Nobody got them all right. Not even Carl (and he was with me at a lot of them and still missed them!). Here are the answers so you all can go back to sleeping at night. I know this kept you awake at night. Admit it.
The ones in bold are the correct answers.
Def Leppard--Seen them. I went with a boy I dated in college.
Gloria Estefan--My very first concert at the Kern County fair (Bakersfield, CA). I was in 8th grade.
Journey--Never seen them.
Neil Diamond--Been to his concert twice. Once in Indy and the other in Omaha our first month living here in Nebraska.
Barry Manilow--saw him at the Oprah show. He walked right by us!
Wynona--saw her at the Lloyd Noble center in Norman, OK
Toby Keith--My first date with Carl was to this concert but we never saw him. We missed it because we were hanging out in the karaoke tent (O'Brian's) at the State Fair.
New Kids on the Block--I totally saw them in OKC. I went with a younger girl from our church. Her mom said she could go if I went with her.
Milli Vanilli--Totally awesome show! We had a blast. I don't care if they lip sync.
Van Halen (w/ Sammy Hagar--not David Lee Roth) I was trying to throw people off with being so specific and I think it worked. I've never seen them.
Enrique Iglesias--Hot hot hot. Saw him in Chicago.
American Idol Season 4--I haven't seen any AI concerts. My mom and sister went to one, though.
Kids Incorporated--Saw them at Santa Anita (a racetrack in CA) in the infield. I guess maybe I should count this as my first concert and not Gloria Estefan. Oh well.
The Wiggles--They sure put on a good show. Carl cried he was so excited to see them. No joke. Okay, I did too...just a little. I love MURRAY!
Pat Benatar--My latest concert. Most of you knew this since I blogged about it extensively.
Bobby Vinton--We were the youngest people there. Saw him in Branson.
Billy Idol--He came to OKC in 1991 and I wanted to see him desperately. I considered sneaking out of the house but used my better judgement and let my friends go see him without me.
Blessed Union of Souls--I won tickets on the radio to see them at Frontier City (OKC). I took Melessa and my sister with me.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Sock-ret Pal Questionnaire
The basics:
How long have you been knitting? About 3 years
Do you consider yourself a beginning sock knitter,
an intermediate,or have you been doing this so long
you could probably knit a pair in your sleep?
I'm an intermediate sock knitter
The measurements:
While your pal may ask for some additional info to
ensure a great fit,please provide your shoe size,
or any other fitting related info you think is
pertinent. Size 6 1/2-7 (US Women's)
(fiber related) Favorites:
What colors do you love? I love most colors.
Lately I've been into turquoise,lime green, all
shades of red, blue and green.
Do you prefer solids or variegated?
They both have their place. For socks I like
interesting patterns with solids and plain
stockinette for variegated.
What fibers do you most love to knit with?
I like knitting with everything except I've
found that mohair makes me sneeze.
Who do you consider your favorite yarn vendors?
I have been buying a lot from Knit Picks
lately. I love Lorna's Laces. I use Cascade 220
for a lot of basic projects.
What projects (other than socks, of course*S*)
do you most enjoy knitting? I love knitting for
other people. For myself, I'm working on a cardigan
right now.
(fiber related) Dislikes:
What fibers can you not stand to knit with? To wear?
I have problems with mohair and other fuzzy yarns
like angora (unfortunately)
What colors would you never wear? YELLOW!
The Tools:
Plastic or Metal? Bamboo or wood?
I have them all and I use them all.
Circs or Straights? I mainly work on circs--except for socks
DPNs or Magic Loop? I'm exclusively DPN
Are there any knitting accessories you don't
have in your collection but would like?
I could use some wool detergent. Does this count?
The Extras:
Do you have a wish list? If so, please share the link!
I don't have a wishlist
Do you like sweet, sour or salty? (or all of the above? *S*)
I've just started a pretty
strict diet so no matter how much I might beg for it,
don't send SWEETS! I can eat sugar-free gum and almonds.
Do you have any allergies your pal should know about?
(Certain foods, smoke, pet hair, etc)
I am a super-smeller and get sick with the smell of smoke.
I'm also allergic to cats.
Favorite scents? Scents you can't stand?
I love the Cherry Blossom scent from Bath &
Body Works (but I already have a lot of that stuff)
and I like anything cinnamon.
Do you collect anything (other than yarn and
knitting toys of course)? Just yarn.
When is your birthday? (month and day is fine!)April 11
Do you spin? Dye your own yarn?
I have a drop spindle and am still working on my
first skein. I haven't started dyeing my own yarn yet.
Your favorite author/band/vacation spot,
anything you think will help your pal know
you better...
Favorite things: Neil Diamond, cilantro, itunes,
historical fiction, Spanish, rubber
stamping, ribbon, winning competitions, blogging
Monday, September 25, 2006
Concert Quiz
I had a post ready to go but I can't upload pics with Blogger today. Here's a post that doesn't need pics. Enjoy.
I've been thinking about all of the concerts I've been to in my life. I don't think I've been to that many but I can definitely say that the range of artists is impressive. Here's a little quiz for you. I'm going to list artists that I may or may not have seen in concert. Tell me in the comments which ones you think are bogus (hint: there are 5). I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some that I've seen as well.
Def Leppard
Gloria Estefan
Journey
Neil Diamond
Barry Manilow
Wynona
Toby Keith
New Kids on the Block
Milli Vanilli
Van Halen (w/ Sammy Hagar--not David Lee Roth)
Enrique Iglesias
American Idol Season 4
Kids Incorporated
The Wiggles
Pat Benatar
Bobby Vinton
Billy Idol
Blessed Union of Souls
I've been thinking about all of the concerts I've been to in my life. I don't think I've been to that many but I can definitely say that the range of artists is impressive. Here's a little quiz for you. I'm going to list artists that I may or may not have seen in concert. Tell me in the comments which ones you think are bogus (hint: there are 5). I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some that I've seen as well.
