My new roommate

The best moment of my weekend came on Friday evening when Greg came home and said: "What do you say tomorrow you and I go pick out a Christmas tree together once I'm off of work?"

My heart started squealing in my chest and I was so excited I'm pretty sure I exhaled confetti and glitter. 
It's our second Christmas as a married couple, but it's our first Christmas on our own, in Los Angeles, and I really wanted to decorate in a way that made it special for us.  A live Christmas tree seemed appropriate.

So on Saturday night, I met Greg at Home Depot and we picked out a beautiful Douglas Fir evergreen that we felt would suit us just fine:

Douglas Fir, the newest member of our family.

Greg strapping the tree to the top of the car. (Doesn't he have a great profile?)

Well done, Greggers, well done.

Douglas Fir stands 6' tall and is quite wide as well, despite shedding about a pound of pine needles every time one of us whispers by on tip toe.  He proving to be a very messy roommate, but he smells good and looks pretty, so we love him.

Twinkle toes?

Greg and I don't have a lot of ornaments yet, but we filled Douglas Fir out pretty well with multiple strands of lights and a handful of ornaments that we got pretty creative with.  I have no doubt that as Christmas approaches Douglas Fir will find some extra accessories for his branches.  (We're pretty resourceful around these parts...)

One "ornament" that got added was a little leather coin purse that Greg's mother brought me back from Europe right before Greg and I got married.  It had somehow ended up in the box of Christmas decorations so when I pulled it out I decided it might as well go on the tree too.  I wrote a little letter describing our night of decorating, dated it, and zipped it into the purse before I gave it to Douglas Fir, and I think it will be a cool little time capsule to unwrap each year.  (This may become a tradition of hiding notes on our tree each year)

In addition to listening to Christmas music and decorating the tree, I made us some hot spiced apple cider with a cinnamon stick stirrer.  It began softly raining at one point in the night and it felt so cozy to be inside with Greg decorating our sweet little home for Christmas.

Once Douglas Fir was dressed Greg and I cuddled on the couch and watched Elf. 

I was bursting with happiness and gratitude, and I slept very soundly Saturday night.  It was the highlight of my weekend, for sure.

Sky blue side tables make me happy

Greg and I had a perfect Thanksgiving with new friends here in SoCal.  We made a few dishes to contribute to the feast and we stuffed ourselves silly and then played a trivia game and hung out for hours.

Greg worked on Black Friday, but I had a long luxurious weekend full of no plans!  I was able to do pretty much whatever I felt like doing, which was such a treat.  On Friday, I stayed in my pajamas most of the day and thoroughly cleaned our apartment in a way that felt soothing and therapeutic.  I cranked up my music and showered only when I was already in there scrubbing the bathtub anyway and I figured I might as well. 

The only time I took a break was when I picked up Greg for lunch, still in my pajamas, and ate Thanksgiving leftovers with him before he headed back to work to complete his shift.  Our apartment looks amazing, and I felt so accomplished at the end of the day in my shiny, squeaky clean and freshly laundered surroundings.

On Saturday, I decided I needed a project while Greg was at work.  So I decided to paint our old end table/magazine rack that I picked up at Ikea a million years ago.  It was the color of unfinished wood, and I decided on Saturday that I was tired of looking at it.  SO...

Before.

Sand down, add some paint, and:

After.

 

Polished, happy little corner.

I am really pleased with the way the table turned out, and I think Greg likes it too.  (He was a little uneasy when I told him I wanted to paint the table a light blue color, but I told him that if we hated it we could always repaint it.)

I'm really in love with this corner now, to prove it I've glorified it in an artsy-fartsy hipstamatic shot:

This is pretty much how I see our "new" table.

The best part of Saturday was picking out our Christmas tree together once Greg was off work that evening.  I'll write more about that tomorrow, but here's a preview: 

All is calm, all is bright...

Attention Holiday Shoppers

Tis the season!

I went to the mall at the end of last week for the first time in a while and I was not surprised to see Santa patiently waiting on his throne while familiar Christmas songs were piped throughout. 

Many people hate this commercial side of an American holiday season, but I enjoy it.  And though I don't necessarily embrace it as much as most Americans probably do, I still embrace the atmosphere.

I worked at the GAP all throughout college so I am very familiar with retail during the holiday season. It can suck, I won't lie-- it can be really hard work.  Those shifts can be nightmarishly long and people can be NASTY!

I did find though that camaradarie with my coworkers became stronger during that time of year, which was nice. The chaos of balancing crowds, sales, stocking stuffers and quotas turned us sales associates into a breed of "war buddies." 

