Indian Summer

It's suppose to be in the 80s this week. I love that summer is fighting to stick around a little bit longer. Thank you, dear friend!

I'm not good at keeping in touch. It doesn't mean I don't care.

Taking out the trash gets a "dislike" from yours truly.

What would you think if you saw someone at Costco with only two things in their shopping cart--toilet paper and Fiber 1 bars . . . ?

We all have things to work on. The Virtues are doing a little challenge. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hard sometimes.

I love the view from my bedroom window--one one beyond the parking lot. The fall colors on the mountain make me happy.

A pallet of pumpkins arrived at the CCF today. Holy pumpkin', that's a lot of squash.

I'm making these for a special VT treat tomorrow--

Peanut Butter-Banana Bread from HERE
Adapted from this recipe for banana bread on Simply Recipes
(makes 1 large 4″x8″ loaf or 8 mini loaves)

3 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons (+) softened peanut butter (nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt (Kosher, if you have it)
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the bananas, peanut butter, and melted butter by hand or with a hand mixer on low speed.

2. Mix in the sugars, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, and spices over the mixture, then mix to combine.

3. Fold in the flour in 3 parts by hand. Do not over mix.

4. Pour mixture into a buttered loaf pan. If using a 4″x8″ loaf pan, bake for about 1 hour. If using a mini loaf pan, bake for 25-30 minutes. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, it’s ready to go.

5. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing and slicing. Serve with some butter and maybe your favorite jam too!

Granted, I'm not perfect. . . BUT

Sometimes I take things for granted--like the crickets outside my window. Winter will take them away soon. I take important people in my life for granted--forgetting to tell them how much I love them and how grateful I am for everything they do for me. Sometimes I take my body for granted. Sure, it's not perfect, but it does lots of things for me. It is healthy and, without it, I couldn't run or work or play. Quite often I take my spirit for granted. It has been a hard few months--don't worry, I'm not going to have a breakdown and I don't need cookies on my doorstep. Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to and your spirit feels tender and vulnerable. Once in a while your spirit wonders if you made a wrong decision or wasted precious time. Frequently, over the past months, my spirit has been lonely and longing for something I can't quite seem to find. I'm learning that my spirit is completely dependent on a different Spirit--the one that comforts, heals, and offers hope. That knowledge makes me smile and provides a growing bit of joy in my heart. I'm learning that my spirit is going to be just fine.

ALone Ranger

So, I've been living alone for over 6 months and I've noticed some definite changes around my house.

1. I miss Kimmy.
2. Especially now that the weather is warmer, I walk around the house scantily clad.
3. I eat a lot of turkey burgers. Don't worry--I'm not off of beef again. Laura just introduced me to lean ground turkey & I'm hooked.
4. I talk to my self--A LOT.
5. Sometimes I sleep in Kimmy's bed.
6. I'm doubly diligent about locking my door.
7. Pudding isn't as much fun as it used to be.
8. Cats look a little bit cuter.

It's time to bring bloggin back. . . .

I suppose absence makes the heart grow fonder, right??? In that case, I'm quite certain your fondness for WFB is on the cusp of explosion. For those who have encouraged, inquired, and threatened, I thank you. 25 days without a blog post from yours truly is unheard of--often signaling some kind of tragedy, life change, love affair, creative slump, winter depression, or a drastic and dramatic technical difficulty. While none of these circumstances completely explain my absence, a combination of many have kept me from blogging, writing, creating, or sharing in recent weeks.

Finally, this morning, I feel like sitting at my keyboard and I'm ready to move forward. Ready to face warmer weather, redecorating, running, and longer days.

While I've been away:

-I turned 32. Huh. I remember my parents at that age. 32 is my new number. A number that is divisible by many numbers--including 1, 2, 4, 8, 16. I'm taking that as a good sign.

-I've travelled & committed to more travel.

-Darling Alicia and James got married!

