One Resolution for 2008

Ok, I have a few days to go before the New Year's Resolutions actually kick in, but I've been doing some thinking about what I resolve to do in 2008.

One idea I have is to improve how I clean the house - to be more efficient so the house will be clean, yet I don't have to spend all my free time cleaning. Now, anyone who's visited my house knows that I don't spend all (or sometimes any) of my free time cleaning.

Since I really love having a clean and organized house, it's time to kick my "if you can't do something right, don't do it at all" strategy, which has never really worked in any area of my life. I could present numerous examples of this strategy's shortcomings...some of my college grades come to mind...

In my pursuit for a new approach (is this reminding anyone of my planning my planner plan post?), I've come across a website that I recommend for anyone looking to increase their cleaning efficiency or get started after not doing much cleaning.

FlyLady.com

There's so much information on the site and much of it is touchy-feely rather than practical, which makes it kind of overwhelming. There's an optional email group you can join and I'm not sure what to think about that yet. They send about 10 emails a day with brief hints and tips. With all the other email I receive I can see that getting annoying.

Her tips gave me some great strategies to get started on my own routine. I will spare you all the details, but one thing not on her list is creating masking tape labels for the different areas within your refrigerator (e.g., "dairy," "fruit"). Perhaps she would be interested in hearing about this tactic from you-know-who-you-are, but whom I will not name. :)

One requirement she has is wearing shoes pretty much all the time. I don't see the purpose of this and I don't like wearing shoes in the house, so slippers will have to suffice. I think the site was originally targeted at some stay-at-home-moms who may not feel like getting dressed and ready for the day. That's not an issue for me and I'm not wearing shoes!

Take a look at the site and let me know what you think. I'm also interested in anyone's efficient cleaning tips! And look out Chris!!

Most Literate City in America?

Why, Minneapolis, of course! And St. Paul is number 3, behind Seattle, according to research conducted by Jack Miller, president of Central Connecticut State University.

From today's Star Tribune:

Miller looked at six indicators of literacy to rank the 69 largest cities -- those with 250,000 people or more -- in the United States. The categories included newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, education and Internet resources.

Denver placed fourth followed by Washington D.C., St. Louis, San Francisco, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Boston.

Minneapolis was second in Miller's 2006 survey and St. Paul was fifth a year ago.

Miller has conducted the study annually since 2003.

Best Christmas Moments

Instead of giving all the details of the fun and excitement we had over the past five days, I thought I'd create a list of my favorite moments from this year's Christmas celebrations.

Best one-liner: "I love your shoes" (3 1/2 year old Madison to 20-something stranger)

Best new addition to our family (tie): Cloe and Olivia

Most surprising Cranium secret weapon: Jack

Most shocking Cranium falter: Mine (sure, graffiti looks right with one "t" when you write it down)

Most esteemed college grad: Kelsey (way to go!!!)

Most contextually inappropriate commencement address: MN State Rep. Brita Sailer

Best entertainment: Mike's DVD of family photos set to some great tunes

Scariest moment: when Trevor fell/dove head first into the hot tub (although I knew it was coming)

Most ironic observation: "Geez, it's so cold in Fargo - I can't wait to get back to South Dakota."

Best use of balloons: little kids using them to pummel Jack

Looked like she had been pummeled in the eye: Grandma Julie after a nasty fall the night before

Funniest gift: 2,000 packets of Splenda

Second funniest gift: pocket version of the US Constitution (never know when you might need that)

Best hand-me-down-gift: sewing machine from Grandma Dottie

Most thoughtful and time consuming gift: the wedding album Amber made for us

Most fun gifts to watch others open (tie): Grandma Dottie's digital camera/printer and all of Trevor's gifts

Most excited about someone else's gift: Amber about Trevor's clothes (he sure wasn't very excited)

Best food: all of it, but especially Grandma Dottie's komla

Most overboard on the gift giving: Mom (again!)

Least fun: when it was all over and driving home in the snow (but thanks to Chris we stayed on the road)

Thanks for the fantastic times and wonderful gifts!!

Jeg laget lefse...og det er god!

"If one "thinks" Norwegian when eating lefse, many say they "feel" Norwegian when making the stuff." So says the website where I got my lefse recipe. Dette er sann! (This is true!) Especially when the lefse turns out well, as mine appeared to last night.

The trick is really in the dough, which I made from scratch this time. Those mixes are no good and it's not that hard to make. It probably took two hours the first night to peel and boil the potatoes and make the dough. Last night I added the flour, shaped the dough and cut it into pieces like this one:

Then I rolled it out with a covered rolling pin. I always thought that rolling the dough would be the hard part, but it's quite easy as long as plenty of flour is used.

Transferring the lefse to the grill is easier than it looks, too. The main problem I had was that my lefse were getting so big and thin that they almost didn't fit on the grill!

The lefse did like to bubble up, but the bubbles went away once the lefse is removed from the grill.

Once I really got in the groove (I made about 32 lefse, 28 of which are yours to sample at Christmas!), I was rolling out a new lefse while I had one on the grill. This led me to overcook a few and to realize that making lefse with a partner would make it easier and more fun. (Hint, hint - anyone interested?)

What do you think of the finished product? It looks like it is supposed to, but I'll leave the taste testing up to the expert Norwegian palates.

By the way, the title of this blog entry means "I made lefse...and it is good!" Translations courtesy of FreeTranslation.com - not sure if they're accurate, but then again I don't think any of you would know the difference!

Holiday Baking Extravaganza

In yet another chapter of the exciting activities I've coerced Melissa into, we baked holiday goodies on Sunday from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm. And we went to Pilates beforehand! It was a long and exhausting day, but so much fun.

Melissa doesn't have much baking experience, but you could never tell.

