Lanette Hansen's Blog

Monday, 1/16/12

Proud mama Lanette Hansen sent along another picture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, 1/3/12

New picture of baby Everett!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 12/26/11

It's the Magic Crew invading Lanette's blog!  She's going to be out for awhile with Marc and their new baby boy, Everett...born Monday, December 12th.  If you'd like to send them a congratulations note, e-mail here! 

Wednesday 11/30/11

So long November!  Wow that went fast.  Thanksgiving was fabulous.  Lots of family, lots of food and lots of football...perfect.  We iChatted with Marc's family in Jersey which was cool.  HIs cousin Amy told us that she's expecting a little one in June so that was definitely one more thing to be thankful for!  I managed to snag the leftover stuffing that my sister's mother in law made...it was SO good.  My brother in law made sure that I didn't get my hands on the leftover pumpkin pie though, dang it.  There's been a couple nights that I really could've gone for that. 

So on to the next holiday.  I've bought two Christmas gifts so far.  I plan on doing most, if not all of my shopping online this year.  Waddling through the stores just doesn't sound appealing for some reason.  :)  Marc and I put up a wreath this year on our front porch which is a big deal for us.  We're usually pretty bah-humbuggy when it comes to Christmas decorations.  Not because we don't love them...but because we don't want to have to take them down come January.  I know...sad excuse but it's true.  We'll live vicariously through you and your decorations.

Friday 11/18/11

I very well may have called you last night.  It was all for the Rape Crisis Center's annual Phone-a-thon.  In two hours we were able to raise over $4,000 for the center and our community, so thank you!!  Like almost all non-profits, the budget has been really chopped this year and the biggest chunk was for community outreach.  This is when the RCC goes out into schools and organizations to talk about safety and sexually-driven crimes.  This is such an important piece of the puzzle when working to keep these crimes from happening in the first place and that's where last night's donations will be going.  So again...thank you for your help!  Girl Power is something I'm constantly talking about to girls and women of all ages.  Not the 'boys have cooties' sort of thing, but just being proud of who you are and finding strength in being a 'girl.'  Yes, sexual crimes happen to both males and females, but most of the numbers show that the majority of the victims are girls/women.  So, that's why I feel so strongly about the Rape Crisis Center...'GIRL POWER!'   You can always take a look at their website, get familiar with this fabulous organization and of course unsolicited donations are ALWAYS much appreciated.  :)

Tuesday 11/15/11

I was emailing with my friend, Krista the other day.  She and her husband had ups and downs when it came to getting pregnant just like Marc and I did, and is now due just a few weeks after I am.  I'm sure even not having experienced the heartache of miscarriage, I'd be more than honored to be able to be a mom here pretty soon.  But the fact is that I did have a miscarriage and so I think it makes this whole process a little more surreal.  Krista wrote about something that really stuck with me and so rings true.  With the holidays on our heels, I just can't believe I'll get to experience the holidays through the eyes of my son.  I have so many fabulous memories growing up and am truly humbled that from here on out, I get to do that.  Keeping up with traditions and coming up with our own as a new little family...it will be an honor and a priviledge.

Friday 11/11/11

Well of course I had to post something on this crazy day of elevens.  All of the kiddos celebrating their golden birthdays today will never forget it, I'm sure.

Also wanted to personally say happy Veteran's Day to all of those who have and are still serving.  Marc was in the Army and served in active duty in Iraq before we met.  I'm so glad I didn't know him then...it has to be so hard to be the family members of those serving. 

The countdown is on...56 more days 'til Everett!!!!

Wednesday 11/9/11

Saturday night my husband Marc and I were at one of the greatest weddings in LaCrosse.  It was so laid back and loaded with personal touches.  Congrats to Nathan and Sara and their absolutely fabulous little boy, Owen!

We got back to the hotel and and I managed to pull my swollen, pregnant feet from my heels as we watched the end of the LSU/Bama football game.  We quickly both crashed and as usual, after a couple hours of sleep I was up, tossing and turning and wide awake.  So I took to Facebook to help pass the time.  I soon learned that my mom's dear friend and a life-long friend of the family earned her wings that night.   Kathy Alsum was an amazing music/voice teacher, a devoted mom and a pretty spectacular friend.  I was able to quickly count three (of many) things that she always portrayed...passion, loyalty and truth.  I hope to be able to hold those qualities tightly and remember Kathy when I'm having difficulty with any of them.  Thank you for joining me in sending love and light to the Alsum family.

Thursday 11/3/11

Perfect for ths time of year, comfort food: Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
 
3 acorn squash
butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 to 1 pound ground turkey mixed with 1/4 pound turkey sausage  (I buy turkey brats and take off the casings.)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut squash in half, and remove the seeds.  Brush (inside and out) with butter season with salt and pepper.  Bake the squash with cut sides down for 30 minutes. 
While squash is baking, brown the ground turkey, sausage, onion and celery in a skillet.  Add soup and cook until heated.  Remove squash form oven and fill with meat mixture.  Cover  with bread crumbs. Bake 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve.
I often use more ground turkey and sausage and use 2 cans of soup.  The extra filling can be served so people are able to add it to the half of acorn squash they have on their plate.

 Friday 10/28/11

Closing in on two months here before I get to add 'mom' to my resume.  That's just mind-blowing.  My first shower is this weekend and I fully expect it to be very overwhelming.  Seriously...I walked into my first bridal shower and started crying...I can't imagine what I'll be like now all hormoned up. 

If you're a mom-to-be and have contemplated signing up for a Prenatal Yoga class...let me first give you a big, 'Heck Yeah!'  It's totally the way to go for breathing and relaxation.  Then, I'll tell you the place I take it because it's so fabulous...Happy Bambino in Monona.  Maureen is the instructor and you'll just love her.  I live on the west side and the class was recommended by so many people that I make the drive on the Beltline every Wednesday night.  It's 65 minutes of connecting with your soul which is just something we just don't do, pregnant or not. 

Friday 10/21/11

October is just a crazy busy month.  Between the weddings and the birthdays, my reminder schedule is just blown up.  Today is my best friend's birthday.  The cool thing is that we're actually cousins as well.  We were born six weeks apart...she was supposed to be older but when I was two weeks early and she was a month late...I became the older one.  (and wiser, of course.)  Her name is Kit Laibly...don't forget to wish her a happy birthday! 

This weekend is nuts.  My cousin Christy is getting married tomorrow and then our friends who got married in Florida two weeks ago are having their wedding reception tomorrow at Tyrol Basin.  So...we'll do the ceremony and dinner at Christy's wedding and then take the drive to Tyrol.  We'll see just how much these pregnant feet can take. 

Monday 10/17/11

Happy birthday daddy!  Wally Hansen is celebrating his birthday today so if you see him...let him know he's old, will ya?!

Thursday 10/13/11

As we're finally getting into the real fall weather...it's so fun to head to the pumpkin patch and the apple orchard.  We're so lucky to have so many places to find a corn maze or a haunted barn.  Here's a great list by county, what each place has to offer.  Oh and if you have a couple free minutes...I dare you to not get addicted to this virtual pumpkin carving website.  Have fun!

Tuesday 10/11/11

Back to reality.  There's always that day or two after vacation when you're just trying to 'shake it off' and get back into the swing of things.  The alarm was pretty harsh this morning, but it was good to be back in my own bed last night.  The wedding was absolutely beautiful!  It was on the beach looking onto the ocean.  Before the ceremony there were a good 10 dolphins putting on a show for us and then there was this HUGE rainbow going over some of the resorts.  The bride lost her dad a few years ago so we all figured it was him letting everyone know he was definitely there.  Miracles...they're around us every day if we're looking for them.

I only had one crazy swollen feet night.  The rehearsal dinner was at a yummy pizza place and to start off there was this huge bowl of Greek salad.  That's one of my favorites so I dove in...duh Lanette...Feta cheese and olives are just a little salty....  About 90-minutes later I looked down at my feet and couldn't believe my eyes.  As everyone else celebrated the night away, I caught up on some TV with my feet raised on top of some stacked towels in bed.  Marc also gave me a leg/foot massage that helped a lot, too.  He HATES feet so it was a big deal that he pulled that off.  :)  By the next morning, they were back to normal and I was breathing a huge sigh of relief.  I'm truly learning along the way...guess I won't be eating any Greek salad for the next 2 1/2 months.  Whoops!

Monday 10/3/11

Taste of Home Cooking School tonight and then Marc and I are on an 8am flight to Florida tomorrow.  Our friends Marc and Erin are getting married in Clearwater Friday so we thought we'd make a vacation out of it.  We figured it's our last hurrah before Everett makes his grand entrance.  So, have a fabulous week...I'll be back on your radio Tuesday. 

Thursday 9/29/11

Thought it'd be cool to note that my due date is 98 days away!  A rather fabulous number if I do say so myself.  :)

Wednesday 9/28/11

One week from today Marc and I will be waking up in Clearwater, Florida!  SO excited to go on a vacation before Mr. Everett is here.  Our best man, Marc and his fabulous fiancee, Erin are getting married so it's going to be a great vacation with a beautiful wedding in the middle of it.  We've got the dogs all lined up to be at Ruffin' It for the week and now it's just a matter of getting the house cleaned and getting packed so that we'll be ready to get on that plane Tuesday. 

Hope to see you at the Taste of Home Cooking School Monday at the Marriott Madison West!

Friday 9/23/11

Happy first day of Autumn!!  This is my kind of weather.  You can wear some sort of comfy sweater, sweatshirt or light jacket over a t-shirt and you're good to go.  No bundling up just to walk to your car and no sweating your right arm off trying to walk the dogs.  Plus fall has the best scents and colors of any season.  Okay so I'm a bit of a romantic, but burning leaves, pumpkin anything and hot soup are just a couple of the things that come to mind when I think of fall.  And Halloween is one of the greatest holidays we have.  I laugh thinking of the plastic costumes we'd dress up in because inevitably it was cold and rainy on Halloween.  We'd get home and would be freezing and wet.  Someone got smart when they started making those big, warm stuffed costumes they've got now for the kids. 

Marc and I were at the doctor Monday afternoon and got to listen to Everett's heartbeat...that definitely never gets old.  It's tickin' away at 146 and everything is right on track.  I'm starting to really slow down which is hard for me to come to terms with...but it's only three more months...I can do this for three more months.  Then I start training for a triathlon in June and a Mud Run in August.  Take THAT pregnancy!!!

Thursday 9/15/11

Saturday I'm throwing a bridal shower for my cousin, Christy.  She's a coffee fanatic so it's going to be at the Cool Beans Coffee Cafe.  We came up with the great color scheme of two fantastically, rich blues, chartreuse and of course...mocha brown.  There's some family coming into town for the shower so it'll be nice to be able to catch up.  Some of them I haven't seen since my wedding about a year and a half ago!  In about 48 hours from now I'll be poofing paper mache pom poms and pouring coffee beans into every glass container I can get my paws on.  I LOVE throwing shin-digs for people so I tend to get a little geeked about things like this.  If you've never used the website www.etsy.com, you are missing out.  Lots of artists from around the world who would love to help make your event perfect.  That's how we did the invites and the take-home gifts for the shower...and they're both fabulous because we worked directly with the artist who is totally willing to go out of his/her way to create something you love.  People will think you did everything on your own as well as feel that you have spectacular taste...but really it's all Etsy.  Enjoy shopping!

Thursday 9/8/11

Man am I glad it's not a week ago.  I would've been camped out at my doctor's office doing three hours of tests to see if I had gestational Diabetes.  Good news...I passed with flying colors this time!  My last test was actually so low, the nurse asked if I was a little light-headed.  I was a little shakey but I scarffed down a granola bar in about 2.1 seconds after I was released and felt better.  Between fasting from 8:00 the night before to the nausea from drinking that horrible glucose on a very empty stomach...I was ready to munch on something.  Then I treated myself to lunch with my husband and a pedicure.  It turned out to be an alright day.  Thanks for your positive vibes throughout the day!

I took my first Prenatal Yoga class last night at Happy Bambino.  It did miracles...I slept so well last night, which hasn't been the case in quite a while.    I did find myself looking around and just smiling at all of these fabulous women balancing and breathing with their pregnant bellies.  I'm definitely not someone who LOVES being pregnant, but I'm treating it just like I was getting ready for a race...training and doing what I need to do to get through the finish line.  Less than four months to go!

Wednesday 8/31/11

So I need you to cross your fingers, toes and eyes for me tomorrow.  I got a phone call last week that I failed my initial Diabetes test...of course I did.  That's so typical Lanette.  So tomorrow I'll be in the doctor all morning getting a bunch of different tests done.  I'm hoping it was a false positive and I get to go on my merry way.  Or at least if I do have it for the remainder of this pregnancy that it's minimal enough that I still get to eat my fruit.  Oranges have single-handedly gotten me through the crazy nauseousness in the beginning and the sudden afternoon hunger pains lately.  I can give up the Chocolate Shoppe Fat Elvis Ice Cream (I think) but I need my fruit.  Oh well...there's nothing I can do about it so there's no need to worry about it.  But that's where I'll be tomorrow when you tune in and I'm nowhere to be found.  Wish me luck!!!

Tuesday 8/30/11

I bought my first maternity clothes last night.  Until now, I've been so lucky to be able to use lots of clothes from lots of different people, but I thought I'd start getting a couple things of my own.  It's very odd after knowing your size for so many years and now not even knowing where to start.  I ended up with a fabulous pair of pants and a bright orange/red hoodie. 

Marc and I have been organizing our closet space the last few days.  Okay...this man has a lot of shoes!  We'll both be in the same closet so that Everett has his closet in his room.  Oh the joys of sharing!  :)

Looking forward to Labor Day weekend.  We've got a couple of cookouts and a 6th birthday party on our agenda, but it will all be nice and laid back.  The weather sure is whacky...humid and 91 Thursday and then a high of 68 on Monday.  Guess it's that time of year.  Enjoy your long weekend!

Thursday 8/25/11

Okay I'm so excited that the cat's finally out of the bag...I'm gonna be a mom!!!  How fabulous is that??!!  Last week, Marc and I found out that we're having a boy.  We're going to name him after my grandpa and my brother...Everett Bradley.  His ETA is January 5th so we could have a New Year's baby on our hands here.  I'm so happy to say that everything has been moving along smoothly.  The first couple months were rough because I was a sick, exhausted mess.  But around week 12 I finally got to take a deep breath and started feeling much better.  I've got this fabulous Carpal Tunnel I'm dealing with...who knew that was a pregnancy symptom?!  But I'll take it all on if it means I get to be a mom in the end.  Everett's bedding should be arriving tomorrow and I can't wait to start putting it all together for him.  I'm just keeping my arms and hands inside at all times and enjoying the ride.

Tuesday 8/9/11

Just wanted to give you a heads up that Thursday is Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen.  For every Blizzard you buy, $1 or more is given to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin which is the place that saved my nephew, Carter's life.  Carter is actually the ambassador for Miracle Treat Day at the Dairy Queen on Cottage Grove Road.  My family will be there, buying blizzards and showing our support for the management who makes a fabulous fundraiser like this, possible.  Thank you for, gee darn, eating a Blizzard on Thursday.  :)  Here's more info on the event.

Tuesday 8/2/11

I'm in a mix of disbelief and denial that we're already in August.  I'm not sure how that happened, either because I have so many things on my 'nice weather to do list' that haven't been crossed off yet.  I've got to get going on that. 

I wanted to extend a big ol' virtual hug to my lifelong family friends, the Hopwoods who lost their patriarch, Gene last week.  He was a very good man with great taste in radio...listening to Magic 98 whenever he could.  There's such a melancholy sort of happiness when going through pictures and telling stories of a passed loved one.  It brought a smile to my face to see all of the pictures as a very nice tribute to Gene. 

My niece, Ella will be eight weeks old already on Thursday.  She's now starting to get some little rolls on her legs and she's finally filling out her clothes a little better.  And in case you were still wondering...Carter still wants nothing to do with her.  Typical 2-year old.  :)

Monday 7/25/11

So I'm just getting over one heck of a cold.  Yowzahs!!  I had been battling allergies for a little while and after sitting in the humidity for Concerts on the Square...I knew my allergies officially went into a cold.  Thursday was a rough one, and when I got here into work Friday morning, Pat O'Neill refused to let me near the studio and sent me home.  That was a good thing because I slept the rest of the day away which is why I think I'm alive to tell about it today.  :)  So I'm finally on the upside of this crazy cold.  I'm to that stage of all of that glamorous dry skin hanging off your nose from blowing it all the time.  Yep.  Hoping you get through the summer healthy!

Tuesday 7/12/11

Just in time for the uber-hot weather, my mother-in-law is coming into town for a visit.  She's coming from the east coast though and they're getting the hot weather, too so it will be no suprise to her.  Her birthday is Thursday so we thought it'd be fun to spend it together.  I'm so excited for her to come play...she hasn't been here in almost three years!  We've still got construction going on at our house so we'll just be out of the house most of the time.  Lots to do with Maxwell Street Days going on this weekend!

On another note, I just had a chat with a coworker in the breakroom.  He and his young family were just in New York City and he said after about five days they were ready to come home because...and I quote..."We had done everything."  Take it from someone who LOVED living in NYC...trust me...you did NOT do everything.  If you're thinking about a vacation with your family NYC is a fabulous choice!  But if you go on the tourist's brochure, yes you'll burn out.  Catch a black and white movie night at Bryant Park, get thee best hot chocolate ever made at Otto's in Grand Central Station and savor the pumpkin ravioli at Cafe Mona Lisa's off Christopher Street.  There's a roller rink in Central Park that you MUST check out because it's ridiculously entertaining, don't wuss out...take the Subway, it's much more forgiving than you'd think and when the sun starts to go down, head to Battery Park where all the multi-million dollar yachts are docked.  The lights are all on in the boats so at night you can see right into these gorgeous vessels.  Once you're at Battery Park, take the free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty and see if the Staten Island Yankees are playing a baseball game that night.  It'll cost ya close to nothing and when they hit a home run, it goes right into the Hudson.  And these are just a couple things off the top of my mind...there are plenty more.  So yes, go see times Square, shop 'til ya drop on Fifth Ave and catch a Broadway Show...but please don't leave this fabulous place memorizing the Hard Rock Cafe menu because there's so much more to do...just ask around...the nice people of NYC will be glad to tell you. 

Thursday 7/7/11

Last year at this time Marc and I were getting ready for our big wedding reception held back here at the Capital Brewery.  It was the perfect setting for amazing food and beer and lots of friends and family.  We had food from La Mestiza as a nod to our wedding on the beach in Cozumel and wooden frames decorated in orange and green (the colors of the wedding) hanging from trees and fences and placed on the bar so everyone could see pictures of the great week we had in Mexico.  We had a caricature artist there so anyone who wanted to had a fun keepsake of the day...Marc and I were the last ones of the night to get ours done.  It was a great day yet I'm SO glad to not be finishing up all the details at this very moment.  :)

Wednesday 6/29/11

First Concerts on the Square tonight and we have gorgeous weather...YAY!!!  Amy Hudson and I are hosting the table and it's a great night to be up close, too because the Madison Ballet will be performing with the Chamber Orchestra.  Fabulous.  See ya there!

Our little puppy is now 40 pounds!!  And although that sounds gigantic to me...I just saw a picture of one of her brothers and he's double her size, at least.  Olive is almost completely crate trained to hang out all day long without an accident which is so awesome...we're so proud of her.

We're headed to crazy cousin Amy's house in Monona for the Fourth of July.  A great day of hanging out with friends and family, good food and then awesome fireworks.  Have a fabulous long weekend...ENJOY!!!

Monday 6/20/11

Now I know I'm an old, married fuddy-duddy...I'm SO happy that my house has a new roof and new siding.  It looks absolutely beautiful.  The guys make it look so easy...quickly measuring and cutting and hammering and it all just fits into place.  We have an issue with the front porch though.  Remember we live in a 115 year old house and the front, 3-season porch is original to the house.  It had started to settle a little which we knew would be tricky...but when the old siding came off...it was a lot more than just tricky, it was impossible.  The whole thing was sitting on odds and ends of cinder blocks and the bottom two feet were just dangling 2x4s here and there that the old siding was attached to.  Not good.  So we've hopefully got a couple of guys coming out today to give us their best opinion.  We're thinking we'll open it up and build a deck so it's still a porch, just not screened in.  Gotta love old houses...it's always quite the ride!!

Here's a link to find out where the fabulous Art Cart will be this summer.  Enjoy!

Monday 6/13/11

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and donations...Push Pull Pedal raised $59,000 for the Herma Heart Center.  This is only the third year of the event so that's a huge accomplishment.  And Team Carter was the highest fundraising team for the third year in a row!

Carter was able to be there but his mom and dad were not...they were busy being discharged from the hospital with their new little one...my niece, Ella Claire.  Yes, I may be biased, but she's the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen.  I was at the hospital when she was born so got to meet her when she was about five minutes old.  My heart exploded and the tears started immediately.  I wondered how on Earth I would love someone as much as Carter, but it just happens.  What an amazing thing to be a part of and a fabulous addition to the family.  You can imagine...we're all gleaming...well, except for Carter who completely ignores her.

Wednesday 6/1/11

Next weekend I'll be participating in Push, Pull, Pedal.  It's a fundraiser for the hospital that kept my nephew alive the first four months of his life, Children's Hopsital of Wisconsin.  Inside that hospital is a very specialized area called the Herma Heart Center.  That's where the sickest babies with heart issues go.  In my nephew, Carter's case...he had Tetralogy of Fallot with Absent Pulminary Valve.  That meant many surgeries and lots of hard work...but he did it.  Carter just turned 2 and he's an amazing kid.  The Herma Heart Center is ranked in the top 5 children's hospitals in the country.  We're so lucky to have this place just an hour or so away in Milwaukee.  So...if you'd like to help me in my fundraising efforts or if you'd just like to see some uber cute pictures of Carter go ahead and click here.  Thanks so much!

Tuesday 5/24/11

A year ago I was excited, scared, anxious, determined and ready to tackle the Madison Marathon.  It was a great experience that I'll never ever forget.  This year it's on Sunday, May 29th and it's an awesome course.  Here's a cool drive through of the entire course...we really live in a beautiful city.  If you're not running or supporting your favorite runner, chances are your life may be a little affected by some road closures so heads up that Sunday morning may be a day to stay at the house and then the marathon is done by 1pm so feel free to roam.  Good luck to all of the runners especially my sweet friend, Chris McGill.  You've trained for this and now it's time for your feet, heart and soul to take over and get you to the finish line.  Go get 'em!

Friday 5/20/11

Finally...some nice weather!!  It just happens to be my husband's birthday, too so I think I've thought of a fabulous thing to do tonight.  We'll go grab dinner and then afterwards...head to Ella's Deli!  The poor guy has never been there before.  We used to go after our last day of school for the summer.  I'd get the Confetti Mint Fudgy and would be on a sugar high for three days afterwards.  We got to ride the carousel and it was an awesome day!  I'm sure I won't be able to recreate that sort of feeling a kid gets on their last day of school eating ice cream, but I'm excited for him to experience Ella's Deli.  Such a fabulous Madison staple!

Thursday 5/5/11

So I'm just getting back into the real world after have one heck of a cold.  Seriously, I woke up fine on Friday morning and by Friday afternoon...it wasn't lookin' so good.  Sounds like lots of people have been fighting this cold so it's nice when misery is shared.  :)  I was too sick to coach soccer last Sunday so wouldn't you know the Little Crocodiles won their first game!  I guess they had five or six goals!  So proud of the kiddos!

Kathryn Vaughn and I were outside at Elements Therapeutic Massage last night giving away the Wisconsin Dells Season Opener Cards.  It was from 5:30-7pm so when that sun went down...it got cold.  This is weather we should've been having a month ago!  Here's hoping that means that we get a few extra months of summer! 

Monday 4/25/11

In the last two weeks Olive has gotten Conjunctivitis and an ear infection.  I feel just awful that she's had to deal with such yucky things, but her silly and sweet disposition really hasn't changed at all along the way.  For the Conjunctivitis we just had to give her eye drops twice a day and for the ear infection just diagnosed today, we have a pill and an ear lotion to give her two times a day.  I was that annoying puppy parent today showing up at the vet completely unannounced and without an appointment.  But our insanely wonderful vet, Jesse Sondel at Spring Harbor was able to somehow get us in.  If you know puppy ear infections, you know the eye-watering, dirty gym sock smell that goes along with it.  Dr. Sondel actually lifted her ear, took at whiff and said, "WHOA!"  I knew it was bad if the vet was taken back by it.  So, here we go again!

