Daily Dose of Crazy

Meeting, eating and rolling

2012-01-30T19:25:00.008-06:00

Day 2 of our San Diego adventure meant meetings all day with some yummy food thrown in. Breakfast was done on the patio and it was COLD!! I thought California was supposed to be perfect weather! THIS is NOT perfect weather! THIS is FREAKIN COLD!

So we ate really fast and were all in our seats early. :)

And while lunch was still a little chilly - it was also VERY gorgeous.

Before dinner, the crew met for "Team Building". I hate team building. We listened to a motivational speaker that used Fire Walking as an example of how to be brave. So my overactive imagination spent the rest of the day fretting that our promised 'team building exercise' would be that. But thankfully it wasn't and thankfully it wasn't so bad.

It was a three part process. Each team was given a tricycle to build - the fastest team won. Then we were given items to use to decorate our bikes - the most creative team won. And finally, one person from each team got to race said bikes around the courtyard of the hotel - the fastest team won.

After our race, we were told the bikes were being donated to local children's charities which made us all say "awww!". Then they brought the kids out - and we all cried. Seriously, who gives a room full of women a bunch of liquor and then parades a bunch of cute little kids out?! Yeesh. The kids and their families got to have dinner with us - mostly the parents ate, the kids were too busy riding around the room. :) It's a beautiful thing.

It was a lovely day with no fire walking. ;)

Pepita Does San Diego...sort of

2012-01-25T13:41:00.008-06:00

Pepita and I got to spend a few days in San Diego last week while we attended SkinMedica's annual sales meeting. We didn't actually SEE San Diego - we drove THROUGH San Diego....I think. We spent a few very cold days at the Rancho Bernardo Inn where I got to meet the people I've spent months emailing.

Here are a few highlights from day 1:

On the way to the airport! Pepita and I don't love early.

San Diego!! From the bus.

Our view. Not bad at all!

We had a long day traveling - Pepita needed a rest.

Apparently company gatherings mean open bar. Who knew?!

Night, night!

But wait! There's more.....

There's no crying in football...unless you're me

2012-01-14T19:45:00.010-06:00

I'm not all that athletic. Big shock, I know. I also do not spend a large amount of time watching sports, I don't really care. My attention span is spastic. And I have irrational attachment issues and a very addictive personality.

But it's the playoffs and you can't go anywhere that a TV isn't tuned to the latest game.

Tonight we decide to try Capt' Benny's seafood. It's a sports bar shaped like a boat that has a TV hung on all the walls tuned in to the Saints/49ers playoff game. As Daniel talks about the teams and the playoffs, I immediately decide the 49ers should win. The Saints were just in the big game, it's the 49ers turn - and they're playing at home! How exciting for their fans! (Note how irrational my choice of team is based on: who's turn it is to win? who's beloved fans are filling the seats? who's colors will I look best in on Super Bowl Sunday when I attend the ONLY football party I ever attend? See? Irrational. I should also mention this loyalty usually only lasts until the next game I have to watch. I go through this process every preSuper Bowl game I end up viewing. )

So we watch the 4th quarter. And I'm a nervous wreck! I keep covering my eyes and getting all anxious for a team I've been watching for all of 5 minutes! The 49ers are leading until they aren't - which makes me cover my eyes and cringe. Seriously. Then they have some BEAUTIFUL plays and WIN!!

And I teared up. This makes my Beloved laugh. A lot. ("are you seriously crying?!" he says) Then I see the player who ran in the winning touchdown crying and that only increases my tears. I'm a sympathetic crier. And I get so excited for the local fans and the cute little coach and precious players who seem so excited!

Daniel offered to let me go sit in the car. :)

And this is just one example of why my attachment to sports is a bad idea. A very bad idea.

Although if the 49ers make it all the way to the big game - I have a pair of red shoes that will look just darling!

Until next time....

Coming soon!

2012-01-10T11:03:00.006-06:00

Big Girl Job 2.0 will require some traveling in the next few weeks so me and this gal are hitting the road! Our first traveling adventure will take us to San Diego, California. Look out Cali! Pepita and I are coming your way!

Until next time.....

The Thunder Rolls

2012-01-09T16:41:00.004-06:00

**And now I have Garth Brooks stuck in my head. Way to go T.

Atticus has moved in to teenagerdom. He rolls his eyes, sighs and refuses to sleep in his bed or smile for pictures. He now prefers MY spot on the couch - sometimes refusing to move even when I sit on him. Seriously. I SIT on him and he stays put. Hardheaded beast.

He is grown and he no longer needs us. This makes me sad.

In the wee hours of the morning, the heavens opened and thunder shook the house. I counted two more claps of thunder before I heard little puppy feet on our wood floor.

And then he was snuggled between us on the bed.

And I smiled...

....because maybe he does still need us.

And I realized - if we ever have children....

.....we're going to need a bigger bed. :)

Until next time....

To the Left - in Pictures!

2012-01-03T13:11:00.042-06:00

Let me start by saying that had I had my left arm done first - the right arm would have never been fixed. The left arm has been a trial - from start to finish. I'm still waiting on the finish. Yes. A trial.

But I promised pictures so here you go.

Ready to go! I arrived at 10am like I was told. This is about 2pm. I'm STARVING.

Nurse #3 had no problem at all finding a vein. Bless her.

Ice to keep the swelling down, a knitting needle to help with the itching and a cuddly dog to help me heal.

Shower Items: Giant Cow Inseminating Gloves and Painters tape to secure it. Oh joy, oh delight! This is after the wrap came off. Apparently my left arm is allergic to the surgical tape. It's still red and itchy by the way. And apparently, my left nerve was more 'sensitive' than my right nerve. It's not handling being man handled very well. I still have little feeling in my first and third finger and have absolutely NO feeling in my middle finger.The Doctor did a poky test and seems to think the nerve isn't dead - just really angry. Lovely. I'm typing this with my pinkie - no fun. I get to go to Physical Therapy at the end of the week, maybe that will help.

Here's hoping the finish line is in sight...

Until next time...

Hello 2012!

2012-01-03T10:07:00.002-06:00

I've decided to forgo the resolutions - they only lead to disappointment. So I'm just gonna wing it. I'm taking on 2012 on a wing and a prayer and I'll see how things turn out in the end.

2011 was rough and I am ECSTATIC it's over.

Let's review and move on -

*Lost a job (this is bittersweet because while it was stressful - I saw it coming and it is by far the BEST thing to happen for me - so this is a toss up. It did provide several entertaining blogs so I guess it wasn't all that bad)
*Got two tickets - go me
*Wrecked my Judy car - again, go me
*Found out we owed The Man - I hate owing The Man
*Diagnosed a very sinking house and started plans on remodeling - heaven help me
*Had surgery on both hands - the Left is presenting several problems (blog to follow)

There are several other little annoyances but I've blocked them out. They are so last year.

So I had a spoonful of Black Eyed Peas and toasted to a new year.

Hello 2012, it's good to see you. Here's hoping we can be friends.

Until next time....

The Wrong Side of the Bed

2011-12-19T11:24:00.002-06:00

It seems to be my side.

I'm cranky and discouraged and overwhelmed and cranky.

Did I already say cranky? Oh well - I'm double the cranky.

My right arm still hurts and after Thursday so will my left. This is discouraging.

I have A TON of stuff to do at work that requires lifting and shifting but my arm hurts. This is overwhelming.

I can't fit in to any of my clothes. This makes me cranky and sad.Luckily with having the surgery I'll be in sweats for a few days. Those fit me.

Christmas stresses me out - the schedules, the planning, the shopping, the people. This is VERY discouraging.

I've been so distracted that we have the Christmas tree up but it doesn't have any ornaments on it.

So now I'm locked in my office crying - mainly because I need a good cry. And there's nothing wrong with that.

This too shall pass.

Until next time....

Pronator Teres Syndrome

2011-12-14T19:52:00.004-06:00

I've mentioned my Carpal Tunnel issues before. Well, it got so bad I decided to pursue corrective surgery. I go in to see if surgery is the best option and have to go through all the same torture tests I went through years ago only to find out it's not Carpal Tunnel and was never Carpal Tunnel. Lovely. Instead it's Pronator Teres Syndrome. As soon as I read "it's rare compared to.." I knew it was mine! I'm the 1 in 5 after all.

So I schedule the surgeries. (Hence my silence - it hurts to type. It hurts less today - lucky you. ;)) I had my first (right hand) surgery last Tuesday - here's how my day went...

I arrive at the hospital without makeup or food at 10am like they told me. At Noonish, a nurse comes out and asks for Mr. Christie. *sigh* I stand - "it's Mrs. Christie". The nurse looks down and says "No, it says Timothy." *deeper sigh* "Probably it says Timberley" I say. She looks down, laughs and says "oh yeah! It does say Timberley!" This does NOT give me confidence in my hospital.

She takes me back, I get to change and then we start with the IV drama. Nurse #1 can't find a place to stick me. Bless her heart, she tries. I have the bruise to prove it. After about 10 minutes and a couple pokes I tell her to bring my mom in from the lobby - she can stick me. She giggles. Only I'm not playing. She brings in Nurse #2. She looks at my arm, can't find anything and then proceeds to smack my arm. I turn bright pink. And she says "well, now you're all pink and I can't see a thing!" No confidence AT ALL. FINALLY Nurse #2 finds a vein and manages to start the IV. This means my Beloved and Mom can come back. As soon as they get back, the nurses leave and shut the door, I say "Ok, Timothy wants to leave. Grab my clothes, we're out of here." :)

Only I stayed - I've already paid after all and I'm already in the gown so might as well. I'm wheeled back to the OR and wake up 2 1/2 hours later with an arm bandaged from hand to right above the elbow. That's not like the commercial! The commercial says tiny incision, back to work the next day! I know - I helped edit the darn things!!

Only I'm the 1 in 5 so I didn't get that surgery. I get a big wrapped up arm for a week and get to shower with those gloves they use to inseminate cows. Lovely.

The Doctor said my nerve was in very bad shape so I might have permanent damage but at least my hand functions now! I have a VERY sore arm still and I ended up in tears after closing the fridge the wrong way this morning - I found that frayed nerve! Yeah buddy. But I'm hoping this surgery helps.

I have the left scheduled for next Thursday. I'll be half mummy for Christmas. Oh joy, oh delight.

Ok, that was lot, now my arm hurts. I'll be back again when I can. Bare with me.

Until next time....

Thank you, Thank you very much!

2011-11-30T22:37:00.003-06:00

I've been thankful all month and now I'm thankful to be done. :) And I'm excited tomorrow marks day 1 of my month of Christmas socks! Those will not be posted - you will have to use your imagination.

Tonight - I celebrated. And now I have the hiccups.

Today I'm thankful for Tequila and lime and my pillow and the prospect of Saturday.

Until next time....

And the Cat Came Back

2011-11-29T18:50:00.004-06:00

Some of you might remember this post about our adventures at work with a set of kittens. Well today we finally met the momma. And it's a story worth reenacting. :)

I'm standing in my boss' office when we hear a commotion coming from the area of my production room. I walk over to see what's going on and notice two ceiling tiles are on the ground. How'd that happen? I glance in to my production room and see movement - the Cat! I panic because that's how I roll and I run back to the office and shut the door screaming "Cats are falling on my head! I can't work under these conditions! It's after me - I just know it! She's seeking revenge for her missing kittens and I'm to blame." The boys hear me scream and come to the rescue (through their fits of laughter). They block all of the doors leaving only the door to the outside open and chase the cat to freedom....while I'm safely locked in my office. I like my eyes - I'd rather them not be scratched out.

Once the cat was out I was able to access the damage she managed in the brief time she spent in my production room. And it was quite a bit! Stuff all over the floor, product knocked off the shelf! Yeesh - she was UPSET!

Today I'm thankful for doors that shut and feet that run. I'm thankful the cat got to freedom and I'm hopeful she stays free. I'm thankful for my coworkers who realize I'm crazy but want to keep my any way. ;)

Until next time....

A Change in the Weather

2011-11-28T21:47:00.004-06:00

I LOVE cold weather! I love crunchy leaves and coats and scarves and hot chocolate and fuzzy blankets. And it's finally arrived in Houston - thank the good Lord!

And tonight I'm happy to bundled up with my fuzzy blanket.

Today I'm thankful for cold weather, a working heater and my fuzzy blanket. I'm thankful for our DVR, a yummy dinner and Cyber Monday deals. Online shopping - now THAT'S something I can get behind! ;)

Until next time...

More lessons in Pet Parenting

2011-11-27T14:37:00.006-06:00

I get home from my hour with masseuse BFF Lydia and my Beloved asks me to look at something by Atti's ear. He's all wiggly with excitement (the dog, not the husband) so it takes some quick moving to get a good look. And it's a big fat Tick. YUCK!!! This might be damaging my calm.

