nicole lauren leopolde

twenty six

2011-04-16T15:42:00.001-07:00

So I turned 26! My sister and John took me to Coach Insigina in the Ren Cen in Detroit, it was the fanciest dinner I have ever had! It is on the 72nd floor, it was beautiful to ride up the elevator over looking the city, our table which over looked the Ambassador Bridge also wasn't too bad of a view! We had a delicious dinner and Natalie surprised me with a whoopie pie for dessert because she knew thats all I wanted for my birthday! My friend at work Laura had flowers waiting for me on my table, they were beautiful :) It was a great day, I felt very special and loved! Thank you!! :) :) :)

Not a bad first day in fl....

2011-03-27T16:42:00.001-07:00

I cant wait for her to see this picture.... :)

2011-03-26T13:48:00.001-07:00

This was Christmas eve who knows how long ago at my house....clearly Lori was having a super fun time :) hahahahhahah ohhh Lori sorry I had to post it! love ya!

2011-03-25T07:46:00.001-07:00

Do u think my dad knows there is a kitty in the house?

Dinner tonight!

2011-03-24T17:53:00.001-07:00

Guess the list!

2011-03-24T13:28:00.001-07:00

"like us"

2011-03-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

"LIKE" the Lululemon Athletica Somerset Facebook page and look for "Nikki's Notes" I am doing a more health and fitness type blog on our store website and you should be reading it!

Maybe one day...

2011-03-23T13:20:00.001-07:00

I love journals almost as much as I love recipe books and stationary...but I feel nothing I have to say is good enough to go in a journal this cool....

no fun...

2011-03-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I have some aggravated disks in my back...the pain started Friday and to be in the worse pain of my life couldn't have come at a better time...my sister had a 4day weekend and the NCAA tourney was going on so that meant laying on my sisters couch while she took care of me watching basketball ALL day for 2 days straight....Good thing gunner was in the mood for cuddling....Thanks Nat and John for letting me be a houseguest this weekend :)

Birthday fun :)

2011-03-19T14:56:00.001-07:00

Irish celebration!

2011-03-19T14:54:00.001-07:00

I spent St.Pattys with some of the best peeps around!

Happy Birthday!!!

2011-03-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Today my big sister turns 28!! Happy Birthday to the best big sister there is :) The reasons listed below are all reasonsshe is a good big sister....

Natalie:

- likes to make all of the decisions

- is bossy

- buys the best presents

- shares all her cool stuff

- lets me borrow her car for long road trips

- drives me to all of my races and will sit in the cold/rain/heat and cheer for me

- lets me use her house likes its my own :)

Happy Birthday Nat! I am happy you are mine!

2011-03-16T16:24:00.001-07:00

Put it in stone!

Sweet treat

2011-03-15T13:07:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Biggby! .99 cent lattes all day!

Lookin good, first chemo!

2011-03-15T07:26:00.001-07:00

Makin' strides!

2011-03-14T19:34:00.001-07:00

Where did the film go?

2011-03-14T17:09:00.001-07:00

I don't know what year it was but I remember it very clearly....my dad bought my sister and I the very first Kodak easy share camera that hit the market but I decided I wanted something more fancy to take artsy pictures. We went to the camera store and I picked out the camera pictured above and I remember my dad saying to the guy "Now, this a film camera....is this going to be around in a few years?" and I remember being embarrassed and thinking; oh my gosh dad its film where is it going to go?!?!? The guy echoed my thoughts agreeing film was not going anywhere...Fast forward to today when I want this exact same camera... but digital...and throw in the fact no one uses film.

So I am going back old school, I am breaking out the film and just seein how it goes!

corktown

2011-03-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Gunner and I ran the St.Pattys Corktown race in Detroit yesterday, it was so much fun. Natalie, John and Shelby all came to cheer us on. Gunner got sooo many compliments he was on a high! While running Gunner was:

- high-fived

- cheered at

- petted

- complimented

- offered and accepted a sip of beer

-offered but refused a shot of Jameson

- the most handsome pup running

The race was really run went by super fast since my cousin and I have been training for a 1/2 marathon 3 miles felt like nothing! I also ran in my five finger shoes, and besides an initial frozen foot problem everything went great!

dinner tonight

2011-03-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

In search of protein I decided to make a fish soup and since I have like a 10lb bag of tilapia I picked up at Costco I decided to put it to use and found this Tomato Tilapia soup from Women's Health mag.

1/3 C thinly sliced baby carrots

1/3 C red onion slivers

12 oz tilapia fillets, cut into large chunks

1 1/2 C chopped broccoli florets

1 C canned diced tomatoes, with juice

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, combine carrots, onion, oil, thyme, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add broth and water. Bring almost to boiling. Add tilapia, broccoli, tomatoes, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until tilapia is cooked, about 8 minutes.

an unprocessed life...

2011-03-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

It is proving to be more of a hassle than a challenge to eat unprocessed foods.... I find it annoying that foods that are marketed as healthy really are not. For instance chicken broth that you assume is made of, well, chicken broth has MSG in it and my Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt has aspartame in it, which has 92 side effects including everything from heart palpitations to blindness to Alzheimer’s. Giving up processed foods makes me stop and think about exactly what I am eating.... So start reading your labels .... Can you pronounce the chemicals you are eating? Just a lil food for thought :)

Hypnotist Day 1

2011-03-11T05:44:00.001-08:00

Moms's pre thoughts: "Excited, he says he can go back in my memory; every emotion every experience like a tape in my memory, we are going to go back and visit that and find out what started my MS. I feel hopeful for the healing to begin."

