Personal Life Slacking

Mr W and I have this phrase personal life slacking. It very much means exactly what it says. We are slacking on our personal lives.

Now I don't mean slacking on our relationship, although our goal of bi-monthly dates sometimes looks like devouring a season of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix [in preparation for the final season starting this Sept!] while I make homemade pizza. I mean we are slacking on the [gestures hands] general area of social life outside of work life.

In risk of sounding melodramatic, if we're not at work, we seem to be recovering from work.  I realize I must be very careful to talk about this because both Josh and I think we have been blessed with slightly greater than average awesome jobs. I wont go into specifics other than a sampling of evidence..

As you can see there are plenty of reasons to spend extra time at work. And if Mr W and I were both single instead of married, it'd probably be a huge perk to us. However, we are awesomely married to each other and don't appreciate repetitive evenings spent at home, alone without our companion when we work at companies located in our neighborhood.  Thank The Lord for short commutes!

California Silicon Valley is so weird in a way in that work appears so awesome that we feel ready to give it all of ourselves. I'm not being melodramatic here, neither of us can recall a big-person job we honestly looked forward to almost every day. If we said so previously, it was because we had yet to be enlightened. 

Our jobs can tempt us pretty hard to spend just a little extra time at work instead of home.  There is a huge problem with this though, we give our best selves to our coworkers instead of to each other. Some days [trying to make this less often but I still totally fail] I am completely spent from having used up all of my social-ness on people at the gym.  On those days I can't listen to Mr W. tell me about his work, successes and anxieties. That is when my patience is drier than the Mojave desert and I'm totally not giving him the fresh-and-able-to-listen-and-respond-wife that I am called to be. Now this doesn't mean Mr W. is a saint; he has his days too but I am not about airing his dirty laundry.  However, mine is fair game.

So I've cut back on my hours at the gym, though I do love what working there does for my inner-child extrovert self. Mr W. has made our [mini] vacations a priority on his calendar. Some morning coffees he spends with me instead of pouring over his inbox. We set two alarms for church on Sundays because we STRUGGLE to get going on the weekends. No plans get made for Sunday afternoon so we can freely chat over lunch. I have made more friends with wifes of Mr W's co-worker's. Mr W and I make time each week for each other that is non-negotiable. However, on the occasion that a once in a lifetime opportunity comes up [funny these come up way more often since we moved out of the Midwest] I totally encourage Mr W to prioritize for it. Usually it means way more hours away from me and our home but I know this is temporary.  Notice I said prioritize, which means we try to ascribe to the whole emotional bank account. Meaning deposit before you over withdraw. Took us a lot of IOU's to figure out we didn't yet truly understand that system.

Living in California has completely strengthened our marriage because it's thrown so many 'nice things' at it that sometimes it feels too easy to be distracted by something new and shiny. But --we've also got a loooooot of work ahead of us!

slack no more

-Mrs W

Lately [In Pictures] With Words.

After I said I would blog more often, I didn't for another 2 weeks. Isn't that life sometimes?

Well, how have I been spending my days? Perhaps eating bon bons and watching daytime soaps.  Some days [when I feel super awesome] it feels like that.  If only I knew what bon bons were actually made of and we believed [not] in paying a ridiculous amount of $$ for cable then I'm sure I'd be glued to All My Children [negative].

So here's a picture montage iPhone dump of things. It is essentially random but the last two weeks have felt pretty random.

Tazo's Passion Tea which I hoard year round until the outside temps warm enough to drink chilled tea.

So Purpley  it stains my teeth 

 I don't know what it is about California water but it makes me cringe whenever I drink it straight. There is something so very earthly about it. I haven't inspected our local water treatment plants but I wouldn't be surprised if it was entirely using organic buggies and ground up hippies. Mmmm. With my chlorinated and fluorinated Ohio water, I always knew what to expect and it was delicious.

Other things I drink to avoid straight up California water is this stinky drinky..

Organic, Raw Fermentation.  

All of the fruity flavors I've tried taste like death.  But this gingerade flavor gets along with the fizzy [almost too] vinegary drink.

And last but not least, plenty of juices and smoothies.  I really like these because I can drink them straight up. I also tried cold pressed green veg juices (which are delicious btdubs) but I have to cut it with a fruit juice. Otherwise, the all veg juices are like drinking the smell of the salad bar.

Green Machine

Kitty cuddling. At least, with the one that loves me.

Dairykins.

