Seattle

Last weekend Ben, P and I went to Seattle to visit our uncles Ray and Robin. I was so ready for our family reunion/ Babymoon and we had such a fun time! Friday night we arrived in Seattle around 9PM (11 our time) and pregnancy hunger had taken over my soul. Let's take a minute to talk about pregnancy hunger. It's like nothing else. All the sudden you're doing your thing and then all the sudden! Bam, you're so hungry, you seriously contemplate stealing food from an elderly lady while attempting to not puke or cry or both. So, yeah I was at that stage of hunger. We went back to the amazing Frasier-style apt and P, Ray and I got on their private, European-size elevator that goes directly to their condo. Well, obviously we were over the weight limit because it stopped in between floors. Panic immediately set in and I felt myself begin to get really hot and kept repeating to myself that my initial plan of screaming and weeping would help no one. I kept thinking the elevator was going to drop and immediately I began thinking of how I would survive the crash. Would I stand on my suit case? Would that be enough to brace the fall? Or should I just try to time the fall and jump? Robin was able to get the door open and gave Ray a step ladder for him to jimmy himself in between the floors. I didn't say it but I was so stressed that the elevator would begin working while he was in between floors but I just put it out of my mind and he was able to get in the apartment easily. With Ray out, the weight limit wasn't maxed and we were able to get to safety. Obviously, I did not get back in the death trap aka elevator for the rest of the trip. The rest of the night was far less dramatic. Robin made an amazing dinner for P and I that included a yummy mocktail. 

Saturday morning we went to Top Pot Donuts and had a few (box!) of donuts..you know for nourishment. 

After carb loading we went to the Space Needle. 

I'm so glad we went on this day. The weather was nice and we were able to see so much. Such a great view!

Up next...Pikes Place Market! For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. 

So this summer, I've kind of let some of my goals go....I was thinking about it and really I should get back on some of them but I'm not going to beat myself up for some of them. 

1. Run a half-marathon.

2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers. We have started doing this! More later.

3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good wearing. HMMMMMM

4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc.

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom.

6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails. I'm thinking this will get done around the holidays when I have some big parties, etc. to attend.

7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer.

8. Buy a nice piece of art.

9. Learn how to grill.

10. Do a pull up.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie..

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends. This will be done in 2 weeks when Rbert, Whit and I reunite and rule the city.

13. Enjoy the holidays. BAM!!!!

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month. Still doing this one. Okay, maybe it's not always one a month. Some months I read 3 and then some none but it is equalling out so I'm counting it.

16. Grow tomatoes.

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party. Have already started a Pintrest board for this so it will totes get done.

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!)

19. Love my job!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle. Agh!

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them.

23. Join a new club/organization. I started a young adults group at church! woot.

24. Learn how to make crepes.This starts Saturday.

25. Go to Napa Valley. Ummm, this is might be waiting until 31.

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of. I've got to get started on this.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it.

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!)

29. Whiten my teeth.

30. Take a photography class.

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G.

Only have half of them done! yikes. I need to get off this computer and get on it!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

30 for 30 update

I wish I could say I did something amazing like going to Napa or feel proud of being in a bathing suit but nothing that blog worthy yet. However... I did.. cook with some herbs. I know...stop the presses.



I used rosemary in our veggies tonight. To be perfectly honest, I didn't add enough and I couldn't taste it. I'm still counting this one as a win because I never specified that it had to taste amazing, just that I had to grow them and cook with them. Done.

A couple of weekends ago I planted rosemary, basil, and cilantro! I am basically Ina!  I wanted to plant mint but decided I only knew how to make a mojito intake would increase more than what I'm comfortable with, so the three it is.

1. Run a half-marathon.

               2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers.

                  3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good wearing.

                          4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc.                                            

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom.

                    6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails.

            7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer.

        8. Buy a nice piece of art.

      9. Learn how to grill.

    10. Do a pull up.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie..

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends.

13. Enjoy the holidays. BAM!!!!

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month. (doing it!)

16. Grow tomatoes. (They are planted)

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party.

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!)

19. Love my job!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle.

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them.

23. Join a new club/organization.Can I use Relay for Life for both? No, but here is the link again!

24. Learn how to make crepes.

25. Go to Napa Valley.

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it.

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!)

29. Whiten my teeth.

30. Take a photography class.

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G. (have to remove this one because Ben will be in Peru and not at his graduation...suggestions?!)

Still a long way to go!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

30 before 30 update

Okay, let's call it finals week. I've got 360 days until dooms day and I've got to get cracking. Omg... I am not even a 1/3 of a way there...Luckily book club is meeting this month so I'm back on the reading and I might be going to an awesome brunch this weekend.. but holy God, we've got to get on it my friends!!!

