iPhone...

This is the first post from my new iPhone! Woot! I'm so amused that I'm posting from our couch. Though I haven't figured out how to include photos.

Big news - I got a new job! Same company, new position. Movin on up. I decided that an iPhone would be the perfect congratulatory gift to myself. I love it already... in a very unhealthy way.

Monster Monday...

So, I missed the Monster Monday post last week and no one even called me out on it! Didn't you miss having Chloe's adorable face to brighten your Monday morning? Here she is on a walk. There's nothing that she loves more than going for walks. Except maybe sticks. And her soccer ball. And fridge packs. Actually, she has a love/hate relationship with the fridge packs.

Chillaxing...

I spent most of today just relaxing on my lounger, enjoying the late summer sunshine on our deck, and reading. It was bliss. Sometimes it's nice to have a day to do absolutely nothing. Chloe agrees...

Adventures in Dogsitting...

My Mom agreed to dogsit for a friend while his family was on vacation. This meant that their two chocolate labs came to stay at my parents... joining their two pugs and subjecting them to my camera. Chaos...

Sushi masters...

Today was my belated birthday. For my real birthday back in June, Kev surprised me with a Sushi Workshop at a local culinary school. What a GREAT idea. Big props to Kev. The first open class was today. I was a little intimidated... my talent in the kitchen is admittedly limited. But the thought of being able to make my own sushi was enticing. The class was so much FUN! The instructor was great at explaining and demonstrating how things are done... even a cooking novice like myself could catch on. And I can honestly say that this is something that we'll definitely try on our own. We came into the room to Miso Soup and Salt and Pepper Edamame and after snacking a bit we started the workshop. We learned how to make Cucumber Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls, California Rolls and Hand Rolls. And we ended the workshop by all sitting at an adorably set up table to enjoy our very own sushi and some sake. Good times!

The Viking Cooking School has schools in several different states.... I recommend this class if there's a location near you! And I only have two photos from my point&shoot... I got way too caught up in the sushi-making and completely forgot about my camera.

Wasting time before class started...

and a kind-of-hard-to-see view of the classroom...

Rough day...

This is a scene that I've grown accustomed to... Sleeping husband. Half full bottle of beer. Both still upright. Ha! I can't tell you how many times he's fallen asleep like this and we have yet to have a beer casualty. Talent, I tell ya...

Monster Monday...

I've decided to institute a new blog segment called Monster Monday. I'll {try to} share a few photos of Chloe and her antics every Monday. After all, what better way to begin the work week than with a dose of the Chloemonster? It makes me happy just thinking about it. This doesn't mean that I won't share photos of Chloe on other days of the week as well... as we all know that I don't have too many willing photo subjects and she is easily bribed.

Chloe, doing her best imitation of Edith Ann; Lily Tomlin's character from back in the Laugh-In days...

Remember this? Or am I the only old one here?

Looking quite regal. Or scared to move. You decide...

View from our front porch...

Seeing this out our front windows made a rainy day so much more bearable...

Just because...

He makes me smile. Big. Goofy. Smiles. He calls it my 'Joker smile.' It can be brought on my many things, like when he brings me sunflowers and a bottle of Malbec for no reason at all. Just because he was thinking of me on the way home from work. Just because he knows that sunflowers remind me of way back when we first started dating and he showed up at my door with flowers for the first time. Just because it's Wednesday. Just because...

Monster shots...

I thought I'd share some photos of the Chloemonster since I haven't posted much about her recently. She's still getting her fair share of camera time...

And this last one is technically a disaster but it makes me laugh so I'll post it anyway. This is Chloe, mid-bark/bounce. Note that she can not do one without the other. She's funny, that one...

CDs...

My parents got us a printer for Christmas that allows you to print directly onto a CD. Pretty cool. And so much easier than those labels that you stick to the CD. It's an Epson RX680. Here is my first attempt. Far from perfect but still cute, I think...

Weekend Recap...

It's a good day when the husband takes the initiative to plan something for us to do. Always fun. Every week Kev watches a show called Digphilly. It's local show that introduces cool restaurants and stores, announces events, and reviews local bands. Last week he saw something on the show that he knew I'd love. So on Saturday he took me to the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown to see a special exhibit... Dog Dogs. It is a collection of over 60 black-and-white photographs taken by photographer Elliott Erwitt between 1946 and 2000. He is the master of candid moments that speak of the relationships involved. Anyone who is a dog lover will feel a connection with these touching, often hilarious photographs. I loved the exhibit. Here is one of my favorite images, taken in 1946 in NYC by the talented Elliott Erwitt...

