Guilty Pleasure

If I'm being totally honest, I have to admit that I've always had a pretty healthy appetite for totally trashy television. Exhibit A: I have seen every single episode of every season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, except for the season with Jesse the football player and the Air Force guy. That's 19 seasons combined, people. (And, yes, I totally looked that up on Wikipedia.) Since I'm freely admitting what most people would be mortified to share with the entire World Wide Web, you'd think I lack any shame regarding my TV viewing habits.

Not true.

I still have one very guilty pleasure that I have yet to own up to: The Vampire Diaries. I fully blame my sister, who introduced me to the show last spring. I immediately thought, "Ugh... Yet another story about a teenager in love with a vampire / caught in a vicious love triangle / out to save her unsuspecting town from the undead?" After all, I could barely get through the Twilight series without losing my lunch on several occasions. Of course, no one twisted my arm and made me read all four books in record time, and then see all three movies to date, but I digress.

However, I wrong about The Vampire Diaries. It's dark and twisty and totally addictive. The characters are approximately 11,000 times more likeable and relatable than good ol' Bella and Edward, it's set in the South and so there are all kinds of flashbacks to the Civil War era, which are fun-- albeit totally historically inaccurate, but who's paying attention?--and it's got a kind of O.C. (another one of my favorite teen televisions series of yore) meets True Blood vibe. And now after having caught up on all of season 1 via DVD over the holidays, it's official: I am obsessed. It returns to the CW tonight, and I feel like I should be ashamed to admit it, but I could not be more excited. Elena, Stefan, and Damon: get ready for some Q.T!

Monday, Monday...

Here we are on Monday, again. They seem to come quick, don't they? Today I'm OK with the fact that it's yet another Monday because I had a nice weekend-- quiet, but relaxing and fun, too. Friday night was low key. We made tacos and saw The King's Speech, which was fantastic (and Collin Firth will totally win the Academy Award.) And then I was in bed by 11. My kind of night.

Saturday, I got up and took a long walk around Town Lake with two girlfriends. It was still cold (and, yes, I realize Texas has turned me into a total weather whiner), but finally sunny! And it was so nice to just enjoy some fresh air and girl time. Then I came home and made lasagna from scratch... sauce and all. It wasn't very difficult, but definitely took some time-- probably over 3 hours in total. Since the sauce had to simmer for an hour and a half, I figured it was the perfect time to take a nap. So I did, and it was delightful. Then I got up, cleaned up, and we had some friends over for a big lasagna feast. I should have taken some pictures, but didn't. I realize my blog has been pictureless here for a few weeks, so I'll have to get on that...

Yesterday was another lazy day. We slept in, and then made our (sadly, nearly habitual) Sunday morning breakfast of waffles and bacon. J even snazzed it up with some fried apples that we used to top our waffles. Delicious, but not so figure friendly. That, combined with the aforementioned lasagna feast, necessitated some serious cardio at the gym. Usually I hate working out indoors at the gym on weekends, but since I didn't really have any other pressing duties (and it was still cold out), I actually kind of enjoyed it.

Later that afternoon, we headed to our Dave Ramsey class. We've been taking his class this winter, and are really enjoying it so far. A lot of the early classes are on the basics like saving and reducing debt, which are fairly common sense (although always a good reminder and he provides excellent motivation), but I'm really looking forward to some of the later classes on things like investing, insurance, retirement and college savings, etc. I feel like I've always been fairly on top of the basics of personal finance, but I know there are so many more things I could be doing, so we're enjoying the classes and also actually enjoying getting a little more hard core about our budgeting, saving, and working towards our financial goals.

Then, we wrapped up our evening with a little more lasagna (so much for that cardio) and some good books. I always kind of feel like January is a boring month that I just have to slog through, but it's kind of nice not having all the hustle bustle of the holidays or a lot of plans. And it's one of a few months where it's totally acceptable to spend an entire Saturday making and eating comfort food, so there's that too...

Have you tried any new recipes lately? Any favorite winter comfort food meals?

Zumba... It ain't for wimps, yo

I don't know why I felt the need to add "yo" on to the end of that title. Maybe because Zumba is a little hip hop-ish? I don't know. All I know is that recently, in an effort to mix up my exercise routine a little bit, I attended a Zumba class and... wow. According to the official website, Zumba is "an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party(TM) that's moving millions of people towards joy and health." Sounds good, right? And my gym offers it, so I thought, why not?

First of all, I need to explain that my sole athletic ability lies in getting from point A to point B quickly. I've mastered... OK, "mastered" might be a strong word... but I'm at least proficient in getting from point A to point B quickly in water and by foot. Last year, leading up to my triathlon, I even got pretty good at getting from point A to point B quickly on a bike. But hand-eye coordination? Fuggedaboutit. I can't throw, catch, or kick a ball to save my life.

So, back to Zumba... I got out of work earlier than expected and didn't want sit around waiting for my regularly scheduled spin class. Truth be told, I also wasn't really feeling a high intensity workout, so I thought something whose official motto is "ditch the workout, join the party!" would fit the bill nicely.

