Our Kind of Normal

Lots to Celebrate!

2012-02-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that Valentine's Day is almost here and I didn't recap Mike's birthday as well as his favorite holiday, the Superbowl. I have been trying to take more pictures to document our lives and I think it makes the blog a little more fun. Mike's parents came in town for a long weekend to celebrate with us. He got to open a present early so that we could all enjoy tickets to the hockey game from his parents. We had a lot of fun Friday night and enjoyed getting out. I still have a little problem with the "Ice Girls" that clean up the shavings of ice during time outs. I get the cheerleaders/dancers/Hooters in training girls outside the rink. But the girls that come out with sports bras and shovels to "clean up" really has me a little confused. Mike calls them the JV squad.

Saturday night we had reservations to go to a steak house downtown. I was really excited about it because I know how much Mike loves a meat and potato dinner. We ordered a 48 oz steak. I'm not kidding. It did have a bone in it, but it was humongous. Yes, we had leftovers. Yes, it was delicious. While the food was amazing, I did have a little run in with the hostess. Being a hostess at several restaurants in the past, it takes a lot for me to get upset with them. Mistakes happen, and I know people can be rude. However, when you look me straight in the eye and tell me that there is no reservation listed for me and "what do you want me to do about it" I am going to have to speak to your manager.

Luckily, we got settled at a nice table with several good martinis. We had a great time with the Cherbs and look forward to seeing them soon.

(P.S. - This was my first double decker cake. It came out quite well if I do say so myself!)

Moving on to February 5, my brother in law's birthday, as well as Mike's favorite holiday. The Superbowl. I don't think he even cared who was playing this year - in fact I know he didn't. What he cared about was the excuse to pull the d**m fryer back out of the garage, go to Sam's and buy an economy carton of oil, chicken wings and fries. I cannot lie. I had an excuse to eat bricks of cream cheese by telling myself I had mixed them with something else. It was disgusting, and yet, so delicious.

Yes, both of these delicious bowls/plates of goodness are from Pinterest. Sorry, I can't figure out how to turn the picture around. You get the idea.

So, that about wraps it up. I do have to share one funny thing that happened last night. My husband has been obsessed with some computer game he found awhile back. I am not going to tell you the name, but I will tell you that it involves a lot of strategy and math, and more work than I would like to do if I am trying to relax. Regardless, at 2 am this morning, I was shaken awake. I jerked up thinking something was wrong - did I oversleep? What was going on? Mike literally said to me, "Oh good. You're up." He looked at me and said proudly, "We (his computer team of ~~geeks/~~ friends) won the game." He then took my camera and took a picture of the computer screen to commemorate this accomplishment.

Stay away ladies. He's mine. :-)

On the Road Again

2012-02-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to my high school friend, Ellen Blalock. It is not really about her, but she prompted me to start writing again. In a lovely text she wrote, "You need to start blogging again. I miss hearing about your funny life." I am not going to question whether people read this blog to laugh at the abnormally bizarre things that happen to me - but the people have spoken, and I will write.

I have been in a funk lately, which always happens around January and February. It started earlier this winter so I tried to fill the void with food. This backfired when I tried to squeeze into a dress for Mike's birthday dinner and popped out of it. So I started running again and am feeling much better. One of the reasons I am trying to get back into shape is because my college roommate JENNY DRAFFIN is ENGAGED! We are so excited for her and looking forward to celebrating with her and her fiance Kevin in July. I recognize that I am not the one who will be walking down the aisle, but I feel as though I should look good for her special day. :-)

I have been frustrated because I feel like I have been searching for a career for years. I have made a lot of choices that were not conducive to a long term job, but I am ready for a consistent, reliable job where I am able to interact with people and feel like I am making a difference in people's lives. I want a job where I am excited to get up and go to work, rather than counting down the hours until I get to leave. Is this too much to ask?

Mike really loves it when I start talking about this. He says I brood about things and should be happy and thankful to have a place to go that wants to provide us with money for food and bills each month. My favorite quote from him with respect to this issue: "Jenny, do you think coal miners come home every night complaining about their jobs?" Well yes Michael, I do. I think that they probably come home happy that the mine did not collapse in on them and worried that they may develop lung cancer as a result of their work. (Horrible argument.) Anyway, last night Mike made the comment that he is not sure I will ever find a job where I am happy. I give you this picture as evidence against him:

While I didn't ever plan to show anyone this, all things seem to be fair game on the blog. How many people come home from the pizza parlor and say, "I can't wait to put on my high topped black shoes and go back to work tomorrow!" And while Mike's parents, and secretly, my mother, may want me to pull an Octomom and start popping out babies, we just are not ready. My father continues to tell me he is too young to be a grandfather. (Keep telling yourself that buddy....)

The point of this blog is....I am running again.I started Sunday with my legs shaking, my hip aching and my collar bones? hurting. Even though I was moving at the pace of a woman with a broken hip, I was outside and I felt great when I finished. Today I headed into the 70 degree weather and felt even better. I will continue looking for jobs and hope to get things a little more stable around here. We are happy and healthy and I AM thankful for the job(s) that I have. I just want more....

Mostly Pictures

2012-01-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

I feel like I can't move on to 2012 without wrapping up the holidays here. After the fire, the rest of our travels were pretty uneventful. We had a whirlwind trip filled with lots of family, friends, food and fun. We were tired when we got home, but I am so thankful that both of our families love so close together so that we are able to see them every year.

Below is the table all set for Christmas Eve Dinner - isn't it beautiful?

Mrs. C's tree, before Santa came.

Houston got a variety of costumes for Christmas: SWAT man, fireman, spiderman, superman....Since we had a fire, the fireman got a lot of use!

Precious Calista:

Houston and I took a break to watch Charlotte's web:

Pops celebrated a big birthday this year! We celebrated with pizza,a movie (Mission Impossible) and a drink with the family. Just perfect.

Houston really liked our present - a one eyed monster shirt, courtesy of Designs By Mumu! Check her out on Facebook!

I couldn't get enough of this munchkin!

We headed to Birmingham on the 28th, where my parents prepared a special dinner for us.
Below, the grill master:

Mom and 2/3 of her girls. My mother looks like she is one of the sisters!

Mom and Dad

Mike and me - I really loved that fleece sweat suit I got!

Dad and 2/3 of his girls. Do you like how the wine glass is the focus of the picture?

We are back in ATL now...sorry the pictures are out of order...I was able to spend some time with one of my great friends from college (an old roomate) Kate, and her sweet baby Ellie. Ellie was so good and let me hold her without fussing much at all! Kate is such an easy going mom and I am so proud of her!

Cute momma and her baby girl! Kate doesn't even look like she had a baby ELEVEN weeks ago!

And of course, the babies in Birmingham! Who can forget Indihi? He and Em came over for a little visit with the Blackburns. Indihi was very excited because this 20 year old cat sat still long enough for him to touch her. It is probable she was in a coma.

Sweet, big boy celebrated his first birthday December 22!

And finally, Kate and Harper. While the moms and I got together for lunch, these girls definitely stole the show! Kate is upset with me because she was watching Beauty and the Beast before I grabbed her out of the car. She is also wearing jeggings and Uggs. :-)

I was so sad that I wasn't able to see Anna Barton or Vivi this trip, but I think we did a pretty good job! Hope 2012 is off to a great start for you!

Christmas Eve Extravaganza

2011-12-31T17:11:00.000-08:00

It's New Year's Eve and I just climbed into my pajamas, curled up on the couch with a new book and am waiting on a pizza and Mike to arrive. I could not be happier.Traveling is exhausting and both Mike and I picked up some sort of virus during our visits. However, we did have a wonderful time seeing family and friends and I managed to make it through my first Christmas away from the Blackburns. Luckily for me, the Cherbonneaus always welcome me with open arms and made this year just as special.

We were able to swing through Birmingham on our way to Atlanta to see my sister, Julia, for one night. Her work schedule was not meshing with our travel so we stopped for dinner and a mini-Christmas. The next morning we got up and made it to Atlanta in time for lunch. My sweet nephew Houston is three years old and hilarious. Our beautiful niece Calista makes me smile everytime I see her. I'm pretty sure I had her in my arms 75% of the trip.

On Christmas Eve, the Cherbonneaus have a seafood extravaganza. Calamari, shrimp, lobster..you name it - we are eating it. Earlier this year, my in laws downsized their house and moved into a cute new one. While Mike was playing with Houston we turned on the bridge of the stove to cook a large pot of water. We heard something pop and the next thing we saw were sparks. Please keep in mind we all had a glass of wine in hand. The result :

Me: "Michael, Michael - there is a fire!
Mike: "Jenny, I am in jail - I can't get up."

Mrs. Cherbonneau immediately threw flour at the fire (which is what you are supposed to do,) began calling for her dog and was headed out the door.

Kristen, my SIL was on the phone attempting to get her husband to pick up their fire extinguisher and bring it to the house. She then ran upstairs for the baby and was herding everyone out.

Houston: This may be the most exciting thing that ever happened to him. He was running around the house yelling, "Fire! Fire!"

(Please note that no one ever yelled for Lullabelle. That poor cat never had a chance!)

When Mike finally realized that what was going on was serious, he threw the pillows off of him (his jail cell) and grabbed the sprayer from the sink. He put the rest of the flames out but we still called 911. Luckily we warned my father in law that a fire truck would be in the front yard when he pulled up. While Houston went outside to examine the truck, the firemen examined the mess. Flour melded to the floor with water and a melted electrical socket. Diagnosis: No power. Prognosis for dinner: Bleak.

Poor Kristen ended up hosting Christmas Eve at her house. We moved everyone down the street, along with the food. It ended up being delicious and perfect. Everyone is safe and healthy, which is all we could ask for. I have much more to write and many pictures to share, but thought I would start you off with that. Happy New Year! Enjoy these last few hours of 2011!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

Wow. It seems like the last time I wrote, I was talking about leaving town for Thanksgiving. I love December, but it always flies by. I have been excited to get my Christmas decorations up and adament that we were going to have a real tree in our house. (I'm pretty sure that was ok with Mike because the fake tree we own is buried deep in the closet under the stairs.) Regardless, after many days of nagging, Mike went to get our tree.

When I was growing up, we got the tree as a family. Everyone loaded into the station wagon and drove to (wherever) to pick out that perfect Frasier Fur that becomes the center of your home during the holidays. Looking back, I'm not sure it was really that fun. 5 people running different ways looking for trees? I do remember at one point we used to go to a Christmas tree farm a little ways away. My last memory is driving straight down the street to the local elementary school. I guess you do what you gotta do to maintain those traditions.

All this to say, Mike continued to inform me that in his home, the man picks out the tree. I was regaled with stories of his first job working at a nursery (seriously) and how he knows how to pick a tree. At first I argued, thinking this needed to be something that the two of us did together, but eventually I let him go. Not 5 minutes after he arrived he called, asking what sort of tree I wanted. I had to tell him he was the man and he was on his own.

He picked out a beautiful tree. This is what happened when he got home. I still don't know what he was doing, but I do know I never saw my dad doing this with our tree.

Yes, that is a miner's light that he has on his head. (It's amazing how handy those can be!)

Unfortunately, the decorations that covered our old tree didn't quite cover the new, bigger, more robust tree. And I ran out of the ribbon that usually wraps the tree and tops it with an extravagant bow. So we got a little something like this:

Our tree skirt is in the same box as our old tree and I did not make one out of burlap and ribbon. Maybe next year.

Next up, our holiday cards. I. Love. Them. I love running to the mailbox every day to see what beautiful pictures and notes our friends have sent. However, I have not come up with a creative way to display them...Mike informed me his grandmother used to do this with hers:

Who cares. They make me happy!

Next, the stockings, hung by the chimney with care:

Yes, Lullabelle has her own stocking. Sadly, she will not be accompanying us on our southeastern tour next week. After a lot of thought, we decided it was too much for her (and my patience) last time. I keep telling myself she will be fine and less traumatized if we keep her at home. Yes, we have someone to feed her (and maybe cuddle with her for a required 30 minutes?) I feel guilty just writing about it.

I will leave you with some outtakes from our holiday card...sometimes the best ones just don't make the cut. I particularly like this first one - I think it embodies our relationship.

Here, I was trying to make it look more professional than my mom snapping pictures with my point and shoot Canon. (I threw a bunch of leaves in the air....)

I am laughing hysterically, but there was a little, "Jenny, what the he**?!" going on in the background.

Happy Holidays! Love, Jenny and Mike :-)

New Adventures

2011-12-11T11:10:00.001-08:00

It's been a long two weeks. I haven't been working much more than the average person, (although I haven't had any days/weekends off since Thanksgiving) but driving back and forth between these different jobs can be tiring and confusing. This week was a special adventure. I have been helping my boss sell her cell phone covers at various expos around the city. Tuesday evening we ventured to Southfork Ranch. If you are a "Dallas" fan, you know this is where the hit tv series was shot. If not, it is a cool, historic piece of land. We showed up for the Native American Chamber of Commerce Expo. Yep. Cell phones blinged out in Swarsvoski crystals competing with hand made candles, snuff boxes and lava lamps. Good times. We made $32 and packed up our product. It just really wasn't our market.

Thursday night I brought the covers to a "Girl's Night Out" at a small boutique. Here's the thing about Dallas. There is constant competition to be the next New York City or L.A. While Mike and I love the area and most of the people we have met, there is definitely an elite group that believes the only people worth talking to are those with money. A lot of money. It was clearly exhibited to me when Pat Smith (Emmett Smith's wife) walked in. Y'all, she was as sweet as she could be, chatted with me and gave me a hug. I was appalled by the way everyone else was falling over her. I have never seen a group of grown women compete for attention and approval as much as they did that night. I called Mike when I left (after being ignored by these women for 2 hours) to tell him I was over it and that I hated women. He listened to me vent with a "Thank you for what you are contributing to the family dear" thrown in here and there. (He is learning.)

I got home and fell asleep. When I woke up the next day I couldn't find my keys.The last time this happened, I found them in the wine drawer... After a lot of searching, freaking out and then laying on the couch to rest my eyes for just a second, I texted my boss. He told me not to worry about coming in because he wasn't feeling well anyway. As soon as I got back in the bed, Mike brought me my keys.I have heard that when you reach a certain point of exhaustion, you being acting like you are drunk. Perfect example. My keys had been laying in the closet by my shoes. To wrap up, I FINALLY have a day off. Mike and I are going to get a Christmas tree today and I am hoping to clean up so I don't trip over something every time I try to make my way through the bedroom in the dark. I have too many bruises that I can't explain.

I am looking forward to Christmas shopping and decorating and getting into the spirit! We finally sold our St. Louis condo on Friday. It had been on the market for 14 months and we are ecstatic! (Christmas was on the verge of being cancelled...) Everything is back to our kind of normal for at least a day or two!

Processing

2011-11-29T16:27:00.001-08:00

We got back in town last night from Thanksgiving with my family. Lullabelle chose to hide in the basement until 6:00 pm Sunday night, which delayed our travel by a full day. I was not happy with our child, even though she is bouncing around our house now like she never left. We had quite a cast of characters this year for Turkey Day. My parents, both my sisters, my grandmother, Mike, three cats and a dog. Our house seemed to have shrunk since the last time we visited and continued to close in on me as the week progressed. Something just seemed "off" and at the time, I wasn't able to put my finger on one specific thing.

It didn't help that I got sick the day after Thanksgiving. I think some of my crankiness came from that, as well as feeling boxed in. At one point I told my mother we would be renting a hotel room next year. I think it hurt her feelings...I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

First things first. We didn't leave until 2:00 pm on Tuesday afternoon. Pretty much as soon as we pulled out of the garage, I decided we should talk about our three year plan. It was bad timing - I should have waited until we were on the road and had some time to settle in. But, we got that out of the way and were able to listen to the two "Thanksgiving 2011" CDs I created. Mike HATES Top 40, pop type music. He loves Radiohead, Pink Floyd and other bands that I don't understand. I'm more of a "bop along to whatever is on the radio" kind of girl. We definitely meet in the middle on some of the classics, but unfortunately those were not included on the hot new mix I made. I can assure you with 100% certainty that Mike is not a fan of Lady Gaga or Enrique Iglesias. (Katy Perry also did not receive a high scores.)

Once we got to Birmingham, the girls geared up to make Thanksgiving dinner. I am extremely thankful that I have food on the table and a family that loves each other. I am thankful that my parents are still happily married after 36 years, and that I have wonderful sisters who I enjoy getting to know more and more everyday. I am thankful for my husband who is patient, kind, smart and funny - he surprises me with something new all the time. And I am thankful for my in-laws. You can't choose the family you marry into, and I definitely got lucky. Finally, I am so thankful for my grandmother. This is where things get dicey and really where the story begins.

I was trying to figure out why I broke down crying on our way back to Dallas. I couldn't stop clutching my grandmother because she has already lost more of her memory since I saw her several months ago. I am terrified of the shell that I know she is going to become, because we experienced this illness with my other grandmother. I am so lucky to have a grandmother who is still around, but it is odd how quickly a relationship can change. I used to be able to talk to my grandmother on the phone about anything and she always had a wise "Grandma" answer or piece of advice for me. Let's face it - she has lived an eventful 80 years. So it is difficult for me to listen to her tell me three times that it is raining outside. Or to see how excited she gets when someone offers to take her to the grocery store with them.

I can tell how lost she feels, and how she is grasping at anything she can to feel in control of something. I hate that she can recite to me how her day will go, because nothing really eventful changes. Wake up, 2 cups of coffee, start her crossword puzzles or knit, until someone can go on a walk with her or let her tag along on an errand. She doesn't understand that she can't go too far alone because she might get lost. And she doesn't understand that she can't drive her car anymore because her mind is going - she thinks it is because the doctors think she is eventually going to go blind. The worst part is, if she knew that people were worried or saddened for her, she would be furious. She is the last person to need pity from anyone, so I am trying to be strong. But it's hard.

So we are back in Dallas. And as horrible as it may sound, it is a relief because my Grandmother is not right in front of me, reminding me of how sick she is. I will continue to think as positively as I can and to be thankful for the time I have with her. Hopefully, I can read this in a year and chastise myself for being overly dramatic.

So that was my Thanksgiving. Want me to come over to your house to help you get in the holiday spirit too?

It's Coming...and So Are We

2011-11-22T07:55:00.001-08:00

The holidays are upon us. I have refused to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving (even though it eliminates one of my favorite radio stations) and our "Fall" wreath (as opposed to the Christmas one) is still up. As another blogger wrote, "November?!?!?! If you are like me, you are experiencing a slight state of panic (right on cue at this time every year) because Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away and Christmas is about 6 weeks away...yikes." [Taken from Ginger Watkins @ "All These Things"]

Obviously she updates her blog more often that I do, but that is the general feeling around here. I always freak out around this time, dreaming of Christmas lists, Christmas cards and budgets. (Except for last night when I dreamed someone told me I looked like I had gained 30 pounds. How mean! I think I have some guilt from not working out very regularly...) I digress.

For some reason, I am feeling strangely calm this year. Maybe it's because December isn't actually here yet, or maybe it's because I am starting to let go of some of the things I can't control. If I have learned anything this year, it's that as much as I try, I can't control life. I know Mike has been integral in this realization... he is one of the most relaxed people I know. And so, while I listen to the dryer run and recognize that no one is packed even though we are leaving for a 10 hours drive today, I am not freaking out. We will get to Birmingham....even if it is late.

So. I didn't pass the bar, and it's ok. I have worked through it and while I am not going to go into all the details on this blog, I think it may actually be for the best. I'm not going to take it again in for awhile - it exhausts me to think about it. At some point I think I have to recognize that there may be other options for me than the traditional practice of law. And not my original response to finding out I didn't pass. With no tears in my eyes (I think I was in shock) I looked at my husband without blinking and said, "That's fine Mike. We are just going to have lots of babies." (Made no sense at all, but he let it slide.) Thankfully, the attorney that I am working for is amazing and didn't fire me. He has been so wonderful as a boss and a teacher. I'm not sure that I have ever had someone truly care that I understood what I was doing, and that makes a big difference!

Ok...I am not sure were this post is going, and I think it is probably more therapeutic for me than exciting for you. I think my point was, I am excited about the holidays. I truly cannot wait to get in the car, spend some forced quality time with Mike and see my family. My Grandmother is in town, and there is nothing I could more thankful for right now than her health.

I am looking forward to Christmas and ALL the DIY presents I have planned. (Ha! Do you want me to cross you off the list?) We'll see how that goes. I will have to write another post about how I already received my Christmas present...a new phone! (It didn't got as smoothly as it may sound, but I am quite happy with the Droid Charge!) Also, we sold our condo in St. Louis! 14 months on the market, but we hope to close December 7. Merry Christmas! I will leave you with some recent pictures and plan to update more frequently - I promise!

Below: Mike's mom came to visit on her way to CA to celebrate her 21st birthday. She is not holding a baby - that is a bear that sings "Happy Birthday." All. The. Time.

This was Mike and my's first attempt at carving pumpkins together. It also looks like a scene out of "Dexter."

The finished product. PS - pumpkins rot a lot more quickly than I ever knew!

Happy Holidays!

(This picture is from June 2010. We don't get out much.)

Loose Ends

2011-10-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, one of my three faithful readers emailed the other day and asked, "Are you ever going to post again?" So in the interest of pleasing my followers, I decided to write and catch y'all up on what has been going on. Here's the thing - somehow or other over the last few weeks, life went into fast forward. Thank goodness! I don't think I have been this productive in three years! To get the ball rolling, here is the Cherbonneau take on Halloween decorations:

The only DIY thing I accomplished was drawing the "C" on the pumpkin....that's ok - I was thrifty!

Besides that, I have been doing a LOT of networking with different attorneys, or people who work with attorneys. Fortunately, I just got offered a job clerking three times a week for a solo practitioner who does estate planning. I am really excited about it - I have my first client on Wednesday! In addition I have been working here:

http://shop.crystalsonfire.com/main.sc

I have to tell you - when I started working, I couldn't get over how over the top some of these cell phone covers, etc are. Now when I leave work, I feel plain and homely without enough "bling" on my 2 year old cell phone cover! I have also been helping a guy get his office organized; a lot of filing and data entry. I am having fun and feel like there might actually be an ending to the life in limbo where Mike and I have been living. I keep thinking one day I can tell our kids, "When Daddy was in school, Mommy was working three jobs just so there would be food on the table. She walked uphill (both ways) to work (in the snow) barefoot." Maybe an exaggeration but it makes me feel special.

Mike finished his comprehensive exams a few weeks ago and is waiting on his results. I get my bar results back this Friday - I can't believe the day is finally here. I get anxious every time I think about it. Hopefully we will get our results together and they will be both be positive!

Mike's mom was just here visiting for a few days on her way back from a girls trip. We had a lot of fun catching up, eating great food and just laughing. I am looking forward to the holidays when we take on the southeast in our quest to visit everyone!

Sorry if this has been boring - it's our life now and we are enjoying it! I will try to write more frequently to keep all three of y'all caught up!
Happy Halloween!

Grandma - Part II

2011-10-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, whatever you have been doing is working! Grandma is awake and seemingly much better. They doctors did drain the blood from her head yesterday, which seems to have helped. She is now walking around with aides and answering cognitive questions in better form than my uncle has seen in months. Apparently when the doctor asked her which comes first, peeling or eating a banana, she replied, "Well, it sure would be difficult to eat if you didn't peel it, wouldn't it?!"

My parents are still going up to Virginia on Thursday, but I feel much better hearing some positive reports. She will be going to rehab because there seems to be some damage to her physically, but then she is scheduled to go home! Very exciting!

Oooh - I also got a little part time job that y'all are going to love. It is not law related, but it is just in time for Christmas. Stay tuned!

Grandma

2011-10-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

My Grandma is not doing well. Yesterday she was admitted to the hospital with a subdural hematoma (bleeding in the brain.) I did not know what that was and looked it up on the computer - this was a horrible idea because everything is so negative. My parents told me to get off the computer. ANYWAY, my aunt found Grandma in the tub without any water in it, adding another concern as she has apparently been more confused than normal for the past few days. Thank goodness she is living with them. Last night we knew nothing, which was hard. We didn't know if she was still bleeding or what sort of damage she may have incurred..

We still don't know much. This morning, the doctors drained the blood and are keeping her until Wednesday. She is in and out of consciousness and confused. Right now she is unable to lift her left arm, but she will be going to rehab Wednesday to work on that and whatever other issues may come up. My parents are going to Virginia Thursday morning and hopefully we will have more information then. In the meantime, please just think positive thoughts, or do what you do, in hopes that she will get better. She is 80, but as my mother in law said, "That is young!" She is a fighter, so hopefully things will be ok. Thank you.

More Antics from Lullabelle

2011-10-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

It all started last week when I took Lullabelle to the vet. She has been biting a lot (specifically not allowed in our home) and I started wondering if it had anything to do with the tooth we dealt with a month ago. I was able to look in her mouth (pry her jaw open) and saw that she had a bump on her gums. I was sure it was an infection because Mike and I didn't exactly give her the antibiotics. She didn't like them! When I took my child in, a different doctor than the one we had last time came in the room. I immediately said without thinking, "You're not the doctor." He looked at me and said, "I've been here for 10 years. What's the problem." Not so much with the bedside manner. I explained the issue and he started to examine my cat.

The vet finally looked up at me and said, "There's nothing wrong with her." "Oh - there is," I argued! "She has a bump on her gum!" He proceeded to explain that these "bumps" are folds of skin and most cats have them. Oh, and if I had looked more closely, she has one on the other side too. Oops. Thankfully the doctor decided not to charge me for this piece of information. I walked out of the office and called my mother, knowing she would think this was hilarious. After she gave me an obligatory pep talk about how I am an avid pet owner, she said, "Don't worry - you are just a concerned mother." I agreed and she said, "No. Really. I was one too. When you have kids they put a note in your chart that says the mother gets worked up about things that aren't really a problem." Great.

She went on to say, "But then, sometimes I didn't even know anything was wrong with you. Julia could go an entire week with an ear infection. How do you know?" Super. So glad we all ended up so normal. I got home and told Mike about my excursion. After saying, "That's embarrassing," he told me that we needed to be more serious about taking care of Lullabelle. "We have to give her medicine even if she doesn't like it. Our (unborn) kids aren't going to like everything we do!" (This coming from a man who takes spiders outside so that he doesn't hurt them.)

So, in the spirit of being more strict, Lullabelle is on a diet. She was supposed to lose 2 pounds the last time I was there and she lost 3 ounces. Not very good progress. So we are going to start being more serious about this issue....unless she starts crying because she is hungry.

I am Jello

2011-09-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a clue what to write about for the past week. I feel like y'all are probably getting tired of the daily grind around here (I am) and I wanted to write something dazzling and inspiring. While I am not sure that this post will meet that criteria, I will tell you its idea came to me as I was pulling a jar of pickles out of the refrigerator. No, I am not going to write to you about pickles - although I do love them. I am going to write about how my pickles were plain. They had no funny eyes made out of olives, or toothpick arms. The point is, they were not creative.

Do you remember in "My Best Friend's Wedding" when Julia Roberts says to Cameron Diaz, "You are NOT Jello. You are ne-ver gon-na be Jello." As far as the creative world is concerned, I am never going to be Creme Brule. I am Jello.

I have known for quite awhile now that I am not artsy, creative or really a DIY-er. Then I joined Pinterest. I was floored by how little I actually know how to do and how CUTE everyone seems to be. Did YOU know you can make a wreath from a few feet of tubing from Lowe's, a glue gun and Christmas ornaments? I actually vowed not to join this new site when it first came out. Why do I need more reasons to procrastinate/stare at a computer screen? But I broke down. Several of my friends at home were talking about how great it was....and I caved. So for the last few days, I have been perusing ideas for a new kitchen, recipes, DIY holiday ideas and clothes. I actually described to Mike the kitchen I wanted and what walls I would tear out/colors I could use to create the perfect space. I could be Creme Brule! And yet, Mike reminded me we are renting....and not buying a house anytime soon. Back to Jello.

