New Year- Fresh Start

Hello to my friends and family who are probably new to my blog because I just sent out a holiday letter letting you know I actually have a blog. That's fun news, but the not-so-fun news is that I was not really all that diligent in keeping up on it this year because Facebook is just easier. BUT, Facebook doesn't allow just anyone to stalk me on the Internet, so I figured my blog would be a nicer way of telling stories, sharing photos, and creating a nice online fan club for those of you who are not on Facebook. I promise that with the new year, I will make a more concerted effort keep this blog current.

Thank you for stopping by, and please leave me a comment letting me know you were here. AND, please visit again soon! I'll update shortly with holiday photos.

I'm a Runner...Wannabe

I haven't updated this blog much recently, so here's *BIG NEWS*: I'm training for a half-marathon in December!! Yes, that's 13.1 miles... MILES!

Now, I haven't decided whether I'm going to run and/or walk it yet. Ideally, I'd like to run the whole thing, but we'll have to see where I'm at by that point. My overall goal is just to FINISH, period! :-)

Last night was a training night. My friend and I went to the local high school to walk/run around the perimeter of the school. After the first lap (1.17 miles), I decided to start jogging because I felt good about it. I ended up jogging about 2/3 of the next lap around, and I felt GREAT!

This in itself is a significant milestone... I don't like running, my legs hurt when I do it, and worst of all, I can't breathe!! So, the fact that I: a). actually WANTED to run, b). DID run, c). CONTINUED to run, d). didn't feel out of breath, and e). ENJOYED moving my body along at that pace stunned me. I hope this is a new threshold for future progress because, as I've heard, running seemed quite enjoyable, and I hope to do it again soon!!

Antibacterial Soap... Good or Bad?

Click here for a great article on WebMD about antibacterial soap cleaners. I know there's not much of an advantage for using antibacterial products, but I was surprised to learn that those cleaners are damaging to the environment. What's your opinion about using antibacterial cleaners?

Right on, America

I've kind of been in and out of this year's American Idol season. I usually get into the auditions part, then watch the beginning of the top 12 (or 13 in this case)... then tune out until the selection dwindles to the top 4.

Season 8 was pretty interesting. I personally felt that there were no absolute stand-outs that would have a lot of staying power in the music industry (unlike prior contestants like Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry). Yes, yes, yes.... Mr. Adam Lambert has some talent (they all did), but I don't care for his style. I find it hard to think of how an album of his would turn out well without all the lights, glamour, costumes, and "guyliner" to add to his vocal performance. I think Adam would do AMAZINGLY well on Broadway, but I simply can't imagine an album of original songs (NOT rock covers) from Adam. I'm not hating on him (we come from the same hometown), I just don't care for his style.

Now, Mr. Kris Allen, I wasn't too sure of him at first. He kind of was an "under the radar" kind of contestant for me. As Simon mentioned, I thought America made a mistake when they voted off Danny Gokey, but in the end, I think Kris rose to the challenge and demonstrated that he does have some staying power. The "Gokey Factor" definitely had a hand in his claim to the crown, since I'm sure Danny's fans came out in force to vote for Kris.

I think it was a good win, albeit somewhat unexpected against a heavily favored contender. Best wishes to both Kris and Adam!

BareMinerals- LOVE IT!

I took the plunge. Jumped in with both feet...

My old makeup got swapped out for new MINERAL makeup. And oh, how I love thee!

In general, I'm a person that doesn't like too much stuff in or on my body (i.e., I only take medicine when I HAVE to). I suffered from terrible acne during my teens and early-mid twenties and finally got it cleared up with the help of modern medicine... not to mention the fact that I have sensitive skin anyway. As a result, I am extremely cautious about what I put on my skin, and I research products before I buy them. I was in the market for some new makeup, and I started my search for makeup for sensitive skin. I started seeing more and more information on mineral makeup, and I LOVE the fact that TRUE mineral makeup is not loaded up with crap.

CRAP...also known as chemicals and toxins... that's what is in most makeup, and the WORST part is that the crap can cause health problems. I could not justify continuing my use of regular makeup products.

I switched to BareMinerals by BareEscentuals. LOVE, love it!! I enjoy having a natural-looking face after applying makeup, so this brand is a good fit for me. I also love the amazingly huge variety of colors to play with!

AND THE BEST PART IS... I've had NO problems since I began wearing BareMinerals. My eyes used to itch and burn like crazy with my other eye makeup, even though it was supposedly for sensitive skin.

Mostly, I just feel good that I'm doing right by my body and protecting it from chemicals and toxins.

Go check out Bare Minerals here.

My Getaway, Part 1

Some of you may know that I am currently on a well-deserved getaway for a few days. This has been my first opportunity in months to bail out of town and do nothing but wonder what I should do for the day... sweet!