Stay tuned....

2011-03-10T11:35:00.001-08:00

My mom is meeting with a hypnotist today who says he can cure MS....stay tuned...

Lent...

2011-03-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

I am trying to embrace the spirit of Lent and really do something that would be challenging....I decided to give up processed foods and Facebook!!

Here is an awesome granola recipe that has no processed ingredients!

3 bananas

2 T all natural honey

1 Egg

2 C whole oats

Then 2 C's combination of anything you want! almonds, flax, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, go crazy! You can even add cheerios or a fiber cereal

-Spread on baking sheet and cook @ 350 for 20 min or so until the ends start to turn brown...Enjoy!

HAPPY5.

2011-01-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

Spending 5 years with the same boy has got me to thinking why I like him and how we made it to the monumental mile stone that is 5 years :) ...

1. We trust each other

2. We have the same hobbies

3. We have different hobbies that we like to share with the other

4. He will watch Biggest Loser with me and I will watch documentaries with him

5. He doesn't mind (too much) that I go to bed early and I don't mind (too much) that he stays up late...and most importantly....

6. When I am insisting on eating ice cream and cookies, he knows when to say "babe do you really what that??? but he also knows when to just come home with a pint of Ben & Jerrys for each of us.

Happy 5!!

Stinky turns 3

2011-01-26T19:06:00.000-08:00

First of all, you have to understand my sister and brother in law are not planning on having any kids....Gunner is the closest I will potentially come to having a nephew....so with that in mind:

Happy Birthday Gunner!!! 3 years!!!

Facts about Gunner.

1. he likes to play tug with anyone willing to participate

2. he is everyones friend

3. he loves his sister and cousin

4. he does not like squeezing through any tight space or loud noises

5. he is my running partner and pace setter

6. his real name was Ranger and he is from East Lansing

7. he is a stinker

here's to 5!!

2011-01-19T12:35:00.000-08:00

Jonathan and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary last weekend in NY...well the actual date isn't until this Saturday, the 29th...but we celebrated early because it was our last weekend together. Here are some pics from the weekend....and a quick recap....

-It took us 2 days of driving and 17 hours to make a drive that usually takes 10 hours and didn't accelerate over 50mph until the end of Pennsylvania....

-We stood still on a Pennsylvania Highway for 2 hours straight, Jonathan talked to truckers, peed on the side of the road and we downloaded a police scanner on my phone to keep up to date with what was happening.

- We saw a 9 semi truck pile up

-We studied together at a cute coffee shop

- We had dinner at The Melting Pot and the waiter brought us cheesecake with a candle on it for our anniversary :)

- Jonathan got me a heart shamrock shaped necklace and he got a compass from me, it was engraved with the quote "So you always know where you are and where home is" :)

- Now on to the next 5!!

home sweet homestead

2011-01-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

In the winter, The Homestead is my favorite place to go in Michigan...It is right on Lake Michigan and is just the perfect place :) I am thankful to Jonathan's family for including me on their winter ski trips!

perfect timing

2011-01-09T19:40:00.000-08:00

Tonight my work had a post Christmas get together at my coworkers fabulous home....Everyone knows what has been going on with my family and were offering their encouragement, prayers and support and it was so uplifting to see these amazing women after a long 2 weeks away.

One of my coworkers and party host who I truly love offered this advice..."All you can do is take care of today, do what is right for now and have the faith that the rest will work out."

Those weren't her exact words but you get the gist...well as I was driving home I felt really comforted by this. I was beginning to feel strong and confident that all we can do as a family is what needs to be done and what is for the best right now and give the rest to God.

This is not advice I usually like... I like a plan and "it will all just work out" does not sound like a great plan to me. Jonathan is famous for offering advice such as "it will work itself out" or "don't worry you will figure it out" I never really considered (or appreciated) that advice until today it seemed to be the perfect answer....

Well short story long, after a little googling and inspiration seeking I found this little website and realized that my friend (and reluctantly Jonathan) were right and trusting it will all work itself out and offering it up is sometimes the best answer. The title of the site is perfect, and is set up and explained in almost a Bible Passages for Beginners sort of way (which I appreciated), and I really enjoyed reading what I found....

Matt 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." NIV

a limitless life

2011-01-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

Jonathan gave me this book for Christmas.... the subtitle is "Inspiration for a ridiculously good life." The cover speaks for itself, but here are some of my favorite quotes so far...

" There is nothing wrong with looking ahead and planning for the future, but know that your worst fears could just as easily be your best surprise. Very often life works out for the good."

"Your can't wait for that miracle, or just the right opportunity, you should consider yourself the stick and the world your pot of stew. Stir it up. "

"Don't ever forget that God never gives up on you. Keep moving ahead because action creates momentium, which in turn creates unanticipated opportunities."

More to come ... :)

Lets try this again.....

2011-01-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well since my last entry was in April of 2010 it is clear I ran out 0f things to talk about....but I figured there is no time like the present to get going again, and as it just so happens I now have a lot to say! And since the only people probably reading this are my cousins ( and Erin) .....I hope you 3 enjoy! :)

2010 recap

- We almost bought a cottage up north...but then didn't

- We lost Grandpa Galas :(

- Jonathan and I spent out first Thanksgiving in 5 years together

- Gracie is not anymore trained than she was in 2009

- I spent the year back at school pursuing an associates degree to be a Physical Therapy Assistant....About 1.5 years left!

