house and home

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something:: Week 76

- Mel 2 Comments

Blogger Tribe_Sunday Lately Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). And the rest of us in the Blogger Tribe are sharing our posts today, too. The prompts for June 12 (Week 76) :: Planning, Loving, Reading, Wishing, Feeling.

Catch up and read all of my past Sunday Lately posts and camp out with the Tribe on Facebook!

Planning:: out my running bibs and medals wall! I’m so excited that I have the space to put up all of my memories in my workout room, and I’ve already made some purchases to help pull this whole thing together. There was a lot of great inspiration out there on Pinterest, and I can’t wait to lay mine all out. I also plan to include some items from my roller derby days. It will be an inspiration wall to hopefully lead to motivation in keeping my new goals on track!

With that, I’m also starting to plan out my training for the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon in October, including finding some run groups and group runs in the area.

Loving:: I am loving the crap (pun intended?) out of my morning coffee routine. So much so, that I find myself willing my brain to sleep with the promise of waking up to the warmth of a delicious black drink. I’m still mostly keeping to my “no coffee after noon” rule at work, but LOVE weekends when IDGAF I’M DRINKING MORE COFFEE.

Reading:: I’m in the middle of two different books right now: In the Name of Gucci: A Memoir (hardcover) and We’re All Damaged (Kindle book).

After finally catching up on my Shape and Running World magazines last night, I’m also reading about some TRX upper body workouts to crank out this week, now that I finally set up the system in my workout room. NEARLY A YEAR AFTER BUYING IT.

Wishing:: that I could figure out my living room arrangement. I spent an hour making minor chair adjustments… and something is just not working. I bought a slipcover for the black leather sofa, but it’s much more blue than gray, which probably has something to do with throwing off the color balance in the room. But it feels haphazard and OMG it’s what I struggled with for the duration of the time in our Pittsburgh house — it never felt right!

I’m considering pulling out the leather sofa to see how the room feels without it (which would then both leave us with less sitting area and an empty space along the window). And then it might be another call into 1-800-Got-Junk. I HAVE NO IDEA.

Feeling:: I’m feeling a little nervous about this bike ride we’re doing next weekend. While it’s a day-long event with multiple stops along the route (BACON!), it’s still 78 miles in total, and uh… I haven’t been on a bike at all this season.

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something:: Week 73

- Mel

Blogger Tribe_Sunday Lately It’s the freakin’ weekend, and the Blogger Tribe is collectively sharing their Sunday Lately posts. Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). The prompts for May 22 (Week 73) :: Creating, Finding, Switching, Forgetting, Craving.

Catch up and read all of my past Sunday Lately posts and camp out with the Tribe on Facebook!

Creating:: This weekend, the boyfriend and I went to our local garden center and purchased a LOT of plants and flowers to put in pots in various places around our house. It’s supposed to be in the 80s today and for a few days this week. And creating all the individual groupings was actually a lot of fun! Even if I can’t participate in any of the actual planting because I’m basically allergic to everything.

Finding:: Seriously, when did I become allergic to the outdoors? I cannot be around plants without getting hives or sit outside without my eyes getting watery and itchy. Even just sitting inside the kitchen with the windows open, I’m a sneezy mess. I need to find something to get me through this all-things-pollen season.

Switching:: Since starting my new job, I have adopted a really bad habit of having more coffee in the afternoon for a pick-me-up-from-my-post-lunch-coma (hey, the coffee is free!). I finally remembered to put some tea bags in my work bag, so I can switch to something non-caffeinated (if it’s the warm beverage that I’m actually craving).

Forgetting:: I’m not shitting you — when I originally wrote this post, I forgot listing out this prompt. I had it above all together with the other week’s topics, but literally skipped right over it. HILARIOUS.

Craving:: I don’t know how I never thought of this, but PEANUT BUTTER IN OATMEAL, you guys! Someone at work makes this almost every morning, and I copied the same habit. I feel so much more full than eating oatmeal on its own and, well, peanut butter is my everything. I basically crave it every day (and I may or may not go through a jar a week).

Weekly Therapy: 51 weeks left in my 30s

- Mel

the week:
I had two full days of training at work, so my week just FLEW by!

