What Wife Wore: The Great North

oh hey, it's me. i could explain where i've been and what i've been doing, but that takes time and i'd rather just jump back in. no promises, just a jump. because it's my blog and i guess i'm allowed to jump whenever i want to.

and here we go.

so one of my BEST friends moved back to the states from portugal. and today we chatted on the phone as though she never left my side, and it was good. and we talked about how strange selfies were. you know, the mirror shot. strange for US, really. 

because- there's absolutely no way i could spin a mirror picture of myself into looking cool, because i'm not.

i don't look cool, i wear baggy soft clothes to work (the ability to wear scrubs DID factor into my career choice), and when i'm at home, i wear simple things. and today, when i thought about this- i looked down at what i was wearing, and i thought-

...

it's time for my first selfie.

...

there she is, in all her glory. my first selfie outfit post. that's what i wear. in all fairness, it's cold up in NH- hence the doubled up socks. and i did have boots on when i was out running errands/bringing hubs his sweatshirt. 

my photoshoot went like this:

testing...testing: precariously teetering on my toilet to reach mirror height

foot up? 

nah, we'll stick with the irish jig

so hello again! thanks for sticking around, folks. if you're here.;) 

i'm going to make some Christmas bread i found on pinterest. i'll bring my camera along and show y'guys later! who knows!?

xo

3 Morah Months

three.

more.

months.

a recent roo shot. she's missing the blog, too.

Our class has dwindled in size. This stuff ain't easy. To say this is a time commitment is a major understatement. LPN school is not the easy way, fersure. It's pretty crazy. I don't think there is an easy way to become a nurse- whatever the credentials may be.

Anyway-

Brett asked me today if I'd be back to blogging once I'm done with school. Yep.

I miss it. I'll give it a spiffy makeover to make it all fresh and clean, though.

What's going on right now?

I'm finishing up a short spring break...then back to the grind for three.more.months.

I'm so excited to be done, but I'm also nervous and while confident that I'll do well- I'm not taking graduation for granted- even with this little left, there's no guarantees. So we'll see.

Exciting things happening in our house and in our yard...in fact we're about two inches away from finishing up the dig for our patio...very exciting.

I 'spose this is just a bit of an update, and while you're here (if you're here)-  I wanted to share some recent blog finds that I think you might really enjoy:

www.beardandpigtails.com

www.livehealthysimply.com

Frosting By The Spoonful: A Reality Check.

This week? Final exams for the semester. I cannot wait for it all to be over. I am beyond...BEYOND...exhausted. 

Oh. And stressed. Yes- those ARE mini cake doughnuts, frosting, and goldfish. Yes- I ate them.

I'm not completely unhealthy. I'm on a recent beet kick:

And, I've been keeping up with running.  So I'm really excited about that.

BUT...

I miss blogging. I'm actually finding myself daydreaming over the day when I'll get to spend time blogging again. I miss.miss.miss it. I thought I'd be able to keep up, but I was so very wrong. I guess one thing I've learned from this whole nursing school thing is that I'm much more realistic about what I can and cannot do. Right now, I can cook good food...but I cannot take pictures and write recipe posts. The con? My blog is in an extended rut. The pro? I have a lot of new recipes for future posts. I can do cool DIY home projects, but posting? Not yet.

Roo can rock an old high school hockey sweathshirt, though.

I have two weeks off starting this Wednesday, and you can bet you'll see some sort of action on this here blog. 

Anyway, I know it sounds strange, but I really think about the blogging world more often than you know. It's just a great place to be. Especially when you're supposed to be studying for finals. 

Also, subaru helps me make music choices.  This song just reeeee laxes me. It's always playing in this wee house:

Happy Day, everyone. <3

Pinterest. Finally.

I finally made my way onto pinterest. I know that I'm late to this party, but really- that's probably a good thing. It's seriously addicting.

