Well, since the whole buying a house thing isn't panning out for us (we put in another offer last week...but I didn't say anything b/c I was convinced I was being cyber-jinxed...guess we just have bad luck) we are staying in our apartment for another year. Which is fine with me. We can save more money, we don't have to shovel snow, blah blah blah. However, if we're going to fit another person, even if it is little, we need to clear out some space. So the past couple days I've been on a cleaning spree. More like a purging spree. I'm throwing it all OUT. Ideally, I'd love my home to look like a Crate and Barrel ad. So simple, so clean, so beautiful. Honestly, I could spend hours and hours in that store, and thousands and thousands of dollars if I had it. So, my motto has been "minimize! simplify! less is more!" I'm really sticking to the one year rule, on everything. Clothes, kitchen stuff, you name it. Even if I love it, if I haven't used it in a year it's gone. Maybe I'm "nesting", who knows. Whatever the reason, I'm tired of having crap everywhere, and I want it gone. Bonus of staying another year: I get to redecorate a little. It was a condition. So I'm excited for some change.
Goodwill, here I come!!!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Cheesecake!
Today the Cheesecake Factory is selling cheesecake slices for $1.50!!! Do you need a better excuse to go?? I don't think so. See you there!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The USPS saves the day. For once.
If you saw my at the mall yesterday with a slight limp, with a mysterious black square on my heel, worry not. My shoe (which has never caused me problems before) gave me a blister. I usually have a little band aid dispenser in my purse, but for some reason it was nowhere to be found. Sometimes I tuck one in my wallet, so I looked there, but no luck. Then I saw stamps. A-ha! I peeled off a measly one-cent stamp and slapped it on my blister.
Hey, they're cheaper than band aids!!
Side note: As I was admiring my clever resourcefulness, I started thinking about my punk rock days at BYU when I dated members of local bands, one of which was named One Cent Stamp, previously known as Spitball. I think their biggest break was recording a cover of a primary song for "The R.M.", which really isn't that big a break at all now, is it? Band boys aren't really to be trusted, as I was kissed and then promptly dumped for my friend. Jerk.
Hey, they're cheaper than band aids!!
Side note: As I was admiring my clever resourcefulness, I started thinking about my punk rock days at BYU when I dated members of local bands, one of which was named One Cent Stamp, previously known as Spitball. I think their biggest break was recording a cover of a primary song for "The R.M.", which really isn't that big a break at all now, is it? Band boys aren't really to be trusted, as I was kissed and then promptly dumped for my friend. Jerk.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Who knew?
Last weekend was a fun weekend. We didn't even go out of town or anything, we just hung out around here. Friday night we saw Mamma Mia!, which I have been super excited to see. It's my favorite musical, so I was pumped to see the movie. And on opening night, no less! Of course, we were like the only ones in the theater, b/c everyone else was at The Dark Knight next door, but that's ok. I should have had lower expectations, though, b/c it was not as good as the live production, obviously. For a musical, the singing was not great (um....hello...it's a musical...pick good voices!) but it was a fun movie and made me want to go to Greece. And it renewed my adoration for Abba.
Saturday I had to work, but I got off early so we went to dinner at Cracker Barrel, because we were craving breakfast, and I didn't feel like cooking. It was delicious, like always, and then as we were leaving we were browsing through the little general store I challenged Derrick to a game of giant checkers. He scoffed at me saying, "Checkers is a game for losers." Well, we must be a couple of losers, b/c we played one game, ONE GAME, and it lasted 30 minutes. No joke. It was pretty intense. Checkers. There's actually a lot of strategy involved! I was ahead, with a sweet triple jump cutting him down to one checker against my dominating 4. I started making dumb mistakes, and eventually he took me down. It was surprisingly a lot of fun, and as soon as we got outside he started jumping up and down and yelling in triumph that he beat me. Who knew checkers could be so much fun?? Old men in the south playing on their porches I guess. Or old men playing in city parks. Way to keep a secret, you old geezers.
Side note: most of the pictures I found of men playing checkers featured Asian men. Is this a cultural thing I don't know about??
