“I get awesome, instead.”

Well, the cold germs are making the rounds here in Kyle-and-Elizabeth-land. I’m doing my best to stave the onslaught but I suppose, in the end, it will be unavoidable.

Alright, time to make this cold run for its miserable snot-nosed life. Where did I put my multi-vitamin?

Which makes me think of when Barney gets sick on How I Met Your Mother.



What do you do to fight illness?

Stay healthy.

love, elizabeth

For the Love of a Good Dog…

Kyle and I were talking tonight about the best things about owning a dog and, as per usual, waxing poetic about Madigan and how sweet and fuzzy and perfect she is in every way (in our opinion).

I know not everyone is a pet person and many of you love cats, too, but I just have to say that, for me, there is nothing in the universe like burying your nose in a dog’s fur or feeling a cold, wet nose nuzzling under your chin in the middle of the night or coming home after the longest, worst day to that big smile and those barks of delight and howls of consternation.

Madigan has been sick this week and we had to take her to the vet. She’s been pumped full of antibiotics and probiotics and on a special diet for her digestive tract but we’re happy to say she seems to be feeling better today.

And if you’re a dog person like me, this video will make you happy, too. It’s an old one but I hadn’t seen it before. This soldier was returning from Afghanistan and his dog ran outside to greet him. Just watch.



I’d write more but Madigan is busy trying to shove her entire body between me and the laptop so I guess that means it’s time to go to bed.

love, elizabeth

Celebrate Everything

What would my daily life be like if I intentionally celebrated not just the big stuff but the little stuff, too? Sometimes I think I get so wrapped up in the big picture goals that I forget about all the little baby successes I had along the way. So I’m trying something new…

Source: yogamodern.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

 

This week I am celebrating…

1. Seeing “Doctor of Philosophy” for the first time below my name on the graduate student photo directory in the lobby. I’m not a PhD yet but seeing those words reminded me how excited I am to be a day closer to my degree.

2. Eating right. I just got back from my Weight Watchers meeting and I lost four pounds!

3. The first real snow in Columbus. It may only have been an inch or so but it was a glorious powdery delight to me and Madigan.

Source: Uploaded by user via Elizabeth on Pinterest

 

I think I’m going to try to do this every week. What about you? What little (and big) successes can you celebrate this week?

love, elizabeth

My Hour

How much can I actually get done in an hour? We’re going to find out.

This year, this January anyway, I’m implementing “the one-hour system.” With graduate school and Kyle’s crazy hours and church and outside obligations, it’s easy to lose sight of the house, of the laundry, the dishes, of making meals, and other daily chores. I’m committing to using the one-hour system Monday-Friday for at least this month.

Source: anthropologie.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

The rules are…

• I get one hour a day. Knowing myself, it will probably be an early evening hour, maybe around 4 or 5.
• During that hour, no internet, no television, no studying, no working out.
• Instead, during my hour, I can take Madigan for a walk, make dinner, pick up around the apartment, do a load of laundry, keep up with my new filing system and/or any other household maintenance.
• I’m trying to make this hour a fun thing – I can listen to some of my dance albums on vinyl. I can have a cup of coffee. I can call my mom. All as long as I keep myself busy being productive around the apartment.
• When the hour is up, it’s up. I have to wait until tomorrow’s hour to work again. Then I can turn my attention to my (no doubt plentiful) homework and study and hopefully squeeze in a work-out.

Source: querita.livejournal.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

 

One hour. How much do you think you could get done if you really gave yourself a whole hour?

love, elizabeth

Ever Had One Of Those Fights…

Ever have one of those fights where you and your husband scream at each other and slam doors and freak out and don’t even stop twenty minutes in when you realize you can’t remember what you’re upset about but instead continue to loudly bang pots and pans around in the kitchen and huff indignantly and roll your eyes like you’re getting paid for it?

Yeah. Me neither.

But you guys…I have discovered the SECRET to conflict resolution.

I swallowed my pride. I opened the bedroom door and I showed him…this.

 

And Kyle, bless his heart, did this.

This is why I love being married.

What silly tricks have you and your spouse/partner learned to help resolve arguments?

love, elizabeth

Papers, papers everywhere and not a drop to…

I am so tired of piles of paper littering every surface of my apartment. Junk mail and bills and syllabi and magazines and pamphlets and greeting cards. It’s. never. ending.

But no more. NO. MORE. I just read a fantastic how-to in the January 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens (which, incidentally, is so sneaky, it lured me into subscribing with a sneaky $5.99/12 mos introduction offer…see what I mean? PAPER EVERYWHERE!).

Anyway, I’d like to share my new attempt at keeping papers filed.

So all paper that comes in goes into the ‘Action File.’ If I can sort it everyday, I should be able to keep the mess under control. ‘Do Now’ is for stuff that has to happen THIS WEEK. ‘Do Later’ is for stuff that has to happen in the next three months. ‘Pending’ is for stuff I have to wait on – textbook orders, invoices, a call back, whatever.

This little guy is a refuge from a 1940’s department store (he used to hold ladies’ stockings). I found him in an architectural salvage here in the city. Anything else goes either in the trash, the shredder, or in one of these slots. Once a week, this gets emptied and everything filed in the filing cabinet in the office or, as Better Homes and Gardens calls it, “my long-term storage solution.”

This could be really  hard to maintain. But I’m going to try. Which brings me to my new “one-hour system.” But that’s a post for tomorrow.

What kinds of new organizational tools are you trying this year? Happy January 2nd!

love, elizabeth

In-Auspiciousness

This may or may not be a real word. Whatever. It goes with the rest of this inauspicious New Year’s Day. Decided to stay in today and I’m really glad I did.

Tomorrow, the blogging and the real world begin again in earnest. Blog topics coming this week: a new filing system for the endless paperwork that sneaks into our apartment, seasonal depresison, a big pre-New Year’s fight Kyle and I had, and more…you heard me…MUCH more.

I know, I know. Riveting.

I’ll be checking in with all of you, blog-town so keep a look out!

Happy New Year’s Day!

love, elizabeth