I'm off to Chicago to celebrate JR's brthday! this is an older pic of us, but it shows just how long we've been friends! Heart you!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Happy birthday J-Rae
I'm off to Chicago to celebrate JR's brthday! this is an older pic of us, but it shows just how long we've been friends! Heart you!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
vacation?!
Here's a little pic of our last "getaway!"
Now, on to this year's vacation: Washington DC (I am hoping!)
DH and i will celebrate 10 years of togetherness in April (yes, the whole high school sweetheart thing) and we're hoping to do a something a little bigger!
I've never been to DC and I just know I am going to love love love all the sites, the crazyness, and the fun we'll have!
Leave your DC travel tips, suggestions, whathaveyous to help DH and I plan our getaway! (please)
Now, on to this year's vacation: Washington DC (I am hoping!)
DH and i will celebrate 10 years of togetherness in April (yes, the whole high school sweetheart thing) and we're hoping to do a something a little bigger!
I've never been to DC and I just know I am going to love love love all the sites, the crazyness, and the fun we'll have!
Leave your DC travel tips, suggestions, whathaveyous to help DH and I plan our getaway! (please)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
best dining out experience
Must preface: DH and I hardly complain about food served!
We were planning on going to a movie last night, but the dreaded words: "I'll be late babe" came at 530. That meant he had another consult, at least, and wouldn't be home for dinner and a movie. I pouted, and then took a deep sleep nap until 630. He called, was on his way home! Hoping to make an 815 at easton, when we live in nw c-bus. hmmm.
We get to easton: no parking. 815 comes and goes. We decide to stay for dinner (yes, we're the couple that eats regularily after 730, when DH rolls home after 14+ hrs at work, several days in a row). anyways. He wants cheesecake factory, i want california pizza kitchen. i win (us first borns, highly competitive, and keep track of wins.....eh)
We get to CPK, are greeted IMMEDIATELY by two SMILING hostesses. They start brining us to a table, but we get excited when we see a "bar" and can sit and watch the pizzas made! We request to sit there, and head to our seats. Barely sitting down, we're offered beverages....and let me tell you: our glasses were never more than 1/3 empty and we even got ice refills!
We order an appetizer: garlic cheese foccacia with "checca" (think brushetta like "salsa" but ummm waaaaaay better!) It comes in like 2.5 by a guy who calls us "friends." We order our meals: me a neopolitan style pepperoni, him some fettuccini thing and a salad. the salad comes by the same friend.
We watch pizzas being made, amazed that the 3 workers know all the recipes and have a good system down. Then, we hear Roger (the head chef-like guy) say to the pepperoni pizza holding worker, that goes with 'some fettuccini thing' so put it in the oven to keep warm.
10-12 min passes. roger has since left his prep area to help the stuggling pasta guy.
my pizza is still sitting in the 'warming' area.
about 10 min passes, the pizza is brought to us; all we say is: can we get a new one, it's been sitting for a while. their response: not a problem (with a SMILE)
DH's pasta comes out. And a few min later, my fresh pizza arrives.
delicious.
3 servers come to check on our food. not annoyingly, very friendly. and they all apologize.
a mgr lady comes, she talks for a min to see how we're doing etc...then says, i've COMP'D your MEALS! (ummm, what?! ALL we wanted was a fresh pizza!)
Yup, comp'd 25$ worth of entree!
We order dessert (cuz I was a sucker for the "you decided what dessert you're gonna share?" line).
Red. Velvet. Cake.
our friend brought it too us.
don't worry, they got a $15 tip because in my mind, our 'trouble' did NOT amount to comp'd meals.
we will be going back again. hey, they're our friends, right?
[sorry kinda long, i just wanted to give you the full experience!] hehe.
ooh, about the movie....we're going to the matinee today!
We were planning on going to a movie last night, but the dreaded words: "I'll be late babe" came at 530. That meant he had another consult, at least, and wouldn't be home for dinner and a movie. I pouted, and then took a deep sleep nap until 630. He called, was on his way home! Hoping to make an 815 at easton, when we live in nw c-bus. hmmm.
