This was an attempt at banning the ravioli at camp. We wore the ravioli labels on our shirts and had a "ravioli-free" week that actually turned into like 3 weeks of NO ravioli. Perhaps the best 3 weeks of my life. But, I do love Miss O'Connor, even if she does like the ravioli.

It made me happy, very very happy...

I got an IM from Caitlin this week informing me that she had a ravioli party with Shrimp and Finch.

Eventhough I did attempt to ban ravioli from camp, it made me happy that camp makes them happy enough to want to have a ravioli reunion during the school year.

Ha ha haaaaaaa

It randomly generates answers and my first one was boring so I clicked submit again and this is what it came back with. I BOL'd.

Stacey -- [noun]: A deadly strain of projectiile vomit 'How" will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Sleepy

I am really tired, but feel like I haven't blogged in a while, so I am going to crank out a quick update.

1) I was excited to be able to watch the Cardinals game today before heading in to work and really like that they won. Go Pujols for his 9th inning game winning hit.

2) Tomorrow is my last day off work before leaving for Jamaica next week. I am excited to have the day off, but a little stessed as I have a lot that I need to get accomplished. I am super excited to head to Columbus after we get back from Jamaica and attend the best birthday party ever. Aaron made the best evite ever for it. I almost wet my pants when I saw the picture he created.

3) Work has been super busy lately. That's all I'm going to say about that.

4) Sanj took me out for birthday drinks last night after work and we had some great discussions.

5) My brother's phone call made my day this morning. I accidently left my razor in his shower and he offered to mail it back to me, so I took him up on his offer( I really like this razor and it's kinda expensive.) Well, he apparently walked into the UPS store with razor in hand and said that he wanted to mail it and he got laughed at...a lot. He is such a good brother to me.

6) There is a fairly new and cute security guy that sometimes gives me a ride home from work. This is a vast improvement over many of the old crotchity men that I have to deal with on a regular basis.

7)One week from today I(and Aaron) turn 25!

8) Has anyone seen or heard from Jeff Wallace? I have tried to get in contact with him several times. I hope he is not dead. Jeff..........where are you?

Weekend in St Louis

Here's dad and I in front of thier house. I think their front yard must slope, because I am definitely taller than my dad.

Putting up a breakfast nook table in the kitchen. My dad is on the floor while Josh and Jill hold it level. It looks like my dad could use a knee pad or a Dewzie.

Josh and Jill in front of thier new house

Mom was a huge help carrying up the bags of vines we yanked out of the ground.

Mom and I goofing around Sunday morning while everyone else was trying to find studs in the wall.

We went to the Hacienda for dinner on Saturday night where I ordered a delicious wet burrito. We ate outside and felt like we were at a bar on a beach. It was great.

I went to St Louis this weekend to visit Josh and Jill in thier new house. While I was there, Josh and I did some yard work. In this picture he is deomonstrating what we called "ninja hands" where you had one tool in each hand and rapidly used them on the ground. It was a ver effective method for "tilling" up the dirt to plant new grass seed.

Chooooooo Chooooooooooo

Tomorrow I am working days then hopping on Amtrak to head to STL to visit my brother and fiancee in their new house. On Sunday, my parents are coming to the Loo for a birthday lunch. I am excited to all be together at one time. I'll be back late on Sunday.

Just the 6 of us

Here is a picture of the 6 of us that are going to Jamaica. Perhaps, Sanjida doesn't remember taking this picture and that would be because I had to photoshop her in. Sorry Sandy, but I am glad you made it in the pic!

Two weeks

Two weeks from today:

*I'll have the day off.

*I'll be anxiously awaiting the arrival of Mel from Madison and Aaron, Rob, Chris and Sandy from C-bus.

*I'll be eatting Thai food for dinner.

*Will probably get a pedicure.

*I will be saying, "Are we really going to go to bed, because we have to leave for the airport to go to Jamaica at 3:30am?"

Woot woot...the countdown is on and the paper chain is getting smaller by the day!

Iowa City devistated by a tornado on Thursday

Another picture of a soroity member removing her belongings from the now unrepairable Alpha Chi Omega house in Iowa City.

Debris from St Patricks church in Iowa City is sticking out the exterior walls of the building next to it.