So, for me, the best thing about this site is the recipes. Did you know that everyone in America has a blog now? I guess I wanted to believe that I was one of the elite few. I'm not. You like to cook? You have a cooking blog. Do you sew? Log into that clothing blog. Anyway, I have found some of the best recipes on this site, and that is one thing I KNOW I can do. Y'all may not get a made from scratch, cutesy holiday ornament from me this year (ok - none of you will) but I can buy ingredients and put them together! And in the future, I will have some ideas for the house I want, the children's birthday parties I will throw and the cute wreath that I will just go buy at Target.

Now that the jar of pickles are gone, I hope you are dazzled and inspired by this post. And if you are Jello, don't worry - we too have our special, hidden talents! For proof, go join Pinterest. You just might just find them.

*This is not a paid advertisement for Pininterest, but we are accepting donations.*

A Little Piece of Heaven

2011-09-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

If you look closely off Highway 97, you might notice a dirt driveway covered on either side with beautiful old trees. If you venture in, you will be transported to a little spot where Wi-Fi doesn't work, your cell phone doesn't get service and nothing is around besides Mom and Pop stores, the water and clear skies. You can see the stars at night, and you don't have to worry about locking the door when you leave because no one is really around.

Usually there is a sailboat tied to the dock, but it was being cleaned for the summer. My parents have used the water and sailboats for years to get away from the stress of everyday life and rejuvenate. I am so thankful that they included their children in the majority of their trips, and now, that they have a place that they can escape to whenever they want.

Even though Mike and I arrived at the same time Tropical Storm Lee did, we were still able to enjoy the solitude and quaintness of the area.

Don't you just love this bench? I sat on it and have no idea how much time went by. The breeze and the ocean just take you away. (By the way, pretty much everything in these pictures was built/planted by my parents.) Sometimes I think if they were stranded somewhere and no one could find them, it would be just fine with them. :-)

Here are some pears that my parents grew this season:

And here is mom doing a little weeding before the rain came back....

I have been wanting to try this cheese store that my dad always raves about. I don't know what I was expecting, but he told me he thought my expectations were a little high. He tried to explain that some "hippies" made cheese from the cows they keep on their land. And he was right.

We walked into a room not much bigger than the room you are probably sitting in now. The cheese was displayed in front of us and you can taste whatever type you like. I think Dad was getting embarrassed because I made sure to get my fill of samples! The cheese was delicious - I thanked the cows on our way out.

That evening we put the boys to work just so we could have a taste of this:

I love oysters. Baked, fried or raw, I do not discriminate. The crazy thing was, with the storm, many of the oyster boats were not going out. After calling at least four different places, we were able to reserve two boxes of oysters that Dad and Mike shucked with great tenacity.

Don't they look thrilled? I think they were tired from all their hard work. Seriously, nothing beats fresh seafood.

And here is just a cameo of mom and me - were enjoying some wine with our oysters. (No, I am not expecting. That is just a really bad angle...)

So what did we do over the weekend? We woke up, ate breakfast, traveled to one of the stores or watched football, took a nap and then just hung out until dinner. It wasn't a lot of late nights, but it was exactly what we needed. Yes, if the sun had been out, the pictures would probably have included tubing and laying out, but this was just perfect. We can't wait for the next time we get to escape to my parent's little oasis!
Thanks Mom and Dad - we had a great time!

Babies!

2011-09-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile huh? I didn't realize when I booked my plane tickets that I would be gone for a full two weeks. Even though I had a great time visiting with friends and family, I was ready to get on the plane, see Mike and Lullabelle and get back into the swing of things. One of the best things about this trip is that it wasn't rushed. Usually when we are home for the holidays, we feel like we are cramming as many events and attempting to see as many people as possible. This trip, I was able to take my time and see almost everyone I could. (I miss you Rach and Anna Barton!)

I had a wonderful lunch with a friend and her sweet baby girl one afternoon. We had not spoken in almost ten years - not for anything important, life just drifted us apart. It was so nice to be able to pick up where we left off and sit for two hours chatting and laughing. I missed you Ellen! I wish I had a picture of her gorgeous baby,Vivi. But never fear, I think I have enough pictures of babies to make you smile for awhile.

One Thursday evening, five women thought it would be a good idea to bring four babies together into one room. My very best friend of 29 (yikes!) years was in town from New York and I had never met her eight month old baby! I still can't believe I went that long without seeing him. You can believe I soaked up all the time I could with him. I think his Grandmother was getting jealous....

He looks a little concerned about Crazy Aunt Jenny here:

How could you not want want to squeeze him?

And now, introducing for the first time on the blog, (in random order because they are all beyond cute.)

Harper Miller:

Kate Maple:

And Riley Cook:

And here's what happens when you mix them all together!

Kate was over it. I think we were having a stare down...she won.

And Harper was avoiding the paparazzi at all costs. Don't you love that smirk?

It was chaos, but so much fun. It is amazing to me how much these little people have already developed such big personalities!

Did you think I was done? I went to lunch with another friend from high school who has 2 year old identical twin boys. Randomly, we reconnected through someone else's blog! We hung out at Whole Foods while her boys played.

They are precious things, John David and Timothy, and their mom Catie, is not so bad herself.

I planned to write about Mike and my's trip to the beach with my parents, but this is getting long by itself. I will make you wait for another post about our trip to Elberta, Alabama!

Lullabelle Scare

2011-08-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Last week, after much pushing and prodding by Mike, I finally took Lullabelle to the vet . Ok, she has never been in her entire six years of life. Before you judge me, let me explain. She lives inside and is only with Mike and me. I just never thought that she needed to go. (Are you still not convinced? Do you still think that I am a bad mother?) After a little nudging and a lot of guilt, I took my sweet cat to a vet I found online. It ended up being a nice place, which is something I was worried about. They took her mug shot and then brought her into another room to take her blood. If you remember, this cat is skittish. She was in the pound for a year before I got her and has had many traumatic experiences since then. I actually heard her scream when they took her blood, and I felt sick to my stomach. I truly can't imagine taking my human child to the doctor or having them be sick - I was a wreck during the entire process.

When the doctor came into the room he told me that her blood work was fine, but she had a cracked tooth. He showed me where her tooth had split in half (most likely for stale treats that either Mike or I gave her) and was completely infected. The vet told me that she needed to go into surgery ASAP to get this taken care of so we wouldn't have to pay for a tooth extraction down the line. Then he said I could go home and he would see me in the morning. How can you leave this face??

I left after saying multiple goodbyes. I asked the secretary if they would please contact me when she got out of surgery. She said I was welcome to call at 4 pm. (Apparently they have more important things to do than make personal calls for each patient.) I was on the phone at 3:30. Luckily Lullabelle did great but was still a little groggy when they went to check on her. I asked if maybe I could just come pick her up then, but the nurse said that was out of the question. When the doors opened the next morning, I was standing on the steps waiting to pick up my sweet cat.

There was a new front desk lady who did not make me feel very comfortable. When I asked how Lullabelle had done overnight she replied, "I don't know. I wasn't here." Hmmm. I paid my money and she went into the back to get my precious cargo. When we got home, Lullabelle just kind of laid around and randomly walked into things. Mike thought this was hilarious. I was on the phone with the vet making sure everything was ok. I think the anesthesia has finally worn off. We have antibiotics that she is supposed to be taking but she has fought us every step of the way. Mike tried to put them in her water, but then she stopped drinking. She's a smart one, that cat.

This is her recovering the next day - still a little stoned I think.

So, that was our excitement for the week. We really are starting to be a little domesticated, suburban family - I love it!

*New post below.*

Scuba Certified! Check!

2011-08-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

I think I mentioned in a blog awhile back that I was planning to take scuba classes. I started last Tuesday night and finished up today. It really is one of the coolest things I have ever done. We started out in a pool where our instructor taught us how to assemble the gear, put the gear on and eventually get in the pool. If you are considering taking classes, also consider booking a massage for the week after. I am so sore. The tank/equipment, etc is approximately 60-70 pounds and you are hauling it around on your back. Although it is weightless in the water, I have been on the couch every time a session finished. The process is exhausting - swimming, breathing and carrying that load.

Once we completed our pool skills, they took us out to the lake. Since there is no ocean within 6 hours of us, they certify people this way. I wish I could say that I saw a lot of amazing things, but that was not the case. The visibility was only about 5 feet in front of us, but it was amazing to that we were able to stay under water for so long without worrying about taking a breath or running out of air. The instructor makes you do all these things in the lake just in case they were to ever happen in the "real world." Examples: losing your mask, losing your breathing tube or learning how to use a compass underwater (tricky).

Using the compass was hilarious. They made us practice on land so that if someone veered off course, they would be able to grab us without losing us in the lake. The instructor made us all put towels over our heads and wander around until we got to our appointed destination. I kind of think he did it just to laugh at us. My towel kept getting in the way - things were not going well. Luckily things smoothed out under water and I was able to pass that portion.

One of the things that I found interesting is that I was not claustrophobic at all. I was concerned that I was going to get very anxious and not want to stay under water. But again, you get so caught up in what you are doing and seeing that you forget you are underwater doing something that humans are not made to do. I am so excited to go diving in Florida and have already informed my father that I have several trips planned for us. My father informed me that I have a propensity for spending other people's money and we will discuss future dives after I get a job. In the meantime, I can keep diving at the lake! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

49 Days and Counting

2011-08-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

Today is the 49th day this year that the temperature has been over 100 degree. And I'm not talking about grazing the boundary around 101. I mean it is a consistent 107-108 degrees every day. Just imagine getting in your car (which you know is going to show a higher temperature) and seeing 120. I really can't believe it. Now, I will see say, I know that AL, LA, and MS are all very hot, plus they have the added bonus of humidity. The difference is this dry heat where you feel like you are actually burning as soon as you walk outside.

I will not be writing a entire post on the weather today, but just wanted to show you why I finally caved and joined a gym. After Mike locked me out, and the temperatures were still above 100 at 9:00 at night, I decided there really was no point in trying to run outside unless I had some sort of death wish. (I don't.) I have always had some aversion to joining a gym. A) There is something so freeing about walking out your front door and going for a run. B) I don't know what any of those machines at the gym do. When the guy was signing me up, he asked me exactly what I was going to be focusing on. "Just a treadmill please, that's all I need." I have since found the ab machines, which I *think* I am doing correctly. I have tried a few other machines, but I am pretty sure I am working out my legs when I should be working on my arms, abs, etc on that particular machine.

This gym is HUGE. I accidentally walked into the "candlelight yoga" class yesterday when I was trying to find the Zumba class. That was embarrassing. The best thing about this gym is that they have come up with the idea of a movie theater with treadmills in it instead of seats. Brilliant. You no longer have to switch channels when the commercials come on and you run in the dark. I LOVE the idea, but am terrified of flying off the machine (this has happened before) and disturbing everyone else's run. The other glitch they are still working on is the actual movies. You are able to check the movie schedule on the internet before you go - this is key for me. I don't want to watch G.I. Joe (which Mike and I did rent the other night) while I am running. On this particular day, The Dilemma was playing. I was excited - a girly movie that wouldn't take much thought. When I walked into the theater, I saw - The Terminator. I stuck it out for an hour, but it was pretty horrible.

If you are still reading this, I realize it was pretty boring. Sorry - however, I can't move very much today after two consecutive days at the gym (getting my money's worth!) and am getting a little bored. Enjoy the rest of your Friday!

Goodbye Silver Bullet

2011-08-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a somber day. I watched my Pathfinder drive away with another owner. And I actually cried. I had sunglasses on, but my voice cracked when I was trying to be professional and say thank you. I have got to work on the "business" side of me before I get set up in this whole law business.

If you are interested in selling a car, I now know everything you need to know. Prior to today, I had no idea what I was doing. First of all, the guy that I sold the car to was anxious to get it as quickly as possible. He asked me to bring the title when he actually looked at the car for the first time. Umm....where is that pesky piece of paper? Of course, I blamed my mother for giving me something of such great importance at the young age of 20. I don't think it was a very good argument. So, I had to explain to the guy that we could do a Bill of Sale and I would next day air the title. I don't know what I was thinking. Have you ever heard of a DMV that does next day air specifically for you? Me neither.

So, we met at the Fed Ex office while I mailed my request for a title (that will be returned in 2 weeks.) We made copies of the Bill of Sale (this was his idea) and copies of our driver's licenses (also his idea.) Both were great ones, I must say. Then I gave him the keys. Did I say keys? I meant the one key that I still have to the car. I wish y'all could have seen his face. "You only have one key?" I said yes and then mumbled some excuse that I don't think he really cared about. (Mike kept conveniently wandering away. I think he was embarrassed too...)

But, it all worked out in the end, and I watched my little SUV drive down the road while I cried. You see, I have been driving that car for eleven years. That is a lot of events that the Silver Bullet had been a part of. She was around when I was in college, when I got my first job, when I met Mike. She has traveled to Mississippi, Virginia, Missouri (she didn't like it there either), Louisiana and Florida (just to name a few.) I have eaten more breakfast bars in there, had more diet cokes and had more passengers in that car than I can even count. And I have impressed more than one person by showing off that she is a "stick."

That car was perfect despite the fact that it had a large crack in the windshield, the clock worked when it wanted to and there are random pieces of plastic that have fallen off and I'm not sure just where they were supposed to go. The Silver Bullet endured at least 8 people crammed into her on a Saturday night in New Orleans, listening to '80s songs while everyone sang/screamed at the top of their lungs. She survived boyfriends and break ups way before Mike was around. The type that led to me driving around with the windows open and some sort of country love song blaring while I dramatically cried, thinking I would never find "love" again. She survived my sister driving her into a large cement pole at the gas station. And she was there when I got married. So today when I said, "Take good care of her! She has never been in an accident!" while sobbing, I didn't really feel that silly.

Here's only hoping the replacement, "The Blueberry" will be as reliable and bring as many memories as the Silver Bullet. She has some big tires to fill.

The Big 3-0....Again...

2011-08-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned before, we love birthdays. We do not have children to celebrate birthdays with yet, so we basically act like children when our special day comes around. Last year was kind of a rushed Big 3-0 celebration as we were moving and there honestly just wasn't time for a lot of celebrating. That's ok, it just gave me that much more to celebrate this year!

I mentioned Mike's parents were in town a few weeks ago. Mrs. C took me shopping for my birthday. She always saves me from looking like one of those "fashion dont's." I was able to pick out a few special things and had a wonderful birthday dinner. I have realized this year, I don't really like surprises. I thought I did. I always said that I wanted big surprises, but I think I wanted to plan the surprise and then be surprised so that everything would be just how I wanted it. Does that make sense?

This year, I told Mike to decide what we were going to do for my birthday week/day. But then I kept making suggestions. "Maybe we should go see a movie?" "Maybe we should specifically go see The Help at 5:30 and then go get sushi?" "Maybe we should go to that sushi place we haven't tried?" Mike finally asked me, "I'm sorry - did you want to plan this, or am I?" So, I tried to let go.

It was perfect.Yes, we did end up seeing The Help and eating sushi, but we just had so much fun being out together. I am so thrilled because I got some new sunglasses just in time for us to head to the beach. My old ones are all scratched up and you can't really see out of them. (I promise they still look cool.) I also got this cake:

It makes me smile. No, Mike cannot take credit for the flowers, but the rest of the decorating is his handywork. We didn't have any candles so I blew out a lighter...is that redneck? Yesterday we laid around and watched movies and today, we FINALLY sold my Pathfinder! We have had it on Craig's List for several months and someone contacted me saying they wanted to buy it ASAP. We are "making the swap" on Tuesday at 4:15 in the grocery store parking lot. I feel like I am living on the edge.

I don't remember if I mentioned that I am going to B'ham a few days early so that I can see all my "nieces" and finally meet my "nephew." I will take a picture with all four of these sweeties so you can see why I get so excited to go home. On that note, I showed Mike this picture today:

His response: "Which one is this?" Well, that would be our niece.
It just goes to show you how many babies flash in front of his eyes everyday. Isn't she getting so big and so cute!! I told her momma those eyes are going to be trouble! Sean, you better get your gun!

Anyway, there's the weekend update. Hope everyone's weekend was just as great!

Now What?

2011-08-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

*I wrote this several days ago and stopped in the middle of it. The house is no longer eerily clean.**

I am sitting on the couch with a grocery list in my hand, but grocery shopping is not as enticing as it was when I was supposed to be studying. I am already going a little stir crazy. My in laws are gone and Mike has gone back to school to get ready for his big test on October 12. Things are eerily quiet and clean around here.

We had a great time with Mike's parents. They are always lots of fun, and we ended up shopping both days they were here. While Mike's dad played golf, I went with his mother and one of their close friends to "The Mart" and to do a little early birthday shopping. We had some wonderful dinners and it was nice to have someone to just take care of us for a little while. Sometimes being a grown up is exhausting and it is so wonderful when your parents step in!

Today I have searched for jobs, cleaned the kitchen again, watched more episodes of Weeds and created the menu for the rest of the week. I called my parents who are (of course) at the beach this weekend. I was trying to explain how antsy I felt to my father who said, "Oh - I'm not sure I have ever been in that position. Well, when we were in Jamaica and I was just sitting on the beach I did get antsy. That's when I got scuba certified." SO not the same, Dad. I calmly told him that I did not feel we were in the same place and I probably needed to get off the phone.

One good thing coming out of that conversation is that I am getting scuba certified so that I can be my dad's partner. Mom is not at all interested in participating, and neither is Mike. So, we figured they can fish or tan on the boat while Dad and I are diving. Good plan, huh? I signed up for a class and start in a week. Apparently, you learn in a pool and then they take you to the lake where you do your "dives." After I paid for the class, I called my mom and asked her if she thought I give off an appearance of stupidity. I was so annoyed by what the guy selling the class (and all equipment in the store) was trying to hook me into buying. He went on and on about how it was necessary for me to buy $200 goggles so that I don't get blisters around my eyes, and how the rental places for scuba diving never have the correct sizes. When I tried to "argue" my position (just say no) he got very huffy. I wanted to tell him that I do in fact have a college education and am not as dumb as I may appear. Regardless, I am signed up and will let you know how these lessons go. I am a little worried about how my claustrophobia is going to play into all of this, but, I'm sure it will be fine. What's the worst that can happen?

We are going to meet my parents at the beach over Labor Day and I cannot wait. This pale body needs some sun, and this southern girl is missing the beach! It seems as though everyone has had their beach/lake vacation and I am ready for ours! That really is all that is going on here these days....birthday post to come!

Happy Birthday Houston!!

2011-07-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't let today pass without saying Happy Birthday to this very special boy. He turned three this year!!

This is Mike's sister's first baby - sweet thing. I think this is only a few days after he was born.

He was a big hit during our wedding preparations!

And was very supportive on the big day:

He is always good for a hug, or a little nap when you are tired.

And he is generally just the life of the party!!

We missed his birthday party today, but it was super hero themed, and from the pictures, it looks like everyone had a great time. It was hard for me to find a good shot of his face because he was so busy today, so this is what you get.

Happy Birthday Houston!!! You are such a big boy!!! We love you!

What Happened to Saturday?

2011-07-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

So, I missed Saturday. I slept for 36 hours. I am like Rip Van Winkle. Part of it is that I have some kind of crud that my body was thankfully fighting off until I finished. The other part is just exhaustion. I vaguely remember Mike coming in and out of the room and asking if I was alive and ok, but besides that things are kind of a blur.

I am ready to be back to normal...hopefully it will just be a few more days. In the meantime, I have become hooked on the show Weeds, and am just eating to fill my time. Mike looked at me with a BOX of cupcakes in my lap today, watching television and said, "I think I'm ready for you to come back." Me too, babe, me too.

Recovery

2011-07-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

I am having PTSD symptoms and I blame the Bar. I woke up soaked in sweat last night because I dreamed I was sitting with a bar examiner, watching her grade my essays. I kept watching as she continued to mark big red "X's" all over my papers. Then this morning at 5:30, my alarm went off. In my exhaustion last night, I forgot to disable it. I jumped out of bed (literally) and was so confused, trying to figure out where I was and what I was being tested on that day. I cannot tell you the relief I felt when I realized I was in my own bed.

We haven't unpacked because I pretty much came home, drank champagne, ate cupcakes and sushi (in that order) had some wine and went to bed. When I asked Mike today if he had any idea where my toothbrush was, he simply said that it was in his black bag. Wouldn't you know that comment somehow sent me into a fit of tears, heaving and sobbing on the couch. The reasoning was, he wouldn't help me find it?? Poor Mike. But I do think he knew I was a little crazy when he married me .

Finally, I just informed the pharmacist at the Wal-Greens that we will not be doing business with them anymore due to their lack of respect for their customers. That is a whole other story, but I have to find a new pharmacy. I think I should be fine in the next few days. I better. Mike's parents are coming on Tuesday and they cannot see me, or our house, in they condition that we are in!

Regardless, this thing is done. It was brutal. I only got 2 hours of sleep after the first day. I just couldn't sleep. I tried everything, but was still staring at the clock, wide awake, at 3 am. I got up that morning, threw up, and went and took the 6 hour, 200 question multiple choice test. (By the way - I can't remember if I wrote in that last post that someone also had a seizure during the first day and had to be taken out by the paramedics??) Anyway, I talked to my dad that afternoon who told me not sleeping was a horrible idea (in case anyone didn't know that.) Anyway. I went for a run and went to sleep. The funny thing is, the other kids taking the Bar were running around getting D-runk. It was like a college co-ed get away (one that I never partook in....) I told you there was a complimentary happy hour - and they were taking full advantage. I really couldn't believe it, but somewhere in the back of my mind I was horribly thinking, "keep drinking! Maybe you will be too hungover to come tomorrow!" Mike actually called the front desk around midnight to complain that the kids in the pool were being really loud and keeping others awake. Sweet guy - I really think he was almost as stressed as I was. I don't think he slept much more than I did.

The last day was 12 essays - again, 6 hours. It is pretty much a time game, getting as much as you know written in some sort of a coherent manner. All I can say is, it's over. I don't know how I did, but I can honestly say I put up a good fight. The results come out early November. Three months. Aside from Wal-Greens, I haven't moved off the couch today. And I don't plan to.

All I want to do is take a minute and soak in just a few days of having nothing hanging over my head. No guilt if I decide I want to take a run, or God forbid, clean up around here. No guilt that I haven't put in the requisite amount of time at the library. No guilt in reading a book that doesn't contain law. I know that this is not life or death. I have done it before, and we all know, I have learned a lot in the past several years. I DO believe if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger. But I also believe I have that lesson down as an art form, and now I would just like to be a licensed attorney please. (It makes me nervous even writing that down.) I am a little bit superstitious.

I remember one of my friends getting her bar results back years ago, when I was still doing social work. She was going on a trip and sat down in her seat on the plane. She told me that when the person next to her asked her what she did for a living, she was proudly able to say, "I'm an attorney." I'm ready for that.

So thank you to EVERYONE who has thought about me for even a second over the last couple months. Thank you for the texts, the emails, the phone calls, the cards, the flowers, the plants, the fruit (it's gone and I got in this morning) and the free hotel room. I love each and every one of you very much. (I'm going to start crying again.) This has to stop.

Also, if I haven't responded to your sweet messages, please know I am getting there. I have been thinking of you. I am also aware that owe several of you wedding and baby presents. Those are also now in my line of sight. Enjoy your weekend!! PS- Happy Dance Day tomorrow!!

Done.

2011-07-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Short. Sweet. To the Point. Done.
Exhausted. Headed for sushi and wine. More to come.

One Day Down

2011-07-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

I bet you didn't think you were going to hear from me this week. Well, I am sitting on the couch in our hotel room waiting on my cheeseburger to arrive. We had several options for delivery this evening - pizza, pasta, chinese or burgers. I figured since pizza was last night, and the others are sure to send me into a coma, the cheeseburger was the best option.

Michael and I left yesterday evening to travel the full 20 miles to Irving, TX. You may be wondering why I am staying at a hotel when I live only 20 miles away. First, I completely envisioned myself leaving late, getting stuck in traffic and missing the entire test. Second, I could not wait to get out of that house. The lady at the front desk seemed very overwhelmed. She gave me take out menus, quickly ran through the amenities and asked if I would prefer for my wake up call to be at 4:45 or 5. WHAT? Apparently that was the average rate going. I went for 5:30 (just to fit in.)

Mike thinks we are on vacation. He walked in the room, fully unpacked (we are here 3 nights) and is taking advantage of the free happy hour downstairs. He was also more than a little excited when we drove up and saw the pool. Last night was good - I wasn't too stressed because today was only half a day of testing. (Thank you Texas for having your own procedures, coinciding with the Federal Rules.) I walked in after the test in a great mood, laid down, and woke up a completely different person. Mike left shortly after to "run some errands." :-) It has been good though - I was able to get some studying done without him pacing around the room or randomly interrupting me with comments about the news or whatever happens to be on t.v. As selfish as it sounds, (and I told him this) I really just need to him here to sleep.

Mike has been incredibly supportive through this entire process, but drew the line yesterday when we were packing and I suggested that we bring the plant and balloon my in-laws sent for good luck. (He also wouldn't bring me my coffee maker and coffee from home....isn't hotel coffee the worst??) He keeps informing me that we are not moving in, but it sure does feel like we have!

So. Today. I walked downstairs for breakfast and immediately began having flashbacks of law school. Here's the thing about law school - probably any school. We used to call it middle school with alcohol and sex. There are cliques, the cool kids, the crushes, the gossip. (Not so much the jocks.) The best part is, within this selective class, there is also a group that has somehow been placed in the class of nerds. And I laugh because let's be honest, everyone there is in some form or fashion, a nerd themselves. It's also funny, because there are an elite group deemed "the smart ones." These are the kids on law review, the ones with the best grades - the smart kids. I started thinking how ironic it is that we still have that hierarchy, while pretty much everyone there would be considered, "smart." (I'm not trying to pat myself on the back - I wasn't one of the smart kids. :-)

And so we all congregated together to begin this test that is supposed to define the rest of your life. A girl threw up during it. I felt horrible for her (but I didn't know until the end of the exam because I had my nerdy earplugs in!) The kid next to me told me. The thing about this test is that it is created to be as intimidating and anxiety producing as possible. We were required to bring our laptops into the testing area/corral in a 2.5 gallon ziploc bag. Why? I don't know because no one ever checked to see if we had. I think it is just to give you one more thing to worry about. You are given a number and sent to sit at a long table with people who are just as freaked out as you. The best part is the proctors. They make sure that you are unable to do anything that would make you comfortable, or the process less painful.

We had a break between 90 minutes sessions today. Several people got up to go to the restroom, which also contains a table with chilled water. You can see it. But you can't have it. You can't bring it to your desk. And during that 90 minute break, they wouldn't let anyone go to the bathroom! Several people made a run for it, but I watched a pregnant girl turned away because "this was not the time." They prefer for you to dash while the test is being timed, you have your earplugs in and are fumbling around trying to hand your license over the person guarding the bathroom. It is chaos.

So, if you are still reading, tomorrow is from 8-5. (They will be allowing lunch.) Sorry I wrote so much - this whole seclusion thing is tough!! And my burger is here!!

Top 10 Things NOT to do While You are Studying.

2011-07-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

1. Don't decide this is the perfect time to clean the house. This is no time to be vacuuming baseboards.

2. Don't come home for ANYTHING, including food. You will inevitably be called to the couch where your nap will last much longer than the timer you set.

3.Do not accidentally leave your computer at home and discover your mistake once you get to the library. This will most likely result in #2.

4. Absolutely do not try to talk to people. You are in a reclusive state that not even you realize. No one understands what you are saying.

5. Avoid drinking multiple Red Bulls. This will definitely "give you wings" when all you need to be doing is concentrating. Potentially, you could arrive back at #1.

