I'm back from my trip to Missouri. I have plenty of photos and stories to post, but it will be a couple of days before I start posting anything.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Things To Do...
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...before leaving for Missouri tomorrow afternoon:
- Pack enough clothes, pajamas, and toiletries for two adults for five days
- Do 3-5 loads of laundry
- Clean up the kitchen from yesterday's baking adventure
- Bathe five dogs
- Clean the bedding of five dogs
- Pack the car with all of our stuff, our dogs, and Christmas gifts
- Vacuum all of and possibly shampoo some of our carpet
- Think about cleaning out the refrigerator
- Text several people about how much work I have to do before we leave
- Decide which shoes I want to wear for Christmas and whether the shirt I'm planning on wearing makes me look fat
- Eat a cookie and four chocolate-covered pretzels
- Text Michael to find out what time we're leaving
- Panic because I have nothing done
- Go to Missouri and spend several amazing days with my family!
- Pack enough clothes, pajamas, and toiletries for two adults for five days
- Do 3-5 loads of laundry
- Clean up the kitchen from yesterday's baking adventure
- Bathe five dogs
- Clean the bedding of five dogs
- Pack the car with all of our stuff, our dogs, and Christmas gifts
- Vacuum all of and possibly shampoo some of our carpet
- Think about cleaning out the refrigerator
- Text several people about how much work I have to do before we leave
- Decide which shoes I want to wear for Christmas and whether the shirt I'm planning on wearing makes me look fat
- Eat a cookie and four chocolate-covered pretzels
- Text Michael to find out what time we're leaving
- Panic because I have nothing done
- Go to Missouri and spend several amazing days with my family!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Flashback Friday
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February 2004 -- WHS Courtwarming Dance. My (now) darling husband was my date. He showed me up all evening with his suave dancing skills. It was my fourth and final Courtwarming and, I have to say it, my best. I had the most incredible date and was surrounded by wonderful friends. Plus, I was much thinner than I am now and my hair looked great!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tasty Tuesday #1
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It's that time of year again. A time filled with family, good cheer, and... baking!
Ahh... baking. I find that I really enjoy baking. Unfortunately, the baking I enjoy generally involves lots of sugar and spice and everything nice. Oh, and butter. In fact, I have a day of baking planned for Sunday. I'm going to make lots of goodies to take back to Missouri with us to share with the family and friends we see. Hopefully I can be good and not give in to the temptation.
I also have several other recipes that I am eager to try. I'd like to actually make them before I post the recipes, along with photos. They may be step-by-step photos. They may be finished product photos. It just depends on how I'm feeling at the time. I'd love to get back into the one-new-recipe-each-week thing, but it may actually end up being one every other week. I have big plans for Tasty Tuesday, though, so stay tuned!
Ahh... baking. I find that I really enjoy baking. Unfortunately, the baking I enjoy generally involves lots of sugar and spice and everything nice. Oh, and butter. In fact, I have a day of baking planned for Sunday. I'm going to make lots of goodies to take back to Missouri with us to share with the family and friends we see. Hopefully I can be good and not give in to the temptation.
I also have several other recipes that I am eager to try. I'd like to actually make them before I post the recipes, along with photos. They may be step-by-step photos. They may be finished product photos. It just depends on how I'm feeling at the time. I'd love to get back into the one-new-recipe-each-week thing, but it may actually end up being one every other week. I have big plans for Tasty Tuesday, though, so stay tuned!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Brr!!!
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Baby, it's cold outside!
That is an understatement. When I went to lunch today, the thermometer in front of the Golden Arches Supper Club said 10F. Ugh. There was also wind. Ugh. Ugh. There was also ice. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Before I went to bed last night, I put out the clothes I wanted to wear to work today -- two shirts, a fleece sweatshirt, long underwear, and jeans. I went outside earlier than usual because I knew I'd need to heat my car longer in order to get the ice off of it. I was outside around 5:20AM. It took me almost fifteen minutes just to get into my car because the door was frozen shut.
Once I got my car opened, it was just a matter of waiting for the defroster to thaw my car enough that I could actually get some of the ice off of it. Thanks to my frosty door, I ended up being a few minutes late for work. Once I got there, I figured we'd be dead. No one is going to come to Lowe's at 6:30AM when there's ice outside. I don't know why they'd want to be out that early in the awful weather. Apparently it was smarter to come out early in the day. Once the cars began driving on the roads, some of the ice would melt and then refreeze. As a result, the roads at noon were worse than they were at 5:45AM when I went to work. Not to mention the road was filled with horrible drivers.
