From: Greg
Subject: Word of the Day
To: Katelynn
Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 1:56 PM
Word of the day is - Chill-ax
Used in a professional work setting : CHECK!
4.01.2009
2.11.2009
In case you missed all that hooting and hollering...
Our Christmas gift from my mom and her husband was two tickets to the Avs/Dallas game last week.
We were, of course, incredibly thankful for this VERY thoughtful gift... but when we showed up?!??! Holy cow... we did NOT expect to be sitting right here:
That would be Avs attack zone for the first and third period! We were SO close that during warm ups, a Dallas player knocked a practice puck up the netting and it slid down and landed right in front of us! The puck says, "Official NHL practice puck made it Ottawa, Canada." OMG!
We go to a lot of hockey games... some are free tickets from work (or other connections), some we buy, and some are given to us. These were, HANDS DOWN, the best seats we've EVER had! The game was so exciting! Fortunately the Avs won... but even if they had lost, it wouldn't have been a downer.
Later I thanked my mom again PROFUSELY for the tickets... she said, "Hey, if were up to me, you'd be in the nosebleeds... thank Bob." So, Bob, DARLING... THANK YOU! Those were AWESOME!
2.02.2009
At the movies...
Movie Screen: "Trivia Fact: Singer Ashlee Simpson and her sister Jessica enjoy making chocolate covered potato chips."
Greg: "FALSE! Ashlee Simpson is not a singer!"
*facepalm*
Greg: "FALSE! Ashlee Simpson is not a singer!"
*facepalm*
1.27.2009
Once an Antartician...
So this morning on my INSANELY long drive to work (1.5 hours for ELEVEN MILES!), I noticed THREE (yes, THREE) cars with some sort of USAP sticker (United States Antarctica Program) on their windows. (One said NPX - the call sign for the South Pole Station, the other McM - the call sign for McMurdo, and another said USAP.)
I'll admit... I peeked to see if I knew any of them. I didn't. But one guy thought it was funny that my dog rides in the front seat and sits like a human. Thank goodness he didn't see that Scouty was wearing his safety harness and was properly buckled in.
Like a true USAPer, I'm a stickler for safety. :)
(Yes, I realize this isn't my dog... it's approximately -4643786343* degrees outside and I'm not about to stand out there for a second longer just to get a picture of my dog in his ridiculous harness. You get the idea.)
I'll admit... I peeked to see if I knew any of them. I didn't. But one guy thought it was funny that my dog rides in the front seat and sits like a human. Thank goodness he didn't see that Scouty was wearing his safety harness and was properly buckled in.
Like a true USAPer, I'm a stickler for safety. :)
(Yes, I realize this isn't my dog... it's approximately -4643786343* degrees outside and I'm not about to stand out there for a second longer just to get a picture of my dog in his ridiculous harness. You get the idea.)
1.23.2009
Emails... not just for important communications.
From: Greg
Date: January 23, 2009 at 1:11pm
To: Katelynn
Subject: Pizza.
Today's darwin award goes to our pizza man ... who, after getting lost with the twelve pizzas he was supposed to deliver to work, promptly locked his keys in his car (with the pizzas), and is now awaiting a locksmith in the parking lot of the building next door. You would think there is a fire next door with all the people looking out the window, hungry, talking about how much to tip the guy.
Date: January 23, 2009 at 1:11pm
To: Katelynn
Subject: Pizza.
Today's darwin award goes to our pizza man ... who, after getting lost with the twelve pizzas he was supposed to deliver to work, promptly locked his keys in his car (with the pizzas), and is now awaiting a locksmith in the parking lot of the building next door. You would think there is a fire next door with all the people looking out the window, hungry, talking about how much to tip the guy.
1.05.2009
How I made 2008 my most organized year yet.
It's 2009, and while I'm not inclined to make New Year's Resolutions, I do think this is a good time of year for reflecting on my past and present actions to see if I'm headed on the right path.
While some of these things are deep and meaningful (where in the hell am I going career-wise?!?) others are less philosophical, but just as important.
Take moving in with my partner. It's been 12 whole months of living in sin, and this past year has been absolutely blissful. We have our disagreements, but the great news is that we are compatible for living together! This is exciting. Before I go cheering, however, I must take the time to reflect on how long it has taken me to get here.
