Friday, July 30, 2010

Dear Blogger.com

I'm about to break up with you and leave for wordpress.  Seriously! Why must the formatting on EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of my posts be all jacked up? It looks right when I'm writing it and when I hit "preview".  I am very frustrated. Grr. Girr. Girr.

To my readers - I swear I'm not an idiot.  Blogger just hates me.

Fill in the Blank Friday! Zzzz...

Um, more sleep questions this week I guess.

1. When I can't sleep I toss and turn and toss and turn and then if it gets really bad I get up and go dink around on the computer for a while.
2. When I'm tired I get way out of it. I can't concentrate and get really frustrated really easily. I'm like a 3 year old.

4. My dream bedroom would be one that has actual grown up furniture!!  We haven't quite gotten to the bedroom portion of the house as far as lifestyle updates go. We are currently using the same furniture I used in college. I got it at Kmart and my dad "assembled" it for me, if that gives you any idea of what I'm talking about. It's falling apart and looks just awful, Our actual bedroom space is awesome, but lordy I hate our furniture. It is bad. We have no headboard or footboard either, but we really want to upgrade to a King bed, so that's on hold. I keep telling myself I need to get on Craigslist and look for some dressers and night stands, but I dunno, going to random peoples houses still creeps me out.

5. If I could wake up anywhere tomorrow morning it would be Hawaii, Mexico, The Caribbean. I don't know. Anywhere with a pool would be fine with me as well. And maybe somewhere without this wretched humidity maybe?
6. The longest sleep I've ever had was days on end was when I had mono in college. I hardly remember nearly an entire semester. It was bad. Also, whenever I get the flu I'm out cold until it passes. Otherwise I average around 6 hours a night. Terrible.

7. I sleep on my stomach.

8. When I sleep, I like to wear cotton capri pants (like the same material sheets are made out of) and a gigantic tshirt. Just this summer I've started wearing shorts (out of the same material) for the first time since I was probably 12 and so far, so good. I'm rather particular when it comes to sleep gear.

9. My bedtime is usually 10-11. Lame-o. On Friday I'm usually so tired from getting up at 5am every day that I fall asleep on the couch at 8:30 while watching TV with Zach. It is truly pathetic.

Ok. Now I'm tired.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

British Invasion

Today was the day that Zach has been waiting for!  British superpower Manchester United came to Kansas City to play the Wizards at Arrowhead.  I've never been one for soccer, but this year Zach has gotten really into it. Like, REALLY into it. Man U just happens to be his favorite team so it was a no-brainer that we'd be going to this game.  What's really awesome is that he won passes to a "Meet & Greet" with the team for yesterday, so he stood out in the sweltering heat with his friend Anthony all day long, but had an awesome experience. I'll let him tell you about it when he gets to it though. But lookie what he brought home!

The "New Arrowhead" is pretty cool!  I tried to snap some pictures as we were walking through the huge crowds. I'll be sure to get some more when we go to our one Chiefs game this year. Likely the one where we play San Fran. I'd totally have season tickets but SOMEONE likes their Huskers a little too much so we have season tickets to them.  Ah well, I like watching on TV just the same. Plus my house is heated and has AC.
Having a heated discussion about when to stand in the merch line. The correct answer would have been before the game, not after, but nobody cared to listen to me...
I thought these red lights in the concourse were really nifty

20 rows up on the 50 yard line? No, half court? Wait, mid-field? Yes, I think that's it. Whatever it was, they were kick ass seats! Hey look! Zach's shoes match our seats! Obviously, not a wife-approved purchase.


Whoops. Zoom on. 


Manchester United!


& The Wizards!


Soccer is like a bizallion times more exciting in person! I really got into it!


Nobody did. Guess they were waiting for the Chiefs game for that.


Apparently these guys are like mega-super-famous in England. Thought I'd take a picture. 


My hair plus hot and humid weather do not mix well. I can't believe I'm even posting this picture.


The Wizards won! KANSAS CITY WON!!

These people were even more excited than I could have possibly imagined.

Wizards Beat Man U from Stephanie Swalley on Vimeo.
 



