A Slight Delay....

Just a quick note to say that I'm finishing up an editing project, which I have to send out tomorrow. I'm hoping to blog on Friday this week. Check back then!

Thanks!

A Lot to Be Thankful For

Phew! It's been quite a week. Lots to catch up on! Last Wednesday I had lunch at Granite City with Mary Beth (one of the Game Day Girls from Chicago, who was visiting family in MN for the holiday). It was SO much fun to see her. We sat and talked for a couple hours. There was a lot to catch up on! When I got home, I went on a quick walk with Tomkin and Chloe, and then I headed to Weight Watchers. I had lost 1.8 pounds that week, for a total of 11.2 so far. That evening, Tomkin went out with Pete, and I opted to say in. I hadn't had a quiet, relaxing evening alone for a while, and it was really nice.
Thursday was Thanksgiving! Tomkin got the ham in the oven while I set the table. We took Chloe on a short walk to a nearby park and let her run off some energy. Then about 2:00, Tomkin's parents arrived, followed short thereafter by my dad, Sandy, and Alex. I love doing holidays potluck style! Tom and Nancy brought a huge salad, and Sandy made scalloped potatoes. Everything was so delicious! After the meal, Alex headed downstairs to watch football, while the rest of us looked at photos and chatted. Eventually we had room for dessert--Sandy had made a cheesecake (yum!) and had also brought along sugar-free ice cream. I had a little of everything, but not too much of anything. And, really, the meal is just a good excuse to get together with loved ones, which was the best part! Everyone took off about 5:00, and then we cleaned up and just chilled out for the evening. We played on our computers and watched a little TV. What a wonderful day!
Tomkin had a wedding rehearsal on Friday afternoon. I got stuff done around the house. We drove to Solo Vino to pick up some wine and browsed around the Paper Patisserie (I love that store!). We went home and got Chloe, then walked down Grand Ave. to the liquor store to pick up rum for our next Third Thursdays gathering. (We'll be serving hot mulled apple cider with spiced rum.) Chloe graciously carried the bottles home for us. That evening we went to the Surly Brewery tour. Neither of us had been there before, and it was fun to see the brewery itself and to hear Omar's stories of building his business. Of course it was also awesome to see Becca slinging beers while she had baby Leo strapped to her. Christopher and Pam were in town (an excellent bonus of living here is getting to see them more often!), so after the tour the six of us went out for dinner and drinks. We went to Salsa a la Salsa and had delicious food and margaritas. We laughed a lot and had a great time. It's so much fun to hang out with all of them!Saturday morning we slept in, which was heavenly. Luke came over to rehearse an "illusion" with Tomkin, which they later performed at the Scooby Doo Mansion Talent Show. [Note: The photos from my new camera take a few minutes each to upload, so I'm scaling back on the numbers of shots I'm including in this blog post. However, this link will bring you to my album of talent show photos on Facebook.]Tomkin ran some errands, and I got stuff done around the house. We walked Chloe to the coffeeshop and back, and then Tomkin took a two-hour nap. He had to officiate a wedding, and I headed over to the talent show. We all mixed and mingled for a while, and then the show began (just after Tomkin arrived!). There were lots of amazing acts: Tomkin did a couple magic tricks (including the chain trick he had practiced earlier with Luke), Jacqueline demonstrated how to make Pow Wow Buns (hilarious!), Charles did a reading, Roxanne belly-danced, and Mark taught everyone how to do a loon call. However...nothing could really top the fire breathers. We bundled up and went outside, and these two guys started by "manipulating" fire with their hands. Then they "ate" fire. And then they breathed huge bursts of flames into the air. It seemed really dangerous, but it looked really cool. Not surprisingly, they took first place in the voting. (Jacqueline came in second.) My "talent" for the evening was taking pictures. Maybe next year I'll do something more.
When we woke up Sunday morning, there was snow on the ground! We hung around the house for a while, then walked Chloe to the coffeeshop and Kowalski's. We watched some TV, played on our computers (Facebook is such a timesuck! If you're not on it, you should totally join....), and then we exercised while watching the season one finale of "Project Runway." We knew who won before we even started watching the show, but it was still dramatic to see how it all unfolded. I can't wait to start watching the next season! That evening Tomkin read while I worked and watched "Amazing Race." I'm just a sucker for those reality shows!