She did a great job, but her perfectionistic tendencies did cause some delays. :) Although the real problem was that my spritz press is a piece of junk. That thing made its way to the trash before the day was over.

Precision is essential in baking, but perfectionism is impossible. You just have to go for it - even if it doesn't look great it will probably taste great!

That was definitely the case with our frosted cookies. The frosting recipe tasted delicious, but was a pain to use. I replaced my previous recipe, which spread like a dream but tasted not so good. Amber, you'll have to send me your recipe from work to try next time.

Ok, I'm having a hard time writing this because I keep thinking about all the delicious treats. Of course I have some in my desk drawer and I just can't resist taking a bite. Or several bites. If I don't stop writing about treats I will eat them all. And then what will I eat this afternoon??

The results of our long baking day may not look like much, but here's a list of what we made:
Frosted cut-out cookies
Spritz cookies (ended up being cut cookies)
Fudge with walnuts
Peanut butter/chocolate fudge
Mexican wedding cookies (aka snowballs or butterballs)
White chocolate covered pretzels

Chris also decorated a cookie (and enjoyed some treats), but somehow when he sent me the photos, the ones of him were not included. Hmmm...

For those who may be wondering, yes, I'm bringing treats to our upcoming Christmas gatherings!

I'm also bringing lefse. I completed Phase I last night (using real potatoes this time) and if Phase II goes well tonight, expect to try some this weekend! However, if it turns out anything like last time, I won't be sharing this batch. I don't think I can bear the look on peoples' faces when they bite into it and can't hide their distaste. Except Mom, who pretended to like it!

Angie's Holiday Dancing

One of the things I've enjoyed most since moving to Minneapolis is getting to attend Angie's many events. On Saturday afternoon, it was her dance program. As always, she was the most vibrant face on the stage and one would never guess that she only attended six or seven practices, because her dancing was flawless!

You can call her four-eyes...

I have to post this photo, only because I know how mortified Amber will be by it. She recently got glasses to ease eye strain when using the computer and I think she looks really cute!

Those of us who got glasses in elementary school think nothing of it, but for some strange reason Amber is embarassed to wear them!!!

Calling her "four-eyes" would be a fun and appropriate response, don't you think?

Recipes

Several people requested the recipes for some of the dishes I made last weekend. Here they are!

Baked French Toast
Food Network

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and make the Praline Topping.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.

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Crockpot Egg Bake
About.com
(I didn't particularly like this one - it seems to be too heavy on the meat and spinach no matter how many eggs you add. Some people said they liked it, so I will include it.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound very lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground breakfast sausage, mild
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 package (10oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much water as possible
3 tablespoons flour
6 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk, scalded
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:
In a skillet, lightly brown meats and onion in butter; drain well and place meat mixture in a well-greased slow cooker. Add minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, salt, nutmeg, spinach, and flour; stir gently to blend.

Beat eggs and milk together; pour over meat mixture. Stir well; cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or until set. Sprinkle with shredded cheese 5 minutes before serving.

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Crockpot Sweet Potatoes
Betty Crocker

6 medium (2 pounds) sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts, toasted

1. Place sweet potatoes in 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients except nuts; spoon over potatoes.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours or until potatoes are very tender.
3. Sprinkle with nuts.

Our First Overnight Guests

We had a wonderful time with Mom, Dad, Jon and Amber this weekend - thanks for coming to visit! We didn't do much other than eat and shop (and some people never left the house), but that's the great thing about living close - no pressure to "entertain."

Amber gave a great run down of the weekend along with some fun pictures on her blog.

I should also note that Bonnie joined us at the MOA, while Duane sat around with the guys on Saturday afternoon. They had Bonnie's work Christmas Party nearby that evening, so were able to spend some time with us before that.

We really enjoyed having Chad, Kristina and Sophia as well as Melissa join us for brunch on Sunday. Although we don't have enough chairs for that crowd, it seemed to work out well!

After brunch, Melissa and I took off to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie. Although we were in the very back row, there is not a bad seat in that theater. It was a wonderful production - certainly the most uniquely staged that I've seen.

Well, it's two weeks until Christmas! Does everyone have their shopping done?

Visitors this weekend

We're looking forward to the arrival of our first overnight guests! Mom, Dad, Jon and Amber should be here in a few hours.

I'm disappointed that Trevor's not coming because I really wanted to give him some Mountain Dew and several sugary snacks and see what happened! I'll just have to wait until Christmas to try that!! :)

I do understand why this is not the best time for him to visit - we will all get a lot more done and he will have fun with Dirk and Judy (I assume).

We'll be sure to take pictures and I'll give a full report next week (as will Amber, I'm sure)!!

Moving Update

Well, I don't have much to report. The past few days have consisted of unpacking and going to work! The unpacking will continue for awhile, but I think we're almost ready for our visitors this weekend. Pictures coming soon...

We are homeowners (again)!

Chris and I just got back from the closing, so we own another house! The best thing about this, of course, is that we finally have a home. The movers come tomorrow - let's hope they beat the blizzard! Now we're on a mission to buy things like a shovel and coat, gloves, hat (for Chris - of course I have several of those) to get ready for the big storm tomorrow. Hooray!

Be Smart and Do Good

OK, this might seem like a frivolous way to waste time (one of many, unfortunately...), but I just came across this site:

http://www.freerice.com/

It's a way to test and/or enhance your vocabulary and for each question you answer correctly, they donate 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.

It's fun and addictive, but (at least somewhat) guilt free!

Thanksgiving in Michigan

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! We had a great time in Michigan. As with most vacations, the time went by too fast. Once again, I didn't take as many pictures as I wish I had, so I'll try for a compelling narrative.

