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.

Hung Lu's I-Pod Screen Repair - OPEN

Oh boy another i-pod hits the dust. This morning the screen went out on my i-pod which is death #4 for me. I am pretty sure this one is covered under warranty but if not the i-pod repair shop will definitely be reopening. I will not buy another i-pod Apple Corporation, I will not. I am not your slave!

The morning did not go well, first the I-pod then the eye. I lost my right contact on the bus and have been pulling a pirate ever since. I look funny to say the least, maybe even a big suggestive which is a very difficult look for me. After a full day of winking I feel a headache coming on. Ahyyyyrrrrr Matieeeeeeee

Pumpkin Head

Well I didn't make it to the NYC marathon like I had hoped I would but that is okay. Lance made it and he rocked, running a 2:59.

I however, I am not going to rock. I run for about an hour and I have had enough. I better start crossing my fingers and taking alot of Advil because December 10 and the Las Vegas Marathon are coming really quickly.

We carved some sweet pumpkins for Halloween and had a blast, even with the pumpkins that were stinky with brown seeds. Some of us were planning on having so much fun we decided we should wear our Halloween costumes again before the season passed. Dork! (btw Ben I got outta my car and found your moustache stuck to my shoe, in case you are looking for it)


My roommate and I are going to the OK GO concert tonight at First Ave. I pretty much know the treadmill song and that is about it so I don't know how great the concert will be for me. My bad though, Therese has been trying to get me to listen to the CD for months. In the listening I have done I have noticed excessive cowbell, what is up with that?

It's a-me a Mario!

Why yes it is.

Ben so looked the part of Mario, it was almost scary.

Me as Princess, well not quite the same effect. I think the last time somebody mistook me as a princess was at the orthodontist in the fifth grade. And I was not a princess, the doctor just called all the girls that, even girls like me in baseball caps with scabs on their knees.

e-mail of the year

2 days until the big test and seriously I am so tired of trying to learn crap that I didn't know before and won't need to know after. Boo-yah. Just setting eyes on the cover of the reference manual gives me the weebie jeebies. If you care what the condenser water flow in gpm is most nearly for a system operating with an ammonia (R-717) refrigerant brine chiller at 38.5 psia and 20 degrees of superheat, then you are crazy. You shouldn't be taking the PE you should be taking some sleeping pills.

We had quite an eventful day here at the office. One choice employee in Palm Springs sent us the e-mail of the year. He sent everyone in the whole company the e-mail of the year which was a picture of a terrorist who caught himself on fire. Wow I am glad I was able to see that classic piece of journalism. I think the 2nd e-mail of the year is the one we got 5 minutes later from HR reminding us that e-mails of the political or personal nature are not welcome on our servers. Way to go mr. e-mailer of the year.

On a hipper, more earth friendly note, we got a great piece of snailmail from an 87 year old landowner who loves his new turbines. He loves all 5 of them so much, him and his son wrote us a letter and made a 7 minute DVD. The clip of the year is definitely him hugging one of his turbines with the caption, turbine hugger and lover. Yep that is right Edward you know where the moneymaker is and you is the bomb.

Where have I been?

Right here in this crappy black chair with the giant milk dud stain. 2 more weeks and the PE exam will be done, finished, finito. After that I am only running and working on the puzzle. That is it, nothing else.

We had a wedding last weekend, only 2/4 of us made it, Ben was hunting and my Dad was suffering from an old football injury that doesn't allow him to sit for long periods. Okay whatever, lame excuses both of you. It was a long Catholic ceremony, and we missed a half hour due to some confusion about the start time but we made it and look at the awesome time my mom is having. I guess you could say it got me in the wedding spirit though as I booked our wedding singer and deejay at the wedding. Tacky maybe but I am all about fast, and this was fast.

Last night we went to the Wild Game, I got some nice free tickets from work and the game was awesome. The Wild are 4-0, playing really great hockey yet half the fans at the game are so busy yapping they have no idea what is even going on. Oh and if you don't know what a Zamboni is, please give up your seat to someone who does. Yes you know who you are Club Section 8, Row 2, Seat 5, know it all jerk who walked by like 5 times.

