Catsup

On what planet is that "catch up" or "ketch up," if you're from here? Hmm.

Anyway, catching up...

1. I went to Target last night. I could have spent a LOT of James' money...but I didn't buy a single thing. Nothing. Not even a pack of gum or something from the dollar spot--NOTHING. I don't know if that has ever happened before...

2. I tried on the pointy toes and I liked them. But I found something that I love, love...now to find a brown dress to justify buying them. Oh, and if you're keeping track, the sequin-y zebras are more blue than black/gray...so navy, not black, girls. I haven't bought them because I don't have a a navy dress. Yet.

3. Today is food day for James. He wanted Caprese Salad, and we like to do bites for food day. So, to my friend who was patiently listening to me explain what all this means...here you go. Yum! :)

4. I pulled out my black and white dress to wear today...whoopsie. Washed my dyed brown creation with the browns/blacks earlier this week...now I need to trash or replace my black & white. Crap. James said, "dye it brown." Funny. Boo!

5. I'm all caught up on my non-GP work this week...woo hoo! And it's only Thursday! :) Yea, me!

6. I found some amazing shoes yesterday for Kayci...I feel a shopping trip coming on. SOON! Perhaps today...

Retail for thought.

I just read James' blog post. I thought our marriage was fine, but now I'm wondering if I'm not just kidding myself. I mean, I've cut down quite a bit on my dating over the past several years in the spirit of marriage and all that, but then when I read his post...it was hard. Obviously he's head over heels for REI. How can I compete with that? I'm no camp stool, I know. But does he have to rub in it for all to see/read? Hmmph.

To shoe, or not to shoe? That is the question...

I have a couple of maxidresses in my Target cart right now...I keep waiting for them to go on sale. One day they were $10.99 and I didn't buy them--turns out it was a crazy 1-day deal, and they've been regular price ever since. Did you know Target did that? I didn't. Dang it! Anyway, today I did my daily price check and thought, I need to pick up a couple of pairs of flats to get me through the school year. Do you have any idea how many pairs of animal print flats Target has right now? Holy moly!!! I think I put 8 different pairs in my cart just to think about them...geez. How am I supposed to choose?? I think I'll buy the ones on clearance, then try the other ones on in the store if possible--I'm not sure about the pointy toe.

Can you believe it's time to think about school?

Yikes.

Guilty Pleasure #4,208

When I'm working late at night or early in the morning, I like to have something on in the background (so I don't feel alone or tired, you know the drill). I can't turn on something that I want to LOOK at, because it would be too distracting, or something I'll sing along to...so there goes my movie/TV/music. What I've found since I started this project in February is that reality TV on Hulu does the trick for me. I'm not picky--I've put in a lot of hours on this project, which means I've run through anything "Real Housewives," "Southern Belles" (don't ask), some cooking shows and who knows what else. But my absolute favorite has been "Family Jewels," the Gene Simmons reality show. I'm a KISS fan from way back (enough of you), but for some reason this guy and his family just make me giggle. For being so much larger than life, they are so REAL. I'm hanging out in the bedroom this morning and my head hurts too much to read (the shot did NOT work, dang it...my plan is to rest this morning and then get out with the family later today for the Germania picnic, etc.). I decided to watch "Family Jewels" since I started a new season last week while I was working and didn't finish it...and I find myself laughing out loud. Right now I'm watching an episode where Gene is wearing a heart monitor (made me think of you, K, only his beeps!) and he walks in to find his son's girlfriend with a big ol' pregnant belly. The thing starts beeping as his heart rate goes up, and they're looking around going, what's that noise? Good TV, and something that any family can relate to (it's a school project, by the way, fake belly). :) So there's yet another of my guilty pleasures, and this is one I cannot enjoy when anyone else is around. Hee hee. Could be worse!

Allergic to Shots

That was Bitty's reaction to my choosing a shot to speed up my recovery from tonsillitis. She tried to talk me out of the shot, but I'm ready to feel better. And we're off...



--out & about :)

Ick.