Wednesday 4/20/11

Lots of fun Easter stuff going on this weekend...Here's a great list of local Easter egg hunts!

On another note, the Crocodiles scored at our game Sunday!  All of the kids learned so much from one game to the next.  They're doing an awesome job and I'm so proud of them. 

Monday 4/11/11

The first Crocodiles' soccer game was yesterday.  I have seven of the most spectacular 5 and 6-year-olds ever created.  Our game was at 3pm at Frank Allis (The place I called my home field when I was their age).  Rather than have a practice during the week...because let's be honest these are busy parents with crazy schedules, I just have them show up 45 minutes before the game and that's when we practice.  We started with toe tops and tick tocks and a quick game of 'red light, green light.'  After a water break we got back into some passing and defense drills and then it was time for the game to start.  3 x 3 and I'm able to stay on the field with them...the ball is kicked and the game begins.  Goal after goal after goal from the Cougars and my Crocs were so excited to be out on the field playing soccer that they couldn't have even told you the score at the end.  (Thank God because it would've been like 20 to nothing.)  I wanted them to run, I wanted them to touch the ball, I wanted them to feel like part of a team and I wanted them to be proud of what they did.  From the smiles on their sweaty faces...I think they were all of the above.  Next week we do it all over again...3pm Allis field, stop by for a good giggle.  Here we are...Jaiden, Haylee, Jack, Ian, Izzy, Coach Lanette, Joey and Jackson.  We'll work on looking at the camera next week, too.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 4/6/11

I just love my swimming lessons.  Last night I almost aced the breast stroke and started on the backstroke.  I'm great in freestyle...until I have to try and breathe.  And I hear breathing is important for things like...I don't know...staying alive.  So I'll keep working on that.  The triathlon is a little over two months away and I can't wait to get my bike out for some training rides.  I hope you've been enjoying the nicer weather we've been getting here and there and have been getting outside to get in some exercise.  If you'd like some easy tips...check out Lanette's Healthy Living.

Tuesday 4/5/11

Happy birthday to my baby sister!!  She's Carter's mommy and Ella's soon-to-be mommy in June and I'll never be able to tell her just how thankful, blessed and overjoyed I am to be able to call myself an aunt.  For that, I am forever grateful and no lame birthday present will ever add up...so I don't even try anymore.  :)

Marc and I are starting to get a little bit of sleep now that Olive is sleeping until 4 or 5 in the morning rather than waking up a few times throughout the night.  The importance of continual sleep rather than a couple hours here and there will never be doubted in the Hansen/DeCarli household. 

Our first wedding anniversary is coming up on Saturday.  If it were a year ago we'd be laying around in hammocks on a sunny Cozumel morning sipping on coffee.  It was an awesome week full of friends and family and of course, a beautiful wedding on the beach.  A year later, I wouldn't change a thing. 

I'm coaching soccer again and the Little Crocodiles' first game is Sunday.  They're five and six-year olds who have had minimal, if any soccer experience so this should be interesting.  I've learned from my past coaching that at this age, they're learning teamwork, coordination and listening skills more so than anything else and if they pick up some soccer along the way...bonus!   Wish us luck....Go crocs!!

Thursday 3/31/11

I thought I'd finally get around to posting a picture of our little, Olive.  She'll be 11 weeks old on Monday and she's just hysterical.  Here's a picture of her with Luna's frisbee...I truly believe she doesn't know the frisbee is bigger than she is....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 3/25/11

The Henry Vilas Zoo is celebrating its 100th year and they have tons of great things planned for this summer...but they'll need extra volunteers to get everything done.  If you're interested in helping our fabulous zoo...click here for the info on the volunteer preview today at 3:30.

Wednesday 3/23/11

I'm so geeked I can barely stand it!  I took my first swimming class last night (at Swim West, by the way.  HIGHLY recommend it if you're looking for a place for yourself or for your kiddo) and loved it!  It's one step closer to my first triathlon in June.  We took swimming lessons when we were kids but then never did anything with it so just sort of lost it.  I needed someone to show me how to efficiently swim so I could get through the swimming part of the tri without doing the sidestroke.  :)  I'm more excited then ever to hit the trails running and biking getting ready for the event itself.  My neice is due to make her grand entrance right around the same time, so I need to have a talk with her about being courteous of auntie Netty's schedule.  We'll see what she has to say about that. 

Friday 3/18/11

Life has been nuts at the Hansen/DeCarli house with a new pup.  We've been so lucky though, because our 6-year old dog, Luna has been the greatest big sister we could've ever hoped for.  As of last night, Olive is crate-trained with barely any whining at night.  Up until now one of us slept next to the crate to calm her down but last night we both got a good night sleep in our bed!!!  She's had not one accident in her crate and only a couple potty accidents in the house since we brought her home a week ago.  Marc and I know we have an over-achiever, but I also think it's because Luna is such a big help.  I took off work Monday to spend time with her and the morning started with her up on the couch, whining to get down...give her a couple hours and she was jumping off the couch like a champ.  She now gets in and out of the car on her own and is getting better at riding in the car, too.  I'm that annoying, always-taking-pictures mama but I know she's not gonna be little for long and I just want to catch every hilarious move.  Olive had a great start with Tom and Crystal in Fond du Lac along with her seven siblings and wonderful mama, Benelli and we feel so fortunate to be able to continue on with that.  What an amazing addition to the family! 

On another fabulous note...my nephew, Carter turned two yesterday!!!  He's ridiculously funny and more determined than ever to do whatever he darn well pleases.  He's still all wired up :)  (oxygen and feeding tube) but it doesn't seem to faze him in the least bit.  My brother, Bradley is in town from Boston so we'll all be together celebrating Mr. Carter and his big day.  His party is going to be Elmo-themed...I tell ya, if Elmo could heal, Carter would be healthy a million times over.  He LOVES that guy.  Abby Cadabby and Mr. Noodle are a close 2nd and 3rd though.  You also can't disturb him when baseball, the weather or Jeopardy is on..."What is a crazy kid?!" 

Thursday 3/10/11

Tomorrow is the big day!  Marc and I head to Fond du Lac to pick up our puppy, Olive.  She's the cutest Yellow Lab I've ever seen and I think she'll be perfect in our little family.  I keep looking at our 6-year old Black Lab, Luna and saying, "oh Luna...if you only knew how your world was about to be turned upside down."  I hope she and Olive warm up to each other and eventually become best of friends.  I'm gearing up for tomorrow night when Olive cries through the night and we get no sleep...coffee will be my friend on Saturday, I'm sure.  Our cat, Piper on the other hand hates Luna so I'm completely prepared for her to hate Olive as well.  It's funny how it's all come full-circle...I had Piper when Marc and I met and he had Luna so we were sort of the Brady Bunch of animal families.  Now we add Olive and we'll see how this goes.  I have a feeling Marc and I may disagree at times about how to work with her but the excitement far outweighs the new long list of responsibilities.  Woof woof!

Monday 3/7/11

I've heard from lots of people interested in learning more about running the quarter Madison Marathon.  So...if you're in that same boat, here's some info.  The quarter Madison Marathon is almost seven miles long.  It's a little more than a 10k.  It's a gorgeous run with the start and end both being at our beautiful Capitol.  If you're thinking about training for your first race and have even an inkling of interest in signing up for a run, this is a great one.  It's Memorial Day weekend so you never know what the weather is gonna be like but chances are it will be pretty nice.  (We won't talk about last year's 95 degree race day.)  This is an awesome time of year to get out on our gorgeous running/bike paths for a few miles...my favorite is the Capital City Trail and I totally recommend picking it up somewhere on your run.  Remember to stay safe...wear reflective clothes no matter what time of day/night it is and I firmly believe in NOT listening to music.  It tunes out everything going on around you which is never good.  For great nutrition, hydration and training tips, check out Lanette's Healthy Living. Happy running!!

Wednesday 2/23/11

I've been begging my sister to let me throw her a 'sprinkle' for Ms. Ella whose ETA is the beginning of June.  Finally, after getting the good news that Ella is hearty-healthy, I think she's warming up to the idea.  So as Jim Carrey says in 'Dumb and Dumber,' "So you're saying there's a chance...."  I've been thinking of some themes and have come up with three...what do you think?  "Sugar and Spice," "Cute as a Button," or "Little Miss Sunshine."  I can totally imagine all three of them so I can't decide. 

Friday 2/18/11

Okay, so I'm gonna weigh in on this one time, and one time only.  If everyone would stop coveting what their neighbor has and start realizing that we're ONE team with ONE goal and there's ONE thing we all need...respect.  Take your personal stories out of your whining and get real.  I've seen more hate on places like Facebook and blogs than I care to ever see again.  People who got along 10 days ago now accusing each other of being lazy or self-righteous.  I'm legitimately scared for tomorrow when the Tea Party movement plans on their own protest downtown.  Why on God's green Earth would that sound like a good idea??  Everyone knows there's opposition to the protestors on the Capitol Square right now...no need to wake the sleeping giant!!  The only reason anyone would organize that is for a fight.  Yes, we all have a right to congregate, but I question the intent of the Tea Party on this one.  

I cast no stones because I'm fully aware my house is made of glass and you're only fooling yourself if you think yours isn't.  In the end, liars have to live with the fact that they've lied and protagonists who lead their herd to slaughter have to live with that, too.  Let's remember, we're all human beings just trying to live.  

Wednesday 2/9/11

Where were you for the Super Bowl?  Marc and I were lucky enough to be at a dear friend's house full of people who I've known since high school or before and some just within the last couple years.  There were also kids there...ages 5 years, 1 1/2 years, 11 months and 9 months.  It was such a flashback to my childhood.  The dads were downstairs making way too much noise and the kids were upstairs trying to go to sleep and occasionally losing it.  Luckily the amazing women I get to call my friends are laid back and there were no major arguments about keeping quiet.  It was a great time filled with awesome food and of course, a Packer win!!

I don't think I've shared with you the details about my new niece on the way.  Ella will be her name...the middle name is still up in the air but I definitely have my favorite.  She'll make her grand entrance in early June.  And for the best news...she has a perfectly healthy heart!  Carter's heart defect had nothing to do with my sister or her husband, but up until we got the good word, you couldn't help but hold your breath.  She was moving around all crazy during the ultrasound which makes me believe she's already taking after her auntie Netty.  We're all over the top excited and now with the knowledge that she's a healthy little girl, we're all full speed ahead.  And when I say, 'full speed ahead' I mean her closet is already half full.  :)  Here's to 'sugar and spice and all things nice!'

Tuesday 2/1/11

The biggest news in the Hansen/DeCarli household...we're getting a puppy!!  Now I know what you're thinking... typical move for the girl who just had a miscarriage.  And it may be just that, who knows?  What I do know is that we're super excited.  She's a Yellow Lab and we've already named her, Olive.  We went to go meet her Sunday when she was just 13 days old.  She was the only girl who had her eyes open already and we just fell in love.  I'll try to get some pictures posted so you can see our new little girl.  Marc and I have been reading Cesar Milan's book so we have some ideas of how to introduce Olive to her new house and to our Black Lab, Luna and the cat, Piper.  Wow...sounds like an animal circus at our house, doesn't it?  We never had dogs growing up but at any given time we had 2-4 cats, hamsters, bunnies, goldfish....  Under my parent's deck in the backyard is like a pet cemetery.  (They're gonna have to disclose that when they sell the place.)  :)  So I'm used to lots of animals and love the organized chaos packaged in unconditional love they bring to our lives.  She'll be home mid-March...I'm smiling from ear to ear as I write this.... Yay!

Friday 1/21/11

So my first attempt at a homemade chicken pot pie went pretty well.  It was a healthy recipe to begin with but I made one more change to it so I was a little worried.  But it actually turned out well.  I used whole wheat flour rather than white and I'm happy that it didn't change the consistency or taste.  It was a fun night with my husband, too...I was peeling, he was chopping and we had fun together...until I clogged the sink with the parsnips.  Dang it.  Anyway....here ya go!

1 pound of chicken breast
1 cup peeled and chopped parsnip
1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potato
1 cup peeled and chopped red potato
1 cup peeled and chopped rutabaga
1 10 oz bag of frozen pearl onions
1 10 oz bag of frozen peas
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk
Parsley, basil and thyme to taste
1 sheet of puff pastry

Bring broth to a boil, bring down to medium heat and cook all of the veggies in the broth.  Add chicken and cook that.  With a slotted spoon, take out cooked chicken and veggies and put them into a 8 x 10 pan.  Add milk, flour and seasonings to the broth and mix until it thickens.  Pour mixture over veggies and chicken.  Roll out puff pastry with a rolling pin so it's larger than your pan.  Lay over the top of the pan and fold in the sides.  With a knife, put a couple holes on the top of the dough.  Cook at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown.    
 

Thursday 1/20/11

SOOOOOOO excited about Restaurant Week next week...here's the link for a list of all the menus and the restaurants....

http://www.madisonmagazine.com/Madison-Magazine/Events/Restaurant-Week/Participants/

Tuesday 1/18/11

Lately I'm just Betty stinkin' Crocker.  I love taking recipes and making them healthier than the recipe originally calls for....  So, here's my first attempt at a healthy Shepherd's Pie from last night...it's really good!

1 pound extra lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2-3 sweet potatoes depending on size.  You're going for 2 1/2 - 3 cups once mashed
1 10 1/2 oz can of condensed vegetable soup
low-fat shredded cheese.  Any kind, really...I chose Cheddar and it was good. 

In a skillet, cook turkey, onion and celery.  Put into a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly.  Pour soup evenly over the top.  Peel, cut and boil or steam sweet potatoes to make mashed potatoes.  Scoop the potatoes on top of the soup.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Put a couple handfuls of shredded cheese on top and bake another 5 minutes.  Serves 4-6.

****DON'T add salt and butter to your potatoes!  The soup has enough sodium in it for the entire dish. 

Monday 1/17/11

I had my first long run in a long time at the gym this weekend.  It felt great.  Once I got passed that first mile, I really got into a good jive and was excited to be back doing something I love.  When I run I go into a meditative sort of state.  I feel my breathing and listen to my pace and it's like getting to know yourself all over again.  Especially when you're training for something and see yourself getting faster or going longer than you ever thought you could.  I think I've picked out my triathlon...June 12th.  It's one right here in Madison so I won't have to do any traveling which is good...plus my niece or nephew is due right around then, so I won't want to go far.  I need to start getting on my bike and quit putting off that swimming class....  I'm excited for it to all come together!

Tuesday 1/11/11

I made the yummiest, easiest, healthiest Chicken Cordon Bleu last night.   Here's the recipe:

2 chicken breast halves,
8 slices of swiss cheese
1 slice of whole wheat bread
4 slices of low-sodium turkey ham

Pound out chicken breast halves to about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut the breasts in half.  Add a little pepper for taste.  Put one thin slice of turkey ham on top of the chicken and then one slice of swiss cheese on top of that.  Roll it all up and hold it together with a toothpick.   Put into a pan that's been sprayed with a non-stick spray.  Put bread into food processor or Magic Bullet to make bread crumbs.  Add a little Italian seasoning to the mix and then shake over the top of the rolled chicken breasts.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, add a slice of swiss cheese to the top of each roll and let bake another five minutes.  Makes 4.  Enjoy!!!!

Monday 1/10/11

I had a slumber party at my nephew's house this weekend.  The final score was Carter, one, auntie Netty, zero.  By Sunday morning he was sitting on the floor playing with all of his toys and I was struggling to keep my eyes open.  He's pretty rough right now too...a cold AND a black eye with a goose egg on his forehead.  He took a digger New Year's morning and now he's a bit of a bruiser.  Overall just a smiley, sweet little boy though and he hasn't really complained about it.  It has provided an opportunity for some very good pictures, though. 

I'd like to welcome the newest addition to the family.  My cousin, Karra and her husband, Adam had a baby boy Saturday morning...Dominic Donald is his name and he's absolutely perfect.  Seven pounds, 19 1/2 inches and a whole head of strawberry blonde hair just like his mommy.  I can't wait to meet him.  In his pictures he's already sucking his thumb!  My cousin Mike had a little girl on Christmas morning..Mackenzie is her name.  Look out world...my family is growing...quickly!! 

Oh...and if you'd like to get in on a chance to win $100 to spend at Berkeley Running Company, take a look at Lanette's Healthy Living.  At the bottom of, 'A Note from Lanette' you'll see a hyperlink to email me to sign up.  What a great way to get movin' this year...good luck! 

Tuesday 1/4/11

Whew!  We made it!  2011!!  I'm not one for New Year's resolutions.  Kind of like prom night, they just never pan out to be as spectacular as you had imagined them.  So instead, let's just take a look around us, take a deep breath and do all we can to make 2011 a good one...no, a great one!!  I have so much to look forward to; I'm gonna be an auntie again, a few loved ones are getting married and I'd like to start training for a spring or summer triathlon. 

I had been running and doing some Yoga, but after the miscarriage, got a case of the blues and really couldn't get inspired enough to get to the gym for some boot camp.  That all changed today.  I was on the verge of laughing hysterically and tears almost the entire time and the reasons ranged from satisfaction to exhaustion, but overall it felt fabulous.  Sometimes I think my husband knows me better than I do.  A couple weeks ago we were talking and the overall message was, "I've GOT to shake this."  I've got to dust off and make a serious effort to get back to "Lanette" rather than "the woman who had a miscarriage."  I'm proud to say, "I'm baaaack!!!"  

If you've got a hurdle to get over, you have to at least attempt to jump it.  Without that attempt, you can't be mad that you didn't make it.   If you tried and didn't succeed, keep practicing...you'll get there.  Promise.

Wednesday 12/22/10

I got in the car this morning, the radio came on and I thought, "OH YEAH!!  '98 Hours of Christmas Magic' started last night!"  My Lord, I can't believe Christmas is only three days away.  My brother is coming in from Boston Friday morning and the Hansen family does our gift exchange Christmas Eve night.  On Christmas we just lay around watching movies and football, drinking coffee and my mom makes another fabulous dinner.  Last year Marc and I were out east with his family, so this will be my first Christmas with my nephew, Carter.  It's appropriate because Christmas is the birthday of one miracle baby and I'll be celebrating with another miracle baby.  It's going to be perfect.

I bought an unexpected Christmas gift for myself.... a new iPhone.  But that was just because my iPhone broke so I spent $200 on the same phone I already had.  Dang it!  Oh well...'tis the season for spending cash. 

I'm so excited to watch everyone open their presents I can barely stand it!  Lots of great suprises this year and I love seeing people I love so much be so dang happy.  Here's to great Christmas memories!!

Thursday 12/16/10

Thank you so much for your help raising money last Friday for Holiday Wish.  Tomorrow is the day we get all the checks sent out to everyone.  Remember, you hear only a handful of the families we're able to help through Holiday Wish.  Behind the scenes we're able to send a little Christmas magic to over 100 local families. 

I just ate my first bourbon ball of the Chrismas season.  Honestly...these things are little nougats of heaven!!! 

'Tis the season to pack on a couple pounds...click here to check out Lanette's Healthy Living for a little support over the holidays. 

Thursday 12/9/10

Look out Chicago!  It's time for a well-deserved girl's weekend.  There's nothing better for the soul than time spent with some of the fabulous, strong, smart women in your life.  It will be awesome!

Tomorrow is the Holiday Wish fundraiser.  Starting at 7am with Pat and Bob, we're taking your song requests for a donation to Holiday Wish.  The cool thing is that every single penny goes to local families in need.  We don't have to pay our staff or any processing fees or taxes...we drain the fund back down to $0 every year.  Remember that we play only a couple of the phone calls on the air, but behind the scenes we help hundreds of families.  Start thinkin' about what song you'd like to request tomorrow...but it's gonna cost ya.  :)

Monday 11/29/10

Back from our east coast Thanksgiving visit.  It was great to see everyone and was overall a very relaxing, laid back visit.  We flew from Madison to Scranton, and because both are national airports and not international we didn't get the infamous pat down or scan.  BUT, security at Scranton was insane and lots of people were missing their flights because it took over an hour to get through.  At the Detroit airport on the way out, we had a couple hours of a layover and I was totally entertained watching the security people tooling around on Segways.   Now that's a job!!

This was the first year in a very long time I didn't hit the Black Friday, early morning shopping.  Marc's mom lives in the Poconos so to drive anywhere we would've had to leave at least an hour early just to get there!  Plus, everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to go so couldn't get anyone to go with me...I would've gotten SO lost.  It's really a different driving experience out there and in the mountains like that.  Everything is a highway so the typical directions go something like this, "just take 611 to 945.  945 turns into 517 after a right bend in the road.  Just take that to (enter super long, hard to pronounce Native American city name here) and that's where you can pick up 881."  It's nuts!!!  So now I'm behind on Christmas shopping, but I'm not lost in the Pocono Mountains.  I'm okay with that. 

I'm not sure if it was the homemade rice pudding, pumpkin cheesecake, brussel sprouts with bacon and carmelized onions, candied yams, deep fried turkey, apple crumb cake, mashed potatoes, gravy or Sam Adams Lager that put me over the top...but I wore Yoga pants home on the plane yesterday, my jeans weren't even an option. 

I'll be honest with you and say the last two months since the miscarriage have been a very crazy roller coaster.  There are good days, there are bad days...but all in all, I really didn't care.  I fell back on eating my favorite fatty foods for comfort and I have had no want at all to get to the gym.  I've had a couple spurts of running or the occasional workout on DVD, but for the most part I had no passion for it at all.  Well...I think I've finally had enough of it and I'm dusting myself off.  Tomorrow night I'm heading to Yoga with two girlfriends and hopefully that will get me ready for morning boot camps again.  I need to remember to take it slow and cherish the baby steps...but I'm hopeful.  And that's a great thing to be able to say again. 

Tuesday 11/16/10

My mom made a super yummy, pumpkin soup over the weekend and I wanted to share it with you.  It's a very basic soup...feel free to add Greek Yogurt to thicken it or even toss some sort of protein in there like cubed chicken.  Perfect for this time of year!

 Cheesy Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:

Friday 11/12/10

I've got turkey on the brain!  Marc and I are headed out east for Thanksgiving to be with his family.  His cousin, Amy had a baby just before Christmas last year...a precious little girl named Casey.  I haven't seen her since she was just a couple weeks old so I can't wait to see how big and adorable she's gotten since then.  Marc's mom just moved so we'll be able to help her get things where she wants them as well.  I'll be honest here...Marc's family are some of the best cooks I've ever known.  I'm SO excited to eat my way through the holiday.  I had never had eggplant parmigan until I had it there.  Last year for Christmas they had these steak things.  Thinly sliced steak on top of some crusty bread and butter (yes, butter) drizzled on top.  It was so wrong...but so right.  :)  I'm one of the few people who detests green bean casserole, but everything else is fair game.  All this talk about yummy, homemade food has me rather disappointed about the frozen meal I brought for lunch today.  Dang it.   

Tuesday 11/9/10

I live on the west side of Madison so that hail storm a couple months ago got us pretty good.  Our cars had thousands of dollars worth of damage and our house had lots too.  We just had our insurance company and the contractor we chose to work with, out at the house to go through and decide how much of the damage would be covered.  Well...get this....  The assessor says that only two of the four sides of the house can get new siding.  We have 20-year old aluminum siding on our 115 year old house...there's no way they'll get two sides to match the other two.  I'm not saying the insurance company's name...yet...because I still need to talk to the assessor's supervisor to see if I can get the other two sides covered.  If they could promise me that some company has the exact siding that can match our old stuff...I will agree to only the two sides, but the way it sits right now...we may as well do two sides pink and two sides black...it will be that much of a difference.  My grandpa Liddicoat was there at the very beginning of insurance.  He got into it to help farmer's who needed to be covered so they could continue on with their lives.  Now we've got people suing people for trilions of dollars which forces the insurance companies to become something they were never intended to be...mean.    The person who gets stuck in the middle is the average policy holder like I am, who just wants to be able to sell their house when the time comes...and that will be impossible with a) siding with hail damage on it or b) two vinyl sides that look brand new and two aluminum sides obviously 20-years old. 

Please loan me your strength and patience to be able to talk to the assessor's supervisor and hopefully remain calm long enough to get something accomplished.  Here goes nuthin'! 

