dearest city of grand rapids

why do you make me shovel my side walk in fear of a fine, yet you do not seem to follow the same rules?? You are not playing fair! you are making my walks a tad slippery. Please attend to fuller and knapp and you will have a happier citizen. Thank you!

Today has two big events:
-Men gold medal hockey game. Usa usa usa!! [and closing ceremonies]
-john mayer concert!!! Nothing like getting to enjoy a Christmas present in February [thank you jeff and betsy!!]

thank you lindsay.

for introducing me [and now friends] to the worlds most addicting game ever.

Lineup

My new mission would be when I discover someone with the iphone or the touch. I ask first a. do you have to game lineup? B. if the answer is no. I politely request that they download it.

I have converted up to [i think] five people, shall not stop there!

A few cases and side effects of this game:
1. less talking at my lunch break. More playing. We are fair and take turns [learning to share!]
2. anti social. Examples: a. sitting in cars at lunch breaks [shatto] b. playing before a movie, instead of talking to long lost friends. c. playing at friends houses, instead of watching tv and talking Results in convos like yup …umm yeah..right. yup. What did you say?? [you have to concentrate while playing!]
3. allows people to connect over new strategies and ways to get more points. [It is all about patience in the beginning and use two hands]
4. hoping and begging work changes phone companies as to allow me to get the iphone. Good thing my cousin was already on board.

All this fun and my highest score is ONLY at 3600. I must persevere and practice more! That has become a daily mission.

I leave you with a warning.
Beware of this game.
The case results show: if you try it, you will become addicted.

Happy Friday!!!

sugar free syrup.

Third year running. National pancake day at ihop. I hop do you hop. We hopped. Only about a 20 min wait for a short stack of pancakes [and a little more goodness!] I vote the tradition holds true for another year.



sidenote: reporting second item was baked in the oven tonight and not burned. so it will be a happy birthday to colleen.

Location: Monroe place

Date night with miss shatto. And what a date it was. Cinco de mayo!
First no awkward pauses, good conversation.
Food delicious, dessert fabulous and free.
Little Olympics and lineup.
Check exchange was easy.
She took charge and decided our next destination and company.
The goodbyes were simply.
AND she has already texted the next day.
Sounds great, gentleman take note!!!!!
So next time you plan for a ladies night out and everyone comes back with legit excuse, do not let it hold you back from still going out. :)

ten thoughts on a saturday from the arlington couch:

[this is going to be a new installment on the traveling opi's blog. ten thoughts. not on a certain day, just random occurrence. allow you to peek in my brain]

1. I love cereal. All cereal. Today fruitloops. Last night late night snack honeycombs. Yesterday afternoon honeycomb cinnamon. I like Varity. I have five box of cereal open currently.
2. saw dear john. Rate, rental.
3. dollar beer and hot dog griffens game silly stuff. #5 is hot.
4. if coldstone is closing. All you have to do is ask a boy to hold the rolling door up [while being closed] and yell please please please stay open. We really want icecream. Noooo we have a pregnant woman and she has a craving. It works. Got my sweetcream and m&ms!!
5. I enjoy watching the Olympics. Snowboarding is awesome. Mens skating tad…hmm. Moguls ouch!! Go usa hockey!
6. lady gaga is now number thirteen on vh1 countdown…come on little monsters vote!
7. on the lent 2010 experiential calendar: feb 25 states: Do something that you’ve been putting off or trying to avoid.
8. question: what would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it to be? [not looking for your answers on this, I am only posing this question from the book purpose driving life. Made me think. So maybe you too]
9. book, furious longing of God: a. until the love of God that knows no boundary, limit, or breaking point is internalized through personal decision; until the furious longing of God seizes the imagination; until the heart is conjoined to the mind through sheer grace, nothing happens. B. Our religion never begins with what we do for God. It always starts with what God has done for us, the great and wondrous things that God dreamed of and achieved for us in Christ Jesus. C. you are blessed! Be-you-ti-ful. Be you. Just be. Love supports you. You are blessed! You have learned the purpose of life: LOVE. D. God loves me, just the as I am.
10. read an email this morning that gave me goosebumps. God is evident and working, pray is powerful. Will continue to pray and pray some more. Sometimes when you are at a loss for words, all you can reassure with is. Pray. But shouldn’t that be the greatest reassurance??? i am still learning....

and now we are back at it

up at 6:30. Leave at 7 for Orlando. say good bye to the parents until march 6. delayed an hour due to crew mandatory rest!?!? arrive in gr, arrive at my house. off to work. off to the y. home. unpack, laundry, and finally the bachelor.

