Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Why I Bought a Sports Car

 

I bought one of my dream cars on Monday. A 2001 Audi TT Quattro. 'Lemme explain the beauty of this car:
  • 225 hp
  • Turbo
  • All-time four-wheel drive (Quattro)
  • 6-speed manual
  • 0-60 mph in 7.4 seconds
  • And, most importantly… it’s fun. It puts a grin on my face every time I start it up. And the way it handles corners? Heaven.
Hello, beautiful!

My old car was "circling the drain." It was a 1997 Audi A4 with 193,000 miles on it. It was 13-years old, had a ton of miles, and served me amazingly well over the years. But, little things were starting to go wrong. Eventually, it was costing more to keep things running than the poor little thing was worth.

The A4 broke again last week. Over Christmas I decided that it was time to start looking for a new car. I found one yesterday and I love it!

I have to admit, though, that the fun and excitement of my new car is being diminished by all the naysayers.

"I’d donate to charity before I’d buy an expensive car."

"Sports cars are terrible in the snow."

"You can’t fit any luggage or people in the car. Maybe a bag of groceries will squeeze into the trunk."

"It’s noisy."

"Where does the child seat go?"

"You’re going through a quarter-life crisis."

To all of you Fun-Police out there, here’s my response:

I spent days thoroughly researching my budget, my options, and the available cars out there. My stipulations were this:

  • The car must be $10k or under.
  • It must have under 100,000 miles on it.
  • It must be under 10-years old.
  • It must be a manual.
  • And most importantly… again… it must make me grin.
When it comes down to it, cars are just a bucket of bolts. If a car didn’t meet the above criteria, then I would quickly and easily walk away. I had to love the purchase.

My father (who’s a certified mechanic and general genius) and I spent the weekend printing, researching, reading reviews, and comparing vehicles. We had Monday mapped out to explore a number of options. I could tell you about our day in detail, but basically it comes down to this:

You must test-drive a car before you even think about buying it!


So, after driving cars all day, I fell in love with the last car on my list, the Audi TT. Here’s why (all you naysayers, listen up!):

Audi quality is incredible. After test-driving a number of cars, my super-old 1997 Audi still felt like it was better made than some cars built within the last 5-years.

Also, the Audi's power; the driving experience—it's unsurpassed. I drove a VW GTI and while I was impressed with its ability to get up and go, I could honestly feel the gaps within the turbo. The GTI would spool up at about 3,200 RPM, let off, and then pick up again around 5,000 RPM. The TT, in contrast, is pure power from start to finish. Wow.

Finally—and the biggest argument of all—the money. Let me clarify that my used Audi TT, which is in impeccable condition, was less expensive than a brand new Ford, Hyundai, or Kia (typically considered cheaper brands). A 2011 Ford Focus, which is considered an "affordable" car, starts at $17,000. The No. 1 most affordable car in the US is a Ford Fiesta—it starts at $13,855. I paid $10,000 "out the door" for my TT (meaning it included all taxes and dealer fees).

Also, people who spend more money on their cars typically spend more time taking care of them. My TT has full service records. The previous owner took it to the dealer’s certified shop even for oil changes. The maintenance of this car is impeccable. How many people spend that much time and money taking care of their Fiesta? Probably none. And they wonder why their car craps out at 110,000 miles.

So, to those who say "Why a sports car?" or "I’d donate to charity before I’d buy an expensive car," my response is this: I got a nicer car, in better condition, for less money. So, fuck you!

As to the rest of the statements:

"Sports cars are terrible in the snow."

The TT is all-time all-wheel drive (Quattro). It's heavy and low to the ground. Snow tires are key for any car because they're the only material touching the ground. Put a giant box on four little tires (an SUV) and you have trouble handling that thing in any condition!

"You can’t fit any luggage or people in the car. Maybe a bag of groceries will squeeze into the trunk."

How many times do I actually have another person in my car, much less multiple people? Maybe a dozen times a year. Maybe. My grocery shopping is equally minimal. My old trunk held a subwoofer and amp. That's it. I rarely used it. Besides, I don't like people. Why would I want them in my car?

"It’s noisy."

Yes, but damn, does it sound good! The purr of the dual exhaust is beautiful. Besides, I’ve almost gotten hit by Priuses on many occasions because you can’t hear the damn things in a parking lot! All of the sudden, they're on top of you. You know how motorcyclists have bumper stickers that say "Loud Pipes Save Lives?" Well, it’s true.

