Blessings on christmas

Apparently everyone and their mother (truly) takes pictures at our family functions, so I really don't have any pictures to show for from our Christmases with the fams, beginning on the 21st and ending the following weekend. This included several dinners, some games, and a spectacular light show. I should have taken pictures of our deck and how much progress one makes after 3 hours of shoveling, but pretty much anyone in the Midwest had the same visual image outside their door Christmas Day. Thankfully, it was a safe trip back to our house that afternoon, where we spent the evening in dry clothes, with the fire on, opening a few small, sentimental gifts and playing board games. To being grateful for the abundance the holidays remind us of...

Happy birthday, coach

Last night Colleen had a birthday party for Coach. She wanted to host an event where friends and family would come together to share memories with Maddux and Josie. She had a journal that people could write down their stories, and then someone was videotaping as people around the room would recollect a touching or a funny story. There were lots of kids there and the most important impression I got in the room last night was how important his family was to him. Happy birthday, coach; you're missed very much.

Working for the weekends

...which could almost apply to any time of the year, however, it seems like lately we've been jamming in lots of good busyiness on the weekends. This Friday I took my mom to our annual Christmas concert since I decided not to splurge on the Nuctracker tickets. Saturday our friends Nick & Anne were up to go skiing and we tried Sala Thai, which I'd never been to. It was excellent--esp. this dish we tried that had squash and potatoes in the curry sauce (I can't remember the name). We did a little Christmas shopping with my in-laws yesterday as they very generously brought us a fresh tree they had cut down that morning; the house smells amazing. I spent the rest of the day pulling out Christmas decorations and listening to Christmas music while doing it, which is a tradition from my family. I'm really looking forward to all that's coming up--lots of separate family Christmases, due to peoples' traveling schedules, a few holiday parties, more cookie baking (I made these gems last week with my cookie ladies), and hopefully light tours.

Thankful

It becomes easy to worry, and even to whine about the daily stressors of life. However, I have so much to be thankful for, especially the people--near and far--that surround me, including those we can't see anymore. And as I write this, I am thinking about the better ways for my family and me to spend this holiday season.

Try to: bake cookies; play Christmas music; spend time with friends & family; and make small, personal, homemade little treasures; go ice skating; tour neighborhoods with Christmas lights; donate to a family in need; maybe visit a nursing home; make a photo collage of childhood Christmas pictures; watch all of the cheesy Christmas cartoon movies.

Try not to: Stress about silly things that don't matter, like shopping for lots of gifts; skip holiday gatherings just because it's a busy time of the year; skip on all of the wine; forget the things that really matter.

I hope each of you are with your families today--Happy Thanksgiving!

Busyiness

I had to retype that post title because the spelling always seems incorrect...this weekend was filled with fun things from start to finish. First off, I couldn't RUN from my office fast enough on Friday afternoon. This is such a crazy time of the year in that respect, and it seems like Friday comes along and I am still annoyed, frantic, bewildered lady all day. There were some innocent people in the parking lot that could have been goners with the way I whipped out of there. Despite the looming pandemonium of the new vampire movie, that night Corey and I decided to go see "The Blind Side" and I highly recommend it to pretty much anyone. There are so many elements to it that people may relate to in one way or another. By the last few scenes the tears were everywhere. PS Tim McGraw is in about 50% of the movie and Corey claimed he never saw him...Saturday we got up early and headed north; Carlie and I went with Corey's mom to a local crafts/fundraiser thingy and to Irma's Finland shop where I bought some candles for my iitala candlesticks that were Grandma Kemp's. They are one of my most treasured items and they are really gorgeous enough to be out all year. That night, we met up with the other coaches and their wives to go to dinner for a new tasting menu. The restaurant was chaotic but it was great to be with everyone and it was my one naughty meal of the week, so it was well worth it. Sunday was another early day as I headed to the cities with a friend for some serious shopping. We hit IKEA, and I had printed out my list from their website, which helped keep me on track. The cart was FULL but it was so much cheaper than I had anticipated. We went to Crave at the MOA, a new place we had tried this past summer, and it the sushi was as good as I remember. Good old MAC set me up with some new, sparkly pink and brown eyeshadows for my increasingly pale winter skin. We finished up at Trader Joe's and were home by 5:30. Not bad for one day.

