This is what I did on my Friday night, made valentine cards and watched Bare Escentuals on QVC. Wow. So anyways, they got me again. I ordered the todays special value. Makeup. I justify it by the fact that I really did need the foundation (or will in a few weeks)...I deserve it, right??? Tell me I do (guilty much?) Let's just say there are 8 other pieces involved. Thank goodness for the 4 easy payments! I really have to stop watching this channel when I'm alone. I'm not sure why I just admitted this to everyone.

chicken
chorizo
torillas
sour cream
tomatoes
bread
hamburger
cucumber
hamburger


I think its safe to say, I'll probably never be able to make it as a vegetarian no matter how hard I'd try.

So today is my pops' birthday. It goes without saying that I think about and miss him every day but today's a special one. Remembering how he would shake and feel all his birthday presents and about 75% of the time guess what was inside correctly, leaving us yelling at him, makes me both happy and sad. He always had the biggest grin when he was right. I don't know how he did it. So, today I'm going to remember silly things that my dad did and be happy about all the wonderful memories I have.

I'm wearing the ring I just bought off of Etsy. It's made out of an old daffodil spoon. Daffodils remind me of my pops. They are the flower that the american cancer society sells as a fundraiser. So if you see any being sold, swipe them up, they brighten up a room, just the same way my pops did.

So we have all this stuff packed up in the basement completely new:

A beautiful gas range (in love with but have only used gas a few times)
A dishwasher (this is one of the things I'm most excited about)
A microhood (pretty neat looking)
A double sink! (OMG, you have no idea)
Pretty pretty dish sets (one with flowers that I'm in love with and slowly purchased two of each piece b/c I didn't think I could live without them even though we just bought a new dinnerware set)
New silverware (so simple and pretty)
A panini grill (got two christmases ago!)
Glasses (I've had for like three years and haven't had a place for)
A bamboo cutting board (its the simple things)
Cupboards
Countertops (what, countertops in a kitchen, this house has never seen those)
Bathroom curtain and rug
New floors for kitchen and bathroom (good luck running on these, cats)
and much much more.

Every once and awhile I like to remind myself of the fun things we've got coming. Its easier to live in a mess when you think of the beautiful things you get to use when you're done.

Drywall is going up in the bathroom this weekend! So excited. Next we get to tape and mud and paint. Yay.

There are approximately 25 socks there that are unmated.

So right after I wrote the title, I got a little less crabby realizing how the title could come off and decided it needed to stay that way.

I'm in a crabbiness funk right now. Last night I got so overwhelmed with the messiness of the house I nearly had a panic attack, silly I know. I just had to not look at anything because it stressed me out even more. Reading didn't help so I decided to make a list (ang, you know how much this helps). I proceeded to fill up 4 sticky notes full of things I need to do (this is just cleaning, not remodeling projects), preferably today. So, in hopes that this will pressure and motivate me to do something, I'm posting this: I'm going to cross off at least ten things today! Ask me about it tomorrow.

So this was mike's project last night:

This is our bathroom ceiling. There was a GIGANTIC (biggest anyone has seen, that we've shown it to) bees nest in that little area.

They built it around a wire. Made us feel really safe. Luckily the bee problem was taken care of before mike bought the house.


All in all, what mike was able to grab, filled a 13-gallon garbage bag. And he wasn't able to get the stuff that was in the side wall.


Now to New Years Eve, My Cuz and her huz, Megan and Tola. Mr. Electrician came over and wired our bathroom. Immense thank you's go out to him. When you guys coming back? I fancy another game of Apples to Apples.

Mikey and his little seeester.

This is the life of the party, Austin.

Despite what this may look like, no, I was not drunk! This is just my picture taking face, most of you know that though.

And finally, me playing with my wii, and wii fit....


Oh, sorry, that's Justin. He's WAY cuter than me.

To this post: Cowboy

Turns out, he really is a cowboy. Mike had to help him jumpstart his car and they got to talking and he said he was in town for awhile helping out his mom, but he'll be gone again once rodeo season starts back up. I can still make fun of him though, right, even if it is his profession? His lassoing was really awful!

What are your thoughts on the new carton? :)

I had something this weekend that I rarely have: A girl's weekend.

Rachel was in town all by herself and we hung out just the two of us, here's what we did:

Watched tv: Yes, we watched some of that show, 'the secret life of the american teenager' which is good only for yelling at the tv and laughing.

Had cocktails: Rachel managed to make the lemoncello that I got taste good in a drink, and giant margaritas and daiquiris at the awesome mexican restaurant. Yumm....mexican food.

Sleepover! We got loads of snow so rachel spent the night, and we watched snl and laughed some more.

Made granola: So nummy, or num yummy.

Ate a wonderful pizza that I may have started an addiction to for both me and Rachel. My favorite has cream cheese and jalapenos in the crust.

Exchanged presents: Rachel and Scotty were very generous and was given some awesome ornaments and something for my wii and a garden gnome who shall be called Samppa (he's finnish too so I think him and Toivo are going to get along just fine) and a very cute mug.

It was so great to spend time with a girlfriend, while we love our significant other's sometimes you just need that time with your girls. It left me feeling refreshed. Thanks Rachey!

When I get home I'll post a few pictures of my super cute ornaments.