Living with a teenager

It's been a while since I've posted anything, and I promise to motivate myself enough to correct that. In the meantime, I wanted to submit two photographs that highlight the gulf that yawns between teen and adult levels of neatness.

Exhibit A: typical teen girl's bathroom counter (a bathroom that she is the sole user of)

Exhibit B: Bathroom counter shared by two adults on a daily basis

What I really want to know is, why are the headphones even in the bathroom? So mysterious.

Thoughts

Obsessions

I find that I'm one of those people who become inflamed with enthusiasm when I discover something I'd like to learn or pinpoint a project I'd like to complete. I literally cannot rest until I've gathered all of the supplies, read practically everything the library/bookstore/internet have to offer. I fill notebooks with detailed notes and maintain spreadsheets, with the same exact info. I enthuse to family members for what has to feel like an eternity to them. My mind races with excitement and all of the possibilities (this is the second reason that I can hardly stand listening to music. It's noise on top of racing thoughts. Talk about a racket!).

For example, here are only a few things that I've been obsessing over lately:

San Diego- What to keep and what to get rid of before the move? I don't want to get rid of too much or too little, since we don't know if we'll choose a single family home or an apartment. I've already got different paint schemes planned and am making lists of things we might need, depending on what our new place is like. Pros and cons, 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom, yard or no yard? Will we have a foyer? A kitchen island? It goes on and on! Just want to make sure that we've taken every possible scenario into account.

Urban Homesteading- I am employeed full-time. While very gratifying in it's own way, with the commute, I have very little time left over for the things I'd like to do, outside of spending time with my family. But I'm always dreaming and researching about raising chickens, making my own yogurt and bread, canning my own homegrown fruits and veggies, etc. I get to dabble in these things from time to time (obviously excluding the chickens), but mourn the fact that I'm not doing them more often. Though with my recent discovery of 5 Minute Bread, I'm making a little headway there. But, related to the move, I may now have more time to do the things I'm drawn to. So I've been obsessing with figuring out how to do them in a potentially small space. "Where will I grow this? Where will I store that? How do I manage my time best to do all of it and still work part-time?" I draw the line at making my own clothes though.

Talking about clothes- Ya'll know how a move works. It's a great opportunity to pull what you have out and start to edit your belongings. Then you can "start fresh" in your new place. And I've been thinking about what I have (which is a lot) and why it feels like I never have anything to wear (a problem as old as time, no doubt). I've got pages of notes and a spreadsheet, detailing what I have and what feels like bajillions of outfit combinations, too. It's nerdy, but there it is. One green, military inspired cardigan features in a total of 23 different outfits. Obsessed much?

Some people keep a journal. A place to write down what's in their minds and hearts, jotting down thoughtful insights and documenting their lives. Not me. I have to write it all down in any old notebook at hand,all of these useless, needless thoughts, just to quiet my mind (bringing to mind the Pensieve. I could totally use one of those babies!). Then I have to organize it in a spreadsheet. All of those neat colums and rows, the color coded tabs, just soothe my fevered brain. Music to a wannabe perfectionist's soul.

So, I had to spill it all here, too. I'm actually almost beside myself with excitement. Remember how you felt as a kid when Christmas was getting closer and closer? You're so anxious and tense with anticipation, almost to the point where you feel ill. That feeling pretty much sums it up.

Whew! Thanks for letting me get it off my chest.
This move almost can't come soon enough.

2010 Quickie Round-Up

2010. You were good to us. You saw our little family travel to points North, South, East and West. 

(Maine, New York, Louisiana, Nevada, Colorado, Stuttgart, Germany, to name just a few)

Longtime goals were dusted off and bucket list items accomplished. 

(Who knew that running over 26 miles would feel so good?)

Celebrated sites visited, new skills tackled, a promotion thrown in for good measure.

(I'll keep you posted on the status the of kid's tumbling skills and the SSG's skating scars)

My personal favorite, 2010, was finally saying "I do" to Mr. Right!

Our minds whirl when we think about everything we saw and did, all the family and friends that we got to spend time with in the last twelve months (let's not forget that there was a little bit of NASCAR in there)!  And, 2010, just to make things even better for us, you made sure that the passage into 2011 was just as great as everything that came before...

