stir crazzzy!

it's tuesday and, i think most of you know - but if you don't, my fifth day in the hospital.

i know - SHOCKER.

on thursday night i called my mom in tears because i was in so much pain from my headache (worse than ever) and friday morning we came to the ER on my doc's suggestion. and then i got admitted.

it's been a really long five days. i've been poked a lot to start new iv's (there has to be a better way to accomplish this, really) and i'm starting to get pretty stiff from laying around. i'm really sick of watching tv but tonight is the first night it isn't hurting really bad to move my eyes to do something else.

i have to say thank you to my doctors, especially my primary care dr. l and to the migraine specialist dr. r. they're neighbors! and if it wasn't for dr. r's husband doc gonzalez - i don't know what would be happening to me. all three of these docs have gone out of their way to take care of me (as in, they aren't technically on my team) and to make sure i'm feeling as comfortable as i can.

my team - the neuros lets call them - is also pretty fab. although it's taking a long time to figure out how to treat the migraine, it's finally working and that is one giant blessing to me. i know that i should be grateful to be in such a wonderful hospital getting better and i am. i just wish i could go home now, thanks...

one of the things that i've learned while being in here is that i am really glad that i'm not a nurse. as lovely (for the most part) as these women have been to me, i really don't want their job. i'll take a crazy bridezilla over catching puke in a bucket any day. but i do owe nancy a huge thank you for doing that for me. :)

i've also learned that i'm really glad that i moved home last year to have my family so close to me. and i'm lucky that my family that is far away is checking in on me daily. it's nice to know that so many people want me to feel better. (that sounded totally wrong. i hope you know what i'm trying to say!) i really have the best family and friends in iowa.

since i've had some free time (five days worth) i've also been looking online for a spring wardrobe update. here's what i'm currently lusting over -

i would like everything. the jacket, the jeans, the sweater. all from anthro, of course.

LOVING this skirt, belt and necklace.

similar to the first, but looks perfect for a spring day in the studio!

and because i'm a sucker for a nice handbag, my fingers did some shopping at my favorite, kate spade:

this is love. and it might be a present to myself :)

beautiful and practical. perfect.

that's all i've got for tonight. i'm watching the state of the union (yay obama!) and then it'll be on to parenthood and teen mom. oh, and my next treatment.

cross your fingers i break out soon...

all images from anthro & kate spade

migraine update + happy weekend!

look, two posts in one week!

first, an update on my migraine! yesterday, i spent a glorious four hours in the neurology clinic hooked up to an iv that made me restless. i really thought the medicine was working, until around nine o'clock the migraine returned. i thought if i slept it would help but this morning it is still there and going strong. i made it through work and now i'm taking it easy at home organizing my room and sleeping. i really am not sure what my options are at this point - other than going crazy from pain. i'm praying tomorrow will be a new day and that the meds i took today (excedrin migraine) will work along with a good nights rest. cross your fingers! otherwise, i think i'll spend sunday night in the ER trying to take care of this one way or another.

secondly, it's the weekend! i'm so excited - i'm hoping that this migraine will end so i can at least enjoy some of it. i have crazy plans for tonight: watch the bachelor that i missed on monday and sleep. and tomorrow: bridal show! monday (bonus!) i'll be doing NOTHING for the first time in fourteen days. bridal season leaves no room for a migraine. prayers are welcome and appreciated that this will not last any longer. i'm sure my (fabulous) co-workers are ready for me to work a full week without leaving to go to the hospital. i'm blessed that they are understanding and want me to get better.

that's about all i've got. i've been thinking a lot about this blog and i think i have some exciting things planned. at least, exciting to me. ;) so, let's get me better and see what the new year will bring!

what are you doing this weekend?

{happy new year!}

happy new year! a few days late, but it seems like i haven't accomplished anything this year. how were your holidays? it was so nice to not work for five days and just relax with my family. it seemed especially nice this year. i stayed with my grandparents a few days after the holiday - just me. we went to movies, drank grasshoppers and those moments i will cherish forever. i am so blessed to have them close to me and have the ability to share that time with them.

i have been meaning to sit down to write this post for many days. everyday i wake up and see my computer i think maybe today i'll blog, and then the day passes and its on to the next one.

the snow is starting to fall here in iowa. it's really beautiful out - now that i'm cozy in my home and not driving with one headlight out. i am so looking forward to snuggling into my comforter and sleeping! there is nothing like your bed at the end of a long day, right? although i'm not a fan of the snow (at ALL) i'm glad that we won't have to look at much of the dirty ground anymore. there is something so sad and depressing about the dead grass. hopefully we won't get another warm up so that this snow sticks around for awhile!

the reason for this post is to, of course, share my new year resolutions with you. although technically i have failed them all. but i can't explain!

