Nicole_Koglin's Blog

A brand new season of Idol begins next week! 

Anyone else looking forward to Tuesday night?

Anyone else planning to do that this weekend?

Ugh! I dread doing so...

Just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Have fun and stay safe tonight...

Got plans to do MORE SHOPPING!?

I was so happy to finally finish my holiday shopping last week!  But the Post-Christmas sales are CRAZY!! Tempted to go back out and shop 'till I drop!

Anyone else?

Okay... looking for a little advice here.

I'm a slacker this year when it comes to Christmas shopping. Just bought first round of gifts yesterday. Anyway, I thought I would steer clear of crowds by going during the middle of the afternoon on a Thursday.

No such luck.  The mall was a mad house!

When do you do your shopping? Any ideas on the best times to avoid the crowds?  Or am I out of luck now that I waited to start so close to Christmas?

Haven't started yet. Nope. Not a single gift.

Not sure why I'm procrastinating this year.

Anyone else feel like the earlier this start their holiday shopping, the more they buy? That's what happened to me the last few years.  I already have someone crossed off my list, but then see something else and think 'ooh... they would love that!' Then I end up buying twice the number of gifts!

So this December, trying a different approach.

Anyone else?

Yep- we'll be out there! Just like last year and the year before...

We've always got crews scattered among the crowds of crazy shoppers the morning after Thanksgiving.

I enjoy covering Black Friday chaos, because it's guaranteed to be an action packed morning. It's not often so many people are up as early as Wakeup reporters have to be.

But here's the truth- if I weren't covering Black Friday as an assignment... there's NO WAY I'd be anywhere close to a store the morning after Thanksgiving!

Personally, I find the mad rush frightening! 

Is that part of the appeal for those who take part in this annual escapade?

Have you seen them yet?

The new and improved Mitchell Park Domes re-opened last night! The new lights, etc. are amazing.

For a girl who grew up here, and still remembers grade school field trips to that place, it's fun to see them in a new light!

Anyone agree?

We are surrounded by the stuff this time of year!

Toughest type for me to pass up: Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. LOVE THOSE THINGS!

How about you? What's your favorite candy?

Rob called me out on this during Wakeup today... so figured I should elaborate.

We started chatting about veggie burgers, during one of the show's MANY commercial breaks. That's when I told Rob I recently had the best veggie burger ever at Mo's Irish Pub. 

Seriously...very tasty!  Maybe what surprised me most is that I even enjoyed a meatless meal.

For the record, I'm SOOO not that girl. This Wisconsite loves herself a juicy cheeseburger,  hunk of venison or bratwurst.  So it's not that I ONLY eat veggie burgers. Infact, I only do so on very rare occassions. Which is why I was so thoroughly thrilled that I actually enjoyed it!

Yeah, chatting about veggie burgers at 8:15 a.m!

What did you think we talked about during commercial breaks?

Anyone else notice this?

Jars of small 'trick-or-treat' sized candy popping up on co-workers' desks. 

I know, I know... it happens every October, right? The stuff has been in stores for weeks. No surprise it finds its way into our offices.

Problem is, if you're like me... it's an inner battle everyday not to eat all of it!

Ugh..

Rob and I chatted about it this morning,  his weekend plans include decorating the yard for Halloween.

Anyone else?

Are Halloween decorations big at your house?

Have you seen the new and improved Wakeup page, yet? Fun and very easy to use...

Thanks web team!!!

Too often in this business we see the ugly side of people, which makes days like yesterday so neat.

Wednesday, I met an animal lover in West Allis who saved three baby foxes.

The man found great joy in watching a family of foxes play in his backyard. Only a few months after the babies were born, he noticed how sick they suddenly appeared. The animals' fur was falling out  and they appeared to be almost too weak to hunt.

Long story short, the baby foxes are now recovering at the Wisconsin Humane Society. The animals were infested with mites. Experts in the Humane Society's Wildlife Division are treating the mites ( a somewhat common condition, which the foxes' mother probably died from.)

The foxes are expected to make a full recovery and will eventually be released back into the wild. Thank goodness for that man in West Allis!

As an animal lover, such a happy ending makes my entire week!