i make things

2011...a retrospect

I don't know about you but for me personally I spend too much time worrying about the things I didn't get done instead of looking at all the things I did get done. I can't just cherish what I have completed but obsess about what I didn't get done. So this post is all about what I DID DO not what I didn't do during 2011 (they are in no particular order).

• Make my first quilt for my nephew Jacob. For the pattern I used a blog post that I found on pinterest that showed a fun baby quilt made out of flannel and some very soft minky fabric. (Dec.)
• I became a member of Pinterest...one of the greatest inventions ever! I have found the coolest stuff ever and finally a localized place where I can save ideas I find. I used to tear out pages from magazines and print out stuff from the web and glue it down in a book. I no longer have to do this! ha ha(Oct.)
• I got back on my exercise regimen. It feels so good too! (Sept.)
• I handmade some coasters out of felt for my sister for her birthday and christmas. (Sept and Dec)
• I became the Co-Superintendent of the Draft Show at the SCFF. I was hesitant at first because it's a lot of work and I didn't know if I wanted to sacrifice that much of the fair and my vacation but in the end I decided that I don't do enough service/charity and this was something I could do. So I did it and it was better than I thought. It wasn't as hard and I was excited about it even if some situations made me nervous or uncomfortable.
• Tried a ton of new recipes including: Beer and Paprika Beef Stew, Bacon-wrapped weenies, Caramel and Sea Salt Topped Shortbread, Gingerbread, Cherry Limeade, Made my own Brine for the Turkey, Rolls, Frangipane Fruit Tart...there is probably more but I just can't think of it all.
•  Flew to Florida for my Aunt Kathy's big 6-0 birthday! Aunt Kay, Aunt Karen and Uncle Al came down too! Loved being able to see all of them! (Sept.)
• Flew to Chicago for a work training session and got to have dinner with a friend from college. That was so awesome! (Sept.)
• Was a Kickball Champion with Sweet's Towing in the competitive league in Owatonna. (thursday nights)
• Was a Co-Ed Softball Champion! (sorry, no picture but I'll get one!) In the #2 bracket in Owatonna with my family!
• Documented a Week in my Life
• Played in the Faribault Women's Softball Do-Over Tournament and almost won it! We played a lot of games that day all in the rain except one! We ran through puddles, were completely drenched and still had a really good day!
• Played competitive co-ed pool with Jayde.
• Learned how to use the mini skid-loader and plowed out our driveway several times with Dad.
• Threw 2 baby showers! Kimmie and Kelly
• Made homemade Easter Baskets for Jack, Grace, Jacob and Korby
• Went to Galena, IL for a girls weekend with some of college roommates
• Went to a Motley Crue/Poison Concert with Jayde
• Designed the Baseball-themed baby shower invite (looks like a baseball ticket) for my sister's baby shower. Had it printed at a local shop.
• Helped Jimmy photograph a friend's wedding.

 

To Do List

Here is my to do list for today that I thought about on my way to work. I often do that...think about what it is I have to do during the day while I drive to work. 40 minutes is a lot of time and I'm at my most mentally freshest during the morning hours. Here's my list and my revisions.

My To-Do List:

• Buy Contact Solution and Hair Spray at Target (I avoid Wal-Mart if possible) ~ realized while I was there that I was running out of granola bars for breakfast so I bought two boxes
• Byerly's - Groceries: frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, 1 vidalia onion, bottle of muscato wine, lunch sandwich, fresh fruit that looks good ~ bought a fresh peach, a bag of cherries and a bag of chocolate for the office
• Barnes and Noble - check out DIY books, cookbooks and cooking magazines.didn't end up going. not enough time
• Balance checkbook and pay bills online (evening)
• Wednesday blog post (decided on to do list because that's what I was concentrating on at the moment)
• Finish blog post related to Galena Girls Weekend (evening) - add more pictures and tell more stories
• Upload pictures from camera and send to Jason B. and Jeff B. (evening) - run the camera while tomato sauce is simmering (PW Penne ala Betsy)
• Buy Stretch Island Fruit Leather strips online (cheaper even with shipping)
• Two Peas In a Bucket - buy 5x7 chipboard albums that have been in my bucket for months ~ can't because they are out of stock. dang it!

