Why would you not want to look?

Follow me here ...

2010-05-10T21:09:00.001-05:00

My new blog: awriterscraft.wordpress.com

Join me there! Make sure to leave some comments to let me know that you've stopped by! Hope to see you soon!

Would I be a good Nebraskian?

2010-04-29T22:39:00.003-05:00

That's the question as of today.

Aaron's job had a big town hall meeting and they are taking three of the four jobs that he knows up to Omaha where the headquarters are.

They will tell people who is going to be going on May 15th-ish and if we're one of the ones that will be going then they will buy our house and give us a small moving package and send us on up to Omaha on August 15th-ish.

If we are not one of the ones that are picked, it doesn't mean that we won't still have to go up there in October when they will probably pick another round of people. It's possible (though not definite) that these people will also get their houses bought and a small moving package.

After that ... who knows ... involuntary lay offs are definitely a possibility the boss told everyone today. If that were to happen, it'd be very difficult for us to pay for our house. And, I'd never get to live my dream of being a stay at home mom with Liam.

So, Aaron has volunteered to go this first round. It's the only way that ensures that we'll get out of our 30 year mortgage and such. So, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. It's based on seniority and anyone can bid on the job, even people that don't even know the job. (Which I think is complete crap ... who wants someone that doesn't even know the territory working the territory?)

I guess we'll know more in two weeks. -Shrug-

Five weeks left

2010-04-25T21:28:00.002-05:00

Of school that is.

It's actually going quite well. My students missed me like crazy (weird) and that is a big relief. It makes leaving my baby not any easier .... but not as heart breaking.

I think that there could be a lot of change happening in our lives soon ... but I'm forbidden to talk about it as of yet. Which I hate. I'm not at all a secret keeper.

I think I should know more by this weekend ... you'll all have to wait.

It has been weeks!

2010-03-29T23:04:00.004-05:00

Yikes! Sorry about that.

I've been busy cuddling my little lovey (which is what I call dear sweet Liam!)

Unfortunately, I return to work this Thursday. It's for one day before we're off for Good Friday. However, it's one day of TORTURE.

Ugh, my boobs are screaming at me just thinking about leaving my little guy for the whole day.

Luckily, my grandpa will be watching him ... so that's something at least. I won't be leaving him with a complete stranger. Whew.

Liam's new thing: When we take his bottle away from him to burp him ... he starts this whole warrior cry thing. It's flipping High-Larious. I'll try to get it on tape to share.

2010-03-07T11:33:00.004-06:00

Liam is SUCH a model

2010-03-05T18:54:00.002-06:00

Look at this little cutie!

He's already a month old. Jeez.

Today, we went for his newborn pictures. Basically, he was adorable the entire time. He even started smiling today.

The photographer started talking to him and he looked up at her and started grinning away. Then, he turned to us and started smiling our way as well!

Babies aren't technically supposed to start "social smiles" until 6 weeks. So, I guess Liam is just SUPER advanced. Like Aaron says "I know that everyone says their kid is special ... but ours really is!"

He's so playful and has been using his voice a LOT lately. He just talk talk talks ... I think that he gets that from his mother.

I'm so enjoying this motherhood thing. Well, except for the loosing sleep part of it. That kind of blows ... but whatcha gonna do!

Tomorrow, Aaron will be running in the Stride4Strokes in honor of his grandma Lily. I'm planning on posting video of him crossing the finish line so that we can show it to MawMaw. Maybe I'll post it here too ... but let's not get too carried away. Two posts, two days in a row? RIGHT.

And have I mentioned what an INCREDIBLE dad Aaron is? This is him reading "Skippy Jon Jones" to Liam ... see how attentive Liam was? This was week 2. I'm telling you ... future literary scholar here ... for real!

I saw this on another blog and didn't have anything original to write about

2010-02-25T16:45:00.002-06:00

As my dear blogging friend Jules posted ... Itunes has had 10 BILLION songs downloaded. 10 BILLION! I can't decide if that's a lot .. or a little given the population of people that actually use Itunes.

Either way, they've posted the top twenty songs, and like Jules ... I'm quite surprised. They are all new songs. I figured there'd be a few classics somewhere. I mean, not even Michael Jackson made the list after his surprise demise earlier this past summer.

So Jules talks about how she's only downloaded seven of the 20 ... so I thought I'd see how many I have downloaded. 15 of the 20. And here I was thinking that I had original taste in music.

My list:

2. Pokerface - Roadtrip to Austin
3. Boom Boom Pow - Roadtrip to Austin
4. I'm Yours - Just for me
5. Viva La Vida - Just for me
6. Just Dance - Roadtrip to Austin
7. Low - Workout
8. Love Story - The Taylor Swift CD
9. Bleeding Love - Just for me
10. Tik Tok - Ke$ha CD
11. Disturbia - Workout
12. So What - Roadtrip to Austin
13. I Kissed a Girl - Just for me
16. Stronger - Roadtrip to Austin
18. Hey There Delilah - Just for me
19. Right Round - Roadtrip to Austin

After further inspection, I guess the reason that I've downloaded so many of them is because I was trying to download the top songs of the time for our roadtrip to Austin. So yeah ... I'm a little mainstream ... but not THAT bad.

Quick! Before I have to pop out a boob and feed my child!

2010-02-22T20:15:00.002-06:00

I'm frustrated with boy's clothing.

We have bought packets and packets of onesies lately. This is due to the fact that Liam WILL pee all over himself or his clothes at LEAST twice a day. Seriously, he has a grown man's stream or something ...

Anyway. So, we go through onesies quickly.

Aaron isn't into sports really, so when buying onesies I tried to find ones that had dinosaurs or monkey's on them. But it's virtually impossible not to have about fifty different versions of "I want to be an All-Star" or "Daddy's little All-Star" onesies in Liam's closet.

And I think it's sucky!

What if I don't WANT my son to be an All-Star? What if I want his aspirations to be "Mommy's Little Literary Scholar"? Or, "Daddy's Number 1 Zombie Killer"!

I think that I should go into the onesie making business. I'm sure I could make a killing on quippy little shirts.

"Mommy & Daddy's Infant Genius"
"My Mom says that my reading level ROCKS!"
"Dad's little 360 Player"
"You might be able to throw a football, but I know PI to the 42nd place"

Introducing: Liam Michael

2010-02-07T17:13:00.004-06:00

Isn't he absolutely adorable?

Liam Michael was born January 31st, 2010 at 2:09 PM. He weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 20 in long.

I started feeling contractions about every 7 minutes starting at around 11:30 Saturday night. We finished watching Knocked Up (Ironically) and I went and took a bath to see if they would go away. I'd been having contractions off and on for a while, but they'd go away with a good warm bath.

They continued and started getting a little closer together, so we went ahead and went on to the hospital. By the time we made it there (about 30 minutes away) at around 3am , they were coming every 2-3 minutes. The doctor came in around 7 am and checked me and I was still only dilated to a two. He broke my water and I got the epidural and continued the wait. When he checked me again, I was still only a 4 and Liam was still kind of high.

At around 1pm, they checked me again and I was STILL only a 4 even though I was having some SERIOUSLY strong contractions. So, the doctor thought that the cord might be wrapped around Liam's leg or hip or something that was causing him to "bungee jump." (See, already adventurous!)

So, we ended up having to have a c-section :( I was super duper scared ... but Aaron was absolutely amazing through the entire thing.

I'll leave you with that for now ... it's time to watch the Super Bowl!

Liam says "WHO DAT!"

Induction scheduled for Monday

2010-01-29T17:13:00.001-06:00

BUT!

There is a full moon tomorrow. Like, a super full moon. Apparently, it's a really rare one where the Moon will be the closest EVER to the Earth, meaning the gravitational pull of water will be even greater ... or something.

So, here's hoping for water breakage tomorrow and labor to start shortly after!

I'm READY! I'm SOOO ready!

Let's get this thing on the road! I'm tired of having random contractions that have no substance and no rhythm, bring on the GOOD ones.

I'm dilated to a 2 and over 60% effaced ... so that's DO THIS!

Otherwise, I'll be stuck with Pitocin ... and I hear that stuff HURTSSSSS.

Oh, and I swear, if my baby gets any bigger ... he's going to rip me in half. He's something like 8+ lbs. My doctor says "Will he fit? It'll be close! But, there's no point in not trying."

So, please pray for a healthy delivery and no c-section ... I barely have ANY time to take off from school (Stupid unpaid maternity leave) and really don't want to have to spend the entire thing on recovery from a C.

Next time you hear from me ... there might be a little baby to post pictures of!

Donate for a good cause!

2010-01-25T15:35:00.003-06:00

Aaron will be running in a 5k on March 6th for Stride for Strokes in honor of his grandmother, Lily Taylor. This is a race solely dedicated to Stroke Awareness.

We'd love to have people donate to the cause if possible. We'd like to raise 1,000 dollars, but every little bit helps!

If you'd like to donate:

Go to Methodiststride4stroke.com
Click on Sponsor Participant at the top of the website
Put in Aaron Allen as the person you are sponsoring
That will take you to his website where you can see how much money we've donated so far and how much more we have to go!

Thanks for any and all help and prayers!

Still no baby

2010-01-25T14:49:00.002-06:00

But, we still have a week to go. I'm off to the doctor again tomorrow ... maybe he'll say something like "WOW, Rachel ... you're dilated to a ten with absolutely no painful contractions what so ever ... just push a little bit and we'll have this baby right here! No hospital stay!" ... Hah, I crack myself up with my wishful thinking.

So, here's things that I've been thinking about lately:

I totally haven't taken a picture in forever ... so there goes THAT resolution. But, in my defense, I know that when I'm in a big hurry on my way to the hospital when this baby FINALLY wants to come out that I'll forget the camera. So, it's already packed up. And if it's packed up then I can't very well use it now can I?

I really really really want to change my layout on this thing. I want a cool blog ... a cool blog with my very own cool banner and such. Think someone can make that happen for me? That'd be great.

I think I'm going to have to stop lending out my books. Or ... at least the books that have been signed by the Great Jen Lancaster. Our friend's cat took a bite out of the cover of Such a Pretty Fat. I took the news with grace ... smiled the entire time ... and then explained to them that she'd be back in May and they should go and buy me another one and get her to sign that one too. We'll see if that request happens. They were going to try and email her a picture of the book and a 100 dollars to send me another one. Either way would be cool with me. I mean, I can't be too mad ... Link has chewed up some of my books too. But, you know ... not the good ones that are signed by awesome authors and all.

Nope, No Labor

2010-01-21T15:47:00.002-06:00

False alarm!

My contractions started about 2:30 am and were roughly 10 minutes apart. They were very light, like the start of period cramps, but nothing unmanageable. After about 12 hours ... they just stopped.

So ... no baby!

I'm still a week and 4 days from my due date ... so I guess it's just back to the waiting game now.

I'll be keeping everyone posted! Thanks for the well wishes!

Early Labor?

2010-01-20T04:39:00.002-06:00

I went to the DR again today.
I'm officially 1 cm dilated.
And 40% effaced.

So, as I'm leaving, the nurse whispers in my ear about "labor sex."
We tried it out tonight.
Besides the whole "OMG I can't breathe on my back" kind of thing ... I think it might have worked.

I've been having random contractions throughout the night. They aren't getting closer together ... or any stronger ... but they are continuing. Even if I lay on my side and/or drink some water.

I haven't slept much. I think that Tuesday inadvertently was my last day. There's no way I'll be trekking my pregnant stomach up to school today and risk going into ACTIVE labor around those kiddos. Nope. No way.

I think it's time for a good old fashioned walk? Any other suggestions?

Lazy Saturdays

2010-01-16T19:06:00.002-06:00

are the best of the best!

I've had two naps already today and have sat around in my pajamas nearly all day. It's an amazing feeling that you have nothing to do but sit around and watch television and read your Kindle.

I have one more week of school before I go on Maternity Leave (YES!), so that I can further prepare for baby Liam's arrival! VERY exciting! I can't wait to meet him! He's so dang adorable.

The last ultrasound we did (37 weeks) found him sucking on his arm in the womb. He looks a little upset ... but I think that he was pouting because Daddy wouldn't let us have Cheesecake for dessert at lunch. :)

Another rant about something maternity related ...

2010-01-09T15:16:00.003-06:00

Aaron and I went shopping today to pick up some last minute items for my hospital bag. You know, the one that I'm supposed to be packing ... probably right now ... oops. The main thing that I needed was night clothes for the hospital, lanisoh, pacifers, and maternity bras.

We went to the "Bra Specialist" for the maternity bras. Yeah, we have to go to a specialty shop for these bazooma's because the regular maternity stores make me look like I'm going to enter myself in a teeny weeny bikini contest. Seriously, the only thing the regular store bras cover is PART of a nipple.

Maternity bras ... check.

Off to Target to see about some PJs and the other items on the list. Target's maternity line is lacking. Seriously. Every time I go, I never find ANYTHING. Reasons why I am STILL going have yet to be discovered. I'll just blame it on being too lazy to drive all the way to the mall this time.

I picked up some pants that'll work just fine ... and went around trying to find some tops. Nope. None. Nada. So, I'm stuck wearing the same last three cotton comfy shirts that my stomach still fits in for my PJ shirts while in the hospital. Aaron says that he can't WAIT until I can start wearing regular shirts again and he will never have to see these shirts (three exactly the same just a different color) again.

But dangit if they aren't comfortable ...

Oh, and one last thing. I can't STAND nicknames for pacifiers. I will ONLY be referring to my child's pacifier by its true name "pacifier." None of this, nuk nuk, or nunu, or nom nom, or paci, or whatever. Gag.

I guess this is enough procrastinating ... I mine as well go and pack my bag and get it over with ... who knows, maybe Liam WILL decide to come early. Doubtful, very doubtful ...

But just in case ... room ready!

Cancer Awareness?

2010-01-07T18:30:00.002-06:00

Today, I get off work (which sucked) and come home to find numerous status updates that contained random colors.

I rolled my eyes and went on about my business. In fact, I even found out that it's possible that President Obama will be giving a speech on the day that Lost will be premiering ... WHAT!?!?

Anyway, after further investigation ... I received this email:

Some fun is going on.... just write the color of your bra in your status. Just the color, nothing else. And send this on to ONLY girls no men .... It will be neat to see if this will spread the wings of cancer awareness. It will be fun to see how long it takes before the men will wonder why all the girls have a color in their status... Haha! ♥

........

What *I* would like to know is how it's supposed to be cancer awareness if no one even knows what the heck the color stands for? Doesn't it actually have to talk about the thing that it was trying to inform people of to be considered awareness? I mean ... not to be a buzz kill or anything ... but seriously.

So now facebook is riddled with everyone and their mother (literally) posting the colors ... which makes ME immediately imagine them in their bras ... including my high school theatre teacher. VERY uncool.

But, for the record ... mine is a dingy nude.

See?

Well, it's day three ...

2010-01-03T18:42:00.002-06:00

and I'm already running out of things to take pictures of.

I swear, I was going to take all these adorable pictures today of my doxie Link playing with his best friend Jeff. Jeff is a neighbor of mine from when we lived at our old apartment. Unfortunately, I got lazy ... and Jeff wasn't feeling well ... so we decided to rain check that meeting. Luckily, I didn't tell Link about it. He would have started whining about it ... and would probably chew up another book of mine.

Oh waitttt ... He already did chew up a book of mine, while I wasn't paying him attention because I was in the bathtub. See, I don't think that raising a child is going to be that hard after raising a doxie. He seems like he's probably a little more needy than a child.

I mean, I'm already used to all of the animals filing into the bathroom while I take my bath. See, no privacy ... check!

Luckily, for Christmas ... my amazing husband got me the greatest gift in the world: The Kindle!

Now, if Link tries to chew THIS book ... it'll break his teeth! Win for me!

What I See When I look down

2010-01-02T17:22:00.003-06:00

My stomach is getting huge! There's still four more weeks to go ... yikes.

A few days ago, we had Aaron's parents and sister over for the evening! It was a lot of fun. There were three doxie's and a chi running around, so the cats called it a night ... for the whole day.

And I made some DELICIOUS "Fruit Cookies." It was actually supposed to be fruit pizza. However, I didn't have a roller ... and apparently wasn't clever enough to use ANY THING ELSE THAT IS KIND OF CIRCULAR to roll out the dough. So, I made fruit cookies instead. They came out absolutely amazing. Too bad they aren't at all healthy!

Resolutions

2010-01-01T19:08:00.002-06:00

It's that time again!

Resolutions for this year are as follows:

Lose 50 lbs (which shouldn't be difficult since 40 of that is Baby weight)
Stop cussing (Must be a good Momma!)
Stop Procrastinating and MAKE things happen
Take more pictures!

So, I've decided that I'm going to try and keep up with the picture taking on the blog. I'll post a new picture every day! Minus the days that I'll be in the hospital with the baby ... when I come back after that I'm sure I'll have TONS of pictures to post .... so it should even itself out.

So, I leave you with a cute one! Liam says HELLO AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I hate my J-O-B

2009-12-26T14:13:00.003-06:00

Go figure, right?

After four (read: almost six) years of college, I'm seriously re-thinking what I went to school for.

The school that I teach at is still considered a "suburban" school ... but is actually more of an "inner-city" school. Think Freedom Writers without the eventual respect and love coming from the students and you've got my every day life!

Seriously, I was actually told a couple of days in "This is like Freedom Writers, except we're going to tear that White Bitch up." Awesome.

Can you imagine how this is sucking the idealistic life force right out of my very soul?

Here's a couple of phrases that I hope YOU never hear at your job:

You should be teaching somewhere in The Woodlands. (Me:) What is that supposed to me? (Student:) You don't belong here, Miss.
I hope your baby dies
Shut the *@(& up, I don't care what the *@(& you think.
(Fingers in ears) NAH NAH NAH ... I'm not listening to you ... (Yeah, that's right ... I teach a bunch of babies posing as ninth graders)
My mom can kick your ass.

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Needless to say, my stress level is through the roof. I keep getting told that my next year will be so much easier. I know it will be ... but it doesn't make this year all that much fun.

Luckily, I'm on Christmas break right now. I'm still enjoying one more week of vacation before I go back. During this time ... I'm supposed to write this huge report about each of my 32 possible failures for the semester. Apparently, the English department is only allowed to have a 15% fail rate. So, we have to completely justify all of our failures. I don't know how many times I'm going to have to write "Sits and stares at me with contemptuous looks while not turning anything in" on the form.

How am I supposed to pass someone that doesn't turn anything in? How am I supposed to justify that they've learned something ... when they can't show me anything that they've done that proves that they've learned it?

I keep getting told "Well, if you fail them ... they are just going to end up dropping out because they are going to get frustrated." Hm, maybe if they turned some work in (some EASY work, mind you) then they wouldn't get frustrated. Some of the students can't even read very well ... and here they are in the ninth grade, because other teachers have just been passing them along. Lovely.