On Wednesday we arrived around rush hour in Detroit. It's hard to believe all the negative news about that place when the roads - from freeways to city streets to suburban avenues - are packed with traffic. There are millions of people there with places to go and things to do, so it can't be all bad! If only they would start buying houses...

After quite a long drive and picking up dinner from La Shish - the best Middle Eastern cuisine outside, well, the Middle East - we arrived at the home of our friends, the Harpers. It was great to see Chris and Kristin, but spending time with four-year-old twins Kate and Kyle was the real treat!

We awoke to tiny voices chanting "it's snowing, it's snowing" on Thursday morning. Sure enough, our first real snow of 2007 found us in Michigan! (It was also colder and gloomier than Minnesota for all you who continue to think we've moved to the frozen tundra.)

Chris and Chris (they go by their last names when together, but it still gets confusing!) played in the snow with Kyle and Kate for awhile in the morning.

By early afternoon, the Harpers left for Thanksgiving with Kristin's family. Once Chris finished watching the Lions lose (and taking a nap), we headed for Mike and Donna's house. Two of their kids weren't there (Laurie and Cindy (and Ryan)), but Jenny, Michael, Matt and Gina were there and Heather came in from New York with her boyfriend Jahn (sorry if I didn't spell that correctly). Grammy Opal was there and Suzanne came in from California for a few days. A friend of the Forans' also joined us.

There we enjoyed a scrumptuous Thanksgiving feast of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, yams and various side dishes followed by Grammy's out-of-this-world pies. Pumpkin, cherry and pecan. Mmmm, mmmm. Can we have Thanksgiving again this week?

On Friday morning we were, of course, ready for another big meal! Matt and Sherrie invited us to their house for brunch. They live just a few miles from the Harpers. Also joining us were their sons Jack (7) and Nick (5) and Chris and Matt's friend Jerry, his wife Gina and their kids Gueneviere (3) and Gabriel (1). We had a great time and ate way too much of the delicious quiche, sausage, fruit, veggies, bread that they had prepared.

After digesting and chatting with the Darnells, we met up with Opal and Suzanne. Suzanne turns 60 on December 23 (sorry! I hope you weren't trying to keep that a secret!) and we won't see her then so decided to do a small celebration one month in advance. We visited the Yates Cider Mill for some cider (of course) and - because of course we needed more junk food - their homemade donuts.

After the cider mill, believe it or not, we went out to eat! At La Shish again (because it's also Suzanne's favorite). We've decided that we have to visit Michigan more often so we don't feel the need to gorge ourselves on all our favorite local food. I didn't even mention the many slices of before and after Thanksgiving pie from Achatz.

Following an early (and light) dinner and birthday toast to Suzanne, Chris and I headed back to the Harpers. We brought a make-your-own-bouncy-ball kit and wanted the chance to make them with Kyle and Kate. It was a very easy process of mixing water with colored crystals in a mold. I had fun and the kids seemed to enjoy them. Chris warned me that it might not be a very parent-friendly gift, but as of Saturday morning the Harpers weren't cursing us, so I think it was ok!

By noon on Saturday we were on our way back to Minneapolis. Although we wish we'd stayed longer, we were glad to have some time to relax. Thanks, all, for the fun and food!

A quick trip to Seattle

Chris and I flew to Seattle last weekend for the baptism of Keith's and Lauren's baby Greyson. They called it a christening but I really don't know what the difference is so I'm using the term that's more familiar to me. Does anyone know the difference, if there is one?

Chris' other high school friend, Chris, and his wife Kristin were also there, along with several more of Keith's and Lauren's friends and family. We shared a suite with Chris and Kristin near Lake Union, which superstar marathoner Kristin did a quick 7 mile run around on Saturday morning. We felt like bums by comparison.

The baptism was on Saturday morning and it was a special ceremony just for them - not after church. It was certainly the most personal baptism I've ever attended. Lauren's dad sang "Forever Young" and played the guitar, which was so touching. Greyson was so well-behaved. She is almost six months old and by the look on her face it was almost as if she understood everything!

While talking about the importance of Greyson's baptism date being as important as her birthday, he asked if anyone knew their baptism date. Of course I do (September 24), so I raised my hand like any good nerd would. I don't think the priest expected anyone to know (or to say anything if they did know), so he didn't really seem to have a point in asking that. Although he was kind of an odd duck in general, so who knows.

They hosted a brunch at their beautifully renovated Craftsman-style home in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. We spent the rest of the day there and then went to dinner with Keith, Lauren, Chris and Kristin. They surprised us with a bottle of champagne in honor of our anniversary. Of course I drank my share as well as Chris'!

On Sunday we went to brunch and did a little shopping with Chris and Kristin. Then we met everyone for bowling at Sunset Bowl in Ballard, Grandma Dottie's old stomping grounds. We even drove by her alma mater, Ballard High School!

Seattle's such a great city, not unlike Minneapolis in that the city itself is vibrant, walkable and interesting and more desirable than the surrounding suburbs. I hope we go back soon!

I know, I know. I have no pictures. Chris brought his camera but I'm not sure it ever left the room. I'm not living up to my picture-taking responsibilities, am I Mom and Grandma?

We have a house!

As Amber would say - "holy cow Mert." I really wasn't expecting to get this house, although Chris was and now we aren't quite sure we want it. Figures, right?

Here it is - 5400 Washburn Avenue. The pictures are not very good, but you can see that it's in good shape and is right across the street from Minnehaha Creek and Parkway.


The house is dated inside, but clean and in good condition. It's got some issues though. There are only two bedrooms and one bath on the main floor. The basement is divided lengthwise by a block wall, rendering the space rather unusable. We'd like to add a second floor, but may not be able to do that due to zoning regulations.

Plus, it doesn't really have a back yard. That doesn't bother us, because look at the front yard, but we think it might be a problem when we go to sell it.

