Quizzical Wednesday - Holiday Cheer

You Spread a Lot of Holiday Cheer

During the holidays, you represent the true spirit of Christmas. You give freely, and you enjoy this special time of the year. There's a good chance that you spread cheer every time of the year... not just during the holidays. You're kind, upbeat, and generous. Anyone who crosses your path is lucky.

Do You Spread Holiday Cheer?

Thursday Funny - Last Christmas

I'm pretty sure that my Christmas is going to be EXACTLY like this...

Quizzical Wednesday: Santa's reindeer

I named 9 reindeer in 30 seconds

Pies!!

Christmas cooking began tonight with brine prep and pie baking. Made 2 Pumpkin, 1 Apple, 1 Bourbon Pecan and 1 Cranberry Mincemeat for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations this week. The house smells amazing!

Thursday Funny - Song for the Mormons

Quizzical Wednesday - Wrapping Paper

You Are Dependable and Trustworthy

You approach the holidays with drive and determination. You're usually the one who does all of the organizing and work. You love being in charge of Christmas dinner, decorating the tree, and picking out presents. You know that everything will be perfect, as long as you're the one behind the wheel. Of all the types, you're the most likely to search far and wide to find the best deal on the gifts you give. You're also the most likely to have a very detailed system for how you wrap and label presents.

The Wrapping Paper Test

Thursday Funny - School Answering Machine

Quizzical Wednesday - Christmas Lights

You Are Gold Lights

Your holidays are a time of abundance and riches. Even if you don't have a lot during the rest of the year, this is the time that you splurge a little. Your holidays traditions tend to be a bit old fashioned and dignified. You like old holiday movies, properly wrapped presents, and family recipes passed down over the years.

What Color Christmas Lights Are You?

Happy Birthday Don!

Lessons in napkin folding, originally uploaded by JewellsinSEA.

Since there is no rule about revealing a man's age and because you outed my age on my birthday, I have no guilt in telling the world that you are 38 today! :-) Thankfully you still know how to act much, much, much younger as demonstrated in the photo above (taken on our vacation in Kauai in July 2009).

Thank you for all you bring to my life! I can't wait to celebrate with you and hope the coming year is filled with great many, many, many wonderful adventures and dreams come true.

Thursday Funny - Christmas Cards

Happy Someday Kat!

Magic Kingdom, originally uploaded by JewellsinSEA.

For the last 5 years Kat and I have been having this When Harry Met Sally inspired conversation.

Kat: But I'm going to be 40!
Me: When?
Kat: Someday.
Me: In _____ (fill in appropriate time frame year/month)

"Someday" has arrived and today is Kat's 40th Birthday! Happy Birthday! I can't wait to celebrate with you tonight and for the next week or so! You bring so much joy to my life and I am so lucky to know you. I hope that the coming years are filled with great joy, amazing successes and lots of laughter!

"The first forty years of life give us the text:
the next thirty supply the commentary."

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Quizzical Wednesday - Mexican Food

You Are Nachos

You are outgoing and generous. You love to share you life with other people. You are carefree and light-hearted. You try to always make the best of things. While you enjoy being with other people, you also value your alone time. You like to reflect, think, and pick things apart. You like to study everything carefully.

What Mexican Food Are You?

Thursday Funny - Happy Thanksgiving

Quizzical Wednesday - Pilgrim or Indian?

You Are a Pilgrim

Like the pilgrims, you've felt persecuted for your beliefs from time to time. You have a strong sense of right and wrong. Your morality sometimes makes you feel out of step with the modern world. You may not go as far as moving across the world, but you still identify with the pilgrims. Well, except for the whole stealing land and killing Indians thing.

Are You a Pilgrim or an Indian?

Thursday Funny - Lashisse

Lashisse from Molly Sims

Quizzical Wednesday - Thanksgiving

What Your Thanksgiving Meal Says About You

When it comes to the holidays, you follow and love the big traditions. You look forward to them every year. You see the holidays as a time to be close to loved ones. It's a good time to reconnect and make memories. You like the more adult aspects of the holidays - parties, cocktails, and having time off from work. During the holidays, you are likely to feel comforted. At your worst, you feel a bit over-indulgent. You consider yourself to be a bit of a purist, and you're proud of it. You tend to spend you holidays taking care of others. Holidays are one of the times you like to give.

