Okay, Kiwi Fresh'ins should pay me for how much I am going to talk up their shoe inserts right now.
In Paris I bought a similar product--a disposable shoe liner--to wear in all my ballet flats that I didn't want to wear socks with.
I have wanted to buy them ever since I've come home, but never found them in the US. Well, today I found them online at Kiwi for Women!!
Seriously, if you like to wear shoes without socks, and you hate the tiny footie socks (since they fall off half the time anyway), you should get some. Find them here: Kiwi Fresh'ins (a.k.a. every girl's lifesaver). They are only $3.99 for a six-pair pack.
I haven't tried this particular brand before, but I think they would have to be seriously unfortunate to disappoint me.
Hooray! (And you're welcome in advance.)
Showing posts with label Hip Hip Hooray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hip Hip Hooray. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Great News
The investigator I have been teaching with the sister missionaries (and whose kids I've been corralling at church for the past month or so) is getting baptized!
She is getting baptized a week after I get home, on June 27, and I couldn't be happier for her.
She is from the Ivory Coast, and she is incredible. I can't even tell you what a difference I have seen in her over the last couple of months. I love that the Gospel has such a big impact on people that you can literally see the change in their faces.
I will be so sad to leave them behind. Her daughters (3 and 1) are the sweetest little girls, and the 3 year old has taken a particular liking to me. She loves to say "Amen!" at the end of prayers, talks, and testimonies during Sacrament Meeting. So cute.
P.S., this investigator is also an amazing cook. When I asked her if she uses recipes, she and another African lady who was at our last teaching appointment-turned-awesome African dinner burst out laughing. The other lady, who is in my ward, said, "Sarah, most of the people where we come from can't even read. How would they know what to do with a recipe? Cooking is just something you learn from doing it all the time."
P.P.S. Our delicious african meal included eating amazing chicken in a spicy--as in, lots of different spices, almost like a curry--sauce; fish; a carrot, tomato, and onion salad; and fried bananas with our hands! Forks are for the faint of heart... but the food was all incredible.
She is getting baptized a week after I get home, on June 27, and I couldn't be happier for her.
She is from the Ivory Coast, and she is incredible. I can't even tell you what a difference I have seen in her over the last couple of months. I love that the Gospel has such a big impact on people that you can literally see the change in their faces.
I will be so sad to leave them behind. Her daughters (3 and 1) are the sweetest little girls, and the 3 year old has taken a particular liking to me. She loves to say "Amen!" at the end of prayers, talks, and testimonies during Sacrament Meeting. So cute.
P.S., this investigator is also an amazing cook. When I asked her if she uses recipes, she and another African lady who was at our last teaching appointment-turned-awesome African dinner burst out laughing. The other lady, who is in my ward, said, "Sarah, most of the people where we come from can't even read. How would they know what to do with a recipe? Cooking is just something you learn from doing it all the time."
P.P.S. Our delicious african meal included eating amazing chicken in a spicy--as in, lots of different spices, almost like a curry--sauce; fish; a carrot, tomato, and onion salad; and fried bananas with our hands! Forks are for the faint of heart... but the food was all incredible.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Spring is Coming to Paris!
Yesterday was when I first really felt like Spring had made its way to Paris. Well, the beginning of Spring, at least.
Last night when I came home from the evening session of Stake Conference, I noticed that the tree outside my front door was about half blossoms and half buds. Pink blossoms to be exact. Lovely.
Last night when I came home from the evening session of Stake Conference, I noticed that the tree outside my front door was about half blossoms and half buds. Pink blossoms to be exact. Lovely.
So today on my way in from Versailles I stopped to take a few pictures of the first signs of Spring in the courtyard of my apartment complex.
Hooray for Spring! Soon I won't need my wool coat at all! (My parents already know this is likely to be sent home with them when they come in three and a half weeks!)
P.S. I'm still getting used to how sensitive my close-up filter makes focusing. Sorry the pics are a bit blurry. :)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I've Lost
8 pounds in the past two weeks. Hoping this trend continues and that I don't suddenly start craving chocolate. 'Cause that would be lame.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Super-duper-Superior
That is officially my rank along the language-capacity spectrum in the Sorbonne's eyes.
Well, not the super-duper part, but the Superior part!! Hooray! (Superior, by the way, is the highest ranking. So, it goes without saying that I felt good about that. But I'm going to say it anyway because I'm so Ego-centric!)
I went to take the first part of my language proficiency test today. It was easy. Of course I made mistakes, but they had more to do with remembering to match my nouns with the proper endings to their adjectives (masculine and feminine) than anything. Oh, and a couple of vocabulary problems on the more advanced portion of the test. But I was the first one done, if that means anything (which it doesn't). Oh, and I didn't mess up on purpose. I did my best, because I figure if I'm going to pay 1400 Euro, I might as well try hard.
