2010 in Retrospect
1. what did you do this past year that you’d never done before?
-Went to New York.
-Got pregnant!
-I’m sure there is more but I can’t think.
2. did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t make them. If I want change I do it when I want not at a specific date.
3. did anyone close to you give birth?
My brother and his wife had their 2nd child!
4. did anyone close to you die?
No
5. what countries did you visit?
None
6. what would you like to have this year that you lacked last year?
A better job for Lance.
7. what date from this year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 25th, the day I found out I was going to be a mom.
8. what was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not sure
9. what was your biggest failure?
Nothing comes to mind.
10. did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, besides the typical cold.
11. what was the best thing you bought?
I didn’t really make any major purchases.
12. whose behavior merited celebration?
Lance, for being so wonderful!
13. whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Shall remain nameless and I was not depressed but very annoyed.
14. where did most of your money go?
Mortgage…for the next 25+ years!
15. what did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going on vacation I suppose.
17. compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier cause I’m looking forward to July!!
18. thinner or fatter?
FATTER for a very good reason!
19. richer or poorer?
We have more in savings than last year so richer.
20. what do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise.
21. what do you wish you’d done less of?
Work! Haha.
22. how will you be spending your birthday?
Probably dinner with family and friends.
23. how will you be spending the holidays?
With family as usual.
24. did you fall in love this past year?
I have been in love for a while now.
25. how many one-night stands?
What kind of question is that? None obviously, I’m not a skank.
26. what was your favorite TV program?
Amazing Race and Big Bang Theory.
27. do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t hate.
28. what was the best book you read?
“A Proper Pursuit” by Lynn Austin
29. what was your greatest musical discovery?
Lots.
30. what did you want and get?
Pregnant!
31. what did you want and not get?
A million dollars.
32. what was your favorite film of this year?
Don’t recall.
33. what did you do on your last birthday, and how old were you?
28, dinner with family and friends.
34. how would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
My own.
35. what kept you sane?
Alone time and time with Lance.
36. which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I like Bethenny Frankel.
37. what political issue stirred you the most?
Lame Healthcare trying to take over everyone’s life.
38. who was the best new person you met?
My nephew Noah.
39. tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
God has the best plan in store.
40. quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“Lord I’m amazed by You How You love me” by Desperation
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
~Christmas~
Christmas and New Year’s has come and gone yet again. Despite the weather it really is my favorite time of year. I love the festive feeling everywhere you go. Even if people aren’t celebrating the real reason for the season there is still that wondrous sense in the air.
I was blessed to have nearly 2 weeks off of work. This was much needed due to my lack of energy and generally nauseated feelings at a moment’s notice. The joys of the first trimester. I was able to sleep in and lounge around for a good portion of my time off. Unfortunately, both Lance and I came down with a nasty cold. We went through 2 boxes of tissue! We were a sight for sore eyes. I didn’t want to take any meds even though some are determined “safe” to take while pregnant. I did have a cough drop and it didn’t settle well with me. Lots of fluids and lots of rest is what I ended up doing.
We spent time with both sides of the family. It continues to get larger and larger. We went for lunch on Christmas Eve with Lance’s dad’s side and to my parents for dinner after greeting at church. Christmas day we went to Lance’s grandmas on his mom’s side.
I was blessed to have nearly 2 weeks off of work. This was much needed due to my lack of energy and generally nauseated feelings at a moment’s notice. The joys of the first trimester. I was able to sleep in and lounge around for a good portion of my time off. Unfortunately, both Lance and I came down with a nasty cold. We went through 2 boxes of tissue! We were a sight for sore eyes. I didn’t want to take any meds even though some are determined “safe” to take while pregnant. I did have a cough drop and it didn’t settle well with me. Lots of fluids and lots of rest is what I ended up doing.
We spent time with both sides of the family. It continues to get larger and larger. We went for lunch on Christmas Eve with Lance’s dad’s side and to my parents for dinner after greeting at church. Christmas day we went to Lance’s grandmas on his mom’s side.
Friday, November 5, 2010
~trick or tree~
I have spent more time at Target this week than in the last couple months combined! Halloween has come and gone and thanks to clearance I was able to get some great deals for my darling dark loving husband.
Last year around Christmas I made a deal with Lance that I would find him a Halloween tree if he would help carry my huge artificial Christmas tree box up and down 2 flights of stairs. He hates Christmas decorations as much as I hate Halloween decorations. Yet, I am in love with Christmas and unfortunately he loves Halloween.
