36%

Thats how much got taken out of my annual bonus. That bonus looks a lot less attractive after such a huge gouging, but nice nonetheless.

The dress

I'm starting to narrow down choices for my wedding dress. I have two that I really like, but I am having a problem making a final decision. I like them both, but the one I like more is also about 300 dollars more than the other. I don't know how I'm going to make that final choice. Mike was a trooper yesterday and came with me to look at them all. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll make a final decision and put in the order!

Nah nah nah nah nah nah You say it's your BIRTHDAY!

Happy 28th birthday to Marisa!! I hope you have a wonderful day and a happy, healthy, fun-filled year ahead!!

Congratulations!

To my brother Sam on his engagement!! He got engaged Friday night to his girlfriend of 4 years, Samantha. I am so excited for you and I was honored to have found out first! Congratulations to you both!!

Bridal Fun

I went dress shopping tonight. I had spent the last two weeks looking a different bridal magazines and tabbing pictures that I thought would look good on me, or I just liked in general. I made a list of 8 that I wanted to try on from this one store, made an appointment and went. Well 2 of them that I was most sure I'd love, I hated, and ones I never thought in a million years would look good were awesome! I took some pictures and have some more appointments coming up at different bridal shops to see whats out there before I make a decision.

Two amazing things happened while I was trying on the dresses.
1. Never, and I mean NEVER in my life were my boobs too small for a dress and it happened again and again tonight. I mean, what kinds of girls are they looking for??
2. I put on all of those veils and a tiara and it hit me, I'm going to be a bride!!

And it starts

They say planning a wedding is stressful work and I didn't believe a word of it. At All. However, after a zillion phone calls between churches, reception venues, family, etc. I'm exhausted! I do believe that we finally gotten it all confirmed, there are just a few things to tidy up and then we'll have an "official" date, yeah!

Although Mike thinks I'm nuts for trying to get this squared away so soon, I know I wanted a fall wedding, and being 9 months out from that time frame, it's important to secure a date at least for the church and the venue. I can wait months on other details like favors and what my garter (do I even need one) is going to look like.

Announcement!

Mike and I are engaged!! He proposed at a park, under a bridge, at sunset. It was a beautiful and pefect moment!

A Dissapointing Loss

Well, the Seahawks lost, but at least they gave it a good shot. If that bad call had went the other way in the first half, they probobly could have taken it.

On a side note...did anyone else think the Rolling Stones were just a tad blah and maybe a tad too old to be performing at superbowl (with all under 40-year-old groupies around them).

White and Windy Superbowl

We woke up this morning to a couple of inches of snow, and from what I hear Detroit is suppose to have gotten 6-12. I can't imagine moving around downtown today with all those people, and all that snow.

Mike and I are headed over to Steven and Lidia's house to watch the game with some friends, which should be a good time (plus the huge plasma t.v. doesn't hurt either).

Go SEAHAWKS!

Football

The Superbowl is 2 days away and the city is BUZZING with promotional craziness. Towns that are not classified as "Detroit", partly because they aren't, and partly because they are too ritzy to even acknowledge they are even remotely close to the city, have erected huge electronic signs that say "WELCOME TO DETROIT".

Trains

On my way hometoday a train was about to cross one of the only major streets on my way home, so I took a left to go on a little detour. By the time I made it to the street I needed to cross the next crossing at here comes that darn train, so I had to sit and wait for it anyway! Who in their right mind operated a train at 5 o'clock through a downtown area with only 2 major north south routes? Nice planning, city of Ann Arbor.

I love a deal

Lately I've been craving new clothes, and I want them to have a type of look to them whether casual, business or dressy. That look is modern, classic and a bit trendy. All of those things are the quentisential Banana Republic and I'm hooked. I've always liked their clothes but never liked spending so much per piece. Lately however I have been able to pick up a couple of super deals during their annual sale. In the last couple of weeks I've been able to pick up four new pieces for under 30.00...total. Full retail price of those pieces...over 200.00 What a deal!

They're coming to Detroit

The Seahawks have made it and they are coming to Detroit. Now I have to say that anyone coming to the superbowl excited to 'check out' Detroit is going to be sorely disappointed. However, I am excited at having some Seattlites in Ann Arbor (since who in their right mind would actully stay at a hotel in Detroit).

Go Seahawks!

My Favorite Christmas Gifts

This post is entirely too long delayed, but here are a couple of my favorite Christmas gifts this year. By no means is it complete, because I loved everything I received.



Making pizza is fun again thanks to this wonderful present from Mike. It is a dual wheel pizza cutter from Brookstone. There is no more going over the pizza twice to cut all the way through, plus it look super cool and is fun to use.



Tivo. By far the best invention on the planet. No longer will I watch a program real-time. Fast forwarding over commercials and parts I find boring is perfect for my ADD-style T.V. watching. Plus it makes the coolest sound...do do do...dong!


Beyond The Blonde. It's a great novel about the secret life of beauty salons in New York City. It was so good that I read it in a few hours on the plane home from Seattle. This isn't the only great book I received. I also got Citizen Girl, The Time Travelers Wife, plus a great gift certificate to Barnes and Noble to replenish my stock -- Thanks Mom!

A long night

I worked from 8am yesterday until 2am. It was a very long day and I am very tired. Of course, my boss told me I could take today off, which I am doing in part, but why work a long day like that with no overtime? I have to go in for awhile to make sure a couple of things are taken care of as well. Hey, at least I didn't have to be back at 8am and got to sleep in until 11!

I'm back

I'm in Seattle for the Christmas holiday and the new year and I am excited to see my family and friends! It is a little strange to not see any snow on the ground though, how quickly one forgets what that is like!

Just when you think you're done

I'm an early Christmas shopper. I like to start shopping around September so I am done usually by Thanksgiving, or soon after. I have also been known to buy a gift as early as February. This year was no exception, I had purchased everything thoughtfully, with a couple being last minute items online. I hadn't received an item that I'd been waiting for so I called the company. They advised me that the item was on backorder and would most likely not arrive before Christmas. Ok, the reason why I picked that company was because every other one on the internet was sold out, it was a hot item. I'm leaving for Seattle in a couple of days and was diasappointed to not have that gift ready to give now. I cancelled my order, went online (again) and ordered from another company who said they had the item in stock. Well I just got my confirmation e-mail stating that it had shipped (directly to my dad's house, because I wasn't hopeful it would get here in time). So thank you, Sears for speedy delivery over the holiday season.

Birthday Shout-OUT!

Happy Birthday Elaine! I hope you have a great time tonight at dinner, I wish I could be in Seattle to celebrate with you! Thank you for being such an awesome friend. I hope your year ahead is filled with wonderful experiences and lots of love!

