Look Who's 35!!!

So I'm 35 today!

As always - I LOVE to celebrate my birthday - and today pretty much rocked! And even though I had conferences tonight - I think I made the most of the day! Here are some birthday highlights:

1. Opened cards from Mom/Dad & Jen/JP before leaving for work.
2. Birthday wishes from Roommate Vanhtha before he left for work.
3. Free Birthday Coffee from Caribou.
4. Birthday Donuts and Juice from Amy in Advisory.
5. Birthday Calls from Mom/Dad & Lonny on my "missed calls" when I got back to my office.
6. Cards, Gift Cards, E-Cards, Text Messages from friends, cousins, coworkers . . . ALL DAY!
7. Birthday cookie in morning meeting - as well as birthday song!
8. Birthday DINNER at Red Lobster with dear friends and family!
9. Birthday kisses and hugs from Alice . . . dear friends and family too!
10. Home to find Birthday emails, Blog Comments, MySpace messages, Facebook messages. (and another card - from Nancy!)

I think one reason I love to celebrate MY day so much. . is it reminds me so much of how many people really love me. Like will drive in sleety snow to have dinner with me . . .like will wake up at 6:30 to try and call me before work . . . like will think of me all day. . .

Yeah. I feel the love!

Ok - here are some pics from dinner tonight:







Oh yeah - and of course some cute Alice Pics:

Alice clinks glasses with Daddy. (A new game at dinner!)


What a big girl! (note napkin in lap!!)

Roll Call:

Birthday Girl (ME!) & Heidi


Matt & Amy (in Anoka)


Julie & Don


Coworker/Friends Becky & Andrea


Duh. Lon, Jaime, Alice Mae

46 minutes and counting - til my day is done! :) Love you all! I truly am blessed!

Bedtime

I started suffering some Alice-Withdrawal . . . . so went over to Lon & Jaime's for the bedtime ritual. This included hearing the 4 new words she has acquired since I saw her last, seeing her new box/fort, and reading books before bottle/rock/bedtime. So - this book that she's had since I can remember is all about Mama animals putting their babies down to bed. The last page is a Mama putting her baby to bed. The last time we read this - and tonight too - Alice points to the Blonde-haired-Mama and then points to me. That last page is ME! :) So tonight I asked, is that Auntie Carrie? *Nod* *Point to Auntie Carrie* Then I pointed to the baby going to bed. "Is that Alice?" *Nod* *Point to self* SO freakin' cute. God I love her! :)

(Here's the page. Looks like me, huh?) :)

166.5

Was totally sick and in bed all day yesterday - but at least the scale was nice to me!!

And Now - from my friend Tendrils - who I thought had disappeared from Blogging (tee hee hee)

60 Things You Possibly Didn’t Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?

2 Bare-Naked Boppys ready for covers to be given as shower gifts (and probably a few tennis balls Bella left behind!)

2. When was the last time you threw up

I can't remember - and I'd like to keep it that way!

3. What’s your favorite curse word?

I like a few . . .

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?

Today kind of sucked - one of my classes was awful to my sub yesterday. . . . hmmm probably Karly, Andrea/Becky (during our "real" PLC, and Amy (not sure when, but I'm sure it happened) :)

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?

Sitting in the Department Leader Meeting

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?

Catching up on Scrabulous

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?

Sleeping!

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?

Nope

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?

I'm almost done (to Karly who is patiently waiting to use my computer)

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?

Chubby Hubby

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?

diet cherry pepsi

12. What are you wearing right now?

jeans, turtleneck, sweater

13. What was the last thing you ate?

eek - KFC popcorn chicken and potatoes (I hope that scale doesn't go up!!)

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?

nope

15. When was the last time you ran?

bwah ha ha ha. I don't run.

16. What’s the last sporting event you watched?

CPHS wrestling

18. Who is the last person you emailed?

I emailed Ann my 8th graders and their test scores to get ready for transitions next Tuesday

19. Ever go camping?

of course

20. Do you have a tan?

not much left - I think I hear the tanning bed calling!!

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?

only if there's a paper cup and plastic lid involved

25. What did your last IM say?

no clue - it was with Lonny tho

26. Are you someone’s best friend?

I have lots of good buddies!

27. What are you doing tomorrow?

Celebrating Valentine’s Day with Alice so her mom and dad can do something fun.

28. Where is your mom right now?

Hopefully home relaxing - but I bet she's doing laundry or something else "workish"

29. Look to your left, what do you see?

Vanhtha's computer (it's OFF!!)

30. What color is your watch?

I don't own one.

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?

Sexy accents. (& Muriel's Wedding)

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?

Nope. Why would someone CHOOSE to be cut??

33. What is your birthstone?

Amethyst

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?

Driv thru - but we went in to KFC tonight - to make sure we got our entire order!

