and it's back...

So spring is not quite here...on Tuesday, the forecast started out that we could see a dusting to 2 inches of snow. By the time the afternoon rolled around, it had changed to 6-10 inches. Unfortunately the second forecast was correct.  Before the storm hit, we had quite a bit of freezing rain and then got about 9-10 inches on top of that. Thankfully we have our four wheeler, it is that heavy, wet snow...and thankfully our power didn't go out like it did back in November when we got this heavy stuff.  We spent 24+ hours with no heat, electricity or running water...it was miserable!

I'm so grateful I have the work flexibility I do when the weather is bad and was able to work from home...all that ice below the snow made the roads terrible, there was no way I would have made it into work without going in the ditch. We weren't plowed out until lunch time.  I'm also hoping this will be the last time I need to take advantage of working from home, I'm SO ready for spring!

We have a pretty busy weekend ahead of us. My friend Caitlen and her husband Jon will be in town, so we are planning to get together for dinner and bowling. I'm really looking forward to seeing them, it's been way too long!  On Sunday, I'm meeting up with AJ, Brooke, Steph and Kristin at IKEA for some lunch and shopping. 

Happy Thursday, we're almost through the week!

 

spring is here...

...almost...or at least until today!  It's been so nice watching the all the nasty snow melt...although we are getting our first glimpse of the backyard and Shiloh's mess, ugh.  We've even done two major pickups this winter already whenever it was nicer out and some of the snow had melted.  I swear it gets worse and worse every year...it's the only down side to spring, I guess.

We had a pretty low key week and weekend. We had friends over for dinner on Wednesday, they are in town from Arizona and it was great to see them and their kiddos and catch up. On Friday, we headed to Mall of America for the day and did a little shopping and had a sub-par lunch at the food court. So disappointed in Sbarro...not what I had remembered it being. I wish I had known how much we would be throwing away, I would have just given it to the man that ordered one bread stick before us. I felt guilty throwing all that food away, especially after I realized that man before us was indeed homeless (I didn't see his bags until after he had walked away). Then we had a birthday dinner on Friday night at a place that just opened, Prairie Ale House, in Eden Prairie. It was great to catch up with some of my college friends but the menu was super odd. For example, some of their apps were wisconi balls, sausage party, sick pickle, and chix with stix...just to name a few, LOL.  The main dishes were equally weird as well...both in the names and what side/extras came with. For example, they had a butter burger with peanut butter?!? Ummm...gross! Although a few people at the table have seen that before, apparently it's not super uncommon.

Shiloh got into the paper recycling while we were gone at dinner (she actually figured out how to knock it down this time). We came home to shredded cardboard boxes all over the living room floor. We hope she learned her lesson (which I know she didn't because she's a dog) but she was puking up cardboard all.weekend.long. It was pretty bad and unbelievable what that dog swallowed, ugh. We've gone months again with no incidents but we might have to pull the kennel out again...which she doesn't do well in either. She barks nonstop when we leave her in it (I can tell from the thousands of tiny water drops that surround her kennel on the hardwood), has bent some of the metal bars in the front and has escaped twice now. Seriously, we can't win either way. We've looked into other kennels but the ones for her size start at $100+...not high on my priority list or what I feel like spending money on right now, so we make due.

I did not make it to Aldi this weekend, I needed too many "Target" items like toiletries and such. Maybe next weekend? I just couldn't bare to waste anymore time shopping when we had such gorgeous weather on Saturday! We took Shiloh for a walk and ran her around the yard a couple times (which was a much needed release of energy). I'm pretty sure if she could talk, she would tell me she can't wait for summer to arrive.  Most days you will find her in her favorite spot of the house (besides our bed)...laying at the back patio door sun bathing and watching her deer and squirrel friends run around the yard...she can't wait to join them :)

Sunday was a lazy day in front of the TV...mostly watching TLC. They had a marathon of Lottery Ticket winners and their stories on...so we daydreamed what we would do with $20M dollars...le sigh.  I also started to watch "Sister Wives" last night.  I had seen them on Oprah a while back and they are kinda intriguing...while I will never understand why they choose that lifestyle and how they make it work, it is still pretty interesting to watch the dynamics of the family. I justify it with telling myself it's WAY better than watching Jersey Shore, Sarah Palin or Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Those shows are beyond ridiculous...while Sister Wives might be in the little ridiculous category ;)

I have a "long" work week ahead of me, which I dread but I can't really complain too much...I do get 26 three-day weekends a year. Anyways, hope you all have a great week!

recaps...

Hi friends, I'm back again. Sorry it's been so quiet around here lately, lots going on I guess! Nothing newsworthy but lots of little busy things going on.

