new year!

I hope everyone has a great year year! I can't believe it is the end of a decade. WOW!

In the words of Dan Wilson...

What a year for a new year

We need it like we needed life I guess

Last one left us lying in a mess

What a year for a new year

What a night for a sunrise

And we thought the dark would never end

Reaching out to try to find a friend

What a night for a sunrise

Sunrise

What a day for new day

And our star shines like a miracle

And our world is almost beautiful again

What a day for a new day

New day

What a year for a new year

What a night for a sunrise

And we thought the dark would never end

Reaching out to try to find a friend

What a night for a sunrise

Sunrise

Soon we’ll be lying in our beds

And new dreams will fill our heads

And the old ones will be ended

Hope we’ll forget about this place

Let it go without a trace

Wipe the teardrops from our faces

Oh! What a year for a new year

good to know

Monday I went to the dermatologist. I mentioned that I need a good lotion for my face...he said that most of the doc use Aveeno. This is not the first time I have hear that people use this...I have asked a couple women with amazing skin what they use and they all have said Aveeno.

So I giving it a try and I will let you know how it goes.

like new

Sunday I got a flat tire on my way to do errands. I finally got it back today after have 2 new tires and brakes with an oil change. So to get all my stuff done I was driving my good car in this slushy weather. My lexus is now broken in to winter.

time to breath

Here is our holiday photo...all the dogs are looking. Hope everyone had a good christmas

is it just me?

So lately I have been having chipolte for lunch on mondays after my workout. I could tell that it just hasn't been the same but I couldn't put my finger on why it just didn't taste the same. Well the company fired a ton of mexican employees around the cities. Today they are going to protest at the downtown store today.

I hope they fix this problem or else I just quick and heathy place to eat in the cities.

prince

Yesterday on the view they kept talking about how awesome the Prince concert was in NYC. Just a quick story. I have see Prince 3 times in my life. 2 times in Chicago and 1 time in minneapolis. Every time I have seen him it was been a different show. One of the times in Chicago all he did was just jam on the guitar no singing.

The time in Minneapolis was with Joe - I basically had to drag him kicking and screaming to the concert at the xcel center. At the end of the concert on the way home to quote him "that was a really good concert". This was from someone that didn't know any prince songs and really didn't like him.

I just think no matter where the concert is Prince is just a great entertainer and everyone should see him once.

football

This past summer my friend and I thought we might get tickets to the Vikings vs. Bears game. However it was a monday night game and they would have to take 2 day off of work. Well in some strange way I kind of would like to be at the game tonight at least for a quarter. I'm not looking forward to more snow though...

day 5 of photos

This string of lights on the railing look so fun I just need to take some photos of it

Day 4 of photos

Stop Light art

Kind of reminds me of Paris...

day 3 of photo

I saw this on a wall in a alley - thought it was fun!

They were stock up Bar Lurcat with beer!

Wish it was summer so I could go on there roof top

day 2 of photos

Tiny pinecones in a planter at the Basillica

Lamp post at the Basillica.

I did finally go inside the church - I now know why everyone wants to get married there - it is very beautiful inside.

photo

Friday I met a new friend and we went and took photos around the Basillica and Loring Park. It was a quick shoot considering I need my mittens off to take photos. Over the next few days I will share my photos.

stories

Last night I had a quick dinner with one of my friends that I met from my support group. We discussed all the crazy dates we have had. At least she said my adventures were the funniest. We thought should we be dating guys way older than us...no cause she took care of her husband for 10 years and didn't want to have to take care of anyone again. SO we decided back to our original plan way younger guys. They are not screwed up that much year and don't have kids. (they throw a kink in dating)

The other thing she said that made a ton of sense...at least now we are feeling something. Meaning that for so long we were in shock, empty, numb and now we are on a roller coaster of emotions going up and down.

Nerds

Last night I went to my "date a nerd" night. I have been doing this since Aug. every other month. Basically it is like a speed dating thing. 3 guys and 3 girls sit at a table and play board games for a 30 - 45 mins then the guys rotate to a different table.

It is actually fun - the guys are really nerds and scared to death of girls so it is kind of like going out to a gay bar. You can just go out and have fun with out any worries.

Last night this new girl came and was surprised that me and a couple other guys have been going for months...why you ask to quote her she said "this must not work if you come back" Both of us reply we are here just to play games and have fun.

