some cool things i know.

i went to austin this weekend and it was so much fun. i got to see some great friends i hadn't seen in a long time and spend a lot of quality time with brady. since i hadn't seen him in 5 weeks, i was pleasantly reminded of how much fun we have together - and how in love with him i am. 

i also got to see dani get a tattoo! i am very proud. she has a beautiful, simple heart on her wrist. of course, getting the tattoo was way more painful that she had expected. after she told us how bad her wrist was hurting, brady says, "now you know how jesus felt". classic brady.

april and heather - i must personally apologize for not getting to see you when i was in town, i hope you will forgive me. i must say that 94% of my time in austin was with brady and i know that you two can definitely relate to how important it is to spend quality time :) but do not fear - i will be back in austin for labor day weekend (3 days yay!!)!

anyway - i do have to leave you with something that brady introduced me to. it's a song that is absolutely lovely and inspiring. please listen and love. the video is beauty.

brooke fraser. shadowfeet. see above, it is now part of my blog.

when the world is falling out from under me

i'll be found in you - still standing

when the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees

when time and space are through - i'll be found in you

read this second. another out-of-order post.

ok before you go to this link, read my post below. 

after writing my last post, i felt really guilty and googled "michael phelps". 

this was the first hit google gave me. note that i wrote that BEFORE i read this article.

and this is me resting my case. 

boomshackalacka.

i love the olympics....but...

i am sick of all this frickin swimming. i mean - congratulations, athletes, you can swim fast. but seriously how many different races can they put together for ONE SPORT. there are 4 different strokes (ha, i just thought of that show) and one all-4-combo, but within each stroke there are like all these different lengths and stuff. it's SWIMMING. 

i'm sick of michael phelps too (gasp). yea. i'm sure he's a really nice guy and all, but him being "the most decorated olympian in history"? please. he does ONE sport. this implies that he is like a superhero who does like 4 sports. just because you do the same thing like in 34 different ways doesn't really distinguish him among other olympians. Misty May and Kerri Walsh DOMINATE sand volleyball, but they will only get 1 gold medal per olympic year they compete (to phelps' 6+ per year for swimming). they won't get gold medals for "best dig" or "best block". softball players don't even get to count their olympic golds anymore because they dominate too much. now i commend michael phelps for his incredible achievements in his sport (singular). but i think that he should be referred to as "the most decorated SWIMMER in olympic history". because that's what he is. you think those badminton players are any less successful as him in one olympic season if they just win one gold medal? NO. they are both specialists in one sport. 

plus...i only like when the do those underwater views of the swimming races. they look cooler. on the surface it's harder to see stuff cause the splashes.

i think i'd rather sit through Mama Mia! again than have to see another freaking swimming race. 

ok i take that back. swimming wins. but i won't like it. 

more commentary on the 2008 olympic games coming up soon.

Part II

welcome to the tour of Laura's new apartment in Richardson, Texas. i've lived here for almost 2 months now - i can't believe it! time is blowing by me. work has been really great (aside from a little mishap on friday that i will explain to you now):

owen wilson is apparently friends with the top people at fossil and he comes and hangs out at corporate a couple times a year. well, friday was one of those times. i saw him in the art library reading while i was walking with some people to the corporate store (which is only open wed mornings and fri afternoons). that was pretty cool, i nonchalantly took a picture with my iphone and made it look like i was texting. so swank. anyway, when i get back from the store, there was a cluster of people in my and christy's cubie area. they told me that they were looking all over for me because owen had come in to the sundeck to see the men's sunwear line. he took a 2009 sample. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO SHOW HIM THE LINE - IT IS MY LINE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. owen wilson will most likely be photographed wearing MY sunglasses and i wasn't even the one to give them to him. everyone felt very sorry for me. i wanted to scream. being THE design/development coordinator for men's sunglasses should be a real perk for when important (famous) people come to visit Fossil, because who doesn't like to get new sunglasses? but i missed my first opportunity. that bites.

onto the tour!

here is boston wondering why i'm taking pictures of our apartment. the second picture is her realizing that she was indeed the one being photographed, so she had to pose. i live with a model.

ok - below is my living area: bistro table, bookshelf and the view of the living room from my kitchen sink. 

here are more kitchen photos: my stove and drink maker, a view from the living room (and also of boston's eating area) and the fridge. that room to the right of the fridge is my laundry room. i don't have a washer/dryer yet so i use it for storage and boston uses it as a bathroom. if you're wondering what those photos are above boston's bowl, they're black-and-white shots of boston running outside. also "beware of dog".

i hope you've enjoyed part 2 (actually this is part 1 for you since you're reading it from top to bottom). i really like living here and love visitors...

sorry about the wacky formatting. organizing posts with numerous photo is challenging so bear with me.

