The Chocolate and The Cheese

There was going to be a post today. In fact I have no less than three potential blog posts rolling around the hamster wheel that is my brain as I type. However, none of them want to come out. Kind of like LN who was two weeks and one day overdue...those ideas are quite happy where they are. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have nothing for today. Maybe later, when the wheel slows down a bit and I can draw something out. Right now though? I've got nothing to report. Zip. Zilch. Nada. And no picture either as all of my fun pics from the weekend are stuck on BC's laptop. Bugger. That and LN has decided that a one hour nap is sufficient for her today. Funny, she didn't ask me what I thought about that.

Hello inter-friends! Although I'm sad that summer is drawing to a close in these Northern parts I can't say that I'm not glad for cooler weather. I can start breaking out my collection of scarves, cardigans and jackets soon. YES! Fall is my favorite season of the year. But let's not get too hasty, there might be a few more swimming days yet, although probably more of the indoor variety than outdoor. So what to do on a deliciously cool weekend? Well, let me share what we'll be up to: Tonight I'm headed out with my ladies to Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge . I'm looking forward to a night of cheap beer, hot cheese curds and lots of hardy laughter. Love my lady friends! A visit to a working farm: Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista has Saturday mornings on the farm where the kiddos can partake in farm activities. LN will love the animals! A BBQ baby shower for a couple of friends. Fall BBQs are so much fun! Time when you actually WANT to be near a fire! ...

I think it's safe to say that I have a pretty heavy internet addiction. So bad in fact, that often times BC calls my laptop, 'My Boyfriend'. I really was not aware of how bad my addiction was. I mean, I check my email a few times a day, update Facebook and now write a blog; but I surely was not addicted! Then I took a hard, long look one night as I was surfing the web. I had no less than six tabs open at the same time. They were in a specific order. There was a rhythm to how I was sorting through the tabs. I had a system. First Gmail, then Facebook, then this blog, and then three other tabs for the other blogs I peruse on a daily basis. Slowly cycling back and forth, so as not to miss a single post/comment. Commenting on said blogs, reading what others wrote. Checking to see who else was online. Who updated. Making sure I did not miss a single keystroke. I would repeat this process multiple times throughout the day. If my computer was on, I needed to...

A friend of mine posed an interesting question of Facebook the other day: What would you do if you had $1,000,000 but could not spend it on yourself, your family, or your friends? "One MILLLLLLLLION DOL-LARS!" Whenever I hear that amount I think of Mike Myer's character Dr. Evil from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. His character gets frozen in the 1960s and unfrozen in 1997. He demands a ransom of one million dollars...only to be informed that one million dollars doesn't go as fas as it use to. And it really doesnt, does it? I mean, when I think of winning a million dollars, my eyes bug out. That's a lot of money I think! But when you hear of a national defeciet in the Trillions of dollars, infastructure that costs Billions of dollars...you realize that a measly million just isn't all that much. Now I don't want to get into the current economic crisis, or any sort of political debate. But think about it, when did you realize a millio...

This weekend will be an action packed one. We'll be running from here to there and everywhere. Here's a list of what we'll be doing : -Taking out the front cement walls. Mostly BC's job, but I'm sure I'll be helping too. -Get ready and go to a cousin's wedding. Love, drinking, dancing! Yee-haw! -Head up north (just a bit) and stay in a cabin. Not sure how we're going to fit this in. -Put wall back together with big rocks. Sigh. This sounds like a lot of work. --and what I hope to accomplish : -More painting of the upstairs bedrooms. This project is starting to seem never-ending. -Make some pita bread. I've had this on my to-do list all week. It just hasn't happened yet. -Clear out LN's closet and put away all of the clothes that no longer fit. -Same in MP and BC's closet. -Take a nap? Is that too much to ask? What do you hope to accomplish this weekend? What wild and crazy adventures will you be having?

I thought that I would take some time on this rainy Thursday afternoon to introduce myself, the dear Big Cheese and the Little Nib. Little Nib was born in April of 2008. She is as sassy, spunky and energetic as they come. People will tell you how much you'll love watching your kids personality grow, but it's nothing in comparison to actually watching a human being unfold. Because let's admit it, for the first 12 months, they're pretty much just aliens! She loves to read, run and run outside, bubbles, car rides, swimming, swinging and being tickled. She's a great kid and a true joy to be around. The Big Cheese works on creating magnificent websites on the Internet. Huge, multimedia masterpieces that are as visually interesting as they are technically amazing. He is one part engineer, one part magician. He's fantastic at what he does and is lucky enough to love it too! He is a bike commuter and loves to pedal around Minneapolis and the lakes. He is a fan...

