Biggie's Best Buddies

I met Natalia in 2002. We went to the same college, had the same major, dated stupid guys, and lived in builings next to eachother.

When I think of Natalia a few words come to mind:

Elegant, Genuine, Funny, Creative

(Me, Natalia, Melanie)

This little Ukrainian tarlet is getting married in May to her VERY OWN Prince Charming.

She happens to be a fantastic radio DJ and is constantly involved in the community

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you

Natalia Ilchyshyn (Soon to be Soniak!)

Born- Fairfax, VA! NoVa- and no, that doesn't mean I'm a "snob". What's up with the stigma of Northern VA?

Education- Christopher Newport University Graduate. Majored in Comm and Minored in Religious Studies. That's where I met Biggie!

Job description- Professional Blabber. I get to talk to YOU for 5 hours a day on the radio!

Favorite time of day/why- Evening! I get to go home, snuggle with my honey, and spend time with my pups!

Happiest childhood memory- The summers when we would go to California to visit my Aunt (mom's sister) for weeks at a time. She had a pool, jacuzzi and tons of land for us to run around on. We would take walks everyday and pick blackberries which would then be used in our pancakes the next morning. We'd also go feed the horse (carrots and sugar cubes) down the street from her house. So many wonderful memories from those Summers.

Favorite vacation spot- So far Bermuda! It is a gorgeous island...that or Italy. So much history, art and amazing food.

What scares you- Not pleasing the Lord. Sometimes I feel like I just can't get it together. Frustrating.

Favorite colors together- Browns and blues. It's soothing!

What are your future goals- To become a mother! Continue working...to help others...to be successful. I know, vague, but I am still trying to figure it all out!

What are you listening to- You don't want to know. Some song describing some sort of sexual act on a girl that you meet at the club. Ah, got to love Z104 music.

Favorite place to eat out- Havanna's! I prefer the one on Shore Drive for its ambiance. They have THE best nachos!

Who would you love to meet (living or dead)- Oprah or my ancestors.

What major decision are you figuring out in your life- We're about to get married! With weddings come change. We're trying to figure out what our next step is after the Big Day. Buy a house? Change locations? Babies? New car? There's a lot to think about!

At 5:00 pm what you doing- Packing up and heading out of work! Wahoo!

Bonding.

Jeremy loves his boy, Leo. They are the perfect pair. In the morning, Leo gets up and cuddles with Jeremy. They wrestle on the floor, sit next to eachother on the couch. Here is Leo and Jeremy sitting outside last night whilst Jeremy was grilling. Leo being his loyal companion, was right there with him.

And of course, there is Pandy debating whether or not to go outside in the cold.

You know whats going on in this picture?

I'll tell you whats going on.

Jeremy was watching the staple of his life. The History Channel. Sometimes

he watches the Military Channel. Its really a toss up.

Gone are the days of HGTV marathons.

Now that football season is over we watch programs about:

FA-18s

Carriers

Combat

Navy Seal Training

Hitler's Body Guard (I enjoy this)

Blue Angels

Deadly Weapons

Becoming Marines

Great Planes

The list goes on. Even though I would often, rather watch shows about

home decorating

and Preparing to sell your house,

I enjoy history type shows, especially when they are geared towards WWII.

This is just one of those things that makes Jeremy, Jeremy.

And I love it.

Aren't those little details about your man

WONDERFUL?

Tough Times

Jeremy and I are dealing with some challenges here lately. Challenges that are not foreign to many but still difficult to handle. The typical feelings you experience when things don't go your way are anger, confusion, hurt, feelings of insecurity, crapiness. All of these I have experienced this week. When I stopped to think, I realized that material things and temporary things of this world are not what matters most. What matters most is

Our Marriage+Faith=Our Treasure

What abides with us in our humble home are not the things we have purchased or the things we do, but rather our relationship and love for each other. Our marriage matters most. With the right perspective, life is actually very wonderful. Really it is. With all the challenges, I know God will supply our needs. I know my husband will take care of me. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy going "back to basics"- believing with a childlike faith and enjoying the simple things in life that other things often pull us away from- such as listening to the crackling of the fire while laying on a blanket holding hands, trying out a new recipe (screwing up the new recipe), sleeping late, back rubs, a good book, a hot cup of coffee, Jeremy giving me a hug when I get home from the gym. I believe that these are the simple things we take for granted- I have been given so much. And while I know my BIG treasure will be in haven, I believe that for now, my home, my marriage, is heaven on earth.

The Beckster is over the HILL

Today is my sister Becky's 40th Birthday. That's right! It's Beckys' VERY OWN special day!

May you indulge in delicious cake.