I'm currently blogging from a Panera Bread bakery location. There's a few reasons for this:

1. It's free (but I purchased an iced green tea).
2. I'm going through Internet withdrawal (the hotel charges too much to use their services).
3. I'm going through Facebook withdrawal (no explanation needed).
4. My first article was published online today (see prior post for more info)!
5. I don't trust myself enough to be out shopping alone! :-)
6. I used to work at a Panera Bread location in Las Vegas (memories).

Anyways, I thought I would share an entertaining story with you today... a potentially humiliating and humbling experience from my point of view...

So, my friend and I were walking down a street after lunch. I was wearing a pretty new summer dress, and it looked cute. It's a nice sunny day, and I was admiring the warmth of the sun and mild breeze blowing around us.

Then IT happened.

We walked by a breezeway, the wind swirled way too fast around us, and I felt my skirt go a little too high... I tried grabbing at it to pull it down, but to no avail. There was too much cloth and too much wind swirling to prevent the inevitable from happening...

My bottom was exposed to the world!

Well, to look at the sunny side of things (ha!), it wasn't the whole world that saw my rear. It was just the oncoming traffic. Not too bad, right? RIGHT??

At any rate, my friend proceeded to point and laugh (gotta love her), and I just kept on walking... with the skirt of my dress firmly gripped by my hands. There would be NO do-overs on that show!!

Does anyone else have any similarly embarassing tales??

I'm a Published Author

It's official! The Mermaids of the Lake e-zine is one year old today! I was so excited to be asked to write an article for their newest issue, and you can find it here. (Thanks, Mermaids, for a fun opportunity!) If you are hosting a bridal shower during the upcoming "wedding season," I hope you will find some inspiration with this "Beach Bliss" bridal shower theme, plus other easy DIY hostess tips! Also, you can find more entertaining tips on my other blog, Creative Entertaining.

If you go check it out now, you can sign up as a follower of that blog and have a chance to win the FIRST-EVER Creative Entertaining giveaway!! See details of the giveaway here in the original post.

"I Love" Box

I need to share with you an idea that I just LOVE. It's an "I Love" box!

Do you ever have those moments when you are simply enjoying something and think to yourself, "I love this"? Well, capture that moment on a little card that you tuck it away into your "I Love" box. Review your box from time to time and remind yourself of all those little things in life that bring you joy. I'm going to make one for myself!

Mermaid Shelley of Mermaids on the Lake wrote about the "I Love" box on the Mermaids blog. Visit the post here and be inspired!

Yummylicious

That's a new word I just made up. I was sitting at my desk taking my first bite of lunch, and that was my reaction... a swoon and "Yummylicious!" The fun part is that it was just leftovers (bean burrito with mozzerella cheese and verde sauce), but the combination of its simplicity, taste, and the peace and quiet of that moment knocked my socks off...

So that tells you how my week has been. How's yours going? T.G.I.A.F.? (Thank Goodness It's Almost Friday!)

Well, I've been pretty absent in the blogosphere lately. That's pretty much due to the fact of: a) computer problems, b) back-to-back-to-back-to-back events at work, and c) no time to sit still. That will be over shortly (two days), and then I get to take TWO days off from work. TWO! I'm bailing out of town, getting out of dodge, escaping, disappearing... T.G.F.V.T. (Thank Goodness For Vacation Time!). I'll let you know about it when I get back.

So, what's been going on at work to take up so much of my life (so it feels)? Well, to put it simply, in the span of two months, multiple fundraising events will have taken place- the last one this coming Saturday- that will collectively have raised just about $250,000 for the organization I work for. A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS! That's a lot of work! :-) But I love it, so I don't really complain too much about it. Besides the fact that I love my job, the kiddos I work for deserve the opportunities this money will give them, so that's just the bottom line of why we're doing what we do.

I promise to be more active in the future, so thanks for your patience!

Oh, joy!

I don't really have much to say, except that I'm so stinkin' excited to have seen the sun!! The last couple of days we've had sun up here.... and it STAYED all day and I didn't need a coat!

AND, get this, I actually used my air conditioning in my car yesterday.... EEEK!!

If that's not enough to get a girl excited about Spring, I don't know what will.

Well, maybe a couple of pairs of new shoes and a couple of new purses... and a few new pretty dresses.... all of which I now have! ;-)

Happy Spring and Happy Easter, everyone!!

Giveaway- Quick!

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that there's a very cool giveaway going on over at Embellish Essentials. You can enter between now and Saturday, April 11th @ 11:59 p.m. PST. The prize is for a scrapbook prize pack worth over $50! If you're a scrappin' queen, you know that's a lot of fun waiting to happen!!

