heather renae

#resound11 - reflect and reinvent

1. one word that sums up 2011? CRAPTASTIC.

2. vices - i have tons of vices. television, caffeine, smoking, the internet. i tried to stop smoking cigarettes this year. it went ok for a little bit. i used my ecig for a little while. and then i was overwhelmed by the whole job thing, that i bought a pack. i don’t smoke as much as i did. but i have started smoking again. and i hate it. and i really want to kick it’s ass in 2012.

3. virtues - this is going to sound bizarre since i have been unemployed for the last qtr of the year, but, the thing i did in 2011 that i am most proud of has to do with work. i was tasked with creating two public events to generate attendance. i came up with pirate weekend and slippery slimy saturday. i executed these events flawlessly. and the kids and the parents had fun and learned something together. and even though i was completely miserable with everything else going on with my job, i was so proud of myself and my team for the way these events went off. (and i got the goat.)

4. superpower - what can i do that no one else can? wow. this is a tough question for me. it didn’t used to be. i used to be able to say that i could direct events at a local science museum better than anyone else. but when i lost my job, i lost a bit of myself. i lost my confidence. which is really strange for me. i’ve always been super confident in my abilities, in myself. but now it’s harder to answer the question. what DO i do better than anyone else? what AM i outside that role? i had worked there for the majority of my adult life. i grew up there. those people were my family. and suddenly…it was gone. it was like getting kicked in the testicles. my husband says i could never imagine that, but after i lost my job, i could. it knocked the wind out of me. and 4 months later, TEN interviews later, i’m still not any closer than i was september 1st. that’s so hard for me. that job was the one thing i had done right in my life. until i married my husband in 2009. suddenly i had another role, a more important role. i love being a wife. but more importantly, i love being HIS wife. that’s my superpower. i am here for him. i am the best wife that i can be for him. because he is the reason i get up in the morning. and it’s the one thing that i can do better than anyone else. i can be the best mrs. leif whittaker in the entire world.

5. theme song - beth orton - ooooh child



6. thelma and louise - i have three answers to this question. lacey. michell. suzanne. i am lucky enough to have a good group of friends that i can talk to when i need. but the three women that i couldn’t live without? my best girl friends ever? lacey, michell, suzanne.

7. achievement unlocked - i turned my ugly maroon and green dining room into a beautiful khaki and red craft/office space. it was the one thing i wanted to do by the end of the year, so it’s appropoiate that i am sitting at my desk in my new workspace for the first time tonight on NYE.

8. catch phrase - “i’m fine.” i’ve said it so much this year that it doesn’t even sound like words anymore. because overall, i am fine. but 2011 has kinda sucked. i went from loving my job to hating my job to losing my job to grieving my job. but we did get this amazing house. for that, we are very lucky and very, very grateful.

9. best photo - i went through my random 2011 fb photo album. and this is what i designate as best photo. it was taken at christmas, and it’s just SO me and my husband. it’s how we are together. and i love it.



10. high/low - the low point of my year, obvs, was losing my job. the high point of my year was moving into our house.

11. best meal - wow. that’s a hard one. i LOVE food. love it. i love preparing it. i love eating it. i love food. so the best meal of the year? I HAVE NO IDEA. i’ve used alot of my unemployed time to work on my cooking. i even made my first ever actual pie. i made basil bread and rosemary-feta stuffed chicken. my cooking, which was amazing to begin with, has improved ten fold in the last 4 months. and the cookies. oh, the cookies. and the slow cooker recipes i’ve come up with. and by this point, i’ve had three christmas dinners and three thanksgiving dinners. i am lucky enough to be surrounded by good food and people who like good food. hell, i can’t even think of the last time i went to a restaurant and ate something that deserves the title of best meal of the year. except ANYTHING i’ve EVER eaten at ghengis grill. we just discovered ghengis grill this year. it’s AMAZING. AHHHH-MAAAAAAY-ZING. i usually do a chicken noodle bowl with green beans, peanuts, citrus, and ginger. SO. GOOD.

12. 12 in 12 - 12 things i would like to accomplish in 2012. well, let’s get out the list for 2011 and see what i didn’t do this year…

1. GET A JOB.
2. develop a website/portfolio for event contracting and CSEP progress
3. quit smoking
4. create and stick to a routine for mind, body, heart, and soul, as well as establish a maintenance schedule for self/house/car..
5. blog regularly in both public and private blogs
6. change email, name, login, and passwd on every account
7. read books. i’d like to read 10 books. but this past year i didn’t finish a single one. so. if i could read 6 books this year, i would be happy.
8. finish all projects that are in currently in progress
9. DIY decor for the house
10. find somewhere to donate time/services
11. get a new car
12. learn to make jelly. and pickles.

13. best gift - i would have to say our house. it’s one of my dad’s rental houses, and he’s helping us out with the rent until i am gainfully employed and we can buy it ourselves.

