The Disappointment of Happily Ever After

April 2, 2011 · Filed under All Posts, What I Learned This Week · Tagged , , , ,

Dear World,

It has been a long long while! I thought I could become a blogger, but clearly I thought wrong. However, I’m going to give it another go. Why? Part boredom, part loneliness, part desire to rant.  I’m not really sure why, but here goes…

So much has happened since 2009.  SO MUCH.  Almost too much.

Events in order: 1. we got a dog, 2. we bought a house in suburbia in another part of the state, 3. Yuppie Husband got a new job in the new city, 4. Yuppie Husband had to start the new job a month before we were set to move, 5. I found out I was pregnant, 6. we celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary, 7. we moved, 8. we had a baby girl, 9. we celebrated our two-year anniversary, 10. our baby girl is now 5 months old.

And through all that, emotions in order: 1. giddy and exploding with love, 2. excited and looking forward to nesting, 3. happy for Yuppie Husband and new opportunities, 4. sad to be apart from Yuppie Husband but happy for some time to myself, 5. unsure and nervous, 6. tired and awful, 7. tired and stressed, 8. tired and empty, 9. tired and emotionless, 10. sad and happy.

If you look at the list of events, everything is trucking along just wonderfully.  In the Game of Life, we could win.  But if you look at the list of emotions, what happened??? Shouldn’t the whole list just be happy happy nauseous happy? That’s what I had thought…I was supposed to be happy. I AM supposed to be happy. But I wasn’t, and I’m not.

Nobody tells you what it’s really going to be like. The already sugar-coated truth is further fantasized, romanticized, dramatized – and we naive young women, not knowing any better, crave sugar, fantasy, romance and drama, and set up fairytale expectations for our lives. And many of us learn the hard way: nothing sets you up for disappointment better than dreams of happily ever after.

Leave a comment »

Registry Galore

November 3, 2009 · Filed under All Posts, My Favorite Things · Tagged , , , ,

Hello world! Sorry it has been so long – I’ve been busy, and realized that I’m not much of a blogger. But, once in a while, I feel inspired. Hope you will still check in every so often =)

Lately, I have been loving all of my new kitchen gadgets, courtesy of our wedding registry and gift cards. It took me a LONG time to sort through all the items we received, figure out what we wanted to keep, what we didn’t really need, what else we wanted to buy, where to buy it, etc.

Through the process, I’ve been experimenting with different kitchen electrics and gadgets, and am just having the best time!

Here are my reviews of some of the items I’ve tried thus far:

The It List
1. Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream Maker, 1.5 Quart – This machine is AWESOME! I absolutely love it. It is so easy to use! I’ve been just using the base ingredients for vanilla ice cream, and then adding different mix-ins to create different flavors. This is definitely one of those items you don’t really need, but is super fun to have!
2. KitchenAid Stand Mixer – I just experimented with this today. I have been coveting this glorious mixer for years, and finally got in the limited edition Candy Apple Red. It is so beautiful! I brought it out today to use and realized it is HEAVY! I am finding it a little difficult to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly mixed (scraping down the bowl is kind of annoying because the beater gets in the way), and my machine seems to make a strange and loud whirring sound (is this normal?), but I still love it because it allows me to step away and do something else, and it is just so gosh-darn beautiful!
3. OXO Over and In-Sink Colander – This is so incredibly useful. I always used to stack my colanders into a bigger bowl because the thought of the bottom of the colander touching the sink grosses me out (even if I just scrubbed the sink and even if the colander has little feet). I love that this can just balance over the sink and I can pour things right in (like pasta!) without having to worry about the colander tipping over. The arms fold in, which is great for storage, but it is still a little large.
4. Vitamix – This wasn’t actually a registry item, but it’s a great item to have! It really does blend anything! For example, I’ve heard that grape seeds are really good for you, but who wants to swallow whole grape seeds? I just stick the grapes into the Vitamix to make a smoothie, and it’ll grind those little seeds right up! Same with flax seeds! I have even made powdered sugar using regular sugar! What I don’t like about it is that it is big, and just a pain to wash in our not so big sink. It’d be nice is they made a smaller blender option to use if you’re making smaller portions.
5. Automatic Can Opener – Another item I’ve been dying to have. I have the Cuisinart stainless steel version, but I’m sure any kind will do just find. It is so nice not having to wrestle with the hand turning type.
6. Silicon Oven Mitts – I love these!  They don’t stay on as well as regular oven mitts, and you definitely lose dexterity, but they are cute and make me feel super protected!
7. OXO Angled Measuring Cup – I used to do all my backing with just the different sized measuring cups, but it was annoying because if I needed the same measurement for a solid and a liquid, I would have to either use a different sized measuring cup a few times, or wash and dry it.  I love having the angled measuring cups just for liquids.  It really does allow you to read the measurements from the top without having to bend down to eye level!

The Not-It List
1. Cuisinart Griddler – I think I mentioned this in a previous post, but since then, we have returned it. It was just a huge hassle, messy, and did not heat evenly. There is a reason why Williams-Sonoma only carries the Breville kind! I ended up just buying a small pannini press plate, which works well for us because we really don’t make panninis that often!
2. Avocado Slicer – Useless.   Sounds cool, but does not give those beautiful slices you see in restaurants.

