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…

Day 7

I remember when my mom first taught me to knit. It wasn't pretty. The first idem I attempted to create was a scarf. Instead of a long pretty rectangle of even perfect stitches it was more triangular and riddled with holes. Everytime I attempted to wear the dumb thing the loose loops of thread got caught and made even bigger holes. I eventually had to retire the sad little accessory and made another one.

With time I got much better and started doing fancy patterns like cablekit and adding flowers and stuff. I'm so grateful to my mom for teaching me how to do it because everytime I make something I think of her. It's pretty amazing to take a random ball of yarn and turn it into something you can actaully wear. How that single thread gets woven together and knotted up and eventually becomes a large piece of material that is so much stronger and more useful that what it used to be.

“To remain true and faithful through this mortal vale of tears, we must love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. … We must gather strength from each other. We must also ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees’” --James E. Faust

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” Matt. 25: 35–36, 40

To serve as a reminder of the power we have when each individual is cared for in a woven collective:

1.Woven ring $35 2.Mint chain circle scarf $50 3.Chalkboard pendant necklace $22 4.Farmer’s basket $80 5.Farrah indoor/outdoor rug $59-149

Day 6

I once had a roommate who made a little note and taped it above her light switch. The note said the following:

"Expect less"

The first time I saw it I thought it was kind of funny. But the more I saw it the more it bothered me. I never told her to take it down or made any kind of comment to her about it, but I was very tempted to.

It just seemed like such a pessimistic way to live life. Like she was constantly lowering her hopes so that she wouldn't be disappointed and simultaneously began viewing everyone and everything around her in such a negative light. All I wanted to do was rip that little note down and replace it with something happy and positive.

...although, come to think of it when she had that note on her light switch I had "STOP SHOPPING" scrawled across my full length mirror in dry erase marker, so maybe I'm not one to talk?...

“Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings;having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other” --Marvin J. Ashton

Lovely reminders:

1.Just let it go print $12 2.Pardigm shift print $20 3.Filled with Joy print $15 4.Force for good wooden sign $20 5.Be happy dish towel $16

Day 5

Recently the ear doctor and I met a family that owns a local restaurant. The restaurant is pretty good and it is run by pretty much everyone in the family: grandma, grandpa, cousins, siblings...everyone.

Every year they host a huge Thanksgiving event where they provide 250 free meals to the needy in the community.

We weren't going to be in town this year to help, so we ran by Costco a few days before and picked up some things that they needed to get everyone covered.

I was just blown away by one family's ability to make such and impact on the community and reach out to those who don't have as much this season! I'll be looking for small ways I can help those who are cold, hungry and alone this holiday season. Surely with as many blessings as I have in my life I can afford to share!

"And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish” (Mosiah 4:16).

1. Microloans to entrepreneurs in poor countries 2. Small business loans to entrepreneurs in your community 3.Organize charitable donations 4. Donate time to local charity 5.Pick up an extra toy at Target and drop it in the Toys for Tots bin

Day 4

Today the ear doctor and I have been invited to 3 Christmas parties.

3!

The first is a church breakfast from 9-11:30, the second a cookie exchange from 1-3 and the last an awesome party at a friend's house. We've been so busy that we haven't even had a chance to put up any of our Christmas decorations yet!

The other day I went to my friend Amy's house to get my hair cut and as I turned into her neighborhood almost all the houses on her street already had their lights up! I love christmas lights on houses and every year we take a night to drive around town and just look at all the twinklers that everyone's put it. I love Christmas!

“I testify that Christ is the light to all mankind. He has pointed, marked out, and lighted the way. … But even to those who reject Him, He is ‘the light which shineth in the darkness’ (John 1:5)” --Ezra Taft Benson

1.Verdigris pendant $95 2.Yuletide Angel $17 3.Glow in the dark spray paint $50 4.Hoot hoot switchplate $18 5.Credit card light bulb $5

Day 3

Tonight the ear doctor and I are meeting some friends downtown to see the annual Christmas light parade in Denver. I love this parade.



Last time we went we saw two creepy women get in a fist fight over who got to stand closest to the corner. It was crazy. All this goodwill and peace-on-earth wishes floating around and then these two nut jobs totally loosing it over a parade-viewing spot.



Insanity.

