Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, what TOOK you so long?

Dear Baby TJ, Look little buddy.. I love you, but while we're staying at M's mom's, and we're all stuck in the same room, you need to NOT stomp all over my face at 3 a.m., or stick your whiskers up my nose, or knock shit over on the dresser. Your alternative is being set free in the main house... with the dogs. Kapeesh?

Dear M, I'm SO happy you're home. I feel 80% less like someone will break into the house to kill me at any time. (The other 20% remains because we watch WAY too many Datelines, Criminal Minds, and 20/20s....)

Dear Stomach, welp... we've had a bag of chips by 9:30 and I KNOW you want more but you're just going to have to hang on for 2 more hours.

Dear legal research, write yourself. I'm quite tired of you. Actually thanks to Baby TJ I'm quite tired in general. frick.

Dear 50 Shades Freed, Well, I finally BOUGHT you.. a week and a half after finishing the other 2... nowwwww to find time to read you. And not neglect M. Or studying. hmer.

Dear Saturday, I'd say I'm looking forward to you and sleepin in but OH WAIT, I have a lecture for 3 and a half hours. at 9:00 a.m. On a Saturday. GOSH I love barbri.

I'm weird. No, REALLY.

So.. I'm slowly starting to realize if I just post about my weekends, or food, or DIY, or wedding there will not be another post until July.. because studying for the bar exam has stolen my SOUL. SO I'm taking 10 minutes out of dominating this research memo on defense and indemnification clauses (be jealous of my lifeee) to do a random post, after thinking about it, and seeing Kristin do something similar once...about just how weird, I actually am. Here's hoping you people stick around after this post.

1. When I get really excited, anxious, nervous, mad...basically any emotion with too much "oomph".. I do what M has started referring to as a "clench".. to release said emotion, my whole body gets really tight, usually I smile, but it's like a gritted teeth, super clenchy, forced/scary smile. It's actually impossible to describe, you just have to see me do it, but sometimes when M's pumping gas and I do one I'll look up and he'll be staring in my window and he caught me and he says "WOW that was a big one!"

2. I talk in LOLcat, far more than is humanly necessary.. sometimes to myself. I'll get in the elevator at the end of the day and say "Ah haz a sweepy." out loud. I hope there are no cameras in there otherwise someone is laughing at my expense daily on a closed circuit TV somewhere

3. Speaking of elevators.. sometimes I just flail around in the elevator at work. I stomp, dance, or have angry conversations with people by myself that I wish I would've had to their face. Example, "oh yeah, you're in SUCH a fucking hurry aren't you.. HAD to zip up past me at the light! asshole." because sometimes thinking them in your head is just.not.enough.

4. My "noises".. I squeak, yelp, hum, make sing-songy noises...ALL.the.time... sometimes the cat isn't even around to blame for them.

5.  Sometimes when M is downstairs watching his shows and I'm upstairs, we'll send each other ridiculous photos. The best part is, there's no door to the basement so I can hear the giggles from downstairs when he's super proud of them, or when he gets mine and it's particularly frightening. (you know how some people still look "cute" when making funny faces? I am not one of them. They're actually just scary.) 

 (the bigger the eyes, the more frightening...yes?)

 Lets not forget the time I pulled my ponytail over my forehead, took the time to bobbypin it to my head so that it looked like I had bangs, used my phone to "style" my fake bangs, and then sent photos like this, to M and my friends:

 Charity silent auction for church? doesn't even matter. NEVER a bad time to put that lizard tongue on display.

 At M's old apartment, he left me to work for the day (back when I just had school)

annnddd I've saved the best for last. Sometimes I still send this photo to M randomly, to scare him. This was in response to some bizarre photo he sent me, but I think the half-face, crossed-eyes, toothless black hole mouth, combined with the scrunchy face REALLY make this one what it is:

 an absolute gem.

TGIT, people.

-Kelly

Update on my sanity

Well.. It's Monday and I survived the weekend with the 2 terrors. I went to watch my friend run the Minneapolis half marathon Sunday morning, stopped for a solo lunch at Noodles and wrote out my grocery list (they're across the parking lot from one another). Upon my return around noon, I decided to partake in an experiment. I let Lucky out of his room, only this time, after freaking out that they were trying to kill each other and not playing at all, I let them go at it. For HOURS. TJ took great pleasure in stalking Lucky, jumping on his back, and nipping his neck/ears. Joke is on TJ though because Lucky is twice his size and when Lucky ACTUALLY had enough, he'd let TJ know.