In order to get the dog to settle we give him a calming pill and Daniel holds a treat so I can pick off the offending creature. With tweezers in hand, I spring in to action! OK, so less spring and more squeal. Regardless, I pick the ugly thing off, throw it on a napkin and Daniel smashes the heck out of it. Take THAT nasty beast! We search him all over and can't find any more.

With Atti being medicated we decided to take him with us to Mom's. I'm telling mom about my braveness and she says we might be ready for parenthood! I then tell her it's how I plan on handling bullies - simply pluck them up and smash the heck out them! Which makes her amend her original comment adding - "well, there might be a few more lessons to learn..."

Anyway, we get back in the car last night and while I'm looking at Atticus I notice there is something near the spot where the tick was. Once home, we get him to calm down and I'm attacking his head with the tweezers again. And it's another tick! Crap. We search his ears for the second time in one day and find two more. I smashed the heck out of those ticks!

This is out of control so we head to Walmart for Tick repellent. I'm walking super fast and Daniel asks me what the rush is. "We're under attack Daniel!! There are ticks all over us!" He no longer worries about what other people think about what I say - he gave up a long a time ago. We find the pet section and he asks me what we should get. "Everything that says tick!! Just put it in the basket!!" as I'm scratching like crazy. This is what we end up with:

The yard has been treated, the dog has been treated two different ways and no longer cares when we come at him with a flashlight. Hopefully we have this under control and the nasty beasts aren't biding their time for a counter attack. So gross.

I'm thankful Walmart stays open late and sells everything under the sun (that might be the nicest thing I've ever said about Walmart). I'm thankful for a sense of humor and a good natured husband. And I'm thankful for a dog that doesn't seem to mind his crazy parents. ;)

Until next time....

Our Young Man

2011-11-26T22:04:00.003-06:00

This will be a blubbery blog - you've been warned.

Today my Beloved got to help Travis fill out college applications. College. Applications. He asked me for help on Thanksgiving and I cried most of the way home. Don't tell him I said that. ;)

I'm just so proud of him! He's come such a long way and I'm so relieved. He's responsible and more independent and so thoughtful. I am excited about the opportunities he is getting to have and the life experiences he will carry with him always. And I cannot wait to see where his life takes him!

But I'm also a little sad. He's still the little boy with the curly hair and mischievous smile who likes to play with Legos. The boy who would chase down the ice cream man in his socks. The boy who woke up early one day out of the year - Christmas morning. The boy who held my fingers while he learned to walk.

And now he's going to college soon.

Today I'm thankful for the young man my baby brother is turning out to be. I'm thankful for some time with my Momma, an hour with my massage BFF Lydia and tick shampoo (long story!).

Until next time....

A Not-So-Black Friday

2011-11-25T22:21:00.004-06:00

I love shopping but I just say NO when it comes to Black Friday. It combines a few things I hate the most - people, early hours, rushed shopping and crowded parking lots. No thank you. I'd rather pay full price. And you will NEVER catch me camping in a tent in the Best Buy parking lot 2 days before Thanksgiving - crazy people. Seriously, were they giving away full college scholarships or spaceships to the first 5 people?! I also couldn't work at Best Buy because I wouldn't let anyone through the door unless they'd showered....recently....with soap. Again - crazy people.

Instead we headed to Huntsville for a visit with my Beloved's family. It was a perfectly lovely day with no lines or people. :)

I'm thankful for a beautiful day, lovely laughs and fluffy clouds. I'm thankful for an adventurous drive and a delicious dinner with my Daniel.

Until next time...

Family

2011-11-24T19:44:00.005-06:00

They make me laugh. They make me ragey. They make my eye twitch. But I love them. Mostly.

Today I'm thankful for my family - the ones I see often and the ones I only see once a year. I'm thankful for turkey and pie and sweet tea. I'm thankful for 3 Hour Logs and visits by the fire. I'm thankful Kacy got to join our motley crew and that Momma's house is always inviting. I'm thankful for stretchy pants and that Thanksgiving only comes around once a year. ;)

Until next time....

Baking Made Easy

2011-11-23T09:37:00.001-06:00

Some of you might remember this post featuring a confession from a crazy person. Since being married and living on our own, I've tried to contribute to Thanksgiving by bringing something yummy. I'm not great in the kitchen and I get extremely upset when things don't go according to plan or look like it's supposed to. So when it comes to baking, I'm happy to use "ready to roll" dough. Judge all you want! I don't care. It tastes just as yummy and always turns out perfect.Today I'm thankful for yummy, flaky Pillsbury Pie Crusts and the fact that Walmart still had some three days before Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for a yummy smelling house and an easy day at work. I'm thankful for Dobby the House Elf - he brings me joy every time he shows up (until book 7, d*#@ you, JK). I'm thankful I'll get to spend tomorrow with my family and then enjoy a long weekend. I'm thankful for my little space heater - it's a little chilly in my office today!

Until next time.....

Starry Night & Eye Sight

2011-11-22T11:08:00.011-06:00

I love the Starry Night series by Van Gogh. I picked my first credit card based on the fact that I could get it with Starry Night on it. Once they took that option away, I cancelled the card. That was a fun conversation with the credit card people.

This weekend on our road trip, we toured the Houmas House Plantation and I found this umbrella - and I HAD to have it. :)

Such beautiful blues and yellows! This is the painting everyone recognizes but my true favorite is Starry Night Over the Rhone. It's magical! It occurs to me that there are people who cannot see such beautiful things - and that makes me sad. And I have to remember to never take my sight for granted.

Today I'm thankful for the ability to see pretty colors and the faces of the people I love. I'm thankful for Van Gogh and a rainy day. I'm thankful I'm getting new windshield wipers for Christmas. :)

Until next time....

5 O'Clock

2011-11-21T16:56:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful that Monday is almost over and that tomorrow is brand new with no mistakes in it - like Anne of Green Gables would say. I'm thankful my Beloved is waiting at home and I can't wait to be there with him. I'm thankful it's almost time to go home and I have HP5 to listen to on my drive (even though I loathe Dolores Umbridge and this is my least favorite book in the series). I'm thankful it's a short week! And I'm hopeful I'll wake up a bit less cranky tomorrow - I blame He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He's making me and my Harry friend very ragey on my drive in. ;)

Until next time.....

Family Fun Time

2011-11-20T22:37:00.008-06:00

This weekend our cousin Shannon married her Matt in Louisiana which meant the Martin 3 got to spend several hours together in the backseat again. And no one died! Coming from experience, my siblings are what you would call 'spread outers' and always take up more room. And at 30, I am not above telling mom they're touching me. ;) Mom's new rule for this trip was that we could fight all we want as long as it was done via text.

The wedding was beautiful and we had a lot of fun! And a lot beer. Which means our ride together yesterday was mostly jovial. Today it was mostly hungover. :) Fun times.

I'm thankful for family, laughter and beer. I'm thankful for plantation tours and indoor plumbing - Chamber Pots are NOT OKAY. I'm thankful for PetSmart for taking care of our Atticus. I'm thankful for an opportunity to see family and the joy of coming home.

And I'm thankful I'll get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

Until next time...

NAPS!!

2011-11-18T09:34:00.005-06:00

Infants need them, children fight them and adults LONG for them.
And my two boys look so sweet when they're taking one. :)

I'm thankful for comfy couches, cold weather and fuzzy blankets. I'm thankful for Atti's little sleeping sighs - it means he's content. I'm thankful for falling asleep on the couch with a cuddly puppy. I'm thankful my Momma and the Child are coming over tonight! And I'm HOPEFUL I'll get a nap today but I'm thankful for ice cold Dr. Pepper if I don't.

Until next time....

*Side note! We are going on a road trip with the family this weekend so I'll be thankful again on Sunday. ;)

His Promises

2011-11-17T11:27:00.005-06:00

When I was little and would get scared, I would run to my Mom. She would always read Hebrews 13:5-6 to me, pray with me and the fears would cease. It's my favorite verse and my favorite promise and something I needed to be reminded of today.

Hebrews 13:5-6: For God has said "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." So we can say with confidence "The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?"

A few weeks ago, my Mamaw brought me this key chain. She didn't know the significance of the verse to me but funny things just work out that way. ;)
My LEAST favorite verse (probably I shouldn't have one but I'm human) can be found in James 1 ~ 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.' Yeah, I don't like that verse at all. :)

Today I'm thankful I believe in a God who loves me and comforts me and provides for me - even when I fail to ask. I'm thankful He loves me more than the stars and the sun He taught to shine. I'm thankful my Beloved and I both have jobs and live in a house and have food on our table. I'm thankful we're insured and loved and supported. And I'm thankful to be resting in His awesome grip and to be confident that this too shall pass. Or at least working on being confident this too shall pass. ;)

Count it all joy.....count it all joy.....

Until next time.....

ALL things INDOOR

2011-11-16T11:08:00.007-06:00

I NEVER take this for granted. I love indoor plumbing. I love that I can have hot water whenever I want. I love that I can flush. Gone are the days of using an Outhouse!

I would not have survived before indoor plumbing. We often have 'but what if this' conversations and it always ends the same - NOT HAPPENING. For example, my Beloved will ask "but say we were camping..." "Yeah, I'm not camping." "OK, say we were stuck in the middle of the desert.." "Why are we in the desert?! Deserts are HOT! No thank you." This is the point where my Beloved rolls his eyes and gives up.

We were watching this show where a survivalist and his wife were being dropped in different locations so she could 'learn to survive'. One episode featured them drinking their own urine. I paused the show and told my husband if our survival rested on us drinking each others pee - I choose death. To which he replied "Duly noted." When we talked about the show, Daniel would point out that it would be handy to know how to survive in those situations. I have no intention of being stranded in the middle of a desert or the rain forest and can't even begin to fathom the situation that would drop me there. Crazy people.

I don't really like Outside all together. We were at a party a few weeks ago and someone told a story about a lady who swallowed a bee through a straw in a drink she had while outside. His moral of the story was to always cover your straw when outside. My moral of the story was don't go outside.

Today I'm thankful for inside, air conditioning and hot water heaters. I'm thankful for hot showers and toilets that flush and ovens that cook. I'm thankful for a Beloved who has no desire to camp. I'm thankful for dishwashers and microwaves and cable. I'm thankful for the Internet and smart phones and blogs. ;)

Until next time....

Music While I Work

2011-11-15T14:42:00.003-06:00

When I left the Rodeo, I was given an iPod by my friend Jason and his lovely bride, Valerie as a going away gift. I love it! I play Cut The Rope and Stupid Zombies and I share pictures and I stay motivated while I work. I have my iPod and docking station (a Christmas gift from great In-Laws) in my production room. When I'm cleaning product or boxing seminar items - I can listen to anything I want to listen to as loud as I want! I'm so spoiled.

Today I'm thankful for music, iPods, electricity, and being alone in my own little world. I'm thankful for Adele, The Zac Brown Band, Taylor Swift and Mumford and Sons. I'm thankful for lunch with the girls, a new book to read and queso. I'm also thankful for lots and lots of rain!

Until next time...

My Daniel

2011-11-14T09:29:00.007-06:00

I'm a very lucky girl when it comes to husbands. He's handy, not obsessed with sports or hunting , has decent taste in music and likes to read. ;) He's polite and even tempered and kind. I still smile when I introduce him as my husband.

My Beloved doesn't have to be at work until much later then I do but he gets up with me while I get ready in the morning. And since I'm usually in a hurry, he makes my lunch for me. :) And he makes my Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches the way I like even though he completely disagrees.
He makes me laugh, he brings me comfort, he helps me clean the house and he loves me. Even though I'm crazy.

I'm thankful for him. Always.

Until next time.....

A Sunday at Home

2011-11-13T20:02:00.004-06:00

This was the first Sunday in a while that we got to be home and today my Beloved and I spent the day taking care of our house. We cleaned and vacuumed and dusted until everything sparkled. Now, soon after the floors were spotless the dog entered the room and that all changed. The joys of living with a beast! :)

We had to run an errand this evening and I snapped this picture. It was such a pretty sky! I couldn't resist.

Today I'm thankful for Sundays at home, our DVR, Harry Potter 7.2 and the inventor of the vacuum. I'm thankful for a pretty sky, my Daniel and our home - dog hair and all. :)

Until next time...

Momma's Pumpkin Bread

2011-11-12T21:26:00.003-06:00

We got to spend some time at Momma's this weekend and today she made Pumpkin Bread. Yum!

