minus & plus - my year as a style blogger

- When I looked back at this year's blog entries & photos, it was mostly outfits. & liiiiike, what?? No. Just no. My intention for this blog has always been more of the scrapbooking nature. A capturing of moments, a retelling of stories, a future laugh or sigh (depending on the topic) when we re-read these posts years from now -- & outfit posts don't really play into that.

+ However! Just like I love looking at my mom's trendy oufits from the 70s & 80s, I imagine that even 5 years from now, there will be a bit of "WHY WOULD I WEAR THAT?!" already happening, & in 20 years from now, I'd hope to have a teenager who enjoys revisiting these old photos from waaaay back in 2014. To be fair, I'm sure these outfits will play a part in the future laughs or sighs.

- Finding & taking time to do outfit photos required way more commitment than I could ever hope to sustain, & it also required coordinating schedules & times with Jared or Kelsie, or whoever I could grab to stand behind the camera.

+ It did force me to get the real camera out (vs. my iphone) & upload whatever images I had sitting on the memory card. I'm also really proud to look back & know that I stuck to a year-long blogging commitment.

- Although the point was always to make do with what I had in my closet, I definitely pressured myself into more than a couple purchases that were strictly because I knew I needed an outfit post that week. Quite frankly, I don't have the budget to keep up with trends.

+ My goal was to never shy from re-wearing shoes or jeans, because that's REAL LIFE. Too many style bloggers share gorgeous outfits but rarely reuse pieces, & I just think that's impractical. These posts really made me put some effort into using the clothes I (or Jared, teeheeee) owned in new ways, on top of sometimes just really causing me to put some effort into wearing clothes that weren't a sweatshirt & leggings.

- I sort of assumed that if you consistently post outfits & throw in some mildly laugh-worthy humor, you will accrue a following. This did not happen.

+ I did get to connect with some great ladies in the style blogging community, & even if it was only for a year, it was a fun community to be a part of. As someone that had been in the bleachers of style blogging, cheering, for years, just getting to sit on the team's bench was an experience.

- I won't lie... Standing on a sidewalk, or in a parking lot, or in the middle of an alley striking poses & having my picture taken was embarrassing. Additionally, I am assuming that taking & sharing photos of me! me! me! in my own clothing came off as pretty brazenly vain to some, especially since I didn't even really have a claim on being fashionable.

+ But! I learned a lot about posing, which has already been useful when I'm working with models for photoshoots. I learned a lot about making trends work for my shape, which has already been useful when I'm working my retail job as a stylist. I also (& this is perhaps the most important lessons of all) learned a lot about my body - What looks flattering & how to stand, contrasted by a lot of photos the world will never see that taught me what to never wear again & how to absolutely never, ever, ever stand. My year as a style blogger taught me so very much about my body type & how to stand with confidence, even in the middle of a city sidewalk. 

____________________________

Iiiiiiin conclusion... No, I won't be posting outfit photos anymore. I am happy to say I tried it, & stuck with it, but at the end of it all? Fashion is not the reason Sitting in Our Tree exists. I will be sharing the occasional outfit photo + details on my Instagram, & I have every intention of bringing the DSLR out with us more often as we continue to get to know DC in 2015. Style-in-action posts, if you will.

So, if you made it through a year of my face & crossed ankles (right leg over left leg is apparently me favorite, as illustrated in the above image), congrats! & thanks for hanging in there. It was a fun little ride.

minus & plus

-

Jared called me this morning to let me know that he had made it safely to the streets of Manhattan, where he's staying for work for a bit. The safe part is not a minus. It's the "Jared gone" & "me not in Manhattan with him" parts that get me.

+

I'm having a really hard time coming up for a plus for this that doesn't sound sarcastic, but I do have plans to stay busy & productive & watch lots of stupid Once Upon A Time & Grey's Anatomy. (I love but I hate but I love.)

