Jay & Hay's One Big Day

I really love weddings. I love love. I love the celebration of a couple choosing to be together, happily ever after. I love the commitment, the statement, and the excitement of a wedding day. I love seeing the personality of the bride and groom come out in all the little details. I love wedding gowns. The hair. The makeup. The choice of dress in which you force all of your girlfriends to wear as they stand by your side to support you on the biggest day of your life (the bride either loves or secretly loathes all of her maids and matrons, and it's hilarious. Haley loved hers, for sure - the cutest dresses, the formal introductions and the dancing entrance!? SO wonderful). I love the photos: memories for a lifetime, that a granddaughter will someday pull out of a box and show everyone how beautiful the women in her family are.

However, the more weddings I go to, the more I realize how much it's about so much more than the little details that you spend weeks and months pouring over. It's the anticipation in the air as a thousand of your friends and family watch a slideshow of two people they truly, honestly adore. It's the admiration for a couple that held strong to their beliefs, loving God above all else, pouring out every ounce of themselves in acts of service to other people day in and day out finally standing together to be united as one. It's about childhood sweetheart exchanging heartfelt vows to continue to take on the world together. It's about moments and people and relationship. I've never been more moved than I was last night - one small supporter in a sea of a thousand, just happy to be in the room as a wonderful couple became husband and wife.

Jon and Haley are those people. They are the head of student ministries at my church. They are younger than me, crazier than me... and I respect and love these guys so much. They're the first ones to the church and the last ones to leave. They love people, they exude joy, they are cheerleaders and hard workers and adventurers and they always have happy, positive things to say. Haley is the first to run up and give me a huge hug and tell me how much she loves me - and I haven't seen or talked to her in weeks. She's just that girl, and Jon is just that guy. They are impacting the world in a big, big way.

What a great wedding last night, Mr. & Mrs. Yadon! You are truly wonderful people and it was an honor to celebrate you. If you're on Instagram, check out #jayandhaysonebigday... so many photos and videos of the festivities. You can feel the love, respect and admiration in every post.

You two rock at life.

A Boring Girl's Guide To Vegas

We recently returned from a weeklong trip to Vegas. Some of you might be thinking: Oy. A week? Way too long, Corianne. Way too long.

But it's really not, not when you do Vegas like we do Vegas. The only reason it might be too long is because our wallets couldn't possibly handle another meal (or our waists, for that matter) or another trip to Sephora.

Yes, Sephora. Did you think I was going to say the club?

First of all, we went to Vegas with our best friends Davey & Jess. They have the same goals as we do when we go on vacation: good food and drinks. Good pool. Good sleep. And that's about it.

The Official Boring Girl's Guide To Vegas

1) Yelp
Jess and I were on Yelp from the minute we stepped off the plane. We started out trying to find new places to eat, and we ended up trying to beat each other by attaining new badges checking into places we never actually stepped foot in. Oh, you actually thought I went to Hakkasaan, the night club? HAHA. No. We walked by on our way to the room at 9pm, checked-in, and got the "First To The Club" badge. Who's the loser now, Yelp? It's a great way for your friends and social media following to think you're cooler than you actually are.

2) Selfie Sticks
You guys. EVERYONE has them in Vegas. Like, everyone. They sell them at the ABC Store, for goodness sake. When they started coming about a couple years ago, I was so embarrassed for the people that whipped them out, but now you're actually a loser if you DON'T have a Selfie Stick. So, we bought one in Vegas and used that bad boy until we got on the plane to head home.

3) THAT SCENT.
You know how amazing the hotels smell in Vegas? We found the spot to really BASK in the glory that is "hotel perfume" (it's a thing, guys, look it up). When we stepped off the elevator and into the hallway to head to our room, there was a particular air-conditioning vent that pumped out the scent so strongly... It may or may not have been the single source for the monstrosity that is the MGM Grand. And we may or may not have stood there like idiots, just breathing in the smell and trying to memorize it. Go to the 4th floor of the MGM, and take an immediate left down the hallway for room 414. You'll know when you're there. That glorious smell hits you like a brick wall.

4) Coffee, Breakfast, Pre-Lunch, Lunch, Snack, Pre-Dinner, Dinner, Post-Dinner, Late Night Snack. This was the meal schedule each day, and y'all... We learned how to do it right. He's a sample of our daily menu. And we walked it off each day, so - no guilt. (We probably should have had some guilt, but you know... Vacation).

