Another busy weekend! Today is going to be crazy since I'm off the rest of the week so this post shall be short.
Friday night--Ram-A-Palooza! We had a great time! Michael and I get picked on for always being the first guests to leave but we pretty much outlasted everyone Friday night. The reason? We were the Ram-A-Palooza Beer Pong CHAMPIONS! It was quite ridiculous, we've played a few times before and were always pretty pathetic. We lost the first game and then went undefeated the rest of the night (you play until you lose). Hence us being there pretty late. Great times. Rami will be missed at Samson!
Rami posing next to his sign...
This picture makes me smile--I love it!
Heidi and I (in the middle of a laugh):
Getting ready to play another round of beer pong::
:)
Beer pong champions!
Saturday I drove to Fayetteville to visit Jen, Cameron, Melissa, and Lincoln (who is still presiding in Melissa's belly). We were at the restaurant for 4 hours! It was great to see them both!
Can you guess which one of us is pregnant? Because based upon this picture, I'd say myself. Guess that isn't the most flattering shirt... :(
Cameron!
Melissa and baby Lincoln!
Wish I could elaborate but my to-do list is quite ridiculous. We are REALLY excited about San Diego tomorrow! If I could sum it up in a few words:
High today in Tulsa: 105 degrees High today in San Diego: 75 degrees
In 86 days (+ or - a few) I'm going to be an aunt!! WOOHOO!!!!
Heard a fun song on the way to work that I thought I would share with you. It was kind of a waste for them to play it on a Friday--probably should have been saved for a Monday or Tuesday. I'll give you a hint: it became very popular 20 years ago this week! My other hint, which will only help the Besancon clan: mom HATES this song due to one of her students singing it constantly. So mom, you might want to veer away from the "play" button.
Videos were pretty funny back then. Nice cameo from Robin Williams. :)
Happy Friday, happy August, and HAPPY WEEKEND to you!
My personal opinion: if you aint got no cash, aint got no style, and aint got no gal to make you smile, you are allowed to be worried and not happy.
Past weekend was excellent. It began on Thursday with Cari's bachelorette party. We met at her mom's house, opened gifts, and went to In the Raw for dinner. I had a great time catching up with Aubrey and James (nickname for Jamie), and we managed to have some pretty funny conversations. After dinner we drove around Tulsa trying to find a place that would be a good fit for 12 or so lovely ladies ready to have a good time. Requirements: not Brookside Bar, not trashy, not clubbish, and not boring. As most of you know, that narrowed the options down to approx 3 in the Tulsa area. The first had an incredibly loud band and sketchy folks sitting out front. The second had already stopped serving beer downstairs and their upstairs was covered in a hazy fog of smoke. The third, Continental, suited us just fine. Last time I was there I ended up on stage with the band. Since it was clearly not my party, I decided I would keep myself seated. Good times were had by all (including Cari, I hope). Due to work the next day, I left the party around 12:45a. Yep, I actually hit the "am" hour on a work night. Went to bed immediately and woke up Friday morning to a loud, obnoxious noise. Actually it was my husband, sweetly kissing my cheek and waking me up, but I was in NO mood to hear anything after only 5 hours of sleep. I need 10 hours folks! 12 if you've got 'em!
Friday was a snooze-fest at work. I again learned what it was like to sleep with my eyes open and was thankful when the clock struck 11! I'm having trouble remembering the day but I think we cleaned the house and I took a nap so we would be ready for our house guest: Leslie! She arrived around 6p and we had a great time catching up. I took her to Jenks America's prime spot, the Riverwalk. We had some margaritas and chips while waiting for a table at Los Cabos. I learned all about her new dog Weber and caught up on her family and friends. As I type, they are packing for Memphis, TN and moving there this weekend. The good news: Michael and I enjoy road trips, bbq, and blue suede shoes, so I know we'll visit. :)
Saturday evening was Cari and Ken's wedding. The future Sniders, Michael, and I took 8 boxes of wine to their reception site and set them up. 8 boxes = a lot o' wine. We dressed at Kait's house and drove to the wedding together. The only seats available when we arrived were between 84 screaming babies. Here's the deal. I don't really know why people bring babies to weddings but that is fine as long as you keep them quiet. And if you can't keep them quiet (which I also understand), there is wedding protocol you must follow: remove said baby. Do not keep feeding it cheerios while talking loudly to it. Do not give it diapers to throw in the middle of the aisle. And do NOT start talking to the neighboring babies around you and act like you're at a family picnic. GAH! I heard about every 3rd word from Rev. Michael H. (the pastor), lost feeling in my right hand due to Michael's ridiculously strong grip (he and I feel the same way about this baby stuff), and became very bitter. On a positive note, every 3rd word was beautiful, the bride was gorgeous, the groom was dashing, and it was an incredibly lovely wedding. I was glad to be there, just a bit peeved at the tiny tots.
We made our way to the reception and had a blast. The food was AWESOME. I ate, well ok, a lot. Usually I'm pretty picky so I took mounds of the first few item I saw and then as I walked down the line realized there were many other enjoyable features. Wasn't sure if I'd have the chance to go back through the line so I just added a few extra layers of food on top. Yep, I was THAT girl. The rest of the night was spent dancing and drinking with good friends. Cari and Ken smiled the entire night and you could tell they were so loved by everyone in attendance. It was great!
After the wedding, we went to Grey Snail and had a few beverages. It was quite funny, we were all tired but SO determined to not be party poopers. At about 1a, we all looked at each other and just left. I'm not sure if we even asked if the other was ready, it was THAT obvious. Fun times.
Here are a few pictures. Unfortunately we did not have any taken with the bride (oops)... I know the prof. photographer got plenty of us dancing with her but that's it...
