101... seriously

OK so I have done a bunch of new things on my 101 in 1001 blog... and have realized several of them are completely unlikely to happen, therefore I will be changing them to more likely scenarios.
For instance, I will not be going overseas most likely by 9/28/13. Let's just be real here. I'm probably not going to get back on a PLANE before then unless we come across $2000 that we just *forgot* or *misplaced* So let's be a little less lofty with our goals.

My Current 101 in 1001 will be in black (completed things struck through, linked, & in red), and changes or comments will be in a funner color. You'll See! Also, if my ice cream I just scooped out lasts long enough, I might even update on the updates! WAHOO!

GO:

1. Visit the beach (I have done this, but it didn't count bc I didn't get to play!)

2. Attend a Georgia Bulldogs game (preferrably in GA) ---GA vs. Vanderbilt this year. WE are GOING 

3. Go to a(nother) Joshua Radin Concert Changing to: Go to a(nother) AWESOME concert --CHECK

4. Pay off the Truck Sweet baby hayzeus this is taking forever

5. Use a free night (or two) on my Marriott Rewards card

6. Get term life insurance for D & me

7. Change my name on my passport (I should probably pre-post a "FIND my passport" one...) Yeaahh... about that

8. Travel somewhere and actually get my passport STAMPED I don't see this happening. New goal: travel across multiple states 

9. Go on a surprise super romantical date with my hubby

10. Attend a Packers game at Lambeau Field 

11. Finish painting our bathroom

12. Decide what to do with the extra shower in our bathroom

13. Stabilize our fence 

14. Decorate our naked wall in the LR

15. Save up an "emergency fund" 

16. Participate in the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart

17. Learn how to use my Crock Pot (I will measure this by completing 5 meals in said Crock Pot) 

18. Figure out what I want to do when I grow up... or at least for the next few years

19. Get a tune-up for my car

20. TAILGATE  (Like a pro)

21. Travel across an ocean Not happening. Changing this to  GO to DISNEYWORLD

22. Update my resume

23. Re-cover our dirty storage ottomans 

24. Get a storage bench for the LR (against the naked wall!)  New decoration plans. No bench. Changing this to Get occasional chairs for naked wall

25. Make butt pillows for said storage bench (I'm thinking leopard or giraffe print...) N/A change to Get Ladder Shelves for LR

26. Get current on Criminal Minds Season 5

27. Attend a Braves game in ATL

28. Re-landscape the front of our house

29. Plant *(& GROW) grass in our yard

30. Figure out if Carmen IS deaf and how bad it is

31. Get down to the weight I was at in 11th grade Obviously I'm working hard on this while eating ice cream

32. Send/give a friend a gift for no reason (1/6/11) 

33. Keep fresh flowers in the house for 2 months straight

34. Eat ABSOLUTELY NO Gluten for one month This is harder than it sounds like it would be... 

35. Spend time in California

36. Host a dinner party

37. Blog 2x per week for 3 months

38. Build a fire pit

39. Go to NYC 

40. Buy and wear an outfit that is not my normal cup of tea

41. Buy flat boots

42. Wear a scarf as an accessory (not just to keep warm)

43. Go to Washington DC

44. Visit a winery outside of TN

45. Take an entire week off of work (straight)

46. Retip some of my favorite shoes I'll just throw them out. Changing this to Throw out old/worn out/wrong fitting shoes

47. Get a new TV (Possibly for the BR or a big one for the LR and put the LR one in the BR)

48. Make our driveway 3 feet wider 

49. Get a hot tub 

50. Build a pergola over said hot tub and back porch Dropping this. We may never see that stupid hot tub. Changing to Make Backyard a more entertainment-friendly space

51. Build seating area around fire pit

52. Put furniture on our front porch

53. Have friends over to play cards

54. Go back to Reno/Vegas

55. Dye my hair almost completely blonde

56. Go to a Preds game IN Preds gear

57. Get a professional massage (again) YES! DONE! WHAAT

58. Quit biting my nails/fingers I will have to start wearing gloves 100% of the time

59. Go to the chiropractor

60. Visit NOLA I am working SO HARD on this. There's a conference in September in NOLA that I want to attend

61. Get a new mattress/box springs

62. Co-build a bed for said mattress and box springs Unnecessary. We have a box spring and frame. Changing this to something funner.

