A PERFECT Day!

Chris and I took the day off today. It was an awesome day. He took me to my favorite breakfast spot, and then my favorite coffee shop to stock up on beans.

After we got cleaned up at home, I went with him to get a haircut, and we bummed around a few shops, my favorite being the best record shop in the world! I used a gift certificate that my parents' gave me to buy some much-needed new music.

We had dinner with our neighbors at a new Korean place that was JUST fabulous. I can't say enough about how delicious it was! I only wish it was a little bit cheaper, so we could justify going there a LOT more.

Afterwards we went driving around to see some very unique Christmas light displays. And back home for a nightcap. All in all, a wonderful day. I hope it's an indication of a VERY good 30th year of my life! It sure has started out right.

A Few Updates

1. I definitely took the cake on the "asshole of the year" award this afternoon at my work holiday party.

2. I'm officially done with my Christmas shopping tonight -with the exception of needing to get a check to my Aunt soon. I'll have it all wrapped and under the tree by tomorrow! Hooray for me!

3. I'm a bad mom. My dog has another ear infection, so I need to go blow $80 or so at the vet tomorrow to get him the meds he needs. And it's my responsibility to keep his ears clean so this doesn't happen.

4. Work has been taking over my life. I actually FORGOT to pay last month's gas an electric bill. It just completely slipped my mind, and I can only chalk it up to my mind being constantly occupied by work.

5. Chris has been sick with a tooth infection and two sinus infections collectively for 6 weeks. If he doesn't call the doctor tomorrow, I might just strangle him!

6. I miss my friends. Online and off. I've been selfish and preoccupied, and I'm sorry. I want my life and my friends back!

The Times, They're a' Changin'

The job I have now - the supposed 'dream job' - the job I adore so much, and the team I feel so connected to has been disrupted.

I'm trying not to be so dramatic about it all, but it's really affecting me in more ways than I realized it would.

I've had a week off to process some of it, and I'm dreading going back to work on Monday. My last four days with the boss I adore. My first day, Friday, with a new interim boss who I feel I need to prove myself to all over again.

Change is good, and I know it's a sign for me to start assessing my career goals and figuring out how I can take some opportunity from this change.

Regardless, if I seem to be a little elusive over the holiday season, it's because i've got a few things on my plate right now!

Going South

We have returned from our trip to Nashville. A day early, mind you, because the Smashing Pumpkins show was postponed (and i'm still keeping my fingers crossed that I can unload my tickets and not lose the $100+ on them).

We had a fabulous time. Nashville wasn't what I expected, but I was pleasantly suprised at how laid back the city is, how nice the people there are, and the general quirks when discovering a new place.

We packed a lot into a two-night trip. We saw alot of the touristy stuff, but it's what we wanted to do. We visited the home of Andrew Jackson, and took a tour of the Ryman. We did a little shopping, and a lot of eating and drinking. I'm still dreaming about the Sweet Potato Pancakes I had for breakfast yesterday- WOW! We got to visit with Sarah, and hear all about her trip to South Africa, which was awesome!

We opted to leave on Monday because the show had been canceled, and left things open-ended with the thought that we might stay in Louisville on our way back, depending on how things went. We stopped for the Maker's Mark Distillery tour in Loretto, KY. My husband was in heaven! Then we made our way to have dinner with my friend Scott, and his sister, Amy at Lynn's Paradise cafe in Louisville. We then opted just to make the trip home and save our money and just relax here today.

Here are some photo highlights of our trip:

My favorite stop on Broadway: Hatch Show Print!



The Glorious Ryman Auditorium!



Dinner with one amazing lady!



I think this shot pretty accurately captures how excited Chris was about our Maker's Mark tour! This is a giant vat of bourbon behind him, about two days into the 6+ year process.

Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is

I've taken on a new responsibility outside of work. As a board member for this organization it is my job to raise awareness about environmental issues as they pertain to my profession as well as the world we live in.

Last night I had the wild realization that I need to make some more changes in my own daily life to truly perform this role at my best. Cincinnati is a huge commuter city. In a survey released by Forbes, I found out that Cincinnati is the sixth most expensive commuter city in the nation.