“Have a joyous time in celebrating Christmas—for despite discouragement and disheartening conditions throughout the world, it is the happiest season of the whole year. But let us ever keep in mind that people are blessed whose daily conduct most nearly comports with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, at whose birth was proclaimed: Peace on earth. Good will toward men” --David O. McKay

1.Peace on earth necklace $14 2.Peace paz print $35 3.Letterpressed peace cards $18/6 4.Classic Christmas: True stories of Holiday Cheer and Goodwill $13 5.Peace dove $26

Day 2

I'm really excited this year to spend the holiday with my adorable niece and nephew. Charlotte is almost 4 and Greg is a year and a half. Perfect ages to experience the magic of Christmas. Already my sister has posted about their awesome tree day experience and how the kids are learning the words to Christmas carols.

I want to make sure that we really record as much as we can about their childhood so we don't forget these precious moments.

“Precious little is written concerning the childhood of Jesus. One might suppose that His birth was so revolutionary in its magnitude as to dominate accounts of His boyhood. We marvel at the mature wisdom of the boy who, leaving Joseph and Mary, was found in the temple, ‘sitting in the midst of the doctors,’ teaching them the gospel. When Mary and Joseph expressed their concern about His absence, He asked of them the penetrating question: ‘Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?’ “The sacred record declares of Him: ‘Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man’” --Thomas S. Monson

I love Design mom's idea to have a Christmas notebook to write down all the memories of Christmas each year. I'd pick one of these:

1.Canvas leather book $38-65 2.Brown leather journal $57 3.Honey leather journal $46 4.Red nosed reindeer journal $10 5.Modern handmade blank book $20

Day 1

What I love most about the combination of the blogosphere and Christmas is the gift guides. I cannot get enough of them!

And not only because it's fun to see all the pretty sparkly things I could buy.

Mainly I like it because it reminds me that everyone out there is looking to make someone else feel special. To make someone else light up Christmas morning. To show someone else how much they are loved.

“Christmas means ‘giving,’ and the gift without the giver is bare. Give of yourselves; give of your substance; give of your heart and mind. … “Christmas means ‘compassion and love’ and, most of all ‘forgiveness’ … How poor indeed would be our lives without the influence of His teachings and His matchless example. --Gordon B. Hinckley

Print from persimmon and pink

Great cinema

Did you cry like a little baby at the end of Harry Potter while you tightly clutched your bag of Reece's pieces in one hand and a gallon of diet coke in the other?


...no...


...you didn't?



...you're saying that only super nerdy-hardcore-harry-potter-lovin-crazies would do something like that?...



...hmm...



...I totally did NOT do that...

Equlilbrium

The bad:
I stepped in goose poop in my pretty leather T-straps.





The good:
I took GFF's advice and got the Christmas Glee CD.



Nothin like good ole cheesy tunes...

Down one

This morning I got up at 4:45 to take the ear doctor to the airport.

Yuck.

He won a fancy award and has to travel to Pennsylvania to receive it. I hate it when he's gone because I have no one to tell my dumb stories to after work. There's no one there to appreciate my awesome dining room dance moves.

It'll just be me, Roscoe and our basement dweller who I only see about once a week these days.


I hope they're ready for a ton of trashy girl TV and macaroni and cheese...

vengence

For me, its the little mundane tasks in life that get the best of me.

For instance, for the past 4 days I've been meaning to swing by the bank and make a deposit. But I can never quite get it together. I'll remember 5 minutes before I'm at the bank and then have a total brain lapse as I see the red WELLS FARGO letters go whizzing by.

Luckily I pass 2 different branches on my way into work, so after zooming by the first I dedicated myself to remembering to stop at the second.

I was running a little late and may or may not have careened into the parking lot. As I was almost decelerated enough to jump out of my vehicle with minimal bodily injury I noticed that a tall, skinny middle aged man was doing the same. He glanced over and me and practically RAN to the ATM so he could get there first.

I was so pissed I wanted to rip the stupid blue tooth out of his ear and instead lodge the end of my stiletto into the recently vacated volume.

What did I really do?

Gave him a half hearted smile as he walked away and DIDN'T tell him to have a nice day!

That'll teach him!

Rise!

I woke up early Saturday morning and decided it was the perfect day for two tight french braids. I knew I'd probably be wearing a beanie all day so braids were the only logical solution.

As I twisted one section of hair over the other I thought of the countless other times I'd had my hair braided.

...watching my mom's fast hands pulling my hair so tight my eyes were a bit squinty all day...

...listening to my freshman roommate's hilarious jokes while she put ribbons in my hair for a football game...