Some cake & candles

Since my anti-birthday husband wanted to keep the day low-key, I made stew and we had Kim, Tom, Max & Vivi over for dinner and cake (go GF Betty Crocker). Of course I put all 31 candles on the cake, so Max gladly assisted.

Happy birthday, Koko

My little furry dude had a birthday last week and if I hadn't been home sick I probably would have felt more motivated to create some homemade dog treats, but instead he had some lovely sweet potato and venison concoctions from the store. He also got a few other doggie perks: a trip to the pet store, a ride in the car, and an extra long walk. Not bad for one doggie day.

To Brian & Carlie

Corey's younger brother got married this past weekend. One of the first times I met Carlie was at my wedding. Besides celebrating their very special day, I had some great sentimental moments, as they were married in the same church that we were, in addition to the fact that Corey and I were both in the wedding and walked down the aisle together--again. The weather unfortunately didn't cooperate but the details of the wedding were lovely, as I knew they would be coming from an interior designer. The bride looked absolutely stunning and I really liked how our dresses looked (however, I was silently apologizing for any pain I ever inflicted on past bridesmaids). All in all, it was a nice reminder that I've got this whole other family that I'm a part of.

Rummaging

My neighborhood advertised for a multi-block rummage sale, so I decided that would probably be enough traffic to warrant the effort of folding and unpacking items. Luckily I had started early enough the day before, hauling in tables in the rain and marking items. I've only done one other sale, and that was pretty much a bust. I had planned to open at 8:00, and sure enough, by 7:05 the vultures were already circling. I was prepared with hot tea, two layers and a winter hat. I think my garage was located in the vortex of the morning's wind. The funniest moment of the whole day was watching a woman (in shorts and a t-shirt, mind you), equipped with a fanny pack, running down the street in order to get the hot items before other customers.

Baseball and bento boxes

This year to celebrate our anniversary, we tried to keep it low key. It probably seems like all I ever write about is going out to eat, but honestly, trying a new restaurant is probably one of my favorite things to do. I definitely live on a budget, but I think it would be really hard to cut out this indulgence! So when Corey suggested we combine some retail therapy and baseball (after I nixed his suggestion to go to Valley Fair), I thought his "planning" was perfect. Friday night we went to Midway Stadium to support an alumni and watched a pretty good game. Good memories--we hadn't been there since we were supporting the last alumni who was playing for the Saints. We were seated in the family/friends/wives/trashy girlfriend section and man, that is an entertaining sight to watch--I can only imagine what I would find sitting behind Kate Hudson at a Yankees game. Despite games being family-friendly events, some obnoxious superfan decided it was completely permissible to smoke a cigar at a sold-out game. He was approximately 30 rows in front of me and I was this close to walking down and offering him $20 to put it out. Saturday I introduced Corey to the mecca otherwise known as Ikea. At first I was sort of wandering around aimlessly, commenting on all the items I could use from the staged rooms. We had planned to buy some inexpensive lights, but most of them weren't hard-wired. We ended up with this really great, traditionally-styled wardrobe. Ding, ding! Instant closet. There's even a mirror on the front, which saved us from having to buy one and hang it. We tried this great restaurant for lunch at the MOA called Crave; the food was really good and reasonably priced. Corey had the free-range Chicken Caesar salad (where the lettuce was grilled) and I had a bento box--complete with fruit, sushi, seaweed and tempura--for $10. The Twins had a horrible game--despite a HR in the last inning, but sitting up 4 rows was ample compensation. Lots of bums during warm up...I had my mom's not-so advanced camera, but I managed to nab a few good shots (bad day to not bring the wide-angle lens). We walked back from the lightrail to the hotel in the POURING rain, but it was actually worth a few good laughs.

the Windy City

This trip was even more of a whirlwind than the last, seeing that it was mostly composed of mind-enriching visits and taste experiments with some excellent international fare.

