A little change of pace

For many reasons, Donnie has always been my favorite Wahlberg. Then we went to see "Invincible" with Mark Wahlberg this weekend.

Check out those ARMS! (I'm not talking about Greg Kinnears arms...) I wish I could find an image of him walking away from a game of football with his friends in the rain with his shirt stuck to him. Holy frijoles! That's what I have to say about that!



Oh, and it was an EXCELLENT movie. About so much more than football. I highly recommend it!

Ok, Ok

Here's another picture for you! Actually, it's a picture just for T...just for bein' a poop on Saturday night! I know how much you love these!



Happy weekend!!

What a bitch

There's this bitch, and her name is Karma. I am so sick of her, I could spit. You've heard my stories about my car. Well, this is a new one.

Tonight, I was working out while there was some severe weather (tornado warning) that was to expire at 10pm. Yep, I did it. I said "I love when severe weather ends at 10!" because I go on at 10. Severe weather sucks when you're in radio. You can't go in a basement like everyone else. You have to make sure you're on the air every 5 minutes updating the situation.

Well you know what? That bitch, Karma, screwed with me again. That damn tornado warning lasted until midnight. There were actually a couple of them. One til 10:45....oh wait, lets extend that until 11:30. Then the one in our area til midnight.

I don't know what to do about her. And I don't know what the hell I did to piss her off!!!

**update. apparently I need to quit talking smack about my girl Karma. It's 3:50am. There are STILL severe thunderstorm warnings in our area. they will get cancelled, just to reappear 15 minutes later. and it stinks. hail, wind, hard rain, etc. we've had it all. i wish it was winter.

This is the current radar. I swear to GOD it has looked the SAME since this storm started. It just won't go away.

I got mega points for that!

I decided to buy Dave a present yesterday, as a surprise. And he was VERY happy!
A 20" flat panel LCD monitor. Only problem is this...I can't say to him "why are you always on the computer?" when he has a great monitor like that! Believe it or not, he actually left the house last night! I was a bit surprised. But we had to go to an 8 year old's birthday party. Holy crap there were a lot of kids! I picked up little Marshall (born July 10th) and he proceeded to fall asleep in my arms. I put him down, and ended up with Benjamin (almost 5 months old). After a little while, he fell asleep too. What does that say about me that it takes me no time to put kids to sleep???
When we were getting ready to leave, Dave's sister-in-law said "we're grabbing a bottle of wine and going home!" and that turned into dave, me, and his 2 sisters going to his brothers house to drink beer and talk. It was SO much fun! It's not often we get a chance to hang out in a small group like that because Dave has a HUGE family. With his parents, siblings and their spouses/significant others/kids/grandkids, there are 37 people. I have one brother, one sister-in-law and 2 nieces...WAY different! Anyway, when his family gets together it can be (and usually is) a crazy mess. So just the 6 of us hanging out was fun. And we get to have the whole family together today!! Woo hoo!

It took me so long to count Dave's family, I no longer know what that paragraph says. Hope it makes sense!

Finally Friday!

This week seems like it lasted a month. Thankfully Friday is here,and we've got a busy weekend ahead.

I was going to post about a book I just read in THREE DAYS. Well, I still will. But I wanted to show you a picture of my new favorite vehicle, the Jeep Compass. Ok, maybe not my FAVORITE. But I've always been a fan of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and this seems a much better follow-up than the liberty. Here is the Compass. No, I won't be getting one any time soon. But I can look on in admiration!!


Ok, for the ladies...or my faithful readers who like books that would make good chick-flicks. It's called Baby Proof. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had been reading an interesting book called The Lovely Bones, but I just couldn't get going on that one. The concept was cool...a girl who had been murdered and was looking down from heaven at the things going on with her family and friends. But, I put that one away and started Baby Proof on Monday at about 5:30pm. I finished it tonight (Thursday) at about 11:00pm. A good, easy read. I enjoyed it immensely. Check it out if you need something to read that doesn't take much thought or concentration! I don't usually endorse books, but I felt I had to with this one!

I promise you'll laugh!

I haven't seen anything so funny in a LONG time!

Check out the Alien Dog that never learned to bark!

YES!

Yes, I met LeRoy Butler this past weekend. It was exciting and fun and all of that! And yes, Dave was with me, so he met him too. I interviewed him, and it was over WAY too fast, so I didn't get to ask any questions I had spent hours thinking of (he was over an hour late), but I still think I did a good job and didn't make a complete fool of myself!

Yes, THE NEIGHBORS ARE MOVING!!! You know, the ones who can't seem to park in the driveway of their own house. They had a moving sale over the weekend, and we wondered if it was because they sold their house, or in hopes of selling. (their house has been on the market since April). Today...I saw a moving truck and they were loading it up. YES!

Yes, Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson are splitting up. With what she said about marriage last summer, I'm not surprised!

Yes, I believe that if I say, out loud, that I want a new car, something will happen to mine (like when the transmission went out and then again when i got a flat tire.) But GOD, I want a new car!!! I'm really diggin' the new Saturn Aura, but please don't tell my car. She's a bit temperamental!

Yes, I believe in Karma. It's a bitch. Looking back at all the things that have happened..it's killing me. Let's review:
February 2006: "I got $3! We can buy a new car!" Two days later, my cars transmission stopped working.
Also February 2006, in preparation for my trip to Texas, I said the words "Warm weather". While I was there, it was rainy and cold...40's and 50's. When I got home, it was 70 there and snowed 10 inches here.
July 31, 2006: "I don't care if my car gets totaled, it's paid for!" Less than an hour later, a flat tire on the interstate with my 8 year old niece riding with me.