And, YAY! I got a new bike — 600+ miles of Iowa trails, here we come! We also signed up for our first group trail fun ride in June — the BACooN Ride (where BACON meets the Raccoon River Trail) — so I am fully outfitted and ready to explore.

weekend:
We live in a front license plate state, so I need to take my car in this morning to get my front plate mounted. The dealership is also charging us an OUTRAGEOUS amount of money to update the maps on my GPS (like, holy shit, they’re sticking in an SD card WHY CAN’T A SATELLITE DO THIS). All I’m saying is that it sure as shit better locate my house when it’s uploaded.

ANYWAYS.

Otherwise, we have a pretty laid back weekend. Last night we got to hang out with our neighbors for a bit because it was SUCH a beautiful night. I’m pretty jazzed about the weather report in general this weekend, and we’ll probably go for a bike ride.

seven things, seven days:
1. My workplace has a corporate library, which we can reserve from a great selection of business-themed and popular book titles. And they deliver it right to my desk!
2. Everything is SO GREEN right now, including the farm crops around us. Daily, I just feel so happy with where I live.
3. I finished Leah Remini’s Troublemaker — it was a really engaging story, with all the gossipy celebrity juice you’d expect from someone who attended Tom Cruise’s wedding. I’m obsessed with the Scientology survival stories, and it’s a pretty incredible read from someone who went into the church so young.
4. Man, I just had another awful online shopping experience with a furniture company that I love and have shopped with for over a decade (AND have their dumb store credit card). Needless to say, I have to now find another living room side table somewhere else. #grumpy
5. Oh, HEY! Roller derby article in Shape magazine: How Roller Derby Helped Me Finally See Myself As An Athlete
6. The unhealthy truth behind “wellness” and “clean eating” {via Vice}
7. Spinning: You’re doing it wrong {via Indoor Cycling Association}

The home furnishings shopping adventure: Iowa edition!

- Mel 3 Comments

Last weekend, the boyfriend and I planned a shopping adventure, to fill in some missing decor around the house and buy things that we know we definitely needed (like, new guest towels). Here are the places that were included in the fun:

30something shopping Iowa house
Shopping haul!

at home – we had one of these stores in Pittsburgh, but it felt like it was always either Christmas decorations or crap that dropped off a truck. Our store here is AMAZING. Like HomeGoods amazing. We found an outdoor rug for the deck and a bunch of little vases for various spaces in the house. And placemats that match the kitchen for 50% off! It definitely takes some time to look through everything but it was worth it.

World Market – we shop here pretty often because of the amazing deals on wine (no shame; we’re used to paying so much more for alcohol in Pennsylvania), and I’ve missed this store since living near one in Ohio. PS: They do FREE wine tastings on Saturday afternoons, so I need to reorganize my shopping habits. I intended to purchase a pink chair for my office, but they didn’t it have in stock. I did find two little adorable boxed fake succulents and a bottle of Reisling that’s shaped like a cat though! 🙂

Spoiler alert: I found an actual office chair — not just a tufted dining chair — that I liked even better later in the day.

Bed, Bath & Beyond – we received a 20% off ENTIRE ORDER coupon in a welcome letter from our local store manager (hooray, moving discounts!), so we filled the cart with a bunch of stuff we needed. I threw some shade at the price of bathroom garbage cans ($40??? Seriously?!); however, I found my matching flatware set from Oneida, which I’ve been trying to match online (not knowing the name) unsuccessfully since two Thanksgivings ago. BIG SHOPPING WIN!

Homemakers – we found this place totally by accident, and decided that after a much-needed lunch of Mexican food, we’d circle back around to check it out. Right upon entry, we were greeted by a giant Adirondack chair that I just HAD to climb in for a photo.

homemakers beach chair iowa

This was definitely my favorite stop of the day!

Since this place was more for furniture than decor (though they do have much of both!), we were looking at some shelves/entertainment center options opposite our TV. I think we finally came to an agreement of how to decorate that wall in the basement and purchased two tall shelves to anchor the TV — and I need to measure the remaining distance to see if a credenza that we liked there will also fit. This is also where I found my aforementioned sweet upholstered (!!!) office chair.

