Thursday, January 31, 2008

Reason I Love My Husband #687

I had to go to the dentist(lucky me!). I suddenly realized that I didn't think I had my insurance card or knew anything about it (it's a new one). Luckily, Mrs. S's mother works at my dentist so I knew it would be ok, just frustrating and embarrassing.

Me: Um....I don't think.... I have an insurance card...

Mrs. S's Mother: It's ok dear, (your husband) took care of it last week when he was here.

Is he fabulous or what? He knows me so well.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Pie and Tart

How can you not just pull them out of the picture, cover them in chocolate, and eat them right up with a side of ice cream? By far the cutest kids ever, not that I'm biased. Oh, and I made that totally cool big sister shirt that Pie is wearing because I'm a rockin' good Auntie La La like that!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Good Karma

I greeted my husband at the door last night and found a package at my feet. I was shocked to see it addressed to me since I wasn't expecting anything. Do you know who it was from?

JENNY!

Is she the sweetest thing ever or what? She read about my love for Beyond Paradise and sent me a nearly full bottle. She apparently has perfume issues as I do and Beyond Paradise doesn't work for her.

It certainly works for me though and she was so kind and thoughtful as to send me some of my very own. I'm so glad she did. I was down to just a wee bit left in a travel sized bottle and had been using it very sparingly. At $68 per bottle I wasn't planning on purchasing any time soon.

Jenny--I want to come give you a big fat kiss, a glass of sweet tea, and some chicken and dumplins. (That's quite a thing for a southern girl!)

Words cannot express how surprised, excited, and loved I felt by her random act of very sweetness. I must have put out some good karma at some point for this to come back to me. I'm already planning ot pay it forward. Having someone be so sweet to me makes me want to run out and do the same thing right now!

Jenny--you're the best!

Monday, January 28, 2008

She's Here!

Little Miss Tart arrived this afternoon at 4:15 weighing in at 7 pounds and 10 ounces and 21 inches long. She's healthy, beautiful, and I can't wait to visit her in 2 weeks and kiss those little cheeks! J and I are looking forward to spending time with her, new big sister Miss Pie, and their wonderful parents, also known as my only girlfriend who knew me when I had big pink glasses and the only thing bigger than those were my bangs. (In my defense, her glasses were big and green and her bangs were "rainbow bangs").


Hey, I think Bex is looking pretty good for just having popped a watermelon through a lemon hole. And she did it naturally just because she could! What a women!

Friday, January 25, 2008

How You Live

(Point of Grace)


Wake up to the sunlight With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin
So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew


And it's not what you did
It's how you live
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Ways in which the last week has made me old, very old.

  1. J and I just dropped a thousand dollars.....on building supplies.
  2. We were excited about number 1.
  3. J bought me my very own work gloves with suede palms and hook and loop wrists for a snug fit.
  4. We were excited about number 3. (Hey--his were way huge on me and very inefficient.)

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Va-Va-Va-Vacation!

All this chilly weather has my mind on vacation. Ok, so the fact that it is a new year has my mind on vacation. Ok, my mind is always in a resort with mojitos, a wine bar, and massages.

J and I are planning inexpensive mini-vacations this year to save up for a big vacation next year when he graduates with his MBA: Europe, get ready!

As soon as I got my raise, A pointed out that now I could come visit her in DC. Yea! I'm so glad she offered. She has a spare room so J and I are headed there in March for a four day weekend in the capital city. J hasn't been in several years and I've not been since November 2006 when I visited A. We'll do all the normal stuff but I also want to go to the top of the Washington Monument and to the Holocaust Museum, two things I've never done.

In April, J and are hoping a trip to Florida works out. He has a business trip to Orlando and hopefully I'll be able to tag along. We'll stay with my GG (great-grandmother) and get to visit my Grammy and aunts and uncles as well. We've not been there since October 2006 so this will be exciting. Even better is it will only be the cost of a rental car and my plane ticket and I'm hoping my Grammy will pony up for it because she spoils me like that..