- Dad got diagnosed with colon cancer after Christmas...we are still awaiting a lot of details...

- My cousin Kyle moved home from silly Arizona!!!

I will add more as they come to me :)

happy 25

2010-04-17T08:06:00.001-07:00

The important things...

2010-03-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

My earliest memories involve this cookie jar.....I never knew where it came from or even what animal it really was, or how "off" looking it really is... all I knew is that it was in my Grandma Galas's kitchen and ALWAYS filled with cookies. I remember taking cookies when I was a kid.... I remember my grandpa dropping the lid and grandma having to glue the ears back together. This cookie jar is way more than a cookie jar....now with grandma gone Aunt Annette gave me the OK to take the cookie jar, which I found out she gave to grandma so many years ago. It's really weird to see the jar not in grandma's kitchen, it looks silly and out of place... I can't wait to put this cookie jar into my own kitchen and keep it filled just like grandma. I honestly can't remember a time where there weren't cookies in the jar.....

Could it get any worse?

2010-03-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick recap of my week.

- Made my brother in law venison chili...ended up getting jalapeno juice on my LAST pair of contacts, I have poor vision, hate wearing my classes, I have no insurance I had to get an eye exam & ordered contacts offline due to no insurance... they will take over a week to get to me because they don' t have my prescription in stock, but I paid $10 extra for fast shipping....

- Went to Walmart to look into getting new glasses on the cheap, while I was there I had the lady adjust my current glasses (that have been killing me!!)....she broke them, she snapped my Gucci glasses in half. But its ok because she replaced them with a free Walmart pair.....no I am not making this up.

- I am now currently wearing Walmart glasses with my contacts on backorder.

- Took my sisters dogs for a walk on a brisk (almost) spring day....and developed a 4 day semi ear infection...(again no insurance, doctor is not an option)

- Made my mom dinner...sliced my finger and nail straight through the middle...dr is not an option...

I am usually a very positive optimistic person but this is ridiculous!!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

This year, like all the years since Jonathan and I have been dating, his parents take us to The Homestead by Traverse City for a week of skiing over New Years with their whole family!! It is one of my favorite places to be in Michigan! Jonathan is in the light parade every year (and always the best one) Here are some of my favorites :)

tree trimming!!

2009-12-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

Natalie and John came over tonight for a Tree Trimming Party! We decorated our tree and set up our mantle! I made homemade marshmallows! They are really easy to make and a great addition to any hot cocoa :)

Happy Halloween!!!

2009-10-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Perfect Day

2009-09-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

I could not have asked for a better Sunday! It started off with going to Church with the Bunks, I got to listen to Matt sing, and Lori preach! It was perfect. Then my mom, sister, John and I went to Blakes Cider Mill, shared some cider and doughnuts, and picked raspberries!! It ended with a nice dinner with my parents.

Ludington Triathlon!!

2009-09-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

I ran my first triathlon!!! It was a sprint triathlon in Ludington, which made for an awesome weekend. Jonathan and his whole family camped that weekend and my parents came up Saturday night for my race Sunday, Natalie and John were even there too!! We all had lots of fun camping together, lots of campfires and good food!! My race went well, Jonathan's sister Molly ran it with me...the swimming was brutal but all in all it was an amazing experience!!

County Fair!!

2009-08-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Jonathan's Grandpa took us to the Saginaw County Fair!! It really was an afternoon well spent :)

My new friend!

Jonathan's new friends...there was a cow auction too!!

Best lookin' kid at the carnival :)

View from the death ride Grandpa made us go on!

I was nervous about going on this ride...then Grandpa reassured me it was "put together well"

Friends just relaxin'.... :)

2009-08-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Post rollerblading beverage :)

happy birthday brother in law!!

2009-07-19T19:28:00.001-07:00

This past Thursday was John's birthday! We celebrated by going to Benihana then ice cream cake and lots of presents!!! I think it ended up being a terrific party :)

cherries cherries cherries!

2009-07-19T19:06:00.001-07:00

This is my friend (And national cherry queen)'s family business! They are now selling in randazzo's and whole foods, go get some cherry salsa and vinagerette soooo good!! Just click!

Market Find: Natalie Robyn's Cherry Salsa detnews.com The Detroit News

Shared via AddThis

2009-07-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

A watermelon is 91% water. It is also a source of lycopene. Lycopene travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are substances in the body that can cause much damage to us. They are able to oxidize cholesterol, making it stick to blood vessel walls and thicken them which can lead to hearty attack or stroke. Watermelon can stop that from happening.

I bet you want some watermelon now.?

Purchase NY

2009-07-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

I went to Jonathans orientation @ Purchase College last week, we went with his parents and had an awesome time. While we were there I visited Manhattanville College where I was offered a position as a graduate assistant for next year. My and Jonathans school are about one mile apart, and they are very close to the city of White Plains which is beautiful....We have alot ahead of us!!

Detroit lovin'

2009-07-13T19:00:00.001-07:00

So part of being my sister and brother in law involves coming with me when I get crazy ideas of places I want to go....Sometimes it works out and others times it is just a crazy experience....case in point = Detroit's Eastern Market & Rollerblading Club in Detroit.

Eastern Market was awesome, we got there early in the morning. I got some basil :) but best of all we got fresh ingredients to make Mojitos, nothin like fresh mint and limes!!

