Bryan and I are sitting at a Wendy's in Richfield with our real estate agent, putting in an offer for this house: http://matrix.northstarmls.com/Matrix/Public/Email.aspx?ID=1538346180 I hope we get it!!

 

First day on the job was great. Lots of information to learn! Wow. I'm going to like this job though. Everyone is really nice and welcoming. Bryan likes his new job too. Allina Commons is a beautiful facility and they've done a great job with it. Anyway, still at Wendy's, so I'll fill you all in later!

A couple of nights ago, Ty, Becki and Jason came over to join Bryan, Jennie and me to watch Two for the Money. It was a pretty good movie. It was good to see everyone again. Good to be back here too. Got a call last night from my ol' Sprint buddy Skyler. There are a few people I should give a call to soon to catch up. This morning, Bryan and I are sitting in Dunn Brothers looking through the Sunday paper for open houses. We are at odds on which house we like. Bryan wants one that is a little bit more expensive and needs some fix up work and I like one that is a bit cheaper but is all ready to go. Beautiful hardwood floors too! I think we need to keep looking for something we both love. Later today, we are going to the Minnesota Golf Show at the Metrodome.

 

Tomorrow, we both start our new jobs! I'm really excited to start. I've always wanted a career with a big company with a downtown location. So I am VERY thankful for Ty and his good word that he put in for me and encouraging me to apply for jobs with the company. Yay!! Networking and friends rock!

 

Last night, we went to a party at Jan's house. It's a beautiful old house that they've fixed up. When we got there, we were "matched" with drinks. Jennie and I were matched with margaritas and Bryan and Chris were matched with Honey Weiss. Hmm, wonder if that was rigged?? Corey and Carrie were there too, they are expecting a baby boy... any day now! Can't wait to meet the new baby. His name is going to be Carter. How cute. It was the first time we've seen them for a year! We congratulated them on getting married too. Jennie had a Lia Sophia party yesterday and it was a fun time. Great apps and fun company.

 

Wow, it's been pretty busy. I hope we find a house that we like soon. Can't wait to move into something that's all our own. We will probably take Zoe to the dog park later today. I just ate an Egg McMuffin. Mmmm... they are good.

 Last night, we watched Nicholas Cage's movie The Weather Man. I thought it was pretty hilarious. He gets pelted by fast food items like shakes, nuggets, tacos, etc. throughout the movie. The night before, we watched The Perfect Man. Very predictable, not the best movie, but there was nothing else available at Redbox that we hadn't already seen before. I've also been reading the Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which incidently, is nothing about hunting and fishing. It was a very entertaining book and I definitely recommend it. I'm just getting started on He's Just Not That Into You, which I've heard is quite cute. Watched the Olympics last night. Interesting watching the ice-skating. I don't think I've watched the Olympics for years now.

 

Later this afternoon, we are meeting with our real estate agent to take a look at some homes. Our financing has been approved (YAY!)  so if we find one we'd like, we are going to put in an offer. How exciting!!

 

Melissa & Britani- I went to Sephora yesterday and found out that I'm a medium for Bare Escentuals. I bought the starter kit. Haven't had time to watch the DVD yet (cover says it's 60 minutes long??) so I haven't tried it out yet. Will do that later today if I have time.

It's official! After our immigration interview this morning, I am now the holder of a (conditional) permanent resident green card. Yay! The interview only took about 10 minutes. Easy. We got up early this morning, went to IHOP for breakfast and then headed to the interview.

 

Redbox is a great way to rent DVDs! It's only a dollar per night to rent and they have all of the new releases. They are available in many McDonald's restaurants. Easy to use, very cheap rentals.

Yesterday, we met up with our home mortgage broker and we are in the process of getting pre-approved for a home loan! Yay!! We are meeting with our real estate agent this weekend to look at some homes. There seems to be some nice houses out there within our price range, so I'm hoping we get into something soon.

 

We took Zoe to an off-leash dog park down the street and there were plenty of other dogs, running around, playing, jumping, fetching. Zoe decided to just walk the perimeter of the park, along the fence. She blends into the color of the dead grass and figured that if she stayed away from the other rowdy dogs, they would just leave her alone. After that, we went to PetSmart and picked up a few treats and a new dog tag with our new telephone numbers on it. I think she enjoyed PetSmart more than the dog park!

It's official. Bryan, Zoe and I are no longer residents of East Grand Forks, MN. On Monday morning, we loaded up our cars and drove down to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. For the time being, we are staying at my friend Jennie's town house. We met with a mortgage person earlier today and we are going to start looking at some homes. Hopefully, we will be able to find a place we like, put in an offer and move in soon!  We miss all you guys in Grand Forks! Come visit us soon. I still can't get the darn MSN Spaces photo upload feature to work, so I've got a bunch of pictures from Vegas and Zoe's birthday party to share, but I can get them to you!  I'll keep trying. Hope they fix it soon!!