So, there goes all of my faith in the public school system. I'm seriously considering home-schooling Liam with this cool program that they have up here. It's classical education at it's finest ... and I've always said that Liam sounds like an intellects name.

I got a J-O-B

2009-10-27T10:45:00.003-05:00

Like a real one. One that utilizes my degree and everything.

About three weeks ago, I was called in for an interview at a High School in Spring. I thought that I did OK in the interview, given that I was unable to wear a suit because of my protruding belly, and even laid it all out on the table. I let them know that I was due Feb. 1st, which they all seemed thankful about.

I assumed they seemed thankful, because now there was an excuse not to hire me. I asked them when they would be making their decision. They said Friday.

Friday came and went ... twice.

Last Monday, I got a phone call from one of the administrator's that I interviewed with. She said how impressed she was with me ... blah blah blah. I was waiting for the "But, we've decided to go in another direction" like I've heard numerous times over the months since graduation.

But instead, she offered me the position. I accepted.

Now, I'm simply waiting on all of the formalities. My background check is still being ran ... they are trying to decide where to put me ... etc.

But, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I've picked up my copy of Harry Wong, I've studied the thing from front to back, now lets just hope that I will be able to implement the procedures that will make me a successful first year teacher.

Oh, and did I mention that my schedule is going to be a pretty nice one? I'll have 3 weeks before Thanksgiving holidays ... (week off) ... three weeks before Christmas Holidays (two weeks off) ... 2 to 4 weeks (depending on Baby) before my maternity leave (6-8 weeks off) and then 10 weeks back before the end of the school year. And I'll be sitting there with a full year of teaching credit!

Sweet.

Hopefully.

I'll keep you posted.

Liam's Playlist

2009-09-28T13:38:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to come up with songs to start playing to Liam whenever Aaron or I listen to music. The music should be calm and soothing ... to keep my heart rate down so that Liam will know that I am in fact calm and soothed.

The plan is ... that I will play these songs to him from here on out and I'll also play it while in labor and delivery. And HOPEFULLY, it will keeps things nice and calm throughout the entire process.

I really would like to have a lot of songs (Like hours and hours worth) and right now we are sitting at 2 hours and 15 minutes. So anymore suggestions?

Here's what we have so far:

Can't help falling in love with you - Elvis
Make you feel my love - Adele
At Last - Norah Jones
Somewhere over the Rainbow - IZ
Father and Son - Cat Stevens
Sea of Love - Cat Powers
Better Together - Jack Johnson
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Run - Leona Lewis
Fade into you - Mazzy Star
Come What May - Moulin Rouge ST
Your Song - Moulin Rouge ST
Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
To Zion - Lauryn Hill
A New Day Has Come - Celine Dion
Simple Man - Shinedown
Blackbird - The Beatles
In My Arms - Plumb
Return to Pooh Corner - Kenny Loggins
Have I told you lately that I love you - Rod Stewart
Miracle - Celine Dion
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) - Dixie Chicks
Danny's Song - Kenny Loggins
Edelweiss - Julie Andrews
First time ever I saw your face - Celine Dion
Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Don't Cry Baby - Madeline Peyroux
With or Without You - Keane
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
This Woman's Work - Maxwell
Winter Song - Sara Bareielles & Ingrid Michaelson
Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers

Give me your suggestions!

When I think about ...

2009-09-21T23:10:00.002-05:00

Do you ever sit back and wonder how life can get so good? And then immediately get really worried and think that something bad is almost ... in the line up? Real soon?

That's how I've been feeling lately.

Honestly, I don't know how my life could get any better right now.

I graduated from College in May
Bought a new car in May
I found out that I was pregnant in May
We are closing on our brand new built just for us house in October
We are having our baby at the beginning of the year next year ...

Besides the fact that petty items like Harry Potter and the Time Traveler's Wife coming out in theatre's was pretty dang cool too.

So, where's the strings? I mean, I really hate thinking of things like that. I am so very thankful for the blessing that God has bestowed upon me. But ... all of the bad stuff that has happened to me in my life ... is it just waiting around the corner to surprise me again? Or, is it finished for a while?

So far, I can say that 2009 is one of the best years of my life. It's definitely been the one with the greatest milestones!

So, I guess ... check back in December ... just to make sure ... but yeah, 2009 is number one so far!

When I think about how perfect my life is ... and then I feel Liam kick ... a huge grin plasters itself across my face.

Thank you, Lord.

Feeling him move inside me

2009-09-17T22:50:00.002-05:00

I'm 20 weeks pregnant now. Almost 21 weeks pregnant. Half way there! But, so far ... I don't want to ever stop being pregnant, I don't think.

Sure, I want to hold my little man, I want to know if he's going to have blonde hair like his great and grand-father. Or if he's going to have brown hair like his daddy. Is he going to have brown eyes ... or light colored eyes like me? Will he have my lips ... or my eyes ... or will he be the spitting image of the amazing man that I can call mine?

But, I love feeling him move inside me. I love knowing that I am never alone. He's always there ... right below my belly button. Even as I type this, he's pushing against my stomach in quick successions, and it makes me smile every time. I feel like I was born to be pregnant. It's been amazing.

So, yes ... I'm half way there ... and then there is the rest of my life that I get to spend with the sweet little boy that is growing so big inside me. But, right now ... I'm perfectly content with his little jabs to remind me of God's little miracle.

I hate you ... you stupid typers ... you

2009-08-29T00:15:00.002-05:00

There is this new phenomenon that is LOL Cats. Or, maybe it's not actually new? Yeah, it's probably not that new ... I think it's been around for a while. Anyway, I digress.

I flipping LOVE LOL Cats. LOVE it. Aaron and I can sit at the house all day long laughing our asses off at the new "cat of the day." Seriously. Cats are the superior animal ... and I can say this ... I have both cats and dogs!

Well, now they have this one website "I can has cheezburger" that has placed all of the LOL cats, Dogs, Celebrities (which is a new one and one that I must check out after writing this post) all in one website. Awesome.

Except ... for the comment section.

It's cute when the cat says something in "cat voice" as I refer to it ... something along the lines of: "Iz not addicted to caffeine, Iz just need it to function" and a picture of a cat drinking out of a mug. Get it?

But then you look at the comments ... and EVERY ONE is speaking in "LOL talk." Seriously? I think that we have enough problems in our school systems today dealing with students trying to write paper in "text" form ... and now you are going to make a whole NEW language? Oh NO! NO NO NO!

I hate this new type so much, it makes me want to stop looking at LOL Cats on principal. But, as Aaron says ... "That's the Internet." -Shrug-

Random Thoughts from People Our Age

2009-08-27T18:53:00.002-05:00

I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can
think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell
my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves
me.

Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you
realize you're wrong.

I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don 't need to drink
to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and
sticks when they've invented the lighter?

Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're
going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to
be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the
direction from which you came, you have to first do something like
check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to
yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're
crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

That's enough, Nickelback.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was
younger.

Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know"
feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose
not to be friends with?

Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't
work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically
fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all
know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards
or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

There is a great need for sarcasm font.

Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and
suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first
saw it.

I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually
becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting
90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's
laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little
bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the
only one who really, really gets it.

How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than
take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear
your computer history if you die.

The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to
finish a text.

A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the
spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

Was learning cursive really necessary?

Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else
to say".

I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and
hunger.

Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron
test is absolutely petrifying.

My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads.
Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired
about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us."
Classy, bro.

Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart",
all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod
and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up
to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in'
examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete
idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and
said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each
other?

While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and
instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I
know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the
person died.

I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the
shower first and THEN turn on the water.

Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty,
and you can wear them forever.

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Bad decisions make good stories

Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their
profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got
the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if
I do!

Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every
year?

If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring
would probably just be completely invisible.

Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go
around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly
nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be
a problem....

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work
when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything
productive for the rest of the day.

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't
want to have to restart my collection.

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are
going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me
if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I
swear I did not make any changes to.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this
ever.

I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people
watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will
they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't
watching this.
It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room.
Will we still be friends after this?'

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?
Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and
goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone
and run away?

I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not
seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she
hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light
internet stalking.

I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle,
then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising
speed for pedophiles...

As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers,
but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still
not know what time it is.

It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to
answer when they call.

Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do
to with it.

Even under ide al conditions people have trouble locating their car
keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the
Donkey but I'd bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from
3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every
time...

My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would
happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on
http://www.facebook.com/l/;CNN.com
<http://www.facebook.com/l/;CNN.com>
and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they
drive behind obeys the speed limit.

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or
Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw
they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words,
someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think
about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people
eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by
myself.
There's nothing like being made to feel like fat before dinner.

Score One for Constipation

2009-08-26T00:44:00.003-05:00

Blah blah blah.

So, I didn't have morning sickness. Or, not really anyway. I threw up once ... but my toothbrush was in my mouth and I've been prone to gag during a good teeth brushing anyway.
I still have pretty good skin.
My gums haven't bled at all.
I haven't started having leg cramps.
But, let me tell you ... I've had it bad with the constipation the past couple of days.

Jeez! I don't know if the baby (fondly named Liam by the way) is somehow laying on my colon, or if he's already made himself at home fondling with my intestines, or what. But, I feel very ... full ... at the moment.

So far, this is the end of day three with barely a "pooplet" (not my word) in sight. I've been eating "roughage," I've been drinking lots of water, and I even went and picked up some benefiber and fiber bars today. Now, I'm just plagued with gas. Lovely.

So yeah, I might have gotten out of my first trimester unharmed ... but this second one is starting to get kind of clogged up here.

Any remedies?

Interview Me

2009-08-19T12:26:00.002-05:00

So, I've posted in the past that my life mirrors Jen Lancaster (author of Bitter is the New Black & Such a Pretty Fat ... read them ... NOW), but when I envisioned my job hunt ... it didn't exactly include being interviewed by an eighteen year old manager of a tanning salon after 5 1/2 years of getting a degree.

I wasn't able to find a job with a school this year. I've been told a number of things ... the main one being that it's "just so hard to find a job in education right now ... people aren't leaving etc." However, I felt that I did everything right when it came to my education classes.

4.0 in Educational classes
3.1 in English classes
Rave reviews from university supervisors and mentor teachers
Networking with the principals and department heads
On time every day for classes ... staying late to grade work and help students

And so on and so forth. And yet, even the schools that I student taught at didn't hire me.

I'm sick of sitting at the house all day with nothing to do. At first, it seems like a fun gig, sleeping late and what have you. But, with four animals it starts wearing on a person's nerves. I've got Link that needs to be in my lap at all times. Nakomis that whimpers every three seconds because no one is paying attention to her. Petal that uses her claws as leverage when trying to climb my leg. And Emily, who will get pissed off at me for some reason and go and lay a stinker in the litter box as if she KNOWS that I can't clean it up and instead have to sit and smell it for hours until Aaron gets home/up to clean up the problem.

Yesterday, at the used book store, I mentioned my unemployment status and the guy there asked me to bring in a resume. I get all excited ... run home and get one together ... bring it in ... and just get an "OK, Thanks." ARGH!!!!

Which brings us to tomorrow at 2 pm. I have an interview tomorrow with the tanning conglomerate "EZ Tan." The girl that will be interviewing me is eighteen years old. I can't re-iterate enough that when I started college ... I never would have envisioned graduating and then getting a low paying job that high schoolers are also qualified for.

So, I guess ... wish me luck. I doubt that I'll get the job ... it's like the other jobs that I interviewed for in the recent past ... I'm probably over qualified, over-aged, and over pregnant. I can't tan and can't lift things over 25 lbs ... but maybe I can wow them with my college degree and determination??

Doubtful.

Blast you maternity shirts!

2009-08-03T21:46:00.002-05:00

First of all, don't think that I am not utterly thankful for the fact that Maternity clothes are way super cute and actually quite fashionable. Also, do not think that I'm not utterly thankful for the fact that my sister-in-law gave me 100s of dollars worth of maternity clothes ... meaning that I only will need to probably by pants for myself! (Lucky lucky me!)

However, seriously maternity shirts? Do you think that pregnant women enjoy the fact that their boobs are over-sized and over-stuffed? Do you think that we enjoy the fact that our regular shirts don't fit anymore ... not because of their ever-growing belly ... but because of their ever growing boobs? And what do you go and do? You go and make nearly all cute pregnancy shirts those V or Cross tops that show the goodies like nobodies business.

Seriously. Really? I'm sure that my husband doesn't want to see the mother of his children walking around town with her breastacles and bra showing.

I mean, who knows ... maybe some women are thinking in their heads ... "YES!!! I have boobs! I want to show them off!!

But Me and MY boobs ... like to be well hidden, thank you VERY much.

So, please maternity shirts ... can you make shirts for women that don't want to show their baby food bags? Please? PLEASE!?? Because, there's a lot of hormones going through this body and I would really hate to have to start crying for no reason again.

Thank you,
A 14 week pregnant woman that is finding it harder and harder to cover up this belly bump!

12 week old belly!

2009-07-18T21:26:00.003-05:00

Check out http://ohsofoxyfetus.blogspot.com for updates from the baby!

The BIG update

2009-07-03T20:43:00.002-05:00

I finally have a little bit of time to sit down and type out my whole update about pregnancy and life and everything in between! YAY ME!

Ever since that little digital sign pointed to "pregnant," Aaron and I feel like we've been running around like a chicken with our head cut off.

First of all, I'll tell everyone the "finding out" story.

You know how some people say that they just "know" that they conceived like the minute that it happened? Well that didn't happen here! Besides some off handed comments such as "Wouldn't it be funny if I were pregnant right after graduation when I told my grandpa that I would make sure to wait until I graduated before I got pregnant?" Or, "Hm, it'd be hilarious if I were pregnant right now ... what with the television being broken and everything" but there wasn't any "woman's intuition" here.

So, I'm going about my business, thinking that I'll be starting at some point in time during the week. I mean, I had the warning cramps and everything! In fact, I remember telling Aaron things like "Man, my period is going to be really bad ... I've been cramping all this week and still nothing!" etc. Finally, one Sunday night (May 31st), I started looking at a calendar and realized "oops! I was supposed to start LAST WEEK!" Hehehehe.

Well, I was about to jump in the shower anyway, so I trotted off to the bathroom and pulled out one of our trusty digital sticks and took a tinkle. Then I set it aside, assuming that it was going to turn negative like all of the others in the past, and undressed. By the time I undressed and went to set my glasses on the counter to step into the shower, the digital screen showed "Pregnant!"

I can't even really describe the feeling! Shock and awe, I guess. I got in the shower and started hosing off ... wondering if I should start crying tears of joy or screaming with excitement! Mainly, it was a lot of confusing "hahs" coming out of my mouth through the entire shower.

Aaron wasn't going to be home for another 30 minutes or so ... so I hopped on the computer looking for clever ways to tell the daddy! OK, more power to all of you women out there that sit around and plan all of these amazing meals for their husbands and candle-lit dinners with "baby back ribs, and baby carrots, and baby peas" etc. But, there was no freaking way that I was going to be able to wait another day or night to tell Aaron!

So, I grabbed a tube of lipstick, Mars from Lancome in case you were wondering, and wrote on my belly "Hi Daddy." Then, I began folding some clothes and waiting for the daddy to come home. He came home, complaining about something that happened at work, tired, and probably a little frustrated. I called him into the bedroom and asked him how his day went ... and then mumbled something about needing to talk to him about something ... finally I just lifted my shirt and let him read the news himself.

He squinted a bit and I think that his jaw hit the floor. "Are you pregnant ... You're pregnant?!!?" I nodded my head and he came over and lifted me up into a huge hug! I asked if he was happy and he said that of COURSE he was ... and that was when the tears finally started to flow.

From then on out ... we've been CRAZY busy!!

We decided to start the process of purchasing a house ... a little bit stressful but we are super excited! We are actually going to be building a house (well, not us ... someone else) and we go on Tuesday to pick out all of our custom designs and such at the design center. YAY!

We are hoping that our house will be ready by the end of October. Otherwise, we are going to need a place to crash because our lease here is up on the 26th! What a lovely birthday present!!!

Also, my due date is set for February 1-3. (I've been getting different dates by different doctors or date wheels) My main doctor says the 1st. But, then again ... those things are usually never accurate right?!

At my nine week appt. I measured at right under an inch ... which he said was right at 9 weeks. The picture above is actually of the 7 week ultrasound, because I don't think that nine week one came out very clear. The 7 week one was done vaginally and the nine week one was done on the stomach ... so the baby still looks very "blobby" :)

We also got a new camera (who knows what happened to our old one) so I am hoping to update with lovely things such as stomach pictures and house pictures and nursery pictures (when we start that whole process) etc.

So look forward to updates later!!!

Nine weeks of news!

2009-06-30T22:12:00.002-05:00

Hello Hello!

Guess who's pregnant :)

I'm nine weeks pregnant and feeling pretty much amazing!

We saw the baby move yesterday in the ultrasound and heard the heartbeat (180 bpm)!! It's so awe-inspiring!

I can't wait to see my baby grow and grow and grow! I look forward to everything!

Even with being a little sick the past couple of days ... it feels great knowing that there is a little baby inside me!

I swear, at some point in time I'll have time for more of an update with pictures and what have you but I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with her head cut off lately!

In a Rut

2009-05-31T00:57:00.002-05:00

I am ... I am ...

I find that nothing that I want to say is worth saying sometimes. So, that's why nothing has been said in ages.

I graduated. Yay. However, I can't help but think how much of a waste going to school really is ... when you can't even find a job in your field. Or, when you apply and you apply and you apply and no one even acknowledges all of your work. I know that if they would just call me back ... they'd love me.

I've lost 32 lbs since the last time that we've talked. However, it hasn't really made me any happier, or made my sex life any better ... which is ultimately why I did it in the first place. I thought that it would make ME happier ... but honestly, I need the positive re-enforcement and the feedback and I'm not just not getting it.

I bought a new car ... an 09 Scion TC RS 5.0. It's number 74 of 2000 made. It's beautiful and amazing and I love it. I think that Aaron is jealous ... Lame.

So, months later and I'm still jobless, struggling with conflicting feelings, but with a cooler car. Hm.

However, maybe I am happier and I just don't realize it? I let the "three year anniversary" of my mom's death come and go ... and didn't even think about it until the next day. That must mean I'm "good" right? That's what I keep telling myself.

However, I also have to think about the fact that my mother kept telling me that depression and bi-polar disorder is a genetic disorder ... and that she was fine until her mid-twenties as well.

Is this the road that I'm headed down? I'd like to think that I'm stronger than that ... I'd like to think that.

I'm on a new kick with the books that I'm reading. Creepy books. The Girl Next Door, American Psycho (which Link apparently didn't like because he ate the cover off of it today) ... they were all on this top 10 list of creepiest books ever read ... I'm working my way through the list ... they are definitely Effed Up. Books that I'd never read again ... but they are good. They keep me interested.

You know ... this is a blog ... and yet I still censor myself. Weird.

Hm.

Anyway, these are the things that are going through my head this morning at 1:04 AM. -Sigh-

Weird.

