Blogging Bloggerton

My Love/Hate Relationship with Groupn

2011-11-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

and LivingSocial, and Tippr, and AmazonLocal....

Love

-Often makes me try new things I may not normally try
-Who doesn't love a bargain?
-Easily purchased at the comfort of my own desk
-The pride I feel when I can say I didn't pay full price
-The fact that all the deals come to me, and I don't have to go find them

Hate
-The stress of making sure I redeem my coupon before it expires
-The inability to say no to something that could be a bargain
-Far too easily purchased from the comfort of my own desk
-The judgement I feel when I have to tell the cashier I'm using a Groupon
-The one thousand emails I get daily that overrun my inbox

So here's to you, internet coupons - you awful, wonderful, jerkface, beautiful things!

Halloween Store, You Crazy

2011-10-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Taste of Prague

2011-09-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

Taste of Prague, a set on Flickr.

a short taste of my trip to Prague - there would be more photos, but I got super sick and spent lots of quality time inside the hotel room...

Prague Blog

2011-08-06T14:37:00.001-07:00

Here are a few things we saw today in Prague. Just a few highlights from my home before I pass out.

Funny places we've found Froomba

2011-07-03T23:16:00.001-07:00

Oh froomie, you so crazy...

2 things that made me laugh

2011-03-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

At a bakery today in manhattan beach...

Wine Weekend Sneak Peek

2011-03-14T23:40:00.001-07:00

More to come...

Lent & Froomba

2011-03-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering, no I did not give up blogging for Lent - I'm still just really bad at staying on top of it...

So Lent. I wanted to make sure I had my facts correct, so I did what any good Christian does, and went to about.com to confirm what I thought I knew. According to the site:

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. ...Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics.

So since I sorta fall under "non-denominational", I normally don't observe Lent. But this year I thought why not? Why not give up something I know I usually indulge in, and instead of indulging in it, turn my thoughts to JC? So instead of doing something CRAZY (and unrealistic) like giving up Starbucks, I thought I'd ease into it and give up..........

(+)

French fries! :-O

It's not that I eat them all the time, it's more that they are my favorite food. And are obviously very indulgent. I have a VERY hard time resisting them (potato, grease, salt, drooool) - so I think this is less a denial of quantity, and more of quality. So that's that.

On a totally different topic, we got a "Neato"

(+)

It's basically like a Roomba, but cooler. Josh found a dude selling a new one for half price on Craigslist, so he made the trek to downtown LA, and we rescued little Froomba (which is what we named it, because it's like a fake Roomba).

Watching Froomba take its fledgling flight last night, and then returning itself to recharge at its little recharging station, only reinforced my conviction that robots will take over the earth some day. I think this is how they are starting their revolution. "Hey, let's put our small robot children in everyone's homes. Under the guise of cleaning it, they will use their laser beam eyes to learn the layout of each home." Beep bop boop beep - aaaand Robot Armageddon.

Worldwide robot takeover aside, I think I love our new little Froomba . Froomba is seriously entertaining, and once the dogs start freaking out a little less about it, I think he (she?...for the sake of this blog let's say he) will become a part of our family.

(Sidenote: While typing this, the husband called and said Froomba got stuck in a room. He must have went in the room, starting working, and accidentally shut the door behind him. I must be a total freak, because that actually made me feel bad - THE ROBOTS ARE ALREADY TOYING WITH MY EMOTIONS!).

Happy Thursday everyone!

Biscotti Shmishmotti

2011-03-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll. I do not normally condone the eating of biscotti in my life (it's not so much a moral decision, as a I-like-the-roof-of-my-mouth-and-don't-like-super-dry-and-crumbly-food-pretending-to-be-cookies decision), but today I have made an exception.

A lovely co-worker of mine (whose cute blog can be found here) made and brought in a basket of biscotti and I am not exaggerating when I say it's the best I've had. If you want to try and make actual edible biscotti, you can try her Tasty Biscotti recipe too!

Thanks Anne!

(I hope she doesn't mind I used this image from her blog, listed above) :-)

Great Expectations

2011-02-23T18:02:00.000-08:00

I do not enjoy being let down. I mean, nobody likes to be disappointed, but it is really one of my biggest pet peeves.* If you say you are going to do something (like call), and then don’t – it’s not cool. Please don’t tell me you will be somewhere and then not show up, or flake at the last minute. Not. Cool.**

Also, if you plan something with me and then back out at the last minute, I will be sad and frustrated, and I’ll probably take it personally because I’m crazy like that. But that’s just who I am. When what I expect to happen doesn’t happen, I ever so slightly self-destruct.

So maybe that’s why I’m having such a hard time with my dad’s recent surgery…

Last week my dad had his prostate removed (due to prostate cancer, not just for funsies), and it was supposed to be a somewhat “routine” surgery – as routine as a surgery to remove prostate cancer can be... But when it turned out to be not-so routine, and they had to cut him open to fix something - that was not what I was expecting. His extra pain and recovery time weren’t something I was expecting either. This surgery was supposed to remove all the cancer so he wouldn’t have to have any follow-up radiation. So when I found out this morning that he probably will have to have radiation for some bits of cancer still there, my expectations once again took a blow. Basically I thought he was going to go in for a somewhat routine surgery to have his prostate removed, and then he’d be in bed for a few weeks recovering, and that would be that. But it turns out his surgery had complications, his recovery has been tougher than expected, and he’s going to have to go in for additional treatment once he heals. Now that’s a bummer. I probably shouldn’t have expected it to go as smoothly as I did. But it’s not like I was going to mope around, expecting the worst (which granted I DO have a tendency to do sometimes).

So while I still remain optimistic, I feel totally bummed out about the situation. I think I just need to shift my expectations – or better yet maybe not have any – and see what happens. I feel confident I can still remain positive, but still not ASSUME it will all be a piece of cake. And I’m always thankful I believe in a power greater than I, who I can talk to about my worries and concerns. He is bigger than all of it.

Thanks for listening… I’ll try to not make the next post such a BUMMER!!

*One would think that because bailing on something bothers me so much, I’d be careful to not do it to others, but I’m just as guilty about it.

**Obviously if something serious came up, I would of course understand. I’m talking more petty things here.

Turns Out, I'm Impatient

2011-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

As I was standing at the front door, I joking told my husband to hurry up and unlock it. Well, like half jokingly. Or at least like 75% jokingly. Point it, he said I was an impatient person. Not that I was being impatient, but that I was an impatient person. Like that's who I am - that's a personality trait of mine. And I was like, I have patience all the time with people.... But... Just because I am showing patience on the outside doesn't necessarily mean that's how I feel inside...

And then it started to sink in.

I am an impatient person.

It's sorta weird to make a discovery about yourself when you think you have yourself all figured out. I'm not sure I have always been this way, but I am certain of it now that I am.

In most situations, I can fake patience pretty well - which is especially necessary in my line of work (TV). But even though I keep an even tone in my voice (and emails), it doesn't mean I'm not occasionally raging on the inside. Which sometimes I am. But I bet you'd never know it.