On Summit Avenue

Monday I spent almost the entire day running errands. I hadn't wanted to shop around Thanksgiving because I figured the stores would all be crazy. So by Monday I had a two-page shopping list for Target. I spent three hours there! Ugh. That's too much even for me. Tomkin and I walked Chloe, and then we all went to Syd and Dave's house for dinner. Chloe and George hoping that Dave will drop some beef.

Chloe loves going over there, and playing with their dog, George. (She also likes it there because they let her sleep on the bed when they dog-sit!) Dave always cooks such amazing food. That evening's meal was pho, the Vietnamese soup. It was incredible! We also had blueberry martinis and wine. Their friend Bill joined us, and we all had a great time hanging out and talking.

Tuesday was Tomkin's first day working in his new office space. He finally got sick of working in the small, cold attic and decided to find a space he could rent. And he found one that's perfect! It's in a cool old building on University Ave., in an up-and-coming artsy area. His office is really big and has a window that opens. It's five minutes from home and across the street from a funky coffeeshop. He's still settling in and getting it furnished and homey, but he's absolutely thrilled. Tomkin's new office building on University Ave.

I went to the dentist on Tuesday morning to get my teeth cleaned. I hate having that done, but I had the nicest dental hygenist ever. The rest of the day was crazy busy. I've been getting lots of calls and e-mails for marriage preparation classes. Tomkin just had my website (BeforeYourWeddingDay.com) redesigned, and it looks gorgeous. We took Chloe for a walk, and then Tomkin met with a couple. (He's been booking weddings for this month!) Then last night we went to McCormick & Schmick's for dinner with Peter and Mandy. We talked about their recent trip to Ely (which included a visit to the shooting range and watching the Ice House Parade), local politics, efforts to curb panhandling, Obama versus Bill Clinton, the housing market, exes, and all kinds of other interesting topics. The food was incredible--we had shrimp as an appetizer and then I had salad, scallops, and potato croquettes for dinner, along with a glass of wine. By this time, despite my efforts to be as good as possible all week, I had blown threw all my Weight Watchers points (and then some) and figured the week would be a loss (or not!) weight-wise. But, regardless, it was fun to get together with so many friends during the week and enjoy so much delicious food.

Today I worked on editing my first article for NEED magazine and did some other work as well. I left early for Weight Watchers so I could shop at Barnes & Noble. I think I'm just about done with my Christmas shopping! Good thing, since I leave two weeks from today for Texas! I did not have high hopes going into my WW meeting. I just hoped I hadn't gained anything.... Turns out I lost 1.6 pounds this week! I was really amazed. That puts me at a total loss of 12.8 pounds. Woo hoo! Pretty soon it'll be time to go shopping for new clothes. Tomkin realized today that since I started doing Weight Watchers, HE has lost 10 pounds! I guess we were attending too many happy hours and just not watching what we were eating. Thankfully, Tomkin is a great cook, and I'm learning good lessons from WW, so I don't feel "deprived." In front of a well-lit home on Summit Avenue

Tomkin had dinner (chili!) on the table when I got home, and after we ate we took Chloe for a walk. We got a little more snow last night, and people are getting their Christmas lights up, so it looks very pretty and holiday-like outside. When we got back, I talked to Mom, and Tomkin headed out to see the movie "Bolt." We've got another fun week coming up--some holiday parties and other fun outings.
I hope that your Thanksgiving was wonderful and that you're enjoying the holiday season so far! Until next week...take care, and thanks for reading my blog!

MSP: Best for Business

For the second time in a row, Minneapolis/St. Paul has been named the best metro area for business. Apparently this is surprising to people in warmer climates. If you click on the link, there's a video of a news report--I'm not sure it really helps our cause since it features nothing but white middle-aged Minnesotan men. Still, it's always nice to be number one!

Cheers!