14. home is… - that’s an easy one. home is wherever my husband is. see below:



15. discovery - what DID i discover this year? hmm…well…oh. yes. i discovered i could use my kitchenaid mixer to make biscuit dough. i don’t like rolling dough and cutting biscuits. and though my daddy thinks i am insane, it’s true that you can make the dough in the mixer and then roll them by hand. so much easier.

16. ordinary extraordinary - being married to my best friend in the entire world? the most ordinary extraordinary thing in my life.

17. appreciate - in the past year, the one thing i have come to appreciate more than anything else in the world is my husband.

18. traditions - we made our own holiday traditions in our new house this year. christmas eve included playing scrabble in front of the fire. christmas day included pancakes. maybe i won’t burn them again next christmas.

19. then and now - ten years ago. yikes. where was i december 31, 2001? that would have been when john and i were together. it would have been new years eve in our first apartment together. i don’t remember who we were with or what we were doing. new year’s eve has always been very uneventful for me. i remember the year i drank the entire bar. and the year brett’s mom forbid me to come to their house. i remember the year before my grandmother died, when we shot bottle rockets into the lake and made fire under water. but i don’t remember what i was doing ten years ago today. my life had changed so much in the last ten years. and i am a better person for it.

20. elevator speech - hi. my name is heather. i’m 34, married for 3 years, no children. i am looking at career options in several different fields. i love cooking, singing, reading, and watching tv. i’m loyal, a team player, and a good shoulder to cry on. and i’m good in a crisis. you definitely want me on your side when the zombies attack.

21. embrace - the one guilty pleasure i’ve embraced this year like no other? TELEVISION. i watched alot of tv BEFORE i lost my job. now? i watch an OBSCENE amount of tv. obscene i tell you. but i love tv. all kinds of tv. comedy, drama, reality, animated, everything. i’ve worked my way through several series of tv shows this year including Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order SVU, Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, Parenthood, Bones, Veronica Mars, Ally McBeal, Brothers and Sisters, Breaking Bad…you get the point.

22. identify the problem - i am the princess of perpetual projects. it’s the one thing i HATE about myself. i rarely follow through. and that’s a problem. i crave discipline, stability, order, simplicity. yet i live in constant chaos. the problem is that i have no discipline whatsoever. and it i could JUST make myself get on some sort of schedule or routine, i know it would help. but i never follow through.

23. today is all you have - a perfect day that i had in 2011. it’s the day my husband and i went to oak mountain this past spring. we went to the petting zoo, rented paddle boats, walked around, saw the beach. it was a beautiful day full of simple perfections.

24. try - the one thing i would like to try in 2012 is to get into and stick to a routine that includes fitness, spirituality, writing, etc.

25. all is love - there are a handful of people i love unconditionally. my husband. my family. my friends who are like my family. and i know they love me, no matter what i may do.

26. outro - this song, but the bob dylan version.



27. everything is going to be ok - what’s one sign that tells me that everything will be ok in 2012? we are one hour into 2012, and i have kissed my husband and snuggled with my cat. that tells me everything, whatever 2012 can throw at us, will be fine.

28. five things - five things i want to do in 2012
1. research and see if americorps is possible/plan to return to school
2. c25k from start to finish
3. go to the beach
4. watch NY Mets play baseball, preferably in NY but will settle for ATL
5. develop a plan for my new tattoo, get someone to draw it.

29. let go - there are two things i need to let go of from 2011: the fact that i lost my job and the fact that my close friend of 20 years never speaks to me anymore. the first one, i have taken responsibility for. it’s time to move on. but i am having a hard time not looking back. they were my friends, my family for 10 years. you know? the other? i need to forgive myself. and i need to forgive him. and i want to. i try. but the anger and the sadness always come back. always. i loved him. we had twenty years of history. and now? he might as well be dead. because this time, i don’t believe he’s coming back. and i really need to forgive him for that.

30. future self - this time next year, i hope to be working in a job that i love or going to school for a new career. i will NOT be spending NYE alone in my house with a stomach ache. i guarantee you that.

31. one word for 2012 - FINALLY.

i missed the last two days of NaBloPoMo. but i’m pretty proud of myself for doing 28/30. and it’s made me realize how much more i want to write. so while i will still be writing here, a few times a week, i am taking the month of december to do a 30 days challenge in my personal, private blog.

NaBloPoMo28 - 20 questions

interview. (aka these muscle relaxers limit what i can write, but surveys are easy peasy.) but i will limit it to 20 questions. per entry.

Say you married the last person who texted you whats your new last name? hall, and i would be married to chelle.

When was the last time you wanted to punch someone in their face? truth me told, i haven’t felt that way since i lost my job.

How do you feel about your hair right now? i hate it. i hate it hate it hate it. i hate the color and the style and the texture. haaaaate.