I saw a few Halloween trees this year. I really liked the style of one I saw at Pier 1 but there was absolutely no way I was going to spend $100 on it. Be serious. I went back later to find it sold prior to going 50% off but I wouldn’t have even spent $50 anyway. I only saw small trees elsewhere. Except at Target. They had a large tree for $60. Again, if you know me you know I would never spend that. It wasn’t the exact style I wanted but it would do. I told myself if I could find it after the holiday for cheap I’d get it.
On Monday (the day after Halloween), I went to the Plymouth Target. It was 50% off. Not bad but $30 wasn’t going to happen. On Tuesday, I went to the Coon Rapids Target. They didn’t even have trees but they had bags of our favorite Heath Candy Bars on sale for $1.34. I got 2. On Wednesday, I went to the Champlin Target. No trees but they had an adorable little skeleton piggy bank (that I had my eye on for Lance but again wasn’t paying full price) for 75% off and bags of Kraft Caramels for $0.49. I also couldn’t help myself and bought a cute shirt with a pink skull on it in case we ever have a girl. On Thursday, I went back to the Plymouth Target and the tree was 75% off! $15, not too bad. I also stopped at the Coon Rapids Target again to see if they had and candy left but all I got was a bag of Skittles for $1.24.
I think I’m done shopping at Target for a while now. I’m looking forward to after Christmas clearance!
Last year around Christmas I made a deal with Lance that I would find him a Halloween tree if he would help carry my huge artificial Christmas tree box up and down 2 flights of stairs. He hates Christmas decorations as much as I hate Halloween decorations. Yet, I am in love with Christmas and unfortunately he loves Halloween.
I saw a few Halloween trees this year. I really liked the style of one I saw at Pier 1 but there was absolutely no way I was going to spend $100 on it. Be serious. I went back later to find it sold prior to going 50% off but I wouldn’t have even spent $50 anyway. I only saw small trees elsewhere. Except at Target. They had a large tree for $60. Again, if you know me you know I would never spend that. It wasn’t the exact style I wanted but it would do. I told myself if I could find it after the holiday for cheap I’d get it.
On Monday (the day after Halloween), I went to the Plymouth Target. It was 50% off. Not bad but $30 wasn’t going to happen. On Tuesday, I went to the Coon Rapids Target. They didn’t even have trees but they had bags of our favorite Heath Candy Bars on sale for $1.34. I got 2. On Wednesday, I went to the Champlin Target. No trees but they had an adorable little skeleton piggy bank (that I had my eye on for Lance but again wasn’t paying full price) for 75% off and bags of Kraft Caramels for $0.49. I also couldn’t help myself and bought a cute shirt with a pink skull on it in case we ever have a girl. On Thursday, I went back to the Plymouth Target and the tree was 75% off! $15, not too bad. I also stopped at the Coon Rapids Target again to see if they had and candy left but all I got was a bag of Skittles for $1.24.
I think I’m done shopping at Target for a while now. I’m looking forward to after Christmas clearance!
Friday, October 22, 2010
~there is no where i can really say what i'm thinking~
I am going to be very vague. I was just talking with a friend on how we hate vagueness and here I am doing what I hate. I’d apologize but this is my space and I have to vent. I can't truly express myself on any blog, besides in a personal journal maybe.
I am just so sick of drama surrounding my life. I am content. I get along with everyone. I’m a positive person. I see the glass half full. I hate drama so I try not to cause any yet somehow it's always there caused by others. Most of the time I'm not even involved but I still get dragged down. I spent a good portion of my evening crying for a very important person in my life. I'm crying now.
I feel as though I am caught in the middle of a situation and I don't know the right thing to do. I want to get along with each side but there is no middle ground. I know who I agree with but it doesn’t make it any easier.
I am just so sick of drama surrounding my life. I am content. I get along with everyone. I’m a positive person. I see the glass half full. I hate drama so I try not to cause any yet somehow it's always there caused by others. Most of the time I'm not even involved but I still get dragged down. I spent a good portion of my evening crying for a very important person in my life. I'm crying now.
I feel as though I am caught in the middle of a situation and I don't know the right thing to do. I want to get along with each side but there is no middle ground. I know who I agree with but it doesn’t make it any easier.
Monday, October 4, 2010
~perfect fall day for yard work~
I spent the majority of the day yesterday cleaning out a huge overgrown area by our shed in the backyard.
Last fall our neighbors cut out bushes and offered us the kindling. Without seeing the pile Lance said we would take it all. Who knew it was going to be so much??!!! Oh my goodness, it was a massive pile of 4 foot long branches they stacked next to the fence. Well we didn’t end up using it due to the cold weather. (It snowed the beginning of October. Way too early.) So the pile sat there all winter long and this spring Lance moved it to revive the huge circle of dead grass it had sat on for half of the year. He threw it all by the shed where there was already weeds growing waist high or higher. (I had weeded that area the spring before so I was bummed it all was for nothing. Boo weeds!)