Saturday I had to work, but I got off early so we went to dinner at Cracker Barrel, because we were craving breakfast, and I didn't feel like cooking. It was delicious, like always, and then as we were leaving we were browsing through the little general store I challenged Derrick to a game of giant checkers. He scoffed at me saying, "Checkers is a game for losers." Well, we must be a couple of losers, b/c we played one game, ONE GAME, and it lasted 30 minutes. No joke. It was pretty intense. Checkers. There's actually a lot of strategy involved! I was ahead, with a sweet triple jump cutting him down to one checker against my dominating 4. I started making dumb mistakes, and eventually he took me down. It was surprisingly a lot of fun, and as soon as we got outside he started jumping up and down and yelling in triumph that he beat me. Who knew checkers could be so much fun?? Old men in the south playing on their porches I guess. Or old men playing in city parks. Way to keep a secret, you old geezers.
Side note: most of the pictures I found of men playing checkers featured Asian men. Is this a cultural thing I don't know about??
Sunday, July 20, 2008
A camping story
So this week I was at girl's camp. It was intense. It was in tents. :)
Actually, it wasn't intense. It was pretty low key. The girls didn't really have much to do, so they just hung out. Which was fine by me. Especially since is poured rain practically the whole time we were there. Lovley. One tent flooded (not mine, luckily) and we had to take sleeping bags and pillows to the laundromat to dry. Our only really good meal was beef stew. I was looking forward to some pretty tasty camp grub, but was disappointed. I did get a couple s'mores, though, so all is well.
We kept our food hidden pretty well in coolers and cars at night, to discourage any racoons that might try and ravage our site. We even had a screened in gazebo where we kept everything. We did pretty well. Until the last night....
Someone left a bag out that had a granola bar in it. Naturally, I was sleeping with my trusty earplugs in, but one had fallen out. I woke up to the sounds of footsteps outside our tent. And I had to pee really bad. I pop out the lone earplug and hear more rustling and racoons "talking" to each other. It was a funny noise--I guess I've never heard them do that before. Well, I had to pee, but truth be told, I was scared, so I wasn't about to go out alone. Yes, scared of racoons. I've seen enough camping movies to know they will attack your face, a la Buddy the Elf on his trip into the city. Not even Over the Hedge could help my stereotype. I could just imagine myself getting mauled by a pack of angry racoons. So I wake up my tentmate and tell her there are racoons outside. We both go out and shine our flashlights on them and those buggers just look at us from inside the gazebo and keep on munching. Jerks. Well, she unzips the gazebo and gets in. I look at her like a crazy person. No way in hell I was getting in there with those racoons!! She starts to shoo them, and I hop up on the picnic table. We scare them away, and I notice it's a big fat mama and four little babies. Even though I was terrified of them, they were pretty cute. I hissed at them to go away and leave me alone, and they scampered away and up a tree (which I thought was pretty cool--and then they started to slide back down the tree, which I thought was pretty funny), and I could finally pee. We found the culprit granolas and packed them away and climbed back into our tent. I still can't find the missing earplug so I give up on them. Then I hear the racoons again. Back in the gazebo. I sit straight up, fear running through me once again, as I remember the granola bar in my purse at the foot of my sleeping bag. I freak out. I shove it into the bottom of my duffle bag and pile clothes on top of it and pray they can't sniff it out. Then I hear two of the racoons fighting like right next to my head--it sounded like cats fighting. I can just imagine them chewing through the tent in search of my dark chocolate and cherry Kashi bar. Well, after the fight they leave, and I lay awake, too scared to sleep. Scared of forest rodents, a fraction of my size.
Am I a wimp or what????? Please tell me I'm not the only one.
Actually, it wasn't intense. It was pretty low key. The girls didn't really have much to do, so they just hung out. Which was fine by me. Especially since is poured rain practically the whole time we were there. Lovley. One tent flooded (not mine, luckily) and we had to take sleeping bags and pillows to the laundromat to dry. Our only really good meal was beef stew. I was looking forward to some pretty tasty camp grub, but was disappointed. I did get a couple s'mores, though, so all is well.
We kept our food hidden pretty well in coolers and cars at night, to discourage any racoons that might try and ravage our site. We even had a screened in gazebo where we kept everything. We did pretty well. Until the last night....
