NYR

My New Year's Resolution:

Have a baby successfully... lets see if I can achieve this!

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here waiting for ambition to strike but nothing is happening. My house needs cleaning and I don't want to!

Ok enough whining.

I'm living in a serious winter wonderland right now and am hoping to make it out to work in a couple of hours... and then blizzard number two will hit and I'll be hoping to make it home just a couple of hours after that...

Happy New Years world!

Doctor's Appt

I wasn't 100% sure what the point of the doctor's appointment was today, but of course I went.

I got off work on time for once, so I arrive about 20 minutes early. They want you there 15 minutes early so that really wasn't so bad. I got there, did the urine thing, and had a seat. While I was sitting there, another pregnant lady and her man came in. What I gathered from her conversation with the front desk lady is that they were actually late, but still allowed to go through.

Them my name was called and I was weighed in. While I was putting my shoes on, the nurse mumbled something about sitting down. I wondered where the chairs were but by the time I looked up she was already gone. And then the couple that decided to come super late walked by. With my nurse! I proceeded to sit in this boring section with nothing to do for over a half hour. Nobody checked in. Nobody explained why the heck I was brought there in the first place.

I like to think I am a patient person, but those of you who know me know that I get super fed up with poor customer service. Where I work, it would be competely unacceptable to leave someone waiting for over a half hour. Especially without any explanation! So finally another nurse comes along and says there is finally a room available for me. Why in the world did this other couple get the nice room if they can't even make it to their appt on time??

Once I got in the room, she checked the basics and left again. On her way out, she said that the Dr was on the phone and had one person ahead of me (Gee, wonder who that is) before he could see me. She said that he gets super chatty on the phone so hopefully it wouldn't last too long. Once she shut the door, I knew I was doomed. I sat there for over a half hour. Without a check in from anyone.

I seriously was almost in tears.  Here is the worst part. Well there are two worst parts. 1. When that late couple came in they asked if the doctor was behind schedule. The front desk lady said that he had been all afternoon. An hour and a half later is on time?? 2. When the doctor came in he didn't even apologize. Apparently I'm delusional and that is completely acceptable.

Here's the thing. I think he is disrespectful of his patient's time. I have to work too! I have to take time off or take the precious time off I get each week and I really don't like to spend it sitting in uncomfortable chair with nothing to do completely alone.

He was a nice guy but my perception of him was definitely tainted. He only talked to me for about 5 min. I waited that long for just 5 min with the man. Lesson of the story: Apparently being totally rude and late gets you places... so next time I will not show up until 20 min after my scheduled time! (We all know I won't do this...but seriously).

Good news? I got to get my hair done after, and Heather got me in early instead of making me wait 2 hrs! Gotta love a good hair stylist. It was wonderful.

Weekend

Not in any particular order:

I lost my mittens!
Had a youth group fail - concert was sold out when we got there. WORST LEADERS EVER?
Got to have a sleepover with Denise and Lara.
Mostly finished my Christmas shopping.
Made cookies with Jen and watched Elf. So good.
Made a miraculous angel cookie that was supposed to be a snowman.
Ate at a Thai food restaurant.  DELISH.
Ate at Old Chicago with my fam - always wonderful.
Caught up with a great friend living down south :)
Saw the NDSU concert choir and orchestra perform the MESSIAH.
Generally avoided being outdoors. BURRRRR....

Is the weekend over already??

Ok fine I'll tell you!

Big news - I'm pregnant!
Baby is due June 15th and we are so excited! The reason I have not been blogging...at all... since I found out is because I could not contain my excitement about this. How is it that I had no problem find things to talk write about before but then suddenly that is all I could think of?? So I avoided the "New Post" option and just kept up on reading everyone else's beloved blogs.

