Midwest Tour

This weekend I went on a mini midwest tour of 2 of my favorite midwest cities to celebrate 2 very important events...Emily's 30th Birthday and Coral's Bachelorette! Since I forgot my camera BOTH nights, I am relying on pics from facebook to narrate the night. And since I don't know how to enlarge them, I am sorry people they will be mini sized.

I took a road trip with my friend Dan and after dropping him off to visit a friend in Milwaukee I headed to Chicago to visit one of my oldest and closest friends, Emily. We went her local neighborhood bar that has TURTLE RACES, on Friday nights! It was awesome. Emily's name was drawn to race a turtle and her turtle won!!! Here is the birthday girl with her tshirt.

Here's me and Em, enjoying some PBR, in solo cups...I mean how can you not love this place?

Emily has also become good friends with my friend from grad school Julia, and some of Julia's friends. So here is Julia, myself, and Ben, celebrating.

After spending an AWESOME friday night in Chicago and I headed back up to Milwaukee for Coral, my friend from grad school's, bachelorette party. Here is Coral enjoying one of her many shots of the evening.

We went on a cruise on the Milwaukee River with Margaritas and tacos. It was great! The only downfall was it was very cold. Not at all like an August night!! I love getting together with my friends from grad school. We all live all over the midwest so being able to spend time with them is always a blast!! Here is Jenny, myself, Julia, and Marlys on the cruise.

This picture is almost pointless because it is so small but oh well. After the booze cruise we hit the bars, first up the Harp. An AWESOME place, more shots, laughs, and beer happened here.

Me and Marlys at the Harp...I really liked this bar
The grad school crew at Trinity. Jenny, myself, Marlys, Julia, and Coral. There were a couple of other great stops in the night to other bars for some more drinking and dancing.

Everyone had a great night especially Coral! Sunday was a bridal shower for Coral and then heading home back to reality and work on Monday. I feel really lucky to get to spend time with my amazing friends. I can't wait to back and visit them again very soon.

love tuesday

As promised, I'm still back and time for a love tuesday post:)

• love my new computer! It is so amazing, look at how cute it is!!

• love cleaning out my closet and donating 2 whole bags of clothes!! Don't love that my closet still looks full which means no shopping for me right now.


• love that I get to attend two of my friends' big celebrations this weekend. Emily's 30th Birthday party in Chicago one night and then Coral's bachelorette party in Milwaukee the next. love spending time with friends who live in different cities.


• love that fall TV is coming back soon:) Biggest Loser, Grey's, and a special fall So You Think Can Dance, in the words of Rachel Zoe, I Die! Thank goodness I have DVR


• love the DQ thin mint blizzard...really how can you go wrong, it combines to of the best foods ever. Girl Scout cookies and ice cream.

• love panda cam from the san diego zoo...if you are lucky, you can see the mom all snuggled up with the wee little baby panda!
• love all the friends and family I have right now who are expecting...I need to get to work on my baby knits! Can't wait to get started on some fun baby hats

OK my 3 followers, hope you all had a lovely Tuesday!

I'm Back!!!

After a LONG LONG hiatus I am back and dare I say, better than ever...much to catch up on!! At the end of July I went on an Alaskan Cruise with the WHOLE Wattson family and was lucky enough to have one of my best friends Tina join me, or as my family calls her "T". We had a blast. It was truly one of the best vacations ever, so beautiful and amazing. We started in Seward, AK and ended in Vancouver. Some of us then spend a day and a half in Vancouver which was not nearly enough time there, and then down to Seattle for another couple days. I did not want to come back and I think the feeling was mutual among all 17 of us:) So here are so pics from the trip...enjoy!

Going into the bay to see the Hubbard Glacier. It was a highlight for many of the family members. The weather was perfect and we got within 250 yards of the glacier face which is unheard of I guess. We saw calving, when pieces of the glacier fall into the water, and many seals hanging out on the ice floes.

We went Ziplining in a Artic Rainforest in Juneau...it was beautiful being among the trees

In Juneau we went to the Mendehall Glacier as well and hiked out to get as close as we could and found this gorgeous waterfall.(Jake, Paul, Tina, and Natalie)

My dad and I whale watching. My dad is so happy when he is on the water. It was a gorgeous day and we spotted some amazing humpback whales. No pics taken by me because it would have been a black dot on the horizon.

Mom and Dad whale watching (with our cruise ship in the background). They said they always wanted to take us to Alaska for their 50th wedding anniversary, they took us a 3.5 years early:)

The morning we were in Ketchikan, I woke up to this amazing view.

Tina, Paul, and I took a bus to the Saxman Village which has a large collection of totem poles. We talked to Woody Watson (a distant relative I hope because he was full of the info!) about the stories of the poles. Very interesting!

