Oh What a Beautiful Morning

I spent the morning with my wonderful friend, Missy. She and I shared some conversation over Coffee at Quixotic, and then explored Half Priced Books and another adorable little shop on the corner. It was a lovely time!

 

I bought some records that I cannot wait to listen to. (I work in about an hour, so I can't right now...but I will most certainly will be listening to them when I get home!)

It was such a beautifully sunny day that we could not resist taking pictures outside without coats. It was also slightly funny that we both decided to wear shorts and tights today. Ha! Great minds think alike.

What a weird December it has been for Minnesota! It snowed last night, and as you can see is clear this morning. I wish winter would make up it's mind to stay! I would love a white Christmas.

Love,
Miranda

Candles Gleaming Inside

I very much enjoyed decorating for Christmas this year. It was a Sunday, so neither Ian nor I worked. We put on Christmas music, tore the apartment apart....and then slowly and thoughtfully put it back together again with the new holiday additions. What a wonderful husband I have - one who will drop playing video games to help me decorate our apartment.

My house is now cozy as I bake some peppermint mocha brownies and listen to She & Him's Christmas album. I hope your day is merry and bright!

Love,
Miranda

Simply in Love

It has been a while since I posted about things I love right now. Ha - and that would be because I was so busy with my Senior year to bother with things that I loved (except for Ian, my darling man). Speaking of - being out of school. Whoa. Who knew it would be so relaxing after a hard semester to wake up and not have to worry about anything except making it to work on time? Love it. Love it so much.

And speaking of Ian - he is my number1!  Since we both are done with school, we have had more time to spend together and be a happy married couple. I am totally loving it. He is so sweet to me: he even agreed to do my Biggest Loser DVD with me today, which brings me to number 2.

Number 2 would be actually feeling the burn of working out. Odd, I know - but it is a constant reminder that I did something to better myself - and as much as it hurts, I would rather have this feeling instead of looking in the mirror and wishing that I had worked out today. Yay for me.

Number 3:

Picture from Here

I am really enjoying the idea of home-made flags. I think I am going to make a strand to put up above our bed, and maybe hang inspirational pictures on. They just look so beautiful!

Number 4:  I LOVED the Muppet Movie. Go see it, if you haven't. (I know this isn't from the movie, but it's the original version of Rainbow Connection, which is featured in the new movie).



Number 5:

I took this picture (and for those of you who know better...yes, it is Disneyland, not Disney World).

Disney World, with my love - in LESS THAN A MONTH! So excited. It's going to be wonderful to go on a real vacation!

More to come tomorrow - I still haven't shown you my Christmas Decoraded house!

Love,
Miranda

Stock and Zombies

Ian and I had some friends over this past weekend. It is always a good time when Craig and Ian get together - you never know what is going to happen. Well - this time, this is what happened:

Delightful, isn't it? Hehe. Keeley wrote the book for us for our Christmas present. It is so awesome! We had a glorious time last night- a little Christmas party, ugly sweaters included! We all looked so christmasy!

Since it was just a small group of couples, I devised a contest between the girls and the boys: who could get the best present for each other? Katlin and I rushed off to the dollar store and target to put together our amazing gifts: monster energy drinks, glow weapons, and sentimental messages to our sweethearts in frames. Ian and Craig made picnic starter kits, with candles, snacks (angry birds fruit snacks for me, and chocolate for Katlin), and sparkling grape juice. Needless to say - the boys decided that we won. :)

It was a fantastic evening! In the morning, I roasted a chicken while we were at church, and we came home to a wonderful meal. Now, I am relaxing - doing only things that I enjoy - while I have a pot of simmering chicken stock on the stove.

(If you would like the recipe, you can find it here) I think I'll make some soup tomorrow!  This evening is as lovely as the last, in a completely different way. It is great to have some time to be me!

Love,
Miranda

Goodbye Yesterday

And so it ends. I have eight days until graduation - and my mind is trying to grasp at how life will change so little - and so much in the next week.

I won't have to wake up so early to make it to class.
I won't have the option to go to chapel every weekday.
I won't have my friends as close...although I will be living here still, it won't be the same.
I won't have homework.
I won't be at North Central anymore. Whoa.

I will have completed my degree!
I will have much more free time to devote to things I love to do...(this blog included!)
I will have more time to spend with Ian.
I will not have to worry about skipping class if I don't get up on time, don't want to stop working on a project...or if I just don't want to go to class.
I'll still have places to be - mainly a job, instead of classes!

See...not so different, and yet, it'll be so different. Life will go on, and myself along with it.

North Central - I have loved you. I treasured every moment within your walls, with your people, and as one of your own. You will always have a special place in my heart!

Love,
Miranda

P.S. For those of you wondering, the reason that I have not been blogging lately is because I have been swamped with papers, my Senior Project, helping out with the Christmas play at church, and work. At the end of these next eight days, I will once again allow myself to fully devote time to blogging!

Brussels and Bruises

Happy Halloween! :)

This morning has been productive, and it is not even 10:30! Already today, I have gone to class, went grocery shopping at Cub, gone to the bank, put up raspberries and strawberries in the freezer, eaten breakfast, and now I am in the process of soaking brussel sprouts so that I can freeze them too! Whew!
Side note - I received the brussel sprouts as a gift from my great friend, Missy, when we visited the Farmer's Market this Saturday. Thanks, beautiful!

So...funny story. Two days ago, I slammed my finger in the car door. Ian and I were on a date to The Good Earth (wonderful restaurant - one of my favorites!) I don't know what happened - I just got out of the car and BAM! I was stuck. Ian had to come around and unlock the door....and by that time, my finger was crushed. Luckily, I didn't break anything - but I am definitely loosing my nail on that hand. And it is REALLY fun to type.

On the other hand (haha, get it?) Ian has expressed an interest in eating all organically. I am supportive of this decision, so, we are now trying to buy and eat all organically. It is a stretch for us (being that we  mainly just shop at Cub or Rainbow), but luckily there is a Trader Joe's relatively close to us, and Cub just started their new Organic/All Natural campaign. This makes things way easier. I'll let you know how things go. So far - so good!

So! That's my life lately. How's yours?

Love,
Miranda

Short Again

So...I was trying to grow my hair out. I failed. I hit a stage. I have deemed it the - 


Bieber Mullet. 


I couldn't stand it any more. Today while I was at work, I looked in a mirror, and grimaced. I did not feel sexy at all. I felt frumpy. So, I went and got my hair cut after work. I never thought I would say this - but I love my short hair. I love seeing my collar bone, and my neck. I love wearing it messy and how I feel slightly boyish - and I love how much Ian loves it too.


"With short hair you begin to crave pearl necklaces, long earrings, and a variety of sunglasses. and you brush your teeth more often. short hair removes obvious femininity and replaces it with style. When it starts growing out a little and losing its style, you have to wear sunglasses until you can get it to the hairdresser. That's why you need a variety. Short hair makes you aware of subtraction as style. You can no longer wear puffed sleeves or ruffles; the neat is suddenly preferable to the fussy. You eye the tweezers instead of the blusher. What else can you take away? You can't hide behind short hair... you may look a little androgynous, a little unfinished, a little bare... but your face is no longer a flat screen surrounded by a curtain: the world sees you in three dimensions."

- joan juliet buck for american vogue, c.1988

A while back, I was reading one of the blogs I follow, The Glamorai, and she included this quote. I couldn't forget it.  


It truly does sum up how I feel. 

Love,
Miranda