Friday loves

well now that Blogger has decided to stop being a douchebag, we can get on to the little list of things I'm loving this week... ya know... because you're all DYING to know! ;) 

• these garden markers (the post was actually from a year ago, but I found it via Pinterest this week), made from an old spoon and some creative labels. now that my herbs are planted, I might need to do this. 

• this post by Mandy (who obviously has the coolest name ever), reassuring everyone that she is not super woman, and that she, just like all parents, has daily struggles. I'm not a Mama, but it's comforting to me for some reason.
• the completed patio, courtesy of YHL. we want to demolish our existing deck and put in a patio of pavers, and the DIY experts have pretty much confirmed our wavering decision to NOT do it ourselves. it honestly just seems like a huge pain in the ass, and we don't have time for it. 
• marble chevron tile. 

• 40 handmade gifts from the kitchen - I am really considering going handmade for gifts this year, since we're trying to save up for the possibility of a babe in the future, and this post is full of SO many wonderful edible gifts.
• baskets in the fridge = organization genius.

• the handmade giveaway going on over at Rogue Poags! the only reason I didn't enter is because that little yellow pouch in the pictures already has my name on it - enter to win a custom handmade coin purse... with a Starbucks gift card inside! 
• these planters from West Elm. since we plan on repainting our shutters grey (they are currently hunter green and I hate them), these would look awesome on our front stoop.

• this recipe for grilled zucchini pizza looks delicious. I want to try it soon. 
• and as always, live kittens playing and cuddling and mewing. I may or may not be slightly obsessed with these guys.

have you discovered anything awesome this week? 

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Friday loves

• this tattoo that I stumbled upon via Pinterest. I've been thinking of getting something that represents the American Indian part of me, and I love this dreamcatcher. it's simple but beautiful. 

if you know the original source of this image, let me know so I can credit it properly!

• the ever so addicting Words With Friends game that I downloaded on my phone. I'm a word game fiend and so naturally, I'm hooked on it. I've been playing with friends as well as random opponents. if you want to play, shoot me an email!

• Mrs. Biscuit's kitty mugs. I need to find them, and soon. I don't know if I can live without them.

• Michael Scott's last episode of The Office. I have no words, other than I AM SO SAD.

image

• this pasta sauce recipe that we cooked last night. we used a lot more cheese than the recipe call for, and it turned out pretty well. if we make it again (which I'm sure we will, cause I get sick of eating red sauce), I'll probably only use half of the pasta. either way, it was delicious! I will have pictures soon! 

• Cole's roundup of rain boots. I've been wanting a pair of rain boots for what seems like forever, and Target chevron pretties are a callin' my name! 

• the whole navy blue/nautical thing that West Elm's got goin' on right now. more specifically, these napkins and these pillows, and this shower curtain. I would like them all in my home now, please and thank you.

• Clara's birth story. holy hell, there were a lot a terrified moments leading up to this girl's arrival, and you would have never known it if not for Sherry's heart wrenching post this week.

• Erika's kitchen makeover - specifically, the after pictures. I especially love the old gym locker in the pantry and the open shelves! oh, and the green cabinets don't hurt either.

• this bathtub. HUBBA HUBBA. 

Emily Henson Interiors via Lauren @ the little things we do

Happy Friday! <3

soft kitty, pretty kitty...

as if I need another distraction from my everyday responsibilities... a friend of mine recently shared this link with me. so for all my fellow CCL's (that's crazy cat lady, FYI)... you're welcome. 

oh, and if for some reason, you can't do video right now because you're at work or whatever, here are some pictures that I shamelessly stole from www.kittencam.org so that you can get your fix in too. 

these little bundles of love are only 9 days old and residing in California. I would give a body part to visit them. someone buy me a place ticket!

oh, and if you think they're cute in the pictures, wait til you see them on video. especially when the mama cat gets back in the box after eating... the "mew mew mew" of the babes are enough to make my heart pitter patter.

happy birthday Bear!

