Joy Time.

FOTS: PATIENCE = Oranges.

2013-09-13T15:56:00.001-05:00

Galatians 5:22: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience..."

The amount of times I have prayed for patience is impossible to count. Patience seems to be something that I am trying to develop on a daily basis. If you look at a number of my past posts, I have talked about my struggle for patience over and over again.

Things never seem to be fast enough for me. I feel like I am always waiting. I'm always behind. There is always a lesson that I am supposed to learn "in the waiting" and I am NOT good at it.

I compared patience to an orange, because, well, peeling an orange requires patience. You have to get past the skin, peel back that big thick layer, in order to get to the sweet insides. There have been so many times I have said "no" to eating an orange because it is too much work to get to the inside. I know I really like oranges once I get to eating them, but peeling them seems to take twice as much time as eating one! And what do I lack...yup that's right, patience.

For example - when you stay at a hotel with a continental breakfast, usually they have a lot of apples and oranges. I seriously will pick the nasty red delicious apple over an orange that I know I will enjoy. Why? Because I do not want to peel it. It takes too much time.

Taken at the "Wigwam Resort" in Arizona, February 2013.

I recently read a poem in the book "Calm my anxious heart" by Linda Dillow (seriously - a great book!!) that explained how I feel very clearly:

It was spring but it was summer I wanted; the warm days and the great outdoors.

It was summer but it was fall I wanted; the colorful leaves and the cool dry air.

It was fall but it was winter I wanted; the beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season.

It was now winter but it was spring I wanted; the warmth and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child but it was adulthood I wanted; the freedom and the respect.

I was twenty but it was thirty I wanted; to be mature and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged but it was twenty I wanted; the youth and the free spirit.

I was retired but it was middle-age that I wanted; the presence of mind without limitations.

My life was over but I never got what I wanted.

I have always wanted to be at the next stage in my life. When I was a junior, I wanted to be a senior. When I was a senior, I wanted to be working. When I was single, I wanted to date. When I dated, I wanted to get engaged. When we got engaged, I just wanted to be married. We are married, we should have a baby. When you have a baby, then I think you want them to be to their next and next stage of childhood.

Time. Never. Slows. Down. What ends up happening is you basically wish away your life. You live for the future instead of the present. I have days that I can live in the present fully, but I have a lot of days where I really struggle with it. It is easier for me to grab a red delicious apple now then to wait to peel an orange. It would have been easier for me to just stay in a job that I did not like, and to dwell on leaving there then to push ahead and find something new. To try to get out of education and pave a new path for myself. With patience, we want to be comfortable. Waiting can be uncomfortable (being unemployed is very uncomfortable for me).

Anyone remember the song "Time is ticking away?"

My husband and I balance each other out in this aspect. I want to make a decision fast, and I will change my mind if need be. My husband wants to project into the future, to look at all the possible details, and then make a decision.He wants to save money to get what we want, where I want to spend now, figure out how to pay it off later. In this aspect, we drive each other crazy. Let's be honest - leading up to Chad proposing to me, he spent a lot of time making the decision. We went ring shopping about 4 months before he proposed, and every Friday and Saturday night after that point, I would be hoping that it would be the night (we did not see each other during the week during this time because of our schedules). I would be disappointed over and over again because it never happened. And then when he did propose, on a Friday night when I did not expect it, because I warned him I would be crabby that night, he did it. He proposed to me. And it was worth the wait.

The lesson I continually learn is that good things are "worth the wait." My new job will be worth it. When we have a baby of our own, it will be 100% worth the wait. It is just being in the waiting is so hard. I wrote this post back in November about Finding Joy in the Waiting. And that is what I am trying to do. Learning to be patient, relying on some of these verses (because clearly this is a lesson I still have not learned!!). And knowing that God cares for me. I do not have to stoop to having a red delicious apple when I know the orange is waiting for me to peel it. Waiting for me to taste the sweetness.

From http://cheezburger.com/1548508416

Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. (NIV)

FOTS: PEACE = Pineapple.

2013-09-09T17:05:00.001-05:00

Galatians 5:22: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace..."

Peace is such a hard thing to write about due to the fact that it is such a widely used word. There are "peace talks" that go on between countries, when you think of a beauty pageant - we think of the answer "world peace." What is peace?

When you look up "peace" in good ol' Merriam-Webster - the first definition, right out of the gate is "a state of tranquility or quiet." The other definitions have words such as "harmony," or "freedom."

In the Bible, when talking about peace, I am immediately drawn to John 14:27 which says "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." I want that type of peace.

Why is it so hard to be peaceful? For this fruit, I compared "peace" to a "pineapple." You are probably thinking - "seriously, Kristen?" But hang with me for a moment. First of all, pineapples are a sign for hospitality. We can't leave that out because I feel like someone is going to write me to say that. But back in colonial times, a pineapple means "you are welcome to come peacefully." (clearly that is in really loose historical language by me) Pineapples also remind me of the summertime/the beach/a body of water. The most peaceful place to me is being on a lake or the ocean and just letting the wind blow in my face, in the quiet.

http://www.fitho.in/guide/fruits/pineapple/

There is something more that I want to point out - how many of you have cored and peeled a pineapple. Let me tell you, getting to the sweet and wonderful part of a pineapple is not a peaceful experience. The thing is, peace can be hard to find. We get caught up in all of the noise around us - the lists we need to complete, the people we need to see, the difficulties at home, what more we should be doing in life - that we forget about peace. We lose it.

I reread just recently, two old sayings: The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have, and Contentment is not getting what we want, but being satisfied with what we have.

I think there is a part of us that want to call this settling, but what if it was about finding peace. About coring the pineapple ourselves, and cutting off that prickly outer layer, and doing the work. Because every facet of peace requires effort and diligence on our part. Living at peace with your spouse (at times) is WORK. Living at peace with your kids (I don't have any but I'm sure!) requires WORK at times. Going to work, dealing with issues, even getting to the place of peacefulness (such as the ocean or lake) requires a lot of WORK!

Getting to inner peace with yourself, trusting God that He is going to take care of you (and help you find that job, or help you through a difficult situation) is a lot of work...which is going to bleed into my next post on patience...because I really do not think you can have PEACE without PATIENCE.

What does "peace" mean to you? And also - what are you thinking of this series?? I want to know!

And next time, I will be writing about my biggest struggle in life...PATIENCE. Oh how I am tested daily! So stay tuned!

FOTS: JOY = Honeycrisp Apples.

2013-09-05T16:54:00.000-05:00

Galatians 5:22: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy..."

