red in the head

Sayonara!

2007-10-01T19:31:00.000-06:00

I'm moving y'all!

Just around the corner though...

Check out my new space at kristicannon.com

See you there!

Bon Voyage!

2007-09-30T19:50:00.000-06:00

My future sister-in-law is leaving on Tuesday for, to say the least, a trip-of-a-lifetime. She's off to spend the next 4 months in Antarctica - that's right folks - the South Pole! Unless you're a scientist, not many people can say that they've spent some time "on the ice" before... pretty unique opportunity.

Tonight we had a family get together to wish her well and fill her tummy with tasty Maggiano's :) Below are some pics of the Omdahl clan. Follow Laura's journey on her blog; you can also find a link on the side of my page.

Have a safe trip Laura and keep up on the blog :) we already miss you!!

My future in-laws: Clarke, Linda, Laura, and that one dude :)

Laura, James and I

Laura and her luggage - she is only allowed to bring 75lbs - I am so impressed with her packing skills!!

I love date nights :)

2007-09-28T21:53:00.000-06:00

James took me to dinner tonight and then we walked down to the Denver Art Museum to see Hybrid... here are couple of highlights from this evening (James was in charge of the camera tonight). Happy Weekend!!

Shoplifting Seagull

2007-09-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but I had to share just in case!

I guess this seagull (whom is now a regular) in Scotland literally walks right into a little shop when the door is open and helps himself to a bag of chips! He has now been nicknamed Sam, and has become so popular that locals have started paying for his 'crisps'.

The shop assistant says that everyone is amazed by the seagull and for some reason he only takes that one particular kind of crisps! Once outside, the crisps are ripped open and the seagull is joined by other birds.

California Love

2007-09-26T19:46:00.000-06:00

We headed to Cali this past weekend for my cousin Stacy's wedding. It's always nice to spend some time out there because (ironically) both James and I's extended family all live within 60 minutes of each other. So every time we go out there we are able to catch up with both sides of the family! Here are a few pics from our trip... hopefully (hint) I will receive some photo's from those of you that we visited so that I can post those as well :) xox

It's hard to tell in this picture, but 1) the wedding was beautiful, and 2) it was pouring rain and foggy but it made the mood super romantic and memorable!

So..... this is difficult for me to admit, but I have a SEVERE obsession with the most ridiculous reality TV show that is currently on television. I can't get enough of The Hills. I know, it's despicable! But I am seriously, seriously ADDICTED. Anyways, if you watch the show then you will appreciate the above pic :)

Best Japanese meal I have ever had. Go to Koi if you're ever in the Hollywood area. Thanks M & D for a fantastic dining experience!

James and I at Newport Beach at Sunset

Sometimes I really miss the ocean (props to James for capturing this shot)

Danger Bird on CNN!!

2007-09-26T19:23:00.000-06:00

Ok, I am a few weeks behind, BUT Danger Bird finally made his debut on CNN's News to Me over Labor Day weekend! If you missed it or simply can't get enough of our friend DB, here's the clip:

Life in the shoes of my brother...

2007-09-25T19:37:00.000-06:00

I had to share this with everyone because it's hysterical and good insight into a typical day as Kiel. I guess he came home after this happened, had a couple of drinks, and then typed this up on his MySpace page. He said to disregard his grammar as he was slightly intoxicated as he wrote it. So here it is, enjoy!

Shopping Carts
by Kiel Cannon

"Ok, so what is the deal with shopping carts? Let's be realistic here…I "moved out" when I was 18, and probably ate at Taco Bell for the first year of living alone. So to be fair, I have probably been grocery shopping for 5 years, and not once have I gotten a fully functional shopping cart! You know?...You get the one that only turns right, or only rolls in reverse, or even the one with one wheel turned sideways that doesn't roll at all. Well, I decided to go get groceries this evening (really just to get away from studying for a moment) and hopped in the car and took off for two blocks. Yes that's right, I could have walked there in about 4 minutes but I chose to drive (I'm not lazy I swear). In all seriousness, I probably would have been shopping already in the time it took me to find my keys and get in my truck. Anyways, in my 12 second drive there I was thinking to myself "Hmmm what demented cart am I going to get today?" As I pull in and walk up to the carts I decide to test the first one I pull out. (This is actually just to prolong my shopping experience so I didn't have to get back to studying right away) So I pull out the first cart and ran a short obstacle course in hopes to find the perfect cart. And of course, this cart only turns right, and has an unidentified object in the front seat. So I choose another, and at this point I truly thought I found the perfect cart. Oh was I wrong!

So I have about half of my perfect cart full and at this point I'm strolling down aisle 12, and yes that's right, MY WHEEL falls off. It doesn't just turn sideways, it falls off and rolls half way down the aisle. Not the back wheel which would be easy to over power and kinda muscle my way home, but the front right wheel. So not only looking like a moron falling over the cart and trying to hold this thing so it doesn't fall over… all of my groceries are piled up in the far right corner and of course they are overflowing into aisle 12. So I grab a can of salsa and wedge it under the wheel while I can regroup. After about 15 minutes I manage to get the wheel back on. And yes, I had an audience. I haven't seen people laugh so hard in a grocery store before. That actually made it all worth it. Besides that, anyone that knows me, knows that I am extremely laid back and easy going, so going through something like this would be entertaining enough just to see my reaction.

So after very delicately finishing my rounds through aisles 13-18, I head to the check-out line. There are 3 couples in front of me (and yes, 2 of which were the ones laughing at me and not helping me) so out of exhaustion from laughing so hard I lean onto the cart. Ya know, we all do it, the handle bar that connects to the child seat? So I'm relaxing waiting for my turn looking at the tabloids at the apparent 300 pound Jennifer Anniston, and the entire back of the freakin cart comes crashing down. That's right, where your child sits, and where morons like me lean while they are waiting. The entire back portion of the cart just flat out fell off. Did I mention all 190 pounds of Kiel was leaning on this POS. So yes, I go crashing to the ground. My eggs are now rolling down isle 1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, and of course 12. My salsa had exploded all over the woman's white shoes behind me. The box of economy size Gobbstoppers somehow broke open and the entire check out area became an ice skating rink on little candy balls. And after this quite entertaining evening at the grocery store…ya know what I walked in my door with……..NOTHING! (they asked me to leave) ……So I went to Taco Bell"

Pumpkins already?

2007-09-16T19:31:00.000-06:00

I guess that's not too crazy since it's almost October, but it made me happy to see pumpkins outside the grocery store this afternoon!