The strange thing is the first time I went in Aug, I won a prize and picked this skull. I didn't notice it say "LA County Corners Office" on the back of it. I figured it was Joe's way of saying "hi honey"

done

So it has been 3 weeks and 8 first dates and I'm done dating again for a while.

busy busy busy

So sorry about the lack of blogs but if you must know some you do I have joined match. Oh yes I did.

So I have been busy weeding out the crazies and going on so many coffee dates my purse has a permanent smell of coffee beans.

Both sunday and monday I was double booked and I have had so much hot chocolate.

I will keep you posted on this craziness.

turkey day

Hope everyone has a great thanksgiving. I'm not cooking this year we are going out for dinner. I'm kind of looking forward to it.

The other news is that I joined match dot com. So I have been busy weeding through the crazies to get to the couple that I have been emailing and went out with for coffee. So far no one special but I will keep you posted on the stories and what happens.

Also yesterday was a good day. Go my paper work for the house to be in my name, sent it in for homesteading, got the paper work notarized to get Joe's miles, got a couple packages in the mail, got my 2009 taxes finally (have to pay) and got another check in the mail.

OHHH and the big thing is that Jennifer won dancing with the stars.

Dancing with the stars

Please I'm begging you please log on to ABC.com and register to vote or call and use your votes to get Jennifer Grey or Kyle to win DWTS. If bristol wins that could be a disaster, just think last week some guy in Wisconsin shot his tv after she made it to the finals imagine what will happen if she wins.

Bonjour!

Don't know why but I was missing Paris today

Eagle Scout

Sunday my nephew became an Eagle Scout!

snow

it is suppose to snow tomorrow...I'm not ready for it. I don't think Foxy is either she has started not wanting to take walks and just wants to take rides.

Run!

Yesterday my friend Trisha came up from Mankato and we were going to go to the movie but it was so nice out we just went running around. Really we went to lunch that lead to taking photos. I thought it would be fun to have a photo in an alley - however there was a car coming when we were taking photos. It didn't turn around either plus I had my car parked in the alley too. I ended up having to back up down the alley into a drive so the people could get by. So much for our photo shoot.

Car coming!!!

crispy treats

Sunday I made these crispy treats that are vegan. I wasn't sure what they were going to taste like but they are very very good. Plus they are healthy and only a couple ingredients.

Whole grain crispy brown rice cereal, Brown rice syrup, peanut butter, vegan chocolate chips.

Also my new business week magazine had a big article on CEO's and other powerful people that are vegans. Steve Wynn, Mort Zuckerman, Russell Simmons, and Bill Clinton to name a few. They also mentioned most of them have eaten at the restaurant candle 79 that I ate at in NYC last May. That was so good I ate there twice in one trip.





the recipe says to make sure they cool before you add the chocolate chips - I thought I did but they still melted. Oh well they were good.

Carrots

This summer I planted carrots, however they were slowly growing (due to planting the late). I forgot about them in my fall clean up till now.

However these are the biggest carrots I have ever grown. Usually Joe would plant them and Foxy and Spike would eat them when they were small.

Big Carrots

Ana thinking hummm these are carrots and I like carrots

Yummy fresh carrots-she didn't even let me clean them first

should I go out again?

I went out twice this week and both times were crazy. I will try to make this short; as the stories are long so hopefully they will make sense.

Tuesday I went out to Crave – west end for happy hour. Long story short is that this guy came up to me and insulted my chopstick skills, tried to look at in my shopping bag (had work out clothes in) and then asked me to go out with him to McDonalds to get cheeseburgers to fatten me up…. I told him I was a vegetarian and walked away. Seriouly you are going to take me to Mc Donalds!

Thursday night I went out to a women’s business expo them went to dinner at Barrio in downtown Minneapolis. We sat next two interesting tables. On small table had 3 ladies that had no clue that there was anyone else in the restaurants. The one lady kept leaning back and coming close to sticking her hair in our food.

The other table had 3 guys and a girl that had been drinking for a while. It turns out the very drunk guy was French. He was totally out of control and wild, unlike any French person I have ever seen. So I was having fun talking to this strange man, I was using some French and little French gestures that I knew would get him going. Then he introduced the other guy as being from Belgium. Well I stopped him right there…I said you will not be ripping on Belgium! Then the guy that was born in Belgium and I chatted for a while. He was interesting. Mean while the French man was dancing and kissing both my friend and I on the cheek…the waiter was trying to control him and his friends finally took him home. I don’t think I have laughed that hard in a while.

