A Quickie!!!

I promise, I have actually been writing something a bit more substantial...something with more actual news in it!  (Anke...most of all for you!  As I KNOW you read this!!)  However, since it's almost midnight, and I'm seeing it for the 3rd night in a row, I am going to make this post short and sweet with two crafty items in them!

I recently helped my dear friend Marly Bird (check her out, has AMAZING work, plus I'm incredibly lucky that she's one of my bestest friends) with a piece for her classes she is teaching at XRX Books/Knitters Stitches events!  I worked up the piece for her crochet stitch sampler class.  This was a labor intensive (albeit they were basic stitches, just lots of them) project that I CRAMMED into 3 weeks.  My dear boyfriend (yes Anke, more news on that later) was very supportive, and understanding during the Super Bowl as we are cheering for teams, I'm making food and taking time otherwise, as well as the weeks that followed, so did the pieces to make...THIS...

ISN'T IT AWESOME???  I worked my *ahem* booty off on it, and while I as the perfectionist totally see wonky parts I have to say I loved doing it!  If you know your basic stitches in crochet, you can TOTALLY do this too.

I also recently cranked out this bad boy for a friend who has SO patiently (like, since I started really getting into this) waited for a hat...and thankfully I can say I've finally delivered!  I still owe her a scarf, and I swear it will be done, but in the mean time, here is Victoria's Newsboy hat!

She loved the Christmas Red color, and since I have plenty of the same yarn left over, her scarf will eventually be made of the same yarn.

Up next: finishing a couple more newsboy hats for a friend of a friend's kiddo who is about to lose all her gorgeous hair due to chemo, to go with the fun multi-colored beanie I made already.  Bonus for me, my friend who asked me to make them for HER friend (confused yet?), is paying me in trade, and she is a massage therapist!!!  BOOYAH!  I can't wait to trade!!

Once the hats are done, I have FIVE baby blankets I am doing between now and the beginning of August.  FIVE!!!!  I started one tonight because it's kind of a rush order (Rachel, be glad I love you and this stitch is easy!!) but lets just say while I'm trying to be creative and fun, I also know my limits and am trying to keep it as easy on myself as possible at the same time.  Yay for well written patterns with simple stitches and easy finishing touches.

After all, between now and the beginning of August, I have quite a bit going on!  Need to finish putting my boyfriend's graduation present together, then there's graduation, my sister in law's birthday, MY birthday, as well as packing up my house because I'm moving, and helping The Boy pack up his house, as he's moving too!  (Not in together, he's moving about 2.5 hours south of where I am going...but we knew this, again, other blog entry for this information!!)  This summer is going to be action packed...I can just see it now.  Working on baby blankets while packing, unpacking, and celebrating!  Don't be surprised if you see me with a hook and yarn in my hands allll summer!

OH!!!  In my next post, I PROMISE to finally post pictures of the absolutely AWESOME scarf that my cousin Anke made me in Germany!!!  I am so excited to show it off!!  (I've had it for WAY too long to just now be showing it off, but hey, I promise...next posting!!!)

I'm a Pinja!!

So, chances are these days, if I've seen you around, or we have had a conversation of any kind (electronic or live) I have raved about the website Pinterest.

I full on admit.  I'm obsessed.  I have sent out a ton of invites to the site, I have (as of the writing of this blog entry) 36 different Boards, 1191 pins, and 229 likes.  (If you know Pinterest at all, you will understand this, for the rest of you, hang tight.)

I got started on this a while ago, and never really got the hang of it at first.  Then, during one of my oh so fun afternoons of funemployment, I forced myself to start exploring more of the site.  Well.  There went about 4 hours of my life before I knew it.  (In a good way, I assure you.)

I'm obsessed.  I have always been a Facebook addict (though I'm getting better, trust me, it may not seem like it, but I am), and go through phases with Twitter (mostly with a few certain people in the yarn world), but Pinterest has recently become a bigger time suck than any of the others combined.

For those of you not familiar with Pinterest, let me give you a bare bones rundown.

Common Pinterest terms:

"Pin" - Picture (with corresponding website link) of item you don't want to lose track of.
"Board" - Place to organize Pins
"Like" - Much like the Facebook "like", this one will simply save the item in your likes, doesn't mean you've saved it in any category or on any of your boards.
"Follow" - Your friends might already be on Pinterest, you can follow what they pin, and it shows up when you log in.  You can easily browse through to see if there are common interests ad

Seriously, that's it.  Terminology is simple and basic, much like a standard bulletin board.  In fact, honestly, that's what you can equivocate this to: A Digital Bulletin Board.

