Where did July go? Can we get a Mulligan!

OH my gosh…I woke up this past week and realized July is GONE!

I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to blog or hardly sit! In the past two weeks, Dan and I have gone and done SO much! I’ll start with me…I’ve attended a Toastmasters Meeting, a Kiwanis Meeting, was nominated for President of the Dickinson YP, hit 90 days of being a Pampered Chef Consultant, painted, flew to Nebraska to visit the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, had my haircut, did two Pampered Chef parties, and had strategic planning at work---phew!!! Daniel hasn’t been sitting at home either—he is down to 5 days a week, and Thank God! But he’s been to Grand Forks to have a boy-weekend. One of his close friends, Chris, is going to Kosovo with the guards in August and the buys wanted to throw him a good-bye party. Dan has also become eligible for a promotion and will go through the training and take the test sometime in August! He’s been becoming a regular at the gym again and is the chief dog-walker in the house!

One ‘little’ surprise that Daniel came home to this past week was that when he took off to Grand Forks, I decided to paint a majority of the inside of the house. In fact—every room in the upstairs is different than when we moved in! I’d like to do a shout-out to Aunt Janice for helping with the bedroom! I’m not putting pics up, because those that are coming to the housewarming party (on 8-8) will get a full unveiling and I want to make sure the surprise is intact! But to give you a preview I bought dusty rose, seasonal green, seafoam, muslin, harvest wheat, crisp toast, elephant gray, teal, and firewater! Hooray for color. You’ll have to ask Daniel for his reaction, it did take a couple days to get used to it!

This past weekend, Nancy and Larry came. It was a great day; we went to breakfast and headed out to the golf course! This was our first official time golfing for the season and all things considered, we did really well! It was great for them to take us because it reminded us that we really enjoy going together and we need to make time to go. Daniel got a 2 on one hole…he lost two balls and then gave up! I only lost one for the whole day, but when you aren’t hitting them very far—you don’t have to worry about searching too far! I won’t mention how many he lost!

Just to let you know what’s coming up, If you are reading the blog…you are invited to our housewarming party—it is on August 8th come anytime in the afternoon! Also we are having a rummage sale on August 15th….you can buy our slightly loved things or drop things off for us to put out!

Long Live the LIONS!!! (or not)

Well, I’d like to take a moment of silence for the sadness that Daniel feels for the results of the draft….poor thing. The only good thing that came out of the draft was being able to spend quality time with ‘da boys’ and watching the draft with someone that understands the pain of being a Lions Fan, after all I would never have thrown a drink at the TV because of the pick. We’ll hope for a good season…but in my mind the Lions can only go UP from here!

I am also excited that I am done with my marketing class—I received an A and am relieved that I am done! I’ll put the MBA on hold until after the summer and pick up a few classes again in the fall. I’m still a little scared about taking managerial accounting!

In Pampered Chef World, I am getting ready for Help Whip Cancer Month. They have a great product line that will donate with each purchase and it is Pink!! I’ve been getting boxes with product or supplies in them and somebody has taken a definite liking to them. I am not quite sure what it is with our cats and packing products…

We watched the movie “Doubt” this weekend…It was a discussion movie. Meryl Streep plays a great role and I give the movie a ***` (a 3 ½) on the DanandAmanda Movie Scale. I did like that it made me think and Dan and I had a great discussion over it!

This weekend we are branding calves…stay tuned for another Farmer Dan experience!!

Hoping the Easter Bunny didn't get flooded out!

HAPPY EASTER!

Dan and I have been busy…he’s been playing a lot of g-tar lately. He’s been playing everything from the Eagles, to Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, Guns N Roses, and the Kinks. He lets me sing along sometimes but said he’s more of a solo act.

We had “the couples” (Jack & Kim and Lenny & Miranda) over on Thursday night. Jack got back from flood fighting all over the state and we celebrated his return! Lenny and Miranda proceeded to beat us in pinochle…but officially Lenny seceded halfway through the fight! Here is a picture of Dan and Miranda holding the curtains up…the two of them couldn’t figure out this fancy curtain rod!

Well, it’s official; I’m a Pampered Chef Consultant. I had my first party and I want to thank my mother for being my first host. I learned a lot and will be much more prepared for this weekend, which is Kim’s party. She has decided to have red, white, and blue dessert trifle, a chocolate banana phillo, a chicken club pizza, or 9 other different things. So if anybody else would love to have a cooking party or a catalog party, I would be so EXCITED! I also am the big WINNER of Pampered Chef Sweepstakes.

