All About Evan!

It's been awhile since I've featured Evan on the blog so here are some pictures! He is getting so big. :(

I get to see this adorable family in a few short weeks!!! I am thrilled!

GLOOOOORY!

Michael and I are both very, very anti-Christmas before Thanksgiving. We realize this is a personal decision but are both very adamant about waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to deck the halls.

With one exception.
Friends... no holiday, no personal decision, no act of God could stop either of us from enjoying the gloriousness of the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake. We just made a quick stop at Target to pick up a few things and both jumped for joy at the beautiful site.

So tomorrow as I give thanks for so many things, I will most assuredly give a special shout-out to Little Debbie and her miniature Christmas tree.

Way to be ahead of the times, gal.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 <--Great Day

It is fairly obvious to all of you that Michael and I have found 2009 to be the year of surprises. And it seemed fairly obvious to us that these surprises hit in multiples. When we were down, the mean kid kicked us again. When we were up... well you get the point.

I am so, so excited to tell you about our latest "ups." :) With Thanksgiving one day away, it could not have come at a better time.

Yesterday I accepted a new job! I've been in a pretty extensive interview process (e.g., two 2-hour interviews and 4 tests) for the last few weeks and found out the news yesterday afternoon on my break. I wish I could tell you about the position but it's pretty foreign to me so explaining it might make you wonder how the heck I even got the job. Karen works at this company, mentioned the job to me and it sounded perfect for my analytical self. I start December 9 and could not be more excited.

With that in mind, I'm sad to be leaving Nordstrom. It's been a great experience and so valuable. I am a big believer that everyone should work in the service industry at least once in their life. It is a definite eye-opener and gives you a healthy dose of the golden rule. I was a waitress at several restaurants in high school/college and was confident I'd learned my lesson. Who knew that working in retail would be such a vivid reminder to the young waitress who thought she knew it all. I've already had my Nordstrom plea post so I won't do it again, but please remember to be friendly when you're out shopping, especially over the next few weeks when things are crazy. You're not the only one stressing out, the person behind the counter or serving your meal has their own stresses and worries this holiday season. Remember that. And throwing out a "Merry Christmas" wouldn't hurt much either. :)

And I'm off my soap box.

As I mentioned earlier, I said our "up" news typically comes in multiples, and if you've been reading closely you'll notice I've only mentioned one. Yesterday I had lunch with Michael and he told me he'd received a very nice promotion at work. I am so proud of him. Working at a start-up company is very scary--you don't know one day to the next the fate of your company. He has worked so hard since he started in April and I know this promotion is well-deserved.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement for the both of us over the past eight months. I realize what goes up must come down but I think I'm going to hang out here in the clouds for a bit. It's been awhile and I love the fresh air.

Cop: 1 Meredith: 0

Before I'd even visited Michael's hometown I'd heard about the Coppell cops. He'd had a few terrible experiences in high school (one cop did not believe Michael was wearing his contacts and made Michael touch his eye and move the lens--RIDICULOUS), so they've always been on my poop list.

So of course it wouldn't be right for only ONE of us to have a Coppell cop experience. Mine happened on Wednesday. Awesome. Here's the deal, when something (or someone) bothers/annoys me, I am usually pretty polite. But my thoughts are an entirely different story.

SC: Stupid Cop
M: Meredith
Red type: Meredith's thoughts

Meredith is driving to meet Michael for lunch. She's just received a text and grabs her phone. Next thing she knows, flashing lights from a motorcycle cop are directly behind her.

M: Bugger. (This is not exactly what she said.)

SC: (Saunters on over) Hello ma'am. My name is Stupid Cop and I'm part of the Coppell Police Force.

M: (No kidding?)

SC: We actually have speed limits here in Coppell, were you aware of that?

M: (Yes, jackass) Yes sir.

SC: You were going 47 and the speed limit is 35. Did you know that?

