lion!

the night was finally here. after chatting about it at work, nathan and i decided that we would spend this evening downloading and test driving the new OS for our macbook pro. we have both been looking forward to it, and when we saw it came out a little while ago, we looked forward to checking it out in the comfort of our own home on our own computer. ok so its true, in case you didn't know, we are both pretty big tech-nerds. we like to watch apple's press conferences together (well, each at our respective offices, chatting, while following typically the engadget liveblog coverage of the events). we send each other news stories about whatever new is going on (mostly with apple) and geek out in the apple store. in addition to our macbook, nathan's had an iphone, we've had several ipods between the two of us, and we've had both ipads (we had the 1st one, then sold it to buy the new 2nd one). so yeah, we're tech-nerds. i guess apple fanatics is a better term. but still.

while i was waiting for nathan to get home from work so we could apple-out together, i decided to make us a little homemade pizza, tex-mex style. let me just say, i'm a legit pizza maker. i mean, for-reals. from scratch is the only way i roll (ok, not true, sometimes we eat frozen or mellow mushroom), so i got out the yeast & the cookbook and started kneading. i meant to take pictures of the process, but before i knew it, i was kneading and there sat my camera next to me, no pictures taken. pretty much, i just follow the recipe in my better homes cookbook, using the whole wheat recipe. 

for tonight's enjoyment, i went tex-mex on it. after baking the dough for about 10 minutes, i brushed on some olive oil, covered it in slightly smashed black beans, then topped it with some spicy, drained rotel (on nathan's side) and a can of diced jalapeños (on both sides). to that, i added some freshly sautéed chicken, peppers, and onion- yum! and finally, topped it all with a bunch of mexican-style cheese mix. i popped that baby in the oven for about 10 minutes, and then we were ready to feast! after slicing, i added some sour cream to nathan's half.

with our bellies full, it was time to move on to the good stuff- lion had finished downloading! it was time to install!

its blurry, but the cute little lion tracked our progress, and made us more and more anxious for it to be complete!

the whole download & install process took us, well, right about an hour. not too bad. we have pretty fast internet, which allowed the download to be complete in around 15 minutes, and then a few minutes to restart, followed by about 35 minutes to install. pretty simple stuff.

and oh by the way, did you know that lion was offered as an app in the new macbook appstore? as in, we didn't have to go to the store, order anything, or track any shipments (which i not-so-secretly love to do!). we just clicked on the appstore, clicked on lion, and were on our way.

after getting it all ready, it was time to explore. oh look, new start screen-

and that wasn't the only new thing. here's some screen shots for ya:

new scrolling took some getting use to, but i almost have the hang of it. i still go the opposite direction every time at first, but it is more natural 

new launchpad feature- accessed by either clicking the icon in the dock or hitting the hot corner, this mimics an iphone/itouch/ipad screen. all your applications show up as apps, and you click on them just as you would a phone. pretty nifty. i like the blur effect on your background- kind of reminds you that you are not on your desktop

i appreciate that it tells me my name now. not real sure why, but it does. after clicking on it, i realized it was the user location- so, if there were any other users on this computer, they would show up in the drop down menu

mission control they call it- a great way to swim through the clutter and find the page/app/whatev you need to get to without having to click everything (inevitably twice)

more mission control

so what's my take on it?
all in all, i like it so far. mission control & launchpad are pretty sweet. the scrolling is also pretty fantastic, although it will take some getting used to.  maybe my favorite feature? full screen apps. meaning, no file bars or anything like that- just corner to corner pixaly-goodness. pretty sweet. everything looks a little cleaner & sharper, and i like that too.
down sides? biggest one, and honestly kind of frustrating, is that, apparently, i was running some old school microsoft office suite, and as soon as the restart finished after installing lion, a nice little pop-up came up saying that the office software was no longer compatible. boo. so now i have no word or office.  other than that, can't complain! we really like it, and we enjoyed geekaly-exploring it together.
check it out- if you've got a macbook, its definitely worth $30- much cheaper than any previous OS updates. i recommend it.
now, if only that iphone 5 would come out.....

