Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord, the catalogs arrived tonight. Of course, after I sent a note expressing my feelings to Stampin' Up. But still, my gripe was/is totally legit, so I don't regret sending it.

I'm kind of surprised about the cover. It looks a bit dated to me. But the stuff inside is GREAT! In my first pass at making a list of essentials I must purchase, I reached a total of about $500. Hmmm ... Going to need to cut that down a bit!

In garden news, we have two ginormous zucchini today. Here's a pic of them next to the catalog:

The pumpkins are seriously going to take over the whole yard. I'm fine with that, by the way.

There are three that are super-big right now. Here's one:

Rant

I really wanted to remain positive and rational about this, but it's way beyond that point now. I still have not received my new Stampin' Up catalogs. We're supposed to start selling from that catalog on July 1. Stuff in the existing catalog has been discontinued for months now.

I got a "shipping confirmation" note last Sunday night. Usually my orders take two days to arrive, so every day I have gotten all excited, and when I come home there aren't any packages waiting for me!

People started receiving their catalogs last Friday. Come to find out, if you don't have a a tracking number assigned in the order system, that means your catalogs haven't really shipped yet. Mine still don't have a tracking number, so I bet I won't even get them until after the July 4 holiday (and therefore after the date we're supposed to start selling from them). At least I'll be able to view it online starting July 1.

I am so frustrated over this! I placed my order over a month ago and I'm just dying to see all the fun new stuff in the catalog.

OK. End of rant. Just needed to vent a bit.

New Cards

Click on the photo above to see some new cards that I made!

Ciao!

We picked up my sister at the airport last night. She was returning from a cruise to Italy. She brought us back some awesome souveneirs, including bottles of olive oil, pesto and lemoncello. Can't wait to pop those open!

I did a LOAD of card marking yesterday! I'll post the results to Flickr and link to them above.

Other than that, I spent the day running around to keep the various cats seperated and happy. I really don't like my new role of cat lady at all.

Check!

I finally completed this item from my April to-do list: My New Year's scrapbook! I took photos of some of the more interesting pages for your viewing pleasure (click on the photo above to view).

Friday Fun

So, Jackson came back again this morning. We spent some quality time together in the front yard , but he wouldn't let me pick him up or pet him. That freak better come back so we can have him fixed like responsible owners. I feel very guilty that he's probably impregnating lady cats left and right. And Animal Services is having a $5 special on fixing cats, so I'd really like to take advantage of that.

Tonight Steve and I had dinner at Sweet Tomatoes and then went to Golfland for a round of mini golf (Steve won). Then we played around in the arcade. They had the Percussion Master drum game that I love. When I win the lottery, that's going to be the first thing I buy.

AHHHHHHH! I just got called away while typing this, because guess who just strolled into the house? Jackson! He's gigantic! He's grown so much during the month. He's being very nice and loving and is sitting on the couch with Steve right now. Wow! We're going to have to somehow trap him in the garage tonight so that we can take him to get fixed tomorrow. God forbid he come down the hall and smell the little kitties. I'm afraid they wouldn't stand a chance! Shit. We're really going to have to think of someway to keep them away from each other.

Fruit of the Harvest

OMG! I can't believe I grew this zucchini! I posed it next to a pen so you could be impressed by its size. There's a bunch more to come. I had a goal with the zucchini that I would have so much that I'd be searching for zucchini recipes. Not there yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!



And here are some gratuitous kitty pictures:

Crockett wants to write his own blog.

Tubbs would rather take a nap.

DRAMA!!

This morning as I was backing out of the driveway I saw Jackson strolling on our street! I stopped the car and called him, but he ran into a bush. I couldn't coax him out, so I left a bunch of food on the front porch to lure him back.

It just figures. Of course he would come back once we got some new kitties. We haven't seen him since this morning, and I don't know how we're going to handle it if/when he decides to come back permanently, as he is REALLY bad with cats intruding on his territory.

I can't believe I have three cats. I had never even had a pet before this time last year.

In other news, I think this girl was flirting with me at the nail place today. I was really afraid that she was going to ask me out on a date. I guess that is a good place to meet ladies if that's what you're in the market for!

