Awesome weekend

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The apartment is a mess. We hates it, precious! I suppose that's what happens when I spend a night away. At least I helped my Mom strip the sheets from her bed. I can definitely tell when I visit her that my Flylady routines are rubbing off on her. It is great to see.

T and I managed to squeeze in a run yesterday before I went to my babysitting gig. Since we slacked off over the holidays, we dialed it back to week 3, day 3 of the Couch to 5k program and we'll be progressing from there. I had leftover French Onion soup for dinner and it was actually better the second time. Thanks husband! I also wore the new purple blazer my Mom got me for Christmas. It was very comfortable!

English: french onion soup, as photographed at the Woodhaven House in Rego Park, NY. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This morning T and I watched the TLC show My Strange Addiction on Netflix. I have to admit, it was a little disappointing. Learning about the addictions was interesting, but the program offered little information on the reasons for it and completely glossed over the treatment. I would have really enjoyed more details on that.

The original Dungeons & Dragons set. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is Dungeons and Dragons day. I'm really frustrated that I wasn't able to get my sword back last session, and now we have to play a silly game involving keeping a councilwoman from being assassinated and stopping a riot. It's still the only way for my rogue to get her sword back, so she'll go along with it until she gets what she wants. She also might get a lecture from a teammate on attacking them in order to solve a puzzle. But it solved the puzzle! We wouldn't even have gotten this far if she hadn't done that, so I considered a Crowning Moment of Awesome for my character, Dezirinda.

I really enjoyed visiting with my Mom Friday and Saturday. I was also able to watch a friend of mine audition for a play. It was so funny to see her on stage in the same theater where I performed in my first play. (As a tree.) I was also able to see one of my eighth grade teachers and her daughter, who I babysat when I was about 14. Now that I am older I can't believe she trusted me with that responsibility when I was so young!

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This is my pitiful attempt at putting scripture around the house. The only plain post-its I have right now are tiny, so I have to write 'crazy small'. The verse is Deuteronomy 31:8, " The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”, which I read this morning. I mean...at noon...because that's when I got up. Ahem. I'm also researching prayer, because I'm pretty sure I'm terrible at it, so if you have any ideas on that, please share.

 I've decided I want to lose 23 pounds. If anyone has anything smart to say about that, they can keep it to themselves. The first thing I ate today was a peanut butter sandwich with 100% whole wheat bread. That gives me good carbohydrates. Now I'm making eggs for protein. I have to go to bed at ten pm tonight. As productive as last night's bookshelving was, this cannot continue. And I want to snuggle with my husband, so deal with it. Another habit I want to start is praying with him before bed. I think that would be awesome. Going to bed on time would also help us to make it to the Young Married class at church, which we keep missing. 

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We had Ari and Tay over for dinner last night. That was nice. T made some amazing onions and some pretty good chicken. The onions though...I swear they were like candy. I showed Ari and Tay some Azumanga Daioh and Kazu stretched out in Ari's lap until Tay annoyed him because he kept shaking the couch. We watched stupid Youtube videos and Tay ate all our Oreos. It was fun.

Kazu is kind of being a big butt today. At the moment, he is sitting behind me on the computer chair, but he has been rattling blinds, trying to pee on the papers in the shredder box, and jumping on the table. I think we're not showing him enough attention.

The apartment is still a horrible mess, though everyone claims that it gets better each time they see it. My next project is the bedroom. For starters, reorganizing and cleaning out our clothes. I have an Oprah magazine with some good ideas to that end.

T and I went running for 20 minutes at the Farms yesterday. Next time, (which I'm thinking will be Thursday) we step it up to jogging 90 seconds, walking 90 seconds, jogging 3 minutes, and walking three minutes. Lather, rinse, repeat. 5K here we come!

can't sleep, clowns will eat me

I'm getting old. I say this not because my birthday is tomorrow (which it is. Pi day. I know you're jealous), but because of other things. Because I don't await my next dvd purchase with bated breath. I'd rather save my money towards a three day trip to the next state with my husband. I talk about things like life insurance and taxes. I get excited about changing my name at the bank.

I worry about my Mom and Dad. It's difficult to find the balance between the new family that T and I are creating and my family of origin. I don't want to leave them behind. I worry about them. I'm terrified of losing them someday. I know I don't call me Mom nearly as much as I used to. Where do they fit into all this? It was beautiful today to sit outside with my Mom, picking at my sandwich and talking about marriage and respect and identity and femininity. She can be so smart when she puts her mind to it. That was a flicker of the old her, before a drunk driver and diabetes and an arrogant father took her strength away. Maybe I'll see more of that soon. I think it's also a result of the spiritual renaissance I've been experiencing. She and my Dad have been getting closer and closer. I gave her my copy of "Love and Respect" to read. Perhaps through my faithfulness and the testimony of my marriage, we can help bring my Dad back to the fold.

