12.24.2008

Merry Christmas!


We'll be celebrating with the Livingston's extended family tonight then with the immediate Livingston's and Priest's tomorrow! And then off to Minnesota!! :)

Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
Love, Kaylea

11.04.2008

I know it's been over a month...


...but I voted today.. and I am really excited to be so young and to be part of what could be the most important election of my lifetime. We are making history today people!!!

More soon... I promise! I'm just too excited right now!! ( I know its geeky but I think it comes from working in media, I've been surrounded by this election for the last 18 months! I'm more educated in the issues that I have ever been before, and I feel involved and informed and IMPORTANT!!!!)

9.26.2008

Copying off of Rhiannon

Ten Randoms on this beautiful Friday Afternoon....

10. The people I work with are hilarious we just had a 30 minute convo about worst Halloween costumes of our childhoods. Good times. What was your worst?!?

9. It's great to be feeling better and to not have gotten full fledged strep this week like I had thought I was.

8. I love picnik! (it's a site that lets you edit and jazz up your photos it's totally distracting and addicting... I'm trying to figure out a cute way to use picnik to redo all my photos and frame them at our new condo...)

7. I am so excited to have FINALLY reconnected with an old, long lost friend.

6. Cooper is getting entirely too big, I have seriously been considering not feeding him after he reaches 25lbs. (Chill out PETA-- I'm kidding)

5. I can't wait to see my cousin, and hang out with her tonight. She's always a lot of fun and we don't hang out as much as I would like, but we are both so busy!!!

4. I have hands down the best Grandparents in the WORLD, they watch my dog everyday while I'm at work, my Mamaw makes my favorite food for me all the time, and especially when I'm not feeling well like this week, they insist on taking me out to dinner (at really interesting places that I would never have picked out myself, might I add,) and they are so good to not only me but also to Matt, my Papaw is hilarious too, always lots of laughs. I am so lucky, I don't know what I would do without them!

3. While I am so excited to be moving into our condo so soon, it has been a very stressful and confusing process. And honestly, I am enjoying living at home, so close to my parents and Grandparents.

2. I feel so fortunate to have met so many amazing women during my short time working at Mount Carmel, we all met for dinner this week, and yet again they prove to be so fun, and just an amazing group of friends. I'm so lucky!

1. I can't wait to see Matt tomorrow (he's been in MN for a week & I have missed him!), he will not believe how huge Cooper has gotten in just a week.

& just for fun a recent picture from a wedding we went to in MN last weekend. PS. Congrats Jeremy & Sarah, we are so glad we could be there for your special day, we love you!!!!!

9.09.2008

The Name Game

The weekend was fun and tiring. Lots of friends, football, and jello shots. Ideal for a fall weekend! :)

(( & the Bobcats did scarily well against OSU ))
(((scary)))

::Name Game::
1.Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Max Chevy (slightly appropriate)

2.Your gangsta name (1st three letters of your real name plus izzle, favorite ice cream & Fav type of shoe):Kayizzle Cookies n Cream Flat

3.Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal): Pink Cooper

4.Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Susan Westerville (As much as I ahte my middle name this is actually a this is a good soap opera name!)

5.Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): LivKa (this would work!!)

6.Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Yellow Blue Moon (mmm.. blue moon!)

7.NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): Darrell Chester (this is so appropriate it is scary! Love my Papaw D & Grandpa C)

8.Dancer name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Betsy Johnson Reese Cup

9.TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Conroy Cleveland

10.Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Spring Daisy

11.Cartoon name:(favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Grape Vest

12.Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Pop Tart Buckeye

13.Movie star name (first pet's name, first street where you lived): Max Tracy (this is a good one)

Give it a try!

& I promise I'll post fun pics as soon as I find the cord to my camera.. grrrr.

9.05.2008

Go Bobcats/Bucks!

This weekend presents an interesting predicament. I was BORN a Buckeye fan-- but got my degree for OU, where I became a BOBCAT. Matt played NCAA basketball for OU for godsakes, I went to EVERY game for 2 years! I support OU. But I love.love.love Columbus, and I love.love. love the Buckeyes!

So tomorrow I will be here:

and I will be feeling like this:

(but if the bobcats win i will be UPSET, the Bucks need a PERFECT season)

8.18.2008

It's been a really long time...