A return to blogging

It's been awhile and I've got a list of excuses a mile long. Mostly being that Mike's computer died and we were living on my Mac, which for some reason posts things funny and in the end I just needed a break. Needless to say, the Alienware is back in full effect, minus all of my downloaded music and pictures from like the last 6 months!! Stupid computer.

Here are a few festive pictures to get you in the mood. Our "Christmas tree", living room garland and a picture of the snow RIGHT NOW that will total about 4-8 inches in the morning...pretty huh?

Headed Home

I've spent the last 4 1/2 days in Fargo and it was awesome to see everyone. It is always bittersweet to have to wrap up the good times and head back to everyday life. I wish there was a way to make everyone just a little closer so I could visit more often. Tomorrow I'm waking up at 5:30 to make my way back to Michigan. I've bought a new suitcase while I've been here and have managed to fill it with lots of presents and goodies!

Turkey Day

I'm in Fargo for Thanksgiving this year, which so far has been really nice. My dad and stepmom flew in to meet halfway and we have been having a fun time seeing old friends and family. I called Mike to check in on how his holiday was and we had the most bizarre conversation. He took the cats with him to his parents house 6 hours away from ours. It was either that, or pay to have someone give Chico a shot twice a day. Today when I called to see how his Thanksgiving was he told me good, but that the cats were starting to get a little "freaked out" everytime they went into a car. Well, I told him they shouldn't be freaked out still, they got there yesterday afternoon. That is true, but apparently he took them to his granparents house for the bit Turkey Day and fed Chico turkey and Henley some roll. This from a man who "hates" the cats...I think not.

Just a few more classes...

I was scheduled to only have one more class, however I have made the decision to add a second major onto my schedule and will have a few more classes to finish. I will now be done with school in June with a double major in business management and marketing. Yeah! The end is near.

Chico Update

Well after a difficult six weeks of insulin injections, special food, glucose monitoring and a whole lot of money, I am happy to announce that Chico's diabetes is under control! Mike and I spent the entire day at home again yesterday checking Chico's glucose levels (which is not fun, if I haven't said so yet...imagine trying to take blood from a tiny little vein in a cat's ear...yeah). After talking with the vet today, she is happy with where he is at and advised us he'll need a check in three months at their office, and if that is still o.k., he won't need to be checked again for a year! It is a huge relief for me. Although we still have to continue his injections, we won't have to bring him in so often for tests, or wonder if he is healthy. He is doing well, and the time, money and effort were worth it. I firmly believe that if you take on the responsibility of an animal, you should take care of whatever it is comes your way to the best of your ability.

Why I miss Seattle

Urban Craft Uprising (http://www.urbancraftuprising.com) is going on today, put on by my lovely and talented friend Marisa. It is going to be an afternoon of independent designers coming together for a one-stop-shopping extravaganza! I wish I was there to see all of the hard work that was put into it,and of course SHOP!

Good luck Marisa!

Why I love him, version 367

Because he stops by one of the many Ann Arbor chocolate shops on frequent occasion to buy me yummy treats (white chocolate covered pretzels and turtles). That is love.

I say hotdish, you say WTF?

Hotdish. Yes. I'm from the Midwest. We don't use the word 'casserole'. It's hotdish, get it straight. Tonight I am taking down the culinary road of the hotdish, yes, the famed Tater Tot Hotdish is on le menu for this evening. And for all of you haters out there, just try it, you'll like it.

Tater Tot Hotdish:
Serves 4

2 cans green beans (I use 1 cut and 1 french style)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz. tub sour cream
1/2 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 lb ground beef
tater tots

Brown ground beef, rinse and drain. Combine all ingredients (minus the tater tots) in a bowl and stir until mixed. Place is baking dish and top single file with tater tots (lay them down, don't stand them up). Place is 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes until tots are brown and hotdish is HOT and bubbly. Scoop onto plate and enjoy!

Bon appetite

Pumpkins!

My company sponsered a day at a local pumpkin patch. Mike and I walked around, drank apple cider made fresh on the premisis, ate doughnuts, took a hayride and picked a HUGE 27 pound pumpkins. Watch for pictures to come from the carving to take place this week.


As you can see, Mike had a fantastic time.

Autumn

It's definitely here. The air is crisp, the leaves in Michigan are absolutely gorgeous, and it finally really feels like fall. This morning it was 36 degrees when I got to work, although it isn't suppose to be that cold again for some time. I am excited to dig out my scarves, wear my new pink wool coat and new leather gloves I bought this weekend.

I love fall clothing. There is just something about getting dressed in warm and comfortable fabrics like courdoroy, cashmere, wool and tweed. I look forward to wearing those clothes all year long.

I've been buying a lot of clothes again lately. It's just one of those phases where I hate everything in my closet and I want to replenish. I went to the Limited on Friday and found a very cute white dress shirt for 9.99. When I went to buy it the sales girl said "ohhhh" and proceeded to tell my that my steal of a shirt was a mistake. That shirt had just arrived and wasn't scheduled to be on the sales floor yet, and definitely not at that price. So, she gave it to me anyway, which was awesome! Nothing like a bargain to start your weekend off right.

Chicago

The Chicago trip was a blast. In 24 hours we checked out Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, The Field Museum (one of the coolest marble buildings I've ever seen...see pic above of the ceiling), the Magnificent Mile and a Jason Mraz concert. It was a quick trip, but very fun and we had a blast.

Chicago

We are headed to the windy city for a weekend of fun, and of course, Jason Mraz! Details to follow...

Chico

For the past week and a half, my cat Chico has been drinking water like it's going out of style. Today I brought him to the vet to make sure everything was ok, although he had just been for his checkup in June. They took some blood and ran some tests and found out that he has diabetes. So, for most likely the rest of his life I will have to inject him twice a day with insulin in order to make him better. Poor baby cat. It's a good think that I have Michael who has lots of experience injecting animals in the house because I'm not sure I could do it every day. But, everyone cross your fingers b/c at $100 a bottle and $100 every six days for tests until we find the right insulin that works for him, its going to be an expensive road.

L.o.v.e.

What a year this has been for Michael and I. We finally connected for good a year ago with lunch at the Blue Star Cafe and now I can't imagine my life without him in it. The year has been full of dinners and movies and laughter and moving and zoos and cooking experiments and kisses and hugs and new experiences and openness and experiences that I'll never forget. Tonight we are going to a beautiful restaurant and to dessert at La Dolce Vita...and indeed, this is the sweet life.

I love you baby, Happy Anniversary!

A sign that autumn is almost here

I bought my first new cashmere sweater of the season. Teal, cable-knit and luscious!