Best of all though, we had a SUPER friendly salesperson and he loves Cleveland more than Pittsburgh, so we gave him all our money (kidding, kinda). Seriously though, he gave us a few ideas of day trips that were totally in line with our interests and I LOVE THIS PLACE SO DANG MUCH. He even told us about the warehouse history — it used to be a Parker Brothers factory!

Normally we would have also stopped at Pier1, but I’ve already been there twice in the last few weeks. 😉

PS: my blush accent chairs for the living room are STILL back-ordered from Home Decorators. GRRRRR.

Weekly Therapy: glass half full

- Mel

the week:
Well, management theory is over, and I’m doing less-than-awesome in Statistics (which is really bumming me out). I’m all caught up on my grant writing course, however; last week I also started a sociology class about Workplace Diversity theories. No derby has opened up a “free” schedule of my dreams for studying and homework and general Getting Ahead. Another adaptation though (and really hoping it has a positive effect on my sleeping patterns).

We went to the post season Pirates game last Wednesday and had the most amazing seats (and were, embarrassingly, on the Kiss Cam *cringe*). I also got a foul ball souvenir from my seatmate. Too bad about those Pirates though; it was a bear of a game to watch… save for Bumgarner’s incredible pitching.

weekend:
I worked all day on Saturday, so I feel like I need another weekend from my weekend… sigh. That’s the worst, right? (Especially upon coming home you realize that your new class assignments are due on Saturdays and not Sundays). At least I could join a couple neighbor friends for delicious Sunday brunch at Kaya (still one of my favorites in this city), and I ran 3 miles! My body is starting to accept this change in exercise behavior.

seven things, seven days:
1. Thanks to Ashley from Our Little Apartment for the “unfilth” your habitat app. {NSFW language on the app, but go search in Apple store!}
2. I can’t be the only annoyed by the word “sweetie,” right? Please tell me that I’m not overly-sensitive about this. {This, I find from both men and women, but feels especially condescending from women for some reason.}
3. The sink cabinet that I adored and drooled over (and pinned!) for months is too big for the master bathroom renovation. And I’m angry devastated. Stupid row house space constraints.
4. But the contractors are starting this week on demo, so…
5. I LOVE RUNNING IN THIS COOL WEATHER!
6. We had to turn on the heat though. Good thing it works?
7. I’ve always preferred the word “adapt” to “change” — it’s all in the optimism, I think. Regardless, this article is appropriate given the season: Adapting to Change. {via PsychCentral}

It probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that I’m reading Redirect: The surprising new science of psychological change.

Weekly Therapy: got that new carpet smell!

- Mel

the week:
Carpet was installed in the guest space, and now we wait for the final finishes and touches (and a back-ordered pendant light) to complete the renovation. I have been MORE than impressed with the work from these contractors, and we hired them to start other projects in the house next month. Yep, we’re going all out for a master bathroom remodel! Which means I also get a (tiny) walk-in closet.

{check out the pics down there in the Insta-therapy sidebar!}

weekend:
Last regular season game (away) in Ohio! Then it’s time for Playoffs. Get it.

seven things, seven days:
1. I was super pumped to attend a session about sports psychology and CrossFit last weekend, sponsored by my box and given by a fellow athlete and almost-psychologist.
2. Found another gluten-free bakery just outside of the Pittsburgh area: Truly Wize. They also sell their sweet goodies at Naturally Soergel’s; boyfriend also found some packaged oatmeal cookies at Market District. I’m currently embarrassing myself over their version of a swiss cake roll (IT’S SO AWESOME).
3. Somehow in my sleep I purchased a case (a CASE!) of Figgies & Jammies, so says this Amazon email. They are the best, and I was traumatizing myself that I forgot to purchase at Soergel’s this weekend. So I will eat them.
4. Can you believe I have been gluten- and nightshade-free for six MONTHS!? I have my retesting next week with Emily Levenson (look her up if you’re interested in having sensitivity testing done).
5. REALLY looking forward to Britt Reint’s Conspiracy next month. In Pittsburgh? You should join the group!
6. West Elm Bakery Square is opening in Pittsburgh next week (YAY!!!).
7. Three tips to change your perspective on nearly everything. {via PsychCentral} I really like the idea of the heart-to-heart. We all need that perspective at one point or another.

