Weekend Away

Wanted to quick post some pics from the weekend. We headed down to Cambria for the Jovle Thanksgiving and got to see my adorable niece! She's become such a little girl since we last saw her. Running all over the place and showing off her animal noises.





On the way back home we stopped at La Crosse for a few hours. We visited a couple of our old favorite spots and walked around campus a bit. So fun to revisit all of our memories.

My favorite site on campus; the clock tower


Outside the union where I used to spend the major of my time.


Laux - best dorm ever!!

Another Move

Yesterday was my last day of having a window at work. The new addition on our building got to the point where they needed to put the "temporary" wall up where my cube was and forever block our view of the outside. I'm actually quite happy with my new cube for the most part. I'm still by my friends and can see out the window on the other wall. If you remember the last time I moved it was quite the switch to have all low walls and views of our neighbors. This new cube is back to the high walls and I already miss the low ones. Funny how once you get used to something you really adapt to it. Here's the views!

Looking in. (I need some posters!)




Looking Out


My old space. No more furniture!!

Story of my life

Can anyone else relate to this like I can? (sorry for the blurriness)

Fall

Fall is by far my favorite season. I love the weather as it changes to cooler days. I love to watch the trees as they show their beautiful colors. The both make me appreciate this state that we live in and soak it all in before the chill of winter comes. This year hasn't been very great for weather or leaves so I have had to turn to the next best part of fall...football! I have been lucky and gotten to go to both a Gopher game and a Vikings game.

The Gopher vs Badger game. So fun to watch in the new stadium. Too bad they couldn't pull it out in the end.




This past weekend I was at the Vikings/Baltimore game. Very exciting. I have never heard the crowd so loud. I think we got really lucky in the end but we'll take it!

Kids say the darndest things...

Ever have those moments that make you laugh out loud whenever you think about them? I had one of these over the weekend. It was with Cran and Mallory. She already blogged it so I won't retell the storey but I highly encourage everyone to go read it. Every time I think about it, it gets me going again.

I will also insert a footnote in the story: While Cran was trying to say something to make the situation better, Mallory again repeated what she said to set her mom straight. I clearly could not control my laughter so Cran being a good parent of me and Mallory suggested that we go find a table to sit at. And yes in Mallory's defense the lady did look clown like...not that I could look at her again and keep a straight face after the whole situation.

Cooking Goals Part I

Ever since I saw the movie Julie & Julia I've been wanting to set some cooking goals of my own. Nothing crazy like making Julia's whole cookbook but there were a couple recipes that I've either failed at before have been wanting to try out. They are the following:
1. a bernaise sauce - looks tricky to do
2. Mom's Beef Bourguignon recipe - soo good!
3. custard sauce using an egg for thickening - I tried this once and the egg cooked. I made it again without the egg and it was still good but I want to try the real thing.
4. Grandma Regina's Pie Crust - I attempted this last year if anyone remembers the pie disaster. I've gotten a few tips on it and want to try it out again.

I tried my first one over the weekend for our anniversary dinner. It was goal #2, my mom's recipe of beef bourguignon. She's used to make it a lot growing up and I've always loved it. It was actually a lot easier than I had thought. Brown the meat and veggies. Mix everything up. Throw it in the crock pot to cook all day and then used creamed butter and flour to thicken the sauce into more of a gravy. Turned out great. Success!!

Doggie Fears

Conner has been known to have a few irrational fears. Including but not limited to balloons, big exercise balls, tongs, and thunder (maybe that last one is legit). Over the weekend we discovered a new one: Bacon. Yes that is right. Bacon. The delicious meat that most dogs would go crazy for. In our house you cook it up and he is no where to be found. At first we thought it was the noise of the bacon sizzling in the pan but tonight Justin made it in the microwave and once again Conner was gone. I found him here:



Hiding in his kennel in the garage refusing to come out. And note how far his poor little tail is tucked.


I was finally able to lure him out with a treat. Can anyone figure out why he's so scared of bacon? Lets just say that maybe a few times while cooking it the smoke alarm has gone off and apparently he associates the smell with that. Oops! Better watch my cooking.

Blond Moment

I really wanted to come into work early this morning. I had an 8:30 meeting and wanted to get a few things done beforehand. Last night I literally thought for about 5 mins about what time I needed to set my alarm for, how many snoozes I could do and when I need to get up. Set the alarm and went to bed.

The alarm went off this morning. 2 snoozes later I woke up feeling great and refreshed. Got ready and started to drive to my bus stop. I was about to turn the corner and I noticed a big pothole in the ground. I thought to myself how nice it was that it's light out and I can actually see that pothole. Then the panic set in. I did a triple take at the clock while trying to figure out in my mind why it's light out when I'm supposed to be coming into work earlier. The clock didn't change and stated 7:30 - my usually arrival time.

I must've set my alarm for 6:20 instead of 5:20. No wonder I felt so great when I woke up!

The Beginning of the End

This is the view out my window at work...





The building addition has started. Soon I will be displaced from my cube and forever lose my window view. :( They are putting a wall up where my cube currently sits during the construction period. Not sure where I will be moving to or what will happen when the construction is complete. Sad days ahead...for now I'll enjoy the view.

Another One to Hit 30!

Happy Birthday Sis!!!! Hope you are enjoying France. Can't think of a better place to be for the big one.

TC 10 Mile

Congrats to my neighbors Kristen & Alisha for completing the 10 mile run on Sunday!! Lori and I headed up to Summit at mile 8 to watch and cheer the girls on. Both of them looked great and had smiles on their faces as they ran by. Kristen knew where we were standing and spotted us right when I spotted her. Alisha was in her running zone and we had to yell her name a couple times before she realized we were yelling for her and not someone else.

Kristen about to throw her gloves at us.


Alisha, not sure who's calling her name.

The Handy Man

Extreme Makeover Home Edition is coming to St. Paul today. Last week they posted online that they were looking for volunteers. It said they usually get way more people than needed and there's a change you might not get a shift. They also made it seem like if you do get a shift, it'd only be one. Seeing as Justin is unemployed and bored he took a long shot and applied. Today they emailed him back and he got in! Not only did get in but he's there Mon-Fri from 8-12. How sweet is that!?! I'll have to post when it's on tv so everyone can watch for him.

Melting Pot

Enjoyed my first night of restaurant week at the Melting Pot. I know I have already been there before but Angie really wanted to try it so I couldn't resist going back for more fondue. We enjoyed the traditional Swiss cheese fondue, bouillon broth with shrimp, steak, and chicken, and the "Ying & Yang" Chocolate fondue. It was a mix of white chocolate and dark chocolate. So delish that we ordered a second plate of dippers...and then we rolled on home.