the bad and the good hit hard today

bad oh so bad....miss lady gaga cancelled her show at the chicago theater. Now i must return my tickets (but i do not want to) and then hope for a chance of getting new ones at the rosemont theater. oh bahhhh!

at least the bad was followed up by the good.

good oh so good....miss verwys booked two tickets to the DR today. count down 22 days to sun and vacation!!!



wrap up from Christmas:
such a fun day.
the traditions carried on.
baked french toast for breakfast.
really no surprise gifts (except one---john mayer tickets from my brother and sister)
christmas at my aunt jeans.
fun times with the family.
great food.
grandma played wii.
lots of laughing.
exhausted.
good times!

plug to the end….9 randoms! for 09 duhh

1.cant believe it is the end of the year…. I need to ask myself…will I make a list of new years resolutions? What do i want to accomplish! what will a new year bring, what did the old year bring.....i guess if i shall make a list i must reflect back. :)
2. oh the gym next week...oyi!
3. NYE, will it be fun????
4. 13 days....lady gaga!
5.joey just informed he feels sick…GET OUT OF MY OFFICE OR BRING ME THE LYSOL!
6.finished sex god by rob bell. Very good. Very interesting. Would recommend. One part “some of the most comforting words are—me too!” just to tip of the iceberg of goodness.
7.sermon yesterday. God only gives us as much as we can handle…..
8.i like my new lunch box...yup i now have a lunch box!
9.thinking of the possiblity of a warm trip...ahh happy thoughts!

beautiful sparkling red smitten with mitten fingures

Christmas eve as follows:
early y run
work til noon
bank
home---packed up many duffel's bc I do not own a super tote
gathered the presents
arrived at the parents, destination for the evening
took a nap by the fire
repainted my nails
getting ready for the christmas eve service
then dinner with mom and dad, as we anticipate the arrival of jeff and betsy
sleep
morning—I predict 830 (if I get my way)
baked french toast (tradition)
PRESENTS!!!!
Off to aunt jeans for the day, christmas with the family

ho ho ho what a holly jolly christmas it will be!!!

Recap of the week
Monday
k & g christmas
received two new awesome books!!! hit up walgreens and meijers in anticipation to finish jimmy b’s christmas present

Tuesday
christmas cookie making with the cousins
and gift exchange with b, receive a beautiful bowl already proudly displayed in the kitchen



Wednesday
em & kari christmas evening
happy hour at red ball jets
followed my gift exchange. Received awesome multicolor mugs! Beautiful eshatz necklace, and hot panties! Leopard is in you know!
Off to the mall for last minute shopping
movie julia and julia
meijer run, ingredients for my dish to pass....

and now revert back to the top....to see the journey and anticipation from there.



:And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.
It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more:

:For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace:

christmas tradition shall carry on

cooking and treats was what this afternoon was all about. My mom and I made almost three bags of pretzels covered in scrumptious chocolate (white and milk) with sprinkles, andes mints, and drizzle---followed by porcupine balls and peppermint bark. Such delicious treats and time with my mom....and dad he got all the rejects and any that he wanted to create himself.

May have resulted in gut rot, you can judge by the picture.....

being girly is fun….

first

experience

to the melting pot

delicious chocolate

delicious food to dip into the chocolate

lots of lovely ladies

eguals.

perfect friday night

a very merry christmas weekend

-festival of lights at Calvary with b, followed by a falala movie (and a quick stop at the house down the street to take a picture with b's fav lights!)

-cinderalla at civic with mom, grandma, aunt jean, Lauren and betsy.

-little Christmas shopping

-griffins game with a new moon movie star to drop the puck

-Sunday Christmas movie marathon @ kims from 1130-9.
We also scrap booked and beaded, snacked and took naps.
1. home alone
2. love actually
3. elf
4. dan and real life

Feeling there is a lot more Christmas activities/errands/list to be done this week……hopefully it all gets done!

is that treadmill dust on your arm?

put three friends together at the y after a long day at work…and you get fun filled night working on their fitness.

