Awake

Tonight my husband had a hockey game at 10:45 pm. I decided not to go because it was so late, but here I sit, fully awake because I am a wuss and can't sleep when he isn't here. The game will probably go until midnight, but then he will have to shower, drive back from Arlington, and drop a friend off on the way. I am guessing a 1 am return to our apartment. Boo!

Waking up bright and early may be an issue, it is already way past my bedtime!

Last Chance

Today is your last chance to enter the Boatman Geller preppy alligator giveaway! Make sure you have your name suggestions in by midnight AND that you leave an email address.

I have had a CRAZY week, and look forward to posting something of substance ASAP. Hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend!

FYI

Just wanted to let everyone know that I decided to remove my real name from my blog. Since I am currently applying for jobs, I figure it is better to play it safe. So, when I comment on your posts you'll see The Northerner!

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Also, have you submitted your name suggestion for the Boatman Geller preppy alligator?


Leave me your best name suggestion in the comments for your chance to win a Boatman Geller alligator collection, including a box set, personalized notepads, wine tags, coasters, and luggage tags! This contest will be open until Sunday, April 26th. You must include your email address along with your name suggestion to be considered. We will then review the suggestions, pick our top three favorites, and create a poll on the Boatman Geller Facebook page that will be used to determine the ultimate winner!

Team Jacob?

After reading New Moon, I was a Team Edward girl. But after seeing this picture on people.com, I may just switch over to Team Jacob.

Photo by Timothy White

Who knew werewolves could be so attractive?!

Name the Boatman Geller Preppy Gator!

After receiving Boatman Geller stationery as a wedding present last July, I fell in love with the company and bought a ton of their stationery. I stocked up during the tent sale (which is going on again here) and gave sets of 10 cards tied up with a ribbon to a bunch of family members for Christmas and birthday presents. The stationery is great quality and makes an awesome gift! I also kept a fair share for myself and use it for all my hand written notes.

I also subscribe to their blog, which is how I found out that the Boatman Geller preppy alligator was being retired. Here is an excerpt from the post:

"Sadly, the Boatman Geller preppy alligator has raised some eyebrows with Lacoste and has been deemed to be somewhat confusing when comparing it to the Lacoste icon. Today, we're honoring the retirement of a well noted figure in the Boatman Geller Collections, the preppy alligator. "

I was so sad, because the preppy alligator was one of my favorites, but luckily the people at Boatman Geller alerted me that a new preppy alligator would be part of the collection soon.

Well ladies (and the few gentlemen that read my blog), that day has finally arrived! On behalf of Boatman Geller, I would like to introduce you to the new preppy alligator!!!

Yay! So exciting!

Now, if you notice, the birth announcement is not quite complete...

And that is where you come in!

Boatman Geller needs your help naming the new gator!

Leave me your best name suggestions in the comments for your chance for a special Boatman Geller alligator collection, including a box set, personalized notepads, wine tags, coasters, and luggage tags! This contest will be open until Sunday, April 26th. Also, you must include your email address along with your name suggestion to be considered. We will then review the suggestions, pick our top three favorites, and create a poll on the Boatman Geller Facebook page that will be used to determine the ultimate winner!

Pretty, New Things

After a long, taxing day at work (I am having a hard time transitioning back into work mode after an 11 day spring break), I came home to a nice surprise from Lauren Nicole Gifts.

The other night I read a Lauren Nicole Gifts blog post that said:

"I have a bunch of things that I want to give away (products that I took off of the website because I only have one left). The first TEN bloggers to leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite Easter memory was will get one of these items."

I just happened to be one of the first ten bloggers to respond and I am LOVING the sterling silver engraved pendant she sent me!

This picture doesn't do the pendant justice (the flash makes it look scratched and I think you can see my fingerprint, haha), but it is definitely beautiful in person. I especially love it because it's got my new* monogram.

Now, the good news for you is that Lauren Nicole Gifts is planning to do more "grab bag giveaways" each month for the next few months, so make sure you are subscribed to her blog!

Also, my friend Julie from Wearing Mascara has asked that I check to make sure all her readers know that she recently switched to WordPress. So....everyone make sure wearingmascara.com is showing up in your Google reader because Julie has moved!!

*At what point is this not my new monogram, but my actual monogram? Same as being a newlywed?