I just so happen to know those girls running things over at Embellish Essentials, so tell them I sent ya! {wink} They are a start-up business, so keep your eye out for them if you're into paper scrapbooking.

Chocolate Giveaway!!

Hey, check out the Mermaids of the Lake blog. They are giving away CHOCOLATE from the Chocolate Apothecary, a fun chocolate "pharmacy" in Spokane. The link to the post is here. You can enter the giveaway by posting a comment on that post, and while you're at it, tell the Mermaids I sent you! :-)

What a week!

This has been one of those weeks that required martinis with dinner, lots of chocolate (just pulled brownies out of the oven!) and some good old fashioned therapy sessions with close friends. Ever have those weeks?

Not that it was all baaad, just frustrating at times. Definitely one of those "growing" periods when you have to decide whether to chicken out or stick with the situation and grow as a person. All I have to say is, T.G.I.F. tomorrow!

I'm happy to report that my huge fundraising event for work was a success! I am sleeping better at night now, and I'm enjoying somewhat shorter hours at work, although I'm still working late. Such are the demands of the job... :-)

At any rate, Spring Break is (almost) here! One of the perks for working my rear off during the year is great vacation time. Next week is one of those times. I don't have anything major planned except for hanging out with my best friend before she starts back to school and getting some MAJOR organizing and cleaning accomplished at home.

Spring

I cannot believe the intensity of the past 5 months!! Winter weather totally raked everyone over the coals (ice?) this season, and I am READY to see green and sunshine!! So, to celebrate the first day of Spring (officially two days ago), I purchased new clothes for work. They are colorful and fun, and definitely require warmer weather to wear. Of course, since I purchased new clothes, I'm definitely going to have to get new shoes! I have a hard time finding shoes that fit my feet well (that are ALSO comfortable to wear for hours on end), so I think this time I'm going to invest in good shoes that will last for awhile, and I'm taking my search online to find the perfect pairs of shoes! This is my first time buying shoes online, so wish me luck!

Awesome Quilt = Great Prize

My friend Heather over at Sporadic Scrapper posted about this amazing quilt! This is being raffled off as a fundraiser for the Fiber Artist Guild in Spokane, WA and north Idaho. I personally feel it's important to support your local artists, so check out Heather's blog post about it here, and be sure to get your raffle tickets for a chance to win this beautiful quilt. Information on how to get your tickets is in Heather's post. Good luck!

Twenty-Five Random Things

I love those posts that go around on Facebook and MySpace where you simply fill in 25 random facts about yourself. It works really well for me because I can be a really random person at times. So, I thought I would throw 25 random things about me up here, in case anyone actually reads this blog! :-) Here goes...

1. I have been dying to try that new Cherry Dr. Pepper.


2. Speaking of Dr. Pepper, when I was in high school, my staple snack foods were Dr. Pepper and Cool Ranch Doritos. What a combo!


3. I love color.


4. I love board games and card games. Scrabble is one of my favorites.


5. I love cupcakes! I don't know what it is about them, but I love the cute little pieces of cake, and my favorite thing about them is that they are so versatile as desserts.


6. Leading in from #5, I love to bake. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, mini-cheesecakes, chocolate candy.... and the best part is that I usually will give it away! I don't like to keep it all to myself.


7. I enjoy long walks and hiking.


8. I can't WAIT for summer!!!! Well, I should clarify... I can't WAIT for WARMER WEATHER!!


9. I confess that I'm not as inclined to use sunscreen when I'm outside when we actually have sun; it's that crazy idea that I want to soak up all the sun that I can when I have the chance! Luckily, I don't do it very often...


10. I want to own my own business one day.


11. I want to have my own nonprofit one day.


12. I have a personal shopper.


13. I love my job.


14. I wish I was more connected to a certain church in the area.


15. I love this place in life where I am able to reconnect with old friends and contacts. The past two weeks have given me the opportunity to do just that, and it's been so fun!


16. I am considering jumping on the Twitter bandwagon...


17. I love Tinker Bell. I have a small collection of figurines and other stuff for when I have a daughter some day.


18. I'm a huge fan of Redbox. It's a movie rental service available from kiosks at local stores. If you haven't tried it out, you should!! It's only $1 per movie per night. Bye-bye Blockbuster and Hollywood Video! I'm totally over paying more than I should for a movie.


19. One of these days, I will travel the country and world.... one of these days....


20. I love Canada! The country, the people, and the culture.


21. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I hope I've learned from them.


