woMan's best friend...

I'm getting to spend a lot of time with my pup this summer. Given that I want to squeeze her every time I see her because she is so cute, I have been trying to take a lot more pictures of her. And I am CONSTANTLY reminded that she is not an easy photo subject for several reasons.

1. She is black and shiny.

2. She is 11.5 months old. And wiggly. And squirmy. And jumpy. And growly.

3. She is black and shiny.

Here's the "best" of the summer so far. I'm still working on it...

Pheebs doing some light reading...

Wayne's World-esque EXTREME CLOSE UP. WOAAHH

I think she tried to bite the camera after this one.

Just not even any eyes at all.

I Know she tried to bite the camera after this one.

She wouldn't share that issue of OK! magazine.

???? the only thing that comes to mind when I see this picture is "Heffalumps and Woozles"

We're getting closer... there's her sweet face.

My crazy girl, just about every summer day...

Man, I love this pup. Especially those sweet little feet that lay next to me.

"Not a total Betty, but a vast improvement..."

It takes a special circumstance for me to quote Clueless. That special circumstance happened today when I decided to clean the bathroom. We had been having some water/dripping/old pipe issues that recently got fixed so it was time for a big scrub.

Thank goodness Phebe was there to help...

I used Kaboom. Pretty intense stuff...

It's smell is a bit strong and I had visions of my nose hairs getting singed off by the ammonia smell, so I suited up... (Note: Not Naked, just wearing a bandeau bathing suit)

BEFORE: (gross)

AFTER: (still need to bleach those black spots, I guess)

BEFORE: (EW! All that pink from the running water we had in there)

AFTER: Not a total Betty, but a vast improvement.

It takes a special circumstance for me to quote Clueless... So far I've been very productive this summer. Let's hope it continues...

June 25- Summer Day 1

It always happens on the first day of summer-- and it doesn't help that I have a pup this year.

I could not sleep in past 9:47. I sure tried, though.

Other goals today:

1. Gym with Kelly

2. Pool with Kelly

3. Continue to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

4. Dinner outside or dinner inside.

5. Much playing with friends to celebrate being finished with my 6th school year!!!

DC is pretty cool sometimes

I like reading stories like this...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100624/ap_on_bi_ge/us_us_russia

It makes me glad to live so near DC.

Also, SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!

Also, Phebe discovered lightning bugs and I may die from her cuteness.

Dad's Day

Happy Father's Day, Dad!! Love you!

Also, follow this link to more hilarious Dads...

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/dear-old-tv-dad-paying-respect-to-modern-dads-tv-style--1333

BELATED (from March 27)... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PEEP!

I never made a post for Peep because I was traveling down to see her on her actual Birthday and then I was with her for a few days!

But here it is....

I watched you befriend a prairie dog...

And attempt to make out with giraffes...

My favorite picture of you and Mitchell!

Your dog attacked me when he was younger... but I still love him...

See?

This was when we ate our weight at The Lady and Sons...

I love this picture of you and Best Friend

Grattan Street!

Just a couple of college obsessions...

We made a color rainbow freshman year. And you fell asleep.

Love you!

And some random video fun:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDREA!!!

Happy Birthday, my beautiful friend!

This is our most recent photo... sorry about the flashing!

We have always danced! The most fun was at your wedding :)

I don't know what was said here-- but it's enough to make you look at Ed like I'm crazy, so I hope it was good! :)

We've been friends through SO many different hair lengths between the two of us!

And a lot of New Years Eves...

And a Superbowl or two...

And, of course, college!

And elementary school! (Danny is a Dad and soon you will be a Mom-- WOW!!)

You are beautiful and funny and wonderful and generous and I'm very lucky to have you as a forever friend.

I love you!

FAMILY!

I got see some of my dad's family this weekend, too... Aunt Martha, Uncle Kevin, cousin Mike, cousin Meg, Dad, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Norm and me!

We went to Aunt Martha's house and had an amazing time just being together. I have the best family.

Look quickly at Aunt Martha's house in New Hartford, NY... quick before she moves to Austin, TX!

Also, look at the YIKES the rental car company gave me:

Great family, Toaster Car.

Le Parents at LeMoyne!

This past weekend, I was in Syracuse, NY with my parents and family for my parents' 35th college reunion. They went to LeMoyne college.