6. Do not look at Facebook, blogs or again, talk to anyone (especially your family if they happen to be at the beach.) It will result in you feeling sorry for yourself, depression and a general questioning as to why you are studying.

7. Please do not leave the house without checking your face. Inevitably, there is some sort of food or drink plastered to it that no one is going to tell you about.

8. Similar to #7, do not take your stress out on your face. If you can't see the pimple without a magnifying mirror, the rest of the world (which you are avoiding anyway) probably can't either.

9. Do not feel badly about yourself because when you wake up, your hair automatically forms a ponytail before you brush it. This too shall pass.

10. DO attempt to avoid massive emotional breakdowns. They scare your husband, your cat, and only one of them has made a commitment to you for better of for worse.

Super Quick Update

2011-07-14T17:08:00.000-07:00

As the bar is rapidly approaching, my domestic duties are waning. This is what our dining room table/my desk looks like: (don't worry - I know where everything is that I need.)

Mike said that it is embarassing to even post this picture, but this is our life. Mike has been helping out SO much - laundry, grilling and random acts of cleaning have made my life much easier.

However, this one just made me grab my camera. I ate some cookies as a snack.....apparently, I didn't get all the crumbs.

That is a mini dust buster - I didn't even know we owned it.
Hope everyone is having a great week!

A Break

2011-07-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

I took a break today. And I'm not going to feel guilty about it. I went to get a hair cut, apologizing profusely as soon as I walked it because I looked like Cousin It. I took a nap and then I went to dinner with a friend from college who I absolutely love. Three hours after we sat down for dinner, we both decided it was probably time to go home. I have been so secluded from the world that it was weird to see make up on my face and interesting to see whether or not I could still walk in heels. My go-to outfit for the past month or so has been jeans, a t-shirt and flips flops. Sometimes if I am feeling crazy, I will put on some mascara. Mike is a lucky man!

In 20 days this test will be over and done with and we can hopefully get back to whatever "normal" Mike and I know. I cannot wait. So....while there is nothing very exciting to report, I decided to give y'all a quick update on what is happening in our lives. I have been trying so hard to keep exercising while I am studying because of all those proven health reasons, relieving stress, sleeping better, blah blah blah. The problem is, it is so freaking hot here. It hits at least 100 degrees every single day. So, running is out unless I wake up at 3 am. I took a couple Zumba classes from this studio I found down the street. Have y'all done this? I loved it, but then I got annoyed that this one girl was better than me and I stopped going. I also realized this is part of the reason why I run...no none to compete with except myself :-)

The point of that paragraph was to explain why I went for a walk the other day. I figured it would do the trick, and I headed out the door with specific instructions to Mike. "Do not lock the door when you leave." You cannot even know how many times I have uttered those words with no problems. However, the one day that I sluggishly dragged myself home, dripping sweat and about to collapse, the door was locked. At first I thought this was a joke. I kept looking around for Mike's car thinking he was trying to trick me (sometimes he likes to do things like this.) The more I looked, the more I realized. This is not a joke. I looked at our cat, staring out at me, and started wondering if perhaps she is smarter than we give her credit for and would be able to get the Hide a Key that is sitting on our KITCHEN COUNTER. (Yes Pops, you were right.) No, I didn't have my phone.

Five houses later (can you believe that??) someone finally answered the door. I explained my predicament and watched her check my ring finger when I mentioned my husband had locked me out. She told me I could use her phone, and I started to follow her inside into the vixen air conditioning that was calling my name. She shut the door in my face and came back with her cell phone. And she never offered me any water!! (Am I being too sensitive here? I was really surprised!) I called Mike, who thankfully picked up a number he didn't know, and then handed her back a completely sweat soaked phone. The door shut and I went and sat on our little walk way up to our house until Mike pulled up. He managed to take a big swig of Mountain Dew before he got out of his car. I would never survive in the desert.

So that was fun. My middle sister leaves tomorrow for Israel and Slovakia. You might be wondering, as I did, why she chose these random places to visit and who in the world she was going with. This is how our phone conversation went this afternoon.

Me: Now, who are you meeting in Israel again?

Julia: Oh! My friend "S" lives there. Remember her?

Me: Not even a little bit. Is she from college? Or Iceland?

Julia: No! She's from when I was studying in Australia.

Me: Of course she is. Ok, then y'all are going to fly to Slovakia?

Julia: No! Jenny, remember, "B" lives in Slovakia.

Me: "B" from Iceland? The kid that came and stayed in Alabama?

Julia: Yes.

Me: Ok. Did you figure our something to get his parents for letting you stay with them?

Julia: Nah, I figured I would just pick up something at the airport.

Nothing about that conversation is normal. Julia is so funny. She was very shy growing up, and now she is off meeting friends in random countries that I am pretty sure I will never visit in my lifetime. It is pretty amazing. I hope I get something from the airport.

That's about it. Back to the grind tomorrow. I will try to check back in before the 26th - if you don't hear from me, send out some positive thoughts, a prayer, whatever you like. (I will not be accepting negative thoughts for the next 20 days.) Hope all is well!

Two Blogs in Two Days

2011-06-17T12:46:00.001-07:00

Well, I realized that now that I am shoulder deep in studying, I may be blogging more often. These will probably be random thoughts that I am using as a distraction from studying. Today's lesson in on technology. As I am writing, I have been on the computer for at least 4 hours "studying." This is a problem. The program that I use is over the internet, so it gives me ample access to my email, Facebook and any blogs I want to randomly check. (Including the frequency at which people are checking mine.) I know, I need to get out of the house.

Anyway, I had to put my phone on silenct and move it across the room so I wouldn't be distracted by random texts that popped up (even if they were just from Verizon telling me I have a bill to pay.) I recently told my dad that I have adult onset ADD. I like to believe that all my issues are adult onset. Anyway, he told me I am creating the ADD for myself. He told me to go to the library (how long has it been since you went there) and turn off the internet. Surprisingly, my ADD went away. We are so connected to everything and have been taught that we need to know everything immediately, and we are shortening our attention spans. Is it necessary for me to see immediately who has posted pictures or their random thought for the day on Facebook? No. Plus, it opens up a world of privacy issues. I know more about people I don't "really know" than they would probably like. Sometimes I feel like I still live in AL because I know what everyone did that week. When you think about writing something on your wall, you don't think about the other 513 friends you have - you are probably thinking about your close friends that will read the sentence.

My next issue is texting. It drives me crazy. I don't mind a quick text here and there about when and where to meet, or "I'm running a little late." However, when you text me, "What are you doing?" I would prefer that you pick up the phone. Additionally, dating is now a victim of technology. I have no problem with people meeting on-line. I actually think that is a pretty good idea, as long as you are safe about it. My issue is that romances don't seem to start with conversations anymore. They start with texts! Then you end up with people attempting to read into one or two sentences that their potential boyfriend or girlfriend has sent. "What exactly did the question mark at the end of the sentence mean?" Also, I read an article that said those relationships that do start with texts tend to move more quickly physically because you feel like you know that person more intimately. People are less afraid to write what they may be thinking/feeling than they are to say it. Maybe if Mike and I had started dating in the time of the text, it wouldn't have taken so long for him to say, "I love you!"

I know that there are positive things that come from technology. The internet is a great tool, and I do love Facebook so that I can keep up with friends who live far away. I think I will go check it before I get back to studying.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2011-06-16T12:24:00.001-07:00

I know this is a few days (a week) late, but Bar prep is in full swing and it seems like all I am doing is studying and attempting to keep our house in some sort of order. Plus, I kept thinking about how exactly I wanted to write this - a celebration of marriage? What we did that weekend? Or a reflection on the past year. I am going to attempt to put all three of these things into one (somewhat) short post.

In pictures, the weekend:

We bought a new grill because the old one is not working. Do not ask me to explain why. This is the grill master at work. We had steaks, baked potatoes and....

A bottle of wine that my parents got for us. Yes, those super cute wine glasses have a "J" and a "M" on them. They were a wedding present. :-)

Sunday night (our actual anniversary) we went to dinner at Ruth Chris with a gift certificate from Mike's parents.

If you notice Mike is holding up the cork to the wine we had...he was excited. (can you tell we like wine?)

Here is the picture of the wine we had. Seriously, again with the cork?

And here is a picture of us. Please don't ask me why I look like I just got out of the ocean. It was humid and rainy that night and my hair was not co-operating. However, please take note that Mike has lost some weight since last year! He is looking quite handsome if I do say so myself!

So that was the weekend. We had a great time and made sure to eat that top layer of our cake. It was delicious!

Now, marriage is wonderful. I love having Mike as my husband - seeing him everyday, picturing the future together and knowing that I have a partner who will always be there to lean on. Mike is one of the most patient and supportive people I have ever met. He is also an incredible listener. (And not just to the last 5 seconds of a sentence when I say, "Did you even hear what I just said?") These are fantastic qualities, particularly because I realized this year that I have no patience. (I'm working on it.)

But, the first year is a challenge. If you attempt to tell me that you are married and made it through the first year without a disagreement, I will not believe you. I'm just laying that out there. You don't need to have had a knock down, drag out fight, but some sort of disagreement. Essentially, marriage is taking two completely separate lives and trying to somehow merge them into that perfect puzzle where you maintain your identities, but also are working as a partnership. I do not believe it can be done in a year. If you have achieved this, kudos to you. It is tough.

Personally, this year has taught me a lot about myself. I'm not perfect - surprise! I am messy...more than I thought. I forget things that you ask me to do (and I attribute this to old age) and I hate to clean bathrooms and fold laundry. There. It's out there. I need assurance when I do things, which actually really surprised me. Right now I am looking at signs that are posted around the house that say things like, "You WILL pass the Bar." There are approximately 7 of them. Mike can't wait for August to get here!

Mike and I did not grow up in identical families. We had to learn how to merge our ideas of what a family "should" be, into one that both of us were able TO be. I have accepted that Mike is not ever going to be my running partner. He has accepted that I do not like loud music and do not wake up well. Ever. (Even on our wedding day, I remember wanting to hit snooze.) But somehow, the pieces fall into place, and it works. Yes, there are disagreements along the way, but at the end of the day, there is no one I want to eat dinner with/watch Modern Family with/sit outside and do nothing with, more than Mike.

So, here's to another year of learning and love! Happy Anniversary!

It's Been Awhile

2011-06-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Well, my computer is fixed! Mike figured out that the computer needed to be taken to CompUSA and basically my hard drive was wiped out. (There was never a need for the instillation CD!) Then things got a little crazy. Mom and Grandma came to visit, then we went on our Southeastern Tour to celebrate Grandma's 80th birthday and meet our sweet new niece. It was a nice break and we were able to spend some wonderful time with family and friends.

Today is our One year Anniversary!! I am going to write a separate blog about that later, because it really needs its own space to be reflected on. However, we are having a wonderful weekend just hanging out and doing absolutely nothing! It is fantastic.

So below are just a few pictures to sum up the past couple of weeks.

This is Grandma when she came to visit us. Those are the ears I gave Mike for Easter, but he has yet to put them on his head....

Also, I don't know why this picture posted twice...sorry.

This is mom and me after a wonderful Mother's Day dinner (still in Dallas.) We had had a few glasses of wine...

While we were in Birmingham, we took a family picture. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is hard to get 7 people to stare into a tri-pod at the same time. It was also interesting to see how much taller Mike is than the Blackburns. I never realized just quite how short we are all. He looks like he is anchoring our family down.

After the photo shoot, I was able to visit with three of my wonderful friends from high school and their baby girls. We have pictures, but I don't have a copy. Have you ever tried to take a picture of 3 babies ranging in age from 4 months to almost a year? It is difficult. The hoop-la (that is the only way I can think to describe it) behind the camera is hilarious as each person attempts to get the babies to look the same way. (And smile.) Then there is the catcher, jumping in and out of camera shots to make sure that no child will succeed in her attempt to dive head first off the couch.

We left for Atlanta a few days later. Mike and I drove in just in time for me to start observing my MIL making the secret sauce I will be chasing for the rest of my life. It was amazing, and I realized how off mine had been. We had a wonderful dinner in their new house and played a rousing game of dominoes. (They play for pennies, and it is hard core!)

Here is our sweet new niece, Calista. She is absolutely beautiful and such a good baby. I'm not sure how my sister in law survived this weekend. She had a month old baby, a 2 and a half year old and was attempting to move from house she has lived in for 10 years, into a bigger one.

Luckily, I was placed on baby duty - I don't do very well in packing situations. (Clearly, as I was taking pictures while everyone was helping pack)

Our nephew came home around 5 pm that evening. Kristen (my SIL) and I attempted to clean out the cabinet underneath her bathroom sink while this sweet child ran around and around. We threw the boy in the bathtub which was fun until he found the water gun, and then we got him into his Superman pajamas, complete with a cape. Now, Calista brought him a long Superman cape when she was born, so I got to wear the pajama one.

I wish y'all could have seen me as we got ready to leave for dinner. Kristen graciously offered me some make-up, with the caveat, "You don't need it, just if you want it." So sweet. I couldn't even think about putting some on because I was soaking wet from the bath (that I did not take) and sweaty from packing the house and chasing Houston. As we walked out, Mike said, "Hey Superman - do you want to leave your cape?" Yep. Still had it on.

So that pretty much sums up the past few weeks. I will write again soon. So glad to have my computer back!!

And We Are Back

2011-05-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

First, if this works, I want to welcome our new niece Calista Leigh Craig to the family! She was born almost a month ago, and we are so excited to meet her! CONGRATULATIONS to Mike's sister, brother in law, and big brother Houston!!

Ok, I am making an attempt to write this on Mike's computer. The last time I tried this, the post was deleted into thin air and I was too tired to try to find it. As my father in law says, it may have been user error. The problem with the computer occurred right after I had just downloaded some new "Glee" songs to my Itunes...do you think that was the issue? I got the Dreaded Blue Screen and everything else. Luckily, one of my husband's first jobs in high school was installing radios at Best Buy. He is impressively good with electronics and told me that he has now fixed everything with my laptop - I just have to find the instillation CD that came with it. Alright - I bought this computer in Mississippi. 4 years ago. I have since moved twice and quite honestly, I am not sure I even kept the CD the night I bought the computer. (Who really thinks they are going to need those things??) There is no way I am going to find this object (and I have been looking through lots of boxes.) Of course, when Mike told me something was terribly wrong with the laptop I responded, "Ok, well I will just go get another one tomorrow." Wrong answer. We are still searching for that darn CD. Tomorrow I am calling Gateway to see if they have that "in their backstock." Wish me luck.

Since I wrote last, we have celebrated Easter and my grandmother and mom came into town. I had plans to make an extravagant Easter meal, but Mike had plans to finish up the semester. My beef tenderloin is still in the freezer. I did get Mike an Easter basket, complete with bunny ears on a headband. He was more enamored by the three bags of candy that I threw in there. Mom and Grandma came to visit because Grandma is graciously letting me have her car. She is no longer able to drive (don't ask her about it - she gets really mad) and said that the best way to deal with the situation was to give it to someone in the family to take good care of it. It sounds sweet, and it truly was, but my sisters and mom both also have a history of major wrecks....I think she made a good choice.

While they were here, we decided to make Mike's mother's famous pasta sauce. From Italy. Secret Recipe. If you aren't getting it with all the capitalization and punctuation, This is Serious Stuff. In fact, I have been putting off making it because really, is it ever going to be as good as your mother's?? (I didn't even get the recipe until after we were engaged!) After a long day of searching for a certain secret ingredient that they don't sell in Dallas, we started the sauce. Mike's mom used to make this every Sunday and when someone in the family walked through the kitchen, they would stir the sauce. I was getting a lot of, "Hey - have you stirred that sauce?" "Umm, is the sauce burning?" Which resulted in me reminding Mike that he in fact also has two hands. All in all, it turned out well, I think. Plenty of time to practice.

What else...our house is falling apart. Since the garbage disposal incident, our air conditioning quit working, and tonight, I went up into the attic searching for leak that was dripping through the ceiling onto the rug. I am pretty sure there are squirrels up there. Thank the Lord that Mike is almost on summer break.

So, that is pretty much the update. Yes, still studying for the bar that is at the end of July. Not stressed quite yet, but sure that will come in time. Ok, I am about to try and post this....

A New Attitude

2011-04-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

I gotta say, I'm kinda loving not working. Now, I know that my job is to study, and I think that is what is making this time of unemployment a lot more pleasurable than when I was in MO. I have something to motivate my days, but I still have the free time to run errands and somehow keep our house from looking like one of these crazy tornadoes hit it. I feel like I am finally able to get a handle on things that we have been putting off since we moved here (almost a year ago!) I am even thinking about moving some things around in the garage so we can actually use it to park in (before it hits 107 degrees again.)

Today was a big day. I chopped my hair off and got "strawberry blonde" highlights added to it. I have been introducing this "red" idea around, and no one has really had anything to say about it one way or the other. Well, my mother actually made some sort of noise that sounded like she was going to regurgitate her lunch, but I ignored that. I am actually now remembering sitting at the dinner table in elementary school asking my dad questions to see just what I could get away with without making him angry. I remember asking, "Well, what if I dyed my hair blue dad?" (He said if that was the worst thing I ever did he could probably live with it.)

ANYWAY - I went to a completely new hair person and told her I was sick of the 3 hairstyles I have had for my entire life. I also added that I wanted some "auburn" highlights added in there. She kept saying, "I'm kind of afraid to do something so drastic because you may never come back." I finally said, "If you don't, I don't think I am going to come back. I am so tired of looking at this mess." She started cutting and I absolutely love what she did. I was so thrilled at the end, I gave her a big hug (I think that took her off guard) and bought 2 new products (that took Mike off guard.) I accidentally left the bag of product on the kitchen table, rather than taking them upstairs to the bathroom, and Mike thought I had bought him something. Oops!

Mike did get a package in the mail today and it's contents had us laughing hysterically. His parent's are selling the house Mike has lived in since he was in high school. We keep getting these random packages (because I think his parents are just trying to get rid of stuff.) However, this one was awesome. It had several of Mike's school/athletic club ID's from when he was about 12. It also included a baseball that everyone on his team signed when he played Little League. The best thing in there though, were the baseball CARDS that Mike had of himself. Picture an 10 year old Mike in his baseball uniform, bat ready to swing and a very serious face. When you turn the card around, you get his 'stats." Example: Favorite subject, best friend etc. The following three are my favorite (remember this is from 1992).
1.) What you will be when you grow up: A vet (that may be his next school venture....)
2.) What is your favorite food: Lobster (seriously?? When you are 11?? What happened to cheeseburgers?)
3) Where will you be in 20 years? Married. (Just barely made that one buddy.)

Anyway, it was really cute, and I asked if I could have one to send to my parents. He said no and then mysteriously disappeared. I just went to grab one so I could you write the stats on here and I think he has hidden them somewhere....

Let's see...one more thing. Yesterday, I was running around and went into Office Max to pick up printer paper. I probably talked to three people about paper, and why some paper is more expensive then others.(I'm frugal these days.) For the record, I spoke only to males. Once I made my purchase I got back in the car and glanced in the rear view mirror. The earrings I had on were fine, but one of them had ANOTHER earring hanging off of it. NO ONE TOLD ME! This is the reason to check yourself before you walk out the door! I sat humiliated in the car for a minute before I headed to Kroger. I walked into the store to pick up some things for supper and noticed the lady waiting at the deli counter had a big label stuck on the back of her pants. I went straight over and told her, and explained my own embarrassment at Office Max. Her words: "God Bless You!" I started laughing. So, if you see a woman (whether you are male or female) and there seems to be something amiss, let's assume she is not trying to be the next big fashion icon - she just didn't think to look in the mirror on her way out the door!

Enjoy your week!

These Twists and Turns of Fate

2011-04-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we have had some interesting turns of events here recently. My parents were in town last weekend which was wonderful! We pretty much ate our way through the weekend, and got to see a Rangers/Red Sox game on Sunday. I was a little take aback when Mike started bantering with the Rangers fans about Boston...he said he was just trying to fit in....

Mom and Dad left Monday morning as I was gearing myself up for work. Just a little background - going to work has become horrific over the past few months. I was having so much anxiety about it that I was physically sick in the mornings, and couldn't fall asleep at night. Obviously, I can't say too much, because when I googled myself, this blog came up and I don't want to burn any bridges. Mike and I had been going back and forth on whether my staying at this office was a positive thing, but that decision was made for me when I was told I was being let go on Tuesday afternoon.

Right before she left for the day, my boss came into my office and informed me that that day had been my last. She first explained that the firm needed to start looking for someone to work as a summer clerk, and that now was the hiring time. I took that excuse until I realized later that most of these kids probably will not start working until the summer rolls around. Then she proceeded to tell me that I am a little slower than most, (this is my interpretation, not her actual words) and this (being fired) will be a good thing because I need more time to study for the bar. How lovely of her to make that decision for me.

So, I left. I was upset because I never really got a reason for what was going on. I had no idea this was coming. At first I was relieved because I had been so miserable. But when I woke up today and realized I don't have any place to be tomorrow, I began to panic. I don't do well without structure and somehow I am going to have to create a some. Yes, studying for the bar is now my job, and I will have to schedule that time into my day. There are just a million other factors that I feel are flying around. I don't like loose ends.

On another note, my dermatologist tried to kill me. Now, I don't think that this could be proven in court, but I went to see her last Wednesday as a result of my adult onset acne that I self diagnosed. She looked at my skin and decided to put me on blood pressure medicine. The doctor said that this medicine has side effects of clearing up women's skin and making them loose weight. She also warned against taking in too much Potassium because I could have a heart attack. If it sounds too good to be true....

First sign I should have noticed - the doctor never took my blood pressure and I actually have really low blood pressure. When I was in hospital after tearing my ACL, the doctors had to keep coming in because the blood pressure machine kept saying I was dead. Don't worry - I wasn't. However, once I started taking this medicine, I realized that I felt sick any time I tried to eat something (let's be honest - that is not me at all.) Also, I was really lethargic. Yesterday I literally had no appetite and kept falling asleep on the couch. I have stopped the medicine and plan to call her tomorrow to see exactly what her thoughts are on this.

So that is what is going on here in Texas. Mike is busy as the semester is finishing up, and I am trying to clear my head and figure out my next move. Yes -I already went for a run :-) Hope all is well with everyone!

And So We Begin Again

2011-03-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's cloudy and chilly outside, which is a big change from the gorgeous 70-80 degree weather we have been having. All I want to do is lay down on the couch with my book before the week begins again. However, the bar studying has begun. The first time around, I missed the application deadline because we moved here so late in the year. After a pleading written to the bar Examiners, I was rejected (in January) and told that my application would be moved to the July, 2011 exam.

I think in a way, it was a really good thing. I now have several months of studying under my belt, and I was able to take a breather before diving in again. Sometimes I don't think you realize how much stress you are under until you are out of it. Part of that is survival. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Mike and I got married, moved, I started a new job, Mike started school and I started studying for the bar. In this interim of not having to study, Mike and I have been able to enjoy/discover what it is like to be newlyweds and hopefully begin to identify and resolve any issues that could begin to fester.

And of course, just when I have gotten used to not having to go straight to the desk (dining room table) to study after work, and started to enjoy my free weekends, this climb begins again. (Did Miley's Cirus's song just pop into anyone's head?) I am reluctant to let this free time go. Which is why I am blogging, considering reading my book and thinking about what I want to make for dinner. (We will be having shrimp and risotto with spinach :-)

Mike and I are doing well, and life is pretty boring, which is why my posts have been lagging. We went to dinner Friday night at a random little Italian restaurant, and then went to see "Unknown" which we both really liked. Work is a little tough right now, but I keep telling myself it is a wonderful opportunity and a stepping stone to where I want to be. It was interesting - the other night, Mike informed me that the last time he saw me happy at a job was when I was working with my "babies" doing social work. (Yes, we have been together THAT long.) My first reaction was to get mad and explain that the reason I went to law school was so that I could help these kids in a bigger way. Only time can answer whether this was the "right" choice, which is hard because I want instant answers....

ANYWAY - my parents are coming this weekend and I am so excited! We are going to a Red Sox/Rangers game, and it will just be great to spend some time with them. They just returned from Jamaica for a week, where apparently my dad was consistently asked if he wanted some "Ganja, man?" My mom thinks it was his beard. I'm not so sure....The funny thing is, while they were gone, I was 100% sure I discovered a doobie/roach/I don't know what they are called - in our air conditioning vent. I always go to the guest bathroom to dry my hair because Mike is usually still asleep when I get ready for work. On this particular morning, I was getting hot from the blow dryer and saw that the vent was closed. As I climbed up onto the sink to open the vent, a rolled up piece of paper fell out. It was burned around the edges and immediately my mind went to a conspiracy where the owner was hiding his marijuana habit from his wife.

Suddenly I was smelling marijuana (I have never been able to identify this smell - I am really not a very good smeller.) I went to wake Mike up who told me I was smelling my coffee. That evening, I showed him the drugs that were being smoked in our house. Except it was a label that seemed to have been attached to the vent when it was installed and somehow was singed when we put our heat on. Don't worry, our home is again drug free. :-)

Ok, these are the ramblings of Jenny on a Sunday. I think I am going to read my book.

Everything Plus the Kitchen Sink

2011-03-10T16:11:00.000-08:00

There is often a debate on whether or not it is better to rent or own a home. I definitely think it is nice to rent because when something breaks, you are not on the hook to pay for it. You just call someone and they come to fix it. However, since we have moved into this house, it seems as though every week something is breaking or acting erratically. The other night I took my first bubble bath in our jet stream tub. When I hit the button to turn the jets on, brown gunk started shooting out into the water. As I leaped out of the tub, attempting to rinse the dirt off me, I noted in my head just another thing to call our landlord about.

Here's the thing. Our landlord is horrible. The owners of this house apparently moved quickly, and I don't think they thought about the expenses that come when someone else lives in your home. They were looking at a check coming in every month to cover the mortgage with a little extra on the side. However, this house was built in 1993. Every appliance in our kitchen is OLD, but we are fine because we have the necessities. All I ask is that when something breaks, it is fixed.

Since we moved in we have had some plumbing problems. Aside from dirt spewing at me in the bathtub, the sinks tend to drain slowly. I noticed that immediately when we first moved in, and also noticed multiple bottles of Drano. So, the first time the pipes underneath the sink began leaking, I was not surprised. A "handyman" was called out and put some caulk around the pipe. Move forward to present day. Our garbage disposal was completely clogged several weeks ago with standing, green water in the sink. . After informing me when I called that he did not take complaints over the phone, I emailed our landlord to tell him about the issue. Three days later, several plumbers inspected the situation and shook their heads. We finally got one who was able to unclog whatever the problem was.

Just a few days ago, we received an email from the landlord informing us that a $300 bill would be sent to us for the cost of the plumbing services. I was livid. He explained that the plumber found PEAS in the disposal and that from this, we were clearly overstepping the boundaries of what a disposal is supposed to grind up. The last time I checked, peas dissolve on their own...to me that suggests that perhaps the disposal isn't working properly. After I emailed him back to inform him that we would not be paying this bill, he emailed me with the Wikipedia definition of a garbage disposal and a note from the owners. The owners seem to think we are partying it up in their house and just breaking things for the fun of it. (I guess they think we are throwing forks down the drain.) They claimed that after living there for 10 years they never had to call a plumber, and requested that we begin scraping our plates into the trash. To me, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I have directed the landlord to speak with Mike from now on as I may say something to get us evicted. We may still get evicted....my last email said:

Dear____________:
Thank you for your Wikipedia definition of a garbage disposal. From now on, we would like to speak directly with the owners. My husband's number is: ________.

I guess we will see how that goes over. TGI almost F!!

Too Old to be a Wing Man

2011-03-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me the other day to update my blog. I told her that if I did, it would just say, "Got up, worked, came home, fixed supper and went to bed." Life has been a little boring recently, which is just fine with me. I think sometimes if you are boring, there is a lot of happiness there. As fate would have it, Thursday night I experienced something blog worthy.

