The Holidays are Here...

What have I been doing since I suffered through NaBloPoMo? Busy busy...
1. Spent a weekend at MOA with my Mom and Kenzie- finished the bulk of my Christmas shopping
2. Went to see A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol- it was hilarious!
3. Pizza Luce for Daddios birthday
4. Matt came up and Superior was owned... The Flame
5. Went to hockey games- watched Libby and Taylor
6. Went to Brothers (YES it's good and just an FYI the trailer does not give it away) and The Blindside (held back tears...)
7. Working, working, working and loving the new position
8. Started co-rec volleyball
9. Jillian and the 30 day Shred
10. Attempted some major cleaning at the house

Now, my only concern before Christmas is coming up with a $25-30 gender neutral gift for our family dice game- any bright ideas?

Happy holidays everyone!

Cheetah Woods

I'm sure you've all heard plenty of Tiger Woods jokes... but I can't help but keep telling them. Here's my favorites:

-Did you hear Tiger Woods is changing his name? He'll now be "Cheetah Woods"

-What does Tiger Woods have in common with baby seals? They're both getting clubbed by Scandinavians

-Did you hear what I did last night? Drove further than Tiger Woods.

-What can Tiger Woods do with a golf ball that he can't with an escalade? Drive 300 yards.

-And lastly, a holiday cheer- What's the difference between Santa Claus and Tiger Woods? Santa stopped after 3 Hos

HAHAHA I shouldn't laugh- I still love him and fully back his wife smashing in his car windows. Trust me when I say if I ever get married and found out my husband was cheating I would do much more than smash out a couple windows.

Any new ones you'd like to share?

Grand Finale

YAY- the end of NaBloPoMo! I have to admit- not sure I will ever participate again... I love when everyone else participates because it's fun to read, but I felt like everything I wrote was a bore! I was really hoping my last NaBloPoMo post would be UBER exciting! Perhaps an announcement or maybe something extremely hilarious happened to me- but no such luck. So I think I'll settle for my back burner post (yes I've saved this all month)- 3 about Me:

3 Names I go by: Sheena, Guz, Mama
3 Jobs I've had in my life: Sr. Asst Bank Mgr, Baby Store Sales (yes I know more about baby products than you would ever guess), and Open Skating Supervisor
3 Places I have lived: Silver Bay, St. Cloud, New Brighton
3 TV shows I watch: How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and Desperate Housewives
3 Places I have been: Acapulco, Quebec City, Los Angeles
3 Places I want to go: NYC, BC, London
3 Favorite foods: Fajitas, Guzzo Spaghetti, Bunny Tracks Ice Cream
3 Things I'm looking forward to: Kenzie's wedding, Megan coming home for Christmas (oh, and Mike and Dexter), and NYC market
3 Things I am really scared of: My car not starting (it happens), donating blood, and never getting married
3 Favorite books: Fall to Grace, The Twilight Series, Harry Potter Series
3 Favorite bands/singers: John Mayer, Taylor Swift, and Michael Jackson (eclectic enough)
3 Favorite movies: The Hangover, Knocked Up, and Footloose
3 Favorite drinks: Water (sad but true), Vodka sodas with lime, and Blue Moon
3 Things I find most attractive in a guy: Sense of humor, good teeth, and Taylor Lautner
3 Things I couldn't live without: My family and friends, Perezhilton.com, and denim

Sunday Already :(

BLAH- it really sucks that today is Sunday... I'm up and planning to get ready and hit the road back to Duluth. Janna is in town and I'd like to spend some time with her, then settle in before the work week... this fantasy lounging lifestyle is over :(

Last night I was at Taylor's hockey game- I can't believe how good she has gotten, she's so much stronger and even faster than last year! It's crazy- she's bound to do great things... it just makes me sad how grown up she is getting!

All in all it was a good long weekend and I'm glad I was able to do it- the last two year's I've had to work the Friday after Thanksgiving- so I'm very appreciative of the relaxation, leftovers, and sleep a 4 day weekend brings! Now it's time to plan for Christmas (and Megan's arrival- YAY)- can't believe how quick the holidays are approaching!

Chill Time...

This weekend I have spent A LOT of time watching reruns of The Office and finally got around to watching this video- if you're a fan you've got to see this? Maybe you already have- does it make you love Erin or what?