After about 5 or 6 hours of that, they seemed to reach an understanding. They could be in the same room without wanting to fight/play, and even co-existed peacefully on occasion! Behold, progress:

 TJ even calmed down enough to enjoy one of his favorite weekend activities: sitting in the nook of my arm while I use the computer, read, or in this case.. work on flashcards for barbri.

 He's so freaking adorable. I think Lucky was hiding downstairs. I think TJ forgot for a little while Lucky was even there.. or maybe he really is just relaxing to the idea.

such a sweetie..

 Mutually distracting activities, such as swinging at bugs through the screen of an open window, also serves as a good "babysitter" for these 2.

All in all, I think we're going to survive, guys.

I do sincerely hope that when I go home after work to feed them one hasn't killed the other one. That'd be bad.

-Kelly

My weekend (and then some) as a single mom

WARNING: cat lady content ahead.

Well... It's Saturday night. I just got back from Snow White and the Huntsman (SO good!) and am watching Friends before bed. M is in Canada.. he left Friday at 5:30 in the morning with my dad and brother, and they're all holed up in the woods with a bunch of other guys until Wednesday night. 

My mom has PCAs staying round the clock, but my dad worries about Lucky's care/I'm not sure as a part of their "job" that they'll take care of pets. At least one other time when my dad left town they wouldn't watch Lucky. SO guess who gets the honor of watching him while Dad's away? this girl. Ordinarily I would love this. Lucky was "my" cat long before TJ came along. He's big, fluffy, and SO docile. He's NOT a snuggler though (which is what I love about TJ). BUT naturally, being away from home stresses him out. He's a bit more skittish, vocal, and sad. Which breaks my heart because I love him and I tell him all the time (yes I'm nuts) that he's going home in a few days... because in my world he's thinking I've taken him away from my dad, and honestly thinking about that makes me want to cry/has me tearing up. Yes, again, I'm nuts. 

Anyway, Lucky is 7. TJ is 11 months old and CRAZY. You do the math. I brought Lucky home late last night... and ordinarily when introducing cats (who will live together permanently) there's this long drawn out process of letting them sniff each other's belongings, letting them interact under a closed door, etc. Yes, I know these things. Anyway, I don't have time for that shit. In my perfect world, the cats would frolick and lay together, and angels would sing. WRONG. I bring in Lucky's crap last night and put it in the guest room. I give TJ a heads up sniff before bringing in Lucky's carrier. I bring in Lucky's carrier and let TJ sniff him through the bars. They'd met once before... when we first got TJ we were watching Lucky. I opened the doors and BAM: Lucky bolts under the bed, TJ follows, and Lucky makes noises I have NEVER heard him make... growls, hisses,...scary. TJ's eyes bug out and he's meowing (quite distressed) not taking his eyes off Lucky. fuckkkkk. 

I start panicking thinking if either of them hurt the other I'll have an upset man in my life (either M or my dad) so I get them apart, put TJ in his room, put Lucky in the guest room, and both just start HOWLING. I had a long, dumb Friday...8 hours of work, was exhausted from tuesday-thursday 12 hour days, had 3.5 hours of BarBri after work, and now these 2. I walked into the living room and burst into tears. It was at least an hour of ugly crying while watching Say Yes to the Dress:Bridesmaids. I go to bed puffy eyed.. Lucky's in his room (and mad) and TJ is roaming the house (which mostly entails sitting outside Lucky's room and sticking his paws under the door. Such a shit.) 

4:45 a.m., I hear "BANG BANG BANG". My heart is in my throat, 9-1-1 is punched into my phone, and I'm slowly walking downstairs (something I swore I'd never do if I REALLY thought there was an intruder, but I was 80% sure there wasn't one). Nope, just Lucky, knocking over picture frames and rattling the door because my dad is CRAZY and feeds him at 5:30 in the morning and Lucky was throwing a tantrum because he was hungry. 

Anyway, this is what today looked like when I tried to let them be in the same room: 

 Here's a close up of the bottom 2 frames. It LOOKS like TJ has his arm around Lucky and is telling him a story. In REALITY TJ was mid-"go for the throat"-lunge.

and another standoff (seconds before TJ swung that paw at Lucky's head)

Meanwhile, I'm trying to do this: 

(Make flash cards for the bar exam)

 Annnddd another attack by the back door. 

