Fresh Start

I'm lovin' this new year so far! I feel so energized for some reason. It's going to be a great year!

After spending parts of several days cleaning at Mom McClure’s house in Florida, I crashed when we got home Thursday. Seriously. We ate lunch, and I took a big fat nap on the couch. Then I lounged around some more and went to bed early -- and still slept just great. After we ran errands Saturday, cleaning maniac mode ensued. I can guarantee that my kitchen has probably never been cleaner (and my sore scrubbing shoulder can attest to that).

I love setting goals and seeing my progress on projects. The past couple years I've set some great goals, and this year I had fun thinking about different things that I want to do and improve on in my life. Now, I'm not just for "New Year's Resolutions" -- I believe that there's no time like the present, and if you want to do something, then by all means, do it! It just happens to work out for me to set some goals right now.

Since our move to NC in 2012, I think I've really found the truth that it's easier to keep things clean than to clean up after it has become a mess. It was refreshing to come home to such a clean house. And because it was already clean, it was easier to do some deep cleaning projects too. I love it! (Please don't get the false impression that our home is superbly clean -- it's not. Many areas would benefit from even a surface cleaning.) I know it's easier to keep up on cleaning when I'm not working too, so I can only hope for the best now that I had to go back to work today. At least it was clean to ring in the new year!

Also, we rocked our workout today. Joshua is a great cheerleader and kept me motivated last year. We consistently worked out March through September. October was iffy; then sicknesses and vacations put an end to workouts for us in November and December. Today we went back to our own private gym (the apartment complex equipment room), and it felt great! To emphasize the wonderful magnitude of my having any sort of workout regimen, let me share with you what my mother said last year when I mentioned that we were starting to workout. "What'd you do that for??" Ha. That sentence should tell you all you need to know about my workout history in life.

Anyway, when we started working out last year, I spent most of my time on the treadmill. I like numbers and it was something that I can easily quantify and track progress. After a couple workouts, I decided my goal was to jog a 15 minute mile. (If you're a runner, please hold in your laughter.) It took me until the beginning of June to be able to do that. I think the first time I did it, I did 2 miles on the treadmill and somewhere in the middle was my 15 minute mile at a steady 4.0 MPH. Today, I totally beat that. And I haven't worked out in over 2 months. And I also didn't push too hard for fear of overexerting my afraid-of-workouts-mention-workout-and-I-might-hide-under-a-rock nature (technical term) that I would love to change simply because I know I'll feel better and be healthier if I exercise regularly.

Anyway, cleaning and working out are totally not part of my goals for this year. Major tangents there. I want them to be just a normal part of my life. It's 2014, I set some new goals, our home is mostly clean, and that makes me happy. Life is good. Happy new year!

Reinstating Date Night

Back in January, I decided it was time to reinstate date night. There's so much that we haven't done around Chapel Hill, and it was a beautiful Saturday. One of those 70 degree days in the middle of winter. Apparently going to a public park is all the rage when it's so nice out in January, so we went to walk around the botanical gardens.

These flowers were one of the only things blooming!

Next we were off to walk up and down Franklin St. One of our missions was to find somewhere new to eat, but Pita Pit suckered us in since it had been such a long time since we had eaten there. We enjoyed Cold Stone for dessert and called it a night.

Since then we've been on some other fun dates! The idea is for us to take turns planning them. Here are some of our other dates from the past couple months:

• One weekend Joshua took me to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. It was a Friday night, and we waited an hour to be seated!! Good thing we already know their food is so delicious and was well worth the wait. Our rock-paper-scissors time passing also humored some of the other people waiting. The next night we used our Christmas present from Melissa's family and went to see Les Miserables in the theater.
• Ordering Papa John's and making it our mission to find a new $5 movie to buy and watch that night.
• Running errands, picking up dinner from Panera Bread, and going home to rent a movie.

Other weekends we've been sick and stayed home snuggled up, but we've already got some great dates planned for the coming months! And you've already read about Joshua's birthday weekend and our spring break kick-off! Good thing the kick-off was good, since Joshua spent most of the week sick. We're hoping he feels better in the morning, so he can go to school!

