In 2004 I traveled to Australia and New Zealand to visit JoElla, who was studying abroad. It was the most amazing trip. New Zealand is the most remarkably beautiful place I have ever seen. It's the type of place you see in your dreams, but prettier! In 2006 I spent two weeks traveling in Italy, with my mom, aunt, uncle, cousins, and of course JoElla and Ryan.
I kept a journal through both trips. And I am so glad I did! I recently decided I would open one of the journals to a random entry and post it on my blog...and of course leave my comments about this entry.
So...here is the entry I opened up to... (my actual written words, unaltered)
Tuesday, September 26
Mom woke me up at 6AM. I was glad I packed last night, it made my early morning that much easier. I was out of the house and at the train station by 6:45AM. Mom and I had a quick goodbye. I hope she will enjoy the rest of her week here and not stress too much.
This morning while I was waiting on my train, this man (who I can only assume was a drunken bum) attempted to cross the tracks right as the train was coming. Everyone on the platform was screaming "NO" and thankfully, when he attempted to scramble in front of an oncoming train, he stumbled and took several steps backwards out of the trains way. Seriously....he was within a foot of his life. I can only imagine how that would have ended the trip. Everyone on the platform was clutching their hearts, wide-eyed, and nervous. That was by far the craziest thing I have seen.
Now that I read this, I remember how insane the stumbler was on those train tracks. But, until the moment of reading it....I had completely forgotten that whole incident. How can something so intense be forgotten? And how I commented about how that would ended the trip. His? Mine? I would assume mine. Wow...I am so compassionate.
Although this was not the first time I had traveled alone, I found traveling through Europe alone so much more stressful than traveling to Australia. Obviously...it would be the language barrier. And...the airport in France. I will never travel through Paris (connecting that is)...Charles De Gaulle airport....I truly loathe you. Also..the fact that my luggage was lost both going and coming probably had a lot to do with the whole 'unpleasant' traveling experience.
But, once there....Italy was an amazing experience. I learned alot about Florence while there...the history is unbelievable.
The final sentence in this Italy journal...
My next destination....Ireland. I will be there soon! Hopefully in the next couple of years!
Ummm...that has not happened yet, but is on my upcoming to-do list. Along with visiting JoElla in Mexico and checking out Greece.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Yay for Saturdays....
The Bice family is ready for spring! I can't wait for flowers and blooms and bees and hummingbirds! I have been doing some clearing work in the gardens we neglected all fall/winter long. They are starting to finally look like flower beds again! Now....we just need some warm weather! Here is a shot of our garden last year!
Today Brandon is attending his Carry Permit gun class. I don't know the official name of this class, but I am glad he is there. As business picks up at the scrap yard and they see more and more people, they are bound to run into a few "questionable" people. There is some relief for me to know that he has his gun and can legally carry it on the job. Plus...Brandon says carrying his gun makes him look taller!
Here is a conversation Brandon and I had this morning. He was getting ready to leave the house for his class and I was doing everything in my power to continue sleeping!
Brandon: *from the kitchen* Monkey, do you think English Muffins actually come from England?
Me: *sleepily* No, they actually come from Scotland.
Brandon: *poking his head in the bedroom* Really?
Me: *eyes still closed, but smiling...no comment*
Brandon: Oh. Well, if you are in England and ask for a muffin, do you get an English Muffin?
Me: I don't know? Their buscuits are different from our buscuits, so there is no telling. It's CRAZY over there.
Just one of the million reasons why I love my husband! Random...yes. But, stuff like this makes my day!
Tonight we plan to join some friends to help our favorite "20-something twins" (not to be confused with our favorite IL twins) celebrate their birthday! So...Happy 24th Birthday Samantha and Sydney! May this next year bring you all the things you wish for! We love you both!
I love a good sunny Saturday where I can do as I please! It's a beautiful day and I have a completely open schedule....I couldn't ask for much more!
Today Brandon is attending his Carry Permit gun class. I don't know the official name of this class, but I am glad he is there. As business picks up at the scrap yard and they see more and more people, they are bound to run into a few "questionable" people. There is some relief for me to know that he has his gun and can legally carry it on the job. Plus...Brandon says carrying his gun makes him look taller!
Here is a conversation Brandon and I had this morning. He was getting ready to leave the house for his class and I was doing everything in my power to continue sleeping!
Brandon: *from the kitchen* Monkey, do you think English Muffins actually come from England?
Me: *sleepily* No, they actually come from Scotland.
Brandon: *poking his head in the bedroom* Really?
Me: *eyes still closed, but smiling...no comment*
Brandon: Oh. Well, if you are in England and ask for a muffin, do you get an English Muffin?
