Long time, no write

Wow. It's been a long time since we've written here.  Obviously, the plan to write daily didn't work out so well for us, and we apologize to our readers for dropping the ball on this project.  For those of you who know us well, you understand that many crazy things have happened in 2011 that have kept us from updating this "happy blog" - however, as wild as life has been, we've been able to get back on track!

I can't say whether or not this blog will continue on.  Not because we don't have good things to report, because we do... It's just that, well, we don't have time for this anymore! 

Since blogging last May, we've bought a house, which has been keeping us very busy.  We've been painting, decorating and taking care of a yard.  And I have been in school - just completed two very intense summer classes that left me with zero free time.  So, as you can see.... blogging fell to the very bottom of a giant to-do list.  Sorry about that!

Anyway, I plan to start a new blog to capture a lot of recipes, as I have just started cooking a bit more and want to keep track of the recipes that have actually worked for me.  I will post a new blog link on here as soon as I create it.

I'm sure we'll post here in the future, so keep checking in for the latest and greatest news from us.  I will try to be better about updating this at least once a week.

Thanks for your patience with us!

R

Gracie's Garden!

Well, the peas that have been growing on my cubical windowsill have been brought home to Hugo.  After seeing the first pea pod, I figured I'd better get the plants into larger pots so they'd have more room to grow.

So, I went out to Walmart and bought a bunch of pots, some soil, and some tomato cages, and Gracie and I spent the early afternoon planting our stuff.

Here's what we've got:

2 pea plants
4 tomato plants
1 strawberry plant

I am so anxious to watch it all grow!! 

Ultimate Dog Tease

My brother Tom sent me this video, and I think it's hilarious!  Enjoy!

PEAS!

Today is a big day in my cubicle!

My pea plant has sprouted it's very first pea pod, and it's SO cute!!!!  I can also see a 2nd pod forming! 

Such excitement!  I'm not sure why I'm so incredibly happy about this, but I suppose this has given me a sense of accomplishment. 

Can't wait to start snacking on peas!! 

We Found It.

A few days ago we looked at a few houses.  Tonight we looked at another.  And it was perfect.

Things we liked:
- awesome floorplan (4-level split)
- fabulous landscaping
- seemingly nice neighborhood
- nice community
- a big, heated garage for Ben
- pretty wood floors
- close to Renee's parents
- far enough away from the city, but not toooo far away
- 3M vanpool will bring Renee to work
- nice deck

Things we didn't like:
- no fence, and a hard yard TO fence.  But we can work something out.

With that said, we are submitting and offer tomorrow.  If it gets accepted, I will post some pics on here!

A Little More Color in my Life

The best part of today was that I got a brand new box of crayons.  It's the simple things in life that keep us going, right?

My friend Linda is on the committee for Woodville, Wisconsin's spring festival.  They have a coloring contest.  Linda drew the picture to be colored and sent me a copy. 

I colored it - it looks beautiful.  The age limit of the contest is 12, but I don't care, because the way I see it, you are never too old to color.  Enough said.

Houses!

Today we looked at two houses, both in Wyoming, MN... not to be confused with Wyoming the state.

One was totally junky and gross, but the other one had potential.  Going to check out some others on Saturday to see if we can find an even better fit.

House hunting is fun - it's something I've been waiting for, for many years now.  But, it's also quite stressful.  I'm going to need plenty of prayers during this process - for patience, peace and guidance.

As I type this, I'm witnessing a sun-shower outside - I love rain....so much nicer than snow, am I right?

Happiness!!!!!!!

We're going hunting!!!!

HOUSE hunting!

Just found out today that the nice people at US Bank have agreed to give us a home loan!

It's been a long road for us, and we are so completely overjoyed about this great news!

So long, overpriced rental townhome....  Can't wait to be homeowners! Yay!!!!!

Denver

I realize we haven't kept up on this blog as we had hoped to.  What can I say, life has just been.... busy, for lack of a better word.

Anyway, here's a quick video that has been making me smile lately.  I hope you enjoy it!

Oh Happy Day!

Today was a really really great day!

1) This morning, Bill at work handed me $25.00 and said "Happy Administrative Assistants Day!"   I tried to explain to him that a) I'm not his admin, and b) Admin Day is 3 weeks away.   Still, he insisted that I keep his gift - what an unexpected blessing!

2) I was treated to lunch at the Lake Elmo Inn (my fave!)...to celebrate my nomination for the 3M Pyramid of Excellence Award.  I ate a garden salad, spinach & strawberry salad, pasta salad, snicker salad, dinner roll, steamed veggies, chicken, steak, stuffing, cheesecake, chocolate cake, strawberry torte, pumpkin cookie, marshmallow bar, brownie, and.... yep, I think that's it. 

3) After lunch, my boss called me into his office and gave me a raise.

4) I went out with my friend Liz after work.  We were planning to go to Chilly Time Coffee in Maplewood, only to find it surrounded by a bunch of thug-looking gangstas who yelled weird things at us when we pulled into the parking lot.  So, we picked up some bottled lemonade and sat outside at Battle Creek Park instead.  What a beautiful evening to sit out in the sun with a fabulous friend.

Thank you Lord, for this wonderful day filled with awesome blessings!!!!!!!

Running like the wind... Well, maybe not like the wind. More like a soft breeze.

Last week I started training for my upcoming 5K, which is scheduled for May 7.  The "Run for Hope" 5K is being organized by Brett Maxwell, who is the son of one of my coworkers.  Brett is a missionary in Tanzania, and is using 100% of the race proceeds to build a Christian preschool in the village he serves.

Check out this website for more details:  http://www.madalavillage.com/

Anyway, I started last week by just running 1 mile every other day.  This week, I'm increasing my distance to 1.5 miles.  My run went great tonight - mostly because I was surrounded by a beautiful sunset, a cool breeze, and lots of cute critters (ducks, dogs, cats and horses!).