the news

so i'm a news junkie. its true. i am constantly checking the news, seeing whats going on in the world and how things are changing. i have a special affinity for world news- not entertainment or just following prince william and princess kate, but i mean real world news. i like to know when there have been terrorist attacks, when there are new countries being formed, and where there are droughts. i like to know what daily life is like around the world. i like to know who is hurting, who is celebrating, and who is being affected by what. it is important for me to stay in the "know," not just so i have a comment when someone brings something up, but so i can be praying & attempting to help the world around me. i check cnn, thedrudgereport, foxnews, politico, and a few others to keep myself informed. i listen to talkradio and the news in the car. when possible, i turn it on when watching tv. its not like im afraid of anything. it just really interests me and i like knowing.

back in college, i was introduced to a website that i continue to check periodically. its a site that reports on a different side of things- instead of reporting who is leading in the republican campaign or what the market is doing or how the british open is playing out, it reports on humanitarian disasters that often never make to the big news sites. sometimes, i've come across stories of hundreds of people dying, and i never hear about it anywhere else. as a follower of christ, i think it is extremely important for us to stay educated and prayerful for our family around the globe. as a citizen of the united state, i think it is equally important to use my abundant access to resources such as the internet to understand the world around me.

run as an arm of reuters, AlertNet is an excellent source of news on humanitarian issues. according to their site, "AlertNet is for anybody concerned with human suffering: relief workers, donors, policymakers, researchers, students, journalists and the general public. The site attracts upwards of 12 million visitors a year." AlertNet was founded in 1997, "in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwanda genocide and criticism of the slow media response and poorly coordinated activities of relief agencies. The site puts our strengths of speed, accuracy and impartiality at the disposal of the humanitarian community by offering a “one-stop shop” for crisis information."

so take a look at this site... and bookmark it! keep up to date on whats going on. here a few stories that were on there this morning:

 

Baby 7 Billion: Let India’s girls be born

Bookworm Corner - Partners in Health founder surveys Haiti after the quake

Child malnutrition in Somalia at dire levels - ICRC

Major outbreak of killer kala azar disease hits south Sudan

Once-daily AIDS pill can slash HIV infection risk

 

so there you go. a little news to start your morning. have you seen or heard of anything crazy in the news lately? what are your ideas for how we can help those around us? i'd love to hear!

pink glittery nails

i think pink makes everything better.

for my birthday, i got a target gift card from nathan's mom. in addition to some new candles for our place, i grabbed these super cute nail polish colors. i really liked the glitter, but was worried it would be too light, so i got this super great hot pink one to match it with. i love the results! yay for pink!

pretty and sparkley!

have you heard about ebates?

so its friday and while i have a few other posts in the works, i thought i would share a quick tip i learned abotu that is pretty cool! have you ever heard of ebates? alright so its pretty cool if you havent. so i've become somewhat of an online shopper. while i love to go in stores and browse, often, i don't want to spend my time going to the store for things like say toilet paper, or a gift off of a registry. at christmas, the malls are crazy and so i'd rather do at least a lot of my shopping online. so right after christmas last year, i stumbled upon this site and i was like "yes!"

so how it works is you visit this site first, and follow their links to all the different online shopping stores. it keeps a "ticket" of where you are and how much you spend, and then you get a percentage back. every 3 months, they cut you a check, and thats all you have to do! the only personal info you give them is your mailing address (or your paypal account name). how awesome is that?!

they have all kinds of stores on there, too... from hotels.com, target, macys, barnes and noble, clinique, old navy, under armour- the list is huge! so you go on, start an account (and right now, they are giving away a bonus when you open an account) and then search for you store. when you pull up the listing for the store on ebates, not only will you see the link to follow and the amount of cash back you will recieve, but they also post coupon codes for discounts or free shipping- how cool?!