If you want more details (because lets face it, I just want to show you what I've been up to instead of tell you how to run your account, however I am more than happy to give you lessons one on one if you would like), Mashable.com has a great article about the basics of the site, complete with a Beginner's Guide.  You can find that article here. In fact, in doing a bit of digging, Mashable actually has some great articles about Pinterest in general, check them out here.  Also, if you get yourself an account, make sure you look me up!  :)

ON TO THE FUN STUFF!!!!

As I have said, I am a full on Pinterest addict, and I listed my stats above.  Of the many boards that I have with my account, I have quite a few crafty boards, and quite a few food related.  I used to just have one food one with recipes I'd love to try, but it got so full, I couldn't find things easily, so (another beautiful thing about the site) I simply created more boards to make it easier to find.  Appetizers, Drinks, Entrees, Crock Pot, Desserts...you name it.

I have a few favorite things on there myself.  One is my board that has all my funnies on it, if I ever need a giggle, that's where I go.  Plus, my love for all things Mason Jar.  I don't know what it is about something so basic and simple, but I adore those things.  They are all over my house.  So, that board has all kinds of ideas for using them on it as well.

A small list of the recipes I've tried already:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (big hit at Thanksgiving)
Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies (The Boy raved about these, I wasn't as much of a fan)
Ham and Cheese Crescents (Would have been great if I didn't leave them in the oven a skosh too long)
Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes (HUGE hit at girls night)
Buckeye Bark (easiest thing in the world, big hit at Christmas, and is quickly becoming a go-to for something easy to take to parties for a dessert)

This weekend is action packed (as is par for the course for me most weekends it seems, right?),  and The Boy and I are going to a dinner party tomorrow night.  Sadly, running all over hither and yon for other things before our party, doesn't leave one much time.  So, tonight I will be making these: Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites  (Update: they were a piece of cake, and the only way they would have been easier would have been having more freezer space).  As well as my traditional Pretzel Magic (thank you SIL Maggy for that recipe). (Update: both were HUGE hits at the party, and at the office on Monday when I had too many leftovers of the Pretzel Magic to safely leave in my own house.)

I know that there will be many more recipes tried, and hopefully more crafty ideas attempted.  :)

If you are already on Pinterest, please find me and follow me!  If you're not on Pinterest, hopefully I've piqued your interest to start pinning!

Many Things, Crammed Into One Post

So, as the title states, lots to cover.  Everyone got their favorite beverage or snack, comfy seat, blanket and are ready to go?  Okay, here we go.

Today I have been wracking my brain trying to write my 19 BILLIONTH cover letter.  It's not going well.  I need to finish it tonight and send it off to my friend of a friend at a company downtown that would honestly be the bomb-diggity to work for, but I need to give myself a break.  I need something that is not a cover letter, and is not an online dating profile or witty text message to a certain someone.  (Actually, the witty text messages I don't mind so much.)  At one point today, I came scarily close to combining a cover letter and dating profile.  That's when I knew I am to the point of overload.

So, in order to distract myself for a short amount of time, I have decided it's time to blog.  Mentally vomit (sorry if you got an unpleasant mental image there).  Get things off my chest/off my mind.  Insert the next cliché here.  (BTW, totally just found out recently how to do that little ´ over the e.  Feeling pretty badass, it's the little things people.)

Unemployment has had it's perks.  Time to rest, time to spend with friends, time to put other parts of life in order, or back out into the world, depending on which part you're talking about.  However, it's been almost 3 solid months now...Sister...I don't have a CLUE as to how you did this for a year.  Kudos.  I find myself missing the outside world.  I miss being a productive person in society.  I guess it's good that I miss that instead of getting incredibly used to living off of unemployment.  (Which honestly...no thank you, I'm going freaking stir crazy.)

The next thing I have on my agenda (besides the last part of this blog post, which was a great way to distract myself for just a short while) is to make my adorable cousin Anke's hat she has asked me for.  I have to get goin' on it.  I have the yarn, I have the hook, and finally have a pattern (I am insanely meticulous on picking these out...). I also have 3 other projects I need to get working on too.  Two wish fulfillments, and I go back and forth about figuring out making something absolutely fab for myself.  :)  Who knows what it will be at this point.  What I love is that it's (almost) fall so knit/crochet wear is a bit more "accepted".  Because who wants to be working on an insanely hot blanket or warm hat in 80 degree weather?  (By the way, for those that don't know, Colorado has been going a bit CRAZY with the weather fluctuations.  I'm so ready for fall, it's sick.)

Also, when your dear, dear friend is sitting across from you at breakfast one morning, and says (as you have your sunglasses on your head, pushing back part of your hair) "HOLY COW, you weren't kidding!  You DO have a lot of gray hairs!!" it's time to break out a new box of color...it's kind of sickening how many more seem to be showing up these days.  Not just sickening...flat out SCARY AS HELL.  I know that Grandee (dad's mom) was completely white haired by 19, but for the love of PETE...as long as boxes of hair color are stronger than genetics, my grays will be hiding under brown hair color!!!!  Now, time to google for a coupon.