Source: bellemaison23.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: nurserynotations.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Emma on Pinterest

Source: theworldofaclassylady.tumblr.com via Emma on Pinterest

Source: bakersroyale.com via Emma on Pinterest

Are you on pinterest? Let me know!

Living Well On Less: Emma's Dilemma With Coupons

Coupons...Oh, Coupons
Why I don't use them often. And other days, I do:


1) Rock on to the Shelf Clearing Coupon Queens (or Kings): I promise that I will never clear a shelf. There have been countless times when I am grocery shopping, see a killer bargain (with or without a coupon), and immediately grab 10 products and throw them into my cart as though there's a stampede behind me waiting to get in on the action. If you see me do this, take the time to watch me for the next five minutes (if you have the time). I can guarantee you that I will loop back into the aisle with the bargain and sheepishly replace the product. Probably because I've realized that I really don't need whatever it is. Most of the things I would want to clear the shelves over *like dried beans* rarely advertise coupons.  If you see one, send it to me. I'll send you some soaked beans in return.

2) I lose those flimsy things.


3) If I look at a coupon long enough, there's a good chance I'll begin to think that I need that product. Nine times out of ten, I don't. 


4) I don't get the newspaper. There are a few regular coupons out there that I like. The two that I ALWAYS see are for olivia's organics (however, olivia is getting sneaky)  and truvia. And I love both products, so I will use these coupons. But I print them out. From swagbucks:

A)

B)

C)

I like swagbucks. Each time you use a coupon that you print out, you get 10 swagbucks. Right now, I have enough for $25 to Amazon. That's pretty darn cool. Click the above link to sign up, it's free!

Like I've said before in different posts, my 'secret' to saving is cooking. That's really it. Sometimes it's a pain in the butt, and sometimes I really don't feel like it, but it really is worth it. And so when I do find coupons for yeast, truvia, or olivia's, I will use them. Other than that, I just watch for sales on canned diced tomatoes/tofu/nuts/coffee like a hawk. Ehh...hawk might not be the best description. Like a lucky hawk, rather.

So if I'm using a coupon, I probably printed it out. These sites are good, and I give them two thumbs up...so give 'em a try if you haven't already:

www.stonyfield.com

www.organicvalley.com

www.mambosprouts.com

www.swagbucks.com

Do you coupon? Or do you find that there's not a lot of coupon action out there for yourself? Raise your hand if you want a 50 cents off per pound of organic apples....those bad boys are pricey.

Any advice for a coupon novice like myself? I'd appreciate any and all help!

Little House on the Great Pond

So we bought a house. Or perhaps I should call it a 'nook', since it's all of 850 square feet.

We're very busy making it into a home, and our internet has not been hooked up yet. There's quite a lot to do, and we're rushing to get as much done as possible before I go back to school in a couple of weeks.

But I just need to share a few pictures, because that's only fair. I will try and post this week, but regular posting won't resume until I have internet at the new place...so hopefully I'll be back soon.

Most people would pass this place up, because...

...cooking in this place doesn't look so enjoyable.

And those dark walls are a bit dreary.

And these pictures just aren't showing all of the grime and grease and ick that was living on the counter tops and cabinets.

And this living room...just doesn't seem like a fun place to be. The cigarette yellow tint just wasn't calling our names...

Envisioning this as a master bedroom was pretty tricky. Raise your hand if you sense romance!

I was pretty sure that I wouldn't look forward to washing my face in the morning.

But really...it's a house. It has a sturdy foundation, solid exterior framing, and a little bit of charm waiting to be uncovered and brought to life.

And we saw that...even through the pale pink carpeting. New England real estate (less than 30 minutes from the beach, and a 5 minute walk out my front door to a private lake association beach) is not cheap. If we wanted to stay in this area, we needed a fixer upper.

Anyone out there scratching their heads? Anyone out there thinking we've gone mad? My mother was nervous when she saw the house during the tear down/rip out phase. I knew she was worried for us.

