A Work in Progress

Sneak Peek

2012-01-22T16:58:00.002-06:00

Here is what I should be writing about:

1. San Francisco - Day 4
2. San Francisco - Day 5
3. Pictures (can't write about these, but I can post them!)
4. The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier at the DMA (if you live in the DFW area, you must go!)

But I can't. Why? Because I received a fun package in the mail on Friday and want to talk about it instead. Most of you know one of my favorite things to do is decorate our home. I don't mean holiday decorating (ew), but a complete room overhaul. The past two rooms (living room, bedroom) were each done in a week. The paint, the purchases, everything. Not only did it make our budget fall to its knees, but I didn't have a chance to mull things over. I purchased everything at once and regretted certain items later. We decided to treat our upstairs room differently and took things slooooowly. The first purchase was made two years ago (Penguin classics) and bit by bit we've added to the room. It's given me a chance to sit back and think, "Do I truly love this or do I just need a side table and this one is on sale?"

I wanted the room to be three things: contemporary, clean, and FUN. Jonathan Adler was my inspiration (the man LOVES color) and we're really pleased with how it's turning out. We still need curtains and a side table so I'll save the full reveal for later, but I couldn't wait to share the pillows we received the other day via Etsy. We've had the chartreuse pillows forever but decided they worked nicely in the room. Main colors are navy, orange (looks red in pictures), and chartreuse but the room has a bit of everything.

I'm a huge fan of the F. Schumacher Chiang Mai print and was terrified Michael would hate it. Luckily, he took one look at the picture online and said, "Is that a dragon? Cool."

Heck yeah, it's a dragon. Who knew a pillow could have street cred?

I thought it was fitting to share the pillows since I did the same sneak peek for our living room. So without further adieu, a tiny piece of our new den:

And in case you're curious, yes, the walls are navy blue. The guy at Ace Hardware tried talking me out of it three times but I wouldn't have it. And for once in my life, I'd like to think my stubborn streak paid off.

Easier Than I Thought

2012-01-11T22:27:00.001-06:00

Absolutely filled with gratitude: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/brandigreer

(Thank you for the phone calls, texts, and messages today. Your prayers were absolutely felt and so appreciated.)

1.11.12

2012-01-10T21:09:00.003-06:00

I was so thankful to start a new year. At the same time, the second the clock struck midnight a tiny part of me ached. January has been on my mind since the last week in April.

Tomorrow is our baby's due date and I'm heartbroken. I thought it might be easier the second time around but oh it's not. I can't tell you how badly I wish this story had a happy ending.

In my last post I talked about finding something each day that fills me to the brim with gratitude and I'm going to try so hard to do the same tomorrow. I'll be very honest, a larger part of me wants to sleep the day away and not wake up until it's over.

If you have a chance, please say a prayer for us. Michael puts up a good front but I know he's hurting too. There have been two instances when I woke up feeling especially encouraged and only later learned someone specifically prayed for peace for me the night before. I've been praying for peace all week.

Even though we will not meet him* tomorrow, we are so grateful for this sweet baby's life and can't wait to meet him in heaven.

*or her--but I always knew it was a boy

2012

2012-01-03T20:14:00.001-06:00

Holy moly.

While most of you have compiled and shared a detailed list of resolutions, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it's 2012. Last year absolutely flew. When I stop to think about particular moments, some hit me so hard it might as well have happened yesterday. Others I try to remember and am met with a cloudy haze. Fortunately, the great moments are the ones I remember so well.

2011, overall, was a pretty fantastic year. If I made a list I'd say the "pros" column trumps the "cons" column 10 times over. Over the past few months, I've made a conscious effort each day to find something that fills me to the brim with gratitude. And you know what? It's been quite easy. I want to continue this in 2012 and hope it will become a part of who I am. I chose our Christmas card for a reason--I loved the simple phrase, "Be joyful." Such a great mantra, and quite easy when you step back and take a look at your life, ya know?

I have so many pictures I want to share with you! I have absolutely fallen in love with photography and wish I could do it every day. Unfortunately, I need about fifteen years of practice and by that time I'm quite certain every person on the planet will have their own photography business. It's been so much fun to capture fun moments of some of my favorite people. I hope this passion of mine sticks around for a long time because I enjoy it so much! Will do a picture post soon.

I've decided to make 2012 one of my favorite years of all time. I know there are many things I can't control but there are so many more things I can. And I will. So if your plan is to stand in my way, I'll see you in 2013. :)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T09:09:00.000-06:00

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Merry Christmas to you!

Trifecta

2011-12-16T23:34:00.001-06:00

One to make you snap, one to make you laugh, and one to make you wish your pet had thumbs....

Tis the Season

2011-12-12T12:55:00.001-06:00

Busy season started last Wednesday.

I have 454 unread blog posts in Google reader. (I just shuddered.)

We were both sick for a week but are now feeling better.

We've watched 3 seasons of The Big Bang Theory in one week (see above).

I get my life back next Friday...

(Until then, here's two pictures I took yesterday of a co-worker and her fiance. More later!)

San Francisco - Day 3

2011-12-06T21:03:00.001-06:00

Saturday, October 22, 2011

(For Day 1, click here)

(For Day 2, click here)

There is a reason it's taken me a long time to write about this day. Let me preface this by saying we loved San Francisco. Loved the people. Loved the sites.

However.

We were told we needed to pack for cool, chilly weather. We happily obliged. (Have I discussed the Hotter Than Hell Summer of 2011? I have? Well then.) We woke up early and I put on a long tank and leggings. Covered said leggings with leg warmers and boots. Covered said tank with a cute blazer and scarf. Michael bundled up in jeans and a sweater.

We walked outside. And nearly died.

I said something along the lines of, "Oh we'll be fine. Let's keep walking." Famous last words. It was SO HOT. Let's also keep in mind the topography of San Francisco. Hill after hill after gosh darn hill. By the time we got where we were going, I was a wreck. There are two things in life I absolutely hate and both immediately turn me into a 13-year-old brat:

1. Being extremely cold.

2. Being extremely hot.

Michael once said my comfortable temperature range is 77-82 degrees. This? Did not fall in that wide spectrum of comfort. I wore my ensemble for approximately one hour and then removed the blazer and draped it over my purse. Removed the scarf and draped it over my blazer. As I was walking I saw my reflection and stopped cold. I looked like Vivienne in Pretty Woman. And not "Big Mistake. Big..." Vivienne. Oh no.

Enough about that. Saturday morning was spent in the Mission District! We were told we must try Tartine Bakery so that was our first stop. This place was amazing. We had to wait in a short line but the food was completely worth it. I haven't met a chocolate croissant I didn't love, but this guy put every other one to shame. SHAME. Let me make sure I also include my husband's tiny order: 2 Mexican wedding cookies, 2 shortbread cookies, and one gigantic orange roll. They didn't even bat an eye.

Dolores Mission

Only picture of me in complete outfit. Would not be worn in its entirety again.

After breakfast we toured the Mission District. We were told it was "Hipster Central" so we knew what to expect. Except we didn't. This area was definitely rough around the edges. It was a bit strange because a very nice building would be right next to something that was begging to be burned down. And then, BAM! Tiny park in the middle of it all.

We walked by Dolores Park (large park) and took several pictures. It was there I encountered my first rude homeless person. As I was putting my camera back in its case I heard, "Hey take a picture of me and send it to my mom so she knows I'm not dead." Uhhhh....

Took a break for iced coffee and tea

We ate a very late brunch at Foreign Cinema. Very cool place. Michael accidentally ordered an appetizer, which was enough food for a tiny kitten. It was pretty funny. My meal was much larger so we were able to split it. And then I saw him. Michael and (my friend) Kreston's love child. It was spooky. I spent the rest of the time trying to take pictures of this poor waiter (without him knowing) so I could send them to Kreston. I'm not sure it was well-received by either parent but for those of you who know both, throw me a bone here. Love child, am I right?

I ordered a coke. This was the closest thing they had. Very cool. (And delicious!)

As we left the Mission, a homeless guy walked next to me and said something in my ear. I (obviously) jumped a bit. As he walked past he looked back and started YELLING at me. It was so bizarre. People all around us turned to look at the receiver of wrath so I looked at Michael and said, "Man, that guy HATES me." Got a few laughs from the group. Thanks guys.

Next was one of my favorite areas in San Fran: Hayes Valley. Loved this area. It was quite eclectic and still had the hipster vibe of the Mission but it didn't make me nervous. I was just happy not to have random people yelling at me. We got some made-to-order ice cream from Smitten and people-watched for a bit.

Afterward we browsed several of the boutiques in Hayes Valley before we continued walking to Haight-Ashbury. This is one of those areas you just need to see for its history. And then you need to leave.

At this point we headed back to our hotel to freshen up for dinner. We'd taken the BART (subway system) a few times so we were feeling pretty confident. When it was time to go to dinner at Blue Plate we hopped on the BART... and ended up in Oakland. Not good. If you're not familiar with the Bay area, grab a map. Once we got to Oakland we immediately got on the next available BART to head back. We were 30 minutes late and were a sweaty mess once we arrived. Luckily, the restaurant was the size of our bathroom, had no air conditioning and an open kitchen. There are few places in San Francisco that have air conditioning because it's (usually) so pleasant. They set a carafe of water on our table and we went through three. The food was absolutely delicious but it was a little tough to enjoy due to our ridiculously high body temperatures.

This was one of those days we will never forget. Will I remember it as one of the best days of my life? Absolutely not. Will I laugh anytime I think of being screamed at by two homeless dudes, sweating through a gourmet dinner, all while looking like a prostitute? Absolutely.

San Francisco - Day 2

2011-11-25T08:04:00.022-06:00

Friday, October 21, 2011
(For day 1, click here)

Friday began with breakfast at our hotel and a few more pictures of Healdsburg, which is currently our #1 retirement destination (sorry Greenville, you’ve been bumped to number 2). We picked up some drinks at Safeway and were ready to explore wine country.

I really didn’t expect anything fun to happen until we reached our first destination but the drive was just stunning. We were surrounded by vineyards, which were the most gorgeous fall colors. At one point we’d been driving under an umbrella of trees when we saw a rustic bridge. Once we made it to the bridge the trees disappeared and we could see for miles in all directions. We took CA-128/29 south from Healdsburg all the way to Napa and it was incredible.

The first place we stopped was Castell di Amorosa. It was a giant castle and the landscaping was so pretty. We didn’t have a driver for the day so we’d limited ourselves to three tastings. Regardless, we’d heard this place was gorgeous so we stopped for pictures.

Back in the car! We stopped at St. Helena to have a quick lunch at The Model Bakery and I also purchased a cute wool headband to protect my ears from the wind/cold when we went to Alcatraz. There is a reason I’m telling you this tiny detail—more on that later. Wish we would've had more time here, it was a neat town.

Our first stop to actually taste wine was Saddleback Cellars. It was as relaxed and laid-back as they come. We sat at a picnic table and they left us alone until our glasses were empty and then they magically appeared—it was glorious! They also had country (and I mean COUNTRY) music playing. Most of you know I am NOT a country music fan but it just fit here. If we didn’t like the wine we were told to “dump it on the ground—it’s great for the grass.” I don’t think either of us dumped anything, the wine was amazing. I believe it was my favorite time of the entire trip. Since I’ve been back at work I’ve had a few stressful moments and I just picture us back at Saddleback, sitting at a picnic table listening to "Luckenbach, Texas." Everything around us seemed to slow down a bit and in turn, so did we.

After tasting the-best-wine-we’ve-ever-consumed-and-had-to-turn-down-because-it-was-$60-a-bottle, we drove to Cakebread Cellars, which was just a mile away and recommended by my bff Summer. We were greeted with a glass of sauvignon blanc and given a really nice tour of the grounds. The wine was amazing here as well! One person in our group walked off to take a phone call almost immediately after the tour began. Of course he came back 30 minutes later and asked all sorts of questions that had already been answered. I believe they should ban phone calls in wine country. Or maybe just that guy.

After this wine tasting I was once again feeling a bit loopy. I was our navigator and got us lost approx 14 times. I’ve never been a good driver but I usually rule with a map in front of me. But no. Not so much. As I'm staring out the window Michael would nicely say, “Hey, shouldn’t we turn pretty soon? Merd? MERD!” Yeah, we were supposed to turn a mile ago.

We quickly stopped at Artesa Vineyards & Winery for pictures, which had a beautiful view....

...and then ended our tasting at Domaine Carneros. We sat outside on an enormous wrap-around patio, ordered a cheese and fruit platter and sipped champagne. I took a video and in the course of 30 seconds I tell you where we are twice. After the video I took several pictures of a bird. (Shaking head.) I am not posting either.

It was time to head back to San Francisco to check into our hotel and get ready for dinner. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun was setting, dropped the car off at the rental place and checked into our hotel. We’d wanted to stay in Union Square but not be forced to sell a kidney to pay for it so we chose The Crescent. It was a fine hotel but absolutely nothing special. The room was big enough to hold our bed and one suitcase. Location couldn’t be beat, but if we went back we’d probably stay elsewhere.

We walked to Epic Roasthouse and something magical happened that has never, ever happened to us before. We got the best seat in the restaurant (window seat with a perfect view of the Bay Bridge). Ok, I got the best seat in the restaurant. Michael was still screwed a bit due to the wall placement. For one reason or another, we are always given the worst table in a restaurant—it’s become a bit of a joke and I was positively giddy to not sit next to the bathroom, kitchen, or back corner. Our meal was as good as the view (I’m still dreaming about the halibut and risotto) and a perfect way to end the day.

(View from Epic--picture taken from their website...)

In Her Own Words

2011-11-18T13:43:00.003-06:00

Melissa, one of my best friends from high school, sent me an email last week that had me crying at my desk. She and I wrote back and forth several times and I encouraged her to post these thoughts on her blog because I knew it would benefit others. Several of you have opened up to me about your own miscarriages so I wanted to include the link to her blog post, which covers what she put in her email.

On a similar note, I'd like to encourage each of you to tell people when and how you pray for them. I'm not saying you need to send out daily emails, but Melissa will never know how much her email meant to me.

Click HERE to read her post.

San Francisco - Day 1

2011-11-16T19:22:00.025-06:00

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Our flight took off at 6:30 am so we’d set our alarms for 4:00 to make sure we’d get to the airport in plenty of time. Due to our excitement, we both woke up with no problem and had quite cheery dispositions. The flight was uneventful except for the strangest flight attendant we’ve ever encountered. She was totally passive aggressive. I’m not sure if she’d had a fight with her husband, boyfriend, or dog that morning but everything that came out of her mouth had us tilting our heads in amused confusion. We were both expecting her final words to be, “Thank you for flying United. You can all go to hell.”

Once we arrived in San Francisco we took a taxi to the rental car agency and picked up a brand new Impala (holla). We were on our way north! We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge and straight to Muir Woods National Monument. What I thought would be a quick side excursion turned into one of the highlights of our trip. Muir Woods was absolutely breathtaking. We were there early enough that we didn’t have to share the path with many others, which meant a nice relaxing stroll in the middle of a redwood forest (“to the gulf stream waters”). As I mentioned in an earlier post, this was where we celebrated our 4th anniversary. Not bad!