J is taking me backpacking/camping this spring as well. May the force be with me.

Then the end of summer/first of fall will be the big splurge. We're planning a week long retreat to a snaz resort with the S's. I can only imagine the fun to be had and the debauchery to ensue. We've not nailed down the location just yet, but I've heavily pulling for the one with the lazy river. An entire week of floating around with a nice cold beer or mint julep. Bliss! Also don't tell J that I've scheduled a photoshoot on the beach because how cute will we be at sunset in coordinating outfits? It's never to early to think about Christmas card photos.

That's all that is on the agenda, thus far which doesn't include small roadtrips (at least two to West Virginia, one to Memphis, and I'm sure a dozen or so to Chattanooga.) However I'm hoping if there is any money left in the vacation account I can get a trip to Charleston, SC. I love that place and we've not been there since we were engaged in 2005.

So tell me, what are your vacation plans this year? Anyone up for a lazy river with me and Mrs. S? I'll bring the tequila, you bring the limes!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Inclimate weather

This morning MyTown was covered in a layer of ice. Pooch and I stepped out on the front proch this morning and both did a splatter and spin Bambi style. We get weather like this about every three years, so in true Tennessee fashion the whole town went apeshit!

Quick! Run out for milk and bread! Go faster, there could be black ice! Take this route, there are extra bridges! Hey-go down that hill! It looks extra big and icy!

There were right at 250 accidents reported in MyTown alone. That doesn't include the surrounding areas.

I grew up on top of a mountain in West Virginia where ice and several inches to a foot of snow were common occurances throughout the winter. There, however people have snowboots on hand, know to drive slowly, wait for roads to be salted, and good grief only go get milk and bread if you need it!

Now I'm off to check out the evening news. I'm certain there will be someone with a mullet, missing their teeth, and no semblance of grammer or the English language who will be around to tell their story about the trip to get milk and bread.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Why else would I have these bags?

I have reusable canvas totes for the grocery store. I set them on the counter this evening as one of the over zealous teen girls began unloading my cart. She was very friendly so I let her do it, although I have a particular order and grouping method for unloading my grocery items, but that's another post for another time.

The girl behind the counter slid the bags down to the bag boy. He looked at them, then looked at me.

"Uhhhh, do you like, uh, want me to put your stuff in these?"

??????

Seriously, dude!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Cheap Perfume

Internet? You there? Ok, good.

(Looking around).

Can I tell you a little secret?

This is between me and you, the whole Internet. Got it?

Ok, here goes.

I like cheap perfume!

It's true.

I'm very sensitive and basically only can handle a hand few of perfumes (Happy, Beyond Paradise, Burberry, Lovely to name a few) and therefore have a graveyard of discarded ones that I can't wear. I suppose I should start sending them to you, the Internet.

So I've had this cheap perfume for roughly 14 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, and a day, so I don't even know where it's sold or if it's still available. I couldn't bear to get rid of it since like high school or something so I packed it and moved it and then found it and finally, one day, started wearing it again and I like it. I really, really like it.

Now don't go and tell my husband. He'll think he can get by with a cheap bottle of perfume and I'll never sniff Burberry again! You gave me your word, Internet.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Picture Perfect Yuppies

Quote de Jour a al J

One day when J and I were walking in the park with pooch:

"Look at us walking through the park in our name brand fleeces and running shoes with a little terrier. We're the picture perfect yuppies."

So true! But know, Internet, that I got those namebrand fleeces (Pantagonia for me, Columbia for him) at a bargain sale for a mere $5 each. I am nothing if not The Bargainista (you should go check out the last month of updates that have just been completed!).

And also: I got it! I got it! I got it! J had to have this armoire so I gave in. The Bargainista has all the dirty details!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Bridal Gallery Part Trois

The long awaited Bridal Gallery Part Trois. Visit my pictures, the original gallery, and part duex.