Paul Harvey Writes: Got this in an email and it is so true!

Paul Harvey Writes:   

 We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

  I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.   

 I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

 And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.   

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.   

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.   

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.   

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

 I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.  

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.    

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.   

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.....    

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.    

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.   

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.     

 May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.   

 I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.   

 These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life....   

 Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.  

Paul Harvey RIDDLE:    

 When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of   Stanford   University seniors.  

What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die?  

The answer: Nothing.

me and jayde

Just some pictures from the summer that I liked of me and Jayde and a lot of Jayde goofing around. LOL

Jayde playing softball. He's clutch. Always gets a single.

He plays catcher. It's a good spot for him. Behind the plate where he can stay out of trouble. LOL

Getting ready to bean the ball.

Took this picture one morning before going to work. It was a beautiful sunrise. Those plants are the gigantic sunflowers we have next to the fence.

Jayde riding the pig at the restaurant. Can't remember which one though.

riding the tractor at the Machine Shed

Jayde clicking his heels together at the LaCrosse rest stop.

Jayde at the Twins game with the mascot TC.

Jayde playing Urkel on the trike the neighbors just got. Damn it was funny.

Hey nerd

Racing the neighbor guy Scottie on his crotch rocket. Think Jayde'll win? LOL

My Birthday at Costas for Lunch.

 

Jayde riding the Elephant at the mini golf place

 

Jayde and his mom at the state fair at the Groth Music booth.

20 Things I know to be true

20 things I know to be true...about me.

1. I love chocolate. Chocolate bars, m&m's, brownies, sixlets, chocolate chip cookies, truffles, hot fudge sundaes but not hot chocolate, or chocolate cake with chocolate frosting or chocolate ice cream (exception would be phish food by ben and jerry's it isn't all chocolate and I eat only a little of it or chocolate fudge or dark chocolate. I will on occassion eat some of the not items if I absolutely have it. As in, I received it as a gift or something.
2. I love sports. Softball (playing and watching), Baseball (watching), Football (watching, not all games just the Vikes usually), Racquetball, Volleyball, and Kickball (playing), Mini Golf (is that technically a sport, probably not), Pool (playing) but not basketball or soccer or regular golf.
3. I think arrogance is a turn off and is annoying.
4. Photography is a talent I have.
5. I am very good at distinguishing between colors aka hues, tints, shades, etc and I get annoyed when people call an orange color red. Bothers the shit out of me.
6. I don't panic when driving. I just do what I have to do and that's it. If an animal pops out in front of me I either step on the gas, stop, swerve or maintain speed. If I get lost I don't freak I just figure it out. If I'm not exactly sure where I'm going I figure it out. It freaks some people out I think. They think I don't know what I'm doing or just acting irradically but I'm not. So they like to scream or hollar at me which pisses me off completely and breaks my concentration.
7. I love movies. I have since I was a kid. I love watching them at home, on the big screen, on my little ipod, while working out, at the IMAX, in 3d. It doesn't matter. I have yet to watch a movie outside though. I've always wanted to do a drive-in theatre.
8. I have little patience with stupidity and dawdling. I physically have to tell myself to not say anything to dawdlers or people who are pokey. Drives me bonkers. Inside I am saying, "pick up the fucking flow already!"
9. I love my family. Hands down. I love doing stuff with them and being with them.
10. Selfish people need to get a clue. Seriously. I don't generally like hanging around selfish people because they always need to command attention and control the situation. I don't think so. Plus they always like to get what they want and that isn't fair.
11. I don't like to be told what to do or be bossed around. I have a brain and can decide for myself. I'd rather discuss a situation/activity then make a decision not be told what I should do or not do. Apparently I've always been that way and my niece Gracie takes after me.
12. I can spell. Yep. I am a champion speller. People come to me when they need help with a word-spelling. I am not good enough to be on a spelling bee but I can spell.
13. I am good with numbers...hence the accounting degree. LOL I always have been. I prefer to add things in my head instead of using a calculator if I can. I loved geometry too. It was my favorite subject.
14. I love to travel. I have to go somewhere at least once a year or I get restless. As in leave the state, go somewhere far away. Fly or drive. It doesn't matter. Take a train. Would be awesome!
15. Colors have always fascinated me. When I was a kid my favorite thing was coloring in a coloring book or on paper. As an adult I love using color in scrapbooking or photgraphing colorful things. I adjust colors in photo shop too.
16. I'm sensitive. I don't really like people making fun of me. I deal with it because I'm older and have learned to deal but I don't like it. I'd rather make fun of other people....without being mean of course. Just playful banter.
17. Generally speaking I am a friendly person and like to talk to people. People I know, people I don't know, people I've never met, people I've known for years...but there is a caveat. If I'm somewhere and I see people I know but I don't think they see me I won't wave idiotically to get their attention. If I think they see me I'll wave or say hi. If there is someone I barely know that I see I hope they remember me but generally I don't go right up to them because I'm scared they won't remember be and just be like, "Who the fuck are you?" But if I think they actually notice me I'll wave or go say hi.
18. I love food. Yep. I do. I love eating all different types of food. Stuff I've never eaten and stuff I've eaten before. I just tried camel...nasty. I love cooking and baking too. I'm better at baking but I'm getting better at cooking. I love to try new recipes and experiment with old ones. I can make things from scratch or use a mix. I have made mexican, italian, french, etc.
19. I love reading. A lot. Sometimes I can just sit and read and read and read until I finish the book. Sometimes I read only a chapter. I like hardcover books, paperbacks, magazines, online books, and newspapers but I don't really like audio books. I prefer to do the reading myself as opposed to hearing a book.
20. I am mean. My mother says I am the oldest and the shortest but I'm the meanest of the bunch. I can also be the nicest but I can also be the meanest. If somebody hurts me or someone I love...it's on like donkey kong.

