Run, run as fast as you can.

Last night Andy and I officially ran 3 miles. The best part is that we kept a pretty good pace and our times weren't too shabby. Of course, Andy finished a little ahead of me, but that is to be expected since our strides are different. I'm very proud of the the two of us. I know we can do the 5k without a doubt! It's VERY exciting!

This and That

Andy and I have been slacking somewhat on our 5K training, but last night we kicked it into gear. It was our first time running in the cold, and we both fared quite well. We'll be pushing ourselves a lot harder this week, but I know that we can do it!

Adam and Adrienne's wedding is fast approaching. We'll be heading out to SD with Amber on Saturday morning. Hopefully my cold will let up by then.

Exhausted

There has been a lot on my mind lately and I just can't seem to get a good night's rest.

Andy's Grandma passed away on Saturday. We are so thankful that we were able to see her one last time, and pray that she went peacefully. It's not easy, especially when I think of Andy walking out the door and saying 'I love you, Grandma' for the last time.

Things are slowly changing in my family. Missing holidays and weddings seems to be the norm. It angers and saddens me all at once. Never in a million years did I think my family would be like this. I guess change is imminent, whether we like it or not.

My mind is full of thoughts. My mind just cannot rest. Tossing and turning. I would just like to sleep.

Welcome to Las Vegas

We returned home from Las Vegas this past Monday. Andy was able to see his grandma after far too many years, and I was finally able to meet her. It saddens me to know that this will probably be the last time we will see or talk to Marlyn. I am very grateful that Andy and I were able to go out there.

Change

Things are falling apart. There isn't time for tradition, caring, communication, love, equality, patience, understanding, and most of all, there just isn't enough time for each other. It saddens me.

I guess sitting silently is the best thing I can do, but it hurts. Perhaps others have a better understanding of life and what is best. It won't stop hurting though. I just wish it could be like it used to be, but change is inevitable. I don't deal well with change.

Old friends, new perspectives, and life.

Andy and I met up with Rob and Huck for MSU, M's homecoming this past weekend. Overall, we had a nice time. We were all a bit disappointed with the lack of activities provided for the Alum, both by the school and our respective organizations. Needless to say, I think Andy and I will not be returning to campus for another function in quite some time.

This past week has opened my eyes a little on who I need to be and the direction I need to take in my life. I'm not perfect. I never will be. I've been living my life worried about what others will think of me, and it has made me into a very sad person. I'm not living for me, I'm living for them. It's due time I start living for myself and make myself happy. So, the journey begins to figure out who I truly am. It's exciting, and scary.

Am I worth it?

So, I've been rejected from a couple of places I applied. It really shouldn't matter because that happens to everyone, right? Well, it makes me feel pretty bad about myself. My self-esteem and self-confidence just went down a little more, just when I thought it couldn't get much worse. I don't think people realize how miserable I am. They say to change this and that and blah blah blah, but they don't understand that I can't. I know what needs to be done, I can tell you what needs to be done. I just can't do it. I can't describe it, but people, please stop. It makes things worse. It really does. I see a ton of people who are at the point in their life where I would like to be, but I'm no where near it. Honestly, I feel like the biggest loser on Earth.

Shouldn't you be in bed?

Another night of not being able to sleep, but I'm totally exhausted. It doesn't make sense, right? I've been worrying about things that just don't seem to go away when my head hits the pillow. It's quite annoying when you're so tired that you are about in tears because your mind won't shut off. Some day I will not worry so much, but today is not the day.

Happy 2nd Anniversary!

Well, it's a little late, but I have a good excuse. Andy and I ventured up to Duluth to celebrate this special event. Although it was a very short trip, it was much needed and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

In case you're curious, here's a breakdown of our adventure:

Monday:
-Leave at 7:30 in the morning (only 30 minutes later than anticipated thanks to disorganization)
-Arrive in Duluth, stop at rest stop and continue our journey up the North Shore
-Arrive at Split Rock Lighthouse, look around, realize that it wasn't what we remember from our childhoods'
-Leave Split Rock a little disappointed
-Head down the North Shore to Gooseberry Falls
-Hike the same path from last year, eat a fantastic lunch in the same place as last year and take in the beautiful scenery
-Much of the afternoon was consumed with hiking and exploring parts of the park we had never been. Highlights included the crazy bird that could hold it's breath under water, going picture crazy, hiking to the shore, and hunting for agates.
-After the long hot day we enjoyed our first evening in Duluth by relaxing our sore muscles.

Tuesday:
-Walk to Caribou for breakfast
-Go on boat tour (Tara almost lost her cookies while waiting for other participants to load, it was not a good time). It was a good time after we moved away from the wicked waves of Lake Superior
-Walk to the Lief Erickson Rose Garden and take TONS of pictures
-Walk to Fitger's to enjoy a libation or two
-Head to Pickwick for our anniversary dinner. Once again, we were not impressed by the service or the food. We agreed staying at Fitger's and eating greasy food would have made us happier
-We enjoyed the view and sounds of Lake Superior that evening. It was fantastic weather!