Sooooo... I don't really have anything exciting to post about which seems to be a trend with me lately, but hopefully things will be back to normal after next week. I will tell you though, we still are up in the air on choosing our wedding reception venue but we are still aiming for 10/11/08 - so keep a tentative marking on your calendars :)

James and I are off to Cali for my cousins wedding this week so there is a possibility I may be MIA until next week, BUT here are a few random pics from this weekend so that I can least say I posted this week!

Sunset last night... turned out a little more artsy than I had intended

(wait, what am I saying? I meant to do that!)

Went to a BBQ last night and we finally played Guitar Hero - it's as fun as everyone says but we sucked big time! We totally butchered the song we chose that the game actually cut us off from finishing! You really have to concentrate - it takes the patting your head and rubbing your tummy skill, and... it turns out that we don't have that skill!

Desperate Students...

2007-09-12T19:45:00.000-06:00

I received the funniest forward today. Below is a sampling of desperate answers from desperate students during exams - pretty hilarious. I think we've all had similar moments! I can't help but notice though - doesn't it appear to be mostly the handwriting of male students? hhhhmmm :)

Weekend Highlights

2007-09-09T16:11:00.000-06:00

1) This weather rules.
2) I learned to knit!
3) Thank goodness Elam pulled it together with 1 second on the clock...
4) I'm already embarrassed for Britney Spears and the VMA's haven't even started yet!

Have a good week!

Happy Labor Day!

2007-09-03T19:35:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone had a fabulous long weekend! If you haven't seen our video yet, James and I had a fun time in New Mexico :) If you are planning a trip to NM, make sure to check out Ten Thousand Waves - fantastic Japanese spa just outside of Santa Fe. I would write more, but our drive back to Denver has drained me all coherent thoughts. If you're interested, there are a bunch of pics on flickr. Have a good week!

Ten Thousand Waves

The main plaza in Santa Fe, where I - of course - ran into some friends from work! But above are some of the Native vendors selling all kinds of handmade jewelry.

This was taken on the drive up to Jemez Springs... gorgeous red rock everywhere. We unfortunately didn't beat the rain so we didn't end up hiking to the hot springs, but we heard it's highly recommended if you have good weather!

Weekend ghett-o-way

2007-09-01T23:23:00.000-06:00

J and I are in New Mexico... it's been entertaining :)

ALERT! Danger Bird THIS WEEKEND

2007-08-29T19:25:00.000-06:00

Danger Bird is finally making his appearance on CNN Headline News this weekend! Make sure to tune into News to Me on Saturday or Sunday @ 10:30am or 3:30pm MST. James' contact at CNN said that it will most likely air during the last 5 minutes of the show, but if you're bored - watch the whole show. It's actually pretty entertaining!

Wannabe Stitch Bitch

2007-08-29T19:14:00.000-06:00

I'm gonna learn to knit! I've been wanting to learn for the past couple years, but every time I sit down with "Knitting Pretty" I end up tangled in yarn and really ticked off. I decided that if someone taught me, I might have better luck. James' sister and mom decked me out with all the gear for my birthday - so now I am ready. Laura is coming over next week to teach me, but she said that I have to make a 'yarn ball' before she comes over. And tonight I did just that! And in record time - 8 minutes! James was my unraveler. We're such a team. ANYWAY, I will give a knitting update after Laura comes over next week. Beware... you all might be getting knitted sweaters for Christmas!

bling bling!

2007-08-28T20:51:00.001-06:00

Two of my homies just got engaged over the past few weeks and I am super excited! We had a little celebration happy hour this evening... good ole Uptown bought us some shots - not the best idea after a few glasses of wine! None-the-less, we had a great time catching up and attempted to take some photo's of ourselves. These are the best two out of about 15 :)

Having a hard time getting our bling AND our faces into the photo's, but really - who cares about our faces!

It's seen better days...

2007-08-25T11:28:00.000-06:00

This bike has been locked up here for the past couple weeks and every time we walk by, more parts are missing. I'm surprised it still has pedals. Someone needs to claim the carcass and send it to bicycle heaven already.

Happy Birthday James and G-pa C!!

2007-08-23T18:26:00.000-06:00

Two of my favorite boys have birthdays today... My Grandpa Cannon turns 79 today - Happy Birthday Gpa... hope your dinner was fun and tasty! I wish I could be there to celebrate with you - we'll have a belated toast in September :)

And of course, James - my favorite of all favorites - 29 today... last year of being a twenty-something!

James playing with his new toys...

It will be a par-tay!

2007-08-22T21:01:00.000-06:00

Well, last night we visited another potential wedding reception destination, and I think we found it! Below is the view from the ballroom where the reception would be held. I am so excited! We haven't signed the papers yet, but we're getting close. FYI... the date we were originally hoping for: 10/11/08 is already taken! So the date could potentially be moved up a few weeks or back a week. Mark your calendars!

The big 2-7

2007-08-18T21:57:00.001-06:00

I love birthday's... it's an excuse to party a little harder than normal, eat cake, and spend time with all your favorite people. I love hearing from friends and family that maybe I don't talk to on a daily basis, I love receiving a special card in the mail, and I'm not gonna lie... it's sure fun to open presents!

James and I's birthday's are 5 days a part (he's older though - let's not forget), so for one week in August I feel like we party for a week straight and it's always so much fun! Yesterday, Nesso and I spent the day in heaven :) It was fantastic. Then we joined James and several friends down at the Irish Snug for a fun night of laughter, car bombs, waffle fries and random moments (see photo's). It was a great night.

Tonight we had dinner with my family, and then later this week we will start all over for James' birthday! Can't wait! Here are some pics from last night, the rest are on Flickr...

Nesso and James showing off their guns. Not sure what started the random arm wrestling battle?

Bridget is going to kill me for posting this photo, but it's funny! It somehow came up that Bridget has abnormally large feet... so we all decided to compare peds! Bridget, your feet are cute!

Megan and Cassie

Me, Bridget and Nesso

Boo

2007-08-18T21:49:00.000-06:00

Missed the game tonight, but from what I've seen on the news... looks like it was pretty ugly (31-20, yikes!). Thank goodness it was just a practice game.

The Oracle of Starbucks

2007-08-18T14:47:00.000-06:00

My friend Megan blogged about The Oracle of Starbucks today and it's awesome, so I had to share it with all you Starbucks fiends. This is what the Oracle had to say about my personality based on my favorite SB drink :)
-----
Behold the Oracle's wisdom:

Personality type: Hippie

In addition to being a hippie, you are a hypochondriac health nut. You secretly think that your insistence on only consuming all-natural products is because you're so intelligent and well-informed; it's actually because you're a sucker. You've dabbled in Wicca or other pseudo-religions that attract morons and have changed your sexual orientation a few times this year. You probably live in California. Everyone who drinks Venti iced unsweetened black tea with a splash of soy milk should be forced to eat a McDonald's bacon cheeseburger.

