{today i love....the help}

right after the vikings final game (post season) my mother was told to read the book the help by kathryn sockett by one of the contractors sisters (or sisters-in-law, he has too many and i don't keep track). she read it in approximately five days and then passed the book on to me, saying that i had to read it. the problem was that i was (and still am) in the middle of the guernsey literary and potato peel society by mary ann shaffer and annie barrows so i told her i would put in on the stack of books i want to read.

last week, i decided i needed a break from the literary society and moved on to the help. i am so glad that i did. what i found was a novel that sucked me in after five paragraphs. it felt so good to read again and to have a book take hold of me, the way books did all throughout my childhood. i had forgotten the power of a book rather than a television show & slowly fell in love again.

the help is a novel written about the civil rights movement and african american maids working in the south. it follows two maids and a white young woman (around my age) and their story. that's all that i am going to say, because let me tell you, its is much more fun to read the book than have someone tell you all about it. this book is a page turner, and i found my eyes burning in the middle of the night so that i could read the next chapter.

this past weekend, my mom recommended the book to my grandma, another book lover. she had already ordered it on amazon and was looking forward to starting it for her book club. let me tell you, you need to read this book.

i even skipped watching the olympics last night to read it! it's that good!

{in other news, i babysat two beautiful babies today and am relishing the smell of baby that is still lingering on my clothes. the world just seems perfect & peaceful when there is a three-month old sleeping in your arms, don't you think?}

olympics.

Well, I'm a day late. Hopefully not a dollar short.

It's day 5 of the Olympics - oh boy! I am having such fun watching the sports that I only watch every four years (like luge).

That's a good starting point. Like most of the people watching the Olympics this year, my heart and thoughts go out to the Georgian Olympian's family. I can't imagine the kind of pain they are in and I cannot fathom what they are going through. It seems so strange (ok, maybe not the best word) that something this devastating can happen in such a quick minute. I am sure none of us can put into words how we feel about what happened last Friday - except one. Shocked.

But, I don't want to focus on the sad parts. Let's move on to the five good thoughts of the past five days:

1. Canada's first home-gold medal! That was an incredible thing to see and couldn't help but to cheer for Canada over the US in that event. The story behind that athlete is so inspiring as well...I am so happy for Canada.

2. Pairs skating. Tonight, while watching the men's short program, my family and I discussed how much more falling there seems to be in this sport than years previous. Does anyone else feel that way?

3. Speed skating - hooray for collisions! Not really - I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Your Olympic dreams being squashed in .5 seconds. More devastation. But hooray for Apollo! More congratulations will be given to him for sure.

4. Nordic combined - that may have been the most exciting part of the entire Olympics. I can't believe how hard those athletes train! My thighs were burning just watching!

5. Women's moguls - let's just say: how can you go that fast? So fun to watch. And yay for the USA!

I don't think we can not talk about the Opening Ceremonies. Now remember, this is my opinion - but could that have been any more boring?! I couldn't keep myself focused on what was happening. The most exciting part was when the technology malfunctioned! How horrible.

Those are my thoughts so far - how about you?

I deserve an award

For being the WORST blogger EVER.

i promised a post over a week ago and you have gotten nothing.

i am so sorry, loyal reader family.

here's what's been happenin':

1. i still can't divulge much about my top-secret meeting. hopefully soon! (it's very exciting and top secret!)

2. i started physical therapy! so exciting. hopefully my knee will get better. i go three times a week and a very nice lady talks to be about a lot of things while she makes me do really exciting stretches followed by a nice soft tissue massage from my left knee up followed by a little electric shock therapy. WHOO!

3. my grandpa (my hero and favorite) came to visit and celebrated his birthday with us! my mom made the most amazing oatmeal cake with the most delicious cream cheese frosting. plus whitey's. you can't be from iowa and not love whitey's. heavenly. it was so fun to share his birthday with him, and unique to be the only grandchild!

4. i have been work a lot. i have a lot of brides. and i stare at the computer all day long...which doesn't really make me want to stare at it when i get home...

5. i am slowly losing the ability to sleep in. a true sign that grown-up hood has started. although 8 am seems like sleeping in to my mother and thomas, it is a lot different to me on a saturday. i much prefer the earlier morning, however. i am starting to enjoy breakfast (my fav: special k with craisins or some delish oatmeal) and like not rushing to get to work. i am hoping that since i keep waking up earlier, i'll have time to update in the mornings.

another nice thing about waking up earlier is that i don't have to watch the dumb part of the today show (no offense, matt!). i just can't believe that they spend so much time talking about crap - i mean really, how often do we need to hear about tiger woods sex addiction? i was over it the day after the crash. and jon & kate? although i loved the show and those kids were cute, let them fight privately. those kids are going to grow up and hate their parents even more than they would have (no offense, parents).