What Does Your Thanksgiving Meal Say About You?

Homemade Ravioli

My first attempt at making homemade ravioli. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

Everywhere we go today...

I am being tempted by Egg Nog lattes. I will be strong, I will be strong.

Thursday Funny - Baywatch it back!

Nicole Eggert is BACK IN BAYWATCH! from Nicole Eggert

Quizzical Wednesday - Connected Season

Your Soul Is Connected to the Fall

You are a somewhat sensitive soul with a tough exterior. You are street smart and wise about the world. You have the heart of a poet, but you're not too eager to let anyone else see it. You are very creative and deeply talented. You are still looking for the perfect outlet for your expression. You embrace change and think the cycles of life are beautiful. You don't shrink away from the darker elements of life.

What Season is Your Soul Connected To?

Stan 'The Man'

The inside of The 5 Spot in full St Louis theme mode. I've got the perfect seat to enjoy the Stan Musial poster.

Thursday Funny - Prop 8: The Musical

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... from Jack Black

Quizzical Wednesday - The Watercolor Test

You Are Highly Colorful

You are intensely alive and very passionate. You are optimistic about the world and about people. You feel very connected to others, and you tend to be a harmonizing force. You are vibrant and receptive. You are ready for whatever the world has to offer you.

The Watercolor Test

Cannon Beach Sunset

Watching the sun sink in the sky and sipping a glass of wine. What a glorious day!

Thursday Funny - Family

Quizzical Wednesday - Transporation

You Are A Train

You are a true romantic. You have big dreams about how life should be. You take life at a slow and steady pace. You try to appreciate every moment you have. You are a very visual person. You are always on the lookout for beauty and inspiration. You are able to relax and let go more than most people.

What Type of Transportation Are You?

Thursday Funny - Pixar Parody

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Quizzical Wednesday - Primary Colors

You Are Yellow

You are bright, vibrant, and cheerful. Your energy can take over a room. You look on the sunny side of life. You are able to avoid stress, anxiety, and burnout. It's hard to get you down, and you've rarely been depressed in your life. You tend to have a clear mind and an unburdened heart. You try to bring as much light as possible into your life.

What Primary Color Are You?

The BBA Challenge

One evening last week, while researching recipes for homemade Cinnamon Rolls I stumbled across this post and was introduced to The BBA Challenge and the Phoo-D blog, a new favorite. I read several of her entries about the breads she has baked as part of the BBA Challenge and was intrigued. I then read all the details and particulars about the Challenge and decided that I couldn't resist, I was hooked.

Receiving my Kitchen Aid mixer in April was a dream come true as I have wanted one since I first laid eyes on them (receiving this from my Mom is yet more proof that I have the BEST Mom in the whole wide world). Since April I have baked more than ever before and just love pulling it out of the hall closet. I couldn't wait to try out the dough hook and have successfully mastered the Kitchen Aid recipes for white, wheat and french bread. I have also baked many cookies, quick breads and cakes in the past 6 months, although my cookie baking skills leave a bit to be desired. My colleagues are thrilled that I have this new found love of baking because there is always some *treat* showing up in the break room. I can't believe how much I've learned and the real difference it has made in baking. I made my mothers Carrot Cake recipe last night to bring to work for a colleagues birthday. I baked the same recipe last year for her birthday and the difference is amazing! I was really silly and naive when I thought that using a hand mixer was just as good, it just isn't.

On Sunday, Don and I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy of The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread and I was giddy with excitement when we walked out of the store. The book is beautiful! I purchased the ingredients for the first recipe, Anadama and plan to start it on Thursday night. In the meantime I am reading the 100+ pages of information and theory at the beginning of the book.

I'm excited about learning more about different varieties of bread and exploring different ingredients, textures and techniques. Although I have to say that the idea of making Bagels is scary and that happens on week #3. AAAHH!

I will be posting pictures and thoughts about each recipe but not the recipes themselves as I move through this journey. The official group started back in May, so I am a bit behind but am hoping that I can slowly catch up and finish at the same time, we will see.

For more information on The BBA Challenge you can check out the blogroll, the Flickr group, the world map, or search #bba on Twitter.