So that was our weekend. This Friday we have a goodbye party for Rami, one of Michael's co-workers. He is leaving Samson and heading to TU law school. The theme is Ram-A-Palooza and I was asked to create a flyer for the event (similar to Mitch-A-Palooza from Old School). Had a good time with that. :)
Saturday I'm driving to NW Arkansas to visit Jennifer and Melissa! Jen had a baby recently and Melissa is well on her way! Sunday is small group, Monday is work, and Tuesday at 6a we fly to the great state of California. More specifically, San Diego. I am so excited.
As most of you could tell, last week's post was written in sheer frustration. I am not taking back any of my original thoughts, but I did discover after reading the comments that more of you are reading the ol' blog than I thought (which is fantastic)! That being said, YES the bells frustrate me (apparently I'm not the only one!), and YES they are extremely loud, but I do think it was a generous gift and one that is appreciated by many. Perhaps if I didn't hear them all of the time I would agree. I am considering taking down the picture because it might have taken the post from somewhat humorous to borderline rude.
Moving on to more important matters--We had a FANTASTIC weekend! I am waiting on pictures from friends (still not used to bringing our camera to important events) and then I will write all about it!
In other great news, I just booked the hotel in Eureka Springs for our anniversary weekend in a few months! Apparently October is THE month to go to Eureka so you have to book lodging well in advance or you might end up at a bad Bed & Breakfast with cold eggs and rude blue hairs. No thanks. Michael has never been to Eureka and I adore the place so I thought it would be a fun and relatively inexpensive way to celebrate the big 1. While making the reservation I learned our room has a fridge stocked with complimentary soft drinks and bottled water. Immediate fist punch in the air! It's the little things in life, ya know?
Below is a 30-second video I took on our camera the other day. Many of you have asked how it is possible for one feline to be so large. I think this video captures the essence of Thumbs better than I ever could. As a proud parent, I know she is a bit hefty but doesn't she look SO GOOD on camera?! HA! Thumbs, our plus-sized model...
I have a horrible confession to make, but a bit of background first...
Last year, two church familes made sizeable donations so we could purchase carillon bells (32) for the tower. I immediately pictured Michael and I walking out of the church after our wedding to the glorious peal of bells. The arrival, however, was delayed and I was then concerned we would walk out to a large crane perched in front of the church. Neither happened.
The bells were a fun addition. For about 3 weeks. They play every hour, half hour, and quarter hour, but the WORST is at lunch (right now). They play for a solid 20 minutes. My office is right next to the bells and the window is paper thin so they are uber loud.
Please don't hate me when I say I have (more than once) cursed these bells to the high heavens. The entire 4th of July week our music minister switched things up by adding patriotic songs. Fortunately for the staff, they don't carry guns at the church. First time in my life I was all for war and not afraid to show it.
I had a meeting last night at 5:30 (I usually leave at 4:30). I decided I would get some extra work done and was busy at my desk. As the clock struck 5 the bells did their normal ditty... and then kept on going. AGAIN. Guess he'd set them for the after-work crowd to enjoy on their drive home. My hands started shaking, my eyes narrowed, and I. Was. Angry. Couldn't do it folks, couldn't do it. I grabbed my purse and hit the road. I didn't know where I was driving to, I just had to drive and get away from the terror of the bells. Gives new definition to the phrase, "hells bells."
Fortunately for me, my angry driving arms led me right to the Taco Bell drive-through. It was fabulous, and the one and only "bell" I shall cherish forever.
Warning: This post is 90% about animals. Any of you who don't like animals (heartless souls...) should skip it entirely.
After work on Thursday, a huge group from Samson went to Oscar's Gastropub for Garrett's goodbye party. Michael and I typically show up to events right on time while everyone else seems to run late, so we decided this time we would be the fashionably late ones. We walked in at 5:20 (party started at 5) and took 2 of the last 4 seats. It was an extremely long table and we weren't friends with any of our seat neighbors. Argh. A few others arrived who we did know and took the remaining seats next to us. Big sigh of relief. While we were at Oscar's, I had my first experience with fried green beans. I've had several people in my lifetime ask why I was so adament on living in the south. New answer: fried green beans. (Previous answers have been "fried okra" or "fried macaroni bites." Consistency has always been a strength of mine...)
Friday I went to work and then met mom and Mrs. Townley at Queenies for lunch. It was so great to see them both. We wandered around Utica Square for an hour and then drove to Michael's and my home. Mrs. Townley had never seen it before so I was able to give the grand tour, which is always fun. They stayed for several hours (felt like a few minutes) before they drove back to the Fort. I took a 20-minute power nap and then Michael and I headed to the horse races.
Didn't think they had horse races in Tulsa? Yea, me either. I was pretty skeptical but we had a great time. Samson had a tent on the grounds so we had as much bbq and beer as we pleased. Michael and I bet 3 times and won once. It did not start off well--our first horse was dead last. I think, nay, I KNOW I could have run faster than the beast. (Ha--did anyone else pick up on the "nay" pun?) I didn't understand all of the tiny numbers so my picks were chosen entirely off of the horses' names. Fun times. We went to a friend's house afterwards before we headed home. Very fun night.
Our winning ticket! Big winners! (We'd spent $4 purchasing tickets so you're looking at a profit of $1.60) On Saturday we continued the grand animal tour by going to the Tulsa zoo. It was approx 120 degrees outside and we missed seeing a few of the animals because they were resting comfortably in their indoor dens. We would have been pretty disappointed had we paid for our tickets but they were given to us so we couldn't complain. I saw a lot of really funny looking animals and others that were very beautiful. The monkeys cracked me up. I laughed the hardest, however, at the road runner. A few of you know about Michael's tendency to run.... everywhere. For example, if he is in the living room and wants to check something on the computer, he sprints the 20 feet to get there. And then sprints back. If you are ever talking to him on the phone, please know that he is running around our house the entire time. Me? I get comfortable in our bed and don't move at all. Anyway... The roadrunner had 2 areas in his entire open room that held his interest. He'd stay in one spot for a bit and then dart to the other spot. Pause. Then dart right back to where he was. I kept thinking, "Who does this remind me of?" And then it hit me. My own little road runner, Michael. It was great.
