Cool Denver House Friday

So, do you like this house or not?

The two-toned brick is kind of, well, interesting. Am I being blinded by that adorable old (probably original) kitchen sink?

All this vintage charm could be ours for $175. It's the magic 3 bed 2 bath combination with an amazing 2789 sq feet.

Should we get it?

Benedryl....what's the point?

About 3 days a year I get a startling, annoying, full-blown allergy attack. For those of you who are blessed, blessed children of God and aren't affected by the microscopic messengers of Satan that gently float in the air, just waiting to be inhaled into pink, unsuspecting lungs, consider yourself lucky.

Having an allergy attack the caliber of which I have the yearly joy of experiencing is soul shakingly horrible. The cruel joke is that they usually occur after a perfectly beautiful, achingly idyllic early summer day. The kind of day you look back on during a gray winter afternoon that induces yearning for sundresses and huaraches.

Which is exactly the type of evening I experienced Monday night. As I sat, my fingers entwined with those of the one I love, watching our beloved little boxer prance and play at the dog park I had a subtle premonition. The slanting light from the sun setting over the purple Rockies was just too lovely. The way my adorable pup looked up at us with pure unconditional love was too sweet. The sweetness lingering on my lips from a self-indulgent run to Baskin-Robbins was too fantastic. Something was about to hit.

And on the drive back to the house it did.

If you've never sneezed 23 times in a row, you won't really be able to empathize. By the time I flew up the stairs and threw open the door my mind had turned from the sane this-will-knock-me-out-for-at-least-12-hours thought process to the harrowed if-I-don't-get-some-benedryl-immediately-I-may-loose-my-mind mentality.

So, with great relief, I swallowed that little pink pill. The pink pill of doom. The pink pill that induces such deep slumber and body-numbing properties that I am stoned for a full 20 hours after ingestion?

And so here is my question: What is the point of taking a medication that blissfully removes all symptoms of said horrifying allergy attack only to replace it with Snow White-like death-sleep?

Becoming self-aware

At my new job I share a large office space with a very awesome fellow engineer. We are both brand new and work on the same team. We've split the office by putting up very high backed desks. This way we have privacy...and at work I revel in privacy. So much of my time is spent jumping from meeting to meeting that when I sit at my desk I really like to feel a bit alone.

My office mate is a cool, courteous guy...which I RELISH. We both put on headphones to listen to music, we both speak quietly on the phone.

However, with this politeness come a few drawbacks. The office is almost too quiet. The silence has produced in my an abnormal neurosis about a few things:

1. I sneeze more than your average person. I probably sneeze about 10 times a day. A DAY people! I cannot control it. And the fact that my awesome office mate is the only one who hears this constantly it must be driving him bonkers.

2. I used to love to bring carrots to work to munch on in the afternoon. No longer. Do you have any idea how L-O-U-D crunching carrots are? Too loud, that's for sure.

3. I feel bad leaving my banana peels in our shared garbage can. For some reason when I look down and see that flaccid empty peel it grosses me out to think of him having to look at it. I'm sure he wouldn't care at all, but I just can't do it. I carry it out and deposit it in the large community can.


See....strange, huh?

The verdict

Wow! You are quite the opinionated group! I was a bit overwhelmed by everyone's advice on the great dress purchase of 2009.

In the end, I've decided to follow my good friend allimarie's sage words. I ordered them both on Saturday. When they get here I'll post photos and we can then decide which to keep and which to send back.

Sound like a plan?





Oh, and I've PROMISED myself that I'll return one of them....I'm sure I will....I hope I will...I might...well, I guess we'll see how cute they are and then make up my mind...

Perspective

Yesterday at church I went into Sunday school class alone. I saw a new young couple I didn't really recognize and decided to plop myself down next to them and chat it up for a few seconds before class began.

The wife was an adorable girl, perfectly curled blond hair, big beautiful smile, adorable yellow skirt and I was immediately drawn in. Her husband seemed nice in a straight-out-of-jcrew catalog kind of way. I asked them a few questions and their responses made me laugh. I found out they were currently in Colorado selling something for the summer and would return to their home in Provo for the beginning of fall semester. It was a nice casual meeting of strangers.

Happens a million times a minute all over the world.


That is until I set my bible down on the chair between myself and the blond beauty. My bible has my full maiden name stamped on the front.

Two seconds later this stunning girl looked at me with a smile from ear to ear and asked, "Do you have a sister named Maggie?"

Stunned, shocked and filled with joy I responded, "Yes! I do! She's the best! Do you know her from Provo?"

Smiling she responded, "No, I know her from Spokane. I grew up there. Our parents are very good friends! I knew that you looked familiar, and I knew that Maggie had an older sister named Katie."

Then we marveled over the smallness of the world. I went to high school with her older sister. She'd heard all about me and my sister growing up.

I was floored.

And for a split second I saw myself as this girl saw me. When I left home for college she was probably 10 years old. I was someone who she'd heard about and sort of knew. And now we were sitting there as peers a world away.

I hope that she saw in me the person I am trying to be. Someone kind and open. Someone friendly and welcoming. Someone who she'll remember next time she's calling home and say, "my, that Katie sure has become such a nice and awesome person. She made me feel like a million bucks."

And then maybe her mom will tell my mom.

And hopefully that will make my mom smile.

Cool Denver House Friday

I am over the moon in love with this house. It's in a prime area, blocks to a huge park/lake and just oozing with curb appeal!




