Hustlin' & A Plea to Spouses

Can I be excited for one minute and tell you, "I'm doing it!" My first Wordpress site is up and live!! I've still got a lot of design changes and content to create for it, but it's happening. My goal is to have a Grand Opening before Christmas, which is cutting it close with all the traveling I have coming up.

What a week. I've been up at 7am everyday and working on the site in my spare moments between schoolwork and RSO. We had our last Ross Spouses Organization board meeting for the semester yesterday, and I feel like there is huge weight lifted from my shoulders. I am relieved to pass the title of president off to someone else, and so thankful that Olivia has agreed to take it on. 

At the meeting we had a discussion about why there have been less volunteers and less people wanting to help with the board. It really hit home with me that even though it has been a somewhat thankless job, the reason I did it for so long was because of what RSO gave to me my first few months on the island. 

Having a sponsor to answer all my questions before I got to Dominica was huge, and then once I was here there were people who wanted to help me get involved and who cared if I was adjusting ok. I think what most people don't realize is that RSO is a binding force between spouses. Without the organization I don't know if there would be the same sense of community on the island.

What I know is that I'm thankful for what RSO did for me and I feel like I have given back to that community in a tangible way. The rewards have been less tangible, but it has felt good to volunteer my time to raise money for local charities, to welcome people who have just arrived, and to make events and activities happen. I really hope that RSO is able to continue on next semester and that they find the volunteers they need to fulfill the SGA funding requirements. So, if you are on the island and reading this,  think it over. Maybe it's your time to give back.

Where are you Christmas?

It is hard to believe that Christmas is only 20 days away. Here in Dominica, there just aren't many signs.  There are no twinkle lights decorating houses, the air is still warm and sticky, and there is no Starbucks to sell special holiday drinks in red-cups. However, I managed to find a little Christmas door decoration to hang on our front door under some red tinsel my mom sent me last year.  A small bright spot, in a very un-Christmassy climate.

His 30th Birthday

Last week my hubby turned the big 3-0.  Chris was not as excited about it as I was. Possibly because he had to go to school all day, or maybe just because turning 30 isn't as much fun as it sounds. Either way, he was out of the house most of the day which gave me the perfect opportunity to bake him a cake!

My friend Crystal is an excellent baker and agreed to help me with the adventure, and Clare let us bake at her house so Chris wouldn't find out. Plus, she lives right near the restaurant we were going to eat at so I didn't have to attempt to walk this baby across town! There is no way I could have pulled this off without the two of them.

It took nearly the whole day, but we ended up making a heavenly chocolate 3 layer cake with peanut butter whipped cream frosting and Godiva chocolate ganache on top. It tasted even better than it sounds!

P.S. I made him a "30 for Your 30th" card like a few people suggested!  He Loved It.

P.P.S.  And now I get to officially cross something off my 12 by 12 list!

Typography

After about 15 minutes of staring at these fonts, it dawned on me that any normal person would have just picked one by now. Can you see the differences?

I'm taking my time with the new Priceless Design site. It will be the first (real) Wordpress blog I've done, and I want to get it right.  The typeface will have to compliment my all-time-favorite HoneyScript. Which would you pick?

90% natural, 10% fresh

This Thanksgiving was the best yet. Mr. Turkey was cooked in a turkey-bag this year. Although I was a bit skeptical at first, now that I've tried a turkey-bag I don't think I will ever go back! You don't have to baste the turkey, and there is practically no mess. He came out totally moist and practically falling off the bone. Tracy and I (well, Tracy mostly) stuffed him with garlic butter, salt and pepper, thyme and parsley, and carrots, onions, and celery.