Coffee: Grande iced coffee from Starbucks on the way to the pool

Breakfast: Fries

Pre-Lunch: Sushi on the way back to the room

Lunch: A salad or a sandwich or pizza, usually once BACK at the room

Snack: More fries

Pre-Dinner: Lobster Rolls from Todd English PUB

Dinner: Brisket Nachos from Guy Fieri's

Post-Dinner: Cupcake from Sprinkles or a burger from Shake Shack

Late Night Snack: Sushi, again

5) Buffet
This one is self-explanatory. But do your research... Only rookies go to the first buffet they come across, or the one at their hotel by default.

6) Solicitors
Have some fun. You know those people that try to sell you on a "free show", and you only need to sign over a promissory note to give them your first born? Try telling them you're not interested because you have IBS and can't sit through a full show. Or that you have Tourettes and are currently banned from the theatre at the MGM because of the last time you went. It's fun - the more inappropriate you get, the more exciting it is. One lady literally stopped her pitch to say: "EW!" to Jessica. I can't even repeat what Jessica's excuse was, but it was gross and that lady literally turned away from us and onto her next prey. We got snubbed by a Vegas solicitor.

7) Sephora

Ladies, go buy a new lipstick or 10. Because it's Vegas, and everyone needs to try colors they probably couldn't pull off at home when they're on vacation.

8) Midnight Sushi

Wash off your makeup, put on sweats, leave your husbands in the room watching Sportscenter, and run across the strip to the only sushi join open at that hour. Make friends with the Sushimaster (?) and the bartender, eat your Spider Roll after the Sushimaster shows your Asian friend how to use chopsticks, and talk about the Seahawks (because evvvvvveryone in Vegas wants to talk about the Seahawks when you're also wearing a Seattle hat).

9) Penny Slots

Take $20 and GO TO TOWN. Jess and I found that the candy, jewel, and Superwoman-themed machines did the best. Don't do the Ellen Degeneres machines, they are terrible. And don't get mad when a little old lady runs over and yells at you for taking her machine when there is literally nothing of hers on said machine. Just move to the machine next to her, win the jackpot, and gloat silently.

10) Get To Know Your Cab Drivers
Unless they try to kill you coming home from Old Town, taking corners at 70 MPH and tailgating all the cars on the freeway. Then you should probably report them.

BONUS TIP:

11) The Laundry Room

In Old Town, there is a bar named Commonwealth that is way too young for us. I'm talking loud rap music and omg the headache. But we went there because someone told us about a super-secret hidden spot called The Laundry Room that is only available by physical request... you ask the bartender at Commonwealth, and they give you a clothespin with a phone number on it, without saying a word. You're to text the number and if they have a spot, they will get you in. You wait in a designated area, and they come out to get you. If not, you're out of luck. The phone number changes all the time, and if you are lucky enough to get a reservation, don't you dare be late. We got in, and it was amazing. They read you the rules before you enter (no photos, no phone calls, no loud conversations). It's a prohibition-style speakeasy, and it's fun and glam and SO different from what you'd expect out of Vegas. I soaked it in, and then made a vow to blog about it... so, go visit. And have some of the jalapeno popcorn for me.

Working From Home: Too Good To Be True?

My eyes were swollen from crying. It was official: I hated my job.

It was thankless; I spent my days talking to people being denied insurance coverage all day long. People that had just received horrible news about their health or the health of their spouse, people that were faced with insurmountable bills and coverage denials... My heart hurts. I was so depressed. I spent hours commuting, I never saw my new husband, and when I did, I was tired and sad and dreading the next morning. It was a vicious, unhealthy cycle.

My husband was tired of seeing me so broken down. He told me that there was no time like the present to pursue my passion. I needed to do something I enjoyed, because life was too short to be miserable. He asked me what would make me happy. Besides having babies, I realized I wanted to write. Emails, blogs, reports, website content... I loved writing.

So, I grabbed some chocolate and sat down in front of his desktop computer just a few short months after we had moved into the basement of his parent's house to save some money, and I clicked onto Craigslist to look for my probably nonexistent dream job.

I searched.
Edit from home.
Work from home.
Write from home.
Customer service at home.

So many people ask me how I got hooked-up with my job, where they should start, and how I knew it wasn't just a ploy to get me to give them my credit card information. I get it - it's a scary world out there. I'm here to tell you that the opportunities you're looking for are out there. I found myself reading all about all the telecommuting/work-from-home opportunities that I had no idea really existed. My heart was pounding from the excitement. I could totally make this happen.