Hotel: Westin Michigan Avenue. Very convenient and centrally-located, lobby decor very cool. (Don't laugh: I went to the American Girl Place across the street to see if I could score another set of the paper dolls. Out of print. Dang it.) Rooms OK. Apparently this MLB team was staying there at the same time; I don't know any of them, but I think I saw their agent (i.e. look for the binder, I was instructed).
Landmark Grill: hotel restaurant--great breakfasts with enormous portions; excellent fruit plate. Nice ambiance with the plethora of framed artwork.

Zapatista: crunchy and spicy corn taquitos. Amazing smoky chipotle salsa (their specialty). I loved the wrought-iron star lights that were sprinkled throughout the restaurant.
Bistrot Zinc: Inviting cafe atmosphere with warm, sunny walls. Front window opens and instantly you are on a small street in Paris. Waiter's knowledge was bar none. Flavorful hanger steak with potato gratin was extremely rich with flavor but not heavy. Split the flourless chocolate cake with 2 other people. Do not attempt this on your own.
1492 Tapas Bar: a cacophony of flavors and choices! An amazing experience in sampling. Several different, really good versions of calamari. The spicy meatballs were tangy and unexpected. The cheese plate was a nice alternative with its parmesan, blue cheese and fig compote.
Cheesecake Factory: with over 300 menu items, I knew I would find something great--the thai lettuce wraps were a nice light fare that saved me some room for the Godiva mousse cheesecake (still one of the lighter sweet items). An intimidatingly large building!

I was quite underwhelmed with the Shedd Aquarium, however, I didn't attend any of the auditorium shows, which I'm sure are one of the top reasons people visit. It's certainly geared towards a younger audience, and for them, it is most likely quite spectacular. Note: do not go to giant attraction on a Saturday. Cocktails may have to immediately follow the excursion. Being kind of an art gallery nerd, I was extremely excited to go to the Art Institute of Chicago, which hadn't been on my last trip to the city. As a self-proclaimed Modernist, several rooms lined with Gauguins, Chagalls and Cezannes quieted my mind. Another place you'll want to hit later on a weekday. Certainly Late Night Catechism was a hilarious, must-see show; beware: you must hold up to the actor's bullying as she will call you out in the audience. The second time around, Jersey Boys was even better! This musical has a lot of appeal, as I know my parents would be singing along even more than I was. Despite all of these amazing events, the crowning jewel of the trip was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Field Museum. Holy crap--I was a kid in a pre-historic candy store. The highlights: holding a 110 million-year-old (no joke) fossil (I wrote down the name somewhere but I think I lost it); seeing the private collections of the jewels that are not on display (there are LOTS); and tons of dinosaur bones--just us, a room in the basement and all of these bones--a great story to tell my kids someday.


Last but not least, on the friend side, I managed to see both Amber and Sarah (plus chubby bunny Ben). I miss you girls! Thank you for the conversation. It is greatly savored.

A few to-do items

After the incident on the freeway with my increasingly debilitated car, Ruby, it was pretty clear that the need for a new car was immediate. I was quite mad that day, seeing that the incident prevented me from going to the girl's getaway. I've been agonizing over selecting a car for the past few months--AWD, 4WD... That's just me: I chew, chew, chew on an idea, researching it online, asking for referrals, and then finally I make a decision. So I test drove one car and decided it was what I wanted. Plus, salespeople are dying for business right now, and the prices are amazing. Thursday I drove to Liz's and spent Friday with her and Owen, who, I've decided as with all other little ones I know--is not allowed to get any bigger. I don't have any pictures to share because of course I forgot my camera (much like Hansel & Gretel, I always leave something behind for people to remember me, I suppose...)Friday night and Saturday I spent at the Despins', reading books, watching kid's movies, playing outside, and, as usual when I come to visit, I helped my sister with one project: this one was hanging photos on the first floor. Yay for projects! A few to come: painting and rummage sale prep (I know, I may regret that one).