Things you should know now that you know:
1.) Yes I was very sick and it was awful. It wasn't morning sickness, it was all day sickness. While it only lasted about a month, it felt like the longest month of my life! If I ate something that made me nauseous, I couldn't eat it again, so you can imagine that I was running out of food and driving Michael crazy! But thank the Lord - I am feeling much better now!
2.) I was, of course, very tired. Most nights I would come home and sleep for a couple of hours, wake up, and then just head upstairs to bed. I didn't do anything productive except sleep. And I never had any problem falling asleep at nights! It was definitely needed. Another PTL (praise the Lord!!) for having energy again! I was bouncing off the walls today at work with energy and I am a little surprised my coworkers put up with me so well!
3.) We are definitely going to find out what the sex of the baby is, and yes we will be sharing! We'll let  people know the name of the baby once we know what the sex is. I consider it a surprise still since we won't know til then anyways. A girl has got to plan!
4.) We most likely will be collecting as many used baby items as we can since we don't want to break the bank. If you know anybody that is looking to get rid of some stuff, send them my way!! That goes for maternity clothes too. I am so disappointed that maternity clothes are so expensive and so hard to find. So m any pregnant woman - how is that possible??

I won't go completely baby blog on you but I also won't deny that it will be the majority of post subjects in the future!

Soon...

Guess what world? I will be updating ths blog again real soon! And will be taking us in a new direction... get excited!

 New creations... very behind on the updates.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Not very impressive... I was disappointed I guess. I had heard so many good things about putting pumpkin in all kinds of things, and I have to say that it tasted quite a bit like baby food. The only way I can get it down is by adding fruit and brown sugar. I hate doing it but it is the only thing that works! Why do I hate doing it you ask? I would love to one day not need to add sugar to enjoy things that aren't so sweet. Guess it is a work in progress!

Pumpkin bread

 Now THIS was amazing! Background story. Pam made this while I made the creation below. About halfway through she realized that I did not have enough sugar. So we googled what substitutes of sugar are, brown sugar and honey, and used up the last of those to make the bread. Lets just say that I would bet money on it beating the original recipe! The gooey  honey made it so moist and delish. Will definitely have to make this again.

Falafel Pita

This little creation was definitely unique! I have never had falafels which is like a Greek patty made from garbanzo beans (surprise surprise...are there recipes out there without garbanzo beans?) bean sprouts, and some spices. It was surprisingly good, although I made too much and had to throw some away. Note to self: check how many the recipe serves before going headfirst into the unknown!

Brussel Sprouts 

This lovely vegetable is new to me! Mike's friend, Jesse, recommended them and I can tell you right now that these will be a regular. I don't so much love cabbage but these little teasers are truly delicious. We just boiled them in a little bit of water, added some butter and salt, and enjoyed. Seriously. You need to try these.

And last but not least:

Vegetarian lasagna

Mike made this tonight. He did very well. It was a little runny but tasted like restaurant style lasagna. I didn't buy enough spinach but that is ok.

No recipes this week but if anything interests you let me know and I can pass it along.

I just love pictures of food... especially when I get to eat it ;) If anyone is hungry we have leftovers!

Side pony

I've only been growing it out for... years and years.

There really isn't much more exciting than a good old side pony! And a ridiculous facial expression!

delectable couscous

My good friend Pam Z and I have Thursday afternoons off together and we prefer to spend our time cooking good and new vegetarian recipes. So far we have done something new every week, and this week we really felt as though we outdid ourself! So much so that I decided to recreate this masterpiece for my dear hubby for lunch today. And don't you worry. I have pictures! If it looks as delicious as it was, you will hopefully copy down the recipe you will find at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

 Ok well this is breakfast. I just had to show you our amazing scrambled eggs with strawberries and bread and jelly.

Ok on to the good stuff.

 Some important ingredients. I LOVE couscous.
Who would have thought? If you know any more recipes that are sure hits please share!

 Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans mixed with parsley and garlic.

And this would be our attempt at getting the lemon zest. We didn't get nearly as much as we were supposed to do to our lack of correct kitchen tools, and I would say this was one of our few less than perfect moments.

This is now the point where the couscous is mixed with the beans and eggs.

Once mixed together, I used 1/4 c measuring cup to create good sized biscuits. Some oil, 3 minutes on each side... and tada!! I cannot tell you how good these are!

The one thing that I did wrong this time was have too much water in the couscous when making it. They weren't quite as perfect as Pam's and my version but  still tasted the same :)

Salad getting all mixed together. Add the feta cheese in which makes it look so fancy and we added parmesan cheese.