I didn't apply for many companies, but the first position I applied for had the title "Customer Service For Happy People". The company was based in NYC and San Francisco, and was a fully-virtual office. I had reservations, but I tweaked my cover letter and submitted my resume anyway. I remember deciding to be real and fun-loving in my cover letter, so they could see I was truly the happy person they were looking for... I had it in me, right? My current job hadn't totally broken me. Yet.

Here are some practical tips and tricks (and warnings) for finding your dream work-from-home job on the internet. Let's be real: there are so many scams and hoaxes and many of them are very well-disguised. But if I'm being totally honest: they're not that well disguised, people. Use common sense. Be practical. And do your research.

1. GOOGLE THEM.
   Ironically, the company I work for is a marketing company, and Google is our love-language. So, it's fitting that I tell you: the information you're looking for is out there. When you apply, or even BEFORE you apply... find out the name of the company and Google them. Do they have a website? What's the CEO's name? Google him or her, too. Find all the info you can, and if anything seems fishy, write it down. You can ask them about it on your interview, do more research, or ask for a third-party opinion.
2. BE SMART.
   If on your interview call you are hired on the spot and they ask you for your social security number or banking info for your direct deposit paycheck, it's probably not legit. Sorry. Ask them for their employee handbook, for the contract they are offering you. Ask for paperwork so you can pour over that, next.
3. WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?
   If you're talking to the CEO and his email is a Hotmail or Yahoo account, maybe ask some questions. In general, be sure that the company has company email. I feel like it's just a good rule of thumb.
4. SOCIAL MEDIA IS YOUR FRIEND
   I looked up our CEO on social media... found his blog, and his Twitter account - which had thousands and thousands of real people following and interacting with him. He posted often, but it wasn't spammy... it was genuine conversation, and that made me feel great. I also looked up my supervisor and found her LinkedIn. Some people have social media locked down, but sometimes, you can strike gold - and honestly, it's 2015. A majority of companies have some sort of social media presence, be it Facebook or Twitter or an Instagram. It's rare that a company will be completely missing from social media.

Of course, always proceed with caution - and there are some really, really good scammers out there... but there are also some incredible opportunities. I am living proof. But you're never going to find something if you don't LOOK, so just start searching and asking around.

Back To Center

Last night was a small but much-needed mommy night out. I forget how well I do with just a few hours to recharge. I met a friend, Colleen, and we got pretty fall manicures, and then went around the corner to a local bar for some food and drinks... Because when don't I need to bring food and drinks into the mix?

So many jewel tones, not enough time. I went with #92 - Down To Earth.
It's a beautiful camo-green!

It's a lot, working from home and raising two babies. I find it hard to separate the two sometimes. Too often, I treat my babies like tasks, or only give them my very divided attention - and it leaves me feeling completely sad, and like I've failed as a mom and employee. Is this what working from home is supposed to accomplish?

Simon Pierce - 8 months old & Porter Alan - 2.5 years old

No. Working from home gives me the chance to be there for moments like this... When they're crawling around together and laughing and exploring and just being brothers. Moments like this make the "sharpie on the carpet/nap strikes/food strikes/must have apple juice NOW" moments far less important.

But, the crazy moments also remind me quickly that I'm human... I'm an adult human. I'm not the kid that runs away from her problems anymore, I have to face them head on. When I'm feeling deflated and tired and just worn down, I have to deal with that like an adult. And since I've made the decision to not deal with my problems by acting out (partying, drinking, drugs, anger), I have to discover new ways to face and conquer the challenges in my life, in the moment. Because let's be honest: mommy nights out can't happen every night. Ha.

• Perspective. That's my biggest tool. Remembering those fleeting moments when Simon was two months old and we thought he was blind, or worse, that his body was filled with disease. Those were big issues. The fact that he wants me to hold him all day? Not an issue. An inconvenience, I guess, but not an issue. I see so many posts these days about accidents, and disease, and families truly facing the worst possible heartache... so my perspective shifts. I remember how blessed we are, and that I need to not act like my life is falling apart because Porter wants to drum his heart out while I'm on a phone call for work. God forbid, we could face some true challenges someday - but we're not. And I am so grateful and appreciative of the His hand on our lives.

• Prayer. I don't really have much to say about this, except for that I'm constantly trying to give it to God. I'm waiting for Him to throw up His hands like "Girl, no", but it hasn't happened yet. Hallelujah. My God is great.