I'm going to go outside of my comfort zone tomorrow and ride the bus to work. This is a big deal in this city because my commute is short (5 miles), and I have free parking at my office. So i'll walk a few blocks to the bus stop from home, and a few blocks from the bus stop into my office. It will make my day a little longer, but it will be an interesting experiment. Like a wise philosopher once said "it's not easy being green."

I'd like to keep the momentum and do this at least twice a week on my way into work. I often have activities planned for after work that will last beyond the bus schedule. But reducing my carbon emissions by 40% every week is a big deal, I think.

We'll see.

Venting/Things that Annoy Me

1. Eating so fast you feel sick
2. People who chew gum in an office setting and pop in CONSTANTLY. And by constantly, I mean for the entire day. Several times a minute.
3. That today isn't Friday already.
4. That I'm all worried about saving money for our trip, but I went ahead and bought a new pair of shoes at lunch.
5. People who crack their gum - have I mentioned that? It's happened 4 times - nope, 5 times since I began writing this post. Oops. 6 times now.

Communication Is the Only Way

Oofda!

Sometimes all the frustration, the anger, the excitment and anticipation of life all builds up and you don't even realize what it's doing to you as a person. It affects your most important relationships, your sleep, and your ability to relax.

A good talk (or debate as it may be) really goes a long way. Lots of tears and lots of hugs.

It's just what I needed. I think it's what my marriage needed, too. I just adore my husband.

In My Best Munchkin Voice..

DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD! Which old witch? The WICKED witch!

Got some very good news at work today. I can't divulge in this public form, but just ask me - I am happy to share!

Realizing Something In Me Has Changed...

This morning while walking the dog, we had a confrontation with two dogs who were off the leash followed behind by a very hostile dog owner.

To back up just a bit, we are in our third week of a leash aggression class with our dog, who has developed some issues in the past year with other dogs approaching him closely while on the leash. And it's only on the leash. We've been spending family time together every morning for 30 minutes, walking with Quinn and working on some of the exercises we've been given.

This morning as we were walking Quinn, it was still dark. A black lab who looked very much like Lucy, our neighbor's dog, approached us off the leash. There was no human in sight. Quinn got excited, but he hadn't shown signs of full aggression yet. I asked Chris to check the dog's tag to make sure it wasn't Lucy. Just then a setter came out of no where and ran up right into Quinn's face, and at this point he got defensive and lost it. Barking uncontrollably. I handed the leash to Chris and proceeded to try to command the other dogs to "go" and pointed away from my dog. In any direction we moved, these dogs would follow, and they were starting to fight back.

As this was going on the owner of the dog came following behind, out of the darkness. He began yelling at me. Insulting me. Being an all around jackass. Telling me that the dogs were feeding off of my energy and I needed to be calm and leave his dogs alone.

Well a few months ago, I probably would have slunk back, like always and went on my way. Today, something snapped in me. I fought back. I told him not to speak to me in the way he was. I told him that I had no control over my dog when his dogs were not leashed and I could not get away from them. I pointed out that he was a good 30 feet behind his dogs and in no position to control the situation.

Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but it was a good victory for me, personally. A little part of me wished that Chris would have spoken up, but I know he was trying to get Quinn under control, and I probably needed to speak for myself, alone. Interestingly, he almost had the dog calmed before the jackass guy started yelling at me.

I was pretty proud of myself for standing my ground today. I felt strong and proud.

TRUTHS

Foolishness is surely clarified with a good bottle of wine.

Life is tough.

Live hard. Love to the fullest.

That is all.

Confessions of an Insomniac

Work right now is absolute hell. I am NOT sleeping. I'm extremely burnt out. I'm dreading a drive to Evansville, IN on Monday - mostly because i'll be all alone, for a round trip in one day - for a quick photo shoot for work. 8 hours in the car (collectively) is not appealing.

You'd think that being an insomniac, i might go to the gym to work out, but honestly, my energy levels are so low, that i'm afraid to over exert myself.