"Where does the child seat go?"

Child seat? What child seat? Why would I want that?

"You’re going through a quarter-life crisis."

Maybe so, but it comes down to this: It’s a great, sexy, fun car; I can afford it; it works for my needs; and when else can I enjoy a car like this? When I’m 55? No thanks!

So, to all you haters, naysayers, and Fun Police: Fuck You! My car was a thoroughly researched and affordable decision. And, most importantly, I’ll be grinning as I smoke you from the line.



Monday, December 13, 2010

Style Assessment

Last week I went for a Style Assessment with local consultant, Milena Joy.

I've been wanting to work with a style consultant for a while now. If you're plumbing is broken, you hire a plumber. If your teeth need cleaning, you go to the dentist. If you need help getting in shape, you hire a trainer. A stylist, for me, falls within this realm. I need help.

I'm horrible at shopping. I like new things, but I hate the process of getting them. I don't have a "vision" for color, or cuts, or how a separate piece would fit within my closet.

So I went to see Milena. First of all, she gave me some homework. I was supposed to go through a magazine and pull out looks that I loved and that I hated. I also had to answer questions about my current style. What do I wear to work? What do I wear casually? How much do I typically spend? What are looks and/or pieces that I'd like to strive for?

The homework was hard. It's difficult to look at yourself objectively. Basically, the answer for my current wardrobe is: Ratty jeans, beat up heels, and a cotton shirt. Ouch.

All in all, the consultation was amazing and fabulous and informative. What fascinated me the most is learning about my colors. I look best in warm colors---darker and slighted muted tones. I also learned that I basically look good in anything that is green, yellow, orange (I never would've thought of yellow or orange!), beige or ivory, and blue (everyone looks good in blue). Also, harsh colors such as black and white aren't the best for me. Considering that half my closet is those two colors, I have my work cut out for me.

We also went over hair, makeup (Milena recommended "espresso" eyeliner to make my green eyes pop---and, of course, she was right!), height and proportions, and even recommended brands and cuts that are good for me. Since I'm bustier than a lot of women, I need to look at v-necks and boat necks. High necklines will just make me look top-heavy.

New rules that I love:

1.) Look for 3-pieces to complete your outfit (at a minimum). For example, today I'm wearing a ruffled tank top, a ruffled button up western-style shirt, and knee-high brown boots with skinny jeans. I never would've paired the two ruffled pieces before, but the textures make a huge difference!

Trying to be stylish with ruffles! (P.S. What in the world am I looking at?) 

1. ) Always go shopping for a complete outfit. This includes a skirt, top, and heels or a necklace/accessory. You think you have eight tops at home that "might" work, but they never look quite right and your new skirt goes unworn.

3.) Only shop about twice a year. Be sure to pick items that are easily interchangeable amongst each other. Budget shopping and sales rarely work. (Thank goodness because I hate budget shopping.)


As soon as Christmas is over, I'm dragging my friend Emily out to hit Nordstrom's with me. Woot, woot!

Here are some new styles that I was able to pull from MarieClaire.com. It's amazing how I can look at these pictures with a discerning eye now. Exciting!


I should look for angled designs and lower-neck tops.
Here's an example of another angled skirt. Paired with a solid, colorful top it could look great.

Suit jacket with green cami underneath.

I love this bag. I would just stroke the soft leather for days.

This is something that wouldn't work for me. Flowy or circular patters are not good, and the red isn't my color.

Now this is something that would work! I don't own any orange right now, but this outfit is definitely something I'll be looking for.

Gold jewelry looks better on me than silver. In fact, in the "color analysis" I learned that silver and grey (the other half of my wardrobe) completely wash me out and make me look sallow. Note to self.

Pretty ivory skirt in a sophisticated cut.

A little summer blazer to show off my ripped arms. Hah!

This is something I wouldn't be caught dead in. Seriously.

Structured camel trousers.

You can't go wrong with a pencil skirt.

This is a pretty notebook. Like the purse pictured earlier, I love the classic leather.

Statement necklaces can be an outfit in and of themselves. In the summer, jeans, a white tank top, and a statement necklace can say a lot.
This is a jacket that would not look good on me. The silver color and shine, the high neckline, and puffy sleeves all would be a bad combination.

Yes, tan/brown can be sophisticated.


I love my current Tissot watch, but this pretty number also caught my eye. Too bad it's $1,700!