Once I was done with the test I met with one of the teachers so she could correct the test and do a preliminary oral proficiency test. We chatted for a few minutes about where I was from and if I had ever been to France (when/where/why). After a couple of minutes she said, "I can see without any problem that you are the Superior level both gramatically and phonetically." I didn't expect her to come to that conclusion so quickly (or at all, frankly. I thought I would be Advanced, not Superior), so it took me by surprise when she thanked me and wished me a good day.
Well, thank you very much.
Looks like that BA degree was in fact good for something.
Well, not the super-duper part, but the Superior part!! Hooray! (Superior, by the way, is the highest ranking. So, it goes without saying that I felt good about that. But I'm going to say it anyway because I'm so Ego-centric!)
I went to take the first part of my language proficiency test today. It was easy. Of course I made mistakes, but they had more to do with remembering to match my nouns with the proper endings to their adjectives (masculine and feminine) than anything. Oh, and a couple of vocabulary problems on the more advanced portion of the test. But I was the first one done, if that means anything (which it doesn't). Oh, and I didn't mess up on purpose. I did my best, because I figure if I'm going to pay 1400 Euro, I might as well try hard.
Once I was done with the test I met with one of the teachers so she could correct the test and do a preliminary oral proficiency test. We chatted for a few minutes about where I was from and if I had ever been to France (when/where/why). After a couple of minutes she said, "I can see without any problem that you are the Superior level both gramatically and phonetically." I didn't expect her to come to that conclusion so quickly (or at all, frankly. I thought I would be Advanced, not Superior), so it took me by surprise when she thanked me and wished me a good day.
Well, thank you very much.
Looks like that BA degree was in fact good for something.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Busy Bee
As you may have guessed, today was full of errands, weighing and repacking suitcases, and doing last-minute laundry.
I was also able to enjoy a few quick visits from my most wonderful friends, plus some fun shopping with the girls in my family and a delicious dinner (and dessert) at the Cheesecake Factory with the entire family.
It still doesn't feel real.
I'll be back in a few days with my first post from Paris!
I was also able to enjoy a few quick visits from my most wonderful friends, plus some fun shopping with the girls in my family and a delicious dinner (and dessert) at the Cheesecake Factory with the entire family.
It still doesn't feel real.
I'll be back in a few days with my first post from Paris!
Friday, December 12, 2008
SOLD!
Well, it's really official now. My house is sold!! It funded today, and I feel rich.
Don't worry, the feeling won't last. I am moving to one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Don't worry, the feeling won't last. I am moving to one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Photo by TracyO via Flickr.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Great News
So, considering the current economy and with unemployment creeping up, I've been getting nervous about leaving a stable job with a great boss in a company I love (even in exchange for a wonderful lifelong dream). It wouldn't have changed my plans, but I was thinking to myself:
Well, yesterday my boss told me that the VP our department reports to agreed to let me telecommute from Paris and just work fewer hours.
It might end up that I do this as a contracted employee, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can just get bumped down to a 20-hour-a-week cap and stay on as a "real" employee. Which would be great, because I would stay 100% vested in my 401k and be able to get right back onto my health insurance.
Either way, I'm rejoicing.
Oh, and today I also got my confirmation from Campus France. With their approval in place, I can now apply for my in-person visa appointment at the consulate in San Francisco.
Hooray!
?????????????????????????
Will I come back to an economy that is worse off than it is now?
Will I be able to find a job that offers benefits?
Will I have to sell my soul to the devil to afford individual health insurance?
?????????????????????????
Well, yesterday my boss told me that the VP our department reports to agreed to let me telecommute from Paris and just work fewer hours.
It might end up that I do this as a contracted employee, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can just get bumped down to a 20-hour-a-week cap and stay on as a "real" employee. Which would be great, because I would stay 100% vested in my 401k and be able to get right back onto my health insurance.
Either way, I'm rejoicing.
Oh, and today I also got my confirmation from Campus France. With their approval in place, I can now apply for my in-person visa appointment at the consulate in San Francisco.
Hooray!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I Also Think I Don't Have a House
Yesterday I signed a purchase contract to sell my house. Hooray!
Now it just has to appraise for enough and the inspector needs to not surprise me with termites or mold or something like that.
The plan is to close on the 10th. Wow, that's so soon! Two weeks from tomorrow!
Jessica and I are moving the 6th of December (she to a new house, me to my parents').
Goodbye, tiny townhouse.
Hello, even tinier apartment in Paris.
I'm not going to lie... it's a tradeoff I would make 10 times out of 10.
Now it just has to appraise for enough and the inspector needs to not surprise me with termites or mold or something like that.
The plan is to close on the 10th. Wow, that's so soon! Two weeks from tomorrow!
Jessica and I are moving the 6th of December (she to a new house, me to my parents').
Goodbye, tiny townhouse.
Hello, even tinier apartment in Paris.
I'm not going to lie... it's a tradeoff I would make 10 times out of 10.