The Not-So-Sure List
1. Waring Pro Waffle Maker – I used this once, thinking it would be a lot of fun to be able to serve fresh waffles.  It is supposed to beep when the waffles are done (how it knows, I have no idea), but I had trouble getting it to cook the waffles to the right point.  I tried a few different temperature settings, but they were all either too soft/gooey, or too crispy.  I think I’m going to give it another try with a different recipe before giving up on it.  Again, there may be a reason why Williams-Sonoma does not carry this brand anymore.  I thought it was cool because it rotates 180 degrees, but perhaps the Breville waffle maker is a better buy.
2. KitchenAid Stand Mixer – I know, I know – this is listed under The It List, too.  Well, I’m still working out the kinks, and figuring out the best way to use it, so for now, it’ll stay on both lists =)

Hope that helps some of you out there!  I would love to get your thoughts on these and other items, too!

Leave a comment »

Mother-in-Law Nightmare

August 10, 2009 · Filed under All Posts · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

My mother-in-law is a nightmare: literally!  I had an awful dream about her last night, how she was snappy and mean to me! 

In real life, she’s fine.  I wouldn’t say a dream mother-in-law, but pleasant enough.

I think this stemmed from a conversation I had with her last week.  I had met up with her and my sister-in-law for lunch, and my mother-in-law felt the need to remind me that my husband, HER son, works very hard, and that I need to take good care of him.  She proceeded to grill me about whether or not I’ve been cooking, what I’ve been cooking, if he gets enough to eat, if he’s healthy, etc.  She was decently pleasant about it, albeit incredibly annoying.

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!! is what I was thinking in my head as I smiled politely back at her…

How do all you wives out there deal with your in-laws?

Leave a comment »

How To: Peel Ginger

July 21, 2009 · Filed under All Posts, How To _____ Like a Yuppie Housewife: The Series, What I Learned This Week · Tagged , , ,

Just learned this from Bobby Flay: the easiest way to peel ginger is with a spoon!

I haven’t tried it yet, but he made it look so fast and simple!

Comments (2) »

I Am Not a Morning Person, But I Love Being Married.

July 20, 2009 · Filed under All Posts · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Although I generally found that the transition between engaged to married was a bit anti-climactic, I do love being married.  There are tons of reasons, many of them similar to why all you wives out there love being married, but I wanted to share 2 husband-specific reasons. =)

1.  I am not a morning person.  I am usually cranky and irritable.  It is best if you do not speak to me unless spoken to.  Even bringing me breakfast if I’m not in the mood is not always appreciated, although I will hide my annoyance and say thank you.  Yuppie Husband definitely knows this.  He teases me about getting up on the wrong side of the bed, and constantly reminds me to get up on the right side.  So, he has taken to creating obstacles to force me to get up on the “right” side.  The first morning this happened, I was so confused – why was there a chair and laundry basket lined up on the left side of the bed?  Sometimes it is an open night stand drawer followed by a laundry basket.  Usually, a laundry basket (empty) is involved.  Among the millions of other things Yuppie Husband does actively to try to express his love, it is this simple indirect act (perhaps one of self-preservation!), that I love.  Why?  It shows me that he accepts me for my flaws, and can joke about them, but that he also wants to help me be happy and better myself always – for my sake, for his sake, and for the sake of our relationship.  And it’s just super cute.

2.  Again, I am not a morning person.  If I have nothing to get up for, I won’t.  I hate getting up early, and will wait until the last possible second.  I snooze the alarms, and can even sometimes sleep through them.  But Yuppie Husband knows that sometimes I do have morning appointments, and when I do, he will always re-set the alarm for my wake up time after he leaves, and follow-up with a phone call to make sure I got up in time.  My own personal wake-up call service. =)

What sweet husband-specific things about marriage do you love?  Please share!

Leave a comment »

Rants

July 16, 2009 · Filed under All Posts, Yuppie vs. Housewife: The Faceoff · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

(Sorry readers, just feel like ranting today…)

#1  Why am I always always doing laundry?  I just can’t understand how it piles up the way it does!  Before I got married, I probably only had to do laundry once every 2 or 3 weeks, but now, I’m doing 3 loads at a time once a week!  It could be partially due to the fact that the laundry machines in our building are tiny, but I really think it’s the boxers, the socks, the undershirts, the T-shirts, the smelly gym clothes…  As women, I think we just have less (and smaller) items that need to be changed daily!  I think I would be much less frustrated if the washer and dryer were right here in our apartment, but sadly, they are not.  We have one communal set of machines on our floor, so I have to drag the dirty laundry, the detergent/bleach/softener/etc, laundry card and house keys with me.  Not to mention the fact that I can’t control the cycle, soaking, extra rinsing, etc.  What a pain.