Raccoons & Tag-Teaming

Yesterday I stopped in the middle of busy Franklin St. on my way home to let a raccoon finish safely crossing the road. There wasn't even a raccoon crossing sign. Also, I'm not sure if I'd actually ever seen a raccoon before. Random little thing. Wonder if anyone's missing a pet raccoon. ;)

Joshua and I have got a "tag-team" (his words) going on. It's not a good one either. I'm on my fourth yucky cold this winter, but this time I shared! I was sick, and as I was getting better about a week later, he started getting it. Then I got it again a week later. Then I got the plague (a.k.a. pink eye). Now it's his turn again (minus the pink eye...somewhat lucky guy). I think we're ready for some spring cleaning!! If only either of us had the energy for it. Any takers?

On the up side, we've spent lots of time snuggled in bed and watching movies the past month! I even took a day off of work to sleep once! (You know I felt horribly rotten if I actually took a sick day. I half-remember calling in and saying something about being really tired.) Susan told me I should get an award for lasting so long without getting sick. I reassured her I have been sick this year; it just typically catches up to me and I end up sleeping the whole weekend. It means I get to save my days for fun things this summer! For now, I'm excited about spring and warm weather!

Celebrating Spring Break!

We kicked off Joshua's spring break with a fun-filled Saturday! After some sleeping in, we headed to a wooded area on campus to explore the trails. We enjoyed the warmer weather, trickling streams, and serenading whistler.



The lone green tree that's ready for spring!

Along the trail we occassionally saw a wooden bench. At one point we saw a sign pointing to "Sister's Corner" and mused about what may be there. I suggested that Sister's Corner must have two benches. Guess who was right?!

We spent part of the afternoon wandering through Carr Mill Mall and finally checking out Weaver Street Market. I'd heard soo many good things about the local co-op. We both loved the small town feel of it! Maple View Farm ice cream and chocolate milk, fresh sourdough bread, and an amazing looking steak from a local farm were our happy treasures from the trip.

We tried out the famous Alfredo's Pizza for dinner and were satisfied. Good pizza but nothing too famous about it. Papa John's spinach alfredo pizza with chicken and bacon (and olives on my half) is still our current favorite pizza.

We ended the night as true adults. Sam's Club has two new members!
In Joshua's words, "That moment when having your own Sam's Club membership makes you feel adult." 
In my words, "I feel like a kid in a candy store."

Unmentionable Number

My Joshua had a birthday!! (For some reason, he doesn't like it when I say how old he turned. Like he thinks he's getting old or something.)

Friday's are a short school day for him, so he was home while I was on my break at work. I pretended to be his paparazzi. I called and asked him to check the front porch for a package...and I sneak attacked him! Somebody [amazing and wonderful] had delivered a delicious looking ice cream cake!

Friday night we celebrated at IHOP with some free birthday dinner for Joshua! (Plus a non-birthday-related brief exploration of a nearby slighty ghetto mall.) Back at home Joshua opened presents, and we had some yummy cake while watching some Boy Meets World. Then went to sleep super early like an old couple.

Birthday boy eating his scrumptious food. Also notice his

strawberry-topped pancakes and my red velvet ones. Heavenly!

Birthday wish with our lone nickel.

"How'd you know I wanted this?" 

I think that means I'm good at surprises.

Happy with his new book!
The only one he'd name as a birthday wish.

Joshua looked...funny but thinks I look cute. :)

"Happy Birthday" - not Harry Baker in case you were wondering.

The festivities continued as we used a birthday present and went to Texas Roadhouse for a lunner. It was certainly memorable since our waitress quit in the middle of her shift. We didn't know that at first...we just thought we were receiving possibly the worst service ever. We'd been seated for at least 5-10 minutes before she showed up to ask us about drinks and take our order. And we never saw her again. We'd received our food, and I was nearly done when I finally (out of desperation/maybe just thirst) went to ask another waitress for a refill. It was after that another waitress showed up and made it up to us with her amazing service. So birthday lunner ended up being a success, full of incredible, edible food and extraordinarly long straws.

 

Happy ##!!!

Valentine's Day

It's hard to believe this year is our FIFTH Valentine's Day together!!!!!

