Ahoy, Alaska

Hello Everyone.  So I have been an absentee writer for awhile now, but let me assure you...it was with good reason.  I was with my husband and his family on a week long cruise to Alaska!! I read somewhere that its not entirely safe to post for the worldwide web to see that you are going to be gone for awhile, so that's why there was no lead-up.  Bam! Blindsided you with my trip, suckas.


Anyway...(btw I just took a cookie break).  So I decided to do a picture-laden blog to tell you about the trip.  I was very judicious in my picture choosing and that is saying a lot since I have about 300 pictures.  PS Alaska is BEAUTIFUL.


Okay.  So last Thursday, Jordan and I flew to Anchorage with his family (which included his parents, and most of his siblings...making a party of 12) and we crashed in a hotel for the night as it was about 1:00 am (not that you could really tell...the sunlight was still kinda visible).  The next day we took this HUGE stretch limo to our ship in Seward and for the rest of that day, we ate food and explored the awesome ship (the Celebrity Millennium).


On Saturday, we were at sea the whole day, but the coolest part was the Hubbard Glacier we got to see.  Our captain got us pretty close, and the most memorable moment was when I woke up from my nap and saw ice chunks floating in the water a la Titanic.  

Ridiculously beautiful, no?  On Sunday, we were in Juneau, where we went to church in the morning and then later that day, we explored the town before our "shore excursion."  Jordan and I decided to go whale watching and to see another glacier in the area, called Mendenhall glacier.  For those Superman fans out there...the glacier was blue and it looked a lot like the Fortress of Solitude.  Just sayin'.

 

This is an Orca, or a killer whale.  We also saw humpbacks, sea lions, and eagles.  It was amazing.

Okay, so you can't tell about the blue ice in the picture, but I swear.  

The next day, we were in Skagway, a tiny town of about 800--but it was booming during the gold rush.  We went to a salmon bake in an outskirt town (can a population of 800 have an outskirt?  Apparently) called Liarsville.  Then Jordan and I went with a few others from our group "To the Summit!" in a mini-bus tour.  It was actually really amazing.  We climbed so high and the landscapes were incredible.

Then we checked out the town and had lunch with a friend of mine who is performing there, Kristen (how crazy is that??).  I have more pics from the town, but this one is probably my favorite:

Those Alaskans don't mess around with the environment...

This is our Huge ship docked in Skagway.

I know there are a ton of pics in this post, but that's way better than me writing anyway.  Deal with it.  Here are some more from the bay in Skagway.

Jordan and I sailing away.  That's Skagway in the background.  Also, its about 9:30 pm in this picture.  Yeah.  I brought my sleep mask. Thanks for asking.


Anyway, Tuesday we docked at Icy Straight...but we opted to stay on the ship that day.  Gearing up for the dessert extravaganza....

This is just one of about 8 table full of sugary goodness.  Yes, I did gain weight on this cruise.  But isn't that kinda the point?  ps creme brulee was available EVERY NIGHT. 


Wednesday was adventure day.  Jordan and I, with my sister-in-law Nicole went Kayaking in the Tatoosh Islands near Ketchikan.  It was awesome.  I have never done that and we saw a bajillion eagles soooo close to us.  More pictures to come of this amazingness.

That's me looking in the trees for.....

This freaking EAGLE!

Thursday was a sea day, and I haven't really described the food thus far because I don't want to make you jealous.  And I won't go into detail, but the great thing about a cruise is the way you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want.  The dinners every night were 4 courses and incredible.  I tried frog legs.  'Nuff said.

Friday we finished our cruise in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Before we hit the airport, we went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which  means that it jiggles A LOT when you cross it and you are over 200 feet in the air.  I am such a daredevil.

Do you see that thing?! It is so long!!!!  But the other side had pretty much the coolest, biggest, most Robin Hood-style treehouse I had ever been in, so it was worth it.  

Plus, it had these huge trees!! And, really, who doesn't like to hug trees?  :)

Well, that was our trip in a nutshell.  Obviously, it was beautiful and fun and amazing.  I loved it!!!!!

Things I Love

Sigh.  Sometimes I just go to YouTube to waste time.  Don't judge me....you do it too.  Today, I was reliving some of my favorite moments from last season's So You Think You Can Dance.  I LOVE that show.  I love dance and I think the show represents so many styles so well.  Anyway.