OK, Seriously.

2009-04-04T21:21:00.001-05:00

So, I get it. I don't get to update this thing very often. Mainly because I don't really have anything worth while to say ... and I also really hate sitting in front of the desktop computer and we haven't gotten the laptop fixed.

However, I do have this little tracker thing on the side of my page (because I'm kind of a stalker freak) and I'd like to know who you people are that are from my home town! Please ... thank you.

Seriously. Nederland? Who are you?

Bridge City ... four times? Who are you!?!?

Help a girl out here and leave a comment so that we can be formally introduced. It's freaking me the heck out. I didn't think that this many people from my home town actually knew about this blog or read it.

So ... yeah.

Same for the Conroe person ... who are you!??!

And anyone else actually. Let's just make a broad statement and say that I want to know who everyone is! It'll make things a lot better. I've introduced myself to the world ... now, it's your turn.

My Life Mirrors Jen Lancaster

2009-03-18T21:39:00.004-05:00

As a gift for being a great "student" teacher, my mentor gave me Jen Lancaster's second novel "Bright Lights, Big Ass."

I recommended Jen to my mentor teacher earlier in the year because we seemed to have the same (good) taste in books. And right I was, I feel that my mentor (and now friend) have become even closer as we share just exactly how our lives mirror Jen's.

First, let me quickly run through the differences:
1. I do not live in Chicago. I also do not live "in the city" but in a suburb outside of it. I think that it's nice and am a fan of not having to deal with traffic on a daily basis.

2. I unfortunately do NOT own a set of pearls. However, I've been trying to convince my husband that a good teacher needs a good set of pearls. So far, it seems that my persuasion skills need a little more work.

3. Our family life is not the same. She has (obviously) amazing parents. While my father is non-existent and my mother is dead.

And I'm pretty sure those are the only differences between the two of us.

So, here's a few examples of how my life mirrors Jen's:

1. I also think that my dog smells like corn chips. I constantly mention this to the husband and he always gives me a really weird look.

2. I too have tried the "low-carb"/"no-carb" diet and have dreamed about eating cheese dip with slices of cheese, coveted Olive Garden bread sticks, and thought about food while the husband has tried to talk to me about something serious and/or important.

3. I also do the majority of my reading in the bath tub. Apparently so does my mentor ... here's a funny anecdote: After picking up "Such a Pretty Fat" (Jen's third novel), my mentor decided that she wanted to take a bath while reading. She undressed and slowly began to get into the hot water. Just as her foot hit the bottom of the tub, she slipped on something that must have been left behind by her children and dropped the book into the water. Whilst fishing it back out, she screams bloody murder causing her boyfriend to come flying into the bathroom. He finds her completely "nekkid" holding the book in a towel as if it were a small child. Needless to say, the book has been shoved under other books to try and flatten it out and get it ready for "Meet Jen Lancaster day!" Which will happen on May 12th!

4. I've attended Weight Watchers meetings and rolled my eyes when they discuss cake in the work place. Then, I've rolled my eyes when teachers in the teacher's lounge discuss cake in the work place.

5. My animals totally run the house. One sleeps in his own bed and the other sleeps in our bed. We can barely touch each other without her getting in between us for a couple of doggie kisses.

6. I have also blown out the ass of my pants. (I'm actually hoping that the fabric just snagged and ripped a hole ... but we can never be too sure.) Luckily, God made sure that I was wearing black underwear that day so that I wouldn't have to deal with some kind of indecent exposure type thing with my students.

7. I LOVE Chick Lit!

Honestly, the list could go on and on ... but I have some blogs to catch up on and some reading to do. OH, and Lost ... it is Lost day!

So until later, Good night ... hope all is well in the blogger world. Oh, and Jen if you are reading this ... Much Love!

Spring Break -- Relax!

2009-03-12T14:19:00.002-05:00

I've finally made it back home from the dear old "home town."

It's nice to be back in my own little one bedroom apartment.

However, while I was gone ... not only did I get to spend Monday thru this morning with my adorable little nephew, Kaleb ... but I also finished three books!

Right now, I'm reading Jen Lancaster's book "Bright Lights, Big Ass." I can not tell you people enough how much I freaking LOVE her.

In fact, once I'm finished with this book ... I'm going to have to give you a complete run down on how much I love her, and why we should spend all of our time together because we are so much a like!

The similarities are unreal! You'll see. You will.

Tonight, I'll be hitting up the Tomball Job Fair. I've got my suit (and three different colored shirts, which will ensure that I will not look like I'm wearing the same thing if I get called back for another interview or two) prepared, and my resumes printed, and I'm ready to go.

And then I remembered ... hm ... probably should take off the extremely chipped black finger nail polish and choose something less "modern and hip" ... so I'm going with clear. It'll look brilliant on my fantastically wonderful real nails that I do not pay over 20 dollars a month to have (I am SO lucky!)

Then, I will need to decide which colors to wear for eye shadows and gloss.

I'll also be driving in style in the Scion. (Is that how you spell that??)

Aaron has decided that he will now be driving my civic (with a new transmission ... she has become VERY expensive) and I will be driving his new (11 month old) baby. I'm fine with it! I can plug in my ipod now ... I can listen to CDs ... I can change the set stations to MY favorite stations ... and it's a pretty awesome little thing!

However, this means that I will not be able to buy my wonderful little Accord with the sun roof and the keyless entry and the blue tooth already built in for a while. And ... I'm sad. But, what's a girl to do. We are trying to save up to buy a house, we are trying to save up so that Aaron can get a masters in education so that he will have a "back up plan" just in case his company wants to move him to Omaha ... because I mean ... "NO!" ... and we are also wanting a Baaaaayyyyybbbbbeeeee. :)

So, I'll rock out in the Scion for a while ... no biggie. Although, now I really wish I would have convinced him to get the pretty dark blue color ... the dark reddish brown color that he has is kind of getting old.

Alright. So I still have a lot of things that need to be discussed ... and I promise that I will soon get to them. Although, I'll be gone for the weekend because we are going to the lake ... don't think that I am leaving you guys again for nearly a month. I'm not! I promise!!!

(hopefully)

How many weeks has it been now?

2009-03-09T18:31:00.002-05:00

I know. I get it.

I'm supposed to post my feelings and little anecdotes here. More than I do.

I need to do this if I want to eventually get some kind of a following one day. (which I do ... go and tell your friends)

However, when I sit in front of the computer at home ... (not the laptop because Link tried to kill himself by eating through the cord) ... I feel like there are a million and one other things that I need to be doing ...

These things include ... but are not limited to:
Lesson plans
Grading
Reading
Mourning the loss of my car (more on that ... hm ... I don't want to give a set date. Soon?)
Spending time with my husband
Taking the dogs outside for a run
Working out
Eating healthy
Catching up on my filling DVR
....

Basically ... not blogging.

I really want to though. I do! I promise!!

So, I will. Starting this week.

I'm here at my grandpa's house for the next couple of days. It's Spring Break (much needed!!) and I have nothing to do all day except plan lessons, read books, play with little Kaleb (hopefully), and blog!

So, I want to say that you will see more of me.

I want to.

But we'll see.

Whoa, Sorry.

2009-03-01T21:57:00.002-06:00

Sorry for my lack of posting as of late.

I was finishing up my Teacher Work Sample and getting it all submitted.

I was also going out with friends and having a lovely time of it.

In other words ... I didn't have time for you, blogspot. And I'm sorry.

Things to come:

Our "Observation" of "Lent."
Puking, and why it sucks.
A happy dance because Jen Lancaster is coming HERE!
Losing weight?
and other things that I'll blog about at a later time.

I hope that all have been well and that you haven't missed me much lately :)

A MeMe!

2009-02-16T06:06:00.003-06:00

Not for lack of creativity ... mainly for lack of drive ... I post this. Enjoy it ... and ask me if you'd like to be interviewed also.

1. How/when did you know that you wanted to marry Aaron?
-- I don't know if there was an exact time that I knew that I wanted to marry Aaron. He made me happy throughout our time together and it was just something that I could see in our future. Everything just fit together perfectly. I loved him, I loved him family, I loved our relationship, I loved everything about "US." So it was just natural that we would eventually get married. Aaron says that he knew that he wanted to marry me when I went with his family and him on vacation. But, maybe I just always knew ... things were just so great.

2. Why do you want to be a teacher?
--I want to be a teacher so that I can make a difference in someone's life. I know, I know, that's the bull-crap answer, but it's true. I think that I will be a good teacher and I think that my kids will actually get something out of what I have to offer. I look forward to shaping the youth of America.

3. If you were stuck on a deserted island and could have one book series (or set by an author), what would it be?
--It would definitely be the Harry Potter series. I read it at least once a year and there is no way that I could do without it if stuck on a deserted island. Right now, I'm also reading the Inkheart series ... which is actually pretty good ... but nothing can beat Harry Potter.

4. What cancelled TV show do you most miss?
--Hm, I'm going to have to go with Pushing Daisies on this one. I just thought that that show was so beautiful and sweet. Every time I finished watching it, I had a smile on my face. It was a great fairy tale type show and it was very colorful and bright, which you don't find on television that often. I think that it is stupid for them to have canceled it ... all they are running now on that channel and that time is re-runs of Scrubs. Ugh.

5. If you could go on a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
--I would like to go and tour a couple of places. For instance, I want to do the Sound of Music tour where they take you around Austria. I'd also like to go on the Harry Potter tour, so that I can see the awesome castle that it was filmed in and stuff like that. I'm a big nerd ... I know. But, I really could go just about anywhere on vacation as long as Aaron was with me :)

Leave me a comment saying that you want to be interviewed and I'll do just that!

To play along:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by sending you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Babysitting

2009-02-14T22:02:00.001-06:00

Like a teenager.

On Valentine's day at that.

But it's the adorable little nephew and so I don't mind.

Stay tuned for 5 questions answered! (Hopefully tomorrow)

Animal Crossing -- My love

2009-02-07T11:42:00.002-06:00

I have had a love/hate relationship with Animal Crossing since it was introduced to me way back in the day (five or more years ago). At that time it was on the Nintendo Gamecube ... which I bought mainly to impress Aaron who wasn't my boyfriend at the time. (Silly Girl!)

I loved it! It's a cute-sy little game that has little animal people that live in these little houses and always want you to mail them letters with gifts in them. You've just moved into the town and you are trying to pay off your ridiculous mortgage (somewhere around 20,000 "bells" for a measly little shack.) You spend your time picking up shells, digging up fossils, fishing, or other forms of shopping. The prettier you make your town the more hilarious characters will join in! It's pretty much awesome.

It has loads of characters that are absolutely hilarious and are always "up to no good." I played it for a good while on the "cube," to the delight of my grandpa who just wanted me to fish all the time! But, it started getting a little boring. It's set in real time ... so when it's 11:48 in the real world ... it's 11:48 in their world too. If it's winter ... it's snowing there (Oh, how I wish it would snow more than a freak accident in December here!) If it's spring, there are butterflies and bees flying all over the place there. But ... if you mess with the time (you know, to get away from your own life for a second) a little character comes and yells at you about messing with the time/space continuum. So, I put it away.

But then it came out for the DS! I LOVE my DS, mind you. I have so much fun playing games like Zoo Keeper (which is kind of like bejewled, but with cute-sy little animals) ((Maybe, I just have a thing for cute-sy little animals ... but I digress.)) Or Professor Laythom's blah blah blah ... something about a curious village. (This one is a logic game ... and I love logic puzzles ... and these are actually pretty freaking difficult!) So, anyway ... Animal Crossing came to the DS! Both Aaron and I picked it up ... along with all of his dear friends and we had a blast! We would party at each others towns, swap fruit with each other so that we could get more fruit in our towns, send each other mail (which is always fun), and mainly just enjoy ourselves. Animal Crossing EVEN spawned Aaron's nickname for me "Cute Face." One of the little animals always called me that in the game and he thought it was funny ... I thought it was adorable ... and so it's stuck! But ... it got old again. New games came out that he wanted to play, I was busy with school, or television, or reading, or something else, and my DS sat on the shelf unplayed.

But THEN Animal Crossing was going to come out on the WII! I got SOOOO EXCITED! All the commercials sounded so cool and all that jazz ... so we "reserved" our copy of it and I planned on getting it for Christmas. But Aaron's friends said that it was basically the same game as on the DS and that the DS one was much more fun. So, Aaron said that he didn't want to get it for the Wii ...and I was sad. UNTIL YESTERDAY!

Yesterday, after having a healthy meal (and my first after my bout of flu) at Jason's Deli, we went to the gamestop and switched the 5 dollars from Animal Crossing on the Wii and put it towards Animal Crossing on the DS ... AGAIN!

I'm so excited! I've named my character, Cute face of course, and she has brown eyes and pink hair (this is all done randomly), and my town is called "Avonlee." I love it! It comes with a few characters to get you started ... they each have their own personalities that crack me up:

Introducing CESAR!

He has a bad attitude most of the time. Even when he wants to talk to you ... he pretends that he doesn't and usually brushes you off quickly. Today, he asked me what my favorite part of my body was and I said "My Rump" (Because it is!) and he got extremely flustered and red ... telling me that he didn't need to hear about THOSE parts of my body. Hilarious!

This is Pecan!

I think that we are going to be great friends. She reminds me a lot of "Bunni" which is the one that gave me the Cute Face nickname to begin with. Pecan loves getting mail and gifts and is always talking about how cute her house is and asking how her makeup looks. I think that we are going to be great friends ... (because well ... I love cute-sy little animals remember?)

And here is Teddy!

He is "out for a run" all the time and always tells me that I'm getting a little chubby (yeah, I know Teddy ... that's why I've been going to the gym lately ... OK?) He usually calls me "Beef Cake" and sometimes gets into a serious roid rage. But, it's all in good fun.

And finally ... we have my new character. She just moved in today and I haven't been able to get to know her because she's been unpacking all day. She says that I can visit with her tomorrow ... so until then ... who knows.

Anyway, another cool thing about this game is that you get little letters from your mom. She tells you how much that she is missing you and gives you little gifts. I haven't received a letter from my mom yet ... but when I do ... I'll be so excited ... especially since my mom is unable to actually send me a real letter ...

So. If you have a DS ... get out and get this game ... then give me your code so that we can play in each other's towns!

Until then ... I leave you with this wonderful wonderful wonderful video.

It Takes All Kinds

2009-02-06T11:55:00.003-06:00

My new year's resolution was to get fit this year. For real this time. Seriously.

Aaron gets a free membership to 24 hour fitness with his work. My membership is only 20 dollars a month. So ... we've been going nearly every day since December 27th.

I've encountered a lot of people. There are all kinds there. Really.

So, here's my list of people that you will probably find at a public gym:

1. The serious workers: These are the people that I aspire to be one day. They are slim. They are fit. And they work hard at both. You'll find these people doing what they are supposed to do. They work out cardio and move on to some weights. Their muscles are a normal size and are tone. They keep to themselves and usually listen to music on their Ipod.

2. The Muscles: These are the kind of people (usually men) that I can hardly stand. They are usually huge in the arms and shoulders with a pot belly and chicken legs. These people are always looking to show off. For instance, not only will they put the highest weight possible on the machine ... they'll add some to the machine even though they aren't supposed to. These people always look around to check and see if anyone is watching before they start lifting their heavy load. They always want an audience.

3. The Desperate Housewife: We get a lot of these in this area, mainly because it's a rich area with a lot of women that are stay at home-ers with nothing else to do but "get fit." These women usually have had lipo-suction done, bo-tox, and plastic surgery boobs, and still pay hundreds of dollars for a personal trainer. An actual trainer has said "They all have lipo and fake boobs so I really don't have to do much of anything." They like to head to the gym in full make up with their hair fixed. They prance around in short shorts and bra tops showing their not worked for bodies. Lovely.

4. The Slutty McSlutterstein's: These are the girls that wear bikini's while in the pool, spa, or saunas. Their boobs (fake or not) are constantly on show and they know it. These women usually get a lot of male attention which they seem to enjoy greatly. I never see them working out in the gym area. They stay in the "wet area" to make sure that those around them can view their goodies. -Rolls eyes-

5. The under-agers: Once again, I'm not sure if this is because we live in the area that we live in and every parent gives their kid a gym membership or what ... but it's very prevalent in our gym. These are also usually female. I say female because the male under-agers usually are working out. In fact, there are some under-agers that actually work out ... but there are a few (the ones that I'm talking about) that are only there for "the boys." These under-agers sit in the sauna with a lot of clothes on so that they draw attention to themselves. Then they begin conversations with their accomplice under-ager about how they should just "not eat ... or throw up." Something that will draw the attention to them. Then they talk about their parent's owning liquer stores. I've yet to see these under-agers leave the sauna area to actually work out. But they are there nearly every day ... talking to a new boy every time.

6. The clueless: These are the people that are the gym and have NO idea what they are doing there. They need help figuring out how to work the elliptical machine and usually pay for a personal trainer to get help. They walk around aimlessly trying to figure out how to do different things and once they figure it out ... they are still slow working it.

And then there is me. I get on the Elliptical for 30 minutes and rock out on my ipod. I lift weights for about 20 minutes afterwards and then I spend about 10 minutes in the steam room or sauna. Where does this place me? ... In "The Awesome" crowd :)

Because that's me ... I'm awesome.

Check out MORE "Very Funny Fridays" HERE!

I got my pillow!

2009-02-03T16:31:00.002-06:00

I won an awesome pillow from Mormon Mommy Blogs!

Now, it resides on our bed and it's lovely!

I'd post a picture of it ... but I'm sick. And tired.

(reminds me of an old Cosby stand-up)

Anyway ... I'll post it later. When I get up. Or after I go to sleep and wake up again. Or ... later.

But know this, I'm super duper grateful!

Today is the Day

2009-02-01T20:48:00.002-06:00

Today is the last day for birth control!!!

I've been on the ring for a while now ... a year or so? Before that I was on the pill ... etc. etc. etc.

But no longer! I'm done with the ring as of today!

We are going to wait a couple of months to let the birth control completely get out of my system and start trying around April-Mayish.

Getting pregnant this summer would be absolutely PERFECT! But getting pregnant period would be perfect too!

I'm so excited to start this new time in our lives!!!!!!

I love you ...

2009-01-29T23:16:00.003-06:00

Is this little guy not the cutest?? Now he's a little over a year old and he thinks that he is a big boy.

He hates annoying singers on American Idol. When he hears them squealing off key, he stops squeaking his toy and stares at the screen with a "seriously?" look on his face.

He loves getting new dental bones. In fact, the other night ... Nakomis (our bird eating, scared to poop chihuahua) had just wrestled his bone away from him and was eating it smugly in front of him. So, he planned it out and slowly starting sneaking up on her. When she looked up he averted his eyes as if to say "Nope, I'm not going after that bone!" I thought it was hilarious! He also talks with Emily the cat and gets her to walk into the room to make Nakomis nervous and lunge at her. This frees up the bone and he swoops in for the win.