Seeing how my blog name is "Joy Time" you should know that JOY is my favorite topic to write about!!! My middle name is Joy, and I absolutely LOVE IT! My dad picked my middle name when I was born (right mom!?) Which makes it even more special to me.

Every day, I want to live my life as joyful as possible. And through this unemployment time (seriously, you are going to be so sick of hearing about it!) I have found it hard to be joyful. This afternoon I have been applying for more jobs, reading more job postings, and then I received a rejection email. It's cool, but let me tell you, not my favorite thing in the world.

When trying to decide what fruit to relate JOY to, it seemed to be an easy pick, because nothing brings me as much joy as FALL does...which then means my favorite apples will be in season...Honeycrisp Apples!

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Minnesota/StateFruitApple.html

Does anyone else love these apples like I do?? My mouth is watering just thinking about them! (Pumpkin flavoring is my other favorite thing. I posted about it awhile back HERE.) There is truly nothing like your first, crisp bite into a fresh honeycrisp apple. They get to be a bit expensive, but they are 100% worth it.

Fall brings me so much joy, for example, when Chad proposed to me in November of 2006 - I made us/him wait until October of 2007 to get married (we wanted a sort of long engagement so it worked out!)! You better believe I had a fall bash! Lots of fall colors, pumpkins, and even the honeycrisps to eat prior to the ceremony for the wedding party!

Our Wedding cake - October 5, 2007

Not sure how to transition here, so TRANSITION: how can we find joy in the midst of hard times? And how am I finding joy in them middle of this uncertain time. Luckily I am a fairly simple person...so here are a few of the things that have been bringing me joy...

Watching this little girl one morning or so a week:

Taken with my phone on the swings today!

Going over to my parent's house to work on job stuff (usually on Monday's) and hanging out with Mr. Snickers (and my dad who is not pictured here!):

Mr. Snickers

Frozen yogurt. I am obsessed. (Don't worry, I have not been in at least a week now!):

Freestyle Yogurt

Spending time with my husband, family, and friends - either in face to face conversations or over the phone! (There are too many people to post pictures of, so I just put a picture of my family up! You all know who you are!) You are all such an encouragement to me!!:

Easter 2011

And honestly...this quote encompasses it all for me:

That is how I am finding JOY!! Lots of it. I am so happy that fall is right around the corner. Yesterday, as I was out running errands, I looked in every "coffee creamer" section for pumpkin spice creamer. Did not find any yet, but I DID find Pumpkin Spice Almonds! Love those things! Next on my list is the search for Honeycrisp Apples!!!

As you bite into an apple this fall season, and even as you are sitting there today, I want to know - how are you finding JOY in the middle of every day life?

FOTS: LOVE = Strawberries.

2013-09-03T16:52:00.001-05:00

(FYI: FOTS (in relation to this blog) = Fruit of the Spirit...don't worry - I Googled it to make sure it was not offensive!)

Galatians 5:22: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love..."

Today we are talking about LOVE. Oh how I just LOVE the word LOVE!

The word "love" evokes a lot of different emotions. It can evoke a deep feeling of intimacy, or a peace or wellness in your soul when you are with someone. It might make you think of your favorite food, your favorite place to go on vacation to, or even a favorite movie. Let's just say, I WAYYY overuse the word "love." I mentioned in yesterday's post that I am going to compare each FOTS to a different type of fruit. And from the title, you can see that I compared love to strawberries.

Let me just tell you, I LOVE strawberries. Of course, you all probably knew that from a post that I wrote back in May about Strawberries. I get so excited when strawberries are on sale at the store or when they are ripe enough to pick locally in the early summer.

And I'm not the only one that thinks that way...think of weddings that you have been to, or romantic getaways - what do people seem to serve? Chocolate covered strawberries.

In fact, as I have been doing research for this post today, I came across an article about 14 things you didn't know about strawberries. In France, they believe that strawberries are actually aphrodisiacs (hello, love!). But another thing, strawberries are also a member of the rose family. If you have ever smelt strawberries growing on bushes - they smell sweet! Roses, to me equal LOVE (well red roses, and strawberries are also red!). (HINT: getting your wife a dozen strawberries is not the same as a dozen red roses. This does not work for any upcoming holiday's, even though strawberries are cheaper!)

Love is such an integral part to us as humans. We all want to love and be loved. When we do not feel loved or accepted we feel the opposite - rejected, depressed, discouraged. We feel that we don't matter. To us, love makes us matter. Love makes us accepted.

When I was a freshman in college, I went back to my parent's house for a Saturday, and I probably ate a pound of strawberries on my own. Shortly thereafter, I developed a rash. Even now, to this day, if I eat too many strawberries my mouth starts itching. Too much of a good thing can sometimes hurt. Loving the wrong thing, or the wrong way, or not feeling love in return - can really hurt. It can itch.

So what does that mean? Does that mean that we are to "love everything."

Mark 12: 30-31 says: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these."

Honestly and truly, this is so hard to do sometimes. Sometimes I do not want to love people...I have been hurt, offended - why should I love when they have treated me with such little respect?
But here is the thing, we have no idea what might be going on in a person's life that may have caused them to hurt you. Accept them. Love them. Forgive them. (Trust me, I'm struggling with this one).

Helzberg Diamond's slogan is "I am loved." If you go into their store you can get a button that say just that. My new goal, is to imagine every person wearing this button (not in the deep romantic sense because - HELLO, that is awkward) because they might just need an extra dose of love and humanity today....because wouldn't you want the same for yourself?

Fruit of the Spirit.

2013-09-02T13:36:00.001-05:00

This neglected blog is about to become a place of A LOT more content! If you know me in real life, you know that my #1 strength is POSITIVITY! Well with the "happenings" of my previous post, I have not been the most positive and peace-filled person. My whole world has felt shaken - and being unemployed has felt so LONELY! I know I am not alone, but trust me, this has been a hard lesson for a people person like me.

Taking that into account, I have decided to really 1) work on my blog, and 2) start that off with a series on the Fruits of the Spirit (Thanks Mom for the idea!)!

If you do not know what I am talking about when I keep saying "Fruit of the Spirit," well, you are about to find out. From the Bible, I will be using this passage: Galatians 5: 22-23 (New Living Translation; NLT):
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

What does this mean for these postings? Well, each week day I will be posting about one of the fruits. I have actually decided to liken each of these "fruits" to an actual tangible fruit. By the end of this series, we should have one giant fruit salad!

Let's get real - this series is more for me then it is going to be for you. I am hoping that you, the reader, are going to get something out of this. But, I think in this process that I am in...as I am grieving the loss of my job and striving to have patience to find a new one (seriously - the post on patience might be a thesis!), this will be helpful for me. I am a VERBAL PROCESSOR (kinda obvious, huh?).