We ended our cruise in Vancouver, which I would love to go back to for a whole week. A very cosmopolitan city with tons to do! Here we are walking along the seawall in Stanley Park. It was record breaking highs, 30 degrees Celsius (so math geniuses figure that one out)

We went to Granville Island which is a big Public Market with shops and artists and of course tons of Food!! We had a fun morning vacation breakfast of whatever we wanted!! Tina had sushi, Natalie french fries, and myself...a nutella and banana crepe! Almost as good as the ones by Notre Dame...sigh...

View of Vancouver from Granville Island

We all met up with one another in Seattle for a final family dinner. Here are my 4 nephews. L to R:Nick (15), Jake(14), Henry(6), and Eric(14)

And my three nieces!! L to R: Natalie(11), Greta(4) and Hilary(17)

It was definitely rough heading back to work after such a fun time! I can't wait until the next trip:)

It's Official!!!!

So it is official....

http://kevinries.edinarealty.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?listing=40615016&Popup=1

The don't have all the photos up yet because it just went on the market today but the old house is FOR SALE!! Definitely 30 years of great memories from there:) I hope a very loving family buys it.

love, tuesday

OK so just a mere day late but hey, i'm working on it:)

• love my cell phone. I know most of you already know this because this photo below is how you can often find me, texting away on my phone. I love it though.
  
• love craft club!! So a while ago my friends Kristen, Tina, and I decided that we wanted to start a craft club. The idea behind it being, we get together to work on different projects like knitting, sewing, or any sort of crafty thing you want to do. We just started it up again last night and its so great. So fun to get together with people and eat some snackies, work on projects, and chat.
• love my mom! It was just Mother's day so I have to give a special LOVE to my mom. She is my favorite person in the world. Love her so much and do not know what I would do with out her. I was glad to have a day to celebrate her and do nice things for her even though I try to do that everyday. Here's an old school photo of my family, sorry its so small...I'm the baby
• love a clean bathroom! I had to clean my bathroom last night because of having craft club at my house and now its so clean and sparkly! I love it.
• love my little desk fan. It has been very humid lately which makes my little cubicle very stuffy. My new little desk fan keeps me cool and not falling asleep at my desk!!
• love season finales of tv shows. Its kind of a love hate thing, I love them because they are so climactic and exciting, biggest loser was last night, america's next top model tonight, grey's tomorrow, etc. However sometimes they leave you hanging. That is not the best, because then I have to wait until fall to find out what happens. Oh well it is also a sign that summer time is here:)

Have a lovely day everyone!

love tuesday

Hip hip hooray!!! Its really Tuesday and I am writing my blog, yeah for being on time:)

I have been kind of crappy so far this work week but a few things have made my tuesday better than my monday

• love my new pens from my friend and coworker Megan. I stopped at her building the other day to bring her some fries, more on that later, and she was using the coolest pens. I am kind of a pen freak so I asked her where she got them and she said I could HAVE them, I know! how lucky am I?! So I have been using them since then and there was even an orange one that I was using today in honor of Cinco de Mayo (love Cinco de Mayo)
• love that there is now a Five Guys down the street from my work!! When I lived out in DC they had this chain everywhere and their Burgers and Fries are simply amazing. I heard a rumor that one was going to be opening in MN and little did I know it would be so close to me! YAY!!
• love scrapbooking with Kristin on Saturday. It was so great to spend a ton of time working on some unfinished projects, thus fulfilling one of my new year's resolutions.
• love my parents' new condo! Moving day was yesterday and even though half their furniture is still at the old place for "staging" purposes it was great to have them get into their new home. love helping them unpack as well, nice to give back for the numerous, numerous times they have helped me do the same.
• love massages! I have been having some bad headaches again recently (seriously you turn 30 and everything falls apart, just kidding I have had this for a while) and nothing helps me like an amazing massage.
• love the TV show gossip girl, sorry people but I do and right now I can't get enough. Its like I wish that I hadn't seen every episode so I could go back and watch them again for the first time, I know its weird and twisted.
• and while we're on the topic of TV, love The Biggest Loser! Heck yeah, nothing I would rather do on a Tuesday night than sit down with a big bowl of ice cream and watch the Biggest Loser. I don't think that's exactly what they have in mind for "inspiring" people but I eat Edy's Slow Churned now, so does that count? I highly recommend the S'mores kind:)

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone!