Drink some bubblie.

And be thankful for another fantastic Year!

Thank you for being an awesome sister, making me laugh, and blowing up my cell phone while I'm at work.

I always look forward to hearing your ringtone

"Frankie Goes to Hollywood"

I LOVE YOU! HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY!

Vintage Reveal

I love things Vintage. 1940's Please! I just think the women were so elegant- their style impecable. AND. Women were appreciated for having CURVES. No more of this

SIZE ZERO CRAP.

Is it actually acceptable for your thighs to touch? Imagine!

(I apologize to my friends who are naturally slender)

But for MOST of us.

It just ain't gonna happen!

I found this website today. You can actually buy 1940's outfits. Hot Dog!

I would totally do it if they weren't so expensive.

I was Tagged. Tour of my Life

Ten questions were asked. Ten questions answered.Nine pictures taken. Enjoy this tour of my life. I mean, what is the point of pretending your life is perfect on some blog when we all know life is generally pretty rough (fun, but rough). I hope you are not too turned off by these real- unedited- photos of my life- I TAG MEGHANN TO DO THE SAME!

1. Fridge. Its stocked- but I just went to the store. I like when my fridge is colorful. I means I have healthy stuff in there!

2. Kitchen Sink. Wow I never realized how ugly my sink is. The rest of my kitchen is cute. But the sink? Not so much-needs cleaning!

3. Favorite room. Its a toss up. The family room where Jeremy and I cuddle on the couch and watch movies. Or the study, freshly painted and organized!

4. Favorite shoes- probably my running shoes. (not my actual shoes- mine are muddy)

5. Closet. One of my 3!

6. Toilet- downstairs toilet. Mr. Waters obviously did not put the seat down.

7. Hamper. Keeping up with the wash. This is Good.

8. Self Portrait

9. Dream Vacation. Tuscany.

Read.

I love to read. I seriously love to read tons of history-inspired books. Its a good thing that I love to read since I'll be starting this this summer.

Currently, I am reading this and this and this.

Today for lunch I plan on eating a fresh avacado. I love avocado's- I usually cut one up, add course salt, sometimes a little cheese and they eat right out of it. What a lovely source of protein and those 'good fats'.

Tonight I plan on going to the gym for weights and running. Then, I plan on being a good wife and making delish beef storganoff with yogurt and dill for dinner. Its actually really healthy since the Greek yogurt stands in for sour cream and butter. If you use multigrain noodles it is even MORE healthy. If you want my recipe, just ask.

You know you're from Hampton Roads if...

You know you're from Hampton Roads when you...
moes then cold stones is the perfect norfolk meal

have to adopt a surrogate professional sports team because you live in the largest metropolitan area without one.

are amazed whenever any city within 50 miles of your house is mentioned in a text book, national news, etc.

can name at least three of Mike Joynes' law partners.

can finish the "Beach Ford" song.

know Mount Trashmore is a real place, not a joke.

can see another 7-11 from the 7-11 you're currently at and name all the people working their.

know that 64 West in Chesapeake is actually going east.

can name at least three underwater tunnels within a twenty mile radius of your home.

been friends with, dated or married a sailor.

can say "Norfolk" 100 different ways and all of them are right

don't stop and look skyward when aircraft fly over.

Newport News is not a catalog, it is a city.

Hampton is a city not an area

it's the Peninsula. With a capital P.

It's not Portsmouth, its P-town.

To you, Scope isn't just mouthwash.

The Boathouse doesn't actually dock any boats.

love jet noise.

don't slow down in the tunnel, because it's not a big deal.

One of your major accomplishments in life is holding your breath all the way thru the HRBT... while driving

its normal for seven cities to be linked in almost every conceivable way.

You can leave town for years at a time and come back to find the same segments of roads still under construction.

It's Seven Five Seven, not Seven Fifty-Seven.

An inch of snow closes everything down.3 inches = blizzard.

Macarthur was not only a brilliant general, but a fine shopping establishment.

know that Norfolk International Airport isn't really an international airport.

No, you're not hallucinating. Those are mermaids.

You know the real reason we have not been hit by a hurricane in the past several years is because of Pat Robertson.

If you had a nickel for every OBX sticker you saw on the road, you'd be rich by now if your aspiration in life is to stay in the 757

If when some one says the tides are in you don't think of water

If both your parents work

If all your friends who live in Norfolk can bike to your house in 10 minutes

If u know ocean view is not actually on the ocean

You don't get nervous in a crowd of black people (like VA beach kids)

If u walk to three different pools daily and you are not a member at any.