1. blog at least twice a week. achievable. it is so nice to have a space to share my thoughts and i enjoy doing it. and i want to share what i'm working on with all of you! there have been so many things i want to share with the world and haven't because i'm really, really lazy. no more excuses!
2. exercise. standard stuff. routine is what my body seems to be yearning for. hopefully my mom and i can conquer this one together!
3. cook at least three times a week. i got so many nice things for christmas, but the one i'm really looking forward to using is the panini maker that the contractor and my mom got me. i can't wait to master panera's paininis on my own...for so much cheaper! in an effort to safe money and to make use of my fabulous kitchen things (like napkins, napkin holders and place mats!) i'm trying to cook more.
4. travel. all of my college friends have scattered across the country and live in the most fabulous places! atlanta, new york, san diego, houston, minneapolis! with so many fun places to explore, i hope i get to visit all of them before 2011 is over. i would also LOVE to take a trip just for myself. and right now, the thought of any place with sunshine, a beach and a fancy drink with an umbrella in it sounds pretty fantabulous.

i'm sure there are more i'm forgetting. one huge goal is to try not to be a workaholic. when i leave the office, i want to leave the office. which means i may not ever leave...last year i think i let myself get consumed with thinking about work and it affected my relationship and overall my stress level. which right now, is something i'm trying to avoid. which brings me to why i have already failed at all of my goals (including travel!) for the new year...

today is day 14 of a migraine for me. i'm five days away from breaking my record of 19 days. i am exhausted, frustrated and irritated because i haven't felt like me in so long. i've missed out on seeing my dear friends in chicago, a new years eve trip to missouri to see other friends and i missed the end of the iowa v. missouri game - the first in 100 years. mostly, i've missed out on being myself for fourteen days!!! i have been to the doctor and have been drugged - and i'm most frustrated that no one knows what to do! thursday i'll make another trip to the hospital to see a neurologist. i'm hoping he/she will 1) look like mcdreamy/mcsteamy and 2) have some kind of genius answer to kill this thing.

for those of you have never had one - i hope you never do. it's exhausting and all you want to do is lay in bed with all the lights off for days. and in reality, you can't really do that forever because you can only lay around for so long before you get a little restless. good thoughts and prayers are welcome at this point - and i promise to keep you all updated on what happens on thursday. so far, no one thinks it is anything more serious than a migraine and hopefully they will keep that same frame of mind on thursday.

here's to a new year and your new year resolutions!

i heart apple.

so, i broke down this week and bought a new computer. i bought a beautiful apple imac and i'm already in love. it's probably been up and running about 5 minutes and i'm so happy that i did it. so i thought i would write an ode to apple about how absolutely fabulous it is...

for starters, i didn't have to totally set everything up all over again. because of the fabulous application time machine, it took what was saved on my external hard drive and set up everything - passwords, software, bookmarks - on my new computer exactly the way that i had it on my old laptop. how easy-peasy is that? in love that i didn't have to do anything and could sit on the couch eating pizza and come back to find it finished.

the screen. how beautiful, big screened and fabulous this guy is. i'm obsessed. it makes the screen at work (which i thought was big and was worried my new one wouldn't be big enough) look like small potatoes. i can't wait to get to work designing things on this new one with the amount of workspace i have.

the apple magic mouse. it's wireless and works similarly to the iphone. i love it. i think i might need one at work. ha!

it looks good in my black/silver/purple master bedroom. for now - until the roommate moves out and i can turn the house into my office. i can't wait for that to happen, but it also looks right at home. i'm sure it will look more at home when i get my new desk next week. but i'm digging it.

the sound. i immediately downloaded the pandora application and the sound is fabulous. tv off, music on!

i'm hoping that skype will be just as fabulous as pandora. can't wait to try it out with the sister later tonight.

have a great weekend! we are supposed to get snow here tomorrow (in fact, we are under a blizzard warning this weekend!) so i'm hoping my appointments will all get cancelled so i can stay cozy in my condo all weekend. i will have to venture out to get some more christmas lights to finish my tree. but other than that, i'm staying put if at all possible. (and playing with my newest apple obsession!)

