Ten on Tuesday

1| I love pizza and beer. That is all.

2| This weekend was steamy. I had to turn on the air conditioner, which I hate doing. But it was that or melting into a puddle.

3| I watched the men's final of the French Open. It was rain delayed at a critical junction and was finished early, early Monday morning. I was so bummed that I couldn't see how it ended.

4| I went searching for a dress to wear to a wedding. No luck. Everything was strapless. Super cute on the hanger. Not so much on. The hunt continues....

5| One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit out on a patio with a cold drink, good food and great company. If the view includes water, all the better. I love to just sit back and relax and soak all that is summer in. Tonight, I'm getting together with a couple of friends to do just that.

6| I finished the third book in the Steig Larsson series. Wow, what a disappointment! I found it very boring, which is surprising considering how "on the edge of my seat" I was with the first two books.

7| Cupcake, a favorite restaurant of mine, won Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. How awesome is that?! They're going to use their winnings to open another location. Woohoo!

8| I'm starting to make lists for our time together as a family this summer. Recipe lists. Activity lists. We celebrate 3 birthdays, including my niece who turns 5. If I had a Pinterest account, I'd pin this for her celebration. So cute.

9| Speaking of recipes. I want this salad.

10| This is Minnesota for you. I gotta go and get a cardigan. There's a chill in the air.

Ten on Tuesday

1| I've been stalking this bedspread for a month or so, waiting for a queen size to be restocked. Finally, one appeared the other day and I snatched it up. I love it!

2| I can't believe we're into June already. June always sneaks up on me. I have a lot of fun things planned, including a Twins game and a Lynx game. I'm not even a huge sports fan. Go figure.

3| I've been writing letters and emails and texts and sending "just because" cards. I've been trying to be more intentional in staying in touch with family and friends. It's been fun having all of these conversations going on with different people and using different media.

4| Elle's Studio has a new website, which includes a member gallery. They had a bunch of challenges to celebrate the launch. I participated and made six layouts in one night, which I'm pretty sure is a record. You can check out my gallery here and I've added a link on the sidebar too. I also won a $20 gift card, which I eagerly and quickly spent. Thanks Elle's Studio!

5| I've been eating Farmer's Market lettuce, snap peas, and radishes by the handful. It's only Tuesday and it's almost all gone.

6| I crossed a bunch of stuff off my to-do list yesterday. "Uck stuff" that has been on there for a long time, like applying for dental insurance and figuring out my retirement, etc. It feels so good to have it done though. Lesson learned to not let that stuff fester. Just get yer' done.

7| My dining room table is the last hold out of furniture from my college days. I think it's about time to replace it, no?....it's only been over 10 years. Eee gads. I saw one at Target that I liked, but can't find it online to link up.

8| My niece has started watching The West Wing with her parents. I am a huge fan of The West Wing, so was thrilled when my sister asked for the first season. This past weekend, I was able to watch an episode with her. Totally fun.

9| I want to see Snow White and the Huntsman. Maybe this weekend. I hate to go into a movie when it's so beautiful outside. And I don't want to wish for rain. Dilemmas. Dilemmas. Have you seen it?

10| I'm on the hunt for a clutch. I haul around a giant bag for work, so I'd love to have a much smaller purse for all other outings. I'm eyeing this one. Cheap. Simple. Perfect.

Ten on Tuesday

1| I took the day off on Friday. I had to remind myself how to relax. To forget all the stuff and stress. I went out to lunch by myself. I only remember doing that once before. I wandered the aisles of Target. I bought a few things I didn't need. I exercised. I read. I napped. It was nice. I need to do that more often.

2| I am smitten with Downton Abbey. I whipped through season one and two and I can't believe I have to wait until January 2013 to see season three. Is anyone else watching?

3| I've been enjoying the Farmer's Market. I'm eating a lot of green onion and radishes.

4| I'm participating in Ali Edwards' 31 Things class at Big Picture Classes. I'm thoroughly enjoying all the writing. I'm unearthing a lot of fun and interesting stories.

5| I'm reading the third book in Steig Larsson's series. I read the first two a long time ago, but somehow didn't read the third. It doesn't disappoint. I didn't see the movie. I didn't want to see all that violence.

6| I've been emailing with my niece. She's using her Mom's account. I always love seeing an email from her in the morning. She loves sharing all the emoticons she has. I've been sharing riddles.

7| I bought a few rolls of washi tape from Freckled Fawn. Good stuff. You'll be seeing a lot of it on future projects.

