Naturally Optimistic

It's a numbers game. This is my 900th post on this blog! Amazing. I started a long time ago (April of '04 I think?) and I'm sometimes prolific and sometimes....not but I enjoy this whole blogging thing and the people I've "met" and the people I've reconnected with and gotten to know better along the way. It's an outlet I certainly enjoy. According to the ticker there are 100 days left until Baby B's anticipated arrival. EEEK. 100 days. That doesn't seem like very many! It seems like that thing was just saying 200+ days! Where does the time go? It's 57 degrees outside which isn't bad - but it's also raining off and on which sucks for trying to shoot outdoor scenes at a gun range. Pooh. I spent $33 on a haircut this morning that I *THINK* I like but it takes a while for it to 'settle down' ya know? I just wanted it shorter because OH MY GOD - the pregnancy thing has been making my hair grow like it's on steroids. My skin d...

Well, as indicated by the tag over there on the right, I have once again signed up for NaBloPoMo - that's right - post something EVERY DAY for a month in November. This could prove tricky since I'll have some days out of town....thank god for WiFi, right? Because if there's one thing I am, it's ANAL about completing such incredibly MEANINGFUL tasks such as posting my own brain's drivel on the internet for everyone to read every day for a month. You can't WAIT, can you?!? If anyone else joins in, please let me know! It's fun to check out how insane people actually get towards the end. OH THE PRESSURE!

...and if walking around a mall & a "sportsman" store wasn't enough for me today (yuck and yuck) I still feel crappalicious. The aching! What the hell? Today I felt better in my back & head (except when moving quickly - ha!) but my hips & legs - they feel like they're going to fall off. There is no relief!!!! I tried laying on the couch for a while with my feet up (no swelling or anything) but that didn't really do any good except make me more bored than I already am. I used to think I wanted to be able to sit around and watch daytime television - WRONG. I have soooooo many things on my 'to-do' list and I feel like I am not up to any of it. I'm not even KNITTING which really doesn't take all that much energy. Poor Baby B's room is at a standstill (as it currently is still Steve's closet & my craft room) and I'm starting to stress out. Pffffft.

Jason & I went prop/costume shopping for our new film WHITE MAN'S WORLD today. We had to buy a box of "traps" (or maybe they're called 'targets?') and two boxes of blank .12 gauge shotgun shells. I think the cashier thought we were crazy. Um, you're not going to hit ANY targets with blanks. Haha....our actors wouldn't hit any anyway . First time I've shopped for "ammo" though! Weird. (I didn't really like it)

I just found out from commenter Jonathan (thanks for stopping by!!) that the lead actor (Ulrich Muehe) in THE LIVES OF OTHERS passed away recently. Seriously - rent this film. It is amazing. And yes, the fact that is a directorial debut sort of blows my mind. I am saddened, however, that I will not get to see any new performances by Mr. Muehe. About 10 years ago (maybe a few less...?) I started watching the BritCom series FATHER TED which I absolutely adored. I fell in love with the quirkiness of "Ted" and loved his antics and his inappropriate behavior and everything that went along with it. As I had finished devouring everything I could of his on DVD I learned that he had already passed away. I remember sitting at my desk at work and crying because I had been so affected by this man, and yet he was already gone. It sucks when you get to appreciate things...and yet they're already past.

(please excuse my ugly hair & the look on my face....yikes)

Okay - here it goes. I'm going to complain. I feel like shit. Absolute crud. Sunday was beautiful and I'm not sure if I just overdid it or if I picked up a bug or what. I ache everywhere (but particularly back/hips/legs which makes me think Baby B's having a growing spurt). I am hot cold hot cold hot cold. I have a headache A LOT and only sometimes does it go away with tylenol. I am not sleeping for crap. I wake up at least every 20 minutes IF I fall asleep in the first place. Therefore I am super low energy, I hurt and clearly am NOT getting enough sympathy! I'm also not very hungry which makes me worried because I want to make sure Baby B is getting enough to eat. Right now I'm going to lay down as I'm sitting here shivering. If this is pg related, I shouldn't be complaining because I've had a very uneventful, unstressful, un-sick, unhurting pregnancy thus far. And I know a lot of the things (like my general uncomfortableness, lack of sleep, etc) will ...