1. Run a half-marathon.

2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers.

3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good wearing.

4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc.  Relay for Life...oh interested in donating and helping out my team and the American Cancer Society?!?!!

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom.

6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails.

7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer.

8. Buy a nice piece of art.

9. Learn how to grill.

10. Do a pull up. (I did get some advice on this from the football coach...he told me how to do some easier "moves" to get me ready. Please do not ask if I have attempted these "easier moves" yet though.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie...

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends.

13. Enjoy the holidays. BAM!!!!

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month.

16. Grow tomatoes. (Philip wants to do this and I don't want to compete so I may replace this one...any suggestions?)

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party.

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!)

19. Love my job!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle.

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them.

23. Join a new club/organization.Can I use Relay for Life for both? No, but here is the link again!

24. Learn how to make crepes.

25. Go to Napa Valley. Jenna, Meagan, Sarah, basically...anyone... let's go..NOW!

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it. WINNING!

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!)

29. Whiten my teeth.

30. Take a photography class.

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G.

Agh....help a girl out!!!!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.



book club

Tonight rehearsal is over in time for me to go to book club. Unfortunately I haven't been able to attend book club in months because of work commitments. Tonight I'm so excited to go and talk about our wonderful book...wait... I haven't read. Honestly I don't even know what book it is... I know it's about eating healthy and organic. Probably should have read it since I just ate 2 Popsicles and a sister schubert roll. Whatever the case I'm so excited to see my friends and at least pretend that I read! Ugh, have to get on my reading game to reach this reading a book a month goal.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Blog... is that you?

If you're not immediately understanding my Madonna reference (beginning of Like A Prayer...duh) we should probably not be friends but could continue stalking each other's blogs.

The musical has began and instead of my easy, breasy beautiful 10ish hour days the crazy 14 hour half marathon days are in full swing.

It's Monday so I'm totally rocking the cute dress, tights, and heals.

Although I'm trying to own a wardrobe I am proud of I don't think I can keep this schedule and a banging wardrobe up all week. I came to work tomorrow in my forever lazy? 

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Christmas

Remember my 30 before 30 about enjoying the holidays? Well consider yourself served because this was as good as it gets my friends! We had such a wonderful time seeing our families, going to Christmas parties, seeing friends, and feeling insanely lucky. Another 30 for 30 twist? Mom got me Julia Child's cookbook so another goal will be owned in now time. (will not cook a rabit so don't get your hopes up)

1. Run a half-marathon.

2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers.

3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good wearing.

4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc.

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom.

6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails.

7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer.

8. Buy a nice piece of art.

9. Learn how to grill.

10. Do a pull up.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie...

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends.

13. Enjoy the holidays. BAM!!!!

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month. ( I used to be good at this but lately I have fallen way off the bandwagon)

16. Grow tomatoes.

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party.

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!)

19. Love my job!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle.

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them.

23. Join a new club/organization.

24. Learn how to make crepes.

25. Go to Napa Valley.

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it. Mom got me this for Christmas! WINNING!

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!)

29. Whiten my teeth.

30. Take a photography class.

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G.

(okay, 31 is really up to Ben, but it's one more than I have to do anyways, so I'm calling it legit).

More later :)

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

teacher gift

I got my first teacher gift from BHS!

How nice is this? A senior (they still give Christmas presents? #winning) gave me this beautiful ornament! I love my job...not just because I get gifts (remember the massage?!?) but because of the wonderful students...but the gifts are a good perk.

Keep them coming!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Oxford is basically a beautiful slice of heaven. I've always said when I go to Heaven I hope it's the Oxford square full of carbs.

This gem is from my tree. I always miss Oxford but I miss it even more this time of year. I want to see the Christmas lights on the square so badly!

I couldn't find any good pictures of the square but at least I found the Christmas tree water tower.

I believe this is the perfect opportunity to cross off another of my 30 before 30. Mom and I want to take one of our famous road trips and I can't think of a better place.

Let's wish her a speedy trip to Houston!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

I'm just gonna say it.

I am seriously afraid to say this.

I think I'm going to jinx something.

I know there are some issues that aren't perfect.

And I know I have a lot to do and things to improve for next year...

but it is safe to say...

at this moment...I LOVE MY JOB.

I really, really love my job.

Tonight we had our Holiday choir concert and my wonderful choir performed so well and then they gave me flowers and a massage. A MASSAGE?!?!

These kids are so wonderful and I love working where I do! I have never had a job that I actually enjoyed and it feels really wonderful.

