haircuts

hers. what was meant to be a trim ended up a little shorter than the original plan. why does that always happen? it's like this magical cloud is cast over my head as soon as i sit in the chair. words come out of my mouth & i don't even realize what i am saying until the stylist is talking back to me.
"oh no, you can cut more off."
"i'm not attached, i won't be mad if it's too short."
(my favorite of this particular trip- after she cut 4 inches off) "you know, lets do another three, lets go for it!"
to which she replied "lets pace ourselves, see how you like this, you can always come back for more off."  thank you. thank you. thank you.
so i came home with a long bob thingy. it was really cute the day she did it. but it takes more time than my longer hair did, and i'm not a huge fan of flat irons & hairspray and the like. so now it's waiting game time.

his. love.
i convinced him to let me buzz it.
hello! it's so gq.
his hair is normally short, so it's not like its a drastic change. but i love it. love it. love it!
he walks through the door and my first thought is how handsome he looks. & rugged & tough & manly. maybe it's because it's navy seal -esque. maybe not. i just love it.
so perfect for the summer time that is on our heels.

other.
studying, and lots of it. i am so looking forward to this semester being over. once i'm done i'm headed to utah for a week with  my family. then on to the beautiful city of san francisco where mckay will meet me for an extended weekend wedding of a friend. may cannot come soon enough.

last night we saw the hunger games.
we liked. mckay wanted to dissect it all night. i wish it could have gone into more detail, but considering they only had two hours to work with, they did a fabulous job. the movie was actually kind of annoying because of course the theatre was packed & directly behind us there was a guy chomping his ice like i've never head anyone chomp, mouth open {ew!}. i had to give him two "you're being so loud & obnoxious" looks before he stopped. there was also a girl who was sobbing. sobbing! that was funny. but i felt bad for her, because that is usually me. (don't worry- i saw extremely loud and incredibly close WITHOUT tissues. it was bad.)

it's been gorgeous, sunny & warm. we couldn't be more pleased with the weather right now. or life for that matter. it's good.

Au revoir!

Back in the beginning of March we sold this baby. When we moved, we were so close to Mckay's work that a second car became more of a burden and expense than necessity. It sat in the parking lot for a few months & then we realized that it was time to part ways...

We sold to a dirty Polish guy, had we known how ridiculous & terrible this guy was, we would have sold to someone else. A much too long story short, this guy was parading himself as a "Polish, student, worker" who needed the car to get to school. When we told him we weren't going to budge on the price we got ear fulls-

"You not like my face?! My accent? My clothes?"

"You are the liar! You are mean!"

"Please, I am student, I need this car, I only have $700!"

{he clearly had the full amount in his hands}

Once we were finally settled on a price, and cash was handed over he kicked it into gear and proceeded to remove the plates & get the car up on the trailer before Mckay could even sign the papers.

Ya, a student my rear.

Then he insulted us (on my birthday even.) with foul language and ridiculous banter. It was too much. It left us both feeling yucky, but we're over it now.

& then there is the nostalgia-

At the end of our first date, we got into Mckay's car and after a while he asked me what I thought about it. I didn't think much of it, it was just a car... but then he told me that a girl (she who shall not be named) had told him that if he wants to attract the best girls, he should really invest in a nicer car, to show off what kind of guy he is.

Uhm, gag. I was so shocked & hardly understood that kind of reasoning. I told him I loved his old{er} car & that if he would have been driving a BMW from his rich Father I wouldn't have gone on a date with him, the old car was perfectly endearing.

So au revoir to the car that saw us through some really wonderful times.