-I've gained 5 pounds.

-My sweaters have returned to storage.

-Lindsey introduced me to VS lip gloss. TREMENDOUS.

-I bought dishwashing gloves in Vegas.

-My plane was delayed.

-Switching laundry detergent gave me hives.

-Quesadillas and Twilight filled an evening.

-Lori fell in love with Red Mango.

-I taught a cupcake class.

-My shoe collection has grown.

-Listening ears recently found in unexpected temperate places.

Reality

You want the truth--the truth of my life? It's really great & I'm being refined every day. I'm learning things and getting better bit by bit. BUT sometimes it's sad to live alone. Sure, no one leaves the toilet seat up at my house. No one makes messes or screams when they don't get what they want (except for yours truly). No one refuses to eat dinner because it is contaminated by onions. No one spills their juice or says mean things. No one jumps on my furniture or bothers me when I'm on the phone. No one needs a white shirt ironed or a life-size working volcano made out of flour and soda. No one tells me how and when to spend my money. You know what? Those things sound kind of nice today. Today--when there's no one to share a bowl of popcorn with. No one to sit on my feet to keep them warm. No one to tell me what they learned in primary. No one to sing and dance with. No one to cuddle with. No one else to bless the food or make plans with for tomorrow. No one to tell me how pretty I looked today at church or notice how good I smell. No sticky hands or silly questions. No one. That's the truth.

So, for those you who have a noisy and disorderly house, just smile & enjoy it.

For Hilda

I'm convinced that a Divine Being puts people in our lives to help us, to inspire, to nudge, to make us laugh. I'm convinced that I've been blessed by such people every day of my life. Today, it was my sweet friend, Hilda--who (via a blogging comment) gave me the semi-gentle nudge I needed to make a post. This is for you, HILDA!

Everything in my life is connected. When I get sick, my housekeeping dwindles. When dishes pile up, I don't want to cook real (a.k.a. healthy food). When I eat fudgsicles for dinner, I don't want to exercise. When I don't get up early to run, I sleep in. When I turn off my alarm repeatedly (for 90 minutes to be exact), I REALLY sleep in. When I REALLY sleep in, I don't have time for hair product. When I don't do my hair, I don't give a dogs butt what clothes I wear--as long as the socially inappropriate parts of my anatomy are covered. When that happens, I wear BAD khakis (the ones with the saggy butt that I'm saving in case I get fired and end up working at Target or Shopko). When I wear bad khakis and have bad hair, I'm not as happy at work. That effects my customers and co-workers. I leave my job feeling less than effective and go home to my fudgsicles (40 calories each--but if you eat half a box a day that can't matter) and wonder if I wasted an entire day of happiness in this finite mortal existance. That's not something I want to share with my dearest friends and neighbors, so I refuse to blog. They wonder if I've fallen off the face of the earth. Some call. I don't pick up. Instead, I crawl beside my unmade bed at 9:30 and pray that tomorrow will be brighter. Hope that I'll have the motivation to shave under my arms, wear eyeliner, and be the woman I know I can be.

Today in a Nutshell

Lest you think I just play around when I'm out of town for work--here was today's itinerary:

-6:20 AM. Wake up in L.A.'s Omni Hotel--I loved my bed there.
-8 AM. No time for breakfast. . .snag a granola bar while I stand on the street. . .waiting--always waiting.
-8:30 AM. Catch a shuttle bus to the L.A. Convention Center (Next to the Laker's Staples Center). I could get used to being chauffeured.
-9 AM. Check my luggage in to bag check. Hope it's there when I get back.
-9:10-11 AM. Walk the show floor & score myself a new pair of mittens. Bought some great things for the store & sifted through a lot of JUNK, too.
-11:15 AM. Take another shuttle to the California Market Center.
-11:30 AM. Walk the L.A. Fashion, Textile, and Flower Districts. This sounds glamorous, but it really isn't. It smells like urine, my flip flops stick to the cement, it's hot, and I'm the only white girl for miles. I hold only my purse for fear it will be snatched at any moment & keep my toenails painted just in case I meet an untimely demise.
-1:40 PM. Shuttle back to the Convention Center.
-2 PM. Pick-up bag from coat check.
-2:15 PM. Taxi to L.A.X.
-2:30 PM. The waiting for departure. I return calls, finger through my order sheets, play my GameBoy, read, and listen to people's random conversations. I think they call it eavesdropping.
-4:25 PM. Flight to SLC. Relatively uneventful--except that the girl next to me keeps jabbing my arm with her skinny little elbow. I seriously have a bruise!
-7:30 PM MST. Shuttle to my car. I spent a LOT of time being shuttled. By this time, I'm tired & have that gross travelers aura.
-8 PM. Drive to Provo.
-8:50 PM. Stop at Target for a blow dryer (mine died last week & Kimmy's dryer is out of town).
-9:30 PM. Stop and the grocery store. Sister & brother-in-law are coming for dinner.
-10 PM. Unpack. I'm a freak about unpacking as soon as I get home from a trip. It's one of my weird quirks.
-10:30 PM. Mail and general household maintenance.
-Midnight. . . I earned my wage.

A Few Things Friday

1. Sometimes, when I'm not sure why I am lacking a spouse, JCLoveless reminds me that I have too many clothes in my closet to share anyway. He's full of wisdom, honesty, and funnies.

2. I really like entertainment TV. I'm grown up like that. Like tonight I caught a little clip from ET with Robert Redford & Paul Newman. Remember how I love Robert Redford? Remember how I named my red Toyota Solara Redford?

3. Laura Bear & I had lunch at Pizzeria 712. We ate outside & it was completely lovely. The company (and her attire). . .lovely. The sweet summer weather. . . lovely. The pizza followed by Rhubarb Crisp with ice cream. . .oh, so lovely! The leisureness of it all. . .you get the picture.

4. I hate the wart on my foot. REALLY HATE it. I'm making an appointment next week to have it removed. 6 months of home remedies and over the counter medication with no results--cause to bring in the professionals.

5. Love is complicated.

6. Cauliflower & Pigs in a blanket. . .for Kimmy.

7. I've decided that when I get old, I'm going to pretend that I'm hard of hearing. . .

8. I desperately miss good tv.

9. I would rather let my leg hairs grow out for a year than do a long run tomorrow & those of you who know me understand that's bad.

Hot Diggity Dog

1. I have a sore throat.
2. I want more hours in my day to do further PhotoShop experimentation.
3. A good friend called tonight unexpectedly. It reminded me that I miss him. How could I forget?
4. Has anyone else noticed that "someday" never comes?
5. I've caught myself saying "hot diggity dog" recently. It creeps me out.
6. Have I mentioned that my hair is now a lovely shade of brown with some ever so slight highlights? I'm loving it.
7. As I'm nearing the demise of my YOUNG single adulthood, yesterday was my last Sunday in a BYU singles ward. I left with a skip in my step and completely dry eyes.
8. Christmas is the only time I can stomach Amy Grant.
9. If my opinion counts for anything, Patrick Demsey is The Sexiest Man EVER.
10. I don't respond well to grumpy gus salespeople. In fact, I hit one.
11. Mondays are suddenly my favorite day of the week. Go figure.

