Last night I went with Rachelle, Jill and some of Jill's aunt's and cousins to Crafts Unique in Hamburg to paint ceramics. OMG! I loved it and recommend it. There are so many options of things to paint. Every holiday and thing you can imagine from a bank shaped like an order of french fries, to mardi gras type masks to christmas to halloween and everything in between. I could spend hours just trying to pick something but this time I went in with a mission to paint some type of reindeer. Mind you there were still probably 20 options of reindeer (when I say there are lots of options , I mean it!) What's even crazier is Mary has painted an example of most of them and has painted ones throughout the store. It is so fun to walk around and look at.

Each of the things has directions on how to paint it to look like the example. Mind you you can do whatever you want and customize but it does give you really good guidance. I guess I never realized how it gets done. THey all get coated in a black coat layer first no matter what color you are painting it. Even if it is eventually going to be white, you first put a coat of black on it. Then there are like tons of times you do different colors one over the other with different strokes to give the texture and color you are looking for. For instance there are 4 browns in my reindeer but you have to go over each one with a lighter one in different way to make it look right.

I am not like super good at it but luckily Jill's aunt is like a proffesional and gave me lots of tips and watched me like a hawk and make me change what I was doing if I was messing up.

I think my final product looks pretty good and you can put a candle underneath and it will light out through the holes in the wreath around its neck.

I definitely want to go back but I think Dave is afraid we will get over knickknacked (if we aren't there already).

Overall, I totally recommend Crafts Unique. It is on South Park Ave in Hamburg (I think Hamburg at least). Mary the owner is really nice, there are so many options that there is something for everyone. You pay for the piece (I think my reindeer was like 16 dollars) and then you pay 2 dollars for all the painting you need. It's definitely a good price for a fun night and then you have something to take home at the end. They close at 9 and I am not sure what time they open. We went at six and it took almost until 9 to finish so make sure you give yourself enough time. Or you can leave it there and go back another time and finish up.

OOOOH I almost forgot, in case you were wondering how did he do those eyes. They look soo good. Mary will do the eyes for you. The eyes really make or break a piece and are difficult to get right so she will do the eyes for you. She also will give you any advice if you need it if you make a mistake and are trying to fix it. She really seems great! Everyone should go!

Yesterday I took the day off of work which was really nice because I have been working a crazy amount and it has been really stressful. We are going through about 10 million major changes at work that I am at the helm of. Luckily I think it just might start to get better soon, I was able to handle 2 team lead type roles that I just filled that I hope will help take some pressure off of me so both the staff gets the attention they need but I can also work on the bigger projects that are happening as well. I'm hopeful. I really wish I worked downtown. I just think I would enjoy it so much more. You all know I love downtown and I just think it would be so nice not to have my totally congested commute everyday. It is taking longer and longer now with the 198 being 30mph and like the yield signs it takes so much longer. I was in favor of the change to 30mph originally but now with all the additional changes I am currently less in favor but still open to it. I have seen way more accidents since it has went down to 30mph but that is probably due to people getting used to it and going all different mph. I still am not sure what other viable alternatives there are.

I know there are alternatives and people always mention like Ferry, Hertel, AMherst that go east to west but I mean those are all streets that people actually live on and businesses are on and people are walking around. I don't really see why it is a better alternative to send thousands of cars down streets where people live, work and play? It seems a little NIMBYish. I don't want these cars traveling through my park and area so send them through city streets where other people live.

Well this was not the point of my post at all. The real point of my post is I had the day off yesterday and for the first time in a while because we had fresh milk (I only drink milk like until a week before the expiration date so it doens't last long so I hardly every buy it) I had my coffee with Corn Chex in it. We used to always have that at my nonna's for breakfast when I would sleep over there. There is something so delcious about chex in a fresh cup of coffee with sugar and milk. I think you should all try it! It is delish!

