1.30.2009

A's 25 Random Things...

1. I have a HUGE sweet tooth (no secret there)!

2. My favorite movie of all time is Empire Records - "damn the man!" And my favorite TV show is King of Queens, even though I've probly seen every episode 3x.

3. Im' a big sap at heart - I will cry at any sad movie - but only when I'm alone... I try not to show that weakness in public.

4. I like to make plans for everything and hate leaving things up to "chance". If I could plan everything I would - just to have control.

5. I'm a bona fide perfectionist... it's both a blessing and a curse.

6. I love to sleep in, even if I'm already getting more than 8 hours of sleep.

7. I hate working out, but feel that as I get older I need to stay fit so I can live a long, happy life.

8. I always wanted to be popular in high school, but later realized that I would rather have a few very close friends than to have everyone like me and not have any sense of friendships.

9. I used to scrapbook... A LOT. And I miss doing it. But it's also so much work!

10. I don't have a very green thumb... I only have one plant, a corn plant - and even that I can't remember to water very often (so I got Aqua Globes... and I forget to refill those too).

11. I like to try cooking new recipies that I haven't made before, and Paul is so good about eating it even if it's not that great.

12. I like to bake, but always feel guilty when eating the cakes, cookies, and breads because I know what went into them.

13. I love spending money on "kitchy" decorative things. My house is full of them, and then I'm constantly trying to buy more things to organize them.

14. I like to use my creative design skills to help my friends in their own homes... whether it's paint selection, art shopping, or designing a whole baby nursery.

15. I can Photoshop really well and I like working on it - I have fooled many with my super-impositions (if that wasn't a word, it is now).

16. I get really bad cluster headaches that last for several days at a time - I have to take 3 Excedrin just to make it through the day, and even then, they don't fully go away - I wake up with them the next day.

17. You might call me a "pack rat"... I save EVERYTHING.

18. I wish I made more money, so that I could take some of the pressure off of Paul.

19. I want to get a Shih Tzu puppy, but am afraid I could not care for it right (if it's anything like a corn plant)... so instead we have a Beta fish (and Paul takes care of it).

20. I want to have kids one day, but am afraid my "life" will be over once I do.

21. I currently don't attend a church, although I am a Christian. I love the Lord, I pray every day, and I have faith that things will always work out for His perfect will and purpose.

22. I have often wondered what my life would be like if I had done just one small thing differently - like gone to a colllege out of state, or travelled abroad for a year, or gotten a big-time design job just out of school...would anything be different?

23. I miss my friends and family back home in WA state. I thought we would have moved back there by now, but with the economy rut we're stuck in, it's looking like a long way off.

24. I'm in love with Dave Matthews - he'd be my "one night pass", and Paul's OK with that... I think.

25. I love my husband more than words can say (and more than Dave), and the life that we've created togeher.

1.02.2009

Just for mom...

I know, blogging 3 times in one day?!?!?!?!

(Click to enlarge)

This is the temporary spot for it... it's been on the wall since mid-December when I decorated for C-mas. It looks real good next to all my nutcrackers and garland there, but I don't know if I'll like it there once the nutcrackers are put away. I'll keep you posted, as we're probly putting it all away this weekend. :) Love you!!!

Posted by: ~Shaboo*

2008 TEST

Match the headline event to the month it happened in 2008 (sorry I can't format it like a matching game in here...). Try to do it without looking them up online:

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY
AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

  • Detroit Red Wings defeat the Pittsburg Penguins to win the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals 4-2
  • Democrat Barack Obama wins the 2008 US presidential election, making him the first African American president
  • Starbucks announces it will close 600 underperforming coffee shops in the US
  • NY Giants defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII
  • The Games of the XXIX Olympiad commence with the Opening Ceremony in Beijing
  • OJ Simpson is sentenced to 15-33 yrs. in prison for kidnapping & robbery of 2 sports memorabilia dealers in LV casino
  • The Olympic torch relay for the 2008 Summer Olympics began in Olympia, Greece
  • Sichuan province in China suffers an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, killing at least 69,000
  • Philadelphia Phillies win the 2008 World Series 4-1, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays
  • Delta Airlines takes over Northwest Airlines and creates the worlds largest airline company
  • Actor Heath Ledger of Australia dies of a medicine overdose
  • Crude Oil drops below $100/barrel for the first time since February, and gas prices drop to under $4/gallon

I will post the answers later this weekend. :) No, there is no prize - except a virtual *hug* from me!

Posted by: ~A*

The countdown is over...

HAPPY 2009 everyone!!

OK, so we all know that things don't always go excactly as we've planned. I had all these grand ideas (including a game to play) and great menu foods ready (including cheese fondue and a chocolate fountain)... well, it's a good thing that most of the stuff I was making don't require a lot of prep time, and as a professional procrastinator, nothing had started being prep'd by the time the cancellations starting ringing in. My neighbor Sara got strep throat that day, Trisha wasn't feeling well and went to bed early, and Crystal got sick the night before with a flu bug. So that took 3 couples / 6 people out of the expected guests list.

Our close firends, Brian and Danielle showed up around 7:30, and by that time I had already changed out of my "dressy" clothes, and into something much more comfortable and casual, since I was upset and didn't feel the need to be a "fancy hostess" any longer. So instead of the whole lot of food I had ready to go, we just had a few bites to eat (mini quiches, mini crabcakes, BBQ lil' weenies, cream cheese & pepper jelly dip with pretzels, etc.) About an hour later Mike, Lisa and Vinny (3 yrs. old) showed up and they were able to stay until about 10:00. We entertained Vinny with some Mario Kart Wii and Monsters, Inc. until he just couldn't last any longer!

After Mike & Lisa took off to put Vinny to bed, I brought out some chocolate fondue, since I wasn't doing the fountain. We dipped away with strawberries and bananas, brownie bites, and smores makings... the dish you can't see had pretzels in it. YUM!!!

Paul & Brian

Danielle & Alicia

After our champagne toast and watching [poor] Dick Clark on the New Year's Eve Countdown, the boys went out on the deck and enjoyed some cigars while D and I stayed in and did what we do best - talking and sipping champagne! We also enjoyed a little Wii Fit, and my favorite new Wii game, Animal Crossing!

So all in all, it was a good New Year's. I guess if you're going to have a party and only a few people show up, it is good to have it be your best friends that show up. :P

Posted by: ~A*