At Last!

Steve finally started his new job today as an accountant. He's still working for Enterprise, just on the corporate side. Believe me when I say that this was a long time coming. I'm so happy for him. And best of all, his office is just walking distance from our house. I made him take a picture this morning like he was going to his first day of preschool :)



Well, I must get back to work. I'm trudging through the most horribly tedious project for work from home tonight. And I've been very easily distracted by the two little kitties jumping all over each other and me!

Father's Day

Life with our new little buddies is great! They are an adorable, fun addition to our little family. Here are some new photos:




Today we went to the San Jose Giants game for Father's Day. They have a great barbeque place and fun little games between the innings. It was SO hot, though! Guess it's officially summer.

Twins

Hello, world. Meet the newest Swerens, Crockett and Tubbs.

I didn't want to write about this before cause I felt like a failed parent, but Jackson ran away about a month ago. Also, I was hoping he would pop back up, but he hasn't. I think he is just living the life of a roaming gigolo. We don't think he's dead, cause he does have a collar that has our name and phone number.

Anyway, we visited San Jose Animal Services today and we adopted these two brothers. They were strays and they're about two-months-old. They're so cute and playful! Crockett is definitely more aggressive and loud. Tubbs is more subdued, probably because he had to have hernia surgery and is still healing a little.

The animal shelter was great. They really do offer a great value: These kitties are neutered, microchipped and have almost all of their shots. They charge a $75 adoption fee and because we were taking two, the second one was discounted to $50. If anyone is looking for a pet, I definitely recommend taking a visit.

I'm sure I'll be writing more about them in the coming weeks!

Tini Time

The appletini mix is SO good. Not too sugary sweet like some appletinis you might get at a bar, and just the perfect level or tartness. My only complaint is the packaging! For a product targeting drunk people, it sure was hard to open!

Do you like the runner in the photo? I sewed it! I need to get going on some more sewing projects, cause I think I could be good if I just practiced more.

Why am I having an appletini? Well, to celebrate my promotion! Not at my day job, but at Stampin' Up! I got this lovely certificate in the mail today signed by the president, Shelli Gardner. Actually signed in real ink! I really do admire her, as she seems to be a savvy businesswoman and she dresses fabulously from what I've seen.

Surprise

I worked pretty late tonight and when I came home I had this lovely setup awaiting me. Cinnamon Toast Crunch by candlelight -- doesn't get much better than that! Steve even picked me a flower, left me some reading material and wrote me a bunch of little notes. And he folded the napkin in a fancy style and tied a bow on my spoon. What a nice guy!

To top it all off, he watered all of my plants and even trimmed a tree that I had asked him to snip. I <3 Steve!

Well, I have to go watch Brittney make a fool of herself on "Dateline."

The Apple of My Eye

I went to the new Target near Panera after work today to pick up a few things. I am in love with that Target. It is HUGE and has a way better selection than I've seen at any other Target. And I found this totally cute appletini mix that comes with its own shaker and green rim salt. Unfortunately, I couldn't make appletinis tonight cause I didn't have any vodka, but you can bet we'll be enjoying some this weekend!

We had Panera for dinner again. It was so good.

By the way, I made an Amazon Wish List and added a link to the right in case anyone wants to buy me a present. I'll be updating it regularly :)

Eat Me

I made these little favors for a friend's at-work bridal shower today. I picked these new white chocolate M&Ms cause I thought the colors were pretty. That was a little oops, because they have skulls and daggers on them to celebrate the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie!!

I hit up the new Panera for dinner tonight and it was yummy! I think we'll be having it for dinner tomorrow too, as my cupboard is bare until my next round at Super Suppers on Saturday.

Ashley's Book Club

Just finished this book tonight. I liked it a lot. It focuses on the relationships between mothers and daughters. And also on moving through different stages of life. It took me a while to get into it (as I started it when I had an excellent selection of magazines to entertain me), but about a third of the way in I was hooked. I would recommend it. Good summer reading!

Go Away

Why do seemingly straight men feel the need to provide commentary on girlie topics such as my hair style, shoes, clothes, etc.?