Today I'm thankful for love and weddings and warm pumpkin bread. I'm thankful for the way my Momma's house smells and that she loves us enough to let us leave with 4 loaves. ;)

Until next time...

Freedom

2011-11-11T08:11:00.007-06:00

Today I'm thankful I am free. I'm thankful I can say what I want, vote for who I want, go where I want to go. I'm thankful and humbled by those who made it possible. I'm thankful to the men and women who fought to make sure I was free and those who fight today to make sure we are safe. I'm thankful for the families of those who fight - they sacrifice a lot for the name of Freedom. I'm thankful to be an American and a Texan.

So thank you, Veterans and your families for making sure I am free.

Until next time....

Lessons in Patience

2011-11-09T15:37:00.008-06:00

I'm begrudgingly thankful for this.

Patience is not a virtue I was born with. It's something I'm working on though! And let me tell you - this week has been a challenge!

I've had several hotels try to charge us for more than we agreed. Foolish, foolish hotels! And yesterday I had this particularly fun run in with a shipping company. Here's some back story - our big magical printer stopped printing on Monday (which is another story that ended with a bottle of wine) so I had to hustle in order to get a shipment out. I overnighted a box for first AM delivery - guaranteed to be there by 8am and costing an arm and a leg. My boss calls me the next day at 10am saying it hasn't arrived. No problem! I'll check the tracking. The tracking says it's been picked up. That's it. So I call and proceed to have this conversation:

Me: I need to check the status of our package.
Them: It's been picked up and set to be delivered at 8am.
Me: That was two hours ago.
Them: Oh
Me: So where is it?
Them: I'm seeing it's been picked up.
Me: I know that - where is it now?
Them: I don't know.
Me: So you can't tell me where in the world our package is? You can't find out which brown truck between here and New York is currently carrying said package?
Them: No.

Me: Fine. We need the charge refunded.

Them: We can't refund the charge until the package arrives.
Me: And when is it going to arrive?
Them: It was scheduled to arrive today at 8am.

Yep. By this time the Timby-Rage-O-Meter had peaked and I gave up.

Turns out they totally smashed the package and it was sent back to me. Poor Package!

I'm thankful for patience and a sense of humor.

Until next time....

RAIN!

2011-11-09T09:23:00.002-06:00

Houston got a lot of much needed rain yesterday! It was such a joy to see rain pouring off the roof! :) I came home to a very wet dog but it's all right. We needed it.

I'm thankful for rain, cooler weather, scarves and the 'halfway through the week' mark.

Until next time...

Monday Nights

2011-11-08T08:54:00.004-06:00

Mondays seem to be a problem. :) A few weeks ago, I tried this recipe which calls for a cup of white wine. So I bought a bottle of white, cooked and realized I didn't have a cork stop. Oopsie. I didn't want to be wasteful so I drank the rest. This introduced me to my new favorite wine:

Wine makes me giggly and loud - just FYI. Anyways! Monday nights also mean Text Time with the Young One. My brave friend Kelley lives in New York. I met Kelley when I worked for that other place and we just get along. :) We exchange book obsessions, we like the same shows and we make 4 quarter bets. We both enjoy the TV show Castle on Monday nights so we spend the hour texting each other. Sometimes thanks to my new friend, Signature White - I don't always remember the texts the next day. :) Ah well!

Today I'm thankful for texts, wine, the Young One, Nathan Fillion and Tuesdays. I'm also thankful for Ibuprofen and that Friday is a day closer. :)

Until next time.....

Clouds

2011-11-07T09:27:00.003-06:00

My God makes some pretty clouds! Some people might say it's science but I believe in magic and Santa and God. So God it is. And His imagination continuously astounds me. I'm a selfish being and every time I see a pretty sunset or a rainbow or fluffy clouds, I think "He did that for me!" :)

Today I'm thankful for a colorful sky, the chance of rain and a God who loves to see me smile.

Until next time....

A Huntsville Sunday

2011-11-06T21:40:00.006-06:00

This morning we headed up to Huntsville to see Daniel's Granny. I like being in the car with my Beloved. We talk, we laugh, we sing. It's a lot of fun! My Beloved likes to listen to NPR and this morning we got to listen to 'Wait, Wait - Don't tell Me' which we both enjoy. Daniel got to help build a fence while I talked to Goats. :) Here are some highlights from today~

I'm thankful for decent radio programming and the people who support it....

...and hard working men...

...and the first Magic Dog I ever met. Sky might be getting old but he'll always be magic to me.

I'm thankful for a beautiful day, my Beloved belting out "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight" and a Kroger discount on gas.

Until next time....

A Wylde Hayre

2011-11-05T21:46:00.003-05:00

Tonight my Beloved and I got to have dinner with our friends, Amanda and Caleb and we got to meet their little one! Archer Wylde Hayre is 6 months old and totally enchanting. :) Here's a picture of him and Daniel:

I'm thankful for friends, food, monkeys and little baby feet! I'm thankful they got to visit with mom - the more of our friends that have babies, the less pressure there is on us! So keep it up! ;)

Until next time.....

My On-Call Stylist

2011-11-04T17:10:00.003-05:00

This is Lori, she has been styling my Momma for as long as I can remember. And she's been working on my hair for a long time too! I don't have difficult hair. I don't have exciting hair. I've never dyed it - I joke about doing it but she knows me enough to know it won't happen. And she no longer cringes when I just put it back up in a knot as soon as she's done. :) She's always willing to trim my bangs when I text with my "LORI!! I CAN'T SEEE!!!!" text. I never make an appointment and yet she always finds the time.

Lori works in Magnolia now which is a bit of a drive from La Porte. But it doesn't matter. It's a day to visit and laugh and catch up with a friend. I get to have lunch with Mom, let Lori fix my hair (she can tell when I've been messing with them) and it's always worth it.

So today I'm thankful for Lori and Mary and Hairkeepers 2. And lunch and laughs with Momma while I worked from home. ;) And pretty toes. And an absolutely LOVELY Friday.

Until next time....

Take a look, it's in a Book....

2011-11-03T08:58:00.008-05:00

This is one I take for granted. Books and the ability to read them.

I'm currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; it's about a little girl growing up in Germany during the start of World War 2. She steals books and longs to read them. She rescues one from a burning and it broke my heart to realize they burned thousands of books simply because they were scared of what they said. How sad! I'm only halfway through the book but I highly recommend it! I'll post an update once I'm done - it's narrated by Death after all, there's bound to be sadness.

So today, I'm thankful I can read. There are those that can't.

I'm thankful I can read what I want to read! There are those that don't have that choice.

I'm thankful I LOVE to read. There are those that don't.

I'm thankful for authors with passion who had a story to tell. And book-friends who suggest good books. And pages. And lunch time book clubs! And the worlds I get to escape to.

I also thank my Dad, LeVar Burton and countless teachers for encouraging my love of reading. And my Mom for never fussing when she caught me reading by flashligh after bed time. :)

Until next time....

Sloppy Puppy Kisses

2011-11-02T09:04:00.003-05:00

I'm so thankful for our Atticus. He brings us joy. He makes us laugh. He loves us. And I love his sweet kisses. (They make Daniel go "bleh!" but secretly he loves them too.)We found Atti at our local shelter (which is a fun story involving tears, snow and Sega Palms). At our Taco Bell there is a little donation box for the La Porte Animal Shelter. Last time we were in, I slipped a dollar in the box. My Beloved made some comment and I told him that someone somewhere slipped a dollar in a box that helped feed our Atti while he was there! To which he replied - 'now you're going to make me emotional'. (He probably doesn't appreciate me sharing that. :) ) So last night due to a series of unfortunate events, I didn't get home until late and I was so crabby, I didn't cook. Daniel stopped at Taco Bell on the way home and while he was waiting I get a text saying he gave a dollar to the dogs. :) I love that man.

Today I'm thankful for Atticus and the La Porte Animal Shelter for caring for him. I'm also thankful for who ever let him go - because I'm pretty sure he was meant to be ours. I'm thankful for donation boxes, tacos and a man that loves his wife. And his dog. :)

Until next time...

My Cup Runneth Over

2011-11-01T10:22:00.005-05:00

I had so much fun with Dana's Photo Challenge that I thought I'd give myself one. And in the spirit of the season, I thought I'd spotlight the things I'm thankful for. So here is my attempt to blog a picture daily for the month of November! Some will be silly. Some will be serious. Some will be things I take for granted. But ALL will be things I cherish.

Here's the first picture!
It took me 2 hours to get to work this morning. 2 HOURS. I work in Houston, not Austin. Traffic makes me ragey but thanks to my lovely Aunt Kristl and her bootlegged copies of the Harry Potter Audio Books - I don't mind it so much any more. Today I was thankful to envision Mad Eye Moody bouncing the Ferret Malfoy up and down the hall while I was stuck behind a mass of vehicles. :) So thank you, Kristl for the CD's and thank you, JK Rowling for the stories. You both help ease my road rage. :)

Until next time....

Oh the Horror!

2011-10-31T10:10:00.001-05:00

My Beloved and I spend a lot of time in the car and it always surprises me at the different things we notice. He will see things I miss and I will catch things he doesn't. It's fun! Well, while out running errands the other day, my Beloved glances over at a shopping center, says "Oh man, I wish I hadn't seen that" and then shakes his head in disgust.
"See what?" I ask.
"That sign. I don't want to think about it - it upsets me too much." he says, clearly upset by something.
I turn around to see what he is talking about. And this is it: It made me laugh. "It's giving me heart burn" he says, "it better be owned by more than one Stephanie."
I say "There is famine and war and death in the world and THAT is what upsets you?!"
"Famine and war and death are inevitable! There is no excuse for bad punctuation!" he says.
Now we try to avoid driving by said establishment. It makes my Beloved very sad. :)
Until next time....

The Cat's Meow

2011-10-26T10:05:00.003-05:00

I work in an old building that is not in the best of shape. This being said, we have a problem with critters making their way in to our building. A few weeks ago as I'm sitting at my desk I hear a tiny little 'meow' coming from my ceiling. OMG! I quickly call my coworker who swiftly comes down to my office. I shush her and we wait. 'MEOW!' OMG! We tell the building guy and he says 'crap'. He hates when critters invade his building. Eventually the hidden kitten moves on and the meowing stops. Thankfully! I can't handle the meows - they stress me out.

Fast forward to last week.

I arrive to work to find the doors to the lab shut, the lights off and the front door propped open. Ummmm. It turns out the kittens have been caught and now we're waiting for the mom to come out of the attic. The kittens are placed in a box in a room with the attic door open. And we wait. Then the meowing starts. We keep going in to check on the little creatures - they are so cute! And we look for the Momma at the attic door. By this time I have visions of the angry momma landing on my head - this makes me jumpy. Okay, so it makes me MORE jumpy. Whatever. I glance up to the attic, see eyes and squeal. This scares the momma and back to the attic she goes. This is probably my fault. Friday when I arrive the scene is much the same! Meows all around and now two attic doors are opened. The Mom gets close but is too scared to jump down. Silly cat. We're standing in the hall talking when I happen to glance up and see the Momma hanging out of the attic door. Full scream this time. Yep. She goes back in to hiding. They set a trap over the weekend and somehow the tricksy momma managed to eat the food, trip the trap and escape. Clever little thing.

By yesterday the entire front of the building smelled like Tuna and cats - yuck. The cute little kittens (that were cute for all of 2 seconds before they started hissing) took a trip to a local shelter where they are sure to be adopted. The poor Mom got left behind. She spent the rest of yesterday crying at the attic door. She's fraying my nerve. I hope she finds her way out soon.

I tell my Beloved how sad she must be to have her little babies taken from her! He said cats don't think like that. I asked him how he knew cats didn't think like that! He was never a cat! They don't talk! And he said he just knows these things. Uh huh.

Until next time...

More of this and that....

2011-10-19T13:03:00.003-05:00

Peepers: We spent this past weekend at Mom's house all together. Travis came home with what he thought was a scratched eye but turned out to be a very bad eye infection, one that required drops every hour on the hour. While mom was busy cooking I offered to administer the drops. She said the drops are on his nightstand. No problem! I got this! I reach his room, pick up the bottle of eye stuff, tell the sleeping Child to hold his eye open and put a drop in. And then I realize there is another tiny bottle of eye stuff on his clock - where mom said it would be. Oops. I tell the Child I put the wrong drops in and to hold his eye open again. This wakes him up! "YOU PUT THE WRONG DROPS IN?!" It was an honest mistake! And one I only made ONCE!! In all fairness, I was only allowed to put drops in his eye one more time after that. One out of two ain't bad! I come back down the stairs and Mom says "you weren't up there for half a second before he was screaming, what on earth?" So I told her what happened which made her take a deep breath and shake her head. He can still see! I think....

