Dear Oliver,

Don't piss me off.  I will do it.
Love,
Your mom

The necklace totally makes the outfit.

The Clint Eastwood of Kitty Cats

Rawr.

sick and twisted

So miserable!

Just around the riiivveeerrr beeend!

I *love* the wig.

to infinity and beyond

Not.Happy.

Hello Kitty!

Heeeereee's Johnny!

A few weeks (months? whatever.) back some friends came into town for the Great American Beer Fest.  We had a day or so before the fest-business, so we took a day trip up to Estes Park.  Three of the five of us went last year around the same time, but we decided to stop at the Stanley Hotel this time.  It was awesome.  Some aspects of it reminded me of the Hotel Del Coronado.  I really want to go back and go on the ghost tour! (I'm slightly obsessed with Ghost Hunters and they totally did an episode there.)  Oh yeah, and I still need to see The Shining. Yeah, yeah. I know it's a classic. 

The front. Duh.

View from the front steps.

If there is a firetruck, I will make him take a picture in front of it.

Dude was hand polishing the lobby floor.

Alex's beer was pretty cool. REDRUM!

Downtown Estes Park

No crap.  Would have been nice to know this last year.

Fire, Fire, House on Fire!

My friend/co-worker went home last night after a long shift to see that her house was on fire.  She said the Red Cross is helping her, her little girl, and her boyfriend out and putting them up in a hotel.  She had just moved in about two weeks ago, so I think she had probably just finished unpacking all the boxes and getting things all organized. 

 The house is destroyed, no one was hurt and they haven't determined the cause yet.  Here is a link to the story: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_19373994

Just reminding everyone to be thankful this holiday season (and all seasons), don't leave candles lit, turn off your stoves and unplug lights on your Christmas trees.  And no...Alex wasn't working.  He is still the white cloud of the fire station.

Biggie's Back!

The following are reasons why I think my cat is the Notorious B.I.G. reincarnated.

#1 When I get home he is very chatty and I have no idea what he's saying.  Much like Biggie. "What is that?" Gonna blast squeeze first ask questions last, That's how most of these so-called gangsters pass  "Gangster..what? in Boulder?"
schooled me to the game, now I know my duty
"Your duty?? Schooled you to the game?"

#2 Biggie is from Brooklyn.  Oliver is from Boulder.  Both are suburbs of major music hubs.  New York is known for...all music.  Denver is known for The Sing Off's "Urban Method".  Obvi. connection.

C. I didn't know Mr. Biggie-Smalls-Wallace personally  but I imagine he got sassy when his food supply was on the low.  You can guess Mr. Oliver's 'tude when he gets on the hungry.

D.

 vs.

OR

 vs.

I think the similarities are just screaming.

E.  Coooome onn, if these aren't Biggie in cat form my world would be turned upside down.

No? Yeah? Not so much? I think I've put up a solid argument. I also may or may not have watched Notorious tonight.

Also, this video has been going around the internets. 

li-li-liar face, li-li-liaaar faaace

Making a blog post about making a blog post in the future, is sorta the equivalent of answering the phone just to say, "Hey, I'll call you back" instead of letting it go to voicemail.

Then you don't call back.

That is me. I did that.

And I'm doing it again! Horribleexcuseforablog.

Henry Eyes

Pictures are finally uploaded from the past month! It's full of the trip to California, Roller Derby/Star Wars, Beer Fest and Punkin' Pickin'

I real update will come tomorrow. Until then...

Camera. Whore.

Firemen and Stripper Poles

Alex's parents and my parents came into town last weekend to #1 Meeeet! #2 To celebrate with Alex as he graduated from his Fire Academy!

Mom flew in on Friday night.  We stopped at the grocery store and then of course the wine store (spent more on booze than food...what can ya do).  Then we got home so she could meet Mr. Oliver.  That meeting was not as smooth as I thought it would be. I think he got scared before I left for the airport and ran into the closet without my knowledge.  So, of course as I was cleaning I shut the closet doors.