Thumbs sits like this... Behind Michael is a ginormous bear... Old man river... There is a zebra in the background. He liked my shirt: After the zoo we lounged around at home. Michael wanted me to watch Batman Begins before we saw the Dark Knight so we made a mexican fiesta and settled in to watch some superheroes. Sunday began with church, a quick lunch (mexican fiesta 2.0) and then we saw the darkest movie I have seen in a long time. I thought it was really good, Michael LOVED it. So there you have it.
Saturday night I was sitting in our office when Michael asked if I'd seen Thumbs in her latest spot. He was standing at the doorway of our guest bathroom and I took a quick peek (and then grabbed my camera). Is she not the greatest? Oh Thumbs, what joy you bring to our lives!
I was thinking about this post and realized all of my news is quantitative, so I decided it might be fun to list the amount and then explain what each value represented.
26: Age my life-long friend Julie Bulie Edwards turns today. On our 10th birthdays we got our ears pierced. On our 16th birthdays we drove each other around the Fort. (Do you remember "Discover Fort Smith" day?) I wish I could be in Boston to celebrate with you, hope it is faaaantastic!
5: Meetings I have today. 5!!! Aren't there laws against this? I have 4 back-to-back that begin at 8:30a and will last until 1p. After a 2 hour break I have my last meeting at 3p. Good. Lord. (Which just so happens to be the subject we will be discussing at each of the aforementioned meetings.)
101: Days until my baby niece or nephew should be born. (See also: Number of dalmations in old Disney movie.) I am SO excited to be an aunt. I visit baby stores weekly to look at the adorable clothes and wish each would be more creative with their unisex apparel. Most of it looks too dude-like for a girl but waaay too feminine for a boy. I finally found a fantastic item that I'm going to purchase. As soon as Justin and Michelle receive it I will post it on here because I find it HI-larious.
0: Days left with my work buddy Heather. Today is her final day and then she becomes a stay-at-home-mom with 2 of the cutest kiddos I know. I know she is excited but I am going to really miss our daily chats. Michael, if you are reading this, I would also like to become a stay-at-home-mom. Minus the kids part. How do you feel about that?
29: Kids I took care of last night at a youth event. There were 2 of us in charge and I was absolutely exhausted by the time I left (and eaten alive by bugs). Michael has had to stay late at work the past few nights so he was not able to be there. He is a quiet leader but one the kids listen to and one I depend on when I'm at my wits end. I kept looking for him so I could share my "Oh my gosh get me out of here" look and was quite sad that he was not there to comfort me.
12: Names I have come up with for our future dog. Over the past few weeks, I have been doing massive amounts of research for the next member of our family. He/she has to be able to get along with fat cats, kids, be friendly, smart, and able to clean the house and wash the cars. I was able to find one that does it all. :) Anywho, I could come up with dozens of boy names but we think we want a girl and those names are much harder. I thought I had it the other night and excitedly shared it with Michael...
Me: Michael! I thought of the perfect name! I was trying to think of things we have in common that we love... like Ansel (Ansel Adams), Shel (Shel Silverstein), Maui, etc. And I got it! Kimo! Michael: You aren't serious. Meredith: I AM! We loved that restaurant on our honeymoon! And what a cute name! Kimo! Michael: No one else will think of it that way. Come on, think about it for a second...
So I started thinking of all the dirty words that sound like Kimo (couldn't think of any). And then it hit me. Oh. CHEMO. I immediately imagined our dog running around the neighborhood and me screaming at the top of my lungs, "Chemo!! Chemo! Here girl!" Sounds like a sick joke. So... the name Kimo/Chemo is definitely out.
0: Fences we have in our backyard. Could be awhile before we get our glorious dog.
And finally..
8 to 3: The final dork vote. I am the biggest dork there ever was. However, I want to know which one of you switched your vote. As of yesterday it was 5 to 4. For the 8 of you that voted for me, I give you my sincere thanks as well as a big punch in the gut.
I often use periods for emphasis, so allow me to share the following: I. Am. Fried. Our trip to the lake on Saturday was amazing and I can't stop smiling when I think about it. There were 6 of us and we were told on the drive up that it was tradition for all couples to ride the tube together (a bit of marriage counseling I suppose). I was a bit nervous because I have shared a tube with others before and ended up somewhere near the bottom of the lake with a large body on top of me. I was determined to not let that happen again.
As soon as we stepped on the boat we had some lunch and then I immediately jumped in. Being the smart one, I decided I would wait and put sunscreen on AFTER I got back in the boat, but I ended up staying in the water for almost an hour talking to the girls. Apparently my brain cells completely shut off when the sun is involved. It didn't take long for my shoulders and arms to turn a nice shade of red.
When it came time to ride on the tube, Michael and I were able to get ourselves situated pretty quickly. The first time we lasted quite a while and then I flew off. If it is possible to giggle underwater, I did. We got back on and rode a few more times. I MIGHT have outlasted Michael the third time around but it would seem silly to mention that on here. Even if it kind of proves my arms are stronger and my will is mightier... and that overall I'm a better person...
We had a fair share of tubing, knee-boarding and skiing. I wanted to try skiing again because I remembered being decent at it the last time. Michael politely asked when that last time occured and my only memory was that I was still wearing my back brace (add another dork vote to my side). So I'm thinking it was circa 1998. For those of you who are extremely visual, I did NOT wear the back brace while I was skiing. Or with my bikini. (But I did have to put it on for the trip home...) Anywho, I tried 3 or 4 times on Saturday, was able to get up but couldn't stay up. Perhaps next time.
