January Crapitude

so has anyone else's January been particularly grim? (sidenote: "grim" is my word of the week. try it on for size, it's a great descriptive little word that sounds nice too) in my world (or peripheral worlds) so far this month everything has happened from suicides, baby deaths, & career financial meltdown to sore throats, intensely injured muscles, and messed up toilets. what the hell is going on?

only 9.5 more days until february begins and this crazy month is over. although if the cardinals loose, times may still be bad for certain people i know.

in other coutdown news, only 52 more days to BELIZE. holy balls, i'm excited (sidenote: "holy balls" is my phrase of the month. you MUST try this one, it's amazing) (side-sidenote: i like how my transistion is like on the news where they say "And no one made it out alive....Now here's how to make Mint Chocolate Chip Pie with our special guest!!!" I'm so inappropriate, although I'm pretty sure that's why you all like me)

finally, here's a little smattering of pictures for you, since people are only interested in the visuals i provide them:

insane sandwich from new frontiers (chuck is the man)

tortellini soup --- that I made Myself
my offical Masters documentation (Ashley i'm sorry i mislead you)
i am addicted to these e-mazin carrot cupcakes from new frontiers. i've had two this week and would eat another in a heartbeat (the icing is really tofutti, not cream cheese and it is MUCH more delicious!)

I got my Master's Diploma in the mail!

here's a video that has nearly nothing to do with the headline. Pay attention, it is great:



go to TruTv for more hysterical/annoying high school kids. i also like the video "Shake It Don't Break It" in which a student stands up in the middle of class to pinch his nipples & later says "I don't remember that....well, I do, but I don't.....yeah, I do *shit eating grin*" (www.trutv.com/shows/principals_office/) Oh, to be young and a smart-ass. This is why I could never be a High School Principal and/or teacher. How would I ever keep a straight face?! Or stop from slapping someone??

In final news, Bowling Birthday Party Tomorrow!!

holy balls

Have you worked out so hard your vision blurred today?

currently, i blog to you because my fingers & toes are pretty much my only non-sore body parts and, well, i can't really type with my toes (although that would be a skill i'd like to have!) i've signed up with chris & holly for a Physical Education class at NAU for Monday & Wednesday nights, which is great news on its own. unfortunately, we are doing a CrossFit Bootcamp. Google CrossFit & let it blow your mind.

tonight, i did 76 sit-ups, 76 push-ups, & 76 squats in 11-ish minutes. it fucking sucked. and i don't use the full 'f' word on this blog lightly. so you know it was crap. however, michael had gone running, so we stretched out when i got home & i'm feeling a little better.

the VH1's 101 Greatest Hip-Hop songs that we had on while we streched may have helped. "Make Em Say Uuuugh" anyone?! I wish I was taking a Hip-Hop class instead. Or Pilates. Or anything that wasn't 11 minutes of kicking my ass. But I DO like getting out of the house, doing something, and having Chris & Holly there too.

On a final note, the instructor said my squat form was really good. But that was in the first 30; after about 45 they all went to hell. However, I prefer to remember them as perfect in my mind.

{insert witty title here}

so far 2009 has been pretty sweet -- all 8 days of it. i made a resolution, which is more like a catchphrase for the year: "Not My Problem" (Last year was "No in 08", which continues as "NO-9"). I also have signed up for a Bootcamp-themed exercise class for this semester, so we'll see how this goes, since I celebrated joining the class by eating 4 cookies in one day.

Also, today was the triumphant return of Festivus! To celebrate, I curled my hair, which brings the Hair Curled total for 2009 up to 2 -- higher than all of 2008. We packed in as much festivities as we could possibly handle & it was a lot of fun. As always, the staring contest, oreo drop, & jell-o towers were the big favorites, although I like to think that opening jars was fun as well. i even got a sweet festivus hat at the end of the day, because my students are too lazy to write names/take their work home :)

finally, last night michael and i got to snuggle down, turn off the lights, and watch a movie. that was really nice and i wanted to document for posterity.

100th post!

so, i was looking back at my blog (to clearly revel in my past amazing-ness) & saw that i've had it for about a year & a half. Also, this is my 100th Post! though sadly, this 100th post equals only 1 post every 5 days or so & i thought i was better than that.
anyway, to celebrate, the picture post returns in all it's glory! i know you all have missed it & i've realized that i miss it too. while, obviously, my superior wit & writing prowess is always appreciated, i know that seeing pictures of my super amazing life really pumps up the blogging volume. so enjoy my loyal friends, enjoy::

from that fateful "i-can't-discuss-any-events-in-a-public-forum" night. ty is on his knees
mdt & i before our fancy dinner (note the collared shirt)
insane icicles from the first snow days

this came off of a bicycle seat
our tribute to a forgotten festivus: jell-o towers
our christmas tree, which had an unfortunate amputation during the shortening process. but it's decorated beautifully (all the really neat-o ornaments are michael's, though mine hold their own -- i made the glittery star as a topper, but it was too heavy)
now you can all see why i love skelnik football sundays. the light from the top windows is hurting your eyes, krissy? uncle jim just brings in the porch umbrella
from the cabela's taxidermy forest: i love the squirrel & that badger haunts my nightmares

our xmas pjs: michael's says "slumberjack" which still makes me giggle. of course, tre is in on the action
i cannot explain why this picture won't flip. but here's tre enjoying his stocking toys, he's so happy he's smiling!

zachary beginning his christmas morning scavenger hunt for his gift from michael & i. it was a glorious as i had hoped for. unfortantly, there's no picture of him shaking the box like a monkey looking for the hidden compartment
krissy won the annual "make mom cry at their gift" award
dad ripped the wrapping paper! does anyone have a family member that meticulously slips the paper off with no rips?
my adorable sister
i really love how well ashley & michael get along - my two fav people
alex really knows how to take a christmas gift photo
ashley really enjoying her gift
nana got a little poppop-like redskins gnome
finger football - get into it!
i can anticpate the face he will make in pictures (almost never a smile) & react accordingly

a toast to christa's birthday
this is what john looks like in tempe
this is what the overhead parking looked like when we got back home - thankfully not on our side!
using the new grinder & french press -- thanks mom & anna mae
getting new year's started
pre-downtown dancing
this is robbie's natural stance
the pinecone downtown
getting ready to ring in the new year!
a new year's kiss
we have such great friends: john & christa
:john & michael
:anna mae, christa, & i
:christa & i making the smart choice to share our white russians
michael is sowing some more wild oats on a snowboarding trip (his oats bag is HUGE), so i curled my hair out of boardom, but it turned out pretty
eating sushi, ty shows of his impressive chopstick hands. he will f your shizz up

phew, now that's out of my system, hopefully things will get back to normal. wiedel out!