2013: a year in review

It's the end of the year, folks. You know what that means. Time for a recap!

Tillie celebrated her 5th birthday in January.

I finally found the boots of my dreams (trust me, this is a bigger deal than you might think)

We dove head first into the wonderful (and delicious) world of juicing

We welcomed a new (to us) bookcase into our lives -- for super cheap!

We celebrated the 9th (!) anniversary of our first date.

We ran our first half marathon!

I jacked up my knee somehow and ended up having to see an orthopedist and have an MRI.

I registered and trained for the St. Jude's Marathon (if you helped my fundraising efforts, thank you!)

We celebrated Andrew's 30th birthday.

We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.

My 10-year high school reunion happened (see here and here).

We got open water scuba certified

We rejoined the world of smart phones (and then I promptly broke mine)

I ran a 14.1 race in Tuppelo, MS with the Hot Legs

Andrew spent a week at Dragon Con in Atlanta and met some of his favorite people

We found out we are expecting our first child next summer!

I finally finished that knitted blanket!

Andrew started his work as web developer with a fantastic company here in LR.

We also read a ton of books, ran a lot of races, and ate a lot of food. All in all, a pretty successful year.

It was also a really busy year for us. I wasn't really aware of just how much we did/changed this year until I went back and reflected. And while it may seem like a lot, next year is sure to bring even more. So, stay tuned!

Merry Christmas:

Just wanted to say a quick Merry Christmas to everyone! May you get to spend time with loved ones, open lots of presents, and eat some tasty treats. And maybe sneak in a nap or two!

I will be spending the rest of the week on a mini-holiday from the internet. So, have a great weekend, friends!

Cookie madness:

This weekend we did some major cookie baking. Just call me the cookie queen. We made our staples like peanut butter kiss cookies, strawberry thumbprint cookies, and iced sugar cookies (my nephew's yearly creation). Every year, I like to try a new recipe too. You never know when you're going to stumble upon your family's new favorite holiday cookie. This year, I tried a new recipe for really chewy snickerdoodle cookies. Because I don't have time for a cookie that isn't soft and chewy. The verdict: most delicious.

Happy weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, friends! Got anything fun planned? It's my dad's birthday tomorrow and the whole family is going to see the new Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug. It's sort of become a tradition with us.

Can you believe it's already the weekend before Christmas? Seriously, where has this month gone? I am so far behind on all my holiday "to do's". This weekend: the great cookie bake off of 2013 and wrapping presents like a mad woman!

Have a great weekend, everyone! Stay warm and dry out there!

We love:

Want to see something that makes me smile? It's the video above. It gets me every time.

New reads:

This week, I am reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, which is the sixth in the Outlander series (see more here, here, here, and here). These books are so massive, they take me a while to get through them. But they're the perfect books to read on a cold, grey night. I am looking forward to reading this one (I'm nearly halfway through) and the next one during the holiday break.

Here's what it's about:

"A new novel by Diana Gabaldon is always cause for celebration. And A Breath of Snow and Ashes, the eagerly anticipated sixth Outlander novel, is no exception. In it, the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author returns to the world of eighteenth-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his twentieth-century time-traveling wife, Claire Randall, in a powerful, unforgettable tale of love and war, vibrant history, and heart-stopping excitement.

It is 1772, the eve of the American Revolution, and the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit: in Boston, men lie dead in the street, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the darkness of the forest. And over the house on Fraser's Ridge, where Jamie Fraser and his family reside, a shadow lengthens...

The Colony is in ferment, and Governor Josiah Martin sends an envoy to Jamie Fraser, asking for help. With unpardoned Regulators, agitating Whigs, and the vigilantes of the Committee of Safety at large, the Governor needs someone to unite the backcountry, pacify the seething resentments of settlers and Indians, and keep the mountains safe for King and Crown. Jamie Fraser, everyone agrees, is the man for the job.

But there is one problem: Jamie Fraser's wife, Claire, is a time-traveler, as are his daughter and son-in-law. And Jamie knows that three years hence, the shot heard round the world will be fired, and then end of it all will be independence -- with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. Beyond everything else, though, looms the threat of a tiny clipping from the Wilmington Gazette dated 1776, which reports the destruction of the house on Fraser's Ridge and the death by fire of James Fraser and all his family.

For once, Jamie Fraser hopes the time-travelers in his family are wrong about the future -- but only time will tell."