Also drinks: Beverages with lots of marketing that says they're herbal and organic

Can also be found at: Whole Foods, indoor rock climbing facilities
-----
Love it. My favorite part is the McDonald's line. And maybe the part about California.

King Max the fur ball

2007-08-16T19:17:00.000-06:00

Meet Max... he is the fluffiest of all cats I have ever seen and he cracks me up! We are babysitting for Molly and Michael this week, and I think he thinks that I am weird Aunt Kristi because I just love him so much and won't leave him alone! I follow him around with my camera hoping I can catch him giving his where's-my-throne glare. He's hilarious, you must meet him!

Monday Night Football

2007-08-13T21:21:00.000-06:00

I know it's only preseason, but the Bronco's defeated the 49ers tonight (17-13)! There could have been a larger gap in the score, but we'll give Cutler a break until the actual season. I am taking the W and going to sleep :)

Have a good week...

Bourne Ultimatum

2007-08-11T23:01:00.000-06:00

Yup, it's good. Go see it. I liked it the best of the three. Good cast, lots of action, fast paced, pretty intense (and pretty Damon)... AND the rumors are true; they leave you to believe there could be a 4th. Yay!

Disclaimer to all the ladies: your boyfriend/husband will leave the theater with inflated testosterone...

James: "Michael, we need a gun"
Michael: "I know. I feel like I need to (karate chop motion)"...

Boys will be boys!

Are you ready for some football!

2007-08-11T09:23:00.000-06:00

Fall, my favorite time of the year... perfect weather, pretty leaves, Halloween, cute clothes, and football! Bronco's have their first pre-season game this Monday night and I'm so excited. My second post on red in the head showcased the Bronco's season closer last year here at Invesco against San Fran (ironically). It was friggin' freezing, it was a seriously close game, and sadly... we lost. But it's a new year and despite our tragic off-season, I think the Bronco's are going to come back strong. So here's to the Orange and Blue... I am excited to be a fan!

1st pre-season game:
Competitor: SF 49ers
When: Monday, 8/13
Battle grounds: Monster Park
Time: 6pm MST
Channel: ESPN
next pre-season game:
Competitor: Dallas Cowboys
When: Saturday, 8/18
Battle Grounds: Texas Stadium
Time: 6pm MST
Channel: CBS

Danger Bird postponed!

2007-08-10T22:18:00.000-06:00

Due to the New York tornado coverage... Danger Bird has been bumped to September (airtime TBD). CNN has however promised that the video WILL air and Danger Bird will get his 5 minutes in the spotlight :) Stay tuned!

My future dog-in-law

2007-08-09T21:26:00.000-06:00

Had dinner with James' mom, sister and friend Sheri this evening. Linda cooked a yummy Italian dinner and as always, it was fun catching up with everyone. We missed you Clarkey - hope you had a fun drive!

I'm obsessed with all of their dogs, but Molly is just irresistibly cute. I mean seriously... looooook.... I want to kidnap her :)

Denver Rescue Mission

2007-08-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

James' company organizes a group of volunteers every month to go serve dinner down at the Denver Rescue Mission. We haven't been in a while but we went tonight and every time we go we have such a great time. It's a really neat organization and they have several volunteer opportunities if you're interested. The people that run DRM are really great, and it's always entertaining to mingle with the folks coming in for dinner. I was behind the counter tonight, but James was out on the floor serving water and witnessed a very excited, hungry man say the following...

"I hope its my favorite meal!"
looks down the food line, and repeats...

"I hope it's my favorite meal!"
gets up to the front of the line with a big smile on his face, and says...

"Free stuff on a tray! My favorite!"

Love it :)

Danger Bird on CNN!!

2007-08-07T20:56:00.000-06:00

Remember this post... well Danger Bird has received nearly 120,000 views on YouTube and the attention of CNN! This weekend, check out Danger Bird on CNN's Headline News on their segment called News to Me. You can catch it at 10:30a.m and 3:30p.m MST on Saturday AND Sunday!! Check your local listings!!

from the rooftop

2007-08-07T20:16:00.000-06:00

My posts are usually far from serious, BUT... lately I've been reminded of how fast life can change. Whether for the good or for the bad - in an instant, everything could be different. Because of this, I sometimes feel as though I need to shout from the rooftops how incredibly grateful I am, and since I don't have access to a rooftop - I figure shouting on my blog will do. This is kinda weird, but (shouting loudly) I AM SO FRIGGIN' GRATEFUL! So grateful for opportunity, love, family/friends, and safety - I'm so grateful.

Thanks for listening :)

Mataam Fez

2007-08-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

You would think I would have great pictures coming out of this place... but no. Just a few classic lines. Kinda had to be there, but maybe if you go you'll have similar hilarity's :)

"It's kinda like peein' upside down" -Dr. Neil Cannon
(Yes, that came from a Dr.)

"That meal made my butt hurt" - (eeer) me
(and you'll understand after you go and sit on the floor)

And it's probably hard to believe from the above, but it was actually a really scrumptious (and entertaining) dinner. Somehow James was the only one who maintained his composure throughout the entire 40-course experience... even when dessert came out mid-meal!

Go check it out, but don't forget some George Washingtons or the belly dancers will make you dance in front of everyone. Ok not really, but they kinda freaked me out with their clicky things - GW's make them go away. AND, practice eating cous cous without utencils before you go. That's my 2 cents.

Italy Favorites: Sexy Lady

2007-08-06T13:24:00.001-06:00

OK, I usually don't blog at work, but this hangs on my wall right next to my lap top and it cracks me up all day. James disappeared for 20 minutes when we were waiting for our train in Venice, and he came back with this photo... and yes, that's James' face. They have some weird photo booths in Italy! None-the-less, it kept us entertained.

Toasty

2007-08-05T14:45:00.000-06:00

The rain last night made for a fabulous bike ride this morning... not too hot, a bit of cloud cover, and a breeze! James and I rode down the South Platte to Old Littleton, ate lunch at Toast (across from the Melting Pot), and rode home. Such a great way to spend a Sunday morning - about 2.5 hrs round-trip from downtown, not including time spent at Toast. If you're looking for a good breakfast/brunch/lunch place - check out Toast. There's usually a line, but it moves fairly quickly. I had an egg-white scramble with asparagus, spinach and avocado - delicious :)

FYI bikers - there aren't any bike racks at Toast. But this no parking sign makes for a great bike rack :)

Sweaty Meatballs...

Jessica the Hippo

2007-08-02T21:21:00.000-06:00

My friend Jessica (appropriately) sent me this AWESOME video. I want a pet hippo!

14 months and counting...