& we've been really busy. I guess I didn't really want to post about what we've been busy with until it was official-- & it is now so....

Matt & I bought our first home!

The entry way/kitchen/downstairs half bathroom

the kitchen

living room/dining area

upstairs bathroom

upstairs spare bedroom/office
These are pictures of the model, ours will look a lot different decor/color wise but it is the same setup for the most part. The condo is in Grandview & we are really excited. We close on October 3rd, and looking at the calendar today I realized how crazy October is going to be!! We have the closing, and all the moving etc. that comes with that, Brittannie & Stevie's Wedding, Megan & Steven's visit from Seattle, Cooper's Puppy Class Graduation, The Columbus 1/2 Marathon, (the last 3 are all in the same weekend!) the pumpkin show, hopefully a visit from John & JoAnn, and Madison's 5th Birthday!!! It will be insane!

I mentioned Cooper's puppy graduation :) He is starting classes this Saturday in hopes of getting him fully potty trained and ready for the move to the new place. He takes one class a week for eight weeks, on the eighth week he has a graduation, complete with a hat and all. I am so excited that it is embarrassing! I just really hope that we are able to learn how to better train him and that we get something from the classes. He has been doing VERY good lately, he is totally paper trained at this point, and holds his #2 all day until we get home to let him out. (His bladder is still too small for him to hold #1 all day-- but he does do it on the newspaper.) If he is out of the crate he will go down stairs to the door when he has to potty-- like I said he is doing VERY good. He also knows the "sit" command, and sometimes he will even respond to "shake." He went to Cincinnati with us yesterday, and to the outlet malls (it is so cool that the stores are all pet friendly!!) he is such a "chick/kid magnet" it made the trip so much longer because at least 90% of people we passed had to stop and pet him and ask his breed and name, etc. WE are almost 99% sure he is more beagle-lab, than beagle-terrier, our soon to be new neighbor, and good friend Lauren has a beagle lab, Riglee and she looks a lot like Cooper, you be the judge...
This is Miss. Riglee, Cooper's soon to be girlfriend
& finally the handsome Mr. Cooper

Do you think they look alike?



7.21.2008

found this article: found it interesting

You'll find my comments and confirmations in purple.. yikes. 

Meet the Millennials: We Come in (Digital) Peace

USA Today says: “They’re young, smart, brash. They may wear flip-flops to the office (check) and/or listen to iPods at their desks (check). They want to work, but they don’t want work to be their life. (ch ch ch check)

In case you haven’t been introduced, meet your new workforce, the “Millennials.” They include about 70 million Americans born between 1977 and 2002 (1985 for me) (and usually, it’s a narrower gap of those ages 16-27). What’s so special about this new generation of employees is that they’ve enjoyed the luxuries of digital technology throughout their entire lives.

Cathy O’Neill, SVP at career management company Lee Hecht Harrison, adds that “the millennium generation has been brought up in the most child-centered generation ever. They’ve been programmed and nurtured. Their expectations are different.”  For Millennials, our needs, wants, skills, interactions, sociability and expectations are all different from previous generations. We’re the first generation of digital multi-taskers, able to juggle e-mail, files/ documents, music and videos all with one hand (and a phone)(check, love my iPhone, it can do everything!). We’re tech-savvy, high-performing and high-maintenance. (okay, check)

FreshMinds Talent, in partnership with Management Today, surveyed more than 1,000 people in a study entitled “Work 2.0.” It suggests that Millennials are generally more ambitious, more brand conscious and tend to move jobs more often than ever before (I've been out of college for less than a year and I'm on career #2). More than any previous generation, today's young professionals are plugged in 24/7 with a world of communication and information at their fingertips. Their great expectations come from million-dollar success stories that have transformed a lifetime of paper-pushing cubicle work into digital technology innovators.

Millennials live, eat and breathe digital and have already begun to push the limits of technology, an asset for any company forging into the future. If you don’t mind the occasional “cool” being tossed around in office work chatter, IM bubbles popping up over Excel spreadsheets or funky, dancing iPod speaker robots on desktops, we Millennials will definitely return a high yield.