Have you read any of the Outlander series? It's seriously the best. I picked it up one day, on one of my running buddies' recommendation, and I've been obsessed ever since.

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, everyone! What are you up to this weekend? We are thinking of checking out a new gym and my running group is having their annual Christmas party Saturday. And I am determined to tackle all of those little household tasks that have been alluding me for the past few weeks! I will get started doing all of the holiday related things as well!

Have a great weekend, friends!

Surprise:

That's right, A and I are expecting. It seems a little unreal to say and weirder still to put it out on the internet, but there it is.

Although quite a surprise to us both, we are thrilled and excited about our newest addition. And in case you were wondering: no, we don't know the gender yet and no, we haven't even started thinking about names. It's taken us a while to get used to this whole thing. We're definitely taking our time. But we'll share that information when we're ready. And don't worry, this isn't going to turn into some baby-centered space from hell. I'm just not that kind of girl.

Christmas Wishing:

Can you believe we're almost halfway through December already? Seriously, where has the time gone? I haven't done anything yet. No shopping, no baking. We barely have our tree up. It's just a bare, sad, little thing. I can't seem to get started this year.

So, in an attempt to get my butt into gear, get ready for what just might be the most random Christmas list ever:

1. Sidewalk Skimmer ($118) -- I have a pair of leopard flats already but they are literally about the bite the dust and I need new ones. These, to be precise.
2. FINIS Neptune Underwater MP3 player ($110) -- I love swimming laps but sometimes it gets boring. 
3. Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser ($50) -- because I'm a nerd and dental hygiene gets me excited.
4. Moonrise Kingdom on DVD ($15) -- Wes Anderson's newest release (and one of my faves).
5. Biker Boots ($238) -- I've been on the hunt for the perfect black ankle boots. I think these might be them.
6. Folding tripod ($50) -- because I need a new tripod, even better if it's a folding one.
7. The Most of Nora Ephron ($22) -- because I can never have enough Nora in my life.
8. The Transport tote ($168) -- I am in desperate need of a large, carries everything, leather tote. This one is beautiful. And with gold monogramming, extra fancy.

Happy weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, friends! Got any fun plans for the weekend? Saturday is the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Marathon. You know, the one I've been training for since August. Well, guess what? I'm not running it. We're not going to Memphis at all. There's some pretty nasty winter weather in central Arkansas right now that was going to make driving to Memphis at night dangerous. So, we just decided to skip it for our safety and sanity. Instead of braving the weather, we'll be snuggled up at home under mounds of blankets. I would say that I am sad about missing it, but if I'm being honest, I'm actually relieved. Marathon training has not been enjoyable for me and I was dreading running the race. I feel pretty good about my decision to stay home.

In other news, here's what's been going on with us lately:

1. We got to spend time with family in St. Louis over the weekend and it was so much fun.
2. Kristin is home from Delaware! I've really enjoyed getting to catch up with her.
3. We've been having Order (well, 3/4 of the Order) get-togethers since Krit has been home. It's been great having coffee (hot chocolate) dates with these lovely ladies.
4. We took advantage of some Cyber Monday deals to pick up some things on our "want" list!
5. Sorry for the radio silence this week. I just can't really seem to get started. I'll do better next week, I swear.

Crossing my fingers that my office gets closed today! Wishing for a snow day! 

Have a great weekend, everyone! And good luck to all the marathon runners! Stay safe and dry!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you get to eat lots of yummy food and spend time with your loved ones today. We are having dinner with my family and then heading to St. Louis tomorrow for some quality time with Andrew's side.

Happy weekend, too! May there be lots of leftovers and napping in your future.

New reads:

This week, I'm reading The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells. I love love love the Ya-Ya Sisterhood books she wrote. I can read them over and over. So, when I picked this up at a library used book sale, I was excited. I wanted it to be another Ya-Ya book. Sadly, it's not but I am still liking it a lot thus far. One of the things I love most about the Ya-Ya books is how alive and unique each character is. She created such dynamic characters; I feel like they're real and about to come off the page to keep me company every time I read them. This book is the same way. I really enjoy the writing and it makes for a very easy and enjoyable read. If you have read any of her other books and liked them even a little, I'd highly recommend this one.

Here's the plot, if you're interested:

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, everyone! Got anything fun planned? I am supposed to do my longest run ever (20 miles) on Saturday but I will probably skip out on it. Just being honest.

