Oh, hi.

Well, I can cross off seeing the CU/Nebraska game. We went the day after Thanksgiving. CU lost (expected) but barely (not expected). I also read 2 more books to finish my 5 for the year (The Brethren - John Grisham; The Lucky One - Nicholas Sparks). Not much, but it's progress.

A little late, but

I finished "The Brethren" by John Grisham about a week ago. I love John Grisham, but it took forever for me to get into this book. It took about 2 weeks to read it, which by his standards is a long time. But, I'm done.

So, that's book #4. Which means I have 6 weeks to read one last book to get in my 5th for the year. Suggestions?

OH - and a big one: we made an offer on a home. It's a short sale, so we may not know for a LONG time, but this is huge!

Viva Las Vegas!

It wasn't a ton, but I DID win in Vegas. I came home with about $30 more than I started with - so not too shabby. Cross it off the list!

Cross off another book, and check out my toes!

I finished reading Seeking Spirits by Grant Wilson & Jason Hawes last night. Super easy read, but then again I love these guys. I could have finished it in a night if I had started earlier!

Also, in preparation for our trip to Las Vegas tomorrow, I got myself a cute little pedicure. Cross that one off the list!

Paid!

Today I paid off the balance of one of our credit cards. Unfortunately, thanks to my direct deposit not going through on time, the balance was higher than I had hoped since money had to be transfered as overdraft protection. But, it's one less card with a balance! Unfortunately there are a few more with balances. But, we'll keep working at it!

Summer is over!

Which sucks, in and of itself, but the great news is that I planted 2 flowerboxes of begonias on our front porch in May and they lived all the way until our first freeze last week!

Cross another 3 off

While on vacation in Minnesota to see my family and friends, I finally visited my grandma's grave. She passed away 7 years ago and I could not make it back home for her funeral. I've struggled with closure because of that, but now I feel I finally have some.

Wednesday we took public transit to go to the Twins game, and to pick up Scott from the airport. The Light Rail system works well for that - but they only go from Mall of America to downtown Minneapolis.

Finally, Scott and I celebrated our third anniversary on August 26th. We got tickets behind home plate for the Rockies game and despite a loss, we enjoyed the game!

How do you like me now?

Cross Toby Keith off the list - Scott and I went to see him last Friday at Fiddler's Green. Awesome show! Scott even survived too. Our seats were pretty far away, but nowhere near as far back as those people on the lawn. I can't complain - we only paid about $25 for them. Yay for progress!

Say cheese!

Yesterday we took Violet to her first Rockies Photo Day. She preferred to look at the cute baseball players instead of the camera, but we got a couple good ones. Cross that one off!

In less exciting progress, I talked with Scott about a move to Minnesota - but unfortunately it was about how due to certain family dynamics right now that I DON'T want to move back to Minnesota. Pretty bad if it's going to make me change my mind, right? Yep.

Milk!

We finally have successful use of Violet's first sign - "milk" - which she can also say, though it sounds like the hard K sound "kuh". We're working on some other signs too: mommy, daddy, kitty, gentle, more, thank you and all done. But we'll get to those in time.

On a sad (to mommy) note, I also enrolled her in day care. She'll start at a wonderful home daycare on September 21st, half a week after she turns one. I feel 100% comfortable with this daycare, but it also means I am back to work 5 days a week and our mommy/Violet time on Wednesdays will be over.

*ducks and covers*

Ok, I did it. I was able to listen to REALLY LOUD thunder without covering my ears. Mainly because I am at work at the group home and would look like a big baby if I didn't.

I also finished book #2 this week - "Most Likely To Die", a thriller I picked up from a friend at the garage sale last weekend. Not a horrible read - it kept my attention.

Sold!

This past weekend along with a handful of friends, we had a garage sale. I made over $150 in two days. Not too shabby! I can cross #57 off the list - though I had such a great time and enough success that I really want to have another one next year!