Yellow is another color that I don't have in my closet, but that would look great on me. This dress would be great both in and out of the office.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Road Race

I love running road races throughout town. Shockingly enough, my favorite time to run is during the winter. Typically the races are smaller and the temperatures are cooler---which means more fun and better race times!

Last weekend I ran the ColderBoulder which is a 5K that loops around the University of Colorado campus.

Giving the photographer the hairy eyeball

In doing some research, I noticed that my 5K races have been consistently around the 26-minute mark---about 8:30 miles. Not too bad, but I'd like to improve.

So, I'm saying it here and now: My new goal is to run a sub-24 minute 5K (8 minute miles). Let the training commence!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Scared

From www.123rf.com 

No wonder why so many people have a hard time sticking to exercise programs. I’m somewhat of a veteran compared to most gym-goers and yet I have to confess that The. Gym. Is. Scary. It scares the living crap out of me. Every day.

The following is an admission of my fears and my failure.

Let’s start from the beginning.

About 9-months ago I sprained my knee and was sidelined from soccer and the hours and hours of cardio that we women love to do. Inspired by all my fitness friends, I decided to pick up weightlifting.

This was a scary first step. First of all, in my gym the women congregate around the treadmills and ellipticals and the men stick to the machines and free weights. Venturing into “that area” (the weights) meant I was typically either the only woman or one of three women lifting. The men were never rude or lewd—but you can tell that they’re always watching. I’d like to think that a.) I’m hot shit despite the fact that I haven't shaved my legs recently and b.) I have perfect form, but I know both are untrue. Maybe it’s like seeing the Loch Ness Monster—women are so rare in “that area” that the guys can’t stop staring.

So, I sucked it up and started lifting a couple times a week while following a vague program I found online. I literally had to talk myself over to the weights each time because it was scary. Lifting was new and different. Luckily, I quickly got the movements down and was feeling more confident. But after a while I knew I wasn’t getting stronger. Eventually my workouts digressed to the point that even a light day left me exhausted and unwilling. I felt like crap all the time—in or out of the gym.

I decided I’d had enough. I hired a trainer on November 1. Dave set up a great program with tons of movements and options. He specifically directed that if an exercise hurt or if I felt worse then I should stop immediately. Great. Sounds good. Whatever.

 Updates? Successes? Progress? Questions?”

The first workouts went great. I felt strong, motivated, and I only had a few questions which were quickly answered. But a week and a half into the program and only a handful of workouts done, I got sidetracked. Again. Dave emailed me on Monday morning and asked how everything was going. “It’s been three weeks,” he said. “Updates? Successes? Progress? Questions?” I feigned that I was “too busy” to respond and dodged him for two days. In the end, I had to answer to him—and I had to answer to myself.

Why did I lose track after such a short time? It comes down to this…

I got scared.

The “what-ifs” overtook me. What if it doesn’t work? What if I can’t stick to it? What will people think of me? Why do I have to carry this stupid notebook around and track everything—do I look like an idiot? What if I don’t get stronger/leaner/better?

So I went back to what was easy and comfortable. I started running again and playing a million soccer games every week. Isn’t this how I got injured in the first place? Isn’t this how I lost track? I didn’t care. It was comfortable.

Claire, I'm not mad; I'm just disappointed.”

I finally confessed to Dave that I got sidetracked. I literally asked him to yell at me. “I deserve it,” I said. Instead, Dave used the “d-word.” He explained, “Claire, I'm not mad; I'm just disappointed.” He asked how we can adjust the program. What will work better? How can I become more motivated? Even though I still wish he yelled at me, this struck home. The “d-word” is worse than yelling, tears, denial… everything. He’s disappointed in me and more to the point, I’m disappointed in myself.

Ouch.

“You just got not to be so… scared.”

I’m going to have to suck it up and conquer these fears. In one of my favorite movies, Strictly Ballroom (a chick flick, I know), the mother says to her daughter in a thick Spanish accent, “You just got not to be so… scared.”

The gym is scary. New programs are scary. Life is scary. But I can overcome my self-imposed obstacles and get better.

I'm going to hit the gym. I'm going to confidently use the free weights and carry around my little notebook. But in the meantime, I’m still going to avoid the gym crowds and hit the weights at 5:30 am or 9:30 pm. I may be getting stronger, but I can’t move mountains yet.

