Home (?) Again

I am back in BG. It took me 12 hours to get from Iowa to my front door. I only stopped once... for gas and a burger. Total of ten minutes stopped time. I almost stopped at the outlets in Iowa... but thankfully I didn't or else the trip would have probably made it up to 14 hours from door to door. Yikes.

The drive is really beautiful. Iowa - as many don't know - is very hilly and lovely. Indiana and Illinois on the other hand are not. Currently they are covered in construction and repetitive billboards for fireworks places.  Not beautiful.

Traffic was so slow it was actually safe for me to take photos with my phone... see:

Pretty good quality for a phone camera.

So yeah. Lots of driving. While on the road I listened to books on tape about the transcendentalists of the 19th century (the book is called American Bloomsbury) and Ke$ha and Gaga. Of course.  I always think of Louisa May Alacott, Margaret Fuller and Gaga in the same category. Bold American women. :) I'm so so sure I'd go so far as to call Ke$ha bold in a positive way... but I love her!

Now that I am home I have to pack pack pack and write write write. Yesterday, Saturday, I was exhausted. Headache because you are so tired exhausted. I did a lot of sleeping and walking around my apartment looking at the mess and not really doing anything about it. You know that point where you move stuff around... its not really cleaning its just moving the mess around... yeah thats what I was doing. I watched some Hoarders and NCIS - surprise surprise- and got my check from the Consignment store. Made a 100 bucks! Its all going into the ChaseWeddingBandFund. I decided to focus my freak out about money issues towards saving for Chase's ring. Its very cool. He has an idea of what it looks like but doesn't know for sure. So of course I'm not going to post it on my blog till after the big day!

I have made a good deal of money by selling my possessions on Craigslist. I am diligently saving that money to decorate our new apartment. Which means I have been doing lots of Craigslist hunting myself, DIY Tutorials, and going to vintage/antique/salvage stores. I want projects! As my faithful readers know I am hunting for the perfect dresser and have resigned myself to not buy anything dresser-esqe until I actually find what I want-- even if it means living out of boxes. :)

My first purchase was this awesome stained glass window with the big glass pane in the middle missing. So its kind of like a frame with in a frame that I am going to fill in with a chalkboard for our kitchen! Very very excited. Its hard to describe, but since its in Iowa I cannot take a photo for you... but I do have this little treasure to share. As I was wandering around Architectural Salvage in downtown Duh'Monies I came across this little piece of theatre history.

I don't rightly know what to say about that... First of all - Who buys something like this just to have in their home, Second- who has saved it in such good condition for all this time, and Third- how much do you charge form something like that? Interesting. I was glad I stumbled across it, but think I made the right purchase a window rather than a drum...

So yes. Architectural Salvage advertised Junk Bonanza and I desperately want to go! I might have to go to Iowa a little early for my September visit and road trip up to Minnesota. I've never been there. First time for everything!  Do I have any readers in MN? Want to go shopping?  Chase just said he'd go with me... anyone else?

In one hour (1pm) I have to start working. I have made a deal with myself. 45 minutes of uninterrupted work then a half an hour off. If I break that 45 minutes the timer has to start over!  I also will start house sitting tomorrow for one of my professors. The one who has the really great kids who I babysat earlier in the summer. So I figure I can write there as easily as I can write here and walking over there will be good exercise. So yes. Some work today but tomorrow-- really hunkering down. What does that mean hunkering? Anyway.

My dad will arrive on the 4th and we'll finish packing everything up and get on the road. Hope it all fits... :/ might have to mail myself some stuff...  am using the rooms of my apartment to sort my stuff. The things that go to and stay in Iowa are in the office, the things that travel all the way to Jvegas live in my bedroom. Brilliant I know. Haha.

I am trying to eat all of the food in my fridge... anyone want to come over for some Spaghetti and... um.... frozen corn? :)

I'll update tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be able to report back that my plan is working!

Whew!

Chase has finished taking the Bar! And I am so proud of him for surviving it! :) I think he'll do really well and he is feeling satisfied... which is all I can ask for! Thank you to everyone for your prayers and your positive vibes! He really appreciated all of your support!