Wednesday 11/3/10

I bought Twizzlers and Whoppers to give out to the trick-or-treaters.  I thought they were both candies I wouldn't have a million pieces of and then be mad at myself with a stomach ache on the couch. WRONG!  We only had two trick-or-treaters so the bowl just sat there...and I'd take a piece...and I'd take a piece...and I'd take a piece.  Finally I just put the bowl in front of me on the coffee table and discovered that Whoppers go very nicely with red wine.  Dang it...foiled again!!!!   Funny how I'm surprised every year that I do this.  Next year...next year...I'll think of a way to get around it.  Meanwhile, I sure could go for some Whoppers right now.

In an attempt to not get political, I have to say this after last night's outcomes.  If you're going to post your highly-charged, political views on Facebook and then engage in arguments and discussions in written word...please, for Pete's sake, make sure you're being grammatically correct and using proper English.  In my opinion, if you can't even get that right...you have no business posting.  Okay...I'm done on that.  I think.

My nephew, Carter had a procedure last week called a Bronchoscopy.  He was a total rock star and we now have some much-needed answers to questions and concerns.  Thank you for continuously keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. He's almost 20-months, if you can believe that!  He warms my heart and melts my knees with a giggle and a clap.  Life is good.

Friday 10/22/10

As we head into the holidays, one big thing pops into my head...FOOD!  Oh the pies and the stuffing and the cheese and crackers and the...okay, you get the picture.  I happen to have something that's going to keep us on track this year.  Boot Camp.  We're going to work out together at Pinnacle Health and Fitness as a part of Lanette's Healthy Living.  It starts November 2nd and runs seven weeks.  We'll work out twice a week, 6-7am.  There's only room for 10 people so give them a call today to register.  Yeah baby!!!!!

Friday 10/15/10

When my husband and I got married in April we knew we'd like to start a family.  First, I had to run that pesky marathon...but then we agreed we'd see what happened.  Well...a few weeks ago, in the middle of a temper tantrum that I had no reason for having.  Literally, Marc asked me what I was so mad about and I answered, 'That's a good question.  I don't know,' I knew. Along with a couple other signs that raised my suspicion, I needed to take a pregnancy test.  We did the next morning and were ecstatic when we got the outcome we were hoping for.  We told some family and friends, made the doctor's appointment and quietly started planning for quite the life change.  But...when some things just didn't start to feel right, I called the nurse.  We talked about the possibilities and what to watch for and I went on with my day.  There were more changes that worried me and I called the nurse again.  Finally after a week of this, I know my body well enough to know exactly what was going on.  I called Marc at work and we made an emergency doctor's appointment.  After an ultrasound our fears were confirmed that we were no longer going to be parents at that point and time. 

I tell you this only because it's mind-boggling how many close family members and friends have now told me about their miscarriages...like it's this stigmatized sort of subject that many women secretly carry around with them like extra weight.  I guess my attempt is to push the door wide open and encourage women to talk about what happened.  It's nothing to be ashamed of and it actually happens in about 20% of pregnancies...and that's only the number from women who actually know they're pregnant.  Maybe you haven't talked about it because it's too hard...and that's definitely your prerogative, but at some point you need to heal.  You can only put a Band-Aid over a gaping wound for so long until you finally need to deal with it and treat it so it heals.  It's a very real feeling of pain and loss yet you don't have any obvious signs of hurt or healing...I think this is why people find it hard to find something to say (and trust me, there's nothing you CAN say.  Just tell her you love her.) and you may feel weak for needing some time to sort things out. 

I remember looking at myself in the mirror after finding out I was pregnant.  Wow.  I already have so many fabulous titles...wife, sister, daughter, friend, co-worker...and now I get to add the most fabulous one of all...mom.  As someone who sees her mom as her best friend and amazing example, this was the most important thing I had ever taken on and was ready to be even half as spectacular as my mom.  I saw myself differently now.  Sorting priorities was all of a sudden simple as long as the focus was keeping safe this little person I was responsible for, taking care of and helping to grow strong and be a part of our world.  When all of that comes crashing down...it can be a huge blow.  The feeling of failure is overwhelming.  The pure fact is that most miscarriages happen simply because of the crazy complexity that is pregnancy.  It's nothing you did to cause it, and there was nothing you could do to stop it. 

Marc and I are lucky.  We're very open with each other and talk about everything so we've been able to turn to each other for support.  I love him even more today for what we're able to accomplish together, but it's been a harsh dose of reality, that's for sure.  To say the words for the first time was nauseating in itself and then knowing the weeks that were ahead...full of doctor's appointments, blood tests and an emotional roller coaster.  I have so many questions and fears and as I get them answered and addressed, the pit in my stomach slowly begins to cease.  Women are amazing.  The things our bodies go through and how we prevail time and time again is wondrous. Of course, there's definitely the highs and the lows but altogether, anything is possible.  You can get through this...it's a process you need to believe in and participate in.  Deep breaths, forward movement and chocolate...lots of chocolate.

Wednesday 10/13/10

Life...it sure keeps us on our toes!   

Friday 10/8/10

Oh it's been forever!  It's just nuts how busy this time of year is!  This is my favorite season though...I absolultely love Halloween.  I think maybe this year I'll even be Betty Homemaker and put a bunch of Halloween decorations up.  That would mean we'd have time to do that though, so we'll see. 

Tomorrow we're headed to Crystal Lake, Illinois to see a lifelong friend of mine and her husband.  They live in Baltimore but a play they're involved in is coming to the midwest so we're excited to be able to see them.  We'll stay overnight and then get back for a baby shower Sunday afternoon.  Then, just like that...the weekend is over and it's back to work.

BUT...Monday is Taste of Home!!  You still have time to buy tickets if you'd like.  It's SO much fun.  We learn to cook from a real chef and there are lots of raffle prizes and taste testing...it's like being in one big grandma's kitchen.  This is our second year doing it and I can't wait!  Hope to see you there!

Tuesday 9/28/10

If you've ever had skin problems before, I now know eactly what you're going through.  The last couple of months I was breaking out and had no idea what to do.  I like to think I'm pretty secure in who I am but, man it's quite the shove to your self-esteem.  I can't imagine going through it in high school or middle school when all you want to do is fit in but you've got this skin you're embarrassed by.  I finally deemed it something out of my control and called the fabulous, Lea at Skincare 101.  She told me breakouts are usually caused by two things, a bacterial or a viral infection that surfaces on your skin.  She said lots of times these kind of infections lay dormant until something big time in your life changes or lowers your immune system and it creates the right environment for a breakout to occur.  (I thought, does getting married in Mexico, getting a horrible case of Poison Ivy and running a marathon all in a six-week period count?)  So she gave me a toner to make up from things in my medicine cabinet and makeup that's to die for and hopefully we'll get this thing under control.  Who knew I'd be in my mid-30's and dealing with this?!  Gilda Radner was right, "It's always something."

Wednesday 9/22/10

With the first official day of fall tomorrow, I have a serious hankerin' for squash.  It seems most squash recipies have a ton of ingredients...but I LOVE squash and don't think there needs to be too many things added to it.  My mom has the simplest, yummiest stuffed squash recipe.  Here it is!

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

3 acorn squash
butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 to 1 pound ground turkey mixed with 1/4 pound turkey sausage  (I buy turkey brats and take off the casings.)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut squash in half, and remove the seeds.  Brush (inside and out) with butter season with salt and pepper.  Bake the squash with cut sides down for 30 minutes. 
While squash is baking, brown the ground turkey, sausage, onion and celery in a skillet.  Add soup and cook until heated.  Remove squash form oven and fill with meat mixture.  Cover  with bread crumbs. Bake 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve.
I often use more ground turkey and sausage and use 2 cans of soup.  The extra filling can be served so people are able to add it to the half of acorn they have on their plate.

Friday 9/17/10

It's just nuts how packed weekends are these days!  Don't get me wrong...they're filled with amazing things and people, but packed no less.  I forgot to tell you about my fabulous birthday weekend.  Marc surprised me with an overnight stay at the Delafield Hotel which is one of the most beautiful places I've ever stayed.  We went out for dinner at Zin, which was SO yummy.  We had calamari for an appetizer, I had scallops, Marc had steak for dinner...then for dessert...chocolate lasagna!!  We took it back to the hotel because we were too stuffed.  There's an awesome bar in the hotel called, Andrew's and to our spectacular surprise, the guitarest for the Love Monkeys, Keith Pulvermacher was there doing an accoustic set.  We stayed out 'til bar time and I don't know the last time I did that! 

Our room at the hotel was gorgeous and we didn't want to leave but some of our greatest friends were meeting us at our house to head to the Badger football game.  So...up and at 'em!  We had a blast and of course, the Badgers won big time.  Then Sunday was Ironman following friends to the finish line.  Marc and I now refer to it as, 'the greatest birthday weekend ever.' 

This weekend we've got dinner with friends, our neighbor's party, 'Stache Bash 2010' Saturday night and Sunday is my birthday brunch with my family and then it's to Monroe for Cheese Days!  Holy moley...I think it's gonna be another good one!

Monday 9/13/10

One of the coolest things I've ever seen happened last night at about 9:15.  My friends, husband and wife Josh and Stef Besch, finished Ironman together, hand in hand and smiling from ear to ear.  I'm a very proud cheerleader, spectator and friend.  I'm excited for the day I get to do the same.  I think, just like the marathon...the time will pick me.  My life will finally part like the Red Sea and the path to the finish line will be so obvious I can taste it.  Congratulations to all Ironmen...but also friends, Greg Smith and Lauren and Brodie Birkel.  Lauren, by the way was the first local woman to finish...Overall she was the 8th woman and the 147th athlete at about 10 and a half hours.  I was fortunate to catch up with all five spectacular people throughout the day.  I'm exhausted.  :)

Thursday 9/8/10

I LOVE this weather!!  The wind can die down a little but for the most part, I'll take it!

My brother was home over the weekend to see Mr. Carter Man.  He's ridiculously funny and I'm so glad Bradley can get home from Boston enough to see how much Carter changes every single day.  It's just nuts.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU IRONMEN!!  Specifically Josh and Stef Besch.  I went to high school with Josh and we've been so fortunate to remain friends all of these years later.  Don't tell Josh, but we keep him around only because he married one of the most spectacular women ever, Stef.  This is her second Ironman and Josh's first and we'll be there in our Besch-Pride, bright yellow t-shirts at 5:30 Sunday morning for the swim...and we'll be there all the way 'til the end.  It's my birthday...and I wouldn't be anywhere else but supporting my friends in the challenge of their lives.  I'm so proud of you and I wish you luck, strength and the peace of mind that you need to make it to the finish line.  They hope to finish in the 8pm hour so please, if any time on Sunday you have a minute to send them courage and support, it's much appreciated.

Tuesday 8/31/10

The last day of August...how the heck did that happen??  Marc and I had a blast at Ride the Drive, Sunday.  A hot day but if you kept moving the breeze was nice.  We were standing next to Machinery Row when a couple of police motorcycles came by and then the Lance Armstrong posse.  They were moving at about 20mph because that was a nice, casual pace for him...that cracks me up.  My little legs would've been goin' at lightening speed to keep up.  It's like poetry when a group of bikers moves like one big pack like that though...they turned the corner as one rather than lots of bikes...it was cool. 

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last weekend!  We sent them to Sundara Inn and Spa for a couple of nights.  My mom showed me the pictures and holy cow...that place is amazing!!!  Next time I'm sending myself to Sundara!!!  Gorgeous...and a perfect way to celebrate 40 years.  Congrats mom and dad!!! 

Tuesday 8/24/10

I finally decided on my bike, a 2011 Trek Lexa SLX...it's crystal white pearl, black and true blue...because the way it looks matters, let's  be honest.  It's a totally new thing for Trek...they used to do a women's specific series with a bunch of numbers and decimals but now they're just calling it Lexa. It's still in a box, but hopefully the fine folks at Machinery Row will have it built tomorrow or Thursday and I'll be on my way. The components on it are beautiful and obviously, the latest in technology for my level, or lack thereof, of riding.  I'm really looking forward to weekends spent biking in great places, and of course my first attempt at being a triathlete.  I've got to take a Masters swim class...I'll tell ya what, I'm scared to death of the swim.  The idea of being out of breath and tired and being in the middle of a lake can put me into the fetal position if I think about it too much.  I'll get it figured out...I like a good challenge.

Thursday 8/19/10

This weekend Marc and I are taking our annual trip to Minocqua with a bunch of high school friends.  We call it the island party, and it definitely lives up to its name seeing the cabin is on an island on Squirrel Lake.  It's a weekend full of laughs, pranks and love.  We've been doing this for years and years and I never take for granted how lucky I am to have friends who have been in my life for so long. 

Good luck to my dear friend, Charlie and to you if you're running in the 2nd annual Madison Mini-Marathon this weekend.  We're so lucky to be in a place where these fabulous events come to us...no travel, no nuthin'.  But...we also live in a spot where the course most definitely has a few crazy hills, so successfully finishing one of them is a great feat.  As one of my friends wrote in a card a couple days before the Madison Marathon, "This is your race.  Concentrate on running YOUR race."  There's only so much your physical body can do and then it's a total head game.  Nobody can help you at that point...you've simply got to dig deep.  Embrace the exhaustion and rise above it.  Go get 'em!!!

Tuesday 8/17/10

Seventeen months ago today my nephew, Carter was born.  It was such a scary time full of fears and unknowns...but now he's doing very well.  He's standing and getting out in the world and just Sunday, had his first boat ride.  He's one special kid and I thank you for all of the strength you've sent my and my family's way in the last year and a half. 

I've been test-riding some bikes with the intent of entering the triathlon world.  There's SO much to think of and I'm wrestling with my final decision.  Above all, it's very exciting.  I can't wait to get a new bike so I can keep up with Marc.  I'd love to head out for a weekend and bike all over the place, too.  Now if I can just figure out which bike I want....

A very dear friend unexpectedly lost her dad over the weekend and it's a huge dose of reality.  In an attempt to never regret, make sure your relationships are always at a place you're happy with because you just never know....  She was VERY close with her dad and as a friend, I'm left helpless with nothing but light and love to send her.  If you have a spare second to offer peace for her heart and a cleansing breath for her soul, I'd much appreciate it. 

Friday 8/13/10

Well isn't this weather pleasant?  (She says with tongue in cheek.)  It can be 500 degrees OR pouring rain...but not both.  That's just not fair.  We've been outside the last couple mornings at the gym and it feels good to just breathe fresh air...I'm so sick of the air conditioning! 

Tonight my mom and I are heading to Pasqual's and then the Sundance Theatre to see Julia Roberts' new movie, "Eat, Pray, Love."  We've both read the book and loved it so it should be a great night.  If you haven't gone to Sundance to see a movie, it's a must do!  You can order your tickets ahead of time and pick out which seats you want.  Then you can get a glass of wine and a brownie or a beer and popcorn...anything you'd like and enjoy your movie. 

Hoping to go hiking Sunday which finally looks like a pretty nice day.  Other than that we have no fabulous plans....  Maybe we'll head to the farmer's market tomorrow and grab brekkie at the Marigold Kitchen.  Mmmmm....

Wednesday 8/11/10

Hooray for a good day!!!  I tried some cardio for the first time today after getting my stitches out a week ago.  We worked on 300, 200 and 100 meter sprints this morning...I obviously didn't sprint, but it felt so good to get some good ol' fashioned cardio back into my workout.  My leg didn't hurt per say, but I was definitely aware of exactly where the cut is.  It also tingled beyond belief, almost like it was falling asleep.  I think that may have been just the blood circulation going through it quickly for the first time.  I'm just so excited to finally be moving past this darn injury.  Woo hoo!!

Monday 8/9/10

In the middle of the workday Friday, Marc called and wanted to know if I'd like to go camping for the night.  I had an early morning on the air and at a broadcast at Greenway Station Saturday so I told him that maybe next week would work better.  When I got home, he had the entire backyard set up like our own little campground.  The tents, the firepit, the chairs around the fire and the table to play Sequence all night long.  We cooked a pork tenderloin and lots of yummy veggies and then of course, made S'mores.  I can't say I slept very well and I will admit to being pretty dang tired Saturday, but it was super fun. 

Yesterday my sister and I went to a baby shower in Reeseville...population 702.  I had no idea there was such a place.  We got lost on our way there and of course...as we were running late, got stuck at a railroad crossing with a big ol' train makin' it's way through. (You never seem to get stuck at a train crossing when you've got plenty of time to get somewhere.)  We finally just laughed hysterically.  It was a super cute place and I can now mark that one off my map of places I've been.  :)

Thursday 8/5/10

I'm in total disbelief that the last Concert on the Square has already come and gone.  Taste of Madison is only a month away and then it's full speed ahead to fall.  I LOVE fall so I'm not complaining, I'm just wondering where summer went? 

I got my stitches out yesterday and I can't seem to make it stop bleeding.  I've got to call the clinic today to see what I can do to help it clot.  I know...a little disgusting, but it's not the first time you've talked about stitches, I'm sure.  I haven't done any real cardio in almost two weeks and it's driving me nuts! 

This weekend, I'll be at Greenway Station for a broadcast with Mark Van Allen and then Sunday I'll be at a baby shower.  I love an excuse to buy cute little baby stuff.  Hope you have a fabulous weekend planned!

Monday 8/2/10

Erin rocked her first triathlon!!!  it was an Olympic distance so it was just under a mile swim, a 26 mile bike and then a 10k run (just over 6 miles).  She did all of that in 2 hours and 51 minutes!!  It was the first Rockford Triathlon so it was nice and small with only around 100 people participating.  She said the swim was a bit 'seaweedy,' but other than that it was a nice race.  She's done a bunch of marathons and said this, by far was way more fun.  So...I think I've got to find out for myself.  I'm excited about the possibility....

Somehow I was able to convince the finish line announcer that I should be able to announce her name as she finished.  I had a blast and I'm surprised I could hold in my excitement long enough to blurt out something that made sense.  We got video of it and it's very fun to watch.  I was just so proud of her!!!  My hat is off to all triathletes...I think I know why you do it now...especially on the heels of the ultimate triathlon, Ironman.  My friends Josh and Stef will be doing that this year...it's on my birthday and I wouldn't be anywhere else but supporting them all day long. 

I get my stitches out Wednesday.  They've been just fine and I never really had any pain from the whole thing. I'm just looking forward to getting them out and moving on.  At some point I've got to do another box jump and overcome the mental issue I now have with them.  I think I can...I think I can...I think I can....

Friday 7/30/10

So I'm doin' alright with the stitches.  I was back at the gym yesterday...taking it easy but still working out.  I just didn't want to get out of my routine.  Box jumps are off my radar for a while and the thought of doing one actually makes my hair stand on end, but I'll need to get back on the horse...or the box I guess you could say, at some point.  Maybe next time I'll wear shinguards. 

I'm in a show tomorrow night called, "The Game Show Show".  It's at the Bartell Theatre downtown Madison and it's absolutely hilarious.  It starts at 7pm so if you're looking for an impromptu fabulous night, come on down!  I guarantee some laughs...both at and with me.  :)

We're helping some friends move tomorrow and then Sunday Marc and I are headed to Rockford, bright and early to support our friend, Erin who's doing her first triathlon.  She's done a bazillion marathons but this is a different kind of beast.  I'm so excited to watch her be amazing!!  So if you think about it Sunday morning between 7 and 10 or so...send your positive thoughts to Erin please!!!

Tuesday 7/27/10

It's been quite the week so far.  Yesterday morning I was at the gym and we were doing box jumps.  Usually we go for time and work at getting our heart rate up...but this time, we were going for height.  I stared at my box for a while and then took the leap...woo hoo!!!  Landed it!  Again...landed it!  Again...landed it!  Again...whoops!!! I went shin first into the corner and I thought I had a good scrape but from the reaction of my girlfriend, Jenna...I knew it was more than that.  Remember we were working out, so any cut will bleed longer just because your heart rate is up.  But, I got my first look at it and knew it was gonna need stitches.  So my trainer and my husband carried me out while Jenna kept my leg elevated and at 6am we got to the UW ER.  I found out the cut went straight to the bone, which I find very cool...I'm kind of sick and twisted like that.  There are many gross details I'll spare you, but it's all stitched up and other than a little throbbing and aching, it's not bad at all.  Thanks to Zach (McDreamy) the first year resident who was able to stitch this mess up and the fabulous nurses for keeping me laughing at myself through the whole thing.  It'll be quite the scar...dang it...there go my chances of being a leg model.

Then last night I went to Khloe's Hair Studio and chopped off all my hair.  I was able to make a donation to Locks of Love and my hair is absolutely fabulous!!!  It had to be...so people would stop looking at the grossness that is my leg and focus on my hair!  I think they will.

Thursday 7/22/10

After the wedding, the marathon and the wedding reception back home, I was so excited to not be training or planning for anything.  Don't get me wrong, I love running and I love events planning, but both of them were in overdrive there for a while.  It took a while for me to get excited about running and working out again.  It also took a while for me to get motivated to get up so early in the morning again.  I was trying to watch what I was eating but I still packed on a couple pounds.  So the last couple of weeks I've finally gotten back into my routine of exercise and healthy eating, and it's such a relief.  I'd like to say the pounds will come off as quickly as they went on, but that's usually not the case.  I had gotten used to letting myself be a snacker at night before bed, so that's my big thing right now...stopping that.  But...if you must snack...I have a great alternative on my new website, Lanette's Healthy Living.  Here's to your health!

Monday 7/19/10

I hope you had a fabulous weekend.  Marc and I spent Saturday doing anything we wanted.  We woke up late and went to Marigold Kitchen for breakfast.  Their special egg dish for the day...a crab scrambler...oh my was it amazing!  Then we took a walk around downtown for the Farmer's Market and Maxwell Street Days and picked up a couple fabulous birthday gifts.  When the heat was finally unbearable, we jumped back in the car and went to the air conditioned, Target.  We had tons of fun just grabbing odds and ends...a shirt, a new water/food dish for our cat, Piper, lots of cards, a Paul Frank t-shirt for my nephew, Carter...you get the idea, just a bunch of things we didn't need but sure had fun shopping for.  Then we met my family at the Daisy Cafe and Cupcakery for a birthday dinner...my mom's 39th :) and my grandma's 89th.  What a great day!  Sunday was back to business, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, doing the laundry...everything we put off the day before.  But sometimes you just have to do that.  Now if the weekend only lasted one more day....

Thursday 7/15/10

Marc's and my wedding reception was this weekend at Capital Brewery and it was fabulous.  A little rain but it cooled it down nicely.  After being a wedding planner and being in 17 weddings, I thought I knew all there was to know about weddings.  What I didn't realize is how absolutely exhausting a reception is.  Trying to make a connection with everyone there at the speed of light.  It's such an honor that they took time out of their lives to celebrate with you so you want to chat at least a little with everyone...man was that nuts.  Some friends and family members I remember even just giving them a wave or a wink from across the way and hoping they were alright with just that.  Marc and I saw each other for maybe 10 minutes total.

But...Capital Brewery was an amazing spot to have the party... and the highlight of the day...the food.  Holy cow was everyone talking about it.  We wanted authentic Mexican food in honor of our wedding in Cozumel so we went to one of our favorites, La Mestiza.  They're downtown and in Market Square on Odana Road and what they brought was amazing.  We did a Tres Leches cake that I hear was equally as fabulous as the nacho bar...I wouldn't know...I didn't get a piece, the pigs!  :)   When Marc and I go to the restaurant, we can't pass up the best Sangria EVER!  You have to try it. I lost my voice and could barely get my body to the car afterwards, but it was a great day.  I'm still smiling from ear to ear.

Thursday 7/8/10

I'm super geeked out about something we've been working very hard on here at Magic.  It's a new webpage called Lanette's Healthy Living and you can find it living on the Magic website under 'Fun Things.'  It's my opportunity to share with you my enthusiasm for a healthy lifestyle and you're opportunity to walk with me filling me in on your personal journey and sharing that with other Magic listeners.  The idea is to get us all in a better place so we can stick around as long as we can for our fabulous friends and family who need us and at the same time have an insanely high quality of life.  We'll learn from the experts and will hopefully soon have opportunities for us to all get together to workout, keep each other motivated and share ideas.   Get on the bus baby...we're goin' to healthyville!!!!

Wednesday 7/7/10

I remember doing a broadcast a couple years ago from the Wedding Expo when a little girl I used to babysit for, Betsy came up to the Magic Prize Machine.  I said, "What are you doing here?"  She said, "I'm getting married!"  I thought...BUT YOUR FIVE!!  Well obviously she wasn't anymore and she sure was getting married.  Yesterday she and her husband, Greg had a beautiful baby boy they named Benjamin and I'm SOOO happy for them.  Now I know why my old babysitters used to look at me with wide eyes when they'd see me after a couple years.  Wow, does life move.

