Hallmark Channel’s Paw-Star Kitten Game

Kitten Bowl lovers, rejoice! While the next fur-flying gridiron showdown is still months away, this Sunday’s paw-star baseball game is sure to be every bit as furr-ific.

(via Hallmark Channel) 

Will you be tuning in to Hallmark Channel to watch? Based on the preview videos and cat-lete lineup, it looks as if North Shore Animal League has rounded up yet another all-star litter of adorable, adoptable felines.

The big game airs Sunday, July 12 at 5 p.m./4 p.m. Central. I'll be watching and rooting for each of these sweet kitties to walk away with the ultimate prize – a loving forever home. 

A Cat's Quest for Love

Need a quick Monday pick-me-up? This 4-minute short film, winner of the 2015 Catdance Film Festival, tells the story of French "exchange cat" Guy, who travels to America in search of love. Will he find it...or end up suffering a broken heart?



Also, how many of my fellow cat lovers tuned in for Kitten Bowl II on Sunday? Seriously, it and the annual Puppy Bowl are the only football games I ever care to watch.

How about you? Did you watch the Kitten Bowl, Puppy Bowl and/or the "real" game?

Friday Five: Holiday Edition

Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying this most wonderful time of the year. Here to kick off the weekend are five things that are making me smile.

1. It’s the thoughtful kindness of friends that makes the holiday season so special. Many thanks to my sweet friend Diana of The World Around Her for these fun surprises.

2. I may be biased, but are these two kitties cute or what?!

(via Ulta Beauty) 

3. What’s up, Santa? Just in case you need a few last-minute ideas, Conair’s Curl Secret looks like the perfect stocking stuffer.

(via Bon Appetit)

4. There’s nothing like whipping up a tasty batch of latkes in honor of Hanukkah (even though I don't actually celebrate).

(via E! Online) 

5. I finally saw Mockingjay on Wednesday and loved every minute! Next up, Annie and Into the Woods. 

What's making you happy this week? 

Friends-giving, Sutton Foster & Two Very Cute Kitties

From sharing a feast with two dear friends to seeing the incomparable Sutton Foster bring down the house at DC’s Kennedy Center, my Thanksgiving weekend was filled with food, fun and, of course, two very cuddly kitties. Best of all, it’s now officially the Christmas season, to be celebrated with many a carol, roll of giftwrap and homemade cookie.

As usual, my low-key holiday weekend kicked off Wednesday night with a big glass of wine and an annual viewing of Gone With the Wind. A lovely light snow – our first of the season – also fell that day. Then, Thursday morning, it was time to head into the kitchen to help my husband prepare a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, gravy, salad, my Nana’s mashed potatoes, his Nana’s stuffing and some delish cranberry-lemon relish. Our friends also contributed rolls, a green bean casserole and two pies, making for a fabulous meal in our new home.

(For those who are wondering, I gave up my pescetarian diet a few months back after struggling with low energy levels and weight gain. Luckily, I’ve been feeling better ever since.)

   

Friday found us doing some early-morning shopping, then later heading to the Kennedy Center, where Tony-winner Sutton Foster performed alongside the National Symphony Orchestra and special guest artists Megan McGinnis and Joshua Henry. While the two-hour show didn't seem nearly long enough, it was by far one of the most awesome symphony concerts I’ve seen.

Looks like I'll be re-cleaning the tablecloth and mats! 

Finally, while Steve worked on homework Saturday and Sunday, I enjoyed putting up decorations and snuggling with our kitties, who both tried to “help” deck the halls by batting at ornaments and lounging on top of stockings. All in all, it was a wonderful start to the holiday season! 

How was your Thanksgiving? Are you ready for the holidays?  

Help Animals This Giving Tuesday

Thanks to the SPCA of Northern Virginia, my husband and I were able to give our sweet kitties a loving forever home. Please support SPCA NoVa in their effort to raise $15,000 this ‪Giving Tuesday by making a donation and helping spread the word about the wonderful work they do.  

Many homeless dogs and cats will thank you! 

Help Protect Cats On Halloween

Happy Halloween, everyone! As a cat lover and mom, I just want to remind everyone to please help keep your own cats and others safe from any evil people who might want to do them harm tomorrow night.

While I love the candy and pumpkin decorating that accompanies this holiday, cat cruelty breaks my heart and makes me sick. Please protect your own kitties by keeping them indoors, and also take a stand if you see anyone tormenting innocent cats in your neighborhood. 

Molly and Twix's first Halloween with us back in 2011. They look so tiny!  

