How to pick?

I had such a good day yesterday and so many pictures I don't know which one to choose for my Project 340!!!

Waiting for my bus ride home.  Wasn't the moon awesome? 

I got a pedicure!  Isn't my mint polish awesome?

 

  

 

 

After my main/pedi I met my friend Tina for drinks and bites at La Folie's Lounge.  The food (and company) was so GOOD.  You must try this place!!

What a great day!

Maybe Day #2

My day has just started so I'm not sure what my picture of the day is going to be, but I couldn't wait to post these two pictures.  This is this 1st thing we wake up to every morning.  And every morning he puts a smile on our faces. 

He loves to take over my spot in bed while I get ready!

Can't you hear Omar in the background, "5 more minutes"!?

It's a sign!

Remember yesterday's post about wallpapering my entry?  Today Jenny at Little Green Notebook just posted an entry for us renters - temporary wallpaper alternatives!  She created her entry using Japanese masking tape...no excuses now!

See here for Jenny's post and directions!

Day #1

The best part of waking up is coffee!!

I was inspired by the blog Nie and You where each morning, Nie, who lives in Utah, photographs her morning in contrast to a friend's morning in Munich, Germany.

My mornings look the same everyday, so that would get boring.  Instead I'm going to try and take a picture a day of my life and surroundings.  I need to get my creative juices flowing.

 

Picture #1 - a key element to Omar and my mornings - coffee!

Update:  I just read that several people are working on this picture a day project and they are calling it Project 365.  I like the explanation they gave for doing this, "Recording not just the extraordinary events, but day to day things that might slip through the cracks, the haircuts, the scrapes, the little victories….. Also, If you do something every day for a year it stands to reason that you will get better at it."

Looks like I'm 25 days behind schedule. Guess I'll call my project Project 340!  Find here on Flickr!

...

My positive "it's a new year" attitude is starting to unravel.

Charcoal, part deux

I still love some charcoal paint. 

Source:  Elle Decor

part un found here!

Entry Way

I love this wallpapered entry way, and think it would be awesome in my place!  However, I'm not sure if I want to put the time and effort into a rental.

source:  Blueprint Bliss

My kitchen

I loved the lighting in my kitchen yesterday afternoon - thought I would take a few pictures!

(The top picture is just about the only thing we have in our kitchen to eat!  Will someone go grocery shopping for me?)

I'm 1 for 4 in 2010

I finished Little Bee this weekend.  I don't recommend this book - too depressing.  I gave it 2 of 5 stars.  In addition, yesterday I read When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale.  (Omar worked all day, so I sent the rainy day reading.)  This too was depressing and only recieved 2 of 5 stars. 

  I'm having bad luck with books - that's why I've decided to take B's recommendation and started reading Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen this morning on my commute to work.  She gave this book 4 of 5 stars!  So far, so good!

Are you a member of Goodreads.com?  If so, friend me here.  I would love to see what books you are reading and recommend!

Here a few other books that I have queued up.

Whitney's to-read book montage

Whitney Zennadi's favorite books »

My front yard

Saturday morning was so beautiful.  When we walked outside I was amazed how the tree in our "front yard" was blooming.  I guess it was from all the rain - or maybe I just hadn't noticed it because of the rain.

But then it started raining...again.

4 year old Gypsy

Make a wish!

I think the birthday cookies were a success.

I love this painting!

This was hanging in the Molotov Lounge in Austin. 

Sorry for the poor camera phone picture!

A few of my favorite things!

No words needed....I miss Texas!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Omar and Gypsy!!!  Here's a picture of the two birthday boys first thing this morning.  I think they were both feeling pretty old...

And what is a birthday without a big birthday breakfast?  This morning I made Omar and Gypsy pancakes and turkey bacon.  The pancakes weren't very pretty so instead I took a picture of the empty plate!

Tonight we are taking a bottle of Omar's birthday wine (Patz & Hall from B + R - thank you!!) to Omar's restaurant of choice, Gamine (aka Chez Chez).  Can't wait!!

Oh, and I asked what kind of birthday cake Omar wanted this year, and he chose Nestle tollhouse cookies - where you buy the dough and just pop them in the oven.  Easy enough.  Done!

Miss Me?

Here's a little recap of my last week:

Omar and I made it back from Austin safe and sound.  We had a nice time visiting with Omar's family, eating queso every day, lunching with his grandparents, catching up with Omar's old high school friends at the rehearsal dinner, and eating/dancing at Lisa's wedding.  (Lisa looked beautiful!).  

I don't have many new pictures, but I plan to change that this weekend - Omar's 29th birthday, and the rain is supposed to clear up!