We get to easton: no parking. 815 comes and goes. We decide to stay for dinner (yes, we're the couple that eats regularily after 730, when DH rolls home after 14+ hrs at work, several days in a row). anyways. He wants cheesecake factory, i want california pizza kitchen. i win (us first borns, highly competitive, and keep track of wins.....eh)
We get to CPK, are greeted IMMEDIATELY by two SMILING hostesses. They start brining us to a table, but we get excited when we see a "bar" and can sit and watch the pizzas made! We request to sit there, and head to our seats. Barely sitting down, we're offered beverages....and let me tell you: our glasses were never more than 1/3 empty and we even got ice refills!
We order an appetizer: garlic cheese foccacia with "checca" (think brushetta like "salsa" but ummm waaaaaay better!) It comes in like 2.5 by a guy who calls us "friends." We order our meals: me a neopolitan style pepperoni, him some fettuccini thing and a salad. the salad comes by the same friend.
We watch pizzas being made, amazed that the 3 workers know all the recipes and have a good system down. Then, we hear Roger (the head chef-like guy) say to the pepperoni pizza holding worker, that goes with 'some fettuccini thing' so put it in the oven to keep warm.
10-12 min passes. roger has since left his prep area to help the stuggling pasta guy.
my pizza is still sitting in the 'warming' area.
about 10 min passes, the pizza is brought to us; all we say is: can we get a new one, it's been sitting for a while. their response: not a problem (with a SMILE)
DH's pasta comes out. And a few min later, my fresh pizza arrives.
delicious.
3 servers come to check on our food. not annoyingly, very friendly. and they all apologize.
a mgr lady comes, she talks for a min to see how we're doing etc...then says, i've COMP'D your MEALS! (ummm, what?! ALL we wanted was a fresh pizza!)
Yup, comp'd 25$ worth of entree!
We order dessert (cuz I was a sucker for the "you decided what dessert you're gonna share?" line).
Red. Velvet. Cake.
our friend brought it too us.
don't worry, they got a $15 tip because in my mind, our 'trouble' did NOT amount to comp'd meals.
we will be going back again. hey, they're our friends, right?
[sorry kinda long, i just wanted to give you the full experience!] hehe.
ooh, about the movie....we're going to the matinee today!
Friday, January 30, 2009
been called out!
So, my SIL B informed me I'm slacking on my blog (and I know D is prolly checking daily too, and not finding anything new...) so, here's a Friday Jail Time post!
Me: How long have you lived there?
inmate: Oooh, I've been there a while, I'd say a minute.
Me: How long is that?
inmate: oh, like a couple weeks, a couple months. (really having NO clue)
(me thinking: yup, you're lying)
White Inmate: last name is Glover
Black Inmate: not to be nosy, but my grandpa's name is Glover too.
White Inmate: really? We could be related, I have black people in my family.
Black Inmate: That's so cool. We family!
(I am wiping my eyes, tears of a family reunion in jail! bleh.)
Me: I'm calling to verify so-and-so's address for court on Monday. At that time he'll talk to a lawyer about his case and go before the judge to set his bail. I give this information to the judge to use in setting that bail. Do you know where he lives?
Lady: Nope. I don't have a clue. What's this for? Who are you.
Me: I'm J. I work with the courts. I spoke with so-and-so today and he told me you know where he lives. I need to verify that for court on Monday when he'll get his bahil set.
Lady: Oh. (pause)
Me: So, do you know where he lives? He said he lives with you.
Lady: Ma'am, he's in jail. (matter of factly)
Me: I know. But, when he's not in jail, where does he live. (frustrated!)
Lady: He was staying here for a short time.
Me: Well, when he gets out is he staying there?
Lady: Yea, he can. He gets his mail here.
Me: Ok, what's your address?
Lady: What's this for again?
(we go through this for about 5 more minutes; needless to say, he gets verified. and I get annoyed)
Me: Is "boy's name" there.
Lady: Who, are you? (very accusing)
Me: (go through my whole schpeel about why I'm calling)
Lady: Oh, I'm his wife, I can verify employment. It's our company.
Me: So has so-and-so worked for you an for how long?
