Liebster Award

Say what!? We've been recognized! Thank you Jessica from The Reinvention of Jessica for this nomination of sorts. Apparently the Liebster Award, well, "It's more like a pay-it-forward blog recognition chain letter thing." - But we are so incredibly excited and love pay-it-forward-related-things! (Shout out to Students Today, Leaders Forever). 

Please check out her blog but here are a few excerpts that we love especially:

"While I was waiting in that hellish line (and all the lines were hellish), Dennis and Jack walked around and got some food and enjoyed themselves.  They did some science experiments thanks to Mad Science (side note - I used to be a mad scientist and this company is amaze-balls), intently watched bigger kids play in the water bubbles, and found the best steak fries I've ever had in my entire life - I mean, I like potato wedges, but somehow these tasted like steak, like literally meaty, juicy steak.  I don't know what else they did, but they had fun.  And I waited in line."

 "I hear about this mythical act of "putting your baby down to sleep," but I think it's just that, a myth.  I'm just as likely to come across a unicorn as putting Jack down to sleep. "

"I drank the kool-aid, ya'll.  As part of my 2015 goals, I promised myself I'd keep a day planner for the entire year, and I found one, and I'm already in deep.  Like, really really deep.  If you haven't already heard of Erin Condren Life Planners, then you might've been living under a rock because she has something of a cult following in the blogosphere.  And I have joined the cult, yo.  I bought the planner, joined the Facebook groups, watched the YouTube videos, and have stocked up on washi tape, stickers, and pens. You see, there are people out there who decorate their planners.  And I don't mean just using color coded pens and a few cute calendar appointment stickers.  I mean fucking DECORATE their planners, like, with scrapbooking supplies and stickers, and washi tape.  Works of Art!!!" 

yup. you should check it out lol. So thank you Jessica of The Reinvention of Jessica, we feel so motivated to blog like crazy, that and Laura Berg needs something to do at Everett's 3 am feedings.

           Here are the rules:

1. Thank the nominating blogger
2. Nominate blogs that are new and/or have small followings.
3. Answer questions from the nominating blogger
4. Tell your readers random facts about yourself
5. Give your nominees questions to answer

Part of the pay-it-forwardness includes passing it on, duh. Our nominations - and one reason why you should check out their blog (CONFESSION: I may have written the wrong blog name. I'm sorry. Brian and I are new to blogging):

1. Big Fat Greek Odyssey  - if you want to know what Greece really looks like.
2. Bringing Home The - amazing recipes using non traditional ingredients. fresh, fresh, baby.
3. Slow Your Home - sincerely trying to hold back the jealousy.
4. I Might Have a Glass of Beer - it's about beer. enough said.
5. Notes of Desert Rose Style - fashion in Dubai, so exotic!
6. Hey Luchie! - amazing cartoonist
7. Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition Blog - for bikers, ahoy!
8. Reluctant Food Blogger - currently brewing their own alcohol. brave and innovative. 
9. Childes at Heart - a crazy, wonderful mom and how she keeps a handle on it all.
10. Enlightened Mama - partial to this one, a great blog informing us about life, living, and birth!
11. Reinventing the Wheel - MIT bike geeks. smart and aerodynamic. 

The answers to Jessica's questions:

How long have you been blogging? 

We've been blogging for four, wondrous months.

You have a plane ticket to anywhere in the world.  Where do you go? 

New Zealand! In fact we are planning on going there for our anniversary next year.

What's your guilty pleasure? 

Josey: A Barre class

 Brian: a big bowl -er- a box of cereal

What's your favorite blog post you've ever written? 

This is like asking Ryan Gosling to pick his favorite meme. 

But who are we kidding, Josey: Okay but why are we doing this? Brian: The Big Reveal

Who is your favorite fictional character?

 Josey: Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & Prejudice) Brian: Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay (The Town)

Werewolves, vampires, or zombies? 

Zombies! We still can't get over the season finale of Walking Dead

What is your favorite movie quote? 

"Hakuna Matata"

If you could live in any fictional world (from any book, TV show, or movie), which one would you choose?  Why? 

Josey: Harry Potter. duh. I mean don't be riddikulus. 

What's your favorite comfort food? 

Brian: cold pizza. Josey: rice krispie treats.

Who would play you in a movie about your life? 

A young Brian - Channing Tatum (am I right Pi Phis?); a more aged Brian - Gerard Butler. 

How do you handle writer's block? 

We brain storm - or we post a list of top 10 list.

Our random facts:

1. Brian rides a bike to work
2. Josey is superbly clumsy
3. We love plants and think you can never have enough
4. Four-in-One: We're like an old couple we like... antiquing, 
5. ... watching documentaries, 
6. ... completing the crossword (on Mondays), and
7. ... sleeping for 10 hours every night.
8. Brian's wedding ring is made of Tungsten 
9. We can't stand paying so much for cable
10. Brian runs hot and Josey runs cold - so one of us is either shivering or sweating at any given moment
11. Josey hasn't grown taller since 8th grade. dang. Brian, however, is most likely still growing.