So me and (e:libertad) had my parents over for a cookout on Labor Day. I think my mom was excited to have a day off from having to provide the holiday meal. Too bad (e:ptj) were out of town so it was just the four of us...Anywho this is really about parents, well at least my parents and their skills. Our dining room table has been messed up and you couldn't take out the leaves and make it smaller and it also was off kilter in the center evven with the leaves. Well in the middle of dinner my dad was like this table is off I can fix it after dinner. And after dinner he just like flipped over the table with (e:libertad) (well to tell the truth they forgot to take the leaves out first and everything came smashing down) but after that he was able to figure out a way to fix it and now it is like perfecdtily fine and just needs a little tab thing for the leaf to totally be evened out. So crazy, I was pretty much ready to buy a new set.

Well this made me think hwo do parents accumulate all these skills. I have no skills really. Well I can glitter. And win at a lot of pop culture trivia and I'm pretty good at candy crush. But life skills like fixing a table , not so much. I feel like this is the point in my life where I should be acquiring these skills right?

And then I realized I didn't even bother to stay in the same room and watch (it'snot like I wasn't doing anything, I was doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen) but I don't know.

All in all I can't imagine what I would do without my parents for many many reasons obviously but who else coudl I go to for the answer to almost anything?!?

(e:yesthatcasey) pointed out I never post on (e:strip) anymore the other day and I realized I hadn't posted anything since April and definitely hadn't posted tons even before that. I looked back and I used to post almost daily at the beginning and a lot for years after that. I will likely post that much again because I don't necessarily want to post every last detail of my life online anymore but at the same time having all my old posts was so nice because it really provided a lot of memories of what I was doing at the time. So I am going to try and post more we will see.

First things first, read til the end there is a surprise ending (or just skip right ahead to the end now if you don't want the whole story)..well only a surprise if you don't really know me and we aren't friends on face book but read on....

Dave took me to Toronto this past weekend for my birthday. He originally booked this what seemed very expensive hotel so we talked about how it was a waste to spend that much and so he book the Sheraton instead. In the end it only ended up being like 50 or 60 dollars less a night and didn't include breakfast so he wasn't sure it was worth the change but the new reservation couldn't be canceled. We got to Toronto really fast and luckily didn't get pulled over even though only one of my headlight was working. (it has been out for weeks but I just keep practicing my shocked "What do you mean officer I had no idea " look because they generally just give you 24 hours to get it fixed) Anywho, we parked across from the hotel because it was cheaper at what we thought was $25 a day (BUT OMG when we left after three days it was only $40 so that was awesome, and that was $40 canadian which I think equals like $3 but more on the exchange rate later) Well actually now, the exchange rate is 25% right now which is amazing. I took out $200 and it was only $150 out of my bank account. And really prices there in general don't seem that much more so with the exchange rate.

Anywhoser, we get to the hotel and suspicious thing #1, one of the two revolving doors was broken. The lobby was really nice and it seemed like a nice hotel. While waiting forever to check in , the poeple in front of us were complaining about something but we weren't sure what it was. We got to our room and it was a nice standard hotel room but then we noticed this beeping sound every few minutes and then this machine grinding sound pretty much constantly. We were pretty sure it was noise from the elevator So we discussed it for a few minutes and decided to call the front desk to complain. It was kinda late, we checked in around 9pm I think but a man answered and took our complaint and said he would call us right back ....never called back so after 20 minutes we tried again and it just rang and rang and rang...we tried again a little bit later and same thing...we decided to give up for the night and go out and not waste the night...

...we walked around Toronto and ended up at a gay bar called zippers...I had been there before and liked it but this seemed like a particularly bad night...there were lots of much much older men without shirts on and dancing really sadlyish...one had a tambourine which seems amaze but he wasn't shaking it at all. In the other corner ,t ehre was a vvery methy couple fighting. Summertime sadness came on and dave was like "this truly is summertime sadness"....so we left there and went to Church or Chapel or something like that. It was Indian (India not Native American) night and everyone was there dancing in a very bollywood type way which I loved! They even played a song I knew from the Bride and Prejudice (an indianish version of pride and prejudice movie that I love) soundtrack so I could sing along. After that we went to the most boring drag show ever at Woody's....the drag queen was so boring and was trying to get people to come on stage for some contest but noone would....all in all a fun night...so then we went back to the hotel and tried to sleep through all the sounds frome th elevator...