Weekend Wrap-Up: 10/16 - 10/18

It was a busy but good fall weekend. Here are the highlights:

• Went to the doctor and was diagnosed me with bilateral ear infections and a sinus infection resulting in a prescription for antibiotics.
• Took a nap.
• Met my friend Nikki for a crepe lunch at Citizen.
• Ran by the office.
• Got my prescription filled.
• Enjoyed a dinner of Mac 'n' Cheese and beer with Don at McMenamins on Friday night.
• Slept in (well until nearly 9 a.m.) on Saturday morning.
• Bought some new music from iTunes and played with my music library and enjoyed a quiet morning at home.
• Ran around with my colleague Amy to find all the items needed to create our Halloween costumes.
• Reviewed some Cisco flashcards with Kat.
• Saw Love Happens at Gold Class Cinemas with Kat.
• Picked up a Electric Kettle at Bed Bath and Beyond.
• Had a yummy dinner at Cheesecake Factory in Bellevue with Don and Kat.
• Slept until 8:30 a.m. on Sunday when the phone woke me up which didn't bother me too much when I realized it was a colleague telling me that she didn't need me to come in and help prep for an audit after all.
• Enjoyed coffee and pumpkin cheesecake (from dinner the night before) for breakfast in bed surrounded by several months worth of Martha Stewart Living and Bon Appetit.
• Narrowed down my new recipe finds to a few for this week and made a grocery list.
• Ran to Target to pick up some essentials and a new iPod player for my car (I crushed the old one in the center console, oops).
• Picked up a copy of The Bread Bakers Apprentice at Barnes and Noble so that I can start the BBA Challenge.
• Ran to the Apple Store so Don could get a case for his new iPhone.
• Went to Crate and Barrel and ONLY bought a new cooling rack and a Bake/Store cake pan but that is because we made ourselves stop browsing.
• Went to the grocery store.
• Spent the late afternoon and evening in the kitchen. I made Oatmeal (for breakfast this week), New England Clam and Corn Chowder with Herbs (for lunches this week), a Carrot Cake (to take to the office on Monday in honor of October birthdays) and Crispy Chicken for dinner.
• Watched Thursday nights episode of Bones.

How was your weekend?

Thursday Funny: Wii Fit Parody

Quizzical Wednesday - The Jungle Test

You Are Dramatic

You are colorful and charismatic. You get and hold people's attention. Right now, you are seeking peace and tranquility in your life. You are drawn to people who are passionate and deep. You feel like there are a few minor things in your life that need to be changed. You take time before you react. You allow yourself to explore your options.

The Jungle Test

Weekend Wrap-Up: 10/9 - 10/11

I spent the weekend in Utah with my family, here are the highlights:

• Raced home from work on Thursday to get up the hill in time to do laundry.
• Enjoyed a carpet picnic of cheese 'n' crackers with Don at the Laundry Room while our clothes were washin'
• Packed and put the laundry away.
• Woke bright and early to get to the airport for my 7:00 a.m. flight.
• Arrived in Salt Lake to beautiful weather, sunny and warm.
• Took the pearls I got in Hawaii to a jeweler friend of my mother's to have them made into earrings.
• Had lunch with my Mom at Squatter's my favorite Salt Lake brew pub.
• Picked up some paper for a project that my mother is working on at Xpedx.
• Shopped for some new fall clothes for my Mom at Dress Barn.
• Got settled at Mom's.
• Had dinner with my Dad, Step-Mom and a family friend.
• Enjoyed a breakfast of biscuits and gravy at Midvale Mining with my Mom and Step-Dad.
• Exchanged some shoes that my Mom bought me for Christmas last year to SAS Shoes without a problem. Very impressed by their customer service and return policy.
• Did some more shopping at the brand new Kohl's store at Brickyard.
• Ran to the liquor store and grocery store.
• Bagged our plans to go to Oktoberfest at Snowbird and opted for some catch-up time with my Mom and Step-Dad.
• Helped my little brother with some laundry and grocery shopping.
• Attended an Housewarming/Open House at the new home of my "Cuz" and her "Huz" which was tons of fun.
• Had way too little sleep on Saturday night.
• Enjoyed breakfast with my Mom and brother Jimmy at Eggs in the City.
• Returned to Mom's to pack and teach her how to use the DVR on her satellite box.
• Caught a mid-afternoon flight home to Seattle.
• Took a pan of lasagna out of the freezer and popped it in the oven.
• Unpacked my bag and got settled back into life in Seattle.
• Had a lovely dinner and bottle of Sangiovese with Don.
• Collapsed into bed and slept quickly in an attempt to recover from a VERY busy weekend.

