this 'n that

The difference between being single and married....

2007-09-21T19:05:00.000-05:00

When you're single, your date nights consist of dinners to the The Royal Crown at the Revolving Restaurant.
Dinner comes complete with steak, lobster and wine.
The view from where you're eating is beautiful......at the top of the restaurant you can see the entire city, leaves in full color, dining in elegance.
Perhaps an after-dinner hop to Silver City to catch a flick. And maybe some popcorn and M'nM's. You know, spare no expense!

When you're married, your date nights consist of a dinner on the run at A 'n W. You don't have time to sit down to eat anymore. You actually have to work a few jobs to pay the bills. So, you head off to the good 'ol drive-through.
Dinner comes complete with a burger, salty fries and a large coke.
The view from where you're eating is quaint......it's whatever you can see through the windshield, and hope that you don't drop ketchup all over your lap as you try to balance your fries and burger on your lap.
Perhaps an after-dinner jaunt to the Cheap Theatre. And when you buy those M'nM's, you make them last a whole week. Yummy!

The moral of the story: Good thing I married for love, not money.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2007-09-06T23:14:00.000-05:00

Well, like the Chinese symbol, the ying-yang, life has its share of good and bad. I try to highlight the good in life, b/c there really are blessings to be found. Nevertheless, here's the good, the bad and the ugly.....

The Good......I started off with 8 piano students last September. This Sept, though, I counted 22 students! I did not expect that at all. It's a huge blessing. And just a reminder that God still blesses, AND answers prayer.

More Good......a hubby who's been cooking and painting for me. I'm enjoying him being home while his tailbone recovers. He can't sit at all because it puts a huge amount of pressure and stresses the healing, so......he's been cooking and painting the livingroom (activities which require standing). I had decided to do the livingroom 'Providence Olive' (instead of the Capilano Bridge beige, Jill. A last-minute decision). It's hard to describe, but it's a really, really subtle shade of green, and a hint of some taupe-ish grey. I don't know, it changes during the day and evening. Those crazy paints! I'll post pictures once we get the furniture back into the livingroom.

More Good......I now have my own car. Dave and I work in different areas of the city, and it takes 50 minutes to get to my work by bus. Another blessing, my brother Terry sold his old car to me last weekend. It's a '95 Honda Accord. What a change from the previous Flintstone cars I've driven in the past. I've had 4 or 5 incidents of car problems, whether it's stalled out completely, or flat tire, or over-heated, and there usually seemed to be an angel rescuing me. Whether it was a stranger jogging on an empty highway and offering to change my tire, or a kind person offering me a ride home, it's amazing how God had always looked after me.

The Bad.....my glasses suck. Like, there's 2 HUGE scratches on both of my lenses. Even Bill Gates has better glasses. At least he has tape holding up his frames. On my pair, though, everything's a blur, but I had to remove my contacts b/c my eyes are drying up. Not to mention, I'm missing an arm on my glasses. I went through the Tim Horton's drive-through tonite and was so embarrassed that I made sure I got the correct change so that the staff wouldn't have time to do a double-take on my hideous eyewear. It's kinda hard to search for nickels and pennies in the dark, b/c I still haven't figured out where the interior light is on the car, so I kinda stalled the traffic searching madly for the darn change!

More bad, but planning to take a turn for the good.....everytime it rains, we get puddles *inside* the house by our 2 doors. Now we know why they call it *character homes*. Screw the character, next time we're buying new! (Yes, this development in one's character is still in the elementary stages). Anyways, Home Depot is becoming my new store of choice. We'll be purchasing doors and insullation shortly. Luckily, MB Hydro has that lovely rebate program.

The Ugly......welcome to Elm-hood! Yeah, every single week, I get an email from our Block Captain about another incident in our neighborhood. From break 'n enter, to graffiti, to hooker activity, to theft. It's not pretty. We found that using 'Oven-off' works best to remove graffiti. Maybe we'll put up an electric fence next spring.

That's it for the blog entry tonite! I'm nervous about teaching this coming Monday. Shy little me, teaching a class of 4 little faces and their moms. I hope they all love my classes!

the August scoop.....

2007-08-27T21:41:00.000-05:00

Well, I guess it's time to update my blog. Although, everyone pretty much knows the news already via verbal communication or Facebook. But, anyways, here goes.......over the August long wkd, we took a short trip to Calgary for a family reunion. To my surprise, everyone was normal! Actually, in all honesty, everyone was very nice and quite welcoming. I struck up a friendship with Tracy, over a pair of earrings, and after the reunion ended, we went on a shopping spree downtown. I bought a necklace, pair of wooden hoop earrings (in picture below) and a pair of shades (also in picture below). Got to experience Banff for a day, went up the scary gondola (I was suddenly afraid of heights -- or rather the fact that we were being suspended from a cable in mid-air!) and also indulged in a fun saloon picture.

The Saloon pic.........(we changed into costume and put on our most serious face.....inbetween laughing!)