We ended the evening at Pizza Port, another tradition of the Myers family. The pizza was amazing (yet to be determined if it was really that good or if toasted bark would have tasted delicious after the exhausting day we had). After a quick stop at Braums, we headed home. I went to sleep almost immediately and woke up feeling like I'd been hit by an elephant or possibly three of Thumbs. Every muscle in my body ached (and still does) and my shoulders were scary red. Michael and I went to church in the least amount of clothing possible. Talk about battle wounds, we were covered.
The Homans...
The Myers...
Neat video--this was our first attempt so I am the one flying off the back.
One last bit... I noticed that I have been consistently winning (losing?) the dork vote. I go back and forth with whether I should feel honored or if I should take a good look inside. Have I mentioned Michael's middle name is Eugene? Eh?? Nothing? Damn.
Because everyone needs a good song to brighten their Monday...
A few updates: 1. The week is (already) almost over! When you take off Monday, come to work late on Wednesday, and only work a half day on Friday, it flies by pretty quickly!
2. I have had confirmation from at least 5 people that my hair is not green. And I have been keeping my office door closed until I know there are more than 3 of us in the building. Creeper...
3. My arm is no longer red, the meds have brought me back to life, and we had a blast hanging out with Allison and Ro. They came in Tuesday evening around 6p and the 4 of us along with Kait and Steve had some sushi at In the Raw. Afterwards we went to Freckles for dessert and talked about some pretty disgusting things. Very fun, and very funny evening. Last night Michael and I went to a youth program and saw some of our J-Life kids. I have decided I LOVE 6th-8th graders. They are hilarious and (most of them) are really great kids. We are used to being around 6-10 kids but there were about 25 of them last night. A little overwhelming at first but fun nonetheless.
A few thoughts... 1. Are you ever minding your own business and then you think about something that is going to happen in the near future and literally get a burst of excitement? I thought that feeling was reserved for kids going to Disney World but I still get those bursts and they are quite fabulous. I think it is a blessing that I have such a forgetful mind, otherwise I would not have the pleasure of rediscovering an upcoming event and getting all giddy with excitement.
2. Speaking of rediscovery, I had a moment last night of deja vu that I wanted to share. I have become a big fan of apples with peanut butter. I typically cut up the apple, stick the pieces in a bowl, and add a spoonful of peanut butter to the side of the bowl. Easy enough. I noticed yesterday that I eat TINY amounts of peanut butter on each of the slices so the last few slices of apple can have mounds of the goodness. I smiled when I remembered I used to do this with Handi-Snacks too. (Oh PLEASE tell me you remember these?) I would use the tiniest amount of processed cheese on the first few crackers and then load up the final 2 with gobs of the orange mystery substance. So I guess those jerky neighbors were right--I AM a hoarder afterall.
3. Michael and I had a very serious discussion last night during dinner. I asked him who he felt (between the two of us) was the bigger dork. He immediately said he thought it was himself. But I am quite confident the title belongs to me. He does have a few doozies: the comics, the uber dorky video games, the history books that he reads for fun (I have no idea)... But then there is me. I love puns, spent 10 minutes on dictionary.com in order to spell "smorgasbord" correctly (turns out "schmorgas board" is not correct), and best or worst of all, I heart math. Big time. I found this uber dorky poll and decided I'd leave it up to you to determine once and for all, which one of us is a bigger dork? (Please turn your attention to the right of your screen.) Keep in mind, it was I who had the idea of the dorky poll.
A few rules: -Just because you are my parent does not mean you have to vote for me. Michael's feelings will not be hurt if you vote for him. Not to mention, it's anonymous so no one will know. -Only vote once. I can just see Justonian feverishly clicking away on my name for every time I told him he would never get married.
If there are less than 5 votes total, we will know that not only are we BOTH dorks, we are also losers. Not a good way to start the weekend so come on, do your civic duty.
And finally, I meant to post this last week, but here is a picture of Evalyn! I love shim! :)
Why is it you always come back from a fabulously long weekend/holiday refreshed for approx. 15 seconds and then BAM! Someone says your hair is green?
Alarm goes off at 6a as usual. I get ready, drive to work, sit at my desk and start reading through my emails from the previous few days. The church is eerily quiet (and dark!) at 7a, I am usually here with one or two of the maintenance staff and that's it. It's one of my favorite times of the day. One of the "mighty men of maintenance" comes to my office door and states, "Well you got some sun this weekend." I reply, "Yep, sure did." Awkward pause. Then the loud mouth continues... "And someone sure bleached your hair." I reply, "Yep, they sure did." (I knew going platinum would come back to bite me...) Awkward pause. "It looks green." I say, "I'm sorry, what?" He replies, "It looks green. Your hair (points to head)--it looks green." Me: "Oh. Well, it's not really supposed to look um... green." Awkward pause. I give him the, "Welp, it was good to see you" look and he moves closer. Really close. 2 feet away now and stares at my hair. "Yep... definitely green." So I half laugh and say, "Uh.. you're starting to make me feel really uncomfortable." Does he leave? No, he stands there for another 120 seconds and then finally moseys out the door.
Are you serious?! I immediately go to the bathroom and check my hair. And guess what folks? It is NOT green. Rude. RUDE!!
But don't worry, that's merely the beginning. I go to the doctor around 10a because I haven't been feeling too fabulous (please see "smell the barf" in previous entry). The nurse puts the blood pressure thing on my arm and it keeps sliding down towards my elbow. I try to move it and the nurse says, "Don't worry, once this thing gets going it gets REALLY tight." So I quit fidgeting and it starts to expand... and expand... and oh my God my arm is turning purple. I start feeliing a little sick because I can feel the blood pumping (which is directly related to VEINS--eeeck!). Then she pauses and says, "Oh, that's too bad. It didn't work. Let's do it again." So my poor arm gets a second dose of pain. She finally gets my blood pressure and takes the dumb thing off me. We both stare at my arm because there is a 5 inch band that is now blood red. She and I both start rubbing the little guy to bring it back to life.
