Ask YOU anything

Thank you for the (anonymous) Formspring questions!

Here is one for you:

Where is the most interesting place YOU'VE ever traveled?

I bet my parents will say France--when they get back in two weeks!

Since pictures are fun, here you go!

Atlanis Hotel, the Bahamas

View in the BVIs

New York, duh.

Do you like cats?

No. I mean, I don't hate them, but I'm allergic so they make me crazy!! I have seen some cute cats, and kittens (well any baby animal) are adorable, but cats...eh. They seem very standoffish. Of course I do have the neediest dog in the world, so maybe all animals seem standoffish when compared to him!

Ask me anything

What was the most interesting place you've traveled to?

I really loved Scotland. It's right up my alley with the history, music, accents, deliciously stormy weather...wonderful!! But I have enjoyed a lot of my travels...going to the Caribbean is always a treat because the ocean is un.believe.able. I also like cities, like New York and Vancouver. Just to get to the local mountains makes me very happy! (Oh and bonus points for any place with weather!)

Ask me anything

So true

This just cracks me up...

Heard a Song

You will like this

Whether or not you are familiar with the MLS (multiple listing service, used by realtors), you will enjoy this page: Bad MLS Photos.

I think it's common sense that you would post flattering pictures of your home, not batshit crazy ones like some of these are...

Bad MLS Photos

Who does this?

Source: Hooked on Houses

My lil' tools

In our excitement to begin demolition on the new house, we were discussing what tasks each of us would do. I told J that I'd need to borrow some tools. Yesterday I came home to find a tool bag with my name on it:

Yes he wrote "K's Lil Tools"

Inside I found a tool belt, razor knife, extra blades, face mask (for yucky allergens when I cut up the carpet), safety goggles, a hard hat (that one was a joke), hammer, screwdriver, and crowbar. I hope I'm not missing anything...

It was very cute and thoughtful. And I'm excited!

New house remodel plans!

I'm sure you all know how J can be with his planning. He already has the new master bedroom/bathroom/closet planned out and ready to go! I'm very excited.

What you are looking at here:
on the left--double sinks, toilet. Across from that, bathtub (empty rectangle). Then a wall which forms the closet. The zig-zags are hanging clothes, the rectangles are dressers. the bottom of the page shows the doorways from the bedroom into the closet and bathroom. We'll have a walk in closet and bigger bedroom and bathroom by combining two existing rooms in the house. YAY!

You may not want to see this

J, after he was found. I can't believe how pale his skin is. This is, for the record, not good.

Don't look closely. It's just gross.

Sad...J all bandaged up, looking pretty unconscious.

The helicopter that would take him away.

Over 24 hours in the hospital and still bloody (and bleeding)

Staples are the new black.

Fast forward:

J is doing SO well. He had the staples removed, the swelling has gone down, his knee received an MRI and is perfectly fine (which is amazing). He's feeling great and even played a little softball. I can't believe he's come so far. 

*grateful*

In escrow...

Well folks, we're in escrow! In fact, we're a good way through it...

Here are some pics:

From the front

It's in Orange, so we'll be close to the freeway, a little farther from my work, close to the Orange Circle (which I LOVE) and right next to In N Out and the Original Pancake House! hehe.

We're very excited. We've bought a washer and dryer already and we have big plans for the inside. Stay tuned because this blog should get VERY interesting!! :)

KEP published in the Orange County Register!

http://sciencedude.ocregister.com/2010/05/27/weekend-ahead-barbecue-weather/100543/

Posting hiatus?

Sorry for the posting hiatus. If you know me, you know that my husband was in a bad accident. I will post more details on that later (if I feel like it!) but in the meantime, here's a picture:

Hospital bed, head still a little bloody, face very swollen.

And us in better times:

My 25th birthday

His first-place-for-the-season-winning race

And quite obviously, our wedding.

We're both feeling very thankful for his current health and the fact that he so miraculously escaped death. August 6, 2010 is a day I will never forget.

New pictures are up!

