Home Inspiration

If you follow me on Facebook (@Girl Named Fiddy), you've probably heard that J and I are currently looking to buy a home in Denver! Our lease is up at the end of April, so we're *hoping* to find and buy a place before then. That's like, 90 days away. Totally terrifying!

It's no joke that the housing market sucks right now. There aren't a lot of homes on the market, and the ones that are super expensive for what you're getting. Just doing a quick search on Trulia, I found a house in Des Moines, IA that had eight bedrooms and over 3000 square feet for $200,000. Here in Denver, I'm struggling to find a two-bedroom house above 1000 square feet for under $400,000. As I said, it's no joke. In fact, it's kind of a nightmare. But we're looking, and we're hopeful that we're going to find something small that works for us. 

The best part about our home search is that it doesn't matter if the home is outdated or not an ideal aesthetic, because my dad actually renovates homes for a living! He'll be able to change just about anything we want, so we're looking more for the area of town we want to live in and the "bones" of a home. All those hours of watching "Fixer Upper" are finally paying off, haha!

Welcome Back, Part II

J's mom, J, & I finally made it to Denver! We had rented the apartment without seeing the exact unit we were getting, so it was such a relief to get here & realize it was beautiful! // Unpacking the living room the night we got in // Pizza on the floor with J & his mom // Since we didn't have anything unpacked for the cats to lay on yet, I put this blanket next to our bed - James clearly didn't mind

Sleepy bubs in our new apartment! // Saying hello to J while we unpack the uBox // Our apartment from the outside // We went to IKEA & I put together this tv stand - I've been wanting a real tv stand forever, & I just love the way it looks!

I joined a yoga/barre studio in town, & after my first class, they gave out donuts for National Donut Day! // I also managed to put together this IKEA shelf (we had the same one in NH). For context, J would love to help with these things, but he doesn't have the patience to deal with the IKEA instuctions, & while I would not describe myself as a patient person, I tend to think of IKEA furniture as a puzzle game which weirdly motivates me // We really wanted a desk chair or armchair for the living room, & we found the perfect one at a consignment store in town! It's a vintage, mid-century desk chair that we got a killer price on (& the cats love) // I go 6AM yoga/barre classes every day, so sometimes I am a VERY tired girl

J & I went to Snooze for breakfast one day // I went to Des Moines for my bestie Liz's bachelorette party! Our friend, Ciera, did a killer job decorating (I helped a tiny bit) // Lauren & I, mid-bachelorette party // The next morning, post-party. I felt surprisingly good, if a little dehydrated

The morning after the bachelorette party, my grandparents picked me up & we went to lunch at A Dong's, my favorite vietnamese restaurant ever! // As much as I loved Des Moines & getting to see my friends, it felt so nice to come back home to J & the kitties // James was a great study buddy while I prepped for the bar exam // I got a clerking job at a local law firm!

All I do is study, study, study no matter what! // I got these new Korean face masks & while I look like a serial killer when I wear them, they're also hella awesome // I found a manx in the laundry room, who was thankfully wearing a collar with identification & I was able to find his owners in the apartment! // I'm not a huge flower person, but these were too beautiful!

Pre-Snooze, while we waited for our table to get ready, J & I headed to Starbucks for some coffee & green tea // Snooze never disappoints! // I started reading again for my 12x12 project (I'm SO behind) // I think I reorganized my desk about six times this summer, but no matter what I put on top, James insists on sitting there

Studying again - which was honestly 90% of my summer, despite these pictures, haha // I love sunrises, & the sunrises here & Denver are just spectacular // After one of my morning workouts, this squirrel couldn't decide if he wanted to stay on the stairs or not - He was scared of me, but also really liked where he was I guess. I won in the end. // I love making (& seeing) progress with my fitness goals!

I took the evening off from studying to go to dinner with J for our 5 1/2 year anniversary! // I also finally made time to go to Washington Park, which is really near our place. J & I mostly just walk around the park, talking, for about an hour. It reminds me so much of Hyde Park in London, with the flower gardens, lake, & wide, open areas! // I also started using this app to meet ladies who want to be friends in your area, so I've gone on about three lady-dates so far. // Post-lady-date - I think this was the first time I was ever out in Denver at night, which is both sad but understandable, given the bar exam.