Now, I'm back at work, like the rest of the world. Since working at the music store, it's been so fun seeing the new music come in. I've been picking up new stuff for my students, all excited to show them the new tunes in the Fall. Still lots to learn at the store, though, in regards to the computer system, but I guess nothing good comes easy. Same with teaching.....I went from 8 to 19 in one year. Pretty excited and thankful for that too!

Tonite was fun! Two friends of mine dropped in for a visit to see our red diningroom. I was so excited to show them. We all love talking design (we should have our own show on Cityline!!!), and went over colors for the livingroom next and furniture placement. I think I've got it figured out now, thanks to my designer friends! My excitement is billowing, I can't wait to start. Now, I just need a day-off work!!!! It's a blessing having friends who live so close by and can just drop in, kick back, and have fun chilling out! Thanks so much J & K! You guys are awesome!

The much-talked about diningroom........7 months in the planning, finally painted on the walls!

Alright, I gotta go rest my legs now. After 7 hours of constant walking around the store with no breaks, my limbs are ready to snap off! Later!

The prairies are alive....with the sound of music.....

2007-07-31T18:11:00.000-05:00

Is anyone going to Rainbow Stage to see the Sound of Music? The tunes are perfect for shower-singing in your best opera voice........'the hills are alive.....with the sound of mu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-sic!' Plus, who can't recite 'Do Rae Mi'? But, I won't indulge you in the fluff. To be honest, I usually don't like old musicals. The Wizard of Oz, for example, only serves the purpose of spoon-feeding us nostalgia, and watering down the intellect like we're an audience of 3-yr-olds. Maybe that's where the lady on Romper Room got her inspiration. The only thing that Dorothy and the 3 dopes had to offer was a snazzy pair of red shoes. The musicals that do deserve credit are ones like Abba, Phantom of the Opera and A Chorus Line. Now those musicals have a carefully crafted mixture of wit, humor and intelligence. But, back to the Sound of Music....... even though it's old, I'll make an exception and go see it. Yes, it's nostalgic. Yes, it's a bit kitschy. Yes, we're tired of seeing those curtains transformed into 8 yellow dresses. But the tunes are so familiar that you can't stop yourself from singing along. You can try to rebel, but eventually you too will be yodelling it up better than the Ricola commericals. And the last reason we'll go see it: everyone likes to watch another sucker have her life completely transformed by a husband and children. Welcome to the Desperate Housewives Club, Maria! :)

Speaking of music, I just called my piano student yesterday to ask what she got on her Grade 3 piano exam. I was ECSTATIC to hear that she scored 87%! Isn't that awesome?!?! My proudness is bubbling; bragging priviledges are in order at the next piano teacher's meeting. YAY for Sarah! She earned it!

We're heading out to Calgary this week for a family reunion, so I'll be off Blogger and Facebook for a bit. Hopefully, I can score some pictures from Ikea to decorate the walls of the new red, diningroom. Here's a pic of the before-and-after painting process, as it went 2 weeks ago. Hope everyone's having a great summer!!!!! Talk to you soon!

Looking back 1 year ago......

2007-07-13T01:10:00.001-05:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

2007-07-09T11:26:00.000-05:00

Last nite I was awakened by what I can only describe as a very loud grunting kind of siren. It was so disturbing that I thought the rapture was here. It was 4:45 in the morning and I looked out the window and couldn't see anything creating the noise. I starting wondering if I was one of the folks "left behind." Of course, Dave was in Edmonton so I couldn't accertain whether or not this was true. I was on my own on this dilly of a pickle. Everything else on the street looked quiet. The noise diminished a bit so I went back to bed, questioning over & over whether or not I really did *believe*. Then the noise came back and I jumped back out of bed again. What on EARTH is that?!?!? I waited a couple more minutes peering out the window and then Nancy Drew -- I figured it out! A truck drove down my street spraying what I can only piece together to be malithion for the mosquitos!!!! What a relief! Later that morning, I received calls from both Dave and my dad. I didn't mention this event, but inside I breathed a sigh of relief confirming that I wasn't left behind!!!!

Happy Tuesday!

2007-06-12T22:12:00.000-05:00

Well, today was a good day! Who can complain when it's hot, hot, hot! For the first time in my life, I live in a house with air conditioning. Mr. Steinhilber, though, likes to walk around like a popsicle, while I drown myself in long-sleeved hoodies and shiver to keep warm. Ah well.....summer is finally here!

After a day of work, I headed out to Oakbank. I think it's important to remember where you were raised. I'm so appreciative that the majority of my students are willing to drive in from Oakbank, so I decided to do the same back. I dropped off some music at a teacher's house today, headed off to the Paint Shop to buy my red paint, headed off to my parent's house for a fabulous dinner (Good Job, Mom! I know you're reading this!), and then visited my piano student at her own home. I figured it'd give her parents a break from driving in, and it was fun to see her play on her own piano.