I gotta do something about this Karma crap!!!

Size Lyin' Bitch!

Saturday, at our volleyball party, Sarah ran into this girl in the bathroom, and said "That's a cute skirt!" The girl replied, not by saying "Thanks, it was on clearance for $2 at Old Navy!", but by saying "Thanks, I got it from the children's section at Old Navy!"

Size Lyin' Bitch!!!



That wasn't all that happened this weekend, but it was one of the funniest!

What's that noise?

Tonight at work, a cop friend of mine called me. He's undercover in a city that is not madison. He was doing surveillance, and it wasn't of the traffic variety. Well, not car-type traffic anyway! I could hear his scanner in the background, and it was pretty cool! He used to call a lot while he lived in the area, but it's been a while. So tonight when he said, in a rushed manner "I gotta go. Talk to you later." I knew he meant business! I used to work for the police department (not a cop, just a records clerk) and the business has always intrigued me. I have done a number of ride-alongs...some exciting, some not so much. I know I could never be a cop. I don't have the balls for it. And I'm too emotional. I'd be crying all the time. So I just look on in wonder. Like when I was on a ride along and the cop had to kick in the door to a suspect's apartment. Bam. Bam. Bam. The door was broken!!! Some people have issues with cops. I don't. I respect them (for the most part) and know that (for the most part) they're trying to keep me safe. So I try to not get in their way! (for the most part, of course)! Before he called, I was reading an article online about another agency in the area who recently encountered one of their officers being shot at, and that is another reason why I could never be a cop, or be married to one. Shots fired? No thanks, I'm done! My husband works on computers. It's pretty safe, as far as I can tell. No shots fired in the 2.5 years we've been together!!!

Are you begging for more???

Ok, fine. It's all for you. I'm totally NOT putting these up here for myself. Here's where I found these pics.

What a weekend!

It was very busy, but very good! Thursday was the Kenny Chesney/Dierks Bentley/Jake Owen concert, and my mom came with me. If you know me at all, you know I love Kenny Chesney. Some of you even know my mom loves him as well. She was able to meet him with me back in 99. She has now been to 3 of his concerts. Me? Six. And I ain't done yet!
He sings a song called "When the Sun Goes Down" with Uncle Kracker, and believe it or not, he was there too! All in all, a fabulous show!
Friday was our huge, outdoor, free concert. I was stuck in the same beltline mess as Amy, and it made me VERY crabby. Then, while riding a golf cart around the grounds, I saw Phil Vassar without his shirt on. OK, my day just got a LOT better. It was a fantastic show. Taylor Swift, Katrina Elam, Jack Ingram, Rushlow Harris, Steve Azar and Phil Vassar.

That's what it looks like to be standing on stage while Phil Vassar is performing. He invited us up to sing Piano Man with him. OH MY GOD. It was the coolest thing EVER! I stood about 2 feet from him while he played piano/harmonica and sang.
After the show we drank a lot and had a FANTASTIC time. Saturday I had to work at 10am. That was rough. But I made it! Saturday night I had a remote. Man, I was SO tired. I was asleep by 10:45pm, and got up at about 9:30. At 1pm on Sunday I already needed a nap, so I took a 2 hour one. I think I'm good now. It was exhausting this weekend, but it was the best time ever!!!

This is comfy!

Maybe I should close the fridge while I'm making Dave's lunch, huh?

WOOT!

I don't use that word unless I'm REALLY excited! So that must mean I'm REALLY excited! I have been a Packer fan for about 10 years now, and even though he left the team a few years ago, Leroy Butler has always been my favorite. A few years back (must have been about 10 actually) he was in town doing an autograph signing if you brought a non-perishable food item. I got there just in time to see his limo driving away. About 3 years ago (I think) he was visiting local grocery stores and autographing his book. I had to go, and thankfully I was on time for this one. Now, coming up August 12th, he's going to be at Indian Trails Campground for his Leroy Butler Foundation Breast Cancer Fundraiser. My station is taking part in it, and guess who gets to be there? ME!!! ME ME ME and ME! All by myself, with Leroy Butler!!! WOOOOOOT!!!

I wanna...

What I want to do is post a "real" blog. But I think it will get in the way of the pictures. From Hollywood Rag I give you BEACH YOGA

I'm up for a bike ride!

Anyone want to join me?

What's with Matthew McConaughey doing all this physical activity lately? No bongo drums in sight!!!

I love the beach

A little Matthew McConaughey for you to enjoy.

I don't think I've ever been to THIS beach...I'm on my way, I swear!

I changed my mind

In this post, I mentioned that whoever invented speedos should be shot, or something like that. Then I saw a picture of soccer star David Beckham, and I changed my mind. If you look like this, you should only ever wear a speedo.

More about me!

I stole this one from Christine. Feel free to steal it from me!

1. If you had to set your own work schedule; 8 hours per day; 5 days per week. Which days and hours would you choose? at this point, if i could choose, i would probably pick the days everyone else in the world seems to have-monday thru friday. but i think i'd do 10a-6p. man, that seems like such a far-off idea. i've been doing Sun-Thurs overnights for SO long!
2. What Reality Show would you be on and why? i want to go on Big Brother! i don't think i could win, but it would be fun to see what really goes on in the house
3. What is the last book you read? Skinny Dip by Carl Hiassen. I bought it at La Guardia because I finished my other book and we were delayed. It was a FUNNY book!
4. There are many songs that bring us back to a certain memory. What song(s) do you HATE to hear for that very reason? Baby Got Back
5. If you could go back in time to be any place in world history, what time would you choose and what country/place? I don't know...that's a hard question to answer!
6. Do you know more than one language? Which one(s). i know a small amount of Spanish. minimal.
7. What is your favorite blog? Please link it. One only. GOSSIP!
8. What is your favorite web site? More Gossip!
9. Your house is on fire, the people and pets you love are safe and you can grab one other "thing", what are you taking? my pictures
10. You have $100 to spend in the next hour. How are you spending it? (Saving it or giving it away not permitted.) Only $100? I think I'd put it towards another vacation

We made it home!