8| My allergies have been awful. The cottonwood is everywhere. I struggle the most with my eyes. I've read that I should keep my windows closed, but I need the fresh air.

9| The weather has been fantastic the last few days. We had a lot of rain before that, which we desperately needed. Now, I need to get into the practice of spending more time outside. I'm not yet taking full advantage. Even if it's just taking a quick walk at lunch or after dinner.

10| I read this quote on Pinterest and it made me smile. "Be the kind of woman who, when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil says, oh no, she's up."

Ten on Tuesday

1| I made my favorite rice salad for the first time this year. It's a great spring/summer salad. Super easy too. Rice, chickpeas, feta, roasted red peppers, green onion, parsley and dill. With a lemon juice, garlic, olive oil dressing. Hmmm....good.

2| I finally bought a new mattress and boy, what a difference! I'm sleeping so well now.

3| My wish list is growing. I want to take Ali Edwards' new class. I want to buy Elise Blaha's new stamps. I want to buy all the washi tape at Freckled Fawn. I want the new Here and Now kit from Elle's Studio.

4| I had a big spring cleaning weekend. I purged old magazines, stuffed a couple of bags of clothes to donate, caught up on laundry, and even cleaned my car. Feels good to start the week off fresh. Now, only if it would all stay clean!

5| I talked with my niece on the phone for awhile the other day. She went on and on about how much fun she had at a swimming birthday party. It warmed my heart to hear her happiness radiating through the phone.

6| I bought these earrings. I'm wearing them all the time. Love.

7| May is almost here. How is this possible? Mother's Day is upon us and I'm contemplating gift ideas. What are you giving your Mom?

8| I ran out of tea this morning. Blerg. I was just at the store. I hate when that happens.

9| I changed my mind. I've decided to make a 34 list. Yeah, I'm 6 months behind, but that's ok. I'll make it work. I'll be sharing my list later this week.

10| I'll leave you with a quote, "I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it will be." -- Groucho Marx

Ten on Tuesday

*A special Ten on Tuesday today. Ten things I want to remember about our Easter weekend celebration. A few weeks ago, we found out my brother and his family were able to come. Hooray! Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling all that well, but good times were still had. 

1| I want to remember taking these photos. The last few times we've gotten together, the kids have all gone off and played together, and we don't see them as much as I'd like. I loved these few moments being silly together.

2| I want to remember celebrating my nephew's birthday. We got a violin cake mold and made the strings with black licorice, and the chin rest with black frosting, and the bridge with an extra piece of cake. It turned out awesome. My nephew took time to read my card, and thanked me for it and the gift. He's so polite!

3| I want to remember the trip to the zoo. I wasn't feeling the best, but I enjoyed watching the groundhogs. They were hilarious little creatures, speaking to each other by "barking." The kids enjoyed the farm babies. They were pretty cute.

4| I want to remember the Easter trivia game we played. We made up questions tailored for each child, and with each answer, they got a prize. My Mom was the MC, my oldest niece passed out the prizes and I was the host. I think they had a lot of fun. I certainly did. D told me afterwards that she wished there were more questions and harder ones. Mental note for next year.

5| I want to remember S getting me past the level of Angry Birds that I've been stuck on. Now, I'm stuck on the next level!

6| I want to remember playing 500 and Be Mean to Your Neighbor. I love playing games. There was a lot of laughter and oohs and ughs when the certain cards made an appearance.

7| I want to remember the wonderful Easter feast; a roast beef dinner. It allowed for great leftovers the last few days too. Yum, yum.

8| I want to remember playing Battle Ships with D on Easter morning. She got it from the Easter bunny. She sunk all my ships! We put our largest ship in the same spot. Great minds....

9| I want to remember A playing the piano. She gave us several concerts with songs she made up. They were really fun. She sat on the bench and moved her entire body with the movement of her fingers. It was so cute. She gave us a great bow at the end too.

10| I want to remember how well the cousins played together. They were attached at the hip the entire weekend; playing a lot of school. I loved playing school at their age too. A especially loved being with D. They were so cute when they held hands at the zoo. They also all went to the park on their own. That's definitely a first. I love that they get along so well.

Ten on Tuesday

1| I had a fabulous St. Patty's day. My niece was nice enough to lend me her green nail polish. I went out with some friends and danced the night away. I haven't done that in years. I love to dance and never get to do it, so I went to sleep with a big smile on my face.

