He's my Best Fwend

Since I haven't devoted a blog to him combined with the fact that he is now a part of the blogging community, I am dedicating this message to him.

He's my best friend.

Shawn and I share everything together: our interests, our greatest & most exciting moments, our frustrations in the spinning-our-tires stage we seem to be in, and our anxiousness for the winter snowboarding season to arrive. We share lots and lots.

And there no one else I would like to share these things with.After all, he is an only child so he hasn't even come CLOSE to fulfilling his sharing quota for his near-quater century of life.

Here are some other couples I would like to compare us to...someday:

Bambi and Flower

Peanut Butter and Banana

Celine Dion and Josh Groban

Two hands making high-fives

New-Car scent and a past-its-prime vehicleEveryone looks at these pairs and thinks, "The universe is in a more perfect balance because those two are together." Don't deny it.

If it's brown, it's not necessarily down

Ohhhh the great tradition of deer hunting. You can just feel the excitement build upon the first few days of November in the anticipation of the first weekend of rifle season. You begin to see more and more orange coats and hats being adorned by outdoorsmen across the state.Fridges and cupboards are stocked with all kind of on-the-stand goodies to help keep the avid hunter nourished and sharp. Lights are out earlier than normal on Friday and coffee is prepared before the rays of the sun have brushed the morning sky. Hunters wait anxiously to hear the crack of the first shot. The season has begun.

Their eyes search the seas of brown grass for an animal who's coat has undergone centuries of evolution to mimic the weed's golden hues perfectly. The human tries to out-listen an animal who's ears are 100 times more sensitive; with its nose acting as it's main defense, man has little hope in concealing himself for long. But yet he tries. Morning and night he huddles to his steaming coffee mug and searches land for the graceful and silent animal. This is hunting.

It is not simply a tradition. It is an honor.

Big Sky or Bust!

I am a lucky lucky girl. Probably one of luckier I know. If I somehow win the lottery that PROVES there's something magical in my possession (especially since I never buy a lottery ticket)! Anyway, my next adventure that brings total excitement in my life is Shawn and I's trip out to Big Sky, Montana to visit little sister Alli and celebrate her 21st birthday. Going snowboarding on lone mountain will be an extra bonus!
Yesterday, Shawn and I bought our Frequent Sky Card which gives us 14 days of FREE snowboarding (early & late season) and lotsa discounts throughout the season! The card will pay for itself in 2 days of boarding so I'm confident it was a smart purchase.

So Shawn and I will embark on our westward adventure on November 28th, just a week after Alli moves there for the season.

Don't be a butt-head!

I see patients that come in with horrendous teeth because they didn't find time in their busy busy schedule to take care of them. Honestly, it's not that time consuming or overly difficult. In fact, it's one of those things we can all be experts at (like blinking, chewing, and scratching). So here's my message: don't be one of those people who sits down in the chair and opens their mouth to a whole bunch of brownish-stained, decaying teeth cause you have NO excuse. My next project is getting Karley to be an avid flosser. Wish me luck!!

All I want for Christmas is to go back to school!

Crazy huh? Not for me. I'm eyeballs deep in applying for dental school. That's the dream. I've been super fortunate in getting job at Miller Hill Dental as a dental assistant/aide. While there I get to clean and prepare operatories, develop film (x-rays), clean and sanitize tools, and help with Dr. Kaake when needed. I even get to hold suction sometimes!! I know to some the job might not seem glamorous, but I'm excited about where my life is headed. I think dentistry is what I've been called to do as a service to others. Although you can make a great living in the profession, it truly is a selfless job slaving away in someone else's mouth all day. Anyway, I hope I measure up to the big wigs who will be going over my application.

Do you see me as a future:

Golden Gopher?

Sooner?

Jay?

Pacific-er?

We'll see. I'm going to lean on Jeremiah 29:11 and keep my chin up!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future."

Counting down the days...

So Shawn got me hooked and I no longer have control. I started snowboarding last January ('08) and have loved it since the 1st day. Well, almost every day. There were the days I came away with some nasty bruises, and even a broken bone! (I broke my rib going on rail my 3rd time out. Hey, I didn't want to be the one who couldn't anything anymore!) Anyway, it's been a great ride (literally) and I thought I should share some great memories made on my Feelgood with Shawn and his Twin and Alli and her K2. Us 3 have had some pretty great adventures on our boards, the greatest among them was our trek out to Montana. Speaking for the 3 of us, we all think of our days on Lone Mountain in the days of stress, school, work, and all the yuck that comes with it. I've been counting down the days till I can strap on my beautiful board and shred the gnar again!Here's Shawn getting ready to actually do this box. He's awesome. He's my inspiration.Alli's learning, she pretty much started this season. She did a box perfectly out in Montana, and rocked it! Like so...
The lodge we stayed at was the greatest! They were the most hospitable staff. They made us a made-to-order breakfast each morning and partied with us at night. Shawn and I took advantage of the LAST quarter-cent pool table in the countryBelieve me, Alli and I take advantage of our time on the lifts. If you were anywhere on Lone Mountain on the days of Jan 8-13, you probably heard/saw us singing and dancing on the chair lifts.We all feel quite at home in our shredding gear, I don't think any of us would have a problem making Montana our REAL home! A group shot from the *near* top of Lone Mountain on the Big Sky side. It was pretty exhileration coming down from those hights, and Alli had her biggest struggle of all when she found herself in about 4 ft. of soft powder and had to fight (roll, splatter, scream in frustration) her way out. It was hilarious. You need to see the video, maybe I'll post it if I can find 10 hrs of free time :)

All and her boarding mentor, Shawn. I could be mentor if I had more to say than, "Just bend your knees and don't fall!"
Alli and I had our groove/rap/weirdy/black barbie session every morning while getting ready. It was hot. No, literally. I advise everyone to not dance around for long periods of time wearing long johns and wool socks. Sweaty.
Bye bye, Montana. See you soon if I win the lottery or decide to disown my lifelong goals and familyor get amnesia and wake up as a pro snowboarder or become a anthropologist and want to find a baby sabertooth tiger on Lone Mountain and then just snowboard around while my team digs it up, but then I'm there in the newspapers and my family contacts me and says, "Hey you got amnesia, but we're your family! Come back to Minnesota!" and I'll be all "Do you have mountians and/or frozen 30 million old sabertooth tiger babies in Minnesota?" and they'll be like, "Well, no..." and that's when I'll be like, "Then you're not my family!!"

Dance with Me!

I never thought I'd be a fan, but the dreaded day has come- I watch (and enjoy immensely) Dancing with the Stars.

Here are my favorites: Melissa Close second! Shawn Johnson

It's coming down to the finals so you should check it out on Monday and Tuesday nights on ABC. I don't think you'll be disappointed.