I need YOUR vote!! I'm a FINALIST in the AGCO Christmas Photo Contest!!

Wow!  What a day!!  Never in my life have I ever won anything and now I'm a finalist in AGCO's Christmas Photo Contest.  Whatever happens, at least I'll be able to say, "It was an honor just to be nominated."

Somehow, Sue from AGCO happened upon my recent blog post about decking the farm for Christmas, and commented about how I still needed to submit my photos.  She even found me on Facebook and messaged me that way...that's good customer service!!  Thanks, Sue!

Turns out when I thought I uploaded my photos the other day, they didn't go through, but after the messages from Sue, I resubmitted and this time it worked.  It worked so well, that now I'm a FINALIST!!

So help me win this for my Mom & Dad by casting your VOTE!!

Go to http://bit.ly/4vbJaU on Facebook and "like" my picture...it's the one of my Dad on his 1958 Allis-Chalmers D17 in front of our barn.  Here's the picture you're looking for on the voting site:

My Christmas Baking

Every year when December rolls around, I start baking whenever I can find free time (which can be difficult).  I just like to bake.  People tell me I'm good at it, but maybe they're just being polite. 

I'll keep this post short and sweet.  Following are the cookies I got around to making this year.  I had others on my list, but ran out of time.  Top priorities are the ones that family and friends claim as favorites!  If you're interested in any of the recipes, just let me know.

Clockwise beginning from the 1:00(ish) position:

1. Mint Chocolate Delights
2. Chocolate Chip Cookies with red & green M&Ms
3. Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
4. Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
5. Chocolate Pixies
6. Oatmeal Scotchies
7. Caramel Oatmeal Chewies
8. Shortbread Cutouts
9. Caramel-filled Chocolate Cookies
10. Soft Sugar Cookies
11. (in the center) Gingerbread Cutouts

Deck the Farm

This is the barn at our family farm. I think it’s the best-looking barn around. It’s just what a barn should look like. It’s a small barn as far as old barns go, but I love our barn. Each year, ever since I was in high school I think, I create a giant wreath to bedeck the barn. This post is going to be a pictorial journey of the construction of the 2009 edition of the wreath.

Fitness Update

I’m still at it…hitting the gym pretty much every day. I’m running every other day, and I’m doing strength and cardio on the in-between days. It’s consuming my life, but

I’m tired, but it’s all good...

I have some catching up to do! I haven’t written since before Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving morning I was up early to go to the gym for a run. As I tweeted that morning, “Is that something a normal person does on this holiday that’s become known for gluttony and sloth?” The day’s run was the once-a-week sprint workout that my trainer prescribed. It was the first time for the sprint workout, and as funny as it may sound, it has since become my preferred run! It’s way less boring than just running…I walk briskly (4 mph) for 1.5 minutes, then I crank up the speed to 8+ mph for 30 seconds and repeat and repeat and repeat for 30 minutes.

After my workout, I headed over to Mom and Dad’s for a midday Thanksgiving dinner. We did a very low-key Thanksgiving, as I had to leave my house at the crack of dawn on “black Friday” for a trip to National 4-H Congress and I still had laundry and packing to tend to! Mom prepared Thanksgiving dinner, and Aunt Mary and Uncle John joined Mom, Dad, and me for a nice afternoon. Then, I booked it back to my place to finish my pre-trip to-do list!