Sure, the inside is a bit of a train wreck. The ear doctor and I are up for the challenge! For only $199 this 2 bed, 1 bath, 1636 sq ft beauty built in 1900 could be OURS!

Rock the vote

I've found two dresses that I'm considering buying for a wedding later this summer. I really love them both and can't make up my mind. So I'm coming to you, dear friends. Which do you like better?

#1

#2

And how would you accessorize the one you like better. (confession: I'm a horrible accessorizer...)

It's really crucial to get the right dress since it's the only article of clothing I'm allowing myself to purchase this summer.

WWYD?

Look what I stumbled upon in a dark forgotten desk drawer in my new office?

I love Nutella. It is delicious, but I hardly ever buy it for myself. I especially probably would never buy a little individually portioned, lunch size container.

But my mom told me not to eat things from strangers. Or things you don't know where they've been.

So now I'm torn.

Should I eat it? Would you?

Blogger to Blogger

Oh, did you notice that I missed a blogger to blogger last week? Well, I was building up the suspense for this week's interview with Reb of Reb and Jeb and Our Little Men. As soon as I found her I know, what with being a fellow Coloradoan and all, I had to get her on the ole blog. And she was SO nice to agree!

Reb asked: Boulder is such a great place. If I only had 3 hours to spend there, what should I do?

Katie answered: The best thing about Boulder is that you can mix the rural with the urban without having to drive very much. If you only had 3 hours to be in the area I would first get lunch on the front patio at Brasserie Ten Ten. The food will knock your socks off, and I could bring little Roscoe and tie him up to the railing while I eat.

Then, I'd take off and do a little hike up to Boulder Falls. It's such and easy short walk but who doesn't love a waterfall?

If I still had time after that I'd grab some frozen custard from Bova's on the hill.

Reb asked: When are you going to actually make audible contact with the Bizarro Katie and Ear Doctor Look alike. When you do, what are you going to say?

Katie answered: Here's the thing. I'm the kind of person who normally just walks up to strangers and starts talking. It's a trait I inherited from my dad who is the most charismatic and

friendly person on the planet. So the fact that I haven't just walked up to them is kind of amazing.

I think I like the intrigue and mystery of NOT talking to them. It makes me feel like a bit of a covert spy.

However, when I see them next (because I know I will) I may say something like, "Isn't it kind of creepy how similar we are?" or maybe "stop stalking us already" or "did you see that episode of Gossip Girl where Blair and Chuck find dates for each other that are cheap copies of themselves? do you consider yourself the "Blair" or the "Blair-knockoff" in this situation?"

Or I'll probably say, "nice hair" and walk away hoping that they saw the resemblance.

Reb asked: I know you're a skier. What places do you like to go to and why? What do you think of Coloradans who do not ski? Isn't there a law against it? I know it's expensive and bla bla bla, but c'mon really?

Katie answered: Well, first of all I have to admit that my favorite place to ski isn't in Colorado at all...it's Alta in Utah. Hands down.

Secondly, since I'm still an intermediate skier (mostly blue/black runs) my favorite place to ski in this state is Copper. It's closer than Vail, better runs that Breck (for a skier), the bumps aren't as deep or steep as they are at Winterpark/Mary Jane. That being said, I have to admit I've never been to Loveland or A-basin yet.

Lastly, I get it why some people don't ski. My sister is the type that hates to be cold and willingly sacrifices the potential thrill of the hill to avoid it. I never complain about people that don't ski here. The resorts are crowded enough and the traffic makes me want to pull out my hair. The more people who stay off my hills THE BETTER.

...and then...

Katie asked: What is your favorite detail of your new house?

Reb answered: There are so many details of my house that I am tickled about. The hard wood floors are beyond, the laundry room off the kitchen is dreamy, but I'd have to say my favorite part is the master bathroom.

You have to understand, we used to share a tiny bathroom, all six of us in our other house. It was tight. It was cozy. It was hard to get any privacy. The new bathroom, all of them, allow me to actually sit on a toilet seat without the possibility of sitting on pee first. Jeb and I can do our thing at our own sinks without bumping into eachother all the time. There's also a jacuzzi tub! I can't believe I get to use this bathroom and not give it back at the end of the weekend. I keep smiling and having to pinch myself and think of the words to that song by Talking Heads, "This isn't my beautiful house, this isn't my beautiful car...ect...Many many days go by..."

Katie asked: How do you discipline your kids? What has worked the best for you?

Reb answered: I use a taser or a tranquilizer gun. With four boys, these are a must! And then if that doesn't work then I use Love and Logic. It saved my life and my sanity when I had just the two little ones. As all parents face a shocking discovery, I found I didn't have a clue how to raise my children. I felt like I was parenting without having read the directions to that darn instruction manual that didn't come with them. I also found that I was hot tempered when dealing with strong-willed children. I purchased the Love and Logic book on CD and listened to it when I went running. It was magic and my parenting, my temperment improved ten fold. I wasn't yelling anymore. I was smiling and happy. The feeling in our home was so much more peaceful. I still use it and am so thankful for it.

Katie asked: What is the best advise your mom ever gave you?

Reb answered: This is the most basic and obvious advice, but she always says, "Do not try to raise your children all the same way. They are all different." Easier said than done, but very wise advice indeed. All my children are so different and trying one technique on one, gets stonewalled by the others. So yes, remember, your children are all different, awesomely different.