Another First

So...I recently bought one of these:

And...of course we had our first snow. So, last weekend I used my brand-new snow blower for the very first time. Needless to say, it was pretty comical.

Yes...perhaps my lines were more of a zig zag...

So what if I forgot where the start button was for a hot second?...

Sure, it did take me a bit to adjust the proper height of the spray so I didn't smash out my neighbor's window...

But...that's not why I'm writing this...

...the reason I am writing this post is that I want to know -- Who makes the chick snow blower?

Seriously, I am under 5'2" with child-like hands. Holding those damn levers down for 30 minutes while I blow the snow around is quite ridiculous. I swear I had finger cramps for 2 days! I was NOT informed you have to be a lumberjack to appropriately control a snow blower...

Another first for me...and another lesson learned...

...and crap...it has snowed again...

Resolutions

2011 has come and gone and it's time to create goals for 2012. Here are the top 10 things I plan to accomplish in 2012:

10. BLOG MORE. I've done such a crappy job blogging in 2011

9. Be that person that always has a clean house -- one can dream, right?

8. Convince more of my girlfriends to come spend a night/weekend in the exciting city of Fremont

7. Lose some lbs

6. Reorganize the house - and buy new storage items -- ahhh pretty white storage

5. Get my lawn under control -- it is seriously a jungle...and learn not to hate it so much

4. Paint that nasty trim in my kitchen and bath

3. Paint my kitchen cabinets...yikes

2. Get my files in order -- they are out of control

...and the number 1 thing I plan to accomplish this year is...

1. Give back to my parents. The amount of good deeds they did for me in 2011 is quite ridiculous and I am indebted to them forever -- helping me move, driving in a crazy snow storm and helping me clean my old apartment, fixing tons of odds and ends in the house, adding ALL those shelves (in cupboards, cabinets, closets and cubbies), installing washer, dryer and dishwasher, cutting my bed in 2 and re-attaching to get up the stairs, hanging 20 sets of mini-blinds, fixing the hanging situation in my closets, helping with the tree situation - and the pipe situation, helping me mow the lawn for the first time EVER and teaching me how to handle/take care of the lawn mower, giving me/hooking up the AC window unit, watching my dog a MILLION times, hanging out at my house while cable and AC installation guys were there, driving my butt around a LOT, letting me hang out at their house and eat all their food, giving Niko a second home, KILLING THE BAT, driving 7 hours for my ikea bookcase and then putting it together and leveling it, installing the medicine cabinet, going chainsaw crazy in my back yard....and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I have the best parents EVER and I'll never be able to come close to repaying them for what they do for me -- but in 2012 I will give back as much as I can.

Here's to a successful 2012!

Turning 30: Shockingly NOT the End of the World

I turned the big 3-0 on Saturday the 21st.

Yeah, yuck...I know.

Unless you live under a rock, you remember that Saturday at 6pm they were calling for the Rapture to begin.
Big Surprise -- it didn't.

However, I did have a fabulous birthday. From cards, to presents, to people stopping by my house to wish me happy birthday, Birthday breakfast cake, homemade cards from my neice and nephew, calls at midnight, birthday cakes at work, partying to the wee hours of the night -- I had a great birthday. ...downed a bottle of wine BEFORE going to Mega 80s at the Intersection. Probably the best birthday yet.

And here, I thought it was the end of the world.

I would post pics...but I promised I wouldn't...oh the things I promise when I'm drunk...

Monster Ball

MARCH 1 -- LADY GAGA

Tami and I decided to go together and got some pretty sweet tickets when they went on sale almost a year ago and we were not disappointed.

We decided to get into GR early to beat the crowd, so we went to the BOB for a bit before the show.

HOLY LEOTARD FREAKSHOW!!!

Yes, I was fully prepared to see people decked out in Gaga gear --- but I wasn't quite prepared for all the people in leotards. We saw SO many "look-a-likes". While I couldn't get any good shots, I pulled some pics from the original Gaga looks.

We saw a bunch of these:

And these...

One pop can girl looked pretty sweet. Although, her poor friend had a less than impressing set of pop cans.

The most common theme we saw that night was this:

While I am very impressed with the amount of people that were brave enough to wear leotards...I have to point out that about 99% of them should NOT have worn them. Just because you know where to buy a leotard does not mean that anyone wants to see you in one. But, kudos for the courage to do so.

Tami and I had a blast...and next time I won't take 2 months to post...but, I was born this way, baby

This is NOT About Trees Falling on My House

My first post about the new house can NOT be about the tree falling on it...so, I'm going to write about my neighbor instead.

We all have bad neighbors, crazy neighbors, WT neighbors, right?

Just because you have bad neighbors doesn't mean you hate your house, right?

I LOVE my house. Sure, there are a million things I want to change (or fix now that the tree fell on it), but my house is absolutely ME. It Sazzles. I have a fabulous office, beautiful hardwood floors, crown molding, curb appeal, plenty of storage, and gigantic fenced yard that Niko loves.

How bad could a neighbor really be?

Well...I think it would be a violation of some sort to post a picture, but one of my neighbors is on a list. Not only a list, but THE list.

Yes, friends, the Michigan Sex Offender list. And BOY is his picture creepy.

He has a creepy garage that I hear funny noises coming from, Niko doesn't like him (she likes everyone) and is always barking out the window, and my sister, Sarah, was creeped out by him one day while he carried his shovel. But, I digress.

I am choosing to love my house, and my neighborhood, through the good and the bad...but I am asking my cousin (city cop) to stop by every now and then in his cop car --- but he has to park where the dude can see him.

...and as a disclaimer...my other neighbors are SO fabulous. The husband plowed my driveway one day and the wife was my sister's teacher in school -- so I am still happy and safe and in love with where I am.

Through snow and rain and sleet and hail and trees falling on my house -- my house, Niko and I Sazzle, dear friends.

How to Celebrate?

This Saturday I'm celebrating the new job and buying my house -- I'm going out with one of my best friends, Kirsti. Her husband, Brandon, is going to be DD and comedic relief :)

So...here's my question. What should we do?

Obviously dinner and drinks are in order...I'm a huge fan of On the Border for both.

But, Blog Friends: What else should we do?

It's Official!

I moving back to my hometown of Fremont, Michigan.

The job is Call Center Supervisor for Gerber Life Insurance. I have 8 years of call center experience and over 4 years of managerial experience...so hopefully I can hit the ground running.

While I will have to deal with no Target, Starbucks or the mall, I am going to be living next to my family and Niko gets a super huge fenced yard to play and run and just be her.

I'm super excited and there will be a ton of updates -- so stay tuned!!!