I went to vote this evening (it's election day in California) and the guy running things randomly complemented my "cute" shoes. He didn't stop there. He rambled on about them the whole time I was in there. When I was leaving he said, "Seriously, they really work." Oh, good! I was hoping a balding weirdo wearing a hideous Hawaiian shirt, tapered jeans and Tevas would validate my shoe selection today!

This happens to me all the time. I think it's so weird cause I can't imagine Steve or my dad stopping some girl walking down the street to compliment their shoes.

Crazy?

I've been really dizzy and nauseas lately, so I went to the drug store this morning and bought a set of motion sickness arm bands. In case you've never seen them, they look like wrist sweat bands circa 1983. I know everyone at work was staring at them today and they probably think I'm pregnant (I guess they help morning sickness and other prego-related nausea) or a totally crazy maniac woman with weird wrist issues or a horrible sense of fashion. They did help a bit. Maybe I'll have to buy a few pair and dye them to match my outfits.

For the record, I'm NOT pregnant.

I downloaded the song "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley to my iTunes today. I like it a lot. I've heard a bunch of people predicting it'll be "the song of the summer," and I think they're right.

EDIT: Crap. Now all my AdSense ads are for morning sickness cures!

Summer Swap

I made a batch of these cards today to swap at my Stampin' Up meeting next week. I think they came out pretty good!

News from My Garden

I'm really glad that my strawberries are turning red in groups now, instead of that annoying one-at-a-time thing they were doing before!

Looks like we might have some tomatoes ready this week! (They're the little yellow pear kind.)


And drumroll, please ...

This might finally be the year that the Sweren pumpkin patch is fruitful!! There are two little guys like this started already!

Squirrels and snails beware: DO NOT even get close to my babies! I WILL take you out. Steve has a paintball gun and I'm willing to learn how to use it.

Ghetto Superstar

I just had my nails done in this awesomely ghetto style. I thought it might make my life more fun and exciting. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

P.S. Like my bling? I do!!

TGIF

I don't know if I'm late to the party with this story, since everyone I've mentioned it to already knew about it. I didn't hear about it till I saw it on the front page of USA Today this afternoon. I am totally astonished! How could that happen? I'd like to think that someone in my family would say "Ashley's feet don't look like that," or "Where did the beauty mark on Ashley's shoulder go?"

On a lighter note, I'm proud to say that I will be celebrating both of my heritages with food today. I went to lunch at Los Cubanos with some girls from work (we also visited the Farmer's Market and I bought some blueberries). And as soon as Steve gets home we'll be heading to the Greek Festival! Yippee! I think I'll be wearing some roomy pants tomorrow ;)

Thoughts for a Thursday

So, there was some controversy in the paper today regarding the new Panera shopping center. Apparently, there's a debate over whether or not the city should subsidize a Trader Joe's going into the same shopping center. I say "YES!" Subsidize away. That would be so super-convenient for me to go out for lunch at Panera and then do some grocery shopping for dinner at Trader Joe's.

I've been feeling a little frustrated at work lately, but I've been making a concerted effort to keep it internal. Well, everyone I work with is a mind reader (or I'm a really bad faker), cause all these people have been asking me if something's wrong. So today I decided to stop holding my frustrations in and to just externalize my annoyance, hoping that would cause a reverse effect and people would just leave me alone. Seriously, doesn't it just make things worse when all these people who don't even really care are asking you what's wrong? Anyway, that didn't really work at all. Hopefully I'll be feeling (and acting) more chipper tomorrow.

I'm already feeling a bit happier since Steve and I walked to the park down the street to play Frisbee and swing on the playground tonight. I think it's funny that all of our friends are having kids and we are just two gigantic kids. I guess everyone thinks that about themselves. Steve said he hopes we never stop playing Frisbee and going on the swings, and I agree with him :)

By the way, isn't my pedicure cute?

I got it at Annie's Design Nails, which is clean and a bargain ($19 for a spa pedicure with a design).

We are also very excited because tomorrow is the Greek Festival at our church. I recommend that anyone local attend, as there are some seriously excellent eating opportunities.