It's May Already?

Wow. I haven't posted in a while. I've been so busy at work lately that when I get home, the last thing I want to do again is hop on the computer and type. I'm hoping that it will calm down soon, but I'm thinking that it won't. Anyways, I did get away for a 24 hour crop last Friday and Saturday for National Scrapbook Day. It was a blast - all except for sleeping on a concrete floor! I'm getting too old for that! I did get my @ 30 album done. Here it is:

Another Side of Grandma

My SIL showed me this picture while we were scrapping on Saturday. It's of my Grandma, the one who's 96. Her eyes are getting really bad and bright light is really hard on her. She usually uses huge sunglasses to block out most of the light, but this time, she forgot them. So my brother borrowed her his glasses - with FLAMES!

This is so anti-Grandma. She's so sweet. I guess in a way she's a bad ass, by still living on her own at 96. And just by living to 96, that's pretty bad ass. I just thought it was hilarious!!

Paper is Creative Imaginations , 7 Gypsies stamp, Colormates cardstock, Heidi Swapp bling, Basic Grey rub ons, and My Mind's Eye rub on letters.

Computer-Free Weekend

I just turned on my computer for the first time since Friday night. It was nice not feeling like I had to spend all of my time in front of this thing. I knew that everything would still be there when I got around to it.

Dh and the dogs went up to the cabin this weekend to help my parents out. They're all taking naps right now, it's nice to have the quiet. My SIL and I went scrapping yesterday. She got a lot done on my niece's album. It was great to spend time with her. Last night I had the house to myself. I curled up in bed and watched Memoirs of a Geisha. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but it was something I had wanted to see. I slept in today, did a little cleaning, and then ran errands. Tonight we'll cook out on the grill and watch The Simpsons, Desparate Housewives, and Entorage. All and all a great weekend!

Thank you for Smoking

I can't believe our legislature here. I can't believe that they are actually going to ban smoking throughout the state of Minnesota. And I really can't believe that our Republican governor has stated he's going to sign the bill. For me, this issue has nothing to do with smoking. I can't stand it. I have asthma, and can have adverse effects from it. So, why wouldn't I want it banned? Wouldn't things be so much better if I could go anywhere and not have someone smoking? Sure it would. But the thing is, I DON'T WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO BAN IT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I feel that the market, or customer demand, should dictate what people do. If there is a bar where the owner wants to make it non-smoking, good for them. I'm sure a lot of people would frequent it. But as soon as the government gets their hands into it, that's where things start getting scary. Who's to say it's not something you love next? Yes, smoking is bad for your health, but it's your body. I've chosen to drink more Mt. Dew than any human should, but guess what, that's MY choice. I hate when the government plays God. Maybe they should look into making Minneapolis and public transit safer and leave whether or not people are having a smoke to those people.

My name is Nicole and I've approved this message.

Tagged!

Beth tagged me yesterday. I'm finally getting to it! Here are the rules: each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to blog about their seven things and post the rules as well . At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. I can't roll my tongue, but I can roll my r's.

2. My hair "turned" naturally curly when I went through puberty. It was stick straight before then!

3. I hate having my toe nails too long - and any white showing it too long! It's a pain in the ass for anyone who gives me a pedicure.

4. I walked my bike until my mom threatened to sell it. I rode it for the first time that night. I think I was 10.

5. I drink 4+ cans of Dew a day. My name is Nicole and I'm an addict!

6. I got my ears pierced when I was 4. I got them double pierced at 12. By the time I was 18, I had 10 piercings in my ears. I've never pierced myself anywhere else. I currently have 6 holes left.

7. My Jeep is the second car I've ever had. Before that it was the 1990 Olds Cutlass that dh still drives to work.

Now for tagging, most people I know who have blogs have already been tagged, so I'm going with Tracy and Tara.

Hope you all learned something new about me!

New Haircut!

Linda and I went and got our haircut tonight. We both got gift certificates at the ALS crop back in March, and they expired on April 30th. I went in and told the girl I just wanted something new since I haven't gotten my haircut for a year. Usually I get three a year, so this had been a long time for me. So, as per Karin's request, here is my new haircut.

To get this picture, I tried a couple of different things, like taking a picture in the mirror:

Opening my eyes really big:

Holding the camera with both hands:

With my hair up:

And finally with a headband:

These pictures make me laugh! I mean, I look demented in all of them!! And you'll probably never see this many pictures of me on my blog again, so enjoy it!