My nephew, Carter got his first teeth over the weekend.  He's been goobing and slobbering all over the place for weeks.  Plus gnawing on his hands and was a bit of a crabby pants too...but now we know why, he was workin' hard!  It's crazy to think he'll be 16 months next Saturday.  

Good news...my toenails are already growing back in!  (I know you were desperately waiting an update.)  I lost three of them from the marathon but I think I can even paint them for my wedding reception this weekend.  Oh happy day! 

Friday 6/25/10

Just wanted to let you know I'll be heading out of town for a few days.  My brother's wedding gift to me and Marc was two plane tickets to visit him in Boston.  So...we're headed out at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning and we'll be back Wednesday night.  When I was living in NYC, we'd have friends or family come and visit both of us...the overall impression was that they loved coming to visit NYC, but they could see themselves living in Boston.  It really is a fabulous city.  My brother, Bradley has an amazing condo in Brookline and it's right in the heart of everything so getting around is very easy.  He's got a pool so I'm looking forward to making some yummy food and drinks and laying around the pool one of the days. 

That is...of course, after we quickly get out of the airport, take the train to my brother's, drop everything off and belly up in a pub ready to watch the U.S. beat Ghana at 2:30 in the next round of World Cup play.  I hope you've gotten at least a little excited about soccer these last couple of weeks.  They've been putting on quite a show.  And despite being robbed of a couple goals and having some very odd, non-existant penalties called on them, they've rallied.  These next few games should be very interesting...enjoy!!!

Wednesday 6/23/10

It's just crazy how busy we are in the summer.  Not only here at work, trying to be out as often as possible with your Dells passes and soon hosting Concerts on the Square every Wednesday night, but wow there's lots going on, period.  We only have warm weather for such a short period of time that there seems to be something planned every day trying to take advantage of it.

Marc and I are planning our wedding reception here at Capital Brewery so that's taking up a bit of time.  We're going very casual...a nacho bar, beer (obviously), lawn games, a caricature artist and a couple other fun details.  We'll be having quite the jam-packed weekend as out of town friends and family make their way here.  We're doing the reception on a sunday so people will be able to hit the fabulous Farmer's Market and whatever else is going on in Madison that day and get a great sample of what we have to offer.  And those who used to live here are really looking forward to have some time to bring back the memories. 

I hope to have a nice French Pedicure by the time of the reception but right now there are three toenails that seem to be missing.  Just one more thing I didn't plan on for the marathon.  You can say it...GROSS!!!!

Oh I almost forgot to tell you how fabulous Carter's Crew did at the fundraiser for the Herma Heart Center called Push. Pull. Pedal.  As a team, we raised $7,400 and won the top team fundraising honors.  My brother in law, Andy took third place overall with about $2,200 raised.  The rain held out for us and it was a great morning in Monona, doing our part for babies and kids with serious heart conditions.  My nephew, Carter was the token screaming baby in the Herma Heart Hero group picture.  Not only did he start crying but soon all of the other babies were shedding sympathy tears and it all went downhill from there.  We were very proud.  :)  Thank you for the last year and a half of thoughts, prayers, donations and support.  I and my family have felt every bit of it and trust me, don't take one second of it for granted.  We're very blessed. 

Tuesday 6/8/10

Well hello!!!  I think I've finally had enough time to sort through all of the emotions that come with completing a marathon.  YES...I finished.  Despite the 90+ degree heat and crazy humidity I crossed that finish line with a part smiling, part crying, part total exhaustion sort of look on my face.  I trained for a five-hour finish and I was pretty solid for that to be the final outcome...but there's nothing like that kind of heat and humidity to blow every single second of training you put into the last five months.  I had a fabulous five-hour pacer, Beth.   She was running her 106th marathon if you can believe that.  She assigned a joke to one person in our pace group for each completed mile and when she blew her whistle three times we all had to growl.  It was the boost I needed heading into that kind of challenge.  But...around mile nine, there was a stretch of pure sun and no shade.  I watched my heartrate go up to 187 in a matter of a minute and knew this was going to be a completely different race...one I hadn't planned on at all.  In that minute it became more of a head game than one of what my physical body could handle.  I watched my pace group turn the corner without me and I went through disappointment, anger and sadness...then it all turned to determination and I was gonna bust my butt to get through what was already seeming like the longest couple of hours of my life.   

At 11am, four hours into it, the race was black-flagged.  That means the conditions weren't favorable for the race anymore and the clocks were stopped.  It was a little confusing there for a bit because no one was sure if the timing had just ended or if the course was actually closing.  There were buses picking people up if they decided to be done and there seemed to be a constant ring of ambulance sirens as people overdid it and either collapsed on the course or manged to make it to a medic tent.  Most people were either dehydrated or suffering from heat stroke...either one could happen so quickly in that kind of heat.   The scene was described as 'carnage' by one on-looker and I didn't doubt it one bit.  I put it out of my brain, pictured my nephew, Carter who had to fight much harder than I was at that very minute not just to finish a race but for life....  I put one foot in front of the other and knew I was getting closer and closer to the finish line.

I trained with Electrolyte cubes at every hour, but with that heat...couldn't swallow the gummy-like cubes, so I settled for Gatorade which seemed to swish around in my stomach like a giant wave in the Atlantic Ocean.  At each water station I grabbed a cup of Gatorade and took a sip or two, a cup of water and poured it over my head, a handful of ice and stuck it in my sports bra and another cup of water to drink.  Around mile 15 a truck passed me and I heard, "go get 'em Lanette!"  It was a fellow, first-time marathoner, Robyn who I had passed a couple miles ago...her husband came to pick her up.  She was done.  Maybe next time. 

At mile 18 I caught back up with Pam...a fabulous woman I started with in my five-hour pace group and another outstanding woman named Jessica.  With a couple miles left, Pam was able to pull ahead with a sudden burst of energy while Jessica and I watched with pride from behind.  With a mile left, heading down West Wash., Jessica could see my Arthritic knees were really getting to me going up the hill that IS West Wash.  She grabbed me by the wrist and we finished at 5:59...exactly one minute before the course closed. 

Do I want to do another marathon anytime soon...no.  Do I want to do another one...yes.  I want to redeem myself.  I'm proud that I finished but still shake my head at the heat and humidity that put an early end to many people's races and made mine an hour longer than planned. 

I asked my insanely wonderful husband, Marc, who rode his bike along side me for the entire race, if someday we can drive the course because it's really one big blur.  I remember a couple things...like my amazing family and friends coming out to cheer me on. My first familiar face was Juli Hinds and her daughter Joelle just outside of Camp Randall.  Her excitment and smile gave me the strength to stand up straight and keep moving.  At mile 13 I saw the Sweeney/Lavik family and I got a second wind.  Peggy and Ted were there with armfulls of anything I may have needed to continue on, my parents and their cowbell were downtown and at Warner Park the Kwiatkowskis were there complete with 2-year old Elizabeth's and 4-year old Olivia's handmade signs of encouragement.  I saw my parents again at Shabazz HS, then Peggy walked with me a little and I give her some credit...I was in a foul mood at that point...after that I saw my best friend, Kit at the Tenney Locks.  My girlfrend Jenna ran with me for a couple blocks and then Juli and Joelle took to their bikes and we went down John Nolen Drive together with a little help from the Red Bull they brought.  I remember seeing the Kwiatkowskis again, though I'm not sure where.  I remember getting high-fives from the girls and it made me smile.  Then...the finish line.  Everyone, including my girlfriend Erin who had finished the marathon an hour and a half before and I'm sure just wanted to get home, was there.  Her boyfriend, Marc was there too, taking pictures and rooting me on through the finish.  And even beyond the faces at the finish line, I knew there were so many people texting, emailing and calling to find out how I was doing.  I am truly blessed to have such amazing people in my life. 

And in case you're still thinking, Lanette...you're crazy for doing this.  I sent an email to my nephew, Carter the morning of the marathon.  I think it sums up well why I signed up, why I trained, why I finished:

To my Bug,

I've been up for about a half hour getting ready for one of the hardest, physical challenges I've ever endured.  Today I will run 26.2 miles.  And it's all in honor of you.  Today I will put one foot in front of the other time after time.  And it's all in honor of you.  Your beautiful face will be on my mind the entire time because just as you fought for every minute, so too will I.

Thank you for making me a better person.  You are the reason for what's right in the world...I love you with all my heart and soul.

This day is for you, little man!
Auntie Netty

 

Friday 5/28/10

Next time we talk I'll have completed my first full marathon.  You know in school when you studied your butt off for an exam and by the time you head to that class to take it, you just hope you did everything you could...that's how I feel.  I know I've worked hard, training since January and keeping my eye on the prize.  I'm ready, I know I am...but there's still that little bit of doubt that can get the best of you.  I'm trying not to give that ounce any power...but it definitely creeps up.  I've learned so much about myself...most of all, that I can do anything I put my mind to.  I've been impressed and humbled by the love and support from friends and family and I'm ready to see what I can do.  I'm motivated by the most amazing little man of all time...my nephew, Carter.  I'm running as a fundraiser for the Herma Heart Center...the place he spent the first three months of his life and because of all of the insanely wonderful doctors, nurses and specialists...just saw his first birthday in March.  If you'd like to see a picture of my sweet bunny and possibly make a donation...just click here. 

The marathon starts at 7am Sunday...I swear I'll be able to feel your thoughts and prayers...please send as many as possible.  Thank you!!! 

Wednesday 5/26/10

My family and I went to Rockford, IL last night for my cousin, Megan's 6th grade graduation.  I guess their elementary goes through 6th grade and their middle school is 7th - 9th grade.  She was so absolutely beautiful and her smile lit up the room.  She's the youngest of the cousins on my mom's side of the family.  We range from 40 to 12 years old and we're all over the country yet we still manage to keep up on each other's going-ons.  I held Goo ( I call Megan that because when she was a baby and would sneeze...it was ALWAYS a mess.  Twelve years later the poor girl is still Goo.) when she was six hours old and I remember looking at her and thinking my heart was about to explode.  You can't choose family, but I would choose her over and over and over.  I'm so proud of her for so many reasons.  Graduation season always makes you reflect a little....

I was able to put my wedding ring on for the first time in a week and a half as my poison ivy is finally going to its grave.  People see it now and think it's so terrible and I don't have the heart to pull out the disgusting pictures from just a week ago.  I still get a blister here and there but for the most part...it's going away. 

Four days 'til the marathon.  Do it.

Monday 5/24/10

I've got my check list for the marathon....  I've got to get more athletic tape for my feet and more electrolyte cubes for energy on the run.  I've decided I'm going to wear my water belt but only so I can pack my nutrition into the pockets...there are water stations every 2 1/2 miles or so, so I think I'll be okay with that.  I've done everything I can to get my body in shape and now it's just a head game.  And it's a doosey because last week I couldn't run with all of my poison ivy.  This morning I ran with severe cramping in my shins and calves and I'm hoping it was just because my body needs to remember what it's supposed to do...plus it was so hot and muggy that maybe I wasn't hydrated enough.  

I'm excited, I'm scared, I'm determined, I'm ready...I'm ready...I'm ready....   

Wednesday 5/19/10

Year two of getting poison ivy from my backyard.  But this year...I know where I got it.  There's a tree on the fence line that looked to have a viney disease growing on it.  So I went to work on it Saturday.  My plan was to cut off a piece of these fibrous, red hairs and bring to a landscaping company or something to see what it was so I could treat it and not lose the tree.  Well, Sunday I had some redness on my left forearm and knew I got into some poison ivy again.  But by Monday both my forearms had been taken over by red rashes and blisters, my hands had the same thing and my fingers had so many blisters between them that they now touched.  Still...all of that I could put up with.  This year...I got it on my face.  My face is very red and irritated and swollen.  So bad, that by Monday night I was in Immediate Care getting a prescription of Prednisone because my left eye was swelling shut and it may have been from panicking a little, but I wasn't comfortable with my breathing either. 

THIS is why I'm telling you all of this...because I thought poison ivy was only a leafy vine.  WRONG...the red, fibrous hairs I was trying to cut off of my tree WAS the poison Ivy.  Click here and scroll down to the picture on the right side of your screen.  Turns out these vines are as, if not more poisonous to humans than the leaves.  If you've got this in your yard DO NOT touch it...leave it to the professionals.  I've got a body full of rashes and blisters and swelling to prove it.  Lucky thing I'm in radio and not TV.  :)

Friday 5/14/10

I'm just over two weeks out from the Madison Marathon.  It's funny because I've been so confident...but as we get closer, I'm a little scared.  Through my training, I know it doesn't take much for a run to go completely wrong and I just pray that my body feels good and I'm ready to roll come May 30th.  Plus...I'm running for thee most important cause in my life...the Herma Heart Center which is where my nephew, Carter was for the first three and a half months of his life.  He turned one on St. Patrick's Day.  With his heart defect and airway issues, he ended up having seven surgeries and was a fighter every single step of the way.  So, he's my inspiration, my heart and my soul...and I will finish 26.2 miles in honor of his fight.  If you'd like to see a picture of the sweetest little boy ever click here and if you'd like, feel free to donate. 

Thursday 5/13/10

It was great seeing so many of you at Famous Footwear last night!  We gave away WI Dells Season Opener Cards, a Shoe Crazy Shopping Spree and Ali Vincent and her mom, Bette Sue from "Biggest Loser" were there!!  Talk about girl power...I'm a HUGE fan so it was fun to make Ali's Twitter page...so cool!

I took quite the digger at the gym yesterday morning and I'm still hurting today.  We were doing box jumps and kind of like when your eyes are bigger than your stomach...I thought for sure I could make that jump...I was wrong.  I actually never fell to the ground but I went kneecap first into the box and then got some good scrapes trying not to fall.  I'm sure it was very fun to be a spectator....  But...I tried my hardest and that's what counts...bruises and scrapes are earned at the gym.

I've been chugging the coffee lately trying to stay awake.  This cold, rainy weather just does a number on me.  Hope you're staying awake...that makes one of us.  :)

Friday 5/7/10

Wow...has life been moving by at a million miles an hour!  Between work, family, friends and life in general...I'm averaging about five hours of sleep a night.  Now I know for parents of small children that sounds pretty good, but I'm not a parent...and I need sleep.  As a reward for burning my candle at both ends...I've gotten a doosey of a cold, which makes it great to try to train for a marathon right around the corner.  I just smugly smile and shake my head knowing that I signed up for it all...every last drop. 

I'm always happy when Mother's Day is around the corner.  A day to celebrate the most amazing mommy I know sounds good to me.  Plus this year, I officially have a Mother-In-Law to celebrate and I know after hearing horror stories from friends...I got very lucky.  Mine is an amazing woman who makes me laugh...hard.  Anyway, we'll be heading over to my sister's house for brunch.  I'm making a pancake bake that's to die for and my sister is making omelettes in a cupcake pan so they'll be single-servings.  I've affectionatly started calling them omecakes.  My mom is bringing fruit and of course we'll have tons and tons of coffee.  If you haven't guessed it yet, breakfast is my favorite meal.  I get a little more excited about it than the average person. 

Have a great weekend!  Happy Mother's Day!!!

Tuesday 4/27/10

Marc spent all of yesterday installing a mailbox in front of our house.  Neither of us thought it'd be an all-day project, but that's how it turned out.  Now he stands there and admires it saying, "it's the straightest mailbox on the block."  I guess we all need something to be proud of.  It is a fabulous thing and I'm so glad our mail carrier doesn't have to trudge all the way up to our front door anymore.  It's the little things...I'm learning that more and more. 

Friday will be one month until the Madison Marathon.  I'm feeling pretty confident and I'm ready to not be training anymore.  I love a good challenge more than most but I'm excited to have my weekends back and not have to dedicate a morning or an afternoon to a long run.  I'm definitely not anywhere near the fastest runner.  I'm slow and steady and I enjoy (almost) every second of it.  If you've never been at a marathon finish line, you must experience it.  It's full of tears and grimaces and heart ache and celebration...all of them raw emotion.  And you almost feel like you're spying on someone's inner-most feelings but it's just put out there for the taking.  As you can tell...I think it's amazing and after years of being on the spectator side of the finish line I'm honored to be able to experience it as a runner.  Hope to see you there!

Oh!  One more thing.  I've told you the story of my fabulous friend, Jaime (Jac as I call her).  She was diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma when she was pregnant with her youngest daughter 2 1/2 years ago.  She has had three rounds of this fight since then and finally got the "3-count" and won.  She's been in remission for five months and hopefully that's the 'happily ever after' we've been waiting for.  Meanwhile, I'm walking in a fundraiser for her Saturday.  If you'd like to help me meet my goal while making a donation for cancer research, click here.  Thank you so much!!!!

Friday 4/23/10

It's my 2-week anniversary!  Okay, I know that's a little cheesy but it's still in that beginning stage of being fun to think of.  Last week, we celebrated our 1-week with a fabulous dinner at Sardine compliments of a yummy wedding gift from our friends, Noreen and Pat.  Tonight we're meeting our friends, Tony and Jason at Biaggi's...we're going to expect a party every week at this rate! 

With the amazing generosity of our family and friends, Marc and I were able to get a few things we are very excited about.  Nope, not a luxury vacation...not a sporty new car....  A washer and dryer and a Dyson vacuum.  The washer and dryer were delivered yesterday and I've gone downstairs to just look at them more times than I'm willing to admit.  I washed things yesterday that really didn't need to be washed...I just wanted to press the buttons that make the pretty music.  Our old dryer was almost shot.  If you squeal that annoying squeal at the top of your lungs...that's the sound it made while it was over-drying every single thing we put in it.  Home Depot gave us an amazing deal on our gorgeous, new LGs...but the kicker was that they'd deliver and take away our old stuff free of charge.  SOLD!  My, (whoops, I'm married now) OUR new Dyson is equally as spectacular.  It works on any surface and can get into most odd spots easily because of that ball technology.  Then you just press a button and dump everything in the trash.  No more standing at the store trying to remember if I need to buy 'Y' or 'Z' vacuum bags.  We're very happy with our new toys. 

On a side note...if you're looking for something to do tomorrow night, I've got just the thing.  Martin Sexton is playing at the Majestic Theatre and he's amazing.  It'd be a great date night idea as well as a friends evening.  I promise you, you'll love it.  See ya there!

Wednesday 4/14/10

It couldn't have been more perfect.  I hope to post some pics to the website very soon.  My bridesmaids were SO gorgeous, my mom was a flippin' knock out and my mother-in-law looked more beautiful then I've ever seen her before.  I felt spectacular and Marc was amazing...oh and the groomsmen were hot.  My dad's smile was priceless and the day was fabulous!  I LOVED my wedding...and the week-long vacation in Cozumel with family and friends.  To say there were many memories made doesn't even seem to scratch the surface.  Everywhere you turned there were laughs and smiles and friendships beginning.  Many people actually traveled with each other on the plane or the shuttle to the resort and throughout their conversation, realized they were going to the same wedding.  Others had occupations in common or children the same age and are now Facebook friends exchanging their favorite Macaroni and Cheese recipes.  And the best part...I now get to call Marc my husband. 

Monday, 4/5/10

I’m outta here!!  On vacation AND getting married sure sets one up for craziness at work the week before...but I did it.  And now the beaches of Cozumel are right outside my hotel room and I’m loving it!  I never saw myself as someone who would get married so I’m surprising myself...I guess it took someone who could put up with all of my craziness yet still know when to calm it down and just be us.  Marc and I have been together for over three years so as much as I’d like to say nothing drastic is going to change...I think it will.  There’s a deeper commitment to standing by your vows and the promise you made to each other in front of your friends and family.   It’ll be hard for me to fight fairly, because not only do I LOVE being right...I’m a ‘slam the door and leave the room‘ sort of fighter.  That’s definitely something I’ll have to work on.  Friday at sunset is the big day...Cozumel and Madison are in the same time zone so right around 5:00...think of me saying ‘I do’.  See ya when I get back...a married woman...and ready to focus on the Madison Marathon.  Grrrrrr.

Thursday 3/25/10

I took the most fabulous running class at Hybrid Fitness this morning.  Now, let me be the first to say...treadmill running can get so monotonous you'd rather gnaw your fingers off, but this was awesome.  Katie took us on a simulated Crazy Legs run.  We adjusted the treadmll to TWELVE for the Observatory Drive hill and then went nice and fast down the hills and finally into Camp Randall.  It was a great alternative to the usual treadmill running which can get to be a bit much when you're training for a marathon.  I burned over 600 calories which is another bonus to those darn hills!  If you're into running, this class is going to be offered every Thursday at 5:30am.  Next week...sprints! 

Monday 3/22/10

You know your life is crazy when you come back to work on a Monday hoping everything will slow down from the weekend.  We had Carter's big birthday party that he got a cold for...his dad described him like a little groundhog.  We'd take him out, he'd look around and then start coughing and fussing so he'd go back to bed.  Repeat the process about 10 times and that was Carter's big day.  Someone brought a bowl of Starburst jelly beans so I managed to pass the time away sitting right next to that quickly disappearing bowl.

Sunday a bunch of us assembled wedding programs.  We attached them to straw fans and they'll be laid on each chair at the ceremony.  The wedding will be at 5pm so the sun will still be up and may be a little warm.  They turned out awesome and I can't wait to see everyone fanning themselves with them.

I got my hair done Thursday at Khloe's.  We took tons of pictures in an attempt to show them to whoever does my hair in Cozumel.  It was pretty crazy putting that veil on...I'm starting to feel like a bride more and more each day.  18 days!!

Monday 3/15/10

Just did the math and I leave in less than three weeks to go to Cozumel and get married.  LOVE it!!  This weekend I had two more bridal showers....  One on Friday here at work.  La Matiza on Odana Road in Market Square catered it and my coworkers rocked it with gifts from the camping section of our registry.  :)   Sunday was my family shower thrown by my cousin/best friend/Maid of Honor, Kit.  Thirty plus people piled into her house for a 'Lanette's Favorite Things' shower...for which I now understand some strange emails a few months ago asking for my favorite everything.  The food consisted of meatloaf, nacho Doritos, Crystal Lite, pizza, chips and salsa and orange and yellow cupcakes for dessert...just to name a few of the things...all of my favorites.  Those at the party came ready with favorite Lanette stories and they were also quizzed on my favorite movie, hobbies and stores....it was pretty amazing. I woke up this morning still full from splurging on all of my favorites...but it was a good full. 

My nephew, Carter turns one on Wednesday...happy, happy day!!!!  We're having a party on Saturday and because you can imagine this little miracle boy has everything and more he could ever possibly want, everyone at the party is bringing something on the 'wish list' for the Herma Heart Center...the part of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Carter spent his first 3 1/2 months at.  My brother is coming in from Boston...it's all going to be very special.

Monday 3/8/10

I had my first bridal shower yesterday and it literally brought me to tears.  In honor of my wedding in Cozumel, my sister threw the shower at Casa Del Sol on Fish Hatch.  It was absolutely beautiful...the cakes were from The Rolling Pin and they had the exact same flowers on them as the invites did.  There were orange Gerbera Daisies on all of the tables and the take-homes were these fabulous, little sun tan lotions with my name and shower date on them.  There were 30 of my favorite people there all who had taken time out of their busy schedules to get gifts and come celebrate with me.  I'm just the luckiest girl in the world!!

PS...Everyone was talking about two things...the spectacular service and super yummy food at Casa Del Sol and the amazing, "Death By Chocolate" cakes from The Rolling Pin...I highly recommend both of them!

Thursday 3/4/10

So it may sound absolutely ridiculous to be training for a marathon at the same time that I'm planning my wedding, but it has actually turned out to be a complete blessing.  I don't have time to spaz out about the little, teeny details about the wedding...cuz I've got running to do.  Then of course after the running is icing and lounging.  So that combined with the fact that we'll be in beautiful Cozumel...I'm really not worrying about a thing.  Meanwhile, I have deep bruising on the outside of my left foot and a little on my heel from our 10-mile run Sunday.  I'll be ankle-deep in an ice bucket the next couple of nights because I've got 11 miles on Saturday and I just don't have time to worry about any pain in addition to the regular wear and tear. 