2007-08-02T20:01:00.000-06:00

The wedding planning is officially underway! We've hired a planner, determined a guest list (sort of), decided on a theme and color palette, and this evening we went on our first tour of a potential reception destination. Sooo fun! The hotel we checked out is brand new and opening this fall, so we went on a hard hat tour which made James really excited :). Below are some pictures of our tour - we decided that this might be a good look for the wedding (I've always thought veils were like fly traps anyways!)...

This is the ballroom, isn't it stunning?

I AM GETTING SO EXCITED!!!!!

Chocolatey

2007-07-30T21:17:00.000-06:00

I've never been one to get really excited about cell phone's, however I just exchanged my old crappy phone for a SWEET new phone and I am ridiculously excited! It's the new Chocolate phone that came out with the touch sensitive keys and navigation wheel. It's rad. Oh and it slides open! I've had flip phones for years. And it does a million other things that are out of this world cool, such as hearing aid compatibility... just in case. But the coolest part is when someone calls, the navigation wheel lights up and flashes all crazy like some sort of arcade game - so fun!

This is the open view

Dragon Boat Festival

2007-07-29T20:54:00.000-06:00

James and I road our bikes up to the Highlands today to watch Laura race in the Dragon Boat competition with her company... Yay Laura! Next year you guys will take the gold :)

Still got it!

2007-07-28T18:29:00.000-06:00

Nesso and Bridget (aka Besso & Nisdget) threw a post masters celebration party last night and we had so much fun. So much fun in fact that I somehow lost my phone, and James and I didn't wake up until well into the p.m today!

We played countless rounds of some seriously intense Flip Cup in the pouring rain, and it left Christie and I feeling a bit of nostalgia for the good ole days at Goovey UV. Glad to know we still got game!

Here are some soaking wet photo's; the rest are on flickr...

Me, Casey, Christie and our new Flip Cup friend, Mark

Me, Nesso and Bridget

Kiel, James, Bridget and a few of her friends

Casey, Me and James

He's so pretty!

2007-07-26T18:30:00.000-06:00

So the deal is, I cook and James does the dishes. And normally he doesn't wear my apron, but tonight he felt it was necessary to protect his new shirt from water. He didn't think it was as funny as I did :) Not sure what he was about to do with that fork.

V for Vendetta

2007-07-23T20:54:00.000-06:00

I don't have a photo for this post, which is probably a good thing! But James and I FINALLY watched V for Vendetta tonight after months of it sitting in our DVR, AND I... surprisingly liked it. It was really good and thank goodness, nothing like any of the Matrix movies. It was pretty gory and intense which is usually not my liking, but I was hooked through the entire 139 minutes. I am a fan of Natalie Portman and I am relieved to know that she didn't blow her career on a lame-o blood & guts movie - she was great. So... despite the gore, scary mask, and lack of Hugh Grant... the movie left me oddly uplifted...

Have a good week!

My new favorite thing!

2007-07-23T20:48:00.000-06:00

Almost 4 years and I never knew he had one of these... at the office. All these years that the magic balance board should have been in our house! I am sooo addicted! J, what other fun toys do you have at the office?!

we're all in the dance...

2007-07-22T18:19:00.000-06:00

We escaped the heat today and went to see Paris, je t'aime... not your typical movie, but I really enjoyed it. The movie is compiled of 18 short stories written by 18 different directors. Each story is a quick glimpse into love...some surreal, some sad or funny, and others familiar...

Rating: I give it a "it's worth the $17 to see it in the theater" :)

sweet t-storm

2007-07-21T18:18:00.001-06:00

View from our balcony this afternoon...

"It's Naturale!"

2007-07-20T21:05:00.001-06:00

Nesso, our Friday night dates rule :)

Congrats on your Masters! "You're so Mastered" -JO

Italy Favorites: Gondola Ride

2007-07-16T20:27:00.000-06:00

Grandma , more Italy pics for you! And happy birthday :) So excited to see you in 8 weeks! Hope the French food was yummy!

James and I took a gondola ride the last night we were in Venice, and we took a little video (after several glasses of wine). We think it's hilarious because you can't see a thing! Looks kinda like Pirates of the Caribbean, but way cooler.

First, this is a photo that our gondola driver so bravely took while dodging bridges! And below is the video... next time I'll post one that takes place during daylight (and maybe one that's more exciting).

My new friend Indie...

2007-07-15T13:12:00.000-06:00

James and I went up to Copper Mountain this weekend for a wedding, which was beautiful and so fun!

After the reception we took the shuttle over to Center Village for further celebratin', and on the shuttle we met the cutest "passenger", sitting all proper up on one of the seats. I am slightly dog-obsessed, so I ditched James and took a seat next to Indie :)

It was obviously past Indie's bedtime because he took a plop on my lap for the remainder of the ride... he was sooo cute! I love him!

Danger Bird

2007-07-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

James shot this video while driving to work this morning... crazy funny!

Italy Favorites: Cinque Terre

2007-07-10T20:40:00.000-06:00

My Italy Favorites have been lacking, but I'm sure you all are sick of 'em anyway! I have a few more posts to share, and then I'll be done!

If you're planning a trip to Italy - the Cinque Terre is a must see. Cinque Terre is basically made up of 5 little villages that stretch over 18 kilometers of rocky coastline, terraced hills and vineyards sloping steeply down to the sea in Northern Italy. The villages are built into rocks between the beach and the hills, and there are old hiking trails that connect all 5 cities (and a train - no cars allowed). The hike is awesome - some portions are pretty intense with lots of steep stairs, but you'll see the most breathtaking views you've ever seen. And the famous Via Del'Amore.

We stayed in Vernazza which is (supposedly) the most beautiful and romantic of the 5 villages; after visiting all 5 we couldn't agree more! Pesto and foccacia bread originated from the Cinque Terre, and vino bianco is their specialty... yummy!

James and I hiking the trail between the 5 villages

The Pesto pizza was beyond delicious

View from the hike

The sunsets were stunning

The stairs were insane, but helped us work off all the fabulous food!

Facebook

2007-07-09T19:43:00.001-06:00

Aaaw nuts. You guys, I've been sucked into an online social network, which I swore I'd never do! And now I'm a hypocrite. I'm still very opposed to MySpace... but thoroughly impressed with Facebook. I've found a bunch of old friends - it's been fun! I recommend it :)

Scattegories turns to War

2007-07-09T19:25:00.000-06:00

It was our usual game night with Molly and Michael on Saturday night when things suddenly took a turn for the worse! The battle Nerf guns came out as well as James and is his marf (man-scarf)... things got ugly!

NO HOT WATER!

2007-07-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

Well... we're on day 2 of no hot water in our apartment - let me tell you how stoked we are. I absolutely REFUSE to take a cold shower - that is my version of hell for sure. Last time I was forced to take a cold shower, I cried through the entire shower. Tor-ture!

