Friday, January 30, 2009

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom & dad.


It was taken after they had gotten engaged. It's so strange thinking about what they were like before my sister and I came along. I love seeing the outfits my mom wore in her 20's. She had that great Asian, fashion-forward, sense of style. 

I remember she had these amazing burgundy boots when I was in elementary school. We wear the same shoe size and I was so disappointed when I found out she had gotten rid of them. She's pretty disappointed that she didn't keep them either!

Is there any article of clothing you've seen in a pic and wished your mom had kept to give to you?


#27 - Day 57 - Just stop

Now about that nail-biting habit...

I asked my friend Christina once how she stopped biting her nails. Her response: Just stop. 

That easy, huh?

So I tried. I guess it was just that easy.  I haven't bit my nails since New Years Eve, so if that whole "27 days" thing works, I should be golden. Constantly having polish on them doesn't hurt either. Somehow chipped nail polish bothers me more than the chewed up look...



Too bad I don't have a "Before" picture. I was too embarrassed by my nails before to ever take a photo. Who wants to show the world their nails bitten to the quick anyhow?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

#27 - Day 56

My friend Copper is pretty laid back. It doesn't take much to make him happy - feed him, rub his belly, play tug-of-war and he'll be your buddy. He's pretty low-maintenance, which is great for me. He lays around most of the time and alerts me whenever anyone comes to the door (or walks by the house for that matter). 

Now, what's that saying... "You gotta take the good with the bad"?

Well, Copper's "bad" included licking his legs raw, random bleeding of his belly, and a fist sized fatty tumor on his side. To top that all off, after a visit to the vet, I found out he had 2 abscessed teeth! He was definitely a sight!

After a couple months of allergy meds, the leg licking has stopped and the hair has grown back. So I decided to go ahead and schedule the surgery to have the teeth cleaned and tumor removed since he'd be sedated already... plus I felt bad for him since everyone makes fun of him when they see it. I didn't want him to be the loser dog with the weird growth. The Quasimodo of the dog world. The only good thing about the tumor was that someone told me it felt like a breast implant. Seeing as I haven't felt one (nor do I plan to), I guess that would kill any curiosity I could potentially have in the future. 

I dropped him off at the vet yesterday morning. I get a call later that afternoon. The tumor was removed with no problems and the teeth were pulled, but the vet found a small growth on his belly. He removed the growth and needed to send it off to be analyzed. I should get the test results by the end of the week. 

I picked Copper up from the vet this morning and was told by the vet to that I could take the neck cone off and as long as I was watching him, he should be fine. Well I come home and after a few hours, I get tired of looking at him give me those big sad puppy eyes. I give in. I take off the cone. 

Big mistake. 

I get up to make a little dinner. Snow had just started to fall again and I was craving homemade chicken noodle soup. In the 2 minutes that I look away, I hear a licking sound. I turn and see Copper, licking at his staples. I drop my knife, run over to Copper with my flour & dough covered hands. I see 2 staples lying on the kitchen floor and a gaping wound where they once were. 

I make a quick call to the vet. I get the machine. Of course. Luckily the Emergency Veterinarian Center is right down the street and I don't have to drive very far in the icy roads. I walked in and the waiting room is empty. I am directed to an observation room, where the vet informs me that due to the nature of the wound, he will have to sedate him to replace the staples. 

The entire time, this is what Copper looks like:


He would not stop smiling! It's as if he was finding some kind of enjoyment in emptying out my pocketbook! "Haha Abby! You think I'm low-maintenance?! I'll show you! "

I go back to the waiting room and that's when the excitement begins. A woman and her teenage daughter are holding a small grey dog wearing a leopard print jacket and a large gash under one eye. The woman was bowling, her dog decided to run in front of the ball. The dog was fine... until another dog at her house decided to attack the smaller one!

Next to the bowling dog is a Great Dane. He is just a puppy according to the owners, but he sits almost eye to eye with me. Mr. Great Dane sees a smaller dog and lets out the loudest bark I have ever heard in my life. I am pretty sure that dog could eat me for breakfast. 

