Always

No matter what I do, no matter how careful I am, opening a new bag of cat food and pouring some of it into a large Ziploc bag ALWAYS results in this:

Ugh.

Nothing More Precious...

Just had to share these most recent precious moments of My Babies.

Here they are, simultaneously grooming each other:

Here's brother, waiting to ambush sister when she comes out from under her favorite chair:

And here are the groggy-eyed little ones that mommy so rudely disturbed (they were so snuggly on my bed- I couldn't resist snapping a pic!):

I only hope my future children are so well-behaved and close. :)

Woman Down!

Two words: Studying kills. I got a gigantically bad papercut while I was studying today, so I took a pic for you guys. No, not of the cut, just the after-care result (Don't need any more nightmares around here...)

I think I should take a vote now, though. What's nerdier: getting a papercut while studying or blogging about it? Typing it out made me see the light. This post is done now. :)

A Many Splendored Thing

I'm so in love. And that's all you need to know.* For now.** But much more on this later!





*Mysterious? Possibly.
**Because of law school finals. There goes the mysterious bit.

Self Sabotage

So, today, I found a link indicating that there were pictures of the MacDonald investigation. Cool, I think, especially since I've been reading so much about the case and I am usually a visual person. I view pictures of the house where the murders took place...kinda creepy, but okay.

Then I see a link that says "Victims". Cool, I --- WAIT! WHAT WAS I THINKING?

I clicked it, I'm scarred, and another sleepless night awaits me.

The good news? Paper's done. Phew.

The A+ Paper that Wrote Itself

Okay, that title is just a fantasy.

I am sitting here staring at a semi-blank screen as I try to write a paper for Military Law. Always overly ambitious, I intended to start this paper last night, after my Constitutional Law I exam. Ha!!!! What followed that exam was some errands, wine, ice cream, and catching up on episodes of the tv show 30 Rock. Pretty much a perfect evening, in other words. Oh, did I also mention that I woke up promptly at 2:00 p.m. today? (I SWEAR law students sleep work realllllly hard...)

Now I sit, researching and writing on the topic of "The Jeffrey MacDonald Fort Bragg Murder Case: Cleared by an Army Article 32 Investigation, Convicted in Federal Court" and frankly kids, it's giving me the creeps. The same kind of "creeps" I get after watching American Justice all alone; who woulda thought the written word could produce the same effect? Well, it can! Especially these old and creepy police documents.

Okay, I know, I know- you're getting the point, even without all the gory details. Which are gory, trust me.

Anyway, I'm writing this, alone in my apartment, peeking around corners and using my cat's ears as radar to detect any intruders. Old Trusty, I should have named him.

Wish me luck and blessings from the writing goddess.

Sliced Bread?

I just found this awesome website that makes "word clouds" of nearly anything! Here is the cloud from this blog:

Get your own!

Polar Dog

Good Lord! When the massive amounts of snow get to be too much for you this winter, check out this athletic, happy guy: http://www.dogwork.com/dogsnow/

Struggles the Bear

I've been struggling lately.

As you have seen, I have had a lovely aircast (lovingly aka "The Boot") on my left leg for quite some time now. I have/had(?) severe shin splints or a possible stress fracture. I'm going with stress fracture because my leg didn't heal on its own after resting completely for 4 weeks and the doctor said, and I quote, that yes, that was "weird."

Anyway! The Boot = No Exercise. For a lovely birthday treat, though, I went to the orthopedist (I know, I'm a bit lavish on my special day ;) and he told me that I could start weaning myself off of my boot.

Now, this really shouldn't be a problem for me, as I have come to view my boot like John Locke on LOST views his wheelchair. But, being told that I can finally get out of it, and heck, just being in it to begin with, has brought up a lot of body image issues for me.

First, due to the above equation (The Boot = No Exercise), I have gained a bit of weight. Now, I panic and exaggerate with the best of them, so when I tell you it feels like I've gained 175 lbs., it's probably more like 5 or 10. But I just feel so "off". And yuck.

So, what do I hate about this weight gain? My cute winter clothes don't fit!! I usually feel sassy in my cute jeans and sassy boots (that I purchased with uber cool fashionista Lori's encouragement). But no. Now I'm in ridiculous old jeans from high school (pre-ED) that actually BUTTON UP THE FRONT. Are you feeling me here? How is a girl supposed to feel sexy when her underwear is constricting her and her jeans are hardly short of a stonewashed disaster?

So, what do I like (not love, but like) about this weight gain? Shocking, isn't? But there ARE positives. Just the other day, I looked in the mirror and I looked like a WOMAN. The added weight makes me look a little more grown-up, and I really revelled in the moment. I also feel more womanLY sometimes. These larger hips make me feel baby-ready and like I am rockin' the curves that Mother Nature intended me to have. And sometimes, I just feel a bit more like me.

Oh, did I only mention the shallow downside? I forgot to say that after running every other day for a lonnnng time, I am now huffing and puffing up the stairs and just feeling generally unhealthy.