Rachel Zoe and My Marriage

Friday night we went to Arlington to see our wedding band play at RiRa, and as always, they rocked! They are such an amazing band and I am so happy to support them as they make the transition from cover band to tHE.DESIGN. If you are in North or South Carolina check their schedule to see if they are coming to a bar/venue near you! I believe this was their first trip north, and hopefully they will trek up here again and continue to get lots of exposure!

A late night out Friday combined with a rainy Saturday resulted in a lazy day on the couch. During my veg fest, I somehow got sucked into watching The Rachel Zoe Project marathon on Bravo. Throughout the bajillion episodes I watched, Rachel commented at least once per episode about how she put her work first and her time with her husband was limited. He also commented multiple times about how he never got to see his wife. I cannot imagine living like that, but I am also not a famous stylist that is building a brand and jet setting from NY to LA all the time.

However, even with Alson being in law school, we try to put our marriage ahead of everything. Some of the best advice he received was from a mentor while working at the firm in North Carolina: Treat law school like a full time job. He gets up early, studies before school, goes to all his classes (which for me is a given, but apparently for a lot of people, it is not), studies between classes instead of socializing and goofing around, and studies after class until dinner time. This gives us plenty of time together in the evening, and also allows him to time to decompress and gather strength and brain power for the next day. On the weekends he also gets up early and studies while I catch an extra couple hours of sleep. Throughout the day he continues to study, but we still spend a few hours together.

Now, finals time is a different story. If we can just have dinner together I will be happy.

I am not saying this particular schedule will work for everyone; the point is that spending time together is important to both of us and we work it into his daily schedule. Seeing a couple on TV struggle with this really opened my eyes to how lucky I am. Not that I am in any position to give Rachel Zoe advice, but it seems like they need to schedule in some QT every now and then. However, they HAVE been married 10 years, so what do I know?

Another thing that struck me was watching Rachel and her husband fight. Obviously all couples fight, but something about watching a real couple fight was informative (and yes, I know some people are skeptical about the authenticity of reality shows). I found myself thinking, I would say that or I would do that or I would do this differently, and I think it helped me to realize how I fight. I have been known to say things I don't mean, just to get a rise or reaction out of Alson. Not nice and I'm not proud. I am really trying hard to not do this anymore, and watching this couple fight and seeing both their perspectives (another thing I have trouble doing) I think was helpful.

Is that weird? I don't know what it was about them that I found relatable, but it was something! Have you seen a couple on TV or in real life fight that hit home? What, if anything, have you learned about your relationship from TV?

Following Sucks!

I have decided I do not like the "follow" feature of Blogger.

If you are following me, you may want to add me to a feed reader (if you would still like to read my blog, of course), because I think I am going to delete the following gadget on my blog....unless Blogger gets on the following issues (no pun intended).

First, I somehow keep following myself. When I see that I have new followers I click on the picture to see who they are and so I can read their blog too, and the next thing I know it says I am following "Always a Northerner". Hello Google Friend Connect or whatever you are, I AM Always a Northerner, why would I want to follow myself!?

After clicking around for a while I am usually able to stop following, but it is a tedious process because well, it is ME, and the program doesn't understand what I am trying to do. I also can't remember how to un-follow myself, so now I am trying to click around again and it's not working. Ugh!

Another problem I have found with following blogs....posts often end up in my reader twice. Once for the subscription I initially added into Google Reader and then once for following. I have tried deleting the original subscription, but that doesnt' seem to work, because certain blogs are still showing up twice.

Anyone else having these problems? Any solutions?

ETA: I received some great tips on following, so hopefully I can work out the kinks and keep the gadget. If not though, people will still be able to follow me, I just won't be following you. I will, however, add you to my reader, so don't worry, I will still keep up with all your blogs!

Recent Steals

While my parents were visiting this past weekend, Alson and my dad went golfing while my mom and I went shopping. After my trip to North Carolina last week, I realized that I needed a graduation dress, so my mom offered to buy one for me.

We headed to Ann Taylor Loft because there is one right near our apartment, and boy did I hit the jackpot. They were having an amazing sale, so one graduation dress turned into three, plus shoes, and a work outfit.

The dress that I am actually planning to wear to graduation is not on the ATL website, but once I shower and pull myself together (definitely by tomorrow), I will post a picture of THE dress. Here are the two other dresses I bought:


To make the dresses work appropriate, I also bought three of these adorable cardigans in white, ivory, and lime green. As other bloggers have noted, they are amazing!


