Purposeful Yet Often Random thoughts from Anne

2012-02-19T19:11:00.004-05:00

Being sick is the pitts but it did give me time to dig into and finish my latest book. I *love* Jane Green's writing.

Overview via the web: In Dune Road, a single mom who works for a reclusive author in a Connecticut beach town. When the heroine discovers a secret the author has kept hidden for years, she knows she has information that would interest many of the wealthy and powerful people in the community.

Lucielle

2012-02-19T19:01:00.003-05:00

I walked into the kitchen today and found Lucy enjoying the sun through the bay window.

View from the Couch

2012-02-19T18:45:00.005-05:00

I started getting the evil throat tickle on Thursday night. I opted to give Spin a try that night in an effort to sweat it out per the suggestion of my co-workers. Sadly the germs didn't leave my body. I dragged myself to work at 6:45 am for an interview Friday morning but started going downhill about 10:30 am. I left the office around noon and accepted I was sick.

I don't recall sleeping so much in my life. Here's my crazy sleep schedule.
Friday Afternoon / Nap from 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Friday Night Sleep / 10 pm to 8 am
Saturday / Nap from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm
Saturday Night / To bed at 10 pm and woke up today at 10:30 am

I don't like taking naps in my bed. I find it prevents me from getting good sleep at night. Odd but true. Sleeping in the couch always brings a guest. Typically Lucy. Not this time. Callie helped nurse me back to help this time around.

Photo Booth Fun

2012-02-19T18:37:00.003-05:00

I had the opportunity to attend a "launch party" for a new network in town a few weeks ago. It's really a re-branding rather than a new network.

I invited a co-worker, Maya, to come with me. Maya started in my department at work in October. She's been a welcome addition to the team. She grew up in the same area I did, we know some of the same places in the Lansing area etc. She's young and full of good ideas. It's been a true joy to work with new talent. I am technically her "mentor" at the suggestion of the HR department. It's always nice to have someone to go with random questions, the inside scoop etc. when getting acclimated. She's super smart and works really hard. I love her excitement and energy.

We had fun with the photo booth after a bit of networking.

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. And a random thumbs up.

Jazz hands!

Meeting Miles

2012-02-13T14:37:00.005-05:00

I took a crazy cheap flight out to Minneapolis this weekend to meet Miles. Errin, Rudi, Miles, Obie and I enjoyed a low key weekend. I had the chance to have many snuggles with Mr. Miles. His pictures are cute but don't do justice to seeing him in person. He looks a lot like Rudi to me but Errin did show me pictures of her as a child. They share the same nose. Regardless of who he resembles, he is just darn cute.

Chilling on my lap Sunday afternoon

Getting ready to venture out. With the best book he's ever received.

I found mustache band aids a while ago. I've been waiting to give them to Miles. Hopefully it will be a long time before he needs one. But just in case, the medicine cabinet has a supply.

Just smiling.

Baby boxing. He's got a mean upper cut.

Snow Angel

2012-01-29T15:49:00.001-05:00

I shoveled the sidewalk after shoeing and opted to make a snow angel. It was one of my favorite things to do as a child so why not do it as an adult?

Shoeing

2012-01-29T15:41:00.002-05:00

I've been waiting for the snow to be just right to make my maiden shoe voyage this season. With yesterday's good base and then this morning's crazy downpour of snow the day couldn't have been calling my shoes any louder.

I'm pleased to report the shoes only needed adjusting once and I only fell twice. Not bad! I think I finally have the dress for shoeing down to a science. Pair of cuddle duds as a base layer topped with a lycra hoodie and pair of pants. It was brisk the first five minutes but after that I was ready to take off a layer. I wore a pair of wool socks and unfortunately they rubbed my heal raw. Ouch.

I walked through my neighborhood to get to a main road that's pretty quiet. I walked for almost 60 minutes. It was simply refreshing to breathe the fresh air, listen to shovels removing snow and reflect on a few things stirring in my head.

This Week's 12s

2012-01-22T15:53:00.003-05:00

* Laughter of former teammate Amanda Craft. There's nothing like it.
* My first donation to the 2012 Ultimate Cycle Challenge. I'm riding in honor of Nikki D. (more to come on how you can celebrate Nikki's fight with cancer)
* Gap Outlet
* Dinner with my mom.
* Roxy being full of washer fluid courtesy of my dad.
* Means to purchase a gym membership. The burn of Group Power is starting to kick in.
* Freshly laundered sheets. I'm going to sleep good tonight!
* Heat.
* Upcoming dinner with friends at my house. The menu includes tomato dill soup and fancy grilled cheese. (choice of dill havarti, pepper jack or colby jack cheese)
* C Booth walnut shell body scrub
* Freedom to pray
* Fluffy snow

Pop of Color

2012-01-19T20:45:00.001-05:00

I'm in love with my new spoon rest. I just love the bright colors. Thanks, Kimmis, for the fun surprise!

Memories of Nikki D

2012-01-17T19:02:00.002-05:00

Last week some of Nikki's friends were posting old pictures of themselves on Facebook. I was actually horrified that people were saying goodbye to her and she was still alive. I don't know if she was online the last week and seeing all the posts but the thought of her seeing people post about her was hard for me to swallow.

I can't imagine sitting here tonight, knowing I'm going to die in the coming weeks and watching what feels like a memorial to me when I'm still alive. I even went so far as to tell Laura that if I am near death, please don't post memories about me before I'm gone. I advised her to send a note to my mom. Last week's conversation with her reminded me of my talk with her back in high school. Randomly we were talking about a living will and I promised to leave her my car. At the time she didn't have a car so we got a good chuckle out of it then. And admit it's making me smile now.

My thoughts completely changed since Nikki's passing and I've realized posting photos is a way of saying goodbye. It's also, and more importantly, a way to remember and honor those we love. I'm a big fan of sharing photos in the moment and was even into scrapbooking for a while. I love capturing the memories of life. Then why was I so shocked at people posting last week? I don't really know.

Nikki's situation and other situations in my immediate circle are forcing me to think about life after death. I've had the "no extreme measures" conversation with my parents. I'm a proponent of organ donation. Likewise, I know their wishes. I'm a little scared at the thought of who will make decisions for me if I'm unable and my parents aren't around. I don't think my brother wants the responsibility. It's a good thing the law allows us to designate decision makers. It's even better than I have friends that are incredible and just like family to me.

So Long, Nikki D.

2012-01-15T18:34:00.001-05:00

The world lost an amazing woman today. Although she’s married, I’ll always remember her at Nikki D.

I remember the first time I saw Nikki. It was in the Hope Middle School gym. My 6th grade basketball team was getting ready to play. We had heard about “that girl Nikki” who could play a mean game of basketball. Nikki was our competition that year and into 7th grade. I think it was 8th grade that I got the chance to play on her team. Off and on throughout middle, junior and high school Nikki was the consummate teammate. She was an incredible athlete and always a role model for the other girls on the team in many ways. She didn’t take shit from anyone and I only use that word because it’s true. I can’t tell you how many people she defended. She didn’t stand for people making fun of each other, no matter what. She could run with everyone from the book worms to the kids always landing themselves in detention. There wasn’t a person in our school who didn’t like Nikki D.

The most vivid memory I have of Nikki was her unwavering support our senior year of high school. We weren’t best friends by any means but we shared the Holt swim team bond. The swim team was an incredible group of girls who came together for one thing – swimming – but ended up getting so much more. Friendship, the chance to be an athlete, the chance to be a leader, the chance to be a star, the chance to get a scholarship, the chance to be accepted and the chance to be part of the Holt Ram swimming legacy.

I ended up quitting the swim team about three weeks into my senior year. I just couldn’t do it anymore. There was a bunch of junk that’s not worth rehashing here but I was done. I couldn’t force myself to get up at 5 am on a Monday morning to swim 10,000 yards. That doesn’t mean I was done with the swim team. I went to every single meet to cheer on my friends. Some of my friends didn’t understand. I ended up losing a friend (but we’ve since reconnected and she’s my bestie!) Some of my friends supported me. The teammate who was most supportive was Nikki D.

My heart breaks for her family including her sister Kristin who was also part of the swim team. My eyes are filled with tears just thinking about her 7 year old daughter. Another teammate and I (Emily) were emailing back/forth in recent weeks. I asked about her daughter and Emily reminded me that Payton is half Nikki D. It’s going to be tough living life without a mom, losing her so young. But if there’s anyone that can do it, it’s Nikki D’s little one.

Until I see Nikki in Heaven…

Lots of snow...Lots of reading...

2012-01-15T09:38:00.003-05:00

I love reading before going to sleep at night. It helps me wind down and get lost in someone else's trials and tribulations. I also love reading first thing in the morning. I used to be able to get right up and go to the gym on the weekend. I find myself needing a few hours to wake up now days. Not quite sure why. I finished Families and other nonreturnable gifts this morning.
Despite her name, Keats Sedlak is the sanest person in her large, nutty family of brilliant eccentrics. Her parents, both brainy academics, are barely capable of looking after themselves, let alone anyone else, and her two uber-intelligent siblings live on their own planets. At least she can count on one person in her life, her devoted boyfriend Tom. Down-to-earth and loving, he's the one thing that's kept Keats grounded for the last decade. But when Keats's mother makes a surprise announcement, the entire family is sent into a tailspin. For the first time, Keats can't pick up the pieces by herself. Now she must reevaluate everything she's ever assumed about herself and her family-and make the biggest decision of her life.

