Hi friends!

Hey everyone. I don't have anything to say really but it has been awhile since I posted last so I thought I would say hello and let you know that things are going quite well.

Here is a story for you...

Today at work, Ruthie needed half&half for her coffee but there was none in the fridge in the mail room. She, being the random sweety that I just cherish, turned to me and said she would time me to see how long it took me to run to the kitchen and and back and grab a new half&half carton. I, being the crazy runner who jumps at a challenge, took off a-runnin'. I made it back in 1 minute and 14 seconds (she might have to correct me, I was huffing and puffing when she told me the time so I didn't quite catch it all). It was fun. :) I love random things like that. Next time it will have to be a race with someone. :)


Let's see...oh, I think everyone should do one good thing for environment. Doesn't have to be huge but if we all did just one thing to help it really would make a difference. I heard that statement from a very dear friend of mine who said her one thing is to buy laundry and dish detergent in that is more concentrated but comes in smaller containers. Mine is to not use the plastic bags at grocery stores. I have a plethora of cloth sacks and bags that I have collected from Fred's and Trader Joes, to name a few, and from a website called Reusable Bags (check it out, they sell A LOT of stuff and they make for great gifts). If I don't have those on hand I try to remember (notice I said "try to remember") to ask the person helping me to put my stuff in a paper bag. Once I had them re-bag it for me. But it was great because I got to explain to the young checker what my deal was and he totally got it (well, at least pretended for my benefit). There are some crazy, expensive and time consuming ideas out there but all you need to do it find something that you know you can actually accomplish on some sort of regular basis, you could make a difference. :) Call me a tree-hugger, I don't care. Here are a few different places you can check out to get some simple, easy ideas:
Making a difference
Green Living tips

And here are a couple websites that you might find interesting:
National Geographic
Green Living

Lastly, here are a few pictures from way back in September when Roxanna and Sophia came to town:
Sophia eating her soybeans, but really wanting the chocolate

Sophia just realized her mommy is gone and she has to spend the evening with us (my dad, my friend Holli, and me)

Sophia playing on the rocking stool (I admit, I love it too)

Holli and Sophia reading a book (if you look closely, you can see Sophia multitasking by talking on her cell at the same time)

And Sophia and I playing around on the trampoline

So, this entry is long and all over the place...sorry.

:) Tabs out

Alumni who?

So I just got the little alum magazine from my university last night. I took a moment to look through it and found the Milestone's section to be the most interesting and saddest part. Interesting because it lists people having baby's, getting married, moving up in their company's (even starting new company's) and all the super fun stuff. It even had pictures and it was fun to see and read about people I know. It was kind of sad though (in a selfish way, of course) because it made me realize I was not getting married, not having babies, not moving up in any company, not really doing much of anything. But then again not sad cause I'm pretty content with where I am at these days. Life is good. God is good. There are things I wouldn't mind seeing change, but there always are. All in all, it was fun to "catch up" with people that I otherwise wouldn't know anything about. Someday I'll have my own little blurb in there, don't you worry. :)

Yesterday when I came into work I was shushed by a couple of 1st graders on their way to music class. Cutest thing. I love working in the school building (but I love that I am not a part of the school).

I have to give a little shout out to my friend Beks who was showed what it is to be a true friend when she swept all the cobwebs away from my door the other night. She also swept up the hugest, nastiest dead spider that I had killed a few nights before that. I'll give you the overall recap on that scary incident: 4:30 am Wednesday morning, there was a battle on my door step between me and a freakin' huge spider who had made a web across my staircase. Some instruments that were involved in this battle were my broom (who's new home is on the front step by the welcome mat), a bottle of wasp spray and my welcome mat (envision me throwing tossing the welcome mat on the wasp spray-covered spider and jumping up and down while whimpering like the little girl that I am). I'm sure it was quite the sight. ANYWAY, all that to say a HUGE THANK YOU! to Bekah, you are fabulous, thanks for being a better friend than me.


Today, October 30th, is National Candy Corn day...I love this day! Candy Corn is not the best candy around but it sure is tasty.

And lastly I just want to add that I LOVE the song Grace Kelly by MIKA. If you haven't heard it, go visit iTunes and buy it, you will just love it!! It's a super fun and catchy tune. :)

Have a great day everyone!! Love you all!

