me & him

Thoughts

2012-01-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

It feels good to do hard things.

I really don't like clothes shopping.

This is currently my favorite cookbook.

I am so far behind on reading blogs. I don't think I will ever catch up.

I think I need to find a better routine in my day, rather than just doing what I want, when I want.

I have the best husband.

Our friend let us borrow one of these and Lennon is so cute in it. A baby must-have.

The Beach Boys music will never get old.

how being a mom has changed me

2012-01-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

i like the smell of baby puke

80% of my day involves me singing

i find burps to be hysterical

even just one smile makes my day

2011 Recap

2012-01-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

Ate a cherry

Became a mom

Gained nearly 50 pounds

Taught myself to crochet

Stopped working

Went on a zipline

Became an aunt of 2 on Tannon's side {through adoption}

Visited Boston

Discovered Trader Joes

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.2

Christmas Vacation 2011

2011-12-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

Of course, another highlight of our trip to Utah was seeing our niece. It was so much fun to see her and Lennon together. They love each other! Lennon just watches Morgan's every move. Morgan makes sure that Lennon is taken care of at all times. They are best friends already.

My mom and sister were so nice and threw a little get together for our extended family to meet Lennon.

We were also lucky enough to have Tannon's aunt do the same thing on their side of the family.

We did a lot of eating, playing, talking, and eating. We got pedicures, saw some friends, watched movies, and relaxed.

Christmas Eve we went to dinner with Tannon's family and my family. It was fun to get everyone together.

That night, we stayed up late baking, wrapping presents, and playing Guitar Hero. We slept at Missy's house and woke up and opened presents. It was so fun to watch Morgan get so excited about hers. Kids make holiday's fun. In the afternoon, we went to my Grandma's house for dinner for the entire extended family. Then, it was off to Tannon's parents where we were able to spend time with his whole family and open presents.

We couldn't have asked for a better Christmas.

utah - the canyons

2011-12-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

I guess it's time to update this old thing.

Tannon, Lennon, and I just got back from an amazing time in utah with family. It was crazy, went by way too fast, and we had a wonderful time being with our families and seeing some friends.

First stop off the plane? Leatherby's, of course. Both of our families met up there while we had some delicious ice cream. Then it was time for us to head up to Park City with Tannon's family. Tannon's 2 brothers work at The Canyon's resort, so they hooked us up big time. We stayed two nights in a really fancy hotel with a kitchen, a loft, and I think either 3 or 4 rooms? I don't know, I never even made it upstairs.

Caitlin was the photographer for the weekend, and I'm glad because I was awful at getting any pictures. {Caitlin, I hope it's okay that I'm stealing these}.

I had forgotten how great it feels to feel the snow beneath my board, and the wind in my face. It was the perfect day.

Also, The Canyons just opened up a zipline tour, which was awesome. The longest zip was 2500 feet and is about 260 feet above the ground over a canyon. I loved it.

Our view from our room.

Brinton & Caitlin

What a doofus.

Getting ready for the zipline.

Brinton & Mowgli are the absolute best for planning one of the best weekends ever.

christmas tree lights

2011-12-02T08:17:00.000-08:00

i wonder how many more christmases he'll be more interested in what's on the tree than what's under it.

thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

this year was our third annual meads/vogel/newland thanksgiving. i love having "family" within driving distance so that we can enjoy this tradition while we are all living in the east.

it was our turn to host this year. the menu:

deep fried turkey
stuffing
salad with this dressing
caramelized green beans
dinner rolls
sweet potato casserole
mashed potatoes
gravy
cranberry sauce
nutella pie
apple pie

sunday best

2011-11-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

birthday girl

2011-11-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

today is this lady's birthday. lennon calls her nana. i call her mom.

my mom is the best. she has the biggest heart and has a lot to give. i hope to care for my kids as much as she did hers.

we are so lucky to have her.

halloween

2011-11-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

i don't know what it is, but this halloween was one of my favorites. maybe it's because we have a kid. maybe it's because i'm not working. either way, it was awesome.

the festivities started on friday with a parade at tannon's school. it was so much fun! i love all of the fellow dental students and their wives/families.

we don't really know what lennon's costume is supposed to be. i found it at a consignment sale for a few bucks. we went with stink bug. whatever it is, he sure looked cute in it.

that night we went to our ward trunk-or-treat at our church, where there was a chili cook-off. i made this.

there were some really awesome costumes there, but the following two were my absolute favorites:

captain jack sparrow and a gorgeous asian. isn't she the prettiest thing you've ever seen? if you know her dad, this costume is much funnier.

remember how i thought lennon was a stink bug? that was until we ran into mario and princess peach. he is clearly a yoshi egg.

halloween night, we had chili, cornbread, and home-made root beer. we chased it all down with pumpkin donuts.

caramel apples

2011-11-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

autumn would be one big waste without caramel apples. we had some friends over and made some, which turned out delicious. i used this recipe, which is actually for caramel syrup, but makes excellent caramel apples.

lennon loves his papa

2011-10-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

gettysburg

2011-10-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

while my dad & chris were in town, we took a quick trip to gettysburg. it was a gorgeous little town and it was really neat to learn about all of the history that took place there. sad, sad stuff.

utah utes

2011-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

my dad and brother-in-law {chris} came out to:

a} meet lennon
b} go to the utah vs. pitt game

we were a little nervous to be sitting in the middle of the Pitt student section {think MUSS} in our crimson red, but luckily we didn't get boo'd right out of there.

nerd newlands

2011-10-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

tannon's brothers and their wife/girlfriend came out to meet lennon. he is so lucky that he has so many aunts and uncles that love him! they are all so cute with him and it was so much fun to have them all here! {lennon is the first baby on tannon's side}.

i am incredibly blessed with the family i married in to. tannon and his brothers have always been very close and caitlin has become one of my best friends.

tannon's sister was going to come out with them, but needed to stay home last minute. we missed her.

we were able to squeeze in some fun things in the week that they were here. we ate way too much. would you have guessed? me neither.

we ate at: pamela's, church brew works, joe mama's, lobello's, oakmont bakery, and got some yummy food/treats at the strip district.

caitlin, candice, and i love to bake, so we were able to squeeze some of that in, as well.

we made pumpkin monkey bread and mini's chocoholic cupcakes.

we rode bikes along the monongahela river, drove to ohiopyle to visit falling water, went boating/wakeboarding, and changed a lot of diapers.

uncle B

aunt caitlin

candice & mowgli. we hope candice is part of our family soon :)

that's mowgli.... not tannon

uncle mowgli

2 months

2011-10-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

i seriously kiss these cheeks all day long. lennon is still rocking his mullet that his dad won't let me touch. he is a lot more interactive and so much fun. he's starting to like to watch t.v. {oh dear}. he's weighing in a little over 12 pounds and is 24 inches long. he is sleeping better at night and is getting more smiley. our favorite part of our day is when we snuggle up on the couch and take a nap together in the afternoon. love this little man!

i miss stars...

