Santa, can I have a car?

Outback, Murano, Jetta

I hate it when you have this nagging feeling that it is time to get a new car. I have had mine since 2000. I love my Rodeo SUV. But it now has 200,000 miles on it, the winshield frame needs replaced (leaking water when it rains), and now the driver side window control stopped working so none of the windows roll down.

Other then that, it doesn't have any large mechanical problems. But I know that this is a matter of time. It took me FOREVER to pick out this one so I should start window shopping and deciding what I want to spend. It doesn't help that the companies are having end-of-year sales!

I think the big decision will be whether or not to go back to a car or stay with a SUV. I kinda would like to have a real trunk again but I love the space and height on my SUV. So the plan is to test drive a few different options and see what I think. It has been so long that I don't even know what is out there.

Option 1: Drive my SUV till it dies a fantastic death. Save $$ till that time

Option 2: Use what I have already saved and grab a good deal with hopes that I can sell the SUV for a little bit of cash.

Lease? Buy?

is that snow i smell

I am sitting by the light of my tree trying sum up my pre-xmas season. It snowed a little here today. The smell of the first snow is the best. The other was a wonderful winter nite. The sky was crisp,clear and the stars were sooo bright. Sitting on the steps of my parents house with a steaming cup was fabulous.

Presents are bought. Now on to the cards and stocking stuffers.

Fall

It's Fall!! Time for apple cider, ft ball games, bonfires, crisp weather, and the colors in the trees.

Summer Fun

Top  Summer Fun:

The Pool

Flippy skirts, shorts, flip flops

Fireworks

BBQ

Lake & Roadtrip in Arkansas

Summer Brunches 

Grass between your toes

Farmer’s Market

My brother & his family

Late Mornings with no schedule

Coffeehouse moments with Roomie

Sun on your skin

Artwalk

Fireflys

Roadtrip for Peaches

Shakespeare in the Park

Fresh flowers

Nature Center Hikes & bike rides

Late Nights with the kids

Peaches/blue berries/ tomatoes etc….

eating outside at Restaurants

early summer morning sounds

Cardinal Games (St Louis & Springfield)

Picnics

Fishing

spending last moments & making memories with 'the girls'

It has been ages

It has been ages since I have posted but I have been on Facebook. Someone was 'nice' to point out that not everyone is on FB. So here I am, catching you up!

Summer in a glance:

Normally I would have June and July of but the school district hired me for extra projects for the month of June. I was able to go in as needed and still enjoy the weather. The 4th of July this year was a big deal. My dad retired, parents 35th anniv, and my dad turned 60. He thru a big sparkly bash and some family  from Nebraska made the trip down.

My brother was also there with the kids to 2 weeks. We went to the lake, Bass Pro, lots of pool time, some fishing, went to Precious Moments, and other summer activities. They are growing like weeds and it is always so much fun to have them with me. They stayed the night  and we enjoyed the pool, farmers market and had fun in town.  This year I actually was tired before them!!

My roomie was gone to Europe for a few weeks and then was back for a brief time before heading back to Hawaii'. When she got back we filled the time with enjoying every bit we could.

So that wraps things up. I will post pics ASAP.

http://www.studio1002.com/

April Showers & Birthdays

April has been an odd month full of birthdays and annoying weather. It seems that Missouri skipped spring and moved from Winter to Summer. I don't mind 80' weather but I do miss the pleasant spring days filled with cool yet summy weather with rain mixed in.

On the plus side---i love the smell of cut grass. My parents are putting in a new garden so I can't wait to get my hands dirty. We always put the flowers in for Mother's Day. Its fun picking out the different flowers and deciding on colors or theme for the year.

This month is a busy month for bdays. Half of my close friends and family have their bday in April. I feel like I have doing nothing but celebrating all month. DOn't get me wrong... it it fun but my wallet is feeling the crunch!


My home decor has come to a halt. I haven't been too motivated to decorate the place. I have some ideas and need to just act on them. I just hate spending the $$ on it. The couch and chair still is fabulous but I need to get some items to finish up the room:


New frames to put up travel pics
pillows for couch
end table
new garbage can


I have a litle over a month left of the school year. I am looking forward to my summer break. I only get 40 days off but I plan on enjoying every bit of it. My brother and fam will be coming down for a week. I hope to get out of Missouri for a couple of weeks as well. Volleyball is going well. The team I am on are loads of fun. I have been ignoring my hip issue and so far it hasn't been too bad.

Hope you take some time out to enjoy the sun!

Grumpy old man magnet

Happy Good Friday! 

Its cold, rainy and I am on day 5 of bronchitis. To make things worse is that NO ONE is getting my Zoolander 'black lunch' reference. I must be getting old.

I decided to drag my sorry butt out and hangout at the internet/coffee cafe. This is a sweet place. But of course if there is an odd old man anywhere to be seen, they find me. He starts the conversation asking about my laptop and once I smile and answer then he is off on the rant.

They owners actually came over to tell him to be quiet. LOL!! But he never leaves. Finally he goes and the cute guy beside me takes off his head phones and says that I was being kind to the grumpy man. Thought about helping me out but said I has handling it. 

Seriously!?!? IF you weren't so cute I would have smacked you for not stepping in.  Maybe my good karma was will result in future conversations with cutie boy. One can only hope.

As cutie boy leaves he tells me his name and says he hopes to see me ---without the loud man-- next time.

FYI---this happened to me last weekend at Starbucks too

Sofa Shopping

This is what I like

Couch Hunting should be an Olympic Sport. I have sat on almost every couch in town and haven't found the right one. I feel like I am Goldie Locks. Its either the wrong color, too much or not enuf cushion, wrong price, wrong arm shape.....etc

I think I might end up sitting on the floor. :)

I like the choc brown couch. I have never owned a micro-suede before but that is what the majority of the ungranny-like couches are made of. The search goes on.

post-holiday update

Don’t forget to check out the family pics!!

It’s actually almost mid-Feb but later is better then never Right!?!? The Holidays were highlighted with my emergency gall bladder surgery. That put a twist in the plans. I was lucky to have it happen so close to the holiday break. I spent the first week of the break in bed sleeping. Lets be honest there is about 30 days that I don’t remember! No complications so far. I am just very impatient and still trying to get back to eating food with spice.

My family celebrated the holidays at my brother’s house in Illinois. Forgot how bitter cold the north was! We were lucky to be there between the winter storms. Had a great time and celebrated the New Year’s with my niece and nephew. My new nephew, Nathan, is cute as a button. He slept thru the New Year but I enjoyed spending time with him.

Jan went by really fast and honestly nothing exciting happened. Except for the 3 days snowed in. LOL!! WE were lucky that the ice went further south. They are still cleaning up the mess about 2 hours south of us.

Work is going well. I am between projects right now. Can’t finish any one thing yet. In a few weeks everything will pick up and I will be crazy busy. Its feast or famine! I have been applying for multiple grants while I have the time. I am hoping that some funds will come my way so I don’t have to take out student loans for my last semester.

In March I am moving. My roommate is returning to Hawaii. So this will be the first time I will have the apartment to myself….ever!! Silver lining is that she will be in town till summer at her sis’s house…..which includes a pool and hottub. LOL We will be bummed when she leaves but that just means a trip to Hawaii for me. 

Plans for Spring and Summer are in the air. We lost some vacation days due to the snow so I have to reschedule my Utah plans. I still want to go overseas sometime this summer. The Brit Pound and Euro has finally fallen so the exchange right is more reasonable. Last year it was almost double. EEK!! I guess tourism is also down so there are some great deals.

That is about it. Hope all is well with you. Keep me posted.