I promised a friend here we would meet because she just finished taking the TX Bar and we had not seen each other in awhile. (Sidebar - I have also been discussing setting her up with a guy we know here, and they do have a texting relationship so far.) Anyway, Thursday evening after work, I met her at a wine bar where we sat and caught up. The most amazing thing about this place is you can have food delivered to your table from surrounding restaurants! We ordered a pizza and some salad and just sat and chatted.

As we flew through conversations, we finally began discussing my guy friend. I knew that he planned to go out with some of his friends that evening, and mentioned that to her. The next thing I knew, texts were flying and somehow we were headed to her house to change and meet him out. It was close to 11:00. I was already exhausted - and keep in mind - still wearing my work clothes, that could only suggest I am employed at the public library. It had been one of those mornings where you throw on the quickest thing you can find in your closest, which I learned once I got to work, was black pants with a huge toothpaste stain on them, a top and a little black cardigan. Not so much the outfit you would choose for a night out. You know those outfits they show you in fashion magazines that suggest how to change from day to night? I wouldn't have made the cut.

Anyway, as my friend put on a super cute outfit, I demanded at least a change in shirts. After upping my style to "business casual for 2011 rather than 2003" we headed out. We were *attempting* to play pool (which I was actually really good at in college) when my friend met us. I will say this - this is the first time I have played matchmaker and it may have just actually worked. You can ask my best friends and sisters - I am generally horrible at matching people up. But Thursday night, there was some magic happening! Enough that I ended up sitting on the steps texting Mike because it was going so well. Mike was working, but don't worry, he was involved soon enough.

After last call (which is at 2 AM!!!!) we got in the car to go home. Since I live 30+ minutes away from where we were, I left my car and let my guy friend drive me home. Except it was all three of us. And they came in. I think Mike's face said it all. Suddenly people were opening wine and pouring drinks while Mike and I sat on the couch staring at each other. In a sense it was hilarious. In another sense, it was a mess the next morning when I had to be at work. I will say, my friends went on a date last night and seemed to really enjoy themselves. However, I discovered I am way too old to be a wingman. If I am going to continue this matchmaking, I am going to have to open my own office and work during regular business hours.

Valentine's Day and the Learning Curve

2011-02-20T10:23:00.001-08:00

Before I start, I want you to know that I have re-written this post at least three times. I just can't seem to say exactly what I want to get across. That being said, you have been warned.

I love Valentine's Day. It's not because I have a "Valentine" either. I think it is such a wonderful time to let people know how much you love and appreciate them. (Even if you are lazy like me and just send a text.) At work we had a "potluck Valentine's Day" lunch and our sweet secretary brought everyone cards and candy. It's those little sorts of things that you are not expecting that always make ANY day special.Think about when you are in elementary school. You don't just have a Valentine's Day party for one person - you bring a Valentine's card for everyone in the class. Yes, as you get older, Valentine's Day becomes more about WHO will be your ONE Valentine, and maybe the idea gets distorted...

So for those people who claim that Valentine's Day is just a holiday created for Hallmark and the floral industry - I have a proposition. Just think about it as any other day. I recognize this is sometimes easier said than done. I have issues with expectations, and when a "holiday" comes along that was created for someone to boast their love to you, things tend to fall apart.

So, this year, Mike and I had a Valentine's Day re-do. The first one just didn't go so well....

Instead of writing about what actually happened on V-day, I am going to tell you what I learned. I think it will be more positive, and I am just not ready to air ALL my dirty laundry on this blog. So..I am going to talk about expectations. For as long as I can remember, my mother has told me not to have them. She says that you will always be disappointed if you do, and you will always be pleasantly surprised if you don't. Good words to live by. One of the things that Mike and I are learning about marriage is that everyone comes into it with certain expectations of what their role is in the union, as well as as what their spouse's role "should" be. (That is another word my mom says not to use.)

I think each person enters a relationship with an idea of what chores they expect to be responsible for, how their money will be spent, and how they plan to raise their kids. As many discussions as you may have prior to getting married, I personally believe that nothing will teach you what your partner really envisions until you are thrown into the deep end with no life jacket. I made this Valentine's Day into a huge deal in my head because it was our "First Married Valentine's Day." Did that mean that Mike loved me more on Monday than he usually does? No. Did I tell him not to buy me flowers because they are too expensive and we are having budget cuts? Yes. So, why did I expect there to be roses waiting for me when I got home from work? I assumed (by the way, this is another bad word) that since Mike has bought flowers for me every year since we have known each other, that he would still buy them. (PS - that is not all that the fight was about, because that sounds very bratty.)

One thing I learned this week is you can't expect someone to read your mind. Another thing I am learning is that communication is key. Again, I KNOW this in my head, it is putting is actually putting it to work. Again, until specific events pop up, you never know how another person is going to react. Mike had no idea that on Monday I had a horrible day at work and wanted some sort of surprise/sympathy/acknowledgment when I got home. In his mind, a nice dinner at home and hanging out was just the fix. In my mind, a banner professing his love, confetti and a mini parade would have done the trick. I guess this goes along with not expecting someone to read your mind. We are learning to merge how the other person expresses themselves and accept this. Screaming from the rooftop, "I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!" is not Mike's style. And that's ok, because honestly, we never would have had more than one date if it was.

I apologize that this post is vague and kind of rambling, but what I am going to do is take my own advice and start treating Valentine's Day like every other day. Better yet, why don't we treat every day like Valentine's Day? So, don't be surprised if you start getting random texts from me on any ordinary day telling you how much I appreciate you. I hope you all had a wonderful week. Thanks for listening :-)

Pictures Tell a Story Too

2011-02-13T14:28:00.001-08:00

So, I have pictures to entertain you regarding the previous post. I am just going to post them separately b/c I didn't upload them before I blogged....

Here is our house after the first ice storm...

Here is my attempt at a snowman...we didn't have anything for eyes - can you find him?

The next few pretty much explain themselves:

At least they are all natural?

I can't eat fries anymore after this fiasco..

This is my Julia Child's attempt. Although it looks as though the plate is overloaded with asparagus, I had already eaten a lot of the beef....

This is what the kitchen looked like 4 hours after I started cooking. I mean honestly, three loads of dishes later? It was well worth it.
PS - See that cool, multi wood cutting board in the picture? My dad made that :-)

Hi!

2011-02-13T12:22:00.001-08:00

Well here we go! CONGRATULATIONS to Rachel and Bart and their new precious addition, Anna Barton. She is just gorgeous and I cannot wait to meet her in person! I think (as far as I know) this will be it for at least a few more months when my sister in law is due with her little girl. So many sweet babies!!!

Are you wondering where we have been? I can honestly tell you that the last week and a half of this weather had kind of thrown us off. Being iced in is fun for about two days...then you start to get antsy. I did make a snowman, while Mike peered from the window and asked me how old I was. I had to explain to him when there is a snow day in the south, you take full advantage. I went outside in the most mis-matched outfit I could possibly have found, (socks on my hands) but I can assure you, I was warm. The only thing we had available to decorate this snowman was some celery for the arms...it was a sad sight.

We got back to work this week and have returned to regular programming. Work is going well and Mike has started his classes again. I actually made my first Julia Child's recipe last Sunday for the Super Bowl....I know it is not wings and pizza, but my beef borganon turned out great! In other news, my husband bought a fryer. I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but with the amount of wings he consumes, I could only see this as an aid to an early heart attack. After making a valid point that the majority of our wedding presents were used for pots, pans and china that really help me more than him, he went to Macy's to use some of our left over money. He also stopped at Sam's - it took him 3 trips to unload the car of wings, frying oil, french fries and pretty much anything else you can think of that could be fried.

I will tell you, the wings were actually pretty good, but the sound of the grease bubbling and popping up kind of made me sick. After we gorged ourselves Saturday night with greasy goodness, I couldn't bear to eat more the next night. When I heard the fryer start going at 2:00 one morning I started thinking this could have been a really bad idea. However, I think the novelty is starting to wear off and I might be able to tuck that thing away in a cupboard soon. I just have to figure out where to put the Sam's sized oil...

So, tomorrow is Valentine's Day....what are your plans? We are having a lunch at work where people are bringing things that are red... I am making ziti, and someone else is bringing red velvet cake. I am trying to figure out how to incorporate my Old Navy t-shirt that says, "Be Mine" into a "business casual" outfit. Mike asked me what I wanted and I said, "It is up to you, but remember, this is setting the precedent for the rest of our lives." Was that too much? :-)

Oh! We went and saw "Just Go With It" last night...it was HILARIOUS! I swear Mike was giggling through the entire thing, and I literally was laughing so hard I was crying...definitely worth seeing that one in the theater. Ok, I am sure that I will have a report on V-Day soon. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Stir Crazy

2011-02-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Well, we have been iced in our home for three days now. Who would have believed that the first year we moved to Texas would result in an ice storm? I am fine with it here though. It feels like home. Everything is shut down and the grocery store (from what I understand) is completely bare. I made cookies the other night and had to skate over to my neighbor's house and borrow cinnamon. They are a sweet older couple who actually invited us over for dinner tonight. I told her I would bring cookies, but I have to make a new batch because that first one was horrible! They literally would have made a hole in the wall of we had thrown one.

Whether or not my work is open is dependent on the Dallas School System. As there have been almost 1000 schools closed over the past three days, we have not been at work. Mike's school has also been closed, which has left us....staring at each other. Yesterday we watched a lot of tv. When dinner time came, Mike decided he wanted wings and pizza. I was terrified for him to be driving anywhere, but his mind was set. He said he only slid twice; once on accident and once in the parking lot when he was trying to?? Anyway, we rented The Social Network and then "Saw, The Final Chapter." Interesting fact: Mike and I have seen every Saw together. Although they probably won't win any Oscars, we are always entertained. However, this last one was AWFUL! Do not spend money to see this movie. The plus was that Mike made a fire (with the one log of wood we had left) and I sat and ate hard cookies.

Today started with a fun discussion about the budget...that's all I have to say about that.

My rib is still bothering me, and making it difficult to sleep on my stomach. Plus, we have both gotten some sort of cold. Mike is a lot worse off than I am, but we are probably not the picture of health right now. That's about it....it is supposed to snow here again tonight, and I am wondering what the work outcome is going to be. I would post some pictures, but it is just not pretty. Ok, I guess I am going to attempt that second batch of cookies - who knew I was such a Martha Stewart?!

A Little Plug

2011-01-31T17:46:00.000-08:00

As you might have imagined, I really enjoy reading other people's blogs. There is only so much you can do when you hit that 2:00 pm slump and are waiting for the caffeine to kick in. My sister in law sent me this blog and it is awesome!! I am always looking for new things to cook, and tonight, I may have made Mike's favorite dinner so far. It was so easy, and it was delicious!

So, I am giving y'all this blog just in case you are sitting at work trying to figure out what in the world to make for dinner. Tonight I stood in line at the grocery store for AN HOUR. Why? You may be wondering? Well, there is a chance that we could have freezing rain starting around noon tomorrow. Everyone was out of their house stocking up. I loved it! I read an entire People magazine while I was waiting in line and did not mind for a minute. Now I am just hoping that we actually get a snow day!

So, try these recipes. Tonight we had the chicken tenders and they were wonderful!!

http://yummyloveonabudget.blogspot.com/

http://yummyloveonabudget.blogspot.com/

It All Began With a Birthday...

2011-01-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been out of commission recently. Mike had a birthday Jan. 20, and I was all prepared to write about it. I even have pictures! However, the birthday took a turn for the worst!

To begin, Mike and I love birthdays. Between the two of us, we probably celebrate our birthdays for two weeks out of the year. Why not celebrate you or someone you love for as long as you can? Mike's birthday was on a Thursday this year, which of course meant that he had class until 10 pm. I made a cake:

And we opened presents:

We celebrated Friday night by going to get some Mexican food, and then Saturday night we had reservations at a wonderful little French restaurant called, Cadot. For Christmas, Julia and Laura got us a gift certificate to this restaurant, and it worked out perfectly that we were able to use this to celebrate Mike's birthday! I wanted to take pictures of all the wonderful food, but Mike informed me that was embarrassing...I will tell you, we had escargot, soup, salad, duck and rack of lamb. We even had a souffle for dessert!

It was a great dinner, and on my way back from the restroom, I heard a couple of people speaking French. Well, I dabbled in French in high school in college (read: I have the worst southern accent and am horrible at languages.) Regardless, I got really excited and attempted to jump in this conversation. "Bonjour!" It ended up with Chef Cadot sitting down with us, buying Mike and I a glass of wine and talking to us a little bit about opening the restaurant.

After dinner we headed home. As any normal person decides at 1 am, I wanted to change the sheets. I had been meaning to do this for several days and just hadn't gotten around to it. I went into the laundry room and grabbed the sheets out of the dryer. As I was walking out, I tripped over the laundry basket and somehow either fell onto the doorknob, or fell without any arms to break my fall. I hit the left side of my ribs and lay on the floor writhing in pain. Yes. So, what do you do if you have broken/bruised a rib? Well, after you get done convincing yourself that your rib is broken and has also punctured your lung, and your husband has informed you that you probably would not be speaking or breathing properly if this had occurred, you wait. There is nothing you can do. So no, I haven't been to the doctor. I have been taking A LOT of Advil and trying to keep my body stable, which is hard to do as I am antsy and clutsy. Regardless, that is where I have been.

So, I am trying to take it easy this weekend and rest up. My mom is actually in town with one of her best friends and we have gotten to see them some, but that is a whole other post. I will keep you updated!!!

Budget Cuts

2011-01-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Right before we got married, several people told me that there are generally three things newlyweds fight about: money, sex and in-laws. Now, some things are just too private for even THIS blog, so I am going to tell you about how Mike and I are trying to come to terms with different "budgeting" ideas. It's a very odd feeling to go from having your "own" money that you can spend without asking anyone, to merging into "our" money where another person must be considered before that debit card slides through the machine. I will admit, although my parents attempted to teach my financial responsibility, I think I was a slow learner. We actually started getting a monthly budget when we were 10, and when the money was out, it was out. This included our clothes, going out with friends, etc. I was always out of money about 10 days in, while my middle sister seemed to be building her 401K in the coffee can in her room. (Apparently, you can never start too early.)

When I left the nest, I discovered this amazing thing - the credit card. You mean I can walk into Banana Republic, buy an entire season's worth of clothes and it is not going to affect my bank account? I can tell you, I learned the hard way not to get store credit cards (with 25% interest rates...) Regardless, it has been interesting to see how these financial beliefs have played out in our marriage.

I have suddenly become very frugal on certain things. It drives me nuts when there are lights left on in rooms that we are not in.(Yes, I am my father's daughter. In fact, we used to get fined $1 if we left the light or stereo on in our rooms.) Mike and I are enjoying our first winter together where the energy bill comes out of our budget. The thermostat is constantly being pushed up or down by one of us. I keep telling Mike to layer up, while he tells me that it's abnormal to sit with two blankets and a sweatshirt on whenever I am in the house. (I still really want a snuggie...) Believe me, I have my own issues. I will tell you, I can't remember the last time I bought a new piece of clothing. I am feeling very out of touch with whatever is going on in the fashion industry right now, but thankfully my mother in law saved me over Christmas and got some things so I am not embarrassed to go out in public.

The first time that I went to get my hair cut and highlighted, Mike almost had a heart attack. He never realized just how much it costs to maintain this high level of beauty :-) Manicures and pedicures were cut out a long time ago, but I refuse to let my hair be two different colors. The great thing is, Mike ran this conversation by several of our newly married friends. My favorite reply so far has been by one of his groomsmen: "Don't even try to fight this one. The hair is non-negotiable." Of course, Mike continued to argue the point, but I think my window of opportunity may still be open! (Besides, when he is arguing that wings are a necessity, I do think there is a little wiggle room!)

Aside from that, I am trying very hard to do all those things that people suggest you do to save money. Make the grocery list before I go to the store, cut out the salon shampoo and stick with the drug store brands..any tips are welcome! I am not a coupon cutter - never have been, and probably never will be. (Just a warning.) But, we are definitely trying to cut as many corners as we can...if that means that we sleep under 2 comforters, that is just the way it is going to have to be. I mean, we do live in Texas, y'all!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Before I launch into Christmas Vacation 2010, CONGRATULATIONS to Emily and Nouhou on their little boy, Indihi. Emily and I have known each other since we were 2 years old, and she is very much a sister to me. Indihi was born in New York on December 22nd, right before a major blizzard. Truly a Christmas gift; he is just adorable!! Now we are just waiting on Rachel's little girl to come in February. A real year of babies!

Now, a Blackburn/Cherbonneau Christmas. I feel like we have been traveling for months, but it was only a week and a half! Mike and I headed to ALABAMA (and yes, I did throw my hands up in the air when we passed the state line) on the 22nd, planning to arrive for dinner. The fact that we weren't packed or ready to go that morning did not factor into our plans. We rolled in around midnight. Thankfully, my sweet mother, who I had not seen in six months, waited up for us.

I think Mike had a good time on his first Christmas away...he got some good loot and taught my family how incredibly competitive he can get over a game of dominoes. It was so nice to spend the holidays with him though. This is the first time in our entire dating career that we have spent Christmas or Thanksgiving together! I just wasn't willing to give it up. A few things I know Mike is not looking forward to next year:

1) The family "after dinner walk" on Christmas....I think my father made it longer this year, and I KNOW he added in a hill/mountain. Was this to prove that he is still the head of the household? We'll never know. What I do know - it was snowing this year as we trudged through the neighborhood.

2)Our entire family waking up at 8 am to open presents. We don't mess around on Christmas. I love my sleep, but I can tell you, I still can't fall asleep on Christmas Eve. It is just too exciting! I love watching our family open things we have specifically picked out for them, and am proud of my sisters (and myself) for slowly learning to attempt to hide our disdain when we open something that is "so not for us." PS - I did get the Julia Child's 2 Volume Cookbook...I will let you know how that goes. Maybe after we lose that holiday weight :-)

Hopefully, there are some things that Mike was happy with. I always love it when our entire family gets together...there is a lot of joking, laughing and always, wine. Apparently now, there is also dominoes, Jersey style.

On the 26th, we loaded up again (minus Lullabelle - she is quite the traveler, but not up for 3 massive dogs.) We were in Atlanta in time for a lobster feast. I am always amazed with Mike's mother. She sets a table like you are in a 5 star restaurant every time we eat. I accidentally filled my water goblet with wine....that's embarrassing! My new sister in law is pregnant with a little girl, and we had so much fun watching my little nephew run around. I really enjoyed spending time with their family, even though it was only a few days. We opened presents over a period of one evening and one morning, and I got some great things!

Mike's father is called the Riddler, and this is almost specific to Christmas. Each year, he hides at least one present among the presents that have been opened. During one of Mrs. C's first Christmases with Mr. C, he gave her a box of Cracker Jacks, informing her that he heard pregnant women liked Cracker Jacks. (She was pregnant.) She put that box, unopened, in the pantry for several months stating that she did not, in fact, like Cracker Jacks, and that the old wive's tale was false. When her father came over a few months later, he opened the box for a snack and found a gold ring inside! Mr. C never said a word.

This year, when everyone finished opening presents, Mr. C looked around and said, "Let's determine who was most likely tricked this year." Everyone's head turned to me. After some tough searching,and a lot of help from Mike, I found several great gift certificates.

Ok, finally - I haven't gotten to tell you about meeting all my friends babies!! We kept trying to meet for lunch, and everyone's schedule (mainly mine) kept fluctuating. We finally planned to get up early from Atlanta and drive back to Birmingham in time for lunch. Wouldn't you know, as we were leaving the house, we noted that traffic was at a standstill. As we crept along, we heard on the traffic radio that a BRUSH FIRE had started, and the ramp to get onto the highway was closed. This only happens to us. However, I was able to see each of those babies individually, and they are absolutely adorable. So sorry Ellen, that I kept trying to wake Kate up...she's just so freaking cute! Emily, I am sorry that my father called sweet Harper, who was dressed all in pink, a boy. I was mortified. Rachel, you look absolutely adorable!! I can only hope that when I am pregnant I look as cute as you!

So. We are back in Texas and looking forward to this year. I think it is going to be a great one! Lots of resolutions already...just waiting to see how long I can keep them. Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and is ready to embrace 2011!

Boring Saturday Night

2010-12-18T19:35:00.000-08:00

Have we already turned into that old married couple? I have been sitting at the kitchen table for six hours studying Constitutional Law, while Mike is watching crime shows upstairs. I think he intentionally does this when he wants to be alone because he knows I cannot stomach the blood and gore that are portrayed in the re-enactments. I am ready to head home for the holidays. I got my stockings up and holiday cards out, but we do not have a tree this year. :-(

The tree that I bought in St. Louis has been somehow so "tucked away" in the back of the closet that you cannot get to it without uprooting the entire house. I suggested that we go pick out a live tree, but was not quite aware of how expensive they are! Plus, neither of us have had the time. We don't even have any gifts for anyone yet! But, it will all work out. We are leaving for Birmingham on Wednesday and staying there until Sunday. On Sunday, we head towards Atlanta to celebrate Christmas and Mike's father's b'day before heading back to Birmingham. We will stay there one day and then come back to Texas. It will be a lot of traveling, but I am so excited to see my family and friends in Birmingham. It has been almost seven months!

This week, my highlight was when one of my old college roommates and bridesmaid, Lauren, came in town. She was here for her brother's graduation, but came in a little early to work in the Dallas office, and have dinner with me! (Or so I tell myself.) It was so great to see her. I love friends where you can pick up like you just saw them the day before and continue on. We went to eat Mexican and realized what seemed like 5 minutes later that we had been sitting there for 3.5 hours. I have not laughed so hard in such a long time and it was just wonderful to see her.

The rest of the week consisted of working, sleeping and studying. We had our holiday party at work, and after a feast of turkey and all the fixin's, we played Dirty Santa. I was so excited because I stole (yes, I stole) a Snuggie from one of my co-workers. I have been wanting one for so long! And then, someone stole it from me. My next gift was a gift card to eat. Very quickly stolen. I ended up with some cute wine stoppers and wine glass identification things that look like Christmas ornaments. My boss gave me a bottle of sweet tea vodka and a book I have been wanting to read - pretty much right on the money!

The last thing I have to ramble about is that my very best friend from the time we were 2, is expecting a little boy. He is already a week late, and I am getting very impatient!! I can't begin to imagine how she is feeling. The doctors told her, if the baby does not come by the 24th, they will induce and he will be a Christmas baby! I can't wait to get home to Birmingham and meet my little nieces and finally see pictures of my new nephew!

Well, Mike has emerged from upstairs...he is charge of buying the Christmas presents this year because he is on Christmas break. As a student. I will update if anything exciting comes along!!

Thanksgiving Recap

2010-12-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

Well, I know I am a little late, but I have to tell you about my first Thanksgiving as a married woman. Mike and I did make it to Hilton Head, and the weather was wonderful. We got in late Wednesday night, and woke up Thursday to start cooking. Let me tell you the cast: Mike and me, Mike's pregnant sister, her husband and their two year old, and my new mom and dad in laws. I had prepared myself to expect new traditions and attempt to embrace them. I truly have never had so much good food at one time in my life. We didn't stop eating for 3 days. And we never had leftovers! There was something new every night! (Which I love because, quite honestly, I don't love turkey leftovers as much as my family does.)

A few blips in the road: My first attempt to make a pie. I have a confession. My mother is a baker. I am not. However, at some point, I told the Cherbonneaus that I would contribute the "Blackburn" portion of Thanksgiving with a homemade pie. Everyone was all impressed that I could make a homemade crust until they found out...I can't. I lied. My plan was to practice several times before Thanksgiving and then have everyone be amazed with my pie baking skills. Yes, I have made pies with my mom, but NEVER alone. And that whole, "practicing" thing just never came to fruition. So, when I was offered one of the pre-made crusts, I took it, saying, "It might just be easier." Now, somehow, Mike's sister had been told that we were having a bake off. That is the only way I can explain this:

My pie got locked in the oven. I can only suggest sabotage. Have you ever heard of an oven with a "lock" button?? We started to smell something burning (perhaps the pecans that I so lovingly chopped?) I ran over to the oven to pull out my materpiece and realized no doors were going to open. After a lot of yelling, "Michael!! Michael!! MY PIE IS LOCKED IN THE OVEN!!" Someone somehow got it out. I have to say, it wasn't so horrible after you smothered it with whipped cream!

Then we had the family photo. I had been instructed to bring black and white so that we would all blend in the picture. Mrs. C decided on Saturday afternoon that she wanted to take the pic. Instead of everyone changing into their planned outfits, everyone just made sure that the colors they were wearing "went together." Of course, this was the day I chose to wear a fushia shirt. I didn't blend. After rummaging through Mike's mother's closet and Kristen's closet (Remember, everyone is at least 2 inches taller than me and someone is pregnant....) I ended up in the back of the picture with a khaki maternity top on. Yep. I don't have a copy, but I am not so ashamed that I wouldn't post it. After the picture, Mike informed me that we had to keep up with his Thanskgiving holiday tradition. When I asked him who it involved, he explained that it was just him. And we were headed to....

Wing World. Or something of that nature. To order a platter of 6 types of wings. We wrapped the night up with a chocolate martini and headed home to play dominoes with the rest of the family. So, we survived. And I learned that every family operates differently. I had a wonderful time spending the holidays with my new family, and am looking forward to seeing how Mike integrates into our holiday traditions...I kinda don't feel like he is going to be getting up for a run with my dad and me on Christmas morning! Hope that everyone is having a wonderful, and somewhat stress free, holiday season.

Happy Turkey Day, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

2010-11-22T20:34:00.001-08:00

I have a tension headache. I really do love the holidays, but where did the rest of 2010 go? I am currently taking a break from filling out my bar application. Again. And, oh yeah, I am late. Did you know that the filing deadline was October 30th in Texas? I called and begged/argued/pleaded with SOMEONE, who could only suggest that I send in a late application with a very compelling letter regarding why I am late. By November 29th. Of course, THEY don't review the applications until December 18th, and then THEY have to notify you by writing.Who are these unknown people that hold the next 6 months of my life in their hands? So, I am just going to keep on studying and hope for the best. I think I have some good reasons up my sleeve, but I need to express them in a way that is more than, "Please let me practice law. I have been working at a pizza place in Missouri."

Aside from that, we are preparing for my first Italian Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, we will fly to Hilton Head, SC to celebrate with Mike's family. From what I understand of this very non French Canadian/English tradition is that we begin eating Aunt Gimo's soup at noon. Every hour we have another Italian dish. Antipasta, ensalata, manigotte (not sure what that is), then the pasta and the Secret Sicilian sauce. And then....a fried turkey...and dressing...and everything else. (I'm contributing a pie...I just didn't feel comfortable offering up green bean casserole.) I may just pack sweat pants because there is no way I will be fitting into anything I own after that meal! Mike's mother told me to pack a bathing suit - ha!

Do you ever have that feeling that everything will be fine, "just as soon as you get on that plane" or "as soon as you get in the car and get on the road?" I feel like I have been the Tasmanian Devil for the past week trying to get things checked off my list. And believe me, we have no Christmas tree up, no wedding Christmas cards picked out and no other festivities to alert you that we are in the holiday mood. But - we will be. I was reading another blog this evening, noting that the author, her husband and two children had just moved to Seattle. She was extremely excited about the snow that had fallen over night.

She wrote, "I was talking to the girls about leaving their seatbelts securely fastened, because Mommy had never driven in snow before...As I cranked the car, guess what came blasting through my speakers, "Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!" It took my nerves away :), and made the drive to school feel more like a sleigh ride."