Cathy and Donna

This weekend has been great so far! Last night, Cathy Zielske and Donna Downey dropped by the crop for a couple of hours. It was so cool to see both of them - they are so funny! They were both really down to earth and Cathy even left Alli a message!! I was bummed that she didn't answer the phone, but it was hilarious that she was able to leave her a message! We had a great time talking and laughing with them. It was definitely worth getting to see them!

Cathy, me and Donna:
Linda, me and Beth. We had a great time!
Beth and I took Donna's book binding class today. She's a great teacher and it was a great class. Mine turned out a little fucked up (Donna says it's not a party until someone drops the f-bomb, so that one was for her!), but that was my fault, not hers. Afterwards, Beth and I talked to her a little while. She seemed bummed that we weren't staying for more classes, which made us happy that she wanted us to hang out more! Beth even got to wear her apron! To see the book and Beth in the apron, check out Beth's blog.

Tonight DH and I are going to Blades of Glory (finally). Hopefully tomorrow will be great too - it will be a topper to an already great weekend!

Flat Stanley has been Spotted!

He's having new adventures! Check it out here!

Fun at Work

On Tuesday, after our sales meeting, the owners took all of us out for bowling. They paid for two games, shoes, pizza, appetizers, pop and beer. It was fun to hang out with everyone outside of work. I actually didn't bowl too bad for not doing it for 5+ years. I tried to take some pictures, but it's hard to get good pictures while bowling.
I also decided to take some pictures at work today. Here's what most of our lot looks like:

I need to tell the guys to line up the buses in a straight line so pictures turn out better! I do think this turned out pretty cool though!

Works been really stressful this week. Luckily, I'm hangin' with the bitches this weekend, so that will help. I actually might hang out with dh this weekend too! How crazy! I'm trying to convince him to go to Blades of Glory with Will Ferrell. I really want to see it because he's hilarious and Jenna Fisher (Pam from The Office) is in it too.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

** I just noticed this was my 52nd post this year, as many as I did last year! Wow!

Weekend Adventures

This past weekend started with Orion's 7th birthday on Friday. I can't believe he's 7 already! He's really not showing his age yet, so that's good. I love this picture of him, he was just sitting with his tongue sticking out. Even after I touched it a couple of times, he still kept it out. It was really funny!
Friday night, I met Linda and Beth at Ridgedale to do a little shopping. Linda ended up parking next to the craziest car, so of course we had to take some pictures of it! I only had my camera phone, so they're not the best.

Can you imagine driving around with all that shit on your car?!?
We then found the perfect book for Linda at Barnes and Noble. I'm surprised she's not on the cover! :) Love ya, Bitch!
On Saturday night, I went to my friend's Tana's house to meet some people from her Scrapvillage design team. Tracey, Celeste, and Cheryl were great - I loved hanging out with them! We got Lee Ann Chins for dinner, went to Target, and had awesome sundaes! Oh yeah, we did some scrapping too! Tracey and I convinced everyone to go in the hot tub - it was only 40 degrees out! I'm hoping that I get to see all of them again soon! And thanks for hosting the great evening Tana - Ella is so cute!!

Sunday was working around the house and hanging out with dh. Monday definitely came too fast!

Better check that date again...

April 11? Really?

I better check the calendar again. It's gotta be January. It's been snowing since last night and it's still snowing at 10:30pm!

Damn! When is that global warming going to show up?

Peaceful Excitement Part 2

My peace lily is finally in full bloom! I posted on March 6 that there was a bloom and now this:

Yippee!

We're supposed to get snow tonight. I still have ice in my fountain! Damn the global warming!

100th Post!

A couple of things from my birthday:

First - Tulips from Karin, now in full bloom - Gorgeous!

Roses from my brother and sil - They are opening just perfectly!
This is all of the cards I got for my birthday - dh's aunts and uncles sent me about 15 each! It covered my dining room table with one leaf in it - 36 cards in total!!

Easter was very nice - My grandma gave me this cup - she said that she had gotten it for her 30th, and now is giving it to me! It's a sweet pea for April (her birthday is on the 21st). I think because I'm the youngest, I've always been a favorite of hers!

My Mom's sister (yeah, I know it's my aunt, but now you really know who she is!) gave me this hummel for my b'day. I love them and had told her this a couple of years ago. She said this one is her favorite (she's a caterer).

My favorite photo from Easter - my niece looking outside. I'll have to figure out how to Photoshop me out of the picture. I took a lot of pictures on Easter, they were just all of her! She's so cute! She can even give high 5!

And to be even more random, this is my new purse. I ordered it from Elisalou.com. It's really cute, but there is no pockets in it, so I'll have to improvise on that part. It's so spring-y and cute!!

