I Made It!

Okay, yes, I am one of those loser bloggers who nearly faints when I happen to pop up on another blogger's blog.  Not just because it might mean that they think I'm worth putting on their blog, but especially if they are famous. 

And I have made it!  The Pioneer Woman finally wrote about her Mall of America advanture, which I attended, and I am in one of her photos!!!  Eek!

What can I compare that to that will make you understand?  Hmmm...

It's like cleaning out last year's jacket and finding a $50 bill.

No, that doesn't quite explain...

It's like being pulled up onto the stage at a concert by the hottest guy in your favorite band.  How's that?

Okay, so Ree didn't pull me up onto the stage to sing with her.  But I am front and center in one of her blog photos.  And that's good enough for me!

Yup. There I am.  The loser with the camera. And I'm only one of like three people who wore a sweatshirt that day.  Loser! 

DIY Decorating

I love decorating for Christmas.  I love it I love it I love it.

When Thanksgiving Day comes to a close, I dive into a decorating frenzy.  The tree goes up, gets lights and decorations and the fall stuff goes back into storage for the year.

Thanksgiving weekend, since I'm off from work, is typically my decorating weekend.  So can you guess what I've been doing all day?

Decorating of course!

As they day starts to wind down, I am running out of ideas and my house isn't looking as full of Christmas Spirit as I'd like.  But I don't feel like running out to drop more money on more decorations. So, I had to dig into the DIY part of my brain.

It hit me that I have rolls and rolls of materials that are just waiting to be put to use.

Christmas wrapping paper.  And tape.

Last week, I ordered some stuff from one of my favorite magazines. I got these little black cast iron reindeer and the shelf I wanted to put them on happened to be black as well.  It didn't work. So I cut out a square of dollar store wrapping paper, folded it down so it had clean edges, and laid it under the reindeer.  Voila!

Our coffee table has 3 squares of black laquer glass on it.  And the wood and glass mixed with the Moose antler dish didn't hold much Christmas cheer. I'm not a doily girl.  (Doilly? Doiley?)  But that antler really needed something under it.  So, I pulled out the center glass and taped wrapping paper to it and it really spruced it up.  I am considering finding two more paper patterns and just covering the other two glass pieces.

You'll have to forgive my picture taking skills today.  No, I haven't had too much eggnog.  It just happens that my trusty old camera is having some issues and having trouble finding it's focus these days.

Basically free Christmas decorations.  I already had all of the materials needed and the idea could be used just about anywhere in the home.  When New Year's rolls around, it's super easy clean up!  And you'll already be warmed up to tearing it off whatever you applied it to!

Happy DIY decorating!

Linking up with Kimba's DIY Tuesday!!!!

I'll Tell You Why

A common question that I run into is "Em, how come you're always covered in fur?"

Well, I'm here to finally answer that question for you. 

Actually, you know what?  I don't even need to use words.  Just see for yourself.

Thank you and have a nice day.

Thanks...

Today I'm thankful for many things.  My life has bloomed into a wonderful gift over the past few years.

I'm thankful for my family, whose always just a phone call away.

I'm thankful for my fiancee, who tolerates me being insane.

I'm thankful for my 4 dogs and my cat, because they have shown me what unconditional love really means.

I'm thankful for Jake because he's been by my side through more than anybody else.

I'm thankful for Frankie because she's shown me how to have fun.

I'm thankful for Kirby because when life gets serious, Kirby doesn't.

I'm thankful for Maggie, for keeping the other 3 in check and for showing Red that dogs aren't all that bad.

I'm thank for Sylvester, because he can read time.

I'm thankful for Bud Light and wine, because they help me tolerate my 4 dogs and my cat.

I'm thankful that I have a good, full time job that I enjoy, and coworkers who make it great.

I'm thankful for a vehicle to drive.

I'm thankful for a warm bed to sleep in.

I'm thankful that I have the freedom to blog about whatever I want, whenever I want.

I'm thankful for my life, and even though I always seem to find things to complain about, I really am grateful for everything.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Don't forget to thank God for all of the blessings in your life.

Ree ~ The Pioneer Woman

Today is going down on my list of one of the greatest days of my life. 

Today, I met the woman who learned me to cook real food.  Today, I got to sit down and talk, face to face, with the woman who inspired me to start a blog of my own.  The woman who taught me to play piano...

Wait, that wasn't this woman.  Never mind.

Today... I met The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.

But Ree is so awesome that she could probably teach us all to play the piano via her website... If she wanted to. 

She was so down to earth.  So friendly.  So personable.  And she's so funny!  And I'm really glad that she was all of those things, because I don't know what it would have done to me to find out that she really wasn't who she appears to be on her website.

This woman and her blog and her cooking and her photography have changed my life profoundly, for the better.

My lovely friend Hohni and her daughter Tiah arrived at my house at 7:30 this morning.  We got to the Mall of America by 9am, just as Barnes & Noble opened so I could purchase my book.  Then we headed for the line.  And for the next 4 hours, wait in line is all we did. 

But it wasn't so bad.  We met these two gals who were just a blast to talk to! 