I hope you will follow me on this journey (you can even "connect" to my blog to get regular updates on the right hand side where it says "Google connect!")! Let's learn, and grow, together! Tomorrow we will kick it off with LOVE! (Can you guess what fruit I will be using for "Love"!?)

Happenings.

2013-08-27T17:48:00.002-05:00

Hello Hello.

Long time no talk.

Much has happened, which is probably why I am back. I need to get back out here.

A little over 2 weeks ago, I lost my position with a school that "shall not be named" (reminiscent of Harry Potter anyone??). Mostly I will not name it right now because when I worked there, I might have mentioned their name once (not in a negative way, but in like a "hey, I work here" and then they decided to tell me I am not to mention them on my personal blog. But whatever.), but you know, I am still waiting to fully collect all that they owe me. (If you know me in real life, you know where I worked. If you are curious - just send me an email.)

Let me tell you, losing my job has been HARD. Like, really hard. I was not the only one whose job was eliminated, I think they let go of 18. What has been hurting the most is the lies that were told to me in the month before I was let go, and even in my whole "hey, you are fired" meeting. Just so you know, my "firing" was not because of performance, otherwise, why would I write here...but it was part of a "reorganization" which then the President denied in an all-staff meeting after this all went down (Again, whatever. That is the word I have been using constantly in all of this).

When you lose your job, there are SO MANY emotions that run through you. Let me list out how I felt in the moments after my "meeting."

Why me? What did I do? What am I going to do? (TEARS)
How will this affect our plans/future? (TEARS) (we had just talked the night before about a whole wealth of things. That went out the window...)
How do I tell Chad? He is at the Leadership Summit (more TEARS).
I need to text my mom. I am supposed to have lunch with her today(TEARS).
I'm actually kind of relieved. I did not really like this place most days (TEARS).
Can I pack up my office? Oh you want to ship it to me? I don't think so. Get out of my office former boss. I will be ready in 10 minutes.
I bet I will not get to say goodbye to anyone (TEARS).
Oh good, my friend just came in because she saw what was going on. I should tell her to get out of my office (more TEARS).
You want me to carry all of this out and go down the back staircase (TEARS).
Who is watching this all go down? (TEARS)
You won't let me finish teaching my class?
I seriously am being treated like a criminal right now.
I wish I could have told the President, my former boss, and the HR director what I really think of this place/the people above me. But leave with your head held high.
Should I hug my boss, or punch her? I have so many bad feelings right now. (don't worry, I opted for the hug).
Is 9am too early to start drinking? What bars serve alcohol at this time on a Thursday? It is 5 o'clock somewhere, right?? (I went to my parent's house...not to the bar. Have no fear)

Ok, so you basically get the point. I cried a lot. A lot. A lot. The good news is - my mom was off work the day I was let go (what a blessing!), and my SUPER supportive husband left the conference early to be with me. I have cried off and on for the better part of 2 weeks. The most commonly asked question people ask me is...did you have any idea? And I can honestly and truly say - NOPE! I was in complete shock and surprise. Now, when I look back on the month before I was let go, I see the different signs directing towards this, but overall, no clue. I'm not supposed to probably know that my boss knew for AT LEAST a month, but I do know. She made me believe (during that "meeting") that she had just found out the day before. So another lie.

A lot of lies. I'm not here to talk badly about my former employer, because I still have a lot of friends that work there, and that will continue to work there. I miss my coworkers the most. But this is a new beginning for me. I time to reevaluate my plans.

I am going to begin posting more regularly, because I have been processing a lot of stuff when it comes to job loss. The grief. The anger. And just my take on what I was really in while I was at that place of employment. (I really need to come up with a nickname for it...maybe I will call it "Wonderland" since I nicknamed my boss and the other person at my level Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! If you have a better idea, let me know.) .

There you have it, an update from me, with a promise of much more to come. Hopefully you won't get sick of me and my job loss saga! I'm sure I will be posting other fun things as well!

Random thoughts.

2013-07-08T21:09:00.001-05:00

Watching "The Bachelorette" on Monday nights is halfway between a "time-sucker" and a "brain get stupider." I know "brain get stupider" is not a phrase, but embrace it. It is what I am going with tonight. No matter what, I still will watch it every Monday!!!
Taking a cold shower after a super hot run really is refreshing. Color me surprised.
It is socially acceptable to go to DQ and use a bogo coupon even when your husband does not want a blizzard. You just eat one the first night, freeze the other, and eat it the next night. Don't even begin to tell me how many calories are in a blizzard (I already looked it up).
Grilling veggies (peppers, onions, and mushrooms) is pretty much the most amazing tasting thing ever. I don't even care if that sentence sounds weird, the veggies were just that good.
Every. Single. Book. I want from the library for my tablet is already checked out, therefore I have a bunch on hold. I have zero patience. I seriously refresh my email constantly hoping some poor soul is done with the book I want! Watch, all will come available at the same time. This is my life.
Just decided, the fact that I have zero patience should be a point in itself. No patience. Zippo. Zero. None of it. I am impatient.
Can I just not go to work tomorrow and sit outside all day instead? I think it might storm tomorrow, so this might not be the best option. I think all school's should have mandatory summer's off.
My office was so cold today I had to go to my car and get a blanket out of it. Thank goodness I got a bunch of free blankets from Bethel when I worked there. Seriously - I had a heater on, and a blanket on.
I did not get iced coffee today (as I was so cold) - but I think that all coffee should only come iced in the summer. That would also mean that I need a Dunkin Donuts in MN for their Iced Coffees as well.
I don't have any other thoughts for the night except for I am going to take my tummy that is full of blizzard, and go lie on my stomach in my bed. :) Dream come true!

Things I should know, but I didn't. (1)

2013-06-21T11:44:00.004-05:00

I am starting to think that I should have been born blonde. Currently my hair color is the most natural it has ever been (aka...I think I have not dyed it in 4 years)...and I am not saying that blondes are not smart (because they do have more fun!) - but seriously, I have been learning things that honestly, are kinda embarrassing to admit. And you probably know these things already, but newsflash: I DID NOT. Until the past few weeks (maybe months), when my eyes have slowly been unveiled. So please, laugh on my behalf, and maybe I'm not the only one out there that thought these things. Here are 2 of the things I have been thinking about, I am sure I will have more to unveil at a later date.