The good news is that I think i've eaten well this week. I've made the effort to plan my meals (with the exception of ordering in a Chicken Gyro yesterday - YUM - but I ordered a greek salad with light feta instead of fries, and the chicken was all white meat). I haven't snacked at all, which is really good, so hopefully I can get back on track with my diet - because any new clothes I bought a couple months ago from losing 20 pounds are starting to get snug, and I can't stand it. I absolutely hate that i'm a stress eater.

Funny thing to me is that I hate exercising and i'm longing for an hour at the gym. Hopefully Sunday! Maybe even Monday before I hit the road!

I'll post more often once work settles down. And god, it HAS to soon!

I have a problem with saying "No"

I've been spreading myself too thin these days. Work is beyond busy, and I've been attending several photo shoots this week (and will be for the next few weeks). They sound like great fun, but they are some of the most exhausting parts of my job.

I am helping to organize a mentoring program for design students.

My house is a mess.

I'm helping plan my 10 year high-school reunion.

I'm also helping to organize and design our "Family Cookbook" that was the great idea of some of my aunts.

I'm helping Chris update his resume to look for some job opps.

And my in-laws will be in town this weekend, to boot.

Somebody shoot me. PLEASE.

Three Years

Three years ago today, I married my best friend, the love of my life. ]

Year three has been our hardest yet. We've both had very stressful times at work. We've done some big house projects. We've been through a very tough family crisis and the death of a loved one.

But we got through it with grace and I think we're stronger for it.

We've laughed and we've cried, and we've managed to let loose every chance we get.

Thank you, Chris, for another wonderful year of marriage! You are the most caring and giving person I could have ever asked for.

On Being Emotional

Last night was a rough one for me. Today's a little better, but I still just have this sinking heavy-heart feeling in my gut today.

I'm really stressed about a printing error at work. I'll know more early next week, but I may just have to take full responsibility for it and that sucks. Even though we caught it early enough that it will only cost $1400 to correct, I just hate admitting I screwed up at work.

My uncle had to put his dog to sleep this weekend - Porter. I've spent a lot of time with Porter over the years, watching him when they were out of town. Porter was the best damn dog i've ever come across. When I got that email last night I cried and I cried and I cried.

My mom had a spinal epidural this morning. It's kind of a last-ditch effort at relieving her arthritis pain. I pray that it works. It's so hard to watch her getting older and dealing with constant pain.

I think my new birth control is causing my depression. I'm on my 3rd month of it. If by next month my hormones aren't in check, i'll have to switch back or just ditch it all together. I'm really tired of pumping myself full of hormones. I have plenty to go around.

I feel the need for some sort of vision quest. Some time alone to reassess my personal goals and find myself a little. I just don't know the best way to do that.

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
On a lighter note: Chris and I went canoeing with our neighbors this weekend and totally had a blast. I already want to go again. My shoulders ached for two days afterwards, but it was worth it! 10 miles on the whitewater was so much fun once we got the hang of it all over again!

Gifts

I'm in a bit of a bind this year, thinking of a meaningful gift for Chris for our third wedding anniversary. Traditionally, the third anniversary warrants a gift of crystal or leather. Sounds boring to me.

I want to give Chris something meaningful. And this doesn't mean I have to spend a lot of money, but I really just can't figure out what to give him. I usually don't have this problem. I pride myself in thoughtful gifts - especially for my husband. I still have a little over a month to figure this out though.

Ugh.

Well the attempt to diet has not gone well. I'm such a stress eater. I've made a concerted effort every day to bring things to work that are good healthy snacks, and I've done really well all day long. But when I get home, i'm so beat from working, and just emotionally drained. I just eat whatever I can find. And I skip out on exercise. Chris rented Season 1 of Grey's Anatomy for me at the Library last night, and I watched two episodes instead of going to the gym, like i'd planned.

I just don't know how to stop this cycle. The stressful work atmosphere is not going to stop anytime soon.

In other news, we are planning a November trip to Nashville to see the Smashing Pumpkins. I can't wait! Chris, of course, is very happy because he loves the Pumpkins, but this will also require a drive that is almost entirely driving through Kentucky.