Lady: He has, for a bit, but I'm doing the taxes right now and last year he didn't even work enough to get a W2.
Me: Okay, so he's not working full time
Lady: ooooh hell no.
(he didn't get verified points for employment)
Well, not the most exciting posts, but you get the idea that I don't always work with the "brightest" bulbs, the "most colorful" crayons, and the "most full" bowls up top.
Me: How long have you lived there?
inmate: Oooh, I've been there a while, I'd say a minute.
Me: How long is that?
inmate: oh, like a couple weeks, a couple months. (really having NO clue)
(me thinking: yup, you're lying)
White Inmate: last name is Glover
Black Inmate: not to be nosy, but my grandpa's name is Glover too.
White Inmate: really? We could be related, I have black people in my family.
Black Inmate: That's so cool. We family!
(I am wiping my eyes, tears of a family reunion in jail! bleh.)
Me: I'm calling to verify so-and-so's address for court on Monday. At that time he'll talk to a lawyer about his case and go before the judge to set his bail. I give this information to the judge to use in setting that bail. Do you know where he lives?
Lady: Nope. I don't have a clue. What's this for? Who are you.
Me: I'm J. I work with the courts. I spoke with so-and-so today and he told me you know where he lives. I need to verify that for court on Monday when he'll get his bahil set.
Lady: Oh. (pause)
Me: So, do you know where he lives? He said he lives with you.
Lady: Ma'am, he's in jail. (matter of factly)
Me: I know. But, when he's not in jail, where does he live. (frustrated!)
Lady: He was staying here for a short time.
Me: Well, when he gets out is he staying there?
Lady: Yea, he can. He gets his mail here.
Me: Ok, what's your address?
Lady: What's this for again?
(we go through this for about 5 more minutes; needless to say, he gets verified. and I get annoyed)
Me: Is "boy's name" there.
Lady: Who, are you? (very accusing)
Me: (go through my whole schpeel about why I'm calling)
Lady: Oh, I'm his wife, I can verify employment. It's our company.
Me: So has so-and-so worked for you an for how long?
Lady: He has, for a bit, but I'm doing the taxes right now and last year he didn't even work enough to get a W2.
Me: Okay, so he's not working full time
Lady: ooooh hell no.
(he didn't get verified points for employment)
Well, not the most exciting posts, but you get the idea that I don't always work with the "brightest" bulbs, the "most colorful" crayons, and the "most full" bowls up top.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
sorting
How do you sort the mail?
At our house, the two people here do it two different ways.
(And it cause the other to become frustrated.)
Here's how it goes when either picks up the mail / sorts the mail...
J: She very rarely picks up the mail....but, when it happens, she takes it just barely inside the house, puts the pile on the butcher block, and goes through it all at once...right then..., sorting out her pieces or the fun stuff immediately. Then the other things just sit there, on the butcher block. (which bothers DH). DH will ask where the mail is and J says "by the door" and he gathers it and starts the process indicated at * in his part below.
DH: He usually gets the mail. He brings the mail inside the house, sits it on the end of the chaise on the couch (whice bothers J) and then goes to the bathroom, changes clothes, checks email, all while J is waiting for him to just go through the mail! * Then, he sits down on the couch, and intensley goes through each piece, one at a time: opening, sorting contents, ripping in half for recyclying, or giving to J. This takes about 15 minutes...depending on the amount of mail.
Can you just see the amusement in how different we handle such a simple task?!?
At our house, the two people here do it two different ways.
(And it cause the other to become frustrated.)
Here's how it goes when either picks up the mail / sorts the mail...
J: She very rarely picks up the mail....but, when it happens, she takes it just barely inside the house, puts the pile on the butcher block, and goes through it all at once...right then..., sorting out her pieces or the fun stuff immediately. Then the other things just sit there, on the butcher block. (which bothers DH). DH will ask where the mail is and J says "by the door" and he gathers it and starts the process indicated at * in his part below.
