Side note: The Epilogue of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted! The story is finally finished. Whew! Happy reading!
Ignore the fact that we have a postage stamp for a backyard, I am IN LOVE with Yardbirds yard art.
How cute are these sculptures? I especially love the Cocker Spaniel with the bone, the fluffy cat, and the frog playing the guitar on the lillipad!
The best part? They have almost every breed of dog!
Bull Dog, Boxer, Poodle, Schnauzer, Jack Russell Terrier, St. Bernard, Doberman, Great Dane, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Hound Dog, Mutt, Labrador, Pug, Rottweiler, Beagle, Wesite, Brussles Griffon, Yorkie, German Shepherd, Weenie Dog, Bichon, Boston Terrier, and many many more!!!
My mom bought me the Cocker Spaniel for Chirstmas this year! I can’t wait to see it adorning our backyard!!
Erin, do I spy one of these Brussles Griffon sculptures in your future?
Run, do not walk, to go buy one for your back yard!
Side note: The last chapter before the Epilogue of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted! Happy reading!
Well hello, Blog World. Long time no talk. Life at the Mojito household has been rather insane lately.
Where to start?
1. I finished SIBU. All that is left is the Epilogue.
2. We packed up our lives and temporarily transported our home to Denver where we will be spending the holidays holed up in front of a fireplace with cocker spaniels and an Oliver Pancake on our laps.
3. We went Christmas shopping yesterday. Holy mother of insanity.
4. I have been searching for weeks but have yet to find a gift for Mr. Mojito. LAME.
5. I had drinks with my best friend, Liz, last night, and on a whim we decided we are going to get matching tattoos over the holiday break. Yesssssss!
6. Mr. Mojito got a much deserved (and long overdue) job promotion at work! Way to go, honey! So proud of you.
7. Oliver Pancake is having penis issues. Yes, you read that correctly. His favorite appendage is infected. We took him to the vet before we left for Denver. The doctor gave him a steroid shot, penis gel, and an antibiotic. So far he seems to be doing much better.
8. I feel fat again. This situation will need to be remedied ASAP!!
9. I have received so many AMAZING holiday cards from friends! These make my heart happy! I love you all and am so thankful for each of you!
10. I want to own every Disney Animation movie. I thought I was on top of my game, buying them as they were released from the vault. Too bad I am about eight years behind the curve on this because 90% of them have already been released. How many do I currently own? Seven. How many are left? Around twenty-five. Awesome. I clearly failed miserably at this simple task. Thank God for eBay.
Updates may be sporadic these next few weeks while I am enjoying time with family and friends.
Side note: Chapters 26 & 27 of Somewhere In Between Us are posted! Happy reading!
This is a debate of the ages. Want versus need. In college, my ex-boyfriend’s father bought his step-mother a Dyson vacuum for Christmas. She cried. She wanted a nice watch. She felt that a vacuum was not an acceptable Christmas present. Can you guess what she got the following year? A Cartier watch.
Every year for Christmas I waver between asking for what I want versus what I need.
For example, last year I wanted a Louis Vuitton wallet to match my Speedy bag, BUT I also desperately needed drapes for the bedroom as well as a carpet steam cleaner. Thankfully, between my parents, in-laws, and Mr. Mojito, I received all of the above.
But that was last year. This year I am torn. Do we buy the bookcase we have been eyeing because the overflowing stacks of books on the hardwood floor are getting ridiculously out of hand or do I ask for something frilly and fun like clothes and things that sparkle?
So, dear readers, what are your thoughts? Is it better to shy away from gifts that are needed (i.e. blenders or vacuums) and buy gifts that people want? (Note: I recognize a gift can encompass both of these things, but for argument’s sake, let us assume they are different.)
Side note: Chapter 24 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted. Happy reading!
It is a dreary, rainy Monday, and I am feeling rather blah even after a relaxing and stress-free weekend.
Sometimes Brian Andreas’s Story People just say it better…
“I was waiting for such a long time, she said. I thought you forgot. It’s hard to forget, I said, when there is such an empty space when you are gone.” — Hard to Forget
“I saw them standing there pretending to be just friends, when all the time in the world could not pry them apart.” — Just Friends
“She left pieces of her life behind her everywhere she went. It’s easier to feel the sunlight without them, she said.” — Leaving Pieces
“I read once that the ancient Egyptians had fifty words for sand & the Eskimos had a hundred words for snow. I wish I had a thousand words for love, but all that comes to mind is the way you move against me while you sleep & there are no words for that.” — No Words
The last one is my absolute favorite. I have several of these prints hanging in my laundry room. I cannot explain it, but no matter what kind of day I am having, Story People quotes always make me smile.
Side note: Chapter 23 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted! Happy reading!
I realize I am about eight years behind the curve on this, but I recently discovered IZZE Sparkling Juice when we received a complimentary 4-pack at the grocery store. I see them all the time at Starbucks but never got the urge to try one. I am sure glad I finally did.
As someone who has a deep love for Champagne/Prosecco with a splash of Chambord, this drink is right up my alley. My personal favorite flavors are pomegranate and blackberry.
These little delights remind me of wine coolers from the ‘80s, only with more attractive packaging, more deliciousness, and healthier ingredients.
I have already consumed four bottles in the past 24-hours.
Side Note: Chapter 22 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted. Happy reading!
Yesterday evening, while taking Oliver for a walk through the neighborhoods surrounding our house, Mr. Mojito and I were assaulted with thousands of inflatable Halloween yard décor.
Does anyone else find this type of yard art completely tacky and gaudy?
I know I am not alone in this. Today on Twitter, Erin from Blue-Eyed Bride, Kate from Elefantitas Alegres, and I were discussing how these lawn ornaments are garishly awful.
