Friday Fun Pics.

I learned about this awesome bakery that is about 45 minutes from my parents house from my Weight Watchers leader. So today my mom got off early from work and we drove to Antigo. We were so excited to find this bread that is made from flax seed, which is very low calorie and low fat that we bought a whole bunch. In fact, we got to the car and had some of their bagels and decided they were so good that we needed two more bags of them. It is like heaven! I really didn't know baked goods could make me so excited. Okay...so I knew they could because those pastries in Scotland were kick butt. But this is awesome because they are so yummy and yet so good for me too! A true win-win. The place is called Gunkle's. Check out their website. They ship to the continental U.S. so if you are interested...I think it would be totally worth it!

I also thought that really big buck was cool. Only in Wisconsin! :)

Oh and if you ever wondered where to park your ice cream, I found it!

My stomach is so stuffed right now with cheeseburger and fries that I think I could burst. It was so yummy. I am so lucky to be home and spoiled!

Pics from last few days.

Been having fun back in Rhinelander the past few days. Basically, it is a lot of prodding the nephew to get his Biology work done. I think I am going to need a vacation from this part of my vacation. Yesterday, I took a nice bike ride in the afternoon. I was out in the woods for a while, until the bugs got to me. On the way out, I saw those cool bones. I think it was a whitetailed deer. Of course, becuase I watch a lot of Bones, I thought I had discovered a murder scene at first. Silly television. I then went down by the river at Hodag Park and saw a very pretty sailed boat. (I am sure that is the technical name for it too!) Today, I went with my mom downtown for an art festival. We didn't see much of it because we got stuck in the awesome store Lattitudes. That is where that fabulous hat came from. I LOVE it! Tonight, I fell asleep watching Bones. I lead a pretty exciting life, no?

Monday's Brewer Game.

Took the nephews to the Brewer game on Monday. It was awesome...the Brewers actually won. We had good seats and it was great company. I had a great time getting to know these two cool cats a lot better.

Monday

Fun in Mad Town

Been spending time with my sister's family in Madison the past few days. It had been fun as spending time with family always is! Mu sister is good to me and made me a cute room in her basement with a Christmas tree and all. I love using it for a lamp. There is definitely something magical about Christmas in July! I also found the Barbie beach van and it brought back a flood of childhood memories! Yesterday, my brother in law took me on a motorcycle ride. It was awesome. I could see my reflection in the back of his helmet and I had a silly grin on my face the whole time! We also went to my nephew's church which was nice. Lots of nice people there!

Today my niece and I hung out and it was pleasant. We had lunch and then an adventure. It included lip gloss which made her day!

Tonight I am off to a Brewer game with the nephews. Should be a blast!

*I have noticed that I have taken more pics of Divot the dog than I have of people. That is silly but I really do love that dang dog even if I had to clean up his poop this afternoon!

A Fun Thursday!

Perch Lake where I have done lots of fishing.

Cows on the way to Lake

Ah the great outdoors of Wisconsin.

Ty bouncing

Crystal Eating.

Ty and Dirt Cake

Crystal in cute Minnie Dress.

Today, after weighing in at Weight Watchers, I decided to drive to on of my favorite places in the area, Perch Lake. This year I haven't bought a fishing license. I don't know why...I just don't feel like fishing. It was nice to be at Perch Lake even not fishing. It is gorgeous. There was also a new pier at the park side of the lake and it was nice to walk out over the water. It brightened the day to go out there even though it was dreary and rainy.

I was going to pick my mom up in Wausau(she was in Atlanta this week) and stopped to have dinner with my friend, Kim, her husband and two kids. It was way fun to just catch up with them and to monkey around with the kiddos. I sure do love the wee ones.

Mom ended up not getting into Wausau, so I just hung out with Kim and Jesse until 11:30 chatting. It was a great Thursday.

Painting Adventure

I helped my friend marla paint one of the rooms in her house today. It was fun to spend time with Mar and to help out. Good day!

A Day Out of the House.