It's such a pretty place... at the top of a hill. "The Heights" as they call it...

Two of my dad's college bands, "Salt Springs" and "Boston Street" had a big reunion concert on Saturday night. Here a two clips of my Dad and his college buddies playing. I AM SO SORRY that you can hear me singing sometimes. A couple glasses of wine and apparently I think I'm part of the band. Oof. I'm clearly no longer a member of WBHS choir! At any rate, enjoy Dad Taylor...

This next one he dedicated to me! "This one goes out to 'Who's that Girl?' Yes, she's my daughter."

Here is what I learned at LeMoyne... my parents were and are still "hotties", my dad can rock out like a mamma jamma (9:00pm-1:30am!), and the class of '75 outpartied me BIG TIME! I was exhausted!!

It was amazing... and I'm so glad I had that experience! Thanks, mom and dad. :)

Don't Cave, Sandy!

Dear Sandra Bullock,

You are amazing. Jesse James sucks ass. Don't give into him. Don't fall for his "I had a bad childhood so I self-sabotaged" b.s. He is bad. You are good. Take that Oscar and that sweet baby Louis and move them as far away from him as possible.

Be a role model for all women. I really respected how quickly you made your decision to divorce him after his scandal broke. Cheating and Public Humiliation are Definite Dealbreakers.

You can do it. Stay Strong. There's an even better one around the corner.

Love,

~Caitie

Ready to Go!

This weekend, I'm traveling to Syracuse, NY for my mom and dad's 35th college reunion. TWO of my dad's college bands are reuniting to play a full night of music, and I feel like this is something I HAVE to experience!

But, airports are getting crazy. I am definitely NOT checking a bag, but I didn't have a good-sized travel bag. So today I bought one at Target.

Later!!

It's a honey of an O...

It's Honey Nut Cheerios!!

I'm a little bit obsessed right now. Ice cream? Nahhh Chocolate? Nahhh At night, for dessert, I want Honey Nut Cheerios!!!

Memorial Day: The Perfect "Summer" Day

Memorial Day for the past two years has meant one thing: WORK. I managed a pool so two summers in a row, it was a crazy weekend of making sure things were running smoothly at the pool.

This year... oh my. It started quietly. Well, it started early. Very early. Phebe was at Joy's house for the weekend (I went to NC Sat-Sun to visit family) and I spent the night at Kristin's after the "Celebrating Catie Hackett BBQ". I fell asleep next to Lou and below Kate (she was on the couch). Santana somehow fell asleep in the papasan chair. And now the morning starts.

At 5:45am, Santana almost fell out of the papasan chair. It made a loud, squeaky wood noise. Hilarious in retrospect; minorly annoying in the moment. But we fell back to sleep.

We woke up around 10 and pig-piled in Kristin's bed. Catie, Kate, Caitie (haha, but true), Lou and Kristin. Around 11, Joy arrived with Phebe and the amazing day continued.

We left Pheebs at Kristin's and went to get breakfast at The Original Pancake House. YUM! I got my traditional "Sausage and Eggs" which is 3 buttermilk pancakes, 4 turkey sausage links and a giant plate of egg whites. Today I changed it up and ordered fresh-squeezed orange juice. It was so fresh that it had a seed in it. DELISH!

We dropped everyone off, then Joy and I took Phebe to my house. Then... we went... to the Pool! Yes, the pool! Where I am now a member and not a manager. It was SO awesome to see everyone from last summer (especially my guardloves) and to tell them that I am a member now. Several of my "regulars" said, "we are so glad you can drink with us now!" Haha. We were there from about 2:30-5:00. The water was great and the sun was hot and bright. The pool was PACKED but I didn't have to worry about anything, so I was sooo relaxed.

We left the pool at 5:00 because we were hungry and Joy is eating for two. :) We went to one of my favorite places: "Frozen Dairy Bar and Boardwalk Pizza" in Falls Church (very close to the pool!). We each had a slice of pizza, then got yummmmy summery frozen custard with candy toppings. I had my vanilla with reese's pieces. We were sitting there, eating our ice cream, wearing our bathing suits and cover ups and feeling very summery!

Family and a lot of friends... It was my favorite Memorial Day Weekend in years.