Alcohol Free April

There is this show on the FX channel called "30 Days" where Morgan Spurlock, yes the guy from Supersize Me, either goes and does something for 30 days outside of his comfort zone or sends other people to do something outside of their comfort zone. Well, as a minor take off on this show, which I highly recommend, I decided to undertake my own 30 day experiment. Like many of us, there are definitely areas of my life where I need some work, and these little 30 day, or monthly experiments are a stepping stone for improvements in my life. My first attempt was Alcohol Free April. I attempted to not drink alcohol for the whole month of April. I was wondering how it would effect my health and my wallet, and also if I could do it. I am quite a lover of a good happy hour and really on a gorgeous spring afternoon there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting out on a patio somewhere with friends having a few beers. I gave myself a bit of a handicap and picked a rainy month to attempt this feat and it definitely helped. So my report card on Alcohol Free April is:

A-

I gave myself an A-, not a perfect A because I did have a mimosa at a celebration(Anna's dedication) and a beer at a co worker's birthday happy hour. However I would like to point out, I had been at the happy hour for 3 hours before I actually partook in a beer so I was quite proud. And that was all the alcohol I drank in the month of April.

As for the difference it made in my health and wallet those were not as much as I had hoped. My health, I did not lose any major weight from cutting out drinking from what I can tell (I don't weight myself) but did feel a bit more energized on the weekends to get projects done. I was not quite as tired as I am after a crazy night of drinking but that was too be expected. My wallet, I think this did help my wallet a little bit. I didn't notice myself going through cash like I do sometimes when I decide I need another beer and so does everyone else I am with:)

All in all it was a good experiment and lesson in not giving up even if you have a little slip up and to be proud of your accomplishments. I have discussed with some people other possibilities for my monthly experiment and May is going to be "Make more meals May". I am going to only bring my lunch to work, and not go out for lunch. I am usually pretty good at this but need it to be enforced and get in the habit of always packing my lunch on those rushed mornings. Wish me luck on this one! I'll let you know how it goes in a month.

love, tuesday

Still going strong here...much to blog about in the upcoming days. I had an "alcohol free April" so I need to write how that went and I am going to try "make more meals May" ( I love alliteration, can you tell?) but I will write about that tomorrow or Friday. Today I will continue the much loved weekly installment...

• love that I am going to see Legally Blonde the Musical tonight with Erin. I LOVE this movie and hope that the musical will be just as good. love that a perk of my job is getting tickets at group rates!
• love looking ahead to summer and planning weekends away and fun times with friends and family.
• love chicken enchiladas, just had some for dinner last night and lunch today...by far my favorite meal from Let's Dish!


• love my nephews Nick, Jake, Eric, and Henry. I love my nieces too but the nephews get a special shout out today because its Jake's (Jakey as his second mom/aunt calls him) 14th birthday today, and last night I was on the phone trying to help Eric with his math homework. I am not as good at graphing as I used to be but did remember y=mx+b, Mr Vare would be proud:) That's an old photo of nick, eric, and jake.
• love my new bike shorts. I know ridiculous but its the little things. I got ones with padding in the butt, they are awesome!!
• love playing Tennis!!!!!!!! So much fun to go on a great spring day and play a set or two.
• love getting back into knitting and reading, currently knitting Anna's baby blanket and reading Eclipse from the Twighlight series. Hoping to finish both soon!

Have a lovely day everyone!

love tuesday

Hello fans and friends:)

I am BACK! After a long hiatus I have returned to the world of blogging, however this post will have no photos. I was hoping my first post back would have been of my crazy time in Chicago for St Patty's day but I kept putting it off and putting it off, and then received some threats from people to UPDATE YOUR BLOG ALREADY! so here I am at least updating, if not a full recap of the past almost month's activities. So I am getting back on the love, tuesday bandwagon and thought this would be a good way to get back into the swing of things.

• love that people cared enough to say, "hey you need to update your blog, I check it and nothing is new, and i get sad" ok maybe they don't say they get sad but still...
  


• love my parents' new condo...they have not moved in yet...soon though, within the next 2 weeks, but i love it and that they are SOOOO happy to be moving there.



• love my dentist. some of you may be saying, huh this is a weird love because you just got a crown yesterday Ginny, and yes indeed I did and it sucked. However, I love my dentist. He is so great and works so hard to make the "dental experience" a positive one.



• love knitting with my cousin , my other cousin Missy, and my aunt MC outside in the glorious sunshine on saturday morning. I got back on track with my knitting and even got a little sunburn, which i had no idea about until someone commented that I had a pattern from my sunglasses on the side of my face...awesome....



• love the spring weather and taking my bike out for a long bike ride along the greenway. My apt location is PERFECT for access to a ton of different biking paths.



