Yeah, Mon...

Omg so I'm back to this barren wasteland...and the drying out period has officially begun. (**Ann looks around and desparately, wildly search for Kevvin or Garry to make her a margarita...blended with salt...then sobs**)...

I can't believe that at 8:00 a.m., I was soaking in the golden rays of sunshine, the blueness of the ocean, the greenness of the trees and grass... Okay, so I'm not so poetic. But you get the picture.

I need to find something earth-shatteringly sobering...something that can make an A&E style intervention to this Jamaica addiction. Oh yeah, I need to wash and iron ****ing WORK PANTS. That did it. Lame. Vacation is officially over.

Good to be back though (other than the hideous weather and lack of awesome "yeah mon"ing staff and 24/7 drinks) :)

More soon....

MOVING DAY!!!

Yes, it's true. I'm moving! Cannot WAIT!!!


As an ode to my former but beloved homestead, I will post a picture of my backyard TODAY:






and my backyard TOMORROW:

Hehehehehe... *zips up suitcase and dons sunglasses* I'm outta this effin' arctic trundra!!

Thanks, farmboy, for the awesome trip!! Yay!

Chat with you all upon my return! :) :) :)

Love y'all MUCHO and Namaste!

Ann

Wedding Pics & Random Questions

Yo-ity yo. How is everyone? I'm bored let's do a little question and answer session, eh? Who asked me these questions, you question? No one. I made them up! Some are questions people ask me a lot, some are just random as hell. Yes, I'm interviewing myself on my own blog. So?? So. So what! Sooooo…without further ado:

Q: Why is this blog filled with wedding photos?

A: I'm trying to figure out which ones to have our photographer put in our super sweet album!

Q: When and where was this weddin'?

A: We got married July 12, 2008 at Kurt's church. The reception and most of the pics were at his farm.

Q: Your b-day is when?
A: March 16, the day before St. Patrick's Day. I love my b-day :)

Q: What's the scoop with your parents?
A: My parents were divorced when I was 10. My dad, Rick, is the greatest dad in the world. He lives in Coal Vally with my stepmom, Patty. My mom, Dede, was not the greatest mom in the world but she tried. As I get older, I'm starting to appreciate her more. It's hard for her to live up to my dad, since he always put my brother and I first and foremost.

Q: Interesting facts about your parents?
A (Dad): Born in Germany. Adopted in Germany by my grandparents. My grandpa was in the military over there. Dad's original name was Reinhold Helmet Eichinger. My grandparents didn’t think they could get pregnant, so they also adopted my aunt, Sandy, in Germany. They later had four children of their own…so my dad is the oldest of six.

A (Mom): Loves babies. Not so much teenagers. But who does? LOL. Hates the mall, likes Kohl’s. See why we don't see eye to eye all the time??? Well, we kind of see eye to eye, actually. She's 5'2" and I'm 4'11". Dede is the second-to-youngest of seven children, six of which were girls.

Q: Any bro/sis?
A: One brother, Jay, who is 2.5 years younger than moi. This makes him 19. YEAH RIGHT!!! He's totally 28. Brothers are cool, for sure, but I wish we had more siblings. I once received an email forward and part of it said, "How do you know the value of a sister? Ask someone who doesn't have one." This is so true for me. My mom and dad both had HUGE families and we are all really close. I hate that I have no sisters!! My BFF's ARE my sisters so truly, I am still so very lucky.

Q: Well, maybe Kurt has a sister you can adopt?
A: Um, no. He also has one brother, who is my age. This picture is pretty dorky but if you knew Brian and Kurt, you would definitely crack up.

Q: What activities did you do as a kid?
A: Elem/Jr High = tap, jazz, baton, ballet, fight with my brother, flute
High School = OMG cheerleading. Band, orchestra, flags, NHS, French Club, etc. Oh also going to parties and social butterflying with my girls :)
College = Yes, I was a Fighting Bee cheerleader! Go Bees!!

Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Thai!!! I love super spicy (vegetarian) food! Indian is a close second. Close, I say.