2011-10-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

and the desert

Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

besties

2011-09-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

some people have wondered how my dog has taken to lennon. here is the answer. i love my boys.

arts festival

2011-09-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

this weekend we went to the arts festival at mellon park. it felt like our first official family outing - i think because we brought the stroller for the first time. for some reason, that made it official.

there are some seriously talented people out there. they had everything from jewelry to paintings to woodwork. it made me wish that i had an ounce of artistry in me.

the cooler temperatures, the sun, the smell of fried food, the entertainer singing james taylor .... it got me really excited for fall.

this picture was taken immediately after tannon glanced around to make sure none of his friends were there to witness him getting his picture taken by his embarrassing wife.

random thoughts

2011-09-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

if i don't fold my laundry, right then and there as it comes out of the dryer, it will most likely never get folded.

* * * * *

i've recently become obsessed with the kardashians. it's amazing that i can find a family that entertaining.

* * * * *

i didn't realize how weird it was that i went for a bike ride when lennon was a week and a half. apparently that's not normal.

* * * * *

i love having things to look forward to. next up: all of our siblings on tannon's side come to visit! it's a bonus that they'll be here during our favorite time of the year. i hope they're ready for fall festivals, pumpkin cookies, & cooler temperatures.

* * * * *

it's sunday evening and i'm not dreading the week. staying at home rocks.

climb on

2011-09-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

we were actually able to spend a little time outside during the labor day weekend. we went rock climbing at mcconnell's mill while tannon's parents were in town. even though the rock was pretty wet - and i didn't make it up very far - we still had a great time romping around in the forest.

he's gonna be famous

2011-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

i have never seen tannon so excited as when he got picked to be an extra in the upcoming batman film. the best part? he even got paid for it.

when you see the movie, look for a guy at a sporting event, buying beer at a concession stand.

we actually don't know if he will even make it into the movie, but here's to hoping!

1 month

2011-09-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

this cute little guy is a month old already. my oh my. the best part about him turning 1 month is that he's slept anywhere from 5-7 hour stretches the past 4 nights. that makes a mama happy.

first bath

2011-08-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

my blog has officially become the blog that no one likes to look at except for the grandparents {and i'm pretty sure that even they don't look at this blog}. that being said, i can't help but post pictures of lennon's first bath.

don't let those sweet faces fool you. this is before he could figure out what was going on.

this is a better representation of how his first bath went.

luckily, after his third, he's decided it's not so bad.

my munchkin

2011-08-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

i just can't get enough of this face! he gets cuter every day - and i've even caught him giving me a big, gummy smile on occasion. love this little guy.

i'm a mom!

2011-08-15T05:07:00.000-07:00

our sweet lennon was born august 1, 2011 @ 3:24 pm.
our little chunk weighed 9 lbs 2 oz and was 20.5 inches long.
i absolutely love the noises he makes when he eats.
i have no idea who he looks like.
he's a grunter and a stretcher - the loudest sleeper i've ever met.
i love watching tannon be a dad.
we love our little boy.

post partum menu

2011-07-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

since many of you expressed interest in my menu and recipes, i thought it would just be easiest to post it on here. enjoy.

Post Partum Menu

new job

2011-07-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

i am loving my new job as a stay-at-home-wife.

i was worried that i would get bored/depressed. nothing could be further from the truth.

i have made a whole slew of frozen meals for when the tyke gets here.

with it's accompanying menu and instructions so that i don't have to use any brain power whatsoever when it comes time to prepare dinner. {oh, don't worry - i'm not this organized - i had a lot of inspiration and help from my friend, sherry}

i completed my car seat canopy.

i was able to attend institute with some friends from the ward. it's held during the day every wednesday and lunch is served after. it's a lot of fun and i look forward to attending regularly.

i've been trying to figure out how to use my new lens. once i get the hang of it, i think i will really like it.

the last day

2011-07-13T04:59:00.000-07:00

today is my last day of work. it is the strangest feeling that i can't even begin to describe.

* * * * * *

this baby should be waiting on my doorstep for me tonight. i can't wait to play with it.

* * * * * *

i can't get dimply butt cheeks and squishy thighs out of my mind.

* * * * * *

here is our nursery. simple & plain.

* * * * * *

i've been thinking about this quote by john wooden a lot lately:

Talent is God-given. Be humble.
Fame is man-given. Be grateful.
Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

foodie part 2

2011-07-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

last year i listed a few places that we've eaten at. i figured it was about time to add to the ever-growing list of places we've visited {and liked} in pittsburgh. this edition is much better, in my opinion.

uncle sam's - really great sandwiches and fries. there is nothing healthy about these sandwiches, so don't expect to go for a light meal, like subway. my favorite is the ham & cheese sub.

the dor stop - yes, i spelled that right. it's located in dormont, hence the spelling. this place is always busy and it has a very small diner feel to it. all of the staff is really friendly and they all look like they love their job. the only thing i've gotten there is their raspberry french toast and i don't want to try anything else. it's dipped in a crispy breading and then fried and smothered with a raspberry cream topping.

fuel & fuddle - located in the heart of oakland. it's a fun atmosphere and i've been impressed with the food both times i've been.

waffalonia - we just went there for the first time tonight and it was so, so good. if any of you SLC people have been to bruges, it's kind of like that. they serve authentic belgium waffles that are a sugar-y, dough-y masterpiece. i very, very strongly recommend the antwerp waffle with speculoos ice cream.

la gourmandine - located on butler street in lawrenceville. this french bakery has a variety of pastries/croissants/sandwiches/quiche. the workers speak French. i didn't quite know what to expect from this place, but it exceeded my expectations by a long shot.

razzy fresh - your typical fro yo place. we haven't been to too many of these, so it's hard to give a good comparison, but we really liked their frozen yogurt. they had a wide variety of flavors to choose from, as well as toppings. i think my favorite yogurt flavors here are raspberry and original.

burgatory - they have helluva burgers and heavenly shakes. this place is hilarious. everything is based off of "purgatory" and their burgers get served with a devil's pitch fork {i have no idea what to call it}. their s'more milk shake is to die for.

black & yellow

2011-06-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

a friend of mine is moving to san antonio this week {i hate it when friends leave}.

she wanted to get some pictures of the city and invited me to come along.

it felt good to blow the dust off the old camera.

i love these bridges.

i park here

2011-06-29T06:19:00.000-07:00

at my grocery store.
because i can.

do you pin?

