What Did You Say???

I would just like to say this week I had a moment of feeling old and out of date with the younger generation. I was helping out one of the students for our Relay for Life. We were exchanging emails for about a week and during that time I think I really only understood 70% of what he wrote!

He used abbreviations for words I had NO idea what they meant. I actually had to call M. to see if she had an idea of what one of the "abbreviations" meant! It wasn't even an abbreviation - just like two letters that was suppose to mean something!!!

I feel old. Not just b/c I don't understand WHAT the kids are saying but b/c I also caught myself saying to my husband later that evening "These kids and their text/instant messaging. I don't get it - they confuse me! an "lol" or "r u" are understandable abbreviations - but all this other stuff....I can't keep up with it! Do these kids even know how to spell a complete word????" YES, I KNOW!! I sounded like an old fart *OF!!! It must have been a moment of weakness or something. :(

However, in all honesty I am starting to feel more of a gap *btw my generation and the ones below me. Even with my 19 year old sister (though we are closer then ever) I feel like I don't always understand her and her friends and get easily annoyed by what they say and do. I am moving closer and closer to understanding my parents generation and more confused by *PPL younger than me. I feel the shift coming and me saying - I am not as young as I use to *b!

So b/c I feel old I decided to list A FEW (seriously...there were 5 pages) of Chat, E-Mail, Web, and chat room slang and acronyms.

b4 - Before
BBL - Be Back Later
BBS - Be Back Soon
BCNU - I'll Be Seeing You.
BFN - Bye For Now
BMA - Bite My Ass
BRB - Be Right Back
BTW - By The Way
btw - BeTWeen you and me ...
CU - See You - also posted as cya
CUL8R - See You Later
FOCL - Falling Off Chair - Laughing
FUBAR - "Fouled" Up Beyond All Repair / Recognition (This is old school!!!)
FYI - For Your Information
H&K - Hugs and Kisses
HAGD - Have A Good Day
IB - I'm Back
IC - I See
IDK - I Don't Know
IDTS - I Don't Think So
JK - Just Kidding
L8R - Later (an early one, kind of outdated with current 'young geeks')
LOL - Laughing Out Loud
LTNS - Long Time No See
LYL - Love You Lots
NE1 - Anyone
OBTW - Oh, By The Way.
OMG - Oh My Gosh
P911 - My parents are in the room.
PITA - Pain In The Ass
PLZ - Please
PPL - People
QT - Cutie (In my generation this was Quality Time)
ROTFLMFAO - Rolling On The Floor Laughing F(***ing) My Ass Off (Can things REALLY be this funny)
RU - aRe yoU?
SYL - See You Later
TC - Take Care
THX - Thanks!
TMI - Too Much Info
TTFN - Ta-Ta For Now (I know this from Winnie the Pooh!!!!)
TTYL - Talk To You Later
TYVM - Thank You Very Much
WTG - Way To Go
WTF - What The F**K


Seriously - WTF! This is ALL way too much for me! I will stick with my handful of slang words for text messaging, but otherwise I think maybe I am ok with feeling a little old!!!

TTYL!!!!

*My attempt to use these things....yeah, I don't like it so much!!

My Own "Velveteen Rabbit"

Above is a picture of my favorite stuffed animal - Kitty! Kitty has been with me since I was 6 years old or so!!! I sleep with Kitty every night, yes EVERY night. She is usually under my head or tucked under my arm. She is worn, has holes, lost her whiskers, is pretty flat (not much stuffing left), and couldn't be more loved and a necessary comfort for me.



I know a grown married women of 27 probably shouldn't still be sleeping with a stuffed animal, but I can honestly say I don't remember a time when Kitty hasn't been next to me. I truly get upset thinking some day she will be put up on a shelf b/c she will be too worn to snuggle with. (Can not think about it)



Anyways, here is my problem. Kitty hasn't been washed in sometime now. (sorry - kinda gross, I know) I keep little night gowns on her so I can wash those or throw them away so that I am not laying directly on kitty. However, after my last cold, the fact that I am still sick AND my eye infection came back - I have realized that Kitty may need some form of cleaning to get germs off of her. Here is the thing though - I don't know how to proceed in a most delicate way! Kitty would not survive the washing machine and I am afraid to spray her with Lysol / fabreeze combo as I do sleep on her and I don't know if those can be next to my face.