Sadly, I find the Christmas décor even more offensive. I can mildly tolerate the inflatable Santas, reindeer, Christmas trees, snowmen, polar bears, and penguins, but I knew it was only a matter of time until I reached my absolute limit.
I bring you the nativity scene in all its inflatable glory. Is this really freaking necessary?
AND speaking of polar bears and penguins, does it annoy anyone else that those in charge of commercializing every holiday put polar bears and penguins together in practically ALL holiday décor? It makes absolutely no sense.
Why? Because polar bears reside at the North Pole while penguins make their homes at the South Pole. PLUS, a polar bear would eat a penguin at the first available moment. These two animals are not friends so it baffles me why the Hallmarks of the world insist on making them appear to be two halves of a whole.
Insanity I tell you.
To me this is the only acceptable inflatable yard décor allowed and that is only because I am obsessed with Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
Side note: Chapter 20 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted! Happy reading.
Conversation with my boss via Sametime (internal work messaging similar to gchat) earlier this morning:
Mr. Boss Man: Mojito Maven, are you busy?
MM: I am just working on a stress analysis and thermal prediction, but I can take a break. Why?
Mr. Boss Man: The VP of Engineering and Technology is here today and I wanted to introduce you. Can we stop by after lunch? I think this would be good visibility for you.
MM: Sure, I would love it if you stopped by!
Mr. Boss Man: Great. We will see you then.
I quickly remember I am wearing glasses, yoga pants, a t-shirt, six-year-old Reef flip flops, zero make-up, and my hair is thrown into a pony tail.
Side note: Chapter 19 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted. Happy reading.
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is a trivia game based on the concept of the small world phenomenon and rests on the assumption that any actor can be linked through film/TV roles to actor Kevin Bacon within six steps.
The game requires a group of players to try to connect any film actor in history to Kevin Bacon as quickly as possible and in as few links as possible.
For those people that follow me on Twitter, you may have seen Erin from Blue-Eyed Bride, Kate from Elefantitas Alegres, and me engaging in a rousing game dedicated to Sir Kevin Bacon.
I thought it might be fun to make this a blogger interactive game. It is rather entertaining. I promise!! Not to mention it can get really challenging.
For those that choose to play, I will start by providing an actor’s name. The next person to comment provides the links that lead back to Kevin Bacon and a NEW actor’s name. Then, the next person to comment answers for the that actor and provides a new actor. And so on.
Each new starting actor must be different, but the links that lead back to Kevin Bacon can be repeated.
Each comment is given a number, so in your answer make sure to put the comment number you are answering.
I will start. I asked Mr. Mojito to give me an actor’s name to link to Kevin Bacon. He chose Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Philip Seymour Hoffman – MI3 with Tom Cruise – A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon.
OR
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt with Meryl Streep – The River Wild with Kevin Bacon.
Side note: Chapter 18 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted. Happy reading.
I am taking a leap…a big one. Starting in mid-October I am going back to school…for creative writing!
Since graduating with my Masters in Engineering in 2007, I have been itching to pursue an MBA.
The only hiccup is that the two best programs in the area cost almost $90,000…ouch!
After FINALLY paying off significant loans for my engineering masters, I have no desire to go back in debt.
To rub salt in the wound, Mr. Mojito recently started classes towards his MBA. This was something we originally wanted to achieve together, but after careful consideration, we decided that taking on significant debt AGAIN did not make financial sense. He is fortunate that his company will bear the burden of the cost for his MBA. Mine will not.
After deciding not to pursue an MBA, I was depressed for several months. It felt like a dream of mine was dying. I knew I needed to find better, more fulfilling things to occupy my time instead of wallowing in sadness. Being an engineer by day that deals with numbers and analytical concepts, I needed both a creative outlet and something rewarding to supplement, hence another reason why I started writing Somewhere In Between Us.
And writing SIBU has made me incredibly happy. It is relaxing, challenging, and fun.
So, I figure if you cannot beat them, join them! For the past few months I have been toying with the idea of exercising my creative writing skills even further. I just did not know how to go about it.
My dear friend Ally from the Shabby Princess gave me the final push to enroll in a well-respected, highly-competitive creative writing program where the final step, if selected, is a trip to NYC with a polished, completed manuscript to present to various literary agents and publishing houses.
Eek!!!
I would be lying if I said I was not terrified. I am so afraid I will be laughed out of the program, but I have to try. Creative writing is not my specialty, but it is something I love to do so I will pursue it with my whole heart.
You may notice the Even the Streets tab on the navigation bar has been removed. I am going to take the concept for that story and try to make a full-fledged novel out of it that will hopefully be worth a trip to NYC!
Please sprinkle some fairy dust for me! I am going to need it.
Side note: Chapter 17 of Somewhere In Between Us has been posted. Happy reading!
My sweet, cuddly, loving puppy has officially become a full-fledged hormonal teenager in the blink of an eye.
Mr. Mojito’s grandparents bought us an Oliver Pancake look-alike stuffed animal. Wonderful idea in theory. BAD IDEA in practice.
Oliver will not stop molesting it. At first all he did was chew on it, but as of today he has discovered the basics of the birds and the bees, only he is dry humping a stuffed dog that is both male and bigger in size than his tiny body. Awesome. Hopefully getting him neutered will solve this problem.
This video doesn’t show any full on dry humping, but I thought it was cute nonetheless. If I can catch him in the act on camera I will be sure to post it. I am afraid I have a porn star in the making.
Also, we are officially getting puppy pictures taken in October from the talented and wonderful Nicole Mlakar-Livingston! Woot!
And finally thank you to everyone who entered my Gap Born to Fit $50 gift card giveaway! I put over 200 names in a random number generator.
Drumroll please…
The winner is Rachel from In No Simple Language! Rachel, please email me your mailing address so I can get your gift card sent to you ASAP!
