Friends...

After an e-mail that I recently received from a friend of mine, I became inspired to write this post. I hope you like it!

Since it is February (and the month of love) I thought I would take a few moments to say a little something about the people in my life that I love. Of course I love God (who is always first and foremost) and then there's my husband (and our cats), my Mom & my Dad, Sister, and Grandparents, even Great Grandparents (in my case), In-laws, Nephew, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins (cousins' husbands and kids) and last but not least are "our friends". I often stop to think about all of the people I have met on my journey to 25 and almost 3 quarters… and I wonder where some of them have gone on their journeys? Like for example, my old friend Jonathan (who trained me when I was doing my internship at Papernick & Gefsky). We did the same job (messengers) so we ended up hanging out a lot and even hung out outside of work a few times. When my internship ended we attempted to stay in touch. I knew one of his goals was to go to law school and that he wanted to study abroad in Israel (see, we were only 19-20 then so we were still in college). I remember trying to call him a few months later and his brother answered his cell phone and said he was in Israel and he would give him my message. I never did hear from him. I guess that happens though. I do feel and always have felt that people touch our lives for a reason. So I'm sure there is a reason I was friends with Jonathan for that short 8-month period of time? Anyway, it's like how all of us wonder what happened to the people we went to grade school and high school with. Early after you graduate you're curious because you not only saw their faces day-in and day-out for at least 12 years but you also grew up with them. But what happens is at some point during and after college you start to forget about most of them and may even find yourself not remembering the names you once thought you'd never forget. I'm sure this same feeling happens after 4 years of college. As most of you know, I commuted throughout my 4-year journey so I didn't have that same opportunity to make those kinds of "college friends" that others make.. My point is, we all know that feeling in one way or another. And I really don't think we'll ever stop wondering about those people that touched our lives (even if we can only remember their faces and not their names or vice versa)… I guess what I'm trying to say is that the cycle never ends. There are always going to be people that come into our lives maybe for a short period of time or maybe a long one, maybe we'll remember their names and maybe we won't, maybe we'll stay in touch for a long time, maybe not. We have friends that we have known since we were kids (I have one who will always be like a sister to me and I think she knows that - even if we only talk 2 or 3 times a year) and the friends from High School who we will always stay in touch with… same with college…. And then there's work. If you think about it- how many of us at 25, 27, 30, 32 have worked at more than 1, 2, 3 or more places already? And that is the time where I, personally, have made most of my closest friends. Work. Seems strange, right? You always hear people say, "Don't mix business with pleasure" or, "Work friends will never be your real friends". Just so you know- I don't believe any of that! I have made some of my closest friends at work. Whether they are the ones you just like to go and party with or the ones who you’ve become so close to you feel like you can tell them anything or the ones that just stick to you like glue where maybe you didn't "hang out" a lot and maybe you don't tell them everything, but you've shared memories with them and you know that they will always have a place in your heart and yours in theirs - I have made all of these types of friends. Some of them I still keep in touch with and some I don't really. I'm sure down the road I will unintentionally forget about some of them and some of them I will never forget about. Werid how life works when you actually sit down and think about different aspects of it 'philosophically'? Anyway, back to the subject.. the purpose of this post is to express my love for all of my friends - old and new - nomatter what kind of friend you are to me, you've touched my life in some way, and therefore, you should know that you will always have a place in my heart. And if you didn't know, you do now. =)
lam

FACT: Cats like Nachos!

He stole it.. and he ate some of it. Who would have thought?

Happy Valentine's Day To ME

Just braggin' because they're so pretty!



Even though we drive eachother nuts sometimes, he's still my sweetie.

And surprisingly, he still sends me flowers even though he knows they'll be dead soon.

(P.S. Not all girls know what to do with them when they get them.... cut stems? What? Remove leaves? What the? Plant food? What the heck is that? I'm learning.)

lam

New Furniture

We did it! We finally broke down and bought some new furniture for the living room! It's the big, comfy squishy kind. And you have NO idea how long we've been waiting for this stuff! Let's see here.... I believe we ordered it in late November! That's Roomful Express for you! Ok, ok.. so I understand they were backed up over the holdays... that's why when they told us "late December", I accepted with no problem. However, late December came and went and we were then told January 6th. Ok, ok, again, no biggie, only 2 weeks! Well (you guessed it!) Jan. 6th came and went and we were told Jan. 20th! (yep! you guessed it again!) Jan. 20th came and went and FINALLY, I said FINALLY on Feb. 10th our furniture arrived! It's about time funiture people!!