Interesting Facts about Millennials:

They spend a lot of time at the gym (more than I'd like actually)
More than 1/3 of 18-25-year olds have at least one tattoo (false for me)
30% have a piercing in places besides earlobes (took it out over a year ago, so false also)

*In their recent book, Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa found that, of 7,705 U.S. college students:

97% own a computer -check
94% own a cell phone -check
76% use Instant Messaging -check (via iChat)
15% of IM users are logged on 24/7 -check (when at work)
34% use Web sites as their primary source of news -check
28% own a blog and 44% read blogs -check and check
49% download music using peer-to-peer file sharing -check
75% of college students have a Facebook account -check
60% own some type of portable music and/or video device such as an iPod -check

Other terms for Millennial:

Generation Now: has been used as well to reflect the urge for instant-gratification that technology has imparted
Computer Generation
Generation D (for "Digital")
Generation M (for Millennium or Multi-Task)
Net Gen, a shortened form of "Net Generation" (similar to the related term "Net Natives")

7.18.2008

Columbus

(Photo taken by AndyL_WCMH)

The good news is Matt doesn't have to go to California! PS. Isn't that a beautiful picture of downtown Columbus?! I love this city!

The big event this week was Cooper learning how to jump the baby gate. I apologize for the poor video quality, I was trying to be sneaky!!!




I came home to him sitting at the top of the stairs... and of course he looked so darn cute that I couldn't even get mad. Needless to say we bought a bigger baby gate. Not much going on this weekend, a baby shower, and playing with Cooper, Matt will golf of course! I don't even care, I'm just happy he will be golfing in OHIO and not California!!!

7.14.2008

California here we come?!

Yes. We waited in line for the iPhone on Friday. Call us crazy, we got there at 4:45 and we were out of the store and activated by 8:15. We got there before they ran out and before the computers crashed, so I think we were pretty smart. Plus I love my new phone! I missed my first iPhone so much after we sold them so I was so happy to get the new one!

Also on Friday Mike Jackson from NBC4 interviewed me at my office. We use Twitter a lot to see what everyone is up to, and what the local stations are going to be airing and on Friday I saw a tweet that was asking about an email sent out from airline companies, well, since Matt and I had just flown to Vegas I got the email and I let the reporter know I'd send it to him-- turns out he wanted an interview and came right over to my office. While he was here he spotted my iPhone and interviewed my co-worker Kristyn for her iPhone story-- unfortunately she waited in line and didn't get a phone, you can read about her iPhone journey on the link above.

Matt got some interesting news today-- his company informed him that he may be sent to California for 3 months. We will know for sure tomorrow but there are lots of Cons, but also some Pros. For example, we would get rid of our apartment, saving money and letting us start looking for a bigger apartment (Matt's choice) or a house (My choice.) We would also get to do some fun traveling for free-- Matt's company would pay for me to go visit and also for us to go to Maui, HI, and Vegas, and other cities on the West Coast. Of course the con is him having to be so far away, and work really long hours, and being away from Cooper (and me.) I really hope it doesn't happen but it is out of our control. We will see tomorrow.

In good news, my Papaw had surgery today and it went well. I am going to visit him as soon as I get off work!!! I can't wait to see him. :)

7.08.2008

UN-Lucky

Back from Vegas! Horrible luck while we were there. Didn't win at all- and lost plenty as well. First time we ever went to Vegas and were happy to come home. It was good to see all the MN friends though, heres a few pictures.



We didn't get to do all the things I would have liked, but we go to Vegas pretty frequently so...next time I suppose.

In good news-- Cooper was a very good little puppy while we were away. He stayed with my Mamaw & Papaw and they gave us a very good report. He really bonded with them too. He looked bigger when we got home, and he is definitely faster-- he's almost keeping up with Scooter!  


He really struggles when we leave for work in the morning- crying and getting so upset he is making himself sick. He goes to the vet again tonight so I'm going to ask some questions.

Came back to work yesterday. Were doing some really neat things. I've been doing my homework too- really brainstorming different ways we can use new media and social media to promote our clients and get our stories out there. I'm not a genius by any means...but technology is so intriguing to me, and there are so many ways to reach people and get your name out there. I'm excited to keep doing research and playing with some applications and programs to really see what's out there. 