When we first walked into the store we saw this skirt on a mannequin. My mom forced me to try it on, and with a simple white shirt and the lime cardigan, it looked awesome! I am hoping to wear this outfit on the first day of school (staying positive that I WILL find a job).


I pulled these shoes into the dressing room to assist in the trying on process and decided that they went with ALL the dresses and I had to buy them as well. I may even go back and buy the gold pair too....if they go on sale, I mean.

All in all it was a pretty great shopping trip. We got 30% off everything and I got double reward points for putting it on my ATL card. My mom hasn't spoiled me in a while, so I don't feel too bad. I will send her a nice thank you card this week as well.

In other recent purchase news....

This morning I got an email from BR saying they were having a 30% off all New Arrivals sale, so I figured I would just look and see if there was anything I HAD to have.

I found these cute capri's at the Gap and decided I needed two pairs, one in stone and one in chocolate brown. They will be perfect for work, and at $18 were a steal!

I also found this T-shirt dress at Gap, which will be perfect for summer work days. They have many other colors, but I decided on the blue. Very ocean-y.


And last, but not least.... I found this dress at BR on sale (so I couldn't get the 30% off, boo). I am planning to wear it to one of the many weddings I will be attending this summer. Can't wait!

ATL is having a 25% off all dresses sale and the ON/GAP/BR 30% off New Arrivals sale runs through tomorrow!

**All pictures link to the product

Lazy Day(s)

I am taking laziness to a whole new level.

I just changed out of the pajamas I have been wearing for two days and left my apartment for the first time since Sunday night. All this because I had to move my car to the other side of the street. Granted, I probably didn't need to change out of my jammies, but I was starting to feel a little gross. Hopefully a shower is in my future. Then I can actually leave the house and not feel the need to run out and back in as fast as possible.

At least I was a little bit productive this morning.... I finally sat down and edited the wedding album layout my photographer sent me back in December. Maybe we will have the actual album in time for our one year anniversary!

Other than that, in the past two days the only thing I have done is watch TV, read blogs, snuggle with Kona (and Alson when he is home), and eat. And to be honest, it feels AMAZING.

Sometimes I just need it, ya know?

Winner!

Happy Monday! I am on spring break this week so I will either be a posting fanatic or lazy and MIA. A lot has happened since my last post (both good and bad) and I have a great deal on my mind, but before I go into any detail about my weekend, I want to let you all know who won my giveaway.

I wrote names on pieces of paper, cut them up, and placed them in a bowl.

Excuse my poor handwriting. The Tucker Blair needlepoint headband goes to....


Little Pink Magnolia!

Congratulations! Thank you to Taylor at Tucker Blair for making this giveaway possible! Taylor is always offering great deals and coupon codes, so be sure to follow their blog and tweets.

Random School Related Thoughts

• Tomorrow I head down to North Carolina for my last internship meeting before graduation. Wooo hooooo!

• I have printed three copies of my thesis, will have them bound and delivered to the appropriate places, and will wash my hands of the project that ruled my life for almost THREE years. Boy, will that feel amazing! This is what our dining room table currently looks like:

• Checklists, and forms, and papers galore! I also can't wait to get rid of the stacks of articles that have littered our apartment since August, 2006. Seriously, I never thought this day would come!

• On a nostalgic note...I am so close to being done with graduate school that it is starting to dawn on me that my academic life is over (unless I decide to go back and get my Ph.D., of course). It is so weird, considering I have been in school since I was 5.

• Yesterday I had to observe a student I am currently testing, so I attended his 9th grade English class. When I walked in I was reminded of that Matthew Perry movie that was on TNT a couple years ago. Anyway, the class is reading To Kill a Mockingbird, so during the first 20 minutes the class took a reading quiz. Half the kids didn't even take out paper. They had no problem telling the teacher they didn't read and they didn't care of they got a zero. So sad. But on the bright side, it spurred memories of the book, even though I couldn't answer all of the questions. This reminded me that I want to go back and read all the classic high school books. The second part of the class was a lesson on prepositions and the infinitive. This reminded me that I need to work on my grammar.

Sorry for the randomness! Hopefully I will be back to normal posting after I return from my trip south. Until then, make sure you enter my giveaway!