If jumping off bridges and wakeboarding are your favorite summer past times

When giving directions u have confused tide water and water side at least one time

you know the entire menu at doumars or mi hogar

you love joking about how many 7 11's there are

You know that at one point ocean view had the sickest roller coaster ever

You and or at least half your friends have boats and they are all at the nycc

You know exactly how fast u can pitch from going to the tides games

Redskins are your home team football team But the biggest game of the year is Teach/UVA

If u understand the Haynes going away sale means they are staying their

If you wonder why there is a va beach boulevard rite in the middle of ghent

If going to the Wisconsin means staying in Norfolk

You know The Pilot doesn't actually steer anything

You know that the tattoo festival doesn't involve ink or body painting

The world trade center is still standing in downtown Norfolk

You always dream of having a real professional sport

When listing the "seven cities" Norfolk is always first

TODAY.

I have the day off.

My husband is at work.

I can clean the house without interruption.

And. I'm going treasure hunting at the Salvation Army.

The End.

BTW

I picked up some Cucumber Method yesterday at Target. Smells like good times. This is my kind of house work! And no worries about pruning these delicate hands, because I have found some FANTASTIC cleaning gloves at Gloveables.

So. If you are stuck in a rut with cleaning, my favorite cleaning ideas are as follows:

Go to target and buy Method products.

Their slogan?

‘Clean naked’.

Biodegradable, PETA friendly, and they come in the most beautiful colors and smells. Oh, and you can clean with your dogs at your feet and you both won’t fall over dead with all that bleach stench.

Friday's review

Today's highlights include:

1. Losing my eyeshadow base, which is the staple of my make-up routine. I will have to buy more ASAP.

2. Making WHOLE WHEAT toast for breakfast with ALL NATURAL peanut butter and smashed up FRESH raspberries on top. HEAVEN.

3. Calling my Mr. Waters at home to check up on him while he is sick.

4. Later, calling Mr. Waters at home to check on the dog, who is also sick.

5. The Deadly Combo of weight watchers and chocolate cake=struggle. I compromised and had a bite.

6. Lunch Break Devo: receiving a CONFIRMATION that what I am doing in my life is EXACTLY what I'm supposed to be doing = tears.

7. Listening to CNN and the account of the "Miracle on the Hudson"

8. looking at my sister's blog and loving my own family so much!

9. watching my husband shave is face in his birthday suit

Sick and Sick

The cold-of-death seems to be making its way around my office. My only wish is that people would just use their sick days. Please? Sharing is not caring when it comes to the sniffles/shakes/pukes. Jeremy and I have both been battling the elements lately. First, he got sick and then gave it to me and then I gave it back to him. I finally went to the doctor yesterday and got some antibiotics. They are starting to kick in- hopefully I'll be 100% by the weekend. I made Jeremy a doctor's appointment today at 3pm. I'm not sure what it is about guys- but they think they can use their man-powers to conquer anything. I basically made the appointment and told Jeremy.. "You're going". It probably wasn't the sympathy he was looking for but whatev. Hopefully they will give him a big shot. (wink, wink)


So a friend introduced us to a website called makemebabies.com that allows you to upload a picture of yourself and your "partner" and see what your child would look like. It sounded like fun so I tried it out. I think I did something wrong, or Jeremy is having some sort of cyber-affair because here's the result:





Yes, that's right: Jeremy and I created a black baby. And that was totally by doing the "auto-detect"- I didn't choose a race.

When I Grow Up.

The past few days I've been sick. Deathly sick. Ok so not really, but for a while there I thought the only way to feel better was to head for the white light. Now I am suffering from laryngitis. I am miserable but my husband, I'm sure, is grateful. During my trip through mute-land. I started pondering about my life. I realized, wow. I'm a grown up. Remember when you were little and you dreamed what you do when you grew up? Well, until a couple of months ago, I still wondered.

And then Jeremy reminded me of what I told him when we first met.

"I want to be a mother and a college professor"

So, one of those dreams is coming to fruition. No, I'm not pregnant. I'm going to start my PhD this summer if all goes as planned. Which means, the mother part of my dream will have to wait another three years, which I am fine with. I don't think Jeremy and I are ready to take the dive into parenthood just yet.

So. PhD. Wow. Is it possible that I could complete a doctoral degree? I've always look at people with PhD's as an elite fraternity all on their own. Could I really be part of that? Naturally, I'd still be goofy and clumsy and probably will still say all the wrong things. But I'm excited to start this adventure. I even re-did my office over the weekend so Jeremy and I will have a calm, relaxing place to study. AND. I order this to hang in there:


I ordered it in bright orange. Orange makes me happy. Although not calm. Hmm. Apparently this saying of "Keep calm and Carry On" came about in WWII when the British stiff upper-lip and Blitz spirit distilled into five stoical words. These posters are based on a message that was posted on walls during the Second World War. I mean, who wouldn't stay calm and carry on when your city was being bombed. Really?

