Category Archives: Lists

2015

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I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions. Setting a goal for the rest of the year? Those are so hard to keep. I’m trying something new this year, inspired by many other blogs I read. I’m trying to do something different each month. I find that short-term goals work best for me (hello ADHD!) so I don’t get so discouraged or distracted. 31 days is a much easier commitment than 365. Also, I’m only setting several small goals for the next 2 months because we all know how life changes so quickly. Who knows what my life will bring come next December? I will evaluate come March and proceed from there.

January:

  1. Less phone time and social media. I had my husband change my Facebook password and deactivate it so I can’t get on if I tried until at least January 31st. Facebook is a huge time suck and I often find myself thinking “Why would you post that? It’s so annoying” and then I remember, oh yea, I don’t need to be reading this stuff I don’t care about. I have kept my Twitter, which I don’t really use or read, and my Instagram, which I find isn’t too much of a time suck. I also want to try put my phone away from after work until I go to bed at night and spend quality one-on-one time with my husband. Hopefully he will join me in this one (hint, hint, Mangosquash!).
  2. To be less gossipy and negative about others. This is, unfortunately, going to be difficult. I find myself being negative about others when they don’t deserve it. I want to try to be more open to their thoughts and opinions, even when I don’t really care. With that, I want to stop gossiping. If I am so private with my own life and information, why do I feel like I can spread others information so freely? This will hopefully be a long-term goal, but I need to start somewhere.
  3. Drink less. Specifically no alcohol from Monday-Thursday when we are at home.
  4. Blog every two weeks. I have been very inconsistent and I’d like to improve.

February

  1. Get back to running/the gym at least twice a week. Since my surgery last March, I really have not ran or exercised consistently, and it BREAKS my heart. I’m currently still going to PT for unrelated hip and back pain issues and hope to get the go-ahead to run again soon. I do have permission to bike and elliptical, but I just haven’t. Lazy Lydia. I also should take my dog for more walks.
  2. Keep the house picked up and in decent shape at all times. We have a terrible habit of leaving clutter out because people come to our house so rarely, which results in a scramble to clean when the time comes, which also results in me getting extremely cranky. Before bed I’d like the kitchen to be dish-free and wiped down, clothes picked up, bathroom free of clutter. Why is this so hard? My house is like 950 sq ft.

2015, I have a feeling this will be our year. We’ve got lots of hopes and dreams that depend on you being awesome 🙂

An Ode to my boyfriend, Joe.

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Trader Joe’s. A magical place, to say the least.

There are so many things to like about TJ’s. For the majority of their items (not fresh produce), they are budget-friendly. I have a hard time spending more than $20 every shopping trip and that usually includes some wine and maybe some meat. Their employees are THE FRIENDLIEST (I say this as an extreme introvert), most helpful, and usually silly people. Also, food/juice/coffee samples, need I say more?

Growing up in West Michigan, Trader Joe’s was but a dream to me. The closest one was 2ish hours away in a part of the state I never frequented. It wasn’t until I started visiting St. Louis during our dating years that I ever got to venture inside one. I was overwhelmed and underprepared for what TJ’s had in store for me and my future as a grocery shopper.

Since securing my first full-time job and moving to the Lou, I’ve been lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s right on my way home. At this point, I stop in two or three times a week and do the bulk of my grocery shopping there. We’ve tried tons of their TJ brand goodies and have our favorites that are staples in our house.

  1. Hummus ($2)

Their hummus is hard to beat. The price and flavor options are incredible. My favorite is the roasted garlic, but also like the red pepper.

  1. Pita Chips ($2)

Little known fact about some of TJ’s goodies: many of their own label foods are actually name-brand but repackaged. The chips are one of those products. These are Stacy’s Pita Chips sold for half the price and the same quality and flavor options.

  1. Salsa Autentica ($2, are you sensing a trend??)

You know the salsa you get served on the table at a real Mexican restaurant? This comes pretty damn close to that. This classic salsa tastes fresh (surprising for a jar) and has a good amount of heat.

  1. Coconut Milk (99c)

In 2014, I’ve really gotten into making my own curry. This main ingredient costs twice as much at the regular grocery store and tastes just as good.

  1. Various oils ($4-$6ish)

TJ’s olive and coconut oils are fantastic. I’m not an oil snob, so it’s not hard to impress me, but I have read many fantastic things about how TJ’s organic coconut oil is cheaper than most and same quality.

  1. Tea ($2)

My absolute favorite tea, Candy Candy Green Tea (basically delicious minty-vanilla-holiday happiness), comes from here. They also offer many herb and black varieties. Everything I’ve tried is good. Full disclosure: I am not a tea snob that knows much about teas.