Here is the darling Zoe at her Vegas weddings. She says it was everything she'd hoped for and she's propping up her foot so you can see the matching sneakers she wore with her dress.
Here is Megan. Megan has one of the most beautiful gowns that I've ever seen and I'm pretty sure that only her cute little figure could pull it off. Just look at that train! Just watch that girl work it while dancing with her dad! Precious! I love the picture of her outside with the little bridge--so charming. But the most festive picture I've seen is the first one where she and her nuew husband are running away in a sea of rose petal confetti. Gorgeous!
Internet, because I love you and want you to be happy, I share the following pictures with you. These are from Mrs. S's wedding (see more in part duex). The first one I title: "Boobs and Blooms Florist--We can grow anything!" The second picture would be us girls doing the shopping cart. I'm not sure why it was so small, but rest assured that we were working it! Last is the crew known as The Bracelet Girls (we were all bridesmaids) stuffing our faces with mashed potatoes in martini glasses. Everything someone took a bite, I drank their champagne. Am I ashamed? Not one bit!



This is Mrs. G-one of the bracelet girls. She called us up and said "I'm getting married in eleven days, can you be there?" Of course we all arranged and rearranged as we wouldn't miss this day for anything. Her dad (yes, her dad) put together her sweet, charming, beautiful wedding in just 11 days. Wow! He's my hero. I love her little shrug and cuff (it was freezing cold in January). She also got married in a little chapel in a state park in which the entire back of it was a giant boulder. It was very unique.

Here I am as Maid of Honor at my friend TaTa's wedding. The middle picture is me with B and L, two of my most darling friends. We date back the beginning of high school when we were all cheerleaders together. We hadn't all been dressed alike in 8 years! However this time we didn't get dressed in stages in the back of the car while hitting up 4 fast food places (one for the best fries, the best drink, etc.) and rushing back before the football bus left us. Then, it's me and my smokin' hawt husband! Dayum girls look at him!




Here is E (also a bracelet girl). We'll call her E. as she too is a Mrs. M. She and her hubs (also a J actually) had a very fun reception with square dancing lessons. Also, they got to ride off too and from the reception in the neat old Model T. How cool is that? Is she classic beautiful or what?



Mrs. O, one of my most darling and treasured friends. We've been peas and carrots since the fifth grade and always vowed to bail the other out of jail. That's true frienship I tell you. J and I were both blessed to be in the wedding of she and the Mr. He and J are peas in a pod too. They had a beautiful, bee-you-tee-ful wedding, with lots of wine!







My sweet friend (and bracelet girl) Mrs. Y. I love the picture of them in the field and the cute picture of them holding hands across the door. They did not see each other (at all!) before the ceremony. Sorry the picture is sideways, but if you look closely she is trying so hard to barely catch a glimpse of him. By the end of the night at their wedding the bartenders had drinks ready for Mrs. S and I, and on schedule!


Lastly, another high school friend A. We were cheerleaders together as well. Although she didn't stick with it, we were also in all the nerd classes together and in several cases the only two girls in said nerd classes. She's is one sweet and precious girl. My wedding photographer did her pictures which could make me biased in saying they are the most beautiful things ever. EV-ER!
These whimsical, sweet, and romantic shots speak for themselves.



Monday, January 14, 2008

All in the Life of a Southern Belle

Saturday morning was muffins, mimosas, and manicures with the girls. It could have only been better with bagels and smoked salmon because that my darling, is divine!

Saturday afternoon I assisted J in the home construction and tore out the walls of the bathroom-to-be (in a monogrammed hoodie no less).

By Saturday night I was pretty and presentable for dinner out as J and I treated the Rev. and his wife to a scrumptious meal at our favorite little place.


Yes, this is my life. All in a Saturday for a Southern Belle.