Keepin it Real

Here is a glimpse into my painting/ office rennovation. Its still a work in progress!

Before


After

When we first met.......

lessons to be learned

THE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

LESSON #1: Real life is messy, yet I spend so much time trying to make things appear perfect and pretty that I often miss out on life.

LESSON #2: It's often in the messes where the best memories are made!

LESSON #3: What good is it to have pretty things, if we don't take the time to enjoy them.

LESSON #4: People are more important than possessions.

LESSON #5: I need to spend more time this year on the important things, people and relationships, and less time on acquiring possessions.

LESSON #6: There's a lot to be learned in the quiet of the morning.

Wordless Wednesday

Leo and Friends

So. Do you remember when you were little and you used to invite friends over without first asking permission? Normally it was ok- but sometimes, it just annoyed the crap out of my mom. We have a similar situation going on at our house. Leo invited a few of his furry friends to take up residence in our duct system between the floors of our house. While sitting around watching tv, you can hear the tiny guys clanking around above you. At first, we thought we had a ghost of my grandmother hanging out with us but quickly came to our senses. Leo gets mad when he can't get to the squirrels who have lovingly made our home their own. I told him to tell his friends they need to leave, but alas, to no avail.

My parents came over last night to investigate the noise but naturally- the squirrels stayed quiet. My dad has the brilliant idea of putting giant mousetraps in our duct system, which makes me sick. I love squirrels. I don't want them to die. Leo would be heart broken. But, according to the men, a squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit- a statement that I strongly disagree with. So until we find a humane way to encourage the squirrels to leave, I suppose we'll have to get used to new tenants. Hopefully, they will stay in their area of the house.

Learn how to adopt healthy habits.

While trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle- here are some tips from Weight Watchers.

Keep healthy opportunities close. It helps your efforts when you fill your spaces—your house, your office, your car—with foods that make it easier for you to stay on track.

Managing Your Environment means...Really looking at your environment: your car, kitchen or desk and remembering the three R's:

Recognizing the foods that will help you—and the ones that won't.
Removing the items that you are sure will get in the way of your weight-loss efforts.
Replacing the foods you've removed with healthy ones like fruit and vegetables.

Considering what changes you can make in your exercise environment that will help, such as tuning up your bike or simply getting out your exercise gear.

Make it easier on yourself: Manage Your Environment"Don't agonize. Organize." -Florence Kennedy.

We all have our "trigger" foods or places—the snacks and sweets which can destroy our willpower and make us forget all about those weight-loss plans. But some of us do what we can to minimize our exposure to triggers; managing our environments so we're not always around foods that tempt us.

And that makes sense: When the spaces that surround us—our fridge, pantry or car—are crammed with tempting foods, we'll be tempted by them. When it's right there, we'll eat it.
When we stock up on healthy alternatives, though, we'll make healthier choices. And suddenly, our environment is working for us.

• Managing Your Environment is a helpful habit because:
  When you take charge of the foods that fill up the spaces that surround you, they'll stop having control over you. Fewer tempting foods = less temptation.
  
• Looking through those spaces and being able to recognize trigger foods is a great exercise: It means facing and naming your weaknesses, which can only make you stronger.
  
• Filling your environment with healthy foods is like studying hard for an exam: you're laying the groundwork for your future success.

Bonnie, Baltimore, MD, lost 28.6 pounds and says, "If I don't make changes to the food that's around me, I'm still going to eat what's there—even if its unhealthy."

If you discover you need to Manage Your Environment...Get on the Message Boards and ask other WeightWatchers.com users what changes they have made to their environments. Some may have "managed" places in ways that may be relevant to you.

New Year, New Dreams

It is 2009. I often wonder how it got to be 2009 in the blink of an eye. Its amazing. I remember celebrating 1990, 1999, 2000... Y2k anybody? For the past few years, I decided to not make a New Year's resolution because I often believed it was just a way to set yourself up for failure. How many people actually achieve their resolutions? I mean- who actually loses that weight? Although I am not making a resolution to lose weight per say- I am trying to achieve a healthier life style and stick to my weight watchers plan as a guide. Accountability please!

I am excited about the New Year and the new adventures for Jeremy and me.... I realize the secret to happiness is to continually fall in love and to give the soul a reason for butterflies. I desire that our marriage continues on the quest to be closer to God and build a stable home built on faith for our children (that will one day come!). Happy New Year everyone!

What are your dreams?