Do you see me?

And a short video if you're interested... (Michael was making a funny noise in the background. You might not be able to hear it but that is why I say, "That's Michael." I did not name the tree Michael. Thank you.)

We stopped by the gift shop and picked up a ceramic mug commemorating our time at Muir Woods. By this point we’d worked up an appetite so we drove south to Sausalito and had lunch at Le Garage. This place was terrific! While it was actually in a garage (French garage?), the place was pretty upscale and the food was delicious. Michael had a Kobe beef burger and I had lobster salad, all the while enjoying the boats docked right outside.

We did a “driving tour” (navigated by yours truly) of Sausalito and then continued north to Healdsburg (wine country). Healdsburg was one of the coolest towns we’ve ever visited and I highly recommend it if you are visiting the area. It was quaint without being cute, busy without being touristy. If that makes sense. We checked into the H2Hotel (another highlight of the trip) and then walked around the Town Square. La Crema was one of my favorite wines from my waitressing days so we made sure to stop at their tasting room. The sommelier was new and decent at best but we had a great time and the wine was delicious. Afterward we walked to Williamson Wines, which is a tiny vineyard in Healdsburg. It was there we met Reese, the sweetest guy ever. He knew so much about their wines and paired each tasting with a bite o' food. In case you are curious, there are two very large differences between wine tasting in wine country vs. everywhere else: The pours are very generous and oftentimes there is no bucket. You don’t love it? You still drink it. That being the case, I was feeling FANTASTIC by the end of our second tasting. At one point I told Reese I couldn’t feel my face, which was immediately followed by an “Oooook, Reese could you give us a moment?” from Michael. I got a “lock it up” lecture (haha) and then we proceeded to join their wine club for a year. (Sidenote: we received our first shipment last week and I was so scared the wine would taste terrible sober. Wrong! It was still delicious!)

After walking around a bit more, we went back to our hotel and got ready for dinner at the Spoon Bar. It was the restaurant inside our hotel and they’d opened the walls (windows) since it was such a pretty evening. We had a lovely view of the Town Square as well as the Rangers game. We were both tired by this point so we asked that dessert be delivered to our room. I had two bites before falling asleep. It was the perfect first day.

H2Hotel (Highly recommend--amazing and environmentally friendly!)

Bamboo floors

Lobby

The Spoon Bar (Hotel Restaurant and where we had dinner)

10,000 spoons (when all ya need is a knife)

Up close

View of the balconies

The bottom of this picture is the "green living roof" of our hotel (filters rainwater and reduces the amount of heat the hotel gives off. Learn more here!)

Park in Healdsburg

This is probably 5 minutes before I couldn't feel my face. Lovely.

Stay tuned for Day 2, the day we traveled through wine country!

Friends

2011-11-13T18:05:00.023-06:00

Warning: This post is ridiculously sappy. I don't know what came over me but holy cow get ready.

We've been out of town the past two weekends and while we're both fairly tired, the visits were absolutely worth it. Two weekends ago we traveled to Tulsa and had a reunion with several of my college friends, and this weekend we traveled to Mount Magazine (Arkansas) to visit one of my high school best friends. You probably noticed that both visits were to see "my" friends, but Michael said one of the nicest things on our drive home today. He talked about how glad he was that I'd made (and kept up with) such wonderful friends, and in turn how happy he was that they'd each married amazing guys who he now considers his friends as well. Music to my ears. While I know family comes first, I'd have a hard time marrying someone who didn't love and support the relationships I'd made before we married. He's quite the opposite and is constantly encouraging me to give one a call or find out how another is doing. To see him talking and laughing with each of them is one of the greatest gifts he could give me. And while this post is about the past two weekends, let it be known that I feel the same way about his friends--we're both so fortunate.

Tulsa

We left right after work and headed to Kait and Steve's house. Leighton was already asleep so we sat around their dining table and caught up on the past few months. Kait is constantly updating their house with beautiful furniture or awesome throw pillows so it's always great to see the place. Saturday morning we met up with the rest of the group at Dilly Deli (aahhhhh, I love that place so much!) and were introduced to beautiful baby Siena. I know it's so cliché to say, "We picked up right where we left off" but I don't know how else to describe it. Let's just say if there was a television reality show for the best set of friends I'd submit us in a heartbeat. Mostly because I'm so competitive and would love to retire early... But I really think we'd stand a good chance. The girls (Summer, Emily, Kaitlin, Siena, and myself) split from the dudes and went to Utica Square so we could visit our favorite Starbucks. I've known these girls for 11 years and it just gets better every time we see each other. While a visit doesn't go by without discussing our crazy college antics, it's clear we've all grown up a bit and our "new" stories are just as fun and fascinating as the old.

We drove back to Kait's place and the boys picked up some steak, fish and chicken for a grand cookout. Food was delicious and the night ended with Oklahoma's largest earthquake. Perfect way to end the night. :)

On Sunday Leighton found my phone, which has a picture of our favorite fat feline, Thumbs Magee. She looked at me and said, "Kitty? Kitty!" and I swear I almost took her to a cat store (yes, I said cat store) to buy her a kitty. It was precious. She'd leave my side to play and then come back moments later and ask to see the kitty again. I missed that girl the moment we got in the car to drive back to Dallas.

While we were there I took some pictures of Summer's beautiful family. I also managed a 2-minute photo session with the sweetest ginger I know.

Mount Magazine

Last October the two of us along with Leslie, Julie, and their counterparts met in Fort Smith and together we visited Arkansas wine country. We named it Altoberfest (Altus, Arkansas) and decided we'd do it every year. Unfortunately, Julie and Mark weren't able to make it this year due to their recent move to Charleston. We missed them so much. The trip got pushed back to November and Leslie had the excellent idea to switch it up and head to Mount Magazine State Park. Seeing that she is 19 weeks pregnant, a winery tour would've been a bit boring. We met up yesterday morning so Michael and I could see Riggs before we drove east. When he's excited or surprised he gets a huge grin on his face and yells "Oh wowee!" It is absolutely adorable. We had a great lunch at Grapevine Restaurant in Paris (not that I really need to clarify but I'm not referring to the city in France), and then made our way to the Mount Magazine lodge. The foliage is breathtaking right now--I couldn't get over all of the colors. I'm used to Dallas, which has a lovely mix of green and dead. It's gorgeous.

The wind was ridiculous so our plans of hiking turned into sitting inside the lodge and staring at the beautiful view. Dinner was "meh" but I'm not sure any of us really cared. I love that couple so much (and I think they should write a book on parenting). When Leslie found out about my miscarriage, she asked if she could come to Dallas (after dropping off Riggs in Fort Smith) so she could be with me. You guys, the girl lives in Memphis and was ready to jump in a car and drive 10+ hours so she could cry with me. Of course I told her it was not necessary but what made it so special is I knew she would've done it in a heartbeat if I'd said yes. How did I get so lucky?

Sorry for the brief side story. Back to Mount Magazine. After dinner we watched Bridesmaids and then had a delicious breakfast this morning with the same beautiful view. It was SO great to see them.

Both visits just made my heart hurt and soar at the same time. I miss those girls like crazy. I learn something new about each of us every time we're together. Regardless, I ended each weekend feeling so content. Of course I wish we all lived on the same street and met each other for coffee each morning (did I mention my high school and college friends all get along too?!) but I know that will never happen. What I DO know is my Prius better be prepared for a lot more road trips because these visits are never going to stop.

Shutter speed is fun...

Just In Time For Halloween

2011-10-29T11:10:00.005-05:00

At about 4:30 Friday morning, Michael and I wake up to our smoke alarm. There is no smoke, it's simply beeping to let us know the battery is low. Due to our high ceilings and groggy minds, we can't reach the detector and decide we'll mess with it later. And so we shut our door and sleep through it. Last night, we get home from having dinner with friends and notice the beeping has stopped. Happy that the battery has finally died, we are both grateful for a night of restful sleep.

6:00 this morning we both wake up to the beeping. Again. This time Michael takes matters into his own hands and removes the battery from the alarm. It keeps beeping. After doing a bit of internet research, he finds out it is connected internally and has nothing to do with the battery. Dejected and down, he goes back to bed. (Sidenote: He stood on our side table, which was perched on top of our coffee table.) (Second sidenote: We are buying a ladder today.)

We wake up a few hours later and Michael decides to remove the entire alarm. The next moment was absolute comedic genius and I'm so sad we don't have it on video. Michael is upstairs and I'm still downstairs in bed. After several minutes I hear Michael yell, "Take that, bitches!" as he removes the entire alarm from the ceiling. Three seconds later it loudly beeps and I hear, "...What the hell?" I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. He runs downstairs with the alarm in his hands and a very confused look on his face. We stare at the alarm, which is still beeping without a battery. Just as we decide we have a haunted alarm, it quietly goes, "Beep. Beeeeep. Beeeeeeeep." Flat line. Michael killed the alarm.

And now I believe it's time for a nap.

Anniversary Post

2011-10-26T20:44:00.006-05:00

In case you missed it, last month we were blessed with a Free Crappy Portrait, which still cracks me up on a daily basis (it's on my desktop at work and is currently my Facebook profile pic). Since I've had some super serious posts lately, we decided to have a bit o' fun with this year's anniversary post.

We present to you our own crappy portraits. I wrote all over mine so you'll have to click on the picture to read everything. Michael wrote commentary below his picture because he was afraid you wouldn't be able to read his handwriting.

I wish I could say we drew these when we were four, but no. The following pictures were drawn by two relatively intelligent (I think?) 29-year-olds using a box of 24 crayons. Perhaps we're better off calling it abstract?

Enjoy!

The following was written by Michael:

This is a bouquet of your favorite thiiiiiiiiings. (It works better if you sing it a la Sound of Music.)

Let's start with the obvious. This is a celery stalk that has sprouted tentacles. Also, apparently everything you like is black or gray. Glad we splurged on the 24 pack of crayons. I probably could have done a better job with an old piece of charcoal from the grill.

Moving on, from left to right...

That is not a one-eyed baby seal with a horn, it's your camera! I'm so happy you found photography because you seem to enjoy it so much.

A calculator because you love math you big dork. You would find this specific calculator very frustrating because it only has number keys.

Your Prius! Amazingly enough the tires aren't round or the same size and you still get 40+ mpg. It's self conscious about its nose so don't bring it up.

The Mac. This is the only thing I was able to reference while drawing, and it's still awful.

Cheese! ...or the moon! Take your pick.

Hand bags. Though it's plain, this was about the most accurate representation of the lot. I was going to add a set of heels, but I knew that was pushing my luck.

And finally...Thumbs! Apparently she has a rash and is closer in relation to bovine than feline, so that would explain her size. I believe I was still able to accurately represent her disdain for me as she appears to be flashing the skank eye.

No manatees or ostriches were harmed in the making of this "masterpiece o' poo." (<-- Before & After, like Wheel of Fortune!)

If it's the thought that counts, I love you so much. If not, you shouldn't have married a left handed guy with the artistic ability of a three-year-old with two broken arms.

I Left My Legs In San Francisco. My Heart? He Came Back With Me.

2011-10-25T20:37:00.007-05:00

Michael and I just returned from our trip to Healdsburg and San Francisco! We had such a wonderful time and don't worry, I have full plans to completely bore you with detailed recaps of each day. Right now, however, I'm tired. And I have a huge suitcase that is begging to be unpacked. And a fat cat who is desperate for attention. And some sore legs that might not ever recover from those hills.

I will mention one tiny memory from our trip: we celebrated our 4th anniversary! As you probably know, we say our vows to one another once a year on our anniversary.* While no place or time will ever quite compare to the first, this year absolutely took my breath away. Why, you ask? Because we said them to one another here:

Hand in hand, walking down the most gorgeous, peaceful path. At that moment, I felt no want, no sorrow, no sickness. Only joy, plenty, and health.

I am the luckiest.

Each year we write our own anniversary posts, but this year we're shaking things up a bit, which you'll see in a few days. Should be fun.

*Have I mentioned (only 100 times?) how special it is to say your wedding vows to one another without the help of a pastor or sheet of paper? It is the best advice our pastor gave us, and four years later I am so grateful. If you aren't married (or heck, even if you are), I really encourage you to memorize your vows. We may only say them to one another once a year, but it is sacred to us, and a wonderful reminder. We vowed before God to be loving, to be faithful, and to stand by one another in good times and in bad. What a gift!

I Meredith, take you Michael, to be my wedded husband.
And I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses,
to be your loving and faithful wife.
In plenty and in want
In joy and in sorrow
In sickness and in health
For as long as we both shall live.

Fall Favorites

2011-10-14T19:03:00.016-05:00

Does anyone else think Fall feels like a new beginning? I know most consider New Year's Day to be their "fresh start," but on that day I can barely zip my pants, my skin is dry and pale, I'm slightly hungover from too much bubbly, and all I can see in my future is February. On January 1, I feel exhausted. Fall, however, makes me want to become a better person. You can walk outside and not immediately gasp for breath due to the temps, the trees are prettier, moods are cheerier, and something about school supplies at Target makes me think, "This is it. My slate is clean."

Anyway, thought it was time to do another favorites post and I believe I will keep the subject matter Fall-related because it's just so damn great. For the record, my favorite season is and always will be summer. However, after experiencing 71 days of 100+ temps, I think I'm ready to exchange the tanks and shorts for boots and blazers.

1. Oil of Olay Regenerist Serum. This is some good stuff. Fall = drier skin. Wrinkles have declared war on my face and unfortunately, they are winning. I try to use it every night. (There are still plenty of nights I don't wash my face before bed. Haley--don't hate me.) I always use it in the morning on my forehead and laugh lines, but avoid the eye area because it can cause your eye makeup to run. Oh and did I mention Target makes their own knock-off version? It's a fraction of the price. Oil of Olay is reasonable, but Target still managed to beat 'em and it works just as well.

2. Lululemon Define Jacket. Let me start out with the bad news. It's not cheap. Not at all. But the fit will cause you to not bat an eye at the price tag (well, maybe a few bats, but no permanent damage). I am the proud owner of two and am a very happy customer. I wear them all of the time, especially when flying. I don't enjoy looking like a slob in public but I refuse to fly in uncomfortable clothes. This jacket is the perfect answer. Anyway, if I can put on a workout jacket and feel confident (and dare I say a wee bit sexy?), I consider it money well spent.

3. Chai Latte by Cafe Escapes. This stuff is SO GOOD. I think I could drink four cups a day but that's a bit ridiculous so I stick to one. I feel odd spending a lot of time writing about how something tastes so I'll just tell you to go try it. FYI - My mom had it and thought it was too sweet. Then again, my favorite drink at Starbucks is a white chocolate mocha so that doesn't surprise me.
4. Football. I know. I can't believe I, Meredith Leigh Besancon Haynes, just listed football as a favorite. Hear me out. I really do enjoy a game each weekend in the Fall. Please note, I said a game. Singular. I'm actually doing pretty well in my Fantasy league and due to my competitive nature, it's made football more fun. Not to mention, I love how happy it makes Michael.

