If I couldn't be with J.

 If I couldn't have married Jason, I probably would have listened to a lot of Paul Baribeau, and watched lots of PBS specials by Henry Louis Gates Jr., or married my cat, Humphrey Bogart.  They're basically my favorite gentlemen, next to el-tin.  And even though they're super sweet, they're just not as dreamy.
...Because Jason has a mustache now, and when he sleeps he looks like a Civil War veteran.  You needed to know.

 Special thanks to Paul, Henry, and Humphrey.

 via

 via

 ^  Humphrey Bogart

The truth about pregnancy.

Pregnancy is completely glamorized.  When Jason and I found out we were pregnant, I thought I would feel like a beautiful earth mother for an entire nine months.  I mean, yeah, it is amazing to create life, but it's also incredibly disgusting.
I have never felt so repulsed and amazed by my body in my entire life.  Don't get me wrong, I love my new rounding belly and the fact that I'm actually getting something that most people call their butt (I've always called it lower back number 2.)
NO ONE, and I mean no one, talks about how crumby being pregnant is, but I'm going to.
Somebody has to do it.


The pro's of pregnancy:

1. You get a really sweet babe in return, after suffering for nine months straight.
2. Your boobs get huge.  (This can be a pro, and it can also be a con.)
3. Your belly is really cute once it starts to round out.
4. Your hair gets really shiny and strong, and it grows really quickly.
5. Everyone treats you like royalty.  (Not too shabby.)

The con's of pregnancy:

1. You burp all the time.  (Watch out if you're a gal who burps a lot anyway.)
2. You pass gas all the time.  (Ditto on number one.)
3. Most people feel like they are going to vomit for three months straight, if not longer.  (If you are the exception, you can suck my toe.)
4. Sometimes when you sneeze, you pee yourself a little.
5. Back pain.
6. Weird, vivid dreams.
7. Bloody noses.
8. You have to purchase a brand new wardrobe. (For yourself, and then your babe's.)
9. You can't drink coffee or alcohol anymore.  (Again, this can be seen as a pro or con.  For me, I miss my morning latte.)
10. You can't even eat Wisconsin Fish Fry OR a spicy tuna roll.
11. You are tired, pretty much all the time.
12. Your breasts hurt half the time.
13. Swollen feet.
14. Heart Burn  (did I mention that this also can lead to vomiting, even if you're not nauseous?  Oh yeah.  It does.)
15. Killer leg cramps. 
16. Excessive sweating.
17. Your skin gets weird like a teenager's.
18. Your balance is off.  (Say goodbye to your stiletto's, sister.)
19. One minute you are elated, and the next you are scream-crying.

Here I am basking in the sunlight of my glorious pregnancy, sipping a virgin bloody mary.  

Yes, they are glorious too.

But they actually are.

Cat Paw-T.

 Did I ever mention that I threw myself a cat birthday party for my 25th birthday? 
Well, I did. 
And it was glorious.

Dads are the Original Hipsters.

Happy Father's Day, to your favorite O.H. (original hipster.)

Dads are the Original Hipsters

 

It's true, my father was obsessed with cats before I was!

Tandem bike!

Jason and I bought a tandem bike as our wedding gift to each other.  We thought it would be a great activity that we could do together, and add onto once we plan our family.  It's a little early, but we found a great deal on craigslist, so we couldn't turn it down.  So in the meantime, we've been getting some good use out of it!

Today we biked around our neighborhood for a half hour, followed by a spontaneous bikeride around Lake Monona.
All together we traveled about 9 miles and leisurely biked for two hours!  Not too shabby.

Sippin' soda with Billy Mack.

Jason and I moved a week and a half ago (that's why I've been absent!)  Billy, Katherine, and Edwin came from Pennsylvania and Michigan to help us celebrate at our housewarming party, and gosh we're so happy they did!

Since a little bit after the tour started, Billy and Katherine have been taste-testing local soda across the country.  What a clever idea!

Dang

Drag City

A few weeks ago Jason and I attended a Drag birthday party for our remarkably sweet friend Janelle.  Jason and I aren't really party people (I never have been), but it was a lot of fun!  Honestly, it was just nice to dance with my friends for a change.
My advice to you:

1. Make some time this week to shake your groove thang. 
2. Whoever said being the DD couldn't be fun?  It can be, and your body will thank you later!

Flashback Fridays -- Peeing in the woods.

