Long Time No See

Hey there! I haven't posted in a while because life has been pretty hectic lately. Perhaps we should do a brief summary of what has been going on this lovely month of August.

Week #1: My Birthday
I had my 19th birthday on the 2nd! I have officially been an adult for a full year now. That Saturday Matt took me to Ikea (next to the Mall of America) for my birthday. We spent an hour and a half looking through the showrooms and spent another hour and a half buying things that we need for college this year. One of the many things I bought was a cookware set. I am so excited to have pasta night in my hall this year!!!!

Week #2: Goodhue County Fair
Monday the 9th was the first day of the fair this year. But because I didn't enter any projects this year, I didn't have to go to the fairgrounds until Wednesday, the 11th. On Wednesday Arts In had their first two performances at the fair! Not going to lie, they weren't our best performances ever, but the kids did a good job. I was soooo proud of my babies!

We three directors have a running joke that the Arts In kids are like our babies. During camp they were little and just starting to walk, then on Travel Day they were just heading out to school for the first time. And the County Fair was like sending them off to high school. On September 4th they will perform at the Harkness Stage in the 4-H Building at the Minnesota State Fair. I can't wait to watch my babes!
Aside from Arts In, I also went to the youth dance on Friday night. The Goodhue County 4-H Ambassadors had invited my boyfriend, Matt, to be their DJ. I got to accompany him. So while Matt did his thing with the music, I sang and danced with the kids (many of which were Artsies).
I also danced with my friend Chris, a fairly good dancer. But there's one problem that Chris has: he always manages to maim his dance partners in some way or another. In my case, he dropped me onto the gravel and I scrapped up my leg really badly AS WELL AS him stepping on my foot and breaking off half of my big toe nail.  All I can say is: "I will never dance with Chris R. again." You have the right to call me stupid if I dance with him a second time.
All in all, it was a really good time.

Week #3: Nanny Alycia and Watermelon
The third week of August was pretty uneventful. I watched darling little Georgia. Thursday was my last day, and I was surprised with a gift from Georgia's family. They gave me a $15 Burly Coffee Cafe gift certificate (how lucky am I!!!!!) and an adorable lap desk.
After I was done with Georgia on Thursday, Matt came to my house from Wisconsin and picked me up. We traveled to his parent's house in Anoka and stayed there for the night. The next morning Matt, his mom Julie, his step dad Scott, his stepbrother Andrew, his best friend Owen, and his girlfriend (me!) all left for his grandpa's house in Vining, MN.
We all went to Grandpa Bud's (that is what everyone calls Matt's grandpa) house for Watermelon Day. This was my second year helping with Watermelon Day. On Friday we set up the Bingo and Music/Dance tents. That means that we (a) set up the tents, (b) picked up tables from Vining Community Center and set them up under the Bingo tent, (c) picked up the chairs from Vining Lutheran Church and set them up, and finally (d) picked up 12 packs of pop from the lone convenience store, Big Foot.
Saturday, the festive Watermelon Day, we did much less. All we had to do was chill out and play card games, tour many of the craft booths, eat cheese curds and hamburgers and shakes, watch the parade, and work at the bingo tent. Oh, and take down all of the tables, lights, extra prizes, stands, and chairs from the bingo tent.
Sunday we all attended the outdoor worship service, ate at Big Foot (yes, the convenience store is also a small restaurant joint) for brunch, and returned to Anoka. 
All in all it was a wonderful weekend. I had a fun time with "the guys" (Matt, Andrew, and Owen) and working the bingo tent. I can't wait for next year! Some links to inform you about Watermelon Day and Vining are here, hither, and tither, and yon.

Week #4: Currently Happening
That brings us to this this week. As of right now, it is Monday. Not to much happening so far. But this Sunday I get to leave for college. I'll update you if anything else happens.

Hugs and Loves,
Alycia

And The Lightbulb Turns On!

