25 Things to Do Before I Turn 26- The Checklist

1. Finalize my cupcake website and figure out how to get the website I made to post onto the domain I bought... it is harder than I thought it would be.
Live as of 2/25/13 thanks to some genius tech support from Liz: http://www.dearcupcakemn.com/
2. GET A TATTOO.  This is the year, people.
3. Skydive.  I also have to do this before the end of September due to the fact that I bought a Groupon.  :)
Here's a YouTube video of my dive.  YouTube says it may have audio/visual sync issues but its okay because I didn't scream so it shouldn't look/sound too weird.
4. Donate blood (I am afraid but feel compelled to do it...)
5. Take a vacation
6. Sushi and sake dinner party
7. Travel someplace new

Oshkosh, WI for Heidi & Ryan's wedding, September 28, 2013

8. Color Run 5K!

July 14, 2013.  It was awesome.  I want to do it every day.   They're serious about it being the happiest 5K on the planet.

9. Make glitter TOMS
10. Agility training with Jazz (that dog needs a way to expend some energy and put his intelligence to good use)
11. Top Chef food tour in Chicago (I've made a list of restaurants I need to go to of chefs who we've seen on TV)
12. Golf 4 times (I think that's reasonable)
13. Cupcake photo shoot!
14. Build a snowman

I know he's little but look how cute he is!

15. Taste Twin Cities winery tour
16. Go skiing
17. Try a new workout or sport
I had no idea Peak 10 would pop up in my life when I wrote this goal.  I'm so glad it did!  Here is the first of my blog posts about Peak 10.
18. Fly a kite
19. ALASKA (for Ellie's graduation!  I feel like its only fair since she came down here for our high school graduations...)

HERE I AM IN ANCHORAGE!

20. Sister road trip

Chicago to Oshkosh, September 2013

21. Take a cooking class

Saga Hill cooking class, Aug. 22- this is me and our homemade mozzarella!

22. Launch Gib's Bibs with Allison
Check us out on Etsy!
23. Save money instead of spend it
24. Find a new volunteer thing to do
The Learning Exchange in April/May and likely again this fall.
25. Read 10 more books
* Yes Chef by Marcus Samuelsson
* Bridesmaid Lotto by Rachel Astor
* Gamble on Engagement by Rachel Astor
* The Wedding Wager by Rachel Astor
* Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos

To see my lists from years past, check out 24 Things and 23 Things.

#45: My year in pictures

1. January

I love when Liz draws pictures of Jazz.  This was a great birthday present.

2. February

This is just one of many pictures from my trip to Colorado.  I think this is my favorite because it looks as though my grandparents still lived there and Poppa had just left this spot in the office.

3. March

Party time for Phil's birthday before he became a daddy.  Yay for the cactus tower of margarita!

4. April

Sweet baby Gibson Monroe Wolpers, born on Easter.

5. May

I have no idea if this happened in May (I think it did...) but not a lot of other stuff took place this month so here's the picture I choose.  Yay for family!

6. June

In June we got to spend lots of time with Grammy Donna and the Asays!  It was a blast.

7. July

Little Miss Nina's 21st birthday bash.  Crazy!

8. August

Oh and here's that one time Nina and I ate lamb testicles...

9. September

Visiting my wonderful friends in Winona.

10. October

I think this is my favorite picture from any part of the wedding festivities- the 4 of us in a bathroom at the bachelorette party.  So fantastic.

11. November

The second roaring 20s party.  Thank goodness for Phil Wolpers and his desire to make this a tradition.

12. December

And here is family fun day where we stopped to see Allison and Gib. 

#44: Bad boys vs the good guys

Today one of my coworkers got on my case, as he often does, about me liking "bad boys". Another coworker, upon hearing me admit to this, said it was disappointing to learn this truth about me.

Here's what's disappointing.

Of the last 3-4 so-called "good guys" that I've liked, they have ALL ended up with other girls.

My bad boys are always there when I need them. Sure they are the ones who provide me with the most interesting stories about drugs, drinking, partying and sex but they're also the ones who genuinely care about me.