But other times, it was really difficult to find the humor in my day.  I'm sure my poor roommate at the time had to hear plenty of earfuls about rude customers, my aching feet, stupid store policies and hellion children hiding in clothing racks. 

I'm sure I thought nothing of my complaining until I heard a friend go on and on about everything that went bad in her day (also working retail). I decided at that tender collegiate age that I didn't want to be that way too.  We all have days that we need to occasionally vent about, but what I observed in my friend was how incredibly miserable she was because of her negative attitude, and the scary thing was that I saw myself in her rants.

It was a valuable lesson, but not an easy one to put into practice.  Rather, it's a lesson that I constantly come back to-- it can be so easy to fall into complaining.  (Leave it to me to complain amidst tinsel and tidings and good cheer!)  Why did one snarling customer have the power to diminish my Christmas spirit right there on the spot?

I still wrestle to keep perspective at work, and am constantly reminded to manage my attitude on "bad" days and to approach my job as an opportunity to serve people-- which sounds really goody-goody-two-shoes-- but it seriously helps me focus on those (sometime few and far between) good moments each day.

Today, I still love holiday shopping, and I get excited when decorations start popping up in the mall.  But you better believe that my retail experience shapes the way I shop! 

Be nice to those sales associates, everyone.  I guarantee they'll be more eager to serve you if YOU are the one to smile first. 

Anyone else have any holiday retail stories/advice?

Sunday

This is the first weekend that it really felt like November. 

Here are some photo highlights from Sunday:

Rainy Hollywood

Scarf weather

Pretty doorway at church

Saturday Night

Greg and I woke up to a frigid morning after a restful night that brought soft replinishing rain. The day was gorgeous-- LA after the rain is a sight to behold. I forget what the world looks like until a quenching rain washes the haze of smog out of the air. The mountains were pristine today, and the sky was clear and crisp.

I'm now sipping hot chocolate with a swirl of whipped cream on top. It's the first night of the season that requires the heat to be turned on. My husband is playing through the songs he's playing at church in the morning.

Our home is so cozy and perfect at this moment-- there is no place I would rather be.

Some Funny for your Friday

Rigor Tortoise just put out their latest sketch and I think it looks GREAT:



Have a great Friday!

Happily Ever After

I was searching for some old information on a venue I researched last year so I logged in to an old email account that I haven't used in a little more than a year.  As I was digging through my folders, I stumbled across one labeled "Greggles" and in it were some of my "best of" emails from Greg.

I have been slowly reading through some of these gems today, and I feel like I discovered a secret box of old love letters in an attic.  I remember these moments, but even 2 years ago we were such different people that as I read it almost feels like I'm reading about two mystery characters rather than Greg and I.

I found an email chain between Greg and I after our second date, telling one another that we had enjoyed each other's company.  (Awwww!)

This stuff is gold, and as I read these early chapters of our romance I'm so happy to know that we end up together in the end.

I love you, my Greggles!

My "30 Rock" day

I stole a quick look in the mirror today as I was leaving for work this morning and commented to Greg that I seemed to have dressed myself like Liz Lemon today.  (Trouser jeans, a white button-up blouse, gray and maroon zip-up cardigan and ballet flats.  No pic, you'll have to use your imagination.)

Here are 5 more "Liz Lemon-esque" things that happened today:

• I hit the ground running at work and even though I did take an hour for lunch, I still wound up working an hour and a half late.
• I ate a cookie at work before I could get home to eat my salad at lunch.
• I thought about giving the stink-eye to the people in front of me in the express lane at Trader Joe's who clearly had more than 12 items in their basket and who wanted to pay with multiple forms of payment for one transaction when they could plainly see that all I was buying was a salad which was clearly my lunch and can'ttheytellI'mjustgettingtoeatlunchat2:30forcryingoutloud! (Thought about it, but didn't actually stink-eye them...I try to be a good person, but man my thoughts were ugly!)
• I caught myself uttering the phrase: "Relax, nerds."
• Came home just before 8pm to re-heat my half of the velveeta shells and cheese that Greg had made for dinner 2 hours ago.  Then dropped my velveeta-covered fork on the couch.  Blargh!

Whew!  It's good to be home! 

I'm actually sort of in the mood for some "30 Rock..." 

(Tee hee!)

Great is Thy faithfulness

This weekend was a difficult one for me.  Nothing dramatic happened, and I'm not falling apart at the seams.  I'm not battling depression or wrestling with anything in particular, but I'm a woman and I think sometimes women just feel fragile.  Maybe that's old fashioned to say in this day and age?