Steve & I had a lovely anniversary. On Saturday we met Michelle & Chris for pizza at the best pizza place in the world, Sammys. It was yummy as usual and I enjoyed it. I know it's not very FANCY but I didn't care! It's my favorite. Afterwards they came over and we had a cake that Michelle made. Yum! Michelle & Chris met at our wedding (convenient match-making seating arrangement, dontcha think? hee hee!) and have been together ever since. It was fun to hang out & catch up. I was so excited to do something SOCIAL! Whohooo! I stayed up past MIDNIGHT that night which is unheard of these days. Therefore I slept later than I planned to on Sunday. Sunday Steve & I headed up the North Shore to Lutsen for a day of fall colors. The day was gorgeous. In the upper 70's, not a cloud in the sky, beautiful blue sky with all sorts of gorgeous fall color. Not exactly like the craptacular weather we had a year ago! Ah well. We took the gondola to the top of Moose ...

I find it hard to believe this was already ONE YEAR AGO! To my sweet husband: I love you more and more every day and can't wait to see what the future will bring us. You make me so incredibly happy & I love you.

My business partner Jason participated in Duluth's own "Celebrity Dance Challenge" yesterday (yes, pseudo-business owners are considered 'celebrities' in Duluth). This is the 2nd annual of these events and is put on by The Minnesota Ballet which is a professional dance company here in town. This is their kick-off fundraiser for the year. Jason danced the 'contemporary tango' and he was great! I laughed my ass off when he agreed to be in this back in July but he really committed and pulled of a very nicely done number. We're using the footage for our next film WHITE MAN'S WORLD so it worked out very nicely indeed. I'm very proud of him & his dancing accomplishment. He was awarded "Judges' Choice" - which in my opinion was the 'real' winner. Everyone gets an award - be it "best stage presence," "most enthusiastic," "most romantic" etc. The actual "winner" of the whole shebang is pi...

The Lives of Others is quite possibly the best movie I have seen all year. Set in the mid-80's in the former GDR, this look behind the Berlin Wall at how much the State (Stasi or State Security) affected the lives of every day people. Particularly artists. This film shows both sides of the coin and is at times disturbing and uplifting. It's so hard for me to imagine living in a society like this. Where the higher-ups and government officials goals are to keep their people supressed. To keep their thoughts only in line with what "they" think they should be. And of course the consequences if the rules are not followed. Pretty freaking scary, if you ask me. The acting is impeccable, the story is great and I really just enjoyed this movie. And just when I would think it was getting a bit melodramtic for me, the director pulled back the reins and left just the lightest touch which had a great emotional resonance for me. Check out this film. It definitely deserved to be re...

Johnson Triplets

Steve & I caught most of National Geo's In the Womb tonight (a little different than ANTM, don't you think?). We had seen the In The Womb: Multiples last January after finding out my sister was having triplets. That was mind-blowing then...but this was WAY more mind-blowing because....well, obviously - there is a baby IN MY WOMB! It is amazing to see & hear about the development, to learn about fetal surgery (!!) and hey, who doesn't want to see a human birth at 9:50pm on a Wednesday night? (ay yi yi....). Steve & I both started talking to the baby (ours, that is) during the show. There was one part where it said the fetus will start responding to the mother's voice. I said "hello baby, this is your Mama" and BAM - a kick right where my hand was on my belly. It was awesome. Mind-blowing, but very awesome.

Lately I have become slightly obsessed with the tv show America's Next Top Model . I don't know where it came from or how it started but I found myself watching the previous "cycles" on MTV's on Wednesday nights over the past few weeks, and catching up on the most recent season online...and then finding the OTHER cycles on YouTube....it's really quite bizarre! It got so bad for a while that I was DREAMING about Tyra Banks! At one point I was auditioning for the show (by doing a figure skating routine - I don't know, it was a dream and very weird) and it was "so beautiful" it made Miss Tyra cry. Oh dreams are funny. Anyway - I am not really into fashion (although now my interest has been piqued although I am still style-less. pooh) and I think some of it is SO ridiculous and silly & a little to serious for what it is, but I enjoy watching it SO MUCH. Tonight is the season, sorry, "Cycle" 9 Season Premiere. 7pm (CDT) on CWTV (that...