In 1998, I moved out of my parents' home, where I was notoriously messy, and not up to standards for my anal retentive "the vacuum lines must be perpendicular to the fireplace" father. When I got to college, I brought these habits PLUS the "only child syndrome" attitude into my first dorm room. One I shared with an unsuspecting other woman. She moved out after the first semester, and I had the room to myself.
I kept my single room tidy, but the real trouble came when I moved out of the dorm and into my first apartment. Holy kitchen and bathroom accessories, batman! I don't know WHOSE brilliant idea it was for our on campus apartments (a four bedroom shared by four women) to have a SINGLE sink with NO garbage disposal, no dishwasher, and VERY limited counter-space, but that was my reality.
Enter Stacie, my first apartment roommate, and one of the few people I know who will give it to me straight. She's not afraid to be confrontational, and that trait gradually rubbed off on me. We fought and made up like the sisters I never had. I learned to tell her how her messy habits drove me to the brink of insanity, and she told me how my over bearing bossy attitude drove her to the brink of punching me in the face. I don't blame her. :)
What I did learn, though, is that no one will put away my leftovers or clean the kitchen while I slept. Damn. I quickly figured out that while I enjoyed not being nagged to do things, I really hated waking up to a messy kitchen. So I started cleaning up for myself.
In those 10 years, I've lived with, like, 15 different people. Never once have I been anything BUT the most tidy person in my home. I'm the anal retentive one. I'm the crazy organizer with a label maker. I like things ORDERLY.
Now that you have the background, I feel obliged to tell you that Greg is tidier than me! Whoa! Someone out there DOES exist, and I have found him! I feel very lucky, VERY LUCKY, that he's MINE. I frequently come home to a clean and tidy home. The dishes are ALWAYS in the dishwasher or the cupboard. The floor is always clean, and my stuff is always put away. (By him, don't let me confuse you!)
When we combined our households last year, we talked about our expectations for a clean and tidy home. I love organizing and purging. Greg loves a home that is clutter-free and one where there is a place for everything. I think it is so smart that we talk about these things. I've been told couples often fight about household expectations, and the fact that we are having these important conversations PRIOR to the arrival of any children means a lot to me. There won't be any surprises (like, say, my insane drive to label EVERYTHING in the house), and we'll have established a comfortable routine.
So how did we do it? Greg has his own system and thoughts, but for me, these things (see below) are so important. If your goal for 2009 is to change your household habits, or to become more organized, here are my tips for my 2008 goal:
Here are the things I do daily:
- Do your laundry!
o I used to think that if I was doing laundry every day, I’d never have that “yay I’m done!” feeling. I was wrong. I have it everyday. (Well, almost… it’s about every other day.) I do one load from the start (sort and wash) to the end (iron, fold, put away) per night. Laundry doesn’t get overwhelming, and I almost always have what I’m looking for. So, do your laundry!
- Throw out your trash!
o This is simple, but one of my biggest pet peeves (around my own house… I’m not perfect!). Empty the small trashcans, toss junk mail (do it immediately!), purge your magazines… etc, etc. You get the idea. While you’re purging the trash…
- Get those dishes into the dishwasher and out of the sink!
o I have such a hard time with this, but have been gradually improving because it’s something that makes Greg happy. If you don’t have a dishwasher, get a bin, put it under your sink, and toss your dishes in there until you can clean them. I promise… with a clean sink, your kitchen looks wonderful. And while you’re in the kitchen…
- Wipe down counters!
o It’s not perfect, just a tad nicer. I do a deep kitchen clean once a month, so this is just maintaining. While you’ve got the sponge out, take a moment to wipe down the counters/toilet in the bathroom. I use a Lysol wipe because I like disinfecting. :)
- Get a place for your crap, and USE it.
o My mom can’t tell you how many times I forgot my lunch/homework/permission slip as a kid. I’m a SCATTERBRAIN. I think this is why I have to be so organized. If I’m not, I can’t remember where I put what. Even now, Greg knows that it’s a 50/50 shot when he calls my cell… either I answer, or he hears it ringing in the house. :)
o To combat this problem, I got a small basket and put it right next to the door (on our entertainment center). When I walk in the door, I hang up my coat/scarf/gloves (they go in the coat pocket), and put my cell, wallet, ipod and car player, and anything else I don’t want to lose into my basket. Greg knows if I leave something out and he’s cleaning, just to put it into the basket… I don’t bitch about not being able to find something, and he gets to tidy up.
