I [finally] had a birthday

As you probably know, I had a birthday.

I love new beginnings, and a birthday is the most personal new beginning we can each have.

My sister commented that I was very excited about my birthday considering how old I turned.  After strongly letting her know that 24 is not old, I told her that we all have to turn the next number each year, so we might as well look forward to it.  Besides that, I love any reason to celebrate with those I love, especially over good food.

However, my birthday did not start off with good food.  It started out at Cracker Barrel.^^  (Sorry to those of you who are loyal.)  For the longest time Preston and I have joked about stopping at every Cracker Barrel we pass along the freeway.  I had never been to one before, and Preston insisted that part of our mortal initiation, along with things like learning to ride a bike and graduating high school, is eating at Cracker Barrel.

Well, consider me initiated.  In our dizzying optimism, we thanked Cracker Barrel for putting food in our bellies.  And then we checked it off our list and forever (fingers crossed) put it behind us.

Next up was the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which was wonderful.  I love museums.  And to those of you already thinking it, Yes, I'm an utterly annoying museum goer...I take pictures at museums that allow it (gasp!).  I know.  Strangle me if you wish.  But I want to remember what the art inspires in me.

^^Take this lovely lass.  Isn't she stunning?  Don't you get butterflies in your stomach just looking at her and feeling the wind around your legs, breathing in the sea?  And when you read that her father is the painter, and they are at their summer getaway, the experience is that much sweeter.

^^Does not this scene make you relive every childhood fairy tale in one moment? 

^^I can't "pin it," so I obviously had no choice but to snap a shot of my future couch.

^^No one can put magic into the daily grind like Rockwell.

Yep.  I "nerd out" in museums.

Shopping followed the museum, and then a fancy dinner downtown and a stroll through the city streets ended our day.

(I'm going to interrupt myself for a second: Oh my gosh why don't I carry my real camera???!  So disappointed that grainy was the best we could get for the rest of the night. :(  Darn.)

I am no good at taking it easy, yet I'm blessed with ample time to myself to do as I please.  Many a person has told me to enjoy this rare time to just relax.  Instead, I write list upon list of things to accomplish in a day and then ignore it because I want "freedom", causing unnecessary guilt.  So, one of my new goals is to fully partake in whatever I'm doing.  If I'm taking it easy, then I'm going to really do that--without thinking of all the things I could or should be doing besides reading.

I'm looking forward to another year of adventures, tough times, lessons learned, and colorful memories.

Thanks for the many birthday wishes and messages of love.  I'm truly and deeply grateful.

And to any of you with a nearby birthday, have a good one. :)

{Book} Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

This book was mesmerizing, infuriating, enlightening, empowering, exhausting, frustrating, powerful, sad, funny, and ironic all in 230 pages.  I knocked it out within 24 hours.  I feel conflicted after reading it; this book gave me a night of insomnia--a night filled with thoughts and concerns about culture, parenthood, ambition, and happiness.

I also wonder if Amy Chua has discovered a way to add a 25th hour to her day, based on what she seems to accomplish.  Geez.

Read this book.  It will change you, in some little way at least.

{Dear Martha Anne} Practically Locals

Dear Martha Anne,

Mod 1 (Semester one packed into the first half of a regular semester) for Preston ended last week.  So we celebrated in Chicago for the weekend.  We love Chicago, and that city just continues to capture my heart.

We began our adventure at the Chicago LDS temple, attending both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  It is a beautiful building and we were so glad to have attended.

As you should well know by now, I vacation for the food.  Really.  I get very excited about what we're going to eat.  So, first up about our weekend is our time spent eating.

Since we enjoyed Lou Malnati's so much last time we were in Chicago (post here), we decided to go again.

And again, we got the wings with the Gorgonzola cream sauce.

We tried the house special, and enjoyed it, but our pepperoni from last time definitely made a better impression than this dish.  We ended up taking half of our pizza back to our hotel and giving it to the night worker.  We enjoyed his gratitude more than we would have enjoyed our leftovers.