20 things I'd like to tell my 17 year-old self (that would be 14 years ago)

Got the idea from this blog Elise:

You are not fat, at all, but at some point you will be, don't let this happen.

When your softball coach tells you that you can't do something don't listen. You can too! Make him give you the chance.

You will move out of the state because you want to. Don't be scared.

Spend as much time with Grandma as you can. You don't know how much time will slip away between going to college and getting married, then she'll be gone. (tear)

Working at the gas station will be one of your favorite jobs.

Save your money and spend it on decent clothes instead of wearing what your mother buys you for Christmas. You'll feel much better.

Party more in college. It's worth it.

Take more trips overseas. The Germany trip was your most favorite and you could have done more of them but didn't. It's worth the expense.

Be more social.

Wear a bikini because your body will never look better than it does now. Seriously. You'll never be able to wear one again.

Do more things with your brothers and sisters. They are more fun than you think.

Enjoy the heck out of your life right now it's the easiest it'll ever be.

Buy your own car. It'll make you feel more independent.

Go to the afterprom your Senior year it's more fun than the prom and you missed it.

Never schedule early classes in college. You end up fighting sleep the whole time.

Take more fun classes like Art. Drawing especially.

Date more men in college. There were so many to choose from.

Practice wearing make-up so you don't have so many years of looking like you wear none.

Not wearing skanky clothes was good. You didn't need to flash your goods like a slut.

Only have one credit card. That's all you need. All the store credit cards are nothing but trouble.

Work for a huge accounting firm so you could use your German language skills instead of settling for a small company in the middle of nowhere.