Um, no.

Turns out Zumba is actually a very fast paced hip hop/pop music dance class. Our instructor was clearly fresh off the UT cheerleading squad or dance team (read: a really good dancer), and the music was all paced as briskly as an uptempo Lady Gaga ditty (some of it was, in fact, Lady Gaga.) I don't think I can adequately illustrate what me in this class looked like (although the horror of watching myself in the mirror is a sight that will stay with me for a long time), but let's just say that I have NO dance background, can barely keep the beat when I'm in an audience and everyone starts clapping in sync (this is very sad, but 100% true), and was probably about 10 before I was totally confident in my ability to identify my left side from my right. In a word: pathetic. I don't know how the instructor didn't start laughing. I would have (and did, several times, despite my complete and utter shame.)

Also, that easy workout I was looking for? Not so much. I was out of breath and sweating pretty heavily the whole time, and woke up sore (in my abs!) the next day. So I have to hand it to all you dancer ladies out there. A.) It's totally not a wimpy workout... it's hard work! and B.) it takes some real skill. Props to those of you who can do it! Will I be back? Eh, probably not. Grocery shopping in my underwear would be less embarrassing. But I give a tiny little thumbs up to myself for trying something out of my comfort zone and mixing up my gym routine. For now, however, spin class and circuit training will do just fine.

Have any of you tried any new fitness classes lately? Any new activities you love... or, like me, failed miserably at? I'm always looking for new ideas... even if they don't work out!

The downhill slope

Yesterday J started his last semester of business school. It's been such a crazy ride-- incredibly stressful and anxiety-provoking at times, and yet also frequently exciting and very fun. Moving cross-country and embarking on this journey has most definitely been the biggest adventure in our marriage to date. And now we have only four months left! It's hard to believe. I'm sure there are still numerous stressful moments ahead (like, you know... the job hunt... the waiting... the wondering... and possibly moving across the country again... ), but there are still lots of fun times to be had as well. We've been fortunate to meet a great group of couples to share this adventure with, and hopefully we'll be able to squeeze out lots of good times with them in the coming months. In the meantime, J continues to impress me with his never-ending hard work, his fantastic grades, his diligence throughout the job search process, and his ability to push it all aside and still put on a smile at the end of the day despite these daily stressors. We are officially on the downhill slope... hopefully it will be a smooth ride!

A good week

Well, despite the Ducks' sad loss on Monday and the really, really cold weather we've been experiencing, it's been a good week. The biggest factor in my good week was receiving my second consecutive negative hcg blood test result on Tuesday. This means that I can now move to monthly blood tests (my bruised inner arms would cheer if they could) and, more importantly, that my doctor is confident that my mole (tumor-like object) is gone and they just need to monitor me for a few months to make sure it doesn't come back-- the odds of which are extremely low now that I've registered negative for two weeks in a row. So that is a huge, enormous weight off my shoulders. I am just exceedingly grateful that everything cleared up so quickly and without the need for heavy duty drugs (chemo.) I have no idea if or when we'll have children, but this is a huge step in getting to the point where it's even a possibility.

It's also been a good week in terms of feeling diligent and disciplined in working towards some of my goals. I have some lofty professional and financial goals for the year, but have decided that instead of just making a bold New Year's resolution (which will inevitably fall by the wayside in a few short weeks), I am going to focus on a series of small mini-goals each month that lead towards my larger goal. I've always been motivated by the thrill of checking things off of a list, no matter how mundane, so I think this will help keep me accountable and engaged in pursuing my goals throughout the year. This particular week I didn't accomplish anything enormous, but I've been diligent about a few small things, such as menu planning and making dinner at home every night, and doing some work on developing a portfolio of my writing. Here's to small efforts that build momentum.

And, finally, it's Friday and I have absolutely nothing planned this weekend aside from making a slow-cooked pot roast, opening a bottle of wine, and getting some serious mileage out of my Netflix subscription. Can't wait!

I Love My Ducks!

Big game tonight! I'll be cheering on my Oregon Ducks as they compete for their first National Championship. This video is just a little something to get you fired up for the game... since I know you'll ALL be rooting for the Ducks!

(Oh, and random trivia... I grew up next door to the main singer in this video!)

2010: A look back

2010 was a good year, but a very intense year. In 2008, we moved in together, got married, and then suffered through the acquisition of J's company, followed by his inevitable layoff. In 2009, we moved halfway across the country, J started business school, and I found a new job and started building a life in a city where neither of us knew a soul. After two years of transition and big life changes, we were kind of hoping for a low-key 2010. That didn't exactly happen. There were highs and lows, happiness and heartbreak, lots of travel, lots of house guests, and we definitely made some memories along the way.

January

• We ring in the new year in NYC with Kristin & Dan, and spend the first hours of 2010 sliding down a snowy hill on trash bags, with frequent champagne hydration breaks.



