Last Monday (October 12th) we got more snow! I suppose it's not completely out of the ordinary to get snow here so early, but it still seems a little odd. I mean, I like the cozy feel of holiday season as much as the next gal, but I'd like to enjoy autumn for a little while first!
We both took Chloe for a walk--she loves the snow! We tossed snowballs into the air for her--some she caught, and some landed on her head.
That evening Tomkin met with a couple while I led a premarital counseling session. Then I watched some dance TV--"So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars"--while Tomkin read. (It would be nice if these dance shows were spread out a little more...but I love them!)
Tuesday we both ran errands (trying to get as much done as possible in preparation for Hawaii). Tomkin went to the office, and I worked on a grant at home. We took Chloe for a walk, and then I brought Chloe to her last therapy dog class!
There were a couple new people (and dogs), which was fun. It was weird to be the "old-timers"! And, even though it's been a little tough giving up every Tuesday night for the last ten weeks, I was kind of sad to be done with our training. It's been great fun, and we've learned a lot! Chloe didn't care, though. She went home with some pretty pink poop bags and a dispenser, which was a lovely parting gift!
On Wednesday, we went to Tom and Nancy's house for lunch. They keep so busy--it's very inspiring. It sounds like they're both going to audition for "Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at their church. They both love to perform! Chloe was a very good girl and stayed on the couch while we ate lunch.
Tomkin and I both worked at home in the afternoon. He took a nap and talked to our friend Scotty, who just got engaged! We're so happy for him. We're flying out to Boston next month to see him and meet his fiancee, Brenda. I wrote thank-yous for my birthday gifts and also wrote out invitations to Lisa's bridal shower. That evening Tomkin biked to a coffee shop while I led a premarital counseling session. I also talked to my mom and watched SYTYCD.
Thursday morning we exercised to a couple episodes of "The Office." Tomkin ran some errands and headed to the office. I did some shopping, too, cleaned the house, and worked on a grant. We took Chloe for a walk and got the house ready for Third Thursdays.
This month's featured drink was mai tais, in honor of our trip to Hawaii. Chloe even got in the spirit by wearing a lei!
Since it was my birthday month, I got a bunch of my favorite foods to serve as munchies.
Liz (who was originally going to house/dog-sit for us) was the first guest to come by, along with her French date, before they headed off for dinner.
Soon more guests showed up, and we eventually had quite a house-full!
We had a few first-timers, which was fun, in addition to many of our "regulars." One of my favorite things is when people make a connection--or realize they already have one!
It was a really fun night with a lot of cool people. And I'm looking forward to having more of those delicious mai tais in Hawaii!
Friday morning after doing a little party clean-up we went back to bed until 11:30. We both did some work at home and then took Chloe for a walk. Tomkin had a wedding, and I got some stuff done around the house. Then we exercised to "The Office" and "Modern Family," watched a couple shows about Hawaii, and made it an early night. We were pooped.
On Saturday (October 17th) we drove up to Guadalajara's in Monticello to meet my dad and Sandy for lunch. It was their 28th wedding anniversary that day! Sandy's birthday was on October 13th, so we had a combo b-day celebration, which included opening lots of gifts!
They gave me a fabulous black tote bag, an iTunes gift card, a pocket organizer, and the game Pit, which I haven't played in years but remember loving as a kid!
They also gave us a gift card to Caribou Coffee (yum!). Phillip gave me a book about canine body language (which Tomkin has been reading all week--it's fascinating!), and Alex gave me a much-needed set of mixing bowls. (Both of the boys were at weddings, so they weren't able to join us.)
We had a great time catching up, and the food was delicious. Next time we see them all will be for Thanksgiving! After we got home, Tomkin took a nap, and I did some cleaning and travel prep. We took Chloe for a walk, and then Tomkin read while I wrote some cards and e-mails. That night we went to the Northrop Auditorium to see the world premiere of "
Moulin Rouge - The Ballet" performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
I had been REALLY excited about it, but both of us found it to be pretty uneven. The dancing itself was top-notch. Unfortunately, the choreography and staging (and even some of the sets and costumes) left a lot to be desired. Much of it was way too literal, and the whole side story with Toulouse-Lautrec was distracting and seemed unnecessary. It was an interesting show to see, and fun to be part of such a big event (the place was PACKED), but the ballet itself could use some reworking.
Here is the review from the
Minneapolis StarTribune.