So much mileage was put on this thing between Norwalk, CT {where he lived} & Dobbs Ferry, NY {where I lived}. It took us to DC and Boston and Virginia & Manhattan multiple times. We talked a lot, laughed a lot, kissed a whole lot, argued a little, and had some of the most wonderful heart-to-hearts in that little blue Altima. 

march 2nd

23.

i had such a happy birthday this year!

my morning started with sleeping through the alarm to go to the gym, which was semi-planned in the back of my mind. mckay went and worked out and came home with hot coconut french toast for us to eat for breakfast. it was a delicious sugar-rush that we try to reserve for special occasions.

he left for work & i did end up at the gym, the french toast guilt set it.

after that, i got a mani-pedi for our special birthday date (as if it's necessary). since it was my birthday, the kind manicurist man michael, gave me a free 15 minute foot massage, WITH hot stones. i was tickled and thrilled beyond belief. it was amazing.

mckay told me to be ready to go at 4pm for our special date.

which was into the city for a temple session and a romantic dinner. "dinner & a movie" as he called it all night (he's funny). i thought it was so sweet that he wanted to take me to the temple on my birthday. it was the right place to be. it had been a few months since we'd gone, it was time.

after the temple we went to this ridiculous restaurant- avra. highly recommend if you're into sea food/greek. which mckay isn't. but he knew i'd love it. & i did. i loooooved it.

 when we finally finished (around 10:30pm, i love long drawn-out dinners lately) it was raining outside and every cab was full. we got pretty wet traipsing those nyc streets trying to find a cab. finally we found a hotel and stood on the steps like we were guests and the doorman got us one. is that allowed? maybe only on your birthday.

 i could die from how good the food was.

lobster for me, steak for him, it was a gluttonous night that is for sure.

& truffle/parmesan french fries. we inhaled those things. mckay asked if i could make them at home... (haha).

 finally back to our little car for the trek home. it was a lovely, fabulous, wonderful night.

the next day i got a sweet card/birthday present in the mail from my mom & dad. it was one of those cards that plays music when you open it. my first of that variety & i thought it was pretty sweet (because i'm easily amused, i guess). mckay got me my very first "hot" workout outfit courtesy of lulu lemon. i am quite in love & not even offended that he prefers i give up my scrubby, i-bought-you-in middle-school, old t-shirt gym attire. i've joined the ranks of fancy runners.

i am one lucky girl. every day, not just fancy birthday-days.

love

yesterday (love day) i was at the hospital for my clinical rotations. my patient was, without a doubt, the most adorable man i've ever met. 90 years old and walking strolling the halls like he was in central park. he had the brightest countenance & he exuded that wonderful grandpa-ness that just makes you smile. in no time he was calling me "nick" & we were discussing the tragedy of Whitney Houston's death.

we talked a little about our lives, where we live, what we do, where we're from...
he asked how long i've been married and when i replied "17 months" he got this look in his eye & told me that he and "sweetheart" were celebrating sixty five years this summer. the look was what i think joy, devotion, true love, tenderness, excitement, butterflies and gratitude would look like through sweet grandpa tears. it was perfect, it made me pause.

the hours flew by & all too soon he was leaving and i was left patient-less. normally i consider that a lucky day (terrible, i know), but this time i was so sad. he was such a doll. his daughter came to pick him up & as we were chatting she opened a little window into his life for me.

she told me that he needed to get back home to take care of his wife who was in a wheelchair & battling dementia. he has taken care of her around the clock for years. how interesting that such a trial was nothing to deter the love and devotion her felt for his sweet wife. i thought back to our converstaion about marriage & couldn't recall a trace of heartache or regret or weariness when he spoke of her. his pure love was so evident and it really stunned me to the core. we said our good-byes and he gave me the sweet old man wink-&-wave and that was it.

he was so eager to return to a life that some would call binding, unfair or even cruel.
but he was just missing his love.

what a man.
what a valentine's day.

(goodbye + hello)

We've been in our new place for almost a month now & are so in love with it. Not living right above our landlords (& their cats) is great & we have wonderful neighbors (our good friends are right next door). Oh, and Mckay's commute to work is 3 minutes from door to desk. We hope to stay in this apartment for as long as we can.

