2+1= New Addition

Today I was searching cat names in preparation for our new addition. I wanted something fun…classy…cool! Her first name will remain Faith, since that is her name…?...but I want to give her a middle name that we can call her…a name we have given her. Faith Blank!

I thought it may be cool to look up some names in different cultures. There were some cool Hawaiian names. Russian names. Even the Scottish name of Adaira! Cool right. Then it had a link to Chinese names…Dinner came to mind! Lol…I crack myself up! I will keep you all informed about what Chaz and I come up with! And we will introduce her through pictures when we get her on Saturday! Fun times in the Durgin household!
















I also thought I would show you all at least two plants that are making it through the winter like champs!

We bought this cute little number at Ikea...yep, Ikea! Crazy right! They have plants!

















And this little guy we got from Denis and Terri when they moved to China. I feel like we have done a great job with this one!

Oh, and I can't forget a picture of my Valentine's day flowers! See, living, breathing, plants all over!

We have also had some time to get the apartment all homey! This is my favorite picture and it is hung in the dining room!

It is two cow butts! Nothing better over the dining room table!

And there is the cute little frame we got for our wedding!

Even switched up the bedding! White down comforter with a little southern flare!

And I took the time to actually put our wedding photo in our wedding frame. That only took a few months!

So things are coming together. Life is falling into a nice routine. Granted we will be adding a new family member, but hopefully it will be a smooth and comfortable transition for all!

greener grass on the other side?

We have some great plants in our house! I never thought when I was young that I would ever have plants. They seemed so hard to take care of. But now, and this is in huge part thanks to chaz, I do not think I could live with out plants!

Some of our plants have been giving us some attitude however. Yes we moved, and this created a bit of shock, but we try and give them sun, proper watering, and a lot of love. One in particular, the housewarming plant we got from Chaz's mom, couldn't give a shit what we do for it. Seriously, it hates us. After having to trim it down so much and cut off all it's dead leaves, we are down to like three stalks on it. I think it is his own fault (the plant's) but I also can't get rid of him, no matter how many times I have pondered taking him out back and uprooting his last few branches.

Any advice? I want to figure out how to keep these plants happy during the Minnesota winter and possibly some advice helping mister attitude regrow some stalks!

So what are you waiting for...

Sometimes I think it is interesting to sit and ponder what I would like to do? What I would like to accomplish? Then I like to think about why am I not doing what I want to do and how can I change it? I can't do everything, and some goals require money, time, things I have to wait for. But if I keep them in the fore front of my mind, I believe it will be harder to forget and I will accomplish more. What a great thought, right?

So in the upcoming weeks, I want to:

• Go to Moorhead
• Run two miles
• Read a lot of my book
• Knit
• Hang out with my friends
• Get in some family time
• Love up on my baby
• Do my homework
• Watch a good movie

I think that is enough for a few weeks. Next up will be my birthday so maybe some bigger plans around then! We'll see.

In other news, tomorrow is Wednesday. Hump day! Looking forward to another week (haha...already!) so I am glad it is Wednesday! However, I do not wish any day away. They are all so precious and wonderful!

Tomorrow night I am heading to Laura's to pick out some outfits for her engagement photos. She will look great in what ever she wears! Since Chaz and I did not do "formal" engagement photos, I have been thinking about doing some photos when our one year anniversary rolls around. Chaz is down so maybe that will be a "longer" goal! I think it would be fun!

Off to get ready for my Wednesday. Another day in life!

So yeah...

So this past weekend was great. Most weekends are, but this one is up there.

Chaz went ice fishing so I decided to head to B*town. The Bonnell (me being a new Durgin) girls went to Rancho Grande...they love us there. They loving us=free food! Needless to say, yummy!

Then, Mikey took Kory and I to see Valentine's Day! Good movie...we even followed it up with a popcorn fight in the parking lot...a memory for sure!

Saturday morning I woke up and enjoyed my mom's french toast, headed to Michael's hockey game, and took a nap (and the occasional load of laundry being done in between!). Mikey and I headed in to the Auggie Hockey game which is always a load of fun.

Chaz came home Saturday night and we watched a movie. Mikey stayed over so Sunday I woke up, made cinnamon roles and took him to grandma's. Cleaned my car like no body's business, worked out, and had a great dinner with Chaz!

These are the type of weekends that get me through the week! I love my job, and my weeknights, but there is something simply wonderful about a good, quality weekend!

Here's to the next!

Weekends...

I love the weekend! I almost think Friday should join part of the weekend! I would work ten hours a day to have Friday off! I guess I enjoy having a life during the week too though so I won't push too hard for Friday's off.

Our first Valentine's day as a married couple was pretty chill. We woke up and Chaz surprised me with Tulips and doughnuts! What a yummy way to wake up. We then went to the MOA to play mini golf which was packed crazy, so we had a snack and decided to walk around. We did a little shopping, hoped over to Ikea, and headed home. We will finish off the night with some pizza and probably early to bed, getting ready for another week. A great time and I am so blessed! Yeah being married!

B-A-N-A-N-A-S...hmmmm

I have a hard time eating bananas. Always have. I am not a fan of the texture, the taste. Pretty much, bananas in general are not my cup of tea. They are healthy though and oh so cheap. Therefore, I occasionally try and eat them.

Earlier this week I was at the whole foods store by my place because it was snowing and I did not want to drive anywhere. I like the whole foods store but there prices can be crazy outrageous and I just can’t afford that right now. Anyways, I bought some bananas...I generally do when I am in an eating healthy phase. And even when I bought the bananas, I pretty much reminded myself that they would go bad, end up in the freezer with the intention of making banana bread, and at some point in the future when I needed room for other food in the freezer, they would get thrown away. Still bought them. 99 cents a pound but they were fair trade bananas so hence the mark up.

Next morning, brought a banana to work to eat plain. It tasted great! Still not a huge fan of bananas but it was fresh and spot on for ripening. I figured either this was the cream of the crop for bananas or, it must be the fair trade. Next day, banana in my smart start. Amazingly delicious. And today, banana in my frozen yogurt! Moral of the story, all bananas were eaten with none going bad for the first time in my life.

In fact, tomorrow my friends are coming over for dinner and I am making frozen chocolate covered bananas. So I will buy bananas twice in one week. Unheard of! I really do think that they tasted better than the regular bananas in the grocery store. Same reason I spend the extra dollar to get cage free organic eggs. They just taste better! I am actually saving money because those bananas I used to buy would end up in the garbage. Same with the eggs. I never wanted to regularly eat eggs and would end up throwing the carton away months later. Now, I buy eggs, and they are eaten before they expire. Yes it is a few extra dollars up front but in the end, I am putting better food in my body and I am eating what I buy=saving money in the end!

For ten and a half blissful months, I had Chris and Joni all to myself. Just me. No one else. Although I cannot recollect this time, I can only imagine that is was pure, selfish, uninterrupted, bliss. And then, on February 1st, 1987, my world of undivided attention came to an end. My sister Kory Johanna popped out to not only say hello, but to become a permanent fixture in our little family unit. I am sure my little eleven month old self was devastated but like I said before, I am unable to recollect this period in my life. Must have been the booze.

Needless to say, things did change. Obviously being so close in age, Kory and I could be the best of friends, and the worst of enemies. I do know one thing for sure. I am who I am today because on February 1st, 1987, Kory decided to join the world. And although we can argue, fight, and play WWF with the best, we can also shop, talk, and love like no other.
Happy Birthday Kory!