Undefeated

Thank you Max Hall.

Stuff I'm Sure You Really Want to Know

Last year, around this time, we bought a queen-sized down comforter because we had been sharing a twin-sized one and it just wasn't working out. We had only been married for a few months and hadn't fully settled in. And you'll have to remember that I pretty much get used to inconvenience at a lightening quick speed (remember this and this?). I suppose we got serious about getting a bigger comforter when we could no longer deny that a.) twin-sized bedding is only meant for one person and b.) I am a cocoon sleeper and wrap myself up real tight in my blankets while I sleep. I guess I just like to be as snug as a bug in a rug. Unfortunately, that always left Brandon shivering in the night and kind of irritated in the morning.

Well, here we are, more than a year later and I have made even more progress. I finally bought a duvet cover for the comforter!! Note the double exclamation point? It is a big deal--I finally moved from the thinking-about-it to the doing-something-about-it stage! Given my major procrastination issues, sometimes I am amazed that I have a masters and real job.

In a typical Alison fashion, buying a duvet cover has been one of the biggest pains ever. So many rhetorical questions I can never fully answer! Is it too much? If I made one would it be less expensive? Does that material look cheap? Is it too girly? Will I like it in 6 months let alone 5 years? Will it be too heavy and make us hot? You see how difficult those questions are? I guess that is why I left them unanswered for an entire year.

I decided that things must change when I noticed I was grimacing when I climbed into bed, annoyed that our giant dry-clean-only comforter was now a dull white with some unsightly stains (why oh why don't I take off mascara before I go to bed?). Not a good way to beckon sleep.

So where did I find the perfect one? On overstock.com. I've never seen it in person, haven't felt the fabric, don't think it is a trusted brand, and saw an image of it for the first time tonight. Does that mean it is just that awesome? No, not really. It just means I got so sick of not having one that I became impulsive and enticed by the $2.95 flat shipping.

But it looks promising, right?
I ordered the mocha colored one. Neutral but not too boring. Actually, they didn't have any of the other colors in stock. See, I told you I acted impulsively.

In other news, I did not buy these plates at TJ Maxx tonight.
I really really wanted to though. They made me nostalgic for Christmas at home since both my Grandma and my mom have these plates. However, since I already have a Christmas china pattern and have about three other non-Christmas plate sets, I took the higher road and left them on the shelf. Sigh. Plus, there was only three and everyone knows you need enough to seat at least four. If there had been four, I don't know if I could have passed them up. $6.99 at TJ Maxx is way better than $32.95 retail, right? Here I am, several hours later and still kind of sad that I don't have them. Apparently I have a thing for pretty housewares.

The final thing I wanted to tell you about, dear Internet, is that Brandon and I are artists! A few weeks ago we made Inspiration Boards via a challenge posted on my friend Melanie's super cute blog. Since I had been feeling a little blah, I took the challenge. Brandon couldn't resist the fun and got in on it, too. Here is what we did...look closely at Brandon's. He's very proud of it and is a little bitter he didn't win (although I know he would have been sorely disappointed by the prize). I just thought it was fun and got a kick of seeing a picture of something I made on someone else's blog.

OK...was that long enough for you? Apparently I am chatty Cathy tonight. xoxo...

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

So here we are...half way through November! October ended with a very anticlimactic Halloween. This time, we were the big fat party poopers and didn't do anything. That is pretty much sacrilegious in my family, but when you don't have kids, missed the church Halloween party the weekend before, live in a secured condominium building, and had a really stressful week at work, a non-eventful holiday is just what happens (and is just the ticket).

A few days before Halloween though, we did make some sugar cookies. Given Brandon's current affinity for all things Batman, he pretty much only made bat-shaped cookies and incessantly spoke his (in)famous Batman voice. If you look really closely at the picture below, you'll notice that Brandon spelled "Batman" in Nerds. You'll also notice his hideous mustache (that is no longer a part of our lives).

I know you are thinking that Gingerbread shaped cookies aren't Halloween appropriate--I had visions of making Frankenstein-esque figures, but when it came down to it, I didn't have the dedication (or interest) to get all technical with special frosting techniques and equipment so we just made demented Gingerbread peeps instead.

The cookies were soft and incredibly delish--so thank you Wantanabe fam for the recipe. They probably will never see this blog but you know, you gotta give credit where credit is due.

What else? The past few weeks have been filled with lots and lots of work, lots and lots of church stuff, and lots and lots of thinking about stuff that sometimes make you want to go crazy. In addition to all of that gunk, Brandon has been putting together stuff to make himself a savvy applicant for a pharmacy residency and I have begun an exciting new project called Working Out. It is very new to me and I'm not quite sure how to do it, but apparently I have to go to a place called The Gym, move my body, and maybe even sweat. I hear that it can do wonders, but they also said that about Clear Pepsi.

On a totally unrelated note, I was browsing the world wide web today and saw that my cousins have also begun an exciting new project--They totally made shirts for the Twilight movie. Check them out here. I haven't read the last book yet and actually don't feel a strong urge to, BUT, I will be seeing the movie*. Twilight is just one of those very guilty pleasures. It is cheap story-telling that is mushy, almost embarrassing, and a tad over the top, but I've always had a thing for vampires. Remember? (BTW, I NEVER got that video. Lame!). Plus that whole forbidden love thing is kind of catchy. I'm Team Jacob though, so I'm not sure I can totally commit to a shirt.

That's about all I have to share...we are going to Orlando at the beginning of December to explore the many pharmacy residency options. So if anyone has ever been to Orlando, tell us whether or not it is worth going to Disney World or any of the other over-priced theme parks in the area. Any other suggestions of what to do while we are there are also welcome.

*PS, all Denver friends that want to see the above mentioned movie, let's make plans!!