Backstory:  For the last few days, I have been really emotional.  It is probably a combo of lots of different things going on in my life, but they all kinda built up and made me cry yesterday.  I don't want to get into it, but my wonderful husband was there to hold me for a good long time.  Nothing really serious is going on, just life.  But sometimes its really really nice when you have someone to cry with, you know?  Anyway, watching this dance from last season always touches me and I hope it makes you smile.  We all need someone to share life with-- even when it sometimes just plain sucks.  This dance makes me feel the same way I feel when Jordan holds me and tells me everything will be okay.  And you know what?  It will.

Isn't it Romantic?

Okay---as you will see if you continue to read this blog, I LOVE my husband.  I know, I know, that's probably the way it should be...but I really think he is the most amazing man in the whole world.  Good thing I got to marry him, huh.  


Anyway, enough super mushy stuff for now...here is something funny about our relationship: I pretty  much think that he is romantic all the time.  The funny part is that he isn't trying.  He has said on multiple occasions, "Wow.  This is great.  I don't have to do much and you think I am being super suave guy."


Here is a short list of things he does randomly that are, in reality, mundane things, but for some reason I see them as proclamations of his love for me:


1. Letting me have the last bite of whatever it is we are sharing.
2.  Holding my hand.
3.  Scooting over on the couch so I have room to lay down and put my feet on him.
4.  Kissing me when the Suns win a game.
5.  Kissing me EVER.  (which btw is all the time)
6.  Telling me that what I made for dinner is a "triumph"
7. Offering to hold the camera and take pictures of where we go cause I always forget, but I LOVE pictures.
8.  Always driving, but asking me if I want to drive.
9.  Encouraging me to go buy some clothes, if it will make me happy.
10.  Seeing my show FOUR times.


Anyway, I'm sure I could think of more and seriously, there are TONS of times that he does something without thinking about it and I think... "How romantic!"-- Note:  He can be a very intentionally romantic person too.  Ask me about how he proposed.  Sheesh.


He also teases me a little about how funny it is that I think everything is about me or directed toward me.  Maybe that makes me narcissistic, but I think it just makes me happy to think that everything Jord does is cause he loves me :) Haha!!


Well, yesterday, the TABLES TURNED.  Yeppers, I apparently did something that was super thoughtful/romantic for him and I had no idea!!


Jordan is a Del Taco FANATIC.  Don't ask me why (although I do love their cheesecake bites.)  Seriously, the man could eat that stuff at least once a week--probably more.  Now, Tuesdays are Taco Nights at Del Taco and that means super cheap mexican food.  He loves a bargain almost as much as he loves the tacos, so Tuesdays were a big deal for him when he was a bachelor.  I am alright with it, but I also really like cooking and don't do fast food too much, so his Del Taco intake has been down since we got married 7 months ago.


Well, yesterday, we were out getting a frozen yogurt treat before watching Glee, and I saw we were passing a DT and asked, "Hey Babe, do you want any tacos?"  He said, "Why do you want some?"  I looked at him kinda funny cause I almost NEVER want tacos and I replied "No, but its Taco Night and I thought you might want some."


I may as well have written him a song and sang it to him on one knee because he looked at me and smiled and started laughing and said "That is REALLY SWEET! No I don't want any but that was so romantic.  I guess it's finally my turn to see the romance in something completely trivial.  Ha!!"  We laughed about it for awhile.  Apparently, all I have to do is remember Taco Night and he'll think I am the most thoughtful and loving wife EVER.


My life is pretty great. (btw this post was for you Nikki :)

Which side are you on?

No, this is NOT a political post.  Nor will it ever be (probably).


This is about something I have noticed about the marketing campaigns of the iPhone and the Droid.  Now, I don't have either one of these phones--mostly because I don't want to pay for the data package with verizon, and I HATE at&t.  Okay, maybe not hate, but before my husband was my husband, we were communicating for HOURS on the phone because I lived in New York and he lived in Las Vegas.  At that time, I was on AT&T and dropped, and I'm not exaggerating here, 97% of ALL my calls.  It was ridiculous.  Anyway, recently we made the switch to Verizon and got ourselves new phones, but not Droids.  Maybe someday.


I think that I would love and iPhone if it wasn't through AT&T, but alas, that is not the case.  Why?  Because I LOVE apple products and especially my Mac.


