Thank God it's the Weekend

I enjoy living in the same city I grew up in. It's even kinda neat that I now live in the same apartment I spent the first 16 years of my life in. But, sometimes, it's like you never grew up.

Like today. I went out to lunch with a few coworkers to a place that's been around forever. Like if you're under forty, chances are you're the youngest person in the place. In the rush of the lunch crowd I noticed two very familiar faces. One was my middle school math teacher and the second, his daughter, was my high school math teacher. Like WHAT were the chances?

It was great to chat with them for a couple minutes and catch up. And it felt good to tell them I had a math degree (along with a couple other ones) and that I fell in love with someone who was passionate about math too. At the end of it all, my high school teacher said, "you look the same as you did ten years ago." But I couldn't help feeling a little mix of emotions. So so much has happened in the nearly eleven years since I left high school. How can you put that all into a few minutes of conversation? How can you fit your life, this exciting, vibrant experience, into a condensed version? Do you? Do you even try?

While I ponder that, I'll be multitasking with these:

Not sure if this is genius or heinous. Maybe an idea for next year?

Printing off these ballots for the academy awards next weekend and planning a menu because there's a party happening #chateaulabarge!

Saving up for this jeep wagoneer when it rolls off production lines in 2018.

Thinking about buying this for Ryan since he's been obsessed with the normal sized one for about a week now.

Trying another smoothie recipe in hopes of finding something delicious.

Writing out the menu for this upcoming week and including this chicken.

Making a before thirty list and including some of these. Like 9, 16, and 28. 30, of course, is already on my list for this year.

What's on deck for you this weekend?

Thank God it's the Weekend

Are you doing anything for valentine's day this weekend? Ryan and I celebrated early and went on a date day. We spent it driving around, running errands, eating ridiculously big burger, and picking up new desks. Which were our presents to ourselves. Ones that we had to assemble. Together. Which, of course, never cause any marital problems, whatsoever.

But with the desks put together it's like getting the last gear in place before you can get the engine running. Now, it's just time to unpack the rest of it.

Here's what I'm procrastinating with:

Thinking I should put zumba back into my workout routine.

Trying out new protein shakes recipes, because I can't make up any good ones.

Figuring out if there's a way to sneak this by Ryan before he realizes it's a fortune.

Wondering why anyone thought this would be a good idea (but also secretly wanting a trip!).

Hoping my house gets settled sometime before easter so I can do things like this.

Adding this to next week's menu, grill may or may not be included.

Convincing Ryan that this could be a really good idea.

Stocking up on swingtop bottles so I can start making these. Hello bread, here I come.

What are you up to this weekend?

Thank God it's the Weekend

My boss sent us all home early today and I could have kissed him. It's exactly, exactly what I needed. Especially considering I had a minor meltdown this week thanks to the five thousand boxes still waiting to be unpacked.

Ryan was still at school so I organized closets and set up the living room. And now it looks like an actual living room. Not an exercise-computer workstation-catch all room. It makes me so happy!

How many people get that much happiness out of cleaning and organizing? Is something wrong with me?

Anyway, the prospect of this weekend and relaxing has been the light at the end of the tunnel. That and of course some internet procrastination.

Here's what kept me collected in this chaos...

Chowderfest! It'll be our first time going and I can't wait to try them all.

Finding this medley and wanting to watch them all again.

Deciding whether I should make Ryan play this during the game this Sunday or not. Bingo's not just for grandmas right?

Dropping subtle hints that valentine's day is fast approaching.

Putting together my own day planner with printables from day designer.

Picking out the perfect wine to pair with the five boxes of cookies I ordered.

Making these root beer floats paired with this ice cream.

AND RYAN IS NOW A PH.D. CANDIDATE!

Mofo only has like a year and a half left. Which after nine and a half years of school is such a relief. I'm so proud of him.

Thank God it's the Weekend

It's official, I'm back.

It feels COMPLETELY surreal. I mean, I'm very glad to be home. But there's also some things I'm not so glad about. Like these unpacked boxes and my freezing cold kitchen. And all these boxes. Did I mention that there's unpacked boxes? I guess that's what happens when you move two weeks before you move to another country. Someone remind me to never to do that. ever. again. kthxbye.

But there's so much that I miss about Germany. I miss the food. I miss the culture. I miss the weather. Strangest thing ever, I know. It just felt so comfortable. Ryan and I lived in a bubble. It was a wonderful, just-the-two-of-us bubble. Now, we live in an us-and-everyone-else bubble. It's now a bubble filled with real responsibilities, family schedules to juggle, two full time job schedules on top of fitness goals and house chores. Someone bring back my bubble!

Anyway, enough with my demands. Here's what's keeping me sane...

Buying and hanging these awesome prints from a local shop in the kitchen this weekend.

Visiting the local farmer's market and signing up for a CSA with our favorite farm.

Menu planning and sneaking this, this, and these into next week's meals. 

Eating a dozen donuts from the best bakery in town. I swear, a whole dozen.

Coming up with ideas on how to wrap these souvenirs we bought for everyone.

Figuring out how to get sugary cereal on the grocery list for these without Ryan suspecting anything.

Scheduling a hair cut and freshen up my style. I'd love to be daring and go short but it'll probably end up just being a trim.

Pretending the boxes scattered around don't exist and sitting down to color.

Because this is just out. of. control. Please send help. 

Thank God it's the Weekend

I know I still have some time left here in Cologne, but today has been truly bittersweet.

It's this culmination of five and a half months of experiences. Moments strung together by adventures and work and growth. These months have been nothing short of incredible. Life should come with a pause button so you can take it all in while it's happening. 

I tried this week. I tried to take a couple seconds and look at everything just one beat longer. Just an extra second to catch one more detail, one more tidbit. It's just too hard! 

And even as I want to slow down time and just take in every. last. bit. I'm trying to fast forward through these days until I'm home, home. I'm netflix and chilling with myself. I've watched home, the emperor's new groove, and the entire first season of sing it on. Which, by the way, was so, so good. I had a moment when a group from my alma mater was shown for a split second. I literally jumped out of my seat and hit my head on the light over the kitchen table. I rewatched that second like ten times and texted Ryan immediately. 

I left out that they were on for like point three seconds, because he'd probably think I was insane for getting that excited about point three seconds. BUT HELLO. Our guys won the ICCA quarter finals last year!

Anyway. I have so many plans for this weekend and I can't wait to get started. First up? Remembering some of these life lessons. Especially 36. And 9. Definitely 9. I'm glad someone wrote that down. Now, I can point it out to Ryan.

And because I absolutely can't resist..."wrong lever!"