I had tried to take care of the branches by having a few bonfires this summer but larger wood logs were used instead without my knowledge. I have never done a fire myself and wasn’t in charge of it but assumed it was being used up. Not so.
I have plans for the overgrown area and all those dang branches were in my way so I had Lance start a fire and I carried over all of the branches and broke them into small pieces. He manned the fire for a while but then went inside so I took over. I think I did a good job keeping it going considering I’ve never done it before. I think I’ve always been scared. Not anymore! I got about half of the pile burned but I ran out of room in our bonfire pit! It was just way too full of ashes to continue. I had to put my burning party on hold.
Here is the remaining half, yeah that’s only half. I carried twice this across the backyard. My arms are pretty scratched up.
I have this Tuesday through next Tuesday off of work so I am determined to get that pile gone this week! Please don’t rain! I need dry wood!
I weeded once I moved all the branches and does it ever look different. I really should have taken a before picture.
Here’s after weeding. Just imagine this area full of waist high weeds and all those branches! (I didn’t get all the low weeds yet.)
I removed two trees that were about 8 feet tall that had started growing on their own this year. I would have loved to have kept them but their roots were growing under the fence and there is no way that would be a good thing down the road. I also trimmed all the trees in our backyard so there are no longer any low branches to smack into. I was weedwacking along the fence line and under the playset in the dark. Haha. I had to go inside cause I couldn’t see anymore.
And I also managed to do 4 loads of laundry! I took a bath to try to eliminate the aches that were starting. That’s a lot of physical work for someone as lazy as I am. Haha.
I hope to start landscaping the area this week. Obviously I can’t purchase many plants anymore but I’ll get some of it done and finish come spring. I can’t wait!
Last fall our neighbors cut out bushes and offered us the kindling. Without seeing the pile Lance said we would take it all. Who knew it was going to be so much??!!! Oh my goodness, it was a massive pile of 4 foot long branches they stacked next to the fence. Well we didn’t end up using it due to the cold weather. (It snowed the beginning of October. Way too early.) So the pile sat there all winter long and this spring Lance moved it to revive the huge circle of dead grass it had sat on for half of the year. He threw it all by the shed where there was already weeds growing waist high or higher. (I had weeded that area the spring before so I was bummed it all was for nothing. Boo weeds!)
I had tried to take care of the branches by having a few bonfires this summer but larger wood logs were used instead without my knowledge. I have never done a fire myself and wasn’t in charge of it but assumed it was being used up. Not so.
I have plans for the overgrown area and all those dang branches were in my way so I had Lance start a fire and I carried over all of the branches and broke them into small pieces. He manned the fire for a while but then went inside so I took over. I think I did a good job keeping it going considering I’ve never done it before. I think I’ve always been scared. Not anymore! I got about half of the pile burned but I ran out of room in our bonfire pit! It was just way too full of ashes to continue. I had to put my burning party on hold.
Here is the remaining half, yeah that’s only half. I carried twice this across the backyard. My arms are pretty scratched up.
I have this Tuesday through next Tuesday off of work so I am determined to get that pile gone this week! Please don’t rain! I need dry wood!
I weeded once I moved all the branches and does it ever look different. I really should have taken a before picture.
Here’s after weeding. Just imagine this area full of waist high weeds and all those branches! (I didn’t get all the low weeds yet.)
I removed two trees that were about 8 feet tall that had started growing on their own this year. I would have loved to have kept them but their roots were growing under the fence and there is no way that would be a good thing down the road. I also trimmed all the trees in our backyard so there are no longer any low branches to smack into. I was weedwacking along the fence line and under the playset in the dark. Haha. I had to go inside cause I couldn’t see anymore.
And I also managed to do 4 loads of laundry! I took a bath to try to eliminate the aches that were starting. That’s a lot of physical work for someone as lazy as I am. Haha.
I hope to start landscaping the area this week. Obviously I can’t purchase many plants anymore but I’ll get some of it done and finish come spring. I can’t wait!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
~day 8~
Day 8: Sunday, August 8th
I was up at 3am (2am MN time) in order for all of us to get ready, finish packing, and be on our way to the bus by 5. We had to walk a little further than normal before a shuttle came by. I’m assuming because it was so early and a Sunday. It beat walking the whole way to the bus stop and it was cheaper.
