansas) during tornado season.

4.  Did you ever make out at the back of the movie theater in middle school/high school?
I don't think so ... if I did, it clearly wasn't that memorable.

5.  Are you a Netflix-er, Blockbuster-er or a Redbox-er?  (Or none of the above?)
I am a Netflix-er!  I love it.  I've seen so many more movies and television shows than I would have without it.  J. and I have been watching seasons of TV shows since we started Netflix.   We've seen Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dexter, The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and we're currently watching Mad Men.  I also like Redbox but I don't use it as much since we got Netflix.

6.  Name one actor/actress who you would give anything to have a dinner date with.
Javier Bardem.  Yum.

7.  What's the worst movie you've ever seen?
I can't remember the name of the movie ... maybe it will come to me later ... but my friends and I literally got up in the middle of the movie and walked out.  It was that bad.

8.  Do you sneak snacks into the theater when you go?
Not usually.  I try not to snack but sometimes I can't help it.  Plus I like movie theater popcorn so I like to get my snacks at the movie.

9.  Movie theater popcorn: love it or hate it?
Love it!

10.  What's the all-time best Disney movie in your opinion?
Hmm, are we talking the classics or any?  I loved all the Toy Storys and Shreks.  But, if we are talking classics ... Little Mermaid.