I miss my friends dearly, lately. However, I am thankful for facebook and online messaging and texting. I defy anyone who says that technology has damaged our relationships. Anna is going to GP to be a GP. I'm insanely proud of her, not just for her assignment, but for taking on the difficult task of explaining her desire for it to her parents. And honored that she wants to hang out with me (in person!) in 2015. I don't want five years to go by between seeing one another again. I need someone to go on adventures with, and she's the girl for the job. Lyss will be getting her black belt next weekend, and I plan on being there. I want to encourage her like my grandparents always encouraged me at my dance recitals. If I have any say in it, she'll be the happiest, most confident 12  year old on the planet. I will see Ari Friday night at the salsa club. We have both been busy as of late, but my anniversary card to her made her laugh, and that made me smile. I am texting Cassie, who is in Korea now. I do need to call Garrard.

Kazu is a kitty. As of late, he has been more directly playful with T and I. He will occasionally run up behind me and grab my legs gently, thereby initiating a game of tag. I make silly noises, and run around corners and gently grab or tap him while we chase each other. Sometimes I hide behind things and wait for him to pounce me. Sometimes I get down on my hands and knees and crawl around. It is fun, and he is ever so gentle. When he does get too excited, he heeds my admonitions quickly.

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We rearranged the furniture Saturday, in between a Spycraft session and a Doctor Who marathon. (3 episodes counts as a marathon, right?) The long suffering Nick and TM helped us out. T deserves special credit, since it was also his birthday. Of course, we did bribe him with thin mint cake and a party hat, which he insisted on wearing like a unicorn. Anyway, I'm happy with the end result. We've managed to make a large space look like three different rooms, while still maintaining a sense of space and not making the tv the focal point of the room.

pedal with authority

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"We pedal with authority in here!" Hehe. That's what my spin class instructor said today. It made me giggle. I told Ari how I want to rearrange the living room. She approves. It was nice to have her and Tay over here for a change. I really want our house to be like Lou and M's was for me. Relaxing, welcoming, homey, and safe. Some of my best and/or most defining moments happened in or because of that house and the people in it. It would be an incredible blessing for our house to be that for someone else.
Kazu had company today too...cousin Julep came to visit. They both did very well. Kazu was relaxed enough to tease Julep a little bit, which was pretty funny. I think it's good for Zu to have a playmate. It keeps him physically active and also socially and mentally stimulated. Yay healthy kitty! And let's be honest. It's cute for Kazu's friends to be our friends and vice versa.

So Ari asked why I was taking pre-natal vitamins (To raise my vitamin D levels, not because I'm preggo, mmmkay?). I walked on Tay's back and he and Tony talked about their jobs. We talked about moving to new apartments and Tay showed us his silly Minecraft stuff. Ari complimented my kitty apron and said that we need to get Tony a cooler apron.

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She also said my buffalo chicken balls with blue cheese dressing were good. : D It was a really nice, relaxing evening.

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Also, I made pie.

http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2012/01/4-great-date-recipes-from-celebrity-chefs?currentPage=2 ^--chicken ball recipe

Comfortable Nattering

Image by Marjorie Lipan via Flickr

I get to see my little friend Bri tomorrow. I haven't seen her in at least four months. She's started middle school since then. I bet she's grown so much! I know she's going to be taller than me one day. I can't wait to hear how she is enjoying middle school. She's a smart girl and I know she going to do awesome. We'll be working on invitations for my upcoming wedding, in which she will be a junior bridesmaid.

I lost a kitty on Monday. His name was Jeffrey. I'm still uncomfortable using the past tense when talking about him. He deserves his own post in memoriam and I will do that as soon as I feel able. I miss him. I still look for him everytime I walk out the door. He's at the firetower now, as he deserves. My Mom and Dad were kind enough to take care of that for me.

I keep trying to clean and straighten my apartment. I've made some progress, but I still think that by the time I get it how I want it...it will be time to start moving everything into the fiance's apartment. I'll start doing that around the first of October, a box at a time. We've worked out most of the major furniture issues. (I get to keep my 20-year old couch! Whee!) I don't think it will be too much of an adjustment...But yeah, I have been doing better with keeping my kitchen and bathroom clean. Also the living room. Really, everyplace but my bedroom, which becomes a dumping zone because no one (including me) goes in there. It's really just a big closet. My brothers (and sisters), this should not be.

Also, I painted my fingernails purple today. Yay depth!