Friday, June 29, 2012

fresh fridays

1.  Today is my last day of class!!  I am giving my final exam.  In fact, I have someone taking it early right now.

2.  I have just under 2 months until my first day teaching at Bucknell.  I have a bunch of workshops and other fun things in August before I start teaching, but I am really exciting to not have a job for the next 7 weeks.  It has been years (like maybe since my first year of grad school) since I just took some time off.

3. Although, I highly doubt this can be considered time off.  Since in my time off, I have to get our new house ready, pack up the old house and move, plus prepare for the classes that I will be teaching this fall.  Oh and I would like to start getting some articles together for publication.  Sound like time off?

4.  Plus, I want to try to enjoy my last 4 weeks in Pittsburgh.  Yes, 4 weeks.  We move in less than a month.   Honestly, I am so ready.

5.  But, I am really going to miss these:



6.  I really want to make myself a bunch of these bracelets.  Oh and while I am talking about making stuff.  I decided that I am going to buy a sewing machine and make all my decorative throw pillows and curtains.  I have never sewn anything in my life.  And I am thinking about learning how to build a studio in our garage loft for Devin.  Thank goodness I have all this time (she says sarcastically).

7.  Last night was Ms. Jen Kushner's bachelorette party.  We were down at Station Square.  It turned out to be biker night.  That was a (fun??) surprise.  I had a really great time.  Jen has some very fun girlfriends!  And I got carded, which is really exciting since I am way on the plus side of 25.


8.  Tomorrow is the Friedenberg wedding.  With how fun the bachelorette party was, I cannot wait for the craziness that is sure to be their wedding!!

9.  I convinced Devin into letting me get Snickers ice cream bars this week.  We do not ever keep unhealthy snacks in the house unless I make them, so this was a big deal.  I love Snickers ice cream bars.  They are heaven.  Especially for the 90-95 degree evenings we have been having.


10. My mom blackmailed me into coming home for a few days.  It is not really blackmail, but more she made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  I will not get into the details, but needless to say I am going to be in Hamburg, Sunday - Wednesday, FYI.  Then I am bringing Liv back to Pittsburgh with me for one last fun trip.

11. Still cannot stop thinking about buying old dressers and things and refinishing them.  Hopefully as I am writing this, Tony (my step-dad) is at an estate sale for me buying an old trunk that I can fix up as a window seat and possibly a dresser.

12. One (or both) of the kitties chewed through my iPhone earbuds yesterday.  I was not very happy with them.  But that didn't last long, because they are so cute.

Oh hey...yeah we eat your stuff...but we are so cute, we can get away with it...
So Long!

Friday, June 22, 2012

fresh friday

1. The beginning of this week seemed to move so slowly, but then I blinked and it somehow became Friday.

2.  Perhaps the relentless heat/humidity had something to do with it.  Holy Smokes it was hot this week.  Consistently over 90 and humid.

3.  There is a brand new blog that promises to give daily pictures of TheFaceBaby.  If you have not seen or heard of the TheFaceBaby, you are seriously missing out.  If you want to smile each day, take a second to look at this blog.

4.  So, last Friday I found out that the sellers agreed to meet all of our requests and that our mortgage was approved!   So, I think that it is safe to say that we have a house!!  We are going to be closing in about 3 weeks (Ahh!) and moving in about 5 (Ahhhh!!!).

5. Did you know that when you hire movers they give you a delivery date of between 2-4 days after they load all of your things?  What are we supposed to do without any of our things for 4 days?  We finally found someone that guaranteed delivery on the next day.  It has been a stressful process.

6.  I have one week left of teaching! It has been a great class, but I am looking forward to having some down time before starting the new job.

7.  This is something that I absolutely have to make this week.

8.  I have an overwhelming desire to go antiquing.  Like buy some old dressers and then sand them down and paint them some outrageous color.  I am not sure if I should start doing this now and then move everything to Lewisburg or wait until we move.  I need to buy a palm sander.  And about a billion other tools.

9.  I bought some pink pants.  They are like super neon pink.  I think I love them, but I might be wrong.


10.  I had an iced americano this week that tasted like strawberries.  Commonplace has an espresso blend that somehow or another tastes exactly like strawberries.


11.  Devin and I went out for mexican this week.  This is how we started dinner.


12.  I made my very first hollandaise sauce this week.  It was so yummy!


Have an amazing weekend!!  I am looking forward to a couple relaxing days and some more gorgeous Pittsburgh sunsets.


So Long!

Friday, June 15, 2012

fresh friday


1.  Oh man, sorry for the lack of Friday morning blog.  I completely forgot, how awful is that???

2.  My (completely justifiable) reason is that I am attending a conference (all day) Thurs-Fri-Sat at CMU, plus I am teaching.  It is a busy few days.

3.  Additionally, I am sick.  I had (kind of still have) a terrible sinus infection.  I am getting better, but not quick enough.  Yeah, I am the girl that keeps coughing during everyone's presentations at the conference.

4.  Of course last weekend, on my first weekend to relax with no traveling and no major life events, I get sick.

5.  Oh plus, Devin had off all this week and it really messed me up.  I loved having him home, but it got my days all mixed up.