Don't think I am a hermit or anything, but lately I haven't left my parent's house much. (I do get out and run in the mornings)I think part of it is because I am tutoring E a lot of the time. The other part is because I am constantly watching Bones. It is a crazy addiction and I can't find the cure except to watch it all until there is no more to watch. It is kinda like when you have chocolate in your house and you just have to eventually eat it all so you will not be tempted anymore...or is that just me?

I decided to get out and Frisbee golf. I haven't gone all summer and we are already half way through. Pathetic. Anyway. I was distracted while driving. Something about singing Kelly Clarkson at the top of my lungs or something. I did find a really cool beach when I was turning around and it was so awesome that I stopped. Sometimes missing a turn can be valuable. Remember that in life. Enjoy the pics of my adventure. Doesn't the camera on iPhone 4 take amazing pictures? If that phone were a man, I would be married by now.

Well, in honor of MTV airing a documentary entitled If You Really Knew Me which follows some teens through the process of a Challenge Day, I am going to do a short IYRKM. It has been a while for me:

If you really knew me, you would know that I love being in Wisconsin during the summer. You would also know that sometimes it is hard to be here. Mainly, because I am often bored and don't know what to do with myself. It is interesting to me to realize that working is a good way to keep myself busy. If you really knew me you would also know that I say this because lately I have been having some extreme feelings of loneliness. You would know that one of my greatest desires is to find a man to share me life with and that sometimes that void feels extremely big. You would also know that random phone calls from a man that I thought I could marry and that would be a great teammate really gets my head spinning. You would know that one such phone call came about two weeks ago. If you really knew me you would know that I really can't figure out why this contact throws me so much. It shakes my whole world. It is weird. If you really knew me you would know that sometimes my faith in finding true love often falters. If you really knew me you would know that this is not the only thing that defines me. IYRKM you would know that I really do love my life, that even though sometimes things can be hard, I am in love with living. I love the beauty of the earth. I love to see the rabbits that are all over the yard. You would know that I am guilty of talking to animals. IYRKM you would know that I am coming to grips with having a career. Sometimes I really feel like I need to do something else in life...that it seems that I need to change. I think that is a normal feeling, but I also feel that it is hard to feel stagnant. It is hard to explain. You would also know that I am a sensitive duck and that sometimes I feel like I am way too sensative and that I feel like I am too honest. I hate that I feel that way though becuase honesty is the best policy and why should I hide how I really feel. (btw..this all stems from another stupid boy thing) If you really knew me you would know that I have really enjoyed getting to know my nephew this summer. You would also know that I worry about him, but I also have faith that he will find his way because I see the power within him!

What else? I think you may have gotten into my head a little further than I regularly do. I hope it didn't freak you out. I hope it may have helped you know me a little better and connect with me a little better. I also would hope that you might try this out loud with your family at dinner tonight(or tomorrow). Give each person time to talk about who they are. Have them complete the sentence if you really knew me...Listen to them. Encourage each other to dig a little deeper and to really get real instead of just talking about the same old stuff(like how the day was or what the weather is like). If you really knew me you would know that I am very proud of myself and my accomplishments in losing weight. You would also know that by being coming a runner and a loser of weight I feel like I can do anything. It is like the impossible has become possible and that is so very empowering. You would know that lately I have a lot more self esteem because of it. It is almost as if I was hiding behind those pounds. You would also know that my self image is still trying to catch up and that I really don't know who that person in the mirror looking back at me is, but I really do know what she is inside.

Well, I think that is it for today. Thanks for reading. You people are the best, you know. Thanks for all you do for me.

Cheers.

Stormy Wednesday and Taco Night!

There was a cool storm that rolled through yesterday afternoon. My dad and I always love to watch the storms from the porch. Call it family bonding

We(mom, dad, Elijah, and Rebecca) had tacos at the pub for dinner with two friends and their baby. Isn't he cute? Good day!

Tuesday Fun Pics

Andi at the ballpark and great advice from Briq's the best ice cream shop!