I was just browsing along on the internet, and i saw something awesome: a bag made from a burlap bag. And not just any burlap bag-one that coffe beans were kept in. So now I think that I have to make myself one. Now all I have to do is go to Burly and ask if they have any spare bags. Hopefully they'll give me one. I would love them forever and ever and ever! ...Not that I don't love them already. :)

Quick note: the link is for Burly Coffee Cafe's Facebook page. There is only ONE Burly-found right in Cannon Falls! How cool is that? It's the best coffee I've had in my life. And the only Coffee I ever want to have.

Thy will be done, Lord

I know I didn't post this on the day it happened, but one of my past State Arts In directors died last Friday, August 6th.

*Short note: State Arts In (or SAI) is much like County Arts In, except on a larger scale and for people who have completed grades 9 though 13. Instead of meeting at the County Fair Grounds, all the SAI participants stay at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds, in the 4-H building (lovingly called the 4-H Hilton). Instead of 3 days, we take a whole week to learn the show (called Prep Week), and the techies build the stage, the costumers make our costumes, and the band practices like crazy. We have a short break where we go home, and then come back for the whole length of the Minnesota State Fair.*

Me Singing At SAI Prep Week 2007 (My First Year)

Performing For SAI2008-It Was A Castle Theme (I am center in purple dress)

The link here is a newscast done by WCCO about Jake Benesh's death, my past SAI director. During my first year of SAI (I was going into my sophomore year of high school), Jake was a fellow participant of mine. That was also when Matt and I met. Mine and Matt's second year of SAI, Jake was a Student Director.  Now, I won't say I was best friends with Jake, or even close friends. Truth be told, he kind of annoyed me at times. But who doesn't? One of the things I did like about Jake was that he was completely devoted to his faith.

My first year in SAI, during Prep Week, there was a big storm. In the middle of the night, we were all told to take our bedding down to the main level of the 4-H Hilton and sleep on the floor.

All Of Us Sleeping On The 4-H Hilton Floor

I believe the next day was a Sunday. Instead of sending us off to our respected worship sites (we Catholics would have walked a few blocks down the street to the Catholic Church nearby), our Directors asked that we stay on the Fairgrounds for our safety, and partially so the media wouldn't go on a rampage about 100 4-Hers "trapped" on the Fairgrounds (we were all completely safe). Those of us who wished to, could participate in a morning worship service conducted by our Director, some Student Directors, and some participants. For the worship service we gathered outside at the stage in front of the 4-H building. We sang a few familiar hymns, made butterflies out of paper (there was a meaning behind this, it was really touching), and some of the participants gave their testimonies.

 Jake gave his testimony that morning. It was really beautiful. It was about how he was raised Luthern, and how he wasn't really involved with God's plan-just doing his own thing. Then he went to a Baptist service with a friend and fell in love with all the love he was experiencing there. Later, he was baptized a Baptist. He was really active in his church community, and I believe it was this (or the past) summer that he went to Jamacia on a mission trip.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though he bugged me at times or he might of been a little bossy, he was a really wonderful person. And even though we do not share the same denomination of faith, his trust in God was something I want to aspire to. Rest In Peace, Jake Benesh. Please watch over me and help me to grow in faith like you did, and put all my trust in God. Watch over all of our fellow Artsies, be our guiding hand.

Thy will be done, Lord,
Alycia

Rain and Pants

It's raining and I am not wearing pants right now. These two things are not related in any way.
It's raining because, well, God said so. It's been raining for about 15 minutes straight, now.

And I am not wearing pants because this little cutie (Miss Georgia) decided that her diaper wasn't full enough already.

So we had a leaky diaper leak onto my lap. Slightly icky. But luckily, I'm used to babies and their bladders, so it didn't come to be much of a shock. It was just a little....unexpected present. :-P

Thrilling Tuesday

Ahh, Tuesday: not as annoying as Monday, and yet not as fantastic as Friday. Tuesday is a wonderful 'middle of the week' day. But I woke up at 6 am, which seems a little early for my taste. But that's what coffee is for!

Ummm, Ummm, coffee!

As I do most mornings, I rode my bike to Georgia's. It was rather pretty this morning. A fog was above the corn fields in the bottom of the valley. Well, Georgia is awake now, so I should probably get the babe.