Ice Festival

2012-01-14T16:16:00.002-05:00

It's been way to long since I caught up with Marnie. We decided today was the day and settled on catching up while checking out the ice festival in Rockford. I've never been to an ice festival before but always wanted to go. It's pretty amazing to see the detail the carvers are able to put into each sculpture. One of the funniest was a hot dog. My favorite was of Sandy, the penny horse from Meijer. Complete with a little box of pennies! Luke enjoyed making snow balls throughout our adventure.

There was quite an elaborate set up of mini-golf sculptures in one area. Holding a putter is challenging for a 4 1/2 year old but that didn't hold him back from trying.

This technically wasn't a sculpture but it sure made me do a double take. I was fascinated by icicles as an undergrad. Laura, Kym, Errin and Melissa can tell you that Kalamazoo made the best icicles. Although Rockford doesn't make icicles the size of those in Broco country, they do make fun colored ones!

Before heading on our adventure we stopped at Biggby. Luke requested chocolate milk. And chocolate milk he received! Complete with whip cream and sprinkles.

Meet Miles!

2012-01-12T19:24:00.005-05:00

Errin and Rudi welcomed their first child into the world on December 27. He was 6lbs, 11oz and 19.5'' long. I can't get over how stinking cute the little guy is!

The new parents have done a good job updating us on Facebook but all the pictures include closed eyes. I requested some with open eyes and viola!

Look at his nose!

Don't you just love his wild hair? I've never seen so much blond hair on a newborn.

I can't wait to meet him in person very soon.

This Week's 12s

2012-01-08T10:28:00.007-05:00

* Sunshine
* Professional development conversations
* An improving business climate :: Allegro Coaching opens today!
* Photography and a love of animals :: Grumpy Pups photography is officially open.
* Upcoming visit with my dad during the middle of the week
* Thoughts of Kelly and Nate's wedding.
* G2 black pens
* A fun afternoon with a friend
* Knowledge of and access to the health care system
* A community praying for a high school teammate and classmate who is one of the best people in the world. She rivals Mother Theresa. I'm serious.

Feta Topped Chicken

2012-01-03T18:49:00.002-05:00

I tried a new recipe tonight from Betty Crocker.com. I paired it with a bowl of homemade tomato soup. I made a big pot of the soup yesterday to go with dinner this week. I even tried freezing a container of it. I'll test that next week to see how it worked. Freezing food doesn't always work for me.

Hungry yet?

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 large roma (plum) tomato, cut into 8 slices
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Action:
Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with dressing. Sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and seasoned pepper. Place on rack in broiler pan.
2 Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is toasted.

Reaction:
Delicious but I need to work on my presentation. I used thinly sliced chicken breasts so they shrivelled up. I need to perfect them before serving this dish again. I used the cherub tomatos and sliced them open and put on top of each chicken. Worked just fine and no roma tomato goop to remove.

New Recipe!

2012-01-02T19:06:00.003-05:00

My friend Elizabeth introduced me to a new website that includes zillions of healthy recipes. She also suggested a Mexican style soup. I made it tonight and it was delish! Highly recommend this for your next cold weekend day.

Crockpot Enchilada Soup
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups + cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 260.9 • Fat: 6.6 g • Protein: 25.4 g • Carb: 29.9 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Sugar: 4.1 g

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
fat free sour cream (optional)

Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro.

---
Note: Cilantro was no where to be found at the store and I opted for chopped green chilis instead of the abado sauce.

12 12s for 12'

2012-01-02T15:29:00.010-05:00

The new year has everyone thinking about resolutions. I find resolutions are often abandon within a few days or weeks if you're lucky. However, I do think the turning of the calendar is a good opportunity to visit your goals and even set new ones.

My 12, 12s for 12' are as follows.

* Have friends over for dinner once a month
* Work out at least three times a week for at least 12 times a month
* Meet 12 new people
* Try 12 new recipes
* Try 12 new things
* Give $12 twice a month to the IPR scholarship
* Ride my bike to Reeds Lake 12 times
* Go to the farmers market 12 times
* Meet 12 friends for coffee
* Document 12 things/moments/experiences that brought me joy each week.
* Drink 12, 8 oz glasses of water daily
* Read 12 books

Some of these will be harder than others. Some might seem odd - such as having friends over for dinner - but that's something I really, really enjoy. I love cooking especially for other people. I find the hustle and bustle of life keeps us from doing the things we love. The same thing goes for meeting friends for coffee. I used to do this all the time in high school. I didn't coffee but did enjoy a good Italian Soda from Cappuccino Cafe. I loved the evenings spent with friends. Why not do the same thing as an adult?

Here goes!

Kendra's Studio

2012-01-01T18:15:00.005-05:00

Kendra is about to make her dream come true! Allegro Coaching is opening a physical location in just over a week. She selected a great location and created the interior that's her to a T.

She had a VIP event before the holidays but I was knocked out with a horrible cold. I kept my germs to myself and opted for a personal tour last week. I also had the chance to be part of a photo shoot for her website. Nothing like sweating for the camera, right?

Seating area

Part of the Store Front

Smoothie bar

The front desk where you pay for classes, buy boxing gloves or schedule a 1:1 session
with a trainer. It will also double as her desk space, I do believe.

Head over to allegrocoaching.com for information on boot classes, boxing and more.

Christmas

2012-01-01T18:06:00.002-05:00

I'm way behind on blogging. I'll tackle the highlights with photos and captions.

My mom's tree is always so pretty. Jack makes fun of it for being so skinny but I think it's
adorable. She's whittled down the ornamanets to just the red/white ones with the
exception of a NY Yankees stocking in Jack's honor. I tested one of the filters on my
camera with this picture.

Phoebe is just loving all the extra time with my dad. The minute he sits down,
she's right there on his lap. She's like butter on a hot pancake. Except she purrs.

Yankee hat for Jack, Tigers hat for Katie.

Christmas Day brought tech lessons for my dad and my mom. Look out world,
you might get a text message from one of them soon!

New Wrapping

2012-01-01T10:05:00.001-05:00

I stopped by the gift shop at work this week. I picked up a little something for a friend's new baby and couldn't help but ask for it to be wrapped. They always do a good job. Bonus :: new tissue paper. Polka dots. Love it!

Twins

2012-01-01T09:59:00.002-05:00

Heather and I were twins back in 2008 and did it again recently. I'm kind of surprised that more of the world doesn't look exactly alike given the sheer number of people and relatively few stores. Thankfully we didn't have any meetings together.

Christmas with Libby, Reagan and Anna

2011-12-10T18:56:00.002-05:00

I had the chance to hang out with Libby, Reagan and their friend Anna a few nights ago. Lots of giggles and even a little sillyness occured.

Matching PJs from me

Crafting the night away by making special Melissa and Doug boxes.

Bedtime snack (popcorn) and a little TV with the American Girls.

Visiting the Nation's Capitol

2011-12-10T14:50:00.002-05:00

I went to a conference in Washington, DC a few weeks ago. It was a jam packed 48 hours filled with lots of learning, networking and thinking.

I ended up with a headache the first night and had to cancel my plans to see a college friend. There was just no way I could muster through dinner. My only other chance to sightsee was on the way from the conference back to the hotel at the end of the second day. Conferences are for learning but squeezing in a little something new is always fun.

This trip to DC was my first time seeing the actual capitol. I've seen the White House on two previous trips but never the capitol. My co-worker Susan and I went into the lobby of the building for a brief moment to say we've been inside the capitol.

Walking back from the conference took us past Union Station. Going through it was another DC first. It's basically a train station to catch the Metro but there's also shops, resturants etc. I was impressed with the size of the Christmas wreaths.

Happy Belated Birthday, Dad!

2011-12-10T14:46:00.002-05:00

My dad turned 60 on November 27. The celebration was a little different given the circumstances but it did involve singing, cards, a few gifts and laughs. And of course, photos.

I made a card for Phoebe form him. Thankfully she stood still for a moment to snap a picture!

This was my card for him. It said "at least you don't have detachable parts" on the inside. It created a deep belly laugh. Mission accomplished.

Update on Lucy

2011-12-06T20:33:00.003-05:00

Lucy is on the mend. She especially seemed to appreciate the card from Grams tonight. She's still getting pain meds twice a day but is starting to explore the couch, chairs etc. Callie is still hissing up a storm at her prescence. One day at a time...

Life and Times of Lucielle

2011-12-03T19:48:00.004-05:00

I keep a basket in my bathroom closet. It's really just a storage basket yet nothing is stored in it other than a bowl of cat food when I go away. It's the one place in my house Callie can't access but Lucy can. I stash away a little food for Lucy since Callie is a fast eater and tends to hog the food.