-

SUNBURN. I made it all the way to the end of the beach vacation & on the laaaast day out on the beach (which, honestly, only 3 days were swimsuit weather), my back was TOASTED. Like, sunburn pain woke me up on Monday morning. Tragic, because I didn't really even want to get tan this summer, much less sun burned. I am so, so sorry, skin.

+

Coconut oil is doing wonders in the soothing department, & the burn should become the hint of color that I needed to look slightly more alive for the rest of the summer. This being the first summer that I'm not working outdoors at events all year, I feel especially protective of my skin. Now, please remember that my resident back scratcher/aloe applier is not in the same state/apartment as me, so if you imagining me slapping coconut oil across my back one hand at a time in a sad attempt to soothe my sunburn really takes this home as a plus for you, then go right ahead. I am sure it is quite the sight.

-

Returning to a regular hair routine after a week of beach hair love. My mane loves the salty air, that's for sure. (Bonus fact: the beach air also does wonders for golden doodle hair)

+

I've been working on some new updos for those (many) (... many) days that I don't want to wake up early enough to style it. It's keeping my interest in having long hair peaked, which is always good, since the other option is shorter hair aka looking like a 13 year old.

-

After a month of trying to cut meat & dairy out of my diet & feeling like I just compensated with carbs, I'm more annoyed than ever with my stomach issues & general lack of motivation to care about food. I so wish I could be that person that loves exercise & vitamins & healthy foods, buuuuuuut... It's real REAL difficult for me.

+

I'm hopping aboard the Whole30 train, which isn't too far off from the dietary restrictions I followed last year when I was getting ready for bridesmaid season. I'd love for this to be the beginning of a lifelong romance with whole foods but I'm not going to plan the wedding before the first date, NAH MEAN?

-

Knowing far too much about our upstairs neighbor's night life to be able to face him in the stairwell, making mornings awkward since we both leave the apartment at the exact same time.

+

I have perfected the art of waiting for him to walk across the family room, forget something in the kitchen, then finally walk to the front door to leave. Does this make me the most socially awkward person ever? I don't care. Neighbor, if you're reading this, I'm sure you're a very nice person but you need a new bed.

-

Parallel parking. OR RATHER, living on a street where we & our neighbors all know how to parallel park, but then there's the YMCA & restaurant patrons that take up three spaces with one foul swoop of their giant SUV parked 3 ft. away from the curb.

+

After nearly two years of living on this street, we have both developed our parallel parking skills to elite levels. I suppose it helps that we have small cars but... If parallel parking were an Olympic sport, we'd take... Well, bronze, probably. & maybe only if it were on a local level, BUT STILL.

-

Not knowing how to make coffee when the resident coffee maker is out of town.

+

Testing my caffeine addiction by abstaining & actually living to tell the tale. I've had a couple of mild headaches in the afternoons, but it's also been raining for two days straight, which could also be the culprit. Tomorrow marks Day 3, so if you see me & I try to bite you, please know that it's not you, it's coffee.

minus & plus

-

It's very nearly April (not a bad thing) which means that in three short weeks, I'll be at the beach, getting myself into a swimsuit. No no no no no. I mean, yes to the beach. No to hibernation season ending & everything that involves.

+

However, good things totally come to those who have to save up for frivolous purchases like swimsuits, & I got the bikini of my high-waisted dreams for half off. *embarrassing victory dance*

++

To be clear, the beach vacation is being welcomed with open arms in addition to pale, pale legs.

-

Headaches from weather changes

+

WEATHER CHANGES!

-

Speaking of headaches, I dreamed that I was taking family photos for Jennifer Lawrence's wedding, only she wasn't famous & she had like 17 siblings. There were also dogs. In a church sanctuary. It took Dream Kelsey like, 6 hours to take 3 good shots, only to realize that my memory card was full. & then I actually woke up with a headache.

+

Totally hung out with Jennifer Lawrence (sorta), so heyyy.