We got home a little late, but apparently we're lucky we made it home at all. Check out this article about the heat affecting the power in NYC. And note: we travelled to LaGuardia on American Airlines!

HOT DOG, We had some good steak!

Last night we got restless just after 10pm, so we decided we'd check out the Empire State Building. It's a bit of a walk, but we enjoyed it. It was a nice night. When we got there, there was a 60-90 minute wait. We decided that we just didn't want to stand in line that long. It would have been good to see, but next time we're here, we will order our tickets online ahead of time. Saw lots of traffic on our way back, which made for some pretty cool pictures!
We tried to go to the Heartland Grill, which is a bar next to the ESB. Yeah, they were closed. For a city that never sleeps, places sure close early on Saturday night!
This morning we got up and hopped on the subway towards Coney Island. We met Dena & Greg at Avenue N in Brooklyn and they drove the rest of the way. Greg said "Whatever you've heard about Coney Island is wrong, it's not nice." Pretty seedy place, since they got rid of the Freak Show. Yeah, doesn't make sense to me either. We were there to try a Nathan's Famous Frankfurter. Wow. The BEST hot dog I've ever had.
Everything I expected it to be. After enjoying our hot dogs and bacon-cheese fries, we said goodbye to Dena & Greg, and made plans to meet them in San Diego sometime next year. Dave and I headed to the boardwalk to check out the beach. We saw a guy in a speedo. Whoever invented Speedo's should be shot, really. It was so stinkin hot at this point, we just decided to hop back on the subway back to the hotel. When we got back, we watched a movie (I slept, actually) and then it was time to get ready for dinner. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse...it's where we went on the last night of our honeymoon. The best steak. EVER. And we got a free dessert because it's our anniversary! Sadly enough, better cheesecake than Junior's from last night.

We then walked back to our hotel, and are relaxing for a few more hours before heading home. I don't know how we're going to celebrate our anniversary next year, because not much could top this!

No Soup-erman for you!

Another big day in NYC today. We started out at the American Museum of Natural History. A lot of interesting things there. We spent some time learning about the Big Bang Theory and looking at planets, then on to the geology department and then dinosaurs. There was a lot to see, and it seemed like we saw it all, but I know we didn't! Then it was on to the Imax viewing of Superman. Or not. We got there around 3pm and both the 5pm and 8:30pm shows were sold out. So, no Superman. We didn't want to waste seeing Superman on the regular screen, when we could see Imax, so we'll see it when we get home. We walked around a bit and found a place called Peter for lunch. Probably the worst service I've ever had at a restaurant. Actually, it was more like no service. She never came back to ask how everything was, didn't bring us our check (we had to ask the busboy), and then we had to actually wave her down to pay. So, she didn't get a big tip. Oh, and I took one picture. The bathroom was so small, the stall door had to be cut to fit over the toilet.

Everything in the restaurant was small. mini bottles of Coke...10oz, with obviously no refils. So, from there it was off to Rockefeller Center and the area around there. We went in the famous St. Patricks Cathedral. Holy smokes.

The place is amazing. HUGE. If you want to get married there, you have to donate a large sum of money and get put on a really long waiting list. And when you do get married, tourists can watch your wedding. They just can't take pictures. No thanks.
We did some more walking, and I almost got an "illegal" Coach bag. There are people roaming the streets with carts on them. They're covering up the bags that they have, and Dena tried to get 2/$50, and the woman said "follow me" because the security guy was making her move so she wouldn't get arrested. We followed, she said "$60" and Dena said "You said $50" and the lady wouldn't have it. So we walked on. The next lady was in cahoots with the first one, so she wouldn't take $50 either. I think she called Dena a fucker at some point. We kept walking. Dena and Greg headed home, and I was a bit too nervous to ask for a bag for $25, but when a guy asked me if I needed a bag, I said "$25" and he said no. I stuck to my guns. No purse for me! At that point we were on 5th Avenue, and we just walked toward 42nd street, and found THE Library. You know, the one in Ghostbusters! There were some kids dancing out front.

We went in for a minute, and when we came back out, they were gone. Must have had to move on like the purse sellers! After that we headed back to our hotel to rest our feet. It was another long day of walking. After a short rest, we headed over to Grand Central Station for dinner at Junior's. We got the biggest piece of cheesecake EVER.
Of course we didn't know they were so big, so we each got one. Oh well, lots of leftovers!
Tomorrow is Nathan's on Coney Island and Ruth's Chris Steak House. Yes, food is all we have planned for tomorrow!
Oh yeah, I checked the local news (at home) and it was talking about the temperature. At 7pm here, it was 79 degrees. At 6pm at home, it was 91. Supposed to be 98 there tomorrow. I guess we picked a good time to leave home!

How could I forget this part...Getting on the subway to go towards Rockefeller Center, we almost lost Dave. His metro card wouldn't let him through, and Dena, Greg and I were already on the subway. They tried closing the doors twice before he got through and made it on. Dena was keeping the door from closing, while I stood there with the vision in my head of the doors closing and us riding off without him! That would have been scary!

Looooong Day!