There is a couple sitting next to me. The woman - a older, red-headed, pre-TrimSpa version of Anna Nicole Smith - is pacing up and down the hall, balling her eyes out. She looks across the room. The woman holding a guinea pig against her blood covered shirt asks what happened. Anna Nicole's "baby boy" doesn't look good. After sending her husband into the cold to get his "baby blanket" from the car (the dog, not the husband's), she informs Ms. Guinea Pig that their baby is a 14 year old long-haired Chihuahua. He is in an oxygen tank in the back, they are making calls informing their family members and friends that he's not going to make it. The husband comes back, sits down and looks just plain apathetic about the whole situation. (Perhaps he knows he's not the real father...) Soon after, the vet calls them back to say their goodbyes. 

A young couple walks in with their 5 month old Pomeranian. His blood sugar is low. He is rushed into a room where he is hooked up to an IV. 

The vet comes out to let me know that everything went fine with Copper. While he is getting him, Anna Nicole's husband comes into the waiting room and heads toward the exit. As I look at him, I hear a LOUD wail behind him and see him halfway rolling his eyes. Anna Nicole is behind him, holding their lifeless "baby" in her arms. She can not keep her composure, stopping every 2 steps to look at her dog. I have paid my bill and am standing by the check-in counter. Anna Nicole stops right next to me, tears streaming down her face, and we lock eyes. She stands there for a few seconds and I have no clue what to do. Shoot, I only know about her "baby" because of my mad eavesdropping skills. She's looking at me like she wants a hug. Like she needs an arm around her. And although I felt really bad for her and I would be extremely sad if I was in her position, all I could think was, "That dead dog's eyes are open! The dead dog is staring at me!" It was the most awkward moment ever. 

#27 - Day 55

Sunday, January 25, 2009

#6 - See Where I Was Born




When my sister was just a baby, my dad was sent to an Army base in Germany. After a few months of being by herself in Kansas, my mom decided to join my dad. A little while later - Surprise! - My mom found out she was pregnant with me. (I say "Surprise" because my mom didn't tell my dad she stopped taking her birth control.)

I was born in the hospital on the Army Base in Wurzburg, Germany. We moved back to the States a year and a half later - too soon for me to have any memories of it.

I would love to go back and see the old cathedrals, the hills, the bridges, and fortresses and make new memories.

#27 - Day 54



Saturday, January 24, 2009

#27 - Day 53

#27 - Day 52 - Happy Birthday Brayden!

(photo courtesy of my dad)

It's Friday morning and everyone is anticipating Brayden's arrival! Phyllis's water broke while she was in the hospital the night before and  the doctors had already started the Pitocin that morning, so there was nothing else to do but wait. 

Luckily I didn't have any appointments scheduled in the morning, so I could see Phyllis before the delivery. I did have an appointment at 1:30PM, but the timing ended up being perfect. I was about to leave my house for my appointment when I received a call from Jason saying Phyllis was going to start pushing soon. I went to my appointment, the entire time thinking of Phyllis and praying that everything would go smoothly. After I finished my inspection, I raced to the hospital. My parents had arrived a little while before, so I joined them in the waiting room. 



We were joined by Jason's parents who had driven in from Kansas. We all kept shifting our eyes from each other during conversation to the door to the Women's Center. Finally, we saw Jason talking on the phone and walking down the hall towards the waiting room.


Everyone stood up to hear the news. We could tell by his smile that everything had gone well.
"Hang up the phone!"
 "How are they?"
"Who are you talking to?"

Jason hung up and told us the news. Brayden was born at 2:24PM. He was 21 inches long and 9lbs. 10oz.

9lbs. 10oz.!!!

Jason let us know that we would be able to see Phyllis and Brayden in about an hour after she had some time to recover. 

As the unofficial family photographer/videographer, I was the 1st one to walk in the room. I turned around and was able to capture the grandparents' faces when they saw their new grandson. 





Phyllis was exhausted, as she very well should be. I don't know how women do it... that is a BIG baby! (My mom still wins the prize for my family though... Phyllis was 10 lbs. 2 oz. and my mom did not have the luxury of getting an epidural, or any drugs for that matter!)

Dad, I mean Grandpa, was the 1st to hold Brayden



Followed by Grandma/Halmoni (Korean, pronounced hal-muh-nee). 


And after being passed around to the other grandparents, it was his Imo's turn! (Imo is Korean for aunt - pronounced "emo".)

