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And The Winner Is

This is what I have planned for the evening. Sadly, no one will be joining me. No one loves it as much as I do....at least in Michigan. It didn't stop me from getting red-carpet ready though! Hee hee! I am certain my dress will be in next week's People magazine under the Best Dressed Viewer category. Please don't try to reach me tonight. I am very busy scrutinizing who looks better than I do. So far....there haven't been too many. So kidding right now. But I really do love this....the gold statues....the actors....the dresses....the bad political jokes.....love love love it.....all of it!

Check It Out

A shameless plug....I know. I am just getting started and need all the help I can get. I love taking pictures! I accidently discovered how much I enjoy this hobby when I started a photo calendar documenting my own family history. It has become my creative outlet. I just can't get enough. Click here to see more.

Gracey's Eight

My little horsewoman turned eight this week. I can hardly wait to see her in action!

The Sample Tramp

It seems there's a new sport. Have you ever been sample tramping? If you haven't, you are definitely missing out. Let me explain. It seems I have educated myself regarding all the best places in the greater Ann Arbor area where food samples are in abundance. And this sample tramp gets around!

For my birthday this year I was the happy recipient of the very first sample tramp jersey and I couldn't be more pleased. (I will post a picture soon!) Clearly we needed a uniform! I hope it becomes an olympic sport.....because I need a gold medal in something. And I am afraid this is my best and only shot!

Costco and Sam's Club is a great place to start. This is where all the frozen food tastes unbelievably good and you think...."I can't believe this is a frozen food. I need to buy this". I am not sure why, but every time I have bought the frozen version of the advertised sample, it never tastes as good at home. I am convinced they use totally different products for all samples. (I said everytime, but I really have only bought a frozen entree twice. I learned my lesson the second time. Those frozen chicken burritos are not good at all.)

Then there is the Produce Station...the healthy choice. Ahh.....the fruit samples are divine. And the fruit does taste as good as the samples. I have never been disappointed. Occasionally there are several different cheeses to taste. I think they intend A TASTE. But I sample......and this sample tramp might be found shamelessly making the rounds several times.

And then Whole Foods. Oh my goodness. In the glory days, this Sample Tramp and her whole team of tramps could be found Saturday morning at Whole Foods buying a few measley berries for breakfast. Prior to our pitifully small berry purchase, the samples were pillaged with reckless abandon. We are convinced this team of sample tramps is the sole reason there is now only one cheese sample on Saturday mornings. How do they expect us to become connoisseurs of cheese if we can't taste them all.......several times??

And then there is the mecca of all sampling, which is Zingerman's Deli of course. The place where sample tramps are celebrated. The place where they ask the tramp what she wants to taste before she even has to ask. It is the place where this Sample Tramp has been educated on the finer points of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, bread, and cheese. It is the place where sampling is part of a higher purpose including appreciation and education on all the finer foods we are blessed with on this earth. It is the place where I can have a taste, without having to ask any of my friends for just one bite. It is my sample tramp haven. And if you don't have time to go Kerrytown....don't forget the Bakehouse. It's all the sampling without any trouble with parking. Perfect!

She's Famous

Miss Cassie is famous. She went to see the Phoenix Suns play last night and apparently had a great time. Not only did she attend the game, but apparently due to her strategically planned publicity campaign, she got significant air time in the media. Her Dad said "Cassie enjoyed the game and really seemed to love the camera's even more so! Here are some pics that were sent by our friends who sat behind us. Her husband was interviewed on the news and sure enough Cassie was sure to be a part of it! Cassie danced during all the timeouts and found herself on the jumbo tron. We lost in the second overtime, although Cassie was a trooper and lasted the entire game. I think the cotton candy at halftime helped her energy level".

My Twins

While posting my birthday wishes for my sister Liza, I realized in the hustle and bustle of the holidays I had neglected to post Happy Birthday wishes to my twin sisters born on Christmas Day. Rebecca and Sarah were born in the 22nd month of my life and it has been a wild ride ever since. This year we were all together in Colorado to celebrate their birthdays, which doesn't happen often anymore. It was so much fun to celebrate Christmas until noon and their birthday in the evening. It was just as we had done for so many years while growing up. I always thought we were so lucky to have twins in our family. I have adored them so. I also discovered, for some strange reason, I don't have a digital picture of them together for this post. I will need to solve that problem very soon.

Just a few things I love about my sister Rebecca are...
* She is loving and kind.
* She is generous.
* She is tenderhearted.
* She sings like an angel.
* She is so fun to be around and the most fun to go shopping with.
* She makes the best Brazilian dinner you can find in the United States.
* She is creative as evidenced by all the beautiful cards, wedding announcements, baby announcements, etc designed and hand made by her.
* She never left her bed unmade in college and often had Sarah's made before she was out of it.
* She married funny Jared who has the best one liners of anyone I know. (i.e. picture of Bill Clinton and little Miss Monica sent via email asking my brother-in-law to get Hillary's autograph on this very special picture...still laughing about that one.)

Just a few things I love about my sister Sarah are...
* Her no nonsense wit that often includes a "get a grip" if her kids step out of line.
* She is industrious and expeditious in every thing she does.
* She can build a house, move, have her fourth baby, and barely miss a step.
* She teaches pre-school and all her kids love her.
* She has a quick solution to any obstacle.
* She sings like an angel and it sounds like heaven when she sings with Rebecca and/or Liza.
* She loves life.
* She's married to Jim and they keep us all entertained by the funny things that happen in their every day family life. (Turns out Jim needs a lot of help! Ha!)

Happy Birthday Miss Liza

It is my youngest sister's birthday and here are some of the things I love about her.
* She is disciplined. Not the run of the mill kind of discipline....could be over the top Hitler style (also known as Grandma J. style) of discipline.
* My favorite Jack belongs to her.
* She's fearless...as evidenced by her recent audition for a cooking show. She knocked it out of the ball park and if they don't hire her they are retarded.
* She is an amazing cook.
* She is frugal.
* She is faithful.
* She sings like an angel.
* She was born the day before my birthday when I was turning 9 years old. I believed she was my very own special birthday gift. I still feel that way today.
* She married a democrat. He's now registered as a moderate. Thank heavens she's had some measure of influence on him! :-) Only kidding Tyson.

Karate Kid

Can you believe that this little niece of mine won first place in her karate tournament today! I am so pleased and proud. Next she goes to New Mexico in March to compete at a higher level. I am trying to figure out how I am going to be able to witness this event up close and personal. I may have to settle for the video clips her mother promised to post on their blog!