All done! Ready to be served.

Finished product! Are you jealous yet? Ok but seriously this is so good.

One good tip: Get artichoke bottoms instead of hearts. I can't tell you why but it makes a difference.

If you don't think you'd like mint leaves, you can substitute with all kinds of things. Pam and I used something different before but I did use mint this time. At least make sure you follow the recipe amount and don't put more in because that is what we did and let me tell you. Too much mint does not make for a better salad!

It was a wonderful lunch meal and I will definitely be adding it to my collection of vegetarian recipes. Ok here it is:

Spinach and Artichoke Salad with Couscous Cakes and Feta
by Maryellen Driscoll

For the dressing:


2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. sour cream

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh mint

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper



For the couscous cakes:

3/4 cup couscous

Kosher salt

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1-1/2 tsp.)

3 Tbs. vegetable or canola oil



For the salad:

8 oz. baby spinach, washed and dried (about 6 lightly packed cups)

1 14-oz. can artichoke bottoms, drained, rinsed, and sliced

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 oz. crumbled feta (about 1/4 cup)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Make the dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, sour cream, and mint. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the couscous cakes:
Put the couscous and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water to the couscous, cover the bowl with a pan lid or plate, and let sit for 4 to 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas and 1 tsp. salt and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork. Stir in the chickpea mixture, eggs, and lemon zest until well combined. Press the couscous mixture into a 1/4-cup measure, smooth the top, and invert the measuring cup to release the cake onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture to make 9 cakes.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Add 5 of the couscous cakes to the skillet and use a spatula to lightly flatten the cakes so they’re about 3/4 inch thick. Cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil to the skillet and cook the remaining cakes the same way.


Assemble the salad:
In a large bowl, toss the spinach, artichokes, and tomatoes with about three-quarters of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and divide among 3 large plates. Top each salad with 3 couscous cakes, sprinkle each salad with feta, and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Brooks and tofu

Hola!!

Lets start out with this picture. I wanted to show you my cool new shoes! Buckley wanted to eat the camera. The things I go through...

 There they are!! I love them! They are Brooks... I don't know much about Brooks Running other than they only make running shoes. They were not more expensive, but there are way better than everything else I tried on! For all of you Fargo area people, I really liked the store I bought them in - Go Far Sports. I would recommend them. I know that Mike knows the owner and he is a great guy. Also they are the people that put on the marathons in town.

On another note: The other day Mike wanted mashed potatoes and gravy with meatballs. He made me a delicious alternative: cream of mushroom soup with tofu. Here is what it looked like, and let me tell you. It was so good! Surprised me! He said he was totally experimenting but it worked... he can experiment in the kitchen anytime. It always seems to work!

 And this was his... looks fine I guess ;).

And everyone likes to end with a ridiculous photo. What a goon!

Mmm mmm fall and goodbye superstore.

Walmart - why are you so difficult?

I couldn't find pumpkin, and nobody was around to help me. So I sought out 2 qualified (I thought) Walmart employees to see if they could help. Check that, I talked to 3 employees. The first looked at me like I was crazy and said "I am NOT an employee here". Ok wait. So you are at Walmart giving out samples wearing Walmart clothing...but you aren't an employee?

The second was the cashier. When I asked her (after she asked if I found everything alright which to me sounds like an invite to answer truthfully) she replied with "Oh I don't go out in the store". Ok... but you asked me...

The third employee was the manager I assume. I repeated my question and he laughed at me. I guess I am missing the humor with this. Is it not autumn? Time that pumpkin is most relevant?? He proceeded to tell me that it might be out of season and if they had it I would have found it in the seasonal section. No volunteer to go find it for me, or even apologize for laughing at me... so I left.

I think I'll stick with Hornbachers. I just don't appreciate leaving upset everytime I make a trip to Walmart. I know it is cheaper, but that doesn't mean it is worth it.

There is one exception to this. I have a friend that worked there and she was great. But now she is gone and it saddens me when I can't rely on her...even though I only used her a few times to help me out or cheer me up. So good bye Walmart... I can live without you so I will.

