Ramblings Archives - 2 Cats and Chloe

Five on… Saturday?

November 14, 2015 by Susan 7 Comments

I need to write. It’s an outlet for me. There is so much swirling in my mind and it just needs to get out. So I need to write. About different things. And since I make the rules around here, I figured a “Five on Saturday” would just have to make sense this week. Just to warn you, this isn’t the most uplifting post… feel free to skip down to number four, things begin to lighten up there!

One // On Tuesday my family experienced a tragic, unexpected death. My mom’s cousin, who was more of a brother to her than her real brothers ever were, went to bed fine on Monday and didn’t wake up on Tuesday. As the terrible story continues to develop, we are learning that he died of a brain hemorrhage due to the medications he was taking, prescribed by his doctor. Even more tragic, his wife was a widow before she married him 5-ish years ago. Her first husband passed (due to cancer) this same time of year many moons ago. I cannot even begin to grasp what she is going through. You know, when it comes time to say goodbye to loved ones, I know the how or the when is outside of my control, but I selfishly hope no one else dies suddenly, overnight. I have found myself struggling with the usual questions and thoughts of disbelief: “Why didn’t we call more often? When was the last time we all had a real conversation? What if we had realized… I wish we could’ve said good-bye.” That being said, many thanks to all of my friends, family and readers who have been following me on social media and has been praying along side of my family.

(I grabbed this image from Facebook. It does not belong to 2 cats & chloe. If you know the source, please let me know!)

Two // I am absolutely speechless and feel utterly devastated about the attacks in Paris last night. I could write about it… I could write a lot about it. But it would never be enough. There is just so much unnecessary, evil hatred in this world. We need to all band together, pray for humanity and smear the world with as much love and kindness as we possibly can. We just need more love.

Three // To wrap up this week, my cousin had some major complications last night while giving birth to her second child. Both Mommy and Baby are still in ICU. The baby went way too long without oxygen and was rushed to the children’s hospital after the emergency c-section. I heard my cousin is doing a bit better today but the sweet, little babe still isn’t in the clear. Both of them will be in ICU for quite a while, so again, we all appreciate your prayers of healing and peace.

Four // Now on to something a bit more fun?? Next Sunday is our gender reveal party! I am excitedly surrounding myself with pink and blue everything! I am passionate about parties and entertaining. Just having a party to focus on and a new little life to celebrate gives me so much joy. My poor family puts up with me and overbearing planning mode - probably more now because it keeps me from crying!! Considering I have zero local friends, I am over-the-moon thrilled that we have 25 people coming into town for this party and tons of family and friends who will be joining us virtually via google hangout! #ThanksTechnology! Have you heard what we are doing for the actual reveal? It involves paints, a canvas and a ton of egg shells! Stay tuned!

Five // This past Monday was our two year wedding anniversary! Surprisingly, despite work, the house, being pregnant, and living with my 91-year-old grandmother, Michael and I actually got to spend the day together! Along with about 30 other wedding coordinators from the East Coast, I was invited to the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia for 24 hours of wining, dining and oysters! Luckily, our family members were invited too! While I didn’t partake in any wine or any oysters (darn you pregnancy!) Michael and I both received complimentary spa sessions, a delicious dinner and an day at a nice resort with a beautiful view! More snapshots from our time at the Tides Inn later this week!

If you read all the way through this emotional and random post… I want to leave you with one last thought:

Be thankful for memories. Hug your loved ones a little tighter. Make the effort to reach out to someone who has been on your mind. Give flowers and write notes to be shared and appreciated today. Trust that, even when we cannot understand the “why” - God has a plan and a purpose that is bigger than we can even comprehend.

A Not-So-Happy Five.

July 17, 2015 by Susan 8 Comments

More than half way through the month and half way through summer. Where is time going? Seriously.

This weekend I am working to plan out the rest of the month with blogging, in hopes of shaking my writers block, among other things. A week or so ago I had coffee with an acquaintance. She is a godly woman with a fire in her to do good. We met for a marketing consult. Before we got into the marketing talk she looked at me and out of no where, bluntly said “You just have to get over it. Do what you gotta do, but just get over it.”

So in part, how about I write a 5 on Friday post to catch you up, but to also write what’s on my heart. In order for me to “get over it” I need to begin to process. Writing is an outlet for me - so if you don’t mind and sad-ish post… This might just do my heart some good.