I posted some sneak peeks of a graduation session from this past weekend...head on over and check 'em out!

How to Change Your Name in the State of California

This post may not be of interest to many of you who regularly read, but bookmark it if you ever plan on getting married in CA! It's such a confusing process and there is really no one who will tell you how it needs to be done. (Yep, no one knows. Don't ask me why!)

Certificate of Marriage
To begin with, you will need a copy of your marriage certificate. This is NOT going to be sent to you. You must go to a state recorder's office and pick it up. There is an amount of time you wait for this piece of paper, then you are free to pay for your certified copies! (Thanks, government!)

Now that you have copies of this important document in your hot little hands, it's time to go to the SS office.

Q: Why get multiple copies? If you are changing a passport or any bank information, they will be holding on to this document for up to a few weeks. If you want to do these things simultaneously, you should get more than one copy.
Q: Where did this come from? After you received your marriage license (at a state office), the marriage certificate was signed on the day of your wedding by two witnesses (typically your maid of honor and best man) and the officiator. The officiator sends this into the state to be processed and approved by the CA State Recorder (currently Tom Daly, on ours).
Q: Where do I get the copies? We went to the Laguna Hills Civic Center, but you can look up CA State Recorder's Office locations online.

Social Security
Go online to fill out and print an application for social security card. Bring a driver's license AND passport or birth certificate. Bring marriage certificate. I went to the Mission Viejo SS office which is at 26051 Acero Road. Don't go to the Aliso Viejo federal building like I did, only to find out that SS moved (!!) to a random office building in Mission Viejo!

You will get a temporary SS "note" and the real card will follow in the mail.

Q: How long does it take? I was able to do this during my lunch hour, and maybe was gone a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes. They take numbers inside, bring a book and wait. You'll be at the window for maybe 2 minutes.

Q: Why should I do this? Well, do you like money? Do you want your paycheck? Do you like paying taxes? (bad question) and last but not least, do you want to change your license?! Yes! You do!

DMV

At last, the dreaded DMV. Make an appointment online. You'll still wait, but do it  because I said so. Bring your driver's license, passport, marriage certificate, lip gloss, and the slip of paper from the SS office. Wait in line. Go to window. Attempt to get what you want done. Take a new picture (thus the lip gloss). You will be rewarded with a slip of paper telling the world that you're about to get a new license! In a few weeks you will get the real one. 

Reminiscent of the driver's permit, no?

Beneath my DMV slip is a statement of facts form so you can change your name on the title of your vehicle, if you own it. 

It doesn't end here, folks!

Passport Office

Fun fact: when you get married and change your name, you will need to apply for (and pay for) a passport all over again! 

Find the nearest Passport office and pick up the forms. You can mail your old/current passport, the marriage certificate, and the forms to the U.S. Passport office, which might be in Sacramento or something. Get this package certified (return receipt) by the post office. Seriously--it has really crucial pieces of your identity inside that if lost, will mess up you life, but at least you'll know! If you're going on vacation anytime soon, get on it! This can take 25 business days.

Q: So I can't change my name before our honeymoon? No. Unless your honeymoon is months after your wedding and you've done all of the steps above, DO NOT buy plane tickets in your new name for the honeymoon. You will most likely not be on the flight. You are not this person (yet). 

Q: Why do I mail my certificate? Because they will send it back, don't worry. But if you want to change anything else during this time, you will need those other certified copies I told you about!

I think that about sums it up! Good luck!

Nature

Some wildflowers and leaves I saw this weekend in the woods during J's race:

dog

Congrats to J!!

Well it turns out that our math was wrong...J came in FIRST overall this season of mountain bike racing!! I am so proud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J's Last Race

Well it was the final race of the season...

J had planned his schedule of races this year, but due to some crazy late winter snow, a few of them were postponed. Work picked up and he had very little time to train, which was frustrating. But you know what they say...the best laid plans...

Anyway here's what happened:

He started off strong (can you see him in the REVO jersey in the second row?)

Once he passed me at the start I hiked into the woods to another part of the track.

He looks happy!