Is that my toothbrush?

Apparently not. Last night I was reading and my roommate was walking around brushing her teeth, with my toothbrush.

"dude you are using my toothbrush".

"uhm actually this is my toothbrush, I swear, yours is in the holder"

"nope that is Ben's, I have been using the pink one since I moved in 3 weeks ago, I have that same toothbrush, have you been using it too?"

"Yes I have and I am pretty sure it is mine but you can have it, I don't want it anymore"

Later my pink Colgate toothbrush was found in my travel bag in the toothbrush holder. In my defense it is the exact same brush. You don't have to tell me, I know I am an awesome roommate.

We checked out the new Chamber's hotel bar on Saturday (yeah the website kind of sucks). I am not going to do a bar review, just will say if my old buddy Sarah was not the front desk manager my feet would probably have never set foot there, but there was some good people/celebrity watching. If you don't mind paying $10 for a drink, check it out or read this. The picture in the article is from the outdoor bar which is very Sex in the City like. Well like I would know. I guess what I am getting at is I was there and other people were too, there was a fire and it was an alright time.

Kansas can be pretty

when the sun is setting. Another one of our sweet projects went online this past week, Way to Go Team! The Spearville Wind Farm will produce enough clean green electricity to power about 30,000 homes.

In other sweet news Nye's Polonaise Room aka Conference Room 'N' received Esquire's Best Bar in America Award. How, why ? I do not know but it is quite the honor to work 500 feet from such a national landmark. I am actually looking at Nye's as I type, what inspiration. I think I can even smell the peirogies and stale beer.


Oh and for those of you wondering, we finally set a date, January 13 is the big day. Yes we gots lots to do............

Brother Ron,

I haven't seen you in a month but I know you read my blog. Will you be in our wedding? Please let me know.

Love,
Your little sis

Goodbye Summer!

Have I said I hate Labor Day Weekend? I always have, ever since I was elementary age, I would cry when Labor Day came. So I should be proud to say that this year's was not so bad. We were out in Rhinelander WI (Hodag capital of the world) for a friend's wedding reception and it was a good time. Luckily the rain and other weather altogether missed us and we were outside the whole time. Cool.

Not so cool was the world's longest move which took place Monday to Thursday and is still somewhat happening. I moved down to Lake Harriet with an old college buddy and since I will be sharing space with someone else about half of my stuff ended up at Ben's, in boxes, in trailers and in sheds. I was rushing around this morning trying to find my check book, cell phone charger and other necessities but had no luck. I don't know where anything is, my mom came down and helped me pack so I have an excuse besides being crazy for not finding stuff but still what a drag.

Compound all this not cool moving stuff with my hacking cough and well life is awesome. The Dr. said it was/is a virus that was compounded by a sinus infection but looking on web md I think I have whooping cough. Either way the antibiotics should clear it up, I hope. The pulled muscle in my left side ab has somewhat subdued the coughing but I still sound like a overweight smoker. For those of you who have hung out with me in the past two weeks, I am sorry.

Happy Birthday Classy Lady

Yeah I am talking about you Mom, I know this is a picture you enjoy. Poor Dad, always in trouble for something and she is loving it, check out the grin! I hope your birthday is great just like you!

Well summer is winding down and I won't see these two crazy cats at the lake every weekend, but I have a feeling I will be home plenty trying to plan the nuptials. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers, planning is not my forte.

In a moment of weakness, after an unfortunate weigh-in, I signed up for the Las Vegas Marathon. So now I am studying for my PE, training for a marathon and planning a big party, all in the next four months. Sweet.

Fish have feelings too.

Here are our fish, Fish 1 and Fish 2. When the fish died I felt bad but my Dad reminded me they are only reptiles. (but I guess they aren't but they are still without a soul or something.......? Physics Major here!) We cleaned them and ate them so they didn't die in vain but still I am sad for them, they were nice fish.

