And I'm Free...Free-fallin'

 

How positively fabulous does that look!? I have wanted to go bungee jumping literally as long as I can remember. It is probably the highest thing on my bucket list with sky-diving in close second. What a rush that would be! Just totally free falling for the short period of time it takes before the rope goes taut... I have never experienced that, but I can imagine that for those few seconds your life changes. Or I hope it does. This seems like one of those experiences you walk away from as a different person. I always envy the way children can see the world- so simplistically without all of the fears and worries and stress that as adults we inject into our everyday lives. I want to bungee jump so that for those few seconds I can think that way and forget about absolutely everything except the right here and right NOW. What a high that would be...

Two summers ago Zach and I went to Royal Gorge in Colorado, and the bridge there was insane- the world's longest suspension bridge. There was no bungee jumping going on or I would have been over the edge in a heartbeat. Looking down is absolutely terrifying  but man it calls to me for some reason. Some people think it's crazy. Maybe it is a little crazy. But I like to be a little crazy...a little shocking...keeps people on their toes ;)

Here are a couple of my pictures:

The bridge spanning Royal Gorge

Yeah...I really would love to have a bridge with my name on it

From the bottom of the gorge

 So please, enjoy the rest of today. But I'm begging you to consider doing something crazy tomorrow. How many tomorrows are there really going to be?

p.s. new WOTM is up, sorry about last week...

JORDAN

In a "Quandary?"

In shortly over four months I will be attempting to climb (no, not attempting...DOING IT) Quandary Peak.

 Quandary peak is a fourteener out in Colorado- meaning it's over 14,000 feet in elevation. My Uncle Greg lives in Denver and has climbed almost every fourteener in the state; a fact that makes me completely awed and insanely jealous :) Quandary is considered a climb for beginners **cough cough- ME* but it doesn't mean it's going to be easy I don't think, but then again, I didn't sign up for easy. I want this to challenge me and wear me out physically and emotionally so that when (WHEN) I reach the summit and I have the reward of looking out as far as I can see it will be all that it can possibly be. It is essentially a six mile hike to the summit and back to the trailhead. One site I found on it says this "The trail starts moderately but soon begins a steady, relentless ascent of about 3 miles as it gains over 3,100 feet in elevation." Relentless :) What a fabulous word. I too will be relentless!

The red line is indicative of the path we will be taking

JORDAN

From the Mouth of Babes

Yesterday in my daycare we began working on our Valentine's Day projects so as to have something to put on the walls come February. Somehow all of this led to a discussion about love, and the things my 2-5 year olds were saying were too simplistically insightful not to share...
Love...
           is sweet
           is in our hearts
           makes you happy
           makes you feel good
           is when people give hugs
           is for someone you want to kiss
           is for someone who is kind
and my personal favorite-  How I love you Jordan. :)

Children can speak truth in so few words and in a way we may have forgotten how to express, but I thought this was precious and wanted to share in light of the upcoming holiday.

JORDAN

When In Russia

I love weather. I am very adaptable, and can embrace and even appreciate different weather. If you asked my favorite season I would probably say spring, but truthfully I love all of them. As one season closes and the next one begins, I am just so ready for it and looking forward to it! I like to think of this not as fickle, but just appreciative ;) So I am not one you will typically hear complaining about weather, not even snow (truth be told I love snow and could watch it for hours) but if I lived in Russia it would be a whole 'nother story....

 

Under one of these pictures when I looked it up it said "Heavy snow in Russia"
Heavy Snow?!?!?! Haha where I live heavy snow is 5-7 inches and schools close because of ice warnings. I'm beginning to think we must just be babies because if these people can adapt and survive in the above weather, surely we can take a few inches of snowfall!!

JORDAN

 

Come What May

Moulin Rouge- know it? I love it, every part of it. One of the greatest love stories ever and the soundtrack takes my breath away. This is the song Zach and I danced to at our wedding...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2uORs59gv4

Come what may is a pretty good outlook to have on life I believe. Far too many people are too concerned with what's going to happen to them, so much so that they live life in safe little boxes. As I've said before, I value stability, but not at the expense of killing myself slowly. Nothing is worth that.

JORDAN

Running on fumes...

I 100% have napping on the brain right now. Sleep has become a very small part of my life lately. My poor body thinks I am never going to sleep again, but I have definitely found some inspiration. These places to sleep are definitely going to occupy my dreams as I sleep in my bed here in chilly Indiana...

Underwater hotel in Turkey...that's not THAT far away, right?

sighhhh...I don't really have words for this one

Oh, yes please

Goodnight


JORDAN

Living on a Prayer

I love stability, I love being responsible, I love the dependability of a job, but there are days when I wouldn't mind just chucking it all out the window in the name of spontaneity. Some people are terrified by the idea of "living on a prayer" without firm knowledge of exactly where they will go and what they will do and how they will get by. I know I may romanticize the idea, but I think it sounds fabulous! There is something to be said for the adrenaline rush that comes with living on the edge, taking life one day at a time without a set plan for tomorrow. For this moment I am stuck inside doing a job that I love, but still one that I do day in and day out so I will just do a little dreaming of places I would go and things that I would see were I free to do so. And mark my words- someday I will be. I will do great things, if not in anyone elses eyes, then at least for myself.

GREECE

STAY AT JADE MOUNTAIN IN ST. LUCIA

SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS








WATCH A LIGHTNING STORM IN THE DESERT

ITALY

AFRICAN SAFARI

MOUNTAIN CLIMB IN NEW ZEALAND

I'd be lying if I said that was all of it. In reality it's the tip of the iceberg...but I figure better start small :) I mean really though, don't you just want to GET AWAY somewhere and do something LIFE CHANGING!?!?!