I was thinking today how easy it is for me to tell my bad boys how much I love them but basically impossible for me to admit any sort of crush on those good guys. Why do you suppose that is?

At any rate, the good guys aren't that good and I can't bring the bad boys home to my parents.

It brings me to a quote from a wise old man that I remembered this weekend: "Boys are bad, books are good, so read a book."

Words to live by.

#43: Giving thanks

Here is my list of things I am thankful for this year:
1. My loving family who continue to let me live at home rent free and put up with all of my hobbies. I probably exist in 1/2 of this house while the other 3 of my family members share the other 1/2.
2. Knowing that there are people who understand me and that I can reach out to when I am faced with a moral dilemma.
3. Former professors who still offer guidance and support.
4. People who inspire me to do great things- there is one man at the nursing home where I decorate bulletin boards each month who has inspired me to go skiing and enjoy life while I can I can't wait to honor him this winter.
5. A new friend that I chat with daily.
6. Old friends that I catch up with through the wonders and magic of Facebook.
7. Best friends who will always be there for me.
8. A second job that I love going to because of the fun people who appreciate me and the amazing product that I'm selling and actually love.
9. Being able to spread joy and happiness through things like cupcakes or baby showers or cards in the mail.
10. Knowing that my Poppa is in a safe and loving place now (as opposed to last year at this time when he was so sick) where he is able to watch over us and keep us safe and say good morning with beautiful sunrises.

What are you thankful for this year?

#42: Grad School Day 2

Today is technically my second day of online graduate school through Colorado State Fort Collins.

This is what I've done so far this evening instead of my assigned reading:
* Dyed my hair
* Painted my nails
* Had a snack
* Organized my email
* Pet the dog
* Wrote down all of my future reading assignments so I can be prepared for those
* Watched part of a video about my other online class
* Tweeted
* Explained how to do something on Facebook to my grandma through texts
* Wrote this blog post

Hooray for immediate procrastination!  School is just like riding a bike.

But seriously, I am so happy to be back in classes.  Being annoyed with the fact that I have to do a reading makes me giddy.  I belong in school.

Okay, back to reading.  Happy Tuesday!

#41: Busy busy!

I've been feeling pretty down for the past few months so my list of crafts to do has been piling up- I just haven't felt like doing anything.  Finally I'm feeling back to normal and I got so much done yesterday!

I posted on my Facebook a few days ago that I had 8 tabs open in my browser and I was determined to get some of the recipes/projects completed in the week.  I'm happy to say- mission accomplished.

The screen cap from my browser- 4 recipes and 3 crafty projects.

1. Orange Cornmeal Cake- still on my list of things to bake.  Maybe this week?
2. Hummingbird Cupcakes- made them for my Vera Bradley friends.
3. Chocolate Swirl Biscuits- how delish do those look?  They're next on my list.
4. Baby bibs- done and done!
5. Baby rattle- I changed my mind about this one but I may do something like it.  Instead, I finished a bunch of my VB coffee cozies.
6. Tissue Paper Pom Poms- I'm going to make some for my mom's classroom.  They'll be so cool!
7. Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake- In progress right now!
8. There was also an article in my browser that I wanted to read.  Did that too.

I finally feel accomplished and its all thanks to the loves of my life- crafting and baking.

#40: A few of my favorite things

I'm a little behind on posting.  I'm a terrible blogger.

But because I'd love to win this contest, here is a link so you can enter too!  Its for this super cute camera (and we all know how much I love taking pictures).  How cute is this little thing?

The contest is through a website called The Plaid Barn which brings daily craft deals for things like buttons, stickers and washi tape.  I want everything all the time.

Other things that I love right now:

Erin Condren EVERYTHING.  I ordered the "Life Planner".  It just shipped today.  I CANNOT WAIT TO ORGANIZE MY LIFE IN IT.  Look at all the things in this planner:

Check out her website- everything is so colorful, amazing and oh-so-beautiful!  Again, I want to buy everything.

THE OLYMPICS!  I mean, can we talk about how AWESOME Missy Franklin is?  Look at this girl!

You gotta love her for being 17-years-old, living in Colorado and staying there to train to be around her friends because "why fix what isn't broken?"  She blows me away.

