Vida

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak Oh man, this book.  I think I cried through the last quarter.  So terribly sad.  (How did I keep reading through it?)  I think you can classify this as historical fiction based in WWII.   Last sentence in the book:  I am haunted by humans.   Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama This was another book club choice, which I read, and then found out I couldn't go because I was traveling for work.  Bummer, but I enjoyed the book anyway.   Pretty positive no other President has a background similar to Pres. Obama's upbringing.  As I kept reading, I kept thinking, 'he became president!!?!!?!!!'  It's amazing and shows you shouldn't discredit anyone. I Sailed with Magellan  - Stuart Dybek This was a book club choice as well. Honestly, I was the only one who finished it as the other girls weren't into it.  One of the girls opened it up with feeling that it was racist and negatively portrayed women.  I did agree there weren'

Karen & I both referred to Callie as 3 weeks years old during our visit to meet her last weekend in Savannah!   ( Note;  I first thought to do a quick post with only photos and then thought to do break it up into several, but finally decided to write the super long one below and you can pick and choose what you'd like to read.) How often do you talk about someone under 1 year old?  Not often.  Over the weekend I was lucky enough to spend some time with someone at that special age and she is just lovely.  She is such a good baby! Not only did we get to spend some time with Callie, we got to hang out & chase around our nephew, Charlie.  Beyond fun. someone likes strawberries ;) We started out with some time exploring downtown and ended up Friday night at Mellow Mushroom, which was one of their first meals in Savannah and I understand why they keep going back!  It has a great vibe and it's delicious. the best part of this photo was how charlie reques

This article from Time Out Chicago is so funny I have to share: How Chicago sees the Midwest Click here to see the rest :)

Over Easter weekend, I had plans to meet up with my high school friend (who lives, as I say with much kindness, out in the middle of no where).  She & her husband just bought a quaint cabin on a tiny lake even further out so we were planning to head out there.   let's do a panorama.  there's too much i want in this photo As they knew I would never find it,  turn left at Z then right at so & so's house then follow the gravel road... Before Jess even finished she just said, "Hey, want to meet at Ozora?"  That is what we did. I hopped in the car with them and we headed to their cabin.  Her husband went fishing and we went for a walk.  I got out of the car and whispered, "I feel like I need to whisper it's so quiet."  They both laughed and restrained themselves from saying, "Just the way we like it."  But I knew they were thinking it.

I feel like I need to do a post for Earth Day as the principals of the day are so ingrained for me personally so a day focusing on these things needs to be acknowledged.  I haven't written out a thoughtful, provoking post so ... I present an earth day round up: -Eco friendly make-up -A fun idea from NASA: Don't forget to participate in #NASA 's # GlobalSelfie   today ! Walk outside, take a pic and note your location. Share your pics with us too! We will post your photo on our Blog and social networks. Read more about #GlobalSelfie on: their  blog Read more about #GlobalSelfie on: Nasa's web page -Sell stuff you are done with, rather than just throwing it away to fill up a landfill.  It may be a bit more effort.  If you don't want to put forth the effort, maybe list it for free on craigslist.  It'll go fast and you'll be done with it. -Some fun blogs to follow with eco-friendly ideas all year long. -Eco-friendly home - Ellen! -And Ellen on fa

This year Mom told Karen we wouldn't be celebrating Easter, in the egg hunting, candy receiving way we did last year.  (Last year my brother and his family came, so egg hunting with a small child makes sense.)  I guess egg hunting with my parents, a 29 year old and a 27 year old doesn't make as much sense.   But I wouldn't give up. I bought some plastic eggs, filled them with candy and hid them throughout the house.   Karen came down the hall and thanked Mom when she found one and Mom said, "That's from a different Easter bunny." Slowly but surely Mom & Dad discovered there were eggs hidden (I didn't tell them).  Mom keeps giving me a count for how many they found, as they keep randomly finding more.  (Because I wasn't kidding around in my hiding skills :) Anyway, it's a fun idea for adults, rather than racing around the yard together looking for eggs. Note:  when kids are present, I will most definitely be running around the yard

Now that I'm riding my bike to work again (!) I'm listening to my music on my iPhone, which I haven't consistently listened to (everyday) since biking to work at the planetarium two years ago.   Last week, I noticed I still remembered the next song that would play.  What?  Well, let me explain a bit.  No, I haven't changed the music since then, as I was listening to it very infrequently (I try not to listen when biking on the street...unless I really have to).  Pretty much the same songs are on there now.  I also always listen to the songs in order.  No playlists.  No shuffle.  No skipping.  Just straight some upbeat, some not, some Mexican, straight down the list so it plays in the same order every time. One song ends and I can hear the next song begin in my head before I can hear it in my headphones.  It really is amazing if you ask me.  Oh, the mind.  The things I would like you to remember, and you don't, but yet you remember the order of my songs for years.

As I walked home in the snow yesterday evening, the Cardinals were starting a ball game under the roof of the stadium in Milwaukee.  The Cardinals were trying to break the Brewers 9 game win streak.   That they did. 4-0 Cardinals! Lynn shut them down. Jay had a 3-run homer, for someone who's trying to get on the everyday roster, that's a pretty good argument in your favor. Peralta homered. The ump was pretty terrible, but the result was pretty great ;)

Last year I didn't know this existed until it happened, but this year, I am up to speed.  National Sibling Day, which just so happens to be on a Thursday.  Cue a throwback Thursday sibling photo: just so we're clear.  the red one was mine. i'm only defending what is rightfully mine jeff's was blue.  karen's was pink. I can honestly say I love both my siblings and consider both of them friends. I can also honestly say if they were not my siblings we would most likely not be friends. We are so different.  I mean seriously, I'm not sure how we grew up in the same household and as my dad says, "We raised you all the same."  But yet we turned out SO different (yep, just said that twice). I love it though.  I really think this is one of the reasons I get along with so many different groups of people.  Because I grew up compromising and planning with these two.   p.s. last year's sibling day

Probably at least a month ago now I sat on my couch reading Ellen's article in People magazine.  (Luckily for me, Karen is a loyal subscriber so she let me read the article with a strict promise to return it when I finished.)   As I finished up the article and read the final quote from Ellen, this song played for me on Spotify. Everything has led me to this amazing place in my life - every decision and every experience, bad and good - so I try to just go, “This is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and experiencing.”  Everything is perfect somehow.

Today is a very exciting day.  It involves many red convertibles with special hall of famers dressed in bright red blazers.  Clydesdales circling a special stadium.  A sea of red.  Smiling faces and rounds of applause.  Peanuts.  Pretzels. OPENING DAY AT BUSCH STADIUM Just this once, we're ready for Monday to get here. #OpeningDaySTL pic.twitter.com/oVxbw41AOv — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 7, 2014 Another Village takes shape at the Ballpark today. It's Opening Day in STL. Ready for baseball? pic.twitter.com/u1yVVvwU88 — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 7, 2014 This year, the Cardinals Museum is opening in Ballpark Village, which is also very exciting.  (kind-of hoping it works out that I can visit Easter weekend) The calm before the storm. #CardsMuseum #OpeningDaySTL #STLCards pic.twitter.com/iq0hKj0GuY — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 7, 2014 I love this article so much that came out about Yadi during Spring Training: Molina

After all my chatting about leaving traveling behind me with my new job...I traveled this week.  But don't worry, it's just a coincidence.  I will be traveling, but approximately 4 times a year, rather than 4 times a month.  This week, I was in Orlando at a conference.  And let me tell you:  traveling for conferences are much more fun than traveling to in-service in hospitals! #1 After many months of no sunshine, we had a little time to soak some up.  Which was beyond lovely!  I never thought to travel with a swimsuit at my old job.  There was never time.  But Monday the girls told me to absolutely bring my swimsuit.  I followed directions and briefly got to use it!!! clearly i have no idea what i need for warm weather. i did not pack sandals or sunglasses I met more peeps from my new company, in different departments, which was wonderful.  And it was interesting to hear about their experiences.  Talk about being thrown right into dynamics or drama...work a conference