5. Fall fashion. Oh it makes my heart happy. Sweaters, cardigans, scarves, plaid button-ups, leggings, boots, leopard-print, menswear inspired shoes, stacked bracelets, blazers.... I love it all. I think my limbs are silently screaming because they're being covered up but I always feel more "put together" in Fall attire. I included some of my recent favorites from Pinterest. Sorry, such a broad category. I also included a few of my latest shoe purchases (well, one was a gift from the Mr.), which are both very Fall and very comfortable! (I cannot get enough of mustard!)

Source: goingtomakeitmine.tumblr.com via Meredith on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Meredith on Pinterest

Source: momsafashiondork.blogspot.com via Meredith on Pinterest

Source: None via Meredith on Pinterest

Source: wowowow.com via Meredith on Pinterest

The latest newcomers to my shoe shelves:

They're a bit quirky but hey, so am I. It works.

6. HeyTell App for the iPhone/iPad (holla!) or Android (don't holla). Ok, this has nothing to do with Fall but you will FALL in love with it. (eh? EHHH?) Not to mention, it's free! My friend at work told me about it a few weeks ago and I'm hooked. It's similar to a walkie-talkie and great if you're driving and need to send a quick message (quit it with the texting)! Michael's messages are something like, "Don't take 635--heavy traffic" or "I fed Thumbs this morning." My statements are closer to, "Would you rather be a werewolf or a vampire?" and "Who do you love more: Me or ____ (fill in the blank with absolutely any person, place or thing)?"

So there you have it. Fantastically fun fall favorites from Feredith (I tried).

Do you have any fall favorites?

(Also--thanks for the sweet notes on my last post. Looking back, I should've turned off the ability to comment because my intent was to share my thoughts with you--not have it turn back to me. Anywho, from the bottom of my grateful heart, thank you.)

An Email

2011-10-09T19:41:00.008-05:00

When I wrote the ridiculously long miscarriage post, I said I wouldn't talk about it again on the blog. However, my thoughts have changed a bit due to some of you. I've received A LOT of emails from friends and readers who've said they don't know what to do when they find out a friend or family member has suffered a miscarriage. I received an email yesterday from yet another friend and I thought I'd publish the email I sent her. I asked for her permission first and she mentioned it might be helpful to some of you. She said, " I was nervous asking you so maybe this will allow someone to know all the things you told me without having to ask you."

Anyway, I've modified it slightly and removed the names but this is pretty much it. As I mentioned in the below email, I only know how I felt. A miscarriage is a very personal matter and as with anything else, people react differently to tragedy. And again--you are always welcome to email me if you have questions. While it's not a club I love being a part of, I know it's something that touches everyone. If it's not you, it's your friend, or sister, or daughter, or wife.

Please understand, I realize a miscarriage does not just affect the woman, but again, I can only speak for myself. Due to my friend's question, I wrote from my perspective only.

Thanks for your email. I've actually had several people write with questions very similar to yours and I don't mind at all. Actually, I love it because it shows how much you care for your friend and her feelings. Perhaps I should become a national spokesperson and travel around the world (specifically places like Maui, Europe, etc.). Sorry, not trying to make light of the matter but you know me.

Ok, back to it. I'm so sad for her. You absolutely don't have to experience a miscarriage to feel terrible for someone, but having been there it just makes me angry when I hear someone else is going through it. I think one of the biggest struggles for the woman is moving from an incredible high to rock bottom. And all it takes is one minute. What she is feeling is a mixture of sadness and pain, but she's also angry. Very angry.

As far as what to say, I know it's different for everyone and I don't know her that well, so I can only tell you how I felt. I didn't want the few people who knew to completely avoid it. I didn't need 20 questions but acting like nothing happened was awkward. I wanted them to tell me they were thinking about me and then let me decide if I wanted to talk about it. Nice gestures like a card or a quick email are great. I even received some emails that included scriptures, which meant a lot.

Here's what she doesn't want. She doesn't want anyone telling her everything happens for a reason. She doesn't want anyone saying, "At least you weren't very far along" or "Now you can drink again!" The worst thing anyone can do is to make light of the situation or try to fix it or belittle it. Of course everything happens for a reason but she doesn't want to hear it. Not right now.

Unfortunately, the next "stage" she'll go through is a bit of bitterness (if she's not already there). She will notice all of the pregnant women around her, the babies, the whiny moms, the complainers who feel "fat," and it will piss her off. To be honest, I still have these feelings but they are not nearly as strong. It's more of a dull ache, but I'd be kidding myself if I said it was completely gone. (Added this:) There isn't much you can do at this point but if you are pregnant or have kids, be sensitive to her feelings. Don't lie or omit stories (of course you're allowed to be frustrated with your kids or pregnancy!) but be a little lenient if she doesn't respond the way you'd expect her to. At the end of the day she wants to feel normal, but she needs time to grieve.

I'm sorry she's going through this and I'm sorry you are too. I know the people who were aware of my miscarriages felt helpless and were frustrated they couldn't do anything for me. What you have to understand is there is nothing you can do to take away her pain. Don't put that pressure on yourself. My biggest prayer is that ___ married a good man because he will be the only one (on earth) who can carry her through this. I'm tearing up now just thinking about Michael and the way he took care of me. I knew I loved that guy but he absolutely blew me away. This stuff can tear relationships apart but fortunately it made ours so much stronger. I pray the same is true for them.

So there you have it. As a very brief update on us, we're doing well. I still have good days and bad, but the good days far outweigh the bad and as long as that's the case, I know I'm moving forward. The calls, emails and texts we received after I published that post confirmed we have a pretty awesome support system. So thank you for that.

And to those of you who've emailed me and asked for advice, I'm so grateful your friend, or sister, or family member has a friend like you.

No Butts About It (Har Har)

2011-10-04T22:00:00.003-05:00

Thank you (so much) for taking part in the "What should go on Michael and Meredith's living room wall?" survey! I had no clue what you'd choose but the Sanibel Island beach shot won by a landslide. The silver medal went to my dear friend, the hibiscus, and as far as the other two....

Let's just say they received green participation ribbons and were quietly escorted out the back door.

So, beach scene it is. Several of you said the picture was probably tied to a great memory and you're definitely right. Every time I look at it I smile and relax just a bit. With that in mind, why wouldn't I want to stare at our butts, which will be blown up to a size no one should ever see? (But will. Every single day.)

Thanks again for your votes. This was fun!

HELP!

2011-10-01T22:59:00.005-05:00

Several months ago I ordered a 16x20 canvas (thank you, Groupon). I have yet to submit a photograph and noticed it expires next week. My original plan was to blow up our favorite wedding picture, but I think the wrapped canvas would cut off a portion of my dress (not good). I went through A LOT of pictures, narrowed it down to 16, Michael cut half of them, and then I cut half of what was left. For you non-math folk, that leaves us with four.

And now I'm stuck. I need some advice. Which one should we blow up? It will be hung upstairs in our navy/orange/chartreuse room so keep that in mind.

Thanks in advance for your help! (Please help!!)

Option A
(Nasher Museum in downtown Dallas)

Option B
(Backyard hibiscus)

Option C
(Deep Ellum)

Option D
(Sanibel Island--I love this picture, but is it weird to blow up a picture of us in swimsuits? I think it might be...)

Random Thoughts

2011-09-27T10:53:00.009-05:00

Random thoughts on a Tuesday...

I realize the following statement is going to make me sound like a complete narcissist, but I’m nothing if not honest: I like to go back and reread my own blog posts. I don’t spend hours a day doing this (I promise), but at the bottom of each post I have one of those “You might also like..." and oftentimes I’ll click on one of the recommended posts and read about something we did, say, three years ago. Some seem like they happened yesterday and other posts I’d swear I didn’t write because I have absolutely no recollection. When that happens, I open a new tab and research “Early-onset Alzheimer's." That shit is real, people.

Right now I’m reading Demetri Martin’s book, This Is A Book. The guy is hilarious. And pretty dang brilliant. For example, one chapter includes a few short palindromes and then he ends the chapter with a three-page palindrome. Three pages. He also draws a lot of pictures/charts/graphs, which crack me up. Below is typical Demetri Martin humor. If you think it’s funny, you will like his book/stand-up. If you don’t think it’s funny, forget his name because you’ll hate him. If you don’t understand it, open a new tab and research “Early-onset Alzheimer’s” because you’ve forgotten a lot, sister.

I joined a fantasy football league. Yep, you read that right. The name of our group is Real Housewives of Fantasy Football. When Lindsay asked me to join I sheepishly told her I don’t watch any of the Real Housewives shows. I am bloody brilliant. Anywho, we had a live draft last week, which was fun for the first thirty minutes. Two hours later I was all, “Do you play football? Great, you’re on my team.” I think Michael was super proud until he heard some of my ridiculous comments this weekend. (Something to do with not knowing the difference between a running back and wide receiver.) Also, did you know there was only one football game on Monday? You did? Very well then.

We experienced our first Porktemberfest and let me tell you... holy cow (holy pig?). A couple from our church hosts this every year but it’s typically Porktoberfest. She is expecting a baby in October so they decided to push the party up a month. The pig was amazing, although I felt a little sad for him all exposed like that. Met some great people and had a wonderful time.

We’re (slowly) redecorating our upstairs living area. I’m trying something new. It’s called, “Don’t buy everything at once.” With that in mind, the big room reveal will take place in approximately two to 47 months. Anyway, the color scheme (pronounced: sheeeme) is navy, orange, and chartreuse/lime. There will be plenty of white to keep it from looking like a dungeon, but it’ll definitely be different than our other rooms. Let’s hope we’re adding to the house value and not ruining our chances of ever selling it. You can always paint over navy, right?

Our San Fran trip is less than a month away. We can’t wait. Flights are booked, hotels are booked, outfits are mostly planned (leave me alone). All that’s left is filling in the hours between 8a and 11p. Hoping for another epic trip like NYC (I actually read all of the NYC posts this weekend and it reminded me how much we love to travel).

I guess that’s it for now. Oh and thanks for the lovely comments about our free crappy portrait. Several people have already said they’re planning to submit their own and my only request is you let me see it!

Our Free Crappy Family Portrait

2011-09-22T15:07:00.009-05:00

This morning my alarm went off at its usual time. I rolled over and grabbed my phone to check email and read some blogs before I started my day. Michael was getting ready in the bathroom when he heard me laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Not used to hearing such happiness at 6:30 in the morning, he asked what was going on and I gleefully showed him our free crappy portrait.

Let me back up a bit. It all began when I ran across their website: www.freecrappyportraits.com. The concept is simple—you send a short bio along with a few pictures and one of their many talented artists draws your family portrait. As soon as I heard about this website, I knew we wanted, nay needed, a free crappy portrait. Below is the bio and two pictures I submitted. I am quite certain you will see this beaut hanging in our home the next time you drop by. It's published HERE on their website and I already replied to Tera Sue letting her know she’d made our week. She definitely captured the essence of the Haynes family.

What I submitted...

Bio:
We live in Dallas with Thumbs, our fat polydactyl cat, who makes Homer Simpson look like an Olympic athlete. Michael loves soccer, comics, and video games. Meredith loves math, manatees, and ostriches. We're as cool as we sound.

And the result--absolutely brilliant! I think my favorite part is Thumbs giving two thumbs up!

Party Like It's 1998, Part II

2011-09-12T19:48:00.022-05:00

In case you missed my last blog post, I came up with a list of things I would love to tell my 16-year-old self. Michael made a list as well! Today is his 29th birthday so I thought it was a great day to share his thoughts...

In 5 years you won’t remember some of the things you consider so important and stress over right now.

Take half an hour and look at the book of jobs your mom gives you during your senior year in high school. You don’t have to figure out your destined profession, but at least get an idea so you major in something you enjoy.

"Catching up" is a phrase that should never be used when alcohol is involved.

Lock the door to your dorm. Always.

The arguments you’re trying to make are wrong. Your parents are right.

There’s nothing wrong with being young and single. Don’t try to be in a relationship during your entire high school and college careers.

Life is more than good grades and sports.

Be more outgoing in all situations. It pays off down the road.

The Rock Shox on your mountain bike can’t handle a giant tree root. Just lift your front wheel, you moron.

Holding grudges is futile and wasteful.

Make an effort to keep in touch with friends you won’t see regularly.

Stay away from fast food. That stuff is nasty.

Figure out that sunglasses are helpful before you turn 25, that way you might be able to keep your eyes open during pictures.

You’re going to get hurt early in the year during your junior season in college. Redshirt right then and have the surgery. Did you know you had an extra bone in each foot? Freak.

Pay attention to the girl in the chicken hat.

Take golf lessons in high school.

Call your parents more often when you’re away at school. And let them know you appreciate them buying you all the loot at Sam’s, including the economy size box of Twinkies.

If I could add one more: "You will make your future wife so, so happy."

Happy Birthday Michael! Love love!

Age 15

Age 17ish

Age 28

Party Like It's 1998

2011-09-12T16:41:00.015-05:00

Over the last few weeks I've seen a familiar post finding its way around blog-land and decided I should partake in the fun (just like the vlog). One day I swear I'll be a trendsetter. Until then...

If I could have a chat with my 16-year-old self, this is what I would say...

Don’t stand on a chair on your 21st birthday and yell “Everyone look, it's Bob Marley! Bob Marley is here!” It’s rude.

Use sunscreen. Wear sunglasses. Drink water. Wash your face at night.

You will not have everything figured out by the time you turn 30. But what a relief—how boring would life be if you did?

Your breath will be taken away so many times: Finishing a half marathon, looking up from a scrapbook to see your boyfriend down on one knee, and watching your baby’s heartbeat light up the screen are just a few...

When you’re with someone who’s the life of the party, your laughter will never be enough. Date them anyway—it'll allow you to appreciate the one who makes you laugh when no one else is around.

Quit eating crap. Your fast metabolism doesn’t last forever and bad habits are hard to break.

Thank your parents for making travel/vacations a priority. You've seen more sights than most your age.

Very soon you’ll have a dance party in the garage with Julie and Leslie. Have someone record it because you’ll reminisce about it forever.

Being class president is not necessary to get into college, but I’m proud of you for doing it. 12 years from now, you’ll help throw a pretty fantastic reunion.

The lessons you learn from your college friends will far outweigh the lessons you learn in the classroom. It’s ok to miss a few classes due to the memories you made the night before.

….But don’t miss too many classes, otherwise you’ll have reoccurring nightmares for the rest of your life.

Don’t hold grudges. It’s a waste of time and bitterness is not attractive.

You will not live in Fort Smith forever. Breathe.

Watch some soccer games in college—not all TU soccer players are jerks.

Pay attention in German class. You’ll need it when you live in Deutschland for a month.

Spend more time getting to know John Paul and Matt Richard—their memories will far exceed their lives.

Your thoughts on politics and religion will change. (Hooray!)

Just because someone is a grown up does not mean they've grown up. Immaturity can last a lifetime if you let it. Don’t let it.

Hug your parents every chance you get. You’ll miss those hugs when you live four hours away.

Your brother is better at math. Quit trying to compete and enjoy being the “fun one.”