the Emerald City

I actually didn't know this until I arrived but this is Seattle's moniker. At first, I was thinking, "But Oz is the Emerald City..." OK, so I'm a little overinvested in fairy tales. I had never been to the Pacific Northwest before and despite not being able to hike, mountain climb, or take the ferry (all items for future trip with husband--one of our top 4 future destinations), my bird's eye view of the city was lovely. Our hotel was very centrally located near some important landmarks: Starbucks (duh), J Crew, Nordstrom et al. Work commitments really sucked up my time from 7:00 am until after 8 most nights, so I took an afternoon to play hooky and spent most of it traipsing through Pike Place Market. This is indeed a foodie's paradise: any type of fresh produce (and some I didn't recognize), in addition to a mile of fresh-cut cacophony of sunflowers, lilies, snapdragons, lavender...The honey tasting was one of my favorites, and I'm so glad that many booths started selling 3 oz. containers of their wares. I continued my tradition of collecting a piece of local art from my travels, and I bought a gorgeous painting of a ginko leaf from this artist. I really respected what this marketplace represents and how much the city and its businesses appreciate tourism. Great restaurants I was able to experience: RedFin Sushi--amazing crunchy tofu roll w/ spicy aioli; Anthony's at Pier 66--tender chargrilled halibut with a spectacular view; and a definite cheat-worthy pain du chocolat with almond paste at Le Panier. Next time I'll bring my hiking boots and passport, as I'm sure the views from Rainier and Olympia are well worth the trip, not to mention a night or two at Safeco Field.

CARH's visit

CR was home for a week-long visit and we had a great time. Sadly, there are no pictures to justify that fun was actually had, but indeed, it was. Most of our time together included lounging, referring to house decor magazines and picking out our future designs, drinking pinot grigio and other chilled items, looking at very comical high school pictures (and notes), and talking. We went to this new restaurant and the food was delicious. We had Yellow fin tartare for an appetizer, I had halibut and CR had whitefish. I took her to this new bar and we tried to fight off the 40-something medical device salesman. Note: don't watch sports when you are in a bar (force of habit) because men think that is a telltale sign for conversation. This picture is my absolute favorite--from our Senior Prom. Thanks for spending so much of your time with me, friend!

Weekends

Last Friday my mom and I went to the Quilting Expo. Besides the fact that I was probably the youngest person there, it was completely amazing. The walls of the arena were covered with larger-than-life plethoras of patchwork, intricate traditional patterns and shapes, and even some avant garde clothing and other strange wall-art items. Kat reminded me a few months ago that very few people in our generation can do things like sew, knit, even bake, and I was surrounded by these unbelievable pieces of art. Maybe I'll leave the sewing to my mom, but will really go after knitting and that pottery class I've been eyeing for the fall...The Despins were up and Nathan really wanted to ride the very large Italian bikes with the surrys on the Lakewalk. Man, it was way harder than it looks! We also went on the Vista, which he said "wasn't that exciting." The other picture is Ashley and her friend, who were at our house a few weeks prior (staying warm); she and my sister Karla & my mom came over for brunch.

New garden

The pictures don't do it justice and cannot broadcast the pomp and circumstance that I was humming when it was completed, but this garden was a huge endeavor! I originally wanted to plant vegetables, but quickly realized that this section doesn't get enough direct sunlight (and the neighbor clued me in that the former owner had tried unsuccessfully) . The garden was already sectioned off, so I wanted to plant perennials. Hopefully they'll make it through the rough winters and be back next year. With a lot of referrals & advice from more experienced gardeners (thanks, Pam!), I've got: lavender, chives, parsley, Artemisia, 3 different kinds of Seedum, Russian sage, Bleeding Heart, Bee Balm. My mom, Krista & Nathan really helped me bring it home by laying the compost & mulch. It's looking rather sparse now; I think I need some more decorative items against the house.

Celebrating a legacy

Last weekend was the inaugural golf outing for Coach's scholarship fund. Despite the cooler temps (and some people--who shall remain nameless--in shorts) the tournament and dinner to follow was an extreme success. It's really comforting to know that every year, we will all be able to celebrate Coach with this event.