• Mommy time-outs. Those are moments that I just lock myself in the laundry room for a minute to regain my composure so I don't say or do something I shouldn't. This works sometimes, too.

• IPads. Those have been my saving grace these days, when I'm not riddled with guilt for shoving an electronic in my son's hands and allowing him to zone out on Kid's YouTube. But when I have to get something done, necessity trumps all else, and he gets to watch creepy tutorials of grown adults opening eggs and talking in Disney voices.

• Reality Checks. For example: my husband is not the enemy because he has a job outside the home. I could go back to work outside the home, too, so I have to remind myself not to be a brat because I've made the decision not to. I'm guilty of making him feel like less of a parent because he "doesn't have to hear it all day long" as Porter rages about not being able to eat chili for breakfast. It doesn't make it any less annoying for Paul when he's home in the mornings, does it?

What are ways that you bring yourself back to center,
so you have the focus and energy to conquer your day?

Change The Channel

Saturdays. We have until about 3pm, and then Paul heads off to work and it's just me and the boys. We always miss him. It becomes a countdown of the hours before he returns home. Today, though, instead of just watching the clock, we headed to the park.

I watch a lot of scary TV. Like... Snapped. Law & Order: SVU. Dateline. It's probably not the best thing for me to do, considering I am far too anxious and worrisome as it is - you know, without filling my head with these stories and worst case scenarios that are far too "typical" these days. I should stick to Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy, but no no... I need to know about the world's most far-fetched and terrifying crimes and criminals.

As we pulled up to our quaint neighborhood park today, there was only one other car in the lot. A truck. All the windows were down, and an older couple was hunched down in the front seats, a pitbull with a studded collar in the back. They had no kids, from what I can tell... they were just sitting in the car. Staring as we pulled up. The park was empty, and I immediately started to think of ridiculous scenarios as I unloaded the boys from the car.

Text Paul, tell him where you are.

Park far enough away to where you would see them coming if they headed toward you. You know, to attack you.

How would I get both kids in the car, and then myself, to get us out of here quickly? I would just throw both the kids in the car, on the floor, and BOOK IT.

Put your phone away. Make eye contact with them. They need to know you're aware.

I should Periscope our park trip. So I'm "live" if anything went down. Thanks, social media!

I miss the innocence of never assuming the worst, or never "going there" in my mind. I'm working on reminding myself daily that I'm smart, aware, and God didn't give me a spirit of fear... and also trying to identify when this intensified so greatly? Being a mother has made it worse, for sure. Life means so much more now that I have two sets of beautiful blue/gray eyes staring up and me expectantly.

I don't want them to get my anxious tendencies. I don't want to go to bed at night with my mind buzzing with all the crazy things happening in the world. I can feel my heart relax as I repeat "Jesus. Jesus" and move on with my day. His name truly does bring peace. Perfect peace... peace peace. 

I vow to skip past the news as often as I can, and savor the good news happening around me daily. Stop DVRing The First 48, and read more books.

To the park we go, past the possible criminals and to the swings.

Do you guys think too much or too often about the big, crazy world we live in? What helps you to remain centered, confident, and focused on the positive that surrounds you?

Worship Stories: No Other Name

I thought about documenting a few of my experiences in worship - I know we all are blessed to have them, but worship is such a huge part of our daily routine (with Paul being a worship leader) that I find myself wanting to write down my stories to share them with others. Worship is what kept me in church when I first came back in 2007. I was in a bad place: totally desperate and completely doubtful. Desperate and doubtful is a bad place to be. But when I walked through the doors at my church and watched (yes, watched) people sing... not out of a hymnal... but on fire and in love with this distant God that I was so sad I had been letting down for so long, my mind was blown. God likes this?

Worship helped to solidify in my mind that God wants me as I am. He doesn't want me because I am portraying an obedient-hearted believer and dutifully singing words on a page (although, He wants plenty of people that way! Just not me). He wants me messy. And loud. And passionate. And convicted. And awestruck... that's how I'm moved. And I am so grateful for the ability to worship Him how He has built me to worship Him.

Anyway. My love of worship was born then... and I have a lot of stories of songs that I've listened to alone, in bed, crying - completely moved and speechless because I felt so loved. Songs that played on repeat as I struggled to rock my new baby to sleep. Songs that became our anthem during our second son's health journey. Songs that helped me to understand how to deal when bad things happen. Songs that I fell in love with when I fell in love with a guy that led people in worship.