Q: Where did you first meet Kurt (Combine)?
A: Al & Jerry's in Eldridge during Eldridge Days. I had just come home from an audit in Tennessee and Kate and Crystal wanted me to meet them so I could meet Kurt. :) They had been trying to get us to meet for about six months. Previously, I had agreed to meet him at a party he was having at Al & Gerry’s. The week of the party, I randomly asked them why Kurt was having a party. They told me it was his COLLEGE GRADUATION PARTY. I was 26 at the time. I said "OMG, I would never date a college boy...he graduated from high school when I graduated from college!!" Haha…and here we are…

Q: Does Kurt just farm?
A: No. He's also a project manager for Petersen Plumbing.

Q: Did he go to college for this?
A: No. He went to Iowa State for Ag Business.

Q: Do they have livestock?
A: Not anymore. Just corn and soybeans now, thank god. I’m sure I’d be in trouble for letting out all the piggies when the semi came to haul them away.

Q: Shouldn’t you support the farm community and eat pigs, cows, chickens, etc?
A: Hello, I totally support the corn and soy community!

Q: How “helpful” are you on the farm?
A: I'm not...unless you considering checking on the wild cats in the barn "helpful."

Q: What is your favorite thing to do on the farm?
A: Watch the hottie husband drive the Deere equipment! Duh!! :) <3> Oh and sit on the deck and think about how beautiful it is out there.

Q: Do you ride in the tractor and combine?

A: Hello, yes.

Q: Can you drive them?

A: Only if Kurt helps me. But I do know how to drive the 4-wheeler though and I can SOMETIMES find them in the fields on my own :)

Q: Can you cook?
A: Yes but only with a recipe. I follow it EXACTLY and try to make it look pretty. I don't do recipes with a "dash" of this or that. I can only cook if I print out a recipe and go to the store and buy everything.

Q: How often do you do this?
A: Approximately once every four months. Hmmm....I think I'm overdue.

Q: Why don't you cook more?
A: Kurt is the best cook in the world!!! Yum!

Q: What is your favorite bar?
A: Tootsie's in Nashville.

(FYI - We did have tables...a freaking million of them. The caterer was originally in the middle of the machine shed. After they left, we only had to take down a few more tables to make room for the band/dancing).

Q: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
A: Seriously, omg, NASHVILLE!

Q: Seriously, are they real?
A: C'mon now! No!!

Q: Name some bad habits.
A: Buying random stuff. Procrastinating. Hitting snooze too many times. Drinking diet pop. Forgetting to remind Belle not to forget her backpack in the mornings.

Q: Do you get along with your in-laws?
A: Yes, I love them!

Q: Have you covered everything?
A: No, I’ll think of some more questions for a different day! :) :) :)

Peace, love and NAMASTE!

Ann :)

Lessons Learned: Sudafed vs. Vin III

So I have some scoop! I saw my yoga friend, Pat, on Kimberly Road randomly today. While talking with windows unrolled, I discovered he has also been el sicko. He's planning to go to Mark's class though...he said Kelly & Evan's class might kill him after his extended break! LOL

Speaking of illness, omg... So today I had a Thai Yoga Massage scheduled with Kelly set for 2pm...not to mention I had already said I'd go for the Shala's photo shoot. SOOO although I was feeling ill, I popped some Sudafed's and rolled. FYI - I'm not a good "medicine taker" as I get all "shaky." Ha! I don't have the world's greatest balance anyway so I was all jittery and hopped up on Sudafed while attempting some dancer's pose/hand on the floor type of deal. Not to mention I was trying to do a decent job since E&K had hired a photographer and I didn't want to be the one messing up all the shots by falling over and whatnot. Needless to say it was interesting (a.k.a. humbling) as always!! Not to mention I practiced next to Kelly, who was literally SILENT the entire time. We're all huffing and puffing and slamming ourselves around the mat while she is literally floating...you can't even hear her feet land. Except when she she slammed down from handstand into chaturanga (sp?). That was crazy!! Kelly, do tell us how you do this floating thing if you happen to read. Anyway, can't wait to see the picture of me with my leg behind my head all slouched over. Super hot!!!!! Not! :P [P.S. Did anyone else notice I like to use the phrase, "Not to mention..."].

