#17 My Phone

Karen: I just got this new phone last night! It's the Droid Eris and I have no idea how to use it! I switched from the Blackberry storm which I loved and hated at the same time. I love having a smart phone and being able to do everything with my phone since I am hardly ever home, but it was EXTREMELY slow. Hopefully this one is better once I figure out how to use it!

Cassie: When I buy a new purse I always make sure that there is good phone pocket. My latest purse has a great zip pouch for my phone. I am pretty sure its big enough for an iphone. I am getting really jealous of how much fun those things are. Allison almost bought me a bunny with the touch of her finger. I also heard that verizon is forcing people to buy a data package so if i have to get a smart phone might as well get the funnest one. I feel like such an old lady cause I still use my phone mainly to talk on it. With my last phone upgrade I made sure that I had a good key pad to text since there are people that just text. Love my phone but will have to see if I can handle leaving verizon to get an iphone. Keep you peeps posted :)

#16 Work

Karen: So when we originally had our topics lined up and I saw a work one I thought...uh oh which job should I talk about?...well problem solved! As of next week Applebees will be my only place of employment. It's actually a pretty fun job and I have met some great people there. I took this picture of the sign out front and thought it was funny that I captured it as the sign on the bottom said "for a day of excitement" This is actually a message board for The Quilting Bee (a quilting shop in the same strip mall) advertising for some quilting retreats and such. Anyways it was pretty funny to me.

Cassie: So this is a picture of where I work, specifically my cube. If you notice there is the boring 3 month calendar that I referenced in a previous post. Unfortunately this picture downplays my HUGE monitor, but its pretty awesome and not everyone has one so I am special :) Karen you probably can't tell but the picture on my monitor is from the balcony in San Diego, the only sunny day we were there. I used to have a fish in my cube, but after almost 4 years, I had to flush Fishie down the toilet in the womens' room. That was a sad day at work...
Cassie 2nd Try: Gosh that was a depressing post and my cube looks sad but I wanted to say this picture doesnt give it justice. Thats all :)

#15 Hobby

Karen: So I have recently started knitting again...This is something that Cassie actually taught me to do many years ago. (although I used to have her cast on and bind off for me!) Now I can do it all on my own. I'm not very experienced and don't know many techniques but I am very proud of the few projects I have completed. Check one out here: http://magnolialees.blogspot.com/2010/03/31310.html
Now that I'll be out of a day job I'll have some more time to work on getting some stuff done and increasing my skills! Get your orders in now! :)

Cassie: I have a few hobbies...trying to keep plants alive so gardening, cooked pad thai for the first time last night so some cooking, and I like to scrapbook years after the event but bf said thats a dumb hobby. I decided I want fashion to be my hobby. I finally went to the NC State Fashion show and it was pretty awesome. I love Project Runway, visit different fashion blogs, and just like getting ideas from the street. In Raleigh its not as crazy as when I worked in NY, but I think that I have grown into more of a fashion risk taker recently. But if i had Heidi's money and body (even after 4 kids) I am sure it would be a lot different.

#14 My Calendar

Karen: So here's my calendar....I also have many, but this is the one I keep in my purse and most importantly reference for the count down. While flying back to Spokane after the holidays this past winter I was bored on the plane so I started counting the days until the move back east. You can see the numbers in the lower right hand corner of each page. Right now we're at 208 days to go! I also am a big birthday card sender (when I remember) so I love to have the calendar in my purse so I can see who needs a card when I'm out shopping! The rest of my calendar is pretty much full of my work schedule between the 2 jobs....but that will be opening up for some "me" time at the end of the month, as the business I work at during the day is closing up shop. Although this will be a lack of a paycheck, I think in the long run it will be better for me to enjoy the 208 days left here in the Pacific Northwest!

Cassie: I think that all of us have several calendars, but the end all be all is our family calendar. Its more like a family calendar area, we got doc appt cards and invites to the weddings etc. This year at work I got the 3 month calendar per page, I keep getting confused at which month is the current month in the middle or at the top? I also have to keep updating my weekend events each time I flip the page because I need to see whats coming up. I like to look forward to the weekend while at work, but who doesnt. This is the first year I didnt get a fun calendar mainly being cheap since work bought the one I have now. I keep thinking that I need something cheery from my cubical...yup my cubical. I usually hit sad calendar store after Christamas but it closed before I was able to pick through the carnage. Until next year...

#13 When I Went to Bed

Karen: OK so I let Tim have the camera this week...bad idea.But it's honest. I would say 6 out of 7 nights a week I fall asleep on the couch watching TV. Tim then wakes me up and guides me to bed. I'm usually cranky at this point or just plain delirious. Oh well- don't laugh too hard at how bad I look!


Cassie: This clock doesn't work and I am not going to bed at 11:40 but more like 11:04. I received it as a gift and a beam of light is supposed to wake you up peacefully but it never woke me up. I do love the color and look of it so I have kept it on my bedside table. Its not broken just unplugged and never reset. Its much prettier than the clock that I do look at to see what time it is each morning and night. Good Night! Happy Humpday!

