Christmas Hangover

Well, Christmas is over...we actually had a pretty relaxing time of it. Although we missed our family in Iowa, it was nice not to have to drive anywhere, especially given the weather we've had the past few days. The weekend was pretty uneventful. I was actually feeling kind of sick on Saturday. A cold I've been fighting for about a week came to a head, and I was out of commission for most of the day. Sunday afternoon we had a family date to the movie "National Treasure" (pretty good).

Monday it was just Husband and I, and I spent a majority of the day baking. I think our KitchenAid mixer has gotten more action in the past week or two than it has in the 1.5 years that we've had it! After all the baking, I even cooked dinner for the two of us, and tried my hand at something totally new - fish. A friend of Husband's gave us some halibut he caught in Alaska earlier this year, so I found a recipe and gave it a shot. It turned out pretty well! We watched a movie together, then I actually went to bed around 9:45. I was still a bit wiped out from being sick, and it had been a busy day.

Going to bed early paid off, as I woke up refreshed at around 7:00AM on Christmas morning. Husband was already up (I found out later he was up most of the night, sick off some Chex mix that the neighbors left for us) and I spent a delightful hour and a half in bed reading a book. Husband went to pick up Brandon, and we had our little Christmas when they got back. Around 11:30, we headed over to the in-laws. We spent all day lounging, opening gifts, playing cards, marveling at the beautiful snowfall, chatting, watching the kids sled, and grazing on a TON of food. We were there until around 7PM, and then back home to crash.

Today it was back to reality (work). I leave you with this adorable photo of Brandon and Hayley. Hope your Christmas was merry!

Nat King Cole - O Holy Night

Special thoughts to our family on this wonderful Christmas Eve.

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

He's already here! He came to blow snow from the driveway today! :)

Bing Crosby - Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep

The above clip is Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, from one of my favorite holiday movies, White Christmas (1954). What's your favorite holiday movie?

With Candy Canes and Silver Lanes Aglow

While doing some holiday baking this evening, I learned a few things:

- 1 1/2 cups of crushed candy canes is A LOT of crushed candy canes
- I don't own a rolling pin
- A bottle of barbeque sauce works just as well
- A little red food coloring goes a long way

I was making peppermint fudge - very easy recipe that I found online. Aside from crushing the candy canes, everything was going well and when I finally poured it into the pan, it looked lovely. Wonderful creamy whiteness with chunks of candy cane. I was quite proud of myself.

Then I remembered. The food coloring. I had read of a delightful red "swirl" that one person had done. How hard could that be? I almost stopped - it looked pretty good already. It didn't need a anything else. But ultimately, the though of a perfectly executed swirl was just too exciting to pass up.

Just a drop or two will do, I thought.

My first mistake was pouring it directly from the bottle. The second was not stopping after the first pour.

I knew it was bad. I tried to "swirl" and it got worse - like something out of a low budget horror film. Yes, it looked like my fudge was bleeding. I tried to dab it with a paper towel (which doesn't work by the way), and got it all over my fingers. Then it looked like I was bleeding, and all for nothing. The fudge still looked like an open wound.

So, I plopped it back in the pan and just stirred it all up. So now I have peppermint fudge befitting Strawberry Shortcake. Or the Easter Bunny.

And it tastes darn good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays

Husband and I got back today from a trip down to Iowa to have Christmas with my family. It was a jam-packed weekend and a full house at the 'rents: 8 adults, 2 dogs and one baby.

Friday night was pretty low-key; some of us didn't get there until around 9PM so there was just some sitting around and catching up, and of course holding the baby. This was the first meeting between baby D and his Uncle Josh, and also Husband. He's grown since I had last seen him, and is starting to try out some facial expressions (mostly "the poop face"). We teased a smile or two out of him every once in awhile. Unfortunately he is getting over a cold, so he wasn't feeling too great a lot of the time.

D found a comfy spot on Husband.

Saturday morning we had Christmas with our little family, which was fun. It's unique to have a little kid around again, even though D is way too little to have a clue what's going on. I have to say that our family scored the best gift from Mom and Dad (in my opinion) - Guitar Hero III for the Wii. We are going to have some fun unleashing our inner rock legends. Unfortunately our TV is on the fritz, so I haven't been able to try it yet. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about it!

Saturday afternoon all of us "kids" went to visit our grandma, who just had surgery a couple of weeks ago. Shortly after we arrived with lunch, our aunt, uncle and cousin also arrived with lunch (great minds think alike!) so we made a little party of it. I think Grandma enjoyed visiting with us, especially since some of us are unable to make it back for Christmas Eve at her house this year. Husband and Josh also had a good time going through one of Grandma's old cookbooks, noting recipes such as "Oxtail Soup" and educating themselves on "how to freeze ice cream" and what to do when a recipe calls for "gold nuggets" (corn).

Saturday evening was spent in the lunchroom of the local church school, getting together with my dad's side of the family for a Christmas celebration. We have to rent a space because we are HUGE - counting everyone and their spouses, kids, etc. we are 72 strong if everyone shows up. We had 57 there on Saturday night (at least making an appearance). That's a pretty good turnout! The family just keeps growing - there were 4 great-grandchildren born this year alone.
Josh and Cousin Blake called to coordinate outfits before the event.

Sunday morning we got back together to attend a mass in honor of my late grandmother, and then had a breakfast following the service. We added an aunt and uncle and about 10 more extended family members there, so about 70 people! My family is a force to be reckoned with...and I kind of like it that way.

Tomorrow it's back to business as usual. The holiday season can get a little crazy, and it's easy to get caught up in the stress of it all. Actually, the sermon we heard in church this morning reminded me that we really need to think about setting aside all that makes us anxious, and just enjoy the moment. Don't look for big miracles, but appreciate the little miracles you receive every day. Little things add up to extraordinary things. However that happens for you this holiday season, make the best of it!

How Silently, How Silently

...the kid snuck up on me. I had to post this while I still have a slight edge.



I knew this was coming, but it seems like just one day all of the sudden, he was looking me straight in the eye. I'm confronted with the fact that I'm going to be the shortest person in the house, and I have to admit, it's throwing me off a bit. He's been on a steady growth spurt this year, but he is eating SO MUCH lately...so I've got to think there's another big push on the horizon. I have always said he would be taller than me by Christmas. I think I was right.

We are headed down to Iowa for Christmas with my family this weekend. Unfortunately Brandon won't be able to come with us, as he'll be at his mom's. By the time I get to see him next Friday, it will have been two weeks...and maybe another quarter inch!

Just call me Shorty.



PS - Are you peeps catching on to the Christmas lyrics as post titles? Some may be obvious, others hidden lyrics in songs you probably all know. Take your shot at guessing. I'll try to keep it up through the month.

Ho, Ho, Ho, Who Wouldn't Go?

This is totally ridiculous. First they don't want us to say "Merry Christmas" and now they don't want Santa to say "ho, ho, ho." They think it's scary for children, and derogatory to women, because "ho" is slang for something else.

Kids don't know that. If they do, they have troubles that extend far past the yuletide. If they are scared by a fat man in a red suit saying "ho, ho, ho" won't they still be scared of a fat man in a red suit saying "ha, ha, ha?"

What will be next? Will Hostess re-name Ho-Hos? Ha-Has doesn't have the same ring.

They Should Never Give a License to a Man Who Drives a Sleigh and Plays With Elves

This thing has had me giggling off and on for weeks. It's time to share it with the world.