2011-06-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

because if you don't, you really should.

pinterest is an online virtual pinboard where you can organize all sorts of lovely things by any category you'd like.

i am strangely addicted to this site.

i think it might still be by invitation only, so if you want an invite, leave me a comment and let me know.

and then come find me here.

breakfast at tiffany's

2011-06-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

our favorite cupcake shop in utah is mini cupcakes. my thoughtful brother and sister-in-law sent me a mini cupcake cookbook for my birthday. this weekend, i decided to recreate my favorite cupcake, breakfast at tiffany's {also known as the audrey}. it did not disappoint. if you like cupcakes, i strongly recommend this book.

baby shower #2

2011-06-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

my good friend, helena, threw me a baby shower with some of the wives from Dental school. it was seriously a blast. she put in a lot of work to organize the decorations, food, games, etc.

some of the highlights:

she provided me with thank you cards and had everyone write their own name and address on the envelope.
she decorated her apartment with darling onesies, burp cloths, socks, diaper cakes, etc. as her gift to me.
i'm not usually a fan of games at showers, but hers were really fun. she took everyone aside, one-by-one. with a piece of paper behind us, on the ground, we had to squat down & place one hand flat on the paper. we then had to trace our hand with the other hand, while facing the other direction. later in the shower, she said something like 'i wrote down the phrases you guys said while tracing your hand and they are what were said by mccall/tannon the night the baby was conceived'. needless to say, it was pretty hilarious.
before opening presents, she passed out Bingo cards to everyone {besides me}. she had them all write down specific things they thought i would receive. as i opened my gifts, everyone would cross the item off of their card, if it was on there. she had presents for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. i loved this part because it took a bit of pressure off of me, knowing that they weren't ONLY paying attention to me opening gifts {i don't love attention. thanks, helena, i'm pretty sure that was strategically planned}.

i love my friends.

twenty seven

2011-06-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

i had a wonderful birthday this year. i was so pleasantly surprised to receive so many text messages, emails, and cards from friends and family throughout the day. i want to be more like that.

i woke up to a note from tannon.

walked downstairs to find this:

at work, my dad & mom-in-law sent me some gorgeous flowers {tannon's name was on the card, too, but i know him better than to have anything to do with buying me flowers}.

after work, tannon picked me up all showered and smelling of fresh cologne. he took me to Olive Garden for dinner {we had a g/c which made it even better}.

after dinner, we stopped off at barnes & noble to look at the nook {okay, and purchase}.

i then walked into a home filled with freshly baked goods. tannon had baked my favorite cupcakes.

it was a special day.

baby shower #1

2011-06-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

two of my friends threw me my very first baby shower. there was a lot of time & energy spent to make this special for me. i have some amazing friends whom i love dearly.

we:
ate wonderful food.
chatted a lot.
played a funny game.
opened presents.

they also had everyone there write some 'tips' for the clueless soon-to-be-mom. they even printed out my dad's advice and put it in the book.

i received lots of darling gifts. every time i look at anything boy, i just get more excited to meet the little squirt.

here are some of my favorite gifts. i have some talented friends.

i love elephants. especially hand-made ones as cute as this.

isn't he cute? love him.

papa

2011-05-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

i got a text message from this guy {my dad} today. he usually texts me every day, but this one was different. one i want to remember. forever.

"the absolute best part of your life is almost here. savor and enjoy every moment you have with the boy. the day will come all too quickly when he will be off to college or a mission and finally gone from your house for good. i wish i had a time machine to go back to 1981 so i could be with and raise my beautiful girls all over again. i would love that. i love my wog."

i have read and re-read this several times throughout the day. if this doesn't make a 7 month pregnant lady bawl, i don't know what will.

gosh, i love him.

baby bump

2011-05-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

while my sister was in town, i decided to take advantage of her skills and have her take pictures of tannon & me. i'm so lucky to have such a talented sister! *don't mind my puffy face & our awkward poses.

crazy people

2011-05-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

ever since we moved to pittsburgh, tannon has been talking about wanting to ride his bike to washington d.c.  i honestly didn't think he would be able to talk anyone into this horrible idea.  as it turns out, our 2 friends {bryan & jamie = husband & wife} are just as crazy.

i sent them on their way last wednesday.  they rode from wednesday to sunday.  

bryan & jamie are at least a little smarter and stayed in bed/breakfasts & hotels along the way.

not tannon.

{it rained the first night, so here is his make-shift shelter}

 {total trip: 341.77 miles}

 luckily for me, i had a good excuse not to join them.  my belly would get in the way.  so, instead, i was able to spend the weekend in virginia with my friend, maren, while i waited for them to get to d.c. on sunday so that we could drive home.  and the most important part of the trip?  i was able to stuff my face with this:

that's right.  they recently opened up a cafe rio in maryland.  it has never tasted so good.

red vines vs. twizzlers

2011-05-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago, i was really craving red vines. i went to 3 different stores in one night. none of which sold red vines, just twizzlers. don't get me wrong, i do like an occasional twizzler, but not this time.

the next morning i asked my co-workers why no stores sold red vines. their response? "what are red vines?"

seriously, people???

so, today i went to rite aid {i finally found a store that carries them} and took a bag to work. the introduction didn't go as well as i had hoped.

my boss said, "they taste just like twizzlers".
my co-worker said, "this is poor people licorice".
and my other co-worker said, "they're alright, but twizzlers are better".

pittsburgh people are bizarre.

easter 2011

2011-05-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

the nerd nielsen's came to PA over easter this year. if i could repeat this easter every year i would be one happy gal.

i put together an easter basket for morgan and she LOVED it. we also hid eggs in the backyard and waited for a few minutes when it wasn't raining and she romped around the wet grass finding colorful eggs filled with goodies.

we made a delicious dinner including 2 whole chickens, rolls, salad, and a pink and orange layered cake. morgan was thrilled.

missy made homemade peeps.

during their stay, we watched a lot of tangled, cars, and enchanted.

they met me downtown for lunch.

missy & i got pedicures.

made this for breakfast.

went and saw Rio.

went to an MLB game: pirates vs. giants

went to kirtland, ohio where there is a lot of history of my church. morgan loved seeing the temple.

i do

2011-04-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

marriage.

i will never claim my marriage to be perfect,

but i absolutely love it.

it has it's challenges

but it can be so rewarding, if we put forth the effort.

it is the most important relationship, yet often times it can be the most neglected.

it needs to be nourished.

* * * * * * *

when i rolled out of bed this morning and stumbled to my bathroom,

i turned on the light to find this.

i want to be a better wife to my sweet husband.

this and that with a rattle a tat

2011-04-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

this is our 7 day forecast. rain, rain, and more rain! it makes me want to snuggle up on the couch with a good book.

* * * * * * * *

tried new ice cream this week. coconut almond fudge. so good! the best part? it's light.

* * * * * * * * * * *

people say the darndest things to pregnant people. so far, i've heard:

{man at the grocery store} "how many you got in there? 2? 3?"

{co-worker - i was wearing a green shirt} "you look like a fat leprechaun"

{fed-ex driver, while glancing at my stomach} "whoa, you been eating a lot lately?"

and i'm only 6 months! i'm excited to hear what people have to say when i'm 8 & 9 months.

things i love about pregnancy

2011-03-27T04:03:00.001-07:00

actually having an excuse to be out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs. {sad, but true}
watching my stomach do the worm.
maternity pants. they are the most comfortable things ever. and remember this problem? gone.
not having to suck in after a large meal.
no monthly visits
seeing my body transform. sure i'm bound to get stretch marks & weird veins. not only have i gained some lbs in the abdomen, but also in my legs, arms, and chin. BUT... my body is doing what it's actually made to do. it means my baby is growing.

tonight

2011-03-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

tonight my whole family is getting together. my whole family.

my mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, niece, husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and all of my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

and i am 1,800 miles away.

at least i have my dog.

five-sies

2011-03-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

tannon has always loved doing things with his hands. he's definitely more crafty than i am.

the other day he surprised me with five darling onesie's that he drew.

i'm trying to convince him to open up an etsy shop :)

she wears a redsox's cap

2011-03-20T17:29:00.001-07:00

i have a bucket list. on that bucket list was to visit boston. scratch that off.