Up next: my time waster/cover letter distraction for the evening. 

I love a good "tell me about you" survey, though many are geared towards high school students and the drama that surrounds their lives.  I was going back through some old notes of mine on facebook, and found this one.  I decided to brush it off, spruce it up, and post it here.  Feel free to comment, steal and/or whatever you like.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?

Credit cards

2. Do you miss being a child?

Back when wonder was the best thing ever and your biggest choice was Princess or Rainbow Brite underoos? Heck yah.

3. Chore you hate the most?

Dishes

4. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?

Sadly, with the ex, there weren't many romantic dinners...so uhhh, no idea.

5. If you could go back and change one thing what would it be?

Living with Roomzilla

6. Name of your first grade teacher?

Miss Crowell

7. What do you really want to be doing right now?

Snuggling with someone at a movie, or at home with a movie.

8. What did you want to be when you grew up?

Veterinarian

9. What college(s) did you attend?

CCU

10.Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?

Because I love this t-shirt!

11. What are your thoughts on gas prices?

Could be better...

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?

It didn't therefore it was great.

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?

I love this movie...

14. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?

Christopher Meloni

15. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?

Yes...

16. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?

Heck yah.

17. Get up early or sleep in?

Sleep In.

18. What is your favorite cartoon character?

Smurfs or Animaniacs

19. Favorite thing to do at night?

Hang out with friends, knit or crochet, watch movies.

20. When did you first start feeling old?

Seeing friends' kids and how old they are already...

21. Favorite lunch meat?

Ham

22. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart?

No Wally World...I'm a Target girl!

23. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?

No.  Not at all.

24. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?

I honestly don't know...(I'm scanning my DVD's as I type)

25. What's your favorite drink?

Vodka Cran or a really good Margarita, although I had a Strongbow Cider last week that was really good!

26. Who from high school would you like to run in to?

Facebook has actually helped me "run into" a bunch of folks...so I think I'm good for now.

27. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?

94.1 - so that my iPod can play.

28. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives?

Neither

29. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?

Probably Brian...in general, I'm not sure really how else to explain it...

30. Do you like the person that sits directly across from you at work?

N/A

31. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purposes?

No

32. Last book you finished reading?

The Help

33. Do you have a teddy bear?

No.

34. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?

No idea.

35. Do you go to church?

I try to go every week, but some weeks is tougher than others.

36. How old are you?

33

37. How many kids do you have?

0

38. How many times have you been married?

0

39. Why have you chosen this lifestyle you live?

Life is short...live it to the fullest.

40. What pleases you more than anything else?

Making others happy.

Hey look! A Craft Post!!!

So I have been remiss in posting/crafting lately, however, good friends, Mike and Amy, found out they are having a girl, and I immediately had to craft SOMETHING.  I chatted with Amy, got the nursery colors (by her own description "wackadoodle" until you see the whole design) and we discussed what she would like.  She decided between a blanket and a snuggle bunny, and to surprise her.

Mike, Amy and I have known each other for about 10 years (holy cow!).  Mike was my manager at ESPN Zone, and he helped me get a second job with Amy (the store manager) at The Right Start.  Mike and Amy moved back to the East coast not long after I was hired on at Amy's store, and we have kept in touch since (yay facebook!).  Recently, the three of us have been chatting back and forth with regards to our mutual love for all things Mad Men.  So, when they found out Amy is having a girl, we were talking one night and throwing all kinds of names back and forth, especially from the show.  Since they had just found out she is a SHE, there's no names in stone yet, so my nickname for her has become Ms. Blankenship.  So, Ms. Blankenship, needed a blanket!  (I know, I made something, and it's not a hat...I was shocked too!)

As I worked on this, I posted sneak peek pictures on facebook, but it was tough, because I didn't want to give away all the colors/final design, so thankfully, the iPhone has a great selection of apps to totally distort photos.  :)

I wanted to do this in acrylic so that it's easy care for mom and dad.  Once I finished, I washed it in SOAK (in the Unleash sent, very light and crisp, my fav) in the washing machine on the delicates cycle and then threw it in the dryer.  I did this instead of traditional blocking because it is a machine washable piece, and I wanted to soften the yarn and take out that "store" smell.  Now, it actually feels like a great baby blankie.  So, without further ado...Ms. Blankeship's Blankie!

I can't wait to hear how mom and dad feel about Ms. B's new blankie!  ;)  Happy new baby Mike and Amy!!