Marriage is a slumber party every night with your best friend. But that friend will try to steal your pillow, so watch out.

Love yourself. Be proud of yourself. And rock those ridiculously short shorts while you still can.

I wish my 16-year-old self could offer my 29-year-old self some tips as well. Something tells me the thoughts would revolve around a boy, queso, and shopping. I guess some things never change? :)

Stay tuned--Michael put a list together as well!

(I was 17 here--close enough...)

2 weeks shy of 29...

Never Forget

2011-09-05T13:54:00.003-05:00

Michael and I saw this segment on ESPN yesterday and I've been thinking about it ever since. It's a wonderful tribute to someone who lost his own life in order to save others.

Grab a tissue (or if you're like me, grab the entire box) and CLICK HERE.

We will never forget...

Lots O' Pictures!

2011-09-04T19:40:00.018-05:00

I've been saying I'm going to do a picture post for approximately five months so it's about time. It's going to be a long post with lots of "click here's" and "go there's." If we're friends on Facebook you've already seen most of the pictures so this is old news and I suggest you move on to the next blog (thanks for stopping by). If not, here we go!

April - Portraits with Co-Workers

May - Annie and Craig's Wedding in Charleston, SC

They surprised me with cupcakes for my 29th Birthday! :)

For more pictures from the weekend in Charleston CLICK HERE or visit Kait's blog by CLICKING HERE.

June - Allison and Justin's Wedding in Greenville, SC

For more pictures from our Greenville weekend, CLICK HERE.

July - Summer's Baby Shower in Kansas City, MO

For more pictures from Summer's Baby Shower, CLICK HERE.

You made it--congrats!

Vloggers Unite!

2011-09-01T19:54:00.010-05:00

If you follow at least 4 people, you've probably seen this "accent vlog" that has taken over the nets. I've never done a vlog (video blog) so I thought I'd give it a try.

Please excuse my outfit. It's "I worked 10 hours and am very sleepy" couture. You can find it in stores everywhere.

I don't actually know who started this phenomenon but I'm sure they're quite lovely. End of story: It was fun.

The instructions are to say these words:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Here we go! (By the way, I am cracking up with the still shot. Come on YouTube, help a girl out. If you don't watch this--and that is fine--please know that I don't normally look like the still shot. I don't think. Oh man...)

New Music Friday

2011-08-26T20:54:00.005-05:00

A few of my current favorites (sidenote: I did not watch any of the videos so I apologize if there is anything wrong with them--I just love the music):

The Civil Wars - Poison and Wine
Why I love it: It's gorgeous. Beautiful voices (especially his)!
Good for: When you have conflicting emotions and need pretty music playing in the background while you decide how you should feel (bonus points if it's a rainy day)

Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land
Why I love it: They opened for Death Cab a few weeks ago and were so much fun!
Good for: Wearing a kilt and drinking a pint with friends

Awolnation - Sail
Why I love it: I don't have a choice--Michael listens to it 15 times a day. :) It's ok, I love it too. It's different than what we typically listen to. And I like that.
Good for: When you want to feel like a badass.

Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks
Why I love it: The chorus is so catchy. You have two options with this song: You'll love it or hate it. I love it. Michael hates it.
Good for: Driving with the windows down on a hot summer day.

Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
Why I love it: It makes me want to dance.
Good for: Making everyone question your taste in music.

Have a great weekend!

I'm Starting With The (Wo)Man In The Mirror

2011-08-23T16:58:00.007-05:00

Thanks for your positive feedback regarding my new jeans. Final verdict: I’m keeping them—hooray! Even Michael decided they looked ok. Also, thanks for the advice. I definitely plan on wearing them with a tucked-in blouse, just not sure I can wear it without something covering the bum. You guys are giving my backside way too much credit.

This ties in nicely with another topic I’ve been wanting to write about: body image.

Before you roll your eyes and click away, hear me out. I’m not going to preach about how you need to treat your body as a temple (you do) or that confidence = beauty (it does), I’m just going to write my own story.

I’m a funny one when it comes to body image. I think most girls start noticing their “flaws” in junior high or high school. I was blissfully unaware until boys made fun of me, which happened for a few years. Even then, they had to point it out to me—I wasn’t the one who noticed my flaws. High school? Not a clue. I’ve never considered myself a very confident person, but I don’t remember feeling insecure because of the way I looked. The only body image comment I made was when I told my mom, “If I press my arms against my sides my arms look bigger.” From that moment on, when someone took a picture I did exactly that: pressed my arms against my sides so people wouldn’t notice that my elbow was by far the largest part of my arm.

I went to college and you’d think that’s when it finally hit. Nope. I had more confidence in college than any other time in my life. When I looked in the mirror I was happy. I knew I didn’t have a perfect body, but I felt really good. And off I paraded wearing another backless top (gah, what I wouldn’t give to tell my 19-year-old self that those tops were never cute).

It was not until a year or two after I graduated college that my thoughts changed. I don’t know what triggered it, but one day I looked in the mirror and thought, “Where did these hips come from?” and “When did I get a big butt?” Fast forward a few years and add, “What can I do to make my arms smaller?” and most recently, “Why are my thighs so large?” It drives Michael crazy. More than that, it drives me crazy. But ask me what I’ve done to change any of it. Nothing. As I’m typing this I’m drinking a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks and eating my second glazed donut. I’m ridiculous.

It's time to make a decision. I have two choices: Accept that this is how I’m going to look and quit complaining or do something about it. And I’ve decided it is time I do something about it. I look at my mom and think she looks amazing, but I also know she takes great care of herself. She works out, eats right, and her hard work has clearly paid off. She has more energy than me, more muscle than me, and more confidence than me. So why have I, at the age of 29, given up? Dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Do I want to lose weight? It’d be a nice side effect, but not the point. I just want to be healthy. To get that confidence back that I had 7 years ago. To look at my thighs and realize they’re bigger because they’re stronger. To understand my arms grew so that one day they might be able to carry a kiddo.

So what am I saying?

Treat your body as a temple and confidence = beauty. (And sometimes I fib when I want you to stick around.)

How High Can You Go?

2011-08-22T18:27:00.008-05:00

I need your help.

Let me preface this by saying I feel like a complete moron for what I'm about to ask. Let me continue by saying I hope you respond to this post more than any other post I've ever written.

Why?

I'm on a high waisted jeans kick. LOVE them. Can't get enough of them... on other people. College me would have bought them a year ago, worn the crap out of them, and never thought twice about it. I miss college me.

29-year-old me is a wee bit terrified of looking ridiculous. Not to mention my better half has ZERO appreciation for the jeans. His two comments when I told him I needed a pair: "...Like the ones Jessica Simpson wore?" and "Oh... mom jeans?"

A good wife would have extinguished the dream.

I bought a pair.

They are not ridiculously high waisted, but they do come to my belly button and for someone whose torso is approx 4 inches, that's pretty high. I got them for a STEAL (yahoo!) and can return them if you, dear reader, think I look ridiculous. So I had Michael take pictures. Mind you, I said "absolutely not" to a butt shot because if I do keep them I plan on wearing something to cover zee butt. No amount of confidence will ever convince me my ass looks good in these jeans. (Solution: Tucked in top worn with a blazer, cardigan or jacket.)

Here's the deal. I doubt any of you will say, "OMG, awful." You're too nice and I'm grateful for that, but I also really want you to tell me if I need to return them. Kind phrases such as "I just love straight leg" or "I think this fad is going to die very soon" are perfect.

Disregard the outfit, it was "grab a shirt and go" time. I think the jeans would look nice with a fun blouse and leather jacket but it's 105 degrees outside, people. Use your imagination.

Here we go! I'm leaning forward so they don't look as high as they really are. After I saw the pictures I mentioned we needed to take some more but we were both too hot to care. The side shot gives a better idea if you can get past my arm shadow.

DIY - Storage

2011-08-14T17:56:00.008-05:00

Oh you guys. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kind words. Your posts, emails, and texts were so appreciated. I read each of them to Michael and we are both grateful for your friendship and support. After I published the post I experienced a moment of sheer terror. I paced, I cried, and I second guessed everything I wrote. But today? Today I feel good. Tomorrow I'll feel better, and I know it'll continue to improve as the days/weeks go by.

I'll share a related story before I get to the point of this post. Whenever one of us gets a new prescription, Michael always asks whether or not "anal leakage" is a side effect. SICK. After seeing it on a random commercial he thinks it's absolutely hilarious. Anyway, I read aloud the list of side effects for folic acid (FYI--anal leakage was not on the list, thank you very much) and we both had a good chuckle over "confusion." But I kid you not, I'm pretty sure I'm experiencing it. I haven't looked quizzically at Michael or Thumbs and asked, "Who the hell are you and why are you in my house?" but I've been a complete idiot and Michael thinks I've lost it. Oops. So next time you see me, don't be offended if I act confused. It's just a side effect. :)

Ok, I'd mentioned last week that we had a small project going on at the Haynes' abode. This one involves our closet. I fully admit that my stuff takes up 80% of the closet and is slowly creeping over to his 20%. I think Michael finally had enough of it and mentioned hanging my handbags on the closet wall to free up a large shelf. Fortunately, he has good taste and mentioned dropping by Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie to see what hooks they had to offer. Music to my ears.

We rummaged through their loot, picked our favorites and came home with 14 decorative hooks. We spent several hours today hanging up some of my favorite handbags, scarves, and hats. I wish I could say they're all on the wall but who am I kidding? It was a cheap and easy idea that helped us get organized and emptied a shelf in our closet.

Next on my list: Buy something to put on our newly pristine shelf. Just kidding, my dear. :)

(I apologize for the picture quality--taking pictures of a closet was very difficult for me!)

BEFORE: Closet wall (+ ugly alarm system box)
(Also--does your closet include a soccer ball? No? Just ours?)

Quite the eclectic mix!

Of course we had to buy one with an "H"

Hint: It's not necessary to measure/put the hooks in a straight line since the objects are all different sizes. We just hung the hooks/bags as we went and it worked pretty well.

AFTER!

The Past Year

2011-08-13T17:32:00.008-05:00

When I started this blog four years ago, it was a place for me to share our story. The highs, the lows, the once-in-a-lifetime moments and the everyday moments. December of last year, that stopped. I continued to share the highs but never published the lows. At first it was because I didn't think it was your business. It's still not your business, but it's a burden I have carried for almost a year and it is so, so heavy. Very few know our story from beginning to end, and I'm tired, so tired, of keeping up with who knows what and how much. And so today, I am going to share it with all of you. I don't know who will read this but I'm sure this will benefit me far more than you. If you click away now, my feelings will not be hurt. This post will be long because I refuse to break it up into more than one. I want to get it out, all of it, and then move on. More than anything I just want to move on.

To begin, below is a post I wrote several months ago.

On November 24, 2010, Michael and I found out we were going to have a baby. After I took the test, one line showed up. I threw it in the trash and took a shower. After I got out, I decided to give it one more look (no idea why) and noticed a very, very faint second line. I must have picked up the test 20 times. Dried my hair. Picked up the test. Put on make-up. Picked up the test. I finally googled "faint second line" and found out I was one of many who'd had the same issue. All signs pointed to "you're pregnant." With the test in my hand, I ran upstairs to tell Michael the news. He'd been very sick all week so we'd slept in separate beds the night before. I woke him and only then realized I wasn't wearing anything and he was staring at me like I had 10 heads. So much for a neat story. In his sick stupor, he smiled and lifted his hand to give me a high-five. Not the reaction I was expecting, but pretty impressive given his state.

Work was impossible that day. I couldn't think about anything but the test and our baby. I was preparing for busy season so I had a million things to keep me busy but only one thing I cared about. I called my doctor to let her know the news and then counted the hours until I could leave. When I got home that evening I took another test--one that said "Pregnant" or "Not pregnant," and we had our official answer in writing. We hopped in the car and drove to Fort Smith as it was the day before Thanksgiving.

Michael and I always thought we'd wait several weeks before telling our families but I knew I couldn't keep this a secret for 4 days so we told my family that night. Everyone screamed, hugged, and a few had teary eyes (including myself). It was wonderful. We taught Evan to say "cousin."

The next few weeks were a blur. Busy season really kicked in and I was forced to put my personal thoughts aside for the most stressful time of my life. For 45+ hours a week, I was working a mile a minute. I'm not sure if it was stress or I caught Michael's bug, but I got very sick the second week of December. I was so looking forward to the weekend so I could relax and not worry about work.

Sunday morning I woke up and noticed blood. It wasn't much but I remember closing my eyes and saying, "No, no, no, no." Over and over again. I called the on-call doctor and she told me to call my doctor the next morning. It was, obviously, a long day.

Monday morning I woke up to more blood. I called the doctor and she told me to come in for an ultrasound. Michael came with me and we watched as the technician searched my body for our baby. She was able to find the sac but there was nothing inside it. I look back now and am so grateful--somehow not seeing anything seems better than seeing something and then having to realize it's gone. They took blood tests just to be sure but Michael and I both knew there was no point.

Words failed me. One month later I can't express the absolute emptiness I felt on that drive home. I wasn't very far along in my pregnancy but the second you find out you're having a baby your life changes. You plan for that baby. You dream for that baby. You yearn for that baby. In the three weeks we knew, I grew attached to someone I would never meet. And that someone I will never forget.

I know how common miscarriages are. From the very beginning I had a cautious feeling about this pregnancy, which both of my parents noticed immediately. I never knew if it was because I'd had a rough year and was trying to protect myself, or if this was something bigger, preparing me for the news I'd soon hear.

One thing they don't really mention about miscarriages is you still have the ridiculous hormones after you find out the news. I cried, often spontaneously, for an entire week. I would be fine one moment and then inconsolable the next. Michael was wonderful. He never once tried to fix things, he just held me while I cried.

We'd told very few people about our pregnancy, and we were the same way with the miscarriage. It's not that we were embarrassed or ashamed, but it was a fiercely private matter and we had all intentions to keep it that way while we grieved.

August 7 was our baby's due date. I'm writing this in January with no intention to post until August. I have no idea where we'll be in 7 months. Will we be pregnant again? Will we have lost again? The only thing I know is that we will experience whatever joy or loss together, as we did with this. I know God has something amazing in store for us, and whether that be a baby now, 5 years from now, or perhaps never, I know that he is good, and he is sovereign. And I will thank him every day for the gifts he has given us, which are far too many to count.

While writing that post I remember thinking, "We will absolutely be pregnant again by August 7." And you know what? I was right. Within a few months after letting my body recover, I was pregnant again. Fortunately, Michael wasn't sick this time so after I told him the news we danced around the house. We knew we'd be seeing my parents the last week of May and decided we'd wait to share the news with both families. When I was 6 weeks pregnant, we went to Charleston for one of my good friend's weddings. I pretended to drink champagne and beer, made excuses for why I chose soup over steak (food completely disgusted me), and somehow made it through the weekend without sharing the news with my best friends.