This is what happened:


I am so thankful that Phyllis made it through the delivery without any problems and that Brayden is healthy. It doesn't hurt that's he's cute either! I can't tell yet whether or not he's going to look the least bit Korean... his eyes are still grayish blue and he has blonde peach fuzz on his head. I think it will be a couple of weeks before he stops looking like every other newborn (red, squinty eyed, chubby cheeks) and starts looking like "himself". Maybe he'll look more Asian then. We'll see!


#27 - Day 51



I know what you must be thinking... Sushi 2 days in a row? When I crave sushi, I really crave it! I heard an advertisement on the radio for Buddha Tao Bistro's Happy Hour. Half priced sushi rolls are just too hard to resist! Plus it was a great way to check out the restaurant for the 1st time. Me & Kristi went Thursday after work and had 2 rolls each. I tried the Sweet Tooth roll (snow crab, shrimp. avocado, spicy sauce), the Tiger's Eye roll (salmon, cream cheese, red bell pepper all tempura fried and rolled in soy paper with eel sauce), and the Red Snapper nigirisushi. The Tiger's Eye roll was a-ma-zing and the red snapper wasn't too bad. I had the White Cranberry Martini - so good! 

My check was 1/2 of what I paid at Sushi Neko the night before! We decided that we were going to make this happy hour a weekly thing... I could totally do it every other day, but I don't want to pull a Jeremy Piven

#27 - Day 50



One of my favorite restaurants - Sushi Neko. They have the best cocktail ever called the Starburstini. If you live in OKC, you HAVE to try it! I love how mixologists can blend the perfect amounts of random alcohols and fruit juices to form amazing tasting concoctions.

I also had the calamari roll (a staple whenever I eat there), the zebra roll, and salmon roe. Whenever I eat at a sushi restaurant, I like to try something new on the nigirisushi side of the menu. This has a tendency to gross out whomever I am dining with, which in turn gives me this weird feeling... I feel somewhat daring (even though it's not a big deal for me and I am used to more exotic foods seeing as I was raised eating raw squid, fermented cabbage, and herbal tea infused with deer antlers). I wonder if this is what Anthony Bourdain feels like, only multiplied by 3000. You gotta give the guy props - there is no way I would be able to down the beating heart of a cobra or a slice of rectum from a freshly killed (and uncleaned) warthog. But salmon roe... come on... I can handle that. It doesn't bother me that the little eggs resemble Nemo's siblings (pre-barracuda attack). I enjoyed the texture - they reminded me of Ice Breakers Liquid Ice, the beads bursting with the smallest amount of pressure. The thing I didn't like was the taste once the bead burst. It was so salty, I didn't even want to try choking down the second piece. I've never had seawater in my mouth, but I'm guessing the taste is pretty similar. So salmon roe joins baby smelt on the list of nigirisushi that I will not try again.

There are a few things that I do want to try. Blood sausage, head cheese and chicken feet. 

What are the most exotic foods you have eaten or want to eat?


I don't even need to say it... 

#27 - Day 49


Time is tickin' away, tick tick tickin' away.

DC Talk reminds me of 7th grade. 

#27 - Day 48



Jambalaya, a-crawfish pie and-a file gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

#27 - Day 47 - Dog Toys Beware!




5 minutes = $5 down the drain

#27 - Day 46

 


I cannot wait til I move this spring and have a bigger closet. This 3x7 space just isn't cutting it.

#27 - Day 45 - Happy Birthday Kristi!

 

Kristi's 25! Hooray pedicures!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

#27 - Day 44



I really need a craft room. I automatically feel 40 years older having a basket full of yarn in my room. If I had a craft room, I would put up shelves for fabric and load up baskets full of yarn. I'd have a table for my sewing machine and set up my dress form. All of this would be behind closed doors so I wouldn't have to worry about people seeing my big mess. It would also be a special room that few people would see... something they would have to be eased into... kind of like the Unicorn House in Dodgeball. Only not as creepy. 

#27 - Day 43



By far my fave antique shop find ever. Still works too... don't know where to find new ribbon though.

6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon

I've been getting a lot of Facebook requests for a "6 degrees of separation" application. I'm not big on Facebook applications and I always deny them. I already spend too much time on the Internet, I don't need to waste any more on stinkin' Facebook

This application got me thinking about that Kevin Bacon game and I did the research... so Here are my degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon:

1. My hairstylist Sarah goes to church with Chace Crawford's grandparents.
2. Chace Crawford was in "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" with Jake Weber.
3. Jake Weber was in "Meet Joe Black" with Brad Pitt.
4. Brad Pitt was in "Sleepers" with Kevin Bacon.