2| The weather here has been amazing. We've been in the 80s the past few days. If this keeps up, we'll have just skipped over spring. We grilled for the first time this weekend. I don't remember ever grilling in March! It's been fun to get out all my summer clothes too. I inevitably find something I forgot I had. It's shopping for free!

3| The one downside of this warmer weather: my allergies are awful! I want to tear my eyes out because they are so itchy. No fun. I think I have to find an allergist and start getting shots. Ugh.

4| My niece and I are seeing The Hunger Games this weekend. I'm a little hesitant...hoping it's not too violent, and we have to leave the theatre!

5| I love, love this Blurb book that Elise Blaha put together. I also love that she journaled right on on the photos. So cool.

6| I'm so looking forward to the farmer's market opening up for spring. I'm tired of the so-so produce at the grocery store. Just have a few more weeks to wait.

7| Two Peas in a Bucket started a blog. Their main site is awesome, but I sometimes get overwhelmed with all that's going on and this is organizing a lot of that information. Check it out!

8| I've been seeing colored denim everywhere! I'm not sure if this is a trend I can join or not? Who has tried it and liked it?

9| My cousin is getting married this summer and I'm on the hunt for a dress. I love this one. And this one. And this one.

10| New CHA releases from Studio Calico are now available. One of everything, please!

Ten on Tuesday

1| I was in D.C. for work last week (my first ever work trip), and we ate at Filomena in Georgetown, made famous by Bill Clinton. The best part? The cheesecake. Yum, yum. I was bummed to not have enough time to see the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Next time.

2| I've been playing a lot of Angry Birds. An iPhone app I was addicted to before I got my own iPhone. I commandeered my family and friends' phones whenever possible. I got it right after I got the Instagram app. I have my priorities. But I can't get past this one level. Practice makes perfect.

3| My building has a workout center now. I've been there twice. Hip, hip! I just need to keep at it!

4| Remember a couple weeks ago, I was talking about wanting to take an online class. Well, I'm overflowing in classes now. I purchased Ali Edwards' Five class and am preparing a book of the top 5 moments from 2011. I also won a spot in the Hitchhiker's Guide to Scrapbooking with Shimelle Laine. I've listened to a couple of the lessons so far. Shimelle shares a bunch of techniques and new layouts. Kelly Purkey is also offering Sketchbook 4, (hooray!) which reminded me of Sketchpad, which I purchased a few months ago. I took it out and started working through it. Stay tuned for a layout this week using one of the sketches.

5| I watched the season finale of Parenthood last week. Or was it the series finale? They wrapped everything up nice and neatly. I'm worried it isn't returning, which would be a big fat bummer. I love that show!

6| We spring forward this weekend. I'm so looking forward to longer days.

7| I was on Pinterest and this mini album by Saturday Morning Vintage caught my eye. I love how thick it is, and full of great photos and tags and memorabilia. Awesome.

8| I haven't been interested in cooking this winter. Not sure what's up, but I've been stuck on the same couple of recipes. Until this weekend. I was browsing a couple of my favorite foodie blogs and came across this Pasta and Bean Soup recipe. I didn't put in the sausage. It turned out great. It was hearty and warm and delicious.

9| I just started reading, Let The Great World Spin, by Colum McCann. I love the feeling of opening up a new book.

10| I'm looking forward to hanging out with my niece this weekend. Books, food, movie. Sounds perfect to me.

Ten on Tuesday

1| An iPhone came home with me this weekend. I'm having a lot of fun with it! I'm texting with my niece. Talking to Siri. I got the Instagram app. minutes after I walked out of the Apple store. What other ones should I get?

2| I found White House|Black Market. There's no turning back. Definitely one of my favorite clothing stores now. But wow, it's expensive! I'm glad they are classic pieces that will last a long time.

3| I watched the Oscars, while also scrapping. I've been living under a rock. There's a silent film?! I have to see that!

4| Ali Edward's has a new self-paced class. I'm all over that. Her classes are always fabulous and inspirational and uplifting.  

5|  This past week, I had to push myself out of my comfort zone. Amazingly, I survived! I think this is the theme for 2012; doing things I've never done before and living to tell about it. I celebrated with my favorite pizza and a glass of Pinot. Perfect.

6| I saw the preview of The Hunger Games movie. I'm adding it to my very long to see movie list.

7| I've been enjoying big servings of sauteed brussels sprouts and broccoli, with some garlic and red pepper flakes, and some whole grain pasta. Simple and tasty.

8| A big snow storm is supposed to hit today. Ugh. I hope it slides north or south, like every system has this season.