#12 Indulgence

Karen: mmmmm....Mint Chocolate Cookie, the best ice cream in the world! and definitely my indulgence!
Ice Cream brings up a few different thoughts for me...this ice cream especially makes me think of my freshman year of college. I became friends with a guy named Mark and he used to know when I was having a bad day...he would go across the street and buy a pint and we would share it while watching bad TV- mostly Dawson's Creek and all of our troubles would melt away!
Ice cream also makes me think of my mother. I used to laugh at her while growing up because she always needed something sweet after dinner. I thought this was funny as I never had the cravings- well what's that old saying? "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."? I am my mother. I always look for dessert now.
Which leads me to my present relationship with ice cream. Tim and I have started somewhat of a routine. On nights that we are home together, after dinner, we enjoy sharing an ice cream sundae. Tim makes them the best! We either have ice cream with a warm brownie or some fresh hot cookies (we use the break and bake!) and top the whole thing off with peanuts! It's so good and my mouth is watering right now thinking of it....I hope you enjoy an ice cream sundae tonight!

Cassie: My indulgence is a mani/pedi. I dont get them very often, but I love how my pedi can last almost a month. I don't have much to say about it...but I am def in the mood for some ice cream...Thanks Karen!!! Next week I hope to not have my feet in the picture :)

#11 My Left Foot

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!! I'm only a quarter Irish and tend to always relate more with my Italian heritage but on St. Patrick's day it's all about the Irish! (I mean who celebrates St. Joseph's feast day anyway?)

Well here are a few Irish sayings and blessings to help you embrace your Irishness today!

May your home always be too small to hold your friends.- Irish toast

Best friends are like four leaf clovers: hard to find and lucky to have.-Unknown (this one's my favorite)

St. Patrick…one of the few saints whose feast day presents the opportunity to get determinedly whacked and make a fool of oneself all under the guise of acting Irish.- Charles M. Madigan

May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.- Irish saying

May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.- Irish saying

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.- Adrienne Cook


Cassie: I didn't go the St Patty's day theme, just took a picture of where my left foot was today. I went to Elon for a tour of the college with the baby bro. Not sure if he will transfer there, but after that tour and short video presentation I am ready to apply again haha! When I think of Elon I think of the long walks both drunk (slightly St Patty's day theme) and sober on the tons of red brick paths.

#10 First Thing I Did Today

Karen: I am the snooze queen- there is no question about it. At times I fear it might ruin my marriage but I can't stop! This photo was actually taken on snooze #3 I believe and I hadn't put my glasses on which explains the focus issue! I got up shortly after and continued my morning routine which isn't very exciting or full since I leave myself no time for anything but the essentials. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or if it has lead me to increase my snoozing habits but I only work 1/2 a mile from my apartment. I have mastered leaving just enough time to get ready while maximizing my sleep.- Every minute counts!

Cassie: The first thing i do each morning is to look out my window. I thought that I should also include my post as one of the first things I do this morning. It totally depends if I am a morning person, yesterday yes, today no ;) Gotta get moving and into work to attack the day!

#9 Headline

Karen: So not really a "headline" per se but as I was reading my Us Weekly the other day I just chuckled to myself about the side by side blurbs including my home state of NJ. I've always been a proud Jersey girl, defending my state when others constantly put it down. But I must say it is getting harder and harder. (while I hate to admit i watch these shows) "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" and "The Jersey Shore" have really made a bad impression of the fine Garden State. I will say they are entertaining and unfortunately somewhat accurate though. BUT we are not all Snookies and Danielles- and thats all I have to say about that! :)

Cassie: I had a hard time with this topic. Do I go serious? Keep it light? I decdied light, there is too much bad news why put it here too. We used to have the Sunday paper delivered and we got the Monday paper quite a lot too for the holidays. The Monday Life, etc. section was my favories and had surprisingly great fashion articles and fun stuff going on around Raleigh. I miss it, but I am able to get caught up with it at Starbucks :)

#8 Refridgerator

Karen: I love how our pictures are so sililar. You know what they say-"Great minds think alike!" well i say great minds ACT alike too!
When Tim and I first moved to Spokane one of the first tings Tim unpacked was our fridge pictures. As he started putting them all up my first response was- are we really gonna put that mess back up? and he said of course! I am glad he did! Everyday when I look at my firdge I don't feel so far away from everyone. We rarely take pictures down-just add to the collage. This shows many of my nieces and nephews and different stages of their life as they are growing up. One of my favorite pictures thought is of CASSIE! take a look towards the center- you'll see her dancing with my father- this was towards the end of Tim's and my Jack and Jill shower- after many beers!
If you are upset that there are no pictures of you- first of all there's a whole bottom of the fridge not captured in the photo and second- if you send us one it will go up! That's what we tell everyone!

Cassie: Being such a neat freak you would think that I would hate my fridge. But I love adding more to it and keeping the old stuff up there. I am able to look back and remeber memories from the times spent. For examle you can see the 'Q' letter magnet that was brought over by friends to entertain their children for Karen's engagement party a few years back.