M: (Did you know we are both wearing identical black boots over our pants?) I did not realize I was going 47.

SC: Actually, you drove right past me and then you sped up. Did you not see me?

M: (I did not see you because I was staring at my phone.) No sir, I did not see you. (And you were hiding behind a bush so of course I didn't see you. Isn't that the point?)

SC: Was there a reason you were driving so fast? Was there an emergency?

M: (Is lunch considered an emergency? I will always speed for Mexican food. And my husband.) I'm meeting my husband for lunch.

SC: I need to see your license and registration.

M: (I need to see a plate of nachos. And my husband.) I'm new to Texas (bat eyes, bat eyes), I'm not exactly sure what you need to see. Is this all?

SC: Yes, that's correct. (Takes my info and leaves.)

Meredith wonders if she'll get away with a warning since she's new to the great state of Texas. Aaaaand 3 seconds later...

SC: I'm giving you a ticket for going so fast. What year is your Prius?

M: (Ah yes, my Prius. The one that is saving our earth, one happy tree at a time. Does that get me a discount?) 2009

SC: Please sign here.

M: (Please drop dead.)

Meredith signs and cop prints her a copy of the ticket.

SC: Thanks and I hope you have a great day!

M: (Oh, you TOO! And happy Thanksgiving!!!) (No response. At all.)

I need to call and find out how much I owe but I'm too scared. I think if I hide the ticket under my bed it will all go away. Right?

For what it's worth, lunch was still delicious and I couldn't have asked for better company.

A Baby Shower!

A few weekends ago we had a baby shower at our house for Karen and Myers. They are expecting a baby boy next month and we are so excited! Michael was good friends with them in high school and since we've moved to Dallas the four of us have spent a lot of time together. Michael and I've had some practice being an aunt and uncle so we feel we are more than prepared for our honorary nephew.

When Karen found out she was expecting she bought a few pregnancy books. One night we were over at their house so I grabbed a book and started poking through it. Never again. Well, never again before I have my own little guy in my belly. There's some strange stuff in those things! Some of the drawings of the baby at 6 weeks are downright terrifying. So word to the wise--if you ever want a kiddo, save the books until you're well on your way.

One last thing. This "baby shower" was more of a "big party with all of Karen and Myers' friends and oh wait, she's having a baby so bring a gift!" So while yes, there was a punch bowl, there were also about 20 different types of beer and wine. Oops.

Alright, bring on the pictures.

Ah yes, see what I mean?

I told Michael we just HAD to have a pumpkin cooler--take a look at his work! He's the best. :)

If you squint your eyes and look very, very closely, you will see the tiny punch bowl for the guest of honor.

This was what the table looked like when I thought we had all of the food.

...And then the food multiplied. (It works for more than just fish and loaves, people!)

The glorious cake that Rachel's mom made! Those babies are edible! (Don't worry, none of us felt comfortable eating them either...)

The hosts with the guests of honor.That's us!

Opening the gifts...

I am going to be very honest with you. I included this picture because I think my hair looks good. There, I said it.

Congratulations Karen and Myers!!! :)

This Post Is About Lethah (Project Runway, Anyone?)

Oh man, you guys are the BEST! Thanks so much for all of the wonderful comments re. our living room. I'll admit, a blog can do wonders for your self-esteem. I began this journey over two years ago to document our life together but I've actually met or re-met several of you through this and you're all so kind. So thank YOU and YOU and especially YOU.

So a few fashion tips and a Nordy's update...

Let's talk about boots. You all know they're in style right now. Flat boots. Slouchy boots. Cowboy boots. Thigh-high boots. Booties. High-heeled boots. Shall I continue? I shan't. Anyway, the point is: I have a pair that RULE. This specific pair of boots is the only item I've ever owned that's been complimented EVERY SINGLE TIME I wear them. They're grey, flat boots, comfy as can be, and did I mention I paid $25 for them at Target? They aren't leather but they LOOK like leather. I've had people ask me if I purchased them at Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Nine West, Neiman's, etc. Unfortunately I purchased them last year (about this time!) and then immediately purchased the same pair in brown (I know a good thing when I wear it). However, I am sure Target has the 2009 edition just waiting to be picked up. So go check it out.

