WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO.

when i went to write the opening of this blog post, i had to stop and ask b to help me calculate how long we have been here in seattle. was it a week? a month? i would have believed either, but turns out we arrived in the emerald city exactly two weeks ago. meaning we left denver almost three weeks ago. 

time has flown by. we have had almost exclusively sunny days, besides tuesday, when it did the "typical seattle" gloom and mist all day. but, my hunters finally felt perfectly appropriate.

luckily, our living room no longer looks like this. but, it was touch and go there for a while on if we would ever get all the boxes out. hopefully i'll get it spotless this week for some apartment tour photos. i am really loving our new little home so far.

one of my life loves is for magazines, so to have a city that has more than one dedicated publication is very exciting.

and, of course: the food. this is the lunch special from the edgewater hotel, which is only a hop and skip away from our apartment {and across the street from b's office, meaning he has indulged quite a few more times in this wonderfulness than i have!}.

so, no grand declarations that i feel at home, but honestly, i feel no pressure to feel any way at all. whereas in denver, where we were really out on a limb, i feel relaxed and happy and right where i'm meant to be at this moment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA.

it's independence day! {that phrase makes me want to bust out in the martina mcbride song.}

besides, you know, freedom, probably my favorite thing about living in america is the pride most people have for our country. i cry every time i hear or sing the national anthem, regardless of if we're in public or not. i'll be sniffling my way through fireworks tonight up in thornton with our friends michelle and art. i hope you all have a wonderful 4th!

photo from nashville's firework display last summer. 

lately.

so, you may have heard: we got some snow.

that hasn't stopped us from getting out and about.

because we l-o-v-e our neighborhood.

we even walked five miles round trip for some asian food. {more on that later}

i had to buy a puffy jacket because it is so cold. and, let's be honest, my jcrew peacoat was not exactly made for roughing it.

oh, and we're both still unemployed at the moment.

so we do things like make nutella ice cream.

in the middle of the day.

during a snow storm.

blame it on the high altitude.

seven medium-sized things.

i know you all were probably worried about me with the distressing news that hostess is filing for bankruptcy. i'm trying not to get too upset, since they did it before, and my favorite food continued to be created. a moment of silent prayers for the hohos, just in case.

i've put a hard stop to all shopping during the month of january. it's going really well, except that i keep running into things i would REALLY like to have. like this headboard, these magnets and this hair dryer.

speaking of, i've gotten so old and forgetful that i've been sending myself detailed emails so that i can search my gmail. all the items i listed above are in there with subject lines like "good headboard, buy later, grey, must have."

it is really starting to hit me all that i am going to miss when i leave nashville. it's like when you realize that your college continued to exist even after you left town. i still can't believe someone else is sitting in my seat at the junction bar alden library right now.

i finally put my resume up on some job sites and i am getting an insane amount of offers to sell insurance. how do they even know i would be good at that? i really don't want to do sales and i'm officially scared about finding a job in denver.

my blog next week is ALL about food. i've had some "last meals" at places and we hit up two restaurants for nashville originals week. it is going to be gooood.

we officially leave town on jan. 30. it's a 19 hour drive. i already bought all three of "the hunger games" in audio book form. they better be good. otherwise, it's t. swift on repeat for three days.

this blog post is a link up with one of my favorites, e tells tales. it's supposed to be ten little things, but i really think i went a bit past "little". seven feels like a good number. happy weekend bloggies!

currently craving: a quiet moment.

{1.}

 

{2.}

 {3.}

whew.

does anyone else need a breather? i'm sure i shouldn't say that since we just kicked off 2012, but after the rush of the holidays i'm craving a day with nothing on my to-do list.

these images get that. a soft landing place, a close-up of something so everyday that we usually miss it  and a scene so beautiful you think you saw it in your dreams.

resolutions.