I'm blogging a day early this week. Tomkin and I have been planning to go to a 007 party tomorrow night, although now we're feeling more like doing something casual, so we'll probably just go see a movie and finish getting our house ready for Thanksgiving. We're having six guests this year: my dad and Sandy, Phillip, Alex, and Tomkin's parents (Tom and Nancy). But I'll post all about that next week!
This was a pretty quiet week overall, which was nice. The next few weeks will be pretty busy, so I was happy to take it easy this week. Last Thursday we worked and took Chloe for a walk, and then we threw our first Third Thursdays cocktail party--definitely the highlight of the week! Tomkin and I both like to throw parties, and we decided that we'd rather throw a small party once a month than a huge party twice a year. (Though of course we'll be throwing some big parties, too!) This way we get to see our friends more often, plus it's a fun, low-pressure way to bring new friends into the fold. We'll be featuring a different cocktail every month. We decided to start off with a classic: gin & tonics. The party was a rousing success! We had about 20 people all together, and everyone was great about mixing and mingling. There were a few friends of Tomkin's I had never met before, along with various other friends from the neighborhood and around the Cities. Chloe was quite a hit--she spent most of the night securing her spot on the couch and enjoyed getting lots of attention and affection. Our first guest arrived right at 7:00, and people were here until about 11:30. We really had a great time.
We slept in on Friday, ate breakfast about noon, took Chloe for a walk, and then ran some errands. We went to Widmer's Super Market in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul. They're known for their excellent meats, and they sure didn't disappoint! In addition to the 13-pound ham we got for Thanksgiving, we got some other meat as well, which we've been enjoying throughout the week. Delicious! That evening we exercised to "Project Runway," and then I talked to my friend Lisa, who's living in Hawaii and is due to have a baby girl in January. It was really fun to catch up with her! She's moving back to the mainland in March, which is good news for those of us who want to see her more often.
Saturday we ended up eating breakfast at noon again (if left to our own devices, I think we'd stay up/sleep in much later). We got some stuff done around the house and ordered a few Christmas gifts online. We walked Chloe down to the camera store and bought a new camera bag. That night we had plans to go see the Minnesota Rollergirls, but I felt like doing something a little more mellow. So Tomkin went with our friend Mark to see the Rollergirls, and I went shopping at Target and Cub. It was nice to get that out of the way before the Thanksgiving craziness. Tomkin had a great time, and he got some fabulous shots with the new camera.

Sunday we continued our cycle of sleeping late and eating breakfast at noon. Then we walked Chloe back to the camera store and got a new lens. Tomkin has really been enjoying our new camera--he's been using it more than I have! He's never really gotten into photography before, but he's having a lot of fun with it now and getting some great shots. Sunday afternoon I chatted with Carrie D. She gave me lots of info about the Vaughan Town program in Spain that Tomkin and I will be attending in February. Carrie went last year, which is where I got the idea about the trip in the first place! She also filled me in on her recent trip to New Orleans, and we talked about the election and all kinds of other stuff. It was great catching up with her.

I actually did some work that evening, and we exercised to "Project Runway."

Monday we dove back into work. We walked Chloe in the afternoon, and then I led a marriage counseling session in the evening. By the end of the day, I was beat, so I happily curled up on the couch with Tomkin and Chloe and watched "Dancing with the Stars."

Today (Tuesday) we had lunch at Pizza Luce with Tomkin's friend John. I've been hearing about him for ages, but this was the first time I'd actually met him. We all had a nice time, and I was happy I had so many WW points left that I could have a slice of pizza in addition to my salad! I did some work this afternoon, and then we took Chloe for a walk. I talked to Mom, and now I'm watching the "Dancing with the Stars" finale while I blog. I'm a huge fan of Lance & Lacey, but I really hope Brooke wins. Anyway, it's going to be a fun and busy week ahead. I'll leave you with a few of the amazing photos Tomkin has gotten of Chloe this week. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Work, Walks, and a Wedding

This has been a really busy work week, mostly for my new client, Idea Girls. After a long, hard day on Thursday, it was fun to go out with our new friends Bill and Karen and relax with some delicious food, amazing wine, and delightful conversation. Bill has been attending Tomkin's weekly poker game; I hadn't met him before, or his wife, Karen. We all went to Pazzaluna--a much fancier restaurant than we usually go to! We split a bottle of wine, and Tomkin and I got shrimp and scallops. It was really incredible food, and we had a great time.Friday was another busy workday. I took a break to go shopping at Target, and we took Chloe for a walk down Grand Avenue. We went to Bibelot so I could use another of my birthday gift certificates from Tomkin. I got a pair of earrings that I LOVE, plus a few other things. That store is so much fun! That night we exercised to "Project Runway," and we started packing for our road trip to Fargo for my cousin Kristin's wedding. It was nice to have a quiet night at home.
Saturday morning, Tomkin dropped off Chloe at Kris and Dave's, and then we hit the road. We made it to the hotel in Fargo with enough time for Tomkin to take a nap and for me to paint my nails before getting ready for Kristin and Shaun's wedding. Tomkin had intended to wear a suit but then realized he had left it at home. Oops! Fortunately, he had dressy enough clothes, so he looked fine. The wedding was held at Peace Lutheran Church. Kristin was gorgeous and absolutely beaming--I don't think I've ever seen a happier bride. It was a really lovely ceremony, with some of the couple's own special touches (like having everyone in the wedding party wear Chuck Taylors). Afterwards, we got to chat with family before taking some photos. This was the first time in 11 years that my dad and both his sisters (Mary Sue and Carol) had all been together. My cousin Chris was there from California, and I finally got to meet my cousin Gretchen's husband, Josh, and cousin Ben's wife, Jen (plus their baby daughter, Sophia).