Weekly Therapy: this is Halloween

- Mel

the week:
Halloween always used to be one of my favorite holidays, but not so much in the last few years. I did throw a DIY costume (old school diner waitress) together for work since we were given approval to dress up — and I’ll do anything to get out of my uniform for a day! But I mostly just love to pass out candy, since I live in a neighborhood with actual trick or treaters (and the adults who check to make sure your glass is always full).

halloween_football

Oh, and the roof is leaking somewhere new. Happy two year-anniversary, house!

weekend:
Road trip to Columbus, to celebrate with our friends getting married! I hear that an Insanity workout is part of the festivities. And a lot of drinking. Will report back. I’m really looking forward to this one though.

seven things, seven days:
1. Mesmerized by (and drooling over) all the Jonathan Alder home collections that I cannot afford. *sigh*
2. Free Halloween lunch at work!
3. ALL OF THE KIT-KATS.
4. Signed up for the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay with my fellow CrossFitters! Got Weights?
5. Purchased all the items in my Stitch Fix box again (even though I didn’t like an included scarf — it was lousy and WAY overpriced — the box was cheaper to keep everything). I am feeling overwhelmed now with my new wardrobe, so I’m taking a month off.
6. Lessons learned: Why You Shouldn’t Text Your Arguments {via PsychCentral}
7. The past is past. I love this post from Gabrielle Bogan. Speaks to my heart right now.

Weekly Therapy: we keep it stinky

- Mel

the week:
The stinky corpse flower was blooming at the Phipps Conservatory this week. Of course I waited three hours in line to smell it. If you didn’t get out, it’s already too late (smell ya later, Romero!). My friend and I visited within 24 hours of its bloom announcement (Stink Gram?), and it was already starting to close up. If you’re unfamiliar with the Amorphophallus titanum, it only blooms once every 6-10 years — and only for around 24-48 hours.

Be tee dubs, whomever is handling their twitter account is brilliant.

romero

weekend:
My Tough Mudder is Saturday (ack!) — thought I’d be more excited. But honestly, I’m worn out. My body is worn out. At this point, I’m just hoping not to pass out mid-mud obstacle.

Sunday, we finally are “interviewing” another house cleaner. See above comment about being worn out. I never thought that a 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath house would be too much for one person. It’s too, too much house for me to get a handle on, especially with three cats. I’m not too shamed to admit that. And that’s why life gave us professional house cleaners.

Otherwise, I’ll be over here doing yoga on the bridge.

52 Books in 52 Weeks:
Yeah, I’m seriously behind (don’t judge me!). But I started reading Rust Belt Chic: a Cleveland Anthology as result of my trip to CLE. More reading for my fellow rust belt city homies: Belt Magazine.

seven things, seven days:
1. Painters again. Gawd, I’m tired. BUT OMG I HAVE A YELLOW DOOR!
2. In the process of redesigning our patio space… again. Garden tour is in three weeks. FML.
3. Is there nothing better than finding a dress that just fits. like. a. glove? It really is amazing when you can purchase something and not have to tailor a damn thing (dress definitely not that short IRL). I wish I had all of the monies to shop Shoshanna for all of the things.
4. Forgive me, hair gods, for I have sinned; it’s been nearly 30 weeks since my last cut and color. I’ve had to reschedule my hair appointment twice in two weeks. Third time, the charm?
5. This post couldn’t be more timely: Are Dining Rooms Dead? {via BrightNest}
6. THIS. For all of the pet owners out there.
7. Speaking to my heart here: Writing & Speaking for Introverts {via Art of Non-conformity}

Don’t freak out…

- Mel

You know how this conversation starts — or ends, rather. With a FREAK OUT.

That was the boyfriend’s conversation to me after work on Sunday: Don’t. Freak. Out.