One // I am so incredibly homesick. I’m really trying to process this move. Less than six months ago we were putting all of our thought and energy into painting, packing and prepping our home to be sold. That in itself was a roller coaster. I am now 31, and while this sounds like a rant, please know that I am incredibly thankful… I’m living in my grandmother’s room over the garage. It’s hard to be someone who works from home when you are currently office-less. I find myself either working from her dining room table with the sound of an old clock chiming every fifteen minutes, my grandfather’s recliner with the sound of Fox News playing all day long, or upstair in a dark room, sitting on my bed. So not ideal - but I’m trying really hard to make it work for the next 6 months.

Two // Maybe I’m just exhausted or maybe this is really a good idea… but I’m thinking about starting a “Thursdays with Nana” series on the blog. Y’all can give me random questions or topics that I can slip into conversation throughout the week. Serious or silly. Let’s just avoid the topic of “The Little Couple” because that conversation can go on for hours and hours. I’m pretty positive she is the leader of their Virginia Chapter of their fan club.

Three // I really miss cooking good, clean food. It is hard to only have a fourth of my kitchen tools and even less cooking space here than I did in my house. I am going to try my hardest to continue with clean recipes for y’all. After a couple years of clean eating and tons of medical testing, I am finally beginning to get some answers. And as someone who wants to avoid drugs when possible, I am realizing what I’ve known all along… food is my medicine. I have never felt better than when I am on a Whole30 and filling my body with clean, nutritious food. In order for me to beat this chronic pain I must crack down on my eating habits. More on this in the coming weeks.

Four // Tomorrow morning, before working a beach wedding, my mom and I will be taking one of the “two cats” to the vet to be put to sleep. It absolutely breaks my heart (and the timing is seriously less than stellar.) Spitty is a sweet but sassy, awkward and independent cat. We will all miss her, but know that this is the right decision.

Five // My husband had to unexpectedly pack his bags last week and leave for military duties. Five more weeks until he comes back to Nana’s. Hopefully, fingers crossed, at that point our new home will officially be under construction!

Thanks for letting me rant. Thank to my friends who have put up with my tears, texts and my long phone calls recently. Come back tomorrow for Caturday Saturday - and don’t forget to leave a topic or question that you want me to ask Nana!

I’m linking up here.

Is crazier than cray just cra?

March 25, 2015 by Susan 2 Comments

I have so many posts swirling in my head with so little time for my chubby fingers to type them up. #FirstWorldBloggerProblems.

So instead of taking time today to plan, create and fancily publish a post (ha, like ‘fancily’ is ever on my to-do list) how about I just share random, unplanned, barely processed thoughts… ready? GO!

Jetlag is no joke. He’s actually a big-ole-son-ova-a-beep who reminds me every time I yawn that I live 6 hours behind my Swiss Family. When it comes to waking up in the morning, I’m finally readjusted to my appropriate timezone. In the evenings though? I couldn’t even stay awake for something as exciting as the Teen Mom Premiere two nights ago!

Speaking of sleeping… We’ve had Olivia Benson for 4 months now. It’s been four long months sans kitten cuddles. Big news though, Rockie has decided to start reclaiming his spot on our bed again. Olivia and Michael are not happy about this.

Having your house on the market is just way too darn AWKWARD. Seriously, what are you supposed to do when there are strangers in your home? What if pissy Rockie decides to swipe them for no good reason? You’d hate for someone to think you’re leaving expensive items around: did you put away all your Charming Charlie’s Jewels?! Did that lady just sprint away from my home because she hates it or is she just training for House Hunters: Marathoners. Why have I consistently spent every single showing drinking wine and spying through a crack in the blinds at my neighbors house? We may or may not even use binoculars…

Oh yeah, wine is back in my life and she has started to lead me down a deliciously dangerous, non-whole30 path. As my girl Shannon said to me the other day: Wine is the love of my life and also my worst enemy.

Sorry for being semi-MIA lately. While yes, I have been posting… I just feel like my posts haven’t always been “me” recently. If that makes any sense… Any other bloggers go through that sometimes?! My life have so been beyond cray (would that just be cra?) lately that I haven’t even had five seconds to eat Swiss Chocolate (gimme gimme gimme) and upload the pictures from my vacation yet! The hubby is gone this weekend though, and we MIGHT be receiving an offer on the house tonight (fingers crossed) so maybe I will have some free time for blogging + netflix. A girl can dream right?

Olivia Benson, Border Collie, Showing off her Doggie Dentures

And for those of you who were following along on instagram earlier this week, thank you for your prayers. Our “Problem-Child,” the sweet Olivia Benson, had a crazy health scare on Monday. The lab results all came back with good news: Her liver is fine. She is just an insane turd who cost me $225 for no reason whatsoever.

