Blog Monday: anticipation!

As a general way of life, I always try to have things on my calendar to look forward to. It can make all the difference on a dragging Thursday to know that fun waits on the other side of 5 o'clock, with Happy Hour at Ronin. ($2 edamame and $4 spicy salmon crunch rolls!)

This weeks blog monday involves anticipation, and more specifically: what are 4 things/events you're anticipating on your calendar? These could be things you are excited about, nervous for, dreading, or simply waiting for.

drum roll please.............

WhatToDoWithGranny: I'll get the stressful/anxious anticipation out of the way first. Granny came home on Tuesday afternoon after spending almost 3 days in the hospital. She had a fall late Saturday night which landed her there (not literally). Anyway, physically she's healing up, but mentally, she's in need for support. Assisted living homes are pricey. very pricey. And honestly, nobody really wants to take on the daunting task of having her move in with them. For the time being, we're taking turns as a family spending time with her. It's comforting to know she now has someone with her 24/7, but it's already proved to be a big test on my family.

IHopeItsMostlyDownhill: On Tuesday the 20th, I'm going with 5 friends to tour Detroit. I've been excited about this plan for months. I want few things more than to see Detroit thrive as a city again in my lifetime. The coolest thing about this tour though, is that we're going to do it on bikes! There is a business downtown called Wheelhouse Detroit (http://www.wheelhousedetroit.com/) that does different themed tours all over the city. The one we are signed up for is called, "Urban Agriculture Bike Tour", and will take us through local Detroit foodways. We will visit local farms and gardens, and end where this food reaches the consumers forks!

Art&Drafts: This weekend is the Farmington Founders Festival, and next week welcomes the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Between the 2 of those, I plan to get my fill of strolling past tents, and purchasing food and drinks with tickets. The FFF brings back fond memories of growing up. From participating in the Parade every year in high school, to even dealing with one of my first disappointments. Merely rolling past the festival in the R.V., glad to be going on vacation, but sad to be missing the water balloon yoyo's and honey sticks. This year, I'm going to try to get my hands on an Art Fair poster. They're so cute! Totally, "vintage meets happens to match the color scheme in my room."

It might be fate. :)

PaloozaParty: I promise not to wish July away. However, with that being said, I'm possibly too excited about this palooza. Last years first annual got us started out on the right foot. And from the preliminary plans of it, this one will not disappoint. The only problem, is that it's shaping up to be too short (Bangles, remember it was 3 days last year!?). No matter if we end up on the beach, at loft, or on the driving range, I know we're in for a blast. Friends, food, and fun is how life should be celebrated. I can't wait!

Blog Monday: playlist.

What are the top 4 songs you play on repeat now, and why?

It's summertime, and with sunshine and warm weather, music just sounds better. I'm going to tie into my blog title with this one, and list my top 4 by the best part.

YouDon'tGetAnotherChance.LifeIsNoNitendoGame: Love The Way You Lie, Eminem feat. Rihanna. In the past few weeks, I've become increasingly more excited about the fact that on Sept. 2, I will be joining 11 of my friends to the most epic Detroit concert of the year. Shawn Carter and Marshall Mathers. I've had The Blueprint 3 for months, and have agreed with Mariah since the heartbreaker days... simply loving just about everything Jay say, Jay does. Eminem, is vulgar. He loves Hailey (and Laney). He hates his mom (we get it). And as much as many of his lyrics make my skin crawl, I can't help it that I've always been someone who pushes for the hometown guy. Add that to a good backbeat with creative lyrics, and you've got yourself a fan. And I have to say, that ultimately, he proved himself to me as a performer, securing my favorite MTV-VMA performance of possibly all time when he brought out all those slim shadys!


WhatUpOprah: Billionaire, Travie McCoy. This song has recently been on replay for that simple part in the song. It's funny, right?! you don't have to answer. I know it is. First off, it's funny how much he talks about Oprah in the song, but secondly, it's pretty hilarious when that background guy gives her a shoutout towards the end. What up, Oprah!


FineFreshFierceWeGotItOnLock: California Gurls, Katy Perry. All I can say is that this is my summer jam. It's everything poppy I want to be listening to on the beach, or in the car. It makes me want to wear my cut-off jean shorts with a bathing suit underneath... and further confirms that I should probably look into owning a jeep. I love Snoops intro into the song, and Katy Perrys bubbly reply to his questions {uh huh!}. I'm loving it while I can, b/c inevitably, it will be thrown into the "once great, but now overplayed" pile. Until then, play on!


