Wednesday, April 27, 2011

A Wee Bit of Me Wednesday...


{one} have you ever been stuck in an elevator?
Nope. Can't say it would be a pleasant experience either if I would ever happen to.

{two} have you ever ridden on an elephant?
Yes. Cool!

{three} have you ever met a well known celebrity?
I went to high school with Emily Bergl, who starred on Men in Trees and recently was on Desperate Housewives... I met Tony Dow once. Some athletes as well. My mom and dad sat next to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver at a benefit that my mom was the chairwoman of.

{four} do you have any food allergies?
Negative.

{five} do you know how to sew?
Sorta, not really. My mom is a sewer and she was teaching me at one point but life got in the way.

{six} did you get an allowance when you were young?
Yep. Cleaned the bathroom and picked up dog poop in the yard!

{seven} how often do you fill up your gas tank?
About every week and a half unless we go out of town.

{eight} have you ever been stung by a jelly fish?
No. Again, don't think it would be pleasant...

{nine} have you ever been robbed?
I think my bike was stolen. I kinda remember something like that and some neighborhood wannabe thug kids who took it.

{ten} what is the worst haircut you’ve ever had?
Mullet-esque 'do in 6th grade. My hairdresser just didn't have the same vision that I did. I cried for days.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Blogger ABC's

Found this at Mel's blog... And since I haven't been blogging much I thought I'd just do something quick to get back into it. I haven't even been turning my computer on much lately! I am not sure why. I can check my email from my phone so I haven't had a real desire to turn it on. And yesterday was so beautiful that I spent the whole day outside with the little one. Today it is raining and cold so back to blogging...

A. Age: 35

B. Bed size: King

C. Chore you hate: Ironing. I avoid it as long as possible.

D. Dogs: Had. Died. Miss my Cosmo. Want another- but not yet.

E. Essential start to your day: Stretch and work out most days.

F. Favorite color: All shades of blue and turquoise

G. Gold or silver: Silver. Gold does not look good on my skin tone

H. Height: 5'4 1/2"

I. Instruments: I can't read music but I faked my way through a couple of years of violin and french horn in grade school.

J. Job title: Create at home mom

K. Kids: 1 4 year old son, AJ

L. Live: Wausau, Wisconsin

M. Mom’s name: Janet

N. Nicknames: Nic, Nickel, and a couple others that I can't tell you... ;)

O. Overnight hospital stays: Other than going into the ER at 10 pm and not coming out until 3 am for food poisoning in San Diego, no.

P. Pet peeve: Several. Too many to name... A couple- smoking in general, calling me Nikki, misspelled words, poor grammar...

Q. Quote from a movie: Really from a book but it is in the movie! "You have bewitched me body and soul and I love, love, love you" and "Yes. A thousand times yes" from Pride and Prejudice. "I've got a good idea. Let's pretend that we are real human beings." and "A pool and a pond. A pond would be good for you. Natural spring water." Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) in Caddyshack

R. Right or left handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two older brothers

T. Time you wake up: Depends on the day... 5:15 Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 6:25 Mondays and Thursdays and up in the air on the weekends.

U. Underwear: Indeed.

V. Vegetables you dislike: Brussel Sprouts. There are probably many others.

W. What makes you run late: AJ dilly dallying. Me putzing around. Thinking I have way more time than I do.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: My teeth and skull. Probably my foot when I stuck it in the spokes of a bike when I was little.

Y. Yummy food you make: I am a baker. Everything is yummy! I do have a few standouts though. I generally get rave reviews! I also make a couple different lasagnas that are delish.

Z. Zoo- favorite animal: The elephants. But I liked the kangaroos at the last zoo I was at. I just say no to the goats. ;)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Wee Bit of Me Wednesday...

Play along here...

{one} how often do you do laundry?
Every Friday. Towels get done on Monday as well. When the system works...

{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?
Oatmeal chocolate chip or snickerdoodles.

{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?
Hire my housekeeper to come more than once a month and do some major landscaping and not feel bad about it, spa more and travel a little bit more as well.

{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?
Art and science. I liked biological sciences and chemistry and horticulture but hated physics because I never knew what the hell was going on!

{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?
No. It would be fun.

{six} what was your high school mascot?
We were the Titans. The mighty, mighty Titans. It was fun having a Greek mascot. So many fun themes!

