EnD oF 2008

This year has been full of ups and downs, good and bad, right and wrong... I'm so happy for all the new friends I've made and even the friends I've lost. With every year that passes I'm happy to know that I learn from my failures, mistakes, successes and good deeds.. 2008 has been no different from any other year when it comes to the many obstacles I've faced.

I wish that everyone can look back on your year during 2008 and see the good and the bad... but most importantly learn from it, move on and have a great beginning in 2009!

I really am happy for every person that has touched my life in some way this year and in years past. I wish everyone good health and happiness in everything you do....

fRiEnDs

If your reading this, I'm sure you know which category you fall into...

To all my old "friends" that read this blog... really.. is it necessary? It's a shame that you find comfort in talking about others... I know I'm going into 2009 holding no grudges and truly wishing the best for everyone.. including you..

To friends lost... I hope that 2009 brings us back together in one way or another. I know life is busy and I hope you know you are missed...

To all my new friends... I look forward to new adventures and good times to come. Even if I've only known you for two days.. I truly am happy that you have come into my life and look forward to everything 2009 will bring.

To all my old friends... I love you soooo much! I'm so happy to know you are there for me when I need you and I hope you know I'm here if you ever need me.. I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it weren't for each and everyone one of you. I'm glad to know that it doesn't matter if I talk to you everyday, once a month or even once a year.. that our friendship remains strong.

wAsHiNgToN

My brother and his family..

My nieces and me :)


I had a blast in Washington visiting my brother and his family.. but back to MD I come!!!

OnLy tHiNg I DiDn'T gEt

MeRrY ChRiStMaS

ImPoRtAnT LeSsOnS

Thanks to my girl KP for these!

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.

Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

There are two theories for arguing with women. Neither one works.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative.

HaPpY tHaNkSgIvInG

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Hope you have a great day, filled with family/friends and lots of food!!

LeAviNg On A jEt pLaNe

(Chantal Kreviazuk - Leaving On A Jet Plane)

I'm... I'm...

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin', it's early morn
The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

I'm...

There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I'll tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Every place I go, I think of you
Every song I sing, I sing for you
When I come back I'll wear your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time, oh, let me kiss you
And close your eyes and I'll be on my way

Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times that I won't have to say...

Oh, kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

And I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

But I'm leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
Leaving on a jet plane
(Ah ah ah ah)
(Leaving) On a jet plane

pAcKiNg

I'm the worst at packing! You would think that a quick three day trip would be easy for me to pack for.... um... NO!

I have six says worth of clothes on my bed.. I seriously need to reconsider this! I'm not taking a checked bag (which is usually a definite for me) because I refuse to pay the $15 checked bag fee... and IT'S A THREE DAY TRIP!! LOL..

Well.. wish me luck!

gOt TiLL iTs gOnE

(Janet Jackson - Got Till It's Gone)

What's - what's the next song?
The one about me.
I like this one.
Huh, uh, what...Like Joni says:

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone

Have a feelin'
Now believin'
That you were the one
I was meant to be with
Oh, how I'm wishin'
Thinkin' dreamin'
'Bout you
And the love
How'd I ever let you get away

Got 'till it's gone
Got 'till it's gone
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone

If I could turn back
The hands of time
Make you fall in love
In love with me again
So would you give me
Another chance to love
To love you
Love you the right way
No games

Got 'till it's gone
Got 'till it's gone
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's

Yo, let me just fuck with it for a minute - what
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone
Now you realizing when the nights go long, right
Campaign for me to stay
When you know that I'm gone, right
You act all wild
When I tell you to settle
I was working 'round the clock
But your girls want to meddle
Talkin' about, I heard he swims with this chick on the beach
That was out with the tide but my love you impeached
Now you lookin' at the walls
Head in hand
Cold jonezin'
Ringing my house
Hanging up and imposing
Now why you wanna go and do that?
Love huh…
And why you wanna go and do that?
And do that? Huh…
Now why you wanna go and do that?
Love huh…
And why you wanna go and do that?
And do that? Huh…
Now why you wanna go and do that?
Love huh…
And why you wanna go and do that?
And do that? Huh…
Now why you wanna go and do that?
Love huh…
And why you wanna go and do that?
And do that?

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's (Gone)
That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone

ThOuGhT fOr ThE wEeK

“Look for opportunity.

You can’t wait for it to knock on the door

. . . you might not be home.”

- Jinger Heath

 

 

PiC oF tHe DaY

VeTeRaNs DaY

Thank you to all of those men and women who have served/are serving for our country.

Sent from my iPhone

LoL

Thanks CV for posting these.. they are too funny and made me laugh.. exactly what I needed!

ThOuGhT fOr ThE dAy

“We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”              

-  George Orwell                    

 

 

YeS wE DiD!!!!

CHANGE IS COMING!!!! Congratulations and Welcome to our new PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!

BaRaCk ThE vOtE!!

HeLLo

So after my old hand mixer died on my, I went shopping for a new trusty friend. My choice was a nice name brand hand mixer or a semi name brand stand mixer... for the same price.

Me being the frugal person that I am (also thinking about all the times my feet hurt and I wanted to sit down while my batter was mixing) went with the stand mixer.

So more cake, cookie and cupcakes adventures to come for me!!!


Sent from my iPhone

ByE bYe

Linda - 1
Mixer - 0

Sent from my iPhone

CuPpAs At WoRk

Got to try out my "new" (meaning it's been in storage for a year and finally pulled it out) cupcake tower at the birthday celebration for work today..

Must say, everyone thought it was very nice.. I did too!!


Sent from my iPhone

CuPcAkEs AnD bEeR??

DéJà Vu

MaRyLaNd FoOd BaNk

MaRyLaNd FoOd BaNk

Im a FaCe Of HoPe

ToDaYs PuRcHaSe

dEbAtE?!?!?!

So.. who is watching the debate today??? ME!!!!!

(again.. thanks to KS for finding this awesome pic!!)

My ViEwS

Thanks to my girl KS (who has been my inspiration on a couple of posts)

cOoKiEs

My first try at making completely homemade sugar cookies! I think they turned out pretty good.. what do you think?

sLaNkEt

So one of my good friends on my message board posted about this wonderful blanket. I SOOO want one. I do this already with all my blankets during the winter time.. this is perfect for me!




You wanna get it for me for the holidays??.. go HERE

Do I want pink or red?? So many choices!!

LaSt wEdDiNg Of ThE yEaR

Had my last wedding of the year yesterday... it turned out pretty nice.. don't you think?

My FiNaL cAkE!!!!

CuTe CoMmErCiAl

My NeW tOy :P

Check out my new beer holder :) Cute isn't it?

CuPcAkEs :)

I cAn DeCoRaTe CaKeS!!

Look!!! It's a rainbow!

GoOd MoRnInG

Apu wanted a Corona first thing in the morning... the first day of our beach trip! Now that's the way to start the party!! :)

I nEeD a BeEr....

LoL

My BuD tRiBuTe

It seems like many things these days.. anything "All American" is doomed... so here is my tribute to the "All American Beer"... even though I personally prefer Miller Lite or Yuengling :)









The one below is not a real bud commercial... but I had to post it because it's too funny! :)

FuNnY bAbY

BaGgU

So I found my way first way to be "green" in regards to my shopping... I am going to purchase some of these cool Baggu bags! Aren't they cute? I love the colors...


And the fact that they fold flat and small...


You should get some too!! You can use for them for sooo many things.. like shopping and shopping.. oh yeah.. did I mention for your shopping??



Here is some more information from their site:

LET US EXPLAIN WHY BAGGUS ARE SO GOOD. We are working to replace our old friends, the paper & plastic bags, with something that does their job without creating needless waste or harming the environment. Using one Baggu for one year replaces 300 to 700 disposable bags.

One Baggu holds the contents of 2 to 3 plastic grocery bags. Six bags can hold a whole cart full of groceries.

Baggu Bag handles are the perfect length: you can hold them in your hand, on your forearm, or over your shoulder.

They are made from super strong rip-stop nylon (holds 25 lbs) so they are light (2 oz) and compactible. They fold into a flat 5 by 5 inch pouch that easily slips in a purse or pocket. That way they are always handy when you need them.

Baggu bags have a nice big gusset in the bottom so they will sit flat when they are filled (good for eggs & milk.)

PLASTIC BAGS & THE PLANET The average family brings home 1,000 bags every year. Most of those bags end up in land fills. That really adds up - 100 billion plastic bags are sent to landfill in the US each year.

In landfills, it can take up to 1000 years for a bag to decompose. Plastics don't biodegrade, they photo-degrade, breaking down into tiny toxic pieces that contaminate soil and water or harm wildlife.

Every time you use your Baggu bag instead of plastic or paper you are doing something Good.

My 101 in 1001

I was inspired to make my 101 list after checking out my girl Kate's blog. I love lists and I never make a new years resolution because I know I'm a procrastinator and a year isn't long enough... I am gonna try this though.. I think if I make all my goals semi-realistic I should be able to do everything in 1001 days!

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?:
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities. I believe the original site for the project was here.

