Wedding Bells

One of our friends came back from spending a couple of years in Japan where he taught English and Patrick and I've been able to hang out with him the last couple of weekends. And he just recently told us that he proposed (back in December) to his girlfriend and they are planning on getting married sometime in July. THIS July. So, after we congratulate him and recover from the initial shock about how soon it is, we start talking about plans since nothing is really set in stone yet. I mean, last time I looked at the calendar, it said it was the end of April already. I'm not at all saying its impossible to plan a wedding in three months, I just wouldn't want to be the person doing it. Hell, my friend Brandi planned her and Chris' wedding in one month - now that takes talent!!

His fiance is still in Japan and won't be flying to the states until June sometime, so he is going to be the wedding planner and has become an avid reader of Modern Bride. Now, I planned most of our wedding, but with the major help of Patrick and my mother. I just don't think I could have let Patrick plan the whole thing because with certain things I'm a complete control freak. I love him dearly, truly, madly, deeply, but I don't think I could have let him take complete control of our wedding like that.

On top of all that exciting news, as we were on our way to Pei Wei for lunch, he casually informed us that they are also expecting a little one come this November. Wow!! And ever since he told us, I can't stop looking at babies and thinking, wow, he is going to have one of those soon!! He's going to be a daddy! And even though he already knows this and has known since February, I feel the need to remind him and Patrick of this great news every five minutes. I can't wait to see the little 1/2 Filipino, 1/2 Japanese baby - s/he is going to be so adorable. Yay, one more baby for me to play with and practice on before Patrick and I are ready to mess up our own!

So, who's next on the wedding or baby train?

Nutty Brown, Trash, and Family

A couple of weeks ago, Patrick and I went with some friends to the Nutty Brown Cafe to eat and watch Monte Montgomery show. Good times, good times.

Tracy and Brent

Awww...Chris and Brandi

Tracy's bellybutton violated by Brandi's finger

Ruth Ann, Brandi, Tracy

Patrick fairly successfully dodged the camera that night.

The next day, we all dragged ourselves out of bed early to pick up trash on the cliffs by the 360 bridge as part of Austin Clean Sweep. We had 9 people who picked up 15 bags of trash in just 2 hours. Beer bottles, cigarette butts, wrappers, and even a couple of uniform shirts. Its amazing what people will just toss on the ground instead of in a trash can. How lazy can people be?

My parents came in town that afternoon and we spent our time eating, watching IMAX's Roving Mars (while listening to Patrick's and my Dad's commentary), listening to stories at NPR's StoryCorp Airstream and spending time outdoors since it was one of the most beautiful weekends we've had so far.

My Dad meditating?



What an amazing view


Mom and Dad Knudsen

(pictures taken where we picked up trash the day before)

It's gone...

Alas, they finally took it away. For weeks, Patrick and I have enjoyed it and have gotten used to it being around. And one day, I turn the channel, and no Good Eats. No Rachael Ray, no Blow Out or Queer Eye.

Almost a month of free cable, then Time Warner takes it away.

Oh, Mythbusters, why did you have to leave?

Who Doesn't Love Bunnies?

In case you haven't seen it already, something to pass the time: Thirty Second Bunny Theatre.
They have added a few new ones, so check it out!

Sleepless in Austin

When I came home from work yesterday, Patrick said that he was sorry and he now understands how frustrated I was when I would wake up throughout the night to him snoring. And he now knows how it feels to turn in the middle of the night to someone you love with all your heart and want to kick them repeatedly in the leg and try to turn them over so they will stop making those awful noises.

Because it turns out that I snore.

I'm not sure how loud or obnoxious it is or how long its been going on. I guess my body is finally getting back at him for months of torture before I started wearing earplugs. I wish I had discovered earplugs a million years ago because they so would have been helpful in college or when living with my family, because I'm not the only one that snores. But because its hard enough for him to wake up without turning off his alarm and going back to sleep and its impossible for me to move him dead asleep, he not going to try earplugs. So, you got any suggestions for a sleepless husband?

Its on the Card!

For all your brides, former brides, brides-to-be, and even grooms out there. This one's for you:

Its on the Card!

Dinner and a Movie

I don't think I have ever had to run the dishwasher three times in the span of 8 hours until this weekend. And that is on top of hand washing a number of things. We had some of the CGS/St. Ed's group and my coworker and her husband over for a Wedding Crashers movie/dinner night on Saturday. We used every single bowl, plate and piece of silverware we had. Patrick even washed some of the forks so that we wouldn't be left eating cake with our fingers. I remember at the end of the night, turning around and our kitchen looked like our cabinets threw up on it: stacks of dishes, glasses, pots and pans covering every inch of the counters and sink.

After Patrick showed off his bottle of Johnny Walker Blue and offered a glass to Chris, I think I saw little floating hearts above their heads. And wow, I can't remember the last time I stayed up until 4 o'clock in the morning. Do you realize that that is a full five hours after we usually get to bed? Brandi, Chris, Patrick and I stayed up until the wee hours of the night (morning?) talking, swapping stories, and watching videos of fainting goats.

I love entertaining friends at our home. Drinks, food, movies, conversation with friends....it makes our home feel so warm.

Friendship, friendship, just the perfect blendship...

I've been working at my job for a little over a year now. But I've known some of these people for longer because of the indie film I worked on in the fall of 2004. Yet, I just recently started spending more time with a couple of the girls in the office. They are so sweet and funny and just all around nice, amazing people. And I'm sad that I have been here for so long and only now have I started hanging out with them. I know part of it was that planning our wedding stole away too many weekends from being in Austin, but that is just an excuse. I wish I had made more of an effort to really make friendships since moving back to Austin, because these girls seriously make me laugh. I could post some of the pictures of their '80s Prom Halloween costumes just to show you how funny they are, but I will just let you imagine.

