When Nilla was a little pup, exploring the world and learning to play, she would occasionally grab her favorite toy of the moment and, after giving it a shake, she’d flip it lightly into the air to land just a few inches away.
Aww. Cute.
As she’s gotten older, however, she’s gotten stronger. Her once adorable habit of tossing has turned into a habit of throwing. Ocassionally, hurling. And her aim has improved.
Or not, depending on how you look at it. I can think of one candleholder in particular that would disagree if he were still around to speak of it today.
A moment, please.
It first became apparent to us that our kid had a real talent (or issue) when she managed to accomplish this.
I’m not sure what to feel about that number. Two. In a way, it feels as though it’s been so much longer. Over the past two years this blog has seen an engagement and a wedding, a job change, it's seen death, and flowers, and a baby shower for the mommy of a little guy that I now watch grow bigger and bigger nearly every week. It feels like two years can’t possibly contain all of those things.
And yet, it feels like I’m only just starting here. Not as in, “it feels like May 9, 2009 was yesterday.” No, the above paragraph still holds true. But more like, this space is finally becoming what I never/always knew it would. Which is why, as of today, things are looking different.
I’ve known for a while that a change was in order, so I started working on a redesign for this site at the beginning of the year. I cannot tell you exactly how many iterations it went through. Three general designs, maybe, with five or so variations on each, plus a lot bit of cursing and a bazillion few tears along the way. It is immensely difficult to take something in your head, something with no shape or color, and turn it into a visual, intelligible product. It’s even further difficult to make it into something that looks polished and cohesive—and I’m not at all claiming to have done that. What I have done, though, is turned this space into something that I love, and I am hoping that you like it as well.
Also, for all the hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing that I did to get to this point, I have to say: Designers, you are awesome. I have a whole new respect for what you do. Thank you for making things nicer to look at and better to use, and props for making it look easy—because it’s totally, totally not.
One afternoon in Austin, while taking a break from exploring the city, I spied a pigeon sitting on the narrow ledge directly outside our hotel room window.
It was so unexpected. I grabbed my camera and moved toward him slowly.
And then, he saw me. I was sure that would be the end of our encounter.
I’m noticing an unfortunate trend among a few of the people that I love, and I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of something small that will make a big difference in the way you relate to the world.
And the way the world relates to you.
The things that you love, believe, and want can be good and even right, without something else being lesser or wrong. It is not necessary to deconstruct and cut down the lives and ideals (hell, even the shoes) that other people choose, or the mistakes that some people make, in order to support your own choices. Everyone has their own journey, and if you feel secure in yourself, own who you are, and truly believe in how you live—well then, that’s enough. That’s everything.
Also be aware that, even if you’re not directly disparaging those in your life, this break-down-build-up worldview can be alienating and exhausting. It’s much easier to feel positive toward someone when his or her happiness does not constantly come at the expense of something. If you’ve been standing atop a broken-down-other to justify your decisions, know that your footing will feel more secure and your happiness more sure if you’re grounded in self-adequacy instead.
You and the things you choose can be good, right, enough, without anyone else in the world being wrong. That’s not a criticism. It’s an affirmation.
I’m a quarter of a century old today. Finally an age that sounds right. 25 still seems too young, but a quarter of a century—I can wear that comfortably.
I love that I am married to a man that I can talk to about anything, and that I enjoy talking to about everything.
I love that I am married.
It is wonderful to me that different people find happiness and fulfillment in different lifestyles. I often find it disappointing that some people miss out on seeing the beauty in this by looking down on or being critical of others’ choices. We all have our niche, our comfort, our joy, and it's more interesting that those things are not the same for everyone.
I need a bigger kitchen.
Living in New York constantly reminds me that every person is beautiful, often in very uncommon or unexpected ways.
Walking along mucky, slushy city streets makes me feel like a cat negotiating furniture, trying to make it from one piece to the next without touching the ground (wherein “touching the ground” is a metaphor for stepping ankle-deep into a cold, black puddle of wintertime grossness).
I am excited about things to come.
Watching my DVR recording of The Bachelor every Tuesday morning over breakfast makes me unreasonably happy, and I don’t care who knows it.
Chris and I spent our honeymoon in Aruba. We picked the island for its white beaches, blue waters, and reliable weather during an iffy season. We left with visions of spending our days lazing with books and mixed drinks on the beach, and returned with memories of threatening skies and crossword puzzles in the hotel room. Turns out 2009 was a dry year for Aruba, and we were making up for it. Still, the vacation as a whole was great and filled its purpose: relaxation after a year of wedding craziness.
Here are just a few things we took away from our stay.
When it came to the cake, we knew we had a challenge in front of us. It obviously had to be gluten-free for me, but we also wanted to make sure that it was good. At some weddings, the cake is a bit of an afterthought, a photo op and last jolt of sugar before everybody rushes out to the dance floor. Ours, however, would be served on the heels of an exceptional meal. Also, there’s still a lot of skepticism from many gluten-eaters about the quality of gluten-free baked goods. Those of us on the inside know that they can be just as good as, if not better, than your standard confections. With that in mind, it was important to us that we feed our guests a cake that was better than just “good…for gluten-free.”
Since this is a food blog, and considering that our choice of venue and style of celebration were centered on food, I thought it only appropriate to share with you our wedding menu. Naturally, there was so much else going on that night that I don’t think I could recall specific tasting notes in any sort of worthwhile detail, so this will be a largely pictorial illustration. Suffice it to say, every last bite was exceptional.
Wedding favors are a tricky subject. Many people today are deciding to forgo them altogether—and for good reason. Trinkets bearing your monogram can be difficult for your guests to make use of, and there’s a pretty decent chance that those baggies of candy will be forgotten on the table or thrown away at the end of the night. Not that there’s anything wrong with either category if that’s your thing and it appeals to your guests. For a lot of people, though, it’s seen as a waste of time and money. For us, we just knew we would need something a little different.
Since I started my own little garden last year, I initially thought of giving everyone a packet of herb seeds with growing tips and recipe recommendations. Cute idea…if everyone attending was into gardening. I realized fairly quickly that, while many people would appreciate the favor, only a handful would be likely to follow through and actually grow the herbs. Also, I didn’t want to give our guests a project.
Still, we felt like we wanted to give our friends and family a little something special as a thank you, something they could take away in remembrance of the day. We didn’t want it to be something they would be stuck with, feeling obligated to keep or guilty for throwing away. It should be something useful, enjoyable by all, and still a reflection of us.
The wedding date has come and gone. There are no more surprises to spoil. It’s only fair, then, that I finally share the results of my wedding dressdrama.
When I set out to plan the wedding, I most definitely did not envision myself walking down the aisle in a ball gown. I wasn’t particularly interested in anything whiter than ivory. And if you had said the words “taffeta” or “floral detail” to me I’d have raised an eyebrow at you before snorting in obvious disapproval.