Wednesday:
-Walk around Canal Park
-Start the journey home
-Stop at another state park to look at the agate collection, which was a bit disappointing, but interesting
-Stop at White Castle for lunch. We have done this every time we've been up to Duluth, it's a tradition I guess. A sick tradition if you ask me.
-We finally arrived home around 3

Overall, we had a fantastic time in Duluth!

I did it!

Hooray! I applied for a job today. It's the only job that has interested me or that I have felt qualified for in a long time. I do have to say, I HATE filling out applications, refreshing my resume and writing cover letters. I HATE IT! I seriously obsess and stress over it. I think I have small panic attacks throughout the process. UGH!

Another thing I dislike is people telling me I need to find a job or asking if I've found a job. I do have a job, thank you very much, but it happens to be during the school year. Yes, I know I'm not happy with where I am at career wise right now, but I DO have a job. Thank you for reminding me that I'm a loser and making me feel worse about myself. I truly appreciate it. Really, I do.

On a brighter note, Andy and I will be heading up to Duluth this coming weekend for our second anniversary. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year!

Say it isn't so

After a nice talk with Andy, we've decided to hold off on purchasing a house. We sat down and realized that, yes, we really would like a house, but we are not 100% comfortable. I know we will probably never be 100% sure, but we'd like to be a little closer to that mark than we are now.

It's a bummer, but also a relief. I guess if we feel a little relieved, it definitely isn't the right time to buy. We're on the right track, and now know where we stand and what we need to do to make everything work.

On a brighter note, we finally have a weekend where NOTHING is planned! It's so exciting! We've been busy every weekend this summer, which has been great, but it will be nice just to go with the flow!

The saga continues on the house buying front. We're not at the point where we're looking at houses in person, but it sure is fun to do on-line! The only problem we are facing right now is not totally liking our loan officer. We feel he is not listening to us and he doesn't seem to answer our questions. I guess that is what you get when you go to someone who deals w/ first time home buyers who can afford a mansion right away. We just happen to not be one of those mansion people.

It has become apparent where we belong. The debate last time was where to purchase a house: the cities or southern MN. Well, after visiting Mankato for a job interview on Monday, the answer was quite obvious. We are more city than country. It was, overall, a very disappointing trip to Mankato. We love to visit, but don't think that living there would be right for us. That doesn't mean things can't and won't change, but for now, the cities is where we belong. This, however, does not mean that we will be living in the "inner" city, but probably an outer suburb. Or a town that is within driving distance. You know the kind everyone is moving to.

The thought of such a big purchase is still scary and my stomach churns just thinking about it, but in a good way. Is anyone ever ready for the "big" things in life? Andy and I agree that we're ready for a house. It will be a ton of work, but we're ready for the challenge!

Are we old enough?

So, Andy and I ventured to the bank yesterday to talk about a mortgage. Yep, a mortgage. Are we old enough for this? Apparently so. It's exciting, but slightly scary at the same time. The hard part is figuring out where we actually want to settle long-term. Will it be the Cities or Southern MN? The quest begins.

Fantastic weekend

What a fantastic weekend! Andy and I have been having a wonderful time catching up with old friends, new friends and of course our families. This summer has been, well, fantastic!

Friday evening we ventured to William's in Uptown. This was a new experience for both of us, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We met a few of my sorority sisters and their husbands for a few drinks. What a blast! To say the least, Andy was entertained and has some wonderful stories to share.

My mom came up for a visit on Saturday and spent the night. Unfortunately, Dale had to work so he wasn't able to come along. We had a great time as usual, but it was a very busy two days! some of the highlights were Koehler and Dramm Wholesale Florist, Ikea (mom loves it), the St. Paul Farmer's Market, and the olive bar at Lunds. Mom LOVED the olive bar.

This Saturday we are attending Michael Wheeland's 1st birthday party. Andy and I have never met little Michael, so it should be tons of fun! We will also be driving to Vesta for the Kletscher Family Reunion on Sunday.

I'm miffed!

So, I just realized that I lost one of my diamond earrings. I've been wearing these earrings every day for the past year and a half, how did one of them fall out now? Seriously, the stud and back are gone....nothing remains. Ugh, I'm so pissed right now. I knew something bad was going to happen today. Thank goodness it wasn't anything more serious, but it doesn't keep me from being pissed! I don't think I can stress that enough!

UPDATE: Andy found my earring in the bathtub drain. Yep, I looked there, but apparently not as good as he did. Thankfully I have him to find all of my missing stuff. :)

Family, fun, fireworks, friends and a wedding

The Fourth of July was a blast! Andy and I met some of my family at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm. It was relaxing and fun, just what we were looking for! We played games, went swimming, and of course ate way too much. That evening we watched the fireworks in Waseca with my mom at Clear Lake Park. We then ventured back to mom and Dale's, and sat around the fire pit while Andy and Dale set off legal fireworks.