I've always (truthfully, never) wondered what I'd look like as an elf. Now you can see my entire dancing elf family right here.

Elf yourself if you dare, and paste it in comments!

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful

Well here it is again! Tuesday snow + weekend snow = beautiful mess! I say beautiful because it is rather pretty, particularly when viewed from indoors, with the modern convenience of HEAT. I say mess because a one-hour commute and one "snow emergency" parking ticket later, the snow can do terrible things to a person. Add that to the fact that the parking ticket was on Husband's vehicle, and he's not even here (he's in Las Vegas). It's completely my fault, I didn't move it soon enough. We have a wacky landlord who will not allow us to park in the driveway of our very charming duplex. This is because the main part of the driveway is filled with his two vehicles, which he cannot fit into the two-car garage conveniently situated to the rear of the property, adjacent to said driveway, because it is full of CRAP. So anyway, I didn't get home before the plows and Husband's vehicle got ticketed. At least it wasn't towed!

Aside from the commute and parking challenges, it seems the weather is causing other transportation issues - Husband's flight home is delayed. Right now it's only estimated at a half hour late, but it's still snowing here and it says visibility is zero at the airport. That can't make for a good landing.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Sending the Good Thoughts

My grandma had surgery today...thinking of you Grandma! Hope you feel better soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

...to Chrissy. I think you got the best gift exactly a month ago!

Christmas, Here We Come

We had a great Thanksgiving, but now that it's over it seems that we all have permission to step right into Christmas, and rightfully so since it's a month away. So I've had shopping and baking and decorating on my mind - I think the snow we got on Thanksgiving helped.

I felt motivated to get a jump on some holiday gift-making, so I attempted to go to JoAnn's Fabrics later Friday morning; my only foray into "Black Friday." Big mistake. I went in and immediately grabbed a number for the fabric counter. They were on number 25. My slip said 02, which translated to 102. Only 77 more people to go before I could get my fabric! Back home I went. I went back today and actually got the same sale price for one of my cuts, and I had a 40% coupon for the other. The extra 10% off I would have gotten on Friday was not worth the hours I would have spent in line.

I decided not to haul out the Christmas decorations until next weekend, so actually the remainder of this long weekend was quite leisurely. We saw a couple of movies; "The Mist" in the theater with Husband (some interesting concepts, but not really that great), and "Are We Done Yet?" as a family movie at home with Brandon. We also had a nice surprise this weekend. My cousin Kristi had a 3-hour layover in Minneapolis on her trip back to Iowa from the D.C. area, so we picked her up at the airport and we all had dinner together. It was so great to see her, especially since we won't be seeing her for Christmas this year.

Aside from that, we caught up on housework and laundry, and I am currently catching up on some of my saved episodes of "Heroes" on the DVR. Tonight, maybe baking some banana bread and getting started on a craft project. Tomorrow, back to business as usual!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Today we are getting our first "real" snow of the season. We've had a few flakes and some sleet before, but today it's coming down in big, fluffy flakes and sticking to the ground.

Hope you all have a wonderful day, and you are able to celebrate with those close to you. A big Thanksgiving hug to our family back in Iowa.

Cuddle Bug

This weekend I traveled down to Storm Lake for a little open house we held for my nephew Dylan. This was a chance for some of our relatives to meet him for the first time. We had a nice little turnout, and he was held by a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as his great-grandma and great-grandpa. No worries, Auntie got some nice cuddle time too!

This picture isn't from this weekend, but I stole it from my Dad's photos because I think it's cute. He seems quite comfortable in this position; he fell asleep like this on my shoulder yesterday!

Aside from the open house, I was able to visit an old friend of mine from high school who recently moved back to Storm Lake. Jason and Erika have a beautiful home on the lake, an adorable daughter, and he just started a surgical practice. Life is good! It was so nice to catch up with them after several years of emails and cards. They were previously living in the southeast U.S., so it's nice having them back where there are more opportunities to visit.

All in all a nice weekend, but I'm tired. Lots of traveling lately! I also missed Husband and Brandon - Husband had his office holiday party to attend, so they didn't come along this time. As we roll into the holiday season, I hope we have some more time to relax and enjoy being together.

Hope everyone else had a nice weekend as well!

Want Some Chowdah?

Well, I returned from Boston lastnight! Kristy and I had a great few days in Beantown. Enjoy my full photo tour here, but below is a little itinerary with links to more info if you're interested, followed by some general observations.

Friday, Nov. 9th

Granary Burying Ground

Lunch at Durgin Park Restaurant at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Walk around the marketplace, visit to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall

Boston Common

Public Garden

Dinner at Fajitas and Ritas with our friend Steph

Saturday, Nov. 10th

(we slept in a bit on this day!)

Lunch and shopping in Prudential Center with Steph and her daughter Olivia

Walking tour of Beacon Hill

Dinner at Artu in the North End (fabulous Italian food)

Pastries at the infamous Mike's Pastry

Sunday, Nov. 11th

Boston Duck Tour

Snacks at Prudential Center

Train to Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Back to Boston for walking tour of the North End

Paul Revere Mall

Old North Church

Copp's Hill Burying Ground

Paul Revere Home

New England Holocaust Memorial

Drinks at Bell in Hand Tavern (oldest continuously operating tavern in America)

Dinner at Union Oyster House (oldest restaurant in America)

Monday, Nov. 12th

We intended to make a quick visit to the harbor before we had to go to the airport, but our transportation did not work out. So it was just a traveling home day for us!

Boston is a very interesting city; a mix of old and new not just with its buildings, but also with its people. It's much more diverse than I imagined, with active Irish, African American, Italian and Chinese communities, but also more recent Mexican, Vietnamese and West Indian populations. At first blush it might seem quite a contrast to the stiff, wealthy country club ladies...but in actuality Boston is an academic city with Democratic politics that really do follow in the footsteps of its Revolutionary founders. It's a city very proud of its history, and they have made it very easy to find landmarks by making the city very walkable and the transit system easy to use. The Freedom Trail literally leads you to various landmarks by a red line marked in the sidewalk; all you have to do is follow it. A person could spend days and days combing through all of the history here - we only experienced the tip of the iceberg.

Overall our experience with Bostonians was extremely pleasant. People are pretty tolerant of tourists and were very friendly giving directions, snapping a photo, pointing us in the right direction for the subway, or just making general conversation. Often we did not even have to ask; someone approached us. The Boston accent is fabulous, and we really got a kick out of listening to people talk. There seems to be no letter "r" in the Boston vocabulary...such that words like "chowder" sound like "chowdah" and "apartment" sounds like "apahtment." We especially loved when people could guess where we were from, because of our "accent."

Speaking of the chowdah, the food was fabulous. I'm not a big seafood fan, but I did have some clam chowdah. The best was by far at Union Oyster House, where we also tried scrod, a traditional New England fish that we found out is just a really unappealing name for baby cod. The Italian food in the Italian district was, as you might expect, excellent.

Overall, the best part of the trip was that Kristy and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, talking and laughing and just catching up. I could sum it up in one conversation, had Saturday night as we were walking back to our train stop after a leisurely Italian dinner, with Mike's Pastries in our hands:

J [scarfing a cannoli]: "Do I have powdered sugar on my face? Because I don't want to look like an jerk on the train."

K [looking at my face, while holding her toffee bar]: "No. Do I have anything on my face?"