For the past 2 days, I've microwaved water in a Pyrex measuring dish while James prefers to boil an industrial size pot of water on the stove. Then it's loofa time over the sink! Fingers crossed that hot water returns manana.

Rand-o

2007-07-03T20:46:00.000-06:00

So, like most of you, James and I have tomorrow off. And like most of you, we're tryin' to stay cool by drinkin' some tasty cold beverages :). I'm not much of a brewski drinkin' girl... I prefer the hard stuff doused by limes... and vino is nice...and champagne is my ultimate favorite. I digress! So every now and then I get a weird craving for a cold beer, especially when it's 800 degree outside. My friend Megan taught me a great trick for helping the beer go down a little easier, which is genius! Talk about incentive! You drop 2 green olives into an extra cold, light beer (sounds weird, I know) but it makes yucky beer super tolerable and scrumptious! Try it! If you don't like olives then you should probably not try it!

Ok, onto my next tasty beverage tip... so James' drink of choice this evening is a Brass Monkey. Sounds fancy? Not so much. It's actually a 40 of OE mixed with about a cup of OJ. You have to drink about 1/4 of the bottle before you can add the OJ... then it's ghetto-heaven! It was something I practiced in college, and then taught James. No wonder he wants to marry me! I bring so much to the table!

My favorite James line of the evening (result of OE)... "BREAKING NEWS. NEWS BROKE." Don't ask. I'm out!

[Please note, 2 beers w/ olives = excessive exclamation point usage]

I'm melting

2007-07-02T19:33:00.000-06:00

I'm seriously melting people! My car thermometer read a whopping 104 degrees on my way home from work this evening! It's hard to believe, that just 5 short months ago, we were ending a very cold and snowy winter...

Roxborough State Park

2007-06-30T18:05:00.000-06:00

James and I went on a hike today in Roxborough Park - it was fun and HOT! If you're looking for a good hike to do this summer definitely check out Roxborough. There are several trails to choose from of all lengths and difficulty levels.

We did the CARPENTER PEAK trail, which is 6.4 miles round-trip and it took us about 2.5 hours (including picture breaks and lunch at the top). The trail had spectacular views the entire duration with a 360 view of Colorado at the peak. It was a pretty good little workout getting to the top as well! So go, it's fun!

My only disclaimer... it's supposedly a popular rattlesnake hang-out! If you're afraid of snakes (mom), you may want to bring a machete :)

James and I at the peak

View from the Top

Sweet rock formations

And we borrowed Clarkey's Mini for the journey - so fun!

It's the weekend!

2007-06-30T09:40:00.000-06:00

Yippee it's Saturday! Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

James and I have been dog-sitting all week down in Littleton while his parents are having some fun in the Mexican sun! So jealous! Below are a random mix of pics from this week...

This is Molly. So darn cute! She gets really excited at night when we go to bed so she has a tendency to want to lick me all night. I have learned that if I put the sheet over my head, she thinks I'm gone. Then she goes over and licks James. (evil laugh)

Nesso and I hung out at the Irish Snug last night, which is my new favorite hang-out. On our walk back to my place (as we wished for a frozen yogurt shop to appear) I snapped this fabulous sunset...

Did anyone see the moon last night? If not, it will be full tonight!

Have a great day!

8:33 post meridian

2007-06-25T20:41:00.000-06:00

Sweet sunset tonight... and I learned what p.m. means!

Cold Hearted Snake!

2007-06-23T12:41:00.000-06:00

Ok, Ms. Abdul may have been talkin' about a dude, but my mom and I certainly weren't going to play the fool when he came crawling near our picnic blanket today!

Yes y'all, that is a large snake that interrupted our lunch today over near the Cherry Creek Reservoir! We were just chillin' in the shade between two tree's when he came slithering down from above onto the grass. Turns out, my calm and normally graceful mother, has a bit of a snake phobia and I almost had to give her CPR. Mom, seriously! What was that! I'm not sure how one describes that shade of white!

Anyhoo... I did a little research on snakes in this area for all you out doorsy types this summer:

1) Most Colorado snakes are nonvenomous (nonpoisonous), ie harmless
2) Nonvenomous and venomous species can be easily distinguished from each other - if you see a snake with any of the following that=BAD:

-Rattles at the end of the tail
-Fangs in addition to their rows of teeth
-Facial pits between the nostrils and eyes
-Vertical and elliptical pupils that may look like thin lines in bright light (Nonvenomous snakes have round pupils)
-A single row of scales between the vent and the tip of the tail (Nonvenomous snakes have two rows of scales)
-Broad triangular head and narrow necks

So there you have it. Be careful! Fortunately today, my mom and I encountered a friendly snake... but there are some as cold as ice!

Happy Birthday Laura!

2007-06-22T22:28:00.000-06:00

James' sisters birthday is tomorrow so we had a celebration dinner tonight! And you can't have a birthday celebration without headin' down to the local Super Liquor Mart in good ole Littlefun! Who knew it was so fun! I mean, where else can you get your picture taken next to an actual wagon from the set of Gone With the Wind? No where else people, no where else.

So happy birthday Laura... see ya next year at the Super Liquor Mart :) And hey, good luck mini-racing tomorrow!

Cayenne-alope!

2007-06-19T19:38:00.000-06:00

James spotted a winner in my Bon Appetit cooking magazine this evening, and cooked us up a yummy summer concoction! It was super delicious, easy and a must-try!

grilled cantaloupe with a kick
-Grill cantaloupe slices on 1 side until showing grill marks (about 3 min)
-Mound, grilled side up, on platter
-Brush with honey; sprinkle with cayenne

Done! It has a juicy, sweet start with a hot kick in the throat on it's way down... mmmm good! *If you're spice-sensitive, go light on the cayenne!

summer in the city...

2007-06-18T20:45:00.000-06:00

aaah Mr. Cocker! Gotta love that song! And it was a fitting tune within my head as James and I picnicked in Cheesman Park this evening...

Happy Fathers Day!

2007-06-17T21:49:00.000-06:00

Laugh it up folks but I like this picture!

This pictures was taken the summer of 1990 - I was 10! I love this picture and it lives on my night stand next to my alarm clock :)

Happy Fathers Day dad! I am proud of you and all of your accomplishments... and most importantly, for putting up with me!

Here's to many more years of of being the best dad ever :)

Italy Favorites: Bellini's in Venice

2007-06-14T18:19:00.000-06:00

If you've never had a Bellini... get on it! They are so delicious! I discovered them in Venice and instantly became an addict.

I am not usually a fan of caloric beverages, especially alcoholic ones... however, when it comes to Margarita's and now Bellini's, I am a sucker!