Start: Sunday, July 20, 2008
End: Sunday, April 17, 2011

1. Think of 101 things to do in 1001 days finished 7/20/08
2. Organize the storage unit April 09
3. Go up in a hot-air balloon
4. Take a trip outside of the US 5/2/09-5/10/09
5. Get back into shape (like I was in 2004)
6. Learn how to change a tire
7. Take a camping trip and stay in a tent
8. Learn how to hold my breath under water
9. Learn to sew (for real)
10. Sew a pretty apron
11. Take another dance class
12. Keep my car clean for at least one month
13. Finish my master's degree
14. Take a knitting class 12/1/08
15. Lose more money than I can afford at roulette in Vegas
16. Go to Los Angeles
17. Give to a charity - anonymously - date??
18. Take a real cooking class
19. Take a real baking class
20. Go see an Opera
21. Go to the Renaissance Festival
22. Go to another public winery in Maryland other than Linganore Cellars
23. Go to a winery in Virginia
24. Complete a whole scrapbook
25. Organize my crafting supplies
26. Walk the entire DC Zoo
27. Go to the Holocaust Museum
28. Go to the Spy Museum
29. Learn to decorate cakes finished 10/30/08
30. Get a full time job finished 8/18/08
31. Get a part time job
32. Build a sandcastle finished 8/12/08
33. Keep a regular backup of my computer
34. Learn to paint
35. Make a painting for my bedroom
36. Sing karaoke
37. Send holiday cards to friends and family (not just address them :))
38. Do cartwheels in the park
39. Swing on the swings at a playground 10/25/08
40. Plan a Halloween party
41. Have a movie night 4/10/09
42. Have a game night 5/15/09
43. Start to volunteer again!!! October 08
44. Vote 11/4/08
45. Go to a Maryland Terps Football game
46. Go to a Maryland Terps Basketball game 1/7/09
47. Visit my brother 12/23/08
48. Visit my sister 11/27/08
49. Go to Disney world
50. Go to Niagra Falls
51. Keep a cell phone for more than one year 10/28/08
52. Blog everyday for one month
53. Write a children's book
54. Try three new restaurants in DC
55. Go out to dinner during restaurant week in DC
56. Go out to dinner during restaurant week in Baltimore January 2009
57. Go shooting at the gun range at least once a month for 6 months
58. Go to the outer banks
59. Go to an aquarium
60. Cook 10 new recipes
61. Bake bread (not tastefully simple beer bread)
62. Learn how to play a sports game on PS3 or Xbox
63. Take a bartending class
64. Learn CPR
65. Have a picnic in the park
66. Take a walk in the rain
67. Get a bikini wax April 2009
68. Take a floral class
69. Carve a pumpkin
70. Get a new bed
71. Keep a plant alive for more than a month
72. Figure out what really makes me happy 1/1/09
73. Get a Mac computer
74. Do a 26 things project
75. Get a bonsai plant
76. Get a pedicure 2/13/09
77. Get a facial
78. Send a secret in to PostSecret
79. Learn to drive a stick shift
80. Do something to make my shopping more green 10/16/08
81. Do something green
82. Bake a pie from scratch
83. Learn how to make soft pretzels
84. Volunteer for habitat for humanity
85. Learn to let go 12/20/08
86. Go skinny dipping
87. See a movie in IMAX
88. Accept myself for who I am 2009
89. Go snorkeling
90. Learn to make my own beer
91. Learn how to take a compliment
92. Plant a tree
93. Be a member of the audience in a TV show
94. Sleep under the stars
95. Eat only home prepared meals for two weeks
96. Learn how to sail
97. Go on a sailing trip
98. Fill out and send back one of those email surveys
99. Go out to a club on a Thursday night December 2008
100. Go skydiving
101. Make a soundtrack of my life

Updated 7/4/09

ThE dArK kNiGhT

Went to see "The Dark Knight" with the hubby today.. it was an okay movie in my opinion... not bad... but not great. My favorite Batman movie will continue to be "Batman Begins".... :P

HaPpY BiRtHdAy AnGiE pOo!!

PoLiCe RiDe ALoNg

This picture is from my police ride along with Prince George's County Police Department that I did just for the heck of it.. was an interesting night I must say...

I think the driver thought he was in the movie "The Fast and The Furious", luckily he got out of the car okay...


Sent from my iPhone

QuOtE

LuNcH WiTh ThE gIrLs

Had a great lunch with the girls today!!!


Sent from my iPhone

FuNnY PiCs

PoOl

Had to work on my tan today...LOL :)

Had fun chillin by the pool at my gym...


Sent from my iPhone

iPhOnE?!?!?!

Nope....I am now the proud owner of an iPaperweight... not iPhone... :) My phone is officially dead until Apple fixes its server issues.... YAY!!

fRiEnDs

A friend is someone who will walk the long way when you don't want to hop the fence.

The best friend you can have is one you can sit on the porch with and not say a word, then get up and feel like that was the best conversation you've ever had.

When the world gets dark, friends are the batteries in your flashlight.

When it hurts to look back, and you are scared to look ahead, look beside you and your bestfriend will be there.

HaPpY fOuRtH oF JuLy

Happy Fourth of July everyone!!!!!