Def Leppard
Gloria Estefan
Journey
Neil Diamond
Barry Manilow
Wynona
Toby Keith
New Kids on the Block
Milli Vanilli
Van Halen (w/ Sammy Hagar--not David Lee Roth)
Enrique Iglesias
American Idol Season 4
Kids Incorporated
The Wiggles
Pat Benatar
Bobby Vinton
Billy Idol
Blessed Union of Souls
Huskers
We went to the game on Saturday. The Huskers beat Troy 56-0. We had seats in the faculty/staff section 2 and we had a good view of the action. I decided not to take my camera so I didn't have to carry it. I pulled this picture off of the web. The stadium is bigger now but it was still a sellout and everyone (I mean EVERYONE) was wearing red. It was wild. We only stayed until halftime. I know---don't hate us. We're just beginning to be Husker fans. We would have stayed the whole time if it had been more exciting. We were scoring on almost every time we had the ball and I was feeling sorry for Troy. Plus, we wanted to get our babysitter home at a reasonable hour. There was a guy behind us that knew EVERYTHING about anything. It was quite annoying. Plus, he kept yelling at the players (like they could hear him) and cussing. Oh well. It was a good experience. Before the players came on the field they showed a video with some awesome music and great clips of them hitting people really hard. It gave us goosebumps. I asked Carl if he was feeling the "Spirit" like I was. ;)
In other Husker news...the neighbor kids came over the other day and I put them to work husking my corn for dinner. They did an excellent job and earned a quarter each. I know, I'm cheap. The 14 yr. old (Brandon) didn't seem to impressed. Well, it's better than nothing!
My Nebraska Socks of Doom are off in the mail to my intended victim. I ran out of red so I had to improvise by using navy blue for the heels and toes. They look okay. Now I'm just waiting for my victim to send me what's left of her socks so I can finish them and send them off to my next victim. Sock wars. Gotta love it. I forgot to turn the picture around before I put it on here and I'm too lazy to change it. Oh well.
Friday, September 22, 2006
SCORE!
I'm taking a mini break from my sock war to tell you about what I get to do on Saturday. Dr. Carl scored some football tickets for the game! I'm going to have to learn how to be a Husker fan Sooner (pun somewhat intended) or later. It should be a fun time. I'll be sure and take some notes and blog about my adventure with what I'm sure are the craziest fans in college football.
SOCK WARS!
Sock Wars begins today. I haven't received my dossier yet including the pattern and my victim but as soon as I do I plan on casting on and being the true Asesina del calcetÃn that I know I am!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
18 Months
Eva is now 18 months old (as of Sept. 14). This probably isn't too significant to most people but for Mormons, it's the time when the kids get to go to Nursery! Our church services last 3 hours. It's broken up into three different bits but that's a long time to keep a kid occupied. The first hour is still the whole family together for the main worship service but the last two hours are classes. But, now Eva gets to go to the nursery for those 2 hours and Carl and I are able to teach our classes now without interuption! Yippee!
Eva is a really great girl and I knew she'd have no problems adjusting to nursery life. She already knew the motions to most of the songs (she can do the wise man/foolish man along with the best of them!) and is used to playing with other kids.
Today we're going to the dr. for her checkup. I'm sure everything is fine although I'm curious to find out how much she weighs now. Any guesses?
And, I couldn't resist posting this picture of Caleb. He was playing the piano when we were getting ready for church on Sunday.
Eva is a really great girl and I knew she'd have no problems adjusting to nursery life. She already knew the motions to most of the songs (she can do the wise man/foolish man along with the best of them!) and is used to playing with other kids.
Today we're going to the dr. for her checkup. I'm sure everything is fine although I'm curious to find out how much she weighs now. Any guesses?
And, I couldn't resist posting this picture of Caleb. He was playing the piano when we were getting ready for church on Sunday.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The LAST DAY (or so I thought)
Thursday 9/14
I thought we were going to get on a plane in the afternoon. It turns out that I forgot we had booked a later flight so we could have some more free time in Philadelphia. We didn't have to be at the airport until 6pm. I suggested we might be able to get an earlier flight. But, we didn't do anything about it. Instead, we got ready to go and loaded up the car. Before this travelogue ends, I just want you all to know that the Sheraton City Center in Philadelphia is the worst conference hotel I've ever stayed in. The service was sub par (especially the concierge--the valet guys were okay) and the rooms were stinky (they overbooked the non-smoking rooms and the super-smeller that I am got stuck in a smoking room---luckily I spent half of the time at Eric and Connie's). Next year the conference is at the Rio hotel in Vegas. Anyone want to volunteer to watch my lovely children? ;)
Okay, back to the last day (or so I thought). We hadn't had an opportunity to go get a Philly cheesesteak. So, we drove around and found the corner with Pat's and Geno's. We decided to go to Pat's. We got a parking space right there and they serve Pepsi.
We both ordered "Cheese Whiz wit" and got some fries for the kids. You all know I had a diet Pepsi (w/ cherry added-yum!) and I'm glad I did!
After lunch (and chasing Caleb repeatedly--he went straight for the street a couple of times), we drove down South Street and then up to the historical sights. We found a place to park and then we were off. It was kind of a drizzly day and we got rained on a little bit. The kids were okay with their stroller shades and it wasn't enough to make us soaking wet. But, it was enough to make the roads a little slick and that was my downfall. Or should I say, fall down? Yep, this is the scene of the crime.
That's what I get for wearing Crocs on slick streets. I scuffed up my knee, bumped my butt, and bruised my ego. It all happened right in front of one of those big sightseeing Duck busses. A lady crossing the other way helped me up since Carl was speeding along (which is why I was going faster than I should have been) ahead of me.