I guess he had crashed twice and ended up coming in fourth, which also meant he came in second place overall in the season! Good job, J!

New photos are up

Head over to the photo site to see a new session with my cousin, Erinn.

Here's one to tide you over!

Summer Reading List

While I stage a coup at work, I thought I'd post some summer reading ideas.

I am asked semi-often for book suggestions, and take this task very seriously. I read quite a lot (in the past I've read a lot more) and I appreciate ALL kinds of books, but realize that not everyone is like me and wants to read the things I do. :) That said, I'm going to start a summer reading suggestion list, and feel free to add in the comments! My only disclaimer is that, for the most part, I don't read "beach reads" or "chick lit." Sorry. I'll read it if someone asks me to, but it's not my thing.

So I would normally analyze these things in my mind if you asked me for a recommendation, but here you can do that yourself... ;)

Summer Reading Generator

You are: intellectual, open minded
Looking for: a stimulating read that leaves you thinking
You love to read about: the human condition (and what is that, exactly?)
Never Let Me Go

You are: a history buff, or you just love a great story
Looking for: a "meaty" read (something you can sink your teeth into); you like to be taken on a journey
You love to read about: the Medieval period (like me), architecture (like me), love (not like me, but the rest is awesome), family dynamics, politics, power struggles, the battle between good and evil
Pillars of the Earth

You are: a human being
Looking for: something you can relate to, and yet reminds you how great you have it
You love to read about: family dynamics, the human condition, struggling, the American Dream
The Glass Castle

You are: a dog lover
Looking for: something you don't want to put down
You love to read about: mysterious deaths, relationships, animals, depression
The Dogs of Babel

You are: a history buff, or love some serious (and true) drama
Looking for: an easy read, but something you are fascinated by
You love to read about: relationships, gossip, the past, Henry VIII and his escapades, the Renaissance
The Last Boleyn

You are: stuck in a rut/needing wisdom, inspiration, or guidance
Looking for: something that might just change your life (if you let it)
You love to read about: the journey, a story that also teaches you something
The Alchemist

Need more? Let me know. I always have more...and if you would like to discuss, by all means, let's talk!

Sidenotes:
Never Let Me Go is being made into a movie, I discovered today, with Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley and it looks A-mazing.

The Pillars of the Earth is being shown this summer as a miniseries on Starz.

Advice Needed

How do I get over a terrible day--a terrible week?

Do you have any advice for me? I seem to dwell...

:(

Possibly the most delicious cupcakes ever

Before my darling cousin left for Chicago, she brought over a recipe for Better Than Banana Cream Pie cupcakes. They were AMAZING.

A banana cupcake, then banana cream, topped with vanilla icing, cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, and a slice of banana. Delicious!

Recipe here.

Picture this

Another glimpse of greatness: don't say that J and I are not adventurous dancers. You've seen the evidence from our wedding.

Here is another gem:

Random remark of the day

I found myself saying this today:

Sometimes I look around, look at my life, and I can't believe it. Am I really a grownup? Is this my life? I think this is the life I always hoped I'd have when I was a grownup: this closet full of clothes...Damn I should I dreamed bigger!

Closet disaster and makeover

So any of you that are on FB know that my closet broke last week. It snapped in the middle of the night and scared me half to death. It was terrifying, and sent a shower of shoes flying all over.
Here is the carnage:

So the pole separated from the wall on the left.

It warped the shelf above which is what sent my shoes flying.

Can you see where the pole used to connect? It's a brown circle, not too easy to spot.

So I took everything out of the closet. This was NOT easy.

J replaced the pole with two metal poles anchored by a nice piece of melamine in the middle. I am going to say that this was easy, mainly because J doesn't read this blog. :) 

[evil laugh]

Then I proceeded to put everything back. Also NOT easy.

Now I have what J calls "OCD" shoe boxes. I plan on photographing my shoes and affixing a picture of each pair on the box it is in; it was Nora's brilliant idea and I love it!

J also teased me about my hat collection. Umm skin cancer is not hot, okay?