Here's a little of what's been going on in our universe lately:

1. Andrew started his new job as a web developer on Monday. He loves it.
2. I have had a major headache this week. There must be a high pressure system or something that is wreaking havoc on my sinuses.
3. I got to have a video date with three of my best friends last week -- best time ever.
4. We have tentatively started house hunting... nothing serious, just familiarizing ourselves with what's out there.
5. I am not really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. Anyone else feeling the same?

Also. I broke my phone yesterday. I totally slammed it in the car door (don't ask). So, today I will either have to pay to get it repaired or will be getting a new phone. Here's hoping this isn't a precursor to how this weekend is going to go.

Have a great weekend, friends! Hope it's a great one.

Book nerd:

I live in a world of books. I always have. My books are my oldest and dearest friends. So, I take very good care of them. As we prepare ourselves for an eventual move, I have started the process of packing up my books. As I finish one, it moves from the bookshelf to a box where it waits until it reaches its new home. I have been doing this for a while now as our book collection is growing too large for our bookshelf space. I have boxes of books stacked all over the living room and while they haven't been too difficult to live around, there's always room for improvement, right?

So in an effort to further organize my darling friends, I have started listing the contents of each book box on the side. Now, if I need to find a specific book, it is a much easier process. And, when it comes time to unpack, re-shelving will be so much quicker. Ah, efficiency.

Plus, look at all that beautiful organization. It's pleasing to the eye, yes? It makes me feel so calm and happy. I find myself coming in just to stare at the boxes.

Big News:

He started Monday and loves it. We are very excited. 

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, friends! What are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun? I am headed back from a conference today. We have a long run planned for Saturday morning and I am dreading it. This marathon training has started to become a burden for me and I have not been enjoying myself. I will be happy when it is over, I think. Hopefully, I will have dinner plans with an old friend to look forward to during my run. Food can usually get me through anything.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Hope you spend your Saturday morning warm in your bed while I am out inflicting pain on myself for no good reason.

New reads:

This week, I'm reading Allegiant by Veronica Roth. It's the third and last book of the Divergent trilogy. I'm only about 200 pages in, as of today, so I don't have much of an opinion on the story so far. But here's what it's about, if you're wondering:

"The faction based society that Tris Prior once believed in in shattered -- fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature -- and of herself -- while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers."

I have mixed feelings about this book. I read the other two (see here and here) and have liked them less and less with each installment. I felt like I had to read this book, if for nothing else, than for closure. I hate leaving a story unresolved. So, here I am. But I put this book off for some reason. I hesitated to pick it up for a while after it came out. The online reviews are not that great. Apparently, a lot of people share my feelings. 

I thought these books were similar to the Hunger Games novels. At first, it felt like the same story. But with this novel, I have a hard time finding similarities at all. Which isn't a bad thing because I felt just okay about the Hunger Games. And as lukewarm as I felt about the Hunger Games, I find myself preferring them to this series. This whole divergent thing is getting old to me. Maybe it will pick up and I'll feel differently by the time the story is over, but as of right now, I'm sort of bored.

Have any of you read Allegiant? Did you feel differently? Or do you share my ambivalence? 

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, guys! What are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun? The library used book sale is this weekend so we will be hitting that up this morning. And then we've got a long run (16 miles) to knock out tomorrow. But then! Nothing! If you're looking for me after Saturday morning, you can find me on the couch.

Here's what we've been up to lately:

1. All of Andrew's new computer parts came in the mail and we've been enjoying our new desktop, even if only for gaming.
2. I have been eating leftover Halloween candy all week. It's been magical.
3. Some of our good friends bought a house recently and we've been spending a lot of time over there helping them rip out, replace, and repaint.
4. I forgot how much I love the end of Daylight Savings time! An extra hour of sleep is the best present Autumn could ever give me.
5. I finally got new running shoes! Hopefully I can break them in nicely before the marathon (in 1 month!)

Have a great weekend! Can you believe it's November already? Christmas will be here before we know it.

We love:

This video totally made me bawl my eyes out:


A New Perspective For Moms from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

New reads:

This week I'm reading The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. A few years ago, I read her book, The Secret Life of Bees, and liked it so when I saw this at the last library book sale, I thought I'd give it a go. And yes, I am aware it has taken me an insanely long time to actually get around to reading this book. I've had a ridiculously long queue (it's still ridiculously long -- and about to get much longer).

Have you read it? If not, here's what it's about:

"Sue Monk Kidd's stunning debut, The Secret Life of Bees, became a bestselling phenomenon and a modern classic. Now, in her luminous new novel, Kidd has woven a transcendent tale that will thrill her legions of fans and cement her reputation as one of the most remarkable writers at work today.