So here is the deal, a true Bellini is a refreshing drink made with prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) and peach puree. The Bellini was first invented in 1948 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. The head bartender at the time had a strong fondness for Italian White Peaches so he worked long and hard trying to develop a perfect cocktail which would use them as a base. And finally, voila! The best drink ever was born! It's just peachy!

Dum, Dum, da dum.....

2007-06-14T08:35:00.000-06:00

It's official!! October 11, 2008!! Not that the ring, and the "yes" didn't make it official! But now it's truley official! 15 months and counting... Holy cow people, we're gettin' hitched! I'm gonna be a Mrs.! And wifey!

Cinque Terre, Italy

White Water Rafting

2007-06-11T16:07:00.001-06:00

Went rafting on Clear Creek over the weekend... just had to share the paparazzi pic taken from the sidelines! And I have to give a shout-out to my future father-in-law (aka Clarkey) for smiling at the camera :)

Starting from the front right: Kiel, Laura, Linda, James, guide, me, Clarke, random dude

Princess Sophie

2007-06-09T09:41:00.000-06:00

"Sophapea" is hangin' with Auntie K and Uncle J for a few days because mom, aka Nesso, is out of town!

My dad came over last night and Sophie immediately made a new friend :)

Aaaah Pretty Kitty...

Italy Favorites: The Art Part Deux

2007-06-06T18:50:00.000-06:00

"Dick in a Box" originated in Italy it turns out!

This one's called Giant Underpants

I was just tryin' to blend in...

My white man jumpin...

Italy Favorites: The Art

2007-06-04T19:25:00.000-06:00

I don't even know where to begin... the entire country of Italy is a masterpiece. Every building, painting, statue, fountain, graffitied wall - you get the drift... everything is so beautiful and so old it's beyond my comprehension.

We took a gazillion photo's, far too many to post. However, here are a few of my favorites, and I might have to do a part II!

This was a metal statue on the Via dell'Amore in the Cinque Terre.

This is a statue in the Vatican Museum.

Another rad statue in the Vatican Museum.

I wish I could remember this particular artists name... I really liked his style.
This was also in the Vatican Museum.

This statue was made entirely out of tin cans. This was in Venice on the Grand Canal.

And finally, this was a giant vase that I couldn't stop staring at in the Vatican Museum. It was huge and vibrant!

Batter Up!

2007-06-03T20:18:00.000-06:00

Rockies games are way fun when you have good company, Dippin' Dots, and a win! And considering that I did nothing today but eat, clap and watch baseball, I am surprisingly spent. So TTFN! Have a good night...

Italy Favorites: Scoota Roma

2007-05-31T19:55:00.000-06:00

Ok, so the day we rented the scooter in Rome definitely goes down in
Kristi-Cannon-history as one of the funnest days ever (not too mentioned we got engaged that evening)!

James and I rented a scooter for 24 hours and literally got lost all over Rome - it was fabulous! We had to wear extremely sexy helmets that barely fit our giant heads, learn how to fill the gas tank, and navigate through the narrow streets amongst the crazy Roman drivers! James of course drove so that we could avoid the polizia... and I hung on for dear life in the back feeling like a bobble head!

Below are pictures of James trying to figure out the gas pump (excited turned into pissed), and us cracking at our "Dumb and Dumber" selves!

Italy Favorites: St. Mark's Square

2007-05-29T19:20:00.001-06:00

I was bombed by a pigeon while in the Cinque Terre, so understandably I was little timid amongst the hundreds of pigeons at St. Mark's Square in Venice! But none-the-less, St. Mark's was really cool and quite a site to see! We got a kick out of these two little kids who were cracking up while being swarmed by pigeons! I bet mom soaked them in some serious disinfectant back at the hotel!

Ceramics in the City

2007-05-29T18:40:00.000-06:00

If you need a break from your mountain bike, golf clubs, the pool (etc) this summer... take a field trip to Ceramics in the City for some pottery painting! It's so much fun and super relaxing! And don't worry, no artistic prerequisites required! There are tons of cool pieces to choose from; you can paint something super elaborate or something as simple polka dots... like me :)

Italy Favorites: Bigger Things

2007-05-27T22:41:00.000-06:00

James captured this classic moment outside of the Forums in Rome - I am pretty sure we laughed for about an hour. Still not sure what she was doing under there, but obviously bored of the sites! Moving on to bigger things I suppose!

Italy Favorites: Fiesole

2007-05-26T21:24:00.000-06:00

While in Italy, we spent 3 days in Florence. Florence was a crazy busy city packed with students and tourists, so we were eager to escape the chaos and explore the surrounding towns! One afternoon, we took a bus out to Fiesole (Yay for Rick Steves!), had lunch, and climbed to the top of the village to see this incredible view of Florence. Insanely gorgeous! And quite the butt workout to get up there!

Memorial Day Weekend!

2007-05-26T21:01:00.000-06:00

I love 3-day weekends! And I love summer! And I love hanging out with my peeps :) Here are a few pics from last night at Uptown... did I really go there 3 times this week? I seriously need to branch out!

This is Kiel, my little bro.

This is Nesso shakin' her thang!

Two for ones...

2007-05-24T20:12:00.000-06:00

Aaah, happy hour with the girls....

K: "That one's engaged, those 2 are working on it, and that one is finding herself..."

J: "How 'bout no man can handle me!"

J, no man is lucky enough :)

We're Back!

2007-05-23T19:09:00.000-06:00

We are back from Italy and it's so hard to even know where to begin! We had such an incredible time... it was truly the trip of a lifetime. Not to mention we got engaged! In Italy! At the Trevi Fountain! Really doesn't get any more romantic than that :) James went above and beyond the-call-of-romance-duty... and I am a lucky girl!

So where DO I begin?!? There are so many pictures, stories, ridiculously delicious meals, surreal panoramic scenery, friggin' old art... the list goes on and on!

I want to share a few of my favorite pics over the next few weeks, but.... if you have A LOT of time on your hands, feel free to check out our photo's on Flickr (I am still trying to organize them though). **Family (Denver family) you're not allowed to view them until our Italy dinner! No peeking!

I look forward to catching up with everyone; it's great to be home! So... until our next Italian rendezvous I have 1200 photo's to share!

That's J and I... I love this picture for so many reasons. BUT to avoid boring you! This is in the Cinque Terre and it pretty much sums up how we spent our afternoons/evenings for the duration of our time in the CT. Absolutely amazing. I think we should all move there!

Hello from Florence!

2007-05-10T09:55:00.000-06:00

Hello all! We are on Day 10 here in Italy... it's been a great trip so far! We are currently in Florence and we are off to Venice in the morning. We will be in Venice for 3 nights, then to Rome for one final night before our shlep home!