Now my next project is to get the diningroom painted. I'm so excited! Red is on it's way!

Does anyone have any dropsheets that they wouldn't mind lending me? Or else, do you know where I can get some cheap ones?

From Silvia Street to Wisteria Lane

2007-06-11T23:29:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to think that we just might be living on Wisteria Lane after all......

After teaching piano tonite, I called my mom to invite myself over for dinner tomorrow. (I shall refer to myself as Susan) Just then, our phonecall was interrupted by the doorbell and an exuberant 'HI!!!!!!!!!!!!' My neighbor ("Edie") was out for a walk with her boyfriend and wanted to introduce us to him. They were extremely friendly and high on energy. In fact, as the minutes passed, I started to hypothesize that they were either A)drunk OR B) In love. After all, on Wisteria Lane, everyone has a glass of wine after dinner. Maybe I should try that. My piano students would pass their songs with flying colors! Our eccentric neighbors asked to tour the house (we've been getting that alot lately, thus confirming my theory to always have your house clean. Bree would be proud) and commented on the loveliness of our crown molding and hardwood floors. Then they noticed our junk left over from our garage sale and proceeded to take it off our hands. What the heck......it's a couple less things that we have to take to Value Village. We got a quick run-down of how the happy couple first met, lost track over the years and recently reunited. Yup, when your neighbors in the city, you meet all sorts of people. But at least our street's not boring!

I'm thinking of ordering myself a T-Shirt........

My first week....

2007-06-07T22:58:00.000-05:00

Well, the job's going decently well so far. I'm getting trained to do a variety of things. The store is only run by 2 people, so there's lots to do. I enjoy interacting with the customers the best. This week, I was only in 2 days (but another day I was also temping at an insurance office), doing stuff like lifting boxes, counting and stacking music books, pricing music, laying it out on the floor, watching how they ship music out (there's procedures for everything!!!), watching how they work the till. The funny thing is, I actually applied for a school secretary position a month ago! I passed the screening tests with flying colors, and my interview was scheduled for tomorrow. But, I declined the interview after getting hired at 'Muzical Times.' I think I'm done with the secretarial roles.

Tonite was my last MYC group class for the year. The girls were a ton of fun! I swear, these are the cutest 5-yr-olds on the entire earth. We played 1 piano song, and then played music games the rest of the class. For example, I put down some hula hoops with rhythms and clap a rhythm; they'd then have to run to the right hula hoop that I clapped. That sorta thing. Handed out their certificates and goody bags, and then Dave gave them homemade cookies that he just baked tonite, especially for them.

Now I just gotta get my pedagogy homework done for Sunday.....

I got it!

2007-06-05T00:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I returned to the music store on Saturday, and the first thing that the manager says to me was, "Well, do you still want the job?" I reply, "Sure!" And he goes, "You're hired then!"

The name of this place is 'Muzical Times' (spelt incorrectly, as to avoid any links to my blog through Google searches for the stores)

I start tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Music to my ears......

2007-06-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Life.......it's all about the timing........

How cool is this......I walk into a well-loved sheet music store this week to pay a bill for jazz books I bought 2 weeks ago. As I'm handing over my credit card, the employer asks me, "Would you be interested in working here? We noticed at the Jazz Workshop that you're very personable, and everyone seems to like you." Then he commented on my playing. (I was the clinician's reluctant guinea pig infront of all the piano teachers, to test out improv in his new books that he's trying to promote). Then, we did an on-the-spot interview! I felt so honored. I hope they're serious about hiring, because I'd love to work at that piano player's paradise! Hopefully it all works out. I kinda feel a Sally Field's blubbering coming on.........

"You like me, You really like me!"

Then, tonite, while we were chatting with our friendly neighbors out in the yard after piano lessons, (picture it: the modern-day 'Little House on the Prairie'........ah, feel the love.....) the previous owners of our home drove by and stopped to chat. This was the first time we'd ever met them -- what timing! Luckily, Dave had just cut the grass, and the house was clean. (I always say "You NEVER know who's going to pop by!" Hey, I grew up in the country -- drop-in company was the norm!!!!) Anyways, we started chatting, and the son asked for a tour of our home. He noticed the garage was ripped down, and was curious to see the inside, so we appeased his curiosity. I asked his elderly mother numerous times if she would also like to come inside (now that I finally got a chance to meet this lady), but she refused several times. She had just come back from her six-month holiday to Florida, and preferred to nurse her cigarette and remain anonymous under her 4-foot wide brimmed hat. I wasn't getting the warm fuzzies from her, but at least MY curiosity was finally appeased.

It's all about being in the right place at the right time.......

Here she is......

2007-05-18T19:45:00.000-05:00

Aleah Mae Steinhilber

Parents: Dan & Corallee
Big Brother: Marcus (2 yrs old)

Born May 15, 2007
3 lb, 11 oz
16 inches

It's a Girl!