35.How many kids do you want?

I thought 2 or 3 . . we'll see I guess. .

36. Do you have a dog?

2 sweetie pies!!

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?

Melanie

38. Have you met anyone famous?

Danny Ponce :) Stan Shaw :) :)

39. Any plans today?

After this - it's Project Runway - then bed!

40. How many states have you lived in?

3 - MN, IL, ND

41. Ever go to college?

Moorhead State - BS and Hamline University - MAEd

42. Where are you right now?

In my dining room / office :)

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?

Too much going on at work

44. Last song listened to?

Can You Read My Mind (text message ring tone)
(and before that - Josiah Leming's MySpace page - dude should NOT have been sent home on American Idol!!!)

46. Are you allergic to anything?

hayfever and that kind of stuff. . .

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?

Melanie's old Docs

48. Are you jealous of anyone?

Nah . . . although Lonny's got a pretty cool little family goin' on

50. Is anyone jealous of you?

Bwah ha ha ha!! Right!

51. What time is it?

9:35pm

52. Do any of your friends have children?

uh. yup.

53. Do you eat healthy?

YES!! (Ok -don't count tonight!) - but YES!! Pretty much!

54. What do you usually do during the day?

Shape Minds :) tee hee hee

55. Do you hate anyone right now?

such a yucky word. . . .

56. Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily?

duh. But "hi" more often

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?

35 (in TWO WEEKS!!)

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?

Nope! We was Po!

60. How did you get one of your scars?

both scars on my hand from kitchen glasses

2 Weeks of Photos

I'll try to keep the commentary to a minimum - but I have 2 weeks of photos to share . . . .

Jan. 31st - Thursday Night LOST

My new favorite dinner - BBQ Porkchops, Sweet Potato Fries, & Chinese Chicken Salad - served to my LOST guests.

Feb. 1st - Friday Night at California Pizza Kitchen

Three pretty ladies waiting for a table.

Feb. 2nd - Saturday Auntie/Alice Day at the Library and the Walker

Storytime at the Pierre Bottineau Library in Nordeast was quiet because of the cold weather.




















We read stories, played with toys, and even found an awesome globe to spin!

















The first Saturday of each month is Family Day at the Walker. Alice and I joined Joey and his family for crafts, music (it was kinda scary music), snacks, and playtime! Alice even figured out where to put her fingers in the scissors - just like the big kids!! (Thanks for a great day Joe, Shelley, Elijah, Elizabeth, & Nathaniel!)

Feb. 9th - Wilebski Cousin Dinner @ Kramarczuk's

Last night was the 3rd gathering of the local Wilebskis. (It was my first one.) We ventured out in frigid weather for Pierogi and Sausages! Food was yummy - chatter was even better!

Table Full-o-Poles

Do you think Heidi can eat this by herself??

Nope! Michele and Chris help out!

Roll Call:

Cousin Frank & Trophy Bride Joan

Cousin Nancy, Doug & Kyle

Cousin "Little" Joey

Cousin Heidi & Loving Sister Michele

Cousin Jill & Chris

Cousin Michele & Jim

Cousin Julie & Don

Me & Julie posin' Olan Mills Style

Can't wait til the next gathering!



Feb. 10th - Sunday Email from India





This morning I received some photos from Sudeshna - here is her adorable family - including Anubhav who is not quite a year old!









Sunday Dinner at Lon & Jaime's


Alice Mae had pierogi leftovers for dinner whilst the grownups loved Salmon, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, & Salad. (Not chicken - but freakin' good!)

Have a great week!! I feel a cold comin' on - I hope I can head it off at the pass! :)

169.0

Lost a pound this week. :)


Some other numbers:

Obama - 227
Clinton - 85


Those were the results of my precint's caucus. :) Fun time. We had so many people show up that we had to move into the gym to accomodate all the people - good problem to have! AND - I stood up to do a resolution! :) (of course, to reaffirm the DFL's committment to the funding of public education) . . .

Should be an interesting night!

Super Bowl Ads

I actually paid attention - and even RANKED the ads this year. . . . here are my faves (and hopefully the link works - if you didn't catch it the first time):

7.
Bud Light

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6.
Pepsi : Magnetic Attraction Super Bowl 2008

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5.
Budweiser Clydesdales Superbowl Ad: Hank the Clydesdale

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4.
Doritos

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3.
Planters Nuts Super Bowl Commercial: Woman Attracts Men w/ Nuts

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2.
Bud Light Wine & Cheese Party Super Bowl Commercial

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AND . . .

1.
Diet Pepsi Max Super Bowl Ad: Ginseng & Caffeine; Wake Up People

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Not a true "Super Bowl Ad" in the entertainment sense. . but powerful in the "Captive Male Audience" sense . . .

Honorable Mention:



Happy Sunday!