The Power is Gone: I had a feather in my hair. It was cute and blue and a little bit rebellious (not really - everyone and their grandma has feathers in their hair) and last night it fell out. :( It also pulled out several strands of hair. This morning I wake up cranky because I didn't sleep a wink last night. I think my favorite wine is starting to work against me; I spent the night tossing and turning. While getting dressed this morning I struggled with my shirt sleeves (seriously, why must they make the cuffs so tight?!) which made my Beloved and the dog very entertained. In my annoyance and defeat, I say "My feather is gone, I've lost all my power." This makes my Beloved laugh because he's married to a total nutcase.

Me & Jim Dale: He reads to me when I'm driving. He does all the voices just like I hear them (except Moaning Myrtle). Since Judy's accident (it was probably mostly my fault) she has a lot of road noise. I'm not sure what the issue is but she now screams at me when we're on the freeway (this is probably mostly my fault as well) so I have to play my Harry Potter books really loud. And I didn't realize this until the other day but you can clearly hear Jim from outside of my car. So when I roll to a stop light and the cars next to me are looking at me like I'm crazy, it makes me laugh. Yeah, I blare my Harry Potter books!! I'm gangsta like that! ;)

Until next time....

My Poopie

2011-10-17T10:23:00.009-05:00

I'm not sure how long ago I started calling my little sister that but it stuck. And it's all I call her now which makes for some fun faces when we're in public. :) She doesn't mind...I think.

Anyway! Yesterday was her birthday and we spent the weekend with her at Mom's house. All the Martin children under one roof. It was a little loud and totally exhausting but a whole lot of fun.

I adore my baby sister. She was my very first friend. She let me dress her up and boss her around. She makes me laugh. She's messy. We quote movies ALL THE TIME. She reminds me of the babe. ;) She's one of the first people I want to call when something sad or good or funny has happened. Captain Planet is our hero. She is the Night to my Day. If you've ever met her, you'd understand - we are total opposites. She would have my back in a fight but be the first to tell me I am being dumb. She's a hard worker. She has bad ankles so don't walk too close to her because she'll take you down with her! We are Losers - together. She brings me joy.

And I love her. A whole lot.

And I couldn't imagine a world without her. LOSERS UNITE!!

Happy Birthday Poopie!

Until next time.....

D*#%

2011-10-04T12:59:00.007-05:00

I love my husband and I'm very thankful he loves me too. And he even KNOWS me!! He understands I get a little ragey when I let the house work pile up. He can predict his evening by judging if I had to go to Walmart or not. He can tell how cranky I'm going to be by what shoes I wear to work. He knows how crazy I get when I take on a project.

So last night when I told him I wanted to paint the hallway yellow, he looked a little worried. I then explained I wanted to paint it with alternating flat paint and glossy paint like I saw on Pinterest. His response - 'D*#% Pinterest'.

And then later when I told him Craft Hope has a new project posted, he winced. I told him it was sewing cute sock monkeys!! Sock monkeys can't be hard to sew, right? His response - 'D*#% Craft Hope.'

He doesn't mean to take it out on the sites that facilitate my issues, it's just the only way to express himself. He knows any additional project I take on right now might push me over the ledge I'm always teetering on. :)

When I told him I was going to blog about this, he said.....you guessed it! 'D*#% blog.' :)

He might take my smart phone away and ban me from all things online.

Only he won't cuz he loves me. Silly boy. :)

Until next time......

Sew Annoying!

2011-09-28T09:12:00.005-05:00

So I'm working on a quilt again and this one might really be my last!! For reals this time. Probably. Maybe.

If I could properly work my stupid sewing machine I might actually enjoy it a little better! But as it stands, if I do not have the following items close at hand while I'm at the machine, I will accomplish nothing but frustration. (And screaming and throwing, hence the reason why our dog runs to the bedroom to hide as soon as he sees the sewing machine come out. Seriously. It's kind of sad)

The Seam Ripper and Scissors are a must because as much as I sew - I do A LOT of unsewing. These are items you are used to seeing in a sewing box. The other items, not so much. Somehow when I sew, the thread in the machine gets wrapped around the gizmos and gets caught up in the joints. So then I have to use the Screw Driver to remove the front half of the sewing machine. I then have to use the Flashlight to find the offending thread and the Pliers to attempt to remove it. It's a scene. A sad, sad scene.

I have to re-thread the machine at least 4 times during a sewing session. This is probably user error but I follow the directions so I'm not sure which step I'm missing. Maybe the machine is a lemon. Maybe I'm not cut out for sewing. Maybe this is normal and I'm just horribly impatient. It's probably a little of all of that.

Sadness.

Until next time...

Bless them!

2011-09-15T12:26:00.005-05:00

I love chocolate and peanut butter but I do not love Reese's Peanut Butter cups. The chocolate to peanut butter ratio is off - too much chocolate and not enough peanut butter. I know this opinion is probably blasphemous - whatever.

Well, several years ago, Reese's started making special holiday themed chocolate/peanut butter treats with the PERFECT chocolate/peanut butter ratio. Pumpkins, Christmas Trees, hearts and Easter Eggs!! DELICIOUS!! For the months between Halloween and Easter, I delight in these fantastic treats. And for once I'm thankful stores shove the holiday-a-month-away down our throats so far in advance because that means I get one more month of chocolate/peanut butter goodness.

Last night I had to go to Walmart. I've mentioned my utter disdain for Walmart. This trip did nothing to help with that. Except I turned down the candy aisle and there they were! In all their chocolate/peanut goodness! They come in a box of 6 and I practiced self control and only bought 2 boxes.

Bless you, Reese's! You've given me hope that fall might actually be coming and we might eventually get to wear our cute sweaters and scarves....while enjoying a perfectly created chocolaty treat.

Until next time....

Hey You Guys!!!!

2011-09-13T19:19:00.004-05:00

I got away from My Favorite Things. This is me trying to focus. :)

Today it's my movies! I have two MOST favorite and a bazillion other favorites. So I'm going to have to break them down in to sets. This set is my 'Most Favorite' set. What?! I like my stories!

My most favorite movie is The Goonies. I.LOVE.IT! I love the humor, the adventure, the lines. It never gets old! Ever! It's the movie that launched my Sean Astin crush. I've seen the movie so many times, I can recite the entire thing. Yep - it's no fun watching it with me. I quote it all the time - "Dead things, Mikey! DEAD THINGS!" Brilliant! The movie makes me want to hunt treasure and set booby traps. That's what I said! Set Booty traps! Be quiet, shhhhh! :) SO AWESOME!

My other most favorite is The Usual Suspects. I know - the COMPLETE opposite of The Goonies but SO GOOD. It's the perfect 'who done it' with a brilliant twist at the end. This movie launched my love affair with Kevin Spacey. I think he's a genius with a fabulous talent. This movie also has a slew of quotable lines. Benicio Del Toro delivers his "he'll flip ya, flip ya for real" line so simply. :) So great! It's a perfect story with twists and turns and I just love it!

And there it is - the two movies I'd have to have on a desert island with me. Well, my two most favorite movies I'd have to have with me. There are others I'd want to pack as well but I'll save those for another day.

Until next time...

Just a Tuesday

2011-09-11T19:38:00.005-05:00

There are moments in life where you will always remember where you were when.

It was a Tuesday. We got up to get ready for class, turned on our TV and watched the world change. It looked like a movie - hijacked planes, burning buildings. I remember thinking Will Smith was going to come swiftly to the rescue and get the girl. Only he didn't. And it wasn't.

We watched the world change live on every channel. We were glued to our TV sets for days watching the destruction over and over and over again until we thought we couldn't cry any more. Only we could because 9/11 is a wound that should never heal. It left a massive scar that will never go away.

We stopped as a nation and cried together. Then we got angry together. Then we came together. This horrible act changed my nation but it also brought my nation together.

And now its been 10 years. A decade. Just crazy.

I was watching a little bit of the ceremony this morning and listened to the names being read. A girl was reading names and ended with her dad's name, she lost him when she was nine making her 19 now. That's a lot of life! That's Junior High, High School, College - all without her dad because some wack-a-doo's had a 'mission'. And it still doesn't make any sense.

10 years later the footage still makes me cry. 10 years later the stories still break my heart.

And I hope it always will.

Until next time....

My Heavy Heart

2011-09-06T18:43:00.003-05:00

My heart is broken, y'all. Between the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and the fires, I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend the week near tears. I've sat and watched fire destroy large amounts of the state I love in the past few days. And it's still burning. People are losing their homes, their lives and there is NOTHING I can do about it. I'd huff and I'd puff if I thought it would help! I'd give up my favorite pair of shoes for Captain Planet's ability to control water and wind! But none of that is possible. And all I can do is watch. It's such a helpless feeling. We can donate money to the victims and supplies to the people at the front lines and that's helping. But it's not calming the flames any. And that's frustrating.

Seeing the interviews of people who had to leave behind all things precious made me start to think about what I would grab if grabbing was all I could do. The idea of making a "Must Grab" list is heartbreaking but humbling and so very grown up. So I'm making one through my tears.

Every time Texas is in the news 'spot light', my pride in my state grows by leaps and bounds. People have lost EVERYTHING yet they never say "woe is me! where is my help?" They stand and shakily say "yea, we've lost everything, but it's just things. we'll rebuild." You don't see shots of people standing around waiting to be rescued. You see shots of people waiting in line to donate cars full of supplies, Facebook posts of addresses where people have opened their homes to strangers needing shelter, people volunteering to help anyway they can.

Because that's what we do - we take care of our own. It doesn't matter what kind of disaster is thrown our way, we take care of our own. Our hearts are already there and we just can't help it.

I'm proud to be a Texan. Bottom line.

I'm praying for the families near the flames, the families through the flames, their animals who are scared and the men and women who are tirelessly working to STOP the flames. I'm praying for strength and encouragement and success. And I can't help but hope for a big giant rain storm. I'd give my favorite pair of shoes for a nice soaking Tropical Storm to blow in tomorrow. But I fear my shoes are safe, there's no rain in sight.

Until next time....

The Cricket in My Hair

2011-09-05T17:51:00.005-05:00

That's a play on the book The Cricket in Time Square which is one of my favorites from my childhood and has nothing to do with today's story. It only provided the title inspiration. Proceed.

I love hot showers. I start every day with one. But today's shower was less than relaxing.

I usually check the shower for uninvited guests - IE: roaches - before I get in. This morning(ish) I didn't. I get in and look up to see a cricket. I'm not sure it was a cricket but it had cricket-like characteristics and crickets seem friendly so I'm sticking with it being a cricket. I mildly panic and go in to immediate survival mode. I try climbing up and whacking it but I almost slip and figure me bashing my head on the side of the tub would be counterproductive. So I decide to glance up every few seconds to make sure my little friend is still there.

I get my hair all soapy and quickly glance up only to see my friend has disappeared. (Insert Day 8 Bad Habit here) Full swing panic sets it - it's in my hair, I just know it. And in the process soap gets in my eye. So with one eye closed, I'm hopping all over the tub looking for a stupid bug. Only it isn't anywhere. I rinse my hair 5 times thinking the cricket would wash out, right? Only it doesn't - cricket's don't lay eggs do they?

I swiftly finish and robe up and go running in to the living room where my sister is. "I think there's a cricket in my hair!" To which my concerned sister looks up from her Words with Friends game, rolls her eyes, shakes her head and goes back to her game. No help at all.

I go back to the bathroom (with one red eye) and brush my hair 6 times and no bug falls out. And I can't find the bug anywhere in the bathroom. ANYWHERE!!

Daniel thinks it crawled back in to the light. I'm trying to believe that.

Surely a bug would fall out of my hair after 5 rinses and 6 brush outs, right? RIGHT?!?!

Day 30 - Self-portrait(ish)

2011-08-30T09:17:00.007-05:00

Today is the last day of Dana's 30 Day Photo Challenge! It's our final self-portrait and I have to be honest, I had some help. I KNEW what picture I wanted to take but couldn't make it work on my own. So I asked my Beloved and he snapped this picture (even though he thinks it might be cheating).

Are you laughing? Because ya should be! ;) This is what my dear, sweet Beloved goes to bed with every night. :)

I have to sleep in complete darkness. I'm talking towels over alarm clocks dark! My Freshman year of college my roommate preferred to sleep with a night light. This was a challenge. I tried a few different things including piercing my ear on the left side so I'd be forced to sleep on my right. This turned out to be foolish but cute! :) So I started sleeping with a face mask and it helped tremendously. Now I can't sleep without it. If the pressure over my eyes isn't there, I don't sleep. I'm such a Wack-a-Doo!

