do we really have to work?

Why do we all have to work? Ok, I know why, but I don't like it. Work has been a struggle over the past few weeks. I'll maybe go into that later. I just don't feel like I'm doing "my thing." Anyone know what I mean? I want that feeling again where I get up in the morning and want to go to work. Yes, I said I want that feeling "again" cause at one time I had that feeling. Life is to short to not do what you love. While I'd love to be a SAHM... it won't pay the bills.

My sister and I are considering a new venture... this give you a hint?

It's a LONG shot, but I'm going to just go with the flow and see what happens. May work, may not. But I'll never forgive myself when I'm 80, if I don't try. My sister and I went to B & N this weekend and spent frickin $140 on these 6 books. I told her we better be serious about it this time (we've gone back and forth on owning our own gift shop for years) if we were spending this kind of $$ on 6 books! So things are rolling along. We are meeting with a financial advisor this week and I am calling my realtor tomorrow to see what retail space is available downtown. There is one building in particular I would *LOVE* to have, but at this time it is only for sale. I don't want to purchase a building when starting out... maybe after a few years when we know things are going to work out we'd be interested in doing that. It also has an apartment above... and I in NO WAY want to be a landlord on top of starting a business.

So the hardest thing we have come across is not the paperwork, the loan app's, the time commitment, the researching, the business plan, etc... it's figuring out a name! I would **LOVE** some ideas from you all! (Think gift shop, home decor, baby items, candles, books, Chas - maybe I could sell your beautiful creations and take custom orders!) Just throw anything that comes to mind out there. Some of you know me personally and some don't... so I'm excited to hear your ideas! If all goes through and we actually choose your idea there will be a handsome reward. Promise.

I have worked in a retail store for over 10 years (prior to the job I'm in). While it had it's moments (like every job does) overall I loved it. I love doing merchandise displays, going to market, ordering new items, helping customers find just the right thing, chit chatting with customers, etc. And what would be better than calling it mine?

Please say an extra prayer for us. Thank you!

buh bye shek

I took E grocery shopping last night. The cart was hurting her legs and she wanted to get out... so I let her down... as we are walking down an aisle she spots a box of microwave popcorn that has S.hr.ek's face on it. Of course she wanted it so bad. She starts yelling, "shek, shek, momma shek!!!!" When I tell her we have to keep shopping and that we aren't buying the popcorn she freaks, but starts following me down the aisle. I keep shopping and don't realize she's run back to the Sh.re.k box. I can hear her from the end of the aisle saying, "buh bye shek, buh bye". In the most sad sweet voice, like she was saying goodbye to someone she would never see again. I can already tell my little girl is going to be an emotional, sensitive and empathetic woman, just like her momma.

yeah, i'm crazy...

i'm thinking about quitting my job. nuff said.

goodbye gram

Well the hardest days are done. We had grama's wake on Wednesday and her funeral on Thursday. Family came from Virginia, Georgia and Ohio. All my cousins were here (minus 5 of them) which was amazing, we have never had all of us together like that... maybe once like 15 years ago... here we are at my church...

It was such a hard emotional day. It is Friday night right now and I am STILL completely exhausted. I've also gotten a cold on top of it, so that doesn't help much. Grama was buried at Fort Snelling in St. Paul. So after the funeral we had and hour drive to the cemetery... where we had a very short service... it was below freezing and we were outside... it is an amazingly beautiful place for a cemetery... the massive amount of headstones is incredible... there must be hundreds of thousands...

i'm speechless

I couldn't have said it better myself. Really, I couldn't have said it this good. Please go read this... it is brilliant. Exactly how I am feeling in my life today. To. A. T. Exactly. Wow.

hair cut

A few of you have been asking to see pics of my haircut... I did get it cut and I do love it, but don't have a real good pic yet. The one on New Years in my previous post you can kinda see it... she left the layers a bit longer in the front... I wasn't ready for that short of bangs just yet... this is the best I've got for now. Horrible pic of me and not exactly what the haircut could be... I had worn it all day and it was flat. I'll get a better one posted soon.

last minute plans...

I got off work at 4:30 yesterday. Stopped at my mom and dad's and was quickly talked into going out for New Years with them, my aunt and uncle, sister and BIL and my cousin D and his wife LA. I raced my butt home, showered, dressed, packed E's bag and we were off. Turns out because of my grandma's death my aunt P was here and she was watching D and LA's 3 kids. She said she'd also take E... last minute free new years eve babysitter... what could be better than that!
First we all met at the Jimmy. A bar at the St. James Hotel in RW. I had my usual glass of Shiraz. G had a beer. Then we walked across the street to the restaurant. We had an 8 p.m. reservation. Kind of annoying, but we didn't get seated until after 8:30... gave us plenty of time to have another drink, I had a peach martini... YUM! LA had a yummy chocolate one. I have to get that one next time.

We were finally seated (they didn't even give us drinks on the house for having to wait to long) poor service if you ask me. Not sure we'll be going back there to often... but the meal was worth the wait. It was a 6 course dinner. $90 per couple! Here is the menu.

Hors d'oeuvre Sampler
Vegetable Confetti Puff Pastry
Gazpacho Shrimp
Cheese Pinecone with crackers
Glistening Grapes

Soup
Shrimp Bisque or French Onion

Salad
Greens and Crostini with Harvarti

Sorbet
Raspberry Sorbet

Entre Choices
Stuffed Lobster Tail
10 oz Stuffed Lobster Tail
Lobster Tail stuffed with lobster, crab and shrimp topped with a champagne butter sauce
Served with a 5 cheese lasagna bed
Sprinkled with pomegranate
Accompanied with marinated grilled asparagus
Confettied with rutabagas and carrots

Turducken
Turkey, Duck and Chicken Breast rolled with herb stuffing and roasted golden topped with a raspberry chipolte glaze
Served with wild mushroom risotto with mushrooms marmalade
Accompanied with marinated grilled asparagus
Confettied with rutabagas and carrots

T-Bone Steak
16 oz Angus T-bone grilled to perfection
Topped with a roasted garlic demi glaze with rosemary
Served with duchess potatoes
Accompanied with marinated grilled asparagus
Confettied with rutabagas and carrots

Dessert Sampler
Mini Baked Alaska
Fruit Trifle
Chocolate Truffle

I had the lobster and G had the steak. It was delish. I can't believe I forgot to take pics of it! I am so mad that I didn't!! I would have loved to share them with you all. I remembered at dessert... so here is a pic of dessert. Each course came with some sort of edible flower on/in it. This one is an orchid. I ate it!

I do also have a pic of my entree after I was mostly done eating. It looks kind of gross, sorry, but at least you get the idea!


Our table after we were done with the entrees.
We had a GREAT evening. They also handed out noise makers with the sorbet. If they would have been smart, they would have waited until dessert. Cause we continued to do this all throughout dinner.

And we did lots of this...

Then we all had a mild heart attack after receiving this! $408!! Ended up being almost 5 bells with the tip! And that was just for 6 of us! The other 4 had a tab over $250! Good god!!
And one last pic for a good laugh. My dad. Hah!

We had a unexpectedly great new years eve! Hope you did too!

Happy New Year!

We just got home. I can't remember the last time I stayed up this late. It is about 18 after 12. I need to get to bed. Will tell you tomorrow about our fun and yummy night! Hope you all had a happy new years eve!