Thanksgiving Eve

I'm spending the entire Turkey weekend in the bay- coming home to a small town over a holiday weekend always turns into an all class reunion. So last night, Wednesday- Thanksgiving Eve- I headed down to the muni and immediately was greeted by some long lost friends. Of course, that was short lived as my Dad's buddies Bernie and Wade quickly got me a drink and pulled me into a game of smear. So I spent the entire evening playing cards with men between the ages of 43-65. YES- it was the whole night. YES- we got kicked out of the bar at closing time. and YES- it was a BLAST!

Planning to head to the bar on Friday night and giving another attempt to the whole "seeing" people thing.

Thanksgiving Starts Now

Work was closed at 3 pm.
I'm leaving now- it's 6:07 pm.

My long weekend starts now- YIPEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

No Title (For Matt's Use Only)

Jenn's comment-"OK Sheena, you know you have my DREAM job, so my questions...what is your favorite current fashion trend?? What is one trend that you are not totally into?? and my last is just my own comment, I love MAURCIES, keep up the great work! and if they are wondering where to open the a new store...recommend SB! Hey its worth a try!! and I am totally loving shopping online and Love their current sale!!"

My reply:
I love that you say this is your dream job-it is a good reminder, I love my job, but after a long day I forget that part :)
My favorite current fashion trend- well I totally love stuff that I feel good in and I LOVE SKINNY JEANS- they are my favorite. I know it's been a trend for a while, but I can't seem to find a pair I hate. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE all the boots this season- my favorite are my black suede ankle boots!
Trend I'm not into??? UGGS! I am so over them- of course, that is cheating a bit since they technically are "out." So a newer trend I hate- colored denim- it only looks good on skinny Emos- sorry!
As far as your personal comments- Jenn- I know you LOVE maurices and we LOVE you for shopping here. I'm assuming you're talking about the BOGO- mix and match buy one get one half off- that is a customer favorite! And YES thank you for shopping online- be sure to leave reviews (but only if you like the product- haha)

8 Photos Tagged of You

We've all had it happen (especially you Matt)... a crazy night out and suddenly you get the Facebook e-mail... "(insert name of friend) has tagged you in (insert obscene number) of photos in an album titled (insert random phrase or quote here)." So you click to view and find only one that you do not need to "remove tag" to.... and even that one isn't that great... it may be something like this...Please note- this is only a hypothetical situation. There is no need to flock my facebook account.

Best Stuffing Ever...

Thanksgiving is almost here, if you don't have a stuffing recipe yet I suggest you try this one, it's fabulous...Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

What's your favorite food at Thanksgiving dinner?

Barely Made It

ooofDA- I almost didn't get this post done in time... I guess there's always backdating- but I'm not sure that's legal for NaBloPoMo... Last night was one of those nights that should have been nothing and turned into something. I worked late (much later than I should have)... and on my way home Leah said some peeps were going to the bowling alley- I decided to go... I quickly learned that no dinner and a tall vodka soda cause what I like to call "Accidentally Drunk Syndrome"

Some highlights include:
-The boy scout troop that came for 10 pm bowling and were in the lanes around us
-Me behind the bar using the jag dispenser to make jag bombs for all
-An apple from my purse being tossed around
-Not bowling
-Dancing at the Runway
-The bartender hated me (I believe he may have reason- he looks awfully familiar and I believe Janna and I may have some history there)
-9 people in 1 cab
-Me making homemade pizzas at 3 am back at the house- complete with peperoni, green pepper, mushroom, and Canadian bacon (NOTE: special tribute to my Canadian readers- I prefer Canadian bacon to "bacon")

All in all a fun night and I'm glad I went out rather than staying home to watch Ghost Whisper- which was my original plan. Today I slept, super tired from my lack of sleep 2 nights in a row, then, I went to Lib's hockey game. Tomorrow I'm going to brunch and theater at Midi with my aunt Penny and my Mom among other people :)

COVERALL!

Yes- it's not like I've never been to Wal-Mart... but I ALWAYS prefer Target! This Bingo board always makes me giggle... I'm inclined to believe that I would have been able to score a few bingos using it at last night's Duluth New Moon Premiere- YIKES! Eclectic crowd to say the least... however, TEAM JACOB was very happy with the FILM- Is Taylor Lautner 18 yet?

New Moon

I'm sorry for the short posts, but tonight at midnight I am going to see NEW MOON! I'm so excited... this will be my first time attending a midnight showing and I couldn't be more ecstatic that it's for the Twilight series- anyone else going? Anyone excited?