Now I know there are some of you who roll your eyes at the thought of non-leather boots. I have a solution for you too. I've had a bit of a spending problem lately (oops) and I believe it has to do with working at a pretty fantastic place with bargains in every direction. I've promised to cut back but it doesn't mean I'm not constantly looking for a great deal. I found one a few weeks ago that's too good not to share. I needed a pair of black, slouchy(ish), flat boots. There were several I found at Nordy's for around $200 but I couldn't justify paying that much (see the above paragraph if you don't understand why). Then I learned something fantastic. Children's shoes go up to a size 6, which is the same as a woman's size 8. Guess who wears a woman's 7.5? This gal. I wandered through the children's section and found a pair of black, slouchy boots that were 100% leather on sale for $59. $59!!! The same pair in the women's section was over $200. I tried them on and did a boot dance. And then, of course, I bought them. So for all of you who have feet that are a size 8 or smaller, keep this in mind next time you're shopping! One other thing I might add, I do have pretty wee calves. These boots still have quite a bit of room in the calf area but I noticed they are a bit smaller than women's boots.

Continuing on with Nordy's, I won my first contest!! Whoever sold the most Lockheart bags last month won their very own Lockheart bag. Woohoo! I hope to receive the bag soon (unfortunately I did not get to choose it) and I'm keeping my fingers crossed I actually like it. If not, my mom or mother-in-law will be receiving a kick-ass Christmas gift (their bags run between $350-600)!

And to end this, I have to mention my REAL Nordy's bff, Katie. She also works in handbags and we always have so much fun together. She's the tender age of 21 so she constantly reminds me how old I am and I live vicariously through her exciting adventures. It's nice to have someone there who is just as goofy as I am and she makes the long days more bearable (she also just discovered my blog and is my newest reader). So Katie, here's to you and your youth. Maybe one day you'll be old and married and have your very own blog that features your fat cat in various poses. And if the thought of that doesn't make you want to jump off a cliff I don't know what will.

Coming up... pictures from Karen and Myers' baby shower!!

....And AFTER!

First of all, thank you SO much for all of your positive feedback re. the pillow! At first I was blushing, then I was beaming, then I broke into a cold sweat and became positively terrified to post the "after" pictures. I told Michael that everyone was so excited to see the new room based off of the pillow and what if I let them down? What if my room didn't hold up to the fabulous pillow? And you know what? It might not. BUT! I love it, Michael loves it, Thumbs is glowing with excitement, and I suppose that's all that matters. So enough talk, here she (or he) is!








And now for the specific details...

The coffee table (Ignore the somewhat wilted flower arrangement I created, it was for the baby shower we had last night and the gorgeous hydrangeas are now looking about how I feel. The white books are Peter Lik, our favorite photographer, and an Ansel Adams book signed by everyone who attended our wedding. And below the coffee table is wrapping paper from the party that I just now noticed. Oops.):

This is Michael's favorite part of the room! He loves rocking chairs and broke into a huge grin when we found this "mid-century modern" version at West Elm. It looks tiny, but we had a 6'3" man in it last night and he seemed quite pleased!


I think my favorite part of the room (besides Thumbs, of course) are the chairs. The color is so soft and pretty but the camera keeps pulling only the brown tones. They're actually more of a grey with blue and tan undertones that shift with the light. The curtains are a soft velvet (Sidenote: ironing 108" panels is exhausting):

The couch with the four pillows I purchased a few months ago!

Our blue/silver books on top of the bookcase. Michael's parents gave him the blue Waterford vases when he was in college and they finally have a home!