I talk to the doc, take the script to Walgreens and it's back to work. After my 1 hour wait, I return to Walgreens to pick up my meds. The line at Walgreens is incredibly slow and during the entire wait my eyes keep diverting to the Sonic directly across the street. Suddenly I HEAR my stomach grumble, "Mmmmm, Macaroni Bites." I decide after the trauma of my green hair and red arm (Meeerry Christmas everyone!), I deserve some fried goodness. I pick up my meds and find out they only cost $4. What is this, 1967? Medicine that is guaranteed to bring me back to life costs the same as a gallon of gas! I drive towards deliciousness. I pull in. I push the button. They ask for my order. I respond. And then those terrible words that I knew, just KNEW would eventually haunt me come blaring back:
"We are psssshhh macaroni bites."
Stupid interference, I could have sworn he just said... Wait.. Hmm. Context clues...
He notices my long pause and repeats. "We are OUT of macaroni bites." (And yes, this conversation also made me think of poor George Stanley Banks and the classic line, "Noooo... noo! It's TWO hundred and fifty a head...")
You have GOT to be kidding me. Ugh. What a sad, unfulfilling, self-confidence shot, painful day. We have friends visiting us tonite and I am counting on them to bring me back to life, because right now the medicine alone doesn't stand a chance.
It's Sunday evening and I am in a FANTASTIC mood. It was a great 3-day weekend and we decided to continue the fun by taking off work tomorrow--woooohooo! I mentioned a few months ago that Michael and I were going to take off an entire week from work so we could relax. No trips, no expenses, just the two of us, a bad yard, and a pool 40 feet away. The vacation came to a crashing halt when Michael found out he would be taking over a new position a few weeks ago. Anywho, long story short, 9-day vacation became 4-day vacation. I was pretty down when I first found out but I've since made amends with myself, my husband, and Samson Resources for their terrible timing.
Thursday night we went to our home away from home--Utica Square--for their concert series. The future Sniders joined us as well as Garrett and Tara. It was blazing hot, I think I spent most of the time wishing my room temp red wine was a cool sangria.
On Friday (HAAAAPPY 4th of July!) the future Sniders joined us at our neighborhood pool. Michael overheard some unfriendly neighbors claim we were "hoarders" for grabbing two extra lounge chairs before Kait and Stephen arrived. I chose to give them my most evil look (I've been told it is a force to be reckoned with) but apparently it's all in the eyes so with my sunglasses on I just looked like I was staring. I wanted to yell, "It's a free country!" with the whole 4th of July theme but do not worry, I did not. After we'd had our fill of the glorious sun we cleaned up and went to the Riverwalk to eat dinner and watch the fireworks. The fireworks were less than amazing but still a nice time and much less crowded than the ones on the 21st street bridge. We all smoked some cigars and called it a night.
Let's see... yesterday. I have no idea what we did. I know we slept in... and I know food was involved... That's all I've got. Apparently it wasn't the most memorable. I just asked Michael and he can't think of anything either. Woohoo, vacation mission accomplished. Complete and utter boredom. Fabulous.
This morning we went to church. The air conditioner wasn't on and I started feeling REALLY nauseous. I leaned over to Michael at least 3 times to ask if he could also smell the barf. Not kidding, it smelled like someone ralphed right behind me. He reassured me that there was nothing of the sort. Anywho, we cleared out of there before we had a chance to take the Lord's Supper. I was not about to pass out in the wine goblet.
I guess that is about it. I realize our blog has been lacking on the pictures as of late and I apologize. I did want to show off the kiddo and her thorough enjoyment of our vacation as well.
She is one crazy cat.
Thursday...
Friday...
Saturday...
Sunday...
I'd layed out some of my old dresses on our office floor and Thumbs could not get enough of them. I realize if I'd just hung them back up this wouldn't have happened but 4-day vacation = no housework for me. How in the world can she have such a belly when the pictures obviously prove she is incredibly active?! :)
And, last and certainly least, an update on the lawn. It really is looking better (look at today's pictures and then click here) but I'm still waiting for that day when I wake up, look out the window, and see green for days.
Hope you all enjoy work tomorrow. I will be thinking of you.
I'm going to be completely honest: I'm not excited about updating the ol' blog today. Usually I wait until I get the urge to post something but the urge is nowhere to be found. Quite a bit has happened in the past week and I'm afraid I'll forget if I wait much longer so I'm sucking it up, putting on my big girl pants, and writing this post. I know you usually come to this blog expecting to fall out of your chair laughing at my charm and wit but I'm just not up to it today. So... let's call it a case of the Mondays, shall we?
Bullets! Ah yes, the answer to everything!
• Thursday evening. Went to Utica Square to hear a rock n' roll band with Kait and Steve. Had a fab time. Discovered a new, delicious bottle of pinot noir. Discovered the bottom of the bottle at the end of the evening (oops).
• Friday. Had a glorious half-day (although it was a terrible day at work but I needn't go into details). Went to the salon to finally, FINALLY color my hair and now feel like my hair has surpassed blonde and reached the forbidden zone: platinum. Yes it's kind of fun. And yes, I will have roots by Wednesday.
• Saturday morning. Went to the members only viewing of the Object Project at the Philbrook. I know you are so impressed. We decided there are 2 types of Philbrook members: the hippy, artistic folk and the rich "I don't really know what this painting is supposed to represent but I'm rich so it doesn't matter" folk. Michael and I decided (somewhat proudly) that we did not fall into either category and then immediately felt awkward and out of place.
• Saturday evening. Celebrated Stephen Sutton's belated birthday (he had strep the first time so party was postponed). Ate at a relatively new restaurant on Brookside called Keo. Ordered one of the most expensive things on the menu because it sounded so delicious. Anyone seen that Capital One commercial where they bring the food out and it's tiny? Yea... that was me. Even the green beans were tiny (both in size and amount). To be honest, I was ready for Taco Bell afterwards to fill the void in my stomach.