The girl I sponsor- her name is Cherry May, she is wonderful and I just got a letter from her.  She likes to play jacks and badminton with her sister and dancing in the school (per her letter).  I have so many things I want to say to her but I don't know where to start!  I got the inspiration to sponsor a child from my favorite blog, Today's Letters.  It is written by a truly inspirational and in-love couple who I aspire to be like someday.

And finally, party themes.  I had a bonfire this weekend and decided at the last minute to make it Olympic themed so I made Olympic ring colored Jell-O shots and around the world appetizers.  It was so much fun and so delicious.

#39: Thoughts

I stepped on the dog's tail as we descended the stairs into my basement room last night.  It was dark and he was hesitating and I felt bad but he was in my way.  There is a tuft of tail hair on the stairs still.  Oops.

Things I love about the Basilica Block Party:
1. Running into friends you haven't seen in a while
2. The opportunity to see 9 bands in one night (if you plan accordingly)
3. Making friends with random strangers named Yuder (whose real name is Ryan) and his buddy who paid JoElla & Kylie $40 to go get 4 beers (that cost $24 total).  They pocketed the rest.
4. Getting up close and personal with the bands.

That's Tyrone Wells.

5. Being able to stand closer to the stage than you could at any regular show because everything is general admission and everyone is so chill.

I saw Moonrise Kingdom last night by myself.  I decided I needed to do something for myself and basically turned off the highway in a spur of the moment decision.  The movie was good- very Wes Anderson- but I think I liked the trailers better. There is a movie coming out soon that Ben Affleck directed and, of course, stars in because when you can't find the right person for a role, you may as well just do it yourself, right Ben?

Jaci, Kasi and I picked out our bridesmaids dresses for Jaci's wedding on May 29.  Trudy was working and Allison was unavailable to attend.  It took us about 25 minutes to find the right dress.  It was a miracle that got better two weeks later when the dress went on sale for like 50% off.  I ordered mine and assumed the girls did too.  I found out two weeks ago that Allison didn't get her dress in time and all of the dresses across the company were sold out except for one.  That one dress (surprisingly waiting for us in Richfield) was too big for her but she went in to see if they could size it down.  I tried so hard to stay out of this since it wasn't my fault or my problem but I ended up going in when the dress didn't fit Allison to see if they could size it down for me.  The good news is that they can.  Problem solved, Mary to the rescue.  These are the kinds of problems I deal with.  Good grief.  Today I'm off to pick up the dress that I ordered in the first place that is now Allison's dress.  I want to bring it over to her house today so I don't have to keep it and so I can see the baby but I don't want to talk about how much it costs and how I'm expecting her to pay for it... Ugh.

#38: Changes

I am in serious need of some changes in my life.

Things I have planned so far:
* Learning a new sport (i.e. golf, inspired by my friend Michelle at work and nudged along by Jon Wing)
* Quitting at Vera.  I haven't decided when exactly but I know it needs to happen.
* Making a budget and sticking to it (on my list of things to do before I turn 25)
* Seeking help.  I'm depressed and I am trying to deal with it.  Hopefully this is the number one thing that turns my life around this summer.
* Changing my eating habits.  I'm intrigued by the Whole 30 which you can read about here at the official website and here at a blog I read and love.  I definitely think I could stick to this diet.
* Running.  I will start this summer.  I'm determined (even though I missed the sign up for the Color Run this summer- I'll just be more prepared for next year).
* Finding something to believe in.  I think my lack of faith is contributing to my depression.  Today I woke up and decided to sponsor a child (after reading my favorite blog the night before).  Her name is Cherry Mae.  I'm sure I'll write about her more as I get to know her and I'll share a picture when I get it in the mail.  I decided that if Cherry Mae has spiritual guidance in the Philippines (I think that's where she is...), I sure can find it here.
* Continuing to clean out my room.  I have so much crap.  I just stuffed two bags full of clothes to donate and my closet is still stuffed to the brim.  I have a shelf of books I will probably never read again.  I have drawers full of junk.  I just need to throw everything out and then stop buying things to replace it all.
* Learning Spanish (for medical professionals) and finding some way to apply it to my life on a regular basis.  We have Spanish-speaking patients come in to the clinic on occasion but I want to immerse myself in a situation regularly where I can use what I learn this summer so I don't immediately forget everything.
* Going on a week long adventure.  I would like to say that the experience will be worth the expense but it is still rather expensive... but totally worth it if you ask me.  Its still a work in progress/surprise.