We decided not to go through security to see the Liberty Bell. We just walked around and saw it through the window again. I took some pictures of Indpendence Hall.
Then, we walked over to Franklin Court. That's where Benjamin Franklin's house and printing shop were. They have a printing shop there. I was less than impressed with the park rangers. I think I'm spoiled by having gone to the church history sites. They always do such a good job with the presentations. We had to practically beg them to explain anything to us at the Franklin sites.
The kids started to get a little rowdy about this time so we started walking back to the car. I noticed that the Red Hat society was out in full force.
We also walked by the US Mint.
We had a couple hours to spend so we took a drive down to Delaware so Carl could add that state to his list. We got gas in Wilmington and saved about 10 cents a gallon compared to Philly prices. That made Carl happy for about 5 seconds until we turned a corner and he found that another station had gas for 8 cents cheaper than the one we got. Oh well. We drove back to the airport and found a place to have dinner. We had successfully wasted enough time before we needed to be at the airport.
My post from when I got back from Philly kind of explains what happened on our flight but here are the basics. We were supposed to leave at 8pm. Our flight was delayed until 8:27. That was enough time for us to make our connection in Chicago so we went ahead and checked our bags. While in the airport, our flight kept getting more and more delayed and there was no way we'd make our connection and it was getting too late to find another connecting flight from Chicago. So, we decided to cut our losses and stay the night again in Philly and leave as early as we could the next morning. Luckily, the kids went to sleep pretty well and we got a good 5-6 hours in before we had to leave the next morning.
And, that my friends, is the end of my travelogue!
I thought we were going to get on a plane in the afternoon. It turns out that I forgot we had booked a later flight so we could have some more free time in Philadelphia. We didn't have to be at the airport until 6pm. I suggested we might be able to get an earlier flight. But, we didn't do anything about it. Instead, we got ready to go and loaded up the car. Before this travelogue ends, I just want you all to know that the Sheraton City Center in Philadelphia is the worst conference hotel I've ever stayed in. The service was sub par (especially the concierge--the valet guys were okay) and the rooms were stinky (they overbooked the non-smoking rooms and the super-smeller that I am got stuck in a smoking room---luckily I spent half of the time at Eric and Connie's). Next year the conference is at the Rio hotel in Vegas. Anyone want to volunteer to watch my lovely children? ;)
Okay, back to the last day (or so I thought). We hadn't had an opportunity to go get a Philly cheesesteak. So, we drove around and found the corner with Pat's and Geno's. We decided to go to Pat's. We got a parking space right there and they serve Pepsi.
We both ordered "Cheese Whiz wit" and got some fries for the kids. You all know I had a diet Pepsi (w/ cherry added-yum!) and I'm glad I did!After lunch (and chasing Caleb repeatedly--he went straight for the street a couple of times), we drove down South Street and then up to the historical sights. We found a place to park and then we were off. It was kind of a drizzly day and we got rained on a little bit. The kids were okay with their stroller shades and it wasn't enough to make us soaking wet. But, it was enough to make the roads a little slick and that was my downfall. Or should I say, fall down? Yep, this is the scene of the crime.
That's what I get for wearing Crocs on slick streets. I scuffed up my knee, bumped my butt, and bruised my ego. It all happened right in front of one of those big sightseeing Duck busses. A lady crossing the other way helped me up since Carl was speeding along (which is why I was going faster than I should have been) ahead of me.
We decided not to go through security to see the Liberty Bell. We just walked around and saw it through the window again. I took some pictures of Indpendence Hall.
Then, we walked over to Franklin Court. That's where Benjamin Franklin's house and printing shop were. They have a printing shop there. I was less than impressed with the park rangers. I think I'm spoiled by having gone to the church history sites. They always do such a good job with the presentations. We had to practically beg them to explain anything to us at the Franklin sites. The kids started to get a little rowdy about this time so we started walking back to the car. I noticed that the Red Hat society was out in full force.
We also walked by the US Mint.
We had a couple hours to spend so we took a drive down to Delaware so Carl could add that state to his list. We got gas in Wilmington and saved about 10 cents a gallon compared to Philly prices. That made Carl happy for about 5 seconds until we turned a corner and he found that another station had gas for 8 cents cheaper than the one we got. Oh well. We drove back to the airport and found a place to have dinner. We had successfully wasted enough time before we needed to be at the airport.
My post from when I got back from Philly kind of explains what happened on our flight but here are the basics. We were supposed to leave at 8pm. Our flight was delayed until 8:27. That was enough time for us to make our connection in Chicago so we went ahead and checked our bags. While in the airport, our flight kept getting more and more delayed and there was no way we'd make our connection and it was getting too late to find another connecting flight from Chicago. So, we decided to cut our losses and stay the night again in Philly and leave as early as we could the next morning. Luckily, the kids went to sleep pretty well and we got a good 5-6 hours in before we had to leave the next morning.
And, that my friends, is the end of my travelogue!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
New York City!
Wednesday 9/13
Our day started bright and early in an effort to get out of the door before the kids woke up. Eva woke up all wet through her clothes just as I was getting out of the shower. I changed her and put her clothes on and she was "good to go" for Eric. We got out of there just after 7:30am or so. We drove to Princeton, NJ to catch the train and got to NYC just before 10am. We felt really lucky in Princeton. It took us a while to find a parking space at the station but as soon as we did, we went to buy our tickets, use the restroom, and as soon as we walked out onto the platform, the train came. Connie told me I should have brought a book. Oh, Connie. You underestimate my knitterly ways. I had two projects with me to work on throughout the day. Who has time to read on a train? There is knitting to be done. ;)
The ride in was great. I knit a little and I could see NYC in the distance. I saw the Empire State building. The skyline is really impressive.
One of the only things I "had" to do while I was in NYC was see the Statue of Liberty with my own eyes. This was as close as I needed to get. At least on this trip. I'm sure we'll take the kids there someday.
