It's My Wedding Day! (In Exactly 12 Months!)

That's right! Exactly twelve months from today I am getting married! Can you believe it? So how will I celebrate today? I am having dinner with Kim and Mia! We're going to Bahama Breezes and having yummy food and fun, fruity drinks! :) I wonder what I will be doing one year from now? Will I be able to get a good night's sleep? Will I wake up early? Will I even be able to eat breakfast? How exciting for me! :)

So I ordered some really cool electronic monograms, and I got them in my email yesterday. I was going to post one today, except that in my excitement when I ordered them, I put the date I was ordering instead of my wedding date. So yeah, they're wrong and it's my fault so they are going to rework them for me. (Ugh! I'm an idiot!) So I could post my favorite one today but the date is wrong and I don't want to post that. So I will patiently wait. And then I will post and you guys can "ooh" and "aaah" over them. (And I know you will!)

But that's it for today. My future wedding day. How cool is that?

I Have a Hot Date With A Treadmill

Yes, it's true. At 4pm I am going to be at the gym. Today, rather than the treadmill, I think I am going to pound my guns. (That's "work out my arms" for you non-gym rats!) I am still going back and forth about the wedding dress, and my biggest fear is my arms, so I am going tostart working on them to get them in better shape for the possibility of a strapless dress. I don't want to walk into the chapel and hear people whisper, "she shouldn't have worn that dress!" It's one of my big fears. I just want to look good!

I had lunch with Yvonne from work today. We're both pretty worn out with work. It's good to know it's not just me. Because I am so worn out, I am going to reward myself with a pair of black pants for work. If I am going to work like a dog, I might as well look good doing it! :)

Tomorrow night I am having dinner with Kim and Mia. Christy was going to come, but her mother has gotten a bit of bad news...a lump in her breast that is, according to the doctor, most likely cancerous. She gets her biopsy result today, and Christy wants to spend he weekend with her mom. I don't blame her. I am doing the Susan Komen Race for the Cure on the 21st of October, so I am walking to raise money for her. (If you'd like to donate, please email me and I will send you the link to my site where you can donate online.)

Saturday David comes home! I am going to try (again!) to make dinner. It never works out. I used to be an awesome cook, but I can't make anything anymore. However, Mom's pot roast seems to be pretty fool proof, so I am going to make it. It's always been very good when I have made it before. If I mess this up, I am taking him out for sushi.

That's it for today. Tomorrow's post will be very special. Stay tuned! :)

Living in a Maze of Boxes

It's hard to be in a one bedroom apartment when it's FULL of boxes! Since David works out of the house, everything gets shipped here, and that includes all the boxes of things like keychains, canvas tote bags, mesenger bags...lots of gift with purchase stuff. It's driving me nuts! I am taking another box (one of the BIG ones) to FedEx on my way to Grampa's tonight to ship off to David for when he is in San Antonio next week. I am just happy to get a box out of the apartment! The cats are all busy sniffing the boxes and trying to get in them. I am glad they are amused.

I am sleepy today. I have been having trouble going to bed on time, and it's taking it's toll on me. I have to start making myself go to bed at 10am. (I've been having to do my makeup at work because I can't get myself going!)

It's a usual Wednesday for me. I am going to Grampa's for dinner tonight, and then when I get home I am going to try and get in 30 minutes of treadmill time at the gym. I've been doing well with the working out consistently, but I didn't work out yesterday. Today should be my day off from the gym, but I don't want to get lazy. However, if I am too tired then I will just not take Sunday off from the gym and hope that helps keep everything balanced. RIght now I am wondering if I will have the energy to work out this evening. Maybe just a nice walk around the complex will be good. Fresh air is wonderful!

So that's it for me today. I hope everyone has a good Wednesday!

Dress Dilemma

I didn't know that choosing a dress for my wedding would be so difficult. There are so many dresses that I like, and I was so sure about the last one I had chosen, but now I have a few worries: what if I don't look special enough? Is the dress too plain? If I wear something strapless or spaghetti straps, will people simply think that my arms are too meaty to wear that? Ugh...what to do? This is a hard decision. I have until February to decide, and in the meantime I keep finding more dresses that I love. I want to be sure that when I step into the chapel on my wedding day that David will think I look beautiful. This is a hard choice!

My friend Joseph is considering a change of environment. We've been chatting back and forth about Seattle and it's pros and cons. Don't know if he'll decide to move, but I think a change would be good for him. Dallas hasn't been so kind. I'd love to see him go back to Paris so that I could come and visit him, but I would absolutely go to Seattle to visit. It's a great city - expensive, but great!

David is on the road, and last night UPS delivered 6 LARGE cases of free Gift With Purchases (GPWs). I have so much in the living room and it's making me a little crazy. I am going to have to do something about that tonight. My folks are so sweet-they have offered to come and help me move the boxes to the garage, but I think I can do it. We have a small luggage dolly that might work. Otherwise, I may throw them off the second floor. ;)

Not much else is new. I have been good with working out, and I am working out again tonight. When I get home I have to box up some of David's GWPs and take them to FedEx to send out. But after that, I am going home and relaxing! :)

Oh, and I will probably look at dresses online. What am I going to wear? (The wedding is one year from this Friday!)

A Truly Beautiful Weekend

The rain was a welcomed sight on Saturday morning! We sure needed it, although it was hard to see while driving to my Grampa's. I picked up Dad and we went to meet Mom at Grampas house. We visited for a while and then decided to head to the cemetary. I had picked up a dozen roses for the vase on the headstone. They were a pretty orangey-yellow with red around the edge of the petals. She would have loved them so much. (She would have also told me not to buy her roses, but I didn't listen to her about things like that!) We weeded and sprinkled grass seeds. It's peaceful out there where she is, although I know technically she's not there. Somehow it's comforting to have a place to go and talk to her. When we finished gardening, We all stood there quietly, and I silently talked to her and told her how much I miss her. I think of her so much and I can't believe she's been gone a year now. I wish she could be at my wedding, but I know deep down she will be. She'll just be a little harder to photograph! ;)

We had a date Saturday night! We hadn't gone out in a while, so we went to our favorite little neighborhood teriyaki/sushi place and had a yummy dinner, and then went to Fox and Hound to throw darts. I ran into a girl who used for work for a company that my office works closely with, so it was fun to catch up and hear how she's doing. We got home before midnight and agreed we need to set aside time to do that again. It's fun to do things with our friends but it's important to make sure we have time for ourselves. Especially over the next few weeks! David leaves for south Texas today and he won't be home until Saturday evening. At least I get to take him to the airport and see him off!

So that's it for today. I am looking forward to a girl's night Friday. Several ladies can only make dinner, and that's ok! It's going to be fun to get together. :)

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

Airline Safety - My Lipgloss Is Lethal!

Just out of curiosity, I was looking at the TSA website to see what you can/can't bring on an airplane. Turns out I can bring cigar cutters, small screwdrivers, tweezers, nailfiles (metal is ok!), toy weapons, scissors (with pointed tips), and personal lubricants (?). My lipgloss, however, is NOT ok. Can someone explain this to me?

I had lunch with Jessica and her precious baby Devin today! It was so nice to see her and I am hoping we can do it again soon and that Mia can join us! I miss working with her...she made the day LOTS more fun, and she's a MAC junkie, too! :)

Nothing big going on tonight. After dinner I am leaving David to his "sci-fi Friday night" programming and I am heading to the gym for a hot date with the treadmill. Besides, it assures David that there will be at least and hour and a half of no wedding talk! (I can't help it! I think about the wedding all the time!)

Christy and I went to a small bridal boutique show last night and we had a good time. There were yummy snacks provided by the City Club, which was a big reason I wanted to go-I wanted to sample some of their food! The snacks and champagne were delicious, and we saw some gorgeous wedding dresses (priced at $5000!!!!). The flowers on display were done by my florist, and they were beautiful. When we got there, my coordinator for City Club greeted me like we were old friends, so I felt special. I am going to go through withdrawal when this is over! Is there a"wedding detox" program for post-wedding depression? It's somuch fun to plan this and I wish I did it for a living! :)

Joseph interviewed for a promotion today, so everyone please send him good thoughts!! It's his time...good things are due to start happening for him!

Mom and Dad and I are going to spend time with Grampa tomorrow. Today would have been Gran's birthday, and tomorrow marks one year that she has been gone. I miss her so much. I hope she's smiling down on us and is pleased that we still think of her so often. She's certainly not forgotten.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Surrounding Yourself With Love

You know, I am a very lucky girl. I am surrounded with people who truly give a damn about me and not everyone has that. So I am very fortunate, and I do realize this. I am surrounded with lots of love.

I am trying to get a girl's night together soon so I can spend time with the girlfriends. It's been a while and I have been wrapped up in all the stuff going on with me, and now it's time to unwind with the ladies!

I don't really have any news. I am going to Grampa's on Saturday morning with Mom. We're going to brunch and then we're going to visit Gran's grave and do some lawn care there...pulling any weeds, making sure her headstone is clean, bringing fresh flowers for her vase. I know she isn't there, but somehow it's comforting to have a place to go to remember her, although I remember her everywhere I go. Joseph has been a real comfort from the time she passed and even now. So thank you, Joseph, for being such a good friend and knowing just what to say to remind me that Gran is always with me.

In lighter news, the kitties are still doing well. I think Zak and Cleo are developing little kitty-crushes on each other. They follow each other around and are now more interested in looking at each other than hissing and chasing each other. Poor Kaylee! She used to be the apple of Zak's eye, although they still lay on the bed together. Zak is really quite the ladies man!

Tonight Christy and I are going to a small bridal show in Ft. Worth. It's being catered by City Club, so I am happy to get to sample the tasty treats. We'll also enjoy champagne and get to look at all kinds of wedding goodies. Christy has to start planning her wedding now, so this should be good for her to attend, too. :)

That's it for today. I hope everyone has a great day!

Pirates and a Little Bit of Sadness (Not really Related To Each Other)

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day to ye!