...bossing my little sister around as she attempted to get the braids in to my exacting specifications...

...wishing I had a friend who could come help me as my arms ached and I learned to do it myself...

The nostalgia in my little bathroom was so thick I'm surprised I didn't pass out from lack of oxygen.

Both the ear doctor and I are huge BYU football fans. When we were at school we both had season tickets every year. There are very few things that make me as college-freshman excited as going to a football game. So when the Cougs were scheduled to play the Rams up in Ft. Collins I knew we had to do.

The weather was...COLD! and SNOWY! But the true spirit of Cougar-fandom kept us warm. We were even warm enough to pop our beanies and wear them hobo-style!

LOVE that I caught the little girl behind us in mid-snowflake-chomp!

Reason 5,814 I love my husband

This morning we woke up bright and early and found a few inches of snow covering everything outside. Our usual routine is to get up and walk our dog. It's usually a great way to get the blood pumpin and gives us a chance to start our day together, talking.

I love it.

But the ear doctor? He likes it when it's bright, sunny and warm. This morning? It was cold, dark and snowy...not is favorite combination.

But he got up and went with me because he's the best.


After our walk we got ready for the day. I was in the shower, and feeling very inspired by the weather, I started doing my best Zooey D.

"Baby it's cold outside" is practically always the first song I start singing when the holiday season begins to approach. However, it really is a duet....and try as I might I just can't sing both parts at once! So I started only singing the girl part.

But that song really does need another person to sing the other half of the lyrics or it doesn't make much sense.

I was just starting to think that I would have to switch my shower song when my man cracked the bathroom door and started singing the low boy's part!

I had my very own Christmas season duet this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



And, luckily for me, the person on the other side of the shower curtain was my best friend in the world and not Will Ferrel in a crazy elf-man suit.

What I'm wearing Wednesday

I don't really consider myself a fashion plate by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm doing this for 3 reasons:

1) I love this outfit...and so does Roscoe!
2) I've been waiting for the perfect day to wear this hat the ear doctor gave me
3) I'm a sucker for peer pressure and Leslie's been doin it







I just LOVE this hat!

Classic

Today I had lunch at Panera and spilled half my bowl of black bean soup down the front of my white shirt.

Awesome.


Good thing the Gap was next door....

...sorry about busting the budget, ear doctor...

great weekend

From the moment I left work on Friday to the drive back to the office this morning I had a WONDERFUL weekend.

The weather was a-freakin-mazing and things fell right into place.

Friday night I got to meet one of my favorite fellow bloggers IN REAL LIFE and see an amazing show. While the ear doctor thought they were too loud to really appreciate their harmonies and that the songs kind of sounded all the same, I thought they were incredible. Check out the Head and the Heart if you want to hear some rad new music.

Saturday I woke up early, and got my home improvement on. I filled all the holes in our brand new beadboard with wood filler. Then, we took off to Costco where I watched the ear doctor roam from aisle to aisle in bliss. He loves it there. Costco is his home away from home.

Kind of like Nordstrom for me.

Saturday night we went to see Megamind, which was cute and entertaining and all be-the-best-you-can-be.

Sunday not only did I bake the best batch of cinnamon rolls, but I also baked an awesome pecan/brownie pie with a dreamy crust. Yum! We walked the dog and talked as the last of autumn's leaves blew around us and the ear doctor made dinner! (Smoked tri-tip...the way my man cooks is a dream come true!)

And this morning what did I see?


The first Christmas tree lot being set up for the season! I love me some Christmas!

Radio silence

I can't seem to get my act together to write something interesting on this blog, so I decided to contribute somewhere else today.

One of my favorite bloggers, K8, is putting together a series of letters written by people to themselves at a different time in life. The results have been really awesome, and I hope my little submission doesn't pale in comparison...

Click here to enjoy!

Helping hand

One of my favorite songs we sing at my church goes like this:

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad? Made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.

I really like it for two reasons: 1) the message is, obviously, the bomb and 2) I can do a really cool jazzy version of it while singing in the shower.

The ear doctor loves hearing this version at 6:45 in the morning while he is still trying to eek out a few more minutes of sleep.


Most of the time I feel like my days may tend toward this definition of failure. I spend an annoying amount of time worried about my own world and making sure my own needs are met.

But last night was different. The girl who lives with us has been feeling stressed, overwhelmed and under prepared for her college classes. I remember feeling the exact same way my freshmen year of college. Between homework and social life and all the rest it seemed like everyone around me had things organized and figured out so much better! Then I remembered how I fixed that feeling. I got myself a huge desk calender and wrote everything down. So, I bough her a desk calender and showed her the glory of color coding.