How was your weekend?

Mom's 15 minutes of pink fame

Video clip from Fox 13 in Salt Lake City, Utah. My mom is featured on the video talking about the importance of Mammograms and her employee and dear friend Chris ties a ribbon in her honor. Mom is in the green sweater at the end of the line.

Thursday Funny - Jeff Dunham and Walter

Geography Lesson

The geography lesson proceeded the congratulations during a converation with my boss this morning:

Me: "We got a purchase order this morning from Brunei"
Boss: "Where the hell is Brunei?"
Me: "In southeast Asia"
Boss: "Are you sure it isn't in North Africa?"
Me: "Pretty sure, I googled it."
Boss: "Do we have a distributor in Brunei?"
Me: "Yes we do!"
Boss: "Well alright then. Good job!"

I now know more about Brunei than I did when I woke up this morning, and so does my boss.

Quizzical Wednesday - Seasons

You Feel Like Autumn

You have reached a point in your life where you feel successful and accomplished. You have a full, bountiful life. And you're ready to sit back and enjoy it. While you feel like you finally have enough in your life, you make find that you also have things you no longer need. This is a time for you to reassess who you are, what you need, and where you want to go next in your life.

What Season Do You Feel Like?

GOAL!

GOAL!, originally uploaded by JewellsinSEA.

This is the dry erase board in my office. When we receive purchase orders we change the numbers and add a few notches to the thermometer. We have thermometers for each of the product lines. Today I received a purchase order which got us to our goal of 24 systems for the year! One of the thermometer is full and the final quarter of the year just began! Yay! Goal achieved. Happy day.

Note: Photograph has been altered to protect company/product identity.

Weekend Wrap-Up: 9/25 - 9/27 & 10/2 - 10/4

Its a super-sized edition of the Weekend Wrap-Up with the highlights of the last 2 weekends. Enjoy!

9/25 - 9-27:

• Woke and dressed in profession wear and head to Ballard to pick up Kathleen on Friday morning.
• Had a good time mingling with sisters from other chapters at the Seattle Area P.E.O. Reciprocity meeting.
• Had a lovely al fresco lunch with Kathleen at Sonrisa at U Village.
• Dropped off Kathleen and headed home.
• Processed about several winter squash and a bunch of yellow squash for the freezer.
• Caught up on episodes of my favorite TV shows.
• Did Laundry.
• Enjoyed breakfast at the Queen Anne Cafe where I proclaimed that I am DONE with breakfast potatoes.
• Ran errands.
• Processed the other half of the winter squash and several large zucchini for the freezer (in total I processed 98 pounds of vegetables).
• Slept in WAY longer than usual on Sunday morning. Yay!
• Enjoyed a quiet day at home with household chores on Sunday.
• Quizzed Kat on Cisco flashcards while Don made dinner.

10/2 - 10/4:

• Got my second mammogram of the year, all is well and I'm off the hook until 2010.
• Took a nap when my afternoon plans fizzled.
• Enjoyed a relaxing evening a home catching up with the TiVo.
• Got my flu shot.
• Enjoyed breakfast at The Original Pancake House with Don and Kat.
• Picked up some new jeans at Catherine's.
• Got ready for the cooler weather by getting new long sleeve tees and a sweater at JC Penney.
• Went to Office Max twice trying to buy toner for my printer. Note to self: write down the model number next time.
• Celebrated a milestone for my associate and friend Amy with drinks at Elysian Fields, taking the *adult* version of the Seattle Underground Tour and having a late dinner at Mama's Mexican Kitchen.
• Enjoyed a quiet Sunday at home with lots of household chores.

How was your weekend?

It has been a long week...

I'm starting my second Starbucks beverage of the day and can't wait for the work week to be done.

Thursday Funny - Cooking Show Spoof (Bugar)

Quizzical Wednesday - High or Low?

You Are Medium Maintenance

Like everyone else, you have some things you are particular about. You're not too annoying about it, and you're able to go with the flow most of the time. You've learned to stand your ground on what matters but also make compromises from time to time. You have good taste. Too bad not everyone shares it.

