Saturday, December 31, 2011

This year I intend to...

12 things I intend to work on for 2012




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1. Let my creative juices flow. I used to take time for arts and crafts, I miss it. I'm gonna take more time to do this and express myself.



2. Fold my laundry before I go to bed. I don't mind doing the laundry, its the folding I hate. When it's done, I pile it on my bed and then its a toss up to see if I'll actually fold it or if it will go to the floor when it's time for night, night.

3. Take Rox on more walks. I have to be honest, I've been slacking as a mother lately but working full time and the winter having shorter days makes this alot harder than I would like.

4. Respecting myself more. I'm special, I should treat myself that way.



5. Learn to line dance. Like a pro! I've got my cowgirl boots and no excuses!

6.  Enjoy the little things in life. While I was home I spent a full day in my little downtown one street of Snohomish and had a really great time. I was also introduced to a couple great "view spots" that I never would have payed attention to before. It's the little things in life that seem to matter the most.



7. Don't sweat the small stuff. I stress myself out about stupid things a lot. It's time to quit.

8. Save up. Because it will be good for me, and because I need dinero if I want to buy that new car.

9. Be the best that I can be at work. Not only for my company but to gain experience so that one day I can have my own little firm one day!

10. Cultivate new friendships, and old ones too.




11. Learn to make Hollandaise sauce. This is waaay harder than I thought, I tried to make it and after 2 attempts over Christmas break gave up. I thought I was "Mini Martha Stewart", but I guess I was wrong. I won't let this get me though, hollandaise sauce, I will prevail!

12. Cut down on the swearing. I have a mouth like a trucker and it's not cute, it's not lady like and it's not professional. (Not that I swear at work, but still.)

Plus one for good Luck:

13. Have more swagger. I'm already a badass but not enough people know it.



Hope you all have a Happy and Safe New Years!

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Another Year, Come and Gone!

Years go by so fast, it seems like we just celebrated New Year 2011 and here it is already 2012. This year felt particularly tough but looking back on it, this year was a really BIG year! Here's what happened:

In January I...

Took a road trip to Palm Springs for Nurse Bestie's bachelorette party and boy was it fun!


(Loving Life!)

 In February...


I watched my friend marry the man of her dreams, and then danced the night away.



(This was a serious cupid shuffle!)
In March...


I headed back to Palm Springs for the yearly "R" family reunion.

Left to right: Aunt Kim, Me, My Dad, Cousin Alexis, Gramps, Cousin Nicole, Uncle Charlie, Cousin Nick

Me and the little Bro with Gramma and Grandpa

Cousins, action shot!

In April...


It was time for a change and I cut all my hair.

Pay no attention to my off kilter eyes!

In May...


Me and my best Ai girlfriends competed in a design competition for ASID and the Salvation Army. The furniture in our rooms were auctioned and the proceeds went to charity.


Ai Orange County Team in our Hollywood Glam themed living room

In June...


I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree for Interior Design! Finally!

At the Portfolio show

Left to right: Me Kelsey, Bianca, Annie, Katie R., Katie K.

Fam Bam!

In July...


I celebrated America's Birthday in Arizona with good times and great friends.



River Rats.

In August...


I got my two-step on, and though I'll never admit it to Nurse Bestie I learned that I actually do like country music.


(Pay no attention to his gross sweaty shirt. I just liked this action shot of me!)


In September...


I celebrated my 26th Birthday and am now over halfway to 30. Yikes!

Two Birthday Girls!



In October...


I not only got to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise, I also got to be there for my Dad and Beautiful new Step-mom's wedding. And then we partied!


Cheers!


In November...


I got a big girl job and am now a working girl!



In December...


I went home to Seattle for Christmas and not only got spend time with my family, I also got to rekindle lost friendships from high school and for that I am grateful.


For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding"



So here is to another fabulous year! Can't believe it's going to be 2012!


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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Roxie, A Tribute.

I'm sure you've figured it out by now but I am a baby mama to a wiener dog.

This is Roxie.


I had originally planned on only writing a post about the super cute thing Rox did yesterday morning. She does cute things all the time, but this particular morning was extra adorable. (Yes, I'm one of those people, and it will only get worse once I (eventually) have children. Sorry friends!) I started searching for photos to go along with this little post and found so many good ones I thought "What the Hell? I'll just make a tribute instead!" So voila! Your'e welcome! 