After an hour of combing through sylabiiiii (how many i's are in that word?) and looking up airplane itineraries for the holidays we had everything written out. And there was a lot of things to write down. I'm not sure if she immediately felt better, but I could tell she was happy that we'd at least got it all down.

And so I'd probably consider that a successful day.

Feel the burn

Did I ever tell you about my first kayaking experience? I'm sure I did but the 2 seconds I just dedicated to looking through the archives to find that post was just too taxing.

Here's what happened:

I went to Lake Tahoe with a few friends from undergrad. We decided to rent some kayaks and paddle around the lake. It was awesome until I realized that we were half way around the lake and had to get the boats back in 15 minutes or we'd be late and have to pay a fine.

I hate paying late fees.

So we turned on the juice and power paddled.

And then a brutal head wind kicked up.

It was hard, but we got the boats back in time.


Later that night as I was sleeping in a tent on the ground my arms started to scream at me:

"What were you thinking!!! you never work out! I don't think you've even attempted a chin-up in 8 years, you fool! You cannot rip us to SHREADS and just go on without hearing about it from us!!!!"

I was laying in my sleeping bag, tears pouring down my cheeks, stifling wracking sobs in an attempt to not disturb my friends. At about 1 am I'd had it. I got up out of the tent, hobbled to my car and started driving around the entire lake trying to find a hotel room.

Yep. It's true. I left my friends stranded at a campground without giving them any indication where I was because the pain was too much for my fragile body to bear. Turns out I just don't know my limits.


Which is the exact same thing I was thinking all day yesterday.

Saturday morning I woke up early and spent the entire morning turbo-painting our mud room. The excruciating agony I felt all day on Sunday was my reminder that it might be a good idea to occasionally work out the muscles in my upper body before I go on a crazy painting spree...

I love technology

I was feeling a little homesick this morning so I decided to look up my parent's house on google maps.

Then I really wanted to see the house so I clicked to street view, and what did I see?

My dad.

Rockin awesome pants while mowing the lawn.

Nothing has made me happier in WEEKS!

Dinner with a stranger

I've been asked about a hundred times in my life who I would most like to sit down and have dinner with. If I could choose anyone in the whole world who would it be. And I'm always a little disappointed in myself because on the spot I can never really think of someone.

And to tell you the truth, most time I can't think of someone I'd like to eat dinner with more than the guy I already get to eat with every night.

But today if someone asked I know who I'd really like to sit down and talk with.

Hans Rosling.

Have you heard of him?

He's a statistician.

And he totally gets that educating women all over the world is the very best thing we can do to make it a better place. And I like that.

Who would you choose today?

Good news

I just participated in the dorkiest mid-hallway engineer high five in celebration of getting a spreadsheet completed!

Just thought you should know.

Carry on.

Weekend report

Friday I had the chance to volunteer for a great event! 770 11 year old girls converged on the Denver convention center and learned about how awesome it is to study Math, Engineering, Science and Technology. I think it's so important to support girls in these technical fields!

So I found myself in charge of 7 of the cutest little sixth-graders for the morning. And what did I do to convince them of my coolness?

Silly bands...duh. I even found some in the shape of robots! Pretty perfect for a science/engineer nerd-fest, right?

After feeling all warm and fuzzy from helping teach the rising generation I took my man out on a date to his favorite place...Home depot. And after hemming and hawing for a while he decided to use his birthday money and get himself a new tool!

Air compressor and finish nailer! Hooray! Now I can get busy with some of those plans from knock-off wood!

Being at home depot means I really got bit by the home improvement bug again. So, I spent a large portion of the weekend re-painting all the trim in our front room a new glossy white. Nothing looks better than freshly painted trim!

Nothing looks worse at work than your arm covered in paint that you keep forgetting to scrub off when you're in the shower!

Another reason to love Roscoe

I recently heard or read somewhere that infants really like to have white noise around them. Apparently they really like the sound of hair dryers? Can anyone confirm that for me?

I don't know if that's true about human babies, but my little canine guy loves it, and it's one of my favorite things about having him. Every morning while I'm drying my hair this cute little guy wanders into the bathroom and curls up on top of my (usually bare) feet.

He almost always points his face away from me and watches out the door behind me. Part of me wonders if he thinks he's protecting me from intruders?