1. shatto having to use the bathroom three times, but on the third she leaves the treadmill on, results: trips, falls, and hits the wall. Yup still laughing
2. betsy making a u-turn down the center aisle, to inform us that cutie cute boy is here, today!
3. three girls looking everywhere and giggling like school girls trying to find him.
4. shatto trying to put her water bottle on the bike and misses the cup holder and then nearly falling off the bench in the locker room, yup off her game--per her!
5. kari trying to explain the falling story to betsy well laughing uncontrollable, after being given “just a second finger” by a man that wanted to use the spray bottle first.

since I know you are all jealous and want to join in on such adventures, show up to the david d huntington ymca around 5:30 on a Tuesday night.

on a side note: we are expected to get a STORM, major snow….over 10 is the rumor. We shall see what the morning brings, to bad MES doesn’t believe in snow days……

what about a road trip?

Friday night: Pilots-snowy car-old men-big gulps-powder doughnuts- sudden whisper and then exits-jimmie johns-bathroom break-arrival to laurs apartment. riding in a car for 5 ½ hours.



Saturday: Up at 8-two bridal store appointments-three possible dresses-narrowed down to one, the final one, cute-lunch-more wedding shopping-wal-mart bathroom(gross)-shopping-dinner in downtown indy-nails-movies-snoring-girl talk-bed at 2.





Sunday: breakfast-depart at 11-christmas music ladygagax10-speedway one stop shop-3 min rest stop. Arrival in gr in 4 ½. So much more efficient


thats the way we roll.

deck the halls

That is what we did Sunday night
tree-check, lights-checks, snow globe-check, nativity-check
Christmas music has been in full swing at work
first christmas treat arrived to the office via ups
Currently watching the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller center
Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow/weekend
Christmas list started for others and myself
Count down 24 days……
I love Christmas!

Thank you: four day weekend

Lots of stuff accomplished on this long weekend:

-baked a cake (burnt the bottom, when the recipe calls to bake in 2 nine inch pans it means 2) but I salvaged it and it was a successful 3 layer pumpkin cake.

-enjoyed the thanksgiving meal and family. I really do like my family, I always have some much fun with them.
-alarm went off at 5:15. hit target, best buy, Wal-Mart, McDonalds (nothing like yogurt parfait, diet coke, and candy kisses for breakfast!) bed bath and beyond, kohl’s, old navy, gazelles, and the mall. We took in a lot of loot! Lots of fun. Required a nap by the fire to cont to the night.
-watched the ugly truth, finally. the truth can be ugly.
-beautiful Saturday allowed for a reeds walk and run
-bought three new opi colors. The Christmas collection is out!
-updated the ipod. Lots of good music out there right now
-dinner at red ball and then out with friends. Mini hs reunion

Tomorrow:

-should lead to more relaxing, maybe a little treat making and Christmas decorating! Cant believe it is that time of year…I shall no longer cringe when Christmas music comes on the radio and in stores, I will be hardcore for the next 27 days (Jessica Simpson, n’sync, home alone, amy grant….love love love Christmas music!)

a greeting card well put. period.

Gwen discovered this card at D&W:
There was an old-fashioned black and white photo on the front of a woman hugging a man and a quote bubble that said, “Maybe this guy won’t be a dickhead.” Inside it said, “So, how’s your love life?”

Thank you hallmark for summing up my week! Cheers.





Can’t wait for thanksgiving. Tomorrow is dinner at my parents. As I get older my mom just assumes that I will participate in bring the some sort of food item, guess being the mature 25 year old this should be no surprise. So this year I volunteered for dessert. Thanks to kraft food website and enticing pictures. I will be baking a 4-layer pumpkin cake. Shall be grand!

Black Friday, day off!!! Who knows what the alarm will be set off as. Have to view the adds first…..oh the joys of fighting people and the lines at Wal-Mart on alpine. All to save 5 dollars on a toy for a second cousin. Haha it is the thrill, that is what I keep telling people.

Ending with:
This thanksgiving I have a ton to thank the Lord for, truly blessed!

as the week rolls on

1. headed to mall of America tomorrow night. Two full days of shopping with my mom and sister in law. When the boys are away the girls can play. My mission: new jeans---never can have too many and unique warm long sleeve shirts, could be difficult.


2.at my breaking point of patience……..



3.love greys anatomy, kims house, friends that can make me giggle all night long, cuddling, and chocolate

4 bandages and neosporin later.

Out for a run on a pleasant november night. About to finish the arlington loop and I come around the last corner and take the curb. Yup bit it, and it hurt. Two huge bandages on my palms and two on my fingers. Who would have thought that running was a contact sport, gwen I take back all the times I laughed at you for tripping at reeds. It just sneaks up on you and before you know it you are down and then up like nothing is wrong even though you are in pain! Sometimes i wonder if it is best to stay on the couch. Here is to a better stress relieving run tomorrow!

