out with the old

wherever the evening takes you tonight...

make it memorable.

cheers!

and here's to lookin' fine in 2009!

2008 in review

with the end of 2008 less than a week away, i decided that a good way to look back would be to search my computer for one photo from each of the past twelve months.

however, as soon as i began, i was immediately reminded of the fact that i am completely and utterly photographically challenged! i mean really, really challenged. i am the girl who forgets her camera at every event, and then can't figure out how to use it on the lucky occasion it happens to be along.

it is for this reason that my loyal readers {all three of you} will notice that some of the following pictures have been posted in previous blog entries.

that being said, here's what i came up with!

january--
oh, my. this seems like so long ago! there is not much to report about january, aside from the very important fact that my best friend brooke braved the bitter north woods one evening for dinner and drinks.

















february--
j celebrated his twenty sixth birthday with a doggie cake from his favorite girl, ruby.

















march--
i was enjoying my first real job as a third grade teacher, spending many late evenings at school obsessing over trival things, such as bulletin boards like this one!

















april--
april brought with it early birthday presents for both my brother and me as we were treated to a long weekend visit with our famous sister in san francisco. we had an awesome time exploring the city together and made lots of memories!

















may--
the much anticipated premiere of 'sex and the city: the movie' was celebrated at brooke's fabulous apartment in minneapolis!

















june--
in june both j and i were excited to hang up our teacher hats for the summer and start landscaping our two acres. we also celebrated our first anniversary, my twenty sixth birthday, and participated in the wedding of a dear friend...all in the same weekend!





















july--
it will never cease to amaze me that i made it five years past my legal drinking age before discovering the most delightful summer event...chetek brewfest!! our $25 admission bought us souvenier beer steins, live music, all you can eat bbq ribs, and more beer than one could ever sample. there is no doubt we will be back again in 2009; this time with lawn chairs, plastic gloves, and pretzel necklaces in tow!

















august--
thanks to a lot of help from our parents and the patient employees at menards, we were able to renovate our deck right before the start of another busy football season. in addition, august is never complete without attending this festival.














september--
i began my new job as a first grade teacher in a district closer to home. although overwelming at first {hence the lack of any photographic evidence}, i have definitely grown to love it.

october--
it was a beautiful fall! we continued to use our grill and have campfires throughout the month of october. this is a photo taken from our deck, looking toward the front yard. this is also when j began classes for his master's program, which keeps him busy one weekend a month.

















november--
our annual trip to green bay for the packer-bear game was shared this year with j's two brothers. the pack brought home a 37-3 victory and, as always, we had a lot of fun. once again, this is a photo i've previously posted...sorry! i know i have a lot more photos stored on my laptop {and that i'll kick myself when i see the pictures i should have used} but i'm just too lazy to start it up.

















december--
we celebrated the holidays with family, and started what i hope will become a new tradition: game day on the twenty fifth! it was cozy, hilarious, and a nice change to be "home" on christmas.






















that's all folks! see ya in 2009!

fun stuff

while blog-surfing tonight i came across this cool site: spell with flickr



if i were really ambitious, i might create and frame our last name on photo paper for a little office artwork. it's a thought.

so much to be thankful for

financially, people are suffering.
physically, people are suffering.
emotionally, people are suffering.

from the far away places you only hear about in the news, to the family down the road who has lost their home to fire.

and yet, here i sit.
in a warm house, with yummy vegetable lasagna in the oven.
with the cutest dog in the world at my feet.
with a loving husband outside, proudly snowblowing his driveway.
with a christmas tree in the living room and money to buy presents.
with a job. and health insurance.

and, best of all, a loving group of family and friends, none more than a phone call away.

it's overwhelming, really, to realize what a blessed life i have been given.

i can't wait to see what 2009 will bring.

what do you know ... a sunday post

well, it has recently become quite clear that i only blog on sunday. usually after i have slept in, had some coffee, done some grocery shopping, and successfully avoided any and all school work i need to complete for the week ahead. it's become routine, actually.

nevertheless, i'll try to do better. i promise!

in the meantime, here are some FIVES. just for fun.