**********

Sunday was just as random as we visited my cousins and their darling baby for lunch and to give little K a few goodies to celebrate her first birthday. Afterwards we had to run a few quick errands (fine-I needed my Target fix and J needed his Home Depot fix) and retrurned home, exhausted. But then freshened up when I realized there was an impromtu wine party, at my house! Although it lasted right through my bedtime, it was fabulous and with my most dearest and darling friends: Mrs. O and Mrs. S.


**********

Looky here at this pretty new thing! That would be the armiore in the den. J is so loving it now and so glad that he thought of it. And by that I mean he confessed to me he wanted me to get it so he would have a little clout for new tile floors. Men!


**********

Mack ate a wine cork. Good grief! I suppose next time we'll just give in and pour him a glass as he requested.


**********

I had to run by the mall for a few quick errands on my lunch and saw a woman who was freaking old and should just accept it who was forty if she was a day and wearing a trendy little, and I do mean little, sweatsuit with aber.crom.bie plastered across both her breast and her bum. Why Internet? Why? I've decided I'm going to have to be a one woman show of Stacy and Clinton in MyTown and save these people from themselves. I'm by no means a fashionista, but I can certainly dress myself appropriately!


**********

I also discovered the MyTown just got a WhiteHouseBlack Market. Yippie! I have no idea how long it's been open. I don't think it was there for Christmas shopping, but then again I'm not a huge mall shopper. Although you can bet I'll be scouring the clearance racks there now.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Unfairness

Sometimes everytime you turn around life is super unfair.

I had an old friend (I've known her since I was 11) to lose her baby this week. She delivered early after she and the baby were in danger and her child died four days later. This after she's had two miscarriages.

Wow! Just wow!

My heart is breaking for them.

How is it that this has happened to someone I know really well two times in such a short time frame. Samuel was born on November 30, but feels like yesterday.

Again, how is it that crack whores get knocked up everyday? They smoke, drink, and deliver healthy children that they abandon and neglec. Or promiscuous sixteen year old girls get preggars and have quiet abortions (of which they don't even have to tell their parents about)? But fabulous, married, kind and loving people who want families can't seem to get there? How? Why?

Please pray for my friends during this sad and difficult time for them.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Light Packing

I'm sure some people will not believe their eyes when I tell you that this was my bag with all contents in their entirety for a weekend away. Not once, but twice! Yes Internet, I packed only this bag for two different trips I took last month. Impressed? I'm sure Mrs. S, Mrs. O, and GFTS are drooling in amazement right now!
(And I must admit, I'm proud of myself too! And also, that front little flap has a pretty little monogram on it now. Duh!)

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

The Social Calendar

Full Confession: I'm a bit of a homebody!

I've not always been this way, but since being married and buying a home I've become quite happy just being there. Although we have lots of great friends, when J and I do venture away from home, we're content with it just being us.

Our normal social calendar (by the month):

ME: Two nights a month (a Tuesday and a Thursday) are with the girls (my bunco birds). One Saturday morning every other month is also with the girls. Occasionally I'll meet a friend for lunch.

J: A night or so a month he'll get a drink after work with some guys he works with. He might do it a little more often depending on school. He usually schedules this for nights when I'm out with girls.

US: One night a month (a Friday) we have Dinner Club with a group of other couples. Also about twice per month we'll make plans with another couple for lunch or dinner, sometimes out, sometimes at home.

Other than the above, we pretty much just do everything together and are boring, old, married people. Typing this, it sounds like a lot, but really it isn't! It's just a few hours here and there to be social and connect with friends. Of course, this is exclusive of football season in which everything changes according to the schedule. For you who just gave me a quizzical look, you don't live in the South.

We actually enjoy being at home and plan weekends when we're just at home. I (well, We I suppose) still babysit the adorable children I used to nanny for on occasional weekends. We're home anyway so why not? Plus touching babies keeps our desire at bay, so it's a win-win situation.

So the point of this is that recently it seems that J and I have recieved several invitations for social engagements: dinner, concerts, drinks, etc. I hate to be the girl who is the fuddy-dud of the group but people, I can't handle it. I much prefer being at home (getting a bit of enjoyment out of the mortgage). I don't mind to add a little something here and there, and I don't mind saying "No", but I also don't want to quit receiving invitations.