Me: I don't know? Their buscuits are different from our buscuits, so there is no telling. It's CRAZY over there.
Just one of the million reasons why I love my husband! Random...yes. But, stuff like this makes my day!
Tonight we plan to join some friends to help our favorite "20-something twins" (not to be confused with our favorite IL twins) celebrate their birthday! So...Happy 24th Birthday Samantha and Sydney! May this next year bring you all the things you wish for! We love you both!
I love a good sunny Saturday where I can do as I please! It's a beautiful day and I have a completely open schedule....I couldn't ask for much more!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
I was just thinking....
Do you have a shower routine?
Of course you do. We all do! First I do this, then I do that, and then I do this. And each day I shower I follow the same routine. At least until recently...
There is this commercial on TV that I absolutely despise. It's the one with the two young roommates. Apparently one roommate wakes up and enjoys singing annoyingly perky songs first thing in the morning. The other roommate, in contrast, does not enjoy this activity. Well...naturally, the perky roommate suggests the not so perky roommate use a facial cleanser first thing in the morning. This would, of course, cure her morning grumpiness. So grumpy girl washes her face and LOW AND BEHOLD.....she now enjoys dancing like a goof and singing annoyingly perky songs first thing in the morning.
I truly dislike this commercial. I told myself I would not buy this product, because of how much I can't stand this commercial. It reminds me of my hatred for the ASPCA commercials. I swore to myself if I ever heard Sarah Mclaughlin sing another wretchedly depressing song while they show poor animals that have been abused by idiots, I would never donate to them again. I made this promise to myself almost a year ago. And now....while we watch our beloved Office re-runs...these freaking commercials ALWAYS come on. I warned you ASPCA....now, you will no longer get my $25. I am sure those poor puppies are missing my money. Instead, I will send my money to Bless The Bullies and Best Friends...where they don't make me feel constantly guilty. I digress....
Well...I broke down. I bought the stupid face wash. Not because I hoped it would make me want to dance and sing like a goof first thing in the morning. I had zero hopes of it making me MORE of a morning person and less of a grumpy butt. Sorry, Brandon....you wake up singing cute songs and ready to smile and laugh. I, on the other hand, wake up with the grace and attitude of a hungry grizzle emerging from hibernation. I bought this annoyingly advertised product because it's supposed to help you "wake-up". It actually says it on the bottle....WAKES YOU UP!
So...this is where I get back to my first few lines of this post. The face wash does not necessarily wake me up....not anymore than any other face wash. But...somehow...it completely throws me off my shower routine. My routine being wash face, wash body, then wash hair...followed by whatever might be necessary. When I use the face wash, I go from wash face straight to wash hair. I don't know how or why I unconsciously skip wash body. I think it's payback for the dislike of their commercial. Almost every time I have used the face wash I have found my self getting ready to exit the shower and realizing I skipped an important step. My curse of the face wash! Too bad I am too cheap to just throw it away. I feel the need to finish the bottle. At the cost of possibly forgetting important shower steps! Curse that commercial and their annoying perkiness. Shhhessh.
Of course you do. We all do! First I do this, then I do that, and then I do this. And each day I shower I follow the same routine. At least until recently...
There is this commercial on TV that I absolutely despise. It's the one with the two young roommates. Apparently one roommate wakes up and enjoys singing annoyingly perky songs first thing in the morning. The other roommate, in contrast, does not enjoy this activity. Well...naturally, the perky roommate suggests the not so perky roommate use a facial cleanser first thing in the morning. This would, of course, cure her morning grumpiness. So grumpy girl washes her face and LOW AND BEHOLD.....she now enjoys dancing like a goof and singing annoyingly perky songs first thing in the morning.
I truly dislike this commercial. I told myself I would not buy this product, because of how much I can't stand this commercial. It reminds me of my hatred for the ASPCA commercials. I swore to myself if I ever heard Sarah Mclaughlin sing another wretchedly depressing song while they show poor animals that have been abused by idiots, I would never donate to them again. I made this promise to myself almost a year ago. And now....while we watch our beloved Office re-runs...these freaking commercials ALWAYS come on. I warned you ASPCA....now, you will no longer get my $25. I am sure those poor puppies are missing my money. Instead, I will send my money to Bless The Bullies and Best Friends...where they don't make me feel constantly guilty. I digress....
Well...I broke down. I bought the stupid face wash. Not because I hoped it would make me want to dance and sing like a goof first thing in the morning. I had zero hopes of it making me MORE of a morning person and less of a grumpy butt. Sorry, Brandon....you wake up singing cute songs and ready to smile and laugh. I, on the other hand, wake up with the grace and attitude of a hungry grizzle emerging from hibernation. I bought this annoyingly advertised product because it's supposed to help you "wake-up". It actually says it on the bottle....WAKES YOU UP!