Yesterday (Sunday) Tomkin did a little more research for our Hawaii trip. He's really put together quite an itinerary for us! We've planned it so that every other day we have something scheduled (including a helicopter ride, horseback riding, a sailboat ride, a submarine ride, and two luaus). And then every other day we can go snorkeling, hiking, boogie boarding, or shopping. I am SO excited, but it's hard to know exactly what I'm excited about since I don't have any experiences to compare this to--I've never taken a tropical vacation before! Tomkin and I are constantly amazed and thankful that we get to take this two-week vacation. What an incredible blessing!
It was a gorgeous day out, so we took Chloe for a long walk in "the wardrobe," along the railroad tracks. She loves getting to run free, sniff stuff, and occasionally roll around in something stinky. And we love having such a lovely place in which to walk, talk, and enjoy nature.
We spent some time out on the front porch since it was actually warm enough to do so! I downloaded some songs to my iPod and did some blogging. Tomkin entered addresses into the GPS, so we should be set for directions in Hawaii. Then Tracy and Wilbur stopped by, which made Chloe very happy!
We had a frustrating experience with Delta airlines, trying to get seat assignments for our Christmas trip to Texas (that whole situation has been driving me crazy--they've switched our nonstop flights to ones with connections--through Atlanta!--and the times and seat assignments have gotten all screwed up). I was so irritated and worked up by the time we got off the phone, I needed a good distraction. So we watched "30 Rock" and had some of Tomkin's delicious homemade popcorn. Ahhhhh.....
Today (Monday the 19th) was another beautiful day. Tomkin biked to the office, and I went shopping, did laundry, cleaned, and started packing. We only have one more day before we leave! We took Chloe for a long walk down Summit and Grand and stopped for some iced coffee at Caribou.
Tomkin gave Chloe a bath when we got home (so she'll be nice and clean for our house/dog-sitters). I talked to my mom and edited an engineering report. Tomkin made a few last plans for Hawaii and did some reading. Tomorrow we'll be packing and getting the house prepared for Liz and Fletch. Right now all our travel stuff is still in piles.
Our flight is scheduled to leave at 11:10 on Wednesday morning. We stop in L.A. and then again in Honolulu and should arrive in Hilo (on the Big Island) about 8:00pm (midnight Minnesota time). So it'll be a long day, but I think it'll be a fun adventure. We're hoping to post some updates to Facebook during the week, and then I'll try to blog about the trip once we're back. (I realize I never blogged about our trip to Spain in February!) Take care, have a safe and happy Halloween, and thanks for reading my blog! Aloha!
Last Monday (October 12th) we got more snow! I suppose it's not completely out of the ordinary to get snow here so early, but it still seems a little odd. I mean, I like the cozy feel of holiday season as much as the next gal, but I'd like to enjoy autumn for a little while first!
We both took Chloe for a walk--she loves the snow! We tossed snowballs into the air for her--some she caught, and some landed on her head. 
That evening Tomkin met with a couple while I led a premarital counseling session. Then I watched some dance TV--"So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars"--while Tomkin read. (It would be nice if these dance shows were spread out a little more...but I love them!)
Tuesday we both ran errands (trying to get as much done as possible in preparation for Hawaii). Tomkin went to the office, and I worked on a grant at home. We took Chloe for a walk, and then I brought Chloe to her last therapy dog class!
There were a couple new people (and dogs), which was fun. It was weird to be the "old-timers"! And, even though it's been a little tough giving up every Tuesday night for the last ten weeks, I was kind of sad to be done with our training. It's been great fun, and we've learned a lot! Chloe didn't care, though. She went home with some pretty pink poop bags and a dispenser, which was a lovely parting gift!
On Wednesday, we went to Tom and Nancy's house for lunch. They keep so busy--it's very inspiring. It sounds like they're both going to audition for "Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at their church. They both love to perform! Chloe was a very good girl and stayed on the couch while we ate lunch.
Tomkin and I both worked at home in the afternoon. He took a nap and talked to our friend Scotty, who just got engaged! We're so happy for him. We're flying out to Boston next month to see him and meet his fiancee, Brenda. I wrote thank-yous for my birthday gifts and also wrote out invitations to Lisa's bridal shower. That evening Tomkin biked to a coffee shop while I led a premarital counseling session. I also talked to my mom and watched SYTYCD.
Thursday morning we exercised to a couple episodes of "The Office." Tomkin ran some errands and headed to the office. I did some shopping, too, cleaned the house, and worked on a grant. We took Chloe for a walk and got the house ready for Third Thursdays. 
This month's featured drink was mai tais, in honor of our trip to Hawaii. Chloe even got in the spirit by wearing a lei! 
Since it was my birthday month, I got a bunch of my favorite foods to serve as munchies. 
Liz (who was originally going to house/dog-sit for us) was the first guest to come by, along with her French date, before they headed off for dinner. 