I had a great time!  Zach also informed me that he signed us up for a Wizards 4-pack for next season. Sneaky, sneaky. 



Friday, July 23, 2010

Fill in the Blank Friday - 7/23/10

I have recently found out that many members of my family are now reading my blog.  So, uh, Hi!

1. The first thing I do in the morning is let Ted out (Missy refuses to go outside first thing in the morning. I'm serious, she's the strangest dog ever) then get their food ready, watch the news and begin getting ready for the day.

2. Every night before bed I (you are about to know way more than you want to, get excited!) tidy up the house a little bit and pick up all the dog toys. Ted, of course, thinks this is me trying to play with him so he promptly drags all the toys back out. This goes on for a little while until A) I give up or B) Ted gives up. Usually the former. Then I drag the dogs pillows into the bedroom and fight with the dogs to get of the bed so I can straighten the covers. Then I grab two treats and use them to my full advantage, making the dogs sit on the floor while I apply lip balm, hand lotion and get into bed. (I don't know why I don't use "the power of the treat" more often. Ted will just sit there and stare at them while I do whatever I want. He won't budge! However, this only works when I'm in the same room, there have been many a time where I've gone into the next room to grab something and come back to a wet spot on the dresser and Ted licking his chops.) After I'm in bed and have claimed my space, I turn off the lights and throw the dogs their treats. 5 seconds later they jump on the bed. Missy lays up by my head, Ted on my side. (I'm assuming this is a weeknight. If it's a weekend, everything is the same except Zach replaces Ted on the bed). After we are all in I give the appropriate pats and kisses, roll over, check my phone one last time because I'm hopelessly addicted and fall asleep. Thrilling huh?

3. My favorite thing to do when I'm having a bad day is bake something yummy while drinking a refreshing Diet Coke. What can I say? I'm easy to please.

4. Something that makes me cringe is looking up property values in my neighborhood.

5. Social situations are good, just as long as it's a larger group and I'm not the center of attention. I prefer to be a fly on the wall most the time. People watching is one of my favorite things to do, but mingling has just never been for me.

6. I like to collect smashed pennies. You know, those machines you see on vacation where you put a penny and turn the crank causing the penny to smash and something to be imprinted on it? I have a bunch of them from various places. A vacation is never complete without one or two!

7. Weekends are for doing stuff!! I would love to say "relaxing" but lets face it people, I am my fathers daughter and am completely incapable of sitting around. It drives Zach INSANE because we are total opposites when it comes to that, but them is the breaks. I generally just pace around the house when there's nothing to do. It's really annoying, even to myself. I like projects.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Old Friends

Sometimes we put Ted's toys up for a while. Just so he doesn't get tired of them all at once.  The trusty Kong Wubba has been in the closet for a week now and after an especially rowdy day I thought I'd bring it back out to try to wear him out a bit.  He was pretty dang happy to see his old pal.


Teds Kong Wubba from Stephanie Swalley on Vimeo.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Fill in the Blank Friday - Ponderings

1. A very nostalgic place that reminds me of being a kid is my first neighborhood. I live very close to it now and drive by it almost every day. Each time, I remember something different about being a kid there. I love that there are a bizallion babies in our current neighborhood right now, hopefully whenever we have kids they'll all grow up together and play with each other all the time like I did with all the kids in my old neighborhood.

2. Lately I've been wondering a lot about what's going to happen in the next year. I have a feeling it will be full of big changes both at work and home, hopefully all for the better!

3. When it comes to saving money I am constantly thinking about it. I love to save money, but unfortunately being a grown-up requires that you spend a lot of money. Right now I'm really focusing on only buying what we "need". It's been sort of refreshing!

4. I'd prefer frosting over cake any day! I've never quite been able to understand people who scrape the frosting off their cake. It's truly baffling to me.

5. I wish I knew how to make more things by hand. I'd love to do a lot of stuff DIY style (finish the basement, sew some curtains, finally finish landscaping our front yard...) but I think I'm (we) are just scared to try. It's a big investment, but I guess the best way to learn is to just get out there and do it....