So...this is where I get back to my first few lines of this post. The face wash does not necessarily wake me up....not anymore than any other face wash. But...somehow...it completely throws me off my shower routine. My routine being wash face, wash body, then wash hair...followed by whatever might be necessary. When I use the face wash, I go from wash face straight to wash hair. I don't know how or why I unconsciously skip wash body. I think it's payback for the dislike of their commercial. Almost every time I have used the face wash I have found my self getting ready to exit the shower and realizing I skipped an important step. My curse of the face wash! Too bad I am too cheap to just throw it away. I feel the need to finish the bottle. At the cost of possibly forgetting important shower steps! Curse that commercial and their annoying perkiness. Shhhessh.
Friday, February 19, 2010
When the world gives you poop.....
Ignore it all winter....that's what we do!
This entire post is about poop, so if you would rather not read about the poop in our lives, please feel free to continue on with your day. It won't hurt my feelings. Now...to get started....
The sun is shining and the sky is clear blue. This is the first time I have had a chance to be out in the sunshine for weeks! It's a beautiful day, still chilly, but gorgeous.
You may be asking how this has any relevance to poop...well....
I am completely embarrassed to admit that Brandon and I have not picked up the dogs' poop in our yard probably since October. *awkward, embarrassed grin* We are usually much better about picking up the yard, but since our yard has been in one of three shapes all winter 1) frozen, 2) covered in snow, 3) covered in at least an inch of water; it has not seemed all that important! Please don't get me wrong, spring through fall we pick up the yard routinely.
Today is so beautiful and I wanted to be outside...so what better activity then cleaning the waste of the pups. It needs to be done and we (the dogs and I) could use the fresh air and sunshine. HA....Let's not kid ourselves...the air I was breathing was anything but fresh.
I got a kick out of the dogs while I was busy completing my most productive task all day (up until I finish this post :) Dixie followed me everywhere I went...watching me like I was crazy. Or possibly supervising me, making sure I got each pile. All the while, Noah stood on the deck staring at his trunk of toys. Probably wondering why I was wasting my time with poop when we could be playing. He was neither impressed nor interested in any of my work. I should note that our yard is still (since one of my older posts about our backyard lake) a wet, soppy mess. So...still no play time in our backyard.
Here are a couple comments this activity:
1) I am reminded how lucky I am to have a dogs with healthy tummies 90 % of the time.
2) Healthy dogs produce "healthy" waste...Our next dog should be little (although I know that will never happen).
3) We pick up after the dogs every time we are not in the backyard....we frown heavily on people who leave poop in other peoples' yards.
So...are you ready to see the picture I took? Probably not, but I took one...so it's going up!
I know...I am ashamed! Right after I took this picture, Noah left me a little present and reminder that the "job" of cleaning the backyard is NEVER truly done! Thanks Buddy!!!
It is supposed to be even nicer tomorrow! I plan to attack the gardens we managed to ignored all winter, too. !
This entire post is about poop, so if you would rather not read about the poop in our lives, please feel free to continue on with your day. It won't hurt my feelings. Now...to get started....
The sun is shining and the sky is clear blue. This is the first time I have had a chance to be out in the sunshine for weeks! It's a beautiful day, still chilly, but gorgeous.
You may be asking how this has any relevance to poop...well....
I am completely embarrassed to admit that Brandon and I have not picked up the dogs' poop in our yard probably since October. *awkward, embarrassed grin* We are usually much better about picking up the yard, but since our yard has been in one of three shapes all winter 1) frozen, 2) covered in snow, 3) covered in at least an inch of water; it has not seemed all that important! Please don't get me wrong, spring through fall we pick up the yard routinely.
Today is so beautiful and I wanted to be outside...so what better activity then cleaning the waste of the pups. It needs to be done and we (the dogs and I) could use the fresh air and sunshine. HA....Let's not kid ourselves...the air I was breathing was anything but fresh.
I got a kick out of the dogs while I was busy completing my most productive task all day (up until I finish this post :) Dixie followed me everywhere I went...watching me like I was crazy. Or possibly supervising me, making sure I got each pile. All the while, Noah stood on the deck staring at his trunk of toys. Probably wondering why I was wasting my time with poop when we could be playing. He was neither impressed nor interested in any of my work. I should note that our yard is still (since one of my older posts about our backyard lake) a wet, soppy mess. So...still no play time in our backyard.
Here are a couple comments this activity:
1) I am reminded how lucky I am to have a dogs with healthy tummies 90 % of the time.
2) Healthy dogs produce "healthy" waste...Our next dog should be little (although I know that will never happen).