I came home last Monday night to find the basket overturned on the floor, food nibbles all over and ceramic pieces scattered over the floor. I didn't think much of it at the time. I pick everything up, notice Lucy standing under my kitchen table starring at me and go on with my evening. Lucy continued to hang under the kitchen table but again, that's not very out of the ordinary. I lug my suitcase upstairs to pack for my business trip. Callie and Lucy both seem out of sorts as the night goes on but that's normal when the suitcase comes out.

I wake up Tuesday morning and Lucy was no where to be found. Both cats typically greet me when I get out of the shower. Callie was there but no Lucy. I continue to get ready and still see no signs of Lucy. I start to panic, thinking a piece of the ceramic bowl got stuck in her foot. I start calling for her, looking under the bed etc. I eventually see her at the bottom of the stairs in the basement looking up at me with squinty eyes. I turned on the light and she had just woke up.

Ok, she's spotted and alive. I go to work.

I come home to grab a bite to eat before leaving on my trip. I sit down on the couch to eat lunch and hobbling by goes Lucy. There's no real way to describe her walk other than a gimpy raccoon. She wasn't putting any weight on her back leg. I take a quick video of it with my phone and begin to panic. I have to get on a plane in a few hours and my cat is clearly not normal. My friend Lisa was going to feed the girls while I'm gone but clearly Lucy is going to need a little more help.

I freak inside. And do what any sensible 30-something does. Call her mom.

My mom asked me which one of my friends truly likes cats and could facilitate a trip to the vet and caring for an injured cat. My mind goes blank. Most of my friends tolerate cats. Some of them truly enjoy them but I couldn't ask them to drive to care for Lucy.

And then it hits me.

Jon!

He has a history of saving cats (Ask me about Amy T's cat sometime) so I knew he could come to the rescue. And did he ever! I ended up getting on the plane and Jon took care of Lucy for me. He took her to the vet (after wrangling her into the cage which sounds like a less than pleasurable experience).

Lucy was so hyper that the vet couldn't even get the carrier door open. The vet said she was acting like a Ferrel cat. Lucy? My Lucielle? Yes, it's true. They ended up keeping her overnight and sedating her the next day. After a physical exam and an x-ray it was determined that nothing major was wrong. Just a sprain.

Cats can get a sprained leg? Apparently falling out of a basket can cause a sprain. I figure she fell asleep and was disoriented and didn't realize where she was, rolled over and fell out.

Jon brought Lucy home from the vet and even picked up her pain medication and even applied it for me. I knew Lucy wouldn't take a med orally or via pill in a treat. The only other option? Shaving a small portion of her back and applying the ointment.

I got home and found both cats cowering in the basement. Lucy was still gimpy and Callie was hiding in the closets. Both hissed at me and wouldn't come near me. Callie is back to sleeping on my bed but isn't being very nice to Lucy. They are both hissing at one another.

The vet said that it could take up to three months for the two of them to get along again.

Three months?

Apparently Lucy leaving Callie left Callie in a bad mood and upset about her disrupting the environment. And now that Lucy is back, Callie is again upset at the change in environment.

I've had success giving Lucy her pain medicine (ointment complete with a finger condom) but she's still limping. It's so sad. What's even worse is that they aren't getting along. Fingers crossed they soon realize they need each other to stay warm and get over themselves.

That's the scoop on Lucy, or Lucifer as Jon called her tonight.

The best part of this (for Jon) is that I promised him if Lucy survived, he can make fun of me and my love of cats for a lifetime. Thank you, Jon!

Character

2011-11-15T19:16:00.003-05:00

Humility is the first of three elements we're covering in a new series at church.
. . .

Think humility is the next stop for most people? Not in my recent experience.

. . .

Humility is defined as "a noble choice to forgo your status and use your influence for the good of others before yourself".

The timeliness of the lesson couldn't have been more ironic. Isn't that always the case though?

I've encountered a few people recently who seem to have one thing in mind - advancing their own agenda. The individuals try mask their actions as for the greater good but I'm starting to see their true colors and realize what the individuals lack.

Humility.

. . .

Humility is not
- looking down on yourself
- false meekness
- self hatred
- a path of weakness
- a strategy or method
- being humiliated
- giving up power or influence

Humility is
- having an accurate view of yourself
- authentic
- being honest with yourself
- a path of growth
- a character trait
- releasing the demand to be honored
- holding power in service to others

. . .
As part of the study, we were encouraged to seek feedback about our self. I'm asking you, my blog readers, what character flaw do you see in me? What are my shortcomings? How can I improve my character? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[And no Jon, liking cats is not a character flaw].

Harvest Soup

2011-11-14T19:55:00.004-05:00

I'm on a roll so far this week - cooking two nights in a row! Tonight it was a Harvest Soup recipe from a magazine.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 1/2 cups butternut squas, seeded and cut into cubes
2 medium apples, cored and cut into cube
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Ground pepper
Croutons

Make It
1. Heat oil in a big pot. Add carrots, celery and onions. Cook, stirring occassionally for 10 minutes. Add squash, apples and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncover for 20 minutes.
2. Puree soup in a blender or food processor.
3. Top with ground pepper and croutons.
4. Enjoy!

I didn't have celery so ommited it and used extra carrots. I used honeycrisp apples but the recipe suggested golden delicious, gala or northern spy apples as they are "thin skinned" and easier to puree. I peeled the apples before dicing. I'm pleased to report is tastes soooo good. I had never cooked a butternut squash and am looking forward to the next recipe calling for it.

Viola!

Napkin ring courtesey of Jack and Katie. I finally used a birthday gift card over the weekend at Pier 1. I like the napking rings because of the bead composition and flower shape. They match Grandma Esther's dishes perfect.

Robinettes 2011

2011-11-13T17:00:00.001-05:00

Today was the annual pilgrimage to Robinettes with Beth, Jon, Reagan and Libby. We went quite late in the season as evidenced by the lack of horses. No hayrides this year. Cinnamon donuts, yes. And playtime outside, of course!

Meet Elle Phant

2011-11-12T15:22:00.002-05:00

My friend and listening ear extraordinaire Emily surprised me with a little something Friday. Elle Phant. Isn't she cute?
Notice her polka dot ears?

It's the little thing in life that make me smile. I'm so thankful for friends who make me smile when it doesn't quite seem possible. Thanks, Emily!

Ride On...

2011-11-06T17:24:00.003-05:00

I've always liked decorative metal bicycles. They were actually more like tricycles since they have three wheels. I recently found a true bicycle. The best part? It can be hung on the wall. Now that outdoor biking season is over for me, I'll just bring a little slice of spring/summer/fall inside my house. It's hanging in the dining room.

Happy 88th Birthday

2011-11-06T16:56:00.006-05:00

Friday was Grandpa Neal's 88th birthday. My mom, dad, Aunt Mary, Uncle Bruce, Kelly and I celebrated with him Saturday night by going out to dinner. Here are a few things you might not know about my grandpa.

* He served in World War II in Germany.

* He doesn't like "red sauce". Also known as spaghetti sauce to most people. Cooking him dinner is challenging. No spaghetti, lasagna, etc.

* He liked to name streets after his friends. Dan and Betty Watchtel are the namesake for Wachtel Drive while Emily and Gerry Bush are the namesake of Busch Gardens Lane.

* He won't touch white meat with a 10 foot pole.

* He doesn't have a problem with calling people by the wrong name.
Barack Obama? Obomber.
Justin Verlander? Verlinder.

Jack's girlfriend Katie? Heidi.

* He takes 19 pills a day.

* He likes to sing.

* He loves the Detroit Tigers and Michigan State Basketball.

* He often went to church in California on Sunday morning. He watched Robert Schuler.

* He built a shuffleboard court on his property after having so much fun with it while in Florida with Grandma Esther.

* He retired at 55.

* He gets a letter in the mail from me almost weekly.
* He would only drive a Ford until he bought a Buick back in the 90s. The Buick is still alive and kicking. My dad and uncle use it to drive him to doctor appointments.
* He knows how to play a mean game of Bingo. He keeps track of how many quarters he wins versus how many dollars.
* He didn't think he would live to be 88. He thought he would live to be 75.
* He's my only living grandparent. I cherish every.single.moment with him.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Callie O'Malley

2011-11-03T20:56:00.002-04:00

Callie isn't shy about eating. Notice the kernels on the rug next to the bowl. She often eats so fast, shoving the food in her mouth that it falls onto the floor.

Black and white photos are so fun. I like this one because it shows her Siamese eye characteristics.

I like this one because of the sunshine and color of the rug. She appears to be thinking "Crap, that darn camera is coming at me. Where can I hide?"

Lucy Lou

2011-11-03T20:51:00.002-04:00

Jennifer shared all the images of Callie and Lucy. It still cracks me up I have professional photos of my cats. Seriously. Who has professional pictures of their cats? Me, apparently:)

I love this one because is shows Lucy really going in for a good scritch. It also shows Grandma Esther's ring. She loved cats more than me.