Got up early this morning (I couldn't sleep last night at all!) and went to grab breakfast for Dave & I. I went for bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches at a place called Fiore. Well, that's where I thought I was going anyway. Ends up they've changed to a place called Bella Luna, but they had the breakfast sandwiches, so I got 'em. Doesn't the overpriced hotel we're staying in have breakfast? Yes. Pancakes just $23. Breakfast sandwiches for 2 with drinks from Bella Luna, $10. I think I made the right choice. (A bottle of Grey Goose Vodka here is $125).

Anyway, Dena & Greg picked us up around 10:45 and we were off to the Bronx Zoo. A drive around the Bronx was interesting. Heard lots of stories. The zoo was pretty cool. LOTS of animals. Birds and monkeys and something we weren't sure of, so Greg called them Yik Yaks. Then there was the Slam Yams, also known as slender horned gazelles. It was very entertaining to say the least!
Here's a birdie we enjoyed



And a couple monkeys doing...well...you figure it out


And the Yik Yaks. Anyone know what they actually are?


Greg was very excited about the Yik Yaks. We were watching a peacock from above on a bridge, and Greg did his bird call. It didn't affect the birds, but a whole pack of yik yaks came to us. It was fun!
Anyway, we saw lots more animals, and then we decided it was time to leave. A lot of walking, and we were looking forward to some pizza. We went to Long Island to Bertucci's. YUM! Really tasty pizza, and good bread too! Then it was off to the mall. A HUGE mall. At one time, the largest in the world. But I spent NO money! Until we went to Cold Stone Creamery. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but it was good stuff. Then it was back to Manhattan and we're watching some shows and I'm getting ready to fall asleep. I hope. Something I ate/drank today didn't agree with me. Happy freakin' anniversary vacation to me! I hope it goes away soon. We have plans for Dena & Greg to ride the subway into Manhattan tomorrow and see more sites. We're going to be exhausted by the time this is over!!!

Welcome to NYC

Yes, we're here! We got in a bit late (just 40 minutes). It's been amazing so far. Dena picked us up and drove the LIE to the Midtown Tunnel to get us to our hotel. (they were talking in new york speak....take the LIE to the BQE to the Midtown Tunnel...it was quite fun!) The view from our hotel is pretty interesting. Very busy. Well, we are right near Grand Central! And we're on the 27th floor!!! (We met on 2/7...isn't that cool??) From our hotel room:

Anyway, they dropped us off and we went walking. Times Square, baby!!!

We had nachos at Chevy's Fresh Mex, and it was pretty tasty.

Friday should be the Bronx Zoo, then who knows what. I'll keep you posted!

no. No. NOOOOO!!!

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Raven-Symone, star of "That's So Raven," is attached to star in the Walt Disney Pictures remake of "Adventures in Babysitting."

The 1987 "Babysitting," which starred Elisabeth Shue, followed a high school senior who gets stuck baby-sitting a bunch of kids. The dull night is interrupted when she gets a call for help from a friend stuck downtown, leading her and the kids into a night of misadventures. The movie marked the directorial debut of Chris Columbus.

Lynda Obst, who produced the 1987 original with Debra Hill, is on board to produce the remake. David Stem and David Weiss wrote the script for the new "Babysitting." No director has been named yet.


NO ONE CAN BEAT ELISABETH SHUE AS CHRIS!!!



I've always loved this cheesy movie. I do NOT want them to remake it! AT ALL!

My anniversary present to you

It's ALMOST my one year blogger anniversary. You get an early present. But, only if you are prepared to laugh hysterically. If you're not...well...don't bother!

Peanut Butter & Ginelli vs. Sexual Chocolate

Have you seen the new VH1 show World Series of Pop Culture? OMG, it is SO addictive. Teams face off answering pop-culture questions that can be quite obscure. I had no idea what the name of the "guy" that granted the wish in the movie Big, but I knew that the true-crime show that was cancelled in 1996 but came back was America's Most Wanted.

I tell you...start watching and you won't be able to stop!

Randomness

First, I have a picture to share:



Ok, on to the real business of the day. Some things that have crossed my mind recently...

-You have self-confidence in yourself. Duh. Who else would you have self-confidence in?

-When you're passing me on the highway, you don't have to start moving back into my lane before you actually pass me. Especially when both lanes are going the same way.

-No need to yell at me because I moved the line of grocery store carts from behind my car to somewhere you wanted to go. It wasn't on purpose, and I don't work at the grocery store. I shouldn't have had to move them at all. And there's other places for you to go. So stick it in your ear.

-Cinderella Man is a really good movie, but it was hard to watch. Between going through the depression era and getting the blood knocked out of him in the boxing ring...it wasn't easy. But I'm glad I watched it.

-A very annoying source of stress went away...and so did my headaches. Hmm.

-How did all the stores I went into today have good deals on the stuff I wanted? That NEVER happens!

-I can almost guarantee that, while I'm driving home this morning, someone will pass me going way too fast on the beltline, and the thought that will go through my mind is "Oh my god, you must be drunk and you're probably going to hit me!"
*update: this did NOT happen on my drive home this morning. Which is a good thing!

-Why is it that when said drivers fly by me, there is NEVER a cop in sight?

Ok, that's it for now. Sorry for such a boring post...

A Year Already?

I can't believe it's been a year (on the 13th) since I started this blog. Oh, and a year (on the 16th) since I got married.

It's been quite a year. Be prepared for quite a profound post to come.

Oh wait, I'LL BE IN NEW YORK CITY BOTH OF THOSE DAYS! No way can I post from NYC.



Oh who am I kidding? I posted multiple times while on my freakin' honeymoon. I won't skip posting from NYC!

Seriously?