Opening day of deer season, no word from the Lipinski boys yet....

Per Lindsay's request for the caramel apple dip
(Lindsay it is a more of a dip for slices of apples, but if you put the whole apples in the freezer it tends to harden)
Thank you Mrs. Vriesman for the delicious recipe!

1 stick of margarine
1 can evapoated milk
1 bag kraft caramels (the ones you unwrap from their little packages)

heat together in a crock pot for about 2 hours on low, stirring regularly.

I also added some cinamon, nutmeg and vanilla.. but just a bit

enjoy

.....falling into it.

*Wednesday caramel apple night, so yummie! We had a ton of toppings. See the caramel apple contestant winners or the ones that actually made an apple!

*Friday sarah’s 25th birthday! Victory club!

*Saturday robinettes with cute kiddos. Emily and her nieces and I came in tote with my little cousins. Also went to River City Improv---very funny!

*Monday night family dinner @ my parents for my pa’s 57th birthday. His birthday is actually the 16th but he needed his gifts for hunting season and lets be honest, all Lipinski boys will be MIA for about the next three weeks. They hunt for deer, we hunt for clothes!

*Tuesday night baby time. My cousins Kelly and Rich had their baby girl LilyAnn. We went and visited and she is very cute. Little peanut noise and all.

wake up call at 10:30

……. amazing, I can not remember the last time I slept in that late. It is sunny and 63 on a Saturday in November. Went for a run in shorts and a t-shirt. Have the front door open to let in the nice cool breeze. I am hearing the leaves rustle and watching the sun shine through the window. I heart Saturdays.

did a lot of reading this week in Ruthless Trust.


prayer:
Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you today, without reservation and with humble confidence, for you are my loving Father. Set me free from self-consciousness, from anxiety and disapproval of others, that I may find joy and delight simply and solely in pleasing you. May my inner freedom be a compelling sign of your presence, your peace, your power, and your love. Let your plan for my life and the lives of all your children gracefully unfold one day at a time. I love you with all my heart, and I place all my confidence in you, for you are my Abba.

tutus and fishnets

rocking out halloween 09:

pink tutu race with amazing friends

hand holding finish

maries special

candy

candy

caramel apple suckers

more candy

errands in matching outfits, shoes included

cute cousins in costumes

red nails

candy passing out to neighborhood kiddos

dress up with(a) friend, lack of participation by others

pearls
disappearing hair bows

fun frenzies

crazy night

tiger woods

popcorn

crispy leaf walks

laughing friends greeting you in the morning

ready to run

good witch and harry p

jackie o and flapper girl

thursday thursday thursday

Two things that annoy me at work (i feel this is valid to share??)
1. when people from our own office come in the locked front door and do not have their keys. Either a. bc they forgot- valid or b. bc quote “I know kari likes to get up and let me in” not valid. The there is a certain someone that taps on the glass window and expects me to jump up and let him. and then doesn't even say thank you!
2. when people use my desk and stuff as their stuff, and come up in my personal space bubble. Like can I use your pen, and take it practical out of my hand. Oh sure. Or stand right next to me, and set their papers on my stuff I am working on. Is there not a better place you could be, our office is quite large!

With this being said. I do actually like my job and most of the time the people I work with :)

On a happier note. I am about to head out to the Pete Yorn concert!!!!!! Woot woot for pete. He is hot!!!!

the last eleven days

half marathon over!!! A freezing day, but the run went well—met my goal. Friends and family supported. Shout out to g and miss shatto! THANK YOU! Love the encouragement, especially when the curse words were dropped on a Sunday afternoon, made me laugh. And breakfast at the omelet shop was fabulous and worth the miles! Oh and culvers was an after the race treat! Yes I can eat ice cream right after running a race in about 40 degree weather.

Attended a funeral this last week. There is always something interesting about having to attend funerals. They seem to get my mind thinking. This passing was my aunts mother, who at times felt like my second grandma. She was old, very old 94. She lived a long and faithful life to the Lord and to her family and friends. Here are the things that I took away from her service. I definitely need to live life to the fullest with no regrets and treat people with respect, but stick with who I am. Live for the Lord at all times, it does influence others. Also visit the old and sick, they appreciate it way more then you ever think they would.