It wasn't a bad weekend, in fact, there were a lot of really good moments all throughout.  I've written recently about feeling far away from my family, and I'm sure that's contributing to my delicateness.

But I have found that in these moments of flimsy, I am pointed to my foundation, where I know I can rest.  Not because it's always my first instinct to flee to my faith (I'm sad to say) but because when I am whittled down to my most breakable, I have nothing else to firmly grasp on to.  Nothing but that solid, faithful foundation.

I lost it in church yesterday-- before I even heard the sermon--  I hadn't even made it through the first few songs before I was discreetly wiping fat stupid tears from my cheeks. 

We began singing "Great is Thy Faithfulness," and I was promptly transported back in time to some Air Force base chapel as a little girl, singing those classic hymns straight from the hymnals like we used to before contemporary services came along to project modern worship songs on screens in the front.  I don't know how old I was, but I was old enough to follow along in the hymnal my dad was sharing with me. 

I remember hearing his voice singing along, and maybe for the first time I consciously registered that he was singing.  My big strong military father, my earthly father that was more familiar to me at the time than my Heavenly one.  The man that took care of my whole family, including my mom who was a grown-up herself...

It was so tangible it was as if Dickens sent his Ghost of Christmas Past to visit me during those few bars: "Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee..."  Echoing in my ears, I could hear my giant of a dad cautiously testing out his pipes, as clear as it had been when my little girl ears perked up under my pigtails at the curious sound.

I stood there singing, thinking of my father, and of God, and then suddenly it hit me that this was the song I walked down the aisle to last summer.  Towards Greg. 

"Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."

I was overwhelmed in the presence of my Lord, standing between my beloved husband and my friend that I met through Treasures outreaches, in the midst of a community that has become a second family to me, all singing songs of praise together in a dirty city like Hollywood. 

Delicate, fragile, with brittle bones and rice paper skin.  I'm a mermaid in need of a good long drink being tossed around by the salty white arms of the big wide ocean. 

Yet I am filled to the brim with joy and endlessly counting blessings.  My foundation is so faithful, and my burden is light.

Drowning

As far as simple pleasures are concerned, I am convinced that the very best remedy for a good day that is laced with the dirty edges of unexpected disappointment is a warm bath and a new Real Simple magazine.

Ahhh, sanctuary...

A quote of inspiration

I was talking to my brother on the phone a few days ago and he mentioned a quote from one of his past English classes that goes something like this:

"There are only two stories: You go on a journey, or someone comes to town."

Isn't that interesting?  Eric said he couldn't remember who said it, but it's been in my mind the past few days as I've been mentally cataloguing all my favorite stories to see which category each falls into.

This quote came up last night when a girlfriend of mine was hanging out with me while Greg was at rehearsal.  I love this girl's company, and when the above quote came up in our conversation, my thoughts turned to my brother and I had the greatest idea in the world:  My brother should marry my friend!

(I would totally be in trouble right now if my brother read my blog.  But he doesn't: muah ha ha!)

My mind began checking off all the pros/cons of the match:

• they're the same age
• they are both smart and interested in literature/the arts
• I really like both of them and could see Greg and I going on vacations with them in the future (way important)
• they would make pretty children with blue eyes and looong eyelashes
• they're both really into music
• I couldn't think of any cons

Ah!  If only there weren't a few states between them!  Georgia and California are so stinkin' far away. 

BUT how romantic would it be if I could quote the above equation at their wedding: "My friend was on a journey, and then my brother came to town."  (And they lived happily ever after, amen!)

Look out kiddo, I'm totally prepping your future wife for your next visit! 

Muah ha ha!

Falling back

This weekend we received an extra hour of sleep courtesy of daylight savings.  While I admit that waking up was blissfully effortless the past two mornings, as I sit here at my desk watching the light disappear through the office window, I kind of wish I could cash in my bright-eyed mornings for those last golden orange moments of daylight on my drive home.

Winter is coming!  Last week it was in the 90's and it is currently a crisp 59 degrees and windy to boot.

October was a haze of busy schedules that tornado'd by me and somehow dropped me at the 31st in time write my rent check for November and click through Halloween costumes on the facebook. 

This year, I had two batches of Halloween photos: my friends at various costume parties, and my friends' kids in their pumpkin onesies readying themselves for their first trick-or-treats.  It was strange to be removed from both categories (I didn't dress up this year) and feel somewhere in the middle of each group.

Only two full weeks of work until the week of Thanksgiving is here.  Greg and I have no plans, and I'm kind of excited about that.  He will be working on Black Friday, and I just may brave the crowds in search of fabulous deals on Christmas presents. (Yikes! Well, we'll see...)