As they are every year, our sweet indoor kitties Molly and Twix will be safely burrowed under the covers while we give out candy. Our new community appears to have a large number of families with young kids, so we expect to go through a lot of it this year! 

Weekend Wildlife Sightings (Plus a Cute Kitty Picture or Two)

As many of you already know, I’m a big animal lover. Cats will always hold the ultimate special place in my heart, but I also love dogs, rabbits and wildlife of all kinds. So, you can imagine my excitement when we moved last fall to a neighborhood where we get to see beavers, bats, foxes, deer, groundhogs, bald eagles, geese, ducks and more all while out taking even the simplest of nature walks throughout the community.

And, while many of you may have been grilling or hitting the sand this past Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I also had a great time further exploring our area while attempting to snap pictures and film a video or two. So far, none of the images we've shot have turned out all that awesome, but we're hoping that if we keep heading out there a few times a week, we'll soon get some that are. And if sightings like these don't convince me to stick with my workout routine this summer, I don't know what will!

Isn't this shrub-munching beaver cute? We've seen a family of four so far!

A goose and her gosling, who's hiding in the weeds.

Deer sighting from across the pond.

Not exactly wildlife, but super cute just the same. They even took a break from sunning to get me a Mother's Day card a couple weeks ago. The inside says, "As far as cats go, I AM the best." And in my eyes, yup, they are. :)

Do you love nature walks and wildlife, too? What are some of your favorite animals to spot? 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween, everyone! Life has been pretty busy lately, with some big decisions to make, but I should be back next week with a couple new posts, including one sharing all the cool goodies I got via the Favorite Fall Things Blog Swap.

In the meantime, Molly, Twix and all of their kitty friends on Pinterest wish you a very spooky Halloween! (Yes, these are the same two costume photos I've shared in the past, since the girls just weren’t feeling it this time around.)

"Tiger" Molly

"Cowgirl" Twix

Image Source: mostlycatsmostly.tumblr.com via Pinterest

Image Source: egotvonline.com via Pinterest

Image Source: costume-works.com via Pinterest

Margaritas, Beach Bags & Bath Bombs

Even though things are still incredibly hectic for me at the moment, I wanted to drop in and say hi to let you all know I’m still here! I'm doing my best to visit your blogs as often as I can, and I also wanted to share at least a few photo highlights from the past couple weeks. Thanks for sticking with me, and I'll be back with more updates soon! 

My sweet kitty Twix resting in a Mary Kay makeup box that's just her size. She definitely is gorgeous, just like the box says! 

Isn't this the cutest contact case you've ever seen? Thanks for the gift, Mom! 

A new Vera Bradley seashore tote bag for my July vacation to Hawaii. Is it time yet? 

A pre-Cinco de Mayo margarita from my favorite neighborhood Mexican place. I've definitely treated myself to a couple of these lately!

Tasty sushi rolls to help beat the rainy day blues.

Kicking off Sunday brunch with a refreshing berry mimosa.

The newest additions to my ever-growing collection of LUSH bath goodies. I can't get enough of that place!

Have you seen the new Star Trek movie yet? I loved it!

What have you been up to lately? Has your May been as busy as mine? 

Lazy, Crazy, Hazy Days of Summer

With temps soaring into the 90s and my grad school days officially a thing of the past, it definitely felt like summertime here in our neck of the woods over Memorial Day weekend!

After months of hectic schedules, Stephen and I kicked off the holiday with our first trip out to Virginia wine country since last fall. Sitting on the shaded Vintage Ridge patio and sipping a chilled glass of rosé while surrounded by rolling hills was just what I needed to start letting the stress of the past few months fade away. 

Of course, no relaxing day in wine country would be complete without a stop at Scruffy’s Ice Cream Parlor, which helps support animal rescue programs, for a delicious scoop of cotton candy in a waffle cone -- always the perfect summer treat!   

Other weekend highlights included continuing to make progress on my novel (so much easier now that school is off my plate), kicking off my summer diet and fitness plan (now that I really have no more excuses), going out for tapas to celebrate Stephen's new position at work (yes, we will officially be staying in DC for 1-2 more years), and spending plenty of time playing with Molly and Twix (because cuddly kitties just make everything better). 

How was your Memorial Day weekend? Do you feel like summer has now officially arrived? 

Hand-Crafted Zebra Sock Buddy

Molly, Twix and I were definitely in for a treat a couple weeks ago when my dear friend HiLLjO sent a special hand-crafted sock buddy our way. I love this super cute zebra not only because of the time and care HiLLjO put into personalizing it for me (right down to the purple thread!), but also because she's an incredibly talented designer, inspiring blogger and all-around awesome person who's quick to support others every chance she gets.