6.30.2008

Counting Down The Days...


We are leaving for Vegas in less than 48 hours.
I so need a vaca.

Cooper has been a perfect little angel. He went to the vet Friday and he was so good. He cuddled on my shoulder just like a baby.

He really has been great, and he is getting so good at the potty training to. Saturday night he reached his little paw out of his crate and tapped me on the hand until I woke up and had Matt take him outside. He made a bee- line for the grass, I guess he REALLY had to go! I also gave him a bath this weekend, at the time I don't think he liked it a ton, but he was very good, although he tried to drink a lot of water.

He even let me dry him off. The next night he ran into the bathroom and tried to jump into the tub-- so I guess he did like the bath.

Matt played poker this weekend and I played bunco for the first time. I didn't win or lose, so I guess I didn't do great but I had a good time. Matt didn't win either-- apparently we are saving our luck for Vegas-- 48 hours, I can't wait! :)

6.24.2008

Cooper Comes Home

((Our Little Family))

On Friday our new puppy "Cooper" (we picked a name :) ) Came into our home and into our lives. He has been so fun! And really good, too good to be true at this point and I'm just waiting for a disaster. He's only had a handful of 'accidents' on the carpet and otherwise he goes outside or on the newspaper I put on the kitchen floor. He cries a little when he first gets into his crate for the night but if Matt or I stick our fingers in he seems to be okay, and as soon as we lay down and he sees that we are right there he is quiet and falls asleep. It's just so fun having a little puppy at home. Matt is in LOVE with the little guy and he is so good with him too. Cooper loves his Daddy!((Cooper & Matt))

Cooper also met Scooter this weekend. I was so nervous but I think they will be Best Buddies. Especially since Cooper will eventually be Scooter's size. It was funny to watch them run around the yard, and watch Cooper run into steps and the porch when he was trying to follow Scooter jumping up on things. He's got the hang of it now though- he's just got his uncoordinated little puppy paws.
((Uncle Scooter & Cooper))

The weekend was especially fun because Matt's parents were in town from Minnesota. We had a lot of fun with them. I hope they enjoyed their trip and the gorgeous weather we had. Matt and his Dad (and my Dad) got to do some golfing, unfortunately I couldn't take any days off of work so JoAnn was on her own on Friday and Monday, but she did some shopping and beading-- which resulted in some beautiful bracelets for me!!!! She is so talented with jewelry making and I am so lucky to be the recipient of so many of her creations. We talked a lot about Ava and Ella, and the upcoming arrival of the twins!!!! Now I can't wait to visit in September!! And of course I'm looking forward to Sarah & Jeremy's wedding too!!!

All in all it was a fun and exhausting weekend, I will be so happy to hit the sheets tonight.

6.20.2008

Meet _____________.

We are officially getting a puppy!!!!!

(Now if we could just decide on your name little guy))

Our Puppy's Mom is a beagle terrier mix and he is one of a litter of ten. His Mom was found as a neighborhood stray and taken in by a good samaritan so that she would have a safe place to give birth.

It is believed that our Puppy's Dad was the neighborhood chihuahua mix. His eyes are getting darker and we think they'll eventually turn brown.

He is the smallest of a litter of ten. Yet, he does hold his own with his brothers. His best friend is his litter mate, Toley, (however, it is soon to be his Daddy, Matt) and we tend to see them not only play together, but do new things together.

We picked him out on Wednesday, and we will pick him up today at 5! His birthday is April 25, 2008. We bought him too many toys and treats already. And Matt picked out a "really comfy" bed-- he says it is "so comfy" that I half expect him to attempt sleeping in it. We are excited, and I love the puppy already...if we could just pick a name!!!!

Besides that Matt's parents came in late last night so we are looking forward to spending the weekend with them and the new puppy.

6.17.2008

as previously stated...

I don't promise to write everyday, and since my initial post this has been the case. The last weeks or so has been rather uneventful. Matt+Golfing 24/7= Kaylea floating in the pool, shopping, or visiting with Mamaw Shirley & Papaw Darrell. I'm not complaining about how I have chosen to spend my free time, I love all of the above mentioned activities, I just wish spending time with me was more of a 'priority' to Matt...but anyways...

