2011, Where Art Thou?

2010 has proved to be a very difficult year for seemingly every one I know, including myself. It has been full off illness, loss, separation, unemployment, and other both real and imagined hardships. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in these, and forget about all of the good things in our lives. Take a few minutes today to think of some of the positives that 2010 has offered, and also what you hope 2011 brings.

Here is a list of just a few things that I appreciate about 2010:
-Getting out of Norfolk, and moving to beautiful Hawaii.
-Spending a month in Arizona before the move.
-Being able to spend time with the in-laws, even though it was not the best of circumstances.
-Adopting Duke- he bring so much happiness to my life!
-Having visits from Hillary, my mom, and next week, my sister.
-Knowing no matter what Hillary and my friendship will remain awesome! No amount of time or distance could change that.
-Being reminded of the importance of family, and knowing I have their love and support.
-Having the best team mate and partner in Nate. Even though we are spending most of 2010 apart, we're still Team Laird, and we kick ass. :-)
-Finding a new nursing job that doesn't seem like it will make me hate people.

Okay, well this list could go on and on, but it would get ridiculously long! This is exactly why we need to stop and focus on the good things. Obviously it's important to deal with life's hardships, but don't let those define you. Let them help you appreciate life's good moments.

Best Idea Ever!

Okay, so I just read something that said "Desperate Housewives Producer Wants Betty White For The Show", and I misinterpreted it, and thought "Real Housewives..." Oh my gosh, how funny would that be! I started thinking about her role in the different versions, and here's a little peak into my crazy mind.

Real Housewives of Orange County:
She would totally fit in! She has the white hair going on. And we all know most of the women on that show are a lot older than they look thanks to Botox and plastic surgery.

Real Housewives of New Jersey:

She could team up with Ashley to take Danielle down! Or, who know, maybe she'd be Team Danielle, and get in a fight with the other women and help take them all down! Then they could have a spin-off show "Real Jailbirds of New Jersey: Betty White and Danielle Staub Behind Bars".

Real Housewives of New York:

She would totally get along with the ladies! Sipping tea with the Countess, walking the catwalk or posing for nudie magazines with Kelly, doing drugs with Ramona (the only way to explain the way she is), going to the opera with Alex. That's all I have... I can't stand Bethenny or Jill, so obvs Betty wouldn't like them either!

Real Housewives of Atlanta:

Ooh, she would date a pro athlete and create horrific music, for sure!

But let's be honest... it doesn't matter what Betty White chooses to do. Everything she does is good in my book!

Plain Jane

I don't know if any body else watched Plain Jane on the CW tonight (I'm gonna assume not), but the show was super cheesy and made me SO uncomfortable and embarrassed at the end! It was possibly the most awkward 7 minutes of my life even though I was not there. Aside from being completely fake and set up, it was horrible! And yet, I am sure I will tune in again next week!

www.cwtv.com/shows/plain-jane

Team USA

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am secretly- or not so secretly in some cases- patriotic. I am not really sure where it came from, but it is deeply rooted. Maybe that's where my unprecedented respect for a guy came from. {Nate obviously!}

Living on Marine Corps Base Hawaii has brought my patriotism to even more ridiculous levels! Being surrounded by Marines and Sailors in uniform doing ceremonies, drills, and carrying out day to day life everyday just makes me so happy. A lot of these men and women aren't even old enough to drink, and are more respectful and responsible than people twice their age. I have never in my life felt safer than I do living here, and I feel so lucky to get to be a part of the unique lifestyle that comes with being a part of a military family.

I've Been Chocomized!

I have the greatest husband ever! He sent me a custom chocolate bar from Chocomize.com. You should totally check the site out, it's super fun! The one he sent me is milk chocolate with teddy grahams and dried papaya. I am excited to try it!

I think my dream combination would be milk chocolate with mini marshmallows and graham cracker bits. What's yours?

What A Good Weekend!

I think that for the first time since Nate left, I can actually say I am sad the weekend is over! Since May there really hasn't been much difference between weekdays and and weekends for me. This weekend changed that!

Saturday night I went to a game party. I actually found a group on Meetup.com (yes, I need help making friends) that is a "board" game group. The founder of the group hosted the affair, and there were 12 of us who showed up. We had some good food, a few drinks, and played Taboo, Things, and Telestrations. All of which were very fun! I didn't get home until after midnight... what a rarity! I was definitely the youngest person there- I'd say the average age was 40-something, but it was really fun to socialize and meet new people. There was even a couple there that I really liked, and would consider hanging out with again, especially when Nate get home.

