inspriation

You know what would totally help me be a more productive employee?

Afternoon dance party

It wouldn't have to be more than 10 minutes, but if the lights when out and some groovin beats started thumping through the PA system it would do wonders for my morale. And productivity. And stress level.


If I had a small business I'd make it a company policy.

Are the hills alive?

See...this is why I love living in Denver! Look what came in my mail box yesterday!

I simply can't ask the ear doctor to accompany me to the SUPER dorky sing-along event. He's an awesome husband who happily endures my never-ending Disney Sing-It sessions so I can't, won't, would NEVER ask him to go to a public sing along of the Sound of Music.

Anyone interested getting their Von Trapp on while simultaneously making this little red head extremely happy?

How was your weekend?

Friday night I hosted a real, honest to goodness slumberparty for 4 of the high school girls that attend my church.

And I'm pretty sure it was a raging success. What do you think? All of the following activities were accomplished:

-Rabid consumption of multiple pounds of M&M's

-Girl talk about our celebrity crushes

-Cute, perfect little faces covered in bright green facial masks

-Boy advice given to girls who were only just slightly younger than 16

-Karaoke to Disney songs

-Prank calls at 1:30 am

-Nails shined and polished

-Ice cream consumed

-My entire living room floor covered in tired sleepy girls in sleeping bags at 3 am while a chick flick plays on the TV in the background

I even still have my fingernail polish on...which is quite a feat for this girl....

...I probably only have it because all my remover was used in a single night. It's hard to pick what color you like best when you're 15!

Dear cat burglers,

Don't even think about trying to break into our house. The ear doctor has the place on lock down and is anticipating your every move:

I know a lot of you wives out there may not be supportive of letting your man protect the home with a fully automatic weapon, but I can't tell you how much better I've been sleeping at night knowing that he can totally unload on any creep who attempts to cross our threshold uninvited.

And don't you worry, we know all about gun safety. We never keep it loaded, and it's always out of the reach of the younger members of our family.

One false move and these bozos'll get pumped full of nerf!

Snort

I was just clicking through my sister's pictures from Christmas and I found the best picture of me that has ever been taken. Seriously, I look like a freakin supermodel. I think I'm going to crop it and make it into a headshot and send it out to Hollywood because I'm pretty sure they're looking for a beauty like me!







Seriously?


Dirty hair from not showering? Check! Ravenously eating a Subway footlong? Yup! Completely dead eyes from waiting too long to eat lunch and trying to remember if I washed my hands after bowling? You bet!



So Hot!

Dear previous owners of our house:

Thanks so much for gluing aluminum foil to the ceiling to protect the ugly flush-mount light fixture from burning the house down. When we pulled the gross fixture off this weekend a bunch of layers of paint and stuff came along with your handy foil installation! It was awesome!

It looks really rad now that we've installed a hanging pendant light that has a much smaller interface at the celing.

I've always wanted to add a ceiling medallion there!

Also, look how cute our dog is on our new rugs! I know it's kind of ghetto to buy 2 of the exact same small rugs and put them together to look like one big rug but it was SOOOOOOOOO much cheaper!

Experiment

Well, I got myself a set of curlers over Christmas break. I've been feeling like my hair is the same boring thing everyday, and since I've been hearing how BIG HAIR is in, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

So I rode into work today with big, red, plastic curlers all over my head.

And I'm just not sure about the results.

I kind of feel like a 5 year old just before her big dance recital...

New Years

Even though our New Years plans abruptly changed this year, we still managed to have a pretty good time. We found a big band playing music from the 30's and lindy hopped the night away. I just love that my man can dance so well and loves doing it.




When I was a 17 year old girl and people asked me what I wanted in a husband I always said that I hoped I married a guy who made me laugh until I cried and loved dancing.





I got my wish!










Happy 2011...looks like it may be the year to invest in a tripod for my camera...

My review

Since I spent the holidays in Orem this year I was bound and determined to eat at some of the new resturants people here in the blog-land have been raving about.