-

Waiting for a new season of a tv show to come out, only to find when it is available that the shininess of the original binge has worn off, & actually, this is a pretty terrible show. (I'm lookin' at YOU, Once Upon a Time.)

+

As if I needed another show to be watching.

+

I don't have a minus for this one, I just really love making Jared laugh. It might actually be a hobby. I think I've subconsciously been getting better at it over the years, too, because he's pretty darn handsome when he laughs. High five, self.

-

My overwhelming & instinctive need to overshare on Twitter. Why. WHYYYY.

+

I'm so not alone, which is probably why Twitter is my favorite. & maybe oversharing the weird, the self-conscious, & the judgy is a balance of the "curated" versions being shared elsewhere?

-

Really feeling like I nailed it in the make-up department only to get in the car & look in the rearview mirror. How is that the most revealing mirror in the universe? Is it the natural lighting? Whatever it is, it's evil & yet I need one for my bathroom.

+

It has kept me from going into work or wherever with a foundation streak across my forehead on more than one occasion. All hail, Rearview Mirror.

-

One chipped nail. One chipped nail is all it takes for me to go crazy town on the rest of my nails, & then there's suddenly nail polish confetti EVERYWHERE.

+

Grocery store clerk (is that the right term or is this a term right up there with "blouse?") complimenting my nail color & ranting about how she can't ever keep hers from chipping... Followed by me proudly holding up my other hand to show the 3 out of 5 fingers that didn't have polish on them. #relatable

-

Being really, really bad at thrifting. I usually end up with milk glass, & oops, missed the vintage whatever-whatever that only costs $4 that everyone else would have fought over.

+

I hardly have an upside to this, just that I'm determined to keep trying.

-

Actually having to get out of bed on a rainy Saturday morning, when there is actually a sleeping husband next to you because for once, he didn't have to leave the house at 6am. It feels like physical torture.

+

A 3pm church service on blessed Sundays, his day off, with more rain to go around. Amen & amen.

minus & plus

-

Upstairs neighbor noises, which I'm pretty sure is a playlist of straight up explosions.

+

Convincing myself instead that he's just watching a lot of Doctor Who & Star Wars to help lessen my hostility.

-

The return of 30 degree weather after several days of sunshine & warmth.

+

The return of crockpot dinners & not having to think too hard about outfits because boots, coats & scarves, ya'll.

-

The Oscars are THIS WEEKEND & we've somehow only seen two of the major nominees -__-

+

One of those was American Hustle & holy late 1970's styling, I'm in love.

-

It's nearly the end of February & my two major to-dos (paint furniture, purge closet) remain unchecked.

+

As of today, I am free from the clutches of potentially being called in for  jury duty YAAAASSSSSSS!

-

My attempt to be a real adult woman by cutting/filing/painting my nails for once in my life resulting in not being able to itch an itch or open a yogurt tab or pick up a bobby pin

+

A general sense of femininity because gee, my hands are moisturized & manicured. how novel.

-

Seriously questioning whether my hair has reached the point of okay-you-need-to-chop-it. how long is too long? is it weird that 40 minutes + a hand cramp is how long it takes me to detangle my hair? Life's unanswered questions.

+

A hair appointment tomorrow morning & a stylist I trust with my life.

-

That odd moment when you put the coconut oil back in the pantry after making breakfast... Only to slooowly mosey back to the pantry to take it back out because your face is dry. It's just sort of bizarre, & also makes me question the safety of going outside on a hot summer day?

+

But really, after one week of using coconut oil on my upper arms, they are soft like a baby bum. Try it. Do it.

-

Those blasted pills on my leggings after extensive wear & tear over the winter

+

Mom's ol' use-an-old-razor trick knocking it outta the park. Thanks, mama!

*Read more minus & plus posts here

minus & plus

-

Last night's Chipotle poisoning me.

+

Having fortunately mastered being productive whilst sick on the couch over the past few months.

-

Forgetting about the Golden Globes until I got on Twitter last night.

+

Falling asleep to the Unlocking Sherlock program on PBS instead. So, yeah.