After one of my morning workouts! I did really, really well with my goals this summer. :) // This is pretty self-explainatory. #pizzasquirrel // Sometimes the cats are ridiculously cute. // I had a really cool experience in class a few weeks ago, where I got to the studio, & only then realized that my shirt smelled like cat piss (thanks, James). I wanted to take it off, but felt awkward because I wasn't comfortable working out without a shirt in front of other people. About halfway through class, I decided to just bite the bullet. The world didn't end. No one thought I was weird or gross or embarassing. We all just worked out, & it made me feel so good about myself!

To celebrate J getting a job in Denver, he & I went out to our favorite pho restaurant! // J clearly didn't understand the either-or question, haha. // While J went record-shopping next door, I headed to Tattered Cover, which is an incredible Denver bookstore!

Afternoon study session with some cider? I'll take it. // J & I took an evening walk around Wash Park & the views were just incredible. // When your workouts make you feel like you're dying but also a viking queen! // Also, when you "discover" that you can make iced coffee at home!!!

J wanted to go to Urban Outfitters to buy some much-needed shorts (long pants this summer has been a no-no), so I joined him with the intention of being super stingy with my wallet - super hard to do, since I LOVE UO. I ended up buying this dress - it was on sale for $13, along with some rose lip balm. This dress in particular has proved to be invaluable - it's perfect for those afternoons/evenings you want to be cute & semi-casual, but it's still knee-length & flowy! // Leif's laying on his toy rat & I don't really know what to say besides sobbing uncontrollably. // Mini watermelons have been the soundtrack to my summer - I can't get enough! // More workouts, more beautiful mornings!

I don't know how James got this cute, but I'm not complaining. // My hunky date at a Mexican restaurant the week before the bar. He was craving nachos really badly, & this place was supposed to have some of the best nachos in the city! The nachos ended up being good, but the queso dip was out of this world!! // I finally fit into these shorts I bought this spring! // My cutie pie during a study break.

Another early morning, another great workout! // James & I, being twins. // I met my mentor/friend, Carol, at a coffee shop in Denver! She's from NH, but has family in Denver. It was so lovely to see her! // Sometimes I think I'm going to die from the cuteness.

Honestly though, Chris Christie's speech at the RNC was terrifying. // Another day, another workout! // This Spongebob scene was me, except instead of fine dining, my head was filled to the brim with legal knowledge for the bar exam. It was exhausting! // I bought more of the Korean face masks & haven't regretted it once!

As the bar exam got closer, I switched up my study spots more out of necessity - I was getting so burnt out, so I started going to the Starbucks near our house to eliminate some distractions (like, "wanting" to do dishes - not like, hearing people talk, which actually doesn't bother me while I study). // This is maybe the best tweet I've ever written, & is still 100% accurate. // I made rice krispies one afternoon - SO yummy! // More studying, more coffee, more highlighters.

Kicking ass & taking names! // The day before the bar exam, I was supposed to take off in order to "rest & recharge." I compromised by studying during the morning & relaxing with J & some wine in the afternoon! // Another gratuitous cat & desk picture. // An actual graph of my heart rate right after we got to Denver & ending the day before the bar exam. It literally went up 10 beats per minute. Eek! 

The days after the bar exam, I was flooded with love!! My bestie, Kendra, sent me cupcakes (RIDICULOUSLY GOOD) with a super sweet message (no pun intended), while J's dad & grandma sent us chocolate-covered strawberries & flowers!! // The night before the second part of the exam, I got to watch Hillary Clinton accepting the Democratic nomination! It was such a cool & moving experience. // Earlier that same day, I felt really good about how the writing & case file portion of the bar went. // The day after the bar exam, I had signed up for a class the CO bar exam required on professionalism, so I spent the day taking notes & learning about what I shouldn't do in CO (steal money from clients, have sex with clients, etc.)

Obviously more has happened to us before, during, & after what all of this describes. The move from NH to CO was definitely stressful, wedding planning has been surprisingly stressful, studying for the bar exam has been incredibly stressful (weirdly, mostly after the bar exam in my case), & searching for jobs for the two of us has been stressful. But in between all the stress, we've gotten to see family, friends, make new friends, pet our kitties (who have adjusted beautifully), & explore Denver. 

Really, the second greatest love story of this particular story is between us & Denver - we've both fallen completely in love with this city & the state. It has everything we were looking for in a place to live, & now that we're here, I can't imagine being anywhere else. It feels like we fit in here, which is something I didn't feel in NH even though I loved the people I met. No one necessarily thinks of me as a "free spirit" here, or that I'm not conservative enough. In fact, it's usually the opposite, which is a weird feeling for me.

