Pretty darn cute

Older couple in Mayo Clinic Atrium

My Bucket List

I've never seen The Bucket List, nor do I plan to. I don't even know if I can responsibly recommend it. However, I understand the premise is there are these two guys who make a list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket." I think they have terminal cancer and a limited amount of time to live. Whatever the story, I was inspired to write down a few things I'd like to accomplish in the next year or so. And, yes, I am one of those people who puts things on their list that I've already done just so I can cross them off, so there's a few easy ones on here I know will happen just to make me feel good.

*Start a compost pile.
*Finish painting the few places in my house that need touching up.
*Tile the backsplash in my kitchen.
*Successfully grow one tomato plant and one pot of basil (the extent of my garden this year)
*Read a book about Uganda and try to get a grasp of the history of that country.
*Finish my college scrapbook. (I only have the graduation portion left, and it's been that way for 2 years!)
*Finish my thesis (goal of Nov.).
*Become a nurse practitioner (planned for May 2010).
*Play the piano for patients/residents and families at St. Marys and Madonna Towers.
*Make it back to Honduras.
*Sew something.
*Learn to make decent espresso on my new machine.
*Winterize the house better so my heat bill improves next winter.
*Assume my newfound role as an aunt and get the birthday calendar figured out.
*Get completely checked off so I can perform blood and marrow transplants and administer chemotherapy at work.

That's a good start.

Just for Funnsies

Besides marrying my love, the part of my wedding I am most looking forward to is a slideshow I'm preparing including pictures from infancy to now of both Bob and I. I am having a BLAST sorting through all these photos, laughing out loud to myself constantly and remembering things I haven't thought about in years. It's going to be a struggle to not post all the best ones on here before the wedding. But, just as a teaser, I couldn't resist posting just one.

So, in celebration of buttercups and sunshine and warmness and love and cookouts and picnics and stargazing and all good things that come with spring, here's a sweet one capturing the annual mulching that occurs at my house about this time every year.

(my sister Anne and me, circa 1988)

Sunny Arizona

The first weekend in April was a mini-vacation for Bob and I. We got up early, drove to Minneapolis, and caught a flight to Arizona by way of Salt Lake City for Dan Locke's wedding. Bob and Dan were childhood friends, and Dan will be one of our groomsmen. We were hosted by the lovely Lundgren family, who treated us so well with card games, a hot tub, gourmet meals, and impromptu home renovation lessons. We got to see quite a bit in our short time there. It was a toasty 75 degrees, sunny, and uniquely beautiful. I almost didn't come back to chilly Minnesota after that brief hiatus. The Lundgrens are already talking about scoping out houses for us. Check out this slideshow for some fun pics.

The Other Woman

Bob opened his laptop the other day, and to my surprise, there was a different picture as his background than the one of me that had been there previously. I have been replaced by the other woman (sigh).
(Eavan, my newest niece, 2 months)

Kudos for having a handyman around

Before:












After:














(New floor, door handles, edge pieces, and tile backsplash yet to be added)

(And I just noticed there's a whole row of drawers missing in the picture, but it's the best one I have currently.)

Forever waits for you.

That was the last line on my favorite card I received at my bridal shower in TN. These lovely ladies, along with others, worked hard to make me feel so special and loved.


(My sister and my mom)

(Mrs. Carol, my co-conspirator to save the children, and Jennifer, my co-conspirator to save the world)

Basically, I feverishly opened gifts for 2.5 hours, pausing only to take sips of the best punch I've ever had in my life. This is what I went home with.

I ended up liquidating about half of it because there was no way to fit it in the few allotted bags Bob and I had. But we intend to buy back the original items once a free day come along....which is looking like July at this point. We were quite the funny sight in the airport, each of us with two huge checked bags, two valet carry ons, and two very full "personal items."


A few of my favorite scenes:
The sign-in table








Us completely incapable of taking a decent picture








Flowers specifically picked out to be my colors