*this post is in no way in conjunction with apple - it represents my opinions and i'm not getting paid to write it. although, if they need someone to write blogs about how wonderful their products are, i would totally be up for it...

christmas spirit.

tonight i put up my christmas tree. it's artificial and i must admit that i miss the christmas tree smell that comes with christmas trees. i might just have to buy a candle to get the feel. tomorrow i'm going to steal (with permission) some lights from my parents and then put the pretty ornaments i bought today on. i'm still looking for a perfect tree topper (let me know if you have any suggestions!) and a tree skirt. details, details, details!

i have been feeling a little wishy-washy about the holidays this year. somedays, i wake up thinking i want my whole house to feel like christmas and other days i wake up and think - who the **** cares? i don't know if its because i have been feeling extra sad and lonely and woe is me lately...but it isn't fun. even this morning i thought - why do i really need a christmas tree? it's just me (and i guess, a roommate that i barely know) in my cozy condo this year. i can get by with just visiting the trees at my grandparents and parents houses...but now that it's up and in the living room, i'm really glad that i have it and i think it may be just the thing to get me out of my funkified mood.

1:32

so, it's one o'clock in the morning. 1:30, central time, to be exact.

i can't sleep. i'm wide awake. my mind is going 100 miles an hour. here is what's on my mind:

1. i am so glad that i updgraded to pandora one! love unlimited music. love no ads.
2. my upstairs neighbor's mattress has gotten louder. and louder. it's like they can't stop. please! i just want to go to bed!
3. tomorrow i really need to go to target and buy vacuum filters and lowe's to by a filter for my furnace.
4. tomorrow i also need to finish my laundry. it's getting serious!
5. i am so excited to see my family in northern wisconsin next week. so excited. i think a little relaxation and rejuvenation is just what this girl needs.
6. tomorrow i also really need to clean.
7. i hope the hawkeyes can pull out another win in kinnick on saturday. this season hasn't quite been what we were all expecting...
8. i really miss my life from a year ago sometimes. missouri, my friends, my life. alliteration rocks!
9. a lot of people asked me if i'm dating anyone today. the answer remains no. i'm kind of giving up on finding someone. i don't think i've really figured out how to be single yet. and i don't think i'm ready to date, honestly. too much emotional crap is still twirling around my heart/brain/body.
10. i really love late night skype dates with the little sister. maybe staying up until 1:32 isn't so bad!
11. i had dinner tonight with two married couples. they make me want to get married. and not want to, all at the same time. conundrum!
12. actually, i pretty much spend a lot of time with married people. or people who are about to get married, at least. weird. (not exactly the best place to meet people, see #9.)
13. pandora might have been the best invention ever. pandora and red box. that's all i need in my life.
14. and popcorn. and pizza. and mexican food. in regards to the end of #13.
15. i could probably get some cleaning done, but making this list is a lot more fun!
16. yes, the neighbors are still making noise right above me.
17. today when i was talking with one of my best friends via fb chat (another thing that makes my life!) i told her that i'll be the only single lady at thanksgiving. i said it was weird. she told me it wasn't weird and that i could move in with her and her hubby if i'm still single when i'm 33. i'll be the nanny she doesn't need because she'll definitely be a stay at home mommy. thank goodness i have such great friends looking out for me!
18. i think i found the perfect boots at nordstroms. and i can't wait to get them next weekend!
19. some people do their best thinking in the shower - clearly, i do it late at night!
20. does anyone else think that pandora can read their mind? it always plays the exact right music for my mood!

it's now 1:52. i'm gonna try and sleep again. look for a happy weekend! post tomorrow!

no. 75 & happy weekend!

hello all! isn't it a wonderful feeling when you walk out the door of the office on a friday evening? i love it. even when i walk out into a cold, wet, feeling winter-y drizzle. all i could think about on my way home was making a fire (and by making, i mean flipping the switch) and drinking a glass of wine. my dinner is in the oven and i happily found pretty woman on tv.

my head has been swarming this week with all of the things that i would like to get accomplished this weekend. in case you haven't heard, i have a roommate moving in in december and if this month goes the way that october did, that means she'll be moving in before i know it! tomorrow i'll be babysitting my favorite one year old twins (i can't believe that they are one year old!) and then hanging out with a pretty cool 3 year old. so, that leaves my to do list one night to get accomplished! here are all of the things i'd like to get done:

• bake pumpkin muffins using my new stand mixer
• laundry
• clean kitchen and master bath
• switch over clothes - i think we can all officially say winter is on its way

of course, there is a lot more to be done before the roomie moves in (like getting my furniture out of her room and my clothes out of her closet!) but i'm settling for starting to get the main living areas and my room done first.

what are you doing this weekend?

p.s. this was my 75 entry...and i've had this blog for over a year. i think i should probably work on that. here's to 100 before turkey day!