Renee and Michelle.  We first met them at the B&N when we were both looking for the same book.  And shortly after they were in line behind us.  I think that's one of my favorite parts of the blogging community is that for one, most of them are so friendly and two, going to an event like this where everybody is there for the same reason, it was no hardship to sit for 4 hours with these women and just talk about PW. I'm sorry, Renee.  I don't know how to put the little thing above the E in your name.  But I know that it belongs there!  And Michelle, thank you for bringing your super cool phone with so we could check PW's site right there while we waited!

I didn't know what to say when it was my turn to talk to Ree. I was so nervous, my brain actually vacated my head for the 30 seconds that I was up there. So I just said "Hi Ree!  Welcome to Minnesota!" and she told me that she loved my accent.  She's from Oklahoma.  And I loved her accent.  She signed my book and we took a picture together.  I can't believe I got to sit next to Ree!  Like it or not, this woman is a celebrity.  And she totally deserves it.

After I left the table, Ree provided us with free t-shirts!  They are beautiful.

We also had a little surprise!  Marlboro Man and their two boys showed up as well! 

All in all, it was a hell of a day.  A great day!  It isn't everyday that you get to meet one of your idols.

Oh!  And the book?  The book rocks.  It's beautiful and clever and doesn't even look like a cookbook when you flip through it.  It's so unique and it's definately worth the few bucks that it costs to purchase.  Go and get it!

Friday the 13th

Today is the 3rd Friday the 13th this year.  I am superstitious.  Or maybe that's just my anxiety talking.  But I do not have a fear of this day.  Nor do I have a fear of the number 13.  In fact, regardless of how I felt on the first Friday the 13th this year, 13 is my favorite number. It's the number I choose when I have to choose a number.

Triskaidekaphobia: A fear of the number 13. 
Paraskavedekatriaphobia: A fear of Friday the 13th.

I have neither.  But I am superstitious enough to wonder if it really does affect things.  But I don't actually have a fear.  Which is odd, considering everything else scares the daylights out of me. 
All Friday the 13th means to me is that it's Friday and not Monday.  I dread Mondays a whole lot more than I dread Fridays with the number 13!

Happy Friday everybody!

Change

I'm at another one of those stages where I'm not happy with my blog.  Therefor... I will be changing it.  It just has been feeling too... heavy.  There is too much frilly, frally, girly, scrapbook type stuff and it's just not me.  So again I ask you, please bear with me.

I almost moved today.  Do you remember a year ago when I made the move from Webs to Blogger?  And all I had to move was like 30 posts and very little info?  And remember how it took me like 3 weeks just to get that sorted out? Well I remembered, just in time, and stopped myself from moving on from Blogger.  It would take me a month to move everything over. 

There is a direction that I want my blog to head, but I can't figure out how to do that quite yet.  When I do, I promise to let you know.  Until then, thank you for your continued support!  I love my readers!

Up North

The weekend before Halloween, Red and I decided to take a little vacation.  What better place to go than 'up north'?  So we packed the truck and took off.  I actually forgot to bring my camera...  I'll give you a second to absorb the shock of that statement. 

.......

Yeah, I really forgot it.  But luckily, my man is a thinker and remembered to bring his.  So with that, I will share some photos from our weekend away.

I really love this photo of Red and I.  We're all bundled up and ready to hike!

Maggie the Magnificent facing off with Lake Mille Lacs.  She's fearless.  She got to join us for this trip.  The other 3 didn't because this place had a pet limit of 30lbs. 

The foliage was beautiful, just turning colors.  It was nice to see, because down here in southern MN, things went from green to brown in a matter of weeks.

The drive was absolutely gorgeous.  Well, that's not true.  Here, once we arrived, it was gorgeous.  The drive itself?  Well it was raining and the temp was hoovering around 33 degrees and Red was driving and we were in the middle of Friday morning city traffic.  I was a ball of nerves until about a half an hour from our destination.  This is why people don't like road trips with me.

Don't tell anybody, but I think Red and Maggie are in love.  He cannot get enough of this little dog. But I didn't say a word.

Trying my hand at some black and white.

So there is a small glimpse into our lovely weekend away.  It was beautiful.  But I missed my dogs immediately.  And I was homesick.  I like being home.

Snippits

Well it turns out that I was kind of correct when I thought that my dog blog might overtake Musings.  Dogs happen to be my whole life and all I really talk about. 

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I ran today.  A coworker informed me that she joined my gym over lunch and went running.  So on my lunch break, I went running too!  And discovered that I am not in running shape.  Yikes.  I did run a half a mile without stopping though. I havent done that in over a year.

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So far I've managed to dodge the flu.  Everybody around me has been sick with it at one time or another over the last month or so.  So far so good.  Hope I didn't just jinx myself.  And no, I didn't get the flu shot.  And no, I don't plan on getting the flu shot.

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It's November.  Yeah.  November.

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Today a friend that I havent seen in a while asked what I had going on this weekend.  I replied nothing, what did you have in mind, eager to hang out with my friend.  She replied that she didnt want to hang out, she wanted me to babysit her puppy for the weekend.  Um, no. Trying being my friend before I do unneccessary favors for you.

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I am craving chili.  Anybody have any easy chili recipes?

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The Ultimate Fighter is on tonight.  Only if I can stay up that late to watch it.  *Yaaaawwwnnn*