The rollerblading club started off as a great idea...we meet this group of 4% normal people and 96% crazy people on the river walk. We rollerbladed as a group throughout the city. It started off as alot of fun...then we were ready for it to be over and get to the bar to watch the Tigers and ended up having to separate from the group...Lets just say it was an experience...

chicago with my momma

2009-06-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday night my mom and I booked a hotel for the next 2 days in Chicago, I guess you could say it was a spontaneous trip! We stayed right on Michigan ave - we shopped, went to lunch, went on a architecture boat tour. We also got to visit with my old teammate Callie and Jonathan's sister Stephanie. We went to a dinner and a comedy club with Steph and out to dinner with Callie and her boyfriend, I got to see their new apartment which made me very happy. It was a great trip, my mom and I had a great time!!

yeah, i like food...

2009-06-26T19:06:00.001-07:00

My workout revamp has me thinking about my eating habits, which are usually pretty outstanding. Jonathan teases me that I only eat twigs, plants, berries..etc :) But I do have unhealthy habits, so I took a quiz to find out what kind of eater I am. I was pretty impressed, it defined me quite well....

Nostalgia Nosher

You love the way certain foods recapture the feelings of holidays past.

What triggers your eating:
Family get-togethers, your mother's recipe file. 'A lot of holiday foods bring back strong memories,' says Tammy Baker, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. 'That emotional attachment is hard to resist.'

Stay-slim strategies:

Skip what isn't special

'Instead of blindly helping yourself to everything on the table, you might ask yourself, "What are the three things I would really like to have?" and take those," If you still can't choose? 'Remind yourself, "I know what chocolate (or bean dip or potato salad) tastes like. That's something I can have any day, so right now I'll have something else I really want."'

FYI.. I also found out what kind of eater Jonathan is....

The 'Inhaler': this person eats a four-course meal in under 10 minutes. Once he's done, he has a hard time remembering what the food tasted like.

P90X oh my!

2009-06-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

(Thanks to Nina and Matt) Today was day 1 of the P90X Program. Only 89 more to go!! So far so good! It's pretty intense I was only capable of doing like 3 real push ups (out of about 200) before I had to go to my knees. But none the less I completed the entire day 1....Stay tuned and wish me luck on my 89 more!!

Lake City

2009-06-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to Lake City with Jonathan to celebrate his Grandpa's 88 and his cousin Sora's 4th Birthday! It was an awesome time! His aunt has a place right on the lake, we spent our time on the boats, laying out, grillin and havin' bonfires, no complaints here :)

life.

2009-06-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't blogged since Memorial Day I have been trying to think of a good blog post which sorry to say I don't have...But here is a quick recap of my life.

- I visited Winthrop University in S.C to interview for their Graduate Soccer Coach...it went well, I am waiting to hear back...I have more schools I am interested in...it's all giving me a headache.

- I never see my boyfriend. It is no fun. Skype and the cell phone keep our relationship going, and I am tired of both of them. Note to Self: Live in the same town as your boyfriend.

- I am training for a triathlon. Swimming correctly is actually very hard. I have been biking a ton and swimming, but due to severe ankle pain I am putting off running for a bit. The triathlon is in Ludington and Jonathan and I are doing it together, our camp site is booked!

- I am trying to find a really good book to read. One that is inspiring, motivating and thought provoking....any ideas?

- I have been rollerblading with my dog, but she runs so fast that her paws get cut....I am now looking into puppy booties.

- I bought Coach rain boots and am looking forward to the next time it rains.

- My mom watched my "garden" for me one weekend and all my plants died. Go figure. They are slowly growing back now and I am worried they are way behind schedule. I have banana peppers, sweet peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and some herbs.

- I am going up north this weekend to Lake City with Jonathan's family for his grandpa's birthday and I am pumped. I love up north.

- I am dying to eat at Kona grill I have been craving sushi for 3 weeks and have yet to get some.

- I reread the last 2 Harry Potter books and loved them as much as the first time.

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Memorial day was filled with the St. Mary's Polish Festival, BBQ'n, boyfriend & roller blading with dogs!

Momma Tess!

2009-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Stewart family is 99.9% sure Tess is pregnant! It looks like she will be expecting puppies 1/2 Golden Retriever, 1/2 Black Lab! She certainly is a cougar!!

The best runnng partner

2009-05-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

A dog, hands down, is the best running partner. I rotate between Gracie, my puppy nephew Gunner and Jonathan's dog Magglio, but really any dog will do!

Top 5 reasons a dog is the best running partner:

1.) They don't judge you for the pace your running, they just enjoy the run however fast....or slow!
2.) If you need to stop they don't tell you your slacking, they enjoy the rest ...your really walking because the dog is tired anyway right? :)
3.) When you're running you don't have to worry what they are thinking they are happy regardless if you take the long way or the short way back home.
4.) When you are not sure you really want to go for that run, looking at your pup and seeing how excited they get when they see their leash gives you the extra push to get out the door.
5.) When you are on your last leg home and wanna get that extra push your pup always has that extra burst of speed and encourages you to sprint it all the way in!

So go get a dog and go for a run!

Mothers Day Love

2009-05-10T17:37:00.001-07:00

Mothers day was more of a Mother's Weekend for my mom. Saturday we had the Walk in Detroit and Sunday was my Alumni game. My mom came to the game and had lots of fun catching up with the other moms. My dad made a delicious rib dinner and Natalie and John came over, even Jonathan was there too! And after dinner Jonathan gave my dad a lesson in pool :) For a present I am buying my mom potted flowers for the front of the house with my first paycheck. My dad even let me take his Corvette to the Alumni game! All in all it was a great day! Love you mom!

Proud Alumni!