However I can't risk late nights and my beauty sleep. It makes me one cranky girl. Ask my husband. He'll verify!

Your turn, what's your social calendar like? Are you a homebody too?

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Crafting: Back-up, Overload

I've again realized I'm way behind on a few crafting projects.

I've long been meaning to make t-shirt quilts. It started with my wanting to make a quilt out of all of my high school cheerleader t-shirts. I, of course, did not have the time or space to do it in my college dorm and my Grammy was going to do it for me. I gave her all the goods and they were kept at her house in Florida for several years. However she realized that she was unable to do the quilt for several reasons and returned the shirts to me when I got married and had a house with my little sewing studio and storage to keep them.

Fast forward: more than two years after buying the house J and I are putting in our third bathroom. (Short story: the bathroom is basically a large closet that was never finished into a bathroom but is obviously mean to be a bathroom. We're putting it in for convenience of having a bathroom near the patio and den and also for resale. And who am I kidding? Also so I can sew and decorate!) We'd been using the space as storage and although we initially didn't have anything to store, we managed to fill it up (embarrassed!).

Items stored were: antique dining table and six chairs to be refinished, television, vcr/dvd player, scrapbook items, old windows and shutters (shabby chic for decorating), dvds, games, exercise ball, sofa slipcovers, folding card table and chair, canned green beans (fresh from the garden!), and (drum roll please) several baskets of t-shirts.

Not only were my cheerleader shirts in there, but also my camp counselor shirts and sorority t-shirts both with ambitions of making a quilt.

As I rummaged through the textiles last night I was amazed at what I really had. There were even cheerleader shirts from my middle school days and cheerleader shorts from my elementary days. I had a cheerleader shirt with a big and proud '95 on the back which just made me chuckle! Internet, do you realize that was 13 years ago? That I was in the 7th or 8th grade? Geesh!

Among other goodies on the t-shirt front were a few middle school FCA shirts, a shirt to commemorate every service club and honor society I'd ever belonged to, a Teen Board 38th Annual Presentation and Ball t-shirt, a football shirt with my senior year schedule (hideous, it really is), and a few super tacky CHS Honor Student t-shirts that were given away to the nerds (Hi! I was a nerd!) but never worn because u-g-l-y! Lastly was a vast collection of CHS tennis paraphernalia of t-shirts, shorts, and sweatshirts.

As I looked at the spread I'd discovered I cackled and reminisced with my husband. I quickly realized I didn't care about a cheerleader t-shirt quilt and with two others to make, this one would never be accomplished. I bagged up the goods for our local mission thrift store. (Forgive me majestic halls of CHS!) I did however keep my middle school cheerleader sweatshirt, a long sleeve personalized cheerleader t-shirt, my seniors 00 long-sleeved shirt because those are all obviously vintage now! I'd considered the shirt that had the '95 on the back but am I really EVER going to wear a shirt with S-P-I-R-I-T written down the front? Um, no! I probably would have kept my high school cheerleader and tennis sweatshirts but they had yellowed a bit.

So there it stands. My childhood hobbies all on their way to the thrift store. I was a bit nostalgic at first but then realized if they'd disappeared from that room, I'd have probably never missed them and seriously, what am I going to do with them? (Back to living simply.) Also in the bag were a heap of college shirts from a few organizations I was in. I have plenty of t-shirts so those had to go. There was also a nice polo from my ambassador days that had to go. By nice I mean ugly and ill-fitting.

I organized my sorority t-shirts and camp counselor t-shirts in hopes that sooner rather than later I will make a little something-something out of them. There were several sorority t-shirts that I had two or three of. This could be because GFTS was the Design Chair and we had all of the extras in our apartment. When we'd need a clean shirt, we'd just go grab one off the top! I (only slightfully shamed) still wear a few of the sorority t's because they're so comfy. They're great for weekend wear and running but never in public (I have a little dignity, albeit little).