Is this really going to deter thieves from stealing my packages???

Kudos to Sur La Table for fast shipment. I ordered my new cutting boards on Tuesday night and received them today!

Oh yeah, there was another box in there. From QVC. Yes. Love them! It's a wall patch kit for the hole in our bathroom wall.

Have a fabulous weekend!

New car?

I got an offer today to buy my aunt's car. She's getting a new one next week. The one she wants to sell me is a 2004 Saturn Vue. (When we bought dave's Saturn Ion in February '05, I said "my next car is going to be a Vue!") It's a v6 AWD, leather, 20,000 miles. Sounds perfect, for $15,500. It's in great condition, and I know where it's been (never been smoked in, never been in an accident, etc.) My car will be paid off in September (or before) and my cousin asked about buying it from me. Both such GREAT offers. It would be SO easy to sell my car to my cousin, and buy my aunt's Vue. BUT, just this week, we decided that when my car gets paid off, we are going to focus on paying off credit card bills and then start banking some money for when the day comes that I go to part-time. You know, the responsible thing. It is not easy to decide between what I want so badly (a new car!) and what I know I should do (live for a while without a car payment...something I've NEVER done before). SO, we're taking the responsible road and not buying her car/selling mine. I may regret not having a great deal on a car I want, but I know that the Vue would cost me so much more in gas. I drive 25 miles each way to work, and my car does pretty well. I have yet to spend $30 to fill-er-up. I know that would be out the window with a Vue.
So, wish me luck in keeping up with what we plan on doing and not buying a new car in the next 2 months!

A first for me!

I'm 30 years old, and tonight, for the first time ever, I went to a movie by myself. Yay me! I know, no biggie. But I never could do it before. Tonight I had a couple hours to kill before work, so I went to see "The Devil Wears Prada". Yes, a complete chick-flick. But it was a good one. I enjoyed it, and may make it a habit to enjoy movies on my own from now on! Tomorrow I'm getting my hair did!!!

That's a negative

You know me. You have for about 5 years. For 4 of those years, I have worked late-nights. Until 3am or so, not getting home til 330-4am. For 4 years I've been going to bed somewhere between 430-5am.

There is a general rule that goes along with said bedtime. Do not call me until about noon. Sometimes that is pushing it! But do NOT, unless you are my family or very very good friend and it's a dire emergency, (like going in to labor with no one else available) call me at EIGHT THIRTY AM. I did not answer your call. I did have to get out of bed to get the phone though, which disturbed my cat's slumber, which is the worst part of it all! Your message said "I have to work, my mom has to take Billy Boy to the doctor, can you watch Tommy Boy for an hour this morning." I'm sorry. This may seem like an emergency to you, but....your mom could easily take Tommy Boy with her to the doctor. Yes, it might be a bit inconvenient, but he's a good baby. He could handle it. There's no reason for you to have called me at EIGHT THIRTY AM. (You are also the one who had the radio on my competitor's station when I babysat a couple months ago. I've babysat for you since then. Never at 8:30am).

*disclaimer: if you are one of my closest friends and are getting ready to have a baby THIS MONTH, you can call me at ANY TIME and I will be there for you! ANY TIME. Even BEFORE 8:30am!!!

I didn't really get tagged

But this kind of seemed interesting, and I've never "used" Wikipedia, so I wanted to try it

Instructions:
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the Search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. One holiday or observance (if any).

On January 19
Events:
1. 1977 - Snow falls in Miami, Florida. This is the only time in the history of the city that snowfall has occurred. I was born during an ice storm. I don't feel sorry for Miami
2. 1994 - Record cold temperatures across the eastern half of the United States brings temperatures below -20°F in many locations, such as Ohio and Kentucky. this was just a normal winter day in Wisconsin
3. 1983 - Klaus Barbie, Nazi war criminal, is arrested in Bolivia. i never knew barbie got arrested!

Births:
1. 1807 - Robert E. Lee, American Confederate general (d. 1870) that's kind of my uncles name. he's not that old though.
2. 1923 - Jean Stapleton, American actress gotta love that dingbat!

Death:
1. 1906 - 1847 - Charles Bent, New Mexico pioneer (assassinated) i wonder if anyone ever told him to get bent

Holiday:
1. The unofficial National Popcorn Day i LOVE popcorn!!!

That's it. If you try it, let me know what you come up with!

Who Knew?

Probably you.

I learned something from my nieces last week. They are 8 and 5. We went to the Children's Museum, and somehow a conversation of fruits and vegetables came up. One of them said "A cucumber is a fruit." WHAT? Seriously folks, I feel a little stupid. "If it has seeds, it's a fruit. If it doesn't, it's a vegetable." Huh. I guess I wasn't paying attention that day. (One question: what do you call the English-or SEEDLESS-cucumber?)

Well this changes a lot! Cucumbers are fruit. Squash is a fruit. Tomatoes are fruit. Dang! Maybe I can tell Dave (who doesn't eat vegetables) "Honey, squash is FRUIT! You can eat it!!!"

Time

Where has it gone? In just TWO WEEKS, I will be staring at this clock live and in person



Yes, the clock at Grand Central Station in NYC. We're staying VERY close to Grand Central. And I can't wait to get there. It's been 9 years (to the month, actually) since I was there last. Not the best time of my life, unfortunately. I was visiting a friend. Same friend this time, but it will be different. Have I mentioned I can't wait to get there????

Ok, I think I'm going to go look up how to fill in those holes in my front yard left from pulling out those bushes.

Rachael Ray Show

Yes, Rachael Ray is getting her own show. She begins taping in July. OOH, we're going to NY in July! She tapes literally .23 miles from our hotel. OOOOOHHHH! That would be SO COOOL! She is my cooking HERO. LOVE HER!