Ok, I don't know the legalities of blog stealing but I just had to post that. First of all, that song would never come on for me. There would most likely be a news report about an accident on the way to the school...I know, I feel a little like Scrooge, but I wanted to tell her, "If you think this is fun, just wait until February." I have NEVER felt like I was in a sleigh ride in my 2000 Pathfinder whether there was snow on the ground or not. (Actually, I think I told you, I didn't leave the house when there was snow on the ground for the safety of myself and all my fellow Missourians.) Regardless, what I took away from that is - are people really that happy all the time? Why am I so tired and not looking at things more positively? I drink a LOT of coffee!

I have a lot of very positive friends, and I know it is a manner of thinking. Mike thinks that I like to create drama to get worked up about. Maybe. Either way, as I said in my last post, I know I have a lot to be thankful for. And when the time comes, I WILL put on The Nutcracker and decorate our tree. But not until after Thanksgiving. And you WILL get your holiday card in the mail...the wedding one might not come until our 5th anniversary, but, what a fun surprise to open that up in 2015! If I can just get on that plane Wednesday.....

Decompressing

2010-11-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

Well, last week was a tough one. It all started last Saturday evening while Mike and I were watching the game. We left the house around 9 pm to grab some Wendy's and noticed that Mike's car was GONE. I thought he was joking and had just moved it to a different parking space, but when I turned around, he was already on the phone with the police. I couldn't believe that this happened when we were sitting on the other side of the wall!

The police came over and I think it finally hit me when were filing the police report. Of course, I started crying and asking the cop "Who steals someone's car??" And yes, we know it is ironic that Mike studies car theft. Thank goodness on Monday we got a call that the cops had found the car and it was down at the impound. I was petrified of what we would find when we actually rescued the car. Amazingly enough, nothing had been touched. I guess some kid somehow got into it (it was locked) and drove it around until he was tired of it? I think the worst part was paying $150 for us to take our OWN car home.

On a side note, Mike has been having some tooth problems. He went to see a dentist awhile ago, but they suggested so many issues that Mike kept putting it off. Finally, the pain just got to be too much. He was scheduled to see an oral surgeon Tuesday evening to have all four of his impacted wisdom teeth removed, as well as two teeth that were completely rotted out. They assured us that the procedure would only take an hour. Four hours and one pedicure later (for me), Mike stumbled out of the back. He had woken up during the operation because they did not expect him to be out that long. He was hilarious in his drugged stupor, and I was particularly proud of my husband as he asked me where the cute secretary had gone. I chose not to slap his puffy cheeks right then...:-) As he asked for the car keys, I patted myself on the back for taking them away from him before the surgery, knowing he would think he was fine.

Mike's parents had gotten in from Mexico that evening and met us at the house with Frostys for Mike to eat and some ice packs. I opened the wine. They left the next morning, leaving me with a very grumpy husband, chicken soup cooking, some Lortab and specific instructions from the dentist for steroids and anti-biotics. Poor Mike was still up until 5:30 this morning in pain.

So, I took care of Mike Wednesday and headed back to work Thursday. Ha, oh yeah. I couldn't find Mike's wallet Wednesday and after going back to the dentist and the pedicure place while he slept, I canceled his debit card. When he woke up, he grabbed his wallet out of his pant's pocket. Oops. :-)

When I came home from work Friday, all I wanted to do was sleep. I got in the bed and slept for about 15 hours. I don't think I realized how exhausted we both were until we got a minute to sit. And so, life starts again tomorrow. Mike has to head to San Francisco on Tuesday for a criminology conference (I know) and then we are going to Hilton Head for my first Thanksgiving away from home. Lots of changes over the past few months and I still can't figure out where the year has gone!

Looking back, I just have to think about how thankful I am that my family is healthy and happy, and know that this week could have been much worse....HOWEVER, I think we are good with dramatic events for just a little while. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!! PS- Roll Tide

Back in the Day

2010-11-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school, I was on the dance team. Mike makes constant fun of me and always tells me that he believes I was a huge dork in high school. I insist to him that making good grades and not partaking in drugs and alcohol WAS actually cool in my high school, but he doesn't believe. Mike also does not believe that the dance team was cool. Apparently, he went to a high school where sex and drugs and rock and roll were cool. At my school, I swear, we were awesome.

But, arguing my coolness is beside the point. The point is to tell you about our trip to Ireland and how I got stranded in the London airport while 250 people made it back to Homewood, AL. In 1997, tragedy struck. My dance team was preparing to go to dance camp (that really doesn't sound cool) and we were practicing our routine. As I launched myself into the the best toe touch ever, I came down and fell to the floor. As I tried to get up, I realized that my leg was not supporting me anymore. Panic. People were dancing around me and techno music was playing and I couldn't move. I crawled over the wall and someone called my mom. We found out that afternoon that I had torn my ACL.

If you know anything about football or soccer, you have probably heard of this injury. Not so much if you are on the DANCE TEAM. But, we scheduled my surgery and for six weeks I was in physical therapy and walking around with this ridiculously huge brace on my leg. The plus side was that I got to leave class five minutes early so that people would not knock me down during the changing of classes. (That also does not sound cool. I promise that people were not intentionally trying to knock me down.)

Alright, that is the background. Now, each year, the dance team (who is affiliated with the band) gets to go on a trip. There is always one international trip in the term that you are in school, and our trip was to Ireland. Of course, this trip fell during the time I was still wearing my awesome leg brace. I watched for months as my friends prepared for the trip, and was actually interviewed by the news during one of the practices about how I felt not being able to perform on the trip. (It never aired...)

Once the time came, we boarded the plane and headed for Ireland. After at least a week there, everyone was ready to come home. Yes, the scenery there is gorgeous, and I would love to go back, but in a different setting. When you are stuck on a bus, sightseeing what other people have planned for you, things get a little sticky. We got to kiss the Blarney Stone and explore old castles (remember, I am still in my leg brace) but after seven days of eating green soup, everyone was missing their mommas. It was time to go. We boarded a place from Dublin and made our first stop in London.

Another one of the girls on the dance team had also injured herself, and someone decided the best thing would be for us to get on one of those beep beep carts for the elderly so we wouldn't miss our plane. 15 minutes later, I watched as the plane took off with all my friends in it. With as many people that were on the plane, everyone thought I was there, somewhere, and didn't recognize that I was still sitting in the airport. Thank goodness our dance teacher's husband realized what was going on and decided to stay with us. Apparently, DELTA had given up our seats because we did not check in in time.

As this is getting long, I will finish up by telling you that I tearfully called my parents in hysterics, and we spent the night in a not so awesome hotel. (I did eat some awesome macaroni and cheese for dinner that night...I don't know what I remember that?) I have always had my idea of London tainted by this horrible experience; maybe Mike and I will go back one day.

Not really sure how to end this post. My knee is obviously better, and I was able to dance again my senior year. I guess the sacrifice of being stuck in London was all just a price to pay for being cool. :-)

Life Kinda Got in the Way

2010-11-02T20:47:00.001-07:00

Sorry guys - we have been busy! I checked to see when the last time I had written was, and felt so horrible. The problem is, nothing majorly exciting has been going on - we are just busy! Thank the Lord, we are making friends here, and that makes our Saturday nights just a little more exciting. We celebrated a friend's 30th Birthday with her by going to a Haunted House and then cruising in a limo until 2:00 am. I have said it once, and I will say it again - recovering from the celebration of turning 21 and the celebration of turning 30 are two completely different things. Mike and I had a nice day of lounging that Sunday after. However, we met some wonderful new people and planned to hang out with them more the next weekend at a Halloween party.

This past Wednesday Mike's parents came in town. They were on their way to Puerta Vierta (so lucky) and stopped in for a visit. Mike's mother and I hit the town on Friday night as cowgirls to celebrate one of her friend's b'days. We had a blast and I was all excited about our Saturday night Halloween plans. Instead, Mike decided to get sick and we stayed home. It probably ended up working out for the best because I am studying for the (wait for it) BAR again. I know. What is wrong with me. However, I found a different program here that starts 2 months earlier than the other program I used, and seems to be more tailored to people that have test anxiety like me, or just take a little longer to grasp the concepts. So, we are now on a countdown to the end of February!

Work is going well, and I still have a lot to do, which is exciting. One of my friends (yes, you Rachel) made the point that since I am clerking, I may have even more motivation to study for the Bar because I am so happy doing a small piece of what I could be doing. I thought it was some good advice, and I am looking at this as a new challenge.

Aside from that, we are just living life. No, the garage is not clean, and no the dishes aren't always done, but we are really happy. I got upset the other day when I was attempting to make a budget and exclaimed, "Mike, we are so poor!!" He looked at me and said, "I know Jenny, but at least we are happy." Sweet thing. Made my night.

So, that's what we've been up to! Oh - also, I am new Mad Men fanatic. I have rented it from Netflix starting from the beginning. If you are not watching this show - you need to. I will try to write more often - just don't want to bore y'all!

New Title * New Post

2010-10-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kristi - You win the contest!! I thought this was a cute new name for our new adventure in Dallas. Next up were Jenny Does Dallas and Apropros of Mrs. Cherbonneau. The former was nixed because you never know who is reading this thing. The latter I loved, but it made me feel like my mother in law. Thank you all for your creative names! New post below!

What Decade Were You Supposed to Live in?

2010-10-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today I did this. It was a complete accident, and as you may be able to see by the drawer next to it, this is not how our drawers are supposed to look. However, after fighting 5:00 traffic to drive 12 miles in 30 minutes, I walked into a house where the dishes were piled up and I stepped in cat throw up. As I began to empty the dishwasher, I jerked on the drawer and....well the rest is in the picure. Don't say I wasn't warned. Mike told me several times not to tug on the drawers because it looked like they had been glued together. (If you look closely they really have. At least we know how to fix it.) Anyway, as I began to fix dinner and think about how I wished someone was there to fix it for me, I also began to question my quiet desire to live in the 1950's.

For some reason, I have always thought the '50s would be a lovely little era to live in. Forget Communism scares, no women's rights and the fact that people dealt with anxiety through alcohol rather than doctors - I pictured myself in a little apron making cookies in a cute little yellow (why??) house. I actually told Mike this one time and he told me, "You hate everything the '50's stand for. You would be horrible in the '50's!" Which is actually true. I hate to clean. I don't know how to bake (although you wouldn't know it with all the baking stuff I registered for and received.) And I really like working. So...what led me to believe this would be a great place to live? Of course the movies. (And also Desperate Housewives a little bit.)

So, I took this totally accurate quiz on Facebook that is supposed to tell you what era you would fit best in. Mine came up as the 1970s. I started laughing, but then I thought, I think I could maybe see myself there. It doesn't seem that different from today. Obviously there have been major changes in society since then, but it seems like less of a rigid community than the '50s. There were major issues that were being fought for politically, but I think people's eyes were open to change. Besides, look at us now - major political issues that are going to be life changing for generations to come.

All in all, I think I am pretty happy with the decade I am living in. I appreciate the fact that Mike felt masculine enough to ask whether I wanted him to chop up peppers tonight. (He asked...he didn't actually ever cut them though....) I appreciate the fact that I have the option to leave in the morning and show that my brain holds something besides recipes. SIDEBAR:[Before I get hate mail - I love stay at home mothers and do not think that their only talent is memorizing recipes. In fact, I would love to have that luxury one day.] And I appreciate the fact that I can come home, rip off the front of a drawer and know I won't be knocked to the floor by an angry, drunk 1950's husband. In fact, my 2010 husband and I kinda laughed about it, after I kicked it around for falling on my toe.

Sorry - I recognize this is kind of all over the place but the thoughts I wanted to talk about weren't connecting as well as I thought they would. Good night!

2 Updates

2010-10-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

1) I am sick. Nauseous, exhausted, sick. (NOT PREGNANT.)I blame Denny's.

2) My twin blogger is writing a book. How do you compete with that??

We Heart Denny's

2010-10-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Did you ever think that your new favorite restaurant would be Denny's? If you are shaking your head, I will assure you, neither did we my friend, neither did we. However, there is one about .5 miles away from our house and Mike has designated it his new favorite wing joint. I am having a hard time saying, "no, no, let me cook" after work, when we can just head to Denny's and get a Patty Melt and french fries with the BEST RANCH ever!! And no, we don't eat there. It's not like a date night. One of us picks up the food, and we plant ourselves in front of the television to spend some "quality time" together. As I am writing this, I am becoming concerned, and going to make myself get up and run tomorrow. I think I am also going to the grocery store.

However, until tomorrow, let me tell you some new and wonderfully surprising things about Denny's.

1) They don't just do breakfast. I never knew this! I was the one to pick up the meal this evening and I walked in to find multiple things that appealed to my naughty taste buds. Patty melts, cheeseburgers, wings, and quesadillas - you will never get bored when you are visiting Denny's.

2) No one cares what you look like. I went to get a pedicure this evening after work and did not blink any eye walking into the "restaurant" with my pedicure flip flops on. The guy in front of my was pushing 400 pounds (which may soon be us if we don't watch it) and had a jersey on that said "John." John had to leave his food on the counter because his credit card was declined. Again, I didn't bat an eye. You can do whatever you want in Denny's.

3) Denny's actually has salads! I discovered this when I was perusing the menu somewhere between bites of my patty melt. If you are ever in the mood for something "light" they truly do have a selection! (Also as I scarfed down my grease fest, we were fast forwarding through episodes of The Biggest Loser.) Again, some guilt there.

After this post I have decided we will not be heading back to Denny's for awhile. However, for tonight, it was just what the doctor ordered. Ha!

My Grandma is Sick

2010-10-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

This isn't going to be one of those funny, sarcastic posts about the ridiculous things that go on in my life. However, it has been on my mind for awhile and I decided to let y'all in. For several months, we have noticed that Grandma has been repeating stories or can't always hear what you are saying. I get it. She is 80 years old and she is allowed to laugh politely even when no joke has been told. If you make it to 80 and are still able to help me pick out wedding bands because "you don't want me driving all that way by myself" you can pretty much do anything you want. However, there have been some significant issues that we have discovered over the past couple months that made our family wonder just how bad her memory was getting.

Apparently, she has been spending a lot of money on things that don't need to be fixed. First, someone knocked on her door to see if they could take a look at her furnace. I was actually surprised that Grandma let this guy in, but he told her she the furnace needed to be replaced - and she paid for it. Then someone called her from the Honda dealership to remind her to update her warranty. She paid the $2000 - she hasn't owned a Honda in over 2 years. So, these details are a little disturbing. My aunt and uncle keep an eye on her and told us that she was in some sort of car wreck because there was a dent in her car. She has no idea how it happened.

So, my aunt took her to the doctor. What Grandma told me is that they wanted to check her eyes. Apparently, there was more to the story. The doctors administered a test to determine whether she should be driving based on her comprehension and memory. Simple questions like asking her to remember a word for a minute. She scored a 15 out of 29. So, she is not allowed to drive....except she still was. She told me that she could "see" just fine and she was going to only drive at night. Eventually it got to the point where my uncle was scared that Grandma would come home to find the house burned down from leaving the oven on, or something of that nature. They suggested she move in with them. Now, my aunt and uncle have 3 boys - 2 11 year olds and one 6 year old. They are busy, but I know how much my Grandma loves spending time with them. They also keep her on her toes. So after a lot of anger (she is stubborn, my Grandma) she agreed to move.

Right now she is "vacationing" with my parents for a month, and I asked her to come visit Mike and me in Dallas to explore the city. She told me she would have to think about it. :-) I can't imagine how this feels to someone who is slowly recognizing that they are losing their memory. My father told me a story the other night involving an issue from his childhood that was never resolved. My grandfather passed away in 1992, so my Grandma was the only source of the memory left. When Dad asked her what happened, she told him that the issue never occurred.

We watched my other grandmother deal with very bad dementia before she died. I think it gets to a point when the person afflicted doesn't realize how out of it they are...it is harder on the ones around them. So, keep her in your thoughts. This woman is a fighter, and as she has gotten older, has become more of a "person" to me that just my grandmother. She has an identity and a very memory filled life and it is scary to think it can be so easily washed away. So, that's what's going on here. Hopefully there will not be a lot of posts about this in the near future.

Domestic Bliss?

2010-09-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

I love working. I love having the job that I currently have...getting up in the morning, making coffee and putting on my "job clothes." I love walking around in heels and a cute outfit, as petty as it sounds. And I love that all the time and money that I invested in law school is finally starting to pay off. I can't tell you how many times I questioned whether law was the right path to take over the past two years. Mike always said, "Why don't you wait until you start practicing before you make another life decision?" ("And get into more debt" is probably what he was thinking.) Regardless, he was right and I am really enjoying the office where I am and the assignments I am given.

However, with this major change, another event has shifted. Mike is a full time student. He has classes that he attends, but for the most part, he creates his own schedule. When I had nothing to do, this was great. We would watch movies late into the night, sleep until noon and then he would go off to school. It was wonderful and ridiculous at the same time. Wonderful because I really do love to sleep. Ridiculous because while he had a place to take off to, I was still at home. And so, we have moved to Dallas. We have a cute new place that is decorated "girly" and I have more motivation to do things around the house than I have had in two years.

The issue is that Mike is still on the same schedule. In fact, he just left at 11:30 pm to head to school. This drives me nuts. We have argued about this for years, going around and around. But the crux of it is, you can't change someone. I think part of it is control and wanting to somehow control him? (or at least his time schedule because I think I know what is better for him?) Are there really night owls and morning people? Personally, I believe I am more of an "after 11 am" kind of girl, but whatever. I am struggling to somehow accept this chapter of our lives (that seems to be going on FOREVER) but I don't know that it will ever change. Another chapter will always offer struggles, and I understand that. It's just this one that I am currently trying to figure out.

I am headed to bed while my husband is headed to school.

Well, this was a juicy post. I always wonder why people put their whole lives out on the internet for anyone to read. I don't mind doing it because I hope that someone out there is somehow relating to me. I know that I read blogs where I am happy to know that I am not the only one experiencing different things. (Do I sound like Oprah? She always says silly things like that. "I know, some of you are out there cooking dinner, and you just had your Ah-ha moment!)Regardless, we will continue to figure this whole marriage thing out one day at a time. :-) Good night!

Bookstores and My Twin

2010-09-18T19:04:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I went to the bookstore. I love books. I love being at the bookstore; it is one of those weird places of solitude for me where you can browse for hours and not realize how much time has gone by. I personally think there should not be any cell phones allowed there as major decisions are being made. You can decide whether you are in the mood for the best sellers, the Classics, or Oprah's Book Club. (I got one of each today.) I have decided that I needed Anna Karenina in my "library" at least to get used to the idea of reading it. Then when I decide to conquer this 817 page literary masterpiece, I will have it in our home. When we moved from St. Louis, Mike's mother couldn't believe that we were both bringing all our books with us. She asked me why I wasn't going to donate them to Goodwill or throw them out. These thoughts horrified me. Who throws out books? As cheesy as it sounds, once I finish reading a novel, it has somehow impacted my life, whether I know it or not. And what if I want to read it again?

One of the best things about my parent's house is their collection of books stacked along the walls in the basement. For summer reading, we rarely had to buy the books - my parents usually had a copy. And when we are bored over the holidays or when we are visiting we can always go downstairs and find SOMETHING that will suit the mood we are in and entertain us for at least a few days. So, at some point, I hope that Mike and I will have that for our children. Novels for our children that we have held in our hands and thought about or even been educated by. (I am going to make sure that Mike's criminology books are locked up so our children don't get any weird ideas...:-)

Anyway, back to the beginning. While I was browsing the store, I began looking in the cookbook section. I have really been trying to be more domestic since we moved, and I enjoy putting dinner together, knowing that it is healthier than the pound of wings Mike would order otherwise. Ever since I watched Julie & Julia, I have wanted to get the Julia Child's cookbook and attempt to create some French dishes. I know, this is not original, I am sure that everyone who watched that movie was somehow inspired (maybe?) to begin exploring these recipes. However, I was shocked to see how expensive cookbooks are! Yes, I get it. You will have them forever. But still - I couldn't justify spending that amount of money on a cookbook and decided I would either get it on my next trip or ask for it for Christmas.

After dinner this evening, I checked the blog of the girl with whom I feel I am in competition. Remember the one that does all the same things I do, but seems to do them better, faster and more beautifully? Would you believe that she JUST BOUGHT THE JULIA CHILDS COOKBOOK?? Then she posted pictures of several of the recipes that she has made from it. I couldn't believe it.

I marched into Mike's office and started telling him about this outrage (and how it is a little weird.) Mike suggested that (and this is so typical of a scientist) all bloggers might have the same types of personalities and so it is not absurd that this particular girl (who now lives in Seattle - see, she just had a big move, just like us) would be doing all the things I am doing. I still think it is crazy. And so, I may be putting up Rachael Ray for a little while, sucking it up, and investing in Julia Childs. I will let you know how that goes :-)

And We Are Still Leaking

2010-09-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

So...it rains a lot here. These torrential downpours where out of no where the rain just starts coming down slanted, thunder is rumbling and lightening is flashing. I really don't mind the rain - just not at 5:00 when I am headed home from work and can't park in our garage. Soooo....as I told you, we had some minor issues with the house. When I asked Mike when the people were coming back to do the repairs, he replied, "I'm gonna be honest. I had a paper due so I wasn't really listening." WHAT? Apparently today was the day they were coming back. No one was home. Now it is pouring. Of course it is.

So, I after I just mopped up the office, I called our landlord. He made me feel like it was our fault that no one was home. Ok, in a way it was, but why didn't they try to call me? Besides, I could hear that our landlord was in a bar and I seemed to be interrupting his darts game. He gave me the number to call for the handy man, but of course, who picks up a 205 area code after 5:00? (or ever.)

Mike does have class at 7, so I am alone to listen to the rain, watch Oprah and Project Runway and hope that this guy calls back. Tomorrow we are supposed to go to Oktoberfest here (I know it is September) but it is featured in USA Today every year as one of the best ones. HOPEFULLY we will get the garage cleaned out and be able to enjoy ourselves. Have a great weekend!

Content

2010-09-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

I don't want to jinx it, but things are going extremely smoothly right now. Almost to the point where I would like to say we are getting settled, and finally, content. Of course nothing is ever normal here and there are going to be the daily occurrences that make me throw my hands up and say, "of course." A quick example - last week we had horrendous storms from some Tropical Depression. (I know, I should watch the news.) Regardless, Mike called me into the study to show me where water was leaking in through the windows. As he continued to search the house for further damage, he found a piece of the garage ceiling had fallen down and water was coming in upstairs.

Once we called our landlord, he came out and took care of it which was a relief. It is definitely a plus that we are renting - who knew that crazy storms pass through Texas all the time? We also have had some issues with the shower door in the master bath. The issue is, I got stuck. It was really the scariest thing! We have a glass shower and I shut the door (like normal people do.) When I was done, I went to step out and the door wouldn't open! After several attempts, I started banging on the shower door and screaming, "HELP." Of course, I had closed the door to the bedroom and Mike had the tv on downstairs so he didn't hear me. As thoughts of me being found passed out from lack of food and water ran through my head, I finally decided to kick the door. I was vaguely worried that I would break the glass, but the thought of continuing to be a rat caught in a cage was not enticing. After my second or third kick the door bounced out. Mike couldn't figure out why I was so upset when I came downstairs dripping and frantically talking jibberish. The door will be replaced on Wednesday.

Aside from that, nothing too exciting is going on. Mike's best man came into town on business and was our first non-family guest. Of course, he arrived the day the house started leaking, but oh well. He was a good sport and we really enjoyed his company. (He also didn't say anything when I woke up in the middle of the night and realized there were no sheets on the guest bed.) I snuck in to give him another blanket (which is kind of weird in retrospect) but I felt horrible! Damn martini on a Wednesday night!

That's about all the exciting stuff. People drive like crazy people here, and it is still in the high 90s. No one really cares about college football (go figure) but I am going to try and be a good sport and see if I can root for the Cowboys. I am really enjoying work and have been able to go to court twice, which is kind of a rush for me. I know, I am a dork, but it is so fun! Sooo, that is what has been going on in our lives. Don't worry - not much has changed. Mike left for work/school a little while ago and I am about to curl up with a book. Hope all is well!

A Little of This, A Little of That

2010-09-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with Best Buy for the second time in a week. Mike decided when we moved here that he needed new bookcases to keep all his Criminology books in, and found a pretty good deal at Best Buy. (In all fairness, one of his old bookcases is now in use as a china cabinet.) So, we ordered two bookcases to be delivered. When they arrived, one of them looked like the workers at UPS had taken a hammer to the sides. When we called to explain the situation, Best Buy sent out a new bookcase, but failed to pick up the old one. In addition, the new bookcase has a big chunk of wood take out of it. I now have two 100 pound pieces of wood laying in the middle of my entryway/dining room.

Today marks Mike and my's 3 month anniversary. My dad started laughing when I told him that my parents should fly us to the beach to celebrate. I feel like it has been WAY more than three months! Who gets married, moves, starts a new school, starts a new job, gets fired from the job and hired at a new job when you first get married? It is ridiculous. Granted, I am very happy to be married to Mike and have a job FINALLY, but there still seems to be something missing. I'm wondering if I am one of those people who is always going to find something to get upset about or if I just need to complete the transition here by finding some really fun friends.

It is currently 6:15 pm and I am still waiting for the temperature to fall below 90 so I can go run. (Also, my IPOD is dead and charging.) That is one of the things I just searched through about 6 boxes to find...Mike is getting ready to go to school and do work and I am going to....? Sorry if this sounds very "I feel sorry for myself today." My best friends from home were all together this weekend, either pregnant or as new mommas and I think I am feeling a little far away and in a sense, left out. It's weird that they are all going through this very precious stage in life together and I am not.

We have made some friends here and were lucky enough to spend some time at their house yesterday stuffing ourselves and watching college football. We had a great time and are looking forward to continuing to hang out with them! Ok, I am going for a run - hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend!!

Reunited and It Feels So Good

2010-09-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

I am a little nervous to tell y'all this, but...I have a new job. I know. It is crazy. However, I am actually working in the LEGAL field, doing all the stuff I trained for three years to learn how to do! On Monday I met with another attorney whom I had been referred to. He is the DA of some area in Dallas and apparently is the "Guy to know." I explained my situation and we mulled over the fact that the legal market is saturated and there are no jobs for aspiring young lawyers like me. He told me to "hang on a minute" while he made one call.

A few minutes later, he was rushing me out the door because the lady he called was leaving in 30 minutes. Apparently the firm where I was headed had just fired their clerk (that scares the heck out of me.) I talked with the two attorneys in the office and they said they would give me a call the next day to let me know one way or the other. Can you believe I finally have my own office, with my own computer and a WINDOW?? It is so exciting. I am just scared to death of doing something wrong and getting fired yet again, so I am trying to be as by the book as possible.

Today was exciting because I got to go to court with one of the attorneys. Although I wasn't allowed to speak, it was still a lot of fun to be in the group listening to what was going on. So finally, two years after graduation, I am hoping we might just be on the right path!

New Name

2010-08-27T10:53:00.001-07:00

I need a new name for the blog. A lot of people offer prizes for those who come up with the best blog name, but I don't embroider or sew, and I can't really cook/bake you something if you don't live in Dallas. However, if you want your name announced on this super cool blog, I am taking suggestions! Hope everyone is having an awesome Friday!

Is There a Need for TV?

2010-08-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

For two weeks, I was given the opportunity to see what our lives would be like if we didn't have television as a distraction. Aside from missing internet, I was so happy. There was no constant noise from as soon as we woke up until the time we fell asleep at night. You could have a conversation without asking/yelling that the tv be turned down, or "could you please pay attention to me rather than staring at some crime show that you can pause?"

I will say that we missed the news, but isn't that what the newspaper is for? Mike and I also watch different types of news. He enjoys Fox News while I prefer CNN. When CNN is on, Mike feels the need to make comments like, "Oh Obama, I am so glad that you were able to take a vacation while the United States is in crisis." Ok - if this was reported on Fox, would I get the same reaction?? He went on vacation either way! Regardless, it is just the point of having the noise.