Nothing terrible new today. My car is good, Beth's new baby is good (don't know the name yet), and all is well at home. We had dinner with Mom, Dad, and Grampa last night, and we had a lot of fun. I'm going to see Grampa tomorrow night for dinner, too, so he's going to get his fill of me this week. I am planning to see him for a bit on Saturday, as Saturday marks the one year passing of my Gran. I've been having a really tough time with that right these days, and it's made me very emotional. I miss her so much and I wish I could tell her all about my wedding but I can't and it's hard. She would be worrying about how much money we were spending and she would be so proud of Craig and Jennifer on their new house. She loved us all so much, and as much as I miss her, I wouldn't bring her back to the condition she was in. She didn't like being in a care facility, and she hated not being able to get up and walk. She was a woman of grace and dignity, and I want very much to be like her. She will always be so very special to me. I can't help but think about how I always wanted a picture of me and Mom and Gran on my wedding day. I will miss her so much that day.

So anyhow, I am a little bit melancholy this week because of time of year it is. Her birthday would have been this coming Friday, too.

I think that's all for today. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

The Good News!

IT'S A GIRL!!!! Congrats to Beth and Jason for a 9 pound, very healthy baby girl!! :)

Also, in less life altering news...

The word on my car is that it's a minor thing (gas cap), so repairs will be minimal and the major cost for me is a couple of routine things that I needed done (transmission fluid flush and an oil change) so it's all good! :)

Wow...maybe my luck is changing for the better!!

Mondays

Well, it's truly a Monday. Work has already been tough, and on the wya in this morning, my engine light came on. I have to take it to the dealership at lunch to get the diagnostics run on it. I'll stress out until I know what it is and how much it's going to cost. I don't ever have the luck of it being something small. Cross your fingers that it's nothing big. Ugh!

The weekend was good...met with the florist and I LOVE her! The flowers for the wedding will be beautiful! I'm not showing the picture of what the bridesmaids bouquets will look like because I want it to be a surprise for them on the big day. :) They will be absolutely stunning, though!

Jen and Craig's house is beautiful! We saw it Saturday night and I am so in love with their house!! They got their new furniture over the weekend and it's awesome! :)

My cousin Beth is scheduled for a c-section today! We are waiting to hear if it's a boy or girl - they opted to wait to find out! :) I'm so excited! Her daughter, Ellie, is 3 and insists that she wants a girl. No boys. We'll see how that goes!

That's it for today. Have a good Monday!

Quote of the Day

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that otherpeople won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory ofGod that is within us.
It's not just in some of us -- it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others

-Marianne Williamson

I begin WW again on Sunday, and this quote is my motivation. I hope everyone has a great weekend, and remember that each of you is beautiful and fabulous!

"A Woman's Place is in the Dome"

Great words from a great lady. We've lost a true Texas lady with the passing of former governor Ann Richards. I think she was a shining example of what a woman can do when given an opportunity. She was classy, intelligent, and quick-witted. She will be greatly missed.

No other news really. David is in Houston until tomorrow, and I am looking forward to a quiet evening at home. I have been so tired running and getting things done that I haven't had time for myself. So tonight is just for me! I am ordering chinese food and learning how to use MS Access. (woo-hoo!) And of course, I will watch Gray's Anatomy!

So that's it for now. The kitties are doing pretty well. Still some occasional hissing but it's MUCH better! Everyone have a good Thursday!

Did You Get Some Sun?

If one more person asks me this, I will go postal on them. Yes, I am extremely sunburned all over my face. Yes it hurts. Yes I am peelng. Yes, am putting aloe vera on it. Damn, people. Kevin says next time someone asks me if I got some sun, I should say that no, I am just red with embarrassment for them for asking me such a stupid question. I think I am going to have to use that.

Everything else is good. I got to have lunch with Mia today, which doesn't happen often even though we work for the same company. It was nice to visit. :) She lets me go on and on about wedding stuff, which must be a great relief for David. Speaing of wedding stuff, David and went to a session about the Sandals resorts last night, and we think we will probably go to the Sandals Royal Bahamian. He can go deep sea fishing while I get spa treatments - I love it! There is a casino nearby where we can have a night out and do a little gamblng, as well as hiking by waterfalls and having fruty frozen drinks brought to us on command. I love it! They have a honeymoon registry, so we can have people put money towards our honeymoon instead of buying gifts. Now, trust me-I am registering for things, but it seems like a neat option to have a honeymoon registry!

Not much else to tell. David is heading out of town tomorrow and will be gone until Friday evening. Craig and Jennfer are officially homeowners now, so congrats to them! Also, the official wedding date for Christy and Rich is May5th-congrats to you guys, too!! Everyone has such great news these days! :)

That's it. Everyone have a good evening!

We Remember

A Very Relaxing Weekend!

We are home from our weekend at the lake, and we had a wonderful time! It started out questionable, as we had only been there 10 minutes when David tossed some trash in a can outside only to discover there was a skunk in there! Naturally the skunk freaked out and began to spray, but the spray itself managed to stay confined to the can. The smell did not. Have you ever smelled skunk spray like that? It's a horrifying smell that doesn't go away very quickly, for sure! It stunk up the cabin for a few hours, but it went away and all was well. We had lots of fun out on the boat just cruising around the lake and getting some sun. Too much sun, for some of us. (Which pretty much just means me. I got a stupid sunburn with VERY clear sunglass marks. Yes, I have a real case of raccoon eyes!) Saturday night David announced to his friends (because these are not people he sees often) that we're getting married and everyone was so sweet! We had so much fun staying up late and feeding deer - right out of our hands! We fed them corn, bread and even marshmellows and they loved it! (especially the marshmellows!) As soon as we download the pics I will post them...they're fun! We didn't take many but we did get a few shots of me feeding the deer.

So now I am getting ready to get my sunburned self to bed. It's been a really fun weekend and I can't wait until next year! (This is an annual event with this group!)

And as a very important note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGELA!!!

And tomorrow Craig and Jennifer close on their house. I am so proud of them! Jen, your mom is very proud of you too. I just know it! :)

387 Days

I'm getting married in 387 days!!! :) Mark your calendars, friends!

So life is still good. I am now in the process of researching wedding DJs. Yes, there will be much dancing and merriment at the reception, so bring your dancing shoes, folks! We're going to have a good time. I used to just think I wanted a small wedding with just cake and punch afterwards, but I realize now that that I want to really celebrate finding the right person. David is so awesome and I want to celebrate finding each other while surrounded by people we love and cherish. So big wedding? YES! It's not meant to be pretentious, just a big, fun celebration!

Last night David smoked some pork out on the grill by the pool, and it was AMAZING! That boy can cook so well! :) We just relaxed last night and enjoyed the evening. Tonight we get packed to go to the lake tomorrow. We have to go grocery shopping and get ready so we can head out in the morrning. I am looking forward to relaxing for a few days. His brother is bringing the boat, and although I don't ski, I like sitting in the boat with the wind rushing through my hair...it's liberating!

So that's about it for me this weekend. Everyone take care! I'm outta here for the weekend!

My Week Is Almost Over!

David and I are going to the lake on Friday morning, and I am really looking forward to it! :) Today is like my Thursday! :)

We spent our evening yesterday cleaning the carpet to get the cat pee smell to go away. I think we did it, but we had to borrow my mom's carpet cleaning machine, and on top of that I had to get down on my hands and knees and scrub! I think we did it, though. And now we have a lovely little litter box in the bathroom next to the toilet so that Cleo can quit peeing on the carpet. Ugh!

Mom had locked her keys in her car yesterday so David and I ran up there with the spare and she took us to dinner at Chili's. It was a nice evening and I am glad we spent time with mom, but seriously mom...we'll have dinner with you without you locking your keys in the car to get us to come over!! ;)

Christy and Rich have officially set a date for their wedding! April 21, 2007, is the big day! I'm so excited for them. They're going to have a lovely wedding. :)

That's it for now! I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

The Long Weekend

It was so nice to have time off from work! However, when I fell last week, I think I jacked up my back it it's sore. :( So that put a slight damper on the relaxing. Saturday was the pool party at Angela and Tom's and we had a lovely time. Finally got to meet Kim's new man and he's great. I'm really happy for her! :) Joseph came out of hiding and joined us at the party, too. After the party, we pretty much called it a night. Joseph headed home, and David and I stayed in and I nursed my sore back. Sunday was nice...relaxing and dinner with the family. Oh, and I dragged mom to the dress shop, as I have once again found THE dress. :) I was going to take pictures but I managed to forget the camera, so no luck there. But the dress is gorgeous (thanks Mia for helping me find it!).

Yesterday was spent with David's family. We had a nice time and lots of good food. So it has been a great weekend. This coming weekend, we're going to PK for their annual lake trip. I am looking forward to relaxing. I'm taking Friday off so we can get an early start on our trip. I'm going to take a book and enjoy some time to read and relax, along with the hiking and the boating.

The kitties have had a hard time getting along for the alst couple of days, and Cleo decided to pee in the corner, so we're working hard to get rid of the cat pee smell. (Zak decided he didn't want to share the bedroom with her, so she didn't really have anywhere she could go) It's getting better, though. He's allowing her in to use the box now, so hopefully things will continue to go well. :)

Have a good Tuesday everyone!

The Bad Kitty

Yes, Cleo can't seem to play nice with other kitties. Last night she continued to be brave and come into the bedroom, but with the sole purpose of chasing Zak and hissing at him. After several occurrences of this (un-instigated by Zak, mind you), I had enough and had to shut the bedroom door and make her sleep in the living room so the other kitties (and me!) could sleep in peace. After that, Zak seemed VERY grateful to me, and was very snuggly. Both Kaylee and Zak slept undisturbed, and Cleo was just fine in the living. We may have to do this a few times until she figures out that all kitties are equal residents and no one gets to beat up on the others.

Leave it to me to have the bad child!

I got to see my awewsome cousin Jen last night! She hooked me up with a discount so I got a few new clothes last night. :) Thanks, girl! (I was returning some things and exchanged for a few other things and didn't spend much money at all!)

So anyhow, everything else is good. Oh...HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG! :)

I am totally looking forward to a nice long weekend! I hope everyone has a good one. Be safe!!