On the flipside... it was a beautiful  night and I and I got a good run in. I LOVE FALL!!!! Now I just have to find me some pumpkin and make me some delicious fall-like recipes!

Beautiful night for a ride

We went for a bike ride tonight. We being Mike, myself, and mostly Buckley. I say mostly because Mike did not pedal and Buckley pulled him the entire way. I meandered behind them as we went at Buck's pace-SLOW since he has to smell everything.

After about 4 miles he finally started to slow down... with just enough time to be done. I have yet to figure out how to wear him out.

Oh dog, how you lead us on...

My view. :)

Best time of year

The next four months are the best.

September: "Back to school" feeling, which means excitement, beautiful weather, and anticipation for what is to come. I have strong memories of this time of year. One of them is one my sister and I just remembered together this weekend.

My mom is the band teacher at the community college in my hometown. We only lived a block away from campus, and every spring the marching band that she led had to practice before homecoming. They started at 4:00 PM so my sister and I would have just enough time to get home, throw down our backpacks, have a snack, and rush outside with anticipation as we could hear the bass drum just leaving campus. I cannot tell you the thrill of it; I know it seems silly. Most of the time we knew some of the students so we would get to say hi/act like we didn't care/grin from ear to ear (depending on our age of course - middle schoolers and high schoolers have to look cool you know). We would follow them for about a block or so and then we would have to go back and do homework.

But what I really remember is the smell of this. Just the other day I was outside and had the strongest flashback. I think it is the leaves changing, the bees in the air, the nice breeze, the cooler yet not cold temperatures, the sun shining. That leads to the anticipation, the joy, the memories. We did this for years... we did this for most of our childhoods! And you know the crazy thing? When I "grew up" I joined that band, and still had the same feeling marching in the band.  It is just a fun time of year.

October: Halloween of course! Well really, I am not such a Halloween buff. Sure it is fun, but what is really my favorite is the fall weather. I've done the haunted houses and whatnot and like I said, it is fun. But the season itself is what makes for the wonderful feeling I get each year. This is the time to dress the best! Scarves but no heavy clothes, boots but not snow to climb through, sweaters and cute jackets. It reminds me of football games, long walks, and light shivers. The good kind of shivers.

November: I would consider this the fun part of winter. Everyone is anticipating winter, and nobody is really complaining yet. Everyone is waiting for the snow, and yet everyone wants fall to continue. Then starts the holiday season. Since I consider it ok to start playing Christmas music on November 1st, I would say that November is by far a favorite month. That is what makes it great! Not one, but two great holidays creating excitement - yes I do consider Thanksgiving exciting. For example, Mike and I got to celebrate our engagement two years ago around Thanksgiving. The food, the weather, the family. So great.

December: Well of course this is my favorite! Birthday month, best part of winter with skating, chilly temps above 0 degrees, sledding if you are ambitious, Christmas and everything  that comes with it. That is another post all together as there are so many  things to love about Christmas. To name a few: the music, the lights, the gift shopping, the music, church activities, the music, and the smiles on everyone's faces. I love watching people light up at this time of year! And its always the people you don't expect... that is why this month gets my vote. So many surprises.

So you will not hear complaining from me for a couple of months. I would say this is the best time of year! And maybe you can be persuaded as well? No more mumbling and grumbling. Lets enjoy it and create some more memories. :) But seriously, don't rain on my parade! (Barbara Streisand anybody?)

What up camera aka summer flashback

You may be asking yourself "Where has Sarah been??"

Well don't worry! I am here! And my camera works with my  laptop so now I can give you a quick update.

Hannah stayed with us while my parents brought Lara to CA.

RIP goldfish. It was a sad day for Mike when he discovered that this very fish was no longer with us. But it had a good long life... something like 9 years?

**DISCLAIMER** Hannah was not responsible for the fish's death. It died from old age.

Buckley has kept us entertained throughout the entire summer. This shouldn't be surprising. Look at that monger!

We had a "mini youth group" night since only half the kids showed up. It was fun! Games in the backyard and supper after.

My good friend Lisa got married to Richard this summer and it was a beautiful wedding! The weather was...too hot.. bu the wedding itself? Wonderful small town feel - loved it!