In regards to spending time with Mamaw & Papaw I have been mowing the grass at their house every week and a few weeks ago Papaw gave me a lottery ticket for doing so. It was a $2 scratch off and my winning numbers were 10 & 4, well I began to scratch and my first number was a 10 so I'm thinking "yes a winner!" I continue to scratch and realize that every number on the card is a 4 or a 10, by this time Mamaw Shirley is by my side and we are out of control with excitement, thinking we must have gotten the jackpot ($10,000) I'm thinking "goodbye college loan, goodbye credit card debt (stupid sophomore year of college), and hello Vegas $$$" So I start to scratch off the prize amounts under each number and wouldn't you know each one was $2.00, I won $20.00! I am not ungrateful by any means, it was more than enough payment for mowing the grass which I insist on doing for free. But I know that someone over at the Ohio Lottery Commission was just smitten when they made that ticket, thinking "haha suckers!" I carried the ticket around for a few weeks showing everyone I know and having a good laugh right.. well a few mornings ago I gave Matt my ticket because the ATM wasn't open and he needed cash for golf- go figure. Well then...

Last night we did the usual Sunday night ritual (that was put on hold due to Father Day activities) and went to Giant Eagle, Matt bought his scratch off lottery tickets on the way out as usual and low and behold won $500. He was really excited, I was in disbelief (did I mention he ALWAYS wins, like he has unbelievable luck) Then to make matters even MORE unbelievable he didn't realize that if you had a winning ticket there is a "bonus multiplier" box that you scratch off, he did...turns out he was to multiply his winnings by 3, for a totally win of $1500.00!!! UNBELIEVABLE! This is the second time he has won over a grand just this year! (He won $1200.00 on a 'bad beat' poker hand at the casino in Minnesoh-ta) Lucky boy! I'm thinking maybe my good luck with all my 4's and 10's rubbed off on him... or maybe he just has really good luck. I don't know but it's a pleasant surprise. Now he can pay off his golf credit card, take his dad out for a few rounds this week when they visit, and have some extra cash for our Vegas trip in a few weeks. I just hope his streak of luck continues, or rubs off on someone we know (preferably me-- j/k) while we are in Las Vegas, how fun would that be!!

So that was last night. Good times.

On a 'deeper' note I stumbled upon a blog at work a few weeks ago and it has stuck with me since... if you haven't heard of Matt Logelin already, something makes me think eventually you will (as I feel like his blog is really popular.) His/their story really touching and thought provoking... long story short and in his words I read back through the archives once, and now that I know the background story I check it every few days and sometimes I cry a little (I bet I'm not the only one.) It is really terribly sad, but what I notice the most besides the amazing photography (I SO wish I had that talent) and the quirky, yet thoughtful, and at times humorous posts/words is how much Matt loved and still loves Liz. I know it is selfish and knowing what I already went through and what friends and families that I know went through in regards to loss; I would never want to be in his situation or wish that situation on anyone...but I can't help but think that I want to be loved like that someday. To have someone love me and miss me THAT much - how amazing would that be. I'm selfish, I know. Yuck, I hate that I feel like that.

6.10.2008

I figure I have nothing to lose so here goes nothing.

Well hello there!

While I have always loved to write (letters,cards,notes,etc.) I haven't in many years been a journal-er, probably since the 'diary' days. This is my attempt to track my journey.

So why now?
Part of my job is reaching out to the media; tv stations, radio stations, magazine, newspapers, bloggers, etc and telling them about the wonderful things some of our clients are up to, things that they may be interested in. Because of this I have seen some truly phenomenal blogs. I mean IMPRESSIVE! And I wanted to start one of my own. (I will probably even add some of our clients stuff here too--because a lot of it really is that interesting)

It's not because I think I live a wildly exciting or intriguing life- because I do not. But through my work, family, and friends, I have gotten to do and experience some really amazing things and I feel this is the perfect place to record some of these events and to share them with the many people in my life whom I love and adore and cannot see or speak with everyday.

I'm not making any promises or setting any expectations... the "daily" may even be not so daily and more weekly.. we'll just have to wait and see.