The Office

Dear Pat and Carla,
Ok, so...
He hit Meredith with his car within the first 30 seconds of the show.
It's going to be a good season.
Love,
Erin & Richard

It's a Girl!

Welcome to the world
Sophia Colette Nourse!
Sophia Colette was born this morning at 3:12am, weighing 6lbs 13oz and measuring 20.25 inches long.
She has dark fuzz all over her head and dark eyes.
In the time that it took me to call people at 4am and tell them the news, Jared called Richard BACK and said, "Come now!" So we jumped in the car and went off to meet the little Sweet Pea.
Naomi said Sophia didn't cry when she was born, but just made some noises. By the time we got there, she was trying out her lungs and sucking on her fists. I'm exhausted and dreading the work day now, but it was WELL worth it.
Naomi, Jared and Sophia are all doing very well, though very tired.
It was so wonderful to meet the baby. I pray that the Lord will bless her and that she will grow up to be a gentle and Godly woman, wife and mother.
God bless you, little girl. We've been waiting for you!


I was only able to get one photo before my camera died.
If I get over there later today, I will post more pics.

Hi

Highland cow says, "Hi, Sasha."

Pics to chase away the grumpies...

Our first dance. January 8, 2005




Erin & Dad in an internet cafe in Edinburgh, Spring 2004
I was so thin!









Dad, Mom, Erin, Lauren in a cafe, immediately after their arrival in Edinburgh. We dined on sausages and sausages. Yes!





The explanation for the MacLean Cross on the Isle of Iona.


Erin and Mom on High Street in Orkney, Spring 2004




Lauren and Dad holding their pots before the great coffee cookoff. Christmas 2006


Erin & Noonie at a game in Stillwater.


Dad and Erin having a drink one night in Edinburgh.


Leah, Sasha & Lauren at the wedding.



Erin, Rich, Matt & Marah at the Twins game where Joe Mauer won the batting title and we won our division. Fall 2006


Naomi, Sarah & Erin painting Sarah's house to sell it!


Pedro with his Beaver. (An all time favorite toy that died an ugly death. We came home one day to find beaver brains all over the living room. It was a sad day.)


McClain long range shooting.


Erin & Lauren at the wedding.


Father & Daughter dance.
Love this photo.

Lauren handed out "something blue" right before the wedding. Skyy Vodka.








Graduation day. Spring 2005.

Nothing to Say

Really.
Nothing.
No, wait. I do have one thing to say.
It doesn't seem fair that friends and acquaintences can read my blog and know what's going on in my life, but they don't comment and don't keep in touch, so I don't know what's going on in their lives.
Does that seem fair to you?
Just something I've been thinking about.
It's really the only downside to blogging that I can come up with.
Gotta go--I need a slushie.

Back by Popular Demand

My goals for the weekend (in order):
1. Shave my legs. (I've literally been so busy that I haven't had time...for too long.)
2. Put away my new maternity clothes that I got over Labor Day (Aunt Kris was mildly horrified).
3. Go to church.
4. Watch a movie.
5. Finish my book.
6. Make out with my husband.

I'm invoking a "Cell Phone Free" weekend.
I will check my phone periodically, but I do not intend to take it with me anywhere, and it will most likely reside on my dresser for the duration of the weekend. Consider yourselves informed.
If you want to see me, come on over! Just be warned, there may be a little of #6 going on.
If it's important, try Richard's phone.
I love you all...I just haven't had a break in a while. See my previous blog. I never actually got that day off.

My Week Last Week

Monday: Blogger Breakfast.
Tuesday: Can't remember. Probably worked late.
Wednesday: Cancel Bible Study. Make two dozen cookies and muffins.
Thursday: Alpha.
Friday: 14-15 week check up. Attempt to clean the house, but crash at 7pm with an headache.
Saturday: Spend the day babysitting Timmers (OMS, so fun!), then cleaning the house for THE BACHELOR PARTY.
Sunday: Clean the house (again) for the Beckenbach's to arrive. Drive to Hudson for dinner with Kristi.
Monday: Work half-day, want to kill sales reps. Meet the Beckenbach's for lunch, then spend the evening hanging out. (What better?!)
Tuesday: Back at work, trying to keep my eyes open.

