Costumes

This was pretty much about all of how much of a costume I could put on my dogs:

Yoho yoho! A pirates life for me!

 And this:

Angel in disguise

Momma, of course, giggled and loved her girls.  The girls, of course, hated it. The angel hated it so much that within two seconds of snapping the picture she picked a nasty fight with the pirate. 

Something tells me that dressing them up for the Christmas card is a bad idea...

Happy Halloween

--A conversation I had with my sister back in the (somewhat) early months of me and Mike dating.--

me: 4th of July weekend we're going to Michigan for his brother's wedding
amy: a holiday wedding.
me: Yep. His cousin got married new years eve last year. His family seems to like the holiday weddings.
amy: seems like it. Hey, if you guys get married what holiday you going to pick? Arbor day?
me: Halloween. It's his favorite holiday.

Well, we didn't pick Halloween, but Memorial day's a close second right?

Big person things

Mike and I are no longer in the market for a dining room set.  Cause we kinda sorta totally bought one on Friday.  After not having much luck with finding something we didn't hate at the traditional furniture stores (and dealing w/creepy sales guys), I poked around on Ikea's website to just to see if they had anything worth looking into further. There were 2 tables that each sat 6-10 who were contenders, but I know we need to see them in person before we even consider them further. Mike actually has to see something to get a feel for its' dimensions, and ikea furniture you really need to check it out since it runs on the small side since everything there is designed to fit in a 200 square foot apartment. Since I had the day off and Mike doesn't teach on Fridays, when we were out and about I asked if he was in the mood to go to the store and look. (yep, we live within less than an hour of an ikea. That could not be dangerous to our pocketbooks at all) So we did.

Turns out, one of the tables that I liked (and the cheaper one) was just too narrow for my taste. (I can't pronounce the line name since everything is Swedish. Mike solved this problem by just making up names as we walked along, and hilarity ensued) But as we're wandering around the dining room area, we see the larger version of the cheaper table. That seats 10 -14. Fourteen. For the same price as it's smaller counterpart. The design is the color we want. It's the size we need. It extends. (if the table didn't extend it wasn't even going to be considered).  The chairs are at a reasonable price...   
We look at each other, calculating things. We don't want to buy a table just to buy a table, but...  This is the first thing we've liked. At a price we like... And we do need it for this thanksgiving...  So with a few quick calls to our parents to ask if they wouldn't mind helping us out with the table for Christmas, we decided to go with it.  We arranged to have it delivered because there's no way we were going to fit anything in the car.

So now, we have a dining room table and chairs! We have big person furniture! To go in our big person house! To have big person holiday hosing duties!  And to continue our big person trend, we both kept peeking out our front windows to see if the delivery people had arrived, like little kids.  We're grown ups!

(When we opened one of the boxes, one of the table tops* was damaged.  So once that's replaced and we have everything assembled I'll*** post pictures)
* Another caveat of ikea furniture: assemble it yourself furniture and that you can't really inspect what's in the box** you're buying.
**though, only having 1 out of 12 boxes delivered having damaged merchandise is pretty good odds.
***That's probably a lie. I never take pictures in the first place, let alone post them.

State Lines

mom: Why don't you change your residency to Ohio honey?
me: Because that would mean that I actually live there.   

Of all the times I've moved across state lines, I've never changed my residency.  I lived in Ohio for 7 years total, and steadfastly held onto my Kentucky residency through that time.  Turns out, I really never wanted to live in cinci.  And then I moved back to Lexington and I didn't have to worry about changing anything on my licence.  Well, seeing as I have plans to live out the rest of my life and burden my children in North Carolina, at some point I really should become a North Carolina resident.  Plus, I need in-state tuition. 

It's really not that hard.  Once I finally got a job, I could finally establish that I live here.  So I switched to NC insurance, passed my drivers test (you know that if you make it a point to never break the law and drive drunk or buy alcohol for minors, you don't bother to learn the consequences for breaking them. So when you are asked those questions on said test you have no idea what the answer is), and finally switched my tags over.

So I'm officially a North Carolina resident now.  It feels a little anti-climatic honestly.  Twenty-nine years as a Kentuckian, and then, poof, North Carolina.  That's it?  Well, ok then. I won't give up my UK allegience and pride (I never fault anyone for cheering for thier alma mater. Even if it is the devil knows as Duke), and I still won't cheer for UNC either.  But now I can really say that the Panthers are my team!

Taking Chances

A few months ago, there were no library positions that I was qualified for of any sort close to me.  But by some magic of timing, 5 different library positions became available between 3 different systems. None of them required the MLS, and one was even full time, which is what I really, really want and need. So of course I applied.  (My library basket if pretty full at the moment.  Besides applying for those positions, I'm waiting to hear back from grad school. Don't ask me about it. I've applied and I'm waiting on pins and needles to know if I was accepted or not. The only way I feel about right now is anxious.)
The good news is that I landed an interview for one of the part time jobs and I was ecstatic. I thought the interview went really well and you can tell that I am completely qualified, and I'm passionate about the work. But in 3 days I received the thanks but no thanks email. I'm glad they let me know soon, even though it wasn't the answer I wanted.  And there was still some hope that one of the other positions might happen.