#37: Decisions, Decisions

It's been a while since I posted about my life.  I've been going through a lot of frustration, waiting and thinking of my future.  Here's what has happened.

Last time I posted, I was in Colorado.  I loved DU but at the time, I really didn't think it was right for me.  I was going through the motions and pretending it was perfect but looking back, it wasn't.  It was not the right fit.  I sent thank you cards to the professors and waited (im)patiently for a decision to be made.  I did get accepted into the program at DU.  I ran a victory lap around my office building.  I jumped up and down.  I posted it to Facebook and got all the validation I needed.  But every time someone asked when I was leaving, I responded "well, I haven't decided if I'm going or not".  At the time, it hinged on whether or not I got the assistantship that would pay my tuition plus give me a place to live.  Every time I worried about the expense, I was told "everyone has student loans".  For a while, I thought to myself- I'll go no matter what.  Then I did not get the assistantship and all of a sudden I was back into the confusing, twisting tornado I was stuck in before.

Finally, I sat down with my parents.  We discussed my inability to budget.  We discussed the total expense of the two year program in Denver where I would have to find a place to live and a job.  We discussed other options.  We decided (after some crying) that it is in my best interest at this point to stay home, start saving money, and possibly get my degree online.  I was not sure what my parents would say- deep down, I knew they'd give me the sensible answer (which is exactly what they did) but I was secretly hoping they'd wish me luck and tell me to go after my dreams, no matter the cost.  This decision is a good one because even though I am excited to get my master's in student affairs and as much as I want to be working in the field, I don't want $80,000+ worth of loans hovering over me for the next 15+ years (since goodness knows people in student affairs don't make a ton of money and those loans will take forever to pay off).  I know it shouldn't come down to the money but in this economy (such a lame excuse), its hard not to consider.

I interviewed for the Colorado State University online master's program yesterday.  I'll know (hopefully) at the end of the month if I'm accepted into the fall cohort.  I hate waiting but at this point, this is all that's left for me.  I've signed on to stay at MPO for at least two more years, if not three.  There is some potential for me to grow and move around in the company eventually so that is something to look forward to.  I love working in Burnsville with the bunch of people that are there so I'm content with this decision.  Some days are frustrating but they really value me as an employee and I appreciate that so I think it'll be a good place for me to stay for a while.

I am looking forward to many things now that I know I'll be home.  Jaci and Ryan's wedding in the fall.  Watching baby Gibson's first year of life.  Continuing to work out with my trainer.  Rearranging some things at home.  Getting into a better routine that will keep me healthy and happy.  I know a lot of good will come of this, I just can't see it all right now.

So there you have it, the decision has been made.  I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me or chastise me for my plans.  This was a decision I had to make on my own and you may not agree with it but that's okay.  Someday my life will go the way I expect it to, I just have to get through a few more hurdles first.

Post Grad Book #16

Through No Fault of My Own by Clotilde "Coco" Irvine
Why I read it: I read about it in the Star Tribune and it sounded like a fun read

Book description:

On Christmas Day, 1926, twelve-year-old Clotilde “Coco” Irvine received a blank diary as a present. Coco loved to write—and to get into scrapes—and her new diary gave her the opportunity to explain her side of the messes she created: “I’m in deep trouble through no fault of my own,” her entries frequently began. The daughter of a lumber baron, Coco grew up in a twenty-room mansion on fashionable Summit Avenue at the peak of the Jazz Age, a time when music, art, and women’s social status were all in a state of flux and the economy was still flying high.

Coco’s diary carefully records her adventures, problems, and romances, written with a lively wit and a droll sense of humor. Whether sneaking out to a dance hall in her mother’s clothes or getting in trouble for telling an off-color joke, Coco and her escapades will captivate and delight preteen readers as well as their mothers and grandmothers.

