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!