Gettin' there

Well, last week I made progress toward 2 goals. I read a book (The Choice by Nicholas Sparks), and I bought tickets for Scott and I to go see Toby Keith in August. I'm a huge Nicholas Sparks fan, so I really should get the other couple books of his that I have left to read.

Oh. hi...

It's me. I haven't been ignoring my list, I just haven't had many opportunities. I thought I was going to be able to cross one off, but if you want to get technical I really can't. I had lunch with my friend Hollie on the patio of Mead St Station in the Highlands (LOVE their poutine!), but my list says to have dinner on the patio of a restaurant. Ok, so some people call lunch "dinner", but I will try to not cheat on my list and I won't cross it off. So, I'm working on things.

I DID plant 2 flower boxes the other day on our front porch - so we'll see if I can keep them alive all summer. Wish me luck!

Ahhhhh

Yes, I haven't posted in a while because I haven't accomplished much, BUT my wonderful husband did buy me a massage for my birthday and I got it last Sunday. MUCH needed. I hurt for a good 2 days afterward because I was so tense prior to it, but I will not let 7 months go by without one again!

Additionally, I gave up pop for Lent - and with Lent coming to a close I have made it a whole month and then some with out drinking any. But I will definitely have some Diet Wild Cherry Pepsis chilled and ready to go for Sunday morning. I came close today to cheating while at the Rockies game, but luckily found a drinking fountain before I gave in (though I'd already met my month goal by today anyway).

Quickly...

Today I bought a 1 year membership to our local rec center (a really nice one too, I might add!) and enrolled Violet in swim classes which start April 7th. Yay! I also took advantage of Old Navy's 30% off sale and bought a swim suit for myself. I wish I still fit in the one I have, but you gotta do what you gotta do (and also why I joined the rec center!) Also, the meal this week was mac & cheese. I was lazy.

New haircut!

I crossed another one off the list. I got about 8" cut off, plus bangs which I haven't had in years. I love it!

And another one

The table has been cleared off successfully for a month. And it was so easy - how did I ever let it get so cluttered before? I hope I can stay successful in keeping it clean like this from now on.

Last week's meal was a kind of spaghetti type thing. Last minute. It was kinda eh.

Check and Check

Took my bubblebaths - one a week for a month. I am sure that this will continue until it gets warm out, anyway. We also used our entire tax return to pay off debt. I can't wait until the year when we can use it for something fun!

Last week's meal was pulled pork. This week I am making elk chili. Next week my mom will be in town (God help me) so I already have pulled pork, mac & cheese, and elk lasagna ingredients at the ready.

Lent starts on Wednesday so I am taking that opportunity to give up pop for 30 days (40 actually).

Off the wagon

Well, I didn't make my one month of bed making. Monday 2 of the cats were on it while I was getting ready for work and I just didn't throw them off. Oh well. Back to square one.

This week's meal of the week was spaghetti with homemade sauce with ground turkey. I'm not a huge spaghetti fan, but Scott is, so I decided to treat him to some. Next week's meal is going to be pulled pork. I haven't made that in a month or so.

The dining room table is doing well. I can't remember what day I started that - did I blog it? It's been at least 2 weeks.

Cold beer here!

In all honesty, I should have set my goal to be to try 15 new beers or something. Too easy. We're in Minnesota at my dad's house and I finished my quest to try 5 new beers by having 2 new ones last night: August Schell's Snow Storm and Pale Ale. Loved the Snow Storm, Pale Ale was eh. I'd drink it again only if my other choices were domestics.

I've considered asking to go to my grandma's grave, but since it's winter in Minnesota it might be hard to actually see it or spend time at it. I think we'll save this for late in the summer when we come back.

And more beer

So, we're kinda regulars at Breckenridge Brewery - so much so that we get a lot of our adult beverages compliments of the house. Today we got to try their new IPA which is yet to be named (so, IPA #001). I'm not really an IPA fan, far too hoppy for me, but Scott really liked it. So, add another beer to my list - TBYTBN (The Beer Yet to be Named).

Unfortunately, we found out today that Jay Cutler is also a regular. Good thing we're regulars operating on different schedules, so hopefully we won't run into him often.