He loves the laptop and tries to lay his little head on the "warm spots."

He makes little noises when he yawns. It's absolutely adorable.

When I go to get ice out of the freezer, he runs into the kitchen and waits patiently for me to hand him a small piece of ice.

Before he turned one and was no longer a "puppy," we had said that we might allow him to sleep outside of his cage/bed. But, when it actually came down to his birthday ... we forgot. He barked in his cage for a week after wards, as if he knew that we were supposed to let him sleep outside of his cage after he turned one and we didn't hold up our end.

Right now, he is curled up in my Aaron's lap dreaming about stealing dental bones from his nemesis Nakomis with the help of his side kick - Emily the cat.

It's Called an Honor Society for a REASON

2009-01-26T18:44:00.002-06:00

I'm in my student teaching semester, right? Which I guess doesn't quite qualify me to be "Little Miss English Teacher" until May ... but my old blog name blatantly spelled out my name and I didn't want any snot-nosed kids trying to find my blog and "ruin me." Or something or another.

Anyway, my mentor teacher is the NHS sponsor for the school. A couple of weeks ago, two girls that are senior members of NHS were caught cheating. In fact, they were caught cheating by the president of NHS. *STUPID!*

So, they were sent down to the AP's office, they immediately burst into tears and confessed.

The Honor Society has to have a formal meeting to kick out students and they really had all that they needed ... the students confessed to cheating ... it was a done deal! Or not.

Apparently, one of the parents claims that they were not given sufficient time to attend the formal meeting to dismiss an honor student from the program. They also claim that the student was interrogated for an hour and a half and that her words were misconstrued and that she didn't confess to anything. The parent also claims that when the student went to attend the meeting, the sponsor told her that it wasn't going to matter either way and she just mine as well not waste her time because they were going to kick her out either way.

Great job, "honor student." How about we add LIAR to your ever growing resume of unethical qualities.

So, I can't wait to find out how things go. It's not really going to matter one way or another. They have the proof. They have a confession. Cut and dry!

I tell you what though ... the parents at the school that I teach at are crazy about NHS. There is another parent that continually emails the sponsor and counselor for NHS because her daughter has a 3.95 GPA but requires a 4.0 to be in NHS. The parent can't understand why her daughter can't be admitted. "Well, Lady ... if the bylaws say 4.0 ... it's a 4.0 not a 3.95." If the other 150 students that just got inducted can maintain a 4.0 ... she'll have to do the same ...

It's called an Honor Society for a REASON, people!

3D: The wave of the future?

2009-01-24T16:05:00.003-06:00

We just renewed our new lease on our quaint little one bedroom with a study. You know the one ... where we live over the frat boys? (In fact, we encountered one of them today and I think that they named their dog "Lil' SH**. I say this because that was all he could call it when our dogs and his dog wanted to play.)

Anyway, we aren't ready to buy a house just yet so we are going to sign a lease for 7 months. Well, we told them that we wanted our carpets cleaned since we were going to renew. They agreed ... which means that we had to be out of the house today between 10-12. We didn't leave the house until about 10:45 ... but that's no big thing because apparently they didn't come until around 12 anyway.

We decided to skip yoga this morning and instead catch My Bloody Valentine in 3d. We wanted to go early to this showing because if we would have gone tonight then we would have had to pay an extra 1.75 which I think is ridiculous.

So we get there ... and have popcorn for breakfast ... and make it in the theatre just in time to see the sign that says "Put your 3d glasses on now, please." We comply.

Now, I am not sure how I feel about 3d being the wave of the future. Aaron has read articles that state that there could start being 3d televisions! I worry about this because I like to watch television in my glasses and my PJs and don't want to have to worry about putting on my contacts just so that I can wear the 3d glasses (like I had to do this morning ... ouch my eyes!)

Or, if they decide that they are going to have more 3d movies out (which they seem to be going towards ...) I think that they should not have as many horror movies be in 3d. Because when something is flying at my face at break neck speeds ... I tend to close one eye in fright (yeah, big baby ... that's me) and then it completely ruins the shot.

Oops. I forgot that both eyes needed to be open to see the effects. My bad. Next time an axe is headed towards my head, I'll try to remember that.

So, in other words ... My Bloody Valentine was actually a good movie. I liked the 3d. It wasn't cheesy 3d ... you know where they throw popcorn or other stupid stuff at the screen to try and get a rise out of the audience ... No, it was really good 3d. I just have to remember not to wince because I'm scared that the bullet, or axe, or other form of weapon that is flying at my head is not really a real object. Duh.

But ... I couldn't see a romance in 3d ... what would they make come out of the screen at you? Her huge diamond rock?

Very Funny Friday

2009-01-23T05:51:00.006-06:00

Alright, so this is my first time to do one of these things that they call a ... Carnival? I guess that makes me a Carnie. Nice ... something that I've always aspired to ...

Anyway ... it's crazy early in the morning. I'm sitting here in jeans and the tank top that I went to bed in. My hair wasn't blow dried last night which makes it all over my freaking head so I'm waiting for the straightener to load up.

I have clothes on the floor ... my teeth aren't brushed yet ... (WHAT?! I just finished eating some cereal!) ... and I really need to get my butt in gear if I'm going to leave my house at a reasonable time. (6:30)

And yet ... I love my blog SO MUCH ... that I'm going to try this whole thing and see if I can get some readers to love it too!

Unfortunately ... as it's so early in the morning ... I don't have anything "very funny" to post. That's new ...

So, I'm going to post my favorite post that I've ever had ... I'm sure that you haven't read it yet ... so you should enjoy it.

This was written back in 2005 ...

Friday, April 08, 2005

Are you a cheater?

Fess up now. RIGHT NOW! Have you ever cheated?

Don't start giving me...well I was drunk....and...stuff...just...

No I mean have you ever cheated in school!?

A thought occurred to me as I was walking to a class all alone yesterday (I have to occasionally talk to myself just so I'm not lonely :) ) I've been in College for two years now and I have never ONCE cheated. Not once. Not even on homework (which could probably be because I don't know anyone in my classes well enough to be like.."You...right there...smart one...give up the homework!")

Have any of YOU cheated in college?

Lemme just tell you that I was an AVID cheater in Highschool...dude I cheated on EVERYTHING! Especially after my freshman year when a friend of mine and I were falsely accused of cheating on some homework. So I figure...eff it....if I'm gonna get blamed for it I mine as well start doing it yah think?

I had the cheating DOWN!

Ways to Cheat 101:

1) Have someone in the class ahead of you write down the answers to the scantron on a small slip of paper and slip it to you between classes.

2) Roll up a sheet of paper with the answers on it and stick it inside your pen. Then sit in the back of the room and undo your pen after the "cheater check" was complete.

3) Wear long sleeves and write the answers on your arms and your palm and then sit in the back of the class and enjoy making an A.

4) **Added by This beautiful lady** Make a bracelet with the answers on it and during the "Cheater Check" just turn the bracelet inside out! (BRILLIANCE I tell you)

5) And my personal favorite..(which I shall demonstrate..)

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

One skirt (Make sure it's regulation length because if you get busted by the dress code police, it is NOT my fault dude.)

One clean thigh (Must be clean btw) Hm Depending on how big the test is you might need TWO thighs.

One felt tip marker. Don't get one that's gonna smear or smudge. Because if your gonna go through with this there might be alittle sweating/glistening/glittering/perspiring (whatever it is you wanna call it) involved.

Now, if you havn't already guessed what your going to do lemme break it down for you. You make yourself alittle cheat sheet on your thigh(s) and then wear a skirt to school that day. The desk totally covers your legs right...so You can just lift up your skirt and get the answers that you don't already have memorized!

BTW: It is NOT my fault if you get busted doing this...obviously your just not slick enough and will have to continue practicing young grasshopper!

BOYS/GUYS/MEN: Unfortunantly I don't think this form of cheating will work with you but I did give you three other options to try out!

So for those of you in Highschool...there yah go.

And for those of you in College or out of College .... Did you cheat in college?

PSH Because *I* damn sure won't! To afraid something horrible will happen!!

Don't "Cheat" yourself out of a great FRIDAY!!

Have fun this weekend!! <3<3<3

See ... wasn't that hilarious? I think so. Especially since I'm an English Teacher now ... giving instructions (with pictures) on how to cheat in my classroom. Nice.

Check out more "Very Funny Friday's" HERE

Blast from the past

2009-01-22T21:33:00.003-06:00

I thought that this was a good idea ... after seeing it on Christin's site ...

So, I went back to look at all of my old XANGA stuff and picked out some GOLDEN posts :)

Wednesday, March 30th, 2005

.

See that? That little SPECK? That red mark of DEATH! Well I hate that And in tribute of hating ~~periods~~, I'm not going to be using ANY for this post I will still skip the appropriate spaces and capitalize as if the gross speck of pain was still there however I will NOT use the ~~Period~~ to end ANY of my sentences today

Why you may ask? Why the ~~period~~? What HAS it done to you?

IT is the reason for my nausea yesterday

IT is the reason for my cramping today

IT is the reason that I feel YUCKY and just want to lay around and mope because my uterus could very well be thrown up at any point in time that it feels apt to do so

So I'm going on a ~~period~~ STRIKE And you all should!

Follow the masses!! Stop the ~~PERIODS~~

GIVE ME A HYSTERECTOMY

Thank you for your time That is all

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Channel 1: S.T.D News

A brilliant idea coming forth from my glorious boyfriend as he watched tv yesterday.

He says to me yesterday "Baby, You know how they have that public access channel?" I nod my head, remembering many a night that I watched that because nothing else was on...

"Well I think that they should make Channel One or something like that...an STD Channel." O.O "A WHAT Channel Aaron?" "An STD Channel my darling" (Okay this isn't exactly how the conversation went...but it's how it goes in my head...I mentally add all the pet names in) "An STD Channel hm? How would that work exactly" "Well let me tell you, peanut"

And this is how it would go:

They would have a banner at the top that said "THIS PERSON GAVE SOMEONE STD'S" And then they would have a picture of the person and a location of the person that has STD'S. This way not only will you be able to STEER CLEAR but you can even keep away from that certain AREA...because who knows who it had been passed on to since the original person got it.

"Wow...."

A co-worker of Aaron's chimes in "Man, who would watch that?"

Aaron, Me, and two other people that happened to be in the store at the time speak up with "I WOULD!"

I mean wouldn't that be effing interesting?! Getting to see public humiliation in the finest? I'd probably be sitting back with a year book on a regular basis just marking off people with STD'S!

Heck they put Sexual Offenders in the paper! And STD Givers are DEFINANTLY SEXUAL OFFENDERS!!!

Your thoughts on the matter?

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Nakomis = Murderer

Put on your shocked faces people....This cute little dog is Wanted...for MURDER!

(See how her eyes are glowing...that's because she has the DEVIL in her)

Recently...I found her in the dining room area, toying with an extremely pissed off lizard that she had caught. It managed to stay alive long enough for me to reprimand her and pick it up and put it back outside into it's habitat.

But she's become smarter.

She waited until I left to go over to Aaron's last night and when my grandpa let her out before they went to bed apparently she drug in two baby birds. And KILLED them.

That's right she killed two baby birds last night, put them in the dining room on display (just like a serial killer so that she could show them off to others) and then crawled in bed with my grandpa as if she were the same sweet little girl that he knew her to be.

This morning when we woke up, there the birds were, one bird in the walkway to the dining room and the other one in a proper burial ground by the plant. She was dancing around them as if she was a witch doctor or some other foul being of the night.

I'm worried...who knows what she'll bring in next? It's a scary thought that you can't even trust your dog around other animals that are smaller than she is. Soon she'll be bringing in squirrels or something *gasp* What will we do then!?

Thursday, June 02, 2005

6 AM Bargains and a Mickey Mouse Jumper

Imagine. Your in bed, dreaming peacefully and the blast of an alarm clock grabs you from your slumber. It's 6 am. And you have a job to do. You pull yourself out of bed and fumble for your glasses as you stare begrudgingly at the clock.

A shuffle across the thin apartment carpet lands you into the hall bathroom, you wash your face and take care of the morning pee. A knock at the door forces you to realize there is yet another sleepy young lady needing to take care of necessities as well. You let her in and you stumble to the living room, still trying to wipe the sleep from your caked eyes. You can hear the bathroom door open, ya'll pass each other in the hall way as you head back to the bathroom to finish with the preparation of morning. This morning you plan on looking like shit. Hell it's only garage sale people right? Ummhmm..a garage sale.

After watching a few videos on MTV and sliding on your flipflops both girls are ready to go. It is now 6:28.

Pulling into the driveway of the garage sale you notice a crowd of people. "What the fuck" quickly slips from your lips before you have the time to think about it. Both girls leave the safety of the vehicle ready to face the crowd of bargainers. And so your Wednesday morning begins. This 50 dollars better be worth it.

The neighbor finally manages to unlock the door and the garage door gets opened quickly. Thank God, otherwise the impatient garage sale vultures were getting fidgety.

It goes off without a hitch. The people come, and go and buy and bargain. ((Which is really annoying btw)) Both girls and the neighbor move things out into the driveway, and move the pool table from the backyard. As such occurrences take place...the neighbor comes out of his haunted abode.

"Someone's going to have to move this car." "This FUCKING pisses me OFF" "Someone's parked in my *Expletive* yard."

The two girls are shocked. It had been a while since they had heard an old man talk such way. What a morning this was shaping up to be.

There were men who wanted boxes full of stuff for 20 dollars. Don't think so.

There were women that wanted Manolo heels for 1.50. They got them for 3.

And most of all...there was a woman that wanted a singer sewing machine that had never been used for 5 dollars. It was sold to someone else for 8. What? The other lady was nicer!

Lunch was exquisite and the rains called people off after 1:30. Which is when the Mickey Mouse jumper was found...and questions about an ex boss quickly arose. Where did she get such a mickey mouse jumper? And how often was it worn?

After 3 pm, the bank was counted and a whopping 690 dollars made. Eff yes, The 50 dollars was worth it. And there will be more bargains to be had Saturday morning from 7 - 12. Be there or be square.

I'll post more later ... enjoy these for now :)

I LURVE Etsy!

2009-01-21T17:46:00.003-06:00

I just found out about the amazing website that is Etsy and went a LITTLE crazy with my buying.

Not only did I buy a few things NOT Harry Potter ... but I bought a lot of stuff that relates TO Harry Potter!!!

Such as:

My Harry Potter Charm Bracelet ...

My Golden (but Silver) Snitch Necklace ...

and FINALLY ... My Harry Potter PURSE!!

And the wallet ...

Thanks ETSY! I love you!

Get out there and EAT!

2009-01-20T20:36:00.004-06:00

Alright girls. Here is something that you should know ... men like you a little "rounder," a little "healthier," a little "more to love."

Believe me. I've done a survey. I've asked around. Guys like to envision their women as a woman that is going to be strong enough to bear their children. They want them to have wider hips ... a healthy weight.

I'm not saying that they all want women that are over-weight because that isn't it at all. But they do want women that are healthy and confident in their body image.

So why do you girls think that it is OK to starve yourself? Why do you think that it is OK to not give yourself the nutrients that you need? How is this helping things?

I'm sick of not eating what I want to eat. I'm sick of skipping a meal because I think that in the long run it's going to do me some good. It's not going to do me any good. I have a bad body image, really. I look at myself in the mirror and see all of the flaws, I do.

I know that I need to lose weight ... so I go to the gym nearly every single day for about a hour. I know that I need to lose weight ... so I chose not to eat that ice cream cone.

I know all of these things. But I also know that I am not going to get down to my "goal weight" by starving myself. I'm not going to get down to my "goal weight" by not giving my body the food that it needs to survive.

So what is it girls? Do you want to be healthy ... or do you want to be skinny? Do you want to be able to have children? Or do you want to be bone thin? Do you want to eat healthy food? Or do you want to skip meals so that your bones can show through?

I hope that you chose being healthy, being able to have children, and eating healthy food. I don't think that God put you on this planet to torture yourself.

Get out there ... and eat!

(And then work out!)

Compassionate

2009-01-19T18:59:00.003-06:00

I am a volunteer for "The Family & Friend Network." This means that I have the opportunity to visit children that have a disability. I can read to them, help around the house ... basically just be a friend.

I met my "friend" today.

Now, here is my confession.

This scares the crap out of me.

The young girl has cerebral palsy and is not vocal. She is in a wheel chair and plays with toys that are stimulating. She has had a history of seizures. All of these things I am scared of.

I worry that I might be there and she will have a seizure.

I don't know what I am going to be able to occupy her time with. She can not really tell me the things that she wants. I like reading aloud ... but I'm not sure what would be the things that she would like to hear.

I don't know. I don't want to come off as selfish ... I don't want anyone to think that I am not compassionate enough ... because I am. I think that I might be too compassionate. Looking at her makes my stomach ache with compassion.

What is she thinking about ...
Does she know what is really going on ...
Is she happy ...
Is she miserable ...

I guess that I have a lot to think about before I decide whether or not this match is for me. Aaron says that the more I spend with her the more comfortable I will be.
I think so.

But I worry that I won't ... and then what would she feel like knowing that I didn't want her to be my friend?

Free SWAG!

2009-01-19T12:17:00.001-06:00

Check out: HERE for some awesomely awesome free-ness!!!

I'm getting ready to go and meet my little lady with Cerebral Palsy today. I'm looking forward to it!! I'll post about it all tonight!

I am ...

2009-01-18T21:50:00.005-06:00

I am ... a daughter ... born R_____ Darlene P_______, to a single 17 year old mother on a warm night at the beginning of October. I was the most beautiful baby that my grandfather had ever seen, all perfect and pink, crying and peeing as the air of the new world enveloped me. My mother never got on her feet ... I moved in with my grandparents at the age of four ... I've never known my father.

I am ... a sister ... even if it's only half. I have a 19 year old brother who is the (hopefully) loving father of a beautiful baby boy. They live in his wife's mother's house ... hours away from me, and I miss my lovely little nephew.

I am ... a wife ... to an amazing man that I can not wait to share the rest of my life with. He makes my days brighter and I fall more and more in love with him every day.

I am ... a Christian ... and I love the Lord.

I am ... an in-law ... to an amazing family. My husband's family is the best family I could have ever asked for. His mother is perfect. There is absolutely nothing bad about her. She is the perfect woman. I aspire to be like her and to raise my children as well as she raised hers.

I am ... a niece ... to an aunt that died suddenly and another whom I am still trying to get along with.

I am ... a granddaughter ... to an amazing man and late woman. My grandfather has hung the moon. He is what I looked for in a man ... and found in Aaron. My grandfather has a place next to God. He is a saint. I love him dearly.

I am ... a cousin ... though we don't see each other very much at all. Our family isn't like Aaron's ... and that makes me sad sometimes.

I am ... an aunt ... to two BEAUTIFUL little boys born four days apart from each other.

I am ... a friend ... that will never let you down. I strive to be a best friend and one that you can trust. I will always be there for them ... even if I have to sleep on their floor for a week when they need me the most.

