Projects

So I've got 4 projects in mind...

1) To finally build my bookcases. My parents and Grandma gave me Home Depot gift cards for my birthday...back in February...for the sole purpose of building some new bookcases (my current Walmart specials didn't travel so well to Texas...one is permanently canted about 10-15 degrees). Anyways, I was digging through a bunch of Wood magazines my Dad gave me. I thought I wanted to build two mission style cases, but now I'm not so sure. My Dad likes to give me tools for Christmas...I have a router and router table and a biscuit joiner that I haven't even opened yet...but I will! Soon hopefully, now that the weather is starting to cool off, I can actually tolerate working on my balcony.

2) Designing and making this year's Christmas cards...I only managed to get about 10 done last year- due to my late start and a mission in December...this time I hope to send them ALL out!

3) & 4)Two books I just purchased: War and Peace and Moby Dick. War and Peace will be my second Tolstoy (Anna Karenina is awesome by the way). Same with Melville (although Billy Budd was pretty horrific). To be honest, I don't have great hopes about Moby Dick. I have yet to meet someone who actually liked the book...but for literature's sake...I'll suffer through.

So, those are my projects. I'm realistic enough to NOT put a deadline on them, but hopefully in the next few months I can check them off.

What projects do you have on your list?

Refreshed...kinda

So after two overnight shifts this weekend, I headed to my friend Pam's house to sleep for a few hours before she and the girls from our girls discipleship group returned from church. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy spending time with these young ladies. They are such fun to be around and always have so much wisdom, regardless of what we are talking about. This time, we had the girls listen to message that was given at Fusion called "Come and Drink". We gave them questions to answer about it and the discussion that ensued was just led by God. So amazing. Ladies, I appreciate your friendship, sweet spirits, and laughter! It was a good dose of fellowship that hit the spot. Thank you!

Jen, Allyson, and Corrine

Joy

Kiana, Sandi, Lauren, Karmetra, and Cassia- chowing down

Wedding Summary

I had SUCH a good time this weekend! I finally got to meet Ajay and think he is just perfect for Kaylene. Really nice guy and fun to be around. Congrats you two!It did snow on the day of the wedding, not a lot, but it did. The sun came out at the very end, perfect timing for some outdoor pictures. (Click on the picture below to go to the whole photo album)

Kaylene and Ajay's Wedding

Kaylene and Ajay's friends were a riot to hang out with. It was so nice to meet Naomi and Kirsten, who I have heard much about.

Me, Naomi, Kirsten, and Kaylene

And their air force buddies! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time...they greatly enjoyed singing the 80s tunes that were played. Nothing like watching a bunch of guys in mess dress singing Bon Jovi's "Shot through the Heart" at the top (and I do mean top) of their lungs.

I caught a ride back to Vegas with Mickey, Jen, and Jon and we walked around the strip for a few hours (first time I've been to Vegas), went to a small car show in Caesar's Palace, then it was off to the airport.

New York New York and the strip

1968 Shelby GT 500...
So added to my list of places to go: South Dakota to visit Ajay and Kaylene (although I was already planning this-howver, they are deploying in January), England (to visit Kevin and his wife Kristen-Kevin flies the KC-135- I don't think he has ever met anyone who got excited about that! I think I made his day :) ), Kirsten and David in Florida, and Naomi and Mark in Colorado...whew, let the frequent flyer miles begin! New friends are fun!

Leavin' on a jet plane

Well, I do know when I will be back again, but I am greatly looking forward to getting away from work and hanging out with my good friend Kaylene at her wedding in Cedar City, Utah. Checking out the weather...there's a 40% chance of snow on her wedding day! Will make for some beautiful pictures...but I'm slightly concerned about my hide in that spaghetti strap dress! Yikes! Glad I checked, because I wouldn't have thought to bring a coat...sweaters yes...coat, no...

On another note, I ran 2.5 miles and power walked 0.5 miles this evening. I shaved a few minutes off of my time, hence why I couldn't run the full 3...slow but steady...

I'll blog about the wedding when I return...yay for 4 day weekends...although I really don't understand why we celebrate Columbus Day...he ran into the wrong piece of land!

3!

I ran three miles this evening! I'm not going to tell you how long it took me (yeah, that is definitely a pride thing), but I just wanted to see if I could "go the distance" (hmm Cake anyone?). Slowly but surely, I'll increase my distance and my time...

I added the Frazier family blog to my links. They are my friends who moved to India last month. Looks like they are adjusting well. God is good!

Can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread...uh...woman...

I did it!!!! I ran for 30 minutes without stopping!! I know, I know, you crazy cross-country people (Bobby, Jana, Kiana...) are shaking your heads laughing, but seriously, that is a big deal for this athletically challenged female. Give me a flute and stack of sheet music any day! (In case you were wondering, I gave up sports when I made a basket for the opposing team during a PE basketball game when I was in second grade...YES, I still remember it and the accompanying humiliation, because I was SO excited I had made a basket...talk about bitter irony...hence why I stick to being a soccer spectator)

Oh so on my run today, I saw two potbellied pigs (yeah Lisa, I think they are domesticated, they were grazing in the same area as last time), numerous rabbits, and a little striped snake (I googled it later...a Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake)...who was a bit too close for comfort, but at least he wasn't poisonous...(no, I didn't take the picture)

One of my friends sent me a link to this guy's blog. He took a three month flying trip in a Super Cub around Alaska. The pictures are AMAZING. Check out his blog.

An Uneventful Weekend

So by this title, you can tell that this won't be a nail-biting, gut-gripping, sweaty-palm tale, unlike my usual blogs (ha!). After two very long and crazy weeks at work, I woke up Saturday morning and went running. I am thinking that I am training for the Houston half marathon in January. I say "thinking" because my rheumatologist told me flat out that he cannot endorse? condone? me running it, but I promised I would go slow...starting with a 5k next month, and see how I feel. The websites I have read on training say you should be able to run at least 30 minutes without stopping. I ran 15 minutes yesterday and about died (ran about 1.3 miles though...), so I went out this evening and slowed my pace down a bit and ran for 25 minutes (no idea what distance). So I think by the end of this week I should be able to hit the 30 minute mark, and I'll go from there. I don't think the 5k will be problem, but we'll see how I do in a 10k...

So after my run yesterday, I had a bagillion dozen things to do, but I was like "I just want to sit on my butt, and read, and do nothing." So I did. My friend Moose had recommended a series of books (Elm Creek Quilters). The first one was excellent. And then I watched a Back to the Future and worked on birthday cards for my friends with October birthdays.

Today I went to the Smythes after church for lunch. They have three children, Matthew (14), Sarah (12) and Katherine (8). Sarah and Katherine helped me to build my Build a Bear (his name is Morris Alexander :) ) a couple of years ago, so I take him over to visit his "playmates" whenever I go over there (unless I forget, which happens quite a bit). We had a great time playing Little House on the Prairie with the stuffed animals. They have such great imaginations. Good food, good company. All in all, a very relaxing, albeit unproductive weekend. Sometimes, you really just need one of those.