Can I have a day off now?

Flowers and Jewelry

Remember the guy who totally freaked when I told him I was pregnant?
Well, let's talk about that.
Guys like that are my cross to bear.
When I was in middle school I had a neighbor. I don't want to tell you his name, but it rhymes with "Madam." This Badam really had a crush on me--and looking back on it, it was very sweet. One time he bought me a pair of earrings at a renaissance festival that he went to with his mom, and he brought me flowers when I stayed home from school sick. I, of course, was horrified by this, being 12-years-old, and not at ALL interested in a relationship with someone I thought was a total nerd. (Mom, be fair--he was a nerd.) In fact, I gave the earrings back because I didn't want to give him the "wrong idea." I'm sure it hurt his feelings and what on earth "wrong idea" can there be at the age of twelve?? Oh well.
Despite my horror, however, I could never tell Radam to get lost. I knew, even at 12 (through 17) that he was just a nice kid and it was sweet that he had such an high opinion of me.
Well...this sort of thing started with Padam and continued through high school (rhymes with Schad), though I did finally tell Tchad to scram, when his parents came to my house WHILE I WASN'T THERE and sat across from my parents fo plan our future together. Then in college it was a guy whose name rhymes with Revin Romstomski (though it turns out he actually preferred my BFF--crisis averted).
And now that I'm a career woman, it's Rhymes-with-Rom. Dom manages to come to my desk EVERY time I'm on the phone. He STANDS there just listening, then usually has something silly to tell me. Any chance he has, Pom pats me on the back and asks how I'm doing.
I confess--I'm not treating Nom with much grace today.
I'm doing fine, Lom. I'm a titch crabby, ready for the week to be done, and for the last time I. DON'T. WANT. YOUR. RENAISSANCE. FESTIVAL. EARRINGS.

Omens

Today is going to be a bad day.
Know how I know?

• I left work last night at 6pm.
• I stayed up past midnight baking cookies and muffins for the United Way Bake Sale today.
• It took me an hour and a half to drive 17 miles to work this morning.
• I passed a man walking a three-legged chihuahua.

These are all bad signs.
Here's what I made last night--they turned out REALLY well.

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese "Muffins"








Frosted sugar cookies
They wer put in a similar package to the "muffins."

Thank the Good Lord for Cream Cheese

OK, friends.
I found a recipe on a different blog for Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese "Muffins."
OH. MY. STARS.
They will make you thank the good Lord for cream cheese. I'm not kidding. Although, let's be honest. I do that every day.
I had everything in my cupboard to make them. Go for it. You won't regret it.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a titch more because I wanted them sweet)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups or use paper liners. Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Beat in egg, cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into cream cheese mixture until flour is moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups filling them 3/4 full. (Batter will be thick.) Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, about 20 minutes.

You can thank me after you thank the good Lord.

Dear Co-Workers

Dear Co-Workers,
It is SO funny when you come to check out my candy dish, find it empty, and pretend to dump out the imaginary candy. I almost pee my pants with glee when you turn the bowl upside down and bang on the bottom like it's a ketchup bottle, as if you might be able to get out any last pieces. I also think it's really hilarious when you dig around in the empty candy dish pretending to fish for any leftover candies. I'm crying with laughter.
Really, it cracks me up every time. You are a comic genius.
No! No, I don't think you're a freeloading vulture at all! Are freeloading vultures as hilarious as you?
Um, NO. No way!
YOU are funny.
Funny, funny, funny. Really. Good joke.
Love,
Erin

Goals Met

I met all of my goals for the weekend and even managed to get some laundry done and paint my toenails.
Success!
I had a VERY nice breakfast this morning with The Swamp Hare and MammaKnows, where I got to see Chef Felton at work. We feasted on cheesy grits (mmmmmm....), chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter pancakes. Oh, and don't forget the french pressed coffee! (Decaf, of course.) The best part was finally getting to meet the Felton crew including three, yes THREE Rhodesian Ridgebacks. I learned that their barks (their incredibly loud barks) are much, much bigger than their bites. They were incredibly sweet dogs. Honestly, though, I couldn't get over their size. I'm used to a dog who is actually a little shorter than our cat...not a dog that can be saddled! (Mark, I would NEVER do that!)
All joking aside, I wish I could have stayed longer and kept talking, and of course, Cheryl and the kids were as delightful as I had hoped.
It was a really nice breakfast, er, I mean, Dentist Appointment...