So now let’s wrap this puppy up with a shoutout to Monday’s Podcast and Giveaway! Did you have time to listen and/or enter to win?? I’m SO EXCITED to start offering Blog and Branding Consults to my fellow bloggers! To kick this service off, I am giving away one free consult! Wouldn’t you love to sit down over a glass of wine (or tea) via Skype with a Marketing Professional (um… me!) to discuss your branding? If you just murmured “yes” to yourself, then what are you waiting for?? Go get entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Women Want For Valentines (or any other day really…)

February 5, 2015 by Susan 10 Comments

With Valentines Day just around the corner I thought it would be really fun to put together a post about what women would really like from their men. No… I’m not going all “50 Shades” on you. I’m talking about gifts from the heart.

My husband, who is probably reading this post, post-publishing, grimacing his face, rolling his eyes and thinking “Oh Lord, what has she done now?” is a really amazing practical gift giver. I’ve gotten some really, really nice things from him. Things that I needed. Things that were absolutely useful. Things like computer software, an iPod docking station, paleo ketchup and a satellite radio subscription. While all of those gifts are things I love and use (I don’t mean to sound ungrateful) they are all lacking one thing: Romance.

Now ladies, we cannot hold this against our men. We love and adore them no matter what. But some of them are fundamentally just practical gift-givers. I polled several of my girlfriends and heard the same thing over and over again: a little more thought and romance would go a long way. I then asked each of them for a gift (or gesture) that they would love for their guy to give them.

So men, if you’re stressing over what to get your gal, here is a great list of ideas just in time for the upcoming day we all love to hate: Valentine’s Day. (This list also applies but is not limited to birthdays, anniversaries, Talk-like-a-Pirate-Day, Christmas and/or any random Saturday.)

1 // Even though we love you and your social updates on politics, burritos and gym memes… We would feel like a giddy highschooler again if you updated your Facebook status with a picture of us, or heck, a compliment about your wonderful girl would even go a long way. Just don’t be excessive… no one likes too much PDFBA! (Public Display of FaceBook Affection)

2 // Flowers for special occasions are nice. Flowers for no reason are even nicer. Even if I am the type of girl who keeps fresh flowers in the house… it’s the fact that you went out of your way to buy these, just for me, that really means something. Also, if you can go a couple steps further and put them in a vase, bonus points!

3 // Jewelry is wonderful. Even if it’s not expensive jewels. A charm, simple necklace or even an inexpensive made-in-China Charming Charlie’s find… it’s a token of your love that we can wear. When someone compliments it, we can say “thanks, my man got this for me!”

4 // A card or note. Newsflash: Girls love notes! A lot of us have a box with all of the cards in it that you’ve given us. You wouldn’t believe how far a post-it note on the mirror that says “you are beautiful” or “I love you” would get ya… Guys, it cannot get much easier than this. Yes it’s possible to woo your girl with three words on a post-it.

2 cats & chloe: valentines gifts for women, love you post-it note, romantic gifts for women

5 // Speaking of notes… with today’s advancements in technology, sometimes we just don’t have post-its laying around. A simple, “Good morning” or “Good night” text, or an “I hope you’re having a great day, love you!” text will go miles.

6 // A weekend away! Sure a nice weekend in a fancy hotel would be extremely ideal and romantic… but don’t think some of us wouldn’t be happy if you said “HEY! We are going camping this weekend! Pack your bags!” (PS. Remember those bonus points you’re trying to rack up? You will get a few more of them if you have figured out arrangements for the kids/pets/house/etc prior surprising us with a weekend away!)

7 // Come home with a bottle of wine or champagne for no good reason. Just do it. Especially if you did number 5 and learned your girl is having a rough day. Everyone benefits. Add a few dark chocolate covered strawberries = booooonnuuuussssss!

8 // Even at the age of 30, I would love to have one of those scavenger hunt date nights. You know, where you put thought into a few pit stops and it ends somewhere special or fun, or even at a bar for a glass of wine!

9 // Long distance? This is one of the few times that a super practical gift is acceptable. OR when your girl is traveling out of town. This is when a few minutes of thought in target or the grocery store can go a very long way. Think: Care package!

10 // Plan a picnic. I know it sounds cheesier than all RomCom moments you can possibly imagine - but plan a lunch in a park. Here’s a hint, you don’t even have to cook! Pick up chipotle, or her favorite, easy lunch. Pick a place: think park, beach, the lot where you are going to build your future house, a family cottage or in-town “getaway.” The key is to have it all planned out before you force her away from her computer and into your car… have the food and blanket waiting. Don’t tell her where you are going. (Stay away from the blindfold in the car though… nothing ruins a romantic picnic like vomming from motion sickness.)