If we decide to keep it, we'll be closing by the end of the month. Start planning your visit!

Per Amber's request, here's a link to the listing and a few more pictures: http://matrix.northstarmls.com/Matrix/Public/Email.aspx?ID=3981823808

p.s. Marilyn - it's 8 miles to the Mall of America. :)

A Stellar Effort

Last night's volleyball match was a real heartbreaker, with Angie and team losing a close one. The match went five games, with Delano keeping alive with a spectacular showing in game four. Grandma, it's a good thing you weren't there because every single game was a nail biter.

Angie did such a great job, though, with some outstanding kills and tremendous saves. She and her team have much to be proud of and I was so glad to be there to watch!

Are you ready for some...volleyball!

Angie and the Delano Tigers take on Stewartville tonight at 7:00. Good luck to Angie and her team! They are such superstars - I can't wait to watch them tonight!

Here's the pre-game analysis, courtesy of Minnesota Sports Online:

"These two teams met during the regular season with Delano winning 2-0. Delano is making its third overall appearance, but first since 2001. The Delano Tigers tied for No. 9 in the final poll. The Tigers of Stewartville are hoping to improve on last year’s runner-up finish as they make their third consecutive and 18th overall appearance. In addition to facing Delano during the regular season, Stewartville also lost to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 2-0. The Stewartville Tigers were No. 8 in this year’s final poll and are in the hunt for their fourth championship. They won previous titles in 1991, 1997, and 2000."

Even though I missed Saturday's Section victory, I still got to be in the post-game photo with Bonnie, Angie and Grandma!

Most Affordable Place to Live Well?

You guessed it - Minneapolis!

Forbes is one smart magazine for ranking my new and favorite city at the top of it's 2007 list. For you skeptics who think weather is everything, here are a few reasons why Minneapolis is #1:

- Relatively affordable homes
- Cost of living is less than the median
- Top-notch cultural institutions
- Outstanding quality of life

"The "City of Lakes" is a case study in corporate social responsibility. A large variety of companies--from Target to Cargill--donate huge sums of money to the city's schools, cultural institutions and health services. This positively affects the quality of life and the arts and leisure choices. Housing and cost of living are both affordable, but aren't dramatically below national means."

Now don't you all move here at once, but feel free to visit any time. :)

Attention Deer Hunters

Deer hunting season is in full swing and hunters are getting more deer than they can (or want to) eat in a year. Why not do something good for those in need and donate the deer to a local food shelf! The Minnesota legislature funds a program to facilitate the donation of deer to food shelves. There is no cost to the hunter and processors will be reimbursed for their costs.

Review the list of processors participating in the program. It may require a longer trip than usual, but isn't it worth it? And talk to your local processor to encourage their participation in this program.

Happy deer hunting!

Hindsight is 20/20

This excerpt from a recent Garrison Keillor post on Salon.com got me thinking about how life would've been different for us Norwegians if our ancestors had never emigrated here. Of course it doesn't make sense, because if that had happened I wouldn't exist. But it is interesting to contemplate how the place my ancestors left because life was hard has turned into a place I think I'd love, borderline socialist that I am. That's not to say I don't love America, because I do, but Keillor's points, tongue-in-cheek as they may be, are hard to dismiss.

"In Moorhead, Minn., you'll find a fine replica of an 11th century Norwegian stave church, which looks a little odd there with few trees and no mountains. And that's how the Norwegian emigrants felt who wound up on the prairie. The sky was too big and they had to learn to walk on level ground. But life was hard in Norway. The Black Plague had killed off half the country in the 14th century and made it defenseless, and so Norway fell under the woolen fist of Danish oppression until Denmark chose the wrong side in the Napoleonic wars and was forced by Britain to give Norway to Sweden, and between the Danes and the Swedes they managed to give Norway a national inferiority complex that lasted even beyond national independence in 1905. In these little villages along the fjords, people wearied of vertical agriculture and began emigrating to the Midwest back when it was a primitive frontier.

A Norwegian hates to admit a mistake, however, so the emigrants wrote glowing letters back to Norway, which lured even more Norwegians to the Midwest, so they missed out on the great Norwegian oil and gas bonanza of the past 50 years. Our oil profits go to robber barons who give it to their wastrel children to subsidize lives of insane narcissism, but Norwegian oil profits go mostly to the Norwegian people and subsidize the little villages and the roads and rails needed to connect them -- Norwegians are in favor of provincialism -- and also go to the largest pension fund in Europe, $300 billion, which is forecast to more than double in the next 10 years.

American Norwegians live in little prairie towns where health care is the main industry because everybody's old and their main asset is their home, which isn't worth what it was because the town is shrinking because old people have a tendency to die. Their ancestors took a wrong turn. They had no idea America would fall into the hands of a failed oilman who would waste the country's pension money on a war for oil while Norway, the world's most peaceful country, enjoys a very sensible prosperity. They've voted twice to stay out of the European Union. Why mess with success?"

Learning to Make Lefse

After a fruitless attempt to make lefse several months ago, I decided to attend a class to learn how it should be done!

I'd call yesterday's class at Kitchen Window more of a demonstration than a class, but I did have the chance to make three lefse. The first one was undercooked, but the other two were quite good! Interestingly enough, hot-off-the-grill lefse tastes very similar to Swedish pancakes.

Rolling and handling the dough was not nearly as tricky as I expected. Th key is really in the quality of the dough and it doesn't seem that hard. Although those who recall my inaugural blog post about making kumla know what too much flour does to Norwegian food!

In addition to invigorating my interest in giving lefse another try, I learned that there are over 50 varieties of lefse and some are made without potatoes! Can you imagine? Immigrants favored potato lefse and so it has become the prevalent form in the US.