First, we tried Pizzeria 712. Awesome! Fabulous! I learned that I am crazy-in-love with speck.

Second, we had lunch at Communal in Provo. While the food was stellar and the interior of the restuaurant totally dreamy I thought the portion size to price ratio was a little lopsided. Too expensive to be a regular stop for this girl.

And last, we hit up SLAB pizza. No one told us it was in the basement of the Campus Plaza apartment complex! My freshmen roommate lived there her sophmore year so I already had tons of warm memories associated with the building! Then we stepped in and was hit with the most delicious aroma. The ear doctor and I gorged ourselves and left feeling perfectly satisfied.

How do you know you're having a great vacation, Katie-style? Your fist is full of cheesy pizza and both of the external pockets of your purse are buldging with boxes of candy!

Seems like the food in the valley is getting better with each passing year!

New Years change of plans

Well, thanks to the storm that just rolled over Utah and Colorado the ear doctor and I will probably be spending New Years in Orem.

I'm pretty bummed because some friends of ours are planning on having an awesome fancy party to ring in the new year and we'll probably miss out. I even have a brand spankin new Kate Spade dress to wear to the fete, but now I'll probably be wearing my jammie-jams playing Donky Kong to welcome 2011.

Anyone have any fun ideas of how we should celebrate the holiday here in the valley?

ERROR

GAH!

I totally just posted on my sister's blog instead of mine! And now I can get back into her account to take it down and put it here!?!?!?

I guess that's what happens when you share a laptop for Christmas....

Small world

Last night I was invited to a ornament gift exchange hosted by a girl I hardly know.

As soon as I got there I was really excited because there were a whole bunch of women that I'd never met and seemed really awesome. Over cookies and wassail we chatted and got to know each other.

We talked about our families and our jobs. We talked about their kids and my dog. We talked about the neighborhood and the schools. We talked and talked and talked.

I can't remember how it came up, but at one point in the conversation, one of the girls said, "oh, I know Replikate..." (except she used her full real name which I'm not sure she'd want me to share and link to her blog) or something. My jaw hit the floor and I excitedly interrupted and said, "I know her too, she's awesome! We just went to the best show together!" and then a bunch of other people said, "oh, Replikate, she's the best." One said, "we went to church together when she lived in Boston." At which point a general consensus was made when someone said, "Basically, Replikate knows everyone."

So thanks, pal, for being so awesome and helping me feel super cool for knowing you!

Christmasy Date Night

Last night I took the ear doctor on a date. A real, honest-to-goodness date where I even opened his car door for him. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant where I told him the sky was the limit and he could order anything he wanted.

He got the carnitas and I got flautas (I was really craving some fried crunch with guacamole on top). Then we drove down town to the Denver Botanic gardens. Every year they cover the entire garden in a million twinkle lights and you can walk through and enjoy the festivities.

Unfortunately, it's been almost 70 degrees here in Denver so the ice sculptures were just little pathetic melted lumps, but overall it was pretty stunning. We kissed under the mistletoe and held hands while we talked about our future.

We even bought these cool little 3D glasses that turned every light into a perfect little snowflake.

I love any activity that combines sentimental moments and ridiculous eye-gear...

A few things I wouldn't mind seeing under the tree

In case you were wondering...

1.Poles (any will do) 2.goggles 3.gloves 4.Gold watch 5.Sweater 6.Polka dot tights 7.Black flats 8.100 sq ft of hex tile 9.Rug for my bedroom 10.OXO pop-top containers 11.Immersion blender 12.Square griddle 13.Sea salt 14.Pepper mill

Day 12

“He whose birth the Christian world celebrates is indeed the Son of God, the Redeemer, the Promised Messiah. No message is more significant than the one He brought. No event is of greater importance than His atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. And no mortal tongue can express sufficient thanks for all that Jesus has done for us” --Ezra Taft Benson

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).