She's taping Tues-Thurs, 11am & 2pm. You can request to be at a taping right on her website.

Oh yeah....WE'RE FLYING IN LATE ON THURSDAY AND LEAVING MONDAY AFTERNOON.

DAMN IT!!!

It's all about me, right?

Here's another survey!

1. My ex is...a passing thought
2. I am listening to...Quaker Steak & Lube commercial
3. Maybe I should...try to explain
4. I love...my life
5. My bestfriends...are forever
6. I don't understand...a lot
7. I lost...my mind
8. People say...stop
9. The meaning of my screen name is...my job
10. Love is...the best thing ever
11. Somewhere, someone is...not understanding
12. I will always...have myself
13. Forever seems...hopeful
14. I never want to...hurt you EVER again
15. My mobile phone...is somewhere...in my purse?
16. When I wake up in the morning...morning? i think "why am I awake!"
17. I get annoyed...people who don't listen
18. Parties are...fun...for the most part
19. My Dog is...no dogs for me
20. Kisses are the best when...they're from someone you love
21. Today I...babysat
22. I Wish I...hadn't
23. Tomorrow I will...work
24. I really want...to be in NYC!
25. My room is...messy

Worlds Worst and Best Shovels

I went to the store today to get a shovel. After last nights de-landscaping, I needed to finish up. I needed to get to the root of the problem, so to speak. So, I bought a shovel at a discount store.

I got home with said shovel, used it for about 5 minutes, and the damn thing BROKE. Seriously. I wasn't hitting someone with it, I was trying to dig. Isn't that what shovels are for? Well it broke right where the metal meets the wood. I offer you a version of the worlds worst shovel. I can't find the exact one online, unfortunately.


So, we took that one back and went to a different store for a new shovel. Twice the price and ALL METAL, it's called "The World's Best Shovel". So, we bought it. And you know what? I believe it. I pulled out some NASTY roots with that thing, and it's still working.

Here you go, the World's Best Shovel (mine says it right on the shovel) from Fiskars of all companies. I thought they just made scissors.


And the damn bushes I pulled out with it:



This was the last of the 3, and was as big as the other 2 put together. On here it looks like a big scary animal ready to bite!



Next? The roses. Wish me luck.

Another weekend gone!

It was a busy one, but a good one! Friday night was volleyball, and it seemed like everyone brought their kid with them! Shawn brought Kalina (13 months), Sarah brought Vincent (7 months) and Mary brought Grace (almost 3 years). It was a fun time, and finally a decent (but a little warm) night for volleyball. Saturday was another work day, then to my parents' house to celebrate Father's Day. It was just going to be me and dave with my parents, but my brother, sister-in-law and their 2 kids joined in. It was also a good time. Sunday we got up and headed to Dave's brother's house for a second father's day. more good food, a little wine...and I was BEAT. I thought I'd fall asleep at the table. I only had 2 glasses, but ended up taking a 2 hour nap when we got home. Then it was off to work for me, as another week started!
Today I slept in as late as I could. So when 2pm rolled around, I felt the need to get my butt out of bed. So I went to work out, then came home and mowed the lawn. Then I pulled out a plant we don't like. And Dave cleaned the gutters. We have a lot of plans for our landscaping...we'll see how it all goes. We're going for the minimalist look though, that's for sure.
So, here we are. Another week. Hope yours started off good!

What time of day are you?

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Wanna hear a story?

If so, keep reading. If not...then, well...don't! :o)

It's the story of my friend Dena. Those who know me know of her. So I'm telling those of you that don't know me!

The story starts in 1986. Yes, 20 years ago. If I remember correctly (which it is possible I don't), I was reading one of my brother's magazines and in the back there were pictures and ads, if you will, for pen-pals. One of the girls was 3 years older than me, and I thought "What the heck!" (I was 10. I said heck. I'd say hell if it were to happen today)! So, I wrote to this girl, Marcella, who lived in Brooklyn, NY.

A few weeks later, I got a letter back. Only it wasn't from Marcella, but her cousin Dena. Marcella was bombarded with letters, and Dena was my same age, so she gave her the letter.

For a few years we wrote back and forth as often as we could, comparing likes and dislikes and things that young girls do. Boys and music and all the important things. After a few years of writing, we tried talking. But before talking on the phone, we figured we'd send cassette tapes back and forth. I'd talk in one and tell stories, then send it to her. She'd talk on the other side and send it back to me. We did this because, being the age we were, we thought it would be a FORTUNE to talk on the phone between Wisconsin and New York. The first tape I got from her...well, I was a little naive to say the least. I didn't know not everyone talked the same! I didn't know there was such thing as New York accent. (Or a Wisconsin accent, if you must think there is one!)

We talked on the phone a couple of times, but it really was easiest to write our letters. We even had nick-names for each other. She was Doc (her initials are DR) and I was Kid (mine being KD). My first car had license plates of GOKIDGO.
Anyway, we continued to write until 1997. Yes, after 11 years and a couple failed attempts, we decided to meet. I flew out to New York in July, and what happened next is a story in itself. Without getting into too much detail, I will tell you it was not a good experience. Two 21 year old girls who lived WORLDS apart completely clashing after all that time. It was just weird to think we wouldn't get along. But we didn't. It was bad, and after some nasty exchanges via snail-mail, we stopped communicating alltogether.

After 2 years, I wrote her a letter. In it I basically said that I wanted closure. If we weren't going to be friends anymore, then I at least wanted it to end on good terms. I got a letter back from her, and I couldn't believe it. She was apologizing for the way my trip had turned out, and telling me she was glad I'd written.