These are the kind of talks one never wants to have in a relationship. Don’t Freak Out. Don’t Get Mad. We Need to Talk. It’s Not You…

Said Freak Out has to do with our home renovations, thankfully (weird that’s a positive in this stage of life), and nothing to do with our partnership (thank the Ceiling Cat). We already discussed what we intended to do with the “fun money” this year as far as the house was concerned, but not-so-much about timeline.

Sadly, the house money did not include doing anything about this:

There’s always next year…

In conversation with others, we laugh it off as our “swingers” tub. If only our 1800s house had such a history, and not just that it hasn’t been renovated in 30 years. Also: yes, this is where our cats prefer their water reservoir.

We *are* decorating around that bathroom, however (with a helluva lot of paint and cheap-ish fixes). We’re also painting the entire first floor and entry. And painting the second floor and hallway. And breaking open the tiled-in fireplace to see what’s behind it, and what choices we have to renovate it…

Starting on Friday.

FRIDAY.

This Friday, if I wasn’t specific.

So, by this time next week, I’ll be waking up to beautiful grays and blues and bright white trim… instead of Stuck-in-the-80s-shopping-at-the-County-Seat colors (tell me I’m not the only 30-something who remembers that mall store!). The direction of the fireplace and firebox replacement will have to do with… well, what’s behind all that ugly tile.

In addition to the projects still-yet-unplanned, we have new tile in the entryway in the budget, some new furniture, updated light fixtures and a new deck. But that magenta platform tub will remain when all the dust clears. Oh boy, is it a conversation piece, but based on our home budget, it will remain for another year.

Weekly Therapy: from Me, with love

- Mel

the week:
Happy Valentine’s Day! (to those of you who celebrate). I got my usual cat-card-and-dark-chocolate pairing from the boyfriend *swoon*. And had my six month-cleaning at the dentist (LOADS OF FUN OVER HERE!) Settling in from vacation hasn’t really happened. AT LEAST I GOT THE LAUNDRY FINISHED. I’m sure you can feel me that that was quite an accomplishment in two days. And I’ve been rushing to tidy the house since we’re expecting guests this weekend AND missed our bi-weekly cleaning appointment while we were gone.

Painting estimates and Masonry estimates and Deck Replacing Estimates. Smells like home remodeling season up in here. Picking out paint colors and selecting the order of remodeling projects… in less than a week? SO MUCH PRESSURE. But colors have finally been picked out for all of the rooms on our first and second level (buh-bye orange living room wall).

weekend:
Tonight is Bowling night! And just when I thought I had a “rest day”… I happened to look at my calendar. *sigh* We still haven’t even been able to grocery shop since we’ve been home, which means take out again tonight. And my favorite crepes place in Pittsburgh for brunch tomorrow (which also means take-home macaroons for me – I’m WINNING!)

We’re hosting friends of ours Saturday night for a “date night” of Mexican proportions. I can never have enough Mexican. But apparently I can have ALL OF THE STRESS. {brown paper bag me, please}

52 weeks o’ books:
10. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. I was completely mesmerized by this book… so much so that I want to read it again. This is exactly the type of social psychology that interests me to my core.

But I’m realizing that I’m REALLY lagging behind in my 52-in-52 goal. Need to find some short books for fill-ins. And use my “free” time at work more wisely.

seven things, seven days:
1. We got a new iMac! (it’s so huge TWSS)
2. I have declared a new major with my intended “new” college. Seems it will take me just as much time to complete my Comm degree as it will be to start over with a Psych program. Sounds like the right time to me.
3. Really wanted these stools from World Market. It seems I blinked, and the went on sale and subsequently sold out… MUST FIND TWO.
4. This week, I received notice that I was hired to work (as a development intern) with a local animal rescue organization on a special adoption campaign. SO EXCITED!
5. Found (and bought) a cute striped bikini in California! Even better, it doesn’t tie around the neck. <3 6. 48 Hidden Images in Black Swan (*omg* this is a little creepy, but all kinds of awesome, if you’re a fan of the movie — like me)
7. From Oh Joy! >> Things Worth Splurging on in Your 30s (AGREE WITH THEM ALL! The “perfect” brown leather tall boots still evade me though… *sigh*)