Life in the Journey

Hey Everyone!  Well, lots has happened since our peaceful weekend in Montauk.  The following Wednesday, my Aunt Diane came in for a visit.  We had a great time - it was nice to get to spend some time with her out of P.C. where there were no distractions!  The weather was pretty dreadful (read cold, rainy, and crazy windy), but we had fun nonetheless.  One of the highlights of her trip for me was Saturday when Chris & I went to get rush tickets to Legally Blonde.  Okay, I know what you're thinking - that has to be the lamest show ever - I was thinking the same thing, but figured I'd let Aunt Diane chose between three shows I thought we could get rush tickets to - Mama Mia (which Chris & I have seen in Vegas), Grease (which is new on Broadway, but has gotten some pretty terrible reviews), or Legally Blonde.  Much to my surprise, the show was really good!  Sure, if you've seen the movie, you know the story pretty much line for line, but the dancing was incredible & the music was so much fun!  It takes a couple of minutes to get past the fact that Elle isn't played by Reese Witherspoon, but once you're over that, you'll have a blast. I really recommend it if you just want a fun night out on the town.  Word for the wise however, the stage is a little elevated & the rush tickets are front row.  I really like sitting that close up, but it is a little bit like sitting on the front row of a movie theater, so those with neck problems, be advised.  By the way, writing all of this made me decide to keep a running list of all of the different shows I have seen.  This is as much for my benefit as anyone else's (so I can remember to see things I haven't already seen), but if you're coming to town, or have the chance to see something on the list, feel free to ask for a recommendation =).  

Hmmm, what else.  Oh, Thursday was my best Valentine's Day ever!  That's saying a lot, because I have the fondest memories of Valentine's Days growing up.  My Dad would always send my sister & me a dozen roses at school & give us the most amazing jewelry.  I think that has to be my biggest regret about getting married young, a few more years and I could have amassed the most awesome collection =)!  Well, this Valentine's Day Chris got me the most beautiful John Hardy ring!  I really couldn't believe it.  He's usually not that great at getting presents.  Don't get me wrong, he has great taste & is really generous, he can just be forgetful and isn't big on birthdays & holidays himself, so he tends to (incorrectly) assume they're not a big deal to other people (read, me).  So, I wasn't expecting anything.  In fact, I had already booked myself a facial at the Aveda Institute on Friday as his gift to me.  Well, we grabbed a quick bite Thursday after he got off work & before we headed up to church for the Valentine's Day Talent Show (don't worry, we were just observers, not performers).  That's when he gave me the sweetest card & most beautiful ring!  He didn't even let me talk him into taking it back because it was too expensive (as soon as I saw the Saks Fifth Ave. box I was like, "I can't keep this!").  He's the best!  =).  We had a thoroughly wonderful time that night at church as well.  There are so many talented people there, like Erika Mason who sings opera & graced us with an aria from Carmen, & John Rainbow (click on his name for a cool article about him) a jazz singer who performed at Duke Ellington's funeral.  Funny aside about John Rainbow.  I was sitting between Chris & my new friend Hayli from church.  Well, John (who is over 80 years old, in case you didn't read the article) decides to fixate on Hayli or me (honestly, I couldn't tell who he was staring down, but it was questionable enough to make me pretty uncomfortable for the entire time he was singing)!  I guess it was kind of cute, and I know he's totally harmless, I'm just not good at situations like that.  Anyways, it was a really fun night.  Hayli (an actress) is super cool.  Plus Joanna, Kyle (who also sang & played guitar, he reminds me a lot of a raspier John Mayer), & Ashley (who lives at the church with the preacher & his family and is ABSOLUTELY hilarious) were all there.  A good time was had by all.

Beautiful Valentine's Day Roses

My pretty new ring

Side view

Wearing my new ring.  Sorry the picture is so blurry, I couldn't get them to come out.  And as a side note, those are my real fingernails.  I seem to have finally conquered my life long habit of nail biting - well, for now anyways.

On Friday, I went & got that facial.  You're probably thinking - wait, Chris got you a real gift - but I didn't know that until Thursday night, the facial was on Friday morning, and by that point, it would have been just rude to cancel!  =).  It was fabulous & now in the place of my dull, flaky skin is soft, glowing, suppleness!  I also did 8 loads of laundry yesterday - yes, 8.  That did not make me happy.  Plus, for whatever reason, Friday is laundry day for everyone in the building, so it takes ten times as long.  But, I can't complain too much.  This lady who cleans several of the condos here is always down there when I am & she actually took my towels/clothes out of the dryer when they were done & folded them for me!  What a gem!  Seriously, I was happy enough to cry - I think I thanked her so much that she seriously wondered if there was something wrong with me. 

Today, I did something long overdue that always makes me feel great.  No, not exercise Mom . . . I said feel great, not I feel like my lungs are about to explode & I'm going to die any minute.  I cleaned & organized!  It was fabulous.  Chris & I both cleaned out our closets & got rid of stuff we don't wear.  I also got rid of a bunch of papers & magazines we'd been accumulating, filed & cleaned out drawers, cabinets, the works!  It didn't take hardly any time, but in 600 square feet, you have to be so vigilant about eliminating the clutter, or the walls just cave in on you.  On the same lines of organizing, I rolled change (I swear Chris runs a vending machine business on the side with all the change he accumulates), which I love to do - sick, I know!  

So there, you should be caught up.  Coming up this week, I'm going to see Mary Poppins w/ Cassie (scored $26 tickets through NYU) while Chris & Ryan go to some concert.  Saturday my sister & Payton come for a visit (I'm soooo looking forward to that).  And, things I keep telling myself I'm going to blog about when I get a chance are, the famous chick that lives in my building & the Burger Boys tour of the Top 10 burger joints in NYC.  I'll try to remember to do that!

Ahhh, a clean house is a happy house!