I finally put TJ away for a while and let Lucky roam around. Poor guy was exhausted from being assaulted by the 8-lb terror. 

SO, this is the next 5 days of my life. I have had a perpetual headache. My problem is I care too damn much. I've been rotating them in and out of their rooms, to give each a chance to roam the entire house, which means the one in their room at any given time hates me, and is howling. (although usually only about 10 minutes and then if I'm quiet enough they think I've left and they shut up). TJ is worse than Lucky. Although right now, TJ is in his room and he's whining, and Lucky's out in the open and HE won't.stop.grunting.

Having 2 strung out cats and having to play cat-roulette is stressing me the fuck out. I feel like I'm just upsetting both of them at all times..and that every time I let TJ out of his room and he smells Lucky all over, or put TJ away, that I'm "betraying him" because this is HIS house. omg, I KNOW how nuts I sound, but the whole thing is going to give me an ulcer. Not to mention, I like both of these cats independently because they're QUIET. I don't do well with vocal cats (aka cats that just meow ALL the time, for no reason)... TJ usually trills or purrs but it's sporadic and not annoying. Lucky never meows unless he's hungry. Neither one of them have shut up for the last 24 hours.

Pray for me, people. This is hyper dramatic of me, I realize.... but OMG these 2 are driving me crazy.

-Kelly

Friday's Letters

Linking up with Ashley at adventures of a newlywed, otherwise lord knows I won't be blogging. ugh.

Dear Friday, I wish you'd feel more like a Friday, but I'm already dreading 3.5 hours of Constitutional Law bar review lecture tonight (yes people, this is my life right now)

Dear BarBri (my Bar Review course), die. That's it.

Dear Baby TJ, I'm picking up your cousin Lucky tonight (my parents' cat), PLEASE play nice. mkay?

Dear 50 Shades Freed, I'm a-commin to buy you! Andddd I will read you by Monday.

Dear M, Have fun in Canada! Don't fall into the lake! Make sure my dad and brother don't fall in the lake! On second thought pleasedon'tgoi'llbeSOBORED. Just kidding. Haz fun!

Dear Bossman, maybe it's because you got the pins out of your finger (hey, like the lion with the thorn in his paw!) but you've been much cheerier lately. Keep it up.

Memorial Day Weekend (so far)

Well, the high from graduation didn't last long. BarBri started Monday (our bar review course). SO I had that 6 hours a day every day last week. Except Tuesday, when I skipped out early to take care of things at work, and Thursday, which was a "testing day" (I just took it at home)

Friday night M's dad and his girlfriend were on their way through the cities heading to Wisconsin, so we entertained them on the deck. 

Saturday we woke up to this: 

And that is what it did all. damn. day. SO, we did a lot of this: 

 (my neck scratches are paralyzing) 

 and some more of this. 

 and more of this. 

We then headed down into the bunker (the man cave) and I read 50 Shades of Grey (holllyyyy smutty) and TJ spent 90% of the night (from 6:00-midnight) right here:

He'd roll around, stomp off to explore, but for the most part stayed put. Except a short period when he hopped up to his throne to survey the land: 

 He LOVES the window up there, and it's always impressive to watch him make the leap from couch to window. I love watching him coil into a little spring and release.

Sunday (today) was sunny and in the 90s here. Oof. So what better way to beat the heat than to hit the water! We went to Independence Lake (near Maple Plain, for those familiar with the area), it's about 20 minutes from our house. M had done some research Friday and discovered you can rent a row boat for $4 for a half hour. So, we did just that. I'd be lying if I said things went PERFECTLY according to plan. We got the row boat, but M rowed it the wrong way out to where he wanted to fish (backwards), apparently neither of us are very knowledgeable rowers but you'd think we could've figured out to point the tip forward. He had some NASTY blisters on his hands too, because he went quite a ways away from the landing. He did this for 2 hours:

 While I did this: 