**Unfinished blog post alert!**

 

Random Realization

Today I had a funny realization while I was eating a delicious dill pickle. I hate cucumbers SO much! It's because of the flavor, but it's also in large part due to the seeds. I think they're gross. Sometimes I do eat cucumbers because it seems like the right thing to do at the time, but I never enjoy them. Anyway, I LOVE pickles!! They can be whole pickles, babies, spears, sliced...doesn't matter. Dill or bread and butter. I love them! And the seeds totally don't bother me. Well today I was looking at my pickle and had the thought that it was once a cucumber. Still loved my pickle and enjoyed the gigantic seeds in the middle. But cucumbers....LOATHE entirely!

(Joshua thinks I'm a little crazy for writing a blog post about this.)

Spook made it!

Our car, or Spook as we fondly refer to him, reached a momentous milestone today!!

 

 

Check out the mileage! I have been greatly anticipating this moment for weeks, and I'd even calculated when it would happen. Naturally I was thrilled when I got a red light (after a streak of green ones) just in time to snap a good picture!

 

In other car news, just this week I finally found a radio station we like. Good times.

SNOW

It snowed Thursday night!! I was checking the next day's weather when I noticed. Naturally I had to go run around in it! Mostly I was hoping for a snow day Friday, but that didn't happen. Clearly I was still excited to play in it though!

Winter's Coming!

This morning when I went outside to go to work there was ice on our car! On half of the back windshield. I was feeling a little bothered by it and momentarily missed covered parking...until I realized it's the end of November and I've only had to scrape ice off half of my back windshield once this season. And the season is actually still autumn...not winter.

Let's just say that every time I check the weather I feel glad to be living in Chapel Hill and not Rexburg.

Ice made me think of snow. Snow made me think of winter, and winter makes me think of Christmas. I've found a Christmas radio station!! It's the only decent radio station, besides classical, that I've found since moving here. It makes me happy. :) Happy holiday season to us!

Can't wait for Friday....

It's been a week full of firsts!

We started the week out with our new joint calling - nursery teachers!! We're both excited for it. And also glad that we do it only every other week, so that way we can still meet and interact with some adults. So I can add nursery teacher to my versatile list of callings held. Now my list will look like this: RS pianist, ward organist, RS pianist, RS chorister, RS pianist, ward organist, nursery leader. Uhh...obviously the versatile part was a joke. I would have been very happy with ward organist again, since I'd be terrified of some non-music callings. But this is one non-music calling I'm looking forward to!

Monday I walked through my very first spider web...in the face! Gross. I think North Carolina was welcoming me. Wanted me to feel like a legit NC resident or something. At work there were some other firsts. I'll be happy to spare you the details which I'm certain nobody wants to hear. I've just got one word for you: Y-U-C-K!!!

Tuesday I started off the morning with another first - my first case of pink eye this school year! (Which means I broke my new year's resolution to not get pink eye this year.) Thankfully I caught it early on, and we already had eye drops. Plus, my boss told me to come into work anyway. haha. I thought that was weird, but was fine with it since I don't have sick time yet and would have been home essentially feeling fine all day anyway.

Another first for Tuesday was our first tornado watch. It was POURING outside and there was some intense thunder! Poor Joshua got soaked walking to the bus before coming home. For me it meant that I got my first "rainy day" schedule experience at work. Not gonna lie, it was pretty nice. Also had my first parent night for work. I think parent night is a "four-letter word" at this school too. At least it only lasted an hour!

Tuesday ended with a bang. Or maybe I should say a drip. A drip from our bathroom ceiling. Yep, while it was pouring outside, our ceiling started leaking. It's a crack that was dripping from a handful of places. Nothing too bad, but we called the emergency maintenance number just to be sure they were fine with waiting until morning. Apparently some of their ceilings leak when it rains really hard...comforting. They'll come check it out. Hopefully before it rains really hard again!

I went to bed thinking, "It's only Tuesday???"

Today seemed to be pretty smooth sailing, for both Joshua and me...minus some exhaustion. Anyway, the spider I smushed and smeared with my finger (unintentionally) and roach in our dishwasher encounter (half full of clean dishes) were both things I won't be forgetting about anytime soon.

I think it's been a week worth remembering. But let's just say, can it be Friday already??

"We're an eye doctor..."