What are you listening to right now? Law and Order, like i have been half of the day.

Are there any stressful situations in your life? i don’t have a job. so that’s pretty stressful. but other than that, not really. my world is at peace.

Who is the last person to call you? the dentist office needing to reschedule an appointment.

Are you wearing something that belongs to someone else? yes, a flannel shirt that i stole from my college boyfriend.

Do you like to travel by plane? i prefer to travel by plane. but my husband hates to fly. and i really only like to travel by plane with ben. and we haven’t been anywhere since…boston? could that be right? now i am super sad.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? in buffalo, new york freezing my tail off but spending lacey gough’s vacation with her.

What food are you craving right now? pancakes. it’s almost always pancakes.

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa? ten. i read it in tiger beat in an interview with chad allen. true story.

Do you have a friend you can tell stuff to and you’re sure they won’t tell or judge? yes. i am fortunate enough to have several friends like this in my life.

Last Movie you Watched? labyrinth last night. all because i had dance magic dance stuck in my head. in other news, dance magic dance is now stuck in my head again. NOOOOOOOOO. “you remind me of the babe.” “what babe?” “the babe with the power.” “what power?” “the power of voodoo.” “who do?” “you do.” “do what?” “remind me of the babe.”

Who last made you laugh harder than you have in a long time? my husband. we took a road trip a few weeks ago, and he started imitating carter pewterschmidtt from family guy. the impersonation was SO SPOT ON that i couldn’t stop laughing. my husband is like that alot. he can always make me laugh, which is one of the million reasons i love him so much. you can find the video below.



Do you start the water before you get in the shower? yes. i haaaate stepping in to a cold shower.

Would you ever get someones name tattooed on you? actually i plan to, twice. i have plans for a “lokey” tattoo and a “whittaker” tattoo. but not just written out. part of an intricate design. it’s kinda hard to explain in text.

Name something you dislike about the day you’re having? my back hurts. i have a knot in my back the size of my fist. i’m only comfortable when i lay flat, so i’ve been in bed most of the day. my husband brought home a heating pad from his store trip, which has helped immensely. as have the muscle relaxers. but i really need it to stop. i have a to do list a mile and a half long.

Do you still watch cartoons? yes. seriously. i watch old cartoons like bugs bunny and heathcliff. i watch newer cartoons like spongebob squarepants and the replacements. and i watch made-for-adult cartoons: family guy, futurama, american dad, the oblongs, harvey birdman, attorney at law, the cleveland show, the simpsons, king of the hill, south park, baby blues. i think that’s most of them anyway.

What’s an interesting fact about you that not many people know? i LOVE rally racing. and xgames, which i only started watching FOR the rally racing. but then travis pastrana did that double backflip on the motorcycle…SWOON…

Do you do anything embarrassing when no one is home? i sing. alot. and dance. alot. in my head i think i’m a backup singer/dancer for pop stars. and it doesn’t matter what, i’ll sing into anything: a hairbrush, a shoe, the cat…

so there. 20 questions you never knew you wanted the answer to until now. also, i am working on a fun christmas wishlist post. so check back later in the week, k?

NaBloPoMo27 - owie.

posting from my phone tonight because i have a knot in my back and am forced to lay flat and take muscle relaxers. it’s the only thing that helps. but i did want to make my NaBloPoMo post since i’ve done every other one this month. tonight we had our thanksgiving dinner at dad’s. i got to spend time catching up with my favorite cousin, as well as coo at adorable little baby girls. these past few days have been a celebration of family and love, and i feel truly blessed.

NaBloPoMo26 - the auburn creed.

this will hang on the wall of my workroom…



…and will always be in my heart.

it’s great to be an auburn tiger.

NaBloPoMo25 - no regrets.

NaBloPoMo24 - happy thanksgiving.

there are only two things that can get me out of bed early in the morning: work and food. this morning i got up to make green beans and potatoes, broccoli gratin, and honey glazed carrots. i drank hot tea and watched the parade before we loaded up the car to go to mom’s.



we had an amazing dinner with about 30 people in attendance. turkey, ham, veggies, starches, and cranberry sauce. from the can of course. and my favorite part of the day? nieces and nephews. blakely and brooklyn ran and climbed all around me, and tyler and matthew made me laugh all through dinner.

leif and i left before dessert. not only were we stuffed to the gills, but we wanted to get home to straighten up before leif’s mom came over. she had to work today, so she couldn’t have thanksgiving dinner with us. so we made her a big plate to go, and she stopped by on her way home.

i am lucky enough to have another thanksgiving celebration on sunday at my dad’s house. he’s always had his dinner the weekend following thanksgiving day. there aren’t quite as many people there, but the group grows a little every year. my cousin is in town, which makes me extremely happy. and i get to meet baby hannah and baby mia.

i feel very lucky, very blessed, and i am thankful for every single thing in my life, good and bad.

happy thanksgiving everyone.