So I guess I am asking to see if anyone has any suggestions on a good way to "disinfect" my kitty without ruining her or using too harsh a chemicals. My poor Kitty!!



On a side note: since my eye infection came back I had to get rid of the brand new sleep mask I just bought! It was WONDERFUL!! I am SO beyond tired of being sick! I have had something wrong with me for about 6 weeks now - UGH!

Talk to me....

So I have a question for all you green thumbed people!

I want to plant some flowers this spring at our new place! Unfortunatly, being that we live in a condo, I don't know how much actual planting I can do around our house. So I was thinking about get some cute flower boxes and planting flowers in those and putting them on our patio and on our front step! However my question (s) are WHAT are good flowers to plant in that kind of smaller space and when is a good time to start planting said flowers?

Also, has anyone planted herbs in one of those herb pots? How does that work? OH, and we do have alot of bunnies in our area, so maybe we can't plant flowers :(

I know very little about flowers and such so any ideas/advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday to our little kitten - BELLE!!!!

She turns 1 year old today! YAY :D

An Inconvenient Cold.

(Sorry, I just watched an Inconvenient Truth yesterday and I am on medicine….it was the best I had!!!)


So sorry for the lack of blogging the past 5 days or so but I have been a bit under the weather. Today is my first full day back to work, and let me tell you I am having a hard time making it through the day!!

I started feeling off last Thursday and by Friday I had a full out cold/flu or whatever it’s called! Now I am at the point where I have not felt well for nearly a full week and I am just DONE being sick.

What sucks the most about getting sick is that it always seems to happen at an inconvenient time. I would have loved to be able to take a few days off work, sleep and get better. But unfortunately work is busy and I can’t take any more time off at the moment. Why couldn’t it have come when nothing was going on and I could have taken some “extra” time off?!?! Also, I hardly EVER have plans on the weekend…..but I take a long weekend and make plans and BAM – I’m sick!

Some things that this stupid sickness ruined this weekend:
- I haven’t seen my sister yet for her birthday which was on March 15
- We didn’t get to see Terry’s little brother for his birthday, which was on Saturday
- I didn’t get to make my big St. Patrick’s day feast I had blogged about
- I haven’t given Terry a kiss on the lips since last Thursday
- I had taken Friday off for a vacation day, but was instead sick all day! A waste of a perfectly good vacation day!
- T. had the weekend off (which he doesn’t get too many of) and instead of us doing stuff over the weekend he planned out to do, he took me to the doctor and sat in Rite Aid for an hour waiting for my medicine.
- The medicine was gross!! (But in good news I got medicine with codeine in it for my cough – YAY!!)
- I didn’t have a voice the entire weekend. (which I guess was ok considering I slept for the entire weekend)
- I was too tired to blog, read blogs or even move to the room where the computer was located to THINK about blogging.


I know this is ALL complaining. I am NOT looking for any sympathy – we have all been sick. I am just at the “annoyed with being sick” phase and wanted to rant a little. Oh, and see if anyone else notices that we get sick at the most inconvenient times?!?!?!


Wishing everyone good health and a VERY HAPPY first day of spring!!!

CONGRATS!

Congrats to our friends C & S who just found out they will be having a baby boy in August!

We are SO happy for you!

(Chris....you are going to be a DADDY!!!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY K!!!!!

I wanted to wish a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister!!!!

She turns 19 today! YAY!!!!

You are such a beautiful and smart young lady! I am SO proud of you! Happy birthday sweetie!!!

(I special gift came in the mail yesterday!!! I will share with the other bloggers once you see it this weekend!!!)

Recipe of the Day!

The second part of my Irish, St. Patrick’s Day feast (to go with my Brisket and Cabbage recipe) is a quick Irish Soda Bread. (It will also allow me to use my new Kitchen aid stand mixer!!) I have never had this but I am guessing it is a rich/dense bread! I love bread so I can’t imagine it being bad!

