albums, computers, and shots

Today I was off work since I will work this Saturday. I spent a large majority of my day at the computer getting caught up on two of my current albums for my easiest client....myself! I say that I'm easy because I know exactly what I like and don't like, and plus I can just throw pages together in a hurry and not worry too much about if the client will like it.

So what two albums, you ask? Oh, just my pregnancy album and my everyday 2009 album. I am so freaking happy to announce that as of right now, this very moment, I am fully caught up with both albums. We are talking hours and hours of work to convert blog posts and 5000 pictures since January into nicely contained digital layouts. What? I got a new camera this year. You didn't think I'd just have a few hundred pics to sort through, did you?

I would like you to guess how many pictures are in our 2009 album thus far. Remember, beginning in January until present day, this album holds all of my self-proclaimed relevant blog posts and favorite images from the year. My 2008 album had 88 total pages from January through December. Do you have your guess?

Because it's only September and I have exactly 100 pages....and that does NOT include any pregnancy posts or pictures. Holy geez! Here are few randoms I thought I'd share from this album:






And then the pregnancy album? It's something I've always wanted to do and it's why I've tried to stay diligent with my posting during this amazing and thought-provoking time. I think I'll love looking back on my thoughts as a first time pregnant lady and I'll probably laugh. Maybe the baby will like to read what Mommy was thinking someday, too. But for the book itself I decided to keep it very simple and plain...all black pages, nothing fancy at all. Can't wait to add more pages to this bad boy!







Speaking of albums, I haven't mentioned much about J.Lorene on this blog for many many months. It's not that I haven't been working on gorgeous albums this year, because I certainly have and continue to upload all of my recent work to my site under 'examples', if you are interested. (I'm a total sucker for Chelsea and Jide's wedding in Cabo and could stare at this one all day long, but that's just me).

I'm still taking new orders but I'm really struggling with whether or not I will continue to go full speed with my little side biz. I still love it and enjoy the extra spending money but I'm starting to feel like I will need every free moment to prepare for the baby. Once baby comes in March I'm absolutely certain that I'll need to take a break from J.Lorene to focus on my new job as a mommy....but then what? Do I continue fun hobby that in all honesty is purely a labor of love because I really don't make enough money per hour to justify spending time away from my new baby consistently? Or do I just limit my new clients to allow for a more laid back time frame and less pressure to perform quickly? I don't know. I'm torn. For now I'm just thinking of continuing on until I have a stronger opinion one way or the other.

On a different note, my beloved iMac aluminum keyboard protested the number of hours it was hard at work to complete my personal albums. All of a sudden in the middle of typing a comment on a friends blog I couldn't type the word 'that'. All that was coming out was 'ha' which was totally frustrating and confusing. Then I realized that my letters B, G, and T were all not working along with the letter 5. If you look on your keyboard you see these pesky letters are all in a diagonal line. CURSES! Have you ever tried to type anything without these letters? Totally maddening. I didn't spill anything on the keyboard and I hadn't done anything to tick it off besides work the crap out of it all day long.

After some research and a quick trip to the Apple store it was official: the 1.5 year old keyboard gave up on life. It was broken and not repairable. So we basically HAD to buy a new one unless I could figure out a way to work the English language without the letters B G and T. Ugh.

But failing economy my left cheek---the Apple store is always hopping with people who are dropping mad cash in there like it's no big deal. Seriously. Every time we go in we are of course drooling at all of the new Macs and iPods but also staring in astonishment as people wheel out gigantor iMacs in multiples. Who are these people and how are they spending this money?

I suppose I shouldn't talk since we do technically own two Macs and a few iPods but still. 'Tis craziness in there.

And finally, the topic of flu shots is always a fun one, right? You see, I work in a hospital which is full of very sick people. Those sick people are my patients and thus I am literally inches away from their faces as they sneeze and cough and do other nasty bodily functions. Anyone in health care should automatically get the flu shot, right? Plus, I'm knocked up so that puts me at the top of the 'must get flu shot' list even more than before. BUT....