I love the way I feel after running.  I try to explain it to Ben in a way he'll understand.  "It's like cleaning out your carburetor," I tell him.  He then tells me that cars don't have carburetors anymore.  I then have to point out the fact that I am a 1980's model, and I DO have a carburetor. :)   Seriously though, I feel so clean and fresh and renewed afterwards, like I've gotten rid of all the yucky inside of me.  It's awesome.

That, and it removes the guilt of eating a bunch of cookies earlier today.  Ha!

Lazy Saturday

What a lazy and wonderful Saturday!  Here's a recap:

- read about 100 pages of Dog On It.  This is a book that Ben read a while back, and now it's my turn.  So far, I'm totally loving it. 

- watched 3 movies  (while gorging on popcorn):  Crazy/Beautiful, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Music & Lyrics.  All mindlessly entertaining - just what I needed.

- folded giant heap of laundry.  Not fun, but somebody had to do it.

- stuffed face at Tai Pan.  Delish!

I hope your Saturday was as wonderfully relaxing as mine was!

Looking for someone to lend us $160,000. Can you help?

Nope, didn't think so.

But maybe US Bank can?

Today we met with our loan officer, Becky, today to see if US Bank would give us a home loan.  Our previous loan guy, Drew, said we couldn't get a loan until December.  Not good.  So, Becky is going to give it a shot, and she thinks it will be a slam dunk.

So, we are crossing our fingers that this year will be a year of home-ownership for us.  Becky thinks we'll hear something from underwriting around Tuesday, so, stay tuned!!!

Meatballs, Pasta, We Made Them Fresh For You....

Meatballs, pasta, we made them fresh for you

Homemade marinara, lots of garlic too.

Its your day at Buca, so were here to say

Have a happy birthday the Buca di Beppo way!  Hey!

 

The above are the lyrics to the Buca di Beppo birthday tune.  My brother, Tom, had the misfortune (yes, you read that right) of having it sung to him among a restaurant-full of clapping diners.  Ouch!

 

Today, my family gathered at Buca to not only celebrate Tom's birthday, but to simply catch up with one another during what my dad called our "annual meeting".   We learned that Mike and Esther love their new furniture and are looking at buying a new car this summer.  We learned that Janelle loves her new job at Bethesda, and that Tom got hosed out of his weekly bonus at work.  We learned that my dad is thinking about retiring in 2 years, maybe 3, or 4 at the most.  :) 

 

The conversation was great, and the food was even more amazing! We started with appetizers of bruchetta and calamari, followed by antipasta salad with bread and olive oil.   For entrees we had chicken marsala, chicken parmesan, spaghetting & meatballs, and baked rigattoni.  We also had side dishes of garlic mashed potatos, green beans and broccoli.  For dessert, we shared cheesecake, cannolis, and tiramisu. They almost had to roll us out of there. 

 

To put it simply, our gathering at Buca provided a great opportunity to catch up with everyone over a fabulous meal.  I'm hoping my dad decides that we need an "annual meeting" a little more frequently! Ha!

 

Rango

Tonight, Ben and I went out on a date, for the first time in what seems like years!  Originally, we had planned on going to the Orpheum to see Madagascar the Musical; however, after reading the reviews online, it sounded like the show was geared towards younger kids.  The adults were not giving very good reviews.  So, instead of spending the $112 it would have cost us, we decided to save some money and go to a movie instead.

We went to see Rango, an animated picture about a pet chameleon who ends up lost in the desert after his aquarium gets ejected from his family's car - apparently they're moving cross-country or something. 
Anyway, he ends up finding this little town of crazy critters in the desert; a town very short on water.  Long story short, Rango becomes the hero by saving the water supply and thus, saving the town.  Yay!

All in all, we liked the movie.  Lots of funny dialog got us laughing, and that felt good.  Here's to more dates and tasty popcorn in our future!

Pay to the Order of GMAC

Something amazing happened today.  I didn't think it would feel as good as it did.  I got out of bed, called my friends at GMAC, got the payoff amount on my car, sat down at my dining room table, wrote out a check for $343.64, put it in an envelope, dropped it in the mailbox, and did a happy dance for all my neighbors to see.

That's right.  I paid my car off.  What a wonderfu-ly awesome feeling.  It's like having a weight lifted off my shoulders.  It's not that my car payment was a burden, but we all know how nice it is to have some extra cash each month. 

My plan is to put this cash away.  Instead of paying for a car each month, I plan on putting that amount into our savings instead.  Hopefully I can stick with that plan, versus listening to that other side of my brain that's telling me to run out an buy an iPad instead.  Must. Be. Strong.

Mind Your Peas (and Q's)

My cube neighbor, Andy, lives on a small farm in Hudson, Wisconsin.  Every year, he brings little pots of veggies to grow in his windowsill at work, giving them a warm and cozy start before planting them outside.

I have always been interested in growing stuff, and have expressing my excitement about this to Andy on several occasions. 

Today, I found on my windowsill two small pots marked "peas".  Yep!  I'm growing peas!  Under Andy's supervison, of course. 

I can't wait to see how they grow!  It will be fun to watch them each day.  And maybe, if you're nice to me, I'll let you eat some :)

Kitchen Success Story: Oriental Chicken Casserole Edition

So, this is the third time I've blogged about a successful cooking attempt resulting from my Baldwin Christian School cookbook.  Let's be honest, they should have named this cookbook Baldwin Christian School's Magical Cookbook for the Undomesticated Lady.   Because it is magical.  And I don't even believe in magic. 

Enough said.  Here's the recipe!

Oriental Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
1 T. butter
1/2 c. celery, chopped
2 T. onion, chopped (or dry)
10.5 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. cooked chicken, diced
2 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
3/4 c. chow mein noodles
1/2 c. cashews

Instructions:
In medium skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until softened.  Stir in soup and broth, then chicken and soy sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.  Stir in rice.  Pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole and bake at 350F for 20 minutes, until liquid bubbles.  Sprinkle noodles and nuts on top and return to oven for 5 minutes.  Serves 4-5 people.

Sassypants.