2009-05-10T17:23:00.001-07:00

Sunday we had our annual Foley Soccer Alumni Game! Some people have mixed feelings about lacing the ol' cleats up again after "X" many years away from the game and choose not to come. For me, even though I haven't played since last years alumni game I LOVE coming back to play. I have so many great memories from Foley Soccer and just being there makes me think of all the great times I had, not to mention the 3 State Championships :) This year we had a great turn out (compared to years past) 12 alumni come and hopefully more will come each year. The alumni, still steller, won the game 6-1! Current team mom's had food for us after the game and it ended up being a really great time, full of " Do you remember when's!?!" & "What are you doing now?!?" Thanks to everyone that came hope to see you all next year too!

Kim's Kursaders!!

2009-05-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we did a walk to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. My team and I raised almost $700! The walk started @ Comerica Park went all the way down Woodward to the water front then back up to inside Comerica Park. It was a gorgeous day the clouds parted and the sun came out just as we made our way to Detroit! A lot of people came out to show their support and it really was an amazing day! Thank you to everyone who donated and showed their support it was truly a perfect day!

2009-05-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

I went to the Cappuccino Cafe in E.L last week to visit Jonathan at work...I ordered a caramel cappuccino, and this is how he made it for me....he sure is full of love!!!

25!!

2009-04-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Happy twenty five Jonathan!!! For his birthday I made him a jar filled with 25 reasons I love him, here are some of my favorites....

He thinks I'm beautiful in my glasses
He cooks the best breakfast...full of love
He wakes up early when we are camping to make a fire for me.

there are way more but those are my favorite.....Happy birthday babe I love you!!

movin up and on....

2009-04-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Jonathan and his sister Molly moved out of the apartment they shared for nearly 2 years today. In those 2 years Molly graduated from Michigan State with a degree in Human Biology and Jonathan will be leaving E.L with an offer to attend the prestigious Purchase College in New York to pursue acting. Alot was accomplished in those 2 years at 2287 Stonehedge Apt. B....here are some moving day pictures and a few of Jonathan getting his B-day gifts from me a day early :)

high class puppy

2009-04-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

I may be stereotyping but for a pit bull by pup has expensive taste, those are Rachael Ray treats!

2009-04-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Lululemon!

2009-04-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

So starting Friday I will be employed! Last Sunday I had an interview at Lululemon Athletica @ Somerset. They sell super cute yoga and running clothes, my interview was a 50min yoga session followed by a meet and greet. My next info meeting will come after another yoga session! Meetings should always come after yoga! I am very excited to start this adventure, it feels like the right thing at the right time and I am excited to explore the yogi in me!

birthday wrap-up

2009-04-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well its official the noise has stopped, the smoke has cleared, its all said and done......I'm 24.

I have a hard time with age, I hate seeing the years tick by, but for some reason this one was a smooth transition. It was very low key, Jonathan gave me my present last weekend which was the Tigers game, my sister incapable of waiting also gave me my presents early, and my mom and dad game me a helmet for my new bike, which also came early! So April 16th was spent just lounging around 40% sick...Jonathan was here and we planted flowers on my Nona's and Papa Joes grave, we tried to find grandma Galas's grave, but I only have been there twice, so we roamed but could not locate it, (Sorry Grandma I'll me back!) Jonathan took me out to breakfast where my birthday officially kicked off with chocolate chip pancakes! Then we baked my birthday cake. All in all it was a good day, Jonathan is now off to NY to check out his possibly future college, cross your fingers!!

2009-04-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

i have fallen hard...

2009-04-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

I think its time to put my old Coach's on ebay to get some funds, because I have fallen hard for this lil lady...

dinner date

2009-04-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Erin came over for our regular scheduled Tuesday dinner and Biggest Loser date! Today was my "birthday" dinner we made homemade spinach gnocchi and my favvvvvorite dessert: S'more brownies :) and she brought me a lil special prize!! :)

Thanks 4 the flowers :)

Can you tell what one we made!!??!

Boyfriend gave me a Tiger.

2009-04-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

Jonathan also gave me my birthday present early, and like my sisters gift, it was perfect! He Surprised me with Tigers tickets! He strategically picked seats where he thought we would have the best chance at a foul ball. We sat 6 rows up from the 3rd base line, it was awesome! The Tigers warmed up and signed autographs right in front of us! Foul balls came close but we didn't catch any I had my mitt ready just incase! We had an awesome time, Comerica Park is just beautiful and just being there made me so happy, good present boyfriend! I love you very much :)

early birthday love

2009-04-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, if you didn't know my sister absolutely can't wait until the designated present giving day to give the presents she bought. Christmas, birthday any and all presents come early. Now, while I can count on my sister to give me my present early, I can also count on her to give the prefect present as well. She is very thoughtful and can easily identify the perfect present for the recipient. This year was no different, on April 6th (10 days before my birthday) while in the car, my sister declared she was now giving me my present. Of course it was perfect! A wax sealing kit. And then yesterday after she found out I was going to the Tigers game, my sister gave me my second present, the picture explains it all! Apparently she is getting me back for the "boy" card my mom bought her.
I know this post isn't too exciting but her presents were so thoughtful they deserved their own post!

My wax kit comes with 5 different stampers and 5 colors of wax :)

Thanks for the money Nat and John, I really enjoyed my beer and dog :)

love my city!