A Few Things

Michelle's Pillow PaloozaBad blogging week with no real excuse--other than things have been busy. I sometimes wonder what I would do with a husband and kids. As it is, I don't have time to keep my own head above the proverbial holiday water. Here are a few things I've been thinking about and noticing the past few days:

1. Why do people have large dogs in small condos? It's rude, ridiculous, inhumane, and filthy.
2. Ever since WFB went private, I've been missing some friends. Granted, I don't really know who they are, but I can strangely sense their absence.
3. Studio 5 yesterday was great. . .quick, but great. Brother-in-law Eric made a superb showing. Word is that they showed the segment again on the 4 o'clock news. Must have been a slow news day.
4. I have developed an exercise routine that is flawlessly consistent. I meet a girl from our apartment complex MWF to go to the gym & my friend Jerilyn and I head to the smelly BYU track to run TTh. My conscience won't allow either of these girls to suffer in the cold of winter if I don't show up--so I do. It's a brilliant workout tactical move & it's finally paying off. I feel good again.
5. I've been invited to go to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert by three different people. I have had to turn down all three invitations. It totally stinks because I REALLY want to go. Oh, well.
6. Remember how I feel on the ice on Monday? Well, I think I hurt my shoulder. It about kills me to take off my bra (I know--more information than you wanted). My shoulder feels old.
7. I'm in love with Febreze Air Effects.
8. I went to the mall on my lunch break to drop off some pants that need altering & there was not a parking spot to be found. It was mid-afternoon on a weekday. Curses.
9. Kimmy & I are back into popcorn eating. Mmmm.
10. I'm having a sleepover with the 5 Jenkins tonight so the 2 marrieds can getaway for their anniversary. Pray for me.

Retrospective Perspective

Whenever I feel uncertain--uncertain about who I've become; uncertain about my choices; uncertain about my worth; uncertain about how I can best do good; uncertain about my abilities; uncertain about my use of semicolons; uncertain about feeling uncertain. . .I remember just how far I've come. I remember that I used to be afraid to order a pizza over the phone. I used to wear dresses with lace collars. I used to sleep with a giant white fur pillow in the shape of a foot (I made it in 7th grade sewing class--Mrs. Cathey didn't like me much). I used to think jay walking involved a trench coat & lots of skin. I used to have a crush on my Student Government advisor. I used to watch Perfect Strangers. I suppose today was one of those days. The kind of day where the greatest proof of my mortal worth is found in retrospect--in recognizing daily blessings. . .those small and simple things that help me become better--bit by bit better.

A Few (A LOT of) Things

You are about to view a significant number of new posts. Today was just one of those days I wanted to blog. I kept thinking of things I wanted to say and photos I wanted to play with. As a result, you had better take the rest of the morning off of work to get caught up. I apologize if it's too much, but when inspiration comes, I've learned to take full advantage of it--lest it be wasted.

Here are a few of the things running through my mind (in no particular order):

1. The Constitution is facinating. I finished up Amendment 1 in my book this afternoon. Did you know that the three limits to free speech are obscenity, defamation, and fighting words? What's the fun in that?

2. I have got to up my workouts this week. I ran 5 days last week, but not doing those long Saturday runs to burn of an extra 1000+ calories is really starting to catch up with me.

3. The Passat is going in for a check-up tomorrow. Dave, the tech at the dealership, is going to fix her stuttering. Praise be!

4. Short week. I'm heading out of town again.

5. I think Brian is coming to UT. You know what that means? Yep--I will be baking a super involved apple pie that I only make for him. What do I do that? Oh, I don't know. . .I suppose it's that laugh of his that manipulates my domesticity.

6. Kimmy has a hard time digesting pecan pancakes--FYI.

7. L-dawg & Bro. in law are in NY. . .I'm so jealous.

8. Church should be shown on TV every Sunday.

9. I was meant to be a wife and mother. I've been practicing, learning, watching, and praying for it for as long as I can remember. What's the deal? This just seems like such a waste of a good Bossy Bessy who can bake, organize, inspire greatness, clean, stimulate young minds, and ward of the evils of the world. The only thing I can think of is that I might have been in the restroom when husbands and children were being dispersed in heaven. Is that possible? If so, I'm willing to sacrifice potty breaks in the eternities for a kind man & lots of babies (it won't be necessary in my world anyway--potty breaks that is).