I've never gotten one before and I've been fine. I realize that I'm totally lucky to have never gotten the Flu and people tell me that someday, when I do get a real respiratory Flu bug, I'll be begging for the vaccine every year afterwards. I mean, the shots are free at work and they literally wheel around carts through the halls ready to plunge the needle into your skin. I asked the nurse and she said that the shots they have at the hospital are the preservative-free kind, which is what us pregnant ladies should get.

I'm just not sure I want to deal with it. I have heard of people getting sick after the shot (even though it's not one with a live virus) and of course, many times 'they' pick the wrong Flu strain to guard against so the shot is totally pointless. I know it can't really hurt the baby to get the shot but I still have a hard time committing to it....don't ask me why. My doctor's office recommends it, my work recommends it, and yet I'm stuck with this one.

Any advice? Let's not even get into the topic of H1N1 though. When that vaccine comes out I'm going to do lots of research there, too, and I know they'll push for pregnant peeps to get it but again, I'm torn. I know of some preliminary reports that show a startling correlation to the vaccine and Gullian Barre, so of course that makes me a wee bit nervous.

So that's that. More miscellany coming at you just in time for me to watch The Office. Oh, Jim and Pam. How I've missed you.

Hung

You know it's going to be a great day when you start it off with one of these babies:


Mmmmmm. Eating healthy gets boring after awhile and I highly suggest letting loose on occasion. So worth it.

So yesterday we made the 75 mile trip down to Ikea for a little Swedish fabulosity. OMG. Ikea is such a mecca for home furnishings, if you are willing to fight the ridiculous crowd a bit. We had one mission with this trip and that was to buy a new bookshelf to place under the new TV that Nate was insistent on hanging from the wall. We found an awesome shelf made of all wood (kind of hard to find at Ikea) for only $200. We also picked up some random drinking glassess and two flour/sugar containers. Odd, no?

This was the scene of the crime today. Nate took it upon himself to not only construct the entire shelf on his own (with the aid of Swedish instructions) but also to hang the TV. I was promised I could stay out of it and yet somehow I got roped into helping a smidge. Oh well. It 'twas worth it.


Please note the before (well, the updated 'before.' The real before would have been with our tiny tube TV....which now has a proud new owner via Craigslist! I tell you Ikea and Craigslist are my two favorite things right now.)


And......the after. Ta Da!

So I had to pull the lamps from our bedroom to make it work but all in all, I love it. Nate is going to get us one of those nifty cable hider things, too and I'm trying to convince him to get rid of one of the DVD players on top but something about needing them both for surround sound? I dunno, it's a guy thing I guess.

We found an amazingly cheap wall mount on Amazon (oh wait, Craigslist, Ikea, and Amazon are my faves actually) for $25. Best Buy can eat their $250 mount. Seriously. This thing ain't going nowhere. And really it wasn't too bad to hang once Nate found the studs in the wall. He promises it's sturdy enough to do pull ups on but I think I'll just take his word for it. I like how it has 15 degrees of tilt, too. And since the TV is plasma it doesn't get that dark tint from certain angles like LCDs do. At least, that is what Nate tells me...I couldn't tell a difference between plasma and LCD if you paid me.


Had to rearrange the side table decor a bit on this wall, the one that faces the TV. We moved our table lamps from this spot into our bedroom and are only using one of our floor lamps now. Hope it's enough light! Henry loves it all, obvi.


And yes. I read a lot of books. Actually, I used to think I was rich so I bought all of the books I was reading instead of borrowing them from the library like I do now. You'll also find our cookbooks, DVDs, a few of my scrapbooks, and even some school text books down there. Something about a bunch of books lined up makes me very happy.


So that is that. We are officially in the 21st century and managed to hang the TV without professional help. All in all, the shelf assembly plus the wall mount only took a few hours today. I'm so proud of Nate for being Mr. Handyman! And I will admit: the new TV is pretty fabulous. Too bad it's always set to the golf channel these days:)

Compromise

I like to think that we live simply, without many frills or toys or major expenses. Of course, it's the inner tight wad in me that guides me to live this way and in my opinion it's worth it when we can save money and spend quality time together for free. Nate usually tends to agree with my 'live simply' philosophy but he's also the one who has to chill me out a little bit and bring me back to earth when I go a little overboard.