6. I'm just waiting for Zach to be done with school (and the weekend).

Friday, July 9, 2010

Fill in the blank Friday! 7/9/10

This one is pretty random...

1. My favorite thing about this week has been that I've been getting back into my old eating routine. It's always a shock to my system to go back to eating healthy (especially after a holiday weekend) but I've done OK so far. I'm hoping to not fall back off the waggon again this summer. As the super-wise (ha!) Kate Moss once said "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." So true.

2. The weather this week has been blah. It's been rainy and humid and just an all around bad hair week. Today is very sunny though. Hopefully we'll get more of the same this weekend.

3. The last (interesting) item I received in the mail was a $5 rebate I got for some tequila I bought last month. Zach thought it was a coupon so he took a picture of it and sent it to me via email with the title of "Lushie" and "You are now getting tequila coupons in the mail!!" It made me giggle.

4. The last movie I saw was um..... uh... hmmm. I don't remember. I'm not a big "movie person" I don't mind going to see them in the theater every so often, but I have no patience for watching them at home. However, I can spend 3 hours parked on the couch watching all my reality tv shows. Explain that one. Oh wait! I remember now. We watched Up in the Air a few weekends ago. It was good.

5. If I could be doing anything I felt like today I would go buy a pool, set it up in my backyard (who cares if it's "trashy") fill it up, make some frozen margaritas and be parked in the pool on my raft for the whole rest of the weekend. Yes. That's what I'd do.

6. As a teenager I was extra super boring. No seriously, I was totally lame. I'd like to take those years back and go do stupid crap like everyone else did. Oh well.

7. I wish I could trade lives for the day with any "pop star" I want to dance and sing on stage in glitzy outrageous costumes just once. I think that would be fun.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Fill in the Blanks Friday - 4th of July

I've been wanting to start a weekly post and was having a hard time deciding what exactly I wanted to do. Love it list? Eh, too much thought.  Weekly update? Wow, that would be boring (sleep, work, gym, housework, dog wrangle, sleep, repeat). I recently ran across a site which hosts a "Fill in the Blank Friday" theme. Love it!  We'll see how this goes.

This week is all about the 4th of July!

1. This weekend for the 4th of July I'll be busy enjoying it! Tonight Zach and I are going to grill out and relax. Tomrorow we want to take Ted to the "people park" and then I might just go get a pedicure and do some shopping on the plaza. Sunday the family is getting together at my aunts house and I am baking "festive cupcakes" for the occasion. I'm also looking forwad to more BBQ and watermellon! Monday I have big plans to go to the pool with my friend Erica, but I'm not so sure mother nature is agreeing with those plans as there is a chance of rain. Boo.


2. Fireworks are my least favorite part of the 4th of July. I hate them.  I don't mind watching big professional displays, but watching people I know actually light them freaks me out!  It gets worse every year actually.  I usually end up hiding out inside until it's over.  Leave it to the pros people!

3. Nothing says summer like sunshine and heat! I love it!  Oh, of course I like really nice cool summer days, but I also love some heat. I hate being cold, so summer is perfect for me. I acutally get really annoyed at how everyone else seems to just love blasting the AC everywhere we go. I feel like I need to bring snowboots and a parka every time we go out to eat.  Oh I also love outdoor dining in the summer!


4. My favorite summer memory is everything from my childhood. From being "forced" to stay outside all day to eating lunch on the back porch, to making treasure maps in the open field, riding bikes, making forts, flying kites with fishing poles, running in the sprinklers, bomb pops from the ice cream man, and of course splashing in the pool. Oh man, I just loved summer as a kid. LOVE.


5. My favorite thing about summer is all the sun. It makes me happy.

6. Summer in a word is refreshing.

7. If I could choose to have summer or winter year round I'd pick SUMMER, hands down. I hate, hate, hate, hate the winter.  I would do just about anything to move to Arizona or Nevada. I'm not kidding.


Yay! That was fun! Look for more "Fill in the Blanks Friday"s to come!

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Greenwood, Missouri, United States

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