Are You High Maintenance?

Crazy Carrot

I wish I had grown this in my garden but I got the photo from an unnamed source and just had to share it. :-)

Crepe View

Space Needle atop Lumen is our view from our wine and crepe evening at Citizen.

Thursday Funny - Shake Weight

I saw this on Ellen and was laughing so hard that I had to share. Enjoy!

Quizzical Wednesday - Gift

Your Gift is Intellect

You are a big thinker, and you're always playing with new ideas. You are curious about the world. You enjoy learning and developing new theories. You enjoy researching, analyzing, and solving problems. Thinking hard feels good! You're the type of person who finds most mental tasks to be easy. You love to stretch your brain.

What's Your Gift?

Weekend Wrap-Up: 9/18 - 9/20

It was a wicked weekend, here are the highlights:

• Came home to a clean house (thanks to the cleaning lady) on Thursday!
• Had a relaxing evening and watched the premier of Bones.
• Woke early Friday.
• Pleased that the DirecTV guy showed up and resolved all the issues I was having. I thought it was a broken box, but the receiver in the satellite needed to be replaced.
• Set up both TiVo boxes for the new Fall TV season.
• Watched That Thing You Do! and part of Erin Brockovich.
• Ran to the office to handle a couple of urgent issues.
• Quizzed Kat on Cisco cards while Don made us spaghetti for dinner.
• Met my friend Barb at Bay Cafe for a early breakfast on Saturday morning.
• Ran some errands including stops at Costco and Safeway.
• Picked up a couple growlers of Ruby at McMenamins.
• Watched the Utah vs. Oregon football game and was sad the Utes lost.
• Watched the Oregon State vs. Cincinnati football game and was sad again.
• Moved my iTunes library (with instruction and guidance from Don) from a crappy Western Digital My Book to a new Seagate portable disk drive.
• Made a comfort food classic for dinner while Don cleaned up errors in my iTunes library.
• Slept in on Sunday until 8:30 a.m. :-)
• Had a long overdue catch up phone call with my little brother Jimmy.
• Walked down to Citizen and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast.
• Caught up with Lani (one of my Habitat for Humanity friends) while painting my nails.
• Enjoyed an late lunch/early dinner at Cheesecake Factory with Don and Kat.
• Walked up to the Paramount Theatre to see Wicked, which I LOVED!
• Got home in time to crawl into bed and quickly sleep before starting another week.

How was your weekend?

Counting the minutes...

Until the start of Wicked. Pic taken from our seats. :-)

Red Velvet Heaven

Cheesecake Factory's newest creation mixing two of my favorite things, red velvet cake and cheesecake.

Oh so yummy!

Thursday Funny - Kate is Enough

Quizzical Wednesday - Rain or Snow?

You Are Rain

You are dark and dramatic. You tend to be a bit over the top. You have strong emotions and they can change quickly. You are tempestuous. You are wild and unpredictable. You tend to overwhelm and surprise people. While you are aggressive, you are also a homebody. You don't really care for physical activities.

Are You Rain or Snow?

Weekend Wrap-Up: 9/4 - 9/7 and 9/11 - 9/13

It's a 2-for-1 bonus edition of the Weekend Wrap-Up. Enjoy!

Labor Day weekend was a 4-day weekend for me! Here are the highlights:

• Picked up some fresh veggies at the Queen Anne Farmers Market on Thursday after work.
• Enjoyed a quiet morning at home on Friday.
• Met Suz for lunch at Buckley's.
• Got a manicure and pedicure.
• Quizzed Kat in preparation for her Cisco certification test.
• Enjoyed hamburgers, tater tots and corn on the cob prepped by Don.
• Packed up the ingredients, tools needed for our overnight Cooking Club adventure at Kipp's cabin on Lake Wenatchee.
• Had my first Pumpkin Spice latte of the season!
• Enjoyed the ride to the cabin catching up with friends, Jana and Neil, thanks to Don's driving. :-)
• Had a relaxing afternoon settling in at the cabin and enjoying the outdoors when it wasn't raining.
• Prepped and cooking and laughed and sipped at wine until the feast was ready.
• Enjoyed a wonderful dinner, one for the cooking club hall of fame, for sure!
• Played a men vs. women game of Trivial Pursuit (80's, 90's and Pop Culture edition) and the women won!
• Had a leisurely morning with coffee, breakfast and good friends.
• Stopped by Plain Hardware so Kipp could get his propane tank refilled.
• Sipped some wine at the Eagle Creek Winery.
• Had lunch at South in Leavenworth, WA.
• Picked up some squash (approx. 40 pounds) at Smallwood's Harvest.
• Arrived back in Seattle just before nightfall.
• Had breakfast with Kat and Don at The Bay Cafe.
• Attempted to shop at Fred Meyer among the chaos their remodeling project.
• More quizzing of Kat on the Cisco flashcards.
• Dined on Tamale Dish that Don had prepared. YUM!
• Retired early in prep for the week ahead amazed that 4 days had whizzed by.