After that, we rode the train uptown so we could eat at Serendipity. I ate a chicken salad sandwich on Irish Soda bread and had a frozen hot chocolate (um, YUM!). Here we are tasting our treats.
Check out "the shirt". I had to wear it in NYC!
I saw Madison Avenue and then we went to Central Park for a little walk. Everything I know about NYC I know from the movies. Splash, anyone?
It started to sprinkle on us a bit but we were lucky to not be caught in any kind of serious rain. 
We also went to FAO Schwartz and bought our souvenir shirts by the park. I got a few cute ones for the kids.
Our next stop was finding a yarn shop. We ended up going to KnitNY. It has a little cafe inside. After finding that little gem of a shop in Lansdale, PA, I was less than impressed. They had some nice yarn that I'm glad I got to see in person (and for the life of me I can't remember what it was right now) but I wasn't tempted at all to buy anything. Oh, the horror!
After that little break, we headed to probably my favorite destination. Chelsea. Home of the Food Network.
I should also mention that I had two celebrity sightings. Remember Rebecca from Real World Seattle? Connie didn't either. But, I saw her! Then, as soon as we walked into the Chelsea Market (home of Food Network and Oxygen), I saw BONE CRUSHER! I wish I would have said something. But, I didn't. I just told Connie, "Hey, that was Bone Crusher!" and she was like, "Who?" and I told her he was a rapper (like I'm all ghetto and knew about his music...ha ha). I only know him from Celebrity Fit Club 4. He was looking slimmer than on the show. I just think he's the sweetest guy on that season. I also saw one of the VP's from Food Network. She was the curly haired judge on The Next Food Network Star.
The Chelsea Market building is really awesome. There are great places to eat and shop (for food related stuff). I had my first cannoli and we went into the little market where I know Alton Brown has been.
It's where they film all those little 30 second infomercials for The Next Food Network Star. Mary--I know you've got to be impressed with this! I bought a beautiful peach and ate it in Times Square for an after dinner treat.
I'm jumping ahead. Before we made it to Times Square, we went to Grand Central Station. At 5pm. Probably not the best timing but I got the "full effect" of the amount of people that are in the city.
Observation: Approximately 1.5 million people live in Manhattan alone. That's 66,940 people per square mile. Only 1.8 million people live in the WHOLE STATE of Nebraska. That's 22 people per square mile.
We ended the day in Times Square. We got there right as it was starting to get dark so we could get the full effect of everything lit up. It was pretty impressive.
I bought some postcards and tried to find the perfect Big Apple t-shirt for Eva. Remember when she was known as Big Apple on this blog? I couldn't find one in her size. I'm sure I can somewhere online though, but it's not quite the same as having purchased it IN the Big Apple. We ate dinner at this great deli and then headed back to reality.
It was an awesome day and I'd like to thank Eric for making that possible. Maybe he'll write a post about his adventure in babysitting. I know there was poop involved. Should be a good one!
Our day started bright and early in an effort to get out of the door before the kids woke up. Eva woke up all wet through her clothes just as I was getting out of the shower. I changed her and put her clothes on and she was "good to go" for Eric. We got out of there just after 7:30am or so. We drove to Princeton, NJ to catch the train and got to NYC just before 10am. We felt really lucky in Princeton. It took us a while to find a parking space at the station but as soon as we did, we went to buy our tickets, use the restroom, and as soon as we walked out onto the platform, the train came. Connie told me I should have brought a book. Oh, Connie. You underestimate my knitterly ways. I had two projects with me to work on throughout the day. Who has time to read on a train? There is knitting to be done. ;)
The ride in was great. I knit a little and I could see NYC in the distance. I saw the Empire State building. The skyline is really impressive.
One of the only things I "had" to do while I was in NYC was see the Statue of Liberty with my own eyes. This was as close as I needed to get. At least on this trip. I'm sure we'll take the kids there someday.
After that, we rode the train uptown so we could eat at Serendipity. I ate a chicken salad sandwich on Irish Soda bread and had a frozen hot chocolate (um, YUM!). Here we are tasting our treats.
Check out "the shirt". I had to wear it in NYC!I saw Madison Avenue and then we went to Central Park for a little walk. Everything I know about NYC I know from the movies. Splash, anyone?
It started to sprinkle on us a bit but we were lucky to not be caught in any kind of serious rain. 
We also went to FAO Schwartz and bought our souvenir shirts by the park. I got a few cute ones for the kids.Our next stop was finding a yarn shop. We ended up going to KnitNY. It has a little cafe inside. After finding that little gem of a shop in Lansdale, PA, I was less than impressed. They had some nice yarn that I'm glad I got to see in person (and for the life of me I can't remember what it was right now) but I wasn't tempted at all to buy anything. Oh, the horror!
After that little break, we headed to probably my favorite destination. Chelsea. Home of the Food Network.
I should also mention that I had two celebrity sightings. Remember Rebecca from Real World Seattle? Connie didn't either. But, I saw her! Then, as soon as we walked into the Chelsea Market (home of Food Network and Oxygen), I saw BONE CRUSHER! I wish I would have said something. But, I didn't. I just told Connie, "Hey, that was Bone Crusher!" and she was like, "Who?" and I told her he was a rapper (like I'm all ghetto and knew about his music...ha ha). I only know him from Celebrity Fit Club 4. He was looking slimmer than on the show. I just think he's the sweetest guy on that season. I also saw one of the VP's from Food Network. She was the curly haired judge on The Next Food Network Star.The Chelsea Market building is really awesome. There are great places to eat and shop (for food related stuff). I had my first cannoli and we went into the little market where I know Alton Brown has been.