  1. Gluten-free offerings ($2+)

While I personally am not gluten-free, I have two loved ones who are. I sympathize with them when they grocery shop and have to pay double the price for most pastas/bread/whatever. TJ’s is great for GF shoppers. They carry flour, pancake mix, brownie mix, pastas, bread, crackers, what-have-you, all at affordable prices. They’re all decent quality (there are some high-quality GF products out there that blow these out of the water, but cost 3x the price), and definitely worth a try if you or someone you care about is GF. A lot of their GF products are also dairy- and soy-free, which is super great, because a lot of times those food allergies go hand-in-hand.

  1. Spices ($2)

Again, I’m not picky or a world-renowned chef, but their bottled spices are hard to beat. The same quality and less expensive than their name-brand counterparts.

  1. Pizza Dough ($1.19)

Jon and I have been into making cast iron skillet pizzas lately. With one dough ball from TJ’s, we can make two personal pizzas. Easy, cheap, and better for you than take-out! They have garlic herb, white, and whole wheat varieties.

 

There you have it. My favorite Trader Joe’s offerings. I would, however, be remiss if I didn’t also mention the items that we just don’t care for. The list is short.

  1. We have tried their various tortilla styles a few different types and just don’t care for it. Also, these are more expensive than the main grocery store.
  2. Ground beef. We’ve tried it several times in tacos and stuffed peppers and something is just off.
  3. Fresh Produce. While it’ll do if you’re there and don’t want to make another stop (guilty!), the prices aren’t great and they aren’t the freshest. Stick with their frozen or bagged veggies (their organic spinach is only $2!).

Honorable Mentions:

Cookie Butter
Dog Treats (no artificial fillers!)
2-buck chuck (the cab sauv isn’t half bad for the price)
TJ’s brand beer
Various crackers
Tortilla chips
Chocolate bars
Peppermint Joe-Joes

“So what do you do?”

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As an introverted young adult with still no idea what I want to be when I grow up and a job that I’m not particularly fond of, this question causes me more anxiety than being asked “so when will you have babies?”.

Why does it matter what I do?

I feel like this question has become a basis on which I am judged. That whatever my answer is, will provide the asker with a quick synopsis of my education, skills, and financial situation, 3 things that don’t define who I am. This quick judgment makes me feel uncomfortable and like the person asking doesn’t really want to know about ME.

I am so much more than my seemingly dead-end job.

I am an aspiring chef!

I am a dog lover and cat snuggler.

I am a wannabe half-marathoner.

I am a lazy person.

I am a former soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball player and dutch dancer.

I am a good listener.

I am an avid reader.

I’m the best aunt to my BFF’s little Leah.

I love spending time kissing my husband.

I love spending my summers driving to Michigan as much as possible.

I’m a pretty good sister.

I enjoy drinking beer and talking for hours.

I hate spending too much time in large groups.

I was made to be a mom.

When I get asked what I do (which happens more and more frequently as I get older), I cringe before I give a quick answer of “Oh, I’m a social worker.” I hate the response I get for that: “oh you must see such sad things!” “oh you are so selfless and patient and kind” (spoiler- I’m not really. I often tell my husband I’m a princess) “Oh that must be hard” “Do you take children out of their families?” While yes, I do see sad things, and yes, it can be challenging, my job is not my passion or life and it doesn’t define who I am at all. I’ve come to just saying “I work at LFCS” and leave it open ended and vague (I love vague and hate giving personal details about anything).

I know I’m not the only person who feels this way. My friend is in a job rut right now, too, and was instructed not to tell his Grandmother for fear of her response.

WHY?

Well, 1., because Grandma is a (wonderful) crazy person and you don’t want to hear her abrasive opinions,
and 2., because to her, your job and well-being defines success. I don’t like that.

My success will come from raising my children to be kind, gentle, and God-loving creatures.

My success comes from my AWESOME marriage.

My success comes from my friendships and relationships with my family.

My success will be once I finally cross that finish line of the half marathon I so desperately want to run.

My success comes when I try a new recipe that turns out fantastic.

My success will come from providing for my family, sure, but only so I can do the things that actually make me, me.

Don’t ask me what I “do”.

Ask me about who I am.

And then help me find a new job 😉

Mangosquash

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If you know me in real life, you know that I’m borderline obsessed with my husband, mangosquash. I feel so lucky because he loves me so much and treats me so well. I honestly question most days how I scored him as a spouse for life. Poor guy got stuck with me.

So the other day I was cooking up a gourmet frozen pizza and remembered how before we met, I never ate frozen pizzas. I kept thinking about all the things he brought into my life and decided to make a list. This is by no means comprehensive.

  1. Frozen Jack’s Pizzas

I never in a million years would buy frozen pizzas for myself. I thought they were icky and cheap and full of preservatives. Turns out, they’re actually pretty tasty. I like to throw on lots of extra mozzarella for super gooey cheesy bites.