Here are some examples of my crazy:

- When I get food to-go/takeout, I can hardly wait to get home and eat it... even if I'm not hungry. If it's something I can easily get into (like fries or chips or something) I WILL start eating it. Stopping somewhere after getting food to bring home is never an option. And if does happen, you'll hear me passive aggressively talking about how my food won't be warm enough/cold enough/good enough when I get home.

((why am I even blogging about this??))

- You might as well give me the keys to the door because if I have to wait for you (Mr. Blogging Bloggerton) to open the door, I will NOT be happy about it. Same applies to both unlocking and locking the car doors.

- Driving? Forgetaboutit

- If I see more than 8 seconds of a commercial, I wonder why we aren't skipping over them - I mean, what's the point of having a DVR if you can't skip over the commercials?? (Oh, you mean I shouldn't complain about commercials because that's what the hubs does for a living, and what pays the mortgage? Oops.)

But I think that when it comes to having patience with myself, well, I'm at my worst. I have very little patience for myself. As I'm sure I've said before, if I can't get something right the first time (or right away), then I may as well stop trying because I have no patience to wait until I get it right. Well, unless we're talking about Angry Birds. Because that I'll try over and over and well, sometimes getting 3 stars is IMPOSSIBLE SO FREAKING FORGET ABOUT IT!

There are more examples I could get into, but I'm sure I've lost you by now anyway. Who wants to read about someone else's baggage? Wait isn't that why we watch reality TV? Anyway, it's just weird to realize something like that about yourself. But I guess it's good because then you can work on it. Which I will patiently do for the next 30 years. But then you can forget about me even pretending to be patient, because that's what being old is for right?

That Time I Met Pioneer Woman

2011-02-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

Or, What I Can Now Cross Off My Bucket List

So, as you may have heard me obsessively Facebooking/Tweeting/Talking (talking is so 2000andlate, by the way) about, I MET THE PIONEER WOMAN.

No, we did not walk away into the sunset as BFFs like in my imagination, but I am still super glad I got to meet her, and have her sign my books. I brought my Black Heels to Tractor Wheels book and my PW Cookbook, which you may know looks like this:

Bad dogs! I threw away the cover, and figured PW could just sign it and it would be as good as new.
So anyway, I had arranged to have someone who was already in the area reserve a wristband for me in the morning (thank you Mike Lee!!). So after work I met him near the corner of Hollywood and Highland to pick it up, and "raced" to the Grove (in case you don't know, it is sorta impossible to "race" anywhere in Hollywood). I got there just in time to line up with the hundreds of other people waiting to get a taste of P-Dub.

Waiting in a bookstore is kinda cool because you get to look at all sorts of books and stuff while you're standing there. Including super educational material, like this:

I feel like all the answers to life's greatest mysteries are held in that calendar...

So the time was approaching... Would she notice I wore the boots she wears? Would she noticed I dressed up as my own version of Pioneer Woman? What would I say? Would I thank her for coming out? Thank her for the pounds I've gained from her recipes??

Uh oh, think fast, it's almost my turn!!

So I walked up, took a photo, and then made small talk with her (bless her heart she made small talk with every single person there).

I remember something about telling her I live by the airport, how I am on her website every day, and I think I even showed her a picture of my dog on my phone (to show just WHO ate my cookbook cover). So to answer your question, yes, I sounded like a total dork. I mean, I've met legit celebs, and a blogger from Oklahoma is what made me so nervous? Yes, yes she does. But I still love her.

... Apparently not enough to remember to bring a real camera though. So thanks to my iPhone and a cool ap, this was my favorite photo takeaway.

THE END

Sneak Peek

2011-02-07T20:54:00.001-08:00

More to come... But yes... My life is complete (and my feet are pooped)

My Bday Came Early

2011-02-04T21:01:00.000-08:00

Josh gave me my present early (like weeks early). I lurve it.

Commuter Cup Etiquette

2011-02-03T17:37:00.000-08:00

(or, How I Manage To Ruin The Environment While Trying To Help It)

Confession: I have 4 Starbucks "Travel Tumblers" (aka cold cups), 2 Starbucks commuter mugs, 1 Coffee Bean "Ice Blended Cup" (aka cold cup), and 2 Coffee Bean commuter mugs. So yeah, I've got a problem.

And my problem is NOT that I have an excessive amount of reusable cups (that's the paper cup making company's problem, not MINE), but that I never have the right one for the occasion. Meaning, when I'm at Coffee Bean, I never have my Coffee Bean cups. When I'm at Starbucks, all I've got are my Coffee Bean cups. And Peet's? Forget it, I got nothin'.

And because I'm a crazy person, I don't feel like I can stroll on into Coffee Bean and hand them my Starbucks tumbler. The gasps! The looks of disdain! The inevitable spit in my drink! Or at least that's how it plays out in my mind.

So instead of insult the baristas and bring dishonor to their families, I opt to ruin the environment. Because I'm crazy. Soooo sorry polar bears who have no ice to float on - maybe I'll start buying generic cups to keep in my car. Or maybe you should just get some of those arm floaties little kids use. We'll see who breaks first.

*No polar bears were harmed in the making of this blog post

This is about to happen

2011-02-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

Go carts. Oh man.

Drool...

2011-02-01T20:09:00.001-08:00

Say CHEESE!

2011-02-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

... just don't say "queso"...

Lunch Date

2011-01-22T13:33:00.000-08:00

At the beach. Hi beach, it's been a while. Far too long in fact. Nice to see you again.

If I Wasn't So Lazy

2011-01-18T16:35:00.000-08:00

... maybe I'd start a business selling desserts. Primarily cake pops.

As I've said before, the amazingly talented Bakerella deserves all the credit for the idea behind these delicious and cute treats. They are so well-received everywhere I go, and I almost always credit Ms. Bakerella for the inspiration (I say almost always, because my mom taught me not to talk to strangers... but giving them desserts is somehow fine).

Today I had at least 8 different people tell me I should sell cake pops. I always brush it off when people say this, but secretly, I think it would be awesome. However. There are several things holding me back, like:

1) My kitchen is WAY too small for a large (or even medium) scale production

2) I feel weird charging money for something I've made, since I'm not a professional

3) What if, God forbid, a dog hair were to find its way into one of them... mortifying (and completely unacceptable)

4) I'm lazy

5) I'm too chicken to take a chance

6) I fear failure

Yeah, so those last 3 are probably the biggest obstacles in my way. I mean, it's a lot of work to not only MAKE the product, but also market it, figure out how much to charge, etc. And making something, and then trying to sell it, leaves you very vulnerable. And vulnerability and Kellie do not go well together. Have I ever told you that if I am not excellent at something I try the first time, I will stop trying (or at least look like I'm not trying), so as not to be left vulnerable, and open to ridicule?

Well I'm not that way, so don't worry about it...

I think I need to go and look up some inspirational speeches or something. Maybe this (ugh, really commercial before the video?!) will help me get motivated to reach for the stars!

You Can't Have Your Privacy & Eat It Too

2011-01-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

I think we (notice I say WE) suffer from a strange dichotomy of wanting absolute privacy, but also wanting everyone to know exactly what we’re doing at every moment of every day.

People worry about phones being tapped by the government, and their bodies being scanned at the airport, but willingly post photos of themselves drunk and half naked at a party on Twitter. They cry “injustice!” when Facebook changes a privacy setting, yet choose to share their phone number, email address, birthday, and where they currently are at that very moment, with the world.