Two of my favorite things... dogs and photography. My husband is the best. I love that man. Here are a few photos of the museum...

Which one is the real statue? Can barely tell, can you? I'm good...

After wandering the museum, we headed to Main St to do some shopping. We stopped at a bookstore and Kev's favorite record store and ended up in a café for lunch. Who would have thought that shrimp tempura would go so well with strawberries, pineapple and kiwi in sushi form? Genius...

and I will leave you with Kev's face when he grows weary of the camera. It's bound to happen, even after a fun day...

Happy hump day...

Happy Wednesday! Would be happier if I was on the plane heading to Key West like some lucky people... my Mom, aunt, sister and her boyfriend. But regardless, the work week is half way over and that in itself is something to be happy about...

The self-portrait...

Fabulous weekend. Photos to share, but first I need to finish up some things around the house. Monday always comes too fast. Congrats to my little sister, who completed her first triathlon today and even won an award. Kick ass. I'm so proud of you!

Here's a photo of the hubs and I from yesterday. It was the infamous attempt at a self-portrait. Didn't quite turn out the way we planned, but sometimes that's for the best...

Our Wedding...

Only a year and half later, here is the debut of our wedding slideshow. Our photographers get the images to us in a lightening fast two weeks and it takes me this long to put together a slideshow. Terrible, I know. The wedding album, unfortunately, still has not been completed. I'm working on it. Kind of. I have no excuses. Call me narcissistic, but I adore our wedding photos. They make me indescribably happy every time I see them. So I'm mostly posting this so that when I can look back on it whenever my little heart desires. Like most Mondays when I'm wishing that I was anywhere else but my cubicle. I hope you enjoy it as well...

Photo credit: the amazing, Del Sol Photography

Bee magnet...

Lavender is a bee magnet. There is a patch of lavender in our garden that has become completely infested with bees. They love it. Who can blame them? It's tall, beautiful, smells lovely... all the things you want in a flower. It does make it intimidating to have to dart past the swarm of bees on your way in/out of the house. But it's kind of an adventure. And the view is well worth the risk...

Bad Momma...

Notice anything different here... ?


How about here...?



Yes, she is wearing a band-aid on her foot. We had a little mishap with the nail clippers last night. Cutting Chloe's nails has always been my responsibility. I swear, it was the first time that I ever drew blood. I'm sure that I was far more distraught over the whole ordeal than she was. I almost cried. Seriously. And then I convinced Kev that we need to run to the pet store immediately to pick up some 'quick stop' before she loses too much blood. Ok, so it was a bit dramatic. She actually didn't mind wearing the band-aid. And I tried to compensate for my bad momma skills with excess treats for the girl. I wonder if she'll have forgotten about it by tomorrow when I have to finish off the other 14 nails...

Kenny rocks...

The concert last night was amazing. Kenny Chesney's Poets and Pirates tour, for those non-country music fans. The line-up was Gary Allan, Leann Rimes, Sammy Hagar, Keith Urban, and Kenny Chesney. We got there late and only caught the tail end of Gary's set from the parking lot. We ran towards the stadium singing, "rainy night in Georgia, Kentucky rain, here comes that rainy day feeling again, blue eyes crying in the early morning rain, they go on and on and there's no two the same, oh it would be easy to blame all these songs about rain." Kind of disappointing. I would have preferred to see all of Gary Allan over an hour and a friggin half of Sammy Hagar in the 90 degree heat. Why did they squish him square in the middle of all those country singers anyway? Keith Urban played after Sammy Hagar and he rocks in concert. Love him and his tight jeans. And of course Kenny rocked it out at the end. I probably sent my sister 10 inaudible videos by cellphone during the concert but I was so excited and wanted to share them with her! Safe to say that my first country concert was a very good time...

Keith, in all his yummyness...


Kenny...

Not a warm weather dog...

Chloe's trying to beat the heat. She doesn't do well in the hot weather. Nor does she do well in the cold. She's a neutral weather kind of dog. This week is supposed to be the hottest of the year. It's unfortunate that tomorrow I'll be in tight quarters with thousands of other people in 97 degree weather. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let this heat wave keep me from seeing Kenny Chesney in concert! Don't worry, I'll be stocking my purse with as much water as I can...

Sweet tooth...

Yesterday, Kev stopped at the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up a few things for dinner. I opened the bag to find garlic-stuffed olives, which thrilled me. Individually, I love both olives and garlic. But together they are a whole other level of deliciousness. And then I spied this sweet surprise...

He sure knows the way to my heart...