my husband is trés entertaining

Last night I was sitting at the kitchen counter working on some homework, Dan was in the kitchen.  All of a sudden he holds up three fingers, it takes me a while to figure out what he is doing, and then finally I say, "Three words?" He nods his head excitedly (ok, charades).  Then he holds up #1 and wiggles his body back and forth.  I say, "uhhh noodle?" He nods his head excitedly and points to his nose like 'bingo'.  "Really, it was noodle!??"  He nods yes and points 'bingo'.  Second word: He waves his arms up and down, "Octopus?!"  He nods excitedly, bingo!.  "What, really?".  Third word: he lunges.  "Lunge???"  He nods excitedly, bingo!.  "What?? Noodle, Octopus, Lunge??!!" He nods and points bingo a few times. 

It took me all the the way to Noodle- Octopus-Lunge to realize that he was just agreeing with the first word I said, he didn't have anything in mind to begin with.  It was brilliant! Needless to say, I had a go at it and it kept us entertained for about 10 more minutes.

Happy Hug a Stressed Architecture Student Day!!!!

This is a much needed holiday, everyday should be hug a stressed architecture student day, because guaranteed, an architecture student is in need of a hug every day.  For more on this holiday, head on over to April's blog, she's a better blogger than me, or take a look at the photos on the Facebook album.  After you do this, you will probably say, "wha?, yeah right, it can reaaally be like that" YES! IT CAN! 

kate spade copied me

...but did a much better job. Remember my genius idea to make a Kindle case that mimicked a real book? Well, because so many people read my blog (sarcasm), word must have gotten out, and Kate Spade ripped off my idea. If I was frivolous, I would sell out and spend $85 on this cute cover.

 

happy and sad

This came in my inbox this evening and made me so happy/sad. Happy because I love this little beauty, and the other little beauty who's named, so much.  Sad because I miss them! I still have yet to find girlfriends as good as these two.  If I were rich, I would pay for both of them to fly out and visit me for a week.  

Black Friday

I have never understood Black Friday. Don't get me wrong, I loooove discounts, but I don't looooove discounts to the point that I will subject myself to suffocating crowds, hours of waiting, and disorganized display cases.  Plus if my time is money, which my dad says it is, I might actually end up 'spending more money' on Black Friday then saving it.   Also, is there anything else that I really need?  This mentality may change when I have kids, or a house that needs furnishing, but now I would rather sleep in and lounge around the house. Which is exactly what we did.

We woke up at 1 p.m., yes, 1 in the afternoon! It was amazing and wonderful, and much needed. Then we ran to our favorite market for some beverages. Then cleaned the Thanksgiving-kitchen-mess while listening to the musical talents of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons and Otis Redding. Then decorated for Christmas! Wooo!

To prove how much I actually like saving money, I will show you how I prepare for Christmas, on the cheap.

1. Christmas lights: go to the thrift store, you can find all sorts of lights for a few bucks.  Just test them in an outlet at the store.

 2. Twine. Twine might be the second most important invention, next to the clothespin. You can use it for tying presents, for decorating your fish bowl, and keep it for use all year-round.  Can you use xmas ribbon for around-the-house projects? I didn't think so.

3. Typically, I believe in splurging and getting a real tree, who wants a plastic tree?! Well when you live in a small apartment and won't actually be home xmas day, I do.  But don't buy a new plastic tree, that's the beauty (and nightmare) of plastic, it lasts forever.  A plastic tree from the 90s is just as good as a plastic tree in the 10's (that's what I am calling this decade), so pick one up from the thrift store. This one cost me 3$.

4. While you are at the thrift store, find a nice looking tree topper, for 75 cents.

5. Think ahead.  I bought theses Balls and Birds (that's what I'm calling them) from Target last year, about a week after Christmas.  They were 75-90% off, and I just stored 'em away for next year. 

6. Buy wrapping paper that you can use all year round.  This paper I bought from IKEA (super cheap) and I have used it for birthdays as well as holidays.  Add some twine and you have one pretty package. I also like to use recycled newspaper and paper grocery bags.  

7. Splurge and get a REAL wreath for your door (or get one from the thrift store, or make your own).  Every year we get the eucalyptus wreath from Trader Joe's.  It smells like heaven, or Vix Vapor Rub, whichever you prefer.   

Do you have any other Holiday money saving tips to share?