NaBloPoMo23 - the little things.

Appreciating little things like a sunset or a delicious meal is important to me. Some of the little things that I appreciate are…

when the cat lays in my lap and purrs
when i see a child smile or hear a child laugh
a glass of sweet tea or a bottle of riesling
the fact i can do most anything from my phone
sitting in the sun and reading a book
pictures of my nieces and nephews
ipods, laptops, gaming consoles, digital camera. etc.
a text from someone i’ve been thinkg about
“i saw this and thought of you.”
watching a well done episode of my favorite show
winning a close game of words with friends
warm cinnamon rolls
laying in bed listening to my husband breathe
a good hair day
falling asleep to the rain

NaBloPoMo 22 - the story.

i had a prompt picked out for tonight, but i heard this song and changed my mind. the thing in my life that i am most thankful for is that i have someone to share my story with.

NaBloPoMo21 - people.

the first of five thanksgiving thankful list prompts. :)

i have some people that know be better than any others. and people i can call at 2am if the need ever arises.

i have some friends who are closer than family. i have some family who have become close friends.

i have a husband, who knows me better than anyone on the planet.

i have a group of girls i can talk to when being a girl makes me crazy.

i have a few close male friends left. sadly, most of them vanished when i got married. go figure.

i have nieces and nephews (and honorary nieces and nephews) who always make me smile.

i have an amazing family and equally amazing in-laws.

i have professional contacts all over the city, even if i don’t have a job at the moment.

i have friends all over the country, some are waaaay too far away. (coughLACEYGOUGHcough)

i have people in my life who are passionate about the same things i’m passionate about, be it food, music, or children’s charities.

People aren’t perfect, but even with all their flaws, they bring much happiness to my life. I am grateful for the presence of people I love because: they keep me balanced. i am so so very thankful for all the people who are a part of my life. i know i wouldn’t be me without them.

NaBloPoMo20 - give thanks.

IT’S THANKSGIVING WEEK. i am so excited. thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. it’s all about family and food, and it does my heart good. i found some thanksgiving prompts to blog about it for my NaBloPoMo entries this week. so you can see what i’m thankful for in my life. plus cooking cooking cooking. it should be a good week.

NaBloPoMo 17 - blessings.

i’ve been really down lately. i miss my friends. and my job. finding a job is a long process. i’ve had eight interviews, and i am no closer to finding a job than i was september first. it’s just hard. very, very hard.

i am using today’s NaBloPoMo entry to remind myself of the good. so….10 things for which i am thankful:

i am thankful for my husband. he saves me from myself every time i need saving.

i am thankful for my family, both biological and chosen. i wouldn’t be anything without them.

i am thankful for my cat. she’s been the one constant in my adult life. and she still loves me.

i am thankful that i have a roof over my head, even though i am out of a job.

i am thankful that i don’t go to bed hungry and that i have clean water to drink and in which to bathe.

i am thankful that there are at least five people who would do anything for me, no judging, no questions asked.

i am thankful for technology for entirely too many reasons to list.

i am thankful that i can hear beautiful music and see everyday things, that i can smell flowers and taste food and touch fabric.

i am thankful for my medication. without it, my brain chemistry isn’t right and i have trouble getting out of bed.

i am thankful for every single step of my life that got me where i am today.

NaBloPoMo16 - bliss, pt 3.

the rest of the wedding: :)

reception food and decor



the reception was everything i always wanted it to be. there was good food and a good playlist, dancing and laughing. it was amazing. we had a buffet dinner that included red beans and rice and gumbo. our favors were our table decor, along with some candles and lights. my sister put the bride and groom rubber duckies in the punch bowl.



wedding cake



i LOVED my wedding cake. it was beach themed and it came from publix. the cake topper was a groom holding a bride on a beach that said JUST MARRIED. we also had key lime pie. they were BOTH delicious.

favors



my friend lindsey and my MOH, chelle, made my favors. i ordered little jars, little shells, and stickers, the they filled them with sand from the beach. my favor sits on my mantle, next to my hourglass.

honeymoon

after the wedding, my husband and i drove to mobile. we spent our wedding night in a beautiful hotel eating leftover wedding cake. and when you looked out the window the next morning, we could see the cruise ship. we set sail that day for a 4 night cruise. my favorite thing, of course, was the food. such amazing food on board. we went snorkeling and shopped in mexico. it was a fantastic trip.



family party



the saturday after we got home, my mom hosted all of our family and local friends for a BBQ. it was a fantastic way to celebrate.

if you want to see the pictures from either event, here is the wedding and here is the family party

i am a very lucky girl. i loved my wedding, every single thing about it. and more importantly, i love my husband. marrying him was the best decision i’ve ever made.