Yesterday I went to the beach with Kayla, and we met up with her friend Eleanor and Eleanor's man-friend Zach. After, Kayla and I went to the Yardhouse for a drink (I had Chimay, yum!), then we met back up with El and Zach at Duke's Barefoot Bar. Which is where the shenanigans ensued! On Sundays they have live music and a bunch of older local people and tourists come to dance. The 4 of us had plenty of drinks and even ended up on the dance floor boogying with the elders. I've gotta say... those old people had some sweet moves! After Duke's Kayla and I grabbed a burger and frozen yogurt, and just hung out for a while, then I went home. Another late night (well, for me)...I think I got home at 10:30.

Today is back to the real world. I began pursuing this job last Wednesday. It is working for Nurse Finders as a nurse for medically fragile children. Basically it sounds like I will be going to schools and caring for chronic kids. I am going to start out part-time, and they said they are really flexible, so I can still take off time whenever I have visitors (hint hint). Orientation starts Wednesday, and I am really excited! I hope I like it!

And last, but not least, this is a weird week for me. Nate is in Ethiopia for the week covering some story about the widespread issues of Malaria. They are in some super remote town that there aren't even roads to. I guess the drivers just drive in the general direction of town and make their own paths. Weird. Needless to say, he does not have internet or a phone out there, so I don't get to talk to him until he gets to the capital city, Addis Ababa at the end of the week. It stinks not being able to talk to my hubby, especially with all of these exciting things to report! But of course, I'll live, and when we talk on Friday (or whenever it turns out to be), it will be that much sweeter! Also, I am pretty sure that in late September I am going to get to meet Nate in Egypt for a few days! Exciting!

Flashback

I bought a fanny pack today. While I bought it primarily for work, I have a feeling it's going to make it out of the house a lot more often than it should!

Update: As evidenced here!

Things Are Looking Up

I have been virtually obsessed with trying to find a job lately. Another job, I should say. I only work pick-up at the nursing home, and lately that has meant about 1 8-hour shift per week. That works out great when I have visitors, but the rest of the time leaves me bored and feeling non-productive. Not to mention, after my shift tomorrow, there is nothing available for pick-up until mid/late August. Not gonna fly. {A side note: My sister comes to visit August 3-10, which can't come soon enough! I am so excited to see her!}

At least 2 hours of every day have been filled with searching for jobs both online and in person, filling out applications, talking to management, etc. And sadly, many of the days have been more like 6+ hours of job hunting. The search has even included an interview for a serving job at a restaurant near my house that I ended up walking out of mid-interview. The manager was a total douchebag!

Luckily, I found a job listed on Craigslist (I am trying not to get my hopes up too high since this is Craigslist we're talking about) that sounds pretty ideal! I called them this afternoon, as I was headed out for an open interview at CPK, and the recruiter seemed really interested in me due to my experience! I immediately shut my car off and came right back inside. Friday is my interview, and I couldn't be more excited! Here's to hoping that this is my last interview for quite some time!

In completely unrelated news:
-I took a boat licensing class on base yesterday, and now am able to rent a boat from the marina here to take out in the bay! Too bad I currently have no one to enjoy that with.
-I saw Inception yesterday morning and really liked it! I wasn't convinced that I'd like the movie based on the previews, but it was a lot more emotional than I thought it would be, and all around pretty badass.
-Which remind me, I saw Knight and Day last week, which I expected to be horrible. {Read: Tom Cruise creeps me out!} I thought it's only redeeming quality would be Cameron Diaz... but I was wrong! I thought the movie was hilarious! Literally, I was cracking up throughout the movie and probably looked like a crazy person.
-And last, but certainly not least, I'm pretty sure Duke calls me Mom. This is basically another one of those Sadie being able to say milk situations. But I'll say "Kitty" and he said "Meowm". I should probably just delete this last tab in hopes of not coming off as completely insane, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Fact:

I have the best husband in the world!

And I miss him dearly!

Flowers

I have a 9-picture picture frame in my guest bathroom that I have been meaning to fill. Currently, it is hanging on the wall with the stock photos that came in it. Classy!

I've decided that I want to fill it with up-close pictures of flowers. I have a few photos that I have taken in the past, but still need more. If you have any good pictures of flowers that you wouldn't mind me displaying, feel free to send them my way!

This morning I went for a nice long walk and took my camera. I didn't pass too many different types of flowers- mostly just hibiscus and plumeria, so I didn't end up with many pictures. Looking through the pictures, I saw this one, and for some reason it just struck me as incredibly sad. Beautiful, but sad.