Back to attending spinning class, definitely love hate relationship.

Three days in a row of gut rot. Starting at kims, followed by el burrito with em, and finished with pizza and dessert at sarahs. You would think I would learn my lesson.

Three am parties Friday night---success!

I love fall Sunday afternoons at my parent’s house in comfy clothes with no agenda. I like sitting at their counter looking at the fall trees, while picking at food, watching tv and reading the Sunday paper at my leisure. I also love joking with my dad and having serious conversations with my mom.

What to come.....

Preparing for Halloween weekend. Have a tutu run Saturday morning. Beware of 6 ballerinas running around alger heights around nine o’clock. Should also be passing our candy. And then hopefully dressing up…..my costume idea for this function. Twin Marilyn Monroe. One blond one brunette what better combination is there!?!?!?

ten random thoughts on a Friday @ 11:11

I am considering dying my hair platinum blond, seriously!

I may die a nun. Enough said!

I am excited to wear sweatpants on a Friday night!

EXTRA zing sugarless gum dissolves in you mouth about an hour after chewing. Yuck!

Wonder if the brain will ever explode with too much info in it?

Love the book ruthless trust. Possible written just for me? Can feel the Lord guarding my heart.

Do not like when you get message on email: out of the office!

Love the phrase party foul.

Nervous about the ½ marathon Sunday

Wearing my plaid shoes and enjoying them for their first outing of the season!

(only feel a tad guilty for posting this at work)

run run run. it all seems to be about running!

A MINI adventure took place this weekend. In a mere 27 hours---Emily, Kim and I traveled down and back to Chicago to watch Gwen & Laur run the Chicago marathon.

Music:
Good girls gone bad. Down. She-wolf. Meet me half way. Obsessed. War. Battlefield. (most of these songs consist of such lyrics that deal with love as a battlefield…hmm there must be truth to this?)

Friday night we were very creative at the vyhof residence and made signs for the runners. Examples:
-Go G unit. With sayings such as: Is that your best poker face and bang it out on the course just like your body.
-Is tripping a party foul?
-Mosseltoff gwen
-run laur run
-go team vryhof



Sunday:
It was soooooo cold, Chicago definitely was rewarded the name windy city for a reason.
Gwen kicked butt. She ran the marathon in 3 hrs 52 min!
The MINI rocked it out all the way home.




Hopefully gwen’s inspiration will transfer over to Sunday’s half marathon, which I will be participating in. With the weather predicted to be about 28 in the morning. I ventured to Gazelle sports last night and bought a very warm running hoodie and running leggings. I am not sure about the body in leggings. But they will be strutted out on the course all in the name of warmth!

what to do???

what would you do in my situation that i found myself in this morning!?!? hopefully not TMI

at the y. in the shower area. trying to hang everything up. bra, under ware, towel, cosmetic bag...ect. the seat is wet. which i never understand why people have to get the seat wet. so in the hanging up process I drop my CLEAN under ware right in a puddle of water.
now the debate. wear wet clean under ware. or dirty under ware all day.

i choose wet clean. resulted in saggy bum feeling all morning!
why do i attempt early morning gym runs??? :)

here's to a better start to tomorrow morning! cheers!

tonight we carved pumpkins....look at the final product!! fall is here my cold toes will tell you soooooo.....

things that fall…on a stressful wednesday

Last night I went to miss shattos residence. Our activity for the evening was nail painting! So we gathered our collection together and sat down to chat and paint. What do I do but reach over to get the nail polish remove and tip it over all over my phone! And emilys phone and her carpet. Now we quickly try to clean it up, but my phones decides to take a crapper. It will not take incoming calls, the letters decide to change it up and it even sometimes it starts randomly dialing numbers. Soooo this is bad, bad because I need my phone for work and bad because of the possibility of missing a call. We even tried the hair dryer and that was not successful either. And ps Emily tipped it over for a second time, but this time not disturbing any phones---just the carpet!

So continuation to Wednesday morning. My father gets on it. I inform him of the urgency of the phone situation, and this now becomes quote “family crisis.” So first I get a spare phone, that doesn’t work.
Then I try my brothers, that doesn’t work.
Then I try mine again, that doesn’t work.
Now I am instructed to take my phone to 28th street to get it repaired. That is exactly what they did. The repair man thought that maybe I spilled something on it. I was like I may have spilled nail polish remover. So three hours later, and bit of stressing the phone is fixed and I am back in the game. I seriously found out that I feel out of touch with the world when the cell phone is broken. Sad-yes! But it is the reality of life.....