One last parting comment and then I really will be done.
I got a card in the mail from a friend recently that had Winnie the Pooh and Piglet walking hand in hand on the front and said "Friendship,' said Pooh, 'is a very comforting thing." Seriously, nobody can say it better than Pooh.

A Sunday stroll

Sunday morning I drove down to Salem and ran Dream of Roses, a 10k race just for women. There were probably just over 100 involved, from the race coordinators to the little kids who participated in the 2 mile walk. It was a beautiful, albeit cold, autumn morning, just great for a race. I like 10K's and was really happy I was running that instead of a half marathon when I rounded mile marker 5 and realized I only had 1.4 miles left instead of the usual 8.1. Check out my goofy pictures. :)

Here I am before the race...number-check, iPod-check, hat-check. I am ready to race.
Here I am after the race (looking like a freak show I might add). Sweat-check, goofy "I'm finished" grin-check, rose-check (They handed out roses as we crossed the finished line, how fun is that?)
The finish line, a wondrous sight for a runner.
My "awards": I got 4Th in the race and 1st in my age division (25-29).

We painted...

It was time for an update in our little corner of the church building so we picked out some colors that we thought would add some...well, color and excitment and energy to the room. :) After waffling back and forth, back and forth...and back and forth I finally went with our choices and nervously awaited the outcome. As you can see below it is still a work in progress, do the bare walls give it away? I have to wait till Kristin gets back before much more happens, I certainly can't do the rest without her. :)

Here are some before pictures. As you will be able to tell, we were sampling paints at this point.

And the after shots...

So?? What do you think? Quite a difference, huh? I've gotten quite a few shocked visitors, that has definitely been fun. Oh, and did I already mention that I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT? Cause I do. What can I say, I'm partial to green. So, shout outs to Bobby and all the other B&G guys who helped paint it (especially Bobby for putting up with all my waffling), Kristin for helping pick the colors, Ryan for being supportive of what Kristin and I pretty much told him we were doing, Bri Moyer for going with me to make the final decisions and purchases and for being there for me in my time of paint color breakdown. You all rock! Thanks a million!!

The next big thing would be to get rid of that oh so not pretty blue (sort of) carpet that is stained from the many spills that happen in an office that has Jr. High and High School students running through it all day long. Don't you think we should get black and white tile? That would be awesome!

No more matching cup

Well, the day after I blogged about my great new cup that is matchers with Rachels cup...it got broken. I got a new desk and Dave came by to set up my computer for me and in all the moving around and things being a bit skewing around in the office he knocked it off of the fridge and it cracked nice and big down the side to hold coffee no more. It was sad. But hey, it happens, good thing it was only from Ikea and I can just go back and get another set. But then what I am going to do with the extra one? Hmmm...anyone want to be matchers with Rachel and I?

My new favorite cup

Rachel and I went shopping a while ago and found this set of cups that don't have handles and come with a square coaster and stir stick. They were just so darn cute that we had to buy them right there (LOVE IKEA!). Now we have matching cups and every time I use mine, which is every day cause I have it at work, I think of her...aahhh. :) We are such nerds, but I love it!

I should mention that our trip to Ikea followed Sam's birthday party (he turned 4, oh my goodness). A good time was had by all...well, except maybe Sam who kept wanting to know where the toy was every time he opened a present that was a book or if he just wasn't happy with that particular "toy." Ah, to be 4 again. Lisa and Erik were there too, along with their little ones, David and Kira. p> Grant and Grant (Rach's little boy)

The "cake" - cute little cupcakes decorated like bowling balls with pink candles per the request of the birthday boy.

Sam getting ready to blow out his pink candles. Sheesh, that looks like a huge flame.David thoroughly enjoying his bowling ball cupcake...well, at least the frosting part.

My mom holding little Kira (so cute). Now mom, don't get too attached, I think Mary and Tom will notice if they are missing a grandchild.

Oh, look at little Sam and David playing. Can I just say again how weirdly fun and cool it is when your friends have kids and you get to watch them grow up and look and act like their parents? CRAZINESS! But I love it!