life lately, according to my iphone

what the camera didn't, the phone did. 

xoxo, 

jane

trimming our epically awesome, one in a million christmas tree

it's the weekend after thanksgiving and that means we're all good to officially start blaring christmas carols, decorate the apartment and trim the tree. we decided to get a real tree for the first time this year and i'm glad we did. the smell of the spruce tree really just seals the deal for us. christmas is coming!

last night, we had so much fun trimming the tree. piri also had fun sniffing all the decorations. i think he also thought the tree skirt was his new bed. he kept crawling under the tree to take a nap on top of it! (i also think he thinks the tree is his new indoor toilet)...

happy holidays, everyone!

we picked this one out cos yangkyu said it was "symmetrical". i picked it out cos i just knew. you can kinda tell how we both come to decisions on things. he's a logic kinda guy and me? i like to go with my gut.

xoxo, 

jane

a wonderful day with family

even though my attempt at making parker house rolls was an epic failure, it was still a very good thanksgiving with my little family. our apartment smelled great. we spent great quality time with each other. and yes, i made yangkyu watch the sound of music. he even waltzed into the bedroom this morning with coffee singing "i am 16 going on 17". it gave me a terrible tummy ache cos i couldn't stop laughing! 

now... it's time for christmas songs and decorations galore!

xoxo, 

jane

this thanksgiving..

happy thanksgiving.

there is lots to be thankful for, today and everyday, but for me 
love seems to stand out. just thankful for all the love we 
have received from family, friends and strangers. 
it's probably the most comforting feeling in the world.

xoxo, 

jane

when your head is filled with black knotty circles & things

it's been an ok weekend.. for the most part. but it's also been one where i attempted to clear my head. you know when you spend so much of your time trying to make sense of something... but then you're not sure if you're over thinking things? but your gut tells you that something is.. off?  

well it's been that kinda weekend. i've been trying to climb out of this feeling that literally feels like a sinking hole. i think i need to snuggle under the blanket with some hot tea and just firmly tell myself.. stop. yes. that actually sounds like a plan.

on a brighter note, i began to co-plan a baby shower for a dear friend. i actually can't wait for this celebration. i hope it'll turn out fabulous and that she'll feel like she just got a bucket full of sunshine and joy from those who love her. if anyone has any baby shower ideas or resources to share, please do! love to add to the ones already collected.  

hope the rest of your weekend is a slow and relaxing one. 

xoxo, 

jane

i hope he knows he'll always be a good boy

this is piri. originally he was my brother's dog and spent his days napping and  chasing squirrels in georgia.

then in 2006, he came to live with me and yangkyu in new york. it was one of the toughest times for the little guy and me. piri had a severe case of separation anxiety and couldn't adjust to his new surroundings. he would constantly bark when he was left alone in the apartment. it took a lot of love, patience and trying from both our ends for him to finally get over his anxiety. but it came back in 2010, when we packed up our things and moved to maryland. yangkyu had to stay behind in new york for two months to close out some projects and that must've been a little too hard for piri to handle. i have to admit, there were days when i got really frustrated. i couldn't handle coming home from work to find out that piri had spent almost the entire day barking. but piri never got mad or frustrated at me. for that i'm always thankful... and i still sometimes feel bad for getting frustrated at him. but the wonderful thing about dogs is that they forgive easily and love unconditionally. and as soon as yangkyu joined us permanently in maryland, piri's separation anxiety went away. this time for good.

we're all now in virginia and things are great. almost too perfect.

piri will turn 14 next march. he lost his hearing about a year ago. and although he's still playful and is involved in all kinds of shenanigans, he tires more quickly now. he sometimes gets a little nervous when he doesn't see me around the apartment. he can't tell by the noise i'm making in the kitchen or by the sound of the shower that i'm still there. it saddens both me and yangkyu that piri can't hear us say "i love you" or "good boy". 

we love this little guy so much. and he's such a good boy. i hope he knows it without having to hear it.  

more pictures of piri at a day with piri.