Cat in my bed. Never thought I'd see the day.

My new ride. I call her Sheila with an Australian accent. It sounds more like ShiLer in my head. That's probs not PC. Anyway, she is a Specialized Vita Sport. She's last years model but the only differences was color availability.  You bet I made my choice based on color then on price. I'm a girl but I'm practical.  She has a few Sharpie accents courtesy of Moi, for identifying traits in case she gets stolen. At which point I doubt will help but at least I'm doing my part here.

Sheila, in black.

A sampling of my [not] finest graffiti.

Most days I've been showing Sheila around town and introducing her to the neighborhood. Other days I am pillaging Home Goods and rounding out our tiny home. I've been scouring for cheap pillows with cases I can wash for our couch, Blue.  I've scored some other boring  necessary housewife things like rugs, mirrors, picture frames etc from the clearance section.

[Finally] Throw pillows for Blue.

These 2 wood canvas were scored from Home Goods for $5 each.  A canvas the same size would cost roughly $10 each. So two for one :)  While I agree, Money Can't by [me] Love, it does by 2 canvas for cheap.

I sanded down the fronts and primed them up for a mini surprise for Mr. W.  It involved some special song lyrics that have been substantial in our lives.  The song even appeared during our wedding day :) I just need to get a finished photo.

Transition to food stuffs. I make a mean pizza but when I run out of dough I turn to my next carb, Bagels! Mr W. would not like these because I topped them with peppers. Not that you can tell under that cheese blanket.

Caesar salad mixing bowls. Combine organic romaine, finely grated parm, lemon juice and Marzetti's Simply Dressed Caesar.  Toss with chopsticks and consume. These chopsticks were favors from a friend's wedding.  For whatever reason, we possess 6 pairs. Thanks Jon and Kait!

All this eating happened after I cleaned out our fridge.  We eat at Mr W's place of employment most nights so our fridge was outta control with stank. I donned my bio hazard suit and went to town. Here is the finished product.

Fridge wiped down with white vinegar and lemon.

Lastly, sunshine. Lots. of. Sun. Shine. This is California after all. The cost of living dictates I'm paying for sunshine.  

That is all.
Love,
Mrs W.

Absent

I have been very absent lately.  Absent as in absentminded, absent from thoughts, absent from everything. Life.  I've also been absent on here and I don't really understand why.

They see me rollin, they hatin.

See, I like blogging, I love writing down my thoughts, agonizing over the proper word descriptors and I adore reflecting on moments.  However, I haven't been able to do any of that for nearly 2 weeks. I have been every definition of absent.

New things are on the horizon.  Quite like spring seems around the corner in Northern California.  I was sitting outside, watching 2 interesting characters in the park talk very loudly about a secret mission they were going to embark on.  Then one got up and meandered down the middle of the street in a not very straight line.  #IloveCalifornia.  Once they left I had nothing to do but think about how absent I have been lately.

 

While I was sitting there, thinking myself into circles, I felt a warm tangible weight on my shoulder; the Sun.  He was rising, beginning to bake the air into Spring.  There is a sweet smell associated with Spring.  Scents of fallen rain combing through fresh cut grass and an earthiness..  Sort of like when you were 3 and dug up earth warms for the first time in your mom's freshly planted flower bed.  Then, the breeze rushes in; the damp, heavy, mineral air which has been hiding beneath the shade since the last frost. The vibrations of life beginning to bloom.  This movement is elusive until time allows the Sun to cure Green into the colors of his fiery kiln.

So here is my prayer to be less absent and more present.  Especially now as winter seems to be dying to Spring. Let the old me die and be left behind.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old is gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

-Mrs. W.

24 years ..part I

Having a birthday right after the New Year, I equate new year to new age.

A brief recap of how I spent 24:

Josh rang in my 24th birthday with a surprise trip to Tiffany's.  He brought me into the store and told me to pick out whatever I wanted. Probably every girl's dream.  Well, a sales woman heard him exclaim this she promptly lead me to the platinum and diamonds counter.  After lots of trying on, we left the store with these gorgeous silver bow earrings.  Which, actually turned into a hilarious story that I'll need to explain in more detail because Mr. W realized such an open ended statement could have lead to trouble!  I really did marry the most wonderful man in the world.

bows

My mom and sister visited; we went to wine country and ate wonderful food here.

Mr. W's dad, sister and best man visited our little 2 bedroom apartment.  We hiked at Angel Island, Ano Nuevo and had hours of glorious family time.

