Taking the path of most resistance... one step at a time...

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One week until the Hemophilia Foundation of Illinois’ Gala… It has been great (and a little stressful) being part of the planning committee for the first time… none of the executives I work with truly understand how much time is needed to do perform the role correctly (and keep up with everything else)… and HFI says “I done good!”

The feedback I got from people outside the bleeding community was AMAZING… Heaven on Seven, Rosebud, Comedy Shrine, Tasting DeVine Cellars, and many more… but the coolest was I Have A Bean coffee roasters…

It was kismet I think that I walked through their door. Went to get freshly roasted coffee… came away with a promise for a meeting to discuss their support of the Gala… and they have surpassed my expectations… amazing!

The coffee is very good and could not get fresher and just as importantly… their mission is admirable and I would recommend you check them out.

Next Saturday will be a LONG day... pedicure... haircut... hotel by noon… have already planned on staying there overnight… so I can run up, shower, (NAP), and change (it’s a black tie shindig) after our set up meeting and getting the auction items laid out… and then being the OCD Control Freak h!gh achiever that I am… have said I would help out at midnight to organize the auction paperwork and pack up… so needless to say… my VP did not bat an eye when I told her I was expensing the room...

It will be a little nerve-wracking as I have to get up and speak to over 400 people about the program I Have A Bean put together and how it will impact HFI… I suppose staying away from the hooch will help (I'll do shots after ;-)
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My title at work will be changing… more on that later… umm… talk about anxiety… I will need more than a stress ball on my desk… Punching bag? Xanax? Among other things!!
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I swear I don't know where the time went... Christmas seemed like yesterday!

Not much to say... work is very chaotic... and downtime still seems to involve work... Lucky if I get to see friends every couple weeks...

On a fun eco note... the kids are using a bento style lunch box with an insulated bag for lunches at school. We also send drinks in Sigg bottles. We have had fun thinking outside of the box for ideas... and eliminating almost all of the waste is great.

I am very excited that I have my week sewn up for the Hemophilia Foundation of Illinois' Summer Camp... 1 week... 80-90 kids... me, another nurse and a hematologist in the medical cabin... the doctor tells me we have A/C... looking forward to a great week!
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Day 4 of the new year... and I have already forgotten to bring my cloth bags into the grocery store twice!

I was trying to think of ways to remember... any ideas?

Of course every time I remember I am  already in the checkout lane... "Um, excuse me. Can you wait a few minutes? I'll be right back!" Probably not a good idea... I get irritated when the person in front of me needs a price check on their toe fungus cream shampoo... and that undoubtedly takes less time than running out to ones car.

I mentioned to my local store when I picked up milk tonight that they should put signs in their parking lot to remind us... and on the IN door... or perhaps a blast of air in the face?

We got back from California to a water heater that didn't work and a furnace that decided to follow suit... It's been less than 20 degrees (it was 4 degrees when we got home)... the water coming out of the tap was colder than the water in my fridge! Bet I could have talked The Middlest Bickerson into a shorter shower this morning :)

Bella had been a little reserved since coming back from her week long "sleep-over camp" her boyfriend Mitch's house.... but the minute the plumber and HVAC guy walked into the house... she was by my side and kept her eye on them. I still think she misses Mitch and Brad a little... she's quiet... for her.

Still working on my 100 things... one thing I recently did was buy a pack of  6 dish cloths for wiping up water/spills/etc on counters... I use them instead of paper towels whenever I can... and then just pop them in the laundry (they take up almost no space in the washing machine)...

Don't you wonder how our grandmothers managed without paper towels... I know my gramma always used a damp dish towel and it always smelled clean... like soap. She used to wash out bread bags and reuse them too!

A cool thing my mom did was get some bar/dish towels and tie dye them... I think she should make them in sets as sell them as paper "less" towels!
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The Bickerson's  The children and I made it to California in one piece (translation: I did not kill them) yesterday. Very long day. But happy to be here with all my girls and mom.

It's unusually mild up here at moms. Yesterday we sat outside and watched the dogs play in the sun. Temps will most likely be upper 50's during the day and 30's in the morning. Kids will be in moms pool as often as they can! Mom has paperwhite narcissus that are just blooming OUTSIDE, but the maples have Fall red leaves.  She also has oranges on her tree... which she says she uses as lemons they are so sour. Her lemon tree gave nothing this year.