Labor Day Fun

For Labor Day weekend, Mike and I headed up to his hometown of Newberry, Michigan. It is about 350 miles and takes about 5 1/2 hour to drive there...on a typical day. Friday evening was not typical. I managed to get out of work about an hour early so I headed home to finish packing so that we could be on the road just after 5. We were taking the car Mike had been using that is his dad's because his was back in Newberry being fixed and we were going to drop off their vehicle and get his. After stopping for gas we finally pulled out of the city about 5:30. We were about a mile onto the highway when the car decided it didn't want to go above 45, and the brakes were acting really strange. We had to pull over and call a tow truck, because there is NO WAY we could have driven it all the way there. We waited an hour for the truck to arrive (on a side note, thank GOODNESS for the Amoco motor club my dad has been a member of all of these years with me as a user, because towing is not cheap, but it doesn't cost a penny if you are a member of the club...). He took us back to our apartment, and by the time we gassed up my car and hit the road it was almost 8 o'clock. Of course, gas prices had soared to about $3.39 here, and at 17-20 miles to the gallon on my car it was not a cheap trip. We made it to his parent's house just after 2 o'clock in the morning and his mom was waiting up for us.

The next day, after sleeping in a little, we got up and decided to head over to Tahquemanon Falls State Park. The drive there was absolutely gorgeous, I only wished we had made the trip in late September because the leaves were just beginning to change and they were so pretty already. The falls are a series of large and small waterfalls with a nice state park surrounding them. We first went to the upper falls which is the biggest and had a nice time walking around and taking in the scenery. Because of all of the leaves and other natural material that leaks into the water it tends to be brown, so a lot of people call it "Root Beer Falls". After walking around there for awhile (and taking a little jaunt through a backwoods path) we headed down to the lower falls. Mike had spent 5 summers being a ranger at the falls so he was familiar with the surroundings and all of the history and factoids. The lower falls were nice, they have an island that you can rent a boat and row over to, and then wade in the water, have a picnic and just relax. Of course, Mike had also spent numerous summers rowing buckets of gravel over to the island to add to the walking trails, and his idea of a good time is not in those boats. We walked around and took some nice pictures and then decided to head about 15 miles away to Whitefish Point.

Whitefish Point is an old Coast Guard station situated on Lake Superior and has great access to the beach. We walked along the beach, and I was cohersed into wading around in the lake (not warm, may I add). The beach has beautiful sand full of flat round stones of all colors. We stopped back at the pointe, picked up some Rocky Road fudge they make there and headed back to his parents house. Mike's grandma and grandpa, aunt and uncle and cousins all came over for a barbeque and some ruthless card playing. They taught me how to play Crazy Gin and it was so much fun!

On Sunday drove about an hour to the "Soo" (Sault Ste. Marie), which is about a mile from Canada and is home to the Soo Locks. Of course, we went and there were no boats coming through, but I did learn that it is the busiest locks in the country. The town is kind of beachy and full of restaurants and gift shops. There is also a great miniature golf course that we played and I won by three strokes. We had lunch and drove back to his parents where everyone came over again and ate and played more cards.

We left Monday morning about 10:30 and I finally got to cross the Mackinaw bridge in the daylight (the bridge is 5 miles long, spans lake Huron and Michigan) and also saw Mackinaw Island in the distance. We stopped for lunch and then were practically stopped on the highway for the next 3 hours full of traffic. We had a great time with his family and it was nice just to get away for a few days. Of course, it is is the middle of nowhere, so cell phone usage was out so I felt a little out of touch, but it was calm and relaxing and fun! The best part was getting to spend 3 days with Mike without any work, class or studying to interrupt it!

Catch Up

There have been so many things going on, and I have become lazy about getting those into my blog...so there are lots of things to recap:

1.) First of all, donate to the Red Cross. Obviously, no one should build a city 10 feet below sea level, and you should always evacuate when advised to do so; however, there are a lot of people who didn't have the means to leave, and unfortunately it appears as crisis relief by our government isn't arriving as quickly as some would like it to. (We're Americans...we're impatient)

2.) The answer to "What is in the Yellow Toolbox". Well, I did let the cat out of the bag to Elaine the other night when she called...I'm sure she was grossed out. The story of the toolbox goes something like this: Mike came home with this toolbox. I advised him that "Honey, we already have a toolbox...it's orange and in the laundry room." He advised me that "Yes, it's a toolbox, but it's my skeleton for class". I'm thinking...COOL, one of those hang-up skeletons that you see in some doctors offices...that could be fun to decorate for halloween! No such luck. In that toolbox is the complete skeleton of a human being...a real dead human being. NASTY!! And, in the small box next to it, is a complete skull...even more NASTY! Ok, I signed up for living with a medical student, but not the bones of a dead person...in my living room! Apparently, it is suppose to allow the students to study the variations in bones compared to pictures in books. Great idea people. Great. See for yourself:

3.) Jason Mraz. I listen to him almost exclusively lately, not only because his new album, Mr. A-Z is awesome, but I got tickets to see him in Chicago in October!! I'm so excited! It will be my first trip to the windy city (outside of the airport). I got a great deal on Priceline on a nice hotel and am looking forward to a quick trip...and shopping at H&M (can you say new fall wardrobe).

4.) My new job is going great. I really like the people I work with, although I am still pretty bored. They tell me that this is just a slow couple of weeks and should pick up, I hope so. There is no internet surfing (and no checking e-mail) allowed, so I am reduced to reading a book out of my desk drawer on the sly and staring off into space. I have begun to write letters while at work to break up the slow times, so expect to start seeing some real letters in the mail.

5.) Labor day! Mike and I are leaving tomorrow for his hometown of Newberry, Michigan which is in the Upper Penninsula of the state and is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. As an outing we'll be driving to the "big" city of Sault Ste. Marie to go miniature golfing...the city has 10,000 people, and a kick-ass putt putt course from what I hear.

And last...but certainly not least. I know I won't have time to post again before we leave, or while we're out of town, but HAPPY 28th BIRTHDAY HEATHER!! I hope you have a wonderful time at your party and with any luck, the mailman should deliver your birthday package to your door soon!!!

Who can guess what is in this yellow toolbox in my living room?

If you guess correctly, a fabulous prize will be awarded to you!

I promise, not only are the contents interesting, but the prize will be good!

Just like mom makes

We all have those foods that we love that our mom (or dad) used to make. They bring back memories, or just make us feel good. Mike has that special feeling about a couple of dishes, so his mom e-mailed me some of his favorites this last week. I made her chocolate chip cookies that are unique because they use a package of instant vanilla pudding. Friday night I baked about 36 cookies, and by Sunday afternoon, he had them all polished off. I swear, he'd do just about anything for those cookies...case in point:

Date Night

Mike and I decided that we should go out on a "date" together tonight. Ok, so I decided and he agreed, but either way we ended up going out to dinner. Now, it is official that we are old. How can you tell? Well, it's 9:05, and we're already back from dinner, and have uploaded pictures from tonight, thats how.