five yummy things:
1. cheeseburgers. with lots of pickles.
2. a dq snickers blizzard
3. white chocolate peppermint mochas
4. taco salad with western dressing
5. buttery cinnamon toast

five songs I know by heart:
1. “baby got back” –sir mixalot
2. “jesse’s girl” –rick springfield
3. “one more last chance" -vince gill
4. mariah carey's christmas album, in its entirety
5. "don't worry be happy" -bobby mcferrin

five places I would like to escape to:
1. the spa
2. the mountains
3. the beach
4. the city
5. my dream house

five things I would never wear:
1. dirty socks
2. acrylic nails
3. a jean dress
4. shoulder pads (the exception being my halloween costume)
5. cowboy boots

five favorite TV shows:
1. the office
2. the new adventures of old christine
3. jon and kate plus 8
4. criminal minds
5. the girl's next door

five things I enjoy doing:
1. laughing with my brother and sister
2. reading in the bathtub
3. facebook stalking
4. finding pottery barn decor at the thrift store
5. making my house smell like a bakery

five favorite toys:
1. my laptop
2. my car
3. the wii
4. our magic bullet blender
5. my cellphone

spending some green on black friday

thanksgiving was a bit crazy. baby momma drama kind of crazy.

so what's a girl and her husband to do? why, escape from the house for a few hours and do their part to stimulate the economy, of course!

here is a sneak peak at our killer deals.

one of two pair of boots from my favorite store in sheboygan: younkers.

a new faucet for our bathroom. because it's pretty.



a must-have for our first annual christmas game day.

and last, but certainly not least, something that has been our list since last year at this very same time, a 32" flat screen HD LCD television.

stayin' roasty toasty at lambeau field

our annual trip to green bay for the packer-bear game has come and gone. the game time temperature was a pleasant 36 degrees, and the outcome couldn't have been more desirable.

here are some highlights~

gearing up for the game in the parking lot where, for the first time ever, we actually paid to park. soooo not green bay style.

while walking to the field, some friendly red bull folks pulled over to toss us a few drinks. like we needed to get any more amped up!

we scooted into our seats just as the game was getting underway. j predicted four turnovers for the pack. little did he realize what a long day he (and all the other bear fans) were in for!

yes, carrie, it is totally stalker-ish to photograph the people sitting in front of you, but seriously. were any of the men i was with going to buy me packer nachos? i think not.

whipping out the bear logo proudly, despite their pathetic attempt at a game.

amazingly, these three managed to avoid any heated political debates during our three hours together. luke and aaron did however, enjoy harassing the lone bear fan in the family with a blaze orange "bears still suck" sticker.

final score: 37-3

see ya next year!

a one word answer meme

You’re feeling: content

To your left: slippers

On your mind: lambeau

Last meal included: cereal

You sometimes find it hard to: stop

Weather: brisk

Something you have a collection of: books

A smell that cheers you up: baking

A smell that can ruin your mood: broccoli

How long since you last shaved: hours

The current state of your hair: lifeless

The largest item on your desk/workspace: basket

Your skill with chopsticks: faked

Which section you head for first in a bookstore: fiction

Something you’re craving: furniture

Your general thoughts on the presidential race: unprecedented

How many times have you been hospitalized this year: zero

Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: bathtub

You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: dancer

Something that freaks you out a little: birds

Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: sugar

You have never: surfed

You never want to: disappoint

come out come out wherever you are...

november is here! wOw. fall is flying by, and coasting right behind it are all of the mixed emotions that come with that next season (and no, i will not speak it's name). can you say seasonal affective disorder?

(dramatic) sigh.

the thanksgiving and christmas breaks from work, along with lots of family time to look forward to, unfortuntaly walk hand in hand with the bleak and bitter weather i dread so dearly. for whatever reason, these thoughts have begun to occupy a great deal of space in my head.

in fact, they seem to have gotten the better of me over the weekend, as i found myself spending the first two days of this new month at home, staring at the tv and computer screens longer than i care to admit. my mind was wandering. my body...was not.

despite this, i did manage to pull it together long enough to enjoy a few quiet weekend activities.

1. a shopping trip to stillwater and woodbury. still trying to figure out how i came home without anything.

2. one last outdoor bbq.

3. taking full advantage of the wide selection of $1 dvd rentals at our *new* redbox location (while all other residents of our small town remain oblivious to it's greatness).




4. and perhaps, best of all, an extra hour of beautiful, beautiful sleep.

i would like to say that all of this rest and time to crash at home is what i needed. but here i am, sunday evening...and the feelings are still with me. come to think of it, this is the second (gasp-third?) weekend i have awarded myself such time at home. perhaps the chance to "unwind" after a hectic work week is the opposite of what i need to become energized once again.

perhaps it's time (no, it is definitely time) to be social. to put myself out there. it's time for some not so quiet activities.

finish this sentence

"today is the day that i ...."

fall colors

october in wisconsin

is breathtaking.

photos to come soon.

randomness

evenings in september, for the most part, have proven quite plain.

now, i'm vanilla all the way, so this is neither a suprise, nor do i intend it as a complaint--

let's just call it an...observation. take, for example, today.