I'm trying to remember what we've been up to for basically the past month. Let's see, we went to dinner with our friends Lisa and Jason to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar a few weeks ago. It's a pretty cool place, the bar is in the shape of a huge guitar and has live music every weekend. The food was very good too and it was pretty busy for a Saturday night. I guess it's the new "it" place to go out on weekends if you are sick of the DT and Uptown bar scenes. I wouldn't know since I was over that scene years ago but I can see how it would be fun. Free parking and I'm guessing drinks are a lot cheaper too. We were also very overdressed in our mom sweaters and jeans, LOL! So glad I'm out of that phase of my life!!

I've started to feel really old lately (besides the fact my 30th is just around the corner!). My family has started to talk about plans for Jim's graduation this year...seriously, is my little brother already graduating college?!?! It feels like yesterday I was helping him move into the dorms and not believing how old he was then. How time flies. It should be a fun weekend though, my sister (and possibly Trevor) will be flying home that weekend. He graduates on a Friday night and his final 7 Days spring concert is then that Saturday night. And then he officially joins the rest of us in the real world!

Joe has been hard-core job searching again but outside of Wells Fargo this time...really hoping something comes along for him. Considering the economy, he's been getting quite a few hits, some of them have been scams but there have been a few solid leads. It would be great for him to find something he enjoys again...the bank is definitely NOT it!

I've given up the search for a while now but when we out to dinner with Lisa and Jason last month, I had talked about how I had final interviews with 2 companies last fall and how they never got back to me, not even an email...even though I had followed up with them a few weeks after those interviews. I'm still kinda bitter...I took 1/2 days so I could do those interviews and they didn't have the common courtesy to let me know either way. That's just rude in my book! Anyways, that following week, Jason sent me a link that one of those companies were planning to lay off 2,000 employees by April 1. Can you say blessing in disguise? I'd say so...just another example that everything happens for a reason! Needless to say, I'm thankful that didn't work out...at the time of the article, they weren't sure how many MN jobs were going to be in lay-off but just to be put in that situation of not knowing....we've been there before with WF Financial last summer, so no thank you!

I've been having a hard time this week with the time change over the weekend. I'm so tired this week! But I'm loving the fact that it's light out past 7pm now...just waiting for it to warm up a tad more so I can take Shiloh for a nice long walk! The roads are still kinda icy in spots by our house, so I'm hesitant to take her out unless Joe is with me so he can hold the leash (just in case she decides to chase a squirrel, I'd be flat on my @$$). This might be the week/weekend that it finally melts enough for me to go, YAY!!

We also need to find a new dog food for Shiloh. We've really loved the stuff we've been giving her the past few months (she's on a weight mgmt food) and she's lost almost 5 pounds already (with little walking opportunities this winter). But she's been throwing up a lot more frequently (like maybe 2-3 times a week, so not all the time but frequent enough to take notice)...so if the new food doesn't help, we'll have to take her in and see what is going on. I'm hoping the new food does the trick and we can save the $300+ vet bill from all the tests they will "need" to run. I've gotten some good recs on Taste of The Wild, I plan to pick up a bag of that tonight and gradually switch her over.

Coupon clipping has been going fabulously...although Joe went to Aldi a few weeks ago to pick up a few staples for me, since we have one right across the street from us. Food is noticeably much cheaper there. For example, milk is $2.19 vs Target is now up to $2.69. I'm planning to check it out this weekend...only downside is they carry their own brands so my coupons are going to be worthless. But as far as taste, it probably won't be a huge deal for us since I've been buying a lot Market Pantry items from Target anyways.

I heard sad news on the radio this morning, I found out that Nate Dogg passed away yesterday. I absolutely LOVED the song Regulate with Warren G. I had that song memorized at one time and it was my very first cassette tape that I ever purchased. I still own it to this day, I've never been able to part with it, even though I have nothing to play it in. He was only 41 and struggled with strokes/health problems, very sad. Regulators, mount up!!!

I will leave you with a few pictures I got in a forward today...pretty much sums up how I feel every week I'm at the pump. I hope things go back to normal soon...but until then, maybe this will brighten your day :)
 

mia...

Sorry folks I've been MIA for a few weeks (probably more than that, I've lost track!). I haven't been sleeping well the past few weeks, which has me feeling not so hot lately.  I wouldn't call it insomnia, because I can fall asleep...I just wake up multiple times (at least 4-5 times) during the night and can't get back to sleep...I wake up with my mind either racing about work or the house.  We are trying to decide if it's best to sell or stay/remodel...decisions, decisions...I just don't know what we should do...and since the economy still sucks @$$, it makes our decision even harder...I really need to be closer to work, I'm starting to go crazy with my commute, especially with winter.  Yet we can get way more for our money (and as long term investment) if we stay on the north side of town.  Needless to say, it's been a long time since I've slept the whole night through. And I've been a little snarky, which is why I haven't posted.  When I've tried, they just turn into a bitch fest about whatever is annoying me at the moment (there have been many annoying things going on in the world and at work), which I know no one wants to hear :)  So I promise to do better in March and will hopefully get more sleep.  My mind will get too tired at some point and will just have to give in to a full night's sleep. I hope that day comes sometime very soon!