Okay, I know it’s not really the same thing. I know it’s more a matter of us choosing to share certain info, and not having it usurped and shared by strangers. But you’ve gotta admit, it is sort of a strange culture we live in, where we rage against privacy infringement (seriously Gmail, your super targeted ads freak me out), yet let everyone on their social network know they’ll be at The Draft bar in Studio City tonight at 6:30pm for a birthday party... Just… as… an example…

(photo linked from here)

Hi My Name Is Kellie, And I Have Resolutions

2011-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Because admitting you have a problem is the first step to changing, I present to you a very sloppily compiled list of New Years’ Resolutions….

1. Eat better

2. Exercise more

3. Lose at least 10 lbs (see #1 & #2)

4. Blog more (please take a moment to appreciate my consistency here)

5. Read and live out the Word more

6. Be more positive, more often

7. Be less lazy (it’s all starting to make sense, isn’t it)

8. Stay in touch with people better (have I even mentioned I’m terrible about calling people back)

9. Use less parentheses (just kidding, but seriously, I use a lot of parentheses)

10. Stick to my resolutions

So yeah, I’d say that honestly I’m off to a slow start. But, it’s still January (1/11/11!) so I’m being “more positive”, and thinking that just maybe I’ll be able to stick to these.

…Cut to me in September 400 lbs and this as my only blog entry…

Ack, that’s NOT abiding by #6! One day at a time, one day at a time…

A Rant About My Mom

2011-01-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

When she found out I was resolute to blog more this year, my mom basically said "great, but no rants about me". Well TOO BAD mom – this rant's for YOU!

- because of my mother, I will NEVER forget to bring a jacket

- my mom has been known to use the phrase “put on blast” … even I’m not cool enough to use that phrase, but I think by saying that, I have in turn, put her on blast?

- my mom is, has always been, and always will be 36 years old (at least that’s what I’m told)

- my mother and I have had a long standing agreement that I will support her in her old age, but since she is perpetually stuck at 36, I’ve got some time

- my mom’s tacos are the bomb, and if you disagree, I’ll put you on blast (see, it just doesn’t sound right when I say it)

- my mom has always taken care of me with unconditional love

- my mother has turned me into a relentless bargain shopper

- my mom has been known to bust out a little Aretha at karaoke (and drag her daughter into it with her)

Okay, I think that’s all the ranting one woman can take for a day. Plus I really gotta ease back into this blogging thing. I think I just pulled a thumb muscle (have I ever told you about my tiny thumbs? another time…).

Peace out blogland!

PS – I love my mom

I Humbly Return

2011-01-06T17:52:00.000-08:00

With much fear and trepidation, I return to you, oh Blogland.

I haven't blogged (really blogged) in what seems like 649 years. It's been so long that I'm almost scared to even go and look at all the blog entries from other people that I've missed. I'm sorry, blog friends, for being so disconnected. You are all diligent, rockstar bloggers - I'm not worthy, I'm not woooorthy!!

At the risk of boring you with lots of details, everything is going well. The dogs are well (and still into every freaking type of trouble a dog can get into when left alone in a kitchen during the day), the hubs is well (still kicking a$$ and taking names at work), and I am well (all 800 lbs of me).

In conclusion, New Years Resolution #4: blog more. I can't tell you what the first 3 are, but yes, they involve food.

Much Love! Oh, and Happy New Year (I spent mine at a bowling alley, how about you?)!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

Here's what it looks like when you go to the bowling alley by your house to ring in the new year.

What Josh bought

2010-12-27T19:34:00.001-08:00

With the petsmart gift card. He's been wanting one of these doggie life vests, but due to their complete impracticality for us, I've always said no. So he finally got to get one. Molly is clearly none too pleased...

We Love Our Dogs

2010-12-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

... We really do.

Flat Apple Pie

2010-11-29T23:12:00.001-08:00

A la PW of course... Jackie and I made it, and well, you can see how it went over. :)

How We Cool Hard Boiled Eggs

2010-11-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

Big Bear style.
Btw, facebook isn't letting me upload photos, hence all the blog updates.

1st Peppermint Mocha of the Season

2010-11-25T11:33:00.001-08:00

It's a tradition for me to wait until Thanksgiving to have a delicious peppermint mocha from the 'bux.

It's cold in Big Bear

2010-11-24T19:47:00.001-08:00

See

What's Better Than A Starbucks Red Cup?

2010-11-13T15:32:00.001-08:00

My name spelled correctly on one. :)

Only at the 99 cent store

2010-11-12T17:36:00.001-08:00

No it's not blurry because I had a few... I was embarrassed to take the photo...

1st ornament of the season

2010-11-12T11:21:00.001-08:00

I'm obsessed with these. Now all I need is a coffee bean one, and I'll have the trifecta!

My husband loves me

2010-11-09T23:12:00.001-08:00

(ps- hi Vanessa)

New Favorite Wall Hooks

2010-10-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you Ikea, the dogs leashes will go nicely here.

Flowers Make Me Happy

2010-10-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

Eyebrows

2010-10-02T21:26:00.001-07:00

Almost every time I go get my eyebrows waxed, whoever is waxing them tells me I have great eyebrows. Like they have a good natural shape and length... But then they always yell at me for over plucking the middle. So I think they must just tell me that so I'll be flattered and keep going to them. Anyone else get this?

Distracted while driving

2010-09-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Bald Spot

2010-09-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

So the nether regions missing hair I understand (hasn't all grown back since she was shaved to be spayed)... But the bald spot on her stomach? Why? Molly is the one that gets dragged around by Dot in her stomach. Why does this dog have a giant bald spot on her stomach??

Blog, It's Not You, It's Me

2010-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

Geez it's been a long time since I've actually blogged more than just a random photo from my iPhone. I've been so dang busy. And now there's all sorts of new TV on, so you know that takes priority in my life (no really it does, I haven't been getting to bed until much later than a responsible person would).

And hey guess what, this post is going to be pretty much about nothing. Except for a few random things. Like:

- I took at class at 24 Hour Fitness called "Dance With Me", which sounds lame - except it was taught by Billy Blanks Jr. and his wife, and was a really weird but fun class where we had dance battles and did the AfriCanCan... so that happened

- It's my husband's birthday on Monday and I bought him a big freaking TV for it because I love him (and because what do you buy the man that has everything already... and was probably going to buy himself one anyway)

- Dot's doing well (she even graduated from her training class...barely...) - here are some photos

- I'm going to eat an expensive cheeseburger tonight from Houston's Mmmmmm

- I also took a pilates class at 24 Hour Fitness with someone nicknamed The Pilates Nazi... and now I know why

- Screw you Angry Birds ap (the sequel to why I've been staying up too late)

That's all I got for now. Sorry for only giving it like 70%, but I can't bring myself to be on a computer any longer than I have to today. Gooooooooo weekend!

Color Me Mug

2010-09-19T12:06:00.001-07:00

My masterpiece from color me mine. It sorta represents my life - I live by the beach, my life is ruled by my dogs, and I'm always driving somewhere so I need my drinks to go (it's a commuter mug). Wish I had more time to work on it, but it's not too shabby.

