haphazard musings

"It is possible to waste your life."

"Few things make me tremble more than the possibility of taking this onetime gift of life and wasting it." 

- John Piper (Don't Waste Your Life)

its interesting, that statement. 

it is scary to think that I might be sitting here and wasting my one chance.

"It is possible to waste your life."

whoa.

i hate to think that life can be wasted.

but it can be.

scary to realize the truth of the statement.

an interesting and hard core prayer for the future.

Jesus, don't let me waste my life.  This is my one chance, how may I best live my life for you today?

whoa.

that's a hard prayer.

but i wonder how my life could change if I prayed it every day and meant it from 

deep down in the depths 

of my soul.

hmmm....

something to consider.

and perhaps something to live for.

In case you are wondering

where I have gone.

I am in Kansas City - hanging with my pals Abe & Ash.

I am also attending a conference for work about Product Development strategies.  It has been pretty interesting.  I have learned a lot.

I love going to trainings and meeting other United Way folks who are doing all the right things and teaching me how to be better.

Its pretty invigorating.

Love it.

See you when I get back.

New hang out in KC - seriously if you are there you should check it out!

Its called The Drop.

They had great happy hour specials including appetizers - half off.  And we know I love a deal.

The food was AWESOME and just in case you were wondering, it looks like this.

 

Serioulsy, I had some of that - a-stinking-mazing.

See ya.

Cupcakes

Yum...

I love a good cupcake, and let's be honest, do we know anyone who doesn't like cupcakes?

We had some tasty ones at a birthday party a couple weeks ago.

And I found a little friend who loves cupcakes as much as I do.

He takes it very seriously.

 

 

 

101 in 1001 Updates

I thought you might like a list of all the completed tasks by number.

2. Run a 5K
8. Work out 4 days a week for a month.
10. Eat out less.
12. Get new glasses.
23. Buy a digital SLR camera.
25. Buy a new computer - a Mac.
26. Buy an original piece of art.
32. Take a Saturday to spend in McPherson with the girls shopping & exploring.
41. Have a movie marathon with friends and popcorn.
46. Plant both flowerbeds.
47. Touch up the paint job in the living room.
48. Plant 2 trees.
50. Make sense of the basement.
53. Keep fresh flowers in the house for a whole month.
59. Take more pictures.
60. Spend a weekend with all the girls from college.
61. Baby-sit for friends so they can have a night out.
68. Organize craft supplies.
71. Buy a pair of red shoes.
72. Plant a garden.
74. Get a new stamp in my passport.
80. Take an out-of-state trip with Ryan.
82. Visit four unique Kansas attractions.
83. Visit our grandparents twice.
88. Make a school plan - and start.
90. Learn to compose pictures for framing.
94. Watch a new sport.

That is 27 complete.

Another 18 are in progress.

For a total of 55 done or in the works.  I am pretty pleased.

18 months down.

16 months to go.

I think I am on track. 

Check out the full list here.

Half off Monday

On Monday, July 5th, Julie and I celebrated what we deemed "half-off Monday".  And, we celebrated with three of my favorite things.

1. Girlfriends.

 

2. Sonic.

 

3. Pedicures.

 

Since we got to celebrate the 4th of July holiday twice (one the 4th with friends and the 5th (at work)), we all got to take advantage of the half-off pedicures at the new nail salon in Newton and Happy Hour at Sonic.

We had a blast!

 

Pregnant ladies especially enjoy pedicures - mostly since they can't see their toes any more.

 

Ah...the perfect day off!

What makes me happy?

Nuff said.

Book Review: The Age Curve

Well I just got finished with my first session of Book Club here in Newton.  Its hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, but I think anyone can join.

So if you like to read interesting, non-fiction (I usually don't), it is a great way to meet some new people and have stimulating conversation.

Anyway, I am reviewing the book, not the club.

Here is my review:

READ IT!

It doesn't matter if you are a business person or a stay at home person or a person like me, this book can and will totally change your perspective on our country today.

I am not usually a consumer of non-fiction, because I have found so many times the authors use big words and overwhelming context that I don't always understand.  The Age Curve by Kenneth Gronbach is the exact opposite.

He provides some big picture ideas and conclusions without getting too technical.  It is a great picture of what our world looks like, has looked like and will look like in the next 30 years.

The math, the thoughts, the figures, the research all speak for themselves.

If you want to borrow it, let me know.  I will loan it and let others learn too.

Seriously, check it out!

My First Love

I have come to the realization recently, that while I love Ryan and I love being married to him, he plays second fiddle to my first love.

And, he seems to be ok with it.

Especially considering, he benefits from it too.

This is going to be deep - so prepare yourselves.

Like life changing.

Are you ready now?

Ok.

...

...

Chimichangas.

Yep.

And burritos and fajitas and chips and salsa.

Its a deep and lasting love.

 

Since I have been cooking for myself...like since i moved to an apartment junior year of college 5 years ago...I am pretty sure I have made tacos at least once a week.

Or enchiladas.

Or salsa.

Let's say its my birthday - where do I want to go?

On the Border, Abuelo's, Chipotle

I'm not really picky.

All I need is a something wrapped in a tortilla or dipped in salsa or cheese.