Peg Meier’s introduction describes St. Paul life in the 1920s and provides context for the privileged world that Coco inhabits, while an afterword tells what happens to Coco as an adult—and reveals surprises about some of the other characters in the diary.

What I thought:
This book was adorable.  It was such a fast book to read- it was very short and sweet.  It is a diary of a 13-year-old girl with quite an attitude and a very specific idea of the world around her.  It is a time in St. Paul before the Great Depression where she is young and carefree and writes about shenanigans she gets herself into at school and a boy she likes.  This is a nice view into the life of a well-to-do child in our community in history.  I love reading about things that relate to Minneapolis and St. Paul back in the day and I love the 1920s so this was a perfect little book to read.  Now I'm going to read some F. Scott Fitzgerald.  

Post Grad Book #15

Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly
Why I read it: I was intrigued by her story and thought it would be a great book

Book description:AS INDIVIDUALS, CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, showed Americans how optimism, an adventurous spirit, and a call to service can help change the world. As a couple, they became a national example of the healing power to be found in deeply shared love and courage. Their arrival in the world spotlight came under the worst of circumstances. On January 8, 2011, while meeting with her constituents in Tucson, Arizona, Gabby was the victim of an assassination attempt that left six people dead and thirteen wounded. Gabby was shot in the head; doctors called her survival “miraculous.”

As the nation grieved and sought to understand the attack, Gabby remained in private, focused on her against-all-odds recovery. Mark spent every possible moment by her side, as he also prepared for his final mission as commander of space shuttle Endeavour.

Now, as Gabby’s health continues to improve, the couple is sharing their remarkable untold story. Intimate, inspiring, and unforgettably moving, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope provides an unflinching look at the overwhelming challenges of brain injury, the painstaking process of learning to communicate again, and the responsibilities that fall to a loving spouse who wants the best possible treatment for his wife. Told in Mark’s voice and from Gabby’s heart, the book also chronicles the lives that brought these two extraordinary people together—their humor, their ambitions, their sense of duty, their long-distance marriage, and their desire for family.

Gabby and Mark made a pledge to tell their account as honestly as possible, and they have done so in riveting detail. Both Gabby and Mark have lived large public lives, but this book takes readers behind many closed doors—from the flight deck of the space shuttle to the cloakrooms of Congress to the hospital wards where Gabby struggled to reclaim herself with the help of formidable medical teams and devoted family and friends.

Questions are answered with unvarnished candor. How do Gabby and Mark feel about the angry political discourse that was swirling in America at the time of the shooting, and that remains prevalent today? How do they see government living up to the highest possible ideals? And how do they understand and mourn the loss of the people who did not survive that day? Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope is a reminder of the power of true grit, the patience needed to overcome unimaginable obstacles, and the transcendence of love. In the story of Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly, we all can see the best in ourselves. As Mark and Gabby’s friends have said: “The two of them are America as we dream it can be."

What I thought:
This book was amazing.  It was written in such a way that kept me interested and for that reason, it was hard to put down.  Instead of it being in chronological order, the book jumped from memory to memory, laying out Gabby and Mark's back story while explaining her recovery after the shooting.  Gabrielle Giffords is a truly amazing and courageous woman and there are not enough good things I could say about this book.  Not only did I learn about Gabrielle as a congresswoman but I learned a lot about NASA since Mark is an astronaut and was in space for two weeks during Gabby's rehab.  This book and Gabby's story inspired me to think about a career in politics, or at least a job on Capitol Hill working for one of my congress people.  I am just in awe of Gabrielle Giffords.

Post Grad Book #14

The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez
Why I read it: I saw they made a Lifetime movie about it so I decided to read the book instead.

Book description:
Growing up, Gaby Rodriguez was often told she would end up a teen mom. After all, her mother and her older sisters had gotten pregnant as teenagers; from an outsider’s perspective, it was practically a family tradition. Gaby had ambitions that didn’t include teen motherhood. But she wondered: how would she be treated if she “lived down” to others' expectations? Would everyone ignore the years she put into being a good student and see her as just another pregnant teen statistic with no future? These questions sparked Gaby’s school project: faking her own pregnancy as a high school senior to see how her family, friends, and community would react. What she learned changed her life forever, and made international headlines in the process.