• love a productive weekend filled with cleaning and organizing my apt. love my mom, I think this goes without saying but I was reminded of how amazing she is when she came over to help me reorganize my apt. yes i am 30, and yes my mom came to help me, and yes it was AWESOME.



• love my dad. Again this goes without saying, but last week my dad took a tumble off a ledge in our backyard while holding my niece Greta. They were trying to fill a bird feeder and he slipped, losing his balance and then falling to the cement below. My dad proceeded to be the amazing grampa that he is and broke little Greta's fall with his face. 7 stiches, lots of bruising, and a broken nose later, they are all doing fine. Just gave some of us a little scare, do not love those phone calls that begin "hey gin, dad's fine but..." there have been too many of those in my lifetime. But I love my siblings for keeping me in the loop even when I'm at work.



• love doing different things with friends like going to the omni theater and the macy's flower show. Both were amazing and so fun to do something different. Trying to stick with my new year's resolution of trying something new each month.



• love my "niece" Anna. (Anna is my cousin Emily and Rich's daughter) I went down to St Louis to celebrate Anna's dedication a couple of weeks ago, more photos later. But Anna sent me this hilarious photo of herself trying to drive her dog to the vet...it completely brightens my day!

Alright everyone that's it for now. More to come later and I won't wait a month to update this time:)

Let the Madness Begin!!!

So I have been a bit absent from my blog lately but life has been busy. Went and had an amazingly fun weekend last weekend in Chicago and celebrated St Patty's day Chicago style. Photos and a post to follow for that one (If I can just get myself to turn on my computer at home). Since I have been back, work has been crazy busy, which is a good thing, 1) I have a job and in today's times that is great and B) I have lots of work to do which makes the days and week go by faster. This week has been great too because it is the beginning of one of my favorite times of year. I know you are all thinking, Spring me too!, and although I do love Spring it is actually the first weekend of NCAA March Madness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In a perfect world this would be a National Holiday and we would all get the first Thursday and Friday off to sit and watch basketball games all day while eating and drinking some of our favorite gametime food and beverages. However, this is sadly not the case. To make the best of the situation we can still listen to the games while at work and partake in that food and beverage after work but it is still not the same. As you can probably guess I have also taken part in filling out a bracket (or two) and let me just say it was smooth sailing until late last night (damn you Wake Forest and Arizona). To me, winning a bracket challenge would just be icing on the cake. It really is all about filling out those charts and the following along with every game. Its also a great way to start conversations with some guys for a single gal such as myself ("who do you have in this game? oh that sucks, I have ____...they're a way better team"). I have the knowledge to sustain a conversation such as this once it gets started and that bracket can really break the ice. But I digress...this first weekend of the tourney is a great one and it only comes around once a year so it needs to be celebrated! I personally will be pulling for Syracuse and Michigan State so wish me luck! I hope everyone's picks do well, unless of course they are going against mine, in which case...too bad for you when I win;)

love, tuesday

YEAH!!! I am posting this on an actual Tuesday...woo hoo...go me!

• love that I am going to Chicago this weekend and love celebrating my second favorite holiday st patty's day. What's not to love about this holiday, beer, the color green, potatoes, and Ireland?? Why, those are possibly 4 of my favorite things!
• love that Marlys came over and helped me put up my new shelves last weekend and got me going on some much needed home improvements, 6 months after i moved into my apt. (photos of these changes to come later)
• love that the week is going by relatively fast, which makes Friday and Chicago even closer
• love that I get to take this trip with friends who have never really experienced Chicago before. love that I get to be a part of someone else's new experiences.
• love TV on DVD. I have been on a TV on DVD kick and this weekend it was Brothers and Sisters, so great...gotta love the drama.
• love having so many frozen meals in the freezer from going to Let's Dish with Joy the other weekend. And so much amazing tasting food at that!
• love that I am feeling better after a good weekend with lots of sleep
• love getting to spend more time with my nieces and nephews this weekend and that all my nephews won their hockey and basketball games. love that they still get as excited to see me as I get to see them, even though they are getting older.
• love that its MARCH! That much closer to springtime and outside activities. Wouldn't seem like it today with the snow but love that we're one day closer to warmer weather.

Have a lovely Tuesday everyone!

Love twednesday

This might be a shorter than usual love tuesday but it does have the added bonus of....PICTURES!!!