1. VEGETABLES: For my entire life, I have been confused by the food pyramid. I don't know why it was so hard for me to understand, but I finally figured it out about 2 weeks ago. Below, you will see a picture of the food pyramid (Do not know if it is the most recent one? It looks like the one I saw in school growing up.):

The part I always seemed to be confused by was the servings of vegetables and fruits. Fruits I never really worried about, because I love fruit - but vegetables were a whole different matter. I have always thought that the serving size (of 3-5 servings) was the amounts of different kinds of veggies you should have per day. In other words, I thought a person had to eat AT LEAST 3 different types of veggies a day to fit in with the food pyramid. I, honestly, have always thought this was an impossible task. I mean - I don't just have 3-5 different types of veggies sitting around my house on a daily basis! The only time I would eat 3-5 different types in a sitting or day was if I was eating a vegetable medley, or maybe at Thanksgiving.

As I was making dinner the other night, it dawned on me...3-5 servings is different from 3-5 types. In other words - some days I might eat 3 servings of carrots in one sitting. MIND = BLOWN. All this time I have been abiding very well by the food pyramid, thank you very much.

2. SEWN POCKETS AND SLITS IN SKIRTS: Have you ever bought clothing items with either sewn pockets or a slit? See, I always thought that the skirt was made like that for a reason, and it always confused me why different pants, etc would have an actual lining for a pocket, but the pocket would be sewn shut. What a waste!

A few months ago, I wore a skirt that had one of these sewn up slits to work, and I was frustrated because I had to take smaller steps, and it was really difficult to go up stairs and get in and out of my car. On this day, a coworker of mine was wearing new pants, and she was saying how she forgot to cut out the seams on her pants for her pockets. (See example below:)

As I watched her cut the thread out, I thought...wow, I have a number of pairs of pants at home that I probably could do that to. We continued to talk, and I was telling her how annoying my skirt was. That is when she told me that I could cut out the thread that held it together in the back as well. WHAAAAAAAAATTTT!?!?!?!?! How come no one has ever told me this!?!?!? She proceeded to help me with this, and my life was instantly change. She told me she has seen me walk in this skirt before, just didn't want to say anything. And to be honest, I hated wearing that skirt because of the way the slit was. Again - I was embarrassed, shocked, and wow. Just wow. I have worn that skirt on and off for 2 years, and just found this out maybe 3 months ago.

There you have it blogosphere, I am not the brightest bulb, or extremely sheltered, or something of the sort. Remember, my master's degree is in communication - not in nutrition or fashion. I wish I could say that these 2 situations were isolated incidences, but trust me, there are more...

Friday Favorites.

2013-05-31T11:35:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers (Iowa Girl Eats) always does a "Friday Favorites" post. Her post is full of recipes, pictures, and funny things that she has found around the web that week. This week, I have gathered up a bunch of things that I have enjoyed, so I thought I would do a post of my own.

So here is my "Friday Favorites" list!

Favorite Red, White, and Blue dessert that I want to try:

Red, White & Blue Skewers from "Skinnytaste."

Current favorite song: "Strangely Dim" by Francesca Battistelli.

Best line in that song is:

"I got a front row seat
To the longest wait
And I just can't see
Past the things I pray"

Favorite blog post from this week: Worst End of School Year Mom Ever by Jen Hatmaker. Seriously...I was laughing so hard I was CRYING!!

Favorite new work out: Prancercise !! Guarantee you this will be a good laugh for a Friday. Make sure you read the comments people have made about this work out as well!

SOOO..not as long as a list as "Iowa Girl Eats" does - but HEY! I'm new at this list! And I did not gather up as many things as I hoped!

I hope you enjoy some of my favorites. HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Things that only seem to happen to me: Dentist edition.

2013-05-23T22:10:00.003-05:00

I have posted in the past about how I am Injury Prone. Shortly after that post was written, I came back from a weekend away with friends and saved my injuries until I returned home in this post. And that is not including the countless other things that seem to happen in my life. I have fallen off a merry-go-round at a park and burst my knee open. Gone down a slip n' slide (think Crocodile Mile) wrong and ended up with stitches (this story is not blog appropriate. And now my future children will NEVER own a slip n'slide). Other things have happened to me that I feel like might come out sooner or later - but what happened to me this week is too good to pass up. Well, it is probably not "good" but nevertheless, here I am to share.

I am my mother's child, which means besides having weird things happen to you (my mom got her hand stuck in a Pepsi machine once! That is a great story!), that I also have a chronic case of cavities which then results in crowns. I can brush and take good care of my teeth, but that does not seem to matter. (Maybe it is my love of sugar? Nah...) By the age of 20, I had one crown - and by the age of 30, I have 3. I went to the dentist a few weeks ago for just my 6 month check up (I do not get the privilege of going a year between check ups) and find out that I have a cavity and need to get a crown replaced. Opposite sides of my mouth - one upper mouth, one lower. I mean - it is as awesome as it sounds.

I seriously have put this appointment off for about a month. And even with insurance, I had a hefty bill that needed to be paid as well, which was not high on my list.

I settled on into the dentist chair and seriously had the worst case of anxiety as they were administering the novacane. No joke, I was physically shaking. They worked on the crown first...got that removed to make the mold. And then gave me a "break" (which basically means I read "People" and caught up on Angelina Jolie's mastectomy. Thrilling). "Break time" quickly ended - and then it was time to work on that cavity. They started working on the cavity and I could feel almost everything - plus my lip felt like it was being pinched. No big deal, they just added more novacane. And then they continue to pursue that cavity of mine (seriously felt like a jackhammer!) and my lip was still being pinched. I opened my mouth wider, hoping that would help and thank goodness it did. I was surprised at this point I could even feel my lip, but once I figured out what was happening, it explains a lot.

They finished up all of this funny business with me, and the right side of my mouth was so numb I didn't know how I was even going to drink anything the rest of the day (which was quite hilarious). I get back to work to go on with a very merry Monday - and one of my coworkers said to me "what happened to your face!" Apparently with the novacane I could not move half of my mouth. More awesomeness. I fell to the floor laughing so hard.

As the day went on, I noticed that my lip felt weird, but again, blamed it on the novacane. I went into the bathroom to check this out, and I saw a big white chunk of skin (sorry if you are weak with medical things. I am too, but since this happened to me, I can cope) and a line where the tool had been.

The next morning, here is what I woke up to (WARNING: Gross picture ahead! I took out the really bad one!)...

"Hi, my name is Kristen - and I was weirdly burned on my lip at the dentist." No joke. After talking with my coworker/friend, Sarah, I called the dentist - and they felt horrible! He tried to blame it on the hygienist, but nope! It was definitely not the hygienist...it was the tool he was using. He said that the tools do not get hot unless they are not working correctly. I mean honestly - you can even see the LINE of where the tool is!! The ended up calling me in a prescription - and they are checking in on my constantly (which duh, they should! If my lips become Lisa Rinna's I'm suing!).