(please forgive the gross tile in our bathroom...that's the next major room up for renovation but it probably won't happen until next year)

Down in the dumps

Yesterday I was feeling pretty crappy. It was the first day back to work after my sister and her cuties came to visit. I was missing them real bad.

When I got home I was shocked to see a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me on the bed! I was told to turn on Gossip Girl and relax while my man prepared an amazing dinner.

Ahhh....


The food was amazing, and he even surprised me by making banana pudding! One of my faves! And he didn't just make instant vanilla pudding and top it with cool whip...the man made real vanilla custard (double boiler and all) and topped it with perfectly fluffy meringue which he broiled in the oven to make those perfectly browned peaks!

Life is good!

Just letting you know

In high school I had a pretty strict curfew. I had to be home before midnight.

However, neither of my parents are night owls. They both pass out around 10, so whenever I got home from being with my friends the house was dark and quiet. I'd park my old, red' 83 Ford Ranger in the garage and had to tip toe by my parents bedroom door to get to my room.

All that was required of me to let them know I was home safe and sound were three authoritative knocks on their closed door. Three knocks, followed by a sleepy, grumbly welcome home were our nightly routines.

Which was why I wasn't really surprised last night when I heard three quick knocks on my bedroom door this morning at 2:30 am.

My sister, her rad husband and their adorable kids spent all night driving from St. Louis to Colorado to see us. We knew they'd be in late and I just couldn't see myself staying up to welcome them to the house and still function for work today. So I went to bed.

And how does my sister let me know that they made to my home safe and sound?

Three knocks.

A bit scattered

Right now my mind is whirring at about a million miles and hour. I wake up and the very next second the brain engages and I'm off.

Which is probably why I walked all the way from my front door to my car without even realizing what was going on with my feet...

...and keep in mind the difference in heel height for these shoes is 1.5 inches!

Shout out

Yesterday I got my October issue of Bon Appetit in the mail and was really excited when I spotted this little blurb on the cover!

I mean, I was REALLY excited!

Hooray for Boulder...foodiest town of 2010. If you read the article I've been to all but 2 of the places the author features and one of the places catered my wedding lunch! Rad. While it is true we don't technically live in Boulder anymore it'll always have a really warm place in my heart.

It's where I fell in love with food, cooking and my man!

180

This weekend we went camping in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. I wanted to get out of the house, the weather was spectacular and the aspens were shimmering gold in every direction.

It was a perfect Colorado camp out conditions.

We got to our site early Friday afternoon, set up and took our first hike. It was glorious to hit the trail. I could feel my lungs struggle with the thinness of the air and my quads felt that welcome burn of uphill mountain hiking.

Sweaty and happy we returned to our site just in time for sunset and foil dinners. I sat in my new camp chair and felt thrilled to be alive and with my man.

Until the screaming started.

The people in the next campsite over had a just-barely-walking little boy who was attempting his first ever camp-out. I really tried to be full of love and charity for our neighbor, and I promise when they were looking I only ever smiled and gave encouraging looks.

But, I have to admit, I was really annoyed.

Instead of the rushing wind through the pines at night the entire place was lit up with the howling of an upset little-boy-banshee. In the morning the sun streamed through the trees and instead of the chirping of birds we were honored to hear the sobs of an inconsolable tot.

As they broke camp by dawn's early light and packed their family back into the Subaru I breathed a sigh of relief. And thought, well, maybe we aren't actually ready to have a kid of our own.

As we drove down the mountains back into town my phone picked up service and I found out that a dear friend had successfully welcomed her own little boy into the world while we were camping. We went over to the hospital to see her little guy and I just fell head over heels for this little guy.

I mean, how can I not want to have a baby when I see this pretty picture....

Scratch that...

Those eyes are making me reconsider...

inside my head

When people come into our house they almost always compliment the color we've picked for the walls in the front room.

(gray squirrel--martha stewart living at home depot)

I look around and say, well it took us 3 tries to get it right and I'm still not 100% sold.

(don't worry babe, I don't want to repaint it again...yet)

And then I tell them that the only color in the whole house that I really truly love is the gray we picked for our bedroom, which you can see from the front room. They usually turn around look at it and look back at me confused and then say, "well, I really like this front room color."

...


So I wonder if maybe my taste is off or something?


It's like when someone who has truly horrible fashion sense compliments your outfit. Is it a welcome compliment or are you secretly a little worried that THIS person thinks what you're wearing is rad?

