WINNER!

how many of you have signed up for a drawing of some sort in malls and never in a million years thought you'd win...well, before Christmas my friend Chummer (Hansen to some of you- or Craig) and I were out shopping for our God-children and on a whim i decided to sign up to win for a four wheeler. now, i cant remember what kind it was- so don't ask me. and don't get to excited...i didn't win the four wheeler- at least not yet! they narrowed the drawing down to 500 and i was one of those 500. The silly thing is the drawing for the four wheeler isn't happening until December 1st 2007. so i have a a spell to wait to see if i won. But i guess since i signed up for the four wheeler i also signed up for $500 home improvement certificate (had know idea). The lady that called me today wanted to inform me that i won a $500 home improvement certificate - I KNOW...i just got new floors, new carpet and a new furnace and NOW i get a $500 certificate. BUT- i guess it can only be used on new windows, new doors, new siding, a new patio or new kitchen counters and/or cabinets. I was interested in the counter tops (since everything else is covered by my association) so i am going to have a dude come over and give me the details on my gift certificate and the 'how to' of it. i am excited !!!! i actually WON something!!! how cool is that. maybe just maybe i will win the four wheeler. wouldn't that be a great Christmas gift for someone- (dad)! anyhow- i just wanted to share it with you all. i don't ever win anything. we will see if it works out and is actually a good certificate. go me!!!

cheese cake

Did you know that the Cheese Cake Factory is the 9th largest restaurant company in the USA and that it has 123 sites; one of which is in Edina MN. And did you know that cheese cake is a sweet cheese-based tart and is one of the most common tarts in the world and is also one of the first sweets to use dairy in it. And...if you have visited the cheese cake factory you'd find many many different kinds of cheese cake! it has the best dessert menu ever. my old college roommates got together on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Tammy Sue's and my birthday. Thanks Heather for picking up the tab. so nice of you. we decided to share a piece of cheese cake and went with...the Godiva Chocolate Cheese Cake. It was amazing! I wanted to try the Vanilla Bean Cheese cake, but Heather's choice was so good - that i think it might be my new favorite. Doesn't it look fantastic!!! yum yum yum-

i was glad that we only got one piece, cuz it was very rich and i am sure full of calories...so i was glad we shared! My afternoon with the girls was good and it's always fun to get together with them and hang out, catch up and chat. Tammy was excited that i was going to post my afternoon with them and wanted me to share with you all out there that she has been in four of my blogs. yes, four. and i think this would be heathers 2nd appearance. anyhow- thanks girls for being my friend all these years. it has truly been a blessing. and i look forward to the next many many years of friendship.

the day after!

thanks to all you out there that wished me a happy birthday, i got lots of phone messages, some cards int he maik, sung to lots and many blessings and wishes! i spent my 32nd brithday in the gym doing what i do...coach! it was alumni day at NWC; so was busy catching up with players of the past. we lost our game against bethany college by 2 points and had a couple chances to win, but just didnt pull it off. the girls played hard and i was proud of them even though we lost. as for spending my birthday in the gym all day- it was fine. i had many many people wish me happy birthday. got a balloon from the coaching staff (linda and krissie) and some candy. also got some "moon light path" lotion from sara. love it!! at the end of a very long day Krissie and Joni offered to take me out for some late dinner. so- off we went. Joni graduated from NWC in 05 and is so fun to hang out with. Krissie graduated from NWC in 03 ( i think) and is now a coach. Jessica joined us later and she is also a grad of 03 (i think). anyhow. we went to TGIFridays and had a good time eathing and chatting. So fun these ladies...i am so glad that they are apart of my life. I wanted to get a picture of the four of us to enclose but my camera died after i took the first one. so - here are joni and i are enjoying a cool smoothie called "Glod medalist". it was fantastic. thanks Joni for getting that. and thanks to krissie and jess as well for the dinner. great times.