I think I Have an Apartment
So, my friend's sister in Paris called today to report on her visit to one of the two apartments I've been deciding between.
At this point, I don't really think it's even a contest. Unless something miraculous happens with the second apartment, I will probably take this one.
It is:
-apparently good sized, and my room is quite large for Paris
-very secure--there is an outer gate and a digital code I have to enter to get into the building
-15 minutes by foot to the Arc de Triomphe
-15 minutes by foot to Montmartre
-5 stops by RER away from the Eiffel Tower
-one Metro transfer away from school, Notre Dame, and the Louvre
-in a very nice neighborhood
-with a 45-year old lady who is rarely there on the weekends
-550 Euros a month (right now about $720) with no extra charges (includes internet, unlimited international phone calls, washing machine, use of the kitchen, etc.)
Not bad, eh?
There is also a farmer's market twice a week on a nearby street.
Now, if only the consulate would answer my emails so I could get my visa...
At this point, I don't really think it's even a contest. Unless something miraculous happens with the second apartment, I will probably take this one.
It is:
-apparently good sized, and my room is quite large for Paris
-very secure--there is an outer gate and a digital code I have to enter to get into the building
-15 minutes by foot to the Arc de Triomphe
-15 minutes by foot to Montmartre
-5 stops by RER away from the Eiffel Tower
-one Metro transfer away from school, Notre Dame, and the Louvre
-in a very nice neighborhood
-with a 45-year old lady who is rarely there on the weekends
-550 Euros a month (right now about $720) with no extra charges (includes internet, unlimited international phone calls, washing machine, use of the kitchen, etc.)
Not bad, eh?
There is also a farmer's market twice a week on a nearby street.
Now, if only the consulate would answer my emails so I could get my visa...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Can a Back Massage Change Your Life?
Yes. At least the one I had yesterday did.
Okay, it was actually what happened before the massage that made such a huge difference...
Every friday, the company I work for brings in two massage therapists to do seated massages. It's $10 for 15 minutes, and on more than one occasion I have considered it the best $10 I ever spent.
This time I actually had a back injury, rather than just general tightness. Last week this same therapist just did a massage, and she kept commenting on how tense and tight all of my muscles were, not just the ones in my back.
So this week before she started with the massage, she did a process that she called "unwinding."
I've never really had anything like that done before, but I tried to keep an open mind, and the results were truly incredible. It's not like my back magically feels 100% better, but I could see a significant improvement just in those ten minutes.
I found this article, which seems to be a pretty accurate description of the process as I experienced it (and as she described what it is supposed to do).
My back actually felt so much better after my "unwindy" massage appointment, I forgot all about the chiropractic appointment I had that same afternoon.
Okay, it was actually what happened before the massage that made such a huge difference...
Every friday, the company I work for brings in two massage therapists to do seated massages. It's $10 for 15 minutes, and on more than one occasion I have considered it the best $10 I ever spent.
This time I actually had a back injury, rather than just general tightness. Last week this same therapist just did a massage, and she kept commenting on how tense and tight all of my muscles were, not just the ones in my back.
So this week before she started with the massage, she did a process that she called "unwinding."
I've never really had anything like that done before, but I tried to keep an open mind, and the results were truly incredible. It's not like my back magically feels 100% better, but I could see a significant improvement just in those ten minutes.
I found this article, which seems to be a pretty accurate description of the process as I experienced it (and as she described what it is supposed to do).
My back actually felt so much better after my "unwindy" massage appointment, I forgot all about the chiropractic appointment I had that same afternoon.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Blog Award!
To my utter astonishment, this week* the darling, creative, and crafty (in a good way) Scrap Chair Potato gave me the "This Blog is Rated E for Excellent" Award!
Hooray! Not only was it a complete surprise, but I was truly flattered by all the nice things she had to say.
So now it's my turn to pass the award along...
And I pick Heather! I've blogged about Heather's mad decorating and party-planning skills before, but strictly speaking about blogging, she does a great job of keeping all her family and friends in the loop with great updates about their family's activites, always accompanied by loads of great pictures.
Okay, Heather... start writing your acceptance speech!! (But be warned--I'm totally going to turn music on over the last 5 or 10 seconds of it... just to keep it realistic.)
*Just in time for my 100th post, which happened to be this morning's Pie Chart post. :)
Hooray! Not only was it a complete surprise, but I was truly flattered by all the nice things she had to say.
So now it's my turn to pass the award along...
And I pick Heather! I've blogged about Heather's mad decorating and party-planning skills before, but strictly speaking about blogging, she does a great job of keeping all her family and friends in the loop with great updates about their family's activites, always accompanied by loads of great pictures.
Okay, Heather... start writing your acceptance speech!! (But be warned--I'm totally going to turn music on over the last 5 or 10 seconds of it... just to keep it realistic.)
*Just in time for my 100th post, which happened to be this morning's Pie Chart post. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)