So while we do have cable TV we do not have a DVR/Tivo, no high-def stations, and my beloved television I purchased with my first paycheck from my first real job was suiting us just fine. I mean it's not even 5 years old, is 27 inches, and serves it's purpose of providing us with the minimal TV we watch in this house. Sure, it's heavy as hell and not 'cool' like the sleek flat screens that hang on walls. Sure, Nate curses it's existence every time we move while he contemplates throwing it out the window. But when we only watch TV for couple of hours max and mostly on the weekends, I figured all was well.

That is until my silly little technology-loving husband got The Urge. You know the one, ladies, when a guy gets into man mode and decides he needs the hippest piece of technology ever just because. Nate has been pushing for a flat screen TV for at least a year and every time he brings it up I try to explain my point of view to him clearly: we do not watch TV, we own two very nice his and her Mac computers, and therefore we do not NEED (and yes, the 'need' word got thrown around here) a new TV. He's a persistant little bugger, my friends, and finally we came up with a compromise.

I told Nate that I would be okay with a flat screen TV if we didn't purchase it with our 'regular' money. I proposed an idea, saying if he paid for half of it by picking up extra days at the hospital (he usually only works two weekend days each month) then I would pay half with my 'extra' spending money from J.Lorene. He immediately took the bait, signed up for about 10 extra days at work this summer when he didn't have class, and proceeded to research the hell out of flat screens. Man, that boy loves research.

And so, my friends, after much hard work on both of our parts and a perfect example of compromise we have now entered the year 2009 (or maybe flat screens are more like 2006 or something, huh?). I present to you our big fatty 42" TV. Please note the difference in it's depth:



And there she is. We will discuss Theresa from Real Housewives of New Jersey at another time, my loves.


It's funny because I swear Nate told me he was thinking of a 32" size but when I walked in and saw this beast of a TV I knew I had been duped. Such a guy obsession, isn't it? Big TVs must be the equivalent to fabulous decor for women or something.

One thing that irks me to end is the fact that my beloved 'old school' TV has no home at the moment. And so it sits in the middle of the room like a giant eye sore, screaming for attention and fighting it's demise. I'm thinking Craigslist might be a good option. Anything but the center of the room, right?

And that is how my husband became the happiest dude in town. I think it's a nice television and all but I can honestly say I don't care that much either way, but if it makes him happy then I'll go with it. Maybe he'll be more lenient when I want a new camera lens or something else that he could not possible care about. Yes, there is always compromise.

Of course, now he is researching digital cable....just so he can get all of those HD channels his little heart desires. Until then he has to settle for about 4 stations in HD, poor guy.

And he sold me the idea of mounting the TV on the wall simply because it will free up more space on the ground if we get rid of our entertainment center. But who knew wall mounts are so expensive?

So I ask you, dear readers, do you have a flat screen (I'm sure some of you have had one for years and might even have multiple ones)? And if so did you hang them on the wall? And for those of you that did, was it a total nightmare? I plan on staying out of that whole process but the idea of hanging a giant TV on the wall freaks me out a little bit. I just picture massive chunks of drywall ripping out and resulting in the treasured TV smashing on the ground. Tell me this doesn't actually happen..

smattering

A smattering of random tid bits....

1. Henry volunteered his services for another photography session. I wanted to play with altering my point of focus a little bit and he obliged. I love this next one a lot, even though it's a little soft and dreamy:


And who knew a closet full of color would be such a fun backdrop for the most adorable paw in the world? He obviously had a bone this morning hence the sticky fur sprouting out. What a life.


If Henry could talk, I'm sure he'd say "You know you want me. Yeah. I'm hawt" or something provocative like that. Such a ham, this one.