Someone left a bag out that had a granola bar in it. Naturally, I was sleeping with my trusty earplugs in, but one had fallen out. I woke up to the sounds of footsteps outside our tent. And I had to pee really bad. I pop out the lone earplug and hear more rustling and racoons "talking" to each other. It was a funny noise--I guess I've never heard them do that before. Well, I had to pee, but truth be told, I was scared, so I wasn't about to go out alone. Yes, scared of racoons. I've seen enough camping movies to know they will attack your face, a la Buddy the Elf on his trip into the city. Not even Over the Hedge could help my stereotype. I could just imagine myself getting mauled by a pack of angry racoons. So I wake up my tentmate and tell her there are racoons outside. We both go out and shine our flashlights on them and those buggers just look at us from inside the gazebo and keep on munching. Jerks. Well, she unzips the gazebo and gets in. I look at her like a crazy person. No way in hell I was getting in there with those racoons!! She starts to shoo them, and I hop up on the picnic table. We scare them away, and I notice it's a big fat mama and four little babies. Even though I was terrified of them, they were pretty cute. I hissed at them to go away and leave me alone, and they scampered away and up a tree (which I thought was pretty cool--and then they started to slide back down the tree, which I thought was pretty funny), and I could finally pee. We found the culprit granolas and packed them away and climbed back into our tent. I still can't find the missing earplug so I give up on them. Then I hear the racoons again. Back in the gazebo. I sit straight up, fear running through me once again, as I remember the granola bar in my purse at the foot of my sleeping bag. I freak out. I shove it into the bottom of my duffle bag and pile clothes on top of it and pray they can't sniff it out. Then I hear two of the racoons fighting like right next to my head--it sounded like cats fighting. I can just imagine them chewing through the tent in search of my dark chocolate and cherry Kashi bar. Well, after the fight they leave, and I lay awake, too scared to sleep. Scared of forest rodents, a fraction of my size.
Am I a wimp or what????? Please tell me I'm not the only one.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Catsup. Ketchup. Catch up.
All the way back to Summerfest. We went with the O'Neill's and checked out the Plain White T's. They were actually pretty good. But even better than the show on stage was the show on the picnic table next to us. A couple of....teenagers?? drunk college kids?? I don't know. But they were all over each other like white on rice. Like stink on poop. Talk about a grope fest. She was grinding up on him like nobody's business, and he was just standing there eating it up. Then she got behind him, and next thing we know her hand is through his fly in his shorts. Props to Whitney for pointing out this lovely side show. We were staring at them, astonished at what we were actually seeing. I think she realized we were watching because she faced him again, hands still down his pants. Then they skipped away to another table for more drunken debauchery. You never know what you're gonna get at Summerfest. We also caught Ingrid Michaelson's popular song...the one where she sings about buying you Rogaine when you're losing all your hair. On our way out we heard some of The Wailers, and practically got hot boxed walking through that crowd. Bonus: Since it was July 3rd, and Milwaukee is backwards in all it's holidays, we were downtown to see the 4th 3rd of July fireworks show. All in all, a great night.
And just because Joel told me not to post this picture of him excited about his Zippo pin, I am posting it.
Sweet bandana huh? I fit right in.
Moving on...4th of July. I had to work that night but we had a BBQ in the morning with our Kohl's buddies. Food, volleyball, chit chat, great weather, nothing better. I made a patriotic cake with the strawberries we picked the day before for the BBQ, and a strawberry pie for work.
I think that's about it. Now I feel like I can post about current things. Whew.
I'm working up the courage to post pics of my weekly belly shots. I'm definitely starting to get a belly, although I don't think I'm technically "showing". It's just fat. Not baby. However, I think morning sickness is officially over, knock on wood. Hooray! Now I'm just perma-sleepy. It's been a little hard to see my body change, but I've come to realize it's not my own anymore. I'm just a baby factory, and it will do what it wants. I think the hardest part is seeing chubby ankles at the end of the day. Cankles. Yikes.
And just because Joel told me not to post this picture of him excited about his Zippo pin, I am posting it.
Sweet bandana huh? I fit right in.
Moving on...4th of July. I had to work that night but we had a BBQ in the morning with our Kohl's buddies. Food, volleyball, chit chat, great weather, nothing better. I made a patriotic cake with the strawberries we picked the day before for the BBQ, and a strawberry pie for work.
I think that's about it. Now I feel like I can post about current things. Whew.