Moving night (back in December right before Christmas)! We packed and packed and packed for almost an entire day. I had no idea we had so much stuff. We did a major organizing overhaul and took probably 1/5 of our belongings to Goodwill, that felt good. We were so lucky that moving in December didn't involve snow, rain or freezing temperatures.  

The new place! I LOVE the dark wood floors. & almost everything about it.

The first meal we shared in our new apartment, Subway $5 sandwiches.

It was so fun to pick new paint colors for the place. It literally took me hours days. Mckay thought I was crazy, but I'm so happy with the results.  In the living room/kitchen/hallway "we" chose a beautiful light blue/grey (Horizon from Benjamin Moore Off-white palate) and for the bedroom and bathroom, a darker, richer grey (Stoneington, Benjamin Moore). 

The one (& possibly only) thing I do miss about our place in Stamford was having a walk-in pantry. That was a dream. Nowadays the food shares a space with the coats, but that's okay. You can't have it all. 

Since Christmas-

Mckay has been working hard and studying harder. He's taking the GMAT on Saturday so he spends long hours studying and taking practice tests. He is always studying for something & I love that about him. Although in a few months when we're in CFA mode I'll have to eat my words. He's a smarty pants! In our new ward he teaches the 11 year old primary class, is a Scout leader for the Blazers & a high adventure coordinator.

I have had the longest break in between these semesters.  I start again on Friday (maternity & psych) and I'm thrilled. I've enjoyed my time off- cooking, shopping, working some, making appearances at the gym, organizing, getting all the "to-do's" done -but am ready for a more structured, busy schedule. I teach the CTR 4 class now! They are so many things; wild, darling, noisy, crazy, teary, cute, happy, sad, energetic, loud, bouncy, eager... it keeps me on my toes. I taught the lesson today and as I was standing in front of the class (in my heels) one cute little guy looked up at me & said, "WOAH! You're the tallest!"
Best.

I'll be home for Christmas

Christmas break was so sweet.  

It was packed full of fun & I hardly got any pictures of the festivities.

Here are a few we managed to snap on the iPhone-

Movie time! Trevor wasn't mad, I almost considered cropping him out of this picture because he is scary in it, but just know that is not his real face.  We saw Sherlock Holmes (so cool!) & Mission Impossible (so ridiculous.) 

 

Sister love. We had a great time together. I could never love anyone as I love my sisters (as Jo of Little Women would say). Sharing make-up, clothes, hair products and ridiculous/stupid jokes never gets old with those two.

Christmas Day right after church.  I love that Christmas was also on a Sunday; that made it so special.  I also love that Trevor was telling us something very important and it was caught on camera.

Christmas Eve! 

The beautiful temple, we went and saw the lights with some friends and it was amazing. There were nativities everywhere, I loved it. I haven't been in a long while & it was so nice to go again.

Things I wish I had pictures of:

Our family ski day up at Beaver Mountain.  It was beautiful!  I don't think there was anyone on the entire mountain who was worse at getting off the stupid lift. I fell, collapse-sprawl-yelp style, ev-er-y single time. Poor Mckay, it was usually pathetically right onto him.  His bruises are all from me. Besides the falling, it was so much fun. 

The day we spent with Grandma Dunn & Grandma and Grandpa Craven.  It was so wonderful to spend time with them.  It will be a day I will never forget.  I love them so much, we are so blessed to have them in our lives.  

Breakfast with Shanna Tavenner, one of my favorite college roommates.

Breakfast with Krissy & Ali.  

Dinner party with a bunch of girls I went to high school with.

Dinner with Mckay's good friend Shea & his girlfriend.

Lunch with Ethan (the wonderful soul to whom we attribute our meeting/being together).

Lunch with Ben & Holly, good friends Mckay went to SVU with.

Always fun to get together and reminisce and laugh with good friends.

Trev & Mckay battling on the Wii.

Christmas this year was a perfect success.  We were so happy to get to spend our Christmas with my family for the first time.  It did not disappoint.
2012 is going to be a good year- I can feel it.