2. Remember how I was just in Missouri for Lindsey's bachelorette party? Well now I'm headed back down there for her bridal shower thrown by us bridesmaids. I'll be gone Thursday night through Sunday again and cannot wait to see the girls for this more formal affair:) My good friend Maggie (and fellow bridesmaid) loves all things paper as much as me. She designed Lindsey's shower invites and her wedding invites. Let's take a second to drool over them, shall we? Is this not the CUTEST shower invite ever?


And her wedding invites are to die for. As a closet blog reader but rare commenter, Lindsey saw Lauren's awesome invitations and used them as inspiration. Lindsey's colors are obviously black and this fabulous aqua color and I just love how they turned out.




The thermography she used for her printing was divine. You know how I love texture, right?


And their calligraphy was fantastic. I have no idea who they used (sorry, Lauren and Mike!) but I dig it.

Sigh. I cannot wait for her wedding. And our bridesmaids dresses are in so we'll see how much I'll need to have altered in the bust. That's always the fun part of being in weddings....taking a major blow to the old self-esteem as the seamstress goes 'wow, you have a lot of room up top.' No kidding, lady.


3. Remember how I was all pumped for my new pink blackberry? I was borderline obsessed, actually. Well, if you recall, the salesman convinced me that we'd only pay $15 more per month than we did before the upgrade. I should have mentioned that we get a little corporate discount through the hospital with Verizon, so the BB data plan was supposed to be much less than the advertised price. Also, the dude convinced us to downgrade our minutes package since we rarely talk on our phones to anyone outside of the Verizon network. Between the corporate discount and the lower minute plan, dude sold me on the idea of only paying $15 more.

Then my lovely husband decided that he needed internet on his phone, since I had it on mine. Totally understandable, but there is another $15 per month. Then we got our first bill and I had a panic attack---we did NOT get our corporate discount on the data plan nor the minute plan. So all of a sudden our bill was $75 more than it used to be. I freaked. My rational inner tight wad started to scream obscenities about how frivolous and unnecessary it was to have internet on both phones. Especially when we have two very nice computers at home. And especially when my cell phone is turned off and shoved into my purse all day long at work, since I can't exactly check personal calls or emails while running around a hospital. Sure, the BB was beyond cool but was it worth it?

Nate and I had a few very long discussions about the whole thing. It was difficult to be a rational adult when it was just so much fun to have a BB. I think if we used our phones throughout the day it would be different. If my job paid for it I'd be all about it. But in reality, I do not NEED the fancy phone. It's a luxury and I knew that from the beginning.

Then the next day, my problem-free car threw a little temper tantrum. I got it brand new back in 2001, it has almost 90,000 miles on it, and I've never had any upkeep on it besides regular oil changes, new tires, and new batteries. I love my car and the fact that we do not have car payments right now. So when my car would not start one evening I knew my time had come to put some money back into the stupid thing. My father-in-law is Mr. Fix It and he is racking his brain trying to figure out what is wrong with my baby. It sounds like it's not getting any gas but it has a full tank. Then just a few days ago it wouldn't start at ALL so now maybe there are multiple things wrong with it. Ugh. Potentially facing some major bills on the car front solidified my decision to return the BB and get a 'regular' phone instead. Being an adult sucks sometimes but in the long run, I think saving the extra money on our phone bill will be worth it.

So after spending multiple hours back in the Verizon store, feeling like a tool for returning the coolest little gadget ever, I came home with this baby:





Sure, it's not nearly as pimp as the BB but it's still pretty sweet with it's touch screen and full keyboard option. We got rid of the BB data plan, Nate forfeited his internet plan, and we did downgrade our minute plan. So all in all we are paying less now than we did before the BB stint. And now I can breathe a little easier knowing we freed up a little extra dough each month.

And so I ask you, dear readers, have you ever had to make sacrifices in the name of saving money? This was a tough one for me, as a self-professed tight wad, but I have a feeling that a lot of people are doing the same types of things in this economy. Keeping my eyes on the prize-- a big fatty savings account is easy sometimes and very difficult at others. Anyone else with me?