Today in yoga class, our instructor opened by telling a story about how her friend recently asked her if she was balancing "flying" with being grounded. That was the theme of our practice today & it couldn't have come at a better time for me. I feel like I've been "flying" from one thing to the other since January - trying to get my life in order, trying to help J with his big changes, trying to quash one mini crisis after the other, while at the same time, J & I are trying to put down roots in this new city. I've been so anxious for the past few months in particular, knowing that we were in the right place but hoping & praying that I was doing what I needed to do to protect my little family. I needed to be grounded today, & I needed to trust that the earth is big enough to hold me. It's something I will continue to work on, but I'm proud of the progress I made today.

Here's to balancing flying & being grounded.

Welcome Back, Part I

I haven't posted here since January! Can you believe it? I needed a break - I was struggling to find anything to write about, potential employers were a little scared off by the idea, & I had a lot on my plate. It all escalated when I was in my adviser's office, ranting to her about all things I had to do, & posting on my blog sounded more like a burden than something fun I got to do.

It seemed like everything was pointing me to retire the blog, at least for the time being. It's been on private ever since... but I've found myself missing it. I still felt like a blogger, even when I wasn't blogging. Even when summer came around, I didn't have time to post even if I wanted to - I was graduating, being admitted the New Hampshire bar, moving across the country, & taking the Colorado bar exam. A lot's happened since I posted in January, so I thought it'd be a good start to play catch up & let ya'll know what's been happening!

I worked in the most beautiful building // You're going to be seeing about six-seven months worth of cat pictures, so // New Hampshire mountains & sunsets are just spectacular // Work salads are the best salads

What helps Obama unwind? Muhammad (Praise be his name) - AKA, the funniest Cards Against Humanity answer I've ever experienced // Jalapeno-pineapple pizza is an amazing combo // When J worked at Starbucks & wrote lovely things on my drink orders

Me in my natural environment // My choir sang Mozart's Requiem this past semester, & every time I got to sing, "Lacrimosa" was like magic // Our backyard was the prettiest when it snowed // Again, those NH sunsets

J & I saw "The Revenant" in theatres with some friends // Rearranging our playroom was such a hassle, but I loved the result!

Did you know that we are soul-twins? // My sweet cat daddy // That time when my solid wood cutting board broke // J waiting to get through security at the Boston airport

That Denver skyline though - J & I visited Denver in February // My cute date // We visited my friend Erin & hung out with her & her roommates' dogs // Checking out the Museum of Nature & Science

A Jackelope, naturally // I may or may not have bought a Harry Potter coloring book (hint: I did) // Soaking up that Denver sun & drinking copious amounts of coffee // Bloody Mary's at Snooze are the best in the world

Back in Concord, reading for fun while J finished up work one night // Discovered Trader Joe's cookie butter (Oops) // Again, that cat daddy of mine // My Barbri books came in for bar studying this summer

When bae sends you a picture of Takis & wine & says "Come home," & then your heart bursts // Our cats are too cute for words // Fruit makes cookie butter healthy, right? // Cheap champagne makes me the happiest

Nachos from our favorite place in Concord // When I had an afternoon off, I cleaned out the shed & organized our stuff in preparation of the inevitable packing that was to come // I got dolled up for a simulated client interview

Kitty love // I realized how similar these two pictures of me & James were, so I put them side-by-side - how precious is my cat? // On that note, Leif is pretty cute too // I had my last choir concert, which was such an emotional experience

My friend Erica, J, & I visited a local trail which had birds recovering! How gorgeous is this owl? // Afterward, we went to walk around a local cemetery, where I did a classic J pose

After our hiking/owl adventures, it was time for Barrister's Ball with J, Abby, Andrew, Erica, & the rest of my classmates! // When I wore the darkest lipstick to remind people that I was still very punk

Manchester could be really gorgeous when it wanted to // Family snug time! // My last day at work came way too fast - it was a fabulous learning experience & I truly loved the people I worked with // My last day of school - EVER! :O

During this past year, J & I played board games with our friends Courtney & Brady on a regular basis - they totally got us hooked! // I went to a cat show alone, because of course I did. Regretted nothing // At the beginning of May, J & I traveled to South Carolina to hang with my family & watch Chase graduate from college

When you have to study but also have to work out, you read through your notes on the treadmill (walking, of course) // Packing up our kitchen was no mean feat - it took so many boxes to pack all our pots & pans, which makes no sense because I feel like we had basically nothing // Abby, Andrew, & Jay helped us pack up our uBox a week before we were supposed to move! It takes a village...