2007-05-15T22:34:00.000-05:00

For the very first time, I have a niece! Miss Steinhilber is a welcomed addition of sugar and spice to our testosterone-pumping Steinhilber family. Long live the 'X' chromosone! To everyone's surprise, Corallee went into labour about 6 weeks early. To my knowledge, they haven't got a name picked out yet, so I'll be excited to hear what they call her.

In other news, I had my spring recital tonite. I was so proud of my students. They practiced so hard and did so well. Even Dave did a little razzle dazzle in a guitar-piano duet with me. Thanks for all your help, honey!

These shoes were made for Walkin'....

2007-05-06T16:55:00.000-05:00

Last week I went for a walk with my friend Jill. We walked about a good 2 hours, and I could've gone longer, if it wasn't for my shoes. Did my feet ever BURN! Of course, one should NEVER wear 3-inch wedge shoes that push your feet forward. Ouch! So, after the walk, Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, soaking her feet away. But, oh, as luck would have it, Jill informed me that Mark's Work Warehouse was having a sale the very next day! So, after work, I had about an hour to rush to the store and hurry home before my piano lesson. To my delight, I found TWO pairs of shoes! Check it out...... Yup, another pair of wedge shoes......BUT, I did get a pair of runners! Tee hee!

La weekend!

2007-04-15T21:51:00.000-05:00

It's been a good weekend, but busy!!!! This blog entry looks a bit like a diary purge of my weekend, but I don't feel like wasting more time being elaborate and fanciful in word choice. I've also highlighted the subjects, in case you prefer to get the updates with one quick glance.

- On Friday nite, I hosted a baby shower in honor of Sarah Joy Hansen (daughter of Melissa and Darren). What a cute little fry! Good times with the girls that came.

- Saturday morning, I played piano for 2 musical theatre classes, then made a taco salad for my Grandma's 87th birthday party. Got a chance to re-connect with all the relatives at the party, including my cousins from Regina. So different to see the kids all grown up, with boyfriends and girlfriends in tow. They've graduated from cute to darn good-looking!

- Sunday morning, I got up early and started my Pedagogy assignment at 8 am. I figured I could finish it in time and still get to church. But, it took so long to complete, that I just finished it in the nick of time at 12:30, rushed off to class and scarfed down a sandwich while driving. After all that mad frenzy, I suggested to Dave that we go get an icecream and veg in the early evening.

But alas, I still have another lesson plan to complete for tomorrow's class. I'm procrastinating a bit by blogging and oh......I've now discovered another time-waster: Facebook! I love it!

I'll post a few pix later after a study break.....

He is Risen Indeed

2007-04-09T22:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a fantastic Easter morning at our church. We arrived early at 8:30 am to practice for the worship team. Normally, that brings out the Grumpy Groundhog in me, but this time I felt ok about being there. After practice, we relaxed to a yummy-licious quiche and fruit for breakfast. It felt so nice to relax and just be in each other's presence around a table. We started the service by worshipping through music. Now, I know there's many ways to worship, whether it's through prayer, listening to the sermon, following along in the scriptures, etc. I do all that. But, for me, I'm able to worship most easily through playing piano. I live and breathe playing piano -- it's my passion and it's what ignites a fire from within. I had the time of my life playing yesterday with the worship team, and it felt awesome to worship alongside the congregation singing to God. To hear everyone else singing and just giving our praise to him was so cool! It was one of those heavenly moments and I'm grateful that God uses our meager human efforts on our instruments to glorify himself and bring others into his presence. After the service, my friend's mom came up to say hi to me. I was so excited to see her there! Now, if I can just get her daughter to come. God's doing great things!

Rum......oli

2007-04-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

I love games! And on Friday nite, I just discovered another fun game! Carly invited us over for a Rum-themed nite, complete with the game Rumoli, the drink Rum & Coke, and a yumm-i-licious dessert! This is one girl who knows how to entertain! Luckily there were no corn dances established or anything embarrassing in order to earn more pennies. (Poor Jon!) The only unfortunate part of the evening arose when my stomach gave out like a ball of spikes and I had to cut the nite short at 11pm. I think I over-did it with the eating, which had previously started with binging on the stirfry meal I made for dinner that nite. Some popcorn, then dessert......I sometimes forget to curb my eating and think "Well, as long as my jeans still fit, then there's no problem."

Well, I'm off to a birthday party for 2-yr-old Rebecca today. Guess I should pace myself on the Winnie-the-Pooh cupcakes. lol!

What kind of car do YOU drive?

2007-03-28T21:59:00.000-05:00

What kind of car should YOU be driving? Now, I'm usually a patient person. Most people think I'm mild-mannered, sweet, and just plain nice. NOT! I'm here to admit that the ugly beast from within emerges when provoked under the two following conditions:

#1. I'm forced to get out of bed at cruel hours of the morning
#2. I'm stuck in traffic behind certain drivers on the road

Now, I've figured out a solution to #1 by teaching piano after 10 am. But, I haven't found a way to cure #2 yet. Have you ever noticed the types of people who drive certain cars when you're in a hurry to get somewhere? Here's my experience based on my own observations over the last few months:

1) Camry drivers: Baby-Boomers. They love their little luxuries and roomy vehicles, but they're as slow as the Manitoba bison. Stay off the road, Morty. Their car music of choice: Anne Murray.