• love my new magenta tights! I wore them to work on Monday and I am now obsessed with them. I wanted to get some bright tights to add something different to a boring grey or black dress and I can't wait to get more. One problem, $4 magenta tights on clearance are $4 for a reason...I already got a hole in them...oopsies, I'll patch that one right up...
• love Law & Order SVU on DVD! This show is so great! I cannot wait to get home and see if Blockbuster Online has delivered another one to my mailbox, sadly though I am on the last disc, sniff sniff...do not love that.
• love the new shelves I got from IKEA last night, actually they are picture ledges but I cannot wait to put them up!
• love that my parents were home last week and I got to see them
• love that while watching my SVU dvd's I have had time to work on this blanket for my cousin's baby, Anna. My cousin Emily started this blanket for her and I said I would finish it...that was like a year ago but I am determined to have it done in time for Anna's dedication in April. Emily and I both have similar blankets that our moms knit for us. Here is where I'm at so far! Wish me luck!

On my iPod

While I am at work, I like to listen to books on my iPod. I got this habit of listening to books from my dad who is notorious for his audiobooks habit. He cannot leave Barnes & Noble without a new audiobook. I found that on iTunes they have many audiobooks for a cheaper price than getting them on CD and it is easier to just put them on your iPod then. I personally prefer to listen to nonfiction books on my iPod because I find them harder to read sometimes and easier to listen to. This is all about personal preference though, I know others who feel the opposite.

Right now I am listening to Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder It is really good. I think I was supposed to read it for my International Social Work class in grad school but never quite got around to it. (Must have been too busy saving the world myself, or just too busy hanging out with my friends) I am glad I am listening to it now. Anyone who is interested in Public Health, Haiti, disease control, or just has a general interest in people who are creating change in the world should definitely check it out.

I just finished listening to Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.
He also wrote Into Thin Air, among other books but this one is about the Mormon religion and also Mormon fundamentalists. Again, this is a book I have wanted to read but could never get into it but listening to it I was enthralled by all the history. I have kind of a weird interest into the FLDS sect and polygamy (Big Love anyone?). I find it so curious and intriguing. Not in a "oh I want to be a polygamist" way but in a, "hmmm isn't it interesting to learn about how other people do things" kind of way. This book got a little long but definitely satisfied my curiousity about the history aspect of things. Does anyone else have any recommendations for good books to listen to?

love tuesday

I know, I know I'm late but this week has flown by, which has been a love. And the next thing I knew it was Thursday! However I have been brainstorming some good LOVES for this week's post so enjoy. I really need to get back on the blogging more than once a week thing but I am just settling back into a routine again after vacation and then staying with my niece and nephew last week so my sister and bro-in-law could get a much needed vacation.

• love hanging out with my niece Hilary and nephew Eric last week. We had so much fun and laughed a lot. I loved getting to spoil them like my siblings did when my parents went away.
• love that my sister and her hubby (think that's the funniest word ever) got a MUCH deserved and needed vacation and time to relax. love that they came back refreshed!
• love that this week has flown by and has been really nice weather wise, until today but we won't focus on that one:)
• love dogs on treadmills. this is totally random but popped into my head while emailing with Marlys the other day. found this website selling doggie treadmills and laughed for a while watching the clips of dogs on treadmills
• love planning trips. heading to chicago for st patty's day and NYC in June both with awesome friends...just thinking about it gets me excited and happy.
• love brainstorming for the travel book/website my friend Erin and I want to start. long ago we tried to figure out a way to get paid to travel, we haven't figured it all out yet but I think we might be on to something with travel insights for people in their 30's. you don't want to stay in hostels anymore but do you really want to stay at a luxury resort? think about it people...
• love when people use stereotypes...ok just kidding that was a sarcastic love. I am quite irritated with people generalizing that people who use welfare services and single mothers with 8 kids from different daddies. As someone having worked with people using welfare services, this is not what the average "face" of welfare looks like. If you knew about welfare you would know that there are time limits and really you don't get that much assistance so people wouldn't continue to have more kids by choice. This is the exception, not the rule. I know there has been more in the media about welfare since the "octomom" but I think people should get a little more educated before they start speaking. OK I am stepping off my soapbox now...
• love the oscars, ok not really...but i do love dvring them and fastforwarding through all the parts that suck. love seeing what people are wearing and hearing who people thank or what they do with their 45 seconds of time, loved the gay mormon who wrote Milk and his speech, brought a tear to my eye.
• love podcasts! I have been sucked into the world of free podcasts on iTunes...they are so great for work though!! lovethem!!

have a great rest of the week!

Vacation

This is the view from my parents' condo in Ft Myers Beach, FL. I love it there. It is so relaxing and peaceful. I enjoyed 6 days full of sunshine, reading, games, puzzles, and my parents. It was so hard to come back to "real life" and am still adjusting to having to go to work every day. When you are there you can just sit back and listen to the waves and clear your head. I had a great time catching up on some reading while I was there as well.
Here are the books I read while I was there:

Subterranean by James Rollins -This is kind of a Michael Crichton/Dan Brown suspense book that was recommended to me by my friend Natalie. I really liked it and couldn't put it down. The subject matter, underground caving in Antartica, wasn't something I would pick but it was definitely a page turner! I finished it before the first night.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah- I would compare this book to a style similar to Jodi Piccoult. It was amazing. The story of two friends who are complete opposites and how they grow up from middle school-?? and how their friendship grows. The writing was really good and after I was finished with it I left it for my sister to read and she too really liked it.