Hypotheticals

Hypothetically speaking, if you were on your 3rd day of a sore throat and wanted ice cream to soothe it but feared the workers of DQ may recognize you- McDonalds would provide similar treats with the same convenience. Of course this is all hypothetical.

"Choice" Day

Today I am using a "choice" day from work- well for the record I didn't choose this. I don't want to be Debbie-Downer here, but I am not doing well! I finally got out of bed within the last hour. I have not had a thing to eat, aside from advil, vitamin c, and water- I am anxiously awaiting my roommate getting off work so she can get me a DQ shake (see previous post). I hope it's not the swine, but am glad to write this post so I don't have to fear failure with NaBloPoMo. Dear God, please let this pass!

DQ

Being sick sucks.

Living by a DQ and putting down a medium hot fudge shake with no remorse makes it a little less sucky :)

J+S

This weekend was a bit more crazy then I'm used to lately- Janna was up so I knew it was going to be pure mayhem! Friday we hit up Aces and Score, then Saturday her parents took us to Sammy's pizza for dinner and we proceeded (sans parents) to Aces and Grandmas. I've been up since 8:30- I need to grocery shop and clean my house- welcome back to adulthood :(

Pictures were taken and will be posted soon... Janna and I always have such fun times! Next weekend Matt is being added to the mix- he got a hotel for us- it's Janna's birthday celebration Minneapolis Edition.

On a final note, some questions about my work need answering:

-Daily coffee? Choice is Starbucks, but most often I go to Jitters- it's locally owned, closer to my work. everyone knows our name, and we call everyone that works there Paul (not Todd- sorry Matt, close but no cigar).

-How many people do I work with on a daily basis? 5-10 daily, but I have about 60+ people on my floor. I'm only including my internal coworkers- I also have vendors that contact me daily.

-Do you go out for lunch everyday or eat in? I try to pack a lunch because it's usually healthier, it's cheaper, and take less time. However, I much prefer to eat out lunch- typically if I do it's Pizza Luce, Jitters, or Subway. Last time Lucas was in NYC all of the assistants went to eat at the India Palace and it was AMAZING.

-Can you teach me some style trends you aim for? I hope Jenny is teasing when she says this because she always looks cute... but I will say that figuring out what to wear can be stressful for me. My coworkers are much more likely to recognize when the same dress is being worn too frequently... my favorite thing is to accessorize or change layering pieces. I love wearing scarfs- so when I wear my plain black dress and black leggings to work- I change up the shoes and add a scarf once in awhile. My main goal is to be comfortable with myself and try different looks.

Saved by the Bell

Today while lounging after an exhausting Friday night- yes I actually went out! I caught a couple episodes of Saved by the Bell- the first was when Johnny Dakota comes to their school for a "Keep kids off Drugs" commercial and the 2nd was the first half (annoying they didn't play the 2nd half) of the episode where Jessie's dad gets married to the aerobics instructor at Palms Desert.

All of this got me excited- I miss that show! There's something about it that just reminds me of a simpler time in my life... Janna says her favorite episodes were when they worked at the resort in the summers. I think my favorite is when Lisa does the sprain- anything with Casey Kasem was a LOVE for me- remember the applaud meter?

Okay, now you're thinking- what was your favorite one? Who's your favorite character?

LA

Yes Janna- this is the Anna Sui dress :) and yes Matt that is bottle service...
The girl in the middle is my new boss :) LOVE HER!

Anyone Hungry?

Sometimes Lucas and I like to make people laugh at work...

CMA

Today I was SOOOO excited to get home to the CMAs- I walked in the door just in time to see Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley open the show... and I'm so glad I watched!

Top 3 moments:
1. Taylor Swift winning Entertainer of the Year- she cried, her parents cried, and yes I'll admit I cried... (Yes, I'm one of those people)
2. Jamey Johnson- he fascinates me
3. Sugarland... Jennifer Nettles is amazing

Worst 3 Things:
1. Kellie Pickler's dress
2. Julianna Hough's fakeness and voice when presenting the award for Vocal Duo of the Year
3. Brooks and Dunn go out with a BLAH

I love award shows and based on the advertisements Sunday 11/22 is going to be another fabulous night in :) AMAs!!!!