2009-04-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

So I love Detroit, yes I think it needs some changes but I just love it. Today I found out the city wants to tear down the old train station :( Let me tell you, I wanted my wedding pictures in front of that building, no joke! This past weekend we had alot of fun in the D! My sister, best friend Caitlin and myself oh yeah and Gunner and Oliver ran in the Final Four 5K race which was down the riverwalk, so pretty. My mom and I went on Friday to watch the MSU's open practice @ Ford Field and on Monday we went downtown to watch the National Championship game! All in all it wa an awesome atmosphere and just solidified my love for the D :) Here are some pics of the weekend fun!

16 things update

2009-04-09T08:33:00.001-07:00

I am not sure if I will finish my 16 things but I will try my best!! Here are some things I have accomplished so far!!

Walked in a new park, babysat Isaac and Maddy (in that picture Maddy is showing Isaac the picture she has of him in her room), baked a pie! More to come!

16 new things!

2009-04-01T09:50:00.001-07:00

I have decided to do 16 new things one for each day before my birthday! With help from Kyle, here is my list so far, in no particular order....

1. Go to a movie by myself
2. Paint my nails a new color they have never been
3. Walk in a new park- Nelson Park in Sterling Heights
4. Watch all Lord of the Rings- Fellowship of the Ring, The 2 Towers, Return of the King
5. Meditate
6. Give blood
7. Eat dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner
8. Sit in on a court hearing
9. Bake a pie from scratch- Blueberry-Apple
10. Teach my dog a new trick
11. Shoot a gun
12. Read a book in 1 day- Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
13. Fly a kite
14. Do something to help out Nina and Lori!- Baby sat Isaac and Maddy :)
15. Plant flowers on Papa Joes & Nona's grave
16.

2009-04-01T07:47:00.001-07:00

This was borrowed from my cousins page, thanks Lori!

Heartless...

Today's Challenge from My Utmost:

It is Christ . . . who also makes intercession for us. . . . the Spirit . . . makes intercession for the saints
Romans 8:34, 27

Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede. If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.

puppy for sale!

2009-03-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

This is the text and picture my sister sends me today from Gunner:

"I want to go for a walk today, will you take me? Oh wait, one problem is that I chewed through my leash..."

happy birthday!!

2009-03-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my dear friend Erin! I couldn't ask for a better friend. She is especially good at driving me to the airport, taking me to get my wisdom teeth out, going shopping, running in races, cooking dinners on Tuesdays with me just to name a few!! Happy 24! It only gets better from here...I hope!!

4 legged friends

2009-03-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

We hung up a bird feeder to watch birds...Gracie just likes to chase them away...a bird has yet to land on our feeder....

My new puppy niece Shelby!

Gunner wasn't getting enough attention so he started to sing...

don't accept unsatisfactory

2009-03-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

So I have complained to 2 different establishments this past week due to unsatisfactory experiences.

First to Cheeseburger in Paradise for giving my sister and I our first 3 Mojitos made incorrectly they actually served us over $20 in the wrong drink! Also, after telling the waitress it was my sisters birthday, they forgot to sing to her!

Second unsatisfactory experience was in Knoxville, TN when Jonathan and I were driving home from FL we stopped to get pizza @ Pizza Hut where one large 2 topping costs us $20! It also looked and tasted like crap-0.

Both establishments got an ear-full from me! My questions is am I turning into an old lady prematurely or just a girl who knows that she wants!?!

yum-o & stick-o

2009-03-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

I used the infamous pasta maker again tonight when my sis and brother in law came over for dinner! I was making homemade spaghetti & turkey meat balls and tried to make spaghetti noodles for the first time.... a tricky art that I have yet to conquer. Everything appeared to be going well except that my noodles stuck together :( we still used them but it was more knife and fork noodles oops you live and you learn! However dessert was delic! Sugar-free Jello with Cool Whip very simple !

butter?

2009-03-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

Boys puzzle me...especially mine...Today I am hanging out in East Lansing and have a few hours by myself why Jonathan is at school. Thinking about making dinner for us tonight I ask.... "Do you have any food in your apartment?" his answer was "Yes!" and proceeds to name very few foods of substance.....But the first "food" he named was butter. The list was something like this: butter, eggs, bread. Am I wrong or is butter not a food?...Isn't it like saying you have Crisco or syrup when someone asks you if you have any food? Maybe I am wrong.....

Balm in Gilead

2009-03-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

My big boy is in his final play at Lansing Community College before he moves on to bigger and better things!! The play is Balm in Gilead, he plays Dopey!(the same character Gary Sinise played)

A groundbreaking play, both in form and content, which explores the underside of society in mid-60's New York through overlapping naturalistic dialogue mixed with stark theatricality. With its at times haunting, at times humorous, but always unflinching look into the lower depths of society, this ensemble piece is a landmark of American theatre. Adult audiences.

8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, March 27-28
2 p.m. Sunday, March 29
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 3-4, 8 p.m.
Dart Auditorium
500 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing, 48933

Good luck Babe!!

the big 2-6

2009-03-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Happy 26 sister!! After some calculating we figured my sisters age which is now in fact 26 and not 25 which we thought all week oops! :) Jon took her out all day first breakfast at the Detroit Breakfast House, then to the casino, and finally off too a mani/massage! Not a bad day! Then they came over to my parents house where I had a lil party all set up, and made corned beef and cabbage, and of course a cake! The candles I found at the dollar store were awesome, they were sparklers! After dinner we met up with Terry and Angela at cheeseburger in paradise and has some of our favorite mojitos! ....The best part of the day was probably the card my mom got for my sister! It is pictured below and we all had a good laugh out of it :)

spring cleaning

2009-03-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

So today I did a little spring cleaning what I discovered (besides the fact that I am weirdly addicted to cleaning) is that I do not need anymore: swim suits, hair products, skin care products, or stationary.....but why is it those are the 4 things that I will never stop buying on a regular basis?!? I also discovered that while spring cleaning organizes your bedroom, bathroom....etc..it also organizes and cleans out your life....you discover like me, what you need less of, what you need more of, & what you need to stop buying no matter how tempting!