Duel, pt. II

Rusty & Koufax were at it again...this time a bit more evenly matched size-wise. They both look really sadistic in these pictures, but actually it was pretty tame.

Airhead or aneurysm?

Don't laugh at me, but I think I've lost my ability to spell. My distraction with spelling and grammar is somewhat of an occupational hazard, in the sense that I am usually distracted by the sheer amount of packaging/public signs/business ads that haven't met a sound editor. But as of late, this blessing/curse has evaded me. I'll fire away at the keyboard, fumbling through sentences, and can't seem to understand that accommodation will always have 2 c's and 2 m's. Is my allergy medicine wiping out brain cells at an alarming rate? Why do I always confuse brian and brain? I am thinking too fast? (Seriously) do I have adult onset dyslexia?

Lull

Well, the season ended for the team, and it was a long, phenomenal ride. I look back at what the coaches and the team have accomplished this year and it is nothing short of amazing. Just speaking from my perspective, a non-player, non-coach but busy yet involved spouse (BYIS), it's also been a tough, rewarding, emotional ride. The conclusion of the season signaled a date for us out to a movie. We're making plans for next weekend, too, which includes some serious yard projects.

I may keel over from lack of exertion

Last week I was riding high, thinking I might be able to cram for the half marathon by getting a significant amount of miles in during May. Like physical activity is a quiz in geometry. Second day in a row of running a very impressive 3 miles, feeling quite brazen, I convinced my friend we should run outside. All was lovely amongst the peaks of secluded hills. Then we turned the corner, into the busy thoroughfare, and the wind hit us like a wall. I can only imagine how stupid we must have looked, practically moving in slow motion. Here's to the overnight study session I'm about to endure.

Easter baskets

I forgot to include this chronologically, but since we didn't have our own baskets I was compelled to buy some. Corey's was easy. Mine is boring. Was looking for something more shabby-chic, a wrought iron container. Will probably be replaced in the future. I love that they have paper grass now. I understand why my mom hated that plastic grass so much.

Socially acceptable visual target?

I was at a conference last week when a common situation got me thinking: I have a port wine birthmark (kind of resembles Alaska). I'm probably the only person who's been seeing a derm since the ripe old age of 6 mos. As you might believe, I'm totally used to people asking if I got burned, bruised, etc. However, I couldn't help but notice this woman with whom I was engrossed in a loooong conversation--about important professional topics--kept staring at my chest. Repeatedly. Is there no modesty in public curiousity? Is this any worse/better than if she were staring at me for having a large chest? Should I not care because it was a woman instead of a man?

Reflection

Corey's uncle passed away yesterday. Since Easter Sunday, I've been thinking a lot about what this holiday represents--the idea of a new beginning, growth...I hope that rings true for the gifts of time and healing. This winter brought a lot of darkness, and we're leaning towards the light.

GF Baking Class

CB gave me the coolest birthday gift--admission to a GF baking class sponsored by this location. I wanted to bring my mom (who is much more of a baker than I) but it was full. They made very amenable alternatives to the following goodies (which I'll paste below for anyone who cares):

Flour Mixture:

50/50 tapioca & quinoa flours
• mix this prior & store in airtight container
Add: corn/potato starch (about ½ T)
Xanthan gum (1/4 T per 1 c flour mixture)



GF Cake - Yellow

2 ¼ C Flour mixture
1 ½ C sugar (white or cane)
½ C butter, softened (not melted, room temp)
1 ¼ C milk (soy/almond/other)
3 ½ tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs (or 4 egg whites for white cake)
½ tsp xanthan gum
2 T potato starch


Wisk or sift flour to aerate. Beat all ingredients for 3 minutes, scraping sides occasionally. Start on low, gradually turn mixer up to med/high. (The mixture will be a little bit lumpy.) Pour into a greased pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

1 9x13 pan: 35-40 min
2 9” rounds: 30-35 min
9” cupcakes (12): 25-30 min


Butter Cream Frosting – easy
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C butter, softened
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1-2 T milk
Mix sugar and butter with electric mixer on low. Stir in vanilla; gradually add milk until spreadable. Mixture will be very thick!




GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C Flour mixture
¾ C Sugar
¾ C brown sugar
1 C butter, softened (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 c chopped walnuts (opt.)
2 T milk (for extra moisture)
½ tsp xanthan gum
1 bag (12 oz. chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 350. Cream the sugar, butter, vanilla, egg & milk. Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients and blend. Drop by tablespoonfuls on parchment paper. Bake 8-10 min.



GF Almond Macaroons

1 C almond butter (or peanut/cashew butter)
1 C water
1 C maple syrup (or honey/agave nectar)
½ tsp vanilla
1 C rice flour
8 C coconut shreds – unsweetened
1 C almonds (slivered/chopped)


Spray measuring cup before measuring out almond butter (very sticky). In a large bowl, cream together almond butter, water, vanilla and syrup (will be rather wet). Mix with a spatula/mixer until combined. When will incorporated, add coconut. Scoop cookies and flatten on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 min. Remove from oven & cool. Store in an airtight container.



Banana Cream Pie
Crust:
3 ½ C walnuts (almonds/pecans/etc)
¼ - ½ C sugar (white/cane/brown rice syrup/agave nectar)
½ stick butter
Grind nuts. Add sugar. Melt butter. Combine all 3 ingredients and pat into a 9” pie pan. Bake at 350 for 10 min & cool.

Pudding:

1 C milk
¾ C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla (x 2)
3 egg yolks (cold)
2 T cornstarch
½ C sugar
½ T butter
Fine strainer/cheesecloth

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar & cornstarch. In a pan, heat milk, cream & vanilla until simmering, scraping the bottom at all times. Wisk yolks, sugar/cornstarch & salt; stream into hot milk. Whisk continuously on medium heat until it begins to boil. Immediately pull off stove. Strain mixture onto ½ T butter & 1 T vanilla using strainer. Stir poured mixture until butter melts. Cover with plastic wrap right on top of pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Once pudding is completely cooled, add over nut crust. Add sliced (overripened) bananas. Top with whipped cream.

New bloggy friends

My friend Kristin & her friend Megan created a nifty blog for anyone who likes to shop--hello, anyone with a pulse? Honestly, though, I have little to no inspiration in my city of residence, but these daily enteries have kept my mental shopping list updated for my upcoming shopping trip! Plus, if you're really not into shopping or need some help putting items together, it's also a great find.

Weekends

There's been a nice balance of short bursts of obligation and fun moments in the last few weekends. My sister and her kiddies came to visit, which included dinner out with them, Corey and my parents (which really only happens on holidays), in addition to Sunday brunch at my parents'. In honor of our togetherness I broke down and bought my absolute favorite sparkling wine that I profiled on my other site. Then last Friday, Corey and I had dinner with some friends and still made it home early. Saturday we had brunch (I'm a big fan if you didn't notice), went to the new and gargantuan Menard's, made a mental list of some house items/summer projects, and each got a new hat to boot. Fun and even some productivity. Plus it makes you forget how much you can dread Monday mornings.

Lil' Owen

Last week I cruised down south to meet Owen Charles Pershing--what a little peanut. Now I have 2 families to visit there--excellent. My camera is not very cooperative, so this is the only picture I have of him. But Liz is doing a good job with the pictures. The teeny diapers just kill me! Kat down to visit on Saturday, so we managed to get the new mommy some sustenance and she went out for a facial. Hopefully I was some shred of help while I was there! Your family is beautiful, mom & dad.

Sunshine and sore legs

I coerced Anne into registering again for this with me, and we got in...oops. I should have known that would happen. At least it's warming up out there and when I ventured out Monday afternoon I was actually HOT--too many layers. The sunshine was glorious! You'll never have to accuse a Yankee of not appreciating warm weather. However, my body is reminding me about all those muscles I haven't been using. Mind you, I'm a social runner, so if anyone out there who's local needs a running buddy, let me know.

