Hiatus

Hey folks - due to school and other time-draining factors, we'll be on hiatus until further notice! Thanks for your patience, and in the meantime, check out Emilee's other blog at alifewithoutlimit.blogspot.com.

Let's Talk About Love, Part 1

I have been working on ideas about love for about a month now, trying to figure out what to say about it, how to frame it, what matters, and how I feel about it. I have something like ten or twelve pages of notes about it, and last week I set it aside to let it simmer a little before I came back to it. Then at church on Sunday, our guest speaker got up and talked about love - in the same way I had been considering it. I figured that meant it was time to get brave and talk about it, so here we are.

I had made a list and called it "To Be And Not To Be". It's a two-column list of words. In the first column are words that are attractive to me - words that I wish to embody. The second column contains words that I would like to remove from my self-reflective vocabulary.
To Be: calm, peaceful, loving, steady, honest, reliable, clean
Not To Be: negative, condescending, stressed, flaky

Why do the "To Be" words speak to me? What am I attracted to them? What overarching quality do these attributes spring from? What's the root?

Love. Everything that I want to be, every trait that I may try to collect in myself comes out of love. Love is the root of all good things. But not the kind of love we're used to talking about. There's all kinds of literature out there on love - from Harlequin romance novels to the five love languages, from Jane Austen to the Bible, just about everybody has something to say on it. I decided to start with the dictionary, as usual.

Dictionary.com
Love (n): a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; deep and enduring emotional regard, usually for another person.

Merriam-Webster
Love (n): a feeling of strong, constant affection for a person; unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another. Origins: Middle English, from Old English lufu love, akin to Old High German luba love, Old English leof dear, Latin lubere, libere, to please

I considered these definitions for awhile with a sense of dissatisfaction. Why is this not enough for me? Why am I not convinced? "Unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another" felt close to what I was trying to capture, but not quite. Because for me, love is a way of life. It's a moral, ethical code, a relational foundation. In an attempt to go deeper, I went way back to the Greek words for love:

• Philia: a sort of mental love - affectionate friendship. It implies a reciprocal, loyal relationship. It can be felt between family members, friends, and lovers. Aristotle spoke of this as the purest and best form of love.
• Éros: passionate physical love, often equated with lust. It can begin as love for a person, but can end up as love for the beauty of that person, or even for beauty itself. Plato had a lot to say about this form of love, and if you have time, I recommend you read it.
• Storge: denotes a sort of dutiful love between family members or for one's leader.
• Agápe: a sacrificial, unconditional love, given freely whether or not it is returned. Used often to refer to parents' love for their children, or feelings for a spouse. Also used to describe the feeling of being content, or holding in esteem. In the Christian tradition, agápe is used to describe the love of God for his children. Related words: charity, regard. This kind of love is freely chosen, freely given.

I tend to agree, for the most part, with Aristotle. Philia is a good and true love. The love I have for my best friend transcends miles, transcends time. I love her intellect, her heart, and her passion. I love her for all that she is, and for all that I know she can be - good and bad, and I know she feels the same way about me. The same goes for my family; I love and feel loved by my family and I know I can rely on that love. It's a very solid, reliable love and I am grateful for it every day. (I question whether these examples qualify for philia; in a Venn diagram between philia and agápe, these examples would probably fall into the middle)

Éros is probably the form of love we are most familiar with in our culture. We are a culture that appreciates beauty, for better or worse. There are thousands of pages written on éros, so I don't feel especially compelled to delve into it here.

Agápe love, though - let's talk about agápe. I had a tape I used to listen to when I was a kid that had a song about it, and I heard the word here and there in various settings, but I never stopped to really consider it, analyze it, until now. Let's look at it again: sacrificial, unconditional, freely given, holding in high esteem. This is a transforming love. Not transactional, not intellectual. This love is, as our guest speaker on Sunday, "a new way of being human, a new way of being alive." This love is the life that is real life. To love is to be very vulnerable, and it is to be very valuable. To love unconditionally is to be transformed, changed.

Love as a way of life is a radical, revolutionary concept.
"I love my children." "I love my husband." "I love my friends." - this isn't new.
"I love." - this is.

(PS - As for "storge" love, we have to remember, the key is - this is still love. Albert Einstein said, "Love is a better teacher than duty" - rather than acting out of duty, act out of love. It yields better results, in the truest sense - but notice I didn't say easier results. And I'm not talking love of country, I'm talking about love that extends even to those who oppress you, and still allows you to reject the oppression. Love can find that balance.)

