How time flies!

I can't believe that it is already February 4! Where has the time gone to? I am almost half way through my second semester of college! I am doing pretty well with it!
I bought a new camera today! I had been looking for one for when I go to Florida! I wanted a pretty nice one! I ended up getting one with a 10x optical zoom! It has a nice sized screen! I also got Brandi some new clothes... I know pathetic right? I can't help it! They are soo cute and she really does like wearing them! She got a new jacket today, it is white with a detatchable furry hood! Pretty Cute!
That is all I really have for now!
We are fully moved into our newly redone room! Here are a few pictures!

Some of my Elephants!

Ms. Brandi's corner

This is one half of the room! It is a long but narrow room with lots of space on the other half! ha!

Our Weekend In Thief River Falls

We just got back from our weekend trip to Thief River Falls Hotel/Casino/Water park for my 20th birthday! I have to say that it was a pretty good weekend overall. We got there Friday late afternoon and checked into the hotel! We then got organized and went to check the place out (none of us had been there before) We proceeded to the casino! Ha! We stayed down there for a while and decided that we were hungry so drove the 7 miles into Thief River Falls. We stopped at Walmart there because we figured that if we buy a few food items there we would save in the long run. So we bought some breakfast things and some carrots and dip, etc.

I swear that town has like 4 Subways and they are almost half the size of Fergus and we only have one. GOSH! lol They had Subway in Walmart so we decided to just eat there. We drove back to the hotel and you guessed it... went back down to the Casino!

I found this one penny machine that apparently liked me. It was called Coyote Moon and I believe at one point I had won up to $45 or $50 but then of course, I thought.. ooo its doing good, I think i will keep playing. Well over the whole weekend I think I was only down approximately $40. I didn't think that was too bad anyways.

Saturday morning we got up and decided to try out the water park. It was nice... 3 slides, a lazy river, and such but it didn't even compare to the one in Wisconsin Dells where we went a couple of years ago. We swam for quite a while and then went upstairs to make something to eat. We watched TV for a while also. Most of us had decided that the pool part was over with for the weekend because the water had SOOO much chlorine in it that you could felt like you had things biting you after you got out. It was terrible. My legs just burned.

After we ate and relaxed for quite a while we decided again to try our luck in the casino. They had a little diner down there next to the casino where we could order pizza and ice cream etc. We ordered 4 large pizzas and proceeded to go gambling only this time they were carding everyone. (they didn't card anyone any other time but now the one time I didn't have my ID) So I had to go back up to the fourth floor to get my ID. By the time I had gotten up there and back, the pizza was ready. But I decided that since I had made that extra trip, I was going to get in the casino then anyhow. So most everyone went back upstairs to eat but me and Steph stayed and pressed our luck. We went to eat after a while and started watching movies on the TV. I think we went down once more that night but I cant remember for sure.

Sunday morning no one wanted to get up. I had to set the alarm for 10 am just to make sure we were ready to check out by 11 am. we had gotten ready and cleaned up our rooms, went to start the car, and loaded it up!

pretty soon we were on our way home. We ended up stopping in Detroit Lakes for a quick bite to eat and another stop at a Walmart. Over all I had a pretty good birthday! I cant complain that much!

Now I was pretty upset because I was told that there moose all over up there but I didn't get to see one at all! I have never seen a moose in real life and I was looking forward to it.

Brandi was pretty excited when we got home! It was like she hadn't seen up for weeks! Wendy said she had to let her sleep in bed with her since she was "suffering depression" while we were gone! Ha! It is funny how animals can really feel things like that!

I filed my taxes myself just a little while ago. I hope it all works out! I am not sure if when I efile them if I have to send in my W2s anyways! IDK! I also am supposed to sign but I couldn't get the page to come up so I could print it! I hope they contact me soon or else I will have to try to contact them again!

Until Next Time,

Ali

The Front Entrance From Our Room Balcony

Riley(McLuvin) and Tom

This Was The View From Our Room At Sunset

...and again...

This Is The Two Beds In One Of Our Rooms

Well, It is almost time to go to Thief River Falls. I am looking forward to going! It is also my birthday on Saturday. I got called into work this morning at 7:30...Very tiring. I dont mind working that shift but I cannot stand when you get taken advantage of. That is what has happened to me everytime I work the day shift. So after about 4 and a half hours of sleep, I wast very patient. I love my job but sometimes the people I work with think that they own the place.
After work I had to go to the college and pickup my financial aide refund check. To my surpise I didnt have to wait very long in line this time! I was initailly going to go deposit the check and come home to do some homework but I ended up getting my hair done, paying off some bills and going shopping. This is my first time home all day and I havent gotten a thing done.
I am just getting to frusterated with my school work because I am posting questions and I am not getting responses very quickly from my intructors. I really should be doing my school work now but all I can think about is going to Thief River Falls. I need to get all of my homework done before that. But I am going to get to my homework now!