J [looks at her face] "No." [double take] "Wait, yes! There is a big chunk of chocolate on your cheek!" [wipes off, wild giggling ensues]

Thank heavens for girlfriends!

This is the State of Hockey

The Wild won 5-2!

I forget how much I love hockey. It's such a Minnesota thing (maybe because we're so close to Canada, eh?) It's so ingrained into the culture here, as witnessed in the video. I don't even fully understand it being a transplant, but I've definitely caught the bug. Minnesota truly is "the state of hockey."

We were raised
With the stick
And a pair of blades
On the ice we cut our teeth
We took our knocks
In the penalty box
Our mother was the referee

This sport was here
Before we came
It will be here when we're gone
The game's in our blood
And our blood's in the game
Lay us down under
A frozen pond

We will fight to the end
We will stand and defend
Our flag flying high and free
We were born the child
Of the strong and Wild
In the State, the State of Hockey

A big blue line runs around our state
A line that can't be crossed
The day they try to take this game
Is the day the gloves come off

We will fight to the end
We will stand and defend
Our flag flying high and free
We were born the child
Of the strong and Wild
In the State, the State of Hockey.

It's Going to Be a Doozy

This week is going to be BUSY. Granted, many of the things are fun, but there are also lots of things leading up to a big event on Thursday night. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel...

Monday night - hockey game, our first of the season.

Tuesday night - jewelry party at my friend Jacquie's house.

Wednesday night - any last-minute catch ups, laundry, packing, hopefully some time with Husband...

Thursday night - WTS Minnesota 25th Anniversary Gala. I am the current president of this organization, and get to speak in front of 80 people. The planning has been...challenging to say the least. Let's just say I have learned a lot about leadership and patience this year.

Friday 7:15AM - I am on a plane to BOSTON!

I got a lot done this weekend, and after a mini-meltdown this afternoon...I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be for all of this. But forgive me if the blogs are light this week!

The Ghost of Halloweens Past

Well, this ghostly holiday is nearly over and without an ounce of celebrating from our household. No costumes, no Halloween decorations, no scary movies, not even a carved pumpkin this year (or even an uncarved one), which is my own fault. I should have just done it, but it's not nearly as fun without someone to carve with! Even as an adult I've been known to dress up, but there were no parties this year. I did buy candy, and we had a grand total of...3 trick-or-treaters. Which is more than last year, when we had a big fat goose egg.

I have always loved Halloween. As a kid it was so exciting, dressing up and going trick-or-treating, collecting a sack full of loot that would be counted and sorted before bedtime. I loved the dressing up; the chance to be creative, to be another character for a few hours. Some of my signature Halloween costumes included a Storm Lake High School cheerleader, or a punk rocker, which really wasn't punk rock at all, more slightly rebellious valley girl I think...(you can't see it, but Cousin Kristi and I have red glitter on our cheeks. Very cool.)

I think my favorite though, was a costume I made myself in the 4th grade. I created an Indian "squaw" costume. I remember specifically a skirt made out of a paper grocery bag, painstakingly decorated with patterns set in magic marker, and fringe cut on the bottom. I believe that one won me "most creative costume." Those were the days.

So as I sit here across the room from the bowl of undelivered Kit-Kats, Husband snoring on the couch, I wonder where all of the excitement went. I guess it's just another one of those things that falls by the wayside with work, running here and there...am I too busy for Halloween? One stinking day a year? Where does it end? Where did the passion go? I hope I find it again.

Love at First Sight

Introducing my nephew, Dylan Michael, born Friday, October 26, 2007. I drove down to Iowa yesterday and got to meet him today. More here and here and here. :)

It's Like He Never Left

Husband is gone tonight, at some company meetings at the illustrious Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood, IA. We were just talking this morning how I might not see him until Saturday night, because I'm thinking about going down to Iowa if my niece/nephew is born. So it will be a couple of days, but luckily when I came home tonight I noticed that he left a few love notes around the house for me:

*medicine cabinet door wide open in the bathroom
*packaging from new shirt left on the bedside table
*kitchen cupboard and drawer ajar
*empty cup on the coffee table

Believe it or not, it was actually kind of comforting. :)

Brain Waves Not Connecting

It's been a pretty random week, nothing too much of note, but just a little off.

For instance, Monday night I stayed late at work so I could drive directly to my book club at 7PM. On the way to book club, I realized I forgot the directions. I thought I could remember, but once on the street I had absolutely no idea which house I should go to. I struggled for about 15 minutes, driving around and trying to decide if I should randomly knock on the door of a house with the light on...a house that looked like it might house a book club...I'm glad I didn't, because turns out I was two blocks too far north. So I stayed late for nothing, and didn't get to go at all.

Tonight, I went out to eat at Cheesecake Factory with my MIL, SILs and my niece. As we were getting ready to leave, I realized I didn't have my keys. I thought for sure they had fallen out. My purse had been sitting under the table, so I sent Hayley under to investigate. No keys. I had the manager searching with a flashlight. No keys. Candy asked the front desk. No keys. I went out to my car. Keys on the seat.

I guess my brain just couldn't handle a week without much excitement. It's about to get a whole lot more exciting though...I'll be an aunt any day now!

Say What?!

I woke up this morning with the song "Let's Get Physical" by Olivia Newton-John in my head. I have not heard this song recently, so it must have been triggered by something in a dream. And no, it was not that kind of dream. I think I would remember that.

Anyway, it got me thinking about how when you're young, the meaning of certain songs completely escapes you. You like a song because of the beat, the melody, whatever. You may have been singing every word as an 8-year-old, but had no idea what you were saying. Now listening as an adult, you're thinking "Whoa! Did my parents know I was listening to this?!"

Take "Let's Get Physical." It's about working out, right? I remember the video, with Olivia and all those sweaty fat guys in the gym, and the surprise! shocking! ending. But I'm pretty sure the song is not just about an afternoon on the treadmill.

Some other examples:

Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

As a kid I wondered why on earth anyone would want sugar poured on them. Gross!

As an adult I realize the power of the metaphor.


Little Red Corvette - Prince

A guy singing about his car, sweet.

Car = girl; the oldest analogy around.


Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions

Yeah! This song rocks! Like a hurricane! Powerful rock!

Google those lyrics and you will be amazed. My mouth dropped. Shame on German hair bands!


Is this proof that our top-40 songs are inundated with sexual innuendo?

Or is it proof that people rarely pay attention to lyrics, and if you've got a good beat and a kick-ass chorus, you've got it made?

You be the judge.

BLOG ACTION DAY

Today is Blog Action Day…as a participant, I agreed to post something environment-related.

I am a firm believer that small changes done on an individual scale, can equal to big changes when considered cumulatively. Today I will focus on waste reduction. Consider this:

As Americans, we generate 4.4 pounds of trash per day, twice the amount of the average European. That’s 1,606 pounds of trash per person, per year. The population of the United States is approximately 303 million. That’s 1,333,200,000 pounds of trash per year; over 666 tons.

If every person in the U.S. recycled 2 pounds of trash, or approximately half of what we generated each day, we’d cut our trash in half. 333 tons seems a lot better. Not to mention the energy saved by turning those recyclables into new products.

This is a cursory analysis (argue with me if you want to), but you get the point. It makes a difference.