6.  Since this was the last time that he would have weekdays off before we move to Lewisburg, we took advantage of getting lunch at some of our favorite places.  I think we probably went out for lunch like 5 times in the last 1.5 weeks.  One of our excellent lunches was at Dormont Dogs.


7.  I tried this amazing drink while there.  It is a sparkling water with Blood Orange flavor.  It was super tasty and made me want to bake scones.


8. I'm trying to get Devin to let me buy all 11.  But I think if I can get Eric, Roman and Pam (oh and Alcide) I will be happy.

9.  There have been some incredible sunsets lately.  That is one thing I am definitely going to miss.  The sunsets over the city from our deck.


10. I promised prom pictures of Liv.  Here they are…she was 100% a princess for the night.




11.  I like to try to catch Deeley when she is sitting like a dude.  Like the most unladylike you could possibly get.


12. Janey photobombed after the first few pics were taken.


Have a great weekend!!  I have the conference tomorrow (I am giving a talk) but then I look forward to a relaxing Sunday.

So Long!

Friday, June 8, 2012

fresh friday


1.  Somehow another week has come and gone.  This summer is going very fast.  I am halfway done with my course as of today.

2.  Last weekend was another intense one.  We had our house inspection which fortunately went well.  We are so excited and hope that everything works out and this is really our first home!!

 Here is a sneaky peak:


3.  We also had a really nice time in Lewisburg.  We got to explore Williamsport a little bit which is the "bigger" town about 25 minutes away.  They have a beautiful Wegmans.  It made me very happy.

4.  We found this neat restaurant located down this awesome alley.  Unfortunately it was raining.


5. Sunday was my 28th birthday!  My day started with breakfast at Deluca's and coffee from 21st street along with a little sun and Devin.  After that we went to see Snow White and the Huntsman.  It was pretty good.  Not as good as I thought it was going to be.


6.   My mom and Liv and Tony met me at Ross Park Mall for lunch and some shopping.  It is not the right season for professor wardrobe shopping.  I did however (fortunately or unfortunately) find out that Kate Spade dresses fit me very nicely and I got a beautiful LBD to wear for some special occasion.

7.  My birthday also consisted of a double rainbow while I was driving, a new zippy from lululemon (a great birthday present from Devin), a blueberry mojito, a huge bowl of mussels and some flourless chocolate cake.


8.  My mom also bought us our first new thing for our home.  A navy throw for the living room from Crate & Barrel.

9.  Actually, we bought another new thing for our home.  The girls were just as excited as we were.


10.  I made one of the cutest things that I have ever cooked this week.  It was a frittata with shitakes, green onions, red peppers, spinach and aged cheddar cheese.  The kicker however, was that I made them in large muffin tins so we each got an individual cute little frittata!


11.  My beautiful sister is going to senior prom tonight.  I will try to share some pictures next fresh friday.  She is going to look like a princess!!

12.  Finally some cute pictures of the girls.

Janey hermit crabbing my backpack.

Loving the girls napping together.

And watching the birdies out their window in the morning.

Have a great weekend!  We are looking forward to a relaxing one at home with some exciting TRUE BLOOD on Sunday!

So Long!

Friday, June 1, 2012

fresh fridays


1. This is a fresh friday coming to you from Lewisburg, our future home.  Future = about 2 months.

2.  We find it very funny that we went from Hamburg to Pittsburgh to Lewisburg.  I guess we cannot get enough of the Burg(h)'s.

3.  We are here for our house inspection which starts pretty soon.  Oh yeah.  We bought a house.  The same weekend I graduated.  Life is moving fast and boy is it exciting!!

4.  My parents have some pretty spectacular backyards.  Unfortunately I was not at my Dad's and Bridget's to show you theirs.  

But here is my moms:

On Lake Erie

And my mom-in-laws:

This is where we got married nearly 3 years ago

5.  My family threw me an incredible graduation party last Sunday.  So many friends and family members came out and we had such a great time.  Here are some pics:

The guys jammed for a few hours!
Liv and her bf David getting the fire going for smores.
T & H! 
Jenny and Kevin 
And this is what they were watching.  An amazing sunset!!

6.  We have had some pretty eventful weekends lately.  First graduation/buying a house, then Hamburg for my graduation party, now Lewisburg for our inspection and it is also my BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!!!  

7.  I am very excited though I have been too busy lately to think about it.  Most years I start about 3 months ahead of time and tell Devin each day how many more days until by birthday.

8.  Pretty much this year, at graduation I said my birthday was in two weeks and at my graduation party I said my birthday was in one week. Well guess what.  My birthday is in 2 DAYS!!!

9.  My mom still insists on seeing me on my actual birthday.  Every year she says "maybe next year is the year that I won't have to see you."  Turns out that it is not this year.  She is meeting me at Ross Park Mall to do some serious 'professor wardrobe' shopping.   Liv is coming too.  I cannot wait!

10.  The weekend after this weekend is going to be so nice and restful.  We may go to the Pirates game to see Boys II Men!!

11.  Oh and there is this next Sunday...


12.  Wednesday was Deeley's 3rd Birthday.  She is turning into an old lady.


Alright, well wish us luck that everything goes well for our inspection.

So Long!