{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?
I don't think so. I did just watch something on the Discovery Channel about Mars and while it was fascinating, I just don't think I'd want to go there.

{eight} how often do you go dancing?
Next to never.

{nine} would you rather drive or fly?
Fly, fo sho! I prefer to get there faster and I hate driving (I am generally the passenger).

{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?
I don't think I have been caught (I have a really good memory for that kind of stuff) but I have re-gifted! I am not ashamed to say it! I have caught others but would never tell them...

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A Wee Bit of Me Wednesday...


{one} have you ever fainted?
Yes! At a Badger football game! I don't know if I was hot or exhausted or what. I got up because I was feeling kinda weird and I was going to go to the bathroom when I just kinda leaned forward and put my hands on the two people in front of me (like for balance) and was out. Good thing Steve and our friends, Matt and Sara, were right there because they caught me and carried me down to the bathroom. It was embarrassing though!! I almost fainted two other times because of elevation- in Breckenridge, CO and while snowshoeing in Lake Tahoe, CA.

{two} what is your favorite casino game?
Either Texas Hold ‘em or Blackjack

{three} do you have a good sense of direction?
Yes and no. Steve says I give awful directions but that's not really true. I am lost though if I don't have Mapquest. I don't know what I did before Mapquest. I used to be really good at figuring out navigation on the sailboat which is weird because there aren't any "landmarks" in the middle of the ocean!

{four} laptop or desktop?
How about laptop on a desk? I don't move it around all that much!

{five} what is your go-to hair style when having a bad hair day?
Since my hair is shorter I can't just put it in a pony tail. Headband or Cubs hat or I use Paul Mitchell Spray Wax to try and fix it!!

{six} do you read the newspaper on a daily basis?
No. We stopped getting it when my hubby's company stopped paying for it. Sometimes I'll read it online. I don't know what's going on most of the time.

{seven} do you have a favorite celebrity chef?
No. Not really into "celebrity chefs". Although I like Mark Miller and met him at a food and restaurant show about 10 years ago and have been to his restaurant in Santa Fe, NM. He's good! Yummy.

{eight} what tv show would you like to make a guest appearance on?
Friday Night Lights so I could be Riggins' cougar!! ;)

{nine} do you have satellite radio in your car?
Nope. I listen to CDs. I really don't listen to the radio ever except for Pandora!

{ten} what was the last movie that made you cry?
I can't even think of the last movie I watched! I know I cried at the beginning and end of Up which I watched not that long ago. Well, it was at the end of January. I know I have watched movies since then but just can't think of what they were. Must not have been that good!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How I know I live with a preschooler Tuesday...

My goofy kid last summer... He'd put his head on that pipe and just laugh. Not quite sure what that is about.

So yesterday while we were in the car I asked AJ, "Do you want some bubble gum?" To which he replied, "Does it taste like bubbles?"

Thursday, April 7, 2011

A funky new music mix from my Jaynie!

My BF, Jaynie, sent me a new CD that was supposed to be a Christmas present but I just got it last week! She is a constant mover and just moved in to her boyfriend's place just outside San Francisco so I understand how busy she is to not send it until now. I am so excited that I will see her twice within 2 weeks in May! Once in WI and once in SF. So here is her Happy New Year 2011 Mix...

  1. Got That Vibe * Afrika Bambaataa
  2. Uummannaq Song * KT Tunstall
  3. Collarbone * Fujiya & Miyagi
  4. (Nothing But) Flowers * David Byrne
  5. Constellations * Jack Johnson & Eddie Vedder
  6. Groove Me * Maximum Balloon
  7. Tambourine * Eve
  8. 928 Horn Jam * Trombone Shorty
  9. On the Sly * The Bamboos
  10. Eyes * Rogue Wave
  11. Slow Baby * Black Dub
  12. '81 * Joanna Newsom
  13. You, My Love * Marcus Foster
  14. Lost In My Mind * The Head and The Heart
  15. Bring Me Your Cup * The Beautiful Girls
  16. Oye Como Va * Santana
  17. From the Morning * Nick Drake
  18. Smoke Detector * Rilo Kiley
  19. Landslide * Stevie Nicks
  20. Home * Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Hope you dig it as much as I do!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A Wee Bit of Me Wednesday...