I was also diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel several years ago. (Being tested for it is a story in itself!) Apparently repetitive typing and knitting aren't any good for a 25 year old who has a habit of being the 1 in the 'one in every 5' rule. Awesome. So in an effort to prevent things from getting so bad, I have to sleep in wrist braces. I'm also supposed to wear them when I type or knit. I'm telling you, my Daniel is one lucky boy! ;)

Thanks for sticking with me!

Until next time...

Day 29 - Black & White

2011-08-29T08:53:00.003-05:00

I married my Daniel three years ago this Wednesday. He is patient. He is caring. He is the opposite of high strung (which balances me). He is funny! He is loving. He is cuddly. He is MINE. And I couldn't be more proud of that fact.

Happy Anniversary Babe, I love you!

Until next time....

Day 28 - Flowers

2011-08-28T16:05:00.003-05:00

The previous owners of our house spent a pretty penny to make our yard look exotic. And thanks to Mother Nature, a dog and our lack of desire/time to maintain it - it no longer resembles something out of Home and Garden magazine. We removed plants we didn't like and got rid of plants that were bad for dogs. And then Mother Nature killed what we had left. In hopes of replacing the 'pretty' parts of our yard, we planted a few Hibiscus bushes in the front yard. And so far they've survived! Regardless of the fact that we currently live on THE SURFACE OF THE SUN.

Here is one today!

It's so pretty! :) I really hope we don't kill it.

Until next time....

Day 27 - From a Distance

2011-08-27T18:02:00.003-05:00

Our house is about 6 miles from a major shopping center and at every intersection there is a light. And EVERY time I have to go to said shopping center, I hit EVERY SINGLE LIGHT. It makes me bananas. This is me stopped at one. Can you see the many, many more I have left?! Yep, I got to stop at those too.

And I'll get to the next time I have to head that way. Fun times.

Until next time...

Day 26 - Close-up

2011-08-26T08:30:00.006-05:00

I like lots of things to look at in my work space. It's inspiring and homey. I found this over sized chess piece at Hobby Lobby. I LOVE Hobby Lobby! I'm not supposed to go in without supervision and my mom doesn't count as proper supervision. ;)

Regardless, I found the Red Queen paperweight and it sits on my desk all the time. My mom calls red my signature color (to be pronounced "culla" like in Steel Magnolias) and I tend to agree. Red looks good on me and I'm drawn to sassy red things. My toes are usually ALWAYS red, I wore red wedding shoes, my computer mouse is red. I could go one but you get the picture. So when I saw this, I had to have it...

...because not only do I love red (and if you know me at all, you'll already know), I'm also The Queen. ;)

Until next time....

Day 25 - Something Pink

2011-08-25T09:07:00.004-05:00

I love Snowmen and my Mamaw is an enabler. ;) She finds them for me all over the place. And she likes to buy me the 'Smores 'snowmen'. I'm sure you've seen them - the marshmallows with eyes stacked on top of pretend chocolate and graham cracker? Well, this one sits in my office. And I think she's precious!
Until next time....

Day 24 - Animal

2011-08-24T08:45:00.005-05:00

The challenge for today is keeping the photo down to one! I'm going to compromise and only post two. ;)

We adopted our pound puppy, Atticus almost two years ago and we love him. It breaks my heart to think someone discarded him but on the flip side, I'm glad they did! Now we have him! He's sweet and playful and sheds like crazy. Our trust has grown with him a little and he's allowed to stay in the house while we run short errands. When we get home I love to see his floppy ears in the window watching for us.

Atti loves me but he LOVES his man. And every night around the time my Beloved is supposed to be home, Atti waits like this -It's so cute. He gets so excited to see his man.

How can you not love this face?

Until next time....

Day 23 - Sunflare

2011-08-23T08:56:00.009-05:00

When we were house hunting, my aunt and I accidentally found our house. :) It was a For Sale by Owner type deal with a website attached. We drove home, pulled up the site and the first picture is this gate. And I fell in love. It's so magical! A gate Anne of Green Gables would dream up stories about. A Secret Garden gate that holds in all things magical. I'm telling you, I was sold! The inside of the house was fine too. ;)

The gate isn't in pristine condition and Daniel mentioned replacing it a while back. I had a fit - "that's the main reason I bought the house!" This made my Beloved roll his eyes to the heavens and say "oh great."
SEE!! Doesn't it look magical?!

Until next time....

Day 22 - Hands

2011-08-22T12:46:00.006-05:00

These are the hands of a daughter, a sister, a mother, a friend, a nurse, a neighbor, a volunteer. With these hands she heals, holds a cup a coffee, rides a horse, welcomes new babies in to the world, wipes away tears, disciplines, cooks, talks, scratches backs. These are hands of strength, even when they're weak. These are my Momma's hands. And I love her. A lot. ;)

Until next time....

Day 21 - Faceless Self-Portrait

2011-08-21T19:31:00.003-05:00

Today we got to visit with Daniel's family in Huntsville and celebrate his Granny's 84th birthday. I love being in the car with my Beloved. We talk and laugh and sing and sometimes I get to read. :) This is today.

Note the green purse - this is the one I need shoes for. See! It totally makes sense! ;)

Until next time...

Day 20 - Bokeh

2011-08-20T09:52:00.003-05:00

The first time I read today's photo challenge, I thought it said 'broken' and I was very confused. Then when I figured out what it really said - I was still confused. ;) But thanks to Google I discovered I've been taken bokeh pictures for a while! Who knew?!

In my previous life, I was responsible for taking production stills on our commercial shoots. I had a fancy camera and everything! This is a picture of Scott Szabo of Szabo Sound on a baseball shoot. And I think it's fun.

It was quite entertaining to see him have to run after the kids. :)

Until next time....

Day 19 - Something Orange

2011-08-19T08:40:00.004-05:00

Orange is my favorite Jell-O flavor and that doesn't have anything to do with today's picture. But I could eat some orange jello right now come to think of it. It sounds so refreshing and cold and....

.....FOCUS WOMAN!!

For my new Big Girl job, I plan our educational seminars all over the nation. I book space, plan menus, print name tags, send presentation items and anything else involved in making sure each event is successful. When I started, we had very few seminars on the books for the rest of the year, now we have 28 between now and December. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to organizing and this is my board.

Orange are dates that I've booked and have signed contracts for. And let me tell you, a few weeks ago all the dates were red and my anxiety levels were through the roof! But now it's a lot of orange. :) I think I'm getting the hang of things.

Until next time....

Day 18 - Your SHOES!

2011-08-18T08:46:00.005-05:00

I.LOVE.SHOES! And I seem to grow attached to shoes that are no good for me. But that's the price of beauty! And I couldn't choose which one to feature so I took this picture.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should probably mention these are not all of my shoes. They're only the ones that fit in the circle, I have lots more. What?! They speak to me!

Yes I know - I need an intervention.

I'll point out some highlights. The sassy red shoes I wore on our wedding day and I've mentioned before that they are my most favorite. The blue shoes and the shoe with the yellow sparkly I got at a garage sale. They are not exactly my size so they get worn on cold days. :) The pretty pink shoes I got to wear to a wedding and are just darling. And the precious polka dot shoes are what I'm wearing today. (Daniel asked if I needed to bring an extra pair 'just in case.' And I told him no! To which he replied with 'great, now I know what my evening will be like.' :) )

I just bought the CUTEST little green purse (I have a purse problem as well) and told Daniel this morning I needed to find green shoes to go with the green purse. He looked confused and asked me to repeat it so I did and asked him what he thought I said. He said "that's what I heard, it just didn't make any sense." Silly boy.

Until next time...

Day 17 - Technology

2011-08-17T10:36:00.005-05:00

How 'Timberley' would have been a few hundred years ago:

Me "Where is the restroom?"
Them "There's an outhouse out back."
Me "Yeah, that's not really going to work for me, so....."

I was definitely born at the right time. Had I been born in any other time, I wouldn't have made it. I'm not cut out to 'rough it'. I like things like hot showers, AC, cars, DVR's, GPS, phones, my Nook and everything else that lights up or plugs in! And I'm pretty sure without them I would be completely lost.

And I think the Internet is paramount to every day life now. We use it to talk to people all over the world. Thanks to Skype, I get to see my far away family! We use it to find where we're going, things to cook, things to make, diagnose illness, meet soul mates, check reviews, shop and so much more. We're so dependent on our internet that when it's down - we're RAGEY!! "How am I going to check my email?!" All work STOPS. When our office internet is down, we kind of stand in the hall and look at each other. Everything we do is done through a network so when we're down, we're out. It's kind of amazing how dependent we are.

Oh, don't be fooled, you are too my friend! Just try going one day - an entire day - internet free. No phone, no Facebook, no nothing. Yeah, I couldn't do it either.

Until next time..

Day 16 - Long Exposure

2011-08-16T18:49:00.003-05:00

This one was a challenge! And once again, I recruited Daniel for help. Actually, it's been a bit of a family affair.

I don't have a fancy camera but we were recently given one by my fantastic Father In Law. After reading the book to figure out how to take it, we searched for light! So in the darkness, we head out to the backyard. Daniel is taking the picture and I'm flailing a flashlight and a bicycle light I didn't even know we had (apparently the previous homeowners left it) and the dog is staring at us like we've lost our minds. (Usually he only stares at me because in his mind it must the Crazy Woman's idea - his Man would never have such crazy notions!) It was after we took the picture when we discovered I couldn't actually download it. :) But don't worry! The before mentioned Father In Law downloaded it and sent to me!

So here it is!

It's a little uninspired I guess. I thought about playing with 'long exposure' and doing something witty like frost bite or heat stroke but figured I've bent enough rules in this game already. And seriously, where on earth would I find enough cold for frost bite?!

No seriously, I want to know. This heat is getting to me. ;)

Until next time....

Day 15 - Silhouette (ish)

2011-08-15T08:59:00.022-05:00

Daniel and I TRIED to get a silhouette picture. It was very entertaining! We confused the dog quite a bit. ;) Here are our attempts ~

This is a Willow Tree figure my grandmother gave us when we got married. It sits on our mantle and makes me smile. I think it's beautiful.

We both knew these are not quite what Dana's photo challenge 'silhouette' meant but it's what we ended up with after a few hours of trying.

And then, we found this on our driveway this morning (thank you Houston Chronicle!). Kismet!

I asked Daniel if it was cheating to take a picture of a silhouette picture and he said it's just being resourceful. :) I love him!

Until next time...

Day 14 - Eyes

2011-08-14T11:32:00.008-05:00

It's a testament to our relationship that when I told my siblings I needed a picture of their eye, this is how they responded:

Tami - "Just don't get my pores."
Travis - "Both or just one."

No, what for? where is it going? or anything like that. Just okay. ;)

All born to the same parents, yet three very different eyes.

I'm the only blue set, Tami and Travis both have brown. Mom will tell you God gave them brown because she's a sucker for brown eyes and it's saved their lives on more than one occasion. ;)

We might see things very differently, but we're a very close knit group and I'd do anything for these two. We fight, we yell, we laugh, we love. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

We made a deal that for Travis's 21st birthday the three of us would get tattoos together. I made this agreement when 21 seemed far away. It's not now. I'm gaining reservations. ;)

Until next time....

Day 13 - Yourself with 13 Things

2011-08-13T14:36:00.007-05:00

Travis thinks this might be stretching it with "yourself" since it's only my hand but we're just going to go with it! This is our Fridge.

On it there are 5 birth announcements, 1 engagement picture (their newborn child is also on the fridge, this probably means the engagement picture can come down but I like it) 4 pictures of children I love, Library Hours (again, I like to be prepared), a noodle drawing Tami did for me in High School and a post card from Alaska. You might have noticed that those are not the only items on the fridge, only the highlights.

Until next time...

Day 12 - A Sunset!

2011-08-12T08:40:00.003-05:00

My picture isn't as beautiful as Dana's but a sunset it is! This is the view from our backyard, we are blessed. As much as the house makes us crazy, I love looking out our back door and seeing this every day.I knew I needed a sunset picture so I put on my outside shoes and Atti and I head out. We have very large trees in our backyard that house many a wild creature. I take two steps in to the backyard when two large, loud birds rustle the tree limbs and take off, scaring the bejebbers out of me. I thought I was under attack, total Alfred Hitchcock moment. :)

Until next time....

Day 11 - Something Blue

2011-08-11T08:46:00.004-05:00

This is my wedding necklace.

Aquamarine is my favorite stone - my eyes are drawn to the pretty blue. Before the wedding, Mom and I were at a jewelry store having her necklace worked on when I saw this necklace. It was simple and delicate and beautiful. And not in my wedding budget so I left without it.