I love running because it's such a head game.  It's you against you...you can't blame the goalie or the referee.  You win or you lose based on you.  When my head isn't in it and I would love to just give up I think of my reason to run this marathon in the first place...my nephew, Carter.  That little bug had seven surgeries in the first 3 1/2 months of his life...if he has the strength and determination to get through that then his auntie Netty can run 26.2 miles.  Carter...by the way will be a year old in less than two weeks...he's our pride and joy!

Monday 2/22/10

I left my voice in Wisconsin Dells at the Great Wolf Lodge...that's where my bachelorette party was this weekend.  We had a blast!  We shopped all afternoon at Tanger and then headed back to our beautiful condos at Great Wolf where we chowed and drank some amazing margaritas my sister made.  Of couse we spent a bunch of time in the waterpark...okay...in the hot tub, then we got ready to go out and took a shuttle to a club called Marley's and danced the night away.  It's rather humbling to look around and see all of these amazing women who are from many different parts of your life all come together to celebrate with you.  By the end of the weekend everyone had exchanged emails and phone numbers and now we're all very excited for the wedding in Mexico.  I had 15 friends there and little by little everyone has been emailing me the pictures from the weekend...and they're hillarious.  I had a 'to do' list to follow with everything from 'kiss the head of a bald man' to 'dance on a table'...I got everything checked off by the end of the night so am very proud of that.  

Sorry about my voice today...but please know it was very well-earned.  :) 

Tuesday 2/9/10

Two months from today I'll be marrying Marc.  I'm so excited to see the whole day come together with all of the preparations we've done.  I hope it feels very 'us' and everyone has a great vacation with memories of friends and family that last a lifetime.  It's rather humbling to see people you love working so hard on showers and bachelorette parties and ultimately being at the wedding...all in the name of family or friendship.  I hope to be able to soak every second of that in and cherish it forever.

I cannot say enough how lucky I am for my friends and family and of course Marc!! 

Wednesday 2/3/10

So tomorrow is my day to choose my favorite songs for Jimmy McGaw's 5 @ 5.  It was a lot harder than I thought it would be...and although my all-time fave is Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" I'm fully aware that there are many who would roll their eyes and quickly change the station...so I have spared you from that. 

I've chosen Earth Wind and Fire's, "September"...because it's a song you just can't sit still and listen to.  After a long, crazy day at work...it's what you need to hear.  I had the honor of seeing EWF and Chicago perform in Milwaukee a few years ago and "25 or 6 to 4" was the last song they did...together.  There were 18 people out on stage and each one was playing an instrument and then singing...it was amazing and I think of that every time I hear it.  Uncle Kracker's new song, "Smile" makes me feel happy and I hope it does the same for you too.  I am a die-hard Whitney Houston fan.  Yes, she's made some dumb choices and yes, she's doing her best to right those dumb choices...but none of that can erase the amazing music she gave us in the 80's and 90's..."I Wanna Dance With Somebody" is definitely one of them.  My favorite song on Magic right now is "Hey Soul Sister" by Train.  I first heard it when my fiancee, Marc and I were in Jersey visiting his family for Christmas and fell in love with it.  Not only is it a spectacular song, but I think about my amazing future in-laws when I hear it and count my blessings. 

Hope you enjoy 'Lanette's faves' on tomorrow's 5 @ 5!!

Monday 1/25/10

So the official marathon training begins tomorrow.  The good news...it's just four miles.  I'm pretty pumped to get some serious mileage under my belt though.  When I'm in Cozumel for my wedding I've got to get a long run in there at some point so I've already started to pray for strength for that one. 

In between marathon training are wedding details.  This weekend, we got the maracas that will be painted with our logo on it and the date and put on each place-setting.  We also got the straw fans that will be on each chair for the ceremony.  In addition to keeping guests cool in the Mexican sun, they'll also have the programs attached to them.  So those are both interesting upcoming projects that I hope to take advantage of my bridesmaids for. 

One of my bridemaids who was also one of my college roommates is a designer.  She has a company called Luxe Design and she completely outdid herself with our fabulous invites.  They're passports...and they're spectacular!  I can't wait to send them out!

But other than that...nothing new.  :)

Monday 1/18/10

A fabu recipe!!

 Choc-nut banana and fruit kebabs
Serves 2

50g dark chocolate
½ tsp oil
¾ cup of finely chopped mixed nuts (I used a mix of cashew, pistachio, almonds and peanuts)
1 banana, peeled and cut into 8 chunks
125g strawberries, halved
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into 4-6 chunks
1 nectarine, cut into 4-6 chunks
wooden skewers

Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Melt dark chocolate and oil in a small bowl in the microwave. Place nuts in another bowl. Dip each banana chunk into chocolate, making sure it is covered evenly and transfer to nut bowl (I found it best to use a spoon rather than fingers). Use a fork to cover with nuts and transfer to lined baking tray. Place in fridge to allow chocolate to set – I left mine in for 2-3 hours. When banana is ready, thread banana and fruit chunks onto about 4 wooden skewers in colourful patterns. Serve cold or, if you wish, place in freezer overnight and serve frozen.

 Monday 1/11/10

For the past year and a half I've been dealing with crazy knee pain.  I went to the physical therapist, I had an MRI and no one seems to have a good reason.  I have some Arthritis from old soccer injuries, but it shouldn't be so bad that it stops me from running.  So...I've been trying different things and have finally found the cocktail.  One Ibuprofen 30-minutes before a run, a medicated, Icy Hot-like pad on my knee and inserts in my shoes so I run on the middle of my foot rather than the outside.  Anyway...long story longer, I did my first 5-mile training run this weekend with no knee pain.  I'm elated...and ready for the remaining 21.2 that awaits me for the Madison Marathon. 

Tuesday 1/5/10

So for the second year in a row I got the stomach flu for the holidays...here's the kicker...from the same family!  Last year my best friend's husband gave me the gift that keeps on giving and this year it was my best friend.  I'm thinking we'll exchange gifts in June this year.  So just as I finally started to feel better, Marc got a head cold that's got him beggin' for Kleenex.  We're quite the healthy little family right now. 

I'm excited to get back into the groove of things...back to the gym and now training for the Madison Marathon in May.  Back to eating normal amounts of food and getting normal amounts of sleep.  I'm getting married in three months so It's coming down to the invites and the details.  It's fun to see it all come together. 

Thursday 12/31/09

Marc and I had a fabulous Christmas with his family in New Jersey!  I'm IN LOVE with his new cousin Casey and learned that Clifton, New Jersey is a pretty groovy place.  The 15 1/2 hour drive was grueling....  It wasn't that bad on the way back because we left from his mom's house in Pennsylvania so that took off an hour or so, plus you get the long states of Pennsylvania and Ohio done in the beginning.  I know it's all a mind game, but it just wasn't quite as on-going on the way back.  If it seems like I'm babbling a bit it's because I've been filling in on the morning show all week and I'm all outta whack!  Tonight we're just going to a friend's house for game night...their kids will be there and it'll just be a nice, quiet night.  Be careful if you're going out! Even if you're the designated driver...some people on the road aren't quite as responsible so keep the eyes peeled and the hands at 10 and 2.  Talk to you in 2010!!

Wednesday 12/23/09

So tomorrow I'll fill in on the Magic 98 morning show and then...jump in the car and start the drive to Jersey to spend Christmas with Marc's family.  We're even bringing our dog, Luna.  It'll be a haul that's for sure....  I'm actually looking forward to it...it'll be our first extra-long road trip and I'm curious to see if we both survive.  We should stroll into his aunt Bev's house around midnight on Christmas morning.  Marc has a nice, small family so it's a little less hectic than my family get-togethers are.  His cousin, Amy and her husband Don have a new little girl named Casey so it'll be great to meet her too!  She's not even a month old so we had some fun buying her Christmas presents as you can imagine.

My brother is coming in from Boston tonight and I'll be heading out his way tomorrow...it's rather ridiculous really.  We opened Christmas presents via our computers on iChat earlier this week.  That's how I'll be there as they all open presents tomorrow night too...I'll be iChatting with them so it'll feel like I'm right there...then get to see their faces when they open their gifts too.  What did we do before computers? 

Here's hoping your Christmas is fabulous and you get to where you need to be safe and sound.

Monday 12/14/09

Friday was the Holiday Wish fundraiser and it's goin' down in the books as a successful one.  We raised almost $8,000 which means...combined with other donations and our sponsors...we'll be able to distribute over $18,000 to local families who need it.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your help!!  It means so much!

Friday also marked the day we lost a fabulous Magic listener, Suey Starczynski (She's picture number six, opening the red door).  Maybe you remember her from the first Concert for Gilda's Club a few years ago.  She came in with a spectacular pink bandana and a HUGE smile ready to get some donations rolling in to build a Gilda's Club here in Madison.  Her story was one of courage, strength and pure determination.  Suey spent 13 years trying to beat that dang Cancer but ultimately she had a higher calling.  Please join me in sending prayers and positive thoughts to her husband, two teenage girls and a huge community of friends and family. 

Monday 11/30/09

I totally forgot to tell you about my NYC trip to see "The Lion King." I went with Mr. Fabulous himself, Sunday Smooth's Mark Van Allen. He had never been to the city before and I used to live there so it was fun to show him around. We got in late Friday night so went to the lounge and the club at our hotel. The next morning we got up to see the Today Show...we even got on TV, check it out! (I'm in a beige coat with an orange scarf and Mark is to my right.) Then it was the mad dash to see as much as possible...Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Canal Street, Chinatown, Little Italy then back to the hotel to get ready to see "The Lion King." It was the most impressive Broadway show I've ever seen. I would highly recommend getting tickets when the show comes here to Madison. Tickets go on sale Saturday, 7am at the Overture Center. Anyway, then Sunday morning we strolled Central Park and then headed to the airport...it was 36 hours of fabulousness!

Friday 11/27/09

My mom and I go shopping every Black Friday morning. We decide on Thanksgiving after looking through the ads, where we'll start. This morning we started at 4:00 at Kohl's, then Shopko, then Farm and Fleet, Target, Sears and finally Boston Store. We stopped around 8 to grab breakfast at Cool Beans and then carried on. It's never about the things that we NEED to get it's just a fun morning of being together doing something rather ridiculous.

I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving! I have my big family get-together tonight and cannot wait for a second night of turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, cranberries and gravy...I LOVE gravy....

Thursday 11/19/09

In the journey that is the life of my nephew, Carter...our family has had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. My sister has made some lifelong connections with other moms here and in other parts of the country, who have babies with heart conditions...they call themselves "heart moms." Along this journey there have been definite celebrations; going home from the hospital after 3 1/2 months, Carter quickly growing out of his clothes, a baptism we prayed so hard for and a successful fundraiser for the Herma Heart Center, the place that saved our "little bug" and will keep him healthy for years to come. There have also been sorrows; the loss of babies we got to know through the hospital and "heart mom" support groups. It seemed to be a bad couple of weeks that we just kept getting the word that another angel earned its' wings. With every time, I found myself holding Carter that much closer, that much longer.

One of my sister's "heart mom" friends was one of these moms who had the unfathomable day of having to say good-bye to her little Matthew. But before she did, they lovingly took away all of the tubes and the monitors and the wires and had professional pictures taken by a fabulous organization called, "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep." What a beautiful way to remember your child and to acknowledge his or her existence making a difference in the lives of all who had the priviledge of meeting them. I was so touched by this that I just had to share it with you.

Tuesday 11/10/09

I'm a little embarrassed to say I spent most of the weekend inside. I know it was gorgeous and my neighbors will be the first to tell you that I have lawn work to do...but Saturday was spent running errands and then at my sister's house with my spectacular nephew. Then Sunday I was on the radio 'til 3pm and then off to my parents for dinner. The darkness creeping up on us so dang early is a surprise every single year. It really takes time to get used to. It's hard to look at the clock and see 4:30 and it's dark...although I do like getting up for the gym in the morning and it's starting to get light.

So did you read in the paper this morning that Madison is the 8th healthiest city for women to live in? That's according to Self Magazine's November issue. Eighty five percent of us find time to exercise on a regular basis and that number even beat the number one healthiest city, Burlington, VT. We have one of the lowest average body-mass indexes of all areas the magazine checked out and our cancer and heart disease mortality rates are about 15 percent lower than average. That's a huge thumbs up for you sister friend! Click here for the run-down of the top 100 cities.

Wednesday 11/4/09

Wow what an afternoon! The President of the United States was here...in our little city. I so wish he could've gotten a gyro at Parthenon's or taken the gorgeous drive down John Nolan...but I understand...he's got lots to do. It was so cool to watch Air Force One land at the airport...albeit just on TV, but it was still amazing. I will remember this day as long as I live.

I SO agree with what he said about inspiring our kids to reach high...and to do that we need to lead through example. NO...not by spending 90 hours a week at work so you can afford to send your kids to the best summer camps and buy only the most expensive clothes.... It's quite opposite really. By being there to teach 'em a thing or two. With positive reinforcement and actually taking the time to have dinner together...talk about your day. I know it's sounds so cliche and rather old-school but it's so true. How can you hold teachers responsible for educating the kids if some parents aren't holding up their end of the deal? The kid couldn't care less about a math test if all they can think about is that their dad missed their baseball game last night. I know I'm sort of on a soap box here and I guess I'm out of line a bit because I'm not a parent...but I'd sure like to believe that I wouldn't blame a teacher if my kid wasn't learning something because first and foremost...that's MY kid. Okay...I'm stepping down and will cease preaching.

Thursday 10/29/09

I just have to tell you about a place to avoid if you're ever headed to Fish Creek in Door County. A place called Cedar Court Inn.... We made reservations there but then ended up not having someone to watch our dog, Luna so we had to find a dog-friendly hotel. It was eight days out and not once was there a mention of a cancellation fee...until we had to cancel. We were charged $25 for NOT staying at the hotel, and giving them plenty of time to have someone else rent the room. They completely blew me off when I said it's not on your webite or the reservation confirmation you emailed me, nor did you say anything when I called to cancel...it was in a form letter emailed to me as a cancellation confirmation. THEN...a woman named Janet wouldn't have anything to do with discussing the possibility of waving the fee. It's a perfect reminder that next time you have good customer service or someone goes out of their way for you...thank them, because they could always take the easy way out and act like Janet.

Tuesday 10/27/09

I'm headed out of town this weekend for my very first vacation in Door County. Yes, I'm a born and raised Madisonian but never made the venture over there. I'm very excited. My brother-in-law's sister is getting married, if you can follow that. So we'll leave Friday night after work and make our way back sometime Sunday. We'll be in Bailey's Harbor so if you know of any great things or places to see, let me know...I'm clueless.

We did some serious strength training this morning at the gym so my arms and chest are pretty much useless. I've 99% committed to doing the full Madison Marathon in May so I guess I better get used to it. Yes, I'm getting married in April...why not add one more stressful thing?? :)

Wednesday 10/21/09

I'm a bad friend...we haven't talked in weeks!! So sorry. I first wanted to say thank you for donations and positive thougths and prayers for Push, Pull, Pedal...a fundraiser for the Herma Heart Center. Team Carter raised $6,200 and the event itself raised over $24,000! We're so lucky to have such an amazing place just a short car ride away. The UW hospital can do most things, but when it comes to congenital heart defects, even they send 'em to the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. I hope you never have to be there, but if you do, you'll be very, very impressed. So from me and my family, thank you!!

I guess I've been layin' low the last couple weeks. This weather makes me want to get home from work, put on comfy clothes and eat soup! Tonight I'm going to make a grilled cheese sandwich and warm up the fabulous organic roasted red pepper and tomato soup I get at Woodman's and curl up with the last couple chapters of my book. I can't wait!

Wednesday 9/30/09

Miley Cyrus has a song out called, "The Climb" and every time I hear it I think of my fabulous nephew, Carter. "There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move...."While other babies were smiling at their parents for the first time, Carter was enduring yet another surgery. While other babies were being held by all their loved ones, Carter laid in his hospital bed dreaming about what it would be like for even his mommy and daddy to hold him. While other babies cried when they needed something, Carter was silent because of his ventilator that helped him breathe. I tell you all of this not for your pity but so you could hear how far he's come thanks to the amazing care he got at the Herma Heart Center at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. We were able to get passed all of those heart-wrenching things because we knew with the help of everyone working at the hospital, Carter would be able to do all of those things in time...but we had to wait a little longer than everyone else. I don't know how he did it, but after 99 days in the hospital, seven surgeries and more procedures than I care to mention, Carter got strong and healthy enough to head on home for the first time. He'll need the Herma Heart Center for lots of future visits including two more surgeries...so we've got to keep this place running in tip-top shape. For all babies with heart problems...those we've lost, those that are here now and those who will grace us with their presence in the future...I'm participating in a fundraiser this weekend called Push, Pull Pedal. If you'd like to sponsor me just click here...please know that every penny counts. If that's not in the budget, please think of me Saturday as I walk for Carter and for all "heart" babies. Thank you!!

Monday 9/21/09

I made thee most spectacular pancake bake this weekend thanks to the Taste of Home magazine. If you would like to make it a bit healthier...I used two egg whites and two whole eggs, whole wheat flour, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Craisins, Splenda and Splenda brown sugar and it all turned out perfectly. Even the three-year old cleaned his plate....Enjoy!

Friday 9/18/09

I think we've finally rounded the kitty corner. Piper came upstairs for the first time in weeks...strutted through the living room and jumped into a window in the porch. I sat down next to her and she was purring and getting into my lap. Then she jumped down and sprawled out in front of the patio door. We started her on a steroid Wednesday and I think it's the trick we've been looking for. So now her personality is back...we just need to get her to start eating again. Once we jump that hurdle we can take out the feeding tube and hopefully get back to normal. Man oh man has this been quite the process. Thanks for all of your positive energy on this one...it was exhausting.

I'm in a wedding next weekend for my dear, dear friend Jenna. If you're in the Stoughton area...let me apologize ahead of time...we're quite the rowdy group once we're all together. Jenna and I were ballerinas together starting around 5 years old so it's kind of cool to sit back and think of all the things we've been through together and now to see her marry the love of her life. She, in turn, will be in my wedding as well in April. LOVE the girlfriends!!

Wednesday 9/9/09

So we're in week three of the cat mystery. Piper seems to be doing a little better but still isn't eating on her own...so we continue to feed her every six hours through a feeding tube in her neck. That's also how we give her her meds. This weekend she caught a mouse in the basement so she can't be feeling that bad.... Meanwhile, we still think it's a bacterical infection that started this whole thing off so will be adding antibiotics until we find the one that kicks this dang thing. It's really, really frustrating to watch her be upset and not feeling well...I tried brushing her last night and she hissed at me for the first time ever. She's such a good little girl and I just wish it was over with and she was sleeping on my head again instead of hiding downstairs all day and night. We'll see...only time (and the right antiobiotic) will tell....

Friday 9/4/09

SOOOO excited for a long weekend! And the weather looks absolutely spectacular too. Finally, cuz we deserve that.

The wedding planning is coming right along. I'm working with the wedding planner, Estefania who is a huge help in getting everything organized on her end so that when Marc and I get there we can enjoy more of our vacation rather than be running around doing wedding stuff. I custom ordered the bridesmaid's purses from an artist in Poland and they should be at my door any day...I absolutely cannot wait to see them! My mom got her dress last weekend and everything seems to be coming together. April will be here before we know it, I'm sure.

Hope you have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend...maybe see ya at Taste!!

Saturday 8/29/09

I hope your week wasn't as long as mine. My cat, Piper has spent more time at the vet this week than home. She's now on three antibiotics, fluids and feeds we give her through her new feeding tube. Hopefully this will do the trick. We pulled two teeth, had an ultrasound and a liver biopsy amongst many other things...now we're hoping it's a bacterial infection and she's on her way to feeling better. She was a nice shade of yellow thanks to her billiruben levels but I think it's getting better...either that or I'm just getting used to her as a yellow cat. It's quite the process of getting up in the middle of the night to feed and medicate her. If you have animals you know you'd do anything for them and any amount of money or time you have to give them...it's worth it. So...cross your fingers that my baby girl starts to feel better.

Thursday 8/20/09

It was a fabulous weekend with family and friends...all in celebration of Carter. My sister set up a montage of pictures that ran on her computer all afternoon at the get-together after the baptism. It was hard to see some of the pictures from early on in the hospital but it's also amazing to be reminded of just how far he's come.

We've just had a great fundraiser fall into our laps....It's called "Push, Pull, Pedal and it's October 3rd in Monona. It's for the Herma Heart Center which is in the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee and that's where Carter spent the first 3 1/2 months of his life. For his story and to see pictures of my precious nephew click here.

Wednesday 8/12/09

Carter is getting baptized this weekend! A day we prayed and hoped for for quite a while now. He'll be five months old in a couple of days and he's moving right along getting stronger and stronger every single day. He smiles and laughs and most definitely keeps us giggling. I was thinking maybe a pony for a baptismal gift would be a little over the top.... A car?? Okay, maybe just a donation to his college fund.... He's most definitely the apple of my eye and I'm so proud to be his auntie.

Wedding plans are coming right along. I found THEE most gorgeous purse online and accidentally ordered it. I LOVE it! I can't wait to see it. I also got the orange Dahlia hair clip I ordered...it's beautiful. All of these little things sure are fun to get as we put the big picture together. I'm sure April will come quicker than we expect it...hopefully we're organized and ready to go!

Monday 8/3/09

Craziness...just craziness!! This weekend was jam-packed. I started Saturday morning off at the gym, then went to a baby shower, then broadcasted with Amy Hudson at the Madison Mustangs football game, then hosted the last couple hours of Saturday at the 70's. Sunday I threw a baby shower for a dear friend at Cheeseburger in Paradise and then headed to my sister's house to spend as much time as possible with my nephew, Carter. He's fabulous by the way, if you were wondering. :) I was driving home yesterday thinking holy cow am I tired!! I had to come to work today so things would slow down!

Last week I noticed my cat, Piper wasn't eating. I brought her to the vet and she had two infected teeth. So this morning I dropped her off at Spring Harbor and realized I'm a total wimp...I was fighting back tears as I walked out with her empty carrier and Dr. Sondel said, "You got it Lanette...she'll be fine." It's always hard because your animals don't understand that you'll be back and they always look so scared. I left a little bit of my heart there today so I'll be super happy to pick her up at 4:00.

Sunny and 85 today...it's about time...enjoy it!

Monday 7/27/09

So I found my wedding dress! My mom, sister and cousin went with me to David's Bridal last week and it was the first one I tried on. After trying on about 15 more dresses my sister and cousin were laughing because they didn't understand why I was even trying on more dresses...the first one was it. The second time I put it back on I knew...it was perfect. The girls even picked out their bridesmaids dresses at the same shopping trip! They'll be wearing clover green and carrying orange dahlias. I think it'll look gorgeous. My dress is comfy and light-weight and exactly what I was looking for. How exciting!

Monday 7/20/09

Wow what a weekend! As one of my dear friend Jenna's bridesmaids in her September wedding I helped throw her bachelorette party Saturday night. We did wine tasting and a Betty Lou Cruise and it was fabulous. Of course there was tons of fabulous food, great drinks and proof that there is a God...a chocolate fountain. By the end of the night there were not many things I hadn't tried dipping in the fountain. It was SO yummy!

Then yesterday was my family reunion in Dodgeville. I wait all year for some of the dishes I can count on being there. The casseroles are to die for! I love that kind of food! Most were teasing Marc about the engagement..."are you sure you want to do this?" By the time we got home around 5 last night it was a 'plop on the couch and watch TV' sort of night. I was so full that was about all I could do anyway....

Thursday 7/16/09

So I found a dress I love, but I think I'll keep looking to find a better pricetag. I've narrowed it down to a style at least so I hope it'll get a little easier. I tried on a bunch of those gorgeous A-lines but I looked like a little girl playing dress up. So the 'fit and flair' is what I'm looking to find. Keep your fingers crossed please.

I made the yummiest sweet potato fries two nights ago and have to share this simple recipe with you. Take a large sweet potato, peel it and cut it into whatever shaped fries you'd like. Soak them in cold water for 20-30 minutes (this helps them get crunchy on the outside). Put 'em on a baking sheet that you've put cooking spray on, then shake a little olive oil on em. Here's the mixture you sprinkle on 'em...1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Then bake 'em on 450 for 20 minutes, flip and bake another 5 minutes. Mmmmm...enjoy!

Friday 7/10/09

Tomorrow is a day I'm really looking forward to. My mom, best friend and hopefully my sister (if Carter lets her) are going to Brandi's Bridals to look at dresses...for me and them. I know the girls will be wearing a grass green of sorts. I figured I didn't want to compete with the vibrant colors of Mexico so thought either green or blue would be good earthy colors...and since my sister did blue, I'll do green. There...that was easy. Hope the dress shopping is just as easy.