This weekend, our church did a new song - No Other Name, from Hillsong's same album of the same title.There was a single part of in this song that completely reduced me to a pile of nothing. I just felt so small, so finite, so overwhelmed with His goodness. This song is SO powerful, but in recently walking through the scary times we did with Simon, singing this this past weekend reminded me to remember exactly Who we serve, in all His glory.

God isn't a God that might show up. He will.

Also, He's not a meek and emotional and soft God. I am meek and emotional and soft. He is UNDEFEATED. When I sang that line this weekend, I got chills. I love worship, but I don't get chills often.

Seated on high
the undefeated One
Mountains bow down
as we lift Him up

MOUNTAINS bow down. Mountains, you guys. MOUNTAINS. Look out your window at Mount Rainier (well, all you Washington folk). That is a huge, unmovable piece of earth... and imagine that epic monument reducing to a pile of nothing in His presence.

He is strong. He is a force. Do you have any idea how huge that is? I loved how powerful this song portrays God. It will definitely be one that I recall when I need to remember that hard times don't have anything on His greatness. And He's on our side... how lucky are we?

The earth will shake
and tremble before Him
chains will break
as heaven and earth sing
Holy is name of Jesus

Get Lost

This weekend, Paul and I got out and drove.

It wasn't intentional, until it was. We were planning on just running out to get coffee, maybe stop by the Farmer's Market... but then we found ourselves one kid down (Porter spent the morning with Grammy and Opa), so we packed up our sleeping 4 month old into the truck and just drove.

We drove past the Farmer's Market (which was SO PACKED. That's what happens when it's a sunny Saturday in Washington... everyone decides to get out and be active, ha), we stopped quickly by the post office and then Starbucks, and then we just kept driving. We went down the valley and into a small town called Orting. We were going to stop for an early lunch at a cute cafe or bakery, but we didn't see any that looked worthwhile (sorry, Orting). So, we kept driving. We drove through Orting and the further we drove, the more tranquil and peaceful the setting became. Rolling countryside, farms, evergreens, blue skies, whispy clouds... and we began to talk.

One thing about Paul and I: we have opposite communication styles, especially in regards to conflict. The other day, he asked me if I wanted to go to grab a dessert at a local diner, so we left the kids with the grandparents after they were in bed, and ran off to get milkshakes. I was feeling so excited - an impromptu date night! - only to find out when I got there and settled that Paul had decided this was an ideal time to unload all his grievances. How he was feeling - about life, about kids, about the aftermath of Simon's health issues, about me. Had I been SET UP? It completely overwhelmed me.

I was ANGRY. I immediately got on the defense and refused to hear anything he said. I know he was frustrated with my reaction, because in his mind - he thought he was doing a good thing. Taking me out, getting us on neutral ground, putting ice cream in my face, and then telling me how he was feeling about life.

All I could see was him working hard to devise a scheme to catch me off guard and OMGHOWSELFISHANDANNOYINGISTHAT.

Needless to say, the convo didn't go great. I cried, he back-peddled, we accomplished nothing. We did talk more that night, when we got home, and I was able to explain to him how I felt a little "tricked" and that I wish he would have come to me and said: "Hey, babe, I want to chat about some stuff - nothing too serious, but just some things on my heart. Let's go get ice cream." (For those of you that know my husband, that's not weird - he would and has totally approached conflict like this before).

ANYWAY. After the whole Fake Date Fiasco, we found ourselves alone (not counting a snoozing 4 months old) in the car and driving through gorgeous countryside. The sun was beaming. John Mayer was on the radio. Naturally, we began to talk. No phones, no agenda. I asked questions out of curiosity, and not out of anger. He gave me honest and heartfelt answers. He asked questions. I analyzed, and gave heartfelt answers. We accomplished a lot, but better than anything - we just talked. It was so nice to reconnect on an emotional level, without the drama of a fight or a "come to Jesus" meeting of the minds.

When was the last time you truly connected with your spouse? Was it forced, or organic? Did you listen, or did you do all the talking?

Just like I think investing into date nights and alone time is so important for married couples, especially when you have kids (it's still a non-negotiable for us!), communication is also key. It doesn't have to be a fancy date away... you can literally get in the car and drive into unfamiliar territory, get lost, and focus on nothing but each other.

We were both so refreshed after our drive, and we had come up with a fun game plan for a few realistic dreams we have for our family... all because we chose to take a couple hours and just get lost with each other.

An Ode To Coffee

I am working really hard to re-train myself in the art of coffee.