2) Mini-van drivers: Young Families. They're popping up everywhere. They also tend to drive under the speed limit. The 'Baby on Board' signs should be updated to say 'First Time Parents'. Everyone will get the message: You drive slow and annoy us. Their car music of choice: Veggie Tales.

3) Crown Victoria drivers: 35 - 45 yr olds. Their cars get them from Point A - Point B. They also tend to cut off other drivers and take their corners at 80 km/hr. Probably because they know that if they write off their vehicle in an accident, they'll get a bigger tax receipt for donating it to a charity, than if they were to spend money to actually fix it. Their car music of choice: AC/DC.

4) Pick-up Truck drivers: 30 - 45 yr olds. These trucks tail-gate other drivers and drive 15 km over the speed limit. Ritalin and Red-Light cameras were invented for them. Their car music of choice: Garth Brooks.

5) Civic drivers: 20 - 30 yr olds. Cute, sporty cars that zip in and out of lanes smoothly and seem to get ahead of all the traffic. I wish I had one. A red one. Their car music of choice: Billy Talent.

6) SUV drivers: 25 - 45 yr olds. Usually heavy on the foot and high on pollution emission rates. These drivers like to scare seniors and other helpless pedestrians to move out of their way. Their car music of choice: Snoop Dogg.

That leaves me to ask the question: Which vehicle suits your lifestyle? Or which vehicle SHOULD you be driving?

Grease

2007-03-09T23:43:00.000-06:00

Last nite, Dave took me to see the musical Grease! I know, I'm a 'musical-loving nerd'. Who cares, I love it! Check out the bald-headed guy in the picture Dave took as the announcer said several times "All cameras will be confiscated. Please turn off all devices." Luckily I got to sit behind Howie Mandel there, but Dave was stuck behind Marj Simpson. We badly wanted to ask her to lower her curly pony-tail but couldn't quite articulate how to gently do that. Thankfully, there were 2 open spots after Act I, so we moved over to those seats for Dave's viewing enjoyment.

Today I had the priviledge of baby-sitting my cutie-pie nephew Marcus. He's all smiles and at the age of 2, he's as cute as a button. That is, until he had an accident in his diaper. Whoa! In an effort to clean him up, I was gasping for fresh air in another room and held my breath everytime I went to the bathroom to try to help him get cleaned up. I'm no synchronized swimmer, though, and could only last a few seconds before dashing back into a clean room to refresh my oxygen supply about 8 times. I'm sure I dry-heaved more than a cat with hairballs, and tried everything to prevent myself from throwing up in my mouth. Next time, I'm cutting him off from having seconds on fruit. Or thirds and fourths, as it may be. Oops!

Weekend Get-away

2007-03-05T20:37:00.000-06:00

I was reminded of how good it feels to take a little time off away from home. Dave and I took a weekend drive down to Grand Forks for some shopping and some R 'n R. Now, since I started teaching piano, Dollarama has become my main source of shopping for teaching supplies, and my wardrobe has been put on the back burner. But, when we hit the stores in the States, my eyes lit up like a high-efficient light bulb. Everything was 50% off so we stocked up on clothes, jewellery, the game "Imagine If" (thanks to Chris and Karen for introducing me to this game!) and my personal favorite possession -- a RED purse! Now, for anyone reminiscing about Chi-Chi's (remember those days?), I'd totally recommend a trip to Paradiso! We loved their Mexican food so much, we went there twice. Dave's parents also spent the weekend in the States, and his brothers joined us on Sunday JUST FOR THE DAY to EAT at Paradiso. It's that good!!! Ole! However, when I ordered a marguarita, the waitress asked to see my ID! What -- do I look 20? Must be that Mary Kay age-fighting moisturizer. Like really, TEN years? Sheesh! To all of you folks heading down there this month yet, have fun! Eat, shop and be merry!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2007-03-01T13:11:00.000-06:00

Celebrities seem to be doing changes on their hair these days, from clip-on wigs and extensions, to the extreme buzz-cut that Britany Spears is sporting. But I decided to go somewhere in-between. No matter how much I try to grow out my locks, I always seem to come back to this 'Old Faithful' hairstyle with the blonde highlights. It's finally smooth and straight with the help of NO STYLING AIDS; I'm free from spending time trying to make it bounce into place for volume, and I'm free from those monotonously boring flips on the ends. Now it actually falls into place on its own! I'm free!

But, if you think my cut is dramatic, you should check out Dave's lid. Now, HE's got a bold color!!!!! Go to his blog and beg him to post a pix.

When the moon hits your eye.......