Snakes are reptiles and they all can die. I hate them. And no I will not be going to see Snakes on a Plane. I saw Anaconda and that was enough for me, I still have nightmares.

Well, fall is right around the corner and I am back in school. Wednesday nights I have a 3 hour prep course for the Professional Engineering Exam at the U of M. It's a little odd to be in one of my old college classrooms, being taught by an old college classmate, subjects I used to understand when I was in college. But don't worry I was able to maintain my old college form, I showed up to class without the textbook, without my calculator and I am sure come Tuesday night I will scrambling to get my homework done for Wednesday. What joy, at least Ben is taking the exam too so we can find comfort in each other's dread.

Yeah Good Morning

I had my yearly physical this morning which was of course awesome. I mean I love the open back robe, 12 hours of fasting, needles, cups....... BLECH, what a drag but I got through it, hungry but unharmed. I finished my appointment, got to work, made my daily oatmeal, grabbed it out of the microwave and placed it on top of my coffee mug, just like I do EVERY morning. But today, I only made it halfway down the hall. Oh joy and I left a stain, a stain that will probably be there for awhile. Hopefully I didn't also leave an invitation for the ants to come back, they are not wanted here, not at all.

Tonight is the Twins Joe Mauer sideburn night, Go Twins! We would go but I don't think I would look too good in black sideburns, Ben already has his own pair, and we have plans for a movie with some friends. We are planning on seeing World Trade Center which opened yesterday, I have heard it is good, please don't tell me if you heard differently.

Hard to believe but people really fall for that Nigerian money scam. I don't know if you recall the Tennessee preacher's wife who shot her husband in the back 6 months ago or so. I was intrigued by the story because there seemed to be no motive, he was a nice enough guy, they got along, really nothing out of the ordinary. Then you find out she lost $17,000 to some Nigerian scam artist claiming to be some prince with extra cash, things got heated and the guy gets shot. What a drag, I guess I should stop crying over my spilled oatmeal.

It's time to move on........

I am preparing to vacate my one bedroom hideaway on the river. Goodbye StoneArch it's been a good 3 year ride, but I am moving to uptown. Oh sad day. And the commute, that is going to be a change, I guess 6 blocks just can't last forever.

This letter came through on our fax today. Apparently Tillie G. has some real problems with "them windmills", poor Tillie, if you don't like wind turbines you sure live in the wrong part of the state. But don't worry, being you told us 3 times "don't put no windmills on my land", I don't think we will. And on the plus side you have Ted Kennedy and a bunch of other ignorant "not in my backyard" idiots on your side. We have been waiting 2 months for the Department of Homeland Security to allow us to begin construction in SW Minnesota because they claim their radar can't tell the difference between the spinning blade of a turbine and some crazy terrorist plane attacking via Canada. Wow, our governemnt agencies are intelligent.

Goodbye July.

Well I am sorry to say I did not make it to RAGBRAI this year, but Lance did. He mingled with the crowd, signed autographs and hung out, how cool! I guess he liked it too as the quote in the paper was "So this is RAGBRAI, I wasted all those Julys in France"

My friend Darcie and I did some biking of our own, not in Iowa but in Elk River and I need some practice, I took two tumbles and had multiple near misses, see photo. It was hard to believe we were the only ones on the trail at noon on Friday, it was only like a 100 degrees out.

Oh this is great, Joe Mauer is the new Sports Illustrated cover!

It's Official(ly) Scary!

These two dorky, outdoor loving, enginerds are getting hitched. Who'd a thought?

We haven't picked a date but we have the place and we are both pumped. Mr. Anderson pulled all the right moves, asked my Dad's permission, secretly picked out the ring HIMSELF (and it is gorgeous), got down on one knee and melted my heart. What a guy!

Ben please look at this picture and remember it is never too late to back out, my looks are only going to get worse, I do not photograph well and I go by the name sweetwhitelady.