But don't worry. Because with my late night pinterest/google image adventures, my husband's carpentry skills, and some amazing friends and family...we've come a LONG way in less than two weeks. I can't spoil it, because when I am back, there's going to be plenty of pictures and DIY posts. So you'll just have to sit with these before images.

I kid!

I will share just one. Because you deserve it for making it this far. So here's to believing in the underdog, the ratty house on the lake...with a bit of determination, most houses can absolutely be turned into a home:

I'll Be Right Back...

Well. The plan is that something big is happening Friday. We weren't quite sure of the date until recently, so I didn't know what to plan for. I've been rushing and staying up late to get ready for this day.

I'm sure you can guess what it is, and if you can't, well, once it happens, you'll know.

Most of our things are packed away.

I'm trying to finish my last summer course ahead of time...(I can do it, I can do it!)

It's quite an exciting time, and I can't wait to share more. But for now, I have a few more days until my computer is packed away. So.....I'll have to excuse myself (officially) for the next three weeks. I will be back on:

August 29th. Here. I will be.

Some blog info:

-She Got Married, Too posts will be going up on Wednesdays.

-Eating Well posts will be put on hold. (Why? Why? Well...I don't think we're going to be eating super well. I think breakfasts will be mainly toast, lunches mainly sandwiches and fruit/veggies, and dinners will be grilled pizza.)

-Fitness will be on hold. (To get through the next few weeks, I'm going to stick to stretching, Roo walks, and quick morning runs as I chart new routes.)

-I will be on hold in general...I hope you stick with me, because I love the blog world. I especially love some of these bloggers, and I want to share their links as a big Thank You for making the blog world a place that I love so very much. So check these blogs out if you haven't already!

http://www.afterninetofive.net/

http://matthewsers.blogspot.com/

http://www.lifeblessons.blogspot.com/

http://my-newlywedlife.blogspot.com/

And, as a parting gift for you- a snout:

Be back soon!

With lots of love,

Brothers

It's a big weekend.

We're sending  my brother (and Dan!)  off to Tennessee.

This dark brown boy is now in his mid twenties, and he's a doctoral candidate.

He's not the big tough, ''leave my sister alone'' kind of brother. He's more quiet and keeps to himself. But even so, he has taught me quite a bit, and I'm not sure he knows it.

He taught me to eat more vegetables. 

His music brings a lot of different people together in one room.  I hope he doesn't stop playing.

Anyway, I can't say much more. I'll probably start to cry.

Hey, Matt! I love you! I'll tell you a bunch more tonight, probably.

Can't wait to come visit you in Tennessee.

You'll do great things...you already do. (Yeah. I said that. Hope you're not embarassed. Eh. It's fine if you are. You're moving far away.)

Lots of Love.

Getting Ahead of Myself

A while back, I posted about how I needed to work on living in the present.



like enjoying moments like this. seriously. my dog and cat friends are like the best thing in the world.


But since I'm human, I may as well be honest.


I spent one hour (?) today (at 5 am, so it's almost completely fine since a lot of people are still sleeping) pulling photographs from the internet of decorated rooms that make me feel extraordinarily wonderful and squealish.


It's justified, because I just finished my human growth and development class after spending hours reading and reading and reading and reading and writing.(I got an A. So. Even more reason.) It may also be justified because I may get to actually decorate new rooms in the near future. What's that I say?


So it was my reward. And I will now share my findings with you.


Kitchens







or





Subway tile, you're great. No matter how y'spin it.


Bedrooms





Minus the fancy chandelier. I promise you that we're not having a baby. But I (like April) am wooed by baby things that really aren't accurate indicators of whether or not it's the right time to have a baby. For now, I will stumble (accidentally?) upon nurseries and tuck them into a folder for when the time does come.