I am ... ALMOST a college graduate ... which I will utilize by teaching the youth of America. I want to make a difference.

I am ... a dreamer ... although I do not know if I have the drive or the confidence to make those dreams a reality.

I am ... a survivor ... tragedy has made me into the woman that I am ... or so I like to think.

I am ... an optimist ... I always see that the glass is half full. I love knowing that there will always be more drink in my cup of life.

My first day of student teaching ... hilarity ensues ...

2009-01-16T19:53:00.008-06:00

Disclaimer: The following post will involve spoilers of the literary classic Of Mice and Men. If you have not read it or seen the movie ... skip over the *******'d parts.

I started student teaching on Monday. I'll graduate in May and I'll officially be a real live English teacher!

However, I've never read John Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men (As of Monday.)

Aaron has been after me to read it for a while now and refused to tell me the ending.

So, I get into class and I'm good for the first two periods because it's Pre-AP and they aren't doing the same curriculum as the regular classes. But here comes third period.

Not only are they watching Of Mice and Men but it's at the END of the movie.

I'm not really paying much attention because I'm talking with my teacher and I'm trying to learn the ropes and what have you and I just happened to look over just as *********George kills Lennie******** the end of the movie happens. I audibly gasp and BURST INTO TEARS.

That's right. I start crying in the middle of a class of tenth graders that I had just barely met. So they are start saying "Um, Ms. H .... your new teacher is crying ...." "What's the matter new teacher ... don't cry ..."

Alright. So here comes fourth period. It's like a train wreck! I have to watch it more to find out exactly what happened. Which makes it even WORSE.

************I started crying just as I realize that the reason that George is going to have to kill Lennie is so that the other people don't end up lynching him for accidentally killing Curley's Wife. (Just thinking about how scared Lennie would be if those boys would have caught him makes me literally sick to my stomach)*****************

So, now I'm REALLY crying! Once again the kids freak out ... my teacher is like "Oh no, I'm so sorry! I can't believe that I didn't warn you the first time we watched it!"

So, yeah ... I boo-hoo cried in front of my students on my first day of student teaching. Nice.

By the way ... this story is probably much funnier when I tell it in person. Aaron maintains that it's the best story that I've told in a while!!

Letters continued ...

2009-01-11T21:35:00.002-06:00

Momma,

I write this letter during a time that I feel better about your death. Just a few weeks ago, I don’t think that I could have gotten through this letter without breaking down into tears. It’s weird. After two years … you think that living without my mom would get easier. It doesn’t.

I mean, what did you ever do for me anyway? All of the things that you said that you would do … usually never happened. Do you know how many times I waited and MawMaw’s and PawPaw’s for you to come by and pick me up, but something else more important came up and you never showed?

For most of my life, I wasn’t the daughter … I was the mother. I had to be the strong one while you fell into your pills and “depression.” That year and a half that I lived with you nearly was my downfall. Dreading the ride home because I never knew if you were going to be still in bed … or if you were going to be bright eyed on the couch waiting to get home and be the mother that you were always supposed to be.

And yet, this is still difficult. Every day, waking up and knowing that you aren’t just a phone call away. When I used to get into an argument with someone, you would always be the one that I could call and you would just agree with everything that I said … whether I was in the wrong or not. I still need that sometimes to this day … and you aren’t there for me.

My brother, your son, just had a beautiful baby boy and he’ll never know his grandma. All because you were so selfish! Why mom? Why? I thought that you were finally getting your life together. We all that you were in a good place in your life, finally … after 38 years of struggling. And then we get that surprise phone call and nothing has been the same since.

Do you know what you are missing out on? Do you know how much I miss you? Do you know how much I want to crawl into your lap like a little girl and smell your smell? I miss being close to you. I miss watching television together. I miss all of our talks. I miss all of our arguments. I miss you so much, it makes my bones hurt. I have this deep ache for you, and I can’t figure out why.

I don’t have the closure maybe. But I don’t know if I will ever have the closure … how can I have closure when I don’t even know what happened or why?

Help me, Momma. Help me to be the woman that you always wanted me to be. Help me to take the hurt that I have and turn it into something that can be productive. Help me to love you without the anger. Help me to miss you without the anger. Help me to get over this grief.

I love you and I miss you more than I ever thought possible,
Your daughter … who is now a wife, an aunt, and a teacher … all things that you never got to see.

Oh the joys of apartment living

2009-01-09T22:17:00.003-06:00

When God made cute little apartments with the stairs on the inside and a wonderful lake with a gazebo to sit at while I let the dogs run and play ... did he mean to place us above habitual party-ers?

When God made decent rent which doesn't include anything but is still relatively cheap for this area ... did he mean to have me live next to people that are still popping fireworks on the 9th of January?

When God made a cute little one bedroom with a study and a pretty large kitchen and bathroom for my husband and I to spend most of our two years of marriage ... did he mean to also place inconsiderate tenants that play their music extremely loud in their vehicles at 10:23 pm?

When God made me, in which he broke the mold, because I am the epitome of perfect in every sense of the word (har har) ... did he mean to make my patience the size of a roll-y poll-y for such miscreants?

When God made my husband, in which he broke the mold, because he is the epitome of perfect in every sense of the word (no, seriously) ... did he mean to make him so easy going that this whole apartment living thing doesn't bother him as much as me?

I asked ... and God told me ...

"Buy a House."

Letters continued ...

2009-01-09T19:44:00.001-06:00

Dearest MawMaw,

I know that you are living it up right now with your best friends in Heaven, but we miss you down here. I think out of all of the deaths that I have experienced … yours was the easiest. Only because I know that you were really sick, that you were sick of BEING sick, and that you were ready. PawPaw is doing well, he hunts all the time and fishes any chance that he gets. I know that he really likes to do those things and he is able to now. However, sometimes when I walk past his bedroom he is sitting down on you guy’s bed and he has all of your jewelry spread out so that he can touch your wedding rings. I always go in there and let him tell me all of the stories that come with your jewelry, even if I’ve heard them before … it’s nice to let him talk about how much he loves you.

I love you MawMaw, and I wish that I could tell you this in person. I know that you know … but I struggled for a while with this after your death because I was so so so mad at you when I left a few days before you died. I should have learned my lesson then … to treasure all of the time that you have with your loved ones. But then a few years later it happened again with Mom.

Your death was a struggle with our family. It was one of the first times that I saw my Aunt’s true side. But, we won’t get into that. You saw. Anyway, I love you so much and I can’t wait to see you again. Kiss my mom for me …

Love you,
Your little girl

September 22, 2002

Letters to the ones I've loved and lost

2009-01-08T23:54:00.006-06:00

Dearest Ryan,

Hey friend. After your sudden accident … I was strong until we buried you on that cold afternoon. Then I lost it. You were my best friend. I loved our late night conversations when you would sneak into my bedroom all hours of the night. Good times, hm?
I knew the things that you were doing. Who knows, maybe I could have talked you out of it. I don’t know. But, I knew... And I disagreed. But, you were your own person and the more I think about it the more I don’t think that anyone could have stopped your reckless behavior.
I think about you often. In fact, I used to dream about you constantly. Us, sitting on beach chairs (which is weird because we never went to the beach together) and me telling you all about my life while you listened with a smile on your face. And then you weren’t there anymore … right before I got married. Aaron says that it’s because he thinks that you are letting me go so that he can take care of me now. Is that it? If so, thanks for taking care of me for those few years … I appreciate it.
I remember that conversation that we had a long time ago … you know … the one where you said that you just KNEW you were going to die young. How did you know, Ryan? How?
I pray that you didn’t hurt when it happened. I pray that you didn’t know. But, I’ve heard otherwise … and that makes my heart beat fast and my palms get sweaty just thinking about you in that kind of pain. But, I know that you aren’t in pain now, right?
You saved lives, by the way. Your group of friends … on that path of destruction? Not anymore. Some went to college. They are holding down jobs. They are doing really well for themselves. Some even have families. I believe that it was because of you. They realized that their own destructive behavior wasn’t working … that they weren’t really immortal. That they could die too. That they could take too many pills. That they could fall asleep at the wheel. That they could wrap their car around that tree. That they could catch on fire. That they could miss out on living life.
Your family is doing well. I baby sat Sweet sweet Gabby and Cammy a few times after I graduated. Gabby didn’t remember me at first … but once she did, she used to curl up in my lap for us to watch television together. Cammy has your room now … and my heart used to pound each time I would go to lay her down. You know who else is doing well? Daniel. I was extremely worried about him after you left. He started wearing signs on his shirt that said things like “Drugs are Good” and I worried like crazy. “Why would he want to follow in his footsteps?” I would ask Jessica. She couldn’t understand it either. Then all of a sudden, he’s graduating with honors and has a full ride to a college in Dallas. I’m so proud of him … and he looks just like you … it’s scary.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how things were going. I wanted to share with you the things that I feel. I want to wish you well. I want to tell you that I love you … with sequins. (I still find random sequins in random places, like in my jeans pockets after a wash … is that you?)

Love Always,
Your Angel

January 22, 2003

--Stay tuned for more letters --

Letter to my 14 year old self

2009-01-06T23:18:00.002-06:00

Hello you,

I know that this might be a little awkward to you … what with finding a letter from your significantly fatter, ten year older self … but listen. All of the mistakes that you are going to make within the next few years should not be changed. They will make you into the beautiful woman that you will become. Here is just a few pointers:

You are about to meet an amazing young man that will change your life forever. He is smart, funny, and extremely good looking. He’ll sweep you off your feet and shatter your heart … all in a matter of three months. But he is worth it. Hold on to all of the feelings that he makes you feel, all of the emotions that he causes, and all of the dreams that he helps build. You’ll lose him in a couple of years, no … don’t be afraid, don’t cry, it’s OK. He saves so many other peoples lives that were on the same path as his.

Don’t get all obsessed with who’s friends with who and which friends betray which friends. You are still going to be best friends with the ones that you are best friends with now. We still love each other dearly. The mistakes of high school are silly and irrelevant now.

Ignore your weight issues. You are not fat. Eat healthy. Get out there and exercise. Start making good decisions now … your 24 year old self will appreciate it.

In a few years you are going to get into an argument with your Mawmaw. Please kiss her good bye before you leave. Even if you are mad. Call her the next day. Please. Because that will be the last time that you will see her. It’s going to hurt so much … but maybe if you add that kiss and call it will be a little better.

There is this guy that you are going to date. He might seem great. He might seem wonderful. He is not. But even though he is not great … you are still going to waste over two years with him. Can’t change that. Don’t need to … because the things that he makes you go through, the feelings that you feel when he is drunk and angry are things that help you move on and find the man that you will be married to … so once again, it’s worth it. Without this one … you wouldn’t rush into the loving and amazing arms of the next one …

As for Aaron … dear sweet Aaron … I can’t tell you much that you won‘t figure out quickly. He is so easy to love! Just love him every day more than the last. I’m doing that now and it’s working out just fine.

I know that I mentioned earlier that I didn’t want you to change anything … but I do. Just one thing. Love mom. Call mom. Help mom. She is sick. She is very sick. She needs you to help her and be a constant in her life. This isn’t going to change anything really. You are still going to lose her. But, you will not have taken her for granted. Let me tell you right now that it is SO hard to deal with her death right now. I miss her so very much and I am so afraid that she doesn’t/didn’t know how I felt about her. So please, call her. Don’t be embarrassed of her. Bring Aaron around her … introduce her to his family. You’ll find out … they love everyone, even when they have faults.

This is a lot of information to absorb … I know that. But take it in … you are going to be fine. You are going to cry a lot … but you are going to laugh even more. And let me tell you … life is great. You are going to love it.

I love you,
Your 24 year old self

Emails: Where is the communication?

2009-01-04T20:46:00.004-06:00

In a world where everyone is busy and no one has time for phone calls; emails thrive. Emails are sent out to share recipes, to invite people to parties, to tell someone how you feel about them (albeit in an extremely cheesy forwarding kind of way), to plan events, and apparently to even ask someone to be a part of one of the biggest days of your life: Your Wedding.

A friend of mine is getting married in May of this year and we just went through an ordeal of hurt feelings over email communication ... or lack of.

In December, she sent out emails asking people to be in the house party of her wedding. Somehow or another, I did not receive these emails. Another friend of mine did and text to ask me if I had been asked as well (texting is another issue that I have ... for another day). I did not receive the email and knew that I had already mentioned that it would be OK if I wasn't a part of the wedding because I tend to enjoy the weddings that I attend as a guest more than I enjoy weddings that I attend as a stressed out bridesmaid or other member of the wedding party.

Nearly a month later (yesterday), I called my friend to talk about other things unrelated to the wedding ... mainly related to our new years resolutions. It is during this phone call that she asks me if I want to be in the house party. I tell her "no, thanks ... I'd rather enjoy myself as a guest." And she said "OK." I said this because I had known about the aforementioned email that was sent to a friend of mine weeks before that asked her to be in the house party and it sounded to me like I was simply an after thought.

Today, I received an email from my friend. In it, she explains to me that she has hurt feelings and that she doesn't understand why I do not want to be a part of her wedding. I try to call her once before sending an email back (because honestly, this would have been solved much faster in a phone call to begin with) but she had left her phone at her sister's. I went ahead and sent another email explaining my feelings about not receiving an email ... etc. She replies with the email that was sent to all of the people that she had wanted to be in the wedding ... me included.

I have no idea what happened with the email. I searched through all of my mail and none of the searches pulled up that email. My email has never failed me in the past ... but I guess there is a first time for everything.

Anyway. Feelings unhurt ... but I can't help but wonder how much (if not all) of this could have been fixed by an actual phone call or God forbid even face to face communication. Like I mentioned before ... everyone is busy which is why email thrives as much as it does. However, I know that I personally called all of my bridesmaids, house party members, and even my 5 year old ring bearer to ask them to be a member of my wedding. There was no confusion. There was no missing emails. There was no problems.

So ... take heed ... not everything that you say in an email gets sent ... not everything that you say in an email gets taken the correct way ... not everything sent in an email gets resolved. So come on ... call a friend today! It won't kill you ... I bet that you are a great multi-tasker and can handle a phone and whatever else keeps you busy in a day.

Date night gone sour by lack of respect

2009-01-02T22:25:00.002-06:00

Aaron and I started the night with a wonderful dinner at good Ol "Texas Road House." We were seriously craving some steak ... and steak fries :)

After dinner we wanted to go and see Marley and Me. Originally, we were going to go to the Lowes theatre which usually means that we are going to get some crappy seats but have the theatre mostly to ourselves. On our way out, Aaron asked if we could go to a better theatre since we were only seeing one movie.

I looked at the times and Marley and Me was going to be playing at the Tinseltown in front of the mall at 8:45. The Market Street theatre was only playing movies that were being mentioned for awards, so Marley and Me wasn't an option.

Well, we ended up getting finished with dinner at 6:45 so we ended up going to Lowes after all. The theatre was mostly empty. We had to move over a seat because mine was literally half a seat but it wasn't that big of a deal.

Right before the movie began, a group of teenagers came in and sat RIGHT in front of us. To which I said: "Wow, really? Out of the entire theatre ... you guys chose to sit DIRECTLY in front of us?" So ... they kind of moved down just a bit :) And they were mostly quiet ... so it was OK.

But about 15 minutes before the end of the movie, a group of teens came in from another movie and proceeded to talk the entire time! I was disgusted!! I wanted so bad to just throw my liter water bottle at them.

And it made me start thinking ... I was quiet when I was a movie goer as a teen. I said "please" and "thank you" when I was younger (and now) and I always made sure to open doors for people. It just seems that people do not do that these days. Does that mean that the parents aren't teaching their kids manners anymore?

Aaron says that it is because teenagers are just selfish and they do not think of other people. But I don't think it's a selfish thing ... I think it's the way that they are brought up ... and it's sad.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T21:01:00.003-06:00

I hope that everyone had an amazing Christmas filled with joy, peace, and celebrating the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

Ours was wonderful even if we celebrated a few days early. We got to see a lot of family. I got to spend a whole night with my little nephew, Kaleb. He is just the best baby! I love him so much!

I've eaten myself sick nearly every day. January 1st marks the beginning of the "diet" again. Bleh bleh bleh.

Although this is a great and wonderful time of year .. I can only wonder what this new year will bring for us. How many dear friends will we lose this year? How many people will give birth and celebrate life? What job will I get this year? Will we buy a house finally? Will we get pregnant?

2009 has so many possibilities. So what will happen? What do you think will happen in the new year?

What are your resolutions?

Mine ...

- No Cussing
- No Drinking (even wine!) after Feb. 1
- Lose weight (really this year ... really)

I Hate You V.S.

2008-12-15T14:25:00.002-06:00

This weekend was the weekend of all weekends for my friend A.D. She is graduating (finally) in December like I will graduate (finally) in May.

We got massages done and went to the cheesecake factory. We got some drinks and had a nice time at home after wards.

But in the middle of that, there was shopping.

We went to the Galleria, which I do not recommend on any day in December. I wanted to go to this new place to get new bras because they alter them for free and they size you correctly. I am astounded by my bra size, 34 H (U.K.) ... 34 K (U.S.). Yeah.

Anyway, I got two new bras that I absolutely love. They make me look so much thinner and make my boobs look AWESOME! So then we go to V.S. (Victoria Effing Secret)

Victoria Secret has been claiming that my boobs have been a size 38 DD for years now. Mainly so that I will some how find a bra that kind of fits me I'm assuming. They never fit correctly. I explain to them that they are too tight here, baggy there, etc. And they simply tell me that that is just the way it is. So, after getting "Holistically" sized at "Intimacy," I suddenly have a hatred for this place called V.S. because it's possible that their incorrect sizing has led to my boob problems to begin with.

But that's not all. They are a bunch of hypocrites.

Those "Angels" that model all of their outfits have huge fake boobs. And yet ... V.S. doesn't make sizes for people with big boobs. And then their workers walk around with an entitled look when you ask for something in an extra large before smirking and replying "No, we don't carry extra large. We only have extra small to large."

I don't need the "extra large" for anything else except to pour my boobs into. The dress/nightgown fit perfectly everywhere else except in the boobs. So how are you going to be a "boob store" that sells sexy lingerie that girls with perfectly skinny bodies and HUGE boobs model ... when in your stores you do not carry sizes that girls with perfectly not so skinny bodies and HUGE boobs can fit said boobs into?

Furthermore, if you have extra SMALL ... how are you going to discriminate the needs of the extra LARGE?

So, Screw you V.S.
Kiss my Huge 34 K'

Five Golden Rings!

2008-12-08T14:27:00.005-06:00

I was tagged by my dear blogging friend Jules! I tag ... whoever wants to do this!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I love unwrapping presents so very much! I'm not a fan of gift bags at all! Our wrapping paper this year is "Breast Cancer Awareness Themed" It is a pretty silver shiny color with pink ribbons all over it! Aaron even likes it!