So, today was the first time I went exercisin', sans boot (okay, I never went exercising with (avec) the boot, but I wanted to get that fancy French word (now TWO!) in there ;). A miracle occurred, I tell you! As I rode the little leaning-back bike, catching up on the latest issue of ABA Journal (there's that lavish lifestyle again...), life was good! My leg didn't break! Or hurt, or anything less dramatic like that. :) Of course tomorrow will be a rest day, but then we'll try it out again on Thursday.

I left my apartment complex's workout room with the zest and energy that a good workout brings. And happiness- oh the happiness! I'm sure that there was a rainbow-colored trail of serotonin floating behind me.

So, it's good that I'm back on the right track, but I can't forget the panic and fears that the lack of exercise and subsequent weight gain resurfaced in me.

I had the good fortune of running cross Brie's blog. An awesome, Hilarious (capital H there, people) woman who has struggled with an eating disorder as well. Right now, she is wearing a tube in her nose to get the nutrition she needs. Sorry to make an "example" of you, Brie, but it's true- my eating disorder could have gotten a lot worse, and I am so thankful to be reminded of why I AM grateful that I got better, not sicker. (And Brie has made the nose tube quite a hilarious adventure, so I know that Goddess chose the spirit who could handle it best.)

And, of course, as I headed off to law school, one of my therapists (yes, ONE of THEM- it takes a village, people, it takes a village) told me that she didn't want me to be the top of my class in law school, because that would indicate that I am not properly taking care of myself.

So, ya know, I have that excuse to get me through finals. :)

Mo(u)rning Tragedy

I have quite an obsession with cereal which only my sister, as a fellow addict, can truly understand. I've never eaten a whole box in one sitting, but I've come close. Come to think of it, I'm sure I've eaten a whole box, but just not of the same cereal/brand. I like to have variety each morning.

I am not a discriminating addict. Here are a few of my faves: Cap'n Crunch (Original and Peanut Butter), Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Cracklin' Oat Bran, Special K with Berries, Cookie Crisp, Rice Krispies, Kix...okay, the list goes on and on. Maybe I should've just listed the cereals I don't like. Really only All Bran comes to mind, though.

Basically, this shirt was made for me:
Anyway.

Last night, I went to bed, with visions of my new box of Frosted Mini Wheats dancing in my head. So you can imagine my dismay this morning as I sat down to my bowl of cereal, lovingly laid out on my placement, accompanied by my glass of orange juice...and poured SOUR MILK on my bowl of perfection.

Do you think that stopped me?

No- I'm a true cereal killer.

Their Stockings Were Hung...

...on the apartment wall with care! My babies got an early Christmas gift from Grandma:

Latte, waiting to ambush Santa

Life Is a Highway...

So, as I sit here surfing the internet studying for my law exams, I just realized that I can hear the highway more clearly than I used to.

Do you think it is because the leaves absorb some of the sound, but they are now gone for the winter?


And also...Do you think that this observation/speculation is:


a) astutely scientific of me and I should immediately cease studying and transfer to the Physics Department?

b) interesting, but not brilliant, and thus I should keep plodding away to my exams of doom?

c) the most ridiculous thing you have heard lately, besides this?

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a... Smiley?

So, you'll have to Google it if you want the scientific details, but basically Australians are seeing stars and the sun/moon making a smiley face in the sky!

Wouldn't that just perk up your day? I think the U.S. really needs/deserves a smiley face in the sky right about now.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday and I am still overwhelmed by the good wishes that I received! Facebook was loaded with "Happy Birthday!"s and my boyfriend and I had an absolutely wonderful day that ended in dinner, a movie, and a relaxing bath.
Here's my kitchen table showin' the love:

Do you think people know I love cats??

I'm having a bit of a quarter-life crisis as 24 sounds like I am an ADULT. Ahhh! Even Target's shopper survey thinks it is a major cutoff point:

Alas, it's been 24 great years already, and I am looking forward to the life to come. Thanks for all of the birthday wishes!!

Giving Thanks, Part 5

The Star of the Show

Little pieces of the Star of the Show ;)

Buffet is ready!

Giving Thanks, Part 4

Before

After! It's magic!

Eggplant torte

Giving Thanks, Part 3

The incredible table setting

Dessert awaits!

Family Tradition: Cold Duck

Giving Thanks, Part 2

My Jalepeno Bacon Cheddar Dip from Homemade Gourmet- a party hit! Let me know if you want to order some...

Beautiful salmon appetizer

Autumn flowers

Giving Thanks

Me in my party dress- and boot!

Festive mom!

One of the hostesses, Alison, and her pug, Sophie (cute, but razor-sharp claw equipped)

Al and I were very proud of our cracker/bread basket arrangement

Personal Invitation

You can imagine my surprise when I checked my mail and found a letter straight from the desk of the Governor of Alaska!

As it turns out, she'd just like me to visit her lovely state.

Just junk mail, right? Not so fast- check out the hair! We all knew it was beehive-y, but look below to see it in all its glory when it has been specifically traced and cut-out. Oh, this is too good.

Lori, you were right. It really isn't Palin without the beehive.