I cannot believe my handsome Bear Cub is 3 years old today. it seems like it was yesterday when my co-worker sent me a text message with a picture of two teeny tiny kittens, asking what to do. she brought them to my house, and it was love at first sight with that little grey kitty, who resembled a dust bunny more than an actual animal. 

he was so small he could fit in the palm of my hand. he would eat and then nap in his little box that I kept him in... taking him back and forth to work with me everyday for about 6 months, because he was too tiny and not self sufficient enough to leave at home.

always givin' Mama kisses

milk coma with his little dirty milk mouth

Bear is our "special" kitty, as I'm sure you've noticed (and the reason behind the blog name). we rescued him when he was 2 weeks old after his mama abandoned him and his sister in a dumpster. he was so little and weak that he had to be bottle fed every few hours. he had to be taught everything... from how to eat, how to go to the bathroom, and how to walk.

see that little paw sticking up? that's half the reason we named him Bear... they looked like little Bear claws

the bottle nipple could barely fit in his teeny mouth

kissin' hims cute wittle FACE

the first vet we took him to see told us to put him down because he had an inner ear infection and neurological issue in his brain, which caused him to walk in circles (which he still does), and that he most likely had rabies. we ended up seeing another vet, who created some miracle concoction of a medicine that helped his balance issue enough to where he could walk semi-normal.it was a rough couple months for him (and us!) with all the feedings, medicine, and learning how to be a normal kitty. we're pretty sure he still doesn't know what it means to be a cat.

he used to have blue eyes!

walking around on my desk at work... fat little milk belly

Bear & Lily, for size comparison

I'm SO thankful every day that we got a second opinion. I couldn't imagine our lives without him. he is so grateful for us and he shows it every single day - he gets excited when we get home from work, he kisses Mama's face, and truly loves us as his parents.

givin' kisses when we got home from vacation

he used to LOVE snuggling under the covers

napping with hims Daddy

just hangin' out @ work

happy 3rd birthday to my Mister Bear Nugget. 

you are the coolest cat ever. you make me laugh on a daily basis with your "talking" to me whenever I so much as look you, and I love that you think you are a human. even though it drives me batty, I think it's hilarious when you soar out of the litter box and look at me like you didn't do anything wrong. your constant affection is the best feeling in the world for kitty parents, and we love you more than you could possibly ever know. keep doing Bear Cub things, cause you're awesome.

and to the rest of you... 

Happy Friday!

Pomeranian

Kelly Osbourne gets doggie wife

Kelly Osbourne has got a wife for her pet dog.

The model-and-TV star has given a home to a pomeranian puppy and she is hoping her beloved pooch Sid will get on great with her.

However, things have not started well between the canine couple.

She revealed: "I got a new dog last week and I'm so excited! She's a pomeranian like Sid and looks like a mini version of him. She's only ten weeks old and weighs less than a pound -- how tiny is that? So far I've called her Noodles-For-Now because I might change it if I find a better name. I want her to be Sid's new wife, but he actually seems a bit scared of her -- she playfully nipped him and he did not know what to do!"

Kelly is hoping the two mutts will eventually have puppies, but the 26-year-old star is worried she won't be able to break up their doggie family if they do mate.

In her Closer magazine column, she added: "I'm hoping they'll have puppies -- if they do, I probably couldn't bear to give any of them away."

As well as her two pomeranians, Kelly also has a doberman called Blue that her brother Jack bought her to protect her when she moved into her new apartment.

Last summer, she was left devastated after her pomeranian puppy Woody died while she was on holiday in Las Vegas.

tidbits, yo

• UGH. slacker blogger. very busy weekend for this girl - beer night Friday, errands Saturday afternoon, birthday celebration Saturday evening, and hanging out with friends/writing a paper Sunday. 

• as you saw in this post, I finally upgraded my phone. I was the proud owner of the LG Dare for almost 2 years. my upgrade day was St. Patrick's Day (luck o' the Irish, say what?), so on Friday, we ventured out to Verizon to get the Droid X. I was torn between that and the Thunderbolt, but I just couldn't justify paying $250 for a cell phone... and the extra memory and the kickstand was just not worth $100 to me. so far I'm really loving my Droid. if you have any recommendations for apps, let a sister know! 

• check out my sweet birthday card I got from Kaycie. does she know me well or what?