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Holidays

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, I have to say that the holiday season is my favorite time of the year. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. Love them! And yet, I hate all the minor holidays. St. Patrick's Day? Halloween? New Years? Blugh. Hate.

I'm a minor-holiday Scrooge.

But, back to the joyous part of the season. Things I love:

1. My family. All of our family events are (mostly) low-key. Nothing stuffy about it. Eat lots of food and have fun---that's it! This year's Thanksgiving involved a number of games in which the boys killed the girls on "Catch Phrase." I also got annihilated in Checkers. Boooo.

2. Friends. We're all busy with the season, so whenever we're able to carve out some time to get together it's even more meaningful. Besides, everyone has a great stories about gift-buying mishaps and office holiday parties.

Speaking of gifts, what in world am I going to get my boss??? She has a little BMW Z3 which she loves (understandably). Maybe I could get her a BMW scarf

3. For some reason, the colors of red and green say Christmas to me in the month of December. A car's tail lights under a green traffic light? Christmas. Weird, I know.

4. Food. I heart food. In fact, I haven't shared my recent kitchen adventures... so here's what I've been up to:


Oatmeal Cookies
Chickpea and peppers stir fry over basmati rice. Yum!
I was too lazy to go to the grocery store, so I made this "Kitchen Sink Spaghetti." Whole grain noodles, sauteed onions and spinach, cheesy marinara sauce, and red pepper flakes. Get in my belly!


On another note, here are some random, fun pictures on my phone:

I saw these cards at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science when I went with my niece & nephew a couple of weeks ago---a fun time! Anyway, even though these pictures are of trout and not bass, I still love the idea. I should have grabbed a box to use for Christmas cards. 

Avs game!! We played the Minnesota Wild this weekend and killed them 7-4. Great seats and great company! I heart hockey.
So there's my brief holiday update. I hope to have something more meaningful to post soon. (And I'll post more frequently, promise!)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Buried

I've been trying to focus on my life lately. As in, my life outside of the office.

Except that it's really hard to do that when I'm literally buried in work.


Le sigh...

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Personal Branding



In keeping up with the social media scene, the current buzz word seems to be "personal branding." For example, check out this Mashable article by Dan Schawbel. How do you present yourself to the online community? What are your interests, goals, and experiences? More importantly, what is your personal or professional expertise?

This last question is where I struggle. Specifically, I have trouble with the word "expertise." In my mid-20s I don't consider myself an expert on anything---and I don't see this as a weakness. This is the time to explore our interests, goals, dreams, and desires both personally and professionally.

Do I know a lot about my profession? Of course. But, I am nowhere near the level of "expert." In fact, I am learning new things every day. That's one of the things I love about what I do. There's always new authors, new topics, new manuscripts, and new business challenges and I have to treat each task separately. Hardly an "expert" mindset, I'm sure.

Despite this, I think that there are good reasons to network yourself through social media. Am I an expert? No. But am I an intelligent, dedicated, and interesting person? Absolutely. Hopefully this latter part shows through my online portfolio.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Organize Your Writing

From LegalGeekery
I recently edited a friend’s law school admission essay. He would like to pursue business law and wrote a great story about how his current job and experience in growing a fledging business has led him to this field.

Except, when he got to his final paragraph—the most important part of the whole essay!—he lost focus. He wants to be a lawyer so badly and for so many reasons that he tried to spew it out all at once. His confusion was there on paper for us all to see. There were disagreements between subjects and objects; there were run-on sentences; and I think he talked about a blooming flower once or twice.

This is a mistake a lot of writers make. We want something so much that it’s incredibly hard to articulate. “I just want it, okay?”

So, these are the suggestions that I offered to him and, therefore, are offering to you in your own writing projects:

Please delete the flowery writing. There’s a time and a place for this and a law school application is not it. Additionally, flowery statements signal to me that the person is hiding behind metaphors rather than choosing the right word—a sign of a poor writer. If you don’t believe me (or if you want to learn more), check out On Writing Well.

You need to break down the various reasons as to why you want to be a lawyer/doctor/writer/whatever. For example, my friend wants to help people, resolve disputes, develop his business acumen, become a good lawyer, get international experience, and… and… and.... Whew! In one sentence, this is overwhelming. If each point is instead broken down, it appears both possible and admirable. Provide examples and then provide more examples. (Examples and quotes are what got me through my English degree. Worked for my History degree as well. Who'd have thunk it?)