And can we reiterate...? A MASSAGE?

I think back to this time last year when I was wishing every single day was a snow day and felt a good day was when a child didn't throw food at me.

ummm it's official. I. love. my. job.

1. Run a half-marathon.


2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers.

3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good wearing.

4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc.

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom.

6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails.

7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer.

8. Buy a nice piece of art.

9. Learn how to grill.

10. Do a pull up.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie...

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends.

13. Enjoy the holidays.

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month. ( I used to be good at this but lately I have fallen way off the bandwagon)

16. Grow tomatoes.

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party.

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!)

19. Love my job!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle.

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them.

23. Join a new club/organization.

24. Learn how to make crepes.

25. Go to Napa Valley.

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it.

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!)

29. Whiten my teeth.

30. Take a photography class.

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G.

For Natalie's News this has been...someone who loves her job for the first time...well ever, Natalie-Corinne.

Sunday Funday...again.

Today I woke up early, drank about 8 cups of coffee, watched Sunday morning, went to church, came home and decided I need to mark off something my 30 before 30 list. Tomorrow is my last class of my photography class, which hey is ALSO on my 30 before 30 and we are having a pot luck. I decided to make a lemon icebox pie for the throw down.(why would I call it a throw down? Because my favorite classmate made my instructor agree to not notice alcohol if it was brought. The instructor said she had never had a class request alchi...and was expecting "quite the good time".)

Now that I made this I don't really see why it was on my 30 before 30. It was pretty...ummm extremely easy. I bet the lemon meringue one won't be so it's still legit.

Wait, wait. If you thought the pie blog was going to be the major story boy were you wrong. My laptop has been making some "interesting" sounds lately. P said I needed a new hard drive yesterday. He started looking at them and after selling my laptop on Ebay and then then subtracting the cost of the hard drive it was obvious....

I needed a new lap top!!

Hello, lover.

Feeling quite spoiled...and honestly loving it :)

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne. (typing on a SUPER fast laptop)

Step it UP

This morning I cannot sleep and while stalking my interwebs (weird word P and I use... Internet + world wide web = interwebs) I saw this. Blog sensation Kendi, the creator of the Remix and all things cool just turned...27. Omg, she is so successful and over a year younger than me. This inspired me to see how my 30 for 30 challenge was going... 

1. Run a half-marathon. DONE!!

                                 2. Decorate our guestroom with items that are not college leftovers. Ugh, bought 2 frames... still working on it.

  3. Find a bathing suit that I love and feel good  Nope.

   4. Find a charity that I like and donate some time/money/etc. Not really.

 

5. Go on a really fun weekend anywhere with my Mom. Not yet.

 6.Learn how to make 5 really good cocktails. No.

7. Learn to really, really, really love my Dad's beer. Half way!

8. Buy a nice piece of art. Maybe.

9. Learn how to grill. No.

10. Do a pull up. Not even close.

11. Learn how to make lemon icebox and lemon meringue pie...No.

12. Find a new brunch place with a great group of friends. Nope.

13. Enjoy the holidays. Time will tell.

14. Do one of those painting/drinking nights with friends. Not yet.

15. Read a book for pleasure at least once a month. ( I used to be good at this but lately I have fallen way off the bandwagon) Been better at this.

16. Grow tomatoes. No.

17. Throw P a really fun/stylish/blog-worthy 30th bday party. Not time yet!

18. Grow herbs (and cook with them!) No.

19. Love my job! Starting to!

20. Visit Ray and Robin in Seattle. Not yet.

21. Find a skin product routine that I like/can afford/will stick to. Omg yeah, forgot about this one.

22. Try some cheese and see if I still don't like them. Yes, actually have done this.

23. Join a new club/organization. Err.

24. Learn how to make crepes. Not really, bought some pre-made, nope, doesn't count.

25. Go to Napa Valley. Umm, no.

26. Own a wardrobe that I'm proud of. Not yet.

27. Buy Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and make something in it. Oh, yeah... umm no.

28. Recycle. (omg, shame...shame, shame!) have started at work!

29. Whiten my teeth. No.

30. Take a photography class. In the process!

31. Watch Ben graduate and celebrate B-I-G. NOT YET :)  

OMG. I have  SO much to do!!

Agh, why did I make these so hard? Time to STEP IT UP!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.



A day in the life.

Today....

Pulled a metro and got frustrated at my students and told them to teach themselves and flipped them out so much many of them apologised for talking and thus realized I'm the luckiest person ever to teach where (can I count this as loving my job in 30 before 30? I think yes)  I do and that I can probably never pull that again this year.