Lovers & Fighters

2010-09-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

2 things

2010-09-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

1) I'm posting this at 7:30pm on my blog, and am curious as to when it will post to Facebook.
2) look what came in the mail today - YAY! Many late nights ahead...

Before & After

2010-08-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Before

After

I WIN

Summer sky

2010-08-25T19:59:00.001-07:00

Um, it's a little warm here

2010-08-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

2010 Reunion

2010-08-12T12:24:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

I Need This In My Life

2010-08-10T16:12:00.001-07:00

Park!

2010-08-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks Facebook

2010-07-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

Just in case you were wondering,

Why 30 Rock Is Amazing

2010-07-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

How We Torture Our Dog

2010-07-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Part ... I've lost count. It's the Dot edition!

Weather Snapshot

2010-07-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering what the weather is gonna be like tomorrow in the Valley.

Friends & Donuts

2010-07-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

Our friends Kevin and Ruth joined us at a concert last night (Tyrone Wells), and stayed over. They're home from China where they've been teaching English. Naturally we wanted them to have a nutritious breakfast this morning so we took them to stans donuts in Westwood (thanks to the rec of christy). It was a delicious donut double date. Except for the part where I ate so much I wanted to throw up. Worth it!

Kauai Blog Part I - Zipline Trip

2010-07-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

Aloha. So wow, this post is way overdue, so let's get straight to it. I thought rather than try to do this chronologically, I would just highlight some of the most fun parts of our recent vacation to Kauai. Because who really wants to hear every single detail about someone else's vacation... So with that I bring you Part I - Zipline Trip.

The first thing we had to do was figure out how to use these weird bags... We really did try. But ended up having to ask one of the guides, and felt totally lame when we realized all you had to do was fold it over. But moving along.

Here's me looking strangely confident considering I was about to hike through the jungle in water shoes and then zip down a 1800 ft. zipline. But whatevs.

Here are some douchebags I was worried were going to ruin the trip. They didn't ruin it, but man were they ANNOYING. "We're from Texas and we're gonna be loud and obnoxious and pretend we know everything and we're even gonna splash the old lady kayaking with our paddles blaaaaaaahhhh". Okay moving on. We stayed as far away from them as possible.

So after kayaking down the river, we hiked through the jungle for a bit.

Please note my lack of Vietcong/'nam jokes.

We finally got to this tractor and hopped on board to ride through a ranch.

We also drove by a small crew area for Pirates of the Carribean, which they were apparently filming there at the time.

So along we went. Lots of pretty views. Here's one.

Okay so here's me looking a little less confident, as we suited up for the scary wobbly bridge we had to cross, which I felt was worse (fear-wise) than ziplining.

So finally we got to the part where we actually ziplined, but since I had already crossed this freaky bridge, I was a little less scared. But I was still kinda freaked out. Can't you tell by my super serious expression?

We've got some fun video of the actual zipline down, but I don't have it here to upload. So you'll just have to cry yourself to sleep knowing you missed out on it today.

Alright so after this zipline we went up to the next one. It was a huge tandem zipline that was apparently 1800' long. And what's the best thing to do before going down a huge zipline? Eat lunch. So that's what we did.

Again, no fun actual zipping-on-the-line photos (since we were taking video), but believe me when I tell you it was amazing. The Man even took the opportunity to hang upside down when he went. Crazy person.

Just when you thought we couldn't possible zipline any more, BOOM, zipline into the WATER. But we weren't hooked up for this one. This was more of a 'hold on to a stick and drop down into the water' zipline. Which normally I would not be having any part of. But I had just gone across a wobbly bridge. And ziplined down TWO different lines over the jungle. So what was a little dropping into a bottomless pit of water to me?

And I'm glad I did it. So yeah, it was a pretty darn fun adventure. It was through this company, and I would highly recommend it. It was cool to be able to kayak, hike, zipline, and swim all in one trip. I hope you have enjoyed the first (very brief and rushed) installment. Second one to come soon hopefully. I know you'll wait with bated breath...

Here's what happens

2010-07-07T22:51:00.000-07:00

When you get all "Oooh I've been chopping veggies for 2 minutes now without cutting myself with my new fancy kniiiife...". So yeah, thats a small piece of my nail and finger cut off. Ps-I shouldn't be left alone with knives.

Nerd Alert

2010-07-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

photo booth fun in kauai

Sneak Preview

2010-07-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to get the rest of my billion photos uploaded...

The Notorious D.O.T.

2010-06-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

I know you are all waiting with uncontrollable anticipation for my blog about our trip to Kauai... but here's the thing... we adopted a dog on Sunday. Newly adopted dog = where all my time and energy is now going. Let me back up.

The man and I had been considering getting another dog so Molly could have a friend to play with during the day while we are at work. We've been patrolling sites like: Independent Labrador Retriever Rescue of Socal, Labradors and Friends Dog Rescue Group, Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue, and Labrador Rescuers (can you tell we were looking for another lab). So we've been checking these sites religiously every day (okay, like 2 - 10 times a day), and have been waiting for just the right dog. We wanted a black, female, English lab that was about 1-3 years old. These are very specific perameters to set when you're trying to rescue a dog, so any time one would show up that looked like it fit, we'd pounce. We inquired about 2, but by the time we asked about them, they already had adoptions pending. All that to say, if you are interested in a lab they post, you gotta act FAST.

Cut to our amazing vacation in Kauai last week (........ let me pause for a moment to remember........ahhhh......). While we were there, we continued to patrol those site, and came across a gal named Sadie (which is also the name of one of my mom's dogs). She was pretty darn cute, and seemed to fit what we were looking for (though we weren't sure if she was English and she was a little older than we wanted - but really how picky can you be). We sent them an email to let them know we were interested, but because we were out of town, we couldn't go down and meet her right away... And thus I kept my expectations low. I didn't want to get excited over nothing, so I didn't REALLY start preparing for the fact that this dog might some time soon be ours. Like, for reals ours. No givesie backsies.

The last day of our vacation we checked in again to see if she was still available. She was, but there was going to be an adoption fair on Sunday at 9:30am in San Diego. Here's the thing. We were scheduled to get in at LAX on a red eye Sunday morning at 6:15. So while driving down to San Diego right after getting home on a red eye I didn't sleep at all on (which is what happens when you sit in the second to last seat in the back by the galley and the restroom and there's a guy hacking up his lung in front of you) with our current lab in tow didn't seem like the awesomest idea, we did it any way.

We got there, and I was overwhelmed. This dog was certainly cute, but I wasn't sure she liked me. And I wasn't completely connecting. But I had also been awake for 30 hours. So nothing was really connecting for me. But Josh was convinced, and Molly didn't seem to hate her. So we pulled the trigger and took her home with us. For keepsies.

Sadie is now Dot, and seems to be adjusting pretty well. She jumps up (hello busted nose), is excitable, doesn't really walk well on a leash or know any commands like the write-up says, but man is she sweet. I'm not sure I've ever seen her tail stop wagging. And she's completely made herself at home (which is nice, since I guess she was a yard dog, and seems like she was probably sorta neglected).

