Kate and Dan

A quick video I put together of my cousin Kate and her husband Dan's wedding on New Year's Eve 2011. Hope you enjoy!

Home is where the heart is

I spent three impromptu days at home in Chicago. They were wonderful. Mainly because I didn't do anything but hang with those I love. Then it was back to the grind of work and school in Minnesota. Two highlights: 1) One of my students told me I looked like Luke Skywalker. When I asked why, he responded, "Because you're wearing a belt." Classic. 2) I finished up grad classes for the semester. Hopefully that means Thirsty Thursday can commence. 

1. A cup of joe for my dad Joe. A beautiful mug from the maker Cat Studio.

2. My dog Lenny. The Marlon Brando of black labs. 

3. My darling grandma in her senior graduation picture in 1933 from Mercy High School in Chicago. The caption under her name says, "An Irish nose that wiggles expressively when she talks... optimistic philosopher." I'm not quite sure what that all means, but I like it. 

4. A close up of her - top right. 

71st Anniversary

Today would have been my grandma (Q) and grandpa's (Doc) 71st wedding anniversary. Good people. Real good people. My grandma always liked calla lilies. However, she did not like fake flowers. She thought they were tacky. One time she took the plastic flowers that were in a vase in the bathroom, down the toilet. Rebel. My grandpa liked to sneak cookies. He would put one finger up to his mouth and say "Shhhh" before my grandma walked into the room.

Also, when we'd be out to eat and he'd have a glass of wine, he'd say to the waitress, "Well, would you look at that. You brought me another glass with a hole in the bottom. Again, rebel.

When I'm Silly

Today and tomorrow my students are taking the math MCA (state standardized test for Minnesota). We've been doing something a little each day over the past week to pump us up for the test. Today we had a dance party to a pump up song. It... was... awesome. Watching a little 4th grader with severe bed head do the robot is a sight to see.

So the following is nothing like our mini dance party, but this dance party rocks on so many levels.

Extras = one of the best shows ever.

Spring Break

image via

I'm on spring breaaaaak! For a whopping 3 days. Party time! And by "party time", I really mean "napping time".

Minni Apple spring break 2012: Biking, Breakfast, Beer, and Bitchin' good times!

Today I sat on a porch chair much like this. It was wonderful. It wasn't so wonderful when four kids came over and kept pointing at it to their mother and I instantly felt like I had to be a kind adult and let the kids have the swing chair space. I smiled as I offered up the chair to the little ones, but on the inside, nuh uh.

In unrelated news, here is a list of people and things that can take a hike.

In no specific order.

1) People that get tan.

2) People that comment on my sunburn any time I get a sunburn.

3) Cats (I don't trust them. They always ignite a small panic attack. Except kittens. They're ok.)

4) Staplers that are jammed.

5) People that jam said staplers and make no attempt to fix or replace them.

6) Girls who talk about salads and diets a little too much. Newsflash: I don't care.

7) Girls who ask if I wanna split a meal. Heck nah.

8) People with expressionless faces.

9) People who don't wave back.

10) Thunderstorms that last less than 1o minutes. What a tease!

11) A belabored topic.

12) Public mushy couples. Yuuuuuck.