We continued from there, sending emails this time rather than letters. We'd caught up with technology and it was SO easy to communicate. We became closer than we were before. Letter/email communication is a very interesting thing when it's all you have. We still don't speak on the phone very often (unless it's big news, like when I got engaged), but I think we have the most open friendship because of it.

SO, after 6 more years, it was time for another trip. I had asked her to be in my wedding, and it would be the second time we'd ever met. I knew it would be an emotional time, so I planned a trip out there to be kind of a buffer. February '05 came and I was to head out. That week, I got sicker than I'd been in a LONG time. It was the first time I called in sick to my job since I started in July '02. Come to find out, Dena was sick too. And a snowstorm was headed to NY. So, my trip got cancelled. Fast forward to July, just 1 day before my wedding. Dave and I on the way to the airport to pick her up (along with her boyfriend Greg). I was SO nervous. I thought I'd get sick. I considered her one of my best friends, yet I hadn't seen her in 8 years, and that was a disaster. When I saw her coming down the escalator at the airport, the fear and nervousness drained out of me, and it was like it was supposed to be. Seeing an old friend after a long absence.

I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her that weekend, but what time we did spend together was great. We've both grown up a LOT since that first visit. Dave and I are going to visit her next month, and we can't wait.

And that is the story of my friend Dena. I hope you enjoyed it!

Neglect!

I feel like I've been spending too much time on myspace and not enough time here lately. So, I'm taking a break from myspace and focusing on blogger! (As if it really matters!)

So, 3 weeks ago, I went to the doctor for a consultation and she said "let's get some blood, we'll test it, and go from there." So, I did that. She said it would take about a week for the results. I gave FIVE VIALS of blood. (I know...could have been worse, but it seemed like a lot!) Anyway, I waited and waited to hear back. 10 days later (last friday) I finally get a phone call. What did they say? Huh? Wait for it.....

The tests were inconclusive and we need to you come back and give 5 more vials of blood.

So yeah, that's what I did today. I sure hope tomorrow's more fun!

Gettin' a Packer Fix!

Today was the Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game. It was SO fun. It's where we got engaged in 2004, and we wanted to make it a yearly tradition. We couldn't go last year, but we made sure to get there this year. They have fun on the field (it's Packer offense vs. defense) and make it a great time for everyone. The weather was good, traffic tolerable...all-in-all, a very good day.

Favre up to bat

Last season out-of-nowhere superstar, Samkon Gado

Donald Driver, hitting one of his (at least) 2 homeruns of the day

The score when we left was 21-8, offense. It was a lot of fun, and now we're ready for some football!!!

Your pronounciation lesson for today

You are VERY into sports. So much so that you WORK FOR ESPN RADIO. So, I shouldn't have to explain this to you. But apparently I do.

Dirk Nowitzky. He is from Germany, currently playing his eighth season with the Dallas Mavericks. But you already know that, because as I said, you work for ESPN Radio. You must not, however, know how to pronounce Nowitzky. Now, I know it looks like it might be "no-witz-key". It is not. So stop saying it that way. Say it the right way, please. Nuh-vitz-key. Easy enough? Yes, it is. It must be, because that is how almost everyone that has anything to do with the NBA pronounces it. Now, I've not heard Dirk pronounce his last name, but I'm pretty sure he would not say "no-witz-key", being from Germany and all.

Thanks. Have a good day.

I got nothin'

So, here you go. The ABC's of me. Again. I stole this one from my friend Vanessa. Feel free to steal it from me!

A- Available?:*Nope
A - Age?:*30
A - Allerigic to?:*nothin'

B - Best Friend?:*Dave
B - Beer?:*yes please
B - Birthday?:*Jan 19

C - Crush?*great local band!
C - Car? *one with lots of hail damage
C - Candy?:*Chocolate

D - Day or Night?:*night
D - Dream Car?:*i'm trying to find it!
D - Dog or Cat?:* Cats Sami & Blu

E - Easiest friend to talk to?:*Dave, Sarah
E - Eggnog?:*Yum!
E - Email?:*way too much

F - Favorite Month?:*July
F - Favorite Color?:*yellow
F - Favorite Memory?:*so far? getting married

G - Gummy Bears or Worms?:*bears
G - Giver or Taker?:*Giver
G - Gum?:*not so much

H - Hair Color?:*brown
H - Height?*5'5"
H - Happy?:*Absolutely...for the most part

I - Ice Cream?:*MMM! Breyer's Twix ROCKS!
I - Instrument?:*none
I - Idol?:*American? NO thanks

J - Jewelry?:*have a bunch I don't wear
J - Job?:*pretty fun!
J - Jail?:*haven't been

K - Kids?:*just my cats
K - Kixboxing?:*don't hurt me!
K - Kindergarden? *Ms McWilliams. She was SO cool!

L - Longest Car Ride:*Madison to San Francisco
L - LOVE?:*ABSOLUTELY!
L - Last Kiss?*after lunch today

M - Milk Flavor?:*chocolate please!
M - Most Missed Person?:*too many
M - Movie Last Watched?:*Kiss The Girls...the book was better

N - Number of Siblings?:*One older brother
N - Number of Tattoos?:*2 or 3
N - Name?:*Kari

O - One Wish?:*If I tell you, it won't come true
O - One Phobia?:*fire. i can watch a contained one (like a bonfire) but that's it
O - One regret?:*not knowing

P - Pet Peeves?:*idiotic drivers
P - Part of the Opposite Sex's Body You Like Most?:*his left ring finger with the wedding band on it!
P - Part of your Personality You Like Most?:*dependable

Q - Quote?:*Vern Tessio: If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy. Cherry Pez. Cherry flavor Pez. There's no doubt about it.
Q - Quick or Slow?:*Both

R - Reason to Smile?:*life is good
R - Reality TV Show?:*Real World, Big Brother
R - Reasons to Cry?:*not knowing

S - Song Last Heard?:*Hmm...Sammy Kershaw, She Don't Know She's Beautiful
S - Season?:*fall
S - Shoes?:*went shopping for them today!