we found really cheap tickets and couldn't pass up the opportunity. we had to adjust tannon's school schedule a bit, finagle flight changes, and still weren't sure if we were going to make it on our flight, even the morning of. fortunately, tannon was able to take his test in record time {i hope he passed} and we raced to the airport and made it.

we had such a great time. we got there pretty late on thursday night, so we just walked around by our hotel and ate dinner at maggiono's.

friday, we rented a car and drove the the temple. it was so beautiful and had a great time talking to the temple workers {for like an hour - i think they were lonely}.

after the temple, we drove to cape cod. i loved it here. it was so beautiful. we were able to see the ocean - too bad it was freezing. we ate at a local sports bar and their new england clam chowder was amazing!

saturday was spent walking most of the freedom trail, where we saw paul revere's house, the boston massacre site, the cemetery where john hancock, samuel adams, and the boston massacre victims were buried.

later that day, we made our way to salem, ma. this was such a quiet, quaint little town, i loved it there. we were able to learn more about the salem witch trials and walk around a bit.

after salem, we decided to check out the harvard campus. there were amazing buildings there and the campus was gorgeous.

it was a really short trip, but it was so nice to spend uninterrupted time with tannon. i absolutely loved this old, unique city that is rich with history.

mother's intuition?

2011-02-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

i passed the first test.

it's a

love day

2011-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

we had such a wonderful valentine's day this year. since i've been awful at writing in my journal lately, i'm hoping this blog can help me remember some details that would otherwise be lost.

i think a lot of the fun of valentine's is planning and doing things for tannon. usually i'm not this ambitious, but i wanted to make this year somewhat special. i think i had more fun than he did.

**this was the most corny v~day yet, so if you can't take it, please stop reading.**

i wanted to type up how we met/our love story from my perspective and give it to tannon. he already knows it, but it's so fun to re-live those memories every once in a while. since our first date happened to be February 14, 2003, i figured it was only appropriate. i typed it up as a "story" format. a lot of the details are fuzzy in my head, so i had to make do and embellish them a little. it makes for a better story, right?

i slipped the 5 page essay into his backpack so that he wouldn't read it until he was at school.

that night, we decided to steal our friends' tradition and make a heart-shaped pizza. i love pizza.

i had mentioned the night before that i was craving vanilla ice cream, so he surprised me with homemade vanilla ice cream.

after we ate, i busted out my cheesiness.

i had 4 small gifts for him, but in order for him to open them, he had to do something first. each gift was accompanied with a corny poem.

i won't bore you {or gross you out} with the rest of the gifts/poems, but i have to say it was the most memorable/fun valentine's day since our first date.

i love being in love.

love week: things i love

2011-02-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

i love having things to look forward to. this is especially critical during the late winter. it keeps me going.

feb. 14 ~ v-day

feb. 24 ~ confirm munchkin is indeed a boy

march 3 ~ quick boston trip

april 22 ~ sissy & family come visit

* * * * * *

i love a great book. this month's book is the book thief. i have heard such wonderful things about it, but after reading the summary, i'm not so sure. i really hope i like it. i'm desperate for a book i don't want to put down.

* * * * * *

sugar cookies. they scream valentine's to me. i don't make them over the holidays, but you better believe i make them every february.

* * * * * *

enya. i could listen to her at any time throughout the year. her music is inspiring and invigorating.

* * * * * *

mac & cheese. the character kind. i had to save the best for last.

the birthday boy

2011-02-02T10:08:00.001-08:00

for tannon's birthday, his brother & his wife gave him 2 tickets to go to a concert. tannon & i are kind of "over" concerts, since they are usually expensive, crowded, and most the concerts we attend are general admission. my back usually starts hurting if i stand at concerts for more than 30 minutes. i'm an old lady, i know.

neither of us had heard of this singer, so we didn't quite know what to expect. the concert was last night and it. was. awesome.

it was at club cafe on the southside and the setting couldn't have been more perfect. we walked in about 30 minutes before the show was scheduled to start and they had little tables set up. we sat down and there was a menu, so we ordered dinner. during the concert, a little waitress would come around to refill your drink or you could order anything at anytime.

the place probably only seats 60 people MAX. no one stood up. my back didn't hurt. my stomach was fed. my man by my side. it was a perfect evening.

and the best part was that it was a smoke-free club.

the opening band was a local band called the wreckids. they are a darling husband & wife who are acoustic and hilarious.

then david berkeley. he is also acoustic. i LOVE his voice. he is very talented. i guess there were supposed to be 2 others there with him, but they didn't get on a flight due to the storm, so it was just him.

here is a clip {not from last night}, if you're interested. i always love finding new music.

brinton & caitlin - thank you for the perfect gift.

munchkins & lollipops

2011-01-26T16:24:00.001-08:00

the past four {ish} years have been a bit of a roller coaster. i never thought it would be easy for us to start a family, but i couldn't have dreamt how difficult it's been.

{cue sappy full house music}. i can honestly say, though, that i am truly grateful for the time tannon and i have had to grow together. i feel that we have been strengthened as a couple and i have developed a deeper love for him.

there was a time that i was really struggling and it seemed that every time i turned around, clicked on a blog, or checked facebook, someone was announcing their 2nd or 3rd pregnancy. i couldn't help but wonder if i would ever be in that position.

so, if it seems as though i am not excited, i can assure you that i am. but, i am also very cautious. i have been let down too many times to skip right to the excitement.

can't wait for the munchkin to make his* debut.

*i think it's a boy

all you need is love

2011-01-24T15:44:00.001-08:00

i think i'm the only person who actually looks forward to valentine's day. yes, it's a sappy holiday where stores make too much money off of stuffed animals, chocolates, and corny cards. but it also happens to be the day that tannon and i enjoyed our first date.

and because i think it's fun to do dorky things for tannon. my favorite was the year i made up little poems and sent him on a scavenger hunt through our 500 square-foot duplex.

and because it gives me something to look forward to during the long and dreary winter.

* * * * * *

the other day i came home from work to a package with my name beautifully written in red marker. inside was a little note from my darling caitlin {sis-in-law}. she had made me a valentine's banner. it meant so much to me, i almost cried.

and now? my house has a darling valentine banner hanging in my front room.

christmas 2010

2011-01-15T08:24:00.001-08:00

i wasn't planning on doing a christmas post, but... here i am. i love spending christmas with just tannon. we missed our families, but christmas really is special with just our little family.

on christmas eve, we went to a movie {how do you know - lame!} and then we followed the movie with a romantic, cozy dinner at Olive Garden. once we stuffed ourselves into a food coma, we came home, snuggled up on our air mattress next to the tree in the family room and fell asleep to Christmas Vacation.

christmas morning, we woke up slowly

opened presents

{hudson got a new toy squirrel}

ate our very healthy breakfast, monkey bread.

and played a lot of rummikub.

we were supposed to end the night by going to our friends house for dinner, but instead my body decided it would be a good time to catch the flu. so, we spent the night on the couch watching LOST season 1.

i love lazy christmas's.

i'm still alive

2010-12-31T15:08:00.000-08:00

we've been doing a lot of playing, running, and getting dirty. i love my boys.

and not just because it's thanksgiving

2010-11-22T16:27:00.001-08:00

i am so grateful to live in this beautiful city

deep thought {but not by jack handy}

2010-11-17T15:24:00.000-08:00

a co-worker said something to me the other day that i thought was just hysterical.