A few weeks later at my final dress fitting, Mom surprised me with the necklace. And it was perfect! And I love it.

Much like my wedding shoes, it's something from our wedding day that I can wear any time I want and that brings me joy. I'm wearing it today as a matter of fact! :)

Until next time....

Day 10 - A Childhood Memory

2011-08-10T09:34:00.004-05:00

This one was a tough one! I have so many vivid memories that picking one seemed impossible.

Do I go with the time I locked Tami in a Rabbit cage? Most of my childhood was spent 'playing' with Tami. I say 'playing' because to an outsider - it might resemble 'torture'. Whatever, I was building character. We are 'lucky' because Mom owned a Home Video Camera during our childhood so she can prove our shenanigans at a drop of a hat. And she will! Just ask. Hours of entertainment. We'll watch the videos and Tami will say I was such a meanie! And I simply point out that the Parents KNEW what I was capable of but still allowed us to play together. That's just poor parenting! ;)

Or one of the countless special moments with Travis? One time when he was about 5, we were out shopping and he was being a total spaz so I told him he was being a SPAZAROMA!! He stops in the middle of the parking lot, puts one hand on his hip, points at me and says "I's not a spazaroma. By da way, what's a Spazaroma?!" :) Can you tell he was raised in a house with two teenage girls?

SEE!!! Too many!!

So I thought I'd share my favorite Daddy story. My junior year of High School, I was Props and Pyro for a play. One of the props was rice the actors had to eat during a scene. I came home, started the minute rice and proceeded to get ready for Opening Night. I go back in the kitchen and half of my rice is gone!! I run back in to the living room to see Daddy eating a bowl full of rice covered in Ketchup. Gross.

"DAD!!! That's my play rice!!!"
My VERY confused Father looks in his bowl, "no, it's real rice."

:) He offered to give it back, I declined. The show went on with only half a pot of rice.

Here's me and my Daddy on one of my birhtday's at the park. I love this picture.

Until next time....

Day 9 - Someone I love

2011-08-09T08:31:00.007-05:00

So my Beloved refused to be photographed this morning and since I don't live with anyone else I simply adore, I went with Judy. Atti comes up later. And if I'm being honest, trying to chose between my loved ones would cause me great guilt. So Judy it is!

I LOVE Judy. Last month I was careless and caused her great pain. She had to have major reconstructive surgery and a butt lift. And after a month of being apart, I have her back!

This is what I did to my Judy.

And this is my Judy today!!
She still carries a few scars. Daniel said "she's been in an accident, she's never going to be perfect." My poor baby car.

Luckily scars are pretty cool.

Until next time....

Day 8 - A Bad Habit

2011-08-08T08:53:00.005-05:00

Being honest stinks sometimes but Day 8 is all about a bad habit so here goes....

I have developed a Potty Mouth. In my defense, this wasn't a problem until I worked at my previous job! But that's no excuse. And I'm working on it.

In Jr. High, it's kind of cool to cuss. You're not really a kid anymore and it's so grown up! Our theater teacher caught us cussing once and said if we couldn't think of a more creative way to express ourselves, we didn't belong in the theater. And that stuck with me! I got through Jr. High, High School, College! and 6 years in Production before I started to sound like a sailor. It's so not Lady Like!

But at my previous Big Girl Job, I was surrounded by it every day and it just became a little easier. And now I'm trying to undo it.

How's that for honesty?

Until next time...

Day 7 - Fruit!

2011-08-07T19:48:00.003-05:00

To be honest, I dialed this one in. We had a LOVELY weekend in Dallas with Alisha and we're happy to be home. We had some errands to run when I got home so I snapped this picture at my favorite place on Earth - (insert large amounts of sarcasm) WalMart.

If you watch the TV show Chuck - you'll know Pineapple is the safe word. It's a great episode! :)

Until next time...

Day 5 & 6 - High and Low!

2011-08-05T14:48:00.005-05:00

This weekend Tami and I are going on a Road Trip!!! Since I will be without my computer, I thought I'd post High Angle and Low Angle together.

This is our Garden Gnome. His name is Gneil (the G is silent).

Until next time...

Day 4 - Something Green

2011-08-04T08:48:00.004-05:00

I keep this in my wallet at all times. Go ahead and judge, I don't care! :)

Until next time...

Day 3 - Clouds

2011-08-02T16:04:00.005-05:00

Day 3 of our Photo Challenge is Clouds.

And I love stormy clouds!

When I was little, I wasn't really scared of the Boogeyman or Chucky or anything like that; Daddy was a Police Officer so I was scared the bad guys he arrested would come for us. And in my child's mind, I figured the Bad Guys wouldn't come for us in the rain. They wouldn't want to get all wet, that would just be silly! So stormy weather has always been a comfort to me. It makes me feel safe.

An impending storm immediately gives me a since of calm. How backwards is that?!

Until next time.....

Day 2 - What You Wore Today

2011-08-01T19:19:00.007-05:00

Instead of my not-so-cute, shipping-big-heavy-boxes-day outfit, I thought I'd share a few items I wear every day. (My interpretation of each days assignment might keep Dana from letting me play ever again!)

The necklace was a gift from Travis on my 21st birthday and is my 'every day' necklace. He picked it out all by himself! Mom said he had it in his head and there was no changing it. And it's perfect. He called it my 'little diamond'. :) There's nothing real about this necklace but I cherish it more than I can say. Travis paid enough attention once to realize I was still wearing it. "Hey! you're still wearing my necklace!" I wear it almost every day, kid. And I touch it a thousand times a day and think of you every time I do.

The rings were given to me by my Beloved and I adore them. One is a promise to start a life with me. The other is a vow to stick it out, no matter how crazy I get. ;) They bring me joy and I feel 'nekkid' without them.

The earrings are my 'every day' earrings and I can't remember where I got them, I only know most days they're in my ear. One is currently missing a back. I lose earring backs like crazy - this might be because I grab my ears all the time to make sure they're still there. I'm not sure what kind of party my ears are having, but I'm kind of upset I'm not invited.

And finally a hair band. I NEVER leave home without one. I start the day with my hair down but about an hour in - it's up in a knot. Every day. What can I say, I'm a creature of habit.

Until next time...

Day 1 - Self-portrait

2011-08-01T10:17:00.006-05:00

Here's a little back story: my shiny new Big Girl job is in a creepy old building. :) It's actually an old Lab building. When the original company sold the building, our company bought it. We only use about 1/6 of the two wing/ two story building. The part of the building that is no longer used was just abandoned. There are empty offices with furniture, empty labs with stuff everywhere. It's dark and stinky and CREEPY!! I'm talking Resident Evil, Zombie Apocalypse creepy.

I have to ship things a lot and in order to get to the loading dock, you can go one of two routes. One route will take you the back way where you won't have to go through the lab and a hair net is not a requirement. I have attempted this route twice. Every time I get around the first turn I come to two doors. Both dark and both creepy. This is where my bravery stops. I backtrack and put on a hair net. I totally make it look cute anyway.

This was taken on my stupid smart phone and edited through my favorite App - Instagram. I'm probably going to break the rules and use a few old pictures for some of the challenges. In a previous life, I had access to a super fancy camera that took super cool pictures that I never got to show off. So sad. But now I can! So cool! :)

I'm supposed to do a linky thing but I'm easily confused. :) Here's Dana's Day 1 pic!

Until next time....

A Challenge!!

2011-07-31T13:24:00.003-05:00

My Blogging Buddy Dana challenged her friends to a 30 day Photo Challenge and I'm taking it! So for the month of August, I'm going to ATTEMPT to take a daily photo and post it here. Want to join me? If you don't have a blog, make a photo album and post your pictures on facebook!

Here is the list we're working off of:

This is going to be fun!!

Until next time...

This and That

2011-07-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Third Ring of Hell: I've never read Dante's Inferno but I assign rings anyway. And Walmart has to be one of them. EVERY time I go my blood pressure goes through the roof. Take Saturday for example! Daniel and I run in for something and as we're walking to our car, we see a kid collecting carts on one of the electronic cart carting devices. He SEES us, I'm SURE he does. He stops his row of carts that spans at least 3 cars (I know it's three cars because the cars to the right and left of us are in the same boat) a foot behind our car. And then proceeds to walk to the other side of the lot to collect more carts. We're sitting trapped because we cannot go anywhere and he's strolling the lot for more carts. Seriously?! Thankfully Daniel handled the kid, he's a little less irrational and not prone to violent outbursts.

2am Lovesick: (that's a Blue October song BTW) I'm not sure what Atti's problem was last night but he lost his mind! We're asleep and he proceeds to jump on our bed and start pawing us at 2-ish this morning. Uncool! Daniel lets him out but when he comes back in he's still fussy. We open the bedroom door to let him roam the house thinking maybe he's just not tired. I awake to what sounds like him throwing himself against the back door but when we get up, he's not anywhere to be found. Until we look in the guest bathroom where he is cowering in the bathtub. What the?! We talk to him and get him to come on the bed where I have to rub his head to calm him down. I don't know what the poor thing must have been dreaming about but I hope to goodness he sleeps tonight! Yeesh.

Pretty Pink Shoes: I have a very precious pair of pink shoes that I don't wear often. Since the blood clot, wearing anything with a heal for any amount of time causes a bit of discomfort for a few days. But they're so cute!!! This morning I'm getting ready and my Beloved looks down at my feet and says "now darlin, you know I love you. Are you sure those are the shoes you need to wear today?" He knows about the discomfort, it's inconvenient. I simply pointed out that if I didn't wear them I would be wasteful and he doesn't want me to be wasteful, does he? He just rolled his eyes. :) They are SO CUTE!!! And they're only hurting a little....

Until next time.....

(BTW- I'm sticking with the name. Thanks for all the encouragement. I was having an identity crisis. )

Sinking Sand

2011-07-27T12:28:00.000-05:00

Owning a home is a blessing and a curse. It's fun to decorate and have a space that's YOURS. But cleaning it all the time isn't all that enjoyable. And eventually the fun place to decorate falls apart. Right now I fear our house is slowly sinking. The house had foundation issues corrected with the previous homeowners with the exception of one section of the house. That would be the sinking section. Our Kitchen. So there's cracks in the floor, the walls are shifting and an entire cabinet section is coming down (which means my dishes are now on the floor of our guest room). And I'm trying to handle it with patience. But patience isn't my strong point. And I don't do well with living in chaos. This is an expense we are expecting to have to come up with soon.

So last week when our bathroom sink started leaking in to our bedroom, we were a little unprepared. It soaked some of our carpet and popped tiles in our middle bathroom. We didn't know where the water was coming from and had to spend some time searching. Daniel comes in to the kitchen on Saturday morning and says "I think I'm going to have to take the mirror down". Again, I don't live well in chaos. And by this time our bedroom looks like our bathroom threw up all over it. And now he wants to take the mirror down. It's a REALLY big mirror which means lots of bad luck if it breaks.

There's a scene in Turner and Hooch where Tom Hanks comes home to a DISASTER and in his shock he just starts scrubbing a counter top. I kind of felt a lot like that. I just picked up a rag and started cleaning the kitchen.

Luckily they located the leak and the mirror didn't have to come down. It was an easy fix. But now we have to fix a tile floor we didn't plan on having to fix and decide what to do about the carpet that has seen better days.

And I need to vacuum. And there are weeds in the flowerbeds. And our house is still sinking. And.....

What's in a Name

2011-07-14T14:24:00.000-05:00

Today I'm getting to work from home due to our office being without Internet. It's nice to sit in my dinning room and work while the dog sleeps on the couch and rain is falling outside. Such a lovely afternoon!

I'm thinking about making a change to my little blog. I feel "Daily Dose of Crazy" might be false advertisement and the guilt is getting to me. While I am crazy...daily, I don't always post daily.

So here are some ideas:

"Was that my Outside Voice?" - this seems a bit too long to me.
"Helmet Not Included" - if you know me at all, you know I'm a TOTAL calamity and should probably wear a helmet or be in a bubble at all times. I'm currently covered in bruises resulting from a recent car accident. Lovely.
"Until Next Time" - this is how I usually end my blog postings. It's simple and true!
"Daily Dose of Crazy" - or I could always stay the same and you, the reader (all 12 of you) will have to be forgiving about it not always being 'daily'.

What's your vote? Is it totally inappropriate to change the name of your blog at random? Got any ideas yourself? Let me know, I'm easily distracted. Hey!! That would be another one!! "Easily Distracted" See - it's totally appropriate.

Until next time....