• UT goes to the National Championship and loses; despite the loss J is adamant about naming our firstborn son Colt. It will be many months before I can persuade him to compromise on a name that doesn't conjure ponies, pistols, or... Longhorn quarterbacks.


• J starts interviewing for his summer internship.


• J celebrates a birthday.


• I get super busy at work, which will last through July.
  

February

• I work a lot; J studies and interviews a lot.


• It snows in Austin. Twice.


• 48 hours prior to of one of these snow incidents, I am poolside in a bikini soaking up the rays and 78 degree temps.


• During the other snow incident, I get stuck on a plane, on the runway, for SEVEN HOURS at DFW. All in preparation for a 37 minute flight from Dallas to Austin.

March

• Our first guests of the year! Three of my Seattle girlfriends visit during South by Southwest.


• J volunteers at SXSW's interactive show.
  

April

• My best college girlfriends visit.
  
  
  
• J's parents visit.



• We attend the formal event affectionately known as the "MBA Prom."


• My brother proposes to his girlfriend; she says yes!
  

May

• J completes his first year of business school.


• My parents visit.



• I host my sister's bachelorette party in Vancouver, BC.
  

June

• I complete the Danskin Women's Triathlon (my first!) alongside one of my best friends from college, and beat my goal with a finishing time of 1:50:01.


• We take an amazing trip to South Africa for two weeks to watch the World Cup, drink lots of wine, and, oh yeah, dive with great white sharks. (And, yes, I realize I never recapped this trip. Here's a little preview...)



• J moves to Charlotte, NC, where he will spend the summer interning at Bank of America.
  

July

• I visit J in Charlotte, and we drive down to visit Charleston, SC, over 4th of July weekend. This is my first visit to the true south; I eat shrimp and grits at High Cotton in Charleston and we tour the Boone Hall Plantation. Fascinating!



• J visits me in Austin mid-month.


• I travel back to Oregon to attend my sister's bridal shower.
  

August

• We celebrate my sister's wedding; I have the honor of standing beside Laura as her matron of honor and gain a new brother-in-law, Mike.



• My girlfriends from my post-college days in San Francisco visit.



• J returns home from Charlotte.
  
• I celebrate a birthday.

September

• I get promoted!


• I visit my girlfriends in Seattle over Labor Day weekend, while J enjoys a guys' weekend in New York; apparently we are on a mission to wrack up as many frequent flier miles as possible.

• We celebrate our two year anniversary with a weekend trip to Dallas, where we indulge in several delicious meals and visit the 6th Floor museum, the sculpture museum, and the arboretum.


• Laura and Mike, visit us in Austin; we have a great weekend, despite UT's loss to UCLA. This is the beginning of the end for UT's football season.


• Meanwhile, Oregon begins its record breaking football season; J still thinks there is no way Oregon could ever beat UT.

October

• J's parents visit again.


• We find out we are expecting.


• We visit J's cousin in Dallas and attend the Texas State Fair.


• J's best friend from high school visits.


• Number 1 ranked football teams get knocked off left and right as Oregon inches to the top.
  

November

• I have a miscarriage; two weeks later I am diagnosed with a molar pregnancy.


• I undergo surgery to remove the tumor-like mass and begin weekly blood tests to make sure that everything clears out of my system.


• J continues interviewing.


• We travel to Portland to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents, my brother and future sister-in-law, and my sister and brother-in-law.
  

December

• Oregon wins the Pac-10 title and clinches it's position at the National Championship


• J completes his third semester of business school-- the toughest yet.


• We travel back to Seattle to spend Christmas with J's family, while squeezing in lots of visits with friends and a quick trip to see my family.

• We close out 2010 at my good friend Aja's house, surrounded by good friends, while playing rowdy board games.
  

Hi ho, hi ho...

... it's back to work we go! After a wonderful 10-day trip to the Northwest over Christmas, we're back home and getting settled into our normal routine. Or at least I am. Someone doesn't start school again for another week and a half. But I'm not bitter or anything...

Ahem, I digress. Our trip home was great, and we managed to visit with numerous different family members and friends. There are still plenty of people I would have liked to see, but despite filling almost every single day with several visits, it just wasn't possible. Overall, however, we had a great trip! Highlights included:

• A traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner celebration with J's family
  
  
• A delicious Korean feast for Christmas day lunch with J's close family friends
  
  
• An overnight trip to Leavenworth, WA with J's sister and brother-in-law where we tubed, snowshoed, and filled up on traditional German food and beer


• A quick trip down to Portland to visit my parents and have dinner with my brother and future sister-in-law


• Visits with two high school friends, one of whom just had a baby


• New Year's Eve with some of our closest friends in Seattle

I didn't do a great job taking pictures, but here are few from our trip to Leavenworth:

Whew! It was an action-packed whirlwind and we had a great time, but it was nice to get home this past Sunday and settle back into our own home. And now it's time to think about the year ahead... I've got some specific goals for 2011 that I'll share with you tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you're all settling comfortably back into your own routines.