Here I am procrastinating. I am putting off going and doing the chores until the very last minute before work today!

So I have went to workout twice this weekend at the gym. I am am now doing my 'abs' workouts at home everynight as well. I have to say that my pants fit a little better now. Nothing too big but a little bit! YIPPEE! That deffinately is going to keep me going to the gym!

School is started on Tuesday and it is so overwhelming right now. I have software to install for one of my classes and I just cannot get it to work. I am not the only one with this problem but it is so frustrating. I (and others) am posting questions about it and the teacher has not repsoned once! and it is no Monday! I hope that this semester gets a little better! Last semester went good and I was working full time as well.

But I suppose, I need to go get chores done and get ready for work!

21 Days

Ok, this is my friend Rachels little boy Ethan! I just adore him! I cannot get enough of those big brown eyes and cute curly hair! He will be 3 in March and it seems like just yesterday he was a little bitty baby! He is growing up so fast! Rachel and Ethan moved to Grand Forks not too long ago and I havent seen them for a while but there is deffinately frequent phone calls! i miss them both so much! Ethan is always talking about coming out to Auntie Alis Farm to see the cows! The kid LOVES cows! haha

He was quite a bit younger in this one!

the mowhawk he wanted... from auntie ali!
Picking some apples!

Ethan James "on the farm"

Picking(and eating) some "yummy" apples!

*This is one of my favorite pictures!

Me and Rachel on Graduation Day!

It seems like it was yesterday but almost 2 years already!

(wow my hair was long...)

21 DAYS UNTIL MY BIRTHDAY! hah!

I know this wasnt much of a post but I am on my way out the door now to go to work (I didnt realize it was this late already)

Today...Friday January 4, 2008

Arbys is open today! I couldn't resist I had to stop and get some curly fries. I waited in the drive thru line for at least 20 minutes! But it was well worth it! They were just packed! I LOVE ARBYS!

I went to Anytime Fitness again today! It was leg day for me! To be quite honest...my first leg day was torture but this time really wasnt bad at all! I even did the exact same workout as before! I even have to admit that the wall sits are getting much easier than they used to be! :)

Today is my thrid day of tanning in a row and I am finally getting a little red! haha! I know, I want to burn because within about two days I turn tan and then I usually dont burn again! So ... yeah! ha!

I guess I am going to have to stop this here but I just had to tell everyone about my trip to Arbys! hah! I have to get going to work.... the beginning of my whole weekend! At work once again!

my first post!

This is Tom and Brandi (our Chesapeake Bay Retriever)!

I am new to this and am not quite sure how it really works but I soon will find out! I have a new "goal" for this year and it is to lose weight. I joined Anytime Fitness in Fergus Falls and I am loving it. I have already lost 3 pounds and I have only gone there a for a few workouts! I am hoping that I stay motivated for this whole new adventure! I am planning a trip to Thief River Falls, MN over the weekend of my birthday! I am so excited! We are going to the casino and the casino has a water park. We originally wanted to go back to Wisconsin Dells this year but couldnt come up with the $400 to reserve it up front. Hopefully one day soon we will be able to go there again. It was a BLAST last time and I would really enjoy going again! I have also talked to Tom about going to the Black Hills this summer. I have never been there and neither has he. I am sure we will go for a week or so. But it is hard to say because I am saving up my money for April when I get to go to Florida for my aunts shuttle launch! I CANNOT WAIT! I am really excited about that! It is really up in the air when it will launch for sure but they are aiming for April 24, 2008! I even RSVPd already! Pretty Exciting!

This is my Aunt who will be going to space. Her name is Karen Nyberg!

I start my second semester of college at NDSCS on Tuesday. I can say that my first semester went pretty good! I actaully like doing my work as I do it all online! I am kind of nervous this semester as I have to take a few classes that seem like they will be pretty hard: pathology, and ICD-9-CM Coding, oh and pharmacology for Allied Health. I hope I will understand it all! Anyhow, Tom is doing good. He is going to school as well at NDSCS but he is on campus. He is going for Farm Management. (Put him in a tractor and he is happy all day!) hah! He really likes it and is also getting really good grades! He is working at UPS M-F and also working for a neighboring farmer, Don Stock. (who he has known for a long time) Don just adores Tom. He is really good to him!

I am working at the Pioneer Senior Cottages in Breckenridge, MN as a caregiver until I am done with school and find a job with my degree. I work with the Alzheimers residents. They really have a lot to offer a person and I cherish my work there! I hope to stay at the cottages even after I graduate as a casual employee. I will truely miss the job so I figure I cant completely quit!

Well I think this is all the news I have for this time but I will certainly be updating things as they happen!

ONLY 23 DAYS UNTIL MY 20th BIRTHDAY!