"you live a PBS life in an MTV world".

i'll take that as a compliment.

the letter

2010-11-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

it all started on thanksgiving day, in 2005.

well, it didn't all start then, but thanksgiving 2005 brought some pretty powerful & juicy details that marked the beginning of tannon & i making our commitment to eachother.

* * * * * * * *

tannon and i met and started dating in january of 2003. we had some great times dating, but we also had our rough patches. fast forward 2.5 years - our relationship was going backwards. we i decided to end things.

we dated other people and went our separate ways.

in november 2005, tannon gave me a very unexpected letter. i can't recall exactly what day he gave it to me, but he made me promise not to open it until thanksgiving day. it's virtually impossible for me to break a promise, so those x amount of days generated much anticipation.

my family always spent thanksgiving in st. george. i was very much enjoying family time and the warm temperatures southern utah offers. without a doubt, this unopened letter was gnawing at me in the back of my mind. i had to prepare, mentally, to read it. i was still in love with tannon, but "knew" it couldn't work out between us.

thanksgiving morning finally came and i locked myself in my room. i breathlessly tore open the evelope that enclosed the most beautifully, poetic letter i have ever read. i read it over and over and over. all of the words i so badly wanted to hear from him were right in front of me.

i had changed. he had changed. and they were changes that needed to happen.

i am so grateful for that letter.

the capitol

2010-11-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

it was one of those weekends.

you know, the ones where you have so much fun that going back to work seems excruciating.

we took a mini road trip.

ans stayed with some fun people.

we didn't do much "downtown" tourist-y stuff because jon stewart's rally to restore sanity was taking place. and dc was packed.

we did, however, visit great falls & georgetown.

it was in georgetown that we made a decision that would forever change my life.

we visited georgetown cupcake. this place is insane. we went there two days in a row, just so i could stand in their out-the-door-and-up-the-street-line and enjoy their freshly baked cupcakes. their salted caramel is the one i want to eat every day for the rest of my life. the red velvet, milk chocolate birthday, and pumpkin spice are also to die for. i love cupcakes way, way too much.

him

2010-10-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

he:
is quiet, but not shy.
is laid back, but very ~~OCD~~ particular about a lot of things.
keeps nixon in business.
is a very caring, loving, & supportive spouse.
loves ice cream & chocolate more than anyone i've ever met.
is so selfless. he is always thinking of others.
loves his green laser.
has a dream to move to alaska and live off the land.
can't grow a beard, try as he may.
leaves me love notes nearly every morning.
has a really cute singing voice, especially when he sings the deep part in this song.
makes me laugh ALL the time. i don't know why, but most of the things he says i think are hysterical.
loves to fly under the radar. you can imagine how ticked he's going to be when he finds out about this. don't be surprised if tomorrow you find my blog deleted.

shed a little light

2010-10-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

any weekend that involves this is okay by me.

utah nerds visit pittsburgh

2010-10-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

i'm trying to decide whether having family come visit is worth it. the anticipation of them coming is so exciting. and while they are here i have SO much fun. but then they leave. and i get depressed. and it's all i can do to try and keep my eyes dry the day they drop me off at work and head to the airport. it's awful. and then i get a text from my sister saying that my niece just said, "miss woggy". ugh.

{truth be told, i mostly only get like this when it's my niece who visits}

but let me reminisce a bit and re-live the fun we had while they were here.

day 1: dad, missy {sister} & morgan {2 y.o. niece} arrive at my work in their rental car to pick me up. missy calls me on my phone and says, "we are here... parked outside the door in a red minivan". i had to laugh at the thought of them renting a red minivan. i walk out of my building and walk straight toward the red minvan. i was jumping out of my skin to see my darling niece. as i walk up to the red minivan, i notice one of two things: either my dad has gained a LOT of weight since i last saw him, or this is the wrong red minivan. as i look around, i notice a blue car behind the minivan with two sets of shoulder's in the fronts seats shaking up and down from laughter.

those two think they are so funny.

anyway. i won't bore you with all the details of the visit, just the highlights .

my darling sister gave me a wallet that i'm obsessed with. i love owls and i have a minor obsession with the beatles, so this gift was perfect. she is so thoughtful.

morgan went bowling for her first time. we had a blast. i learned that morgan has some wicked break-dance moves. i have no idea where she gets her weird-ness from.

have i ever told you that i love fall? well, i do. while they were here we were able to squeeze in some fun fall festivities. we went to soergel orchards where morgan had a blast. she rode the train, went through a corn maze, painted a pumpkin, painted a frisbee, won a fake ice cream cone & much more.

morgan came to church with tannon & i while missy & dad ...... who knows what.

our friends were so generous to take us out on their boat and give us a tour of the city. i love pittsburgh.

i was able to take tuesday off of work at the last minute. i am SO glad i did because this was my favorite day of their entire stay. we started our day off with a ridiculous breakfast at deluca's. afterward, we drove about an hour and a half to go see frank lloyd wright's "falling water". this house was amazing and to think of it being built in the '30s just blows my mind.

then, we were able to visit ohiopyle state park. i fell in love with this place. we walked around, took some pictures, enjoyed the amazing weather, sat by the river and indulged in some ice cream. i can't wait to go back. the pictures don't even do this place justice.

i think the entire goal of my dad's pittsburgh stay was to order a calzone at big jim's. the thing is monstrous. here he is in all his glory. tannon & i will be eating the leftovers of this bad boy for weeks.

okay so their visits are totally worth it.

pumpkin lovin'

2010-09-28T04:49:00.000-07:00

it's fall. and that means baking. i got this recipe from my friend, kim last year but this is the first time i have put it to use. these pumpkin cookies are melt-in-your-mouth, even-if-you-don't-like-pumpkin-cookies-i-bet-you'll-like-these type cookies.

make them. you won't be disappointed.

best pumpkin cookies

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin (you can use the canned from the store)

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

Cream shortening and sugars well. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; mix well. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture and blend well. Drop onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool and frost.

Frosting:

3 T. butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan: bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Cool Slightly. Add milk, beat until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar to make a spreading consistency. Spread on cooled cookies.

ticks are jerks.

2010-09-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

foodie

2010-09-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

since i'm a total foodie and love food way more than i should, i thought i would document some places to eat here in pittsburgh that i really enjoy {in no particular order}

qdoba. i don't know what is wrong with me, but i've been craving mexican lately. and if you know me, that means something is seriously wrong with me. i just haven't figured out what yet.

big jim's. i think this is the first restaurant tannon & i tried when we moved here. my friend, blair, saw it on the food network, so we figured it must be good. it's a family favorite.

church brew works. this place is neat. it's an old church, turned into a brewery. make sure to sit on the left side, though. that's where they serve pizza & subs. the right side is fine dining that will cost you an arm and a leg. we really like their pizza.

buffalo blues. i actually really liked the food here. it's bar food, but it was fun. i think a lot of people go here to drink and watch sports, so it might be a hectic on a game night.

cafe euro. really great food. a little pricey, but worth it.

deLuca's. best.breakfast.ever. no, really.

pamela's. this was the best breakfast place. until i met deLuca's.

sheetz. i know this is really weird, but hear me out. sheetz is a gas station and they sell subs. and they are so good. unfortunately, these aren't actually in pittsburgh, but whenever we travel outside of pittsburgh, we're bound to drive by at least one.

la capella. really good italian food and conveniently located.

monte cello's. another italian restaurant worth mentioning.

judge me all you want.

huh.