Am I still overwhelmed? You betcha. Am I 100% convinced it was the right thing to do? To be completely honest, not yet, but I'm getting there. It still sorta feels like we're watching someone else's dog. But with time, I KNOW I will be at that 100%. And once she completely heals from getting spayed and can play freely with us and Molly, I know I'll stop worrying as much, and she'll be a Fell/Pants before we know it.

Contra Flow

2010-06-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

A big fat Kauai blog is to come, but I had to do a quicky to show you
the "contra flow" of traffic that occurs in the morning on the island.
We were confused at first, but eventually embraced josh's part English
side, and drove on the "wrong" side of the road. The other pics are a
"tree tunnel" we drove thru (which was extra cool cuz we saw it on the
helicopter tour first). Ok, flights taking off to go home. Aloha y'all.

What We Drink On Vaca

2010-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

I like drinks that taste like bread (ie: beer). Josh prefers anything
with an umbrella in it.

Are you in the mood...

2010-06-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

For some pancakes? The guy on the back of the bathroom door wants to
know.

We may never leave...

2010-06-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

2 words: fan-cy. Wolf and sub zero appliances. Nice stone work and
huge tub... So yeah, might just move in full time.

Starting Off On A Mature Note

2010-06-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

There is sure to be more where that came from.

Reason #842037 Why Costco Rules

2010-06-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

3 Words: Hyatt Gift Certificates

My friends, if you are going somewhere awesome like this:

(That would be the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, where yours truly will be next week)

Then you should definitely invest in some of these:

(That would be a $50 gift certificate to the Hyatt, which you can buy 2 of for $80 at Costco ... go ahead and do the math... you save 20%).

Thus a $1000 hotel stay will actually cost you $800. I mean, it couldn't be easier to save some $$... And when you're staying at the Hyatt, any way you can save money is awesome.

BTW - I can't freaking wait to go on vacation next week! Agh!!

The Many Faces of MP

2010-06-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

She's a nut.

World Cup Shmorld Shmup

2010-06-12T21:41:00.001-07:00

Me: I think there should be 2 goalies
Husband: it's already hard enough to score
Me: it just seems really stressful
Husband: (silence)

Summertime Purse

2010-06-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Target. $10. Woo hoo!

Mom's Bday = Cinnamon Roll Extravaganza

2010-06-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend was my mom's birthday. She turned 37. Okay, not really. But we have a longstanding joke that she's always been 36. Anyway, here are some fun pics from the day. Naturally, we made Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, so there was a TON.

If I've never mentioned it, my mom's the best. And I'm sure you might disagree that YOUR mom is the best. But really you're wrong, because mine is.

Okay okay, I know that's not fair. So I'll just leave it at saying she's the best mom I could ask for. We've been through some tough times together, but through it all we've remained best friends. And I know if she's reading this right now, she's probably crying, so I'll stop. :) Love ya momala.

How We Torture Out Dog, Part III

2010-05-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Or, "Pants on the Pants"

(yes, said in the cadence of "Pants on the Ground" - thank you Ali for making me realize I should make it clearer that this was the joke ;))

The fact that this "segment" has 3 parts already is a little alarming, but here's the thing...

PUTTING OUR CLOTHES ON MOLLY PANTS IS FREAKING HILARIOUS

And you know it!

So without further ado, I bring you: Pants on the Pants (okay more accurately, Shorts on the Pants).

I kinda think she looks like a seal in the last one. I know I don't have many photos, but as you can imagine, she wasn't as big a fan as we were about her wearing my workout shorts.

How I Know My Husband Loves Me

2010-05-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

As you may have heard, I've been obsessing over these lately

And I'm not even a shoe person. Pioneer Woman had written a blog post about them (this one), and after I read it, and realized I ~~want to be just like her~~ had no boots, the obsession started. I mean, the woman not only works on a ranch, but also travels the country for book signings, and if she can vouch that these suckers don't make her feet want to fall off, then I have to believe that they won't kill the feet of this sandals/Converse wearing girl.

Anyway, I've been checking this discounted shoe website every day (okay every hour), but alas, they haven't been on there. And there was ABSOLUTELY no way I was going to pay full price for these beauties. Because as purdy as they are, I've never paid more than about $80-$100 for shoes (and those were good running shoes).

I think I MAYBE sent a link to the Man, saying something like "look how pretty these are, don't worry, I'll never buy them", and that was the most I had said anything to him. But he's sneaky, and took it upon himself to surprise me with a pair for our 5 year anniversary we just celebrated over the weekend. I was SHOCKED! And I'm hard to surprise. He was surprised that I was surprised because he thought I'd been dropping hints for him to get them for me. On the contrary, I really had no intention of getting them, or having him get them for me. But he did. Because he's awesome.

Oh, you know what I got him? A big box of nothing, because I'm lame. We don't normally do gifts. Plus he's the hardest person to shop for, because if he wants something, he'll just buy it. And he's all into crap that's impossible to buy anyway (like speakers and headphones and tv/stereo equipment). He'll just have to settle for my undying love and devotion. And maybe some cake pops. :)

On My Mind...

2010-05-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

A list of things that have been on my mind:

1) Whenever there's no traffic, or no line at Starbucks, I always think to myself "did the rapture start without me?". I mean, if the rapture really was happening, and I was still around, that would be a problem... I blame Mike Seaver and those Left Behind movies for putting thoughts like this in my head. Okay, really I'm 98% joking...

(+)

2) I don't understand why drivers who are in the wrong get mad at you. For instance, on Monday I pulled up behind a guy at a red light. He was like 2 car lengths from the crosswalk with nobody in front of him, and I realized it was because he had stopped to talk to a guy in a car in the turn lane to the left. "Surely he'll move when the light turns green," I naively thought. Well, when he didn't, I honked. He looked up, saw the light was green, and turned back to talk to the guy in the turn lane. Really dude? You're going to stop traffic while you talk to the guy next to you? So I honked again (just a quick honk, nothing obnoxious like laying on my horn). So he finishes up his conversation and floors it, only to slam on his brakes. As if he were trying to make me run into him? Then he sticks his hand out the window, flips me off, and then guns it forward again. I was baffled. Did you really just stop traffic to talk to someone in the next lane over, ignore the green light, and then flip me off because I had the AUDACITY to honk?! It was so ridiculous, that I had to laugh. I pulled up behind him at the next red light, and was visibly laughing (which he hopefully found annoying). I know if I'm angry at someone, and they laugh at me, it's about the worst thing you can do. I've also had a guy GET OUT OF HIS CAR ON AN OFF RAMP to yell at me because I shook my fist at him (like an angry old man) when HE CUT ME OFF. What is wrong with people??

3) Piece of advice: If you really really want to be on a show, and you apply for it, be sure to spell the name of the person who took your application correctly. If I was applying to be on 30 Rock (I know it doesn't work that way, but still...), I would definitely not spell Ann's name "Anne" or Kathy's name "Cathy". And I certainly wouldn't spell Kellie's name "Kelly".

4) Is it Friday yet?

5) I want these boots. And no, it's not just because the Pioneer Woman said they're her favorite boots. Okay, well that certainly doesn't HURT, but I don't have a nice pair of boots. Or really any boots for that matter. Problem is, they are almost $300, which is $200 more than I've ever paid for shoes. Why buy these beautiful, multi-functioning boots when I can take Molly to the vet 2 times instead? Doesn't that sound WAY more fun?