2. Real tree or Artificial? I've only ever had an artificial tree. Once we get a house, Aaron says that we can get a real one. However, I'm sure that it is going to be messy and a lot of work ... but it is also going to be AWESOME!

3. When do you put up the tree? We put it up the day after Thanksgiving. It was lighted the next day because we needed to get an extension cord. Unfortunately, Link chewed through the extension cord ... and then he chewed through the light cord. Now we are going to have to get a brand new tree for next year. Hopefully we will by a house by then ... then we can get the REAL tree!

4. When do you take the tree down? The day after new years. Aaron says that that is ENOUGH of tree time!

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Um, I liked all of the presents that I got as a child. But I guess it was probably the Topsy Tail doll I got.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Aaron

8. Easiest person to buy for? Jessica, I always know exactly what to get her!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I definitely want to get one later!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, however we aren't able to do them this year because we didn't take a good picture :(

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't think that I've ever gotten a bad Christmas card.

12. Favorite/Worst Christmas Movie? The Nightmare Before Christmas or A Christmas Story!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Since we have moved to Houston, I start early. There is no going to the malls in December ... no way.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think that I have .. but I really want to recycle this serving platter that we got that we can't fit ANYTHING in.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chicken and Sausage Gumbo!!! FOR SURE!!

16. Lights on the tree? Usually, but like I said before ... not this year since Link ate through the cords.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Mary Did You Know!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Traveling to Orange the weekend before Christmas. We'll have Christmas at home this year because Aaron will be working.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? Yes, I can.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We had a bow last year ... don't have a topper this year.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? When I was younger we always talked my grandparents into letting us open them early and then we got unwrapped "santa" presents in the morning. At Aaron's parents ... we open them Christmas morning and it's wonderful!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people.

23. Favorite ornaments? I like silver and black ones!

24. Stockings? Yes, but I haven't put any up this year because we don't have a Chimney

25. Take turns opening presents? Yes, we get all of our presents in big piles in front of us and then we go around the room opening the gifts one by one so that we can take pictures and ooh and ahh over everyone's gifts!

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? I want new bras and a Charm bracelet!! And Peace and Joy and Happiness!

Jtv Suicide

2008-11-23T13:14:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure if any of you have been paying attention to the news, but a few days ago (Wednesday Afternoon) a 19 year old college student from Florida died from an over dose on his bed while broadcasting it live over Jtv (Justin.tv.)

As a person who used to broadcast my life over the internet for a few months ... this story really resonates with me. I can not believe that a) he talked about this before the act occurred and no one tried to stop him, b) he laid there dying in his bed for HOURS and no one tried to stop it, c) the people in the chat room egged him on saying that he should take more pills and no one tried to stop it.

I think that the people that did that in the chat room should be accomplices to murder. That's right, murder. By not immediately calling the police they helped him commit suicide. His blood should be permanently on their hands. They should mourn his death ... the death that they could have stopped.

But they don't.

The boy, Abraham Briggs, posted his suicide note on "bodybuilders.com" before taking the pills. The people that post on that site have said things like "He was a troll, he has said that he was going to do that numerous times, that whole video is fake, EMS guys don't look like that when they come to help someone, those cops totally looked fake, No one busts down a door like that, Good riddance, this guy deserves all he gets." Etc.

Really? That is a human life that is being talked about! I just can not believe that all of these people do not think that their actions could have saved his life, or even care that their actions could have saved his life.

Here is a time line that I found on "bodybuilder.com" from a guy from India that finally got a hold of the police. He was from INDIA.

- CandyJunkie creates thread telling Misc. he'll overdose himself again on drugs live on Justin.tv
- CandyJunkie posts the amount of drugs he's going to take
- Mods don't take it seriously because of his past trolling
- People egg him on
- CandyJunkie posts a copied suicide note
- People keep egging him on
- He pops the pills and goes to sleep
- He breathes for a few hours, people think he's going to be alright and keep joking and trash talking on his JTV log.
- Some time later many people realize he was not moving.
- I find his personal details through E-detectivery, I figure out his name and number and location.
- Personal details posted on Misc. I request people to call the cops because I live in India and had no way to make International calls all by myself.
- People tell me he's a troll and nobody calls. Staberella especially is quite a huge cynic and says that he wasn't going to die on that kind of drugs, she insists nothing is going to happen and that people should just gtfo of the thread.
- I send an email to Miami Police on their official email on their website, Email not functioning!
- I call Miami Police from my dad's phone and speak to at least three cops and one person from the 911 line (whatever it is) for over 8 minutes about the situation, the people there do not take the case seriously and tell me to call the sheriff of his county, and give me the sheriff's number even after I told them I was speaking from a different country and that this was an emergency.
- I post the sheriff's number on the Misc. thread
- People tell me to quit worrying and that they're 100% sure its a loop and he's just fraudin'
-calls the Broward County Sheriff's office and speaks to them about the situation along with a couple of other people. By the time I called, it turns out 3 people had already called them about it.
- People wait for the cops to bust in on the JTV cam.
- Some people start thinking nobody called the cops, at least 5 more people call the cops, they were told the cops were on it
- 25 minutes after the first call to the cops, the cops bust in. They cover the webcam
- People speculating whether he's dead or not
- Friends post messages on his myspace worried about him, no response from him.
- His best friend posts a thread on the Misc. and informs the people that he's dead.
- Some people still think it's a bluff

RIP Abraham Biggs.

He lied there for 8 HOURS. These people watched him die for 8 HOURS. I just can't fathom that. I honestly can not believe that people did not try to get help after they watched him take the pills that he was taking. Instead, they told him that he needed to take more pills. This is the human race. I am disgusted.

Save Pushing Daisies

2008-11-14T19:32:00.002-06:00

Pushing Daisies is an AMAZING show on Wednesday Nights at 7pm central time.

The ABC big heads aren't sure whether or not to cancel it and are waiting to find out how the ratings go after the election. It's been preempted the past two weeks because of Dancing with the Stars and the CMAs. But it's coming back this Wednesday and they are really looking to see if the viewing goes up!

The show is about a pie-maker named Ned who has a gift/curse. He can touch anything that is dead and bring it back to life. However, if he brings it back to life for more than a minute, something else around it dies for good. He works with a P.I. solving murder cases by touching the dead bodies, asking who killed them, and then touching them again before the minute is up. However, things get a little sticky when his childhood love is found dead. He touches her but can't bring himself to touch her again and causes the funeral director to die instead. Thus is the love story of Ned & Chuck! He can never touch her again because if he does she will die permanently.

It's so beautiful and fairy tale-ish and wonderful! Every episode leaves me with a smile afterwards!

SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WATCH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 7pm CENTRAL TIME!

Ignorance.

2008-10-17T20:41:00.001-05:00

I just checked my SAM (University) email account and I had an email from another student (one that I have never met, nor care to meet) telling me that I should vote for Proposition 8.

First, let me remind everyone that I am in the state of Texas. Let me also mention that our proposition 8 has nothing to do with the email that she ignorantly sent out. Our proposition 8 involves clarifying rules on taking out a second mortgage on a house.

The email that she sent out was about Proposition 8 for California. It talks about same sex marriage being taught in schools.

She's an idiot, obviously.

So I sent her an email back:
Johanna,

First things first, I think that you should take into consideration the beliefs of the other university students that you have sent this email to before sending a mass email to every address that begins with a letter "a" on campus.

Personally, I think that you should realize that Proposition 8 in Texas has absolutely nothing to do with this Proposition 8. In fact, this proposition 8 deals with California laws, not ours. Our prop 8 for the state of Texas clarifies rules involved in taking out second mortgages. So, not only has this email that you have sent out probably offended some people, but it also is completely irrelevant to our state issues or propositions. I am a christian woman married to a loving husband, however, I am not afraid of how I will explain same sex marriages to my children. I am not naive enough to believe that my future children will come across an issue or a question involving same sex parents. It's just the way that it is going to be. Instead of passing around insulting emails that force one set of beliefs on other unsuspecting people, perhaps you should try thinking about what you would say to a child if a situation like this is broached. There is no reason to get crazed or upset about something like "same sex marriage", because it is a right that is being given to more people every day. I am not saying that you should embrace it as your own belief at all, however, I do think that you should keep your beliefs to yourself and chose not to send out biased emails in the future.

Once again, this proposition has absolutely nothing to do with our state propositions. So for the most part this is an erroneous email. However, in the future, I hope that you will remember that you could offend other people by sending out your own political views. If you agree with this, fine! But I find it rude and pretentious to think that the other people that you sent this email to has the same views on the matter.

-- Rachel
____________

Their stories are great

2008-09-03T21:29:00.002-05:00

We went to borders today so that I could make a list of a lot of the books that I wanted to check out at the library. It's much easier for me that way.

Moving on to the library, I sat in front of the computer for a good while trying to find all the books that I put on my list. Most of them weren't in .... but somehow I ended up checking out 10 books anyway!

While I was flipping through one of them ... a plane ticket fell out.
It was shoved in the middle of the book and left.
Does that mean that she didn't finish the book? Why not? Did she get side-tracked on her vacation? (I say she because the name on the ticket was Jeanne)

Library books are so interesting because they have their own stories.

They've been in so many people's houses.

How many bedrooms or living rooms? Bathrooms?
How many have taken bathes with their readers? Or soothed one of their readers?

How many tears have fallen on the pages of these books?
How many have been used as a weapon? Or used as a pillow?
How many have been lost and then thankfully found?

If only the library books could talk ... I bet their stories would be better than the best selling author that they represent.

The Wind Will Be Blowing

2008-08-29T10:24:00.002-05:00

Dear Gustav,

As I sit here calmly writing this letter to a Tropical Storm that could turn into a category 3 hurricane by the time it makes land fall, I am sure that people are lining up at the pump and raiding their local walmart for food and water. Hell, that's what I'm supposed to be doing right now via Aaron's orders. But I just wanted to let you know that I'm not afraid of you.

Yeah, you can blow some winds and we can have some rains ... but I live up in the Northern part of Houston and I don't think that there is going to be a problem. Hell, you will probably just hit New Orleans to try and finish them off.

I'm sure it's not your fault. I blame the News for making people so crazy. All they do is track this storm. It's five days from a possible hit at the moment. You aren't even in the Gulf yet! Who knows what is going to happen ... you could see the Gulf Coast's ugly face and run for the hills for all we know at this point.

But, I have a few requests:

If you do hit the gulf coast of Texas in the Port Arthur, Nederland, Beaumont, Orange area ... here are a few things that I think that you should keep in mind.

My grandpa is an old man. He likes living by himself and therefore, if you destroy his house ... it would be devastating.
Amanda does not need any more relocation from a storm. Rita was stressful on Joey and her last time (what with Rita killing Joey's father and all) and they just painted their house. Leave them alone.
Don't mess up Jessica's dad's house again. Seriously. They are going through enough right now ... they do not need more house renovations when they are still trying to pay for funeral expenses.
For that matter don't mess up Jessica's mom's house either. They are trying to be able to sell that so that they will be able to have money for the boys. Don't mess it up ... I don't think that Jessica could take more stress.
Aaron's parent's house had a tree fall on it thanks to your friend Rita. Don't let that happen again. Also, I know that there aren't many trees left on their property after Rita ... but Aaron will not be able to go and help them so please don't make a big mess. They have lives ... and they don't need to deal with a storm.

Alright. That sounds good. I don't think that I have much else to request.

So do your thing. Spin your winds. Rain all you want. But take heed of those requests please.

Thanks,
Rachel Allen

Password Protected

2008-08-28T16:35:00.002-05:00

On my way to school a couple of days ago a topic on the radio caught my attention. Roula (the lady DJ) needed to check her email on her boyfriend of five months blackberry. He knew her email address and then asked for her password. She said that it was not that he really wanted to know her password ... but the look on her face when he asked made him wonder what was the big deal about the password.

Everyone that called in seemed to have the same views. Your password is your own. No one should have your password. You shouldn't give it to anyone, not even your spouse or long-term boyfriend.

I just have to shake my head at all of this. What does it matter?

Aaron knows my passwords and all of the websites that I go to are usually saved already. Therefore, every time that Aaron brings up GMAIL he is able to go into my inbox. But even if it didn't come up he still knows it.

He even wrote all of his passwords down in case I needed them if something were to have happen to him or something like that.

So what's the big deal? Why all of the secrecy? I mean, the people had some good reasons ... most had been seriously burned by their significant other, etc. But I just don't think that it's that big of a deal.

Is it because I don't have anything of importance?
Is it because I completely trust Aaron?
Is it because I don't care?

Hm.

Life or Death?

2008-08-26T19:16:00.003-05:00

Coming from the great (?) state of Texas, I've been brought up thinking that the death penalty is something that is a natural occurrence. You do the crime, you pay the price right?

About a month ago, my best friend's mother was murdered by her estranged husband after coming home one night. After I found this out, it was almost all that I could think of. I mean, he deserved to die, right? He parked his car a few blocks down and waited in a closet until she came into the room and then he jumped out and shot her in the face. Premeditation. Then, he moved into the living room where her friend was going to be spending the night and shot at her three times, hitting her once in the leg. After he hit her in the leg, she begged him for her life and he shot at her again. He's a dangerous man. He deserves it. Right?

I've struggled with this over the past month because I don't feel comfortable condemning a man to death. Who am I to judge? God has his judgment day and he will definitely pay for his crimes for eternity.

So last Friday I picked up Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. In case you don't know what it's about I'll give you a synopsis.

A man is charged with the murder of a cop and his step daughter. He is charged with possible sexual abuse because he is found with the seven year old girl's panties in his pocket. He, of course, is sentenced to death row. Eleven years later, he is moved to a new prison and is told that he will be put to death in two months time. As soon as he arrives on the I-Tier, miracles start to happen. The water in their section of the prison turns to wine, a piece of bubble gum is able to be split between all of the inmates, a man with aids seems to be healed, etc. Because of this everyone starts freaking out. Some think that he is the Messiah others think that he is the devil. But the main thing that he wants to do is to donate his heart to the 11 year old sister of the girl that he was charged with murdering. It turns into a court battle because he has been sentenced to lethal injection and that will stop his heart which will make it impossible to harvest for the girl.

It's an amazing story. I honestly could not put it down. It was very controversial for me as well because I felt sorry for the man on death row, which really got me thinking.

I don't think that it's right of me to want to condemn a man to death. Isn't that quite hypocritical of me? Committing a murder because someone committed a murder? Of course it's also an issue with money. I don't see why tax payers want to let a man sit in prison for eleven plus years, paying for the food of a dead man. So is it really worth it? Don't you think that God is going to have his judgment day?

Life in prison, heck, two, three, or four life sentences. That should do it. The men in that prison will probably do a lot of damage to him over the course of his time in prison. Right?

What are your opinions on the matter? Life or Death? Death or Life? Is the death penalty hypocritical? Could you do it? Could you sentence someone to death and live the rest of your life knowing that you took it into your hands to end another person's life?

People Watching

2008-08-24T16:43:00.002-05:00

Waking up at 4:45 was actually easy. Even when I only had less than an hour of sleep because of the excitement of watching my best friend try out for America's Next Top Model.

I knew that there was going to be tons of people to watch. But it was still surprising every time a new one came up.

There were people that were shorter than 5'7". (Even though the rules specifically prohibited it)

There was a girl in a see-through ball gown.

Two girls in bathing suit tops and jeans.

A few girls that were a little bit too heavy to be considered even a "plus-sized" model.

There was a girl that had blonde hair and about 6 inches of black roots.

And those were only the people that were trying out!

I wasn't able to sit with Jessica in the line, so I found myself a seat next to a nice couple. We ended up saving each others seats if one had to get up to go to the bathroom or run down to target to get something. Which brings me to my next observation:

People are stupid!

If I'm sitting there and there is stuff in the three chairs next to mine ... do you REALLY think that no one else is sitting in those chairs?

I can't even remember how many times I was asked; even by the same people.

I wanted to be like, "No, no one is sitting there ... I just thought that I would make myself at home in this mall and throw everything around like it were my own bedroom." Or "Yes, my three imaginary friends are sitting there."

Jeez people, I think it's pretty obvious. It would be different if nothing was in the chair and people asked ... but jeez!

Anyway.

The casting call was more like a big cattle call.

They would bring in 50 girls at a time and they would have to stand in front of the camera and say their name, age, height, and weight. Then they would pick 2-3 girls out of that entire group (VERY VERY Tall and Thin girls) and then tell the rest of them that they needed to hurry up and get out of the door.

It was a decent experience though. I just wish that they would have actually gotten to know some of the girl's personalities. I don't see how they are going to pick girls that are worth watching if they don't even know how their personality is.

People watching was fun though.
This blog is for Gordon :)

Stay Tuned

2008-08-24T01:20:00.002-05:00

ANTM blog tomorrow.

Today's been an exciting day for people watchers everywhere.

However, I think that I am far to exhausted to string together sentences.

Tomorrow.
I promise.

Dreams

2008-08-21T19:33:00.001-05:00

So, I've been having these really explicit pregnancy dreams.

Like, I'm pregnant and about to give birth.

I'm really really excited about it all and I feel as if we (the baby and me) have a really good connection. In fact, the labor doesn't even hurt. (Aaron says, "Well then you know it's a dream")

Last night's dream, everything was going wonderful and according to plan. I was just sitting around with the rest of the family and waiting for the doctor to get there. I kept rubbing my belly and was SUPER excited to meet the little one!

It was interesting. Very interesting.

What do you guys think it means?

The Beard

2008-08-20T17:21:00.001-05:00

OK, I have a confession to make.

I think that I'm afraid of body hair on a man.

Chest hair, facial hair, back hair (gag).

Luckily, Aaron doesn't have any of this! Something to do with his American Indian background or something of the sort, either way it works for me!

What brought this about you might ask?

I've been reading Fourth Comings by Megan Mccafferty and she has this entire description about a guy's beard. She refers to it as "The Beard" as if it's its own entity. Isn't that weird? So the entire time that I'm reading this part ... I'm really thinking about my dislike of hair. And it starts to gross me out.

Then I start thinking about how a few years ago I was hanging out with Jessica and her boyfriend at the time, and his friend and his friend's girlfriend. His friend had a bread. Like a massive beard. And his girlfriend always talked about how it smelled like a sweaty vagina. A SWEATY VAGINA ON HIS FACE! Isn't that disgusting?

So, I start thinking about how I used to date Michael and how he had facial hair and chest hair ... how did I live with that for such a long time? Ew Ew Ew.

Facial Hair even makes Ryan Gosling look less hot.

I think that all of this is the benadryl talking. But as for now, I'm thankful that the hubby does not have "the beard."

Sick

2008-08-19T23:21:00.001-05:00

In more than one sense of the word.

I'm actually sick. With a cold. I think. I mean, if it's a cold that makes me want to take off my nose and suck all of the yucky stuff out and then somehow remove my throat so that I can't feel it being itchy, then yeah ... that's what I have.