We went to a great italian restaurant Bella Ciao (which is confusing to me because one of my favorite restaurants in my old neighborhood is Ciao Bella). Pictures posted below are of the restaurant, and a "fairy" door. These teeny tiny doors are stashed around the downtown area for people to try to spot as they walk by.

White Coat Ceremony

On Sunday afternoon Mike had the White Coat Ceremony at the University of Michigan to signify his officical entry into medical school. I was happy and excited for the day, as were his parents and grandparents. Mike was less than impressed with the entire ordeal, but all in all it was a very nice ceremony and at least we got to take some good pictures of the family.

Nearly Unpacked

Well it appears that I have only 1 box to unpack!! Of course, there is alot of final putting-away and rearranging that must take place, but at least my battle with the 128 boxes will be over. I am happy to report that everything seems to be fitting into the spaces provided...all of the clothes fit in the closet (barely) and all of the kitchen items can actually be in the kitchen, etc.

Normally I would take my time and put everything away, including hanging pictures, in their proper places over the next week or so, take my time and decide where everything should be. There is however a slight problem. Mike's parent's and grandparents are arriving tomorrow afternoon to be here for Mike's white coat ceremony on Sunday. AHHH! No of course, I could leave everything as it is, they know we just got our things last Friday, but I've never met them before. I don't want them to think that I like to live that way, because I most certainly don't! So for the next 24 hours I'll be in a constant state of decorating.

Speaking of decorating, I ordered a very cute 4 x 6 rug from Anthropologie that was on clearance for only 29.99 -- a steal as the original price was 168--. It arrived and I opened the package rolled out the rug and was suprised to see they had sent me, not one, but TWO rugs...shall I return, or shall I keep (they only charged me for one)? Hmmm.

Dreaming in cardboard

We have successfully unpacked a good number of boxes, i.e. all of the living room and spare room. We have yet to tackle our clothing, bathroom and misc. boxes. Last night I dreamt that we had boxes with pink tags (strange, since ours are blue) and they were just sitting there waiting to be unpacked. Maybe thats because the first thing I see in the morning and last thing before bed are boxes...I. MUST. UNPACK.

1st Day

Mike started his 1st day of medical school today. They sure don't let them ease into the process, he had to be at school at 7:30 this morning to start orientation. This week is going to be filled with a lot of general information, team building exercises and some activities for getting to know one another (including those that he can bring me to).

He is less than thrilled about going to these activities, but I am excited! I can't wait to meet some people in our area that are in the same situation that we are. It would be nice to meet a couple of people we could go to dinner with, or out to movies, etc.

My instructions to him as he left the house today was: No nurses, be nice, and find us some friends.

What does boredom look like?

First off...Elaine, Marisa and Heather...I miss you SO much!

Michael went home to northern Michigan yesterday and will be there until the middle of the week or so, therefor, I am left in an apartment with nothing in it trying to occupy my time. Ha! How do you occupy endless time with nothing to do? Well, I have been shopping...A LOT...watching movies on the computer, surfing the internet (thanks, Marisa ;) ), doing laundry and shopping more.

I did have my first "date" with a girl from the area last night, we just walked around downtown, did a little shopping and it was fun to have someone to talk to outside of sales people who were happy to have my money.

Here is what I bought yesterday:

1 pair of Peach/white striped pants from NY & Company (that store is awesome...a Limited Co. Brand)
3 Shirts from the Gap
1 bag og Cat Food
2 Baskets from Pier 1
1 cool lamp for the spare bedroom
1 duvet cover for the spare bedroom
1 duvet for the spare bedroom
1 Curtain rod for the spare bedroom
1 candle for the spare bedroom ( are you seeing a theme here )
4 Towels for the spare bathroom
3 baby things for my friend Melissa
A bunch of super cheap lingerie at Mervyn's
A gift

What did you say?

How do you know when you're truly back in the midwest?

a) Your co-worker says more than once a day "Geez o' Pete's"

b) Your new colorist dyes your blonde hair brown, cuts it to your shoulders without your o.k. and says "That looks so good on you"

c) The Welcome Wagon calls you to arrange time to "Stop by and chat"

Answer: ALL OF THE ABOVE

Drive me crazy!

We have spent the last two days driving and I am SICK and TIRED of driving. Sick. and. tired. We decided today to leave tomorrow afternoon instead of Tuesday morning and to stop somewhere in Wisconsin instead of trying to drive all the way to Ann Arbor in one day...15 hour drives are not very fun. I am looking forward to getting into Ann Arbor now in the daylight so I can have a few hours of seeing my new city before I have to start work, etc. So tomorrow...8 hours of driving, and hopefully we'll see some fireworks along the way.

Moving Day

I'll write more later about the events of the last few days, but they have been a whirlwind of emotion, joy, laughter and sadness. Mike and I are all packed, the movers have taken our boxes, and we are heading out in a few minutes.

We are spending a night in Bozeman, MT (where I once went to school for 10 days before I decided I didn't want to be an Architect after seeing cots in the studio), and then to Fargo, ND for three nights (and LOTS of time for Mike to meet the extended family). We should arrive Ann Arbor on the evening of the 5th, check into our apartment the morning of the 6th, and then I start work following that. Whew!

I'll be back in a week for my birthday that I am looking forward to celebrating and then will be back in Ann Arbor getting settled and unpacking boxes for days and days.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their support in this life endeavor, your kindness and cheerleading mean more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for all of the good times and the memories I will never forget.

We need a break!

Mike and I are a little sick of packing, but still have to get a bunch of it done. Tonight when I get home, the goal is to pack up the rest of the kitchen and start on the storage room...hopefully. But to incentify the situation, we are going to try to see Batman Begins at the IMax tonight...should be good! After hearing Heather and Marisa talk about how hot Christian Bale is in it, I want to see it more than ever!

Oh...so now blogger FINALLY decides to allow you to upload a picture directly. Nice.

Ann Arbor

After reading Heather's blog today I realized I hadn't posted anything about our move to Ann Arbor! To recap: Mike asked me in March to move to Ann Arbor (referred to as A2 or A-squared) so that he could start medical school. I agreed that he should move in with me for two months before he was scheduled to start so we could try out living together. He agreed to let me search and find a job at my own pace, whether that meant taking 3 or 6 or 9 months to do so.

I put my resume on Monster and applied for 4 jobs. I got a call regarding one that I applied for and they were willing to set up a telephone interview. I woke up at 5:30, put on a sweatshirt and slippers and called the company...in my pajamas. Btw, I highly recommend interviewing in your pajamas, it is really comfortable. That was on Friday, June 10th. On Monday, June 13th, they called me to offer me the position with their firm. "They" are a mid-sized CPA firm and a small financial planning firm. Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. The girl who I will be replacing is in a similar situation as I am, trying to find a job in Florida from Ann Arbor. I accepted the position and started a whirlwhind of trying to move across country in 2 1/2 weeks.