Omar and I went back to bootcamp last night.  Thankfully by that point it wasn't pouring rain!  Jenn kicked our butt - we needed it!!  Love.

I finished Three Cups of Tea last night.  It was a good book, and I am glad that I've read it.  But, would I recommend it?  No.  Too much discussion of the wars, 9/11, politics, and geography.

I feel uneasy

Did you know that all of sudden in the last week of November San Francisco's sea lions disappeared?  I just read on a Cup of Jo that people wonder if an earthquake might be coming.  I hope not!!!  This makes me feel uncomfortable, but no one really knows why they left.

This picture was taken in October when Mom and Dad were visiting.  There was no shortage of sea lions that day!

Read about it here.

I'm allergic to vitamins?

Do vitamins make you feel sick?  After taking my vitamins the last few days,  I have had the strongest urge to vomit.  Last Wednesday, I actually did throw up!  And no, I'm not taking them on an empty stomach.  It's so weird.  Thoughts?

Read > TV

Another goal that I have made for myself in 2010 is to read more and watch less TV.  I love to read so this isn't a hard stretch.  I started the year reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, and it was the perfect book to start the year.  What I found the most interesting was her view of religion, God, and mediation.  Very intriguing and makes me want to try mediation.  Check it out - you won't be disappointed.

After work today I'm headed to the library to pick up Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin's Three Cups of Tea:  One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time and Little Bee by Chris Cleave.  Can't wait to start reading on my plane ride tomorrow!

I've also found out that I can read for the first 15 minutes of my bus ride to and from work before I get totally motion sick.  I love these 15 minutes of Whitney time!

Fish + Water = Bathroom

I love this bathroom.  I might use this for a future guest bathroom!

Martha Stewart

Omar won't let me hang prints in our bathroom because he says the moisture will warp them....A little warping for these might just add to the ambiance.

Staten Island Ferry

I got a spot in the Photography 101 workshop that I've had my fingers crossed for!!  Class reservations opened up yesterday and today I saw that it's already sold out!  February 3rd is my first class!

Erica Shires Photography (Staten Island Ferry - look familiar?)

Rolo Cookies

I totally forgot to blog about my new favorite cookie recipe - Rolo cookies! I read about these cookies on Great Full Day and made them before Christmas! The recipe is so easy and they were delicious (especially straight from the oven)! It's so simple!

Rolo Cookies

- 1 box Devils’ Food cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup oil

- 1/2 package Rolo candies (a package is not referring to the candy bar sized Rolo's that you find near the grocery checkout lane. If you do opt to purchase these, I believe you will need about 4 packages)

Mix the first three ingredients together (I used my hand mixer) and then roll into little balls with 1 Rolo inside each ball (making them small as possible maximizes the Rolo to dough ratio). Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Makes about 30 (I think I ended up with around 23 cookies).

Why so fast?

I miss the weekend already!  Why do you always have to go by so fast? 

How was my weekend?  It was okay, but Gypsy and I missed Omar very much!  He didn't get in from Vegas until 2 am last night.  So we still haven't had a chance to catch up!

Besides running (previous post), what else did I do this weekend?  I did a little shopping (good sales at Anthro!) and cleaning...other than that I just relaxed...in bed!  Omar hates watching TV and reading books in bed, so I took this opportunity to do just that!!!  I was pretty lame.  Oh, but I did finish the book Eat, Pray, Love.  It was so good.  I highly recommend it.  It was the perfect book to start the new year!

Now it's back to work.  On the bright side, I only have half a work week!  Wednesday afternoon we will be flying out to Austin for Lisa's wedding.  Gypsy will be staying with Aunt Brooke and Uncle Randy in Napa!

(Sorry for the lack of pictures - can't find anything right now!)

Trail Run #2

My 2nd trail run went really well.  Once again, everyone was so supportive.  Most of these runners are real runners - yet at the break off point (those running 7 miles and those of us running 3.5 miles) everyone was waiting and cheering for me (and didn't seem annoyed at all)! 

My stats for run #2 - tracked by the awesome Run Keeper iPhone application:

Distance:  3.67 miles

Duration:  48:18

Average Speed: 4.56 mph

Climbed:  881 ft (which was primarily mile #1 and #2)

Did I mention that it was cold, foggy, and windy?!

Maybe?

I just read a blog on Little Green Notebook about sink skirting....maybe that's what I need for my bathroom!  And behind that skirt I would have room for more storage and what not!!  I'm loving this idea! 

Canadian House and Home

Green Bicycle

Directions found here or here.

Wardrobe Change

I feel like I need to add some red tights to my wardrobe for this winter!

Steven Alan

Lama Drama

Style High Club

Kate Spade