True Friendship

I got this forward today and thought it was funny:

True Friendship
(None of that Sissy Crap)

Are you tired of those sissy "friendship" poems that always sound good
But never actually come close to reality?
Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.
You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this card-
just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad -- I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against
the sorry bastard who made you sad.

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever you're choking on.

3. When you smile -- I will know you finally got laid.

4. When you are scared -- I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much
worse it could be until you quit whining.

6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.

7. When you are sick -- Stay the hell away from me until you are well
again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall -- I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

9. This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end. "Why?" you may ask;
"because you are my friend".

To all my friends, you bitches!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today was a good birthday. Or at least until my 3 1/2 year old nephew said "You look like a fat mouse."

I guess it's time to do something about my hair and go on that diet! Damn kids...

* 30 * 30 * 30 * 30 *

Tomorrow I turn 30. 30. Wow. When you're little, 30 is ancient! I don't feel that old, so I'm not that worried about it. I've always loved my birthday. I don't know if it was the presents or just being about me. I've always loved my birth date too - 4-4-77. How cool is that? It was really cool in 2004 - 4-4-04. It's my favorite number.

Some history of April 4:

1581 - Frances Drake completed the circumnavigation of the world.

1812 - The territory of Orleans became the 18th U.S. state and will become known as Louisiana. 1818 - The U.S. flag was declared to have 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars and that a new star would be added for the each new state.

1850 - The city of Los Angeles was incorporated.

1887 - Susanna M. Salter became mayor of Argonia, KS, making her the first woman mayor in the U.S.

1914 - The first known serialized moving picture opened in New York City, NY. It was "The Perils of Pauline".

1917 - The U.S. Senate voted 90-6 to enter World War I on the Allied side.

1932 - After five years of research, professor C.G. King, of the University of Pittsburgh, isolated vitamin C.

1945 - During World War II, U.S. forces liberated the Nazi death camp Ohrdruf in Germany. 1949 - Twelve nations signed a treaty to create The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1967 - Johnny Carson quit "The Tonight Show." He returned three weeks later after getting a raise of $30,000 a week.

1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39.

1969 - Dr. Denton Cooley implanted the first temporary artificial heart.

1974 - Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's major league baseball home-run record with 714.

1975 - More than 130 people, most of them children, were killed when a U.S. Air Force transport plane evacuating Vietnamese orphans crashed just after takeoff from Saigon.

1986 - Wayne Gretzky set an NHL record with his 213th point of the season.

1994 - Netscape Communications (Mosaic Communications) was founded.

People born on April 4:

Elizabeth W. Wilson 1921 - Actress (TV: "The Addams Family", Movie: "The Graduate")

Maya Angelou 1928 - Author, poet

Clive Davis 1932 - Record company executive

Anthony Perkins 1932 - Actor (Movies: "Psyco" series)

Craig T. Nelson 1944 - Actor (Movies: "Turner and Hooch", "Stir Crazy", "Poltergeist")

Christine Lahti 1950 - Actress

David E. Kelley 1956 - Writer, producer ("Ally McBeal", "The Practice")

Robert Downey, Jr. 1965 - Actor (Movie: "U.S. Marshals")

Nancy McKeon 1966 - Actress (TV: "The Facts of Life")

Jill Scott 1972 - Singer

David Blaine 1973 - Magician

Natasha Lyonne 1979 - Actress

Heath Ledger 1979 - Actor

Notice, no one after me - I'm too famous to follow after! ;) Hehehe!

Tomorrow I am going to lunch with DH then I'm driving to my parent's house after work for a party with them, my brother and sil and niece and nephew, and my grandma. Overall - a great day planned!

Wish me luck!

2 days until 29+1

I read this on Overheard at the Beach and thought it was appropriate:

Awww, You're Sweet. No, I'm 30

Little girl: Grandma, you're old!
Grandma: How old do you think I am, sweetie?
Little girl: I dunno... like, 16, or something.

--Wilmington, North Carolina



Also, Flat Stanley has been spotted again - in New Mexico!

Birthday Party!

Thanks everyone who came to my birthday party! I had blast and it was one classy event! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends!

We miss you too Alli! Wish you could have been here!

A List

Anonymous said...
how about a post on what you want for your birthday?
7:16 PM

I quit my "ask me a question and I'll answer it" posts awhile back, but I guess I'll indulge anonymous (if that's your name).