4:45 arrive home. mail, in. dog, out.
4:55 quick trip to library to pick up book reserved last may.
4:56 damnit! didn't beat the rain. sit in car while torrential downpour ensues.
5:00 feed thirsty car, $40 later.
5:15 trip to marketplace, to pick up fruit snacks and rice. was craving an apple, but honeycrisps were $3.99/lb. sigh. just couldn't do it.
5:42 begin dinner. well, begin warming up left-over tacos. what of it?
6:00 delicious!
6:15 peek into the fridge and happen across the last beer. well, ok. i suppose.
6:30 comfort my poor, pathetic dog, while the soft rumble of thunder terrifies her. catch up on wheel of fortune, and my bag of halloween m&m's.
7-9:00 i'm embarrased to say, but i can't tear myself away from the biggest loser, on nbc. could they include any more product placement? no. could they drag out the outcomes with any more commercials? no. do i wait with bated breath each week for that "what have you done today" theme song?.....um, yeah.
9:00 school project. i would explain it, but...eh. wasn't anything i couldn't do while watching law & order (the "season opener" as my husband would say).
10:00 gaze begrudgingly at a sink full of dishes. walk into office and turn on computer.

what a slow, rainy day it has been. here's hoping tomorrow brings more rain, and a little more zing!

(hmmm...perhaps less television would increase this likelihood--yikes!)

day eight

tomorrow marks the end of my second week back to work. the journey, at this point, has triggered many emotions.

excitement. anxiety. triumph. defeat...

i can't help but wonder how long i will be able to sustain a respectable amount of sanity.

'twas the night before school starts...

when all through the house...

aww, hell. who am i kidding? i'm not clever enough to come up with lyrics for a witty poem about school---i have lesson plans to write and thoughts to organize!

hmmm. perhaps it will calm my nerves to think about all of the things i have prepared for tomorrow (as opposed to the lesson plans i, um, haven't). here we go:

*outfit decided upon (because, come on, what's really important here?)
*lunch prepared
*teacher bag packed
*kennel cleaned
*alarm clock set
*classroom ready
*classroom ready
*classroom ready (this gets three checks because it was a HUGE undertaking)

now, onto those pesky lesson plans. grrr.

a breath of fresh air

despite feeling less than perky lately, the hubs and i decided it was time to step out and enjoy the beauty that lies just beyond our backyard. we hiked three different trails on the wisconsin side of interstate park, and i have to say, the view of the dalles (dells) of the st. croix were absolutely breathtaking.

with summer quickly fading and the start of the school year peering around the corner, i dobut we will be back as soon as i'd hope to, but you can bet i'll be there to catch a glimpse of the fall colors come october.

pass the peas please

last friday was surgery day, and the lovely man i live with was kind enough to capture a shot of me in all of my glory. i like how the photo came out fuzzy, because that is exactly how i was feeling (and it gave me an excuse to harass him).

sweat equity

2008 has definitely proven itself to be the "year of the project."

most recently, with the help of two sets of parents, we expanded our poorly constructed 10 x 12 deck into a solid, two-level structure. with stairs!!!

this is all very exciting, and while we did run into a few bumps along the road (it helps to live a mile away from menards) it turned out fabulously. here are a few snapshots of the process.



on the left--our old, wobbly, rotting deck. on the right--our new start!


joann and mona pose from the yard below.


tom was "the stair guy." thanks, dad!


after making three trips to menards to try and find correctly angled stair stringers for the second level, we finally wised up and made our own. turned out to be cheaper, too.


measure twice, cut once. or, in justin's case...measure fifteen times, cut once.


gary had fun ripping out the old spindles on the upper deck. tom and justin didn't have as much fun putting in the new ones. i think it was at this point when i thought, "yeah! we'll be done tomorrow!" eventually, i would say that two more times.

drum roll please........here is the finished product!

just for fun...

---->
my beautiful sister, jena


<----
anne hathaway

what a crock

so. the garage sale "season" has been pretty disappointing.

every saturday afternoon when our local paper arrives in the mail, i check out two things~

(1) the menards sales flyer
(2) the garage sales advertised for the upcoming week

at this point, it's become more than routine. in fact, i dare say i am somewhat (ok...completely) obsessed. i suppose i get it from my parents, who have always made time for thrifting in the summer. this summer has proven no exception, as the desire to go out searching for all sorts useful treasures to bring back to my new home is more than i can resist!

unfortunately, since that time, every single yard/garage/moving sale has been a complete bust. it has a been a summer of wasted gas in what has turned into a futile search for the household stuff we need (ok...want).