I like this one because she looks so innocent. It's as if she's saying "who me"?

I like this one because she seems so serious. She's deep in tought. Probably thinking how to avoid Callie eating all her food.

Girls' Weekend 2011

2011-10-24T19:41:00.002-04:00

Thursday marked the beginning of Girls' Weekend 2011. Kim and I flew out mid-morning and connected with Cindy, Tania and Jessica in Baltimore. Cindy lives in Baltimore, hence the location selection.

Janine is a new momma so baby Foster played trump card. Allison is a busy traveling momma and needed some time at home with Hallie. Michelle is staying focused on her budget and wasn't able to make it this year. We missed all three but had fun in their honor.

We ventured into DC on Saturday. We saw many of the monuments including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the new Martin Luther King memorial. Tania is quite pregnant and did an amazing job with all the walking. I'm not preggo and my feet hurt at the end of the day. We had lunch at a fun Irish pub and burned off lunch with all the walking.

While in DC we went to Madame Tussauds wax museum. I have never been to a wax museum. It was a little cheesy and very touristy but I loved it. Primarily because of all the silly photo opps.

Friday was spent in Baltimore. We used the Water Taxi to make our way around the city. It was the best $10 I have ever spent. This picture is on the back of the taxi looking at Inner Harbor.

One of the stops was at Fells Point. It's a quaint little neighborhood with shops, resturants etc. I had a nice chat with one of the store owners. I always enjoy picking the brains of small town shop owners. Someday, I hope I to have my own store in a resort town.

Thursday included a trip to Filene's Basement. This picture replicates one took back in 2004 or 2005 when we went to Chicago. Kim ended up buying a hat. But not the one shown here:)

The weekend was filled with lots of good food (Cheesecake Factory cheesecake - 2X!), lots of walking, great conversation and tons of laughter. There's already discussion brewing about Girls' Weekend 2012.

Notice Something?

2011-10-19T21:17:00.003-04:00

Jennifer shared the rest of Callie and Lucy's photos with me. I know they are "just cats" but man oh man, do the pictures make me smile. If I enjoy the pictures of the cats so much I can only imagine what I might be like if I have children someday.

For those of you who know Callie, you know she likes to eat. It's only fitting that Jennifer captured a picture of her doing just that - eating. What's funny about this picture to me is the kernal of food stuck in her mouth. She was so intent on eating as fast as she could but had to keep an eye out for the camera. She couldn't decide whether to just focus and eat or watch for the camera. Here she does a little of both.

Photo Shoot

2011-10-11T18:07:00.003-04:00

My friend Jennifer is working to build her photography portfolio. I'm excited for her business venture. I was also the first to offer my felines for test subjects. Never in a million years did I think Callie and Lucy would have professional portraits.

Lucy was by far the more interested party. She purred up a storm and wasn't afraid of the camera at all. Callie on the other hand could barely stand the sight of Jennifer and the camera.

Here's a sneak peak!

Good Times with Sparkle K

2011-10-10T18:49:00.002-04:00

Katie is back in the mitten and I'm loving it. She'll still be a traveling woman but she found a job that blends her passion for travel and desire to be close to family/friends.

Lucky me - I got a Sunday afternoon with her. My mom was in town for 24 hours, so our time together started off with lunch for the three of us. Katie and I went on a whirlwind tour of the final day of A r t P r i z e. I got to see some of the pieces I didn't see last weekend and had the chance to show some of my favorites to Katie.

I hadn't seen this one before. Isn't it neat? It's fry pans.

In front of a piece at the public museum. I'm not sure what it was but it was cool. Picture gummy life savers on a stick.

Following the art jaunt, I had no choice but to show her my favorite Target. We finished up the day with an outside dinner at Blue Water Grill. We were both in awe of sitting outside on October 9. It was simply fantastic.

Obesity Defined

2011-10-05T20:03:00.003-04:00

The new fiscal year brought an opportunity for me to manage relationship with one of our PR firms at work. I'm learning how to work with a retainer, billable hours etc. It hasn't been smooth sailing but I'm plugging along (In my mind). It's a good learning experience.

Part of my job is what's called "story mining". News stories don't just turn up on TV or in a newspaper. They are pitched by a PR person, crazy grandma who calls the station or a really excited teacher who has to tell someone about one of her students. Story mining happens through on-going relationships, hallway conversations, rounding etc. Today was an opportunity to story mine with a pediatrician and our firm. He said something that hit me like a ton of bricks.

Obesity is the result of stress, anxiety and depression.

I have struggled with my weight for 31 years. Never in the 372 months of my life has someone articulated obesity as such. I've always thought my struggles were because of lack of self control. Hearing the doctor verbalize what is obesity has completely opened my eyes.

I love learning new things and finding new ways to think. Solving obesity isn't rocket science. Less in, more out. How do I make that happen? Manage my stress, anxiety and depression.

It will never be easy for me but having a new framework is pretty eye opening.

Frankie and Louie

2011-10-05T19:57:00.003-04:00

I'm stunned when stumbling upon a story about a cat with two faces. My mom always told me it's not nice to stare but I can't help but study the cat's face. Where does one start and one end? It seems like they each have their own eye and then share one together?

Wow.

You can read the full story here.

Favorite Entry

2011-10-02T14:34:00.003-04:00

My favorite entry is Mesmer Eyes. It's a collection of dots on a wall with magnifying glass for the viewer to look through. The glass is constantly turning. I'm quite enamored with the shot I captured yesterday. Next up with AP? Seeing more of it with Sparkle K.

Worst Part of AP? No Touching!

2011-10-02T14:30:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed an afternoon/evening of Art Prizing yesterday with Beth, Jon and fellow Dutch folk. My biggest challenge with AP is that you can't touch anything! I am apparently a very tactile person. I find myself wanting to touch everything to explore the art.

Hats off to the artist of this piece....

For creating a way to truly experience her art.

Fire Up Chips!

2011-09-30T19:01:00.002-04:00

Saturday was a sad day for my Chippewas. There certainly wasn't a repeat of last year's game. Despite the lack of football skills on the field, I did have a great time hanging with family.

Thanks to my mom for still supporting CMU. Greg refuses to show his maroon and gold pride despite the colors producing two high performing young professionals.

The newly engaged Kelly and Nate. Hearing all the details of the upcoming nuptials was so fun. Especially hearing that my uncle bought bride magazines. For him and Kelly.

Ouch.

The brothers. Grandma would be so proud.

Sparkle K is back in the mitten! I had a chance to meet her for a moment after the first half.

Hello, Weekend!

2011-09-30T18:59:00.001-04:00

It was one heck'ofa week. I called it a day and was on my couch, in my PJs and takeout by 6:15 p.m. It's just me, Lucy and Grey's Anatomy.

New Frig!

2011-09-25T19:11:00.004-04:00

My new refrigerator was delivered Friday afternoon. I'm pretty much in love with it. There are much more important things in life than a frig but it sure is nice having a new one.

I didn't realize just how old mine was until the Lowe's crew showed up. He commented that it was 23 years old because he knew when GE changed its logo.

The girls wanted to know exactly what was happening in their kitchen. After about 20 minutes of sniffing they lost interest.

The old....

The new!

It's amazing how one change can get your mind moving. I'm thinking through how I want to re-do my kitchen. Cabinets, floors, colors, windows etc. I have a while to go in terms of financing but I'm very focused now that I know what a new appliance does to the look of a room.

Discovery #432432432 about my house

2011-09-22T21:17:00.004-04:00

I woke up to the sound of what I thought was rushing water. Was it my sump pump? No. I don't have a sump pump. I went into the kitchen and discovered my refrigerator was about to blast off.

I have never heard something so loud.

Thank goodness it wasn't a water issue. Unfortunately though it was a frig issue. I unplugged it (only after calling my mom freaking out) and thought about shopping for a new one all day.

Kim and Jerry came over after work to help me measure. Well, Jerry actually did all the measuring. Kim and I just watched and wrote down the measurements. More on my frig later.

We also spent time chuckling at the crazy makeshift cabinet.

I've always known the kitchen was re-done by a less than stellar craftsman. Never in a million years would I have guessed that the cabinet wasn't secure. I was wrong. Once I moved the frig, the cabinet moved. It's completely mobile. Nice. Or not.

I've got my eyes on the prize. Savings to re-do the kitchen.

What's Not to Love?

2011-09-19T18:04:00.001-04:00

I walked into my bedroom last night and found these two snuggled up. What's not to love?

Big Boy!

2011-09-18T16:24:00.003-04:00

I had a chance to see Heather's little Jack yesterday. He is getting so big! He's full of energy and just loves his momma. I've had enough of this chair. I'm getting down.

I don't need you to play basketball.

Mums!

2011-09-10T15:22:00.002-04:00

I've had my eye on mums from Ken's for a while. I popped in there to pick up tomato juice for gazpacho and finally caved to the fall indulgence. I'm not a big purple fan but the purple, white, purple display caught my eye.