Today (it is 7:20am Central) is my last full day in Des Moines. Tomorrow I head back to BG. Eleven hours. Bleck. So today is full of picking up my stuff from around the house and taking things to the storage unit and kissing Chase so much that he it makes him laugh because its so ridiculous!

I am very anxious about my thesis. It is partially the reason I am heading back to BG. Plus I have a book super overdue that needs to get back to the library. Ha. I am still trying to sell at lot of my stuff on Craigslist and I am having some pretty good success. I have a Wii to sell, some dishes, and some other little household items. I have had some people contact me and I am hoping all of that goes through and I make that little bit of extra money. Every little bit helps!

This isn't a very exciting blog but I have had a headache for the last 12 hours or so. Don't know what it is that is causing the problem - but I have taken meds and everything including drinking coffee (the miracle drug) and it just wanes a little and then starts all over again.  I woke up and it is still there. Blah.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to find a great 1960's dresser. (See Below) I really want one for our bed room in our new apartment. I'm trying to buy good used stuff so we can buy a new couch. Frankly a used couch gives me the hibegibees. But it might be required to get one that I like and that works with my ideas of couches that are living in my head.

Anyone Have One that They Want to Donate?

I head back to Jville around August 7 or so. Going to be there till after the wedding. Anyone need an occasional nanny or babysitter? Or a house cleaner? I really would love to make some extra cash while still being able to do wedding planning and things like that.
Any other suggestions?

Meet Rusty!

My birthday yesterday was awesome. Really awesome.

Chase was so excited to start his well-planned much anticipated day of Lauren celebrating that he woke me up at 7:15a. He was very sweet and offered to make me breakfast in bed. As wonderful as that is I am way too figity to eat in a bed so I joined him and his Mom downstairs.

I was greeted with a McCool Family tradition. A Birthday Sign! The family decorated this silly and fun computer-paper-banner for me. There was a guy being shot out of a canon. I know. Awesome. It also means that I am a part of the family. Very very cool.

My breakfast was perfect. Coffee - of course - and pancakes with chocolate chips, bananas, and blueberries. Yumm! After being lazy in the morning I made our lunches and went to Drake. I was supposed to be working but I got distracted Facebooking and Chatting with Emily. Chase finished his third to last day of bar studying and we went home to nap. We nap a lot. Chase works realy hard and gets tired... I just like to nap. I did read some of my new book The Fig Eater which is pretty good. Perfect summer reading. What are you reading right now?

Mom and Dad McCool offered to take us out for dinner to celebrate and before we left the house Chase let me open my presents! I really don't like it when they sing to you at restaurants so opening them at home was the solution to that miserable experience! So after much anticipation I got to open a big bag of presents!

First: I got my watch fixed! I have always loved my bright yellow watch but my dark wash jeans had done what they do and bled die onto the leather band. So Chaser got me a new leather band! Here is the one He (I) picked!

Second: I received another shirt for my "Des Money's" collection (I like to call Des Moines Des Money's).  It like my others is from Raygun a local store that makes funny shirts. This one is about a neighborhood here that I really love- Beaverdale. It has the best selection of Bungalows and Craftsman style homes. I would love to live there sometime so Chase decided that shirt was the right one for me. Now most people won't get what the joke is... FYI: Snookies is a legendary Ice Cream place thats in Beaverdale... Its funny to those from DSM... and those who are marrying those from DSM.

Except mine is an awesome grape/purple color!

Third: Chase bought me a fabulous orange sparkly cocktail ring! I dont have it with me here at Drake... just didn't go with my outfit today :) ... but I love it. I really love that he had to go to a really frilly women's clothing store to purchase it for me! What a great man!

Fourth: (my favorite) Many of you may remember Gracie our Goat (Painting). I really love her bright colors and happy little face. Well, Chase has done it again! He is helping me create a collection of happy silly goat paintings! I love that this is our silly thing. For the record - please don't start buying me goat figurenes or stuff like that... just paintings if your looking to add to the collection. I want to be the funny goat painting lady not the weird goat stuff lady.  So here is #2 in our collection: Rusty!

He is by an artist named Teri Kman. 

Isn't he the cutest?

Once I was done opening presents we made our way to Macaroni Grill. I could have just eaten bread and tiramisu and been happy but I also had some other yummy stuff! After a really lovely time together we made our way to Americana.