• Sunday. Church in the morning followed by laying out at the pool (had a nice chat with Justonian) and ended with Bluegrass & BBQ at Camp Loughridge. Our J-Life kids found us at one of the tables and ate dinner with us. It was great to see all of them and hear their summer stories. I have really enjoyed having Wednesday evenings to ourselves... but I miss those kiddos.
There you have it. Below is a picture of Evalyn. Isn't she a beaut?!
(Evalyn is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound--the size of a large mango)
I am a sleepy, sleepy Merd. Michael's parents arrived late Friday night and I tried (unsuccessfully) to stay up late and talk each night. I ended up waving the white flag and left the Haynes family (the originals) to chat amongst themselves. On Saturday and Sunday we watched a lot of soccer and the Olympic qualifiers. I think I know all of the female gymnasts by name. My favorite (her name is Shawn) is almost a foot shorter than me with thigh muscles that are larger than my waist. A bit intimidating. Michael's parents left around 5p and then our small group came over at 6:30. It was a packed weekend!
As most of you know, Michael and I have always been a big fan of twins. And by "big fan of twins" I mean we would like to actually have twins someday. Chances of that are pretty tiny but we think it'd be fantastic. I am addicted to Jon and Kate Plus 8--I talk about the family quite often and always feel happy after I've seen an episode. Michael enjoys it as well. Last night, however, I took it to a new, ridiculous level. After watching an episode I turned to him and said, "I think triplets would be fun!" As soon as I blurted it out I kicked myself in the face. No I didn't but I bet that gymnast could. I think I need to take a break from that crazy family for awhile.
On the way to work this morning we were listening to the radio and a Geiko commercial came on. Michael happily said, "Oh I love that... iguana." I slowly turned to look at him and said, "I'm sorry?" He mumbled that he coudn't remember what the "Geiko animal" was called. Oh dear.
Tonight is "chore=bore night" (named by yours truly). I HATE washing clothes, Michael HATES folding clothes. So we both put it off as long as possible. Together we are a lethal combination. I don't like how he washes clothes and he can barely stand watching me fold my own clothes so don't even think of suggesting he wash and I fold. Not happening. Sidenote: He can fold and pack 438 shirts into one tiny suitcase, I promise you. When I think of my packing style, the words "cram" and "shove" come to mind.
We've made an executive decision that once the baby birds have reached puberty, the bird condominium is coming down. If any of you would like a bird nest let me know.
It's been quite the week! Yesterday was mom's 39th birthday and I was a bit bummed that I wasn't there to celebrate with her. Happy Birthday, Mom!!
Anna and Gary came over last night and we cooked burgers and chicken (God bless our little charcoal grill). They discovered a few weeks ago that they are expecting a baby in January! Michael and I realized we have 9 friends/family members that are pregnant. Good Lord!! Anna had been feeling pretty rough all week but she was a trooper last night and we had a fantastic time. They're such a fun couple.
Before they came over Michael mowed our poor, pathetic yard. Funny story--as we were eating dinner last night the doorbell rang and it was a TruGreen guy. He was asking if we'd ever considered service for our lawn and I told him that we were already using them and they'd come out once. I went on to tell him the entire story and then ended with "soooo it's actually the best it's ever looked. Funny, huh?" He mentioned he was driving around and saw our yard so he just HAD to stop and make sure we were doing something to help the poor thing. So sad. And true.
After Michael mowed the yard he cleaned up the MOUNTAIN of poop that continues to accumulate on our front porch thanks to the Von Trap family living in the ever-growing nest. I have been complaining daily about the bird poop AND the fact that the birds love to hear themselves chirp as they fly around our front yard. I think they're calling out to all of their friends, "Move HERE--these idiots don't care! Follow our ridiculously loud voices and join us at beep beep beep W. beep Street!" (Censored on blogger.com for Michael, Thumbs, myself, and the 84 birds protection.) I feel like we're on the set of a horror film. To make matters worse, they now try to dive bomb all that get close to their nest, which includes anyone that walks to our front door (sorry Anna, Gary, and TruGreen guy). Sigh.
I woke up this morning with a huge grin on my face. Have I mentioned that I adore 4-hour Fridays? Yes, yes I do. We even got an earlier start than usual by leaving at 6:38a, a new record. When we were about 5 minutes from work, I realized I'd left some brochures in the other car. Boo. So I dropped Michael off at work and drove back home. My fabulous Friday had been shat on (sorry, this post is a lot about poop!) but I tried to keep my chin up. As I drove BACK to work, it was like the radio gods knew exactly what I needed: Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror. It is one of the top 5 greatest songs of all time. I love songs you can snap to and this masterpiece actually INCLUDES snapping sounds--brilliant! If everyone heard it as they drove to work there would be world peace. And Barack Obama would be elected president in the fall.
Michael's parents come in this evening!! Should be a fantastic weekend!
Why did he have to turn into such a creeper? I still love him..
Justin and Michelle had an appointment with the doc yesterday. Baby B is doing really well and they actually changed the due date to October 26! Michael and I are excited that we might be an aunt and uncle 5 days sooner than we thought! My birthday is on the same day as my aunt and uncle's anniversary and I think it'd be neat to carry on the tradition. So Justin and Michelle, if you could just move the date up a few more days to October 20, that'd be great. :)
Picture of ultrasound to go HERE. --> (I am including this as a semi-permanent reminder to Justonian to send me a scanned copy of the ultrasound.)
And for all of you that have asked me, they are not going to find out the sex of the baby. Which is going to force me to call this baby "Evalyn" as a combination of the two possible names. It is not too late to change your minds...
My parents drove to Tulsa yesterday so we could celebrate Father's Day and Mom's birthday (this Thursday). We had a great time and the only bump in the road (literally) was the drive up here--they were cursed with a flat tire. After an hour delay, they made it here safely.