Today- today i am trired.....after yesterday being up from 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. working...goodness, i am so ready to take a nap. went to church this morning and love Pastor Dave and his ability to deliver powerful thoughts and messages that draw me closer to God. He is starting a new series called "who's your Rabi?" i am very excited about it and ready to learn more about my RABI. after church i got to spend lunch and a couple of hours with my 2nd favorite family in the whole wide world - the Millers / Browns. Mike and Connie Brown have been apart of my life for as long as i can remember; and are my parents close friends. They also are Jen Millers parents- Jen is my best friend from childhood and is still the best friend. She married my other best friend Chad (great how that worked out huh) from college and have some of the cuttist kids in the whole wide world. Erica is Jen's younger sister and altough i dont see her alot is one of the cooler people i know- she travels all the time and is sort of my hero when it comes to that! i love this family! they rock. they wanted to take me out to eat after church today for my birthday. we hit the green mill and had a fun time catching up on life. i highly appreicate these people and what they do for me and how they have been a massive part of my life. i hope and pray they will continue to be apart of my life for the next 32 years.

anyways- birthday was goodl. another year donw and over with- oh how the time flies. sorry if i have lots of spelling mistakes- i just dont have the energy to go back and make my corrections- nap time here i come. out.

i got flowers!

so today i was blessed by my good friend Mandi from NY. she sent me pre birthday flowers today...and i was so surprised and blessed by her. they are beautiful. Mandi is so thoughtful to think of me and send me flowers. i havent gotten flowers since Jonthan Musser (and for those of you that know about him...well, we'd like to forget about him- right!), which has been four years or so ago. anyways. My beautiful flowers were delivered to me today during my 5th hour health class and it totally made my day, even my week. it's been a pretty rough one at the View this week...kids are nutty and sure dont want to learn! but- today i smiled lots after getting my 'surprise' from Mandi. She is a riot. She signed the card- "happy birthday! so they are not from a man, but at least my name has 'man' in it! Mandi." get it!!! so funny. i feel very blessed to have a friend like her, one that would think of me the day before my 32nd birthday and than send me flowers on top of it. arent they beautiful! thank you Mandi for making my day special and for reminding me how fun it is to get flowers! you're the best and i sure do miss you.

i have not blogged for almost 10 days cuz life for me has been pretty crazy and i just haven't had time to play on my computer and or update my blog. there are many things that i could tell you about that have happened in the past 10 days. like: how the timeberwolves just lost in double over time...bummer. or how last weekend the basektball team spent the night at the coolest bed and breakfast ever - the Timbercove Inn in Ashland Wisc. I love that place, and one of my all time favoirte dogs lives there! it was a good weekend and we always enjoy spending the night with the Millers at their Inn. Check them out...and go. you'll have a blast. i could also tell you about how a good friend of mine's mom died this past week and the process she went through and how she clung to God and his peace and grace...and how thankful that makes me that my parents are both healthy and happy. i could tell you about how frustrated i am with singlehood. i could tell you about how my fingernails were long, painted and fancy looking....than i played in a basketball game and four of them broke so i had to cut the rest. or how about the double murder that happened about 3 blockes from my house and how that makes me get on my kness and pray for safety. or maybe the weird dreams i have been having lately....last night i thought i was a professional ice dancer. yes, ice dancer! huh!!!!! anyways- lots has been happening. but off to bed i go...i guess i need my beauty sleep- 32 years; crazy!!!!!!

GAS!

so today as i was headed to basketball practice i noticed that the GAS price was below $2.00 here in brooklyn park - $1.99 actually! than; as i was headed home from basketball practice (3 1/2 hours later), i found another gas station that (obviously) has gas for $1.98. so excited!!!! love that i filled up my whole tank and it only cost my $21.25. I just hope that it stays like this for a spell....like til warm comes so than i can put the car away and just ride my bike. ( i miss my bike!)-

thats it for today.