I just would like to say - my dentist is one of the best in the Twin Cities, so I have no ill feelings towards him, except for that he is a dentist. I just am hoping they fixed this before it happened to anyone else. EDIT on 8/15/13: I am pretty sure I was just black listed from said dentist after trying to get them to pay my bill. So there are ill feelings now. But - everyone I talked to did say that they should be paying my bill! So there we go.

All that to say - yes - weird things happen to me. Be my friend at your own risk. Or maybe be my friend because I will take all of the weird situations on and you will be free and clear.

Strawberries.

2013-05-13T20:39:00.001-05:00

I have always loved strawberries. Since I was a kid I would be so excited for strawberry season. I always enjoyed when my mom would cut them and put them out at dinner time with a little dish of sugar. I would start eating them, and always could not stop!

In elementary school, my favorite gum was Bubbilicious Strawberry Stripe gum (anyone remember that???). I used to LOVE when I could get a special treat at the store and they had this kind! I also loved Strawberry Shortcake (the character not the food)!

Around this time in elementary school, my mom and I took a trip to the Humane Society and I ended up coming home with a cat. After much thought...I decided his name should be Strawberry (Stripe) Joy, after my favorite fruit. Clearly I had an obsession (and I did not put this together until now that my male cat had a female name...only like 23 years later I linked that. Wow.).

The strawberry love continued on... Freshmen year of college I ate about a pound of strawberries when visiting my parents one afternoon. I think my lip swelled up from eating too many!

This obsession has continued, as I realized this again until last Monday. I got my lunch out, and here is what I packed for myself: a bagel with Strawberry cream cheese, strawberries, a banana, and strawberry-banana yogurt. So apparently I have a banana obsession, too!

But really, once spring hits, and strawberries are cheaper at the store, I have to buy 1-2 packages a week. And get strawberry pie at Baker's Square as well! To me, that is normal. Apparently, according to the people listening to my conversation with a coworker at a meeting, that is not normal.

So my question is...what is normal? (totally kidding!)

That is all I have to say tonight. Just needed to share.

PS: I realized I have not really talked about the cat I had on here. Some day, I will.

PPS: Best blog post I have read in awhile right here: Mothers day - here it is again. Hit the right spot for me!

Hello? Is this thing on...tap tap tap.

2013-05-05T21:02:00.003-05:00

Yes, that is my attempt to be funny since I have been missing from my blog FOR 2 WHOLE MONTHS! To some of you, you are saying "thank goodness, I was hoping she would never come back." And to others of you, if reading my blog was your livelihood...then I am sorry (and really think you should get a life because reading my blog should not be what you live for.).

Moving onward - I do not think I need to explain where I have been because the answer is...right here. Just not "here." As I was bringing up the screen to post this, I do see that the weekend of my 30th birthday I was going to do a post (started one) - and I only got as far as "This is 30." Yup, as you can see I was inspired.

There really has not been many "funny" things per se, happening around these parts lately. I have some humorous stories but they are not "blog worthy" (in other words, awkward situations happening to me that are not for public release).

I just remembered I was going to watch a movie tonight. Now it is 8:52pm, and I do not think starting "Les Mis" (which I have not seen yet!) would be such a good idea at this late hour.

Oh - here is one thing I did do while I have been absent...go to the Maroon 5 concert with my sister! It was a snowy evening, but what else is new when dealing with the good ol' state of MN! (I look a bit scary in the first picture..sorry about that!)

That's all for tonight, folks! Hope to be back again soon (but not making any promises!).

Arizona.

2013-03-06T21:42:00.005-06:00

The hubby and I just got back from a week long adventure in Arizona. Within the first few days there, we realized that if we were to ever move out of Minnesota to a different state, we would move to Arizona. It was so comfortable, so clean, and so friendly! We had a lot of fun, and here are some of the reflections and observations I made during our time spent in AZ.

1. The first thing I noticed while there is how CLEAN every car was on the road! Seriously, when you are from MN, with lots of slush and snow that makes your car downright dirty (and every time you rub against said car you get covered in that brown grossness), you notice the cleanliness of vehicles. Here is our picture of our rental car after 4 days of driving...and this was after we had driven to the Grand Canyon and back, and to different Indian Ruins.

2. All of my favorite foods/restaurants are all within the Phoenix area. Chick-fil-a, In & Out, Einstein's, Dunkin Donuts (and more) were located all over! Much happiness comes from these restaurants.

3. Just because you go to a "spring training" game, does not mean it necessarily will be warm. See: Royals vs. Rangers game. You should probably then wear socks with your Toms (and pack a thicker jacket.). Be happy that you at least brought some gloves, and when you get so cold, you will put those gloves on your feet. You also may have to temporarily become a KC Royals fan, as they have a sale on the fleece blankets in the team store due to the cold weather (Sorry MN Twins!).

Royals vs. Rangers

4. Also - just because the Grand Canyon is in Arizona does NOT mean that it is warm. In fact, do not expect anything over 40 degrees in this area in February. Another reason you should have packed warmer clothes. (We thought we did our research before traveling, but apparently not enough.)

An additional note...do not put rocks in your mittens a few days before (to bring home) and then put these mittens on at the Grand Canyon. You WILL end up with grit under your nails. (Not that I know from personal experience...)

5. Fans from different areas of the country can be A LOT different from your hometown crowd. And being a fan of the winning team (when it is not the home team) can be awesome...but awkward. We experienced Midwest vs West coast (CA and AZ)fans. No offense west coast, but the Midwest is WAY better. And the LA Dodgers vs. LA Angels rivalry is alive and well.

Phoenix Coyotes vs. MN Wild

Angels vs. Dodgers

6. Spring training games are legit. Can't wait to get to Fort Meyers to watch Twins Spring training sometime!

7. Staying at a resort is not always better than a regular hotel. But, when you are trying to catch some rays, nothing is better then a cabana boy bringing you your own personal pitcher of water and checking on how you are every half hour.

8. There are a lot of old people in Arizona. But the great thing is, all of those old people are the nicest people you will ever meet. I can see why they spend their winter's there.

9. Highway 89A from Sedona to Flagstaff is the ride of your life. Make sure you have a trusted driver behind the wheel with the ability to maneuver the car well (her name is Kristen).

10. The red rocks of Sedona are truly one of the most beautiful sites I have EVER seen. I had to thank God for His creation in every turn I made while I was there. ALSO, the Grand Canyon is AMAZING. You truly have to see this to believe how HUGE and GRAND it is.