Four isn't too bad! 

I do have to admit though... being a big Gossip Girl fan (*blushes*), my degree of separation from Chace Crawford was more exciting than being linked to Kevin Bacon. 

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

#27 - Day 42

Inspired by inyourbag.instyle.com


- Purse from Nine West
- Ticket stubs from Marly & Me and The Flaming Lips concert
- Coupon for DSW
- Keys
- Work camera
- iPhone & headphones
- Work cell phone
- Check book & Wallet
- Loose change
- Extra gum, Worther's Originals, Bravo mints, Tic Tacs
- e.l.f. lip gloss, Chap Stick
- Flash drive, pens
- Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer
- Victoria's Secret Make-up bag
- Pay stubs & work badge
- Rolling Stone mag
- Advil

Monday, January 12, 2009

#27 - Day 41



I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian.*



*This song is definitely on my Top 10 list of favorite Christmas songs.

Pattern for turtle & hippo found here.

#27 - Day 40 - Amigurumi!



I was feeling a little crafty on Saturday, so I decided to try my hand at Amigurumi. I remembered seeing a little turtle that Tiffany over at Iamstyle-ish.com made a while back and thought it would be a good 1st project. It's been a few years since I have crocheted anything. I didn't have a clue how to follow a pattern - my sister learned how to crochet from a family friend when we were little and she in turn taught me. So I spent a lot of time watching tutorials online just to figure out how to read a pattern... and once I started the turtle, I was having to stop every couple of steps just too look up the meaning of all the different abbreviations!

I was pretty happy with the end result. Mr. Turtle is so cute! Not too shabby for my first amigurumi



#27 - Day 39



A few months ago,while reading a bunch of stuff about Route 66, I found out about the Blue Whale of Catoosa. I like seeing random quirky things, so I told myself that the next time I was in Tulsa, I would take a little detour and see this old landmark. 

Friday I happened to be in Tulsa on business and was able to make my way out to Catoosa. I didn't have any directions, so either it was my awesome navigational skills and inner compass that allowed me to find the whale or it could just have been the fact that Catoosa's way tiny and Route 66 is the biggest road in the whole town. ( I guarantee you it's the former.)

There's nothing much to the whale now and "No Swimming" signs are posted on the boarded up snack shack, but I bet it was a good time in the 70s. You know, if it hadn't have been 50 degrees outside and if the water didn't look like it was infested with snakes and dead bodies, I might have been tempted to take a dip.  

#27 - Day 38 - Orange Bowl

Very interesting evening...
Brit - The only Florida fan.


Only at a guy's house will you find a set-up like this - Too bad we couldn't get the desktop to work, otherwise there would have been a 3rd screen with a whole different view of the game. There were many confusing moments when people were reacting to the hockey game while others were watching the football game. 



Jason: "Who wants a shot?"
Kristi: "I'll take it." (Kristi then pours the remaining contents of the bottle into the yard. Classic.)

Climbing into the attic sounded like a good idea... 

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

#27 - Day 36



hello friend.

Monday, January 5, 2009

#27 - Day 35



Exercise is the yuppie version of bulimia. ~Barbara Ehrenreich


Sunday, January 4, 2009

#27 - Day 34



I absolutely love these... but I can't help but feeling like a 70 year old man whenever I eat them.

#27 - Day 33



Gotta love having a fireplace!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

#27 - Day 32



I wonder what this kids parents look like... 

#27 - Day 31



Gross.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

#27 - Day 30 - New Year's Eve!


So this is the new year.
And i don't feel any different.
The clanking of crystal
Explosions off in the distance (in the distance).

Talk abut a fun New Year's Eve! The evening began with drinks at the Renaissance hotel bar, then it was off to the Flaming Lips concert. Aaron snuck a little closer and snapped some good pics of the band.

 

This was my 3rd Lips show and although I would have had fun ringing in the New Year with the dancing Teletubbies, spaceships, and inflatable slugs, I decided to leave the show early and meet up with the girls at Red Pin. Tons of fun! 


Roommates!