Let me tie this back. How does love = simplicity? 

Out of love flows peace, contentment, steadfastness, wisdom, humility, quietness, creativity. 

Out of love flows the components of a simple life. 

So this is me scratching the surface of the kind of life I want to live. My next post will go deeper into the radically transformative elements of love.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
Lao Tzu

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only love.
Mother Teresa

Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:1-2

Planning, Preparation, and Readiness

Next up in the simplicity series: planning.

I am a planner. A walking, talking, day planner with calendars coming out of my ears. So this comes easily to me. Wake up (okay, so that one's not so easy), have coffee, check planner, prioritize, execute. Day after day. I keep a small notebook in my purse to check my daily priorities and I keep a full-size planner to keep track of appointments, meetings, classes, work schedules, whatever. I make good use of iCal on my phone.

So you could call me a preparation pro. It sounds complicated and sort of counter-intuitive to a simple way of life, but when you are always prepared and know what your day holds, it's less you have to constantly keep track of in your head. So here are the ways I make sure I'm prepared and ready for my day, every day.

Get a calendar. Whether it's a big wall calendar, a day planner, or a calendar app on your phone, have one. Use it. Write on it - daily schedule, appointments, meetings, vacations, birthdays, everything. Then when you wake up in the morning, while you're eating your breakfast or having your coffee, look at it and refresh what you've got going on. If you have a tendency to forget appointments or tasks, set reminders on your phone.

Prioritize. There's your schedule, then there are your priorities. Lately my daily priorities list has looked something like this:
   1. Drink 64 ounces of water
   2. Finish at least 30 rows of the scarf
   3. Go to bed before eleven
You don't want to give yourself more than three or four priorities - if you can handle more, good on you, but when I start giving myself five, six priorities, I get overwhelmed and end up not doing anything. Once school starts back up, my list will look a little different - more "pages of thesis" than "rows of knitting," but the principle remains the same.

Nail down your routine. When I'm in a routine, I always feel better. I know what I'm doing when I wake up in the morning, I don't have to think about it, and I can focus on other things, like my attitude, my goals, my breath, whatever. I have a wakeup routine and a bedtime routine, and it changes depending on my school schedule. The key is to find what works and do it every day.

Other good stuff:
Get CPR certified. It takes six to eight hours of class(es) to get your certification in adult/pediatric CPR, AED, and first aid, and then you're officially prepared for many medical emergencies you might encounter. Before I was CPR certified, I was at the coffee shop one day when an older lady fainted and fell, and my friend, who is CPR certified, immediately sprang into action and knew exactly what to do. Having knowledge like that behind you makes you that much more confident facing your day.

Finish your tasks, then be done for the day. Once you've figured out how much you can do in a day, do it, and then be done. Do something fun, something restful - and then go to bed. Know your limits.

Understand the cycles. Life comes in cycles. There are days, weeks, months, where you will be busy to the point of exhaustion. There will be times when your days are free and clear, and you can knit 230 rows on your scarf while watching Doctor Who after taking a nice long walk through the neighborhood. And when it feels like the busy will never end, remember that it goes in cycles.

Remember the basics. When you're prioritizing, remember your self. Don't let 17 pages of your thesis or sorting through the kids' clothes make you lose sight of the things you've decided are important - yoga, meditation, reading, prayer, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, etc.

So go get your calendar, write all over it, prioritize, routinize - if it works for you.

Happy planning!

Easy French Bread

Today I'm excited to bring you my recipe for easy French bread. I love baking, so rather than running to the store for a loaf of bread I'm much happier making it myself. This recipe has yet to fail me, and I hope it will serve you well too!
Found on Cairns Manor, adapted from Keep Home Simple.

Step one: If you're wearing any rings, take them off. I am so bad about this, and no online recipes ever say "Hey, take off your rings." And I always end up losing my rings in the dough or having to go and have them cleaned. So I'm saying it now. Take them off.

Step two: Gather your ingredients. Here's what you need:

2 - 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp Yeast
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Oil
5 - 1/2 to 6 Cups Flour

I use high altitude flour because I live in Colorado - but any all-purpose flour will work!




Step three: Make your bread!

Pour the 2-1/2 cups of warm water into a large bowl. Add the yeast, then sprinkle the sugar over the yeast. Let this sit for five minutes or so, until the mixture gets foamy. If it doesn't foam up, your yeast is bad. Toss it and get fresh yeast.

Stir in your salt, oil, and flour. I like to mix mine up with a fork until it gets doughy enough to use my hands.