It's where they film all those little 30 second infomercials for The Next Food Network Star. Mary--I know you've got to be impressed with this! I bought a beautiful peach and ate it in Times Square for an after dinner treat.I'm jumping ahead. Before we made it to Times Square, we went to Grand Central Station. At 5pm. Probably not the best timing but I got the "full effect" of the amount of people that are in the city.
Observation: Approximately 1.5 million people live in Manhattan alone. That's 66,940 people per square mile. Only 1.8 million people live in the WHOLE STATE of Nebraska. That's 22 people per square mile. We ended the day in Times Square. We got there right as it was starting to get dark so we could get the full effect of everything lit up. It was pretty impressive.
I bought some postcards and tried to find the perfect Big Apple t-shirt for Eva. Remember when she was known as Big Apple on this blog? I couldn't find one in her size. I'm sure I can somewhere online though, but it's not quite the same as having purchased it IN the Big Apple. We ate dinner at this great deli and then headed back to reality.
It was an awesome day and I'd like to thank Eric for making that possible. Maybe he'll write a post about his adventure in babysitting. I know there was poop involved. Should be a good one!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Philadelphia Trip
Okay, here we go.
Saturday 9/9
This was a travel day. Travelling with the kids wasn't too bad.
Getting through security is the biggest hassle we have to deal with. Then, we just hope that Eva can get a seat. Otherwise, we have to hold her. This is probably the last trip we'll take with her where we won't have to buy her a seat. The kids were pretty content on the airplane listening to the airline radio on the headsets. 
Once we got to Philadelphia we had to try and find a grocery store between the hotel and the airport. People in Philly don't buy groceries. They can't. We had the hardest time finding a grocery store. We finally did and then we didn't get checked into our hotel until 2 hours after our flight landed. I told the people at the store that I was from Nebraska (because they asked me if I had a frequent shopper card). I could have said Mars and I probably would have received the same reaction...like, people actually live in Nebraska?
Sunday 9/10
We had this whole day free to spend with Eric and Connie. We took a walk in the early morning before they met us for the day and spent it at Logan Square.
They have a really nice fountain and the kids found some birds and dogs to torment.
We also saw the "Rocky" steps.
Observation: I've never seen so many homeless people in my whole life than I did on this trip.
We met them at the Aquarium in Camden, NJ (just across the Delaware River from PHL). 
It was my first time in NJ. The aquarium was pretty good. 
I must admit, that the Omaha Zoo has a much better area for sharks and penguins but this place had a hippo exhibit where you could see them underwater. That was really neat.
We drove around PHL after that for a bit and decided to head to Lansdale, PA to Eric and Connie's house. It was so nice and clean--it's on the market. We tried really hard to keep the mess to a minimum.
Monday 9/11 and Tuesday 9/12
This morning I was going to take the kids to IKEA. I had a few hours to spare before we were meeting our friend from Indiana for lunch (Deanne). As soon as we got to IKEA, Caleb had a meltdown. A big one. Not cute at all. We left as soon as I could get us all out of there. I sat in the parking lot and called Connie to see if she had any suggestions on what I could do with crazy kids in 2 hours. I asked how far it was to Delaware. No problem. I could get there and back in no time. Our rental van had a dvd player (LIVESAVER!) and the kids were content to be in there most of the time. So, I drove to Delaware and Maryland. Include NJ, and I added 3 more states to my list that I have visited. I made it back just in time for lunch with Deanne. I spent the rest of the day shopping with the kids waiting for Connie to be done with a dr. appt. They were a little better in the afternoon. I rewarded them with a trip to Petco to see the fish. We went to a park that evening (the most awesome park I've ever been to in my whole life) and ate dinner. We spent the night out there while Carl was at his conference. We didn't see him again until Wednesday when his stuff was all over.
We spent the next day chilling and playing. I got a Rita's shake (slush/custard). It was delicioso. I also got to go to a yarn store. It was really great and I bought some stuff. I'll do a knitting post about it in a day or two. I gotta get this travelogue out of the way first.
I tried to get to bed early because Connie and I were going to have a little adventure ourselves the next day in the Big Apple! Eric was going to fend for himself with the kiddos. NYC deserves its own post so I'll end this one here.
Saturday 9/9
This was a travel day. Travelling with the kids wasn't too bad.
Getting through security is the biggest hassle we have to deal with. Then, we just hope that Eva can get a seat. Otherwise, we have to hold her. This is probably the last trip we'll take with her where we won't have to buy her a seat. The kids were pretty content on the airplane listening to the airline radio on the headsets. 
Once we got to Philadelphia we had to try and find a grocery store between the hotel and the airport. People in Philly don't buy groceries. They can't. We had the hardest time finding a grocery store. We finally did and then we didn't get checked into our hotel until 2 hours after our flight landed. I told the people at the store that I was from Nebraska (because they asked me if I had a frequent shopper card). I could have said Mars and I probably would have received the same reaction...like, people actually live in Nebraska?Sunday 9/10
We had this whole day free to spend with Eric and Connie. We took a walk in the early morning before they met us for the day and spent it at Logan Square.
They have a really nice fountain and the kids found some birds and dogs to torment.
We also saw the "Rocky" steps.Observation: I've never seen so many homeless people in my whole life than I did on this trip.
We met them at the Aquarium in Camden, NJ (just across the Delaware River from PHL). 
It was my first time in NJ. The aquarium was pretty good. 
I must admit, that the Omaha Zoo has a much better area for sharks and penguins but this place had a hippo exhibit where you could see them underwater. That was really neat.
