Tags, new toys and more

I have been terrible about blogging lately. Reading as well as writing. I don't know if it is the fact that I am glued to a computer most of the day or what. But I do have things to write about so brace yourself this will be a bit of a long post.

First things first - I GOT A NEW TOY. Isn't it cute????????? I am totally in love with it. Its the T-mobile wing. My company really wants us to go blackberry but I just can't go from smart phone to blackberry so after an hour or debating in the store the Wing is what I got. Its so great it even talks to me and tells me whats on my schedule and the titles and senders of emails. I love the touch screen (stylus included in the phone) but the hideaway keyboard makes emailing so much easier.

I also downloaded this new program I found - MyPersonalDiet. This program is great to keep track of calories and exercise. You enter your goal, pick a diet and then enter what you do and eat all day. It tells you after each entree if you need to lose calories or gain more. I ended up going to the gym twice the first day because it told me after dinner i had to burn 800 cals to stay on track. It has a lot of food preprogrammed but also lets you enter your own stuff. That feature is good for me since most of my foods / meals are not found in there. I tell you the program has been an eye opener to me you don't realize how much calories you truly eat and how much calories some of the foods have.

On other news I finally finished my wedding album and honeymoon album - or so I thought. I did finish the honeymoon one but as I went through my box of photos to decide on my next project I realized I still had stacks of wedding pictures. So when I go back to "craft club" later this month I will try to finally finish the wedding album - I mean its been 3 years!!!!!!!!!!

Lets see nothing much new from the job - still love it and I found out the other day that I get to have a new site in Las Vegas and I am to be the back up for one of the other girls in my team that is to have a Hawaii site starting late this summer. How cool is that, I get to go to Vegas once a month and potentially Hawaii everyso often!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now to the tags

Angel had tagged me eons ago - I can't find her post so I have to go by memory - it was to post a screen shot on what your desktop looks like so here it is - this is what the desktop of my home laptop looks like


Eternally Curious tagged me this weekend via comment. I am not sure for what the tag was but her latest is the 5 Things so I figured that shall be what it is.

List 5 things in my bag:
Wallet, PDA, T-mobile wing, pens, Garmin Nuvi


List 5 favorite things in my house (sorry there aren't enough favorites in my room):
my pets, my TV, my books, my magic bullet, techno gadgets


List 5 things I've always wanted to do:
skydive, vacation on a horse ranch, drive a motorcycle across the US & Europe, learn to scuba, go along on a mission to help the third world

List 5 things I am currently into:
scrap booking, blogging, working out, watching TV, reading

So there you have it. Anyone what would like to be tagged - consider your self tagged for either or both.

I am off to the gym I need to work off some calories so I can actually have dinner! After that its off to wash clothes and pack since I will be in Charlottesville most of next week.

picnic, tag and spidey

Well it seems the weather was on our side. The rain stopped long enough for people to get to the park and in the shelter. Grumpy even got the grill going and all the sausages and hot dogs where eaten in a heart beat. It ended up being 5 families with kids and 10 of the APs. The kids had a ball running around and enjoying each others company.

Grumpy left a bit before me so he could go and take a nap since he came from work (9pm-2am & 6am -2pm) straight to be grill master at the meeting. We were to finally go see Spidey but I couldn't get him up till hours after the show was over so we are going to do that this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed for us.



Angel tagged me the other day

Here’s how it works: each blogger starts with eight to ten random facts slash habits about themselves… people who are tagged need to write posts in their own blog about the tag and post these rules… at the end of your post, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names…

I am sure I have done this one last year but lets see.
1. I hate shopping (except grocery shopping)
2. I am rather shy
3. I can't wait to be a mom and the idea that it may not happen (well me being pregnant may not) haunts me daily
4. I don't believe in god but often wish I did believe in something
5. I like ketchup on my pasta
6. Death scares me. I used to freak out thinking I may not live through the night
7. I love to read and always carry a book in my purse
8. I am very sarcastic and can border on evil if you cross me
9. Most people think I don't have a temper - they are wrong!
10. Eat, sleep and read are my favorite activities (well aside rolling in the hay with Grumpy)

Okay lets see who can I tag mhhhh ... how about who ever would like to do this one.
okay got to run so I can finish up work on time and meet Grumpy for Spidey.

