i was going to go on a talking-about-work hiatus and share some things that are making me happy today...

last night at dinner with the fabulous karen & rich we were talking about my blog and all the work talk. so I thought I'd take a work-talk hiatus. but, um, no hiatus. which is okay, I pinkie swear. but first....the things that are making me happy...

I, Carrie who makes pumpkin pie from scratch, who cooks a delicate and delicious creme brulee and who can whip, chop, fold and measure with the best of them, cannot successfully cook rice that is not burned. I am a freak of nature, I know. And no method has yet worked--not letting it boil then turning off the stove, not setting a timer, not anything else. Until, behold:

the rice cooker that Kara gave us for our wedding. I love it. It makes me so happy. it cooks rice beautifully every time, and I have to put in almost no effort.

I also looooooove my happy green french press that mj & christine gave us. I use it every day. It makes lots of coffee. And it is WAY better than using little filters on a daily basis.

next up--my new monitor. I bought it back in MARCH when it was on super-duper sale. We have yet to make the upstairs bedroom into a true "office" so I'd never opened the box. Until Friday, when I worked from home. My photos look AMAZING on this kid. And I love, love LOVE the wireless keyboard. And the rechargeable batteries that power it.

I love my chair from Ikea, too. Matt and I bought it on the 5th of July, and he assembled it the weekend before last. Hazel thinks it's the most comfy chair ever. It, too, will go in my office.

And last, but not least, huge props to Aveeno's 70spf sunblock today. When I went to go take the clothes out of the washer and put them in the dryer this morning I felt like a mom because of the sundry items I found stashed in my "clean" laundry--including a tube of sunblock, a yellow velcro roller and a hairclip. And although this sunblock keeps my super-fair skin from burning when I do go outside, today it gets props for staying tightly shut throughout the entire wash cycle. THAT makes me pleased.

oh yeah, and about work?

today I got a "spot award" at our meeting for the work we did getting the proposal out in April. and now I have a nice little $100 v!sa gift card with my name on it. and that makes my currently-overworked self smile. :)