- Lastly, I spend 15 minutes a day in my “room of the week.”
o This is key to keeping your house tidy all the time. I divide my house up into five sections and rotate them… one section per week.
1. Office/Bedroom
2. Kitchen
3. Bathrooms
4. Common Areas
5. Basement
o I suppose it would be ideal to have specific things to do each day, but I’m not THAT good. :) So instead, I spend 15 minutes working in the weekly area. Either it’s de-cluttering (the office is insane right now!), or deep cleaning (moving the furniture to vacuum, wiping down windows or baseboards, or using a toothbrush to remove buildup from the front of the cabinets in the kitchen), just find something to do for 15 minutes. I set the oven timer, and when I’m done, I’m done.
§ As you notice things that need to be done (like scrubbing the front of the kitchen cupboards with a toothbrush), write it a notebook with the task listed, the frequency you want it done, and the last time it was done. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just jot it down. I keep a notebook in the kitchen for things like this, or things I want to remember (like adding a movie to my netflix queue, a TV show I want to watch, etc, etc).
All these daily things take about 20-30 minutes per day, but that is SOOO much better than, like, 8 hours of laundry and ironing on a Sunday, right? Don’t get me wrong, I have my moments (last Saturday was a MARATHON ironing session!), but I’m much better.
To summarize:
Get a daily routine. Figure it out, and stick to it. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t stick by it, just get back on track.
Other tips that have helped make 2008 an AWESOMELY successful year:
- Carry a small notepad and write EVERYTHING down.
- Use www.birthdayalarm.com, www.google.com/reader, and www.google.com/calendar.
- Make your bed in the morning. Makes your room seem so much tidier!
- Always be putting stuff away. Or, move in with someone who will do it for you. (Thanks, darling!)
- Newspapers and magazines should be read and tossed. (I’m a couponer, so this is a big clutter problem in my house.) I read them, cut out anything I want (or write notes in the notebook I carry around… things such as websites I want to visit), and recycle them.
- Only purchase clothes or household goods if you ABSOLUTELY love them. Constantly be purging those things you don’t love/don’t fit/things that are broken.
Whew! I’ve written a novel! If anything, it has been helpful for me to write out all these things that I vowed to improve upon when I moved in with Greg last year. I think I’m doing good… I’m not 100% yet, but I’m getting better and better!
For those of you who are still reading, bless your heart! Now answer me this… what are your goals for 2009?
While some of these things are deep and meaningful (where in the hell am I going career-wise?!?) others are less philosophical, but just as important.
Take moving in with my partner. It's been 12 whole months of living in sin, and this past year has been absolutely blissful. We have our disagreements, but the great news is that we are compatible for living together! This is exciting. Before I go cheering, however, I must take the time to reflect on how long it has taken me to get here.
In 1998, I moved out of my parents' home, where I was notoriously messy, and not up to standards for my anal retentive "the vacuum lines must be perpendicular to the fireplace" father. When I got to college, I brought these habits PLUS the "only child syndrome" attitude into my first dorm room. One I shared with an unsuspecting other woman. She moved out after the first semester, and I had the room to myself.
I kept my single room tidy, but the real trouble came when I moved out of the dorm and into my first apartment. Holy kitchen and bathroom accessories, batman! I don't know WHOSE brilliant idea it was for our on campus apartments (a four bedroom shared by four women) to have a SINGLE sink with NO garbage disposal, no dishwasher, and VERY limited counter-space, but that was my reality.
Enter Stacie, my first apartment roommate, and one of the few people I know who will give it to me straight. She's not afraid to be confrontational, and that trait gradually rubbed off on me. We fought and made up like the sisters I never had. I learned to tell her how her messy habits drove me to the brink of insanity, and she told me how my over bearing bossy attitude drove her to the brink of punching me in the face. I don't blame her. :)
What I did learn, though, is that no one will put away my leftovers or clean the kitchen while I slept. Damn. I quickly figured out that while I enjoyed not being nagged to do things, I really hated waking up to a messy kitchen. So I started cleaning up for myself.
In those 10 years, I've lived with, like, 15 different people. Never once have I been anything BUT the most tidy person in my home. I'm the anal retentive one. I'm the crazy organizer with a label maker. I like things ORDERLY.
