Just 2 more days and we are off

Ah vacation... I can almost feel the sand under my toes

Work is crazy this week, but my one saving grace is that Thursday evening my handsome hubby and I are heading to the east coast for our bestest friends (Jeremy and Marla) wedding. I have been itching for some kind of vacation for a while and although it will be a short and cheap trip, it will be nice to get away and spend time with friends.

The only part that I cringe about is the 15 hour drive ahead of us. Why aren't we flying, you may ask? Well, the answer is easy. We could fly into Myrtle Beach, which would be outrageously expensive (probably about $400 for one person). Or we could fly into Charlotte or Charleston and rent a car and drive to Myrtle Beach (again... very expensive) or we could drive and spend about $150 on gas round-trip. So, we opted to drive. It will be a helluva long trip, but at least we have a new car to drive :)

So, wish us luck on our adventure! We will need it since we tend to fight like cats and dogs on long car trips, haha. :)

My middle name ain't Grace... that's for sure.

I have taken pride in the fact that I survived one of the worst winters in northern Indiana history this year with no car accidents and no slips on the snow and ice.

Well, the pride was quickly squandered this morning when I wiped out in front of our apartment on bare concrete... BARE CONCRETE! No ice, no snow, no rain... just concrete. The first thing I did was throw out a few cuss words and then look around to see if anyone saw me (naturally). I didn't see anyone.... (sigh) thank goodness. Of course, I get up and continue walking to my car like nothing happened and grimace with pain from my ankle and knee the entire time. I have too much pride to stand there and assess my battle wounds where everyone can see them. So, I waited until I got to the car. A small scrap on my ankle, little scratch on my hand from catching my fall and a little skin on my knee (and my khaki pants don't look too good either). It could have been worse.

I have quite a history of nasty falls, some involving the over consumption of alcohol. One of the funniest was with Amanda in Independence, KS. We were going to the courthouse to present to the County Commissioners. We walk outside of one building on our way to the Judicial Center and of course, I am not paying attention to my surroundings (a lesson my dad has been drilling into me since I was just a wee tot... apparently he knew he had a grace-challenged child on his hands). Anyway, I was looking at the sign on the door of the building and completely miss the 2 steps in front of it. When I say I wiped out... I mean WIPED OUT! Amanda, of course, would not stop laughing and I was trying to decide whether to cry or laugh too. UGH... that hurt.

The one that left me limping the longest was from Arrowhead Stadium for the Pitt State/Northwest Missouri Game. Jeremy and I headed up there to meet all our friends. NOTE: This is one that involved alcohol, but also a super tall man with long legs that likes to skip. Anyway, we were leaving the game in a huge crowd of people and Jer grabbed my hand and we started skipping/running through the crowd. I'm sure you know what happened next. My short legs could not keep up with his long legs and his overly happy skipping routine. I went down on my left ankle HARD. I mean... WOW! I had never sprained my ankle before, but when I went down I knew that is what had happened. Of course, there were hundreds of people around and I think some girl started laughing and I spouted off at her. Stupid *itch. :) Even Jer started laughing at me, until he realized I was about in tears and then he said "are you ok?". Uh, does it look like I am ok? He kept telling me that I was fine, but when I whipped my ankle out for him to see while we ate dinner at Hooters he changed his tune. It was black and blue and swollen... yuck. So, the next time Jer wanted to skip (which is often... he likes to skip for some reason) I had to have a little chat with him about slowing down and realizing not everyone has massively long legs like he has. The next skipping events were without incident. Thank you Jer :)

Oh man... I could go on for days about my nasty falls. But I will spare you all the details. :)

Have a wonderful, graceful, day!

Fun at the end of the day!

So, I'm stealing this a real funny blog called "Fake Interviews with Real Celebritys" http://fakeinterviewswithrealcelebrities.blogspot.com

It's a fun game.You put these three elements together to make a new Emo band's first album.

1 - Go to “wikipedia.” Hit “random”or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to “Random quotations”or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days

Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together (I used Picnik)

Here's mine:

The madness begins tomorrow

does everyone have their brackets filled out and ready to go?

I picked OU... go figure! What is funny is that a guy I worked with picked OU too, so I definitely won't be lonely in my cheer section. He's a Domer and since Notre Dame didn't make the tourney, he decided to go for my team.

I even got several people at work to do a bracket challenge, so it will make the work days go by a little faster :)

In other news.... I worked a table for Premier Designs at the Women's Expo last weekend. It was great! I talked to a lot of wonderful women, sold a few items off my table and got ALOT of contacts to follow-up with. I am hopeful that I will be able to fill my calendar in the next few weeks. Prayers needed please :)

The new car is running great and it was fantastic to drive around in 75 degree weather yesterday with all the windows down. Ah... I love spring! I have been in such a fabulous mood because the weather is better. Funny how a simple thing like weather can change your attitude so much.

Now, let's get serious for a moment bloggers. There is something very important we need to talk about.... AMERICAN IDOL! I am going to make some predictions this year. I always say that I will make some early predictions, but never do. Well, this is the year my friends.

Drum roll please........... I predict that our top 2 will be: Adam and Allison.