#7 Weather

Karen: WET! That has been the weather here for days! But at least it's not the *white stuff* this year. We got enough of it last year to last a lifetime and I guess we passed it over to the East coast this year. I really think we have seen the end of winter here. It is warming up little by little each day and other than the gloomy dampness this past week I can't really complain.

Cassie: WINDY...and still pretty darn cold. I am ready for spring. And you could tell that from me coming into work with short sleeves and a vest. Even though I am freezing I keep on doing it ;)

#6 Coffee Break

Karen: so I dont really get a "coffee break" instead i just constantly have a cup of coffee at my desk at work...and my mug sums it up :) I'm trying to get everyone to realize it...

Cassie: Grande Ice Coffee, unsweet, no room is my order at Starbucks even when its 32 degrees out. I then add a little bit of sweetness with about a 1/2 a splenda and probably need room to add some cream. Mainly the reason for no room is because I am cheap and when they leave room they leave too much room. When I prepare my coffee I need to take several sips to make sure I got the correct ratio of splenda and cream so that usually leaves enough room to close the top.

#5 A Cloud

Karen: So I had a lack of clouds in the Pacific Northwest as well... but here is a shot I took this morning of some low lying rain clouds over the mountains behind my apartment. This really let me take notice of the beautiful nature I live in.

Cassie: Due to the lack of clouds in the sky I had to put my prefrontal cortex to work. I have to admit that I did get some help from Jennifer H. I pass this steam cloud on the way home from work. I have no idea why its there or its purpose but its getting bigger that someone needed to add a safety barrier around it.

#4 Dinner

Karen: TACO TUESDAY!! Is there even more to say??? This has become a ritual for Tim and I. We cook them at home and enjoy! TIP: it's all about the stand and stuff!

Cassie: I almost forgot my camera and dug into dinner before taking this picture. Thank you Ada for reminding me :) We enjoyed some apps and a bottle of wine at Cameron Bar. Maryland winning was also great, you can kind of see the game in the background.

#3 My Least Favorite Thing Right Now

Karen: I guess a good thing- but I really struggled with this week’s topic…I really don’t HATE anything right now. My life is pretty good day to day. I have my health and I have my love, what more could a girl really ask for?
Oh yeah- the answer to the Turtle Soup riddle!!!! Tim had given me this riddle during one of our many car rides from NC to NJ years ago. I played along for a bit but have gotten very frustrated in coming up with the answer. I’m normally very good at these kinds of brain teasers but cannot for the life of me figure this one out! So now I have given up and we have a framed recipe card for Turtle Soup hanging in our living room.
PS here’s the riddle…if you know the answer let me know!!!
A man walks into a restaurant, orders a bowl of Turtle Soup, takes one bite, goes outside to the parking lot, and shoots himself. Why?

Cassie: I also struggled with this topic, even though I worked on this list, you would think I had something in mind. I thought about it through the week and still even all day Tuesday I couldn't think of anything. Wednseday morning I finally figured it out, my shower sucks. I go to the shower and turn on the water and its ICE COLD! I turned off the water and ate my breakfast came back upstairs and tried again...ICE COLD! I turned it off, watched some news and tried for a 3rd time. Still ice cold and now its about 8:20 so I have to get ready and get to work. So I packed up my clothes for work and headed to the gym for a nice warm shower.

#2 - Transportation

Karen: A pretty unconventional form of transportation, I know, but those who know me understand my love for The Wizard of Oz. It has always been an ongoing joke with my family- they used to call me Dorothy when I was young because they always felt I was “in Oz”. It became so much so that I wore these shoes- my ruby red slippers- at my wedding day and danced with my father to “somewhere Over the Rainbow”
In more recent years, "There's no place like home" has really become a lasting phrase in my mind. Living so far away from friends and family has gotten to be a struggle, but I have my Scarecrow (Tim) with me and I know we will eventually be “home”.

Cassie: One of my neighbors has a great licence plate 'JEEPITUP'. I drove by his place for two days trying to be on the ball taking my picture, but he must have been away or something. Here is a picture of my Jeep (again late on a Tuesday night), which is currently without air conditioning, a static-y radio, over 174,000 miles and I just love it. I affectionately call my jeep 'Jeepie', sometimes a boy but sometimes a girl, but we have been through a lot. I know Jeepie and I will make it into the 200,000 club and will have many more adventures for years to come.

#1 - Self Portrait

Karen: So...here I am. I guess I took a little inspiration from Robert Palmer...maybe a little from Adam Lambert :) I guess it all comes down to-I love glitter!
I like to consider myself an artistic person… time (working 2 jobs) unfortunately has gotten the best of me and I don’t explore my artistic side as much as I would like. Hopefully through this blog I will reconnect with my love of photography and do a little self exploration as well.

Cassie: Well this is what you get at 10:45 on Tuesday night. I guess I have always been a little bit of a procrastinator, but I am very excited to do this blog with one of my best friends Karen. I will be on the ball better upcoming weeks ;)