I am such a "seasonal mocha" kinda girl, at heart. I love the sugary, milky concoctions like s'mores frappacinos and creme brûlée lattes. However. They are so bad for you. I know this isn't, like, "breaking news", but they are. I try so hard to make better decisions in my eating, and that has to include drinks too, right?

My husband is a black Americano drinker, and I love the simplicity of his order. I decided to try just a plain iced coffee a few months back.

Ok, not bad. It's actually kinda sweet? I can do this!

Oh, what's that? They add classic syrup? Awesome. So, I decided to ask them for no sweetener, with a splash of cream.

Did you guys know that NO ONE understands what "a splash" means? Every single time I ordered, my iced coffee came out white. And with no sweetener, it tastes like flat, bitter coffee. 

So, I switched my order this weekend - espresso, three shots over lots of ice in a venti cup (which will naturally water it down), with a couple pumps of white mocha for some flavor/sweetness.

It's a winner. My next goal is to phase out the white mocha altogether.

Does anyone have any further suggestions for my newest concoction? I'm all for recommendations! As a mama of two, I desperately need/want the caffeine, but I don't want it at the expense of my health.

Sunny Saturdaze

Saturday. My favorite day. And, bonus... it's SUNNY.

We woke up at 8am (thanks, Simon!) and laid around for a few minutes before we got dressed, headed to Starbucks, and then to the mall. We have family pictures on Sunday, so we were on a mission to find some "blue" items for all of us, since that is the color we chose.

I also happened upon some MAC eyeshadow palates that were Nordstrom exclusives, and since I had already warned Paul that I needed to pick up 3 - 4 eyeshadows since I'm out of everything and I literally CANNOT scrape the bottom of the pan anymore, I figured... why not spend an extra $30 and get a palate of 15 neutral shades? I mean, that's just... math, or something.

Oh, and I got a mineralized bronzey skinfinish, because I'm a terrible checkout shopper. You know those cookies you can add to your order at the window of any drive-thru restaurant? That's how they get me at Nordstrom. "Oh! Since you got that amazing collection of all the best neutrals, you should get this pearlescent bronzer that doubles as a highlighter."

Um, ok.

After shopping, we went to lunch at Chick-Fil-A. This is a major deal, because is JUST CAME TO WASHINGTON. It's madness, you guys. I know it's fast food, and what the heck are we thinking sitting in a line that wraps around a neighboring building...

..but it's delicious. I would wait for 40 minutes for the sauce alone. Plus, it was SUNNY and Porter and Simon were snoozing... it was the perfect afternoon.

We got home and Paul had to hurry and get ready for church, so I have spent the last hour cleaning. The GOOD cleaning: all the dishes, scrubbing the whiteboard of permanent marker, sorting rogue toys.. the serious kind of cleaning where no one gets in my way.

I feel so accomplished on Saturdays like this. Don't worry, though... this isn't the norm. 9 times out of 10, my Saturdays are spent in sweats and wandering through the grocery store to avoid the rain, or on the couch watching DVR'd Datelines while Porter destroys everything in site. But, on those sunny days when we're teased with our first glimpses of summer...

...nothing better.

Happy Weekending!

Thursday Check-In | March 5, 2015

- Porter fell off the bed last night. So, there's that.

- Early morning nursing session with Simon, he fell asleep quickly after one side, and I thought for sure I was in the clear to sneak back into bed for a few minutes. Picked him up to move him, and wait, what's that? Oh, just a MAJOR BLOWOUT that required a change of clothing and a spongebath. Now I'm wide awake, he is passed out, and I am sitting at my computer starting my workday.

- Got my newest shipment of oils, eeeeeeee. Oil day is quickly becoming my favorite - lavender and melecula on repeat (I run out of them he fastest), and this month I am trying geranium and grapefruit.  Next order, I think I need to replenish my frank, and I think I want to try rosemary or clove.

- It's HAIR DAY. Fighting the urge to chop it off. ...it grows back, right?

- Watching some show on HGTV right now that is showing amazing homes from around the world; I am currently lusting over one in Los Cabos, Mexico. I want to goooooooooo. Friendcation needs to happen, stat.

- Can't stop playing Trivia Crack, you guys. It's bad. I'm not even good, but I just feel like I'm miraculously going to know all there is to know about the Periodic Table of Elements, and when all the wars started and stopped. You know which questions I never miss, though? Entertainment questions about the Kardashian or Taylor Swift. #merica

Our drive last night from Tacoma to Bellevue - that MOON. Porter would have been in heaven.