Side table. One of the first things Michael and I learned about each other was that we both loved Shel Silverstein. The white books worked perfectly in this room! The candle formation is usually a Christmas decoration but it works in here so it's become a year-round decoration:

Special thanks to this guy:

When we first moved to this house I hated the fireplace. I didn't think it belonged and found it very distracting. SO white. It's still not my favorite but I tried to decorate with enough whites and creams to actually make it look like it belonged in this room! Through the entire process I just wanted to put together a room that was serene and intimate. I'm so pleased with it!

Most everything in the room was a wedding gift or was purchased at Crate and Barrel or West Elm. As I mentioned in my last post, it is 96% complete. You might have caught the 4%--the bamboo portrait above our fireplace. It doesn't quite fit anymore since there is not a trace of green anywhere else in the room! We actually purchased two Peter Lik photographs in Maui and the other has quite a bit of blue and golds with a hint of green. It has yet to be framed but when it is it will replace the bamboo and the bamboo will move elsewhere. And then we'll be at that glorious 100!

Sneak Peek!

When I moved back to Tulsa several years ago I wanted a cozy reading chair for my apartment bedroom. I didn't want to spend a ton of money and after a lot of searching I finally found one I liked at Pier 1. Michael also liked the chair so we put our heads together and decided he should get the matching settee and ottoman since we knew we were MFEO and would spend the rest of our lives together (one day). Fast forward 4 years and we're so tired of them. They're not comfortable. They're not very nice. They're not really us anymore.

Take a look:


When we moved to our present home we were blessed with another living area. We had zero furniture for the room so guess what we put there? Oh yes. Our Pier 1 furniture. It's the first room you see when you walk through our front door and it leaves so much to be desired. When we decided we were ready to buy real furniture for the room my mind went crazy.

What color scheme?

What style?

What the heck do I know about design?

The only question I could safely answer was number 3: nothing. I looked through design blogs and they just made me want to throw everything we owned away and start over. I knew that wasn't an option so I sat down one day and really thought about what I loved. Our last house was pretty dark and was all about the warm colors. I adored it. This house is all about windows and light. When I painted our master bedroom blueish grey a few months ago I fell in love with how calm it was. Greens and browns don't exactly scream excitement, but blues and greys make me think everything is right in the world. I realized using all blues and greys in the living room meant I would have to paint (currently it's a light tan) and that made me reconsider the greens and browns. Painting our bedroom was one thing, an entire living room was another. So I was back at square one.

Then I walked into West Elm. I saw it. A 12" by 12" masterpiece that made me giddy and calm at the same time. I felt like I was on HGTV after they decide to re-do a room and their inspiration is something tiny and ridiculous. Mine was a pillow. THIS pillow:



It was everything I wanted. And needed. Blues, greys, and tans. No need to paint the room at all! I walked out of West Elm empty-handed but came back almost immediately and bought that pillow (and three others that coordinated). I had NO idea what the couch would look like. Or the chairs. Or the coffee table. I didn't care. I would design the room around my pillow.

Tomorrow our furniture arrives and the room will be 96% complete. We've already moved the wicker furniture out to our patio where it belongs. I'll take some pictures and post them over the next few days but I just couldn't wait any longer to write about this. Maybe it's because I never throw surprises your way on the ol' blog and this is a nice change. And I realize this surprise isn't nearly as thrilling for you as it is for me but just pretend with me. Please? Thanks.

(By the way, once it's finally finished you are all invited over for some wine and cheese. And cake.)

This is the room BEFORE (isn't he cute?):

The Big ONE!

Today is Mr. Evan's 1st birthday!! I am shocked he's already one--this year has flown! He is such a wonderful little guy and we could not be more thrilled to call him our nephew. I'm so proud of him. :) Can't wait to see the exciting things he learns in the upcoming year!

Happy birthday little man! Love, Aunt Merdi and Uncle Mike




And this masterpiece was created by Grandpa B (click on it--pretty amazing)!