63. Babysit for a friend as a gift

64. Do yoga for a month straight

65. Make 10 things out of one of my cookbooks

66. Read 12 books

67. Make "gourmet" doggie biscuits for all my dog friends DONE

68. Get a new surround sound system... and actually have it hooked up and SURROUNDING the LR

69. Go on a date with my hubby to the Melting Pot

70. Make a curtain/something to cover the window in our back door Does hanging a sheet over it count? 

71. Get a pedicure (it's been a loooooong time!)

72. Put crown molding in our bathroom and/or bedroom 

73. Find 3 add'l pictures to put in my big frame in the LR to complete my seasons idea Almost there!! 

74. Participate in "10 Days of Love" either for Vday or our anniversary... I haven't decided yet I still haven't even googled this. So I'm dropping it. Instead, I will make an awesome present for my husband

75. Buy new bedside tables HA! 

76. Put a desk (of sorts) in the office

77. Put shelving on a wall in one of the BRs

78. Take a (good/sober) picture of Donnie & Myself once per month for a year So far, no. Maybe I should make this "6 months out of a year"

79. Do all my Zumba Dvds

80. Buy bright colored shoes

81. Ask about/possibly invest in contacts 

82. Go to the dentist

83. Repaint our bedroom

84. Go to a Notre Dame game Too many football ideas on here. I'm changing this to Attend a college volleyball game

85. Obtain a pearl necklace to match my beautiful studs that I got for a wedding present 

86. Have a "top tier" of a wedding-ish cake made by Jay at Maples Wedding Cakes for an anniversary dinner

87. Buy something awesome at a yard sale

88. Tip a server 100% of the meal or more

89. Read the whole new testament (I've seen where some of my blogger friends want to read the whole thing... I think I'm going to skip the begats and begots this go-round)

90. Go out for a "girls night"

91. Host a game night

92. Re-decorate my blog (1/2/11)

93. Make Carmen a Packers shirt (and possibly make a new one for Tini since hers has 12 taped over the 4 that it came with)

94. Talk seriously about making a McBaby...

95. Stay up until sunrise with my husband (for no good reason)

96. Make a wreath

97. Buy an issue of The Contributor for $20 (instead of $1)

98. Go camping for more than one night - and possibly even enjoy myself?

99. Swim in water I can't see through (ocean, lake, whichever)

100. Go to Cedar Pointe While I still would like to do this, I don't really care that much. Let's change this to something funner, too. Ill think it up later. 

101. Get a new tattoo

2 more days

So I have only 2 more days to get up and go to work before I have a FULL WEEK OFF.

2 more days and I can enjoy this for hours:

This means I have only 2 more days to get up super early, get to work early, stay late, work late from home, catch up everthing, write a giant email about every single stinkin client who MIGHT flip their lid while I'm gone (eh... 30 out of the 40, probably), before I have a FULL WEEK OFF.

And by full week off, I mean hopefully I will not have to step foot in that building next week.
But you never know.

I love my job, and yesterday was the best day of my working year, but today evened it out for me!

To be honest, the majority of the issue is that I have been too busy doing far too many things for one person, and my paperwork has suffered.
Severely.
As in, I keep thinking "I'll put that away later" and I'm looking at papers from March that have been saved for me to put away later.
I'm hoping to get everything put away by Friday, and then maybe while I'm off next week I can write the remainder of my notes that I'm behind on (I'm only 3 weeks behind now, huzzah!), and I'll come back to a week of 5 work days, 17 visits, and not as much paperwork to catch up.

I just have to get caught up so I can stay that way. Just 20 hours of crazy hard work, and I can be there I can do it!
I will keep telling myself this.

THEN while I'm off next week, I will blog about all the things I've done on my list so far!! I have seriously crossed some things off! (And I'm going to change some, because I've realized how unrealistic some of them are...)

PS Last Monday, my parents' dog Libby passed away. Here's a picture of her looking kinda slender...

She was the smartest dog ever. And I hope that if there is a doggy heaven she is kicking some butt at chasing balls, chasing cows, and chasing humans.

OK so next post- uplifting! Go!

I can say I'm less bitter today than I have been... but that may be due to a mixture of frustration/panic, wine, and chex mix muddy buddy stuff.

Who knows.

PS My sunflowers are EXPLODING!!! Every time I look at them, I think of both my friend Sue, and Ms. Newman from my Middle School. I'll never forget Ms. Newman's story about leaving a concentration camp and passing a beautiful field of sunflowers. Like God planted something beautiful for everyone to see after leaving a place of such sorrow.