"Work Sheena"

If you know me, you know I spend a lot of my life at work. I guess I'm just at that stage- some of my friends are married with children- I am not. I work Monday-Friday and most evenings come home to do nothing until the next day of work. I love my job and am focused on my career right now- so yes it is by choice that I live this way and I wouldn't change it. The weekends are my "fun Sheena" time and generate the bulk of my blog posts...which got me to thinking... maybe I should explain more about what I do (especially since most of my work posts involve MOA trips and other "fun" activities- not the day to day norm)...

As an assistant buyer- I work 1 on 1 with the buyer (currently the dress buyer) to select product and assure it's produced and to the customer in a timely manner to our quality standards. That's the basic description, here's some things you might not know:

• We're given a "concept" to buy within- basically our store has a certain direction (color, print, theme) for an upcoming date- we select product that fits within this direction and is appropriate for our customers
• My job involves numbers- a lot- we must analyze business as well as plan for the future. We get told how much to buy based on historical data and current trends often we spend time looking at moving units up or pushing them out to fit this plan
• I work with many different vendors and have numerous sales reps to deal with- often they call with bad news (problems in production, delay in shipping, etc- see previous bullet)
• We DON'T pick things out of a catalog- we go to market to visit vendors and see samples (like when I went to LA), we then spend a week back in Duluth looking at samples and seeing what our best assortment of product is for each particular "concept"
• Daily I look at "approvals"- fabric, buttons, colors, etc.
• We have a "fit model" who tries on the clothes so we can make the product fit how we want it to
• Purchase orders need to be entered- and adjustments are necessary so I spend a lot of time just keeping them up to date

My job is very challenging and each day is different- but I love that... in keeping with a NaBloPoMo theme that is emerging in the blog world... comment me a question- did this post leave you wondering anything more about "work Sheena," even if it's just where I go for my daily coffee... Let me know :)

Five Changes

Today I realized the holidays are coming a little too quickly- that fact and the fact that NaBloPoMo is draining all my creative energy... this post will be the top 5 things that have changed since last holiday season...

1. Then: Buying Support- Outerwear
Now: Assistant Buyer- Dresses soon to be SY Tops

2. Then: Roommate situation was interesting- 7 year old, pets, and more
Now: Pretty quiet with just Leah and I here

3. Then: Jeremy and Kenzie had just moved into their house
Now: They're planning a wedding

4. Then: No money
Now: Still no money

5. Then: Spent weekends watching hockey and hitting up the bar scene
Now: Too tired to stay up past 10 pm

Fun in Duluth

I've lived in Duluth for 2 years now (growing up in Silver Bay, I've been in the area most my life).... today I read a post that reminded me of something in town I recently discovered. Through work, I was asked to volunteer at the Courage Duluth Volunteer Appreciation event- it was being held at the Great Lakes Aquarium... all I had to do was keep an eye on a few kids while their parents had a small program and hors d'oeuvres. It ended up being a blast- I got to see tons of fish, a river otter, and even a bald eagle- yes I'm like a little kid... fascinated! Anyways, if you haven't been I'd recommend you check it out- especially if you have curious kids of your own!

Is it wrong?

Is postdating to fulfill the NaBloPoMo requirements wrong? If so, I just need to say "Good morning it sure is a great Saturday morning!" (At least I'm assuming it will be)

Homeless (For tonight)

My Dad, Taylor, and I are going to St. Cloud tonight to watch Libby's hockey game, she plays Saturday as well so we are planning to stay overnight. Not wanting anything too fancy, two beds, possibly a hot tub (is that too much to ask?) I went to priceline, travelocity, and several hotels homepages in hopes of a good price on a room- NO LUCK! $90 was the best price and the room had only one bed- somehow I don't see my Dad shelling out that kind of money to share a bed with Tay and me in St. Cloud of all places. Really, what is going on in St. Cloud this weekend and why is it so hard to find 2 beds at a reasonable price? Is there something I'm missing here?

Vent over- possibly sleeping in a Nissan Altima tonight- will keep you posted!

Yoga- TFT

NaBloPoMo will kill me if I don't get on board with the "Thoughts for Thursday" Clan.

So here's my thinking. I'm really fortunate because my work offers yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays over lunch and luckily I tried because I've found I really enjoy it! I'm sure that if this wasn't a perk offered as a break from my day to day I would have never tried a pose let alone a whole class. The best part is if you miss a class you get a free pass to go to the studio and make it up- tonight I went to a Hatha class. It's great to work with a different instructor, learn something new, and try new poses that our M/W teacher may not practice.