All of this is to say that since I don't have either phone, I feel like I can give a fairly objective analysis of the Droid and iPhone's respective marketing campaigns.  


Eww.  I sound like I am writing a college application essay.  Really I just want to say that the iPhone's commercials are happy and fun and tell me the the iPhone will make my life a breeze.  I may even be able to find an app that can turn my food into gold, and wouldn't that just be fun?


The Droid, I'm pretty sure, is subliminally telling me that if I come over to the Dark Side, I can TAKE OVER THE WORLD.  


Yep.  I searched high and low for some commercials to post here, but couldn't find them.  But here are some pictures for your consideration:

Here we see the main logo and a picture of the apps for the iPhone. Who DOESN'T like rainbows?  I myself have loved them since my aunt let me play with a rainbow mobile in her room as a small child.  But I digress.

What is this? The eye of Mordor?  It is sucking me in!  Honestly, the commercial for the Droid is the biggest piece of evidence that the Droid is secretly from the Dark Side, luring you in until you no longer know who you are or what you stand for.  

Anyway, think about it.  Do you want to be happy and skip merrily through you day with the iPhone, or would you rather get a PhD in horribleness and control the world with your Droid?  I'll be honest....sometimes I look around at what is going on in the world and in this country and think (just like Neil Patrick Harris) "The world is a mess, and I just need to rule it."

Oh, look, this post did turn political.  Oops.

Lamenting the Elusive

Hello again.  


Okay.  So a little known fact about me: I am a terrible shopper.  I am not your typical girl who LOVES to shop a lot.  I love the idea of it, but when it actually comes down to going shopping, I NEVER find anything I like, that fits me well, or that is inexpensive enough.  I am very tight-fisted and frugal when it comes to clothes.  This is generally a good thing.  However, every couple of years I realize that it has been a REALLY long time since I've gotten new clothes.  This is not to say that very occasionally I will buy a shirt or something if its on massive sale, but I think I've had the same pants for literally, years.  


Since I got married, I have, shall we say, been awakened to how many of my "old" clothes I can't really wear anymore.  Now, I am not a "trendy" person, but I do like to be classy and stylish.  When I buy clothes, I buy them in neutrals--or at least in pieces that I know go with at least three other things that I own already.  The funny thing is, I LOVE bright colors and new clothes.  I just don't want to spend the money.  And I don't want to feel like my body is retarded--which is usually how I feel when I spend hours putting clothes on it and looking at it in a mirror.


Sorry about the long backstory, but you have to understand the miracle of today.  I suddenly found myself with a wicked hankering for some new clothes.  Maybe its the warm weather, or the upcoming cruise I am going on, or maybe its the fashion show my sister-in-law put on in the kitchen this morning.  Whatever the case, I decided it was TIME.


I got one top at Ann Taylor Loft.  I got a new (RED) bathing suit (btw I only buy black ones usually) and a few t-shirts at Target.  But the most fun was a new store called Downeast Basics.  I went into that store and was there for over an hour.  Unheard of.  I actually had to choose my favorite three things to buy because I couldn't wouldn't afford all the things that fit, looked good, and were long enough.  This is CRAZY.  I got this blue cardigan, and this empire top in Navy.  I also got a tan corduroy skirt and a chunky pearl necklace.

Then, fate dangled, yes DANGLED my dream dress in front of me.  It was beautiful.  Springy, modest, feminine, and PERFECT.  Unfortunately, it was not in my size.  I asked if there were any in stores around.  I was told that there were no more in any store in the STATE OF ARIZONA.  I was sad.  Happy with my other purchases, but so sad.  Have you ever seen a piece of clothing that is EXACTLY what you are looking for, but for whatever reason, you can't have it??? I felt like I had just given away my firstborn child.


Then, I remembered that they had an online store!  I came home speedy quick and hopped online.  I found my dress--picked my color and my size and clicked "Add to Cart."  What came next was like salt in an open wound: OUT OF STOCK.  What??!!!!!  "Okay," I said to myself, I'll just get a different color.  Long story short, they were out of EVERY MEDIUM VERSION OF THAT DRESS.   Why, I ask, WHY?


Alas, I sent the company an email begging them to make more, and telling them that I loved their clothes.  We'll see what happens.  I won't hold my breath.  But here is a picture of my beloved dress.  The one that got away.