1.Thank journal $24 2. Gratitude necklace $24 3.Things I’m thankful for notecard $4 4.Be glad for this moment ceramic $22 5.Be thankful wall decal $10

Day 11

“We need not wait for Christmas, we need not postpone till Thanksgiving Day our response to the Savior’s tender admonition: ‘Go, and do thou likewise’” --Thomas S. Monson

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. … But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, … and took care of him. … Which now of these … was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?” Luke 10:30–31, 33–34, 36

1.Everyone serves a porpoise print $18 2.Fleur de Lys serving platter $38 3.Wood and bone salad servers $19 4.Serve while you preserve print $12 5.Stainless pitcher $40

Day 10

It's no secret that I love Christmas music. In fact, the other day I was walking my dog at 6:30 in the morning belting out tunes for the world to hear. I just love the way they make me feel and especially what they make me think of.

“Thoughts of Jesus … [should] be far more frequent and much more constant in all times and seasons of our lives. How often do we think of the Savior? How deeply and how gratefully and how adoringly do we reflect on his life? How central to our lives do we know him to be?” --Howard W. Hunter

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas albums:

1.Christmas Divas $10 2.H is for holiday $10 3.Time-life music: Treasury of Christmas $15/double CD set 4.Diana Krall Christmas Songs $10 5.Alabama Christmas $7

Day 9

I remember a time just before I met the ear doctor and I felt so alone. Sure, I had some friends, but for some reason this overpowering feeling of loneliness fell on me and I felt a bit hopeless. I think being lonesome is the worst feeling in the world. It's just horrible. Whenever someone tells me they feel lonely my heart just breaks...it's such a tough thing to go through...especially at Christmas.

The thing that helped me most was relying on my faith and religion. It's maybe a little cliche, but it's true.

“Despite all we can do, we cannot have a fullness of joy in this world or through our own efforts. Only in Christ can our joy be full. This is why the angel proclaimed: ‘I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day … a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2:10–11). We are able to have a fullness of joy only when spirit and body are inseparably connected in the glorious resurrection to celestial glory. That joy, of course, comes only through the mercy of the Holy Messiah” --Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov.
1991, 74

Reminders to seek more Joy in my life:

1.Plush Joy pears $38/3 2.Comfort and Joy cards $16/8 3.Joy to the world gift tags $4.25/6 4.Joy to the World wall decal $9.95 5.Find Joy in the unexpected bracelet $55 (benefits juvenile diabetes foundation!)

Getting technical

Just so you know, the technical name for this kitchen instrument is a WHISK:


And this?

Is a BOING-ER.

Day 8

Have I ever written about my next door neighbor? She's awesome. Her name is Eloise and she's a widow. She and her husband bought their house 45 years ago and she's been living there ever since. She is so active and healthy...just the kind of elderly lady I want to be.

The first night we spent in our new house we ordered take out. When the food arrived we realized they hadn't included any kind of silverware. We were both starving, so the ear doctor ran over to Eloise's house and borrowed 2 forks. Months later, after we'd finally moved in and had enough of our own I baked a loaf of banana bread and went over to return the forks. She was so warm and welcoming that I was overwhelmed with gratitude to have such a nice person for a neighbor.

All last winter Eloise always got out to shovel the snow off her driveway before anyone else on the block! One morning I beat her to it and decided that since I was at it I'd do her little strip of concrete as well as mine.

And all summer when our front lawn dried up and died she didn't complain at all, even though her grass was the thickest, bushiest and greenest on the block.

This year I'm going to make her some cookies and take them over to thank her for being such a great neighbor!

“Each of us has his own way of remembering. At Christmas time I take delight in visiting the widows and widowers from the ward where I served as bishop. There were 87 then—just nine today. On such visits, I never know what to expect; but this I do know: visits like these provide for me the Christmas spirit, which is, in reality, the Spirit of Christ” --Thomas S. Monson

Or I could always just buy some treats and put them on a paper plate like I made them myself...

1.Cheryl and Co cookies $30 2.Whoopie pies $15/doz 3.Vosges Caramel toffee marshmallows $27/9 4.Paulette macarons $19/12 5.Danish butter cookies…get them anywhere…I LOVE these…