No, not my actual students, I am not insane. ( and obvi mine would have better vowel placement than this...)

Found out that Mom has some chemo options and we will find out by Friday what her total plans are.

Ate BBQ provided by my sweet Uncle Ray. Almost am used to him being here and am sad that he will resume his normal life in Seattle tomorrow.

Came home to a sweet husband who (omg he will kill me for this) is dead set on doing everything for me and attempting to make me as happy as possible. (enjoy this pic snapped on one of our first dates on a party bus that we might or might not have jumped on acting like we knew the folks in the bus...no comment)

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

Half Marathon

So after years of threatening... I finally did it. I finally ran a half marathon (and crossed off number 1 on my 30 before 30! woot!). This morning I got up and conquered the 13.1 miles of crazy. Honestly, it wasn't the epic run I had anticipated. I've had bronchitis and a sinus infection this week and was really struggling during the run. But at last my great running buddy Kate and I finished the mega race and were greeted by husbands and amazing friends. I finished in 2 hours and 14 minutes and was first a little disappointed that I had to stop and walk a little around mile 11 but then I woke up and decided to be proud that I didn't crawl or crab walk across the finish line. Success.




Kate crossing the finish line like a champ!



Attempting to smile and suck in while running..yes, it's true.

I guess I'm the running Fonzie running with the thumbs up.

Amazing friends who came to see us finish early on a Sunday morning!

Do you have tickets to the gun show?



Thankfully my sweet husband came early and took all of the above pictures :)

I am so glad we did this and honestly had a lot of fun paying... to run. ( first world problems always amaze me) Anyway, I would consider doing a half marathon again but this race pretty much reinforced the fact that I will never complete a marathon. Those folks are cray cray.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend. For Natalie's news this has been, Natalie-Corinne.





30 for 30 update

So a week ago I started this 30 before 30 challenge. I really love it in a way. Whenever I'm watching useless (amazing) Bravo trash television, I begin thinking, I could be making a lemon meringue pie right now and crossing something off my list. Obviously Bravo always wins. But anyway, I've slowly started the list. (in case you didn't get it before, that's how great of a teacher I am) So tonight I started my photography class. Watch out #30! My wonderful friend Jenna and I are taking this class together, but at different times. As much as I was sad not to take this with Jenna Lee, I did notice that this independence required some alone time...which normally if I was with a friend I would talk, etc but since I was alone I became a master photography (aka took 400 pictures) So yes, I took pictures with a vengeance and felt very productive and inspired. I found myself thinking, "if I could work every other day I would be the best photographer (ha)  ever. Then I realized I had bills and came back to earth. (productivity sucks) So since I wasn't with my girl I had o find new muses/models/inspiration.

We were comparing 3 different modes which focus on moving objects... luckily  no rodent was moving in our room so I had to come up with something else!

Introducing...
My hand!

Notice the folks in the background stealing my super smart/inventive/first ever idea of "capturing" (that's what the teacher called it) someone's moving hand! Good Lord, I'm amazing.

Finally the hand got old.

And for about 20 pictures my iphone got all of the attention.

Then obviously, these random strangers became my new models.

 Hello coke zero model.

Finally these people got old and I had to pursue my tried and true.

Clinque...we've been together since I was 16.

Hello lover.

Ugh, greasy, nasty top. It took a photography class to realize I need to wash my hands before screwing on the top.

Finally we got super creative and left the constraining walls of the classroom and walked around the building to find "inspiration"  This cute, overpriced, open really late coffee house made me miss college and my Oxford friends.

 Obviously I found food.

 I had only started taking pictures of all the amazing yummies with the new settings previously covered when I noticed some weird "glances" (aka wide open mouth stare/ confused look including the eyebrows (which creates wrinkles!) sucks for you!) Finally a brave soul asked, "why are y'all taking so many pictures?" I wanted to create some crazy response, "we are with the super duper cult, and since y'all aren't members we are taking pictures of the "guilty ones" or something else weird but alas I just told him the truth.



Lastly I decided to go really out of the box and use my manual lense outside...AT NIGHT.

Thus producing a 30 slide spectaular I like to call "out of focus" .

Hello beautiful, blury, green chairs. I meant to make you this way. Super artistic.

 Before

After

 and then this damn tree.

 16 attempts later

 Oh, you can tell it's a tree now! Good Lord, let me at Tyra.

Please remember I was using the manual lens. 

So after the first class I really was hooked. Loved my camera before but rest assured I will be super annoying and obnoxious forever and ever because I will want.. no need to "capture" every moment we are together.

It's my responsibilty as an artist. Unless I look fat because I obviously delete those. Obvi.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.