My mom got her dress for my sister's wedding at Brandi's and so did the mother of the groom as well as Karin's veil and shoes. I LOVED this place so I've got my hopes up that we can get everyone squared away and get the ball rolling. Keep your fingers crossed!

Wednesday 7/1/09

What a week! I've managed to try on some wedding dresses, see my nephew multiple times and deal with this fabulous poison ivy that's now traveling up my leg and down my hands. I'm kind of glad it's been a bit chillier so I don't have my poison ivy legs in shorts for everyone to wince at.

Marc and I are headed to the Poconos to visit his parents for the Fourth of July. We'll have a cookout and just relax...man am I looking forward to that!

My brother Bradley is doing much better after his surgery. In case you didn't hear me talking about it.... Brad flew in Saturday morning for a surprise visit from Boston for my nephew Carter's homecoming cookout Sunday. We took him to the airport for his flight home after his 36-hour visit and he tripped down some stairs. He broke his arm pretty badly and after an ambulance ride, an overnight stay at St. Mary's and then surgery Monday afternoon to put a metal 't' plate and 8 screws in his arm and wrist he's feeling much better. He's just got to figure out how he's going to get home without paying a bunch of airline fees and with only one arm. Selfishly, I'm glad he 'had' to stay longer and I'm very happy he's getting to spend so much time with Carter.

Happy Fourth!!

Tuesday 6/23/09

Good news all around! A week ago today Marc and I got engaged. We're planning on an April wedding in Cozumel so it will be fun to plan as well as actually experience. I was making lasagna and he came into the kitchen with a blue Tiffany's box...it was very 'us' to say the least.

Also...tomorrow is the big day that my nephew, Carter is finally coming home!! Three months and one week after he was born he'll get his first chance to meet his kitties Milo, Sabrina and Bella and his Pug, Baxter. It is going to be odd not going to the hospital every free chance I have but other than the fabulous nurses and doctors...I'm not going to miss it at all!

Now get a load of this...I'm in my girlfriend Jenna's wedding in September in which I'm going to be planning the bachelorette party with the rest of the bridesmaids tonight. I'm throwing my dear friend Sara's baby shower in August, another girlfriend Peg is getting married in October in Door County. Plus my cousin Karra got engaged this weekend as well! It's a plate full of my favorite desserts, but it's a full plate no less. Somewhere in there I'm gonna plan my wedding...somewhere.... :)

Friday 6/5/09

My nephew is SO close to breathing on his own and I thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts for his quick healing. He'll be 12 weeks old on Tuesday and has had 5 surgeries, more narcotics than I care to talk about and set-backs galore. BUT...he has remained just the biggest sweetheart of a baby boy through it all and hopefully soon he'll be home.

Thursday 5/28/09

I'm headed to my first Brewers game in forever tomorrow night. I don't even know who they're playing right now, I just can't wait to go. I want a ballpark frank with the works. I'll pay for it later but you have to have a big ol' hot dog when you go to a baseball game. I might even have some Dippin' Dots if I get all wild and crazy. There's something about little freeze dried ice cream balls that make me happy. We're going with a bunch of friends for Marc's birthday so it'll be extra fun surrounded by good friends...and it looks like the weather will hold out too! Not that it matters now that we have that fabu roof whenever we need it! Go Brew Crew!!!

Monday 5/18/09

Here's a little tidbit about me that I might not have previously shared...I love power tools!! For Christmas Marc got me this Craftsman chainsaw-like device. I named her Alice and I love her. Yesterday I went nuts cutting down weed trees that my wonderful neighbor has let grow along the fence line. Then, as most good lawnwork days do, I got the bug and continued along the side of the house and ended in the front. You can barely see the house with the amount of stuff I have next to the street waiting to be picked up and turned into mulch. Then I got my cordless weed wacker I got for my birthday last year and went nuts along the fence and around trees and under the deck and by the gardens and...okay you get the picture. It was great! Hope you had a successful day getting things done too!

Monday 5/11/09

Happy Mother's Day a day late! We had a great day of grilling out steaks at my parents house with my grandma Hansen and my uncle Dave and aunt Mary. We got done eating and it didn't even look like we had touched the mounds of food that still sat on serving platters untouched. Oh but we did...and then we somehow made room for angel food cake and ice cream. Even our dog Luna was exhausted after watching all the food disappear. I got my mom flowers because she and I both love them...but one of these days I'm going to figure out the best gift. What do your give the one person in your life who has known you nine months longer than everyone else? The women who has taught you to stand up for what you believe in, to treat people with respect and to lovingly accept life's lessons with open arms and learn from them. There's no Caribbean vacation, no spa, no computer gadget that can ever show her how much I love, look up to and admire her so I can only hope I say and show it every day. Love you mommy!

Monday 5/4/09

Thank you SO much for your donations, thoughts and prayers for the Lake Walk Saturday in Oconomowoc. We had a team of over 75 people and we raised more than $6,500 for cancer research. I have to believe that every time there's a fundraiser like this we're closer and closer to a cure for cancer. My friend Jaime got the last minute green light from her oncologist to come to the park and see her team before we started the walk...then she was off to the hospital for more tests. They'll be collecting her stem cells over the next couple of weeks and then at the end of the month she'll be getting a stem cell/bone marrow transplant. Continued thoughts and prayers for a successful transplant and a speedy recovery are MUCH appreciated.

Thanks again!

Saturday 4/25/09

Hope you're enjoying Saturday at the 70's! Man it sounds good today with the rain fallin' and the thunder a-rollin'!

I wanted to take a second to ask for your help. Next week at this time I'll be walking for one of my dearest friends in the Lake Walk 2009. Her name is Jaime and she and I have been friends since college. About a year and a half ago she was diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma when she was 5 months pregnant with her second child. She fought it...and won...until 7 weeks ago. It's back... and man oh man is she putting up a fight the second time around. She lives in Oconomowoc which is a good thing because their Cancer Center is known nation-wide for what they're able to do. So, I'm walking for Jaime, I'm walking for her two little girls and husband, I'm walking for those at the Cancer Center, I'm walking for your loved ones who have, will or did battle cancer and I'm walking for you who chances are, have been touched by cancer. Click here if you'd like to make a donation. Just type in "Lanette Hansen" and you can read all about Jaime and see a picture of her and her fabulous little girls. If you can't make a donation, please send your thoughts and prayers for strength and perserverance. Every ounce counts! Thank you...from the bottom of my heart.

Thursday 4/23/09

All is good on the Carter homefront. He's not only off his ventilator but he's also off the C-PAP and now is just on high flow oxygen of which he's slowly being weaned. He's begun feedings and for the first time we're hearing his sweet, little voice. It really is quite the miracle.

Tuesday 4/21/09

So are you responsible for this SNOW today?! Last night we had our heat on and Friday we'll flip on the A/C...it's just another crazy Wisconsin spring.

Hope you were able to enjoy the first Farmer's Market! What perfect weather. We were at the gym trying to figure out what you can get this time of year. We figured out radishes and potatoes as far as fresh produce. But...pastries, cheese curds and strawberry jelly are NEVER out of season, thank God for that! :)

Good luck to everyone running Crazy Legs Saturday!

Wednesday 4/15/09

Sorry about the delay in another blog entry...my world has really just been all about Carter and getting him home. My brother Bradley was just in town from Boston to meet his new nephew for the first time. I made a big ol' sign that said "uncle Bradley" for when he came down the escalator at the airport. He was gonna kill me but he couldn't help but smile.

Carter has been making steady progress. Of course we'd love for him to be home, but he's doing what he needs to do in order to get healthy and get outta that hospital. Thank you for keeping Carter and all of our family in your thoughts and prayers.

Wednesday 4/1/09

Wow, it's been quite the crazy couple of weeks. I am now officially an auntie and I've loved every single second of it. On St. Patty's Day Mr. Carter Everett was born and he made his entrance known with a big wail and the signature peeing on the doctor. He's absolutely gorgeous and I'm sure I'll have pictures for you soon.

At 20 weeks along my sister and brother-in-law found out they were having a boy...and that he had Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect. He had a couple things that had to be repaired with surgery...so when he was six days old the little man had an 8-hour, open-heart surgery. He's doing super and he's such a strong little champer. He's in the hospital and every day tubes for various meds. and other things have been taken away as he gets better and better. My sister and brother-in-law have been rocks for Carter, each other and the rest of the family. They're taking things day by day and hopefully within the next couple weeks Carter can come home and meet his older brother Baxter (A very spoiled, wanna-be human Pug). Prayers and positive thoughts are always welcome!!

Monday 3/9/09

My college roomies and I had a great weekend full of laughs, memories and pictures easily used for bribery later in life. Hartland, WI is just a diamond in the rough that I had no idea about. It's "hometown USA" during the day and then at night we walked into a restaurant called Zin that was absolutely fabulous. I had the cornmeal encrusted grouper and it was to die for! Our poor server...we hadn't seen each other in a couple months and there were 10 of us who may or may not have done some sort of pink shot before we left the house. She had to put up with a lot and she remained very professional...I was very impressed.

One of my roomies there this weekend is Jenna. We've known each other since I think around five years old. She's from McFarland and I'm from Madison so we were in ballet at Virginia Davis School of Dance together until we graduated from high school. She went to UW-LaCrosse and then toured around the world with "Up With People" and somehow we both ended up at UW-Milwaukee living on Downer Avenue together. Anyway, she's getting married in September and asked me to be in the wedding. I don't know the color scheme yet but I'll keep you up to date. :)

Friday 3/6/09

Wow is this weather great or what!? Marc and I had the patio door open until late last night and actually forgot it was even open because it was just so nice out. This weekend it's supposed to get cold again and we might even see snow tomorrow night but if we have days like yesterday and today to break it up, it's not so bad.

I'm headed to Oconomowoc to hang out with my college roomies this weekend. We try to get together as much as we can...which is usually every few months. It's not that we live far apart from each other it's just trying to work around four people's crazy busy schedules. One of my roommates was diagnosed with Hodgekin's Disease Lymphoma when she was five months pregnant with her second daughter. She was in remission for a couple months but now that her girls are 4 and 1, she just found out her cancer is back. So...here we go again. Chemo, a stem cell and bone marrow transplant and cross your fingers...a road to recovery. If you have any suggestions for how to help please e-mail me. I'd appreciate any words of wisdom. Meanwhile, prayers and positive thoughts are needed...thanks!

Monday 3/2/09

It's Dr. Suess' birthday today and Linda Allen, the principal at Chavez Elementary told me this morning that he'd be 105 if he were still with us. That would definitely get him a spot on the Smuckers Birthday List with Willard Scott. Anyway, I celebrated with the champers at Chavez earlier today reading Dr. Suess books. Next time you have a chance to read a Dr. Suess book...do so out loud and see how many times you shake your head in disgust with yourself thinking...man...this is hard! Then see if you can do it in front of a first grade audience hanging onto your every word. I think I'm still starry-eyed and a little tongue-tied. All in all it was a great morning and it's just one more reason to LOVE what teachers do every day. I don't know how they do it, but they certainly do. My (Cat in the Hat) hat's off to every teacher out there!

Thursday 2/26/09

I was just out running errands and with the pending ice and snow storm...it was everyone's great idea to get out and get things done so they don't have to worry about it tonight. Two quick stops should've taken a half hour but was much closer to an hour.... Right as I got back to work the rain started so it was perfect timing.

I don't think I told you that I got my hair chopped. Khloe at RZ and company did it and man oh man does she know what she's doing. She put in a couple blondes and a red and the length is now above my shoulders. I've gotten a TON of compliments on it so it has to be good. I'd like to think that many people couldn't lie to me all in the same week. :) Hope to see you out soon so you can check out my new sassy hair.

Tuesday 2/24/09

Sometimes you just have to sit back, take a deep breath and think...seriously???????? My dear college roommate is no longer in remission, a co-worker is in the middle of a medical emergency as we speak, a girlfriend lost the baby she was so excited to carry, my sister will watch her newborn son be prepped for heart surgery in just a few days and everything that could've gone wrong during my uncle's recovery, did. Let me be clear...I'm not complaining, I'm not whining, I just thought bad things came in threes...not fives!!!!! I'm now going to emotionally eat a Shamrock Shake. :)

Friday 2/20/09

Here are some pics of the annual Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement in Boston this morning. The first picture has a girl I know in it. She's on the left holding her friend's (the future bride's) dresses. Notice as you flip through...people are holding signs saying, "play nice". This is just hysterical.

Wednesday 2/18/09

I picked up my new elliptical machine last night. It was quite the feat to transfer it but once that was finally done we were ready to go. Marc got it put together last night and this morning we both worked out on it for a little while. It's great to have that as an option if I don't get to the gym in the morning for one reason or another, or as a chance to get a second workout in after work. Even if it's just 20 or 30 minutes before dinner I'll take it! How exciting!

Monday 2/16/09

Two baby showers down...one to go. Yesterday was fabulous at Bunky's Cafe! We had the whole place to ourselves and everyone kept commenting how eclectic and fashionable the restaurant is. I really couldn't have done it any better thanks to the owner Teresa and her fabulous hubby who makes THEE best carrot cake I have ever tasted. It's just so nice when it all comes together like that. I would HIGHLY recommend Bunky's for any private parties you have. They have the coolest space and the food is to die for not to mention the service is untouchable. You must try it if you haven't already.

So between Valentine's Day Deliveries and two live broadcasts this weekend mixed with a CRAZY trip to Woodman's Saturday evening and the baby shower yesterday I'm walking around like quite the zombie today. I think I put deoderant on today...but I can't say for sure...it's a blur.

Tuesday 2/10/09

Saturday was the first of two baby showers for my sister. I'm throwing the second one on Sunday at Bunky's Cafe. The colors are green and blue and the theme is "Oh the Joy of a Boy". THEN...I'm throwing a "sprinkle" for my best friend on the 28th. It's her second child so instead of a full-out shower, it's a sprinkle. Some people call it a "diaper dump" but I've never been too fond of the word "dump" and definitely not while referencing a newborn because we all know the image that pops into your mind...so...moving on. The colors are pink and orange and the theme is "She's Oh So Sweet". Yep...candy everywhere. I can't wait!

Sunday night was a girl's night. Three friends I've known since high school or before and one married a high school friend and fits in just perfectly. We went to see "He's Just Not That Into You" and it's hysterical. A little too real in some parts because you think...oh my I remember being that pathetic. You also find yourself picking out couples in your life and pin-pointing the movie characters they resemble. It's great for a girl's night and would also make a good date movie too. Then we went to eat at the new Laredo's in Fitchburg where two of the four girls proceeded to tell us they're due a week apart in September. Guess I'll be drinking the margarita I just ordered for you while you were in the bathroom was my first thought...but after that it was a big, huge WOW...we've come a long way since ballet and high school basketball. Now we're five girls, four husbands, one boyfriend, four kids, two on the way, two dogs, two cats and I think there's a goldfish in the mix too. Funny how life just keeps moving huh....

Tuesday 2/3/09

Now this is just crazy. Thursday night I went to St. Mary's to see my best friend's new little girl Tess. On my way there I called my sister and turns out she's there too! She's due in March and her blood pressure shot up so they admitted her. I stopped in triage to see my sister and then went around the corner to meet Tess. It's one of those insane nights you just have to shake your head at and chalk it up to fate.

I took the day off yesterday and was way too excited to get my oil changed in my car. I don't know when you have the time to do it otherwise!? I'm just glad to be in the clear for a few months now. I also had the morning to see my girlfriend Sarah and her two girls Grace (4 1/2) and Julia (4 months). We had some coffee and muffins and fruit and it was so nice to not be on a time frame. If we don't have one before Grace is old enough, she's going to be the first female President of the United States. She's SO smart and just gets it. Mark my words....

"Biggest Loser" is tonight! Enjoy!

Thursday 1/22/09

Can you believe they got rid of Damien last night?! I agree it was great game-playing by Jillian's team but I didn't see that coming at all! And Kristine from the purple team jumping for over two hours?! Who know she had it in her? Now THAT's a good ol' Wisconsin girl playin' to win! If none of this makes sense to you then you're not a "Biggest Loser" fan. It's an awesome show and I highly recommend it...Tuesday nights.

I'm almost done getting everything planned for my sister's baby shower. The colors...robin's egg blue and lime green which are coincidentally the colors of the baby's room too! Carter Everett will be here soon so hopefully she gets everything she needs to make life a little easier the first few weeks. This is the first time I will be an aunt so I'm very pumped. We're having the shower at Bunky's Cafe which is on Atwood Avenue here in Madison. Great food, spectacular ambiance and an amazing staff...just the perfect place!

Thursday 1/15/09

I know the most popular New Year's resolution is to lose weight and get back in shape. I tend to be a little biased when it comes to gyms because I start out every morning at my favorite place to be...Orange Shoe Gym. Today I found out about something I think could help you if that is indeed your resolution. It's called "Orange Crush" and it's a really cool cardio class that works with balance, agility and function while pumping up your endurance, burning fat and tightening up. I always hear, "working out is so boring" but this class certainly is not...it's different each and every session. The crazy part is that you'll become just as nuts about Orange Shoe Gym as I am and find yourself actually looking forward to go to "Orange Crush". No matter if you're just starting to get back in shape or if you're already there, this class will push you to where you want to be.

Wednesday 1/7/09

Happy birthday, a day late to my spectacular brother Bradley.

Hope you're having a fabulous New Year! I haven't made any big ol' resolutions or anything...but I do hope if you've made any they're coming along perfectly. Most people wanna lose a couple pounds...and that makes me think about how the newest season of "Biggest Loser" started last night. It's the heaviest contestents yet and I was almost in tears last night as each one weighed in. There are some pretty awesome people this season who are gonna have amazing lives once they're able to figure out why they got to that point and then smash the scales. The purple team is a mother/daughter team from northern Wisconsin so I'm a little partial, but I LOVE Tara from the green team. She's tough and sassy and I like her.

On this same topic, I made a wonderful dinner last night...ginger glazed Mahi Mahi. Make sure to use lite, low salt soy sauce though...here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Wednesday 12/31/08

Happy New Year!!! I think we tend to reflect a little more at the end of a year. Funny, because six months ago you didn't much care that it was 2008, but now it's a little saddening to see it go. We had a big ol' wedding for my sister this year, one of my best friends in the world fought and conquered Lymphoma in 2008 and there were many friends who brought new little champers into the world. Yep, 2008 definitely had its highs and its lows but all in all I give it an 8 out of 10. (If it had a Mexican vacation in it, it would've been a 9.)

Have a great night tonight. Stay safe!

Monday 12/22/08

Well, today we closed the book on "Holiday Wish 2008." The numbers have been calculated and the summaries have been filed. All the checks, letters, gift cards and anything else we could get our hands on were sent out Friday. We were able to help over 100 families with over $17,000 thanks to your help and donations.

I got a phone call on the air Saturday from one of our recipients. She had just gotten her mail and in it was a Holiday Wish check and some mall gift cards. I could barely understand her through her tears but the universal, "thank you so much" came through loud and clear. Her husband was killed in a car accident and now, not only was she left to provide a memorable Christmas for her 6-year old son, but that 6-year old son turned 7 on December 23rd and he wanted a party. I can't imagine looking into the face of your child and not being able to do anything about his or her diappointment. This cash provided peace of mind and reminded her that someone cares.

I think I speak on behalf of each one of our recipients when I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Happy holidays!

Wednesday 12/10/08

I'll admit it...I love the reality show "America's Got Talent." That's the show with David Hasselhoff and Sharon Osborne as a couple of the judges. Anyway, there was a guy on there this past season named Eli Mattson and he's from Wisconsin. He's a singer and a piano player and he's spectacular! The first round he introduced himself to the judges and sang this song. He sat down the next night and did an Elton John song...another night he performed an Alicia Keys song that knocked my socks off! Although he completely deserved first place, he got second. The good news is, he's going to be at the Claddagh Irish Pub in Greenway Station this Saturday at 9:00. Tickets are 15 bucks and you'll love him! I promise! See you there!

Tuesday 11/25/08

I had my college roomies over for dinner Saturday. Jac and Jenn came in from Oconomowoc with their hubbies and we started our progressive dinner at our other roomie, Jenna's condo. The night started with an announcement that Jenna and her boyfriend Josh got engaged at The Grand Canyon the week before so it was off to a great night! We did appetizers at Jenna's and then went to my house for dinner. Between the four of us this year we've had two new babies, an engagement, a Lymphoma diagnosis, a remission from Lymphoma and a whole bunch of good ol' fashioned fun. It's been quite the year and I'm so blessed to have such amazing, strong, powerful women in my life. Friends just mean everything don't they....

One month 'til Christmas!! Holy cow where did 2008 go?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. We'll do our HUGE extended family Thanksgiving Saturday at my uncle Bob and aunt Linda's. I'm bringing an appetizer and a pie. I think I'll make Pigs in a Blanket...those are always a hit with the adults AND the kids. It's never too hard to make a kid eat a hot dog ya know?! How fun. I have a pretty dang amazing family so it's a great time to catch up. Hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Friday 11/21/08

This is the earliest I've EVER started my Christmas shopping. Usually Black Friday is my first attempt. Not so much because I must get the hottest and coolest new stuff...my mom and I just love to go an be a part of it. People are just crazy. We definitely scout out the different things we'd like to pick up but in no way are heart-broken if we don't grab 'em quickly enough. We just laugh our way through the day. Magic 98 plays all Christmas music that day too. We call it the Sneak Preview to 98 Hours of Christmas Magic and it's fabulous! I think it's because Mother Nature decided to skip right over fall and go directly into winter that I've got the Christmas bug early this year. Oh don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Thanksgiving...it's my favorite holiday of them all and I can't wait!!

Tuesday 11/11/08

Marc and I went to Lake Geneva over the weekend and it was spectacular. We were shopping on Main Street and the city crews were getting the holiday decorations up. It was a nice getaway without a whole bunch of travel time. We ate dinner at the yummiest place called Sopra. We just got a bunch of appetizers...we had prosciutto and fig on spinach, stuffed, grilled calamari and some butternut squash soup. They have a great selection of beers too! Marc and I were saying we'd even just drive there with friends to have dinner and drive back...it's that good. It's always nice to find a new restaurant that you just love.

I'm remembering a week ago I was in a short sleeve shirt waiting to vote and was warm. Today we woke up to temperatures in the teens and that's just not right. I actually like winter but I feel like we skipped fall!

Wednesday 11/5/08

I am so proud of my fellow Americans. No matter who you voted for, you voted, and that's all that counts.

I had a fabulous girl's weekend with a couple of friends. We shopped for 10 hours on Saturday which is crazy alone but then when you add to the mix that one of the girls is 7 months pregnant...that's just nuts! We went to Ikea and Gurnee Mills Outlet Mall so we were all about the savings. The most expensive thing I bought...dinner. I succeeded in getting my God daughter's birthday present but that's as far as I went when it came to buying for other people. I guess I'm not ready quite yet to focus on the holidays.

Friday 10/24/08

Day 10 of this cold and I think I'm finally over the hump. Man did that one knock me on my butt! I don't know the last time I was sick but it was years ago. Whew...glad this one is on the way out. You have my sympathies if you're dealing with the same one I had...it's a monster.

I'm starting to get excited for the holidays. I've started a list of what I want to get everyone for Christmas. If I plan and start spending the cash now it doesn't come as quite the shock as when I get them all at one time. Snow on Sunday could really get people thinking about "the most wonderful time of the year."

Tonight Marc and I are going out for dinner and will probably enjoy a night in after that. The rain, wind and cold makes you want to put your fuzzy socks on and cuddle up on the couch...with a bottle of wine of course. Come on we're not THAT lame.

Wednesday 10/15/08

My visit with my brother in Beantown was fabulous! We got his new place all organized and decked out so he can actually have people over now without having to apologize for the mess. It's an awesome space and I'm really jealous because the area is so great too. We went and got lunch, then got some drapes at Pier 1, then got a coffee and walked back to his place...I was waiting for Norman Rockwell to jump out. It was the first walk around the area I had taken and it was just beautiful. Older houses with the huge, beautiful front porches and of course the very nice landscaping. It didn't hurt that the fall colors were at their peak, some on the sidewalk, some still on the trees...and that wonderful fall smell...I was in heaven. Then we got back to his house, rolled up our sleeves and got back to work organizing, decorating and throwing out. Hopefully I can go back for St. Patrick's Day and the place will be all done and we can be a little less pressed for time to do things.