So, around our house we do a few simple things to do our part. We can always do better, and there are other things on my “list,” but we’ve got a good start. Here are 5 things that would be easy for just about anyone to do:

1. RECYCLE
This is huge. We recycle cans, bottles, cardboard and paper (which encompasses a lot of different items). We also recycle plastic bags – many grocery stores have collection bins for these. This doesn’t mean just plastic grocery bags, but any kind of plastic bag or liner. There is a bag right next to the garbage to remind us to separate. Check your local guidelines to see what you can recycle.


2. USE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
I have to admit, I only recently started back up with this, but it makes so much sense, especially when you have a digital camera that eats up batteries like Brandon eats pickles (and the kid really likes pickles). For any other batteries, we have a cup on top of the fridge in which they are collected, and then turned in for recycling (I take ours to City Hall).

3. CHOOSE BAGS WISELY
Take your own cloth bags to the grocery store, or any store for that matter. I don’t do this enough, partly because I don’t do most of our grocery shopping, but I do it for small trips. There are arguments on which is better – paper or plastic. Turns out it’s about dead even in terms of environmental impact. A good guideline is to select whichever serves a re-use purpose for you (i.e. I like paper bags, because I can use them to put my recycling in). Another option that many grocery stores offer is a box with handles that you can re-use.

4. BUY “SELECT A SIZE” PAPER TOWELS
These are the paper towels that come in different sized sheets. It’s such a waste to have to use a whole towel when half will do (or better yet, use a washcloth!)

5. DO THE DISHES
Resist the urge to use styrofoam and paper products instead of washing dishes. This stuff ends up in landfills and takes a long time to decompose, not to mention the energy it takes to produce it. Yes, it takes energy to produce the dishes, and to wash them. But I would argue that the impacts vs. the life of the dish far outweigh the impacts of using paper or Styrofoam products every day. Make sure the dishwasher is full before you run it!

How about you? What do you do around the house that makes a difference? Ideas are good for all!

Recycling Fun Facts http://members.aol.com/ramola15/funfacts.html

Writer's Block

Not feeling much like blogging, so I'll hit the highlights largely in photos. A few more on my flickr page.

Husband and I went out a boat cruise on the St. Croix River on Saturday afternoon. It was an event for my office, so he got to meet some people I work with. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. (The only thing bad about it was I couldn't watch the Hawkeye game, and they actually WON!)

Afterwards we stopped at our friend Jacquie's house. One of her kitties, Biscuits, seemed to really like Husband!
I took a walk when we got home, knowing the weather wasn't going to last. A nice crisp fall day, and the light was beautiful.

Today is another low-key, rainy Sunday. We've had a nice time together this weekend, very relaxing and fun!

In Honor of Grandma

What you should do:

Mammogram: yearly for women age 40 and older

Clinical breast exam: Women in their 20s and 30s, at least every 3 years. After age 40, every year.

Breast self-exam: Monthly starting in the 20s.

Why you should do it:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer.

It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.

About 178,480 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2007.

About 40,460 women will die from the disease this year.

The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8.

The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35.

Because people care about you and want you to be healthy.

(American Cancer Society, 2007)

I'm Going to Boston!

Just booked a ticket tonight for Nov 9-12. It feels good to have a nice little trip to look forward to. Best part, I had enough frequent flyer miles, so the flight cost me only $7.50!

Life is good. If anyone has tips for places to explore in Beantown, please send them my way.

Take Me Home, Country Roads

OK, so it was mostly interstate, but we traveled back to Storm Lake this weekend. We hadn't been back for awhile, and had all kinds of good reasons for making the trip at this particular time. On Saturday my (second) cousin Kayla and her new husband Matthew had a celebration honoring their marriage, which took place on July 7th in Sitka, Alaska. It was fun to see them and hear about their lives in Sitka and their beautiful wedding ceremony, which was held on a boat. We also got to catch up with other members of the family. Kayla and I attended the same high school, so there were some other familiar faces as well, including my good friend Laura and her two kids. It is always fun to see them!

Saturday also happened to be my little brother Justin's 22nd birthday, and he decided he would come home to celebrate. My brother Jason and sister-in-law Chrissy came over as well, and we relived our younger days by making homemade pizza with the family (we used to do this every Sunday night as kids). We'll have to do this again sometime when Josh and Abbey are home too. It was fun to see Jason and Chrissy, who are expecting their first child the end of this month. Chrissy has a nice big belly and I think she's ready to get things moving!

In the midst of all the action on Saturday night, my friend Amy and her little boy, Jace, came over for a visit. I can't believe how big he has gotten! This was the first time my family had met him, and they had a ball holding him and playing with him. Good practice for the soon-to-be new parents and grandparents!

Today was a pretty low-key day...we relaxed this morning, had lunch with my parents, then headed back. We returned around 5:00, then unfortunately, I had to go into my office to do a little work for a few hours. It's going to be a crazy week, and I just wanted to get a leg up. Makes for sleeping easier tonight. Here's to the start of a full week!

Look out, Webster's Dictionary...

I am working from home this afternoon, and the TV is on for background noise...near the end of the show "A Baby Story" I caught this:

"After the birth of our third baby, life has changed...dramastically."

I guess that would be a combination of "dramatically" and "fantastically?" I kind of like it.

Weekend Recap

We had a very busy weekend...Friday night Husband and I attended a family wedding in downtown Minneapolis. It was a lovely rooftop ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Northstar Hotel, a fancy affair for which Husband donned a suit and tie. The reception was a blast and we enjoyed it to the fullest, as we stayed the night at the hotel. Here we are looking fancy:

Saturday morning came way too early...we got up and went home so I could hit the road to LaCrosse, Wisconsin to see my cousin Kristi. This is a halfway point for both of us, so it's become a nice little rendezvous point. We enjoyed a long lunch which outlasted the rain, so by the time we ventured back outside it was wet and a little cool, but tolerable. We did a little shopping then headed over to the LaCrosse Oktoberfest:

After the fest we took a walk down by the river and sat down on a bench to chat some more. It was a very enjoyable day, and I'm glad we got to spend the time! I returned home around 9:30PM and went to bed shortly thereafter, exhausted.

Today has been a lazy day - just catching up on chores and watching some of the TV shows I recorded this week. A little bit of football in there too...saw Brett Favre get his record-setting 421st touchdown pass against the Vikings. It's been raining the whole day, so a great day to stay inside.

It's Like "The Sixth Sense" Up in Here

Tonight I walked into the kitchen to this:

This isn't an unusual occurrence...usually between Husband and Brandon there is at least one cupboard or drawer ajar at any given time. Tonight was an unusually spectacular display, and I just had to chuckle. It's easily forgiven though, and really doesn't need forgiving at all...the man is operating on about 2 hours of sleep and a mind that's working overtime. There is more evidence that he's tired and distracted because his computer game doesn't even interest him, and when he got home from work early today he spent the time doing dishes, consolidating and arranging the spice rack, and cleaning out/reorganizing the freezer. You know, the usual tasks. (!)

For all these reasons and more, he was in bed by 9PM tonight (which is early for both of us). Tonight will be a night I don't mind if he snores, because when he snores he's sleeping hard. He needs it.

GNO

Lastnight I had a Girls' Night Out with 4 of my friends. We do this every few months, and it's always a lot of fun. This time we headed over to St. Paul, where we ate dinner at Sweeney's and then made our way over to Axel's Bonfire Grill for dueling pianos. We sang along to timeless classics like "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Walkin' on Sunshine" as well as interesting piano remixes of more recent and completely ridiculous (but still entertaining) songs "Holla Back Girl" and "My Humps." It was a grand old time and I haven't laughed so hard in a long while...and yes, I was completely sober.