running with friends and dogs

2009-03-15T14:57:00.001-07:00

Erin, Lauren and I ran in the St.Patty's day Corktown race through the D, it was sooo much fun. After some homemade T-shirt drama we had the night before we persevered and had lots of fun running our 4 miles! The race was down Michigan Ave around old Tigers Stadium and then around Campus Martius, altrough now I am suffering some major knee pain for some unknown reason, the run was still worth it and will for sure do it again next year!! Oh ya I ran with my doggie nephew Gunner.....he got sooo many compliments that I think his head grew 3x's its normal size!!

Friends!

My running partner
Lauren and me making our first turn
Our route Of course he got an ice cream after all his hard work!!!

More pics on FB fyi....... :)

spring break "oh" 9 oh-ya!!!

2009-03-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

So I know it is pretty ridiculous that I am unemployed & a year out of college and went on spring break...but I did....and it was fabulous!! Every winter for the whole winter Jonathans grandpa goes to Florida, he has a condo right on the ocean and that is where we were this past week...here are some pics of my fav parts, the rest are on my FB page!

The best part is we spent the week together!

The man of the week: Grandpa Allen

The ocean everywhere you look!

Fishing! We didn't catch fish but we did find lots of snails!!

Sunsets.....

The sun is rising in this picture, we went fishing at 6am! I saw dolphins and a sting ray jump right out of the water!

my birthday goal

2009-03-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Update: Ughhhh so due to this excruciating pain I get in my knee every time I try to run I will not be able to complete my birthday challenge...I'm going to take some time off and hope for a speedy recovery!!

I joined a NIKE+ challenge to finish 100 miles...since the time I joined the group I have logged 24 miles, my goal is to finish my 100 mile challenge by my birthday April 16th! Only 76 miles to go!!

how many hearts have you broken?

2009-03-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

On a quick stop at the gas station, I ran into pre-pay with my cash, two men were working behind the counter, like cute grandpa age older Italian men....

"$10 on #4 please"
"ok ok but hold on, we have a bet going on that we need you to settle...."
"alright, whats the bet?"
"Ok, I say 10, and (pointing to the other older gentleman) he says 8...so answer"
"what...?"
" So tell us! .....How many hearts have you broken?!?"

hahah I just laughed, and tried to explain to them I have never broken a heart they proceeded to tell me that is not possible and I must have broken at least ten! haha

Thanks gentlemen you sure flattered this girl today!

walk with the pups @ dodge park

2009-02-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Featured in these pictures are, the Karabelski's- Natalie & John, their dog Gunner aka Stinky, me and my pup Gracie aka G-Face

2009-02-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

Getting your eyebrows waxed makes you feel like a new woman, agree?

another educational lesson: oatmeal

2009-02-28T07:14:00.000-08:00

so another delicious treat i am addicted to! here is why this is a must-add to your breakfast routine!

1. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.
2. Oatmeal slows down your digestive process making you feel full longer, it helps control weight.
3. It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.
4. The phytochemicals in oats may also have cancer-fighting properties.
5. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein
6. Oatmeal reduces the risk or type 2 diabetes.

Who wouldn't want to eat this cancer fighting-heart disease preventing-nutrient rich treat!?!?!

how i make it: put about 3/4C dried oats in a large (tall) cereal bowl add lots of cinnamon, depending on the day i can add: walnuts, frozen blueberrys, raisins, or chopped apples or i mix in bananas and strawberrys after its cooked. Cover with water until some oats start to float. microwave for about 3:30! Enjoy ....i also add a touch of coffeemate creamer when its done cooking for extra flavor!

yay!

2009-02-25T07:31:00.000-08:00

I finished my first scarf! Thanks buddy for teaching me :)

yum

2009-02-24T15:34:00.000-08:00

I am addicted to my noodle maker, today's menu was chicken noodle soup! I am taking orders now, get your name in for the next batch!

puppy trouble

2009-02-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

My buddy Tina is teaching me how to knit! I am almost done with my first scarf,unfortunately I left my yarn out just long enough for Gracie to get mischievous....

the truth about bananas

2009-02-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

So I have an obsession with bananas, I have at least one a day, usually two, and when they are not in the house they are the one thing I crave. When I am about to go to East Lansing to visit Jonathan and he asks what I want him to have in the apartment for me, my answer: Bananas (and coffee creamer) Whenever I eat a banana I secretly wish that I lived where they grew, which I found through banana research is South America, South-East Asia, Africa and the Caribbean islands. I want to own a banana tree so badly. My curiosity about the nutrition of a banana caused me to google: the truth about bananas. What I found will change your life!

Gym- Two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
Depression:People suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, one of the twenty common "amino actids" that make up all proteins that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: Bananas contain the vitamin B6 which regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood
Anemia-High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure- High in potassium yet low in salt bananas have the ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power -Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Stress- Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Now who wants a banana!?!

my day of love

2009-02-15T15:43:00.001-08:00

So Jonathan and I celebrated our 4th Valentines day and he arrived to my house with a half dozen roses, or a six pack of roses as he calls them :) We usually don't make a big deal about it just spend time together, cook a nice dinner and watch a "Saw" movie. We celebrate more the Valentines day Massacre.