...4 1/2 hours later we get home.  Someone was pissed.  Whoops.

Needless to say there was a lot of this...

...and this.

That was pretty much the only snafu for the weekend.  Saturday morning, Alex had to be at the fire station around 6am.  As the fam bam and I were on our way to Golden for the graduation and pinning, I get a text.  "Sit in an isle.  You are going to be pinning me." Uhh..jigga whaaat? I was not prepared for this.  Then......THEN I find out that we are the first ones to go.  Sweet.

Where do I get the badge?
Where do I pin it?
On the tail? 
Down then up then through? Huh?
Do we high five after?
Where do I stand?

So, needless to say, I figured it out.  I handled it.  AND he didn't bleed.  Over all a successful visit.

With his buddy Ryan

This is my mom learning to use a camera.  10 sec. before she realizes I'm going to go up there, and she needs to take camera duty, I hear, "How do I work this??" "Mom, you push the button on the top. Like every other camera ever made." "This is what I got." "Hahahhahahaaaa...aww craaaap."

The board of badges before the ceremony.

It's an old wooden pipe (right, Alex??) the class gave to their head instructor.

I was pro at pinning compared to some of those other suckers.  They must not do as well under pressure.

Mom and I both have #1. shiny shoes #2. A.D.D.

Alex with his dad and new helmet.

My mom is the new Annie Leibovitz.

"Am I allowed to put this on?" "I dunno. Hurry up."

A real firehouse pole!

Which reminds me, my mom says to me on Saturday after the graduation, "Kim (Alex's step dad) and I decided we're going to get a stripper pole for your apartment."
Me: "Why on Earth would I need a stripper pole?"
Mom: "It's like a fire pole."
Me: "No. No it's not"
Mom: "Ya, we are getting you one so Alex thinks it's a firepole."
Me: "No. No. Not the same. Don't want one."
Mom: "Ya."

I need snow boots...things for a wedding...wine....coffee...money for a honeymoon...essentials! I don't need a stripper pole, mom. If you think I should work out, maybe a Wii Fit is more up my alley. Please...and thank you.

IT'S FAAAALL!

Growing up in Southern California there isn't really a "fall".  My mom use to complain (actually she still does) about not having any seasons and it's always be greeted with, "Whoooo caaaares, mooooom?"  Well, I get it now.  Yes, mom. I. Get. It.

Last year, I got my first taste of the Colorado fall.  I loved it, and now I feel like I've earned it this year.  I suffered through horrible winter, and a scorching summer. (Yes, supposedly spring was in there, but by the time I realized it, it had already passed. [woah...comma city])  Now I'm READY! All of my long sleeves and cute sweaters are washed, ironed and hung up.  They are all set to be worn.  I'm ready for apple pie, windy weather, leaves changing colors, apple cider and wearing boots without my feet sweating.

Looking back to my childhood, I think I always knew I liked fall.  My friend, Emily and I use to run around in her front yard (why look crazy in the back yard, when you can do it in front of the neighbors?) in our bathing suits just as it started to cool off around November.  We would do that for about 20 minutes then run inside put on warm clothes and drink hot chocolate.

Now I get to live a real life "Baby Sitters Club" movie, minus the babies and the sitting.  Yes, I realize that the cold/evil winter is going to rear its nasty head soon.  But I'm ignoring that temporarily and listening to my fall music: Ari Hest, Christina Perri and the soundtrack to Garden State.

OH MY GATOS! How could I write about Fall and not talk about Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Sweet Baby Jesus, I am a happy camper. 

Pretty, Pretty

I think it's weird when I have friends from unrelated groups that are in the same place and Facebook about it.  This post has almost nothing to do with that, other than I know that the sunset in San Diego was epic yesterday.  Three friends all posted almost the same picture at the same time! Granted, it was definitely worth posting.  Check them out. 

via Jamie Mae

via Ian

via Angela

Swirly McFunzies

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Laundry Anxiety

Let's just paint a picture of my apartment complex real fast.  It is a U-shaped three story building.  I live on the 3rd floor.  There are about 36 units, with community laundry in the basement.  Three washers and three dryers.  I decided to do some laundry before work tonight, and head out with 2 solid loads.  Totally normal.  Most people will leave one free for someone that needs to wash something. 