It was a really busy and very fast weekend, here are the highlights:

• Made and GIANT pot of spaghetti sauce with tomatoes from my garden on Thursday night.
• Worked from home on Friday.
• Waited for the DirecTV repair guy who never showed up.
• Called and yelled at DirecTV and rescheduled for Sunday afternoon.
• Made a big pan Lasagna.
• Packaged up 12 quarts of spaghetti sauce for the freezer.
• Quizzed Kat in prep for her Cisco certification test while Don a salad and garlic bread to go with the lasagna.
• Woke WAY too early on a Saturday morning to attend a local trade show.
• Enjoyed connecting with some of my favorite customer and vendor friends.
• Laundry.
• Did the grocery shopping for the week.
• Walked down to the neighborhood McMenamins and enjoyed some beer and dinner with Don.
• Slept in until 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, which in my world is rare occurrence.
• Enjoyed a cup of coffee from my new french press which I've finally mastered.
• Made some eggs and had a lazy morning.
• Spent the afternoon in the kitchen making 24 stuffed peppers for the freezer while waiting for the DirecTV guy only to discover that they had come on Saturday, a mistake by DirecTV in the scheduling.
• Talked to 5 people at DirecTV until I got a discount on my bill for the next six months and scheduled yet another appointment for the technician to repairs.
• Baked Banana Bread to bring to the office.
• Cleaned up the kitchen which was a disaster following the major cooking projects of the weekend.

What a whirlwind! How was your weekend?

From the vine to the pot

Just finishing making a GIANT pot of spaghetti sauce with tomatoes that I grew in my garden.

Thursday Funny - Lizard Attack

Quizzical Wednesday - The Address Quiz

Your Address Says You're Energetic

Right now, life seems to be brimming with opportunities... and you're excited for all of them. You are productive and creative. It makes you feel good to stay busy. At your best, you have a full schedule and lots to do. At your worst, you feel bored and aimless. Idle hands make you a bit crazy!

What Does Your Address Say About You?

Thursday Funny - Mighty Putty Parody

Primary Color Test

You Are Red

You are lively and fiery. You embrace the world and live passionately. You are moody but generally enthusiastic. You love so many things. You are able to have a lot of drive and focus. Some people would call this obsession. You are aggressive about getting what you want in life. You look out for yourself first.

What Primary Color Are You?

Thursday Funny - I love Jesus but I drink a little

Room of the House Quiz

You Are the Bedroom

You are an indulgent person. You enjoy rest, relaxation, and pampering. You know how to find peace in a crazy life. You are good at unplugging. You tend to be very private. You don't let just anyone in. You are also a romantic. When you have someone, you tend to be very couple oriented.

What Room of the House Are You?

Thursday Funny - Kathleen Madigan

The Smoothie Quiz

You Are a Pineapple Smoothie

You are adventurous and brave. You aren't afraid of much. You are in love with new experiences. You are usually the first to try something. You get bored rather easily, and you need to be challenged in life. You are turbo charged. Most people find it impossible to keep up with you in any capacity.

What Flavor Smoothie Are You?

A glimpse of the trip

I'm home! And I've been home for over a week now and still don't have my travel journal completed or all my my pictures online. Entering the "real world" has been a bit more of an adjustment than I anticipated but I'm getting there slowly and surely.

Below is a video from TheGardenIsland.com who did an article on my Habitat for Humanity Global Village group. They were busy promoting their annual "Build A Thon" (which occured last Saturday) while we were there and the video reviews the specifics but it also features some great shots of my group on the work site.