I'm Being Punished

For those of you that remember my post last year, I wrote a sort of goodbye letter to the flower cookie with the yellow icing because I wasn't going to have it any more due to my good eating habits.

So today I walked down to Subway for lunch (next door to the cookie place) and got lunch, and then decided that since I was having a stressful day I would let myself have a cookie. So I get my cookie and start back to work, when I tripped and fell on the sidewalk. For anyone who witnessed this, it was surely a spectacular sight to see. I spilled my completely full Diet Coke on the ground and then proceed to fall in it, while dropping my sandwich and cookie and scraping the dickens out of my elbow and knee. It's one of those sidewalks with the pebbles mixed in the concrete, so it tore the hell out of my skin. Oh, and two old men just walked on by. Thanks, geezers. So I picked myself up and wanted to just cry out of sheer embarassment. I walked quickly back to the office (my sweater was wet with Diet Coke and there is now blood on my sleeve) and made a beeline for the ladies' room. I managed to pat myself dry, got some bandages and ointment from the first aid box and doctored myself up, but it's been over an hour and it STILL stings! I really just want to go home and have a pity party.

So what really happened here? I got punished for buying a damn cookie. So again, farewell flower cookie! I'm afraid if I get another one, I might get run over by a car.

A Step Closer To Harmony In The Animal Kingdom

So yesterday apparently Cleo started letting Kaylee sniff her. This is a big deal since she's never let another animal get close to her like that! So things are going well with the kitty merger. Also, this morning Cleo ventured into the bedroom, but ran out with a hiss. It was actually pretty funny, but the good part of it was that she was brave enough to check out the bedroom. (She hasn't gone in there yet)

Tonight I am having dinner with Grampa. Not sure where we will go just yet, but I am looking forward to spending time with him. :)

No real news right now. I am sleepy this morning! And I am also loving this weather...no triple digits! I am so tired of sweating as soon as I walk out the door...that and the consistently bad hair days!

Okay everyone, have a good day!

If Only I Could Remove My Head!

I was home yesterday with a really bad migraine. It was really unpleasant. I spent the majority of my day either sleeping in bed or sleeping on the couch...not the way I like to use my time off from work, for sure! I am better now, though. It's still in the going away process, but I am much better and I am able to be at work.

We had a good weekend. Friday night Jen took me to a very nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory. We were so full that we didn't even have cheesecake! I was sleepy so I had to call it a night early. (David and Criag hung out while she took me to dinner...David needs guy time, too!) Saturday we had his twin nephews' first birthday party, and that was actually a lot of fun. Saturday night was Christy and Rich's housewarming party, and that was a blast! We hung out and just talked for hours! Sunday was extremely lazy, and we spent the bulk of the day watching the History channel or the Discovery channel.

And you know how Monday went. Yuck!

So that was the weekend. Cleo is still doing ok, and the kitties are all slowly adjusting. I do wish we had a bigger place, though! We're totally outnumbered by our cats!

Have a good Tuesday everyone!

Some Meowing and Some Hissing

Yes, there was a little of both through the night and the morning. Cleo is still adjusting, although she isn't hiding any more. She's definitely sticking close to me when she can, and she certainly isn't ready to be best friends with Zak and Kaylee. (They both just want to sniff her and be friendly!) I'm not sure where she spent most of the night, but I got up at 4am to go to the restroom and she was right there with me and boy did she have a lot to say! I sat up with her for a bit, and tried to soothe her. She isn't at all interested in laying on the bed with me, but she's doing pretty well with laying in the middle of the living room and letting the other kitties know that she is establishing herself as the senior member of the household. (And she is...she'll be 14 this October!) Over all, I think she's doing better than I thought she would. She's making herself visible, she's not hiding too much, and she's letting me pet her. (although she did hiss at me a little last night, but she knows she doesn't scare me!)

It's good to have Cleo home. Until now, the longest I had been away from her was the 9 days I was gone to Paris last year, so it's been a tough two months. I've missed her, and I am so happy she's home.

If anyone has any suggestions about ways to help integrate the kitty-family, I would love for you to post your thoughts here! I want to help her transition be as smooth as posible. I just love that cat so much!

So that's about it for today. I hope everyone has a great Friday!!

400 Days Seems Like A Long Time

That's how many days until I am married! Man, it seems like a long time, but there is much to do between now and then, including Christy's wedding (now scheduled for April).

So Cleo came home tonight, and so far, the fur isn't flying. She's keeping to herself but staying close to me. The other kitties are very curious and want to sniff her, but she's just not ready for that yet. Poor girl! She's so resillient. She's moved to Seattle and back, flown on planes, road tripped, stayed in hotels, and now she has to adapt to two new furry friends. She's going to be fine...it's really going better than I thought it would! :)

That's really it for now. I hope everyone had a good day! I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday!!

Cake and Blending Families

Ah, cake! The cake tasting last Friday was heavenly! We loved it so much we've signed the contract and reserved our baker! (Creme de la Creme in Ft Worth-AMAZING!) However, we are seriously caked-out for a while! We took the samples she sent home to my mom to enjoy with Dad. But it's good stuff!

Christy cut my hair Friday-Yay! She and I had a good time talking weddings (both mine and hers!) and just having fun. Saturday Daivd and I did some things around the apartment and then I went to my friend Leah's for a jewelry party. Saturday night we went over to Craig and Jen's for dinner and an evening of relaxing. They are coming to the lake with us in September for David's family get together. Friends of the family come, so I am glad Craig and Jen will be there since I won't really know anyone outside of David's immediate family.

Sunday was a very lazy day. Seriously we did just about nothing but watch movies and nap. It was great! Not productive, but great!

But now for my very very exciting news! David and I are going to try blending our fur-baby families. Cleo (the best cat ever!) has been with my parents since David moved here because he's got two cats. Since we don't have a lot of space, we decided it might be best to take Cleo to mom and dad's until we have more space, but I miss her so much it hurts. I haven't ever been away from her this long, and David told me that he agrees we should give it a couple of weeks and see how the fur-babies get along. He's going to be home most of the day during that time so he'll be here to keep an eye on things. I am excited about having her home with me! She was so sweet and cuddly at mom and dad's this evening, and I can't be without her any more. However, if the babies just can't tolerate one another after a couple of weeks, she's going to have to go back to mom and dad's until the lease is up in December. It will be hard, but at least we have a plan. Please keep your fingers crossed that the kitties will behave themselves!! I need my Cleo with me! And David is so sweet and understanding about how hard it is for me not being with her. I love him! :)

So that's my big news! Have a great evening everyone!

Mmm...Cake!

Yay! Today is the day that David and I go sample cakes at the bakery that I am most eager to sample! I had a bite at a bridal show and fell in love with a one square inch piece of vanilla and frosting Heaven! Am I stoked about getting to eat a whole piece? You bet your socks! This cake was some good shizzle! Needless to say that after an hour of eating cake samples, David and I are going to the gym. I have a 45 minute date with a treadmill!

I am still so stunned that I am selecting my cake now, when I am not getting married until September of next year! However, if you want to book the good people for your wedding, you ahve to start now I have discovered. Seriously...my best advice to the newly engaged? Allow yourself plenty of time!! (And be a little flexible about your date!)

David and went to the gym last night. I met a 74 year old woman who runs marathons. She was so great, and she was so encouraging. I hope I see her again. I have been so careful about what I eat and I have been exercising regularly and I think I am seeing a change in my face (getting just a little bit slimmer!!). So it's paying off and I am feeling good! :) And if a 74 year old woman can run marthons, so can I! Besides, when I lose 25 pounds I am treating myself to a new pair of boots for the fall! :)

That's about it for now. Everyone have a great Friday!!! I'll report on cake tasting tomorrow!

A Silly Quiz About Me

I'd like to see all my fellow bloggers do this one! (I got the idea from Shumpy)

1. How old do you wish you were? I'm happy at 34!
2. Where were you when 9/11 happened? Living in Seattle. Mom called and woke me up to tell me to turn on the TV. Very scary!
3. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Shake my fist in anger and then walk away.
4. Do you consider yourself kind? Usually yes.
5. If you had to get a tattoo, where and what would it be? I have three, so I am exempt from this question.
6. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? French or Italian.
7. Do you know your neighbors? Not by name. I know them as "Crazy Dog Lady" or "Brown Bear's Parents"
8. What do you consider a vacation? Anywhere but home!
9. Do you follow your horoscope? I read it and laugh about it.
10. Would you move for the person you loved? Yes, but we'd have to plan it very carefully!
11. Are you touchy feely? Usually
12. Do you believe that opposites attract? Yes, and so do "similars"!
13. Dream job? Being paid to nap and watch movies!
14. Favorite channels? Food Network!!
15. Favorite place to go on a weekend? The "Partio"!
16. Showers or bath? Shower. Either-depends on my mood.
17. Do you paint your nails? Yes
18. Do you trust people easily? No, but the people I do trust, I trust deeply.
19. What are your phobias? Heights and being stuck under a bridge in heavy traffic.
20. Do you want kids? Not feeling particularly maternal right now.
21. Do you keep a handwritten journal? Just this blog!
22. Where would you rather be right now? Shopping of course!
23. What makes you feel warm and safe? David! :)
24. Heavy or light sleep? Fairly light
25. Are you paranoid? Why? What have you heard?
26. Are you impatient? Sometimes. Depends on what I am waiting for!
27. Who can you relate to? I relate to a lot of my friends and family.
28. How do you feel about interracial couples? I'm pretty fond of white guys, personally, but I think everyone should follow their hearts wherever they lead.
29. Have you been burned by love? Yes, but I don't see it happening again!
30. What’s your life motto? That which does not kill us makes us stronger
31. What’s your main ringtone on your mobile? Most everyone has a different ring
32. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping!
33. Who was your last text message from? David
34. Whose bed did you sleep in last night? Mine
35. What color shirt are you wearing? Black
36. Most recent movie you watched? Talladega Nights
37. Name five things you have on you at all times? Earrings, purse, phone, sunglasses, debit card!
38. What color are your bed sheets? kind of a gold color
39. How much cash do you have on you right now? None. I pretty much never have cash on me.
40. What is your favorite part of the chicken? Whatever part came from KFC!
41. What is your favorite town/city? Tough one...I really love Paris!
42. Perfect job? Makeup artist!
43. Who got you to join Blogger? I just decided to one day.
44. What did you have for dinner last night? Chicken tacos
45. How tall are you barefoot? 5'7"
46. Have you ever smoked crack? Nope. Not interested, either.
47. Do you own a gun? No, and I don't really want to.
48. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water or coffee
49. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? Not sure...ask David!
50. Do you have A.D.D? No
51. What time did you wake up today? 5:30am...ish.
52. Current worry? Money. But I always worry about money no matter what!
53. Current hate? I'm no hater!
54. Favorite place to be? With my family and friends!
55. Where would you like to travel? All over...I love to travel!
56. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years? In my own home for sure!
57. Last thing you ate? A banana
58. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower
59. Last person that made you laugh? Shanna (here at work). We make fun of ourselves!
60. Worst injury you ever had? Slamming my finger in the car door last year-very painful!
61. Does someone have a crush on you? Hopefully David!
62. What is your favorite candy? Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!