He is also strongly considering contacting his biological father. He's been in contact often through email with an 18-year old half-sister that he's only known about for a little under 2 years. It will be interesting, if nothing else.

The Violent Femmes Bring ALL Their Equipment on the Bus.

Chris and I went to see the Violent Femmes last night. This was the third time i've tried to see them, but only the first time it's panned out. They absolutely ROCKED. It was so fun. We got poured on, too, and it made them rock even harder. I heart the Violent Femmes.

Drinking with the Danish

A note to self: trying to keep up with your Danish neighbor in the area of drinking is something to avoid. Once the neck of our beers were gone, he'd order another round. But - drinking on a Tuesday night sure is fun!

A Photo from Girls' Night Out

This photo says a lot about how much fun we were having last night, even though Chrissy looks quite disgusted about the outspoken hillbilly guy who is touching us all.

On the DubDub Again

Today is the first day I get serious about staying on the Weight Watchers plan again. It's going to be a rough week to start, but if I don't stop making excuses, I will gain back the 20 pounds i've already lost. And I know i've gained a few of those back already.

Chris and I are participating in the Relay for Life on Friday and Saturday. From what I hear, there's just TONS and TONS of junkfood around. People sell it the whole night trying to raise more money for their teams. I need a game plan for myself. Veggies and lowfat ranch dip. Pretzels. Suggestions are welcome for what I can pack in a cooler for an overnight event to avoid sweets, hot dogs, and candy. I could use the encouragement!

Saturday night Chris and I are going to a cooking class for a beer tasting meal. I bought this for him for his birthday back in April. I am hoping to skip lunch that day, which is feasible since I will be more than likely sleeping for lack of sleep from Relay.

I need to get back to the gym as well. I am embarrassed to admit that I have not been there in a month. I keep justifying it because I am walking the dog every morning, and we've been doing physical work on the house almost nightly. Gardening, painting, cleaning out the junky basement. The gym time MUST resume though. I think Wednesday night will begin that.

I have decided that I need to set some goals for myself though, and reward myself for weight loss.

Here's the tentative reward list (this will begin from my weigh in on Friday):
10 pounds - pedicure
20 pounds - new outfit (including shoes!)
30 pounds - I haven't decided yet.

Wish me luck! Food journaling has resumed.

Back to Nature

Chris and I spent our weekend camping. I wish i'd remembered to bring the camera, though we weren't pretty sights to see. We had a blast though. I'm still tired today. Camping sure is fun, but it's not easy to sleep. Chris and I made a good team though, and we both enjoyed some things we love, while outdoors. It's a good reminder of how little we all really NEED in order to live. Next time, I need to offer to bring the plates and cups, etc. My neighbor brought all styrofoam, and INSISTED on burning it all after it was used. It made me feel really really guilty. We had a car jam packed with stuff, as as well as the dog, or I would have INSISTED on taking trash home with me.
All in all though - fun times! We're hoping to do it again in the fall!

Eco General Store

My friend Kate and I checked out Park + Vine today - a new "Eco General Store" in Cincinnati that has its grand opening this weekend, starting today. We were both so excited to go to the opening and it didn't disappoint! They had a great range of products, and I bought several things - including a soy-based toilet scrub, a new toothbrush with changable heads, biodegradable kitchen waste bags and sandwich bags, and a cool greeting card made from an old John Mellencamp album cover!
We were both impressed that even though we drove down there from our office together, we dropped a quarter into a bin to offset our carbon emissions for the trip there!

My Own Personal Hell

Our bathroom renovation project hasn't gone exactly the way we'd hoped. It's looking like we're going to need to hire professional help for the walls, after my dad arrived tonight to do the electric work, installing boxes for our new lighting, and removing the old. Take a look. And shoot me now. I have been SO anxious just to have this project done, and it looks like it's going to be grossly extended!

States I've Visited.

Kinda sad. I need to do some more traveling, eh? Only 49%



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

A Pleasant Surprise

Last spring, I planted Peonies. This year they've gotten little buds on them. One was much deeper pink than the others, and today, that bud was all opened up in my garden. Beautiful, isn't it? I'm so excited!
I think the other two plants are going to have the traditional multi-petaled pale pink blooms, but I do think this one is striking. I can't wait to see it next year when the plant is full size and has multiple blooms!