In The Pregnancy Project, Gaby details how she was able to fake her own pregnancy—hiding the truth from even her siblings and boyfriend’s parents—and reveals all that she learned from the experience. But more than that, Gaby’s story is about fighting stereotypes, and how one girl found the strength to come out from the shadow of low expectations to forge a bright future for herself.

What I thought:
It was an interesting read.  I wish I had thought of more interesting things to do when I was in high school.  This girl really made an impact in her community and I would like to do the same someday, in my own way.  She was very brave for doing what she did and I think she was lucky to come out of it on a high note- things could have gone a lot worse than what she described in the book with people judging her and saying mean things.  I'm pleased with the faculty members involved in letting her do this project because they believed in her and obviously wanted to see some change as well.  It was a quick read on my iPhone and I thought it was pretty good.  Better than watching the movie, I'm sure.

#36: Colorado and Cupcakes

I'm currently sitting at the University of Denver after two days of programs and interviews for the Higher Education Master's program.  There are about 40 of us here but the program is split into 3 tracks so its hard to tell who my competition is.  DU (yes, they call it DU when it would make sense to be called UD) was not high on my list of places I wanted to attend.  I didn't get in to Colorado State- Fort Collins for the second year in a row so when DU came calling, I was on board.  I can't go here unless I get the assistantship that will pay for my full tuition and the only assistantship interview I had was in residence life which is so not what I saw myself doing when I went back to school.  I guess its only a two year program and then more options will be available to me but right now, I just don't know what to do.  They may not even offer me acceptance into the program after the interview I had this morning.  I don't interview well.

The way I see it right now, DU is just a way to be in Colorado.  Colorado has been calling my name for years but has been especially intriguing since Poppa died.  I associate Poppa with Colorado so being here right now is kind of like a pilgrimage for me.  I'm driving out to Buena Vista tomorrow to see the old chalet and the home he built.  I'm excited for the drive by myself to reflect on his life and the direction mine is going.

I don't want to be here anymore.  I am so fickle these days.  Not being in school has been the best and worst thing for me at this point in my life.  It was great because it made me realize how much I want to go back to school.  It was bad because I don't feel like myself anymore.  During my undergrad, I was busy 24/7 and that's the environment in which I thrived.  I was organized, I had a system, I knew what to do and when to do it.  Now that I've been home, I feel totally lost.  I am no longer the "organized" that people expect me to be.  I am complacent.  I pretty much don't care that I'm here.  Everyone is asking questions and socializing with each other and I really just want to go home.  Currently I'm sitting away from the group typing this.  I don't know when I became this person but I don't like it.  I am very out of it and I'm not quite sure what will bring me back to normal "Mary" behavior.

I'm tired.  I feel like all I ever do anymore is complain and I hate being that person.  I'm lucky to be where I am right now with a full time job and benefits and living at home and being in a loving family.  I'm just not happy and that is driving me crazy.

I want to open a cupcake shop.  I've been musing for a while that if I don't get in to grad school, I'll just quit my job and attempt to open my own business.  I think it would really make me happy, doing something that I love and that makes other people happy.  Although the people at my current job are trying to find ways to make me stay and I told them I'd consider their offer, I don't think I can handle it.  I just want to bake cupcakes, make people smile and volunteer for causes I believe in.  Is that so wrong?  Now is the time I should be doing this kind of thing, right?  I can go back to school whenever.  I can work full time in the medical field whenever.  Right now when I'm young and single and need something truly rewarding and ambitious- opening a cupcake shop just makes sense to me at this point in my life.

Hopefully I find some clarity and direction on my drive through the mountains tomorrow or Sunday.  I'm just looking for answers and who knows if I'll find them here.