If I get my lefse equipment out of storage by Christmas I will attempt to make some for our gatherings. However, if you were planning to buy lefse please do, as I can't guarantee it will be anything like the pros make!

Photo credit: www.lefsetime.com (I didn't know that more than five people read this blog).

Remember this cute pumpkin?

While looking through photos trying to think of something to post today, I came across this super cute picture of Trevor as a pumpkin. It's amazing that this was two years ago! The expressions this kid wears never cease to make me smile.

Happy Halloween!

Wishing you all a spooky day...here are some great pictures of Riley, Lauren and Tyler as well as Suzanne's spookirific decorations. Thanks for sharing them, Suzanne!

Looks like Lauren is a football player or maybe she just got crazy with her mom's eyeliner?

I would be scared if I met this witch in a dark alley!


I guess Tyler decided not to wear a costume this year?

The decorations look great!

Oooh...spooky!

My man has skills!

Amber's been posting all these great makeover photos of their house and it seemed like a great time to post photos of the renovation Chris did on a cute little house in Michigan. Isn't he talented? Seems like we should all get together and work on a house!

Here are the before and after photos:


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

This house is currently available for sale or rent. Great deal for anyone interested!

House Hunting

Our focus for the past few days - and next several, probably - is on finding a house. We looked at houses with a realtor on Friday and Sunday (about 25 total) and still haven't found the right one. As if you didn't know this - Minneapolis is expensive! There are deals to be had in this market, though, and we are determined to find one.

We have seen some places in our range 1-2 blocks from the river, 2-3+ blocks from the lakes and even one right on Minnehaha Parkway. The homes are nice but small and sometimes awkwardly laid out. So many of the homes are already renovated and we are loath to pay for someone else's work when we could do it our own way for less money.

The house shown is one we looked at. Not necessarily a favorite, but will give you an idea of what we're seeing.

We also went to a real estate auction on both Saturday and Sunday. We hadn't done enough research to feel comfortable bidding, but it was a great learning experience. There seemed to be some great deals, but in other cases people over paid. Mom and Dad - the "crack house" went for about $129,000 if I recall correctly and the nicest one we saw that day (also the first?) went for $335,000.

There's much more for us to see here - there are no lack of houses to view. The real challenge will be choosing the home and location that best suit our needs!

Choose your candidate.

Check out this fun way to choose your ideal presidential candidate on Amber R.'s blog.

http://sayamberkay.blogspot.com/2007/10/voting-and-presidental-election.html

Be sure to share how accurate it is!

Right Brain or Left Brain?

Take a look at this link and see if you think the dancer is turning clockwise or counter-clockwise. That will tell you which side of your brain is dominant. It's crazy!

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html?from=mostpop

Today is Blog Action Day

I just found out that today is Blog Action Day, designed for bloggers everywhere to unite and write about the environment - something that we all directly impact every day.

Last week I wrote about my desire to take public transportation more often, which is certainly an environmental issue. But I've also been intending to write about my attempts to reduce my use of plastic. What better day to do that than today!

Have you noticed how many products are packaged in plastic? It's extremely difficult to find anything that doesn't have some plastic on it. And we're all probably pretty good at putting our plastic bottles in the recycling bin. Maybe you also reuse plastic bags several times before throwing them away (or recycling them if you have that option).

Recycling is great, but when it comes to plastic, the best choice is to reduce our overall use of it. Only 5% of all plastic is recycled. You are probably all aware that plastic is more difficult to recycle than products like paper, glass and aluminum. Recycling plastic also requires the addition of new petroleum. Yes, did you know that plastic is made from petroleum? So reducing your use of plastic is another way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil!

Here are some changes that I've made within the past few months to reduce waste. I hope you will consider trying one or two of these yourself. It takes getting used to, but once you make the change you may find it's actually easier to pass on plastic.

- Drink tap water instead of bottled. Not only is it safe and tastes great (especially if it's LPRW!), it will also save you money.

- Bring your own bottle to fill when you're on the go (I have a this cute aluminum one).

- Reuse plastic containers for food storage (but never heat them in the microwave).

- If you only buy one or two items at the store and don't really need a bag, don't get one.

- Better yet, bring your own bag (some grocery stores give a discount for each bag you bring).

- If you need a bag and didn't bring one, paper is better than plastic.

- Use aluminum foil instead of plastic wrap. Grandma Dottie has been doing this for years! Foil can also be used in place of plastic bags for wrapping sandwiches or making little snack packs. It also washes up nicely for reuse and can be recycled right along with your aluminum cans.

- Rinse and reuse plastic storage bags (e.g., Ziploc).

- Don't heat plastic in the microwave. Use glass whenever possible. This isn't for the environment as much as for your own health. The harmful effects may be debatable, but there are plenty of studies that indicate plastics leach toxins into the foods and beverages it holds and it's much worse when heated. Why risk it? Use glass.

- When you are buying/using plastic, look at the number. 3, 6 and 7 are the worst for your health and are not recyclable. This means staying away from styrofoam (6) and for those of you with kids, check your baby bottles and sippy cups. If they are made from 7 plastic, you might want to look for alternatives that are BPA-free. This blog reviews some.

- Choose items packaged in glass, paper, aluminum - anything but plastic - whenever you can. This is not always easy!

- In the produce aisle, ask yourself if the items you're buying really need to be put in those plastic produce bags.

- Look for plastic made from corn. It's hard to find, but it's becoming more plentiful. I saw water in bottles made from corn for the first time this weekend. The bottles look and feel the same and I assume the water tastes the same, right Mom?

Ok, so that's an awfully long list. I hope you will try some of these ideas. Or maybe you have some other ideas that I can try. Please share!

When I try to do something good...

As I was driving (or should I say barely moving along the I-394 parking lot) last night and saw many city buses flashing past me and then eventually stopping right near where Chris and I will be living for the next few weeks, I had a great idea. Why don't I take the bus to work?