T - Time You Woke?*11:30am
T - Time Now?:*743pm
T - Time for Bed?:*4am

U - U Love Someone?*Very much
U - Unpredictable?:*not really
U - Underwear?:*yes

V - Vegetable You Hate?:*lima beans
V - Vegetable You Love?:*corn
V - Vacation Spot?:*NYC next month!

W- Worst Habits?:*not knowing when to stop
W- Where Are You Going to Travel Next?:*Appleton this weekend for the Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game
W- Weather Right Now?:*Sunny and warm

X - X-Rays?:*not for a while
X - X-Rated Porn?:*is there any other kind?
X - X-tra special someone?*I've got a couple!

Y - Year You Were Born?:*1976
Y - Year It Is Now?:*2006
Y - Yellow?:*my car

Z - Zoo Animal?:*tiger
Z - Zodiac?:*Capricorn
Z - Zoolander?:*Haven't seen it

6-6-6

Why do those numbers signal the end of the world? Because Damien made it so. We went to see "The Omen" today. Man, you can tell it's the end of the school year. Teenagers EVERYWHERE. Laughing. There was not much funny in this movie! Dave and I made a pact that if and when we have teenagers, we will tell them to be quiet at the movies. They'll understand when they're 30. Yeah, they won't listen. But at least we can say we tried. When we got out of our showing (which wasn't packed, but wasn't empty either) the line was REALLY long. And full of more teenagers. I'm so glad we went when we did.

So on a day such as today, if something abnormal happens, it's because the devil did it. Right? My phone wasn't letting me get my voicemail. I put in my password, and it asked me to put in my password. Repeat. I had to start over. THEN, the soda machine took the dollar the opposite way the picture shows. AND, my sub took a long time, so they made good by giving me a free cookie without me even complaining. Now, I know my cell phone sucks sometimes. Like when I try to erase a particular contact, it freezes and I have to take the battery out and put it back in to use it. Only with THAT particular number. And the soda machine will take whatever it feels (or doesn't feel) like taking. And sometimes customer service IS a priority. But because of those 3 numbers, it's the beginning of the end of the world.

Whew!

It was quite a busy weekend, but it was ALL GOOD!

Friday I got up early so I could spend time with my friend Sarah and her 6 month old, Tatum, in town from Texas. It was so nice to see them. Tatum's at that stage where she cries at anyone except her mom, so I didn't hold her much. But it was really good to see them both. Hopefully they'll be back in September.
Friday night was my remote at the speedway, and after a short bout of rain, we got everything set up and it was a good time. I left before the races got underway. I was SO tired. But the local Pepsi folks were there with their new promotion vehicle, and it was way cool. It's the Toyota FJ Cruiser. I don't need anything that rugged, but it was neat. I'm more up for a Nissan Murano, and that still won't be for a while yet. Who knows what I'll want by then!
Saturday we did yard work and while Dave was away, I started cleaning/drinking wine. I was making some desserts for the baby shower, as well as preparing dinner for Rob & John, and I had to go to the store to get chicken. Then I realized I'd already had 3/4 of a bottle of Wollersheim Winery Prairie Fume. So, I had to wait til he got home to take me to the store. We had Chicken Parmigiana for dinner, and 4 more bottles of wine. It was a good time!
Sunday, I got up "early" and started preparing for the shower. Thankfully, Gertie & Jess showed up to help finish, and there really was just enough space for everyone. Lots of good times, great gifts for Babe, and a LOT of leftover food. I sent a bunch home w/Babe and some with my parents.

Now I'm watching "The Game" with Dave and Blu, and relaxing from the weekend. My week starts in about 3 1/2 hours, and I'm NOT ready for it!!!

Friday randomness

just some things about me that you might not know. You might not even care. But I'm doing it anyway!

-I'm addicted to Milio's subs. #2 or #15, please. On a french roll.
-I think people tell me things just to see if it hurts me sometimes. It does, but I don't tell them that. Is that bad?
-I don't care that he hasn't spoken to me in 4 1/2 months. Yeah, I bring it up on here sometimes. But I don't care. I wish he would just be gone from my life.
-I'm going to New York in just over 40 days!!!
-I am going for a face-to-face interview for a volunteer position at Domestic Abuse Intervention Services on Monday!
-This weekend is super busy! My friend from Texas is in town, I'll see her Friday. I also have a remote at another speedway Friday night. Saturday, Rob & John are coming over for dinner. And Sunday is Babe's baby shower at my house. Hope I survive! (I would link to Rob, but I don't know his site off the top of my head. It's in my bloglines!)
-I recently saw a show with the Q1 Tower in it, and now I want to visit Australia just to see it! (Come on Rob, get going, would you???)
-If I find a new blog I like to read, I will probably go back to the BEGINNING and read the whole thing. If I can make it through and still enjoy reading, I'll add it to my list!
-Dave and I may not talk all day when we're not together (he's at work or out of town or something) but no matter what, we'll call to say goodnight EVERY night we're not together. Which is every weeknight, since I work overnights!

Is there a point to this post? Maybe. I guess we'll never know.

Happy Friday! Have a fabulous weekend!