This one is just a memory for us McClures. Go read April 11th's entry in the family almanac. (I looked at the calendar and was a week off...oops!)

Countdown...

to a much needed vacation!!

Warm sunshine and family time can't come soon enough! :)

Feed the Ducks

Before we went to feed the ducks today, I googled what ducks eat. I was just curious about what they eat when people don’t come to feed them. It was surprising! Bread is one of the worst things to feed ducks because there isn’t much nutritional value in it for them. (Too bad I’d already broken up our bread and tortillas to feed them.) Next time we’re trying lettuce. Here’s a list of nutritious things you can feed ducks:

• Cracked corn
• Wheat
• Barley
• Oats
• Milo
• Birdseed
• Grapes (cut in half)
• Frozen peas or corn (defrosted)
• Earthworms
• Chopped lettuce
• Vegetable trimmings or peels (chopped)

While we were at the nature park we saw an owl. He was a rather large fellow, and he was just chillin' on the grass. That’s the closest either of us has been to an owl. He was kinda pretty.

There was also a duck with a hurt foot. It made me want to cry. I wish I knew how we could help the poor thing. Joshua made sure that he got lots of food, even if it’s not very good food for him.

#1 Reason

My number one reason for being excited for the day when Joshua is a professor . . . attending events on campus!

**Unfinished blog post alert!**

2024 Commentary: We must have attended some awesome event on campus! 

Maybe it was the time we went to a Piano Guys concert or when Paul Jacobs  ravished us with his organ playing?

What Joshua's been up to...

Joshua brought home this stack of papers to grade one day:

He's still working on it. Plus, he's acquired a couple smaller stacks since then. And obviously this doesn't show online assignments that have to be graded.

Sometimes I complain and hate how much time he has to spend grading things, not to mention doing his own homework. But really, I love how hardworking he is! He does so much. And it's partly for me! So that one day he can be the one working hard and bringing home the bacon. (It's also partly just because he wants to be really smart.) My husband is the greatest. I love you, Joshua!!

I did it again.

 

I love it!

I've decided I should have been born with this hair color.

Manna from Heaven

But really it's keys from heaven. 

My keys went missing over six weeks ago. I searched everywhere, including all those really silly places that I was positive my keys would never be. Joshua also searched everywhere imaginable. Then I did again. And again. And again.

After about four weeks I became convinced that either my keys magically disappeared or they got thrown away. I held out a smidgen of hope for finding them in some unbelievably ridiculous place, but gave in to getting a new apartment key made. 

This morning, I picked up a plastic shopping bag to put away and between it and Joshua's backpack lay my keys. Right by my shoes by the front door. Exactly where they have not been for the past six weeks. It's actually their typical spot. I'm positive they were not there before we walked in the door after dinner last night. Somehow they must have fallen out of something and landed there. Exactly where I expected to find them six weeks ago.

I am truly baffled.

Baffled. I swear some angel dropped them there. Good timing too because I was finally going to make a copy of our car key today. :)

Christmas in my mouth.

Broulim's is already selling peppermint ice cream. And it was on sale. Life just got a little bit better.

Concussed?

Probably. 

Today I was telling a co-worker about how I slept so much this past weekend and I hope that doesn't mean I'm getting sick. She said maybe my body just needed lots of sleep. A little later she suggested maybe it's a concussion from when I hit my head really hard last week. I'd actually considered this, but said I didn't black out at all so that's not it. She told me I still could have gotten a mild concussion without losing consciousness at all. So I looked it up. And I think she's right.

When I say I hit my head really hard, I mean I hit it really, really, really hard. And it's so silly. I was bent over kind of in my washer Thursday night. When I stood up, I discovered (the hard way) that my dryer door apparently wasn't closed all the way. Rotten stackable washer and dryer. I crumpled to the floor in a heap and cried really hard. But I didn't black out.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most people don't lose consciousness when they get a concussion so they'd don't even realize they have one. Hmm.

On Friday it made sense that my head hurt really bad, but a concussion would certainly explain why I still have a bad headache, why my ears were ringing so much this weekend, and why I've been wanting to go to bed soo early. Good thing it's something that my body will fix itself! Our bodies are pretty nifty.