Uh. Weird. That looks similar to our bedroom. Gosh. I'm so inventive. Can't believe HGTV liked my idea. Flattered. (Ok. Obviously I copied. I love this room, and I couldn't do such an amazing job because a) I hate to sew and b) that rug is like a gazillion dollars and c) we don't own our apartment so we can't make all the decisions. I think it's the perfect masculine/feminine room and I will carry the design with us when we move out so I can do it more justice by copying it even better.

Living Room

(Ok. I know that this is NOT a living room, but I love the colors. And I have that Dash and Albert rug, so even better!



Practicality is overrated, especially when there's such a thing as slipcovers. This is the Ektorp from Ikea.

Entryway



I have a thing for Dash & Albert rugs. The regular Emma would think that they're expensive, but I love them because they're Roo proof. She ruins anything that might appear nubbly. 


So yes. These rooms make my giddy. But the truth is, things cost money, and sometimes money needs to be put elsewhere. So I may not live in a colorful blast of excitement immediately- but eventually with a bit of DIY know-how and the all important carpenter husband, we'll get there.

Almost there. Goodbye to....

Today is the last day of (one) of my accelerated (not advanced- just quickly moving) classes.

Though easy, it's the most time consuming thing because it's condensed into one month.

And I'm not super brilliant in that I cannot read a chapter once and memorize it. So I read them twice.

So I haven't blogged. And I will forever be the girl that says ''I'll be back, it's been crazy!'' over and over again. (Just sayin'.)

Roo has had to get creative while I'm glued to the books:

I don't know...how...she did that.

And we have some exciting news.

But I can't tell you yet.

So you'll have to wait until I come back to blogging before I take off again.

Until then....I'm thinkin' about making some blog changes. One of them being inspired by this miss.

...I think I'm going to be all done (buh bye!) with GFC widget. I lost ONE follower and I was actually distraught (really) for at least 10 minutes of my life. I actually tried to figure out who it was. But really, I don't blog for money or for a high following (but let's be real, how awesome and giddy do you feel when you see a new follower? Eh? C'mon. You love it.) I blog for me, really. So. If you read and follow, I love you. If you unfollow, I understand. I'm a blog slacker. There's many bloggers out there much more committed than myself. Anyway.

Have a delightful day. I'll see you in a bit. Wish me luck on my final!

The Medicine Woman

It was a muggy, stormy, grouchy day over here.

I had a lot of reading to get through, so I did that.

But I am a compulsive ridder-of-things/organizer, and so each time I walked past our closet where our first aid/medicine basket lives, I got a bit anxious.

So I pulled it off of the shelf, and I took everything out:

Then I got a bit frustrated with myself.

You see, I was sick for an entire month this past winter. And I spent a good $50 on OTC chemically icky medicine. 

But...the only things that brought any real comfort were teas, neti pots, and the eventual trip to the doctors that landed me with an antibiotic prescription (Yes. Antibiotics are over prescribed. I only take them if I'm absolutely positively miserably sure that I need them.)

I was also frustrated with myself because I am not a medicine woman and I don't have apothecary jars filled with herbs and things that I would need to grind up with a mortar and pestle.

UMMM....just found the coolest Medicine Woman blog. Here you go. You're welcome.

Just added THAT to my career to-be list.

Anyway.

My goal is to not get that sick next year. I think that being around young kiddos made it easier for me to pick up exciting new colds/coughs/sniffles, etc. So now I'm obsessive (even more so than when I worked in a nursing home) about hand washing.

I re-organized my basket. It's not quite at the stage of Medicine Woman status, but here it is:

I debated for five minutes whether or not to get rid of my ibuprofen.

No. I like it.

But anyway, if you're looking for good suggestions for natural sinus relief- try Celestial Seasoning's Sinus Soother. I like it.

Headaches?  Tension Tamer tea is my middle name (when I have a headache).

My other must-haves include a neti pot with saline packets, band-aids, emergen-c, throat coat tea, Vaseline, tea tree oil, witch hazel, antibiotic ointment for those nasty situations, and a thermometer (to prove to Brett that I really have a fever and that I cannot do anything useful for at least a day).