Saturday we attended Tiffany and John Perrin's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding, but very hot. I'm happy to report that no one passed out! There was a lot of catching up with sisters whom I haven't seen in years. It was very nice to see everyone again, and I hope we can continue to keep in contact. Congrats Tif and John!

We wrapped up our weekend sitting by Lake Minnetonka and going for a nice walk. It was a nice end to our weekend. :0)

Social butterfly....finally!

So, I've finally become a social butterfly. Well, for the time being anyways. It has been really nice to see both old and new friends, but I would say just getting out and being social has changed my mood drastically. I am way happier, so I think I need to continue to socialize and live life.

It has been my goal the last two weeks or so to be positive. Although I haven't been 100% successful, it has made me a happier person. I love it! So, hopefully I can start living life to it's fullest...something this 27 year old hasn't done in a while!

My new mode of transportation

After a couple weeks of looking around and trying to find the perfect bike, I finally broke down and bought the one I'd been pining over at Target. Yes, I know it's not the top of the line, but I think it's a beauty. It has enough of the features I was looking for and will do the job it's intended to do. I can't wait to try it out!

Everybody's working for the weekend!

Andy and I will have an extended weekend due to Memorial. We've chosen to take Friday and Tuesday off in addition to the mandatory Monday. Woohoo for five day weekends! We're hoping to spend a little time relaxing, doing some sightseeing, and SOCIALIZING! We really need to get on that whole socializing thing. :)

Week in review...

What a busy week! Well, for me at least and I'm sure Andy had one as well.

Last Sunday I attended the graduation/confirmation party for Amber and Caleb. It was a fun time seeing a majority of the Kletscher family. Amber will be moving up to the cities for an internship, Miranda will be heading to South America and Adam gave us the details of his engagement. That's right, my little cousin is getting married! Adrienne will be a great addition to the family! November 15th will be a blast!

I spent the rest of the week in Waseca working at the flower shop. It's always fun going back and digging in. It's like a breath of fresh air. Mom had enough of me during the week, so her Mother's Day gift was the day without me. :)

We spent Mother's Day with Laurie. Her hanging baskets are planted and beautiful. Andy and I will have to go over there some time this week to plant the hostas, impatiens and possibly distribute the poppies. We'll also be helping with a garden in the front of the house, but that is going to take a little more planning and manual labor. I can't wait!!! The gardening bug has bit me!

Eric, Marie and Linnea are down for the week. Eric will be graduating with his Masters in Education on Saturday and has a few interviews this week. Congrats on the accomplishment!!! :) Miss Linnea continues to grow and become more beautiful each time we see her. We can't wait to see who she turns out to be! Eric and Marie will also be celebrating their 3rd Anniversary next week. They have had a lot happen in those three years!!!

Andy and I are excited for the nice weather and the craziness that summer brings! Bring on the packed weeks, we'll rest in the winter!

Life

So, being a grown-up isn't all that it is cracked up to be. It is hard calling myself an adult, because I truly don't see myself as one. I feel like a child who has more freedom to roam, but still looks for guidance from others. Only, that guidance doesn't really exist anymore. Sure, there are people who I confide in and they give me their opinion, but Andy and I are the ones that need to make the final decision. Sometimes it just stinks. I know, welcome to being an adult. Um, 27 doesn't constitute being an adult, right?

The Minnesota Swarm...Part Deux

We had a fantastic time at the game with Aaron and Stacy tonight! No pop was spilled on me tonight, so that was a bonus. Overall, it was an exciting game and that the Swarm are still undefeated on their home turf!

We also went to Benihana for supper. Not only was it a good dinner, but there was an exciting show to go with it. Believe it or not, I tried tuna. If you know me, you know that I HATE tuna! It was actually pretty good. :)

The Minnesota Swarm!!!

Andy and I attended another Minnesota Swarm game last night. We have not missed a home game! Too bad that last night wasn't as enjoyable as the rest. We had a child sitting behind us who was not well-behaved, and the mother was on her cellphone most of the time. Well, the little gem spilled his full glass of pop right down my back. Lovely. It would have been okay, but the mother wasn't all that sorry and the child never apologized. I understand that accidents happen, but this one could have been avoided if the mother would have taken action right away in the evening. Oh well, what can you do?

As much as I like traveling, it is always nice to get home.

We love Minnesota!

We are happy to be back home from Iowa. Yep, that pretty much sums it up. :)

Heading down to Iowa....

We will be heading down to Iowa tomorrow for Joey and Maria's wedding. It will be nice to see the Feser side of the family since it has been a while. Hopefully Saturday will be beautiful weather for Joey and Maria's special day! It should be a blast!