The Greening of Mayhem Continues

Our next attempt at greening!

Hardwood Charcoal. I read an interesting article this past week on grilling - the green way. Chris and I have both a charcoal grill (because i'm a purist), and a gas grill that we bought second hand (because gas grills are quick and easy - and we often need a second grill when we have a party). My favorite cousin and her husband were in town this week, and stopped by the other night. I was discussing this Hardwood Charcoal i've read about with them. When I went home at lunch today, there was a bag of it on my front porch that they got for me at Trader Joe's.

It put a smile on my face, and it makes me smile just thinking about it. I'm excited to try it out. I'm quite a grilling enthusiast, so i'll keep everyone posted!

Spring has Sprung!

Springtime is my favorite time of year, now that I am a homeowner. Aside from both of us having allergies, it's just wonderful to spend so much time outside enjoying beautiful weather, sleeping with the windows open, and enjoying our neighbors.

We did a full day of yard work last weekend, and it was so rewarding. I added a SECOND compost bin in the yard, so Chris removed a Honeysuckle tree (I hate those things!) to open up a space near the fenceline, and we're now planning to remove them all, and plant evergreens in their place. My compost project is going well. I had actual FINISHED COMPOST at the bottom of my pile on Sunday when I was turning it. I was giddy with excitement.

We also had a nice evening last night. My neighbor is from Denmark and invited us over to come and meet his mother and uncle who arrived on Monday for a visit. It was such a pleasant evening. I always love to hear the observations of someone who is visiting our country for the first time, and recommending things for them to do.

This weekend we'll be hitting up the farmer's plants at the market for some annuals. I love having flowers around! I know, I know. My content here is really getting boring. It's so interesting to me to observe my OWN transformations these days.

New York Photos

Check it out!

A Quick Rundown on Recent Travel

I hope to post pictures earlier this week than later, but here's a quick rundown of our fabulous trip to New York:

- Lots and LOTS of sightseeing. My feet still feel achy from all the walking
- Great experience watching a taping of the Colbert Report - Chris even got to ask Stephen a question!
- Fun dinner with my cousin Jeremy and his friend Paul
- Top of the Rock - best view in the city, hands down.
- Helvetica is the first type face to become part of MoMA's permanent collection
- Chris learned that he actually DOES like modern art!
- Yeungling and Brooklyn Lager. YUM.
- Chocolate Chocolate Canoli and Raspberry Cheesecake at Veniero's
- A visit to the old stomping grounds - 1st avenue and 12th street
- The Strand Bookstore
- A fun taping of Letterman
- A really wonderful afternoon spent with Kevin at the Public Library, Bryant Park, and Grand Central
- Fishs Eddy!!!!
- Wonderful wonderful Cuban/Mexican food in Park Slope - guacamole was heavenly!!
- Shopping in Park Slope, Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Gorgeous weather

One Week!

I've been so excited at the prospect of our New York City trip, which is just one week from today. I am getting quite giddy over the thought of it, too. We are still researching intinerary options. I have lost sleep over the excitement!

The Conclusion of a Very Good Week

It's been awhile since I could say that I really had a great week all around.
Here are a few highlights:

Monday: It was GORGEOUS outside, and I took the dog for a LONG walk and went to the gym. YAY me.
Tuesday: I volunteered for the first time at our church food ministry. We feed meals and distribute bagged lunches for the homeless and working poor in downtown Cincinnati.
Wednesday: I took a really fun Latin Aerobics Class at the gym. I'm still sore Saturday morning.
Thursday: I had a great meeting with my boss and team about upcoming project's and I feel really optimistic about the work we'll be doing this spring/summer. I also had my annual review, and it went really well. I came out of it really feeling confident about my work and my ability.
Friday: I stepped on the scale to find I've lost FOUR POUNDS this week. I treated myself to a new haircut (see photo from webcam...hehe), and I had a fun night out with Chris and good friends - Angie, Todd, Julia, Sean, & Datina. I hadn't realized how much I needed it.