Yesterday I received and email from the full time position informing me that I had not been selected for an interview.  They appreciate my interest and encourage me to continue looking for employment with them that interests me.  Except that is the position that interests me and that I'm most qualified for.  I've interviewed with them before twice for positions that I really didn't know what I would be doing.  Obviously I didn't get them, but I was still at least qualified for an interview.

Mike keeps trying to tell me that it's not a reflection of my abilities and qualifications, and that I shouldn't take this to heart.  But try not to do that.  I am still waiting on some things, but it's hard to not get discouraged about everything.  I do have a part time job right now and I'm grateful for that.  But I'm still bummed about not getting the job I interviewed for.  But I'm even more disappointed about the full time job.  Because they didn't even give me a chance. 

Medusa-esque

--me: reading yahoo news feed--
me: Honey, did you see this cyclops shark discovery?
mike: Ye...
me: Wait. Of course you did. Of course you did.
mike: Of course I did. Why do you ask questions you know the answer too?
me: I don't know.
--I click on the article--
me: Wonder what this thing looks li -- AAHHHHHH!!!---
--insert terrified scream from seeing the ugliest thing since Medusa. I can't hit backspace fast enough--
me: WHY didn't you warn me?! That thing is terrifying!
mike: I don't know?

Coffee Maker

Never ask a non-coffee drinker to set up your coffee maker for you. I doesn't end well.
I love my fiance.  I can prove this because I drove him to the airport at 5am* this morning.  It being an early flight and me having to work late last night meant we would have to go to bed almost as soon as I got home.  And knowing that I wouldn't be awake enough to drive if I didn't have coffee in the morning, I needed to set my delay brew (one of the worlds best inventions in my opinion).  However, I didn't figure this out until right before I needed to leave for work.  So as I'm putting on my shoes about to run out the door, I asked Mike if he could set up my coffee for the morning. 

He says yes but a look of concern crosses his face.  I give him the cliff notes version: water, filter, coffee. I'll set up the timer, and the look of concern goes away.  I get home last night, set the timer, open the lid and see there is coffee in the filter and think nothing more of it.  This morning I hear the (obnoxious) beeps of my coffee maker after it's done brewing, and I start to pour it into my travel mug...and it's just cold water in the pot.  He got the water** part.  He just didn't pour it into the coffee maker...

Fortunately, there was time for me to pour the water into the proper place and brew the coffee for real.  And because my love for him trumps my caffeine addiction, I just found the whole thing silly and not annoying. But lesson learned nonetheless.

*It's the 5 am part that proves I love him. Airport pickup/drop off duties are part of duties once you have been fiance-ed, if that stage has not already been reached in your relationship.     
**An ex wanted to make a cup of coffee to stay up late (after telling me that he was stronger than me for not having a caffeine dependency the week before), so he stared at the coffee maker wondering how the coffee maker magically turned the solid coffee grinds into liquid.

Commission Hell

Mike and I are in the market for a dinning room table. Even though we're hosting Thanksgiving this year (for 9 people, maybe even 10! (my first thanksgiving and I go BIG!)), we're going to wait until after the wedding to furnish our dining room.  In other words, we're not going to get a table now just for the sake of getting a table. The table itself isn't what's all that expensive, it's all the chairs that get you. But anyway, we were in the area of a lot of furniture stores and since we had some time, we popped in a few of them to see what was available.

We didn't have much luck.  The formal dining room isn't something that my generation wants in their house now*.  So all of the dining room sets in the stores were old fashioned rococo massive ornate stuff.  Just because we want a traditional dining room doesn't mean we want traditional furniture in it.  Finding something we both like and isn't exorbitantly priced is going to be more difficult than we thought.**  

The last place we looked at was Haverty's Furniture.  I can't really tell you too much what the furniture there was like because I was too distracted by the sales guy following us around the entire store.  It was so, so creepy and awful.  Mike's actually pushing me to walk faster, and I'm about to grab his hand and run out of there.  We couldn't make snarky comments to each other, let alone even talk to each other without the guy over hearing. We made the mistake of pausing a few seconds at a table and the guy piped in with unsolicited info on the set.  We didn't even want to look anymore since all we could think about was getting the hell out of there.  So that's what we did.  And just to nail that final nail in the creepy coffin, the guy sprints ahead of us to get the door for us as we leave.