(analogy courtesy of the ear doctor)


(I'm loving the parenthesis today...can you tell?)

Role model

On Saturday afternoon we went to a friend's birthday party. Well, to be specific, the party was a combined celebration for a girlfriend of mine and her 2 year old daughter.

As we walked up the front steps to their house I realized that the ear doctor and I, having no kids of our own, completely forgot that this type of party usually requires a present brightly wrapped and topped with a huge pink bow. Oops. I'm pretty sure that we were the only adults who forgot. I was just starting to feel really bad about it when my girl friend spied our arrival and gave me the biggest, warmest smile in the world.

And then I realized that it would be totally fine that we forgot a gift for her daughter.

Because she's awesome.


She's the kind of person that when you enter the room you suddenly feel like she's been waiting like a kid on Christmas eve for your arrival. That you are the coolest person at the party and that she just can't wait to sit down next to you and make you laugh.


For the longest time I, narcissistically, thought that I was the only person who felt this way around her. That I actually WAS her favorite person to see and be around. But at this party I realized that she makes all her guests feel this way...special, unique, interesting, and wonderful.

I wish I could channel that kind of warmth as a friend.

Consider me already there

I just heard about this event and you bet your bottom dollar that I'll be there.





Are you kidding me? A classic Disney movie that I am encouraged...nay...EXPECTED to sing along with in public? That has my name written all over it. Granted, Belle isn't my favorite princess in the Disney arsenal...I just couldn't connect with the brunette as well as her more red-headed, aquatic-lovin friend, but I'll still be over the moon for this kind of experience!



It'll finally be a chance to belt out some awesome Disney tunes without the usual sideways stares from strangers...



And, as a bonus, I'm pretty sure that's the week that my sister and 3.5 year old niece will be in town. It doesn't get any better!

Bounty

One of the things I love most about my neighborhood is all the quirky little events that happen. Every time something is happening around these parts the ear doctor and I slap a little sun screen on and hit the pavement.

And I can't believe that I didn't share this latest one with you. It was awesome.

Our neighborhood has it's own little weekly newspaper. Most of the time it's filled with stories about the plethora of marijuana dispensaries and how they are doing (our zip code as the most in all of Colorado!), but every now and then we get a little blurb about something rad that's going down. In the middle of August I heard about the annual largest zucchini contest and I knew I was going to get in on the action.

So I watered

and watered

and watered

On the day of the big weigh in I watched over my entry like a hawk...letting her plump up until the very last second, hoping I'd have a decent showing at the event. 10 minutes before the official cut-off for contest weigh-in I plucked my girl off the vine and headed over the the scale.

As soon as I spied the weigh-in table I knew I didn't have a chance. I mean, look at these beauties people had brought.

The lady in front of me had her two 8 lb ladies in a posh hand-woven basket and I was sure I was outclassed. While my contestant was longer that most in the competition, in the end she just didn't have the girth to bring home the blue ribbon.

Next year I'll start cultivating my lovely entrant earlier in the summer. That way I'll really be able to represent at next year's show-down. And I'm sure I'll love that big winning piece of produce next year, but, I have to be honest; no contestant will be quite as loved as my first year's 4.5 lb little zuke-that-could.

Feeling just outside the cross hairs

This week has been a bit intense for me.

Well, not really for me but for people I love and because I'm so close I feel like I'm in the splash zone.

First. My grandma was taken to the ER over the weekend with some intestinal blockage and gall stones. It seems horribly painful and I know she was nervous about going under the knife, but she did and everything seems to be alright.

Second. While we were sitting at the Orange County airport on Monday waiting to come home I got a message from a close friend asking if we could watch her dog because she was having contractions and might have her baby that night. She's 4 weeks early. Yikes. I know modern medicine is amazing, but bad things still happen to little ones born that early. Luckily nothing's happened yet and their dog is back home with them.

Third. My mom left a voicemail on my phone last night telling me that my sister and her little 18 month old son were shopping at Nordstrom when he fell on the tile and cracked his head open. They rushed him to the ER and he got a bunch of stitches on his perfect little face.

I was starting to feel a little stressed out by association, but then I saw these two faces and decided that if they could take it with a grin so could I.

...Although if I was as stone as little Greggie is in this pic I'd probably have no problem being calm either...

Wedding bells

This weekend was one for the books.

