Guilty Pleasures

I have to be honest: I hate winter. I don't like to use that word, but I can justify it in this instance since I'm referring to a season. A long, horrible, painful season. Each year it seems to get colder and more miserable, and sometimes it is a struggle just to drag myself out of bed. I know, it's that bad! So that's why I don't feel too guilty about these little indulgences...ok, I'm downright thankful for them :)

1. Jon + Kate Plus 8
There are never less than five episodes queued up on my DVR.
2. Macbook
This one is twofold: it is an endless source of entertainment, and it keeps my lap toasty.
3. Hormel Turkey Chili
Not only is it warm and delicious, but it's 98% fat-free!
4. Netflix
I think it was after the third ice storm that we decided to rejoin.
5. Glamour
And Cosmo, and US Weekly, and People...

Is it sad that those are just today's? Oh well; just deal. That's all you can do when there's another winter storm warning cluttering the TV screen while you're trying to watch tonight's episode of "The Biggest Loser".

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Movin' On Up

Guess what...we're moving! In less than two months, this pretty little (ok, not so little) place will be ours. We're a little surprised ourselves, since we never thought that we'd be moving so soon - originally, we were shooting for July or so. But the moment I stepped foot into this house, I knew it had to be mine. It has everything I could ever want in a house: a main-level office perfect for teaching lessons, four bedrooms, a big master bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, a charming kitchen with nice appliances, a gigantic finished basement with another office and full bath, and a big fenced-in backyard.

We close on March 12, so in my usual anal-retentive fashion, I have already begun packing. It's amazing how much stuff we've accumulated in the last three years at our current house, but luckily we have plenty of room for it at our new digs. I think what I'm most excited about is opening up and using all of our wedding gifts, which have been neglected since August and are collecting dust in the basement.

Life is about to get a little more hectic as we embark on this journey of relocation, but I can hardly wait!

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Real, Live, Grown-Ups

Tomorrow is Zach's birthday; he is going to be 26. 26! I remember turning 18, and how I hated feeling so "old". I had that same feeling at 23, but never before or since. 19 and 20 were just stepping stones to 21, 21 was a big party, 22 was not much different, but 23 was old. For some reason, 24 didn't bother me...although it was the age my parents were when I was born. And 25 was just exciting, because I was getting married and becoming an adult (mostly). 26, though. I'll be past the halfway point of my 20s. Luckily I still have a few months to prepare, but Zach faces this doom and gloom tomorrow. Poor guy.

In other "getting old" news, Zach and I are house-hunting. Wheee!! It is a stressful but fun experience, and we never had that the first time around since we didn't look elsewhere before buying my aunt's (our current) house. We've fallen in love with one house in particular, but we are going to look at more tomorrow.

With this comes money talk: budgets, spending, saving, nothing fun. We've been very responsible with our dollars and therefore have excellent credit, but it's a little daunting to think that once we move, we are going to have much heftier bills to pay. But in my opinion, it's worth it to be in our own little dream home. Zach says he doesn't want to be in house prison, but hey, if we're going to spend all this money on a place to live, we might as well hang out there.

So marriage, careers, budgets, houses. Other than that, we are trying not to be too adult-y. Like, having kids or anything. I'll get back to you on that one in a couple years :)

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Happy New Year!

Wow, is it really 2009? As I celebrate the new year (on the couch in my pajamas), I thought I'd take a look back at 2008 by completing this survey:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
The obvious answer here is that I got married, but I also I traveled to another country, played my first gig, and watched my mom become a cat person.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! My stepsister Jenny had a little boy, Jacob, and my sister-in-law Rebecca had Mason a week after our wedding.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, yes. My best friend's mom passed away over the summer.

5. What countries did you visit?
I got my first passport ever and we spent a glorious week in St. Lucia for our honeymoon. Can't wait for Mexico this summer :)

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A new house! As much as I love our current (and first-ever as a couple) home, I can't wait to move this summer.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
08-08-08. Not only is 8 my lucky number, but it was my lucky day...I married my best friend and had the time of my life celebrating.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Planning a wedding was quite an achievement, in my opinion. Also, playing my gigs at the Alamo was really big for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My lack of domesticity, especially in the kitchen. I am just too lazy/unmotivated/tired to actually cook after a long day of work. Hopefully this will change in 2009!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Is the Pope Catholic? Every year I suffer through at least one cold per season, and 2008 was no exception. I also got strep throat and two particularly nasty cases of laryngitis.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought lots of things, but the best would probably be our honeymoon.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Definitely Zach's. He puts up with all of my momentary outbursts and complaining, and he loves me even at my very worst.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George Bush, Rod Blagojevich, and Illinois politicians in general (with the exception of Barack Obama, of course!).

14. Where did most of your money go?
WEDDING, WEDDING, and MORE WEDDING. Seriously, that day sucked us dry. But it was totally worth every cent.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting married, my friend's weddings, new babies, performing in front of people, Christmas, and lots of other things I'm surely forgetting.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2008?
"I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, "Our Song" by Taylor Swift, "Paper Planes" by M.I.A., and "Live Your Life" by Rihanna.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier. I love being married, and I love my life.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter. Last year I had a wedding dress to fit into.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer. My bank account is still recovering from holy matrimony.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Cooking. And keeping in touch with my friends. I've been really bad at that.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting in front of the TV. I've wasted so much time doing that.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With our families. It was wonderful and exhausting, as usual.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I have been in love for awhile now, so I guess you could say I FALL IN LOVE EVERY DAY.

23. How many one-night stands?
None, obviously.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I have so many it is embarrassing. The Office, Grey's Anatomy, Top Chef, Project Runway, Jon & Kate + 8, House, The Hills, Locked Up Abroad, and more.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word. There might be one or two people I dislike more now than before, but I'm not going to name any names.

26. What was the best book you read?
Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes and Change of Heart were definite standouts.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ingrid Michaelson and Espen Lind (well, one song, at least).

28. What did you want and get?
A wedding, the best vacation ever, and Barack Obama as our next president.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
These may not be Oscar contenders, but I really liked "27 Dresses" and "Definitely Maybe". I'm a sucker for a good rom-com.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned twenty-five, and had a nice dinner at Gallagher's with our families, where I got a bunch of great gifts. I guess it's a sign of my age that afterwards, we went home and watched a movie and I did not have one drink to celebrate.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm not sure. It was a pretty darn satisfying year.

33. What kept you sane?
School holidays, family, summer vacation, DVR, my macbook, and probably a few others.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you admire the most?
Barack Obama.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Duh. The election.

36. Who did you miss?
Friends and family that live far away.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably baby Mason. He's only five months old, but I love him already!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Hard work pays off. Sort of obvious, but definitely applies.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Lucky I'm in love with my best friend, lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again."
Jason Mraz, "Lucky"

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