Week 12: Top 10

1. Giving blood again, which I haven't since 2006.

2. Graduation parties of some of my theater kids. Grace had the movie theater catering with my favorite hotdogs.

3. Fish Fry with Friends. Having Link take to playing with the kids immediately. Amazing fish and shrimp, snapping turtles, wheel barrels, hula hoops, and more.
4. Putting empty clothes to resemble a raptured person my pastor's doorstep.

5. Spontanious lunch with Leslie and meeting her friends from San Fransico that are living with them for a year. (Now a 12 person household.) Welcome Evette, Mike, Sophia, Claudia, and Olivia. Yummy pinto bean casserole.

6. Dani's birthday party. Volleyball, campfire, friends, and Bryce took work off!

7. Went to Cedar Rapids to a huge cloth diaper garage sale at Birth, Baby, and Beyond and ended up happening upon the Marion Art Festival.

8. Hearing Link sing "Boom Boom Pow," "Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Come On," "Riding Solo," and others.

9. Eating ice cream cones with Lincoln, bottom first.

10. Finding a robin nest with babies directly outside the window. (No wonder the cats have been camped there for weeks.)

Week 11: Top 10

1. Taking a meal to the family of new little baby , Shepard.

2. Mel Bartholomew and his square foot gardening book (which I have renewed 4 times in a row at the library).
3. Playing Noah's Ark with the Bell Choir and wearing rainbow colors.

4. A New Orleans Meal for Mission Fundraiser made by Katrina transplants who live in our town.

5. The color purple. I am really drawn to this color this spring and am adding it to my life in many different ways.

6. Finding a random dance party in Volney and joining in. Someone else's 30th birthday. I don't even know who the guy was but got my 30 year old dance party in.

7. Bridesmaids- the funniest movie I have seen in a long time. I really feel like this film created a new genre that was missing in cinema. Chick flicks that are as funny as male comedies, like "The Hangover."

8. Eating, Drinking, and working at The Taste of Dishntunes.com.

9. Two days of summer sun and heat.

10. Getting to say one last goodbye to Abby Dog at the Bruxvoort Colligans.

Week 10: Top 10

1. Tjep hearts have won my heart.


2. Taking a nature hike with my husband and climbing a tree. (Negative was finding 15 ticks afterwards.)

3. My brother got a job in Independence so he and his family will be closer and Link will get to see more of Diana (who ended up not having pink eye, but just an infection.)

4. I won the $300 weight loss challenge I did with my mom and sister. We pooled our money again to be weighed in November.

5. My sister graduated from college and the event allowed us to see aunts and uncles and cousins and such.

6. I followed through on my first event planning activity. The Tri-State Natural Baby Expo. I had 9 booths, 3 seminars, and 32 participants. I only lost about $100 by over advertising. Added benefit was seeing Joy and Chris (as one of the exhibitors) as well as experiencing my first chiropractic session that I actually like.

7. A "Yes" to the business that my friend Michelle and I are starting in town. A consignment/baby/teen/art store. It is going to be called "Whimsy Market."

8. The Facebook post that helped me make sense of my emotions on the death of Osama Bin Laden.
‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy." - Jessica Dovey
"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."-Dr Martin Luther King Jr

9. Peep Smores. (They taste way better that way.)

10. A sad but good farewell to our tenant, Alex Kann. He had been living with us for 7 months. On Monday we put him on a bus to Branson, MO to live with his mom. But a welcome hello to my sister, Amber, who joins us again as she works in Monona.

Week 9: Top 10

1. Watching people with Royal Wedding fever.2. The Magnolia Tree in my friend Michelle's front yard. I could smell it a block away and I was in heaven.

3. Bryce's new inspiration to make homemade pizza. (On the new pans his mom gave him.)

4. Central High School Prom next door with the theme of Super Mario Brothers.

5. Bunco Biggest Loser Prize with a Cinco de Mayo theme.

6. Substitute Teaching great kids.

7. Finnish artist Jonna Pohjalainen

8. Taking a canning and freezing class with my mom.

9. An evening at Dani and Todd's with my cousin Liz.

10. Having my very own President crack me up at the Correspondents' Dinner.