I'm not sure if it will make the cut or not, I was mostly just surprised that a picture of a flower could elicit such emotion! Especially since I didn't think anything of it when I took the picture... I just snapped it and continued on!

Silly Time Difference

It is nearly 2 am, and way past my bedtime... I guess this is what I get for working an evening shift! I left work around 11:30, and I am still wound up! One thing that was nice about being on the East Coast, is that on a night like tonight I had some friends that I knew I could call, even if it was super late for me, because it was 2-3 hours earlier for them. Now it's the other way around and I can't call anyone after like 6 pm. It works out well when I want to chat in the morning, but I'm feeling chatty tonight! Ha ha! I miss my friends so much! October can't come soon enough.

Rope Crafts

Thanks to Martha Stewart and her Encyclopedia of Crafts, I will have no excuse to be bored while Nate is gone. My most recent project I am working on from this book is Rope Crafts. These were my first attempts, and although they are not perfect, I like the idea of them.

I originally bought this rope in hopes of making a Woven Rope Doormat, but the rope I bought was not long enough, and the project proved to be a little difficult for me to follow.


Above is a Sailor's Knot Bookend, which I think turned out cute, but the colors are a little much on my bookshelf since it is already painted bright yellow and it packed full of books, dvds, pictures, and trinkets. If I make these again in the future, I will not skip the step of painting the wooden blocks in the center. Martha recommends painting the wood to match whatever color the rope is so the gaps are less obvious. Since I was just practicing with rope I already had, I opted against this step, and I think that really takes away from the final product.





This is a Knotted Napkin Ring. It was the first rope project I completed. I think the rope I used was way too thick, but the colors would be appropriate for a 4th of July tablescape or any other patriotic event.

Rope projects are really fun! They can be pretty difficult, especially on the first try, but I like the idea of working with different sizes and colors. I got this rope at Home Depot, and even though they didn't have a huge selection of ropes I was pleased with my find. And now that I have a better idea of what it's like to work with rope, I might appreciate different ones next time!

Mark Your Calendars!

I just got home from purchasing my tickets to Arizona for Erin and Renny's wedding. I was able to get a pretty good deal on Hawaiian Airlines, and I will be arriving in Phoenix late on October 21st, and leaving November 1st at 8 am. I'm pretty excited because on top of Erin's wedding and bridal shower, I realized I will get to spend Halloween with my friends! This is obviously a very exciting realization! I also have a new found appreciation for bridesmaid's dresses because now I only have to worry about 2 important outfits instead of 3!

And so, the annual question arises: What will I be for Halloween? What are you going to be? And shut up.. I realize it's only July. Planning ahead is what gets me through the days.

xo

Gold Nail Polish?

I don't know why, but for about a week I had my mind set on getting gold nail polish. Pretty random since I normally keep my nails naked, or if I do wear polish it is clear or barely pink. So a few days ago I popped into Walgreens and checked out their selection. I didn't find a color that exactly matched what I had in mind, but I settled for a Sally Hansen color called "Gilty Pleasure". I wanted sparkly and gold, and although it's a little darker than I wanted, I actually really enjoy it!

This is a random picture I found online of the color.

Chrysanthemum End Table

I decided for my first post I will share my most recent project. It is an end table that I bought at Goodwill which I sanded, primed, painted, decorated, and sealed. When I bought the table it was a hideous little thing.. the body was lightish brown wood, and then the drawer was stained or painted dark brown. The knob was some ugly little metal circle.

I have been working on this project on and off since Nate left on his deployment a month and a half ago. It has been a lot of work, but I really love how it turned out! Once I started decorating the table with flowers, I would geek out every time I caught a glimpse of it! Now I am finally finished, and ready to share pictures- which of course I don't feel do it justice.

This isn't it's permanent home, but it is really heavy so I didn't want to keep moving it. I figured the lighting would be best in the living room.

View from the front. I love the little glass knob!

View of the side.

One of my favorite patterns that I used.

Again, not the table's permanent home, but I thought I'd get a shot with my yellow bookcases in the background.

Now that I am done with this project I have to decide what I want to do with it. I was planning on selling it, but a.) I like it a lot, I am not sure I am ready to part with it, and b.) I am worried that it would break or get damaged if I ship it somewhere. If I do keep it, I have to decide where in my house it belongs.

On a more exciting note, now that I am done with that, I get to start a new project!