Father's Day is a little different for me this year. The first thing I thought about, obviously, was my dad (aka. greatest dad in the world). Then I thought about Justin and how he's a dad right now even if he hasn't officially met Evan or Adelyn yet. He and Michelle are now a family of 3 and I hope today is great for him too. And then I thought about Michael--no, we're not having a baby--but I couldn't help and think about the upcoming years when we'll be able to celebrate this special holiday too. I am still more than happy to wait several years before we're able to experience it personally, but it is definitely a holiday I look forward to celebrating with Michael one day.
But back to my dad. On Mother's Day I wrote a post to my mom (aka. greatest mom in the world) and I remember after I finished it I started looking forward to writing a similar post the following month. And here we are...
5 of my favorite dad memories...
1. Tucking me in each night. Dr. Miller told this story at our wedding but I think it's worth mentioning again. When I was young, my dad always popped his head in my room to say goodnite and sweet dreams. Sometimes I was awake and would be able to respond and other times I was fast asleep. And then there were the times I was wide awake but would pretend to be asleep. I would anxiously wait and see if he would still say those sweet words when he thought I wouldn't hear them. And he never missed a night. The only reason he never saw me break into a huge smile was because the lights were already out.
2. Teaching me how to drive. My dad should get a huge award for this. Some people pick up driving quickly, and then there are people like myself. In my defense, he taught me how to drive a manual so I would be able to drive any car I wanted when I was older. As soon as I received my permit (at the tender age of 14), we went to Fort Chaffee all of the time so I could practice braking, changing gears, starting the car on a hill (how many times did I kill that poor car?)... the list goes on and on. I know I got frustrated at him, I am absolutely positive he got frustrated with me, but we were a team and we stuck together until the sweet, victorious end. I'll never forget the day we reached that gruesome hill and I was able to turn right and drive off without killing the engine.
3. Spending the day with me in 6th grade. Part of this story is a bit sad. I had recurring nightmares in 6th grade about a man that lived in Fort Smith, which turned into a borderline anxiety attack. After a night of tears and pain, my dad took off from work and spent the entire day with me. Just the two of us. I remember we drove around Fort Smith and he also took me to the Arkansas dam (I'm not sure what its actual name is). I loved that day, and I loved that he was willing to put everything aside to make sure I felt safe.
4. 37-day-trip-from-hell-vacation. Ok, folks. Usually I bring this trip up because I am wanting to share a "You think YOU'VE been to hell and back, listen to THIS" story. But somewhere, deep, deep, deep down, I loved this trip. I loved the places we visited, I loved cooking food over the fire, I even loved dad's morning wake-up call, "Start stirring!" (Hopefully that got a smile out of Justin...) How many kids can say they've spent 37 days straight with their parents? I know teenage years can be rough and kids are always trying to get away from their parents, but deep down I think they'd be crushed if their parents ever did give them that space. This was an incredible journey and one I will remember forever, thanks partly to my battered journal but mostly to the good memories I will never forget.
5. Walking me down the aisle. October 20, 2007. I spent 11 months excited and nervous about this day, but as each of my bridesmaids walked down the aisle, I stood next to my dad and felt so incredibly calm. I linked my arm through his, he patted my hand with his hand, told me he loved me and how happy he was for me. I know weddings can be hard on dads but he smiled the entire day. I am so glad I was able to walk down one aisle and up another with my two favorite men.
My dad has been the biggest supporter of this blog. He has printed off every entry (I believe there are 65 so far) and put them away in a binder. He even mentioned the other day how he'd started at page one and read through all of them again. I often remind myself that my parents are extraordinary--they are not average, they are not suitable. Together they blessed me with a wonderful childhood, a fantastic brother, and a lifetime of memories that I hope to share with my children one day. Happy Father's Day, dad, you will always be this little girl's hero.
1. Today is my 1-year blogging anniversary! It's a little bewildering to me that I have actually kept up with it for an entire year. As I mentioned in my very first post, I was hoping to last two weeks--tops. I've started approx. 37 journals in my lifetime and all lasted about a month before they collected dust next to my bed. It's been a really great year, filled with wedding showers, weekends with friends, poor Thumbs getting terribly sick, our wedding and new home, friends weddings and babies, and the recent discovery that we're going to be an aunt and an uncle in a few short months. Unbelievable. I'm so, so excited that I have an account for the greatest year of my life (thus far). In short, thank you so much for reading and I truly love the comments, but I can honestly say I'm doing this for us so we can look back at this "journal" one day and smile at the amazing times we've had together.
