Thursday Thirteen

1. I'm buying a new camera. I have a little Canon PowerShot but it's just that - a little PowerShot. I love photography and I love playing around with techniques and ideas and my camera just doesn't cut it. It's the kind that I will keep in my purse because, well, you should ALWAYS have a camera on you, but for trips, events, etc. I am going to get a nice one. I'm looking at this one, mostly because my mom has a similar model and LOVES it and because I can't afford the next model up and I think it will be quite awhile before I "outgrow" this camera. I'm no professional. :) (Psst, Carrie, tell me what you think!)

2. I am so excited for this weekend. Heather will be down Saturday evening which means that Sunday morning doesn't have to be rushed AND I can go out and do something after church without having to come straight home! Not only THAT, but I'm having a party on Saturday! Everyone keeps asking me why and my response has been, "Do you NEED an excuse to have a party?!" I invited some friends and coworkers and am planning a Hawaiian menu of Huli Huli chicken, rice, (special) macaroni salad and fruit kabobs. I'm stoked. I get to hang out with all my favorite people!

3. I miss blogging. I say that a lot, I know. By the time I get home after work, I just want to crash. And crash I do, usually for two hours. It's the only thing that saves me because I don't go to bed until 11pm. But I do miss blogging and updating and posting photos and the like. Just wait until November - it's NaBloPoMo and I plan to participate! I've already started planning. ;)

4. Every year I reeeeally wish I had a garden. I love fresh fruit and veggies and I wish I could grow them myself. Last summer I lived in a tiny apartment and all I had room for was the little mini potted sunflower outside my front door. This year I probably could have managed something but I honestly don't know if I would have had the time. Plus, my dog is fairly destructive and RAVENOUS. Next year, I don't really care where I live, I am having SOME sort of a garden. I will buy a kiddie pool and poke holes in the bottom and fill it with dirt if I have to. =) I want to grow strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and maybe even some onions and broccoli. I would also love to have some green beans but those are a little trickier because you have to string them up. And raspberries take up a lot of room. And kiwi, well, those grow on trees. But hey, you gotta start somewhere. =) One of these years I'll get a chest freezer and spend the summer freezing and preserving so I can enjoy it all year long!

5. I would also love to get the motivation to start trying way more new recipes. My dilemma is that I just cook for myself. I usually don't have anybody here to share dinner with. My other dilemma is that deep down I want to be one of those people who clips coupons and grocery shops strategically, but I've had a hard time getting there. It takes energy! And time! I don't have much of those things.

6. I've started a list of things I want to accomplish, either now or my Future List of Endeavors for (I hate saying this) when I'm back down to one job and have spare time. Perhaps I'll post them here soon.

7. Upcoming events (i.e. other reasons I need a decent camera): The first day of school (2nd grade!); Steve's best friend's wedding; our anniversary (4 years!); the Star Wars Orchestra concert we're going to see.

8. I gave in. I started reading Twilight. I'm 16 pages in and so far it's totally dumb. I had said I wouldn't admit to reading it but eh. So far I do NOT understand the hype.

9. One thing I am MAJORLY excited about though is seeing The Time Traveler's Wife. I have read the book 4 times (and highly recommend it!) because I love it so much and my cousin, who is a fellow lover of the book, said the movie was fantastic. I have NO idea when I'll get to see it but hopefully soon!

10. I'm contemplating ways to put together an at-home workout routine for myself. Dorothy's daughter's roommate (Doozie) has a son who is 10 and is thinking about selling his Wii. Doozie mentioned that maybe they could bring it down here and set it up. I would have a chance to use it and Jordan could play with it and then I can decide if I'd like to buy it from Blu. I think if I had the WiiFit I would totally use it. I would love to start doing yoga and it has so many different workout options, it's really quite amazing. One of my cousins sent me two (unopened) workout DVD's and to be completely honest, I have not tried them yet (sorry, Rachel!). One of them is a yoga DVD though and I AM anxious to give it a shot. My goal is this weekend. I hear SUCH good things about yoga and although I have never tried it, it sounds like a great option for me and my lifestyle. I miss using the Cardiac Rehab gym at the hospital (for free) after hours. I'm a treadmill lover.

11. I'm also really excited for NEXT weekend because Heather will be down on Friday evening and I CAN GO TO COFFEE ON SATURDAY MORNING! For the first time in MONTHS! (Stacy, please do not tell Madre I will be there.) =) Not to mention, it's Labor Day weekend which means 3 days off! Monday morning I'll have to get up at 6 like always to hook up Dorothy's feeding tube but when I shut it off at 7 I can go back to bed for however long I want because her daytime caregiver will be here. Woo hoo!

12. A photo. =) Because I know you're all dying to know what I looked like when I was a little squirt. (Actually, I was probably about 8 in this picture but omg, look at my brother's dimple and my sister's ALL AROUND CUTENESS!!!)

13. As always, when I'm scarce here, check out my Twitter sidebar to see what I'm up to on a daily/hourly basis.