Inside the church of a Benedictine monastery on Egret Island, just off the coast of South Carolina, resides a beautiful and mysterious chair ornately carved with mermaids and dedicated to a saint who, legend claims, was a mermaid before her conversion.

When Jessie is summoned home to the island to cope with her eccentric mother's seemingly inexplicable act of violence, she is living a conventional life with her husband, Hugh, a life 'molded to the smallest space possible.' Jessie loves Hugh, but once there, she finds herself drawn to Brother Thomas, a monk who is soon to take his final vows. Amid a rich community of unforgettable island women and the exotic beauty of marshlands, tidal creeks, and majestic egrets, Jessie grapples with the tension of desire and the struggle to deny it, with a freedom that feels overwhelmingly right, and the immutable force of home and marriage.

Is the power of the mermaid chair only a myth? Or will it alter the course of Jessie's life? What transpires will unlock the roots of her mother's tormented past, but most of all, it will allow Jessie to make a marriage unto herself.

Few novels have explored, as this one does, the lush, unknown region of the feminine soul where the thin line between the spiritual and the erotic exists. Where does the yearning for soul-mated love come from? When it comes to love, what are the pulls inside a woman between the ordinary and the sublime? How does a woman find the place of self-belonging in herself?

The Mermaid Chair is a vividly imagined novel about mermaids and saints, about the passions of the spirit and the ecstasies of the body. It illuminates the awakening of a woman to her own deepest self with a brilliance and power that only a writer of Kidd's ability could conjure."

I'm about half way through it. So far, I like it okay. It's not the best book I ever read but I enjoy her writing style and it's easy to read.

We Love:

Welcome back! To celebrate the start of a new week in which we are all hopefully refreshed and renewed, please enjoy this trailer for Wes Anderson's new movie, The Grand Budapest Hotel.



Anderson is my favorite director of all time. His movies are the best. The perfect combination of weird and silly. And insanely beautiful. Needless to say, I am beyond excited for this new release coming in 2014.

Watch it and get excited.

This week:

[photo]

I've been suffering from internet burnout lately so I've decided to take this week off from the blog to recharge my batteries. Don't you ever just feel like you need a break sometimes? Well consider this my internet fall break. 

Hope you have a great week, friends. Happy Halloween and all that!

Happy weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, everyone! What are your plans? Andrew has been in Sikeston visiting family for the past few days. He should be making his way back today. And we are running a half marathon on Saturday morning and then maybe helping some good friends move.

The weather is supposed to be amazing this weekend. Get out there and enjoy it!

New music:

[photo]

Today I bring you a new playlist for October. This is the music that's been filling my head as of late. I hope you find it as enjoyable as I do. If you find your feet tapping, don't be alarmed.

New reads:

This week, I'm reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm not sure how I missed this book growing up. I was never required to read it in school and it somehow flew under my radar. When A and I started dating however, I was introduced to the magical world that Tolkien created through the "Lord of the Rings" movies. I never thought I would like them (not really my kind of thing) but I've actually grown to love them. They are some of our favorite movies to sit down and watch on a rainy Saturday.

A few years ago, for his birthday, I got A a really great boxed set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And I had every intention of reading them. But again, somehow, I've just never gotten around to it. Last year, for Christmas, he got a really nice leather-bound copy of The Hobbit in his stocking and it's been taunting me from the bookshelf ever since. So, I decided to finally give it a go.

I thought it would be hard to read but so far I'm really enjoying it. I like the writing style and the characters are interesting, but there are just so many dwarves running around, I don't know if I'll ever get them straight.

If you don't know the story of The Hobbit (and how could you not?), here's a really great introduction from Amazon.com:

"'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.'

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, would eventually spring. Though The Hobbit is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader."

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, friends! Got any fun plans for the weekend? We have a long run to knock out and then the fun can begin. And by fun I mean cleaning and grocery shopping. Ah, the exciting life of a grownup.

Our life lately:

1. I got a flu shot and it made me feel like crap for days.
2. We went to Jonesboro mid-week and got Andy's for dessert (their pumpkin pie concrete is my fave).
3. Our favorite place to eat in Little Rock, a vegetarian food truck, is closing its doors. It's the saddest news I've heard all year.
4. I love going to the state surplus warehouse to look for interesting (and cheap) pieces of furniture.