10. Which came first--the chicken or the egg?

11. Remember how I talked to Mike Rowe? Remember how I love him?

12. When did it become socially acceptable for people grab themselves in public?

13. I think my closet is THE black hole.

14. I already hate getting up tomorrow.

A Few D.C. Things

Let's see--a few things from today. . .
1. Kimmy narrowly escaped encapture when she batted her eyes at a D.C. policeman.
2. Our hotel suite: a NOSE STRIP ZONE.
3. Kimmy shouldn't sing with her tunes while wearing earphones.
4. We are metro-divas.
5. Mike is up for a Presidential post.
6. Ted's Montana Grill makes a mean bison burger.
7. The National Botanic Garden is perfectly lovely.
8. It's still summer here.
9. Our hotel had movie night. Needless to say, we had dessert first.
10. I think I could live here.

I Learned Today

A few things I learned today on this "the first day of school."

1. As much as I adore summer, I am really looking forward to fall. The mountain colors are changing and I can smell autumn . . .literally. It makes me want to pull out my sweaters, make some hot soup and homemade bread, and nestle down to a good book.

2. Business at the CCF is booming. That's good on one hand and frightening on the other.

3. I love new shoes. There was a box from the UPS man on my doorstep. The sender? Mr. Nordstrom. He sent me THE most adorable and completely wonderful pair of red (yes, RED) wedges (yes, WEDGES) you have ever seen. Oh, the thought of them makes me smile from ear to ear.

4. Smoked zucchini is not for the faint of heart. Kimmy is a good sister whose culinary disgression is minimal when she hasn't eaten all day.

5. Women are powerful. Men should pay more attention to what we say. We could really help them out.

6. Someone told me tonight that I have good karma. I think they're right.

7. I'm baking some bodacious (and I don't use that term lightly) brownies for our staff meeting tomorrow night. Oh, they smell like chocolate heaven.

8. Anyone know a BYU student who wants a job as our delivery driver? It's a great job. You get to drive around in our green Astro van making people all over Utah County smile. Doesn't get better than that, right?

9. My closet is a mess. . .I don't really care.

10. Alicia is in town and I could sit and talk to her FOREVER. Love her guts. She looks amazing, by the way.

11. I'm going to buy a chateau, spend my mornings fussing in my garden, and my afternoons running down the tree covered rode that winds down to the Cheesecake Factory.

12. Summer thunderstorms are one of my 7 wonders.

A Few Things

This photo has nothing to do with this post, but I love the colors. It makes me think of summer and how much I enjoy this sultry time of year.

I have lots of news--

1. I'm out of my "funk." Life is happy again and I'm totally fine to do my hair tomorrow morning.

2. I finished A Good Yarn. . .and now I'm obligated to forge through Skeletons of the Zahara this week. The book makes me feel like I'm on the desert. I swear I drink more water while I'm reading it than a camel refueling.

3. Sometimes when I think my trials are hard, I think of Britney Spears.

4. I'm considering a job change. The truth is that my current occupation isn't dirty enough for Mike Rowe to visit. I was thinking about moving back to Idaho to work in the potato processing plant. I've heard it's dirty & smelly--plus they wear those cool hairnets.

5. We watched Charly at Laura & Eric's place. That movie really sucks.

6. I'm off of Diet Dr. Pepper. Officially--yesterday was my last. . .unless it's a birthday, holiday, or really crappy day. Those are the only exceptions.

7. In general, men in my age group are strange. . .or certainly have some hidden strangeness that I will eventually discover.

8. I bought some new shoes at Nordstrom's. I think I love them, but I can't seem to commit to them completely. Does this say something about my committment issues? I think it might. All these years, I thought it was the men in my life that kept me single, but now I'm beginning to wonder. . .

9. The sugar-free popsicles in my freezer are only 15 calories each. I wonder how long a person could survive on them solely. . .