...Saturday morning we woke up and Dave called the front desk again to complain about the noise and they transferred him to another department where again it just rang and rang and noone answered. While I showered he decided to go downstairrs to complain. I guess like 3 other people in front of him were also copmlaining so that's not really a good sign. It's not like it was a bad hotel, it was nice enough , there just seemed to be something off about a lot of things and they were very scammy. Like the pictures when you book it show more of a suite but that isn't really the room. Anywho they "upgraded" us to a new room and gave us free breakfast buffet for both days (usually $30 a person) so that was good, that would save us a bunch of money and was very confventinent. The "upgraded" room was basically exactly like the first room except it had a nicer shower and didn't have the elevator noise. It also weirdly only had 1 free bottle of water, (the previous room had 2) and a free loofa. Anywho, it was nice and worked for us since we didn't have to pay more for the "premium" room but if I had paid more for a "premium room" and known the only difference was the shower head I would have been pissed.

The views from the room were really nice and I enjoyed the room too. After the breakfast buffett we walked around Toronto all day and just did some shopping and walked aorund and people watched and building watched which is really what I love to do. We also went to Hairy Wet Dog or something like that which is a restaurant and had some cocktails and food. It was nice sitting ont he porch just enjoying the perfect weather and chatting and people watching. I had two bloody marys (well one and then a few sips of a second one) which was too much. They are just real rough on the stomach but were delicious! I gave Dave the ok in the future to tell me I do not want a second bloody mary (unless I reallyw ant it. I want it documented here it only applies to Bloody Mary's he cannot control my other consumption haha)

That night we went to a restaurant that had good reviews on Yelp called Little Anthony. Well let me tell you I think they might have gotten their name from their portion size but they alos were just not that good. Th waitress never told us there were specials and then after i heard what they were form another waiter telling his table I was made because I would have ordered one but it was too late. I got sea bass and it was like slimyish which was not great. Dave got a spaghetti and turkey meatballs (turkey meatballs are supposedly their famous dish). He literally got I would say at maximum 6 strands of spaghetti, and 2 dry not that tasty turkey meatballs and it was like $25. It seemed redic how tiny it was. That night we went to Fly 2.0 to see DJ Kitty Glitter who is a drag queen Dj from Australia. It was pretty good, I enjoyed the dancing but drinks are so weak in Canada. You really need to drink beer but I don't like beer so it just is tough to stay buzzed/drunk. Anywho we did a shot of vodka and Dave instantly threw up which is usually my job so that was weird.

After a fun night at Fly 2.0 the next day we got up and had breakfast and tehn went to the beach. The line to take the Ferry to the beach was incredibly long but moved somewhat fast. There is a real push in the line to sign a petition against forced organ removal in China. I don't know, but it felt too pushy so I wouldn't sign. I mean I guess I don't know what the negative side to anti-forced organ removal could be but they were so forceful about it I didn't trust it. The lady just kept screaming "sign it, just sign it, sign it". I didn't trust her though I was prolly overreacting....

...anywho this is were the story starts to get real good. After lathering up the sunscreen and laying out for a little bit we head into the water. It was freezing cold and I didn't want to go in farther but Dave insisted so we did ....and thats when it happened, Dave whips out a glittery ring and asks me to marry him. I was shocked , utterly shocked, I know we were together 10 years but I really thought we would be the just discuss it and decide to get married one day. I was overwhelmed and surprised and of course I said YES!!!!!!!!!! We're getting married, we're thinking next fall. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!! I love him, I can't believe he did something so unexpected and romantic and I can't wait to marry him (well I can wait until a huge amazing party full of glitter is planned) So pretty much this was the best weekend ever!

P.S. I usually hate finger with ring pictures on it but for (e:strip) I thought I would post it.

Some pics from the weekend.


The Bling


Selfie at Kitty Glitter


View from our Window


In front of the cutest elephant statue ever!