Two weeks later, Henry and Jerri got married! I couldn't find the greatest pic of the two of them... but here are the bridesmaids - Aris, Jenna, Bethany, JERRI THE BRIDE, me, Betsy, and K.C.

The wedding was super hot - we were all sweating for the pictures! Once the wedding was about to start, we had to move it inside because of a freak storm with lightening, thunder, tornado sirens and power outages. Needless to say. It was a fun and totally unique wedding!!

Oh. and we lost our tent in that storm (soaking everything inside) and had to get a hotel in the hotel-filled town of Ypsilanti because of some street fair or something.That was not so fun but still unique. Our next camping trip will most likely NOT be this year...

More to come later!

Newest read, Audition

I am trying to not be a tv junkie. Not too hard... so what I find fills my time the best (because there is sooo much free time? no) is reading. The problem is I have an itty bitty attention span  and if I'm not hooked right away I can't go on. This has led me to read biographies, since I can't get over the fascination of real people's lives. The latest was Barbara Walter's "Audition".

I was so impressed! This book kept me interested for the entire 2 weeks it took to read it. You may ask, only two weeks? But remember...I spent  A LOT of my evening times pouring over these pages...this books is thick! And covered her entire life. So I recommend it. Its great. And the political talk did not bore me at all. Instead, I found myself interested in that part of the news. A little. I'm not really the most political person you'll know... and I certainly do not know my (recent) history. The best part is that I felt like Barbara was talking to me since her writing style matches her speaking style to a T.

Now the problem is find something else to keep me going. I haven't been in the mood for fiction and the biography section was lacking. I find that when I just show up at the library and try to find something to read I completely fail. I need to have an idea before going in there what I am looking for. I am the worst at judging the book by its cover... yep! I do it ALL the time... and it usually backfires with wasting time and picking books that are juvenile because the cover is pretty. When will I learn...

Glee

So I like this show, but there have been a couple of things that just bother me. I understand that in this day and age, it's all about being politically correct. I get it. Whatever. But sometimes, it doesn't have to be expressed THE EXACT SAME WAY everytime. 2 big things.

1. The episode where Mercedes (the chubby girl in Glee) realizes that she is beautiful just the way she is. And then a couple of episodes later, after trying to fit in with the cheerleading squad, she realizes that she doesn't want to change. At this point she has already tried starving herself and fitting in using other methods. I get the point of these episodes. Love yourself for who you are. But they didn't resolve it with the right message! Instead of saying she's perfect the way she is, couldn't they have said "she needs to get to a healthy weight, being obese is not good for you". Nope. They left it with she is perfect. As a person, spirit, soul, she is great, wonderful, perfect. But her body is not healthy and it could affect her later. I say this because I struggle with it, and I don't like hearing on TV that it is ok to be obese. This girl isn't that large so to speak, but by medical standards, she is definitely obese.

2. There is a character on glee named Kurt. He's gay, and the big thing has been that nobody accepts him for who he is and he is always struggling to fit in yet be himself. Fine. No problem with that. Another little side story about him. He has a crush on Finn, the super straight football player Glee member. Finn has been nice to him in the past, considers him a friend, la di da. But then Kurt gets their parents dating, and then they all move in together. Perfect for Kurt because now they have to share a room.

What ended up happenings is Finn gets super uncomfortable and flips out on Kurt. He say offensive things, uses gay slander, and really upsets Kurt's dad. Agree. He shouldn't have said those things. Definitely shouldn't have. Hate is awful and that was what that was. BUT. They glossed over the fact that Kurt WAS hitting on Finn, even though Finn had already repeatedly shown no interest. They glossed over the fact that Kurt wasn't trying to make Finn comfortable, he was trying to get him to "switch sides". He wasn't accepting Finn... isn't that like reverse discrimination? I'm not so up to date on my PC talk...but it drives me nuts.

Finn was wrong, but so was Kurt. Except it isn't PC for Kurt to be wrong in any sort of way regarding being gay. I don't like it, and I think it is a great representation of how wrong the public's view on minorities and their rights are. Yes, they are treated poorly, and it shouldn't happen. But it doesn't give minorities the right to do the exact same thing back. Ok... I may have looked into it a little too far... but this Kurt character is not my favorite. And it's not because he's gay. It's the character.

Ok so 3. (again Kurt) This one has to do with his dad's relationship with Finn prior to moving in as one big happy family. What drives me crazy here is how Kurt is constantly jealous about Finn getting to go to games with his dad and be the "perfect son". Why does this bother me, you ask? Because Kurt DOESN'T want to do these things! They do other things together. His dad supports him so much and loves him and it is clear all the time, but he is also a sports guy and it is a big part of him. I think Kurt's character is so self involved. There are plenty of things that my dad likes to do which don't interest me. If he finds someone else to do them instead of me, more power to him! Because then I can still enjoy him when we have something we both want to do, and I don't have to entertain him or be tortured through one of his interests. Kurt expects those around him to be like him... backwards! He shouldn't have to conform. Fine. But neither should those around him then.

Glee: Go ahead, have a character that represents the gay community. But goodness, can he be more stereotyped?? Can we see the side of him that isn't because he's gay? Because out of my gay friends, I see a lot more than the fact that they are gay. That is one aspect, just like it is one aspect of me that I am straight, but it is NOT what defines me. I would like to think that people think of other things than that when they think of me. But when I think of Kurt, that is all I think.


Ok that is enough out of me...

Poor poor baby

Lets just start out with a picture:

This is what he will be looking like for the next 2 weeks. The funny part is that he keeps running in to everything. The sad part is that he literally looks sad. The drugs from knocking him out make it appear as though he has been crying all day... breaks my heart!

Can't say that I'm too sad though... he is so chill right now... no more pulling me as hard as he can when we attempt going outside on the leash! (Until he feels recuperated, like tomorrow...)

Oh, and what happened? Well, we got him fixed. He can no longer be the lady's man that he has tried to be... at least with reproduction in mind.

Here is another picture just so you understand his pain:

Camera charger.

All I want to do is put some pictures up on here of all the fun and exciting things going on at the Deyle's and that little gray thing cannot be found ANYWHERE! So this is my mini rant about losing things.

I hate it! Why do I have to lose things that are essential like this? Well I suppose if it wasn't essential I wouldn't notice it was missing, which would then mean I would not need to find it or look for it... OK so I probably lose nonessential things all the time.

Things that should have been posted:
1.)Before pics of the house
2.) In the middle of some serious progress pics of the house
3.) Pics of my my Buckley. (see facebook for some real nice blurry pics if you so desire)
4.) Everything else remotely interesting that I used to use that camera for.
5.) ONE Pic of Denise and I at the Bon Jovi concert. I say one because that was the point that my camera went dead.

On the flip side, Buckley is entertaining... :) Can't get enough of that! That funniest thing up to this point is his alligator crawl he does when we bring him on walks. He always has an enormous amount of energy which I attribute to him being a 2 yr old teenager full of hormones and locked up inside all day. He is so determined to go at his pace wherever he wants that he crouches down and tries to army crawl his way...everywhere. After he gets worn out... 2 hrs later... he walks like a good, well behaved dog and I am not quite as amused, although the pride is there. He delights me.

AND Mike got us another dishwasher today! Background: The one currently installed is disgusting and actually makes the dishes more dirty and extremeley smelly. I had to wash them all again after the first (and only) load, so I have been living in the early 1900's with my sink, soap and washcloth. When did I get so spoiled? At least he knows this fact and provided me with the best gift a husband could get his newlywed wife! It's a beauty...and cost like $50. What a bargain shopper. I'm proud to call him my own.

Blogging world - the hypocrit

I am a blogging hypocrit. I think I have encouraged about 10 people to start a blog and had them thoroughly convinced that they NEED to... how often do I write on mine again? Like 2 times a month? Ok so, I have excuses for this.