Soda bread is a type of quick bread in which yeast has been substituted with baking soda. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Other ingredients can be added such as raisins or various forms of nuts.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yields: 20 servings

Ingredients:

- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup margarine, softened
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- ¼ butter, melted
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- (You can also add currants, nuts or raisins)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a roundish “ball” and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with a ¼ cup buttermilk. Brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an “X” into the top of the loaf.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. You may continue to brush loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday to my WONDERFUL Aunt Bobbi!!!

They Are Here!!!

Our wedding pictures are here!!!!

This weekend we got a box containing nearly 400 - 4x5 proof pictures from our wedding and a CD of all the pictures! YAY!!! Now we get to go through and pick out the ones we want in our book - tough!!!

I was SO happy to see these pictures! I can't wait to make some for my family and friends and pass them out! Then my mom, sister and I will put them into a scrapbook this summer - SO FUN!!!

I have seriously looked at these pictures at least 3 of the past 4 days! It brings back SO many happy & wonderful memories! Memories not just about THAT day but about all the preparation my family and friends put into planning for that day and especially T & my relationship over the past 6 1/2 years! When I think about how loved we are and how much we love each other....it really couldn't be better! It sounds cheesy, but when i look at these pictures and what they represent I just feel pure happiness!!

YAY!!!

(Yes, those are a few pics of me and my WONDERFUL husband! Didn't want to make it too obvious who we are though!! hehehe)

Recipe of the Day!

So in honor of St Patrick's Day and our 2008 trip to Ireland, I decided to post some recipes that I will be making this weekend for my husband!!! Now normally I don't give out recipes that I have never tried, but considering I don't cook much AND these come from reliable sources - I am going to pass them on!!

Today's recipe is Corned Beef and Cabbage! This recipe will be cooked in a large crock pot/slow cooker (whatever you call them) for a long long time....making everything tender & delicious!

Ingredients: (This yields 6 servings)

- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges

- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

- 1 pound baby carrots

- 3 cups water

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1-2 bay leaves

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- 1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket, cut in half. With spice packet* (if packet isn't included in purchase as butcher)

- 1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

Directions:

Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaves, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet....pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and veggies are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.

ENJOY!

Tomorrows recipe is the second part of this Irish Meal......Irish Soda Bread!

Indulgence!

So this weekend I got my hair cut and I got some highlights/lowlights put in. Just a very subtle change, but I wanted something done.

But what I loved more than the cut and color was when they washed my hair! I LOVE when people play with my hair...it puts me to sleep and is so relaxing! She actually had to rinse my hair a few times b/c she added a glaze to my hair to soften the color - YAY!!! I say glaze away!

I have to say that if money wasn't an option, I would pay to get my hair washed at least once a week. I would also pay to get a head (and body) massage every few days!!! I would become a ragdoll and be so relaxed! It would be THE BEST!!! Having people play with my hair is my Achilles' heel! You start and I am DONE FOR!

I honestly think that this would be my indulgence - any form of massages and hair washing! It would give my husband a break from having to play with my hair & rubbing my back and I would be relaxed! What a great way to spend my unlimited amount of money!

If you didn't have to worry about money would there be some sort of "indulgence" you would spend your money on regularly?

A Wonderful Weekend

I just wanted to say that I had a really great weekend with my family! My parents and sister came up Saturday afternoon (K's spring break is over and they were bringing her back to the dorms this weekend).

Saturday night we went to a great Italian Restaurant in BG - Cucina Di Betto - where we had a wonderful and relaxing dinner! We then walked downtown to a music store, were dad and T stayed to keep looking at music while my mom, sister and I all headed to Panera for coffee and went back to the car and just laughed and talked!

We then went back to the house and watched Borat (still LOVE this movie) and then had birthday cake and K. opened her birthday gifts! (K. turns 19 this week!!)

