BIRTHDAY GIRLS!

Today is the birthday of two of the coolest girls on earth!

Shannon D, and Liz P....



Shannon and I have been friends since Jr. High... we've had lots of insanely fun times including: Stalking her 500 boyfriends, skipping school, listening to Easy-E, and a crazy road trip to Osakis!!! Happy 30th Tweaker! Love Beaner!!!!



Liz and I met when we were teaching in China! Playing Peanuts for hours (including in the middle of Tianamen Square), endless touring and shopping and eating tons of Jiaozi! We also traversed through Spain, Italy and France... eating crepes to our little hearts content! And most recently a fabulous vacation to Palm Springs and Vegas!!! I can't wait to come visit Liz in San Antonio!! Yee Haw!!! Much love LEEZA!!! Love Saaaalinas!
The things you can do on top of the Arc d'Triumph!

One Art

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.
Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.
I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.
I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.
---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
-- Elizabeth Bishop

Shmaltzy

I just got home from my small group, and can I say that I really love the ladies in my group! We didn't even crack open the Bible tonight, but we sure did laugh! Especially after the fact that Megan is in love with a Freddy Krueger Erotica 1-900#!!!! (j\k Megs!) Well these girls are getting me through some difficult times, and I'm not trying to sound cliche but I am really blessed to have them in my life! Thanks mi padres!!!

Ok, and it is really hot in my apartment now, because my air conditioner does not work! How can that be? The AC is only 2 years old? Do I need to change the filter or something? Why is my face melting off!

Birthday Party Dump Cake

Kelly & her "Dump Cake"


Kyle at 30


Sarah!

Tonight we celebrated my cousin Kyle's birthday. He is now officially 30 in years, but about 12 emotionally! Well we had fun, and Kelly made really great food. Including the Dump Cake recipe that she found. Basically it's just fruit in heavy syrup, pie filling, dry cake mix (sans any oil or eggs) and a stick of butter in pats. I put it together and then Kelly served it over ice cream! MEOW! Very good! PLus we had all the left over wine from the night before (thanks Tabitha!!) and I had about 4 glasses of the something that started with a "V"... My friend Sarah showed up too, so it was great to see her and chat! She's awesome! Or as we realized what we say in Minnesota is soooo Awesome! Oh and as I mentioned Tabitha earlier, funny coincidence but I know 2 sets of couples with similar names: One is Tabitha & Marshall and the other is Tabitha & Martin... Crazy!

Wine Tasting and Pink Granny Panties

Last night I went over to my cousins' house for a wine tasting. We sat and tried whites and reds and we laughed a lot. We chowed on peanut M&M's and Beef Sticks. Though I'm not totally sure if that is what you truly are supposed to eat at a wine tasting, but then again we are not normal people to begin with.

There was also a rather large pair of pink granny panties availble to try on. I promised the person wearing the panties in the picture not reveal his or her identity...

mishpacha

Happy Anniversary to my parents! 33 years of marital bliss! We met at Jake O'Connors in Excelsior and it was magic. I had the corned beef and cabbage! YUM! And we all shared cheesecake with berry compote. I love my family!

Schmutz

"Seeking in all that joy of things remembered; one image, one the dearest, one most bright, one face, one star, one daisy, one delight, one hour with wings most heavenly and swift. One hand the tenderest upon my heart." ~Conrad Aiken

"In masks outrageous and austere, the years go by in single file; But none has merited my fear, and non has quite escaped my smile." ~Elinor Wylie

"With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy." - Lope de Vega