Once it's all mixed together, turn it onto a floured surface and knead it until it comes together. You don't have to knead for a long time, but I like my dough to make a soft-looking ball.

Wash your bowl - or get a new one - and oil the inside. Then turn your dough in the bowl so the top is oiled. This is especially important in our dry climate, because otherwise your dough will crust as it rises, and it's tough to reincorporate the crust when you shape your loaves. Cover with a warm wet cloth and let it rise. My dough usually takes 40 minutes to an hour to double.

After your dough has risen, preheat your oven to 400º F. Punch the dough down and turn it onto a floured surface. Divide it in two, and shape each into a rectangle a little bigger than a piece of paper. Roll it longwise and tuck the ends. They should kind of look like big, doughy burritos.

Place the loaves side by side on a cookie sheet. I like to lightly flour my loaves on top to give them that nice crust. Use a sharp knife to slash the tops of the loaves at an angle.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are big and golden brown.

Delicious! Even the dog wants some. My loaves are accompanying stuffed mushrooms and butternut squash tonight - I can't wait!
If you let it stale, this bread is perfect for French toast or bread pudding.

Enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to put your rings back on. Happy baking!

The Basics of Physical Simplicity

There are a thousand blogs out there that will give you 27 Tips For Your Best Butt, 52 Steps To Your Healthiest You, or 105 Ways To Lose Weight Fast. I have never been a health expert, and I can’t give you a quantified list of tried-and-true tips to achieve whatever physical goal you’ve set for yourself, so if you’re looking for Quik Tipz, float on, dear reader, because you won’t find them here.

You'll find them here.

Keeping in mind my goal of simplicity, I’ve been paying close attention to my body, journaling what I eat and drink, how long and well I sleep, what I do, and how I feel. So this is a list of seven things that work for me – the simple basics, no fancy tricks.

Drink Water
So, so simple, and yet so easy to neglect. Drink water. It has dozens of benefits, which all add up to one big benefit: you feel better. Drinking water helps your body flush out toxins, improves your skin, and has been proven to improve weight loss and boost brain power. I have a 32 oz. Nalgene bottle that I try to fill up and drink twice every day. For me, 64 ounces (the classic goal) seems easier to tackle in two chunks rather than eight. I also use the MyFitnessPal app to keep track of how much water I drink every day.

Sleep
You know what they say – seven to eight hours of sleep a night makes a girl healthy, wealthy and wise. Or something. I find I can run okay on six to seven, but it doesn’t matter how much sleep I get if I go to bed after midnight. I don’t know what it is, but those pre-midnight hours are golden for me. If I’m asleep by nine thirty, I feel truly awesome the next morning. My great-grandfather used to say that the hours before midnight are the only ones that count!

Unplug
Put your phone in your underwear drawer and shut off the computer, TV, radio, whatever, for one hour every day. One hour. And as much as you can, keep screens out of your bedroom at night. I find that if I can shut down my electronics (and ask the Professor, I’m as addicted to my iPhone as the next 20-something) for an hour or so before bed, I sleep better and I feel more recharged. Spend that time reading, chatting, journaling, drinking wine, whatever. Your eyes (and relationships) will thank you.

Rest
This is different from sleep – although taking time to rest every day does help me sleep better at night. Remember that unplugged hour? That’s a good time to do something restful. I love to knit, and I’ve been spending an hour or so each day working on my latest project. I also love to read, do crossword puzzles (on paper, not online!), play with my cat, and write.

Get Fresh Air 
Go outside! Find some time – ten minutes at least – to get out and enjoy nature. I live in Colorado, where it’s easy to find fresh, clean air. I know it’s not that easy everywhere, but make a point to look up at the sky a couple of times a day, and check out the stars at night. We spend a lot of our time looking down – at our phones, at our feet, digging through a purse or bag, etc. Look up sometimes, and breathe deep. It’s amazing how refreshed I feel just by stepping outside for a few minutes a day. We’ve had a couple of bitter cold days lately where if you’re outside for very long at all you risk frostbite, and I can definitely feel the difference.

Cook
More on food in a later post, but an easy-enough way to feel good is to cook what you eat. Don’t let Stouffers do the cooking for you – buy the ingredients and put it together yourself. Limit your microwave use and get familiar with your stove and oven. Whether it’s a stir-fry, a baked potato, or pancakes and scrambled eggs, cooking from scratch will help you stay aware of portion sizes (because overeating never feels good) and is generally healthier than pre-made, processed foods. And plus, cooking something delicious feels like an accomplishment. And just remember, if you’re thinking “but I can’t cook!” – practice makes perfect.

