yoga mat bag

I have always wanted a yoga mat bag.

when i first started yoga, I used the mats from the studio.

Then, I upgraded to buying my own mat,

but to get it to and from yoga, i put rubber bands on the ends.

Then, i got a hemp mat sling.

But I wanted something that i could throw my keys, phone, and water in.

All the ones I saw were too expensive and not really my style.

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so i decided to make my own.

the scary part was that i have NEVER sewn a zipper

but i decided to go for it anyway.

i had sewing for dummies and a couple other books.

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for fabric, i bought a sheet at the thrift store for $2, washed it, and it was ready to go.

i made the pattern up on my own.

b/c i am too scared to learn how to read a pattern.

plus, i am pulling a sus kramer, and just making stuff up.

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here is the finished product.

pocket on the outside

sewed my name on it, with a leaf border

the zipper up close and personal

you can see the mat inside

pocket for ID and key

me excited about the yoga mat bag

Cozy Cottage

this morning we went to

The Cozy Cottage

for breakfast.

It is the cutest little place that you ever did see.

Run by the cutest little lady, Janette.

It only has 6 tables (more outside in the spring/summer).

It makes you feel like you are eating at your grandma's house

for breakfast/lunch.

She serves a side of peas with all meals,

and we asked why, and she had done that at her last

place for 27 years, and people couldn't remember the name

of it, but remembered the peas. So, she

decided to so it at the place.

I highly recommend it!!!!

country b/f

grits, eggs (with hot sauce on them)

sausage

peas

biscuits and gravy that you can't see.

caramel apple pancakes

YUMM!!!!!

cam's deskercycle

he rigged up this contraption in the basement so he could work out AND study at the same time.

he calls it his Desk-er-Cycle. The computer can be plugged in, and he can do homework.

he's so smart, but weird.

dog hiding place

sometimes when the office is too messy

and schnooze can't get on te chair to sleep

we find her in the closet all curled up.

poor dog, she wishes she had a sister...

i got this swing for my friend kate,

and schnooze wanted to try it out...

i turned the swing part on and she LOVED IT!!!

she stayed in it and didn't jump out.

she was so cute!!!!

should we call CPS because...

should we call CPS because...

these children were abandoned without clothes in the woods?

*Left to Right: MariElena, Lane, Lauren, Polly, Liz, Evy holding Sus

and I guess we had been swimming in the pond at Gram's

or playing in the sand?!?!?

dog = Ruby.

this child is being made to model in heels?
*Sus sitting on Onnie's counter, wearing heels, with an awesome bandaid on her knee
this child is obviously not getting fed enough?
*sus, trying to eat more???? watch out folks, she'll eat you too!

DANGER!?!?!?!?!
*I mean really come on, does this seem safe?

well it was, these dogs were so loving

They were onnie's dogs, she had a lot of boxers, but

the last 2 i remember were Adolf & Commissar

tri county health

well it looks as though it's time to start planning.

what am i planning for you ask?

oh ya know,

just Swaziland.

yippee!!!!

i really already want to start packing.

but it's a tad early.

i'm not leaving until may.

anyway, i went to the health dept's

website and got my list of immunizations i need for

swaziland, did a price check, and think it will

be cheaper at my dr's office, but they are calling me back.

i need yellow fever, typhoid, and anti-malaria pills.

rabies is like $600, so sus said if i get bit by a rabid dog

she would rush me to the largest hospital in South Africa.

I am so excited, i really can't wait.

Sus said we could to to all these cool places

and maybe even pet baby cheetahs!!!!

Anyway, just a little bit on why I am excited.

*not excited for actually getting the shots though... even as a nurse, i HATE shots.

i get all sweaty and just know they are gonna hit my bone.

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on another note... we will be soooo busy this summer. it's ridiculous.

may12-june 2: africa

june 10-12: cameron is presenting at a natl gamblers conference

in portland and i get to go with him!!!!

july 5: steve and LB's wedding

July 30-31: my HS reunion

and sometime in between there i have to work 3 days/week.

geesh.

dress i made

i made a dress.

1. get some knit fabric

(i got the end of a bolt of some random $3.49/yard knit)

i think it was a little over 2 yards, which was PLENTY!

2. make up a pattern copying what your sister did

3. make a tube of fabric for the top

4. fold that tube in half

this will be the bodice

sew that to itself (just make a hem at the bottom of the tube that you folded.

5. make another long (or short if you so choose) tube of fabric

this will be the skirt.