If you live near me and want to try yoga I recommend Yoga North- all of the instructors I've had have been very helpful and I've never felt out of place (even if I was).

So here's my TFT- what's an exercise, sport, video, etc. you've tried out of the ordinary and enjoyed?

Another Food Post

Tonight, for the first time ever, I tried Papa Murphy's... never having done the take and bake thing I was pleasantly surprised.
A- it was ready in 5 minutes from order time
B- no dishes it's ready to bake on tray
C- they have a thin healthy crust option
D- cheaper than delivery

Conclusion=Veggie Delite+prego friend+episode of Modern Family=satisfaction*

*In this equation, Satisfaction=within reason for a work night :)

It's GREAAAAAAAAAATTTTT

(The title of this post should be spoken like Tony the Tiger of Frosted Flakes)

Last week I did a 7 day cleanse and aside from a couple vodka/sodas my last night it went great- (4-5 pounds down and much more energy). This wasn't a strict maple syrup cayenne pepper trend cleanse- I ate real food- it was all clean (not processed). Here's the TOP 3 things I hope will carry forward:

1. BREAKFAST- WOW I can't believe how obvious the benefits are. Pre-cleanse breakfast was a banana or apple once I got to my desk at work. Now- I actually get up and make something. Most days have been a poached egg and dry English muffin. I feel instantly more awake when the alarm goes off, my energy level at work feels higher, and on the weekend my internal alarm gets me out of bed at a decent hour- PLUS I no longer feel the need for a nap :)
2. Snacks- actually scheduling and packing a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack has helped me to not over do lunch or dinner
3. Water- 8-10 glasses a day- hydration never tasted so good, Downside? Allot for extra bathroom trips.

The best part- I did this the 7 days leading up to Halloween... meaning I didn't touch a single sweet... which was a feat at work considering all the food days and candy floating around... No post holiday depression in this girl! Maybe I should repeat for Thanksgiving???? (HAHAHA- that's crazy talk)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Friday night I was invited to a costume party at Lori's house (my coworker/softball teammate/friend)- last minute I decided to go and whipped together a costume that you may find familiar....
Yes- my wizardry skills and wand gave Lady Luck many good fortunes... also put her to bed quite early, but that may have been the concoction drank from her ghoul...

My FIRST Bachelorette Party

For Halloween 2009 I decided to venture back to the bay and hit up the muni (mainly because I heard someone was dressing up as a bun in the oven)... As I put together my costume I was suprised my Dad had no reservations with the fact that I was blowing up an inflatible penis at the kitchen table... my next project was a sucker bouquet (half the suckers made it home and $1 was made)... finally I put on my tiara and my "Bachelorette" attire was complete...

Kenzie (a blind ref and the real bachelorette) and I (the fake one) posed with Taylor the cowgirl- we all shared a laugh while my Dad took our picture (making sure to get legs apparently)...

Faron was DJ'ing and my penis made a great dance floor prop and was in some highly inappropriate pictures with "Snow White and the Seven Dorks." A few people Congratulated me thinking I was really getting married... some I told the truth- some I let slide...The whole night ended up being a TOTAL BLAST... I'll leave you with a picture of me attempting to smile as big as my toy on the dance floor...

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

NaBloPoMo

Problem: My Lack of Blogging

Excuses: Work (More to Follow)

Solution:

Besides me officially declaring I am attempting to will blog 30 days in a row this month...

I have to say a little blurp about work... These last few weeks have been SOOOO chaotic and to add to the hysterics we had a meeting last week announcing there would be some moves. Most of you know I'm the assistant buyer for dresses and I was ready to move to a more challenging area, but being told where to go rather than applying for it can be a little unsettling.... LUCKILY I got moved into the area I wanted anyways... so on 11/16 I will be the assistant buyer for Studio Y tops- a larger department with great opportunity! I AM VERY HAPPY... but a little nervous of how this could affect my NaBloPoMo- maybe it will give me some new material :)

Spotted in LA

On the very last night of my work trip to LA I found myself making direct eye contact and a polite smile with Anna Faris.... of course I realized midsmile and everything in my power went into keeping it cool so the rest of cocktail hour wouldn't be awkward since she was at the next table... Much to my suprise and amidst me explaining the encounter to our dinner partners I looked up only to see the corner booth we were being seated at was with in inches of "The Donald"... his booth was directly next to ours and with the right number of cocktails in me and a monetary amount on the table I could have been swayed to ruffle his hair (and yes it does look how you'd imagine it does)....