that was until last thursday, the first day of the county fair. because it is near our home, and because we had yet to decide whether or not we were going to go, j and i took a quick morning trip over to the fairgrounds to scope it all out. as we got close, we noticed a yard sale directly across from the front gate. turns out, the home belonged to a local kindergarten teacher who had been busy cleaning house. i think j had begun to pull the car over even before i pointed out the big pink sign!

once outside, j took a five second glance around, then started back to the car. i was about to do the same, but as i walked toward the driveway, suddenly something on the ground beneath a table caught my eye:



now, many of you are probably saying to yourselves, "what a ... um ... lovely ... pail...?"

and a month ago, i would have said exactly the same thing! however, all of the lousy garage sales have left me with plenty of time to do some real shopping! here, let me explain.

unfortunately, where i live, the shopping is somewhat limited. ok, very limited! however, one little boutique sucks me in every month - the picket fence gals occasional sale in lindstrom, minnesota. walking through this historic house, stuffed inside and out with beautiful decor, i am always inspired. as a result, i have also come to learn a thing or two about antiques. after seeing a couple of red wing pottery pieces (both here and at various friends' homes) i started to do some research about the history of the company.

now, at the time, i had no idea whether this mint condition pottery was manufactured by red wing or not, but with a $12 price tag i was willing to take a chance. even if it turned out to be something else, it was still a beautiful piece, right? so i took it home.

after some searching later that evening, i discovered another piece very similar to mine, posted in an 'ask the experts' section of the red wing collector's society web page. according to the expert, that piece was known as a *two gallon salt glazed red wing double p* crock. worth quite a bit more than what i had paid. hmmm.

so i emailed the above photo of my crock to the same gentleman, along with a description, in hopes of finding out if that's what i have, too. can't wait to know!

note to self

when your gut tells you a business is out to get as much money out of you as they can....you're probably right!

even if you're not, there are too many other honest competitors out there ready and willing to fight for your business. make a move anyway, and stay on top.

good bye, st. croix vet clinic! the friendly faces in amery have a new client.

trying to beat the summer heat

just sitting inside today, basking in the joy of an air conditioned house. got in a quick walk around the cul-de-sac this morning, washed the car, and stopped in at menards. much more productive than yesterday.

hmmm. feeling like i should be taking more advantage of this glorious summer, as it is definitely passing by very quickly. before school starts up again (school supplies are already being sold at your neighborhood target...) there is much to do.

july/august will hopefully bring-

1. travel to sheboygan for bratwurSHt days (yee hah)
2. monday night movies in loring park
3. a bbq/bonfire with friends
4. a get together with ann & jeff (cause didn't we promise to do that?)
5. furniture for my basement
6. finished mentor/mentee hours at school
7. reading the two jodi picoult books i bought at the library for $0.50
8. an appointment to have my wisdom teeth yanked (yessss)
9. a garage sale with maureen
10. more visits from family and friends, and trips to the state park

loving the library...

in a recent job interview, i was asked, "what book are you currently reading for pleasure?"

the answer came easily. i had picked up "the memory keepers daughter" by kim edwards at a thrift store months before, yet due to a busy spring schedule it was collecting dust on my coffee table, unfinished. it wasn't until i saw the movie version of edwards' story being broadcast on lifetime later that week that i snapped off the tv and finally sat down finish what i had started.

since that time, i have made it a point to devote a spot of time each day to reading. even though the library "in town" has proven a bit disappointing, i did come home the other day with a book that has pleasantly surprised me--




i have been a fan of suze orman for the past year or so, and it was her picture on the cover which initially attracted me to this book. just as she appears on her televised call-in show, her book expresses smart, straight-forward advice for all those "yf&b"ers (young, fabulous and broke) struggling to figure out the financial maze of adulthood.

here are some of the points she makes:

regarding career moves-
"you strike me as an incredibly undervalued asset. you have a great education, great skills, and great energy. you have what it takes to succeed in a career that truly interests and excites you. if that sounds too rah-rah for you, that's your first problem...if you don't think you are fabulous, if you don't have incredible confidence in yourself, you will never have the strength to go after what can make you happy."

regarding financial success-
"if you forced me to pick one single bit of advice that would have the biggest impact on turning around your financial situation, i wouldn't hesitate for a second. you have to know the score: your FICO score."

regarding love and money-
"financial intimacy is when you understand that you have different financial personalities and you work to come up with a shared approach to spending, saving, and investing."

regarding her "don't do it" section-
"people first. then money. then things...do not focus on your paycheck, focus on making your mark."

there is no fluff in this book. she shoots you the facts, and as i was reading, i truly felt like someone was sitting me down and saying, "look, here is what you need to know about money."

who wouldn't appreciate that?