Be Active
I don’t mean work out hard every day (although if you do, you have my respect). You just have to move. Get up, get out, do some stretching – including your face (do it, you’ll thank me) – go for a walk, a run, play catch with your dog. Whatever, so long as when you fall into bed at night your limbs don’t feel like they might atrophy from inactivity.

So there you have it – seven simple basics that help me feel healthy. I can’t promise that they’ll work for everyone, but I can promise that trying them won’t hurt!

So consider: what are your basics? What simple steps do you take each day to feel your best?

Joy

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of joy recently. As I began to really consider it, I realized that it was somewhat foreign to me - I knew what it was to feel happy, but I guess I wasn't really aware of the difference between that and joy. I think an understanding and an appreciation of what joy is and what it feels like is important to a life of simplicity. And it's not just finding joy in the simple moments, it's finding joy in the act of simplifying, in simplicity itself. In order to get to that place, I needed to understand what joy is. Naturally, I turned first to my friend the dictionary.

The Professor brought me these today.
Perfect timing!

Joy (n): the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation; a source of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated; festive gaiety; a state of happiness
      (v): to feel glad or rejoice

And a few choice synonyms: bliss, cheer, comfort, treasure, satisfaction

A few things stand out to me in those words. Delight. Value and appreciation. Comfort. Treasure.

I was speaking with a friend a few days ago about what things bring me true happiness. Perhaps that conversation is what sparked this joy-centered contemplation. She asked me what things make me truly happy. I replied "Feeling loved and valued and being surrounded with people I love and value." The fact that the idea of valuation is included in the definition of joy brings me some sense of relief. It means I do actually understand joy in a sensory, emotional way - it's just a matter of bringing it up from my heart to my head, in order to become more conscious of it.

So in the last week or so, I've been making an effort to note the times I feel joy; when I feel cheerful, comforted, treasured, satisfied. I kept my notes and made them into a list, and here it is:

• When Effie decides the most comfortable spot in the house is cuddled up with me
• Hugging my husband and that sense of security
• When my kindergarteners think I'm funny
• A glass of wine in front of the fireplace, with no glaring items on my to-do list
• Looking at a completed to-do list
• Taking time to enjoy folding laundry
• A really good discussion about something I think is important 
• A really good discussion about something that's obviously important to someone else
• Being outside, enveloped in the mountains and the air
• Reading a really good book
• Sitting on the couch next to the Professor while he watches the Broncos
• Doing my homework in the company of a roaring fire, a cup of coffee, and two easygoing pups
• Accomplishing something challenging; this week it's been homework
• Playing a board game with my family

I feel the most joy whenever I'm surrounded by people I love and value, and who love and value me.

I think just being cognitively aware of when I'm feeling joy has made a difference for me. My goal for the next week, more than simple awareness, is to really search for it. 

Happy Friday!

- The Professor's Wife

Psst - The Professor's Wife is now twittering! Tweeting! Twitting! Whichever! Check her out!

Confessions and Kid Farts

I work with kindergarteners. Kindergarten is decidedly not my calling, but for now it's, we'll say, preparing me for motherhood(?). Full disclosure, most days I think I'm lucky to get out alive. I love them all dearly, but it's certainly an adventure, to say the least. But I'm learning a lot, and soon I think I'll have a better handle on it. It's also a good way to observe other teachers' methods and figure out what would and wouldn't work for me. All in all, a very positive experience, but the few moments of terror are enough to make me fully exhausted once I get home.

Today, two of my kindergarteners farted. 

Now, I am not exactly a grown-up about farts. I scoff when the Professor rips one, especially if it stinks, but when I'm alone in my car, I fart. And I laugh about it. Farts are funny! Today I was at a stoplight and it happened unexpectedly, just kind of slipped out, and I cracked up. I laugh at toots. So sue me.

So forgive me, but I am going to derive something inspirational from these fart stories. You've been warned. 

The first kid fart happened early this morning, before things even got started. We were doing puzzles on the floor, as we do every morning before the stragglers come in, and two of the kiddos were working on one together. Now, the little girl in this story is seriously so cute I could die. She is very intelligent, very articulate, and I've become very attached to her (I'll say that about all of them). The little boy in this story is boisterous and emotional; something's either SUPER AWESOME or SUPER FUNNY or he's on the floor in a puddle. There is no in between. 