I'll Follow You

I love this man's music...and on his new album, this is my current obsession...because come on if the lines "You're a beautiful woman/And I'm just a man" and "So in the hours of the darkest kind/When it's hard to find who we are/One can stare into the other's eyes/Be each other's light in the dark." don't touch you...you're freaking made of stone.

I'll Follow You - by Jon McLaughlin

People tell me there will come a time

When your heart and mine will grow cold

No more staring at the evening sky

Low replaces high when you're old

As long as you're around I'll follow you

You won't ever be alone

As long as you're around I'll follow you

I will be wherever you go

They say the future is our enemy

Time eventually will set the sun

But I believe in you and you believe in me

How can we ever go wrong?

As long as you're around I'll follow you

You won't ever be alone

As long as you're around I'll follow you

I will be wherever you go

So be patient baby

Hold me close

I hope you understand

You're a beautiful woman

And I'm just a man

So in the hours of the darkest kind

When it's hard to find who we are

One can stare into the other's eyes

Be each other's light in the dark.

As long as you're around I'll follow you

You won't ever be alone

As long as you're around I'll follow you

I will be wherever you go

20 Questions (times 5)

My friend Stacey, who is also my neighbor and 4am Royal Wedding Watcher Partner, loves these questionnaires, as I have for quite a while...(enter the many MySpace ones I filled out...back in the day, as well as I've done my fair share on facebook as well.)

Anyways, as I can't turn down a good set of questions, here we go:

1. How old will you be in five years?
Ugh...38 years old. Holy crap.

2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?
Me, Myself and I.

3. How tall are you?
6' 1"

4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?
My crazy upcoming week, Idina Menzel with the CSO at Red Rocks, Harry Potter final movie premier (yes, I am going to a midnight showing with 7 friends and a grip of other HP nuts, and yes, I am SO stinking excited about it.)

5. What’s the last movie you saw?
I'm currently watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix on tv, however, before that, I think it was Food, Inc.

6. Who was the last person you called?
My folks

7. Who was the last person to call you?
My SIL, Maggy

8. What was the last text message you received?
From Marly in response to one I sent her.

9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail?
Dad

10. Do you prefer to call or text?
Depends on what's going on, 8 times out of 10, a text.  Unless I'm driving, it would take too long to type out or needing to confirm something right away, then a call.

11. What were you doing at 12am last night?
Settling in for bed.  Just got home from John and Kendra's wedding.

12. Are your parents married/separated/divorced?
Married, for 37 years this September

13. When is the last time you saw your mom?
Last night at the wedding

14. What color are your eyes?

Green

15. What time did you wake up today?
Uh...I'm not sure...I think until about 8:30...which is really sleeping late in my world.

16. What are you wearing right now?
T-shirt, yoga pants.  I have a current obsession with Old Navy's yoga pants.  I blame my BFF Cheryl and SIL Maggy for this.

17. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Uhhh...this is tough.  Must consult iTunes...brb...apparently my most listened to is Ave Maria, as performed by Chris Botti.  Um, duh, I should have known that.  Other than that, the Straight No Chaser Christmas Album is up there, as is Kristen Chenoweth's Christmas album...

18. Where is your favorite place to be?
Depends...I'm becoming more of a homebody lately, however I am def a sucker for an afternoon at Chautauqua Park in Boulder.

19. Where is your least favorite place to be?
Work.  I know it's sad because it's where we spend so many hours of our lives there, but it's just hard lately because of the nature of patients we work with and it's been stressful lately.  I enjoy being with friends and laughing instead of being reminded how nasty cancer is.  (I had a particularly rough week last week, so it's a bit bitter right now.)

20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
Europe and Austrailia

21. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?
I would hope to be married...and an Aunt.  (NO pressure siblings...I know it's a ways off and I'm totally cool with that!!)

22. Do you tan or burn?
Burn.  I typically look like a boiled lobster.

23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?
Uh...can't say as I can remember anything like that...

24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
A quip between Marly and I on Thursday night.

25. How many TVs do you have in your house?
2, no need for anymore than that.

26. How big is your bed?
A queen, juuuuuuust right.

27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer?
Laptop

28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on?
PJ's are my favorite clothes ever.

29. What color are your sheets?
Currently they are a white with polka dot/bubble-esque pattern.

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?
Usually two, but there are some nights it's more.

31. What is your favorite season?
Fall

32. What do you like about fall?
The colors, the crispness in the air.

33. What do you like about winter?
Multiple parties to see friends.

34. What do you like about the summer?
When the weather is warm but not scorching hot.

35. What do you like about spring?
Rain, cool-ish weather.

36. How many states/provinces have you lived in?
Two, Washington and Colorado

37. What cities/towns have you lived in?
Edmonds, Broomfield (x2), Lakewood (x2), Arvada (x3), Westminster

38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet?
Socks or barefoot

39. Are you a social person?
VERY.

40. What was the last thing you ate?
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich.

41. What is your favorite restaurant?
Wazee Supper Club and On The Border

42. What is your favorite ice cream?
It used to be B&J's Triple Caramel Chunk, but honestly, as long as it has caramel involved...I'm thrilled.