Ruby Lips and Salty Chips

Hello again!  So as most of you were probably aware, yesterday was Cinco de Mayo!  To the majority of the world, this holiday includes A LOT of alcohol.  To people like my husband and I and our best friends Nicole and Nathan, it means more Mexican food than the human body can handle, and a buzz-free PARTAY!!!

See, we are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  One of the things we don't do as a part of our religion is drink alcohol.  But that is NOT to say that we don't know how to have a good time....Consider the evidence:

Yep, campers, that would be homemade guacamole and salsa.  Those chips would be the BEST CHIPS EVER from Fresh and Easy and the cheese sauce would not make feel bad either.  Those are the RAD decorations that Nikki put up in her amazing home...they may or may not have helped the Suns claim a victory over the stinky Spurs.  But more on that later.

Those are the also the drinks Nikki made.  Points not only given for them being adorable and festive, but also for being incredibly delicious.  By the way, she and Nathan were in charge of the four "D's" of the party--namely, drinks, dips, dessert, and decorations.  Jordan and I were in charge of enchiladas, beans, rice, and salsa.  Sweet deal if you ask me :)

After a GREAT dinner and after all of us felt sufficiently like cows, we settled in for a relaxing viewing of Game 2 of the Suns/Spurs Playoffs.  In case you are not "in-the-know" (as I was before marrying my husband this last year)....the Suns hate  despise the Spurs.  Apparently, this rivalry goes WAY beyond the common feud.  Judging by the reactions of the men in attendance at this party, at least two of the Spurs players belong in the seventh circle of hell, and deserve any taunting or ill-wishing that may be thrown their way.  (Side note: as a rule, I am all for competitive jeering, but I drew the line last night when the phrase was uttered, "your wife hates you, Tim Duncan!" in an effort to throw him off his free-throw shot :) )  JK--but really, I am such a romantic that even taunts like this offend my rose-colored soul.  I'm such a girl.  

Anyway, The Game was touch and go in the first half, but in an incredibly exciting 2nd half, the Suns were able to beat the Spurs, making the series 2-0!!  Yep, it was a time of rejoicing in the Dee house, and since I was sitting right next to my man for the win, I was the lucky recipient of, shall we say, quite a bit of affection.  Let's just say that if I'm in need of some smooching, I'll be positioning myself right next to my Hubby if it looks like Steve Nash is gonna hit a game winning three.  I know you all want to know the score, but to be honest I don't remember it.  I know, I JUST watched it.  But I'm a girl.  I don't remember this kind of stuff.  I can name at least five members of the team, though, so that DEF means I'm improving.

We stayed up talking for hours with good friends after the game and had a wonderful time.  And that's what holidays are all about right?

I leave you with one other victory from last night:  Nicole and I were able to successfully and foxily pull of the pinnacle of make-up achievements....the RED LIPSTICK.  We had been planning on being bold enough to wear it "out" one night, and last night was our practice run.  I think it worked. :)

I Have Some News...and the News is This:

I have entered into the world of blogging and may never return. Yeppers, I have been considering starting a blog since I saw that movie about butter, I mean, cooking through a cookbook-- and have finally convinced myself that there is little, or no, risk involved.

My amazing husband Jordan helped me come up with the name of this blog. Since I KNOW you are all (by all, I mean maybe the two people r

eading this) wondering the meaning behind the name, I'll go ahead and tell you. My maiden name is Kleinman. My first name being Kaitlynn. Yes, that means that for 23 years of my life, I have been forced to smile and answer the question "Hey! Does your middle name start with the letter 'K'? Cause that woul

d be hilarious. You know...the 'KKK'?". Me: "Nope. Sure doesn't--and that would be pretty crappy of my parents."

Sigh. My initials are/were KDK (which, in truth, IS kinda funny cause I sometimes go by the nickname 'Katie' or phonetically 'Kay-Dee'...think about it) until I married my husb

and and now my last name is Bluth. :)

Hence, my brand-spanking new monogram reads like a radio station: KDKB. Home of the pie-obsessed.

In other news--Jord and I are settling down for our weekly viewing of Glee, which I look forward to like I look forward to the day before Thanksgiving (i.e. PIE DAY). So, peace out for now. And thanks for stopping by.