Of course, Copper Kitty had to make her fall appearance.

Farmers Market Bounty

2011-09-10T15:17:00.002-04:00

Kim and I went on a walk at Riverside Park this morning. Original plans called for Reeds Lake but the realization of the Reeds Lake Tri took us someplace else. It was so good to get out in the fresh air and catch up.

Life has gotten in the way of our social lives lately so it was good to put on tennis shoes and walk out some stress.

Afterwards we stopped at the Fulton Street Farmers Market. I just *love* fresh flowers. I opted for some sunflowers. I was intrigued by what I learned is called "teddy bear" sunflower. It looks so delicate but true to sunflower form, is quite sturdy!

I picked up cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers for a batch of gazpacho. I've yet to make it this summer. It's currently chilling in the fridge. If you've never had gazpacho, I highly suggest you give it a try.

Lucy on the Laundry

2011-09-10T15:15:00.001-04:00

Apparently somebody thinks clean laundry is the place to hang out. Such a thought would explain the fur sometimes found on my clothing.

BoxcatAV is Back

2011-09-07T19:34:00.004-04:00

I'm back. I've missed this blog. I figures I should come back with gusto, so without further ado, here's a funny pix for you... You'll notice my wild hand movement and popped leg is mimicking the girl in the photo behind me. Today was one of the PR victory days practitioners dream about. Front page, above the fold print story in the local daily plus three TV stories and statewide radio coverage. Here's a link to one of the print stories.

One Moment, Please.

2011-07-31T17:27:00.002-04:00

Purposeful Yet Often Random Thoughts is officially on sabbatical.

I've grown increasingly frustrated with it lately and not feeling like its satisfying a need as currently designed.

I was hoping to start a new blog focused on my profession, leadership, mentoring etc.

For better or worse, that's not going to happen for reasons I won't share on the WWW.

Instead of diving deep into the profession, being a good leader etc., I'm taking a new spin on diving deep. I'm going to start chronicling my journey. Up Close. You can connect with me in a new location.

Meet Lucy Marie

2011-07-25T15:18:00.003-04:00

Amy and Brian welcomed their third daughter on Thursday. I took a long weekend and have the day off, so I had the joy of meeting Lucy. I packed up my market basket with ingredients to make mini-pizzas with the girls and chicken salad for the adults. I think these girls are going to make many, many memories together.
They clearly love their little sister more than you can imagine.

Painting the sauce on the mini pizzas! Notice Molly is wearing a Life is Good shirt. Smart girl:)

Oldest with the youngest.

Side View of the Garage

2011-07-21T20:38:00.002-04:00

It's embarrassing how nasty the side of my garage was pre-painting. It has gotten worse since I bought my house five years ago. I never really knew what to do with the garage and just let it be. One of the parental units thought I should knock the entire thing down and rebuild it. Not such a fan of that idea. I'm going to keep it clean now that I have a "fresh start".

Pre wash and scrape
Post wash and scrape

Viola!

Garage!

2011-07-21T20:22:00.005-04:00

I'm investing in little home improvement this summer now that school is done and I have time to get estimates. Technically garage and driveway improvement but you get the point.

First up, painting my garage. Or having it painted would be more accurate. I don't have the supplies and wasn't really up for the challenge after seeing what my friend Elizabeth went through two summers ago.

Here's the progression of the front.

Before the scraping and wash

After the scraping and wash

After the paint

You can tell it took the painters a few days. It got progressively hotter and my poor flowers got progressively drier. I think they might be dead. I typically lose my flowers this time each year. I'm just not good about watering them when it's this darn hot outside.

It wasn't a cheap venture but spending the money was worth forgoing the hassle. I need to call the painter to ask the crew to come back and finish cleaning up. They left some paint chips on the side of my house. When that's complete, I'll send them the payment.

Fun in the Sun

2011-07-09T22:43:00.003-04:00

The girls from grad school got a chance to experience Sheri's place at Hardy Dam today. It was so fun hanging out with her family (hubby Mike and three kids), seeing her getaway and just relaxing.

Lisa, Kate and I got to the cabin by noon and were on the water by 12:30. The afternoon was filled with lots of floating on rafts, playing with noodles, cannon balls and great converesation. We came in around six, played yard cames and had an amazing dinner. Life's responsibilities brought up back to town tonight but we've got a day of so much fun to keep us going until the next time we can get together.

Cheese! (Ironic, since Lisa can't have cheese.)

Headed out onto the river...

Kate and Lisa with the kids before dinner. Morgan, Mike and Riley (left to right) are Sheri and Mike's kids. Morgan's friend Maddie came too.

The best part of grad school -- My PLT!

With Sheri, the wonderful hostess, on the golf cart heading to the boat...

Kate and Lisa ready to get on the water...

More North Carolina Fun!

2011-07-04T19:14:00.002-04:00

In addition to spending time with Jack and Katie, I had a chance to connect with a friend from college while in North Carolina. I haven't seen Elaney since October 2009.

Elaney lives about 45 minutes outside Charlotte. She drove down Friday night to pick me up and head out to dinner. It was fun meeting Liam for the first time. He's so smiley and full of giggles. Elaney's husband works in Uptown, so they played switcheroo. Will look Liam home and the girls went to dinner.

In the lobby of Will's office building.

Cheese!

We went to Dandelion Market for dinner. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend you give it a try. We opted for a few of the small plates to share. The mac and cheese was pretty amazing.

I love all my friends. I also love them living all over the country so I can visit them on/for vacation.

I resisted...

2011-07-04T19:12:00.002-04:00

buying a new notebook at Target tonight. I'm hoping it goes on clearance. They maybe it will jump its way into my cart. Polka dot felines? Yes, they do exist!

Grillin' Time!

2011-06-28T19:57:00.002-04:00

I have yet to use my grill this summer. Shameful, I know. It takes sooooo long for the coals to heat up.

I noticed Jack had a metal contraption near his grill. I quizzed him about it and discovered there's a product called a charcoal starter. It keeps the coals together until they are fully heated. It took about 15 minutes for them to turn grey instead of the usual 30 to 40 in the bottom of the grill. Needless to say, I enjoyed a grilled piece of lemon-dill salmon and grilled veggies for dinner. I could get used to fast grilling!

White Water Rafting

2011-06-22T21:10:00.005-04:00

I spent a long weekend visiting Jack and Katie in North Carolina. The weekend was a mix of many things including a trip to the US National Whitewater Center.

You can watch a variety of videos from the center via YouTube.

After a day of fun in the sun.

Jack coming down from the mega jump.

Katie getting ready for the mega jump

Waiting to jump...

Cheese!

Which One of These Doesn't Belong?

2011-06-22T19:17:00.001-04:00

For your laughing pleasure:)

The answer would be Callie. I asked for Lucy to be added but Rudis said not this time.

Sprucing up the Bedroom

2011-06-22T19:05:00.003-04:00

Variety is the spice of life, right? I think that's especially true in the shower. I *may* have gotten in trouble for having 22 bottles of product in the shower once while still living with my parents. You never know what you'll want until you start cleansing.

I like variety when it comes to shower curtains and bedspreads too. I love the yellow tile in my bathroom but the color limits my shower curtain choices. I've had the same one for nearly five years. That's a record, friends.

I've had a hankering to do something different with my bedroom. My mom found new hardware for the dressers last summer so that gave it a small makeover. I like the quilt I bought two years ago but still had the itch to brighten up my room. A recent trip to Home Goods in Lansing solved the problem.

Viola! I love the paisley and stripe motif. The sham is a king size and slightly different for constrast. I found super cheap standard size cases at Target for accents. Note - there is a difference between standard and standard/queen pillow cases. Anyone want a yellow set of standard/queen cases? I tossed the package before testing the size. Lesson learned.

I'll probably revert back to the blue in November but this should spruce things up a bit for spring/summer and early fall. Gotta love Home Goods!

Graduation Party II

2011-06-22T18:49:00.007-04:00

We celebrated both Father's Day and graduation on Sunday. Nancy graduated with her masters recently, too. Grandpa gets funnier with age. He always says "those kids just keep getting smarter". He is also always impressed by the geographic reach of each of his grandkids.

With grandpa.

Aunt Mary bought a cake. It came with two mini-graduation hats. After cutting the cake, Kelly couldn't resist making Phoebe a graduate too. Phoebe just loved Kelly. I think the feeling was mutual. Thanks to Kelly for wearing the pink polka dot dress!

There's not much a man his age needs, so gift giving is always a challenge. My mom bought him a Detroit Tigers poster for his door at his independent living facility. He loves the Tigers but hates "those damn Yankees".

Again, there's not much he needs so we stocked him up with "corn pons" for the summer. I really want to know why he calls them corn pons instead of cheetos, cheese puffs etc. He just think they are pons.

Jack, Katie, Mike and Nate were there in spirit. Although I missed having everyone there it was nice having some one on one time with grandpa. I appreciate him so much more as an adult than when I was younger. I'm thankful for the time with him.