43. What is your favorite dessert?
Hmmm...for my birthday it's DQ ice cream cake...otherwise, ice cream in general...

44. What is your favorite kind of soup?
Panera's Chicken Noodle

45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich?
Raspberry

46. Do you like Chinese food?
Yes.  YES YES YES.  Chicken Lo Mein and Sesame Chicken are huge weaknesses of mine.

47. Do you like coffee?
Nope.

48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink on average?
Not nearly enough.  probably only about 2 right now, but there is a reason I constantly try to carry a water bottle with me.

49. What do you drink in the morning?
Bing.  It's my caffeine weakness.

50. What non-banking related card in your wallet is the most valuable to you?
Hmmm...Driver's License

51. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed?
Left (while you're in the bed, right when you're looking AT the bed.)

52. Do you know how to play poker?
Barely.

53. Do you like to cuddle?
Yes, yes I do.

54. Have you ever been to Canada?
When I was really little.

55. Do you have an addictive personality?
In some instances.

56. Do you eat out or at home more often?
It's been out more than in, but I'm trying to get better about that.  Plus, I want to expand my cooking repertoire.

57. What do you miss about high school, if anything?
Nothing.  Other than my clothing size.

58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you?
Yes, a couple folks!

59. Do you want kids?
I go back and forth...for now, I live vicariously through friends and their munchkins.

60. Do you speak any other languages?
Pig Latin

61. Have you ever gotten stitches?
Yes, surgical procedures tend to require them.

62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Sadly, yes.

63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool?
For swimming? Pool. For visiting? Ocean.  (Leaving Stacey's answer...it applies here too.)

64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat?
Aisle.  Always the aisle.

65. Do you know how to drive stick?
Only in an absolute emergency.

66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on?
Others.  :)

67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7?
Yes, one silver ring I got in San Francisco on a girls' trip about 5 years ago.  (Holy crap...5 years ago???)

68. What is your favorite TV show?
Currently?  How I Met Your Mother.

69. Can you roll your tongue?
Yup.

70. Who is the funniest person you know?
Huh...good question...I know many funny people.  Including myself.

71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Nope

72. What is the main ring tone on your phone?
One of the defaults on the phone, I need to actually look into one that I like more.

73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little?
I'm not sure.  There are about 8 boxes in my closet from mom and dad's house marked "baby stuff" so it's likely.

74. What red object is closest to you right now?
The buttons on the Comcast remote.

75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth?
Yes

76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
Open

77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
Um, what's option #3?

78. Do you flirt a lot?
No.  One area of my life that is rather...(insert proper disparaging adjective here)

79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Either ranch or bbq or sweet and sour sauce...

80. What is your favorite food?
Typically...mexican

81. Can you change the oil on a car?
Hm, no...although, I've watched Sparky do it enough, I should.

82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Yes.

83. Have you ever run out of gas?
Twice.  Only ONCE was it my fault.  The other was a faulty gas gaug

84. What is your usual bedtime?
Lately, too late.  Need to start getting my booty in bed by 10ish.

85. What was the last book you read?
The Help.  OMG, if you haven't read it yet, you should.

86. Do you read the newspaper?
Nope.

87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
No, but if I were to get one, it would be People.  Love it, truly, I do.

89. Do you watch soap operas?
Not now.  In college, there was a rather serious Days of Our Lives addiction going though.

90. Do you dance in the car?
Yes, often.

91. What radio station did you last listen to?
98.5.  I'm a country girl, but I have my occasion where I switch to 105.9 for the

92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you?
My "European Grandpa", Willi.  He's pretending to be the Berlin Wall.  I love that picture.

93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper?
Grocery list

94. What is your favorite candle scent?
A clean fresh scent...lately it's kind of a white tea or laundry-esque scent...

95. What is your favorite board game?
Taboo

Where’s 96?

97. When was the last time you attended church?
Sadly, June.  Travel, plans and sheer exhaustion have interfered lately.

98. Who was your favorite teacher in high school?
Huh...I have no idea...likely Mrs. Schlicker.

99. What is the longest you have ever camped out in a tent?
4 days.  Loved almost every minute of it too.

100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you?
Family for birthday and Cam for my bike.  :)  Although I am VERY excited for Tuesday night's joint birthday party with one of my all time favorite people.  :)

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 5

Day 5 - A Song That Reminds You of Someone

One of the closest people in my life and I LOVE this song...and we crack up laughing EVERY time it comes on...Cheryl Brown, this is for you!!!