A friend at work recently gave me the recipe for Sassy Water.  As part of the "Flat Belly Diet" (a diet I am obviously not following), this special water concoction is supposed to detox and debloat your jiggly tummy.  Sounds good to me!  Anyway, I made some of this water, just because it sounded so refreshing.  I can honestly say that it is quiet delicious!  It tastes very clean and well, um... sassy!  I even let Gracie try some, and I think her tail was wagging a little faster afterwards.

Here's the recipe, in case you wanna try it:


Sassy Water
Get a huge pitcher, and fill it with 2 liters of water.  Add the following:
- 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced up  (I used half of a cucumber and it seemed to be plenty)
- 1 small/medium lemon, sliced up
- 1 tbs. grated ginger root
- 12 mint leaves
Stir ingredients into the water a bit, then put it in the fridge overnight to steep.

As part of the flat belly diet, you're supposed to drink the entire 2 liters in one day.  But, since I'm not on the diet, I am just enjoying it at my own pace.  Give a try - you'll like it!

"...and the award goes to....."

ME!

Well, not the award, but a nomination for 3M's Pyramid of Excellence!

Each year, 3M gives it's employees the opportunity to recognize Administrative Assistants for their overall awesomeness. In order to do so, you must write up a nomination.  Then, if the nominee wins at the division level, they move on to the corporate level awards, which could result in a trip to Wonewok!

Anyway, long story short, I received this e-mail today:

Congratulations on being nominated for the Pyramid of Excellence! This is a tremendous honor and speaks highly of your contributions to 3M and your business unit. Thank you for all you have done!

Basically, this means that someone in my division (I have no idea who) took the time to nominate me for the Pyramid of Excellence.  If I win the award within my division, I will go to the corporate awards banquet.  If I win there, I'll be escorted onto the corporate jet for another lovely vacation at Wonewok!  And you know how much I love Wonewok!

If I win, you'll be the first to know!

Analogies

Need a good laugh?  Check this out....   I received it from one of my co-workers today, and thought it was hilarious!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apparently the Washington Post held a contest in which high school teachers sent in the “worst” analogies they’d encountered in grading their students’ papers over the years.  Here they are:

1. Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center.
2. He was as tall as a 6′3″ tree.
3. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
4. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you’re on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
5. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
6. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
7. The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
8. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
9. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
10. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
11. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.
12. The lamp just sat there, like an inanimate object.
13. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
14. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
15. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at asolar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
16. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
17. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
18. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.
19. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
20. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
21. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan’s teeth.
22. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River.
23. Even in his last years, Grand pappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it hadrusted shut.
24. He felt like he was being hunted down like a dog, in a place that hunts dogs, I suppose.
25. She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword.
26. She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
27. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
28. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
29. “Oh, Jason, take me!” she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night.
30. It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
31. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
32. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
33. The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.
34. Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser.
35. Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like “Second Tall Man.”
36. The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.
37. The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.
38. She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
39. Her pants fit her like a glove, well, maybe more like a mitten, actually.
40. Fishing is like waiting for something that does not happen very often.
41. They were as good friends as the people on “Friends.”
42. Oooo, he smells bad, she thought, as bad as Calvin Klein’s Obsession would smell if it were called Enema and was made from spoiled Spamburgers instead of natural floral fragrances.
43. The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton.
44. He was as bald as one of the Three Stooges, either Curly or Larry, you know, the one who goes woo woo woo.
45. The sardines were packed as tight as the coach section of a 747.
46. Her eyes were shining like two marbles that someone dropped in mucus and then held up to catch the light.
47. The baseball player stepped out of the box and spit like a fountain statue of a Greek god that scratches itself a lot and spits brown, rusty tobacco water and refuses to sign autographs for all the little Greek kids unless they pay him lots of drachmas.
48. I felt a nameless dread. Well, there probably is a long German name for it, like Geschpooklichkeit or something, but I don’t speak German. Anyway, it’s a dread that nobody knows the name for, like those little square plastic gizmos that close your bread bags. I don’t know the name for those either.
49. She was as unhappy as when someone puts your cake out in the rain, and all the sweet green icing flows down and then you lose the recipe, and on top of that you can’t sing worth a damn.
50. Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.
51. It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before.
52. Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake.
53. You know how in “Rocky” he prepares for the fight by punching sides of raw beef? Well, yesterday it was as cold as that meat locker he was in.
54. The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium.
55. Her lips were red and full, like tubes of blood drawn by an inattentive phlebotomist.
56. The sunset displayed rich, spectacular hues like a .jpeg file at 10 percent cyan, 10 percent magenta, 60 percent yellow and 10 percent black.

Cookies.

Today I ordered Girl Scout Cookies from my little cousin, Anna.   1 box each of Samoas, Thin Mints, Trefoils and Do-Si-Do's.  The exciting thing this year is that you no longer have to wait to receive your cookies.  You get them on the spot!  Rock on!

In honor of cookies, I have decided to post my most favorite cookie-related media.  These clips are part of the Christmas Eve on Seseme Street movie.  Watch them in order for some good laughs :)

$3. Three. Dollars.

So, tonight we got our taxes done.

Last month, we met with our tax lady, Christine, to go over what we had so far, and to get an estimate of this year's damage.  She estimated that we'd end up paying in about $1900 to Federal and $200 to state.

As it turns out, our situation turned out to be much more favorable.

We are getting (drumroll please).... 3 dollars back from our friends at the IRS.  3 big ones.  3 smiling George Washingtons.  Love it.

I have never been more thrilled about $3.  Ah, the simple things in life. 

A Little Nookie.

Get your mind outta the gutter.

I'm talking about my NOOK!

Today, I received my first-ever library nook book! 

In the past, all of my nookbooks have been purchased from Barnes & Noble online.  They're pretty cheap - anywhere between $2 and $15. 

However, my pal Amanda informed me that the Hennepin County Library is now lending eBooks for free!  What an awesome way to load up my nook with great reading material without hurting my wallet!  Whooopie!

So, enough blogging.  Time to READ!

Party!

Tonight we had a party at our house - and it was FUN!

Liz, Kevin, Sophorn and her boyfriend Vinh, and John all brought delicious treats to share.  Liz brought homemade caramel corn, Kevin brought veggies and dip, Sophorn brough fruit, and homemade fried rice (definitely the hit of the buffet line) and John brought a hotdish.  I made meatballs, dips, and sliced up a bunch of cheese.  YUM.