JORDAN

Music has a way of making a bad day great; turning tears into laughter; and generally just improving the quality of life. At least it works this way for me. I was thinking about a few of my never-fail, guaranteed to put a smile on my face songs and felt compelled to share them so you could love them as well :) The funny thing about it is probably to most people these songs are nothing special, everybody has what makes them happy for no apparent reason- these are mine.

1. "You are the Best Thing"- Ray Lamontagne

2. "Changes" - David Bowie & Butterfly Boucher

3. "Build Me up Buttercup" - The Foundations

4. "ABC" - The Jackson 5

5. "Let's Get Married" - Archie Star

I wanted to add one more song, but it's not one that necessarily splits my face into a grin. But for some reason it is a song that holds a lot of emotion in it. I have to preface this by saying I absolutely love the movie Titanic. Not necessarily the cast, or the acting, but just the history. I also tend to have a thing for movies that are over three hours because they are so long that you become so wrapped up in it that it can seem more real. So here is a song that always makes me feel....I don't know exactly what, just feel. No judgment...

"My Heart Will go On" - Celine Dion

What songs make it so that you can't stop grinning or make your heart stop in your chest?
 
JORDAN

This past weekend was just what I needed to get a little rest, and a lot of fun in.

{An amazing dinner at The Loft with my husband; read about our previous trip here}

{Cheese plates ever remain one of our favorite indulgences}

{Dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant with Leah after a day FULL of shopping}

  {Our three bottles of wine to sample during Miss America: Chocolate wine, Blackberry Wine, and Pancake Wine}

Hope your weekend left you rested and ready to tackle another week! New WOTM will be up today

 

JORDAN

To Swim or Not To Swim

 

This just may be me this afternoon. That is, if I can work up enough courage to go do this. Two days ago I went to bed fine and woke up with a very painful right hip. I was hoping I had just slept on it funny and it would go away, so I went about my daily activities normally. I worked out like always during the kids nap-time and it felt a little worse. Then after pounding it out on the treadmill (I know, I know- terrible idea) at the gym that night it felt terrible. So here I am this morning, with my sub coming so that I have a half day of work, yet am unable to use that time to get a great workout in. This is where the swimming comes in. It's a low-impact exercise that won't affect my joints. It's a big deal for me though for a number of reasons.

1. The pool is at a different YMCA that I have never been to, and when I am used to the comfort of my own gym with all these people who know me, it's just a little bit scary.

2. I own bikinis, bikinis, aaaaand a monokini. Absolutely no swimwear appropriate for swimming laps. Solution: borrow?

3. I am a terrible swimmer. I am sure that after lap two I will already be resembling someone that should be in the beginner classes in the shallow end of the pool.

4. I have no goggles and I hate water in my eyes. Especially with contacts. Maybe I should take them out to swim? But then I will be blind. I mean BLIND

5. I have no swim cap and I just washed my hair last night (It doesn't need washed all that often) and I hate to have to go through the process and drying again.

Aside from all these things, I am actually a little excited about changing up my routine and I know swimming is a really great way to get a work-out in. If I had have known about this ahead of time, here are some swimsuits that I would be interested in purchasing to better fit in with the athletic swim look.

Here's to hoping it's not a stress fracture!!

JORDAN

Made Over

In two days time I will be making a not-so-much-needed, as rather greatly-desired, trip to Sephora. I thought it would be best if I came up with a wish list ahead of time of things that mostly I want, and a few I need. This is to prevent me from going into make-up shock when I walk through the door and throw out my common sense and budget and instead do something ridiculous like pick up 15 different eye-shadows in alarmingly similar shades of purple. (Though I am sure I cannot prevent at least a couple of impulse buys.) Here is what I plan on carrying out of the store in that cute little black and white bag...or not so little.

Amazing Cosmetics Brow Gel: this is actually one of

those things I need. I am scraping the bottom of the barrel

(or should I say tube) of mine, and boy is this
stuff good! I never have to worry about having funky

eyebrows going on in a picture when this stuff

is keeping it in place!

 

Sephora Collection Long Lasting Metallic Liner: I have never

been a handy one with liquid liner, but I love the ability that

they have to create such a sleek, dynamic line- if only I could

master this. I am hoping that with the help of this felt tip

I might finally be able to pull off a liquid look. (Plus when it comes in

beautiful shades such as aubergine, it's hard to resist!)

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer: Whether you just want a light

coverage with a little color, or a moisturizing base for your

personal foundation, Laura Mercier has the market

on tinted moisturizers- simply the best!

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream: It is that time of year that my

skin starts to resemble a lizard, and I am greatly in

need of some restorative soak-to-the-bone lotion.

Rosebud Salve: That thing I said about my skin? Same goes for

my lips right now. I have a Sephora Beauty book and this

Rosebud Salve is listed as THE most popular

cult fave with people. It is also one I 

have repeatedly seen on celebrities' lists of must-have

cosmetic items, so I am eager to give it a try and see just what

all the fuss is about! (Besides for only $6 how could I not!)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow: I have recently discovered the wearability

of Urban Decay's shadows and I am hooked! It won't necessarily

be in this particular shade, but I will definitely be adding some

more Urban Decay to my collection!

JORDAN

Honeymooners

Sometimes there is nothing quite so enjoyable as going back and reliving favorite memories. It seems as though all my memories come in picture form since my camera is a permanent fixture of every outfit I wear. I love taking pictures, and I love having those pictures to look back on. Today while everything is a blanket of snow outside, I can only dream of the beaches of Waikiki and have decided to reminisce on our honeymoon.
JUNE 2008

 

JORDAN