That's right, baby! Winter Classic, New Year's Day!

It's only the first day of the new year, and we've already got a bucket list item checked off. Hallelujah!!

It didn't hurt that our guys won, either.

Because nothing screams "Hell, yea!!!" like a 13 year old hanging out with Mom.

Caps fans huddled bravely together at Heinz Field!

And, because I failed to do this earlier, a couple of my favorite Christmas photos...

The Pats furriest fan.

So, here's to you, 2010! You were amazing and we're going to miss you. This new year has some mighty big shoes to fill. Can't wait to get it started!!

New York at Christmas time!

We went on a highly anticipated road trip to NYC, in order to see it in all of it's Christmas glory. We knew that we wanted to do every touristy thing we could in the short amount of time that we were going to be there. We actually drove into the heart of the theater district in order to enjoy a show at Radio City Music Hall that Shayne  surprised us with tickets for. It was as nerve racking as you can imagine! The Rockettes were amazing, though, so it was well worth it. We stayed at a hotel in the financial district, next to Ground Zero.  This kept us out of the way of the crowds of tourists but kept us near a metro stop and the ferry to Liberty Island. When it was all said and done, we easily walked (and skated) off all of our pizza and sugared nuts, saw much of New York's iconic sights, and returned satisfied that our trip was a success.

On our way to see the Rockettes in the Christmas Spectacular!

Waiting for the show to begin.

Lovin' the oversized decorations all over the city!

Times Square. Pure, unadulterated madness.

Searched for Ray's Pizza. Success= Yum!

This was a delicious as it looked.

The ice rink in Central Park.

On the ferry to Liberty Island. And, yes. It was freezing!!

Our first subway ride in NYC.

Goofing around, much to Kaya's displeasure...

and an apology after I whacked her!

It was so crowded, that this was the best photo we could get of the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Evidence of a crash and burn.

Ice skating in Central Park by the one family member who can actually skate!

Nothing says romance like a carriage ride in the park with your teen :)

My sister...

inspired me to at least post a couple photos from the past few months!

Cute. Just cute.

First day of 8th grade.

I'm a real badass in Richmond, September 11.

Tailgating in Richmond.

I poked her in the eye. Again. "Accidentally", I swear.

Arlington Cemetery on Veteran's Day.

The first time I've ever attempted my own updo for the ball.

Cute. Just cute.

Stars, Stripes & Lobstah

Another holiday means another family gathering. This year's location was Augusta, ME. The Crawford family (I'm still tickled to call myself that. Teehe!) descended on the Young household right in the middle of a heatwave. A heatwave, people. In Maine. Where it's usually so cool that AC is the exception rather than the rule. Yeah.

Marshland

Hot as Hades or not, there's something about the area that has enchanted us. Each visit to New England brings us closer and closer to deciding that it's the place for us when the man retires in a couple of years.

Old Orchard Beach

Our holiday was jam-packed with sightseeing: Old Port, Old Orchard Beach, Back Booth Bay, fireworks over the capital. Of course, I was instructed in the proper manner of disassembling a lobster, Mainer-style. It freaked me out a bit, I'm not gonna lie. Those creepy legs. Ew.

My unfortunate, but yummy victim.

  

Notice my mother-in-law's look :) Oops.

Do you know how to distinguish the difference between East and West coast beaches? Strollers. On the East coast they're as natural to achieving a beach vibe as bikini tops and the smell of sunblock. There were dozens of them. Out on the sand, blocking the view. What's amusing is that it took an entire family pushing and pulling on the damn things just to get them 20-30 feet onto the sand, everyone grunting and sweating. Hilarious!!

Fried clam dinner

Kaya and Aunt Kara

The lovebirds

Oddly, I frequently fantasized in my not too distant youth that I would live in Maine, married to a French-Canadian architect. Two out of three wouldn't be too bad. 

This trip marks the last of my torrid love affairs with treats. Twenty pounds have crept up on me over the last two years. I'd like to say out of nowhere but all one needs do is read this blog to figure out where each and every one came from. I'm leaving for Stuttgart for a month next week and I hope to use the time to really focus on my health. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can find my discipline again. Anytime I feel a craving, I'll just look at all of these photos of my eating adventures. Hopefully memories taste as good as the real thing :)