OK that is it for the incredibly positive, uplifting, loving and exciting post for today!

Next one.
Better.

I swurr!
♥ EM

Bitter, Party of 1

It's back.

The thing that creeps up on me like a cancer. I have no idea it's happening for a long while, and then BAM! I'm diagnosed with Stage 4 Bitterness.  Also like an illness, I now can see all of the warning signs I should have seen all along. The grumpy mood here, (extra) snarky statement there, increasing hostility toward certain people for NO REASON WHATSOEVER.

I have actually described certain people as being "in the line of fire" and said to myself (and a couple of others) that "I don't know what it is, I just am really irritated with him/her." But instead of taking care of the problem, I just brushed it off-- I'll deal with it later.

Right.

The bitterness refuses to stay inside me and enters the world like involuntary word vomit. I am working on it, though! Now that I have given a name to the little weird feeling I've had for a while, I can properly deal with it.
No worries!

Until I get it all worked out, I'll just spend a lot of time silent. 

I hate that rule of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Who made that up?


On a brighter note--- we leave for Disney in 114 days or so!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSS
(Oh, I never updated you on Vacation Search 2012? Oopsie. I just did.)
I have to get rid of this bitter cancer before we go there, or I doubt they'll let me in!!!

I CANNOT WAIT TO MEET EVERYONE IN THIS PICTURE!
(I don't even care that they're just crazy people in costumes. I am SO EXCITED)

Vacation Ideas

Obviously, I am killing it with the blog updates.
I feel like the majority of my updates start with be talking about how much I suck at remembering to blog. Oh well.
I would say I've been busy, which is kinda true, but mostly I just haven't had ANY desire to be near a computer after leaving the office.

Here's the current reason I'm crazy:

VACATION

"But Emily, Vacation is fun and relaxing and blah blah blah." YEAH once you get there!  If we haven't met, I'll let you know a little about me. I'm a spaz. I cannot make a decision without changing my mind 20 times and then usually coming back to the original choice.

Here is the train of thought for vacation ideas I have had in the last 24 hours(Many have been researched already. I have an illness):

- Beach. Any BEACH. I don't care- just want sun and sand and water

- Orange Beach

- Savannah/Tygee Island

- Myrtle Beach

- Tour de Six Flags (I'm thinking Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, then home)

- Mountains (This one got thrown out quickly)

- SAVE SAVE up and go to Jamaica

-or Belize

-or Antigua

-OR Cozumel

- Use ANY groupon deal that includes water and umbrellas in drinks

- DISNEY

HOLY COW DISNEY OMG I HAVE TO GO

- Disney in June

- Disney in Aug/Sept.

- LET'S SELL OUR HOUSE AND MOVE TO DISNEY

I can't sleep.

So, actually, that is just yesterday from about noon until Midnight. Then I finally fell asleep somehow.

Do you see how vacation is making me crazy?

D & I just submitted requests to take the week of our anniversary off to do something. Originally it was going to be low-key, let's go to the beach. And this is what it has evolved to.

Here's what I'm thinking now:

Use that week off anyway(for me... he can work half of it if he wants), and do something fun 1-2 of the days --Maybe go to 6 Flags or rent a boat and play at the lake for 2 days or go white water rafting and hiking--  and then SAVE our MONEY and go to Disney in September when it is cheaper and less kids are around. Not that I don't like kids... I just don't like them when they're in front of me for a ride. Or in front of me for a picture with Cinderella/Belle/Snow White/Nemo.

So, if someone would like to take over the vacation planning for me, that would be lovely.

Also, if anyone would like to contribute to the "Send Emily to Disney World" charity, I'm working on getting it registered as a 501(c)3.

I might be kidding about that last part.

I said Might.

 ♥ EM 

Wednesday night fun times!

On Wednesdays, D bowls in a league... this means I'm home alone and free to play as I please!

Tonight's project: Transfer images on to stretched canvas.

I'm cheap. Since this was the first try, I wanted to go as cheap as possible, so I printed out 2 pictures of our kiddos at an undisclosed location (that's right, SECRETS!) and got the smallest canvases I could find. Because they're cheapest. Yep.

Step 1:  Print picture on regular printer paper. Use gel medium to adhere picture (I flipped the picture around before printing it, as they transfer backwards) to canvas. Cover canvas in one good flat coat of this stuff.  I was told (by Pinterest) to get medium gloss gel medium or something, but I ended up with this stuff and it apparently worked just fine!