It's Time. (Again)

Yes, I have decided that it might just be time to go back to my WW meetings. I seem to decide this all the time. But lately I have been very serious about making good eating choices and exercising. (Trying on that wedding dress flipped on a switch in my brain!) WW works for me as long as I am focused and ready to put forth the effort, so I think I might just be ready to do that. One more sign...I got a coupon in the mail to go back to WW with no start-up fees. I think the universe is telling me something! Also, three of my girlfriends here at work (I love you Yvonne, Shanna and Dee!) invited me to start Oprah's 12 week workout plan with them. We're going to have a "trouble jar" where we write down things that are giving us trouble on our path to being healthy, and once it's in the jar, it's gone! So couple all that with my WW efforts, and I think I have a recipe for success! I certainly have the support system to make it work. And if I work hard on this, I think I can drop two dress sizes before I order my wedding dress. Since it's spaghetti straps, I really need to push myself to work my arms, chest, and back. (All over, really, but those are the prime spots!) So I am going to try and get myself to WW on Sunday.

It's been a busy week. Work wears me out, and I have spent all week with sore arms and legs from really working out. It's a good feeling, though. I am making things happen! However, I haven't been sleeping as well as would like and I don't know why. Things are going well, so not sure what's preventing me from sleeping soundly. Probably all the excitement of wedding stuff. :) Speaking of which, we get to taste cakes at Creme de la Creme tomorrow, and I can't wait!! (After that I am going to the gym for sure!) And then tomorrow night Christy and I are having a little girl time and she is going to cut my hair, which really needs some cutting!! It will be nice to have a fresh haircut to really kick off my renewed weigh loss efforts.

So that's it for now. We are laying low this weekend. (That's what happens when you put a large deposit down for your wedding reception!)

Everyone have a good Thursday! Try and stay cool...it's hard when it's 106 degrees outside!

The New Me

I have a lot to share from the weekend! It started Friday night, although there isn't big news from Friday. David and had a great evening grilling steaks by the pool, swimming, and having fun. When we went in, we worked on our wedding guest list, which is now up to 165-170 people. (Holy cow!) On Saturday morning, my mom and cousin Ashley picked me up and we went to Alfred Angelo's to look at wedding dresses. The big news? I found my dress!! The search is done! The even better news is that I don't have to order it until February, so I have a good amount of time to work out and drop a couple of sizes! (We'll talk about my new motivation momentarily.) From there, I went home and David and I went to lunch and then to our first cake tasting at Delicious Cakes in Dallas. Good cake, but I am very eager to taste this Friday-it's the place that gave samples when we went to the bridal show, and it may have been the best cake I have ever had. If David and I love it that much, the cake tasting will be done and we will go with them. :)

After that, we went home to relax for a while. Then we changed into something a little nicer than shorts and headed to our 6pm appointment at the City Club to view the reception site. It was all set up for a reception later that evening, and it was just beautiful. For the first time I could imagine how I will look and what it would be like to step in there on our special night. It was amazing! So we signed the contract and wrote the check and now we have our venues in place and set in stone! So from there we went and changed into shorts and walked around downtown. We had appetizers at Cabo Grande, drinks at Durty Murphy's, and then dinner at PF Chang's. We had a great evening!

On Sunday, we cleaned house. Now that I have found my dress, I am ready to get my workout groove on, so we went to the gym and I worked myself out pretty good. (Sore arms and legs today!) This, my friends, is representative of the new me. I am excited abotu working out again...I feel like I used to feel when I was working out regularly last year. Now as I get on the treadmill or do my leg presses I can envision the dress and how I want to look. I think I can drop two or three dress sizes between now and February when I order the dress, but it will take much dedication and focus. I think I have my focus back! Still not quite ready to hit the WW meetings yet, but I am eating healthy on my own right now. The time will come when I will be ready for my meetings again, but I am in constant contact with my friends there, and they are very supportive. So for now, I am eating healthy and working out. Tonight I am working out int he gym after work, and when I get home I will head to 24 Hour Fitness (known as "24HF" from now on) for the water aerobics class. Folks, I am going to do this. I feel that motivation that I have been searching myself for. It's back! It's the new me, but really it's the old me that I found again! And that's a good thing! The one downer is that the trainer I was going to start with has to go on indefinate family leave so we won't be working together. They are bringing someone else in, so I am going to see what I think. For right now, though, I am my own drill sargent and I know what to do since I spent a big chunk of time with a trainer last year. (I sure loved her! She just got expensive!) So I am in control and really on track!

So anyhow...then we went to the store, and when we got home, I fell asleep on the couch and David made dinner. (I love him!) After that we cleaned the kitchen together and relaxed the rest of the evening.

It was a really productive weekend for me, and I am so wishing I was at home in bed right now!! I hope everyone has a good Monday!

Tales from the Scale

So I got on the scale last night before going to bed, and I am down 3 pounds! The important thing to note is that I always weigh in the mornings, so I might have even lost a few ounces more! So it's good to feel like I am getting somewhere! :) My healthy eating and few trips to the gym are getting me somewhere! Needless to say I will be continuing on with the healthy eating and trying to increase the exercise. I hadn't been on the scale in a while, so this was good news for me!

Mom, Dad, and Ashley came over for dinner and swimming last night. We had a good time, and Ashley was much better behaved this year. She's had a tough time growing up and she's really a good kid...just sometimes a little hard to handle, but she is MUCH better this year, and we had a lot of fun swimming and playing water volleyball. (Which is hard to do without a handfull of people!)

There's not a lot of news today. Oh, except that some folks are trying to blow up Americans again. This time they were planning to leave out of Heathrow in London. I say BIG thank you to our British friends who have been working to thwart the attacks. Thanks for keeping us safe! I know that Americans aren't the most popular folks on the planet, so any time the global community does something to help keep us safe, I feel very grateful. So bravo to everyone who had a hand in nabbing these guys! Thanks for continuing to keep us safe!

One more important thing to note - my cousin Craig and his super-awesome wife, Jennifer, put a bid in on a house they liked and got it!! YAY! I am so excited for them! It's been a rough few weeks for them (Jen lost her precious mother at the end of July after a hard fought battle with cancer), so this is wonderful news that will hopefully bring some much needed joy and excitement into their lives. I can't wait to see the house, and I plan to do a little something special for a housewarming gift, although I am not sure what just yet. But it will be good!!

Everyone be sure to hug someone you love today!

Wedding Dresses

Why does the wedding dress industry feel the need to size wedding gowns small than the size you actually wear? When you go in to try on a dress, you should be able to say with confidence "I wear a size X" and know that it's actually going to be the size you try on. I tried on a few dresses last night...hey, at least they zipped! Those dresses are so hot, though. If you're coming to the wedding, bring a sweater...I'm going to have to have the air conditioning in the chapel cranked way down to keep me from sweating to death in whatever dress I am in.

Also, why in the name of Pete do they want you to order your dress so early? Those women really use some scare tactics to make you feel like you need to buy your dress right NOW! Which I might have been more inclined to believe if she hadn't told me I looked so beautiful in a dress that I was stuffed into like a sausage. Yeah, it wasn't pretty.

So now I am definitely feeling motivated to get weight off. I just have to do it my way and work hard to do what I can. For whatever reason, I am just not ready to go to a WW meeting, but I am ready to get myself to the gym with regularity and I will be working with my trainer soon. I've been doing well with what I am eating, so I am really trying to do well. Mom told me last night that she thought I looked like I was loing weight. I dont' feel like it yet, but I am certainly trying. I am going to the gym tonight as soon as I get home to get in a little time on the treadmill. Mom and Ashley are coming over and we're grilling hot dogs and then going swimming. (Ashley is my 11 year old cousin.)

So things are good. I'm ready to get weight off and get myself in better shape so that I can look decent in a dress. Words of encouragement are greatly appreciated. I think I need them!

Hope everyone has a good day. Keep cool!

Movie Review

Okay, so David and I saw Talladega Nights last night. I was worried that all the funny parts were in the previews, but not so...I laughed my head off in this movie! It's chock full of silly jokes and I loved it! I haven't laughed that much at a movie since probably the 40 Year Old Virgin. Seriously, this movie was total brain candy and I loved it! I wasn't a big fan of Anchor Man, but this one was great!

It was a long day yesterday, but I did get a workout in, and I am very proud. :) I didn't get to water aerobics because of traffic, but I got a really good workout in....lots of cardio yesterday. The elliptical machine is my friend (my new mantra). I am feeling it in my arms and legs today, and I love it! I am starting with my trainer on the 15th, and I am looking forward to it.

Tonight I am going with mom to David's Bridal. They tell me it's not too soon to start looking at dresses, but I think it is. However, I have some questions about dresses that I need to have answered, so at least I can gather information. I'm not sure about trying anything on since I am working to lose weight, so that may have to wait a little bit.

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great day!

I Thought Friday Would Never Get Here!

Folks, it has been a long week! I am tired! There has been so much on the schedule lately, and I really need some relaxation! I've got to find a way to make a little "me" time soon! I am thinking that I will shoot for a little of that on Sunday. Just in general, I have a lot to do and work has been exhausting lately (lots of overtime).