We had to buy tickets since our 7 day passes were expired. We got to the subway that we needed and discovered it wasn’t running. Ugghh. It gave an alternate route but didn’t give a direction so we got on the one going the wrong way. We quickly figured out our mistake and got off then on in the right direction. I was in a seat next to where someone had just vomited. Delicious way to start the day.
Some guys on the subway were very helpful and told us to ignore the alternate route and told us how we could get to the airport. It worked perfectly! We only took one more subway to a bus which took us directly to our destination.
Our flight was at 9:15am. Originally we were going to leave our hotel at 6 am but rethought it just in case we had a problem. Thank God we did! That ordeal put us behind schedule but we still had plenty of time to check in and make our flight. If we would have left at 6 we might not have made it.
I have never had so much pain on a plane before. My ears popped and I couldn’t remedy the situation. Luckily Lance is a pro with the valsalva maneuver and helped me out. We made it to Chicago and had lunch at Burrito Beach. Similar to Chipotle but not nearly as good.
Another flight to MN with more ear popping fun. We arrived at 1:40. Lance’s parents picked us up and we went to Lance’s grandmas. We hung out there a little bit filling in his family on our trip. After we drove to my parents to pick up my fish they were taking care of. We ended up talking with them for a while too. My voice was horse and I was I was exhausted. Finally we made it home!
I was so glad to use real 2-ply toilet paper again. That’s what I missed the most on the trip. Haha. It was a fun time. We saw so much. At times I felt as if I was in a different country with all the languages we heard but that was neat. Not sure when we’ll return but at some point I’m sure we will.
I don’t have a favorite part of the trip. I’ve been asked quite a few times and can’t come up with anything. I liked nearly everything we did! It was just a fun experience altogether.
I was up at 3am (2am MN time) in order for all of us to get ready, finish packing, and be on our way to the bus by 5. We had to walk a little further than normal before a shuttle came by. I’m assuming because it was so early and a Sunday. It beat walking the whole way to the bus stop and it was cheaper.
We had to buy tickets since our 7 day passes were expired. We got to the subway that we needed and discovered it wasn’t running. Ugghh. It gave an alternate route but didn’t give a direction so we got on the one going the wrong way. We quickly figured out our mistake and got off then on in the right direction. I was in a seat next to where someone had just vomited. Delicious way to start the day.
Some guys on the subway were very helpful and told us to ignore the alternate route and told us how we could get to the airport. It worked perfectly! We only took one more subway to a bus which took us directly to our destination.
Our flight was at 9:15am. Originally we were going to leave our hotel at 6 am but rethought it just in case we had a problem. Thank God we did! That ordeal put us behind schedule but we still had plenty of time to check in and make our flight. If we would have left at 6 we might not have made it.
I have never had so much pain on a plane before. My ears popped and I couldn’t remedy the situation. Luckily Lance is a pro with the valsalva maneuver and helped me out. We made it to Chicago and had lunch at Burrito Beach. Similar to Chipotle but not nearly as good.
Another flight to MN with more ear popping fun. We arrived at 1:40. Lance’s parents picked us up and we went to Lance’s grandmas. We hung out there a little bit filling in his family on our trip. After we drove to my parents to pick up my fish they were taking care of. We ended up talking with them for a while too. My voice was horse and I was I was exhausted. Finally we made it home!
I was so glad to use real 2-ply toilet paper again. That’s what I missed the most on the trip. Haha. It was a fun time. We saw so much. At times I felt as if I was in a different country with all the languages we heard but that was neat. Not sure when we’ll return but at some point I’m sure we will.
I don’t have a favorite part of the trip. I’ve been asked quite a few times and can’t come up with anything. I liked nearly everything we did! It was just a fun experience altogether.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
~day 7~
Day 7: Saturday, August 7th
I got up about 8:30 and woke up Lance for breakfast. The others had already left. Our key card stopped working. The front desk said sometimes if it’s next to a credit card it does that. The whole week it had been in the same place so that didn’t make sense. When we got a new key card I made sure not to store it by another card. That didn’t help. It again didn’t work after one try. Oh well, #2 had another card that worked fine.
Lance and I left first and caught a shuttle. The others were going to get a city bus to use as many of their prepaid tickets as possible. While on the shuttle I saw #1 waiting at the bus stop way past where we had been picked up! We still don’t know how he made it there without us seeing him considering he left after us. Lance texted him and we saw him looking all around confused. He spotted us waving as we passed. It was pretty funny.
We met up with #1 at Port Authority and headed to Chinatown. It was crazier than Times Square if that’s even possible! So many people are bombarding you with buying their stuff. It was very difficult to understand them. At one point I kind of guessed what a guy told me and Lance and #1 joked that I could understand Chinese. Nothing was priced, probably because they will bargain with you, but I didn’t end up getting anything.
