Out with the old...

Twice a year I walk into my closet, stop and finally take the time to really look around. Call it visual inventory...12 tshirts that would better fit an 8 year old (okay sometimes I shrink things...and allegedly I've gotten bigger), 3 pairs of jeans that I never really liked but kept "just in case", 6 dresses mocking me from their hangers "Size 2 Elyse? Really? You're never going to fit a size 2 again...move along" and many other random items scoffing at me from their cozy little homes.

So I got to work this morning with a plan: Eliminate ANYTHING I don't like, I don't wear, that does not and will never again fit and items that were (quite honestly) never even cute but friends and family were sweet enough not to ridicule me for wearing (can we say lime green jacket?).

AJ went through his jungle closet and donated a bit too but was easily distracted by the golf and the opportunity to cat nap while I was in project mode.

Roughly three hours, two reality checks and five trash bags full of clothes later...the project is done! I'm not going to lie...it felt really good to toss those bags into the donation bin and come home to a closet that should not mock me again for at least another 5 months.

Happy Saturday!

Baseball, Fireworks and Fun...

Back to home sweet home after a fantastic weekend away with AJ in San Diego...

Perfect weather every day, a different fireworks show every night, walking distance to Petco  Park, Gas Lamp, Seaport, Horton Plaza and four solid days of getting to enjoy the company of my better half! I really needed that.

I'm posting some of my favorite pictures from the trip though I have realized the downside to it being just the two of us is having to ask a stranger to take a picture (AJ is not a fan of this). :-)

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

(The gorgeous view from our room on Day 1)

(Go Padres! They won and we had amazing seats for the game and the fireworks!)

(AJ enjoying our "fishbowl" at Seaport Village)

(Touring the USS Midway...there's really no way to look cool in headphones.)

(My favorite plane on the tour)

(4th of July view from our hotel room - The Fox 5 Concert below)

(The three firework shows we could see!)

(A view from our room of the GasLamp and Petco Park)

Like a good cup of coffee...

Do you ever read something so sincere and sweet that you find yourself desperately wanting to be able to express yourself just as eloquently?


Today I sat reading post after post of a blog that could possibly be some of the best writing I’ve read in awhile. As I read posts from this woman I realized that there is much more to her story. She’s funny, honest and in her best moments describes the simplest of days with such illustrative descriptions that you feel like you were able to share part of that moment too. Her passion and adoration for her husband is enviable and I found myself hoping to read just one post about how he clips his toenails at the dinner table or some other disgusting habit that she can’t stand…but alas no. :-)

I only happened across this blog because an old high school friend had posted a YouTube video about her on Facebook page today. I watched and, as it is with everything I watch or read, I wanted to know as much as I could. I read her blog “ac” after crash as she calls it and “bc” before crash…and I will tell you two things:

1) She is superb…a beautiful wife, mother and fighter...because others would have just quit life and she continues to put herself out there for the world to see and read about.

2) Her honest style of writing is the reading equivalent of coffee. :-) This likely only makes sense to me...who gets so much joy out of the simple smell of coffee… I can only think to liken my favorite writers to something that sweet and simple.

I laid down on the floor with our laptop at 5pm today just glancing over her story to see what it was all about. Two hours later I found myself on the sofa happy to have stumbled across her amazing story of courage and love. Kudos to you Stephanie - you have not only inspired me to have a greater appreciation for the people in my life but also to try my best to write, photograph and capture every wonderful second of it.

Blog posts from Stephanie that I would recommend checking out sometime:

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2005/11/please-someone-plug-me-in.html

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2009/11/do-you-still-see-me.html

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2005/09/and-my-blog-will-go-on-and-on.html

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2005/10/neck-brace-man.html

Love,

Elyse