Glue the pics on to the Canvas with ^^ That stuff... looks like this... 

'

Step 2: Smooth out lines on paper with something flat... credit card, ruler, or... you know, cardboard from the new glitter you just bought... :)

Step 3: WAIT forEVER for it to DRY.  (And by forever, I mean about 3-4 hours)
Step 4: Douse the paper with water from a squirt bottle til it soaks through... pull/ball/roll off the paper slowly.

 Rub gently and the paper will start to rub off.

I rubbed the edges of each picture to make them look all jagged, too. So that's neat. :)  ALSO, Carmen is too dark. I kept re-wetting and re-rubbing to get all the paper off of her picture so that I could see her & accidentally rubbed off some of the picture. Oh well. That adds to the novelty, right? 

Carmen's finished picture... note the white spots where I rubbed the picture off. Haha oops. 

Tini's completed picture... 

Step 5: When the canvas is pretty much dry, swipe with a medium-thick layer of the gloss/gel medium stuff again to set it. This way- you won't continue to wipe off the picture! YAY!

I am so excited to know how to do this! You better believe that I will be doing this with every dang picture from NOW ON.

Oh- relatives, loved ones, etc... you're welcome. You're welcome for your awesome pictures you'll be getting done like this for the rest of your lives!

Enjoy! 

♥ 

EM

Shutterrific!

Buying a house is dangerous business, I tell ya.

Here's why I say this: when we were house shopping, I had a tendency to see one thing I loved and notice nothing else. In the house we ended up purchasing, that one thing was our bath tub. It's a giant jacuzzi/garden/whatever you want to call it- tub. Jets and all. I saw it, jumped in in my clothes and shoes, and sat down while proclaiming, "I'LL TAKE IT!" And we did. 

  The following things were items that may have slipped by me: 

     - No fireplace

     - No entry closet/LR storage

     - No water pressure in the master bathroom shower

     - TINY CLOSET to SHARE *(it looks like a "Walk-in" until stuff is in it, then it's a "Stand-in-&-don't-turn-around-too-quick-or-you'll-knock-over-my-shoerack" And our condo had 2 closets in the master- one normal for him, and one that slightly resembled a baby-sized bedroom for me. SO SPACIOUS. I lust while thinking of how badly I miss that closet) 

     - Tiny Pantry

     - Ugly gold fixtures EVERYWHERE 

Now, I don't want you to think I hate this house, as that list IS somewhat extensive, but I can say--- I may already be making a list of features that we MUST have in our next house. In 5 years. When we have a kid or two and have severely outgrown this 1222 square foot lovenest.  

All that being said, I have solved some of the problem today. We have no coat storage since we have no entryway/LR closet. 

ENTER $5 SHUTTER (and a bunch of hooks) 

One day, once this room is painted, the shutter will be much more noticeable

 Most people who know D & I well know that we both have an affinity for any clothing article that comes equipped with a hood and pouch. Maybe we love the way hoodies accent our svelte figures, maybe we really enjoy repping our teams/sports/etc, or maybe we just really like being able to throw something on that is comfy and alleviates our need to suck-in because of the adorable potato sack shape. Who knows?  Either way, we have an extensive collection of all things hoodie. There's really no convenient way to store these wardrobe monstrosities, either. I mean, EACH ONE takes up an entire drawer if you fold them.  Also, I needed a place to store scarves so I could find them, since "under the bed or on top of the table" has become my most frequently played game, but it has never been my favorite.  

So here's how it worked. 

Step 1. Buy a shutter from Habitat for Humanity for $5. Yep. $5. That is a STEAL. LOVE it! 

Step 2.  Figure out where to hang it and put screws/anchors in wall. I write all over everything when hanging stuff- thankfully, all my notes end up under whatever gets hung. 

Step 3. Attach hanger thingies. Yes. That's the technical term.  I began to do this myself, but he just wanted to help, so I let him... ♥ 

This makes me think of whenever there's a children's activity described on TV and they say, "Ask a grown up to help!"

Step 4. Attach hooks for hanging scarves, jackets, etc.  

Step 5. Take oldest child to Target for the 2nd time today to get more hooks. Realize they no longer make the same chrome hooks as you have already put on the stupid shutter.  Concede to using brushed nickel and dare anyone to say somethin! 