The Organizational Bug has hit...I wouldn't say that I'm quite "nesting" yet but this is definitely pre-nesting or otherwise known as I'M STARTING TO FREAK OUT because a WEE SMALL PERSON WHO'S TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON US IS MOVING IN IN JANUARY (110 days, not that I'm counting...). My bill paying system had been WAY out of whack since about May and it was driving me nuts. I'm rather anal about such things and had to that back in line. Today, finally, after 3 or 4 days I think I have it back as I like it to be (it involves spreadsheets, formulas, blah blah blah - very nerdy). I feel as though a weight has been listed. I can now estimate how much I can put in my savings, our joint savings, our LA trip fund, 401k, towards that one nasty remaining credit card, etc. I feel much better about things. Thank God. The next task to accomplish is cleaning out the craft room as it will become Baby B's room. I have these fears of something happening, baby coming ear...

Last night both Steve & I were awakened by loud bangs at about 1:30 last night. I thought it was someone vandalizing Steve's truck in the alley - or possibly some really weird lightening sounds. But then we heard sirens - CLOSE sirens and they stopped....so I had to get up and investigate. Naturally. From looking across the alley - we could see a garage was fully engulfed in flames! Egads. 4 firetrucks and numerous police vehicles were around. As were a large number of looky-loos - pretty amazing for that time of night...in the rain. It looked like possibly a transformer blew on the power line (or maybe got struck by lightening?) as there was a loose wire flapping & sparking everywhere (scary). We couldn't see too much but I put my mind to rest when I decided it was the powerline's fault and not garage arson. It took me so long to fall back to sleep after that. Then I kept hearing more of those "bangs" (or small explosions, perhaps?) which was stressing me...

Steve & I before starting our day on the links. Me & my cousin & teammate Jason. Paul, BJ, Jason, my Dad & bro-in-law Jay on the 18th green watching other teams come in. Steve putting on the 18th green.

Ah back after two days with my family. It was a fun time...although Friday night was COLD. We camped at my aunt & uncle's house (lovely hugely wooded property near Longville, MN) and it was COLD COLD COLD. Frost on the cars before we went to bed. I slept with two sleeping bags & a blanket but my face was cold. Saturday golfing was fun - I had a great team and played awesomely! I think pregnant golfing is the way to go. I think I'm slower, more careful & my center of gravity has changed. Hmmm..... my team tied for 3rd place at -9 under par. Thank GOD I didn't have to take home the chicken trophy. Today was much warmer & quite lovely. We had a beautiful drive back to Duluth and when we got here it was QUITE warm. I washed Frances (my car) with a little help from Steve & then we scrubbed an area rug in preparation for a small human type person who might like to lay on the carpet instead of on the hardwood floors (and a blanket of course). Then I touched up ...

To the 2007 Rossow Family Classic (golf tournament). This year it is being held at my aunt & uncle's in Longville - should be fun. Steve & I are camping out. I hope we don't freeze to death! I haven't swung a golf club since last year's tournament so that plus my newly added girth should make this interesting..... Have a great weekend!

I feel like a cliche when I'm.... ...knitting a baby blanket in public (it's not even for me!) ...walking down the ice cream aisle at the grocery store ...oogling baby clothes ...subconsciously rubbing my belly at any and all times of day

Craftapalooza was a success! 2 of 13 came but that didn't matter. We ate loads of food, chatted a whole lot and got some work done on crafty and/or arty projects. I made cards (above), Tanya worked on her scrapbook and Erin worked on some masks which have been WIPs for far too long. It was nice to just play for a few hours even though my allergies kept me fairly miserable feeling for most of the evening. I have left my supplies out and hope I can get a few more cards made before stashing everything away again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Currently I'm in the middle of a MASSIVE allergy attack. I think I've sneezed 5 or 600 times today, I'm going through the kleenexes like crazy, I have a headache, my eyes have that allergy glaze to them and it sucks. I took Beavis to the vet this morning (he's healthy, just geriatric!) which always sets me off - that combined with dusting & vacuuming the living room this morning + gusty autumn winds and there ya go. *sigh* The Claritan (pg approved) is not really doing much for me either. I suppose the only thing I can do is "test" another pumpkin bar.

You get what (you think) you want and you find out... It sucks.

In an effort to actually, you know, HAVE FRIENDS, I often try inviting people over to do things, have dinner, or go out to do something (okay, not as much on that but some) now and then. 3 weeks ago I decided I would try to invite a large (for me - more than 10) group of women over to get crafty, chatty, have drinks & snacks and you know, socialize. I'm sorely feeling the need for female companionship these days and since I have no "regulars" within a 150 mile radius, what the heck! It also gives me an excuse to make & eat Tastefully Simple's Beer Bread and Bacon Bacon dip. And to make some cards or work on my scrapbook.... The menu - the aforementioned Beer Bread & Bacon Bacon dip, carrots, grapes, pretzels, mini quiches, pumpkin bars, wine, beer, juice, pop, etc. It's a "pot luck" so hopefully others will bring some tasty treats too. The plan - bring your crafty-ness - whether you want to make cards or collages, work on a scrapbook, knit, c...