We seemed to forget in these two weeks, how important it was that we not miss an episode of "Jersey Shore" (yes, I am honest. We watch it) or "Project Runway." In fact, when we were setting up our recordings, I couldn't remember half the things that I HAD to watch before we moved here. I am not all high and mighty. I definitely watched movies when we didn't have cable and I was too tired to read, but still, I think TV has gotten a little out of control.

By the way, did you know you can get books read to your children on video now?? We seem to be missing the point...

That's all for now. I am going to attempt to organize our bedroom...somehow in just 4 days we have a laundry pile up! How does this happen??

How to Be Hired and Fired in 7 Days

2010-08-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Before I start this story, I have to say CONGRATULATIONS to my friend Ellen and her husband, Chuck. They had their first baby this afternoon, a beautiful little girl named Kate. So exciting!! I keep having dreams that I am in Birmingham meeting my little nieces, but alas, we are not. And would you believe that I have two more friends expecting in the next six months?? These are all friends that I grew up with in Birmingham!

Instead, we are adjusting well to Dallas, and I was even pleasantly surprised when I woke up this morning to find the temperature had dropped 30 degrees! It was 75 this morning and I was FINALLY able to go for a run. I know Mike was happy that I was able to run out some of my energy and anxiety.

Now, for the job. When we came down here, I was referred to a real estate agency by one of my college friends. She went to elementary school with the guy who owns the company and he is doing really well. Please keep in mind that he is also 30. Once we rented our house, I became friends with him on Facebook (always the social networking site) and noted that he needed a personal assistant. I decided to contact him about this and was hired as soon as we met. I worked for 2 days and then the entire next week. My list of duties included: Getting his Escalade gassed and washed, letting his dog out three times a day, and picking out new brown dress socks for him.

However, I was also given some responsibilities at the office. Suddenly, I was in charge of marketing, as well as the hired on I.T. person. It was stressful and I stayed several evenings until almost 7 pm.

On Friday evening at 8:00, I received a phone call from my boss. I was already dressed up to go out with Mrs. C and Mike and we were literally getting ready to drive away. My boss informed me that this relationship was not working and he would have to go "a different avenue." I was shocked. I asked three times for specifics as to what had gone wrong, and reminded him that I had only been around for a week - how do you know someone that quickly? Each time he was questioned, he stated that the relationship was not working and he was not going to go into details.

I burst into tears after I hung up. Mrs. C was FURIOUS. She kept talking about what a jerk he was, and how I couldn't take it personally - he didn't even know me! She offered to stay in, but I knew I would just sit there and try to figure out what I had done wrong. So we headed to a piano bar, I got a martini and proceeded on with the night. I am still having a hard time digesting this (who gets fired???) but also accepting this guy is a narcissistic jerk who seems to want everything placed as the most important thing going. By the way, did I tell you I drew up a contract for him, and also read through a contract and dumbed it down for him? All for an hourly wage?

Regardless, I am going to focus more on my legal career and look at this as a blessing. (Maybe tomorrow. :-) )

Moving to the Big D

2010-08-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

Well. We are here! I don't even know where to start because so much has happened in the past two weeks. Let's begin back in St. Louis when we rented a 22 foot truck, two guys to load it up and 6 hours later. We STILL had more furniture to load up. So the next morning, Mike's father left in the truck as I called around frantically trying to find a U-Haul trailer that we could load and hitch to Mike's car. We finally found a place available and started loading up. I can't even tell you how many boxes we loaded, unloaded, packed, repacked and STILL left things in our storage unit. I can't get over how much stuff we have. At 5:00 am one morning (the second night of sleeping on the floor in our condo)I told Mike I was done. I was leaving and refused to spend one more night in that place. When we woke up, I helped him load the last bit of things into the trailer and took off. I rolled into Dallas around 1:00 am. Mike didn't leave with me and secretly unloaded the trailer AGAIN trying to fit more things in.

Once we all got here, we began unloading. And unloading. We still can't use our garage because there is so much stuff in there. And oh, did I mention it has been 107 degrees here every day since we arrived?? You don't leave the house here unless you have your hair in a ponytail and are very scantily clad! Mike's mom left yesterday after helping decorate and unpack. She was so helpful in organizing things and "helping out" to buy a few "necessary" things for the house. Who can live without a few new candles and extra decorative accessories?

I made my first and last trip to IKEA. That place is nuts. We walked, and walked and walked some more. When we finally checked out, we had more in our cart than we came for, and I had popped an anxiety pill. BUT we were able to enjoy 2 hotdogs, 2 waters and a bag of chips for $2. Mike and I may end up heading out there just for cheap date nights!

So, Mike started classes last week. I will write in my next post about how I was hired and fired as a personal assistant within one week. (I know, I can't get over it and am still dealing with the blow to my pride.) However, we are getting settled in and are really happy to have relocated. We have already hung out with some friends that I knew in college and I just feel like we are going to be very happy here.

PS - Mike has not moved from the couch since the cable guy came today. Apparently we moved to Dallas so we could get a discount on U-Verse. I can't really tell a difference except that I now know I can know watch my DVRd Real Housewives of New Jersey in the other room.

PPS - I turned 30.

I will post again tomorrow to continue to catch you up. I want to show you pictures of our house! I am headed to bed as it is already 12:30. Good night!

The Last Three Days

2010-08-04T09:24:00.001-07:00

We are moving on Friday. Mike's parents are going to be here in a few hours and I am very concerned that they are going to look at our condo, get back in the car and head back to Atlanta. Although we have been packing things, they are not as visible as all the stuff that is still laying out. One thing I discovered yesterday as I attempted to shove coats into a plastic tub is: we have too many jackets. What are we going to do with these in Texas and how in the world did we manage to accumulate so many over the past few years? Apparently I needed a jacket for every outfit, but Mike was not far behind me.

I am exhausted and am waiting for my coffee to kick in before anything I attempt to organize anything else. Last night Mike grilled hamburgers and I asked him what three things he was going to miss about St. Louis. After informing me that we were not on the Bachelor and that it was a "staged" question, he answered with, "The ability to find your way easily around the city??" and several other very boring points. Mine were:

1) My friends
2) The running routes I have discovered.

Do you think it is time for us to leave?

Packing and Relaxing

2010-08-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is what I woke up to today. Before I went to sleep last night, Mike informed me that he needed to go through and pack up some of his papers. Apparently, he got distracted before that last key part was complete. href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bxr7HrnTCXY/TFbrE17gqPI/AAAAAAAABm4/sSHQL74eUFQ/s1600/IMG_0205.JPG">
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Here's the deal. I can't figure out how to write in between the pictures, and I don't know why there are weird symbols showing up, so I am just going to write what I need to write down here. First of all, the second and third pictures show just how much packing we have left to do. That has been our designated spot for wedding presents since we have run out of storage. Surprisingly enough, we have actually packed up quite a bit of it....you just can't tell. Look at sweet Lullabelle. I don't know who is going to have the panic attack first - her or me.

The next pictures were to show that we took some time off Saturday night to spend some much needed quality time with some of our favorite people in St. Louis. Mike grilled, we drank wine and played board games. It was a lot of fun, and something to look forward to as we continue to wake up every day trying to figure out what to pack next. Thankfully, Mike's parents are coming in town Wednesday. Mike's father has volunteered to drive the U-Haul truck, and I am hoping that we might get a little extra packing help from a new set of eyes. Sometimes it is easier to pack/clean when it is not your house!

As promised before, I need to tell you about our trip to the University of Texas - Dallas (UTD) and the floozie secretary. Mike and I met with the graduate director of the school to help him figure out more precisely what his plan is next year. She then took us to meet the Dean of the school. As we walked into his office area, we were met by what I can only call a Texas Barbie. Her blonde curly hair flowed gracefully down her shoulders and her flawless skin and perfect smile greeted us when we opened the door. Mike's teacher introduced her, and I quickly dismissed her name because I didn't think we would be having a lot of interaction with her. UNTIL, the teacher introduced Mike and stated, "Mike is also in the Phd program with you." Of course he is.

Mike began babbling about how he will "see her in the fall" and walked away to meet the dean as I stood there feeling very short and pimply. Kind of like 7th grade all over again. I stuck my hand out and introduced myself as Mike's wife. She was very nice and of course, I don't think she is out to steal my husband, but it was a little intimidating. As we walked outside, Mike's professor whispered to me, "Don't worry, they don't all look like that." See - even she gets it!

So, we are going to be packing up the rest of the week. Please be thinking about us as make this crazy move without hopefully going crazy ourselves!!
Now, if I could only get this one to get out of the bed....

Have a wonderful Monday!!!

A Slump

2010-07-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

So, we are moving in exactly a week. We haven't started packing. I feel like I am sitting in cement and just can't get the strength to to break out of it. I have never moved by myself (without my parents) and although this sounds very childish, I just don't know where to start without my mom directing me. I finally went to Target today to get some bins for our clothes, but never actually got any clothes into them.

Our real estate agent came by a few days ago and stated, "I really don't envy what you have to do in the next few days." Aside from assuring us that we will lose lots of money on our condo, I felt like we were in a episode of "Hoarders." Outgrowing this space is an understatement. We are bursting at the seams. I kept apologizing as we went through each room, desperately trying to convince her that we are generally much neater when there is space to put everything. The wedding presents do not help the situation. People were so generous, but we have presents stacked in their boxes behind the couch. And now I am beginning to question, do I really need a wok?

Last night was my last night at work. I will not miss these days of coming home at 3:00 am, but I am going to miss the girls that I recently met and really clicked with. I think that even after all the complaining I have done for the past two years, we have made some incredible friends and incredible memories in St. Louis. It is a very bittersweet time, and that is also an issue. Not a lot of time to process the change.

Finally, my husband. Isn't it fun to call them that? He seems to think that we are going to pack up this place in a day. And so I come home to find that he has found multiple new trashy day time television shows and no movement from the couch. I can't fix this, as much as I have yelled/screamed/cried. The most response I have gotten is when I sit quietly. He knows there is something wrong when I am not talking a mile a minute. Talk about the stress of your first year of marriage! When asked what his plan was, his response is, "I have one." That just doesn't put my mind at ease.

So, I ate some ice cream for dinner. I am hoping to throw some t-shirts, etc into these bins tonight and get a fresh start in the morning. And yes, I know that people move all the time and maybe I am being a baby, but this is what we are dealing with right now. Tomorrow night we are having a bbq with some of my favorite people in St. Louis, which should be a lot of fun. In addition, I have this looming knowledge that I am turning 30 in exactly 13 days. That, and the thoughts that come with it are a post for another day. So, I will be updating because writing always makes me feel a little better. Hope all is well and everyone enjoys their weekend!

There's Always Drama With Us

2010-07-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

We got a house!!! After my last blog, we got on the road and made the ten hour drive to Dallas. Luckily, some of Mike's parent's friends, and quite possibly the nicest people I have ever met, allowed us to stay with them during the frenetic week. We had previously spoken with a real estate agent who was going to find some rental properties for us and planned to meet with her the next day.

First I have to tell you about the great people we stayed with. The wife is retired and they have three children (one is my age and has wonderful connections in the city.) The husband works from home and at 5:00 every day there were cocktails and appetizers waiting for us. Quite honestly, I couldn't hang. I woke up with a headache every morning! As we began to look at houses, we realized how much furniture we have and began to get an idea of the square footage we would need. I have desperately wanted a guest bedroom ever since I moved in with Mike, but we just didn't have the room for him to have an office and a separate bedroom. I had my heart set on a 3/2. We found the perfect place that INCLUDED the washer, dryer and refrigerator, but then found out that we were in competition with another couple for the place! Once we finally signed the lease, we were told that the owners of the house liked us better :-). I personally feel that it was all because of a dog.

When we walked into the house, their dog was caged so he wouldn't jump on anyone. Apparently earlier that day, the other couple came to the house and the dog was growling and barking at them. When I knocked back on the door and asked to take a few pics of the house (I know, that's annoying) the dog was out and running around....AND..he loved me. We played around and I am pretty sure that sealed the deal.

So we got the house and were able to leave TX in time for me to work on Friday. One a side note, the people we stayed with have a neighbor who hangs out with them quite a bit. He is divorced and enjoys spending time with other people. Well, he called around 10:00 one evening as we were drinking martinis and watching a movie. He had locked himself out of the house. Mike nominated himself as the criminologist of the group and assured us all that he knew how to break into the house. After attempting to use a tennis ball with a hole in it to blow the lock out, and the a paper clip to pick the lock we were still standing outside. The people we were staying with decided to take a leap of faith and check the window we were standing by the entire time. It was open! And so, they reached right through the window and unlocked the door.

Keep in mind, the entire time the neighbor was on the phone talking to his friend about how he was locked out of his house. I was pondering how Mike knew how to break into houses and wondering if there was a connection between that and the length of time he has been in school. As this post is getting long, I will leave you with the thought that I must tell you about the floozie secretary Mike will be working with. Yes, everything is bigger in Dallas.

It's 4:45 am...What Are You Doing?

2010-07-18T02:43:00.001-07:00

You must be wondering what in the world I am doing up at this hour. Although this has become close to my regular bedtime, there is a reason that we are up and about. I am waiting for Mike to finish packing so we can drive to Texas. We have some news. We are moving to Dallas!! Can you believe it? Just after the honeymoon, Mike got a potential offer to move to the University of Dallas, Texas and continue his education there, along with some other perks. The more we talked about it, the more it sounded like a great idea. Let's be honest. I think we all know my feelings about St. Louis, and I have an amazing number of contacts that have come out of the woodwork since we started throwing this idea around.

For Mike, this is a chance to get his name out at another university and show what a great Criminologist he is! Really the most important thing is that it will be something that we are starting together, just as our married life is beginning. Yes, I will have to find a new name for the blog, but I think we will be able to handle that. So, we are leaving this morning to make the trek down to Dallas and start looking for a place to live. Here's the deal. Dallas is one of the biggest 9 cities in the U.S. I didn't quite realize this, but after talking to one of my friends in San Antonio, she told me that I am going to have to get used to getting on the highway to get from point A to point B. I have gotten somewhat used to that here, but I think there is some sort of spaghetti spiral or something that they call the highway connections down there. It makes me nervous.

Another great thing - no ice and hard winters. From what I understand, it does snow, but it is similar to snow in Alabama. I can handle that. I may actually leave the house in the winter, rather than bundling up for 5 months in front of the television. Now, things are a little overwhelming at this point. Mike has to be at school by August 18th - that gives us exactly a month to sell this condo and get moved down there. It's not going to happen. So, we are getting this place put on the market and looking for a place to rent. When I heard what the starting prices were to lease a house my jaw dropped. I don't know where we will end up, but let's all keep our fingers crossed that it is not in a trailer down by the river. (And on the wrong side of the tracks!)

So, that's our news. I am trying to take things one day at a time and as my mother in law suggested, "Drink a lot of coffee." I really am just so excited about this new chapter in our lives!! On a side note, just as we are moving to Dallas, I will be close to be becoming an aunt for the second time to my friend Ellen's baby, Kate! Something is in the water, but don't worry, I am not drinking it yet. Hope all is well with everyone!

Some News

2010-07-01T00:48:00.001-07:00

First of all, I have to say CONGRATULATIONS to one of my best friends, Emily Miller and her husband, Ryan. They had their first child today, a sweet baby girl named Harper Elizabeth. I started crying when I actually heard the news. It is such an indescribable feeling - knowing someone from the time we were in middle school, through different boyfriends, marriage and then a baby! (Also, please keep in mind, I have 2 more BEST friends having babies in the next 5 months.) I have been trying to breach this subject with Mike, but I am not sure where we would put the baby or what we would feed it... I am just thrilled for the Miller family, and missing Birmingham more than ever. I was thinking about what a different dynamic I am experiencing up here in the mid-west. More because I don't have the friend base that I would have in Birmingham, but please let me tell you about my evening at work.

Let me preface this by the fact that it is 2:51 in the morning. Yes, Mike and I have become nocturnal.(It goes well with the new Twilight movie, doesn't it??) However, it does not help our social life. Anyway, I went to work this evening around 5, hoping that some people would want to get drunk on a Wednesday night. (Let's be honest, that's what it's all about isn't it??) So, I did ok with all the normal customers (aside from one jerk family who left me NO TIP.) But that is a story for another day. My boss is a great guy - he is probably in his 40s and hired me even when he heard that I was a horrible waitress. However, it seems to be more about personality, and dare I say it, looks, in this particular venue. Regardless, he usually comes in every night to make sure that things are going well, since it is his livelihood. It is interesting - you get to see him in his element. Host, friend, and sometimes, wasted. Well, this evening he had a friend in town and we were told that he would not be in until later because they were headed to the "East Side."

If you are going to the East side in St. Louis, you are trying to do one of two things. A) You want to get shot. B)You are headed to the strip clubs. So, we assumed that my boss and his friend were attempting the latter, and didn't see them until almost 10:30. I can't tell you what his friend would be like if he was sober, but he did not make a positive impression on me this evening. After ordering more alcohol - (which is fine - I don't judge) however, when it affects me, we start to have an issue. As this fine older gentleman asked me where all the hot girls went, and I replied, "They may still be on the East Side" he said, "Well, let's go!" I told him that I was good. His response: "I Bet you are." I'm pretty sure there is a sexual harassment claim there. After my sideways glance, he went on to slap my rear end. If you are the bosses friend, does that make it ok? My boss did make a valiant effort and say, "Hey, she's a married woman!" His response: "Well, so am I!" When I asked him where his ring might be, he got very quiet. And so, another night passes when I thank the Lord that I have this fabulous law degree that keeps me away from the creeps.

I came home to watch some DVR'd programs and tried out a new wine, called "Mad Housewife." If you are interested, it is actually pretty good. One of our friends gave us seven (7) bottles of wine for one of our showers (I know, she knows us too well) and this one was surprisingly very good! When Mike got home, I was not a mad housewife, I was dancing to "So You Think You Can Dance" and hoping that he was in the same mood. (He wasn't. And still isn't.) So, I will continue to entertain myself until my bedtime around 5:00 am. We desperately need a routine...

If you are bored and want a new song, try "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri. That is what I debuted this evening for Mike. (It was on So You Think You Can Dance.) He shut the door, but I think it is pretty great!! Hope all is well with everyone!!!

Also, if anyone knows how to upload pictures from Picassa to your computer to a blog, I would be most grateful. I really would love to share some pics with y'all!

Where I Have Been

2010-06-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written. I am digging myself out from underneath a pile of thank you notes, and when I get done writing those, I don't really feel like writing much else. The tricky thing about thank you notes is being able to truly express your thanks in different ways over and over again. I just hope that people don't compare notes!
We are back in St. Louis and back to reality. I still haven't changed my name...supposed to do that tomorrow. It is such an odd thing, changing your name. I really love both my middle and last name, but hopefully we can implement one of them into a baby name in the future :-)

So. We got married. Did I tell you our ceremony was supposed to start at 6 pm sharp? That is exactly when a huge thunderstorm hit. Talk about drama. Vases were flying off tables into cement walls. I was in a room with all windows and had to go hide somewhere else. Thank goodness 1) we had a tent and 2) I had 10 bridesmaids that all ran over to calm me down. One had her phone with her to show me that the storm was about to blow over. It actually did and the procession went on....until....I was supposed to walk down the aisle. Another thunderstorm came through! My dad and I waited while he showed me HIS blackberry assuring me that the storm would blow over. Thank goodness it did as well and the rest of the night went smoothly. The storm cooled down the weather so it was comfortable to dance outside and we had a blast!

The next morning our flight for Aruba left at 6:30 am. Yes, we were half asleep when the car came to pick us up, but we made it and had an awesome week. If you are looking for an incredible place to spend a vacation, I strongly suggest Aruba. We were able to lay out and hang by the ocean/pool, but there was also a mini night life and excursions during the day so we were never bored. I was so sad when we came back. I really wanted to accidentally miss the plane, but unfortunately we made it back.

EXCEPT. Michael and I almost spent then night in a customs cell in Aruba. What?! you may be asking. Well, here we go. Mike decided that it would be really cool to bring my father back some illegal Cuban cigars. He bought 2 from a street vendor and assured me it would not be a problem to SMUGGLE them back into the US. When I heard the word "smuggle," I am not going to lie. I got nervous. But of course, Mike assured me there would be no problems. So, as we are going through customs (and I am grumpy because we are leaving a beautiful island) we get pulled over for a "random" agricultural screening. The authority figure guy asked if we had any fruits, veggies, and point blank, cigars. Mike answered no to each of these questions. By this point, I have my arms crossed and am trying not to cry as I imagine us locked in a cell while we attempt to call home and explain this debacle. The customs man had us open all 6 pieces of luggage and he went through them very thoroughly. SURPRISE! He just happened to find 2 cigars not well hidden at all under some shorts.

The guy told us to wait there while he went to get the captain. Are you kidding me?? Now Mike was receiving non loving death glares from me while I paced back and forth. The Captain, came in and gave us a history lesson on the embargo on Cuban goods (not what we cared about) and then told Mike he could voluntarily give up the cigars with no consequence other than a signed form. (We are probably on the no fly list now.) The Captain proceeded to then tear up the cigars and the tins they were in in front of us. It was a lot of fun. People kept walking by thinking they needed to stop in that area. Nope, this is just for the criminals people, keep walking.

We finally left and Mike gave my dad the signed piece of paper for his souvenir. This better not be the beginning to the way our trips are going to go in the future! I will make the next post all pictures so you can get an idea of how much fun we had!

We're Married!!

2010-06-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

I know it has been awhile since I wrote, but we literally got back from Aruba on Sunday. Since then, we were in Atlanta and Birmingham, celebrating just a little bit more with our families. When we got back to St. Louis last night, it was almost like the wedding had happened a year ago. Everyone tells you to cherish the day and remember as much as possible about every single minute because it will be such a blur. It was true - all I remember is how incredibly happy I was that the majority of people that we truly love were all together to celebrate this momentous occasion with us. I am actually exhausted and realize that I am going to have to do the wedding and the honeymoon in installments, but I wanted to leave you with this. Our videographer (Nick Weeks - he is awesome) showed this towards the end of the ceremony and I loved it. I am now Mrs. Jennifer Blackburn Cherbonneau - kinda weird, but so exciting!!!

www.snaplifestudios.com

(Right now we are the "featured clip" but you may have to search for us in the future.)

I Just Can't Stop

2010-05-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

So, I have a confession. For the last 2 weeks I just can't stop crying. I don't know what my deal is, but you would literally think that someone had died. In fact, I am wiping HUGE tears away right now as I watch "Oprah Says Goodbye to Nate Berkus." What in the world? I shopped for about 5 hours today, and almost started crying when I couldn't find a dress for the rehearsal dinner. (Don't worry - I did. Disaster averted.) I don't know if it is stress, or just the idea of a huge life change. Don't get me wrong...I cannot wait to get married. Believe me. I have been complaining about NOT being married for the past 3 years! It is just so bizarre knowing that in 9 days, I will be Mrs. Cherbonneau (the 2nd.) All of the planning, the organizing and the little "tiffs" that have occurred since September is coming to an end, and this thing is for real!

I was never one of those girls that paraded around with a pillow case on my head, pretending to be the bride, but planning this party (and of course, the beautiful ceremony ;-)) has been a lot of fun. It has opened my eyes to who my true friends are - the ones that will stand by you when there is a break down about bridesmaids dresses. Let's be honest - you just aren't yourself when you are under this type of stress! I am wondering if Mike wants his ring back...

Tonight I listed off all the things that are wrong with Mike. Why would I do that? Who wants to marry someone that can tick off the things that drive them crazy about them? Poor guy - what is he going to have to deal with when I get pregnant? (And yes, I have broken 3 bows. Mike actually broke one on "accident" the other day, and then informed me that that would be the child I would take care of on my own.)

All I can say is that words truly cannot describe how excited I am to marry Mike. Regardless of the tears, he is THE person that I know I can turn to with anything - worries, laughs, and a dirty house. I am thrilled to have all of those that we love together in one place to celebrate with us and I am ecstatic to board a plane on June 6th and head to Aruba. I am pretty sure the next few weeks are going to be crazy, so I will leave you promising to post TONS of pictures when we get back. I wonder if there are any sad movies on tv....?

Too Much Noise!

2010-05-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

I just filed a noise complaint. I know, I have turned into that annoying person who calls during your parties in high school and everyone has to flee the premises before the cops actually arrive. However, I feel as though I was very legitimate in my call. First of all, it is 11:30 at night!! Yes, it may be Friday, but it is super annoying to be watching old DVR'd Oprahs when there is music blaring across the street from you!

Now, this is not the first time this has happened, I have just never been the caller. (I promise we live in a safe neighborhood!) Anyway, the condos we live in are across from the pizza joint, and a store called "i am." I haven't figured out exactly what the hours of operation for the store are because there are always people in it. There is also a parking lot next to our condo where people who work at the pizza joint park. I know from previous conversations that this is where my ex-co workers used to sit in their cars, listen to music and get high. Mike made a complaint around 5:00 one evening about a car blaring their music in the parking lot. Turns out, it was my favorite dish washer (we watch out the window) but he shouldn't have been playing his music so loud! Plus, he denied it was his when the cops got there. Serves him right.

Tonight, I noticed that music was playing across the street incredibly loud for at least 30 minutes. (Ok, maybe 15, but still a long time.) I began to think maybe I should call the police, but who do you call? Do you call 911? Mike, of course, was at school, so I called him for instructions. After refusing to call for me, he told me to call 911 and issue a noise complaint. I was nervous that I was taking away from someone else's actual emergency, but I called and the operator took a lot of information from me. Then I perched myself over the back of our chair to see what would happen.

Let me tell you, if I had been shot, I would not have been happy with the response time of these police officers. However, since that was not the case, I will give them the 5 minutes it took them to get there. Of course, right after I called, the music was turned off. I felt stupid, but no one has my name, and let's hope it stays that way. When the cops pulled up, I watched as multiple people left the store in a hurry and several people came to speak with the officers. Then I started to worry. "What if they shoot the policeman?" "Do I go down and try to help?" "I am already in my pajamas!" Luckily, right about the time I decided to be a coward and call for help if something went awry, another officer pulled up. They were there forever talking to the people in charge, and I started to feel nervous when the cop pointed at our condo and then to the store. I also felt stupid for not having turned out the lights and peering through the blinds with popcorn. (Ok, no popcorn, but all the other stuff is true!)

I did leave for just a second, and when I came back, the officers were gone. However, I think the after party is back. I just heard some girls yelling outside....where is my phone?

Fun Times In Birmingham

2010-05-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and mothers to be. We celebrated last week because I was still in Birmingham and my Grandma was visiting. We had a great time, got a cake and grilled out. I have to tell you, my Grandma was so much fun while she was visiting for our shower. This lady is 78 years old and has still got it. She still has her smart, sarcastic wit, but is truly one of the most caring people I have ever met. I have enjoyed getting to know her as an adult, rather than my "grandma" and have learned so much from her, particular since I have gotten engaged.

My mom, grandma, and youngest sister left early last Saturday for my shower in Atlanta. Y'all, this shower was beautiful One of my bridesmaids came down from Columbia, SC just to attend, as well as multiple other people who generously gave up their time on a Saturday afternoon. (I can't lie - I would have come just for the food :-) It was great to get re-acquainted with Mike's parent's friends, and things will be a little less foreign for me when the wedding rolls around in 26 days!! I am so excited and honored to have so many people who care for Michael and me and are willing to come visit with us.

We left the shower with several huge bags of homemade cookies (one which was meant for Mike but never quite made its way back to St. Louis. He wasn't happy) and headed back to Birmingham. I stayed for a few days after, while we celebrated Mother's Day and then went to look at wedding bands!! When I say "we" I do mean, me and Grandma. We actually took a little road trip to a jeweler a few hours away. When Grandma heard that I was driving there, she volunteered her time and person because she "Just couldn't imagine me driving all that way by myself." We were able to get some good quality talking time in and found the perfect band. We are still working on Mike's. The one I chose for him is apparently "too girly." I don't know what we are going to do with him.