Craft 101

2011-06-11T16:12:00.003-04:00

Emily hosted a craft night last night. There's nothing like a couple of glue guns, scissors and fabric to get a group of girls talking. Nobody knew each other but we all got along great. [With the exception of her dog Moose and yours truly.]

The top pin is made out of felt. I used a black/white houndstooth inside the yellow felt for accent. The pin is rather large. I'm not sure if I'll wear it or keep it as a fun bulletin board decoration.

The middle pin was the most fun to make. Primarily because it involved fire. A tea light, acutally, but once you cut out the circles, we held them lightly over a small flame. Since it was polyester, it melted and curled up like a petal. I can see why children's PJs should be made of flame retardent material.

The botton pin was actually the first we made. Emily had a fun old school turtle neck with a tame paisley print in her stash of fabric. I jumped at paisley, of course. It was super easy, just wrap fabric around two pipe cleaners and then roll up. The step-by-step coaching from craft master Emily made a big difference.

I have to get back to my list for Hobby Lobby now...

Cakes by Kim

2011-06-11T12:46:00.002-04:00

Kim was so gracious in offering to host my graduation party. Mother Nature cooperated by not raining but she didn't feel the need to be moderate temperature wise. I think water was the most popular drink. And the popsicles for the kids.

I enjoyed the whole party but one of my favorite parts was the cake. Cakes by Kim did a phenominal job. I wanted polka dots, of course, and Kim came through. I toyed with a Hello Kitty cake after seeing the pan as an option at Hobby Lobby but opted for traditional pink/white polka dot fun.

View from the top. The cake was very m o i s t. It was vanilla and strawberry. Yum!

Kim also made cupcakes for the kids. Reagan asked why the cake had "sticks" in it. I said because it was a special cake.

Thank you, Kimmis!

Farewell, GRMM14

2011-06-05T19:48:00.002-04:00

It's Sunday night. The weekend is almost over. I'm feeling more refreshed and relaxed than I have in almost two years. This was my first weekend post-grad school. I've got a list a mile long of things I want to do now that school is done. I checked off a few this weekend. Here's one last look at the people I spent the past two years with in the pursuit of higher education... Our last night...All presentations delivered...Sparkling wine consumed...A few tears shed...Business cards exchanged...Many friends for life...

Bob annointed me the one to get us all together for a reunion. I obliged but only if I got a crazy picture of the group.

Flowers Galore

2011-05-29T21:55:00.003-04:00

My mom came to visit this weekend. She trained me well not to plant flowers until memorial day just in case of frost. That means there's a lot of work to done in a long weekend. I actually didn't have that much planting to do this year rather I invested in pots and bags.

Showing my mom the wonders of the iPhone's ability to take self portraits without cranking your arm around.

Impatiens and Copper Kitty. Looking forward to the flowers filling out.

I bought a daisy tree. I love it! I'll post a close up soon. Or you should just come over to see it:)

I noticed the bags of flowers last year but didn't spring for them until this year. I love them! They add so much color to my backyard. Since the dirt back there is like the Sahara, it's nice to have the soil all contained in a bag. This fence also includes two new Jurassic Park style hostas. Yippe for hostas!

I bought the pot holder stand things at WW Greenhouse. I just love the curly-ness.

The green lawn ornament to the left is complements of my mom and Horrock's.

More flowers in the backyard. Good thing I'm not in school anymore. I have a lot of watering to do!

Thank you thank you thank you to my mom for helping me plant and beautify my yard. The Paddy Wagon drove all over creation to acquire just the right flowers. And by creation I mean Horrock's, Ludema's, Koisters, WW Greenhouse and Bos Greenhouse.

Postage Stamps

2011-05-29T20:58:00.002-04:00

I love sending mail. It's probably on my top 10 favorite list of things to do. The best part? Decorating the envelope. I consider the stamp part of the decoration.

Imagine my joy at the new variety of stamps offered at the downtown post office. Here's a preview of what might be coming your way...

Reserved for birthday cards

NKOTB

2011-05-29T20:33:00.003-04:00

Thursday night was the much anticipated NKOTBSB concert. Pure NKOTB would have been just fine with me. I wasn't a fan of BSB but hey, I had to take what I could get to flash back to circa 1990. The best part of the concert? Having the same chaperon as in 1990. Mrs. T was a hoot.

Wow. There's not much to be said about this photo. Other than how things change over time.
Night of the Concert: 1990

Night of the Concert 2011
I still have glasses but thankfully lost the hideous plaid outfit, colored shoes and fanny pack. I wonder what I will cringe when looking at the photo above in another 20 years. Polka dots? Never! Shame on you for thinking such a thing.

Of course I had to sneak a peak at the tour bus...

We had a lot of fun but it became very apparent very quickly that our outfits couldn't compare to those of other concert goers. People went all out. I'm talking pink spandex, dresses made out of NKOTB curtains, you name it. I did find my button collection. We each sported a small button on our lapel.

Yes, that is a hydraulic lift holding the boys.

The concert was an absolute blast. My cheeks hurt at the end of the night from laughing and smiling so much. Step-by-step, Valentine Girl, Tonight and Hangin' Tough were all on the playlist.

The best part of the night? Spending time with my childhood friends and mom. Who would have thought we would still be friends 20 years later.

Meet Martha Washington

2011-05-22T11:56:00.002-04:00

This morning was another day in the adventures playing in my yard. I picked up a Martha Washington geranium and she's situated in my flower pot (literally) with Copper Kitty.

I tended to the front flower bed along my fence. I put a series of small rocks there two years ago but the free-for-all look it created wasn't for me. I moved the rocks to the backyard, cleaned up the random grass and prepped it for what's next.

Unearthing My Reading Material

2011-05-21T19:51:00.001-04:00

I'm coming very, very close to being done with school. My final paper is written and in the hands of hawk eye comma catcher Tania.

Needless to say, I've had the opportunity to gather reading material. A baseket on my end table was quite full of magazines, books and PR journals.

I moved them to my "to read" pile this morning. Lucy seems quite excited at the opportunity to claim the basket that's been hogging her spot, don't you think?

More Flowers!

2011-05-21T19:44:00.002-04:00

I violated my own rule yet again. After a rainy afternoon of weeding, I went to Horrock's for groceries and flowers, of course! I restrained myself and opted for a pot of pansies and a hanging pot of begonias. Viola! I'll keep an eye on the weather this week to make sure there's no frost. If mother nature doesn't cooperate, I'll just put pots in the garage.

Let the planting begin!

2011-05-21T17:22:00.003-04:00

I like to wait until Memorial Day to start planting flowers just to avoid the risk of frost. I caved today and went to Fruitbasket Flowerland. I had a $5 off coupon and couldn't let it go to waste. I acutally only got two pots worth of flowers plus a bag of mulch.

Here's my maiden voyage into foilage for the season.

Much more to come next weekend!

New Vendor + Samples = Happy Anne

2011-05-13T21:35:00.002-04:00

One of my co-workers is heavily involved in selecting a new promotional item vendor. I knew final presentations were being made, proposals were being reviewed etc. I'm not involved in it, so I didn't think twice. Until I was sitting in Heather's office today and noticed a polka dot bag. I asked what it was, she told me, and then asked if I wanted it.

Um, polka dot bag, yes please.

Whip cream and two cherries on top? The bag was filled with paper products! Pens, post-its, a notebook and even two water bottles.

Needless to say, my less than pleasant past few days suddendly took a turn for the better thanks to a few polka dots.

Flowers

2011-05-13T21:32:00.002-04:00

My office smelled great and looked even better this week. Why? Fresh flowers!

The PR team surprised me with flowers to mark graduation. I was touched. I *loved* having flowers to look at all week. Isn't it amazing how fresh flowers can make a girl feel?

Lucy the Graduate

2011-05-10T07:04:00.001-04:00

I couldn't help but have Lucy model my mortar board. Afterall, she was quite often sitting next to me studying, so she deserves a graduation ceremony too.

Graduation Day!

2011-05-08T11:44:00.002-04:00

Saturday was graduation day! I knew it was coming all week but honestly it didn't quite hit me until about two hours before the ceremony. I finally realized that I am almost done with school. I've always wanted a masters degree but somehow wasn't sure it would be a reality. It is - almost. I have four weeks of class left. The ceremony is held twice a year in conjuction with traditional undegrad. Some who walked yesterday have been done since January. My co-hort has a few more weeks to go. The good news is that my final project is about 75% complete. I'm feeling good and truly enjoyed the day.

The guys in GRMM14 sans Aaron. Not sure where he snuck off to!

The girls!

With my mom and dad

My PLT - professional learning team - we did many, many projects together through the past two years. There was a baby, a wedding and so much more. I am SO lucky to have found a group as good as Lisa, Kate and Sheri. The group work is what made me most nervous about the program. They proved that group work is okay.

Everyone keeps asking me "what's next". I'm currently mulling over an opportunity to teach a fundamentals of PR course at my favorite university. Please pray I make the right decision.