#35: Belly Bean

I'm excited for my best friend Allison and her husband Phil to have their first baby this spring.  I'm excited to have a baby in the "family" that I can spoil rotten because, let's be honest, that's what will happen.  It will be adorable and I will love it.  I started spoiling it with an amazing baby shower for Allison today!  She wanted a "retro" themed party but then I found the most adorable invitations with a baby in an ACORN.  So we kind of went with a retro color scheme (avocado, burnt orange, teal, etc) and a woodland creature theme (mirroring that of the nursery).

I sent the adorable (Australian) invitations with a white onesie for people to decorate and bring to the party as a surprise for Allison.  I got the invitations from this Etsy shop.

We had the party at the Uptown Cafeteria and Support Group to tie in Allison's want for a "retro" theme.  The Uptown Cafeteria is a cool old-school cafeteria restaurant and we reserved the Teacher's Lounge for the gathering of 16 people (I didn't want to try and have everyone over to my house so a restaurant seemed like the best idea).  Below is the entry hallway to the Cafeteria- its covered in lunch trays!

I used many Vera Bradley bags to transport gifts and other fun things to the party.  Love these three bags.  I also gave Vera Bradley as prizes for the games.  Someone said they were the best baby shower gifts she'd seen.  Awesome.

The first thing us non-pregnant people did?  Had mimosas!  We were there for brunch and it was perfectly tasty.

Also there was a guestbook where everyone could write advice for Allison, Allison & Phil or for the baby.

We played a bunch of games like the baby food tasting game:

And a game where you're blindfolded and try to pick out the tiny safety pins from a bunch of rice:

Then Allison opened so many presents.  This one is my favorite because of the loving way she is looking at that box.

And then I took pictures of everyone and their decorated onesie with Allison (the pictures will go in the guestbook and be used for thank you notes).  Here is Allison and me!

And perhaps one of my favorite pictures from the party is this one of the hanging onesies and my dear sister Liz who hung them up for us.

Everyone got these lovely sugar cookie party favors.  Sugar cookie decorating with royal icing is trickier than I thought but look at the great finished product!  Woodland creatures!

All in all, it was a great morning spent with friends and celebrating a very exciting milestone in my best friend's life.  Like I said, I cannot wait for the baby to arrive!  Little Eleanor or Gibbson will be my favorite baby in the world.  :)

#34: Keep Me Cozy

I've been working at Vera Bradley since November.  Originally, I was hired for the holiday but I love what I'm doing and they love me so they hired me on into the New Year.  I will most likely never see a paycheck but its so fun to be around things I love all day.  I love Vera Bradley and love to share the colors and ways to jazz up your life with everyday staples!  On any given day, I most likely have 5-8 pieces of VB in my bag (which is obviously, Vera Bradley).  I'm a walking advertisement and I love it.

This winter, a guest (customer) made something for one of my coworkers for helping her in the store.  It was an amazing idea which I then attempted myself.  It's a little bit of work but its worth it for the adorable COFFEE COZY you'll have at the end!  I'm going to send one to Fort Wayne this week (Vera Bradley HQ) to share the love.  And because every piece of VB has an adorable name, this little cutie is called "Keep Me Cozy" (thanks to one of my coworkers, Marie, for brainstorming with me).

What you'll need:

VB quilted placemat, canvas in coordinating color (I found mine at JoAnn fabrics), big button, coordinating hair elastic
Not pictured: coffee sleeve from Starbucks or equal to use as template, sewing machine

Step One: Take apart your coffee sleeve and trace it on a piece of paper.  Add about 1/2 inch around the edges for a seam allowance.

Step Two: Use the template to cut out pieces of the placemat.  I found that you can cut about 5 out of one placemat by stacking them on top of each other like a tower (if you have the placemat the "portrait" way).

Don't do it like this because you won't get as many cut out of the fabric.  At first I was worried about the border but you can just cut through it and remove it with a seam ripper.

Step Three: Do the same with your canvas.

Step Four: Pin the hair elastic to the edge of the placemat on the RIGHT side of the fabric (the side you want on the outside).  Use your sewing machine to anchor this (its tricky because of the bulk of the elastic but it can be done with some persistence).  

Step Five: Place the canvas fabric RIGHT side down on top of the RIGHT side of the placemat.  Sew around the edge, leaving 1 to 2 inches on an edge to flip the thing inside out.