We had pre-reserved our apartment in April, so that was taken care of already. But the list of things we needed to do in just two weeks was enormous! Not everything is done yet, but we have hired a mover, rented hotel rooms, changed our address, made plane reservations for a flight back to Seattle for my birthday, figured out the logistics of moving two cats, sold my washer and dryer (thanks Craiglist!) and have been packing up a storm.

I'm already starting to say goodbye to people that I care about and it's getting tough to do. I'm sad to be leaving my friends and familiy, but know that I will visit here often and keep in very close contact with e-mails, phone calls and letters.

I'm trying to view the move to A2 as an adventure and have started another blog "Living in A2" to share the fun things Mike and I do, the people we meet and the experiences that we have. (as not to clog up this blog with all of that...I still need to vent, regardless of location)

So we're leaving on July 1st, spending a night in Bozeman, MT, then in Fargo, ND for 3 days and then to Ann Arbor on the 5th. I start work on the 6th, fly to Seattle on the 9th, and back to A2 on the 12th. I'm going to be a busy girl!

Last class in WA

It's my last class in Washington. Yes, I still have 4 left to take, but will be taking then in either Ann Arbor, or online. Thank you to Larisa, Dawn, Heidi & Pete for being such an awesome and supportive team. It has been a great run and I appreciate all the work we have been able to accomplish together. Thanks for everything!

Father's Day

Father's Day
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

We had an early Father's Day because my dad had to fly to Dallas on Sunday. We celebrated at Sandy's house with wine, ribs, and dessert. We had a great time visiting with family. Dad, I hope you had a great day, you are the best dad a girl could ever hope for! Thanks for being such a great guy!

The Perfect Man

The Perfect Man
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

Mike & I went to the Hillary Duff movie "The Perfect Man" last night. My perfect man wasn't too impressed, but he stuck it out without too many heavy sighs or moping.

4:39 a.m.

I rolled over the past few mornings just as Mike was rolling out of bed to go to the gym...at 4:39 a.m. Either I'm seriously delirious, or that is WAY to damn early to be hitting the gym. And not only is he going to the gym, but them he comes home (while I'm still in bed, by the way) and rides the stationary bike for over an hour. Sleep, young man, SLEEP!

What to buy?

I'm having a Father's Day buying dilema...as in I have NO IDEA what I should by my dad! Usually around birthdays, Christmas and Father's Day he starts to hint at things that he things he has been "looking at". But so far, nothing!! I'm going to try to call him to night to probe for details, there has got to be something he has been "looking at".

How to FREAK a girl out

Call me while I'm at work to tell me that while you were walking to work you got hit by a car. A CAR. You refuse to go to the doctor, and when I get home I found out indeed you are ok, a little abrasion on your leg, but mostly o.k. because you did a CARTWHEEL over the hood of the car.

A Long Overdue Long Weekend

Snoqualmie Falls
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

This weekend was wonderful. Long, full of fun experiences, and definitely long overdue. To recap...

Friday...
Had lunch with Heather & Elaine at the Thai place on Queen Anne. Yummy food, and we got to sit outside (much to the chagrin of the host).

Saturday...
Went for a walk w/ Michael around Volunteer Park, up to the top of the resivoir, and through the conservatory. Had lunch at Julia's on Capitol Hill...yummy (lemon zest and poppy seed pancakes). Went to the movie Monster-in-Law w/ Michael, my dad and Cindy. Got home, Michael & I walked over to Heather's and hung out w/ her and Jay.

Sunday...
Drove to Twede's Diner in North Bend which is where they used to film the cafe scenes for Twin Peaks. Saw a sign for Snoqualmie Falls so we drove there and got to see the falls which was fun. Drove home, took a nap, woke up and went to the movie Madagascar w/Michael.

Monday...
Relaxed, got some things done around the house and then we drove up to dads house for a barbeque with the family which was fun. Came home, relaxed and enjoyed the last few hours of the long weekend.

All in all...a FABULOUS weekend!

Engaged!!!!!!!!!!

Finally! After lots of waiting and speculation, I'm happy to announce that Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are engaged!! Seriously, how long did they keep that romance under wraps?

What? Did you think I was engaged?

I Pimped My Ride

I Pimped My Ride
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

2005 Ford Escape XLT with the Offroad Package...SWEET!

6 a.m.

I got up an hour early today to drive into the ghetto of Seattle to pick up cakes for work from a really good bakery...am I nuts?

Strawberries

They are in-season right now, ripe and SO good. But what to do when your boyfriend brings home 3 times as many as you could ever possibly eat? (although a very sweet gesture) Search through your cookbook until you find something yummy you can make with them. Last night I made the following which I had never even heard of and it was FANTASTIC!!

Strawberry Bread

3 cups All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 cup Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 Eggs -- beaten
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 1/4 cups Chopped pecans (optional)

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.

In seperate bowl mix beaten eggs, oil and mashed strawberries.

Fold together until just blended.

Place into greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpic comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack, slice and enjoy!

(Makes 2 loaves, can easily be halved)

Star Wars

My Brother
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

Every man in my life is going crazy about the new star wars movie opening up. The last one that was released, my brother took the day off from work to see it. This time, I'm sure he'll do the same thing. Michael is talking about catching it "just to get it over with". Right. You can't keep your geek love for the movie contained until even the weekend.

The pic is of my brother...he's 30, but I'm pretty sure I have similar pic of him in the same type of getup when he was 3. Once a geek, always a geek.

Gotta love them.

I've got a crush

On who you ask?

On my boyfriend.

Could he be any more wonderful?

I don't think so.

Last night he came home a little early because he was sick, and when I went into the living room to greet him, he was standing there with chocolate and pink roses. He's the one that's sick, and he stopped to buy me flowers and candy?

I LOVE HIM!

Happy Birthday to...

ANDY!

I wish I could be in MSP to celebrate with you.

I hope you have a fantastic day and get

everything you want and deserve. I can't believe we've been

friends for 9 years already...I'm so lucky to have

you as my friend,

thank you for always listening to me, even when I'm whining,

calling me on my crap and telling me like it is.

Happy 27th!!

A Wednesday present

americanapparel
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

Michael had told me they finally opened an American Apparel store in Seattle. I had asked him a couple of weeks ago to stop in there and tell me what he thought of their stuff since it is on their way home. I have heard from people that they have great things and that the prices are decent.

The clothing is made in LA, without the use of children making 5 cents an hour to do the work...SWEATSHOP FREE!

So last night Michael came home and said "Happy Wednesday" and handed me a bag from American Apparel with a pink t-shirt that he had bought on his way home. What a guy!

New CD's

Purchased today at Best Buy:

Keith Urban - Be Here
Weezer - Make Believe
Lifehouse - Lifehouse

The hunt for goose down

First off, thank you to Elaine for your huge amount of patience as I searched for four hours on Saturday to find a new down comforter. It all started Saturday morning as I stripped the bed in order to wash it. I looked at my old raggy down comforter and thought...gross! I know there is a cover over it, but it is no longer pristinely white, but had become discolored and ratty looking over the past 10 years.