Wow we had a wonderful time with some DSM friends and it was full of laughing and storytelling and fun food and drinks! It was good food but I think I like Django better...which is where Keelia and I went a few weeks ago. I must admit I'm just comparing the cheese plates of each restaurant... I ordered the cheese plate at both! But they did give me a birthday dessert that was fun! It was a BACON Chocolate brownie topped with Kaluah mousse and homemade coconut ice cream! Whew it was great great great! I know it sounds weird but I loved it. Over all just a really great night! Great friends, family and food. Oh and goat paintings!

I am a blessed woman! I have been looking for volunteer things to begin working with here in DSM, but until I actually make the move I am helping my friend Martha collect new and gently used name brand women's clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. If you have some that you are willing to donate please please please message me. They are going to go to help fun an awesome and really respectable organization named Freedom 4/24.    As a non-profit organization, Freedom 4/24 exists to raise awareness of the rampant sexual exploitation of women around the world, and specifically in Southeast Asia, while raising money to support Christ-centered ministries that seek to rescue women enslaved in the sex industry. Please consider donating your fashion-excess! :)

Chase is getting closer and closer to the bar exam. I'm really proud of him. He is such a hard worker! Gooooooo Chaser!

Thanks for reading! I love seeing my "visits" counter go up up up when I post a new post!  Do you have a blog you'd like more readers to visit? Lets spread the good word post your blog or website to the comments!

PS: I am selling my Wii. I'll have more info August 1st if your interested. Let me know...

Intermission?

I have titled this blog (thus far) Act II: Graduate School.

But I'm technically not going to graduate school any more... but I've not made it to Act III: Mrs. Iowa Esquire yet. I am still here in the middle. I will always be a Carolina girl. I get my twang when ever I'm mad ... or flirting... and I don't think that will ever go away. But I am thisclose to being done with my thesis and I already finished all of my coursework.

I think I might change my title... and knowing me I'll probably change it a couple of times over the next few days!

The feminist in me - she springs up sometimes - doesn't want to create a title centered upon my status as a wife but also loves the idea of being a wife and all of the exciting things and blog topics it will inspire. I guess I could be open to suggestions... maybe. I dunno.

Today is another day in the Drake Law Library. Hoepfully will get a lot of reading done and hopefully some writing. I'd like to hit ten pages by tomorrow.

Tomorrow: My BIRTHDAY! Chase has been very sneaky and planned some fun stuff but I have no idea what he's up to... guess we'll see.

So I conclude with this?
What should my new title be?

Date Night with Esquire*

So if you ever make it to DSM eat at Flying Mango. Trust Me. 

 

 

Let me just tell you folks-- Flying Mango in Des Moines is amazing. Really amazing. Chase treated me to dinner last night at one of my favorite restaurants in Iowa. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, goat cheese mashed potatoes, and their AMAZING cornbread.  If you don't know my eating habits very well (and who does except maybe my Mom and maybe Emily?)  you should know that I don't like eating pork or pretty much any meat except chicken... and bacon. Oh and ground hamburger. I used to be a pescatarian - which mean I only ate fish - and slowly missed Chik-Fil-A too much! Anyway. I have digressed. Flying Mango's food is amazing. They make their own BBQ sauce and whew I could mix it with mud and it would still taste amazing.  I am really looking forward to my left-overs for lunch!

No we aren't in this photo... its just a Google photo of the dining room....

Yesterday was my parents' 31 anniversary. How wonderful is that? When Chase and I called them to wish them congrats they were on their way to the Little Dipper in Wilmington to celebrate at 70's night. That makes a bit more sense when you consider that Little Dipper is a fondue restaurant that our family loves! I love that they are headed out for Fondue. What cool parents. In honor of them we simply had to celebrate... see above ;)

This time next week Chase will be taking his last day of the bar exam. Whew - he has worked so hard, and is so motivated. I am right now with him at the Drake Law Library and he's working away while I listen to Studio 360 and blog.  I'll eventually get to work but for now I am just relaxing. I need more coffee... just saying. 

Not much more to talk about. Like I said yesterday I'm getting used to the idea of having to go home... but not liking it! I really want to have this chapter done by the time I leave town. Which is totally possible. Then I'll just be waiting on clearance to do my interviews for chapter three. August 20 comes upon me fast... but I am confident.