Now if I can only convince Mrs. O to rid of a few horrid high school shirts she has (you know the ones, and yes, I did just call you out!).

What did everyone else do with t-shirts from your high-school and college days?

Monday, January 07, 2008

Looky here!

This is en route to MyTown (courtesy the Mrs. S-Mobile) this weekend! (Yes, of course there is a little tinkle in my pants!)


I've been jonesing (ha, ha! I really just said jonesing!) for an entertainment armoire for some time and this one is perfect. Isn't it pretty? Tell me it's pretty! I'm so happy that hubs had the idea that we had to have it. Right honey? That was all you, right?


It's from a different collection (Larkin) than the first one that I lusted after, but I think it will work out much better as it's a bit smaller and also had doors with shelving on the bottom for games, dvd's, and cd's.



Speaking of cd's and dvd's, J and I have been cleaning out such items and whittling the "stuff" for quite some time now. As he was ridding of all his cd jewel cases and placing them in a new leather binder we were reminicing of some of the items we actually bought. What were we thinking? J summed it up best when he said "Oh the days when we were judged by our cd and dvd collection."


So true! I used to think it would be so cool to have a nice dvd collection and I often bought them when video stores would have the big pre-viewed movies clearance sale. I've probably not watched more than half of them but bought them because 'oooh, I heard that was really good' or 'I totally remember the previews for this one'. I rarely, if ever, have the patience to sit down for a movie. There are a few classics I/we kept but all others are on their way out.


But back to the good part of the armoire, it was 50% plus 40% discounted. (Tinkle! There it goes!). The grand total was $450 which is pretty good for a great piece of versatile (it has an optional bar to be a clothing armoire) furniture that will work in many rooms. That's my big thing with large and costly pieces, it has to be versatile. This piece will go in our den as an entertainment armoire. However it could also be placed in the living room as an armoire, it could work for storage in the bedroom, be an extra linen closet, be placed in a child's room for toys and clothes, and also work as a desk if necessary. See? It's like I bought five items for $450 so that is a rather fantastic deal I'd say!


Now I must leave you with this picture of the cutest little thing ever, my niece Pie enjoying the snowy weather. Don't you just want to eat up those little cheeks ? There will be more where that came from as little Miss Pie is going to be a Big Sister this month.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Dear Target

Dear Target,

I feel quite certain you know of my love for you. I visit you at least weekly, sometimes multiple times. I parade up and down your majestic aisles "oohing" and "aahing" over your lovely items. I snatch your little red ticketed items in a frenzy. Oh I'm a sucker for your little red ticketed "clearance" items, even if they're only pennies less than the original price. You know you are among my top choices of make-out partners (next to Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, The Home Depot, and of course, my husband!).

That being said my darling Target, you've saddened me. You see I popped inside your doors last evening with a few items to get quickly. Of course by quickly I mean I made my usual rounds in a hurried manner while getting the items I needed. But darling Target, do you know what I saw as I began my usual route? Do you?

I saw swimsuits. Yes--swimsuits. Target my dear, the high here yesterday was a balmy 19 degrees. I'm wearing down and fur and a scarf; all at the same time! Furthermore I'm carrying about a little more of me than I'd like to be with all that eating, drinking, and being merry from Thanksgiving straight into the New Year. And my legs, oh my legs. They've not seen a razor in longer than I'd like to admit. Yes, I know you have a beautiful selection of razors on aisle 9 but the truth is it's cold her and the hair provides a bit more isulation and warmth since I enjoy wearing skirts and dresses often (from you, no less!). And also, I think the hair pokes right through legwear and helps to hold my boots up. I'm just saying!

So in ending this Target, my lover, I do not understand why you think this is an opportune time to display the scanty swatches of fabric you call a swimsuit. Let's wait til, eh, March and redisplay when I'm feeling a bit better about myself, what do you say?