2010-09-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

it turns out i'm an introvert. i always knew that i needed more 'alone' time than the average person, but i just read this article and now it all makes sense.

you know you have a temperature problem when...

2010-09-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

you come into work and see this on your work website:

* * * * * * * *
Fall begins when.........

A) School starts
B) The weather gets cool and you have to wear a jacket.
C) When the calendar says, "Fall begins today."
D) When McCall keeps her heater on all day, instead of most of the day.
E) When the leaves start to change.
F) Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer comes out.

zucchini & red onion flatbread

2010-09-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

i saw this recipe a while back on the sister's dish and thought it looked very interesting. then, my friend, sarah, said she made it so i wanted to give it a shot. i'm so glad i did! i will be making this again and again.

1 batch of your favorite pizza dough (i made this one)
3/4 cup cream cheese (i actually didn't have that much cream cheese, so i puree'd some cottage cheese to make up the difference)
to taste: dill, pepper, garlic salt, italian seasoning, parsley, oregano, etc.
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 small red onion, cut into 1/8 inch thick rounds
1 zucchini (yellow or green), cut into 1/8 inch thick rounds
3 T. chopped fresh parsley or your favorite herbs -(i used Rosemary)
olive oil

1. chop veggies. prepare dough. preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. combine cream cheese with dill, garlic salt, and other desired seasonings.

3. brush a large baking sheet with olive oil, and stretch dough out in the pan.

4. spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough, sprinkle with parmesan.

5. arrange 1 row of zucchini slices down 1 long side of the dough. arrange onion rounds in a row alongside zucchini. repeat until all is used. brush vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with s + p.

6. bake until puffy and golden brown, about 24 minutes. sprinkle with fresh herbs.

i caught a bug

2010-09-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

i'm officially addicted to photography. i'm not any good, but i'm sure having a heck of a time pretending.

i have been taking an online photography class. and i love it.

my teacher, faith, is so sweet that she even featured one of my pictures. i'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the photographer, but all to do with the subject. i'll take what i can get.

public

2010-09-05T08:32:00.001-07:00

for several reasons, i have decided to make my blog public.

go ahead and add me to your google reader.

or not.

one thing i learned today

2010-09-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

today, everyone is peppy.
everyone is pumped.
everyone is smiling.

it's like they're in utopia.

the steelers (a.k.a. 'stillers') are playing tonight.

~~pitt~~ utah is playing tonight.

pittsburgers la la love their football.

**************

my boss is determined to help me understand football bookkeeping.

his dad was an illegal bookkeeper for college football

and i'm preeeeetty sure he had something to do with the mafia.

anyway. today he's teaching me about spreads, juice, push, over & under, you name it.

he won't stop quizzing me. my brain is starting to hurt.

on the syllabus for tomorrow's training: parleys & teezers.

wish me luck.

p.s. go U.T.A.H.!

i'm going there someday

2010-09-01T04:47:00.000-07:00

i am now accepting donations to go on this cruise. i pretty much dream about it at night.

Day 1. Auckland, New Zealand

Embark the m/s Paul Gauguin in the stunning harbor of Auckland, known as the "City of Sails."

Day 2. Tauranga, New Zealand

The city of Tauranga is at the head of a large harbor and has beautiful beaches. Take the day to climb Mt. Mauao, a small mountain with spectacular views of the coastline, or explore the area's kiwifruit industry.

Day 3. Bay of Islands, New Zealand

This bay has 144 tiny isles and an abundance of interesting marine life for guests to see, including penguins, whales and dolphins.

Days 4 - 5. At Sea

At sea, with wildlife and history lectures, trips to the casino or piano bar and Polynesian dance revues.

Day 6. Nuku’Alofa, Tonga

Disembark at Nuku’Alofa, the tiny capital of the tiny kingdom of Tonga. Meander along mellow streets and visit stone churches and the Victorian-style Royal Palace.

Days 7 - 8. At Sea

Days at sea, with still plenty left to do onboard, including luxuriating in the ship’s award-winning spa, with its professional facials, body wraps, aromatherapy and beauty treatments.

Day 9. Rarotonga, Cook Islands It may be the capital and most populous isle of the Cook Islands, but Rarotonga’s population is even smaller than Nuku’Alofa’s, at just 14,000. Its unpolluted and crystalline Muri Lagoon is a snorkeler’s dream locale.

Day 10. Nuku’Alofa, Tonga

If you didn’t have a chance on Day 6, today is another day to explore the fruit and flower marketplaces of Nuku’Alofa in Tonga.

Day 11. At Sea

Learn how to move to the intricate rhythms of Polynesian dance, or bask in the sweet sounds of a Parisian chanteuse at the La Palette Lounge.

Day 12. Bora Bora

One of the most famous and most photographed spots on Earth, towering Bora Bora was justly described by author James Michener as “the most beautiful island in the world.” Choose from the many optional excursions, such as a glass-bottom boat ride to feed stingrays, or simply relax on the beach.

Day 13. Taha’a (Motu Mahana)

Spend a full day discovering the isolated French Polynesian islet of Motu Mahana, where the cruise hosts an exclusive barbecue lunch with Polynesian musicians and singers.

Day 14. Moorea/Papeete, Tahiti

The jagged skyline of Moorea’s once-volcanic peaks makes it one of the premier honeymoon destinations in the world. A number of adventures await: catamaran sailings, visits to ancient Tahitian stone temples or golfing on one of the most scenic courses imaginable.

Day 15. Papeete, Tahiti

Papeete, Tahiti’s capital, is cosmopolitan but still laid-back, despite the locals’ complaints of “traffic.” It’s here you will bid a fond farewell to your new friends and crew as you disembark in the morning.

1.2.3.

2010-08-31T06:04:00.000-07:00

while my partner-in-crime was away for a week, i kept busy by romping the pittsburgh streets with these two crazies.

we had so much fun. when i'm around them, i laugh. a lot. i love my mom & gramsy.

call me anything you'd like

2010-08-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

i have a lot of nicknames. i blame my dad for most of them. a few of you have recently asked for definitions of them, so i thought i'd share them {along with their backgrounds} with you.

*cally: this is without a doubt the most frequently used one. this is what you will hear tannon refer to me as, unless i'm in trouble... then it's mccall. i don't like it when he calls me mccall. i think you can pretty much guess where it comes from. you know, mccall --> mccally --> cally. pretty easy.

*callywog: because it rhymes with pollywog.

*mugwomp: i really have no idea where this one came from. my dad called me this all the time while growing up.

*poopstain: again, i'm blaming my dad. i think i used to call him this when i was younger. one day, i broke my arm and asked him to be the first to sign my cast. he told me to close my eyes. the rest of my cast-wearing-months i had to walk around with "POOPSTAIN" written in ginormous, bold caps on the darn thing. occasionally, my dad will whip this one out, but only when it's completely inappropriate.