The biggest distractions I have suffered from lately are home decorating websites (especially ones with do-it-yourself-tutorials) and Etsy's jewelery. I am hunting for the perfect things... and then trying to figure out how to get them fo'cheap. I just stumbled upon this photograph (here) and really love this dining room. This blue green color is going to be all throughout our house. Its so calming and fabulous. The article talks about how your "supposed" to not paint eating-rooms in blue but how that is very silly. I love it. I am excited to nest. I think I might have said that before ;)

 

 

This episode of Studio 360 is doing an interview with Laura Cantrell about her album Kitty Wells' Dresses. Really great. Apparently Kitty Wells wrote "racy" country songs during the 1950's. She's awesome. I really like the album and I think I might buy it. I like the ollllld country music that tells fabulously sad stories. I think it links back to my love for Appalachian Folk Music.  Here is the specific link to the interview. Give it a chance. 

Apparently Mac released a new operating system today. Its called Lion.. I don't know if I should get it... will my fellow Mac Geeks/Cult Members fill me in on the scoop? My favorite organizing program Evernote told me I'd need the update to get all of the best Evernote stuff. Is it worth the 30 bucks?  

 Oh and by the way... the wedding is in....
(taken from our website...)

 

 

*
so maybe youre wondering why I just called Chase "Esquire"

well I just love that title for Lawyers. he technically doesn't have  it yet...
he has to pass the bar first

but I really believe in him so i've already given it to him!

First World Problems

Today I picked which apartment we'd be moving to once we move here by choosing the one that would allow us to paint the walls.Talk about a first world problem- needing to be able to paint an apartment! I am a blessed woman if that is my biggest concern. We've found some good places and it feels good to have somewhere set up and ready to go when we move here. But I've also said that before... so it might change before I go home to NC. Hahah

http://bit.ly/mJt5iF

I have been doing some legwork to try to make Theatre connections here in DSM. I don't want to jinx whats in the works but I hope that something works out for me. I would really like to do some dramaturgy while I am here. I might not get paid to do it but I would like to not stop doing theatre work. I am most likely going to have to do some other work to make some money but I'll do it for my art!! Ha.

http://bit.ly/ownwTx

My birthday is this Friday. I'll be 24. That is wild to me. I'm 24 and done with graduate courses and getting married. Wild. I am blessed and excited. I don't really have anything I want per se for my birthday. Well I take that back. I would like the following
1.  My thesis to be finished.
2.  My thesis to be successfully defended.
3.  My friends all be able to attend our wedding
4.  Furniture that is vintage and fabulous and cheap for our apartment
5.  Very little snow this winter in Iowa.

http://bit.ly/osSaLz

I think a list of five un-purchasable things sounds good enough. I really am so blessed. I have been so well taken care of lately. But I'll always take gift cards to Fossil or Trader Joe's or Target or Half Price Books. Ya know if my readers are interested.  Chase has something in the works and I have no idea what it is... I asked for a new band for my watch... which I have a good feeling about... but who knows!? He's great at presents. We're also planning to go to Americana which is down town. I haven't been there before but it gets great reviews and has lots of fru-fru cheese on the menu! You know I love that stuff! I'll update later this weekend!

http://bit.ly/r8SaMN

I am going to miss being here with Chase everyday when I head home next week. I am a little worried about fitting all of my stuff into my car to get it back to Iowa. I am going to try to Craig's List as much as I can and maybe send some stuff home. I feel like I am repeating myself on my blog. I might and if I am please forgive. Life is slow and happy here; not a lot of stresses. Oh for the record the Strawberry Cheesequake from DQ is way better than the Cheesecake thing at Coldstone. I know these things. Trust me.

http://bit.ly/3lI05H

Tomorrow I will spend the day reading about Antonio Gramsci and his ideas about hegemonic culture. I want a really productive day tomorrow. I am going to work really hard. No internet tomorrow until 5pm.  Oh my thats a dangerous thing to type. If I put it on my blog I actually have to do it or else I'll feel guilty. I can't even imagine how much I will accomplish if I stay off of blogs and Facebook and Jezebel.com and tumblr and about a billion other sites. Um yep.

http://bit.ly/r8SaMN

Through out the blog today I have tried to inspire you with some of my cool DIY finds that have distracted me from my thesis writing. Yep there I admitted it. I've been a little distracted. :-/ Enjoy these DIYs and pray for me tomorrow as I try to work my butt off at Drake.