Feeling Discouraged

This is the second week in a row now where I have worked REALLY hard to concentrate on my dieting goals. I have been really good with my food intake. I have either worked out at the gym or walked the dog every day (sometimes both). I've gotten plenty of sleep, too, which is something I needed to catch up on, because I know being tired makes me feel hungry.
And both weeks? I get on the scale to find i've lost a pound. Now I know the trend is going in the right direction, but I feel like I've worked really hard to jump start it a bit. I've lost a total of 13 now, but I was REALLY hoping to be at the 20 mark before our trip to New York on the 18th. But Jesus, really only ONE POUND?
*sigh*
It's been a lifelong struggle for me - this weight thing. And I absolutely hate it. People aren't really even noticing yet, and that's discouraging too. I've been working on this for a solid two months now. And some days it makes me wish I was just eating what I *want* to eat!

Worms and My Garbage

It's quite amusing to me to tell people that I now willingly have a bin full of worms and garbage on my front porch. I am so excited about this. My vermicompost bin is underway! Chris has quite enjoyed feeding them, which is really cute.
Today the big outdoor bin gets "officially" underway, because I have the supplies. I am so excited about this. We will be reducing our landfill waste significantly, and that's something I can do to make a difference.
Consequently, to get my "Master Composter" Certification, I have to do 10-15 hours of service. I am going to try to devote this to teaching friends and family how to have their own bins and piles. I'm thinking a "fermentation and fermentation" party in the fall (maybe earlier if I feel confident in my composting knowledge and practice by then!) - that's a composting and wine party. I'll be handing out flyers door to door on the street, and offering to have the supplies at my house to start new bins with my neighbors for a fee less than $10.
I'm such a geek about this, but I really am excited!

Shhhhh!!! Don't tell...

But Justin Timberlake, was freaking awesome! I had such a fun time. The man can DANCE, and he sure can entertain an unlikely fan!!

I'm actually looking forward to the gym tomorrow - to rock out some more!!

Going Green

We are making a concerted effort to go green in our home. It's a slow process, mostly because of the adjustment to our budget, but we definitely feel good about it. Here's a list of some of the things we're doing:

• We now use energy efficient light bulbs in every place we can in our home - these last 10 times longer than the other type, and use 2/3's of the energy.

• We support local business.

• We buy organic food products. This has not been a complete transition yet, mostly because the stores near us don't have enough options yet. We are buying only organic milk, yogurt and eggs. We buy our meat from a local butcher shop, and the meat comes from local resources. We buy organic produce as often as available. Always on our greens, apples, oranges, mangoes.

• We've expanded our garden. It's a completely organic garden. This year we'll be growing Tomatoes, Zucchini, Red Peppers, Green Beans, Parsley, Basil, Cilantro (possibly a few other herbs, tbd once I get through my herb book!).

• Plans are in the works to make our home more energy efficient. Big plans for the tax return this year. We are getting glass block windows in our basement (finally), and blowing insulation into our eavespace. If money allows, we'll be insulating our basement ceiling as well. Eventually, i'd like to purchase energy efficient storm doors. Our front door is particularly old, but it's beautiful and adds to the character of the house. A new storm door will help us keep it.

• We purchased an energy efficient refrigerator in December. We have vowed to research our energy efficient options on all of our purchases. It was particularly important with a purchase this big. I am researching sustainable flooring options for our kitchen (particularly interested in bamboo and cork) as well.

• I am starting compost bins in our yard (and i am VERY excited about this).

• I have purchased compostable and biodegradable (ethanol free!) waste bags.

It's really all been quite simple to do. I just wish everyone would consider making some effort for a greener lifestyle. It would make a world of difference.