With my uncle David, the proud father of the bride

Carol, Dad, and Mary Sue

The crowd goes wild!

We headed back to the Doublewood Inn for the reception. We had a delicious meal, watched a slideshow of the couple, and did a little dancing. The best part, though, was getting to talk with relatives, some of whom I hadn't seen in years, like Mary Sue and David, my cousins from Montana, and my uncle Rick. I didn't even recognize him at first! Tomkin had a great time, too, and especially enjoyed talking with my cousins Chris and Ben.

The bright and cheerful wedding cake was very fitting!

Rick with my dad and Sandy

Jen, Ben, and Sophia

Josh and Gretchen

Chris, Sandy, Dad, Tomkin, me, and Phillip

The Happy Couple

Another happy couple

Laughing with Carol and Mary Sue.

Tomkin headed up to bed, and I waited around to see the bouquet throw and garter toss. The party was still going strong when I left. I don't think I've ever seen so many people dance at a wedding! Everyone was very happy and celebrational.
Sunday morning, Tomkin and I met up with Chris, Phillip, and my dad and Sandy for brunch in the hotel restaurant. Then we went to Kristin and Shaun's gift opening. It was hard to pull ourselves away--we were having so much fun chatting with everyone!

Kristin and Shaun opening their gifts.

David, Chris, and Tomkin staying connected.Mary Sue with her daughters, Kristin and Gretchen.

However, we needed to get back and pick up Chloe. We stopped a couple times on the way home, once at a really nice rest area and another time at a truck stop so Tomkin could get some food. When we got back to St. Paul, Tomkin picked up Chloe--she was so happy to see us! That night we exercised to "Project Runway," and then we watched the most recent episode of "Dogs 101"--one of the featured dogs was Rhodesian Ridgebacks! They called them "the bravest dog." I can see that, to some extent, although Chloe and Scout always ran and hid when the cats hissed at them....
Monday we were back to work. Tomkin spent the day working at a coffee shop. When he got home, we walked Chloe to the liquor store to buy gin for our Third Thursdays cocktail party tomorrow night. (A new montly party we're going to be throwing, featuring a different cocktail every month. We're kicking things off with gin & tonics.) Chloe carried the bottles home in her backpack. Such a helpful girl!As we were walking, Tomkin said that he had spent much of the day researching cameras. He could tell I had gotten a little frustrated with my point-and-shoot at the wedding, so he wondered if I would want an SLR. We stopped in the ProEx camera store on Grand Avenue so I could check out the Nikon D40. Tomkin went back later and bought it for me! I'll still carry around my point-and-shoot for everyday use, but the SLR will be great for parties and special occasions. It's the nicest camera I've ever had, and I'm really excited to see what I can do with it. That evening I worked on a couple photo projects. I ordered wedding photos for Kristin and Shaun so I can send them an album, and then I put pictures from our wedding into two collage frames. I managed to include at least one photo of each person who was at the wedding. We hung the photos in the spare bedroom. It's so fun to look at them and remember how amazing our wedding weekend was!
Yesterday I had lunch at Tum Rup Thai with Becca and Leo. He is such a good baby! It was fun to chat with newly short-haired Becca and catch up on the goings-on. I came home and worked, Tomkin and I walked Chloe and then exercised to "Project Runway," and then I did more work while watching "Dancing with the Stars." (Can't wait to see the finals next week. I'm torn between Brooke and Lance!)

Note the hilarious location of my Weight Watchers meeting site.

Today was another busy workday. We didn't even have time to walk Chloe! I went to Weight Watchers this afternoon and was very surprised to learn that I lost another 2.2 pounds this week! That brings me to a total of 9.4. After dining out and going to the wedding, I actually thought I might gain this week. Needless to say, I was very happy! I got a rush editing job for a new client, which I worked on after talking to Mom tonight. Tomkin just called to say that the poker gang is heading to Pizza Luce for a beer. I was tempted to join them, but I opted to stay home and keep blogging.

Until next week...thanks for reading!