A good few days

This week snuck up really fast. Friday some of my co-workers and I went out to lunch here--I highly recommend the veggie curry. In absence of Corey and I going out, Kim & Anne were great sports to hang out with me yesterday for my birthday. We got pedicures that afternoon and then ate a very filling and delicious dinner at a fabulous location. A great topic of conversation: our husbands' fashion choices--who knew. Thanks, ladies--I had a great time! Tonight my mom had Beth & I over for homemade teriakyi steak and flourless chocolate cake. It was a good weekend.

Rest in Peace, Coach

I can say with complete certainty that the amount of people I have met and grown to love was directly impacted by knowing Coach John Baggs. When Corey and I first started dating, I never predicted how his baseball life would eventually carve out a big part of my life as well. Not that I had ever gone out on the field, never traveled to Florida to watch the team play during Spring Break, and oftentimes, when I went to games, I would start chatting and realize that I hadn't yet looked at the scoreboard. But more than just the team, the Family, is ever-present, ever-expanding, and unbelievably important. Every time I attended their alumni banquet, I was blown away by the love, admiration and support that these men had for the game, for their coaches and for one another. Our wedding list included almost 90 people that are directly linked to baseball and/or our alma mater. Some of my favorite "action" shots from that day are of Corey and I being hoisted up (rather dangerously) by some of the guys. No matter which couple was being celebrated, you knew that at the end of the night, everyone there would be standing around in a circle, arms linked, swaying to "Piano Man." I also think of the lovely women that I never would have otherwise known that are so close to my heart--how lucky I am to have them, those who understand what this whole "baseball thing" is really about, because in reality, it's about so much more than just baseball. It's about the things that matter--family, commitment, tradition, support and love. And as the family expands--either with new alumni, or with children, we all come to understand the weight of house that Baggs built. It's a foundation that extends to his own family, too. I remember when he and Colleen asked Corey to be Josie's Godfather. She said, assuredly, that Corey was family, and that he would always be there to support Josie. Thank you to the Baggs for being a part of our family, too. You've instilled in so many of us incredibly valuable and treasured gifts. We'll miss you, Coach.

Day of hearts

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon with Tiffany and Kade--it was a nice surprise. She called on her way into MN, so I was really glad to hear she'd be in town. Kade let me hold him and I got a few giggles out of him, too. I didn't take any pictures, sadly, but we had a good time and some excellent conversation. Corey & I went out for dinner at one of my favorite local places hoping to convert him. It worked. He had the 3-cheese penne and I had the Thai turkey chili and the salmon with raspberries and peaches. It was delicious.

A romantic gift

For my Valentine's gift, I asked for these running shoes. I know, it's really sexy. Not that it's even about the gift, and actually we had a quasi-agreement that we wouldn't buy gifts for one another, instead, to buy items for the house (case in point: for Christmas, we bought another one of these chairs for the LR). However, I want these before March, considering March is the absolute latest I can begin training for the half. And if I receive them tomorrow, I can start training tomorrow. Corey's getting a Shutterfly calendar and a photo card. Planned in advance, however, ordered barely in the nick of time.

Little things

I headed to a conference this week (which was a welcome escape from the craziness of work) and the dinner was held at one of my favorite St. Paul restaurants (the grilled salmon and goat cheese risotto was amazing, of course, however, the $12 {gulp} glass of wine was not). Ugh. I miss living in bigger, exciting places sometimes, esp. when someone sitting next to you at dinner talks about living in Garrison Keillor's neighborhood. I stayed at the Wallace house, which was nice, and we even managed to stop at Trader Joe's--$2.99 wine, yummy curry food, & GF granola. I held my composure and didn't buy the chocolate-covered bananas. Today was amazing weather! This was a day that we in the north live for. Everyone is happier when it's February and it's 50 degrees outside. Koufax and I had a long walk, I shoveled off the deck...it was great. I still have some lofty cleaning goals, but those might have to wait.