Winter Love

Time is flying by.  We've been busy little bees, going nonstop.  I am really looking forward to Christmas break so that we can relax and just spend some lazy time together with our families.

On November 30th we scored sweet tickets to a party at the Rockefeller Center for the lighting of the Christmas Tree.  It was magical & such a fun kick-off to the holiday season.  Justin Bieber was prerecorded so we totally missed out on his performance!  I thought Mckay was going to cry.  JK.  We were mostly there for the food (amazing) & the glowing 80 foot tree.

(The artsy shoe shot by mckay, cutie)

A few weeks later (Dec 9) we flew to LAX to attend a wedding in Palm Springs.  Not just any wedding, a gay, 60's themed wedding, quite the experience.  The ceremony, reception and farewell breakfast were held at the legendary Riviera Hotel.  The groom (well, one of them) was Mckay's college roommate, football teammate & good friend. 

Saturday morning we strolled around the downtown area and I got a pedicure, Mckay got a massage & we had a delicious Mexican lunch together.  That night was the wedding ceremony & reception, the venue was fabulous & everything looked perfect.  Ryan (groom #2) is a Hollywood/Broadway-type so all of the entertainment was provided by their Broadway-type friends.  One song was performed by "Christine" from Phantom of the Opera, yes, my jaw was on the floor.  We had a grand time dancing & mingling with all sorts of souls.

 (Immediate stop an In-n-Out the hour we landed, I've missed it.)

(Poolside heaven)

(11pm, right before we left the wedding, which went until 2am.)

(Mckay & blinking Graham)

(Funny "do not disturb" sign at the hotel, I was so amused.)

Lest I forget to mention- our weekend highlights:

Mckay: Meeting Stephanie Tanner from Full House.  She is (of course) a good friend of the couple & Graham introduced us.  Mckay had stars in his eyes, apparently she was the hot-ticket item for him 20 years ago.

Nicki: Nothing so life changing as Mckay's, BUT I did meet Kristina & Zack from Oprah's Own Show.  Kristina & I had on very similar dresses & she was so darling & said she loved mine.  I loved it.  If you didn't watch the show (we did because Ryan was on it) you have no idea who these people are, but they're great.

It's official!

We're moving!!! Just to Darien (a skip and a hop away) but definitely an upgrade.

Bye, bye Stamford, you truly were good to us. Bye, bye little top apartment house. I will miss you because you were the first place we called "home" together. First of every holiday. First dinner together as husband and wife. First big project. It was the perfect backdrop for the first 14 months of marriage. But I am really ready to say goodbye-

Goodbye:
Moldy bathroom
Slowest sink (the latest hoopla, we timed it-29 minutes to drain!)
Broken tub faucets
Yucky, dull, stained wood floors
Dust bunnies galore from radiant heat
Cold, drafty winter windows
Bacon smell every Sunday (3pm on the dot), apparently the landlords need their weekly pork fix (!!??!!)
Cat smell, thanks for that one too, landlords

But there are things I'm sad to say goodbye too as well:
Kitchen pantry
Separate his and her closets
Front and back deck
Arched doorway
The charm of a house almost 100 years old

Hello to the new! A DISHWASHER, thank you. A sparkling new bathroom, a sparkling new everything. No landlords on premise. Pretty, dark floors and over sized kitchen sink. Beautiful fresh paint I deliberated on for hhhhooouuurrrsss. I think we're really going to like it here (there).

Wedding in Palm Springs this weekend. Finals next week. Christmas in Utah the following week. Oh, and we're moving somewhere in all of that. Perfect. I am elated.

Oh! The primary reason for this post... Since we are moving we are also SELLING a few things:
LG  24" A/C unit (6 months old) 12,000 BTU
Grill (also 6 months old)
Microwave (1 year old)
and a rug, possibly two.

Be in touch if you are interested in any of the above items, or pass it on!