11 // A couples massage. Yes, she would love a massage. I have yet to meet a girl who does not love an afternoon at the spa. And if you’ve already gifted her a massage, snaps for you. Wanna up the romance and minimize the knots in your back at the same time? Opt for a couples massage.

12 // Spend a couple of hours creating a photobook or collage for her. Whether its pictures from a vacation, photos documenting a year together, an album of your kids and family, or even pictures and funny jokes the two of you share. It’s things like this that she will hold on to and treasure. I was always so jealous of my college roommate… her boyfriend, now husband, made her an 8×10 collage every single year they were together. They now have a wall full of framed collages packed with pictures, ticket stubs and memories that their kids are looking at every day when they walk down the hallway.

2 cats & chloe: Target and Homegoods to decorate

13 // One last freebie for you. This is an easy one: Keep the house clean. Keep the darn toilet seat down. Put the throw pillows back in their proper places. Empty the dishwasher. Be still my heart.

So gents, remember, it’s not always the dollar amount that matters. Thoughtful, creative gestures are really the way to score the bonus points this Valentine’s Day. It’s a win-win for everyone because I’m pretty sure you will really enjoy cashing in all those bonus points you rack up. Wink Wink.

Ladies - what am I missing? What would you LOVE for your man to give you for Valentine’s Day?

I’m not 92% more rested…

December 10, 2014 by Susan 15 Comments

Ah, this weather. Is it me or should rain in the winter just not exist? I’m a huge fan of all seasons. I really enjoy winter. However, unlike mittens and gingerbread lara bars, rain holds no valuable place during this season. I say this, living in Virginia, the state where everything shuts down when we get a mere quarter inch of snow.

It is cold and dreary outside. Snow would make everything better. It would make everything shut down. It would make the world calm for a couple of minutes. It would make my puppy very, very joyous. {Because right now, she thinks leaves are beyond awesome… and I’d much prefer her eating snowballs to leaves.}

I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe that Christmas is about two weeks away. I sit here listening to jingle bells {actually it’s just Olivia Benson playing with the cat’s toys} staring at my boxes of decorations strewn about my house. Guys, I need a kick in the butt. I need to be a good lifestyle blogger and do the whole “Holiday House Tour” thing. I need to wash my hair, drink more wine and stop cleaning 8 paws, plus 8×1,000,000 puppy paw prints, courtesy of this wet, muddy December. Any other dogmoms out there concur?

2 cats & chloe: border collies in leaves

The thing is, I just don’t feel good. I am struggling through my carb withdrawals. Seriously STRUGGLIN’. I’ve done numerous Whole30s but never have I experienced withdrawals like these. {I am recovering after my #7DaysOfGluten.} My endoscopy was yesterday, and while “the sleep” during the procedure wasn’t that great {in my opinion, I was too drugged} I spent about 92% of yesterday passed out. If only I felt 92% more rested, I’d consider it a win. But I’m still exhausted and fighting the urge to tear open the box of Swiss Cake Rolls that are smiling at me on my coffee table.

Lucky for me, today was my day: the day when the stars aligned, when there is a touch of pirate-like fog on the streets paired with an annoying mist, and when I spent 92% of my yesterday sleeping. Magical things happened. And when I say magical, I mean magical as in you-can-wear-whatever-you-want-and-not-a-soul-can-judge-you kind of magical.

Actually, they can judge you. They probably sneering at me when they saw me coming from a mile away. It may be dark outside, but those fluorescent lights in Target do not hide a darn thing. Turns out, it is very obvious that I haven’t washed or brushed my hair in several days. My yoga pants do not quite meet my pink polka dot rain boots, showing an unshaven couple inches of calves. Lord knows what shirts I have on underneath my old fleece hoodie… based on the t-shirt material hanging out the back of my jacket, I’d guess a hot pink layer, a white sequins top and possibly a jersey knit, blue material?! My coat is partially zipped. I’m rocking a winter beanie with two thirds of my hair shoved up in there. Then I’ve top things off with my makeup-less face and crooked glasses. {To be fair, I grabbed the glasses prior to walking out the door, so when I made that quick glance into the mirror, my refection looked seamless and a just wee bit blurry.}

There’s really no point to this blogpost. Snaps for those of you who have paused the Victoria Secret Fashion Show to read about my unfashionable ways. No, I do not have any pictures of today’s #ootd. But while I was typing this post, these shenanigans were went down: