10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Most everyone around me calls me a vegetarian. I'm not. Never claimed to be. I'm actually a Pescetarian. I never knew that is what it was called until I read something else this week. Then I read this other webpage and now I feel bad about eating fish. Not that I ever gave up land animals because of an ethical reason. Just because I feel better when I don't eat the stuff. Will she give up sushi? Criminy that's a tough one.
2. I'm going to Dallas next weekend for a training/retreat for Team Hope. And I get to my sister and her family so that is a bonus.
3. Our interview with KWWL last weekend went really well. (thanks Nate!) I'm really excited about the story they are doing. It's not an Erin story. It's a missing person's story. And that is way cooler than any Erin story could ever be. Not that an Erin story is bad and I'd never turn one down (ok, once I did) but it gets attention for the WHOLE PROBLEM of missing persons. Not just Erin. There are 329 more missing kids in Iowa. They deserve attention too.
4. I lost the Halloween battle at my house. I kind of caved. We did get a costume for little one. She's going to be an angel. Ok, she already is an angel. Now she's just getting the real fake wings. Can't believe how expensive costumes are. It's insane I tell you. And I feel like a sell out for caving. But I might get over it. Maybe. But she's dressing up like an angel and that's pretty fitting. Cripes, this shouldn't be eating at me so bad!
5. We installed a new furnace at work Wednesday. I've had a headache ever since. Don't know if it's the PVC glue or the oil burning off the inside but I've spent most of the rest of the week with the doors and windows open and the fan on.
6. I "googled" myself yesterday. It's amazing the things you can learn. Even searched by my maiden name. That was a trip.
7. Remember the PANIC POST from earlier this month? Well it is now the end of the month and I didn't get it all done. And I have to just be OK with that and let it go.
8. I need a vacation. Somewhere with water you can snorkel in. Anybody got a lot of frequent flyer miles they want to donate to the cause?
9. I think we might take little one to Dallas for Thanksgiving. It's a long drive though so it's hard telling.
10. I'm making pumpkin puree this weekend. And some pumpkin bread and roasting pumpkin seeds. Fun will be had by all.

Happy day my friends! Be well and be safe.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. A 10.5 oz bag of MM Mars Mini Mix has 1400 calories if you were to eat the entire bag. Not that I did that nor would even think about doing something like that. Ick. You'd be sick for days. I just thought it was good random information to have. Would be one heck of a sugar high though wouldn't it?
2. My laptop is sick. :( Too sllllooooowwwww. It was at the computer guru's house for most of the week. I was having serious internet withdrawl. Husband laughed at me. Then he's asked me about 50 times this week to go look something up. So he's having internet withdrawl too. Not so funny now is it Husband?
3. It is 36 steps round trip from my desk to my printer. It is 40 steps round trip to the copier. If I make 31 trips an hour to one or the other, I'll have my 10,000 steps in for the day.
4. I keep crashing my work email. It might be time to clean out some old emails. Can't decided what really doesn't need to be saved. Is there such a thing as email hoarding?
5. Little one is in the other room making this sit and spin toy sing over and over and over and over and over. It'll be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. "Simon says Spin!"
6. I know the doodlebops song. Sad I tell you. Just plain sad.
7. I get to spend the day with my mom! yeah!
8. I sing Neil Young to little one every night.
9. We had pumpkin bars for breakfast. LOL. Good nutrition don't you think?
10. I went to bed too late and got up too early. It's only 11 and I need a nap.

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. What a freakin week. I'm still in one piece. So that's a plus.
2. Planters NUT-rition South Beach Mix rocks! Cashews, Almonds, & Macadamias. How can you go wrong?
3. Pumpkin patch trip is planned for the weekend. woo hoo! Which reminds me, I need to call Wendy.
4. All of the applesauce we made last weekend is still in the fridge. I haven't found the time to can it. I should probably get on that tonight. Or I can just leave it for another week. Little one and I may have it all eaten by then.
5. My collarbone hurts and I have no idea what I did to it.
6. I want sushi and sake bombs but I'm broke so THAT won't be happening.
7. We are being interviewed next weekend for a story that the NBC affiliate in CR is doing. Glad for the exposure. Even more happy that they are doing the story with the focus that they are. On that note: There are currently over 420 persons listed as missing in Iowa. Why do I still feel like we are the only ones? (ok, us and one psycho mom, but I stay far away from her)
8. I bought a pint of half and half earlier this week to make something. Now I can't remember what I was going to make. And I have no idea what I am going to do with the half and half.
9. I think I am going to try and make Butternut Squash Risotto this weekend. Wish me luck. My last risotto making that wasn't from a box, didn't go so well. I should probably stick with the 4 cheese Risotto from Target that is so good. But this is me. I have to try other things. I have commitment issues.
10. There is not a single day on my calendar for the rest of the month that has nothing on it. It is madness I tell you. Pure madness!

Edited - Goodness gracious. I just re-read this. There are 5 things about food! Guess my ramen noodle lunch is catching up. LOL

Panic Button

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I know it isn't the end of the world and when put into perspective it won't even be a blip but I have so much to get done between now and the end of the month that there is no possible way that I can do it all and maintain anything that even comes close to a ray of sanity and what was I thinking taking all weekend off to hang out and play and have mommy toddler book reading sessions and go to the farmer's market and cook applesauce and pretend there was nothing going on at work that justified going in on the first real fall weekend? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

10 Random Things for a Friday

Thought I'd jump in here real quick and give you a random 10. Since I'm not getting anything done here at work today. See, I'm the only one here. Some goober boss gave everybody else the Friday off. And the boss wasn't on the ball enough to close the office and is now sitting here by herself answering phones and helping the random person that walks in the door. On to the 10.

1. Finger puppet presidential hopefuls. Who knew? And who had the spare time to do such a thing? And does it strike anyone else as ironic that they are finger "puppets"? And who is the real puppeteer?
2. I've had a cup of tea at least twice a day this week. I think this means my mind has wrapped itself around the fact that it is fall. I didn't have the same kind of tea twice. I think that means that I have way too many kinds of tea in the cupboard here at work.
3. I've given apples to about anyone that will take them. Tonight little one and I are picking more and using them for applesauce extravaganza this weekend. yum!!
4. Tomorrow is the last farmer's market of the season. :( I see lots of canning in my weekend.
5. Baby BAM spent the night last night. Love having him in the cradle.
6. The chickens are up to 7 or 8 eggs a day between them. Have you ever heard a hen when she is laying an egg? It's insanely loud and obnoxious. Poor girls. I can't imagine having something proportionally the same size come out of me once a day!
7. Have I told you yet about Pandora? LOVING IT!! What company was it that used to say "your music your way"? That's what Pandora is. I'd love to hear your channel?
8. THIS POST on Pioneer Woman makes me want to go take close up pictures of my dog's nose. Or flowers. Not sure what. But I want to take close up pictures of something. Wonder if I still have any flowers left in the front yard....
9. Still haven't found my wedding ring. {{insert big wailing face here}}
10. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.

Happy Friday y'all. Find a fun fall thing to do this weekend and then come report back. Can't wait to see what you come up with. toodles!

6 things meme

Why do they call these things a meme? I don't get it. I'm sure it's obvious and I'm sure one of you wonderous peeps will tell me.

Anyway, Lanel tagged me to do one where I tell you 6 things you probably don't know about me. Considering that I have pretty much been an open book on this blog and that several of you fine readers know nearly everything there is to know about me...... I'm not sure I can come up with 6. But I'll try.

1. My first personal email was a rocketmail.com address. I just checked and I can still get email at it. But there were 8661 new emails. That's a heck of a lot of spam.
2. My first car was a 1979 Subaru GL.
3. I am allergic to mustard and horseradish. Not quit breathing allergic. Just break out in big red splotches kind of allergic.
4. I have never been downhill skiing.
5. I have significant hearing loss in my left ear.
6. There are way too many pieces of scrapbook paper in the closet in the back room.

There you go. 6! I am sure that each of you already knew at least one of them. But it's harder than it looks.

I'm not much for tagging so feel free! And then leave a comment to let me know that you did it and I'll send you some linky love. :)

Pictures from the weekend

This is what it looks like when you cram 3 car seats in the back of a VW Passat.
And this is what it looks like when your best friend takes off with your daughter and your niece and expects you and the monster stroller to keep up.
Little one wouldn't leave Gracie's side. She followed her everywhere.
And this is what the 3 muskateers look like when you run them ragged all day.

1st sleepover. Cute, huh?

It's Monday not Friday

I missed Friday's random 10. We left town. Sorry. :) I wouldn't really mention it except there is a certain someone that will remind me today that I didn't post the 10. So this is really just for her. I'll try and post pics tonight of this weekend. We'll see how the homefront goes.

Happy Monday!

Searching for Gold

I have lost my wedding ring.

I was cutting the hollyhocks last night and went to throw some to the pile I had made that was 10 feet away. When I tossed the handful my ring flew off too. Bought a metal detector at Bass Pro. Jim spent most of the afternoon looking and I looked when I got home. We found lots of nails and caps and aluminum foil pieces.

But no ring.

Just praying that we find it tomorrow when we go back out.

But on an up note, the flower bed is pretty much clear for fall. small things, right?

I dare you not to tear up.

I needed a brain break. So I went to Dooce.com like I sometimes do. And Heather told me to go read THIS.

Go read it. The cab ride We'll talk about it later.

Not a political post

Remember when I told you that Roger Ebert had a blog? Does anybody else read it? I found this blog entry to be very interesting. It's about the candidates and their favorite movies. What do you wish you could ask the candidates? And not the normal foreign policy or economics questions. What do YOU want to know?

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. Roosters do not crow just in the morning. Either that or mine is confused.


2. Kashi is giving away free cookies! Dark chocolate. yummm.


3. I dyed new mom's hair this week. (at her request) It was supposed to be a strawberry blonde. It's more of a dark auburn. I think she wanted something brighter.


4. I put away the last of the citronella candles yesterday. Yet another sign of fall.


5. We have a volunteer squash plant growing near (and on) our heat pump. It's from one that didn't get picked up after the wedding last October. Little one keeps checking every day for ones that are big enough to pick.


6. Hubby and Son2 cleaned up volunteer trees from the fence line yesterday. They completely filled the dump cart. Twice. See. Told you we were behind on yard work.


7. Little one and I have eaten an apple directly off of the tree 4 times this week. Maybe this weekend I'll make applesauce. Hubby has ordered apple crisp as well.


8. Little one is sick. Today is day 5 of an unexplained fever. Took her for a couple of diagnostic things at the hospital yesterday. I just wish they'd find something so she can take something and feel better. And so we can all sleep straight through the night.


9. We moved the dune buggys. They still don't run. Apparently they can't find the right parts. I am sad. I want to ride the dunes. And I want them out of my yard. :)


10. Last weekend was the 5th annual family walk and bike ride event for Project Jason. We walked. Until little one would walk no more. and it then became the 1st annual carry your child for more than a mile event. Next time I need bring a stroller. Somebody remind me, OK? Thanks.

Check back later tonight. I'll try to get pictures uploaded after little one goes to bed. Kisses!

Things I'm currently infatuated with

• This gal's paintings. You need to buy her book.
• Soft Fuzzy Yarn - I want to learn to knit again. Maybe I can get the gauge right this time.
• Throwing out Jim's clothes that don't fit or are just trashed. He said I could.
• Pick Stitch quilts from Pottery Barn. They remind me of my great-grandma's house. I want a green one. Or maybe I should just make one. Yeah, right, like that'll happen.
• Skype. Do you have it? I need to go buy a webcam.
• This gal's blog and videos. KWerner design. I know. I've liked her for a while. I think it's the music.
• Pumpkins and funny looking squash.
• Old cookbooks. Sad that I threw away the Betty Crocker one at some point. Probably in a move.
• Vintage Hawaii travel posters. I'm looking for original ads and posters. Not that I have the money to buy any right now. I just want to get the bedroom decorated. We've lived here for more than a year!
• Window shopping for new living room furniture.
• Dried fruit and roasted almonds.
• Disney movies I haven't seen in a long time.
• Sunflowers.
• Las Vegas reruns.
• Watching a video of Lucas that my dad emailed me.

What are you infatuated with at the moment?

Hope all is well with you and yours. Happy Tuesday!

Should'ves Could'ves and Would'ves

Should'ves Could'ves and Would'ves won't get me anywhere. In other words I can't do a darned thing about it now so why worry about it.

I know this.
In my head.
I forget this quite often.

The speaker I heard this morning put it in another way that has been making me laugh all day. Finding me here. Sharing the same great wisdom with you.

"Don't should on yourself. Don't should on other people." -- MK Mueller

That is all.
Now go back to whatever fun and exciting thing you were doing before.

10 Random Things for a Friday

So here we are on another Friday. Amazing isn't it? Where the heck did the week go?

1. Spent most of the week at a work related conference. Learned quite a bit but I am now WAY behind at work.
2. I got several nice cards and phone calls and emails on my birthday. Even got flowers from a friend. It was a good birthday.
3. Need to spend the weekend working on the house and the yard. Both look like we had a tornado.
4. Went to the aquarium at the zoo last night. It was for an adult type social thing. I took Bray anyway. She spent the entire time oohing and awwing over the sharks and turtles. It was an incredible way to spend the evening.
5. My niece Ella sprained/broke her ankle this week. I feel her pain.
6. Heard a great motivational speaker this morning. http://www.mkmueller.com/ Check her out. It was a really good couple of hours.
7. I'm in love with a big blue frog.
8. Scrapfest was Awesome!
9. The chickens are laying a good 1/2 dozen eggs a day. It's pretty cool. Can't get over how orange the yolks are.
10. I have to work for a good part of tomorrow. :(

Take it easy. Play it safe and be careful.

Political quizzes are for the birds

You are a ....... I took this quiz. Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid I think the questions are skewed. I don't think I am really what it said I am. Take the quiz. Does it come out like you think it should? I think it's the questions. Maybe it's me. It's usually me. Let's just go on that theory. But now I have something to consider..... Still don't think I am what it says I am. Damn quizzes.

Hello Hamburg!

:)

I love the blog feed that tells me where people are from.

Hello Hamburg Iowa!

Wordle

You HAVE to check this out. It is the coolest. www.wordle.net Try and make one of your own. When I have some time, I'm going to make a list of huge proportions to make one with all of the important things in my life. Keep in mind that there isn't a way to edit the words once you post them.

10 Random Things for a Friday

Yes. I know it's really Wednesday. But it's MY Friday. Because you see, I'm going to SCRAPFEST and have no intention of getting online on Friday. I'll be way to busy doing make and takes and what not. So here you go.

10 Random Things for a Friday (even though it is really Wednesday)

1. I took more than 200 pictures in the last week. Granted only about 30 of those are one "to keep" but I took a lot. I'm proud of myself. And have I mentioned how much I LOVE digital photography? 200 standard film photos would just be insanely expensive to develop.
2. I hate everything in my closet. I'm sick of the clothes that I have. But I hate shopping and I have no available clothing budget. Bray needs fall clothes worse than I do. So I am stuck with what I have for the foreseeable future.
3. I've been nursing a Blue Monster this morning. The sugar-free energy drink, not Grover or Cookie Monster. I am now experiencing a wicked Taurine and Caffeine high.
4. I am way overdue on doing employee evaluations. I think I'm going to just give them all a copy of last year's eval and their respective raises. Do you think anyone will notice?
5. In case you missed it before... I'm going with two girl friends to Minneapolis this weekend for Scrapfest . I'm a little excited. Can you tell?
6. One of my tax clients is driving me insane. It's only September and they have called 5 times this week to ask questions about this year's return. Aye Ca rumba.
7. I miss baby Lucas. and his dad. I want to see them. But Jr. says they are doing well so for that I am glad.
8. Baby BAM and his momma have been at our house every day this week so far. I LOVE it!
9. Son2 has an interview for a cool new job on Thursday. Not a "career" job, but it's out of restaurant work so he's excited.
10. Does anybody own a juicer that they just LOVE? I am wanting to buy one. And the Juiceman juicer we used to have sucks to clean. I don't really want another one like it. Anybody have any suggestions?

Happy Wednesday! Celebrate Hump day in whatever way suits you best. Just make sure if makes you smile.

OK, now pretend it is Friday. HAPPY Friday! Have a great weekend!

Weekend photos part 3

This is the sunflower that it took Amber 5 minutes to get off the stalk.







This is the garlic that I helped hang for storage.















See how busy I was Sunday? Potatoes and sunflowers and garlic and chasing chickens and running with the dogs. It was a busy day.