It's not unusual for me to get a summer cold (it used to happen EVERY year as soon as I got done with school for the summer), and it's not unusual for me to get a sore throat when I'm tired and run down. My throat and ears started getting icky on Tuesday night and it's just been downhill from there...a day of rest yesterday combined with lots of fluids and cold medicine didn't do the trick, so I'm being a grown up and taking myself to the doctor today. Usually this would mean a drive to Houston, as I've never--yes, we've lived here 4 years--switched from my doctor in the Heights. I did it, though...I made an appointment here at the Clinic with a new doctor. So, wish me luck! Best case scenario, by the time my appointment comes around the golf balls in my throat will have disappeared. :) Worst case, I'm actually sick--and that never happens! Either way, as long as I don't pass it on to the knuckleheads...we've got a big weekend coming up. Germania picnic stuff and a birthday party tomorrow followed by an overnight at Grandma's to celebrate her birthday on Sunday and the Circus with Lynn & Hannah before we head home Sunday night. So you see, I can't be sick right now. Really. Are you listening?

Free at last, free at last!

I just wrapped up the project I've been working on since February...I'm in shock, I think.

Once the shock wears off, I know I'll be relieved to just have my "normal" work load (2 days GP and 1-2 online courses each week)...it'll feel like a vacation!

I love that James worked as a freelancer for so long (and still does, quite a bit!) and he understands my work issues. It's not that I have worked on this project hours and hours every day since February (although if I'd kept track of my hours--it was a lump sum contract, don't worry--it would be a LOT)...but it's been WITH me every day since February, through all of the craziness this spring, and carried into the summer. I am glad to have it OFF of my plate, and out of my head...it'll just take a while to settle back into my life after so much concentration for so long.

Ack. I'm FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Bachelor I'd Want to Watch

Here's what I want to see:

Real life, for most of us, isn't lived out in mansions and helicopters and fantasy suites. Pick a bunch of suitors according to interests, morals, beliefs, etc., and take them to where the bachelor *actually* lives. Have them hang out where he hangs out, go to church with him, meet his friends...see how they fit in his REAL life. Maybe then some of these matches would have a chance. Don't you think it's a letdown to leave the fancy houses and cars and clothes behind and "just" do regular people things together? Who can live up to that?

I've got "the Bachelorette" playing in the background while I work this morning, and I have such mixed feelings. I'm curious about how things play out (like a train wreck), but deep down I don't believe in any relationship that's coming out of this show--even though they seem like great guys. I want them to go meet a real girl, who wants a real life, not a TV show. I'm not anti-reality shows, believe me, but as I see my People magazine filling up with paparazzi shots of reality "stars" (come on, go follow Britney Spears or someone!), it makes me wonder what you have to trade to be on TV. Like, normalcy.

Back to work!

As the Worm Squirms

When we last heard from our heroine on the subject, she was missing a vital accessory and feeling lost. What we didn't see...

...at the very moment our heroine was blogging about said lost accessory, in a town not so far away, a woman discovers an unfamiliar earring back in her home. And just a short while later, her unsuspecting husband finds the back's earring in the front yard. A ransom e-mail is sent to the owner of the blog, and before you know it...

...all is right with our heroine's world again.

It doesn't take much to make me happy. And it turns out, I am earring rich--I have all FOUR in my possession at this moment! (Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of your own head without getting any fingers in the shot or weird angles? Or is that just yet another annoying symptom of my terminal lack of coordination?)

No More FaceBook Before Bed?

I dreamed last night that we were at Denise M.'s mom's house, having dinner. Martin and the kids were playing in another room, but it definitely felt like a girls' night other than that. At the table? Jennifer P., Mrs. P., Brenda P., and Keri McK. . What's funny is that we were sitting there eating beef jerky (?) and ice cream, and I was talking about what I should and should not eat...and when it was time to leave, Mr. P. walked out with these huge things of frozen ground beef that Keri T. (who I haven't seen or spoken to in YEARS!) sent over for all of us. I was sitting there with probably 10 pounds of ground beef, wondering who I was going to pass it on to.

Totally random, but that's what was on my mind last night, apparently. Old friends and questionable food choices. :)

Take 2...

I learned an expensive lesson on the 4th--some sunscreens stain white clothes. :(. I loved, loved my white linen dress, and when nothing worked to remove the stains, I came up with another idea to save the dress.


This is the first time I've used dye (other than a couple of sad attempts at tie-dying), and I'm pleased with how I was able to save my dress. Yea!

And just for fun, I let Kayci embellish my sign. Where she ran out of ribbon, she drew on the zebra stripes. How awesome is she?!