Sixteen Weeks

At 4:00pm today, I asked Richard if football was almost over.
He laughed.
It could be a long season.

Cool Video

I don't usually like stuff like this, but this video has a cool ending. It's worth the 5 minutes.
Sorry, I can't figure out how to put it on my blog like all you cool kids can.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

This weekend

My goals for this weekend:
1. Clean the bathroom (this is long overdue).
2. Scrub the kitchen floor (even more overdue).
3. Nap.

If I miss your call it's obviously because I'll be so busy.

Man or Woman?

On the way to work this morning, I rode most of the way behind a little green station wagon.
I watched (risking my own peril) with rapt attention as the driver of that little green Toyota transformed from a woman to a man.
First (s)he rubbed and rubbed her face with a wipe or cloth, which I can only imagine was make-up removal, and then she removed her wig revealing a very bald head.
He split off and took 35E North while I continued on 694, so I didn't get to see any other costume changes.
I usually finish getting ready for work in my car, too...I just didn't expect a complete gender transformation while creeping along the "un-weave the weave" project.
Haha--gives new meaning to "weave."
Oh, I kill myself.

You can't make this shit up.

New Life Rule

Dear Young Women around my age;
A new Life Rule for you:
Don't wear shoes in which you are unable to walk.
3-inch heels' sex appeal is severely diminished if you walk like a club-foot.
Sincerely yours,
Erin

The Truck

WARNING: DINKS story to follow.

On Monday night, while we were still in Wausau, Richard found a truck online in Hudson that he just HAD. TO. HAVE.

We met the seller at Tom Thumb in North Hudson (old school Hudsonites know exactly what I'm talking about, even though it hasn't been Tom Thumb for years), and the truck was deemed perfect by Richard. He called the seller the next morning to tell him we wanted to arrange a purchase.

As soon as the seller agreed, I sprang (sprung?) into action. I opened a savings account at my company's credit union and started the process for getting a loan. I have never done this before and it was more than a little stressful. I was away from my desk off and on for over two hours and was literally sweating by the time I finally got back to my desk, and I don't mind telling you, my Secret for Women failed me yesterday. No matter, though, I got everything settled, retrieved a cashier's check for the seller, handed off the check to Rich, who picked up the truck in Maplewood last night.

He came home later that night and said, "I need to take a break. I feel like things are going too fast."

My mom asked me if it's a "male compensation truck."

How to answer that?

It's a big truck. (Pedro can't get in it without help, and I'm afraid to drive it.)

When we got it, it was covered in NRA, bowhunting, and fishing stickers--complete with "bullet holes" on the tailgate. It even had cammo seat covers and an antenna that looks like a fishing pole. I'd say this truck was definitely compensation for somebody.

Decide for yourself:

Just some stuff.

Oh, it was hard to come to work this morning!
We had a nice weekend at my parents' shopping and napping, alternately.

On my drive this morning, I got to thinking about all the schools that are starting today, and all those kids out there who are "new." I prayed for the "new kids" this morning, whether they are transplant kids who moved over the summer, starting a new school--like moving from Middle to High School, or whatever the case may be.
It's tough to be the new kid, and even though some of us may have never moved, we all know what it feels like to think we are the outsider.
I dunno. Just something I was thinking about.

In other news, several people have asked for a Richard update.
In short, he's doing really great!
He's been hobbling around without crutches as much as he dares, and even drove home from Wausau last night (no small feat, since he had to clutch with his broken leg). His mood is substantially lifted since he can get up and about a lot more easily and has been able to help me a lot more around the house, which is nice. (I didn't realize how much I relied on him for household duties until he couldn't help any more!)
He's got another check-up appointment next week, where we are hoping to see a vast improvement, and hopefully start to get rid of those crutches!
Thank you very much for all your thoughts and prayers. We are both VERY ready to be a crutch-free household!

On my iPod today:
Jason Mraz
Makes me feel like I'm in college again.