Cahoots

So, I've been in Texas now for 8 days. With all the traveling I do, I'm forever grateful for my Sprint phone that comes with Sprint GPS to keep me on track - most of the time.

It seems that the Dallas/Fort Worth area is in cahoots with Sprint to maximize their tax dollars. I met my SIL (sister-in-law) on Friday night for a movie in Dallas. The drive there (as guided by said GPS) was smooth sailing. Only one freeway connection.

On the way home, however, things changed. My GPS had led the way so efficiently that I didn't even give it a second thought when I punched my hotel address in and started the trip back. My GPS had plans for me, however, including a detour that would take me onto the George Bush Expressway - a toll freeway.

So, I cruising along when I see the "warning" signs that I'm about to enter a tollway. Well, I don't know my way around well enough to get off and try to navigate a non-toll route, so I continue on, following the guidance of my good ol' GPS. About 3 miles later, my GPS has a mini-freak out. I had apparently traveled outside of the bounds known to the GPS mapping. It showed me driving out in a field of blackness and was yelling at me to get back to "N Western Lane." This was not helpful. First off, the GPS had gotten me where I was to begin with. Secondly, N Western Lane, as far as I was concerned, could be ANYWHERE.

Well, I got off the freeway and quickly turned around and got on going the other way (racking up another toll $, by the way). After regaining my 3 miles, the GPS "re-routed" me and put me on another freeway and guided me home.

Thanks, Texas, for bribing the GPS company into taking me on the tollway. Now the only sure way to get around in foreign states has been rendered untrustworthy to me. Now I have to learn how to read a map. That just isn't fair. I was born in the late 80's. I'm not supposed to have to do stuff like that. ;)

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A room full of schnauzers

There are a lot of things I really love about my schnauzer. He's handsome and friendly. He thinks I'm the best thing in the whole world. He doesn't like to give wet, slobbery kisses, but short, little mini-licks. He's smart - most of the tricks he knows he taught himself. He is super sweet and is a really gentle dog.

However, he is not patient.

He knows what I want him to do when I say sit and stay...but it doesn't mean he can maintain the seated position for any real period of time.

Earlier this week I was meeting with my youth group (girls ages 8 to 11) and I had a flashback to life at home.

The girls are great. They are smart and funny and tons of fun to work with. However, this Wednesday, they were like a room of Romulus'. As soon as I got them to sit down and listen to me, mayhem would break loose. Girls pulling on my shirtsleeve for my attention; girls at the chalkboard drawing pictures; girls yammering to each other or to me or to themselves.

I could get them all to sit again - but certainly not for long. A few seconds later - the noise level of the room would grow and seats would empty.

I used to think that maybe I'd like another schnauzer - but after this week, maybe one is enough.

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House Shopping

What we want in a house (note, these pictures are not to be taken literally, just as examples):

Open floor plan with interesting architectural details

Large, inviting kitchen

Master suite

A jetted tub in one of the bathrooms

At least one other bedroom on the same floor at the master

At least 3 bedrooms in the house

At least 2 bathrooms

Decent sized yard

Unique, modern home features, but also something with plenty of room to personalize/DIY projects

A two car garage with extra space for storage/tools

Oh, and did I mention I'd like that all within my budget?

Geoff and I spent the better part of our weekend looking at houses and just haven't found one that has it all yet. Hmm....time to keep looking? Or time to change our hopes?

P.S. Some of the houses we saw got really close to having it all. So maybe we just settle for close?

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Anniversary Celebration(s)

Having an anniversary fall on a Wednesday has all the makings of lame. But, if you are like us, you can find a way to drag that anniversary out over the week and the weekend. Haha.

Geoff and I found numerous ways to celebrate our third year together. He picked me up from the airport Tuesday night (the 17th) and brought me a beautiful bouquet.

He brought me home where I immediately noticed the new furniture out on our balcony. I've been begging for furniture out there for months now. What good is a balcony when you don't use it! Geoff knew exactly the right furniture to get for me - and it was the perfect surprise. The chairs recline nearly into a lying position and each chair has a side table for (obviously) our sodas.

Wednesday (our actual anniversary) was a busy day for us. Geoff works with the 11-year old scouts and I'm the achievement days leader, so, we went out for lunch, but overall, we didn't get to do much celebrating that day.