Today we took a bus to a small village right out side of Florence called Fiesole - it basically sits up on a hill overlooking the entire city of Florence! The view was amazing! We had lunch and explored the hilly streets for a bit before heading back to town.

We are taking it easy today... we've been quite the busy tourists! James is currently napping and I am chilling down here at the "Internet Train" getting caught up with the real world. Kinda nice!

We have taken a bunch of great photo's, so it's been hard to pic one for the blog! But here are a few, and unfortunately many of the pictures with James and I are on his camera so we'll have to share those at a later date!

So this picture is from when James and I hiked the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre... that is our village that we stayed in from above! How cool is that?! Every afternoon we would sit down on the water with a glass of 'vino bianco' (white is the Cinque Terre specialty) and watch the sun set... heaven!

This is James and I on top of the tower at Il Campo in Sienna... stunning view of Tuscany below!

This is my favorite kind of place to find fruit! Whole Foods what?

And this was the sunrise our last night in the Cinque Terre.... we were sitting up on some rocks with the waves crashing just below our feet! Oh, and it was about 70 degrees.... pretty spectacular!

OK, that's all for now. Not sure if we'll have a chance to connect in Venice... so if not, we'll see you all in a less than a week! Off to find some dinner and wake my sleeping James......

Hello from Italy!!!!

2007-05-04T04:49:00.000-06:00

Hello all!! Italy is amazing! And we are engaged!! So excited! Couldn't be a more romantic place to get proposed to :) - I knew he was a keeper!!

Today we are in Siena (Tuscany) - arrived yesterday from Rome... tomorrow we are off to the Cinque Terre! Below are a few pics (of hundreds)...

This is from the top of the tower at Il Campo - climbed the 300 steps this morning!

This is on top of the fortress yesterday here in Siena - amazing!

THE RING - Picture doesn't do it justice!! So gorgeous!

View from Palentine Hill in Rome (shot in a funky camera setting)

A'ight - that's all I have for now - off to find some pizza! Ciao for now...

the good things

2007-04-20T23:20:00.000-06:00

I deeply treasure the people in my life; I couldn't be more lucky. I have a handful of quality friends, a great family, and my "other half" is the best there is :).

After the events that have gone down in Virginia this week, it's hard to not be totally depressed -- I honestly can't even bare to turn on the news. I feel so incredibly bad for the people involved and for our nation as a whole -- what has our world come to?

But it's nights like these... that remind me of all the good I have in my life. Sometimes, we just need to focus on the good...

Corridor 44

Happy Birthday Nesso!

The Secret

2007-04-18T20:43:00.000-06:00

This movie will change your life... rent The Secret.
Don't wait 4 months like I did!

Has anyone seen my stapler?

2007-04-17T20:55:00.000-06:00

I had an Office Space moment today, and my art director made sure that I'd remember. Laugh it up :) Introducing "Milton Cannon"...

World Record?

2007-04-15T21:08:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure we established the craziest-weekend-ever record! Two weddings, in one day, in two different states - I think that's Guinness worthy for sure! This is how it went...

-Thursday 7:30a.m, emergency dentist appointment
-Thursday 9a.m, parents pick me up for airport
-Thursday 11a.m, flight out of Denver canceled!
-Thursday 12:30p.m, leave to go home and decide to go into work
-Thursday 5:30p.m, home from work
-Thursday 6:15, leave for airport -- again!
-Thursday 9:15p.m, new flight out of Denver into Orange County
-Friday 2a.m, finally made it to bed!
-Friday 11:30a.m, lunch with my mom's best friend
-Friday2:30p.m, catch up with family at Aunt Jennie's
-Friday 5:30p.m, leave for rehearsal
-Friday 7p.m, wedding rehearsal in the Redlands
-Friday 8:30, rehearsal dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory
-Saturday 12a.m, bedtime!
-Saturday 7:30a.m Limo picks up last member of bridal party, me!
-Saturday 10a.m, Lisa's (my cousin) wedding ceremony
-Saturday 11:30, my mom, dad, and myself leave for the airport
-Saturday 1:45, flight to Denver for Casey's wedding
-Saturday 4:35, land in Denver
-Saturday 7:30, arrive in Evergreen (freshly showered) at Casey's reception
-Sunday 3:30a.m, lights out :)

Insanity, but so fun and totally worth the chaos!! Here are a few picks... the rest are on Flickr.

Aunt Jennie, Mom, Madysen (Lisa's Daughter), Aymee, and Lisa (bride to be!)

Mom and Madysen

Grandpa, Kiel, Grandma, me

Me, Casey, Scott

Easter Sunday!

2007-04-09T19:26:00.000-06:00

Hope you all had a fabulous Easter!

We had a fun filled day with family and friends - couldn't have been better :)

The Dumb Friends League

2007-04-07T20:32:00.000-06:00

I've always been curious about the Dumb Friends League. I have heard so many great things about it, but have never actually met anyone who has adopted an animal from there...

Nesso adopted Sophie from the Dumb Friends League a few days ago (isn't she cute!) and she had such a great experience. I checked out their website and I love their mission statement... "speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves." [tear] Check it out - pretty informative site.

So, if you're in the market for a furry friend, you may want to consider the Dumb Friends League. They'll likely have just what you're looking for!

The bachelorette!

2007-04-01T19:35:00.000-06:00

My dear friend Casey is getting married in 2 weeks, so we celebrated the last of her bachelorette-ness last night up in Breck. So much fun!! Can't believe it's less than 2 weeks away Casey!

At my finest...

2007-04-01T19:27:00.000-06:00

Remember this post? Today James picked up his film from our hike, and this was the highlight of the bunch... Obviously thrilled about the bears.

Ardener Pralat

2007-03-26T20:04:00.000-06:00

Best Riesling I've ever had...

It feels like summer!

2007-03-25T15:17:00.000-06:00

It always cracks me up when we emerge from winter into Spring here in Colorado. The second we have temperatures above 50 degree's - everyone freaks out and whips out their shorts and picnic baskets! People come out of the woodwork, and it truly feels as though our population triples!

Today we wondered over to REI to look for some things for our trip, and not only were there one-billion people there doing similar things, but the South Platte already had kayakers, bikers, lookie-luers, and loads of water! It's nice to see people out and about!

Thanks Mom :)

2007-03-23T20:16:00.000-06:00

...And I promise not to "project" :)
It's a work in progress...

Miss Abu

2007-03-22T19:27:00.000-06:00

No time for picture taking today, so I dug up an old photo of Abbie (and her "squeaky ice cream cone") for tonight's post. James' folks have 3 very cute dogs, and Molly (Abbie's sister) has actually made an appearance in an earlier post! So I though it was time to introduce everyone to Abbie. How cute is she?! *Note to Brandy - you're next!