Of course celebrity sightings weren't on the agenda, but a nice added bonus :) Luckily for me I work with some AMAZING people and while we had some long days... I made a ton of memories, a few inside jokes, and can't help but giggle thinking of dieretic pills (you had to be there)....

Yes I'm in LA... but this is all about my HAIR

So if you're friends with me on Facebook you probably know I'm in LA right now (before you dwell... it's for work), anyways that's not what this post is about... it's about 8:30 pm here on our second night and I am BEAT from travel, shopping, and a late night venture so it's off to bed in preparation for a long day tomorrow... but I thought I'd quickly share with you my "LA-do"... I am loving having bangs... Hope you approve :)

Sorry for the cubicle self portrait...

VMAs 2009=AMAZING

I'm in St. Cloud all this week working... YES- I'm using vacation to work somewhere else and YES- I realize it is not the ideal situation- HOWEVER, I am very thankful because I am staying at a house with cable- therefore, Sunday night I had access to a couch, MTV, rewind, and Oatmeal Cream Pies... I'm just saying I realize I am lucky I was able to experience the VMAs without having to wait for the clips to appear online...

Seriously, I am UBER confused as to why my reading list is not showing any action on this topic from the blogs I follow. I know I'm not the only one OBSESSED with celeb gossip... Okay, so seriously Taylor Swift is my homegirl- I've loved her since Tim McGraw, but I think every media outlet has pretty much covered the Kanye situation... so I just want to take a moment to reflect on what was possibly the greatest VMA show of my time...

• Pink really sang while being an acrobat (Adam Lambert confirms via twitter)... she is so underestimated for her talent... PLUS she showed up with sometimes husband Carey Hart and was wearing the same dress as Shakira- in my opinion she wore it best...agreed or not? She also had to have security hold her back from kicking Kanye's ass... an all around amazing night for her!
• Lady Gaga's outfits did NOT shock me, probably because she's Perez's wifey therefore I have seen all her wacky looks she wears to her outrageous interviews, etc... I totally LOVED her performance, her acceptance speech, and the fact that she thanks God and the Gays... I'm absolutely mesmorized by her and will continue to be for years to come I hope!
• I am a reborn Beyonce fan, the way she handled accepting her video of the year speech was so CLASSY! Not to mention her Single Ladies performance- I would give anything to dance with 10% of the skill she has...
• MJ tribute... tears in my eyes- his legacy will definetly live on!
• T. Swift- her performance lacked the "crazy" factor the VMAs thrive on, but winning Best Female Video I was so happy for her... and I was so happy with how she handled the "situation" and I guess there is no question on whether or not she has fans. They boo'd the entire show whenever Kanye's name was spoken (I also know this because I want tickets to her show in MSP 10/11 and it is sold out with tickets being scalped for outrageous $$$)

If you missed the big show, try mtv.com... you can get everything there... sorry if you're in that situation and that means you didn't understand this blog... If you're a celeb junkie, like me, let me know your thoughts... Did you love it? Here's one of my ultimate pics of the night... Perez meeting Be-Wolf :)

One Random Friday...

Taylor was a bit embarrassed... but I've always wanted to do this...

Collette's Wedding...

I had so much fun and was SOO honored to be in Collette and Nate's wedding and share in their special day- it was a long crazy weekend.... Since Collette's family is from CA we had her shower Thursday night, Rehearsal Friday night, and Saturday was the main event- we decorated somewhere in between and somehow made it to the church for some fun photos....
My favorite part of the wedding was when Pastor Robin almost forgot to tell Nate to kiss the bride and he looked like he was having a panic attack, then Callie almost had an attack having to watch the whole thing...
The most sentimental moment was the unity sand, Collette has three boys and Nate has a daughter and stepson- Collette, Nate, and each kid had a vile of sand that were blended together in a unity vase during the ceremony (it's the modern day unity candle)- it was so sweet because they have done such a great job of blending their families and it was such a unique way to include it in the wedding... Here's the whole wedding party, obviously lots of kids involved... I love this pic of all the boys (Collette's boys, Nate's step son, and their cousins)...
The kids were fun and brought me up to date on some of newdance moves... I could have used them at the bachelorette party...
CONGRATS COLLETTE AND NATE- Love you guys!

Bartender Needed?

Well folks, this is it! I have found my true calling... Bartending! It's the perfect mix of social interaction and alcohol without the hangover.