• I went out with friends this weekend to celebrate my 25th birthday! we started out with a small group and dinner at a local Japanese Steakhouse, and then moved next door to Cadillac Ranch. I was so happy to have so many people come out to celebrate with me - we had an amazing evening full of laughter, flowing drinks, and memorable conversations. I am a lucky girl. here are some pictures (most were not taken by me, and I'll have more to post once Kaley uploads hers! AHEM!)

• on the other hand, I don't know if I'm ready to turn 25. I know that 25 is not old by a long shot, but I just feel very "adult" saying 25.

• I'm slowly moving through my 2011 Reading Challenge. I've now read 9 books this year - I finished two of Emily Giffin's books within about a week. I loved the first, Something Borrowed... I was really drawn to the narrator, Rachel, and was thrilled with the ending. The second book, Something Blue, was... alright... it's from the perspective of the other main character, Darcy, and I honestly hated her. I ended up liking her a bit more by the end, but overall, I was kind of underwhelmed with the story in comparison to the first. I'll be doing lengthy reviews for both books when I have the time. 

• speaking of reading and writing - I wrote an 800 word essay on the reliability of Nick Carraway as the narrator of The Great Gatsby for my English class yesterday during my lunch break. I started it Sunday and emailed it to myself to finish and send over to my professor from work. went to save the file, and it was corrupted. instead of copying & pasting like an intelligent person would do, I just x'ed out of it. lost the WHOLE thing, minus the measly two paragraphs I had written the night before. talk about pissed... I had to re-write the entire thing last night. 

• Bear is really ridiculously good looking. just sayin. 

• spring is officially here and I am SO excited. that's pretty much all I have to say about that. 

• since I had my last training session in February, I've only been to the gym once, and that was for a spin class. last week. I really need to get back into the swing of things when it comes to working out, but if I'm being honest here, that month off felt amazing. I'm still doing well with my eating habits... still staying away from fatty, greasy, and non-nutritional food. I need to stop making excuses as to why I can't work out, starting with tonight!

Happy Tuesday! 

[ p e a c e ]

I hate using the same photo for multiple challenges
(especially on different days of the week),
but I really could not imagine a better picture to
use to represent peace than this one.
you know Lily is the most comfortable when she
makes her belly vulnerable to kisses and snuggles.

I truly believe that a cat doesn't trust you
until they allow you to rub their belly,
because most belly rubs for some cats are
accompanied by scratches and slight panic attacks. 
this shot proves Lily's trust in me as her Mama.

and trust is peaceful.

Happy Saturday!

kitty mish mash

Lily is my baby. she was the first pet I ever had on my own, and she was spoiled rotten as a kitten. not that much has changed in that department. she is the queen of the house and the worst part is that she KNOWS it. large and in charge, I'm tellin' ya.

she's my BIG girl - she weighs about 14lbs. it seems like all fat, and she's got a pretty gnarly FUPA on her, but she's actually got a substantial frame on her too. yep, she's big boned. she sleeps in the funniest positions, and she looks so comfy that I just want to snuggle her and motorboat her belly. 

I'm submitting this photo over at Tara's place for her Friday photo challenge. this week's challenge is "orange." I've always loved Lily's orange mustache, so I thought this would be the perfect representation for it. :)

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Bear & Mama Cat were lookin' comfy on the couch too, so I photographed them as well. I cannot believe Bear is going to be THREE years old next month... blows my mind!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

I told Sean I wanted to get this for Bear's birthday, but he was not havin' it. so instead, Sean just bought me the book of kitty wigs to let me get my fix. I'm obsessed. I am not even kidding when I say that if I had the money, I would gladly spend $60 a piece on wigs for my cats. imagine the photo possibilities!

I wish Pheobe were more photogenic, but she hates having her picture taken, hence why there are only a handful of pictures of her on the blog. she's my stubborn girl! maybe she'd let me take more if she were sporting a pink wig.

god, I can't wait to have children so I can dress them up in ridiculous outfits.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! I know I'm not the only one out there that's ready for spring to be here already! 

Happy Friday!

 PS - I'm working on adding links (maybe I'll even be fancy and create buttons!) to the main page of my blog, but if you like to see me on other sites, you can follow me HERE on Twitter and HERE on Pinterest.

a typical day, as of late

hear my alarm go off. 

drag myself out of bed. take temperature.

brush teeth & maybe wash my hair.  makeup.

pack my food for the day & make coffee. ahhh coffee.

go to work. work ALL MOTHERFUCKING DAY long.

eat my money saving, healthy, and delicious packed lunch. 

work some more. sign into Google Reader and attempt to read some blogs.

finally leave work.

work out with trainer or take spin class. 