New reads:

This week, I am reading An Almost Perfect Moment by Binnie Kirshenbaum. It's been a while since I started a new book, mostly because I was busy finishing this beast of a novel (have you read this series? It's crazy! I love it!).

Curious to know what this one's about? Well, here you go:

"Valentine -- Jewish, pretty, and a touch flaky -- is an unremarkable teenager except for two things: she is a dead ringer for the Virgin Mary as she appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes, and her very being, through some inexplicable conspiracy of fate, seems to shatter the hopes and dreams of people around her.

John Wosileski, Valentine's lonely math teacher who adores her from afar, embraces the martyrdom wrought by his unconditional and unrequited love. Joanne Clarke, the bitter and sad biology teacher who schemes to be John's wife, reviles Valentine to eventual self-destruction. Valentine's best friend, a former figure-skating champion, humiliates her for the crime of being "different."

But Miriam Kessler -- betrayed and anguished by the husband she once worshiped -- loves Valentine only the way a mother could --  deeply, yet without knowing. Transposing one sensual appetite for another, Miriam eats and eats and seeks solace in a daily game of mah-jongg with her three girlfriends. The Girls, a cross between a Greek Chorus and a Brooklyn rendition of the Three Wise Men, dispense advice, predictions, and case in the form of extravagant gifts and homemade strudels. When Miriam's greatest fear for Valentine is realized, she takes comfort in the thought that it couldn't get any worse. But then something even stranger happens, and Valentine's mysterious presence becomes an even more mysterious absence. 

Written in a naturalistic voice that echoes that of the characters, An Almost Perfect Moment is a dark and sharply comic novel about star-crossed lovers, mothers and daughters, doctrines of the divine, and a colorful Jewish community that once defined Brooklyn  Sagacious, sorrowful, and hilarious, it raises questions of faith and plays with the possibility of miracles with one eye on the caution: Be careful what you wish for."

Happy weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday! I'm so glad the weekend is finally upon us! This has been a busy week for us.
What are you doing this weekend? Got any fun plans? I have a 19-mile run planned, my longest ever. I am a little nervous about it, even though it's only 2 more miles than I ran last week. I imagine it will knock me on my butt for the rest of the weekend, so I haven't really made any other plans. We will just be lazing around, enjoying our hard-earned free time.

Have a relaxing and restful weekend, everyone!

I love:

Can we talk about the moment I seem to be having with J.Crew (big surprise) right now? I love almost everything I see. But what I am coveting most? Those pointed toe metallic shoes, that grey toggle coat, the pointed toe leopard flats, and pretty much the entire grey outfit on the far right. I need it.

Happy Weekend:

[photo]

Happy Friday, guys! Got anything fun planned for this weekend? We've got a long run planned for Saturday AM and then we've got a friend's birthday party to go to. We'll also be trying to fit in as many walks, bike rides, and outdoor meals as possible. This weather is just too good to miss.

Here's a glimpse into our lives:

1. Andrew's car is finally getting fixed! Now things can finally get back to normal, transportation-wise.
2. My new gold flats were already badly scuffed and damaged after one use, so they had to go back. Thank god for lenient return policies.
3. I've been feeling a little under the weather lately so I've been camped out at home in bed as much as possible. There's something going around, I think, and I must have picked it up at work.
4. I'm not going to lie, I didn't really like the season premiere of SNL. Even Tina wasn't that funny (sacrilege, I know).
5. Finishing that knitted blanket will be the highlight of my entire year.

Have a great weekend, everyone! XO.

New music:

[photo]

Ready for some new music to jam into your earholes? I hate when people use the word earhole. But nevertheless, there it is.

Check out my favorite playlist for the fall:

Fin:

You guys... It's done. Finally. That damn knitted blanket, the one I've been working on for over a year, is complete.

So, we started with this:

And then it looked like this:

From there it ended up here:

And then it sat there. Forever. I'm not really sure what happened. Maybe I got burned out from knitting over 100 squares (!). Maybe I got sidetracked. Mostly I think it was that I had to crochet each row into strips and then crochet all those strips together. I hate crocheting. But I finally just decided it was time to get it over with, so I did a little each night over the past month and now it looks like this:

Words cannot express how happy I am to be done with this project. I learned a very important life lesson here. I will never make another one of these so long as I live. But at least now we can snuggle up with it in the evenings as the temperature drops.

Someone (okay, more like two someones) are very happy it's done and available for use.