*woggy: this might be a stretch, but here goes: mccall --> mccally --> callywog --> wog ---> woggy. {pronounced wah-ggy}. a lot of people have the urge to say wooogy, but i don't know why, since there is one "o" and two "g"s. all i know is that i treasure this name. it's what my immediate and {some} extended family call me, including my 2 year old niece. i melt into a big, fat puddle when i hear her sweet voice call me by this name.

*shelf: yep, because of my shelf-butt, which was much cuter in high school.

*hammer: my boss has the entire law firm referring to me as "the hammer". it's quite ridiculous, actually. the boss-man says "she's the enforcer. no construction gets done without the hammer". ridiculous.

i love surprises. especially this one.

2010-08-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

the other day, tannon decided to go into the thrift store next door while i picked up some things at JoAnn. he came back very excited and told me that he got me a surprise. i was scared to find out what this surprise was, coming from the thrift store. he then proceeded to whip out this lovely package of red velvet Sprinkle's cupcake mix, complete with peppermint snow crushed up candy canes and a Williams Sonoma scoop spatula. i seriously thought i might cry. these cupcakes are my absolute favorite, but i don't get to have them very often because they are nearly a dollar a cupcake. tannon got this entire package for $2!! i was (let's be honest, i still am) thrilled.

biploar disease

2010-08-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

remember my last post?

well, now i'm about to list a reason i don't like pittsburgh.

it's 1,836 miles away from her.

the other day, morgan (my 2 yr old neice) and her mom (missy, my sister) were making morgan's bed. randomly, morgan said to missy, "want woggy back". (i'm woggy).

this girl has my heart.

don't blink

2010-08-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

i can't wrap my head around the fact that we've called this place home for a year.
a year!

things i love about pittsburgh: (in no particular order)

1. my friends. i really can't stand the thought of me not having them so close for the rest of my life.
2. it's beautiful here. the trees, green-ness (i like to make up my own words), bridges, old buildings, grey skies, sky-scrapers, stadiums. it's all so, so lovely. just kidding about the grey skies part.
3. my new-found hobbies. i had to get kind of creative once i moved here (i know, heaven forbid). i have found new things that i enjoy doing that i don't think i otherwise would have even attempted.
4. my calling. why does nursery have such a bad rep? i love it. those kids make me smile.

5. cinemas in the park. each week, local participating parks play a family-friendly movie outside for free.

6. the restaurants. i think we could go out to different places every day for the next three years and still be discovering new, fun places to eat.

7. the wildlife. we see squirrels, chipmunks, deer, & groundhogs all over in our yard and i love it. two days in a row, i saw the same deer 'family' - a mom and her two babies. so darling!

8. the rivers. i could have just lumped this into #2, but i feel they deserve their own number. pittsburgh is nestled in-between two rivers that form the Ohio river. one of our favorite things to do is ride our bikes along the 'trails' by the river.

9. i love that there are lots of fun places within a relatively short drive. since living here, we have visited columbus, washington d.c., erie, & west virginia. there are a lot of places on our bucket list that i'm excited for.
10. the thunderstorms. they are second to none.
11. the library system.
12. oh and we can't forget about our Steelers. i have never seen a place so obsessed with their sports team(s). this house is even painted with Steeler pride.

2010-08-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

have you ever gotten a book recommended to you, and when you get around to wanting to read it, you can't remember what it's called or who it's by?

i don't work for goodreads but maybe i should.

i love this website. it helps me keep my books organized. it helps me remember which books i want to read. it helps me to easily browse through books and see if any of my friends have read them, and if so, how they have rated them.

go ahead. take a loook around. sign up for it. and then add me as a friend. (come on, liz. you know you can't turn down any social-networking site)

feels like home to me

2010-08-04T18:53:00.000-07:00

i was finally able to take a teaser-trip "home". four days is way too short. there were so many people that i wanted to see while i was there, but i just wasn't able to.

the roads looked much wider to me. i asked my parents if they widened the streets. turns out, i am just used to skinny-minny Pittsburgh roads. the whole time i was there, i was dreaming of cycling my way around on this flawless Utah asphalt.

and we ate lots and lots of yummy food

and you can bet that i spent a lot of time kissing the cheeks off of this little squirt.

as i was putting on lip gloss, she asked if she could have some. what a girl.

the whole reason i went to Utah was to celebrate her upcoming second year of life. i think she enjoyed herself, what do you think?

the hammer

2010-07-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

it's always nice to be welcomed back to work with an over-sized poster.

i think my boss missed me.

holm family

2010-07-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

i was able to snap some photos of my friend, atrena's family. i could take pictures of beautiful people all day long. and their kids stole my heart...seriously.

thanks, holm's for letting me practice on you!

ba-donk-a-donk

2010-07-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

i get a fair share of comments from complete strangers regarding my caboose.

here are a few recent ones:

"damn, girl! you have got a badonkadonk!"

"you get a lot of compliments on that thing?"

not only does my keister provide opportunities to hear funny things from strangers,

it also poses a jean problem.

i realize it's hard to make out exactly what the picture is.

do you see that huge bulge in my jeans?

that's the gab between my back & my pants.

and you should see how tight these babies are on my legs & butt.

they really need to start making jeans that are tush-friendly.

god bless america

2010-07-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

at church on sunday, the congregation rose to our feet as we
belted The Star-Spangled Banner.

i had to fight really hard not to shed a few.

i love our country.

preferred mode of transportation

2010-07-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

it's not every day that i get to say i got picked up from work... via boat.

but let me just tell you... i could get used to this.

all we are saying

2010-06-26T05:34:00.001-07:00

i am a sucker when it comes to anything that has to do with The Beatles.

you can only imagine how excited i was when i saw this staring me in the face at the grocery store.

it's my new best friend.

buckeye state

2010-06-20T15:23:00.001-07:00

on saturday we ventured over to ohio state territory - columbus.

here she is, in all her glory. i fell in love with her.

the place is so clean and beatiful.

kind of like pittsburgh*.

we went to the temple.

afterward, we met up with my friend,

kendall, & her husband, ryan - who are currently living in columbus.

holy crap i miss her!

McKendall is back in action.

we went to dinner at cap city diner.

this place will definitely be getting a visit from us again.

since we didn't eat enough there*,

we swung over to graeters for some irresistible ice cream.

this place was worth the drive in-and-of-itself.

*insert sarcasm here

strictly business

2010-06-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

it is time to address a serious subject matter here.

bathroom etiquette.

i have worked at 2 different places in the last 6 or 7 years. at both places, there is always one person* who does their make-up in the public, business bathroom on a daily basis.

when they're leaving for the day.

do you have any idea how nerve-wracking it is to do your thang in the bathroom while a co-worker is standing 3 feet from you, putting on her make-up? and the only thing that separates you from her is a 2 inch swinging door with slats in it?

seriously?

if you need to 'freshen' your make-up

every day before you go home for the evening,

there's pills for that.