Welcome Mason!

Last night Chase's Aunt had a baby! Very happy! His name is Mason Jude and he's healthy and his Mommy is recovering nicely! I love that Mason was born the same year Chase and I are getting married-- we'll always remember how old he is! :) His dad, Byron, was a smiley happy Daddy and Chase and I are so proud of them and are excited to be part of Mason's life!

Iowa is treating me well... I have been working on my thesis, planning some wedding stuff, and watching lots of Storage Wars. Not the most exciting summer ever, but I am so thankful to be here with Chase and his family.

We think we might have found an apartment. The only thing we don't like about it is the lack of washer and drier, but they do have them in the building... as long as I don't have to go to a laundry mat! Never a good option. I am excited to actually get the apartment leased and move in and start nesting. I am on the hunt for a circle dining room table made of wood. I want to sand it down and paint it a happy fun color! Or do something cool like that. I am so excited to nest. Hahah.

Thesis writing is slow sometimes, but its happening. A little over a month until my final draft is due to my advisor. I am feeling pretty confident. Except that I still haven't received the final "go ahead" from the Human Subject Review Board so I am stressing a little bit about my final chapter which is primarily based upon interviews.  Yesterday was a great breakthrough day. I crafted my thesis statement/research question for the chapter about Big Love and Sister Wives. It just might include some Marxist theory.... :) Can't avoid it!

Wedding stuff is going amazingly. Sometimes it feels like I am on a WEtv or TLC show where someone plans a lavish wedding and I get to just show up and be pretty. My Mom is an awesome wedding planner. I love it- she'll call me and say " I am going to do XYZ, is that okay?" The answer is always  "Yes" She's got such great ideas. She's very good at wedding planning!

I will head home August 30 after Chase finishes taking the Bar Exam. I will spend the next three days closing up shop in bowling green and trying to eat all of the food in my pantry! I am a little worried about getting all of my stuff to Iowa. I think it will all fit in my car... but we'll see. I might send a big box of clothes home to my parents -- the stuff I need to live in Jacksonville.

I -so far- am not planning to work while at my parents. Just focus on finishing my thesis, making stuff for the wedding, and finally getting to take a break. I wish I could have substituted but the red tape to be able to do so is kind of intense and won't work with my schedule. Grr. That would have been nice money. It makes me crazy that I'm licensed to TEACH in the state, but I can't substitute. Blech. If any one in Jacksonville knows of some work that you think would be great for a slightly brain dead graduate school student let me know. :)

This morning Chase and I will be re-visiting Hope Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. Its big and has lots of minsitries and lots of opportunities. Seems to be the church that Chase and I like the most- we've tried a couple and just didn't find the right fit.  Iowa is a political hot bed right now. Candidates are popping up everywhere. And two of the church's we visited were hosting Michelle Bauchmann. She's not our favorite... and so that helped make some of the decisions easier. We'll hear the head pastor today at Hope Lutheran and we're excited to see how we like him!

Then after church its back to Drake Law library. I am hoping to get a better grasp on the Gramsci theories I am using. We'll see if I have the gumption to make that happen!

So I am terribly wanting a Pumpernickel Bagel with cream cheese and tomato. From Bruegger's Bagels... please. Sorry I dont have any photos to upload today. They would be kind of dull... lots of photos of me reading books and watching Big Love. Yep.

Breaking Bad comes on again tonight. Love Love Love it. Cannot wait to see what is going to happen!

Iowan Independance!

Yesterday was an amazing Independence Day!

Things in Iowa have been great. I have been working on my thesis and loving my Chaser and the rest of the McCools. I am so glad to be here in Iowa rather than alone in Ohio. Its nice to just have people in the house and people to eat dinner with, and just being not alone. Plus I like these guys.

The weather has been beautiful and that is a really great bonus.

Wedding planning is going well, I am very bored with blogging right now! :) So know that life is good and all is well. I am a happy girl.