hello, crack

After much debate and plenty-o-beads-o-sweat on my upper lip, I now own one of these babies. Isn't she beautiful?


You see, it was time for my 'new every two' promotion with Verizon. It never gets old, really; every other year it's like a taste of Christmas for me as I am awarded a new fantastical phone for next to nothing. Does anyone else get this pumped for a new phone? Because we all know how the wireless phone gods behave if you happen to need a new phone before your 'magical' time: they throw their heads back and cackle at your poor soul, then request hundreds of dollars for the same crummy phone you had before The Incident. Take your pick with what 'the incident' entails....maybe it was stolen, lost, drowned in a cup of beer [ahem, never happened to me!]. But either way, if you can make it through those two years still holding onto that once very cool phone, you will be rewarded greatly.

That's why my new pimped out PINK Blackberry Curve was literally $0 after a mail-in rebate. The added monthly internet plan was pretty freaking cheap as well which made her even more tantalizing. Luckily, Nate helped me swallow my inner-tightwad fears on this one and splurge a little bit. Because let's get real: he wants one next year when it's his 'magical time.' He somehow convinced me it was worth it, even though I was worried it would be way too much phone for little ol' me. After all, aren't Blackberries for cut throat business professionals with complex schedules? So how does a puny health care professional fit into the BB plan? It turns out I like the internets and organization, my friends. Who knew?

Let's look at her again, shall we?

I mean, I'm not going to lie. I kind of freaked out about this whole thing, nearly settling for a less flashy more practical phone. It's totally frivolous, you guys, even if it only costs an extra $15 per month from our current plan. So what finally sold me? The fact that salesman dude told me about the 30 day trial period. And the fact that I justified quitting my gym membership to even out this new expenditure [which will actually put us in the positive since the gym is way more than $15/month]. I hate to exercise indoors during nice weather anyway, and really....I can do all of my marathon training outside for free with a little creativity.

Do you see how this purchase pained me so? I think I need professional help to loosen up about money. When did I get like this? I remember a day when I could spend money like water and it totally did not phase me. And now it's an ordeal---just ask Nate and the salesman dude. They were about sick of my antics at the store. But alas, I did it and I have a feeling I'll be keeping her. Just look at my wallpaper, you guys:

So yeah, kind of freaking out a little bit because I have no idea how to work the beast. I read the entire owners manual and tinkered around quite a bit tonight so I feel a little better. Technology is both my best friend and worst enemy sometimes.

Now I wonder if I should just go all out and even join Twitter. It's basically the last 'social networking' site I have yet to claim. Am I going to be one of those people addicted to her phones? Probably. But I think I'm okay with it.

So who has a Blackberry out there? Any advice? Do you love?

In other news, I finished the Twilight series and oh em geeeeee. The last book 'Breaking Dawn' is by far the best ever. Eventful, suspensful, and TOTALLY worth all of the frustrations from the previous three books. In my opinion, the ending was decent but a little anti-climatic for me. I constantly wondered how the series would end and I guess it didn't disappoint too much. But holy cow the first third of the book was my fave. No more details but you get my drift. Now when, oh when, will they make movies #3 and #4? Because I'm totally going to mark it in my new Blackberry calendar.

Also, it's summer now. No seriously, it got up into the 80s this weekend and I thought the natives were going to die from heat stroke. Oh wait, that was me on Saturday when I ran 10 miles in the sweltering sauna. I will not complain, not for one second, because I loved it. But now I remember why we ran at 8:00 last summer instead of 10:00. Whoops! Defnitely got my first sunburn of the season because I'm pretty sure my SPF 15 moisturizer dripped off my sweaty face in about 20 minutes. Note to self: invest in sweat-proof sunblock. And drag yourself out of bed earlier. Because it's official: marathon training program begins this week. Eek!

What else can I ramble about for your entertainment.....oh yes! Today would be categorized as a good day even though I had to work all day long and it was insanely busy and stressful. Why? Because one of my co-workers acted shocked when I told her I am 28 years old. She said, "No, you can't be. I thought you were about 24!" I nearly kissed her smack dab on the forehead. No joke. I think she was even being serious, you guys. I'm SO in that stage of life when being mistaken for a younger age rocks. Wow, I'm old:)

And finally, I am going to the famous Lake of the Ozarks this weekend for Lindsey's bachelorette party. This will be b.party #2 of the year and it's sure to be every bit wild as the Chicago version. I just hope there will be a few G-rated pictures to share with you, my lambs. And I'm going to be honest and say I'm getting way too old for back-to-back nights of partying so I'm a bit nervous. So nervous that I will likely leave the SLR at home [gasp!] and settle for the point-and-shoot. Boats, lakes, and expensive cameras [and probably even Blackberries] do not mix in my book....you feel me?

Feel free to enlighten me about my new baby crackberry. And share your thoughts on Dear Edward and Bella if you so desire. I might re-read those amazing chapters again, just for fun...

Climate control

To the married women out there: do you ever wonder if you and your husband would be matched on those dating websites? I mean, don't sites like E-harmony and Match.com make each person fill out ridiculously long questionnaires to help identify key traits, similar tastes, and common goals? I met my husband in college but sometimes I catch myself wondering if the internet fates would have aligned us together unknowingly, should we have needed to go that route. Do our personalities fit together on paper as nicely as they do in real life?