10. I'm running the Hobble Creek Half Marathon this Saturday. Yes, I've already forgotten the pain of last week's race.

11. Poncho and I started 24--season 4 last night. For those inquiring minds who are continually asking about my relationship with Poncho, it's strictly plutonic. If that changes, I'll let you know. Besides, I have my eye on someone else right now. If that changes, I'll let you know.

12. I am going to see the Bourne Ultimatum this week if it's the last thing I do.

13. Dinner party this week with individual sized homemade chicken pot pies. I might even test out my new double muffin pans for a molten cake extravaganza. Any takers?

14. Finally had some time to watch Pres. Faust's funeral service this afternoon. It effected me.

15. Education Week, here I come. . .or here I go.

Happiness Is. . .

Making the most of who you are, where you are, and the goodness that surrounds you.

I've been in a funk lately. You know what I'm talking about. All week I've been struggling. I just haven't felt myself. I've lost my mojo. This usually happens about middle of January when the holidays are over, the weather is nasty, and I'm facing Valentine's Day. Well, the weather is perfect summer sultry, I'm looking forward to the crispness of fall, work is great, and I should be blissfully happy. So--what's going on? Maybe it's because my race is over and I need to set some new goals. Maybe I'm stuck in a rut. Maybe I just need to shower, clean my house, buy a new song off of iTunes and spend some more time enjoying the little things that make life sparkly. Maybe I need to make an entry in the gratitude bucket. Maybe I need to shake off some selfishness.

Maybe the occassional funk makes the spark in my sparkle.

A Few Things

A Few Things From the Weekend:
1. Park City shopping makes Kimmy & I happy.
2. If you leave The Passat at Southfork Park and run down the canyon, you have to run back to Southfork Park to retrieve it.
3. No Reservations was a Virtue 2 thumbs-up.
4. Pool time sometimes equals naptime.
5. It's taking a bit for me to get into my new book. . .I'm really trying.
6. 2 weeks from race day!
7. No more text messaging. . .it's getting out of hand.
8. Guys should never tell girls they "watch a lot of television." It is not attractive.
9. There is such a thing as "too much information."
10. I'm learning things about camels.
11. I am lusting after a new camera lens. . .thanks a lot, owner of XTravaganza's brother!
12. Krista--I'm almost done with your birthday present. I worked on it today before the power fiasco.
13. I need some new tunes. . .any recommendations.
14. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about my friend Alicia. . .she is EASY!

Taken for Granted

I loved this photo on AE's site!Over the last few days, I've come to realize that I continually take things for granted. In an effort to pay homage to their goodness, let me publicly recognize their importance in making my life happy. Keep in mind that this is not an all inclusive list--so, if you are not mentioned in this brief list, I either don't take you for granted (which is a good thing. . .not likely, but good) or I want to surprise you with a personal note of thanks and a gift via the USPostal Service. Be watching for that gift-

Things I take for granted on a regular basis:

1. My sweet little calloused feet.

2. Good friends--near and far. That includes those who might live in Nevada, smell like skunk, and make fun of my blog. Yes, I even love them.

3. Greg Kinnear.

4. iTunes.

5. Parents who really care about who I am, where I go, and who I'm becoming.

6. Skilled friends who offer their expertise and experience willingly. . .regardless of the hour.

7. A brother who makes me laugh so hard I nearly pee my pants.

8. The Passat. . .I'm missing her while she is on holiday (aka The Dealership).

9. Fresh air.

10. Eternal perspective and guidance.

11. Toothpaste.

12. Sisters who help me be better. . .and look better.

13. Hope.

14. Flowers. . .everyday.

15. Cafe Rio

16. Senses (not to be confused with sense).

17. Compassion.

18. Mike Rowe.

19. French toast.

20. My potential.

Ta DA Tuesday

Some of today's discoveries:

1. I've decided that I'm a complete sucker for anything that smells good. I stopped at Bath & Body Works tonight to pick some items up for a bridal shower and walked out of the store with a bucket load of yummy smelling potions for myself. As I see it, they're an investment in my future. What man can refuse Magnolia Bloosoms or Exotic Coconut?