It's Showtime!

2011-04-30T21:39:00.004-04:00

I enjoyed a paper writing break late this afternoon with Libby and Reagan's dance recital. All I can say is cute with a capital C. Both girls did a great job! Dance moves aren't part of my DNA so pretty much everything the kids did was amazing. Some of the girls are so graceful and certainly destined to be professional dancers.

Libby as a clown

Reagan as a monkey

Correspondence Intoxication

2011-04-16T10:56:00.008-04:00

I've noticed an add in the local daily for the past year years. It pops up about twice a year. I'm always intrigued by the headline: 70-90% off paper and gift items. It appeared to be a warehouse style sale in some obscure location.

I saw the ad again this week and decided to go for it Thursday night. The location was rather random, parking was funky and I essentially had to sneak in the back door because they locked the front door 15 minutes before the sale ended.

If the sale goes until 7 (and is advertised as such!) let me in at 6:45 thank you very much. After hiking up four flights of stairs with another renegade shopper, a little slice of heaven was revealed. There was row after row after row of boxed cards, fancy paper plates, napkins, greeting cards, post its, magnets - you name it!

I left with six boxes of Design Design cards, five greeting cards and four packs of post-it notes for $5.23. Now that's what I call a deal. Apparently this was the "small" sale and the one in the fall is much bigger. I signed up for the mailing list and will be on the lookout for my postcard reminder come fall.

I just love the smell of correspondence! There's nothing like a quality pen and good grade paper to make me smile.

What's your favorite smell?

Gardening

2011-04-10T19:05:00.002-04:00

Kim and I enjoyed a night of good conversation on Friday with a trip to the T w i s t e d R o o s t e r. I enjoyed my favorite salad and she enjoyed the most delicious looking mac and cheese in the state. She also shared a birthday treat with me :: maroon and gold pots (Fire Up Chips!) filled with curly parsley and basil. The herbs need direct sunlight, so we were both thinking my bay window would be a good spot. If this gardening adventure goes well, I can expand into container gardening on my deck. Unfortunately I think I gave them too much of a drink on Friday evening when I got home. They are also subject to a few wiskars as evidenced above. We'll see how this works...

Go Big or Go Home

2011-04-09T21:09:00.002-04:00

I tootled around a bit today after a marathon homework session last night. My travels brought me to Marshall's. Now this is what I call a pencil cup -- a two cup writing instrument container. I didn't buy it but took a picture instead. Office organization makes me smile.

Welcome Spring!

2011-04-09T20:30:00.002-04:00

If you saw a 30 something woman skipping town, it was probably me. The warmer weather has got me giddy. That and the thought of being outside with no homework to be done inside (soon). I tackled a 3 mile walk with a friend this morning and then settled in for a few hours of yard work. Three bags of leaves, check. Front flower bed slightly ready for flowers, check. New door mat, check! Jack and Katie gave it to me for Christmas. I've been waiting to put it out until Mother Nature cooperated. Today was the day.

Caption this photo...

2011-04-08T21:56:00.003-04:00

I'm responsible for Twitter at work (kids related, not on the adult side). I always check out our new followers. I am intrigued by the profile picture of a recent new follower. I really have no words to describe how I feel about this picture. Do you? And yes, posting such a post may be a sign of Friday night paper procrastination.

Indulge me for a moment, please . . .

2011-04-02T19:59:00.002-04:00

Day three of feeling like crap-ola is coming to an end. I've slept 8-14 hour a night the past two nights and taken at least a three hour nap during the day. That's a whole lotta sleeping if you ask me! I have never felt so lazy in my life. All I want to do is put on my padded shorts, cleates and hit the White Pine Trail. Alas, I hit the couch.

On the sunnier side of things, I have finished a book and gave the cats a lot of lap time. Lucy has been especially affectionate and enjoying my down time.

Could her nose get snuggled into the blanket anymore?

She changes positions a lot while sleeping.

I know my body needs this rest but geesh, I'm not sure how much longer I can lounge. Not having TV other than ABC/NBC/CBS/FOX makes this an even more interesting venture. Alas, this could have happened graduation weekend, graduation party weekend, WWA weekend, Father's Day weekend or any other weekend with fun plans. At least my body is respectful of my major plans, right?

Best Birthday Card

2011-04-01T18:24:00.002-04:00

This year's winner of the best birthday card sender is.....Jack and Katie!

Here's the front of the card:

And on the inside: Hope you're not too pooped to party on your birthday.

April Fool Surprise

2011-04-01T15:54:00.005-04:00

I'm not feeling so hot today. Bummer. Double bummer because it's the anniversary of my birth. I postponed plans with Kim and passed up birthday soup from Laura. I'm just sort of achy and have a sore throat and cough Enter birthday revival goodness! Libby and Reagan surprised me with a visit today (with forewarning from Jon). They rang my front door, came inside and said Happy Birthday. They stood there with their hands behind their backs and told me they didn't get me a birthday card. I said that was okay and that them coming to say hi was just as good. Then they whipped out cute birthday cards from behind their backs and yelled "April Fools". Lucy was sleeping on my leather chair but quickly woke up when the doorbell rang. The girls were pretty quiet and Lucy stayed put. They did such a good job being gentle with her that she stayed put. Their visit was topped off with a lovely chocolate brownie (or black and white cake as Libby corrected me). The little things in life sure do make a big difference, don't they?!

Sparkle Katie

2011-03-26T21:50:00.002-04:00

Parents sometimes are challenged to remember the names of their children's friends. Reason? They don't always have the chance to meet them in person, especially once kids become adults and move away.

. . .

Said situation applied to me and my mom during my undergrad. She couldn't quite remember Katie's name (not roommate/barnyard Katie, but my friend Katie). She had the chance to put two and two together thanks to a jazzy sweatshirt Katie was wearing the day they met. Katie sporting a hoodie with rhinestone type gems glued to it. They sparkled.

Hence, Sparkle Katie was born.

. . .

Imagine my surprise today when I was at the bookstore in MP and found a true sparkley CMU sweatshirt!

I opted not to buy it for her. A black hoodie probably wouldn't be worn that much in Arizona.

. . .

For the record, here's the original that started it all.

I was surprised to find it is alive and kickin' while in Phoenix recently. I couldn't resist capturing it for posterity.

. . .

Do you have a friend with a funny nickname? How did the nickname originate?

Nuff' Said

2011-03-20T17:22:00.001-04:00

My friend Jessica posted this cartoon on her blog. It makes sense, right? Why is so hard then?

Who Would Have Thought....

2011-03-18T23:24:00.003-04:00

Publicly traded company.

Three little words.

24 months ago, I could have cared less about a company being privately held or being public.

IPO. What's that mean?

24 months ago, I couldn't have told you.

Today I can.

Inital Public Offering.

. . .

I want Patagonia, Hallmark and Life is Good to have an IPO.

If they do, it will be too late. I need information about publicly traded companies NOW.

. . .

My current rant is due to my second to last grad school class. We must evaluate a company's strategic plan, make recommendations for future growth or sustainability. Among other things, I must assess the mission/vision/values of the organization. You can't believe how many companies don't have such information readily available online and how many don't have up-to-date information available.

Grrr.

Onward to find an organization to evaluate.

My First Feline Love

2011-03-16T22:58:00.003-04:00

Long before my first real cat (Molly), there was Hello Kitty. I loved her as a little girl and love her just as much as an adult. Here are a few fun facts about her you might not know...

Full Name: Kitty White

Birthday: November 1, 1974

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Blood Type: A

Height: 3 Apples

Weight: 5 Apples

Birthplace: In the suburbs of London, England

Father: George White

Mother: Mary White

Twin sister and best friend: Mimmy White

Grandfather: Anthony

Grandmother: Margaret

Boyfriend: Daniel Starr (Dear Daniel)

Favorite food: Mama’s homemade apple pie

Favorite word: Friendship

Favorite color: Red

Pets: Charmmy Kitty and Sugar

Hobbies: Traveling, listening to music, reading, baking cookies, making pancakes, playing the piano, tennis and making friends

Created by: Yuko Shimizu

Designer: Yuko Yamaguchi

Why doesn’t Hello Kitty have a mouth?

It’s so people who look at her can project their own feelings onto her face, because she has an expressionless face. Kitty looks happy when people are happy. She looks sad when they are sad. For this psychological reason, she shouldn’t be tied to any emotion.

Hello Kitty speaks from her heart. She’s Sanrio’s ambassador to the world and isn’t bound to any particular language.

Arizona 2011

2011-03-14T22:53:00.002-04:00

I went to visit Sparkle Katie in Phoenix for a long weekend. She teased me that I would love "the thaw". And did I ever! I am fairly certain living in Phoenix long-term would not work for me but it sure hit the spot in terms of a mid-winter break.

I flew in Thursday afternoon, she picked me up at the airport and we headed north to Sedona. Katie works a side gig at a national hotel chain so we were fortunate to have a "zero rate" charge for two nights. We had a late dinner and hit the hay for an early morning trek even further north to the Grand Canyon. I really don't know how to describe the canyon other than simply amazing. The colors were breath taking, the views incredible and the quiet that filled the air was almost eery. We walked around the trails of the canyon and ended up back in Sedona for dinner at Enchanted. Delicious!

