VIP for a night...

The Iowa State fair is not a must see for me for so many reasons...

1.) It is hot, typically the hottest part in the Iowa summer, and I don't enjoy being in large crowdes walking around looking at livestock while over heating.

2.) It is SO expensive. To park. To get in. To have something on a stick or to drink sugar water or water.

3.) Lets just say that the Iowa State fair does not bring out the best that Des Moines has to offer, it's almost like Wal Mart

exploded for 10 days on the east side of Des Moines.

4.) There is not really a whole lot I care to see...

I mean great there is a cow over 3,000 lbs. I see dinner for the next year for me and my friends.

You can't go to the fair and not see the butter cow and whatever the theme of the year is out of butter... BEHOLD the butter cow and Dr. Seuss theme set... I am sure that was his dieing wish..please make a display of my greatest books out of butter for all of Iowa to see.

My thoughts on the state fair can pretty much be summed up by saying if you have never been, new to Iowa it is a good thing to go check out. Every year, for 10 days in a row, I will pass.

However this year was different and since I

have not been to the fair in a few years (ok like 8ish) it was time to give it a go around. A parishioner got free tickets into the fair, free parking IN the fair grounds and free tickets to see Mercy Me and Newsboys in the 7th row on the floor and thought that he would share them with some of the Youth Ministry kids, and active adults. This took care of a few of the things that I dislike about the fair, Parking - CHECK!, getting in - CHECK!, it was the hottest day of the fair with the heat index of 105 but two out of three things is not bad! And check out the eye candy on the lead singer of Newsboys, I was having hot flashes and it had nothing to do with how hot it was outside. It was a great evening with good friends, great music (other then Mercy Me and the base) and I got to try a bite of a fried snickers on a stick. It was great to feel like a VIP for an evening and even better that I got to share it with some amazing kids, and rockin adults! I will look forward to the next fair trip in 2018.

***Please note I took none of these pictures myself, thanks friends for taking pictures for me to illustrate my points.***

Mid summer nights dream...

As I sit on this unusual cool evening in August I can't help but get excited that fall is right around the corner. Fall after all is my favorite season, and I am really looking forward to fall of 2010, a large part being work related. The past two weeks work has picked up dramatically. I went from working maybe five hours a week (and a half ass five hours they were) to putting in close to 40 and knowing that those hours will pick up as the weeks goes on. I love that I work for God and can pick and choose my hours. There are some months they are a bit busier and crazier then others but all in all it balances out.

A few highlights that I am looking forward to this upcoming school year.

- I am looking forward to teaching Confirmation with Erin. She is a fantastic parent volunteer that is better at my job then I am. I am looking forward to all the things I will learn from her.

- The diocese of Des Moines has asked to look into new programs and have a more standard curriculum across the bored. I am looking forward to the new program and the unique challenges that will come with that.

Choice 1) Call to Discipleship more information can be found here.

Choice 2)Life Teen more information can be found here.

Both programs look great, it is just looking as to what program will best fit the needs of my Youth Ministry program, I am leaning towards Call to Discipleship. Any input is welcome.

- Volunteering on the vocation community for the Diocese of Des Moines has been fantastic and I look forward to seeing the direction that it will go.

- Novos is the new young adult program that the diocese is starting and I was asked to sit on part of the core planning team. So far I feel like things are off to a good start, and I also enjoy that my part in this planning team is very little so far, however I am still able to use my gift of organization!

- The Youth Choir that I started last spring really took off and I am looking forward to seeing it grow this fall and into next spring! They sound fantastic and everyone loves when they sing at church! (Don't worry I am not in the choir at all...)

And of course how can you forget that football season is just a few weeks away. CAN'T EVEN WAIT!

Add in their Grandma's 90 Birthday Party, Thanksgiving with Ray and Mary, and a trip to New Orleans in December .... I have a feeling this fall is going to be a good one...

Florida vacation 2010

I had a chance this summer to head down to Panama City Florida to spend some time with my good friend Amy, meet Amy...

I have loved my time down here and enjoyed spending time with Amy and her family. Her mom, step dad, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew live about an hour away in Mexico Beach and we where blessed to spend so much time together. Some highlights of the trip...

-Spending time with Amy, lately I have learned the value of amazing girlfriends in my life and I am so blessed to have her as part of my life.

-Going swimming everyday and hitting up the beach. This Iowa girl did not come home white!

-Going to Gulf World with Amy's family to see all of the animals!

-Cooking with Amy and making the perfect Mojito recipe.