I'm working up the courage to post pics of my weekly belly shots. I'm definitely starting to get a belly, although I don't think I'm technically "showing". It's just fat. Not baby. However, I think morning sickness is officially over, knock on wood. Hooray! Now I'm just perma-sleepy. It's been a little hard to see my body change, but I've come to realize it's not my own anymore. I'm just a baby factory, and it will do what it wants. I think the hardest part is seeing chubby ankles at the end of the day. Cankles. Yikes.
Cheetahs never prosper!
Imagine my surprise when I noticed how many votes my pickle poll received, especially those who are not fans of them. It was actually Derrick who brought it to my attention, which was followed by a sly smirk. I was going to let it pass, thinking he was just happy someone else agreed with him. But his conscience got the best of him and he admitted to voting 10 times himself. Cheater!!! Hopefully my readers are more honest in their dealings with their fellow bloggers than he is.
I knew it. I was right. Long live pickles!!
I knew it. I was right. Long live pickles!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I know, I suck.
I know, a whole week and no new posts. I suck.
I'm going to girls camp tomorrow until Friday. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that.
I realized I work too long of days when I got to my car last night and a spider had built a web between my antenna and the top of my car.
I still haven't posted about the 4th and Summerfest. I even have pictures. Soon...
Scott came to visit this weekend. It was awesome. Just like Scoot. I swear I never laugh so hard as when he's around. Cheesecake Factory count: 2.
Quick poll: Derrick swears that "90% of the population does NOT want pickles of their hamburger." He is a pickle hater. I am a pickle worshipper. How we even make this work is beyond me. So Scott and I are curious, are we really the 10% minority that wants pickles on their hamburgers? Because if we are, someone needs to clue McDonald's in on that fact. They've apparently got it all wrong!
Vote!
I'm going to girls camp tomorrow until Friday. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that.
I realized I work too long of days when I got to my car last night and a spider had built a web between my antenna and the top of my car.
I still haven't posted about the 4th and Summerfest. I even have pictures. Soon...
Scott came to visit this weekend. It was awesome. Just like Scoot. I swear I never laugh so hard as when he's around. Cheesecake Factory count: 2.
Quick poll: Derrick swears that "90% of the population does NOT want pickles of their hamburger." He is a pickle hater. I am a pickle worshipper. How we even make this work is beyond me. So Scott and I are curious, are we really the 10% minority that wants pickles on their hamburgers? Because if we are, someone needs to clue McDonald's in on that fact. They've apparently got it all wrong!
Vote!
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Of course....
While I think it's just evil what these two morons did, it does warm my heart to think they went through the trouble to make these videos for me. They're really quite funny. So, I guess thanks Dave & Caitlyn?? By the way, do they remind anyone else of Hoops & Yo-Yo? The crazy Hallmark guys??? I love those guys.
Beachy keen
I've been such a slacker blogger lately. I realized I haven't even posted about our trip to California.
Here's a quick recap:
Days gone: 9
Days slept in: 9
Days I ate chocolate bar donuts for breakfast: 6
Trips to Del Taco: 2
Status of tan: golden brown and delicious
Cactus Coolers consumed: 10
S'mores: 2
Pretty sweet trip, eh? Like every year, it's a super chill trip for me, while Derrick runs around playing tennis and golf and is tired all the time. I took a bunch of pictures, but I'll only post a couple here. I stole my SIL's Canon Rebel and snapped a bunch at our bonfire, and of course I fell in love with it. I contemplated just taking it home with me since she NEVER USES IT. Karalynne, would you have noticed it was gone???? ;)
With my nieces Breauna & Hayley.
Yes, that is my rocking score of 250 crushing Derrick's wimpy score of 170.
Our arcade treasures.
Now a couple from the Rebel:
All in all, a great trip, relatively drama free!
Here's a quick recap:
Days gone: 9
Days slept in: 9
Days I ate chocolate bar donuts for breakfast: 6
Trips to Del Taco: 2
Status of tan: golden brown and delicious
Cactus Coolers consumed: 10
S'mores: 2
Pretty sweet trip, eh? Like every year, it's a super chill trip for me, while Derrick runs around playing tennis and golf and is tired all the time. I took a bunch of pictures, but I'll only post a couple here. I stole my SIL's Canon Rebel and snapped a bunch at our bonfire, and of course I fell in love with it. I contemplated just taking it home with me since she NEVER USES IT. Karalynne, would you have noticed it was gone???? ;)
Yes, that's a chocolate covered banana, from the stand where they went on The O.C. I know, I'm a dork.