In other news, I've been looking for really good blogs to read lately. I've found a couple that are hilarious and family friendly. Sometimes I read their exploits aloud to the hubby and we both get a huge kick out of others misfortune. I've also found some more "raunchy" blogs. One "AlwaysArousedGirl" catches me fancy. She discusses her sexual exploits, toys, and even the occasional blog about her divorce and her little girl.

One post that I found extremely interesting was the post about a "SaSI." Apparently, it's a small egg shaped vibrator that can "remember" things. That's right ... it knows what you like! And repeats it for you the more that you use it!! So, the naughty, I'm sick and have drugged myself with Benadryl, side of me peeks at the website just to see how much this thing costs ... 185.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?!?!?!

$185.00 for plastic pleasure? I think not.

Although, now that I am considering it ... maybe showing this little bad boy to Aaron will make him to do the deed far more often. I KNOW he won't be paying 185 for my pleasing needs ... which can only mean that he'll try harder to not have to pay anything!

Chopped off the hair

2008-08-17T18:23:00.001-05:00

New picture of the lovers

2008-07-22T22:01:00.000-05:00

I Will NOT Be Walked All Over!

2008-06-15T20:30:00.002-05:00

As I've mentioned before ... I'm sick of older people thinking that just because of my age they can walk all over me. Or any one else my age for that matter.

I went to get gas today and found a great one! The gas everywhere else was 3.99 but this one was 3.85! I was like "Sweet Sweet!" Well of course there was a lot of people there so I pulled in behind an SUV that was getting gas behind another SUV. The one that was in front eventually pulled out and I was going to pull in to their spot but another SUV pulled in facing the SUV that I was behind.

No biggie right? Well, the SUV that I was behind finally pulled out so I went to pull into the spot behind her and start getting gas. Unfortunately, the older lady in the other SUV pulled ALL THE WAY UP into BOTH spots to get gas.

OK, well she wouldn't have done that if I were a man. She wouldn't have done that if I were an older woman like her. She would have somehow made it work so that both of us could get gas. But she didn't ... she was a bitch.

I got out of my car and was like "Maam, I need to get gas too!" She was like "Well, I've been here longer." I was like "Well, you need to move your car back a little ... there are TWO pumps and we both need to get gas." She was like "It won't REACH." So I was like "Well, then you either need to learn how to drive that huge gas guzzler of yours, or you need to get a smaller car so that you can fit into tight spots and not have to get gas as much." And then I got back in my car.

Well, as I get into my car, she starts running her mouth. I got BACK out of my car and said "WHAT did you say!? What did you say!?!?" Well, she just turned her back to me and so I was like "That's what I thought ... TURN around." And then I got back in my car.

The people that were on the opposite side of the pump finally pulled out and so I moved around and got gas on that side. The entire time that I was out of my car, she had nothing to say to me. It wasn't until she was leaving that she rolled down her window and yelled "You better hope your MOMMA doesn't know that you are out this late ... Wouldn't want you to go off and get PREGNANT." (It was 7:30 btw.)

I start SCREAMING after her car, "I DON'T NEED MY FUCKING MOMMA TELLING ME WHERE I CAN AND CAN'T GO YOU FUCKING COWARD. GET OUT OF YOUR CAR AND SAY SOMETHING TO ME."

But no ... she just drove away.

I was LIVID!

I think that my cheeks are STILL flushed and that was an hour ago!!!! But I'm just so freaking tired of people thinking that they can walk all over other people! SERIOUSLY. I don't think that! I'm courteous when I drive, I'm courteous when I'm in stores. I'm always courteous! I don't see why people just think that they can be selfish and rude and a bitch. I'm tired of all that crap! I'm not taking it anymore!! I AM NOT A DOOR MAT!

In other news:

My grandpa is having an arterial-gram tomorrow, so please pray that he won't need surgery.

Crappy Service

2008-06-08T22:26:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm back from Nederland! The wedding that I went to was great! I wish that Aaron would have been able to make it because weddings are always so romantic! I love dancing at weddings! But it's cool, the next wedding that we are going to Aaron WILL be able to go! FOR SURE!!!

Funny story: I was going to be going to the rehearsal dinner for the wedding because I was a reader. So, I was going to be bringing two dresses with me right. Come to find out ... I didn't bring ANY! Yeah, I completely just packed my bags, pulled my dresses out of the closet and then didn't bring them downstairs to the car. IDIOT, right?! So, I ended up having to borrow clothes from two people. It worked out pretty good ... but still!

So, before I left today, I went to go and eat with my friend Amanda. We originally were going to be going to Tokeyo to eat. Which is basically the best place to get sushi EVER! It's freaking awesome. I haven't found a better place in Houston. But, apparently neither of them were open. Something about plumbing issues? So we ended up going to Olive Garden.

I think that I'm about done with that place. Seriously. Earlier in the week, Paula and I went to eat at the Olive Garden up here. It took 20 minutes before someone came to our table and then basically everything about the meal was wrong. So, I tipped the girl a dollar. Now, I'm normally one to tip a lot more because I've been a waitress and I know how difficult it can be, but I'm starting to get freaking sick of it. Well, today was worse. It took 20 minutes for someone to come to our table and it wasn't even our waitress. It was another girl who was going to take our drink orders. She brings back the drinks and I'm like "Well, when is OUR waitress going to be here, because we are pretty freaking hungry." The girl was like "Oh, she's on the way." If on the way is 10 minutes later ... then okay. So, she takes our order (I ordered Spaghetti with meat sauce on whole wheat pasta) and then I tell her that I'd like the salad dressing on the side because I don't like the Italian dressing. When she finally gets around to bringing us the salad ... she's like "oh, they put the dressing on your salad." I'm pretty sure that the waitress should be the one to make the salad, so she was either making excuses, or she's too "in the weeds" to even make our salads. We had to ask every time that we needed something to drink, one time I noticed that there was a water pitcher by our table, so I ended up getting up and getting it myself. When we FINALLY got our food, another person brought it to us and my pasta was NOT whole wheat. So, that guy was like "Oh, sorry, she messed up." I was like "Well, she's messed up a lot." So he was like, "Ohh ... I'll get the manager." So the manager comes and takes back my plate and brings back the whole wheat pasta. Etc. etc. etc.

I was pissed! The lady barely came over to us ... she never would check to see if we needed anything else. We weren't asked if we wanted more Salad. Nothing. So it finally got down to bill time ... and I had had ENOUGH.

I didn't leave a tip.
And I left reasons why.
This is what I put on the back of the receipt.

"Dear Waitress,

The reason that you are not receiving a tip is because I'm not sure who it give it to:
1) The girl that brought us the drinks
2) The guy that brought us the food
3) Or the manager that had to fix all of the mistakes that you made.

Next time, try to be more ATTENTIVE!

Amanda couldn't believe that I'd done that. But seriously!!! I'm so freaking sick of that crap. First of all, I hate when Aaron and I don't get waited on very well because we are seated next to an older couple and so the waiters seem to fawn over them the entire time. HELLO, we are probably going to tip you way better than they are because we understand where you come from!!

So, if you are a waiter ... pay attention to EVERYONE. Who knows what might come out of it.

A perfect size What??

2008-05-20T13:55:00.003-05:00

Remember these Sweet Valley books from our youth? I can remember the library having every single one of them and me being able to read them all in succession. I think that I might have enjoyed the college years better ... but whatever.

Anyway, these were first published in 1983 and are now being re-vamped.

Notice anything different about the covers?

Instead of newspapers, there will now be cellphones and blogs.

And those skinny little twins have gone on a diet. From an original "perfect size 6" to a now "perfect size 4."

Maybe this is just vanity sizes and they actually still mean a perfect size 6. Granted, I haven't ever found a vanity pair of jeans ... maybe that's because I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on them. Who knows. All I do know is that I still go in and come out just as disappointed.

Some people are saying that actually a perfect size 6 from way back then would probably be more of a 1-2 by now. So does this mean that the twins have gained weight? No way. Not these perfect specimens of blonde goddess beauty.

Are they going to remake these again in another 20-30 years or so? I guess then they will have to re-invent the twins again. "Perfect size -2 anyone?"

Shhh

2008-04-30T21:07:00.006-05:00

I know that I'm guilty of this as well ... therefore, as a new years resolution in May, I'm going to try to stop.

Stop what? Stop the Gossip!

I think that as a twenty-three, nearly twenty-four year old, I think that it's time to move on from the petty gossip.

It's starting to be a big turn off when I get together with a group of people and all that they (we) can do is talk about other people.

It's not even worth it. It's not very Christian like, and so I've decided to try not to do it anymore.

It's going to be hard, it's going to be really hard in fact, but hopefully it can be something that I can mature with and grow out of.

What about everyone else? Want to jump on the bandwagon with me?

What ever happened to reading books?

2008-04-15T22:28:00.003-05:00

Today I was talking to one of my fellow classmates that is going through methods. I asked her about her experience in a Conroe ISD setting because if things go as planned, then I will also be working in the Conroe ISD for my methods.

She told me that the teacher that she has a great teacher but that she doesn't agree with a lot of the things that she is doing.

She teaches JUNIORS. Their research paper is as follows:

Write a research paper over Romanticism. They watched "The Last of the Mohicans" which was actually WRITTEN by James Fenimore Cooper who is a Romantic writer. Now, they have to write a 5 paragraph paper over Romanticism by using one of the following MOVIES: Harry Potter (not romanticism), LotR (not romanticism), The Last of the Mohicans, The Patriot, & The Princess Bride.

JUNIORS!!!!!

Also, she has laid it all out for them. She has written what they should say on their first line ... then where they should go from there. WHAT THE F***!

Those poor kids are going to have the biggest wake up call of their LIVES when they get into college. That teacher should be brought out and shot. A freaking ENGLISH TEACHER and she would rather her students watch a movie instead of read a novel.

Seriously, what happened to reading books?

Bit with the Home Work Bug

2008-04-06T23:04:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what got into me this weekend but I got a whole bunch of stuff accomplished!

Proud! :)

I had been putting off my geography work; who knows why exactly. But not any more! Now, the only thing that I have left is the Final!!

I've been doing my C.S. work online just week by week like we are supposed too. But, I finished all of the weekly work that I had left and submitted it. Then I emailed her to get her to open up the rest of the tests; hopefully she will do that on Monday. And then I will need to get the tutorials done so that I can do the extra credit work. Fun times!

I also read the story that I needed to read for Tuesday for my American Literature class. Seriously, I'm on the freaking ball!

I have a lot of stuff to do for the next few weekends, so it really feels good to get a lot of this stuff done. Now, I will be able to just enjoy myself these next couple of weekends and not have to worry about getting all of this homework done.

I think that I am also going to work on my power point tonight. Once that is finished, then I won't have any more to work on for the rest of the week really.

I am also starting my new work out regime tomorrow. It's a 12 week program. Aaron is going to be my "trainer." I made him a deal ... if I lose 40 lbs then I get to get a tattoo. This is what I'm wanting ... except on my side:

Awesome hm?!

I don't live on a farm!

2008-04-05T22:46:00.004-05:00

I was watching Big Brother the other night and one of the guys was from Texas. Actually, he was from Port Neches; which is the town right next to the town that I grew up in.

So WHY did they show a cow mooing before they showed his house?

It annoys me to no end when people think that Texans ride horses every where they go and live on farms/ranches.

We Don't!!
And it's kind of ignorant of you to think that we do. I also hate when they have movies about Texas and every one has that annoying "southern accent." Yeah, There are some people that have that accent but a lot of us don't! I don't, Aaron doesn't, none of my friends do, none of his friends do.

When I went to California and would say where I was from I always got the "What?! You don't sound like you are from Texas." Good! I think that it makes you sound stupid when you over work your jaw. Do you think that it's cute? It's not! No wonder people think that we have tumbleweeds rolling across our dry lands ... I would think the same thing if when I tried to talk to people they spoke so hick.

Anyway ... that's my rant of the weekend!

What a cry baby!

2008-04-01T20:39:00.004-05:00

Aaron called me out the other day: "Rachel, you have been crying a lot lately."

And it really got me thinking, "holy crap he's right!"

I cry about freaking everything!! I don't really even know why! Yes, I have watched sad things on television and stuff like that but seriously it's too much. I cry over songs on the radio, I cry over dog commercials, I cry over The Biggest Loser, I cried when they talked about "Beaches" today on Entertainment Tonight.

Aaron said that he was watching a Dr. Phil show where a girl was talking about how much she cried, and he said that it was something having to do with her hormones.

What does this mean for me? I can only imagine that when I get pregnant if someone cuts me off in traffic I'm going to start bawling!

Weird Weird Weird.

Any thoughts? Do you guys cry as much as I do?

Wow ... You are a dick!

2008-03-31T21:56:00.002-05:00

Sunday afternoon Aaron and I went over to his "friend's" house. I was hoping that Aaron would find some nice guys to hang out with and then I'd be able to make friends with their girlfriends/wives etc.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how good this plan is going to go since I can't STAND one of his friends.

He is the biggest asshole I think anyone could ever meet. It really sucks because he does have a lot of the same interests as Aaron and I do ... but I just can't get over how much of a dick he is.

Basically, this guy moved down here from somewhere up North with his girlfriend of six years. He moved here because of his job ... she didn't have one at first. Although, she's right to finally get a job since he apparently can't get over that issue. He has this whole "shtick" that goes something like "raise your hand if you have a job ... if you don't, then you don't get a say in the matter."

He said this quite a few times while I was there. Along with, "Man, I can't believe that you are married Aaron, that's probably the stupidest thing you could have done. Now you will NEVER have money ..." blah blah blah. Another of his favorite phrases is "Who's paycheck is completely spent?!"

So finally I called him out on it:

Me: "How is your paycheck spent already?"
Asshole: "Well, it's like this, When you have a person that lives with you but doesn't WORK then you have to pay for EVERYTHING."
Me: "Oh no, You can't use that excuse because first of all, your girlfriend DOES work, and second of all, I DON'T and Aaron has plenty of money left over at the end of the month."
Asshole: "Well I have a house payment"
Me: "Not my fault you bought a house"
Asshole: "Two car payments"
Me: "It's not my fault that you decided to buy two new cars if you don't have enough money to pay for it.
Asshole: "Credit Card bills ... THAT beautiful new television"
Me: Nope, can't use that ... we've already paid off our credit card bills and our brand new television"
Asshole: (starting to get uncomfortable) "Come on Doug .. Aaron ... back me up"
Other guys: Oh no way ... this is NOT something that I'm going to get into. You've really crossed the line dude.

Eventually, once he realized that I wasn't going to back down he finally started being nice. But I don't really think that I am going to be too excited about hanging out with him anytime soon. No freaking way!

In other news: For some reason I can't sign up for my math class ... Does SHSU hate me!?

Kill Me Now

2008-03-30T12:53:00.003-05:00

As the semester rears its ugly head to a close, I once again wish myself a quick death. I know ... I know ... "But Rachel, you only have a little bit left!" Which is true, but it does not make things easier.

There should be a pill that I can take that will make me WANT to do the things that I need to do for school. Instead, I sit online looking at other people's blogs and checking my myspace every two minutes.

I'm on serious burn-out mode, and it just got worse. I found out that I will now have to take both summers again. Two in Summer 1 and One in Summer two (or vice versa ... depending on how I feel). I was so looking forward to being able to take that little break during Summer 2 ... go on vacation with Aaron ... spend time with family and friends ... etc. But now, I will be once again be spending every single day driving back and forth to Huntsville.

If my university was just up the road it would not be a problem! I might even be happy to go because it's not like I don't like all of the classes that I am in or am going to be taking. I think that this is why I'm glad that Methods is coming up so soon. If things go as planned (which they usually don't but I feel that I need to keep an open mind) then I will be taking my Methods in Willis which is only 20 minutes away. I will also only being going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays again (the most ideal school schedule imaginable) which will leave me open for much needed rest and substitution. It's just getting to August 08 that is going to be the long haul.

Who knows, maybe summer school won't be so bad since I will barely have enough time to get tired of it. We can only hope ... and pray ... and possible sacrifice a virgin so that I may keep my sanity.

My favorite place on Earth

2008-03-18T22:56:00.005-05:00

Things to do before I die:

~~Get Married~~
Graduate
~~Go to California~~
etc.
etc.
etc.

I am officially able to mark off another goal of mine and I'm still sitting in a state of euphoria as I write this.

California was absolutely A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! It was pretty much everything that I expected it to be and more.

For those that don't know ... I went out there to meet a friend of mine that I've only known online. We've talked to each other for almost 10 years now and finally were able to meet each other in person. She is incredible! We had such a fun time together, it was like getting to meet up with a best friend that you hadn't seen in a long time!

Normally, after a couple of days somewhere away from my husband I am ready to go home. Not the case when I'm soaking up the California sun. I really did not care to come back to Texas at all! I would have much rather had Aaron fly out there and we could just start a whole new life in the happiest place on Earth.

We did a lot of fun things ... we were on The Price is Right ... tune in April 2nd because we will definitely be on television. The girl two over from me and the two ladies directly behind us got picked to be on the show.

Tuesday we were so exhausted from TPIR we hung around the house and went shopping a bit.

Wednesday we went to Disney land which was freaking AWESOME!!!

Thursday we went shopping some more and then went and had a fantastic time with the SPAZMATICS!

Friday we went to Cartoon Network where I took a picture with the guy that does the voice of Master Shake on ATHF and then went down to the Santa Monica Promenade.

Saturday was my last day there and went down to the Chinese Theatre to take a couple of pictures and then we went to the Harry Potter store! (Which was awesome!) Then unfortunately I had to go home.

Now, I've just gone back to the usual ... watching television all the time and doing nothing fun at all. I guess I just have to focus all of my attention on getting back to California as soon as possible.

Have any of you guys vacationed some place that you never wanted to leave? How'd you get over it?

What an amazing experience!

2008-01-21T19:17:00.000-06:00

Aaron and I have been in Spring for a little over a year now and we've yet to find a real church that both of us enjoy going to.

While we were doing our "couple" classes, we went to the catholic church that was giving our classes a couple of times just to see how we'd like it.

Aaron is Catholic, I'm not. However, I'm not opposed to going to a Catholic church. In fact, I enjoyed going to his church back in Orange.

This church that we went to, however, did not give me the same kind of feeling.

1) I never wanted to get out of bed to go and sit in a crowed service where people were not considerate enough to use the "cry room" for their obnoxious children.
2) The main priest was a boisterous man and I always felt that he was yelling at me. In fact, one afternoon before one of our meetings, he WAS yelling and screaming at a group of kids. I understand that the kids were being disrespectful during mass but he was taking it a bit to far.
3) We only actually heard the original priest twice. Then there was "guest" priests, none of whom I understood. Which meant that I spent the entire service picking at my nails, people watching, and feeling uncomfortable since I wasn't supposed to be "kneeling" with the others nor taking communion.

So we stopped going. Through out our time here I've always seen commercials for this church in the Woodlands called "Fellowship of the Woodlands." The services look fun and entertaining as well as give a good message and it seems like a great environment to raise children in. I've been wanting to go for a while, but Aaron's schedules or us going back and forth to Nederland/Orange kind of hindered that.