Tagged - best food in the world

Alrighty so Jin insists I do this tag or she will no longer take sweetbox orders from me. Since I am addicted to her goodies I have no choice but to oblige. This tag was started by Nicole Tan. Once you do it be sure to email her so she can add you to the final list

So, here's the rules:
1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you.
Include the city/state and country you’re in.


Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Lulu (Chicago, Illinois, United States)
Chris (Boyne City, Michigan, United States)
AB (Cave Creek, Arizona, United States)
Johnny Yen (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Bubs (Mt Prospect, Illinois, USA)
jintrinsique (Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA)
Dino aka Katy (Newport News, Virginia, USA)


2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.

#1: Its Al Fresco Italian Restaurant and not only because I work there. Their food is amazing and there are lots of dished for me to eat that are not in a marinara or alfredo sauce. They make everything to order so dishes can be adapted to whatever your heart desires.

#2: The Monastery is a czech restaurant that is to die for. The food is a little pricey but well worth it. They make everything from scratch just the way you'd get it in the old world.

#3: Nawab Indian Restaurant. OMG their lunch buffet is simply divine. I don't like going for dinner because I get to only eat one thing.

#4: Das Waldcafe. This is the German Restaurant I used to work in and their food is really good. Its the Bavarian/southern German cuisine but still really really good.

#5: Thai Erwan - while I don't get to eat there as often as I'd like to (mainly because Grumpy is not big on Thai food) they still offer amazing veggie dishes. I just saw there is a Thai place opening near my office and I am planning on testing them throughly for lunch every day well maybe every other day.

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.
________________________________



Okay so if I have to do this so do you: Nicole, Angel, Gareth, Jonathan (do it on your current location) and Real.

*Updated link on those who have done the meme.* courtesy of Velverse
Yeay… great place to dine around the world is just a click away. Here are the updated links of people who have done the meme.

Australia
Bubba Stuff (Melbourne)
WokandSpoon (Melbourne)
SiwwyPig (Perth)
Little Miss May (Sydney)
Nicole (Sydney)

Canada
Barbara (Calgary, Alberta) *added recently*
Chrissy (Manitoulin Island, Ontario)
Bluepaintred (Saskatchewan)
Canadian Pie (Toronto)
Lotus (Toronto)
Tanya Espanya (Toronto)

Egypt
Pinksterz (Egypt)

England
Olivia (London)
Vol Abroad (London) *added recently*
Wennnn(London)
Melinda June (Milton Keynes)

France
WokandSpoon (Paris)

Greece
Karma Canyon (Athens)
Melusina (Thessaloniki)

Hong Kong
CuriosityKiller (Hong Kong, SAR)

Indonesia
Selba (Jakarta)

Italy
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano)

Japan
Pandabonium (Kashima City, Ibaraki)
The Moody Minstrel (Namegata, Ibaraki Prefecture)
tanabata (Saitama)

Malaysia
Chen (Penang)
Kenny Ng (Penang)
Alicialphh (Petaling Jaya, Selangor)
Bkworm (Petaling Jaya,Selangor)

Philippines
Kimmie (Metro Manila)

Singapore
eastcoastlife (East Coast)
Leonard (unknown)

South Africa
Angel (Gauteng)

South Korea
Bybee (Gumi, South Korea)

Sweden
Kikare (Scania)

Thailand
Jane (Bangkok)
Cherry & SiamJai (Chiang Mai)

United Arab Emirates
Petty-change (Dubai)