I did find a water aerobics class at the gym that I am going to tomorrow morning, and I am looking forward to it. I am working so hard to eat carefully this week, and I've done a really good job. I didn't get in as many workouts as I wanted, but I have to forgive myself for that. I am going to go to my WW meeting on Sunday and really get with it. I have 8 months, people. 8 months to lose whatever weight I can before I have to just maintain in order to fit into whatever wedding dress I end up deciding on. Oh, speaking of weddings...I have found 3 dresses I really love. I have been told by people at the dress stores that it's not too early to start dress shopping, but I feel like it is. Mostly because what fits now will be too big next year. (I am very optimistic!) We'll see. I am going next Tuesday to a dress appointment and we'll talk more then. I'm really focused on the cake tasking, though!

So that's it for now. Busy weekend ahead! Have a good one, everybody!

Wedding Stuff...Is There Anything Else To Talk About?

I always tell David that I NEVER stop thinking about wedding stuff, no matter what! ;) Good grief, there is so much to do! It wouldn't be a big deal (seeing that it's not until fall of next year!) except every other bridezilla in the area is planning her fall wedding as well, so I have to get to it and get everything booked now. How crazy is that? We were going on Saturday to book the reception site, but we're going on the 12th instead. (They are still holding my date) Putting the rather hefty deposit down was going to put a real dent in the finances for the next two weeks, so we called and got a reprieve...whew! I have also scheduled three cake tastings, although I think I already found the baker I want to use. I do think it's a good idea to compare, though...and it's free cake! :) The next step is to nail down the florist and DJ, and then I won't have to do anything else until next year. I love it! I am going to be so prepared that I will actually get to enjoy my wedding day when it gets here! David says he wants me to be able to relax and be pampered that day. I think I agree! There will most likely be a massage on the schedule that morning. :)

I am doing really well on my eating this week...I had popcorn at the movies Monday night, but other than that, I have been so good! Grampa and I went to dinner last night and I ate very carefully and left half of everything on my plate...my tummy is starting to shrink! Yay! I am working out tonight, too. Knowing that I have eight months to lose what I can and then I have to maintain until the wedding (so that my dress will fit). So I am officially going full force with my healthy eating and exercise. Tired of hearing that? I'm tired of saying it and thinking that I mean it. However, the reality that I have only so much time to do what I can for my body is setting in. I have had a good week, and am feeling really ready. Kevin and his girlfriend, Samantha, are doing great following the WW plan, and it reminded me of all my success. It's a great program, and I can still enjoy eating out with friends. But you can bet on the big day, there will be total disregard for the calorie count for me! (Just for the reception...I'll be good the whole day beforehand!)

My Grampa is going to road trip to Colorado next week. He and his friend, Ann, are both still very safe drivers, so they're going to take a 2 week vacation. I love that he is still enjoying his life! So for the next two weeks I am without my Wednesday dinner date!

Nothing else really going on. Kim and her beau are still doing well. Every one is just happy right now. Who could ask for more?

Have a great Thursday everyone!!

So Far, So Good!

I have quietly been trying to get back on track with the whole eating/exercising thing, and this week I am doing really well with the eating part! I'm really feeling good about that. I haven't gotten to bed on time yet this week, so I am a bit sleep deprived. I need to change that desperately! I am planning to go to a couple of water aerobics classes at 24 Hour Fitness this week, I just have to fit them in somehow. I'd like to do as much relaxing as possible this weekend, though.

It's been a busy week. Work has been crazy, and David and I have had a ton of things to do in the evenings. But we're midway through the week, so it's looking up! :) Other than all that, I don't have much news at all. I just wanted to write a quick post and say that I hope everyone is having a good week!

Wow, It's Really A Monday!

I come into work this morning to find that 2 of our major websites are down, and one of our interal sites/tools is also down. I have a sneaky feeling that if MIS doesn'tget this fixed soon, we're in for a rough ride today! Ugh!

It was a good weekend. I went to Christy's Firday night to see the new house and hang out. We haven't gotten to do that in quite a while, so she fixed some tasty snacks and we enjoyed some wine in the back yard. I am so excited that she and Rich got a new house! hey are talking about getting married next year too, and I hope they do! It will be so much fun to get to help plan her wedding as well! :)

I came into work for a few hours on Saturday, and then Saturday evening David's brother and nephew came over to swim. We grilled out at the pool and had a great time! Sunday morning I got up and Mom and I went to a bridal show. Ever been to one of those? It's fun, but it's crazy! I got a lot of info and I can now say that the reception site is officially booked! We are going Saturday to look at it and sign the contract and write the check, but it's reserved and no one else can get it! :) David and I are very happy about that!

After I got home, we relaxed a bit and then headed over to David's sister's house for his neice's 1st birthday party. She got lots of presents, and it was a very enjoyable afternoon. We got home around 7pm, and sat out on the patio and talked. It was a little nicer last night (temperature-wise) than it had been it a little while, so we enjoyed being out there. We got some dinner and ate outside, and then called it a day. I had so much excitement over the wedding stuff that I had a hard time winding down, but I finally fell asleep after a little bit. Needless to say, I wish I was still home asleep!

I hope everyone has a good day!

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTY!!! :)

You Thought It Was Hot Here?

So I am home, safe and sound, from a great vacation in San Francisco. We had a ball! However, they are experiencing a heat wave of their own out there, so it wasn't much cooler in SF. Actually, the day we went wine tasting in Napa Valley it was 115, but we'll get to that later!

We got there on Monday afternoon and after navigating the rather ghetto San Jose airport, we got to our rental car and headed up the 101 to San Bruno where we were staying. San Bruno is about 15 minutes south of San Francisco, and is a nice little suburb. We checked in to the hotel and then went for a drive on Hwy 1 (I think it's better known as the PCH). It was awesome! Beautiful views, light fog rolling in...very pretty. We ate at a restaurant there in Pacifica, and our table faced the window looking over the water and watching the sun set. We went back to the hotel and absolutely zonked out! (We were so tired!) We got up Tuesday and headed downtown. We walked around SF, and made our way to Fisherman's Wharf. We walked all over and had yummy fish and chips and clam chowder - in a sourdough bowl, of course! We tried to go see Alcatraz, but the tours were booked up for days, so we walked around the pier, and then went to the aquarium. It was great! The last half of the aquarium has you walk through a tunnel with the larger fish swimming around you-very cool! I got to touch a starfish and David touch a stingray looking thing. (We were supervised, don't worry!) After that we went to the Franciscan restaurant and had appetizers and drinks and watched the boats on the bay. By then it was getting cold so we called it a day. We had been out walking and we were tired!

Wednesday we went to Chinatown. There is so much crap for sale there! Do people really buy all that? We bought a set of chopsticks and some tea to try at home. We had lunch in one of the restaurants, and then we went and got some bubble tea. That stuff is crazy! It's flavored tea with big tapioca balls (or "pearls" as they like to call them) in the bottom. You drink it through a huge straw big enough for the tapioca pearls to fit through. It was good! Wierd, but good! We walked around until we found the trolley car stop, and hopped on. We rode it to the end of the line and then back up to where we parked the car. They do all of the mechanics by hand on those trolleys! (all the stopping, turning them around, etc!) After that, we headed back towards our hotel. We'd walked so much I think my feet were going to fall off.

Thursday we spent driving around. We drove about an hour south of San Jose on the 101 into Gilroy, which is apparently the garlic capital of the world. There are also cherry orchards there, and we stopped and picked up a big bag of fresh cherries to eat in the car. They were incredibly sweet! We drove to Los Gatos and ate at a really good Mexican restaurant that had great service! I had seafood enchiladas and they were awesome! Then we had to pick up David's sisters, Cheryl and Lea Anne, from the airport. After we got them, we headed over to David's Aunt and Uncle's house in Newark for a BBQ. David has a lot of relatives! His parents were already there and it was nice to see them. I also met David's cousin, Carrie, who was the one getting married. Everyone was so nice! They loved all the Texans who came for the wedding, although we were getting blamed for bringing the hot weather! After that, we headed back to our hotel, about 30 minutes away.

Friday we got up and wandered out to Pittsburgh (Yes, in CA!) to meet David's sisters at his cousin's house. We all had lunch together at a Mexican place that made David and I not feel so good. We shouldn't eat anything for a good 9 hours after that. We drove to Napa to taste wines, but we got a late start and the wineries close at 4:30 or 5, so we tasted in one place and called it a day. We did get pictures of vineyards, though! We ate a late dinner at Chili's (grilled chicken and veggies for me!) and called it a day.

Saturday we went to go see the Titanic exhibit in SF. It was incredible! You were given a "boarding pass" that looked like the originals the passengers had. Each one had a different passenger's name, and at the end of the exhibit, you found out if your person survived or not. (Mine was a 1st class passenger who was a nightclub singer in Paris! How appropriate! She lived, by the way.) They had mock ups of the state rooms, the grand staircase, and the even had a piece of the Titanic that had been restored! It was awesome to see corked champagne bottles that still had champagne in them. It made it all very real, and we were both very glad we went. Afterwards, we walked around and found the coolest Old Navy store! We both ended up doing some serious shopping! And after that we went to AT&T Park to watch the Giants beat the Padres. It was a cool baseball field, but it was expensive to eat or drink there! Parking alone was $25! (Beer was $8, lemonade was $5, and it just gets pricier from there!) But we had a good time. It was a large group-all the out of town wedding guests, the wedding party, and the bride and groom. Lots of fun!

Sunday was the wedding day for Carrie and (her now husband) Patrick. It was a lovely ceremony and a fun reception. It was very hot in there, so I didn't feel much like dancing, but it was lots of fun and the food and the cake (especially the cake!) was divine! We enjoyed good wine and met lots of people. I got to visit with David's mother and father some more, and I really like them! :) After all the wedding hoopla, we went to the hotel and then changed into cooler clothes. We ran into Cheryl and Lea Anne in the hallway and we all went to grab a bite. We ended up at a Vietnamese place, which I have to tell you is not my bag. I ate some spring rolls, but I just don't get into that food at all. But the spring rolls were very good! :)

Monday morning, we packed up and headed out to the airport. On the way, we got pulled over by the CHP (Yeah, we met a real CHiP!) who informed us that the registration on the car was expired. Ugh! No ticket for us since it was a rental, and the cop was very nice. He helped us find a gas station ($3.16/gal) and then we turned in the car and headed to our terminal. It was a long day yesterday getting home, and as much fun as we had, we were ready to be back. Vacations are good, but coming home is wonderful!