5 weeks, 5 days (Written the day before we left for Charleston)

Today was one of the best days of my life. I called the doctor this morning with a small concern and she told me I needed to come in this afternoon for a sonogram. I was very anxious and sent Michael multiple emails with all sorts of terrible possibilities. My appointment was at 3p and when I walked into the room I broke into a cold sweat. This was the room where I was told I had a large cyst on my ovary. The room where a month later I learned the cyst had not shrunk and would have to be surgically removed. The room where I found out I'd suffered a miscarriage. The technician smiled politely and told me she was going to look at my ovaries first. After what seemed like forever, I quietly said, "Will you let me know if you see the baby?" She smiled and said, "I haven't gotten there yet, but yes, I'll let you know." Once she made a few notes she said, "Ok, I'm going to look for the baby but you're very early so if I can't find anything that doesn't mean...." Before she could finish her sentence we both froze as it lit up the screen. I looked at the technician and asked, "Is that my baby?" She laughed and said, "Yes and would you look at that strong heartbeat! What a little peanut!"

I found out later that the earliest my doctor’s office has ever seen a heartbeat is 5 weeks 5 days. If I'd come in yesterday I wouldn't have seen the tiny flicker that absolutely took my breath away.

I always thought I would cry. But I didn't. Instead, I sat in complete awe. This precious life with his or her 100-beats-per-minute heart was inside of me, and I was absolutely speechless.

After that appointment, we called our baby "Peanut." At that same appointment the doctor told me I had a small blood clot in my uterus but that many women had successful pregnancies with the same issue. She told me to lay low and to avoid strenuous exercise. I did and things seemed to be going well.

At 9 weeks I noticed more spotting. We were set to leave for Greenville, SC two days later but I had to see the doctor right then. They were able to get me in that morning and I'd already prepared myself for the worst. My pregnancy symptoms had diminished dramatically and I just didn't feel pregnant. Once the picture was up, we saw our baby. It didn't look like it did at our 5.5 week or 7 week appointment. We couldn't see any blinking, which signifies the heartbeat. The technician said nothing and then sighed as she told us our baby had died at 7.5 weeks. Devastated. We were both devastated. Michael held my hand and all I could do was tell him I was sorry. Over and over again. It was clear this was my fault, and nothing he or the doctor said would ever change my mind.

The next day we got on a plane and flew to South Carolina. I'd told the doctor I wanted to have the miscarriage naturally--I did not want to have a D&C. She said she'd give me through the weekend and if nothing happened she would perform the D&C the following week. I was "lucky" and had the miscarriage on Saturday afternoon in a foreign hotel room while Michael was away with the groom and groomsmen. I have never experienced pain that deep and I'm still not sure what hurt worse, the pain or my heart. I knew when it was finally over and I laid in bed and cried. After that, I had 30 minutes to put on a smile and get ready for the wedding.

Looking back, I am so grateful it happened in South Carolina. It was terrible, but I am glad I will never be in that bathroom in that hotel again. It was best to leave it behind.

A few weeks later I met with the doctor again and she discussed running several blood tests to see if there was a connection between my miscarriages. The first time she ran 12 tests and all came back normal. Two weeks ago she checked my chromosomes. She called me this week and said I had a heterozygous mutation on the MTHFR gene. Don't worry, when I saw it I thought it looked like a bad word too. She explained to me that the gene mutation can cause a lack of folic acid (something that is crucial during pregnancy) as well as blood clots, which I'd had with my second pregnancy. She was very positive--told me I would simply take folic acid supplements and blood thinners when I was pregnant again. I nonchalantly said, "folic acid and aspirin--no big deal." She paused and then said, "No, I'm afraid aspirin isn't strong enough. The blood thinner will be an injection--a shot you give yourself every day you're pregnant."

For those of you who know me or have read my blog for awhile, shots (needles) are my biggest fear. I loathe them. And now I'm told for me to have a chance at a successful pregnancy, I will need to give myself a shot every day for 9 months.

Apparently this mutation is somewhat common and many have it without having any pregnancy issues. However, since I've had two miscarriages, she is pretty confident it is the reason why. With the help of folic acid supplements and blood thinners, she believes we will be able to have a baby. (This article explains my condition better than I ever could.)

So that brings you to today. You now know as much as us. Hitting "publish post" might be one of the hardest things I have ever done. This is a huge step for me, however, I truly believe it's a step I need to take in order to move forward. Unless I feel the need, I do not plan on posting about this again. We still have a long road ahead of us before we start "trying" (ugh--hate that phrase), and the first person who asks how that is going will get a punch in the throat. No, I'm kidding, but it really isn't something I care to talk about. If you have questions about miscarriages or MTHFR, please ask. My hope is that this post might help someone besides myself--I know several miscarriage posts helped me.

What I've learned through all of this? It's ok to be mad. It's ok to crawl in bed and cry your eyes out because you hear someone is pregnant and you are not. It's ok for your heart to break when a healthy pregnant woman complains to you about how fat she feels. And it's ok to let your husband hold you up when you are so physically and emotionally tired that you just.... can't. I have yelled at God so many times and you know what? That's ok too. I know there is a reason for this and I know that he has given me far more than I ever deserve. All I have to do is look at my husband and I know I'm still the luckiest girl in the world. And one day, I hope we will be the luckiest parents. But if that day never comes, I will still thank God for every breath and blessing I've been given.

It's Already August?

2011-08-09T20:10:00.015-05:00

Note: This post is absolute crap. Forgive me while I re-learn how to write.

Whenever I take an extended blog hiatus it's always so hard to get back into it. Add several distractions and blogging ends up pretty low on the list (my apologies). Some of the distractions:

Pinterest (as mentioned in a previous post): A complete time suck that makes me so, so happy.

Hunger Games: Have you read this trilogy? I've asked anyone and everyone this question over the past few weeks. Incredible. Makes you think, makes you cry (or was it just me?) and makes you absolutely terrified of the future. :) Highly recommend.

Movies, Movies, Movies: It's too hot to do anything outside so we've stayed inside and seen a lot of movies. Some include: Captain America (good), Crazy, Stupid, Love (great), Midnight in Paris (love!), and Harry Potter (eh). I believe I've mentioned this before but I cannot wait to see One Day, which comes out in a few weeks. Adored the book and am hoping the movie is as good (let's be honest, I know it won't be).

Travel: Well first off, see below. Other than that, it's future trip planning that has kept me busy--San Fran/Napa this fall and we've recently decided (well, discussed) a trip to France for our 5-year anniversary. I'm in "Merd, Travel Planner" mode and am loving every minute of it. My mom and I have also talked about going to NYC for my 30th Bday so add that to the list and I'm in heaven.

Sanibel Island: My family traveled to Florida last week and had a wonderful time! We finally met our newest nephew, Braden, and I can't say enough wonderful things about him. He is such a happy, good-natured baby with the sweetest smile (unfortunately, the only time he doesn't smile is when a camera is in his face). I posted way too many pictures on Facebook so I'll share some here and include the link for the two of you who are interested in seeing more. We also got to hang out with his big (emphasis on BIG), handsome brother Evan and watch him fall in love with the water. It was such a fun week with the Besancon clan. :)

Next up:
-A fun, albeit small DIY project at the Haynes abode
-Pictures from the past 3 months that I am absolutely certain no one cares about but I refuse to ignore
-Exercise (or lack thereof) and what I plan to do about it

CLICK HERE to see more!

Peter Lik

2011-07-18T15:33:00.003-05:00

Michael and I are on the Peter Lik Collectors email list, which means we receive an email anytime he unveils a new photograph. We’re also given “first dibs” to purchase. His popularity has increased quite a bit since we walked into his Lahaina Gallery almost 4 years ago so we now have approx 24 hours to drool over his new release before it sells out. It also means the amazing deal we received in Lahaina is a thing of the past. We are fortunate we purchased our first two when we did because I believe they will be our last (don’t tell Michael I said that—he’ll be so disappointed).

So that’s the back-story. Several months ago, all collectors received an email asking us to submit our Peter Lik story. If they liked it, the post would be featured on Peter Lik’s blog. I read the email, smiled to myself, and hit delete. My husband, unbeknownst to me, read the email, wrote our story, and hit submit.

You know where this is going don’t you?

Last week Michael received an email letting him know his story was chosen for their weekly feature. I read it and might have teared up. What a sweet guy.

Anyway, below is the link if you’re interested! It’s short and sweet, unlike most of my blog posts! Enjoy!

http://www.peterlikexposed.com/archives/2861

Breakdown in Numbers

2011-07-04T08:40:00.007-05:00

How do I write a single post to catch you up on the last two months of our lives? It would go on for days if I included each and every detail, and I'm not sure you or my computer (or my fingers) are up for that. So I bring you the numbers. Pictures will come later.

7.4.11 - Today's date! Happy 4th of July to you!

29 - Age I turned on May 12. It was a wonderful birthday. Reality has now set in and I wake up each day knowing a cane and dentures are one step closer to knocking on my door.

16.2 - Lbs Little Miss Thumbs Magee weighs. We took her in for her annual checkup and they told us to watch her food intake. Do they think we feed her a bag of cat food every day and that's why she's fat? I'm insulted.

40 - % off at the Loft. Which brings me to my next frustration--one of my absolute favorite things to do is show Michael my new purchases and then proudly proclaim how much I saved. He, on the other hand, does not care. I have begged and pleaded for him to act excited when I tell him I saved more than I paid but it does not phase him in the least. Is this a guy/girl thing?

2 - Times we've been to South Carolina. Both for beautiful weddings, both awesome places. We think we might retire in Greenville, SC.

57 - Hours I worked in one week, which is a personal record for me. I know there are people who do this every week and to them I ask: How are you still alive?

22 - Sausage rolls I consumed in our building's cafe. Stress makes some people stop eating. For others (ahem, me) it makes me eat total crap. All of the time.

4 - Years I've had this blog. Had my anniversary sometime in June.

1 - Sofa purchased for our upstairs living room. Also 1: sofa in our upstairs living room that we now need to sell. Interested?

6 - Games it took for the Dallas Mavericks to win the national championship. And I watched (at least part of) all of them. Go Mavs! And hooray for Dallas!

96 - Items I've pinned on Pinterest. In 2 days. I joined the site in May but wouldn't let myself look at it until after busy season because I knew I'd be addicted.

10.20 - We booked a trip! On this day we'll be flying to Cali to spend time in San Francisco and Napa/Sonoma. See also: Our 4th anniversary.

5 - Books I've read since mid-May. Highly recommend One Day by David Nicholls. Beautiful writing (and the movie is coming out next month)!

5,000 - Times Michael saved the day/house/cat because his exhausted wife could only stare at a wall after work.

I think that about sums (get it?!) it up. I'm sure I'm missing something but I think we'll both survive.

It's great to be back! How I have missed this dear ol' blog! And each of YOU!

A Visit From Thumbs

2011-06-29T06:29:00.005-05:00

And you think YOU feel ignored...

Hey, be quiet back there. I'm trying to...
I'm sorry, what?
Busy season is over on Friday?!

I hope she recognizes me.

(I've missed you guys. Talk to you SOON!)

Dear Mom

2011-05-08T16:16:00.006-05:00

Thank you for...

Your wisdom, grace, and fabulous sense of humor

Never giving up on me, especially when I gave up on myself

Answering the phone at 2a (multiple times) in college

Never buying me a crimping iron or letting me get Glamour Shots (you really DID know best!)

Teaching me to say yes ma'am and yes sir

Finding the silver lining amidst the thunder clouds

Marrying dad. I still think you're the cutest couple ever.

Playing with my hair for 28 (oh fine. 29) years

Never once saying "I told you so"

Introducing me to New York City and New Orleans

Teaching me all about geometric proofs and fabulous shoes

Holding my hand and saying "they're just jealous," when we both knew they weren't

Asking me to sit in your lap, even though I'm bigger

An awesome sibling, who loves you just as much as I do

Teaching me that just because you're right, doesn't always mean you've won (still a work in progress)

Splitting a coke with me on all of our mall trips

Your sense of direction (and I'm NOT referring to maps--yikes)

Showing me that it is entirely possible to be a mother who works--and be damn good at both

Telling me that it's not polite to cuss... in public

Loving Michael as your own and constantly telling me how happy you are that we're together

I could not ask for a better mom. And in this case, I'm not only right but I've also won.

What Time Is It?!

2011-05-02T20:37:00.007-05:00

Yep, it's busy season.

I know you're all thinking, "Wow, didn't she just finish busy season?"

No? No one was thinking that? Just me?

Twice a year I tend to crawl in my turtle shell and disappear for awhile but by the looks of my dear ol' blog this has been the case for the past 6 months.

The good news? I am much more calm about things this time around. I've done this once before, which most assuredly does not make me a pro but does help me sleep better at night. Well that and the heavy dose of Benadryl (I kid, I kid).

My work friends and I went on another shoot this weekend (my mom asked me not to kill anyone and I had to tell her this was the OTHER type of shooting--one that does not involve guns) so I'll post the pictures in the next few days.

However! Since I tend to be behind the camera as of late, here's a few of yours truly looking pale, two weeks shy of 29, and puffy haired. Damn you humidity! Daaaaamn you!

Also, below is a link of pictures from our time in Austin and New Braunfels. I believe that weekend deserves a post as well.... we'll see how it goes. Let's just say I could move to Austin tomorrow and be happy.

See ya later alligators!

Taken with a Lens, baby. (Kidding--it's called a "Lensbaby")

Texas hair.

I might have wrinkles and loose skin, but I have fun shoes (I can already hear my brother saying, "WHAT are THOSE?!" And my reply? Shut your face.)

Bonus points if you can figure out what I'm doing... (Hint: It's rude, crude, and socially unacceptable)

CLICK HERE for pictures of Austin, Texas and Tony & Mo's wedding in New Braunfels

myTunes

2011-04-21T21:10:00.011-05:00

(Sidenote--most of these won't play in google reader so you have to go to my blog to listen to them. Blerg.)

Some of my current favorites...

Adele's entire cd is amazing. You've probably heard the first song on the radio (faaabulous) and I've also included another favorite.

"Rolling in the Deep"

"Set Fire to the Rain"

Do I think Train wrote this song in hopes it would be in every couple's rehearsal dinner slideshow and/or wedding in 2011 (and therefore make them tons of money)? Absolutely. Do I care? Not one bit.

"Dog Days are Over" by Florence + the Machine (her hair.... WOW.)

This one makes me happy (cute story and SNAPPING!)
"I Hope This Gets to You" by The Daylights

That's all I've got for now. Oh ok, one more...

Cracks me up. Who is this guy?!

Let's Start At The Very Beginning...

2011-04-17T16:17:00.019-05:00

(A very good place to start...)

When Michael and I moved into our home two years ago, one of the biggest selling points was the low maintenance yard. Our neighborhood has a yard crew that mows our lawn and takes care of our shrubs. The side yard--our responsibility--is about the size of a closet. We were in heaven... for the first year. Last summer, however, we realized that not doing anything with our lawn was killing us. We love being outdoors yet our yard left much to be desired. 2010 was the summer of concrete staining, potted plants, one row of English ivy, and more mulch than one yard should ever allow. We also learned that our yard, while still small, is much larger (or at least longer) than we realized.