Moral of the story, beware of the nail polish remover. It doesn’t bring as much fun as the polish!

Sometimes all we can do is just dance

What could be better than to gather together a large group of friends for a birthday party? Umm add costumes! So this years invitation to the 2nd annual kari- chirs birthday bash read as follows---Celebrities, pop stars & Athletes only!

The attendance for this party was outstanding. The guest list included---Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Fred and Wilma Flinstone, Bewitched, village people, Sarah Jessica parker, Beyonce…and many more and even someone cops (they were not famous enough to receive any cake though)

The food and décor was stupendous. We had chocolate chip cookie dough cake from coldstone, smores, peanut butter m&m, salty goodness, balloons, lots of beverages….and more!

The fellowship, dancing, and activities were wild!!! Enough said!

Turning 25 turned out to not be that bad!

So until another party I say: Bye bye bye poker face. Bye bye poker face!


A few celebrities appearances







After a great Friday night celebration, the party continued.
This little pumpkin turned FIVE! Miss Lauren wanted to celebrate her birthday in a different style, chuck E. Cheese.




After the parties, I had to hit up another week of work.
What did the week bring:
1. Lots of new shows/time spent on the couch with gwen--- Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the stars, Good wife and a new fav courage town
2. Also an interesting week of trying to solve life’s problems. Not sure there was any success but lots of discussions.
3. Artprize hit grand rapids, people everywhere and art all throughout downtown. Friday night we viewed a few of the attractions.
4. Well spent quality time with my mom Saturday afternoon, way overdue.

Artprize




Shall end this post with some quote advice from gwen:
“Love comes to those who still hope even though they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they’ve been betrayed, to those who still love even though they’ve been hurt before.”

The day is upon us.......

Quarter century: why must this be such a scary thing? Maybe bc it is the top of the hill, getting nearer to thirty, lots of scary life changing events could happen in the next five years or less!, no longer a younging, having to face the fact that some day soon I will have to start acting like an adult (nahhh), lots of things haven’t been accomplished on “the list”. But really all that being said it is inevitable!

So last night I joined in the celebration! Yes celebration! It took place at roses in east grand rapids with some of the most dear and near people to my heart---the fam!





After dinner we headed to my parents house to open presents and have cake and ice cream. Now what does any normal twenty five year old to be wish for. I wished for a nike + watch, clothes, cute stuff for the house, money, gift cards. The usually list. But as the true homeowner I am and truly blessed with an awesome set of parents that are always on the ball, I receive not only the nike + watch BUT also a huge broom to sweep the drive way after being mowed. And if that was not good enough, I always received a leaf blower……and wait a 60” extension cord to even allow myself to get the front of the house!! Gotta love my dad he was sooo excited! And thus so am I!



Last night was a great night and definitely a perfect start to the birthday celebrations…more to come Friday with the long anticipated bday bash.
So excited to rock out lady gaga---celebrity, athlete and pop stars only!

The campfire smoke lingers on….

The george is mine in 09 list was created by myself and miss vryhof to make sure that we packed our summer full of fun.
The list included such activities as: golfing, fishing, reeds lake excursions, tubing, captain sundae, and CAMPING!

With summer winding down we needed to check of that last adventure-camping.

So Friday night we packed out three cars full of stuff and headed out to grand haven state park.
The rules of the road were:
1.must wear comfy clothes
2.must have lots of snacks
3.must sleep in a tent
4.must have campfires
5.must be with friends

all of the above were completed, so I deem this another successful adventure!

Top 10 highlights of camping:
1. Laughing around campfires while divulging in hogie/hobo pies/pudgie pies, smores, mm’s, pretzels, peanut butter, frosting, chips, peach rings/gummie worms, and blue berry muffin cereal.
2. dancing and singing to poker face until the wee hours of the night
3. nearly avoiding 2:30 am attackers of our food and cars
4. blue sky
5. swimming pool air mattresses
6. striking up conversation with fishermen on the pier
7. 3 min video clips
8. magazine articles on the beach
9. huge campsite bathrooms
10. boyfriend hooded sweatshirts





Setting up the tent with b



hmmm we were warned



morning



Packing up the swimming pool---heading out!