So I am tired today, feeling a bit jet lagged, but getting back into the groove. However, I wish I wasn't at work!! I hope everyone has had a good week! I am still getting caught up with everyone, so if I haven't talked to you yet, I will!

Home!

Vacation was wonderful! We had such a fun time and San Francisco was awesome! I just wanted to check in...I'll post more tomorrow. I JUST got home and am wiped out! Hope everyone had a great week!

Friday Fun!

Today I get to kick off my vacation by leaving work early for my annual pelvic exam! Woo-hoo! Seriously, at least I get off work early! (Kim gets her teeth cleaned this week, I get my goods examined...great week, right?)

After that, I am picking up mom and heading to Nordstrom's for the Anniversary sale. :) That eases the pain some! Then after I take mom home, I get to go home and get ready and head to Kim's. We're all meeting up for our monthly "Glitterati Gathering". We're going to Cafe Madrid for Tappas and wine, but we're all calling it an early night because we're all pooped. Except Kim...her new man has had a lot going on this week, and this is going to be the first time she's seen him all week, so he'll be catching up with her after the girls leave. Yay Kim! I've seen his picture, and he's a cutie! As long as he treats her well, I like him!

It's been a marginally better day today. I am just ready to head out. I have my voicemail message changed, my Out of Office message ready to be turned on at 2pm, and mentally I am already checked out! David is still working hard, and has to work Saturday and Sunday, so he won't really get to gear up for vacation until Sunday evening when he comes home and we rush to pack his stuff. Tomorrow I am working out and then relaxing! David gets home from the airport tomorrow night, and depending on how he feels we may run to my parents for a short time. They're having a Texas Hold Em party and I would like to drop over for a little while if we can.

That's it. This will probably be my last post until San Francisco. Have a good weekend everyone!

Fancy Schmanzy!

It's that time of year...it's Restaurant Week here in the metroplex, and most of the really nice (read: pricey) restaurants offer a set meal at $35/person. You have to call and get a reservation as they go very quickly. David has gone on about a restaurant in Dallas called Abacus that he got to go try on the company dime, and he LOVED it and has wanted to go back, so we have reservations in mid-August for a lovely dinner. I can't wait! :) I think this will require a new outfit.

So I leave for San Francisco on Monday!! I am so ready. Work is just sucking the life out of me. We've had so much going on and I am burned out, work out, and just plain sick of it. I know this will pass, but right now I am really in need of a change. Whew...what a whiner!

My cousin's wife, Jen, who I just think of as family and not an "in-law" is going through some tough stuff. Her mother has been ill for a while and they had to put her in a Hospice facility yesterday. Her mother has been battling cancer for a while now is in a lot of pain. Jen and Craig, I love you both and I am here for you. I can't even imagine what she must be going through. Please keep them in your prayers.

I spent some time with Cleo the Uber-Awesome cat yesterday. She's at mom and dad's because she doesn't play well with others. (Zak and Kaylee and Cleo in a one bedroom apartment? Too much cat!) But I laid down next to her and snuggled and it was so nice! I miss her little chubby self! I took a picture with my cell phone so that I could look at it all the time. I love my cat!! :)

Mom and Dad have had an ongoing saga trying to replace the window in the front of the house. They've basically been lied to and jerked around by the guy they hired to replace the window. They hired him May 24th and although they have a window in, it looks bad, it's not finished, and the guy has used every excuse in the book to be late or delay work. So tonight my parents are having a new person coming from Home Depot to take a look and do an estimate. We're hoping for the best! I think my parents need to take the original window guy to small claims court. He's paid for work he hasn't done. If you need window work done, what ever you do, do NOT contact Sister's Windows in Hurst. Bad bad bad! My parents are such nice people and I can't believe someone would try to cheat them. If I got hold of this guy, he'd be sorry! (When it comes to my family, don't cross me!)

I get to start my vacation off by leaving work at 2pm tomorrow, but I have to go for my annual physical so it's not that fun. But afterwards I am going to the Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale to buy a new pair of shoes! I know I get freebies from Born, but they don't make New Balance so I have no choice! I don't know if I will have a chance to blog from San Francisco. I am so worn out that I am planning to disconnect from as much as possible while I am there, which should include computers. I'll be back on the 24th, and will resume the blogging then. However, if I run into an internet cafe, I may not resist the urge to update you on my vacation fun, so feel free to check back periodically. (Yeah, I think our hotel has free internet access, so I'll probably blog.)

It's going to be 65 degrees in San Francisco next week! Thank goodness! Everyone try and stay cool and I will check in when I can!!

Event Planning is Hard

I'll quit referring to the "event" next year as an "event" and call it what it is...I'm getting married next year! You know what's hard about planning a wedding? Getting everything coordinated! I had no idea! We're still getting the ceremony and reception site coordinated...and I think we're finally getting that done but I won't know for sure until August 4th when we see the site. It wasn't my original choice, but the more I learn about this place, the more excited I get about it! We've had to move the date, but that's TBA. I won't say anythign for sure until we have everything nailed down. Last night my cousin Chris was up from Houston. He's a photographer and will probably be doing the wedding, and I am super excited about that! :) We had a fun dinner and it's always so good to see him!

Today was moving day at work. Everything is really chaotic. At least I have a computer...I don't have my phone hooked back up so it's pretty quiet right now. I should rejoice, right?

That's it for now. Have a great day!

Things That Make Me Happy

In no particular order!!!

1. My Family
2. David
3. My cats
4. MAC
5. Flowers-especially gerbera daisies
6. The color pink
7. Silly emails from my friends
8. Chocolate
9. Pictures from my vacations
10. Hugs
11. Friends
12. Shopping
13. Bubble baths
14. Strawberries
15. The smell of vanilla

What things make you feel happy?

The Downhill Slope

Just seven more days until vacation! I am so ready...I really need it! It's been over a year now since I went anywhere, so I am one ready girl! I have to borrow Angela's suitcase this week...the same one that went to Paris with me. :) San Francisco, here we come!

It was a fairly uneventful weekend. David got home around 7:30 Friday night and we grilled chicken and relaxed. Saturday we went to a BBQ at Jessica's house (Thanks Jess! We had a really good time!). We got home fairly early and David was exhausted. He was in bed and asleep by 9:30. Not me! I was watching Paula Dean's European Vacation. She went to London and Paris, so I watched to see places I recognized. All day Sunday David's allergies were in full attack. His brother stopped by for a bit to pick up a computer part from David, but he didn't stay long since David wasn't up for a lot of company. The rest of the evening was spent watching the Gray's Anatomy DVDs for season one and eating pizza. David is supposed to call and make an appointment with the allergist today. (He's going to call the one I used to work for-they're really good!)

Other than all that, no big news. Joseph had a birthday on Saturday, so happy birthday my friend! (I called him on his birthday, don't worry everyone!)

I hope you all have a good Monday!

Remembering Our Friends In London

It was one year ago today that the bombing on the Tube lines in London occurred. I was there just a month before, so when it happened I felt a little shaken up. I had just been there and everything was wonderful...how could this be? So many people were injured or killed. If you can, please take a moment and send the people of London a prayer...they need to know that we're with them. Also, take a moment and read "Rachel in North London". Her blog link is on the right side of this page. She is a survivor and very active in victim's rights. She writes a very intelligent blog. Go back and read the entries from after 7/7 last year. Her recounting of the incident is moving.

In much less somber news, David comes back tonight. Yay! I missed him, although I entertained myself all evening by playing The Sims. It was a quiet evening and it was nice. Tonight we are taking it easy, and tomorrow night we're going to a BBQ at Jessica's house. (I must remember to bring soda!!) Oh, and 10 more days until I leave for San Francisco!! If you have some good restaurant suggestions, please let me know!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

(Mom and Dad, you have 24 more days until your 37th wedding anniversary!!)

Oh Baby!

Jessica brought her baby by the office yesterday...hello to one of cutest babies ever!! Oh, he was a good baby, and he smiled alot and made cute faces! Babies are so sweet...especially when you can give them back and not have to be responsible for them. :) But boy, little Devin sure is a cutie!

I was going to Grampa's for dinner last night, but the rain kept me on my side of town. That was some heavy rain! When I got to the apartment, the creek was really high and moving very fast. We sure do need that rain!

I really don't have much news. David left this morning on business but will be nack tomorrow evening. We're going to lay low except for a BBQ we're going to on Saturday night. And we leave for San Fran in 11 days!!

Everyone have a great day!

Back to Regular Schedule

It's the end of all the short weeks for a while. Oh, except that I leave for San Francisco in 12 days! My last vacation was to Paris, and that's been over a year ago now so I am ready for a getaway. We're doing on the cheap, so we're flying on David's 2 free Rapid Rewards tickets, staying at a hotel so inexpensive I am not mentioning the name, and renting a Ford Focus. But we're going to have a great time and I can hardly wait!

We had a great weekend. Saturday David grilled dinner for my parents and we had a great time. Sunday we saw Superman and relaxed. Monday I work for a few hours and then we went to Angela's for a really fun pool party (stayed until midnight!!), and yesterday we spent the afternoon with David's family. We didn't get to swim, but that's okay...we needed the rain! So now we're back to the grind. David is going to go to dinner with me and Grampa tonight, and then he leaves tomorrow for Amarillo/Lubbock. He's coming back Friday, so it's a short trip.

I am working hard to get into my WW mindset. I've had a hard time and just can't get into my groove. However, I am going to start working with a trainer again. I am a member of the gym here at the office, and we have trainers here that are a lot less expensive. I miss Jacqueline but she was a little out of my price range for everything I am working to save up for. So I will have a new trainer. Her name is Euriah, and I really like her. I think she is going to be a bit of a drill sergeant, but I told her that I need that. She seems to be eager to work with me, too, so I think we're going to be back on the road to success. Once I am in my groove with my workouts, I think it will be easier for everything else to fall into place.