11. Antipasto at the Queen Creek Olive Mill is one of the most amazing meals I have ever eaten! So fresh! So delicious! (We split this, but the cupcake was mine.)

12. Jerome, AZ is the weirdest town I have ever visited in my entire life. It is haunted...and just straight up odd. It is also built into the side of a mountain (it is an old mining town).

13. Indian Ruins are really cool and FULL of history. I did not appreciate places like these when I was younger (I would get SO BORED!) but now it is so interesting. I love reading every sign (and no I am not being sarcastic).

Tuzigoot

Montezuma's Castle

14. Going on a trip with your husband is a time of learning and growth. Take advantage of the time, because you don't know when a trip like this will happen again.

**All pictures in this post were taken by Chad and I during our trip. Hope you enjoyed!**

Never, ever again.

2013-02-10T21:39:00.005-06:00

For over a month, I have wanted to make a full chicken using this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats to make Bundt Pan Roasted Chicken & Vegetables (please note that I LOVE her blog, and this has nothing to do with her recipe, just my lack of...skills). I bought a chicken shortly after the post, put it in the freezer, and thought I would make it over Christmas. Unfortunately I was ill over Christmas, so I never got around to making it. I needed to clear some room in our freezer, so I took the chicken out of the freezer yesterday morning and put it in the fridge to defrost.

Today, while out trudging through the slushy Minnesota loveliness, I bought all of the other aspects of this feast, and started to get real excited. (Side note: I have made a full chicken one other time, and that time I threw it in the crock pot.) At about 4:00 I decided to start chopping up all that was needed, and would get to the chicken last.

I got to the chicken portion of the dish, cut it out of the packaging, and then I started freaking. I already do not really like dealing with raw meat, but a whole chicken just took me to a whole different level. I collected myself, and started rinsing the chicken, including the...cavern. I rinsed "the bird" (I think I will refer to it as "the bird" from here on out). Then came time for stuffing the lemon and garlic in "the bird"...and I just about lost the animal crackers I had consumed...but I did it. I crammed "the bird" on the bundt pan, coated "the bird" with salt and pepper and in the oven it went. Set the timer for 50 minutes, and went on my merry way to get some things done while waiting for my gourmet meal. When I called my mom, I told her I was so excited about this thing, and I was so hopeful! I even made my husband come down and look at my masterpiece! (At this point I also thought about taking a picture of "the bird" as I was so proud of how brown and beautiful it was, but I didn't..thank God.)

After 50 minutes were up, I decided to leave it in for 10 more minutes, because no one likes raw chicken! I did each and every step of the recipe, and even let "the bird" rest when done. I then started cutting it (with images of "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" going through my head as I imagined the beautiful turkey that was dry as a bone)...I could not believe what a beautiful chicken I made! I mean, I can bake, but actually cook is bringing it to a whole new level! As I dug in..I noticed the top, possible inch, was cooked, but under that was all raw. . No big deal, I will just throw it on a pan, juices and all, and put it back in the oven.

I walked away...the smoke alarm went off. Yes, every bit of the juices on the pan were burning. Got the smoke alarm off. Grabbed the pan out of the oven, got a new pan (with no juices), sprayed that baby down, back in the oven "the bird" went. 2 minutes pass by, smoke alarm again. Readjust "the bird"...get alarm off. Not even a minute, smoke alarm again (I hate to say this, but I think the smoke alarm is a normalcy when I make chicken). At this point, I have decided I need to quit this. I take the chicken out of the oven and throw it on the stove, as my husband comes down the stairs. I told him I am done cooking and I quit (and then proceed to go upstairs to gather myself..and maybe pout).

Poor husband tried to salvage any of "the bird" he could. I was mad, I was frustrated, fight between husband and wife ensued. I then fried pieces of "the bird" in a pan...and we ended up with probably, maybe, one chicken breast out of the deal, because I was so sick of that stupid thing, I threw the rest away.

Good news: The vegetables came out great, our marriage has been salvaged, and I am now a vegetarian.

Bad news: "The bird" didn't make it.

Morale of the story: I will never, ever...like ever...make a whole chicken again. Ever.

Surprises.

2013-02-04T21:35:00.001-06:00

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about surprises. My BFF just had a surprise birthday trip (amazing!). But also, every day I receive emails from Joel Osteen Ministries, and one of his recent emails was about God's surprises.

I love surprises. Honestly, I would love for someone to throw me a surprise party (hint hint!). The problem is, as much as I love surprises, I love figuring out surprises.

I always want to surprise people in my life, but then, I just get so excited that I have to share. For example...I bought my husband a PlayStation 3 for Christmas (wife of the year right here)...but I bought it like 2 months before Christmas. Cue...Kristen keeping a secret for 2 months. Did not go well. I ended up having to tell my husband when I almost convinced him he needed to buy one for himself. Another example...I wanted to have a surprise party for Chad's grad school graduation. Kept it a secret for about...umm...a week..and then was so excited that I had to clue him in!

What I love about surprises is that they make you feel special and make you know that someone else is thinking about you. And truly, that is special enough in itself.

The thing that I struggle with is knowing that God wants to surprise me. That He wants to do things for me that will, as Joel Osteen says, "make my life easier and lets me know how much He (God) loves me." He wants to, in other words, "overtake me with his goodness."

Right now, I am working on looking at each day as to what surprises might await me. I am trying to keep an attitude of faith and expectancy and see His (God's) blessings in my life. But it is hard. I am human. I over plan. I over think. I try to figure out the surprise (like I love to do!). But I can't. And I shouldn't. So I won't. I truly will try not to.

So I am trying. I am trying to remember that I am deserving of His surprises and His goodness. It is hard, but try it with me, will you? Are you expecting God's surprises? Because I heard, He wants to surprise you.

"If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you...all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you..."

~ Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 ~

A list to start off the week.

2013-01-27T22:06:00.002-06:00

Driving to work tomorrow after the snow we had today is not something I am looking forward to.
Vague statuses and tweets drive me bonkers. Just ask my husband.
I have spent my entire evening watching a "Twilight" marathon on FX while grading papers. The quality of said papers are not as good as the movie, which is surprising to me right now.
I am not sure why I always decide to do all of our laundry on Sunday's. You would think I would get smarter and do it during the week, but now I have 3 loads to fold before I can go to bed tonight.
I went shopping with Abby & Sarah today. We stopped at a store where I had a coupon for a free pair of underwear. I think my favorite part is that this time you did not get to pick the size, it was just "one size fits all." This is bothering me tonight.
Church this morning was on "Spiritual gifts." I keep wanting to take the inventory today, but keep forgetting to. Now it is 10pm, and I have officially decided my gift might be procrastination. I will seriously do it tomorrow, after I finish getting things together for my class (probably).
I think I am done with this list, but I am going to end with a picture of Mr. Snickers from Christmas since this is my blog and I can do what I want.