I always took public transit in NYC and loved the time efficiency it gave me. I read about one book every week and didn't have the stresses of dealing with traffic. There were certainly drawbacks, like the time it took an hour for the bus to go four blocks on 57th Street following a light snow. But in general, it was wonderful.

So this morning I went to the Metro Transit website to figure out my route and how long it would take. My current drive varies from 20 minutes to 45 minutes so I figured I could deal with a bus ride up to one hour.

What I've discovered is that there is literally no bus service within at least a couple of miles from my office. On the transit map, there is a hole surrounding my office that is not served by any lines. Why is this? I have no idea. I'm seriously discouraged that even if I want to take public transportation and do the right thing for the environment, I can't!

What I will miss (and not miss) about Jacksonville.

The movers are at the house and Chris will vacate later today. Although I'm excited for us to start our new life in Minneapolis, I can't help but think about the things I will miss and also those I won't miss one bit.

17 Things I WON'T Miss About Jacksonville

1. The tap water
2. Creatures lurking in your yard that can kill you
3. The burning hot sun that created age spots on my face despite my consistent use of sunscreen
4. Hillbillies with confederate flags in their trucks and horns that play dixie
5. Racist remarks the likes of which my ears had never heard before
6. The obsession with sweet tea and Chik-Fil-A
7. Neighborhoods gated only for prestige
8. Skin and hair trauma brought on by the water/air/sun/who knows
9. The bionic weeds
10. The inability to do yard work when it needs it most (see #9) due to threat of death from heat exhaustion
11. The political climate / no taxes=no services
12. The sorry excuse for a downtown
13. Nary a day when the air conditioning isn't on and fear of opening the windows on the mild days (see #2)
14. Year-round lawn watering at 35,000+ gallons per month (ugh, what a waste!)
15. Not being able to find a good place to get a haircut
16. The single-source local media
17. The lack of a nice movie theater (that's more Chris than me)


10 Things I WILL Miss About Jacksonville

1. Wearing sandals year round
2. Never scraping my windshield
3. Learning fun new phrases like "jiffy feet" and "put it up"
4. The friendly and efficient grocery baggers at Publix
5. Lower prices on many grocery items and gas
6. Certainly the nice people I met
7. Fresh seafood
8. St. Augustine
9. Never needing to bring a sweater on summer nights
10. Knowing I'll never go back to our house there makes me kind of sad, so I know the place will hold a special place in my heart!

We have an offer!

After several counter offers, we have finally settled on a price with a potential buyer for our house! She is a medical malpractice attorney so loves to negotiate, as you can imagine. She's also getting a screaming deal, which has Chris especially mildly irritated. But as long as it all works out for us...we don't really care!

The paperwork won't be finalized until Monday, so there's still a chance of better offers this weekend. If none materialize, we're taking it.

I think your prayers must have worked, because this is such a blessing for us. (Of course a bargain price probably trumps prayers).

We've still got a few details to work out, but it looks like we may finally be free!

Favorite Children's Books

Chris' mention of Jack and the Beanstalk got me thinking about kids' books. I loved books when I was little (and still do). Some of my best memories surround being read to (by Mom mostly) and eventually reading on my own. The top favorites I will always remember include:

The Best Loved Doll, which teaches a wonderful lesson about not judging people (or dolls!) by their appearance. I still read this one once in awhile!

The Magic Porridge Pot, which I mostly loved because of the realistic-looking images in the book. But it was also a great story.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. This is a popular one and is actually a play at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis this season. This one's even helped me feel better after some terrible days of my own...as an adult!

I also remember Jon's favorite - Watty Piper's Trucks. Hmm...I wonder where Trevor gets his fascination with trucks?

Even more special than these books were the little story books Grandma Dottie would make for Jon and me. These were stories she made up and even included fun illustrations she drew!

OK, I could go on all day about my favorite books from the past 30 years, but I will save that for another day.

What are your favorite books from childhood? (or your kids' favorite books if you can't remember that far back!)

Cross your fingers for us!

After cutting the price on our home last week, we finally got our first showing! They are interested and possibly making an offer within the next day or so. You all know what a relief it would be for us to sell this house so we can get on with our lives.

Please, please cross your fingers and toes, say your prayers, do whatever it is you do to wish us well with this. Not only do we need an offer, we need a good offer (i.e., one that doesn't require cash out of our pockets).

Thank you for your support!

Sunday on Summit Avenue

One of my favorite things (among many) about returning to Minnesota is the amount of time Melissa and I have been able to spend together. We've been friends since we pledged Alpha Xi Delta together in 1991. We lost touch after college when she moved to Minneapolis, but while I was still in grad school she moved back to Brookings and we reconnected. Then I moved away in 1998, but we've managed to stay in contact all these years and now are finally in the same city!

We have many of the same interests and are trying to motivate each other to take advantage of all the great things that the Twin Cities have to offer. Most of our time so far has been spent shopping and trying new (to us) restaurants, but yesterday we went on a guided walking tour of Summit Avenue in St. Paul. It was a beautiful (if even a little too hot) day and our tour guide was so knowledgeable. Summit Avenue is the best-preserved Victorian boulevard in America, with 373 of the original 440 residences still standing along the 4.5 mile street.

Upcoming activites on Melissa's and my adventure list include Pilates classes on the reformer machine, cooking/baking classes and volunteering with a charity. Stay tuned!

Busy Body Strikes Again

Some of you may have thought I was exaggerating about mister busy body and the importance of wearing jeans on Friday. Even I thought I probably made too big of a deal about it. Until now. You won't belive this...BB (busy body) just stopped by my office to see if I have jeans on!

He stopped by and peered from the doorway under my desk (which is more like a table - there is no panel covering the front). Figuring I knew why he was here, since he has no business reason to talk to me, I just looked at him inquisitively.

