My Favorite Orange Cats

I think that orange kitties are the sweetest kitties. All cat have personalities... very different and unique personalities. But in general - orange cats seem to be the sweetest.

The orange cats in my life:



Louis Vuitton




Bonito



Mr. Bingley



Turco

I just realized they are all boy cats! What sweet boys!

(Louis lives with Jojo, Bonito with LMB, Mr. Bingley with KJC, and Turco's one and only is FMG.)

I've seen the light!

In a nutshell here is my dining room:

It is a veritable work in progress. What needs the most work right now? Probably the over the table lighting situation...

Heeeelllllooooooooooo Shades of Light! I usually ignore the ads on the sides of most of the blogs I read... but while reading the tutorial about painting kitchen cabinets on Young House Love (i have a major crush on their blog) I noticed the Shades of Light ad.

And then I found these (can I have them all?)...

Candidate #1:

It's soft, interesting but not overwhelming, and beautiful.

Candidate #2:

Super fun, right shape and pulls in colors from my kitchen and living rooms. But, is it too much?

Candidate #3 (My 8th grade History teacher thought it was funny that I never spelled "candidate" correctly and he told me to remember that in politics some cadidadtes thought it would only take some sweet talkin' "candi" and to show up at a few "dates" to get your vote. I know you were dying to know that.)

Interesting, a little quirky, and other than the shape I didn't expect to love it so...

Candidate #4:

How can the "wrong" shape feel so right? I love that it is a lot of fabric and a little metal.

Candidate #5:

I think this is my out-in-left-field choice. Maybe it would be better over a bar or in a kitchen as accent lighting and not over my dining room table?

Those are the shades appearing on the ballot.
I love ALL of them. Can't they be on an east to change out system? I want to rotate them in and out!





 
(Don't worry - if you vote your choice is anonymous to everyone!)

Howdy, Lil' Buckaroo!

FMG and I hosted a couples baby shower for our friends BK and JK.



They are expecting JKjr. in September!



FMG was a trooper participating in the invitation hunt and we ended up with a Lil' Buckaroo/cowboy style invitation which turned into a great shower theme.









Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing! Yum!









Watermelon Lemonade. See FabBites for the recipe!



We had light snacks because the shower fell into the 2-4 pm range. Lime Cilantro dip with wheat crackers and cherry tomatoes.



Watermelon balls, cupcakes, spicy queso with tortilla strips, and chicken tender bites.





And in keeping with the cowboy theme... :o)



Lots of family and friends came and gave JKjr. so many thoughtful and generous gifts.



It was so much fun to do a baby boy shower - and we can't wait to meet JKjr. this fall!

I came to Texas and all I got were these boots!

FMG's favorite Aunt came to visit!



One of her friends was in town for a conference and she came along - we're so glad we could steal her for some of the time she was here!



We ate... visited.. and shopped! What is the single best, Texas screamin', story to go with 'em, souviener? Luchesse boots. Nothing finer in the whole state.

Aren't they beee - utiful?

The detail and craftsmanship on every pair is amazing. A custom pair, straight from the workshop in El Paso to you, takes 3 months. Thats a lotta love into each pair of these babies.

I call this "Rockstar Row" aka (from f to b) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. And I'd love for them all to crash my closet. Helllllloooooo fabulousness.

After looking at, ooohing and aaawing over, touching, and loving every pair of boots in the store, it was finally time to try them on!

A girl's love affair with shoes is nothing like her love affair with a perfect pair of boots. They change you.

After much  discussion

and sole searching...

the three lucky pairs of perfect boots went home with thier meant to be wearers.

Y'all come back real soon now, ya hear?

Vegas, part 5

This is the last one! Promise!

Two of my favorite things we did while in this city of anything anytime was visit the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand and go to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay.

The Lion Habitat was particularly incredible because the handlers were IN the enclosure CUDDLING with the giant adult lions like I cuddle with my cats. I tried to get shots - but it was hard! :o(

Here is from under the walk through -- you can see the trainer's hand and legs... He's grooming the 5 million pound lion! O.M.G.

And I could never get their sweet faces... they were sleeping the entire time we were there.

Check out this preciousness... These babies were taking their "nap break" from posing for pictures with tourists. And that guy? Napping with them. How do I apply for that job?

You'd think they'd discourage chewing on the handlers. Just sayin'...

This fella was about as big as Brie - weighing in at 55 lbs. Whew.

There were so many interesting things to see at the Shark Reef.

Not just fish and other underwater life.

FMG was brave and "pet" the sting rays. I wasn't so much scared of the sting rays as I was trying to avoid the noisy unattended children. (It IS still summer after all. I'm allowed to ignore them! :o) )

I love that they picked this guy to be the teacher in Finding Nemo. His face really is friendly!

These two were in a tiff. Literally. One would bite on the other and they'd make a pass and on the way back around they'd switch biter and bitee.

"Fish are friends. Not food."
(Are you so proud, movie quoting friends!?)

These guys knew that food was nearby. So smart!

That about wraps up Vegas 2010. Thanks for hanging in there!