As I hit staircase #2 with my laundry basket full of clothes, I hear a door on the top floor open and close and a girl yell back that she is going to "throw in all my laundry real fast."  As explained earlier, there is almost always 1 free.  I was hoping for her sake that all 3 were open, and she would get to use one.  She doesn't see me, but I know she is headed down.  I haul my butt down the stairs with a quickness (I need a clean apron real bad.  Mine looks like I've been working in a Southern Kitchen for the better half of my life with no apparent water source near.  I've spot "cleaned" it too many times to push it any longer.) because one just neeeveeerr knowwws the laundry situation. These are the possible scenearios that could have taken place.

#1 All the washers are free and clear. I get there before she does, she gets one.  This is the best case.

#2 Two washers are taken, one is clear. I take it before she even gets downstairs.  This works to my sort of advantage except in the chance that she walks in and sees me there and that all the washers are taken and gives me the look of death for using all of them.  WHICH I DIDN'T! (but I would have.  I just don't like given the laser eyes if I didn't do something.)

#3 Just one is being used, and I let her have one.  This is a very unlikely scenario.  She can wash her sorority shirts later. 

 #4 Just one is being used, and I take both.  Yeah, I would do that.  I've got things to do, people!  When she walks in, I avoid eye contact, pretend to be really mad about a gang fight gone bad on my phone.  That should keep her away for awhile.  Ya, I know.  Karma will say hi to me later, I will deal with it then.

#5 All 3 are being used before I get there, and we are both screwed. 

As I head down the staircase, I think "Should I throw pine cones at her to distract her?  Should I yell up to her 'Sorry! Seeaaats taaaken!'  Should I ..."

Crash! I fall.

Luckily I only tripped down a few stairs and mainly landed on my dirty clothes and have an awkward twisty motion with the staircase railing.  She notices me, yells and asks if I'm okay.  To which I respond, "Ya, I just tried carrying too much laundry."  She gets the hint, and heads back inside. 

Score 1 for being clumsy.

Oh, and in case you were super curious as to what the actual sitch was in the laundry room. It would have been scenario #2.  I didn't want to go all Rachel Greene up on her, but I would have if need be.

Still lacking a camera! Though, I'm not entirely sure what pictures I could have posted anyway, less I decided to take a picture of the laundry room...but that would have been just WAY too exciting a post.  Maybe another day.

Cali-for-ni-a!

Alllrighty, California trip time.  Since my camera decided to run off to live a life without me (I forgot it in the hotel room) there are no pictures to show that the trip actually did happen.  How fun is a post without pictures? Let me tell you, not fun at all.  I'm not writing War and Peace here, so I need some visual stimulation.  So, I did what any normal person does. I stole pictures from the internet. (and a few from my camera phone)

Sooo the whole point of going out to California was:

1.  To get the helloutta Colorado. 

B. To visit LA and San Diego friends, two of which were getting married the following week which we couldn't attend. 

C.  To go to my :::sigh::: high school reunion. Go Wolfpack.

We flew in on Friday night, ate pizza with the parents and...I think that's it.

Saturday we took Henry to the pooch park, mainly because he looks like this:

There is no fancy filter on my phone, this rear end shouldn't be soooo wide.

We then walked around the village, mainly to get Yogurtland.  Also, because Alex swears we've been dating for eons and every time I take him to Claremont we never do anything IN Claremont.  (Which finally I admit, is true.  The first few times we went to Upland, Rancho, Ontario and La Verne.  Oops.)  Anyway, he saw all that is the epic Claremont Village. Life changer right there.