6. i've been think a lot about my 25 things to do by the time i'm 33 list. i'm still not done - i'll share when it is perfect!

7. i have spent a lot of time looking at these kind of websites: here there everywhere

8. my wonderful aunt and uncle were in town last night. we went out for dinner out blackstone and i had one of the most delicious club sandwiches that i've ever had. it was...out of control. turkey, ham, swiss, american, mayo, bbq...melty, saucy goodness. just thinking about it i could eat more. also, i think blackstone may have the best fries in town. i'm thinking this thought may cause me to eat a lot of french fries to compare them too...

9. it is valentine's day. i don't really know what this has to do with anything. but, so it goes. the best part about valentine's day is that the amazing race will start! yay, i love that show. i don't know if i could ever go on it - but it is so fun to watch!

i have a confession to make, readers. i am really enjoying watching the bachelor this season. i took a break from it for....all of college...but it is fun to watch! so much wonderful drama packed into two hours!

i am also really, really liking this season of grey's anatomy. i just think that it may be returning to its original roots. last season it just go to weird. izzy was seeing dead people - that almost ruined it for me forever. but this season...i could go on forever. next week, i'll dedicate thursday's post to grey's. now i've made a dedication that i can't change.

as i type this, i am watching apollo ohno and jr (or cr?) compete. what an incredible sport speed skating is! i'll obviously have to do an olympic post this week as well. so much to talk about: the sadness that the games started with, the oh-so-boring opening ceremony...who knows what else will happen between now and monday!

i am looking forward to the week ahead! monday at the shop we are taking photos of our work to update or website! i can't wait to see how they will turn out! and then next weekend we will go and visit my lovely little sister to celebrate her 20th birthday. ha! all of us are in our twenties! i am also going to promise pictures of this wonderful, life altering event!

come back monday for a review of the olympics thus far. i know that my grandma has her nice, gorgeous tv that she loves so much turned to nbc (and its other stations). grandma, aren't you glad that i picked that out? just kidding, of course.

toothless. and excited.

well, yesterday i enjoyed the long overdue task of getting my wisdom teeth out. yesterday was fine, i could talk & eat and thought things would only get better. today, i'm in a lot of pain and wishing i could just sleep all day. (which i truly have.) in between my naps i watch tv and check the always exciting internet...and try not to think about work. i thought i would be able to get some things accomplished, but haven't which will make for a very busy tomorrow.

in between my medication-induced naps, my mind wanders to home decor. it is inevitable that i will soon have my own space to decorate and fill and i find myself going to online shops like pottery barn, ikea and crate&barrel rather than my usual j. crew, gap and nordstroms for an online shopping fix. the idea of buying myself a beautiful desk, wall decor, bookshelves and a couch is SO exciting is & is definitely putting my desire for shoes, clothes and handbags (gasp!) on hold. saving for something that is a little more long term is making my shopping addiction come to a halt & i think remembering buying my first 'grown-up' bed will mean a little more than a new kate spade. (i never thought i would hear those words come out of my mouth!)

last weekend the chef came to visit. it was so nice to spend the time with him. long-distance is by no means easy, but i do think it is making our relationship stronger. it's forcing us to talk about what we each want out of the relationship, both long-term and short-term. i am so excited for him - he has grown up a lot since he graduated in december! trust me, i am excited about this. we were talking a lot about what we want - and both decided that he needs to go to school in august. now the question is where. denver is his number one choice, but he is also open to some other options (some a little closer like chicago or minneapolis & some farther like charlotte). this new chapter will be very exciting for him...i can't wait to see what it brings.

during his visit, he also told me about he & his closet friends making a list of 25 things that they want to do before they turn 33 (or in ten years). it has inspired me to make my own list, which i am working on and will share with you toward the end of the week.

i also got to visit my beautiful baby sister at school. her new dorm room is great. i am so proud of her and seeing how much she has loved school so far!

here is what the rest of my week looks like:

tomorrow: physical therapy. hooray, my knee may actually start to heal! back to work to catch up on the 20+ emails i've gotten since leaving the shop on saturday.

thursday: a secret meeting, details to come following.

friday: work, work, work. i am sure that the rest of this week will mean long hours. it's good for me though. i am so blessed & thankful to have my job that i don't mind.

saturday: consultations @ the studio. (which, by the way looks totally different. pictures to come on our blog this week!) followed by going to look at future grown-up places to live.

whew! i'm already tired just thinking about it. another post on thursday, my loves!