2. I heard a fantastic song the other day, "Bring the Rain" by MercyMe. I've listened to it several times now and have yet to make it through without tearing up. It's one of those songs that lets you know He has a purpose and a plan for everything that happens to you, be it good or bad. As I mentioned previously, it's been a great year, but I have had several moments of pain in the past (just as you have also had) and I wish I'd had this song to listen to in those times. I even remember feeling so sorry for myself once that I bought the book, "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People." Probably should have turned to my Bible and read the book of Job. Anywho, it also hits home in the literal sense with all of the storms and rain we've been having. Anyone that knows me knows I HATE the rain and I will complain about it to a stranger if I think he'll listen to me. But just the other day Michael and I noticed that we're getting new growth in our front yard (praise the LORD!) and I'm not sure we can take credit for such a feat. So... bring the rain. Read the lyrics and then go download the song. You tell me if you can make it through without tearing up and I will classify your heart as 95% stone. :)
Bring the Rain--MercyMe
I can count a million times People asking me how I Can praise You with all that I've gone through The question just amazes me Can circumstances possibly Change who I forever am in You Maybe since my life was changed Long before these rainy days It's never really ever crossed my mind To turn my back on you, oh Lord My only shelter from the storm But instead I draw closer through these times So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace Bring the chance to be free Bring me anything that brings You glory And I know there'll be days When this life brings me pain But if that's what it takes to praise You Jesus, bring the rain
I am Yours regardless of The clouds that may loom above Because You are much greater than my pain You who made a way for me By suffering Your destiny So tell me what's a little rain So I pray
Bring me joy, bring me peace Bring the chance to be free Bring me anything that brings You glory And I know there'll be days When this life brings me pain But if that's what it takes to praise You Jesus, bring the rain
I am quickly getting accustomed (and possibly addicted) to this 4-hour Friday! Michael and I had full plans of going to the Tulsa Zoo after work but noticed the coupon we received for 2 free tickets is not valid until July. Quick change of plans. Instead we had the Jeep's oil changed, ate at Albert G's BBQ next door while we waited (it's tradition), and went to the Toyota dealership so we could test-drive a Prius. I loved it! It was such a fun car, so many small details that make it so unique. I was ready to sign the dotted line (or at least consider putting myself on the short waiting list that will eventually lead to signing the dotted line) when we were told the waiting period would be at least 5 months. By the time it would be our turn, the Prius would be an '09 and have a different body style, etc. Suddenly, out of nowhere and completely unexpected (and unwanted) comes the schpeel about the Camry hybrid that is uber powerful and uber sleek and what a deal, why would you ever want a Prius when you could be big man on campus and get a Camry? I'm all for paying a bit more for better gas mileage, or getting a great deal and losing a few miles per gallon, but showing me a fancy shmancy car that costs quite a bit more and has dramatically less mpg is not really doing it for me--especially when the point of this new car is to save money. Gah. I test drove the Camry and it was nice but my heart was still with the dark grey Prius. We left with some information and I think we'll wait and see how the '09 does (review-wise) before we add our names to the ever-growing list.
I forgot to mention that on Friday we also went to the Salvation Army to pick up some clothes for the party we attended Saturday night. The theme was "Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes" (Hos? Ho's? I have no idea, but yes, you read that right). Michael's inspiration was Payne Stewart and I wore some workout gear I already had (with stilettos, obvoiusly). We were quite the team.
Once we were at the party we realized we'd taken the dressing up to a whole new level. Most of the girls wore tennis skirts and collared shirts. The guys looked like they'd just left work. I felt a little awkward (what with my stiletto heels and plaid socks) and the site of my husband next to someone wearing normal clothes was pretty damn funny. Luckily the group grew and several late attendees arrived with the same gusto as us. One of our friends had the same inspiration as Michael. :)
It was a great party and we left around 12:30 to get our "4th meal" at Taco Bell. That place is fantastic in the day but it is sheer heaven at night (minus the lady who worked the drive-through, she was NOT angelic).
Sunday was spent cleaning the house and preparing for our first small group. We are going to meet every other week at our house with several couples around our age. Most of the couples are coming from the Dave Ramsey class but we've extended the invitation to several others (so we can make fun of their spendy ways since they have yet to learn the baby steps to becoming a bazillionaire by age 30. Just kidding.)
Last night I saw Sex and the City with Kaitlin (it was great), tonight Michael and I are going with another couple to the Drillers game (thank you, Samson, for the free "box tickets") and Thursday we're having the Black family over for a barbeque. So as I mentioned before, the 4-hour work day on Friday is fantastic. My energy tank is on empty by the time these weeks end--I need to trade myself in for a hybrid version. Anyone know where I could find one of those?
A few weeks ago I noticed something on my fingers that was kinda cringe-worthy. It looked like a bunch of tiny, tiny water blisters. They eventually went away and were replaced by dry skin. You could barely see the dots but I'm sure my finger said all sorts of things in braille if you rubbed your finger across it. I became Meredith Haynes, web M.D. and looked up my symptoms. From what I could tell it is a type of harmless exzema, fairly common and completely safe. Directions were to apply cortisone cream and deal with it (more or less).
I emailed my mom the news and she replied (and I quote), "Get thee to a dermatologist." Didn't have quite the same flair as "nunnery," but both make it in the top 20 places I never want to go. So I called, made an appointment, and waited 3 weeks.
Now. Most people think going to a dermatologist is harmless. I thought so too until a year ago (February, 2007) when I had a tiny speck of a mole removed from my back and passed the heck out on a recliner chair. Mortified doesn't begin to describe how I felt once I finally came to. If that wasn't terrible enough, the doctor then said (in a rude tone I might add), "You were supposed to tell me you were a fainter. Now you have to tell all doctors you faint around needles, etc." LISTEN, lady, I have never fainted before in my life (except for that one time in 6th grade, which doesn't really count) and frankly, I blame it on the fact that I didn't have time to eat lunch and you made me nervous by saying, "I'm just going to scrape that mole off." SICK! I kept trying to sit up but was afraid something else might also come up so I stayed on her uncomfortable reclining chair for a good 15 minutes. Called Kaitlin who thankfully was able to pick me up and I took my first sick day ever at the church.
Soooo now you can see that with the dermatologist comes anxiety. Moving on.
This morning I sat in the same uncomfortable recliner chair and explained my deathly illness. She looked at my hands and in 4 seconds (possibly 3.5) declared I have exactly what I researched. Gave me cortisone cream. Entire process took 4 minutes and that is because 3 min and 45 seconds were spent talking about the large crevice I have between my brows. I asked her if there was anything I could do to get rid of it besides botox and she let me know that botox was the only cure and I needed it. Like, now. Apparently Honest Abe was her grandaddy or something. I told her I wasn't that interested in botox and then out of curiousity asked her more about it.
Folks, it lasts 3 months and costs $275 a session. Sometimes I wish I was terrible at math so I could live my life in blissful ignorance but I started calculating what it would cost if I kept it up for the rest of my life. I actually laughed out loud. She did not. I thanked her for the cortisone cream and we parted ways.
I did not tell her about my recent sunburn for fear she'd "scrape off" another mole out of sheer anger. And between you and me, I forgot to eat breakfast this morning so I was not about to let that happen.