I survived, though. I don't enjoy the icy weather. I don't have any reason to go out (except for a few recipes I'm itching to try), but the fact that I shouldn't go anywhere makes me want to leave. Ugh, cabin fever.
All right, enough of my whining about the awful, Illinois weather. I'm going to channel my anxiety into cleaning my kitchen. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!
That is an understatement. When I went to lunch today, the thermometer in front of the Golden Arches Supper Club said 10F. Ugh. There was also wind. Ugh. Ugh. There was also ice. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Before I went to bed last night, I put out the clothes I wanted to wear to work today -- two shirts, a fleece sweatshirt, long underwear, and jeans. I went outside earlier than usual because I knew I'd need to heat my car longer in order to get the ice off of it. I was outside around 5:20AM. It took me almost fifteen minutes just to get into my car because the door was frozen shut.
Once I got my car opened, it was just a matter of waiting for the defroster to thaw my car enough that I could actually get some of the ice off of it. Thanks to my frosty door, I ended up being a few minutes late for work. Once I got there, I figured we'd be dead. No one is going to come to Lowe's at 6:30AM when there's ice outside. I don't know why they'd want to be out that early in the awful weather. Apparently it was smarter to come out early in the day. Once the cars began driving on the roads, some of the ice would melt and then refreeze. As a result, the roads at noon were worse than they were at 5:45AM when I went to work. Not to mention the road was filled with horrible drivers.
I survived, though. I don't enjoy the icy weather. I don't have any reason to go out (except for a few recipes I'm itching to try), but the fact that I shouldn't go anywhere makes me want to leave. Ugh, cabin fever.
All right, enough of my whining about the awful, Illinois weather. I'm going to channel my anxiety into cleaning my kitchen. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Happy Anniversary!
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On December 13, 2003, I had my first date with the person who turned out to be the love of my life. Unfortunately, there was six inches of snow on the ground, so our first date took place at my parents' house. Apparently we both saw something we liked, because within seven days we went on our second and third dates. Within a month we realized that we were dating.
I love you, Michael! This has been an incredible five years and I look forward to the decades to come!
I love you, Michael! This has been an incredible five years and I look forward to the decades to come!
Six Weeks, continued
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Here are the last four photos that blogger wouldn't allow me to upload the other night. Enjoy!
Hazel really liked this receipt.
She carried it around for at least ten minutes.
How cute is she??
Hazel is practicing for the postal workers of west central Missouri.
Hazel really liked this receipt.
She carried it around for at least ten minutes.
How cute is she??
Hazel is practicing for the postal workers of west central Missouri.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Six Weeks
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This is Re-Pete. He's a daddy. He's more of an absentee parent, really, as he has no interest in interacting with his offspring.
Al sits in a boot.
Wally couldn't be left out.
Finally, a good photo of Wally! He's a little shy, but is slowly coming out of his shell.
This is Re-Pete. He's a daddy. He's more of an absentee parent, really, as he has no interest in interacting with his offspring.
See Al. See Al run. Run, Al, run.
Al sits in a boot.
Wally couldn't be left out.
Finally, a good photo of Wally! He's a little shy, but is slowly coming out of his shell.
I actually have several more photos to post, but Blogger is being a pain and won't let me upload them right now. I'll try again tomorrow afternoon.
Happy 6 week birthday, puppies! I almost wish you were big dogs so that your barking and howling would drown out the mediocre attempt at guitar playing that is continually going on upstairs.
Happy 6 week birthday, puppies! I almost wish you were big dogs so that your barking and howling would drown out the mediocre attempt at guitar playing that is continually going on upstairs.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thanksgiving Photos
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L to R: Zach, Nikki, Grandpa, Grandma, Me, & Clint
My sweet grandparents!
My cousins, Zach & Nikki
My cousin, Willie, with his fiancee Jamie and their tots
This is Maddox, sweet Bella's baby brother (note the Kool-Aid stain!)
Here's the first installment of Thanksgiving photos. Below are some of the grandkids and great-grandchildren.
L to R: Zach, Nikki, Grandpa, Grandma, Me, & Clint
My sweet grandparents!
My cousins, Zach & Nikki
My cousin, Willie, with his fiancee Jamie and their tots
This is Maddox, sweet Bella's baby brother (note the Kool-Aid stain!)