Factory Girls-This is a nonfiction book about female migrant workers in China who come from small towns into the factory cities to earn money. A total change from the other two books I read and I am not done with it yet but the stories are really interesting. Not as much of a downer as you would expect. I am still reading this one.

We also took some walks and found some natural wild life like a little turtle and some pelicans.

We walked down to the pier and took some photos as well. My parents building is the farthest on the left with the green roof.

30th Birthday

So here are the long overdue photos from my 30th Birthday party on January 17th. I didn't take that many since I was busy socializing with everyone. I was so lucky to have so many people come and celebrate with me. I rented out the backroom at the Bulldog bar in Northeast Minneapolis. The food and drinks were great. I would HIGHLY recommend it for parties. Their cupcakes are YUMMY, too:)

Natalie, Kristin, and Me

Some of my friends from grad school who travelled from Chicago, Green Bay, and Milwaukee to celebrate with me!! Beth, Coral, Julia, me, Marlys, and Bobbi

Me and Joy

Even my parents had a great time

Erin and me

Some of my "guests of honor":) erin, julia, me, tim, and natalie.

love tuesday

Hello everyone! It has been a long hiatus from the blog due to a much needed and appreciated vacation in Florida. The weather was gorgeous and sunshine, a-ma-zing. Alas I am now back to the daily grind, which has had me not so happy lately but oh well...gotta find something to love.

• love that its Tuesday and Monday is over, usually mondays do not bother me but yesterday was particularly unbearable. I was happy to say goodbye to that day.
• love my tap class. we had it again on sat and I can't get enough of it. I want to wear my tap shoes around and practice everywhere. too bad i only have non-carpeted floors in my mini-laundry area and small kitchen, not really enough space to to practice those shim-shams and buffalos...don't ask.
• love that I got new contacts today. What a difference just a little tweak can make!
• love that I slept in a bit due to this contact lens appt. Again, what a difference a little extra sleep can make.
• love that I get to hang out with my niece and nephew starting tomorrow. I am house/teen/dogsitting so my sister and bro in law can have a much needed vacation. It will be a nice change of pace and chance to hang out with them.
• love the new banana bread oatmeal I am having for breakfast, and love putting some sort of chocolate in it to make it like banana choc chip bread. My friend Megan from work told me this was the best flavor of oatmeal and I COMPLETELY agree.
• love bulldog puppies...seriously check them out, they are so cute.
• love my crockpot. what a great invention, you put a bunch of things in it in the morning and ta-da, you come home from work and you have a meal.
• love seeing old coworkers and friends and reminiscing. love picking up where you left off with some and of course amazing food and drinks at buca, love buca.

OK well I hope everyone's work weeks go fast and that it doesn't get as cold and snowy as they are saying it might.
have a lovely Tuesday!

love, tuesday

• love finding money in your pocket, this morning I found a dollar in my pocket and I was so happy you would have thought it was $100.
• love pandas!!! My cousin Emily sent me an email this morning with all these cute pandas in it. (I was trying to figure out how to but them in this post but I am not that talented yet) They totally brightened my day.
• love that i have less than 72 hours until I go to FL!!
• love getting my haircut, I get to go today after work.
• love my new tap class, it is so great!!! It has only been one class and I already feel like I have learned so much.
• love gossip girl, i know totally cheesey but the show was so awesome last night. what is going to happen with Dan and the teacher?? Are we going to have a Dawson's Creek/Pacey scandal on our hands??
• love crossword puzzles and my day by day crossword calendar
• love new tennis shoes
• love sunny weekends when you can have the windows open even in winter to just get some fresh air.
• love talking/emailing with my sisters

Alright that was a short one but better than nothing.

Have a lovely Tuesday!

96 Hours

I am now down to a mere 4 days until I head to FL, so bear with me....
The hour countdown has started...woo hoo!!!!
Weather report for the duration of my trip:

Feb 6 Friday
Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Feb 7 Saturday
Mainly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Feb 8 Sunday
Abundant sunshine. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Feb 9 Monday
More sun than clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s.
Feb 10 Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s.
Feb 11 Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s.