Mr. W. Sister (in law). Mr. W's Best Man.

Family.

Angel Island

Sausalito

Ano Nuevo.

elephant seals!

We spent Easter weekend hiking in Point Reyes and vowed to fight each other less and hike more.

through the woods.

the coast.

I planned a last minute backpacking trip through the Ventana Wilderness just south of Big Sur.  I remember this trip as the time we learned to really depend the Lord's plan for our marriage.  There was no nagging, no yelling, no you suck because. We worked as a TEAM thanks to the Lord for answering our prayers to strengthen our marriage. #winningformarriage! Afterwards we stopped at Barb's Fish Trap, a must go to if traveling any where near Half Moon Bay.

Ventana Wilderness

Refueling.

Mr. W finally convinced me to try out a nearby rock gym. I couldn't get enough.  We climbed 4 days in a row.  My hands were shredded and I had knots from my knuckles to my eye balls but I was in heaven on earth.

We walked in the Bay To Breaker's Parade.  I dub this my first city experience.  It was memorable enough that I've retired from participating ;)

Willy Wonka and his crew.

My dad came to visit for the US Open in the city.  We use any visit from family or friends as an excuse to explore like tourists :)

my dad's visit.

We took 2 days off for a last minute trip to Tahoe with family friends. I climbed outside for the first time at 90 ft wall.

90 ft wall near Eagle Falls.

Angora Lake.

We planned a backpacking trip in Yosemite with a group of co-workers. I conquered my fear of heights and hiked Half Dome. We also hiked to the Cascades near Little Yosemite Valley and spent a day riding a natural water slide.

half dome.

Stretching out for the climb.

water slide.

At Mr. W's prompting, I participated in our rock gym's top rope series and I some how walked out with 2nd place in women's beginner level. Rock climbing became our thing.

We climbed more. This time near Table Scraps in Sonoma County.

Table Scraps

I competed in our rock gym's grip challenge.  This was my first time dead lifting on a fat bar any bar.  I went out at 155.

I look like I'm about to die.  Photo credit.

We took a trip back to the Midwest.  Saw family, friends, had rest and recuperated in hammocks.  I spent every morning near the water talking with the Lord and He healed my soul of many earthly things I had been holding on to since we moved.

Family. Photo Credit.

Sister (in law) and I at the grandparents lake house.

Mr. W can fly.

I completed the Tough Mudder in Tahoe and was dubbed hard core by our mostly male team.  For anyone who is curious, the electric shock obstacles really do pack a punch.  If any one has ever told you it was no big deal, here's a secret, there is actually a power on/off switch.  I assure you it was on when I ran through.  My heart does not normally jump like that for kicks ;)

Before the race.

Mr. W tore his acl playing Ultimate Frisbee and I planned less intense hiking trips for the fall. Our criteria for less intense meant the trail had to be flat with ample parking close by.  We felt like posers.

Mr. W got a new job.  I quit my job.  And then we moved to Hawaii..

Hawaiian roller coaster ride.

Tune in for part II
-Mrs W

update: here is Part II

I live here

California continuously amazes me.  This morning, after dropping Mr. W at work, I drove twenty minutes into the hills and found this treasure.  

The sun was still hidden from the valley, everything was dripping with dew.  

Complete with auto flush toilets and hot water, of course.  

I am no photographer but we do own a decent camera.  For a moment, the Nikon was overshadowed by Mr. W's new iPhone.  

The ease of one touch pictures is so tempting but this morning was about trying new things.

Bright, fuzzy new grass.

Here, I'll illustrate how simplistic my photography skills are. The Before is auto for the Nikon.  The After is setting aperture as wide as it would go before the Nikon freaked out.  I didn't touch the ISO because frankly, I don't know how.  One thing at a time folks.

Before.

After.

I walked about 2 miles through the trails before the pond was calling my name.  Ok, the ducks were so loud I had to go see what the pond was all about.

Ducky waters.

Not so ducky waters.

Cat-tails.

I still can't believe we live here.  Mr. W and I say this to each other roughly once a week.  The newness of California has not worn off 18 months later.  The skies are blue, literally every. Single. Day.  The mornings are cool and crisp. The afternoons are bright and radiant.  The evenings are chilly but calm.  

Valley clouds.

I still carry my winter coat with me every where though I hardly ever need it.  

I need to kick my Midwestern habit.

-Mrs. W