Together we ate, laughed, sang karaoke and played games.  Such a fun night!

The best part of the evening was simply the fact that we were able to use our new "dining room" for the first time.  Our new table and light fixture look great!  Makes our townhouse look more like a home!

I'm Fond of Fondue!

Tonight, some of my coworkers and I had the pleasure of gathering around a fondue pot for an amazing dinner at The Melting Pot in Minneapolis.

Liz, Kevin, Sophorn, John and I were accompanied by our friend from 3M Singapore, his name is Pang.   Pang wanted to treat us all to dinner, which ended up being a good thing because we spent $500. Ouch!

Needless to say, we got our money's worth. We at cheese, chocolate, and things dipped in cheese and chocolate.  And we ate breads and veggies and meats and seafood.  And we all left completely stuffed. 

What a great night!!

Me and Pang

Around the table:  Me, Sophorn, Kevin, Liz, Pang and John

Say Cheese, Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I was driving to work this morning, thankful that Ben and I have become one of those couples who don't feel the need to buy unnecessary gifts on Hallmark holidays.  A simple "Happy Valentine's Day!" and a hug is all we need from each other.

Or so I thought.

Apparently Ben doesn't feel the same way.  I came home to a nice card, and a bag of gifts, which included a package of Sweethearts candy... and a new camera!  Ahhh!

Ben got me a Sony Cybershot to replace the Nikon I destroyed up north.  It was driving me crazy not having a camera, so I am thankful that he was kind enough to replace it for me.  What a guy!

I feel bad that I didn't get Ben anything.  Hopefully next year, we truly will be one of those couples who doesn't exchange gifts, because a simple "Happy Valentine's Day!" and a hug will do just fine.

Here's to love and cameras!

Kitchen Success Story: Crock Pot Chicken Edition

I made a delicious meal tonight! Wow!  Rumor has it, my cooking skills are lacking, so when I do make something good, it's kind of a big deal.

I threw 4 chicken breasts into the crock pot, brushed them with butter, and sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and dry italian salad dressing mix.  5 hours later, I added cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese, and onion.  An hour after that = a magical chicken dinner, served with green beans, rice and garlic bread.

Seriously delicious, and highly recommended.

Recipe below!

****************************

CROCK POT CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T. melted butter
salt and pepper
2 T. dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 T. chopped or dried onion

Instructions:

Wash chicken and pat dry.  Brush with butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in crock pot.  Sprinkle dry salad mix over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  About 45 minutes before serving, mix soup, cream cheese and onion in small sauce pan.  Cook until smooth.  Pour over chicken in pot.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. 

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Everything Tastes Better When Covered in Chocolate...

I love having great friends in the workplace.  It makes going to work so much more enjoyable! 

My friends at work are extremely social, and it seems like an event is always being planned.  There is never a lull in activity.

Today, to celebrate Valentine's Day a little early, my friend Sophorn invited our circle of friends down to the conference room for a little lunchtime party.

We had a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!  So awesome!  Everyone brought something to dip in the chocolate.  We had strawberries, bananas, marshamallows, rice krispie bars, pretzels, nuts, blueberries and more!  We also had really yummy punch!  Add the Funk Station on Pandora Radio and you've got yourself a party, people.

What a great way to end the work week!  Happy weekend, everyone!

Oh, Jimmy...I missed you.

Today I got reacquainted with a good friend of mine, Jimmy John.  Yes, I'm talking about the restaurant.

Last year, my uncle John, my friend Tim and I made it a weekly tradition to hit Jimmy John's on Thursdays for lunch, followed by a trip through Valu Thrift, which is conveniently located right next door to the sandwich shop. 

But, this year, things have been busy, and our Thursday routine slowly faded into a fond memory.  Sad. :(

However, this week was kind of quiet at work, so the 3 of us were finally able to rekindle our Thursday lunchtime festivities.

The Turkey Tom Sandwich (#4, which chips and an iced tea) has never tasted so good.    I love Jimmy John's!

Sick!

I'm sick!  Argh!!!!!

I haven't been sick since last March!  Today, I woke up feeling kinda goofy.  Went to work, and started to get a sore throat.  Then, I got hot, and dizzy, and decided to go home a little early. 

I spent the evening in bed working on my accounting homework.  No fun!

But, I must not close out this daily blog without saying something positive.     The best part about today: a coworker brought in a football-shaped ice cream cake to celebrate the Packers winning the Superbowl.  While the Packers disgust me, I ate a piece anyway.  It made my throat feel a little better.  :)

Pray that my cold goes away quickly!!

Exhausted!

I cannot stay awake!  I had too much fun up north, and am now paying the price.

Today was a very lazy day.  I went to visit my Grandma, since I hadn't seen her in 3 weeks.  It was nice to catch up with her.  After that, I went home to watch the Superbowl.  I must say that I am disappointed with the results, but it's just a game.

I am pondering what to do with the $25 gift card I won at Wonewok.  Our VP handed out prizes on the bus, and I was rewarded for spending the most time stuffed in a snowbank.  :)   I think I may put this money towards my first pair of skis!

I am excited to go back to work tomorrow!

Have a good week everyone!
Renee

do i hear a hot dog

Hi Everyone

What fun it was to go to our first auction.  I felt like I was in a foreign language class - I couldn't understand a word the guy said.  Very cool experience but it would have been more fun if they had cooler crap to buy.  I can 't wait to go to another one in the future. 

After that I woodworked a little while Renee did some homework and some domestic things.  I had some fun making sawdust out in the garage sanding stuff.  I just love the smell of sawdust like a dog likes the smell of any human food.  Just makes my heart beat a little faster knowing that something cool will come of the project in the making.

In the evening we went up to Renee's parents house to show them the Wonewok pictures.  The hot dogs were good considering I had nothing to eat during the day.  I had two of them topped with plenty of ketchup and onions.  I was the perfect kissable date after that, haha. 