Although the weather here in MN this weekend was GORGEOUS and made me quite happy to be exactly where I was. Plus Erin, Tina, and I started our new tap class and it was so much fun. The teacher is so great. She teaches at a local college and also is the movement instructor for the Gutherie theater. I feel so lucky have such a talented instructor for a community ed. dance class. The other ladies in the class were great fun too. I think the class probably ranges in age from 20-75. I will miss next week's class but there are still many more to come!!!

7 Days

I am sorry but I need to gloat (i think that's the correct term i want to use) because I just looked up the 10-day forecast for Ft Myers Beach, FL on www.weather.com and found this for next week:

Feb 6 Friday
Abundant sunshine. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the upper 40s.
Feb 7 Saturday
Abundant sunshine. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Feb 8 Sunday
Plenty of sun. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the low 50s.

HIP HIP HOORAY!!! This impending vacation in just one week has been the only thing getting me through this seemingly VERY LONG work week. I really wouldn't even care if it was thunderstorming while I was down there visiting my parents, as long as I could be sitting somewhere watching movies and reading, with some games and puzzles mixed in with my mom and dad. But sunshine and weather above the teens??? I just might be in heaven. Let's hope the report stays this way as the days grow closer!

Love Thursday, oops I mean Tuesday

Ok, yes I am 2 days late on this one but Tuesday I did not feel very "loving" until the end of the day and I was out later than usual on a week night(went to a Wild game) and didn't want to turn on the computer when I got home. Then yesterday after work, was a visit to my friend Hammer who shattered her radius ball (elbow) playing volleyball last week. She had surgery and has been recovering so a bunch of us from volleyball went to lift her spirits a little bit last night. Enough of the boring "where i've been and what i've been doing" stuff, on to what we came here for, love tuesday.

• love getting free last minute tickets to the Wild game on tuesday night. the seats were AWESOME and the wild won which was a big love. Also love sitting with Natalie picking out which will be my new favorite players based either upon their names (Boogaard, the little kid behind kept calling him boogar) or their photos on the big screen (the less sweaty the better, i am already sweaty enough for the both of us).
• love smoothies in the morning. Whether i make one or I have time to stop by Jamba Juice I feel like I'm having dessert for breakfast, AWESOME!
• love my parents, monday was their 46th wedding anniversary and they amaze me every day. love that they spend their winters in Florida because it makes them so happy (and I also get to go and visit, only 8 day people!)
• love community ed classes. the new session starts this week and today I have yoga and saturday tap starts up again. Its so great to pay so little to either try something new or continue something that you started.
• love that it isn't below zero right now. i think you would only find this love from people who live in MN, but its true. So nice to not see that little - in the morning next to a number.
• love coworkers who keep you sane when work weeks get really really long.
• love clothes in bright colors for dark winter mornings. something about wearing a bright blue shirt when its cloudy and gloomy makes the day a little better.
• love reading for fun. nothing new but lately nothing has made me happier than curling up on the couch with some white hot cocoa in my obama mug (thanks Kath) and reading a good book.

hope everyone find a little something to love today!

To Do Lists

I have really been working on my resolutions for the new year, or I prefer my "to-do" lists. Here is what I had for 2009:

1. Start a blog (completed)
2. Get some sort of physical activity 3 times a week (I don't want to say exercise or workout because then I feel like it creates issues with me trying to define what is and isn't a workout so I have chosen activity instead. it is all good for me anyways)-this one is going well so far. a slight break last week but i am back on the proverbial horse and that is really what counts.
3. Finish some of the many projects I have started-many of you know i am NOTORIOUS for having a really great idea, getting the plan in motion and then not completing it. I was hoping to make 2009 a year to finish some of those projects (my scrapbook from studying abroad in 2000 perhaps) Ironically, I have started this plan by getting an area ready to complete these projects and (drum roll please...) have not completed a one.
4. Try something new every month-this could be anything. A new food, a new activity, a new restaurant, etc. I am counting my skating lessons as my "something new" for January since it definitely felt new the other week

So these are my 2009 to-do's and so far I am going OK. I just really needed to put them down on paper and kind of "say them out loud" so I hold myself more accountable for them. I still need to post photos from my birthday celebration and also our trip to see the MN rollergirls last weekend (another new activity) but I can't seem to find my cord for my camera...maybe tonight.

Also only a mere 11 days until I head to Florida to go and visit my parents(who are celebrating their 46th wedding anniversary today!) and escape this cold MN winter...hip hip hooray!!

love, tuesday (obama edition)

Really a love tuesday is not even needed for today. I just woke up in a better mood knowing today is inauguration day. I really think that the only people who are in a bad mood today are 1)kids who have to go back to school after a long weekend and 2) mean nasty Republicans (i put mean and nasty, not to be confused with the other republicans who also like Obama). I could go on for hours about my love for Obama. But instead I will just move on to my bullet points and leave it at that...

