T-15 The Great Puzzle Challenge

Uhm I am a little embarrassed to post this photo, I made little progress. Wish me luck please.

T -16 The Great Puzzle Challenge

Christmas came and went like a flash. Once again we posed for our family Christmas photos. I know they are getting a little stale, we should start brainstorming for next year, now. I have been working on a 5000 piece puzzle for quite some time (actually since January 2006). In that time Ben has decided that me finishing the puzzle is a prerequisite for him accepting me in marriage. So let's just say I have alot of work to do in the next 16 days, like 4000 pieces of work. Best of luck to me and my back, I will finish this doozey. Here is where I stood Tuesday night, how about a little encouragement, huh?

CHRISTMAS?!?!

Holy Batman I can't believe it is Christmas already. I do have my shopping done and my roommate has all the holiday baking done. Job well done on the cookies Therese, not! Let's just say there were some serious problems involving corn syrup which led to other problems involving chipped teeth which was followed by a whole string of F-bombs.

Today was a pretty cool day for us at work as we delivered our gifts to our Big Brother Big Sister Sponsor Family. This year Lola, Samuel, Markeanna, Kimarra, Michelle, Brianna, Jontae, Khamena, and Jamal have a load of sweet gifts to open on Christmas morning. Way to go team you rock! And Miss Lola was more than thankful which made our efforts all the more worthwhile.

Last Saturday night was my last single night out with the girls. We stayed at the suave Chambers Hotel (thank you Sarah) and spent a little time out on the town. I did meet these two boys who were for sure too cool for their designer duds. Nice tan dude you look like an Oompa Loompa. Tanman suggested to Sarah that she check out the bar on the top floor as it was very happening. Her quick reply "Yeah I work here", got rid of them real fast which was no loss for any of us.
If you know me at ALL you know I prefer boys who look like this and don't pay for their tans, thank you.
We had a great time out, well I did at least, I hope the girls all did too. Thanks for all the neato undergarments, most were practical, some (Tami's) were a little, no alot risque for this small town girl and Kelly's gift. Well let's just say waaaaaay outta my league.

The wedding planning is really starting to heat up and I am sure the posting will be a little light in the coming weeks so I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here are a couple of interesting links....

This story hits close to home as I know some Shattuck grads. Can you imagine the pressure? I would not want to walk in this this kid's shoes..

What do you know about the history of religion?

Hey we kind of know her. Well not exactly but she is from my dad's hometown and went to high school with some of my buddies. She also has graced the cover of Runner's World and Running Times in the last couple of months. Nice going Carrie, way to make Dawson, MN proud.

Two down, one to go and it's the big one!

Well Darcie and I survived the Las Vegas marathon. Look at how happy we look at the start. Funny thing is I was not happy at all, I mean it was 5:45 am and I had been up for over an hour and I was crying inside just thinking of the 26 horrible miles of desert duststorm we were about to encounter. Okay maybe it wasn't that bad but it did hurt pretty good.

We are nearing one month to go on the big day, SCARY. It seems we have everything under control but I am hoping day of circumstances don't resemble either the PE or the marathon. You know what I mean, getting to the day not quite sure that you are fully prepared and then realizing that you didn't quite know what you were signing up for. I have heard weddings can be like that, but I have also heard they can be pretty cool. Let's hope for the later, huh?

I solemnly swear

I took and oath this morning, an oath to the county of Kandiyohi that I am a woman and Ben is a man and therefore we can be married. I wanted to laugh, I don't know why, but with my hand in the air, just standing there I felt like a doof. This is a little what I looked like, minus the ears, suit and tie. In 5 days we will find out if we have been approved and Ben will find out that I changed his name. I think Benjamin Kvaal sounds divine, plus he can now buy tennis shoes with his initials on them and eat at Burger King for free, how sweet.

Oh boy today's dentist appointment was not a fun one. I had the crazy not nice hygienist (if you go to Uptown Dental you know what I am talking about). Seriously she is the oddest duck and she mumbles, mumbles like nobody's business, mumbles twice as much as I could ever mumble and not about good stuff. She commented on my engagement ring, said she liked it and then followed with the longest run on sentence.

I was married once, well I probably shouldn't say that but well, he picked out a really nice ring too, that was the only thing he did right, but we should not have gotten married we didn't even live in the same town, we both just thought it was time and then I got to know him and then I realized I didn't even like him.... but I mean I wanted it to work but he just wanted to hunt and fish and hang out with the guys, he was a Northern boy... but I wanted it to work and we were together for 7 years but he liked to party too much, he actually had a drinking problem but I think he used it as an excuse to run away from me and luckily we didn't have children because he lives in North Dakota and if we had kids I would have to live there too and I hate North Dakota except Fargo I went to school there and I liked it well except the wind...maybe it isn't that windy there there are just no trees so it feels windy but the sunsets are really pretty because it is so flat and well what do I know? I had a dream I ran into him and it was morning time and he was drunk and I felt so bad for him but don't worry you have been dating your boyfriend for 2 years in the same town and I'm sure you will work out.

Wow that was the most encouraging wedding story I have ever heard. Her great story was followed by the dentist informing me I need a root canal on tooth #15. That is going to be awesome, I can't wait for the 14th of December, when the crazy root is coming out. I have to say I am almost as excited for the marathon as I am for the canal. Joy to the World.