Me with Jay & Tyler's dog, Ella, my angel // We sold a bunch of our things in preparation for the move, an the box springs were the last thing to go - but not before James learned how to climb a "tree," haha // Leif is a really, really furry guy // One my classmates organized a day of games & fun at a local tiny amusement park

I was voted "Looks Least Like a Lawyer" by my classmates! // When your peer has the cutest dog in the world // James & Leif caught a mouse, by which I mean, James caught it the first time, & then Leif spent the next 5 minutes catching it, releasing it, & then walking around with the mouse in his mouth. It was BIZARRE // My family came in for my graduation & swearing in!

I was sworn into the New Hampshire Bar, then graduated from law school the next day!

The day after graduation, J & I finished packing up our cars (& cats!) & drove for ~19 hours to get to South Bend, Indiana // We made it to Iowa City the next day // Oyama sushi was a NECESSITY after all that driving

I will never forget pizza dog // I started studying for the bar exam // J & I hung out with my friend Liz & her fiance, Austin // J & Leif, sleeping side by side - too precious!

When you go to your college hangout spot, you take a picture of it // I had my bridal shower with a bunch of my friends & family // I met my friend Lauren for coffee the next day // After 6 days in Iowa, J, his mom, & I began the drive to Denver! // Right before we got to Denver that evening, it started to storm. It was terrifying watching it roll in!

Trust me when I say, I've missed this. I've missed you all reading & commenting, & I can't wait to give you guys the updates on Denver & our new apartment (& life). So much has happened!

As always, thanks for reading & especially for caring.

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Top Lifestyle Posts from 2015

One of the top posts of 2015 was on my goals recap! I really like reflecting on my goals and how I did, and I'm honored people care enough about my goals to read as well. Kind of embarrassing, actually, given how poorly you could argue I did this year, but it is what it is!

Another one of my top posts was my review of the Fitbit! I was so excited to finally get a Fitbit, and I was even more excited to review it. It's been super helpful and motivational for me these past few months.

J moved in (finally), and it was really fun to write about how the apartment has changed since he moved in! I can't say how much fun it was to have the apartment to ourselves and really make it our own. It's changed a lot since this post, but it's still fun to look back!

My Stitch Fix posts have also been super popular this year! They really came through for me this year, which I'm thrilled about - I had basically given up on them as a service, but I absolutely love the work clothes I got from them this year.

 This was my only other Stitch Fix I got this year, and I also reviewed my first Fabletics purchase. I got one shirt from the Fix, and at the time, I loved my Fabletics outfit. I bought one or two more outfits from Fabletics, but haven't bought from them since. Eventually, I found the materials were really cheap and really weren't worth paying what I was for them.

This post on how to budget simply was really popular this year, and I wasn't really surprised! I think a lot of people my age haven't been taught how to - I sure wasn't. I got a lot of my information on how to budget from the Internet, because I was never taught practical skills in high school or college, haha. I think a lot of people are also embarrassed about not knowing these practical things, and therefore don't ask, which is why I think the post was so popular - it was a non-judgmental way for people to learn a simple skill! :)

Moving In

I've been in the same apartment for two years, and I'm about to sign a lease for the third year - all three years of law school! I've never spend a year here the same way. During the first year, I was living with a couple who shared the second bedroom. During the second year, I was living with a young woman and then all on my own during the second semester. Each of these living situations were very different, and each made me think differently about "my" space.

For the past two years, I've had the "smaller" bedroom in this two-bedroom apartment. It's not technically smaller, but it has some weird parts that jut out, this way and that way, so that it's hard to fit things in the space to make the most of it. I didn't mind having that room. The first year, it made sense that the couple get the "bigger" room. The next year, I was already moved in and settled in the smaller room, so it didn't make sense for me to move - plus it was a nice selling point for potential roommates. :)

When J and I decided to keep this apartment for another year, it was a pretty easy decision to move into the bigger room. On top of being easier to fit things into and perhaps even being technically bigger, it has about double the amount of windows than my old room had - a fact that my cats never stopped reminding me of! It also had a walk-in closet and another side closet, while I'd been stuffing my whole wardrobe into a dresser and a tiny closet.

