holiday decorations/decor

Holiday blog challenge, day 3

Holiday decorations/decor
Decorating apartments (especially small ones) is pretty tough - I bought a fake little tree a few years ago and ornaments, and I bought a mini wreath at Trader Joe's the other day (mainly because they smell soo amazing) like this but smaller:

but other than that there's not really room (or funds) for decorations :\ BUT last year we wrapped our front door with Christmas wrapping paper. I didn't take any pictures of it though, but we put a bow on it..and couldn't see out of the peephole for weeks. No one really said anything about it...this year I'm not sure we can wrap the front door since we're in a condo now.

I want a big tree, and decorations, and lights around the house...one day...

Christmas traditions

Day two of the holiday blog challenge: favorite Christmas tradition

The day after Thanksgiving, my parents would always (and still do I think) start hunting for the biggest Christmas tree at Publix. So each time we'd drive by we would look to see if they had trees yet...and then once trees were there, we looked at them to find the biggest, fullest tree. (Kind of sad going from looking for the biggest tree...to having a 2ft fake tree in a tiny little apartment.) And we each kind of had (have still I guess) a special ornament to put on the tree. We used to put up a "village" around the tree, and a train...but now it's really just the tree. My grandparents always put up this super nice village too, in their living room..but now they just put up a tiny village on the fireplace.

When we were little we also used to wake up super early to open gifts...(now we all sleep in as much as we can, haha). My dad videotaped most of these mornings... And we also put on little plays/shows when we were little (until a certain relative was extremely rude one year), and we (well I) used to print up menus for everyone to say what we were eating, along with a schedule for the show. (Kind of crazy, since I do not like any sort of performing or being the center of attention now, haha.)

And, my parents also have one of the advent/countdown to Christmas calendars. It was kind of like this one:

and this one

Each day you add one of the little ornaments (in the pockets) to the tree..

I think I'm going to buy cousins the countdown calendars this year to start a tradition for them, this teddy bear one is cute:

and they have a Santa's workshop one too.

My mom has tried to start a tradition (even though we're older) of getting pictures with Santa..but it hasn't worked out. (It's pretty embarrassing to go take a picture with Santa when you're 20-something, with your parents, at a mall. If it was somewhere else, maybe not as bad.) I don't know if it's a tradition, but I had a Christmas-y party a few times, invited friends over and made a bunch of desserts (and drinks) and then went downtown to drink.

A fun tradition to start, I think, is having kids make ornaments every year.

I think the tradition I miss most (kind of tradition I guess) is going home for 2-3 weeks for Christmas. In the real world, I barely have any time off from work..last year I flew home for 4 days (I think 4, it may have been 3, I don't even know) and this year I think we're driving (which will take up 2 days of the vacation) so we'll be there for maybe 3 days at the most. Ugh. I barely get to see anyone, and I don't get to relax. Time to go back to school? (Or become a teacher?)

1. how is it monday again?! argh.



2. holiday blogging!

holiday blog challenge!

Day one: favorite gift received for Christmas
This is weird, I can't remember most of the gifts I've received (but my parents always bought us a ton of stuff when we were little), and we always made lists so there weren't huge surprises.

Last year, I asked for this coat from JCrew.

bonus: favorite give I've given: family trip to skyventure (now iflyorlando)

(This is a pic from their website, the pics from when we went are somewhere on my mac...)

shoes!

I really want to buy new shoes for work (maybe more flats since I've apparently forgotten how to walk in heels), but I also really want to buy new workout shoes.

I want to get really into POSE running/chi running before the half marathon in July - I want to be able to do most of the training runs and most of the half using the correct running techniques. And I think I need new shoes to do that, right? The workout shoes I currently have are a New Balance pair (for running) and then a Puma pair (without much support/heel/anything, for Crossfit workouts without running).

I've read awesome reviews about the Inov-8 shoes, and I really want this one:

But I also kind of like these.

They're both (well, earlier models I think?) on sale right now at Again Faster, but I can't decide which to get. The F-Lite has a 3mm differential and 3mm footbed; the bares have no differential.

And now I need to try to find flats that are not ridiculously expensive...

Tiny Prints!

Tiny Prints is running an amazing promo for bloggers - so here's my post! I've been eyeing their cards for a while now (we looked at wedding invites but I fell in love with a few from another site). They're more expensive than Vistaprint or Shutterfly, but, I honestly couldn't find any cards I loved (or even really liked) on either of those.