Thinking about it, I guess I would be a hard person to buy for. I have too much shit to begin with, and am very ambivalent on what I want in general. I wish I could just come up with 10 things that I wanted just like that. I'll try that out and see what happens:

1. A chunky necklace in some cool color. I tried on about 500 at Target the other day and couldn't find anything I wanted or liked.
2. Cool Acrylic stamps
3. Mary Jane Crocs (size 9)
4. A protective cover for my iPod mini
5. iTunes Gift Card
6. Anything cool scrapbooking stuff
(damn! This is hard!)
7. Alli to move back ;) Hehehe! Had to add that!
8. Professional pics of my dogs
9. Someone to come and pick up the poop in our yard
(arrrgh! I'm stuck again! With ideas, not in the poop!)
10. Okay, so I tried looking on the internet, and then got distracted for 30 minutes until I realized that I should get to bed and then remembered this. Sorry, 9 is all you're getting. Good luck. I'll love whatever you get me - unless it's that one thing you're thinking of! Hehehe!

An ALS Film

I got an email yesterday from Scott Stafne about an upcoming fundraiser for his ALS fund. Here's what he wrote:

"A year ago, I saw the premiere of So Much So Fast at the Sundance FilmFestival. I've been passionate about film all my life, but never has a film felt so intensely personal. I am absolutely thrilled to bring itto Minnesota. On Saturday, May 5, you and everyone you know are invited to a special screening of So Much So Fast at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. A black-humored cliffhanger of romance, guerrilla science and theredefinition of time, So Much So Fast unfolds like a nonfiction novel. Stephen Heywood finds out he has ALS. His brother Jamie becomes obsessed with finding a cure. And the woman who's falling in love with Stephen has a decision to make. I want you to see this movie. I want your friends and your family to see this movie, and here's why:

1) It's about ALS – You already know someone with this deadly illness. Learn about the reality of living with ALS, and about the incredible people who fight to destroy it.

2) It's about life – We all struggle with something. Whether personally affected by ALS or not, I guarantee this film will inspire you to look deeply into your own life, and perhaps reevaluate how you define happiness.

3) It's my birthday – I'm turning 35 this May (ALS Awareness Month!). It's only $5. Nothing would please me more than a full house to help celebrate another year of life. Please tell your family and friends and I look forward to seeing you on May 5. Scott

Saturday, May 5
11:30 AM Screening
Reception to follow

Riverview Theater
3800 42nd Ave S
Minneapolis

Suggested donation of $5 benefits the Scott Stafne ALS Research Fund
Buy your tickets now at http://stafnes.com

What a great way to support a worthy cause and see a great movie! I'm going to try and be there - what about you?

Public Service Announcement

When it is raining, snowing, foggy or doing any sort of precipiation - turn on your goddamn headlights!!!!! When your wipers are on, your headlights should be too!





Thank you for your support.

Flat Stanley Update

He's been spotted!

Sunday Update

My friend Karin took me to see the Glass Menagerie at the Guthrie Theater today. A classic play set in the 1930's by Tennesee Williams. It was very good, a little depressing, but very good. One of the actors in the play was Harriet Harris, who play Felicia Tilman on Desperate Housewives. That was the woman who thought Paul Young had killed her sister and was trying to kill him. She was very good in this play as well. The picture is from the endless bridge at the Guthrie. It's looking over the Mississippi in Minneapolis. It was amazing how many people were out walking around or riding bikes today. As soon as the weather gets nice, people come out of hiding pretty quick!

After the play, we went to Macy's on the Nicolette Mall. Macy's is having a flower show with an African theme. It was cool to see all the flowers and everything they've done there. It smelled so good there too. I'd stop by if you have a chance. Not really worth a special trip, but cool if you're in the neighborhood.

Overall - a great day! Thanks for my birthday present, Karin!

1st Day of Spring

Today is the first day of spring, according to the calendar. We still have some snow on the ground, but it's going quickly. I like spring - it brings warmer weather, birds, flowers, sandals, etc. But there is one reason I don't like spring. This -

This is my backyard. Seven years of having two huge dogs has taken it's toll. We have a huge mud pit for most of the spring. Right now, most of it is covered with ice and snow, but if we get the thunder storms they predicted for tonight, this will be gone soon. And so will my layer of protection. The other fun part, our yard is sand. No matter how much I wipe the dogs feet when they come in, some of that damn sand stays on. It's great when I find it up in our bed - it's fun to sleep on grit! Luckily, sand drains quickly. But not quick enough for me. The tough part is also how to fix this mess. If we plant grass or do sod, we'd have to keep the dogs off of it, so they'd tear up something else. Thank God it's our backyard. I guess if we ever sell the house, it'll have to be in the winter when we have some snow to cover this up! Now to teach the dogs how to walk on air....or to wipe up their own damn paws!