I secretly think Joe had a hand in that evening. How could I be seated next to a crazy French man and a Belgium in Minneapolis?

Then I came home after a couple hours out to Ana being sick all over the house the poor girl it was coming out of both ends and she was just shaking like a leaf.
Today she is much better but I don’t know what was going on when I was home I just know it took me a long time to clean every room and rug in the house.

vote

Hope everyone go out to vote yesterday. I voted so I can voice my opinion. The tea party is crazy and not sure what is going to happen...not sure about the new speaker of the house...and not sure who our next Governor is going to be.

Also why is Bristol still on dancing with the stars???

One thing I know for sure is that Tarryl Clark need someone to work on her image...meaning hair, clothes and make-up. I'm sorry but that is all part of the way to get votes I don't want anyone looking like that to speak for me.

Speaking of that I went last Friday with my nephew to visit colleges in Minneapolis. We went to Augsburg. Well what a piece of crap that place is not to mention the VP of admissions had on way too short of jeans and they were very wrinkled or very creased. They were talking about basically living your best life thing and finding your passion. I guess that did not include a mirror or iron.

That is all for today...Oh Francoise I'm glad you didn't get stuck in France I was worried about you.

warm up!

It is getting to be that time of the year for warm drinks. This tea I got in Scotland this summer...it was so cold they were offering sample of it warm. I haven't tried since then so I don't know if it was good cause I was in Scotland and freezing or it actually is. I will keep you posted on it though.

Hot Chocolate made with rice milk-it was my last of the mix from Belgium.

boo!

Saturday I took the girls to a Halloween costume contest. It was a good because they take photos and then they judge them, meaning there are not a ton of dogs running around barking at each other.

This just in...foxy won the contest, however Ana will get her gift basket because she might not be able to eat/chew everything in it.

My little Count Dracula

My little line backer

CSI...MPLS

Yesterday I went to get my Wall Street Journal at my front door and I found a dead mouse. Not just a dead mouse but a murdered one.

So I did what any normal person would do with a crime scene. I took photos and looked for any evidence left behind from the person/animal. If you have any tips to catch the person/animal that did this please let me know.

Below are the crime scene photos...

silent night

Oh my gosh I just went outside (8:03 pm sunday night) and not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. I have never heard the city that quiet. No planes, no cars, no people no nothing. I just stood out there and soaked it up. That is one of my favorite things, big cities and them being quiet. It doesn't happen often but when it does I love it.

If you are ever in Venice that is the best early morning you have the whole city to yourself, it is almost freaky how quiet it is.

Everyone must be watching the vikings game.

Wishing Tree...

When I walk the girls I have walked by these trees a couple times and always think I need to take photos to share with you all. The tree is full of wish that people have wrote down on a piece of paper then hang it on the tree.

The two trees all full of wishes

They are all brightly colored wishes

"I wish for my mother to be healthy and happy" Ditto for me too.

"I wish for Brian & Abbie would move here"

I ditto this wish too

I hope this wish comes true for them...I love visiting with my friends

Could not have written better myself...

Sleep stealers

Did anyone watch the CBS morning show today talking about not getting enough sleep? Well here is one of my reasons. Now they started needing to go out side at 2:30 am. Yes I know how to fix this problem but I like them in my bed!

all dressed up

Here are some photos from the party. However I was busy being a hostess and photographer I forgot to take one of my costume. I was a black widow...

Tiff (witch) & Scott (Mechanic)

Norm (Lithuania basket ball player) and Pat (Sarah)

Me and Heather - I food in my teeth and nobody told me...I found out by seeing it in these photos

Heather and Sarah (with Ana standing in the back ground with a vikings jersey)

Amy (mushroom Alice) & Bob (mad hatter)

Ben (zombie groom) & Julie ( zombie bride)

Todd (Jesse James) & Jenn (Kat Von D)

decor

Saturday I had my Halloween party - here is some photos of the decorations

What 10 pounds of M&M's look like

Rock candy suckers and Blk Licorice sticks

The whole candy station

I head on a platter...

wake up

This morning I turned over to find Foxy half way under the covers with laying on her side and her head on the pillow looking at me. She has totally taken over the half of the bed and Ana sleep at the bottom.

She was so cute I wish I had my camera to capture the moment. They also stayed in bed till 8:00.

A Lobster

My little girl is all ready for halloween. This is the costume I got her last year but we didn't do halloween last year.