Having a drink at the Wet Dog.


Welcome to the broken hotel.


Summertime Sadness

Maureen would be turning 32 on Monday and it kills me. A bunch of my friends have their birthdays in March and April , Jill March 17, MK March 28 and Jen April 25 and Maureen April 27 and it just seems so unreal that Maureen will not turn 32 with the rest of them. It is just so incredibly unfair and I hate it.

We had Maureen's mom and her mom's boyfriend Lou over for brunch last weekend. I feel terrible because I promised her mom I would keep in touch and haven't contacted her since before Christmas. I just oculnd't bring myself to do it. I felt like talking to her or seeing her would be too much for me to handle. Luckily (e:libertad) is very thoughtful and amazing and called her and set up the brunch. It was really great to see her mom and I really want to keep in touch more. I feel terrible becasue I know if things were opposite Maureen would be checking in on my parents all the time and she would know all the right things to do and say. She always knew what to do and what to say in every situation and how to make everyone feel better. That has never been my thing. Maureen always made me want to strive to be a better person. I know people say that a lot after someone passes away but is really true. I am not saying I put one ounce of effort into becoming a better person but she definitely made me realize how great a person coudl be and how much someone could really affect other people. No matter what was going on in her own life she always took time to ehlp others in any way and make sure everyoen else was taken care of. I miss her so much.

This weekend is Diana's bachelorette and shower which will be nice in some ways because we will all be together and in another way is incredibly terrible because it is something Maureen won't be a part of. Me , Jill, Mk and their babies are going to the cemetery on Monday and I'm glad I will be able to spend that time all together.

I miss you Maureen. I always will.

I guess yesterday was National Sibling Day. Seems like a made up holiday but I am all for made up holidays. I guess in reality all holidays are made up. Nothing is like naturally a holiday. Maybe the solstice? I don't know. Anyhow that is not the point. The point is I have a brother and he is pretty great. We have had our ups and down but all in all I am really lucky to have a brother like Paul. As much as I hate that he got all the luck in the family and we don't see eye to eye on so many things. IN so many ways he is the only person who really understands some things about me and we can always have fun and just say stupid things and find them hilarious. And we are always inventive from glitter mace to vodka tampons. So thanks for being a great brother even if you held me down and shaved my head and put my cash registers out in the rain. So in some ways you were the worst brother ever. Haha.

I was really quite the sausage back in the day.


What beach ready hotties.

i forgot about this. i was taking notes during the oscars to write a post. never did that but here are my notes.

why does Chloe kardashian get to talk fashion? she looks like she was styled by wet seal and wont stop playing with her hair.

laura dern played reese witherspoons mom even though she is only nine years older. I hate laura dern. I hope she hated every moment of it.

wth gwenth paltrow. are you trying out to be in the romy and michele high school reunion sequel.

ooh so sparkly

wow oprah is with stedman not gayle

yay moulin rouge

less oprah please

what are those furry balls

wow nph has some erect nipples

why is john stamos at the oscars

So since we moved out of the Elmwood Strip area I have been taken cabs a little more often. When the meter is running, it is about $15 from our house to going out on Allen with Tip. Well last night the cab driver picked Steve up and then came to get us and told Steve it would be $5 to get to our house (Steve lives like 4 blocks away). They negotiated a flat rate of $15 for the whole ride from Steves to our house to Allen. Seemed reasonable but weird that they weren't using the meter.

Then on the way home with Dave and Casey they did the same thing and we told them the route and they said it would be a flat $15 . After we dropped Casey off and they had to go to our house the cabbie was like"now it's $20" which we made lcear there were two stops when he made the $15 deal. Anywho, Dave was just like "um no we take taxis all the time , we are only paying $15" and the cab driver was like "ok no problem".

It was all very strange. I really think I rather have the meter on. I don't understand why this is happening all of a sudden. They were regular taxis with meters in them , just not being used. Very very strange.

I just had my second helping and I am pretty sure this might be the last helping of my life. The more i eat the less i like it.