{one} what is one food that, as an adult you love, but as a child you said you’d never touch?
Blue Cheese!! LOVE it! My dad would eat it when I was young and I always thought it smelled like gym socks. We teased him about eating it. Now I order it whenever I can!

{two} did you go to college? if yes, what was your major?
Yep. My major was Health Promotion/Wellness and my minor was Psychology. It made me into a more well-rounded person but as far as careers went it was a waste of time. But it was the most fun 4 years of my life!!

{three} what’s the most wild animal you’ve seen in real life (not counting the zoo)?
A bear, moose, alligator, barracuda, shark... I have seen those all.

{four} have you ever been to a fortune teller?
Yes. I have been to a few but just for fun. I saw a palm reader in New Orleans and she told me I was going to have twins the year we were there. THAT didn't happen. I pretended I could read palms to have something to talk to Steve about when I first met him. That wasn't really true... I used to kinda know how to do Tarot cards if I had the book with me. Finally gave those away a couple of months ago.

{five} can you juggle?
No. I am not coordinated enough although my brother-in-law claims he can teach anyone to juggle in 5 minutes. I never took him up on that. Maybe I should...

{six} hardwood floors or carpet?
Hardwood. Fo Sho!

{seven} is it called “soda” or “pop”?
I use both. In Chicago it was pop, in Wisconsin soda. I usually say soda. I have adapted. I don't drink the stuff anyway!

{eight} what was your first car?
1987 Toyota Celica. It was a red sporty little thing. It only lasted about 6 months before it was totaled.

{nine} what is the most decadent dessert you’ve ever eaten?
I have no idea. I am trying to think of a dessert that I just wanted to keep eating and eating but I don't know. It was probably something from a restaurant somewhere while traveling.

{ten} how often do you rearrange your furniture?
Next to never. When it fits, it fits.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

After getting into Alabama six hours later than we were supposed to because of snow in Minneapolis we finally made it to the beach the next day. Andrew was a super trooper on the plane and we got several compliments about how well behaved he was. He didn't complain once! AJ was so excited that it was 'summertime' in AL! It was beautiful everyday we were there- high 70s and sunny. What more could you ask for? We played on the beach and in the pool everyday.

This is what a kid who loves the sand and driving his trucks looks like! The sand was so soft and I just wanted to scoop it up and bring it home with me!

He didn't want the waves to 'get' him!

At Lulu's Restaurant owned by Lucy Buffett, Jimmy's sister. This restaurant was so cool- it had the beach volleyball, a plank walk, a big mound of sand with a ton of buckets and shovels to play with, bean bag toss... The perfect beach bar & restaurant (even though it was on the marina/lagoon).

We played miniature golf. AJ was continually 4 holes ahead of me, grandma and poppa. Funny little story about that hat. I forgot to bring his and the first day he was getting a little too much sun (I missed some spots with the sunscreen) so my parents took him to get a hat (I was stuck in bed with the stomach flu that day). They couldn't find a fishing hat except for that one that says 'Culf Shores'. Don't you think they would have sent that shipment back?

Riding the 3 rides he could at the amusement park. How cute is he in that car?

Being the train conductor and ringing the bell on the train ride.

At the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo we got to hold a baby kangaroo! How cool is that? Her name was Olivia and she was 4 months old. Her pouch was the size of a quarter. She was so soft and snuggly!

See Olivia's boyfriend under the bench? He is going after AJ because he's moving in on his woman! :) He just sniffed his shoe!!

There's a nice picture of the three of us!

AJ is laughing at the pouch.

AJ loves feeding the goats. Goats freak mom out with their freaky goat eyes.

I love the look on his face in this shot!

After the zoo, we went to Lambert's Cafe. It was a really fun place that throws hot rolls at you and serves entirely too much food! The fried potatoes and onions were so yummy but I could still taste them at 9 that night!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

How I know I live with a preschooler Tuesday...

The day before AJ's 4th birthday, as we were driving to school, I said, "Oh AJ! We forgot your show and tell! Well, you can bring mommy as your show and tell." (I was going in later to read a story and bring cookies to his class.) He says, "But mommy you won't fit in the show and tell basket!" He's right, I wouldn't fit in the show and tell basket!