3) We pick up after the dogs every time we are not in the backyard....we frown heavily on people who leave poop in other peoples' yards.
So...are you ready to see the picture I took? Probably not, but I took one...so it's going up!
I know...I am ashamed! Right after I took this picture, Noah left me a little present and reminder that the "job" of cleaning the backyard is NEVER truly done! Thanks Buddy!!!
It is supposed to be even nicer tomorrow! I plan to attack the gardens we managed to ignored all winter, too. !
Saturday, February 13, 2010
My Sweet Valentine
My sweet, hunk of a husband, Brandon is my adorable Valentine this year and hopefully every year for the remainder of my days! I love him more and more every day...and our endless love and laughter is more than I could have ever imagined. I am grateful for my incredible husband each day, not just on Valentine's.
This year, Brandon and I decided we would not get each other gifts for Valentines Day. There was nothing either of us truly needed....I mean, we already have each other, right? We don't need gifts to prove our love for one another! In our own minds (or at least mine) we have a love that people wish for....and one I am thankful for! (Wow...cocky much?)
It was decided we would order out some dinner Saturday night, have chocolate covered strawberries (one of my favorites) and maybe exchange cards! But...not gifts!
Being sneaky, as I seem to believe I am, I came up with a way to give B something...without buying it. (Ahhh..no....get your head out of the gutter!) Since he had to work all day Saturday I decided I would clean the house. Oh...I do find myself clever! It doesn't cost me anything...and is a HUGE gift in itself! So..I cleaned the house and did laundry. Lots and lots of laundry. I am soooo glad I did this!
When Brandon got home he was so excited to see the house clean. Then...he informed me of a present he had gotten me. It was in the car. WHAT???? We said no presents...I was the only one who could break the rules (sort of)! But, I am never one to turn down a present!
I closed my eyes as he brought in my present! And guess what it was.....
Did you guess?
A new LAPTOP! WHAT??????? Wait? Really? How did we go from NO presents to a laptop. I am not complaining! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!
You see, this is a pretty normal problem (if you can call it that) of Brandon's. We say no presents, he gets me something incredible. We set limits...he disregards them. Two Christmases ago we decided on a $50 limit for one other. I got B a few items of relevance, but stayed within the budget. He opened his gift...and was pleased. I opened mine to find my now beloved Nikkon Camera....my greatest gift ever and probably most favorite personal item, outside of my wedding band and engagement ring.
I suppose setting limits or non-gift expectations should no longer be an option in my mind! Thank you Brandon! I love the laptop and can't wait to be so super trendy using it in places other than our computer room. For instance, as I type this blog...I am sitting at our kitchen counter! WAHOO!!!
This year, Brandon and I decided we would not get each other gifts for Valentines Day. There was nothing either of us truly needed....I mean, we already have each other, right? We don't need gifts to prove our love for one another! In our own minds (or at least mine) we have a love that people wish for....and one I am thankful for! (Wow...cocky much?)
It was decided we would order out some dinner Saturday night, have chocolate covered strawberries (one of my favorites) and maybe exchange cards! But...not gifts!
Being sneaky, as I seem to believe I am, I came up with a way to give B something...without buying it. (Ahhh..no....get your head out of the gutter!) Since he had to work all day Saturday I decided I would clean the house. Oh...I do find myself clever! It doesn't cost me anything...and is a HUGE gift in itself! So..I cleaned the house and did laundry. Lots and lots of laundry. I am soooo glad I did this!
When Brandon got home he was so excited to see the house clean. Then...he informed me of a present he had gotten me. It was in the car. WHAT???? We said no presents...I was the only one who could break the rules (sort of)! But, I am never one to turn down a present!
I closed my eyes as he brought in my present! And guess what it was.....
Did you guess?
A new LAPTOP! WHAT??????? Wait? Really? How did we go from NO presents to a laptop. I am not complaining! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!
You see, this is a pretty normal problem (if you can call it that) of Brandon's. We say no presents, he gets me something incredible. We set limits...he disregards them. Two Christmases ago we decided on a $50 limit for one other. I got B a few items of relevance, but stayed within the budget. He opened his gift...and was pleased. I opened mine to find my now beloved Nikkon Camera....my greatest gift ever and probably most favorite personal item, outside of my wedding band and engagement ring.
I suppose setting limits or non-gift expectations should no longer be an option in my mind! Thank you Brandon! I love the laptop and can't wait to be so super trendy using it in places other than our computer room. For instance, as I type this blog...I am sitting at our kitchen counter! WAHOO!!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Growing up..finally?
At what point did my handwriting go from looking like my own, to looking like my mother's? It's not a bad thing. I always thought she had pretty handwriting. And now my handwriting is pretty, too.
Interesting......
Interesting......
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