ahh…saturday

13 06 2009

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Isn’t this gorgeous? I took it this morning near our apartment. It makes me happy every time I look at it. It would be awesome if I could paint this…maybe…

Keith completed a 62-mile bike ride today to benefit cancer patients and their families. He did an awesome job too, averaging 20 mph, and finishing in three hours and 15 minutes! As always, I’m so proud. He does things I can’t fathom making my body do. He’s napping now, and I just might join him. This week marked my seventh morning to rise at 5 a.m. and go running with a co-worker. We’ve now worked our way up to 2.5 miles, and Monday we’re shooting for three. It’s interesting really; I always thought I wasn’t a morning person, but I’m starting to enjoy it. This morning I even got up at 7 and met him there for a run. Unfortunately, the sun was already up as well, so it sapped us pretty quickly. NYC trip is coming up. Woohoo!


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lino-block printing, part one

9 06 2009

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So, my friend Kristie bought me a linoleum block and a cutting kit for my birthday. At first, I didn’t know what it was, but when I figured it out, I was ecstatic. So, yesterday morning I carved my first design, and I just printed it on some blank cards with acrylic paint. I’m pleased with it. Sure, it could be better, but it’s not too shabby. Next time I’ll remember that more texture is ok, and also that whatever I carve will be backwards when I print it. That’s something that didn’t occur to me. Yes, I know it’s obvious. 

AND, about the iPhone…considering they announced a newer, much cooler version will be available on June 19, I think I’m going to wait it out (even though my phone is in two pieces). I just hope I can make it to the store that day and get one before they’re all snatched up. That’s my biggest concern.


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Happy Sunday.

7 06 2009

I’m in the process of making berry muffins, adapted from this recipe, with some frozen berries and some fresh blueberries I have leftover from the Farmer’s Market. I’ll let you know how they turn out…

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I’m on a roll.

2 06 2009

So………Keith and I are notorious for sleeping through multiple alarms, tornados, power tools, etc., and for sleeping half the day away on Saturdays and Sundays. However, I have had a breakthrough. Friday: awake at 5 a.m.; Saturday: awake at 6:30 a.m.; Sunday: awake at 7 a.m.; and today: awake at 5 a.m. The 5 a.m. wakies are due to a new running pact I made with a coworker. We meet at a nearby track at 5:30 three mornings a week and run 2-3 miles. what’s interesting is that I’m no more tired at the end of the day than I would have been had I slept in. Saturday, Keith and I both ran an 8 a.m. 5K, which necessitated the early rise. I was proud because I ran a 9:37 mile, and Keith’s was just under 7. And yesterday, we went to the lake with a group of friends. We had a great time lounging around all day. I must have applied my SPF 50 seven or eight times, but my back and the tops of my legs still burned. Oh, the plight of the fair-skinned! Oh well, it could have been worse. Work is going great, partially because I’m excited about our upcoming NYC vacation. It’s amazing how vacation can motivate one to get her work done. Oh, and my b-day is coming up, friends. I turn 26 on June 10. Please feel free to lavish me with gifts and birthday wishes. Also, in case you were wondering, I don’t have the iPhone yet. My friend, Ryan, convinced me to wait on account of this announcement on June 8 regarding the possibility of a new iPhone release. So, I’m waiting, very impatiently, but waiting nevertheless. More to come on that…


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MOJITO!

25 05 2009

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So it’s a rainy Memorial Day weekend, but I’m still super happy ’cause I don’t have to go to work tomorrow, my birthday (the best day of the year) is fast approaching (hint, hint), AND our New York trip is coming up as well. So, I’m going to celebrate like it’s a beautiful, sunny day! Keith is grilling our burgers, and I just made the most fantastic mojitos ever. I adapted the recipe from one I saw in Allure magazine. Here goes…

Watermelon Mojito (makes two)

  • 8 1-inch watermelon cubes
  • 5 mint springs
  • 2 tbs. fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbs. simple syrup (we make our own by mixing equal parts sugar and water, bringing to a boil and cooling)
  • 2/3 cup white rum
  • soda water to taste (we used Whole Foods key lime soda)

Crush the watermelon and springs of mint together in a shaker, then add ice, lime juice, simple syrup, and run, and shake vigorously. Strain into the glass and top with soda water. Garnish with a mint leaf (optional. we’re not that fancy.)

Happy Memorial Day!


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Away We Gooooo…..

20 05 2009

I have so many things I want to say on my blog, but they knock around in my head all day and by the time I get home and sit down at the computer, I’ve got nothing. I will say, though, that I’m thinking about a lot of different things, which kind of hinders creativity. Here’s a sampling:

  • Keith and I are about to become househunters. We still haven’t met with a lender, and the news about the tax credit and how it can be used seems to change every day. And I hear, from my grown-up homeowner friends, that it’s only uphill from now till you have the keys in hand.
  • Trying to plan a wedding….I am SO NOT a planner. I do have great ideas and things I know I want to do, but when it comes to connecting the dots, I’m out. We’ve tossed some ideas around, but nothing is set in stone yet. All I seem to want to do are the fun things like try on dresses and register for gifts. We’ll get there, but I’m in no rush.
  • Work, work, work. This includes my full-time job, plus a side job, plus some freelance, when I can sqeeze it in.
  • I want to try my hand at printmaking. I bought this awesome Lotta Prints book, but haven’t had time to do it yet. This weekend…
  • Keith and I have other blog ideas in the works. Yes, indeed.
  • We’re going on vacay to New York in June! We’d already planned the trip before we got engaged, so we’re still going. It’s actually really affordable to go now.
  • Last but not least by any means, a friend proposed a “project” to me, and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about that. Just waiting on one more little piece to click. Could I be any more vague?