-

Grocery stores not carrying more than just Simply Lemonade or Simply Apple. WHAT GIVES. I HAVE NEEDS.

+

A husband that knows to buy two when he finds Simply Grapefruit.

-

Taking outfit photos in our neighborhood, where cars & pedestrians alike oggle as though we're committing a crime.

+

My awesome reflexes responding to someone yelling "SUPERMODEL WHOOOOO" with a raise-the-roof gesture mixed with a chicken dance strut. Oh wait maybe that's also a minus.

-

Attempting to make caramels, which seem to be perfect until cutting into them & finding they didn't set.

+

Using unset caramel as center filling for a birthday cake, which turned out to be divine.

-

Spending so much time with our local nieces during the holidays, only to find ourselves in withdrawal now that it's halfway through January.

+

We have a new nephew arriving at the beginning of February, which should help fill the void.

-

It is once again January in Virginia, & all I want it spring.

+

But January in Virginia usually means at least three 70 degree days, of which we've already had one.

-

Yeah. Not feeling awesome right now.

+

So, more water for this girl. Ey-ooohhhh.

*Read more minus & plus posts here

minus & plus

-

Just when I had gotten into the groove of my office-less way of life, I got called back in to freelance at my old job for a few months.

+

This was, honestly, perfect timing as my new ventures will definitely take a bit of time before they take off & I'm able to contribute to our finances again.

-

However... My time has been hijacked. So much so that I feel like two weeks have passed in the last four days.

+

But it's SATURDAY! YAAAAY!!!!

-

But I'm alone, on the couch, watching Juno.

+

Jared is off tomorrow, & I only work half a day, so I have a feeling our day will involve some of this early fall sunshine.

-

SPEAKING OF EARLY FALL... Am I the only person that hasn't sold their soul to all things pumpkin just yet? It just feels too early. Not that I'm clinging to summer, because good lawd above knows I'm an autumn baby through & through. But good grief, NO, I do not want pumpkin in my coffee, butter or beer just yet.

+

I did, however, muster up the courage to put my skinny jeans back on today & it wasn't nearly as terrifying as I imagined it would be.

-

Also not as promising of a sight as I remember... Which is sad, because the mosquitoes are still biting & my legs are ready to be hidden away for a few months.

+

Especially since I've invested in some fabulous boots for this fall.

-

Inspired by my sweet friend Chelsea, who is turning me absolutely green with envy over on her blog as she spends the week at NYFW. I NEED NYC IN MY LIFE!

+

But it brings back sweet memories of our fall trip to NYC a couple years ago. I can't believe it was that long ago! I would live that weekend over & over, Groundhog's Day-style, if I could.

-

Completely unrelated, I want to put it out there that I just ate chocolate for dinner.

+

That's good for my heart, right?

-

Or is it my brain...

+

Maybe just my well-being. Yep. *nods*

-

Or maybe this is why I just wadded up my good-fer-nothing skinny jeans like they could feel pain & shoved them in the back of my drawer.

+

You guys. It's September, Ellen Page is hilarious, & I'm pretty sure a bike ride is on tomorrow's agenda. Ain't no skinny jeans going to get me down.

This is a pretty weird post.

Minus & Plus posts were born in my attempts to find the silver lining to weird little negative things that follow me around. (Read more here!) Please feel free to jump on board the silver lining/rays of sunshine train with your own plus & minus posts, then share your link in the comments!

minus & plus - exercise vs. Grey's Anatomy

-

There are spring clothes & swimsuits popping up all over the place. First of all, it's FEBRUARY. Secondly, it's FEEEBRUAAARYYYY.

+

It's big, giant motivation to break in my new running shoes & get in shape for the warmer months.

-

I don't really run.

+

But we have this beautiful neighborhood now! With a jaw dropping view of the sunset! A reason to start running if I ever had one.

-

Jared brought home AppleTV last week, & I'm not sure how to choose exercise over Season 8 of Grey's Anatomy that is so wonderfully accessible now.