Here's a link to the Tiny Prints Christmas card collection:
http://www.tinyprints.com/shop/picture-christmas-cards.htm

Here are my faves:

This card just looks so classic, like it's from a classic Christmas movie.

This one is simple but so adorable!

This one is also classic looking, I would love it in a dark green!

This flip card is so cool!

I love cards with birds:

There's also a really cool pinecone card, and a fun north pole card.

My favorite non-photo card is this one:

It's sooo simple, and so elegant!



Photo cards: We don't have kids, just a pup, and I don't want to be that person who puts the puppy picture on Christmas cards..and I don't want to have to go get a picture taken to put on the card. But here are some cute photo cards:
Banner of Dreams would be awesome with a snowy pic like the one shown!
I love the simplicity of this card.
If we were those dog crazy people (are we?) I would get this card:

I love more modern, bold cards like this one.
And, I think since our wedding was over a year ago, putting our wedding pic on this card wouldn't be too appropriate, but if it was I would totally do it. I can't think of any other pic that would go so well!

Last, I think this one is my absolute favorite.

I absolutely love all of the writing on the back, and the whole idea of the card!!!

Side note, I don't think we got a ton of Christmas cards last year, but I don't have any idea of how to display them. I kind of think plastering them on one of our walls, like a cool Christmas card wall, but that may be too much?

It's OK...

(link up for it's ok thursdays :) )
It's OK...
-to keep buying sweaters/coats/anything from Old Navy because they keep sending out coupons (even though i have not worn either new coat yet...)
-to be annoyed by all of the Christmas items in stores that have been there since..before Halloween!
-to not have started Christmas shopping at all (and haven't even started to make a list of gifts to buy...)
-to not have ordered Christmas cards yet - I just can't decide!
-to be super into volunteering that you don't have time for other stuff..(right??)
-to be yawning at work at 9am
-to want to go see jack's mannequin two nights in a row...
-to miss school
-to want to go back and sort of re-do college (i feel like i wasted so much time! and i don't even remember what i did most of the time...)
-to return "dresses" that have a weird tulip skirt part that does not cover..anything
-to want twice as many days off as we currently have

most adorab

This is the most adorable thing I've seen in a while..a runaway gingerboy cookie cutter kit!!

http://www.gingerhaus.com/products/RUNAWAY-GINGERBOY%E2%84%A2-COOKIE.html

(It's currently on sale on HauteLook for $18. Should I buy? hmm.)

natural remedies

I just saw this pretty awesome post/article about a bunch of natural remedies. It seems like a lot of people are getting/feeling sick lately...
http://wellnessmama.com/1499/natural-illness-prevention-and-treatment-beat-the-cold-flu-and-fever-faster/

Oil of oregano is so tough to take (it's like a burning/choking thing that happens under your tongue and then the back of your throat, not like spicy food either, like a little fire in your mouth), and it hasn't helped my sinus issue yet :(

dc bucket list

this isn't going to be part of my 101 things, except that one of my 101 things was to create a dc bucket list.

best part: a lot of these are free!

-jazz at the sculpture garden
-tour of the embassies
-fun events at some of the embassies
-kenilworth park and aquatic gardens
-screen on the green or rosslyn outdoor films during the summer
-national zoo
-cherry blossom photos
-ice skate in the sculpture garden
-butterflies at brookside gardens
-hike great falls from both sides
-national kite festival
-hot air balloon festival (about an hour from dc, looks so awesome!)
-tour of virginia wineries
-boomerang bus (i had to put this one)
-visit middleburg for a day
-ride the carousel at glen echo park
-free performance at the kennedy center
-trapeze class!
-changing of the guards at arlington cemetery
-hiking and tubing at harper's ferry
-national cathedral and national shrine
-shopping in georgetown
-skyline drive (i've wanted to do this for so long!)
-nationals baseball game
-visit mount vernon
-visit monticello
-visit old town
-assateague island
-visit the huge mormon temple you can see off of 495
-newseum
-naval observatory
-capitol building tour
-roosevelt island
-jumbo slice in adam's morgan
-dangerous delicious pies (i think i'm getting hungry?)
-visit eastern market (i don't really get why people love it, sorry)
-georgetown cupcake
-caps game
-all the memorials (all of them)
-monuments at night
-old rag
-drum circle at meridian hill
-sticky rice
-shirlington dog park
-national christmas tree
-high heel race
-happy hour at hay adams
-virginia gold cup and/or preakness (though let's be honest, preakness is a little less..classy)

also, check out this post: http://soyourenewtodc.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/dc-lessons/
and
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/d-c-a-guide-for-movers-and-shakers-who-want-to-live-on-capitol-hill/

military monday and..burnt out

Linking up for military monday for the first time..