There are so many ways that we are literally the same person, but just different genders. We're both first-borns, both leaders, and we're fairly outspoken ; we are active, competitive, and incredibly stubborn; we both feel satisfied helping others, thus the exact same career choice in health care; we're both sarcastic brats who put on a tough front while being tender-hearted on the inside; you get my point, I'm sure. But this post is about one big fatty difference we have. I wonder if the dating websites have a question that reads, "Would you rather die by heat or by cold?" because if they do, we'd never match up as potential soul mates.

Nate was born in Wisconsin which boasts extremely cold winters. I was born in Missouri which boats extremely hot and humid summers. We are both products of our environment, without a doubt, and for some reason this is just now hitting me after 2 years of marriage and 7 years together. It was obvious way back when, just by looking at our youngers selves in college.

Picture this: it's a cold and snowy day as college students walk to and from their classes, all bundled up in coats and gloves. Then you see this one girl literally running across the quad with her gigantic winter jacket pulled securely around every inch of exposed skin, hood and all. She does not stop to say hello to her friends, for she has her eyes on the prize---getting into the next building to shelter her from the cold. She becomes a mega-biyatch when the temperatures dip below freezing so you might as well let her run from class to class just to avoid her wrath.

Then there is this adorable Wisconsin transplant who decided to attend college in St. Louis. Neither he nor his northern parents had a clue what STL summers would be like, but they found out quickly as they moved their beloved son into the dorms in August (the hottest and humidest month eva). Said WI boy calls his mother after 3 days in a non-air conditioned dorm room and begs her to ship a window AC unit to him. He might die without it. He really might. He has now decided that Missouri summers are his own personal hell and he honestly does not know if he can survive four years in this heat. (Of course, it's all worth it in the end when he meets that crazy biyatch who sprints around to avoid the cold. He's glad he stuck it out in St. Louis, don't worry.)

Fast forward to present day: that guy and that girl got married, and because the dude endured Missouri summers for 7 years the chick decided to suck it up and take on Wisconsin winters for a few. It's only fair, right?

I sometimes forget that Nate's fragile northern body cannot handle temperatures above 75 degrees without being FORCED to complain about his discomfort. Case in point? Tonight's dinner time interaction that left me rolling on the ground in laughter while contemplating our differences in this marriage.

Nate: I have a bead that is about to drip.

Julia: No clue what you are talking about.

N: I'm sweating. It's so effing hot in here. I can't take it anymore.

J: (Note to self: the high for today was literally 74 degrees. It was approximately 68 degrees at the time of this incident.)

N: I mean, I take a hot shower, then stick my head in the oven, and proceed to eat steaming hot food. What part of that is going to cool me off?

J: Wait, why did you stick your head in the oven??

N: Because I had to pull out the stupid food! It made me even hotter!

J: You have got to be kidding me.

N: And why aren't any of our windows open right now? This is just ridiculous.

I then proceeded to laugh for about 5 minutes straight while staring at this irritated face:


Yes, I received death glares as I snapped away to commemorate this moment.





It really just makes me laugh harder, you guys. He's so cute when he's hot and angry:)

I think it just drives home the fact that despite our similarities, my husband and I will never see eye-to-eye on the 'perfect' climate. I'd take lying on a beach somewhere, drink in hand, while sweating my face off in 95 degree heat any day. He'd prefer to be downhill skiing in 0 degrees just because of all the fun outdoorsy gear he could wear for such an occasion. It's a lesson of compromise my friends: we both get to complain when the weather gets a little too extreme for our liking. That's normal, right?

Do other couples have this same climate control issue? How do you settle on a happy medium to avoid one of you moving to the Equator and the other to Antarctica? Yes, we are a marriage of extremes. And it makes me laugh at him when it's hot and cry for me when it's cold.

Textures and such

I had the most perfect weekend ever, filled with nothing at all but fabulousness. Seriously. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, the sun shone down on Milwaukee and gave us temps in the 70s. Nate and I went for a nice, warm 8 mile run together. Nevermind the fact that my stomach did not agree with the extraordinary warmth during the run, it was still fab. We saw The Hangover and laughed our rears off. We went to Starbucks and partook in Venti coffees [we're usually grande-types but there was no stopping us this weekend]. We slept in. We took naps. We did laundry. I had a girlie day with my mother-in-law complete with pedicures and girl talk. I read a ridiculous amount of Breaking Dawn [swoon! I cannot put this one down, for real]. And I took pictures.

I got really into textures this weekend. Please observe. The peonies made their way indoors and their fragrance seriously runs through our entire place. I love them.

Between the lamp and the sun from the windows, I had fun playing with light and textures on the petals.


Running with the pink theme, I figured my adorable new yoga mat fit the 'texture' bill, too.


And outside, one of the healthy green plants just begged for my attention.






Speaking of begging for attention....


It's been awhile since my little man got to have a photoshoot devoted entirely to his cute face. I figured it was long overdue. And yes, he loves my pink yoga mat as much as me.


Texture again. Don't you just want to pet his soft fur?


"Mother, please. It's time for my nap. Can't we do this later?"


Upon going outside, Henry discovered a mysterious patch of stank in the grass. Who knows if it was dead worms, unidentified poop, or just plain filth. This dude loves to roll in nastiness. And he's just too cute to scold, isn't he?


And finally, my two favorite pictures of Henry....his haircut is growing out, which makes him look constantly worried. Gotta love those little eyes, right? Such an expressive dog, really.




Sigh. The weekend. How I love thee. Why do Saturday and Sunday fly by at record speed but any other week day plugs along one second at a time.

Oh well, at least I got my Vitamin D this weekend. Sunshine equals automatic good mood for days in my book. Let the count down until Friday begin...