The exchange that followed went something like this:

BB: You've got to wear jeans.

Me: I am wearing jeans.

BB: Oh, those are jeans?

Me: Yes. Are there a certain type of jeans we're supposed to wear? Because I didn't know that.

BB: No, no. Just making sure that you're wearing jeans.

Me: Yep. I'm wearing jeans.

Is this guy not seriously annoying?

I'm thinking that instead of not wearing jeans in protest of this fool that I'll start wearing jeans every day. Maybe jeans from head-to-toe...jean jacket, jean shirt, jeans. I used to have some cool denim ankle boots in sixth grade. Mom, why did you let me get rid of those? They'd probably still fit! Maybe I'll even start calling myself Jean.

I wore jeans today.

Thanks for all your input. I decided to wear jeans today. Mostly it was because I don't have much to choose from and was tired of my other pants. But I'm not going to wear them every week...I won't be goaded into conforming!

This all reminds me of a time in high school (ca. 1988?) when "bump shoes" as I called them were all the rage in Ivanhoe. I'd say 99% of the people in about a four-year age span had the same pair of shoes. Boys and girls.

They looked approximately like those shown, only the boys' were slightly more masculine. Slightly.

The only people in 9-12 grade who didn't have them were the kids who probably only had one pair of shoes...and me. There's nothing wrong with the shoes - they're cute - it was just weird that everyone had them.

Disclaimer: I actually own a similar pair now and really like them, but as with most things in high school, if everyone had it and it became a big deal, then I didn't want it. That's still kind of true.

Few people probably remember the bump shoe days, but that was a uniquely Ivanhoe time I've found hard to forget. Every day, it seemed, someone new would show up with a pair of bump shoes. Most people wore white ones and if you'll recall, 1988 was still the height of pinned/rolled jeans in Ivanhoe. These shoes tended to make feet look larger than they were and in contrast to the peg leg jeans (all too often white jeans, again on boys and girls), let's just say it was not a good look for very many people.

Jeans on Friday: Perk or Pariah-maker?

Many of you are fortunate not to work in traditional corporate offices, but I'm sure you've all heard of the so-called "perk" of wearing jeans on Fridays (sometimes or every week). In my new office, jeans are allowed every Friday.

Over the past six weeks I've learned that they are not only allowed, they are practically required. Or at least they are in the mind of one guy. I'm not sure why, but he has made it his personal mission to make sure I wear jeans on Fridays. Not only has he reminded me on Fridays when I didn't wear jeans and praised me the one week I wore them, he has also mentioned it to my boss!

(Note: This guy is not in charge or even above me in the hierarchy, by the way. He's very nice but perhaps a bit of a busy body.)

Why are jeans a perk? It's not like we're required to wear buttoned up suits and uncomfortable shoes everyday (although I sometimes wear them by choice). I have enough personal freedoms in my life that being permitted to wear jeans is not a perk.

Don't get me wrong, I love wearing jeans. But because I want to, not because I have to. I would be just as bothered if I felt required to wear anything.

The past couple of weeks I've started to think about it. I gave in to the pressure one week and wore them, but since then my indignant and stubborn side has led me to purposely not wear jeans simply because it's become a big deal (at least to this one nosy guy). Then again, my conciliatory side says to wear them on most if not all Fridays in a solid Midwestern effort to show that I don't think I'm better than anyone (which of course I'm not).

(Another note: Not everyone here wears jeans on Fridays. The dress code is generally casual so there's not much difference.)

My question to you is: should I wear jeans tomorrow?

Chris is Bane

For anyone who hasn't figured out the identity of the commenter named "bane," it's Chris. I convinced him to start commenting because hardly anyone else does (hint, hint)!

Speaking of Chris, I'm happy to report that he's finally feeling good and his leg has healed very well. He's also getting ready to move to Minnesota within the next month.

Fun facts about Minnesota

I recently read a list of 50 great things about Minnesota. I won't list them all here, because most of them we've heard before and some are not that interesting.

There were, however, two that were so surprising I had to do more research.

32. Rhubarb only grows in Minnesota. (Some out of towners will tell you differently, but don't believe them.)

I find this VERY hard to believe, although it explains why Publix in Jacksonville charged several dollars for five stalks. I couldn't bring myself to buy something that grows in every Minnesota yard. And, yes, South Dakota yards too. Which proves this wrong already.

A simple Google search on "rhubarb" dispels this notion completely. Rhubarb is actually indigenous to Asia and came to the US via Europe in the late 1800s.

Further research may indicate that there is a certain type of rhubarb native to Minnesota, but it hardly seems worth it...when, really, does it matter? Let's chalk it up to an enthusiastic Minnesotan thinking up yet another way that state is unique and better than anywhere else. And who could blame him/her?

49. Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline. This is more than California, Hawaii, and Florida combined.

Since the person who wrote this list was wrong about the rhubarb, I'm now skeptical of everything on the list. But, if true, WOW! What's the big deal about the coasts, anyway? Some of us have lived within mere miles of the ocean and can count on hands and feet (maybe just hands) the number of times we've actually touched the water.

I checked the DNR website and the most relevant stats I could find are:

- 13,136,357 acres of total surface water area

- 69,200 miles of natural rivers and streams

So 90,000 miles of shoreline doesn't seem impossible, does it?

Has this made anyone hungry for rhubarb pie and a boat ride?

Angie is a Superstar!

Last night I had the opportunity to watch Angie play volleyball for the first time. Wow! She is a great player and fun to watch. The match was a real nail-biter, with Delano losing the first two games and then storming back to win the next three!

It was interesting to see how the game is different now than it used to be. They play best of five (rather than three) and to 25 points rather than 15 (except the tie breaker). They also use "rally scoring," where a point is scored on every serve rather than just by the serving team.