so check it out- the key is to remember to use it when you order things (i'll admit, i still forget). and even if it doesn't seem like much, it's like an extra coupon! between april 1-june 30, i earned $73! every little bit helps, and if you're going to buy something anyways, at least earn something for it!

my planner

so i keep a well detailed planner. i did all through college, and even though i'm not nearly as busy now, i still do. its funny, i'm not always the neatest person, like say when it comes to laundry, and i'm a mess in the kitchen, but there are some things i keep completely organized- like my email inbox. and my planner. in college, it was actually color coded by category. i only use certain pens in my planner- generally, when i get a new planner, i get a new pen and that is all i use. i'll put a sticky note in my planner before i write in it in the "wrong" pen. i use 1-2 clean mark through lines when i have done something, and scribble out in zigzags things that get canceled. i find that by the end of the year, my planner becomes a sort of journal- mostly because, i write everything down. if its not in my planner, chances are, its not going to happen. some weeks have more written down than others. often, i stick in grocery lists, menus, etc. sometimes, when i'm feeling overwhelmed because i have a lot to do, i flip back through all the weeks before to see all the things i have accomplished, all the things that are marked out. i really like that.

when looking for a planner, i am pretty picky. i like plenty of space for each day to write things out. i dont like times listed. i like for the planner to have a full month or year view to write in quick notes like vacations. it has to feel good to- this one, the pages are crisp and yet it bends easily. i like to identify where i am in the planner somehow- in my last planner, i used a paper clip. this one, the bottom right corner tears off so all the ones are torn up to where i am. i also appreciate notes pages- in this one, i have a list of all the magazines we are currently subscribed to. typically, i go for an academic calendar over a true 12 month calendar-  i haven't been able to make the switch since being in college, and i find that academic planners seem to suit my fancy. also, they tend to come in pink :)

here's some pictures for you to get a visual of what i mean...



the planner, with this year's pen...a uni 0.7 blue ink jetstream. it writes very nicely.

this week in my calendar- it's a pretty light week so far



here's the overview calendar at the beginning- highlighted days have to do with my PTO at work





a good busy week a while back- see all i accomplished!

recently, i added a small notepad to my planner to keep up with different lists that i always want to be able to get to- like restaurants we want to check out, ideas for our basement, and a dream list for our future home. this has been a good way for me to keep a log so that i don't forget. now, i don't have a smart phone yet so its hard to truly say, but i think i will always prefer paper & ink over technology. theres just something about the satisfaction of crossing through things when they have been accomplished, and of make a neat & tidy check list in my own handwriting. here's a few samples from the notepad (labeled "ideas")

this was some planning we did for our lifegroup (sunday school class)



so there you have it friends, a peek inside my planner life.

weather.gov

so i like to know things. well, thats kind of an understatement. i really like to know things. my friends have always laughed at the random tid bits of facts i know. and it does seem to be about the strangest things.

back in college, i had the opportunity to take strengthstest, this incredible diagnostic tool that tells you what your five dominant strengths are (out of 34). while i won't go into a whole lot of it (i'll save that for another post), i wasn't surprised at all to find that my top two strengths are learner and input. here's some definitions from their website for you:

"Learner: By nature, you may see some value in continuous education. Perhaps this reflects your interest in particular topics. Sometimes you are fascinated with the process of acquiring knowledge or skills. Chances are good that you simply cannot have too much information. It is impossible. Like a miner searches for gold day after day, you continually collect new bits of knowledge. Depending on your other talents, you can delve into one or two interesting topics, or you can opt to know a little about a wide range of subjects. Your longing for knowledge is unlikely to be satisfied until you are recognized by others as the ultimate expert in a field or the grand champion of trivia. Because of your strengths, you comprehend what has gone wrong. Eagerly, you uncover facts. Sorting through lots of information rarely intimidates you. You welcome the abundance of information. Like a detective, you sort through it and identify key pieces of evidence. Following these leads, you bring the big picture into view. Next, you generate schemes for solving the problem. Finally, you choose the best option after considering prevailing circumstances, available resources, and desiredInput: Chances are good that you choose to associate with people who think big and think smart. Exchanging ideas, concepts, or theories with intelligent individuals exhilarates you. You pull together as many thoughts as possible from these animated conversations. You never know when someone’s question or suggestion will be valuable. You mentally file away or physically document these snippets — that is, small bits — of insight or wisdom for easy retrieval. Driven by your talents, you may memorize vocabulary words that are technical,

outcomes. Driven by your talents, you may be excited about discovering new facts about historic events or key people. Periodically you rely on experts who have conducted in-depth research on certain periods of history. Instinctively, you have little difficulty giving intense effort to projects, problems, or opportunities that capture and keep your attention.

Input: Chances are good that you choose to associate with people who think big and think smart. Exchanging ideas, concepts, or theories with intelligent individuals exhilarates you. You pull together as many thoughts as possible from these animated conversations. You never know when someone’s question or suggestion will be valuable. You mentally file away or physically document these snippets — that is, small bits — of insight or wisdom for easy retrieval. Driven by your talents, you may memorize vocabulary words that are technical, specialized, or job specific. Now and then, what you say or write is beyond the understanding of certain people. Perhaps this provides you with a bit of an advantage over them in conversations. Your elaborate language might surround you with an aura of authority in well-read individual. People whom you have befriended turn to you for guidance. Often you help them see a situation or problem from a different perspective because of something you discovered while surveying a book, article, letter, or Internet site. For you, reading is the key that opens the door to a world of fresh ideas. You collect them, never knowing when something you read will benefit someone else. Instinctively, you read to stimulate your already active mind. You examine new ideas and unfamiliar points of view. You are quite naturally a lifelong student. Often you are your own best teacher. It’s very likely that you may approach your studies or work with dignity and in a businesslike manner. Perhaps it makes sense, therefore, that you know some complicated, technical, or subject-specific words. You might take time to think through whatever you are going to say or write before you begin. If you have identified your main theories or concepts, you might be able to express them with clarity and precision."

(from https://strengths.gallup.com/, from my personal report)

if you know me, what do you think? does that sound like me or what?

i bring this up now to tell you about this great weather site i enjoy. i hate storms. the weather is one thing that can really unnerve me. you know those people who love to sit on their front porch and watch a good lightning storm? yeah, i'll never be one of them. i also like to be prepared. i keep bandaids in my purse, a birthday card in my car, and extra toothburshes under the sink. you just never know. so, one of my daily rituals, and often the first thing i check in the morning, is weather.gov

in college, i was introduced to this site, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. it is the most accurate and most updated weather site out there (MUCH more accurate than weather.com) and it is a blast to look at.

so when you go to their page, you type in your zip, and this screen comes up. and it has a plethora of information. from the 7 day forecast to the current barometric reading, you can always get a good idea on what the weather will be like and the true chance for precipiation or storms. my favorite part? the discussions. now these aren't like message boards where people can write stupid things. these are maintained by the meteorologists and contain thorough explinations of what is going on and what they think will go on in the immediate future.

now, you do have to learn the lingo, but as you can see, anything that doesn't make immediate sense is linked to a definition so you can learn where you go. i highly recommend this site, especially if you are a weather nut like me. there are many a nights when it is storming like crazy outside, and i whip out the laptop and take a peek- often comforted instantly by reading that it is just a small cell or perhaps just lacking in hail and tornadic potential.