Now that you have the background, I feel obliged to tell you that Greg is tidier than me! Whoa! Someone out there DOES exist, and I have found him! I feel very lucky, VERY LUCKY, that he's MINE. I frequently come home to a clean and tidy home. The dishes are ALWAYS in the dishwasher or the cupboard. The floor is always clean, and my stuff is always put away. (By him, don't let me confuse you!)
When we combined our households last year, we talked about our expectations for a clean and tidy home. I love organizing and purging. Greg loves a home that is clutter-free and one where there is a place for everything. I think it is so smart that we talk about these things. I've been told couples often fight about household expectations, and the fact that we are having these important conversations PRIOR to the arrival of any children means a lot to me. There won't be any surprises (like, say, my insane drive to label EVERYTHING in the house), and we'll have established a comfortable routine.
So how did we do it? Greg has his own system and thoughts, but for me, these things (see below) are so important. If your goal for 2009 is to change your household habits, or to become more organized, here are my tips for my 2008 goal:
Here are the things I do daily:
- Do your laundry!
o I used to think that if I was doing laundry every day, I’d never have that “yay I’m done!” feeling. I was wrong. I have it everyday. (Well, almost… it’s about every other day.) I do one load from the start (sort and wash) to the end (iron, fold, put away) per night. Laundry doesn’t get overwhelming, and I almost always have what I’m looking for. So, do your laundry!
- Throw out your trash!
o This is simple, but one of my biggest pet peeves (around my own house… I’m not perfect!). Empty the small trashcans, toss junk mail (do it immediately!), purge your magazines… etc, etc. You get the idea. While you’re purging the trash…
- Get those dishes into the dishwasher and out of the sink!
o I have such a hard time with this, but have been gradually improving because it’s something that makes Greg happy. If you don’t have a dishwasher, get a bin, put it under your sink, and toss your dishes in there until you can clean them. I promise… with a clean sink, your kitchen looks wonderful. And while you’re in the kitchen…
- Wipe down counters!
o It’s not perfect, just a tad nicer. I do a deep kitchen clean once a month, so this is just maintaining. While you’ve got the sponge out, take a moment to wipe down the counters/toilet in the bathroom. I use a Lysol wipe because I like disinfecting. :)
- Get a place for your crap, and USE it.
o My mom can’t tell you how many times I forgot my lunch/homework/permission slip as a kid. I’m a SCATTERBRAIN. I think this is why I have to be so organized. If I’m not, I can’t remember where I put what. Even now, Greg knows that it’s a 50/50 shot when he calls my cell… either I answer, or he hears it ringing in the house. :)
o To combat this problem, I got a small basket and put it right next to the door (on our entertainment center). When I walk in the door, I hang up my coat/scarf/gloves (they go in the coat pocket), and put my cell, wallet, ipod and car player, and anything else I don’t want to lose into my basket. Greg knows if I leave something out and he’s cleaning, just to put it into the basket… I don’t bitch about not being able to find something, and he gets to tidy up.
- Lastly, I spend 15 minutes a day in my “room of the week.”
o This is key to keeping your house tidy all the time. I divide my house up into five sections and rotate them… one section per week.
1. Office/Bedroom
2. Kitchen
3. Bathrooms
4. Common Areas
5. Basement
o I suppose it would be ideal to have specific things to do each day, but I’m not THAT good. :) So instead, I spend 15 minutes working in the weekly area. Either it’s de-cluttering (the office is insane right now!), or deep cleaning (moving the furniture to vacuum, wiping down windows or baseboards, or using a toothbrush to remove buildup from the front of the cabinets in the kitchen), just find something to do for 15 minutes. I set the oven timer, and when I’m done, I’m done.
§ As you notice things that need to be done (like scrubbing the front of the kitchen cupboards with a toothbrush), write it a notebook with the task listed, the frequency you want it done, and the last time it was done. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just jot it down. I keep a notebook in the kitchen for things like this, or things I want to remember (like adding a movie to my netflix queue, a TV show I want to watch, etc, etc).
All these daily things take about 20-30 minutes per day, but that is SOOO much better than, like, 8 hours of laundry and ironing on a Sunday, right? Don’t get me wrong, I have my moments (last Saturday was a MARATHON ironing session!), but I’m much better.
To summarize:
Get a daily routine. Figure it out, and stick to it. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t stick by it, just get back on track.
Other tips that have helped make 2008 an AWESOMELY successful year:
- Carry a small notepad and write EVERYTHING down.