Recap of the Floridian vacation:
one day full of sun! One nascar race. Lots of family time and quality time. Lots of sleeping. Lots of relaxing. reading and sudoku. Olympics. Fun adventures: mall, krispie kremes, quality bars. walks and beach runs. All this goodness makes it a success in my mind.
FIRST MORNING:

OUT TO EAT!

HIDING BY THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IN THE PARKING LOT TO FEEL THE WARMTH [told betsy this is one of the weirder place i have slept before and her response, especially in your bathing suit!]

AT THE RACE: [six layers and comforter]



ON A WALK [valentines night aka pink day was just the girls, race went way over. so we went for a walk and to dinner, very good!]




Here is a brainteaser for you:
Today as I boarded the airplane home to good old gr, I had to use the bano. I just do not understand this. Why do they have a sign that reads if you smoke there is a $2200 fine. BUT then on the door there is an ashtray? Hmm does not make any sense to my brain.

blah blah blah soooo blog blog blog

this bar stool has become my destination for the last two days [temp reads 43 again]
checked facebook... times a hundred...no new status updates
checked gmail...times a hundred...no new emails
checked radar...times a hundred...cloud moving a snail pace


I finally understand how the older people in florida may be a tad over weight. Bc when it is cold all you can do it eat and sit and eat and sit and then change locations and eat and sit.

The lipinski family made the best of the clouds and wind yesterday by:

First started out the day with a walk:

second went to the new movie valentines day, two huge buckets of popcorn:


third took another nap, bc the two above items took it out of me!!!

Fourth head to the race track bc we thought the weather let up, but it didn’t!! Sooo we head to krispe kremes instead:

fifth watched the opening ceremonies and feel asleep on the couch again!

so far I have check two things off my vacation essentials:
hit up publix and went for a morning powerwalk.


here is another funny sign we discovered:


nine minutes for it to becoming sunny according to weather.com....hmmm
or maybe just time to go and eat lunch since i have been sitting for an hour!! :)

what to do on day two?

yesterday woke up to 36 and wind chill advisory....

this morning woke up to...rain and 49.

what state are you in...florida!!
i do not believe all the licences plates that say: sunshine state.

so as i sit here with my family on a couch and a loveseat...we stare at each other: hmm
we first check where we can drive to sun. but rain continues throughout.
maybe a movie.
maybe a nascar show.
maybe a random adventure [i love random adventures!]

so now we continue to look at each and watch tv and read. until one of us has a great entertainment idea.

so what good has florida brought me thus far:
1. 2 hours of sun yesterday, chilly but sunny
2. relaxing relaxing relaxing relaxing!
3. 10 hours of sleep last night! amazing!
4. lots of family laughing. jeff got all you can eat crab last night and he ate and ate and ate and splatted his crab on us all, while cracking it open. that was in a quality restaurant called: charlie horse. [35 min wait or maybe over an hour] nothing like gathering a bunch of mid age fat nascar fans in one bar!!

you know when you are on vacation when you drink pop at 9 am and your mom sits next to you at 10:30 eating a cookie!! bahhh

will we be off on a jet plane tomorrow???

That is the hope, if this blizzard clears out.

The plan is to head down to Daytona with my brother and sister in law. To meet the parents for a mini family vacation until monnday.


A few little things I look forward to on this vacation.
[Besides the obvious---no work, sun, relaxing]
1. waking up early to go for walks on the beach or through new neighborhoods
2. discovering new stores, including grocery stores [always enamored, I think I get it from my mom]
3. the smells of warmer destination and the way my skin will feel and the palm trees
4. being able to read in a chair for hours on end and it is ok
5. going out to eat, finding new restaurants and people watching
6. nascar night race….yes you read that correctly
7. spending quality time, unrushed with my family
8. having girl chats with my mom
9. being out of my normal routine
10. the smell of coffee brewing in the morning and late night krispe cream runs.

mirror mirror on the wall.