I think I'll end it there, while I drool over these boots. Which is weird, because I'm TOTALLY not a shoe person (on any given day you'll find me wearing either my Rainbow Sandals, or my Converse). Oh well, a girl can dream...

PS (AKA #6) - Glee was pretty good last night, if not a bit cheesy/After School Special in parts. Joss Whedon directing + Neil Patrick Harris = way to kick it up a notch Glee. And no, those weren't tears in my eyes when Rachel and her mom were singing together. I just happened to have something wet in my eye that ran down my face....and I was chopping onions earlier than evening... (sniff) ....

Swagbucks - AKA Free Stuff

2010-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

And who doesn't love free stuff?

I signed up for Swagbucks a bit ago, and have already earned over 1,000 "swagbucks". You earn "swagbucks" by using their search engine (so when I want to get to blogger or twitter, I just type it in their search engine instead of clicking on a bookmarked link). There's other stuff you can do too (like take surveys I think), but I haven't really done those.

So basically, you get these "swagbucks", and once you get a certain amount, you can redeem them for things - from something small like a Starbucks gift card (like my pal Katie), or something bigger like a camera.

I know, it sorta seems like a weird scam. But since the lovely and aforementioned Katie told me that she's actually redeemed hers for Starbucks gift cards... and since I've been doing it for a few months now with no insane computer virus or extra spam emails... I would say it's rather legit.

If you wanna sign up, I ask that you pleeeease use this referral link, so I can get a few more sweet 'bucks. I know I know, a referral link to sign up for something? Sounds even MORE like a scheme! But it's not! Pinkie promise. Here's the link: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/kjb2052

Yay free crap!!

Our Alleged Apricot Tree

2010-05-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Turns out the MLS sheet wasn't lying, and one of the trees out back is
an apricot tree. It didn't produce anything last year, but look what's
going on up there now. Guess I'll have to learn to like apricots.

Bamboozled, The Sequel

2010-05-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

Now, a proper sequel would be the progress of the bamboo. Not just more photos of us planting the bamboo. But here's the thing - I took the time to take these off my camera, and I'll feel like I wasted a half hour of my life if I don't share them. Even if they're super boring. In the great and prolific words of Taylor from Kid Nation: "DEAL WITH IT!".

First, we start with a blank slate (which means digging out all the existing plants and trees, which Molly has slowly been "helping" us with for the past year).

Don't. Even. Think about it.

The poles are there because, as you'll see, it was necessary to put up a fence so a certain precarious lab with a taste for trees and sticks and anything you're trying to grow wouldn't destroy our hundreds-of-dollars-effort.

Not now Molly, we've got bamboo to plant!

Phew! Are we done yet? No? We have to put them in the ground? Are you sure?? Okay...

1 down, 9 to go. Molly, don't you even think about it! Molly. Molly! MOLLY!!

What mom??

Don't. You. Even. THINK. About it.

But remember when you did this to me?

Yes, but remember when you did THIS to me?

and THIS

Yeah, but I was just a little poob...remember how cute I was?

Oh man, that last picture snapped me back into reality, and what this post is about... because the picture above was the beginning of the end for our planter box. And speaking of the planter box, here it is with all the bamboo planted (and back to the decent-quality photos).

(over expose much?)

And then we ruined all the prettiness with a fence...

So that's about it. I hope you've enjoyed this totally un-informative, digressive post about the bamboo we planted. We haven't managed to kill it yet (probably because I am not the one taking care of it). And Molly has only attacked it a few times. All-in-all, pretty successful. :)

Something's Wrong Here

2010-05-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

At least they're baked... But still...

How we torture our dog, part 2

2010-05-02T18:03:00.001-07:00

Or is it 3? Anyway, here's the latest. Notice the look of utter
disdain in her face.

Don't Believe The Hype

2010-04-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

The Grilled Cheese Invitational hype, that is...

Rather than re-hash the same story I've been telling all day, I'll link you to le blog of my friend Ali.

Read what she thought here.

Spoiler alert: It wasn't nearly as awesome as one would think. But that didn't stop me from taking and sharing some cheesy pics (yuck yuck yuck):

Relationships Are Like Real Estate

2010-04-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

The other day some co-worker gals and I made a long-awaited trip to.... drumroll please....

THE GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK!

It's basically what it sounds like - a truck that goes around the city, grilling up delicious melty sandwiches for purchase.

And as you would imagine, it draws quite a crowd. Even on gray, drizzly Tuesdays.
So while we were waiting there in line, the idea of relationships being like real estate came up (I'm not sure how it came about, I was too busy stressing about what cheesy melty concoction I would consume). And because I was sort of out of it, I don't really remember what they talked about, or the comparisons that were made. But I got back to my desk, and started thinking about how they really ARE similar, in that boyfriends are like renting an apartment, and husbands are like buying a house. So, with that logic...

* around your late 20's / early 30's, you become readier to commit
* you spend a lot of time and energy looking for just the right/perfect one, but sometimes you settle for the one that just seems to work the best
* when you are "renting", there's not a whole lot you can get away with changing, but once you "own", you can start to customize, and make it the way you want it
* it can be frustrating "throwing your money away" on a rental
* today's "For Sale" sign is a "single" status on Facebook

I'm not even sure that last one makes sense. It's the end of the day on Friday, and by now 85% of my brain has checked out. And the other 15% (aside from doing that math just now) is daydreaming about tomorrow's Grilled Cheese Invitational. And yes, I was just at a grilled cheese truck, but so what, I love bread, butter, and cheese, so this is basically the best week of my life. You know who's not having a great week? My arteries. And my cholesterol. And probably Matt & Trey Parker.

That Baby Smell

2010-04-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

A quick, humorous story for your Monday....

On Saturday my sister, her husband, and her new baby were in town from Texas, and came to my house to visit. My mom also came by, so there was a nice little group of us sitting around in my living room.

Though I am somewhat terrified of babies, and holding babies (for fear of breaking babies), I took little baby D and cradled her in my lap. People, this is a cute baby. Some babies look like aliens. Some babies look like little old men. But this is the "baby bear" of babies, and is juuuust right.

Anyway, I'm holding the little gal, and I notice a smell. Not quite a poopy smell, but a definite... interesting smell. But I figure it's that "baby smell" people are always swooning over. Everyone's always talking about that smell babies have, so I figured that's what I smelled. And I was NOT enjoying it.

I immediately thought something was wrong with me. How DARE I not like the baby smell! Does this mean I'm defunct? I already sorta worry that my biological clock hasn't kicked in yet... what if I don't ever want to have a kid? Especially if they smell like this!!

So this is all sorta going through my head, and my mom leans over, and takes a sniff. She takes a quick peek at the baby's diaper.

"Oooh, somebody needs a diaper change."

Cue my sigh of relief. I told my mom that I had thought that was just the infamous "baby smell" and she laughed so hard, I thought she was going to pass out. Then she told my sister and her husband, and everyone had a good laugh at the expense of my naivety... Even the baby was laughing. Okay, not really. But I bet she would have been had she been in on the joke.