I'm thinking about adding some rubs for headaches and muscle aches from Badger.

Do you have any suggestions for a 70% natural first aid/medicine basket for a Medicine Woman like myself? Does that make me less of a MW for asking? Probably.

Silly things for a silly blogger

I was checking my e-mail last week when I stumbled upon something that made my day.

Thank you to April, from twomatthewsers, for sending me this: (!)

Now, she fully disclosed that the practice of awarding another blogger this award is silly.

She even acknowledged that the recipients that she chose might simply want to ignore this 'silly' practice.

....

It's silly, right?

....

Just like this:

C'mon. Don't you love a shell with shoes?

Well, I'm silly. And I personally LOVED that she thought highly enough of my silly blog to send this on over!

So I'm taking it, and I'm sending it on!

As a part of this award, I must reveal seven things about myself. A bit of a 'get to know the real me' if you will:

1) I kiss my dog on my lips. Actually, they might be called jowls. Jowls, anyone? That picture is not of Roo. Roo's jowls are much nicer. Sorry, dog.

2) I smell everything.
Food to dog breath, I'm there.

3) I'm not stylish. I live in yoga pants/jeans and basic/solid t's of varying sleeve lengths. I used to own a few pairs of dressier shoes, but Roo chewed them. I was fine with it. My stylish best friend, Meghan, lives in NYC and I put on stylish outfits when she comes home (she knows that I do this). She's tall and sinewy, and would look good in a plastic bag with popcorn stuffed in it. (?)

4) We're currently in a three offer bidding war over a little house ( under 900 square feet ). Everyone who came to look at it with us kept saying how great it was was as a 'starter home'. That's not how we look at it. We like little.

(This isn't it- but how charming is this?!)

5) I grew up without cable television, and I actually can't stand having it. I'm guilty of watching now and then (we get it for free because of where we live), but I cannot wait until we move out and finally eliminate cable. It drives me nuts. Commericals are horrendous.

6) I'm really proud of my brother. He's going to Vanderbilt University to get his PhD on a full scholarship. He probably doesn't LOVE that I throw it around like this, because he's really modest about his accomplishments. But he's not just incredibly smart, he's much more interesting:


See?

7) I'm going back to school for........nursing.  Everyone I tell usually responds by saying how great the pay is with shift work. But the truth is, I have no desire to be a hospital staff nurse. I have a feeling that I will work in a small clinic. I have a feeling that I will make less money than I do as a babysitter (I don't care). Nurses are often seen in the acute care setting, and with the onslaught of medical tv dramas, it's easy to think of nurses as constantly in intense, life or death situations. I'm hoping my days will be filled with taking vitals, talking to people about prevention, and getting to know patients as they grow. Some would say it's boring, but that's what makes the field of nursing so cool. There is a spot for everyone.

Now, onto more pressing matters. I get to GIVE ten awards!

1.To Make Love Stay an open and honest look at married life... colorful tattoos and a beautiful dog, too

2.Along Route 65 latebloomerlikeme(or just on time)

3.lamidge wonderful pet advice, charity etsy shop

4. Away We Go charming, silly, day to day reflections of a young family with two adorable kiddos

5. 20- Something Homemaker young wife/homemaker...lovely little blog

6.My (Newly)Wed Life This is Ana. She's dear. I love her and her blog. I also owe her a guest post that is so long overdue.  She's a brave girl from Brazil.

7. Our Semi Organic Life awesome menu plans, great budget tips, helpful green living tips

8.Life. Faith. Fully. FOOD. (andmore. but the food!)

9.Sun is Shining when you're feeling like life has got you down, come check this out

10. I'm breaking the rules. Can you help me nominate #10? I can't decide....

I'll be sending an e-mail out to the bloggers listed here in a bit...it will have more information in the event that you'd like to play along.

Your friend,

the stylish blogger