Don’t lose your personal voice. My friend was very good at telling his story, but in the conclusion he switched gears and wrote what he thinks he should say. Yes, he wants to become a lawyer, but the law school committee already knows about lawyers; what they do, what they’re like. They’re more interested in your personal contribution!

I have yet to see my friend’s second draft, but I hope (as all editors do) that he’ll take my comments and at least consider them as an option. Many times, just thinking about a certain sentence can lead to a whole new direction that’s even better than the one I proposed.

I hope this is helpful! And keep writing, y'all—practice makes perfect.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Learning New Things About... Myself

Despite the 20-some-odd years of living within my head, I'm still learning new things about myself. My thoughts, emotions, likes and dislikes---you name it. It's all fascinating, and sometimes a little shocking.

Things I've recently learned about myself:

I bought a dress (gasp!). I never wear dresses unless attending a formal event, such as a wedding. I love this dress and I feel like I belong in the show Mad Men while wearing it. Except that it has been sitting in my closet for 3 weeks. For some reason, I can't seem to wear it in public. Sigh.


I don't like coconut milk (or anything coconut flavored, really). I made this great spicy Thai Green Curry recipe. Except that it calls for coconut milk to mix the curry. Coconut is a giant mask that covers the taste of everything surrounding it. It's like crop-dusting your food with coconut-foul. The leftovers are now sitting in my fridge, untouched. Next time, I'm using broth instead of the abomination that is coconut milk.

The Denver Art Museum has free admission on the first Saturday of every month. I need to go more often. I recently killed some time just wandering around their gift shop and it took everything in me to not buy out their print and card collections.


I often pride myself as being a very motivated and hard-working individual. But some days I need a little help getting out of bed when the alarm goes off. (More days than I'd like to admit, actually.) So I took some cornball advice and created a motivational poster. The magazines I clipped from also tells you something about me: Better Homes & Gardens (thanks, Christy!), Runner's World, and Oxygen. There is a lot of blank space because I plan on regularly adding to it. This poster has only been in my life for a couple of days, but I already love it! It's amazing what a few words and a little bit of glue can do for you.


From Eco Street
Moving. Moving is scary, scary shiz. First, though, I need to find a new position that suits both my interests and my skills. I'm excited about the prospect, and a little nervous. But if it isn't hard then it isn't worth doing, right? Right??

In the end it'll work out. It always does.

And I'll have fun learning new tips and tricks about myself along the way.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

My Favorite Websites

From i can has cheezburger

Everyone has their favorite websites. Some are fun, some are educational, and most are downright a waste of time (the best kind!). That's the joy of the internet. That's the joy of communication.

In no particular order, here are the websites that I have bookmarked and check regularly:

First of all, Twitter. I love and adore Twitter---10 times more than Facebook. Fb is incredibly narcissistic. Admit it, we all develop and stress over our perfect profiles and posted pictures. Twitter, on the other hand, is about the conversation. I've learned sooooo many things from 'listening' to everyone. Life is about learning and growing---and sometimes kvetching---and this online community will get you through it.

Career-Oriented/Money
I Will Teach You To Be Rich (also check out Ramit's book)
   Steller information with great, accessible writing---saving, earning, investing... everything. Also, he makes me feel better with links about why it's better to be a poor renter.
Ms. Career Girl
   A great little blog from another 20-something career girl just trying to make it in the world.
Mint.com
   Instead of checking every separate bank/credit card site, I log into this little gem. It also shows my IRA account and my earnings vs. spending for the month.

Girly Things (a.k.a. websites that prove I have no taste or skill)
Fab Finds Under 50
   This woman, Kimberly, can make clothes from Wal-Mart look good. Incredible!
Wardrobe911
  The clothes featured are a rather expensive, but I like seeing the combinations and possibilities.
New Dress A Day
   I can't even sew on a button. This girl rocks. You have to check out the level of inspiration and creativity here.
The Pioneer Woman
  Every woman I know and love can't get enough of this site. It's a nation-wide phenomenon. Everything about this site rocks. Everything.

Fitness and Health
Athlete Creator
  From Dave, someone I now call a friend. His rants can be entertaining.
Stretch Exercise Eat
  From another friend, Adam. He's a lawyer based in Korea who can hold a conversation about anything and everything . I'm proud to say that I've introduced him to the awesome that is Sons of Anarchy---thus the "Opie" hat featured in TXP.
Fit Day
  A great site for tracking your daily calories and exercise. When it comes to losing weight, it really does come down to calories in versus calories out. This helps to quickly and easily track everything---especially if you stick with it. Like any diet, I go back and forth with using this site consistently.