Sunday morning my parents brought us Starbucks and then after dropping K. off at her dorm and getting her settled we all went to Qudoba (better than Chipotle in our opinion). After lunch we went back down to the same music store we were at Saturday night (our family loves music) and then made a stop at the ice cream place! Not only did I get a wonderful strawberry milkshake but we also looked at ice cream cake options for someone elses birthday that is coming up......(MINE)!!!

It was just a great weekend! I love having my family up here! I know I am being selfish, but I wish they were up here all the time! I know it isn't that easy, so it is nice to enjoy the time when they are up here!

YAY to Great weekends with my WONDERFUL family!

On the Big Screen!

I read that Jason Lee (from My Name is Earl) will star as "the dad" David Seville in the semi - live action movie Alvin and the Chipmunks!!! Click here for article.

I think this would be fun to see!! I loved Alvin and the Chipmunks growing up and I love Jason Lee so, well, there you go - I should love the movie too!!!

Did You Know???

Did you know that the kid that plays Micah Sanders on Heroes, Noah Gray-Cabey, was a classically trained pianist by the age of three? He is the youngest person ever to perform at the Sydney Opera Hall! Very Interesting! That is a "power" in itself!

For more stuff on Heroes click here. Make sure to read the online novels....they are pretty cool!

I LOVE this show!

A Mall Necessity!

T & I went to his home town mall this weekend. As we were walking around the mall there was one thing on our mind.....pretzels!!!

To me that is the ONLY reason I really care to go to the mall (that and Hot Topic's)...to eat a hot and delicious pretzel from the local pretzel company! All hot pretzels are great but my favorite are from Auntie Anne's - YUM!!! My pretzel of choice - original with no salt and cream cheese dipping sauce and of course a lemonade to drink!

In my opinion if there is not a pretzel shop in a mall well it isn't a mall and not worth my time! It is my reward for making it through a mall and it is my motivation to get me to a mall!

YAY!

I am SO happy because ALL this week most of the BGSU population is out of town on spring break! Which means no annoying students this week and a relatively peaceful week will be had by all the locals! YAY!!!

And then next week, my place of employment will be absent of students which means leaving at 4:30 and great parking! I am still loving spring break!

K. I hope you are enjoying a nice week with mom and dad!!!

Welcome our New Addition!

I would like to take a moment to welcome a new member to our family! A beautiful, empire red Kitchen Aid Professional Plus Stand Mixer!!! It is SO beautiful and we are very excited to welcome it into our home! We look forward to making many tasty treats! (Yes I can cook and bake VERY well with the right motivation....and this is the right motivation!)

Features include:
– Extra-wide 5-qt. stainless steel bowl
– 10 speeds
– 450-watt motor
– Direct-drive, all-steel transmission
– Soft Start
– PowerKnead spiral dough hook
– Flat beater
– Wire whisk

SO WELCOME OUR NEW FRIEND!!!! I can't wait to see what deliciousness we create together!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday to my friend Kiri!!! I hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday and maybe next week during spring break we can get together!!!!

The New Office!!!!

This is cute!!!!

Talk to me....

First off.....I am really loving the new VW Rabbit! It looks SO cute and fun! We are thinking about buying a new car (it will be mainly T's car) in about a year or so. Of course I REALLY wanted a minivan, and though my husband is not opposed to this - T. use to have an old VW Rabbit and was super excited to see them back! So I guess the minivan will have to wait!

So here is my question....what is up with leasing a car? Terry is totally against it and believes it is a waste of money....but I see/hear about many people who lease cars. I guess I just don't understand exactly the benefit of leasing? Also, I know you can purchase it after your lease is up....do you end up spending more money leasing and then buying compared to just buying?

When I bought my car a few years ago leasing wasn't even an option because it was our main car and I have to drive about 40 miles to and from work everyday. So I never looked into it more. But Terry drives maybe 14 miles a day to and from work and that's it. (If this even makes a difference)

I guess I just wanted more information on why so many people lease and the benefits (or the lack of benefits)......mainly out of curiousity. So if anyone has leased a car or knows anything about leasing - please share!

P.S. I also LOVE the new Honda CRV. Alot better than their old one! I would totally consider that one as an option in a couple years!