*both of the above-mentioned persons are librarians. weird.

the Sunday-night blues

2010-06-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

the worst part about weekends are:

the Sunday night blues that assuredly creep into my body.

knowing that i have yet a whole 'nother

week ahead of me filled with work

is irrationally disturbing.

for now, i am just going to reminisce about

my awesome weekend.

we were invited by some other Dental students

to go camping at cook forest state park.

we had an incredible time with wonderful friends

that we got to know a whole lot better.

if you've ever been camping with Tannon,

you will know that his favorite part of camping

is throwing in a piece of copper, surrounded

by garden hose. it makes way cool colors in the fire.

we found joy in spending time with this little fella. he loved Hudson and wanted to "walk" him
any chance he could.

we saw hawks. (i think?)

and i took random pictures of fungi.

bring it on, monday. i'm as ready as i'll ever be.

brown-eyed girl

2010-06-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago maren & her husband, ryan, came to the 'burgh for a visit.
i absolutely love that they live as close as they do.

we got them hooked on our favorite breakfast place, pamela's diner.

we went for a walk/played frisbee at frick park

we ate at yummy uncle sam's in oakland

and we played fun games.

their daughter, lucy, is more like a niece to me.

i had so much fun with her while she was here!

she is absolutely beautiful. look at those eyes!

dub:v

2010-06-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

i love memorial day weekend.

how grateful i am for those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom.

tannon & i decided to take advantage of the three-day weekend

and head over to west virginia.

we have been wanting to climb ever since we moved from UT

but pittsburgh doesn't really allow it.

unfortunately, west virginia mostly offers trad climbing

and we sport climb.

we did, however encounter some of the most beautiful country we'd ever seen.

i'll show you.

the new river gorge bridge. it is the third longest arch bridge in the world.

also, the highest vehicular bridge in the u.s.

hope you all enjoyed your long weekend.

it almost makes it worth it

2010-05-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

these pictures mean nothing to 95% of you

but they mean the world to me

i have been immensely blessed

with a wonderful family & incredible friends

thank you

wet mondays

2010-05-17T15:23:00.001-07:00

you know it's going to be a bad Monday when your day starts out like so:

*you realize all of your contacts in your phone have been deleted by a software update

* you are on the bus when you are frantically trying to retrieve your lost phone numbers

*you are so busy dinking with your phone when you look up and realize that you missed your stop

*which wouldn't be so bad, except your stop is the very last one

*you remember your bus is the very last bus into downtown as you are getting on the freeway, heading to the garage

*you run to the front of the bus and tell the driver that you missed your destination

*you scare the crap out of him because he has NO idea he still has a passenger on board

*the driver desperately pulls the bus over, as if you have him at gun point

so there you are, walking on a 6-inch ledge on the freeway

in the pouring rain

as buses and cars speed past you, dousing you as you fade into their rear-view mirrors

i have issues

2010-05-13T15:45:00.001-07:00

okay, so i have a lot of issues. probably so many that one might suggest i go see a shrink. but for now, let's just focus on one.

commitment issues

i think i have always been this way, but i can't be sure.

i had a 6 year relationship with someone before i met my husband.
i didn't get sweaty palms at all when i was getting married.
thinking of having kids... bring it on (no this is not an annoucement)

however, committing to a doctor appointment, or even committing to weekend plans might send me to the loony bin.

what is wrong with me?

finals are ova

2010-04-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

hooray for breaks!

the mister finished his last final yesterday.

here's how two non-drinkers celebrate an event such as this.

because we are ca-razy like that.

biking in PA is SO different than biking in UT.

since there aren't mountains here, we'll call it rainforest biking.

even though i miss the delicious red rock,

this was a nice change in scenery.

it was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.

tannon, you should finish finals more often.

nostalgia

2010-04-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

i was looking through some old photos and came across this one

that aroused a lot of memories of living in our duplex in SLC.

yes, we own a snugli.

no, we don't have kids. at least not any bipedal ones.

skillz

2010-04-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

last night there was a talent show held at our church. tannon had signed up to 'floss'. (i honestly thought he was going to get up there and show people how to floss. dorky, i know, but i didn't want to break the guy's heart by telling him that).

he got up there and said something like: "when i got to dental school, i learned that i had been flossing improperly all these years. as a dental student, i feel it is my duty to teach you all the correct way to floss"

and then he made some awful noises and ... well, just watch the video.

*yes, the dude snorted the floss through his nose and coughed it out his mouth.

hot, i know.

just you wait....

2010-04-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

if only i got a dime for every time this happens:

person: "do you and your husband have this problem" (substitute the word this with something ridiculous that neither me nor my husband would ever do)

me: "no"

person: "how long have you been married?"

*oh great. here we go again*. me: "four years."

person: "JUST YOU WAIT. my spouse and i have been together for x amount of years. you will be doing this too."

please stop trying to justify your marital problems by attempting to curse me with the same.

has this happened to anyone else? is it just me? why does this bother me so?

do yourself a favor

2010-04-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

watch this:

then click here and find your state to see when they are in your area. if the date has already passed, check it out next year. it's so worth it!

watch out

2010-04-08T15:15:00.001-07:00

i think this is my third blog entry in a week.

huh. i guess miracles do happen.

i wish that i was one of those people who could sit down and write. i have very very talented friends when it comes to the writing department. i, however, hardly have thoughts deeper than what i'm going to eat next. what a shame.

with that said, i am going to let that boss of mine do the talking for me. sometimes on our informal & private webpage, he jots down some things he's been thinking about. this one really hit home for me and i thought i'd record it here on me blog so that i can come back to it.

that's right. i said me blog.

enjoy.

"Why is it that we call yesterday the best days?
I can remember high school being some of the best days.
I can also recall the years when my kids were very young as being the best days. I guess what I am asking is will we all look back on today as the best days?
Are we making the most of things now?
Are we the best we can be? Will we live with regret for not seizing the day, today? Do we really want to look back on today
5 years from now and think, 'those were some of the best times in my life
and I didn't even realize it'. Live like it's a gift, play like you're supposed to...
and enjoy today! The best days of your life!"

me & him

Thoughts

how being a mom has changed me

2011 Recap

Christmas Vacation 2011

utah - the canyons

christmas tree lights

thanksgiving 2011

sunday best

birthday girl

halloween

caramel apples

lennon loves his papa

gettysburg

utah utes

nerd newlands

2 months

i miss stars...

besties

arts festival

random thoughts

climb on

he's gonna be famous

1 month

first bath

my munchkin

i'm a mom!

post partum menu

new job

the last day

foodie part 2

black & yellow

i park here

do you pin?

breakfast at tiffany's

baby shower #2

twenty seven

baby shower #1

papa

baby bump

crazy people

red vines vs. twizzlers

easter 2011

i do

this and that with a rattle a tat

things i love about pregnancy

tonight

five-sies

she wears a redsox's cap

mother's intuition?

love day

love week: things i love

the birthday boy

munchkins & lollipops

all you need is love

christmas 2010

i'm still alive

and not just because it's thanksgiving

deep thought {but not by jack handy}

the letter

the capitol

him

shed a little light

utah nerds visit pittsburgh

pumpkin lovin'

ticks are jerks.

foodie

huh.

you know you have a temperature problem when...

zucchini & red onion flatbread

i caught a bug

public

one thing i learned today

i'm going there someday

1.2.3.

call me anything you'd like

i love surprises. especially this one.

biploar disease

don't blink

advertisement