I spent Friday and Saturday night back at home. Mom and Dad treated me to a ticket at the Rural Firefighters’ Concert, I saw Williams and Ree, AKA the Indian and the White Guy. I had never seen them before and think that Dan would love their comedy and g-tar performances. The opening act was a guitar picker who performed “Achy-Breaky Heart” in the stylings of Waylon, Willie, John Adams, Bob Dylan, and Roger Miller! I think Dan and I should see them together at the Hostfest in October. But at the farm, I can’t believe how the weather the water and of course…the mud. When I left this morning, I was amazed at the flooding of hay creek. I had never seen the bridge or Schultz’s land like that!

On the health spectrum, Dan and I are both making medical acquaintances in Dickinson. Dan has been struggling with teeth and jaw problems for the past couple days. He will soon be visiting a dentist, we’ll keep you posted and hope that he won’t require too much work. I hate dentists…they always make me cry! I visited the eye doctor this week and discovered that I’m practically blind in my right eye because the vision is no where near 20/20....I could be a pirate and just patch up my right. Hmmmm....I like having career options.

Coming up this week…it will be busy! The main consultant and project manager at my job is coming on Monday, from Nebraska, and is staying overnight. Tuesday and Wednesday holds meetings for YP. Thursday is the Strom Conference. We have a great line up of speakers and are hoping for a great turn out. Friday and part of Saturday I will be spending in Rugby, the geographical center of North America. Dan and I may hardly see each other!

17, Dad's New Friend, Slumming, First Show, and Tagging Along!

Well….we had a trip to Bismarck this past weekend and did something that we haven’t done since 2008- we went to Target! We were in shock! So many pretty things, so different than Wal-mart…oh niceness! However the main purpose of the trip was to celebrate my sister’s 17th birthday. I made an almost fat free dirt cake (the generic Oreos is what killed the fat free) and had a small get together with family. Dan and I gave Alaina some make up and NDSU pj pants but it was hard to compete with what Mom gave her, a personally crafted necklace that was our brand, which has been Alaina’s trademark for a long time. It’s nice to see her excited!

Dan further developed his farm roots—Dad and him worked on the feeder wagon and did chores together. According to my father, Dan is the only one that helps him, well at least Dad has one potential friend! :)

We watched Slumdog Millionaire tonight, we were both very surprised at how good it was. So on the DanandAmanda Movie scale I give it a 4(outta 5). I was impressed with the story within the story and the images that were portrayed revealing India’s slums.

This weekend is Mom’s Pampered Chef party. I’m still debating what I’m going to cook…I want it to turn out well and am nervous about my first party. I’ll keep you posted! Mom is doing well. I did see her cast this week and her impatience with it this weekend. Her cast and irritation reminds me of my experience with plaster. I hope she heals well and time passes quickly! She did get a black cast, I guess she really is celebrating her 50 year old debut…way to keep with a theme mom!

Dan will be having a ride along this week, this is the second guy he’s trained this year. He just found out this week that Mid Continent is dropping their contract with Fox. That means that he will get busy again so that people will be able to keep their American Idol and Viking Football!
Sorry no photos…I forgot to charge the batteries. I’m hoping that my mother emails some pics to me of the little girl at her party!

So Many Activities, SO Little Week!

The week has been CRAZY…On Monday, I was a super model for the Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau. They are reviewing and revising their marketing material and website. I took pictures at Badland’s Brew and at the CVB Office. I saw some of the pictures that were taken by the photographer, they were phenomenal. I’m excited to see everything that comes out!

I also got to meet and listen to a reading by Debra Marquart. I read her memoirs entitled “Horizontal World: Growing up Wild in the Middle of Nowhere” This was the first memoir that I identified with and actually felt that her story and mine story had been tangled together.

The biggest news of the week: I’m a PAMPERED CHEF consultant…How exciting! Who wants to have a party! I decided on pampered chef because
1. I LOVE kitchen gadgets
2. I love their parties because they serve food
3. I’m excited to develop my entrepreneurial skills
4. This will be a great way to meet people and earn a little money!

Dan Update:
Dan ended up going to the doctor. He had a sinus infection and needed medicine. He is no longer going through kleenex’s like it’s his job! Hooray for me!