Went home and thats all there is to know about saturday.

peace out
ben

Best Trip Ever!

It's Friday, and I am home from Wonewok.  I am so bummed that it's over, but so thankful that it happened! 

I didn't go to bed at all last night, because I was having too much fun.  So this morning I packed up my stuff, took a shower, and said goodbye to my lodge room.  Then, I enjoyed a great breakfast in the lodge, played shuffleboard for an hour, and then boarded the bus back home. 

The ride home was fun but I struggled to stay awake, since I only got 3 hours of sleep over the past 2 days.  But, I managed to stay awake solely because I didn't want anyone to take my picture sleeping/drooling on the bus. My coworkers do things like that.  And I am guilty of doing the same :)

My dad picked me up at the airport and I got home around 4PM.  I was glad to see my puppy and Ben!  I missed them a lot, and wish they could have been at Wonewok with me.  Maybe next time :)

I will look back on this trip as one of the greatest adventures of my life.  What a blessing it was! 

Have a good weekend everyone!  Time for me to take a nap!!

Renee

Wonewok Day 2: The BEST Day of My Life!

Feb 3, 2011 will go down in history as the best day of my life.  Well, at least until an even more amazing day happens!

Why was it the best day of my life? 

1) I woke up in a beautiful lodge room (nevermind that I was crazy sore from skiing yesterday!)
2) I ate creme brulee pancakes for breakfast.
3) I got to spend the majority of the day with my best friend
4) I got to practice my skiing, surrounded by the most peaceful woods, with 3 of my friends
5) I got to pet horses
6) I ate a piece of warm apple pie by a roaring bonfire
7) I went dogsledding!
8) I got to snowshoe with a great friend
9) I saw my friends be silly and have fun
10) I ate an amazing dinner
11) I got thrown in several snowbanks and laughed so hard that it hurt
12) I had so much fun that I am still awake at 4AM because I'm too happy to sleep

OK, so that was just a summary.  Now, here's the full story:

I got 3 hours of sleep last night.  After working on the VP's presentation til 3AM, I finally went to bed and woke back up at 6AM.  3 hours of sleep is sufficient when you have excitement to keep you awake!

Breakfast was served at 8AM.  Immediately following, we had a quick group gathering and then were set free for another day of fun!  

Because my skiing experience wasn't the greatest yesterday, Tim offered to go out with me today and help me learn how to not fall down.   I gladly accepted his offer, and by 9AM I was wearing skis and gliding across a lake.  Our friends Jeremy and Mike joined us, but they chose to snowshoe instead.

Me not falling down:

Tim, Me & Jeremy:

After I skied across the lake without falling down, we headed into the woods.  We skied for about 3 hours, and I had a blast!  I only had one major wipe-out, but it was a fun one!

This looks worse than it was.

I get by with a little help from my friends:

At noon, we were scheduled to attend a Loggers Lunch out in the woods.  Everyone was riding a horse-drawn sleigh to the lunch, but Tim, Jeremy, Mike and I skied/snowshoed to lunch instead.  The horses were taking the same trail as us, so we were fortunate to see them prance by several times.  They were beautiful!

When we arrived at the Loggers Lunch, we were treated to a chuckwagon-style meal of chili, brats, and apple pie, along with warm beverages, and beer.  I scarfed down my lunch so I'd have more time to pet the horses.



After lunch, everybody took the sleigh back to the lodge, except for Tim and I.  We kept on skiing!  As we got closer to the lodge, we could hear barking... which could only mean one thing!  Dogsledding time!

The sled pulled 2 people, so Tim and I rode together.  What a rush!  It was so much fun watching the dogs run across the frozen lake.  They were so sweet and fuzzy and happy!!! 



Getting dragged across the ice by a bunch of crazy pups:

 



After the thrilling dogsledding experience, Tim and I parted ways and I joined up with my buddy Thomas.  Thomas is a snowshoeing fanatic, and I've always wanted to hit the trails with him.  This was the perfect opportunity to do so!  So, off we went, through the woods and across the ice.  It was fun and very peaceful, but seemed kind of boring after skiing all morning, which was much more thrilling.  Regardless, I had a great time hanging with Thomas and enjoying the outdoors.

Between skiing, dogsledding and snowshoeing, I was beat by dinner time, but there was still so much to do!  We had a wine and cheese tasting event where I had to kiss the moose (a Wonewok tradition - everyone must kiss the moose hanging above the front door of the lodge), then a fancy dinner, followed by a shuffleboard tournament.  My shuffleboard partner, Karen, and I didn't make it past the first round, so I was able to just hang out and watch everyone else have fun. 

Tim, me and Jeremy at Dinner.  Love these guys!

Me kissing the moose:

Shuffleboard

It was only a matter of time before shuffleboard transitioned into beer-pong, which was even more entertaining.  While I neither drink, nor support drinking games, I must admit I enjoyed watching everyone else get sloshed.  Let's just say I have a lot of great blackmail material now. :)

Beer pong

Trouble-makers

The evening ended with me getting tossed in a snowbank at 1AM and rolling down a hill, followed by warming up in the lodge and talking and laughing all night with my buddies next to a crackling fire. 

Best. Day. Ever.

Wonewok Day 1

I am writing this blog from Park Rapids, MN, home of 3M's resort... WONEWOK!

I was here 8 years ago, and have always wanted to come back.  I got my wish!

I boarded the bus in St. Paul this morning with 48 of my co-workers, which included 3 of my closest friends; Tim, Jeremy and Thomas.  The bus ride took about 4 hours, but passed quickly because we played games and stuff like that.

We arrived at Wonewok around 11AM.  After departing the bus, we went to a welcome meeting, followed by a tasty lunch. 

After lunch, I went to find my room in the lodge.  They remodeled since last time I was there, so I was really amazed at how different the lodge rooms looked. One word:  GORGEOUS.  I have a bedroom, bathroom, and parlor, all surrounded by huge windows looking into the woods.

Bedroom area:

 Parlor looking into the bedroom:

Bathroom:

(See the square sticked out from the building??  That's all MY room!!) 