Saturday was our Pink Jeep Tour. We enjoyed a private Diamand Back Gulch tour. Good thing there were seatbelts! Again, the views were incredible. We grabbed lunch at a local Mexican establishment, stopped by the outlet malls and got ready for day three.

Sunday may have been my favorite part of the the weekend. I loved the whole thing for various reasons but Sunday rocked. It was pure relaxation. We headed to Wildhorse Pass Spa in Chandler. We relaxed by the "adults only" pool for two hours, chatted and read. Then is was massage time. My therapist was from Michigan! Not only was she from Michigan but she was from Beaver Island. Fire Up Chips! (CMU has a geological station on Beaver Island). Post massage time called for more relaxing at the pool. We venutred over to the hotel pool and were waited on by a Cabana Boy for lunch. More reading ensued and lots of sunning occured. Thankfully my pasty white legs didn't get us kicked out. We enjoyed the many ammenities of the spa, got ready and headed to dinner back in Phoenix.

Here's a photo montage of the highlights.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Stay tuned for another post as to why she's called Sparkle Katie...

Fo-Flection

2011-03-06T18:24:00.003-05:00

Tania recently blogged about all the good things happening to her friends. The post was incredible :: new babies, new houses and new jobs. The post inspired me to acknowledge all the good that that are coming my way in 2011 following a wild end to 10' and a rocky start in 11'.

. . .

January and February are typically very hard months for me. The days are short, the sun is infrequent, the temperatures dip too low and I feel generally down. Yes, I choose to live in the mitten but that doesn't mean I have to like all things about our weather.

. . .

December/January/February was one heck of a stretch of time for me. In addition to the doldrums of winter, there were quite a few other things happening in my life. Some professional, many personal, if you're reading, you know what these were and all the gory detail. The good news is the events/people/experiences made me a stronger person in many ways. I continue to reflect and am learning more and more about myself.

. . .

Enough with the personal reflection. I want to talk about personal fo-flectition. What's fo-flection? It's my made up word of looking at all that I have to look forward to...it's the opposite of reflection, it's fo-flection.

. . .

My fo-flection list includes:

June 1 will mark the final day of my graduate education. Although the ceremony is in early May, I will turn in my final paper and be done with formal education in the theory and practice of management. I'll celebrate the milestone in three ways: with my parents after the ceremony by visiting my favorite resturant; with a co-party with Nancy on Father's Day weekend and even a party locally thanks to Kim and her offer to host a party since my postage stamp size yard would make it difficult.
Travel plans - I have many plans to travel in 2011. I'll be visiting Sparkle Katie in Phoenix. We'll tick something off my bucket list -- visiting the Grand Canyon. Later, I'll head in the opposite direction to see Jack and Katie's abode in North Carolina. My year of travel will be rounded off with a trip to the nation's capital with Tania for the 3rd annual girls trip.
Taking care of my body - Grad school has been great but it's also taken its toll on my time and my body (decreased exercise, increased sitting). I am looking forward to participating in a bike race this summer. Race is a strong word, I'm not in it to win it, rather to complete the event. I'm looking at at 36 mile ride right now. I'm also exploring a bootcamp with my wickedly tough personal training friend Kendra. Joining a co-ed softball league is also on my list of things to investigate.
Lots of CMU activities including one speaking engagement on my favorite part of my job (media relations), a reunion for the IPR major and the big game against the Spartans this fall. There's something else brewing in my Chippewa kitchen but I'll keep you waiting.

. . .

What's on your fo-flection list?

My Kitchen

2011-03-06T13:44:00.003-05:00

Updating my kitchen has been on my to-do list since I moved in five years ago. Needless to say, I was eager to visit the 2011 Home and Garden Show this weekend.

DeVos Place was filled with various vendors selling goods to improve your home. I am still scratching my head though as to why there were a few chiropractor vendors. They show up everywhere!

Kim is great with interior design. She's officially my kitchen upgrade go-to gal. She answered a lot of questions for me as we walked through the booth, pointed out pros/cons of various elements of each part of the kitchen, asked me good questions about what I want, helped guide my thinking to stay within the style of my house etc. She is really low key about it and doesn't stress me out. The process is rather overwhelming to me, truth be told.

At this point, I'm interested in cream-ish colored cabinets with a distressed look. I wasn't sure what kind of countertop I wanted but am leaning towards a lighter cream with fleck granite. I currently have vinyl on the floor and that will be going when the remodel is a reality. I would like wood floors to continue the flow in my house as it's virtually everywhere else in my house.

Matching countertop samples with the cupboards

Style of cabinet that has my interest

The most expensive part of the upgrade will be windows. New windows isn't necessary what I wanted to include in my kitchen re-do but given what the prior owners did to them, it's not really an option. They literally painted beautiful wood windows white. They did it in about 2.5 seconds. They trimmed it out with remnants and literally made a mess of it.

I didn't notice this when I bought the house. I knew it was an older kitchen, realized it needed some help etc but only with time have I realized their poor workmanship. I could keep the current windows but I know I will regrent not updating them once all is said and done. I will invest in energy efficient windows, so Uncle Sam will hopefully reward me with a tax credit when the time is right.

Next steps -- hang tight and keep saving. I need to finish grad school. That's my number one priority for the next 70-some days. After that, I'm going to request an appointment with an Anderson Window consultant and a kitchen consultant. I need a baseline for how much this will cost. My kitchen is really, really small. I'm not sure that will matter since appliances, parts, labor etc all add up. Time will tell.

Thanks, Kimmis, for being my consultant.

Welcome Back, 1989.

2011-02-27T16:59:00.002-05:00

I am in a purging mode. It may seem a little counterproductive then to bring something into my house from the past. However, part of my purging means my parents are purging too. I'm still trying to get them to get rid of the bookshelf of encyclopedias.

Anywho...Look what I brought back from a recent visit with my mom :: My 1957 Chevy for Barbie.

I also brought back two boxes of Barbies. Wow. I forgot how much I loved Barbies. Taking the dolls out of the box and looking at all their outfits, shoes etc. brought back a lot of memories. I loved playing Barbies SO much. I'm not quite sure why though because as an adult I *really* anything that's not real -- unicorns, Harry Potter, Sci-fi movies etc.

What childhood toy do you want to dig out and walk down memory lane with?

Happy Belated Birthday, Jack!

2011-02-27T16:51:00.002-05:00

Jack turned 28 on Thursday.

Here are a few things you might now know about my little brother.

* He and Katie moved to North Carolina on Saturday. He's still with the same company but focused on one state instead of the entire Middle East.

* He knows how to treat a woman right. Katie is a lucky lady. [Although Jack is lucky to have found her too!]

* He was an entrepreneurship major as an undergrad. He wants to own his own pizza business someday. Self employment runs in the male side of our family. Both my grandpa, dad and Uncle Bruce own their own businesses.

Katie, Jack and I last weekend before heading to Slow's BBQ for his birthday lunch with my mom. The Yankee hats were a re-enactment of a picture of Jack and I on Christmas a few years ago. Jack *loves* his Yankees.

* He's is very laid back about many aspects of life.

* He hopes to get into mountain biking. Not quite Spinning but two wheels will serve him well.

Happy Birthday, Jack! I love you and am glad you're my brother and friend.

Ah, the Life of a Feline...

2011-02-27T16:44:00.002-05:00

Callie and Lucy have very distinct personalities. It may seem odd to say a cat has a personality but they do.

If Callie were a person, she would be someone who was into rock climbing, drinking a cold beer after a hard day and would always be up for the next adventure.

If Lucy were a person, she would be a total princess. She would wear pearl necklaces and fancy shoes to the grocery store. She wouldn't dream of doing anything less than feminine.

Needless to say, they can check their personalities at the door when it's time to relax. Here's how I found them yesterday afternoon.

Rough life, huh?

How would you describe your pet's personality?

Tracking Tasks While Keeping Perspective

2011-02-26T10:19:00.004-05:00

I'm very task oriented and results driven. I think said personality trait is both a blessing and a curse. I have started using a spiral bound notebook to keep all my lists and life duties in order.

. . .

I had a really tough day on Thursday and decided to put things in perspective by venturing over to the new building. Just walking in the lobby makes me happy. Once you're in the lobby, you can't help but visit the gift shop.

. . .

Imagine my delight when I spotted a new section of journals. Low and behold, they even had feline themed books. It's about time for a new spiral bound book for my task tracking, so I indulged in a new journal. Here's the cover:

. . .

One of the coolest things about the journal is the brand. It's from a company called Ecojot. For each journal sold, they donate one to a child in need.

Believe In Today

2011-02-20T18:44:00.002-05:00

Life is a great and wondrous mystery,
and the only thing we know that we have for sure
is what is right here, right now. Don't miss it.
-- Leo Buscaglia