Muggle seeking Magic

2011-07-07T16:17:00.000-05:00

So I'm a total nerd and I'm totally okay with that. I love all things Harry Potter. I've read the books several times and I listen to the Audio books a lot. (Jim Dale reads all the voices just like I read them - it's fantastic!) And I now own all of the movies minus 7.2 that doesn't open until next week. And trust me - I have plans to see it. Not at midnight because I don't like people - but I will see it! And it's like it's goodbye. Reading the final book was hard but I knew there was going to be a movie so.....

But now, now it's just done.

I love reading. I love what books do for me. They take me away and immerse me in a new world with new friends and new adventures! And JK Rowling offered me lots of new friends. She writes characters we love like Neville and Luna and Dobby! She gave us a family you wanted to be a part of. Made us care for a boy who doesn't really exist. Had us crying when our 'friends' didn't make it. And characters we loathe like Tom Riddle, Snape and Umbridge - who in my opinion is the most vile character ever written. Ever! Trust me - the woman is HORRIBLE!!

And she makes us so comfortable with their world that we always want to go back.

So next Friday I'll march with the masses to say goodbye to my magic friends. I'll cry the entire time - I already know which of my friends aren't going to make it out. Sadness. But I'll go to put my friends to rest....

...until the next time I need a little magic in my world.

Can you hear me now?

2011-06-14T15:49:00.000-05:00

The new and improved Big Girl Job requires I stay connected at all times so they bought me an iPhone. I'm adjusting.

My friend Laura swears it'll change my life.
My friend Kelley thinks it's about time I drank the Koolaid. For the record, I was forced to drink it - I did not go willingly off the cliff.

I've only had it a week and I don't love the phone part. It's bulky and I accidentally call people when I'm just looking at their number. And my fingers are too big - I hit all the wrong buttons. AND the beloved Auto Correct keeps changing my name to limberly. Because that makes WAY more sense than Timberley! No, not so much. And the screen always has fingerprints - yuck! And the battery goes down really quickly - this probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm constantly playing with it.

With all that being said, I love APPS!! I.LOVE.THEM! I have all kinds now! I only download free ones because I understand my limits and I'd like to have money for bills. My favorite is Instagram! It's awesome! And I've grown very attached to the 'always connected' idea.

Take today for example. I decided to venture out for lunch and ended up taking a not-so-correct turn. I'm really not sure how this happens, I end up in the wrong lane with no other option but to turn and so I turn with the "here we go" mentality. So when I took said not-so-correct turn, I quickly pulled out my smart phone and said HELP! Find me! And it did! I was a cute little blue dot and it led me all the way back to my office. Safely. If this had been two weeks ago, I would have had to call my mom. I understand that at 30 years old this should probably NOT be my first response but whatever; I'm okay with my codependancy.

So I'm adjusting. Adjusting to a new schedule. New building. New phone. My boss texted me a second ago and the Choo Choo noise startled me so bad I about came out of my chair. Fun Times.

Until next time.....

Big Girl Job 2.0

2011-05-31T12:24:00.000-05:00

I got a job! YAY! I'm the new Education Event Planner for SkinMedica. I will be responsible for planning their training seminars all over the nation. It's a new position so there is lots of potential and I'm so thrilled. I'm stationed in Houston and will get to do some traveling which is exciting! And the New Boss doesn't scoff when I check a bag! SCORE!

I was really surprised they offered me the job. I'm not always good in interviews; I get nervous and say things I probably shouldn't. For instance, one of the questions they asked me was what 4 words would my previous boss use to describe me and the first word that came to mind was 'strange' so I went with that. Seriously. I started with 'strange'. I then went on to explain why and apparently sold it well because they hired the Strange One. Yay!

So now I have a new commute (SHORTER! Thank you Lord!) to a new office with new responsibilities. And while I have to get used to going to work every day, it'll totally be worth it.

Although I'm not sure Atticus agrees. :)

Until next time......

Adventures in Furniture Refinishing

2011-05-16T10:26:00.000-05:00

Since I've had some time, I've taken on some projects around the house. Mom recently gave me a dresser that was no longer needed and I had the perfect spot for it. It's a shorter dresser and in my planning head I thought it would work perfectly for a changing table. (DISCLAIMER: This is for the FUTURE - this is NOT an announcement. This will remain only a dresser for a while! Proceed.) It was old and beat up and needed a face lift. And like with any project I do - it was an adventure.

Daniel handled the sanding and he and his dad repaired a few loose boards. Now I get to paint! The room it's going in to is green with white shelves so I decide to paint the dresser white. I'm usually morally opposed to painting wood but this wasn't an expensive piece and the quality of wood wasn't great. My first day of painting I can't find a paint stirrer anywhere in the house. Of course not - we have EVERYTHING one would need to paint, except a paint stirrer. But I find a Spork - and Sporks are universal so it will work! I get the dresser painted. White. And I go inside to let it dry. When I come back out, a bird has pooped purple stuff all over the top of my white dresser. Lovely.

I decide to move the dresser to the covered porch. I get everything painted and go back inside again. This time the dog comes to the door with a white nose. So I have to head back out and touch up the drawer with the nose print. Everything looks good so I leave it outside over night to try. The next morning I get up and there is a GIANT ROACH slowly dying next to the dresser. Seriously?! Come on! I venture out with a fly swatter in hand, smack the heck out of the offending monster and scoop it up. This is a testament to growth and how much I wanted to finish the dresser. The last time I found a roach in the house, I put a bucket over it and waited for Daniel to get home. See - growth!

I picked out new hardware and the dresser is now complete. And it looks great!

Here's the before:

Here's how it looks now!

Driving Lessons

2011-05-09T14:07:00.001-05:00

I'm going to brag on my boys for a little while.

Travis got to come home this weekend for Mother's Day and I'm constantly amazed at how much of a different kid he is now. He's been at Miracle Farms since January and it has made such a difference. He's engaging and HAPPY! He smiles and jokes and converses! It's awesome! He stands taller and seems to have the confidence he lacked. He's not glued to the computer screen and he does things without being asked. And I can't even began to thank the people of Miracle Farms. Travis is getting the male leadership he was missing at home and so much desired. And he's a different kid.

He spent Saturday night at our house because mom had to work and we were taking him back to school. He turned 17 in March but still doesn't have a Driver's License so we thought to kill some time we could let him get behind the wheel. After our movie, we headed to an empty lot and told him to get in the Drivers seat. His face lit up like Christmas and he got behind the wheel. He turned in to man while I wasn't looking. Ouch.

I'm not known for my patience so I took the back seat. ;)

And with careful instruction from my Beloved, Travis got his first driving lesson.

One of things that attracted me to Daniel was his patience. He is a wonderfully patient teacher. He is thorough and efficient and thoughtful. He gave Travis careful instructions and allowed for him to learn. To see him patiently teaching my baby brother how to navigate parking brought tears to my eyes. I married a good man and I'm a very lucky girl.

And I love my boys very much.

Until next time...

On the Road Again

2011-05-04T15:16:00.001-05:00

This weekend Daniel and I ventured out on a road trip! Friday we left Atticus with his Grandma and headed north. We left Houston a little later then we intended but made good time. Our first stop was for gas right outside of Huntsville. In trying to get back on 45 with all the construction we ended up on a dead end road. We knew this because there were big signs everywhere reading DEAD END. So we come to one that says Do Not Pass and I (maybe not so calmly) tell Daniel "THAT SIGN SAYS DO NOT PASS!!" And he laughs because he married an alarmist. "Babe, you're not supposed to pass other cars. And that's the funniest thing I've heard all day." It's not my fault I have an overactive imagination and have seen way too many scary movies! Whatever.

After crashing in Corsicana, we got up Saturday and headed for the Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area to honor the accomplishments of Wes Littrell. Wes died almost a year ago while working on his Small Acreage Demonstration Area project and the Texas Parks and Wildlife honored his memory by naming the completed project after him. It was nice to learn more about what he was doing and how much he loved it. And it's a comfort to know there is something tangible for his son to see when he's old enough to know.

After the Dedication service, we headed toward Canton for some shopping. It was our first experience with First Monday and let me tell you - it'll probably be the last. There were people EVERYWHERE. And they brought their dogs! I don't get it. Who brings their dogs to a Flea Market? We only lasted about 2 hours and it was only that long because we walked through one building and ended up four buildings over so it took longer to find our car. We spent Saturday night in Forney where we got to see Daniel's friend Stanley.

By Sunday we were ready to head home. We're not cut out for this Road Trip stuff. We didn't sleep at all in either hotel room and couldn't wait to get home. At home we have a Sleep Number bed and before I would tell you I can't tell much difference, but after spending the weekend away from my #30 setting I can say IT'S WORTH IT! It makes ALL the difference!

We're glad we went. We got to see friends and spend some time seeing Texas. But we're happy to be home. While we were getting ready to head home Sunday Daniel said we're not going on any more trips....unless it's Disney. I said "Deal".

Until next time....

Quick Bits

2011-04-25T17:14:00.000-05:00

Yes please: The other morning we were up and doing things around the house and my dear was being a trial. In my annoyance I say "Lord grant me serenity!" To which my witty husband says "Did you just ask for the spaceship from the TV show Firefly?" Not missing a beat, I reply "Fully equipped with Nathan Fillion? Yes please!" Which caused my Beloved to roll his eyes and shake his head - I win!

Sic 'em on a Chicken: My Beloved talks in his sleep. We've had several discussions while he has been unconscious. The other night while I was reading in bed, he starts flapping his arm like a Chicken. I immediately start looking at him and in the process of flapping, he wakes himself up. He looks startled and asks me what's wrong. I say "You were flapping like a Chicken." He then says "YOU were flapping like a Chicken", rolls over and starts snoring. The boy makes me laugh.

Atti vs. The Doorbell: So now that I'm home I have the TV on a lot and the dog gets to stay inside. And every time a doorbell rings on the TV - it's an ordeal. The dog rushes to the door and barks. I try to tell him it's the TV but it's useless. He looks at me and then the door as if saying "Woman! That is the signal to open the door!"So in exasperation, I get up and open the door to no one. To which the dog clearly says "Awesome, you let them get away." So now we spend the days with the door open. I think that means he won.

30 Candles: I turned 30. And it wasn't so bad. :) I got to spend the day with people I love and come home with some yummy Chocolate cake. While my life might not be exactly where I thought it would be at 30 - it'll work itself out....right?

Until next time....

My 20's were so Last Week

2011-04-13T10:26:00.000-05:00

I turn 30 in three days. Three. Days. My twenties will be completely over and I'm trying to be okay with it. It has made me think of the difference 10 years can make. I was only in my twenties for 10 years and in those 10 years, a lot of life happened!

(*this is in the order they come to mind, events will skip around)

I graduated college, met a boy, got in a car accident, took a cruise, switched jobs 3 times, got engaged, was hospitalized for blood clots, was diagnosed with a MTHFR mutation, got married, moved in with a boy, found a career, learned to like beer, found my Point of Enough and moved it, bought a house, learned to sew, got laid off, rescued an animal, said good bye to people I love, learned some relationships aren't worth it, made a quilt...

And while 30 might be 'grown', there are still some things I hold on to. I recently retrieved my stuffed animals from my mother's house and I still love them! I can still fall asleep on a pile of blankets on my Mom's kitchen floor. Rain puddles still ask to be stomped in and sliding down our hall in socks still makes me giggle. And I'm okay with that! Believing in magic keeps the wrinkles away. ;)

So I'm facing 30 and another 10 years of milestones, heartaches and growth. People keep telling me they'll be the best years yet. I guess we'll see!

Until next time.....when I'm a whole year older.

My first birthday cake.

SCREAM!

2011-03-30T19:13:00.000-05:00

I LOVE scary movies - I can't handle them as well as I used to but I LOVE THEM. And I LOVE a good scary movie that also makes me laugh. I'm also a sucker for a witty bad guy. For these reasons, I am a big Scream fan. The original movie did a fantastic job of mixing scary with humor while poking fun at the horror genre all at the same time. Scream 2 & 3 were okay but nothing compared to the original and I'm planning on seeing Scream 4. I just have to. And at 30 years old, this time I won't have to sneak in.

You see, Scream came out in 1996 making me just 15 years old and too young to buy tickets. But my friends, Ashley and Gabi and I were resourceful souls out for an adventure and we wanted to see the movie! So Ashley (who was not 15 and could drive) picks us up and we head to the very crowded movie theater. When we discover they are checking ID's (seriously?! come on people!) in a panic, we buy tickets to Evita. It's fine! We'll just sneak in to the theater - surely they won't have anyone checking tickets at the door! We'll wait until RIGHT before the movie starts and sneak in! I'm telling you - we had a plan!

And they had a young guy checking tickets right inside the door. We open the door and bump in to him. Awesome.

Movie Dude: "Can I help you girls find something?"