This weekend Jessica came down and her ex boss and his wife live in The Woodlands and go to that church. She was able to get someone to work for her at her own church so that we could go together to this one and let Aaron and I try it out to see how we liked it.

I'm going to stop the story here and give a bit of some back story:

I was raised "baptist" but I'm not really a practicing Baptist. I like to dance, I enjoy drinking with friends, etc. When Jessica started going to "Church on the Rock" back in Nederland I went with her a couple of times and really enjoyed myself. I thought that the sermons really hit home a lot of the time and the way that the preacher gave the sermon made it easier to relate to. Also, I found myself in tears EVERY single time that I went to church there. I can only imagine that this was God trying to talk to me and tell me that I needed something like this in my life and that He was going to show me the way.

Back to the main blog now:

So, we went up to the church, which has its own street out in The Woodlands, and people have to direct traffic because thousands and thousands of people attend. The church has its own book store and coffee shop/restaurant. The landscape is beautiful and there are two huge fountains that people get baptized in. We met up with Alton (Jess's ex boss) and Robin in the book store and looked around a bit before we went into the main sanctuary. Upon entering the main sanctuary, I was floored. There was people everywhere! It was like a convention center on the inside with a huge stage, big screen televisions to broadcast what is going on on the stage, as well as a band and singers.

The sermon began with Praise and Worship, which I absolutely love! I would LOVE to be in a church choir at some point in time in my life! It was like a concert and very awe inspiring. Then the preacher, Kerry Shook, came up on the stage. He talked about how him and his wife had ran a half marathon the weekend before and they had a video up about it ... "to show proof that they really did it", the video was hilarious and I loved the way that him and his wife treated each other. They wanted to do the marathon and cross the finish line hand in hand and they did just that!

This month's sermons revolve around one topic: The Biggest Loser. Which basically means "What are you going to lose by becoming a Christian and how to be a big loser." Last weeks sermon was about losing fear, which I really would have liked to have seen ... but this weeks sermon was about running your "own" race.

Aaron and I have been trying to work out and eat healthy in the New Year, therefore this sermon really hit home almost immediately ... but then it got better!

He talked about how God set each of us up with our own race and our own race track, but that we always try to compare our races (lives) to other peoples. He said that while they were running the half marathon the finish line coincided with the full marathon and there were people that ran twice as far as he did and still beat him. He said that if were comparing himself to them ... then that would have really discouraged him, but he was just comparing himself to himself ... and he was just happy that he finished without dying! This really hit home because I feel as if I always compare myself to other people, or those "hot bodies" that are on television and in magazines, when I really just need to focus on myself and the life that I'm leading and the race that I'm running.

Then he talked about letting go of the bitterness in our life and focus on the positive. This is another thing that I need to work on. I feel as if I have so much bitterness in my life that it leaves a funny taste in my mouth. I really need to expel this bitterness and have a healthier soul.

He talked about how there were obstacles that everyone had in their life ... and that some people just carried around a 45 pound weight all their life. This weight was made up of negativity and bitterness, and all of those other nasty feelings that we have about ourselves and others. Then he said that if we were carrying around a 45 pound weight ... when we came upon these other obstacles that inevitably going to come up in our lives ... that we would just stumble and not be able to recover from this obstacle. But that if we kept the weight out of our hearts then we would be able to bounce right over those obstacles in no time.

Then he showed us a video ... it was from a football movie ... something about "____ the Giants" ... I really need to look it up and watch it though. But the part that he showed had a guy that was the best player on the team and was the one that needed to lead the others but he had fallen into a rut and didn't care about practice and didn't care about his team mates. The coach made him do a "death crawl" (which has something to do with a person on your back and you have to walk across the field on only your hands and the balls of your feet.) The guy said .. "I might be able to go to the 20 yard line but that's it" and the coach told him ... "I think that you can make it to the 50 yard line ... I want you to do it blind folded and I want you to only give up when you think that you can't go ANY MORE." So he blind folded him, the other guy climbed on his back, and off they went. The entire time the guy was crying about how difficult it was and how he wasn't going to be able to do it, but the coach kept on and on about how he COULD do it and that he knew that he just had a little bit more in him ... and not to give up until he couldn't do it any longer. Finally when the boy collapsed, the coach removed the blindfold and the boy had collapsed in the end zone. He had carried a 140 lb man across an entire football field. Then he told the boy that he needed him to be a support system for this team, that if the team saw that he didn't want to do something that they wouldn't want to either, and that the coach believed in him and he knew that he would be able to do anything.

By the end of the clip, I was in tears. This also really hit home for me! Here I am complaining about how I want to lose weight, and how I'm tired of looking the way that I am ... etc etc etc. And yet what am I really doing to try and change it? When we go to work out, I basically complain the whole time ... and I'm not going to see any results doing that what so ever! Plus, I want to be a support system for my other friends, those that might have strayed from God's love, or those that have never known it. I want to be able to answer any questions that they might have, or even just be someone that they can come to if they just need someone to listen to them.

Once the service was over, I asked Aaron what he thought about everything, since he was not used to an experience like that at all. He didn't much care for the praise and worship part ... which I knew that, but he did really enjoy the sermon. His only problem was that it's hard for him to trust churches that are that big. He feels like these people might be taking money from the goers to fund their bookstores and restaurants, etc. But he did say that when he wasn't working the night before that he would go with me, and when he is working ... I will always be able to meet up with Alton and Robin, and of course Jessica when she comes back up here.

I am very interested in learning more about this church because I want to be able to be a member of a church before Aaron and I start having kids so that our children will be able to be raised in an environment such as this one. I'm also very excited about next month's series which is called "30 days to live" which focuses on what would you do with your life if you were told that you only had a month to life ... and being able to live your life like that not only for these 30 days but for the rest of your life ... which is weeks, months, years, and decades more!

Meet and Greet

2008-01-14T22:11:00.000-06:00

Aaron and I went out to Dallas last week so that he could drive around and look at his territories. While we were there I was able to meet up with two ladies that I've been talking to on Xanga (and now Blogspot) for a while!
It was very exciting!! I've been reading Christin's blog (on the left) since around 2003 and Miss Jules (on the right) for around a year and a half or so.

We went to eat at Crackle Barrel and chatted for a while. It was really nice to put a face to their blogs (besides the pictures) and both girls are sooooo very sweet! I loved them :)

While we were there we also picked up our new little puppy! His name is Link and he's freaking adorable! Right now however, he has an ear infection :( And it makes me very upset to hear him whimper like he has been. We've got him on antibiotics and ear drops and I'm hoping that things will clear up very soon.

I can't figure out how to get the pictures of him up on here ... so you'll have to check out www.xanga.com/still_me_21 or www.myspace.com/sufirachel for them.

P.S. Everyone should see Juno!

She's gone off her rocker

2008-01-04T14:01:00.000-06:00

As I'm sure that all of you know (due to the fact that this is the top news story) B. Spears was taken away by ambulance last night after a dispute over custody.

Apparently, B. Spears "just wanted the kids to spend the night" but since it was K. Fed's turn with the children he sent out some body guards to get the kids back. This is when B. Spears locked her self in the bathroom with the two children and refused to let the body guards in to take them.

Police were called ... of course! And the fight ensues. They had to have certain papers for the cops to be able to enter the house and take the children and once they found B. Spears, they realized that she was on some SERIOUS something. Drugs, Alcohol, over dose on her perfume? A combination of all three?

Then of course there are the videos ... a giggling hysterical Spears leaving her home in the same straps that they would have to use to hold a crazy person down with.

She's off her rocker for sure. For SURE FOR SURE. But who's fault is it? Well, of course it's the media. I mean, I'm sure that there are plenty of other people every day that are this freaking crazy that don't get on CNN or blasted all over the gossip news. Plus, I'm sure she really loves it!

There is probably an ongoing bet between L.L, P.H., and B.S. as to who can get the most head lines. Britney has always been up for the challenge! So it's official, we'll never see another up rising of the pop star ... except perhaps when she succeeds in killing herself.

(Some are claiming that is what she tried to do last night) But I seriously think that it's only then that everyone will rest. And that's really sad ... she was the most popular star EVER only a few years ago. Sad. Really Sad. Poor Brit Brit

Resolutions

2008-01-03T15:02:00.000-06:00

Alright, Alright. New Years Resolution time. I said that I wasn't going to make any of these ... but then after reading Amanda's blog about hers ... I figured that I mine as well.

This way I can keep track of them and might actually keep them!

1) Make a healthy change in my life style: This means that I need to start watching my portion sizes, eating healthier, and trying to exercise when I can. I don't want to say "Exercise everyday" because I know that's not going to happen.

2) Really focus on school this year: I always say that I'm going to do this every semester ... but there is really no reason why I shouldn't be able to. I need to just put other priorities into play and make sure that I keep the grades up ... now is the time that I need to have good grades so that I can get into the Education program and all that jazz.

3) Try not to cuss: I think that I should start working on this now ... because I don't want to be cussing up a storm when I have a baby. I also need to watch certain things that I say, especially since there will be new babies in our families future ... I don't want to corrupt them!

4) Read as many books as possible: I'm going to try to put up the 52 books in 52 weeks thing again ... but I'm not going to get stressed out about it like I did in 2006 (where I read 60) I'd love to be able to read 80 in 08 but I don't think that it's going to happen. We'll see.

These are all that I can think of right now ... maybe I'll add some more later. We'll see! Have a great 2008 every one!!!

I'm going to be an Aunt!

2007-12-30T20:53:00.000-06:00

Guess what I got for Christmas!? The news that I'm going to be an Aunt! Loren gave us the news December 22! She's about 8 weeks now and has heard the heart beat and everything! She's been feeling sick lately ... which sucks for her, but that is usually a good thing because it means that things are going well with the pregnancy!

A Christmas Miracle!! Baby Ottis will be born in August ... supposedly on the 16th but Shaw thinks that he/she will be a little earlier ... possibly closer to our one year wedding anniversary!

How was everyone's Christmas!? Ours was absolutely fantastic! We spent a good amount of time with family, but it would have been nice to spent a bit more time. Aaron had to work on Christmas eve at 10pm, so we had to go back that day. Then come to find out he ended up getting out of work after only an hour and then was off on Christmas day ... so too bad we weren't able to stay longer.

We went to Aaron's cousin's wedding this weekend, which gave us more time with family so that was really nice. But the wedding was kind of awkward ... some weird circumstances ... and a lot of people that didn't want it to happen. Aaron and I are just hoping that things are going to end up working out ... that's all we can really do.

In other news ... Aaron and I have a new arrival to announce as well!

We'll get him in about two weeks, and his name will be Link! I'll have pictures up once we see him ... but we are both VERY excited!!

"Everything Madonna Touches Turns to Whore"

2007-12-18T23:30:00.000-06:00

The quote of my title is by the magnificent Aaron Allen, btw!

Yeah, and he's right. Britney Spears started on her slow descent into the skanky, head shaved, whatever that she is now ... after that disgusting lip lock with Madonna.

I think that it was at that time that Madonna planted a device into Britney Spears that immediately made her start making horrible decisions and life altering mistakes.

Yeah, okay ... so she married her high school sweet heart ... BUT THEN SHE MARRIED HER BACK UP DANCER.

Yeah, okay ... so she had a kid ... BUT THEN SHE HAD TWO!

Yeah, okay ... so she went out and partied a lot ... BUT THEN SHE WENT WITH OUT PANTIES

Yeah, okay ... so then she got a divorce ... BUT THEN SHE SHAVED HER HEAD.

Yeah, Okay ... so she went to Rehab ... BUT THEN SHE DID A WHOLE BUNCH MORE DRUGS AND LOST HER KIDS!

I mean it's obvious ... Madonna has planted her seed of disgust into Britney Spears and that sucks, because I really like B. Spears and I wish that she would get out of this funk and get back on the right track ... but it seems to be a contagious disease ...

Now Jamie Lynn is pregnant as well ... and at only 16.

Why can't the people that actually want to get pregnant get pregnant? Oh and why can't rich celebrities opt for freaking birth control!? Jeez ... they have enough money!

Money money money money ... MONEY

2007-12-09T21:58:00.000-06:00

Wow. So it's been a really long time since I've blogged hm. Sorry about that ... during the Thanksgiving holidays I had to write two papers ... and then it just seemed to not stop!

But, I'm in the middle of a study break ... so I'll pass some time with a little bloggity blog blog blog.

During the Thanksgiving holidays I asked people to answer a few questions about what they would do for 2 million dollars.

The results were just as I expected ... a lot of people gave the Sunday School answers.

What triggered these questions was a segment on KRBE 104.1 that talked about how the average amount of money that a person would leave their spouse/significant other for was 2 million dollars. AND that WOMEN were more likely to take the money than men were.

I was shocked by this ... not only that the price to leave the person that you love was so low, but that women would be more apt to take the money than men. So I wanted to see what my friends thought about the whole thing.

No one opted to take the 2 million when it came to leaving your significant other ... mainly because it wouldn't be any fun having that much money if you didn't have that other person to enjoy it with.

Which is good and all ... but what IS the price that you would be willing to leave your significant other for?

What am I thankful for?

2007-11-21T14:14:00.002-06:00

What am I thankful for?

I'm thankful for having a husband that loves everything about me, that thinks like I do, that lets me blabber on about random crap, and ignores my irrationality.

I'm thankful for a family that is amazing. We are all best friends with each other and spending time with "the family" has just become my favorite thing to do.

I'm thankful for friends that love me no matter what. That I can go to for anything, that will tell me when I'm right ... and get on to me if I'm wrong.

I'm thankful for having the life that I have. I'm thankful that Aaron is able to take care of me and provide for me. I'm thankful that we never want for food or clothes or heat or air. I'm thankful that we never have to worry about where our next meal will come from, or whether or not we can afford our bills.

I'm thankful for almost being finished with school, for the opportunity to go to Sam Houston, and for the teachers that I've come into contact with that have shaped my future.

What are you thankful for??

And now for something a little Television oriented.

I read "Watch with Kristin" as much as I can so that I can get the updates on all of my favorite shows ... and today she wrote what she is thankful for and has a poll up for people to put what they are thankful for. Unfortunately, I could only pick one ... so I've decided to most what I'm thankful for here:

Things to be thankful for on Television:

1. Writers: Dear Writers, thank you so much for bringing your A game every day. Thanks for the hilarity and the tears, and I hope that you get everything that you want for Christmas this year. (Plus 4 cents)

2. Saran-Wrap Kisses: Pushing Daisies is a beautiful show! I love it so freaking much! It's so sweet, it's so enjoyable, it's so imaginative, and it's so hilarious. If you aren't watching this Pie Maker and his sweet Corpse Bride ... you should be.
Charlotte "Chuck": You can't just touch someone's life and be done with it.
Ned: Yes, I can. That's how I roll.

3. The Third Slap: "YOU JUST GOT SLAPPPPEDDD" Wow, um ... whoever writes this show is incredible. Seriously. Every episode is awesome, I love the continuity (except when dealing with Marshal and Lilly's apartment ... wtf?), and all of the inside jokes. This is the new Friends, except better ... and I hope that it lasts 10 seasons as well. I don't even care if I find out who the mother is ... keep the laughs coming.
Ted: Your not ... Moby, are you?
Not Moby: Who?
Ted: The recording artist, Moby?
Not Moby: Oh, no.
Ted: Then why when we said "Hey Moby" did you come over here?
Not Moby: Oh, I thought you said "Hey Tony"
Ted: So, your name is Tony?
Not Moby: No.

4. Claire's Blood: Oh man, I am VERY thankful for Claire's blood ... otherwise I'd have to cry my way through the rest of Heroes. This show is amazing ... there is no reason that you aren't watching it. It's action, it's awesome, and it's got a great story line. I want ALL of the powers ... oh jeez, maybe I'm being a little Sylar greedy.
Hiro: Yatta!

5. Every word of The Office: This show is freaking incredible. I love it so much ... I'm so glad that TBS put it on Tuesday nights so that I could get my Jim & Pam fix twice a week. I love that most of the actors are also writers or producers for this show ... it shows that they really love what they do.
Michael Scott: You notice that I don't have any one being Arab here. I thought that would be too explosive, uh, no pun intended. But I just thought, "Too soon" for Arabs, maybe next year, I mean ... the balls in their court.

6. "B" and "S" and XOXO: Gossip Girl is so much fun! I think that it's got just the right amount of drama. Just the right amount of awesome. And just the right amount of YES! I love the inner workings of the "cool kids". I loved the rich kids from the OC but the East Coast rich kids are even MORE scandalous!
Gossip Girl: You know you love me ... XOXO.

7. House for being so Un-House and yet so good:I 'm loving House this season ... even though those three lap-dogs aren't in it as much this season. I'm liking the new crowd ... and am VERY much hoping that 13 gets a permanent job.
Wilson: That smugness of yours is really an attractive quality
House: Thank you, it was either that or high lights .... smugness is easier to maintain.

8. Lost coming back: THANK THE LORD! I can't freaking wait until Lost comes back ... I know that it's going to be amazing ... and I've already converted my whole family into Lost-i-nites. YAY For Sawyer, YAY for Hurley ... but I don't know how I'm going to get over Charlie not being around.
Hurley: Dude, you've got some ... Artz ... on you.

9. Kristen Bell: Besides the fact that she is the voice on Gossip Girl and an awesome new chick on Heroes ... I'm loving this girl! She's so freaking cute! I hope that she'll be around televisions for a long while.

10. That TV's still worth fighting for: Heck yes it is ... life would be crazy boring with out my dear television. I don't want to have to watch stuff on the internet. I like tuning in from 7-9 every night. I can't help it!

Go to Rehab Amy ... seriously.

2007-11-18T20:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, before I get into this ... I would like to know who in the hell this Amy Winehouse person is to begin with? Besides seeing her at some random awards show, singing in her horrible voice, her stupid Rehab song, I've never heard of this girl!

Where did she come from? Who cares about her? Why is she important to society? Oh wait ... no one cares and she's not!

But ... because I needed something to take my time away from the paper that I'm trying to write ... you know, clear the head a bit ... I thought I'd go ahead and rant about this stupid stupid stupid girl.

First off, Wow aren't you subtle? And by you ... I mean her. Your first single is a song about Rehab? Then there are reports that your concerts suck a big one because you are so freaking intoxicated that you can't even sing correctly/remember all of the words to your songs?

And then THIS appears on the web! SERIOUSLY!? Right there on stage huh? REALLY?

Re-donk-ulous. (As Marshall would say)

I'm sorry but I wish that Famous people would read this damn thing ... and realize that they are so effing retarded. Grow up!

How can you actually want to be a performer and make money when you are trashed on stage at your concerts? All that does is make people talk about you ... and NOT in the good way. Get a life Amy Winehouse ... or at least die from an overdose of booze and cocaine ... soon please ... you are ruining good music for me.