A peck of pickled pumpkins

I "What Not to Wear"-ed Myself

The show that began my love for the network that brings so many of my favorite shows, TLC's What Not to Wear.

Oh, I love this show. I watched it religiously in college (2006) and even planned my class schedule so I could come back to my apartment for lunch but also for What Not to Wear.

For those of you who don't know this show, two amazing stylists named Clinton Kelly and Stacey London ambush someone nominated by their friends and family as a poor dresser. They bring said person to NYC, trash their clothes, give them rules and have them go shopping in NYC to buy a new wardrobe. The next day, Clinton and Stacey show the person how to dress their body and style tips. Then they get their hair and makeup done and do a big reveal.

Amazing.

Well, it comes on twice a day, 11 and 2 which happen to be right during Bradley's naps. So I watch two episodes a day. (Side note: that sounds sooooo lame.)

Anyways, I cleaned out my closet.

Now, the only things in my closet fit, look great and are great for fall. Feels great.

Today, Bryan hung out with Bradley so I could get my nails done. And then, I got my hair did.

So different. So fun! 

Tomorrow: makeup! 

This is so stupid, but What Not to Wear is really more than the clothes and the rules and the shopping. It's about patterns. Why do we dress how we do? 

I donated three bags of clothes and sold one big one. What was in there? Clothes that were gray or navy or black. Clothes that were XS. Clothes that were shapeless. Clothes that just didn't look good.

It's so dumb, but now everything I have to wear makes me feel great. Which made me want to do something different with my hair. Which I love and makes me feel great.

I finally feel myself. Even, I feel beautiful. I feel important.

So, hello fall. I'm ready!

Real talk (and baby pictures)

I've been home from work for one month. I have enjoyed the rest, the naps, the leisurely wake ups, the relaxed evenings, the peace.

I have enjoyed taking on house projects like sweeping and mopping and donating clothes and selling old things and cleaning the garage and rotating toys and meal planning and cooking!!! And handling the stacks and stacks of paper.

I have enjoyed my time with Bradley. Seeing him go from cruising to walking! From toddles to real walking, faster and more each day. He's talking more and more. Yesterday, he said cracker! Cool. We have an awesome time hanging out, eating, dancing, playing in a sandbox, going to the park, going to the library, going for walks, crashing cars, playing puzzles, throwing balls.

I have enjoyed the new fire in my marriage. It's not blazing. I mean, it can be better, work in progress. But it's not a flicker anymore! I'm sweeter, more thoughtful, more kind to Bryan. Which has made him sweeter to me which makes me want to keep it up.

I have enjoyed my time to myself. During Bradley's naps (back to two a day!!), I work out, take long showers, paint my nails, watch tv, clean, make dinner, whatever the heck I want. It has made all the difference in my mood, in my happiness. 

I am happy. My baby is happy. My husband is happy. We're doing alright.

Weekends.

I love weekends. They are full of pajamas and adventures with Bryan and yummy breakfasts and naps.

Also, bonus: I convinced Bryan to help me finish the garage. It went from horrible mess

mess

 to manageable mess to organized 
to less mess, donated lots, what it is now. 

We went from the middle picture to the last picture today. Two hours during Bradley's nap, we cleaned, trashed, donated, reorganized and sold things.

And Bradley helped me mop the kitchen. 

Booyah.

Ode to my old phone

Goodbye my old phone.

Goodbye sticky middle button.

Goodbye learned autocorrect.

Goodbye scratches.

Goodbye broken camera.

Thank you, store, for giving me a new version of my same phone for my freaky broken camera.

Hello, smooth touch screen.

Hello, new battery.

Hello, working camera.

Hello, how I used to keep my phone on 9/20/13. 

I think I've for everything back in place: folders, titles, wallpapers. And downloaded a few more free apps. 

It was a good Saturday. I would have pictures of today but they're all blurry. Well, actually, I do thanks to photo stream.

Clearly, I had a broken camera. I can't have that. My baby is too cute!

Different is harder than the same

Today I hung out with a mother who I really enjoy hanging out with. Our kids are within days of age. Our short term goals (gym, play with baby and make dinners) are the same.

Nothing else is.

Parenting styles.

Religion.

Political view.

Career aspirations.

Relationship

Taste in food.

Clothing.

Family.

Education.

Shoes.

Pretty much everything. But I really like hanging out with her and her cute baby.

Today I talked with her in the car while our kids slept (one forward facing, one read facing). And for the first time since my last theological debate (which was probably when we visited friends in DC who are also very different but very the same in food, wine and fun), I discussed my (weird) religious and political ideas.

I was a philosophy minor and (brag alert) team captain of the 2008 national ethics bowl team. But I get nervous talking about what I really, truly believe.

So I'm processing what I said. What I believe. Especially because it's so different. 

Normally when I talk philosophy, I'm talking to Bryan who agrees with me and thinks even crazier things. So it's no pressure. It's fun. It's almost like an us-verse-them, buckley against the "crazy" world. Which is kind of ridiculous because I think were the crazy ones sometimes. 

So today, I was thinking and defending my ideas and defining myself. It's fun, but it's different. It's a thinker!

Baby bffs

Okkkkkk. Too much love. No more kisses.

So he gives hugs.

Down they go.

And so we buckled them up and shopped.

Total baby best friends.

Brain dump

We went to South Carolina last weekend. So much in less than forty eight hours. Four planes.

Lots of family time. Bryan's sister got engaged!!

Saw friends in Greenville. 

Tailgated in Clemson. 

Bradley in a Clemson jersey.

 Surprise murder mystery party for Bryan.

 Sweet family time.

I'm back to my new chapter. I am still not working, not looking. It's still fresh.

I'm learning to give up high expectations of projects. To be less ambitious. I mean, it sounds awful, but it might be good for me. Perhaps my goals should be smaller, more internal. What if I relaxed expectations so I could encounter, then react instead of expect, ecstatic or disappointed, react.

It was 85 degrees today. That's an absurd temperature for October.

My Chinese class is kicking my butt! I finally put in my time and studied. I am feeling better and I went through my flag cards until I recognize the character, pronunciation and definition. Feels good to learn.

I am still loving my time with Bradley. I am drinking this lemonade (when life gives you lemons), and I'm happy. New chapter: happiness.

Morning cereal

Bradley likes Bryan's cereal.

7:45am, Thursday, September 2013