To cap off the night, we were invited by a couple of dudes to sit at a table with them. We had only about 10 more minutes before our ride arrived, so we figured what the hell. After them asking us if we go to school here (thank you very much) and Gretchen trying to convince them that Jacquie was an Olympic pole vaulter, it was time to go. Of course Gretchen was asked for her number, but consequently, it was her boyfriend who was waiting outside to pick us up.

Unfortunately I failed to capture our motley crew on film, which I intended to do. But there will be other opportunities, as this night will join the catalogue of crazy GNOs past, present and future. I am so thankful to have my friends.

Ridin' the Storm Out

Wish I had my camera so you could all see the view out my office window...it's just shy of 6PM here and it's so dark outside it looks more like 8:30 or 9:00. There's a big ol' bank of clouds and some lightning and thunder, and the rain just started.

Volleyball game tonight? We'll see. It's scheduled in about an hour on the other side of town. Hopefully it's done raining by the time I have to walk to my car - no umbrella!

Update: Um, yeah. Tornado warning. Later taters (and no I'm not driving in it).

Welcome to My Saturday Afternoon

GO HAWKS!

Fallen Giant

This afternoon I visited the site of the I-35W bridge collapse, or at least viewed it from as close as was permittable. The 10th Street bridge, which parallels where the 35 bridge used to be, was recently opened.

I really had no desire to go down there until about a week ago...but I think I really needed to see it to believe it. Also, from a professional standpoint, this bridge and the process to rebuild it is a catalyst for many changes in my industry (I hope). To see it now will only make it more satisfying and interesting when it stands once again.

It's quite the site to see (photos here). They are in the middle of the clearing operations, so there's a fair amount of activity down there. It's still quite a mess though, and still difficult to fathom what once was there...just fell down. The bridge fell down. Unbelievable.

I Should Look and Smell a Lot Better

I just spent the past 2.5 hours picking up the main floor of the house, doing laundry, and cleaning the bathroom. While up there, I was inspired to clean out the cabinets, which hold the requisite towels, but also cleaning supplies, scale, and a surprising array of bottles, tubes, brushes, etc.

I don't consider myself a high maintenance female by any means...but holy cow I have a lot of crap. There was enough lotion in there to have me smelling like various fruits or baked goods for the next 3 years. Not to mention skin care products that have been tried and ditched, makeup that wasn't quite the right color...kits to wax the legs, lotions to make the hair grow in slower, gels to make shaving easier. Jewelry cleaners, 10 different nail polishes, hand cremes, nail buffers, shower gels, pedicure kits...you name it, it seems I've got it.

To add insult to injury, if you open up our medicine cabinet, you will see Husband's simple stash of toothbrush, deodorant, razor, spare blades, cologne, and Tums. In the shower you will find soap, shampoo, shaving gel, and another razor. We share nail clippers and toothpaste.

He laughed and gave me a big hug when I revealed this to him, as if he didn't already know. He reminded me that he grew up with three sisters. He gets it.

Which is one of many reasons I adore him.

What Has the World Come To?

I am watching a movie on Lifetime and heard/saw a promo for the upcoming season of The Martha Stewart Show. While Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" blasts, there are shots of chocolate and sugar being poured and sprinkled over desserts and fruits. At the end, Martha promises a new season of "ideas that rock."

I wish I could find the promo somewhere to share.

I'm a little baffled as to what I should think of this.

Kickin' it up Renaissance Style

Today we visited the Minnesota Renaissance Festival with Husband's family. There is always plenty to do and see at the Festival. We ate lots of good food, we petted snakes and lizards, we watched a man hurl insults as people hurled tomatoes at his face, we saw men in tights perform a comedy show, and we gawked at all of the outrageous (and some downright cool) costumes. The day started at 8:30 and continued to about 2:30...then we played cards and ate dinner at the in-laws'. Needless to say it was a long, but very fun day. We are all tired and a little sunburnt, and relishing crawling into bed tonight and sleeping as long as we want to...because THERE'S NO WORK TOMORROW! Everyone enjoy the day!

I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…

What is this? It's in a birch tree in our front yard.


Theories (in no particular order):
1) The sac is filled with what will eventually be a bajillion baby spiders.

2) A caterpillar made a wish and said “hey, supersize me!”

3) Beneath the silk, there is a writhing ball of centipedes.

4) Some bird is decorating early for Halloween.

5) There is a huge nest of worms in there, which will soon die and be littered all over the lawn.

6) It’s an alien pod of some sort.

What’s your vote? Can anyone provide an actual explanation?

Riders on the Storm

Well, this week started off with a bang, literally. We had quite a storm lastnight that came to a head around 1:30AM, complete with extremely loud cracks of thunder that almost made me jump right out of bed. The lightning occurred simultaneously, so the storm was upon us, and by the sound of it you’d think it was literally camped out on our roof. The electricity flickered a couple of times, then shut off completely. The thunder passed but the rain poured down for quite a few more minutes. In the meantime I traveled downstairs to retrieve my cell phone so I had some kind of alarm, just in case. I then made the obligatory visit to the bathroom, and out the window witnessed the downpour and the eerie pinkish cast of the nighttime sky.

I returned to bed but found it difficult to sleep without the breeze and the gentle hum of the fan. Just as I was about to finally fall sleep I experienced a tremendous itch at the base of my right thumb, and upon inspection by the blue light of the cell phone, discovered I had been bitten by something. Great. Nothing I love more than knowing there is some kind of bug in my bed. Normally under such circumstances I would go sleep in the other room, before I start getting visions of centipedes crawling all over my body in my sleep. But the comfort of my own personal space heater was appealing on this stormy night, and besides, he could serve as a back-up alarm clock in case the cell phone didn’t work. So I shook out the pillows, hopefully depositing the offender somewhere off the bed.

The rain stopped and all was silent, except for Husband, whose snoring was particularly raucous lastnight (in his defense, we’ve both been fighting colds). I forget how much the fan drowns it out! The rain started up again and I finally fell asleep. The last time I looked at my phone it was 2:47AM. I awoke at 6:05, about 5 minutes ahead of the alarm, and still we had no electricity. So I showered and dressed in the darkness, and tried to air-dry my hair as best as possible (needless to say as you can expect, I am looking quite foxy today). I called the electric company and they said our whole neighborhood was out, and they are usually back up and running within a 4-hour timeframe, but by then about 5 hours had passed, and she had been given no inclination of when service might be restored. So I hope we don’t return home from work today to a warm house and a bunch of rotten food.

Happy Monday.

Update: Looks like the electricity came back on around 8AM this morning, about 40 minutes after I left for work! Everything is back to normal, didn't have to throw anything out.

Summer Slips Away

We started out the weekend by ditching an overnight camping trip (too many reasons to list here), and opting to have Jacquie and Alex over to our house instead. Given the recent chilly weather, Husband decided he wanted to make his first chili of the season. He is famous for his chili, and this was no exception. So we filled our bellies and had a wonderful time just sitting around chatting and laughing, largely fueled by conversations like this:

[talking about the Minnesota Vikings]
Husband: "...second back-up quarterback is 'Typhus' something..."
Alex: "Typhus, that's nice. An infectious disease."
Brandon: "He should be on defense."
Alex: "Yeah, tackled by Typhus..."