A couple weekends ago I was asked to bartend a wedding- I said YES and was slightly regretful afterwards when I realized I had a family gathering I would have to leave early. I literally was crying when I left my family... but my frown was quickly turned upside down once I got behind that bar. I was serving up wine, mixing some mean whiskey cokes, and margaritas on the rock quickly became my specialty. The people were so fun and so nice the time flew by. The bride and groom gave me more money then planned because I was such a hit- it's making me consider a one night a week gig. So comment me this...

1. Do you think I could handle being a bartender?
2. What type of bar do you see me at?
3. Should I move to Vegas to pursue this? (haha joking)
4. Am I crazy?

Andover Taken Over By Bachelorette Party

Last time I blogged (almost a month ago) I said the next thing on my horizon was Collette's bachelorette party... well finally pictures have emerged and I feel ready to share in our wild Saturday night...

We started things off with a BBQ and yard games at Breann's house (Gumtow- for you fellow Silver Bayians). We had a blast laughing, talking, and of course sipping a drink or two :) We had decided our course of action would be Andover, MN while the boys travelled to St. Cloud.

Andover isn't a small town, but it has that feel- needless to say they weren't ready for what was about to be unleashed on them...

Suprise Suprise we ended up on stage with the band... Jenny played the tamborine and of course they remembered her from the last time she had seen them...This picture even made their web page... Janna came and is now officially my +1 to all bachelorette parties (not that that is an option... but I think it is now expected). We hit up a couple other bars- I was involved in some major dancing sandwiches, we met a post wedding party, got told over and over again why marriage is stupid, I may or may not have given out my number, and Janna and I may have encouraged some after hours karoke through our cheering and sick dance moves. All in all it was a fun night and great way to celebrate with the bride to be.

SIDENOTE: One of the boys in the group was not feeling well when he got home and it wasn't the groom... CLASSIC case of the flu- wonder if he caught it at a strip club?

So That Was July...

While my sister was getting engaged (4th of July)... I was on Sturgeon Lake whooping it up with some good friends from HS... luckily Sara lives on the lake so I didn't have to rough it much more than an air mattress on her living room floor :) We had food, beer, fireworks, and a special appearance from Tara... all in all a great day/night...
The next weekend was my favorite Silver Bay event, the Rocky Taconite Softball Tourney... this was the first year they didn't have a women's division since I can remember- it was SUPER depressing to not play, but I still managed to have a good time.

Onto our annual family Hayward, WI weekend- complete with a fish fry, gift shopping, the candy store, and of course cards... This year featured a special trip to Famous Daves for a 70s cover band that apparently played Prince music ??? My cousin Andrew also tried his luck on the horse... WHOA NELLY!
We finished the evening at our favorite little stop (Home of the Friday night Fish Fry)... the Golden Rule- we tried our hand at some Wii action and Taylor tested her aim by attempting to get this hook on this nail- thatta girl...

Last weekend found me in the metro area for Collette's Bachelorette Party... All I can say at this time is Anoka wasn't ready for us and there may be some pictures on the band's web page...

August 1st=Collette's wedding... I hope my dress is ready for me :)

I'm Getting a Brother....

Congrats to Kenzie and Jeremy- they got engaged on 4th of July... I hear there may have been a headlamp and tears involved- but I'll let you ask them the details :) Date is TBD.

'Ball, Bawling, and Ballin'

Last weekend I took Friday off to head to Silver Bay and see Megan- I had been missing her pretty bad so I was SOOO excited. We sat on the porch- I burnt my thighs, Megan burnt her entire body... had sloppy joes- Manwich (which I loved although some people were disappointed), hit up the Big Dipper, played some bocce, and had dinner with her family and the Fenstads at Crossings.

Then I was off to Duluth to meet up with my Dad, Taylor, and her friend Shay after their softball game. They were in a tourney all weekend and staying at my house. We saw My Sister's Keeper... honestly an amazing movie but EXTREMELY sad. 35 minutes in Mike Guzzo turned to me and asked "Who the hell picked this movie?" Tears were streaming down our faces, even if you don't know someone who has or had cancer it will touch you... Check out these puffy eyes while we pose by the new Harry Potter marketing- super excited to see that one :) Saturday was spent dodging rain, helping my Dad coach, down time between games with Megan, napping in the car, entertaining 3- 15 year olds, pizza party, and movies... Sunday we woke up and were back at the fields for more softball. After the tourney, my Daddio went home and Tay stayed with me to go to the Shinedown concert. I realize it's the "mainstream" song, but Second Chance was definitely my fav...