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 -

A song that makes you sad:

Uhhh....if it makes me sad, I probably turn it pretty quick...however...this song, while it makes me sad, also paints an amazing picture in my head at the same time.

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 3

Day 3 - A song that makes you happy...

This song just has that beat that makes you smile and shake your booty.  And if you are C or I, you dance in your chair at the office...

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 2

Day 2 - A song you hate...

I think most of the world (over the age of 13) would agree with me on this one...her voice drives me BONKERS.



HOWEVER!!!

I DO like this version...

30 Day Music Challenge - Day 1

Day 1 - Your Favorite Song

Well geez...you would think that this would be super easy to rattle off right?  Yeah, no.  I have at least two or three come to mind.  I checked my iTunes, and according to that, my most played should be my favorite song, right?  Um, nope.  Just a bit Glee obsessed I think.  Plus, when I transferred all my songs to the computer they are on now, I lost all my play counts...so no bueno.

After some thought, I realized there shouldn't have been a need for thought...here it is:

I'm Movin' On - Rascal Flatts

A New Challenge!!

So, you know when you sit down to write a blog, you have serious writer's block and can't think of a single thing to write?  Yeah...totally have been there the last few weeks.  My 30 day photo challenge finished up and then the Royal Wedding, and then...(insert the sound of crickets here)...nothing.

Oh sure, I was able to post a couple times, one being silly YouTube videos, the others being small things.  But I've decided it's time to start a new thread.  You guessed it.  Another challenge.

No, no it's not another photo one, this one is a bit easier because all the pieces are already out there, I just need to cull iTunes to find them all.  That's right it's the

30 DAY MUSIC CHALLENGE!!!

No, I will not be boring you with only country music, I have quite the eclectic taste in music really.  But, fair warning, I am a country fan, so there will likely be a sizeable smattering of that genre in this challenge...oh, and Broadway...and...oh you get it.

I am half asleep as I am currently typing this, so I will start the challenge tomorrow.  According to the list, I am to find my favorite song.  Well crap, this might be harder than I thought...

PS: Yes, Maggy, this is my carrot.  :)

Defying Gravity

So for the last almost year, I have had this insane pull back to Seattle.  I can't explain it, I don't know what it is exactly...I can't put my finger on it.  The stars haven't aligned, the plans haven't worked out, the ducks aren't in their row.  (How many more cliches can I come up with for this?)

I can't put into words myself this feeling that has been in my gut, and I don't know what will eventually either satisfy this "craving" or pull, or whatever you want to call it.  I visited in October, and that seems to have been enough for a little while...now I'm going back for a friend's wedding in a month, and I can already tell, I don't want to come back.

I love Colorado.  I love my life, friends, family, everything that is here.  I have a pretty sweet gig.  But there is this nagging feeling, and I don't know how to explain it.  (It doesn't  help that work is incredibly stressful right now and putting everything in a moving van and driving West sounds absolutely awesome.)  Am I going to pack my entire life into a U-Haul this weekend and move across the country?  No.  (First off, it's already Thursday, I don't have enough time to pack everything, plus I'm getting a nice table and chairs on Monday.)  Do I wish I could some days?  Yes.  (Oh, and PS: the week straight of Seattle-esque weather Colorado has been having, isn't helping.  Don't get me wrong,  I ADORE the rain, but the rest of the state is starting to freak out a bit.)

Some people find references for life in a tv show (and trust me, usually I would find one in the show "Friends"), but with my theatre loving background, I have taken to my favorite musical...Wicked.  The closing song to the first act, Defying Gravity, brought me to tears the first time I saw it live.  Such power, such strength, such emotion, such...wow.  To give you a bit more to work with other than me sitting here gushing about the song, here are a few snippets of the lyrics...imagine these powerful words being sung by a girl painted green...and a girl who is dressed in buttercup yellow.

Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone ele's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

I'm through accepting limits

'cause someone says they're so

Some things I cannot change

But till I try, I'll never know!

Too long I've been afraid of

Losing love I guess I've lost

Well, if that's love

It comes at much to high a cost!

I'd sooner buy

Defying gravity

Kiss me goodbye

I'm defying gravity

And you can't pull me down.

Maybe I'm supposed to eventually move back to Seattle, maybe I'm supposed to be here and go back to visit...I don't know right now.  Hopefully though, the stars will align, the plans will work out and those elusive ducks will get into their rows...and life might start being clear again.

Unfinished Thoughts...

So I have two other blog posts in the works, but I'm having a hard time bringing my thoughts together to finish them.  Plus, it's been a bit...weird...around here lately.