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...

toys-r-us

You all know I'm the world's largest tight wad, right? Painfully tight. Anxiety-ridden when it comes to purchases. Basically a basket case. I'm always preaching 'need versus want' and I still think that thought process is extremely helpful.

Apparently, we NEEDED a new computer. Again. Nate won this battle, my friends. We are a two-computer household yet again [nearly 2.5 if you want to be picky].

You see the born-again laptop has breathed it's last breath, for real this time. She lead a good double life and now it's time to let her spirit fly into Mac heaven. RIP little iBook G4, you were good to us. And speaking of flying, dollar signs flew out of our bank account today all in the name of a new Mac Book.






Although the new addition is lighter and way cooler, it is in fact a little bit smaller, too. All I gots to say is I'm so glad I can claim that big bertha 20 inch screen in the back there. The laptop is all Nate's and now my husband is complete. He can tote his new laptop to class just like all the cool kids do these days. It will be totally bitchin.

Continuing with the toy theme, look what I got in the mail today!


I smell a photo session coming on now that my camera has proper attire. It was well worth the 4 week wait!

And finally, the Mac Book has some really pimped out applications such as 'Photo Booth.' Feast your eyes upon these beauties!






Now I know it's difficult but humor me for a second: which is your favorite picture? Because I'm pretty sure letter E makes me bust a gut every time I look at it. He has an actual potato as a head, you guys. And I cannot even begin to describe his chin.

Although letter H makes me look like I'm pushing something out of an orifice [ either a baby, or a deuce...I can't decide]. And letters F and G provide a glimpse into the future: me as an old lady without my dentures. Frightening!

Ah, good times. I will leave you with this awesome snippet of randomness from our evening: after we bought the Mac we strolled by a clothing store and I spotted THE perfect workout tank. It was racer back [my fave!] and had actual bra cups [ahem....padding.....] on the inside. I mean, it's not like I need tons of support or anything but I hate when I nip out at the gym when I wear one of the tanks with 'built in' support. It's so gross.

I told Nate, "Look, bra cups so I don't nip out at the gym."

To which he replied, "Oh, your little beans?" And then he walked away. What?

That's what she said.

So last night was The Office season premier. I've been anticipating the return of my favorite show for months now, especially since I rarely watch TV anymore at all. [I know, it's weird---but I'm either working, running, eating, talking to Nate, sleeping, or working on album design....no time for TV].

So I settled into the couch a little before 8:00 with a nice cup of hot tea. Nate on the other couch, Henry next to me, and the room full of excitement. I didn't realize the first episode would be a full hour long but I quietly thanked NBC for that nice surprise.

The first 30 minutes were HIGH-larious. Loved it. Laughed out loud multiple times and realized how much I missed this crew.

And then....it happened.

Channel 4 had a major spazz attack and the whole screen became scrambled. We frantically flipped through the other channels and sure enough, every other station came through clear as day. We ran downstairs and my in-laws' TV was showing the same chaos on channel 4. Of COURSE this happens to the one and only show I care about, of course! I looked at Nate and told him if Jim proposed to Pam and I missed it, I would throw myself out a window.

So I pouted for awhile as I stared at the snowy screen---we couldn't even hear the audio at this point. I missed the whole last half of the show and was forced to watch Gray's Anatomy. [As a side note: I know a lot of girls my age love that show but it's so freaking ridiculous sometimes. I mean, the Asian chick got stabbed by a fallen icicle last night and it was no big deal. Bleh-so dramatic.]

Moral of the story: I hate NBC!!!!!

Then today I had an epiphany: I went to NBC.com and found the whole first episode from last night. I love you, NBC! We are friends again. Wouldn't you know it.....Jim popped the big Q!!!

It was worth the wait, my friends. Totally flipping perfect. I love this show.

The best line of the night came from Phyllis:

"I wonder what people like about me? [pause] Probably my jugs."