I posted on Instagram (kellybea14) that I had bought 50 Shades of Grey to see what all the fuss was about. Whoa nelly, the book delivers. Now, time for me to baby-rant. I saw some crap on Twitter from people saying things like "OMGOSH I can't believe THIS is bestselling fiction, it's not even written that well, and OMGOSH her name is ANASTASIA STEELE it's so cheesy, and OMGOSH it's so sexual!".... a) I don't think anybody ever claimed it was a Pulitzer piece, b) appreciate it for what it is. It's a smutty romance novel and lastly c) after buying it (knowing FULL WELL what it was about) and seeing "Erotic Romance" stamped on the back I sort of question who these people are who didn't know what it was going to be about. Alas, despite the raunchy sex scenes, there's something about the way it is written that DOES really draw you to these characters.. by 100 pages in, when she would see Christian Grey or talk to him and she described the way her heart lurched, I FELT it myself. Pretty intense. I'm starting Book #2 tonight! I also know I'm late to the party on these (although to be fair I feel like I HEARD of them pretty early... at least earlier than the Hunger Games which I still have not read) but the reason I wait/don't read them right away is precisely because of what happened yesterday: I bought the book at like 1:30, and finished it today by 2:00. I read 350 pages in 6 hours and the remainder in 2 today. I kind of feel the pressure to finish the 2nd one today/tomorrow so I can rip into the third one before BarBri gets too in depth. oof. And here M expressed concern that wedding planning would be the thing that causes me to fail the bar exam... nope. Just your run of the mill erotic novel.

My law school friend Dana (we'll just call her Dana from here on out, mkay?! On account we graduated and all) is coming over in an hour to grill. I can't get over the fact that we have another FULL DAY of nothing tomorrow. It's been a fantastically leisure-filled weekend.

P.s.: M's mom gave us an old trunk that we're thinking of using for a coffee table. Stay tuned for a before and after, once we paint it (likely tomorrow!)

-Kelly

Graduation

If it feels like I've fallen off the face of the earth lately, or in the coming weeks.. I haven't. But bear with me. I'll need to start drafting posts when I have free time and then post them throughout the week because between working 8-4 and BarBri (Bar exam review class) 6-9:30 I will not have much "lounge" time this summer!

That being said, I GRADUATED Sunday! What a surreal experience. It hasn't quite hit me I'm done and I get pangs of anxiety every once in a while and it takes me a moment to identify them as, "OMG I should be outlining or reading or writing a memo!" before it hits me that NO, I shouldn't. I'm done! Of course that is replaced with bar review and outlines.. alas.

Here are some photos from the weekend. Saturday we had my good friend Andrew's graduation picnic... these are most of my group of friends and their girlfriends. the guys from L-R are Tony, Andrew, Daryl and Kevin, and the girls are Julia (Andrew's gf), Hilary (Daryl's gf), myself and Dana. Julia is going to be a 2L at the U of M, and Hilary will be a 3L at WMCL.. so, all future lawyers!

M and I Everybody the morning of Graduation! From L-R the guys are Kevin, Daryl, Dustin, Andrew and Tony, and that's me, Dana, Sammi and Rochelle. Sammi is graduating in December, but she was marshalling the ceremony and came out for photos too. The guys had put their robes on to walk to school for photos and just left them on, for whatever reason. haha. We met up at the guys' house in the morning with everyones families to have brunch and then go to school to take photos. Organized by Dana. The girls! My handsome fiance, and myself. I feel like a 15th century artist or something in the getup. Ridiculous.In front of the schoolEverybody lookin' fancyPost-ceremony.. that's M, my grandma (my mom's mom, and the wife to my grandpa I've referenced several times on here), and my uncle Tom. I'm the fourth generation graduating from WMCL, and being a lawyer in general. I work for my uncle Tom's firm right now in downtown. My little big brother, and I. Dad, myself, little broand Dana and I. The day before orientation I bumped into and was told by a high school classmate that she had a college roommate who was going to the same school as I was and if I saw her to say hi. Well who do I sit by at orientation but that college roommate- Dana. We've been friends ever since, and she's going to be a bridesmaid in my wedding next year :). She's a party-planner extraordinaire and definitely made my law school experience way more enjoyable. Love her.

After Graduation we went to Mancini's with my family, M's mom and step-dad, aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, and my friends, all in all there were about 28 of us. Everybody was SO kind and I felt SO loved... it really was one of the most special days of my life to date. I had a baby-depression set in Monday when I thought "it's over!?"... all that hype for graduation and then it just ENDS. haha. I can only imagine what the wedding blues will be like the day after that. Good thing I have some time before experiencing that ;-)

And that's that, from Graduation! Bar Review started yesterday.. they really waste no time getting down to it. I'm thinking I may start a wedding wednesday post.. something to keep me "regular".. because the days seem to escape me.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!