Speaking of, I'm diving into Christmas presents in the worst way!  Now that Halloween has come and gone, I don't feel ashamed of my growing holiday spirit.  I am excited about the gift challenge presented by Greg's side of the family, but I'm also on a mission to find the perfect presents for my side.  Especially since this year I won't be with my side for the holidays, and as excited as I am to go to Oklahoma for Christmas, I'm already desperately homesick that I won't be with my parents, my brother, and Bob & Nadine this year.  (Thankfully, they were all able to visit us in California throughout this year, and I'm clinging to the delicious memories of those visits so that they help tide me over until I see them all next.)  Meanwhile, I'm determined to send them some treats that will make them smile large enough to hear over the phone! 

In other news, Greg made us a delicious breakfast that only set off the smoke alarm once before he gutted the thing and left it dangling from the ceiling by its wires.  (Every time Greg cooks eggs the smoke alarm goes off... no idea why it gets so smoky when we try to cook up a little protein...) 

He also made us this:

It's a Homemade Caramel Apple Frappuccino

...and IT. WAS. GOOD!

Also, I made this for our date night on Friday:

Salmon with Pecan Crunch Coating and a side of lemon mint asparagus and a glass of white wine.

Greg and I have been doing really well at not eating out this first week of my challenge.  (I was forced to cheat on Saturday when my plans were foiled and I found myself "brunch-less" and stranded outside of a meeting with an hour to kill and a Togos within walking distance, but that's kind of a long story, and the bottom line is that I've really been kicking myself for "cheating," but I'm proud of the rest of the week so I'm trying to focus on that.)

Hope you had a good weekend full of your own "Fall Back" adventures!

Christmas Gifts with a Twist

I have always loved holidays with tons of family.  Oh, I enjoy an intimate gathering with my immediate family of four too, but I always loved when grandparents, cousins, uncles, neighbors, etc. are involved as well. 

Last year was my first Christmas as a married woman, and I loved bringing Greg to Florida with me into the glorious chaos of a holiday gathering with my family.  (It was a trip, let me tell you, my grandfather practically took us to a happy hour straight from the airport!)

Greg and I will be spending Christmas with his family this year.  Because his side of the family is large, they usually get creative with gift giving.  These guys aren't your traditional commercial shoppers (which I LOVE about them.)  I know that some large families draw names and give only one gift so that everyone gets something, but no one breaks the bank trying to buy a sweater for 12 different people.  That's a cool tradition too, but I find it very difficult not to give gifts to everyone.  Even something small.  We could put a $1 limit on all gifts and I'd still feel better being able to give everyone a roll of lifesavers or something.  Greg's family often implements "rules" to their gift giving that result in a bit of a twist compared to traditional fruitcakes and stocking stuffers.

For example, one year, before we were even dating, I remember helping Greg make a Christmas Special (Video) for his family to watch at their "Homemade-Themed-Christmas."  The assignment that year was that all gifts had to be homemade, and Greg put a lot of time and effort into creating a video to present to his family on Christmas day.  Then they all sat down and watched it together.  It turned out really great, it meant a lot, AND what a great memory. 

I have always thought that was really neat. 

So imagine my sparkle of excitement when I came home last night while Greg was on the phone with his mother.  Turns out she and Jeanette (Greg's sister that we just visited in Virginia) had been discussing Christmas this year and came up with the idea of a "Love-Languages-theme" for any gifts given.  (!!!)  Isn't that creative?

For those of you who may not be aware of the book called The 5 Love Languages, my nutshell explanation is that the author (Gary Chapman) suggests that while we all give and receive love in all 5 "languages," we tend to be more fluent in one or two of them.  He suggests that making the effort to love someone in their preferred language may be more impactful for the receiver.  I've stolen the mini-descriptions from the website below:

Words of Affirmation
Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

Quality Time
In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

Receiving Gifts
Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

Acts of Service
Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

Physical Touch
This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

And for fun, here's a quiz to determine your love language if you're curious.  (Actually, this will take you to several quizzes, I took the one for wives, but there's also one for singles, parents, kids... same questions, just tailored to your circumstances in the wording.  Choose the one that applies to you.)

Apparently, I have one primary love language (by a landslide) with 2 other languages tied for second place. Can you guess what they were?

Imagine how much fun it's going to be to learn everyone's love languages and make the effort to give them something that they'll appreciate all the more.  I'm really excited, I think it will be a whole lot of fun. 

PS-- If you have any great ideas for any of the categories listed above, please share them.  I'm pretty sure that we've got someone who identifies most with a certain category for each language listed.