[speaking of infectious diseases...]
Husband: "Is the flu as big of a deal down there [in Florida] as it is up here?"
Alex: "A little, but not as much, because in the winter we can be outside more...when you guys are inside just...touching each other."
Husband: "That's why it's good to live here, man!"

As we laughed into the night, the talk of football and more "chili dates" filled our heads with the promise of crisp autumn afternoons, falling leaves and college football. Summer is almost over!

Saturday we attended a party celebrating our friend Gretchen's 30th birthday, and the recent completion of her 4-year degree. It was a great time and a beautiful evening to sit around the bonfire and chat with friends. Again, the cool evening and talk of the kids going back to school had us thinking of summer's end.

Today is a lazy day...hope everyone is enjoying their last days of summer!

Straight Down I-35

This past weekend I drove down to Des Moines for my annual state fair trip. Each year my college girlfriends and I get together for lunch and playtime with the kiddos. It's great fun to see all the kids in one place, and see how much they've grown. We missed Dana and her family this year (her kids were sick), but will hopefully see them soon.

Part of this whole reunion is, of course, a trip to the Iowa State Fair on Saturday night. Just the ladies. We drink, we eat, we talk, we walk through a few buildings, we people watch, and we seek out some kind of free entertainment. This year was no exception. Highlights were the "Hillbilly Homebrew;" pork chop on a stick and a delicious frozen banana treat called a Monkey Tail; conversations about giving birth spurned by a walk through an animal building where a mama cow was doing just that very thing; outstanding mullet and crazy t-shirt sightings; and then came the main attraction...lucky (?) for us...one of the free concerts that night was 1980s sensation Loverboy.

It started out kind of rough, we didn't know any of the songs. As my friend Amy A. said, "well, at least we're still too young for something!" But soon we began to recognize some of the songs, maybe when they hit the late 80s repertoire? "Hot Girls in Love" had us singing along (it may not sound familiar right away, but you probably know it). By "Turn Me Loose" we were standing on the bleachers and feeling the Loverboy love. Whether it was the music or the 32oz. margarita, no one can be sure. Regardless, they closed out the show with "Workin' for the Weekend," and we felt satisfied. An encore including "Lovin' Every Minute of It" (which I had no idea was their song) capped it off. Surprisingly, the lead singer, despite "looking like a punchline waiting to happen" (thanks Amy V.) could still really sing. It was an experience.

Sunday before heading home I did some shopping and had lunch with my little bro, Justin. I also stopped by his new apartment and met his pretty new cat, Paisley. It was a very nice end to the trip. But really, it's pretty hard to top Loverboy.

Seriously?

I am continually amazed by my stepson. I vary between incredulity and hilarity, comfort and confusion. Brandon has been staying with us since Tuesday night, which is highly unusual since he's usually at his mom's during the week. We haven't even hit the weekend yet, and I've got a couple of gems for you...

#1

Brandon's been spending a lot of time alone during the day, because we have to like, work. So I asked him if he could find some time to do a chore that I requested of him a few weeks ago, which involved going through some clothes and sorting out what doesn't fit. I did a preliminary sort and put the questionable items in the very bottom drawer to make it easy for him. My main motivation for this request was to make some additional room, because I'm tired of seeing the stacks of clean clothes on top of the dresser or on the floor. The secondary motivation is that we're getting close to pants season, and we can't have the kid walking around in highwaters, now can we?

I don't pretend to have this good of a memory, so the following is paraphrased from lastnight when I got home:

"Did you sort through your clothes today?"

After a look kind of like this he said, "Uh, I'll do it right now." (runs upstairs, returns 10 minutes later)

After grilling him about where he put the discards, I said:

"Now, did you put the other clothes back in the drawer?"

"Yes I did. They're even still feld."

"They're what?"

"They're still feld, I kept them feld!"

"You mean folded?"

"Yeah, whatever! I know everyone says folded but that's wrong! It's feld." (FYI I did confirm the spelling)

Now that's one I haven't heard before.

#2

Anyone familiar with Homestyle Bakes? Comes in a box, usually has noodles and a couple of cans of sauce and veggies to throw in a dish and bake. So easy the kid can make them, doesn't taste terrible, and has been known to feed all three of us modestly on any given night. At least that's what I remember.

I came home from work today, and noticed that Brandon had made a bake for lunch. I knew this because per usual, the dirty dish was still on top of the stove. The unusual thing was there was not much left in the dish. In fact, nothing left in the dish.

HE ATE THE WHOLE THING. Himself. For lunch. 9x9 dish, 2-3 inches deep.

Where does he put it? Me thinks a(nother) growth spurt is impending. Let's hope for some filling out instead of just UP.

Happy Birthday, Dear Blog

Hey, I just realized that I've been blogging for over a year! My first blog was on August 1, 2006.

I figure it's time for a check-in. Who reads this thing? Leave me a comment - and remember you don't have to sign in to do it. Just click comment, click "other" and enter your name, or remain anonymous. Time to come out of the woodwork!

Island Invasion

Well, we're back from our little vacation to Lake Vermilion, and it was great. Although we didn't catch many fish (I personally only brought in one very small bass), we had a wonderful time out on the water and around the campfire. It was relaxing to get back to nature and just hang out with Husband and our friend Lowell.
Each year we go up to Lake Vermilion we camp on an island in the middle of the eastern part of the lake. One benefit of this is we don't have to worry much about bears, wolves, raccoons, etc. (although a deer did swim out one year and scare the heck out of me). This year was no different, except we did have to deal with critters of another sort.

Friday night before going to bed, Lowell grabbed our bag of groceries and put it in his tent in case of rain. The next morning he had a tale to tell.

In the middle of the night he heard noises, like something running across the roof of the tent. He thought they were just bugs, but when shining the flashlight on the ceiling, he saw four tiny feet and a white belly. A mouse! Soon joined by another...until there were two mice running all over his tent, up between the rain fly and the walls and ceiling of the actual tent. Unable to sleep for fear of them getting inside, he did what he could to get them to go away, including punching at the tent to get them off. It was a bit humid that night, and Lowell made the comment that it smelled like a bakery in the tent. I guess the mice were hungry! Needless to say, he didn't get much sleep. I did hear some weird noises that night from our tent, but had no idea that it was Lowell punching his tent to get rid of mice! The mice made another appearance Saturday night in our woodpile, and beneath Husband's chair around the fire.

I know what you're thinking...how did the mice get on the island? (FYI this is a very small island) No idea. Do mice swim? Did they make it all the way across the frozen water in the winter without getting picked off by a hawk? It seems more likely that they were brought on somehow. It may be tied to the exorbitant amount of garbage that previous island-goers left behind. Grr.

Another challenge we faced this trip were the bugs. As soon as we arrived and started walking around, we realized we were stirring up hoards of flying bugs that were hanging out in the trees. They left us alone when we were in the middle around the campfire, so we didn't think much of it. Saturday morning, however, around 5:30AM, we awoke to a massive hum. It was these bugs, orchestrating a symphony of simultaneous buzzing. It dissipated as the morning went on, and we went about our business. Saturday evening, when we returned to the island around dusk, the buzz was astoundingly loud, and you could see huge clouds of these things hovering near the tops of the trees. It was kind of freaky, and it seemed there were more of them than the day before. Anywhere we walked, there they were, and we were constantly brushing them off. Winding along the path to the "bathroom" was sort of a Hitchcockian experience, walking through the trees, stirring them up with the drone in your ears...you had to try not to think about it to stay sane. Not to mention protecting the "assets" while tending to business!