We ate at an authentic Chinese restaurant. That was quite the experience. This place was massive! I’d say 1000 people were eating there. We were seated with another family. Luckily the daughter spoke English and Chinese and helped us figure out how to order and pay. Servers pushing carts kept pointing at dim sum they wanted us to buy and explaining what it was, in Chinese of course. I had to turn away at least 10 people! We tried to order 2 chicken dishes and the waiter said, “No. One is enough.” Then #1 ordered the same. The waiter rolled his eyes. We were quite surprised to see how large it was. 1 would have been enough for the 3 of us! No wonder the waiter thought we were stupid. Haha. This was the first time I had used chopsticks to eat an entire meal! #1 was able to give his leftovers away again.
After lunch we went to Little Italy and ate key lime cannoli’s. Yum.
Dacey and #2 arrived in NYC so #1 went to meet up with them and go shopping.
Lance and I took a subway to Brooklyn to meet up with my cousin Adam, his wife Amy, and their adorable daughter Harper. They treated us to dinner which was so nice of them and totally unexpected. Then we enjoyed a walk through Prospect Park. We stopped at their apartment for a tiny bit before heading back. Being in Brooklyn with mostly locals as opposed to the insanity of tourists in Manhattan was lovely. Lance said this was his favorite part of our entire trip and I agree it ranked pretty high up there for me as well.
We wanted to make the 9pm bus so we didn’t have much time to shop. I really wanted a purse but didn’t find one. Oh well, I have 20+ already! We ran into Kate and Jeff again and they were having difficulties but we offered our help. We ran into quite a few of the same people throughout the week. What are the odds? Lance and I bought 2 tickets from Dacey for our ride back so she wouldn’t have as many tickets left over.
I packed and was in bed after 11. I wasn’t going to get much sleep.
I got up about 8:30 and woke up Lance for breakfast. The others had already left. Our key card stopped working. The front desk said sometimes if it’s next to a credit card it does that. The whole week it had been in the same place so that didn’t make sense. When we got a new key card I made sure not to store it by another card. That didn’t help. It again didn’t work after one try. Oh well, #2 had another card that worked fine.
Lance and I left first and caught a shuttle. The others were going to get a city bus to use as many of their prepaid tickets as possible. While on the shuttle I saw #1 waiting at the bus stop way past where we had been picked up! We still don’t know how he made it there without us seeing him considering he left after us. Lance texted him and we saw him looking all around confused. He spotted us waving as we passed. It was pretty funny.
We met up with #1 at Port Authority and headed to Chinatown. It was crazier than Times Square if that’s even possible! So many people are bombarding you with buying their stuff. It was very difficult to understand them. At one point I kind of guessed what a guy told me and Lance and #1 joked that I could understand Chinese. Nothing was priced, probably because they will bargain with you, but I didn’t end up getting anything.
We ate at an authentic Chinese restaurant. That was quite the experience. This place was massive! I’d say 1000 people were eating there. We were seated with another family. Luckily the daughter spoke English and Chinese and helped us figure out how to order and pay. Servers pushing carts kept pointing at dim sum they wanted us to buy and explaining what it was, in Chinese of course. I had to turn away at least 10 people! We tried to order 2 chicken dishes and the waiter said, “No. One is enough.” Then #1 ordered the same. The waiter rolled his eyes. We were quite surprised to see how large it was. 1 would have been enough for the 3 of us! No wonder the waiter thought we were stupid. Haha. This was the first time I had used chopsticks to eat an entire meal! #1 was able to give his leftovers away again.
After lunch we went to Little Italy and ate key lime cannoli’s. Yum.
Dacey and #2 arrived in NYC so #1 went to meet up with them and go shopping.
Lance and I took a subway to Brooklyn to meet up with my cousin Adam, his wife Amy, and their adorable daughter Harper. They treated us to dinner which was so nice of them and totally unexpected. Then we enjoyed a walk through Prospect Park. We stopped at their apartment for a tiny bit before heading back. Being in Brooklyn with mostly locals as opposed to the insanity of tourists in Manhattan was lovely. Lance said this was his favorite part of our entire trip and I agree it ranked pretty high up there for me as well.
We wanted to make the 9pm bus so we didn’t have much time to shop. I really wanted a purse but didn’t find one. Oh well, I have 20+ already! We ran into Kate and Jeff again and they were having difficulties but we offered our help. We ran into quite a few of the same people throughout the week. What are the odds? Lance and I bought 2 tickets from Dacey for our ride back so she wouldn’t have as many tickets left over.
I packed and was in bed after 11. I wasn’t going to get much sleep.
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