I went to a wedding of an old friend. It was the kind of wedding where I showed up and felt just the tiniest bit out of place. I hadn't really kept in touch with the old friend that well, and I didn't really know any of the old friend's new friends. Plus, there were really cool bloggers that I'd been reading forever and were about to meet.

Plus the old friend getting married was an old boy friend and I just wasn't sure how things would play out. I didn't want to come across like an outsider trying desperately to belong.

Clearly, I still have my fair share of insecurities.

But guess what...

...it was one of those weddings that are fantastic. Tons of cute personal touches, lots of great ambiance, cool quirky music and some of my favorite people in the world showed up to make me laugh. Before I knew it 3 hours had flashed by, the bride and groom had zoomed away on their vintage bicycle-built-for-two and I was left with the happy feeling of an occasion well celebrated.

And then the next day was spent soaking up the rest of the magic in the world at Disneyland.



For me, it doesn't get any better!

Making new friends

The ear doctor and I have mastered the art of being an aunt and uncle. Got it down cold.


Last night we invited a newly acquainted family over to our house for dinner. They brought their three adorable little girls; ages 7, 5 and 2. And it was rad. Here is the evidence of our aunt-ly and uncle-ly awesome-ness:

• I made homemade chicken fingers from scratch because I've never met a kid who didn't like chicken nuggets
• I made sure there were 2 different fruits and veg...to make mom happy
• The bright red fruit punch was super sweet and sugar free...win win all around
• During dinner I took the older girls to the bathroom and showed them around so mom could enjoy the adult conversation
• The little 2 year old was on her second day of potty training and when she successfully asked and went at our house I was super excited and gave her a jelly bean
• I let the little girls spray down our dog, despite the fact that I'd just mopped the kitchen floor and muddy paw prints would be inevitable. The dog loves this and it's our favorite way to play with him.
• The ear doctor engaged all three little ones in an epic pillow fight complete with the toss-the-kids in the lovesac game
• Just as they were leaving I let them pick flowers from my garden to wear tucked behind their ears

And the best thing?

• Fed the kids early enough so that mom could get them to bed on time and doesn't have to do a single dish at home!

A dream come true

How can you tell if your husband was born in the late 70's/early 80's?

You decide it's really too hot to wear your hair down today, so instead you decide to put your hair up like this:

Just as you are smoothing the last piece of hair into place your man comes around the bathroom corner. He stops in his tracks and exclaims, "Wow! You look like Chun-Li from street fighter!"

Thanks babe

Dog Days

I never feel like I have anything interesting to write in August. The summer zooms by so fast and before I know it I'm left with 2 weeks of summer and a sinking feeling that I wasted my "time off."

Like I didn't squeeze as much fun in the last 3 months as I possibly could. Like school is about to start and I won't be able to stay up late or go camping or do anything at all. Like there are no more chances for midnight runs to 7-11 for a cherry slurpee. Like I'm trapped inside until summer rolls around again.

But guess what? I'm not in school.

And September Colorado weather is made of the stuff of legends.

So I'm going to be spending the next month doing pretty much the same thing I did all summer which consists of eating more of these from my garden:

Scooting over to the stadium to root on the Rockies with our rally-caps firmly in place:

Playing with my pup while wearing this dress I got on eshakti:

Going on late night downtown dates with my man:

One step closer

Friday night I stayed up later than I have in YEARS!

Because at around 11:30, as I was drifting off into slumber land the ear doctor's phone rang. It was our 18 year old basement dweller asking him to come out to the curb and carry her into the house. I guess she'd spent the night messing around with some friends at a gymnastic gym. I was really jealous that she'd been able to play in the big foam pit...until I saw her sad little face.

She told us, with tear-stained, mascara streaked cheeks that she'd twisted her ankle at the gym. And then she didn't want to seem like a wimp in front of her friends so she decided to play night games with them for a few hours until the pain was too much to bear and she asked someone to take her home.

By the time she got back to our house her ankle was swelling up like a grapefruit and the tell-tale signs of a sprained ankle reared their ugly head.

So we spent the wee hours of the night/morning calming her scared little heart, icing her squashy ankle and running for the border to get a #1 with baja blast.

Yuck! Have I ever mentioned that I really hate Taco Bell? I do. But I went to get it for her at 1:30 am because that's the only thing that brought even a hint of a smile to her sad, pathetic little eyes.

At 2 am as I rolled between the sheets I thought of the taste of parenting the ear doctor and I just had. We both reacted calmly; we got her ice, and ace bandage and some comfort food.

Oh, and we called my parents for advice in the middle of the night.