Turkey Day (sans turkey)

This is our first time spending Thanksgiving here in Eugene, and it was wonderful.  We started out the morning playing "Grapes and Raisins," an annual ward soccer game of old people (raisins) vs. young people (grapes).  Just for the record, Dan and I qualified as raisins.

Then we came home, cooked for a few hours, which you can read about here, then napped.

dan getting fancy in the kitchen

We then ate and spent the rest of the evening at our friends Hannah and Cyrus's house.

table set

with food

Since going vegan/gluten free, I have never been able to eat much on Thanksgiving, but this year there was plenty for me to eat. The list includes: vegan mashed potatoes, vegan/gf gravy, vegan/gf stuffing, dahl and rice, cranberry and orange relish, two types of green beans, and vegan/gf ginger pumpkin pie!

my plate

my plate zoomed in!

 

food coma

I think if I got my Labradoodle named Mochi, I would be a good master. My experiment as mom of 'Oko the Fish' has proved successful.

• I feed him regularly
• I change his water every week-point-five
• I show him ample affection (by hugging or kissing the glass)
• Oko responds to my affection by sticking his face next to mine

Now all that's stopping me from being a dog owner is a pet-friendly apartment and a possible move to London.

what mochi could look like

My brother was asking for more blog posts...

so this one's for you boodle!

A while back I mentioned some fun facts about my brother, you can read those here. And because this post is dedicated to my brother, I thought I would continue that list.

1. When he was little he used to slink around the house setting booby traps, and when he would ensnare someone he would peek out around the corner, then slink away without saying a word.

2. He was once really skinny, now he is really buff. See exhibits a. and b.
                     

exhibit a

         exhibit b: (and scary

3. He likes the zoo and disneyland

4. He has a terrible diet.  See exhibit c. d. and e. 

exhibit c

exhibit d

exhibit e

5. His betta fish once got a giant tumor and sunk to the bottom of the bowl.  We kept it alive for three more days by pushing it around the bowl with a spoon (fish breathe by water passing by their gills)

6. My mom once made him kill a a pesky bunny with his b-b-gun, he cried.

7. He is the only one of us kids to have ever owned a dog

8. He's a talented rock climber

9. He ate a 9x9 from In N Out

10. He was bitten on the wrist by a parrot fish when we were younger. He still has the scar. It was my fault!

11. He's on my list of 'favorite people in the world'. (nicole you are on there too)

speaking of e-waste

Check out the latest video from these great people (my friend's gf actually produces these videos, coooool!).



If you haven't watched the other story of stuff videos, I would highly recommend it.  Even if you don't believe in global warming, it's important to be responsible stewards, and to consider the life cycle of everything you consume. Here's another video for your viewing pleasure, for all you bottled water drinkers out there, which if you are you should: 1st. stop! 2nd. watch the video 3rd. buy a refillable bottle.

Soooo, we needed a new alarm clock, and because I feel guilty about all the e-waste we ship to China...

...I refused to buy a new one.  I spent about a month at various thrift stores, trying to find the the perfect old/new alarm clock that I could rescue from its eminent landfill destiny, and finally I found it!  It reminds me of the one my parents had in their bedroom, and I think they still do for that matter, so it has a good nostalgic quality to it.  Plus, it only cost me $3.00! But now I see why:

If the cord isn't positioned right, some of the numbers drop out, and I can't tell if it's 7:01, or 7:51, or anywhere in between. Don't worry though, I won't toss it.  It's nothing that a good whack on the side can't fix.

Dan's turn

We are really excited because we just found out Dan was accepted to the Master's of Sports Managment program at the London Metropolitan University. Dan wants to work for a professional soccer team, and Europe is the place to be for that. Plus, the school is right next door to Arsenal stadium (our favorite team)...and hellooo, London Olympics 2012!!!!

I am also excited for myself because I would love to start my architecture career in London, I of course have to find someone to hire me first. But now the roles are reversed, and I get to support Dan through school. I am really excited, he has been so supportive and helpful, and now I get to repay him. 

We still haven't decided if this is where we will choose to go, Dan is also applying to the MBA program at UO, and we want to keep our options open....but I am definitely leaning UK.

p.s. we are thinking of canceling our Belize plans, if we do go to London we will need to save all the money we can!

A while back I posted about one of my favorite inventions of all time- the clothespin.  How can something invented way back in 1853, with a relatively unchanged design, continue to get cooler?

image via

the dilemma...

Do we go to Belize for winter break, as we have been discussing, or forgo the vacay and get this?