November 2006 Update

Hi All! Well, we've been married almost 2 months now! it sure doesn't feel that long, but when I think about the last 2 months, it seems like we've had plenty to keep us busy! Between finding the right curtains and other decorations for the house, putting them up, and continuing to work full-time, it has been really busy! Mark is glad I'm finally coming to a "decorating lull" and am not going shop-happy anymore :) He has decided that the decorating expenses should be taken out of my own monthly "blow" fund in hopes that he won't end up in the midst of a decorating frenzy again anytime soon!

Mark surprised me for my birthday on October 28! I was so shocked! He had been working super hard in the field with his dad and told me he'd be in the field all that night, but that we could celebrate Sunday afternoon or something. I was kinda bummed, but figured I'd make the best out of it. My friend Nance and I went shopping and then were going to go out to eat together later that night. We picked out some FUN cookie cutters, which we used the next weekend when the boys went hunting :)

Well, when we got back to her apartment, she seemed to be stalling, and even offered me cheese and crackers right before we were going to go out to eat. Anyways, she wanted me to go down stairs to show me something she had in storage, and around the corner, there was Mark, Jamie, Jed, and Heather! He had gotten me a cake and a vase with some roses, and a beautiful watch! Heather had also gotten me some balloons, which are still floating around, almost 3 weeks later. We went out to eat at Ground Round and then bowling! (I have to say, it was very welcome, considering I'm not on the Raven bowling team again this year.) After all that, we went back to Nancy's to watch a movie. It was a great night! :)

Well, things with work are going great now! It had been a stretch the first month or so trying to manage work and home life, but now things are settling down. I am only working 2 days in Sioux Falls now, which is a HUGE blessing! No more nights away from my hubby, and still only 2 days where I have to wake up at unmentionable hours for work! The other 3 days a week, I work from home, which has turned out wonderfully! You never realize how much time you waste in a day in just driving time otherwise. I used to spend about 2 hours a day in the car just getting to and from work and coming home for lunch midday. When I'm home, I make a quick, easy lunch, get to eat with my hubby, and then get either some relaxing or some cleaning done. It's wonderful! I even was able to get my drivers' license the other day over my lunch break! (Only missed 2!!)

In other news, about 3 weeks ago, I ended up in a field on my way to work in Sioux Falls! I lost control of my car last Wednesday morning on my way to Sioux Falls. I'm fine, the car is fine (for the most part - just a dent and a muffler that needs to be hooked back into its little hook thing). It was pretty scary at the time, but I'm fine, which is most important! I had been passing a semi, and was about 2 or 3 car-lengths in front of it when I hit a little slush and started spinning about 4 or 5 times. I spun across the driving lane (was in the passing lane) and into the ditch, backwards at a bit of an angle. I ended up mowing over a fence, but managed to slide underneath the barbed wire (so a few deep scratches on the car as well). I landed in a pasture with tall grass about a mile from the exit to LuVerne, MN. Luckily, the police were there in about 5 minutes and the tow-truck about 10 minutes after that. I think everyone else was much more scared than I was - I know mom was for sure! I'm pretty sure my poor car was scared half to death, so as a present to her, we bought her some new kicks on Tuesday :) It's funny how much better a car drives with new tires!

Mark and I are getting so stinking excited for our 4 day vacation next week! We have just been so ready for a few days off to just kick back at home. We're going to have Thanksgiving dinner in Worthington at Mark's Grandma's house on Thursday and then we'll head down to Humboldt to visit the Ropte farm Friday morning and eat yet another Thanksgiving dinner there on Friday! I just can't stop thinking about turkey right now! I stinkin LOVE it! I've figured out what my process will be for this year, however. I plan to not eat more than a half ounce of turkey during any Thanksgiving dinner. That way, I'll fill up on the stuff that doesn't make turkey sandwiches, and have more turkey left over for the next couple weeks. Yes, I may end up getting sick of cold turkey sandwiches, but that's a chance I'm willing to take!

In yet more news, I am tackling my first bird for a Thanksgiving dinner we're hosting for some friends of ours. I am pretty pumped that! I'm making some homemade stuffing with sage sausage, celery, mushrooms, onion, craisins, (maybe) diced apples, and whatever other yummy stuff I can find to put in there! I started chopping up the onions, mushrooms and celery last night and got SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! I am so ready to eat this stuff!! I'm also excited about mashed potatoes and gravy! THREE Thanksgivings this year - I might gain a good 10 lbs, but I tell ya what - I can work on it after the holidays :)

Well, that's pretty much all for now. I hope all is well for each and every one of you! God bless you and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Voting

I remember my first voting experience was when I lived in Humboldt, IA. I had just turned 18 in October, and the big vote was only 9 days later. So I drove myself to the polling place - in Thor, IA. Keep in mind, I had recently moved to Humboldt, so all this countryside and small-town living was all still pretty new to me.

So I walked into this small community center place in Thor and went to vote. There were about 5 people there who were in charge of the thing, but only one other guy who was there to vote. The part that really cracked me up, though, was how INCREDIBLY serious they were about their jobs! I understand that there has to be a certain level of privacy at the polls, but they were all just freakishly solemn. I'd heard that people in the country were a little wacko sometimes, but it was almost comical! I voted and left and hoped I wouldn't have to vote in Humboldt county again!

Mark and I walked down to the polling place in Windom on Tuesday night. Mark told me it was only about 3 miles there, so that's why we decided to walk. Well, I know how long 3 miles is, and we walked a LOT further than 3 miles to get to the polling place! Anyways, this time I didn't have any issues with voting, and it went pretty quick. Mark sure took a long time to get his two-cents in, though. I think he was there a good 5 minutes after I finished! (There were only about 10 positions to vote for!)

On another note, my soreness has gone away! I'm getting extradinarily tired of staying in Sioux Falls with friends on Monday nights, so to ease the annoyances of it all, I decided to pay my $7.50 and go work out at my old gym. Since I had to pay $7.50, I figured I'd get a nice long workout in, and I did! Unfortunately, I'm incredibly sore from the running, eliptical machines and (of course) the myriads of lunges I decided would be beneficial. I'm glad I'm not as sore, because Mark keeps slapping me on the butt (forgetting that I'm so sore) and it really hurts! He thinks it's funny and that I'm really acting this one up, but it seriously hurts!

Well, it is 7:53 and I have to start work at 8, so I'd better...oh wait...I WORK FROM HOME TODAY! :) I just have to get my cup of coffee and sit right here! Yes, living in Windom does have its perks - too far to drive every day, so I get to stay home 2 days a week...and soon here (starting next week, hopefully) I'll get to stay home 3 days a week!!

But I've gotta go!