#2  Yuppie Husband is pretty active (gym, sports, etc), and I have never, until having to do his laundry, encountered such horrid smells.  His gym clothes are literally still wet when I take them out of the hamper to wash, and I always have to hold my breath.  I have asked him to air his clothes out before throwing them in, but I’m not sure that is helping…  Do any of you ladies out there have a similar problem?  How do you deal with it?

#3  Dishes.  Why are there always dishes?  I used to be a firm believer that dishes should never be left in the sink for more than half a day, and certainly never overnight.  But now?  Always dishes.  Our sink is also kind of small, and doesn’t have one of the detachable faucets, so washing larger items can be a little messy…

Being a housewife is hard.  Not that I should be complaining – at least I don’t have to work!

Leave a comment »

How To: Match and Fold Socks Quickly!

July 7, 2009 · Filed under All Posts, How To _____ Like a Yuppie Housewife: The Series, What I Learned This Week · Tagged , , ,

It  has been a looooong time!  Things have been busy in the Yuppie household!  I’ll try to do better =)

I just learned this method of matching and folding socks, and had to share with all you laundry doers out there!  I learned it by accident, and was amazed with the results.

When I do laundry, I usually throw Yuppie Husband’s socks into a pile and save them for last (or even another day…).  Sometimes if I’m in the middle of a big pile of clean laundry, I might match and fold sporadically throughout.  But today, I tried something new.

Instead of just tossing each sock I came across into a pile, I made sure the sock was turned right-side-out, and neatly laid each sock down, with all socks in the same direction (toe-to-toe).  After I was done folding all the other laundry, I came to my nice pile of socks.  Usually it is annoying and frustrating to find each sock’s match (makes me want to go out and replace all of Yuppie Husband’s socks with the exact same type!), but today, with all the socks laying neatly in a pile, it was SO EASY to identify pairs quickly and efficiently!  One after the other, I was able to spot matches, and before I knew it, I was done! 

So I know this is kind a silly How To, but it really saved me time and frustration so I wanted to share!

Comments (2) »

Bathroom Funny

June 17, 2009 · Filed under All Posts · Tagged , , ,

Yesterday I was in the bathroom and turned to get the toilet paper when I realized it was empty!  But, there was a full 6-pack sitting on the counter…courtesy of Yuppie Husband.  Funny.

Leave a comment »

Idle Hands

June 14, 2009 · Filed under All Posts, Yuppie vs. Housewife: The Faceoff · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

You know the saying “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop/playground/etc”?  I think I have come to know the meaning of that phrase.

Lately, I have been BORED with a capital B-O-R-E-D.  I spend my time watching TV and on the computer.  And that is pretty much it for the day.  I have big ideas about things I’d like to do around the community, but when it comes to motivation, I am seriously lacking.  I know I should be more productive, but instead, I just burrow deeper and deeper into solitude.  Boredom seems to lead only to more boredom.  And so then I think housewife life must not be for me.  I should get a job!  And then I won’t be bored anymore!  But, when I was working, I was tied down and miserable.  Clearly, job or not, this is not the problem.

And today I realized that my boredom has led to feelings of emptiness and loneliness.  This is strange since my weekend has been filled with activity and people.  But again, it is very clear that the problem is not with my external circumstances (job, friends, activities, family, etc) but with my inner self.  I haven’t been making God a priority in my life.    With all this time on my hands, I should be spending my time reading the Word, praying, developing a deeper personal relationship with Him.  Only He can fill our hearts with the joy that we desire!

I keep waiting, putting my life on hold for the next step.  I won’t be bored when _________.  I’ll have tons of things to do when __________.  Life will be great when ___________.  When when when!  But, every day I spend in anticipation of something better is another day wasted that could have been great. 

My life resolution is to try to live life to its fullest.  And that may still mean days at home watching TV and on the computer, but I hope I’ll love it and enjoy those nice breaks.  I hope to go out for walks, and simply appreciate the sky, the ground, the ability to walk!  I hope to greet Yuppie Husband with kisses and smiles when he gets home, instead of dejection and self pity.  I hope to wake each morning with peaceful dreams from the night and high hopes for the day.  I hope to live in the light of the Lord, and walk in the path of righteousness.  I hope to embrace my life, obstacles and all.

And I sincerely hope the same for all of you out there!  God bless!

Leave a comment »

Color Color Color

June 12, 2009 · Filed under All Posts · Tagged , , ,

I love this post by Alison at Hairline Fracture!

I’ve been really obsessed with colors lately.  Certain colors out in “nature” (aka urban sprawl!) just POP out at me, and it just reminds me of how beautiful life is.  Seems to be the perfect way to describe personalities, feelings, emotions.

I think lately I’ve definitely been in a pensive, melancholy state – like a dark cerulean blue.  Is that who I am?  I used to be more of a deep cerise – outgoing, loud, silly, crazy.  Or is that who I really am?  People evolve and mature, so it would make sense that our colors would change, too.  What color do I want to be?  I think carolina blue would  be nice – peaceful, bright, cheerful, calm. 

What color represents you?  Head over to Hairline Fracture and share!  Please post a link in my comments, as well!

Here’s a list of colors to help you out!

Comments (1) »

« Previous entries
Next Page »