(if not going to the gym, go straight home to cook dinner and clean up)

go home, exhausted.

cook/help cook dinner & clean up kitchen. 

::pause::

awesome dinner, cooked by YOURS TRULY - full recipe post coming soon

::play::

chores around the house. 

homework/reading for class.

::pause:: 

kitty cuddle time

::play::

shower. do not want to leave warmth of shower.

maybe watch TV or read before bed if I can keep my eyes open.

try to read as much as I can before my eyelids start getting heavier and heavier by the sentence. 

sleep. sleeeeeeeeep, sleep.

notice something missing?

blogging. 

my stupid busy life is not giving me much time for blogging lately.

I have some posts started that just need a little tweaking. 

as soon as I have time for a substantial post, you'll see it, I promise. 

ALSO, I miss you guys. 

I'll be back tomorrow, at least for Wee Bit Wednesdays. 

Happy Tuesday.

tidbits & some Friday photos

sheesh. I have been horrible about blogging this week. I feel like all my posts lately have been fluff, so I apologize. I need to get back into the swings of things. my spring semester class starts tonight, but it's a 13 week class, so I won't be as stressed out as I was over the winter semester with that damn sociology class.

I'm going to make an effort to take better photos, and in doing so, I'm going to try my hand at participating in as many photo challenges as I can. I hope they encourage me to work harder at taking nice photos and being satisfied with them enough to publish them here on the blog.

there's a lot going on at the FoFinn household lately. we've recently reaaaaally started to budget ourselves and cut back on frivolous spending. I'm proud to say that I have not bought lunch at work one time this week, and it feels great. we're allowing ourselves a certain amount of cash to spend every week, and we can do what we please with it. I decided that instead of buying lunch everyday, I'm going to save my money and buy myself a Vera Bradley agenda calendar, haha.

this is a lot of text, so I'm going to break it up with some photos. I took my camera out the other evening and got some good shots of the meows, so I thought I'd share them for my fellow crazy cat ladies, along with a few shots from a Mardi Gras themed party I attended over the weekend.

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the prompt for today's Foto Friday challenge is Reflections. I took this at a friend's house over the weekend. a good friend of mine turned 30 on Saturday, and visited us from Louisiana, so we threw her a Mardi Gras themed bonfire party. it was the coldest day we had in a long time, so I made sure to bundle up!

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this week's challenge at Living Every Moment is "anything." any time there isn't a specific task or item to photograph, the kitties get the spotlight. this is Bear's ALERT!!! face.

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the awesome ladies who hosted the Mardi Gras party on Saturday night did an amazing job with the favors and little trinkets. there were beads, masks, and the birthday girl even got a boa to wear all evening. I took this shot using my 50mm lens, and I was really impressed with how it turned out, so I decided to use it for this week's Give Me Your Best Shot challenge. 

(for some reason, the button for GMYBS is not working, but the link is!)

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and since GMYBS and Photo Story Friday are linked together, I'll go ahead and post that one as well. this is Lily's spot on the couch. she will fight for this cushion, and the other meowers know not to even think about parking their asses here.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli
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last weekend, I decided to implement a weekly meal plan for dinners in our house and I really think it's helped us to stay on track. we were spending SO much money at the grocery store on a weekly basis on a bunch of crap that we didn't need. having a specific plan for meals has forced us to only get what we'll need for that week and is therefore saving us money each week. now... this only started last week, so I'm not an expert at this or anything, but it's working well damnit. 

as you can probably tell from my sidebar, I've been doing a lot of reading as of late. I made myself a rather ambitious goal to read at least 50 books this year, and I've already finished 3 books this year, and we're not even out of the first month yet. I completed The Help yesterday afternoon (three cheers for a snow day!), and it was such a good read. I'll be writing a lengthy review over the weekend, so stay tuned! I picked up 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult last night and I'm hooked already.

I'll be back later today with a Fill in the Blank Friday post!

Happy Friday, ya'll!