There are also quite a few pictures posted on my Facebook page, so check them out. Thanks for your patience!

Weekend Wrap-Up - 8/7 - 8/9

My first full weekend back in Seattle and it was low-key and relaxing, just what I needed:

• Slept in on Friday morning.
• Took a shower, got dressed.
• Took a nap.
• Caught up on a couple TV shows that my TiVo picked up while I was away.
• Took a nap. (Yes that is 2 naps in the same day!)
• Watched New In Town.
• Did 6 loads of laundry.
• Successful trip to Bed Bath and Beyond for a new mattress pad, new laundry bags, new wash cloths, new hair drying towels and new air freshener refills.
• Assimilated all my new treasure into the house and organized a bit.
• Walked through Trader Joe's and picked up whatever looked good for snacking while sailing.
• Went sailing on the Puget Sound with friends.
• Watched It Had to Be You.
• Slept in again on Sunday morning (didn't stir until 9ish, unheard of).
• Enjoyed some coffee from Kauai.
• Chatted and caught up with a few family members on the phone.
• Got my ass kicked by Kat while playing cards.
• Enjoyed a wonderful dinner on the deck at Bell Street Diner.
• Tried to watch Rachel Getting Married but the disc from NetFlix wouldn't work.

Was that really 3 days? It went by WAY too quickly. How was your weekend?

Happiness Test

You Need Success to Be Happy

You are a responsible and serious person. You like to do things well. Reaching your goals is very important to you, and you don't like getting sidetracked. You feel great when you are mastering new tasks and solving problems. You believe in hard work. Nothing makes you feel worse than feeling like you are doing a back job.

What Do You Need to Be Happy?

Fantasy Island Falls

Wailua Falls made famous by the opening credits of the tv show Fantasy Island.

Thursday Funny - Jon and Kate Match.com videos

A double whammy today. Enjoy!

Match.com-Jon Gosselin - watch more funny videos

Kate Gosselin Match.com Profile Video - watch more funny videos

The Frozen Treat Quiz

You Are an Ice Cream Sandwich

You are well grounded, reliable, and very balanced. You love to work hard, but you also know how to take it easy. People might be surprised to know you have a very goofy side to you. You like to let loose and have fun. You just don't let yourself go too crazy!

What Frozen Treat Are You?

Waimea Canyon

We spent the day exploring the canyon, what a remarkable and beautiful place.

Sunset Dining

Celebrating a belated birthday with Don at the Beach House in Koloa.

Goodbye Bonfire

Spending the final night around a bonfire with the HFH crew.

Reflections

Go to the people.
Live with them,
Learn from them,
Love them.
Start with what they know,
Build with what they have.
But of the best leaders
When the work is done
The task accomplished,
The people will say,
"We have done this ourselves."

Loa-Tzu (Chinese poem, 700 B.C.)

Where is my ogre baby?

My favorite feature of "Blue Ox" the tool van is this alien baby hanged from the front grill. It screams, giggles, convulses when you run the van into something, great feature.

A Morbid Thought....

36 years ago...

133,265 People

Build site

Looking a whole lot different than it did at the beginning of the week.

Kauai Sunset

Watching the sun set as we head back to Port Allen.

Thursday Funny - Funny Bird

Birthday Wisdom

Your Birthday's Wisdom is Action

If there is one thing you've learned in life, it's get moving. Procrastination just makes things so much worse. If you dream it, you do it. You believe in going for it. And as a result, you've had success in many arenas. You rather regret what you did than regret what you were scared to do.

What's Your Birthday's Wisdom?

Lava Guy

A figure that we located during our morning shift at the Re Store.

Gas Problems

Getting the full Kauai experience including evaluating AAA services after running out of gas in the Habitat for Humanity van.

Hanalei Bay

View from beach where we've spent several hours this afternoon.

Lighthouse View

View looking west from Kilauea Point Lighthouse on the north shore of Kauai.

The bugs they love me....

Two of the twenty or so bug bites turned welts on my legs from an afternoon hike. Guess the Vitamin B and Garlic I've took to prevent bites didn't work.

Garden View?

It was dark and late when I checked into my "Garden View" room last night so I was thrilled and surprised to wake up, open the shutters and see THIS!