Little things that always make me happy

1. my soft cloud-like bed
2. a compliment
3. cuddling
4. heaing my niece and nephew scream "Auntie Jen"
5. sleeping in
6. stretching
7. naps
8. I'm Alive as sung by David Cook
9. funny things my nephew says
10. reading a book and not being able to put it down
11. making something from scratch and having it turn out the first time
12. making a good shot in pool
13. hitting a good hit in softball
14. when someone I don't think knows me says hi
15. impromptu phone calls from people
16. my moon roof back and the breeze on my face
17. a deep comforting hug
18. singing along with the radio
19. playing pinochle
20. butterflies
21. red roses
22. talking with old friends
23. ice cream
24. brushing my teeth (it feels so good to be clean)
25. a long hot shower
26. when someone tells me they love me (it doesn't happen often)
27. chocolate
28. sunshine
29. holding open a door for someone and having them say thank you
30. the perfect bra
31. finding clothes that fit and are cheap
32. the perfect pair of jeans (long enough and they make my ass look good and my muffin top invisible)
33. someone/something making me laugh.

Hi there!

just thought I'd say hi and do a 10 on hump day post. (this is me in Carmel along Hwy 1)...god I look like a tank. hey mom and dad, why didn't you give me better genes!

1. I don't miss having wisdom teeth. I just thought of that today. I had them removed almost two years ago and I don't miss them at all. They just got in the way and caught food. Yes that's gross but it's true.
2. I wish I had a waist. I have no waist to speak of which gives me no curves. I look like a chunky stick from behind. It's so sad. I look like a tank. I'm built like a brick shithouse. Makes me look sturdy though, except that tank upper body is built on top of two twiggy stick legs. Well relatively speaking. I am an orange on top of two toothpicks....with two mellons in the middle.
3. I'm making homemade marshmallows for the Christmas movie marathon on Saturday. I have to figure out the easiest way to make smores indoors. What do you think? Should I make homemade chocolate buttercream frosting for the chocolate in the smores?
4. A question I have been pondering lately, well actually two questions. Why do men act like douche bags? and Why do men think all women are crazy? anybody?
5. Jared Allen is my favorite Viking player. Probably because he's a good player, he's fast, he's a beefcake, he's funny and he's a smartass. Good combination don't you think?
6. When I'm not bored with it I actually enjoy working out. Makes me feel good and that I've accomplished something...and it burns away some of those pesky calories that keep me chubby.
7. Christmas is here! I love Christmas! It is my favorite holiday! Seriously it is.
8. I really don't like being mean to people but sometimes I just should because they are mean people and don't deserve me being nice to them...I think that but can never follow through. I think all that happens when I don't follow through is that I feel like everyone treats me like shit and I let them get away with it.
9. Ave Maria by 98 degrees was just playing on my ipod. I love that song. They sing it accappella. That means no instruments except their voice.
10. My last kickboxing class until the 3rd week in January. How sad. I'm going to miss it.

 

things I miss.

• my family getting along
• motorcycle rides
• having someone to cuddle with
• grandma
• being debt-free
• a relatively stressless life
• kickball and softball
• men who aren't douche bags
• cheap gas
• europe and it's beautiful sites
• having space
• fall
• siesta key beach in florida
• good german spaetzle

Busy weekend ahead...

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me...

let's see...tonight I'm going out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with a friend. I love eating there! I always eat too much so that means on Saturday morning I'm going to the gym. Yep. early morning gym time.

Then I'm going to a Mary Kay party...figured I might as well see what they have. Then I have to go to work. Ugh...followed by game night at the Gwin house. Should be fun. I hope we get to play cranium. I love that game and we haven't played it for a really long time so I can't wait. :)

Let's see what else? Hmm...sunday is the Vikings game at somebody's house. I'm not sure who yet. I might make Beef Bourgninone this weekend....and a chocolate cake from scratch with homemade marshmallows. Doesn't that sound tasty? I thinks so. :) I think I might have to go into work on Sunday too, we'll see.

Um...oh yeah, and I have the house to myself this weekend. woohoo! No roommate (lol). I can run around buck naked and nobody will care...not sure that I will but I'll be able to run from the shower up the stairs to my bedroom without any clothes on and not have to worry about anybody seeing my wobbly bits. LOL :)

So that's about it. I'm busy as usual. Hopefully I fit some time in there for sleeping or napping. I could use a nap right now. Ughh...