1.) I am busy moving into my house (duh, you've already heard that)
2.) I am too lazy  busy to switch the batteries in my camera to upload the pics I have taken (and need to show the world)
3.) I seriously can't think of anything in the world worth talking about!! Everyone else is so good and I am jealous... :(
4.) I would rather spend my time reading others, or changing my layout, or surfing the web... lame I know but at night after a day of work and a night of house stuff, that is about all I am up to. Therefore, the laundry sits unfolded and the food sits in the fridge rotting.

Ok, I feel like I need to explain myself with this one. We have the worst time eating the food that we buy! And by we I mean me because I seriously have great intentions to eat healthy but when it comes down to it, I end up throwing about half of it away because it has gone bad. And my attempts are decent!! The problem is that we are NEVER home to eat it, and when we are, we also have left overs to eat or we just can't keep up. So then I buy less food, and we run out immediately resulting in me just buying more the next day=too much grocery shopping for this girl.

HOW DO I SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I am so sick of throwing stuff away, and with only two of us (one that will not eat healthy food unless absolutely starving or it is already prepared in front of him) it is so easy for it to just sit there... and rot away my hard earned money. Did I say hard earned? It is hard for me to sit at an office for 8 hrs, so yes, hard earned. Can we have some customer's soon?

On a happier note, I am so excited to move into this house of ours. His parents are helping with the flooring while I attempt to pack (overwhelming, if you have tips please share). Hopefully we will be moving in within a couple of weeks. My biggest obstacle is that we aren't going to be using the bottom level until later since it isn't finished. This means that I have to cram all of it upstairs in an organized fashion so that we can still find what we need and make that floor feel like home. I don't know what I am doing, other than walking around in circles at the apartment. Seriously, that is all I do. Don't tell Mike... I feel like a failure. When I see everything that needs to be packed up... I panic. I am the worst "get overwhelmed and quit" girl out there, I am pretty sure. I think therapy might help? No, it's not that bad but seriously... motivation would help.

I sound so negative...ignore that and insert a big smiley face - even if it's cold out it's not winter!! I like winter, but I'm ready for spring. and then summer!

CONGRATS TO MY SISTER FOR GETTING THE INTERNSHIP IN CALIFORNIA!!! Now how can I afford to go VISIT my baby sister??? Will have to think of something....maybe selling my body to research? Who knows.

no telefano!

I have a confession to make. I really dislike talking on the phone. It seems heartless and I know it appears selfish, but I hate doing it! When Mike and I were doing the long distance thing, we talked on the phone every night. The whole time we would be on the phone, I would be doing homework, watching tv, or clicking around on the internet. I was still listening...most of the time... but I cannot just sit there and not do something else! What am I supposed to do, sit on the phone and stare at a blank wall?

There are a few exceptions to this of course:

1. My dear friend Jerri - because she lives in Michigan and it is the only Jerri time I get.
2. My mom - because it is usually only when I need need NEED to talk to her about something
3. (my most embarressing) when I am driving

I realize that point number three makes me somewhat of a hypocrit because lets be honest. It sucks being on the other end when someone is driving and calls YOU to talk. Usually you are busy doing something and they are like, "so...what's new?" I catch myself calling #1, #2, and of course, the hubby. He does not like it, and I cannot blame him. The response I usually get is, "if you are just talking while you are driving, can I hang up and talk when you get home?"

But I will make an exception every once and a while. And that is it... don't abuse my kindness! I will email, facebook, text...whatever you want! I just hate talking on the phone. Oh, and lets not forget that I will (of course!) meet face to face which is the best and should be most common solution.

Sorry if this offends anyone that has recently called me... I don't hate you, just the phones in between us.
The end.

No place like home.

Mike had a job to do in Wahpeton tonight, and he let me come with to have supper with my parents. What is it about going home that just makes me the happiest person in the world? OH. I know.

This little lady was RIDICULOUSLY excited to see me. And it was returned. Here she is bounding my way as I sneak attack her with the flash on my camera.

And.... here she is as I was leaving... so good when she wants to be, sitting for the camera! She has my heart.

Now that we will be living in a house (within, dare I say it, two months?!) I can finally start thinking about getting a dog of my very own. Let me tell you, this is something long awaited. I have been patiently waiting while living in strict no pets allowed apartments. CANNOT wait to have a cute little lovable cuddle bug crazy hyper young dog to drive Mike and I crazy. So fun. It is meant to be.