It got chilly enough when the sun went down that we ate at the dining room table. I don't think we've done that in all the time mom has owned the house when we have been out to visit! A big salad, crispy thin fries, steak (rare!) and carmelized onions with mushrooms... Oh... and champagne.

And since the kids and I had gotten up at about 2:30am Chicago time... The littlest Bickerson (LB) and I were ready for bed by 8pm Cali time!

Our week will be simple yet fun. Today the kids get to swim in the pool. LB is going to "help" mom change the filter. She is really only helping so she can get in faster!

Fort Bragg on Monday; Dharma Trading,  Lagunitas Brewery tour, and In-N-Out Burger on Tuesday; the girls will tie dye with mom on Wednesday; Thursday I think I am cooking Greek/Meditarranean for a small New Year's Eve get together... menu is still a work in process.
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Of course the weather is crap this week... so out flying experience can be that much more special!

Watching "A Muppet Christmas" with my girls.... we are enjoying Dagoba drinking chocolate (a gift in my 'stocking' from Brad) and some popcorn. It's really good 'cocoa'... organic... none of the fillers in Swiss Miss... full-on chocolate taste.

Am in the process of testing out the (3) phosphate/bleach free dishwasher soaps that listed on the consumer reports... will fill you in when I make my decision.

We leave for mom's in a couple days... suppose I should start packing!

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I was having a moment of nostalgia today... thinking of my Christmas stocking when I was little...

We got oranges (the special ones my grandmother ordered in a box from Florida) and they were the best oranges... and I think I did not appreciate them enough.

My uncle John always brough bars of Hershey's Gold chocolate bars with almonds when they came from Pennsylvania... I got one in my stocking... and my grandmother hid the rest as though they were gold from Fort Knox.  I remember breaking off the first piece... the crunch of the almonds...

Our tree was always a blue spruce... not big, or full, or bushy... not quite a Charlie Brown tree... but I loved sitting by it... the way it smelled...  and going out with my grandfather to cut it down at the back of the field... and the lights were those huge colored bulbs... I swear there where only 12 lights on the tree... but I am sure there were more! As I am sure I would not appreciate it so much if I took part in cleaning up the needles after a few weeks of the dry wood stove heat!

I miss the house on Bear Swamp so much... seconds, minutes and days I wanted to wish away at the time... now I would happily be there again. What a sap I am!

Unless you live under a rock... you have seen "It's a Wonderful Life" with James Stewart. I honestly do not remember seeing it until I was in my late 20's... but it has become a seasonal staple each year.

Tonight we are going to see it on the big screen... and yes I am bringing plenty of tissue... since I know I will be crying... in public, no less!

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As a local brewery near us says... " Warrenville water eats appliances!"

Indeed it does. We have incredibly hard water. Drops of water on the car from the hose leave white circles. And it's a constant battle in the shower. I had gotten a new dishwasher last year (replacing the 18 year old one we had). I have to say... I hated how it cleaned (or didn't clean as the case may be) and the white powdery residue left behind. I tried several rinse agents, different detergents, etc... getting very frustrated and ultimately going back to handwashing a lot of dishes! Which as you know uses a lot more water and energy.


A few months ago I found a product called Lemi Shine that helped in the dishwasher with the spots. Dishes got "cleaner", but not squeaky clean. It is citric acid based, thus eco friendly, and for its level of citric acid content it worked great... and I was a little happier with the dishwasher... for awhile...

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With less than 3 weeks to go in this year... I am preparing a list of green behaviors... not sure how many it will number... but my goal is to incorporate as many (on a consistent basis) in my life as I can over the course of one year. The key will be to build upon each one... and stay with it...

I can say one thing... Greenie number 1: Remember my $#%*&*!#$ grocery bags! Every frigging time I get up to the cashier... I smack myself in the head and say "Damn! The bags are in the trunk!"

Of course not sure how that impacts my Bella Yard Duties... but I have a couple more weeks to figure it out!

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The Bickersons girls and I loved Let It Be Christmas as much, if not more, seeing it the second time. Took Bella to the vet this morning to get her Bordatella booster so she can go to the boarder while we are in California at Christmas.

