Community Activism

Josh cracks up because I am a total letter writer.  When I am unhappy about something, he will say "Well, why don't you go write a letter."  Meaning that when I like something or hate something I tend to let people know.

Case in Point:

1)Approximately 10-11 years ago I emailed Trader Joes and asked them to move to Minnesota. I don't want to get all the credit but Minnesota now has 3 Trader Joes.

2)Around that same time I emailed my favorite chain consignment store, Buffalo Exchange and asked if I could franchise.  They told me no. I told them they should move here to Minnesota.  And lo and behold...Uptown has  Buffalo Exchange.

3)Once again, about 10 years ago I began a regular email campaign with New Belgium Brewery begging them to bring Fat Tire to Minnesota. Glurp Glurp Glurp....that is the sound of me drinking me some barley pop straight from the Wind Powered New Belgium Brewery.

Not all of my letters are positive. Which brings me to my local grocery store.

Dear Local Grocery Store:

I am sorry, but I can't stand shopping at your store.    I am a mom.  I have toddlers.  I have toddlers that like toys.  WHY OH WHY OH WHY must you have toys in every inch of your store? They are in the front entrance, even before you step in the store.  They are at check out.  They are in the aisles.  I seriously cannot get through your store without some meltdown or tantrum from one of my children begging me for a toy.  You are losing money.  You are losing a lot of money...I will tell you why.  Your sales would increase if you got rid of the toys because more moms would shop and buy more...but NO...now every time I go, I rush in....frantic....trying to avert my children's eyes. Not to mention it is very uncomfortable for the staff and patrons that have to hear my son screaming over the nerf water gun I did not buy him.  Sell food....stick with food. 

Thanks for listening.

Pure Loveliness--I guess I will have to drink much much more coffee

DIY instructions here and also info here

Wouldn't this look so cool at the cabin?

I was joking about the recipe....

how about this one....Maybe not peanut butter and bacon, but Guinness and Chocolate....CAN I GET A HELL YEAH from the crowd??
 

I love green, as in lots of rain makes our world green, green.....

Okay the blog has fallen to the wayside.....it is a good thing.   We are camping and fishing and eating and playing and gardening (OH are we gardening)...Mr. Martha Stewart has already made two batches of raspberry jam and the first batch of pickles.  My job is to taste everything and eat all the leftovers (some of the cucumbers are just too big to can....and I profess that the smell of fresh cut cucumber is quite possibly one of the best smells on the planet.)

Just a beautiful song:



And something I am SOOOOO looking forward to....


The song featured in the trailer is by one of my favorites, Florence and the Machine....Enjoy: 

Brother.....Brother.....

Dear Brother...aka Holmes aka Screech aka Davey Ray aka One of My Favorite People in the Whole World (Top Five Easily)

I must have got some parasite in Mexico that makes me sleepy and tearful because man, I have just felt really emotional lately. Maybe it is the withdrawls from being in Mexico and seeing the family.  But I miss you guys MUCHO!!!!  Oh and for all you other readers......I just can't express how much I adore my brother.   He is such a rockin fella.....he went through a rough patch a few years ago and MAN has he come out on the other side stronger, happier, more aware and so incredibly full of life.....like a man sized sponge he is soaking in the world and spitting out such rays of sunshine and warmth and love.  I am so proud of the person you are right now......such goodness swirls around you.

So anyways, I was thinking Dave....perhaps you and I should start a blog.....I mean we already spend a far amount of time sending each other songs and recipes and pictures....why not make it more of an open forum??

What do you think?

A collaboration of sorts?  An art project?  A melting pot?

Destination Wedding

Henceforth, I think that ALL weddings should be destination weddings.

My reasons why:

1)A smaller group of people come together and you get to spend more then one day together.  By the end of the weekend you are all family.  The photographic evidence.


2)There is just something so beautiful, fabulous and down to earth when you can feel sand between your toes and look up and see a beautiful bride.

3)I love love love, double triple quadruple love to travel.  (For Hire: Free photographer for your wedding).

4)La Paloma...Mexico style---by far my new favorite drink.  (I actually emailed the hotel to see if they can give me their recipe because I can't seem to get a good replication of it now that I am back in the states.)

PV and Las Caletas was amazing......seriously the most beautiful setting for a wedding I have ever been to....I ate in a restaurant called Le Leche ("the milk" for you non-linguist types) that is literally ALLLL in white...check it....first time I have ever eaten a beet and goat cheese ice cream.....I know...how passe' of me.  I also saw fire dancers.....it was AWESOME.   I went snorkeling and actually saw real tropical fish....  The people of Mexico are extremely kind and very generous and willing to help--damn hard workers.  I did not feel unsafe and was never worried. I ate fish every.single.day.....I heart you ceviche.