Happiest...dog...ever

2010-04-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Gleecap, But Not Really

2010-04-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth with my millions and millions of readers, but I've decided to not continue one with my Gleecaps. Not because I'm lazy (I am), and not because I've been super busy (I have been), but because Glee no longer inspires me to blog about it.

That's not to say I don't still love the show, because I do.

I don't know exactly what it is about the show now, but I just don't get as excited as I used to. Granted, I did watch it after Lost this week, and anything after Lost sort of pales in comparison. Maybe Glee needs a smoke monster. But probably not, because it would just break out into an over-produced song that doesn't really fit the moment, and feels more like watching a music video... A smoke monster music video... Okay, THAT I would watch.

I will say that everything the blond cheerleader says cracks me up.

Brittany: "Did you know that dolphins are just gay sharks?"

And of course, Sue.

Sue: "You have enough product in your hair to season a wok."

Speaking of seasoning a wok - has anyone seen that new Jamie Oliver show? I think it's called Food Revolution. If you've watched it recently, you should get the wok reference. Anyway, good stuff...

You see, somehow I've managed to talk about 2 other shows, while trying to talk about Glee, so maybe that means Glee is leaving something to be desired.... Oh, and that reminds me, if you're not watching Modern Family, you are an idiot. I'm sorry, tough love. But it's true. Watch it. You'll thank me.

Maybe next week will inspire me to Gleecap. But for now, I'll just have to say "goodbye" to the weekly post. Get it? Because the theme was "hello" on the show. Yeah, you get it.

(photos from Fox's Glee site here)

Awwwkward

2010-04-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

So I'm at a macys that has a strong African American clientele,
sitting outside the dressing room waiting for the Man, and CNN is on
the tv. The awkward thing is that they're talking about the Civil War
and slavery and racism (in response to the gov in Virginia). And here
I am, a little white girl sitting here, as if I chose to watch this. I
think I just heard the phrase "cotton picking". They're getting riled
on CNN. Oh thank goodness he's done.

Homemade Pizza

2010-04-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

Mmmm... The sauce and pepperoni side is for the Man, and the other
half is mine!

Good Friday

2010-04-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

I know "Good Friday" sounds redundant (because isn't every Friday good?), but today is an extra Good Friday. Why, you ask?

Well, us Christians celebrate Good Friday because it marks the day Jesus was crucified. Which doesn't sound good at all, but it was, as Jay-Z would say, "so necessary". I know, I felt a little blasphemous about pairing a Jay-Z reference with JC too... But it was so necessary to fulfill several prophecies/scriptures, and so he could rise again. But that's Easter, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Anyway, I thought about trying to condense the story of Good Friday, but it's no easy task (oh the details Matt, Mark, Luke, and John must have had to leave out!). If you'd like to read the verses that pertain to the lead-up of Easter, you can go here. Turns out Easter's not just about bunnies and boiled eggs and super amazingly delicious Bordeaux eggs from See's Candy that are sitting at home waiting for you....

In chapter 20 in the book of Matthew, Jesus basically predicts his death to his disciples... and I think it actually sums up pretty quickly what went down that "Good Friday" all those years ago:

Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man [that's Jesus] will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”- Matthew 20: 17-19

Have a nice Good Friday everyone. :)

Carrot Cake

2010-04-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

I have a problem, and that problem is that I want to make EVERY SINGLE THING I see on Pioneer Woman's website. Luckily for my waistline, I don't. However, I found the idea of making a carrot cake both festive for Easter, and intriguing. And with that, I bring you this deliciousness.

Voila!

As usual, the photos suck, and are all over the place due to being uploaded directly to the blog. But the taste... the taste my friends is A-MA-ZING. And it's healthy... you know... cuz of the carrots. ;)

I'm Nobody's April Fool

2010-04-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

(+)

Here's the thing. I HATE looking stupid.

Zip it, Peanut Gallery!

Okay, I suppose I should clarify. I'm okay with looking stupid if it's on purpose. For example, sometimes I'll do the Running Man (or an equally silly dance) through the living room, as we watch TV... Or I'll repeat something someone says, but in a loud singing voice... In those cases, I realize I'm being an idiot, but it's alright, because I'm doing it to make someone laugh. And because let's face it, I can be a weirdo sometimes (the examples above are the tip of the ice berg, people).

But if I am unsuspectingly made a fool, oh man, that is so not cool. I remember back when I was in college, I was Instant Messaging with who I THOUGHT was my boyfriend (now husband), and I was telling him how proud I was of how well I had done at softball.

(Sidebar: Me telling him how well I did at softball also helps me make my point, because I normally won't try new things like softball because I fear I won't be awesome at them right away, and will thus look stupid. Sometimes I will even intentionally look like I'm not trying, so that way people don't think "wow, she sucks", instead they're like "ah, she's not taking it seriously, so it's okay that she's not making double plays and batting .350"... And yes, I had to look up those baseball references...).

ANYWAY, I was telling him about how I had played super well, and I was getting the lamest, most un-interested responses. So naturally I got upset and called him. Well, it turns out he wasn't even at his computer. Some jerkwads had been IMing me. I was pissed. And obviously never truly got over it since I'm still talking about it today!

So yeah, I don't like making myself vulnerable to trickery. I think that's why I'm always very cautious when people try to sell me things. I don't like being a chump. I don't like "falling" for things. I don't like not having control over a situation. And thus, I do not like April Fools Day.

Hm, this is getting pretty intense. Maybe I DO need to be more open, and allow myself to look like a fool. So with that, I leave you with the IM conversation I was having with my husband (and yes, it WAS actually him this time), as I tried to think of an example of how I purposefully look ridiculous on a day-to-day basis (because really most of it happens between the hours of 8pm-11pm).

(allow me to interject, and inform you that "The Office dance" is a slightly spastic dance we sometimes do during the opening credits of The Office ... I think I'm really over-sharing today in this post... Um yeah, it's all an April Fool's joke. Haha. Yeah. Totally gotcha....)

So I get a few more suggestions, and say:

Now That's A Car Fire

2010-03-30T23:31:00.001-07:00

Or truck fire I guess. Pretty intense. Too bad the last photo didn't
turn out. ... And yes I was taking photos with my phone while driving,
and passing a cop car.

Ode to a Cupcake

2010-03-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

Cupcake, cupcake, you are so sweet.

Please tell me when will we again meet?

Cupcake, sweet cupcake, you are so delicious.

My desire for you is almost vicious.

Cupcake, dear cupcake, I mean you no harm.

When I eat your little cupcake arm.

Cupcake, oh cupcake, gimmie just a little taste.

Just a quick nibble, hurry, post haste!

Cupcake, devoured cupcake, I've left just a crumb.

Cupake, I'm sorry you now live in my bum.

(+)

PS - Can you tell what I'm currently craving...

Oh I'm Sorry

2010-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I thought that was my pillow.
This is what I see when I get out of the shower in the morning...

Current Obsession

2010-03-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

This new water canteen I got from Target. I totally splurged and paid
$15 for it, but since Molly destroyed 2 water bottles the other day, I
think it's ok. It's so stinking cute!!

Spring is Springing

2010-03-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

In my front yard. After months and months of bare branches, I was
delighted to see all these little green buds. Ahhh...