So as I alluded yesterday there may be some big, bright, shiny new travel plans in my future. Well, mostly the Big Cheese's future, but Little Nib and I will be along for the ride. You see, it all started in the beginning of June. The BC asked me if he should apply for a job in...Switzerland. Why not, I thought? We've conquered China, why not try something new? Plus, it never hurts to apply for a job, update your resume, practice your interviewing skills, I thought. So what would be the harm? Now imagine our surprise when the BC got a reply the next morning that the company wanted to speak with him, they liked what they saw! So he set up a time to chat and lo and behold, forty-five minutes later he had a job offer. AH! Well now what are we supposed to do? Dance a jig in the living room and start packing! Right?!? Full stop. Unfortunately it's not that easy. We knew we would not be on the next plane bound for the land of chocolate, mountains and fondue, but we w...

I'm desperately trying to finish 'MyLife in France' by Julia Child in preparation of seeing the 'Julie, Julia' movie tonight with my lovely lady friends. As I hurriedly finish up my reading, let's ponder this quote from Julia. She's talking about travel (as have I lately, you'll find out why tomorrow!) and how she, personally, prefers to travel: "Dort (Julia's sister) and I grew restless on those days of driving and driving and eating and driving and eating at the biggest-best restaurants and sleeping at the biggest-best hotels. To hell with it! It seemed like we'd never really been anywhere or done anything and the whole point of the trip was for Philapop (their parents) to get back to Pasadena and say, "I've just been through France and Italy." In fact, I didn't like travelling first-class at all. Yes, it was nice to have a bathroom in the hotel and fine service at breakfast, and I'd probably never visit th...

Well, the PGA is in town, as is the Big Cheese's twin brother and that adds up to a lot of time for the Little Nib and I to fill. But luckily the weather is warm, the sun will be out and we will be out and about. Here's a sampling of what we'll be up to: Saturday: Breakfast with a dear friend, early in the morning before she heads to work. Hopefully some place where we can sit outside. Although then it may be hard to contain the Nib. Heading to North Mississippi Regional Park (a great park) and meeting another PGA widow and her two boys. Should be a blast. LN loves to run in and out of the pool...and the showers, well, mostly the showers. Heading up to Grandma's for a little one and one time. Maybe dinner and then catching up with the Twin Cheese. Reading some more of My Life in France, by Julia Child . I'm headed to see it at The Heights theatre with my lovely lady friends on Monday, so I should finish the book before then. Sunday: Breakfast with the fami...

I've been thinking a bit about motivation. I go to the gym three times a week. Now I've had gym memberships in the past and would lackadaisically ride a bike while reading a magazine. It wasn't really 'working out', but it worked out just fine for me. Sometime a few months ago I decided that I really needed to start using the gym and I mean not just to shower like I did after Little Nib was born. No, I needed to get serious. So now two times a week I have a very nice lady that tells me what to do. I pay her handsomely and quite frankly she kicks my a**. You'd think that the handsome figure I pay her every month would motivate me to get my butt to the gym, and it does. But do you know what the thing is? My real motivation for going to the gym is not that or the fact that I can drop my kid off for two hours, no questions asked. Nor is it the fact that sitting in the sauna is sometimes my only ten minutes of peace all day. No, it's the thirty minutes...

A great new blog that I've just started reading, via the awesome yesandyes , is Oh, Miska . She always has a knack posting about sweet, enlightening things and her pictures are cute to boot! So her game of the day is to take your camera and snap two pictures of things in the room with you, and why they're important. Here are mine (can you tell that my flash is broken?): There are always various kid's toys/books of Little Nib's laying all over the floor. I particularly like these puzzle pieces. She's finally starting to get the hang of putting the pieces BACK into the puzzle. Which is a good thing. Those animals may look all smiley, but stepping on one is no laughing matter. I picked this cute bag up at Target in their deal section. Normally $2.50, but 50% off it was only a $1.25! The cute apple design makes me smile and it's the perfect size to grab on the way to the store for last minute dinner essentials or to throw together a bag for the beach. Who...

Here's a list of the five items I have in my possession at all times, at least for this week. The list is bound to change. 1.) Cell Phone : It's not fancy and I hate to text, but I've been known to drive backwards great lengths to retrieve my cell phone. I have two fears regarding this: I'll fall down the stairs and break both legs and won't be able to call for help, I lock Little Nib in the car/house with the keys and she's screaming to be let out. 2.) Munchkin Snack Catcher : Not to be confused with the Snack Trap. Whoever invented this gadget is a genius. Let's kids eat snacks without spilling them all over. Usually filled with some kind of raisin, goldfish, pretzel goodness. Pure awesome. 3.) Lipgloss : I have one in my purse and one in my car at all times. For those mornings when I forget to look in the mirror before I leave the house, at least I can look somewhat put together. 4.) Blog Notebook : Dear Big Cheese bought me a special notebook with...