Awwww.... Poor Kitty!

Just until we make sure.... black cat needed to get rubber claws put on his feet. Haha! I actually feel kinda bad? Not only did we take his "manhood" but now we're taking his self defense. (Well, he does still have teeth!) It's just temporary until we make sure he doesn't scratch the furniture. They're funny because they're like artificial nails - literally - you glue them onto the cat's real nails and you can even buy them in different colors! Haha! (And - NO - I wouldn't do that to him!) That is why he got "clear".
lam

Catz R Kool

For all of you "dog people" out there - you don't know what you're missing! Cats are cool. I've never laughed so hard in my life at the crazy things they've been up to. And we've been having some fun with their names too!

Thompson & Tuxy (their real names) a/k/a:
T-Diddy and Kitty-Cent
Jack Bauer and Kitty Dubaku (for those of you who are 24 fans!)
Orange Cat & Black Cat

Trick & Treat
Snuggle Bug & Love Bug
Sweet & Sinister

&

"The Boys"



Tuxy a/k/a Whoobas, Mortemer, Blacky, Stupid, Little Mister, Mister Pickles, etc.
Thompson a/k/a Tomilson, Sweetie Cat, Snuggle Bug, Fluffball, Li'l Lion, Orangy etc.

(Can't really see it in this pic but Matt's coffee mug says, "Real Men Like Cats!" Haha... it was his Christmas present from Tuxy.)

But no matter what we call them - they're still "mischievious". So the other day I was hanging out in the living room when my sixth sense warned me something was up! I walked into the dining room only to find black cat standing next to a pink plastic cup on it's side and a puddle of water. At the same time, Thompson managed to knock over the entire container of cat food! The little furballs are smarter then you think let me tell you! Because despite the fact of how mad I was at them - it was partly my fault! Orange cat just happened to be a little hungry (since I hadn't fed him yet that day) and black cat's water dish was empty. Darn cats. How dare they try and teach me a lesson!
lam

Victory Rewind: Congratulations, Pittsburgh Steelers!

I know i'm rollin' a little bit backwards here (due to my bad procrastination habit) but I thought I'd post these pics anyway just in case!

For those of you who couldn't make it to the victory parade.... you didn't miss much. This is what I saw....

(Me and my work friend Christina - aren't we cute?)

Did I really see Santonio 3 times! Or, was it just my imagination?

(Next year guys please wear your jerseys.... I can barely recognize you with them on let alone without them from the view of the city-county bldg. steps!)

Oh yeah, here is my video of the stage.... ha! Funny.

Lesson here: If you were upset because you couldn't take off work and you thought you were going to miss something important.... you didn't.

lam

No Power, No Problem!

Since the "class 2 hurricane-like winds" managed to take out our power last Thursday night… what better thing to do then prepare to "camp" in our own freezing, cold, scary dark house! (Or at least Matt thought so!) After I was late for work Thursday morning, got stuck in traffic on my way in, called the electric company only to find out we were stuck like this until Friday the 13th (go figure), Matt decided to come home from work Thursday night, light about fifty-million candles, accuse me of trying to burn the house down, build a fire in the fireplace and ask me if I wanted to blow up the air mattress so we can sleep next to it. Really? Both of our parents live within like 3 miles of us.. (and both offered for us to spend the night). But what could be more exciting then trying to rough it out ourselves? (Especially if you're a boy.) Fine. I'd better get used to it. Like my Dad says, "We live in an area that when the dog farts the power goes out." (In our case it's when a cat farts.) So we made macaroni & cheese (gas stove), ate, put all of our perishibles into coolers and packed them with ice (which in turn Matt thought would be a good time to CLEAN the fridge), strung flash lights in the bathroom, got showers, and chilled (literally) by the fireplace…. Until about 9:00…. When the neighbor called and asked us if we knew the power was back on since all of our lights were still out! My reaction: "Yes! I don't have to wake up at 6AM and drive to my parents house to get ready for work!" Matt's reaction: "Aww, man!". Apparatly he was having a blast? We sat there for a minute until he finally said in a somewhat disappointed voice, "just turn the lights on". No problem! And I didn't even miss "The Office!" Can it really get much better than that? Yes, it can. Matt said he was going to go down to the basement and check the furnace to make sure it came on… well, when we woke up at 6AM with ice cubes for noses he realized - he never did check it. His response: "Well, I said I was going to but I didn't really think I had to." Really, now? You didn't think you would have to check to make sure the furnace came back on in the middle of the winter?
lam