Saturday night was the ever dreaded High School reunion.  Let me state for the record:  I did not want to go.  I wasn't planning on it, then during New Years Alexis tells me she is ALLLLL FOR IT AND SUPER EXCITED.   Well, crap. Now I still wasn't sold on the idea, but I didn't want to miss out on anything.  Why didn't I want to go? Cause this is the conversation I imagined with everyone:

"Hiiiiiiiieeee!"
Me: "Hiiiiiiii!"
"How are you?"
Me: "I'm goooood. How are yooou?"
"Greeeaaaat."
Me:  "Gooood...."

Why do I imagine this? Because of stupid Facebook.  I saw your wedding pictures, I know you checked in at Target 40 times, I know you love to shoot birds at blocks of wood (that's that Mad Birdie game, right?), I saw pictures from your vacations over the past 10 years. Vegas. Europe. Everything. I.Get.It.  Saw it. Read about it. Super happy for you. Which is why I imagined the reunion to basically be hell in a Mexican bar.  (oh..there is a restaurant attached? Huh.)  Needless to say, I was not looking forward to it.

Turned out it wasn't bad.  Alex wore an old Wolfpack Football shirt under his button down shirt, so I made him flash everyone randomly.  I won in the raffle! The conversations were great, but to be honest after my drink at home, the free margarita and a $56 bar bill I'm sure I could have had fun in a meeting of Congress.   

"Um, I invented Post-Its."

It was held at Casa De Salsa at the Old School House.  Here is a picture of us not there, but from some lovely internet person who decided to post it.  We actually stayed until they closed, then headed over to The Press to see what was up. That was certainly not happening. Too packed. So Alex and I and a few friends headed back to our friend's new apartment and were up until about 4 having a "kick back." (ya...said it. Learn it. Live it.)

 On Sunday, we layed out in my parents backyard, napped then went back down for some Yogurtland (seriously, if you haven't gone yet GO!) then headed to the Metrolink and caught a train into downtown L.A. to visit Jeremy and Danielle.

I probably had a picture like this on my camera...ya...

We hung out at their freaking awesome loft for a little bit, then went out for some drinks.  We ended up at an old speakeasy behind Cole's (a famous restaurant).  The place was called The Varnish. If you're ever in downtown L.A. I highly suggest it.  Super fun.

super crushed ice! I'm sold.

Metal stir stick/straws and one GIANT piece of ice. Sold again.

What is cool is that if you don't want anything on the menu, you tell the waitress what kind of alcohol you want and what sort of flavoring you want and the bartender whips something up.  For example, Danielle chose gin and citrus and they brought her something kinda random.

On Monday we went down to San Diego and stayed at The Handlery.  Great hotel as long as you don't forget to pack your camera. (Uggg...super bitter about it still) 

We then checked out a possible reception venue. I put Alex on camera duties, and he did awesome. There were probably 30 pictures, showing the spot perfectly. The views are amazeballs.  Now would have been a great time to show it off but thaaaat's not going to happen.  So, needless to say. We saw one venue, loved it and picked it.  That's one step down in the wedding planning. Saa-weeet!  Right after we walked over to meet some friends at Nicky Rottons. SO GOOD! 

Nicky Rotton's bar. We sat upstairs to the left!

After we said goodbye to everyone we walked over to Yardhouse to have a drink or 2 and say, "hi."  We ended up at Star Bar.  Just like old times. :)

Tuesday morning we met some friends at Tap Room. (Yummmm...can you tell we ate a lot?) Then walked around PB a little bit and drove around a little then met Brad, Heidi, Hayden and little baby Landon at In-N-Out.  Unfortunately, the traffic was horrible/bad so we were all late meeting. Between scarfing down a cheese burger and chocolate shake I was able to see the little boy say hi then we had to peace out for the airport.  It was too rushed, but definitely glad we got to meet up for half a second.

Yes, I know I've used this picture already. Deal.

All in all, it was a bombdiggity trip.  Glad I went to the reunion, glad I got to see friends, and super happy sunshine sparkles that we got to make it back down to San Diego.  

Old picture, but I got to see all of them!

Now we only have 364 days left until we will fo-sho be back in SoCal somewhere! Big smiles!