9| I really enjoyed this series on Write.Click.Scrapbook about scrapping your heritage photos. There's so many great ideas for getting stories of the past told. I admit, it's an area that I'm hesitant about taking on. I'm afraid I won't do the photos justice. The series, however, inspired me to put that fear aside.

10| When I was flipping through the channels one night, I came across the movie, Overboard. Do you remember that one? With Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Such a cute and funny movie.

Happy Tuesday!

Ten on Tuesday

1| My attempt at trying to get a photo with my two nieces. They wouldn't have it. Well, I should clarify. D wouldn't have it. We had a really fun celebration though. Still can't believe she's 13. Makes me feel old.

2| I sent in my last student loan payment. Wahoo! Eureka! Yippee! Only took 12 years....

3| I'm headed to D.C. soon for work. I hope to get a few moments on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. My favorite spot.

4| I had my first two four Samaos of the year yesterday. Yum, yum.

5| I'm looking forward to next month when life starts to slow down a bit. I'd really like some time to think about goals for the year, and now that I have a job and I'm back on track, think about establishing several future goals. I have some catching up to do.

6| I woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow. First real snow of the season and it's almost March. Still only a couple of inches though. What is up this year?

7| Spring has been in the air more than winter as of late, so I bought some orange tulips. They are so lovely. They make me happy. Simple pleasures are awesome.

8| This weekend, I picked up a new album for 2012 (an American Crafts cloth album) and some stuff from the Dear Lizzy Neapolitan collection. I dug right in and created a few layouts. I'll share soon.

9| I'm waiting patiently for my tax refund. On the list: a new mattress (very exciting!).

10| I'd like to take an online class. I'm hearing rumblings that Ali Edwards is preparing a new class for Big Picture classes. If so, I'm totally there. Have you taken any fun classes lately? I'm all ears!

Ten on Tuesday

1| No picture to post today. I haven't been taking any pictures lately. When I leave for work and return home in the dark, it's hard to get good photos. Even though this winter has been pretty fantastic, I'm ready for longer, lighter days.

2| My niece is 13 years old today. Mind boggling. She is such a fantastic person. I can't wait to celebrate. I'd like to do something special to commemorate this year. Any ideas?

3| I saw Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close. There were a lot of tears, but I thought it was a beautiful film.  I'm so pleased the grandfather, Max von Sydow, has been nominated for a supporting actor Oscar.  He was terrific.

4| I was reading an article recently about sugar and how much is appropriate to ingest daily. I read that it's best to eat cereals with no more than 8 grams of sugar per serving. I immediately went to my cereals and was shocked to find only one had less than 8 grams. I thought I was being very careful about getting healthy cereals by looking at the ingredients, etc., but not so. Will need to be even more mindful of what I'm buying. Back to the basic.....Cherrios and Shredded Wheat.

5| Josh Ritter has a new CD coming out next week. Hip, hip. You can listen to one of the new tracks here.

6| My email inbox has been out of control, so I finally sat down and unsubscribed to a bunch of stuff. My sanity thanks me. 

7| I thought Adele's performance on the Grammy's was awesome. Glad she's back!

8| I love, love this idea. 

9| I bid on two silent auction items thinking I'd be happy to get one. I ended up with both. Oops. Need to be more strategic next time! I'll be touring here and eating here. 

10| I'm off to write letters to my niece and nephew. Best idea of 2012 so far. 

Ten on Tuesday

1| Take a look at my haul of Martha Stewart labels! Do you think I went overboard? No way? I agree.

2| This past weekend, D, M, and I took a road trip to my parent's house. This has become my gift to my sister and brother-in-law for their anniversary. We had a great time. D is allergic to peanuts, so she never gets to eat bakery donuts, so we made our own donuts this weekend. They were donuts with the hole in the middle and glaze on top and everything. They were delicious. The next morning, she had me take a picture of her eating the donuts....the first time ever. She was thrilled.

3| My pen paling with S and A has caught on. In addition to writing me back, S wrote letters to his cousins too and they wrote him back. Love it.

4| The other day, when I was getting ready for bed, I found my pajama top, but I couldn't find my pajama bottoms. I looked everywhere, for about a minute, before I realized I was already wearing them. I had put them on earlier in the evening. Oh my goodness. Cracks me up every time. A sign of my life right now. My brain is too full!

5| I watched Smash. I thought it had a very slow start. The dialogue is a tad painful. But I enjoyed the last 10 minutes immensely. I'll give it one more week.