But this "pizza cookie" made up for the mediocrity of our pizza.  

Obviously.

We breakfasted at Elly's Pancake House, which had a rather low Quotient (our rating system for restaurants; in a nutshell, cost x quality x quantity).  The Original Pancake House definitely has a better Quotient.  This place got a 3.5 out of 10.  But the food was tasty nonetheless.

Our meal at Portillo's Hotdogs was easily our favorite, with well cooked meat, a delicious and addicting poppy seed bun, and wonderful custard at good prices.  I'd have eaten there again immediately after we finished our meal.

Aside from filling our bellies, we had a wonderful time wandering around this city, shopping and enjoying the beautiful architecture.  I can't wait until we go back, where we have plans for Lincoln Park, the Art Institute, and Wrigley Field.

Thanks Chicago, see you again soon.

And as for you, Martha Anne, you have a good week.

Love,

Me

PS--My birthday is this week...Can you tell I'm excited? ;)

Introvert: Challenged

I'm an introvert.  And my introvert tendency to hide out is being challenged right now.  (Read more about it here.)  Up the street live three little girls who are obsessed--like, really obsessed--with my dog.  And they are not shy about it.  I made the "mistake" of saying that if they saw him in the back yard they could come play with him.  Well now they ride their bikes back and forth in front of my house until they spot him outside.  When one of them does, they holler to all the neighborhood kids, "Sonny Boy is out!" and little feet come running.

Seeing one of these girls in the backyard for the first time hanging out with my dog was a bit disconcerting, but I adjusted.

This evening after dinner, I heard the little bike breaks in the driveway and the feet running to the backyard to visit Sonny, and I was okay with it because Sonny Boy was a little restless and needed variety.  But I was surprised to hear a little "tap tap" on the front door.  Peeking outside to discover the source of the noise, I found 4 year old Riley standing there smiling, her big brown eyes curious and her bangs askew.  She looked at me, saying nothing, and then stepped inside.  I watched her scan the family room.  Judging it based on the few times she'd seen it she turned to me and asked, "Where is your dad?"

"My husband?  He's at school."

"Oh, my dad is at work."

She stood with her hands clasped, twiddling her fingers, big brown eyes observing the space around her.  She looked back at me and I looked at her and we continued just looking until I heard another voice from behind me.

"Where is your dad?"

Riley's twin, Reagan, had come looking for her.

"My husband is at school."

The third sister soon joined, and the girls gathered in my family room, twiddling their thumbs and looking at me until their mom called them home for bed.  They scampered out, waving over their shoulders as they hopped on their bikes.

I waved back and shut the door.

My introvert was conflicted.  I was not supposed to take delight that three little girls love to be in my home.  But I finally had to admit that my "mistake" of inviting them to play with the dog was no mistake at all.  These cute girls are forcing me out--forcing me to be friendly, to have an open door and an open heart.

And to always be fully dressed.

PS-- One week until my birthday!!!  Eeek!

{Gems} Challah, Pumpkins, and Gregory Peck

My weekend came to a close with a wicked sore throat that refuses to recognize defeat.  I, however, also refuse to recognize defeat, and while I may hole up in bed for a bit, I will come out conqueror--because my birthday is next week, and I will not be sick on my birthday.  

Determined as I am to get better, I need to revamp my attitude and recognize some gems in my life. 

This week, I'm grateful for loyal friends with a great bedside manner and a window sharing a gorgeous October sky.

For red leaves, tractor rides, and pumpkin patches with white pumpkins.

For haunted corn mazes and a reminder that "lost" is an adventure.

For a date night tradition begun long ago with my best friend that always gives my week a boost.

And for homemade Challah with marion blackberry jam, eaten while I crush on Gregory Peck all over again during Roman Holiday.

Here's to hoping I can kick this cold in the head so hard that it'll leave mine.