Tomorrow for the Superbowl I will be making a turkey roast with mashed potatoes and stuffing. Not your typical football fare, but I work on Monday night, and Tuesday night will be busy with getting everything ready to leave for Minnesota on Wednesday, so I had to make my meal for the week tomorrow or not make it at all.

Yum-O

This week's home cooked meal was elk lasagna. SO delicious! I've been working on losing weight and this is the first thing in 2 1/2 months that has REALLY forced me to have willpower and not have seconds! My friend Deanne and her husband harvest an elk every year and she gave me about 3 lbs of ground elk, so I used about 3/4 lb for this. I made it with this recipe from cooking light and of course substituted the elk for the ground round.

In other news, the table has been cleared off effective today, so here we go on that month. That will be a tough one since it is a catch-all for pretty much everything. The bed was made this morning, but it's unmade now since my husband stayed home sick from work today and napped this afternoon. But, it started the day made so I will still count it!

More beer

I tried Polstar Pilsner, a Left Hand Brewery beer this weekend. I think it was a one and out thing. Not overly impressed. But, 2 beers down, 3 to go. Bedmaking is going well and I bought the ingredients to make lasagna tomorrow night as long as the elk meat is thawed.

Not much to say

I've made my bed every day since I started my month of making it daily - I don't know why I don't do it more often, it's not like it's hard. Ok, that's a lie. There is usually at least one cat on it and heaven forbid I disturb a sleeping cat.

My meal of the week (thanks to a very cranky baby who had shots on Wednesday I have only made one home cooked meal) was mac & cheese. It's kind of a standard here that we have a couple times a month.

I've also had my bubble bath for the week - soooo relaxing!

The Garage

Well, this morning I finally had some time to tackle the garage. It's been in a state of disarray since we moved in, and I finally was able to make some room - room enough for a 2nd car, should we ever get one. I was able to do a lot of condensing and got rid of a lot.

In other progress, I started day 1 of making my bed every day for a month. We'll see if it works (doubtful)

Mmmm Beer

Had my 1st of 5 new beers today. Pandora's Bock from Breckenridge Brewery. It's a seasonal that was out last year, but of course I was pregnant and couldn't partake. 2 thumbs up!

Bonus points?

Can I get bonus points for having gone to the dentist TWICE so far? (and a third time in 2 weeks!) I had a filling replaced and it honestly was NOT that bad! The dentist warned that my tooth could be heat/cold sensitive for up to 6 months - and it isn't even heat/cold sensitive at all. Crazy!

Tomorrow I plan to try a new beer at Breckenridge. That will make 1 new beer down, 4 to go!

Yum!

Well, I'm making progress toward another one - but this one will last a LONG time. I have made a homemade meal once a week so far (Saturday: turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes; Sunday: pulled pork sandwiches). My friend Toni was kind enough to e-mail a cookbook of her recipes so I have even more to add to my repertoire. I'm looking for a good beef stew recipe if anyone has one. My friend Deanne gave me 3 lbs of ground elk on Saturday when I was at her house (her husband is an excellent hunter as evidenced by their "game" room) so I may use that for either burgers or some chili. We made chili with antelope meat about a month ago. VERY delicious!

I'd love to actually cook more, but it's tough with working 40 hours in 4 days plus having an (almost) 4 month old.

I'm also making small progress toward the goal of taking a picture of my daughter every day. I post them on her blog daily. (her blog is private/by invite only. If you'd like an invite, please leave me a comment with your e-mail address)

One down!

This morning I went to the dentist - it was the first time in over 4 years - EEK! But that's exactly why I put it on my list. And, I scheduled a cleaning in 6 months and tomorrow am going to have to schedule some "work". UGH.

1 down, 100 to go!

The beginning

I have plenty of other blogs - one for my daily life, and one for my daughter Violet, but this one will be updated only to reflect the progress that I make to accomplish 101 things in 1001 days. I am starting on January 8, 2009 and ending on October 6, 2011