The mulch was a temporary fix, so last month we met with a landscaper to see what he would suggest. We really wanted to plant sod, which he nixed immediately due to the lack of sunlight. He mentioned river rocks and said he'd email us a quote.

You guys. Holy cow. He gave us two separate quotes: $1331 and $2955. The quotes included prep work, weed cover, and two different types of rocks. That was it. Not only were both quotes over our price range, but for $3000 I better see diamonds amidst river rocks. We decided we would take our last year's DIY project to the next level and plant English ivy EVERYWHERE. That would take care of our need for green as well as stay within our budget.

I typically don't discuss money on this blog (thank you mom and dad for teaching me good manners), but in this case I want to break it down for you because, well... I'm super proud of us. I am seriously considering sending the landscaper a link to this post in hopes that he stops ripping off the American public.

One last thing--we have absolutely ZERO knowledge of plants/soil/flowers/etc. This past month has been a labor of love (we have insane blisters, back pain and red necks to prove it), but we fully realize that no one would look at our yard and think we'd hired a landscaper. We understand that and we're ok with it. We also realize that ivy is a process and it looks downright funny this year. But next year? It'll look better. The year after that? The ground could be completely covered in beautiful green ivy. And when that happens, we can sit back and realize these painful weekends in 2011 were absolutely worth it.

And now, let's break it down! (If something was on sale, I included what we paid for it as well as the original price because GOOD LORD I love sales!)

Ground cover
English Ivy (8 flats): $150
Pond pebbles: $30
Mulch: $10

Plants/Flowers
Hibiscus (2): $45 (original price: $60)
Jasmine: $20
Croton: $20
Azalea bush: $25
Purple spike plant (See what I mean? No clue): $20
Begonias: $40 (original price: $55)
Hanging basket flowers: $19
Hanging basket: $0 (recycled from last year)
Flower pots: $0 (purchased last year)
Watering can: $0 (purchased last year)

Furniture/Decor
Patio Furniture: $400
Plates (6): $26 (original price: $36)
Napkins: $0 (wedding gift)
Table decor: $60 (original price: $75) (total splurge)
Bird Bath: $50
Chiminea: $65 (original price: $130!!!)
Garden stool: $70 (original price: $90) (total splurge) (But also great when we have a 5th guest!)

Tools, etc.
Gloves (2): $8
Tiller: $20 (I would've paid $300 for this--it was a lifesaver)
Concrete stain for touch-ups: $0 (purchased last year)
Sealant for concrete: $15
Hose: $15

GRAND TOTAL: $1108

Don't get me wrong, I realize $1108 is still quite a bit and we're now eating ramen noodles to compensate, but knowing that we did all of the above for less than what it cost for "prep work, weed fabric, and native gravel" makes me one very happy lady. :)

Last year, before the stain:

Last year after the stain:

Front yard - kept it simple with begonias and a hanging plant

Sideyard (like I said, looks a bit goofy right now...)

Thinking ahead for fall!

Ivy we planted along the wall last year

Terrible picture. It's a dark blue. LOVE.

Our river rocks (of the $30 variety)

A bird bath outside our bedroom window.

Plants/flowers in front of our kitchen window.

My personal favorite - hibiscus

Jasmine ivy--smells AMAZING.

The table is set!

Our first meal served on the new table.

Rows and rows (and rows) of English ivy. Just looking at this makes my hands, arms, and back so tired.

When I bought a flat of pink begonias this little guy hitched a ride (he hadn't bloomed but I assumed he was pink). As soon as I saw a white bloom I dug him up. Michael then replanted him in his very own pot. Is it weird that I'm talking about a plant like it's a person?)

Unfortunately, the hail storm beat the crap out of some of our plants. Poor Mr. Croton...

This gorgeous azalea bush now has three remaining blooms...

Thumbs kept us company while we worked!

Our star performer for the next few months...

What are you waiting for? Come on over--we've got beers in the fridge!

Actually, can we re-schedule for tomorrow? We are exhausted. GOOD NIGHT!

It's A....

2011-04-09T12:52:00.005-05:00

BOY!

Braden (Bray) Charles Besancon
Born: April 8, 7:06 pm
7 lbs, 10 oz
21 inches long
Dark brown hair, light brown eyes, Besancon nose (Lord help him...)

We're all in love!

A Great Few Days

2011-04-06T21:50:00.018-05:00

One of our favorite events to attend when we lived in Tulsa was Mayfest. The downtown area had booths lining several streets, showcasing all sorts of artists (photography, painting, ceramics, etc.), performers, as well as every type of "fair food" imaginable. Both of us worked downtown so we'd meet at lunch and enjoy the talents of nearby artists, whilst wolfing down a corn dog covered in mustard or ketchup.

Last week I was driving to work when the DJs started discussing Deep Ellum's Art Festival, which took place last weekend. My ears perked up as they essentially described Dallas' very own Mayfest. I called Michael to let him know we now had plans for the weekend. I was so excited!

Friday night I looked at the website to see where we could park and saw they highly recommended the Dart, our public transit "light rail," which we've never taken. We decided to make it a day of firsts and I'm so glad we did.

We got a little bored waiting for the train. Here is my mopey husband going through the seven stages of grief...

(This one is my favorite...)

Fortunately, the train arrived before Michael turned into a puddle of doom. :) The train was really clean, very safe, and we now wish there was a stop close to work so we wouldn't have to drive each morning. A few stops before Deep Ellum, approx 75 kids hopped on and I think we both travelled back in time. It is crazy how that age has zero awareness of anyone around them. They were screaming, taking pictures of people right behind us (I didn't know whether I should smile just in case), and started singing a song we all used to sing in high school ("I am a C, I am a C-H, I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N"). It was absolutely dreadful and glorious at the same time. I couldn't decide if I thought they were rude for being so obnoxiously loud, or if I wanted to hug them and tell them never to lose that uninhibited joy. Before I was able to make up my mind, we reached our stop and hopped off the train. I had that song stuck in my head for the remainder of the weekend.

I think I'll let the pictures tell the rest. Deep Ellum is not for the faint of heart, but it made me appreciate Dallas even more. So happy to call this place home.

Do you see us?

In other news, we spent most of Sunday digging and planting. I'll do a post on that in the near future, but here's a quick glimpse...

Last but not least, a certain someone was supposed to have her baby THREE DAYS AGO. We are all (Michelle most of all) anxiously awaiting the newest arrival to the Besancon family! Please say a quick prayer for Justin, Michelle and Evan that this precious baby arrives healthy and happy and SOON. :) Aunt Merdi needs to know if she needs to turn left or right once she enters Baby Gap!!

RTP

2011-03-28T17:55:00.012-05:00

Leslie and her family were in Dallas this weekend and stayed a few nights at the Haynes abode! We had such a great time catching up and I wish so badly we lived closer to one another. Michael was in Vegas for a bachelor party so they made the weekend far less lonely. I took pictures of their adorable family in November and sheepishly asked if they'd let me take more since Riggins is turning one next month (holy cow)! A friend of Leslie's suggested the Grapevine Botanical Gardens, which is close to our home and was perfect for a cold, overcast day. Riggs was far more mobile than our last shoot so it made for an entertaining afternoon. I spent most of the time crawling after him and Leslie was busy dancing behind me. Quite the sight.

Happy (early) Birthday, Riggs! We love you (and your parents) so much!

Yep. He's adorable.

This face kills me...

I think this is my favorite, both scenery and baby.

Wrist wrinkles make me happy.

His eyelashes are so blonde that the tips disappear!

He's on the move!

Absolute joy.

On his tip toes...

I think this was dad's favorite.

On an unrelated note, THANK YOU for the sweet messages re. Michael's new job. You guys are the best. :)

Kicking Stress To The Curb

2011-03-24T18:45:00.005-05:00

We received some wonderful news this week – Michael accepted a position at a new company!

Some of you are probably thinking, “I didn’t know he was looking for a new job," which is exactly what we wanted.

Those of you who’ve been reading the blog for a few years know the pretty cool story of how we ended up in Dallas. Michael was laid off from his job in Tulsa and searched for 5 weeks with no luck so we decided to open the search to Dallas. He met with a recruiter, had an interview that day, and accepted the job in the same week. The person who interviewed him happened to be his childhood friend’s dad (and CEO of the company). In a place like Fort Smith, that’s not unusual. In a place like Dallas, that’s a miracle. It became very clear we were meant to be in Dallas.

2 years later, we can't imagine being anywhere else.

From the beginning, his job was a bit risky. It’s a small start-up company and we knew there was a good chance it might not be successful. For the first year, things were looking pretty good. For the past year, things have been pretty shaky. I remember him calling in October and telling me he thought he'd be without a job by the end of the week.

Last week, he had two interviews and was offered the job. He told his boss today and starts his new job April 11.

I honestly thought I was dealing well with the stress of possible unemployment (again) but after hearing the news, the relief and joy were so overwhelming that it became apparent I’d been an absolute wreck for six months. I can’t even imagine how he felt. When you go to work on Monday not knowing if you’ll have a job (or get paid) on Friday, it’s pretty intense. In typical Michael fashion, however, he was calm and cool as a cucumber. He’s awesome like that.

After Michael applied for the job, someone from HR contacted him and said the salary would be quite a bit less than what he’d requested. We talked about it a lot, did some budget consulting, and decided peace of mind was more important than having extra spending money. We would be able to pay all of our bills and continue our savings, which were our only requirements. However, they changed their minds and the salary offered was exactly what he requested, which was a wonderful surprise. I like to think we were rewarded for making a sensible decision—a decision I’m not sure we would have made a year ago.

Did I mention we’ll be working 4 miles from one another and can meet for lunch whenever we want?

Did I mention we’re so glad this job is in Dallas and will not require another move?

Did I mention 100 pounds released from your shoulders feels absolutely amazing?

Did I mention I’m so ridiculously proud of my husband?

Oh 2011, you’re off to a great start.

Slow And Steady.... Means You're Dead.

2011-03-19T20:35:00.012-05:00

A group of us were eating dinner last night (on the patio... in 80 degree weather.... with a perfect breeze), and I mentioned to Wes that I wouldn't mind shooting with the boys one day. Not photography shooting, but shooting shooting.

I didn't realize my comment would spark such a reaction from both Wes and Michael. After dessert we headed to Wal-Mart, picked up some ammunition and planned our adventure.

Have I mentioned I've never really shot a gun before?

"One day" turned into this morning--we woke up and headed to the gun range, accompanied by three friends: a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver (previously owned by my grandad), a Springfield XD-9, and a Taurus PT1911. The previous sentence means absolutely nothing to me and I had to ask Michael to repeat the names four times.

Moving on.

As soon as we arrived I put on the ear muffs and prayed this would not be the day some random dude decided to take out his angst on the human to his right (more specifically: human to his right named Wes, Michael, or Merd). We were in luck and are all alive and well. Thank you, Lord.

You guys, it was awesome. I'm typically not a gun person. I would never keep one in my side drawer, never hunt an innocent animal, and I think war is highly overrated for crying out loud, but shooting metal targets was a blast.

And dare I say I was decent? There were six targets and we loaded the guns with six bullets each time so no second chances. A handful of times I shot all six but most of the time I missed one or two. Michael and Wes were both very good and very quick. In the time it took me to shoot two targets they'd shot all of them. They were so helpful and patient, not to mention they gave great tips (e.g., "push forward with your right arm, pull back with your left"). I know I added an interesting dynamic to their typical boys-only outing.

Such a fun experience and I even have a small battle wound on my left shoulder (damn flying shells) to prove I was there. My cool points are at an all-time high. And what a neat feeling to shoot my grandad's gun--I only wish he could have seen me. :)

Michael actually got a quick video. It begins in the middle but gives you an idea of my turtle-like pace. :)

Zooby do bee Zooooo...

2011-03-15T21:04:00.014-05:00

I don't know about you, but I go through major withdrawal when I haven't seen my parents in a long time. I must admit, "long time" is two months. We hit that mark several weeks ago so I called and begged them to come down for a visit. Fortunately, they happily obliged.

Saturday was absolutely gorgeous so Michael and I suggested going to the Fort Worth zoo. We'd been before and knew they'd love it as much as we did. Not only does the zoo have spectacular animals, but everything is so clean and pretty. My dad and I brought our cameras and (between the two of us) took over 500 pictures. Yowza. I did not bring the telephoto lens so while dad got some great close-ups of the animals, I tried to photograph the beautiful scenery. I'd say together we captured every square foot of that place. :)

I think I'm due for a long, endearing post after so many picture posts. Until then...

My cute parents. Wouldn't you miss them too? :)

Gorgeous day...

(Dad's shot of the tiger...)

My shot of the tiger (and scenery)

Look at the baby chimp! All arms and legs...

Dad's kangaroo

Merd's kangaroo

Go TU.

The family favorite...

Did I mention the zoo had funnel cakes??

Wonderful weekend with my parents. And the two month countdown begins... now.

March!

2011-03-06T16:28:00.012-06:00

I'm having a horrid case of blogger's block. I've started this post three times and after two or three paragraphs I highlight all and delete. Rather than spend my entire afternoon experiencing what I call "writing fail," I'm going to keep it short and post some pictures.

Friday Night:
- Happy hour with the Preston Hollow Presbyterian young adults. Awesome group. Met some new people and had a wonderful time.
- Drove downtown to see some college friends. One of Michael's soccer buddies just got back from Nicaragua and is about to leave for Denver so we wanted to see him before he took off again.

Saturday:
- Went to Nasher Sculpture Center (First Saturdays are free!) and had a fantastic time. I'm an art museum junkie and, fortunately, Michael is just fine with that. The museum also had an outdoor sculpture garden, which was absolutely gorgeous and made me so grateful there are creative people in this world. Every 20 feet or so there was a small basket with drawing paper so visitors could sketch if they wished. My terrible sketches would get me kicked out so I chose to take pictures and leave the sketching to the pros. Next on the list: Dallas Museum of Art.
- Met up with some friends to see The Adjustment Bureau. I'd give it a B+. Very good, not great.

Sunday:
- Church (three weeks in a row--this has to be a record for us)!
- Michael played flag football and I went to Calloways Nursery to figure out if we stand a chance at growing grass in our side-yard (to be determined--more on that later).

Off to enjoy the last few hours of this glorious weekend! Below are pictures from the Nasher Sculpture Center.

How cute is this couple?

I dare you to find a bigger fork.

Balloons. :)

One of these things is not like the other....

Could not get enough of the weeping willow. I was trying to get some pictures for our bedroom... Had a grand ol' time with the manual focus.

Hi!

Cool but kind of creepy.

My souvenir. :)

The Speech

2011-02-27T18:10:00.005-06:00

Tonight, every finger and toe is crossed for The King's Speech. I can't remember the last time I was so emotionally invested in a movie--perhaps it's due to my four years of speech therapy (Mewadif Wee!) but I really don't think so. It's such a beautiful film, and I can't wait to own it so I can watch it all over again.

Mom and Dad--this is my final plea--GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

Dance And Pray That No One's Watching

2011-02-25T20:41:00.010-06:00

Yesterday my mom asked if I'd gone on another blog hiatus so I figured it was time to dust off the keyboard and let my fingers do a jig.