We drove around PHL after that for a bit and decided to head to Lansdale, PA to Eric and Connie's house. It was so nice and clean--it's on the market. We tried really hard to keep the mess to a minimum.Monday 9/11 and Tuesday 9/12
This morning I was going to take the kids to IKEA. I had a few hours to spare before we were meeting our friend from Indiana for lunch (Deanne). As soon as we got to IKEA, Caleb had a meltdown. A big one. Not cute at all. We left as soon as I could get us all out of there. I sat in the parking lot and called Connie to see if she had any suggestions on what I could do with crazy kids in 2 hours. I asked how far it was to Delaware. No problem. I could get there and back in no time. Our rental van had a dvd player (LIVESAVER!) and the kids were content to be in there most of the time. So, I drove to Delaware and Maryland. Include NJ, and I added 3 more states to my list that I have visited. I made it back just in time for lunch with Deanne. I spent the rest of the day shopping with the kids waiting for Connie to be done with a dr. appt. They were a little better in the afternoon. I rewarded them with a trip to Petco to see the fish. We went to a park that evening (the most awesome park I've ever been to in my whole life) and ate dinner. We spent the night out there while Carl was at his conference. We didn't see him again until Wednesday when his stuff was all over.
We spent the next day chilling and playing. I got a Rita's shake (slush/custard). It was delicioso. I also got to go to a yarn store. It was really great and I bought some stuff. I'll do a knitting post about it in a day or two. I gotta get this travelogue out of the way first.
I tried to get to bed early because Connie and I were going to have a little adventure ourselves the next day in the Big Apple! Eric was going to fend for himself with the kiddos. NYC deserves its own post so I'll end this one here.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Back to Business
So, we're home now. It was an interesting day yesterday. We got up EARLY to make a 6am flight. We arrived in Omaha at 9:45am and had to get Carl to school by 11:30am for his class. We stunk and were wearing the same clothes from the day before and it takes an hour to drive home. We hadn't picked up our luggage or our car yet. We were on the road at 10:10am on the way to Lincoln. I was almost out of gas. I have a little display that tells me how many miles I can drive until I'm empty. It was pretty much the same mileage as the drive to Lincoln. We made it to the station with the big flag (84th St) when the car hit 0. I never want to be that close to empty ever again. Carl decided to get some clothes from our luggage and change in the car. Then, I'd drop him off at school so he could make it to his class. He made it but didn't have his keys so he had to get someone to open his office for him.
I spent the rest of the day hanging out with the kids AT HOME! They were so excited to be back with their toys that they pretty much kept themselves occupied. I tried to catch up on some TV that I missed. Joey Lawrence and Mario Lopez looked HOT in those dance pants. Yeah, baby. I love me some Dancing With the Stars. I haven't watched Survivor yet.
At the end of the day, I went to pick up Carl at work. After spending a week in Philadelphia and NYC, driving to Lincoln in "rush hour" was a piece of cake. It was kind of amusing, actually.
That night there was a ward activity and campout. I thought for sure we would ditch since we had just got back home. I was going to go for the evening and then bring Eva back to sleep in beds. Carl and Caleb are the campers. The boys still wanted to go. So, they did. They packed up and left and it was just us girls for the night. We messed around and I played with my new KnitPicks bags (I'll have a report on them later---it needs a whole post all to itself). I put Eva down for bed and then it started storming. It wasn't the worst storm I've ever been in (not by a longshot) but I was worried for my little campers. Then, the tornado sirens went off. They weren't in any serious danger and neither were we but I was nervous and hoping they would come home. It stopped for a while and then I thought I could go to bed since they probably weren't coming home. As soon as I walked up the stairs, they came in the door. Caleb was zonked out and Carl looked a little disappointed. Apparently, it wasn't storming where they were but they heard the tornado sirens and they all packed up and left. I was glad to have my boys back home where I knew they were safe.
FYI: I did drink a lot of Diet Pepsi yesterday---and it helped me immensely! And--we have no trips planned for a LONG time.
I spent the rest of the day hanging out with the kids AT HOME! They were so excited to be back with their toys that they pretty much kept themselves occupied. I tried to catch up on some TV that I missed. Joey Lawrence and Mario Lopez looked HOT in those dance pants. Yeah, baby. I love me some Dancing With the Stars. I haven't watched Survivor yet.
At the end of the day, I went to pick up Carl at work. After spending a week in Philadelphia and NYC, driving to Lincoln in "rush hour" was a piece of cake. It was kind of amusing, actually.
That night there was a ward activity and campout. I thought for sure we would ditch since we had just got back home. I was going to go for the evening and then bring Eva back to sleep in beds. Carl and Caleb are the campers. The boys still wanted to go. So, they did. They packed up and left and it was just us girls for the night. We messed around and I played with my new KnitPicks bags (I'll have a report on them later---it needs a whole post all to itself). I put Eva down for bed and then it started storming. It wasn't the worst storm I've ever been in (not by a longshot) but I was worried for my little campers. Then, the tornado sirens went off. They weren't in any serious danger and neither were we but I was nervous and hoping they would come home. It stopped for a while and then I thought I could go to bed since they probably weren't coming home. As soon as I walked up the stairs, they came in the door. Caleb was zonked out and Carl looked a little disappointed. Apparently, it wasn't storming where they were but they heard the tornado sirens and they all packed up and left. I was glad to have my boys back home where I knew they were safe.
FYI: I did drink a lot of Diet Pepsi yesterday---and it helped me immensely! And--we have no trips planned for a LONG time.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Philly
I'm still in Philly and it's Friday! We had a small problem with some flights getting delayed so we had to stay the night again. Our bags were already checked so we just took a shuttle to a nearby crappy hotel to sleep for 6 hours. Carl might make it to work in time to teach his class today. I might have loads of boxes on our front porch (hey Lincoln people--don't steal them!). We don't look or smell too great but we're excited to get out of here this morning. Hopefully all goes well. I'm glad this crappy hotel has wireless in the lobby so I could keep my promise of updating today. I think we're going to run out of diapers in Chicago. This is going to be a miserable day, I think. I don't have any of my Optimism deodorant to help me out.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Problem Solved?
