Sitting time

Touched down in Denver today for a little visit with one of the siblings. Going to ring in the New Year with some much needed family time only minus the husband because well, I reckon he'd rather be at home with his football and the stack of DVDs and books Santa left him.

I did manage to drag the husband to P.S. I Love You on Friday, and I'm so glad we did. I give that movie three thumbs up. Of course the movie theater was full of women (there was a couple husbands in the crowd). The movie is basically about moving on after you lose the one you love. You could hear sniffles and the rustling of tissues all around. It was that touching, and full of relationship stuff that even both hubby and I can relate to.

Among them is feeling like despite being ready physically and emotionally for things such a house, we aren't there financially. Of course there are probably many young couples sitting in the same darn boat with us. The hardest part is that we've had a hard few years between me finding a job where the boss has somewhat of a spine, paying for a huge wedding, and then it seems medical bill after medical bill. All the while we keep wondering how we can save for house, pay our debt, and maybe have a little change to actually do things such as date nights, clothes, and stuff. We've been running ourselves ragged with worry, but I think we're changing our tune.

Originally, we thought we save, save, save, save, give some blood (maybe a part of our souls?), and save so we could buy a house this summer. But after seeing this movie, I thought what's the rush? (Of course, the theme of this movie was completely the opposite with Hilary Swank's character's husband passing away and leaving her widowed at 29.) We're both young. We're both in good jobs. We're madly in love. Plus, we haven't seen a house we've really liked yet, but then we've only been glancing to see what the market looks like and not looking seriously, but I think I'd be scared if we were—it's not pretty.

So I'm hoping we can sit on our hands and try not to settle down so quickly, but enjoy our youth. Enjoy our alone time together, which is why after seeing this terrific movie, I thought my sister has to see it, but with an 18-month old, going to the movies with your husband is probably pretty low on the priority list or just hard to accomplish with all that babysitter fuss that comes with having a child. That's why I'm babysitting on my first night to Denver. I'm getting to spend time with my cuter-than-ever nephew, who I've currently tucked away to bed after some five books and kisses, and then some screaming. My sister is going to the movies (I can't remember the last time she's been). It's good for both us, because it makes me realize I want to hold on to that you and me time with my husband (sans baby), time that's simple and not fenaggled with a house payment and then thoughts of a little bun.

So I may live in a crappy apartment where I can't paint the walls, the carpet is dingy, and the space is tight, but we're happy and we should be having fun, not trying to cram a whole bunch of mature decisions (read: money) into an unrealistic time frame. We'll get there, and we'll enjoy the ride along the way. I hope, but I better stop watching HGTV and maybe change a bunch more dirty diapers just so my nephew doesn't look too cute to me.

$#%*

Yup, I'm cussing. Letting fly a few f-bombs and what have you like the dad From the Christmas Story (which I watched probably eight times during the TBS marathon). My computer might be dead.

You might be asking how I happen to be writing the rage-filled, shoe-kicking, screaming post? From work. Yup. Work.

I had work to do over the holidays, which really isn't as bad as it sounds when one can work from the comfort of their own home, snipping homemade lemon butter spritz, chocolate-dipped spritz, and gingerbread cookies from the kitchen. Oh, and cherry pie and pumpkin pie. I went crazy baking over the holidays. But no pie or cookies or homely comforts for me today. I trekked to work. After clearing the snow off my car, cussing and stomping the entire time.

In my post-holiday recap, I got a breadmaker from hubby. I can't wait to make homemade bread. The father-in-law even asked if he could come over for some bread, so I better buy the ingredients. I also got a lovely set of Rosanna plates from my sister (pictured here with coordinating coasters and platter). They match my wine-themed kitchen and the red flair I got going on. Other than that, not too many exciting gifts. The In Laws did get us a step stool, because "one day we'll need it." One day. Actually, it's a really great idea, but with a tiny apartment, well, it's hard to fit in nonessential items. I guess it'll have to be demoted either to the guest bedroom (otherwise known as the catch all for the things we don't have room to put up, store, or use...not that anyone really comes to visit us anyway...hem,hem) or maybe we can put it in the laundry room where we also have the shop vac that my husband also got from his parents one Christmas (that's another gift that will, I'm sure, be dead useful in the future) and a fabric steamer (it was really useful during The Event that was The Wedding).

However, I did set out and accomplish lots of baking and cooking. Besides the cookies and pies, I also made fajita topped with garlic-laden guacamole (yummy!), and then I made stuffed cornish game hens, mashed potatoes, green beans, and crescents as per our Christmas Eve tradition. Next year I can add homemade bread to the mix.

Also new this year was a ornament exchange with one of my sisters and my husband. From the sister, I got a glass bear holding a trout fish to commemorate our trip up to the mountains earlier this year, where I learned afterwards we could have been attacked and eaten by bears. From the hubby, I got a chubby penguin named Scooter that's an angel playing a harp. Both hilarious, both unique. Can't wait for next year's exchange.

I just hope that I don't have to buy a new computer. $%&*!

Wish list: Dinner parties

Maybe it's because the new year is upon us, but I'm in a plannerly mood. Dreaming up dinners for guests I don't have, decorations I don't have room for (ditto on space for a party more than five), and cooking chops I don't even possess.

Tonight I'm flipping through my Good Friends Great Tastes cookbook in preparation for my sister to come visit me (something I'm trying to make into a monthly ritual because she too loves to cook, even when she can't eat most of what she does cook because of food allergies; plus, she's on the closer side: 3.5-hour car ride away). This cookbook makes me wish for weekly dinner parties; its the perfect cookbook for such a thing. It has menus that list attainable ingredients and minimal directions. One of my other sisters purchased the cookbook for me when I was in college, and I have yet to make anything out of it some three or four years later. I guess I just assumed it's a dinner-parties-only kind of cookbook, and if that's the case, well, who wants to come over for dinner? My door is open and my oven is preheating.

Blustry prints

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Looking at modishoppe today, I came across the perfect prints by Shira Sela that evoke the kind of day I love—blustry, snowy or otherwise. They'd work together as a trio easily.

Happy Birthday Mom

I can't believe this is the third birthday I won't have celebrated with Mom. She would have been 61 years young. Amazing how time flies, and even more amazing the things you'd think to say and ask a person when they are no longer in your life. Hope it's a good one Mom. Party up.

Hung from the chimney with care

I love, love, love these Christmas stockings from withlovefromalabama's Etsy shop. They would make a great Christmas gift (hint, hint). I like the red striped and green striped ones best.

Happy, healthy ear, teeth

Two-month post-op ear doctor appointment. Check. Bi-annual teeth cleaning. Check. Ears, or ear rather, is on the mend. I think I'm hearing more than I did before The Surgery, and the good news is that the graft is happy and healthy. Doc said I could even get water in my ear and do whatever I want to with it. Not sure what he means by that...maybe take it on vacation? Just imagine looking at pictures of me on vacation with my ear. If I were Photoshop-talented, I would post you a picture of exactly that visual. On the dental note, my teeth are good, too. Yay for flossing!