I know you're thinking I must have done some extraordinary things over the past few weeks and that's why I haven't made an appearance. But alas. I was just living life.

Last weekend we went to a TU young alum event and had a great time. It's weird reuniting with colleagues who now have grown up jobs, when the last time I saw them they were at a fraternity house yelling obscenities. Ah, the joys of growing up.

So I'm going to give you some unsolicited advice. Get on Amazon or iTunes and order Mumford & Sons latest cd, Sigh No More. Or do you already have it? We were both fans of "Little Lion Man" but Michael bought the cd and we can't stop listening to it. It's strange because it's definitely not a genre I'd typically like (folk??) but it's amazing. Every single song. Below is one of my favorites, "Awake My Soul." I especially love the line, "Where you invest your love, you invest your life." I dare you to listen to it and not breathe a little easier.

The other night Michael and I went to dinner and played the favorites game. I wish I could say all of our discussions are thought-provoking and life changing, but sometimes it's just fun to think about your favorite year in college (his: sophomore, mine: freshman), favorite artist (his: Death Cab mine: MJ), or favorite part of our wedding (his: peeking over the guests to see me walking down the aisle, mine: sharing our vows). Honestly, a lot of the questions we could answer for one another. But it's those questions we've never asked (until that very moment) that make me realize we've barely scratched the surface.

Seriously, marriage is so much fun. As I type this I'm watching Michael dance like an idiot to Mumford & Sons and I'm realizing that maybe, just maybe, this will become a favorite moment. And with that, I'm off to dance (like an idiot) with my husband.

Have a wonderful weekend.

It's The Freakin' Weekend!

2011-02-13T14:19:00.014-06:00

The past few weekends have been so great! Now that the snow is finally gone and the sun is back where it belongs (front and center), my heart is no longer beating erratically and I've lost the huge desire to hibernate. A not-so-quick recap...

Last weekend Michael and I invited my work friends (the Underwriting group) over to our house for Game Night (oh yes, it's capitalized). We had so much fun. There were four couples total and each brought an appetizer and/or dessert and a board/card game. We ate, drank, and were very merry. I am really fortunate to work with so many great people. You'd think we'd be sick of each other after working together all week but we get along fabulously and so do our husbands. We decided Game Night needs to happen more than once a year so Game/Grill-Out Night has already been scheduled for May 2011. Woohoo!

Last Sunday we had our second annual Super Bowl party (I use that term loosely as there were 5.5 of us total) and ate Texas BBQ while watching a decent game with so-so commercials. We had a great time with the group and had fun watching Owen boogy to Beyonce. :)

Friday night we skyped with Justin, Michelle, and Evan and were able to wish Justin a very happy 32nd birthday "in person." We also got to see our future niece/nephew (well, Michelle's baby bump--close enough). Can't believe s/he will be here in less than two months!!

Yesterday we woke up to a gorgeous day and Michael surprised me with a gift card to a place in Highland Park. We ate lunch at The Mint, spent my gift card, and decided to turn it into Discover Dallas Day (our New Year's resolution). We spent most of our time around Highland Park and were so out of place (and SO ignored). As we were leaving we decided we don't need to go back again. I did, however, have a moment of pure happiness as we walked around the Christian Louboutin store. Michael might get mad at me for telling you this, but he really likes CL shoes (for me--not himself). He notices them more than I do (admittedly it's pretty easy with the shiny red sole) but he also realizes they cost more than an average house payment and so the shoes will remain on the shelf where they belong. BUT since we're on the subject, I found these beauts yesterday and figured I might as well share them with you:

Window shopping wore us out (ha) so we had some gelato and headed home. We weren't quite ready to end the day so I mentioned a movie at the Angelika. This place is fantastic! It's a very nice movie theater (there are two in Dallas) and it shows movies other theaters won't (think Indies--Sundance, Cannes, etc.). When Michael and I started dating he had to get used to my love of Indie movies. In the days before Netflix, we'd go to Blockbuster and I'd always pick the obscure movies while he'd gently steer me to something else. I finally convinced him to see some and he loved about half. The other half he absolutely hated, but 50% was enough to make him want to see more, especially since we've discovered a lot of music we would've missed if it weren't for them. I now check Angelika's movie listings on a weekly basis. We saw "Another Year" (it had amazing reviews) and when it was over Michael and I were both laughing. Michael was laughing because he hated it and I was laughing because I knew Michael hated it. Actually, the whole theater was laughing because I'm pretty sure everyone hated it. I thought it had several redeeming qualities but the end was crap. Absolute crap. Oh well, can't win them all, and we still managed to enjoy two hours of British accents and bad teeth. An evening well spent if you ask me.

This morning we went to church (finally!) and are going to a nice dinner with Michael's parents tonight. And that sums up an extremely long post that approx 10% of you finished and 5% of you enjoyed.

Hope you all have a happy V-Day. We will be spending it in our pjs on the couch. I believe pizza and champagne have been invited. We'll see if they accept.

Snow Blows

2011-02-04T11:34:00.008-06:00

I believe his exact words were, "It doesn't snow in Dallas. It never even gets that cold in Dallas."

Remember a recent post where I told you about the first time Michael lied to me? Folks, we are now working on lie number two.

Honestly, I'm not sure those were his exact words. I do remember him saying it doesn't get nearly as cold or snow/ice nearly as much as it does in Tulsa, and I believe that is still true. However. We set a record the other day for the lowest high (temp-wise) since 1905.

A brief historical review of 1905:

-Oklahoma admitted to statehood
-Crete, which had been part of the Ottoman Empire, declared its union with Greece
-Theory of Relativity published by Albert Einstein
-Hosni Mubarak was elected president of Egypt

(Ok, that last one was a joke)

So you see, a lot has happened in the last 106 years and I'm still wondering how I have been a resident for two of the coldest winters Dallas has ever experienced. Clearly we need to move further south.

I realize these pictures don't compare to those sent to me by my Tulsa friends or family in Chicago, but for us Texans, this is absurd.

At least we don't have a ridiculously huge event happening here in the next few days.

Oh wait...

February 1, 2011 (That is one huge chunk of ice...)

February 4, 2011 (Not only has it not gone away, there's more of it for crying out loud!!!)

(Our ivy)

Ohhh..... Christmas Tree

As much as I hate the stuff (and believe me, I do), it can be quite pretty... for approx 7 seconds.

And just in case you needed a reminder, here I am 5 days ago in 78-degree weather. That jacket? Yeah, I didn't need it.

(Also, if you expected to see pictures of me frolicking around in this crap, I have but one question: Do you even know me at all? SICK.)

I Love Us

2011-02-01T14:55:00.006-06:00

Snow day for us! We tried to drive to work but had to turn around because the roads were so terrible. We stopped at Mooyah for lunch and while walking on a sheet of ice in 20-degree weather, the following conversation occurred:

Michael: That "no socks" choice is going to come back to bite you.

Me: Ew, who wears socks with these?

Michael: Who wears those?

Funny guy. He has HATED these shoes since he's known me. I think they've gone in and out of style four times since I purchased them and I have no intention of getting rid of them until they fall off my feet.

Also--Thanks for the comments on Michael's pictures. I definitely don't expect comments every time I post pictures (that's foreshadowing for "I plan on posting a lot more") but I'm still very grateful. I shared them with Michael so he wouldn't feel left out. :)

A Sunny Day In January

2011-01-29T22:05:00.020-06:00

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the positive feedback on the last post. I really feared I might lose some people but I just checked the numbers on Google Reader and Blogger and you all stayed with me! Good stuff. It was neat to see how many of you agree that you blog for yourselves (& family) rather than for others.

I spent this week in West Palm Beach for a work trip and will write more about that later.... or maybe I won't. In short, I learned more about policy and statistical reporting and had a FANTASTIC time with two of my co-workers.

Today was absolutely gorgeous and I begged Michael to let me take pictures of him. I know it was on the very bottom of his "How I love to spend my weekends" list but he politely agreed and was a great model. He did request a treat so we went through the McDonalds drive-through and got an ice cream cone for his efforts. He's a cheap date, what can I say.

So here are way too many pictures of Mr. Michael Haynes. I'm quite positive you won't enjoy them nearly as much as I do but that's alright.

Sidenote: As I mentioned in a previous post, I took 230 pictures today. Below are the ones I found acceptable. You do the math. It's a struggle for me when it is super bright outside (as it was today). Being in the shade is necessary but the color isn't nearly as bright. I decreased the saturation on a lot of these so they wouldn't look so blue.

This was his favorite:

The sunglasses were an absolute necessity during the times we weren't in the shade.

Michael thinks he looks a little "vacant" in this picture, but I love it because you can actually see his eyes.

I love this one. Genuine smile. I must have said something hilarious. :)

Before I took this one I actually said, "Open your eyes as wide as you can."

I think I hugged him after I took this shot.

I believe this was picture #215. Can't blame the guy.

Again, I must be hilarious...

And I'll end with a shot of the two of us...

And now I'm off to update his Facebook profile picture. Because that's what crazy wives do.

Blog Thoughts About... Blogs

2011-01-22T20:16:00.010-06:00

Recently, I've had some conflicting thoughts with my dear old blog. I sincerely hope the next few paragraphs don't offend you, but it's something that's been weighing on my mind.

I wrote my first blog post on June 12, 2007. At that time there were plenty of blogs but I didn't know many and I read very few. I didn't tell anyone about my blog at first, mostly because I looked at it as an online journal for Michael and myself. I eventually told my parents and then a few friends. Two years later, I quietly added it to my Facebook page.

In 3.5 years, I've written 305 posts. Some weeks I write four posts and some months I write four posts. There is no pattern, no rhyme or reason. I write when I want, about what I want, and it suits me just fine.

However.

About two years ago I had acquaintances tell me they read my blog. I had mothers of my friends tell me they read my blog. And suddenly, I had followers that I'd never met. It was a bizarre feeling, but I would be lying if I said it didn't feel nice. No, it felt great. From the time I learned to read, I've loved to write. And to hear that others enjoyed my writing was thrilling.

With this news came big responsibility. In the beginning I would click "new post" and just write. I didn't edit myself, didn't worry about offending anyone, didn't think twice about whether or not the topic was interesting. But now? Now I had an audience to please.

I hated it. I put myself under this ridiculous amount of pressure, when what had brought them to my blog in the first place was my lack of editing. And so I shrugged and went back to what I knew best: writing as myself and for myself. If people liked it, well that was just icing on the cake.

My dad has told me numerous times to put ads on my blog and really promote it so I can retire in a glorious beach town and spend my days drinking fruity drinks with tiny umbrellas (ok, he never mentioned anything past "so I can retire"). But those of you that blog know that there are steps to becoming a big-time blogger. A few options are:

1. Comment the crap out of other blogs
2. Write reviews, how-to's, how-not-to's, etc.
3. Giveaways!

I. Can't. Do it. I read a ton of blogs, but regardless of how popular you are, if I don't connect with you for some reason or another, I just click away. (As a sidenote--I'm a terrible commenter for blogs I love. I need to work on this.) The closest thing to a "how to" was my recent photography post and that was exhausting. And I'm not sure Michael would be cool with me buying things and saying, "I'm going to mail this to a complete stranger because they added me as a friend 15 different ways!"

This is where I tell you that this is a personal decision and I do not, nor will I ever, judge what you do. If I'm being completely honest, I would be over the moon if I had 10,000 followers and this blog was a source of income. But if that were ever to happen, it'd be because those 10,000 people connected with me through my life and my writing, which are both a (wait for it...) work in progress.

I am so grateful to those of you who do read my blog and stayed with me while other blogs blew up. If you're a follower, I know it's because you care about my family. Or maybe it's because you're too lazy to remove me from your Google reader, and that's fine too. One of my favorite things about the blogging world is the overwhelming support people give one another. It's quite humbling but also such an inspiration to me. I hope at least one of my posts has inspired you, even if (or especially if) it's buying a fat cat to spoil. Bonus points if s/he has extra phalanges.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if I lost all readers I'd continue to write, because at its core, this blog is for me.

But I sure would miss you.

Sick Day(s)

2011-01-19T22:03:00.009-06:00

Michael and I were attacked by one of the following:

1) The Flu
2) Food Poisoning
3) Sickle Cell Anemia (Lame attempt at humor)
4) Ebola virus (This is the front-runner...)

It was definitely one of the four. It hit me Sunday night, right after Ricky Gervais made his 17th "Holy cow did he just say that?!" remark, which had us laughing hysterically whilst burying our heads in couch pillows due to the excruciating awkwardness. Michael made it until the middle of the night before his body decided to join in on the fun.

The saddest part of this sob story: The last thing I ate before I got sick was a Sprinkles cupcake. I'm not sure I will ever be able to look at one again. Damn you, red velvet...

Anywho, Michael and I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed, commiserating together over our poor luck. I pathetically saluted MLKJ's dream in between my own dreams. We realized last night that we actually slept more than Thumbs. I rocked an awesome hairdo that would make Marge Simpson jealous. Michael managed to remove his retainer a mere second before upchucking. My stomach, back, neck, and EYEBALLS hurt from ralphing so much. I distinctly remember telling myself at 3am that no matter how cold/good the toilet felt, it was not a good idea to rest my head on it. I refuse to admit whether or not I listened to that voice.

HOT COUPLE ALERT.

We both went back to work today and by 9:30 were emailing one another asking if it was time to go home yet. We clung to our caffeine-free drinks and saltine crackers and by this evening found something we'd lost for days: our appetites.

The only upside to this tragic tale? My pants were huge on me this morning. I realize this moment will last exactly 37 seconds but I'll take it.

*HUGE thanks to Michael's parents for bringing us Sierra Mist and Saltines. I don't care how old you are, when you're sick you just want your parents. From the bottom of our hearts and empty stomachs, we are so grateful.

You Asked...

2011-01-12T19:27:00.015-06:00

I hate the expression, "Don't beat a dead horse in the mouth" because, well, ew. However, a lot of people have emailed over the last few weeks and asked about my camera and why I chose it.

Music to my ears, people.

Now that I know exactly one percent about my camera, I really enjoy talking about it with others who are curious. For those who are not at all interested in the discussion, skip to the bottom and just look at the pictures. And if you're not even interested in the pictures, why are you reading my blog? Rude.

Just kidding.

I wish I could take credit for the camera we own, but it was the Mister who actually did the research and bought it. This article was what sealed the deal for him. There's the original debate of Canon vs. Nikon (a few people swear by Olympus but popularity wise, the other two blow it out of the water). We have a Canon point-and-shoot and love it so this was an easy choice. Once you've decided on the brand it's all about the camera. We wanted HD video so that meant the Rebel XS was out. It was between the T1i (which recently replaced the XSi) and the T2i. The T2i was pricier but had higher megapixels and image resolution. My advice is go to Best Buy's website and compare cameras. If you're not familiar with camera lingo some of the descriptions will mean nothing to you, but you can always do additional research to find out what they're talking about. There are tons of choices and plenty that are far nicer and/or more expensive than ours, but I can only tell you about the cameras we considered.