We had so much fun and were all smiles, until I had to wake up for work on Monday and she, of course, got to sleep in :(

Salut

Yesterday Lucas and I went to MOA (Mall of America for those of you not down with the lingo) for work. DISCLAIMER: Before you comment about how jealous you are of my job, it's not easy doing these things. Yes I love my boss and had a fun day with him... but it's a LONG day shopping EVERY store, plus driving, etc... in other news, it was super nice to get out of the office for the day and okay, I admit it, I LOVE MY JOB.

When we were done we headed to Grand Ave. for dinner with Matt on our way home- it was gorgeous so we ate outside at Salut. The food was good and the company was even better...My key learning for the day- LOL.

And for those of you that can't seem to get the "L"s to point the right direction, I present the "lol"...

GMAS

This weekend was Grandma's Marathon- it's kind of a big deal here in Duluth... I was lucky enough to have a hotel room for Thursday-Saturday night in the heart of the festivities. After work on Friday my parents and Taylor came down, we met Lib and headed to Canal Park for dinner at Angie's. Then my Dad, Taylor, and I went to see The Hangover- my second viewing, totally LOVE it! I found it even funnier that my Dad, my 15 year old sister, and I were in a theater with a bunch of college guys watching sick humor :)

Saturday it was up early, 5 am- gross, to hand out water to all the runners (6000 in the half, 8000 in the full)- my family had no idea what they were getting into. It's a long day, but super fun. I had to find 150 volunteers for Mile 21- luckily, my family (Dad, Mom, Kenzie, Libby, and Taylor), Tara, Leah, and Matt were there to support me.My parents went home for the night, against my Dad's wishes to stay and party. Janna (who had run the half in 2 hours- YAY!), Kelly, Leah, Kenzie, and I headed to the tents with my friend Kristina and her friends that were also staying at the hotel. We had 50+ beer tickets to use up and had a great time doing so.... Sunday was spent laying low, I was sad because I got to spend 2 AMAZING weekends with Janna and now I don't know when I'll see her again. I also got depressed watching He's Just Not That Into You- I feel like Gigi and I'm looking for my Justin Long :(

Once again THANK YOU to my FAMILY and FRIENDS for being the GREATEST! I had such a fun weekend and can't believe I am this blessed :)

This week is flying by already- I took Friday off of work because Megan made a suprise return to MN- I'm SOOOOO excited to see her and it kills me she is in the same state and I haven't seen her yet!

2nds Please

More pics of my birthday because you didn't get enough the first time... and we can never get enough of Anders- our Swedish friend...

Guess Who's Having the Best Year Ever?

Turns out 24 is my best birthday EVER! My friends really pulled out all the stops to make it memorable...

Friday night was low key (in preparation for Saturday- the big day) after my fabulous work celebration Kristina and I headed to Little Angies for drinks on the deck- finally nice weather in Duluth. Some of my favorite coworkers joined us- so fun. Then I headed to Lu's graduation party to congratulate the future Harvard student and see my fam. I ended the night with what is sure to be the best movie of the year The Hangover, accompanied by Janna and Kristina.

Saturday Kelly, Janna and I headed to the mall- met Libby and travelled all around Duluth for some cute clothes- no such luck (even with a stop at Walmart- yes I said it, Walmart)... So it was off to Maya for Happy Hour and some Mexican food- Kenzie and Leah joined in the festivities. We headed back to my place for some Arbor Mist and to get ready. Kelly and Kenzie suprised me with a tiara, boa, beads, and glow sticks for all :) This was sure to be a night I'd never forget.

I'll just put some quotes from the evening and let the pictures tell the story...

"Is that guy wearing capris?"

"Let's hug birthday girl- and do the robot"

"You're not here from Sweden for the week, I saw you this winter"

"Now I see why people wear sunglasses to the bar- people can't see your eyes."

"Let me see your passport"

"Whoa that guys arms are bigger than my head"

"Is it your bachelorette party?" "No." "Are you 21?" "No, I'm 24 :)"

"In America, we buy the birthday girl a drink."

"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!"

"I think the bachelor party has my sunglasses."

"It's my birthday..."

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes and to all parties involved in my 24th celebration- THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

PS This weekend is Grandma's maraton- slightly excited :) and Janna's up again- YAY!