The afternoon was open recreation, so I signed up for cross-country skiing lessons, something I've always wanted to try!  About 10 of my coworkers joined me, but I quickly found myself trailing behind, feeling sort of lost in the woods.  The skiing was fun, but difficult.  I fell down... a lot.  Definitely a good workout!  I eventually caught up with my coworkers, and huddled around a big toasty bonfire before making the trek back to the lodge. 

Click for a larger view!

Front row:  Andy, Chris, Renee, Vivek, Karen, Tim

Back row: Char, Mike, Bruce, Mark, Paul

Skiing across the lake... one of the few moments I was upright :)

After skiing, I went to a jewelry making class.  Since I already know how to make jewelry, I basically went just to get some free beads.  I ended up making a cool necklace.  There were TONS of beads to choose from and it was so fun to see what other people created!

Then, it was time for dinner.  Instead of the Wonewok staff waiting on us hand-and-foot (which is what they normally do), we were left to cook our own dinner!  What a blast!  We were divided into 4 teams, and each team made an international dish with the help of a Wonewok chef.  Such fun!  My team made Pork Sate with Peanut Sauce, and Paella.   My friend Jeremy and I teamed up to make the peanut sauce for the pork, and it turned out great!   The other teams were making things such as fajitas, cannelloni, mixed drinks, and dessert.  When all of the teams were done, we had a beautiful buffet spread out before us.  Everything was delicious, except for the dessert, which tasted like lemon pledge.  Glad I wasn't on that team!

The Red Team:

Getting some tips from the chef:

My awesome friend Jeremy, rockin' the peanut sauce:

The spread!

A great dinner!

The last event tonight was Karaoke!  Whoo!  I thought people would be really shy about it, but many people got up to sing.  The most memorable performance was delivered by my best pal Tim.  He serenaded me with "Take My Breath Away"... which prompted an award for most entertaining performance.

So here I sit in my gorgeous lodge room, ready to put a photo slideshow together of today's activities.  Our VP will use it in the morning during his presentation, so I have my work cut out for me!  With that said, I must go!

I can't wait for tomorrow!
Renee

That's Gonna Leave a Mark

Tonight I played my very first broomball game! 

We used a pond-turned-ice-rink in my friend Tim's front yard.

My team (Me, Greg, Tim and Ben - not my hubby, another Ben) won the game, 15-9!  We played against our work friends; Bruce, Elizabeth, Sophorn and Kevin.

Thankfully, Tim lent me knee pads.  I'd be in bad shape if not for those!   I did manage to get a giant bruise on my leg, after being pelted with a broomball.

Only a few minor embarrassments:  my homemade broomball stick falling apart during warm-up time, and then falling down on top of Bruce during a wipe-out on the ice. 

We warmed up after the game with pizzas and hot apple cider!

No doubt about it, I loved my first broomball game - and hope to play again in the future!

Tomorrow's adventure:  Up North to Wonewok!

Later!

Renee

I See London, I See France...

While sitting at Ben's mom's house today, I couldn't help but notice a hunk of fabric stuffed into the corner of her couch next to Ben.  I asked him what it was.  Upon investigation, he discovered that it was a pair of his underwear.  How it traveled with us to Ben's mom is a mystery.  I am hoping it wasn't stuck on Ben during church this morning.  Regardless, we sure had a lot of laughs about it today during Sunday dinner.

After spending time with Ben's mom and Grandma, we traveled over to my aunt Sue's house.  She is dog-sitting for her neighbor.  The dog, Scruffy, just had 5 puppies last week, so the puppies are at my aunts house too!  We got to snuggle with them - they are so precious and tiny - their eyes aren't even open yet!  They just slept in the palms of our hands, making little squeaky sounds.  So, so sweet.

After that, we went to Kohls and Target, where I bought some boots, a hat, a pair of gloves, and some thermal long underwear for my time up north later this week, where dressing in layers will be 100% necessary.

Good night!
Renee

beep beep

Hello Everyone!'

Its Saturday today, and it's no ordinary Saturday.  Today was one of the best days I can remember for a long time for a couple reasons.

First off, I had our dear friends Linda and Tom Solum over for a fun-filled day of food, crafts, woodworking and great conversation!  These Saturdays will go down in history as one of the greatest highlights of my life.  I am sure you will see it on my board when you visit me at my funeral.  Linda made the best roast beef and we had sandwiches along with chips, mixed fruit and cheesecake.  Renee made monkey bread for breakfast.  Great times with great people. 

Secondly - I got my first ever brand new car!  I had been contemplating giving up the minivan for a while due to the fact that I drive so many miles, and at 16-18 mpg I was spending waaayyy to much every week on gas.  Too much to the point that we would be really broke really soon.  The van will be missed in times of hauling stuff and people, but those occurances are very few and far between so it made sense to make the change. 

I chose to get a car with good economy, something cute but not stupid and it had to be a hatchback with a rear wiper and good visibility for Gracie to see outside during our travels.  The dog must like the car or otherwise she will bark up a storm.  I had to feel safe, which is very hard to come by in many small car. But when my good car dealer friend Dennis O'Donnovan at the White Bear Suzuki Mitsubishi dealership brought me on a test drive, I must say I found the car that was just the perfect fit for all of my needs and wants.  I have tried several times to get out of the upside-down loan on the van and at last this option actually worked.  I am so excited to present, as you will see below, our new car, Samuel the Suzuki.  He is a cute blue Suzuki SX4 with the safety of all wheel drive, several air bags, roomy interior and abs.  It is a joy to drive this car - it fits my personality perfectly. 


I give God praise and thanks for the blessings he gave us over the weekend.
Ben

Pizza Party!!

A few years ago at work, I founded the 80's Club.  This club includes everyone in my division who was born in the 80's (hence the clever name). 

Tonight, the ever-expanding club met for a pizza party at Liz's house.  What a great time we had!  Everyone brought their own toppings and we got to sample each other's delicious creations. 

Tim swung the dough around like a pizzeria professional - it was quite impressive.

The pizzas were all unique.  We had a pesto-broccoli-chicken pizza, a gluten free spinach & veggie pizza, a bacon-artichoke-ranch pizza, and many other interesting combinations. 