Date Night

2007-03-20T20:27:00.000-06:00

Took my favorite person out for marg's and yummy mexican food tonight - perfect weather, perfect sunset, and perfect company :) Happy Spring!

Levitating Vents

2007-03-19T21:09:00.000-06:00

First of all, my little Canon PowerShot Elph rules! It takes some pretty high quality video! And it came in handy today at work when the floor vents started to levitate off the ground. Must watch!

PS - The sweet video editing was done by James who thinks I am overly dramatic :)

[YouTube is taking a while to upload the video, so come back if it's not working yet!]

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2007-03-18T19:35:00.000-06:00

Oooooh St. Patty's Day - always out of control, but so fun! We hung out with Molly, Michael and Max (the cat) last night, and let me tell ya - we are a wild five-some! We played Scattegories and drank an interesting mix of green drinks, car bombs, and OJ shots (prize for losing a round of Scattegories) - so as you can imagine, things got a little crazy! I can't really capture the fun in words, so here is a sampling of photo's I took! The rest are on Flickr...

Yes, that is James on the floor...

Light Rail to Happy Hour

2007-03-16T20:50:00.000-06:00

Hung out with some good peeps tonight and took the "chooch" for the first time! I didn't get pick-pocketed or kidnapped, and most importantly, I made it on the correct train! Fun times - wish I could leave work early more often to join James and his happy hour crew down in the Tech Center! Here is a pic from the train...

"Have a Happy Period"

2007-03-15T19:27:00.000-06:00

Possibly the funniest forward I've ever received...

TO: MR. JAMES THATCHER
BRAND MANAGER
PROCTER & GAMBLE

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your Always maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core(tm) or Dri-Weave(tm) absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from "the curse"? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my "time of the month" is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call "an inbred hillbilly with knife skills." Isn't the human body amazing?

As brand manager in the feminine-hygiene division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers' monthly visits from Aunt Flo. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's boys into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in capri pants. Which brings me to the reason for my letter.

Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words:

"Have a Happy Period."

Are you freaking kidding me?

What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness-actual smiling, laughing happiness-is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless anything "happy" about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory. For the love of God, pull your head out, man. If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like "Put Down the Hammer" or "Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong"? Or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your accounting department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending "BS". And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin, TX

An Inconvenient Truth

2007-03-14T21:16:00.000-06:00

James and I hung out with my dad tonight and we watched the Al Gore movie - An Inconvenient Truth. It was a pretty alarming movie - made me want to try a lot harder to protect our planet. It's sad/scary to think what the world could potentially be like in 50 years. If you haven't seen the movie, you should.

On a brighter note (in attempt to avoid having horrible dreams of the world ending tonight) here is a picture of the sunrise from our balcony this morning - stunning! I love our earth :) Have a good night.

A little perspective

2007-03-13T20:03:00.000-06:00

I was pulling out of our apartment complex parking garage this morning, and as I waited for the garage door to roll open - a young handicapped woman walked by on the sidewalk. I sat there in a daze, totally overwhelmed with feelings - mostly of pure awe and admiration for this person.

For the rest of the day, I thought about her and I thought about the challenges that I've dealt with this past year. I was reminded that they're just obstacles - I didn't change, my family/friends didn't change, and I have SO may things to be grateful for. I do, however, think that no matter the circumstances, no matter who you are, and what you're obstacles are - it's all relative. But, sometimes good perspective can make your own challenges seem that much easier.

The most ironic thing about it all, and why I am blogging about this tonight, is I saw her on my way home too! I was pulling back into the garage this evening, and she walked by again in the opposite direction as this morning! It suddenly hit home that we are 2 people living totally different lives, but today we were living somewhat parallel. I believe that things happen for a reason and we're all connected, and sometimes those small connections can change you. And it did for me today...

I didn't take a picture of the girl because I didn't think it was appropriate :) But it was a gorgeous day today in Denver!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

2007-03-11T18:50:00.000-06:00

Yay! James and I got a little excited about the nice weather today - so we went on our first hike of the season! I am so glad that winter is FINALLY coming to an end!!

James suggested that we try hiking Massey Trail, one of his favorite trails that he did as a kid over in Ken Caryl Ranch. So off we go, and this is how we started out our hike... so picturesque!
But as we entered the trail, I realized that we weren't really on an actual trail. Well, we were on an actual trail, but it was covered by snow, which is fine - however, as we climbed further and further up the mountain, I started having serious concerns of having an encounter with a bear. Or a mountain lion! There weren't any other people on the trail, we were in the middle of the forest with lots of snow, and I was pretty sure we were going to be the next sob story on 20/20.

And 15 minutes into the hike I saw this! It kinda put me over the edge - I mean seriously, some poor sole was probably trying to call for Jesus with he was eaten by a bear! So now I am having a little bit of a panic attack, and James think this is hilarious.

But, like a good boyfriend, he tries to calm my nerves by showing me his mad skills (I wasn't going to burst his manly bubble by telling him that bears can do that too).

Bears or no bears though, the views were spectacular - I tried to focus on the fun day that we were having. And after doing some serious adventure climbing, and eating our PB&J on top of a boulder overlooking Colorado, we headed down the mountain... here are some of the things we saw!

Hey, remember that sign we passed at the beginning of our hike? Yeah well, this is the side they show you when you're coming down - shouldn't they maybe turn that f-er around? I so could have been eaten by a bear! My fears were justified!

NEXT TIME I'M HIKING WITH A GUN :)

I can definitely relate!

2007-03-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy week, or two weeks I should say - hence my lack in postings! But this comic cracked me up, and now hangs above my desk at work. I think everyone in advertising can relate to this...
Dilbert: As usual, I worked until midnight , mom.
--
Mom: Well, at least you made some extra money.
D: I don't get paid over-time.
--
M: Well, at least it was important work.
D: Not really.
--
D: My boss made me change my "Power Point" slides, but the changes make them worse.
--
M: Well, at least you're prepared for your meeting.
D: It was cancelled.
--
D: But that's okay, because the project isn't funded anyways.
--
M: So... you worked for free to worsen a presentation for a meeting that won't happen for a project that doesn't exist?
D: Yup.
--
M: Oh... you must be in advertising.

Nike+

2007-03-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Two of the most power-house brands have collided and I like it. I am addicted to Nike+! This is the coolest thing ever for runners! My shoes have a wireless sensor which talks to my iPod Nano while I am running - tells me my pace, how far I have left to run, calories burned, etc. It's great! Oh and then when I get home, I plug my Nano into my computer - it syncs up with Nike+.com and tracks my run data. So cool! Now it just needs to stop snowing... today was a good start though!