Honeycrisp Tender Mercy Apples

Sometimes God sends uncomfortable tender mercies so that you have to grow.

The hubs and I have some woes.  I've gotten comfortable with being alone all day long, and as a result, any unplanned human interaction totally puts me in a panic.  Do I remember how to converse?? Gjdlsdoifjds flasjfldskjfr lkee!!  Preston's woe is that he thinks he is going to die.  This program is killing me slowly, he texted me earlier.  So, in an attempt to ignore our woes, I sat on our front step on a warm, overcast afternoon eating ice cream and reading a brochure about fun things to do in Indiana.  Sonny Boy lay just in front of me, stretched out in the cool grass.  He had been such a good dog, minding so well and not chasing the large Schwan's truck that kept driving by.  

A mother and her little girl walked past, holding hands and talking about her day at school.  In an instant, Sonny was on his feet and racing across the lawn to the little girl.  He let out a bark, which scared her.  She whimpered and scampered up into her mom's arms as I ran after the dog, apologizing and explaining that he really is sweet and very friendly.  The mom gave a half smile and kept walking with her daughter in her arms. Looking at the dog, I snapped my fingers and pointed inside, taking my hand to his backside as he walked.

I tell you what, I think those spanks hurt me far worse than they did him.  (Already he is curled up in my lap again.)  The poor thing just loves to play, and whimpers every time we pass another dog on a walk who won't stop to say hello.  I wanted to explain that to the mother and little girl.  My dog with all the pureness in his heart just wants to be friends.

So as we got in the house, the humbled dog hid underneath the couch and I flopped on top of it, deciding then and there that I deserved a good cry.  Forget ice cream and trips to the zoo that husband doesn't have time for anyway.  Life was stupid.  I prepped myself to let out some hearty tears when, of course, the doorbell rang.  Who was it but the Schwan's man.  After our brief but friendly conversation, I returned to the couch still in the mood for some emotion.

I sat there for a second, just thinking, when the doorbell rang again.  Wondering what the Schwan's man could have forgotten, I opened the door to face our sweet elderly neighbor named Shirley. Immediately she placed two apples and an envelope in my hand, jumping into a story about her cats and how they scratched her and these are her band-aids and it happened when her husband got kidney stones removed and so he can't help their handicap son move to a new place on Friday no Saturday and she didn't want to come inside because of the dog but she'd be by with munsee apples when those were ripe but for now enjoy the honeycrisp and sorry for your time and thank you bye now.

She walked away, her body tipping side to side as she adjusted for the pain in her hips, and I quietly shut the door, taking in the moment.

Apparently, a good cry is not what I needed.  I needed some homegrown honeycrisp apples, a sweet note, positive human interaction, and a reminder that we are surrounded by good.

How many times have I walked by Shirley's home and wondered how she was doing, but let my shyness get the best of me?  This tender mercy encouraged me to be more brave, to get out and meet people and let them welcome me into their lives.  Uncomfortable, yes, but the good kind.

So, friends, have a happy, uncomfortable, tender weekend.

{DIY} TV Stand Facelift

Good morning, friends!  It's a good day because there are only 16 days until my birthday.  :)

The previous residents of the house we're renting left us their entertainment center.  It matched our furniture alright, but it darkened the room a bit more than I liked.  Since overhead lighting is not a "thing" here in Indiana, I'm doing anything I can to brighten up the rooms.  So I opted for the nontraditional and painted this thing ivory.  And we actually really like it.  I always forget to take good before pictures, so the only one I have is after we've taken off the doors and hardware and I've sanded it down.

And voila!  A bright entertainment center in just a few hours.  (Although do you see what I mean with the rooms being so dark?  It is "lamp light mood" at all hours.)  I'm still considering adding some hand-painted detail to the knobs and door corners--maybe during the depressing winter months.

I hope you all are having a fantastic week!  We're looking forward to some doggy play dates and time enjoying the change of the season.  Until next time!