This morning around dawn again, the hum was crazy, like the troops were gathering for an attack. It died down again as the morning went on (or did we just get used to it?) I wish I could adequately describe lying there in the tent, listening to it...and also listening to the bugs dropping onto the tent. When we emerged, they were everywhere...the boat was covered, tents were covered. I have no idea what they were, but our guess is some version of mayfly that just happened to be in crazy mode the few days we were there.

Overall it was very relaxing, despite the critters. A definite highlight was the amazing night sky...I went out to sit in the boat to get a full view, and I swear I could see everything. The Milky Way was clear as day. I saw no meteors even thought it was supposed to be prime time, but then again, my watching was cut short...by a bat. Which flew approximately 3 feet above my head.

Critters.

Am I On Vacation Yet?

Technically, I think so. But I'm too tired to be excited yet!

It's been a long week, to say the least. Lots of work and not enough getting ready for the trip. Luckily Husband packed most of the camping gear today.

I did get to do something fun on Tuesday night, I went out to dinner with friends and saw "Sicko." I know Michael Moore is one-sided...but it's a very intriguing side. You should see it.

We leave in the morning...it's time for bed. Have a great weekend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUSBAND!

I am celebrating by watching "VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs" in his honor. He is taking a nap. Tonight we'll have some of his favorite things for dinner (meatloaf, red potatoes, corn on the cob, and apple crisp pizza), and Jacquie is coming over to keep me company while the boys spend the night on the computer. Low-key, just the way he likes it.

What will the next year bring? Can't wait to see! Love you!

Mindboggle

The collapse of the bridge has sent everyone into a bit of a tailspin…it's been a crazy, melancholy day. Through it all, I’m happy to report that all of our local family and friends are fine, and all of our co-workers accounted for. I thank everyone again for your calls of concern; your outreach and sensitivity have been amazing.

As you have all probably heard, the recovery efforts continue with some difficulty. There are still 20-30 people that have not been found. The scene is absolutely horrific, like something out of a big budget movie. I only caught a glimpse of the big...hole...in person, and it made my stomach turn. I know there have been a ton of photos in the media, but two co-workers of mine were in vicinity of the bridge about 20 minutes after it happened, and captured some other photos that are pretty intense. It looks like something out of a disaster movie…I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be sitting there in rush hour, trying to get home, or perhaps heading to the Twins game, and having the bridge fall out from under you.

Makes you think about not taking things for granted, eh?

Being a transportation professional, this also has me thinking a lot about what I do, and politics, and many other things...more thoughts to come, but for tonight…it’s just good to be home. We are safe and we feel so loved, and we pray that the recovery efforts are 100% successful, so all of these families may have the closure they desire and deserve.

WE ARE OK

In reference to the I-35w bridge collapse in downtown Minneapolis - we luckily rarely use that stretch of interstate. We are all fine; I haven't been able to reach Josh but they live on the east side of St. Paul, so I doubt they'd have any occasion to be in the area. It's a horrible situation; thanks to all for the calls of concern.

Update - talked to Josh - he and Abbey are fine and glued to the TV like the rest of us.

I Are Smart

So...there is a friendly guy in my office who is always poking his head in, saying hi, seeing if people want to go to lunch, etc. A couple of months ago, he popped in and said,

"You garden?"

Assuming he was referring to the flowers on my desk, picked from Husband's parent's house the day before, I said,

"No - mother-in-law. Wish I could though!"

He nods, moves on to the next office. I didn't think a thing of it.

Today, same guys pokes his head in.

"You garden?"

For a second, I am confused. There are no flowers on my desk. Then it dawns on me.

U Garden is a Chinese restaurant near the University of Minnesota. He was asking if I wanted to go to lunch, not making small talk about my day lilies.

Uh-huh. Yeah.

Big Weekend

We had another busy weekend...on Friday, our friends Kristy and Hiram came up from Des Moines to visit. We had dinner with them and sat around chatting, and playing some Wii. This was Kristy's first time, and I think she had the most fun creating Miis (game characters) representative of her and Hiram. I've never seen her laugh so hard! It was great to see them again.

Saturday we saw our guests off, and Husband headed to his company picnic with Brandon. I got a free pass from this event because I was attending a bridal shower for Stephanie, who is marrying one of Brett's cousins in September. It was a nice afternoon with family. Can't wait for the wedding!

While I was at the shower, Husband also did some car shopping and purchased a new vehicle! His GMC Jimmy was in need of some repairs that were going to cost more than it was worth...so we made the decision to look now. Although I was bummed at first (I just paid off my car a few months ago and he just paid off another loan last month), we knew this was coming eventually, and I guess I'd rather adjust to the payment now than have everything hit when we buy a house in the spring. We test drove some vehicles last week and agreed on the make and model, then talked about our financial limits...the rest was up to him.

Turns out he is a brilliant negotiator (I had an inkling) and we got a great deal on a 2004 GMC Envoy. I know this is an SUV, not my favorite choice, but we had 3 essential criteria that drove us in this direction:

1) It must fit Husband comfortably.

Let's face it - I married a big, tall man. You should see him try to fit in my Honda; it's not pretty.

2) It must be able to tow the boat.

Our trips up north are essential to our sanity.

3) It must conveniently accommodate a carseat, for any potential future family expansion.

No news here, just planning ahead.

We got all three in a non-gargantuan SUV that gets better gas mileage than what we had. We're quite happy with how it all turned out. Next up, new house!

You Think it Can't Happen to You...But it Can

Tonight I found out that a friend had a bad bicycle accident a few weeks ago...he was riding on a recreational, crushed limestone trail and somehow, ended up flipping his bike and laying in the middle of the trail, bleeding. Our friend Larissa was far enough behind him to not see exactly what happened, just found him like that. There are no roadways that cross this trail, and no vehicles are allowed. It is surrounded by trees and in a pretty serene environment.

Rich is a very active person - I used to play volleyball and softball with him, and he is a man of many teams and physical activities. He is an avid and experienced biker. This freak accident has left him with a brain injury and he has essentially been in a coma since July 8.

He was not wearing a helmet.

Please wear a helmet. And please pray for Rich.

Grrrr...

It is now July 23rd and our landlord has not cashed the check for this month's rent yet. I don't know why this irks me so much, the money is there, I know it's coming out eventually...but it's just irritating. It's a sizable check, not pocket change...If he doesn't need the money that badly, then why can't I just pay whenever I want?

Update: It finally cleared the account July 28th!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRANDON!

Today was Brandon's 14th birthday. We had a little family party at the house with his (current) favorite dessert, chocolate pie. Brandon, Dad and I wish you the best year ever - and don't worry, by Christmas, you'll probably be taller than me!

Center...Clarity...Peace...Serenity...

I'm in need of all these. It's been a long week, but I don't know why. Nothing particularly stressful at work or at home. I just feel a little off. My back is all knotted, I'm not sleeping well. I am tired of TRAFFIC, tired of long days, tired of everything and nothing at the same time. I think it's because I haven't had a vacation for awhile; haven't taken more than a one-night trip in a long time. I feel the pull of wide open spaces...it's time to lose myself in the middle of nowhere, in the midst of trees and water and the sound of loons...