I just watched the season opener of the Minnesota Vikings - 24 to 3 over Atlanta. I must say it was a pretty good game although I'll leave all the detailed commentary to the experts . I was also knitting, cleaning, scanning photos & other things during the game so I wasn't completely sucked in. My husband isn't a sports fan (of any kind) and it's not as much fun to watch games alone. Regardless - yay! I'm glad they won. I also enjoyed one of the last plays when our mascot Ragnar was bowled over by a receiver who came out the end of the endzone after trying to catch a long "ah what the hell" kind of pass. Ragnar gave the Falcon a stern "talking" to. Good Lord - the Packers' game is on now (just the end). Favre is STILL playing? Shows how much I've been paying attention.

Captions for the first photo to come soon. I'm limited in what I can do here. The baby's head is sideways - top of the head to the right of the frame. The eyes are one on top of each other, the 3rd dark area is the open mouth! It was very very cute and ohmygod amazing.

It is so hard to be with someone who's ornery ALL THE TIME. And no, I am not talking about my sweet & wonderful husband. Just some other male that I have to spend lots of hours with. It makes me sad. It makes me depressed. It makes me unmotivated. It makes me question everything (except of course my sweet & wonderful husband).

Lindsay, Gavin & Me The "Birthday Girls" at Forepaugh's Mansion in St. Paul (Lindsay, Me, Kathy) More Triplet updates to be found here .

Okay - these have been done for months and months....but I am trying to finish up the last two. I gave away these two this weekend so I had to take pics before I sent them off! The pink blanket is for my very lovely & adorable niece Hannah. I was finished with this one months before she was born and praying that at least one of the triplets would be a girl! Lucky me!! The blue blanket is for my cousin's cutie-pie son, Gavin. I started this one as a decoy when I taught my sister how to knit while she was on bedrest. Of course I ended up finishing this one months before the trips & Gavin's arrival too....sometimes I'm on schedule. I have a green one (for George) and a yellow one (for Josh) that I am finishing up. Then next on the needles is a lavendar one for Miss Sydney in SoCal (Sam's ultra-preemie - I didn't know there was such a distinction!) and then I'm taking a BREAK from knitting this pattern for a while. I'm getting burnt out but it is my very...

Here's a couple of updated belly shots. Depending on what I wear (and really, how much I've eaten that day....) I either look GINORMOUS or not pregnant at all, just chubby - ha! I prefer to look PREGNANT at this point - haha. So far I'm doing pretty good, I think. I have gained about 6 pounds or so.

This project was I think April or May's designated project for the " In Stitches Sew-a-long " that I am in...but as usual I'm months behind schedule. Oh well. I made these placemats for my sister Kathy for her birthday in August. I used the pattern in the Amy Butler book IN STITCHES. I used Peltex interfacing (one side fusible) instead of Timtex because that's all the lame fabric store in my town has (don't get me started on the not-so-good fabric selection and poor prices). I did not like that interfacing at all - it just didn't work and the placemats are crinkly sounding! I followed the ironing/steaming directions and it didn't work. I still have enough to make another set of the placemats and I'm not sure what I'll do. Hmph. I also modified the napkins - instead of making reversibles, I just made normal one-sided ones - copied the size on a set I already had. I used a paint chip from the color of Kathy's recently repainted kitchen. It lo...

On my way from visiting the world's cutest niece & nephews to my father-in-law's cabin yesterday, a lovely 3-hour-drive on mostly 2 lane highways, my right rear tire blew out! Well, more like cracked and disintegrated...which was unnerving enough. I had recently (within an hour) put air in the tire (to the correct PSI) and was taking it easy just to make sure when suddenly the car pulled to the right and I thought, Hmmmm, that doesn't feel right. I better check that tire. I pulled over on the shoulder (luckily I was on a 4 lane divided highway at this point somewhere in Wisconsin) and sure enough - my tire was smoking & crumbling (!) right there on the roadside. I called Steve who was at the cabin already and barely had a signal and told him what happened. While on the phone a mini-van pulled up behind me with a family in it. They had seen my tire go, gone past me, turned around and returned to help me! The mom & daughter helped me unload my car (filled with a b...