Thursday we woke up early and I make German Pancakes for breakfast. We ate outside on the balcony in our fantastic new furniture, with the dogs at our feet. Thursday night I went to a minor league baseball game with my co-workers. Geoff opted to have a night to himself (can't blame him, our lives get kinda busy sometimes!).

Friday we went out to Chili's for the 2 for $20 dinner deal. We also watched our netflix "Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Truthfully, I fell asleep about 2 hours in. But, that's not a surprise. I hardly ever make it through a movie.

Saturday we woke up to a gorgeous day and went out to embark on a project I've been wanting to do for a long time. We went to downtown Fargo with our camera and took pictures of letters from the signs on local businesses (or wherever we could find letters, as evidenced by the K on the water tower) in order to spell our last name. It turned out fantastic and was tons of fun. That night, we rented Alice In Wonderland from redbox.

Sunday I, once again, took advantage of my balcony and read for an hour out in the warm summer air. We played some Rock Band, did some crochet, just had a lovely day together.

All in all it was a lovely few days and a wonderful way to start year number 4 together.

Love you so much, Geoff.

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C'mon Get Happy

20 Things that make me happy:

1) The hub

2) My pups

3) 50 cent ice cream cones at McDonald's

4) Thunder

5) Mika and other equally fun music

6) Mama G

7) TV shows, including, but not limited to: 30 Rock, Law and Order: SVU, Fringe, House, Desperate Housewives, and Psych

8) Popcorn

9) Pedicures

10) Introspection

11) Hot tubs

12) Shopping

13) A Clean House

14) My job

15) Bike Rides

16) Blogging

17) Cooking something that turns out like it's supposed to (thank you South Beach Diet Cookbook!)

18) Photobooths

19) Winter clothes

20) Candid photographs

Just felt like sharing. Leave a comment and let me know what makes YOU happy.

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Sky Mall

So, flying from Fargo to CA makes for a lot more travel time then the old trip from Salt Lake City to CA. The plus sides to these longer trips include: 1) more and faster frequent flyer miles and 2)more time to peruse the Sky Mall catalog.

Sky Mall is fun because it is full of all kinds of bizarre stuff that you didn't know you needed. But something about being up in the sky in an airplane, cut off from all outside communication is almost enough to get your thinking, "maybe I do need that Lord of the Rings chess set." And just when I'm ready to order - I come across the items that snap me back into reality.

Case(s) in point:

The Dog DryerI will bet you $100 bucks right now that the grooming system displayed in that photo is NOT on. If I even look at the vacuum wrong, my dog is off to hide in a small, dark, albeit safe, place. He's not gonna sit and vogue for the camera while I "gently blow warm air throughout [his] fur" with my overpriced blow dryer.

The Healthiest Deep FryerThe day I believe that my deep fried foods are healthy...is the day I've truly lost my mind.

Flip Fin Scuba FinsNow, granted, I am not an avid Scuba Diver (nor will I ever be - underwater creeps me out). But I think when you become a Scuba Diver you need to resign yourself to one simple fact - there is nothing normal about walking around in Scuba fins. Especially if they flip up and touch your knees. Useful, maybe. Normal? No.

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It May Have Been Short

Our weekend to CA for Cole's blessing may have been short, but it also couldn't have been much sweeter.

We flew out Friday afternoon/evening. Matt and Lindsay picked us

up at the airport - where I finally got to meet the little Cole man in person. He's even more perfect in person then in his pictures.

We spent most of the day Saturday spending time together at Matt's apartment. Mom and Pa showed up a little later. Dad took the men-folk to the movies while us ladies did nails and ooohed and ahhhed over the baby. Dinner that night at Sweet Tomatoes was pretty hilarious. It always feels good to laugh with the fam. We do a lot of it!

Sunday was the blessing. Cole was perfectly behaved through the whole thing and Matt did a wonderful job blessing his first little one. There were tons of family there. Grandma and Grandpa Gamblin came, AD and Danny, Lindsay's grandparents, my great-aunt and some of her kids/grandkids. We went to the park after church and had a Cafe Rio style buffet - delish!!! It was so nice to get to just hang out with AD, too. I feel like every time I see her it's kind of a hurried situation - so it was nice to just spend the day together. I miss her.

Monday we woke up at our hotel and had waffles with Mama and Daddy G. Then we went back to the apartment and soaked up as much Cole as we could before we had to head back to the airport.

It was so great to see the fam, laugh, meet the little man and just have a wonderful time. Thanks to Matt and Lindsay for being so hospitable to us crazy North Dakotans. We'll be back soon!

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