Monday, December 8, 2008
Bella
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This is Bella. She is my cousin's daughter. Isn't she a doll?
Okay, so I just wanted to post this photo that I took on Thanksgiving (family photos from Thanksgiving are coming) because she's just so darn cute. Her big brown eyes. The kool-aid that's still smeared all over her face. Cute, cute, cute.
This is Bella. She is my cousin's daughter. Isn't she a doll?
Okay, so I just wanted to post this photo that I took on Thanksgiving (family photos from Thanksgiving are coming) because she's just so darn cute. Her big brown eyes. The kool-aid that's still smeared all over her face. Cute, cute, cute.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Express Care & the Neti-what?
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I started feeling the tickle in my throat on Tuesday. I got the urge to cough on Wednesday. By Thursday, I had this irritating cough and slightly scratchy throat, but felt fine. Each morning I wake up sounding more and more like a boy -- so much, in fact, that one of my closest friends thought I was someone else.
This afternoon I checked out my slightly sore throat in the mirror with a flashlight. I could see little pockets of white beginning to form. That wouldn't do at all. I don't have time to be sick. So I looked up a walk-in clinic where my insurance was accepted. I ended up at Express Care at 3:30PM this afternoon, ready to get an antibiotic shot.
There would be no shot. After running through all of my symptoms, the doctor looked at me and told me that I had... a cold... This couldn't be right. After all, I could breathe perfectly fine through my nose and my head wasn't stuffed up like it normally would. I just had a cough and an itchy throat that obviously has some sort of infection growing on it. Infection = antibiotics, right?
Wrong.
Rather than give me some secret miracle drug, the doctor basically told me there was nothing I could do. Where was the false sense of hope I was looking for? At least with the placebo effect I would feel better.
But no, this doctor was honest with me, even going as far as to tell me that not all colds are the same. I was rather annoyed. This was the second time I had gone to the doctor and been told that I had nothing more than a common cold, even though the last few times I have had the cold my symptoms have not been the common ones.
The doctor did mention one interesting suggestion, one that I had been toying with for the last couple of years since seeing it on Oprah. That's right, I finally gave in and purchased a NetiPot this evening.
It was interesting. It definitely did not feel like I expected it to. I thought perhaps there would be a tickling sensation. There was a little bit of pressure from when I hadn't tilted my head far enough forward, but, other than that, there was nothing. There was just the drip, drip, drip of water and the fluids that line my sinuses were carried into the sink. It was at the very end, while attempting to both breathe and evacuate any remaining water, that I finally had a slight water-up-the-nose feeling.
All in all, I can breathe. It wasn't so awful that I won't try it again. After all, I have 49 packets of the saline solution left, I can't let them go to waste!
This afternoon I checked out my slightly sore throat in the mirror with a flashlight. I could see little pockets of white beginning to form. That wouldn't do at all. I don't have time to be sick. So I looked up a walk-in clinic where my insurance was accepted. I ended up at Express Care at 3:30PM this afternoon, ready to get an antibiotic shot.
There would be no shot. After running through all of my symptoms, the doctor looked at me and told me that I had... a cold... This couldn't be right. After all, I could breathe perfectly fine through my nose and my head wasn't stuffed up like it normally would. I just had a cough and an itchy throat that obviously has some sort of infection growing on it. Infection = antibiotics, right?
Wrong.
Rather than give me some secret miracle drug, the doctor basically told me there was nothing I could do. Where was the false sense of hope I was looking for? At least with the placebo effect I would feel better.
But no, this doctor was honest with me, even going as far as to tell me that not all colds are the same. I was rather annoyed. This was the second time I had gone to the doctor and been told that I had nothing more than a common cold, even though the last few times I have had the cold my symptoms have not been the common ones.
The doctor did mention one interesting suggestion, one that I had been toying with for the last couple of years since seeing it on Oprah. That's right, I finally gave in and purchased a NetiPot this evening.
It was interesting. It definitely did not feel like I expected it to. I thought perhaps there would be a tickling sensation. There was a little bit of pressure from when I hadn't tilted my head far enough forward, but, other than that, there was nothing. There was just the drip, drip, drip of water and the fluids that line my sinuses were carried into the sink. It was at the very end, while attempting to both breathe and evacuate any remaining water, that I finally had a slight water-up-the-nose feeling.
All in all, I can breathe. It wasn't so awful that I won't try it again. After all, I have 49 packets of the saline solution left, I can't let them go to waste!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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