The question remained about what to do with my old room. I kept telling people that we didn't need it - what was I supposed to do with a whole extra room? Then one of my friends suggested that we make it into kind of a tv/movie room, and J and I were sold! Since there's a living room in between, J could stay up later than me (as he is want to do) and watch tv or play video games without disturbing me!

We originally wanted to move the loveseat into what we're calling the "Playroom" (Get it - cause there's actually an x-box in there? Anyone get it? Anyone?), but it physically wouldn't fit through the door! Such a shame. Instead, we've tried to just put a lot of pillows and blankets on the floor, and just recently added a folding chair that I got from my friend Erica!

We kept my desk in the living room, but moved the loveseat into a different spot, thereby making it a "reading" chair. J and I just picked up a desk for him today, which we're hoping to paint this weekend and put in the living room as well!

If you don't remember what my room and the living room used to look like, here's a refresher:

Without further ado, here's how we've "moved in" to our little apartment!

That's everything that's changed! To be honest, the rest of the kitchen was a mess, and the bathroom hasn't changed at all, so I decided you guys really cared about seeing those. ;)

In my experience, changing up where things are located really changes the feel of the whole apartment, and it was important to me that my apartment really felt like our apartment. It really does - I think it has a lot of elements of both J and me, and I love how we've mixed our art on the portrait walls. One of my favorite pieces in the apartment is the new shelving unit we got from Ikea a few weeks ago. We finally have room for all my books and all J's vinyl, and I've tried hard to really mix them together. That's what moving in together (again) is, after all - mixing your lives and your hearts and your stuff.

Luckily, the hardest part about living with J again has been that I can't watch whatever I want to whenever I want. I'm used to being able to marathon 3 seasons of "GIRLS" whenever I felt like it, and now I have to... ask his opinion. The horror! ;)

Life Lately {vol. 21}

Nailed it, Siri...

I had my first HyVee Chinese since being back and it was SPECTACULAR.

This little sweetie leaves you alone in the morning UNTIL you start moving. Then he whines and cries like a tiny baby, but it's so hard to stay mad at him with that little face. :)

James wanted nothing to do with Leif when we re-introduced them, but they warmed up to each other really quickly!

Sometimes I can't even deal with my weird cats.

J introduced me to the show "True Detective," and I'm super hooked despite how dark it is. Maybe I grew tougher skin in law school? Anyway, I'm obsessed and plan on finishing the season this coming weekend!

J and I went to Oyama as a coming-home present for me! They NEVER disappoint. In heaven, God will have Oyama sushi served.

I hadn't seen the dogs in a reeeally long time, and it was great to get outside and play with them! Notice Winston trying to lick J in the second picture?! It kills me every time!

I drove to Des Moines on Wednesday while J took his last final. I feel like a lot of my law school friends asked about how Iowa looked, and while this is not how the entire state looks, it's definitely 90% of the drive from Iowa City to Des Moines!

I had a late Mother's Day dinner with my mom Wednesday night, and we spotted this on the table! Just can't separate New Hampshire and Iowa anymore, can we?

I took Mom to the airport Thursday morning around 5am, but everyone slept horribly the whole night. J and I weren't used to the city noises. Even when I went back to sleep, I still woke up before 8am...

I'm staying in Mom's Des Moines apartment this summer while I work at her law firm as a law clerk! Isn't her apartment darling?!

On Thursday, J and I headed to A Dong's for lunch! It was SPECTACULAR. Usually I don't like Bubble tea because of the flavors, but I found this year that I LOVE the green tea flavor! J and I shared one, but we easily could have had our own. It was the best Bubble tea I've had ever, and the lunch was perfect, as always.

These are both different pictures from the window of my apartment. I looove living in a real city, even if it's a small one like Des Moines.

All in all, it was such a perfect week off. J and I spent Thursday evening snuggling and relaxing, which was something I'd badly needed. I really love that I can just BE with him.

I've had a really great time in Des Moines so far! I've seen a few friends and started getting used to my new apartment. I don't know if it's because of the time change or just because it's me, but I've been going to bed really early lately. I didn't get good sleep the first few nights because of all the noise, but I think I'm slowly getting used to it. :)