2. Laura's sister-in-law, Heidi, posted a waffle recipe on her blog that I'm going to test out for tomorrow night's Waffle Wednesday. I feel pretty confident, as Heidi has some competative cooking experience. We'll test the recipe out on some expert waffle eaters and let you know how it goes.

Ryan's famous pumpkin chocolate chip waffles:

1 1/4 c. flour

2 T. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. each cinnamon, ginger, salt

1/8 t. nutmeg dash of cloves

Whisk dry ingredients together and then fold in:

1 egg

6 T. canned pumpkin puree

2 T. melted butter

1 c. milk

1/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Cook in your waffle iron until tasty golden brown and douse in butter and maple syrup.

3. Sometimes it's nice to feel needed.

4. I love that my mom is deep into New Moon.

5. I spent almost 40 minutes on the phone today with a complete idiot. When the cell phone support guy tells you that you know more about the phone than he does, you have a problem.

6. My new Blueprint Magazine came in the mail today. . .a part of me can hardly contain my excitement, while the other part wants to wait until I'm sad, waiting at a doctor's office, or sitting in an airport so I can really dive into and experience the monthly periodical.

7. Paris is out of jail and I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole escapade. . .I don't think it matters.

8. I've been dreaming of a BYU rice crispy treat. I can't wait to be tall and thin so I can eat them for breakfast everyday. Oh, and don't forget the chocolate milk. Don't laugh. I've been praying and it could happen. FAITH PRECEDES THE MIRACLE. My days of Fiber One, blueberries, and skim milk will soon be a thing of the past.

9. My pink toenails are super summer sassy. Women everywhere should have painted toenails in the summer. I think I'm going to make it happen. Oprah is opening schools and educating young minds in 3rd world countries and Michelle is going to give them a spot of sparkle. POLISHED. . .that's the name of my new non-profit organization. You think I'm joking? I'm not. If anyone would like to donate nail polish, let me know.

10. What did we do before Costco? Let's see--we must not have had toilet paper, fresh tortillas, Crystal Light packets, cookies, blueberries or salmon. Oh, and we certainly didn't have cream puffs or quiche at bridal showers.

11. Poncho sent me the sweetest text message this morning. "you know that i live very close to the beach, right? you know why i will remember you often while i'm away? because your eyes are as blue as the pacific." Ladies and gentlemen. . .that is why I have a Latin lover.

12. It's official. I'm a geek. While I was stretching out yesterday morning, I look down to notice that I have one of my old running shoes on with one of my new. AND to top it off, I can't seem to drink any sort of beverage without a straw. I'm fluid intaking impaired.

13. I saw (or more appropriately HEARD) Jeremiah in the parking lot across from the WSC. He was straddling his motorcycle in a suit. It was strangely wonderful.

14. Whole wheat pasta is pretty damned good.

15. I no longer have any tolerance for tardiness.

A Few Things

1. I just won a game for the Game Boy (still unopened) on eBay. Now that's going to be a productive use of my time. Actually, I justified the silly purchase by reminding myself that I will be travelling a great deal over the next couple of months and sometimes you just need a no-brainer activity to pass the time.


2. Today I stopped by the dollar store to pick up some holiday colored napkins and noticed a pregnancy test at the check-out line. Who in the stink buys a pregnancy test from the dollar store? Honestly.


3. Knocked 4 minutes off our running route this morning. Kicking butt.


4. Don't Eat Pete Repeat.

5. We are exactly 6 months from Christmas. . .how is that possible?


6. Sometimes when I feel old, I remember all the great people who are older than me and it makes me smile.

7. I had forgotten how much I love Shredded Wheat. Thanks for sharing, Kimmy. . .oh, and for the hot new hair. Love it.