• love that today is the last day our country will be run by Bush and hopefully he will fade away and never have to see him again
• love Obama, i mean i think we all knew this but i just had to throw it in there
• love that i share a birthday with Michelle Obama, and love her as well. how could you not? such a strong woman who is smart and independent but also a loving wife and mom. now one question, where do i find my Barack?
• love Sasha and Malia...you knew this was coming. they are so dang cute! I just want to smash them with hugs and love, but i know they already get a lot of that from their amazing parents. When I look at them I just feel hopeful. which leads me too....
• love hope....those of you who know me know that if I had one word to live by it would be hope. love that obama took this word and ran with it, you know how in jerry maguire renee zellweger says "you had me at hello", i would say to Barack "you had me at hope"
• love that multiple websites will be streaming the inauguration so those of us who have to work today can still listen/watch at work.
• also love DVR...CNN will be recording all day at my apt :)
• love the first dog the Obamas will be getting at the White house, only i heard it might be a labradoodle...i am not interested in doodles but my friend KK might be happy because i think this means it will have eyebrows and a beard
• unrelatedly, love all my friends and family who celebrate my birthday with me. I felt so special and so lucky on Saturday. it was so great to see everyone in one place (even though it was a bit overwhelming to spend enough time with everyone).
• love Obama's plan for service and him bringing change and service back into importance. it is so needed and i hope it catches on just as much as his campaign did.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday and is filled with as much optimism and hope as I am!!

Love Tuesday

My cousin does this thing on her blog called love friday where every Friday she lists the little things, or big things, that she loves on that day. I used to do it on myspace every Tuesday when I was having a rough time and Tuesdays seemed to be the roughest. Tuesdays are still rough days, for some reason. I feel like on Mondays you are getting back into the groove at work and then once Wednesday hits the week is half over but that little Tuesday in there just always gets me. This is a way to think of positive things on that day that isn't always the most positive. Here is my first Love, Tuesday post (a day late):

• love starting my blog and actually working hard at keeping it up
• love that I get to share my birthday this Saturday with so many friends and family
• love the flowers that I got from my parents, they are still gorgeous and have totally brightened my birthday week.
• love getting packages in the mail, or love getting any non-bill mail
• love having premade meals in the freezer and making them when I get home, love let's dish
• love my sister and my dad...they get a special shout out because their birthdays are this week too!!
• love seeing my nieces and my nephews on Sunday. I LOVE getting to hang out with them.
• love that i have a heated underground garage to park my car in on these FREEZING winter nights
• love my iPod and being able to listen to it at work.

Happy Tuesday (well actually Wednesday) everyone!

Lessons

These are my new skates...I got them for Christmas this year. Now many people may be wondering, "why did a 30 yr old get skates for Christmas?? Don't 5 year olds get stuff like that?" Well yes but it was all I really wanted. I began skating when I was 3 years old and continued taking lessons and skating on a team until I was 14. I loved skating, I felt so at home on the ice and in the arena. I loved the sounds, the smells, the feeling of the ice, everything. I wanted to get back to that place and I found out the the very same arena where I started skating 27 years ago has adult lessons. So I signed up and asked for new skates for Christmas. And here I sit, after my first time back out on the ice in probably 5 years, and I am very very sore. I know I am out of shape but goodness!! Even with all the aches and pains, and I am sure there will be many more tomorrow, it was awesome. A little rough at first trying to remember how to stop and different moves but that is why I am taking lessons, right?? I can't wait for next week!

You know its a great Monday when...

• you get 30 beautiful pink roses from your parents to celebrate your birthday week (photo to will be posted later). I think I am going to tell people at work they are from my secret admirer:)
• you get let out of work early at 3pm for a "snow day" of sorts.
• you have your first skating lesson and don't fall on your ass.
• you get a birthday present in the mail all wrapped up saying, "do not open until your birthday"

New Year, New Decade, New Beginning

So I have been meaning to start a blog for a while now but have never actually done it. I made it a new year's resolution to actually start one and keep it up. Here I am!! People have been asking me what I will talk about in my blog but I think that will develop. I just wanted to share with people about myself and my experiences. Who knows where this will go but it is similar to the next stage of my life I am entering. I am turning 30 in a matter of days and really could not be more ecstatic. I am happy to bit a farewell to my 20's. They were wonderful and horrible, sometimes in the same day. I learned a lot about myself and what I want out of life. I can't wait to start my 30's and this new beginning.

I am new to this whole "blogging" thing so cut me some slack and know there will be more photos and other fun stuff to come. I hope you enjoy.