3 more weeks, and we're headed to Lake Vermilion. Here's to holding out.

A Visit From the Folks

This weekend Mom and Dad came up to visit. They attended an Allison Krauss concert on Thursday night, then Dad rode around with brother Josh on Friday, while Mom and I did some shopping after we all had lunch together. Friday night Husband and I went out to dinner with them and we just sat around and talked. Saturday Mom and Dad did some antiquing in Hopkins, where we found out it was also Raspberry Days. Saturday when they returned we visited Historic Murphy's Landing, a local Minnesota landmark that I had never visited myself. It was a lovely day, and it was very interesting to browse through the historic buildings they have on display there; a nice little bit of history. Saturday evening Husband grilled and did some bird watching in the backyard.

Today we did a whole lot of nothing...but a very nice weekend overall. We always love when they visit!

Lovin' Me Some Harry Potter

Lastnight Husband and I went to see "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which is the 5th movie in the series. We are all in love with Harry Potter in this house...we've seen all the movies and read all the books...like most of the rest of the world. I resisted jumping on the bandwagon until I met Husband, when I decided to borrow the first 3 books from him. I ripped through them in short order. They are so creative, such wonderful stories. I've been hooked ever since.

The movies have been great as well (though per usual, not as good as the books). This movie was very different, much darker and focused less on action and more on Harry's internal struggles. Although there is another book and movie in between this and the hugely anticipated 7th and final book, this movie is a perfect set-up for the final installment. It's going to come down to Harry vs. Voldemort, and someone has to die. Who will it be?

Anyone else seen the movie? Thoughts? Theories on Book 7?

FYI - I realize by running this post, I am setting myself up to look like a total nerd. Whatever dude. It's happened before.

Blast From the Past

Anyone watch the show "World Series of Pop Culture" on VH1? (I know some of you do). Tonight I recorded the first episode of the season on DVR, and am currently watching it. On one of the teams, I found a familiar face. MY BOYFRIEND WHEN I WAS 18 (freshman year of college). He looks a little different, but the name and the sense of humor match up. Too funny!

For those of you who knew him, go here, and under Check It Out, click "Meet the Teams on VSpot" and click on "Fat Guys in Little Coats" for a video clip. (Sorry there's not a more direct link). Some of you will get a real kick out of this, including you, Mom and Dad.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!

Hot Stuff! Jess, Laura, Kristy - March 2003

"If you occupy space on this earth, you're an environmentalist - you're interested in what's happening around you."

http://www.liveearth.org/

Camp Okoboji – The Short Story

This past Friday Brandon and I took off for a little family reunion in Okoboji, IA. We do this every year – Grandma Mardie gets a cabin at Camp Okoboji, where a bunch of us used to go for church camp every summer. There are about 30 of us – aunts, uncles cousins, significant others – that converge on the place at various times during the week. This year was unique in that we had 24 there at one time or another, including cousins from Washington D.C. and Panama (yes, Panama). It was a great time, filled with cookouts, campfire talks, bean bag tournaments, trips to Arnolds Park, kayaking, swimming, waterskiing, and lots of just sittin’ around talkin.’

I have to just say this…when the entire family lines up in lawn chairs to spectate the White Family Bean Bag Tournament Championship Game, complete with singing of the National Anthem, “7th inning stretch” Chicken Dance, and revival of high school cheers from decades past, you know you’ve got something special going on here. This is Camp Okoboji, folks. And if you don’t like the noise, we’re sorry…but that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop. We just can’t help ourselves. We’re that darn fun.

Camp Okoboji – The Long Story aka My Kayaking Adventure

I did add a little adventure to my stay in Okoboji. Sunday morning I got up early to take a little kayaking expedition with my dad. By about 6:30AM we were on the water. It was a gorgeous, peaceful morning and a great time to be out. We detoured away from the lake and explored some adjacent canals and marshes, and just talked and meandered our way, looking for signs of wildlife and just generally feeling content. I particularly enjoyed watching some barn swallows and their graceful acrobatics on the open water. It was quite a beautiful morning.

At one point we were exploring a marshy area filled with cattails and a plethora of bossy red-winged blackbirds. It’s nesting season, so they chattered at us quite a bit and hovered a few feet above us, chiding us for getting too close. Just as we were about to turn around and begin the return trip to camp, we heard a weird bird noise from the reeds, and Dad headed back in to explore.

I noticed a different-looking bird flying away, being chased by a red-winged blackbird. I turned my head to watch as it flew above and behind me. I twisted just a little too far, because...

I fell in.

Kayak full of water, Jess in water, and the worst thing – digital camera overboard. The good news was, the water was only about 2 feet deep. Bad news – my feet sank in disgusting muck up to my knees. All I knew was by the time my feet sank down, I was waist deep in water green with algae and who knows what else, and that muck was stinky. It sucked so hard on my feet that I almost lost my shoes, and even with them off I had a hard time getting my foot out when I wanted to take a step.

Dad reacted like a champ. He took my camera (I did find it) and also my shoes. Although he had a camera of his own, he did not feel the need to photo-document this experience (though in hindsight, we both kind of wish he would have). He was calm and helped me the best he could, without getting out of his kayak, because we didn’t want both of us stuck. I had a heck of a time getting back in that boat. Holy cow was that frustrating! With the muck so deep and sticky, I had no leverage to hoist myself back in, and with the boat half full of water, it was heavy and didn’t offer much leeway in terms of weight before taking on more water. We didn’t have anything to bail water with. At one point we pulled the kayak into some reeds, and I was able to get in by hoisting myself up with the help of some cattails, but the front end was up so high that by the time I got in it, the water in the kayak weighed it down so much that the back end sank! So I had to get out again and try something different.

I pulled my kayak up over the back of Dad’s, which was quite a chore because it was so darn heavy. I got it up high enough to tip it and drain some of the water out, which helped. We pulled it into the reeds again to a more level position, and I figured out that the cattails were dense enough that they had a pretty solid root mass that I could stand on. With that I was able to get back in the kayak, although I was still sitting in the water that we weren’t able to drain out. That was kind of gross in itself (though at that point it really didn't make a difference), but it also made the kayak sit very close to the water, and very prone to tipping. I had to paddle very slowly and carefully so as to not have another “spill.” We found a spot along the bank and although muddy and not very wide, we were both able to get out and fully tip my kayak to finally drain it.

I have to say that although the experience was a little frustrating, and I was bummed about the camera (verdict still out on if it will ever work again), we were both laughing the whole time too. The water wasn’t deep so it wasn’t scary, just really disgusting! I remembered yesterday on the ride home that Dad said to me before we left on our trip, “I hope you’re not grossed out by green scummy water.” I assured him that I was not. Little did I know I would be essentially covered in it by the time our trip was over.
A little kayaking adventure, and a story I’m sure we’ll be telling for years. Apparently I also hold a record, which Dad reminded me of shortly after I splashed into swamp monster habitat. This is the first time that he’s gone paddling with someone who has tipped over. He told me earlier that day that he bought his kayak in 2000, so…there you have it.

Heard This in the Backyard Tonight

http://www.owling.com/gr-hrnda.wav

Juvenile great horned owl. Not quite as melodious as the adult, to say the least.

So Much For Hearing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"

Husband and I were driving in his vehicle tonight. I reached into the back seat for a CD case -"Power Ballads." I opened it; no CD.

"Where is it?"

[shrugs] "Wherever it went."

So very helpful.