So, they're working on this puzzle together, and all of a sudden, Little Girl rips one. A big one. And for her, it ain't no thang, she's just doing what comes naturally. Doesn't even flinch. I'm standing nearby, and I'll admit, my eyes got wide, just because I didn't expect something that hefty to come out of such a tiny, tiny child. My wide eyes, however, were nothing compared to Little Boy's. He stared at her, mouth agape, for probably five or six seconds, then laughed in a sort of, "Oh good Lord what do I do" sort of nervous way. Then, after she failed to react, even a little bit, he laughed heartily and then they moved on with their lives and finished their puzzle.

The second kid fart was, in fact, the same Little Boy. It happened in music class, while we were playing a game that involved being very quiet. We're on round 8 of this game, and during the very quiet part of the round, Little Boy pops a few toots in rapid succession. The whole class gets very deliberately hushed, like "We're... supposed to be quiet!" I see hands go up to mouths, wanting to laugh, but for the most part they did a good job of keeping it under control. Little Boy, meanwhile, is laughing exuberantly at his own creation. He's genuinely and fully enjoying this proud moment. The kids' music teacher and I exchange glances, and we're both trying not to laugh (because farts are funny). Then, Little Boy's guffaws trailed off into hiccup-giggles, and the class moved on and finished the game.

So, here's where I derive the inspiration: Witnessing Little Boy's unadulterated enjoyment of this most hilarious of bodily functions evidenced his family's treatment of the act. He has older brothers, and it's obvious that fart contests are frequent occurrences in that household. When Little Boy rips one, I have no doubt in my mind that Dad says, "Hey, good one!" Meanwhile, at Little Girl's house, farting is just another thing that happens. She has sisters, and I'm sure they just toot and move on without fanfare. So I think back to that moment in the morning, when Little Girl passed gas and Little Boy processed her totally unexpected reaction, and then she let him laugh without getting embarrassed or huffy. Then, when he ripped one later on, she reacted in her way, and she didn't judge him for fully enjoying it.

These are two kids that come from families with totally different cultures. Entirely different practices when it comes to just about everything, including this basic function. And there they were, sitting side by side on the floor, doing puzzles and playing games, farting harmoniously. Bless their tolerant little hearts.

Find the beauty, right?


Happy Thursday, friends.

-The Professor's Wife

It's Birthday!

Well, not technically. It was Thursday. But I'm still celebrating.

I turned 23. Which means that 18 years ago, I turned 5. I have no pictures from my 23rd birthday, but here's one from my 5th:

Awwww.

I don't really do New Year's Resolutions. I prefer to let the clock roll over into a new year without any damning guilt because I didn't complete my goals, thank you. Instead, on or around my birthday I usually do a little self-reflection and think about where and who I've been on my previous birthdays, and where and who I'd like to be on my next birthday. It's a little less pressure.

Thanks Bill Watterson.

Last year around my birthday, I was moving into a new house with new roommates, I was figuring out my relationship with The Professor and thinking about getting married, I was getting ready to go back to school and narrowing down my list of potential majors (and resolving that I wasn't going to change it again). I was excited about not being 21 anymore; 21 was a hard year for me. And yes, I was enjoying my birthday.

I LOVE my birthday. I love everyone's birthday, actually; for whatever reason, birthdays are really exciting to me. There was a time when I tried to grow up and deny that I love celebrating my birthday, but then I got over it and decided that enjoying it was way more fun and way more honest. The couple of birthdays I tried to be cool about, I ended up feeling more disappointed than anything. So now I enjoy it openly! And I enjoy enjoying it! So shut up!

It's become my belief that everyone has an age that's sort of a sweet spot for them. My mom always says she loved being 30. I have a feeling mine will be 32. So 23 feels good. It feels like a solid step forward. Call me crazy, but it feels like a relief compared to 22. But I'm weird with numbers.

Anyway, 23 (and most of 24, for that matter) is going to be busy. I'm getting it out there now so I'm not surprised by it later: I am going to be tired, busy, and probably sore for most of the next year and a half. But it's worth it, right? It's also weird to think that, since the Professor and I have been talking about it, there's a distinct possibility I might be carrying a wee babe by my 24th birthday. (Not a goal, just a still-up-in-the-air possibility. Don't get excited.) (And while we're on the subject, how on earth am I supposed to refer to said wee babe on this blog once one comes along? Seriously. If you have suggestions, I'm open.)