I've come to the conclusion that I just need to accept this cold I've been fighting. I haven't been sick in years...I hate it! I'm usually not one to take any pills or anything either but I am this time. You know you're not a kid anymore when you just don't have time to get sick. So here's my white flag...I'm definitely waving it...this cold is stronger than I. Dang it!

Wednesday 10/1/08

I'm headed to Boston Friday night to visit my brother Bradley. He bought a condo a couple months ago and I'll be there turning his bachelor pad into a home. It'll be so fun spending someone else's money!

I made a fabulous soup last night. 2 cans of Campbell's cheese soup, 2 cans of milk, a medium jar of Pace Picante (1 1/2 cups), 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken, a diced red pepper, a diced onion. Bring it to a boil and then cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. I know! How easy is that?! 1 1/2 cups of the soup is 300 calories. So pair it with a salad and you've got a filling, yummy, low cal dinner. Enjoy!

Hey did I tell you I'm gonna be an auntie?? My sister is due March 25th and I can't think of anything I'd love more. I LOVE other people's kids so I intend on spoiling him or her rotton. She and her husband are going to find out what they're having in a few weeks. Hopefully it's a boy or a girl but we haven't ruled out a monster that's been making my sister SO sick. Aunt Lanette...I like it!!

Wednesday 9/24/08

Did you just die that L.T. and Tom were voted off last night's episode of "Biggest Loser?" I was completely bummed cuz those two just crack me up!! They spiced it up a little. It was a fabulous show though with chef Rocco DiSpirito hanging out for a while and making some fabulous, quick and healthy meals. Click here for all of them. I'm hoping taking a look at these reminds you that you don't have to be a crazy good chef in order to make the quick meals you need with your busy life and still think about nutrition too. Happy cooking!

Tuesday 9/23/08

So I'm having problems with my left knee. I was hoping to run a half trail run in Kettle Moraine at the end of next month but...it ain't happnin'. I've just got to stop messing with it and head to the doctor. It'll probably just be stretches, maybe some physical therapy, but definitely a prescription of "stay the heck off your knee Lanette!" Total bummer! I've been able to get on an Eliptical machine lately so that's nice but I miss my runs. Especially this time of year...you forget you're working so hard because of the sights, sounds and smells of fall everywhere you turn. Can you tell I'm moping a little? BUT..."Biggest Loser" tonight!! That's good news!

Tuesday 9/16/08

In honor of a new season of "America's Biggest Loser" beginning tonight...here's Jillian Michael's hotcake recipe. (You'll find it in her spectacular book, "Making the Cut")

I can't believe I've never shared with you...one of the most fabulous and easiest recipes ever! 3 eggs, 3/4 cup non fat cottage cheese, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour. Separate the eggs from the yolks into two different bowls. Add the cottage cheese and flour to the yolks. Whip the whites and add to the yolks. Pour enough batter for a pancake onto a hot griddle and cook just like any other pancake. Top with sugar-free jelly or jam...NO...not syrup. Each pancake is about 140 calories and you'll get about 4 pancakes from that recipe. Enjoy!!!

Thursday 9/11/08

It's sort of an odd day today. It's already been seven years since that infamous day and I think we get kinda torn as to how we should feel. This is the first year I woke up and it wasn't the first thing I thought of. That doesn't mean I've forgotten how I felt on that day, that doesn't mean I've moved passed the loved ones lost on that day, that doesn't mean I'm okay with what happened. I think it does mean that hopefully we've begun to heal...as a nation, as a family, as human beings who were knocked up side their heads that day and thrown to the ground with force most of us had never felt before.

I'm still trying to figure out if I was fortunate or unfortunate enough to be living in New York City at the time. I watched from my living room what should have been a horror movie on my TV but sadly was the real thing. For days, fighter jets and helicopters flew outside my windows close enough to feel like I could touch them. I watched as the gigantic Red Cross liner floated in and as President Bush flew over to catch his first glimpse of the unimaginable. The insanely huge and blinding lights used by the crews sifting through the rubble lit up my entire apartment from sun down to sun up but it didn't matter, I wasn't sleeping anyway. The fire department next door was one of the first on the scene...they left with 12 guys and only three came back to their families.

So no, I haven't forgotten, I've just tried to move on. The only difference being that September 11th, 2001 is now a scar and not a gaping wound. Remember how you got it, remember the pain, but no need to bandage anymore. It's time to ease off on the actual incident and how you got the wound and focus on how you can avoid getting another one.

 

Tuesday 9/9/08

Congratulations to Stef...YOU are an Ironman. (If you've ever been at the finish line you've heard that line a couple times and are hopefully giggling a little.) Fourteen hours and nine minutes later...2.4 miles of swimming, 113 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running...I felt bad for getting a slice of Ian's pizza while waiting to catch her on her second loop of the run, but I hadn't eaten since breakfast come on! My hat is off to everyone who competed this weekend...you are spectacular!

Friday 9/5/08

My birthday is in one week from today! How exciting. I love birthdays. Let me rephrase that...I love MY birthday. It's an excuse to celebrate with a great dinner and fabulous presents. I think this year we'll go to a new restaurant on the east side of Madison called Africana. It sounds spectacular and nothing like I've ever eaten before.

So I heard this morning at Orange Shoe Gym that they're going to be doing a crazy boot camp-like training session. I'm yet to find out all the information but you can bet I'll let you know all about it when I do. I'm thinking this is gonna be strangely fun yet totally challenging.

Speaking of challenging...Ironman is this weekend and I'd like to wish all of its participants a HUGE good luck. My friend Stef will be one of them and the hair stands up on my neck when I think about it because I'm nervous, excited, emotional, proud and determined for her all in the same breath. DO IT!!!!!

Monday 8/25/08

Marc's parents just left this morning after an awesome visit. Friday we went to Milwaukee because they wanted to see Lake Michigan. We ate at Rock Bottom Brewery outside along the river then got pictures with the newly dedicated Fonz statue on the River Walk. Saturday morning we went to the Farmer's Market and got goodies to make a spectacular dinner. Sunday Marc and his dad went crazy with home improvements...it's crazy how far one sheet of MDF can go. He made shelves for an otherwise unusable closet in the living room, fixed the two bottom steps on the deck and made new shelves for the garage. He also took down the green light above the garage and replaced it with a clear bulb...I've been meaning to do that for years. The best part is that they did that while Marc's mom and I went to The Montage and spent a whole bunch of money on things we "needed". My parents and grandma Hansen came over to cook out yesterday afternoon after stopping at Sloppy Lobster to get some fabulous tilapia and we sat around talking all night long. See, told ya it was an awesome visit.

Tuesday 8/19/08

My workout at Orange Shoe Gym this morning was a lot of arms and now I'm struggling a bit trying to type but it's a 'good hurt' right? Maybe I'll call it that tomorrow. Today, it just hurts.

My sister and her new husband started their day-long journey back from their two-week honeymoon in Phuket. They're 13 hours ahead of us so they'll leave on a Wednesday from Thailand but return here on a Tuesday. Don't shed any tears for them though...they're in business class so will probably have a glass of wine, recline in their nice, leather seats and sleep the entire trip. Rough huh? Karin and I have talked only once and I think it's the longest we've ever gone without chatting. It'll be nice to have her back in town.

Monday 8/11/08

Man have we had gorgeous weekend weather lately! Although that gives you no excuse to sit around inside and veg, it was so nice to soak it all in. I got a ton of lawnwork done in preparation for Marc's parents coming to stay with us next week. They'll get here next Thursday and stay through Monday and I can't wait! Between the laughter and the delicious food, a visit with them is always one to remember. Hopefully we'll have nice weather so we can show them around a bit. I think we'll spend a day in Milwaukee because Marc's mom wants to see Lake Michigan and being that's where I went to college, I have an idea of where to go and what to see. We'll most likely do the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and then some shopping down State Street. If you know of something fun going on the weekend of the 22nd, let me know!!

Wednesday 8/6/08

Whew!! It was wonderful. It was spectacular. It was fabulous. And now it's all over. My sister's wedding was hopefully perfect in her eyes. The weather was gorgeous and everyone cleaned up very nicely. :) We stayed at The Edgewater Friday night so Saturday I woke up at 6 and went on a run around 'The Square'. The Farmer's Market vendors were just getting set up and the sun was warm but not hot yet. It was my time to reflect on the momentous day that was about to unfold. The colors seemed brighter and the birds chirped sweeter in my point of view. I took a deep breath and went up to the room to greet the hair stylists who were there to make us pretty. I was rather calm until I saw my mom and dad walking her down the aisle...that's where I lost it. Dang it! You would've too though...oh my was she beautiful! Jim McGaw and Amy Abbott were the DJs and they did a knock out job. I danced the night away with my 4-year old friend Abbi...I wonder if she was as sore as I was Sunday morning. Somehow I doubt it. So now I have two brothers and that's kinda cool.

Tuesday 7/29/08

I have to tell you about this past weekend's celebration, because it was a big one! Now hopefully you can follow along here. My cousin Christy was adopted in Indiana, raised in Pennsylvania and just moved to Madison. She and her birthmom, who lives in California found each other in February and have met up a few times since then. Coincidentally, and this is just crazy, Christy's birth family is all from the Milwaukee area...so... Sunday was Christy's golden birthday and man did we have a party. A bunch of us from our family traveled to Milwaukee to celebrate and meet Christy's new family...she's got 8 new aunts and uncles and way too many cousins to count. They are a spectacular family full of love and respect for each other and it was so cool to just stand there and take it in. I am so honored to have been a part of it. Honored...and full still two days later. Of course I have to talk about the food...homemade enchiladas and tacos and a fruit salad to die for. The blender was going full speed making the yummiest margaritas and I've been dreaming about the homemade guacamole. Mmmmm...life is good.

Thursday 7/24/08

Oh I'm so sorry for slacking...I'm a bad friend. Things have just been so crazy with my sister's wedding now only nine days away. I think the ducks are almost completely in a row so I'm not too worried about things going way wrong. It's just time consuming that's for sure. A week from now I will be in a massage chair getting a pedicure at New Self...I might be a little biased but I think I SO deserve that.

I'm finding that I'm extremely emotional lately too. I'm not usually a crier but man, the thought of being a part of my baby sister's best day of her life...that's slightly moving ya know? I think of what an amazing woman she is now and how far she's come from trying to brush out her naturally curly hair with her Strawberry Shortcake brush to create a gigantic fro. All while saying, "No curly q's". She hated her curly hair and now those gorgeous locks are going to be all pinned up with a veil to top it all off. Yep, it's going to be a very overwhelming, absolutely spectacular day and I can't wait!

Thursday 7/10/08

Eric Hutchinson is coming to The Majestic tonight and it is going to be quite the show. If you like Jason Mraz, this guy is right up your alley...or if you don't have plans tonight and are up to see a great show...I HIGHLY recommend it! Marc and I NEVER agree on music except when it comes to Eric. Come on, you know you wanna...it'll be so worth it!

Wednesday 7/9/08

So I went camping last weekend. Here's the rundown...Six adults, three kids, five dogs, two pop-up campers, one tent and a partridge in a pear tree! We had fabulous weather and if you've never been to Yellowstone Lake Park I highly recommend it. They have a gorgeous beach and a really nice waterfront area for the dogs as well. Marc and I went with two of our favorite families, one has a 2 year old with another on the way and the other has two girls ages 3 and 1. Can you see where this is going? By the end of the trip Marc was hiding in the tent claiming he was 'just resting' when in reality I know he was hiding from the kids who had now begun to melt down. I'm not sure what the moral of the story is but it definitely goes down as the most interesting camping trip I've ever been a part of that's for sure.

Monday 6/30/08

Okay...where did June go?? I have yet to really get outside and enjoy a gorgeous day to the fullest. With all the rain and winds we've had my peonies are in rough shape so nice weather or not, I've gotta get out there and take care of them. Pretty soon I'll be 'that neighbor'.

Hopefully tonight Marc and I will get to Pasqual's. We'll be celebrating his new job at Isthmus! Talk about Madison summed up in a newspaper...I'm very excited for him. In a total selfish twist...I'm counting on him to get our blanket down asap for each of the Concerts on the Square now that he's right there. :)

Hey we all have our priorities....

Tuesday 6/24/08

I was just reading that Yoga is being offered at Quivey's Grove. It's outdoors on their beautiful grounds at 5:30 Monday evenings. How wonderful will that be? It's just a matter of getting out of work on time right? We always have such good intentions.... Anyway, I'll try if you try.

I'm so excited for the first Concerts on the Square tomorrow night. Man do I need a friend downtown who can put a blanket down at what...4? I'm crossing my fingers for nice weather. We're forecasted to get a couple showers tomorrow night but hopefully that's just way off. Every year about this time whether it's our amazing farmer's market, the zoo, the Concerts on the Square, I'm reminded of what an awesome place we live in. Here's hoping you find some time to do at least a couple of the things Madison has to offer this summer.

Tuesday 6/17/08

So we're about six weeks out from the big wedding. Everything starts to overlap at this point. I sent out the shower invites, just to turn around and order the bachelorette invites. I got the take home gifts for the shower on the 29th which I should've been really excited about, but it only reminded me that I've got to get the gifts for the bachelorette party on the 12th ordered. Whew...take a breath Lanette. Put it all into perspective....

I am so lucky that I didn't have any problems with water in my basement or anything from the crazy weather we've been having. I see the pictures and can't believe this is happening! My heart goes out to you, your family and friends...anyone who's been affected by the flooding and storms.

It was mind-blowing to read Friday evening that journalist Tim Russert passed away. I was/am a huge fan! I felt like he started the week off with what was going to be important in the next coming days. Hearing his co-workers, friends and family reflect on his life and character makes me so happy that he was as amazing of a man as I'd hoped. We've lost a huge part of a history-making run for president.

I guess planning for my sister's wedding isn't so crucial after all....

Thursday 6/5/08

Funny how I always seem to find the time to write in my blog on Thursdays. Maybe it's because I can see a light at the end of the tunnel as far as the work week goes? Who knows??

I just finished the invites for the bridal shower I'm throwing for my sister June 29th. I'll get those out this weekend so everyone has a couple weeks to get it planned into their busy schedules. I figured we'll be a month out by the time the shower comes around so everyone will really be watching what they eat...I'm just going to do a big ol' salad bar. 'Build your own' per say. She had her first dress fitting Sunday and looked just amazing!

Can't wait to see you at Dogfest Sunday. I'll be there with my Black Lab/Border Collie mix Luna so come and see us!!

Thursday 5/29/08

Congratulations to all of last weekend's Madison Marathoners!!! There were 1,500 for the full, 2,500 for the half and 1,000 running the quarter marathon. If you've never been at the finish line of a marathon, I'd highly recommend it. It's one of the most overwhelming experiences I've ever had and is actually quite indescribable. Remember these runners have just been in a race against themselves...they can't blame the ref, nor the goalie or the kicker if the outcome isn't favorable...it's you against you and it's a total mind game. I've watched people do cartwheels over the finish line, seen people uncontrollably sob and helped catch the occasional collapse too. It's physical AND emotional. Four months of training comes down to this one day. Most will never do a marathon again but will always be able to say they're part of 1% of the world that has finished 26.2 miles.

I did the quarter marathon and finished at 1:07 which is seven minutes slower than what I wanted to be but it was definitely a stepping stone to my full...someday....

Thursday 5/22/08

Marc's birthday was a great time! We rented a projector, speakers and of course the needed cables from Full Compass and showed an outdoor movie. Our garage is set back a little from the house so it made the perfect "movie screen". We had amazing burgers, potato salad and coleslaw from Knocke's and loaded up some bowls with Marc's favorite...Cool Ranch Doritos. We showed the movie "Super Bad" so there was definitely part of the crowd who loved it, and others like my mom who stood on the deck, watched a little, smiled, nodded her head and headed back into the house. But she tried right?! It's a movie that's rather vulgar and disgustingly funny if you're in the right mood. It was the birthday boy's pick.... Just for the record I would've chosen "27 Dresses". :)

Tuesday 5/13/09

I can't believe I forgot to tell you about our girl's night out last weekend!! One of my girlfriend's daughters got accepted to Marquette Law School, one of my girlfriends finally recovered from some medical stuff and the rest of us just needed to turn off our brains and have some fun. We rented a limo and headed out. We started at Eno Vino which USED to be a favorite of all of ours. We got there around 11pm, ordered a round of drinks and soon after this manager comes over telling us we're too "high pitched" and we needed to quiet down. I'm sorry...did we make a wrong turn into a library or were we in a bar area close to midnight??!! We didn't even finish our drinks...we left. Now a GOOD manager would've sat down, bought some drinks and explained that the people next to us were trying to enjoy a romantic evening and he hoped we'd understand. Nope, he did just the opposite...made a whole bunch of otherwise good customers mad and lost a ton of cash in the meanwhile. It was so completely rude and I just felt like venting. I know it's a place to which I'll never go back. That's too bad.

Friday 5/9/08

So Marc got all inspired and tore down all the paneling in our three-season porch on the front of our house. It's a farm house that's over 100 years...so...the paint under there is obviously lead-based. I've got to now find a paint to go over it that as Bob Vila tells me, is "encapsulating." I've only found a couple places online so we'll see. Meanwhile guess what I'll be doing this weekend...cleaning up Marc's mess. :)

Thursday 5/1/08

Happy May Day!! It's turning out to be a spectacular day...68 right now with just a little rain coming tonight. Right on!

I'm very excited to watch Gray's Anatomy tonight. What did I do Thursday nights without it?? Oh yeah, got an extra run in, maybe some laundry...you know, the responsible stuff. Now I'm SO excited to make a yummy, healthy shake in my Magic Bullet, sit on the couch and take in an hour of someone else's drama and dysfunction. It truly is perfect!

Friday 4/25/08

My weekends have just been jam-packed of stuff going on so I haven't gotten a good chance to get out and clean up my flower gardens and outdoor living areas. It's only supposed to be 48 on Sunday but it will be the first day I have to get a good start. It's just a lot more fun in the sun, but this will have to do. I've gotta get it done soon or I'm gonna be 'that neighbor'. You know who I'm talking about.

We have some new tunes on Magic I am SO completely in love with. Alicia Keys, Pink, Leona Lewis...love them!! Hope you love them too!!

Friday 4/18/08

I can't believe I didn't fill you in on my girls' weekend!! It was fabulous!! We seriously shopped at Tanger for 5 hours!! Then we went back to our amazing room at Great Wolf Lodge, we treated ourselves to a condo with a fireplace, a little patio, a little fridge...like I said...amazing, and well worth it! We got in our swimsuits, grabbed Long Island Iced Teas and relaxed in the hot tub. We got the courage to leave the warmth of the spa for just a few minutes to do two laps on the Lazy River, but then we went back to the tub. After a while of that we got ready to go out for dinner. Did you know that Marley's has a shuttle?? They came and picked us up for Pete's sake!! We had a great dinner and then danced the night away. Both Kat and Joeli are moms so we were just giggling the whole way back to Great Wolf (in the shuttle again) that we were out 'til bar time. That hasn't happened in forever!! We got up the next morning and hit the waterslides and the hot tub once more until it was time to check out. We grabbed brekkie at this great place famous for the cinnamon rolls...and now we know why!! Mmmmm!! We've decided we're going to try to do this at least twice a year. We all agreed the best part was getting ready to go out to dinner. No kids, no animals, no hubbies, just the girls. It was like being in college again!

Sometimes we forget as mommies and wives and caretakers and whatever role you take on, that we need to refresh every once in a while by leaving it all behind. Don't lost sight of that! Believe me, you need a girl's weekend!!

Tuesday 4/8/08

So last night I wanted to make a fun dinner to watch the NCAA finals but of course I didn't want to be all fatty. For these types of events I crave nachos and anything fried you can dip in a yummy sauce...and let's not forget the beer to wash it all down. So I hit the internet looking for recipes. I found oven-baked french fries and a great breading for chicken and shrimp. When all was said and done I had healthy, home-made french fries, shrimp and chicken and dipping sauces...sodium-free ketchup, fat-free/low-cal Ranch dressing and sugar-free barbeque sauce. Applebee's eat your heart out!! It was so nice to feel like I was eating bad-for-you food without having to go nuts at the gym this morning out of guilt. I didn't go out to grab beer but if I had, I would've grabbed the MGD 64...only 64 calories a bottle my friend and under 3 carbs!! Just wanted you to see that you can still feel like you're indulging like everyone else for things like big games, but you don't have to break the bank on calories and fat! If you'd like the recipes just e-mail me, lanette@magic98.com. Happy Tuesday!

Monday 4/7/08

Holy cow this weekend was insane. Between the emceeing, the live broadcasts and on-air work too I'm on a three-second delay. I can't think of anything other than napping. Now I know why cats live such happy lives!

Amy Abbott and I had a ton of fun both Saturday and Sunday at Pet Supermarket on Odana Road. This is a fantastic new place with fabulous owners if you'd like to stop by and see for youself, it's about a block and a half down from West Towne Mall next to Ginza. Say 'hi' to Paula and Jim!

This weekend I'm going to the Great Wolf Lodge with my girlfriends Kit and Joeli. It will be filled with shopping, eating, drinking, gambling, dancing, relaxing and craziness I'm sure. They're both leaving behind little ones so they won't know what to do with all their extra time but I'm sure it won't take them long to catch on. If you're headed up to the Dells for anything, I've just given you fair warning....

Monday 3/31/08

So the Winnie the Pooh adventure wasn't SO bad. I do now have total respect for Bucky Badger however. It's like you're all alone in the big ol' head of the costume just hearing your self breathe...and sweat...holy cow it was hot in there!! The kids loved it and yes, there was great cake and ice cream waiting for me after I changed so I guess it's all in a hard day's work. I will never make Bucky do push-ups at the football games again though...poor thing...I don't know how he does it!!

Juli Hinds and I are hosting the greatest event this Friday. It's a Red Ribbon Affair for the AIDS Network at the Monona Terrace. (More info here.) If you would like to come out and support a very important cause in my book, we'd love to see you!!

Friday3/28/08

I was wrong...I'm eating jelly beans as we speak!! I came in this morning and Chris Murphy dropped a whole bag on my desk. He said now's the time to get 'em because they're all on sale! It's now six hours later and half the bag is gone. I'm so weak against the jelly bean!! It's not a fair fight!!

This weekend I'm going to be Winnie the Pooh at my best friend's son's 2nd birthday party. What would we do without Mallatt's?? Seriously...thee place to go for costumes!! Anyway, I'm hoping all the champers don't get scared of me and go running because that could be quite the complex for both me and the kids! As long as there's cake waiting for me at the end of the shin-dig I'm fine. Bonus if there's Blue Moon ice cream...then it'll all be worth it! Wish me luck!

Tuesday 3/25/08

Okay, I think I got my fill of jelly beans. Man I love those things!! It was a great day of family, food, laughs and of course...stories. Whenever my family gets together we tell stories...you know, the ones from when you were little that make you cry cuz you're laughing so hard. It just wouldn't be a holiday without them.

Right around 3pm I always start thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner. I have a whole wheat Boboli pizza crust that I think I'll put some veggies and shrimp on with a little cheese, and presto...a yummy, most importantly, low fat, low calorie dinner. Yes, you CAN eat pizza without the guilt! Hopefully I'll get home, go on a run, get dinner ready and be sitting on the couch in time for "America's Biggest Loser" at 7! If you don't watch, I'm a little disappointed in you, if you do...I'm so sick of that Mark guy I can't stand it!! He's gotta go!!

Thursday 3/20/08

I don't know why I'm so surprised we're getting snow tonight and tomorrow. We ALWAYS get a snowstorm in March that sort of knocks us off our feet because we were just starting to get a taste of spring. But this winter...this winter has been so long and so cold and gave us so much snow that I guess I was hoping this year would be different. POP...there goes that dream bubble!!

I'm excited for Easter! A huge dinner... yep, I'm excited!! Last year the Easter Bunny got me jelly beans (which are my favorite!), Zone Bars (which I eat every day) and a brand new...bra. Yep, a bra. I don't know how the Easter Bunny knew my size but he did. Funny how you get to be so thankful for those things you forget to buy for yourself.

What are you doing for the game tonight?? GO BUCKY!!!!!