We lost both of our games. It was a nice night and fun to play! It was interesting to see the younger girls play and get a little excited about bad ref calls or other players shooting their mouths. It isn't worth the effort for me anymore!

It was fun to have alone time with my seester, Andi. We did some shopping at consignment stores and ate at Applebee's before my softball games. After the games, we went for ice cream...Yum! A great night!

A Movie Outside with Mom.

Mom and I at movie in Eagle River

An Awesome Backdrop for The Blindside.

I was supposed to run in a 5k on Saturday night in Eagle River but my shin had a different idea! I had to still pick up my t-shirt and race packet so my mom and I went up. There was an outdoor movie playing and it was very fun! I was bummed not to run but the movie with mom made it ok!

My Seester and her kids are here this week and it is fun to have them. It will be a fun week!

Btw my new iPhone rocks for blogging! Maybe you all will get sick of me and my posts!  ;)

Friday Food and Fun!

Wisconsinites are serious about their snowmobiling!

My pretty dinner!

Theses are the first pictures I have posted from the new iPhone. I know not all of you will be impressed by this, but I LOVE my new phone. His name is Indi and yes, I would marry him if he were a man! Friday was filled with me getting him running and playing with him. Love it!  I think the phone takes very nice pics. Maybe even better than my camera but definitely better than my old phone(see Burger King pic from a few posts ago to compare).

Mom, Dad and I went out to dinner at Cross Country which is about 10 min. outside of Rhinelander. I had some amazing salmon on a very cute fish plate. The highlight was the fancy glass my diet pepsi was served in. It is fun how sitting outside on a pleasant night with good food and company can make you feel like you are away in vacation. Oh wait.  I am away on vacation. Good times.

What kind if things are you doing this summer to make life a little less stressful? Leave a comment telling all of us! (and yes you should feel pressured to comment;)

Cross Counrty very Northwoodsy

My pretty drink.

OK.

Saw the pic on the way to my weigh in. I thought it was a good saying to live by.

I feel like I havn't been doing a whole lot. I have been watching a whole lot of Bones. I am loving the live streaming on netflix.

This week our softball team did an amazing feat. We were down 10-2 in the top of the last inning. Well, the bats turned golden and we just kept hitting and hitting. We actually went ahead 10-13. When the other team got up to bat, they threatened to score with two people on base and two outs. Their best hitter came to bat and by the advice of out pitcher's brother, Kim walked her to load the bases. The woman after her is a pretty good hitter so I was a little scared. She must have wanted to hit the ball over the fence because I felt the breeze from her bat as she swung for that fence. She missed the ball completely and in hit the ground for a perfect strike! This was also sweet revenge because one of our former players organized that team and they are a bunch of punks who were undefeated until Tuesday. Ha...now we have tied records. Yipee!

Well, that is all the excitment for now. I think you should "Play today!"

The 4th.

Pics: Uncle Paul and his favorite pet, Dad and his four siblings at Grandpa K's grave, Old John Deere tractor, Cousin Adam acting like "Big Boy," Fireworks.

The Fourth of July was fabulous. We spent time at my Uncle Paul and Aunt Joanne's house. They live on the same land that my Grandpa farmed long ago. It is always fun to celebrate there because we can do whatever fireworks we want. (I bought bottle rockets and had fun firing them!) The other bonus of celebrating here is that I get to walk down memory lane and I go to the old barn. I did lots of "farmering" when I was little. It was one of my favorite places! We also head to the cemetery and fire off firecrackers on my grandpa's grave. He loved the 4th and I think it is a great way to honor his memory. He would be up at the crack of dawn to fire off firecrackers on the window sills of those still sleeping. I miss him!

It seems like I have been in a warp since going to the UK. It is weird to not have that to look forward to anymore. Maybe that is why I haven't posted since I posted about the trip.

I have been helping my nephew with his online class this past week and it was tiring. I think it is worth it in the end though. He is a good kid.

Off to Sam's Pizza tonight with a friend and then to play softball in Wausau. Good times!