+

I think I only have like 6 episodes left in the season, so I can go to the gym & pretend that my tears are sweat.

-

Because I may have read the episode descriptions for the rest of the season already & OMG. WHAT THE WORLD.

+

The frustration will be good for me though, because who knows when Season 9 will be added to Netflix & THUS! More time to exercise in the evenings!

-

There are also an unfortunately large amount of documentaries that are also calling my name, so this will be a test of willpower.

+

I have two bridesmaid dresses hanging up in our room that are added motivation. They call me names & stuff. BUT I'LL SHOW THEM. I will. Mark myyyy words.

Minus & Plus posts were born in my attempts to find the silver lining to weird little negative things that follow us around. (Read more here!) Please feel free to jump on board the silver lining/rays of sunshine train with your own plus & minus posts, then share your link in the comments!

minus & plus

-

blog silence = busy times. 

+

but mostly really great busy times! that include lots of pictures!

-

my whole department was away at a conference last week, so I got to wear many, many hats at work.

+

I survived. I also took 2.5 days off, so I sorta cheated.

+

I survived my first 5k! (there may have been some walking involved.)

-

I'm still sore!

-

there's a chipped paint mess all over the back seat/trunk of our car.

+

it's from a really lovely find in Carytown that I can't wait to show you.

-

super crazy traffic on the way home from Richmond

+

road trip conversations with my guy. it's a lot of laughing & hand holding.

-

mixed emotions of leaving dear friends & our carefree weekend to come home to our still-mostly-disorganized-apartment.

+

the last of the boxes have been emptied & it's just an organizing game from here on out!

-

I should have done some of said organizing tonight.

+

I made baked macaroni & cheese instead. 

ohhhhhh, september. please slow down. 

minus & plus - olympics style!

-
missing a lot of Olympic coverage due to the whole Big Girl Job thing. every other Olympic summer, I’ve been a student, sitting around the house with not a care in the world except that the US team BETTER win this water polo game that I am suddenly a fan of.
+
cozying up to a husband every single night to watch the games. we mostly just crack each other up the entire time, & it’s usually at poor Bob Costas’ expense. we really do love him, but he really is a vampire.

-
opening ceremonies: scary, giant voldemort puppet, unhappy-looking royals & creepy face dresses.
+
opening ceremonies: kenneth branagh (swoon), rowan atkinson (LOLZ) & that cutie patootie, jasmine breinburg, who I maybe want to be when I grow up.

-
team USA men’s soccer team :(
+
team USA WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAMMMMM. USA! USA! USA! WHERE’S WALDO JERSEYS!!!! USA!

-

not enough soccer (football, for the rest of the world) coverage. period.

+

like, zero vuvuzelas. good job, world.

-
the return of the scrunchie, thanks to the Russian women’s gymnastics team
+
the curse of the scrunchie, which I’m pretty sure was a contributing factor to team USA’s gold medal

-
our poor mens gymnastics team. I couldn’t even watch.
+
they are all adorable. well, as adorable as bulging muscles-in-places-that-I’m-99%-sure-I-don’t-even-have can be.

+

missy franklin.

+

gabby douglas.

+

william & kate.

-
coughing my way through the evening as I get more & more excited (read: hyperventilate) about each event.
+
probably associating the taste of cough drops with the 2012 olympics for the rest of my life.

-
crying (seriously, sobfest) when the girls gymnastics team took gold. or when that stupid Sia/breathe me/special Olympics coca-cola commercial plays. or any time they show an olympian’s parent/s.

+
jared trying not to laugh at me whenever I’m misty-eyed.

-
those grey outfits our teams are having to wear on the podium. this is all I can think of when I see them.
+
men’s swimming “uniforms”… can I get an amen, or am I the only one will to admit this?