Well, I'm going with the softer yarn and the same pattern for my scarf. It's reversible. On one side it's a rib and on the other side it's kind of bobbly. I hope my scarf pal likes it. I've never stressed so much about knitting before. But, I think I'm over it. I'm going to work on it during our trip.
The trip?
Philadelphia and one day in NYC for me.
Why?
Carl has a conference and it's a "cheap" vacation if we use his free hotel/car/per diem. Also, Eric and Connie live there (at least for a few more weeks).
When will I be back to update this lovely blog?
You probably won't see an update until 9/15 at the earliest. Unless I can get wireless somewhere. I think our hotel charges. There might be a hotspot close by, though. Who knows.
What will I see on my trip?
I plan on going to at least 2 yarn stores and I want to see the Statue of Liberty with my own eyes. And, maybe the Rocky steps. The Declaration of Independence? The Liberty Bell? Probably not. I have my priorities. ;)
The trip?
Philadelphia and one day in NYC for me.
Why?
Carl has a conference and it's a "cheap" vacation if we use his free hotel/car/per diem. Also, Eric and Connie live there (at least for a few more weeks).
When will I be back to update this lovely blog?
You probably won't see an update until 9/15 at the earliest. Unless I can get wireless somewhere. I think our hotel charges. There might be a hotspot close by, though. Who knows.
What will I see on my trip?
I plan on going to at least 2 yarn stores and I want to see the Statue of Liberty with my own eyes. And, maybe the Rocky steps. The Declaration of Independence? The Liberty Bell? Probably not. I have my priorities. ;)
Friday, September 08, 2006
Scarf Dilemma
I'm having a heck of a time coming up with a design for my International Scarf Exchange pal. She doesn't get snow where she lives but it does get a bit nippy in the winter. She didn't give me a lot to go on in her questionnaire (which can be both good and bad). In this case at this very moment---it's bad. I want to get something started before we leave on our trip (we're going to Philly tomorrow for 5 days) so I can have it to work on. My other projects aren't easy to travel with. I'm not saying I won't travel with them. It's just harder to take those on a train, for example. Am I riding a train to Philly? Nope. But I will be riding one to NYC for a girly day with my SIL Connie. I'll have two hours of knitting time with no kids. I have about 90 minutes until Caleb comes home and I want to have a design ready to go and started before he gets off the bus. Better get cracking.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Ice Princess
Carl and I watched the movie, Ice Princess the other day. Don't tell me I didn't marry me a sensitive guy because he actually cried! Sure, you can probably find me tearing up at a fair share of Disney movies but this one didn't even give me a cause to sniffle. Aaah, Carl loves the Ice Princess. He won't let me delete The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl either.
Random Stuff
I got my knitting back from the State Fair yesterday. They were really unorganized and didn't have my stinkin' money but I got the number of a nice little old lady that I can pester until I get it. On each item entered, there is a paper with notes made by the judge. It seems that she really liked everything I made but the only problems were with the blocking. On a few of those items, I agree. I just didn't have time to press them properly. But, for others--she's suggesting a stiff blocking. You know those doilies that feel all hard and starchy? That's what she wanted. Sorry. I don't like my doilies like that. I don't want them to crunch when I fold them. My Snowdrop Shawl was another thing she wanted blocked better. Whatever. It's just how I wanted it and I don't think I would block it differently even for the promise of a 1st place ribbon.
In other news, I was reading an article about how kids are reacting to the death of Steve Irwin. There was a quote from an 11 yr. old boy, "Why did it have to be Steve Irwin? Why couldn't it have been someone old like Sean Connery?". That made me laugh.
Lastly, why do they put all of the feminine needs products in Sam's Club right next to the lovely boxes full of pastries? I resisted. But, it sure was difficult!
In other news, I was reading an article about how kids are reacting to the death of Steve Irwin. There was a quote from an 11 yr. old boy, "Why did it have to be Steve Irwin? Why couldn't it have been someone old like Sean Connery?". That made me laugh.
Lastly, why do they put all of the feminine needs products in Sam's Club right next to the lovely boxes full of pastries? I resisted. But, it sure was difficult!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Things I Got
A few days ago I blogged about things I want. After spending the weekend shopping, I thought I'd updated and let you know of the "things I got".
1. KIPer bags and chart keeper. I don't have them in my possession yet but I should any day now. I pretty much ordered them as soon as I published the blog.
2. Cute clothes. Now, I didn't really buy myself any cute clothes but I got a lot for the kids. On Saturday we went to the outlet malls in Gretna. I scored big time at the Carter's outlet. Yesterday we got more clothes at Sears. We even bought Carl a few more work shirts.
3. Shoes. This wasn't on my original list because I hate shopping for shoes. I don't really WANT shoes, but I needed some brown shoes that I could wear in the fall/winter. I scored some sweet Bass shoes at the outlet. Reg price $69.99. I paid $16. The ones in the link aren't the exact shoes I bought. They don't have those on their site anymore (they are discontinued--hence the very good deal) but these are really close to what I got. They are going to look really cute with all of my hand knit socks.
4. A bra. Pretty exciting, I know. I needed another one, desperately. When I had it on for the first time, Carl looked at me kind of funny like "hey, look at those". I explained my new bra and did the whole lifts and separates bit from those awesome Citicard commercials about identity theft.
5. A Chipotle burrito. I was having a hard day yesterday (in all my cramping glory--TMI? sorry) and I really wanted a burrito. Carl had to go into work for a few hours and he brought me one on the way home. MMmmm. It was the first time I ever at a whole one--I was that hungry.
1. KIPer bags and chart keeper. I don't have them in my possession yet but I should any day now. I pretty much ordered them as soon as I published the blog.
2. Cute clothes. Now, I didn't really buy myself any cute clothes but I got a lot for the kids. On Saturday we went to the outlet malls in Gretna. I scored big time at the Carter's outlet. Yesterday we got more clothes at Sears. We even bought Carl a few more work shirts.