Here's a photo of the gang, including the dogs who attended!

Front:  Erin, Liz with Cosmo, Ainsley, Renee with Gracie, Ben with Rebel, Thomas and Ashley

Back:  Tim with Bert, Brent, Courtney, Danielle and Kevin

To end the night, we had arts & crafts time!  We made broomball sticks for our upcoming game next Tuesday evening!

What a blessing it is to have GREAT friends!!

Dome Dogs!

The Metrodome might not be any good for football anymore, with a collapsed roof and all... but this makes no difference to the dogs!

Every once in a while, the dome opens it's doors to dogs who have cabin fever and are looking for a nice warm place to run around and meet new friends.

We took Gracie down there tonight, and met a few friends:  Liz and her dog Cosmo, Tim and his dog Bert, and Tom & Janelle and their dog Ollie.  We had a great time visiting while the dogs burned up some energy. 

I am thankful to the people who thought of this great idea.  It is a blessing to provide a warm and safe play zone for Gracie when it's too cold outside to romp around!

Happy Wednesday!

Hello Everyone--

Today we we went to get a ballpark figure of where we would be with our tax stuff.  Thankfully we are much better off than both Renee and I were expecting.  We thought we would be paying way more than we'll need to, so we can now rest a little easier thanks to the good news.  We celebrated with some Arby's after that.  Renee had a marketfresh sandwich and onion rings, and I had the big montana roast beef with a large curly fry!  You just can't beat a great sandwich from Arby's now and then.  It's definitely comfort food!

While today was not overwhelmingly eventful it was a good day and as always, worth thanking the Lord for.  Thanks and praise to Him for His love.

Ben

T.M.T.H.

T.M.T.H.   I learned a few years ago that this is the texting abbreviation for Too Much To Handle.

Today was T.M.T.H.   But not in a bad way. 

I spent my workday trapped in a fortress of cardboard boxes.  I had recently ordered a bunch of prizes to be given away on the upcoming Wonewok trip.  Well, the boxes came, and were conveniently stacked in the doorway of my cubicle.  If I wanted to leave my desk at all today, it was up to me to unpack them.  So I did, and it was fun, even though it took me nearly an entire workday to finish the job!  It kind of felt like my birthday, or Christmas.  I love opening presents.  I know none of the items were for me, but it was still fun to rip open the boxes and look through all the stuff I had ordered. 

After work, I stopped at Petco (where the pets go) to get food for Gracie.  Today's blessing:  I was randomly selected to participate in an online survey.  Upon doing so, I will receive $2.00 off my next purchase.  Woot!

After that fun experience, I came home to a bucket load of accounting homework.  I don't understand any of it, so I have my work cut out for me.  My first exam is next Tuesday!  Therefore, I must go back to studying!

Talk to you on Thursday!
Renee

Monday Monday :)

Well everyone.  Its Monday.  For a Monday it has been pretty good.  I worked today which was a break from life. 

I also got my steamer back from Oreck.  Only took since November to figure out what the problem was.  I think GM could figure out a 2013 model car and have the prototype done in that time but I guess a steamer is just that complicated.  Anyway I got it back and can't wait to use it to clean up our carpets all nice and fresh. 

I miss my dog during the day sometimes and think of how nice it would be to be throwing a frisbee for her instead of doing what ever life brings my way.  If reincarnation was something I believed in I would like to come back as a yellow lab with a family as loving as we are to Gracie.  What a great life.  I do miss Renee too.  I think Wednesday should be a day off of work to spend with your family kind of a catchup day where you get to hang out with the dog and cuddle the wife.  It would make life more balanced 4 days of work and 3 days of family.  Work still wins an additional day over you personally but you would get more personal time to spend at home.  I think that should go to congress. 

Enough of me rambling, must be a Monday thing.

Until Wednesday,
Ben

Minnesota Cold. Canada Dry.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Love it. Just sayin.

Anyway. Today is Sunday.  It was a weird day.  For some reason, Ben and I could not get moving this morning.  It's like we both got run over by a steamroller in the middle of the night and could not pry ourselves out of bed this morning.  I finally got up at 10AM, and Ben was fast asleep til 2PM.  We missed our whole morning!!  Not good.

But, Ben's mom once again salvaged our afternoon by providing us with a delicious feast.  Today's menu:  pork chops, hashbrowns, spinach, and bread.  These things aren't special by themselves, but Ben's mom has the ability to transform the simplest of foods into the most delicious meal you've ever had.  The pork chops were smothered with applesauce and onions.  The hashbrowns were cooked in a thick soupy mixture that made them kind of like cheesy potatoes, but better.  The spinach was flash fried (had no idea what that meant until I got a personal demostration today) and coated with garlic, olive oil and strawberry jam. The bread was baked fresh today. 

 For dessert, we had the most delicious blueberry crisp.

This meal was washed down with a glass of ice cold milk, which can't be beat.  Last but not least, I was treated to a can of Canada Dry.  My favorite.  I'm not sure why I don't buy this at the grocery store ever.  I need to start indulging in this more often.  It's so refreshing and bubbly!

I realize that I write about food a lot on here.  I can't help it.  I love food.  And I love enjoying it with people that I love.  For me, there's no better way to spend the afternoon.

Have a good week!
Renee

Artsy Fartsy

Well today was another good day.  I woke up and took Renee to school and went to my Sat morning AA meeting.  Since I forgot to get my 30 day medallion last Sunday I got it today even though it is now 36 days!  Woo Hoo!! 36 days.  It means so much more this time.  Holds a special place in my heart now.  Can't wait til 60.

After the meeting I picked up my cute little bride and we headed off to get Anna (Renee's cousin) to get lunch and go to the art museum.  Anna, age 10, likes art a lot.  Me, I don't care for much of it but it is always nice to see something colorful.  The cool part for me was the early era woodwork that people made.  I felt like I was hosting an episode of New Yankee Workshop and was hunting down a rare piece in Nantucket in a hidden antique shop on some grassy hill with colonial animals nearby.  Super cool. Below is a picture of the cute bride and cousin with a giant white dog that looks happy but has a frostbitten nose from our sub-zero temps.

