Grand Canyon Death March

Tomorrow morning I fly to Arizona with Jay and Andy McKown for our Grand Canyon trip! We will hook up with a larger group (16 people! We're like our own mule train.) to do "The Big Hike" on Saturday into the canyon. It is about 17 miles on what Backpacker Magazine recently named the second most dangerous hike in America. Hmm. It is 5,000 vertical feet down--that shouldn't be too hard--but then you have to come up those 5,000 vertical feet! We will start hiking around 6 AM and hope to be done around 7 PM. It will be strenuous to say the least. I just came down with a head cold on Monday and am feeling pretty crappy so I'm really hoping for quick healing so I can breathe well as we hike!

I've done a GC hike one other time. It was very hard and I lost 4 toenails. I think that was mainly because we were carrying 40 pound packs with us. Since this hike is a dayhike, all we really need to take is water and food so the load should be much lighter. I know it is going to be very hard but I also know that the feeling you get when you finally reach the top is beyond compare. You feel invincible, like you can do anything. That is why people do crazy stuff like this--the high you get is totally worth it. And then you pass out. :)

I'm mostly looking forward to the fun and fellowship. And In N' Out Burger. I can't lie. Onward!

P.S. Many many thanks to Doug and Debbie (The Double D's) for watching my babies while we go galivanting through the wilderness!

Kitchen update...

Flooring is done! It is still very dusty but we are loving it!

an uncharacteristic moment of indecisiveness

I need your help! I am in a quandary trying to figure out what kind of counter top to get for this kitchen. I was originally thinking Corian but can't really find exactly what I want. I checked out Quartz and like one that was made by Dupont, same people who make Corian. Then I went to a granite place today (where they have the big slabs) and found one that is absolutely gorgeous.

I originally didn't want granite because I've seen it stain and apparently it can give off high levels of radiation/radon. But it is so very pretty and unique looking. Now I just don't know what to do.

The price is relatively the same across the board so don't take that into account.

Comment me! Tell me what you have and why I should get it, or if you were building your dream kitchen, what you would choose. Thanks!

a gentle foray into politics--new poll!

Clearly this election is a crazy one. It has gotten me thinking, which I guess is a good thing. :) I've been trying to figure out where my views and opinions lie on the political spectrum and if the things I believed when I was younger still apply. It has been an interesting experience for me, especially since I usually ignore all things political.

Harmony is in my top 5 so I have a hard time with all the anger that is out there on both sides. I can see the points for both parties so it is hard for me to get into big political discussions because I struggle to take the hard line. I am however, very tired of being called evil for leaning more to the right. I don't understand why it has to be a personal attack---we all believe different things and that is what makes things interesting. It also makes things hard.

I heard today that the polls in Minnesota are split--45% for each candidate. So clearly we are a divided state. I'm guessing we aren't the only state split like that. So I wanted to take a poll of you guys out there. Where do you fall? Feel free to leave comments but please keep them civil. :)

this is my day

Ethan started throwing up ("spitting") this morning. It is terrible. I feel so bad for him--you can tell when it is coming. He starts whimpering and then a few minutes later starts spitting and sobbing. He just begs us to make him better or take him to the doctor. I hate feeling helpless to make my kids feel better! He's gone an hour now without throwing up and is finally sleeping. Hopefully he'll rally soon because Mom and Dad have a date tonight! :)

My new favorite place to shop

Have you checked out etsy.com? I am obsessed. I browse it almost on a daily basis. It is an online marketplace for crafty folks to sell their stuff. I mostly stay in the jewelry category but there are a ton of other categories to check out.

The best part for a cheapie like me is that the prices are super low. There isn't a store to pay so they can charge less. Plus, I now have jewelry that not everyone has. Good news since the only store I frequent is Target!

I just bought these Scrabble tile necklaces (homestudio.etsy.com). They were only $6.50 each and there are TONS of designs to choose from. I got three the first go round but am planning to get more. You can get a ball chain necklace from them and just switch the tiles out whenever you want. Love that! They have that casual, unique feel I've been looking for--being a stay at home mom, I don't usually get glammed up too often. I need stuff that looks good with yoga pants and hoodies (or, if I'm being honest, pajamas). Check them out!

It's on like Donkey Kong

The kitchen project has begun! We are hunkered down in the basement now while our main level is getting trashed. The guys showed up Tuesday morning to demo things and within 2 hours all the kitchen cabinets were gone and the half wall was gone. I had no idea it would go that quickly!

Yesterday I picked up our flooring--and nearly wrecked Jimbo's van! Oops. I guess the flooring was a little too heavy. Then, to add insult to injury, I asked Jimbo to accompany me to IKEA last night while I picked up all the cabinet stuff. We actually managed to get all of it in the van--it wasn't pretty. The van was nearly bottoming out but we made it home. It was quite a scene.

Now I just have to sit back and wait until the electrical and plumbing work is done. If anyone ever needs names of good people, let me know. The guys that are doing all this have been fantastic.

Here are some photos of the progress. Is it progress if half your walls and floor are missing? :)

Before


Now

A friend sent me this--I nearly spilled my beer when I read it. :)

Calmness in our lives

I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr. Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before the morning was over I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now. Pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace.

(Thanks Becki!)

Musings about the gym.

I joined Lifetime last week and am loving it. I found that I am much more motivated to exercise when I A) have 2 hours of childcare and B) am around other people, which makes me work harder.

I sweat like a wildebeest--it is not becoming. I tried a Fitness Yoga class today and I am definitely feeling it. Even though my heart rate wasn't really up I was sweating profusely. Can anyone tell me why that is? Yoga isn't really cardio but it still made me sweat and made my muscles shake.

I am highly suspicious of those women that come to the club in a hoodie, sweats and a baseball cap. Then they work out in all the aforementioned clothing and barely break a sweat. Are they not really trying very hard? Or was I somehow cursed with the sweating gene? It makes me feel very self-conscious. Would it be weird to carry a battery powered fan around with me? I think it might be.

I am also highly suspicious of those women that wear full makeup, large earring or fake hair. Yes folks, today I saw a woman with a big fake poof of hair on the elliptical. She also had full makeup and large earrings. And a fully coordinated exercise outfit. It was pretty amazing. I just couldn't stop staring at that fake hair. Not only do I wonder why women wear those in real life, now I have to wonder why they wear them to work out.

Ethan starts preschool tomorrow! I go with him this first time to check things out. I am more excited than he is, I think. He is just going to love it--his curious nature will thrive there. Too bad it is only 5 hours a week!