United States of America
Anonymous Blogger (Cave Creek, Arizona)
J (California)
Laluna (California)
teczcape - an escape to food (California)
Avitable (Florida) *added recently*
Splotchy (Brookfield, Illinois) *added recently*
Johnny Yen (Chicago, Illinois)
Land-o-Lulu (Chicago, Illinois)
Natalie (Chicago, Illinois) *added recently*
Bubs (Mt Prospect, Illinois) *added recently*
Deadspot (Urbana, Illinois) *added recently*
Daphne (Annapolis, Maryland) *added recently*
Gorillaboy (Annapolis, Maryland) *added recently*
Some Guy’s Blog (Boyne City, Michigan)
wreckless (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Dmarks (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Shelli (Minnesota)
bookfool (Mississippi)
Blogarita (Missouri) *added recently*
Heather (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Squirrel (Oklahoma) *added recently*
Doggy Mama (Rhode Island)
Estella’s Revenge (Dallas, Texas)
insidious truth (Dallas, Texas)
Iliana (Dallas, Texas) *added recently*
Simple American (Sugar Land, Texas)
ML (Utah)
Amy of Nook and Pantry (Seattle, Washington)
Dino aka Katy (Newport News, Virginia) *added recently*
Alasdair (Walla Walla, Washington)
jintrinsique (Manitowoc, Wisconsin) *added recently*

ACE (Hillsborough, New Jersey) *added recently*

From all over
Killer rants

Tagged by Nicole

Okay so Nicole tagged me to do the 6 weird things about meme while I am recovering from last night. Well not much to recover aside from being tired. I have never gotten a hangover in my life while doing my share of drinking but lets not get ahead of myself. I asked Grumpy about my weirdness but he said he didn't know anything (I think he just didn't want to get in trouble)

1. I like to eat macaroni with fried hot dog, onion and ketchup (when I am at a restaurant and there is nothing on the menu I like I will order spaghetti and ketchup or fries with mayo - you should see the waitress's face when I do it.

2. I like to drink Diesel - no not the fuel it is beer (pilsner) mixed with coke. Its popular in Germany and a great way not to get drunk but still be drinking.

3. My best friend Daniela has my hangovers for me. See I like to drink and started going out with 13, she was the good girl, does not drink or go out. I get drunk she has the hangover the next day no matter if she knew I went out or not. Well mostly she didn't know and would call me complaining of suffering from yet another one of my hangovers.

4. I am a total procrastinator. I leave everything to the last minute. I work best under stress and a deadline.

5. I will not cry in public when someone can see it but I can cry at commercials and movies in no time when no one sees it.

6. I hate shopping any kind except grocery shopping. I think its because I can never find things that I like, can afford or fit me. I also enjoy cooking much more than I do dressing up or worrying about how I look. Don't get me wrong I worry about how I look but I am more comfy in jeans and tshirts which I'll get from walmart of target.


I think most of my readers have done this particular meme, if you haven't consider yourself tagged.

Tagged

So I am trying to catch up on my blog reading when I get tagged at Leslies blog so here it is.

Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Godiva Hot chocolate!!!!!!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I think he does. Kinda fuzzy on the details.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
white. In the area in Germany where I am from the decorations are mainly white lights and its sooooooo pretty.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Whats a mistletoe?

5. When do you put your decorations up?
First Advent.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)
Homemade German potatosalad (with apples and mayo and other goodies) and fried eggs.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Snow and cold. My mom would make my sister and I go outside so she could get things ready on Christmas eve. That and the candle light from the bow of lightst and the phyramide.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Never we didn't have a santa. Just father frost.


9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Always. Thats when we open all our presents. Dinner is at 6pm and after that we open presents and then play all night.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Ornaments, chocolate ornaments and white lights

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE it. Unfortunalty we rarely get it in Virginia and I miss it soooooo much. Grumpy promised we'd go up north this year so I can play in some.

12. Can you ice skate?
yep. Have done it ever since I can remember every day in the winter I'd go skating on the pond with my friends.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Puppenstube. And I was only allowed to play with it during the holidays.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with people you love. (and snow!!!!!!!)

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Stollen

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
going for a walk on Christmas eve to look at all the lights and decoration (more fun at home than here)

17. What tops your tree?
nothing just the tree itself

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
I like giving but of course I like getting presents too.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Erzgebirgische Weihnachten

20. Candy Canes
Nope not really a fan of them.


I'll have to post some pictures of my German Christmas decorations after I put them up next weekend.