I called Elaine and she agreed to go shopping with my; however, I don't think she knew what she was getting in for. We went to Macy's, JcPenney's, Ross, Target, T.J. Maxx, Costco and Bed Bath and Beyond. And later that night I went to Fred Meyer...and still didn't have a comforter.

So today looking for a good deal (in the spirit of Elaine), I went to overstock.com. I found a much nicer comforter than any I had looked at in the stores in the same price range, but finally settled on one that was 78% off, plus I got a 12% discount for being a new customer, as well as $2.00 shipping...what a deal! And Elaine...it cost me over $20 less than the one at Macy's...how's that!

I Heart Mom

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!

I hope you had a wonderful day, you deserve it!!!

How not to break up...

Dear any man that is thinking of breaking up with their girlfriend:

DO NOT
-Leave the message on her answering machine
-Tell her friends first
-Write her an e-mail (you daft prick)
-Put it on a post-it

YOU SHOULD
-Be a man and have an adult conversation with her, because for all that is holy, SHE DESERVES THAT.

Muffascrumptious

Our wonderful and HILARIOUS receptionist never fails to make me laugh until I nearly pee my pants. Yes, I'm 26 years old and when I'm around her, there are times I think I might just lose control of my bladder.

Today I brought in some homemade blueberry muffins I made with soy milk because she can't eat any dairy. So she takes a huge bite, looks at me and goes, "mmm, these muffins are muffascrumptious".

Chatter

"When are you done with school?"
"December 1st."
"Hmm."
"Hmm, what?"
"Well how can I get you to Ann Arbor quicker?"
"Entice me."
"With what, a carrot?"
"How do you spell carrot? C-a-r-r-o-t or C-a-r-a-t?"
"Hmm.

The Game

Elaine and I had great seats to the Mariners / Angels game last night. We left during the ninth inning so we wouldn't be stuck in traffic. This morning one of my co-workers who was at the game told me I missed something great during the 9th inning. Of course I didn't believe him because I had watched for three hours without the M's scoring at all. But apparently one of his buddies got a ball and the guy next to him asked for it. So he said to the guy that he could have th ball, but only if he ran onfield, which the guy said he'd do. AND HE DID! He took that baseball, fell over the back of center field and charged onto the field and was finally tackled by five guys...sweet...but I wish I could have seen it!

And she cooks...

If you know me, you know that I like to cook. And not just cook. I like to martha-stewart everything. I like making cupcakes with flowers on the top made out of marshmallows and other crazy over-the-top things. But last night was the first night I cooked dinner for Michael. In all of the time we've been together I have never EVER cooked him dinner. I've not made him cookies or breakfast. The extent of my providing nourishment to him is brining him a Mountain Dew or going out to dinner. This makes me mad because I like to make people dinner, it just never worked out until last night.

Last night I got home from Yoga and he was still exercising. We were both hungry so I took a look through our (yes, OUR) cupboards and started to make dinner. I didn't pre-plan the menu and it turned out great. So as a record of the very first dinner I made for him here it is:

Whole wheat penne pasta with Pesto & Sun dried tomatoes
Steamed summer squash, carrots and asparagus
Watermelon for dessert

Yum!

A reading slump

I am neglecting my reading. I like to read before bed anywhere between ten minutes and an hour depending on how tired I am. However, since the boy moved in (and I realize it's only been 4 days) I have yet to pick up any book/magazine/etc. and read. It is WAY more fun to have a real live person to talk to and laugh with. I must get back into the swing of reading because over the past month I've probobly bought 20 books that looked really good, and now they are sitting there with no one to read them.

I'm 50 pages into Bridget Jones's Diary, and Marisa, you're right...it does get better.

The Killers were KILLER!!

Killers
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

Elaine, Marisa, Jared & I went to the Killers concert last night at the Moore. It was an awesome show as they were really good and entertaining live. The lead singer Brandon Flowers moves around the stage and is really entergetic. The opening act was Tegan and Sara who were very good as well. Overall a GREAT show!

Cohabitation to commence in 5 - 4 - 3...

I am currently 48 hours away from my first venture into cohabitation since 2002.

As a result, there will be...

No more (or less) of:

• Eating mini marshmallows straight from the bag while watching Sex and the City
• Allowing dust to collect on the top of the tv
• Impromptu chick-flick watching
• Eating ramen for dinner
• Crying while reading a Nicholas Sparks novel

Lots more of:

• Video Games/Action movies
• Someone to cook for/with
• Cuddling
• Someone there to listen to my crazy stories
• My house feeling more like a home

Why I love Craigslist

Because where else can you list a 13-year old, used cat tree (read: glorified scratching post) and 10 minutes later have 5 people willing to buy it for $35.00, pick it up and take it out of your house so you don't have to stumble around it in your storage room any longer.

Mall in the afternoon

I stopped by Belle Square today over lunch to pick up some hand lotion at Crabtree. I walked past the Gap and in the window on the men's side was a big sign boasting something like "Men: Shopping made easy, for work, weekend and fun" It made me think. Men have such a problem dressing, or putting together colors or styles. They should bring back Geranimals, but for adults. You know, match the pants with a tiger on the tag, to the shirt with the tiger and it matches. Just think how stylish men could be if given clear, concise direction!

All Geeked Out

Last night Mike and I went to the mall because he wanted to buy a new XBox game. First off, he hates the mall, or so he says. The funny thing is, the two times we have actually went to the mall, it has been his idea...so maybe he's just a closet mallrat.

When we got there we went to the directory to find the "EB". Apparently if you like video games, I mean REALLY like them, its uncool to call it the "Electronics Boutique". Maybe it's the word boutique gets to them, or maybe they just want to sound cool. Either way, we headed over and Mike started to freak out a bit when the game he wanted wasn't there. So while he was frantically looking and muttering to himself that he was just SURE that game was coming out that day, I swam my way through a sea of pre-teen boys in order to discover that yes, indeed, the game he wanted was there, tucked safely behind the counter.

After the big purchase, we went back home, and he played the game for awhile while I tried to read my book, all the while having samurai fighters in the background making there "hiayyyyah" sounds.

"hiayyyyyyyyyyyah"!

The Hi-Life

Mike & I went for a late dinner at the Hi-Life in Ballard. It was also one of those days that I felt I was living the high life. Things just went well yesterday. Busy, but well. We had a wonderful dinner just talking and laughing over good food and being in each others company.

Mini Cupcake

Mini Cupcake
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

I was inspired by Not Martha and her miniature cupcakes. I decided to take a version of my original Easter cupcakes which had a marshmallow sugared daisy on the top and shrink it down into miniature size. I used silver paper bon-bon tins.