So, in the mean time, I found THIS little gem while going through pictures the other day, and just had to share...my brother-in-law ladies and gentlemen...

This picture also makes me remember that FIESTA is around the corner...WAHOO!

Giggles

So, lately, life has been a bit...well...stressful.  (I'm fine, I swear.)  Lots going on.  I'm not trying to complain, and bring everyone down, so I'll share a few of the things that have been definitely making me laugh/smile/happy in the last few weeks.  Because c'mon...who DOESN'T want a youtube video to chuckle at?

Yes, I realize that a few of these involve babies laughing...I can't help it...that sound is good for the SOUL.

Up first:  Emerson FUH-REAKING out at his mommy blowing his nose.



Next: A little girl, her dog, and bubbles.



Two Bunnies in Cups.  No, it's not one of those weird clips...it seriously is just two ADORABLE bunnies in cups.  The one on the right, is my fav.



French Bulldog puppy who can't roll back over...I know, you are supposed to let these puppies figure this out on their own, but how stinkin' cute is he???



Whose Line Is It Anyways? - This show originated in the UK, but had an awesome run here in the States as well.  I LOVE this show.  I have a fav ep where Ryan Stiles hits the neon light on Drew Carey's desk, breaks the light, but never breaks character.  I about died laughing.

I can't embed this one, but here is the link, skip to about 2:15 to see the part where I literally almost peed my pants (after I figured out he wasn't hurt).

So there you go...a couple of the things that are making me giggle these days.  Anyone reading or watching anything funny of note to share?

Will and Kate, The Sequel.

Ok, I thought I'd put this off till this weekend, however, now is just as good a time as any!  Plus, I fully intend on crashing until my body decides (hopefully late Saturday morning) "Okay, we are fully recharged now, we can wake up."

The Princess was beautiful, William was very dapper in his military jacket.

Westminster Abbey...wow...just...WOW.  I have always wanted to go to London, and now even more than before.

Stacey and I stuck with NBC for our wedding coverage, though I'll admit, I had the DVR running on TLC as well.  (Nothing like making sure you had things covered right?)  She had tea, I had juice and then I switched to my beloved Bing.  Caffeine, oh how I love you.  Thank you for keeping me propped up all day!

I promised pictures...and here we go...Stacey was a bit more brave and willing to take one of herself, whereas I opted for just one of the top of my head.  So, here is Lady Carol Buttercup-Inyo in her beautiful hat!

I am not so brave as to show my face/full head of hair, as I had showered the night before and went to bed with wet hair.  Although, you can see some of my bedhead/unruly curls under my tiara before I attacked them with a flat iron before heading to work. (Pay no attention to the gray hairs peeking out, I'm between dye jobs...)

Stacey brought some traditional English treats, which I loved the names of...particularly the one on the left...Digestives...huh, nothing screams COOKIE! like a name like that!  ;)

I chose to make traditional scones, which I think turned out yummo good!

Hmmm...I miiiiight need to go warm some up for a snack tonight...

Ok, I'm off to wach the "pre-show" and arrivals off of the DVR, because I'll admit, I can't get enough today, and then, I will fall asleep and dream of my own Prince Charming.  

Cheerio!

PS: Between 3 separate conversations, I've agreed with the fact that we Americans don't have enough activities where we wear insanely outlandish and fun hats.  My birthday is around the corner...I'm beginning to get ideas...

Will and Kate

I admit it.  I am going to be one of the millions of Americans who get up at the ungodly hour of 3:30 am and watch The Royal Wedding.

I have to admit, I haven't looked at much of the hoopla going into this shindig, however, my friend Stacey (who happens to live very near my apartment...as in...about 10 buildings away in my complex), is full on OBSESSED more of a general anglophile than a royal-watcher.  I promise to post some pictures this weekend of our little tea party, however I can pretty much guarantee you that my face won't be in them.  (I fully plan on being in pj's, sans makeup and with really wonky hair.)

In fact, Stacey just posted this as her facebook status:

What is your Royal Wedding guest name?  Start with either Lord or Lady.  Your first name is one of your grandparent's name.  Your surname is the name of your first pet, double barrelled with the name of the street you grew up on.

Yours Royally,
Lady Carol Buttercup-Inyo

She cracks me up.  She has had a countdown app on her phone that shows details of the wedding for over a month now.

However, back to OUR party.

Stacey is bringing macaroons, I am making scones, and while she sips black tea, I will be sipping hot chocolate (no matter how hard my mother has tried, I just don't like tea...sorry mom).  Then after the whole sha-bang, I will be chugging caffeine to make it through my day.  I have never been so grateful to have both doctors on vacation in my life.  :)

I find it funny remembering how my mom stayed up to watch Princess Diana and Prince What's-His-Bucket's wedding...and now here I am staying up for their kid's wedding.  Full circle I guess.