--out & about :)

girl in the corner, take 2

James posted this picture on our family blog yesterday. No, I wasn't posing; I had no idea he'd even taken the picture. We were on our way to Austin and stopped in Elgin to eat. Normally, we'd eat at Golden Chik (such a treat--if you haven't tried it and you like fried food and sweet tea, try it!) but I wasn't up for fried yesterday. So we consulted UrbanSpoon and tried a local restaurant, City Cafe. UrbanSpoon nailed it--the food was great, the restaurant was awesome, the history was interesting...and there was homemade pie! So that's what this picture is...James and the kids had gone to pick out pie to share for dessert, and I'm sitting there enjoying a rare moment of solitude.

And wondering what kind of pie they would bring back.

Deep thoughts, my friends, deep thoughts. There you have it.

Say Cheese-y!

No reason for posting...just think it's funny that THIS is what's filling up my camera roll these days. And random shots of ceilings, shoes, fingers...guess who likes to take pictures? :)

What's Old is New Again...

My oldest niece turned 16 a couple of weeks ago. For her gift, I wanted to do something special to honor the big occasion. This is my niece who loves anything vintage (of course, and this is another post, when I went "vintage" shopping with her, she ended up buy several things that I wore...in High School. Sigh.), and I decided that my Grandma's old jewelry box would be perfect for Keely. It was brown with gold and red details...mostly mustardy gold...so it needed a bit of a facelift. I thought that would be a great statement for such a big occasion, to take something from the past and make it work in the present and into the future. I picked black with Tiffany Blue since those are the colors of Keely's room, and I figure she can redo it someday if she'd like. Now, it's me, and what's in my head never quite works out exactly...but I'm still happy with how it turned out. Could the paint job have been cleaner? Yup. And once again, I forgot to take a "before" picture. I've GOT to start remembering that!

Oh, and the frame next to it--several years ago, my Grandma gave me a pair of picture frames. I use one as a white board in my kitchen (I put white paper behind the glass), and I left it the original kind of rubbed-off antique white and metal. The second frame has been in storage for years, and when I started on Keely's birthday gift I thought I'd throw this in. So I painted it black and used the same paper I used to fill in the windows of the jewelry box. Keely can put a picture in it and use it as a frame, or get a chalk marker and use it for a memo board. I hope she thinks it's as cool as I think it is!

The Road

Four summers ago, I looked for any excuse to "have" to drive to College Station to go shopping. I remember it rained a lot that summer, and more than once the sky turned black and I got to watch a summer storm roll in...right across 50. Yesterday the City was supposed to have our water turned off all day, so the kids and I headed to College Station to see Auntie Katie and run a couple of errands. As I was driving, I was thinking about how much I love driving down 50, how it reminds me of my (aside from home!) favorite place on earth (can you name it? Hint: it's a state!), and how peaceful it is out there in the middle of the fields. I love the drive, love the sky, love just BEING there. I feel the same way when I'm driving home from a Houston day, once I get past Fairfield...as I drive out of the city, I feel like I'm driving INTO a slower, simpler life that just fits. Yesterday as I drove I was reminded of that summer four years ago, and how, even after a year to prepare, I was still fighting for my "regular" life of retail and hustle and bustle and doing and having. My, how things have changed. :)

Where will the road take you today? I know where it's taking Amy & Kristin & their kids--here for a BlueBell tour!--and Melissa & her kids. I know where it's taking me...right where I want to be. What about you? Hope you can enjoy the scenery as you go!

Hipstamatic!

I don't care what you say, I love Martha Stewart stuff...look what I read about this morning! I wasn't going to share and make you all wonder why my pictures are so much cooler than yours, but then I felt guilty. So go download it, iPhone users!!





--out & about :)

Circle of my Life

I finished a major project yesterday...just have to tie pretty bows on the binders today and be done. Yep, I am literally tying bows on these suckers before I deliver them. I love it when I find a new way to do an old thing, and a way to do something that makes it easier for my teachers to do a good job. I won't bore y'all with the details here...if you're not a preschool person, classroom labels won't turn you on.

I wrapped up a major project yesterday and ended one online cycle, which leaves me with one week left of another major project, one online cycle...and now it's time to ramp up again to get ready for the preschool school year. Luckily I have a couple of light weeks, but no weeks this summer of NO work. Which I guess is cool, too, because that means no weeks of no paychecks. This is the circle of my professional life...the summer is a time to wrap up the previous year and then before you can finish that, start getting ready for the next year. I love summer for that same reason--it's such a time of hope and promise, that this next year will be better. It WILL be better, hear me, Universe??