Wednesday 3/12/08

I don't know about you but this time change is killin' me! It sounds so simple...I mean, what's one hour? It just throws me off completely! Today is the first day I felt somewhat awake when I got out of bed. I'm at Orange Shoe Gym by 6:30 so it had just started to be light when I woke up...now we're back to square one! It's just harder to get up when it's still dark. I sure hope you're coping a little better than I am!

I'll be running the quarter marathon in this year's Madison Marathon May 25th with the intent to run the half next year and the full the next year. It's just so hard to train in the winter...I despise running on a treadmill so we'll see how it goes. Come on, join me...ya know you want to!!

Thursday 3/6/08

It was spectacular!! The Poconos are so beautiful! We got in Saturday afternoon to a sunny, 50 degree day. Sunday was about the same. Monday we drove (2 hours) to Philly, one of my favorite cities in the world, and we weren't wearing jackets because it was almost 60 degrees! Then Tuesday it was a cold rain all day and Wednesday it was snowing...we got all the weather possible!

I'm completely in love with Marc's parents. His mom makes me laugh...hard! Then when she laughs...it's all over. His dad is the cutest man ever...I just wanted to pinch him. Not to mention he's an amazing cook. Seriously, I had to refrain from putting my entire face into the mashed potatoes and just eating...thought that might be a bad first impression. They've got the greatest friends and family. I could've listened to their accents all day! One of their friends decked us out in no, not Steelers gear but Giants (Thanks Diane). They thought that was pretty great. I took out my Red Sox hat just for fun but thought better of it as I looked around and saw I was a little out-numbered...then sat down and watched the Yankees game with everyone else. Now...I truly am off to the gym to work off the pasta, the meatloaf, the homemade maccaroni and cheese, the cannolis, the seafood crepes, the french toast with bananas...you get the picture.

Wednesday 2/27/08

I'm off to the Poconos Saturday! Marc's parents live there so we'll obviously be staying at their house. I'm SO excited to leave Wisconsin snow. Even if they had the same amount, which they don't, it'd be someone else's snow so it wouldn't be quite as annoying to look at. Sounds like Sunday will be a big family get-together so I'm excited to put some faces to the names. Marc is Italian so I plan on taking in all the wonderful items Italian cuisine has to offer...Seriously, I could eat Italian food all day long. I could've died happy the day I found whole wheat gnocci at the grocery store. So, I'll be back next Thursday hopefully relaxed and ready to work off the 5 pounds I've gained!

Monday 2/18/08

Whew...what a weekend!! Valentine's Day, a wedding, a baby shower, a HUGE family dinner and hours of shoveling the heaviest snow ever!! I was actually thinking it would be nice to come back to work so things would slow down a little. I am such a creature of habit and schedules that when I'm off of either of them, I'm exhausted. I'm definitely feeling it today that's for sure. Tomorrow I'm hoping to be back on track and full of energy...meanwhile, today is turning out to be quite difficult.

I just have to share with you this fabulous story though. My cousin Christy is 26 years old and was adopted by my aunt and uncle at birth in Indiana. She's got her Masters in Library Science and in October moved here from Pennsylvania to see if there were some opportunities in Madison she wouldn't have otherwise found. (As of yet, she's still looking, so if you know of anything please let me know.) Anyway, last week, after years of searching she and her birth mom Janet found each other. On Valentine's Day Janet flew in from California and they met for the first time. On Friday, my aunt and uncle flew in from South Carolina and I was so touched to be there as my aunt Joanne and Janet saw each other for the frist time. They shared a hug full of thankfulness, gratitude and of course plenty of tears...for them and everyone else in the room. Christy has two half brothers and lots of aunts, uncle and cousins...the crazy part is lots of them live here in the area! Her birth dad, turns out, lives in Milwaukee!! We had a huge family dinner Saturday night and got to meet some of Christy's new family...they're just beautiful...every single one of them!

I just thought in the middle of winter, swimming through all the politics, at a time when we tend to get a little bored and depressed I'd share with you a true story of faith and love. I found myself just stepping back and watching everyone with a smile from ear to ear. How truly, truly amazing!

Tuesday 2/12/18

Valentine's Day is in two days! I just love holidays.... It could be just a random Thursday in the middle of April but when you attach the title 'holiday' to it, it's just fun! So whether you have spectacular romantic plans, you're goin' out with friends or hanging out with your favorite sweatpants and fuzzy socks, allow me to wish you a happy Valentine's Day!!

I'll be spending mine at a rehearsal dinner. My girlfriend Jen is getting married Friday so it's definitely a time to celebrate! The bride is in town from Omaha so it feels like it's really happening now...it's going to go by so fast! Cross your fingers for nice weather for those traveling please!

Friday 2/8/08

So I'll admit it...I'm obsessed with Jillian Michaels from 'The Biggest Loser'. She's the trainer that is so hard core...I just love her! I got her new book 'Making the Cut' and It's pretty darn interesting. It's for people who are athletes looking to get cut...maybe lose 5 or 10 pounds, but get into the shape they always knew they could be in. It's a 30-day program of diet and excercise and I'm so geeked to get started. I've already made one of her recipes...it was chicken, onions, Granny Smith apples with nutmeg and pepper all scooped into a low-carb, whole wheat tortilla and it was fabulous! She's really into positive thinking and I TOTALLY agree with her on that. You make a decision every day to be the kind of person you want to be, you set your goals and you go get 'em. I'll be the first to say that there are definitely some mornings I don't feel like going to the gym but if my goal is to be way hot at my sister's wedding in August, I'm doin' what it takes to get there. I'm babbling, but I just love this book can you tell? Maybe you made a New Year's resolution to get healthy...even if this is a little harder than you want to go you can adapt it to your life, in the least get some good recipes and by all means soak in some great advice to get you where you want to be. Am I preaching? A little...it's just so important to respect your body and take care of it. Okay...I'm making a Michael's Frozen Custard run now...you want anything? :)

Thursday 1/31/08

Are you doing anything for the Super Bowl? I'm just not that interested. I'd LOVE a Giants upset but I won't be watching every second of the game I know that. Besides, I've got a mission on Sunday...it's to find gold shoes to match the dress for one of my girlfriend's weddings in two weeks. Hey, we all have our priorities.

The 45 degrees weather was just heaven-sent! I know I was in a better mood on those days. I get out of Orange Shoe Gym about 7:30am and we were all hanging out in the parking lot talking and laughing...when it's as freezing as it is today and yesterday, we all just rush into our cars with barely a 'see ya'! By the end of the day Tuesday, it was down to -11! Oh man am I ready for Spring!

Thursday 1/24/08

Oh my...I swear I didn't fall off the face of the Earth...I've just been snuggled into 25 layers of clothes every day which can make it hard to type. Holy cow can it get any colder??!! (Don't answer that.)

Let's see here, what's happened since the last time we've chatted. I LOVE my new haircut, Packers lost...cuz they forgot to show up and I've turned off my TV for a month. Yep, you read right. It's been eight days and I have to say it's not so bad. I catch up on my shows, "Biggest Loser", Oprah etc via the internet and I find I have much more time...for everything! My house is clean, the dog is always walked and I've even gotten some two-a-day workouts in. Don't get me wrong, Monday night I found myself throwing the dog's toys against the front door to see which one had the 'best bounce', but overall I think it's a good thing. Maybe in the end I'll have the TV on for my shows but not all the time as it was turning out to be. Meanwhile, I'm hoping McDreamy doesn't fall in love with that nurse because I'll be so bummed I missed it.

Thursday 1/10/08

I'm going to get my hair chopped today. I'm so embarrassed...last time I got my hair cut I brought in a picture of Jessica Simpson, this time it's Nicole Ritchie. Please don't judge. :) I am excited to get it cut though. My friend Chloe at RZ & Company is FABULOUS!! She's a family friend since I can remember, it's just a bonus that the girl can do hair!! I'm gonna go with some bangs...if I don't like 'em I can just let 'em grow out, no big deal. Wish me luck!

Meanwhile, I'm excited for the Wedding Planner and Guide Bridal Show this weekend. I'll be there with Amy Abbott Saturday 10a-12n and then I'll be back with my sister and the rest of her bridesmaids picking out fun stuff and hopefully winning a couple things too! I got an e-mail saying one of the girls I used to babysit for will be there too...why I thought...BECAUSE SHE'S GETTING MARRIED!! That hurt the age ego a little...youch!!

Thursday 1/3/08

I don't know what we did without the Magic Bullet? Have you seen this thing on info-mercials?? Marc got it for Christmas from my parents and it's spectacular! We ground coffee beans and it really does make a difference in the taste of the coffee. We each make a shake once a day...my favorite is 1/4 cup of vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup milk, 8 frozen strawberries, 2 tsp peanut butter, 1 tsp whey protein and 3 ice cubes. It's like a frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich...I will seriously, never buy ice cream again cuz this does the job. I have it at night for my dessert and it fills me up so I have no problem not snacking. Plus I'm also very ready to work out at 6:30 the next morning. Like I said...spectacular!!

Thursday 12/27

It was so nice at Orange Shoe Gym this morning to work muscles other than my jaw to eat whatever sugar was placed in front of me. There comes a point when you just go, fine...I'm eating it...I'll work it off next week. So if you need me this week, I'll be at the gym.

My Christmas was filled with family and friends. So many were in town I just couldn't get to everyone. My first friend in the world Wendy (I of course have a nickname for her and it's Dibby) just left this morning after being here for four days and I never got over to see her. It's just a good excuse to go down to Chicago to visit her!! My brother got into town from Boston yesterday so the next couple days will be all about Bradley.

Saturday my sister, her future mother-in-law, her future sister-in-law, my mom and I will head to New Glarus to Brandi's Bridal to see if we can get the moms dressed up for the August wedding. I'll let you know how it goes....

Monday 12/24

Hope you're loving "98 Hours of Christmas Magic" as much as I am. It really is the finest collection of holiday tunes...somehow the spirit of Christmas is truly captured in music and it's perfect! Tonight Marc and I will head over to my parent's house along with Luna, my sister and her fiancee Andy, and I think my gramma Hansen too. My mom makes stuffed squash which is absolutely spectacular! We'll open presents and then eat again I'm sure. Tomorrow morning we'll go to church and then begin preparing the traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and so on. Yummmeeeee!!

Hope you have an amazing Christmas...you've earned it!

Friday 12/21

It must be hard to have a birthday so close to Christmas. My college roommate Jaime is celebrating the big 3-1 today. I think when you're a wife and a mom like she is it really turns into just a passing thought. Well I hope she has time to celebrate it because I'll be the first in a long line to say that the world definitely became a better place the day she was born so it should most definitely be remembered. Happy birthday Jac!!

I was cutting some peppers for my dinner last night and thought the tip of my thumb would be a nice ingredient...yeah...I was an idiot and sliced my thumb. It's not so bad...it's just one of those places that is a complete chore to try and keep bandages on. I've got a Band-Aid and some Scotch tape doin' the trick right now. It's pretty sad looking.

Did you hear the Steeles this morning on the Pat and Bob show??!! Holy cow!!! They were all so gorgeous and talented and simply amazing. They didn't even know what they were going to sing 30 seconds before going on. It wasn't until Jearlyn sang a single note that her brothers and sister chimed in and they all sang together. I still have goose bumps!! If you're free it will be SO worth your while to catch them at the Overture Center tonight. Click here for tickets. Enjoy!!

Wednesday 12/19

The big, family Christmas dinner is Saturday already. We have a rather long tradition of doing a fondue. Way before it was cool, we were doing it. It used to drive me nuts as a kid because we'd do it on Christmas Eve night which is when we opened presents as well. If you've ever fondued before you know it's the longest dinner possible. I'd eat as quickly as possible and then started cooking food for everyone else. Oh my gosh could it take any longer...I have to open those presents! You'll be very surprised to know that I haven't changed a bit. I'm just able to mask it a little more than when I was a kid.

Luna is just fine after her big scuffle with Ziggy last week. She's still got the staple under her left eye but that can come out Sunday. She never scratched at it and never acted like it bothered her one bit. I don't think she's exactly worried about any scarring either. :) Although once the hair grows back I don't think you'll see it at all. Yay!!

Thursday 12/13

Tomorrow is the Holiday Wish Fundraiser. From 7am to 7pm we'll be taking your requests for a donation to Holiday Wish. You've heard a couple of the phone calls on-air with Pat and Bob and then replayed with Jim, but that's just a peek into the hundreds of families we're able to help behind the scenes. It's an exhausting, rewarding, powerful couple of weeks when we are reading all of your letters trying so hard to help as many as we can in every way possible. Needless to say, this is the time of year when we call in all our favors. I'd like to thank you ahead of time for anything you can do to help our 18th year of Holiday Wish!! THANK YOU!!!

Monday 12/10

Spent the morning at the emergency vet yesterday. Marc and I were dog-sitting for our friend's dog Ziggy. (A fabulous sweetheart by the way) We had a great night, Luna and Ziggy were playing the entire time. We woke up and were getting ready to go run some errands...I took the trash out and was walking up the steps on the back deck where Luna was waiting for me at the top. Ziggy decided he would like to wait at the top of the stairs too and Luna thought he was trying to steal her thunder. Just like that Luna turned around and they started fighting. There's only about 8 pounds difference between the two of them so there was really no bullying, but Luna ended up with a gash under her left eye. The doc was just going to clean it out but when he got a good look at it, it was bigger than he first thought. He had to put a staple in it to close it up so now Luna looks like a total bruiser but she doesn't seem to be in any pain. A long morning, but it all worked out. If you should ever need emergency vet care, www.vetspecialtycare.com is the place to go. It's a new place off Midtown Road and Dr. Wade Tate was SPECTACULAR!! (And the bill wasn't so bad either.)

Tuesday 12/4

Happy birthday, one day late, to one of the most precious human beings on this Earth...my God-daughter Reagan. She's fearless, funny, smart, and an absolutely gorgeous 8-year old. She lives in Colorado so I wasn't able to see her face but I got her a karaoke machine. One that she, her brother Matthew and her sister Amanda can play with together...and there's a video camera on it so they can watch themselves sing all silly on it. Their mom is my cousin Laurie and I totally need to ask for pictures...how funny! So happy birthday Miss Reagan Marie...love you!!

My brother didn't make it in for his weekend visit because of that crazy weather we had on Saturday. He was attempting to boost his miles and segments by doing a Boston to Minneapolis to Detroit to Madison trip. Had he not canceled, he would've had a nice, comfy I'm sure, stay at the Detroit airport. So, he stayed at home and will be back for Christmas. My sister's fiancee was supposed to be on that plane that skidded off the runway at the Dane County Airport. He was coming home from Taiwan for work and once he heard about the weather, came in Friday night instead. Good thing, cuz his birthday was Saturday and I don't think sliding around on an airplane is the best way to spend your birthday. Hope you're ready for some more snow tonight!!

Thursday 11/29

Went to a little wedding expo Tuesday night at the Marriott West with my sister and her sister-in-law to be. I wasn't too sure about it until Amy Abbott said, well there's gonna be cake there right? All of a sudden I couldn't wait to get there!! Mmmmm...Raspberry, turtle, orange, poppyseed...I was really doing my part to help my sister pick the right cake.

She just called me and said her wedding dress is in!! It's going to be the ultimate in sisterly fashion shows. Way better than the ones we had after crazy shopping sprees growing up. It's not a nutso, poofy dress so it shouldn't be too bad to get into a closet but we'll wait and see. I can't remember if I told you what we're wearing as bridesmaids...Tiffany blue, strapless, cocktail-length, two-piece dresses with a dark chocolate sash on the waist. It should be very pretty for an August wedding. Lots of pre and post mommies are standing up in the wedding so we'll see if anyone has to wear flip-flops down the aisle.

Mmmmm...I could really go for more of that raspberry cake right now....

Tuesday 11/27

I had a great Thanksgiving! About 10 of us Thursday and then the big ol' family shin dig Saturday with about 25 people. I got so lucky to have such a spectacular family...we have fun no matter what we're doing. Everyone brings something, everyone chows, everyone cleans up and everyone sits around rubbing their full tummies...and all along the way we're dying laughing and telling stories. Hope your Thanksgiving was just as perfect as mine.

I did get up Friday to get to Target with my mom about 5:45am. I got birthday presents for my God-daughter and sister's fiancee, Christmas gifts for Marc, high school friends, my cousin Megan and Luna and totally surprisingly not one thing for me! I'm SO proud of myself! Although there's a lot more to be done so hopefully I can stay strong!

On a sad note, a daughter of a very dear friend was killed in a car accident in Brown Deer Friday afternoon. If you can spare a second in your very busy schedule please keep their family in your thoughts. They head into the holidays with a gigantic void and I'm sure won't get a chance to enjoy the beauty of the season. Much appreciated!!

Wednesday 11/20

I for one, will not be one of the people who gains seven pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's! I just heard that number yesterday and completely freaked out! This is where I admit that I LOVE "The Biggest Loser" and found out on last night's show that pumpkin pie has the least amount of calories in it when compared to cherry, pecan and banana cream...240 calories per slice. No word yet as to if that's with or without whipped cream but I'll get back to you on that. (Please let it be WITH, please let it be WITH....)

I'm excited to hang out with TONS of friends from high school tonight. It's sort of a tradition around here to go out the night before Thanksgiving bcause everyone is back in town. My boyfriend is from New York and he said they don't do it out east so it'll be fun breakin' him in on gool ol' tradition. We'll be at the Essen Haus if you'd like to stop by...I think I've got Amy Abbott talked into going too!

Have a spectacular Thanksgiving! Mine will start with the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, then we're giving the dog a bath (I know, way glamorous), then we're headed over to my parents to eat and watch football all day...that last part is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...man I love those pilgrims!

Friday 11/16

Seriously, by 5pm my brain has turned off and I just want to go home and veg. Between the earlier dark sky, the nearing holidays and the the cold weather, I am useless in the early evening. I've found myself reading an e-mail or checking out some paperwork and not actually digesting a thing. Just simply spacing out and ignoring what's right in front of me. My thoughts have gone to what I can make for dinner, what I want to get Reagan, my God-Daughter for her birthday or the best was wondering if Meredith and Dr. McDreamy were finally going to live happily ever after on the next "Grey's Anatomy."

Women's Expo starts tomorrow with visits from Deanna Favre and Jenny McCarthy which should be interesting. Did you ever watch, "Singled Out" on MTV?? That's a show that Jenny McCarthy used to host and I remember thinking..."she's nuts...I like her." Now she's all grown up, an author and a mommy of a little boy with Autism so she's got some great things to chat about. I should know...I saw her on Oprah. :) We'll be there all day 10a-4p...see you there!

Wednesday 11/14

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When you're not eating, you're watching football...it's a beautiful thing! Good luck to all of you who are running the Berbee Derby this year! It's so nice when you think about it...you burn your calories before you even eat them. Lauren, one of the trainers at Orange Shoe said the average Thanksgiving meal is over 3,000 calories can you believe it?!

I'm trying to get the perfect gifts for everyone. My future brother-in-law likes to work out, has a total sweet tooth and travels a lot...I've come up with a sweater. Think he'll like it. :) It's gotta get easier from here. Last year I was out on Christmas Eve finishing up which is total slacker I know, so I started early. Promise. Hope you're having better luck than I am!

Wednesday 11/7

I LOVE this time of year...it's so comfy and cozy. Fuzzy socks just don't seem quite as perfect on a 90 degree summer night ya know? This is so the hardest time to not put on a couple pounds though because for some reason carbs and fatty foods are just as cozy as my fuzzy socks. It's not as easy to get up in the morning and take a run when it's 30 degrees and windy either, so my advice is this...now's the best time to challenge your officemates to your own "Biggest Loser" contest of sorts. My boyfriend works at Zimbrick of Middleton and everyone who wanted to participate threw in 10 bucks and at the end of the challenge, winner takes all. It just seems when there's a mix of cash and someone to keep you in check you stick to it a little easier. Here's to lookin' hot in a pair of jeans! Game on!

Thursday 11/1

November??!! It's November??!! Oh my! One of my dearest friends in the world gets married in just over three months and my sister is getting married in August so I've been having fun listening and participating in all the planning. I guess time does fly when you're having fun!

I started my Christmas shopping last week and that's the earliest for me EVER! Honestly it was Christmas Eve last year and I went out to get it all done. I'm not a grinch, I just don't know where everyone finds the time to get it all done. It's not until I HAVE to get it done that I finally am able to pound it all out. I'm not saying I still won't be out on the Eve again, I'm just saying I've started....

Yesterday's Crytopquote was "A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice." Sad but true.

Tuesday 10/30

Marc and I totally had a blast from the past date night Friday. We went and grabbed dinner and then did the Madison Course at Vitense Golfland...WAY fun!! Then we headed to Point Cinema for the 9:30 showing of "Dan in Real Life" with Steve Carrel and Dane Cook...I'm officially recommending this to you. It's funny and cute and heart-warming and a great movie for most occasions. I haven't mini-golfed in years but it was very fun. By the way...yeah...I won!!

Is it wrong that I'm planning on carving pumpkins tonight? I've had great intentions to do this sooner than the night before Halloween but just couldn't get my butt off the couch! Now that I've got a serious hankerin' for pumpkin seeds, I think I'll actually get it done tonight! Hey I've got the candy for the trick-or-treaters, I feel like I'm ahead of the game! (Okay, so now half the bag is gone...but it's the thought that counts yes?)

Friday 10/26

I'm reading the greatest book called "Eat, Pray, Love" and I'm finding myself trying to figure out when I can spare a half hour at a time to sit and get a couple more pages in. It's spectacular...written by a woman who found herself married, living in a big house, supposed to be wanting to have children and coming to the harsh realization that she didn't actually want any of it. The book is written as she travels to Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love) and it's eye-opening at how she's able to walk you through her healing and self-examining. I think you could say it comes highly recommended. Yes definitely! So hopefully this weekend I'll have a chance to get further into her stay in India...my other glamorous plans consist of going to Orange Shoe Gym Saturday morning and cleaning my oven when I get home. See...glamorous!!

Sunday...Marc and I are going to go to Stoughton and shop on Main Street...possibly grab a pizza and a movie at the Cinema Cafe. Jim McGaw and I went to Stoughton's Clock Tower Gifts to deliver Mugs and Muffins yesterday and I forgot how unbelievably groovy Stoughton is. I started my Christmas shopping at that wonderful giftshop and I hope to continue Sunday. It's supposed to be a gorgeous, sunny 51 degree day so it should be perfect! Have a great weekend!

Monday 10/22

So I spent Friday night with Gooey...we went out to dinner at Red Robin and I got to use her as an excuse to color while I waited for my turkey burger. Then we went home and made peanut butter cookies with little chocolate stars in the middle. We ate a couple...okay she ate one I had three...and then hung out, watching TV in 'her' bedroom all night long. Remember when you could stay up until the wee hours?? Seriously, 10:00 came around and I was trying to figure out where I could catch a second wind! The next morning we went out for breakfast at Cranberry Creek in Monona and then hung out at my sister's house. She has a 9 month old Pug named Baxter so we were thoroughly entertained by his enthusiasm for tearing apart the living room chair while we made cherry chip cupcakes. Gooey is one of the Junior Bridesmaids in my sister's wedding in August so we looked at some dresses to see what she would like to strut her stuff in and then it was time for her to go. Oh my...she is just the most precious thing!!

Friday 10/19

I'm so excited...my little cousin (who am I kidding, she's 9 and almost taller than I) is coming into town from Rockford for a sleep-over tonight. Her real name is Megan but we call her Gooey for reasons she would hate me for if I told you. I held her when she was six hours old and I remember thinking there is no way I can ever love anything more. Seriously, the cutest baby I have ever see in my life. No weird-shaped head, no red splotches, just perfection. Okay so she didn't have hair for a little while and her dad referred to her as Yoda, but I swear she's since grown a full head of hair. She's the sweetest, most polite, fun little girl I have ever met...I just love her! Think of me tonight watching movies, eating junkfood and getting a manicure...you know basic slumber party stuff!

Monday 10/15

Oh my I had no idea it had been so long since we chatted! As I sit here chomping on my strawberries and grapes I've started thinking about how much our food selections change with the weather. I crave everything pumpkin this time of year. Marc and I went to breakfast yesterday at the Pancake Cafe on Nesbitt. They have a special...pumpkin pancakes!! Let's not forget to talk about the cinnamon, sugar and whipped cream on top to make this beautiful thing a masterpiece! I seriously woke up this morning thinking about them after an entire evening of wanting more of them! I ALWAYS do a trip to Michael's Frozen Custard for their pumpkin shake. Yes, they have this all year round but it just tastes better to me in October for some reason.