Us: "Umm....yeah, we were just.... looking for .....the ....pay phones."

Movie Dude: "You're in luck - they're in here."

Us: "Really?"

Cool Movie Dude: "No, but take a seat and enjoy the movie."

And we did! We SCREAMED and laughed and thought we were pretty cool.

Seeing the Scream mask invokes that memory every time. That might be one of the reasons I like the movie so much.

I kept the Evita ticket for a long time. We were going through old stuff and I came across it and I started to smile.

"What's that?"

"My ticket to Evita."

"You bought a ticket to Evita??"

"Well, it's kind of a funny story..."

I've never even seen Evita. :)

But I'll see Scream 4!

Until next time...

I need a drink...

2011-03-23T16:48:00.000-05:00

I should never be allowed to leave the house or converse with people. It should just never be done. Ever. I should stay bundled up in my house with my trusty DVR and my dog and become a Hermit. Can you tell it has been one of those kind of days?!

So my before mentioned Big Girl job caused me Big Girl stress which then led to me having monthly massages - something I NEVER thought I would do. Well since losing my Big Girl job, I need to cancel my monthly membership to massage-establishment-not-far-from-home. This is how that conversation goes:

Me: Yes, I need to cancel my membership due to loss of job.

Massage Personnel: Ok, we will need a written document from your employer saying you were terminated.

Me: So I have to contact my past employer who is not always the picture of understanding to have them make a document saying I was let go?

MP: Yes ma'am.

Me: Awesome.

She then tells me I'm going to lose my massage for the month when I cancel my membership so I need to come in before I cancel. I schedule one for 3pm today with someone that is NOT my Masseuse BFF Barbara because Barbara has apparently abandoned me. (The tension in my neck is increasing.....)

So I email my former boss and she emails me a nice little document. I print it up this morning - only there isn't any ink. Of course there isn't any ink. So I get in the car and drive to Best Buy to buy ink only to return home to print the email to get back in to the car to drive back to the Best Buy shopping center for my massage. Yep.

So I arrive 15 minutes early to handle my cancellation. They ask my last name and I get a look - I always do. Having the last name of Christie is apparently a trial. She looks at the schedule and says "Ma'am, we don't have you on the schedule for today." Well of course you don't.

Never fear! "There's an opening at 3 and we'll fit you in. " Awesome. I get all the paperwork squared away and wait. As I'm waiting, the girl behind the counter asks me how to say my first name.

Me: Timberley

Her: Oh - so just how it's spelled.

My eye is twitching.

So I finally go back and God bless the woman - I've never been hurt so much in my life. I'm going to be black and blue for a week! My headache is worse then it was going in! The hour of torture ends and as I'm getting dressed, I get twisted in my camisole and fall over. Hells bells.

I need a drink.

Big Girl Job no more

2011-03-15T19:46:00.000-05:00

There has been some recent changes at work that have made me a little bit worried regarding my position. Work was slowing down, we lost a client and my little voice said - "ready yourself". I'm a people reader and I'm receptive so I knew something was coming. My Beloved and I spent the weekend discussing it and I knew it in my bones. And yesterday it happened.

I got laid off.

And it didn't upset my world because I saw it coming. And it was a little bit of a relief to finally know. Waiting and worrying sucks.

So while I'm anxious about what I'm going to do next, I'm excited at all the possibilities. I wouldn't trade the things I've learned in my (almost) year there and I can't wait to see what God has next for me. I hate leaving the people I'm used to seeing on a daily basis but I also think things happen for a reason. And I know I'm going to be okay.

Daniel has Spring Break this week so we will get some time hanging out before I dive in to finding my next big adventure.

I'll say it again - life comes at you fast.

Until next time...

Odds and Ends

2011-03-07T15:54:00.000-06:00

The Joys of Pet Parenting: My Beloved had to be at work VERY early on Saturday morning for an event at the school. When he gets up - Atticus gets up so he lets Atti out as he finishes getting ready. When he goes to let the dog back in, it's POURING and he refuses to come to the door. At 4:30am I can hear the dog scratching at the door so I get up to let him in. I get to the door and he is SOAKING WET happy as a Lark! Smiling and wagging his tail saying "Momma, I got to play in the rain!" Grrrrr......

So now I have to turn the lights on, take my wrist braces off and dry the stupid dog off. Which apparently at 4:30am on a Saturday morning equals a game. With his bone in his mouth - he's running (DRIPPING) around the house as if he's lost his mind. Grrrr.....again.

Revisiting Old Haunts: I got to stop by the Rodeo last week to visit my Studio friends. It was nice to walk through the chaos and know I couldn't do anything to help. It was reassuring to me that I still knew the answers to some of their questions and even more reassuring that I couldn't answer some. There's someone in my office - I'm trying to be okay with that.

The Man Child: Travis comes home at the end of this week for Spring Break. I'm kind of excited! His birthday is the 16th and he's going to get to spend a few days with us. I'm looking forward to it. Although the idea of him turning 17 make me anxious and sad, I'll try to pretend it doesn't. (He'll know better though - he always does.)

New Adventures: I have something in mind. It's something I've thought about doing for a while now and I think I can do it! You never know until you try, right?

Until next time....

The Difference a Year Makes

2011-03-01T10:36:00.000-06:00

For the first time in six years, the Rodeo is starting without me. And it’s both refreshing and heartbreaking.

If you asked me March, 1, 2010 where I would be March 1, 2011 – I would have told you I have no idea. I knew where I didn’t want to be but I had no clue where life would lead me. I had no clue what skills I had or what I could offer an employer. I couldn’t imagine how I was going to use all of the things I spent several years learning. I didn’t see how they would fit in to anything else. I thought I offered nothing, worried I had learned nothing. Until I left.

I learned how to read people and how to handle several different personalities all at once. I learned when to stick up for myself. I learned how to make forms, organize a Studio, maintain a Tape Library, schedule crews. I learned a little patience and self control(ish). I knew what it was to be a part of something big while working with great people. I learned how to handle deadlines and quick turn-a-rounds. I learned a smile doesn’t hurt and distractions don’t either. I learned my breaking point and that it can be moved. I learned what a great boss looks like.

All lessons I didn’t know I was learning. And all lessons that helped to get me where I am today.

I don’t regret any time I spent there and I don’t regret leaving either. It was time to move on. But as I pass the Stadium every day and I know what’s going inside the gates – I get a little sad. I do miss my friends. :)

Daniel came home last night and asked why I looked sad. I said “the Rodeo is starting without me.” To which he rolled his eyes, took the Lord’s name in vain and had a glass of Jack Daniels. My poor, sweet husband. I promised it was only a moment and won’t last the next 20 days. And it won’t. Because I really am glad the Show is going on without me. And me without it. And I don’t miss the Chicken smell….at all.

Until next time….

Progress Report #3

2011-02-24T22:07:00.001-06:00

I give up. Truth is, I don't really think my heart was in it. There's too much stress and screwy schedules in my life right now. And I have cramps so I bought a box of Fruity Pebbles and intend to enjoy it. I've fallen off the wagon. Ok, I JUMPED off the wagon...in to a big bowl of Fruity Pebble goodness. And I'm going to be okay with that...eventually. There's always next year, right?

Maybe by then I'll have developed patience and motivation. Here's hoping.

Project 20 by 30 was officially a failure. How depressing.

Just like a dream...only not

2011-02-20T16:06:00.000-06:00

Last night we had to go to an awards dinner for my Big Girl job. It was our first fancy dress party. So my dress adventure begins....

Shopping Adventure: The Girls from work and I head to Dillard's one night after work. After not fitting in to anything my size - I was close to a breakdown. I try on the PERFECT dress only it won't zip. Awesome. Kelley brings me the same dress in a larger size and it looks FANTASTIC! (A size I don't want to discuss but fantastic!) So we look for shoes. While I don't find any for the dress - I do find my wedding shoes! The PERFECT pair of red shoes! My wedding shoes are old and not in great shape - so like a crazy person, I buy the shoes...again. :) They bring me joy. (Side Story: I have the guy bring me my size and rush to check out only to get home and discover they were the wrong shoes. Hells bells. I had to exchange them on my lunch break the next day.)

Fancy Dress Party: So the day of the party arrives and we get all dolled up. I have this nagging fear that someone else will be wearing my fantastic dress. I'm a worry wort. I figured it's going to be cold so I grab my black wrap just in case. We get to the hotel and start walking around the banquet. As we're walking around, I'm constantly glancing around, hoping my dress doesn't show up. Only it's me so it totally does. She walks in and I immediately wrap up. Now you can't tell - crisis averted. If only.

I go to the Ladies Room and as I'm occupied, it occurs to me how ironic it would be to have Dress #2 walk in at the same time. No way - just my imagination taking over! Only it's me so it isn't. I come out of the stall and bump in to my dress. Fun times. We look at each other and I say "That's a GREAT dress!" to which she replies "Well $#*$." :) We have a quick little laugh, I wrap back up and head back out.

I should write a book. :)

We did look fabulous.

Until next time....

Who's the Boss

2011-02-16T18:40:00.000-06:00

We've had our beloved Pound Puppy for over a year now and he still brings us joy. He's calmed down quite a bit and is the sweetest little thing! Even when he breaks the rules we never established!

For Christmas, my mom got us Cesar's Way by Cesar Milan so we could learn to be effective Pet Parents. Daniel read through the book and discovered we've done everything wrong. Oops. We didn't bring him home right, we don't exercise him right and apparently we love him first. Which is wrong. Who knew?! Apparently the Dog Whisperer. Whatev.

So Daniel's walking him so he can eat. Apparently 'walks' equal 'hunts' which in turn equals 'eat'. Yeesh. (Daniel gets so put out with Atticus when he doesn't immediately eat when he gets home - "I took you on a hunt! Eat!" It's cute!)

The other night, Daniel says "Babe, I think the dog is the boss of us."I quickly come to my own defense! "Nu uh!! He's not the boss of me!"Daniel then proceeds to go through the 'The Dog's in-charge if' list and two out of five don't apply to me. See! Totally not the boss!

Well, the next morning we wake up to find our precious Atti snuggled up between us on the bed. I sigh, "Hey Daniel". "hmmmm"

"He might be the boss of us." :)

But we wouldn't have it any other way. Just look at this face!

I got style!! Dana says so!!

2011-02-09T21:01:00.000-06:00

My friend Dana at http://lifeuncontainable.blogspot.com/ says I have style! :) She awarded me the Stylist Blogger Award and I'll take it! Now I get to share some facts about me and nominate some Stylish Bloggers of my own!

But first, a special thanks to Dana. She brings me joy. I love how much love their family oozes. :) I find her encouraging and uplifting and I'm so glad she likes my hat. :)

Seven Random Facts about me....

1: I don't like water in my face. At all.

2: I really like writing and I'm thankful I get to write more in my new Big Girl job.

3: When I was younger, I wanted a 'normal' name. But I've grown to love my unique name and wouldn't trade it for the world.

4: I bought a pair of shoes the other day that are identical to the shoes I wore on our wedding day - because I love them and I never want to be without them.

5: I talk to my Mom almost every day and I have conversations with my dad when I'm in driving.

6: I've always colored inside the lines. I take coloring VERY seriously and hated to share my coloring books.

7: I would be completely lost without my husband, my library card and my DVR.

Now for MY Stylish Bloggers!!

Sarah at http://sarahmadgwick.blogspot.com/. I've never actually met Sarah but she's married to one of my favorite people so therefore she's family. She's refreshingly honest and awfully crafty! They have a beautiful family and I love being able to see inside their lives even though they live far away.

JoRonda at http://northcuttnotes.blogspot.com. She is probably the most optimistic, faithful person I've ever met. Her constant faith is such an encouragement. Right now the Northcutt Family live in Thailand and I love reading about their new adventures.

Kelley at http://www.rubberduckyrebellion.blogspot.com/. She's the Young One and she makes me laugh! And following her as she adjusts to being a grown up reminds me I might have been young... once. Although I always wore sensible shoes.

Jade at http://crafthope.com/. Once again, I've never met Jade but I admire her for what she's started. She has created a community of people who come together to craft for a cause and it's always humbling and rewarding to participate in one of their Projects.

Your Turn!

Here are the rules:

Thank and link back to the blogger who gave you the award.

Share seven things about yourself.

Award your top bloggers, and be sure to let them know!

My Christmas Hat

2011-02-09T14:07:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we're set to shoot in Minute Maid Park where it will be FREEZING!! But, thankfully my dear friend Andi got me a lovely Christmas Hat to keep my poor little ears warm.

So I'll wake up at the butt crack of dawn, bundle up and brave the frozen roads because the show must go on. And I'll be ready!