Most of all, I am grateful for my husband that understands the difficulties of having a wife that is from out of state and supporting her "need" to get out of MN on occasion.  Love ya dear a thousandfold.

Definitely not from a box

My mom is so uniquely herself and so amazing.....
~Everything was from scratch....birthday cakes, pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls.
~I love her long hair.....she is at the age where there is some wierd expectation that once you hit the mid-50s you are supposed to cut your hair.  My mom's hair...is her....so her...if she cut her hair...it would be too wierd.....it is long and thick and the most beautiful milk chocolate color.....please never cut it.
~She always has snacks.  If for some reason you became stuck in the desert and you thought the end was near....you would want my mom with you.  She ALWAYS is well prepared with hidden granola bars and cookies and boxes of raisins.  She also has the YUM drawer in her house in case that dreaded sugar-tooth bites.
~When we were kids we didn't have a TV for a very long time.  And when we got TV we had four channels.  So I remember going to Girl Scout camp when I was around 8 and all these girls were talking about some group called Duran Duran and I pretended to know what they were talking about.  I am sure this lack of television is directly proportionate to the fact that I ended up spending a ton of time outside or at the Flagstaff Public Library.  Therefore, I directly contribute my lack of television watching to my absolute love of books.....I shall even go so far as to say that I probably would have never gone to college or have graduated from college if we had had cable because I probably would have become obsessed with how hot Andy Taylor was.
~My mom was an amazing teacher.  School teacher...and life teacher.   In school, she was strict and as far as I am concerned, that is how all teachers should be(that is probably how parents should be too).  You can be fun and strict...the perfect combo.  She would never put up with the scantily clad girls running around these days(GO put on this xxxl tshirt and cover up!)......to this day her students that see her always remind her of what a great teacher she was.....
~Speaking of preparedness.....she is the ultimate Girl Scout.  She can fish, hunt, hike, camp like nobody's business.  She can garden and grow and create and sew and feed you the most amazing meals.
~She loves us immensely.  She is our best friend, our biggest champion, an infinitely positive person.  While others were stuck inside, she showed us the falls, the mountains, the streams, the ruins, the creeks (we weren't always sooo willing but I can attest that it made a positive impact on our lives.)  She showed us beauty in trees and water and doing more with less.  We are better parents because of her. She gave us trust when other parents didn't (I still can't believe you let me go to Mexico when I was a senior :))  She taught me about peace and Mother Earth and being gentle with her and making sure to have independent thoughts (GDI).  She never let us drink soda, we ate homemade granola and we never got sugared cereal.  By far our greatest moments are sitting for hours in her kitchen and laughing.....she is an amazing mom and grandma.  We have been blessed to be your kids.

I love you Mom....happy madre's day.....peace.    

Just A Reminder Of How Quickly Time Passes You By (or Me By)

Good in your skin

Lauren and Kyle reminded me that my blog had gotten a tad "picture heavy".....so I will try and write for a bit. 

I think there is probably a gene that is present on both the X and Y chromosome.  A gene that is something like hair color, eye color or blood type, or like the tendency to like/hate licorice or to have detached/attached earlobes.....but I digress..... I don't really have a good name for it, but I guess lets just call it the "GOOD IN YOUR SKIN" gene....

What is that you ask?  Well, I think there comes a point in your life and it is different for everyone, where you finally feel comfortable in your skin.  And what I mean is that for most people (I hope)...they finally reach a point where the say "Damnit, I like myself....I am a badass person...(okay, maybe the cussing is unnecessary, but you get the point)"....

I was driving to work, in my 35th year of life and it hit me....I feel really good where things are at in this life. Granted there is that 7 more pounds I want to lose, or the messes in the house...but I finally feel really good about who I am.  I still get occasionally nervous in social settings but overall, I am pretty happy with myself. 

Which brings me to "other people".  Because I swear you can look at a person and talk to a person and you can just tell they aren't too happy with themselves.....but the irony of it is, that they spend a lot of time boasting about all the wonderful things they do/have/accomplish...but there is just something there that gives you the sense that they aren't truly content.  And it is quite wierd when those moments of discontentment shine through.

I can honestly say that if I was taken from this Earth (preferably after the trip to Mexico), that I would have been happy about the life I led.  I was looking at my sister this past weekend and she is such an endlessly positive person, she is definitely good in her skin.

So folks, go out there, search inside and find that place that makes you feel completely content.....it is in there.

Be good.

It is too nice to be inside