INeedNoPermission.DidIMention.Don'tPayHimAnyAttention: Single Ladies, Beyonce Knowles. This is slightly dated, but still a goody. A goody, as long as the setting is not at a bouquet toss at a wedding. I've never been a fan of those. The story as to why this song recently has resurfaced includes a cross dresser, karaoke night, and 8 slightly out of place patrons. The story is better in person, but I'll tell you that sadly (and by sadly, I mean thankfully), the ladies never got the opportunity to perform in public.

Wits and Wagers.

12:38am.

that's what time I checked the clock on my phone Saturday (technically Sunday, I suppose) night. It wasn't to see how much longer I had to wait to go home, but instead, a wishful glance in hope for time to stand still. I was out on the town in Cincinnati with some of my oldest, and dearest friends, and I literally didn't want the night to end. Almost always, I enjoy being out with friends, but it's been a while since I felt that specific way.


So today, I'm thankful for old friends who are willing to put the effort into maintaining relationships. Friendships that move along with life's changes, and successfully cross state lines. Knowing people well adds a whole new dimension to friendship. And the older I get, the more and more I appreciate it.


In front of Sarah and Jeff's house! Ready for dinner @ the Montgomery Inn.



Hanging out at our first stop of the night, Monks Cove, in Mt. Adams!

blog monday: crushed ice and green trees

what are 4 things you like about living where you do?

CrushedIce: my all time favorite ice is the kind that seems as if it was molded in a straw. The tube-like ones. I just love it. Growing up, we never had an ice maker, and instead, made our own tray ice, and more often than not, ended up buying the big bags of ice. It's just not the same when you have to pull an 8 pound bag of ice out of the freezer, and pound it on the kitchen floor, before using your hand to retrieve a sufficient amount. Having an ice maker now, is probably my favorite thing about living where I do. I love pushing the crushed ice option. especially to couple with DC.

Disclaimer: fridge actually produces water.

{i love it anyway}.

WashingWhites: I think i'm one of the few people who actually enjoys doing laundry. you might have already known this about me, but I love the process of dirty to clean, and hate the process of putting away. One thing I really like/appreciate about where I live is that along with city water, I no longer have to do my whites at grannys due to fear that the rust in the well water would prematurely ruin my whitest whites!


GreenTrees: Probably my favorite thing about my street are the trees that create a bright green canopy leading me home. It's a similar feeling to when I was a kid and would get excited to drive through the tunnels on I-96. My dad would prep us girls from the front seat, and as we would pass through, we would all oooh and ahh over the yellow box lights. It's fun to revisit those feelings of, "this is so neat to drive through"

SquirrelGrey: This is the color that I've painted my room. It's not quite what I had in mind when I picked it out (mainly b/c it's not that far off from the previous color), but I love it! Walking into my room is calming. And despite being grey, when paired with my white duvet cover and bright red pillows, is rather cheerful! I've still got some work to do on the place, but the walls are set, and already the perfect backdrop for a #5 favorite thing (that will sneak its way into this post), the wonderful artwork my friend Erin Sweeney created just for me (and my color scheme!)

love!

20.huge.bagels.

Costco does everything big.

Even Bagels.

Earlier this week, Audry bought a huge bag of 'em, and after failing to pawn some off to our parents, returned home with roughly 20.huge.bagels.

Today was the first day I had one for breakfast. It was asiago cheese, delicious, and filling. So much in fact, that I ended up throwing the last quarter of it in the trash. This in turn created a predicament that I don't often face... When 12 'o clock rolled around, my stomach wasn't hungry. So, I stayed at my desk, and as each subsequent half hour mark passed, I became more and more (irrationally) concerned with the fact that lunch hours were fleeting, and I was now creeping into that weird in between time separating lunch and dinner.

Finally, I came up with the only logical answer for my situation. I opted to have frozen custard. Raspberries in vanilla with chocolate chips, to be exact. So, up to now, I'm 2 for 2 on good meals for the day. I can't wait to see what dinner will bring, I have a feeling I'll be hungry early this go around :)

looks like there was just enough room for it to all fit after all.

blog monday: what's that you smell?!