With all my love and leg hair,
Mrs. M

Thursday, January 03, 2008

In Review and Goals

The year 2007 was good to us! J and I celebrated our one year anniversary. We took a few weekends away and a big seven-day cruise vacation to the Caribbean. We saw a few friends get married and were both in the O wedding (some of our dearest friends) which was really special for us. We continued home projects. J completed his first year of grad school and is half way finished. I began to expand on my at home business and experiment with new products and options. I became more involved in a few social/service activities and made several new friends. In July we adopted our little Mackipoo! I found a new job where I'm actually happy and doing Marketing/PR as I'd always wanted. We spent time with our family, friends, and precious kids (our "boyfriend" and "girlfriend") every chance we got. We were and continue to be blessed and look forward to another year together.

I don't do resolutions, but I've been working on a list of goals for 2008. (Imagine that, I'm making a list!)

  • Contemplate Grad School: I know I want to go, but I need to find a way to make it work. With my busy schedule I'd like an online program, but I want to keep the price reasonable.
  • Expand business: I'll be online soon--get excited!
  • Read through the Bible in one year. J and I recently purchased a Bible that walks you through reading it in one year. It also has great questions, overviews, time lines, etc.
  • Get a green thumb. I'm a horrible gardener. Plants come to me to die. I want to change that. We'll see if there is hope.
  • Be more earth friendly. J and I are avid recyclers, and conserve energy every way possible, but I plan on finding ways to go one step further.
  • Be healthier. I want to focus on being healthy with things in and around my body. We eat rather well with veggies and whole grains, but I would like to improve on heavily salted and sugared items with lots of preservatives. I want to be more aware and conservative about chemicals we use, etc. Using home remedies and less chemicals will also be a step towards being more earth friendly. I also want to work at taking better care of my skin, body, hair, etc. and keep it healthy so that age is kind to me.
  • Live more simply. J and I have been working on simplifying our lives since summer. I want to focus more on quality than quantity and realize that we don't need "stuff".
  • Go Backpacking with my Husband. I'm really not a froo-froo high maintenance girl (ok, maybe a little froo-froo) but I don't like to get dirty. However, the only camping I've ever done is in a tent, on an air mattress, next to the bath house with toilets, hot showers and running water, and even mirrors and electric outlets. However I vow to put on my backpack of goodies and hike 5 miles into the wilderness to spend the night. One night! I can do this!
  • Support the mom and pop shop. I often try to support local merchants although I'll never give up my big box stores. I have a stay-at-home-mom and a mom and pop shop for my engraving needs. There is a house nearby that has a great season stand with fruit and flowers in the spring, pumpkins and mums in the fall, and Christmas trees, wreaths, and poinsettas in the winter. I also like to shop at the Southern Market, a local venue with all local owner and mom and pop type shops. Still I think I can find more of these. I think I'm even going to do the Mary Kay thing to support a friend, although I will always (always) be a Clinique free gift girl!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Auld Lang Syne

What a fabulous New Year J and I had. We were in Memphis with some of our most darling friends, the O's and the S's. The best way I can think of seeing out 2007 and ringing in 2008. What more could you ask for? Oh, and there were several instances in which I tinkled my pants. What more could you ask for Internet?


(This lasted about one night. Don't bother calling AA.)
Friday night my friend LL arrived to meet Mackipoo for an exciting weekend of pooch sitting. We left late evening around 8:30 to head to the Scenic City for the night. Mrs. O and I exchanged Christmas gifts and wouldn't you know that she found me some Brandon socks from 90210? (What was his last name?).

Saturday morning we left for Memphis! The drive there is long and long and long, but worth it to see the S's! Of course no one travels like me and they were not ready to leave at 7am as I'd hoped. (Hi Mrs. O! You reading? You guys were lovely, really you were!).