On Thursday, Bryan and I get to spend the morning at our immigration interview. I'm not really too sure what to expect. Just a list of things to bring with us. Hopefully, after the interview, I'll be official! We are also meeting up with a mortgage guy to talk about financing a home. After we get that worked out, we'll take a look at more homes and hopefully put in an offer on a place we like!

 

Tonight is our last night in Grand Forks and we are going out for dinner with Linda and we are either going to go to a movie or rent something after that.

 Zoe celebrated her birthday at Ruffin' It Doggie Day Care today with her four-legged friends Harley, Chance, Napoleon and Sophie. Two-legged friends included Britani, Melissa, Steve, Linda and the owners of Ruffin' It.  Took lots of pictures but MSN Spaces still hasn't fixed their photo upload feature.  The dogs enjoyed Frosty Paws with peanut butter and a cookie treat. YUM!  They really got a kick out of that! They ran around, played, sniffed butts, chased each other, fetched toys and just had a plain ol' good time. Too bad we can't do this ever day!

 

Thanks to Britani and Melissa for the very cool "Rub My Tummy for Good Luck" tee and to Gretchen for the photo frame! You guys are great!

 

On the human front, we are completely ready to move! Tomorrow we are going just relax, go for dinner with Linda, get Bryan's oil changed and hang out. On Monday morning, we will hit the road.  Leavin' Grand Forks, now for the 2nd time!

Why is it that when you want something really bad, with all of your heart, and then you get what you want, it's never as satisfying as you thought that it would be? Is it because you have it so hyped up in your mind that nothing will ever meet your expectations? Or is it because situations change? Either way, I can't believe how blessed I have been. Very happily married to a man who makes me laugh, who dances with me  and sings along to music, who loves Zoe as much as I do, who talks to her and then answers back, like we are crazy. Who will do anything to make me happy.

 

I haven't done that much packing and I'm already sick of it! I'm ready to just buy our own place, move once and for all and settle down somewhere! Hope that happens sooner than later.

 

The weather has been HORRIBLE lately. Wind chills of up to 60 below are expected. BRRRR... that is so cold!! I hope everyone stays inside and keeps warm. I put my "I Danced on the Bar at Coyote Ugly" t-shirt on Zoe before I let her outside. My dog usually doesn't wear clothes, but she just had a haircut not too long ago and it's so cold out, I thought it would be best to have some added protection for her. Looking for another warm sunny day.

Spent today changing addresses on bills, subscription and all that good stuff. Wow, what a pain. And to think we are going to have to do it again when we move into our own place. I think I got it all done. Now it's on to the packing.

 

Tonight, I'm going to a candlelight fundraiser dinner at Bryan's mom's church. I better find something to wear and take a shower!

 

Slept until almost 1pm today!! But I still feel tired. I think my immune system is trying to fight something off. I have the occasional sore throat, coughs and sniffles. Yuck. I hope I just get better.

On Mon Feb 20, Bryan, Zoe and I will be moving back to the Twin Cities. It's been a year and two months since we've moved back to Grand Forks, worked at SEI and made a great group of friends, but it is time to leave and head to something new and different. Thank you to everyone who have made an impact to our lives. You will be missed. Look us up if you guys are in the Twin Cities!

 

I've packed a few boxes, but I really need to get moving and get everything else packed up and ready to go. Bryan and I are both looking forward to starting our new jobs- Bryan at Wells Fargo Financial and myself at Allina. We are staying in Jennie's spare bedroom for the time being and we will be looking to buy a house soon. Yay!!

 

This weekend is Zoe's birthday party. Should be a good time! Go pups!

 

It's great catching up with old friends from a long time ago. Shout outs go to Amit, Adrian and all you out there from KL!

Las Vegas was SO FUN! Britani, Melissa and I left on Thursday evening for Fargo to catch our flight to Las Vegas. We got there late at night and walked around to McDonald's and Walgreens to pick up some food. We checked into the (very classy) Circus Circus and made our trek to our hotel room. It was cleaner and better than I expected, so I obviously didn't expect much!

 

On Friday, we woke up VERY early, headed over to the Mandalay Bay, where Melissa was getting a hot stone massage and Britani and I were getting picked up to go SKY DIVING! It was definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life! The plane was tiny, a little Cessna, with duct tape on the inside. We took  a very short video and classroom training, then suited up and headed out to the airport. We watched four others jump while we waited on the ground and then Britani and I made our very first tandem jump. Our instructors we awesome- funny and very experienced! We felt very safe. If anyone is ever going to Vegas and wants to give it a try, their website is www.skydivelasvegas.com- it's worth it! After our plane jumping experience, we headed over to the Aladdin to try their #1 rated buffet. It was so tasty. A great selection of food and desserts. We thought we had died jumping out of the plane and went to heaven! YUM. Melissa got a tattoo at the Palms that day. Very cool looking tattoo on her foot. That night, we went to Coyote Ugly at New York New York and danced at the bar. What a GREAT BIRTHDAY!!