  1. Hot Sauce

I used to be a wimpy eater. I didn’t like spice at all. I’d avoid chili and wings and curries for fear of not enjoying my food if I was in pain while eating it. Now I’m all “FRANKS RED HOT ON ALL THE FOODS!” Jon likes things super spicy so I’ve started making most dishes with a kick to them. I’m growing.

  1. Chicken Wings

Another thing that I used to never eat. Not necessarily because I didn’t like them, but they just weren’t a part of my life. But when Jon and I first started dating, we would go on double dates weekly with 2 other friends to Buffalo Wild Wings. They are now a whole food group in our house. Spicier the better.

  1. Camp Arcadia

Jon grew up going to this magical land for most of his childhood, and when we met, he had just been hired back for his second summer on staff. I was able to celebrate his (extremely drunken) 21st birthday with him there at the lone bar in town, the Big Apple (may it RIP, but also is reopening next summer). It didn’t take long for me to fall in love it with; camp is a quiet, beautiful place right on the shores of Lake Michigan. There are so many wonderful lifelong friends we have there. Jon’s parents now own a house up in Arcadia so we are able to bring our precious pooch with us. We love it so much, it was the obvious choice for our wedding and reception over 2 years ago.  It also conveniently worked out in such a way that my hometown, Holland, is literally on the way up to camp from STL, so this enables us to visit my parents each time we go up to camp. We already talk about the days where we can bring our children up and teach them to swim and give them the same experience Jon enjoyed so much.

  1. Ultimate Frisbee

Jon isn’t by any means “athletic”, but he does love playing ultimate Frisbee. He played in college on the club team and for intramurals, and now back in STL he joined the local summer league. When I moved here, I joined him for a summer and love it. Already looking forward to next summer when I can (hopefully!) participate in active sports again. This summer I sat out due to my surgery.

  1. Puppies

Not that I didn’t already think puppies weren’t the cutest little things ever, but I never really loved dogs themselves. Jon grew up with dogs his whole life so I knew it was inevitable that it would be something he would want for us. I found an adorable pup on Craigslist that I HADTOHAVE and since he really wanted a dog, he agreed. Since getting our pup I now love and appreciate every single dog I meet (and I meet a lot. Owning a dog makes you very social).

Ok, so this list kind of sucks. Moral of the story, though, is that I am so thankful for a man that pushes my comfort level and encourages me. Love you sweetheart!

Dreamland

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Sorry for the lack of posts, self, you were literally poopin’ all over the world. More on that later.

One thing I really like about myself is my ability to dream extremely vividly. Maybe that’s not a personality trait, but it’s something that’s been happening forever. I used to have very frightening nightmares as a small child, but luckily I grew out of that.

My favorite part of waking up is describing my dreams to my dear husband. They are often very amusing, so I started documenting them for the blog. All these dreams were within the last month. Here we go….

I was at a reunion of some sort. There were people I knew from various stages in my life; high school, work, sports. I had to take a poop. The bathroom was occupied by my kindergarten teacher so I used a different toilet in front of everyone, which was just the toilet bowl balanced on a small table, and it fell over and got poop all over my feet. I realized my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Arndt, saw the whole thing. Then I had to take a shower before I was allowed to use the pool (because obviously it was a pool party), and everybody had to watch.

I didn’t clean my car for a really long time (that is a true fact in real life, also) and seeds sprouted in my front window. They grew to be very tall, leafy weeds. When I tried to pull them out, hundreds of teeny tiny ants fell out and ran all around my car. Maybe I should take this as a sign to both clean my car and weed my garden beds….

My boss, Christine, gave me a $150 bill (because clearly those exist) to buy cupcakes for our summer program. I’m walking around “Salzburg” (which really means a very pedestrian town, no cars) trying to find cupcakes. I get one or two cupcakes here and there but there are no cupcake-specific shops to get a whole bunch from. I run into a camp friend, Sonja, who directs me to a place in Notre Dame, Indiana. I clearly can’t go there because it’s too far away, so I return to my stack of cupcakes by a fountain and there in front of me is a cupcake store called Salt n Pepper.

I was working on a cruise ship and we had to evacuate in Saudi Arabia due to fights aboard the ship. I prepared for an interview on a new boat by bringing the lawyer I wanted to work for half a cupcake (what is with cupcakes in my dreams?). My resume was an immigration form for the USA. On my way, I lost the cupcake and couldn’t find it in the trash. Darn.

Jon and I were driving through Colorado and stopped at a park with trails and a maze (this dream was after we visited Schonnbrunn Palace in Vienna, which has such trails and a maze). We were looking at a map and heard a scuffle between two dogs. I go and tell one of the owners that maybe they should put their dog on a leash before they hurt someone. He gets angry and leaves. The other dog’s owner comes over and she is angry because she and the male owner had just had sex and were going to do it again after their dogs played. Ooops? Then we saw Sara Tucker, a friend from college.