so, enjoy. and may you never be caught without an umbrella again :)

dailymile

let me start out by saying- those of you who started following/reading/have just taken a peek- thanks!! hope you enjoy! please feel free to leave comments, questions, notes, whatever! if you ask, i'll blog on any topic (well, almost) that you are interested in, so send it on!:)

now, as many of you who know me know, i started "training" for a half marathon back in maybe my junior year of college. i'd run consistently for a while, then get distracted. i was training really well my senior year for the berry half, and my papa lost his battle to Alzheimer's. in the midst of traveling and memorial services and then finishing my senior year, my training got off and i decided not to run.  i kept running here and there until i got married (i'll be really honest with you- i didnt diet at all to get ready for my wedding. any weight i lost was from running & stress, and maybe because i didnt like all the food in d-hall at berry), but once married, i kind of stopped. by kind of, i mean, in the first year of our marriage, i ran twice. yikes.  a few weeks before one of my friend's wedding, i decided i missed it- and missed the effect it had on my figure! not just the weight that it kept off, but when i run, i feel strong. i feel less stressed. i feel like i have at least a little control. i sleep better. i feel better. i feel like my emotions are more stable. i feel more focused. i eat better (well, mostly). i feel confident.

all that to say, i started running again. and of course, as soon as i did, all the benefits of running started coming back. finally, i got the courage and registered for a half marathon.  in march, i accomplished one of my life goals- i ran it! i finished!

my actual time was 2:14:53 (we were staggered because there were so many runners- i think they said around 19,000 runners ran the whole, half, and other runs going on.

since then, i have continued to run and am hoping to run another few halfs. my goal is to get my time down under 2 hours.
typically, i run on a treadmill at my parents house (they live down the street from my work). i dont run by myself (for a lot of reasons) so me and that treadmill have gotten pretty close. plus, since nathan and i dont have cable/satellite, i can record all my favorite shows and watch them while i run. its great!
in addition, i have a site that is a great tool to log my runs and keep up with mileage. its also inspiring to go back and see what i've done and how far i've run. so i wanted to share it with you today. its called dailymile, and it integrates with facebook and twitter if you'd like.  you can have "Friends" just like facebook, and you send motivation to your friends. most of all, it can show you your pace,  average miles, and a lot of other great analytics. here's some screen shots for you:

my profile page

so there you go. enjoy! good luck! anyone want to run a half with me? im game!

mint.com

i want to take some time to tell you about one of my favorite websites. nathan and i have been using this for about a year now and it is a great way to track your money, plan for the future, and visully see where every penny goes. the website is mint.com and is just too stinkin' cool!

my mint.com homepage (with amounts erased)

   this site is just so cool! so how it works is that you create a free account, and then you set up all of your accounts within it. it is hosted by intuit and is completely safe. you can pull in your bank account, your credit card account, loans, all sorts of things. then, you can create a monthly budget and "tag" transactions to each budget item. additionally, you can create "goals" that allow you to do things like save for the future, pay something off, or something along those lines. so, you can input your monthly income, and it will show you how much your budget adds up to, as well as what you will have leftover after your budget and goals are spent. you can set it to alert you when you are about to go over in a certain area, when different types of transactions post, and when bills are due. the other cool thing is since this is "in the clouds," i can access it from my computer, the ipad, nathan can pull it up- its not stuck on our computer at home. for nathan and i, this has been a VERY helpful tool to get our spending under control, and i love the graphs you can pull up. we are working on paying off our edge and saving for a house, and its fun to watch the line go further across the page! so check it out. it's so important to budget and spend wisely. plus, it makes planning- both the short term kind and the long term kind- a lot easier when you know what you have to work with. 



pinterest

have you heard about pinterest? it might just be my favorite site right now! its like a virtual pinboard- you collect pictures of anything (food, decor, etc) and "pin" it to your board- the site saves the website that it came from, and you can collect your bins on different boards to keep them organized. so much better than a bookmark folder full of websites that you can't quite remember what they were for- this is a great way to save images!! check it out! and take a look at some of my pinboards. they are full of things that look like me! http://re.pn/b/04k9