This year we were on Saw IV, it was just as gruesome and disturbing as the first three. Before the movie we made a nice big breakfast of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and hot chocolate! In the afternoon we went and picked up my sisters dog Gunner and went for a Valentines day run together, we usually go for a run to celebrate any holiday or special occasion :) Then we were on to dinner which was amazing! We made homemade ravioli! We used our pasta machine that we have had for 14 years but never used! We stuffed them with ricotta, spinach and yellow peppers, and served it with homemade roasted garlic bread! Yum Yum! And not to brag or anything but I made the most amazing dessert ever it was from food network they were s'more brownies and I suggest making them for any and every occasion!

We did exchange little love gifts too :) I made Jonathan a cookbook of his favorite recipes that I always make for him. Recipes included my famous lasagna, and veggie pizza. He gave me Vera Bradley stationary which is basically the way to my heart, and he made me a calendar of pictures of us which is also one of my most favorite things. But my favorite present was the love letter he wrote me which almost made me melt :) All in all we had a perfect weekend ! Here are some pictures of my favorite parts enjoy!

help me fight Multiple Sclerosis

2009-02-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday May 9th @ 9AM I am participating in MS Walk Detroit. It is a 3 mile walk in downtown Detroit by Comerica Park to raise money in hopes of finding a cure for MS. I am walking in honor of my mom and formed a team " Kims Krusaders." I set a goal of $500 for my team. I am hoping you will donate to Kims Krusaders @
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/4kim

Anyone who has met my mom knows how amazing she is so support her in this walk against MS and donate to Kims Krusdaers!! You can also join the team and walk with us May 9th. Info @:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/4kim

Every hour someone is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

most miles in 19 days!

2009-02-12T13:29:00.001-08:00

nona

2009-02-12T09:50:00.001-08:00

So my dad had the week off work so he decided to clean out one of the spare rooms in our basement. Since we moved we seemed to accumulate more stuff and it was just time to go through it all... Well, he came upon some bags of clothes that belonged to my mom's mom, Nona. There were the most precious outfits in there! My mom and I knew all the clothes in these bags were my Nona's but and instead of just marking the bag for donation to good-will we went though each piece just to get a smile and bring back some memories. We found the cutest tops and I could just picture her in these outfits sitting out front her nursing home, in the sun of course, getting a tan as we pulled up to visit. She was always outside!! They smelt like her too, you could still smell her perfume and it felt as if she was almost with us again. It was such a pleasant memory and an unexpected one as well :)

do i have something on my face?

2009-02-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Happy 3 Years!

2009-02-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

Jonathan and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary, or crappiversary as we call it, this past January 29th. We went to dinner at one of our favorite dinner places in East Lansing called Clara's. Jonathan received a Coach wallet from his thoughtful girlfriend and I got a ski weekend to be claimed at a later date :) We also headed off to Chicago! Jonathan had auditions for some colleges he is applying to for the fall for their theatre program. We stayed with his sister in the city & the weekend was spent eating Chicago deep dish pizza and watching the Steelers kick some booty!! We also went for an anniversary run on the bike path by the lake. It was awesome to run along the water and be able to see the city in the distance the whole time! Jonathan's auditions went great & all in all we had a great anniversary weekend.

runnnnnnnnnnning

2009-01-27T10:38:00.001-08:00

Could you speak up Lord?

2009-01-26T12:09:00.001-08:00

So I have not been to Church in a while....I am more of a " Live the Word" type of Catholic. But recently I have been feeling that I would enjoy a little God recharge. Since we moved I had to research to find a new church, I did, and St. John Vianney on Schoenherr was my answer. Jonathan was going to be in town over the weekend and also feeling the need for a recharge agreed to go with me, we brought along Big Kim too...

Excited for our potentially new church we arrived about 25 minutes early, not exceptionally early in my opinion, but maybe for the veteran church go-er. Well the parking lot was empty. So empty I thought there wasn't even a mass. After a few minutes of " should we go in??" we did, and found some seats off to the right about half way back. Now ten minutes until start time, just a hand full of people sprinkled throughout the Church.

Mass started and I was ready to hear the Word of the Lord, expect I couldn't hear it. Literally. I could not hear, the microphone was so low it was almost inaudible. When mass started the place was MAYBE 1/2 full (that is a very generous estimation) by 20 minutes in there was standing room only. I was amazed and slightly appalled a the number of people that barged in late; during the gospel reading, when Father was talking, didn't matter, people flooded the doors. I couldn't help to think that even at a hockey game when you arrive late they make you wait until the whistle blows before they let you find your seat and interrupt the people that had the courtesy to arrive on time. I mean, at least wait for a hymn to barge the church doors and not during the gospel.

So now we have late people bustling around the church, combine that with crying babies, rustling coats, an air vent behind us that was so loud I thought I was on an airplane, and a low microphone. I was miserable, but persevered though.... Well....

Church was over. Father told us to " Go in peace," and you would have thought the place was on fire...All those to eager to bust in late were just as eager to bust down the doors to get out. People were practically pushing past the Priest on his way out to get to the doors. Another appalling moment in my St. John Vianney experience.

Let just say it was not what I was hoping for my first day back to church.

I left feeling less that inspired and more than annoyed. We enjoyed a nice big breakfast at The Orange Peel post church and are still debating on whether or not to give St. John Vianney another shot... or is it just to laid back for me??