Getting Serious

With a newfound motivation from two of my coworkers, i'm getting more serious about getting in shape. I've lost 10 pounds or so since Christmas, just enough to feel comfortable in my favorite jeans again, but i've been doing much better this week with the moral support of two of my coworkers who are trying to get back in shape as well.
I hit up the gym again tonight, and felt the urge to work harder on the eliptical machine - hoping to drown out the cologne smell of the guy next to me. I even managed to duck by the guy at the desk and go unnoticed. The guy that always flirts with me and asks when i'll go out to dinner with him - which is just a little bit flattering and a a little bit creepy at the same time. I usually just smile and ignore the question. hah. The workout was TOUGH tonight. It was just one of those days where it was harder to get into the groove.
I stopped at the grocery store to stock up. My biggest problem is snacking so I needed snacks in the 0-2 point range, and some good lunch options for work. I spent an hour at the store looking at labels and comparing.
I'll pick up some chicken, eggplant and ground turkey from the farmer's market this weekend - and i'm banking on the prospect of some of the local farmers being back with the warmer weather. They start bringing out the spring plants. Oh I love this time of year.
My first composting class was really great last night. We've already started! I borrowed an old coffee can that Chris had saved and we've already started to fill it with our food scraps. I'm going to use my neighbor's shredder this weekend for some of our yard waste, and we'll be on our way. I can't wait to get the worms in two weeks for my vermicompost bin. They'll have plenty to eat just waiting for them!!
I am also proud to say (and a little embarrassed that i didn't do this earlier at the same time) that I purchased biodegradable and compostable waste bags for my dog. I really hate to think that i'm preserving my dog's dookie in a landfill for a couple of hundred years using grocery store bags...which reminds me, I need a couple more bags to take to the grocery store with me. The two I have to reuse is just never enough!

Survey Time!

Food:
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Jimmy Johns or Chipotle

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Honey. Oh, god. Honey!

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 20%

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Thai

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Mushrooms, Bacon and Tomato

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. butter and/or strawberry preserves

Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Vanilla Mint


*TECHNOLOGY*

Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. no idea

Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. too many to count

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. Currently it's my friend Angie's kid, Caleb, with chocolate smeared all over his face and a goofy grin

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 2


*BIOLOGY*

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. i'm a lefty

Q. Do you like your smile?
A. yeah. it was an expensive and painful journey, so i better like it!

Q. What's your best feature?
A. Um, my curls?

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Teeth and Gallbladder

Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. sight

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Probably 5-6 years ago

Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. a box in our supply closet at work

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. only under anesthesia


Misc.

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. No. I'd like to think I live my life as best I can every day. So it doesn't really matter. Who wants to live in fear of that day anyhow?

Q. Is love for real?
A. absolutely

Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A. I don't think i'd change it. I might decide to actually be called "Nicole" instead of Nikki though.

Q. What color do you think you look best in?
A. black - but others tell me reds and pinks suit me well

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. oh i'm sure i've ingested more dog hair than I care to think about

Q. If we weren't bound by society's conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?
A. huh?

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. i've performed the heimlich maneuver in a couple of situations, does that count?

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Not physically, but spiritually and emotionally, yes.

Dares:

Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Probably not.

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. sure. i've done it for free. ha!

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. no

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. yes

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. nope

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. depends on the hot sauce

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for 1,000,000?
A. absolutely not

Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. YES

Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: i don't have pockets today

Q: How much alcohol did you have this week?
A: a couple of beers at a party Saturday night. And a nice glass of red.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: The characters were quite quirky and wonderful. And the movie was quite enjoyable, yes.

Q: What color underwear do you have on?
A: Gray and Pink, i believe

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Hardwood downstairs, carpet and pine upstairs

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: stand

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: I have and it never bothered me. I don't consider my husband a roommate, but we get along quite well, i'd say!

Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A: abotu 10

Q: Where were you born?
A. Cincinnati, OH

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. I got a ticket in the Summer of '03. For not wearing my seatbelt correctly (it was tucked under my arm on a long drive after it was rubbing my neck too long). Ugh.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: happy

Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8?
A: Chris

Q: What cell phone service do you have?
A: T-mobile


LAST:

Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Kate at work

Q: Last person you called?
A: a vendor

Q: Person you hugged?
A: Chris, this morning


FAVORITE:

Q: Number?
A: 9

Q: Color?
A: Green

Q: Season?
A: Spring and Fall


CURRENTLY:

Q: Missing someone?
A: many of my friends

Q: Mood?
A: mellow

Q: Listening to?
A: 97X Vintage online. I miss this station on the radio!