6| I picked up the ruffle paper from the Dear Lizzy Neapolitan collection. It's so pretty. I will have to work hard not to hoard it!

7| I'm bummed that I completely missed out on getting tickets to the Florence and the Machine concert in April. It sold out in minutes. Boo.

8| My taxes are done for another year. Hooray! Thank goodness for CPA Fathers!

9| I won a gift card for Two Peas and I'm making a list. I'm waiting for Amy Tangerine's new line, Sketchbook, and I am happy to see Elle's Studio is now sold at Two Peas too.

10| February completely snuck up on me. I can't believe January is behind us. I hope I can find a balance with home and work soon. I want to plan things. I want to start and finish books. I want to create and create and then share it here. I want to spend time with friends. I want to cultivate new relationships. I want to travel. Here's to figuring it all out....

Ten on Tuesday

1| As I mentioned in a previous Ten on Tuesday, I'm going to start pen paling with my niece and nephew who live a bit further away. When I got a coupon from Shutterfly, I went looking for something to purchase. I found these cute notepads. I thought it would be fun to have new paper to write to them on, so I created one with a picture of the three of us and the other I chose because I really liked the banners. They are really great in person. I mailed off the first letters and can't wait to get something in return!

2| D and I had our 3rd annual Day of Fun outing this weekend. We had an awesome time! We went to Barnes, had lunch, went to Grand Slam, and Starbucks. Grand Slam has mini-golf, bumper cars, lasertag, and arcade games. The place was crawling with people. We rode the bumper cars a bunch of times. To be quite honest, I got pretty nauseous after the first couple of times, but it was really fun to see D laughing it up. We played a game of mini-golf with a little boy hot on our heels. We played one game of laser tag.  I was by far the oldest one in there. We didn't play again, because I felt pretty strange trying to take out a bunch of little kids! We ended the day at Starbucks, enjoying a tasty drink, fun conversation and a couple rounds of Hangman. I love these days to bits.

3| I picked up a few new books at Barnes. I want to see the movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, but I wanted to read the book first, so I got that one. I also got Let the Great World Spin. Has anyone read these? I can't wait to get started.

4| I had an excellent Sunday. I woke up and made a hot cup of tea and watched the Two Peas Winter CHA product videos. I scrapped a bunch. I read some magazines. I watched a couple episodes of West Wing. I cleaned up and got ready for the week. It was relaxing and lovely. I wish I had more days like this!

5| I'm itching to pick up some of the new labels from the Martha Stewart line at Staples. I've been seeing them everywhere and they look irresistible.

6| I'm headed to D.C. for work in a couple of weeks, and I'm eyeing a few new things. This and this and this.

7| I finished a custom baby announcement job for a friend. I am so pleased she asked me.

8| Starting a new job has totally helped with my sleeping. No problems sleeping through the night anymore!

9| I made up my mind to purchase an iPhone and then I saw this on CBS Sunday Morning. Really? I mean really?

10| I'm glad this week isn't as busy as the last few. I am looking forward to happy hour with friends and hopefully, some reading and scrapping time in the evenings.

Ten on Tuesday

1| This is me. In January. In Minnesota. It's green for goodness sakes. I'm not wearing a coat. Very strange indeed. I hope we don't get payback with snow in May.

2| I'm loving Ali's newsletter, 52 Creative Lifts. Each week, she will reflect on a different aspect of creativity, give us a different way of thinking about it, push us to explore our own processes and make positive changes. I love that it will be in my inbox every week. If you're interested, you can sign up here. It's free!

3| Project Life is everywhere! I think I missed a memo or something. Tons of people are beginning the project this year. Becky Higgins is the brain child behind the project and you can read more about it on her site. Basically, it's documenting your life on a weekly basis, (at least that's how most people do it). I'm not someone who is usually overwhelmed by scrap projects/ideas, but this one definitely is for me. I can't imagine documenting each week. For the last few years and my plan for this year, is to document my months in overview pages. I suppose I can use the Project Life products to do that. We'll see.

4| I saw Mission Impossible during the holiday hustle and bustle. A fun, action packed flick. Tom Cruise looks really nice in a suit too. Really nice.

5| Since starting a new job, I need to build up my vacation days, so I won't be able to see my brother and his family for awhile. I was trying to think of ways to stay connected, and I decided to start pen paling with my niece and nephew. I'm really excited about this idea! I'm starting small and hope to exchange one letter/drawing once a month.

6| Ok, I'll admit it, but don't judge me too harshly. I'm watching The Bachelor. I can't say why, because it's so ridiculous, but I'm watching it.

7|  I love this mini by Liz Kartchner. A snapshot at the beginning of the year. Goals set. Something to refer to throughout the year. A great idea. Check it out! Also, did you see her new collection! Swoon.

8| My work is bringing new challenges and experiences; traveling to conferences, facilitating a panel, presenting to a Board of Directors, teaching a class. Oh my! I'm totally scared, but excited too. It's about time I challenge myself to do more professionally, to stretch myself.

9|  I'm trying this recipe tonight. I just bought quinoa and made one dish so far, and I'm hooked. Yum, yum.

10| I've been finishing up a bunch of projects. I'll be back tomorrow with a page using the Elle's Studio sketch and on Friday, I'll be sharing my (finally) finished December Daily pages. Come on back!

At the Start of 2012 I'm...

1| Reading, Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese. What a wonderful book! A definite must read for 2012.

2| Watching lots of Flashpoint.

3| Remembering a holiday season well celebrated.

4| Choosing an outfit for my first day of work.

5| Detoxing from all the holiday sugar and finding time to exercise again.

6| Making resolutions and thinking of all I want to do this year.

7| Putting new pictures in all of my frames and organizing large piles of paper.

8| Still working on my December Daily. I'm definitely ready to move on to other projects, but I will finish this one.

9| Transferring all the dates to my fresh new planner. One of my favorite things to do!

10| Amazed that I'm celebrating my second blog anniversary. It's been an amazing adventure. One of the best decisions I've made. Thank you so much for reading and for commenting. I appreciate your support and friendship very much.

**I wanted to upload a photo, but Blogger was giving me a lot of trouble. Hopefully, it resolves itself soon!**

Ten on Tuesday

1| I've had this photo on my mind ever since I saw the Dear Photograph site. The idea is to take a picture from the past in the present. It's not technically perfect, but I love it all the same. It's me on my bike holding my most favorite stuffed animal. My Mom and Grandma performed a lot of surgeries on that bear.

2| Thanksgiving flew by. We played a lot of 500 and Uno. The kids stayed in their jammies. My youngest niece "sold" us a lot of Pretty Ponies. We enjoyed amazing food. I made a brussels sprouts and bacon side dish. I think I'm on my own liking the brussels sprouts. Oh well. We celebrated my Dad's birthday. In addition to an apple cake, pumpkin pie, and brownies, my Mom made a chocolate birthday cake. We were not lacking for something sweet. Unfortunately, after we all went to our respective homes, we all got sick, except for my two nieces. Thankfully, it was short and sweet.

3| I finished The Hunger Games. Now, I'm reading Birthmarked. Another young adult series portraying a bleak future. We need books with some hope in it. Jeepers.

4| On Sunday night, I roasted some brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and chickpeas. I opened a beer and watched Family Stone. I love Sundays.

5| We got our first snow of December. Unfortunately, I had to drive in it. Not a fan. I prefer to admire it from inside a cozy blanket.

6| This weekend, I'm hauling out the holiday decorations. I love decorating this time of year. All the twinkle lights equals awesome.

7| I'm loving these twine letters that Tina made. I'm definitely adding them to my "try it" list.

8| I have completely fallen off the exercise bandwagon. I'm not sure what happened. I just stopped. I do walk to an internship, so I get my body moving a couple of times a week. Winter is always really difficult for me to stay moving. It's so easy to hibernate until Spring. Any advice to keep it interesting?

9| I'm working on December Daily this month, but I have quite a few other ideas brewing too. I've been thinking about how to include more pages about my parents, siblings and siblings-in-law. I decided to send them a set of questions on their birthday each year and then do a page with their answers. I think this will be a really neat series of pages. I have two sets of answers waiting for me. Now, I just need to find the time!

10| I have a big week ahead. If you could send good thoughts and prayers my way, I would so appreciate it. Thank you!

Ten on Tuesday

1| D and I had a fun day hanging out together. We hit the bowling alley. Jamming to the music, while knocking down the pins. We enjoyed lunch and conversation at Punch pizza. Then we went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a new 39 Clues book. She recently went through a period where she called me the paparazzi, but she was all for picture taking this time and even took a few herself. Thanks, D! There were several moments during the day that I was so grateful to be where I was. Enjoying my awesome niece's company. I treasure days like this.

2| I'm a little behind the curve. I just saw a preview for the newest Mission Impossible movie out this December. I'm trying to contain my excitement! I love these movies. It's definitely on the must do list this holiday season. That's typical, right? A little Tom Cruise, car chases, intrigue, are the perfect ingredients for making the holiday cheery and bright.

3| I just finished On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford. I loved this book. An inspiring read, involving young love, war, and family loyalty and honor. I rushed through it because I needed to know how it was going to end.

4| Next up, #2 in the Hunger Games series. I don't plan to get a lot of sleep tonight.

5| With the package of holiday tags from Elle's Studio arriving yesterday and this inspiring post of December Daily ideas, by Ali Edwards, I'm all set to get started on my album. Probably will have to wait until after Thanksgiving though. Cutting it close this year!

6| We had our first snowfall of the season. Just a few inches. Thankfully, we'll be back in the 50s by the end of the week and it will be long gone. I accept snow in December and January and even February. But not November. And definitely not March.

7| I'm getting together with two lovely friends this evening. I'm looking forward to sipping on a glass of Pinot, while catching up on what's been happening with them. I might consume a cheese plate too. These outings are too few and far between.

8| I struggle sometimes to stay positive during this time of unemployment. There are definitely good days. But to be rejected over and over is incredibly difficult. It takes an emotional toll. My singular prayer. My one wish to Santa. To find a job where I can do meaningful work.

9| I'm loving this home decor idea. I have a budding collection of Bell jars that this would work perfectly with.

10| I'm pretty much over the moon excited for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm excited to be all cozied up under the same roof with my family. It's the best. I'll post tomorrow, but then I'll be off enjoying the rest of the week.

Ten on Tuesday

1| My family and I had a fun time at the History Center. They have a 1968 exhibit on display now. It's full of old typewriters (love!), a voting booth with the hand crank, beanbags galore, old TVs that sit on the floor (imagine!), princess phones and a restored Huey helicopter. The span of the rotors was amazing. When I was taking this picture, I said do something silly. My oldest niece was not going to play along. It's almost harder to get a good picture of her now that she's older, than it was when she was a toddler running around.

2| I've been eating way too much chocolate lately. Since my niece is allergic to peanuts, I so kindly took her Halloween candy. (Don't worry, her parents get her peanut free candy to enjoy). I've been devouring every piece since. I'd like to think I'll be sensible during the holidays, but let's be serious, I'll move from Butterfingers to pumpkin pie to candy cane cookies. Oh, so tasty.

3| I love this adorable little book that Amy Tan created for Hambly. Adding it to the project list.

4| I read the first book in the Hunger Games series. I stayed up until the wee hours to finish it. It's highly disturbing. But I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the next one. I worry about what this says about me. Have others read it?

5| I finished the place cards for Thanksgiving. A lot of Mr. Huey was used. I'll be sharing soon!

6| I won one of Elle's Studio sketch contests and they graciously gave me a $5 gift certificate. I ordered some of their holiday tags for my December Daily and am waiting patiently for their arrival.

7| I haven't been sleeping well lately. My stress in my waking life is hindering my sleep life. I often will get up and watch TV. PBS cooking shows eventually lull me back to sleep.

8| I am thoroughly enjoying Parenthood again this season. It's such a sweet show. I cry pretty much every episode, but it's definitely a good cry. Maybe this will balance out my enjoying the Hunger Games.

9| We're in the middle of November and still no snow here yet. Last year, we had 8 inches already. So, so thankful that it hasn't made an appearance yet. I'm hoping that it holds off until after Thanksgiving, so my family can travel safely.

10| "Let your faith be bigger than your fear." I'm holding onto this a lot lately. (I found this on Pinterest, but couldn't find an original source.)

Ten on Tuesday

1| The colors are still so vibrant and beautiful. Unfortunately, slushy snow is on the way. Big ugh. Hopefully, it's one of those times the forecasters get it wrong.

2| This weekend was super fun. Celebrating my sister's birthday. Lots of silliness and laughter. A fancy-schmancy dinner. Delicious pumpkin ice cream for dessert. A concert at the Minnesota Orchestra. My niece and I giving extra applause to the violas. A good day.

3| I have a couple of crafty projects on my to-do list this weekend. Thanksgiving place cards and the foundation of my December Daily. The ideas are brewing...

4| I enjoyed reading this post about gratitude on Superhero Journal's blog. I love her birthday ritual. I want to check out the book she recommends. I love the idea of putting gratitude into practice.