-
feeling like a completely inferior human being to these amazingly muscular demi-gods & goddesses, especially when I realize that I was 7 when some of these people were BORN. & in case you haven’t put it together yet, the average gymnast in the 2016 Olympics will have been born in 2000. … I know, right?
+
trying really hard to figure out how to involve myself in the 2016 Olympics. you know, like, being the girl who sits on the end of the rowboat, yelling. or one of the volleyball cheerleaders. or maybe missy franklin's personal assistant? I'd be really great at that. I have a feeling it involves laughing a lot.

& those are my personal reflections on the first week of the 2012 games. I'm transitioning into the track & field obsession as I type. myyyy liiiiiiiife...

minus & plus

-

I may or may not have brought to work the lifesaver mints

that Jared put in my stocking at Christmas & ate, ummmm THEENTIREBAG in one day.

is wint-o-mint addiction a real thing?  BETTER QUESTION - is wint-o-mint overdose a real thing?

+

there are worse things to nom on, I guess. things that don't make you

breathe minty freshness. like combos. or garlic.

-

we started a financial class at our church two weeks ago, & I feel a

little bit like all I can think about is BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET!!!

+

but that's totally not a bad thing.

in fact, after a year of marriage without any financial plan except to tithe & save-here-and-there,

it's a little bit of a GREAT thing. as much as our budget is consuming our thoughts right now, 

I know it's laying the foundation for the rest of our money makin' lives, & there is much peace in that. 

plus, talking about money almost always results in talking about future babies... 

& I just LOVE talking about future babies. they'll be little, & soft, & smell goody & little...

-

found out this week that some very precious family members are moving out of state. 

*sniff* I'm not really even processing what that means just yet.

+

but change is good, & in their case, it is great. 

we're really, truly happy for them & we'll just be adding another city to our dropping-in-to-visit list. 

consider yourselves warned, you roaming bethunes, you.

-

running out of shredded cheddar cheese.

+

replacing said cheddar cheese with crumbled feta to create what may

just be mashed heavenly clouds of potato wonder.

-

taking out my contacts.

placing contacts in medicine cabinet.

sleeping.

waking up.

tip toe-ing to bathroom so as not to wake jared.

opening medicine cabinet.

apparently opening the medicine cabinet too quickly...

contact case, sucked out by physics & gravity, 

coming FLYING TOWARDS MY FACE only to crash onto our tile floor 

& making a sound closer to what I would imagine 

the entire medicine cabinet would sound like if it had fallen.

nearly pass out from fear/trying not to scream.

get angry that something dared to make such a loud noise in my face when I'm barely awake & definitely not functioning.

lid is knocked off.

contact is missing.

curse contacts.

scratch that, curse my eyes for needing contacts.

+

my glasses are cute.

-

having people over for a movie & not having any sweets on hand. 

besides some girl scout cookies.

& when I say some I mean the six that I hadn't already eaten.

mama would be ashamed.

+

still having a grand ol' time, even if it felt like there was a vacant

space at the table without cupcakes to eat. LESSON LEARNED.

-

having to pick glitter off your friend's face because they did something ridiculous 

like walk into your apartment, which is a sort of glittery aftermath STILL.

+

glitter.

-

acting like I had my life together this morning when I stumbled out of bed & decided to make myself lunch... 

then proceeding to forget my breakfast AND my cell phone.

+

boss walking in with panera & guessing the right kind of bagel because YOU GUESSED IT, 

she couldn't get ahold of me on the phone that I left at home. 

she is all sorts of wonderful to me.

happy leap day!

I hope yours was full of pluses... es...'s.

xo, kelsey

minus & plus

-

I went back to work today.

& the poinsettia plant I had in my office upped & DIED while I was away.

didn't even consider watering itself.

completely rude.

+

but. as if my little office home knew that I'd need a pick-me-up,

I had zero LETMESAYTHATAGAIN ZERO voicemails.

I hate voicemails. oh, I hate them so much.

so, this was a nice gift.

-

I bought a really sparkly card case wallet for a friend at work

& had to give it to her with her christmas gift today.