And also just read this article - The burnt generation: They push limit work AND home. It's such an interesting read. I've been feeling pretty burnt out for a while now..always on the go, always on alert waiting for the next (bad) thing to happen..(I'm not pessimistic, just this year something pretty much happens every day or week, so it's more waiting for the next thing.)

This line really gets me - "Dr Borysenko believes women suffer so severely because they are more likely than men to be people-pleasers who ignore their own needs." It is so true. I think it's even especially true for military wives/spouses. If only there was a way to stop the burnt-out-ness before it gets to the point of breakdown.

Dear Monday...

(linkup for Dear Monday)

Dear Monday...why are you here so soon? It was just Monday...
Dear stores that have halloween candy on sale...I don't like you. Please give away your candy to some place that may need it so that I stop buying it..and eating it. Thanks.
Dear people who talk really loud in conference rooms with the door open..close the door. Thank you.
Dear weather...thank you for being so amazing today. (It's like 60 and super sunny..and I wish I was outside.)
Dear post nasal drip..please go away!
Dear Old Navy..please still have the coats I want tonight :) (There's a 30% off coupon on their website..but it's not valid for outerwear online, only at the store. They have a super cute yellow peacoat...and a long white wool coat..sooo cheap compared to other places! I want them!)

PTSD article

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/special_reports/special-report-the-war-at-home-battling-ptsd

A blogger I follow posted the link to this article, and I wanted to share. (Even though I don't have any followers right now, who knows, maybe some day having shared this will help someone in some way.) The link to the other PTSD article I shared a few weeks ago was also one she shared on her blog.

Health: Post- Nasal Drip

(In an attempt to maybe help someone out there who might happen to stumble across this post...)
So I've had this pesky issue with post nasal drip for years now. Last January (2010), I went to an allergy doctor - I had never had an allergy test before so we were hoping maybe that had something to do with it.

Things I despise: allergy tests. They did the prick test first, where they basically put a drop of something on the skin and then scratch/prick you with a needle. This one wasn't horrible, except that you can see how many different times they're going to do it..(pretty sure it was 96?) And then they do the intradermal test where they kind of inject the allergen under your skin. 96 times.

I didn't show any reaction to anything on the scratch/prick test, so they did the intradermal test. (I wish they could have just skipped to that one?) I hate needles. Really hate. Especially when I've already been pricked/scratched 96 times. The worst is just sitting there waiting for the next inject...so horrible! I won't lie, I was actually tearing up during this second part.

Anyway, the only thing that showed up as an allergy is similar to mold and bed bugs, so I'm not allergic to anything weird. Then the doctor thought it was a sinus infection, so gave me medicine - I couldn't finish the 2-3 week dosage because I had such horrible side effects I couldn't eat anything my stomach was so upset. Then the doctor said it could be a gastro issue. (It still could be I guess, but that wouldn't make any sense because the issues are 24/7 and not at all related to when I eat or if I eat at all.)

So, this post nasal drip thing is still here. A few years ago, Allegra D was pretty much instant relief. (I tried it again since it's over the counter now, and it doesn't help at all.) For the last few years, I've taken Mucinex pretty much daily, one or two times a day depending on how bad symptoms are. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the "stuff"/symptoms break through that and get so bad that I'm pretty out of commission for about 5 days, stuffed up, dizzy, similar to a flu but like my head is all stuffed up with this junk. Sprays don't help. Saline rinses hurt so bad, and don't help..just gross me out.

I searched online for herbal stuff/supplements and found a bunch recommended by posters on a few message boards. So I bought it all - like 9-10 different supplements/other things.

For the last month or so, I've been taking Zinc and Echinacea 1-2x a day. My symptoms aren't completely gone, but if I miss a day and then take them, the symptoms get a little bit better. I also have these throat drops (slippery elm) used by singers (apparently) that sometimes help a little..but I hate hate the taste.

Still to try: oil of oregano, and a bunch of other things sitting on the "medicine cabinet" (aka kitchen counter)... I wanted to start on each one gradually, instead of starting them all at once, so I can tell which one may actually help and which ones have no effect..

study - light drinkers have a higher risk of developing breast cancer

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500165_162-20128877/light-drinking-linked-to-breast-cancer-risk/

Drinking isn't the cause, no, but for women who have other risk factors it seems like cutting out drinking (or not starting) could possibly be beneficial? I don't know.