This dog is ferocious. You've been warned. 

Step 6.  Hang the dang thing & finish putting hookers on!

Have a grown up help with this part, too, Kids! 

Step 7. Decorate accordingly.  BAM! 

YAY! Now they can all cuddle and keep each other warm until I need them!

That's all I have for now.

Well, that and 

GO PACKERS!!! 

♥ EM

Twenty-Oh-Twelve

That's right. Twenty-oh-twelve. That's what I said.
No, that's not what I call it... as far as you know.

By now, you have realized that I am an awesomely fantastic blog-updater, and you haven't missed a thing. Right? I mean, I update daily, so I don't know why you're making that face.

I haven't updated about how awesome my 101 in 1001 is going (or about anything else at all) in a while, so I thought tonight would be a good time to do so! You are welcome. In advance.

After this update, I have completed 27% of my list (well, actually more, but I haven't blogged about the others, so I'm only counting 28/101 items) and I am 37.3% through my 1001 days.  That's not too bad!

I have (since last update & strikethrough) completed the following:
#35. Spend time in California
   This was a LONG and EXCRUCIATING story. Basically, in October, D had a conference in Vegas (Yeah- 2 birds w/1 stone. #54.) and we flew out American Airlines. Our layover was in LAX, and our plane had to be rerouted due to bad weather... so we- and 10 other people- were stranded in LS for 16 hours. I thought- LET'S GO TO THE BEACH!!! So we hopped in a cab to Santa Monica at 10:30pm and went to a bar by the pier. I'm not counting this as #1. Visit the Beach because I did not get sandy. haha

A picture from our bench in Santa Monica... where we sat. and froze. waiting for a cab at 1:30 am on a Tuesday.  Because we're smart. 

#38. Build a fire pit
    This is interesting. Basically, here's how it goes.
  - Step 1. Buy way too many concrete blocks
  - Step 2. stack them in a square
  - Step 3. Light stuff on fire inside of said square

Yep. That's it. It isn't pretty, but I have every intention of buying some scrap tile @Habitat or something this summer, beating the crap out of it, and tiling in the outside of the concrete blocks in a mosaic-like style.

#41. Buy (and successfully wear) flat boots
   I don't know that anything else needs to be said. I bought flat boots. I look cute in them. :)

#47. Get a new TV for our LR
   For Thanksgiving, I bought us a new 51" giant tv. It is beautiful. I don't have any pictures of it, so you'll need to come see it yourself! Yay!

#51. Build seating area around fire pit
  You know how I said "Buy way too many concrete blocks"?
 The "too many" is what I made 2 benches out of. They aren't permanent. But I'm counting 'em!

#54. Go back to Reno or Vegas
    It was uhm... an experience. That's what I'll call it. It was interesting.  D had to go for work, so I tagged along. We got stranded in LA for half of the trip, but I made the most of it!
Some pictures:

View from our floor... SIGH

The View from our ROOM! Thanks Planet Hollywood for the complimentary upgrade! ♥ 

Holy MOLY our room was sweet! The thing you see on the far side- that's a WALL of a WINDOW with a remote controlled screen/blind thingie that rolled up on command. I felt like such a poor person because I found this so exciting. hahahah 

#61. Get a new mattress/box springs
   King. Size. Bed.
     That's right- I can sleep with my husband in the same bed and NEVER EVEN TOUCH HIM. Not that I want that... but I kinda do sometimes. You know. We're both wild sleepers. This thing is amazing. I'll post pictures of it one day. That way you can see how pretty our bed is with the headboard. :)

#76. Put a desk (of sorts) in the office
   Another thing I need to post a picture of is this DESK! I have 2 baby filing cabinets (the 2-drawer ones) and for Christmas, my brother gave me a giant piece of granite!!! It's BEAUTIFUL! and lays perfectly across the 2 cabinets to make a desk.
I. Love. It.
Makes me want new countertops... hmm...

There are some more that I don't think I've updated, but I'm just going to mark them out anyway.

Also: I'm counting #93 as complete as well. For Christmas, D's dad got Carmen and Tini Packers Cheerleader uniforms. I'm using those as their new outfits. SO CUTE!
 They're really short, so the girls look a little slutty.. but we all knew that about them all along.

And now I'm sleepy. That's all I have time/energy to update about tonight. Maybe more this next week... or next month. You never know! I like to keep you guessing!

Enjoy!
♥ EM