Step Six: Flip the cozy right side out!  Its a little tricky but you'll get the hang of it and how much of an opening you need to leave yourself to make this work.  I used the end of a paintbrush to poke out the corners once I had it flipped so they're not stuck in.

If you sewed your elastic on correctly, it should pop out and be on the outside now that the cozy is flipped.

Step Seven: Sew a top stitch around the entire outside of the cozy to close up the hole you left to flip it as well as "finish" the edges.  

Step Eight: Place your button and sew that on the opposite side from the elastic.

VOILA!  Your "Keep Me Cozy" Vera Bradley coffee cozy is now complete.

How cute is this?

I hope this inspires you to create all sorts of adorable things this year!  I'm excited to have finished this (its on my list of things to do before I turn 25) though I only finished 4 or 5 and have about 25 sitting downstairs to work on... the sewing machine and I do not get along so its a struggle for me.  :)  I just love carrying around my coffee when its all beautified by this cozy and want to share with my coworkers so I have a lot to do!  I hope Pat and Barb (the co-founders of Vera Bradley) love them too!

24 Things To Do Before I Turn 25- The Checklist

1. MOVE- for real this time

I moved into the basement.  I think that's going to be good enough this year.

2. Get a tattoo
3. Sky dive
4. Minneapolis skyway food tour

Toured with Jon Wing, April 2012
1. Apple, grape and blue cheese on rosemary flatbread at CRAVE
2. Beer tasting and brewery tour at Rock Bottom Brewery
3. Chicago mix popcorn and "This & That Bar" at Candyland
4. Lemon raspberry cupcake at Cocoa & Fig
5. MN grass fed roast beef, diver scallop, celery root mashed potatoes and asparagus at Hell's Kitchen
Best idea ever.

5. Drive-in movie
6. Create a budget and stick to it (a New Year's resolution)
7. Get skinny- hula hoop and train twice a week (another resolution)
- I may not be hula hooping but I am training twice a week and I feel great!  Skinny indeed!
8. Bake an ombre cake
9. Create an original cupcake flavor
10. Spend a day with NO technology (on purpose)
11. Do something out of my comfort zone
- I rode a Metro Transit bus.  I understand how terrible this makes me sound so I'm only putting this up here until I do something better and more out of my comfort zone.
- I gave two guys my phone number.  That is so out of character for me.
12. Go on a mother daughter date!
- We got our nails done and I think we're going to make it a regular thing.  :)
13. Pay for someone else's coffee in the drive-through
- I finally did this Wednesday, November 21.  My goal is to do it any other time I get coffee now through the end of the year.
14. Talk to Grammy Donna weekly
15. Do something GREAT in Poppa's memory
- I think my Colorado trip counts.  I did it for him.

The view off the deck of the chalet.

16. Downsize and donate
- Mom & I cleaned the basement and came up with like 10 bags of clothes to donate.  I also got rid of stuff in my room as well.
17. See Matt Nathanson again

Oh hey Matt!  The best venue yet- The Cabooze, March 2012

18. SMILE MORE

This baby made it so much easier to smile this year.

19. Road trip to Colorado- experience South Main in Buena Vista

An amazing trip and exactly what I needed for some closure, February 2012

20. Work on my Spanish speaking skills
- I took a Spanish for Medical Professionals course over the summer.  I need to study a little more but I've got information to use!
21. Visit old friends in far away places (i.e. Jaci in Fargo, ha)
- I did visit Jaci in Fargo!  And Jon in Madison.  Success!
22. Read 10 books
* The Pregnancy Project
* Gabby- The Gabrielle Giffords Story
* Through No Fault of My Own
* Let's Pretend This Never Happened
* The Invisible Thread
* The Fault In Our Stars
* Mad Women
* The Chaperone
* Spying in High Heels
* Slaughterhouse Five
23. Walk the dog

I may not have walked him as much as I intended (or as much as he would have liked) but I believe I walked him more this year than in years past.  Yay for the pupperoni!

24. Start and FINISH crafty projects


If you are unaware of where this idea came from, read this post I wrote last year about birthdays and look at my checklist from this past year of my life.