The result...fabulous! Who doesn't love cupcakes, especially when they're this tiny!

Inverted

Last night Heather and I went to Yoga. It's been our Wednesday night thing lately and I'm loving it. I leave there and feel energized and focused and strong, not to mention that I fall asleep quickly and sleep like a baby those nights. Last night our teacher Kitty decided it would be a good idea for us to try headstands. Heather and I looked at each other like deer in each others headlights and said "yeah, right!".

We tried to get the hang of just putting pressure on our heads, which was made even more akward by this indian, ace-bandange like dressing wrapped around our heads. (mean to aleviate headached, but has side effects of making your head hot and sweaty, and giving you goofy hair). The instructor came over and helped me get properly aligned in an "A" shape with my head and feed on the ground and my hips in the air. Then she said, "ok, lift your leg up and go into the inversion". Um, excuse me WHAT? Stand on my head? Right!

After the shock of thinking I'd rest my entire body on my head, we moved into shoulder stands, which I can do. I took it a little farther and got all bendy, which was kind of fun, except for the fact that when you are supporting yourself on the back of your head and tops of your shoulders, your entire body shifts towards your head....everything. Heather looked over at me, smiled and said "Hey, your boobs are on your chin!"...Yes, yes they are.

Pieces of Me

Last week I had a mole removed from my stomach because while it didn't look completely strange, it just didnt look "right". I had shown it to my doctor about three months ago and she said it was probobly fine, but agreed that it should come off, but that there was no rush in doing so.

I got some test results back from my doctor for a routine check-up and hand written on the paper was a reminder that we had talked about taking the mole off, and that I should schedule that appointment at my leisure.

I decided to finally make the time and go in to have it removed. I was a little freaked out about the appointment, because after all, having a piece of your flesh taken off with a scalpel isn't the highlight of most peoples' days. Michael assured me it would be painless, and of course, he was right. The doctor gave me a quick shot of something to numb the area. The shot didn't hurt itself, but it did sting a tad as it became numb. She then proceeded to cut off the mole. She sent it to the lab to have it looked at, which is common procedure. She told me to call in a couple of days for my results.

I called yesterday and they weren't ready, so I called this morning. The nurse looked at my chart and said "Oh, it says compound melanocytic nevus......" and then proceeded to say "I'm going to have the doctor look at this and call you back." Um...HELLO. Does she realize how much I started to freak out at that point. You don't tell a hypochondriac that you will "call them back", you put them on hold and don't give them an hour to surf the internet only to find no answers, and the only information you can find with the words "compound melanocytic" go on to talk about cancer. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!

So they called back and left a voicemail, to which I had to return. I called in and she said "It was just a benign mole" and then "You're fine" I'm glad I'm fine...all I had to give for that answer was a little piece of my flesh.

"You don't change the plan on game day!"

We had a last minute change of plans for Easter. We were going to be having dinner at my dad's house, but because of an illness in the family I got a call that morning and rearranged the plan. 'Plan A' was going to be dinner at my dad's (including my step-mom, step-brothers, step-aunt) all of whom my boyfriend had never met before.

But, we ended up going with 'Plan B' which was driving to my dad's to drop off his Easter treats, and him getting to meet the boyfriend. Them driving to my aunt's house where her and her husband, two kids and brother-in-law and my mother were. So he got to meet all of them. Then we were driving home and I called Elaine to check in and she and her boyfriend were hanging out, so we stopped over there for a bit so Elaine could meet him. He survived it all beautifully, I was relieved and impressed. Afterwards we drove home and I took a little nap while he digested and played X-Box. It was a really nice day despite the change of plans.

:::jonny lang:::

jonny lang
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

Last Friday Erin & I saw Jonny Lang at the Moore theater. The concert was awesome. I have seen him many times before and he is always excellent. This was an acoustic show and he used a lot of different guitars throughout. He is actually from Fargo like I am and I remember him playing at weddings and what not as "Jonny Lang and the Big Bang".

Keri Noble opened up for him, and she is awesome. She is from Minneapolis, and a wonderful singer. They both sounded awesome live and it was a great night! Thanks again Erin for coming with me!

My New Phone

My New Phone
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

I got home to find my new cell phone waiting for me. It's fabulous! It's going to take me awhile to get used to navigating around it, and getting my address book loaded in, but it's great so far! I've already downloaded a real music tone so John Mayer will sing to me in his actual voice when you call me...how sweet is that!

Busy Girl

I just got back from North Dakota/Minnesota last night. I left on Friday and spent the weekend with family and friends, which is always awesome. I spent two days in Minneapolis for training. Tonight I'm going to clean the house and try to get some laundry finished. Tomorrow I have a work function and then dinner w/Mike. Friday Erin & I are going to the Jonny Lang concert (I cannot wait)!

Yoga...inverted

Heather and I checked out the yoga studio a couple of blocks from our houses last night. The room was awesome...we both agreed we'd like to just have it for an apartment, nice architecture. So we went through class and it was all good until our very nice instructor told us to go ahead and make a bridge...you know, like the kind you did when you were 10. Your hands and feet on the ground and your stomach in the air, head hanging upside down. Heather and I just looked at each other, giggled (yes, in the middle of yoga) and said YEAH RIGHT...so we just relaxed on our pillows and waited for the yoga junkies to come down off their bridge.

A morning stroll

I woke up this morning at five minutes to six and was wide awake. I put on my new white and pink tennis shoes, grabbed the iPod and headed out for a walk. It was so calm on the hill this morning, and it was the perfect weather for a morning stroll. I walked about 2 miles or so, went home, took a shower and was at work 15 minutes early. Maybe I'll make the morning walk a part of the routine...on days that aren't rainy of course.

2311.33 miles

I don't write about the boyfriend very often...some things in life should remain private. But, world & internet it has to be said. I love this man. I do. Yup, actually love. But there's a catch...always has to be a catch.

He's smart...a genius actually. Sometimes I'm in complete awe of him. I love when he geeks out an starts talking about experiments and muscle functions of animals at 8a.m. It's just cute. So with all of his smart he's goten his Ph.D. and thats awesome. Then he applied to medical school...multiple ones actually. He got into them all. Thats right...ALL of them. I'm telling you he's smart. So of course we're in Seattle, 3 miles apart from each other and he gets into UW, 5 miles away from him. SWEET!! Oh yeah...the catch...

Remember the 'other' medical schools he got into? Oh yeah...lets see, they are in Philadelphia, Ann Arbor, Detroit...anyway. So you know that awesome medical school 5 miles from our houses...HE'S NOT GOING THERE. NOPE! He's off to friggin' MICHIGAN!!! Yeah...do you know how far it is to Michigan?? Yep...you guessed it 2,311.33 miles.