- Use www.birthdayalarm.com, www.google.com/reader, and www.google.com/calendar.
- Make your bed in the morning. Makes your room seem so much tidier!
- Always be putting stuff away. Or, move in with someone who will do it for you. (Thanks, darling!)
- Newspapers and magazines should be read and tossed. (I’m a couponer, so this is a big clutter problem in my house.) I read them, cut out anything I want (or write notes in the notebook I carry around… things such as websites I want to visit), and recycle them.
- Only purchase clothes or household goods if you ABSOLUTELY love them. Constantly be purging those things you don’t love/don’t fit/things that are broken.
Whew! I’ve written a novel! If anything, it has been helpful for me to write out all these things that I vowed to improve upon when I moved in with Greg last year. I think I’m doing good… I’m not 100% yet, but I’m getting better and better!
For those of you who are still reading, bless your heart! Now answer me this… what are your goals for 2009?
12.28.2008
Life for Scouty-pants.
When we leave town for any amount of time and we can't bring Scout, we take him to his doggy day care place for overnight boarding. Typically, he goes for half day (it's cheaper), and then hangs out under my desk for the rest of the day. However, we do overnight on the rare time we can't take Scout with us.
While we miss Scout TERRIBLY, he doesn't seem to mind going to doggy camp. In fact, as soon as I turn down the street, he starts whining, scratching, and barking in my ear to let him out RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE. You know, before his brain explodes from excitement.
And when I pick him up at the end of his day, he looks at me like I've just crushed his will to live and that if I really do take him from this heavenly place, he might just turn on me.
So, last Sunday before we left for not-so-sunny Southern California, I dropped Scout at the place made of heaven. He doesn't even hestiate to say goodbye (like I imagine my future children might when I drop THEM off before heading on a luxurious vacation to Western Europe, of course), but instead immediately starts scratching to be let in the play room.
Yes, dog. I know. Life without doggy day camp is a life not worth living.
And while we are away, we watch him on the webcam. Talk about how much fun he must be having. Tell stories about his stupid antics. And, well, miss him. Yes, like a child.
Today we got to go pick him up. It was a day of anticipated excitement for us, as we waited for the 4-6pm pick up time to roll around. When we got there, we peeked through the door, and he saw us standing there waiting to snuggle on him, hug him, and let him be Scouty.
The "counselor" working (it is doggy camp, after all) the front counter said, "Who's your dog?"
"Scout the golden retriever," I say.
"Oh my god. That dog NEVER stops. EVER. We spent ALL week trying to wear him out!" His face looks surprised, but deep down I know he's wondering how we manage.
"Yes," I say, "We know."
In fact, up until we took him camping (real camping, not doggy camp!), I had (in his 1.5 years of life on this super fun planet full of delicious wonderment), NEVER seen him SLEEP. He goes from sound asleep to wide awake and happy to see us in the split second it takes to open the door to his kennel area.
In fact, up until we took him camping (real camping, not doggy camp!), I had (in his 1.5 years of life on this super fun planet full of delicious wonderment), NEVER seen him SLEEP. He goes from sound asleep to wide awake and happy to see us in the split second it takes to open the door to his kennel area.
(Scout sleeping in our tent while camping this past summer.)
As he jumped in circles at the vet (all 80 pounds of him. In circles. REPEATEDLY), the vet tech leaned in and listened to his heart. After about 30 seconds, she pulls the stethescope away and says, "It's like you have the Lance Armstrong of dogs. Here he is jumping off the walls, so I would expect his heart rate to be elevated. Instead, his heart rate is below resting rate."
Shocking, no? Our incredibly crazy dog is as healthy as a horse.
So we joke with the counselor at camp while Scout begrudgingly leaves his favorite friends behind to go to our not so heavenly home where we will let him rest, relax, and sleep off his incredibly exciting week. Where we will, because of all that time spent running, nurse his chapped paws back to a nice calloused comfort, and where we will watch his legs move while he sleeps as if running, knowing he's dreaming of fun we can't ever imagine. :)
We love you, Scouty-pants, and at this time of year where the talk is of thankfulness, I want you to know how thankful we are that you came into my life two years ago today. And how thankful I am to have Greg, who you are convinced loves you more than I do.
(Greg and the pants-inator watching the super exciting San Diego vs. Denver game. I know. You love football. And hockey. And your Greggie.)
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