Upon arrival we unloaded our goods and immediatly opened a bottle of wine. A big bottle of wine. Which turned into two bottles of wine. Recap: Two large bottles of wine, three women, two hours. Mrs. S did feed us a nice steak dinner though. Yum! Mrs. S also gave me a lovely gift of the cream and sugar set that matches our dishes. She is such a sweet and thoughtful friend.


(The display of my dishes in the store. See the cool cow stuff? We have it too thanks to Mrs. S. My husband loves bovine! The milk pours out of the cows mouth for the creamer! Awesome!)

Sunday morning we had a delicious breakfast (Mrs. S is the hostess with the mostest! She's the true epitome of a southern belle!). The ladies took a nice walk which took a turn for the worse when two vicious, foaming-at-the-mouth boxers came out of nowhere, barrelling at us. I tinkled my pants. (Mrs. O on the other hand welcomed them to eat her with open arms. Um yeah!) The finally retreated as if they were called. Mrs. S said she'd never seen them before or had a problem with hungry, ferocious animals running amuck. I guess it was all for me. I'm special.


(The S's "baby" Vader decided he wanted to sleep with me.)


We cleaned up and headed about town where we picked up an old friend, another Mrs. M who well will call T. Mrs. O and I went to high school with her (I actually went to middle school with her too. Wow--that goes way back). I knew she and Mrs. S would get along and I wanted to introduce them. We picked her up and headed for the mothership.


(Here we are inside the mothership!)

What mothership you ask? What do you mean "what mothership?" My mothership of the PB and WS outlets. I got out of the car. Stopped. And paid homage to the beauty that was. The I put on my speedy feet and bolted to the door not being able to wait one more minute.

I found goodies galore! In PB I found some items for our new bathroom (being built this month, you'll hear more), some storage items for my studio, a few Christmas decorations, and a few office organization items. I contemplated a quilt for the master bedroom and also some candle pillars, but couldn't make the commitment.

But what you really want to hear about is how I again tinkled my pants when I saw this oh-so-lovely armoire from the Hudson collection. Internet it would be less than $500. That's like 60% off! Plus, we already have transporation from there to home. I'll stay right here while you all go comment and tell my husband WE! NEED! THAT! I need for him to think it's his idea, and if you would be so kind as to help me out with that, I would truly appreciate it! Go ahead....I'll wait.

(Here it is! It makes me tear up just a little bit!)

After leaving the PB we went next door to WS where melted to a puddle just being in it's presence. I stood in front of the large display of my new dishes, salivated, checked for new pieces (hoping for a cake plate) and moved on. I totally scored with a new oil and vinegar cruettes, new white bar towels and clothes (I've been wanting to switch to all white so we can bleach all the dish items and they'll be pretty and clean), soap and lotion for my little sink caddy, and an awesome milk jug.

The fun didn't stop there: J found a car cake pan that he simply had. to. have! It is rather neat. It will make cute loaves of bread. He also found steak seasonsing and my oh my the biggest bargain yet, new pots and pans. He found a great 10 piece set of CuisineArt stainless steel (nonstick!) cookware set. I think it retails for more than $200. It was outlet priced at $189 and with all discounts ended up being only $88! Tinkle! There it goes again.


(The new cookware in the kitchen!)

Of all the great shopping our total was LESS THAN $200! All in all we spent less than the original price of the cookware.

The rest of the day brought about delicious Memphis bbq, a trollop down Beale Street, Mint Juleps, and returning home for wine. There is always room for wine (and lemon drops according to Mrs. S).


(Having too much fun in a little shop on Beale Street.)

New Years Eve we had more tasty Memphis delicacies, more Beale Street action, more Mint Juleps, more wine....more more more! The evening ended with a fire pit and games and spending time with my fabulous friends and of course ringing in the New Year with a hot kiss from my hot husband. Purrr!


(Me enjoying a (or several) mint juleps. Hubs and I on Beale Street)

The trip home was uneventful, just long, long, long. Ugh--I hate that drive. Mack was excited to see us and we were exhausted. However, it was all worth it for the priceless time with our friends.

By the way, you think we need that armoire, right?