2007-02-14T22:03:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! My Popeye hero who's notably known for being "strong like bull" took me to dinner at "Just Off Broadway" for some romantic culinary yumminess. The musical entertainment was a little more geriatric, though, consisting of an old man serenading on his guitar. Dave and I sat there wondering if it was Senior's Night. Who let THIS dog out? Who, Who, Who, Who........(never mind, that rap song's long gone, too). When he came to our table, I thought I'd throw this old-timer for a loop and request "More than Words" by Extreme. Come on, the song's 16 years old, ya gotta know it! It was played at every sock-hop in junior high. Nope, he was scratching his head over that one. lol! I decided to let him off easy and then requested "It's Amore." Funny, though, we must be getting old, too. It's 10:30 and both Dave and I just want to go to sleep. Ah, old married folks already! Happy Valentine's. Good-Night Everyone!

Valentine's Wish List

2007-02-06T22:32:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Our hubbies may be wondering what to give us for that big day. Now, we all know that the media over-hypes their merchandise, promising to win our hearts. I'm here to set the record straight, thus saving hundreds of dollars and promoting a stronger marriage. It's really quite simple! Compare the 2 lists:

What HE thinks we want:

Chocolate (it's a little cliche and boring)

A fat piece of jewelery (Don't you hate those "Kay" commercials? It's not necessary, honey. We still love the engagement ring!)

Lingerie (it's more like butt-floss than undies)

A plasma TV to hang over the mantel (this is quite obvious -- no!)

What Women REALLY want him to do:

Clean the house (It's called a Vaccuum and it makes the dirt disappear -- really it does!)

Sing the praises of our cooking (You know you love it, you know you do!!!!)

Put your clothes in the hamper (You're a big boy now)

And last but most importantly, agree with us. "Yes Dear" really does work.

Now, offer this fact to your husband, and he might be so impressed that your Wish List may come true:

Sports Trivia: Did you know that this was the 1st Superbowl ever to have an African-American coach? Not only that, this Superbowl featured 2! Something for the coaches and the African-American community to be proud of.

ABC's of Life

2007-02-04T22:31:00.000-06:00

ABC of life
Copy this quiz into your own blog, erase my answers & write your own....then leave me a comment & I'll come read your ABC's! It's kinda fun.

A is for age: 30
B is for beer of choice: Labatt Blue, when my husband sends me to Women's Football Camp.
C is for career right now: Piano Teacher & Receptionist
D is for your dog's name? Don't own any dogs
E is for essential item you use everyday: Contact Lenses
F is for favorite TV show at the moment? Desperate Housewives & Who's Design is it Anyway
G is for favorite game: Cranium
H is for Home town: Oakbank, MB
I is for instruments you play: Piano, and maybe 3 chords on guitar....lol!
J is for favorite juice: That White Cranberry stuff
K is for whose butt you'd like to kick: My boss
L is for last place you ate: Dan & Corallee's house for Marcus's 2nd birthday today
M is for marriage: 6 months to Dave
N is for your full name: Michelle Tamara Zink-Steinhilber
O is for overnight hospital stays: none
P is for people you were with today: the Steinhilbers and Friesen families for Marcus's birthday
Q is for quote: Laughter is the Music of the Soul
R is for Biggest Regret: Wasting time at dead-end Receptionist jobs, instead of choosing a better career in my early 20's
S is for status: Married
T is for time you woke up today: 10:00 am
U is for underwear you have on now: black
V is for vegetable you love: Tomatoes
W is for worst habit: Procrastination
X is for x-rays you've had: teeth (at the dentist) and back (at some quack-of-a-chiropractor's office)
Y is for yummy food you ate today: Pizza, mozza sticks, wings, birthday cake
Z is for zodiac sign? Libra

Raise your eyebrows!

2007-01-27T21:15:00.000-06:00

Last nite, Terry and I went to see 'The Rocky Horror Show' at MTC! Well, we finally saw what all the commotion was about! This is one show that'll ooze a response out of audience members. Here's my commentary on the musical:

- Outlandlishly weird

- Freaky

- A delightfully, psychedelic nightmare

- Slightly R-rated & questionable

- Toe-tappin' fun songs (Time Warp!!)

- Excellent singing, acting and stage-presence

- Witty and hilariously funny

- Interactive audience shout-outs encouraged

- Raunchy and racy

- A show that'll make you blush and push your limits to what you can handle

My diagnosis: Don't bring your Baptist-raised Mama and Papa to this show! Definitely an eye-popping musical, sure to push the envelope in a freakish roller coaster sort-of-way; but you wouldn't want to advertise it in your church bulletin.

Mamma Mia!

2007-01-23T23:27:00.000-06:00

Tonite after piano lessons, I decided to dig into my old CD's and blast the tunes. Then, I came across one goodie in particular and smiled with glee. Ya know.......some CD's really are like fine wine. They just get better with age. C'mon, dig it! lol!

Imagine if we could trade places for a day. Move over Agnetha, make room for moi!