It was so awful we're not going back. Which is too bad for them because they were the first store that had furniture we didn't immediately hate.  I know these guys work on commission, but that's no excuse for the creepy! It creates such a toxic environment and the people can sense it. It's not how I want to shop. If I want your help, I'll ask for it. I don't mind working in retail myself, but I have never worked on commission and never will. 

You know the saying: have a good experience, tell 2 people. But have a bad experience, tell 10? Yeah. I'm telling everyone.

*The young pups today also don't register for fine china either. To which I say, that's fine for now, but in 10 years when you are hosting the big family gathering and have no place to seat everyone and no fancy china to serve on, you'll be wishing you had asked for that wedding china.
**Good thing Mike likes to research and will shop and shop and shop. (I told him about library school and in a day he complied a list of at least 10 online programs for me to look into) Though once he decides something, good luck trying to change his mind.

Size Matters

I get a decent amount of comments on my engagement ring from strangers.  The reason, besides it being awesome and from my dr soc, is because it's big.  Carat wise, it's not ostentatious.  But the center stone cut, the setting and my hand shape all work together to really make it a noticeable piece.  Every time someone notices my ring, and says something along the lines of  "lovely ring," "oh my goodness," or my personal favorite "wow!" (my dad!), I can't help but grin ear to ear and puff with a pride a little.  Then I tell Mike about it as soon as I get home.    
I know that the sentiment and symbolism is what matters in an engagement ring. And that I am lucky enough to even one have is nice.  But I am a jewelry kind of woman.  And I love my ring. 

But the moral of this story: Size matters.

Dust Bunnies Be Gone!

Scene: the day after we decide to buy the Dyson but the day before we actually buy it.
mike: Am I a dork for being slightly excited about getting this vacuum?
me: Yes.
--mike sighs--
me: It's ok honey. I'm excited too.

How it feels

The knot sends me promotional emails which I normally glance at, say don't drink the kool-aid and delete.  But this was a registry thing at a store I wanted to register at... So, I drank the kool-aid. But not too much.  It was SO. MUCH. FUN. 
Sometimes it's hard to not compare things about this wedding planning and the last wedding planning I did.  But not in a tit for tat sort of way.  It's more of a glance back and marvel at how wonderful this has been this time. Just how much I'm looking forward to everything with him. 

The other wedding....well, I was never this excited about it.  I had moments where I would be all yay! after I did something, Like after I booked the church, but that feeling would quickly fade.  And even though I had the date, the venues, and even a dress, something still just felt off.  I didn't google search 14 different paper vendors to find the best price for invites like I did this time.  I didn't rack my brain for the perfect bridal party gifts.  I didn't realistically think about how many place settings to ask for because I didn't realistically think about hosting the big extended family gatherings. (btw, we now need a table that will extend to seat 10-12)  I never got this far and detailed into the wedding planning before.  Not because I didn't have the time to do so.  I just didn't feel it.

So as Mike and I are traipsing down the aisles of Crate and Barrel (ok, I'm traipsing, and Mike is following and scanning whatever I hold out to him) debating the merits of a lipped or non lipped dinner plate (we went lipped. And asked for 12), I thought to myself: this is how it feels.  This is how it's supposed to feel to be engaged.  Hopeful. Excited. Deliriously happy.  And right.  It just feels right.  It's a pretty wonderful place to be.   

Domestic Bliss

As Mike and I were registering last weekend, we couldn't help but check out the $600 Dyson there. We were told: "registering is like Christmas. If you don't at least ask Santa for it, then it won't come."  Which is true...but still, we're not going to be the assholes who register for a $600 vacuum (a $280 dutch oven though, is fair game and totally on the list).

Well, then it occurs to Mike, hey, doesn't your store sell Dysons? Why don't we use my employee discount and buy it for ourselves at some point?  And then I remember that I have some coupons I could use in addition to my employee discount, so yeah, that was a much better idea.  We were going to wait for the best possible time to maximize our savings, and it turns out, this was the weekend.  And I know it's uncouth to talk about how much you spend on things, but the retail stars could not have lined up any better for this deal.  Dudes, this was just way too good a steal to not talk about. Because:

1. the vacuum was on sale. 
2. 20% with a friends and family coupon. Then:
3. 15% off that with a bounce back coupon. Then:
4. 15% off with my employee discount =

We bought 2 (seriously. One's a gift though)

We were planning on getting the vacuum Saturday.  But Mike couldn't wait that long. Seriously. He was chomping at the bit to get this vacuum.  He came home from work yesterday and was like, hey doesn't that coupon start today?  And then I said yes, it does.  Sensing his excitement, i asked, do you want to get this vacuum today?  To which he replied, well...how late are you guys open?  We ended up grabbing dinner out and then doing some major shopping, buying a few Christmas and birthday presents too. 

As soon as we got home, mike, as quick as a cricket, popped out his contacts, opened the box and started putting it together.  Then, like Christmas, we excitedly played with our new toy by vacuuming the living room and the couches last night. (It's amazing (and disgusting) how much hair was in there).
Sexiest date night ever.