Life's kinda boring

I have had little to contribute to my blog in the last month or so because frankly, not much is really going on. First off, since December, I've been sick. Insert various maladies here. I am sure the stress of family/friend situations has contributed. Next, I've been working. A lot. However, since I stick to generalized information, again, not much to report. Except that, however, when my large task list is diminished I am taking a few mental health days. Some of my activities will hopefully include a massage, an elliptical machine, a movie at the theater, and an overpriced latte. The beacon of light has been CB, who's home visiting. Many of the above activities have been enjoyed in her company, not to mention the most exciting venture of the month, at its new location.

January birthdays

My mom and my niece Ashley have birthdays this month. Usually my mom is hard to buy for because if the gift is too frivolous, she'll think she should take it back, and if it's too practical, you don't feel like you're spoiling someone enough, considering it's your mom and it's her birthday. I found this really cool family archive album that's pre-designed and has acid-free paper and plastic covers for pictures. My mom is really interested in tracing and documenting her family history, so I thought she would enjoy it. Corey & I had her and my dad over for some grilled pork, garlic mashed potatoes and my favorite flourless chocolate cake recipe (I sprinkle cocoa powder on the top).


Ashley, whom I remember as a cute little girl with curls, turned 16 this month and I'm still in disbelief. I chewed on that for quite a few days. I wanted to get her something special since you only turn 16 once, and I remembered seeing this jewelry line at a local boutique. The homemade spaghetti sauce was in abundance.

Itching for a project

So my blog has been relatively uninteresting lately, and after being sick for so long I just figured life had gotten rather boring. Some house projects will have to wait for spring, ahem, summer(i.e. painting & recovering these funky little ottomans we got from Corey's grandma) but considering my mantra since June's been "What else should I be doing during the winter?" I think a project is in order. I think I'll start with the guest bedroom, since that requires the least amount of disturbance. Some items to consider: a large, funky mirror like this one, I also got some lovely pictures that our friend who's a graphic designer created, and I ordered the mats and frames for them. One's going in the LR and the other one will go in this room. It's a crazy, kind of mystical picture of two women, and some butterflies. But the woman is naked and kind of bald. Here's a link to his stuff: definitely the homiest of the content, which in general doesn't exactly scream Martha Stewart. It's on the right-hand side, third column from the bottom.

Then, the kitchen needs some work. I thought I'd start with this light for above the sink, and a happy yellow valance like this for the sink, too. These are actually really easy to make (ps my mom, not me), so maybe I could prevent a PB purchase...For the living room, I would like to cover our big entry wall with a mirror or painting, and this stuff from Target's Global Bazaar would fit nicely, as it's relatively funky and unique.

Of course creating new projects just procrastinates other tasks, like donating boxes in the garage, cleaning out closets, looking for missing boots and mittens, etc.

Where did you discover good finds (online or in-store)? What great, inexpensive places can I rely on?

Showering the baby

Liz's sister & mom threw her a shower for her family and Bryan's mom to attend. I was really glad that I was able to make it, and that Janell drove up all the way from KC for it! Thanks, J. It was great to see Liz & the bump of course, and Ryker entertained us with some guitar strumming. Amy also made it, sans baby Jack, but it was great to see her. I am amazed Liz got all of her stuff in her Jeep! I hope to see the baby's room soon, Liz!

Face off & other additions

CB was here over the holidays and we spent some great time together--out for sushi, buying very important after-Christmas merchandise, and playing with the pooches. Here's a funny clip of her Cav, Rusty, getting chased by mine, who is about 1/4 the size.

Her mom's neighbor graciously made Koufax this sweater (which we hide from Corey because he is not happy about garments on his dog. Also Koufax is trying to eat it every time I try to put it on, so I had to create a sneak attack.). It turned out great. No, I don't have it because I want to dress my dog up in outfits (he already looks somewhat effeminate). But honestly dude, it's cold outside. I also ordered some dog booties from this local store, who supplies them for all the sled dogs in the area. The salt wreaks havoc on their little paws.