Part I

so here it is. i have come to the point where i feel all moved in to my new place - so now i can show it to the world (or the select few who care). the photos are a bit out of order and this is only part 1 of 2, but here goes:

here is my shower and potty. i use these two babies every day. 

behold, the other half of my bathroom. i like the lights above my mirror. it makes me feel like a celebrity getting ready in an old-fashioned dressing room.

here is the part of the tour where you get really jealous of how humungous my closet is (she snickers).

my bed and notorious wardrobe from ikea. the mannequin is serving as a scarf rack, but maybe someday she will be used in a more creative way.

my bedroom. 

i found a really mod bookshelf at ikea that i use as my headboard. very functional - i love it. new curtains from urbanoutfitters.com (who is fast becoming a close friend).

and here is my front door and living room. there was really no method to my decorating, it's very ecclecticized (obviously made-up term), but it feels like me.

this is the view of the place when you walk in the front door. my bedroom is on the other side of the red wall.

this is also what you see when you walk in the front door. living area to the right, kitchen to the left and down the hall on the right is the bedroom, across from which is my bathroom. the door straight ahead leads nowhere. the fossil bag hanging on the doorknob to the door that leads nowhere is filled with sunglasses - big surprise.

Since you are probably reading this from the top down, this is the end of the tour. i truly hope that you will get to see it in person (if you haven't already). i have incidentally become a very good hostess and enjoy having guests (so does boston).

thanks for taking my tour.

love/miss/namaste.

4th and stuff

i promised ivy that i would post, although there is not so much to report. 

brady came in town this weekend! we had so much fun. it was really nice to have him here. we went and saw fireworks in the park, had dates, and just hung out together. he makes me really happy :)

i also really like fireworks - they are so cool. just sitting there watching them made me feel happy. it makes me excited to think that someday i'll be taking my kids to see fireworks, it's just something you do every year, like christmas. 

something else that has been making me happy is netflix. dani has given me one of the coolest gifts ever and opened me up to the fantastic world of movie heaven. i've been watching a lot of classics - very lovely. if you have any suggestions let me know ;)

the apartment is pretty much done! i love it so much. i keep it very clean, which may surprise some people, but it's true. visitors are welcome anytime. 

ok i promise my next post will be way more interesting. i'm a little preoccupied with my current netflix: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" - an 80's Sarah Jessica Parker flick - HA!

love. miss. namaste.

my my my...

this is officially the longest i've gone without posting and for that, i am very sorry. i have been very busy, you know, and i'm sure you're all sitting on pins and needles as you read this. so here goes:

1. the new job: i absolutely LOVE it still and i'm learning more and more each day. i very much enjoy the people on my team, they are very helpful, encouraging, and fun to be around. i'm actually going to my first Fossil happy hour tomorrow night, which should be fun. as for the discounts...it's too good. there's an actual store at the headquarters just for corporate employees - too good.

2. the apartment: i absolutely LOVE it also. i never thought i'd actually love living alone this much! aside from the late-night call to whitney sobbing about how i was worried about being lonely...i've been so insanely happy. i have all this time to myself to do what i need to do and to be the best mommy i can be to little boston. it only takes me 10 minutes to get to work and i come home for lunch every day. and don't worry, once the apt is all set up the way i want it...you will see some photos. 

3. boston: she's always been very independent and a little wild and crazy. i was worried about how often i was going to be leaving her alone while i'm at work and i was especially concerned about how that would affect her behavior (she has a chewing problem). so i started reading this book by the dog whisperer (you know that show with cesar millan?) called "Be the Pack Leader". since i've started reading it and taking his advice, boston has been a much better behaved dog and our relationship has improved so much :) cute, huh? we go on 1-2 walks per day (to check the mail or walk around the little lakes in our complex). it's actually been great for me, too! being outside walking around a little every day - while you're in the office most of the day, really makes you in a better mood. oh yea, and her 1st birthday is this weekend! party time! (and birthday time for willow, too!)

4. what have i been doing the past week and a half without internet or TV alone in my apartment, you ask? movies. that's right, i've been watching tons and tons of movies. mostly romantic comedies. actually, all romantic comedies. watching funny people fall in love is very great for you mood too :) AND - the great and wonderful danilicious has introduced me to the fabulous world of NETFLIX. it is so amazing, i am addicted. 

5. brady is wonderful. he's coming to visit me july 4 weekend - i have that friday off, wee! 

6. so i'm pretty much set at this point. i finally have my wireless internet set up, i have my DVR, and most everything in my place is set up! bethany, lauren and i are making a little venture to IKEA on saturday (after an evening of SATC marathoning). 

so there you have it, my life in a nutshell. God is so good to me. i promise my next post will be more detailed and visually stimulating...but i simply must get back to my chai tea and audrey hepburn film. 

love/miss/namaste.

ps. come visit me - you never know when this good mood might go sour....