Why I Was Running Late This Morning

2010-03-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Or, Torture, Part II

I mean, he could have at least made her look like a girl... but I do love the collared shirt.

Stay tuned for my new blog series "Dogs in Shirts" ;)

PS - I know my blog looks weird - it's going through a transition. If anyone has a good (FREE) blog designer, please send them my way. I obviously need some help!!

A New Low

2010-03-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

A little while back, the Man and I had an ongoing joke about how we wanted sweatpants. So trashy, yet so comfy. So eventually I found some at a Big 5 and bought them for him... Okay, I bought myself some too. And much to his chagrin, and I've worn them.

A lot.

Cut to last night, when I put them on, and went to put my hand in my pocket, only to realize I was touching skin. Tragedy struck last night, as I discovered I had a major hole in my sweatpants.

Oh the humanity.

So now I'm torn (no pun intended). Do I really go out and buy another pair of sweatpants, which actually started as a joke? Or do I retire them, and understand it was never meant to be.

Or. Do I keep wearing them. And pretend they don't have a gaping hole in them. I mean, can I still respect myself if I'm walking around in a pair of dark blue sweatpants with a huge rip in them?

Yes. Yes I think I can.

How We Torture Our Dog

2010-03-13T10:23:00.001-08:00

Over It

2010-03-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

So I chose the background of this blog for February, but honestly it's a little overwhelming, and Dia de los lovers (AKA Valentine's Day) is over, so I think it's time for a change... Any suggestions? I don't really want anything too over-the-top or cluttered. But I also don't want anything boring. How do people customize their blogs?

Thoughts?

PS - I bet you thought by the title that this was going to be some rant on something I was annoyed by. Sorry to disappoint. Oh wait, um, I'm really sick of traffic.And not being able to get picture texts on my old iPhone. And the smell of broccoli.

Baking Bakerton?

2010-03-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

You know how when you ask someone how they got into baking, they always say that in college they were the one always bringing baked goods to study group, and eventually they dropped out to pursue their love of baking?

Wait, maybe that's just what happened in that movie with Will Ferrell and that girl that's not Zooey Deschanel... Stranger Than Fiction! (And yes, I know it's Maggie Gyllenhaal... who I might even prefer to Zooey... dang, I had to look up how to spell both of their names).

Anyway, I like to bake. It's become somewhat of an obsession of mine (if you couldn't tell by every other post being a crappy iPhone photo of my latest creation). To be perfectly honest, most of the things I come up with have not been my idea - usually they are a Pioneer Woman or Bakerella concoction. And I almost always tell people this. But that hasn't stopped them from trying to convince me to start my own little business on the side.

Ummm... Do you know how terrifying that thought is?

Even as I type this, I am thinking to myself (and to you, obviously), "really Kellie, you know the idea is ludicrous, so why are you even blogging about it?".

However.

I posited the idea via Facebook status update (where all important ideas are born), and so far, it has been well received. Within an hour, I had at least 6 comments from people who were a fan of me trying it out.

And then I MAY have started doodling "Kellie Cakes" and "KFell Bakes" on a notebook.

But seriously, I'm being ridiculous, right? The stuff I make is not professional grade quality. And I have yet to come up with some great, original idea on my own. So basically I would be ripping off people like Bakerella. More importantly, where in the world would I find the TIME to do this?? I already feel like there aren't enough hours in the day for everything I want to get done! When will I ever sew again?? Not to mention I don't have enough counter space, or an oven that extends me the courtesy of baking evenly!!!

(And then my head exploded...)

Well said, Ludacris. Well said.

So I guess we'll see...

(Bakerfella photo courtesy of, you guessed it, Bakerella... Get it? BakerFELLa? Thanks Christy, you're a genius. PS - Will you be my food photographer. :-P)

What Makes A Good Friend?

2010-03-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about this lately, because you know how sometimes someone seems like a really great friend, and other times that same person doesn't seem like a really great friend? Like one minute you're having a really good time with them. And then the next minute, you're like 'this person is totally flaking on me'. Or, one minute you feel like you're really connecting, and the next you feel like they are just waiting for their turn to talk. And you're like 'why haven't they asked me how I'm doing?' (even though the answer is inevitably, 'good...nothing new...< crickets >...'). Maybe my life is just so boring that I have nothing to contribute during a conversation... and I suppose I've always prided myself on being a good listener, so maybe it just SEEMS very one-sided. Or...

Maybe we (I) surround ourselves (myself) with all sorts of different people, who have specific things we find appealing/are drawn to. And while we love those things about them, there are also things about them that frustrate us. But that makes sense, doesn't it? Nobody is going to be the perfect Frankenstein-ed friend, made up of all the parts that we desire in a friend, and none of the parts that put us off.

Perhaps you have a friend who is very opinionated, very strong in their convictions, and just generally has a big personality. Well, I suppose you can't really find it surprising when they do most of the talking, and when they "lead" the group. Because that's what you love about them, right? If it were up to you (me), the night would be much less animated.

And then there's that friend who always asks how you are doing, and genuinely cares and listens, but then doesn't always follow through. So even though you can't always rely on them 100%, you know they do care, and I guess that means that if you REALLY needed them, they'd show up.

I guess my very long-winded point is that holes in certain friendships can be filled by other friends. All your friends work together to fulfill your friendship need. I SINCERELY hope my friends reading this don't think I'm complaining about them. And it's not like any of my friends are jerks in some sort of way. On the contrary, I have lovely friends. And they all bring something amazing to the table. Maybe that's the point of this post. Not that your friends all have something innately wrong with them, but that everyone has something unique to offer, and a network of friends weaves a wonderful web of companionship...

.........

Kumbayaaaa my Lord.... Kumbaya

***
(photo found here - how super cute are those?!)

That Time I Visited My Sister & Austin

2010-03-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

Notice I didn't say IN Austin, because she lives outside of Austin... But anyway. It took me forever to write this post, because it took me forever to get my photos edited, because it took me forever to use Josh's computer to do it (I don't have Photoshop). So, there's not too much to say, except she's got a cute little bebe, and that we went to Austin to visit the capitol, and then Round Rock to visit donuts.

Oh, and I made some onesies.

And here's some shots of mom and baby.

(that's MY mom and baby!)

Okay, here's my sister and her new babycakes...

(same photo, different Photoshop effect)

(Destiny with her baby, and Tim wist his.)

BABYFACE!!

Here's when we went to the Capitol in Austin.

Destiny likes to give a little tough love.

(Pause for a big yaaaawn)

This place lent itself to some good photo ops.

I didn't want to mention it, but I sorta got thrown behind bars while there...

Our family has a longstanding tradition of posing with statues. It's really cool. And really mature. And did I mention really cool.

See, I told you it was really cool.

Look, it's the Pioneer Woman!!

My sister was getting cranky, so...

We went here!

And ordered some of these:

Okay, we didn't get the Texas Donuts, because they are literally the size of a small pizza. That muffin to the left of them could fit inside the donut hole. So we just got some regular donuts. Mmm...

And what better place to end than on donuts. I hope you have enjoyed my photo tour. :) I'm off to watch to Oscars - or at least have them on in the background while I do something much more interesting than watching the Oscars.