In the evening I picked up one of my anonymous friends to get to the 7pm meeting.  Now I am home having stopped at walmart for some laundry soap and looking for that perfect valentines gift in the automotive section.  No good finds but I am sure something good will turn up soon.

God Bless you all and have a good night!

Ben

Miracle on 149th St!

Who needs the movie "Miracle on 34th Street" when you can have your very own miracle on 149th St? 

What is this miracle of which I speak?  Something I cooked actually turned out.

That's right.  I cooked.

I got a cookbook from my friend Linda for Christmas, and while flipping through it, a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie caught my eye.  My parents used to make the frozen pot pies for dinner when I was younger, and I haven't had one since.  So, I decideed to relive the past and make a pot pie for myself, just like the good old days.  Except my pot pie was to be homemade.  None of this microwave crap.

While in the oven, it was bubbling and overflowing from the edges of the crust, leading me to believe I'd be cleaning out my oven tonight and eating a handful of Cheez-it's for dinner.  But looks can be deceiving.

Simply put, my pot pie was the bomb.  Recipe below.  A big shout-out to Rachel of Baldwin, Wisconsin, for entering this recipe into the Baldwin Christian School cookbook.  I don't know you, but I love you.

Peace out.
Renee

____________________________________________

Classic Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts
1/3 c. margarine or butter
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. milk
2 1/2 c. cooked chicken
2 c. thawed mixed frozen veggies

Instructions:
Heat oven to 425F.  Lay 1st pie crust into 9.5" pie plate.  Melt butter and saute onion for 2 minutes or until tender.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Gradually stir in both milk and broth.  Cook until smooth and bubbly.  Add chicken and veggies.  Spoon into crust.  Cover with top crust, seal and slit.  Bake 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

Good things can happen to good people.

Greetings yáll,

I feel like the smartest man alive today.  As you all may know, I am a numbers person.  Not much for grammar but I love numbers.  While striving for more hours and wondering how to get there, I collided with opportunity.

I have a boss that is a loving, Christian person and so is her husband.  Recently the person that processes payroll for her husband's company was forced to leave due to a job opp his wife got out of state.  I was attempting to fill more client needs with the cleaning business but we ran in to a few road blocks.  Ironically she mentioned the job and we both kind of looked at each other like "me?  In an office?" 

Well, we talked for a bit and I realized not all office work involves a computer.  She thought I hated office work all together.  Not the case.  I just hate computer applications.  This system involves no computer work at all but a good strong nack for extreme detail and no room for error.  I stayed til 9 pm tonight and found that I like the job.  I'm really in training mode now.  I feel I will pick it up soon. 

So, this fills my money needs while helping a great company owned by great people.  God gave me this opportunity at just the right time.  Funny when you let God drive where you will end up. 

Also, it is Thursday and I got to clean at my favorite client's house today.  I'm tired but it was all worth it. 

Hopefully the 14 below will turn in to 14 above soon so my dog doesn't get a chapped bum while doing her business.

God Bless you all
Ben

Most Boring Blog Ever....

The best thing about today was having coffee with my friend, Lindsay. We met at Caribou and got to visit for a few hours.  We had so much to catch up on! 

Otherwise, today was pretty standard.  Work, work, work.  I spent most of the day working on Wonewok plans (our trip to northern MN in February).  I am so excited to go up there!

I know this post is pretty lame and unexciting... sorry!  Hopefully I'll have something more awesome to say on Saturday!

For Your Entertainment!

Since Ben didn't have the time to write today, we shall provide you with some entertainment courtesy of our favorite Christian music artist, Jeremy Camp.

Enjoy!

Debits and Credits are Hip If You're an Accountant. Having No Hips is Not Hip If You're Me.

It's official.  I have the first week of Accounting class under my belt.  It's going OK so far.  I'm not a fan of math, so I think I'll have plenty of struggles ahead, but here's the good news:  The Accountant in my division at 3M has graciously offered to help me.  Today, he spent 15 minutes going over the problems I couldn't figure out, which was a huge help.  I am thankful to have people in my life who are generous with their time and talents.

And, a piece of bad news.  While standing at the copy machine today, I leaned against the wall and put my hands on my hips.  Only to find that I no longer have hips.  Where did they go?  Oh wait, I think they're hiding under the layers of my newly developed blubber.  I've never not had hips before.  In an effort to get them back, I went straight to the gym after work and exercised for 45 minutes.  I will probably need to do this at least 3 times a week before my hips decide to show themselves again.  Ugh.

The story of my hipless body is quite depressing - certainly not Year of the Strand blog material.  So I'll end it on a happy note.  Exercising feels good.  I especially love how after working out, you can step outside into 10 degree weather, but your body is toasty warm.  Such a snuggly feeling!

Sunday

Hello everyone,

Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  I like it the most because I get to go to church.  Unfortunately, I did miss church today, but we read out of a book our pastor suggested last weekend instead. 

After we got ourselves together, we went to grandma's as usual then off to Mom's for some great beef stew.  Yummmm.  We played farkle in which I cleaned house, no surprise.

Today is also my 30 days sober date.  Should have got a dairy queen cake but ran short on funds.  Not uncommon.  Still a great day because it is a day in which I am saved from sin.  Thank you God for sending your son Jesus to save us! 
Have a great week everyone,
Ben

Bookworm

I spent almost all day today in my jammies, with my nose stuffed in a book... which is pretty much my favorite way to spend a day.

Today's selection:  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 

I read another book of his a year ago (A Thousand Splendid Suns), which turned out to be my most favorite book ever.  So, I was really excited to dive into his new one.  And, as I suspected, it did not disappoint me!  I give it 5 stars, and would be happy to lend it anyone insterested in reading it.

Next on the list:  Caught by Harlan Coben (my favorite author).  So excited to start this one!

In other book news, I got a cute reading light and a nice cover for my Nook.  Makes e-reading so much more fun!! 

Yay for good books and the people who have the gift of writing them!

Renee