ALL DONE

i forgot to tell you all that a couple days before christmas i got my brand new 'sugar spice' carpet put in by empire today! i love it!!!! i am so excited to have a nice brand new finished floor. so my remodeling adventures are finished for now. my next big adventure will be new lights in my kitchen and to wire for some sort of ceiling light in the living room. but that doesnt need to happen any time soon.close up of the carpet....'sugar spice'...and all things nice!finished product. that the view from my hallway that leads to my bedroom. nice huh. so much better than before....remember when it looked like this-
so glad i am all done remodeling for awhile. so feel free to come on over anytime you want to. i'd love to enertain you. but...no shoes on the new floor. sorry! (smiley face) :)

ALL DONE

i forgot to tell you all that a couple days before christmas i got my brand new 'sugar spice' carpet put in by empire today! i love it!!!! i am so excited to have a nice brand new finished floor. so my remodeling adventures are finished for now. my next big adventure will be new lights in my kitchen and to wire for some sort of ceiling light in the living room. but that doesnt need to happen any time soon.close up of the carpet....'sugar spice'...and all things nice!finished product. that the view from my hallway that leads to my bedroom. nice huh. so much better than before....remember when it looked like this-
so glad i am all done remodeling for awhile. so feel free to come on over anytime you want to. i'd love to enertain you. but...no shoes on the new floor. sorry! (smiley face) :)

resolutions and strep throat

the past three days have been so frustrating for me. i hate being sick! Monday night i went to bed with a small 99.something fever and a tiny little sore throat. didn't think anything of it and went to bed. woke up at 5:30a.m. and was sicker than a dog. had a 103 fever, a killer sore throat, a head ache that honestly felt like my brain was going to explode. at times like these i really wish i had a roommate, a husband or someone that could have taken me to a emergency room- cuz i would have went if someone was around. but- i was so dizzy and so stinkin hot that i didn't trust myself to drive. so like any other single almost 32 year women- i called mom. she told me take Advil, put a cold washcloth on my forehead and call her back in 1/2 hour to see if my fever went down. fortunately....the (i think 6) Advil i took brought my fever down to 100 and my headache was manageable. that morning i went to the doc's office and found out i had strep throat. never in my life have i had it before....at least what i can remember. IT SUCKS! my fever finally broke and hasn't come back since early this afternoon so that refreshing. my headache comes back if i forget to Advil ever four hours and my throat feels like it sand paper....and let me just say has a whole heck of a lot of white gunk on it. (i know you wanted to know that). my body hurts (mostly my neck) from laying around all day long and i am bored out of my mind. soap opera's are soooo boring!!!! i had to take off today (wed) from work and am pretty sure i will calling in tomorrow as well since my throat is so raw that it hurts to talk....gotta talk when your a teacher. i got outside and took a 15 minute walk and it felt great...but burnt me out. i than took a two hour nap. so...good luck to me falling asleep tonight. so that's been my life that past three days. thus I've had a lot of time to think. which leads me to my resolutions for 2007.
i have found that my life has become very undisciplined in the past year. except for the five months i trained for my tri-athlons this past summer i have been very undisciplined; in all areas of my life. so my resolutions are all in some way related to discipline. the bible talks about it non-stop and the dictionary tells me that it means training to ensure proper behavior; order and control, to be calm and have controlled behavior and also to consciously have control over your lifestyle. so....i need all those things in my life again and am setting 2007 resolutions. you all can keep me accountable. in no particular order my reso's are:
#1 - no more soda (at least til summer time) - oh how i am going to miss Dr. Pepper
#2 - start and stick with weight watchers again; the attainable goal being to lose 25 pds by june. is that possible?
#3- to workout five times a week....which means cardio and lifting
#4 - (maybe the most important one on the list) to read my bible more...and be consistent in that. my friend Sara got a chronological bible and is reading that every day- so maybe i will read my chronological bible along with her. gives you just what you need to read every day so i will finish reading the bible in a year.
#5 - do some research on grad school and start.
#6 - go on some dates. not sure what the word 'some' means...but i am for sure going to meat some dudes this year and so some dating. i am tired of spending weekends by myself.

since it's already January 3rd....i have already broken resolution #3...but will catch up. as for starting weight watchers, no worries there. i have been living on hot water, yogurt and chicken noddle soap- i think I'm good. otherwise all resolutions are currently being upheld. happy 07!