DH: He usually gets the mail. He brings the mail inside the house, sits it on the end of the chaise on the couch (whice bothers J) and then goes to the bathroom, changes clothes, checks email, all while J is waiting for him to just go through the mail! * Then, he sits down on the couch, and intensley goes through each piece, one at a time: opening, sorting contents, ripping in half for recyclying, or giving to J. This takes about 15 minutes...depending on the amount of mail.
Can you just see the amusement in how different we handle such a simple task?!?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
what i did this weekend....
I went away for a planning meeting for the local scrapbooking group I'm in. We spent most of yesterday planning and sharing ideas and getting things back on track for the group. Now I'm home, doing some laundry, and ready to nap! (maybe I'll stay up til 2am again?!?!)
Here are a few pages I did (and I really didn't do that many!)
having fun with my family after our photo session (Bo-Bunny, Bazzill, Jillibean Soup letters, black bling)
dinner with good friends at a favorite place in MN (Die Cuts with a View "the green stack" pattern paper and chipboard, bazzill, pink paisley alpha, misc. ribbon from stash)
and of course, a jillibean soup layout! (loving the flowers and journaling sprouts!) (PS, she has some great new stuff coming out this month, check out The Soup Bowl under my Scraptastic Blogs!) (Jillibean all over this one!)
Here are a few pages I did (and I really didn't do that many!)
having fun with my family after our photo session (Bo-Bunny, Bazzill, Jillibean Soup letters, black bling)
dinner with good friends at a favorite place in MN (Die Cuts with a View "the green stack" pattern paper and chipboard, bazzill, pink paisley alpha, misc. ribbon from stash)
and of course, a jillibean soup layout! (loving the flowers and journaling sprouts!) (PS, she has some great new stuff coming out this month, check out The Soup Bowl under my Scraptastic Blogs!) (Jillibean all over this one!)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
why i like scrapbooking, and why i don't like my job.
okay, first....i do like my job. but, I like scrapping more.
i even make teddy bears relating to my job:
you see, I have this little quirk, i like things in order, i like things done per the rules, i like symmetry and efficiency. starting and finishing a project (fast!) suites me just fine!
I do not get that in my job. i work with a client for 30-180 days (or more) and their successes are few, they manipulate like crazy, their forward progress is slow, and when they are terminated (i.e. file closed), i still have about 60-70 other challenges, just waiting. just annoying.
scrapbooking, on the other hand, allows me to be refreshed. i organize my papers, ribbon, cardstock (and organize, and organize....) then get creating. I'm known to be a fast scrapper, i get my pages done quick. and that's just it: i finish something. it gets done. it is put in the album and I move on to a new page. something fresh. a new challenge that is not like the previous one.
given a "project" album (the hired baby book, the wedding book for my SIL), I get to it, carefully selecting the goodies I'll immerse myself in for the coming weeks/months. photos are matted, ribbon is tied, and papers are put together carefully in an artistic fashion. and, I just can't get enough.
sadly, i don't have enough scrapworthy photos. what's a scrapbook-lover to do?!
but, i get my hands on this little number to have some fun with this weekend!
i even make teddy bears relating to my job:
you see, I have this little quirk, i like things in order, i like things done per the rules, i like symmetry and efficiency. starting and finishing a project (fast!) suites me just fine!
I do not get that in my job. i work with a client for 30-180 days (or more) and their successes are few, they manipulate like crazy, their forward progress is slow, and when they are terminated (i.e. file closed), i still have about 60-70 other challenges, just waiting. just annoying.
scrapbooking, on the other hand, allows me to be refreshed. i organize my papers, ribbon, cardstock (and organize, and organize....) then get creating. I'm known to be a fast scrapper, i get my pages done quick. and that's just it: i finish something. it gets done. it is put in the album and I move on to a new page. something fresh. a new challenge that is not like the previous one.
given a "project" album (the hired baby book, the wedding book for my SIL), I get to it, carefully selecting the goodies I'll immerse myself in for the coming weeks/months. photos are matted, ribbon is tied, and papers are put together carefully in an artistic fashion. and, I just can't get enough.
sadly, i don't have enough scrapworthy photos. what's a scrapbook-lover to do?!
but, i get my hands on this little number to have some fun with this weekend!