Awesome...we're totally ready, right?

The ones who come before

The first boy I ever really truly loved is getting married in a little over 3 weeks.

To a girl who seems so out-of-this-world cool that I could not possibly be more excited for him!

I had an inkling he'd marry this girl when, 3 years ago, he sent me a link to her blog. He knew I liked blogging and he knew I'd probably like to read her blog and so, naturally he sent me the link. He was right...I loved reading what she wrote. However, after reading the first entry I knew he had a thing for her and I thought...oh boy, this girl doesn't know what's about to hit her.

Because, you see, my old flame is the quintessential wormer. The kind of guy who sees a girl he's interested in and just keeps worming his way into her heart. He's quirky and unique and totally original. Like no one you've ever met. You become friends and then, a few years later, without even realizing what has happened, you are amazed to discover you are totally head-over-heels crazy about this kid.

If I had $20 I'd bet that this is exactly what has happened over the past 3 years to this girl.


When I got their wedding invitation in the mail a few days ago, produced by the amazingly talented Jordan, I just held it for a second totally filled with joy and gratitude.

Joyful that he found someone who will love him forever.

But more than that I am grateful for all the lessons that he taught me...to be kind, to be unabashedly silly, to be proud of the nerdiest parts of my soul, to be a genuinely thoughtful gift giver, to value things that other people take for granted and throw away.

Getting to know him prepared me in so many ways for the real, true, love of my life. The ear doctor.

...and for that I will forever be in his debt.

Veggie garden update

My pumpkin is totally taking over my entire garden.

Every morning I go out and the thing has stretched another foot across the plot! Is it ok to cut it back or will that do something bad to the rest of the plant?

Help!

Settin down roots

Last night as we were finishing up dinner I looked out through my dining room window and saw someone parked right in front of our driveway. There were two middle aged people sitting in the car staring up at our house.

Strange...

The ear doctor jumped out and went out to talk with them.


Turns out the driver was a previous owner of our cute little house. He'd been the third owner of the home from 1984-2004. Twenty years of owning and living in our little house.

I went out to join the ear doctor and we talked to them about the house. The changes they'd made, the life they'd lived, the happy times they had in our house. We invited them in to look at the house. As we walked through the house he told us stories about the improvements they'd made. He bragged about the "awesome" job of installing windows they'd done on the South side of my house, and I was able to politely bite my lip and just let it go.

When we got to the kitchen he was blown away by how different it was since we totally renovated it. And I was so excited and proud to see his admiration!

It was so cool to be standing in those rooms hearing stories about the people who'd previously been sheltered by our roof. How they'd had their two little babies between our four walls.

It made me excited to be a part of that legacy.

the influence of blogs

1. This week I bought a bunch of produce and spinach so we can make green monster smoothies...like GFF.
2. I made pesto with the forest of basil growing in my garden and used it in this recipie because Stephanie said it was good. She was right and my man now likes pesto!
3. Instead of balling it up into a messy knot on top of my head, I made an attempt to do something cool to my non-blow dried hair because Erica said she was doing it.
4. I bought a bunch of young adult lit off Amazon because Janssen said they were good.
5. I went to eShakti and filled my online shopping cart with amazing dresses because cjane looked so good in hers. I also exercised restraint and didn't any! Go me!

Prevention

Saturday it was just too hot. So hot that I felt myself getting really annoyed at the weather for inflicting so much discomfort on my poor, weak, privileged body.

Too hot to be home since our 80 year old little house has no AC.

Too hot to go outside since my red-headed constitution prevents exposure to weather over 100 degrees. When it's that hot outside I just melt into a grumpy puddle of goo.

Just too hot.

So we decided to go to the mall. (cue angelic choir)

There we were, crammed into the megaplex with our fellow under-conditioned Denver home owners. We strolled and laughed and passed the time as if we were 13 year olds with mothers who dropped us off at the curb.

And guess what? It just happened to be the Nordstrom anniversary sale! And after searching for almost a year I finally found sunglasses that, I think, work on my face:

As the sales girl was wrapping up my purchase I exclaimed with great pride, "oh, my optometrist is going to be so proud of me!"

Did you know that fair skinned red heads are much more likely to develop macular degeneration? Which means that when I'm old I could go blind simply because I didn't wear sunglasses?

So not only does the sun quickly and mercilessly burn my skin to a crisp, it will probably make me blind in the long run!

I'm just not cut out for this global warming thing....