Michelle's fantasy.....to be part of the band.....

(I morphed myself into this picture using some old Photoshop program 5 yrs ago. Ah, the "short-hair' days, a la 2002!!!)

January 22, 2007

2007-01-21T23:09:00.000-06:00

Happy 6 month Anniversary David!

In sickness and in health, in mood swings and mind-reading, in football play-offs and figuring out what the heck the game is all about, and to the best 6 months of my life......

Always yours,

Michelle

Na na na na.....Hey - y.....Good-bye!

2007-01-20T14:17:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally did it! I'm putting an end to the daily stress and tears of my job. So long Accounting! So long Data Entry! What's that -- the phone's ringing? I don't hear youuuuuu! After nervously anticipating how I was going to advise my boss, I took a cue from Nike at 4:00 yesterday and told myself, "Ok, just DO it!" I resigned from my receptionist position. I'm free!

Sports Trivia: Big game this weekend: The Bears vs. the Saints. Who are you betting on?

Tickle the Ivory

2007-01-14T15:23:00.000-06:00

Well, I decided to take the plunge and I signed myself up for the "Elementary Pedagogy Certificate Program." This is Part I of III towards getting one's A.R.C.T credentials. In plain language, it's the highest level you can get in piano and enables you to teach any level of piano with confidence. Most teachers do not have their ARCT, but it limits them in how far they can teach their students. Teaching is SO different than playing. For myself, I can play a Gr.10 piece, but I'd rather watch a football game than attempt to teach the Gr.10 song. LOL!

I've heard comments that the program is pretty intense, so who knows if I'll complete all 3 parts. (Part II is the Middle Grades and Part III is the Advanced Grades). For now, I'll just take it one week at a time and get Part I done. It starts Jan.21st and goes all the way to Dec.9th, with a break in the summer. Classes are every Sunday afternoon from 1:30 - 2:30 pm, so that will be different to adjust to also. I'm looking forward to it, though. My passion is simply playing piano, so I just gravitate towards absorbing everything I can about it. I love it so much!

Sports Trivia that only your husbands care about: The Philidelphia Eagles just lost to the New Orleans Saints. Who will we cheer for now???? :(

Touchdown!!!

2007-01-11T18:08:00.000-06:00

Praise the Lord! We caught the rodent! Glory! I'm finally safe in my home after the invasion of the solitary mouse. I'm thankful that Dave disposed of the trap findings; I could never do it! When I lived with roommates, a few years back, they decided that we'd each take turns disposing of the mice. Tammy went first, Rachel went second, and thankfully, my prayers were answered and there wasn't a third. I can't imagine having 5 mice in the house, J. You're a stronger woman than me. I would need a regular psychiatrist for that.

The Rocky Horror Mouse Show

2007-01-09T22:31:00.000-06:00

Ok, my brother Terry and I are going to see "The Rocky Horror Show" at MTC next week, but I did NOT want to experience it live in my own home tonite!!!!!!

As I carried the garbage from the old garage into our foyer, a mouse escaped in all its merry glory. Damn you, damn you, I say! Well, needless to say, my tonsils emitted a scream so blood-curtlingly loud, I'm sure Mark could hear it in Korea. We promptly dashed out the door to purchase 6 mouse-traps. I moved all my shoes to higher ground and moved my coat upstairs.

I'm not attaching any "Cute-sy" clipart of mice. I'm also not attaching pictures of the shoes, mops, and rug in disarray downstairs. I'm too scared to go down there.

Useless Trivia that only your husbands care about: Green Bay Packer fans wear cheeseheads.

Enough talk about this! Pray for the return of my sanity.

Confession Time

2007-01-07T21:38:00.000-06:00

I have a confession to make. The other day, Dave made the suggestion to pick up something quick and convenient just before heading out to Tanya's 30th birthday party. I agreed to it, and as we got out of the truck, I looked around, hoping noone would spot me. I cautiously walked into the building and with bout of mild hesitation and guilt, headed into line. "A Quarter-pounder with Cheese, fries and an Iced Tea" was my order. There, I said it. I crossed over to the dark side. I betrayed my principles. My compromise was billowing up inside of me and turning my stomach into knots. As we headed for a table, however, we found that the restaurant was completely different from our childhood experiences. There was no obnoxious man in a yellow suit & red shoes for children to climb all over anymore. Instead, the lighting was pleasing on the eyes, the wall color was a nice shade of red, and the fireplace was glowing warmly as we dined in elegance. It was almost.......romantic.

Word to the husbands and boyfriends of the world: Only do this once a year for your significant other. More than that would put your relationship in jeopardy and a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge.

One more confession: I am learning more sports facts and tid bits than I ever cared about Pre-Marriage. So, I'll begin including a segment in my blog entitled "Sports Trivia That Only Your Husband Cares About". Here's the first one: John Ryan (former Punter for the Wpg. Blue Bombers) now plays for the Green Bay Packers. Stay tuned for more trivia to impress your spouses with.