- Going out in the boat on the Gulf. Seeing Jellyfish in the water, swimming at a State Park with stingray's (not a fan of them!), seeing Black Island (from the boat). The ride back was a bit rough... don't worry food did stay down!

- Going to a country bar and watching all the redneck's locals go crazy with songs I have never heard of. Also, getting hit on by a 40 year old married guy with his wife in the bar as well... don't worry left quickly after finding out!

- Cleaning and organizing Amy's apart! It looks great now...

- Dinner with my friend Brandi back from volunteering days. It was so great to be connected with long lost friends again.

- I was able to try boiled peanuts for the first time and they are better then chips and salsa!

- Going to CVS three times!

- Taking pictures of Amy to send to Guam Boy.

Lasting memories created this past week in Florida! Pictures are on my facebook feel free to check them out..Thank you for everything Amy, Debbie, Andrew and family...

I'm leaving on a jet plane....

This will be a short blog. I am getting ready to load a plane to head to Florida to see my good friend Amy. I CAN'T EVEN WAIT!!! I am looking forward to long walks on the beach as I waddle, drinking while watching the sunset, cleaning her place up and getting it organized and of course going out and picking up military boys.

Another note: please keep my brother in your prayers as he is having sugary on his lower back early Tuesday Morning. He will be moving in with Ray and Mary they will need prayers to put up with him as well....

I have no words for a title

I am to pissed to go into the story but I have spent the last few days dealing with SHITTY costumer service. Whatever happened to people being nice? No wounded people that do customer service all day are bitchy, if I sat on my ass on the phone for 40 hour a week saying "I am sorry I can't help you and there is nothing that can be done" I would be bitchy about it too. I am not even talking about one organization I am talking about three different services!

So after spending a few hours on the phone today hearing that, I went to the only local place I know where people are nice, friendly, helpful and glad to see you...the Farmers Market. My faith in people was restored. I was looking for hot peppers to make salsa with the new food processes I got today, oh yea Lacy we own one now. This NICE couple did not know what peppers where hot or not so they cut a few open to make sure I got what I wanted and then gave it to me for FREE!

There is the cutest old couple that I always buy my tomatoes from and when they seen me today they smiled as I walked towards them and the lady said to her husband "see I told you she would come see us today!" So sweet and they gave me a deal on the tomatoes, I have them a small tip with the old "keep the change" line.

It's nice to know there are still places where people can get quality service!

I am off to enjoy some fresh grown Iowa tomatoes.

A handy woman...

I have blogged a few times about the struggles that i have with my bedroom and finding a location for everything to fit in a form I enjoy. I need the prayer chair to be in a great location or it is not used. The other day while swimming I was thinking about different options that I had to get my room back to a place that I enjoyed walking into and that I liked.

So, Friday afternoon after spending most of the morning watching Lost I got off the couch and took a shower. Off to Target I went to get a curtain for my window. You see I can't have my bed how it fits best b/c the window is at my head and the sunlight at 6 AM wakes me up. I picked something out, and headed home. I dug through all the rods that where left behind from the last renters and found something that was classy and would pull the whole look off. It was shortly after I got ready to hang the rod on the wall that I seen I would need an electric drill. Then I remembered that Ray was going to give us his old one. I looked up and behold it sat on the self in all it's glory! It was the first time I ever used an electric drill on my own, and it was a lot of fun! (I only had to call dad once for help!) I am pretty impressed with the look. I think it adds a great touch of color to the room!

Also I don't think any one would have guessed that it is a shower curtain.

So all that is needed now is a head bored so my pillows will stay on, and my room will be done! I am sure my good friend Maggie will look when she gets home from Colorado, she is after all the queen of Craigslist, please see here.

In other news it has been decided that Andy Miller's role in the Luau will be to get a shaved ice machine for shaved ice rum and cokes. I approve. Anything to get people feeling good as I enter into the heavenly gates is a must. Also Maggie if you could please look for a shaved ice machine and not a snow cone machine Miller Light would be thankful.

A top 10 list..

Top Ten list of great things about summer.

10.) Not having to work as much. I only work 20 hours a week in the summer.

9.) Sleeping in and a nap time most day.

8.) Going on night time walks.

7.) Sitting outside at El Redo for chips and salsa along with drinks with good friends!

6.) Being at the lake house/Boating

5.) Going to Catholic Youth Camp once a week for mass

4.) Grilling dinner/more time to cook in general...

3.) Summer time TV shows. This summers Netflix is LOST and as always on TV is Big Brother.

2.) Going swimming

1.) Farmers Markets and especially tomatoes! LOVE tomatoes FRESH!