On the bright side...

Yesterday I noticed that our days are getting longer. We normally arrive at the gym around 5pm each day in darkness. But yesterday I noticed that around 5pm it was still light outside. I can't wait until spring. Running 20 laps around a small track isn't the same as being outside on a pretty trail in the sunshine.

Meet Me in St. Louis

Over the long weekend Jimmy and I traveled down to St. Louis where we met up with our friends Casey and Sarah.

Our trip was awesome. Good friends, good food, fun times. You don't appreciate 45 degree weather until you have been in the negatives for a few days. The weather was very nice on Saturday. Sunday was a little cloudy and cooler but that was fine by me.


Saturday afternoon we walked over to the Arch but the line was too long to go to the top so we toured the museum instead. Saturday night we went to a Blues hockey game and then to a casino.

Us waiting for the game to start.

Fight..Fight...Fight!!
This was my first trip to a casisno and boy was it fun. The sounds, the lights, the music. I can't wait to go back. Jimmy and I decided to be high rollers and placed $4 into a penny slot machine. On my first spin I took our $4 and made it into $11 and then to $18. I was happy. Then on the next few machines I saw my $20 dollars diminish to 14 to 10 then to a 1.65. In one last attempt Jimmy bet everything and we made out with a win of $20, so we cashed out and our high rolling night was over.

The next day we spent our winnings to visit the top of the Arch. I was surprised to see the cart or so I called it "space orb" that we had to ride in to get to the top. It was a tiny circular cart that fit five people. I must admitt that I get a tiny bit claustrophobic, so needless to say I was a wee bit nervous about traveling in such a small contraption.

The view from above. You can see part of the arch on the right.

It really wasn't scary at all and the trip was short and fun. You travel up inside of the arch and you can see the shape of it and how it was built. Once you are there you can sort of lay down and take in the view from above. It was really cool!! This is a replica of the cart we traveled in. There are 8 linked together and they travel up to the top.

After the visit to the arch we rode over to Anheuser Bucsh and toured the brewery. Very fun!! I will say that Miller gives you three samples and Busch gives you two. Bucsh was much bigger and prettier and you get to ride a trolley and see the clydedales. So, more glitz and glam or more beer....what's your pick?

Top 5: You Know Its Cold When.....

1. Schools are closed due to the -45 windchill.

2. Ice forms on the inside of your windows.

3. Your nosehairs freeze everytime you breathe in.

4. The sun is out, the day is beautiful and the high will only be -9.

5. Your car cracks and squeaks when you sit in it and it takes 30 minutes to thaw out before you can drive it.

Let Me Hear You!

Just wanting to see who reads and visits my blog. Just leave me a quick message to say hello. Its real easy!! Let me hear you...


I got this idea from a fellow blog buddy. Thanks Barb! I wanted to see how this would work.

WANTED: Snow Plow: Dead or Alive.... Reward Offered.

picture from: www.opkansas.org/.../media_photos/snowplow.jpg

Just imagine.....You are sound asleep and dreaming of a sunny beach with warm sand, the waves are breaking, seagulls are flying over and you are laid back on a comfy chair basking in the sun and the sounds of the ocean. Then suddenly a loud scraping sound breaks your peaceful slumber and you awake only to find that a snow plow is doing what it does PLOWING under your window!! Argh!!

Why does the snow plow have to do its dirty work between 1am-3am every time it snows? I just don't understand. The snow is so peaceful. It makes for great sleeping weather. So quiet as it falls...very beautiful. But then the plow comes along with its scraping and beeping every time it backs into and out of a parking spot. I know they have a job to do and I am grateful that our parking lot is cleared each morning before work. But WHY start at 1am!! Am I the only one who this bothers in our complex?

So as I type I am going off of merely 3 hours of sleep and a huge cup of coffee.

Next investment: Ear Plugs....lots of them!!!

The clouds over Indiana

I thought these clouds were cool. They were captured on I-65 just north of Indianapolis on Friday, Jan. 2.

I'm back!!

After a wonderful two weeks in Dixieland I have returned to life in the tundra....hehe.

I have so many updates. During the trip I consumed large amounts of BBQ and gallons of sweet tea!! Santa treated me well and I turned the big 3-0.

Jimmy gave me the most wonderful and exciting 30th birthday party. It was a complete surprise. I arrived at the Sanford Elks Club blindfolded and confused..only to find all of my friends and family gathered for a big bash! It was lots of fun!

This is me right after everyone said "Surprise!!!" and my blindfold was taken off.


Here are Megan, Sara and Mary. We had such a nice time!!