So that's it for now. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Superman? Super Awesome!

We went to see Superman Returns this weekend, and I really liked it! I highly recommend it. If you stay to watch the credits, you'll see that they dedicated to movie to Christopher and Dana Reeves. Classy touch I think. Go see it...you'll enjoy it! (And they clearly left it open for more movies to follow!)

We bought curtains this weekend. The apartment looks so good, too! It looks like a real home! :) (Curtains really make a big difference!) David cooked dinner for my parents Saturday night, too. I love that my family likes him so much and that he likes my family right back! :)

Today we are supposed to go to Angela's for a pool party. It's overcast and rainy right now (we've been in a bit of a drought and it picks now to start raining?). I am hoping it will clear up so we can hit the pool, but if not we'll have fun visiting with everyone indoors! :)

Everyone have a safe holiday!!

A Case of the Don't Wannas

Man, I seriously don't wanna work today! I was sleeping so well when my alarm went off this morning...I could have slept all day! The good news is that my day is over halfway done here in the office. After work, Kevin is following me to David's to pick up the washer/dryer to deliver to his girlfriend. David is over at the apartment today to get everything else picked up and loaded up. We turn in his keys tonight and we're done with the apartment. It's such a great floorplan...it's a shame we couldn't move his apartment to my side of town! There was a little family of birds that had babies on the patio, so I will be sorry that we can't monitor their growth and watch them grow up and fly away. But my apartment has a wonderful view and good location, so it all evens out. :)

Tomorrow we are going shopping for window treatments. Mom and Dad are coming over for dinner and David is going to grill lots of yummy things. I work a short day Monday and then we're off to Angela's for swimming and socializing. We're both off on Tuesday and I think somewhere in there his family is having a get-together, but we need to check on that. It's going to be a busy weekend, but lots of fun!

Oh, I am also having my massage tomorrow morning! Yay!

Everyone have a safe holiday! :)

I Am Still Celebrating!

I love that almost a week later I am still getting birthday presents! The super wonderful handbag David ordered for me arrives tomorrow and I can hardly wait! It perfectly matches a pair of shoes he got me earlier in the season, and I can't wait to wear them and carry the bag! :) And I need to schedule my massage that mom and dad got for me! Yay!

It was tough coming back to work after being off for a few days, but at least I get off work early next Monday and am off on Tuesday for the 4th of July! I love holidays!

I don't have much news to share today. David is driving to Abilene for the day to do a store visit out there, and I am having dinner with Grampa tonight. I missed dinner last week due to all the moving stuff, but now that's just about done. Kevin is buying David's washer and dryer, so we're taking care of that on Friday. David says he has just a few random things to do at the apartment and then we need to do a quick cleaning (I already cleaned the kitchen and bathroom there) and he's totally done. It sure is nice having him on my side of town!

I hope you all have a great day!

Birthday Recap

Hello to all! It has been a great birthday, and I want to saythanks to everyone who stopped by or called or visited the blog! It was a great birthday! Thursday my parents took David and I to Papadeaux for dinner (YUM!) and I got a gift certificate for a massage and a manicure-bliss! Friday we got the cable installed and the movers were supposed to come, but they had to reschedule for Saturday morning. So Saturday we got the bulk of the move done, and we got David unpacked and settled. We were so tired we just ate dinner in and called it a night. And then came Sunday-the day of the awesome pool party at Angela and Tom's house, and that was super fun! We were there all day, and so many wonderful friends were there! We quenched our thirst with lemonade and raspberry vodkas, ate grilled burgers, roasted corn, pasta salad, mushroom canapes, and delicious cake. We had so much fun that we're going to all get together on the 3rd and celebrate summer at the Barnette's pool again! Today, I had a great birthday lunch with Christy and she showed me the house she and Rich are buying. It's so cute! I am so excited for them! She's been wanting to get into a house for years, so it's so nice that it's all happening for them.

Tomorrow I go back to the routine of work again. I have really enjoyed the time off and have really needed it. Next week is a short week, and that will be really nice, too. :)

Thanks for everyone who made it a great birthday!

Happy Birthday To Me!!

It's my birthday!! I was thinking this morning about birthdays. Usually every year I go through a funk about getting older. But I realized something this year...I am happy and didn't really have a birthday funk! Granted, it's been super busy and I haven't had time, but this has been a good year. A lot in my life has changed in the last twelve months, and most of it has been very good. I wish my Gran could celebrate my birthday with me, but I know she is with me in spirit. David has been a wonderful addition to my life, and I am so very fortunate to be blessed with the best friends and family anyone could ask for. I have a really good relationship with my family and I am always thankful for that. My friends are always there for me, and love me in spite of my faults and craziness. :) Thanks so much to everyone who has touched my life in any way, shape or form. I am a very lucky girl.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day...I sure will! :)

I Still Love the Mavs!

You know, I just do. I love them. I think they could have played better. So Miami won...I am disappointed because I really thought the Mavs were going to do it, but it just didn't happen that way. Miami outplayed them, and that's it. But I don't want the fact that the Mavs are the Western Conference Champions to get lost! They worked hard to get to the finals, and maybe next year is our year! I still say way to go, guys! I can't wait to see what you can do next season!

In other news, my precious kitty, Cleo, got moved to Mom and Dad's last night so that David's kitties, Zak and Kaylee, could make their move to the apartment. They did pretty well, actually. Kaylee was fine after a few minutes, but Zak seems to be taking a little longer. They have hissed at each other some but it's because they are re-establishing their pecking order. It's funny to watch them sniff everything and climb all over the furniture. They're in for another shock when everything gets moved out so that the furniture from David's apartment gets moved in on Friday! But they are adjusting well. I don't worry about Cleo, but I sure miss her! I love that chubby little girl! She has more attitude and personality than you can imagine, and I love her so much! :)

So that's it for now. Oh, except that tomorrow is my birthday!!! Yay!

Okay, Mavs...Let's get This Done!

Enough said? Come on, Mavs! Two wins at home...you can do it!!

It was a very busy weekend. I spent Saturday moving David's stuff (non-furniture stuff) and Sunday we spent putting things away. Then we had to go different directions for father's day due to family scheduling conflicts. I had dinner with my parents and Grampa and his friend, Ann, who is a really nice person. It was strange seeing him with someone other than my Gran, though. I still miss her every day. I was really missing her this weekend. But Ann is a very nice and interesting person, and I can see why they enjoy each other's friendship so much.

Yesterday I woke up with the worst migraine I have had in a long time, so I stayed home from work. David massaged my head and I took some ibuprofin and felt better, so we went to his place and packe dup more stuff and brought it over. I will be glad when we are done moving stuff! The apartment is a huge mess! I am going to be taking Cleo to Mom and Dad's tonight. He's bringing his cats, Zak and Kaylee, to the apartment. Three cats in a one bedroom is too much, so since Cleo is the one with claws and a big bag of attitude, she's going to the parents with me to keep the peace. :) I sure love that cat!

So I am back in the office today. I am a little sleepy, but it's ok. I need to rest up so I can watch the Mavs play tonight. Tomorrow we are moving the bulk of my furniture out of the apartment, so that's going to be fun. Did I say fun? I meant a giant pain in the rear. Ugh!

Have a good Tuesday! For those of you who are interested, two more days until my birthday! Yay!

Did I Say The Mavs Would Win In 5 Games? I Meant 6..or 7...

Okay, I don't know what's up with my Mavs, but I know they'll get it together! All along I said I wanted to see them win it at home, and now they can! :) But only if they stop trying to shoot from that back corner or try to shoot for 3 rather than get under the net and dunk it!! Come on, guys! You can do it!! Let's make the Heat fizzle out!!!

Not much other news, really. David is hanging out with his brother, Greg, tonight so I am having dinner with the girls. (Yay for girl's night!)

So that's it for now. I hope everyone is having a good Friday!! And please send the Mavs some good vibes on Sunday!!!

Oh! One more VERY important thing...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! I LOVE YOU!!! :)

Could It Be? Am I a SPORTS FAN??

I think I am! I watched the end of the Edmonton-Carolina game last night...good stuff! That was an exciting OT goal for Edmonton! (I'd like to see them win the cup!) And tonight? Oh yeah, baby...my Mavs are gonna take on the Heat! I'm going to David's to watch the Mavs do their thing tonight. There will be grilling of dinner and major cheering on of my Mavs! :)

Had dinner with Grampa last night...he is as wonderful as always! We had a good time and we're all having dinner on Sunday to celebrate the June birthdays in the family. (Mom's birthday is tomorrow, mine is the 22nd, and Grampa's is the 23rd) Grampa has a friend that he has been enjoying doing things with. Her name is Ann, and she is in his seniors exercise class. I haven't met her yet, but she will be joining us for dinner on Sunday. I know Grampa misses my Gran, but I am so glad that he has a friend to have dinner with and to talk to. As much as we all love him, no one can survive on family alone, right? Ann is 83 and is very active with volunteer work. She and her late husband used to travel, and that's something she and Grampa have in common. Grampa has been quick to say he's not looking to get married or anything, and that's fine. I'm just glad he's 87 and has a social life!! :) I know he still misses Gran, and I think that's why I feel okay about all this: I know he's not just moving on without another thought at all. He has pictures of my Gran all over the house, and he loves to tell stories of when they traveled the world together. He still loves her very much.

So that's all I have today. It's going to be a busy weekend with getting some more of David's stuff moved and getting my stuff cleaned out/moved around. Talk about getting my exercise in!

Have a great Thursday, and GO MAVS!!

Even Though They Lost, I Still Love My Mavs!

I refuse to be a fairweather fan! It wasn't our best game, it's true, but I still love these guys! They've brought so much excitement to our city it's unreal! And I've really learned about basketball...and I like it!! I can't wait to go to a game one of these days! So about last night's gaem...if that was the best that Miami could do and they only won it in the last few seconds and by 2 points and it wasn't our best game? Yeah, we can take this. I think we're going to take it in 5 games. Hey, Shaq had to save face...right? I mean, that guy went home and worked on his free throws! You gotta give him props! (But not too many!) It's all good, though. GO MAVS!!