Workers are repairing power lines on Iowa Avenue and a house int he background is missing it's 3rd floor walls adn roof. I hope the students that lived there were studying at the library and had all thier books and notes with them as finals are soon to be approaching in this university town.

State Farm adjusters walk down Iowa Ave to assess the damage from the tornado that ripped through the city on Thursday. TAKE NOTE: THE DOME IS STILL INTACT. I don't think the university could have had to handle replacing the trademark dome again.

Roofs were ripped off houses along Iowa Ave as a tornado devistated the college town late Thursday.

People looking at the outside of the destroyed Alpha Chi Omega house in Iowa City, Iowa. It almost looks like a dollhouse as the exterior walls were ripped off.

If you could see in my window at night

This is my new swim suit cover up that I got for Jamaica. I tried it on over my pajamas. When I looked in the mirror, I realized how ridiculous I looked and was glad no one was looking in my windows!!! The fan is even blowing on it, so it has the nice breeze effect.

Where are your's?

Remember back in Jan when I set my new year's resolutions. Well, it's time for another check-in to keep me on track.

Let's take a look at them:

In the year 2006, I Stacey Lens, resolved to:

1) Read 30 books.
Yikes, I think I have only read about 4 books. I plan on reading a lot in Jamaica, though.

2) Teach myself to knit.
I did this back in Jan and Feb.

3) Sew more.
I have done a lot more sewing and love it. I sewed yesterday and today, in fact! YAY!

4) Drop my BMI 5 points.
I have dropped my BMI by 2.4 points so far this year...must keep going to the gym.

I think I am doing pretty good. I don't think I've done this good at keeping my resolutions in previous years.

How are you doing with yours?

Welcome to the gym

Tragically, I did not get called off when I wanted to be on Sunday. I had to wait until yesterday to have a day off. I did a lot of errand running and did a preliminary Jamaica packing(you know just to see what I still need to get). I also went to the gym and went tanning....I love that I am no longer pasty white.

Last night I spent a good hour and a half making a new song folder on my mp3 just for working out. Last night I had the suckiest work out ever, it was a good work out physically, but it just sucked. First, I forgot a bottle of water. So when I got to the gym to buy one out of the machine, they were all sold out. Then five minutes into my workout, the battery died on my mp3. I had NO MUSIC TO LISTEN TO! That is like the worst ever for me. My music motivates me. So then I spend an excessive amount of time analyzing the people in the cardio room with me, since I didn't have my music to pay attention to, here are two I found interesting:

**There was the guy there that looks just like Kenny Chesney and he runs on the treadmill for 12 minutes when it is inclined as far as it can go. It looks like a painful 12 minutes. Then he hopped on the stairmaster for another 10 minutes, but he was leaning over on the bars the whole time. I wanted to tell him that was cheating.
**Then there was the girl running on the treadmill in front of me. She was a thin and very fit girl, but the poor thing had cankles the size of mine. I have always hated my cankles, but it made me feel much better that she was 1/2 the size of me and still had my size cankles.

Sunday...What a funday

I am in hopes of getting called off work today and so far the outlook is good.

I would like to get some sewing done. I started a tote bag a while back and need to add the straps to it. I would also like to see if I can do some alterations...I have a strapless dress that needs to be taken in at the top and a pair of pants.

I also need to do a preliminary packing for Jamaica so I can see if there is anything else that I need to get before heading out to island of fun. I have been doing some shopping for the trip already, but I feel like I have been picking up things here and there and not sure that they will all coordinate. I need a good visual of everything.

I might also make a paper chain counting down the days to Jamaica and Aaron and I's birthday. I know I am a geek....and I love it.

I hope my Sunday turns into a funday....well, I must be off to the gym.

These are one of the new pairs of shoes I got. Yes, that is right, I am rocking the classic Vans as I blog. I love them and they are super comforatble. I went with the classic white/black. I was tempted by the pink/tan, pink/gray, white/green combos.

Tidbits

--No date due to the guy having a family function to attend.

--Got 2 new pairs of shoes....did lots of shopping with my mom(Don't worry mom, I won't blog about what you got).

--Got to eat Pancheros...burrito burrito burrito

--Got new parfume...lovely

--Got new bike seat

--I will be getting back from Jamaica one month from today

--Went to the grocery store today and didn't have to wear a coat