22. I have a Type A personality... which sometimes annoys me.


23. My favorite feature about myself is my eyes.


24. I love the Spanish language.


25. My dream is to one-day have a hand in organizing the Olympic Games!

There you have it! If you have comments, feel free to post them. I'm curious to get feedback! :-)

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Yesterday I made myself take a mandatory break from work, so I went to see this movie with my best friend. I really liked the movie, and I was surprised that it was more of a reality check than a simple chick flick (chick flick with a social conscience?). If you haven't seen it, I recommend it, especially if you're [ahem] a shopaholic!

Mermaids of the Lake

Mermaids of the Lake is an online publication geared towards women based out of Liberty Lake, WA (just east of Spokane). They also have a blog, here, that is fun and whimsical. I like the "Mermaids" concept for a few reasons:

1. Going green. I can check for new stuff online when I want without having to stack up a bunch of paper magazines that wait around until I can get to them.

2. Creativity! You'll see they incorporate the mermaid/sea theme throughout the publication.

3. It's personal. The personality of the three mermaids (publishers) comes through the writing and features, especially on the Mermaids blog.

4. It's not just an eastern Washington thing. Readers from all over the country are fans of Mermaids of the Lake.

Go... swim fast... and check them out. Discover your inner Mermaid!! :-)

Sunday

After seeing blue sky and sunshine yesterday (with a high of 45 degrees!), it's rather depressing to see this today:


BUT, that's okay, because I was in the mood to make some yummy HOMEMADE chicken noodle soup!! I've loved this soup since I was a kid, and I haven't tasted one that tastes better than the homemade version. So, I thought I would share the finished product with you:

If you want the recipe, too bad! ;-) I don't have one (seriously). I just make it up each time I make it... a little of this, a little of that... I will give you a free tip, though. Use the packaged frozen noodles in your grocer's freezer section. They're usually by the frozen bread dough and rolls. I prefer thick noodles, so this is my chicken noodle soup must-have ingredient! Well, that AND the chicken...

Mikey

I am organizing photos on the computer, and I came across some that I thought I would share. These are some photos of my crazy cat. And I am not exaggerating about the crazy part. He's one part charming, one part crazy and one part devil. At any rate, enjoy! :-)

His "ta-da" moment after unraveling a WHOLE skien of yarn...

The mouse cornered him into a box... also known as Mikey's second home... and alternative chew toy.

Peacefully sleeping next to Ally Bell, the pretty princess. Sometimes he can be lover... when he's not a fighter...

Kitty yoga... or post-nap stretch.

Long time, no post!

Well, it has been a while since I've posted. Sorry about the delay, but life (work) has been busy!

As far as work goes, I am currently working on three events simultaneously. I've found myself putting in more than my usual work hours these past few weeks, but that's what happens when you get close to your event dates! The ironic part is that I have many vacation days (yes, above and beyond my fantastic winter break) that I need to squeeze in around those events. This has been a tough year so far. Our special events account for about one-fourth of our annual budget; that means we're looking at several hundred thousand dollars. The current state of the economy hasn't exactly helped us out with securing event sponsorships and donations. But, we are plugging away, so hopefully we'll be close to our goal!

[On a random side note, there's a Sprint commercial on TV right now. I LOVE their commercials about different groups of people running the world with their direct connect phones. This one happens to be a delivery company running a school.... awesome!]

As some of you may know, I've been trying to start a scrapbooking business with my best friend. We've had several opportunities come open for us, but all the details have never really clicked together well enough to allow us to move forward with opening our own store. We had another opportunity come up this past week to display our products in a local store. After providing the owners with product samples, they decided not to give us the space. I'm not sure what the "real" reason for their decision is, but one of the owners told us that they decided not to rent out the space after all. However, another owner mentioned that they were considering some other people as well, so I don't know if they ended up picking someone else over us. It's another disappointment for us, but it just makes me want to work harder to make it happen. We have a blog for our company. Visit it at www.embellishessentials.blogspot.com.

I started a second blog that focuses on entertaining. You can check it out at www.creativeentertaining.blogspot.com. I try to update it about once a week with ideas for your own social events and holiday celebrations. Please leave comments, and if you have ideas to share, I would love to hear them too! I would also love it if you became a follower of one or all of the blogs I'm working on. It's nice to know that people are interested!

That's all I've got for this time. I'll post again soon.

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I love celebrating the new year because however the prior year's experiences have been, there's an opportunity to refresh and aim high again.

My resolution for 2009 is to take better care of myself. That includes the following goals:

1. Develop a better relationship with God.

2. Develop better relationships with friends and family.

3. Exercise at least 3 times a week.

4. Eat smaller portions.

5. Get more sleep!

6. Find new hobbies.

7. Enjoy the outdoors.

8. Go camping.

9. Less shopping...

10. Live, Laugh, and Love!

May your 2009 be one filled with the important things in life: family, friends, love, health, and happiness!