my rolling stones thanksgiving

Have you ever had one of those moments when you want something, try to plan something, and wish for something? And then get real disappointed when it doesn't work out?

And then discover that you get what you need instead and that was probably (most definitely) better?

That was the theme this Thanksgiving. I wanted a big hoopla, I wanted lots of family, I wanted a four day trip to an unexplored destination.

Instead I got four days of lazy, unplanned, quiet time. Turns out this was just what we needed. We went to a Professor friend's house on Thursday for the big meal with his family but decided it wasn't Thanksgiving without leftovers so we made the whole thing for ourselves on Sunday.

Importantly, most likely due to a new sense of zen brought on by three unhurried days together for the first time in forever, we managed to come to a new chapter in one of our biggest marital tug-of-wars: how to brine the (freaking) turkey.

I finally gave way to the bucket-on-the-porch method Marty had been begging-slash-arguing for for the last five years. In case you are wondering about this method, it involves a five gallon bucket, one fresh turkey, and a whole lot of salty water in a cold space for a long time. Shout out to the weather gods that cut me a break and made it extra cold that night.

And we got the nicest, best, marthastewartjuliachild turkey you ever did see.

28 for 28

So today is my birthday! Happy Birthday to MEEEEE!

(Yeah, I know, it came as a surprise to me too.)

First, a picture of the two people who made this birthday possible.

My 27th year was a great and full one, and this next one is on course to be a doozy.
I love me some lists and goals, so I put together 28 things I want to do during this year, most of them for the first time.They are in no particular order. (You will notice there are only 20 here, cuz, well, some things are just for me.)

To do while I am 28:

1. Watch “dude where’s my car"
2. Go to Disney World with my BFF
3. Make a loaf of sandwich bread
4. Get nice picture of me and Marty in front of Eiffel Tower
5. Successfully order an almond croissant in French
6. Successfully make meringue
7. Learn how to fix my bike
8. Learn how to use manual settings on my camera
9. See the NC Symphony at Meymandi Hall (perhaps with Boyz II Men??)
10. Run another half marathon
11. Learn about the car
12. Write e-mails to long lost friends and not take it personal if I don’t hear back
13. Go to Savannah and see the Spanish Moss
14. Drive to New Orleans
15. Run a 5k in a PR
16. Sell the Camry and buy a new car
17. Rewatch Now and Then, hopefully with some old girlfriends
18. Cook something from every cookbook I own (at last count there were 27)
19. Wear a pair of high heels for more than an hour
20. Go the barrier islands in NC

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Feel Good Friday

This week we celebrated this guy.

This week this guy decided this was the one week he could refuse to have his picture taken.

As a 'punishment' for not taking a birthday picture, I followed through with my threat of leading the bar in a free-beer-fueled rendition of Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Marty, from me, your friends, and a bunch of randos at the bar.

I am real happy you were born.

Thank you for your encouragement, your humor, your well timed rational thinking, 

and for letting me be me.

Even if it means me making you blush like crazy on your birthday. 

Birthday Boy

The first time I really admitted to myself that I had a crush on Marty was when I decided to bake him a cake for his 17th birthday, ten years ago today. This was the first thing I ever did to really give him a clue that I may be interested, in like, you know, going out some time. Though his reaction that day was an awkward "uh, thanks?", from that point on we were in motion to being an item, then definitely an item, then a permanent item.

I should say that I wanted to give him a hint, but still be my coy 17 year old girl self, so I bought his twin brother Sam a gallon of chocolate milk as a gift too so it wasn't too obvious (yeah, that wasn't a problem).

I should also say that the cake I baked him, a from-the-box carrot one, was never really eaten. I didn't realize at that point that Marty's mom makes the most excellent carrot cake every year for Marty and Sam and the one from some random girl at youth group did not ever stand a chance (and was just plain confusing). The gallon jug of chocolate milk, however, did get finished. Thanks Sam.

Its been quite the journey from that box carrot cake to getting to be the one every year to make his momma's recipe. But I am giving my 17 year old self props for having the courage to make a cake for a guy that she sorta, kinda, well maybe liked.

The first time I made the cake, and Sam came to taste, in 2009

Happy Birthday to you! I am glad you finally picked up on the hint. 

Feel Good Friday

My, do I feel good this Friday.

But probably not as good as my peeps back in WA who just legalized recreational marijuana and voted for marriage equality.

Or as good as the President.

Here's your Friday Funny. I have no idea why its so funny, but oh.my.gosh.

 Happy Friday!

What Color Are Your Underwear

When I first moved to NC, I had no idea about the intense rivalry between UNC and Duke.

For one poignant example of intense, I can tell you about the time my husband got mooned because his athletic shorts were the wrong shade of blue.

I attempted to remain neutral about the topic when I first arrived but quickly found that I was often (literally) backed into a corner and forced to choose. No, really, what are you? A Dukie or a Tar Hole? Coach K or Ol' Roy? Ramses or the Devil?

I picked the Tar Heels (If God wasn't a Carolina fan why is the sky Carolina Blue? I could see no argument to that). From then on I have been booed in grocery stores for wearing the wrong sweatshirt but willingly yelled "Go to Hell Duke!" in the middle of the Carolina anthem. (And just so you know a similar sentiment is a part of the Duke cheer).

When people found out that I was going to go to Duke while my husband was going to UNC, they looked at me incredulous.

Will he kick you out of the home?

What basketball game will you watch when they are both on?

How can you even stand living with a Tar Hole?

Certainly you and the man who you promised to live your life with no longer have anything in common.

It all got real when a complete stranger asked -

How will you know what color underwear to wear? 

Is everything us versus them? Just because my underwear is a nice tar heel blue and yours is, uh, not, doesn't mean that we aren't both wearing them. And, now get this, we may actually have something more in common than following social norms about undergarments.

Tonight, being the night before Election night, which is kinda like a high stakes Christmas Eve, I thought about this whole team-picking thing. We are so anxious to divide into teams aren't we? We are so ready and prepared to pit us against them. We are trained to highlight the differences and ignore the possibility that we may be in many ways the same.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am passionate about my guy winning and certainly hope that my Christmas Morning on Wednesday includes hope for civil rights for my best buds, heath care for my neighbors, and funding for science for my husband. But I am also a passionate believer in the common good in people, the unavoidable acceptance of diversity, and the imperative of kindness above all.

So this election eve I am sending out wishes for unity, peace, and the good ol' golden rule.

Oh, and go heels.

Color Run

Last weekend I did a fun new 5k called "Color Me Rad".I ran with my friend Kendra and a couple of her friends from her residency. 

Yes we made those Tutus ourselves.

There are five places during the race that they throw colored cornstarch at you. 

Then at the end there is a giant colored cornstarch fight.

Marty turned a distinct pink hue from standing around 

And then my friend Kendra turned into a Smurf.

It was pretty rad.