I'm back. I think.

2013-01-24T20:00:00.002-06:00

I was getting SO GOOD at posting regularly in 2011, in 2012 (if you look at my stats in the sidebar), I majorly failed. So will I make up for it in 2013? No promises will be made for this.

Let me think back to the last time I posted....oh yes, I talked about the big snow we had. Now, if you look at weather about MN, you hear about how cold it is here (-15 or something a few mornings ago). With that being said, yes, it is cold.

With all of this cold junk, Chad and I have been planning an escape at the end of February for a week. I am THRILLED to let sun seep into my pores. I just hope the weather cooperates with us at our destination as well (especially because I just bought a new swimsuit!).

Apparently today, I am obsessed with parenthesis. Somewhere my thesis adviser is rolling her eyes at me.

This past weekend, we celebrated the most adorable little girl's 2nd birthday! Here she is:

As you can see, she is very busy with her new vet kit! She was quite adorable and as funny as ever.

Besides planning for our winter week-long escape, I have also been getting details together to go to my cousin's wedding (where I am honored to be a bridesmaid!) in June in Ohio! YAY! I'm so excited!

That is probably it for me for right now. So how is your 2013 beginning? Any exciting news? Trips? Share away...maybe your posts will revive a non-existent blogger (being me). Oops...there were those parenthesis again....

PS...two months from today I turn 30. Woof.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

2012-12-10T09:49:00.001-06:00

If you are on Facebook, Twitter, or pretty much any other social media site - and you are friends with someone from Minnesota, you would know that it snowed this weekend. And not just "oh a flurry" but like, I have 16 inches of snow at my house. Yesterday my day was spent not leaving my house, since a plow was not seen near my house until 9pm last night. I would insert a picture of said snow here but (1) I did not go outside more then once yesterday. And that time was to get the paper at 8am. and (2) You probably know what snow looks like so no need to share it here. But the real reason there is no picture here is... (3) I just can't get the picture I took this morning to upload from my phone to my blog.

Snow definitely makes MN look more prepared for Christmas. I am wondering how people in warmer states ever are prepared for Christmas without the snow? Because to me, that seriously would stink.

Yesterday, as I watched the snow fall I was reminded of the below song "Winter Snow." The words just ring so true when you reflect on how Jesus came to this earth as a tiny baby. Softly...quietly...in a silent night he came.

LYRICS:
Winter Snow
Sung by Audrey Assad

Could've come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could've come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

You could've swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we've scarred

But You came like a winter snow
(Yes, You did)
You were quiet
You were soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Oh, no, Your voice wasn't in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind
It was still
It was small
It was hidden

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Falling
(Oh, yeah)
To the earth below
You came falling
From the sky in the night
To the earth below

Irrelevant thoughts.

2012-11-16T12:34:00.000-06:00

Wow. I cannot believe the outpouring of messages I have received since my last post! Thank you for your support and prayers. Please know that with every message that I received, I also said a prayer for you - and will continue to pray! With the amount of visits I had on the last post, I know that there are a lot of people trying to find joy in the waiting.

I have like 10 other things on my mind, so please excuse me if this post is a bit scattered. Sticking to one topic is just too hard for me! The good news is, I limited this post to only a few of my thoughts.

Thought #1: My dad and I were talking last week when I was at my parent's house, and we were talking about the need for people to race when you are side by side at a stoplight. I get it, we have this urge to win and to prove we can go faster. My dad said he doesn't see this as much with another guy...but I told him, when a guy is next to me, it is like he HAS to win. Like seriously, it is like I get raced constantly. Luckily I just don't care, and he can be all macho and win or whatever...but it makes me laugh. It happened this morning when I was getting on the highway. There are 2 lanes that go around the corner to get on the highway, and without fail, a huge truck (why does it always have to be a truck?) comes alongside. He has to pass me because clearly going 40 miles around a turn is safe. But what is the deal? I have to admit, I race sometimes, but why do men constantly have the need to race women? Discuss.

Thought #2:This is an obvious thought, but I just have to share. I HAVE THE CUTEST NIECE IN THE WORLD! Below is a picture that I took last night with her, and then the other is from Halloween when we were at McDonald's. (Excuse the quality...they are from my cell phone.)

Thought #3: I am REALLY glad it is Friday. And REALLY glad next week is a short week (Thanksgiving!). And REALLY glad that I get to decorate for Christmas soon. And REALLY glad that Starbucks has BOGO on their Holiday drinks through the weekend (even thought it is no Ho Ho Mocha). And REALLY glad I do not work a full week of work in December (YAY PTO!). And I am REALLY glad you read my blog.

Happy "weekending" to you!

Finding joy in the waiting.

2012-11-14T21:06:00.000-06:00

Waiting...is really hard.

When I think of waiting, I think of a stark waiting room with chairs lined up with less than desirable magazines, that are outdated, with well worn edges. Magazines that are available to help pass the time, trying to take your mind off of the reason you may be there. It is quiet. No one talks...waiting for your name to be called. Waiting for your turn.

Growing up, I always had the desire to be in the next stage of life then where I currently was. When I was a junior in high school, I would have been over the moon to be a senior. When I was a senior, my eyes were on college. During college, the same type of thing happened, and then when I was dating, I wanted to be married. And now, with 5 years under my belt, being married, I cannot wait to be a mother.

I watch my niece with my brother and sister-in-law, and the way my friends interact with their kids and I would give the world for me to be in their shoes, for it to be my turn. I see teenagers who are pregnant and think that it is not fair. The hubs and I are ready. We have moved to that stage...but still we are waiting. We are ready to prepare for this next stage in life. So we pray. We wait. I try to be patient. I fail. My husband is REALLY patient, but I'm pretty sure putting up with me in this time of waiting is not his dream come true.

The truth is, we are all waiting for something. Waiting for a job to come our way. Waiting for our job to settle down because maybe it will get better. Waiting for a diagnosis or a test result one way or another. Waiting to find a spouse. Waiting for a loved one to seek the help they might need. Waiting to shed those unwanted pounds. Waiting til you can sell/buy a new house. Waiting for two pink lines to show up. Waiting for your turn to make that big announcement.

Wishing...praying...hoping....

In these times, this is when I need to strive for my trust in God to grow stronger. I know that the Lord has plans for me...he has plans for you. And I know that what I am waiting for may be nothing compared to what someone else might be waiting for. But I find rest in these words:

Psalms 27: 13-14
"Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.

Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."

The season of thankfulness, giving, and family is upon us. I hope that in the season you kind find the peace that you very much deserve. Because that is what I strive for. While the waiting is hard, I know that the joy will come.

**disclaimer: Just wanted to share what was on my heart. All is ok, just wanted to be honest and I enjoy writing it out!

Just a Monday.

2012-11-12T20:12:00.002-06:00

1. Tonight I decided to run on the treadmill instead of going on the elliptical. Besides my knee hurting after 20 minutes of running, it was the best decision of my life. Well, at least my life today.

2. If you read my Facebook you would know that in observation of Veteran's Day, I told my staff to wear red, white, and blue. I forgot...and wore purple and black. #bossfail

3. I almost just listed another number 2. Clearly my first number 2 was not good enough for me.

4. I spend most of my Monday evening's procrastinating planning my classes for this week. I am REALLY looking forward to this 15 week class to be over. Only a month left?

5. I was told today that I am a really good "fit thrower." I responded to them saying that my husband tells me the same thing (in other words, my husband did not say this to me). I'm not sure how to take this. Let's just say that most days, being the boss, is not living a childhood dream.

6. Ho ho mint mocha's are back at Caribou! I've had 2 so far. I want more.

7. I still wish I was a dancer on "Dancing with the Stars." Love me some Derek Hough! Still my favorite show after ALL of these seasons!

8. I love buying Christmas presents for people!!! Now just to keep them a secret....

Irrational fear.

2012-10-23T13:24:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else have an irrational fear of people throwing cigarette butts out of their window while driving? Are you ever afraid that the butt may hit your car, or slip right under your car and your car might blow up? It can't be just me, right?

Seriously, this fear rears its ugly head almost every morning on my drive into work. I do not know where this fear comes from, but I think about it when I see a cigarette butt being flung out. I mean, think of it like this:

1. By law, you should not be smoking while pumping gas. Why? Because gas can cause combustion. You get too close to the gas pumping while lighting up, and BOOM. Hey, it could happen.

2. Haven't forest fires started because of a lit cigarette? When the air is too dry, and conditions are just right...and all of the sudden you have started the next National Disaster.

And that is reason enough why you should not smoke.

And now you are looking at me like I am crazy, but I don't care. I like myself just the way I am. Crazy and all. But I'm sure you agree, you are just afraid to admit it.

(Side note: When I was in Middle School, in health class we did a unit on why you should not smoke. We did this whole "performance" on what happens when you smoke. In my part, with one of my friends, we were "cheerleaders." Our part went 'Carcinogens, carcinogens, SIS-BOOM-BAH... 5-10-15, passing through your bod." I hope you just had a great picture of 12-year old Kristen doing a "Why you should not smoke"cheer.)

Boss's day.

2012-10-17T09:13:00.001-05:00

SURPRISE! I updated my blog design again! And I almost wore blue pants and an orange shirt today to celebrate (have no fear, I did not). If I did wear that outfit, it would mean that I thought about my blog a lot. But with my track record (of being absent for long period of times) you would quickly know that is not true.

Fall has been flying by. I have been busy teaching, busy working, and busy trying to not be stressed in the other moments. I have failed miserably at the "not being stressed" part. In fact, my gray hair count has most definitely gone up in the past 2 months.

Did you know that yesterday was boss's day? Only my most favorite days of the year (haha, kidding). Because I forgot it was boss's day, I really did not plan anything to pick up for my boss. So at lunch time I went out and grabbed her a cookie and pop. That was not to be outdone by one of my employee's, who let me pick out anything I wanted from the cafe (I got a Powerade). Then later in the day, she gave me back my vase (that has been in her office) that had grown mold. Nothing says "Happy Boss's day" like a moldy vase.

Today, another one of my coworkers brought in candy corn colored cupcakes to celebrate!I forgot to rotate the picture, but aren't the so cute!?

And to end this little ditty, my favorite email title of the week from an Instructor: "I lost a student." She just could not find the student in our database, which make sense, because I was so confused how we could lose a twenty-something year old student. I would expect that type of email from a Kindergarten teacher (like my sister!). Although, I did lose a student at a Campus Visit Weekend at my old job. But she just fell asleep on a bench.

I think I only blog so I can make a list.

2012-09-24T19:38:00.003-05:00

1. I typed up a whole post about blogging, and then I deleted it. On purpose. It basically was a waste of space...yadda, yadda, yadda...and then I decided you probably really didn't care what the deleted post had to say.

2. I have a cold. Again. Pretty sure it will end up being a sinus infection. Again.

3. The hubby and I basically have the best friends in the entire world. I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly blessed we are.

4. Chad and I want to plan a trip for sometime early next year, but we are having a hard time deciding where.
Here are the requirements:

Kristen - somewhere warm that I can relax.Chad - somewhere mildly warm where we can go out to do things.
Ideas that have been thrown around: Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Cruise.
Number 1 choice: Hawaii. Problem - cost.
Number 2 choice: Cruise. Problem - cost and will I get seasick.

Anyone have a solution ? Or other ideas we have not thought of?

5. Remind me never to teach 2 very different classes at the same time ever again while working a full time job. Oh wait, I committed to doing this again in the last 5-week session of this semester? Remind me again come spring.

6. Tomorrow night's class topic = Microsoft Spreadsheets. Anyone want to come in and teach for me? It is such an invigorating topic.

7. "Dancing with the Stars - All Stars" starts tonight! I am so excited! I'm not sure who I want to win, but I am excited to see some of my favorites back again!

8. It is 7:30pm and it looks like it is time for bed since it is so dark out.

9. I am really glad I just ran spell check tonight, because this cold mixed with the darkness outside made my typing not pretty.

10. And a partridge in a pear tree (aka, my new favorite end line to anything).

Not much, but something.

2012-08-20T20:21:00.001-05:00

It is 8pm and I already ate my snack for the night. I know people say you should not eat past 7pm at night, but that usually does not roll here in this household. Usually I still need a snack before bed otherwise my stomach rumbles and I can't sleep. On that note, picking a nighttime snack is a lot of work.

Moving on...there are other things that need to be talked about, like the fact that I am watching "Bachelor Pad" right now and I am not sure what I think about this whole season. I only have watched the past 2 weeks, but it is weird, and interesting. And it is like a train wreck that you can't stop watching. And then I have to turn it to "Bunheads" where the drama is a lot more understandable.

I don't have any other words to say, except for that Fall is right around the corner. Get ready...my pumpkin obsession is COMING!