I got Rox when she was only 4 months old, the week before Christmas of 2008. I wanted to get a dachshund for my Grandma, thinking it would be nice for her to have a companion, and because I thought it would be the best Christmas gift EVER! After days of searching, by chance I happened to see a Craigslist ad posted for a little girl puppy. That night my mom called the lady and arranged to meet her to "look" at Roxie. Lets not kid ourselves here- both I and my Mother knew darn well that we weren't going to just look at her. We just said that to put my Dad's mind at ease. 

We actually stopped at the bank for cash to buy her and then at the fabric store for some fleece to use as a make-shift blanket as it was snowing and cold. The Rox/cash trade was pretty sketchy, it was in a bad part of town in a Denny's parking lot. The woman took little Roxie from a bare wire cage away from her mama without any kind of blanket, handed her to me and had my Mom sign some sort of contract, then she drove off. That was it. I grabbed the pink fleece blanket (which is actually still her baby blanket today) bundled her up and we headed home. Roxie was funny because she didn't seem to care that she was just taken away from her home. She sat calmly in my lap and we had a bonding moment when she touched her nose to mine for about 30 seconds.

The Winter of 2008 in Washington was a cold one. It snowed early that year and was so bad we actually got snowed into our house for 3 days. During this time me and Roxie were inseparable, she was my shadow.

Here she is sleeping on my chest the second day of having her.

The snow finally melted down just before Christmas and my Grandma came over Christmas morning for brunch and Christmas Presents. She was so surprised and happy when I revealed Roxie to her. She even cried (tears of joy... I think.) But Rox did NOT want to have anything to do with my Grandma. It was terrible. My Grandma took her home, and Rox misbehaved so badly that My Grandma called and said that she couldn't do it any longer. It was either I take her, or she was going to give Rox away! Obviously, you know how the story ends.

I am not gonna lie. Taking care of a puppy for the first time is VERY hard. I will probably never do it again, but now I've got it down. I know what she wants when she wants it. She is my car buddy, my snuggle buddy, my pride and joy. I love her. It's still hard, dogs are a ton of unexpected work. I worry about her all the time when I leave her to go to work for the day. I can't just go away on a whim for the weekend. And let me tell you, traveling of any kind is 100 times harder when you have a pet. But the love she gives is worth it though.


Here she is 4 months. We had just got home from Seattle and she was wore out. Notice her ginormous feeties!


Here she is watching T.V. with my little brother at the age of 1.


Rox received her Puppy Kindergarten Diploma the Summer of 2009

I was such a proud Mama.


 Roxie's all time favorite thing to do in the world is play fetch. She's good at it too! Summer 2010



 She likes to play fetch at the beach. Spring 2011

This is my laptop wallpaper.


When She is not playing fetch, she's dreaming of it. And bones too of course. Photo courtesy of my little bro- the graphic designer.
 


This is what I often times wake up to in the morning. Annoying? Kind of. But how can you resist that little face? It's impossible! Spring 2011


In Palm Springs for our yearly family reunion. Belle and Roxie, March 2011



We go on lots of walks together. Newport Beach, Summer 2011

She's a Curious George.

This photo is one of my favorites.


 This was the day the California black-out happened! Fall 2011

My 26th Birthday, September 2011


Is Roxie spoiled? Duh! Do I care? Not at all. I realize, I go a bit over the top but she is my baby, my friend and quite the little companion. I love her!

So what was the cute thing she did this yesterday morning? I'll tell you. My brother and I lived together for 2 years. This last November he decided that California was not the place for him and he moved back to Seattle when I moved into this apartment. Rox took the move pretty hard, mostly because not only were we changing homes, we got a new roommate. Chris and Rox had grown pretty close, so for him to just leave was devastating for her. I am not even exaggerating. When Rox and I came home for Christmas last week Roxie was ecstatic to see our little brother again. For the whole time we were there she was HIS little shadow, which was nice. Mama needed a break.

When I was getting ready to leave to go back to Orange County, as my Dad was putting my bags in the car I went to grab Rox so we could go. She was very distressed and wouldn't come when I asked, (which is pretty unusual) especially when she knows it's time to go home. She whined and cried and threw a fit before rushing upstairs and sniffed at my brother's Bedroom door. I had already said goodbye to Chris the night before, but it hadn't occurred to me that Rox needed to say good bye! I opened his door and she jumped on him and wiggled and licked him and then jumped off his bed and was ready to go. She just wanted to say good bye. How stinkin sweet is that?! I am often surprised at just how smart she really is.



That's my "bragging parent" story. Kind of silly, but if nothing else, the pictures were cute!



Look at this great painting a dear friend of mine made me for Christmas. It makes me smile every time I look at it!


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