Soon more guests showed up, and we eventually had quite a house-full! 
We had a few first-timers, which was fun, in addition to many of our "regulars." One of my favorite things is when people make a connection--or realize they already have one!
It was a really fun night with a lot of cool people. And I'm looking forward to having more of those delicious mai tais in Hawaii!
Friday morning after doing a little party clean-up we went back to bed until 11:30. We both did some work at home and then took Chloe for a walk. Tomkin had a wedding, and I got some stuff done around the house. Then we exercised to "The Office" and "Modern Family," watched a couple shows about Hawaii, and made it an early night. We were pooped.
On Saturday (October 17th) we drove up to Guadalajara's in Monticello to meet my dad and Sandy for lunch. It was their 28th wedding anniversary that day! Sandy's birthday was on October 13th, so we had a combo b-day celebration, which included opening lots of gifts! 
They gave me a fabulous black tote bag, an iTunes gift card, a pocket organizer, and the game Pit, which I haven't played in years but remember loving as a kid! 
They also gave us a gift card to Caribou Coffee (yum!). Phillip gave me a book about canine body language (which Tomkin has been reading all week--it's fascinating!), and Alex gave me a much-needed set of mixing bowls. (Both of the boys were at weddings, so they weren't able to join us.) 
We had a great time catching up, and the food was delicious. Next time we see them all will be for Thanksgiving! After we got home, Tomkin took a nap, and I did some cleaning and travel prep. We took Chloe for a walk, and then Tomkin read while I wrote some cards and e-mails. That night we went to the Northrop Auditorium to see the world premiere of "Moulin Rouge - The Ballet" performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. 
I had been REALLY excited about it, but both of us found it to be pretty uneven. The dancing itself was top-notch. Unfortunately, the choreography and staging (and even some of the sets and costumes) left a lot to be desired. Much of it was way too literal, and the whole side story with Toulouse-Lautrec was distracting and seemed unnecessary. It was an interesting show to see, and fun to be part of such a big event (the place was PACKED), but the ballet itself could use some reworking. Here is the review from the Minneapolis StarTribune.
Yesterday (Sunday) Tomkin did a little more research for our Hawaii trip. He's really put together quite an itinerary for us! We've planned it so that every other day we have something scheduled (including a helicopter ride, horseback riding, a sailboat ride, a submarine ride, and two luaus). And then every other day we can go snorkeling, hiking, boogie boarding, or shopping. I am SO excited, but it's hard to know exactly what I'm excited about since I don't have any experiences to compare this to--I've never taken a tropical vacation before! Tomkin and I are constantly amazed and thankful that we get to take this two-week vacation. What an incredible blessing! 
It was a gorgeous day out, so we took Chloe for a long walk in "the wardrobe," along the railroad tracks. She loves getting to run free, sniff stuff, and occasionally roll around in something stinky. And we love having such a lovely place in which to walk, talk, and enjoy nature. 
We spent some time out on the front porch since it was actually warm enough to do so! I downloaded some songs to my iPod and did some blogging. Tomkin entered addresses into the GPS, so we should be set for directions in Hawaii. Then Tracy and Wilbur stopped by, which made Chloe very happy! 
We had a frustrating experience with Delta airlines, trying to get seat assignments for our Christmas trip to Texas (that whole situation has been driving me crazy--they've switched our nonstop flights to ones with connections--through Atlanta!--and the times and seat assignments have gotten all screwed up). I was so irritated and worked up by the time we got off the phone, I needed a good distraction. So we watched "30 Rock" and had some of Tomkin's delicious homemade popcorn. Ahhhhh.....
Today (Monday the 19th) was another beautiful day. Tomkin biked to the office, and I went shopping, did laundry, cleaned, and started packing. We only have one more day before we leave! We took Chloe for a long walk down Summit and Grand and stopped for some iced coffee at Caribou. 
Tomkin gave Chloe a bath when we got home (so she'll be nice and clean for our house/dog-sitters). I talked to my mom and edited an engineering report. Tomkin made a few last plans for Hawaii and did some reading. Tomorrow we'll be packing and getting the house prepared for Liz and Fletch. Right now all our travel stuff is still in piles. 
Our flight is scheduled to leave at 11:10 on Wednesday morning. We stop in L.A. and then again in Honolulu and should arrive in Hilo (on the Big Island) about 8:00pm (midnight Minnesota time). So it'll be a long day, but I think it'll be a fun adventure. We're hoping to post some updates to Facebook during the week, and then I'll try to blog about the trip once we're back. (I realize I never blogged about our trip to Spain in February!) Take care, have a safe and happy Halloween, and thanks for reading my blog! Aloha!