Cesar Millan, the infamous dog whisperer, says that the reason dogs like to stick their heads out car windows, is due to their keen sense of smell. He says they love to smell everything that's going by them, and my pup is no exception.

That's Dasha on her way home from the groomer yesterday, enjoying anything and everything that passed her little, wet nose. Which brings me to the topic of this weeks blog monday:


What are 4 of your favorite smells?


ThanksgivingMorning: I don't even love stuffing, and I hate seeing that gizzard thing floating in the gravy the morning of. But the overall smell of Thanksgiving morning is the gateway to all things I love about that day. Growing up, Thanksgiving was always the one day a year I would wake up (early, even) to the most delicious combination of smells. I'd make my way downstairs to find my mom and dad working together to create all the staples of the meal. The turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, bread, and yes, gizzard gravy.


CampFire: This is my F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. Anytime I smell it, it's more likely than not, to hear an, "mmm" or a, "campfire! my favorite!" from, yours truly. Interestingly enough, although "fresh" (for lack of a better word) campfire is my all time favorite, "day after" campfire is one of my absolute LEAST favorite smells. It's such a disgrace to the real thing. Am I wrong?!


MomWasHere: This one is a flashback. way way (way) back when, when I was a little girl, my granny used to get me and my sisters up for school. Granny never lived with us, but with 2 working parents out the door before 8am every morning, she stepped in to fill the gap. As sleepy as I was, it was always comforting to walk into the downstairs bathroom. I knew my moms routine, and the last thing she would do before she left the house was spray on her perfume in that very place. Sometimes I would stand there, in hopes that some of that leftover mom scent would find its way onto me. The thought of that memory still warms my heart, and give me much appreciation for a working, loving, and good smelling mom.


AudrysBakery: fine. so she doesn't have one yet. But, if her bakery smells anything like our kitchen did tonight (baking both classic and gluten free chocolate chip cookies), yesterday (making chocolate croissants), or how it will tomorrow (making cherry cream scones), there is no way it will not be one of my favorite smells!

Blog Monday: Accomplishments.

What are 4 things you'd like to accomplish by Friday?

finish.the.book: Sometimes I'm too tired to read before bed. I'll think I want to, then I find myself reading the same paragraph a couple times over before I tell myself, "this isn't fun". Forced reading is never fun. However, most of the time, I enjoy reading a little before I fall asleep. I only have a few chapters left in my latest read, Love Walked In, and in hopes of taking a new book to Grand Haven with me this weekend, I'm going to invest some time in finishing that up! It's also a little incentive when today, a new patient came in with a Sparks book i've never read, and recommended another... assuring me that the main male character in one is the epitome of a true romantic... swoon.

correct.the.bad.dog.mom.status: Even though Dasha spends these days with my parents, I still consider her my pup. In recent weeks, it's been brought to my attention {multiple times} that she's in dire need of having her nails trimmed. When they get too long, she bites them. and an 80 pound dog biting her nails, isn't quite the same as one of those pixie dogs. I should add that part of my hesitation in taking her in lies in my most horrific "dog mom" moment to date. A while back, I thought I'd save time and money by clipping her nails myself. Good idea turned to bad idea in one snip. Dasha yelped, I winced, blood everywhere. I started crying because I hurt my dog baby, and then I felt like a losebag for crying over a dog(s toenail?!). Well, after bandaging up her foot {in an over protective motherly fashion}, I vowed never to walk that path again. To this day, it's still hard for me to know that I'm subjecting her to the same possible torture every time i drop her off at the groomer. All I can say is, God help my future children... and I'll call Petsmart tomorrow.

get.over.the.shock: I think you guys might know this already. I sold my older nikon, and updated to a newer one. I'm so overwhelmed with my new toy, that I've found myself a little scared to use it. It's like I have a 1959 Corvette Stingray in the garage, and I won't drive it! Okay, so maybe that analogy isn't quite comparable, but kinda. It's beautiful, and does so many things I'm excited about; but the multiple lenses, and added features are overwhelming me! This week, I need to just take a deep breath, and start with step one: read the manual {and stop using the box as a nightstand}. In the meantime, let me know what photo shoots I can sign you guys up for. say cheese :D

visit.granny: A few months ago, my family set up a schedule where someone would be stopping by to spend time with granny daily. In all honesty, I haven't made my Thursday granddaughterly duties a priority. This week I will. Can someone make sure that I do?

Monday Blessings!