This morning as I peered into the mirror to start off my Monday I thought to myself: wowow look at those eyes, where is my caffeinated gel garnier nutritioniste anti-puffy eye roller skin renewing magic cream, meaning I will be rocking the did I get hit by a brick last night, look all day. This was then confirmed at my 10 break [thank you BHS for this new addition to my day] when colleen walked into my office and said….wowo you look really tired or I guess when terry thought I had a cold bc my voice sounded so much like a man. But have no fear a LARGE cup of tea and energizer drink mix put a little kick in my step and we were golden from there.

So maybe I did not partake in enough shut eye this weekend.
Thank you [party 1] classy black and white event, you were well worth it.








the only picture of us downtown [oppsss my camera duties slacked off, so not kari]


Thank you [party 2] superbowl at the vriesman home [which I would like to say, very tatortotish love it]!!! Very fun, funny, and yummie.





Time to sleep as to avoid the caffeinated gel garnier nutritioniste anti-puffy eye roller skin renewing magic cream tomorrow.
and last two thoughts:
I would like to state I am turning over a new leaf, in more than one way.
Count down to family florida fun: two!

eight hours of beauty sleep in preparation for this…

part one:
ladies ladies ladies, reporting my pita chip endeavor. It was a success! I made something in MY oven and it worked. [I have lived in my house for about a year and half and I still am getting use to my oven and how quick it cooks things, may need to put it into more use... :) ….] [also didn’t burn the birthday cake] [its gonna be a good good day]

here is what I did:
-cut the pitas into triangles
-arranged them out on the pan [refer to picture]
-sprayed with olive oil cooking spray and salt
-baked at 400 for 7 minutes
-delicious
-easy and cheep [Lindsay]
-give it a try, you can do it!




part two:
Tonight is classy black and white event. Last night was a whirlwind mission of shopping. Em, al, and I meet at rivertown mall and ended at DSW with woodland in between… in search of cute outfits and accessories. We completed this task in four hours with dinner at penara.
Emily [birthday girl] shatto: will be sporting. Banana [you would] white ruffle shirt and black skirt. With gold/bronze shoes and accessories to match.
Allyson [hot fox news woman]: will be sporting sassy express black ruffled dress. With amazing jeweled silver heals and accessories to be determined.
Me [so kari]: will be sporting an express ruffled mini. With a black laced back shirt. Royal blue heels and black jewels!
[pictures of course to follow]

now just a long run, little cleaning, cake frosting, and chilling.... then it will be time to get ready.


let the fun begin t-8 hours……

Fire burning….

At the parents or on the dance floor?

Yesterday my parents left for their month long adventure in Florida. They have officially joined the old folks. So they call me at like 10 to report their travels thus far, the 1st of the MANY calls I will be receiving in the next month that starts out with, “miss me yet??” As if they have been gone for an eternity. They also needed to let me know that the fire department had been dispatched to the house. Thank goodness Jeff went over and there was nothing wrong. BUT then I get another call about 45 min later and the fire alarm is going off again. So now at 11:15, it is my turn to make the trek over to open the door for the repair man [in the morning] and turn the alarm off. [let me admit, tad scared that some creeper man was robbing the house and going to attack me] but thank goodness that was not the case. I was not able to dispatch the alarm but I was able to unlock the door and enjoy an 11:30 jessie mccartny sweat pant tunic sweater boot not so strong glasses drive to the 4421.

no fire burning at the parents….but perhaps a little fire burning on the dance floor. tomorrow at the classy black and white party of shatto and verwys. the event of the month [and yes it is called an event bc it will be classy]!
Happy birthday my dear friends. Let the festivities begin bc shorty its your birthday!

Sidenote: this morning I received a call that our white ford focus was on the east beltline and constantly hitting breaks. And don’t we know that the will ruin the breaks. Come on people---seriously!!!!

sidenote [2]: it is friday

fact or fiction???

nail salons in meijers??
FACT!

how do i know this?
bc shatto and i hit that up tonight. that is what happens when every other salon on lake mi drive is closed or busy.
the best part about it: not only does meijers in walker provide a salon but also has clearanced opis in new colors...conquistodable color
add that to the collection.

Oh how the bed IS calling me.

Done. Finished. Bed.

One last thought before my head hits the pillow.
Do you ever dream to move to a another country and jump into a whole new world. Somewhere foreign where no one knows you. Gain a whole new identity. Whole new perspective. New job. New relationships. Somewhere new to discover and explore. Allowing you to start over fresh. Sometimes these thoughts creep in. adventure!

Where would I go???