House cleaning today... and my work Christmas party today with Brad. Maybe a few pics later. Might even need a nap after cleaning as I am deficient several hours after work travel this week.

We had our morning meeting today at Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore. Had seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and was excited to be able to eat somewhere that was local and non-cookie cutter-ish for a change. Most business trips have the pharma reps picking where we go and they pick the usual chain suspects. Today was a pleasant surprise. I had heard that Blue Moon's service was "brusque"... but I thought our waitress was nice and our needs were well met.

We started with a cinnamon roll which we split. It was big and sinful. One of the better one's I've had (Ann Sather's being my favorite!). Bill, my co-worker got an omelette with lump crabmeat, avocado, bacon, and cheese (Swiss I think). It was very tasty and was loaded with crab.

I got the Cap'n Crunch French toast (as did the Bayer rep). It came with real whipped cream and berries. It was very good. No syrup needed as the cereal was sweet enough. I would have liked a more eggy/custardy insides though. But I would get it again... after I had a chance to try other things on the menu. After our meeting (which lasted about 2 hours, and they never made us feel rushed) we walked back over to the car and saw we were near the Broadway market... stalls with fruits, meat and some really fresh looking fish on ice...

I set Lauren up last night with supplies to paint silk... this is what she came up with... and she wants to give it to her third grafde teacher... I hope her teacher find it as precious as I do!!

It's been year since I have been here... time does really fly, so it would seem!

First snow over here this morning... listening to the metro traffic and not looking forward to it kicking off into high gear!

Of course I am flying on Wednesday so there is supposed to be significant snow and sleet... perfect! Hope the weather in Baltimore is a little milder... have not been out that way in awhile. Excited... was able to get a sweet deal at Hotwire.com... got my room for under my company room rate policy... 4 stars... should be a good trip... but it's going to be a whirlwind week...

Friday night the girls and I are going to see Let It Be Christmas at CCC... we saw their production last year and were so impressed... so thinking this year will be just as good, if not better...

Excited to help get care packages over to our soldiers... the kids and I are going to get zip locks filled with trial size items and drop them off at Naper Nuts & Sweets for their Operation Caramel Corn program...

I have 6 scarves to get made in the next 2 weeks... fingers crossed.

More coffee is in order... and since I have a home office... I don't have to venture out today. Tomorrow is a different story:)

After a really long week of VERY early flights... yesterday happened!

This was the first time I have been part of it....and all I know is I want to be part of it again!!!

A break away from my church is called Community 4:12. It focuses on the mainly Hispanic under privileged area of East Aurora, Illinois.

For the last 6 years they have given the community a Toy Mart... let me explain...

Our church networks, to gain toy and financial donations (for more toys) to then sell those toys to the families of 2 schools (Brady and Bardwell Elementary) in East Aurora, Illinois. The families are able to purchase up to 8 toys at $2 each (so it does not feel like a handout). Those monies are then split amongst the elementary schools for needed supplies for art, music, etc...

In addition to our congregations giving of their time and money... Both Starbucks and Caribou (rivals!!) donated both the time of their employees and enough coffee and hot cocoa to serve to 4000 parents and children waiting out in the cold yesterday morning... Starbucks also presented Community 4:12 with a financial gift at the end of the day! Let me also mention and thank Meijer for their gift certificates and assistance in purchasing more for the donation money would have allowed thanks discounts in cost!

I played a very small part of this whole event this year... 1 person out of 1000(!!!!) volunteers! But I really felt the Joy of giving back... and want to help that much more next Christmas and in the months to come!

This year, despite the economic fears... we exceeded our toy goal by 2000 toys for a total of 9500 toys...

We provided toys for Christmas morning (or Midnight as is the Hispanic tradition) for 3500 families.

$ 12,000 is going to the schools for their programs and needs... How cool it that!!

An amazing feat of logistics... from outside parking direction to crowd control to restocking to cashiers to gift wrapping to kid crafts and so on.... I am in awe and want to help it run even smoother next year!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Choas and Ode To Joy!!

OMG... I love Andy Rooney!

This dates me... but how appropriate for this week... note women and men of color casting their votes... see... all that hope in the Seventies... all that hope now!