Filmstrips - in praise of the manly locks

Because growing it all out really does make you look and feel like a Rockstar. 

Wilmington, Delaware 

be with the ones who love you

My diet hit an all time low when I themed tonight's dinner around the leftover Velveeta 

we had in the fridge.

The Mac & Cheese was delicious and everyone had seconds.

I used this recipe

except…. gulp… I ADDED 6 extra ounces of Velveeta!!

Who AM I????

Tonight is my 25th day without Ivan.  He is in North Carolina performing at a tiny haunted theatre doing Man of La Mancha and I have been in California with my family and working as an overachieving secretary by day.  All day long I was looking forward to the cheesiness!

Although I am on a day-counting basis with my long distance, I surprisingly have not been very tearful through out the weeks.  This streak took and unexpected end tonight when I sat down for the 

dinner I had excitedly made for everyone.

I just started crying.

It was me, my little sister and my dad and I cried as I said I didn't feel good and wanted to go to my room.

My dad said the sweetest thing.

Alright, but you have to come here and hug me first.

It was so sweet, I didn't even get up, I just cried more and said, "I MISS IVAN!" 

He replied,

We know.  

But when you're sad, you shouldn't go to your room and be alone, 

you need to be around people who love you.

Two months ago, in New York, I got Bed Bugs in my apartment.  I was in such despair and so overcome.  Why would this happen just as Ivan was leaving and I had to be alone?

I had the idea to go spend the length of Ivan's tour with my family in California rather than having to move by myself, or worse, be in an old, bug-ridden apartment.

I was alone in the apartment packing and cleaning and preparing to leave for only 2 weeks, but it felt like forever.  Sleeping on the couch, finishing off the cans of food, at the laundromat washing every item of clothing we had, everything was my personal hell.  I looked to the future and grew excited to spend the remainder of "my alone time" with my family in their home.

Today I feel so lucky and amazingly blessed to have this home to come back to and even more lucky for a sweet, caring family who loves me and takes care of me.

Especially when I am sad.

Everyone deserves to be around loving people.

Especially when you are sad.

Today I also want to say, that YOU have to be the person to allow those people into your life.  You can't hide out in your room, alone, feeling sorry for yourself.

Get out there and go find the people who love you!

Here I go,

M

Austin, Texas: the music, the food and the man

As the ultimate roadie for Ivan's tour, I was thrilled that we got to go to 

Austin, TX

We saw his show, cruised down 6th Street finding all the good music and ate and ate and ate

And my stomach grew two sizes that day.

We only spent 2 days here & and here is our run down:

Meal #1 at Threadgill's

a honky-tonk dinner with inexpensive humongous portions of everything and anything Southern.

Then it was off to Ivan's show at The Long Center Theatre in Austin.

After a walk around downtown, the capital building, some venturing around 6th Street Bars, restaurants  Open Mic Nights, Concerts and probably 100 concerts going at once, we popped into a quaint quiet cafe sill serving food at 11pm.

Meal # 2 at Parkside on 6th Street

We had some appetizers- calamari and something else with crab and then we each had a dessert.

Above is Ivan's dessert which was Tiramisu Doughnuts!

On Day 2, we got a tour of the city and went shopping!

On Congress Street, there's a great area with shops and restaurants.

We found several winners all right next to each other.

We stopped by Allen's Boot Barn

An antique store called 

uncommon objects

A colorful costume shop called Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds

Went across the street for a quick pick me up at Hey Cupcake!

Then we drove downtown for an outdoor tour of the Capital Building and settled in 

for lunch at about 1:00pm. Of course we chose Barbecue.

Meal # 3 Iron Works BBQ

After enjoying some more music at Man of La Mancha at the Long Center,

We caved and ate AGAIN!

Meal # 4 Whataburger

The next morning, Ivan was back on the bus and I headed with my friends to the 

airport for a nice getaway to Houston and then Phoenix- spoiled much??

We dined at a popular breakfast joint 

Meal #5 Magnolia Cafe

 

See the size o' that ol' pancake thar? I tol' ya'll, ya'lls like it big in them thar Texas!!!

I have heard great things about Austin for years so I am so glad that I had the opportunity.

I'm so glad that Ivan (the man, in this here scenario) toured in Austin.  

I think it was everyone's favorite stop so far.  I had such a great time and I ate SO much, 

as you can see.  It is 1:20pm as I blog about this and I am so hungry.  

This seems like a good place to end.  I hope all ya'll get something yummy to eat too!  

M

National Tour Vacation

Love and Long Distance Relationships

I think I pride myself as a woman who is pretty carefree and independent.  I love my husband but I try really hard not to be needy, obsessive or totally head over heels.
I am still not sure why that is something I try not to do.  It is unfortunate that subconsciously I guess I feel that being "in-love" makes me a weaker person and it's better to love my husband logically with my head than with my heart.  The truth is that I love him with both.  I will say, the longer we've been married, the more there is a logical reason for loving him, rather than the simple follow-your-heart type anecdote.  I love him and he means so much to me, but I definitely don't go gaga every time I see him.  Instead of the blissful run into each other's arms after a long day, it's more like, "Good, you're home, did you pick up the milk?"   But that's life right?  I get used to having him around, so I take my husband for granted a little.
It is, however, refreshing once in a while, to meet someone new and hear them say we look like newlyweds.
I need a little run-into-his arms love and bliss back in our relationship!  Rarely do I praise my husband for all the many things he needs to be praised for.  It's like showing him off at show and tell, or just a dedicated blog entry for a dedicated husband. So here it goes, because, in all honesty, he is pretty dang awesome!

I guess God knew I needed a little more "heart action" happening in my life, so He gave Ivan a job!

My husband is in the National Tour of Man of La Mancha. 

He is talented and funny and charming and knows how to support me and keeping 

working in the theater business! 

He is on the road for three months tour-busing around the United States 

performing his show almost everyday!

Which is why I have been traveling a lot more- in order to see him!

Our long distance is always a challenge.  It's filled with a constant half-empty feeling and my incredible inability to make decisions.  But somehow, we came up with an awesome plan that will have me visiting him often and living with my parents and keeping busy so the time would fly by!

Now for the hard part..

 A few things had to happen before this became a reality.  All the while, I didn't blog about it because I was busy, but mainly just overwhelmed.  I had to pack up all our stuff, sell our furniture, put our things into a 25 square foot storage unit and move.  

And I did it sans husband.

I hated it.

All of it.

I hated sleeping on the couch and then the air mattress and I hated being lonely and all of it.

I just kept thinking This will be over soon and I'll be with Ivan soon. 

 Thanks to technology

 Then, we called and texted and face timed and for a moment, everything was better

And So…                                                                                                                           The weeks passed and once we were reunited, everything magically went back to normal and        I began loving with my HEART and not my HEAD.It was real MAGIC!  I didn't take him for granted anymore.  I ran blissfully into his arms because I missed him so much and I remembered in my heart why I love him in the first place.

Absence makes the HEART grow fonder, people.

We only have to face-time for a few more weeks and then

we'll be back together again for more traveling and performing.

Ivan and I have always been in this constant state of SURVIVAL:

get smart

pay the bills

choose the right

better our career

stay happy 

stay together

and most certainly not in that order.

I have survived with great love and blessings from God and the miraculous gift of MARRIAGE!  Someone is really watching out for us and especially today, I am so grateful to be part of                The Surviving Mormon Couple.

xo.