These changes seem to make for a more exciting match, although I did find it confusing at first. Although I wasn't a very good volleyball player, I thought I at least knew the rules!

Not having been to a high school sports event in years, there were many other great things I observed. This may be unique to Delano, but I loved the enthusiasm of the 20+ students who serve as the cheering section in lieu of official cheerleaders. They even had a sign for #12 Snaz!

The former cheerleader in Bonnie also came out during this exciting match! Although there wasn't a large crowd, they weren't short on enthusiasm. I can still hear the voice of the woman behind me hollering Snaz-eeee throughout all five games.

It was great to see Angie play and especially to see her team win! I think their record is now 4-1, so I hope their great season continues.

A Fun Wednesday Night

Last night I decided to stop by Barnes & Noble in Edina on my way home. Garrison Keillor was signing his latest book "Pontoon" and I thought it would be fun to see him in person, since I've enjoyed listening to him on the radio for years.

(Surely this secures my nerd status, lest any doubt remained.)

He talked and answered questions for about 45 minutes, during which time he wove stories and developed characters off the cuff unlike anyone I've ever heard or seen. Keillor is an unparalleled storyteller in modern times.

His brand of humor is of course appreciated here, where most everyone in the audience could relate to his stories, but he is highly regarded in literary circles worldwide.

Following the Q&A, he began signing copies of his book. At that time I learned I missed out on picking up a calendar page that would secure my place in line. Not wanting to leave without a signed book, I tracked down the calendar lady and received my page. July 12. I knew it would be a long night!

Two and a half hours later (at least I was free to sit and read or wander in Barnes & Noble), my turn finally arrived. Part of the reason it took so long is because Keillor chatted with every person in the line. My chat consisted of talk about Jacksonville and the merits of being a beach person, a lake person or - what he considers himself to be - an arboreal person (that would be someone who likes trees, for anyone wondering...).

Now I'm really ready to attend a live broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion this season! I have a feeling that Chris will pass on this one, so if anyone's interested in going with me...

Minnesota Military Appreciation Fund

I recently read about a Minnesota businessman who has started a wonderful organization here. The Minnesota Military Appreciation Fund offers grants starting at $500 to Minnesota soldiers who have served in a combat zone since 9/11/01.

According to the website: "The grants represent the state’s appreciation for their service and are not based solely upon need. The grant amounts will vary, however, according to the level of hardship endured as a result of combat zone deployment." (i.e., more injury=more money)

Minnesota is the only state with a fund like this, although the governor has written to his 49 counterparts suggesting they follow suit. It would be wonderful if South Dakota had one so Jon could benefit, but maybe this is something that will catch on.

However, many of you know Minnesotans (must be taxpaying residents) who would qualify. Please direct them to this website where they can complete an application:

http://thankmntroops.org/MMAF-Resources.html

Six Years Ago

In remembrance of 9/11, I dug out my photos from that day six years ago that changed all of our lives. They are certainly not the caliber of images we've all become so familiar with, but they are what my eyes saw that day.


We can't change what happened that day. And we can't change what's happened in the years since, in a war falsely predicated on a non-existent connection between 9/11 and Iraq.

But we has citizens have the power and responsibility to tell our leaders what we want. It's your vote. Use it or lose it! Although the election is over a year away, there will probably never be a more important vote (except 2004 and 2000 - don't make the same mistake again!)

If your previous votes enabled this war to continue, it's not too late to change. Are you really living in the small-government, low tax world you've been led to believe your vote would create? Not while we're all funding a $300 million-a-day (yes, a day) misguided and unwinable war. (And not at all, if you do your research).

While it won't undo 9/11 and it won't undo the thousands of deaths since, ending the war and righting our course as a nation is the only choice that makes sense.

So it isn't just me!

While staying in Eden Prairie for over two weeks last month and making a number of trips there since my office is nearby, I started to question my sense of direction. (No, not in life. Just in driving.)

The area where 494, 169, 212 and 5 intersect, interchange and basically swirl in circles with local streets have just barely begun to make sense to me after more than a month. I always found my way, but only with the notion that it couldn't have been the most direct route.

Exiting Eden Prairie Center can even give experts like Bonnie momentary pause, so imagine how a newbie used to gridded street layouts like me has been doing!

Much to my relief, I'm not alone! According to today's Star Tribune:

"Eden Prairie's winding streets have confused motorists since the 1980s...drivers must find their way into the city from several freeway exits. Once off the freeway they must take a loop...[that] often leaves drivers clueless about what direction they are going."

Clueless is an understatement. It's a good thing I enjoy driving around until I find what I'm looking for (and also a good thing Chris isn't here yet, because he is not a fan of that methodology). As the city's economic development manager puts it: "people are finding their way even though there might be a little frustration."

Although I've taken the scenic route in many places besides Eden Prairie, it's been by far the most confusing area for me. Now that I've begun to figure it out, it appears that help is on the way! The city is going to add nearly 60 "Eden Prairie Ring Road" signs for the Prairie Center Drive and Valley View Road circle to let drivers know they're on a loop.

I like the idea, but don't know that this solution will alleviate the real problem, which for me is the loop itself, where to find things on the loop and how to get off the darn thing and on to the right highway going in the right direction!

Labor Day at Roy Lake

The weekend at the lake was great fun. I took a video and a few photos that I'm sure Amber has been waiting to see. We missed you!!

Trevor and Jon caught some crawdads.

Mmmm...that pool water sure is nummy!

Trevor taking us for a pontoon ride (no, I'm not wearing a fur coat!)

Grandma enjoyed the ride, too!

Kailey liked to drive in circles.

This angle makes me look bigger than dad!

Skipper and Gilligan in action.