6. sew these 2 pieces together.

knit doesnt have to be hemmed b/c it does fray and just rolls up

so it's perfect.

so you can wear the item as a skirt (see figure 1)

or a dress (see figure 2)

figure 1
figure 2

figure 2 far away

tags my momma got me for my bday

dress hanging from ceiling :)

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that's all.

more oldies

i love love love old pics!!!!

me and Lo, don't worry folks, sucked my thumb til 1st grade

when i was bribed to quit if i got my ears pierced
oh check it out, gram is throwing back a PRB
Lo and I are the cutest huh?

Onnie, Grandpa, Derek, Mom, and me

wow.

nuggets

we went to a nuggets game last night

me, stephen, bethany, bethany's sister ashley, her husband van, their daughter kaelynn, and their mom. it was a lot of fun, but we were so tired, b/c the game went until 11:30pm.

the nuggets won! and we saw (from afar) chancey and carmelo!

party pics

martha dinner the other night

okay i thought i took this pic, but i think i must have taken a pic of the recipe

page, b/c this is too good.

anyway, mine looked like this.

truffles.

roasted onions and pears

now i know for sure these are pics of pics
some amazing fancy grilled ham and cheese
and a warm potato salad with frissee.

so yummy.
great fun with the blankenships and brents.
love.

CCRN

name on a plaque.

success.

haiti

pray for haiti.

been working a lot.
expect posts soon.

love liz

question time

just like Lo did awhile ago, i will answer some q's:

1. from Leslie about only having 1 tv in the basement:
-is seemed odd to me not to have a tv at first, esp no cable.
but a lot of people in CO a. don't have one b. dont have cable
so 3 years ago, we canceled cable, and when we moved here, put it in the basement.
it seemed best for the space, and we didn't want to watch it anyway.
i get my news facts from NPR and work, my most watched shows from hulu,
and rent movies/shows from netflix.

2. Lo about first kid to wear capris:
- i think they were just highwaters.

3. Kaite on I look exactly like my mom:
I DO!!!! thank goodness, b/c she is gorgeous!

4. Leslie for bread recipe:
bread recipe then i added garlic cloves throughout the dough.

5. Leslie on creepy guy making creepo comments on my blog:
- i deleted that right away, but i keep getting weirdo posts like that from different people.
i am afraid that if i make my blog members only no one will read it.

6. Leslie on stealing her starbucks mug:
- bethany gave it to me as a thanks for taking my dog out while i was gone" gift.
i love it!

7. leslie on thanksgiving:
no we're not popular, just the only ones crazy enough to make a turkey.
Lane on hough noodles:
no we didnt, b/c we don't have the recipe.

that's as far as i am going back now.
i will try to answer your qs more frequently.

i will try to blog more now that the holidays are over.

4 more months til AFRICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

more oldies

seriously, how hot is my mom?

and so skinny!!!

who wears a bikini like that after having a kid???

my hot mom!

sexy sunglasses

also, dont you love my bathing suit????
she has a 6-pack i am pretty sure....

look at judy drinking a pbr

lo with her awesome floaties

and again, my moms flat belly!

how cute am i?

i had that pillow case for so long.... now i don't know where it is

started yoga at a young age :)

oldies but goodies

this is me on my 1st bday i believe.

grandpa made the cake

look how happy and cute they are

so cute!

look how happy she is!
am i patting the cake???

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i have been going through old pics b/c
(you know you live in the new electronic age when your 10 year class reunion is all on facebook, invite, photos, and all)
anyway, i was looking for photos to scan for the FB page of my highschool for the reunion.
and i came across these... more to come...

oh little schnooze why do you put up with us?

happy new year!!!

we had our third annual (minus 1 year last year) new years party!

it's awesome b/c we have it at our house

and then don't have to worry about driving*

*smart cookies

i forgot to take pics until RIGHT before midnight

I had worked that whole day, taken a 2 hour nap

then got up and got ready

and people started coming over!

a suprise visit from erin who was to have already moved that day

we are so glad she came!

erin, macy, bethany

chad & autumn (her idea for the party!)

andy, erin, stephen, melissa

sisters

lexie and lauren

moved down to the basement where the tv is

so we could watch the actual countdown

david and allison showed up!!!!

(they have the beagle that ate my shower curtain)

*stephen's new hat... lookin' stylish stephen!

midnight!!!!!!!!!!!

everyone!!!

macy, erin, liz, bethany

*after some celebratory rum shots!

reminiscent of my birthday 2 years ago....

david and allison

it was a great new year!!!!!!!