I'm a little random this morning. I asked my Boy to wake me up when he got up, but I was having a dream about birthday cake (yes) so I asked to sleep a little longer. Now I'm up, my coffee is here...but I'm tired. And then I had to take a quick break--I heard, "Mom Mom! Where are you??" so I called back, "Bubby, where are YOU?" and an exasperated voice from the bedroom called back, "Mom Mom! In 'ERE!!!!!!" I got the best hugs from him just now. :) So it's time to drink this coffee and get moving on those bows and my morning.

Hope you have great coffee and a great day, and some good hugs while you're at it!

What a nerd.

Theater-size box of candy + 2 year old - all common sense =

Was I watching him? Yep.

But sometimes I just want to see where his imagination will take him.

Guess What?!

So, as a last ditch effort I looked in my random jewelry drawer, where I put the stuff I NEVER wear...and found 2 more earrings! Woo hoo! No trip to James Avery for me, and now I'm way proud of myself that I've only lost ONE in all these years. Celebrate, good times...

Last One Standing

You know I love my James Avery jewelry. I'm so boring, I wear the same things every single day. I even blogged about it in one of my very first blog entries...here's the link if you're bored. :) (Aside: I knew I had blogged about this around my 34th birthday when I got my cool typewriter bracelet, but looking back through blog entries to find it...so, so weird to read what my life was like when Kayci was in Kindergarten, Noble was just newly mobile, Dad was sick, Ronny's family was in Taiwan...life was so different. If you don't journal in some way, I highly recommend it--this is the second opportunity I've had recently to revisit a different time in my life, the first being Kayci's birthday and reading the blog entries from before and right after she was born, and it's such a blessing to be able to step back into my old shoes). Big aside...sorry!

Anyway, the point of this blog today...

...Monday on our way back from Marble Falls, I reached up and realized I'd lost an earring. I wasn't stressed about it. See, I have a dirty little secret: not only do I love James Avery jewelry, I have a bad, bad habit of losing it. Seriously--I'm on my 2nd Faith/Hope/Love ring, my 2nd heart bracelet, who knows how many silver chains, who knows how many charms I've lost, and of course, my silver earrings. For about a decade now (wow! I'm getting old!) I've worn the same silver hoops almost every day. Crap...longer than a decade, I can remember in our apartment in Spring (98-00), losing my first one. Wow. It all started with Kitty...he used to steal my earrings or anything small and shiny. Back then, when I lost one, we'd go buy another pair. Several years ago (either before Kristen H.'s wedding or right after Kayci was born, we can't remember), James got smart and bought me TWO pairs. Since then, I've been rotating those 4 silly earrings...I lose one, replace it, sometimes end up finding it again...

...until Monday. Apparently, I've lost my last replacement earring. This little guy is the last man standing. Sigh. I've got a few pairs of "fun" earrings, but it's just not the same. Sigh. You know I threw my new watch away several weeks ago, right? I'm not sure what the universe is trying to tell me, but I'm feeling a little lost without my earring. Feeling a little weird about being out of replacements. Tired of not knowing what time it is. I guess it's time to either shake it up a bit and wear some new jewelry...or go shopping.

Seriously, you haven't nodded off, yet? Sorry for such a boring post...you gotta remember, this blog is my journal. :) Speaking of this blog...we're so behind in our family blog, as soon as James and I get caught back up with our work, we'll post Atlanta and Marble Falls pics.

OH! And I forgot to mention--we got to visit the Headleys' new house on Monday!!!! That was AWESOME...it's gorgeous, and we're so happy for our friends and their new life. Yes, we miss you guys, but Round Rock is a great place, too, and not so far away. Congratulations! (We were ALSO supposed to get to see Ronny's family...but, Kayci ended up blerrrrrrghing all over Rudy's, so we opted just to head home. Mother of the year, here, I was like, quit with all the drama, kid...awesome.)

Home again, home again, jiggety jig...

We are home from an awesome vacation in Atlanta. It was the perfect mix of exploring a new place and down time...for me and the kids, at least. Daddy didn't get any down time, as we hit the road for a new adventure every time he had a little break. :)

Here's a peek at how we spent our down time...













By the way, Atlanta is a wonderful place. Everyone we met was SOOOO nice! More on that later--we also got to spend time with a new/old friend. :)

--out & about :)