News
The "Breaking News" feed in Twitter is the bomb-diggity.
New York Times
  Fascinating in-depth articles and great writing. If you want quick and easy stories, this is not the place to go. Otherwise, it's my top news source.
CNN
  This site, however, is quick and easy. All the top news in the world. Oftentimes, scanning headlines will give me the lay of the land for the day.
MSBC
  This site a little more eye-catching with pictures and slideshows, but I often get frustrated with how many videos they post online. If I wanted to watch videos, I'd turn on the TV.
Drudge Report
  Not exactly unbiased, but Matt Drudge is well-known for spotting the biggest stories.
The Denver Post
   I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. Even your website is terrible.


Random/Fun
TMZ
  I mean, really. It's TMZ. It's fun and keeps me up-to-date with my Lindsay Lohan obsession.
The Oatmeal
  The comics are HI-to the-LARIOUS! Two of my recent favorites are Juicy Fruit and Email.

What are your favorite sites? What am I missing? I'm sure there's a site---or five---that need to be added to my list.

Monday, October 4, 2010

I Like Food


I have to admit, this learning-to-cook thing is fun. A lot of fun! Of course, I have a loooooong way to go, but every time I try a new recipe I feel slightly more confident in the kitchen.

After eating my heart out at Lake Powell, I need to start watching my calories. My jeans are a little too tight for comfort.

Nonetheless, I am displaying some of the recipes I've conquered over the past month or so. Food porn. Enjoy!

Rice Crispy Treats with Peanut M&Ms
I made these for our most recent Guns & Garters extravaganza. Shooting guns is shockingly fun. I like it. Be scared. Be very scared.

The peanut M&M addition was compliments of my roommate---and a stellar idea it was.

Baked Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
The recipe said four servings. Obviously, there are seven burritos here. Luckily they're quick and easy to freeze and I can pull one out for a quick dinner at any time.


 The yummy stuffing: monterey jack cheese, brown rice, spicy black beans, mashed sweet potatoes.


 The spicy black beans were a particular favorite. I'll have to remember this mix and include it in anything and everything. Yum!

Banana Crumb Muffins, a popular recipe from All Recipes
These were good, but I like my other recipe for banana bread better.


Pioneer Woman's Artichoke Dip

Also yummy, but not one of my favorites. I'm a cheese and queso person. :)


Addditionally, I have been smart enough to beg for lessons from some of my amazing friends.

Emily!
Here's Emily on one of our girl's/baking nights where we gossip, make new recipes, and eat our creations while watching chick flicks. She is making an amazing chocolate and peanut butter dessert---waaaay better than Reese's peanut butter cups!

Breakfast Casserole
Here's a breakfast casserole recipe I got from a friend and took to Lake Powell with me.

It's a mixture of eggs, milk, sauteed veggies, spicy sausage, and lots o' cheese. A new favorite!!!


Chocolate Pots du Creme
And, here are some absolutely decadent Chocolate Pots du Creme. The one and only time I've watched the Food Network, they were making this and I had to have it. I even tracked down the recipe online.

Delicious!

I had my aspiring chef friend, Matt, help me with these. Too bad I didn't get his picture. In any case, any type of souffle is very hard to get right, and without Matt being there I would've messed up the recipe countless times!

I also learned that I'm ungodly slow at cooking. I knew that I was slow in the first place, but it truly came to light while watching Matt. For example, I slowly and carefully beat eggs. He just picks up the bowl and whisks the hell out of them. I mean, really, they're beaten eggs. Why be a perfectionist here? So many things to learn... I love it.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

I Have the Cutest Neice and Nephew in the World

Seriously. They're adorable. Check out how awesome they are here: http://outofdifficultiesgrowsmiracles.blogspot.com/

As further proof, here are some pictures we got from a recent lunch with my family.

My parents with Ava, who's almost 2

My parents with Andrew. My new nickname for this little man is Chunky Monkey.


My brother, Peter, and his wife, Alissa, with Andrew
I had to steal this photo from Facebook, but here is my oldest brother, Graham, and his wife, Amber, with their two cuties.

Adorable
Lemme rephrase the title of this post: I have the cutest family in the world---except for my smelly brothers of course. They're smelly.