Country week was rough this week, but it always is. I love country music, but I can't even tell you of a country performance in year's past that just blew me away. So, even though Adam had a rough time (You don't mess with Johnny Cash buddy) and Allison did alright (love the raspy sound to her voice), I really think they have the best stage presence (with the exception of Lil, she rocks too). Adam's ability to "make a song his own" reminds me of Chris Daughtry and David Cook. I think we desperately need an Allison to win, or at least be a top 2 finalist. We really haven't had a cool rock chick and I would love to see that! Alexis has it too, but I think Allison's stage presence and her tone is better. And, let's not discount Danny and Kris. I think they are both really great singers and, if you would have asked me a few weeks ago I would have picked Danny as a top 2. But, I worry about his consistency. We will see.... you never know with American Idol! :)

What do you all think? What are your predictions? Let's chat!

I've been a bad bad blogger

ARGH... I hate it when I slack on blogging. I just haven't had anything interesting to say lately, I guess. I still don't, but for the sake of blogging here's some randomness for your Tuesday reading.

1. Hicks bet me that I won't be able to keep my new car clean. (I have a habit of drinking water bottles and tossing them in the backseat). I told him it will look the same in 3 months as it does now. We will see... I am trying real hard. :) Hicks may be a bettin' man, but this is one he is going to lose.
2. Jared's hair is outta control and I am convinced he does it just to get under my skin. :) Jared's hair is curly, a coarse curly that grows out instead of down. He likes to get out of the shower and run his fingers through it and puff it all up like an afro. He is so weird. He thinks it looks "sexy". I say otherwise. At least he plans to shave it all before the Kraft wedding.
3. I miss my sister like crazy. She has a new boyfriend and life is turning around for her and I am so happy for her. I just want her to come visit me. :(
4. I have a table for Premier at the Expo for Women this weekend and I am really excited and hopeful for new contacts and bookings.
5. My first friend I ever made when we moved to South Bend moved to Milwaukee last weekend. We didn't get to hang out a lot before she left because we were both so incredibly busy. I wish her the best and I hope to make a trip up there this summer sometime.
6. I got my hair cut last week. Tanita said I needed to do something dramatic. Well, it isn't dramatic, but she did cut a lot off and gave me more layers and long sweepy bangs. She says she will get me out of my box at some point.... we will see. I have had pretty much the same hairstyle since high school except I have changed it with layers and long bangs, but it has always been about the same length.
7. I am SO EXCITED for my friend Sherry! Her and her husband Chris are expecting their first child in September. I am almost certain it is a boy, haha. I have known Sherry since 4th grade and we used to always talk about how scared we were to have kids and we didn't think we could handle it. Well, here we are and one of us is expecting a baby. We are all grown up Sherry! I can't wait to see your lil' guy and I am so glad our friendship is still just as strong as ever. I love ya honey.
8. Our lil' house in Girard has been getting more action! YES! They have been showing it a lot more lately and I am hopeful that someone will fall in love with it like we did. *Fingers crossed, prayers being sent up*
9. My cat is getting fat. Seriously... ever since she had her teeth fixed she has been eating like a pig. Anytime I go to the kitchen she runs over to her bowel and bag of food and whines like a lil' baby. Then, last night I was working on a display board for Premier and she kept jolting through the house and running all over my board and then laying down next to me and trying to bite me. ARGH... I told Jared yesterday that if she was our child she would be in time-out right now.
10. It is becoming Spring northern Indiana and I have never been so happy! I will never ever ever take Spring and Summer for granted AGAIN after this brutal winter I have endured. The ducks are quacking, the rabbits are hopping and my flower bush that Jared bought me last year survived the winter and has buds growing on it already. Ah spring.... hurry hurry. We need you!

Come on spring!

I've got spring fever real bad

This morning I stared into my closet and wanted so desperately to put on some cute gaucho pants, spring-y top and flip flops. But Mother Nature shut down that dream rather quickly with a 12 degree morning. YUCK. I am certain my feet will need a major overhaul before spring. I don't think I have seem my little piggies much this winter, except in the shower and even then they are covered with water because our drain is slow. I haven't even painted them since probably October... gross. :)

Anyway, the Birk Family is anxiously awaiting spring and much of the residents of northern Indiana are as well. Apparently, this winter was really bad, according to the locals. So, I guess Jared and I got introduced to the worst of it, hopefully next year will be better.

Other than that, things have been pretty calm. Our budget is working out tremendously well and I think we will be able to pay Uncle Sam soon! That will be a huge sigh of relief for us. We are still hopeful that we will be able to make it to S.C. for Jeremy and Marla's wedding too, but it is too early for us to say yet... even though it is a month away! (I know... we are total procrastinators).

I watched my friend's little girl Sunday for a little bit while they were moving and I have to say, I did pretty well. We played and watched her favorite movie "Horton Hears a Who" and then I smelled it. Yep, it did no good for me to say "please don't poop while I am watching you" because she did it anyway. Like I have said before, I am baby retarded. I have changed one diaper my whole life and now, I have changed 2. And seriously, how does it get all over them? Really? I bet I used a whole box of wipes trying to clean her up while she bounced her legs all around and laughed. I bet she thought I was quite a sight to see. Surprisingly, the smell and the "contents" didn't bother me too much (which is good). I struggled with everything else, haha. That little bundle of joy was bouncing around so much I could barely get her new diaper on and by the time I did she was crying. Well, at least I got it on! Then I worked as fast as I could to get her pants and shoes on (she loves shoes and she screams if you don't put them on her).

Then she was hungry, so I fed her some peas, crackers and few cookies that her momma had set out for me. She was giggling and had it all over, but it was fun. Thanks Genevieve for teaching this "rookie" how to do it. :)