3. Shoes. This wasn't on my original list because I hate shopping for shoes. I don't really WANT shoes, but I needed some brown shoes that I could wear in the fall/winter. I scored some sweet Bass shoes at the outlet. Reg price $69.99. I paid $16. The ones in the link aren't the exact shoes I bought. They don't have those on their site anymore (they are discontinued--hence the very good deal) but these are really close to what I got. They are going to look really cute with all of my hand knit socks.
4. A bra. Pretty exciting, I know. I needed another one, desperately. When I had it on for the first time, Carl looked at me kind of funny like "hey, look at those". I explained my new bra and did the whole lifts and separates bit from those awesome Citicard commercials about identity theft.
5. A Chipotle burrito. I was having a hard day yesterday (in all my cramping glory--TMI? sorry) and I really wanted a burrito. Carl had to go into work for a few hours and he brought me one on the way home. MMmmm. It was the first time I ever at a whole one--I was that hungry.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Crikey!
I can't believe this is bothering me as much as it is---Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, is dead. You can click on the link to read the article for the more precise details but he was stung by a stingray and the barb pierced his heart. I feel somewhat better that it wasn't a croc that killed him. He loved those animals so much.
I'm a little freaked out and sad for his family. He has two kids (8 & almost 3). I guess I had to know that something like this would have happened to him and I'm sure his family was always a little worried about him, but I'm still shocked.
I'm a little freaked out and sad for his family. He has two kids (8 & almost 3). I guess I had to know that something like this would have happened to him and I'm sure his family was always a little worried about him, but I'm still shocked.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Football Season
We enjoyed a not-so glorious return to football season. College football is something we really like to watch in this house--especially if it is OU. They showed their game against UAB last night. It should have been a blowout. Instead, we won by 7. Not the best showing, but we won. I was impressed with the new QB Paul Thompson. After all the media coverage surrounding the previous QB's dismissal from the team, I was really hoping he would do well. He didn't disappoint. We're off to a slow start but I think it's going to be a good year. Boomer Sooner!
Nebraska beat Louisiana Tech 49-10. As long as they aren't playing against OU, I'm rooting for them to win as well.
Nebraska beat Louisiana Tech 49-10. As long as they aren't playing against OU, I'm rooting for them to win as well.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Things I Want
Here's a list of things I want and probably won't get for a while. Time to dream.
1. Computer Desk. We were REALLY close to buying this last night. We went to the store and everything. But, Carl wanted to "sleep" on it.
2. The KIPer knitting bags from KnitPicks. I think I'm actually going to get these sometime soon. I'm also getting the chart keeper. I was going to make my own but I went to several different stores to scope out the supplies and it would cost me as much to make as it would to just buy it. So, I can now use the time I would have used to make it--to knit!
3. Bedroom furniture. I don't have a picture to share of this because I don't know what I want yet.
4. Living Room furniture. Some day I want a sleeper sofa that is new and matches my house.
5. Tile in the kitchen. We bought the tile. Now we just need the time to install it.
6. The Stampin' Up starter kit. I'm actually getting this next week. I'm not really doing this to do a lot of workshops or make money (in fact, I'd only like to do one a quarter--to help meet my quota). I'm mainly doing this to get my stamps and supplies at a better price since I almost exclusively use their products anyway. I am also going to start making my own knitting tags and cards to sell on etsy.com. The Bead Retreat idea was too hard to get into with the kids always spilling my beads. The QueenBead will be back when my kids are in school.
7. Target brand Nilla Wafers. They are less than 1/2 the price of name brand NW and they taste the best out of all the "generic" kind. Nilla Wafers are still the bomb, but why pay that much when I like the Target kind almost as much? I wish I had some right now.
8. World Peace.
9. A trailer for my bike. I bought a bike two months ago and haven't ridden it yet because I haven't had the time without the kids. If I had a trailer, I could take Eva while Caleb is in school. I could even haul around both kids if I wanted.
10. Smaller, cute clothes and the bod to fit in them. How about just cuter clothes that I can fit in right now? That would work.
1. Computer Desk. We were REALLY close to buying this last night. We went to the store and everything. But, Carl wanted to "sleep" on it.
2. The KIPer knitting bags from KnitPicks. I think I'm actually going to get these sometime soon. I'm also getting the chart keeper. I was going to make my own but I went to several different stores to scope out the supplies and it would cost me as much to make as it would to just buy it. So, I can now use the time I would have used to make it--to knit!3. Bedroom furniture. I don't have a picture to share of this because I don't know what I want yet.
4. Living Room furniture. Some day I want a sleeper sofa that is new and matches my house.
5. Tile in the kitchen. We bought the tile. Now we just need the time to install it.
6. The Stampin' Up starter kit. I'm actually getting this next week. I'm not really doing this to do a lot of workshops or make money (in fact, I'd only like to do one a quarter--to help meet my quota). I'm mainly doing this to get my stamps and supplies at a better price since I almost exclusively use their products anyway. I am also going to start making my own knitting tags and cards to sell on etsy.com. The Bead Retreat idea was too hard to get into with the kids always spilling my beads. The QueenBead will be back when my kids are in school.
7. Target brand Nilla Wafers. They are less than 1/2 the price of name brand NW and they taste the best out of all the "generic" kind. Nilla Wafers are still the bomb, but why pay that much when I like the Target kind almost as much? I wish I had some right now.
8. World Peace.
9. A trailer for my bike. I bought a bike two months ago and haven't ridden it yet because I haven't had the time without the kids. If I had a trailer, I could take Eva while Caleb is in school. I could even haul around both kids if I wanted.
10. Smaller, cute clothes and the bod to fit in them. How about just cuter clothes that I can fit in right now? That would work.
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