So I'm happy for him, but I'm sad as hell. He's awesome, I feel awesome when I'm with him...I thought we really had it going on. But it's hard to have it when you're thousands of miles apart and he just doesn't strike me as the hopeless romantic, get down on one knee after a year with the "I love you and we'll figure this crazy life out together" speech.

So dilema...in this crazy thing called love...damn!

Martha's Release

I for one am HAPPY Martha is being released today. Now that's not to say that she didn't deserve to serve time, if she illegally traded stock knowing information beforehand, she did. She was a former stockbroker, she knew better. But, I have missed all of her 'Good Things'. Sure, its sometimes funny to see someone with so much wealth trying to teach all of America's housewives and stressed-out yuppie women how to dye Easter Eggs to looks like real marble, or make the perfect stuffing for your holiday bird. But she's been missed, and I love Martha, and I'm sure she'll bounce back from all of this, because how hard is it to forget 5 months of prison once walking back into your $13 million dollar home, onto your custom designed hardwood floors, your face slathered with 200 dollar face cream, and slide under your 800 thread count sheets for a restful nights sleep.

The infamous V of meat

The infamous V of meat
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

We went to Marrakesh for Marisa's 28th birthday party...and this picture is my dinner. Thats right...meat on a stick in a v-pattern...excellent! If you click on the photo you can see more fun filled pictures from our Moroccan feast and karaoke goodness.

Pogacha part Deux

Marisa and I went to lunch today to Pogacha. Her first time, my second there. It was awesome...again! I went online searching for a recipe to make that wonderful Pogacha Bread. I must try to make it at home, although it looks like a huge recipe...maybe I can half it, fourth it. Here it is:

4 pkg. dry yeast
8 eggs, beaten well
1 tbsp. sugar
3 cups sugar dissolved in 4 cups warm water
1 cup water
7 lbs. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 lb. butter
1/4 cup oil

Topping: 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk
Sesame seeds

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Heat oven to 200o and turn off. Prepare yeast with 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 cup water, stir and set aside for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, sift flour and make a well in the centre. (Set aside two or three cups for kneading. ) Pour butter, oil, salt and eggs into well; then begin adding sugar and water and yeast mixture, working in flour to make a medium-textured dough.Turn out on your work area and knead for 15-20 minutes, using extra flour if necessary. Cut through the dough two or three times with a knife to examine for air holes. When these are evident, the dough has been well kneaded. Set dough into a large roasting pan, which has been lightly greased. Grease top of dough very lightly with butter or oil, so that it will not develop a crust.Cover and place in oven until doubled in bulk, Punch down and allow to rise again. On a lightly oiled surface, dump dough out and cut into sections desired. This dough may be braided; or made into regular loaf pans, or large rounds which are customarily used for weddings. Place in greased pans, place in oven again to rise for about 1 hour. Brush loaves with egg and milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake loaves 1 hour or until done

A lack of blogging

Sorry internet...I've been slacking on the blogging. Not that there isn't a lot going on, because there is. There just isn't anything super fun or new or interesting to write about. I'm feeling uninspired, but I'm sure that will turn around soon. Marisa's 28th birthday bash is on Saturday so I'm looking forward to eating Moroccan food and singing Karaoke with good friends. I've asked my boyfriend to go along, although he hasn't let me know his decision yet. He hasn't met my friends yet, so that would be fun, although I'm sure us girls singing crazy karaoke isn't the most laid-back way to get to know a group of people...but if he goes, he'll have to deal with it.

Lunchtime Shopping

With Bellevue Square being so close, shopping over lunch can be more than a little tempting. I try to restrain myself, but today I went to Nordstrom's to pick up some moisturizer. I had been eyeing some other products for awhile now, and now that I'm debt free, I decided it was time to reward myself for my hard work (I also had a boatload of overtime last week that will eventually pay for all of this). I stopped at the Philosophy counter and purchased the following things:

Jump Starters Kit - which includes 4 different fabulous products

Oxygen Peel Kit - the coolest facial peel ever...your face is covered in white foam!

Hope in a Jar - the BEST moisturizer (but I'd been cheap until now...its $35 for 2 ounces)

The Supernatural - awesome mineral makeup in a super easy to apply bottle

**I dont normally drop that kind of cash in one afternoon, but I do believe in using good products and I needed a boost...so I went for it**

Days go by

Sometimes days go by without anything fun or exciting happening in them, and thats ok. Life doesn't always have to be one amazing experience after another, sometimes it's just the normalcy that makes us comfortable. Today however, was not one of those days. Today was BUSY! My job was filled full of tasks that I normally dont do, and I had a great time. Little projects here and there, and I've been energized and engaged all day...it's been great! While I don't mind the normal everyday, today was special and fun and it's hardly felt like work at all!

Valentine's Day

The boyfriend had to work so I celebrated Valentine's day by myself, which was o.k. considering we celebrated on Saturday. I did manage to sneak his present over to him so he'd have it yesterday when he got home.

Also what I did do yesterday was awesome!! I paid off my debt (except for my student and car loan). Thats right...debt free...it feels amazing!!!

Friends

sunelaine
Originally uploaded by Aspenchick.

I came across this picture today, I had forgotten all about it. Elaine, thanks for listening to me the last week go on and on about the boy. Also, thanks for taking care of the cats!!! I hope you enjoyed your North Dakota chocolate!

Yum

A new food find today in Bellevue...YUM!

Home

I just got back from spending a couple of days back home in North Dakota. Sometimes I feel that I'm never as calm or collected in Seattle as I am there, and I need to go back just to center myself again. I had a great time visiting everyone and thoroughly enjoyed:

Driving across the entire city in 20 minutes
Driving on a highway with only 2 other cars
6.5% sales tax
Knowing every road like the back of my hand
Finding out my friend is FINALLY pregnant...congratulations!
Spending time with a friend I haven't seen in years
Buying a ton of clothes...cheap
Chocolate Covered Potato Chips



I have uploaded some pictures of the trip such as a sunset, a drive-thru liquor store, a movie with my aunt and cousin, shopping, and drinks with a friend.

Yucky Love Stuff

So in response to Marisa's comment... The Jason Mraaz post wasn't a mushy love thing (I just think he's cool), but with Valentine's Day nearing close I guess love is on my mind a little. I made reservations at the restaurant HE and I first went to dinner at the night before V-day, which just happens to be exactly a year from the first time we went out (although ya'll know we haven't been together the whole time). So just to cement my current state of mushiness, below is one of my favorite poems by e.e. cummings titled i carry my heart:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fearno fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

It'll be a heat wave!

I'm travelling back to Fargo tonight to spend a few days with family and friends...I can't wait!! It is suppose to be a balmy 36 degrees on Thursday...although back down to 15 on Sunday (with a low of zero overnight). At least there will be no negative temperatures...I've become kind of a wussy with this temperate Seattle weather.