Yeah, we've all done it. 
Lately the desperation of having to pee in the woods has been bringing my spirits up.  Not that I'm really down... but whenever I miss my family, my friends from home, or the exhilaration of traveling, I'll go to my strangest happy memory.
When you're peeing in the woods, there's no property anymore.  The land goes back to being this wonderful place that belongs to no one.  Let's face it, you can really get to the point where you can appreciate that tree and that dirt when you have to pee so badly it's making your fillings rust.


Peeing from coast to coast.
It's always good for an awkward snicker in public, that's for sure..

Snow Day!

Today Jason and I both had a day off from work because we got 10 inches of snow last night, and 6 the previous days!  The roads weren't plowed in our area until the afternoon, and our cars are still stuck in our driveway (and it's almost dinner time!)

We celebrated by playing in the snow in the late morning, and we even let the cats out for a bit (seeing as they couldn't go far!)

Brrr!

What's your favorite winter activity, readers?

Iron Cupcake Madison -- Citrus Challenge!

1.)  Evie and I didn't win Iron Cupcake this month, but it certainly felt like it!  Everyone was so kind and welcoming, and we all baked our fine little booties off!  Hats off to you, bakers and eaters alike!
At least now we know that we can bake over 10 dozen cupcakes and survive!

 ^ via Evie's facebook (but I'm not going to link it!)

2.)  Ladies Rock Camp Madison is only a few weeks away!  Women between the ages of 19-190 can come and learn their instrument of choice, form a band, and fund a girl to attend Girls Rock Madison this summer!
Scholarships are available for Ladies Rock Camp AND Girls Rock Camp! 
Please contact GRC for more info!

Couch Companion

I'm still sick, so I haven't really managed to move from the sofa for almost three days straight.  (Except for walking to my bedroom to sleep, and driving to get more medication for my asthma.  boring, boring, boring.)  It has been hard to sit still, but let's face it, you don't exactly have a choice when your body is calling the shots.
I've never watched so much trash TV before in my life!

Luckily, I have had a constant little couch companion to keep my feet warm.

Hi Humphrey!

Bubblegum paws!

Beard season, come soon!

Number one reason why I cannot wait for beard season:

Jason turns into a handsome lumberjack!

Willie and Humphrey the Naughty.

I just had to post this naughtiness/cuteness. 
It's already a loooooong week.

(You might be asking yourself..."Is that Humphrey sitting in Connie's new succulents?"

Why yes it is.  What disrespectful kittens I have!)

News cats.

Remember that one time my cats were featured in one of the Madison newspapers? 
Oh yeah, me too.
...All because of this video:

Check out the article here!

Silkscreening gone bad.

Once upon a time...
...In the land of crafts, a young maiden thought it would be a good idea to silkscreen by herself.  She also thought it would be a good idea to use red ink for said silkscreening.

After kneeling on the silkscreen to add pressure, her toes and back assured her that this was infact, a horrible idea.
While she was cleaning her silkscreen, her bathtub also let her know that this was a horrible idea, as it rapidly changed from white to red in two seconds.
The young maiden had to spend the rest of her night scrubbing the bathtub (which totally sucked,) but it was also kind of funny, in an "I am such a freaking idiot..." kind of way.
The end.

via

"Show me your Nathan Face!!!"

Everyone has a friend or family member who always makes the best faces in pictures.  In my lovely group of friends, I would have to say Nathan is the one.
This past Friday we all went to see Maps and Atlases (which Meteorade opened for!) and I decided to take a picture of everyone doing a "Nathan Face."
I'm sorry, I just had to blog about it.

Nathan, showing us how it's done.

Flashback Fridays -- Days with/without hair dye.

I'm often asked if I dye my hair.  I don't.
Sometimes I say that I've never dyed my hair, but what I really mean to say is that I've never permanently dyed my hair.

There was a time (oh yes!) when I dyed my hair bright red.  Please allow me to set the stage:
I was the most radical of the radical feminists, and I listened to (possibly) too much Joni Mitchell.   My favorite piece of artwork at the time was The Liberation of Aunt Jemima and I had recently decided to be Lucille Ball for Halloween.
Let face it;  it was my duty to go big or go home.
So I went big.  Big red.

Join in the fun!

I used to draw...

...All the time.

Now...not so much.

Just another reason to get together.

My family always celebrated the fourth of July by eating. Oh wait, we celebrate every holiday that way. The only thing that makes each holiday different depends on what we're eating.

I'm happy that I can celebrate in the same relaxed, and fulfilling way with my Wisconsin family.




I still can't believe that I've been living here for a year already.
It seems just like yesterday that Jason had to fish gnats out of my eye after last year's fourth of July's buggy bikeride to watch fireworks on the lake!

Here's to a year with my soulmate, and here's to my new found family.