Anyhow, that’s what’s up. Hopefully I’ll be able to scratch some things off my list soon. And I know everyone else in the world has their own weighty list of to-dos. I’m not in any way implying that my list is longer than another. Just sayin’ is all, just sayin’.

Also, I really want to see Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. I think it’s the soundtrack that really draws me in. I need to find out who that is. If you know, let me know. Here’s the trailer. Just lovely.


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Oh, mundane.

7 05 2009

Keith has joined a cycling group with a guy that I work with, a husband of a chick I work with, and a guy I don’t know. I think I mentioned this in a previous post. Anyhow, today he sustained his first injury during his first crash. Apparently, he had a flat. When he came home, he had dirt on his face and blood on his knee, but he was smiling and seemed exhilirated. Could have been worse, I guess. I’m glad he’s got a group to ride with.

In other news, the annual company retreat is a half-day tomorrow and all of Friday. The theme is ’80s, and all I know is that I’m on the Ghostbusters team. That’s cool. I like the Ghostbusters. whatever. Usually we stay all day Thursday, and it is so far away, that most of us stay the night. But this year, to save money, it’s close by and spending the night is optional. I’m just not feelin’ it, so I’m going home.

Tonight at the gym, one of my hairs actually got tied to one of my eyelashes. You know that thing people do where they “pull” on their lip with an invisible cord? Do you know what I’m talking about? Well, I could pull on this almost transparent hair, and my eyelid would move. I freaked some people out. But I really could NOT get the hair loose. The guy at the front desk had to cut my hair for me. It was bizarre.

iPhone countdown: 21 more days….

Oh, and I really like this Franz Ferdinand song. Here’s the video. Enjoy!


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Let the countdown begin…

4 05 2009

24 days til I am the proud owner of an iPhone! I am counting the moments, so expect more annoying posts about it in the near future.

This weekend was full of rain and lots and lots of sleep. My car broke down on Saturday night, right after I got it back from the dealership for an oil change, and conveniently, an hour before I was supposed to be at work. Somehow I managed to get it back to the dealership, get a loaner and make it to work on time. I will find out the diagnosis tomorrow. I know it seems as if they did something wrong during the changing of the oil, but I’m thinking it’s likely coincidence. 150,000 miles on my car; could need a new fuel pump. fun times. 

Keith went on a bike ride today with a guy I work with and some others. They rode in the rain, and pretty much, through the river. He brought me a pile of wet and muddy clothes home to launder. He’s going out again tomorrow, and I’m sure we’ll repeat the process.

That’s all I’ve got. I’m so boooorrrring right now. I hope the sun comes out tomorrow!


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What a day…

27 04 2009

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Today, I did not go to work. Today was my “Good Friday” holiday that I didn’t get to take off because we were too busy/behind to do so at the time. And today was great. I woke up late, did some intense laundry, had lunch with Keith, cleaned up cat vomit (yum!), took my crappy kites back to Dollar Tree, strolled the eerily empty aisles of a Monday afternoon Target, and purchased pepper plants and planted them (see above). I bought two Mexibell plants and an orange Bell pepper. The plants on the far left are just wildflowers. I’m not sure why I put them in the picture. Do you have any idea how much a single orange bell pepper costs in the produce section? I got the whole plant for $3! Let’s hope I grow lots of peppers. Now I’m debating what’s next. I had intended to go to the gym downtown and work abs and legs. However, I’m finding it difficult to get moving. I could just do cardio….decisions, decisions.

As for the upcoming wedding, I don’t have any new announcements yet. We will probably get married sometime early next year. We are working out the details; I’ll keep you posted.

And, congratulations to our friends Shauna and Levi, who had a big ole baby boy on Wednesday. Sweet baby Warren weighed in at 8 lbs., 14 oz. He has a headful of curly brown hair, and is cuuuttee! Also congratulations to my friend and co-worker Kristi, who is adopting and was recently matched with a mother who is 17 weeks pregnant.


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Happy Easter + We’re ENGAGED!!!

14 04 2009

I must say that some of my fondest childhood memories are of Easter. I shared this knowledge with Keith over the weekend during our lazy and relaxing Saturday. I probably went on for about half an hour about how my cousins and I competed for who could find the most eggs, how I loved to dye them crazy colors, how I enjoyed searching for them so much, and how I would most certainly still hunt Easter eggs if it were socially acceptable for adults to do so. So you can imagine how excited I was when Keith told me Sunday morning that he bought some eggs to hide for me.

So, while I was out picking up our Easter lunch from Subway (yes, Subway), Keith hid them around the apartment. He wanted to do it outside, but it poured all day, so that wasn’t an option. He told me that there were 12 eggs total and that I had to open each up as I found them. I found the first couple, hid in our living room and kitchen, and they all contained chocolate. I thought it was strange that I had to open each up if they all had two pieces of Dove chocolate in them, but I didn’t say anything. I found a couple more eggs in the guest room, and I realized the only room left was the bedroom. When I went inside, there was an egg sitting on top of my jewelry armoire. I opened it, and it said “look in the top drawer.” This is when things started to click and I got kind of nervous. I opened the drawer and in one of the compartments was a pink egg. And when I opened it, there was a ring. I don’t remember a lot about what I said, except for “seriously?” and “are you sure?” But I do remember turning around and he was on one knee. So that’s the engagement story. I’m still feeling pretty loopy, and we haven’t really made any plans or set a date yet. I’m completely thrilled; I hoped for this day for a long time and often thought about what it would be like and how it would happen. It all came together perfectly, and I’m so happy I can call Keith my fiance. He is so unbelievably amazing! I’m sorry for getting all sappy, but it was the greatest moment of my life, and I couldn’t help but share it.


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