Q: Worrying about?
A: money

Q: First place you went this morning?
A: to check email -isn't that sad?

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: travel!

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: V for Vendetta

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Yeah

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: yes

Q: What color shirt are you wearing?
A: brown with a denim jacket

Q: Now that the surveys done what are you going to do?
A: go home soon!

Mother of 15, Grandmother of 35

My grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35!) had foot surgery last Thursday. Though it was not major, she will not be doing much of anything for about six weeks. This is a huge adjustment for a woman who is more active than I am!
Through it all it's really amazing to see my family coming together to make sure there's a hot meal on the dinner table every night, that my grandpa can have some time to himself for the things he enjoys - like church and music, that the house stays tidy, and grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35!) stays as comfortable as possible.
Chris and I stopped by with fresh-baked cookies on Saturday morning. But I signed up for the evening shift tonight, so that my grandpa could keep his commitment to play the bass with his swing band (and yes, it is amazing to me that my 78 year old grandpa still plays his upright bass with two bands 2-3 times per week!).
I had a nice four hour visit with my grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35). We talked about surgery. We talked about her travels with my grandpa over the years. We talked about her life as a young mother. We had dinner. We talked about faith and prayer and family. We talked about Dubai. I can't think of a nicer way to spend a Monday evening, really.
She is a woman of great faith, even greater patience, but most of all - tremendous love. I am very thankful for the time I had with her tonight, while she is healthy (relatively speaking), and vibrant, with that smile that never seems to leave her face.
I count my blessings for having a grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35) I enjoy so much.

Lifestyles

So I am proud to say that I am starting to feel a difference in my clothes, and that following WW is paying off. I haven't gotten on the scale yet (i'm afraid to know), but I'm guessing that i've dropped about 10 pounds over the course of the last month. Yay, me! I just need to keep it up!

Just for fun...

src="http://www.bbspot.com/Images/News_Features/2006/09/nerdy/14.jpg" width="150" height="150"
border="0" alt="You are 14% white and nerdy.">
How White and Nerdy Are You?

Easy Like...

There's nothing better than the Sunday morning I've had today, with my dog and Chris.

We watched Sunday Morning in bed with the dog. When we were able to bare the cold, we crawled out of bed, and Chris retrieved our New York Times from the yard in sub-zero temperatures, while I prepared breakfast. French Toast, eggs and fresh strawberries. Chris ate all three, I stuck to the French Toast, and Quinn only had the eggs.

It's simple, I guess, but there's nothing I enjoy more in the world than this time, reading and discussing the Times, and listening to our favorite radio program, Breakfast with the Beatles.

Working on Myself

It's been one of those weeks. A lot of things are going on in my head, and I haven't been happy with "me." I've been working really hard to change some things - mainly getting back on a diet plan, and working out. I've been very faithful for the past 3 weeks, and I'm hoping to continue. Tonight i'm getting my hair highlighted - which is a treat for me. I'm hoping it will make me feel a little better, and give me the boost I need these days.
I've been hinting at Chris to take me out and do something fun, but he's just not getting it. It feels like we're in separate worlds this week, because we're just moving at a different pace. So far our weekend entails a lot of activities that will keep us apart. It's time to plan a "centering" kind of weekend for us. We can't wait until our trip in April. Nobody ever said marriage didn't require work!

Bubba the Quinn

Isn't he just the cutest?

"I'll be 30 Next Year"

The title statement really caught me off guard last week. It flowed out of my mouth like my brother out of a family function. I didn't think about what I was saying before I said it. And though it's still 22 months before that 30th birthday, it just made me start thinking about my goals. This has inspired me to post my first blog on this new page.

10 things I'd like to accomplish before I turn 30:
Travel to a different country (or two) with my husband
Get my credit card debt and spending problems in order
Lose 40 pounds
Finish the redecoration of my bathroom
Prepare a proper guest room - that can one day convert to a baby's room
Take a painting class - face my fear of starting again
Take a class on composting and/or sustainability from the garden center
Learn to make the glorious family Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe
Take sewing lessons from my grandmother
Find the time to read more often