Here are the rules for the newly nominated bloggers:

1. Thank the nominating blogger (which is us!)
2. Nominate 6 blogs that are new and/or have small followings.
3. Answer 7 questions from the nominating blogger (which is us!)
4. Tell your readers 8 random facts about yourself
5. Give your nominees 9 questions to answer (Your 7 questions are below)

Confused? Here's more rules [you'll notice I took the liberty of picking numbers between 5 and 11]

1. What country are you from?
2. What's your favorite thing about American culture?
3. If you win the lottery, let's say $400 million, will you share it with anyone? Who?
4. How do you feel about cheese?
5. What's your favorite sport to watch?
6. Channing Tatum or Gerard Butler?
7. Crossword puzzle question (I'm stuck on this one, among others): 10 letters - Language introduced in 1995.

Well that's quite enough for now!

Need not,

Josey and Brian

The big reveal

This is the moment you've all been waiting for. Laura, you can stop hitting refresh because this is the post where we reveal our big item of the week. So what is it that we got rid of that is such a big deal? Well, after a trial period and many hours of research we decided it was better for our minds and our bodies to....

drumroll please....

takka takka takka (that's a drum.)

prum tum tum prum (or if you prefer this kind of drum.)

. . .

GET RID OF OUR BED!!!

"What! You $#%@#*! idiots! You got rid of your bed?!" (CONFESSION: we haven't told our parents yet and that may be their response). But after three weeks we both agree - we've never slept better or felt more refreshed in the morning than when sleeping on the floor. Of course we have a little cushion - Josey's college dorm comforter and a yoga mat, but seriously we feel amazing! Also Josey may or may not have gained half an inch in height from stretching out her back. If you know Josey personally, then you know this is a monumental gain.

The best way to know for yourself is to do, but we did gain insight from other people's doings including:

• Sleepergonomics
• Hunter Gatherer
• Why the Japanese Sleep on the Floor

Sometimes minimalism is going to include tough decisions, that seem culturally counterintuitive - at least we'll fit in if we ever move to Japan. But honestly it's about living simpler, better lives. Less concerned with stuff, with buying, with consuming, with falling off the bed. Who knows if we will give in and buy a futon pad or something similar - all we know is we are on the fast track to keeping our original hips well throughout our 90s. And how many people can say that?

Need not,
Brian (and Josey)

The shortest post ever.

Just wanted to share with everyone three very exciting pieces of information:
1) We've hit 1000 views for our blog! Thank you everyone, from the US to the Ukraine, from the bottom of my heart - and Brian's.
2) We canceled our cable subscription! Eeek! Now I am like all those people who don't waste their time with watching TV - only I most likely still will find a way to do so.
3) CONFESSION: the third piece of news is so exciting that we would like to build the anticipation - check back soon for what we got rid of this week. It won't blow out your back, but it might just blow your mind!

Need not,
Brian and Josey

I'm hungry.

According to a report in August of 2013 by the National Resources Defense Council, the average American tosses about 25 percent of food and beverages purchased.

That's just gross. Wait. How much do I toss out? Hopefully not that much but as soon as you start thinking about waste, you start noticing just how wasteful you are. In fact, 40% of all edible food in the United States gets tossed. Brian and I are determined to minimal-ize our garbage! Here's how we just eat it.

Where does one obtain all this excess food? Ah yes. The grocery store. Before we go grocery shopping we take of stock of what we have. That means opening the fridge (and freezer), and all of the cupboards that house food items. (CONFESSION: we only have two said cupboards, making inventory easy).

Also we eat a meal before leaving for the grocery store. That way we (let's say Brian) avoid overbuying foods that we (let's say Josey) won't even eat before they spoil. Avoiding impulse buying we also make it a priority to buy smarter. Smarter means a little bit of prep work and a lot a bit of self-control. Make a list and stick to it OR make a budget and stick to it. We don't like to spend over 50$ when visiting the store, so we make cuts if our bill is adding up. We buy the things that we actually are going to eat that day, or before the end of the week. If you think you already do this then keep track of things that you don't tend to eat but just like buying. You'll know you don't tend to eat them if they are in the garbage. enough said.

Buying or cooking in bulk? Make sure that you actually have mouths to eat your feast OR use your freezer - just be sure to eat what's in your freezer. Before you move to a new house is preferable.

Planning out your meals for the week doesn't have to be some obsessive points-counting, diet crashing-endeavor. Just say to yourself (before you go to the grocery store), "what might I eat this week?" Think about when you'll be home and for which meals and stick to it.

Need a challenge to kick start your food-wasting-minimalism? Try these:

1. Don't go shopping until you're out of food. It's called a challenge for a reason. That doesn't include condiments or spices, but your not allowed to buy those items either until you use up what you have.
2. Keep a list of the items you throw out. That means anytime you don't make it into the Clean Plate Club it gets written down. We keep our list on the fridge, as an omen- I mean, reminder. 
3. Try to go three months spending ONLY $100 per person in your household on groceries. Eating out at restaurants is what cheating looks like, just sayin'.
4. Watch the documentary Just Eat It. (trailer below)

Need not,
Brian and Josey