Yesterday one of my bridesmaids and great friends up here threw me a shower at her house. It was so nice, and since I only have a handful of friends up here, it was very casual and easy. The girls that I have met through running came, as well as one more who I met through my BAR courses. We had a great time chatting and enjoying each others' company. I have pictures, but I am too lazy to get them on the computer. I know, it would make this blog much more interesting. Sorry.

Finally, the job. I LOVE IT. Now, I am not aspiring to be a waitress for the rest of my life, but I am very happy with the place I am working, as well as the girls that I am working with . I can't lie - it is more of a bar than a restaurant, but they do have good food and I can wear jeans and a polo. There seem to be some regulars who come in, and I have been told that this is where I will really make my tips. I sort of feel like I work at Hooters, just a little, but I am trying to get over it and just try to make some money. Man was law school a great investment!!

Ok, I am headed for bed. Mike got back from his Bachelor Party in New Orleans today and is already snoring away. I don't think he has slept in 48 hours. My sisters and I are going to NOLA next weekend for my "bachelorette party." All my girls are spread around the country, so a sisters trip ended up being the best option. I am really excited about it and can't wait to get back down south.

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend and Mother's Day!! Will hopefully update sooner than later!

Ramblings of an Insomniac Bride

2010-04-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

So....I have to tell this story because it is hilarious. Right after I wrote the blog about Oprah, my parents and youngest sister went to TN to find a place for her to live next year. (She will be starting grad school.) While they were with the realtor, my other sister called to tell my mother that the lady who was doing the alterations on my wedding gown had called. Her name is Coco. (Can you see where this is going?) Mom hung up without questioning Julia, and told my father, sister and the realtor that Oprah had personally called me. I mean, seriously? I still think that is hysterical!

Hope all is well with everyone. I have been in Birmingham since last Tuesday, getting my wedding groove on. We are having final appointments with different vendors and just getting all the loose ends tied up. This past Saturday, my friends who I have grown up with threw me a bridal tea. Let me tell you something I have learned being a bride. I don't know what the heck I am doing. The tea started at 2:30 and for some reason, I decided I had plenty of time to work out, shower and get ready before we needed to leave. I did not factor in that the bride is supposed to be early to these events. As I was putting on my fabulous new blue wedges, I noted that it was 2:30. I shuffled mom and my future mother in law into the car and jumped out at the place where the super cute shower was set up. We were having tornadoes and rain all that day. As I burst through the front door (with guests looking at me because they arrived BEFORE me) I realized I probably looked like a hurricane myself. I tried to compose myself with a mimosa before I started to make the rounds.

The shower was wonderful. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, and felt so grateful that they would want to throw me a party. That evening my girlfriends and I went out for a wonderful dinner and caught up on life. It was perfect.

Aside from that, we have another shower to attend this weekend in ATL. Some of Mike's mother's friends are throwing it and I am very excited. My grandmother is coming in town from Virginia to make the party as well. I think it is going to be a blast. Oh! And we finally nailed down a honeymoon spot! We will be spending 7 luxurious day in Aruba. No Natalie Holloway comments please.

Poor Mike has been at home alone, but he seems to be doing just fine. He called me at 11 pm to tell me that his friend had "kidnapped" him and they were headed to the casinos. That's fine, I will just keep logging in all the RSVPs that we have received and writing thank you notes. I did leave him alone without thinking that we are getting presents and he is by himself with them. He opened one over the phone tonight and didn't stop until 3 were opened. I am scared of what I am going to find when I get home. He may have already had several meals on our fine china!

Oh! I forgot to tell you that I got a new job....waitressing. I know - I wasn't a very good waitress, but this basically fell into my lap. A friend of a friend owns a restaurant and asked if they knew anyone who needed a job. Ding, ding, ding! I think this is going to be a much more laid back environment, and hopefully enjoyable. They even said if I am any good, they may put me behind the bar! (I guess I don't need to tell them I spilled a beer on that 4 year old kid at my other job...)

Hope everyone is surviving this miserable pollen - I am not. Have a great week!

Oprah

2010-04-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

When you say or hear, "Oprah" isn't it funny what sort of a reaction is stirred up? Some people hate her, some people think she is fabulous, but everyone has to chime in when someone says, "Hey - did you see that Oprah yesterday?" Generally, I enjoy the show but I do think she has become a little narcissistic this late in her career. She tends to compete with the guest counselors that appear on the program to put in her two cents, and is suddenly an expert about sexual abuse and predators because she was a victim. Now don't get me wrong, I think she has probably invested a lot of money with a therapist to become an expert, but it does kind of get on my nerves. Either way she is a household name and at this point can really say whatever she wants. You can watch or not watch - it's your choice.

Monday there was a show on (the third in a series) about sexual offenders. Now, I already have a strong opinion about this and the people who offend, but I am not going to get into that here. What I was angered by was how Oprah made it so clear how much she hated anyone that has ever abused a child. It was completely skewed towards her experiences and really didn't give anyone the option of disagreeing with her. Now, I am not disagreeing, and I hope this blog doesn't become controversial, but her feelings were intense. It was no longer an afternoon talk show that is in the background while you make dinner. She was calling them monsters as she described to us the island off Washington state that is available for the "Most Violent Sex Offenders." Essentially, it is a place where sex offenders are sent AFTER they have served their criminal sentence, but a judge determines they are not fit to be re-introduced to society. More or less, this is punishing a person before they have committed a crime.

This institution is funded by tax payer dollars ($165,000 per person/year) and is basically a college atmosphere where these people may stay until they decide they want to go through the treatment system, when they may then be let out. If you never decide to attend therapy, no biggie. You can stay there until you die. Oprah LOVES this place. She LOVES that these people are locked away on an island away from society. Without going into detail, this really hit a nerve with me so I decided to join the Oprah fan club. And write her some fan mail that was not very "Fannish." I am hoping that my negative reaction among the hundreds of emails praising her strength and perseverance she will notice mine. Not so sweet. Not so loving. And she will invite me on her show.

She will say, "Today ladies and gentlemen, is a voice that has spoken out against me. Come on out, JEEEEENNNNNY!!!!" Then we will discuss the matter at hand, she will pay off my student loans and set me up with a sweet job in a Family Law Firm. Is that too much to ask?

One of my friends asked me tonight, "Do you ever feel like someone is just pushing you to see how much you can take of life sucking?" I started laughing, but not too hard because she had just gotten mugged. That's right. Here in my awesome town. In broad day light. This blog is too long, but that is your story for tomorrow.

If you DID see that Oprah, I would be interested to hear what your thoughts are on the building in Washington.

P90X and Some Blogging Competition

2010-04-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't written in about a week. The wedding mania has calmed, and I have become focused on how I am going to lose just a little bit of weight for the wedding. (This is because I made a batch of dip last night and ate the whole thing. I can't stop myself.) Anyway, dad and I decided that we would not be in shape to run a 1/2 marathon in the time we had left, and my knee was hurting from the last one, so I got the P90X videos. If you are not familiar with this program, it is a set of 12 DVDs that you do each day (with one day of resting) for 90 days. I am pretty sure they were created in hell. They promise results in 90 days if you are consistent.

The problem I have run into is that I cannot move after I complete these workouts. I am literally so sore that getting off the couch is a problem. And I am sore in places that I didn't even work out! I did push ups/pull ups the first day, and ended up with my abs screaming every time I tried to move! (And don't be fooled, I can't do a pull up.) I am also supposed to be following their diet, but I don't think a batch of dip is included, so I am opting out of that choice.

So we will see. I would love to have some definition in my arms, but it would definitely be easier if I had someone pushing me everyday. Mike came in while I was doing some sort of extreme cardio and told me I wasn't doing it the way that the people on the tv were. I yelled at him. I know, I am ashamed, but I was in so much pain, and he was standing there eating a cookie! He has learned to stay in the other room while the videos are on.

Moving right along to my next subject. I have a competitor in the blogging world! Ok, she doesn't know that we are competing, but she is really starting to irritate me. During law school, I found this girl's blog that I really liked. She has two children, is married to a surgery resident and seems to be perfect in every way. I have actually left comments on her blog and feel as though we have some sort of relationship that we clearly do not. Recently, I have been comparing myself to her. (Not the family stuff, just what she writes about.) First of all, I swear if I try to do something, she does it ten times better, and we always seem to try these things around the same time. Examples:
1) While I was training for my marathon, she decided she would train for one and of course, ran it much faster than me. (I am attributing this to longer legs, even though I have never met her.)
2) Recently I have gotten an inclination to cook and try new recipes. Of course, I click on her blog, and she has set out the recipe on how to bake bread and has pictures of bread she has baked (something like 12 loaves) that she gave out as Valentine's Day gifts!
3) Yesterday I checked her blog, and guess what she is now doing. Yes, you are correct. P90X. Are you kidding me?? I couldn't believe it. AND she is 3 days ahead of me. Ugh.

Mike doesn't understand why I am threatened by a girl I have never met. I tried to explain to him that it is like running on the treadmill at the gym and trying to go faster than the person beside you. He didn't get it. Does anyone else?

Alright, I am going to attempt to make it to the shower without further injuring myself. Hope all is well with you!

Alright, You win

2010-03-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends that have gotten married before me,

You win. When you called me with your stressors and problems before your wedding, I tried to be supportive, but was sort of thinking (and don't get offended) "Seriously? How stressful can planning a wedding be?" Well, I get it. I am officially stressed. And it's not because I am nervous about the wedding, or am getting cold feet because I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Mike. The issue is that I am not in complete control of the situation, and the days are flying by more quickly than I could have imagined. 66 Days!? When did that happen? When we got engaged with 9 months to the big day, I thought we had this under our belts. And yet, things so quickly spin out of control that somehow I have to just take a deep breath and let it go. (And yes, I am doing a lot of running!)

So what has been going on? I think the problem is that I am not physically in Birmingham to take care of things on my own timeline. Instead, I have made 2 visits where my mom, sisters and I met with so many vendors and signed so many contracts that my head was spinning. And suddenly, there were a billion things I didn't know existed...maybe I WOULD like a photo booth, or a cigar roller, or our monogram lit on the wall. (Yes, Lauren, all from your beautiful wedding!) Maybe my centerpieces should be different...Thank goodness my mom was there to keep me on track and keep me on budget!

Last week, I traveled to Birmingham to make another dent in the planning. My sisters and I stuffed and printed invitations (I can't believe they are about to go out), I went to try on my dress (that is still not completed) and met with a lady who is going to print our programs. All these little details that you really can't do until you are really close to the wedding. I am going to be gluing and tying ribbons on those programs for a week! Mike has promised to help with wedding stuff (We still don't have a honeymoon) since his comps are turned in, yet when I told him there would be 200 wedding programs delivered to glue and assemble, he informed me that he does not do arts and crafts. While I argued my point that this was a wedding for both of us, he asked me if I really wanted him to do it or just wanted him to be involved. Well played, Mike, because I don't trust you with a glue stick!

And so, I will continue to push through. No mind that I am unemployed, and spent my entire day in one place on the couch, in my pajamas yesterday emailing and calling wedding people. This too will pass. I am just ready to get my legal piece of paper, dance the night away and call Mike my husband!

Hope all is well with y'all!

The Wedding Work Out

2010-03-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this post with the fact that I don't diet. I am horrible at it and just love food too much. I may make it a few days eating healthily, but after that my cravings for a sloppy Mexican dinner or a box of macaroni and cheese take over. And so, with 83 days left until our wedding, I decided something must be done. No, I don't think I am fat, but I would like to tone some parts of my body that were forgotten while I hid inside this winter.

The first part of the plan is to get back into running. I really don't run when it is cold out. It is miserable and coming home with windburn and snow all over my shoes does not make those endorphins flow. However, it has started to warm up and I have been able to get back outside. It was while I was running the other day that I came up with my fabulous plan. I want to run a half marathon right before the wedding so that I will constantly be running and in shape. I called my dad who is considering running with me dependent on his training goes. At this point, we are looking at some races in Virginia.

However, yesterday when I woke up for my run and looked outside, it noticed it was overcast and just looked cold. (That is how I determine whether or not it is too cold. I look out the window.) I decided to pull out one of my workout DVDs (Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly and Boy Short Bottom) so I could get something in. Well, let me tell you how depressing it is to start a DVD that you used to perform with no problem, and find that you are a little light headed and sweating buckets five minutes in. I pressed on, but by the end when I was supposed to be doing push ups, I had to stop because my arms were shaking from all the work they had done up to that point. Needless to say I am limping around today and trying not to carry anything heavier than my chapstick.

So that is my wedding work out plan. Mike and I are trying to eat better which for him means cutting out chicken wings. He had his last supper last night and while placing his order over the phone, told the waitress that he was "going on a wedding diet, so please make these wings good." I think he was satisfied. Hope everyone had a great weekend - I will keep you posted on how these next 83 days turn out!

Ban on Delta

2010-03-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

First, I have to say that Mike and I just spent a fabulous weekend watching my friend get married in San Antonio. This wedding was beautiful, as was the bride, and she pulled out all the stops. Aside from having our hair and make up done, she was the calmest bride I have ever seen. She told me, "Don't worry about it!" when her bustle broke, and just continued to dance up a storm. The band was fantastic, the food delicious and the flowers beautiful. But, you know, Mike and I can't go anywhere without some sort of crisis following us, and this one hit at 10:50 when we attempted to leave the St. Louis airport.

I booked our tickets January 23rd (I know this because we went through every step of the ticketing process during this fiasco) and thought everything was fine. I used a voucher that I received when I generously gave up my seat and stayed in ATL for a night rather than heading home after a trip. The rest of the ticket price I put on my credit card. I received 3 different confirmation emails with confirmation numbers so I figured we were in the clear. Who would think that we wouldn't have a seat on that plane?

Now, Mike has never been known for his promptness, and has missed a plane or two, but never on my watch. My family was that annoying group of five that got to the airport two hours early and ran around until the plane boarded. So, somehow, usually with a little bit of conflict, we get to the airport on time. It is a struggle, but I have come to expect it, and I think we have both bent a little bit in the other direction. The problem this time, was neither of us packed the night before. We were exhausted and promised to pack in the morning. I woke up and started packing, and eventually Mike did the same. Remember the rule that you must check in within 30 minutes of your flight? That is not a joke.

35 minutes before the flight I was dragging suitcases out of the car and stumbling up to the outside ticket counter. I was immediately told that the time had run out and I was no longer in the system. However, I felt that something was amiss. I ran inside, knowing that I had 5 minutes left and asked to speak to someone at the front desk. I thought my face showed my anxiety, but I was maneuvered over to those stupid kiosks where I "could finish up." Once I put my credit card in to validate that it was me, nothing happened. I called for the lady who pushed me to the kiosk and explained the problem. We went through everything. Punching in the flight number, the credit card again, the confirmation number....nothing worked. By this time, Mike has finished parking the car and I am about to have a fit.

The kind kiosk pushing lady had us come to the counter in attempts to figure out what was wrong. She kept typing on the computer and shaking her head. I kept checking the clock, knowing we still had to go through security. Finally, I asked her to please tell us what was going on. She explained that we did have reserved seats on the plane, but it did not appear that we had actual tickets. WHAT??? She asked us why we had not called Delta to confirm our flight. I somewhat politely informed her that since we did receive a CONFIRMATION number, I assumed the flight was confirmed. At that point, she picked up the phone and started making phone calls, trying to figure out what happened. Don't worry, I am able to tell you this story precisely because I documented three pages of what was going on as it was happening. Marilyn was thrilled.

Mike, who has a calmer temperament than me, told Marilyn that if we did not get on this flight we would miss the party that we were flying in for on a Thursday in the first place. Marilyn snapped that this was really our fault because we were not at the airport an hour before the plane took off. Before I completed yelling (really - my hands were in the air and people were staring) that even if we had been there before, there were no tickets for us to use, Mike told me to take a lap. I made a quick lap around the ticket line but came back because I did not want to miss a word of what this Marilyn had to say.

I watched as Marilyn was connected three times to various people who had no idea what was going on. Finally she looked up and said "That will be $256. How would you like to pay for that?" I had to take another lap. As Mike tried to figure out why we would have to repay, I was on the phone with the bank checking to see whether the charge went through. As I came back, I heard Marilyn say to Mike, "Do you want to get on this plane or not?" (Was she threatening us??) As it was an hour and twenty minutes later, I asked our friend whether the plane was still there. No, she shook her head. "Then why are you demanding immediate payment when you have no idea what is happening?" (All the things above in quotes were actually stated by either Mike or me.)

As it turns out, when I booked the flight, the computer did not take my voucher or my money, but still saved two seats and sent us confirmation. We used the voucher again, and once Marilyn figured out the math (that took another five minutes) we had seats on the 4:45 flight. This meant that we would miss the Mexican Fiesta that evening and we would be waiting in the airport for 4 hours. Marilyn acted like she was doing us a favor because she put us in an exit row in one of our four flights. The rest of the flights, we were not even sitting together.

I am still wary of calling Delta, because I am afraid I am going to get another voucher that will trap me into flying with them again. As I sipped my bloody mary at the bar, I recounted my experience with Delta in high school where I was left in LONDON on a school trip. I still don't know how people are loyal to this company. So that was the story. We got in late Thursday night, but enjoyed the rest of the weekend immensely. Thank goodness there were no issues coming back. My voice was gone from singing along to the great songs, and I did not have the energy to yell at anyone else.

The Storm

2010-02-20T21:39:00.000-08:00

This morning, I woke up, went for a run (in a t-shirt!!) and started cleaning the house and laughing as I watched Mike vacuum our deck area again. The windows were open and I began thinking, "What a great day!" Well, of course, this could not be the case. Something had to happen. (Don't worry, everyone is alive and safe, I just got really, really angry.)

As I completed sweeping about an inch of dirt of the bathroom floor (don't judge, I hate cleaning) I brought up how excited I am to leave in December because we do not have enough space in the condo for all the junk that has accumulated between us. (Rule #425 not to live in a condo - there is no storage space.) Anyway, Mike decided that was the perfect time to look at me shocked and exclaim "December? Who said anything about leaving in December?" Y'all my heart dropped to my stomach and both started beating really quickly. "What are you talking about?" I not so politely asked. Mike continued to explain that since his revisions to his comps are due in March, he will need 12-14 months to then start his dissertation and complete it.

I don't know how to explain how I was feeling at that particular point in time. Angry, disappointed, mostly angry. For the past, at least 6 months, I have been under the impression that we were moving in December 2010. This gave me a deadline to look forward to, and although I have adjusted to some parts of St. Louis, I still miss my friends and family desperately. I also feel like I have put my career on hold. I understand that I made a decision to move up here, and another to not re-take the bar in Missouri, but that was while I was under the impression that we would be out of here within a year. I feel I was fraudulently induced to continue living up here. (I have to stay on top of my legal lingo.)

Mike informed me that I already knew this deadline, but it must have been hard for him to believe himself while I was standing there yelling and crying. Not to give you TOO much detail, but I eventually grabbed my purse and left, trying to figure out where to go to calm down. Now, keep this mental picture in mind. I am wearing spandex running pants, a running shirt and a hoodie. I have no makeup on because I had not showered since my run and - I had not showered since my run. I was a mess. Besides, I am not one of those pretty criers. My eyes get puffy and my whole face turns red.

I found myself at the mall, and was actually just going to park and compose myself (I promise) when I started thinking about going to see Valentine's Day. I have been wanting to see it, so I looked up when it started. (These are the times when I am glad to have a "smart phone.") 15 minutes. Awesome! I drove closer to the movie area and dashed inside. At that point I thought, "How great is it that I don't know anyone here? I am disgusting!" I bought my ticket and grabbed a seat in the comforting darkness. Although the theater was packed, I was on a row alone...I must have looked dangerous.

I actually enjoy going to movies by myself. No one really cares if you are by yourself and you can laugh or cry in the privacy of your own seat. A few minutes into the movie, 2 tweens did come and sit right next to my, texting throughout the entire movie. What is the deal with that? But I kept my composure and tried to relax.

Y'all - this movie is hilarious. I wasn't sure what to think based on the reviews but I was laughing and crying hysterically. I may have been a little over enthused based on my recent breakdown, but I really enjoyed all the plot lines. After the movie, I rushed to get in the car so no one would see me, and headed home. Mike and I are fine....but we are having a little discussion tomorrow. I was so tired and went to bed at 8:00. Sorry if this is a little more detail than you were expecting, but you know I am never going to write about how everything in life is roses. Let's face it - it's not, and it never makes me feel good about myself when other people write that way. It just can't be true.

I know this is getting long, but the thing I keep reminding myself of is the story my mom tells about moving to Birmingham from Virginia. Dad got a job in Birmingham and promised my mother we would only stay for five years. At the time, they had me, 2 years old and Julia, 2 WEEKS old. Mom obviously moved and waited her obligatory five years. When dad came home to tell her that he had been offered a permanent position in the department, my mother cried for a week. However, now you can't get her to move. Growing up, I remember job offers that my father had, but mom stood her ground. So maybe that's the trick. I will wait out my time here and then stabilize the situation once we move.

So that was Saturday. On the bright side, I don't have to change my blog title for another year! Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!!

This and That

2010-02-16T08:56:00.000-08:00

Well, lots of things have been going on here. First, and the thing that will have the biggest impact is: I quit my job at the restaurant. I am not going to get into all the drama that occurred (even after the stuff I already told you about), but I was miserable. Mike and I agreed that the next time one of the managers sat me down to talk about how bad I was, I could resign. Don't worry - the next day, I was sat down AGAIN, and I gave them my two weeks notice. The good thing is, I don't think they are going to make me work an entire two weeks because they view me as such an inadequate staff member. As far as finding another job, I am hoping to get back into social work. I have a few lines in the water, so if you get a chance say a little prayer. Otherwise, Mike and I will be married and broke.

Next thing...my parents just came up for the holiday (Valentine's Day and President's Day) weekend. I was so happy to see them and we had a great time just catching up, and doing a little bit of touring. Dad made reservations at a great restaurant for Valentine's Day, we visited the Schlafley Brew House and got a lot of snow! It was the first time that it had actually snowed several inches here and looked beautiful. I wish I had pictures to show you, but I never end up bringing my camera when we go out.

That's about it. Just wanted to touch base and let you know what has been going on!

Technologically Advanced

2010-02-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

I have always considered myself somewhat technologically advanced. I didn't understand why my grandmother had such trouble with email, or why my mom could not set up her Ipod. Lately though, I have noticed that I am not quite as advanced as I would like to believe. I recently got the "Droid" from Verizon. I was going back and forth between the Droid (similar to an Iphone) and a Blackberry. As the salesman was explaining the features of both, it became clear that I did not need the Blackberry as they are to keep you informed and focused within your business. Don't think I need that working at the restaurant.

So, Mike got me the Droid for Christmas. I basically handed it over to him to set up and then played with the things I knew how to do. I think I have only learned about 5% of what the phone actually does, but all I need is the ability to call people, text and send emails. All the other "apps" I have no need for. Nor do I need to be able to play air hockey on my phone, but Mike apparently does.

Getting to the point of this blog....yesterday I went to babysit my favorite kids, Jack and Jane. Jane was headed to a doctor's appointment, so it was just little man and me for a few hours. The last time I babysat him was 7 months ago. He is now 16 months, walking. pointing and grunting. When I arrived, Jack was still asleep so I got comfortable on the couch with a book. His mom had informed me that he was not feeling well and would probably sleep the entire time she was gone. 30 minutes later I heard him mumbling and moving around.

I went into the nursery to get him and we ate some fruit chews and cheetos while he woke up. (Don't judge.) We hung out for a little while before he decided to turn a movie on. He knew exactly how to go up to the television and push the power button. This should have been my first clue. As I was fumbling with the remote trying to get to the DVD setting, he sat patiently waiting. Poor little man. As the youngest, (and unable to talk) he gets no say in the movies that the kids watch. We watched the Disney Princess Sing a Long several times.

We played peek a boo, and walked up and down the stairs about five times before I realized that he didn't want to play downstairs. The playing WAS the stairs. I nixed that game. I had my purse sitting on the couch and he went right into it. All the kids I have babysat seem to love going through purses. The first thing little man grabbed was the phone. It was locked, but since it is a touch screen, after several attempts, he had it open. I didn't see anything really wrong with this - how much could he really hurt the phone? Aside from a booger I had to wipe off the front, everything was fine.

When the mom and little girl got home I got in my car and started driving home. I started to call Mike to see what he wanted for dinner and was met with a robotic voice informing me: "Warning: You are in airplane mode. No calls may be made in this mode." What?? As I drove and started pushing buttons (I know, it's not safe -I watched that Oprah) I could not figure out what in the world this little guy had figured out that I could not. FINALLY after about five minutes of pushing random buttons, I made it into the "airplane mode area" and was able to disable that function. I went to the grocery store, ate dinner and went to bed. The only thing I found odd was that I was not receiving any texts or alerts that I had emails. I attributed it to the fact that I am just not that popular and went to bed.

This morning I woke up and noted that, according to my phone, I still did not have any emails. I always get a report from Robin at CNN telling me the top stories of the day. I realized that I probably had not offended Robin and something was again off with my phone. So I played around with it until I found another secret compartment that turns off any access to the internet. Ok - no problem. Everything was fixed. But wait - why do I just have a list of names in my contact sheet rather than a list of names and numbers? I don't know what happened, how it happened or what little man pushed, but I have lost all my phone numbers. Every single one, except, and this is interesting, the name and number of the minister we are using for our wedding. Is that some odd game from above? I don't know. All I know is I cannot call you. I cannot text you. If you are interested in communicating with me, please email me your phone number! blackburn.jb@gmail.com

The final lesson: Don't underestimate a 16 month old!!

Wedding Stuff

2010-01-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

I have tried not to make too many of these blogs about the wedding, because honestly, before I got engaged, I didn't like to read about other people planning for their big day that I was still anxiously awaiting. Call it jealousy, and immaturity, but I really didn't. Regardless, I am going to talk about one of the most fun wedding planning parts I have encountered. Registering. How fun is that?? They literally let you go around with a scanner (unmonitored) and scan whatever you want.

It was funny when we started because I am very decisive and it takes Mike a little while to make decisions. He wanted to view all the options before he started clicking on things. Not me. He left for a few minutes and was quickly back because he said all he heard was obsessive beeping, and he knew it could be none other than his fiance.

The problem that comes with registering (at least in my case) is I lost all control. I was like a kid in a candy store. Yes, some of my purchases may seem expensive or silly now, but I was able to create a story behind every one of them.

Mike: Why do you think we need this heart shaped muffin pan?

Me: This is for when Mikey Jr. and I are baking you cupcakes to surprise you after a long day at work.

(Who can argue with that?)

Mike: Why do we need the Dyson DC25 Upright Lightweight Vacuum?

Me: Oh babe, once we get our lab, you know how much she will shed. And once the kids are playing on the floor, do you really want them to ingest mold and fungus that the vacuum could easily take care of? You want to risk the health of our kids for our registry?

He didn't argue anymore on that particular issue, but I am pretty sure he just gave up. I have extravagant dinner parties in mind (for which I need a lot more friends and a better job), ideas of making Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for my family, and I am already decorating our new house. The registry really does represent to me the beginning of our new life together. Yes, I may have a can opener from 1992, but isn't it time we moved into the world of electric can openers?

And so, among the concerns that we still don't have a minister, and that I have to learn calligraphy and address 150 envelopes in the next 2-3 months, the registering process is a little light that keeps me going. (Did you know you can even access these babies on line??! I check everyday to see if anyone has invested in that super powered vacuum yet.) Hey - it's still early.

O.M.G.; O.O.C.