I'll save lenses for another day but another question some have asked is what editing software I use. Honestly, I rarely edit the pictures. It's not that I don't believe in it, blah blah blah, but I don't know much about it and haven't had the chance to learn. We have a Mac and I use iPhoto when I want to change the levels (saturation, etc.) but for the most part I just leave it alone until I can actually learn how to do it. A lot of people love Adobe Lightroom, and I would too if it weren't for the price. I'm starting to understand why photographers charge so much. :)

Two more things. The first is you have to practice. A lot. No one gets better by using their camera once a month. I have taken thousands of pictures since we got the camera and if I don't like them, I delete them. I'll take 10 different pictures of the exact same thing and only one will end up looking decent. Sometimes not even one. And that's ok. The other thing I'll mention is GET OFF AUTO. I know it's super easy and you don't have time, but I promise your life will change when you are shooting in manual (shooting manual? I don't know). The good news is you don't have to go straight to manual (although that's what my friend/teacher told me to do and I learned the basics so much faster). If that's too much, shoot AV, which is aperture priority. It lets you determine what part of your picture (and to what extent) is in focus, but the camera still decides the shutter speed. Also, do some research on white balance and ISO--you'll be amazed at how much better your pictures are once you understand how to use those features!

Ok--I'm done. For those of you who emailed me, I hope this answers your questions! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last few months. I think I've improved but I typically like 1 out of every 50 pictures I take. However! Whether or not I like the picture, I LOVE taking it. And that's all that matters. :)

Category: Non-People

(We bought this wine for our 3-year anniversary!) :)

This leaf cracked me up.

Category: People (Or Close Enough...)

Crash Davis

Owen was the subject of my first ever "photoshoot"

You can see us in the reflection! :)

Leslie asked if I'd take a few pictures of her family over Thanksgiving. I had so much fun!

(This was one of the photos I edited...)

Loved, loved, loved the lighting this day. Early morning in November, partly cloudy. Gorgeous. These are my co-workers who've taught me everything I know about photography.

Age 2: The absolute hardest age to photograph. But quite possibly the cutest!

Here's a few pictures that I (obviously) didn't take but were taken using my fantastic tripod from Justin and Michelle! Merry Christmas me!

Wow...

2011-01-09T20:48:00.006-06:00

Thanks to Google Analytics, I've learned that someone found my blog by typing in the following statement:

"you dont wana play nice? then you can kiss the goodgirl in me goodbye! i wasted to much time waiting on you to treat me right.. so ima take this problem to the club put your favourite dress on when i see you i wont pay any attention, ima find another boy and as he leads me to the dancefloor… baby ima walk all over you heart like you did to mine."

I'm so confused. For the love of all that is holy, please tell me that this "goodgirl" and I have nothing in common. Sidenote: I'd hate to have to diagram her sentence.

Ima eat a cupcake and think about this for awhile...

Merditude

2011-01-02T21:51:00.005-06:00

When I think about who I am and who I want to be, there is one particular area that really needs work: my attitude.

I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, but as I typed that statement I rolled my eyes and added a certain obscenity before the word "reason." I've been dealt a lot of crappy cards but I've also been immensely blessed. And while it's easy to find the joys, it's even easier to focus on the frustrations, the headaches, and the road blocks.

My goal for this year is to find the silver lining in the thunderclouds. This is not to say I'm going to become Perky Merd because that's just not me. (Plus, excessively perky people annoy me. Aaaand there's the attitude.) :)

A perfect example: Michael and I are in the final stages of preparing our 2011 budget. After writing down each of the trips we're planning to take, I commented on how much money we're going to spend on airfare. I believe my exact words were: "How the hell are we supposed to save so much money if we're spending this much on travel?"

And then it hit me. How lucky are we to have friends and family to visit at all? It's not like once we reach each destination we're going to be miserable. No, we're going to be surrounded by those we love, having a ton of fun all over the country. Boo freaking hoo, Merd.

So my dear blog friends, my promise to you is to work on my attitude in 2011. I'm still allowed to be my self-deprecating, sarcastic self, but I'm also going to choose my battles carefully when it comes to pitching a fit.

On that note, I'm off to sign up for every single awards program airlines have to offer. If I'm going to be flying amidst the silver-lined clouds, I might as well get credit for it.

Cheers to 2011. And exit row seating.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things... Part III

2010-12-30T21:00:00.010-06:00

I haven't done one of these in awhile and thought it might be a nice way to end the year.

I present to you some of my (our) favorite finds of 2010...

1. Gap Tuxedo blazer. It's cute, it's comfortable, and it's cheap. I wear mine all of the time with a casual top, dark jeans, and heels (or flats). I believe I will be wearing it tomorrow when the clock strikes midnight!

2. Method "Refresh Mint" soap. I originally purchased it because it matched our dish towels (leave me alone). Now I'm hooked--I adore the scent. The last few times we've shopped at Target I've noticed their lime green scent is now cucumber and while that might be fine for some people, I need Refresh Mint. I will always support good soap with a clever name.

3. Penguin Classic books. Michael and I were wandering around Anthropologie earlier this year and noticed these books. They were a bit expensive so we left them at the store but Michael found them online for a great price and started our collection. We now have 20 and are expecting another 4 to arrive in a few months. Our goal is to actually read (or re-read) all of them.

4. Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker. My coffee addiction has reached new heights with this glorious masterpiece. Since Michael has yet to jump on the coffee wagon, this is perfect for us. Makes one cup of coffee for me and hot chocolate or hot tea for him. Overpriced? Yes. Life-changing? Yes.

5. Photography (10th edition). I was going to include my camera on this list but since I've already mentioned it (*if you're looking to buy one, I highly recommend a Canon Rebel t2i) I'll include this incredible book. It's actually a text book but it's perfect if you're really wanting to learn more about your camera and lens.

6. Madewell Rail Straight Cords. Everyone knows Madewell's sister store, J. Crew, but Madewell is a hidden gem that deserves its own accolades. I was on the hunt for some straight or skinny cords and had tried all of the typical places. I have relatively small legs so I thought it would be a quick search but I really struggled. Strangely enough, J. Crew's cords looked the absolute worst on me. I put them on and my legs doubled in size. I stopped in Madewell to try these and loved them. Bought a pair that day and ordered another pair a few weeks ago!
7. Victoria's Secret Incredible Bra. I tend to avoid Victoria's Secret because I know I'll spend a lot of money if I walk into the store. I decided it was time to buy some new bras and right now they have the "buy one get one 50% off" sale. They no longer carry my favorite (Ipex) so I thought I'd try this one. GLOOOORIOUS! Super comfortable. Highly recommend. And in case you don't know what a bra looks like, here it is:

8. Aveeno Positively Smooth Shave Gel. I've used the same brand of shave gel for 15+ years (Skintimate). It worked well so I never considered anything else. Michael went to the store a few weeks ago and I asked him to grab some for me. He couldn't remember what I used so he grabbed this--and I am so glad he did. I'm not sure I buy the whole "shave less often" guarantee but I like it and it smells good.
9. Mad Men on AMC. Michael and I caught up on all of the seasons and we're hooked. It is one of my favorite shows of all time. I know it's not to everyone's taste, but if you hate the show just mute it and spend the hour looking at their clothes. Or Don Draper. Or Betty Draper. I have a crush on both.

And I figure I might as well share my must-have item for 2011....

Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I'm already counting down the days to my birthday--this will be my gift. Whether Michael gives it to me or I give it to myself, it will be in attendance on my 29th birthday. :)

I think that about sums it up. 2010 was great but I am ready for 2011.

Happy New Year!

Breaking The First Rule Of Fight Club

2010-12-26T22:07:00.007-06:00

If I had to guess, I'd say Michael and I agree on any particular issue 93% of the time. You know how they say opposites attract? We don't really fit that mold.

However.

A few months ago we discovered there is one small thing on which we vehemently disagree. It is not life-changing, nor is it newsworthy, but it shocked me how strongly we felt about this particular issue.

In fact, it caused (what I believe to be) the first outright lie in the Haynes household. We were about to leave for Tulsa and I asked Michael to add a certain song to the iPod so we could listen to it on the drive. He agreed to do so and moments later let me know the song had been added. On a whim, I decided to play the newly added gem to accompany us while we packed. I opened up iTunes and scanned the list until I reached the song. Except, there was no song.

I looked a few more places before it hit me... he never downloaded it. I had this vision of us being halfway to Tulsa before realizing the song was missing from the playlist and Michael grinning whilst letting me in on his terrible lie. At that moment he walked up the stairs and we made eye-contact. My eyes narrowed and then his eyes narrowed (keep in mind we both have very squinty eyes so when our eyes narrow it is REALLY difficult to see). I pointed in his general direction (vision was limited) and said, "You LIED to me. YOU lied to me. You lied to ME." After emphasizing each word in my short statement, he simply said, "I hate that song."

Our biggest disagreement of 2010--hell, quite possibly the biggest disagreement of our 6-year romance. And since this is my blog and I've written 300 entries to his three, I shall post this glorious song so it will be a part of us forever.

Such a tumultuous life we lead.

(Sidenote--I am not a fan of her voice, especially the first 30-seconds. But this song? THIS SONG IS AMAZING. Especially in the car.)

(Sidenote II--I was NOT this kind of teenager.)

And if one version wasn't enough...

12.23.10

2010-12-23T11:12:00.013-06:00

I've learned a lot of things this December. The first is quite simple: If you aren't home much, your Christmas decorations have fun without you.

This has been, by far, the most interesting Christmas season I've ever experienced. As I've mentioned before, Michael and I are not "Christmas before Thanksgiving" people. We like to enjoy one holiday at a time and let's face it, neither of us are fantastic multi-taskers. But something was different this year. Thanksgiving came and went and I still wasn't ready for Christmas.

We bought a tree. It stood naked (well, as naked as something with 5 billion pine needles can be) for about a week. Finally Michael convinced us to decorate the tree and the rest of our home. We purchased all of our Christmas presents months ago so we had no shopping to do. Last and certainly least, work was so crazy that I simply couldn't find the Christmas spirit.

Yesterday we finished busy season. I'd told the group my goal was to complete everything before we left for the holidays and at 3:57 we finished. At 4 pm, the office closed for Christmas.

Honestly? It was my (work-related) proudest moment to date. I would have screamed and run up and down the halls if I knew my proudest moment wouldn't end with "you're fired." So instead, I smiled, stretched out my legs, and felt 6 weeks of pure anxiety, nerves, and 3 am panic attacks leave my body.

It weighed at least 4 pounds.

As I walked to my car I was hit with this MASSIVE surge of Christmas spirit. It had been building up inside of me, hiding somewhere (my ankles, perhaps?), aching to get out. So with a grin on my face, I let it consume me.

It came in the knick of time since Christmas is a mere 2 days away. I can't say it's better than having an entire month of Christmas cheer, but there is something to be said about that much build-up hitting you all at once. I think I understand how Scrooge felt when he woke up from that crazy dream.

So with that said, I'm back! Thank you so much for your sweet comments and encouraging emails. They meant the world to me and always came when I needed them most. This blog has been such a blessing to me. I am so grateful for the people I have met along the way and for re-discovering the absolute joy of writing.

I hope you've found your joy this year, whether it be your family, friends, faith, a new hobby...

Or a delicious Sprinkles cupcake.

If I've learned anything this Christmas, it's that it is NEVER too late to celebrate the blessings you've been given from the One who created you.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

Love - Scrooge Haynes

:)

2010-12-20T21:11:00.001-06:00

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

-Love Actually

The Countdown Begins...

2010-12-16T20:50:00.007-06:00

This time next week I'm a free woman! I just made an appointment for a one-hour massage so not only will I be free but also RELAXED!

Until then, enjoy this lovely Christmas montage played to one of my very favorite Christmas carols:

"Then He smiled at me..." Makes me tear up every time.

Hope you're all enjoying the holidays!

2010 Status Updates on Facebook

2010-12-08T20:53:00.003-06:00

Because any post is more exciting than no post at all. (Or is it...?)

Well Hello There

2010-11-19T21:12:00.006-06:00

Ho boy.

So it's been awhile. And in that while, a few things have happened.

1. I fell in love with coffee.

2. I turned into "Work is my Life" Meredith.

Let's begin with the first statement. It's true. After 28 years of refusing this disgraceful substance, I came to work one morning and realized I needed some caffeine. I poured myself a cup and thought, "Well, this isn't so bad." Day 2: Walked in, sat down, thought about how nice it'd be to have something hot on the coldish day... BAM! Coffee. Day 3: Walked in and headed straight for the coffee pot, not even stopping by my desk to take off my coat. 28 years denying its existence, less than a week to get absolutely addicted.

I wouldn't consider myself proud of the first statement, but I am downright disgusted at the second. Mid-November and all of December is busy season for me and it just so happens I'm supposed to run the show. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being the leader (ask anyone who has known me for 4 minutes), but I DESPISE it if I don't know exactly what I'm doing. I think about work constantly--what needs to be done, what needs to change, what needs to stay exactly the same, etc. Michael will be telling me a story and ever so slowly my eyes start focusing on the right side of his forehead. At that point he has lost me to class codes, loss runs, and audits, none of which are as exciting as whatever he's telling me.

Tonight I came home from work and realized I hadn't taken a deep breath in approx 8 hours. I stood in our bathroom and told Michael I just needed to take a few big, relaxing breaths. I got my arms in the "big, relaxing breaths" position and as I breathed in and breathed out I realized my arms were going the wrong way. Damn. Michael showed me which way my arms were supposed to go (inhale up aaaaaaand exhale down) and it did actually make me feel better.

Until I realized I'm supposed to lead a team and I don't even know how to breathe properly. Yowza.

So I guess this is my "please forgive me" post in case I disappear for the next 6 weeks. I'm actually working on a weekend recap that covers approx 8 weekends (I wish I was kidding) and will hopefully have it up soon.

Until then.... Inhale aaaaaaand exhale.

Evan Laymon

2010-11-07T18:18:00.014-06:00

Last week Evan turned two! As much as I love to hear about his growth (both physical and mental), a part of my heart aches when I think about how many milestones I've missed. Fortunately, his parents do a great job sending pictures and videos so we feel like we're right there with him, cheering on his every move.

Before we look at where he is now, let's take a look at how far he's come! And because pictures are always better with music, I've included a song that sums up how I feel about the little guy. My dad and I danced to this at my wedding and while I'm not a fan of country music, I think pretty highly of this song.

Happy Birthday, Evan! We love you and can't wait to see the great things God has in store for you.

Love - Aunt Mermi and Uncle Mickey

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,

And each road leads you where you want to go.

And if you're faced with a choice and you have to choose,

I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.

And if one door opens to another door closed,

I hope you keep on walking till you find the window.

If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything...

My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you want it to.

Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold.

And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too.

This is my wish.

I hope you never look back but you never forget,

All the ones who love you in the place you left.

I hope you always forgive and you never regret,

And you help somebody every chance you get.

You find God's grace in every mistake,

And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, more than anything...
My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you want it to,

Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold.

And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too.

This is my wish.

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but be an example for other believers

in your speech, behavior,

love, faithfulness, and purity."

1 Timothy 4:12