Then I had my Thai Yoga Massage with Kelly. I highly recommend!! I had such a hard time not falling asleep the entire time (I was coming down off the sudafed plus the massage bed thing was super comfy)!! FYI - Kelly gives you 25% off your first Thai massage so do try it! Don't forget to tip your masseuse, people! Not just Kelly, but I read in Cosmo that tons of people don't tip their hair stylists, massage therapists, etc. Dying.

THEN, although I wanted to nap for like 5 hours, I agreed to meet the husb at the mall. This would have been fun except for the fact he acts like he's been killed when I'm looking at anything for me (e.g. Victoria's Secret). Now, if I were a guy, I'd think V.S. today would be awesome! You could offer to buy whatever the wife wants and therefore, your Valentine's present shopping = done. Duh. Think Pink, hello. Seriously. Not to mention (my phrase of the day again!!) there are like 20 foot high posters of Gisele Bundchen everywhere...not that MY HUSBAND would EVER look...but you know, for other guys. RIGHT HONEY!?!?!? grrrrrrrrrrrr. :)

Dined at Los Agaves with a couple of friends and now we're home. Sigh...the joys of being (almost) 31. Dude, before we left, Kurt had The Real World on. I was like, "OMG are these people children or am I just old??" Kurt rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah babe, they're...children." Ugh! LOL. Grrr. I used to love that show...now I wonder if they are planning to go to college!!!! This sucks!!!!

Also, my friend Carrie (who we met at Los Agaves) randomly hung out with Mike from yoga and MARK at her friend's party the other Saturday. What a small world!

Mucho love and see you at Ashtanga!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!

Love & Namaste & Get a Thai Massage,
Ann :) :)

Weekend Scoop

Hooooola! So tonight we all (including Kurt's parents) went to the Home Show. It was good...if you're into that sort of thing. It was fun to see the display Kurt and his co-workers made. I made fake friends with the electric fence people (I was just quizzing them), and I made real friends with the Cherrywood Cabinet people. I'm seriously going to call that cat after the big move! I was el sicko so my patience wore thin after 2.5 hours of random meandering. Oops :)

We then went to Blue Cat. The Cranberry Ale was deliciouso but I was heartbroken to see the once to-die-for veggie burger is now a Boca burger. Ew. I have like twelve of them in my freezer right now. It was still okay, though :)

Tomorrow I have to make the ultimate yoga resurection! The "headache/sore throat/man's voice virus" has had Belle and I down all week. Tomorrow, I need to do Vin III and I get my awesomely awesome Thai Yoga Massage from Kelly. Yay! Tomorrow night, me & my groom are going to Best Buy to look at camera cases for the SLR.

Finally, Sunday is Ashtanga at the shala. Gonna be a rough one!! Double yikes!

Shanti y'all!!

Ann :) :)

Ummm...Hello?

Seriously, soooo sorry! *winks* I've been working on a pretty good blog detailing one reason why I've been un-around. So where have I been?

So last weekend in Des Moines (Dead Moans as Jeff would say - ha!) was pretty bueno, except for Belle getting kind of sick as soon as we got there. This eliminated yoga because poor Belle was coughing like crazy on Saturday a.m. Once we were up and around, she was better. So, we got to go to Hu Hot Mongolian Grill, Jordan Creek, and PF Chang's *triple yum* to visit with some friends. Luckily, I had taken her breathing machine! Sunday, we rolled back into town and straight to the doctor. They said she had bronchitis but that it was viral...so she'd have to suffer through with steroids and the breathing machine. Poor baby!

On a lighter note, Kurt seemed to learn a lot from the farm conference so we hope to go next year, too.

This week, Miss Belle was sweet enough to give me her virus. It's been great. I love coughing all day and waking up sounding like a guy when I talk. It's pretty hot. Oh well, I'm just happy it's this week/weekend and not next when I'll be lounging a la beach!! :)

So I've missed yoga and Belle has missed dance all week. I did start doing some major closet purging and bathroom cabinet cleaning this week in preparation for our big move in September (granted I realize this is 9 months away but I have A LOT A LOT A LOT of stuffage).

Mucho love to y'all. It's closing week starting tomorrow so I better go nite-nite :)

Ann