Stop by HiLLjO's blog and Etsy shop for a look at more of her cool creations and designs. She's also working on a couple custom drawings for me, which I can't wait to share soon. In the meantime, I'm still trying to come up with the perfect name for my zebra! Any fun suggestions? 

Reader Q&A Answers: Part Two

As promised, here are the rest of my answers to your Q&A questions. I had so much fun doing this and definitely hope to do it again sometime in the future. Cheers!

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I’d have the power to see the future, giving me the chance to try changing certain things for the better ahead of time.

Tell a story about an embarrassing moment.

Slipping and falling down the stairs at work a couple years ago while rushing to a hearing. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt, and my friend was there to help me up. Tons of other people saw it happen, though!

How has the transition been from working in government to working in the wedding industry?

While there were many things I enjoyed about my job in government (my salary, for one), since leaving over a year ago, I’ve really been able to see how the environment and responsibilities were stifling my creativity. Though I still go through  "identity crisis" feelings now and then over all the recent changes I’ve been through, overall, I can see a huge difference in my happiness and outlook compared with back then. In exploring my love of weddings, I’ve also reignited my passion for writing, imagining and daring to dream big. I’ve become more comfortable speaking my mind and being vocal about issues I care about, without the past concerns about whether doing so would be a conflict of interest with my government role. My publishing grad program has also opened my eyes to a ton of new opportunities and has shown me that I definitely don’t have to box myself in. The future feels so much more exciting now!

What is your favorite food to eat? To cook?

My favorite food to eat would probably be a platter of spicy chicken enchiladas. My favorite food to cook is pesto pasta, because it’s tasty, fast and too simple for me to mess up!

What is the one little thing that brings a smile to your face?

Petting my kitties and watching them play. Animals are so innocent and inspiring to me.

What do you enjoy about being married?

I love spending every day with my dearest friend and dreaming about what the future holds for us.

What is your favorite upcoming spring trend?

I’m really excited about pastels and color-blocking. Pastel nail polishes have always been favorites of mine, and I’m looking forward to trying out some new shades and combos this year.

When you moved to the East Coast, was it your first time seeing snow?

My first time seeing snow was actually when my family visited Big Bear in California’s southern mountains when I was about six. Moving to DC brought my first experience seeing snow in a city, non-resort environment, though, and it was definitely exciting, even though I’m not a fan of snow overall. Somewhere, I have a picture that was taken by a fellow intern my first winter here, showing me standing in the snow with the Capitol dome rising behind me. I love thinking back on it and remembering my first few months in DC!

Have you had to deal with any bridezillas yet? If not, how do you think you would handle one?

I generally try to avoid the term “bridezilla,” since it is such a loaded, emotionally charged word. I think that too often, many brides (including me), have on occasion been afraid to speak up for what they really want in fear of being called or considered a ‘zilla. That said, I think it’s also very important, whether as a bride or wedding professional, to make sure that your personality and communication style are compatible with those you choose to work with. When two people understand one another and communicate well, it generally eliminates instances of intense frustration. I've had a great experience with each one of my brides thus far. Though they have each had different personalities and desires, in every case, we were able to work extremely well together, ensuring a positive experience on both sides. 

Grad School Kitty

Stressed out? Too much classwork on your plate?

Fear not! Twix, the ultimate grad school study partner, has got this one covered.

Reading a little bit of this... 

Little bit of that... 

Good grief, this is all just too complicated! I give up... 

Happy Friday, everyone, and have a great weekend! :)

Molly & Twix's 'Christ-mouse' Surprise

Santa Claws paid an early visit to our house this year, thanks to the Kitty & Canine Blogger Gift Exchange, which paired our one-year-old fur children Molly and Twix with Cashew and Macadamia, whose mom Erin writes the fun and fabulous Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Silliness blog.

From feather wands to Party Mix treats, a laser pointer, crawl cube, fish-themed throw toys, letter from Santa and more, the girls were in Christ-mouse heaven  from the moment the package arrived, since even before any toys were actually pulled out, they had already laid eyes on a few of their all-time favorite things – newspaper clippings, bags, and of course, the box itself!

Here, a few fun photos taken during the play frenzy, which was the perfect addition to a weekend already filled with other holiday activities, including sending cards, shopping and enjoying a few sips of spiced holiday ale. 

A huge thanks to Erin, Cashew and Macadamia for making our kitties purr with happiness, and also to exchange organizers Hannah and Kelly! Once we know that Cash and Mac have received their treats, I'll also be sure to share the Christmas-themed goodies we sent their way. 

How are you getting into the holiday spirit so far, and how do you usually celebrate with your pets?