In other news, I found out that the one day in all of 2007 that I wanted to select for a certain date is already booked at my church! Seriously! I have to talk with David. Looks like we have to go a week earlier or later. Ugh! The one day out of 365 and it's taken!

Okay, that's really about it. Holly is back from vacation today so work will be fun again! Yay!

Have a great Wednesday! I know I will...dinner with Grampa tonight! :)

What Happens When You Are Sleep-Deprived

So the night before last I didn't sleep much due to my very noisy cat. She felt the need to sit on the floor by my bed and chat. I love her so much, but that wasn't good. Especially at 4am and various other random times throughout the night. So I was a waste of flesh yesterday. So what did I do when I got home? I took a nap. Sounds good, right? Nope. I was up late because I was rested and couldn't sleep. Ugh! I took some stuff over to my parents' house and visited with them for a bit. I got home around 11 and wandered around the apartment. I have the kitchen pretty well cleared of unnecessary junk, so I think I am pretty much done there. I need to organize the pantry, though. I put away some of the new kitchen stuff David brought over, so that's done. As I put his/our blender in the cabinet, I took a step back and thought about how this is the first time in my life I have integrated stuff with anyone. It made me happy. :) We're looking forward to what our future holds, and I say "we" because we talk about it all the time and David says he is excited about our future, too, so I am not just being all girly and putting words in his mouth. Although I acted like a silly girl last week but he is good and knows how to handle me, which makes me all the more certain that he is the one. However, I have no doubts. ;)

Tonight David and my parents are coming over for spaghetti and the Mavs game. I am looking forward to it...the Mavs are on a roll! I hope they keep it up. I wanted them to win in 5 so that they could win the championship here at home, but I read today that a game 5 would be in Miami. Can this be right? If so, let's just do it in 4 and be done with it. I can't believe how much of a basketball fan I've become. Dave and I are talking about becoming season ticketholders at some point in the future. (Clearly not right now...we're saving for other things...like feeding lots of people dinner, drinks, and cake at some random special event in 2007. Hmm...)

I got my speeding ticket taken care of yesterday. I am going to take defensive driving to dismiss the ticket. I haven't had a damn ticket in 13 years! Until now, I guess. Now it's been 17 days. :(

So that's it for today. I will go home tonight and do as Mark Cuban says..."Get Rowdy, Proud, and LOUD!!"

GO MAVS!!

Wow! My Mavs ROCK!!!

Awesome game last night! I should know...I watched the whole thing and then couldn't sleep a wink last night! Thanks to my noisy cat who wanted attention all night long! But I am so excited about my Mavs!! I'm ready to watch the game tomorrow night when the Mavs take the Heat down on their own turf! :)

It was a busy weekend working in David's apartment to get him packed. We got stuff done, but we both have a lot to do over the next couple of weeks. I'm remembering just how much moving can stink!

That's it for now. I'm tired today and I have a ton of stuff to do here at work. I hope everyone manages to make it through their Monday unscathed!

Go Mavs!

Wow! What a game last night! My Mavericks managed to pull it off, but it was uncomfortably close for a while. Everyone was looking worn down by the 4th period last night, which would explain all the missed baskets! And I didn't realize what a huge man Shaq is...good grief! He's a human wall! But I am so proud of the Mavs and I am ready for their next win here in Dallas. I would like to see them win it in 5 so that they can win here at home. But I'll be ok if they sweep it in 4!

No other big news, really. It's going to be a busy weekend getting the apartments cleaned out. David is moving in two weeks and we both have a lot to do as far as getting things moved and organized. I hate moving...thank goodness we're hiring a mover for his stuff!!

Anyhow, I hope everyone has a great Friday! Go Mavs!!

Hooray for Humpday!

Sorry for the lack of posting. I feel like I have been super busy! I got a cool surprise yesterday...found a roll of film from when I was in Paris (exactly a year ago!) so I had it developed and got a few more great Paris memories captured. I miss that place so much. I am ready to go back right now. But here's a picture of me at the Arc de Triomphe last year...

I wish I was there now. I remember being on top of the Eiffel Tower just a year ago yesterday and feeling like I had finally made it. I had always dreamed of traveling overseas, and I had done it! (I know...I'm a dork!) But it was all happy memories for me. I need to go again!!

I hope all is well with everyone. I don't have much news at all, just keeping busy. I hope everyone has a great day!

Yeah. Great Morning.

So thank goodness I got myself in gear and out the door early. I had a very low tire. So now, in addition to the radiator flush, transmission fluid flush, and $200 speeding ticket I have to take care of, I need to get a new tire. Yay! I'm so glad I'm made of money. Wait...I'm not. Damn. At least it's all minor stuff. Nothing too bad, but it all adds up, you know? I really can't complain. I like my car and it's very good to me. :) I'll just get it all taken care of asap. It's just not fun to spend money on that stuff! Grr! The good news might be that the tire could possibly just need to be patched, but I think I will just go ahead and get a whole new tire. That way I won't worry about it. It will just be done and that's it for that tire.

David had a fun day at Six Flags Over Georgia. I am envious and wish my group could do some fun teambuilding stuff, but we don't do that. We just go to work like drones, and go home. I will be glad when I finish school and have more opportunities to do something different.

So far, Kevin seems to really enjoy his new job here. Everyone likes him and he's got some great ideas on streamlining some processes. I get to work with him on some reporting stuff, so it's nice to get to do that. He's very smart and I think he's going to do very well here. :)

Had dinner with Grampa last night. We enjoyed a tasty dinner at the Olive Garden, and then watched some tv. He's doing really well, and I sure love my evenings with him!

I think that's it for today. I am going to be uber-geeky and watch the spelling bee on tv tonight. (Don't worry...I'll check the Mavericks scores when I can!) I competed in the spelling bees when I was younger, so I have a soft spot for these kids who have worked so hard to get to the finals. I didn't make it nearly that far, but I did pretty well! :)

Have a great Thursday! One more day and then it's the weekend!!

Wednesday Already!

Wow...I love short weeks! I can't believe the week is halfway over, but I'm not complaining. :)

Tonight I am having dinner with Grampa, and as always, I am looking forward to it. David is at Six Flags over Georgia today with his sales team doing their teambuilding stuff. I am envious! I hope he has a great time today! :)

I am doing the Susan Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday morning, so if you would like to donate, please click the link below. It's such a worthy cause and I am looking forward to walking. Almost all of us knows of someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Anything you can contribute will help! The link is below....

http://race.komennorthtexas.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1000&px=1021175

Really, I have no other news. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

*Important fact-23 days until my birthday! It's the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday! :)

Oops! It's Been A Bit Since I've Posted!

Sorry about that...it's been busy! Nothing really eventful to tell. Just been getting stuff done. It was a great holiday weekend! David and I spent lots of time by the pool. We had breakfast with my parents and Grampa on Saturday and spent yesterday with his family at his parents house. They have a pool and had a big cookout. I met his whole family and all his parents friends. It was a lot of people! I have a small family, so it was a little overwhelming to be around that many people, but it was fun and I had a good time. :)

Hey, did you know that the city of Carrollton lets you pay your traffic tickets online? Hey, how do I know this? Because I got a ticket Saturday afternoon going to David's. Seriously, I wasn't going any faster than the flow of traffic, but I was in the left lane and he clocked me and I was easy to get to, so I'm the one that got pulled over. As he was running my license, my cell phone rings...it's David asking if that was me on the side of the road. Yup. So I'll just do the deferred adjudication and keep it off my record. This is what I get for bragging that I hadn't been pulled over in about 11 years. I think kharma just bit me in the butt!

David is leaving for Atlanta today but he'll be back on Friday. This is more of a fun meeting/team building trip for him, so he won't be so drained when he gets back. He'll be home for the following two weeks from there, so you all know that makes me happy! :)

Everyone have a great Tuesday!!

Ugh!

I went to dinner with Joseph last night and we ate like we'd never heard about eating healthy. We went to Saltgrass. Great dinner, but I am paying for it today. My stomach is killing me! (But they have awesome pomegranite strawberry daquiries!) So I am back on track today and I have got to be very very good the rest of the week. A lapse does not equal a collapse!

Not much new here. Please send out prayers for my cousin Jen's mom. She is very very ill and in the hospital. She has cancer and it has spread very rapidly. It's not good news.

On a much lighter note, Kevin started at VHA yesterday! I saw him for about 2 minutes yesterday...they put him to work immediately! Today I get to go over some reporting stuff, as it looks like we may be working closely on a few projects. Okay by me! It's nice to have such a good friend in the office!

David and I are going to enjoy the holiday weekend by spending time in the sun. I am hoping not to burn as we bake by the pool. I have to go and buy a swimsuit. Not my favorite thing to do. Wish I looked better in a swimsuit, but that day will come. Hopefully by summer NEXT year! David's parents are doing a BBQ this weekend. They have a lovely pool, but I am having anxiety about being in a swimsuit around his family. I ams till trying to impress them, and me in a swimsuit isn't the way to do it! I'll have to find a great cover-up. :)

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great day!

All Is Right In My World

Ah, David made it home safely Saturday, and he's here until the 30th, so we're going to have some time to enjoy each other! He's so happy to be back home! After I picked him up, we went and had a bite to eat and then went home and crashed. He was a tired boy!

Sunday we went to see The DaVinci Code. We enjoyed it! If you go to the movie and expect entertainment, that's what you'll get. Phooey on all the critics who panned it! We enoyed it and that's all we cared about!

I went to WW on Sunday, but opted not to weigh in. I am retaining water, so it wouldn't have been an accurate weigh-in. Next Sunday, though, I will be a weigh-in champ! :)

That's about it. School and work are keeping me plenty busy. Oh, went to the Saints and Sinners CD release party Friday night...the band was great, but they didn't even play until after midnight, so I was really tired. I went with Dan and his wife and Yvonne and her boyfriend, and we were all really sleepy so we didn't stay for the whole show. I home really late and went straight to bed!

Anyhow, have a great Monday everyone!