100% locally grown

With so many travels, it was hard to find a good week to try to pull this off. The goal was to eat 100% locally grown food for one week. I had one week before Sunniva arrived and I knew it would be almost impossible once she got here. To prepare, Brett & I made a trip to the Amish country in Ethridge, TN. I bought all kinds of fresh goodies to supplement our own items. Eggs from our chickens, beef from cows raised by our friends, lots of veggies in our garden. I was going to allow myself sugar, salt and pepper - everything else was to be local. We bought a lot more veggies - things like okra, potatoes and carrots and then also got molasses, butter and even milk, from the different Amish farms. I was set.

I did so good. And then Brett said I should take a vitamin. I don't normally take vitamins, and looking back, this would probably be some of healthiest eating I would experience in my life, so why I agreed I needed vitamins, I don't know. Anyhow, I took a vitamin and went to bed. Just a few minutes later I started getting nauseous. It came so quick, but I felt horrible! Brett came in and said he realized it was because I took a vitamin on an empty stomach. I needed to eat. But when you're nauseous, the last thing you want is veggies or creamy milk....you want bread! Being gluten free, there's no such thing as local bread that I can eat. I kept thinking, do I break my week or do I throw up? In the end, I chose to eat a gluten free bagel. And it never tasted so good. I know myself well enough to know that I wont try this again this year as I can't eat something different than everyone else in the house and trust me when I say Brett and Sunniva wont be doing it. So, this is going to be one of those where I must admit. "I tried. I failed. I'm not trying again."

Ahh...the joy of a good practical joke!

Poor Beau. He had been looking forward to a trip to the beach for months. Seriously. Every week, we heard how he wanted to go to the beach. And then it wouldn't happen. So, here he was, a week at the beach planned with friends. Room rented. Plane ticket purchased. Leaving tomorrow. Maybe not, if I had anything to do with it.

Jeremy thought it would be fun for me to tell him that because we were behind, we needed him to stay. I wasn't sure I could pull it off, but I got my game face on and called him in to meet.

Jeremy was there too as I explained to them that we couldn't let Beau go on vacation. I explained I had already discussed it with HR and we would reimburse him for any deposits or tickets he could not get refunded. I wouldn't do it if we didn't absolutely need to, but it just wasn't a good time. He started to barter with me, explaining how friends were going, everything was paid for, etc. In the end, we agreed that he could still go, but he would need to bring his laptop and be available to work during the days, but then at least he would still be able to go out with his friends in the evenings.

As we finished, I thanked him and handed him a piece of paper that I said listed the items I needed him to work on that week. He went to read it over and it was the email from Jeremy asking me to help him with this prank. Then, a personal note from Jeremy that said he promised he would always get the last laugh.

Ah...these are the things that make work more enjoyable. Good people. Good times. Sorry, Beau. And yes, I'm watching my back.

Hot air balloon ride

Well, I have nothing good to say about the company that we went with, but the trip itself was enjoyable. My first trip in July was cancelled due to a mechanical issue with the bus, the second trip in August was cancelled due to bad weather and when we got there today, we were told they didn't have us on the list and we couldn't fly as there was no room. Leaving home at 5:30 in the morning to be told no, again, did not make me happy. Luckily as we got in the car to leave and I told Sunniva we would not reschedule as I was going to fight to get my money back, they ran out to the car and a very gracious couple who lived nearby the flight company had offered to give up their spot today so that we could go. What sweet people!

So, after 3 months of trying, I finally got my balloon flight! It was a little windy, so we stayed fairly low most of the time. Our highest altitude was about 2000 feet (the balloon can go about 10,000 feet). It was beautiful and relaxing. Or at least, I found it relaxing. Sunniva had topsy turvy tummy the entire time. It didn't help that the pilot kept talking about the wind and what to do if we had to have a fast landing. All in all, I would recommend it, just not with the company we went with.

Award winning macaroons

I entered macaroons and oatmeal cookies in the fair. Brett kept saying I needed to enter them in the "other" category, since everything was gluten free. My response was that if they couldn't go up against the real deal, they don't deserve to win. Well....apparently, the oatmeal cookies didn't deserve it, but the macaroons made up for that by getting first place! Woot Woot!

Plant sunflowers

A bit late in the year, but I finally did plant sunflowers. This picture was a few weeks ago and I'm now starting to see very large buds. They'll probably bloom just before we see our first frost, but hey, they got planted.

Buy something without looking at the price tag

Some may call it cheap, but I prefer "frugal". I needed to see if I had it in me to buy something that was not on sale or that I did not have coupons for. Sounds easy, right? But if you're a frugal person, you know that if it's not on sale, you tell yourself to wait until it goes on sale. Because it will.

I did cheat a bit. I went to Dress Barn where nothing is outrageously priced to begin with. But then I had a bit of fun. Brett was on a 2 week roadtrip to CA, so I think in the end, I figured I "deserved" it and actually ended up buying several things....and didn't once check to see what the prices were or if they were on sale....and no coupons used. Success!

Now I need to go back to my frugal self though....too many trips planned this year, so I need to save where I'm used to saving so that I can have some fun:-)

One of my new outfits.