Pick Your Battle

So, even though mike and I both kinda feel as if we're already married (and yes, I am fully aware of how cliche that is) I am still super duper excited about the wedding.  Ergo, I can't stop talking about it.  Mike, not as much. 

Now, I realize that the wedding is just one day and it's the marriage and our life together is what matters.  Yes, yes, that's mature and lovely.  But bubble of tulle!  Hashing out wedding day timetables is way more fun to talk about than the mundane aspects of life like who's going to pick up Sharktopus from track practice (we don't do soccer in this house).   But, anyway, the point is that at some point in the day, the chatter will turn back to the wedding.
 
mike: What are you going to talk about after the wedding?
me: (no hesitation) Babies!
mike: (scared) Babies?
me: Well, probably I'll focus a bit on getting my masters after the wedding and being a librarian. But then, after that, definitely about having babies.
mike: Babies? But, uh....babies?
me: Yep. Pick your battles man. Weddings now or babies.

See honey, the wedding is the way lesser of the scary!

Pet Cause

First: rest in peace Steve Jobs.  I'm a pc girl myself, but your innovation changed the world and you are a legacy. Second: October is breast cancer awareness month.

Breast cancer is bad. No if ands or buts about that.  But it's not the only cancer there is.  There's colon cancer, which took my grandma. There's stomach cancer, which took my other grandma. There's liver, lung, skin, ovarian, prostate, brain, ect. If it's a part of the body, it can get cancer. And they are all horrible.

But, cancer is not necessarily the death sentence it once was.  I'm not diminishing anyone's loss.  Even with the help of modern medicine and treatments, there will be those who will still loose their battle.  Their loved ones will mourn, and awareness is brought up.  But at the same time, there are those who do respond to the treatments, and can live cancer free.  At the very least, there's hope.

But, cancer isn't my pet cause anymore.  You can't cure dementia.  You can't remove the tumor or live dementia free.  You can't have the person you once knew back.  I can't tell my dad that everything will be ok after "this." I don't have the same kind, sometimes any, hope. 

It's not wrong to want to eradicate a disease. But we all have ones that strike closer to home.  And my pet cause, the one that I want cured, is a hell of a lot more important to me than walking to save a stranger's tatas.

Mayheming

When the dogs first met, they only way they knew how to interact with each other was to play.  And they played.  Running, mouthing, swatting, blur of spaz play.  Because of their size difference, we had to stop them mid-play so they wouldn't end up hurting each other.  It went on like this for a while, even after Bails and I moved to Charlotte.  We didn't dare leave them alone unsupervised, and I dubbed their play "mayheming."  But, eventually, they calmed down around each other.  So we all started to feel comfortable about not keeping the most diligent eye on them.
 
Until now. Because my dogs, my darling, spaztastic, mischievous dogs, realized that if I am in the shower, then I can't see or hear them. And more importantly (to them), I don't stop them.  But that's not the super mischievous part. The mischievous part is that they figured out the timing of everything.  My shower takes a while to heat up, so I open and close twice. One to turn on the water and to heat up, and the other to actually get clean.  They wait for that second door close before they start to mayhem about. 

Like the other day.  I get out of the shower and come downstairs to the sounds of mouthing and full on spazzing.  I see Jules leap off the love seat like superman, right onto Bailey's head. Bailey then tosses her head, and Jules, like a bucking bronco.  Which is then followed by a spaztastic chase around the couch. The moment they see me, the freeze, and then slink into their crates when I point to them.
Ah, good times. Honestly, I was most amused by them figuring out the timing of that second shower door than I was mad at them.

But oh boy, could we be in trouble! Ahh, good times.

Color Deal

We're going to start registering in about 1 week.  Color me excited!
We actually started a list of things we need/want/like a few months ago.  One of us would say oh, we need such-and-such, and the other would say, we can register for that.  And being aware of my ability for only remembering two things at a time, we started a running list.

The first thing on there is the ubiquitous Kitchen-Aid mixer found on every registry.  Though I don't know if we actually need to do so because doesn't it just automatically come on every registry known to woman?  You just pick the color you want when the time comes. 

I'm sure it's no surprise what color I want.  I'm sure it's no surprise that my color choice was met with some opposition from Mike.  He knows me pretty well. And knows that if something comes in pink, I want it. And as tolerant as he is of my pink-lust, he doesn't want pink everything. Which fair enough.  
So, we made a deal. I really really really, want that pink mixer.  I have my heart set on that color.  But, that's the only thing I have my heart set on. So I do get my pink mixer! But the blender, Cuisinart and everything else the gets a color choice, we (ok, I)  won't select pink.   Nope. That stuff, like the Le Crueset dutch oven that I've recently become obsessed with, that stuff, we'll ask for in blue.