With my nieces Breauna & Hayley.
Yes, that is my rocking score of 250 crushing Derrick's wimpy score of 170.
Our arcade treasures.Now a couple from the Rebel:
All in all, a great trip, relatively drama free!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Summahtiiiiime, and it's only 66 degrees.....
How fitting that my 600th blog post was one that announced something quite big. Geez....600. That's kind of a lot, no?
Moving onto 601...
Derrick had a half day today so after he came home and had lunch we headed out to the strawberry farm and picked some berries and some peas. It was sooo much better than last year, where I was too late and all the berries left were nasty rejects. This year they were sooooo pretty, I couldn't believe it! Just ask Derrick. I don't know how many times I said, "Oh my gosh! These are so gorgeous!!" So we picked a flat and then picked just a little peas, b/c I like to munch on them raw. They are so good fresh. They had "Pea Bags" for you to use. For some reason we thought that was pretty funny. Probably b/c we are really 5 years old.
I'm making a strawberry pie and a jell-o/cheesecake thing that looks like a flag out of the berries. One for a BBQ tomorrow, and one for work. We still have some left...probably for shortcake. I still have gallons of jam leftover from last year, so I need to find other uses for them before they go bad.
We're headed to Summerfest tonite. Who's on stage? Plain White T's, Kansas, Gomez, Ludo, Guido's Racecar, and some other people I've never heard of. Not that I've ever heard of Guido's Racecar before. We'll probably check out PWT's and Kansas mostly. And if Kansas doesn't instanly conjure up images of Will Ferrell singing "Dust in the Wind" in Old School, then I'm not quite sure we can still be friends. I looked everywhere for a video of it, but the only decent one I could find was in Spanish, and it's just not the same. You're my boy, Blue! You're my boy, Blue!
3 good things that happened yesterday:
#1) Look what I got in the mail from my mom yesterday!!!!
A Wienie Whistle!!! I was so pumped! I blew it all the way home from the mailbox. Talk about an awesome surprise! Thanks, mom!
#2) I cleaned our apartment from top to bottom yesterday. There is nothing like the feeling of a spotless house, where you can relax knowing everything is done.
#3) As I was lugging heavy garbage bags full ofstuff pure crap to the dumpsters, this little black kid on roller skates, (not blades-how cool is that?), came over and told me he'd finish it for me. He was maybe 8 or 9 years old. There are good kids still out there! It renewed my hope in future generations. I would have invited him and his little buddies up for popsicles if I had any. Next time.....
Moving onto 601...
Derrick had a half day today so after he came home and had lunch we headed out to the strawberry farm and picked some berries and some peas. It was sooo much better than last year, where I was too late and all the berries left were nasty rejects. This year they were sooooo pretty, I couldn't believe it! Just ask Derrick. I don't know how many times I said, "Oh my gosh! These are so gorgeous!!" So we picked a flat and then picked just a little peas, b/c I like to munch on them raw. They are so good fresh. They had "Pea Bags" for you to use. For some reason we thought that was pretty funny. Probably b/c we are really 5 years old.
I'm making a strawberry pie and a jell-o/cheesecake thing that looks like a flag out of the berries. One for a BBQ tomorrow, and one for work. We still have some left...probably for shortcake. I still have gallons of jam leftover from last year, so I need to find other uses for them before they go bad.
We're headed to Summerfest tonite. Who's on stage? Plain White T's, Kansas, Gomez, Ludo, Guido's Racecar, and some other people I've never heard of. Not that I've ever heard of Guido's Racecar before. We'll probably check out PWT's and Kansas mostly. And if Kansas doesn't instanly conjure up images of Will Ferrell singing "Dust in the Wind" in Old School, then I'm not quite sure we can still be friends. I looked everywhere for a video of it, but the only decent one I could find was in Spanish, and it's just not the same. You're my boy, Blue! You're my boy, Blue!
3 good things that happened yesterday:
#1) Look what I got in the mail from my mom yesterday!!!!
A Wienie Whistle!!! I was so pumped! I blew it all the way home from the mailbox. Talk about an awesome surprise! Thanks, mom!#2) I cleaned our apartment from top to bottom yesterday. There is nothing like the feeling of a spotless house, where you can relax knowing everything is done.
#3) As I was lugging heavy garbage bags full of
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