 

On Saturday, we had the champagne brunch at Paris- YUM! and Britani and Melissa went to Cirque du Soleil's O at the Bellagio. We visited many hotels including the Venetian, New York New York, Paris, MGM Grand, Aladdin, Caesar's Palace and Mandalay Bay. Such beautiful architecture. The Wynn is the newest hotel on the strip and it was gorgeous. I loved their colorful tiled floors.

 

On Monday, our last day in Vegas, we all went to the Spa Mandalay for massages. Their hot stone massage was great and we totally felt relaxed. WHAT A FANTASTIC VACATION!

 

I would upload pictures, but MSN Spaces is not working for that. ANNOYING!

Can't believe I am one day away from being 24 years old. Got my haircut today with Jeni at Avant. She does such a great job. I'll miss having her as my hair stylist when we move. Speaking of which, I really should start packing! We are moving in a week and a half. In fact, our bed will be leaving us on Monday with Derek as he comes to pick it up for us. I'll really miss my bed! As long as my comforter stays, I'll be fine. I think I'll start packing away the picture frames, just so I feel like I'm contributing to packing.

 

Melissa is picking me up 2.5 hrs and Steve is bringing us to the Fargo airport. The weather here in Grand Forks is snowy, I hope it's better in Fargo. I'm SO EXCITED TO GO!!

In TWO short days, Britani and I will be jumping out of an airplane over Las Vegas. WOOOOOOHOOOOOO! We are so excited!! Can't believe I'm almost 24! I'm doing laundry right now so I can pack for the trip. Took Zoe for a haircut and now she looks like a tiny poodle. She's half the size she was before! I didn't even know she looked like that underneath all of her fluff. She came home with a pink Valentine's day bandana. Stylish. Had lunch with Britani and Melissa to discuss Las Vegas. It's 75 degrees there!! And 15 below here in Grand Forks. Warm sunshine, great food and sights to see!

Bryan interviewed today for an HR position with Allina. They called him back not even 1 hour after we left and offered him the job!! Now he has two job offers to pick from. Lucky! He is leaning more towards the Wells Fargo Financial position. More competitive pay and it's in an industry he is more interested in. After Bryan's interview, we had lunch with our friend Tyler at the McDonald's in Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Funny that they put a McDonald's in a hospital, huh? The place was pretty busy though.

 

The drive from to and from Grand Forks to Minneapolis is WAY too long!! And BORING.  Glad to be home with the Zoe.

I am currently sitting in the Eden Prairie public library. I forgot what a great resource a library can be. Not really in Grand Forks though. Both the East Grand Forks and Grand Forks libraries don't really much a good variety of books or resources. This library ROCKS. All sorts of books, Internet workstations, etc. Very nice. Am having a heck of a great day. Just found out that I'll be receiving compensation from work up to the point that I would have worked until, I'm going out for my birthday dinner tonight with Bryan and it's just an all round great day. I just borrowed a book from the library called The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2006. I'm going to look through it tonight to plan on things to do when we get there. YAY!!!!!!!

Countdown to the Super Bowl. Went out for breakfast this morning with Jennie and Chris, then we headed to the Bulisco house to visit Jennie's sister Christina, her husband Joey and their three beautiful children Elizabeth, Anna and Andrew. They live in Grand Rapids, Michigan and are here for a visit. The Buliscos just sold their house, so we went to see it one last time. Went to the grocery store to pick up snacks and drinks for our party later tonight. Yay!

 

Later that evening...

Had an fun party  At least I thought so...  Good food, good game and good times. I'm looking foward to going to Vegas on Thursday!!

What a nice day today. Slept in this morning, then took Zoe to obedience class, where she did very well. We got a chance to try out some of the agility course. Zoe loved going through the tunnel and the hoop. After that, we came home and I got ready to go to Sue Thompson's wedding. She was my ex-boss from ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team) at the University of North Dakota Counseling Center. It was a beautiful wedding and a nice reception. Jennie and Steve are staying at the house this weekend and they were in Fargo today. When they got back into town, we all went out to the Blue Moose for a late dinner- Bryan, Linda, Jennie, Chris, Karen, Jerry, Matt and I. Had some good food and plenty of laughs. Now it's getting kind of late.  Need to get to bed. Tomorrow is the Super Bowl! I think the Steelers are going to win. Still have to get to the supermarket to pick up snacks for our party. Boy have I been slacking!

You can get to my blog easily by going to www.ZoeDiggity.com Save it in your favorite links!  Zoe got her shoes at the vet yesterday and today she is going to Foxy Dogs Grooming to get a haircut. She'll look like skinny Zoe again.

 

Jennie and Chris are coming to Grand Forsk tonight and staying till Sunday. We are having friends over to watch the Super Bowl. Personally, I think the Steelers are going to win. I've got to go to the supermarket to pick up some wings, cocktail weenies and snacks. Yay party! Bryan and I will be in Minneapolis on Monday and Tuesday. I leave for Vegas in less than a week!! VERY exciting. I really want to try the Paris and Aladdin buffets. YUM.