2010-01-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

This is how I feel about work right now. I know that a lot of these posts are about my serving experience, but let's be honest...what else is going on? Since I came back from Alabama, I have noticed that things were a little tense at work. Some of the girls were being catty, which didn't really surprise me, but I didn't understand it. Soon, I made the connection of who was trying to fire me and why. I was told that one of the servers was dating our old kitchen manager. No...not Killer, but another 22 year old with a weird goatee that went down close to his chest.

For some reason, the kitchen guy noticed me and decided that he liked me. (I am patting myself on the back - this is not an accomplishment.) Well, his girlfriend decided that I was trying to steal the bearded child away and made sure to talk about me to all the girls there. There were a few who stuck by me, but most of the girls made sure to keep away. Now, I would like to just take a minute to look at the facts. A) Everyone knows that I am engaged. Why the hell would I break off my engagement and relationship of many, MANY years, to date a guy that manages a pizza joint? B) Does a bearded bald kid who is 7 years younger than me really seem like my type?? Where is this logic coming from??

The next super fun thing that happened is that I was sat down by one of my managers, who proceeded to tell me that the only thing I was bringing to my job was a "sparkling personality." Apparently my serving skills are "inadequate" and she has recently new servers who will do a much better job than me. I held it together until I got out of the restaurant and then started crying. I told Mike I was writing my resignation letter right that second. After a lot of reasoning, Mike convinced me to sleep on it and see how I felt the next day. Surprise! I still wanted to quit. But, the deal is, I have to have another job to start before I quit this one. Apparently this "marriage" thing gives Mike a say in what is going on.

At this point, I think we are having a race as to whether I will resign or be fired first. Tonight I messed up a pizza, and finally, after much patience, I yelled at the girl that has created a coup against me. They still have to grade my beer and wine test, so who knows where things will go. In the meantime, if anyone has connections in St. Louis, let me know!! I will nanny, do social work, and some legal stuff if they let me!! HELP!!!

I'm Back

2010-01-07T11:43:00.000-08:00

So, I made a whopping $19 at work today. No one wants to drive/walk though snow to eat pizza. This is the time for delivery, which is something that we don't do. Currently, I am supposed to be finding a good chili recipe, but I thought I would blog instead. We had a great 2 week holiday in the South. We visited both Birmingham and Atlanta, so we got both families in. When we got to Birmingham, I don't think Mike knew what he was getting into.

Because we only come into town briefly, I crammed a ton of wedding things to do into 2 days. We saw florists (Mike did not attend those meetings), took engagement pictures, and tasted food. I don't think I am cut out for modeling. The photographer kept telling me to "relax" and "look natural" while I was leaning up against a wall with my hand over my head. On the other hand, Mike has either already been married, or modeled in a previous life. The photographer kept saying, "Way to go Mike!" "Ooh - great pose Mike!" Between the two of us, we got some really good shots and some really cheesy and amusing ones.

Now we are back in St. Louis. Yes. It is cold, but I know that it is cold all over the country. The only difference between here and the South is that things do not shut down for a little snow, or even the slight chance that there will be snow. I know half the schools were closed in Birmingham last night before even one flake fell. In contrast, while snow was building up outside our window last night, I was wondering if you get snow days for working in a restaurant. Nope. You don't.

Now, I have to tell you what I got for Christmas. Lots of jewelry, clothes and books, which I always love. The best thing was the THREE slow cooker recipe books that I got. This is a life saver and may help Mike and I get thin again. The nights that I work at the restaurant are usually a free for all, and I end up finding wing carcasses when I get home. I try to get a salad, but really, after being on your feet and staring at pizza all night, who wants a salad?? I am hoping the slow cooker will get us back on track.

I think that's about it. The best thing about the holidays was that our families were all together. Even Julia, who is exploring Iceland and the Caribbean these days, was able to come home. We enjoyed spending time together, and just hanging out, knowing that everyone was there.

I hope you all enjoyed the holidays - gotta find a chili recipe now!

Quick update

2010-01-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

Just so you don't think I am leaving you hanging...I wrote an entire post yesterday and then somehow sent it into blog heaven. I have no idea where it went. So, quick update before I leave for work. It snowed here last night and is actually really pretty - much better than the gloomy gray weather we have been having instead.
I am super excited about the Alabama game tonight, but also concerned because while watching the game, I will be studying for my "beer and wine" test tomorrow. That's right. You read that correctly. I get a blank piece of paper and write down everything I know about the beverages.
Lastly, Christmas hit our condo hard. We still have presents sitting in the kitchen (and they are not kitchen devices) and the tree is still up. More later!

My New BFF

2009-12-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

I was dreading going into work this morning. I had almost a week off because I was sick, and then had a few days off anyway, and was really getting into the Christmas spirit. The spirit was killed when I put on my black tennis shoes and khakis, but I headed to work anyway. We had a busy lunch, which is always great - more money! But as I was refilling the parmesan cheese at the end of my shift (yes, I have to do this) I started staring at a girl at one of the tables. I asked my co-worker, "Doesn't she look familiar??" I couldn't place her but just kept staring. Jokingly, my co-worker said, "Maybe she is some famous movie star...." My reply: "I really think she is!"

I discovered we were making a scene when a lady, who I assumed was the girl's mother starting nodding and pointing at her daughter. I went over and asked her, "How do I know that girl?" She whispered back, "She is Erin on 'The Office.'" The following was a show of what I can only call embarrassing behavior. I started talking to her mother exclaiming how much we love "The Office" and how we Tivo it when we are not available. (That was not important information for anyone to know.) Somehow or other, "Erin" got dragged into the conversation and started talking with us. Just three besties hanging out. Me, Erin and Erin's mom. I have to say, she was incredibly nice and apparently a great tipper as well.

I trapped her for at least 5 minutes while we talked, and discovered that her family lives in St. Louis and she is home for the holidays. (Mike later suggested that we find out where her parents live and stop by the house with some cookies.) I did consider asking for her autograph, but held myself back. As she left, we shook hands (I know - I touched her!) and I was still in awe of how nice she was. Then in a moment of weakness, I ran outside and yelled, "Erin! (So not her real name.) Tell John Krasinski I love him!" My cool factor may have plummeted after that, but the entire interaction made my day. Now I wonder who I will see at dinner!

The Holiday Card Dilemma

2009-12-20T02:57:00.000-08:00

How long is long enough for a Christmas card to be sent out picturing you and your significant other? Remember on Friends when Mona wanted to send a Christmas card out together with Ross after dating for two months? In the book of Michael Cherbonneau, Rule #64, "Thou shalt not send picture Christmas cards until thou are engaged." And so, after 6.5 years of dating, the photo shoot began.

Don't get me wrong. I always send out Holiday cards, and over the last two or three years have included some of our mutual friends. The difference is the PICTURE. Somehow or other, this makes the relationship more real and maybe begins to question the future. Regardless, Mike and I decided to send out Holiday Cards/Save the Dates together in one. Perfect idea - people have to stare at our faces for a month while reading over and over again when they should be planning to arrive at our wedding. The only problem is...December got a little crazy. By the time we got the tree up and decorated, it was December 15. Keep in mind, I like to have my cards out by the 5th of December, and was feeling extremely anxious with this 10 day extension.

I changed into my red dress, while Mike dressed in a button down and slacks. (Does anyone say slacks anymore? I am bringing it back.) As I applied the last touch, some red lipstick, I realized, "We have no one to take this picture!" If you recall, we don't have a lot of friends in the building as they all have at least 30 years on us. I trudged next door to our neighbors who we do see in passing, but I did back into their car. Things could go either way. After knocking twice, I considered who else's life I could interrupt for 30 minutes. The lady down the hall with a seeing eye dog and "prescription" marijuana? Our nosey friend Cookie, who would surely then believe she was invited to the wedding...or Elyse, the immigrant from West Germany who told us she likes to kill the rabbits with her shovel in the spring because they ruin her garden. Thank goodness my normal neighbor, Cathy finally opened up.

She looked me up and down and I watched the wheels turn in her head. "Why is she so dressed up at 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon?" "Do you think they want us to go get dinner with them? We hardly know them." "Are they going to make me keep their dang cat again?" When I finally explained that we needed a photographer, she jumped at the bit. She even offered her tripod, but I thought that would be a bit much. She entered our condo to find all the ornament boxes pushed to one side of the living room so they would be out of the way of the picture.

I gave her my camera, which she quickly took two or three shots from and decided it was not worthy. She informed us she was going to her camera because it was "easier to operate." The camera was a monster, but took some great photos and left us with a lot to choose from. She had us standing up, sitting down, beside the tree, etc. She was so helpful and later dropped off a bottle of champagne to celebrate our engagement. I have decided they are our new best friends in the building.

I uploaded the pictures to my computer and then realized that is about as far as my knowledge extends in the world of pictures and creations. I finally figured out Snapfish and ordered 300 Save the Dates. Wow!? You may be thinking. 600 guests is a lot to expect. Well, yes it is, but I continue to want to send an invitation to everyone, rather than just one part of the couple. I tried to do the same thing with our actual invitations, but my mother was there to stop me. So now we have 150 extra pictures of us hanging out by the tree. If you want to frame one in your house, you are more than welcome to it!

Hope everyone is having a happy holiday season and not putting off your shopping until the last minute like me!

Sweet Home Alabama

2009-12-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

If you ever move to Alabama, be prepared for the following two questions: "What team do you support?" and "What church do you go to?" (In that order.) When you move to Alabama, be aware that what people are asking is whether you favor the University of Alabama, or Auburn University. My parents are from Virginia, and while some may consider this the south, as it is below the Mason Dixon line, it really isn't. If you have been living under a rock, the University of Alabama just won the SEC Championship. Now, if you live in the south, you care about this. If you live in St. Louis, you are hard pressed to find any SEC games on television. Regardless, back to the beginning.

My parents like to remind me of the first Iron Bowl (Alabama v. Auburn) that I "celebrated" when I was enrolled in school. I had no idea of the rivalry as my parents went to Virginia Tech and my dad is more engrossed in the Red Sox. When I was told during gym class that I would have to show up on Friday wearing my Alabama or Auburn gear to determine which kick ball team I would be on, I freaked out. I'm really not sure what reaction my mother had, I was too young, but I ended up at school in a white shirt and a red bow in my hair. (We already had these staples and although I did not have a big "A" on my shirt, I looked enough of the part to join the team.) And so, another Alabama fan was born.

Each year after that, I was proud to wear my white shirt and red bow to school and claimed Alabama as my team when asked "who do you go for?" I had no idea when these games were on or who was playing, but my commitment was solidified. (Besides, orange just really isn't a good color on me. My mom must have noticed.)

When you drive into Alabama, you will see more bumper stickers, flags and other paraphernalia supporting one of these teams. My favorites (and one of my friends fits into this category) is when there is "A house divided." That is, one person in the household either went to Alabama or Auburn or has a strong support for them, while the other spouse supports the other team. Although you may think this is not a big deal, it is. I have no doubt that many a domestic dispute has begun after the Iron Bowl.

And so, the University of Alabama will play Texas in the National Championship. At this point, Nick Saban is God of Alabama and all is good in the world.

Stressors

2009-12-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, I am back. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is gearing up for the holiday season. I finally got the tree up last night and a few Christmas knick knacks that makes our condo just a little more fun to live in! By the way, one thing I have noticed up here is that very few people use live Christmas trees. I always thought live ones were the norm, but maybe I am wrong. Last year after a lot of discussion, I gave in and bought a fake tree from Target. The reasoning was that we live in a condo and Mike told me that live trees are fire hazards and not allowed. I still don't know if I believe him, but at least I have a tree.

So the question of the day is: How do you handle stress? Generally I run or yell at people and am able to deal with it that way. (The running is really best since I am in the "restaurant biz.") Regardless, generally after I finish running or yelling, I feel much better and am able to go on about my day. Since Thanksgiving, something has been building that neither running, yelling or crying can take care of. (Believe me, I have tried them all - poor Mike.) My body has begun to internalize my stress and I can barely move my neck due to the large knot surrounding my spine. Don't worry - I did first think that it was a brain tumor but it keep changes positions, so I am pretty sure I am in the clear as far as that goes.

I cannot for the life of me pin point what the problem is. However, last night as I was trying to go to sleep (ROLL TIDE!) I realized it is probably several things that I cannot fix and have all been building up to cause my neck to hurt. If you are already bored, you may want to stop reading, because I am about to list my issues.....

First, I have been stabbed in the back at my job. Not kidding. I found out the other day that one of my co-workers is trying to get me fired!! Here's how it went down. One of my best friends at work is the dishwasher...he takes care of me when I am running around by putting my dishes up, or telling me to calm down when he can tell I want to kill a rude customer. He is also my eyes and ears in the back which is where the managers talk about people. (They don't have an office and apparently think that no one that works in the kitchen is listening to them.) SO - the other day he reminded me to stay calm while I am working because one of the managers is trying desperately to get me fired. WHAT?? I have a feeling of who it is, but I was shocked because no one has sat me down to tell me any major things that I am doing wrong.

When I came back into the kitchen, I asked my buddy what I was doing wrong. He then dropped the bomb by explaining to me that one of my co-workers has been complaining about me to the managers. Seriously?? He then told me that it was someone that I have been out to have drinks with. Well, that is easy. I have only been out to have drinks once, and I knew exactly who he was talking about. So, I confronted another manager who, of course, played dumb. So we shall see. All I can say is that if I get fired from a pizza joint, I'm not sure my life can get any lower!

The next thing that I believe is contributing to the knot in my neck is our upcoming wedding. Don't worry, I am thrilled and truly can't wait for June 5th to arrive, but I don't like loose ends and there are a lot of them still out there. I have been having a lot of dreams about the wedding where everything goes wrong. Examples: My dad is no where to be found to walk me down the aisle; Mike is not at the alter when I get up there (Do you think I have abandonment issues?) Another favorite is when my bridesmaids show up in different dresses because they are going to someone else's wedding!! The list goes on and on and I always wake up thinking, "what the hell was that all about?" I just want every contract signed, sealed and delivered ASAP so I don't have to worry about them anymore.

I believe the final issue is that fact that I have been searching for a "real job" for over a year and have not been able to find anything. It is stressful knowing that your salary depends on how the people you are serving feel that night. Additionally, it appears that with the recession, people are not coming to eat pizza as often as they have in years past, and are willing to eat the pizza as long as the skimp on the tip. Aside from the money, I cannot handle my odd hours which leave me with no social life. I recognize it was not big in the first place, but even Mike and I are on different schedules, which makes things stressful. I have worked 6 days in a row and will be doing the same thing next week. It is exhausting.

So - that is what is going on. Sorry to unload everything, but I haven't really had a chance to get to the computer....I hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit and enjoying shopping and spending time with friends and family.

Finally - Happy Birthday to my sister Laura!!!

Some Southern Charm

2009-11-23T12:11:00.000-08:00

I have been told not to say "y'all" at work anymore. If you live in the south, I ask you to try to remove this word from your vocabulary for an hour. It's impossible. I have grown up saying "y'all" and asking me to stop is incredibly hard. The reasoning behind this is because I "don't work at a honkey-tonk." Well, that was a little offensive. I was even more appalled when they told me what word I could use instead. "Folks." "Hi folks, how are you?' Doesn't that sound a little bit red neck?? The reasoning behind this is that we are supposed to use only gender neutral terms. Apparently, "Hey guys" is insulting because it insinuates that we are catering to a male crowd. Who knows. Regardless, I am not cutting y'all out of my vocabulary even though it appears that some customers don't understand it.

It seems that my combination of a southern accent and the fact that I am a fast talker makes it difficult for the customers to understand me. Don't ask me how many times I have been asked to repeat something, and don't even get me on the phone. It is a recipe for disaster since the caller can't attempt to read my lips. I asked a gentleman if I could get "all y'all's" plates out of the way the other evening. He was sitting by himself at the table, but had several children that were running around the restaurant and clearly done eating. He asked me who exactly I was addressing when I said, "All y'all." I tried to explain but eventually just gave up and cleared the plates.

Finally, a little anecdote. Sorry I write about this restaurant so much, but let's face it, that's all I do. Anyway, I worked my first Friday night shift a few days ago. I was doing well, holding my own, until I decided to venture outside my section and "help" my fellow servers. There were multiple drinks up at the bar, so I grabbed a tray and headed towards a table of about 6 kids and 4 moms. The moms were partaking in a little alcoholic stress relief while the children ran rampant. As I got to the table, one of the moms distracted me by commenting on my engagement ring. As I began to talk about the engagement, I slowly forgot that I had a tray full of drinks in my other hand. Then I realized there was an odd wailing sound coming from the ground. I looked under the table and noticed that I was stepping on a small child. I don't know why she was sitting on the ground and not her seat, but that threw me over the edge. I started to apologize for stepping on the kid and watched in slow motion as a Bud Light fell off the tray onto the child. I apologized profusely and then ran away. (Remember - this wasn't even my table!)

Later I looked over and the child had no shirt on while she ran around with her buddies. The mom ended up buying a t-shirt from our establishment to keep her child from being naked. I didn't really say anything until the end of the night when I asked the table's server how they had tipped. He said he did well, so I felt it ok to confess my small act of clumsiness. As one of my friends stated, at least it wasn't red wine!!

What Were You Protected From?

2009-11-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

I have gotten into the bad habit of staying up late. Not 11 or 12 at night, but closer to 1:30 or 2. The problem is, I get in from work and want to wind down by watching a little t.v. before I go to bed. Before I know it, I have watched multiple DVRd shows and it is suddenly 2 am.

When we were growing up, watching tv was a revered activity. We were allowed one hour after school on PBS and then I was allowed to watch "Our House" on Sundays at 6 pm and Star Trek: The Next Generation with my parents. I don't remember anything about "Our House" except that it had Brenda from 90210 and the Quaker Oats guy in it. I will get back to the Star Trek issue. I was not allowed to watch cartoons. Each Saturday I would wake up, creep to my parents' door and knock while quickly asking, "Can we watch cartoons today?" I asked every Saturday, somehow thinking that this weekend would be the time that my mom and dad threw all their parenting beliefs out the window. But sometimes, when my parents were so exhausted, it actually did work, and my sister and I would let ourselves fall into the mystical worlds of magical ponies and Care Bears.

We read a lot growing up, which I think is a wonderful thing to instill in your child. I would still prefer to pick up a good novel than to flip through the tv with no idea of what will be on. The thing that we were allowed to do was watch movies. Usually once a week we would head to the local Movie Gallery where the three of us fought over which movie we would rent. I still am not sure why we were not allowed to watch cartoons when we were allowed to rent cartoon movies. But I was reminded of something the other night when I was up watching "Annie" at 2 am. My mother loves old musicals and would bring us "Oliver," "My Fair Lady" or "Annie" and attempt to convince us that this would be more interesting than watching "The Little Mermaid" for the 10th time. If we happened to give in, we would go home to watch a musical. We memorized the songs, and my best friend and I acted some of them out.

The funny thing is, I don't think that my mother's recollection of these movies was as clear as she believed. Have you seen "Oliver" lately? It is about a kidnapped orphan who spends his time in a bar with a whore and a killer. Ok, how about "Annie?" I was shocked the other night to see that the movie ends with Annie almost being pushed off an abandoned bridge! (And Ms. Hannigan is an alcoholic!) When I was younger, I remember thinking it was very odd that Carol Burnett was drinking all of her perfume throughout the movie. All I remembered from theses movies as a child were the songs. "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow..!" And let us not forget that I was allowed to watch Star Trek instead of cartoons. Each of those cast members are armed and dangerous! Destroying planets and space ships were weekly occurrences. Was that better than Mickey Mouse?

I still give my parents a hard time about this. I get it - you don't want the television to be a babysitter, and inspiring creativity through reading is important, but my mom still can't give me an answer as to what was wrong with My Little Pony. On that note, I guess I am going to go read my book.

You Know You're Too Old When...

2009-11-09T19:40:00.000-08:00

I am sitting at our kitchen table eating a Lean Cuisine and drinking wine. (Don't worry - that is not all I am going to eat...that is just all I have scavenged so far.) I had such a crappy day at work that I came home and starting calling people to see if they wanted to get a beer and some dinner with me. Too bad all three people I know up here have real jobs and are already in their pajamas. So, I opened a bottle of wine, (Mike is at school) and then got in trouble because I did not recognize that that specific bottle was bought in Iceland and we were saving it for a special occasion. Oops. I guess I am having my special occasion tonight!

This leads into the title of this post. You know you are too old to be waitressing when you come home from work and everyone you know is in their pajamas, or in bed. Additionally, I am a horrible waitress. I have only worked four days, but I get really frustrated when I can't pick things up right away, particularly when it is something that 18 year olds do on a regular basis.

I worked a double shift today. I made $14 at lunch (Yes, you read that correctly) and not much more at dinner. The problem is, I feel the need to make sure that entire restaurant is under control, and with that goes control of my section. We have a "team service" policy at the restaurant, which means that you never actually have a true server. One person may take your order, while another brings your food, and the last takes your check. I have a hard time letting go of controlling my tables and anyone elses, which leads to no one getting taken care of.

I got a lot of 10% tips tonight, and if you have been out to eat recently, that is not the norm. I would like to say that it is just a pizza place, but the place is run by the gestapo. Every little thing is an issue. "Is that coke halfway empty?" Must be filled. "How many napkins are on that table? There better not be more than the amount of people eating here." (I throw away a lot of napkins.)

So the whole thing about being too old for this...
1) You know you are too old to be a waitress when you work a double shift and then spend the next day in bed exhausted.
2) You are too old to be a waitress when your shins and feet are aching from the super cool black high tops you have worn for the past 6 hours.
3) My pet peeve - You know you are too old to be a waitress when 22 year olds come in and are snotty to you because Daddy's money is buying everything. Oh just wait, young ladies - Daddy will stop supporting you and you just might end up with an expensive degree working at a restaurant. I refused to go back to a table when some 20 something looked me up and down and then looked at her friend while I was serving them drinks. (Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry multiple glasses on a tray??)

And now I feel better. A few glasses of wine, and I am now on a bowl of noodles covered in ranch dressing. (Yum!!) I might just watch Heroes and head to bed. Thank goodness I have tomorrow off...Just remember....tip your servers, that could be you one day!!

St. Louis Seasons

2009-11-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

Right now seems the perfect time to tell you about the seasons in St. Louis. The leaves are turning, the weather is crisp and the sun is out. Sounds like a beautiful fall day, right? Don't be fooled. It is a beautiful fall day, but winter is coming, and it is coming soon.

Here's the deal. Birmingham, AL does not experience four seasons. We experience summer and fall. There are a few days of spring thrown in there that are always nice, and a few days when you need to grab your coat because it has gotten below 40 degrees. For the most part a heavy sweater and jeans will do. Oh yes, I owned wool pea coats, scarves and hats before I moved here, but let's be honest, it was all in the name of fashion. Did you know that scarves really were made for the purpose of keeping your neck warm?

Last winter was extremely difficult for me. I didn't know what to expect and when snow and ice started falling and the world did not stop I was horrified. If and when it snows in Birmingham, everyone lines up at the Piggly Wiggly to buy milk and bread and then either play in the snow or sit in their houses waiting for this tragedy to melt. Schools are cancelled. Work may be cancelled, and it is a perfectly legitimate excuse to call into work to tell them you are nervous about driving in the snow. (Keep in mind, the snow is usually about 1/2 an inch thick.)

Things are different up here. Last year I heard there was an ice storm headed to St. Louis, but I was still in the mindset of being in Alabama. Bad move. For some reason, I didn't have my car in the garage and when I woke up the next day, I found it covered in ice. On my way down to the car, I slipped on the ice covering the brick stairs and hit my head. However, I had to be at Pottery Barn Kids in less than 10 minutes and things were not looking good. I tried to shake my head out and headed carefully down to the car. When I say the car was covered in ice, I mean sheets of ice. Did I mention I didn't have an ice scraper? Even if I had, I don't know that it could have cut through at least an inch of ice that was on my windshield. Then I tried to get into the car. The freaking car was frozen shut! I had one leg up on the door while I yanked at the handle. When it finally popped open I jumped in and turned on the heat because, let's face it, I didn't have gloves on. (Disclaimer: my friend from Alabama was also trying to yank her car door open and the handle fell off. I am not the only one who had no idea what to do in this situation.)

I sat in the car and waited for the windshield to defrost. I waited. And waited. Nothing was happening because the ice was so thick. So I decided to use the old trick I learned in Alabama. I grabbed my driver's license and was headed out to scrape the windshield. (I know, it was stupid.) When I attempted to open the door, I realized I was now stuck INSIDE the car. I began panicking. (Keep in mind that my head was still cloudy from the incident on the stairs.) What in the world? I was now laying horizontally across my front seats trying to kick the door out. It worked. The driver's license trick didn't. When I got back in the car, I called my manager. She was annoyed that I was late and said to me, "Didn't you know there was an ice storm coming? It's been all over the news!?" Yes I knew. I just didn't recognize what a real ice storm meant.

When I finally got to work, my headache was getting worse and my eyes were fully dilated. I started crying (because that's what I do) and asked to go home. Again, manager not happy,but she let me leave. No one would let me drive because they were sure that I had a concussion, so I had to get a ride home with a co-worker that I had never met. I laid in the bed the rest of the day and tried to recover from my exhausting and terrifying morning.

So after that story can you see why I am dreading winter? I feel a little more prepared this year. I have scarves and boots that are made to keep me warm and I will never make the mistake of not parking in the garage again! People keep saying that since we had such a mild summer, the winter is going to be bad. What was last year??

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween and try to stay warm as the winter sets in!!

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I will be working tonight while everyone attends fun parties, but that is alright. I like Halloween, but it is not my die hard favorite holiday like it is for some. I think my lack of creativity ruins it for me. I am always amazed at the people that think of the most random things to dress up as, and spend weeks gluing things together, and adding that final ribbon so they can win that first place trophy for best costume. I wish I had that talent.

Because I don't, I am going to write about another side of Halloween that I think we have all recognized. American women seem split right down the middle as to whether it is ok to use Halloween as an excuse to dress up in your most provocative outfit and walk around. I am not one of these people. A friend and I were laughing the other day about how many costumes are sold each year simply by putting the word "Sexy" in front of the noun. "Sexy witch, sexy fairy, sexy mouse??" are just a few of the ones that I have seen. My friend bought the "Sexy Cruella de Ville" costume (not a joke) a few years ago just to use the wig.

Don't get me wrong, I tried the "sexy" look my freshman year in college. The problem was, I did not consider the multiple pounds I had put in in the first few months after leaving home, and the sexy nurse and sexy fairy that I tried to pull off were just a mess. And let's not forget that October 31 is well into fall. Those costumes do not allow for a sweatshirt to keep you warm!

Going to school in New Orleans was a treat for many reasons, but Halloween was a major celebration. We dressed up for a week and never felt out of place. You could wear a purple wig out a week before Halloween and people would just walk by without blinking an eye. (Four of us did this, along with purple eye lashes....) After that first year I began to think about what would be comfortable. Think about how much you walk when you are in college. So first on my list was how I could incorporate tennis shoes into my outfit. Sophomore year, my roommates and I went as a Happy Meal. I was the Big Mac, with two sets of fries and a milkshake in tow. We got those packets of ketchup and mustard and glued them to barrettes for our hair, threw on a pair of jeans and were good to go.

Junior year I was several things, including a green M&M, but the most memorable was an incredibly politically incorrect cab driver. If I ever run for office, those pictures will need to be burned. However, once again, I was able to make jeans a part of the costume. I think my senior year my roommate and I went as jailbirds. We bought prisoner costumes and walked around. The felt like pajamas, I kept on my tennis shoes and I was comfortable all night.

As we have gotten older, it seems like Halloween is more fun for my friends who have kids. Who doesn't want to see a little 2 year old dressed up in something that she cannot pronounce? Instead, I look forward to completing a long day at work, coming home and drinking a glass of wine. Maybe I will just throw on a witch hat to be festive. Enjoy the day and be safe!!

PS - Happy Birthday R.K. Coley!!!