Holiday Update

2007-01-06T18:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a LONG time since I last blogged, but here's a sketch into our Christmas and New Year's. Sung to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music. (HEY! Even Gwen Stefani cashed in on the 'Sound of Music')

Our first Christmas as the new Mr. & Mrs.

Dave and Michelle and all mistletoe kisses

Wrapping the presents all under the tree

These are a few of our Christmas-y things

Love fern all dressed up in red and white trimmings

A few footballs thrown in for masculine-type things

Fondue and eating and fun company

These are a few of our Christmas-y things

Then comes our New's Year Eve with party-throwing

After a foot and a half of snow-blowing

Having a hubby who does the cooking

These are a few of my favorite things

(Bridge)

Then it's onto.....

2007......

Where does that bring me?

We're onto another adventure in life

But what does that mean? We'll see!

My Prince Charming

2006-12-16T17:44:00.000-06:00

Well, here's an inside glimpse of my hubby's romantic side. From time to time, he likes to lay roses on the stairs for me, continuing down the hallway, and into our room ending with two dozen roses carefully placed in a vase. How sweet is that, hey?

More than Seasonal Frenzy

2006-12-12T23:06:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I wish I could turn the clock back 10 years. Don't we all wish we knew *then* what we currently know *now*?

If I could choose my career all over again, I think I'd look into Healthcare, or some people-related helping profession. And definitely something that paid better! Right now, I bust my tail everyday for a bunch of Yatzees at work, playing waitress, mother (looking after my co-workers and callers), data-entry clerk, broken record player for callers, investigator into misplaced documents, juggler of multi-tasking and janitor, all under the title of "Receptionist". Oh glory be! And upon my arrival home, Hydro, Water and Phone gladly await my wallet with hungry mouths wide open. I wish the little fairies that vacuum my wallet would also vacuum my house because I'm exhausted! Between working days and teaching at nite, there's not alot of time or energy left over.

I know alot of you feel like this, but it's just nice to vent it out on a blog sometimes.

Hopefully oneday I can concentrate on what I enjoy doing -- teaching piano, and kick the office job into the Recycle Bin. It just gets monotonous waiting for that day to come.

Show us your Christmas Tree!

2006-12-04T22:09:00.000-06:00

The tree is up and our livingroom is festive! Here's some pix of our 'Love Fern'. Jill had a great suggestion.......let's see your Christmas tree, too! Feel free to post them here, or give your blog link for others to see.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2006-11-27T20:56:00.000-06:00

As soon as Halloween ended, I wanted to put up our Christmas tree. Dave thought that was too early, and insists we wait until Dec.15th. So, we compromised (there's that word again!) and agreed upon Dec.1st. So, this Friday, our house becomes festive!

Let's take a survey.......When do YOU put up your Christmas Tree?

Harmony, or something like it

2006-11-26T16:15:00.000-06:00

Hi Ladies! (assuming it's mostly ladies that read my blog)

Thanks for your valuable input on spouses appreciating each other's differences. I don't think I'll ever be a hard-core 'football chick' nor will I frequent local pubs yelling out hometown cheers. But, I took notice of Dave's favorite football team today and commented to him at lunch saying, "Hey, did you notice that John was wearing a Dallas Cowboy's hat in church today?" Dave nearly fell off his chair, surprised that I noticed. Yes Dear, I do take notice in your interests. I told him, "I still don't like football, but I can appreciate that you love it, so I try to take notice of the things you enjoy."

Besides, he cooked up a fabulous fondue dinner for MY friends last nite. Between him cooking and me cleaning the house for our company, it took us an entire day to prepare for the evening. But, in the end, it was a nice evening and it was really fun to be surrounded by friends. Well, MY friends. It just so happens that Dave likes them too. Well, ok...... 3 out of 4 ain't bad. The last one has verbal diarrhea, so Dave has to wear his 'patience cap' all nite. LOL! But noone's perfect anyways.

Opposites Attract???

2006-11-21T00:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I deleted my previous blogs, for all you readers hoping to read a bit and chuckle. Seems that my hubby can't appreciate my humour and takes any topics related to football very seriously. I still don't feel his affection for football.

So interesting how they say that opposites attract. In fact, I said it in our wedding speech.
Yup, our interests are as contrasted as black and white. Or Winter & Summer. Or Football & Piano. Or Pearl Jam & Beethoven. How the heck does that happen?

Game Over

2006-11-20T14:49:00.000-06:00

Well, the game and all the surrounding craziness is coming to an end! Life is slowly coming back to normal.

The Ying and the Yang

2006-11-19T13:54:00.000-06:00

2006-11-15T00:09:00.000-06:00

Newly Weds

2006-11-12T22:48:00.000-06:00

Well, here goes my first attempt at blogging.....

David & I have been married 3 months....YAY! Life is good, and being married ROCKS! I just have 9 more Thank-you cards to send out and we should be done. Any advice for newlyweds like ourselves??