5| I've really been enjoying pears lately. A great snack. But I'm also mourning the loss of blueberry season. They are ridiculously expensive now. Will miss sprinkling them on my waffles.

6| I have a big stack of books to read, but none of them are inspiring me. Has anyone read anything good lately?

7| I have Two Peas and Elle's Studio gift certificates burning a hole in my pocket. I'm waiting for the Amy Tangerine washi tapes to come in at Two Peas and the new Elle's Studio project kit reveal next week.

8| I'm a late night snacker. I know doctors say you shouldn't eat anything past 7 p.m. or some such nonsense, but I can't sleep until I've had my bowl of cereal. At least it's Kashi, so that's somewhat healthy, right?

9| Kelly Purkey has a new class, Sketchpad. I love KPs classes. They're always full of fun and inspiration.

10| I'm off to vote. I'm so thankful to live in a country where I can vote without fear for my safety and free from restraint.

Ten on Tuesday

1| The first day of November. Absolute craziness. We're down to what...8 weeks until Christmas. I'm not ready. I need an injection of holiday spirit, I guess.

2| I am happy though that my entire family is going to be together for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I don't recall this ever happening since my siblings got married. Now, that's something to be thankful for. Makes me very, very happy.

3| This month we'll see 11.11.11. I'm a nerd and think it would be fun to commemorate it somehow. Maybe give out 11 compliments. Or send 11 letters. Other ideas?

4| I'm going to have to make some very tough decisions in the coming weeks. Being an adult is just really hard sometimes. If you're the praying kind, I'd certainly appreciate if you would send up a prayer or two for me. Many thanks.

5| I purchased Ali Edwards' latest self-paced class called Storyology. She shares the techniques and ideas she uses for getting more stories told. Her classes are very affordable and truly enjoyable to listen to.

6| I did a deep clean of my home on Sunday. I even dusted, which I never do. Feels good to start the week off fresh.

7| My brother and his family got me this awesome bag for my birthday. Great quality. Fun design. Perfect size. I love it. If you're looking for a nice bag for yourself or as a gift, I'd definitely check out 1154 Lill Studio. You can even design your own bag.

8| I'm obsessed with green tea these days. I'm drinking several cups a day. It's supposedly good for you though, right?

9| I turned my heat on for the first time this weekend. Ugh. I was trying to wait until November, but I was curled up in a comforter with several layers of clothing and shivering, and I thought this is ridiculous, so on it went.

10| I'm looking forward to this weekend. I'm going out on the town with my parents, my sister and my niece. We won't get too crazy, I promise. 

Ten on Tuesday

1| I love barns. I love taking pictures of barns. But I'm never near a barn, so that proves difficult. I figure I love barns because of my family's long history of living on farms. My grandparents on both sides owned farmland and all generations before that. It's in my blood. I just love the idea of a photo montage of different barns. Maybe one day.

2| I saw the Ides of March. Man, that movie left me in a foul mood. I was bothered mostly because it was a pretty realistic portrayal of politics these days. Which truly makes me sad. I have always been a strong believer in the power of politics to do good in the world. I've seen it. But, unfortunately, not lately. I was hoping for a feel good ending and it just wasn't to be. Good acting though.

3| When I read Elise's post about her love of brussels sprouts, it looked so tasty that I picked some up and am now hooked. I've been preparing them like Elise and eating them with everything. Pasta. Grilled cheese sandwich. Salads. Hmmm....good.

4| My brother is participating in National Novel Writing Month (his second year!) and is encouraging me to participate too. I have no ideas, but because I'm crazy, I'm leaning toward trying it out.

5| Every year at this time, I'm always shocked by the shorter days. The early darkness is hard to adjust to. Not a fan. I'm astonished that October is over half way done. Mornings are getting brisk. Heavier sweaters are at the ready.

6| I finished Bossypants. A very enjoyable read. I liked the behind the scenes peek into how the Sarah Palin impersonation came about and Tina's thoughts about it.

7| I'm excited about December Daily. Ali Edwards has teamed up with Studio Calico to offer a kit this year, which I think is so cool. I hope that it's affordable. But either way, I'll be participating. I love this project.

8| I was surprised by the news that American Crafts has acquired Studio Calico and Crate Paper. I'm happy if it means easier access to those products.

9| I watched a few episodes of Prime Suspect this weekend. I'm a fan.

10| I was thrilled when Amy Tan mentioned my North Shore mini album on her blog. Totally made my day. Thanks to all of you that stopped by through her blog. I hope you'll come back often.