Anywho...I will update this weekend with pictures...like I said, no guarantees that I will actually be IN said pictures...plus, my apartment is a bit of a mess, so no guarantees that the pictures will be of much other than the food and our *ahem* headwear.

Yours Royally,
Lady Doris Happy-206th  (Yeah...just doesn't work for me like it did for her!)

Deutsch Überraschungen

This blog post is very overdue, the last week has been even busier than normal.  But, I promised someone I would post this so here I am!  :)

My amazingly wonderful cousin, Anke, who I have mentioned before (here) surprised me (mostly because I forgot that she asked me for my address) with a super fun surprise!!!  I went to my little mailbox last week, and it was crammed full!  (I'm also not the best about getting my mail every day, but hey...)

There was a package I had ordered, some Netflix DVD's, and this package (telling you, it was a PACKED little mailbox):

And in that wonderful package!  Such fun things!

SEE!!  Handmade potholders/hotpads, a handmade little stocking, German chocolates (!!) a great card and (oh crud, it got cut out a bit...) an adorable little angel!!!  (Scroll down to see it...)

See?  Cute eh?

Anke: I love it all!!!!  Your little stocking is amazing!  I envy that skill, I'm still figuring out/working on my first pair of socks in my knitting!

Danke!!!

Shel Silverstein Sunday

I found myself (in the last few days) thinking about how much I loved Shel Silverstein and how he could put things, both silly and otherwise.  I don't know exactly what triggered that thought, and yes, while it's not often, believe it or not, occasionally book related, semi-educated thoughts roll through my noggin.

I went to my bookshelf to grab my favorite "Where The Sidewalk Ends" to thumb through a few poems, only to be completely surprised that while I thought I owned that book, turns out, I don't.  However, I do have it in audio form, read by Shel himself, and that brings a whole new life to the words.  Hmmm...I see a trip to a bookstore in my future.

In the meantime, massive Googling (thank you to amazon.com for listing every poem in the book on the website, that definitely helped!) ensued and while I know there are other poems I love in that book (Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout and Peanut Butter Sandwich comes to mind), for some reason, these ones stick out to me today.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti

Spaghetti, spaghetti, all over the place,

Up to my elbows--up to my face,

Over the carpet and under the chairs,

Into the hammock and wound round the stairs,

Filling the bathtub and covering the desk,

Making the sofa a mad mushy mess.

The party is ruined, I'm terribly worried,

The guests have all left (unless they're all buried).

I told them, "Bring presents." I said, "Throw confetti."

I guess they heard wrong

'Cause they all threw spaghetti!

No Difference

Small as a peanut,

Big as a giant,

We're all the same size

When we turn off the light.

Rich as a sultan,

Poor as a mite,

We're all worth the same

When we turn off the light.

Red, black or orange,

Yellow or white,

We all look the same

When we turn off the light.

So maybe the way

To make everything right

Is for God to reach out

And turn off the light!

Work In Progress...

So last night, I went to get my tattoo fixed, as I have wanted to get it fixed since 2006, not long after I got it.  There is a bit of a story here, because Sister went with me yesterday to get it fixed (she was there when I got it the first time), however the gal who I had the appointment with, had a client suddenly change what she wanted which ended up taking a LOT longer than expected, plus she didn't have the right materials clean she wanted to use with me.  So, instead, she asked if I could come back the next day.

I have had my appointment for about a month.  I won't lie, I was MAD.  Sister wouldn't be able to be there, she came down specifically for this.  (Insert mad pouty face here.)  We went to dinner instead, and then on to trivia night as usual for a Wednesday night.

Thursday, C went with me to get it fixed, and the gal who asked me to come back was more than ready for me.  Once we got going, it took her less than 20 minutes to fix what needed fixing, plus add some shading that was definitely needed.

Here I am with Jeannie, who honestly is awesome, and, you would never guess, but she KNITS!  That's where I met her, was across the street at the shop where I get all my knitting stuff!  Yes, there were times I did wince like this, but rest assured, this picture is indeed, staged.

So, I won't show the fixed version, because it's in the healing stages, however I will show you the initial, my tat as of last night, and then as soon as it's healed, the finished product!

So, here we go:

Day I got it:

Finished product after infection pulled out half the color (and 5 years later...this picture was taken Wednesday night) :

Do you see why it needed to be fixed?  It was driving me crazy.  Right now, it is really pissed at me not happy with me.  When it calms down and decides to play nice (gimme about a week or so), I promise a finished post with (hopefully if I can manage to figure out enough html) all three side by side for a progression shot...no promises yet though!

Happy Friday!!!