Lately, I have branched out to pulled pork tacos and enchiladas with tomatillo sauce.

Now we can have "Mexican" for breakfast with fruit salsa with cinnamon and sugar chips.

Check out this recipe.  It makes 2 and a half cups salsa and about 80 chips.

Fruit Salsa:
 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
 1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped
 3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped
 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Cinnamon Chips:
 10 flour tortillas
 1/4 cup butter,melted
 1/3 cup sugar
 1 teaspoon ground cinnammon

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  Cover: refrigerate until serving.

For chips, brush tortillas with butter; cut into eight wedges.  Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over tortillas.

Place on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes or just until crisp.  

Serve with fruit salsa.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups salsa (80 chips)

 

On the weekend of the 4th, we made a really, really quick trip to Kansas City.  

(ie We left Newton at 9:30 am, and we were back by 10:00 pm)

That is certainly not my favorite way to travel, but the day was totally worth it!

We got to see this crew.

 

Love them!

I will introduce them individually, just so you keep up. :) 

 

Tiffany and Nick - we got to ride to Kansas City with them.  Tiffany and I sat in the back and we put together baby shower favors.  Nick and Ryan talked about stuff.

Tiff and I go way back - to like 8th grade.  We have roomed together, ridden horses together and gone to Africa together.  It is so amazing to have long time friends that still feel comfortable and fun!

 

Chris and Steph - they just moved close to us!  They live in Salina now.  We are so excited to see them more often.

I am really excited for them to come to the house sometime, Steph's favorite thing to do is clean.

Seriously.

I am thinking about hiring her.  She always cleans out my microwave - she even taught me a handy trick.  

A glass full of water warmed up in the microwave - loosens all the nasty stuff and it just wipes right out.

 

Kristen and Pierre - Kristen lives in Memphis and she was in town to visit her family, so we all barged in and got the whole gang together.  Pierre lives in South Africa, in a town called Mokopane.  He was here to visit Kristen, so of course everyone had to meet him.  

Nothing like meeting 10 new people all at once who speak a different language and had lots of stories to reminisce about.  But you know, he fit right in and shared stories of his own.  

 

Meet Prachi and Samir.  They live in Kansas City too, and its been way too long since I saw them last.  Prachi provided me with my first taste of Indian food.  I will always remember it.

Let's just say, a dough ball, fried and filled with curried yogurt, is not a good surprise.   

Sadly, you will have to meet Ashley and Abe without a picture.  Apparently, I was really rude and didn't take their picture.  

Ashley and Abe are A-town friends too.  (That's Augusta, for those of you who don't remember where I grew up.)  Someday in the next 9 months, they are going to have a baby!  They will be the first ones of the "old crew" to have kiddos.  We are pretty excited for them!

There you go...now you know most of the folks that helped me become me during my college life.  

I love them!

Every time we get together its like old times again.

It's what I love most about these gals and guys.

We went to the Plaza and had lunch and then just wandered and talked and I took pictures.

I ate the world's largest burrito.

 

Well, actually I only ate about 1/3 of it, because I am pretty sure I ate a whole bag of chips.
 

 

 

This is the coolest roof ever.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Boots.

I have been thinking about birthdays since Ryan's is coming up soon.  

He's going to be 28.  

He needs a good present.  But I am not too creative at coming up with stuff.

I like to open lots of presents, not just one big thing.  So its hard for me to look at the stuff that he likes, because then he only gets one thing. 

That seems boring to me.

But I guess he likes it that way.  Please leave me some suggestions.

anyway...because I was thinking about birthdays.  I started thinking about mine.

I will be 27 after all, and it seems like a bit of a milestone for some reason.  Not sure why.  

But it does.

So I think I want these...

 
But they are so expensive.  

And my guess is these aren't cheap.  Especially, since they don't list the price....

or these...these are better.

 

I love, love the slouchiness.

Those would look fantastic on me.

I bet you didn't know that fact about me.  That I love boots.

I don't wear them very often, mostly because I only have brown ones and most of my wardrobe is black...

and people tend to look at me funny when I do wear them.

Its kind of a look like - you don't get to wear boots, you work in an office and are a city girl...

But I have news for them.

I own boots.  

I have been pooped on by a cow.  

I have ridden horses - and been bucked off - and gotten back on again.

I was in 4-H (true I didn't actually have to go to a barn for anything other than to say hi to my friends that did have to be in the barn...).  

I have branded and given shots and sorted cattle.

Not that any of that should matter.  I say if you want to wear boots. You should.

Embrace it.

Now...if we are talking totally impractical, totally non-ranch, totally expensive boots, Ryan should get me these.

 

I think they sell for the low, low price of $420.00.

But I would wear the heck out of those.

I am just sure.

So what do you think?

Should a gal have to live on a farm or ranch to "pull them off"?

Or should a city girl (who secretly likes to get pooped on and herd cattle), who likes to wear boots because they are cool, wear them if she wants?

Or are you reading this and saying to yourself, "Lindsay, its official...you have nothing to say, well not nothing, but nothing important anyway."? 

 

Dad, Ryan, my friend out in Washington, I know you are all saying "Good grief, linz, get a life."

But this is my blog, and I can write what I want.   

So, tomorrow back to our regularly scheduled program of whatever I can come up with. :)