DRAMATIC quote, right?

i feel like i've been seeing it everywhere: blogs, twitter, the onmipresent workout pins on pinterest that always pop up as i'm having my nightly spoonful of nutella.

jim rohn was right. this past year, i have totally freebirded it up. vacations out the yingyang, kate spade shopping like it was my job, spoonfuls of nutella like it's a workout regimen. and, i have felt the sting of regret. now, it's time to buckle down and get serious about this little thing called life. and a big part of that is being disciplined to set and hit goals.

last year, i wrote myself a long letter instead of doing any set resolutions. some of those things i hoped for happened this year, some are still in the works and some totally did not get off the ground {run a half marathon, anyone?}.

this year, i'm all about self improvement. i like nicole's long, semi-insane 27-steps-per-month process. that's exactly what i need. a look back at achievements, a focus for the year as a whole and then bite-sized pieces i can take to work toward awesomeness in 2012.

are YOU making any resolutions? i'd love to know!

fill in the blank friday.

welp, regular blogging just aint going to happen today. instead, let's do fill in the blank friday with the little things we do!

1. My most favorite "little thing" is: lounging around with our christmas tree all lit up in the living room. holiday decor does not get old for me.

2. I give anything to: have approximately 35 hours in the day today.  

3. I can't believe: that i still want to dvr the kardashian show. i'm embarrassed of myself. i just really like kourtney. i love how fashionable and hippie she is. ridiculous. 

4. The one thing I'd like to achieve today is: being productive. that actually includes a lot. i'm looking forward to seeing my mom and jade for dinner, though!

5.  The last thing I want to do today is: be productive. 

6.  If I were writing my own blank today, it would say: i wish i could: slow down time! how is there only a matter of days left in 2011??

7.  My favorite candle scent is: tranquil mint from bath and body works. this question is acutally how i knew i MUST do fill in the blank friday. b+b stopped carrying the scent about two years ago, so every once in a while i check ebay and craigslist for it. b once surprised me with two of them, but since then no luck. i actually can't bear to throw away the totally burned out ones. #hoarderadmission

it's friday, friday, gotta get down on friday. happy weekend bloggies!

me right now.

{illustration from society 6}

i keep hoping things will slow down, but it's just not happening.

lots to do and so little time. only 10 days til christmas and less than 20 until it's a whole new year.

and i'm at my desk with 247 things spinning in my head.

back to regular blogging tomorrow.

it's on the to-do list anyway.

i can't put my finger right on it, but there is something about this wedding i really love.

mini wedding moment brought to you by google reader.

q + a.

 

{from where else}

liz over at explore. dream. discover. posted an a to z questionnaire this weekend and, as you know, i like to get a little tmi at times. let's play!

A. Age – 25. i think this is the first time i've written that!
B. Bed size – queen. i take up the whole bed no matter the size - friends/snugglers/dogs, beware!
C. Chore that you hate – bathrooms. hair, hair everywhere.
D. Dogs – my favorite thing in the world.
E. Essential start to your day – hmm, typically lots of yawning, reading people.com and playing rebecca black's "friday".
F. Favorite color – grey.
G. Gold or silver – silver all the way.
H. Height – 5’10
I. Instruments you play – i can play "lean on me" on piano. i consider it a pretty impressive party trick. 
J. Job title – communications coordinator.
K. Kids – they sure seem cute, don't they?
L. Live – nashville.
M. Mother’s name – lori.
N. Nicknames – kate/katie/kb.
O. Overnight hospital stays – torn ankle ligament surgery in 8th grade. i rocked a green and white striped cast after.
P. Pet peeves – bossy mcbossersons {takes one to know one}, line cutters and impatient drivers.
Q. Quote from a movie – people, my favorite movie is "the mummy". like, not the original, the remake with brendan fraser. i'm not the type to quote movies. unless we're signing disney songs. then it would be "part of your world" from little mermaid. #bam
R. Right or left handed – right.
S. Siblings – one sister, emjay. 
T. Time it takes you to get ready – forevah. my hair takes 1 billion minutes to dry, then i straighten it, then i curl it. writing this out makes it seem insane. however, i only wash it a few times a week. writing that out makes me sound dirty.
U. Underwear – i love to buy it.
V. Vegetable you hate – brussel sprouts! which is such a common veg you hate answer, i know, but i actually had them for the first time this year and was so grossed out. they taste like dirt, yo.
W. What makes you run late – typically my hair. i could stand and re-do the curls all day long.
X. X-rays you’ve had – on the broken ankle referenced in letter o.
Y. Yummy food you make – i make killer grilled cheese. i also whip up the best mac i have personally ever eaten. and my funfetti cake is the bomb.com.
Z. Zoo animal – any and all. seriously. when it comes to me and animals my love knows no bounds.

so fun. everyone do this! and go!