Jon and I and several other people I didn’t recognize but were my BFFs broke into an abandoned building to explore, and then the cops were after us. We ran into a St. Louis Bread Co to hide out in a private room for lunch. Eventually they caught us, and only brought me to jail. Jail was a 7-story building with private “apartments”. Jon and one of my unnamed BFFs moved in also to keep me company. We played cards and ate the jail food, which was delicious, and my mother visited. I was worried I’d have to go to court and it would be a felony.

Mindy Kaling was in Holland regularly and somehow Jon and I became BFFs with The Mindy Project cast. I turn into Adam Palley and decide I want to date Mindy in real life, so I buy her a couple’s massage at a tiny Asian place. The Asian woman running the place turns out to be a little prudish and puts my (aka Adam’s) hands in handcuffs and covers Mindy’s poops with pasties to avoid us getting freaky. At one point I sit on a toilet that has a phone attached to the back. I break the toilet.

My friend Sam was getting married on a Tuesday and two of my early childhood friends that were sisters, Leslie and Laura, were also bridesmaids. One forgot shoes so she called the other sister to bring her shoes. She brought her moccasins. She threw them in a pool to turn into high heels and got upset when I asked what she was doing! Also at that moment my sister ran around to the far end of the pool and jumped in.

At church, a whole bunch of members were going skydiving. They left in the middle of the sermon and we all went outside to watch. In the meantime, someone called us the viking vixens. Yep.

I was at a Parade of Homes show with my brother and sister-in-laws, Patrick and Laura. We were touring a house that was designed by Lady Gaga. She designed a long, curvy lazy river pool with the house in the middle of it. The only decor I remember was a series of 3 paintings that had 2 glass bumps situated in such a way that when you stood back, they looked like boobs. We told the curator (because clearly a house designed by Lady Gaga needs a curator) that they looked like boobs and she said “No! They are NOT BOOBS!” and got very upset. We tried flipping one of the paintings upside down, but it didn’t look right. Turns out Lady Gaga is a design genius.

I saw one of my college friends and her whole sorority were doing a beauty pageant. I decided to do it, too! I show up in the full garb and eat all the cookies and wimp out and leave.

After my failed stint as a pageant queen, I went to someone’s house for a Super Bowl party. I was frying cookies (that were in envelopes with stamps on them) in cheese. Our friend James was there talking to his ex about her new man interest. He said, “I can’t believe you like him! He taped you to him with duct tape to keep you from leaving!”. Then I tried to convince Jon to write his old girlfriend a letter.

That’s all for now. Anyone else have a cookie and cheese craving? Just me? Oh…

Reasons I should start a blog, and if you are reading this, reasons I did:

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1. I want to be like the Mormons.

I have a silly infatuation with all things related to Mormonism, mostly their underwear and their desire to have a dozen children after getting married at age 20, but also the fact that every single Mormon woman has a blog (it’s a fact. I read it on the internet).

2. I am a terrible writer.

I suppose this should actually be a reason to NOT start a blog. And it has been my reason for years (ask my darling husband). However, since I am not in school anymore, how am I supposed to improve? So please excuse grammatical errors and poor sentence structure and the fact that I have no idea what a pronoun is, and if you can’t, please send a letter alerting my shitty public high school that they should teach kids that stuff. I also start too many sentences with “I”. Shut up. Luckily, I have a live-in editor that will be proof-reading for me. Thanks, mangosquash.

3. I love all things website.

When I was a wee lass (13), I entered the world of Xanga and Myspace. I took it upon myself to create my own layouts and messing with code. Yes, a 13 year old girl taught herself basic code. I have since lost my talent and can’t wait to get geeky with it again.

4. I have terrible adult ADHD.

I made the conscious decision in college to stop taking any form of ADHD medication because it was turning me into a boring person with no personality, and also made my head itchy. As a result, I am left extremely scatterbrained at times. One of my goals of this blog is to help teach myself to channel my many thoughts and ideas into something cohesive and productive.

5. I’m pretty funny.

That’s all.

6. I love to cook and run

And what do those who love to cook and run do? Create a blog to post about those adventures. I just had surgery on my leg to allow me to continue running, so look forward to some beautiful pictures of bruising and blood.

7. I have the world’s cutest dog

I regularly use Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. I post a zillon pictures of my awesome chocolate lab, Schafly, on those social media networks daily. A blog is a perfect place for me to write about the tails (ha) of dog ownership to go along with those photos. I also have a cat. But no one cares about cats (sorry Henry).

8. Uhhhh that’s probably it.

I’m not looking to get famous or have sponsors or get free shit or sell homemade baskets woven underwater by orphans. I’m not that interesting of a person, but I do have a desire to document my life and my future children’s lives. So here goes…