Toodles on Tuesday!
Alycia

Arts In

I think I have mentioned this before, but I am one of the directors for my county Arts In this summer. Just to reiderate: Arts In is a Minnesota performing arts program, in which 4-H members (generally students from 5th grade to the first year of college) gather to learn a show and then perform the show.
The Arts In show has a basic (but fun) storyline, with 7 to 9 songs throughout the show. This year, we wrote a show based on superheros.

This Year's Storyline:
The citizens of Metropolis gather to welcome back their superheros from saving the world. After telling the citizens of their super-saving deeds, the superheros must fly off to the library and reassemble the book shelf.
But, after many attempts to fly to no avail, the superheros begin to wonder what has happened-why wont their powers work? The villians show up, and show that they have stollen the superheros powers.
The citizens of metropolis are eager to assist the heros in getting back the power, but are denied the opportunity. The hero's refuse to be helped by amatures-the heros have always been the ones to save the day, why should they need the citizens to help them now?
"Ok," say the citizens, "so what are you going to do, you don't have superpowers anymore." Coming to that realization, the heros start to loose hope.
The citizens tell the heros that they will help them to fight against the villians, with the power of numbers! Together, they will defend Metropolis! After singing a totally awesome song, three citizens rush to show everyone that they have the superheros powers back!
And shockinly enough, the citizens have the villians in tow. The villians apologize for taking the powers, and tell everyone that they want to help protect the city too!
The end!

*I shall post photos later*

Tired

I ...... Need ...... COFFEE! :P Guess I'll just have to get it.

Going back to School

Ok folks, here's the deal.

In less than a month I am going back to Saint Mary's University (aka SMU, pronounced smoo), for my sophmore year of college.

My freshman year was pretty good, excepting my roommate. I think it is a rule that everyone is supposed to have one bad roommate experience. But freshman year is over and done with, and I don't need to worry about that anymore. This year I am lucky enough to have a singles dorm. :D

But now I have to buy more things this year. Last year, I brought the mini fridge, the window fan, the rug... You get the picture. My roommate brought the microwave,coffee machine, TV, etc. As you can probably tell, now I have to replace all of those things that I didn't bring last year. For my birthday, my parents told me that they would buy me a microwave. Yay! Check one item off of the list.

In addition to those things that I need to buy because my roommate brought them last year, I also have to get a desk chair. The one I had brought to school last year, I had had for about 3 other years before that. It was a plastic swivle chair...and it broke. Oops! So now a desk chair is in the cards.

But my mom brought up an idea: instead of getting the classic desk-swivle chair, I could get an exercise ball. My mom is pregnant with her seventh child (I can't wait for the new sibling to arrive), and her midwife suggested that she get an exercise ball to support her back, abs, and relax her puffy feet. (Sorry Mom, I don't mean to insult you...but you have complained about your feet being puffy.)

I think it might be fun to have an exercise ball for my desk chair. What do you think?

Dog Day

I just found out last night that my boyfriend's dog was put down. My boyfriend, Matt, found out minutes after I did, via his mom's facebook status. Matt didn't know about it because he's not living at home this summer. Matt is living near his college campus, working with the campus to clean up the dorm buildings.

Matt knew that Jasper was getting old, and that they would have to put him down sometime this summer. He had asked his mom, Julie, not to tell him when she was going to put Jasper down until later in the day, so that way Matt wouldn't have a cruddy day. But when we said goodnight via skype, I could tell Matt wasn't doing well.

I felt horrible because
a) I couldn't be there for him
b) I started crying before he did. My boyfriend loves his dogs, especially Jasper because Jasper has been with him through almost all of his hard times.
c) And he didn't feel like talking about it.

I know Matt didn't want to talk because (and he told me this) it's something he wants to do in person. So thank goodness he's coming to visit this weekend.

On a happier note, I just had my 19th birthday on Monday! :D And, for my birthday, Matt's going to take me to Ikea in the Twin Cities. I hope that will be a nice break for him.