Last Week in Numbers

{Happy Birthday, Chloe Darling!}

6.07.09 - 6.13.09

1 - book I finished reading (Impulse)
2 - pitchers of Shock Top for James at Beer Bellies
3 - paintings for Chloe's Birthday
4 - weeks until our lease is up
5 - days of my new summer course "Grammar for Teachers"
6 - times loading/unloading the dishwasher
7 - hours spent training my replacement as store manager
8 - episodes of DVRed "Jeopardy!" watched
9 - bags of frozen grapes
10 - seconds spent not worrying

(I DEFINITELY need to work on #10!)

[blog topic inspired by Naturally Nina]

L.O.V.E

i LOVE this "impromptu gallery"

one of my next projects: updating/decorating an old locket

i can't wait to have kids JUST so i can play games with them and make them fun, yummy meals like this one

i have a new obsession with mobiles

isn't this a SWEET double desk set? i LOVE it! :)

*******
what do YOU love today?

if i could do anything right now, i would...

[post inspired by Naturally Nina]

1. get some energy--then go outside and play!
2. see "Star Trek" again--and I'm not even a Trekkie or ST fan by ANY means!

3. lie in bed with my two loves (fiance & puppy), listening to the rain
4. recreate my own version of a super cute bracelet I saw at the store the other day
5. get--and play!--the new EA Sports Active game for the Wii
6. buy some Razzles
7. read Crank (a recommendation from my sister)
8. find some fresh new tunes
9. write!
10. sketch

Today I love...

...being good to my love, James.

...shrinky dinks.
...abs made stronger by crunches.
...a new episode of "The Office".
...a low-key day at work.
...texting my sister & best friend.
...wearing shorts.
...happy customers.
...ambitions.
...creativity.
...polaroids.

{what do YOU love today?}

Agradecimiento ("gratitude", anyone?)

• James' willingness to drive me to Universal Studios & Ikea today (he never complains)
  
• At the Men in Black ride, the guy let James & I ride together--even though we got in the "Single Rider" line
• I actually had a decent score on the MIB ride (167,000 because I got the bonus at the end!) :) I am very proud of this because I STINK at video games usually!
• There was hardly anyone at the parks = I walked right on to the Hulk, Dueling Dragons, & Spider-Man
  
• I overcame the urge to spend over 3 bucks on one tiny bucket of cotton candy
• The Simpson's Ride--those jokes NEVER get old!
• Drink refills for 79 cents
• Spending the day with my love
• Craft time at home!
• No work today
• Getting stuff done (like phone calls & bills)
  
• Looking forward to "Fringe" later on tonight...

**What are YOU grateful for today??? :)

life is gooooood.

[image courtesy of Life is Good]

[list inspired by The Green Greek]

20 Little Things to Celebrate in Life

1. Fiances who do lots of chores
(without complaining, too!)

2. Tiny hoodie sweaters for dogs
3. Rearranging furniture
(which makes home feel like new again)
4. Cranium.com
5. New blogging friends
6. Old blogging friends
7. Exciting twists on tv shows (like "Lost")
8. Crafts & DIY projects
9. Saving money
10. Having a job
(actually, this one's something HUGE to celebrate)
11. Home decoration magazines & blogs
(I'm obsessed)
12. Exercise
13. Journals
14. Trying out new hairstyles
15. Biking
16. Planners
17. Bubble gum
18. Art
19. Days off of work & school
20. Late night reading

[so...what are YOUR 20 little things to celebrate in life? leave me a comment & some inspiration! :) ]

10 Things that make me TERRIBLY happy

{i don't remember where i found this cutie "beard of love" artwork but please comment me if you know so i can give credit!}

[list inspired by http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com/]

1. Meaningful and perception-altering conversations
2. Our wedding: 10.10.10
3. Rearranging furniture and decor so that our home feels new again
4. Writing/Sketching/Creating
5. Visiting the family back home
6. Intensely productive days
7. Blog-searching
8. James' unmatched love for me (bc I definitely don't deserve it)
9. Days off of work
10. Games!

We could be heroes...

courtesy of jess gonacha

*I promise I will [go outside and play]
*I promise I will [sketch without abandon]
*I promise I will [dream bigger than before]
*I promise I will [make my dreams come alive]
*I promise I will [write and record the song lyrics of my soul]
*I promise I will [craft and create]
*I promise I will [stop making excuses and make it all happen]

now.

Yes, sir, it was a finnnnnnnnne day...

*Final class with one of my favorite professors (sad to say bye but nice to leave behind the couse load!)
*No work :)
*Exercise! Yay for walking to class and back (although I maybe cheated by catching the bus when I was halfway home...)
*TONS of work done on assignments and projects (finished with my part of a 4-week unit plan, began and finished a 4-page essay, and e-mailed a literature activity and self-evaluation to my adolescent lit professor). Ah, how I adore productivity.
*James had a super good day :)
*Jessie and his girlfriend Ashley came over; we talked about jobs and tattoos and then admired/showered love on/played with lil puppy Jelly Bean
*Healthy eating! Sometimes I eat too much when I get lonely (James was gone all day at work) but I overcame that and kept myself busy!
*"Jeopardy!" with dinner

*A quick walking break to the mailbox; two observations: one kid playing with a remote control car, another kid playing with a bubble wand...which reminds me--I need to PLAY MORE!!!

*Extra time spent with the Lord this morning (when you start out with Him, how could it be a bad day?)
*Returned my dad's sweet voicemail message from when he called while I was at work the other day

B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L

Day

Mambo!

*Do you also love randomly connecting with complete strangers?

[how surprising life is]

*One week of classes left...
[it's okay for some good things to come to an end]

*Just hired two new girls at work
[what a relief]

*I'm reading Uglies and can't wait to finish
[how homework-filled life is before I can get back to it, however]

*I'm learning to be okay with my body
[it's nice to like yourself, even if just sometimes]

*Loving 90.5 Spirit FM at night, when they play Christian Rock & Rap & Alternative
[good stuff, my friends, good stuff]

****

"Educational" Television

*Important things I learned from watching seasons 1 & 2 of "Hey Arnold!"

• Never sign the pages of your diary (or else you'll spend all night in someone else's closet, waiting for a chance to get the diary back)
• Grandmas can be super cool and suave (remember when Arnold's grandma helped him bust Lock Jaw outta the aquarium?)
• Don't let pretty people use you (those sixth grade girls can be SO manipulative)
• Vacant lots make great baseball fields, among other things
• The "perfect" Saturday? No such thing...
• Take the time to actually LEARN stuff--'cause those fancy smancy electronic devices won't always work when you need 'em to
• Stealing = not cool
• You and the pigeon man might not be so different from one another after all...
• Not getting an "A" doesn't qualify for depression or pity
• Don't mistreat your teachers, even if they're too "sensitive"--the alternative might be a butt-kicking ex-army general!
• You're never too old to learn how to ride a bike
• No one's life is as perfect as it may seem
• Plagiarism = statue hauntings and nightmares
• Think outside the game board (especially if the game is Chinese Checkers)
• Don't believe everything--or everyone, for that matter!--you see on tv
• Cheaters never win in the end!
• Sacrifice = feel-g00d-deep-down feelings
  

::what a wonderful world::

*wonderful weekend =

birthday dinners +
tons of family time +
a visit from the Easter Bunny +
wedding dress shopping +
"Chloe" time +
"Heroes", "Lost", and "The Office" +
excitement in promises for the future +
a living room full of black balloons