Side note, I got flowers from Mike for Valentine's day (as previously mentioned) and they were gorgeous. Here is my favorite part, a big beautiful white lily!! Just like in our wedding.

Prayers for the house! Hope it goes through. Right now we have accepted their counter offer and have to wait for the FHA loan appraiser to give the ok to have a contractor (Mike in this case) go in and remove the damage. Then, we can close and it is ours! A lot of paperwork coming up though which is never fun. Worth it, but not fun.

Valentine's Day rant

I really don't have much to "rant" about but there is just ONE thing that ercks (sp?) me. When guys (or gals I suppose) are single, they find it completely necessary to complain about this day not being a holiday or that its just a holiday Hallmark made up. But what is even worse, are the men  boys that AREN'T single. They complain about how its just a woman's holiday, and how they can't win and its just one big set up. Here is my message to all the little boys out there that don't know how to be men.

IF IT MAKES THE GIRL HAPPY... THEN DO IT AND DON'T COMPLAIN. How easy is it to pick up a box of chocolates, flowers, a nice card and/or some spa gift certificates? It doesn't have to be original and it makes you look AWESOME because most other guys fail. I just don't understand why I hear the endless complaints about this day. It seems like the easiest way ever to get a couple of points with the lady.

Now, let it be noted that MY MAN did not fail. He got me flowers and took me to Santa Lucia's which was delicious. Bravo Mr. Deyle. You are not a disappointment. :)

Things I’ve learned:

1. Healthy food usually tastes gross, and is not actually filling even though I’m told frequently they are


2. As I’m aging, I’m actually LOSING my attention span which means I am getting more immature…backwards…


3. I feel the urge to dry heave when I watch people be greedy. For example, during our opening week at the bank, I had to resist the sick feeling I got when people would get 12 piggy banks, 8 cookbooks, and an entire bag of cheap grocery grab its even if they didn’t know what they were. What is wrong with people?


4. Exercising takes a lot of time, and cleaning my home comes in second. No question.


5. After holding a baby for just twenty minutes, I can determine if I am ready to be a parent. (The answer is no way, I run out of ideas of how to entertain it)


6. More than a house, I want a dog. But luckily I will be getting both soon.


7. Reading blogs is so much more fun than watching tv. Very addicting.


8. I am now a drummer, kind of.


9. I want to be a guitar player, but nobody will teach me. And the attention span thing doesn’t help…

To be continued… :)

What is a Gym, exactly?

When I got married, I determined that I was not going to be the typical bride that is so happy and comfortable she gains 20 lbs. Oops...

 

 

Ok so I didn't gain 20 lbs, but I am not quite the buff girl I was before. And I have been totally conscious of every bite that has entered my mouth and every night I have skipped the gym. I guess being conscious of it doesn't actually matter if I don't fix it.

After New Years, I switched gyms -from Planet Fitness to the YMCA. So here is the thing... I'm new to the Y, but not new to a gym... all you snobby gym goers at the Y can stop complaining now. I can't believe how much whining goes on about the New Years Resolutioners that show up and want to get in shape. I have a message for these snobs:

"YOU ARE THE REASON THEY QUIT... Do you think it is easy or enjoyable to go to an environment where you get glared at and gossiped about?" The end.

Besides that, wonderful gym. I am impressed. Well... with the classes anyway.

I go with a coworker, at least 3 classes a week. Cycling, bodypump, and cardio (like step aerobics). AWESOME BUT OUCH TOO! My body rejected it, but I vetoed that. I like the music, I like the instructors, and I like the set schedule that  can't manipulate.. hard to not go when there is someone holding you accountable.

If any body out there would like to join me some time... PLEASE let me know... working out buddies really make or break it.

Also - I want to run in the Fargo marathon. A friend of mine and I would like to do the relay, so I would only have to run a 10k instead of the 1/2 marathon. Can I do it? Yes. Will I do it? As of right now, yes. Am I scared? YES. :) Is my body willing? NOPE! So lets just keep the encouragement coming... the body is upset with me right now and I don't see that changing any time soon.