So I've been thinking about my goals for my 23rd year. What do I want to do or become before I turn 24? I came up with a short, hopefully manageable list:

• I'd like for the Professor and I to get closer to buying a house. We're hoping for February or March, but those are early estimates and there are no guarantees. 
• I'd like to get back into shape. I know, I know, everyone makes this goal, but I am already working arms for that wedding dress and it's just a matter of willpower for the rest of my body. And the thing is, I don't think I'm ready to house a baby when I can't walk up and down stairs without getting winded. That's not the only reason I want to get into shape, but I think it's a good one. I want to get back into yoga, get back to feeling good in my body. 
• I'd like to flesh out the Simplicity goal. It's a really broad goal, but it's dear to my heart.
• Catch up on episodes of The New Girl <-- I can probably do this within the week.

In other news, on Friday I have my initial appointment for getting tested for Celiac. I'm hoping it'll come up negative, but the more I read about the symptoms and signs, the more I think I probably have it. And if I do come up positive, hey, at least I'll know why I feel sick all the time. So this week is pasta week. I'm going to enjoy it before I know for sure that it's bad for me. And by enjoy it I mean enjoy eating it and then not enjoy being in the bathroom for half an hour. TMI? Sorry.

There is also a Pride and Prejudice Card Game being produced. You can buy it on the Kickstarter page. You're welcome.

Vacation!

Hurray! I finally got around to uploading all of my photos from our little trip to Aspen. We saw some fantastic bands, met some great people, stayed off the grid and generally just had an amazing time. The Professor has family in the area, so I got to meet some of them too, and they're great.

Thursday night, before we left for Aspen, we saw Sara Bareilles and OneRepublic at Red Rocks. First of all, Red Rocks is our absolute favorite venue. Second, what an incredible, incredible show. These were two artists that I've enjoyed on the radio, but seeing them live is an entirely different story. So, so talented. We will definitely make an effort to see them again.

Once we got to the festival, we had a bit of a bummer on the first night. We were supposed to see Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jason Mraz on Friday night, but when we got to the field it was pouring rain and we didn't really come prepared. We had a mishap with our blanket and then they sold out of ponchos - and being that the lightning was pretty close and we were in the middle of a big open field, we decided to cut our losses and go back to the cabin, where we played Dweebies and did a puzzle and drank some of our honeymoon mead, which was a gift from some friends. We were bummed to miss the bands, but we made it a good night anyway!

Saturday night was Little Big Town, Train, and Keith Urban. I'm not a huge country fan, but Little Big Town and Keith Urban know how to put on a show. Train, though - OH MAN. I had heard some negative things about Pat Monahan live, but it was all LIES. That show blew me away. They were so good.

Sunday we saw Paper Bird, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and Journey. Yes, JOURNEY. Paper Bird is a local band, and it's always so great to see local bands at big festivals like this. They have a great sound. We bought their album and chatted with the bassist for a bit. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - it looked like they had 25 people onstage. They might have. It was a really cool show, and they looked like unkempt hippies and vagabonds and everything I expected them to be from listening to their albums. JOURNEY THOUGH - you guys, this was on my bucket list. I never, ever thought that I would see them live. It was extraordinary. Rockstars. That's all I can say.

After getting our mac n' cheese, waiting
for the show to start

By the end of the night, we were friends with most of them.

So without further ado, the few remaining photos. I didn't take that many since my iPhone was off for most of the weekend, but I think I snapped a few good ones.

In the car, just before leaving Aspen

And that, folks, is why it's called Aspen

Independence Pass

And upon our return home, we were enthusiastically greeted by this cutie:

This wouldn't be The Professor and His Wife
without at least one picture of the cat.

And an update on what's been happening since our trip:

I started my new job at the elementary school, and I love it! It's my first experience in a formal classroom, and I am definitely out of my comfort zone with kindergarteners, but I'm learning quickly and the kids are great. My schedule has been madhouse crazy, but not as unmanageable as I was expecting.

The Professor has been mostly working what feels like 80 hours a week and in his off time, has taken up running and is enjoying football and the final season of Breaking Bad, which I will never enjoy nor understand. He is currently at the Broncos-Raiders game, so expect some kind of fanatical Facebook posts from him and, if I can convince him to take some, photos!

And the bummer: I've been sick for close to two weeks. I know I'm not superhuman, but my immune system is usually better than this. I went to the doctor and was on antibiotics, but they didn't do anything and I still feel as sick as when it started. So if anyone has any tips or tricks on losing a cold/sinus infection/whatever this is without jacking my body up with antibiotics again, I'm all ears.

Enjoy the photos! And if you've never been to Aspen/Snowmass, go. Totally worth it.

Happy Monday!

-The Professor's Wife