Ah, all is right with the world again. On top of a fabulous Office, I ran my final long run this morning. My last 8 miler before D-day felt really good--I felt strong and ready for 26.2. Of course, I'll probably be freaking out a week from today but as of right now I'm ready to kick marathon arse. It looks like Nate probably won't run it with me, considering that he didn't 'test his legs' at all this week. I suppose it's still up in the air but I'm preparing myself to do this solo. He mentioned that he might jump in with me for the last 5 miles or so, to help motivate me for the finish. It's pretty much his best idea ever---I think I'll need that extra push after 21 miles!

And now I must pack for our trip to Kansas City where we will attend a fabulous wedding for these two crazy kids:

Fun fact for the day: they invited 760 people to their wedding! [gasp]. Here's to a great wedding, Caleb and Ashleigh!

Also, mad props to Nick and Amy who are also getting married this weekend, in North Carolina.
If we could be in two places at once we would get to attend both weddings, but alas--we are mere mortals. So sorry to miss this one, but can't wait to see pictures.

Anyone else attending weddings this weekend? Anyone watch The Office or are all my readers faithful Gray's fans?

Stimulated.

Say goodbye to our economic stimulus check, Henry:

Please welcome the new addition to our household, Mr. iMac:
The 20 inch screen is optimal for viewing fabulous websites. How did we ever survive with a 13 inch screen? The horror!
And so, my friends, it's official: we are hemorrhaging money. Our bank account is crying out in protest but we are doing our best to ignore the screams. Because this is one pimp computer!

Our poor little laptop is quite jealous. She was functioning at her optimal level today until we brought home this bad boy. Now she refuses to turn on. Thank goodness we burned all of our important files and photos to DVDs last night! I think the only thing we didn't rescue was our iTunes library, but we can manage. 

So here is to a fresh start!

On a lighter note...

My blog has been a bit heavy lately, no?

Let's take a break from the deep thoughts and look towards something much more trivial, superficial, and totally unnecessary: my birthday is around the corner. I'll be 27 on the 27th, which makes this my 'golden birthday.' Nate just informed me of this fact today. I had no idea it was so special!

So I figure I should dream big, right? I don't NEED anything at all. But of course, there are items that I wouldn't hate to have, either. I can't remember the last time I actually shopped online or browsed my favorite websites. And it was long overdue, my friends.

I now present to you my mega-ridiculous-birthday-wishlist. I don't expect you all to run out and buy all of these items but I won't stop you if you are bound and determined to drop some major dough. Mostly I like eye candy and these things are pretty:

If we had a second laptop we'd have a lot less stress in our lives. I know, it's an awful problem to have, but with one computer and two people, things don't always add up. Of course we'd get another Mac:


Now that I'm running again, I remember why I hate my gigantor Ipod--because it's so freaking big and has to clip onto my pants. I think one of the following would suit my training much more, don't you?



And then there are the clothes. Lots and lots of eye candy here, folks. The first tribute is to J.Crew---my love, my nemesis. Such mixed emotions when it comes to this store. Why do they have to have such gorgeous pieces with such hefty price tags? And why do they have to make these types of things JUST FOR ME?

And Anthropologie is my friend, too. So many fun dresses, tops, and accessories. Don't you think I'd look fab in these for our San Diego trip?
What? I never denied having expensive tastes. And I'd never actually BUY anything because of my inner-tight wad. But it's fun to look and drool.

On another note.....remember how one of my 2008 goals was to save 15-20K by the end of the year? It's only April and we are REALLY close to hitting our goal already! I don't know how this has happened so quickly. Maybe it has something to do with not paying rent, getting a nice tax refund, and Nate pulling in some paychecks. That could be it, I suppose. But I'm really proud of us because we've worked really hard at saving money. We even splurged a little on our wedding DVD and our vacation and we still managed to save this much.

I guess this means it's time to look at houses and consider another move.....NOT! There is no way I'd willingly move anytime soon. So for now my inner tight wad can gloat and relax a bit, and I can't call us 'poor' anymore [just to make Nate mad]. I'm sure I can find other ways to bug the boy:)

And finally, I updated my blog roll. It's getting out of control, I know. But I didn't realize how long it had been neglected. And I forgot how much I adore Google Reader.