First came love, then came marriage, then came...

This one's for Melissa who told me I needed to update more often...

Two of our friends who got married about a month and a half before we did came to Austin for the weekend so we got a group together for lunch on Sunday. And of course with the majority of the group being married and some of our friends now having children, the topic of conversation led to marriage, kids, future kids and speculation of kids. Not our's, but everyone else's.

Now that the pokes and jabs are off of Patrick and I getting married, the poking and jabbing of our friends and relatives of their own potential marriages and children are so much fun! We talked about her brother's need for a girl, a "marriage plan" for another brother and friend, how my in-laws threatened to "make their own grandchildren" if they didn't get their own soon (at least that one's on Patrick's sister and brother-in-law, not us.....yet), as well as:

At one end of the table:
"She went home 'cause wasn't feeling well? Hmmmm..."
"Was she drinking last night?"
"I didn't see her with a glass of wine."
To the other end of the table:
"John, do you have any exciting news to share?"
"Exciting news?....... What are you two talking about?"
At the first end of the table:
"Keep me updated on the situation."

Yes, we are very sly. And this is how rumors start.

We just want all of our friends and family to be blessed with children that we get to play with before we have the chance to ruin our own.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Hope everyone has a great St. Patrick's Day!

I miss my New Yorker Emily...

Her trips to Texas seem so short! She came and then she left, just like that. We all had fun eating barbeque in the freezing cold. Yes, we who are used to 85 degree weather in February are whimps when it comes to chilly weather. I love when out of town friends come to visit. Everyone comes out of the woodworks to hang out and see our longlost friend. Hopefully, in the future, that won't be the only time I see these people! Thanks for a great weekend guys!

Allysa & Emily

Susan and Chris

At Rudy's: John, Rachel, Susan, Chris, Alyssa, Emily, Ruth Ann & Patrick

Pizza! Pizza!

It seems like we like to celebrate with pizza in our household...

My surprise dinner for Patrick on Valentine's Day:
his favorite pizza from Mangias.

What Patrick wanted for his Birthday Dinner
(he gets cake this weekend)

The Big 2-6!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!! I love you!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Patrick and I have never really done anything extravagant on Valentine's Day. He doesn't like the crowds at restaurants, everything is always overpriced and picked over and do you really need to give a diamond necklace on one certain day of the year to show you care? Personally, I would rather have any of those things on our anniversary, on my birthday, or on some random day of the year. But of course, if he totally forgot Valentine's, he knows that he would be in huge trouble! (flowers, chocolate and cards are always welcome)

But this year is different, right? This year we're married. Right? .....right..... So, after a number of back and forths of "What do you want to do?" "I dunno, what do you want to do?" "I dunno, what do you want to do?...." I decided that I probably should figure something out or else we might not eat tonight. So, come 5:00 pm, I will be heading home for this Valentine's Day surprise evening with dinner in hand. Honey, get ready, hope you save room for the dessert that you are in charge of!

And remember, you've got a year to plan next Valentine's Day.

No, she's not your Mama

It seems silly to think that I was worried about the cats getting along. I mean come on...
Calliope seems to think she's the mama cat constantly cleaning Chloe (yes, I love alliteration)

and Chloe seems to think so too...she keeps shoving her face into Calliope's stomach like she's trying to nurse

It is kind of nice to have two cats fighting for your attention...

but I like it more when they concede at just being content on sharing it.

Chloe the Kitty

We think she looks kind of like a koala with the gray fur and white chin...

The past couple of weeks have been quite interesting getting two cats aquainted. The first few days, we kept them separated, but that didn't last too long...

I am amazed at how quickly they have grown to not only tolerate each other, but play and cuddle as well.

New Addition to our Family...

After about a two weeks of looking online, going to animal shelters and visiting a dozen Petsmarts in three or four cities, 3 counties and the state of Texas, Patrick and I finally found another cat that we can adopt. It seems that every time we found one that we liked and seemed interested in us, they were either already adopted or about to be by someone else. Until we came across this little "blue" and white skinny kitty.

She's about 6-7 months old and so sweet.

We get to pick her up tomorrow evening after she's spayed. This will be an interesting few days getting the two kitties aquainted.

The shelter is calling her Maxine, but I think Maxine Maxwell is just a little too much. Got any suggestions?

National Champions!

Congrats to the 2005 National Champion Longhorn Football Team! Last night's game is the most exciting game I have ever seen. I was on the edge of my seat, then I was up and down and up and down, damn Horns, y'all gave me a workout!

Hook 'em Horns!!

Gig' em Horns?

So, I guess this blogging thing is pretty addicting since I've posted three times today already. But I had to share this photo I came across on the internet today.

As much as I am all for Aggies supporting the Horns in the Rose Bowl, and I think the idea of a maroon shirt adorned with a burnt orange Bevo with the slogan "Gig 'em Horns" is pretty cool, I will always have a problem with the whole "saw 'em off" thing. I mean, isn't a&m an agricultural college who has a pretty darn good veterinarian department?? That will never make sense to me.

Anyway...

Good luck Horns in the Rose Bowl!! Only two hours to go!

Hook 'em!!

Hook 'em Horns!

It's just seven hours away: "The Grandaddy of Them All," The Rose Bowl. I can't wait to see how the Horns do tonight. Patrick and I are going to get our burnt orange on and head to a friend's house to watch the Longhorns bring home the national title.

I know my brother-in-law is probably going pretty crazy today. I can just see him pacing around his work wondering how it will all go down tonight. Talk about a Longhorn fan - I just hope for his wife's sake, we win. :o)

Hook 'em!