I was really enjoying pretending that shiny piece of wonderful was mine.

+

friend shares the same affinity for sparkles & got me a SPARKLY TRAVEL MUG.

fun fact: nearly bought her the same one. like, so close to buying it for her.

-

my cousin was in town for christmas & had to fly back to missouri this morning.

airport goodbyes aren't a fun way to start your day.

+

but! our home will soon be filled with friends joining us for the new year's weekend!

-

we went out to a vietnamese restaurant last night.

bad news, folks. not a pho fan.

I know it's the bomb dot com & what not but...

please pass the burgers.

+

however, I am a long time lover of bubble tea.

so, all my hipster pho-lovin' friends... we can still hang out.

pho-realz.

-

I took out the christmas cd's from my car today. christmas is really over.

+

babies babies babies! & engagements! & spring weddings!

I may just survive this winter, after all.

-

but I am totally ashamed to admit that I'm a little bit over the giant tree in our family room.

I know. I know. never thought the day would come.

but it's so stinkin' big.

& the couch is in the middle of the room.

& it's shedding.

+ 

but it smells GOOOOOD these days!

probably because it's really truly officially dying.

can someone verify that?

-

my parents & little sisters are in missouri visiting my grandparents, & aunts & uncles & cousins.

& eating white castle. & playing in snow.

& we are not.

+

they're taking pictures of my grandparents' retro furniture

that I've staked a claim on since I was 8 & all about some 50's & 60's.

jared will finally get to see his future furniture!

-

speaking of jared.

he's been working. A LOT. 

& mostly closing shifts, which means he gets home at 11.

+

but I'm grateful for his job, & the fact that he still manages to stay up

& talk & laugh with me until we fall asleep.

it's just simply the best part of my day.

I need to clean this house. top to bottom.

& I'm determined to be in bed in 5 hours.

wish me luck ;)

xo, kelsey

minus & plus

- working out at our creepy complex gym on friday night.

+ husby joining me because it gives me the skeevies.

- no parking at the williamsburg grand illumination last night

+  precious & impromptu time with amelia & allison & jared watching fireworks & eating toffee.

-  leaving my nsync christmas c.d. at work over the weekend. this was a big deal. & a bad one, too.

+  remembering that andrew burned me the elf soundtrack & it was in my car!!!

(+) working in an office where I can listen to nsync christmas & break for sing-a-longs with my boss every now & then.

-  meanies in traffic on the drive in to work this morning.

+  sitting at a stoplight next to a car with a big ol' scruffy dog staring at me from the passenger seat.

-  our tree doesn't smell nearly as christmas tree-y as I'd like it to when I walk in the door...

+  but it sure is pretty. & jared had all the christmas lights on when I got home. christmas cheer!

-  I've been given a less than simple piano accompaniment to play at our church's christmas program. it's sorta kicking my butt, actually.

+  it's so great to have a piece to PRACTICE. butt kicking an' e'rything.

- cramps.

+  ibuprofen. x3.

- giving myself a curling iron hickey this morning in my cramp-induced fog

+ letting people think it's a real one, high-school styyyyle. (or whatever aged kids do that? errr...)

-  the wind tunnel I have to walk through to get into our office every day. totes did not miss that this spring/summer.

+  having all of 1 voicemail once I was blown through the wind tunnel & into my office today. welcome back, off-season.

- addressing christmas cards. boo hiss.

+ our first christmas cards! even if it's just the two of us, we're still a little family.

- office holiday gift exchange.

+ office holiday gift exchange.

- remembering just now that I have to cook food for that tomorrow night.

+ at least I remembered?

husband just jumped off the couch & plopped down on the floor so that I can't see his computer screen.

pretty sure that means some christmas purchasing is going doooowwwwnnnnnn.

he's wearing his new reading glasses = yummmmm.

I'd absolutely risk ruining a christmas present surprise to get a smackaroo from clark kent bethune.

xo, kelsey